bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Selection Strategy for Modelling UK Tourism Flows by Air to European Destinations
Authors: Coshall John Trevor
Published: September 2010

Given the importance of tourism demand forecasting as a research topic, the search for more accurate modelling processes continues. A model selection strategy is presented for UK outbound tourism by air to a set of the most popular European destinations. The first stage in this process presents an objective method for assessing whether seasonality should be modelled by additive or multiplicative means. The strategy moves on to the derivation of appropriate difference filters for ARIMA models of these tourism flows, a process which inherently considers alternatives for modelling increasing seasonal variation. Unlike studies involving longer-haul tourism, it is found at this spatial scale that no generalizations can be made about the stochastic or deterministic nature of trends or seasonality in the tourism flows over the destinations examined. The results also suggest that the commonly applied logarithmic transformation is not the most appropriate way to model increasing seasonal variation.
Tourist Arrivals in India: How Important are Domestic Disorders?
Authors: Dhariwal Richa
Published: September 2010

The Indian tourism industry has flourished in the past few years, significantly contributing to the nation's gross domestic product, foreign exchange earnings and employment. India, with its rich natural beauty, is unquestionably a destination that should promote tourism. Over the past few years the Indian government has taken various measures to do this, but the tourism potential of the country has still not been maximized. This paper presents an empirical analysis of the determinants of international tourist arrivals in India using annual data from 1966 to 2000. The results show that sociopolitical factors – communalism, terrorism and tensions with Pakistan – constitute serious threats to the tourism industry, limiting the gains that could otherwise have been realized.
Cultivating the Medicinal Plant Merwilla Natalensis as a Crop
Authors: Sparg S.G. , Jäger A.K. , Magwa M.L. , van Staden J.
Published: September 2010

The indigenous South African medicinal plant, Merwilla natalensis, was cultivated in two different geographical regions with different climatic conditions. Bulbs grew exponentially reaching approximately 300 g fresh weight after 24 months in the field. Plants were cultivated under three different treatments. The results suggested that bulb growth was not dependent on additional fertilizer (organic or inorganic) or irrigation, as there were no significant differences (p=0.05) in the average dry weight of the bulbs grown under the three treatments. Irrigation had an effect on the growth of young plants, preventing senescence and causing the plants to grow during the dormancy period. Bulbs started flowering after two years of growing in cultivated fields. Bulbs seemed to flower more when irrigated.
Liberalization–Goals Trade-Offs
Authors: Atici Cemal
Published: September 2010

Equity, efficiency, security and liberty are the four main policy goals in a society. This paper examines the current trade-offs of these goals with agricultural trade liberalization for developing countries. Trade liberalization may cause contradictory results for developing countries. While trade liberalization may improve the welfare of a country, the distribution of income in that country may deteriorate. Efficiency, on the other hand, is another concept that depends not only on who defines it, but also on how it is defined. Liberalized trade may increase the efficient use of resources; however, it may also harm sustainability. Free trade may pave the way for liberty; however, new regional trading blocs may curtail the free choice of states, causing greater interdependence. Trade data over recent years show a decreasing share of total trade in developing countries despite an increase in the absolute value. Thus, liberalized trade in agriculture could help developing countries to achieve these universal goals if it were accompanied by decisive reforms and supported by international consciousness.
Technology Licensing to Non-Traditional Partners
Authors: Gardner Charles , Garner Cathy
Published: September 2010

The commercialization of technologies arising from university research depends on the ability of technology managers to find and contract with appropriate development partners. Substantial investment is required to bring new health-science technologies to market, and when such technologies appear to have limited commercial markets it can be difficult for technology managers to find any licensee willing to invest research and development dollars. Developments in the area of neglected diseases may open up new opportunities for licensing. Over the past decade, The Rockefeller Foundation and other donors have provided social venture capital to launch a number of non-profit ‘companies’ that have collectively raised more than $1 billion from philanthropic and government donors to support product development. These public–private partnerships (PPPs) support the development of drugs, vaccines and diagnostics to address diseases that predominantly afflict the poor, such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Today there are nearly a dozen such PPPs following business models, managing portfolios of candidate products (often in-licensed from academia), negotiating in-kind support from the private sector or engaging industry through contract research and development, and using intellectual property in creative ways to harness private-sector know-how while ensuring affordability and access. Academic research institutions have many functions, including those of educating the next generation of scientists, advancing and sharing knowledge and, perhaps, even improving the world. Any technology manager who ever imagined there might be priorities beyond income generation should consider these non-traditional partners.
The Transformative Role of Universities in a Knowledge Society
Authors: Walshok Mary Lindenstein
Published: September 2010

This article is an edited version of the Bynum Tudor Lecture given by Mary L. Walshok in November 2004 during a Visiting Fellowship at Oxford University's Kellogg College. Against the background of ever-accelerating change – technological, social, economic, geopolitical and cultural – and the consequent need for constant adjustment and new responses, the author examines the potential role of the research university in the context of its current self-image and performance. She then sets out what actions are needed if the world's great universities are to broaden and deepen their engagement with the knowledge society – and thus to fulfil their central and critically important function.
Using the Internet to Gain Personalized Degrees from Learning through Work
Authors: Stephenson John , Saxton Judy
Published: September 2010

This paper presents the outcomes of a systematic review of the experience of the first cohorts using Ufi's online Learning through Work (LtW) facility to negotiate personalized programmes of study leading to full university awards based on projects related to their everyday work. The concept of learning through work and wider experience of online work-based learning are discussed, and the main features of the LtW programme are described. Data are drawn from user surveys and in-depth interviews of participants. A grounded theory methodology is used to allow propositions to emerge from the data about user readiness, institutional responses and wider impact on the learners and their work-place. These propositions are presented for discussion in the wider context of learner-managed learning and the use of the Internet for university-recognized learning through work.
Shaping the Future with Knowledge
Authors: Khan Abdul Waheed
Published: September 2010

This article is an edited version of an address by Abdul Waheed Khan to a Special Convocation at Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi, on 4 January 2005. Professor Khan identifies major societal trends and likely future developments, with particular reference to India. He argues that knowledge will play a central role in shaping economic growth, social development, cultural enrichment and political empowerment. He stresses the importance for a developing country like India of ensuring widespread access to educational opportunities, from early schooling to lifelong learning, and of the part that information technology can play in achieving this end. He provides an assessment of where India stands today by comparison with other nations and how it can exploit the knowledge revolution to build a more inclusive and powerful knowledge society.
A Comparative Case Study
Authors: Monk Des , Hitchen Julie
Published: September 2010

This article is concerned with the provision of open and distance learning by the higher education sectors in two countries, the UK and Finland. The central contention is that more strategic thought must be given to this issue if the potential benefits of such learning are to be maximized. The article considers in detail institutional practice in one UK university and compares it to practice in a Finnish institution to ascertain whether procedures and practices adopted in Finland might inform policies in UK universities. By way of conclusion, it is suggested that higher education institutions in both countries need to explore the importance of improved networking, develop better quality-assurance procedures and introduce changes in pedagogic practice.
Encouraging Small Cultural Enterprises in Russia
Authors: Moss Linda
Published: September 2010

As Russia moves from a demand-led to a market economy, small cultural enterprises are emerging in a sporadic and fragmented way, often encouraged by teams of Western experts. This article argues that Western models of cultural growth are not always appropriate models for Russia, because the history of cultural development and consumption has followed entirely different patterns; concepts of the fundamental roles of culture are different; and culture-led regeneration has to tackle different problems from those of the West. It is also suggested that Russia may have advantages not typical of Western economies that can be exploited in cultural enterprise growth. The article concludes with three examples of emerging cultural enterprise in Moscow and St Petersburg.
Cultural Diffusion: A Formative Process in Creative Entrepreneurship?
Authors: Rae David
Published: September 2010

Cultural diffusion is a distinctive approach to running a creative enterprise through applied creativity, shared discourse and social construction, going beyond the conventional understanding of ‘cultural production and consumption’. The concept is used to explore the social and creative processes of interaction between the creative enterprise and the audience. A framework for the analysis of creative enterprises and a set of questions based on the five processes of cultural diffusion are proposed for use by practitioners.
Creative Entrepreneurship in the Arts
Authors: Cinnéide Barra Ó
Published: September 2010

The emergence of an unparalleled national economic performance, labelled the Celtic Tiger, has given Irish business educators the challenging task of analysing and recording their country's burgeoning growth over the past decade. As part of this development, Riverdance –an upbeat combination of Irish music and dance – hit the world stage, demonstrating that entrepreneurship and innovation are as much part of the success process within the creative industries as is the case in any other sector of the economy. By researching the advent and ongoing development of Riverdance and the follow-on show, Lord of the Dance, it is believed that invaluable insights can be gained into the creative entrepreneurial process, including the shows' particular characteristics, their development needs, how innovative entrepreneurs work, and the particular barriers they face. This paper shows how, through publishing a series of studies on Riverdance and Lord of the Dance, it has been possible to demonstrate that the evolution of ‘New Age’ Irish dance, with its unprecedented success abroad, can provide an important role model for both the arts/culture sector and the Irish business community in general. Additionally, these entertainment industry cases, among others, provide an opportunity for considering the confluence within Irish music in terms of its traditional, classical and contemporary forms, within the rapidly changing educational, social and cultural landscape of a burgeoning economy that has earned the title, the Celtic Tiger.
Neural Network Forecasting of Tourism Demand
Authors: Kon Sen Cheong , Turner Lindsay W.
Published: September 2010

In times of tourism uncertainty, practitioners need short-term forecasting methods. This study compares the forecasting accuracy of the basic structural method (BSM) and the neural network method to find the best structure for neural network models. Data for arrivals to Singapore are used to test the analysis while the naïve and Holt-Winters methods are used for base comparison of simpler models. The results confirm that the BSM remains a highly accurate method and that correctly structured neural models can outperform BSM and the simpler methods in the short term, and can also use short data series. These findings make neural methods significant candidates for future research.
Utilization of Biological Insecticides for the Protection of Stored Yam Chips
Authors: Vernier P. , Goergen G. , Dossou R. , Letourmy P. , Chaume J.
Published: September 2010

The processing of yam into dehydrated chips is used extensively in certain areas of West Africa to stabilize the product. However, the chips are often severely attacked by borers, which can reduce whole stocks to powder within a few months. The level of protection provided by various biological products derived from neem (Azadirachta indica) and Crotalaria caricea was compared with that of a synthetic pesticide, Sofagrain™(1.5% deltamethrin + 0.5% pirimiphos-methyl), a reference chemical for stored products in Benin. Insect damage was assessed over a period of 10 months in the store room. Infestation was well controlled by all treatments for up to six months, after which only Sofagrain provided any protection. After 10 months, the chemical still provided a good level of protection, whereas the untreated control was severely attacked by the following insects: Dinoderus porcellus and D. bifoveolatus, Rhyzopertha dominica, Lasioderma serricorne, Palorus subdepressus and Tribolium castaneum. L. serricorne was the most abundant pest, followed by P. subdepressus and T. castaneum. Among the biological products used, the three neem-based treatments (oil, seed powder and leaf powder) gave the best level of protection, whilst Crotalaria seeds and periodic turning over of storage bags had little effect on reducing damage.
Impact of Childhood Experiences on the Development of Entrepreneurial Intentions
Authors: Drennan Judy , Kennedy Jessica , Renfrow Patty
Published: September 2010

Fostering entrepreneurship and an entrepreneurial culture has become a key policy priority for governments. To encourage entrepreneurship and an entrepreneurial culture, however, there is a need to understand the factors that influence and shape individuals' intentions to start a business. This study extends models of entrepreneurial intentions by investigating the influence of various childhood-experience factors on the perceived feasibility and desirability of starting a business. A structured questionnaire was completed by over 1,000 university students and analysed using regression analysis. Results indicated that perceptions of entrepreneurship were influenced not only by parental ownership of a business, but also by a difficult childhood and frequent relocation.
Images of Entrepreneurship
Authors: Warren Lorraine
Published: September 2010

This paper explores how undergraduate students make sense of the mixed array of images they encounter in the educational process. If courses are aimed at encouraging undergraduates to ‘become more entrepreneurial’ it is useful to know how participating students perceive the confusing array of images, activities and identities prevalent in the university setting and how this is influenced by the entrepreneurship discourse overall. Through a social constructionist stance, this paper reports how a group of 93 undergraduates made sense of ‘entrepreneurship’ during their progress through a final-year optional course module focused on new venture creation. Theoretically, the paper adds to the literature on entrepreneurial stereotypes; practically, the insights gained can be fed back into the classroom to challenge perceptions and illuminate career aspirations.
Ambiguity, Imitation and Innovation
Authors: Aligica Paul Dragos , State Mirela
Published: September 2010

The entrepreneurship policy of the European Union has been shaped in three key policy areas: small and medium-sized enterprises, innovation and competitiveness. The present investigation will focus mainly on the first of these. The paper briefly overviews the conceptual and programmatic background of the EU's policies in that domain; discusses the current focus on quantitative targets, selected areas and national policies as an innovative experiment; and shows how, in the absence of a clear policy model, the comparison with the USA offers a functional surrogate device for identifying various policy areas to be targeted. The paper concludes that, despite its rhetoric, the EU does not have a central vision or strategy, but that what seems to be a flaw, ie an ad hoc innovative approach consisting of a combination of national-level experiments, might ultimately be a strength.
Personal Networks as Fosterers of Entrepreneurial Orientation in New Ventures
Authors: Ripollés Maria , Blesa Andreu
Published: September 2010

Two central propositions are evaluated in this paper: the existence of a direct relationship between the entrepreneur's personal networks and entrepreneurial orientation (EO) development, and the existence of an indirect relationship between the two through the information acquired from personal networks. The effect of EO and personal network development on new venture performance is also studied. The authors test these relationships on a sample of Spanish new ventures. They then discuss the results and comment on possible implications in the academic and managerial sectors.
Bridging the Gender Gap in Employment Growth
Authors: Strohmeyer Robert , Tonoyan Vartuhi
Published: September 2010

Analysing 1,055 female- and 2,207 male-owned businesses in Germany, the authors found that the former underperformed compared with the latter in terms of employment growth and firm innovativeness. Controlling for endogeneity, ie feedback effects between employment growth and innovation, it was demonstrated that the lower employment growth in women-owned businesses was mainly due to women's lower commitment to product and process innovations, a phenomenon that is referred to in this study as the ‘female–male innovation gap’. The female–male innovation gap apparently goes back to occupational sex segregation, with women populating occupations and choosing fields of study or apprenticeship training that are less technical or technology-oriented and thus less likely to provide them with important resources (eg technical know-how) and favourable conditions needed for the development and implementation of product and process innovations.
The Sound of Silence?
Authors: Hassall T. , Joyce J. , Bramhall M.D. , Robinson I.M. , Arquero J.L.
Published: September 2010

Employers often consider graduates to be unprepared for employment and lacking in vocational skills. A common demand from them is that the curriculum should include ‘communication skills’, as specific skills in their own right and also because of the central role that such skills can play in developing other desirable attributes. Current thinking in communication has indicated a split between communication apprehension and communication development. There are indications that techniques designed to develop communication skills will not resolve communication apprehension and that, if an individual has a high level of communication apprehension, these techniques will not result in improved communication performance. This paper compares and contrasts the levels and profiles of communication apprehension exhibited by accounting and engineering students. The implications of the findings are then discussed and the need for further research in the area of vocational choice is identified.
Centre of IT Excellence for SMEs in the West Midlands, UK
Authors: Thompson Diana , Homer Garry
Published: September 2010

This paper presents an analysis of the IT Futures Centre, a European technology transfer project based at the University of Wolverhampton in the UK. After reviewing UK government policy in technology transfer, the authors highlight the project's two key elements – a new state-of-the-art building and an IT consultancy team – both of which are dedicated to providing advice, consultancy, training and demonstration facilities for small and medium-sized companies in the West Midlands region of England. The paper addresses the systems and methodology used for delivery and the quantitative data available which indicate the progress companies have made as a result of this intervention. Finally, issues that have arisen during the operation of the project to date are discussed, especially the problems that academics face in the delivery process.
Academe—Industry Collaboration through the Experience of a Construction IT Membership-Based Network
Authors: Underwood Jason , Khosrowshahi Farzad
Published: September 2010

Traditionally, the construction industry has been renowned for its deep fragmentation, with various stakeholders and disciplines brought together as virtual teams, in many instances for one-off projects. In addition, the industry is extremely information-intensive and document-driven. Such traits have been major contributors to the poor performance and inefficiency of the construction industry. For the last 30 years researchers have focused attention on the field of construction-related information technology with a view to improving industrial performance through the innovative application of information and communications technologies (ICT). In addition, in the mid-1990s member-based network organizations emerged, which aimed to bring together the various industry stakeholders in a neutral environment so that they could identify common problems and propose pragmatic ways of addressing them. Construct IT For Business (CIT) is an international industry-led collaborative network of leading-edge construction organizations. In the UK, CIT has a membership of over 50 organizations, including major construction companies, client organizations, suppliers and IT and communications companies, as well as professional institutes and R&D and academic institutions. This paper addresses the impact of CIT and the key challenges it has encountered in pursuing its objectives, derived from its mission ‘to be an effective enabling and coordinating force in the application of IT within the construction process as a contribution to innovation and development of best practice’. It is concluded that the needs of the industry are diverse and can be served in various ways but that there is a strong desire to network, fuelled by firms' needs to be aware of IT developments and specifically of the likely future applications of IT in construction.
Doctoral Education as Social Practice for Knowledge Development
Authors: Wallgren Lillemor , Dahlgren Lars Owe
Published: September 2010

This article reports on an empirical study of industry PhD students in the Swedish Graduate School for Applied IT and Software Engineering. The students were questioned in semi-structured interviews about their experiences of sharing their postgraduate studies between industrial and academic environments. The results from the first analysis indicate that there are considerable differences between companies in terms of their traditions and their propensity to take part in joint knowledge development with universities. Three types of company environment were identified in this context: (a) research-intense, (b) engineering and (c) consultancy. The focus of this study is on how the type of activity, the difference in time perspective between companies and universities, the competence of other company employees and the character of the thesis project affect the doctoral student's situation, identity, support and participation in knowledge development.
Securing the Future of the Indian IT Industry
Authors: Gupta Ankur
Published: September 2010

The phenomenal growth achieved by the Indian IT industry in the last decade has become a global success story. Fuelled by the thousands of engineering graduate and postgraduate students emerging from the higher technical education system, it is on the verge of significant change. This paper examines the issues facing the Indian IT industry and makes a case for institutionalizing and sustaining educational innovation at the higher technical education level. It also examines in detail the challenges that lie in the way of achieving this objective and how some of these issues can be addressed in the long run.
Technology Innovation and Development
Authors: Passman Pamela , Brady Betsy , Guidera Bill
Published: September 2010

The Bayh–Dole Act has been remarkably successful in promoting the transfer of technology in the USA from federally funded research labs to the private sector. Although other governments are now looking to Bayh–Dole as a model, most of this interest has been limited to developed countries. This article examines the potential benefits of the Bayh–Dole framework for developing countries – both for local industries and to generate revenue for local non-profit research labs. It also proposes initiatives that the USA should undertake to help developing countries to establish the rules and institutional mechanisms necessary to promote technology transfer in their own countries.
Feed Authentication as an Essential Component of Food Safety and Control
Authors: Pinotti L. , Moretti V.M. , Baldi A. , Bellagamba F. , Campagnoli A. , Savoini G. , Cantoni C. , Dell'Orto V.
Published: September 2010

The protracted outbreak of mad-cow disease, repeated episodes of dioxin and mycotoxin contamination, and the issue of labelling genetically modified foods have severely shaken public confidence in the food supply industry, increasing consumer concerns about the origins of the raw materials used in both animal feed and food products. The need to develop improved techniques to characterize feed and food components has consequently become more urgent, and DNA-based technologies promise to be able to meet these needs. DNA methods can establish the origin of species in meat- and fish-based products and feed ingredients, and are the most reliable analytical approaches for authenticating processed foodstuffs. The identification of ingredients in processed feed and food is mandatory not only to ensure correct labelling and assessment of value, but also to avoid health risks related to the presence of toxic contaminants or pathogenic agents.
Recent History of the Agriculture of the Brazilian Amazon Basin
Authors: Cerri Carlos C. , Melillo Jerry M. , Feigl Brigitte J. , Piccolo Marisa C. , Neill Christopher , Steudler Paul A. , Carvalho Maria da Conceição S. , Godinho Vicente P. , Cerri Carlos Eduardo P. , Bernoux Martial
Published: September 2010

Land-use change for human settlement and agricultural purposes, especially pasture establishment, has caused major impacts on the Amazon Basin's environment. Development of strategies for reformation and restoration of already degraded pastures constitutes the main goal of the authors' research work. For some of this work, a homogeneous area of land in terms of soil characteristics was selected at Nova Vida ranch in Rondônia state to conduct a multidisciplinary experiment, which included agronomic, environmental and economic analyses. Since July 2001, the authors have monitored five treatments: control, herbicide, tillage, no-till rice and no-till soybean, arranged in four blocks. Early results on carbon and nitrogen stocks, nitrogen mineralization, trace-gas fluxes, dissolved organic carbon and microbial biomass are briefly presented.
A Problem Ignored
Authors: Yiridoe Emmanuel K.
Published: September 2010

Limited success in efforts to achieve food security in Sub-Saharan Africa, despite massive inflows of food and financial aid, extensive price- and market-related reforms and revamping of agricultural sectors, has heightened attention on the need for (neglected) basic infrastructures to invigorate the agri-food sector and general economic growth. The importance of a standard system of weights and measures as a fundamental prerequisite for nearly all aspects of an economic system, and food security in particular, is highlighted to inform policy makers and other stakeholders involved in food (in)security in Africa to re-prioritize national budgets and capacity-enhancement and development programmes. Improving the existing crude weights and measures programmes will require important roles not only for national governments, but also for consumers, retailers and wholesalers. Strategies and policy considerations towards improving capacity in agrometrology and achieving food-security goals are assessed.
Economically Sustainable Preservation of Grazing-Dependent Biodiversity in Sweden with Canadian Ranching Systems
Authors: Kumm Karl-Ivar
Published: September 2010

There is apprehension that the decoupling of EU income support will result in shortages of livestock for preservation of biodiversity in Swedish semi-natural pastures. However, in a region studied in British Columbia with natural conditions similar to those in central Sweden but with no income support, one-third of the agricultural land is semi-natural pastures and the number of beef cattle has increased. This can be explained by the availability of cheap outdoor wintering of cattle and low opportunity cost of land. The results suggest that the abolition of income support and the tradition of expensive indoor wintering, but maintained environmental allowance for grazing, would result in land use in large parts of Sweden similar to that in the British Columbia region.
Influence of Owner-Manager-Related Factors on the Succession Process in Small and Medium-Sized Family Businesses
Authors: Venter E. , Boshoff C. , Maas G.
Published: September 2010

In this study, owner-manager-related factors that can influence the succession process in small and medium-sized family businesses are empirically investigated. The study was conducted among 2,458 owner-managers and successors in 1,038 family businesses identified via a snowball sampling technique. A total of 332 usable questionnaires was returned. The dependent variable in this study, namely the ‘perceived success of the succession process’, is measured by two underlying dimensions, namely the ‘satisfaction with the process’ and ‘continued profitability of the business’. The empirical results indicate that the owner-manager-related factors that influence ‘satisfaction with the process’ are the ‘relationship between the owner-manager and successor’, the ‘owner-manager's trust in the successor's abilities and intentions’ and ‘family harmony’. The ‘continued profitability of the business’ is influenced by the ‘relationship between the successor and owner-manager’ and the ‘trust that the owner-manager has in his or her successor's abilities and intentions’. The willingness of the owner-manager to hand over the business is in turn influenced by the extent to which he or she has ‘interests outside of the context of the family business’ and has ‘trust in the successor's abilities and intentions’. The extent to which there is ‘harmony among the family members’ will influence the ‘relationship between the owner-manager and successor’. Based on these findings, recommendations for successful successions are offered.
Resource Contributions from Entrepreneurial Firms in Strategic SME Networks
Authors: Wincent Joakim , Westerberg Mats
Published: September 2010

This research uses social exchange theory to explore direct and contingent relationships between a firm's degree of entrepreneurship and its resource contributions to the strategic network in which it operates. The empirical study is based on two strategic multi-partner SME networks in which all 54 firms participated. The results show a higher level of entrepreneurship to be associated with a higher degree of resource contributions to other firms in the strategic SME network, regardless of firm size. However, higher resource contributions to the strategic SME network entity were only supplied when the entrepreneurial firm was large. Suggestions for further research are developed in detail.
EU Strategies to Encourage Youth Entrepreneurship
Authors: Karanassios Nikolaos , Pazarskis Michail , Mitsopoulos Konstantinos , Christodoulou Petros
Published: September 2010

The authors present and discuss significant aspects of youth entrepreneurship in the European Union (EU) and, especially, in higher education institutions in Greece. The structure of this paper is as follows. First, the study introduces a conceptual basis for entrepreneurship as defined in the EU and looks at entrepreneurship in the context of actions taken by the European Council and especially by the European Commission. The significance of entrepreneurship, embedded in substantial economic factors such as growth, development, employment, education and training, etc, and its objectives are then discussed, particularly in relation to students in higher education. Second, the study refers briefly to current policies of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that could influence the EU's entrepreneurship strategies. Third, the authors assess the status of youth entrepreneurship and its influence on students in the Greek higher education system, applying an empirical methodology. To explore the behaviour and attitudes of HE students towards entrepreneurship, the authors analyse data collected by means of a specially designed questionnaire. The sample selected comprised male and female undergraduate students studying in various disciplines at the Technological Educational Institute (TEI) of Serres. The results are evaluated and their implications for educational programmes at universities, TEIs, business schools, etc, are considered.
Using IT Industry Practices to Modernize University Education
Authors: Messing John , Altas Irfan
Published: September 2010

Incorporating industry training into university courses is not in itself a radically new concept. Many examples in a variety of professions have demonstrated the value of industry input into university curricula. The information technology (IT) profession is different from many others in that it has high volatility and a short shelf-life of information and skills. Incorporating IT industry certification within the curriculum of university Masters courses has solved a number of problems associated with the relevance and currency of the content. However, there are other factors that have led to the approach used at Charles Sturt University in Australia, which has made it a world leader in this area. This paper discusses the factors that have been integral to the process. Among the most significant of these are a flexible delivery model that makes use of a long tradition in distance education, a well-developed university infrastructure to produce and deliver materials on a global scale, extensive experience in the use of information and communications technologies, the use of online examinations that borrow from the model used by IT industry certification and, most significantly, the support of commercial IT training organizations. The result has been an outstanding success, with record enrolments in a period of global and domestic downturn in students taking up IT courses at universities.
Special Issue: New Horizons in Industry, Business and Education
Authors: Papadourakis George M.
Published: September 2010

This special issue of Industry and Higher Education is devoted to a selection of papers, revised and edited for publication, from the Fourth International Conference on ‘New Horizons in Industry, Business and Education’ held on the island of Corfu, Greece, in August 2005. In this introductory paper the author provides an overview of the conference, summarizes the most important presentations, and offers his reflections on the conference outcomes.
ViPiA: A Project for European Entrepreneurship
Authors: Folinas Dimitris , Manthou Vicky , Vlachopoulou Maro
Published: September 2010

The Virtual Pre-Incubator Accelerator (ViPiA) is a two-year project funded by the European Commission. The main goal of the programme is to create a training package for would-be entrepreneurs to assist them in developing their new venture concepts to a level at which they become attractive to potential investors. This paper describes and discusses the ViPiA project and the approach adopted in the development of its virtual learning network. The network, accessed via the ViPiA portal, offers support to entrepreneurs by providing valuable services to help them transform their ideas into successful start-ups.
Trade-off Analysis for Sustainability Evaluation: A Case Study of the Purhepecha Region, Mexico
Authors: Speelman E.N. , Astier M. , López-Ridaura S. , Leffelaar P.A. , van Ittersum M.K.
Published: September 2010

This paper describes the use and role of trade-off analysis as a decisionmaking tool in the implementation of new technologies and sustainability evaluation. As an example, soils in the Purhepecha region in Mexico have been eroding for decades and crop residue retention has been suggested as an effective method to reduce soil loss; but it is not widely implemented. The effect of crop residue retention on systems' sustainability indicators have been investigated using trade-off analysis. The system used by most farmers (35% crop residue retention with free-grazing) reduced soil loss substantially, led to self-sufficiency in forage and maximized net income.
Advances in the Management of Ethylene in Post-Harvest Handling of Horticultural Crops
Authors: Opiyo M.A. , Ying T.J.
Published: September 2010

Ethylene is a simple organic molecule existing as a gas in nature and as a waste product of domestic and industrial processes. It can either be beneficial or harmful, depending on where and in what quantity it is produced. Because ethylene accelerates plant senescence, large losses of horticultural produce are incurred yearly. To overcome the detrimental effects of ethylene, various techniques have been developed. Usually, the simplest and cheapest techniques are the most effective. It may not be long before the beneficial effects of ethylene are extended to horticultural produce by molecular manipulation of its biosynthesis and action.
Effects of Livestock Import Bans Imposed by Saudi Arabia on Somaliland for Sanitary Reasons Related to Rift Valley Fever
Authors: Soumaré Baba , Thys Eric , Berkvens Dirk , Hashi Ahmed , Van Huylenbroeck Guido
Published: September 2010

Data were gathered from Berbera Port official records and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) food monitoring units (FSAU and FEWS), but mainly from interviews with 600 Somaliland livestock producers and 15 key exporters to assess the socioeconomic effects of the ban on livestock imports imposed on Somaliland following Rift Valley fever outbreaks. The study revealed that between February 1998 and December 2003, the Somaliland state government suffered significant losses of income – estimated at US$40 million – from potential taxes on export livestock and US$5 million from vessel docking fees. Livestock exporters lost a net cumulative profit of US$330 million, whereas producers estimated their annual losses at over US$8 million. Seventy-five per cent of producers interviewed admitted that the ban had negatively affected their welfare. However, the living standards of producers who also practised other farming activities were significantly (P<0.001) less affected (32%) in comparison with pure pastoralists (78%). The study also revealed that Somaliland consumers gained a relative benefit estimated at US$94 million from the drop in livestock prices induced by the ban. But further studies on the effects on prices of other essential goods are required to confirm this finding.
Improving the Conservation and Effectiveness of Arthropod Parasitoids for Cotton Pest Management
Authors: Gahukar R. T.
Published: September 2010

Cotton is infested by sucking pests (aphids, jassids, whiteflies, thrips, plant bugs) and bollworms causing deterioration in lint quality and 10–40% losses in crop production. Insecticides used extensively to control these pests cause undesirable secondary effects including the destruction of arthropod parasitoids, which constitute an important component of pest management. When released parasitoids die or become ineffective in cotton ecosystems, the classical biological control fails. Therefore, conservation of potential parasitoids is nowadays considered a major step in maintaining populations in a region where they could reduce the pest population density below economic thresholds and reduce plant damage below economic injury levels. By employing the least disruptive control measures and by adopting proper habitat management, it would be possible to enhance the survival, conservation and physiological/behavioural performance of the generalist and specific parasitoids in cotton-production systems.
The Importance of Adjusting for Trip Purpose in Regional Economic Analyses of Tourist Destinations
Authors: Loomis John , Caughlan Lynne
Published: September 2010

This paper investigates the empirical importance of distinguishing visitors and their expenditures by trip purpose when estimating the tourism effects of a national park on a local economy. Accounting for trip purpose is quite important when there are two or more nearby major attractions in the same geographical area. This applies to the author's case study of Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks in the State of Wyoming, and also to other areas, such as the State of Utah's Bryce and Zion National Parks or amusement parks in the Orlando area in Florida. The authors illustrate the various types of survey questions and methods for correcting for trip purpose. In the case study, it would be quite misleading to attribute all spending by visitors to Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) in the town of Jackson, Wyoming, solely to GTNP because this would overstate employment actually attributable to the park by 3,455 jobs, or 22%. In turn, this overestimates the dependence of jobs in the Jackson economy on GTNP by 15%, incorrectly estimating it at 75% rather than the sounder figure of 60% of total jobs.
Economic Impact of the Arts in a Small US County
Authors: Stoddard James , Davé Dinesh , Evans Mike , Clopton Stephen W.
Published: September 2010

This paper presents an assessment of the economic influence of the arts in a small county in the USA. The arts in this community consist of university, non-profit and private-sector employers and individual artists. A discussion of the methodology used to estimate the impact is provided. Over one thousand arts patrons and 62 artists and arts organizations responded to the survey. The direct and indirect economic impact of the arts in the community was estimated to be US$24 million. Normative prescriptions are offered for arts and county administrators.
Financing Tourist Development through Stock Capital: Evidence from the Greek Hotel Sector
Authors: Samitas Aristeidis G. , Kenourgios Dimitris F.
Published: September 2010

As an economic and social activity, tourism can be one of the most important factors in the development of a country. This paper uses the study of business events to investigate the success of financing the tourist sector through stock capital, especially the accommodation sector. The research focuses on five large tourist enterprises and the ‘events’ analysed are announcements about financial results. The study identifies and forecasts the way in which stock returns generally react to tourist sector announcements, such as the dissemination of annual, semi-annual and quarterly financial reports. The empirical evidence indicates that annual reports have a positive impact on stock returns. The authors suggest that the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE) provides an alternative opportunity for tourism companies to raise capital and to extend their development plans.
The New Service Development Process in Successful Small Entrepreneurial Firms
Authors: Ottenbacher Michael , Shaw Vivienne , Ermen David
Published: September 2010

This original empirical work examines the development process characteristics of small entrepreneurial service firms. The results of 12 interviews suggest that successful entrepreneurial innovation projects are the result of a five-stage process model. This entrepreneurial new service development process model differs somewhat from the proposed process models, focusing on large service corporations. Besides a more flexible and informal process for entrepreneurial services, the development cost and the final market price are strongly related to success.
An Innovative Biotechnology Start-up Company Approach
Authors: Rod Michel R.M.
Published: September 2010

This paper describes the author's involvement in the early experiences of a start-up biotechnology company created outside the university environment. In this case, two self-employed, entrepreneurial scientists with no university affiliation developed commercializable intellectual property. Falling outside the more common university technology commercialization process, there were a number of issues that were quite different from those a typical university start-up company might face, and these are illustrated. Most importantly, this case is an exemplar of how other non-university entrepreneurs might contemplate utilizing universities to further their technology commercialization objectives.
Effect of Demand Volume on Forecasting Accuracy
Authors: Vu Jo C.
Published: September 2010

The forecasting of international tourist arrivals is normally done on a per country basis. The volume of tourist flow varies widely among countries, largely depending on their population size but also on their openness to tourism. This paper uses data for Austria, China (PRC), Canada, the Cook Islands, Cyprus, Japan, the Maldives, Malta, New Zealand, Singapore, Slovenia and Thailand over a quarterly estimation period from 1995 to 1999 to forecast ahead for 2000 to 2002. In addition, the total arrivals to Japan from 24 different countries of origin are also examined with the same estimation and forecast periods. The topic explored is whether it is possible to examine the structure of the time-series data to determine why particular forecasting is more or less accurate. As a starting point, forecasts are obtained from larger data volumes relative to smaller volumes. The forecasting comparison uses the short-term time series methods of the basic structural model and the Holt–Winters model, with a comparison for base accuracy against the naïve model. The results show in the forecasting comparison that the volume of flow and volatility and seasonality do not directly influence the accuracy of the forecast.