Maximising the potential of university spin-outs: the development of second-order commercialisation activities

This paper examines the dynamics of university spin-out company development, based on an in-depth, longitudinal case study of some of the spin-out activities of one of the longest established technology transfer organisations in the UK. The different types of resource flows between this organisation and some of the companies in which it has a stake are discussed. Specifically, the paper considers the efficacy and appropriateness of the university technology transfer office (TTO) becoming involved in what we term second-order spin-out activities. These are spin-out companies that have been formed on technology developed in a spin-out company, or by people working in that spin-out, but which have no substantive connection with the research or personnel base of the university. We argue that in a peripheral non-technology intensive regional economy, the role of the TTO may be more wideranging than has been commonly assumed and may include a focus on regional economic development as well as the commercialisation of university-based research.     

Economic and environmental impact of the CAP mid-term review on arable crop farming in South-western France

The issue addressed in this paper is whether implementation of the CAP MTR, (involving decoupled payments reduced by “modulations” and subject to cross-compliance measures) can be effective in improving the environmental impact of arable farming. The focus is on two French cross-compliance measures (compulsory buffer strips along rivers and crop diversity). A farm-level bio-economic model incorporating yield uncertainty is built and adjusted to represent two typical arable farms in the Southwest of France. The model also combines agro-environmental indicators. The results indicate that a simple decoupling of direct payments, without cross-compliance measures, has no impact on allocations between different crops. If cross-compliance measures are imposed, a small reduction in the cultivated area of irrigated crops is observed. The penalty levied (1% of the total subsidy paid) when farmers do not comply with the “buffer strips” requirement is sufficient for both farm-types. Decoupling and modulation result in a fall in the total gross margin of around 3%, principally because of the 5% modulation rate, while the “buffer strips” requirement leads to a further decrease of around 1%. Moreover, this requirement improves the environmental indicators at the farm level.     

Taxation,redistribution, and observability in social dilemmas

In the presence of social dilemmas, cooperation is more difficult to achieve when populations are heterogeneous because of conflicting interests within groups. We examine cooperation in the context of a nonlinear common pool resource game, in which individuals have unequal extraction capacities and have to decide on their extraction of resources from the common pool. We introduce monetary and nonmonetary mechanisms in this environment. The two monetary mechanisms are tax extraction and redistribution of the tax revenue. These include a Pigovian per‐unit tax mechanism and an increasing block tax that only taxes units extracted above the social optimum. Another mechanism varies the observability of individual decisions. We find that the two tax and redistribution mechanisms reduce extraction, increase efficiency, and decrease inequality within groups. In contrast, observability impacts only the baseline condition by encouraging free‐riding instead of creating moral pressure to cooperate.     

How frequent a BEER? Assessing the impact of data frequency on real exchange rate misalignment estimation

This article explores the robustness of Behavioural Equilibrium Exchange Rate models, employed to estimate real effective exchange rate misalignments, to the frequency of the underlying data. It compares misalignments stemming from an annual model, estimated since 1980, and a comparable quarterly model, estimated since 1999. The two sets of estimates are similar. Moreover, the in-sample power of quarterly REER misalignments in explaining subsequent REER developments is higher than that of the annual estimates. This article therefore suggests that the “optimal” frequency of a BEER model depends on whether its resulting estimates are employed for research purposes or for policy-making activities.     

Anti-competitive effects of resale-below-cost laws

We show that resale-below-cost laws enable producers to impose industrywide price-floors to retailers. This mechanism suppresses downstream competition but also dampens upstream competition, leading to higher prices. Price-floor may be more profitable for producers than resale price maintenance contracts and, while resale price maintenance may have ambiguous effect on welfare, price-floors always harm welfare. Retailers' buyer power appears as a key element for a price-floor to work out.     

Communication instruction: What is being done to develop the communication skills of accounting students?

A survey was conducted to determine what colleges and universities are doing to improve accounting students' communication skills and how they are doing it. Results indicate that much is already being done to improve the communication skills of accounting students, and that more programs are being planned. The survey revealed that accounting students at most of the responding colleges and universities have access to formal instruction in business communication, and that some communication programs are tailored for accounting majors. In addition to communication programs already in effect at the time of the survey, several schools were planning to add either an accounting communication course or an integrated skills program.     

International Integration and Growth: A Further Investigation on Developing Countries

The paper examines empirically the linkages between international integration and economic growth in a panel of 47 developing countries and 18 trade blocs over the period 1970–1989. Specifically, it attempts to identify through which channel(s) – notably, specialization according to comparative advantage and increased efficiency, exploitation of increasing returns from larger market, and technology spillovers through investment and trade–trade blocs can affect the economic growth of their member countries. The results suggest that (1) intra-bloc trade does not affect growth significantly; (2) income diversion among member countries contributes positively and significantly to growth; and (3) the size of the trade bloc does matter in the sense that the bigger is not always the better for the welfare of the member countries.     

Social Capital Effects on the Career and Development Outcomes of HR Professionals

HR professionals’ roles require them to be responsive to both employee needs and top management strategies. However, the need to respond to the often competing employee and strategic agendas makes relationship‐building efforts challenging. This study examines the social capital characteristics of HR professionals and the impact on receipt of network benefits and career outcomes. Results indicate that HR professionals benefit from relationships with other HR professionals for career sponsorship and role‐related benefits. However, it is contacts who are in higher positions or in other organizations that transfer the most influential benefits, which in turn relate to objective career outcomes. Few benefits are obtained from contacts in non‐HR functions. The results illuminate relationship development opportunities for HR professionals. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The effect of internal and external technology sourcing on firm performance throughout the technology life cycle

In studies about the impact of technology sourcing on firm performance, the impact of the technology life cycle has thus far received scant attention. This paper investigates this topic from the knowledge-based perspective. Data was gathered from 22 PLD (Programmable Logic Device) manufacturers in the integrated circuit industry between 1986 and 2005, and used to test two hypotheses based on panel analysis: (1) that strategic alliance networks, as a mode of external technology sourcing, have a positive effect on a firm's innovative and market performance early in the technology life cycle, and (2) that internal development as a mode of internal technology sourcing has a positive effect on a firm's innovative and market performance later in the technology life cycle. Although both hypotheses are supported as far as market performance is concerned, neither is supported when it comes to innovative performance.