The celebrated scientist and author of Why Information Grows reveals how knowledge moves, drives progress and shapes the world
We all understand that knowledge shapes the fate of business and the growth of nations, but few of us are aware of the principles that govern its movement. In The Infinite Alphabet César A. Hidalgo, world-renowned for his work on economic complexity, unravels the laws describing the growth and diffusion of knowledge. To understand it, he shows, we must accept that it is not a single thing, but an ever-growing tapestry of unique ideas, experiences and received wisdom: an infinite alphabet that we are only beginning to fathom.
Hidalgo walks you through the 'three laws' that predict how knowledge grows, moves, and decays. Through dozens of stories, he takes the reader from a failed attempt to build a city of knowledge in Ecuador to the growth of China's innovation economy, explaining why aircraft manufacturers in Italy began manufacturing scooters after the Second World War and how migrants like Samuel Slater shaped the industrial fabric of the United States.
By the end of this journey, you will understand everything from why knowledge grows exponentially in the electronics industry to what mechanisms allow knowledge to cross geographic borders, social networks, and professional boundaries.
These principles will teach you how knowledge shapes the world.
| ISBN: | 9780241655672 |
| Publication date: | 6th November 2025 |
| Author: | César A Hidalgo |
| Publisher: | Allen Lane an imprint of Penguin Books Ltd |
| Format: | Hardback |
| Pagination: | 240 pages |
| Genres: |
Popular economics Knowledge / Information / Data economics Impact of science and technology on society Popular Science Philosophy of language Economic theory and philosophy |
The celebrated scientist and author of Why Information Grows reveals how knowledge moves, drives progress and shapes the world
We all understand that knowledge shapes the fate of business and the growth of nations, but few of us are aware of the principles that govern its movement. In The Infinite Alphabet César A. Hidalgo, world-renowned for his work on economic complexity, unravels the laws describing the growth and diffusion of knowledge. To understand it, he shows, we must accept that it is not a single thing, but an ever-growing tapestry of unique ideas, experiences and received wisdom: an infinite alphabet that we are only beginning to fathom.
Hidalgo walks you through the 'three laws' that predict how knowledge grows, moves, and decays. Through dozens of stories, he takes the reader from a failed attempt to build a city of knowledge in Ecuador to the growth of China's innovation economy, explaining why aircraft manufacturers in Italy began manufacturing scooters after the Second World War and how migrants like Samuel Slater shaped the industrial fabric of the United States.
By the end of this journey, you will understand everything from why knowledge grows exponentially in the electronics industry to what mechanisms allow knowledge to cross geographic borders, social networks, and professional boundaries.
These principles will teach you how knowledge shapes the world.
The Infinite Alphabet features in the following genres: Popular economics, Knowledge management, Knowledge / Information / Data economics, Philosophy: epistemology and theory of knowledge, Impact of science and technology on society, Popular Science, Philosophy of language, Information theory, Development studies, Economic theory and philosophy, Development economics and emerging economies
The Infinite Alphabet is available in Paperback, Hardback
The Infinite Alphabet was written by César A Hidalgo and published by Allen Lane an imprint of Penguin Books Ltd
The Infinite Alphabet has 240 pages
£22.50