Understanding modelling in technology and science: the potential of stories from the field

This paper tells the story of how two biotechnologists used models, one working as a technologist and the other as a scientist. These stories were collected during the development of the key ideas about the nature of technology and technological knowledge during the latest curriculum development in New Zealand. Their stories of how and why they used models provided insight into the different role of modelling in technology and science. This difference can be linked to the fundamental difference between technology as a discipline that attempts to intervene in the world and create something other, and science as a discipline that attempts to explain the world. The stories illustrate the differences in the purpose, outcome and the underpinning reasoning across technology and science. We suggest that using such stories supports learning about the nature of technology and the nature of science and provides an opportunity to add a critical dimension to the development of technological literacy and scientific literacy.     

On Functionally Distributed Quotas

We consider “functionally distributed” quotas, where trade is restricted to a function of another economic activity, paying special attention to the ratio constraint and its relation to “proportionally distributed” quotas. We propose a simple principle defining the optimal policy under a functionally defined restriction, extend the analysis of ratio import/production constraints to general equilibrium, introduce export constraints, and constraints defined in proportion to factor use. We develop the general‐equilibrium geometry of functional trade constraints and the concomitant optimal policies, deriving a “quota locus” that depicts the consumption possibilities under various regimes.     

Preemption,leapfrogging and competition in patent races

This paper investigates when patent races will be characterized by vigorous competition and when they will degenerate into a monopoly. Undersome conditions, a firm with an arbitrarily small headstart can preempt its rivals. Such ‘?-preemption’ is shown to depend on whether a firm that is behind in the patent race, as measured by the expected time remaining until discovery, cant ‘leapfrog’ the competition and become the new leader. An example of an R&D game with random discovery illustrates how ?-preemption can occur when leapfrogging is impossible. A multi-stage R&D process allows leapfrogging and thus permits competition. A similar conclusion emerges in a model of a deterministic patent race with imperfect monitoring of rival firms' R&D investment activities.     

New technology: old industrial sociology?

This article argues that studies of the introduction of new technology have tended to ignore the contributions of pre-Braverman approaches. However, in some cases, they have implicitly rediscovered the findings of an older industrial sociology.     

Relationship Quality and Performance Outcomes: Achieving a Sustainable Competitive Advantage

As firms strive to develop a sustainable competitive advantage, the relationships formed among supply chain parties become a critical consideration. Firms seek to establish relationships that can provide the desired level of performance and competitiveness. Relationship quality provides a global measure of buyer–supplier relationships and can be used to assess the types of relationships a firm has within its supply chain. This research examines the impact of relationship quality on supply chain operational performance and satisfaction with strategic performance while considering both buyer and supplier perspectives and collaborative and arm’s length types of relationships.     

责任投资趋势下的报告发布机遇

据一月份Financial Times报道,几家大型资产管理公司2011年将把部分责任投资团队搬到亚洲地区。不管其在亚洲责任投资团队的大小,该决定的重要意义在于,将会给亚洲企业带来许多新的机会。     

CSR报告绩效披露应更体现外部诉求

从2007年至今，企业发布社会责任报告的数量在快速地增长。从客观角度来看，企业透明度已经达到有史以来的最高点。但与此同时，大多数报告尽管介绍了企业大量的优秀实践，仍难以识别出企业运营是否符合可持续性的原则。这一社会责任报告的问题可能一部分来自越来越成熟的相关标准、评级系统以及专业培训，导致企业发布的报告也越来越相似，包含的主题很一致，介绍的活动很雷同，编写的风格也有很多共同的地方。