Standards, critical mass, and the formation of complex industries: A case study of the mobile Internet

This is one of the few papers to analyze multiple interface standards in a single industry and it finds that standard setting in such an industry is much more complex than those covered in the existing literature. In the mobile Internet, some of the interface standards initially required so-called integral design while others have been built on top of these “basic” interface standards. The former interface standards enable basic data connections between phones, services, and content while the latter ones connect the mobile phone with content and applications from other industries such as music, video, publishing, broadcasting, and payment. This paper shows that in connecting the mobile phone and other industries, each critical mass of phones, services, and content partly builds from previously created critical masses.     

Investigating the use of information technology in managing innovation: A case study from a university technology transfer office

This study investigates the use of information technology to manage innovation. It is based on a case study on the adoption of an innovation application, which provides an interface between R&D, marketing and administration functions of innovation development. Drawing on qualitative evidence including a focus group and 16 in-depth interviews, this study contributes by integrating technology acceptance constructs to innovation process performance and marketing literature, as well as by investigating technology acceptance in an innovation context. Implications are discussed for organizations engaged with R&D or innovation process management and suggestions for research directions are offered.     

Critical success factors in managing modular production design: Six company case studies in Hong Kong, China, and Singapore

Many researchers have explored the advantages of modular product design, its design methods and its effects on product performance. Modular design is, for example, required for product platform, mass customization and postponement in order to achieve greater product variety and differentiation. However, a few empirical studies explicitly examine how to coordinate modular product design in a managerial way. This paper addresses it by conducting multiple case studies with six companies which have successfully adopted modular product design for five years. Seven critical factors are explored in the management of modular product design. These are pre-defined product advantage, selectively used design rules, module definition, system integration, technological newness, internal communication, and supplier and customer involvement. While most of the literature studies the technical dimension of modular design within a firm, this study focuses on the managerial side across the supply chain. It gives new insights on how to manage modular product design and proposes future research opportunities.     

External technology acquisition and product innovativeness: The moderating roles of R&D investment and configurational context

An increasing number of studies in technology/innovation management contribute to the understanding of the relationship between external technology acquisition and product innovation performance. On the other hand, the meta-analytic reviews of new product development literature indicate a positive impact of product innovativeness on product innovation performance. However, existing research has not examined the link between external technology acquisition and product innovativeness. This study, therefore, aims to fill this gap of knowledge by investigating the external technology acquisition—product innovativeness relationship and examining the moderating roles of R&D investment and configurational context on this link. Based on a panel sample of 105 high-technology firms over a six-year period, a least squared dummy variable s model reveals interesting results. First, external technology acquisition has a positive impact on product innovativeness. Second, R&D investment increases the effect of external technology acquisition on product innovativeness. Lastly, firm size exhibits a negative effect on the contribution of external technology acquisition to product innovativeness. However, firm age positively impacts the relationship between external technology acquisition and product innovativeness. In addition, this study reveals a positive effect of product innovativeness on firm growth.     

An assessment framework based on social perspectives and Analytic Hierarchy Process: A case study on sustainability in the Japanese concrete industry

This research introduces a framework for assessing concrete sustainability which is based upon the concept that technology is defined by stakeholders’ perspectives and which applied Analytic Hierarchy Process to translate these perspectives into quantifiable assessment values. A survey was conducted to identify important criteria, and several “design scenarios” were introduced which represent different value systems by varying criteria importance. Concrete materials with varying environmental impact were then assessed to observe the effect of different value systems and material properties, and it was found that the concrete with better properties was generally selected as most sustainable regardless of the design scenario.     

The role of deliberate and experiential learning in developing capabilities: Insights from technology licensing

We discuss the interdependencies between deliberate and experiential learning in developing a dynamic technology licensing capability, which was termed ‘desorptive capacity’ in earlier conceptual work. We use new three-year lagged data from two surveys of 79 firms to examine the role of dedicated licensing employees and prior licensing experience in developing firms’ sensing, seizing, and transforming capacities in technology out-licensing. The findings emphasize capabilities’ multidimensionality and critical trade-offs due to interdependencies between deliberate and experiential learning in developing capabilities. Besides interdependencies with experiential learning, deliberate learning strengthens sensing and seizing capacity, but it negatively affects transforming capacity based on inertia.     

Development of dual technology roadmap (TRM) for open innovation: Structure and typology

Today, innovation is no longer viewed as taking place within a single firm – but opening up the innovation process is still not a simple task. In open innovation, the mechanisms of incorporating external resources into the development process need to be carefully managed. This paper suggests a dual technology roadmap (TRM) that considers both internal and external firms. First, we introduce the concept of a dual TRM that considers partner resources as well as internal resources. Second, we suggest the structure of a dual TRM that uses dual planning objects. Third, three types of dual TRM are suggested, with three case examples.     

Evaluation of productivity and technology measures in manufacturing industries

This paper reviews and criticizes the advantages and disadvantages of currently used productivity indices. A Total Operational Productivity (TOP) model that can be applied to manufacturing industries is introduced. A mathematical procedure is constructed to determine a hypothesized Technology Factor Index (TFI). A relationship between TOP and TFI is explored to direct management decisions for productivity improvement. A case study based on the Canadian Metal Fabricating Industry is used to illustrate the applicability and workability of the developed models.     

Manpower requirements of scientists and engineers in high technology industries

This paper analyzes the impact on job requirements for engineers, scientists, technicians and skilled workers of the output of high technology and research intensive industries. The manpower requirements for 22 occupations resulting from a billion dollars of output of each of 12 industries are estimated for 1983. The manpower impacts of the total output of each industry are then simulated to determine the importance of economic activity in these industries in creating employment within each occupation in 1983. Occupational manpower requirements generated by the industries' 1983 outputs are analyzed in relation to total industry output and employment and total employment within each occupation. It is found that the industries analyzed here, although accounting for only 19% of GNP, are responsible for creating between 25% and 60% of many science, engineering and related jobs. These results are detailed for each industry and for every occupation, and the direct and the indirect manpower requirements for each occupation are computed. The implications of these findings are briefly discussed.     

The Access of the Young Graduates in Sciences into R&D Profession: A Switching Model Treatment for the French Case

We address the question concerning the choice of graduates in sciences and engineering to look for employment in research and development. We use an endogenous switching regression to avoid the existence of self‐selection biases. The study shows that human capital is decisive where both employment opportunities and remuneration are concerned within, but not without, this sector. The results also suggest that in the early stages of a career, the R&D sector is less rewarding than other types of employment only for doctors and not for graduates from engineering schools.     

Energy analysis: A review of methods and applications

The paper describes the aims and applications of energy analysis, emphasising its role as a complement to conventional financial analysis. It is shown to provide useful insights in applications such as forecasting price rises due to a fuel price rise, calculating the net costs of fuel obtained from unconventional sources, forecasting energy demand and evaluating energy conservation schemes. Although the field is still young, and most activity is in compiling reliable data bases, its systems approach and methods promise to make it a useful tool for evaluating patterns of resource uses.     

Stress at sea: A review of working conditions in the offshore oil and fishing industries

Abstract

This paper reviews the literature available on the psychosocial aspects of the offshore oil and fishing industries. Both work sectors present unique problems for their employees and these are discussed with reference to risk and safety, accidents and injuries, occupational stressors, marriage and family life, noise, alcohol and drug abuse and personality. The paper concludes that although both occupations are intrinsically different, some psychosocial similarities can be observed.     

Statistical precision of DEA and Malmquist indices: A bootstrap application to Norwegian grain producers

Previous applications of data envelopment analysis (DEA) and its subsequent Malmquist indices to efficiency and productivity measurements have been criticised for not providing statistical inferences regarding the significance of observed results. In this paper, DEA and a Malmquist index are combined with a bootstrap method in order to provide succinct statistical inferences that determine the performance of grain producers in Eastern Norway. The data cover the period between 1987 and 1997. Results reveal: (i) a significant degree of inefficiency (approximately 11%) and an average productivity progress of 38% over the period considered; (ii) the formidable productivity progress observed is primarily explained by technical efficiency changes that enabled producers to catch up with front runners; and (iii) environmental factors, such as weather conditions, impact both efficiency and productivity. Finally, the analysis reveals that using bootstrapping to make statistical inferences suggests that researchers should be careful in making performance comparisons based on conventional DEA methods, as any discovered differences may not be significant.     

Individual Preferences and Job Characteristics: An Analysis of Cooperative Credit Banks

The aim of this paper is to analyse individual preferences in relation to different job characteristics. More specifically, this work focuses on the case of employees of cooperative credit banks (CCBs) in Campania and accounts for certain fundamental institutional features: CCBs are designed to pursue specific member interests rather than profit maximization, and most employees are both owners and consumers. The research is conducted by applying a conjoint analysis approach with stated preference data. Novel features of the analysis include the application of this approach to empirical research on worker incentives and the use of a mixed logit model.     

Women and technology: A review of training initiatives

This paper considers the entry of women into technological areas of work, their subsequent career progression and return to work after a career break. It considers the development of those training programmes and related initiatives which have attempted to encourage girls and young women to enter non-traditional areas of work, and others which help women return to work after a career break. It emphasizes that such training needs to address the psychological and social issues which arise, as well as provide for new technical knowledge and skills. In doing so it reviews some of the courses which are currently available and comments on their apparent success. In its concluding problems it refers to the on-going problem of funding such training and of providing a supportive database.     

Women and technology: A review of training initiatives

Abstract

This paper considers the entry of women into technological areas of work, their subsequent career progression and return to work after a career break. It considers the development of those training programmes and related initiatives which have attempted to encourage girls and young women to enter non-traditional areas of work, and others which help women return to work after a career break. It emphasizes that such training needs to address the psychological and social issues which arise, as well as provide for new technical knowledge and skills. In doing so it reviews some of the courses which are currently available and comments on their apparent success. In its concluding problems it refers to the on-going problem of funding such training and of providing a supportive database.     

Misallocation and Total Factor Productivity in Italy: Evidence from Firm‐Level Data

Over the last two decades, total factor productivity (TFP) in Italy decreased by 0.2% per year, while increasing on average in the Euro‐area countries. This decline suggests the existence of large inefficiencies in the allocation of resources, making the Italian case particularly interesting and suitable in order to study the role of misallocation. In this article, I quantify the within‐industry misallocation of inputs in Italy over the period 1993–2011, by applying the Hsieh and Klenow's methodology. Using a micro‐level longitudinal dataset of Italian manufacturing firms, I find that, in the hypothetical absence of distortions, aggregate TFP in manufacturing would be boosted by 58% in 1993, by 67% in 2006 and by 80% in 2011. This leads to a twofold conclusion: first, misallocation plays a crucial role in determining the inefficiency level of the Italian manufacturing sector; second, misallocation has increased over time. Given the magnitude of the results obtained and the policy implications related thereto, I take a step ahead by checking to what extent the degree of misallocation can be attributed to specific characteristics of the Italian firms: it emerges that misallocation is higher for firms located in the south and at low‐technological intensity, as well as for small or young firms.     

A review of inflation accounting and its economic implications

The purposes of this paper are firstly to identify the problems which inflation creates in the context of conventional accounting methods, secondly to consider the alternative forms of inflation accounting which have been proposed, thirdly to look in more detail at the particular method which is to be adopted in the UK, and finally to consider the effects which that method will have on company results and on broader economic issues.     

Risk management and managerial efficiency in Chinese banks: A network DEA framework

Risk management in Chinese banks has traditionally been the Cinderella of its internal functions. Political stricture and developmental imperative have often overridden standard practice of risk management resulting in large non-performing loan (NPL) ratios. The training and practice of risk managers remain second class compared with foreign banks operating in China. This paper surveys Chinese bank risk managers and constructs metrics of risk management practice and risk management organisation. The metrics are used as intermediate inputs in a Network DEA framework to produce a measure of income efficiency. A statistical test is carried out to assess the importance of the risk metrics in evaluating bank income efficiency.     

A Field Study of RFID Deployment and Return Expectations

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology promises to transform supply chain management. Building on previous research in information systems and supply chain management, this paper proposes a theoretical framework for RFID adoption and benefits, and tests the framework using data on u. s. firms. Our analysis suggests that there is a positive association between information technology (IT) application deployment and RFID adoption. We find that RFID implementation spending and partner mandate are associated with an expectation of early return on RFID investment, and a perceived lack of industry‐wide standards is associated with an expectation of delayed return on RFID investment. These results suggest that firms with broad IT application deployment and a critical mass of RFID implementation spending are more likely to report early returns from RFID deployments. This paper extends previous research to understand the relationship between organization characteristics and adoption and expected benefits of the emerging RFID technology.