bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Case Studying Technology Transfer in an Objective 1 Area
Authors: Lavery Nick , Stratford Gavin
Published: September 2010

Two major initiatives are in place in Wales that aim to create a strong and internationally competitive small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector. These are the Technology Exploitation Programme (TEP) and the Centres of Excellence for Technology and Industrial Collaboration (CETIC) programme. The Materials Centre of Excellence at the University of Wales Swansea is one of the centres in the CETIC programme with traditionally strong links to the Welsh manufacturing sector. This paper describes the Centre's experiences during its first year in the programme as a way of highlighting both the successes and difficulties in the implementation of EU Objective 1 technology transfer initiatives.
Education and Training Needs of the Ethnic Entrepreneur in Australia
Authors: Chavan Meena
Published: September 2010

This paper is one of the outcomes of an empirical study of 209 ethnic entrepreneurs in Sydney investigating the ethnic business creation process. In the paper, the education and training needs of ethnic entrepreneurs are identified and analysed with respect to a number of issues affecting ethnic business, such as educational qualifications, English-speaking skills, areas of business knowledge, cultural, linguistic and technical skills, areas in which the entrepreneurs find it difficult to acquire knowledge, and their preferred method of receiving training and expert advice. This study confirms the view that entrepreneurship education makes a significant difference in the performance of entrepreneurs, with entrepreneurs expressing a need for further training and education in specific business issues.
Lessons from the UK Know How Funds Initiative
Authors: Morrison Alana
Published: September 2010

The relationship that has existed historically between industry and higher education in Western economies is currently being mirrored in the transforming economies of the former Soviet Union. These emerging market economies have been encouraged by their association with a now obsolete British Council awards scheme to study historical and current relationships between businesses and education providers in established market economies. This paper analyses the professional and academic collaboration between a British and Russian university and their respective business networks. The case is set in the context of a UK government ‘Know How Funds’ project. The paper summarizes and analyses discursive sections of the periodic financial reports of the award holder, submitted throughout the project, to the British Council. The findings from the case study support the use of peer education and the resultant cascade of knowledge as mechanisms to drive through the transition to a market economy.
Training Environmental Education Stakeholders for an Environment-Friendly Africa
Authors: Ezeanya Emmanuel Nwabueze
Published: September 2010

The author outlines the environmental problems confronting Nigeria and suggests that its condition is typical of the deteriorating environment of Sub-Saharan Africa. In this context he stresses the role of education and public enlightenment in the emergence of an environment-friendly society He then sets out the findings of a training needs assessment carried out in Nigeria for Coordinators of School Conservation Clubs and Programme Managers in State Environmental Protection Agencies. The study shows that in general these professionals are not yet adequately prepared for their roles in the implementation of the environmental education curricula and public awareness programmes. This lack of preparedness relates to (a) knowledge of the causes and consequences of major environmental problems, and the actions needed to correct or avert them; (b) adoption of appropriate training methods and techniques; and (c) the systematic use of a variety of instructional resources. Finally recommendations are offered for training the stakeholders in order to bring them to an acceptable level of competence in the identified areas of deficiency.
Tourist Use and Preservation Benefits from Big-Game Fishing in the Canary Islands
Authors: León Carmelo J. , Araña Jorge E. , Melián Arturo
Published: September 2010

Deep-sea game fishing is an activity that tourists can enjoy at some holiday destinations. This paper presents results on the benefits received by international tourists from big-game fishing in Gran Canaria (Canary Islands). Both the use and the preservation values emanating from the sport-fishing resource are investigated by following the contingent valuation method. The responses to two dichotomous choice questions are modelled using a bivariate approach which takes account of possible correlation effects. The results show that both use and preservation values can be significantly explained by the practitioners' socio-economic characteristics as well as by the degree of their involvement in the fishing activity. It is also determined that the preservation value for the biomass stock is very relevant when compared with the use value for the activity of big-game fishing.
Beyond the Demand for Day-Visits: An Analysis of Visitor Spending
Authors: Downward Paul , Lumsdon Les
Published: September 2010

A review of the literature indicates a gap in the research on visitor spending at a destination level, and thus a lack of awareness of the marketing implications for tourism practitioners that such research could identify. In a previous study the authors concluded that, in the case of day-visits, while market attractions were important in encouraging visitation the level of spending at the destination was very closely related to the duration of the stay and the composition of the party. In this paper the analysis is extended to short-break and longer-stay holidays at a rural destination in the UK. Confirmation of these basic determinants of spending are presented, coupled with the importance of income. The current research thus provides a bridge between day-visit activity and models of holiday spending.
Assessing the Effects of Terrorism on Tourism by Use of Time Series Methods
Authors: Sloboda Brian W.
Published: September 2010

This paper presents an assessment of the effects of terrorism on tourism by using time series methods, namely the ARMAX (autoregressive moving average with explanatory variables) model. This is a single-equation approach, which has the ability to provide impact analysis easily. The use of the ARMAX model allows for the general shape of the lag distribution of the impacts of the explanatory variables based on the ratio of lag polynomials for the independent and dependent variables. The ARMAX models, like the ARIMA models, provide for a short-term assessment of terrorist incidents on tourism.
Dot-Com Women Entrepreneurs in the UK
Authors: Forson Cynthia , Özbilgin Mustafa
Published: September 2010

Drawing on two areas of academic interest, female entrepreneurship and the Internet sector, this paper provides an overview of female entrepreneurship in the Web-based business sector in the UK. Based on a field study of 20 Web-based small Internet companies owned by women, the paper explores why women start up dot-com businesses and presents a typology of dot-com women entrepreneurs. The findings provide interesting and indicative insights into patterns of female entrepreneurship in this growth sector.
Frameworks for Understanding Interactive Innovation Processes
Authors: Manley Karen
Published: September 2010

In recent years there has been considerable activity, by both business analysts and academics, aimed at developing new approaches to understanding contemporary innovation processes. This has resulted in the emergence of a large number of conceptual alternatives, with many overlapping features. It is the aim of this paper to outline and compare the most popular of these frameworks and to develop a model incorporating their important features. The integrated model should assist businesses examining their innovation processes by providing a single-point guide to key issues; it should also help public-sector policy makers understand key leverage points for improving the environment for innovation.
The Interaction between Growth Intentions, Access to Resources and Growth in New Technology-Based Firms
Authors: Saemundsson Rögnvaldur J.
Published: September 2010

This paper explores the interaction between growth intentions, access to resources and growth in new technology-based firms. Based on a combination of a cross-sectional survey study and case studies of individual firms, the paper shows that the growth orientation of new technology-based firms may be mediated, or determined jointly by the firms' need for external resources. New technology-based firms that have low growth orientation at start-up may attain actual growth through the influences of new owners who allow access to critical resources. These results have important implications for understanding the growth process in new technology-based firms.
International Business and UK SMEs
Authors: Boocock Grahame , Anderson Valerie
Published: September 2010

International business activity is increasingly prominent, even among the smallest and newest organizations. This paper explores, from the SME perspective, five elements (the 5Rs) associated with their international activity. The characteristics of firms within the diverse SME sector imply that they would have different rationales for entering overseas markets, different views on government support and so on. While firm size does influence decision making in a minority of areas, international intensity (the percentage of exports within total sales) is usually the key factor in understanding the internationalization process. These findings should be valuable to policy makers, practitioners and academics.
Growth Goals, Strategies and Compensation Practices of US Family and Non-Family High-Growth Firms
Authors: Upton Nancy , Teal Elisabeth J. , Seaman Samuel L.
Published: September 2010

How do family firms grow rapidly while maintaining a high concentration of family ownership? In this study, a sample of high-growth firms is divided into three groups based on concentration of family ownership (no family ownership, low family ownership, high family ownership). A comparative analysis of these three groups is performed on the variables previously identified as barriers to growth, namely: growth objectives, growth strategy and incentive compensation. Data analysis revealed no significant differences between the three groups for growth objectives, although the high family ownership group placed more importance on maximizing profits and the low family ownership group placed more importance on maximizing sales. There were no significant differences between the groups on strategy selected to achieve growth, with all three groups achieving the majority of their sales growth from market penetration and market development strategies. Finally, firms with a high concentration of family ownership were significantly more likely to offer profit sharing.
Entrepreneurship Education and Engineering Students
Authors: Menzies Teresa V. , Paradi Joseph C.
Published: September 2010

A 15-year cohort of graduates of an engineering degree programme at a major Canadian university who had taken either one (1EES) or three (3EES) elective entrepreneurship course(s) and a randomly stratified comparison group are the subjects of this paper. Career path, business start-ups, ownership, performance and satisfaction with their entrepreneurship education are examined. Being male and taking one or more courses in entrepreneurship proved to be a strong predictor of business ownership. Significantly more of the 1EES group had started businesses (48% had owned a business at some time since graduation) than those in the comparison group (26% had owned a business at some time since graduation). However, business performance was not significantly different according to group. Taking one or more courses in entrepreneurship was also a strong predictor of later reaching top management status. Significantly more of the 1EES group, who were not business owners, were employed in top management positions. This study also provides information on the time lag from graduation to venturing, on business characteristics, and on the desire for an entrepreneurial career in the future. Findings are important for educators and policy makers.
Enterprise Characteristics and Constraints in Developing Countries
Authors: Satta Tadeo Andrew
Published: September 2010

There is currently a general consensus that enterprise promotion and growth constitute one of the viable strategies for achieving national development goals such as economic development and poverty alleviation. With various forms of support, enterprises are likely to improve their productivity and competitiveness, make a greater contribution to generating wealth and alleviating poverty among families of owners and workers alike, and create more jobs. Using data from a survey of 136 micro and small-scale enterprises (MSEs) in Tanzania, this paper examines enterprise characteristics and identifies a number of external constraints that influence enterprise growth. Based on the identified constraints the paper highlights a number of policy measures that may be relevant to the formulation of supportive programmes for MSE growth in Tanzania, and indeed other developing countries. This contribution probably comes at a critical moment when the Tanzanian government is in the process of developing a number of programmes to promote the MSE sector.
Modelling Tourism Development: A Synthetic Approach
Authors: Papatheodorou Andreas
Published: September 2010

This paper produces an innovative model of tourism development by creatively amalgamating the framework of agglomeration economics with discrete choice and oligopolistic competition. Consumer choice is examined simultaneously from a dual perspective (discretely at the inter-resort level and continuously in the context of intra-resort consumption) to encapsulate systemic and probabilistic factors. In conjunction with the treatment of dynamic issues, the paper then performs a welfare analysis by comparing the spatio-temporal configuration under a social planner with the one of a decentralized regime. Finally, policy considerations and directions for future research and operationalization are drawn.
Modelling and Forecasting the Demand for Thai Tourism
Authors: Song Haiyan , Witt Stephen F. , Li Gang
Published: September 2010

This study examines the demand for Thai tourism by seven major origin countries – Australia, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, the UK and the USA. The general-to-specific modelling approach is followed in the construction, estimation, testing and selection of the tourism demand models. The empirical results show that habit persistence is the most important factor that influences the demand for Thai tourism by residents from all origin countries. The income, own price, cross price and trade volume variables are also found to be significant in the demand models, but the explanatory power of these variables, judged by the number of times they appear in the models, varies from origin to origin. The Asian financial crisis that occurred in late 1997 and early 1998 also appears to have had a significant impact on tourist arrivals from Singapore, Malaysia, Korea and the UK, but the magnitude and direction of influence are not the same for all models. The models that performed relatively well for each of the origin countries, according to both economic and statistical criteria, are selected to generate ex ante forecasts for the period up to 2010. The results suggest that Korea, Malaysia and Japan are expected to be the largest tourism generating countries by the end of the forecasting period, while the growth rate of tourist arrivals from Korea to Thailand is likely to be the highest among the seven origin countries.
Genetic Engineering and Ethical Issues
Authors: Larrère Raphaël
Published: September 2010

Genetic engineering is portrayed as a major scientific and technological revolution, which is what makes it legitimate in the eyes of its supporters. But this is also why some fear it as a dangerous and unnatural interference in living processes. Closer scrutiny of the scientific controversies and debate on the subject of plant GMOs (in which there is most experience) reveals that genetic engineering is sophisticated but nonetheless tinkering with uncertain results, and that, far from unnaturally meddling with life, it actually has to do with controlling (albeit inefficiently) natural processes. According to the backers of GMOs, the ‘irrational’ fears of the public in Europe stand in the way of progress. The reason the public are so scared of consuming GMOs is supposed to be because they do not understand what they are all about. Closer enquiry shows that they are not so much worried about GMOs, as about the inability of the authorities in charge of monitoring this new technology to resist the powerful interests of multinational corporations. Public hostility towards GMOs is more the product of reasoned scepticism than of irrational fear.
What Can the Genetics Revolution Offer the Meat Industry?
Authors: Archibald Alan L. , Haley Chris S.
Published: September 2010

The basic technology is now available to undertake genetic modification in farm animals – adding new genes or modifying existing genes. However, the procedures are inefficient and costly, or lack precision, or both. The technologies also raise both welfare and ethical concerns. Thus, the traits to which this technology might be applied need to be chosen with care. High-impact traits could include enhanced resistance to disease and improvements in product quality. Genome research is revealing some of the genes controlling these and other traits and could inform the choice of genes for genetic modification.
Utilization of Genomic Information in Livestock Improvement
Authors: Elsen Jean-Michel
Published: September 2010

Genomic information will increase selection efficiency in livestock. Genomics allows the tracing of transmission of genome fragments between generations, and the location and identification of genes whose polymorphisms partially explain quantitative trait variability. This information is useful for a better evaluation of the genetic values used by breeders, in particular when traits cannot be measured on a large scale for technical and/or economic reasons. It is also useful for reducing the generation interval through an early choice of breeding animals, and for increasing selection intensity. The first applications with regard to quality products and disease resistance are described in ruminant species. Interactions between genomic and reproductive biotechnologies are also described.
E-Learning in Japanese Universities
Authors: Sakamoto Takashi
Published: September 2010

Higher education institutes in Japan are making serious efforts to introduce the use of information and communications technology (ICT), or e-learning, into their teaching programmes. Three types of educational reform in relation to e-learning are in evidence nationally and internationally: interactive satellite communications; the Internet and video-conferencing systems; and one-way satellite broadcasts. The Virtual University Forum of Japan's National Institute of Multimedia Education (NIME) has identified key requirements for the adoption of such techniques, based on findings from a series of symposia. The Japanese government is promoting strategies for educational reform through e-learning: the IT Basic Law, the e-Japan Strategy Statements I and II, the e-Japan Priority Policy Programme, and the e-Japan 2002 programme are examples of its efforts. Finally, the Science Council of Japan has emphasized the challenges facing those who work in higher education institutions in connection with the future development and application of e-learning. The paper reviews these various statements and initiatives and sets out key actions that need to be taken by individual academics, academic institutions, business and government.
Electronic Training at the Corporate Level in Egypt
Authors: Kamel Sherif , Ibrahim Mohamed
Published: September 2010

Declining revenue, staff downsizing and limited resources in corporations create serious organizational challenges. Training and human resources departments are often among the most adversely affected. Training managers are left with fewer resources with which to fulfil corporate training needs. Continuously having to justify costs and investments in training, they are often asked about the applicability and effectiveness of a particular project. Electronic training, a strategic human resource investment vehicle, is increasingly called into question in this context. But electronic training is expected to become a crucial factor in meeting the challenges of the rapidly changing world economy and enabling organizations to adapt to continuous change. While electronic training poses considerable challenges for organizations, especially in developing countries, it may also represent a unique opportunity to close the digital divide between developed and developing nations and to advance economic development. This paper is based on research conducted in Egypt to investigate the effectiveness and applicability of electronic training in Egyptian organizations and to identify how those organizations assess the role and implementation of electronic training. The researchers solicited views from training and human resources managers, instructors and trainees themselves.
University—Industry Partnership
Authors: Saliceti-Piazza L. , Buxeda R. , Rivera E. , Hormaza M. , Morell L.
Published: September 2010

Successful knowledge-based economic models rely on synergy between government, industry and academia. This paper reviews the efforts to convert the island of Puerto Rico from a manufacturing to a high-tech manufacturing/research and development economy with information technology and biotechnology as the main development strongholds. The formation of clusters and partnership between government, industry and academia are essential requirements for successful economies. The strategic approach adopted in Puerto Rico is exemplified by the university-industry partnership developed by the University of Puerto Rico's Industrial Biotechnology programme in cooperation with locally established biotechnology industries.
Bridging the Gap between Firms and Academic Institutions
Authors: Luna Matilde , Velasco José Luis
Published: September 2010

In university-industry relationships, ‘translators’ facilitate communication among individuals, institutions, business organizations and groups. However, systematic study of the functions and characteristics of these translators has been scant. Drawing on interviews with participants in knowledge networks, this paper argues that ‘translation’ contributes to the integration of academic knowledge with economic development by reconciling different cognitive orientations, cultures, disciplines, codes and interests. The paper also identifies the personal and professional characteristics that enable some individuals to act as ‘bridges’ between academia and industry. Finally, the authors analyse the relationship between trust and translation, and discuss the pros and cons of creating a position explicitly devoted to performing translation functions.
Are Universities Playing a Role in Nurturing and Developing High-Technology Entrepreneurs? The Administrators' Perspective
Authors: Menzies Teresa V.
Published: September 2010

This is a study of the administrators' perspective on entrepreneurship education: for example, the extent of, and their support for, entrepreneurship course offerings, and formal and informal initiatives for venturing students. Sixty per cent of the 134 deans in the survey offered entrepreneurship courses in their faculty (that is, 100% of business, and 36% of humanities and social science deans). Relatively few deans of medical sciences, science and engineering and graduate studies offered entrepreneurship courses, although many deans in these faculties were supportive of their faculty offering courses. For informal programmes, 66% of those that offered courses also had ‘non-credit’ programmes to support venturing students, but only 48% of those with no courses had these programmes. Findings show that universities in Canada are not optimizing opportunities to nurture high-technology entrepreneurs.
Strategy Characteristics and Biotechnology
Authors: Forbes Tom , Low Gordon
Published: September 2010

Biotechnology developed in the early 1970s as a consequence of major advances in biochemistry, genetics, cell biology and microbiology. There are now over 600 biotechnological companies in Europe. Scottish research groups have international reputations in some of the key areas of biotechnology. This paper identifies the main strategic characteristics of the Scottish biotechnology sector using a questionnaire-based approach of 100 Scottish biotechnology firms. Important strategic behaviour included the use of industry analysis to examine threats and generic strategies to locate products in the marketplace. A key finding concerned the use of strategic networks and partnership development in areas such as research and development, product marketing and international developments.
Religiosity and Entrepreneurial Behaviour
Authors: Bellu Renato R. , Fiume Peter
Published: September 2010

This exploratory study attempts to find some preliminary explanations for the confounding findings concerning the relationship of personal religiosity to a type of entrepreneurial behaviour found to be predictive of company success. It also explores the possible role of religiosity in neutralizing the deleterious effects of materialism that, according to some research findings, appear to accompany the financial rewards of entrepreneurial success. Both previous research and new findings relating to materialistic outcomes of entrepreneurial success are discussed. Data are presented on a sample of 44 growth-oriented entrepreneurs who were tested by three measures: the Miner Sentence Completion Scale-Form T (MSCS-T) comprising three subscales: personal achievement, risk avoidance and personal innovation; Hoge (1972) Intrinsic Religious Motivation Scale (IRMS) and the Michigan University Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS). The findings of this study from the USA suggest that religiosity may contribute to entrepreneurial success, and that entrepreneurs' pursuit of material wealth, in the presence of personal religiosity, does not lead to dysfunctional outcomes, but rather to greater degrees of life satisfaction.
Are the Economic Hounds at the Gates of the Ivory Towers?
Authors: Van Hoorebeek Mark
Published: September 2010

The court's decision in Madey v Duke University in 2002 and the subsequent denial of the petition for certiorari set out in an Amicus curiae brief in June 2003 have focused attention on the societal role played by US universities. The decision, according to the above petition, effectively ‘seals the coffin on the experimental use exception for private universities’, a mechanism that provided a defence to patent infringement in the USA. Similar experimental use mechanisms are relied upon by universities around the world. The ensuing debate over Madey is likely to impinge on certain facets of international university-industry interactions and subsequently increase the importance of university technology transfer offices. This article presents an accessible historically and internationally contextualized introduction to Madey and subsequently offers an analysis of the potential ramifications for university-level institutions.
R&D Centres in Mexico in an Open Economy
Authors: de Gortari Rabiela Rebeca , Corral María Josefa Santos
Published: September 2010

Structural changes in Mexico's economy and trade policies have influenced firms' efforts to achieve technological innovation and improve their learning processes. In this context, R&D centres face new challenges in responding to firms' technological needs. The authors analyse how this new environment is affecting the operating practices of R&D centres in their relationship with industry. The underlying assumption is that the strategic choices of an institution can be explained through an analysis of how it is influenced by the national innovation system, the broader national and international contexts in which it operates and its own particular history. A comparative analysis of two different centres is offered, focusing on the changes in and redefinition of their organizational priorities and practices.
The Business Model of e-Learning in UK Higher Education
Authors: Steinberg David Charles
Published: September 2010

E-learning is not just an application of technology to teaching, but a new business model for higher education. By approaching e-learning as a business model, educational policy makers can begin to appreciate the scope of the integrated technology and services required to run a successful online degree programme or a blended programme that includes online courses. A strategic consideration should be whether to develop and/or deliver components of an e-learning business model solely with in-house resources or with one or more outsourcing arrangements. An e-learning business model framework is presented to help policy makers develop a unique model for their own institution. An e-learning ‘revenue engine’ is presented to tie the framework's components together conceptually. Finally, a set of e-learning outsourcing decision factors is presented, including an analysis of an internal versus outsourced cost structure. It is argued that UK HEIs should outsource components of their e-learning business model to realize greater operating and cost efficiencies.
Foreign Language Skills and the Needs of the UK Tourism Sector
Authors: Leslie D. , Russell H. , Govan P.
Published: September 2010

This article presents the findings of a study catalysed by the outcomes of research into the attitudes and perceptions of UK undergraduate students of tourism management in relation to the need for foreign language skills, reported and discussed in a previous paper in this journal (Leslie et al, 2002). While that earlier study paid some attention to employers, it did so to a limited extent and therefore subsequent research was undertaken to investigate UK employers' attitudes to, and the need for, foreign language skills. This involved a survey of a diverse range of tourism enterprises, representative of the sector, drawn from across the UK. While the findings reveal few variations among different categories of enterprise in the sector, significant variations were found in attitudes and needs both within categories and more generally. Overall, there is a demand for foreign language skills and there are evident gaps in the marketplace – for example, the language skills that are available and difficulties in recruitment. Furthermore, employers generally were found to be reluctant to promote and support the development of these skills on the job. In concluding, the authors argue that the gaps in the marketplace are compounded by the lack of attention to the development of foreign language skills within tourism management education programmes and the lack of articulation of these needs, and wider commitment to them, by tourism-sector employers. All this brings into question just how well positioned tourism enterprises are in the UK to maintain their existing markets, let alone develop them in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.
Tourist Typology: An Ex Ante Approach
Authors: Zalatan Antoine
Published: September 2010

A tourist typology based on an ex ante rather than an ex post approach is proposed and examined. An ‘ex ante’ tourist classification can facilitate the planning process and provide a basis for tourism marketing. Five conceptual tourist classifications were formulated. Two samples (N = 615, 1997) and (N = 528, 2002) were used to test the proposed classification. The ‘social tourist’ classification (goes where friends, family and neighbours go) captured over 45% of the tourist classifications, followed by the ‘conventional tourist’ (19.8%, relies largely on the services of a travel agent), the ‘marketing tourist’ (17.5%, goes to places that are widely advertised), the ‘planning tourist’ (10.7%, plans all aspects of the vacation trip in detail), and finally the ‘impulsive tourist’ (6.1%, decides on the spur of the moment). The respondents' classifications were also confirmed by a separate set of data (20 questions) which describe each tourist category. The validity of the theoretical tourist typology was tested by a ‘confirmatory factory analysis’ to ensure that the conceptual model and the 20 questions were compatible.
Future Tourists' Characteristics and Decisions: The Use of Genetic Algorithms as a Forecasting Method
Authors: Hernández-López Montserrat
Published: September 2010

This paper applies genetic algorithms to tourism forecasting. To date, genetic algorithms have normally been used as an optimization method. Their application to forecasting with real-world data has not been studied extensively. The paper illustrates how genetic algorithms can be used for this purpose and the new kind of forecast that is obtained. Specifically, the algorithms are applied to a real tourist population, and the characteristics and decisions of each future tourist are forecast. The results suggest that tourism forecasting based on genetic algorithms could reduce the risk of decision making in tourism planning.
Estimating Consumer Surplus and Elasticity of Demand of Tourist Visitation to a Region in North Queensland Using Contingent Valuation
Authors: Greiner Romy , Rolfe John
Published: September 2010

The Daintree Rainforest is a prime attraction for Tropical North Queensland as a tourist destination. Visitation of the rainforest, specifically the Cape Tribulation section, has increased rapidly as impediments to self-drive access have been removed. This paper examines the potential for the local council to manage the volume of self-drive visitation to the Cape Tribulation region by price mechanisms. Access to the region is by river ferry only. The assessment is based on estimates of willingness to pay from a contingent valuation survey of self-drive tourists to the region, from which estimates of consumer surplus and price elasticity of demand are derived. It is concluded that increasing the price for ferry crossings could be an effective and efficient means of (a) reducing traffic volumes caused by self-drive visitors and thereby alleviating traffic-related social and environmental problems, and (b) significantly increasing the resource rent which the municipality can draw from tourism, with additional revenue from the ferry being available for the improved management of this prime tourist destination.
Enhancement of Knowledge through Circulation in Networks of R&D Institutions and Companies
Authors: Gochermann Josef , Bense Sandra
Published: September 2010

Companies and R&D institutions increasingly collaborate not only in isolated projects but also in knowledge-based networks. In those networks, participants combine expertise and applied problems to generate both ‘problem-solving knowledge’ and specialized knowledge: during the process of common problem-solving each partner acquires some of the specialized knowledge of the other partners as well as the newly generated problem-solving knowledge. This article examines the basic principles involved and provides a simple mathematical description of the step-by-step accumulation of knowledge through the solving of applied problems in a knowledge-based network. The rate of increase of the total amount of available knowledge in the network is derived and implications for the orientation of R&D institutes and companies are set out.
Regional Development and Proactive Interaction
Authors: Laine Kari T.
Published: September 2010

In a knowledge-based economy higher education institutions (HEIs) and specialized research units have an important role to play in bringing knowledge to the regions. The first and perhaps most important step for an HEI is to understand the needs of regional industry Only then can it work in close and effective collaboration with firms. In this paper Finland's Satakunta Polytechnic (SPT) is used as a case example to examine what practical actions an HEI can take to increase interaction with industry and achieve better knowledge circulation. The paper describes the models and tools developed at SPT towards these ends, including strategy-based regional development, the cluster approach to development, the partnering process, knowledge management and the ‘SNIFF’ process (‘Searching for New Innovations For Firms’). It is stressed that regional development strategies must take into account the wide-ranging impacts of global competition and economics and thus regional actions must be compatible with the demands of global competition and the knowledge economy.
The Knowledge Society and the Production of Knowledge
Authors: Scott Peter
Published: September 2010

Both ‘knowledge’ and ‘learning’ have become fuzzy domains. Knowledge is not only produced in new places, new formats and new modes but is suffused throughout society through the action of information and communication technology and the proliferation of global cultures, images and ‘brands’. Learning no longer takes place predominantly in formal education settings such as schools, colleges and universities but in the community and, crucially, in the workplace. But work has also become a fuzzy domain, as linear careers have been succeeded by portfolio careers. This article discusses prospects for the even closer integration of learning and work, in these contemporary – and much wider – senses.
Changes in the Propensity to Take Holiday Trips Abroad in EU Countries between 1985 and 1997
Authors: Toivonen Timo
Published: September 2010

The main purposes of this study were, first, to explore trends in the propensity to take holiday trips abroad in 12 EU countries by comparing data for 1985 and 1997 and, second, to find explanations for the observed development. The study was based on Eurobarometer data. Log-linear models were used as methodological tools. The models show that differences among countries in the propensity to take holiday trips abroad have been levelling out. Age and gender had no direct effect on the growth in propensity: rather, the effect of the interaction of age and ‘regime’ on propensity was evident. The travel propensity of younger age groups in low-propensity countries has grown more rapidly than expected.
Economic Impact of Tourism on Fiji's Economy: Empirical Evidence from the Computable General Equilibrium Model
Authors: Narayan Paresh Kumar
Published: September 2010

Tourism is Fiji's largest industry, earning over F$500 million in foreign exchange and employing around 40,000 people. The tourism industry over the last decade has grown at an annual rate of 10–12%. The expansion of tourism, which generates more expenditure in the economy, is likely to have implications for other industries. In this paper, the aim is to delineate the long-run impact of a 10% increase in tourist expenditure on Fiji's economy. To achieve this, the author uses a computable general equilibrium model. Among the key findings are that a 10% increase in tourist expenditure in Fiji will increase GDP by 0.5% and contribute to an improvement in the balance of payments, real consumption will increase by 0.72% and real national welfare will increase by 0.67%. It is also found that an expansion of tourism will lead to an appreciation of the exchange rate, together with an increase in domestic prices and wage rates, and so traditional export sectors will experience a decline in their export competitiveness. In Fiji's case there is evidence that the increases in tourism and non-traditional exports outweigh the fall in non-traditional exports caused by an expansion of tourism.
Options for Viable Economic Development through Tourism among the Non-Oil Arab Countries: The Egyptian Case
Authors: Mansfeld Yoel , Winckler Onn
Published: September 2010

The underlying thesis of this paper is that, to achieve viable long-term high rates of economic growth and social development, the Arab non-oil countries must adhere to the basic principles of a modern economy. They have to develop those economic sectors that have strong competitive advantages with other markets. With accelerating globalization the competitive advantage has become even more important, particularly for the non-oil Arab countries. By examining the case of Egypt, the paper evaluates the extent to which tourism, as a service industry, can contribute to the improvement of these countries' economies. The non-oil economy of Egypt was chosen as a case study for two reasons: (a) from an economic point of view, Egypt has suffered most from the continuing Arab–Israeli conflict and (b) Egypt has the highest tourism potential in the entire Arab region. The results of the analysis show clearly that tourism can fit very well with Egypt's transformation into an economically well-developed non-oil country.
Effect of Nitrogen Application on Leaf Yield and Nutritive Quality of Black Nightshade (Solanum Nigrum L.)
Authors: Opiyo A.M.
Published: September 2010

Two experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of nitrogen application and plant age on edible leaf yield and anti-nutrient content of Solanum nigrum plants. Nitrogen rates were 0, 26, 52, 78 and 104 kg ha–1, applied in one, two or three applications. Shoots were harvested fortnightly starting at eight weeks up to 20 weeks after transplanting. Edible leaf yield increased with both increasing nitrogen application rates and plant age. Plant age significantly affected the oxalate content. In Experiment 1, oxalate content decreased with plant age between eight weeks and 20 weeks after transplanting. In Experiment 2, the oxalate content increased between eight and 12 weeks after transplanting; but from 16 weeks, it declined with increasing plant age.
Prescriptive Approach to Food Safety in Meat Products
Authors: Johnson Robin
Published: September 2010

This paper explores recent trends in the surveillance of quality standards in the food production chain. These trends are prescriptive because they lay down rules or standards for food quality. This prescriptive process is led by food-safety standards in the USA where systems such as hazard analysis at critical control points (HACCP) were originally developed in response to the high preservation requirements of space exploration. They are now being adopted in more and more countries. Exporters of meat products will have to devote increasingly more resources to quality control. The adoption of these standards will be uneven across countries, and will effectively restrict trade in agricultural products rather than encourage it.
Sub-Saharan African Agricultural Research
Authors: Beintema Nienke M. , Stads Gert-Jan
Published: September 2010

Following two decades of increasing investments, growth in public agricultural research spending in Sub-Saharan Africa stagnated during the 1980s and 1990s at an average rate of about 1% per year. Nonetheless, this continent-wide trend masks significant variation among countries. During 1991–2000, about half the countries in the authors' 27-country sample experienced negative annual growth in total agricultural research and development (R&D) spending. Declines often resulted from political unrest or the completion of large donor-funded projects. The majority of African agricultural research is still conducted by the government sector, with the private for-profit sector accounting for only a small, but seemingly increasing, share of total research expenditures.
Feed Scarcity and Livestock Mortality in Enset Farming Systems in the Bale Highlands of Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Desta Zerihun H. , Oba G.
Published: September 2010

Livestock feed scarcity is often the major cause of livestock mortality during drought in the enset (Ensete ventricosum)–livestock mixed farming systems in the Kokosa district of the Bale highlands in south-eastern Ethiopia. Livestock mortality associated with feed scarcity was investigated in the livestock–enset, enset–livestock and enset–livestock–cereals production systems of the Ararso, Jafaro and Bokore subdistricts of Kokosa respectively, using farmers' perceptions during a drought year in 1998, an average rainfall year in 1999 and a wet year in 2000. Livestock mortality was variable between years and between farming systems. Greater livestock mortality occurred during the drought than in an average or wet year. Generally, mortality was greater in the livestock–enset and least in the enset– cereals–livestock production system. Among livestock, cattle experienced greater mortality than small ruminants and equines, and the greatest mortality was amongst the mature cows, followed by calves (<2 years old) and least among yearlings (2–4 years old) and oxen. Livestock mortality was associated with shortages of feed – often related to shrinkage of communal grazing lands and inadequate supplementary feeding. Feed supplementation by farmers, when used, improved livestock survival. The capacity to provide feed supplementation depended on herd size as well as the size of the semi-private range enclosures (kalo), while supplementation with enset by-products was less effective. Purchase of feed from other farmers and cereal crop residues were important means of rescue. In the future, extension services should promote improved feed management through feed conservation and greater integration of livestock and cropping systems.
Micronutrient Intake and Labour Productivity
Authors: Weinberger Katinka
Published: September 2010

Economic losses due to iron-deficiency anaemia are believed to be substantial. This paper examines the impact of iron intake on the productivity of households engaged in agricultural labour in India by applying a two-stage least-squares (2SLS) estimation technique. The results indicate that productivity, measured in wages, is indeed affected by insufficient iron intake, and that wages would on average be 5 to 17.3% higher if households achieved recommended intake levels. The results demonstrate that enhancing micronutrient intake will contribute significantly to overall economic growth and development.
Agriculture in the Savannas of Northern Nigeria
Authors: Chianu Jonas Nwankwo , Tsujii Hiroshi , Kormawa Patrick
Published: September 2010

Poverty has persisted in most African countries due largely to poor agricultural performance. In Nigeria, efforts to improve the agricultural sector have been unsuccessful. About 45% of the population lives below the poverty line. This study was carried out in northern Nigeria to reassess farmer circumstances and suggest new agricultural development strategies. Results show that low input use, high land-use intensity, diseases/pests/weeds, drought and poor institutional development have resulted in low and declining crop/livestock productivity. Agricultural transformations have taken place and farmers have devised both appropriate and damaging coping strategies. The study concludes with recommendations for sustainable agricultural development.
‘Food for Engineers’: Intellectual Property Education for Innovators
Authors: Soetendorp Ruth
Published: September 2010

Intellectual property competence can assist individuals and organizations to capitalize on opportunities presented by accelerating developments in the knowledge economy. Engineers translate ideas into concrete solutions, which are frequently useful and commercially valuable, if the intrinsic intellectual property has been identified and protected. Professional bodies are beginning to acknowledge the importance of intellectual property competence as an enterprise skill for new graduates. Universities must rethink undergraduate curricula to enhance students' entrepreneurial skills and widen participation, while research strategies must take account of the growing fuzziness of disciplinary boundaries. Where faculties are expected to deliver to new agendas, despite shrinking resources and an overcrowded syllabus, self-managed learning activities work with assessment strategies to achieve new independent learning outcomes.