Learning from R&D outsourcing vs. learning by R&D outsourcing

We analyze how research and development (R&D) outsourcing influences product innovation. We propose a separation between learning from R&D outsourcing, whereby the firm improves its ability to innovate by using outsourced R&D directly in new products, from learning by R&D outsourcing, whereby the firm indirectly uses outsourced R&D by integrating it with internal R&D to create new products. Building on the knowledge-based view, we argue that learning from R&D outsourcing is likely to have an inverse U-shaped relationship with product innovation, because the initial benefits of using outsourced component R&D knowledge to innovate products is eventually outweighed by the hollowing out of the firm's ability to innovate. In contrast, we propose that learning by R&D outsourcing is likely to have a U-shaped relationship with product innovation, because the initial challenges of integrating internal and external R&D are eventually overcome, resulting in more innovations. Finally, we distinguish between domestic and foreign R&D outsourcing and propose a liability of foreignness in R&D outsourcing as it has a lower impact on new products than domestic R&D outsourcing. The empirical analysis shows that outsourced R&D has an inverted U-shaped relationship with the number of new products, while the interaction between outsourced R&D and internal R&D has a U-shaped relationship with the number of new products. It also shows that domestic outsourced R&D has a higher positive impact on the number of new products than foreign outsourced R&D.     

承接金融服务外包对中国就业的影响

研究以金融行业外包服务数据为样本,沿直接与间接两种影响渠道,分析承接金融服务外包对我国就业数量与就业结构的影响,对就业数量变动的流向与趋势进行测算,深入到了劳动力就业质量层面。实证结果表明,承接金融服务外包可以扩大第三产业的相对就业比重,改善知识结构,有利于就业结构与产业结构之间的平衡。但不熟练工人的金融外包业准入将受到限制,加深了他们的就业困境。如何借此机遇将大量低技术劳工培训成合格人才将成为一个严峻的挑战。研究还提出了针对这一新产业形态未来发展的总结与展望。     

A North–South model of outsourcing and growth

In this paper, I formulate a simple North–South R&D‐based growth model where final goods firms in the North endogenously determine the range of international outsourcing of intermediate goods to the South. I show that a fall in the trade cost (through trade liberalization) of intermediate goods in the North: (i) reduces the wage of the North relative to that of the South; (ii) increases the outsourced variety of intermediate goods in the North; and (iii) stimulates Northern R&D activity and economic growth in both countries. By conducting welfare analysis, I also show that a decline in the trade cost of intermediate goods in the North improves welfare in the South more than in the North.     

Land outsourcing and labour contracting: Labour management in China's capitalist farms

Difficulty in labour supervision has been considered to be one of the obstacles to the development of capitalist agriculture. This paper presents two distinctive labour management strategies in China's large‐scale agriculture, which contribute to the development of agrarian capitalism in China. As shown in these cases, agribusiness companies engaged in grain crop production retreat from direct labour management by outsourcing crop cultivation, while acquiring profits from upstream and downstream activities. On the other hand, capitalist producers, who are involved in the labour‐intensive and capital‐intensive crop production, tend to mobilize local elites to manage the farmworkers. Although independent labour contracting services have not emerged, a specialized group of labour contractors is being cultivated. Rural social resources are utilized in labour recruitment and supervision to minimize the labour management costs in both strategies. However, the conflicts between capital and labour are covered or replaced instead of being settled.     

云计算中的轻量级查询结果验证机制

存储在云计算服务器上的数据可能被篡改或删除，查询完整性验证的作用是确保查询用户能够验证查询结果中的数据是真实的，且包含所有满足条件的数据。提出了一种基于签名链结构的查询完整性验证机制。方案使用代数签名机制替代数字签名实现校验值的计算，从而有效降低计算和查询验证开销。此外，通过维护一种新的、简单的索引结构实现了仅需下载少量数据即可实现校验值的更新。实验结果表明，所提方案比基于数字签名的签名链方案具有更小的更新开销和更高的验证效率。     

How and when environmental orientation drives corporate sustainable development in a cross-national buyer–supplier dyad

This study aims at relating the role of environmental orientation to corporate sustainable development within a cross-national buyer–supplier dyad. To this end, it specifically proposes and empirically tests a model delineating how the international buyer's environmental orientation would influence its green supplier development (GSD) activities, then its outsourcing supplier's green product strategies (GPS), and finally total relationship value (TRV) of the entire buyer–supplier dyad. It also examines how supplier overall information technology advancement (SOITA) would further moderate the aforementioned influences. Survey results derived from 202 buyer–supplier dyads have provided empirical support for all the hypothesized relationships of the proposed model. To summarize, the findings show that international buyers' internal and external environmental orientations both serve as a major driver for their GSD, which, in turn, significantly advances outsourcing suppliers' practice of GPS and consequently enhances TRV. Moreover, this study has demonstrated that SOITA exerts a significant and positive moderating effect on the GSD–GPS link. Overall, this study provides important insights into understanding the complex and contingent processes underlying the influence of the international buyer's environmental orientation on the joint performance of the dyad.     

服务贸易开放与我国居民收入差距——基于不同组成部分的比较研究

我国居民的收入差距尤其是城乡收入差距,自从改革开放以来在不断扩大,与此同时服务贸易开放度也在不断扩大。利用我国1982—2010年的年度数据,通过引入多个控制变量,采用多元回归模型对不同服务贸易组成部分对我国城乡居民收入差距的影响进行实证检验,结果表明旅游服务、其他商业服务贸易具有缩小我国城乡居民收入差距的效应,而交通运输服务具有扩大我国城乡居民收入差距的效应。今后应进一步通过简化审批、减少垄断来扩大服务业的开放,大力发展服务贸易来抵消部分货物贸易对城乡居民收入差距产生的不利影响。     

Outsourcing of Information Systems Functions in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises: A Test of a Multi-Theoretical Model

In this paper determinants of information systems (IS) outsourcing are deduced from transaction cost economic theory, resource-based theory and power theory. They are summarized in a theoretical framework which is tested using a sample of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany. The results show that internal performance and know-how deficits vis-à-vis external service providers are key determinants that explain why different IS functions are outsourced to varying degrees in SMEs. Moreover, the determinants of IS functions were found to partially differ between IS functions. Revised reprint of an article from WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK 43(4)2001:339–350.

Potential Growth of the US Economy: Will the Productivity Resurgence Continue?

This paper analyzes the sources of U.S. productivity growth through 2004 and presents medium-term projections for the U.S. economy. We attribute a substantial portion of productivity gains over the past decade to production and use of information technology equipment and software. In the most recent years, we also identify a growing contribution from sources outside the technology- producing sectors. Our base-case projection for the GDP growth rate is almost exactly three percent. We emphasize the substantial range of uncertainty by presenting an optimistic projection of 3.5 percent and a pessimistic projection of only 1.9 percent. JEL Classification D240,E230