In the academic year 1977-1978 Tilburg University celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. The commemoration involved specific scientific activities. The theme of 'Innovation', broadly de­ fined as 'developments in sciences and society', offered the scientific framework in which these activities took olace. The present volume is one of the results. It consists of the texts of a series of lectures held at the Department of Eco­ nomics of Tilburg University. The Department's Colloquium Committee, set up to organize discussions on current research, arranged the lectures. On this occasion, the committee decided to draw attention to the multidisciplinary character of re­ search in the area of NIEO, the New International Economic Or­ der. The collection of papers that eventually resulted is published in this volume. - Gratitude is owed to the people, thanks to whom this volume could be published: to Mr. Ad Janssen, head of the Office of the Department of Economics for offering the secretarial fa­ cilities needed to 'process' the book, despite an understaffed office already facing excessive work; to the 'Fifty Years Til­ burg University' Committee for creating the financial ways and means; to Mr. Jan Vingerhoets of the Development Research In­ stitute of Tilburg University for his most valuable advice and help; to Mr. McGivern who gave the book its final form in Eng­ lish. Thanks also are due to Mr. Hans Sinner, responsible for Tilburg University Press; to Mr. van Vloten, publisher, Marti­ nus Nijhoff, and to Mrs. Hinkenkemper, Miss Annelies Vugs and Dr. George Embree.