A Cusp Catastrophe Model of the Adoption of an Industrial Innovation

The diffusion of a technological innovation often follows the pattern of the familiar 'S'-curve—the classic smooth, cumulative adoption curve. Yet, an individual firm's decision to adopt or reject an innovation may be filled with discontinuous events, represented by familiar concepts like diffusion thresholds, bandwagon effects and the sudden rejection or displacement of an existing innovation. Paul Herbig reports how catastrophe theory can be used to describe many of these sudden changes and discontinuities. His article describes a model for a firm's adoption or rejection of an innovation via the cusp catastrophe, which he illustrates with a number of possible examples.     

Using Product Bundling to Facilitate the Adoption Process of Radical Innovations*

Generally, radical innovations are not easily adopted in the market. Potential adopters experience difficulties to comprehend and evaluate radical innovations due to their newness in terms of technology and benefits offered. Consequently, adoption intentions may remain low. This paper proposes bundling as an instrument to address these problems. More specifically, this paper examines how consumer comprehension, evaluation, and adoption intention of radical innovations may be enhanced by bundling such products with existing products. In addition, it is argued that the proposed effects are contingent upon the level of fit perceived to exist between the radical innovation and the product that accompanies it in the bundle. Furthermore, consumers' prior knowledge may affect the influence of bundling on the innovation adoption process as the interpretation of the meaning of new products may be strongly related to prior knowledge. This study therefore investigates whether consumer prior knowledge has such a moderating effect. Hypotheses are tested by means of an experimental study with three different radical innovations and distinguishing among offering the radical innovation separately, offering the radical innovation in a bundle with moderate perceived fit between the products, and offering the radical innovation in a bundle with high perceived fit between the products. Results show that product bundling enhances the new product's evaluation and adoption intention, although it does not increase comprehension of the radical innovation. Moreover, the results show that comprehension, evaluation and adoption intention of the innovation significantly decrease when consumers perceive a moderate fit between the products in a bundle. Taken together, these findings contribute to the bundling literature by showing not only that product bundling may indeed be an effective instrument to introduce a radical innovation but also that product bundling may be counterproductive when ignoring the critical role of perceived product fit as core characteristic of a product bundle. In addition, the notion that product bundling helps to enhance the evaluation and purchase intention of new and relatively complex products suggests a suitable strategy for new product managers to enhance benefits and reduce learning costs for radical innovations. Moreover, the effects of bundling on consumer appraisals of radical innovations are also shown to depend on the level of knowledge respondents possess regarding the product category of the radical innovation. More specifically, if bundled with a familiar product, novices tend to evaluate the innovative product more positively, but for experts no such effect can be detected. As such, these results provide additional specific implications for managers when introducing radical innovations in the market. Offering a radical innovation in a product bundle could be a fruitful strategy for companies that target customers with little or no prior knowledge in the product domain.     

Information,Promotion, and the Adoption of Innovative Consumer Durables*

The diffusion of innovative new products is critically dependent on the transmission of relevant information to potential adopters. Existing research indicates that the relative effectiveness of different communication tools depends on the type of information being communicated. Written and verbal communication tools can be effective when consumers make adoption decisions based on search attributes. However, when adoption depends on experience attributes, marketers must find ways to effectively expose consumers to these attributes. In this paper the authors explore the effectiveness of promotional incentives in motivating consumers to engage in behaviors that should increase their understanding of an innovation's experience attributes. To the authors' knowledge, the research described here is the first published study of the relative effectiveness of different promotional vehicles in stimulating adoption of a consumer durable. The empirical analysis is based on data collected in a real‐world experiment involving 614 households. Just over half of these households received a free DVD movie disc as an incentive to participate in the study. The authors assigned the participating households to four treatment groups of 100 households each and a control group of 214 households. The households in the treatment groups received one of four promotional offers that featured some form of a $50 monetary incentive. These promotional offers differed in the degree to which they encouraged behavior that exposed consumers to the experience attributes of a DVD player. After one month the authors surveyed these households again to determine how many purchased a DVD player in the preceding month. An analysis of this experimental data reveals that all four monetary promotions significantly enhanced the probability of adoption. In particular, the average adoption rate among the households receiving one of the monetary incentives was 41%. In contrast, none of the households in the control group reported purchasing a DVD player. Promotions that paid consumers for specific behaviors that precede purchase were no less effective than a coupon that reduces the purchase price by an equivalent amount. In addition, promotions that directly exposed consumers to experience attributes were more effective than promotions that simply provided consumers with the opportunity to learn about experience attributes. Finally, the gift of a free complementary product (a DVD movie) enhanced the effectiveness of three of the four monetary promotions. The authors close with a discussion of managerial implications and directions for future search.     

“采标”实践中几个问题的探讨

针对当前石油天然气行业采标现状与经验,提出了采标项目申报立项、采标分析以及采标过程中具体问题和建议,及应注意的几个问题.     

线性预测模型的分布估计

本文讨论把线性预测模型修改成势分析预测模型,并用数值模拟方法给出预测值分布的方法。     

采标--企业发展的基石

通过中国海油的成长与标准化的深入开展之间的关系，说明标准化工作总是和企业的发展相辅相成、相互促进的，标准是企业发展的基础，采标是基础中的基石。论述了中国海油从不自觉到自觉的采用国际标准或国外先进标准，保证了其在对外合作的过程中不断地发展和壮大过程；论证了直接采用国际标准或国外先进标准是提高企业的素质，培养和锻炼队伍，获取反承包项目，加快对外合作的步伐所必须的，直接采标是中国海油建立现代企业的基石；论述了随着中国海油的发展壮大，经验的积累，在采标的基础上，根据企业的实际需要、国情和环境条件，开始着手自行制定符合国际惯例的标准，或对双采标准进行谨慎和微小的修改；由双采标准和自行制定的标准共同构成了中国海油企业标准体系，它是中国海油发展壮大的基础，已经发挥着并将继续发挥着其不可替代的作用。     

Enhancing New Product Adoption at the Base of the Pyramid: A Contextualized Model

Companies are recognizing and pursuing the opportunity to serve the market known as the base of the pyramid (BOP), i.e., consumers who live in poverty in developing countries. The BOP constitutes the largest remaining global market frontier for businesses. Until recently, it has been ignored because of its seeming unattractiveness and insurmountable challenges compared with middle‐ and high‐income markets. However, BOP consumers desire and are able to pay for quality products tailored to their needs. In response, firms are developing new products specific to the demands and conditions of this low‐income population. To innovate effectively, ensuring new products are well received, firms need to know how to enhance new product adoption among these consumers despite the barriers of poverty. We address this need by developing a model of adoption contextualized to the BOP. Based on theories of innovation and poverty, and drawing on the emergent subsistence market literature, we propose that certain new product characteristics, social context dynamics, and marketing environment approaches moderate or counter some of the limits of poverty, making adoption possible. We then discuss the managerial and theoretical implications of our model for innovation practitioners and researchers.     

发电企业竞价上网的成本测算模型研究

对发电企业的会计成本和边际成本测算模型进行了分析,并提出分时段的固定成本分摊模型,同时对算例进行了具体测算。     

From Invention to Innovation: Toward Developing an Integrated Innovation Model for Biotech Firms*

A review of extant literature reveals various theories on innovation, including technology push, market pull, and an organizational approach. All of these theories have been criticized for their lack of integration and inapplicability to today's competitive environment. An integrated view of innovation has emerged that synthesizes the variables in previous approaches. However, the application of this view has been restricted to investigating the innovation processes within the computer and manufacturing industries, whereas the biotechnology industry has been ignored. This is despite biotech managers' well‐acknowledged thirst for innovation and the ability of biotech to shape the way we live. The present article contributes to the literature by applying an integrated approach to the biotech industry, thereby extending understanding of innovation management beyond the traditional field of inquiry. An integrated approach is of particular relevance to biotech companies, given the complexities of managing the industry's long development cycle and intense collaborative activities. In‐depth interviews with eight organizations in Maryland formed the basis for an investigation into the challenges of managing the innovation process in biotechnology firms. The findings revealed that biotech entrepreneurs are ill prepared to lead their organizations through several transformations necessary along the product life cycle because of their fixation on a technology‐push approach and lack of an understanding of integrated innovation. These leaders also lack the commercialization knowledge necessary to push products to markets, resulting in avoidable delays and loss of productivity. The existing research has dispelled myths associated with biotech. Specifically, it suggests biotech entrepreneurs cannot rely solely on inventions but must invest in a timely application of knowledge to organizational and market forces to take full advantage of the innovation potential associated with the industry. This article presents a conceptual framework for applying the integrated innovation model to biotech firms and makes the case for incorporating market‐oriented mechanisms, building and using appropriate organizational capabilities, developing effective collaborations, and creating parallel interactions as major elements in a general strategy toward the success and improved efficiency of biotech companies. The limitations of current research are discussed, and avenues are highlighted for much‐needed future research into the biotech industry.     

计量经济模型在人才预测中的应用——河北省工业专门人才总量需求预测

利用计量经济模型进行人才预测是一种新的尝试。本文在对河北省工业历史和现状分析的基础上,给出了一组计量经济模型。模型反映了我省全民工业专门人才及其相关量之间的数量关系,并对专门人才相关量进行了预测,进而推算出1990年我省全民工业专门人才需求量。     

Aligning the Mindset and Capabilities within a Business Network for Successful Adoption of Smart Services

This paper explores the synchronized change of mindset and capability within a business network that is driven by the adoption and provision of smart services. The research is implemented as an empirical multi‐case study, and the primary data include interviews and observations in seven globally operating firms. The findings identify two categories of barriers and three categories of alignment needs to successful adoption of smart services. The study combines the institutional theory and dynamic capability perspectives to make three main contributions to the research of service innovation for an improved understanding of the determinants of successful field‐level adoption of smart services. The results show that firms need to align the change of logic and capabilities within the organization and the business network to succeed in the adoption of smart services.     

完善物流外包在医药领域的应用

目的 分析我国医药企业实施物流外包这一策略的原因及重要性,探讨医药企业正确选择供应商的方法和与供应商建立良好、互利、长期的合作关系时应注意的问题.方法 本文通过收集和整理文献、查找资料的方法,借鉴国外的物流外包理论和实践,对医药行业中的物流外包进行研究.结果 和结论 本文提出了医药企业在实施物流外包策略时应慎重选择供应商、明确责任义务及做好事前防范工作等方法,以使医药企业在今后的经营发展中能更好地实施物流外包这一策略.     

Virtual Word of Mouth and Willingness to Pay for Consumer Electronic Innovations

The authors examine the impact of virtual word‐of‐mouth (vWOM) communication on willingness to pay (WTP) for an innovation. A series of hypotheses are developed that link vWOM to the credibility of innovation information, perceived utilitarian value, and the perceived hedonic value of an innovation, which are in turn hypothesized to influence WTP. The authors test these hypotheses using data collected in Japan from 658 potential adopters of e‐readers and from 565 potential adopters of smartphones. Findings indicate that, in both samples, vWOM is positively correlated with the perceived credibility of innovation information, which in turn is positively correlated with both perceived utilitarian value and perceived hedonic value. WTP is also positively correlated with an innovation's perceived utilitarian and perceived hedonic value. In addition, the path between vWOM and perceived hedonic value is positive and significant in both samples. However, the path between vWOM and perceived utilitarian value is positive and significant in the smartphone sample, but not in the e‐reader sample. The empirical findings provide support for theoretical arguments that link WTP for complex consumer electronic products to consumer perceptions of utilitarian and hedonic value. The results also have important implications for the creation of vWOM strategies designed to reduce the price sensitivity of potential adopters.     

The State and Industrial Relations: Background to the Adoption of Compulsory Arbitation Law in Australia and Nigeria

Conventional wisdom maintains that industrial turmoil accounts largely for the enactment of the compulsory arbitration law, the Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1904 and the Trade Disputes (Emergency Provisions) Decree 1968, in Australia and Nigeria respectively. Considering this view as patently inadequate, the paper investigates a broader background of this law in both countries and finds more critical factors at work. Important as the industrial turmoil was, this factor turned out to be merely a symptom of a more fundamental phenomenon, namely the lack of an institutionalized consensual collective bargaining system, arising largely from a similar form of interaction between the state and industrial relations in both countries.     

Adoption of a Process Innovation with Learning-by-Doing: Evidence from the Semiconductor Industry

This article analyzes the adoption of a new process technology in the global semiconductor manufacturing industry. The paper extends research on the relationship between learning-by-doing and technology adoption by examining the stability of learning effects across technological generations. While the results indicate that production experience with the immediately preceding technological generation is associated with a higher likelihood of adoption, we find no evidence that experience with older technologies or regional knowledge spillovers influence adoption. Finally, the results indicate that large firms and memory manufacturers have a higher likelihood of adoption than small firms and non-memory manufacturers, respectively.     

Development of a Design Audit Tool for SMEs*

There is strong evidence of the importance of good design to company success. However, it is apparent that despite this evidence, design skills are often marginalized in small and medium‐size enterprises (SMEs). This article presents a design audit tool that captures good design principles in a form accessible to industry. Previous audit approaches have focused extensively on the management of new product development (NPD). In this research, the audit tool is based on process maturity principles and explicitly targets the design related activities in NPD—specifically in small firms. The design audit has been developed iteratively by application in action research mode and is supported by evidence from literature and exploratory cases. This inductive development enabled the generation of a robust audit tool through intervention in small firms to improve design practices. The resulting audit tool is designed for use in a multifunctional workshop setting. Typical outputs from application include the generation of action plans for improvement in future performance. This audit tool is based around a model of good design that explicitly distinguishes between management and design related activities in NPD. The audit tool has succeeded in encouraging managers to pay greater attention to the design related elements of NPD. This complements the satisfaction of managerial goals typically emphasized in many NPD processes.     

Mom’s the Word—Great gift ideas for mothers of all ages

Every day should be spent showing Mom how much you appreciate her.However,for any days you might have missed,you can make it up to her with the perfect Mother’s Day gift.Whether she’s a new mother,step- mother,grandmother or like a mother she’s sure to love our top picks.Happy Mother’s Day Mom!     

The Sound of One Hand Clapping: The 2010 Merger Guidelines and the Challenge of Judicial Adoption

There is ample justification for the consensus view that the Horizontal Merger Guidelines have proven one of antitrust law??s great successes in the grounding of antitrust doctrine within economic learning. The foundation of the Guidelines?? success has been its widespread adoption by federal courts, which have embraced its rigorous underlying economic logic and analytical approach to merger analysis under the Clayton Act. While some have suggested that the Guidelines?? most recent iteration might jeopardize this record of judicial adoption by downplaying the role of market definition and updating its unilateral effects analysis, we believe that these updates are generally beneficial and include long-overdue shifts away from antiquated structural presumptions in favor of analyzing competitive effects directly where possible. However, this article explores a different reason to be concerned that the 2010 Guidelines may not enjoy widespread judicial adoption: the 2010 Guidelines asymmetrically update economic insights underlying merger analysis. While the 2010 Guidelines?? updated economic thinking on market definition and unilateral effects will likely render the prima facie burden facing plaintiffs easier to satisfy in merger analysis moving forward, and thus have significant practical impact, the Guidelines do not correspondingly update efficiencies analysis, leaving it largely as it first appeared 13 years earlier. We discuss two well-qualified candidates for ??economic updates?? of efficiencies analysis under the Guidelines: (1) out-of-market efficiencies and (2) fixed-cost savings. We conclude with some thoughts about the implications of the asymmetric updates for judicial adoption of the 2010 Guidelines.