bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms of release of ATP from vascular purinergic nerves
Authors: Chiba S. , Yang X.‐P.
Published: September 2003

1 The vasoconstrictor response to periarterial nerve electrical stimulation (PNS) and neurotransmission by ATP are discussed and illustrated, using canine isolated and perfused splenic arterial preparations.

2 The conditions for appearance of dominant purinergic constrictor response to PNS are discussed.

3 Modulation of the purinergic vasoconstrictor responses to PNS by several kinds of presynaptic receptor agonists and antagonists is reviewed.

4 Influences of purinergic responses to PNS by guanethidine, reserpine, tetrodotoxin (TTX) or ω‐conotoxin GVIA (ωCTX) are also reviewed.

5 Effects of imipramine and removal of the endothelium are discussed.

6 Evidence is presented for selective inhibition of purinergic responses to PNS by an adequate cold storage of the vessel.

7 The roles of ATP released by PNS in isolated canine splenic arteries are proposed.
Effects of in vivo treatment with interleukins 1β and 6 on rat mesenteric vascular bed reactivity
Authors: De Salvatore G. , De Salvia M. A. , Piepoli A. L. , Natale L. , Porro C. , Nacci C. , Mitolo C. I. , Mitolo‐Chieppa D.
Published: September 2003

1 Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a condition that involves proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukins 1β and 6 (ILs). In this disease, it has been shown that an abnormal microcirculatory system is implicated.

2 Therefore, the effects of in vivo treatment for three days with interleukins 1β and 6 were investigated on rat isolated mesenteric vascular bed (MVB).

3 A significant concentration‐dependent increase in vascular response to noradrenaline (NA) was found, with a significant difference in Emax between control (93.01 ± 16.78 mmHg) and treated preparations (137.91 ± 5.20 mmHg). Endothelin‐1(ET‐1) induced a significantly greater increase of perfusion pressure in treated rats in comparison with control rats at the highest concentration used (0.1 μm).

4 The concentration‐dependent decrease of perfusion pressure induced by acetylcholine (ACh) in MVB precontracted with NA was significantly reduced in specimens from treated rats in comparison with control rats, with a significant difference in Emax between control and treated preparations.

5 Perivascular nerve stimulation (PNS) evoked contractions with no difference between treatments. Similarly, no difference in relaxant effect was found after PNS in specimens precontracted with NA, in the presence of guanethidine.

6 These findings indicate that the precocious inflammation acts only at postsynaptic level, facilitating vascular contraction. These data seem to support the hypothesis that vascular dysfunction caused by overproduction of ILs may contribute, among other immunological factors, to vasculitis in IBD that leads to intestinal ischaemia through vasoconstriction.
The role of critical information in enterprise knowledge management
Authors: Soliman Fawzy , Youssef Mohamed
Published: September 2003

The role of quality of information in decision making has been highlighted in the literature. However, little attention has been given to the importance of critical information for the management of modern organisations. In order to provide products and services to customers, organisations need information for making decisions. Knowledge‐based systems are emerging as appropriate technology to automate complex decision making and processes, in particular for managing enterprise operations. Critical information plays a key and essential role for managing modern organisations. Because of the large volumes of information and the resources required to process them, it has become necessary to develop a scheme for the identification of critical information. In this paper a new technique to identify critical information for use in knowledge processing is presented. Using an example from the manufacturing industry, it can be demonstrated that the use of critical information will result in more efficient management of the enterprise knowledge. This would ultimately increase the competitiveness and viability of the enterprise.
Information flow in automotive supply chains – identifying and learning to overcome barriers to change
Authors: Childerhouse Paul , Hermiz Ramzi , Mason‐Jones Rachel , Popp Andrew , Towill Denis R.
Published: September 2003

Improving competitive advantage to the first‐tier echelon of automotive supply chains is enabled via the requirement for transparent information flows in both the order‐generating and order fulfilment channels. However, four generic areas are identified which are barriers to improving performance. These are cultural (is it in our interests?); organisational (does the supply chain have the right structure?); technological (what common format and standards are required?); and financial (who pays the bill?). How these barriers may be overcome to the benefit of all “players” in the chain is discussed, plus benchmarking of current best practice. Exemplar supply chains are identified as noteworthy for the emergence of supply chain “product champions”. These have the vision, authority, and drive to implement new systems and set in place mechanisms to minimise regression to old working practices.
A study on industry and synthetic standard benchmarks in relational and object databases
Authors: Seng Jia‐Lang
Published: September 2003

Benchmarks are the vital tools in the performance measurement and evaluation of database management systems (DBMS), including the relational database management systems (RDBMS) and the object‐oriented/object‐relational database management systems (OODBMS/ORDBMS). Standard synthetic benchmarks have been used to assess the performance of RDBMS software. Other benchmarks have been utilized to appraise the performance of OODBMS/ORDBMS products. In this paper, an analytical framework of workload characterization to extensively and expansively examine the rationale and design of the industry standard and synthetic standard benchmarks is presented. This analytical framework of workload analysis is made up of four main components: the schema analysis, the operation analysis, the control analysis, and the system analysis. These analysis results are compiled and new concepts and perspectives of benchmark design are collated. Each analysis aspect is described and each managerial implication is discussed in detail.
An automated system for motor carrier selection
Authors: Kuo Ching‐Chung , Soflarsky Frank
Published: September 2003

This paper deals with the development of an automated procedure for selecting motor carriers to minimize transportation cost prepaid by a shipper. To test the effectiveness of the decision support system (DSS), an empirical study was conducted, in which the freight carriers actually chosen by the traffic manager at a large manufacturing company over a period of time were compared with those recommended by the computer program and the difference between the two total transportation costs was computed. It was found that, while the human decisions based on experience and intuition were generally sound and good, substantial savings in shipping expenses were achievable with the aid of a DSS such as the one described here, especially when the logistical operations become more complex and the time horizon is longer. Limitations of the present study are delineated and directions for future research are discussed.
Cognitive and affective dimensions of trust in developing team performance
Authors: Erdem Ferda , Ozen Janset
Published: September 2003

In this study, the importance of a climate of trust in promoting teamwork is presented, and the findings of an empirical study of 50 work‐based teams are discussed. According to these findings, teams which show high levels of trust (both cognitive and affective dimensions of trust) perform better. As a result of these findings, it is strongly recommended that trust should be a primary value of the organisational culture, that behaviour which promotes trust and protection should be encouraged in teamwork, and that trustworthy behaviour should be treated as a measurement of performance for the purposes of employee appraisal.
The effect of team composition and group role definition on ERP acquisition decisions
Authors: Verville Jacques , Halingten Alannah
Published: September 2003

Discusses the acquisition team formation, the interdisciplinary nature of the teams and the roles of the steering committee, MIS, purchasing and users for an ERP solution. The goal of the paper in presenting these is to make you aware that the composition of the acquisition teams is a critical factor that affects the acquisition process.
Organizational citizenship: a case study of MedLink Ltd
Authors: Appelbaum Steven , Al Asmar Johnny , Chehayeb Ramy , Konidas Nicholaos , Maksymiw‐Duszara Volodymyr , Duminica Inda
Published: September 2003

A case study analysis was conducted on a Canadian company, to investigate the impact of selected independent variables on productivity, job satisfaction and organizational citizenship. The study tested the hypothesis that there was a decrease in these variables among employees because of ineffective project management resulting in unmet deadlines, incomplete end results, inequitable allocation of resources and inequitable levels of member participation to the accomplishment of projects. Concludes there appears to be a direct relationship between the factors of communication, leadership, power and politics, organizational structure and the decrease in productivity in terms of meeting project timelines and efficient product development.
Some Things in Moderation: A Case Study of Internal Audit
Authors: Berry A.J. , Gray I.
Published: September 2003

The development of a system of moderation of assessment procedures in a new University is examined in this case study. Internal and external moderation are equated with internal and external audit and the relationship between the audit of content and the audit of procedures (Power, 1994) is examined in the light of differing modes of accountability (Sinclair, 1995).
In Search of the Audit Society: Some Evidence from Health Care, Police and Schools
Authors: Bowerman Mary , Raby Helen , Humphrey Christopher
Published: September 2003

Claims that we are moving towards an ‘audit society’ (Power 1994, 1997) are fuelled by the emergence of a wealth of audit and other performance monitoring initiatives. To date, however, very little empirical evidence has been gathered on the precise nature, role and scope of this ‘society’. This paper draws on academic literature, official and unofficial reports and interviews with auditors, inspectors and auditees across three major public service organisations. The paper argues that audit is just one aspect of a broader, but rapidly evolving, ‘performance measurement society’; other important elements of which include the growth of inspection and self‐assessment. Public sector audit emerges as an increasingly questionable function. The remainder of the paper dismantles some of the myths associated with its practice, particularly regarding its public visibility and contribution in terms of enhancing processes of public service delivery, management and accountability.
The Internal Control Explosion
Authors: Maijoor Steven
Published: September 2003

The central theme in Power's 1997 book on the audit society is the proliferation of audit activity within the United Kingdom (UK) and North America. The most important joint development with the audit explosion is the rise of internal control systems. Auditing has shifted from auditing outcomes to auditing systems, and internal controls have become the subject of public policy debates on the regulation of corporate governance and the regulation of auditing. Power states that there is much confusion in practice about what (effective) internal controls actually are. This paper makes a similar argument with respect to internal control research. Internal controls are studied in various areas of accounting research, covering very different concepts, and studying controls at different organizational levels. As a result, the cross‐fertilization between the various types of internal control research is limited. Also, most internal control research in accounting is not conducted within the context of wider corporate governance issues. Hence, many claims about the value of internal control systems for corporate governance still need to be studied.
Outsourcing the Internal Audit Function: A Survey of the UK Public and Private Sectors
Authors: Selim Georges , Yiannakas Aristodemos
Published: September 2003

Although not a new phenomenon on the business scene, outsourcing nowadays is occurring on a much broader scale and often encompasses a wide variety of traditionally in‐house activities. Whether, however, the practice of outsourcing the internal audit function is occurring on the scale and extent that has been often depicted, is an issue open to debate. This paper reports the results of a questionnaire survey carried out in the UK public and private sectors on the issue of outsourcing internal audit. The authors believed that some degree of hesitancy is present among organisations when it comes to outsourcing the internal audit function. This is supported by the survey findings which indicate that organisations which have embraced outsourcing and have entrusted the provision of a broad range of services such as cleaning, information technology and security to outside service providers, are not so keen to outsource the internal audit function and instead are keeping it in‐house.
Current Developments and Trends in Social and Environmental Auditing, Reporting and Attestation: A Review and Comment
Authors: Gray Rob
Published: September 2003

This is a discursive paper which attempts to provide a personal review of current and recent developments in social and environmental reporting with particular emphasis on the attestation and auditing implications. The paper takes the essential desirability of social, environmental and sustainability reporting as a crucial element in any well‐functioning democracy as a given. It further assumes that any civilised, but complex, society with pretensions to social justice, that seeks a potentially sustainable future and which wishes to try and rediscover some less exploitative and less insulated relationship with the natural environment, needs social and environmental reporting as one component in redirecting its social and economic organisation. With reporting being such a central issue, the paper further takes good quality attestation of that information as essential to both its reliability and its ability to fulfill its required role in developing transparency and accountability. The paper has three motifs: the need to clarify terminology in the field of social and environmental ‘audits’; the current weakness of attestation practices in the area; and the significant — but unfulfilled — promise offered by professional accounting and auditing education and training. The paper concludes with a call for a substantial re‐think of accounting education and training.
Auditor Opinion Shopping and the Audit Committee: An Analysis of Suspicious Auditor Switches
Authors: Archambeault Deborah , DeZoort F. Todd
Published: September 2003

This study examines whether audit committee effectiveness characteristics are related to suspicious auditor switching. Using the agency and audit committee literature, we hypothesize that audit committee existence, the proportion of independent directors, member experience in accounting, auditing, and finance, number of committee meetings, and number of committee members should be inversely related to suspicious auditor switching.

A sample of 60 matched U.S. firms was evaluated along the hypothesized dimensions after controlling for company size, industry, stock exchange, financial health, and management stock ownership. Collectively, univariate and logistic regression results provide support for our predictions. The findings indicate that suspicious switchers: (1) are less likely to have an audit committee, (2) have a smaller percentage of independent directors on the audit committee, (3) have fewer members with experience in accounting, auditing, or finance, (4) hold fewer audit committee meetings, and (5) have smaller audit committees than nonsuspicious switching companies. Exploratory analyses also reveal that audit committees for companies with suspicious switches had younger members, and fewer members with no stock ownership in the company served.
The Problems of Establishing Internal Audit in the Sudanese Public Sector
Authors: Brierley John A. , El‐Nafabi Hussein M. , Gwilliam David R.
Published: September 2003

This paper uses interview and direct observation research methods to explain the failure to establish internal audit in the Sudanese public sector. The specific problems highlighted in this paper of low salary levels, low levels of staff training and expertise, low esteem and motivation of staff are seen in the context of a very limited technological infrastructure, and a lack of co‐operation and co‐ordination between the various parties responsible for internal audit in the public sector. Internal audit in the Sudan takes place against a background of economic stagnation and political instability, and within a culture in which corrupt and irregular practice is endemic and institutionalized at all levels of society. In such circumstances and without the political will to strengthen its potential and practice it is likely that internal audit will continue to be marginalized in the foreseeable future.
Attention, Researchers! It Is Time to Take a Look at the Real World
Authors: Kingstone Alan , Smilek Daniel , Ristic Jelena , Kelland Friesen Chris , Eastwood John D.
Published: September 2003

Theories of attention, too often generated from artificial laboratory experiments, may have limited validity when attention in the natural world is considered. For instance, for more than two decades, conceptualizations of “reflexive” and “volitional” shifts of spatial attention have been grounded in methodologies that do not recognize or utilize the basic fact that people routinely use the eyes of other people as rich and complex attentional cues. This fact was confirmed by our novel discovery that eyes will trigger a reflexive shift of attention even when they are presented centrally and are known to be spatially nonpredictive. This exploration of real-world attention also led to our finding that, contrary to popular wisdom, arrows, like eyes, are capable of producing reflexive shifts of attention—a discovery that brings into question much of the existing attention research. We argue that research needs to be grounded in the real world and not in experimental paradigms. It is time for cognitive psychology to reaffirm the difficult task of studying attention in a manner that has relevance to real-life situations.
Understanding Families as Systems
Authors: Cox Martha J. , Paley Blair
Published: September 2003

In this article, we discuss recent research that has arisen from theoretical and conceptual models that use a systems metaphor for understanding families. We suggest that research stimulated by such models leads social scientists in new and important directions in understanding the social and emotional development of children in their families. These models view development as resulting from the dynamic transactions across multiple levels of family systems, which regulate a child's behavior. Thus, these models are important in considering multiple influences on development and adaptation.
Indirect economic effects of new infrastructure: a comparison of Dutch high speed rail variants
Authors: Oosterhaven Jan , Romp Ward E.
Published: September 2003

New transport infrastructure has a myriad of direct and indirect effects. The indirect effects on population and economic activity are most difficult to estimate. This paper introduces three different models to estimate the impacts of new infrastructure on labour supply and demand, and carefully explains how the interaction between the models and their outcomes should be handled. The methodology is applied to a possible magnetic levitation rail system from Schiphol across the Afsluitdijk to Groningen. Next, this benchmark is used to derive a qualitative assessment for alternative trajectories and slower type of new rail infrastructure, all across the Afsluitdijk. The paper concludes with a summary of the remarkable differences in outcomes with the official Maglev proposal that runs through the polders of the former Zuiderzee.
Beyond Hierarchies and Networks: Institutional Logics and Change in Transboundary Spaces
Authors: Blatter Joachim
Published: September 2003

In almost all subfields of political science in the last third of the twentieth century, it was claimed that we are witnessing a transformation of political order from hierarchies to networks. This paper traces institutional change during the twentieth century by examining structures and modes of interaction in transboundary regions in Europe and North America. First, it challenges functionalist explanations of institution‐building and institutional change. Instead, the impact of general discourses and ideas is highlighted. Second, it takes a closer look at the hierarchies‐to‐networks transformation thesis. Whereas this thesis can be confirmed if we define hierarchies and networks as patterns of interaction, if we define hierarchies and networks in terms of modes of interaction this is less certain. De jure, institutional elements implying a “hierarchical order” have been supplanted in newer institutions by provisions allowing for “majority voting.” De facto, nothing has changed, since these modes of interaction have never actually been used. In practice, the only way to achieve joint action has always been and still is through “agreement” or “consent.” What has changed over the years, though, is the institutionalized approach to reaching “agreement.” The older approach uses a technocratic‐deductive logic. In recent years, we have been able to observe various new approaches in cross‐border regions: a symbolic‐inductive logic in Western Europe, a utilitarian‐evolutionary logic along the U.S.‐Mexican border, and a normative‐constructivist logic along the U.S.‐Canadian border. Based on the empirical findings, I conclude that institutional theory should pay more attention to the fact that many political institutions provide orientation, shape identities, and mobilize activities through emotional symbols.
Ideas, Interests, and Institutions: Challenging the Property Rights Paradigm in Botswana
Authors: Poteete Amy R.
Published: September 2003

Recent work in international studies and comparative politics scrutinizes the relative importance of ideas, interests, and institutions as sources of policy change. A growing body of scholarship identifies ideas as the main causal factors, influencing perceived interests as well as perceived policy options. Others contend that policies can best be understood as products of institutions. Neither explanation can account for both policy choice by politicians and the implementation strategies of administrators. In Botswana, the use of professional criteria for hiring and advancement encourages adherence to international professional norms within the bureaucracy, but electoral competition gives politicians more reason to be attentive to local political concerns. The institutions that define relations of authority among actors with different motivations shape the outcomes of policy choice and implementation. Institutions influence the attentiveness of policy‐makers to ideas when making decisions, the degree of attention particular policy‐makers give to ideas from particular sources, and the degree of acceptance that ideas must achieve to affect policy. Better evaluations of political development can be achieved through attentiveness to the mix of actors involved in policy decisions, the diversity of institutions and ideas that affect their policy preferences, and the relations of authority that shape their relative influence over policy choice and implementation.
Devolving Authority and Expanding Autonomy in Japanese Prefectures and Municipalities
Authors: Jacobs A. J.
Published: September 2003

The English‐language scholarship generally describes Japan as a centralized developmental state. However, while “developmentalism” does describe Japan's strategic economic approach, “centralized” no longer accurately depicts its spatial development process. This article argues that local autonomy is not equivalent in Japan, but rather, varies based upon a jurisdiction's population size and economic base. Large cities, important employment centers, and heavily populated prefectures have greater authority and influence than do smaller, less affluent communities. This article also asserts that the role prefectures play in the development planning process has been greatly undervalued. It then concludes that this combination of factors suggests that today's Japanese State is something more complex than the term “centralized” connotes.
Corporate Governance in Asia: A Survey
Authors: Claessens Stijn , Fan Joseph P. H.
Published: September 2003

Corporate governance has received much attention in recent years, partly due to the Asian financial crisis. We review the literature on corporate governance issues in Asia to develop region‐specific and general lessons. Much attention has been given to poor corporate sector performance, but most studies do not suggest that Asian firms were badly run. The literature does confirm the limited protection of minority rights in Asia, allowing controlling shareholders to expropriate minority shareholders. Agency problems have been exacerbated by low corporate transparency, associated with rent‐seeking and relationship‐based transactions, extensive group structures and diversification, and risky financial structures. The controlling shareholder bears some of agency costs in the form of share price discounts and expenditures on monitoring, bonding and reputation building. The Asian financial crisis further showed that conventional and alternative corporate governance mechanisms can have limited effectiveness in systems with weak institutions and poor property rights. Overall, the understanding of the determinants of firm organizational structures, corporate governance practices and outcomes remains limited, however.
What Explains Cross‐country Industry Growth Patterns? Trade, Development and the Equity Financing Channel
Authors: Chang Yuk Ying , Dasgupta Sudipto
Published: September 2003

We test theories that examine how economic and financial development affect cross‐country industry growth patterns. Finance theory suggests that financial development affects growth by lowering the cost of external finance. This has the implication that industries in more finance‐hungry sectors will grow faster in countries where financial markets are more developed. In addition, if financing constraints are lessened when stock market performance is high, firms in sectors more dependent on external finance should grow more rapidly following periods of good stock market performance. Trade and development theories, on the other hand, imply that a country's product‐mix and the pattern of industrial growth reflect which stage of development it is in and its factor endowments. Thus, one implication of trade/development theories is that countries that are close to each other in terms of GDP per capita should have similar patterns of industrial growth. Our tests find support for each of these theories.
How New Product Strategies Impact on Performance
Authors: Cooper Robert G.
Published: September 2003

What is involved in a successful new product program? Is it high spending on risky R&D? Is it close contact with customers? Is it the overall competitive strength of the firm? Well, it might be any of these things, and more, according to Robert G. Cooper, depending on your definition of success. In an exhaustive examination of the new product strategies and performances of 122 industrial products firms, Cooper found that the strategy that a firm elects for its new product program is closely linked to the performance results that firm achieves. But what's performance? Cooper's analysis uncovered three different and independent ways of viewing new product performance. He brings some clarity to the meaning of a “high‐performance” product innovation program, but there's a catch—the strategies leading to high performance in one direction are quite different from the strategies leading to positive results by other measures. In his summing up, Professor Cooper proposes sets of generalized strategies—guides to action—that product innovation managers should consider.
Forecasting Market Size and Market Growth Rates for New Products
Authors: Twiss Brian C.
Published: September 2003

How many times is a forecast of a technological development correct? According to many experienced managers, it almost never is. Then what good is a forecast? A forecast helps make important innovation decisions, according to Brian C. Twiss. He argues that precision in forecasting a technological development is seldom needed for purposes of long‐term planning and that any innovation so marginal that small errors in forecasting will make a big difference should not be considered anyway. Twiss suggests that technology forecasting can be of real value once it is accepted that it is essentially concerned with modeling human behavior. This is the unexpected viewpoint that Twiss presents in this article. He explains how to develop and how to use a technology forecast in long‐range planning.
Strategic Management of Technology
Authors: Pappas Chris
Published: September 2003

The first step in making sure that R&D spending is productive is to be sure it is going in the same direction as the overall business strategy. Simple enough to say but not always so simple to do. Chris Pappas suggests that the corporate strategy process often focuses on financial factors and market share and neglects technology as a key resource to be planned. With competitive success as well as productivity and profitability becoming more directly tied to technology development, it is time to give technology a more important place in the corporate strategy process. Using the example of an actual firm, Pappas shows that the key to achieving a sustainable competitive advantage lies in formulating the right technology strategy and integrating it into the corporate planning process. His article includes a useful framework for analysis and planning.
Principles vs. Practice in New Product Planning
Authors: Feldman Laurence P. , Page Albert L.
Published: September 2003

The product planning practices at nine large companies in the electronics industry are described and examined in the light of three principles derived from modern management practice. Major deviations between principle and practice are revealed. Close examination of the firms' new product activities suggests that the deviations stem from the inherently complex nature of the process and the premium it places on the need to manage it effectively. Suggestions for improving product planning performance are made. These relate to the need to make the process more uniform and systematic, to improve the guidance provided by strategic planning, and to obtain greater input to the process from marketing research.
Protocol: New Tool for Product Innovation
Authors: Crawford C. Merle
Published: September 2003

The new product process is often plagued by delays, cost overruns, products which don't sell well, and a state of near battle between marketers and R&D groups. These problems are being attacked by a wide variety of new management practices today. For example, we have recently seen better statements of strategy, smaller less bureaucratic organization forms, mathematical models for economic evaluation, and post‐launch tracking and control systems. One area of concern has been slow to respond—the communication of direction to R&D. This paper speaks to the communication problem by proposing a concept called “protocol.” The concept is explained, and its usefulness and difficulties are discussed. This article tells why something like a protocol is needed, and points out the problems in its development and use.
Product Development in the Chemical Industry: A Description of a Maturing Business*
Authors: Linn Robert A.
Published: September 2003

To help us understand the massive complexity of the chemical industry, Robert A. Linn breaks it down into product/market sectors that show differing business requirements, and hence, differing new product development requirements. This is an important industry that has struggled through the 1970s with sharp changes in external pressures and very little technological excitement. Where are the new product opportunities in an industry such as this? How do you pursue them? On the basis of his years of experience in the industry, Linn offers some suggestions and some challenges for managers.
New Product Strategies: What Distinguishes the Top Performers?
Authors: Cooper Robert G.
Published: September 2003

In this second article for The Journal of Product Innovation Management, Robert G. Cooper shows that firms can be clustered according to five general types of new product strategies. Depending on the measure of success, some strategies are more successful than others. One strategy, however, stands out for its success on all measures. Others are consistently unsuccessful. The strategies are described in such ways that managers can position the strategies of their own firms and compare their results with those of the firms Professor Cooper studied.
The Technology Innovation System in Japan
Authors: MacDowall Joseph
Published: September 2003

In recent years, many pieces of the Japanese puzzle have been identified and described as lessons for Western businessmen to learn. But the pieces are part of an interlocking system and to understand the role of each piece, it's necessary to see the whole. In the Japanese technology innovation system there are many parts—companies, universities, research institutes, government—and the way they are put together is the subject of this article by Joseph MacDowall. He points out some very unique characteristics about the way the system works. But he also points out some characteristics that are very much Western in origin. This article is based on the personal observations of the author, made during in‐depth discussions he held during site visits to over 20 industrial plants or to their research and development laboratories, 25 government research institutes, and at least eight Japanese universities. During the four years he lived in Japan, Mr. MacDowall participated in discussions on the subjects of research, technology, work life, and Japanese culture.
Integrating Product Innovation and Market Development to Strengthen Long‐Term Planning
Authors: Gold Bela
Published: September 2003

The steel industries of Europe and the United States are among the worst casualties of the industrial turmoil that has shaken the economic order during the past ten years, Other heavy manufacturing industries can claim similar suffering. In this article, Bela Gold draws on his long years of experience in studying the technology, productivity, and competitive structure of such industries. He suggests that traditional planning approaches won't haul heavy industry onto a winning track. A new long‐term approach, based on an integration of product innovation and market development, is needed to meet the changing pressures these industries are facing.
Improving the Organizational Adoption Rate for High‐Technology Industrial Products
Authors: More Roger A.
Published: September 2003

If a new product fails, it may not be a product failure: it may be a failure to respond to adoption barriers in the buying organizations. Too few managers fully understand, Roger More argues, the complexity of the buying process for major, difficult purchases. Hence, they fail to plan properly the strategic as well as the tactical approach to getting the new product widely and rapidly adopted. Since cash flows follow adoption rates, Professor More suggests rapid adoption should be a critical performance goal for new products. To help achieve quick and broad market penetration, Professor More develops a detailed description of the structure of the process by which an organization adopts an innovation. He highlights the potential barriers to adoption and suggests ways to manage them more effectively.
Issues for Management Thought and Research
Authors: Little Blair , Crawford C. Merle , Crisp John D. C.
Published: September 2003

One of the tenets of the editors of The Journal of Product Innovation Management is the principle, probably first enunciated by social scientist Kurt Lewin, that there is nothing more practical than a good theory. That principle is one that draws together academics and practicing managers to the journal's task of advancing the management of product innovation. It is a principle that says to academics that their theories must meet the test of utility, and to managers that it can be useful to develop a theoretical perspective.

Questions of practice and theory emerged in the first two issues of the journal when members of the Editorial Board presented a series of viewpoints on the issues they thought would be significant for the future of product innovation management. These were viewpoints that questioned our current practices and suggested
How Experienced Product Innovators Organize
Authors: Johne Frederick A.
Published: September 2003

It seems that reorganizing the product development function is a common and regularly administered solution to any perceived new product malaise. It's as though new product managers keep seeking some perfect form of organization that will lift their work to new levels of success. This article helps with the search. Axel Johne believes that experience can be a good teacher so he examined how experienced product innovators organize, in comparison to firms which are not so experienced. His results are interesting to all managers who wonder how product innovation can best be managed.
Wizards and Champions: The Kingdom of New Venture Management
Authors: Calish Irving G. , Gamache R. Donald
Published: September 2003

We have learned recently that the stories of King Arthur and his Round Table may be more fact than fable. There is certainly more fact than fable in the story told here by Irving Calish and Donald Gamache. They deal with the realities of managing new ventures.
How Concept Knowledge Affects Concept Evaluation
Authors: Reidenbach R. Eric , Grimes Sharon
Published: September 2003

Conventional concept testing methodologies are based on the simple assumption that respondents understand the concept when they offer their evaluation of it. Obviously it's an assumption that often will not hold. What happens to the quality of the evaluation at different levels of concept knowledge is the issue addressed in this article by Eric Reidenbach and Sharon Grimes. Their research shows that the level of concept knowledge affects certain elements of the evaluation more than others, and that the evaluation is moderated by the type of innovation and the way it is presented.
The Neglect of Technology Management
Authors: Crisp John D. C.
Published: September 2003

The economic and industrial problems of the past ten years have raised serious questions about the way managers are trained. Critics have suggested that business schools should do a better job in such areas as manufacturing management, ethics, human resource management, and long term financial analysis. John Crisp argues that in a competitive world, the effective management of technological innovation is a key activity. From his perspective, managers of industrial enterprises in Australia, and elsewhere, have a legacy of attitudes, sensitivities, and techniques which leaves them ill‐equipped to deal with the new competition. His proposals for improving the education of managers are provocative.
Organizational Obstacles to Innovation: A Formulation of the Problem
Authors: Stefflre Volney
Published: September 2003

A large corporation is a complex social system that seems to take on a life of its own quite apart from the purpose for which it is intended. When one of the purposes of the organization is innovation, the social system can produce obstacles that are not easy to overcome. In this article, Professor Volney Stefflre provides a refreshing look at the problems of keeping an organization innovative enough so that it can survive and thrive in a changing environment. Professor Stefflre's view is an unusual and creative one. It comes partly from his many years of working with a variety of manufacturers as they attempted to adapt to their changing environments through innovation. It also comes from his background in psycho‐linguistics—the area, he says, where psychology and anthropology meet. It may not be surprising then that his article includes a brief look at empires and civilizations as part of the support for his thesis. This article is adapted from one of the chapters of Professor Stefflre's new book: Developing and Implementing Marketing Strategies. New York: Praeger Publishers Inc., 1985.
The R&D‐Marketing Interface in High‐Technology Firms
Authors: Gupta Ashok K. , Raj S. P. , Wilemon David
Published: September 2003

It has become part of the traditional wisdom that good relationships between the R&D and marketing departments are essential for effective new product development. But in so many firms it still just doesn't happen. How come? In this article, three pragmatic researchers, Professors Gupta, Raj, and Wilemon, take another look at what causes the significant barriers that exist at the interface of two of the key product innovation functions. What they discover is disagreement between marketing and R&D people about what they should do together. They also find that R&D people are the more reluctant cooperators. They draw some interesting opinions from the parties as to why the barriers exist.
Product Development Strategy: An Integration of Technology and Marketing
Authors: Nyström Harry
Published: September 2003

Although it seems obvious that a new product development strategy must bring together marketing and R&D strategies, the conceptual development of marketing and R&D strategies has taken place in relative isolation. More than ten years ago, when Professor Harry Nyström began his research program on product development in Swedish firms, he realized that the isolation wasn't an appropriate point of view. He began to construct a conceptual framework for analyzing product development strategies that incorporated many more variables than had traditionally been considered. The latest set of firms in the research program are four pulp and paper companies. They are in mature, process industries, quite unlike the earlier study firms. Yet many of the same propositions from the earlier research still hold. In this article, Professor Nyström presents the most recent version of his framework to help managers develop an integrated product development strategy.
Selecting Winning New Product Projects: Using the NewProd System
Authors: Cooper Robert G.
Published: September 2003

Separating probable winners from probable losers is the goal of the new product screening task, and Professor Robert G. Cooper has developed a model that does this with remarkable success. In this article, he reviews various approaches to new product screening and then presents the basics of the NewProd model. NewProd now has a history of use in industry that seems to be fulfilling its original research promise. Professor Cooper shows how managers can build their own screening models and outlines how such models can contribute in an important way to better new product selection decisions. Over the years, Professor Cooper has conducted a series of major research projects that have aimed at improvements in the new product process. Their hallmark has been managerial relevance and a sound theoretical foundation. This article, the third that Professor Cooper has published in JPIM, is in the same tradition.
Financial Evaluation of the Product Line
Authors: Rabino Samuel , Wright Arnold
Published: September 2003

When decisions are being made about adding or dropping a product, most managers will make a financial evaluation of the product and they may try to get some sense of the riskiness of the decision. They will also probably consider the effect of the add/drop decision on other products in the line. Seldom, however, do they consider the risk of a product mix decision in the context of the risk level of the overall product line. Professors Rabino and Wright argue that product managers should take a leaf from the analytical book of financial analysts and calculate a "product Beta" that shows the impact of the risk of the individual product on the risk of the whole portfolio of products. They also suggest some other ways of sharpening the financial picture in what are often strictly marketing evaluations. This is Professor Rabino's second article in JPIM. As in the previous one he coauthored with Howard Moskowitz, this one adds some interesting analytical methodology to managerial decision making.
From Experience: Demystify Creativity, Enhance Innovation
Authors: Gryskiewicz Stanley S. , Holt Kathleen D. , Faber Anne M. , Sensabaugh Sharon
Published: September 2003

Creativity need not be a chance occurrence. The authors of this article believe there is a technology that facilitates creativity. It is a technology that can be learned and applied and managed. They describe the specific steps that they followed in helping a group of R&D professionals learn, apply, and manage the creative processes in the lab. It is a story of practical steps that dealt with the everyday realities of managing in a large corporation.
Innovation in the Systems Business: Dynamics of Autonomy and Cooperation
Authors: Bacon Glenn C.
Published: September 2003

Even though the many hardware and software components that comprise a useful computer system are developed and offered as individual products, the required technical integration of these provides unique challenges for R&D management. New function, especially that provided by software, usually results from prototypes that are not well integrated with the existing product line. This article examines the problems of managing the conflicting demands of market‐based autonomy and systems requirements for integration. The idea about software innovation is an interesting complement to the two articles that follow.
The Role of Users in the Development of Applications Software
Authors: Voss Christopher A.
Published: September 2003

Meeting the needs of users has always been the goal of product developers. Recently, however, the important role of users as developers of new products has become more fully recognized. In many industries, it seems, users are actually a dominant part in the innovation process. To discover the part played by users in developing new computer software, Chris Voss traces the development path of a large number of software applications. He finds some particular circumstances where users lead the development of new products. This article and another that follows provide another view of software innovation to go with the preceding article by Glenn Bacon.
Determinants of Success in the Development of Applications Software
Authors: Voss Christopher A.
Published: September 2003

In this article, the third in the trio of software innovation articles, Chris Voss outlines the key factors that determine whether a new software development is likely to be successful. His research draws on an innovation framework that has emerged from previous research. His results are similar to those of the earlier studies and suggest that the software innovation process has many demands that are common to innovation in other product areas.