What is the value of networking? An examination of trade show attendee outcomes

Business events have become a key sector of growth in the events industry. However, there is a paucity of empirical studies that examine the outcomes that participants derive from these events. This study aims to address this by specifically focusing on one objective of business events—networking. A case study approach was used to explore how organizers design events for networking and the outcomes that participants gain from events. Findings revealed that objectives differed based on the type of attendee and attendees typically followed up with 20–30% of contacts after the event, indicating that the use of networking technologies could enable more valuable connections to be made.     

论城乡一体化与网络化城市建设的关系--以嘉兴市为例

城乡一体化和网络化城市建设，是城市与乡村协调发展的统一体。两者关系处理的正确与否．直接影响着“三农”问题的解决和网络化城市建设的成败。该文以嘉兴市为例，阐释了城乡一体化和网络化城市建设的内涵，论述了城乡一体化对网络化城市建设的支撑关系，并分析了两者在发展中面临的问题和对策。     

网络化公共交通导向下的新城开发

开发模式对于新城的发展极其重要.通过总结国内外经验,分析了新城开发模式的一般性规律和发展趋势,探讨了以板块、通道、网络为主要元素的公共交通先导模式与这种模式的开发时序.     

我国发达地区城镇网络化发展比较研究

我国发达地区由于雄厚的经济实力和较高的城市化水平,城镇群体的发展已日益呈现出网络化发展格局。笔者以苏南地区与温州地区为例,通过比较研究它们在城镇网络化发展中的相似性和差异性,归纳出城镇网络化发展的趋势,从而对发达地区城镇网络化发展起一定的指导作用。     

高校教材管理网络化建设的思考与实践

随着我国高等教育事业的迅猛发展和教学改革的不断深入,基于传统教材管理模式下的教材管理信息系统越来越不能适应新形势的要求。本文从当前我国高等教育改革和发展的要求出发,分析高校教材管理信息化建设的现状和发展前景,探索适应学生个性化培养的教材管理新模式,研究高校教材管理网络化建设的途径和方法。     

论信息网络化在企业管理中的应用

文章结合企业实际，从改变管理理念、降低成本、提高效率等方面探讨信息网络化在企业管理和经营中的应用。     

Foresight for science parks: the case of Ankara University

This paper reports a Foresight exercise, which was carried out to develop a research strategy and a business model for the science park of Ankara University (AU). Science parks have been crucial elements of innovation systems both in developed and developing countries because their role in bridging the gap between academia and business through knowledge spill-overs and spin-offs. Although there is a widespread consensus about the usefulness of the science park concept, the actual performance of science parks and how well they meet expectations have been controversial. This paper discusses the success factors for science parks. A three-dimensional policy framework, which includes ‘complementarity’, ‘networking’ and ‘strategic scalar positioning’ is suggested to be taken into account during the design and operation of science parks. The paper describes the Foresight process and the policies and strategies developed by using the three-dimensional policy framework proposed for the newly established science park at Ankara University.     

Entrepreneurs’ networks and the success of start-ups

The network success hypothesis assumes a positive relation between the networking activities of founders and their start-up’s success. The rationale behind this hypothesis is the theory of socially embedded ties that allow entrepreneurs to get resources cheaper than they could be obtained on markets and to secure resources that would not be available on markets at all, e.g. reputation, customer contacts, etc.

This paper clarifies how entrepreneurial network activities can be measured and which indicators exist to quantify start-up success. It then reviews empirical studies on the network success hypothesis. The studies have rarely come up with significant results. This surprising evidence can be explained by large differences in the way that the dependent and the independent variables were defined and by effects of unobserved variables such as the networking expertise of the founders and the entrepreneurs’ level of existing know-how in the areas of co-operation and networking (‘absorptive capacity’). The major shortcomings of existing network studies are found to be the neglect of different starting conditions, the focus on individual founders’ networks instead of multiple networks in start-ups with an entrepreneurial team, and the assumption of a linear causal relation between networking and start-up success. Accordingly, the paper develops a new, extended model for the relation between entrepreneurial networks and start-up success. Finally, we make some suggestions for the further development of entrepreneurial network theory.     

Book Reviews

In-migrants played an important role within port-city merchant communities, but the contribution of German-born merchants to Liverpool's development in the nineteenth century has been largely ignored. This article has four interrelated objectives. First, it establishes the size and composition of the German merchant community in terms of the place of birth, occupational classification, length of residence, and relative wealth of German-born merchants. Secondly, it measures the degree of acculturation and integration based on a range of indicators including choice of bride, child- and house-naming practices, the employment of fellow nationals, and the acquisition of British citizenship. Thirdly, it analyses their role within Liverpool society, focusing on their involvement in the city's associational networks, their participation in voluntary and charitable associations, and their entertainment profile. Finally it assesses how the growth of German nationalism after 1871 and the institutional role of the German Protestant Church reinforced ethnic identity, influenced decisions relating to citizenship and settlement, and affected business networking.     

Infinite desires in a finite world: Scarcity and its socio-economic implications

Natural resource scarcity has been making a resurgence as a dominant theme in recent economic writings. Most of the papers on this subject, however, have been narrow in their scope— discussing the issue mainly from a specific viewpoint or ideological stand. This paper attempts to give a balanced treatment to three economic positions (the traditionalist, the revisionist, and the unorthodox economist) taken toward natural resource scarcity. As such, the main objective of the paper is to present and analyze the basic arguments that have been advanced by the proponents of these three positions. It is the author's intent that this approach will help clarify the main factors that have been the source of disagreements among economists over the probable causes and ramifications of societal problems emanating from scarcity and in so doing provide a clearer perspective for prudent action.