Long-Term Financial Contracts and Technological Choice

The paper establishes a theoretical link between financial innovation and economic development. In an economic environment where product development takes place, it is shown that the gains from long-term financial contracting go beyond the minimization of costs associated with frictions in the capital markets. They can also result in the adoption of more efficient technologies by the production sector. Furthermore, the model suggests that financial innovation is also a byproduct of economic development, providing a possible explanation for the lack of long-term financial markets in less-developed economies.     

Trade liberalization and credit constraints: Why opening up may fail to promote convergence

This paper examines credit constraints as one channel held responsible for hampering economic convergence between countries. Specifically, we extend a Melitz and Ottaviano ( 2008 ) type trade model with variable mark‐ups to allow for endogenous technology adoption. We consider a framework with two countries that potentially differ with respect to credit market development. Firms have the option to adopt a more efficient technology by paying some fixed cost that is more costly to finance for financially constrained firms. We find that technology adoption increases in both countries after trade liberalization but more so in the financially more developed country: the productivity gap widens. Simulations show that the welfare gap widens too. Opening up without sufficient access to external funding thus fails to promote convergence.     

Technology Adoption, Human Capital, and Growth Theory

The paper explores a model in which growth is determined by a combination of human capital and technology adoption. At the heart of the model is the notion of "contiguous knowledge"—the idea that knowledge spreads out a certain distance. Because of this property of knowledge, a country can adopt existing technology only when it is sufficiently close to the technological frontier. Unlike the neoclassical growth model, the proposed model predictions are pessimistic for countries that are far away from the frontier. The model is thus able to account both for rapid growth episodes and economic stagnation.     

The Diffusion of Biological Waste-Water Treatment Plants in the Dutch Food and Beverage Industry

This article develops an economic model of environmental technology adoption decisions. The model is applied econometrically to the diffusion of biological waste-water treatment plants in the Dutch food and beverage industry. It shows that it is possible to explain the overall diffusion pattern of biological waste-water treatment plants in terms of a rational choice model in which prospective adopters trade off the costs of effluent treatment against the savings on effluent tax payments. Effluent charges are shown to be a significant positive factor in the timing of adoption of biological effluent treatment plants. This result is brought out by both the rational choice and the epidemic models. None of the models however can explain year-to-year changes in the ownership of biological waste-water treatment plants during the 1974–91 period, which suggests that there are other factors, not included in the model, that affect the timing of adoption.     

Vested interests, population ageing and technology adoption

Technologies that are used differ vastly across and within countries. It is commonly observed that technologies that would improve productivity are not adopted. This paper explains the failure to adopt new technologies through costs of adoption for people of different age. We set out an overlapping generations model with majority voting that predicts a relationship between the age composition of an economy and economic growth. We also consider the effects of more intense competition on technology adoption.     

Modelling the dependence between the times to international adoption of two related technologies

The structure of the dependence between the times to adoption by a country of two related innovations, the fax and the cellular telephone, is modelled in two stages. The first stage is the choice of density function for the time to adoption. The second stage is describing the dependence relation. For the first stage, a Weibull density function is used with its scale factor adapted to account for the economic and technological environments in different countries. Environmental data are collected from several sources. Copulas are used to model the dependence relation, three single parameter copulas are considered, those due to Farlie-Gumbel-Morgenstern (FGM), Frank and Plackett. Their properties are described and a combined estimation of the copula and density function parameters carried out. The limitations of the FGM copula rule it out from further consideration. The other copulas coupled with the Weibull, using eight environmental variables, are shown to provide valuable insights into the effects of environmental variables on adoption times. Given that a country has adopted one technology, the model of the dependence relation is used to provide the conditional density of the time to adoption of the other technology.     

Energy Efficiency and Rebound Effects: An Econometric Analysis of Energy Demand in the Commercial Building Sector

It is widely recognized that the adoption of energy saving innovations can induce an increase in the usage of the corresponding technologies and thus can possibly increase energy consumption. Among other concerns is that uncertainties regarding the magnitude of this “rebound effect” can deter policy makers from promoting energy efficiency. This paper analyzes the rebound effects of the adoption of energy efficient technologies in commercial buildings. Based upon a structural model of technology adoption and subsequent energy demand at the building level, the empirical results are that energy efficiency can reduce electricity use by about 35 % and natural gas consumption by about 50 %.     

Technology diffusion and environmental regulation: the adoption of natural gas-fired combined cycle generating units

Even though environmental policy can affect the path of technology diffusion, the economics literature contains limited empirical evidence of this relationship. This paper provides insight into the technology adoption decisions of electric generating firms. Specifically, the diffusion of combined cycle (CC) generating units is examined. This technology is ‘environmentally friendly’ in that, it is cleaner and more efficient than alternative generating units. The empirical model explores the decision to adopt a CC generating unit and the extent to which the technology is adopted in response to environmental regulations imposed on producers. Zero-inflated models are used to evaluate adoption decisions at the plant-level as well as the firm-level. This research shows that environmental regulation has a significant effect on technology choice and the extent of adoption in this industry. Findings suggest that the stringency of regulations that control the building of new generating units is particularly influential for established power plants.     

基于TOE框架的企业采纳RFID决定性因素研究

RFID即无线射频识别技术,是一种发展迅速的物联网技术。近年来,不少企业开始尝试采纳RFID以提高绩效和竞争优势。为了解释企业采纳RFID的决定性因素,研究者借助TOE框架开展了较多的实证研究,从技术背景、组织特征和外部环境的三大维度分析了影响企业采纳RFID的决定性因素。文献分析发现,技术复杂性、技术兼容性、成本、标准不统一、组织准备、高管支持、IT能力、环境不确定性、交易伙伴命令、竞争压力、政府支持和变革推动者是企业采纳RFID的主要决定性因素。研究结论既为RFID应用的相关者提供了管理启示,也指引了未来的研究方向。     

开放式创新平台组织采纳关键因素研究

运用技术-组织-环境框架与IT匹配理论等创新采纳理论,探索了组织采纳基于互联网开放式创新平台的关键因素及影响机制,揭示了开放式创新平台在组织中的采纳与扩散。运用探索性单案例研究方法,分析了影响开放式创新平台组织采纳的关键因素。研究发现,开放式创新平台的技术特质（相对优势、开放性、协同创新性、网络外部性）、组织情境（组织战略、高层支持、创新文化、组织规模）、外部环境（政策支持、外部压力）等因素对组织采纳决策具有直接影响作用。另外,技术特质与组织因素的匹配以及技术特质与环境因素的匹配不仅对采纳决策具有直接影响作用,而且对技术特质、组织情境、外部环境与采纳决策间关系发挥中介作用。     

The effects of education on agricultural productivity under traditional and improved technology in northern Nigeria: an endogenous switching regression analysis

This paper estimates a more efficient version of an endogenous switching regression model to examine the effects of farmer education—schooling and extension contact—on cowpea production under traditional and improved technology in northern Nigeria. The results revealed significant productivity-enhancing effects of schooling and extension contact only under improved technology. Factors that promote technology adoption will thus indirectly raise the marginal contributions of farmer education; these include schooling, participatory technology evaluation, improved seed supply, and market access. The results demonstrate that schooling not only enhances agricultural productivity following technology adoption but also promotes adoption itself.     

中美企业B2B电子商务采用行为研究

本文简要回顾了影响企业信息技术（包括电子商务）采用行为的主要因素。通过对中美两国95家电子、纺织企业B2B电子商务采用行为的实证检验，研究了行业竞争、政府政策、文化观念及潜在收益等因素对电子商务的采用行为的影响。结果发现．行业竞争、文化观念、潜在收益因素在不同经济环境下影     

采用RFID技术的供应链分析——从技术和商业角度

本文较深入地分析了在供应链上采用射频识别（RFID）技术以及其应用所面临的挑战和产生的商业意义。预计未来数年RFID技术的应用会迅速增加,而目前在使用的RFID面临的主要障碍包括标准化、互操作性、成本和人们对其了解不足等。本文采用一种基于RFID技术的主要用途的分类框架模型描述了一套RFID系统的基本组成部分,主要包括电子标签、阅读器和天线,并列举实例说明了它们如何在供应链系统中协同工作。我们的分析表明,RFID的广泛采用需要克服相关技术人员不足、资源稀缺性、标准化、立法和财务等方面的挑战,以便在供应链管理中各参与企业能共享相关信息,导入数据仓库,实现业务整合,从而更高效地获得更多经济利益,提高市场竞争力。     

论环境资源产权制度功能

环境资源产权制度功能是环境资源产权制度对整个经济关系和经济运行的作用,是环境资源产权制度内在的并与环境资源产权制度的内在属性相联系,适当的环境资源产权制度安排可以更为充分地发挥其内在功能。环境资源产权制度的功能主要包括:有效的环境资源产权制度可以促进环境资源合理定价和有效配置、激励环境治理技术创新、促进经济持续有效增长和收入合理分配。     

Understanding the factors affecting the adoption of the Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoTs) is widely considered as one of the most important infrastructures for promoting economic development and technological innovation. The purpose of this study is to find the key factors influencing IoT adoptions, specifically in Taiwan’s logistics industry. In this study adopts a model which is a hybrid of technology, organisation and environment (TOE) and the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory method (DEMATEL) to evaluate the complex factors influencing the adoption of IoT. The study employs the TOE framework as a basis to develop a general evaluation framework, and the DEMATEL technique conceptualises a structural model and then identifies the causal relationships among factors through a cause-effect relationship diagram. Finally, we also divided the complex influencing factors into cause and effect groups to better clarify the causal relationships for decision-making, to ensure the efficiency of IoT adoption.     

REGULATORY DEALING: TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION VERSUS ENFORCEMENT STRINGENCY OF EMISSION TAXES

We analyze the role of targeted enforcement of emissions taxes when the regulator wants to minimize aggregate emissions via the adoption of new more environmentally friendly technology. The regulator wants to speed up the path of technology adoption generated by a policy of uniform enforcement (that monitors adopters and nonadopters with the same probability) by engaging in a regulatory deal where a reduced monitoring probability is granted in “exchange” for adoption of the new technology. We set up a theoretical model, characterize the circumstances in which such dealing minimizes aggregate emissions, and test our hypothesis using economic laboratory experiments. Our analytical and experimental results suggest that even though such a deal might imply an increased level of violation by adopters, such tolerance is rather an integral part of an overall enforcement strategy that minimizes aggregate emissions when the rate of adoption is endogenous. (JEL L51, Q53, Q55, Q58)     

Replacement,adoption and economic dynamics: lessons from a canonical creative destruction model

In this paper, we provide a first inspection into how structural technology adoption costs affect economic fluctuations. To this end, we choose a simple extension of a canonical creative destruction model. We analytically characterize the optimal replacement–adoption policies, and study numerically the induced dynamics. Our model predicts that the countries supporting the highest adoption costs are those which display the longest and sharpest business and employment fluctuations, and the lowest convergence speeds to their steady state equilibria. Moreover, as the position of the workers in the labor market weakens, the fluctuations are shown to get even sharper.     

基于主成分分析法的科技服务业集聚化发展影响因子研究

集聚化是科技服务业发展到一定阶段所呈现出的一种空间生产组织方式,有利于强化科技服务业的整体创造力与综合竞争力。影响科技服务业集聚化发展的因子较多,提取出具有代表性的综合影响因子,有助于为促进我国科技服务业集聚化发展提供有力依据和可行建议。根据波特钻石模型,从科技资源、市场需求、外部环境和政府行为4个维度构建科技服务业集聚化发展分析框架。在现有产业集聚相关文献研究的基础上,结合科技服务业自身特点,共罗列出14个影响科技服务业集聚化发展的因子,运用多元统计分析中的主成分分析方法对影响因子进行筛选和分析。研究发现,宏观政策经济环境、生产要素配置、科技融资体系和市场需求是科技服务业集聚化发展的核心影响因子。     

实现技术进步型经济增长的条件、路径和策略研究——基于人力资本投资的视角

提高创新效率和人力资本投资效率,采取渐进式技术进步以及经济危机的爆发和环保要求的提高等等,都可以激励企业家创新和劳动者的人力资本投资,使人力资本与技术进步形成一个良性循环,这决定了技术进步型经济增长的实现。随着创新和人力资本投资的不断进行,生产模式将不断更新,那么前后相继新旧生产模式的生产曲线的包络线就构成了经济增长的路径。发展中国家依靠技术模仿,可以发挥"后发优势"而实现短期高速增长,但是这种增长模式很难持续。采用技术模仿与技术创新相结合的技术进步方式,才是发展中国家实现长期增长和经济赶超的最佳策略。     

Population Growth, Technological Adoption, and Economic Outcomes in the Information Era

In this paper we argue that population growth, through its interaction with recent technological and organizational developments, may account for many cross-country differences in economic outcomes observed among industrialized countries over the past 20 years. In particular, our model illustrates how a large decrease in the price of information technology can create a comparative advantage for high population growth economies to jump ahead in the adoption of computer- and skill-intensive modes of production. They do this as a means of countering their relative scarcity of physical capital. The predictions of the model are that, over the span of the information revolution, industrial countries with higher population growth rates will experience a more pronounced adoption of new technology, a better performance in terms of increased employment rates, a poorer performance in terms of wage growth for less skilled workers, a larger increase in the service sector, and a larger increase in the returns to education. We provide preliminary evidence in support of the theory based on an examination of broad wage movements, employment changes, and computer adoption patterns for a set of OECD countries. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: O33, J31, J11.