The political dimension of intercultural research - the Australian experience

Australia's linguistic, ethnic and racial diversity presents many interesting and important methodological challenges to social science research. A much neglected or even officially unacknowledged dimension of intercultural research endeavours are the political and ideological power structures which not only focus and direct research projects, but also influence, if not determine, methodological approaches. This paper examines some aspects of the various power relations and power structures that have, and continue to have, a significant impact on methodological issues and hence on the validity and reliability of research findings. Since much of the debate about immigration (past, present and future) about settlement practices, service and welfare provisions etc. in Australia centers and relies on cross-cultural studies, methodological issues, and the enhancement of a projects validity and reliability should be of paramount importance. Available evidence suggests that this is not necessarily or always the case.     

Disentangling acquisition experience: A multilevel analysis and future research agenda

Research interest in firms repeatedly involved in acquisitions has increased over the past decade. However, this increase has remained unmatched by efforts to integrate what is known, leaving the acquisition experience research field scattered, in turn hampering further theoretical and empirical progress. Taking a broad approach to experience, we review 106 empirical studies published in leading journals that focus on the effects of past acquisitions on subsequent ones. We discover three distinct but complementary ways in which research has dealt with experience. Moreover, research on acquisition experience has drawn conclusions on three important but insufficiently integrated levels of analysis. Our review delineates and systematises the current theoretical and empirical progress in acquisition experience research and outlines a future research agenda.     

How do respondents process stated choice experiments? Attribute consideration under varying information load

The popularity of stated choice (SC) experiments has produced many design strategies in which researchers use increasingly more ‘complex’ choice settings to study choice behaviour. When the amount of information to assess increases, we wonder how an individual handles such information in making a choice. Defining the amount of information as the number of attributes associated with each choice set, we investigate how this information is processed as we vary its ‘complexity’. Four ordered heterogeneous logit models are developed, each for an SC design based on a fixed number of attributes, in which the dependent variable defines the number of attributes that are ignored. We find that the degree to which individuals ignore attributes is influenced by the dimensionality of the SC experiment, the deviation of attribute levels from an experienced reference alternative, the use of ‘adding up’ attributes where feasible, the number of choice sets evaluated, and the personal income of the respondent. The empirical evidence supports the view that individuals appear to adopt a range of ‘coping’ strategies that are consistent with how they process information in real markets, and that aligning ‘choice complexity’ with the amount of information to process is potentially misleading. Relevancy is what matters. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A true simulation study of three estimators at equal protection of respondents in randomized response sampling

In this study, three different estimators for estimating the proportion of a sensitive attribute in survey sampling are compared at equal protection of the respondents. The three estimators considered are due to Odumade and Singh (2009, Comm. Statist. Theory Methods) , Singh and Sedory (2011, Sociological Methods and Research) and a new estimator obtained by minimizing a chi‐squared distance. A SAS Macro is developed to compare these three estimators using a simulation study at equal protection of the respondents. A set of data from a real face‐to‐face interview was collected using two decks of cards and has been analyzed. The results are discussed.     

Comparison of Cramer–Rao lower bounds of variances for at least equal protection of respondents

In this paper, a new randomized response model is proposed, which is shown to have a Cramer–Rao lower bound of variance that is lower than the Cramer–Rao lower bound of variance suggested by Singh and Sedory at equal protection or greater protection of respondents. A new measure of protection of respondents in the setup of the efficient use of two decks of cards, because of Odumade and Singh, is also suggested. The developed Cramer–Rao lower bounds of variances are compared under different situations through exact numerical illustrations. Survey data to estimate the proportion of students who have sometimes driven a vehicle after drinking alcohol and feeling over the legal limit are collected by using the proposed randomization device and then analyzed. The proposed randomized response technique is also compared with a black box technique within the same survey. A method to determine minimum sample size in randomized response sampling based on a small pilot survey is also given.     

中小企业产品研发科技信息服务与体会

科技信息是产品研发的基础,中小企业人才相对缺乏,制约了科技信息资源的利用。文章从研发流程入手,分析研发各阶段科技信息需求,介绍研发科技信息服务的做法,并谈几点体会。     

Bridging ties and the role of research and start-up experience on the early growth of Dutch academic spin-offs

Bridging ties are important for obtaining new information. However, when entrepreneurs try to bridge between two networks, they may face problems due to the variety of knowledge among individuals in both networks. In this paper, we argue that specific human capital is essential for interpreting new information and coordinating action when bridging between networks. In a sample of 70 Dutch academic spin-offs, our findings show that specific human capital increases the relative impact of bridging ties on early spin-off growth. This paper sheds light on the value of bridging ties for entrepreneurs and provides implications for practitioners.     

国外城市规划公众参与及借鉴

介绍了城市规划公众参与的背景及其在我国的发展 ,分析了我国公众参与研究的不足之处。在借鉴欧美城市规划公众参与的成功经验的基础上 ,结合我国的具体实际情况 ,提出了可操作性较强的“公众参与生长模式”。     

Effects of domestic multiculturalism on job attitudes in Nigeria: a research note

This study investigates possible cultural differences in job attitudes among the three main sub-cultural groups dominating the entire population of the Nigerian work-force: Hausa (n=80), Ibo (n=119) and Yoruba (n= 151). Several hypotheses were derived from previous knowledge of the three cultures and differences were explored in the relationships between perceptions and attitudes concerning specific aspects of the job. Consistent cross-cultural differences that can be related to characteristics of the cultures studied were revealed with regard to only three motivational factors, namely, interpersonal relations, nature of work and supervision. The overall results seem to indicate that employees' cultural background has little impact on their perceptions of job motivation. However, a number of different personal variables were found to affect responses. Practical and research implications of the findings are discussed as well as directions for future research.     

The Irish experience of EMS

What has been the consequences of Ireland's membership of the ERM? Often extolled as an example to Britain, Ireland's membership has been a disaster. Anthony Leddin and Paddy McNutt of the Universities of Limerick and Galway respectively, give the details.     

Allocation of research grants to university research proposals

In this paper we examine the optimal allocation of research money to incoming research proposals in a university environment. Since a university has no obvious objective to maximize when allocating research money, but rather has several, possibly conflicting, goals it would like to achieve, the method of goal programming is proposed as a solution technique, and the meaning and estimation of the priority weights in the resulting objective function in the goal programming problem, with regard to tradeoffs between goals, are discussed thoroughly. Finally, calculations based upon hypothetical sample data re presented in order to test the sensitivity of the model to different sets of priority weights.     

国外城市规划的经验及借鉴

着重介绍了纽约、伦敦、悉尼、新加坡和东京五城市城市规划过程中对适应人口的变化、加速经济增长、促进环境保护等方面所采取的措施,并阐述了这些城市规划经验对我国各大城市规划的借鉴意义.     

企业的技术创新之路

文章论述了企业技术创新发展历程,技术创新结构,技术创新与自主知识产权和成果转化及技术创新风险控制,结合企业发展实践,指出了金健米业在技术创新中面临的挑战和获得的机遇。     

公路改建工程设计实践体会

文章对公路改建工程设计的几个主要问题提出了设计原则和解决方法,并分别结合参与的省道S209的设计成果进行说明,具有一定的理论和实践价值。     

National science foundation experience with university-industry centers for scientific research and technological innovation (an analysis of issues, characteristics and criteria for their establishment)

Indications are that industry underinvests in innovation in terms of the ultimate benefits to the firm and society. Using N.S.F, experience as a basis, this article examines some of the issues that arise when government, the university, and industry interact in a cooperative cost sharing effort for stimulating technological innovation, as well as examining criteria and characteristics for establishing those university-industry partnerships that are most likely to succeed.     

品牌创建的第三条道路--品牌体验

品牌是影响顾客购买决策的重要因素,也是使企业具有持久竞争力的一项战略性资源.成功的品牌建立在对市场和消费者进行充分了解的基础之上,只有真正迎合消费者的需要的品牌,才能够在消费者心目中占有一席之地,因而品牌创建的过程也可以说是一个最大程度争取消费者认同的过程."产品本身的优势不是最重要的,重要的是让消费者觉得你的产品有优势",品牌再也不仅仅只是一个标识或一个营销活动,而是关乎客户所有的体验和客户对于公司所能提供的所有产品和服务的感受,客户品牌体验是品牌创建时必须考虑的重要手段.     

三车道隧道施工经验交流

通过对安徽省长坞岭隧道施工经验的介绍,旨在为今后大跨度的三车道隧道施工提供一些经验。