Robert D. Atkinson

http://www.itif.org

Dr. Robert D. Atkinson is one of the country’s foremost thinkers on innovation economics. With an extensive background in technology policy, he has conducted ground-breaking research projects on technology and innovation, is a valued adviser to state and national policy makers, and a popular speaker on innovation policy nationally and internationally. A sought-after speaker and valued adviser to policymakers around the world, Dr. Atkinson’s most recent book is Big is Beautiful: Debunking the Mythology of Small Business, released in April 2018.
 
Before founding ITIF, Dr. Atkinson was Vice President of the Progressive Policy Institute and Director of PPI’s Technology & New Economy Project. He received his Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon and was named a distinguished alumnus in 2014. He received his Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1989.

Books by Robert D. Atkinson

Image of Big Is Beautiful: Debunking the Myth of Small Business

Book Reviews by Robert D. Atkinson

Image of The New Goliaths: How Corporations Use Software to Dominate Industries, Kill Innovation, and Undermine Regulation
Author(s):
James Bessen
Genre(s):
Law, Technology, Current/Public Affairs & Events, Public Policy

The New Goliaths: How Corporations Use Software to Dominate Industries, Kill Innovation, and Undermine Regulation

July 7, 2022
Reviewed by: 
Robert D. Atkinson

“Besson’s analysis of the role of information technology in the new economy is an interesting one and worth reading.”

Read Book Review >>
Image of Dignity in a Digital Age: Making Tech Work for All of Us
Author(s):
Ro Khanna
Genre(s):
Government, Economics, Current/Public Affairs & Events

Dignity in a Digital Age: Making Tech Work for All of Us

February 9, 2022
Reviewed by: 
Robert D. Atkinson

The social and political implications of the digital economy are the source of increasing attention. The latest entry comes from Congressman Ro Khanna, a Democrat representing Silicon Valley.

Read Book Review >>
Image of Jump-Starting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth and the American Dream
Author(s):
Jonathan Gruber
Genre(s):
Science & Math, Economics, Business, Investing & Economics

Jumpstarting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth and the American Dream

April 8, 2019
Reviewed by: 
Robert D. Atkinson

“an important and interesting book about the future of the United States.”

Read Book Review >>
Image of Deep Medicine: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Healthcare Human Again
Author(s):
Eric Topol
Genre(s):
Medicine, Science & Math, Medical Writing

Deep Medicine: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Healthcare Human Again

April 1, 2019
Reviewed by: 
Robert D. Atkinson

“if the United States wants to cut health care costs, improve outcomes, and help patients take more ownership of their health, smart, AI-enabled medicine will need to be a top priority.”

Read Book Review >>
Image of The Knowledge Economy
Author(s):
Roberto Mangabeira Unger
Genre(s):
Political & Social Science, Political Economy, Business, Investing & Economics, Economics

The Knowledge Economy

March 30, 2019
Reviewed by: 
Robert D. Atkinson

Everyone talks about it, but no one does anything about it.

Read Book Review >>
Image of Creative Construction: The DNA of Sustained Innovation
Author(s):
Gary P. Pisano
Genre(s):
Business, Investing & Economics, Strategic Planning

Creative Construction: The DNA of Sustained Innovation

January 14, 2019
Reviewed by: 
Robert D. Atkinson

Innovation is a hot topic. And the dominant narrative today holds that innovation comes from lean, hungry startups, not from corporate giants that have become sluggish, risk-averse copiers.

Read Book Review >>
Image of No One at the Wheel: Driverless Cars and the Road of the Future
Author(s):
Samuel I. Schwartz
Genre(s):
Ecology & Environment, Manufacturing, Robotics

No One at the Wheel: Driverless Cars and the Road of the Future

November 12, 2018
Reviewed by: 
Robert D. Atkinson

It seems as if you can hardly go a day without reading about self-driving vehicles.

Read Book Review >>
Image of AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order
Author(s):
Kai-Fu Lee
Genre(s):
Robotics, Manufacturing

AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order

October 8, 2018
Reviewed by: 
Robert D. Atkinson

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science devoted to creating computer systems that perform tasks characteristic of human intelligence. And one of the hottest questions around AI

Read Book Review >>
Image of Never Lost Again: The Google Mapping Revolution That Sparked New Industries and Augmented Our Reality
Author(s):
Bill Kilday
Genre(s):
Cultural Affairs, News & Media, Science & Math, Business, Investing & Economics

Never Lost Again: The Google Mapping Revolution That Sparked New Industries and Augmented Our Reality

July 14, 2018
Reviewed by: 
Robert D. Atkinson

“Never Lost Again is an enjoyable and enlightening read.”

Read Book Review >>