**About the Editor**

**Almas Heshmati** is a Professor of Economics at Jonk ¨ oping University, Sweden. He held similar ¨ positions at Sogang University, Korea University, Seoul National University, and the University of Kurdistan Hawler. He was a Research Fellow at the World Institute for Development Economics Research (WIDER), the United Nations University during 2001–2004. From 1998 until 2001, he held the position of Associate Professor of Economics at the Stockholm School of Economics. He was awarded his Ph.D. degree from the University of Gothenburg (1994), where he held a Senior Researcher position until 1998. His research interests include applied microeconomics, globalization, development strategy, efficiency, productivity and growth, with applications in manufacturing and services. In addition to the many scientific journal articles that he has published, he has also produced books on the EU Lisbon Process, Global Inequality, East Asian Manufacturing, the Chinese Economy, Technology Transfer, Information Technology, Water Resources, Landmines, Power Generation, Renewable Energy, Development Economics, World Values, Poverty, well-being and Economic Growth.
