There has recently been a resurgence of interest in how institutions affect
economic performance. A review of this literature reveals that the concept
of an "institution" means different things to different scholars, both wit
hin economics and across the social sciences. We discuss what factors unify
the different definitions of institutions, and develop a concept of instit
utions useful for the analysis of economic performance, and economic growth
in particular. Specifically, we develop the notion of institutions as stan
dard "social technologies". Economic growth results from the co-evolution o
f physical and social technologies. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All righ
ts reserved. JEL classification: HO; LO; NO; O3.