This book is the first systematic study of measurement activity at a national metrology laboratory, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) within the U.S. Department of Commerce. "Professor Link develops an economic characterization and quantitative analysis of the critical role of measurement infrastructure. As measurement has become ubiquitous in high-tech industries, his assessment is a needed contribution to the rapidly evolving technology focus of modern growth policy." - Gregory Tassey, Economic Policy Research Center, University of Washington and former Chief Economist at NIST