Readying a region: temporally exploring the development of an Australian regional quadruple helix

Understanding how innovation drives regional development has important economic and social outcomes. Models such as Smart Specialisation and the quadruple helix are increasingly adopted given their sensitivity to place-based contexts. But although innovation processes are dynamic and facilitated by individuals’ interactions, our understanding of how these connections are developed and sustained during helix collaboration development remains under-investigated. This research adopts an action research approach, focused on a regional Australian case study, to test a multi-disciplinary conceptual framework exploring key human-centred, micro-processes driving quadruple helix development: trust building; power relationships; regional readiness; and time and sphere centrality. The findings demonstrate the interactive nature of these processes, with trust-building facilitating the deployment of power bases by critical innovation agents which then foments regional readiness for change, subsequently driving the helix spheres towards overlap. These processes were also driven by changing sphere centrality and unique regional temporal structures. Practically, these outcomes offer insights into the human capital dynamics of regional helix collaborations, particularly for identifying the key individuals required to drive their development.     

Gravitating toward the quadruple helix: international connections for the enhancement of a regional innovation system in Northeast Italy

The majority of previous Regional Innovation System (RIS) studies generally provide a rather static overview of the roles of innovation-creating actors. This article explores a single RIS in Trentino in Italy. The case shows that the roles of three actors (i.e., the provincial government, academia/research centers, and firms) are vital in creating the RIS, and that the provincial-level government policy is important in supporting the innovation activities of regional research institutions and firms aimed at developing their international connections. The public-private research collaboration and international connections of these actors are the key determinants of the development of an advanced RIS, but have largely been ignored in the extant RIS literature. This article extends the existing RIS and Triple Helix research to an international dimension, highlighting the complementary role of international connections within the RIS, thus reflecting a shift toward Quadruple Helix.     

Designing supply chains: Towards theory development

This paper describes a typology for designing supply chains that work in harmony to design, produce, and deliver products with different characteristics and customer expectations. This research discusses supply chain types that are necessary for success across three types of products: standard, innovative, and hybrid. It develops a framework for categorizing the supply chain types according to product characteristics and stage of the product life cycle. The key success factor for a product change as the product moves through its life cycle, and this may require different supply chain characteristics and capabilities. The paper blends literature and theory development with cases study research to create the typology and develop a set of research questions for further investigation.     

Telecommunications models: Planning for regional development in LDCs

The aim of telecommunications policy in the less developed countries should be to contribute to general development goals, but the links between economic development and telecommunications are not clearly understood. The authors suggest a dual approach to this problem. First, this involves the construction of models of demand based on the interaction between regional economic development and telecommunications use. Second, corporate models are required to explore the feasibility of particular supply strategies. The progress of practical work in these areas is described and includes the results of some specific research in Kenya.     

The regional dimension of innovation and the globalization of science: the case of biotechnology in a peripheral region of the European Union

This article presents the results of an analysis of the relationship between public sector research and industry development in the field of biotechnology in a peripheral region of the European Union: the Region of Valencia (Spain). It contributes empirical data on the delocalized impact of research-industry relations in a globalized economy. It also uncovers a gap between a relatively well-developed public research sector in biotechnology and a weak biotechnology industry. The analysis raises questions as to the role of the concept of predominantly local knowledge communities in regional innovation systems, as well as the model of linear technological development, both of which exert an important influence on decision making in research and development (R&D) and innovation. A high level of R&D is shown to be a necessary condition for stimulating innovation, but does not suffice. Rather, R&D must be integrated with a number of different actions to correct deficiencies in the regional innovation system.     

The impact of ICT convergence on development in the Asian region

Emerging economies in the Asia–Pacific region are experiencing dramatic and accelerating changes in patterns of ownership and investment in their telecommunications sectors, as well as in convergence. This paper will highlight the significant dependence of emerging economies of the region on convergence of ICT and how these technologies create new networks. Evidence will be cited from China, the Asian Dragons and the near NIEs like Malaysia and Indonesia, to show how they have created one of the largest markets in the world for telecoms equipment and services. The Southeast Asian countries with their open economies and export oriented investment technologies have proved that such policies have generated trade surpluses and long-term growth despite their current financial crises. They still plan to continue ascribing priority in their investment patterns to converging ICT.     

The impact of regional ICT development on job quality of the employee in China

The paper matches the province-level ICT development with the micro-level data of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), uses multiple indicators to measure ICT development and job quality, and investigates the impact of regional ICT development on job quality of the employee. The research conclusions are as follows: First of all, ICT development has a significant positive impact on job quality of the employee. After a series of robustness tests and dealing with endogeneity issues, the research conclusion continues to be valid. Second, when the job quality of the employee is poor, the promotion of ICT development is relatively strong. Third, ICT development has an indirect impact on job quality through the Internet awareness. Finally, ICT development has a relatively strong role in promoting job quality of women, older, non-agricultural, and medium-skill employees. From the policy perspective, in order to improve the job quality of the employee, we suggest promoting ICT development, narrowing the digital gap, increasing investment in education, and taking into account the different characteristics of employees.     

Behavioral assumptions and theory development: the case of transaction cost economics

From a critical realist perspective, I discuss the role played by behavioral assumptions in organization theories, and use transaction cost economics as an illustrative example. Core behavioral assumptions often constitute the foundation of the mechanismic explanations of a theory, and thus should play a pivotal role in theory development. I distinguish between assumption‐based and assumption‐omitted theory testing, and show that empirical research in transaction cost economics has been dominated by assumption‐omitted testing. To establish a solid foundation for a new theory, management researchers should pay more attention to assumption‐based testing. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The vicarious wisdom of crowds: toward a behavioral perspective on investor reactions to acquisition announcements

Although event‐study methodology is invaluable to strategic management research, we argue that the traditional financial economic rationale on which it is based has led scholars to assume away the behavioral mechanisms underlying investor reactions. Building on behavioral theory from management, psychology, and economics, we set out to develop a behavioral perspective on investor reactions to acquisition announcements—one that relaxes the assumption of investors making objective, rational‐deductive calculations. Given the information asymmetry they face, we theorize that investors (1) infer management's perception of an acquisition's synergistic potential from the premium it pays, and (2) draw on additional public information to assess the reliability of that perception. Using a multi‐industry sample of acquisitions by North American firms, we find considerable support for our behavioral framework. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

亚太地区炼油工业发展现状与前景展望——兼论亚太地区炼油工业对石油市场及油品贸易的影响

2009年增幅达到历史高点后,亚太地区炼油能力增速明显放缓。预计在2015-2017年间,亚太和中东地区会迎来新一轮炼油能力扩建浪潮。亚太地区不仅原油蒸馏能力激增,同时二次深加工转换能力也在大幅提高,并较原油蒸馏能力增速更快。亚太地区的运输燃料,包括汽油、柴油和航煤将面临过剩。迄今为止,中国和印度大部分的炼油规划项目并没有被取消,但日本、中国等部分国家与地区有关闭炼厂的计划。如果出口型炼厂还能继续拓展市场,预计未来亚太炼厂利用率将会回升。预计亚太地区在未来仍将是液化石油气（LPG）、石脑油、燃料油、沥青、石油焦等石化产品的净进口地区,同时成为包括汽油、柴油、煤油在内的交通燃料的净出口地区。该地区交通燃料出口国家的炼油商不仅要争夺本土的市场份额,还要争夺国际市场的份额。中国、日本、印度、马来西亚、越南、澳大利亚、菲律宾的油品贸易未来会发生一些变化。     

Knowledge management and innovation in knowledge-based and high-tech industrial markets: The role of openness and absorptive capacity

Knowledge, as resource, and technological innovation, as a dynamic capability, are key sources for firm's sustained competitive advantage and survival in knowledge-based and high-tech industries. Under this rationale has emerged a research stream where knowledge management, organizational learning, or intellectual capital, help to understand and constitute the key pieces of one of the most complex business phenomena; the ‘firm's technological advantage’. This being so, it is also true that in knowledge-based and high-tech industrial markets, competitive success comes directly from continuous technological innovations, where a single organization cannot successfully innovate in isolation; therefore, firms should rely on external relationships and networks in order to complement its knowledge domains, and then, develop better and faster innovations. In this sense, I would like to highlight the cross-fertilizing role of three constructs that are nurtured by different research traditions: ‘collaborative/open innovation’, from Strategy and Innovation Management research; ‘absorptive capacity’, from ‘A Knowledge-Based View’; and ‘market orientation’, from Marketing research.     

The evolution of food aid : Towards a development first regime

The purpose of food aid has evolved over the past 30 years, shifting from surplus disposal to a ‘development first’ regime. This shift was accelerated by the World Food Conference, but even 10 years after the conference it is yet to be completed. There are inherent tensions between the older and new design principles. The author proposes a more coherent set of governing principles and norms.     

The front end of new product development: a Canadian survey

Despite the importance of the early stages of a product's life, very little attention has been paid to empirically testing the activities performed in the front end of new product development. This article presents the results of a survey of 53 individuals from fifteen high technology firms in the integrated circuit board industry. Our study adopts Cooper's (1988) 'predevelopment' model consisting of idea generation, product definition and project evaluation stages, and probes the activities undertaken in each stage. Particular activities were found to play pivotal roles in achieving the objectives of each stage. The results present a clarified view of front end activities that can be used as a starting point for adequately preparing products for development and market success.     

社会主义经济理论发展的一个里程碑——学习四中全会决定五则

国有经济的科学定位应与国家的职能相适应,其功能是实现国家的社会职能,不是以企业规模大小来划分国家的经济基础是税收,而主要不是靠经营企业来获取盈利,政府的职能为企业经营创造条件,要形成你投资我欢迎、你赚钱我收税、你犯法我治罪、你破产我不管、你自主经营我宏观调控这样一种格局和经营环境“拨改贷”后,企业已付息还贷,国家收取利润和形成的固定资产是取之无理,应按经济原则加以解决。现在把它变成“贷改投”是顺理成章的国家股上市是否私有化?问题是股票归个人所有是否是私有化。个人所有与私人所有是有区别的。股份社会化,是在公有制的基础上,重新建立了个人所有制,它既是社会主义公有制,又是个人所有制,也可能是对马克思主义所说的社会主义所有制的一种探索、实现和发展社会主义=效率 公平,社会主义市场经济=效率 公平,因而变现部分国有资产作为社会保障基金的来源之一是符合社会主义本质要求的     

Financial development,ICT diffusion and economic growth: Lessons from MENA region

This paper aims to test jointly two economic puzzles: the effect of financial development and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on economic growth. Theories predict a positive effect of financial development and ICT on growth but empirical studies on these relationships produced mixed results. Further, we investigate the interaction between financial development and ICT Diffusion to test whether the impact of financial development on growth is strengthened by better ICT infrastructure. In this paper we assess empirically these relationships in some MENA countries. The empirical study is based on estimation of a dynamic panel model with system GMM estimators. There are three main findings. First, our empirical results join empirical literature that find a negative direct effect of financial development on economic growth. This ambiguous relationship may be linked to many phenomenons but there are not yet clear explanations of this puzzle. Second, the estimates reveal a positive and significant direct effect of ICT proxies on economic growth. This implies that MENA countries need to reinforce their ICT policies and improve using of new Information and Communication Technology. Finally, the interaction between ICT penetration and financial development is found positive and significant in the growth regression. This implies that economies in Mena region can benefit from financial development only once a threshold of ICT development is reached.     

The videotex marketplace: A theory of evolution

Prospects for videotex in general and for business videotex applications in particular, are still highly controversial and speculative. There is growing agreement, however, that the future of videotex as a mass medium may hinge on its initial acceptance as a business tool. The authors present their views on the factors that will influence the use of videotex in business; how it may evolve as a business tool; and how its early impact in the business environment may eventually be the cause of its acceptance as a mass consumer medium.     

Environmental analysis: The applicability of current theory

It is suggested that senior-level executives and corporate staff are under mounting pressure to develop better means for assessing organizational environments. This comes at a time when there is little agreement about the concept of environment, relevant perspectives from which it should be viewed, and how to organize for its evaluation. Alternative ‘models’ for environmental analysis are examined, and theoretical issues and their administrative implications are discussed.     

Critical realism and constructivism in strategy research: toward a synthesis

We agree with Kwan and Tsang (2001) that critical realism represents an important point of epistemological departure from mainstream realism, and that it has the potential to inform strategy research. To that end, Kwan and Tsang's argument for a critical realist perspective is valid. There however exist substantial nontrivial differences between constructivism and critical realism. While critical realism contests some of the default assumptions of empiricism and realism which treat social systems as closed systems, it is still predicated upon an inherent order of things that is graspable by research. Constructivism instead focuses on the manner in which researchers constitute theories in the act of describing them. This important distinction makes constructivism far more of a departure from empiricism than critical realism, and therefore it has a different set of implications for strategy research. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

河北省区域经济发展水平的差异研究

从经济规模、经济效益、经济结构、生活质量和经济潜力5方面构建评价指标体系并建立了计量模型,对河北省11个地级市的经济水平进行了评价,结果表明区域经济差异十分显著,并将11个地区分为3个层次。之后找到影响区域经济差异的主要因素——区位、经济基础、行政及资源,最后提出了一些促进区域经济协调发展的建议。