The Oxford Handbook of Structural Transformation addresses the economics of structural transformation around the world. It deals with major themes, which include history and context, critical issues and concepts, methodological foundations, main theoretical approaches, policy issues, some illuminating country experiences of structural transformation, and important debates on the respective roles of the market and the state in that process.

The historical record provides a challenge for economists to understand the success of the rising economic powers (some of them initially considered unlikely candidates for prosperity) and the stagnation or decline of others. Five major questions emerge:

· Why has so much divergence occurred among nations of the world since the Industrial Revolution, and particularly during the 20th century?
· Why has the pattern changed recently with the emergence of a few developing economies (e.g. the multi-polar world), and can it be sustained?
· What are the key drivers, strategies, and policies, to foster structural transformation in various different country contexts and in a constantly evolving global economy?
· How could low- and middle-income countries avoid development traps and learn from past experiences whilst exploiting the new opportunities offered by the Fourth Industrial Revolution?
· What is the role of various development stakeholders and other important players in facilitating sustained economic convergence among nations?

This book addresses these questions, bringing the rigor, usefulness, and multi-disciplinary scope of the Oxford Handbook series to a critical topic in economics. The Oxford Handbook of Structural Transformation is an essential reference work and a stimulus to new research and creativity across all branches of the social sciences.