"This amazing book is the first to show that latecomer firms from even the most disadvantaged and unfavourable circumstances can still make it onto the top table of innovators - as long as they pursue their own distinctive path towards innovation (Papa calls this 'contrarian' innovation). The author delves deeply into the history of two amazing innovators domiciled in Argentina to show exactly how they defied conventional wisdom and grew to become world class innovators, blazing a path on the international stage . Papa's book gives dazzling insights into the leadership, strategies, structures and capabilities of these two incredible firms and carefully draws out lessons for others. This book represents a tour de force in this area of research, adding new concepts, evidence, knowledge and ways of thinking about other disadvantaged developing economies. It is essential reading for all researchers, policymakers, University students and professors as well as the major international institutions and banks whose mission is to provide support to the developing world." (Michael Hobday, Professor Emeritus of Innovation Management, and former Head of CENTRIM (The Centre for Research in Innovation Management), University of Brighton. Formerly Innovation Director of SPRU (Science Policy Research Unit), University of Sussex, United Kingdom) "In recent years scholars of economic development increasingly have been studying the factors constraining the capabilities of firms based in countries whose economies generally are significantly behind the world frontiers, and how at least a few firms have proved able to break through those constraints and achieve world class capabilities. Javier Papa has been prominent among those economists contributing to this line of important research and writing.

A hallmark of his work has been his employment of several different modes of analysis, including broad analysis of the factors in a country that hinder firms from developing and employing best practice and econometric study of populations of firms, as well as detailed study of particular firms who have succeeded in breaking the mold. The package is very effective in contributing to our understanding." (Richard Nelson, George Blumenthal Professor Emeritus of International and Public Affairs, Business, and Law; and (Formerly) Director of the Program on Science, Technology and Global Development at The Earth Institute, Columbia University in New York City, United States).