Defining roles for logistics during routine and radical technological innovation

Technological innovation has become increasingly important to new product development in American industry because of the potential competitive advantage it offers. In this study extensive observation and interviewing over more than two years in one prominent Frtune 500 industrial manufacturer provides strong evidence that logistics can and does play important—and sometimes surprising—roles in the development and launch of new technological products. This article describes logistics activities during the development and launch of technological innovations, identifies key roles played by logistics, relates lessons learned and proposes directions for future research.     

重访发展政治学

本文回顾了四十年来发展政治学的成果。发展政治学在早期曾试图建立一个研究发展中国家的政治和政治变化的理论框架。但后来知识界对现代化理论和结构功能主义提出了挑战,从而削弱了这一理想。而且,现实世界中事件的发展,证明发展政治学中目的论的视角是有问题的。不过,后来,发展政治学在政治制度、民主的稳定和崩溃、国家结构、公民社会和政治发展的不平衡等方面的研究上取得了长足的进展。本文认为,当前,繁多的证据表明,政治发展和政治衰败过程是多种多样的。因此,发展政治学应当避免倒退到一种新的现代化理论之中。相反,该领域应当专注在国家改革、民主统治、代议政治、责任政府、公民社会的组织等这些论题上。关注这些广泛而活跃的问题,发展政治学会对比较政治学作出重要的理论贡献。     

Optimal detection strategies for an established invasive pest

We model optimal detection of sub-populations of invasive species that establish ahead of an advancing front. For many invaders, eradication of the main population is an untenable goal, yet it may be possible to treat and eradicate emerging sub-populations once these sub-populations are detected. We embed a dynamically optimal post-detection management plan of sub-populations into a model of optimal detection effort determination and find that optimal detection effort depends, in part, on the distance from the main front: locations closer to the front with shorter management horizons enjoy lower reductions in overall cost from intervention. The uninfested landscape is divided into two zones, characterized by different dynamically optimal management plans: a suppression zone and an eradication zone. In the suppression zone, optimal detection effort increases with distance from the front. At the distance where the suppression zone yields to the eradication zone, optimal detection effort plateaus at its maximum level.