New directions in R&D: current and prospective challenges

This paper investigates the paradox of research and development (R&D), that is being increasingly undervalued by firms and nations, and yet continues to grow and prosper in terms of overall size and reach. The analysis outlines key developments that are currently affecting the growth and development of R&D activity and highlights the issues and problems that R&D managers and policymakers may likely face over the next decade.     

Human Rights,Transnational Corporations and Embedded Liberalism: What Chance Consensus?

I assessed change in students’ moral reasoning following five 75-min classes on business ethics and two assignments utilizing a novel pedagogical approach designed to foster ethical reasoning skills. To minimize threats to validity present in previous studies, an untreated control group design with pre- and post-training measures was used. Training (n = 114) and control (n = 76) groups comprised freshmen business majors who completed the Defining Issues Test before and after the training. Results showed that, controlling for pre-training levels of moral reasoning, students in the training group demonstrated higher levels of post-training principled moral judgment than students in the control group.     

The sourcing of technological knowledge: distributed innovation processes and dynamic change

This paper outlines the knowledge and technology sourcing practices of a range of key firms and organisations across the UK based on primary research, and analyses the key factors related to managing the technological knowledge boundaries of the firm. In particular, the paper considers the dynamic dimension considerations to such issues. As such it outlines important differences between short and long time horizons, before analysing in more detail some of the implications for firms of technological change over the long term. The paper seeks to highlight the importance of the time dimension in helping to explain why and how firms source technological knowledge externally and how they align their sourcing activities to their strategies associated with developing current and future capabilities.     

Shorter reviews

Crush, Jonathan and James Wilmot (eds.) Crossing boundaries: mine migrancy in a democratic South Africa Smith, Michael Peter (ed.) Marginal spaces: comparative urban and community research, volume 5 Harrington, J.W. and B. Wharf Industrial location: principles, practice and policy King, Desmond Separate and unequal. Black Americans and the US Federal government     

DICTIONARY OF SCOTTISH BUSINESS BIOGRAPHY

A nthony S laven and S ydney C heckland (eds.) Dictionary of Scottish Business Biography (1860–1960), Volume I. The Staple Industries.     

Degree performance of Economics students in UK universities: absolute and relative performance in prior qualifications

We exploit individual‐level data on full cohorts of UK university leavers who were enrolled for an Economics degree during the period 1984–85 to 1992–93 or the academic year 1997–98. We analyse the determinants of degree performance and find that performance depends not only on prior qualifications as measured by A‐level scores, for example, but also on the individual student's ranking (based on their A‐level scores) within their cohort at their university. The students' performance is also enhanced by having previously studied mathematics, although there is no benefit from the prior study of Economics. We find that attendance at an Independent school has a negative effect on degree performance, and that there are comparatively few social class background effects. Females are more likely than males to obtain a good degree.