University–industry linkages and absorptive capacity: an empirical analysis of China's manufacturing industry

We analyze the contribution of universities to innovative performance in China's manufacturing sector. Our empirical analysis is based on a matched data set comprising about 20,000 large- and medium-sized companies aggregated at the three-digit industry level and information on university knowledge output for 31 provinces between 1998 and 2004. We show that universities’ impact on commercial innovation varies with the type of activity performed and is contingent on the manufacturing sector's investment in absorptive capacity. In addition, our results confirm organizational theory stating that there is a complementary relationship between capabilities to acquire and assimilate external knowledge on the one hand and the capacity to transform and exploit this knowledge on the other.     

Dynamics of industry architecture and firms’ knowledge and capability development: an empirical study of industry transformation

There is a lack of empirical evidence supporting existing conceptualisations and particularly clarifying the underlying mechanisms involved in the role of dominant firms in industry transformation. This research undertook an in-depth single case study of how a firm managed its knowledge and capability development processes to shape the industry architecture to its benefit. We investigated how a dominant firm manipulates the interdependencies with local suppliers and positions itself at higher levels of the industry architecture hierarchy. Findings suggest that such processes take place over the course of several product innovation projects and across different levels of the product architecture. Such findings contribute to helping firms to manage their knowledge and capability development processes and transform the industry architecture to their advantage.     

Subjects’ decision-making process: an empirical analysis on patients’ mobility process and the role of pharmaceutical clinical research

This paper proposes a decision-making process based on trust. Imagining the relationship between patients and physicians, based on the trust that the former put in the latter, which is the effect of experimental activities on the researcher’s (and/or medical center’s) reputation? Is it admissible to suppose a positive correlation between pharmaceutical clinical research and the return in terms of image for the medical care suppliers? This is the research question of this paper. Through empirical analysis, this work supports the proposed decision-making process and tries to answer this open issue. Considering Italy between 2002 and 2006, the analysis concerns the patients’ mobility process among regions and how pharmaceutical research can affect patients’ perception of the quality of medical treatments. Results suggest that mobility is clearly affected by a decision-making process based both on already existing good reputation (i.e., cognitive) and on confirmation of that image (i.e., behavioral). The latter is the phase in which the physician’s effort in the informed consent session of an experimental activity might make the difference in the reputation of the health care suppliers and, therefore, be a key factor in hospitalization choice.     

Influence of consumption experiences on customers'''' satisfaction:an empirical study on fresh farm products in Wuhan, China

Which factors influence customers’ satisfaction? Which way or path does each factor influence and decide customers’ satisfaction? These problems are the focuses of the research on customers’ satisfaction. This paper analyzes the survey data from some customers in the fresh farm food supermarket of Wuhan City with factor analysis method, multiple linear regression method, etc. The analysis results reveal that: 1) the consumption experiences decide custom- ers’ satisfaction degree through influencing the customers’ expectation and the perceived performance, namely the consumption experiences is the important factor which decides customers’ satisfaction; 2) the consumption experiences that influence customers’ satisfaction is a multi-dimensional construct, including such four dimensions as product consumption experience, service experience, shopping convenience experience, supermarket environment experience; furthermore, the degree that different consumption experiences influence customers’ satisfaction is diverse, and the product consumption experiences are the most important factor. This paper is of realistic significance to a certain extent to enrich the theoretical research on customers’ satisfaction and promote the practice of agricultural product marketing.     

Influence of consumption experiences on customers＇ satisfaction： an empirical study on fresh farm products in Wuhan, China

Which factors influence customers＇ satisfaction？ Which way or path does each factor influence and decide customers＇ satisfaction？ These problems are the focuses of the research on customers＇ satisfaction.This paper analyzes the survey data from some customers in the fresh farm food supermarket of Wuhan City with factor analysis method,multiple linear regression method,etc.The analysis results reveal that： 1） the consumption experiences decide customers ＇ satisfaction degree through influencing the customers＇ expectation and the perceived performance,namely the consumption experiences is the important factor which decides customers＇ satisfaction; 2） the consumption experiences that influence customers＇ satisfaction is a multi-dimensional construct,including such four dimensions as product consumption experience,service experience,shopping convenience experience,supermarket environment experience; furthermore,the degree that different consumption experiences influence customers＇ satisfaction is diverse,and the product consumption experiences are the most important factor.This paper is of realistic significance to a certain extent to enrich the theoretical research on customers＇ satisfaction and promote the practice of agricultural product marketing.     

Impact of openness, economic policy reform and regional shocks on trade and growth of Thailand： An econometric study

Thailand has currently enhanced and promoted intensive trade and investment liberalization and implemented long-term growth policy according with current regional economic integration, WTO obligations and globalization. Nevertheless, several recent internal and external factors e.g. the massive SARS and avian flu outbreaks, the Indian Ocean tsunami devastation, the Asia financial crisis and domestic policy reforms （ICSEAD, 2006） have also impeded this policy. While the issues are important for Thailand and developing countries in Asia, only limited research has been undertaken to investigate them. The paper conducts a substantive quantitative study to contribute to these trade and development policy issues. A new econometric modelling policy method, namely the generalized gravity theory （Tran Van Hoa, 2004） is used to develop a simple flexible simultaneous-equation econometric model of Thailand＇s openness model with its seven major trade partners （ASEAN-4, Australia, the USA, the EU, China, Japan and India）. Using data from the ICSEAD, the World Development Indicators and the Bank of Thailand databases, the paper reveals efficient and reliable empirical findings on trade-growth causality, trade determination including the impact of shocks and policy reform on trade and growth between Thailand and its major trade partners over the past two decades. The paper also provides evidence on the linkages between trade in goods, FDI and services and regional economic integration for more credible policy implications.     

Impact of ocular symptoms on quality of life (QoL), work productivity and resource utilisation in allergic rhinitis patients – an observational,cross sectional study in four countries in Europe

Abstract

Objective:

It is hypothesised that the presence of ocular, in addition to nasal, symptoms among patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) results in poorer quality of life, reduced work productivity and increased resource utilisation. This study investigated the impact on quality of life, burden of illness and healthcare resources among 1640 AR patients.

Methods:

Data were drawn from an observational cross-sectional study of consulting patients undertaken in May/June 2008 in four European countries. Doctors provided records for the next four to five patients presenting with AR who filled out a self-completion survey which included the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Allergic Specific Questionnaire (WPAI:AS), the Mini Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQOLQ) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Propensity scoring allied to regression-type analysis was used to assess the extra burden associated with ocular symptoms utilising two comparison groups (patients with nasal-only symptoms versus those with nasal and ocular symptoms). The analysis controlled for differences between the groups on confounding variables age, gender, smoking status and co-morbidities. The analysis was conducted twice, once controlling for differences between the groups in nasal severity and once without, recognising that it is not clear whether or not increased nasal severity symptoms are naturally associated with ocular symptoms. The severity of ocular symptoms as opposed to their presence alone was also assessed on outcome measures using regression type methods.

Results:

A total of 1009 patient records met the inclusion criteria, of whom 69% presented with both ocular and nasal symptoms. The results show that the presence of ocular symptoms reduces quality of life, reduces work productivity and increases resource utilisation irrespective of whether differences in severity of nasal symptoms are accounted for between the comparison groups. Patients with nasal and ocular symptoms require more healthcare consultations. All work-related domains were statistically different, with the presence of ocular symptoms associated with greater impact on work hours missed and impairment while working. For each of the above this was the case regardless of whether or not adjustment was made for nasal severity (both p?<?0.05). Patients with nasal and ocular symptoms also record an additional half a day more time off work in the last 3 months as a result of AR (nasal severity unadjusted or adjusted, both p?<?0.05). Clinically meaningful differences were found in overall quality of life score as represented by RQLQ, with a mean score increase of 0.6 (nasal severity unadjusted) and 0.5 (nasal severity adjusted) associated with the presence of ocular symptoms (both p?<?0.05). With regard to sleep quality, the presence of ocular symptoms was associated with a mean increase in PSQI of 1 when no adjustment was made for nasal severity (p?<?0.05). When nasal severity was adjusted for, no significant difference was observed. Similarly, for the number of prescribed medications, when no adjustment was made for nasal severity, patients with ocular symptoms were observed to receive a significantly higher number of AR drugs (+0.19, p?<?0.05) whereas with nasal severity adjusted for the difference was +0.17 which was not significant. In addition, with the exception of the number of AR drugs prescribed, for all outcome variables, the severity of ocular symptoms, and not just their presence, had a detrimental impact on the outcome.

Limitations:

Since patients were recruited via the physician, the study aim was to represent the consulting population. In addition, it cannot be fully excluded that the likelihood for an individual patient to complete a questionnaire is influenced by differences in patient typology compared with those patients who chose not to complete. Given the geographical dispersion of the sample patients, it may be reasonable to assume possible differences in the intensity of the AR season based on latitude.

Conclusion:

The added presence of ocular symptoms in AR patients suffering with nasal symptoms deteriorates patients’ quality of life, leads to greater lost productivity and places higher burden on resource utilisation. Studies are therefore needed to test whether treatment options that address ocular in addition to nasal symptoms will improve quality of life and reduce both direct and indirect resource use associated with AR.     

Study on the price co-movement among the Asia Pacific,European and Chinese coal markets – based on the empirical analysis of MS-VEC model

In this article, based on weekly data of the three major coal markets (the Asia Pacific, Europe and China) from March 2008 to November 2014, an empirical research on their mutual influence and price co-movement effect among the three major coal markets is conducted by using the Co-integration Theory, Granger Causality Test and markov switching-Vector Error Correction (MS-VEC) model. The conclusions are as follows. (1) There exists a long-term cointegration relationship and bidirectional causality relationship between coal prices at home and abroad, and the influences of foreign coal markets on the domestic coal markets are stronger than the influences of domestic coal markets on foreign coal markets, and thus the interaction between the two markets leads to asymmetric linkage effects. (2) Compared with the VEC model, the MS-VEC model can reflect the nonlinear feature of price co-movement effects. (3) There exists an inherent adjustment mechanism between domestic and foreign coal markets, i.e. the coal prices will be self-revised continuously until a long-term equilibrium state is achieved when a deviation from the equilibrium state occurs. (4) There exists a co-movement effect which varies with the change of regime among the three coal prices, and the self-maintenance is strong and the status transfer phenomenon is clear in different regimes.