This volume is a tribute to Erik Dahmén on the occasion of his 75th birthday. Professor Dahmén's innovative and influential contributions to the study of economic development began more than 50 years ago. His 1950 dissertation on interwar Swedish industrial development remains unparalleled in both scope and vision, particularity in merging together economic and historical method.
Dahmén's approach has greatly influenced much research both in Swedish economic history and in economic policy. The present study shows that the Dahménian approach provides a point of departure also for new theoretical work. His Transformation cum Development Block theory has been particularly useful in the analysis of Industrial Dynamics problems.
This volume has been designed to make Erik Dahmén's contribution to economic science more readily available to an international audience. The main editorial burden has been carried by Rolf G.H. Henriksson, economic historian at Stockholm University, assisted by Bo Carlsson, professor of Industrial Economics at Case Western Reserve University. The editorial work has been centered at the IUI - the natural place for the international marketing of Erik Dahmén's contribution to economic and economic-historical research.
IUI is proud to recognize Dahmén as a longstanding member of its inner circles. He was a key member of the pioneering group of young researchers who in the 1940s turned IUI into one of Sweden's leading economic research institutes. His renowned dissertation was written at the IUI and has been a major factor in shaping the IUI tradition in economic research. Though the academic theoretical fashions have shifted, Erik Dahmén has maintained an upright intellectual position on what is relevant economics, a position based on facts from the real world. Erik Dahmén has also served as director of IUI and has remained a co-worker ever since, having returned many times for extended research sojourns.
The publication of this volume has been made possible by a generous grant from the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation. We would also like to acknowledge our indebtedness to Gert Nylander at Arkiv och Forskning at the Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken who helped to promote this publication.
