“Chemophobia” Today: Consumers’ Knowledge and Perceptions of Chemicals

This mixed‐methods study investigated consumers’ knowledge of chemicals in terms of basic principles of toxicology and then related this knowledge, in addition to other factors, to their fear of chemical substances (i.e., chemophobia). Both qualitative interviews and a large‐scale online survey were conducted in the German‐speaking part of Switzerland. A Mokken scale was developed to measure laypeople's toxicological knowledge. The results indicate that most laypeople are unaware of the similarities between natural and synthetic chemicals in terms of certain toxicological principles. Furthermore, their associations with the term “chemical substances” and the self‐reported affect prompted by these associations are mostly negative. The results also suggest that knowledge of basic principles of toxicology, self‐reported affect evoked by the term “chemical substances,” risk‐benefit perceptions concerning synthetic chemicals, and trust in regulation processes are all negatively associated with chemophobia, while general health concerns are positively related to chemophobia. Thus, to enhance informed consumer decisionmaking, it might be necessary to tackle the stigmatization of the term “chemical substances” as well as address and clarify prevalent misconceptions.     

Knowledge sharing for innovation performance improvement in micro/SMEs: an insight from the creative sector

Abstract

As economies become more reliant on innovative, knowledge-intensive firms, understanding the interaction between knowledge and improving innovation performance is increasingly important. Although most UK businesses are micro, small or medium-sized enterprises (micro/SMEs), knowledge management research has tended to focus on large companies Knowledge sharing can be critical for innovation performance, especially for smaller players with limited resources. Our study presents an insight from micro/SMEs operating in the highly knowledge-intensive and innovative games/entertainment software development sector. Using a mixed method approach, we investigate knowledge sharing and its contribution to firm innovation performance improvements. Our findings suggest that micro/SMEs are at the forefront of the creative sector precisely because of their smaller size. Our study reveals evidence of knowledge donation but limited evidence of knowledge collection in the knowledge sharing process. We develop a model highlighting the importance of industry context, individual knowledge and organizational size in knowledge sharing for innovation performance.     

A Collaborative View of Knowledge in a Knowledge Society: An International Perspective

This paper focuses on key topics that rose to the fore at the `Getting the Story Right' Joint Forum Assembly Meeting between business and higher education leaders of Australia, Canada, Japan, Poland, and the United States which was held in October 1998 in Banff, Canada. Arising from participant observation notes, conversations, document analysis, and reflective writing, the work centers on four major themes: the nature of knowledge and knowledge workers, the fundamental difference between training and learning, the short-term effects of shifting workplace and economic situations, and the long-term impact of intergenerational influences. Each of these knowledge-related themes emerged in collaborative discussions that transcended national, occupational, and cultural boundaries. The paper takes the position that dialogue regarding the nature and usefulness of knowledge paradoxically takes an inward view as it develops outwardly to the case of others and the world. In a collaborative process of this nature, an important dimension of shared human meaning making becomes briefly revealed.     

国际企业管理在世纪之交的新发展

世纪之交 ,我国正面临加入世贸组织 ,与国际经济接轨的新形势 ;国际上全球化进程正在加速 ,高新科技日新月异 ,网络的发展与普及 ,正在改变着我国企业的内外经营环境 ,冲击着多年来传统的经营理念、管理理论与管理方法 ,本文就企业战略、知识经济与知识工作者的出现 ,网络的兴起对企业管理的影响、对企业经营者的新要求 ,以及变幻莫测的市场中的不变之道等几个方面 ,阐述了当前国际企业管理的发展新趋势     

学习迁移的系统理论:PPEE理论模型的建构和意义

学习是人类社会永恒的主题。为了更好地利用过去的经验,增强学习效果,个人和组织进行学习迁移具有重要意义。学习迁移是指将在以往通过学习或解决问题所获得的经验,用于解决之后所遇到的问题。本文力图建立系统的学习迁移理论,研究人、问题、环境的因素对于学习迁移的影响。本文采用理论推导的研究方法,在前人研究的基础上,提出相应的理论模型。本文运用系统的观点,构建了学习迁移的PPEE理论模型,认为人的因素、问题的因素、人和问题的交互作用、以及环境的调节作用,会共同影响学习迁移的效果。本理论主要从五个方面论述学习迁移的机制。首先,将人的因素按照不同层面划分为后端基本能力、中端心理过程、前端知识结构,讨论了其各自对学习迁移效果的直接影响。其次,将问题的因素划分为形象相似性和抽象相似性,并根据这两个维度构建了四种问题间关系类型,并探究了其与学习迁移效果之间的关系。第三,同时考虑人的因素和问题的因素,研究了二者之间的互动对于学习迁移效果的影响。第四,将环境因素划分为时间紧迫性和空间重要性两个维度,探讨了人和环境,以及问题和环境之间的互动对学习迁移效果的影响。第五,基于系统整体的方面,研究人、问题、环境三者之间的互动对学习迁移效果的交互影响。本文还认为,该模型不仅适用于个人,也同样适用于团队、组织、地区、甚至国家和社会等各个层面,影响各个层面主体的学习迁移。本文最后总结了研究的理论和实践贡献,并提出了未来研究课题。本文对丰富学习理论、特别是学习迁移理论,以及推动教育和管理实践的发展进步具有重要的意义。     

中介机构参与下联盟企业知识转移的三方利益博弈分析

知识转移是企业保存知识、提升创新能力的重要途径,中介机构在转移过程中发挥了重要作用。本文以联盟企业间知识转移为研究对象,考虑了企业的不同心理压力,首先建立了联盟企业双方的讨价还价博弈模型;其次构建了考虑中介机构参与知识转移的博弈模型,分析和讨论三方收益变化的影响因素及策略选择。结果表明,在直接知识转移博弈中,转移主体的收益大小与自身的心理压力呈负相关,而与对方的心理压力呈正相关,同等心理压力下知识转出方占优;中介机构参与博弈情形下,中介机构作为协作角色的博弈收益仅受博弈双方心理压力影响,且与知识接收方协作可获得更大收益,而主导角色博弈情形下收益受到三方主体心理压力的综合影响,并在主导知识接收博弈时获得收益更大;中介机构的角色选择与知识转出方心理压力变化相关性不明显,主要受到知识接收方及自身心理压力影响。     

知识分布、衰减程度与产业集群创新模式的内在机制研究

以知识流动为研究视角,将集群创新过程中的知识溢出、吸收能力内生化,构建包含三种创新模式下的产业集群演化模型,重点分析集群知识分布和知识衰减程度与集群创新模式的内在机制及其对创新产出的影响,并进行仿真实验。研究表明：不同知识分布下,混合创新模式的创新产出表现最好,外部吸收创新模式与内部自主创新模式呈现出不同的创新产出演化路径;在外部吸收创新和混合创新模式下,均匀分布型产业集群的创新产出表现最好,集中分布型表现次之,异质分布型表现最差,而在内部自主创新模式下,集中分布型则表现最好;不同创新模式对知识衰减的敏感程度呈现阶段性差异特征。这些结论对产业集群创新和可持续发展具有很好的理论和实践指导意义。     

Public Perception of Uncertainties Within Climate Change Science

Climate change is a complex, multifaceted problem involving various interacting systems and actors. Therefore, the intensities, locations, and timeframes of the consequences of climate change are hard to predict and cause uncertainties. Relatively little is known about how the public perceives this scientific uncertainty and how this relates to their concern about climate change. In this article, an online survey among 306 Swiss people is reported that investigated whether people differentiate between different types of uncertainty in climate change research. Also examined was the way in which the perception of uncertainty is related to people's concern about climate change, their trust in science, their knowledge about climate change, and their political attitude. The results of a principal component analysis showed that respondents differentiated between perceived ambiguity in climate research, measurement uncertainty, and uncertainty about the future impact of climate change. Using structural equation modeling, it was found that only perceived ambiguity was directly related to concern about climate change, whereas measurement uncertainty and future uncertainty were not. Trust in climate science was strongly associated with each type of uncertainty perception and was indirectly associated with concern about climate change. Also, more knowledge about climate change was related to less strong perceptions of each type of climate science uncertainty. Hence, it is suggested that to increase public concern about climate change, it may be especially important to consider the perceived ambiguity about climate research. Efforts that foster trust in climate science also appear highly worthwhile.     

后发企业如何构建创新网络—基于知识架构的视角

构建创新网络是后发企业快速进行技术追赶的重要路径。那么,针对不同的企业,构筑什么样的创新网络是有效的? 为了深化以往的创新网络研究,从知识架构的视角出发,聚焦于网络层次的合作伙伴配置,构建了以产业特征为情境条件,知识基宽度/深度为焦点企业特征,知识异质性/质量为创新网络节点组成特征,高创新追赶绩效为结果变量的逻辑模型。结论显示,有三种相应的架构类型能够获取高创新追赶绩效。此外,在不同的产业特征情境下,不同的企业分别可以采用相应的架构类型取得更好的绩效。以此,为后发企业构建有效创新网络提供了理论和实践的借鉴。     

External knowledge search,absorptive capacity and radical innovation in high-technology firms

Open innovation and absorptive capacity are two concepts based on the idea that companies can leverage the knowledge generated externally to improve their innovation performance. The aim of this paper is to analyse the joint effect of open innovation and absorptive capacity on a firm's radical innovation. Open innovation is expressed in terms of external search breadth and depth strategies and absorptive capacity is described by distinguishing between potential and realized absorptive capacity. In order to test our hypotheses, we carried out empirical research in firms operating in high-technology industries. The results indicate that internal routines and processes for absorbing external knowledge help explain radical innovation as they show a significant effect of potential and realized absorptive capacity. Also, there is a moderating effect of absorptive capacity on open innovation. Specifically, potential absorptive capacity exerts a positive effect on the relationship between external search breadth and depth and radical innovation. Realized absorptive capacity moderates the influence of external search breadth. These findings confirm the complementary nature of absorptive capacity and open innovation search strategies on radical innovation.