Book excerpt: This volume addresses the challenges faced by value-added networking and innovation, both for firms' strategies and public policies in a context increasingly influenced by dynamics of interacting networks that underlie knowledge, creation, diffusion, and utilization. Part one deals with national institutions and policies to support science, networking, and innovation, ranging from legislation affecting university business relationships, national support systems for high-technology firms, to systems through which country brands can be developed. Part two addresses the need for value-added learning by local and regional governments concerning the building of an innovation system and the adoption of new ICT applications in cities. Part three focuses on firms, their management and strategies, and their performance in terms of innovativeness and growth.