bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lessons from the UK Know How Funds Initiative
Authors: Morrison Alana
Published: September 2010

This paper analyses the development and change in direction and decision making in relation to one objective of a Know How Funds (KHF) Training and Academic Links (TACL) project. The project involved professional and academic collaboration between a British and a Russian university and their respective business networks. The author refers briefly to summaries of the relevant sections of the periodic financial reports of the award holder, submitted during the project to the British Council. She then reviews the resulting development of a commercial ‘vehicle’, by means of which the Russian university intended to provide undergraduate and peer education in business to a private-sector market. An analysis of the strategic financial decision making is provided. The findings from the case study support the argument that academic institutions in emergent market economies can recognize the revenue generation potential of peer business education provision and that award schemes such as the (now obsolete) Know How Funds initiative can facilitate this recognition.
University Business Schools 2 Business
Authors: Prince Christopher , Beaver Graham
Published: September 2010

There is a substantial and growing body of evidence to suggest that organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of individual and group learning and knowledge management as ways of attaining competitive advantage (Thomson et al, 2001). A consequence of this phenomenon is the growing demand for management education and training, and this is increasingly linked with the imperative of integrating management development with other organizational systems and processes to ensure their effectiveness in delivering business goals. This paper analyses this trend from the perspective of a ‘new university’ business school (‘new universities’ are the post-1992 universities in the UK, created by the demise of the polytechnics and their subsequent transfer to university status). The authors suggest and identify potential market development opportunities and highlight the competencies required by business schools if they are to compete successfully in this potentially profitable, yet increasingly competitive market. The significance of the corporate education market should not be underestimated. The UK Association of Business Schools (1997) estimated that this kind of activity accounted for up to two-thirds of the programmes offered by its members in their provision.
Responding to the Global Economy
Authors: Hobrough John
Published: September 2010

An analysis of the requirements of businesses in Eastern and Central Europe compared to those in other selected European countries shows that universities need to contribute through innovative curriculum development to economic development. The importance of developing skills and competencies through work experience for students is highlighted alongside the need to provide continuing professional development and technology transfer for partner businesses. This paper illustrates a model for developing future links between higher education and business through developing young people for the global economy, and explores the perceptions of staff to changes in higher education as a result of such developments.
Travel Mode Choice: Effects of Previous Experience on Choice Behaviour and Valuation
Authors: Nerhagen Lena
Published: September 2010

This paper investigates how past experience influences choice behaviour and valuation in a hypothetical travel mode choice situation. Using a stated choice question asked of visitors to a major ski resort in Sweden, the author explores whether an individual's choice behaviour, when he or she is offered a comfort improvement to train travel, can be explained with reference to the individual and to the circumstances of his or her previous journey. The analysis models and compares the response behaviour of travellers who used a car and travellers who used the train on their original trip. It is found that past experience influences travellers' choice behaviour. Twenty per cent of former car users choose the train, while most train users again choose the train. As reasons for choosing car travel once again, car users mention a preference for shorter travel time and/or a preference for flexibility, while environmental concerns and long travel distance favour the use of the train. Concerning comfort improvement, as expected, willingness-to-pay estimates for the former train users are lower and more precise than those for the former car users.
Impacts of International Airline Alliances on Tourism
Authors: Morley Clive L.
Published: September 2010

International airline alliances have the effect of improving the efficiency and services of airlines, by, for example, lowering operating costs and making connections easier. They can thus lead to important pay-offs for tourists in terms of service improvements and lower fares. There is, however, a danger of alliances reducing competition, leading to increases in fares. The net balance of costs and benefits to tourists is dynamic, partially unquantified, and not as certain as some studies conclude. There is some economic evidence that, generally, air fares fall as a consequence of alliances, but perhaps not by the full extent of the realized cost savings. At the same time, alliances between formerly competing airlines on a route reduce competition, resulting in fewer flight services and higher fares.
Preliminary Results for International Tourism in 2002; Air Transport after 11 September
Authors: Kester John G.C.
Published: September 2010

Preliminary results for 2002, as presented by the World Tourism Organization (WTO), show a reasonable improvement in tourism demand with international tourism worldwide increasing by an estimated 3%. Asia and the Pacific and the Middle East led growth, Africa grew above the world average and Europe below, while the Americas slightly decreased. In the second part of this issue's Databank, the author takes a closer look at the evolution of air transport after 11 September 2001, drawing on data from ICAO and various regional airline associations. The monthly traffic data reported by ATA, AEA and AAPA, the regional associations for, respectively, the major North American, European and Asian airlines, constitute a valuable source of timely information on the short-term evolution of this part of the tourism flow over the last few years.
Tourism Micro-Clusters
Authors: Michael E. J.
Published: September 2010

This paper presents an approach to regional development policy that may serve to stimulate the growth of tourism-based industries. The context for this discussion lies in the experiences of Australia's rural towns, but the applications seem broadly international. The paper explains the concepts of clustering in a model for micro-markets that is consistent with the global demands for competition. The focus is on the creation of economic and social opportunity in small communities through the development of clusters of complementary firms that can collectively deliver a bundle of attributes to make up a specialized regional product. Micro-market clustering theory offers one alternative for enhancing regional economic growth, but it seems suited to tourism development when the regional product requires a combination of many services to deliver the single experience the tourist seeks.
Effect on Prices of the Attributes of Holiday Hotels: A Hedonic Prices Approach
Authors: Espinet J.M. , Saez M. , Coenders G. , Fluvià M.
Published: September 2010

This article examines the effect on price of different characteristics of holiday hotels in the sun-and-beach segment. The effect on price is estimated under the hedonic function perspective by means of random effect models, known also as mixed or panel models. Some 82,000 prices were gathered between 1991 and 1998 from tour operator catalogues. The study reveals huge price differences between 4-star hotels and the rest, coupled with practically no difference between 1-star and 2-star hotels. Other attributes with a significant effect on price are town, hotel size, distance to the beach and availability of parking place. The results can assist hotel managers in shaping pricing and investment strategies.
Executive Leadership in Australian Small Business
Authors: Gray Judy H. , Densten Iain L. , Sarros James C.
Published: September 2010

This study represents the first in-depth investigation of leadership in Australian small businesses (fewer than 100 employees) and was based on a nationwide sample of 655 executives. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire — MLQ (Bass and Avolio, 1997) was used to examine transformational, transactional and laissez-faire leadership and the outcomes of extra effort and effectiveness. Significant differences among subgroups were identified according to gender, experience and level of seniority. This study is important for establishing new benchmarks for Australian small business leadership as perceived by executives themselves. Implications and directions for further research are examined.
Investigating Small Community Influences on US Entrepreneurs' Goals, Business Strategies and Success
Authors: Miller Nancy J. , Besser Terry L.
Published: September 2010

An institutional perspective, linking social meaning to economic actions, provides an expanded approach to this study of entrepreneurial activities in small communities across four US regions. The sample of 205 entrepreneurial firms, operated with fewer than 20 employees, represented nine Standard Industrial Classifications, and was located in communities with fewer than 50,000 people. Most reported that their businesses were successful and expected to grow. Perceived business success was associated with goal achievement, community concern for the business, and specific strategies that focused on innovation, low cost and low customization. Theoretical and practical applications are suggested. Findings are generated for expanding small community marketplace research.
Can Venture Success Be Predicted?
Authors: Bellu Renato R.
Published: September 2010

This study addresses the cross-cultural utility of a model integrating behavioural and contextual variables interacting in a way likely to spawn firm success. A sample of 38 growth-oriented entrepreneurs from the Lazio region of central Italy has been tested by means of structured interviews based on two predictor measures (the Miner Sentence Completion Scale-T and the Differential Attribution Questionnaire) together with two performance measures (growth in sales and growth in profit over a three-year period) in an attempt to provide cross-cultural substantiation for a model employed in previous research. The findings of this study corroborate earlier findings and support, overall, the predictive feature of the model. The practical utility of this type of research in designing and implementing entrepreneurial development programmes in southern Italy is discussed.
Self-Employed Turkish-Speaking Women in London
Authors: Strüder Inge
Published: September 2010

Women from minorities are self-employed in many countries. Yet policies as well as research on ethnic businesses have paid little attention to them. This article discusses self-employment among Turkish-speaking women in London and evaluates the significance of their contribution within and beyond the ethnic economy. It argues that there is a need to reflect upon the construct of the ethnic economy in order to integrate women's entrepreneurial activities. Three business types categorize women's business activities, differentiated by the customers the women intend to serve. Finally, this paper questions whether self-employment always increases women's bargaining position. The empirical basis is an ongoing ethnographic study of self-employment in the Turkish-speaking communities in London, including 11 case studies of self-employed women.
A University-Based Model for Evaluating Inventions
Authors: Weick Cynthia Wagner
Published: September 2010

There is a need for programmes that provide independent inventors with balanced, data-based evaluations of their early-stage ideas. These inventors do not have access to the evaluation processes used in many companies to assess whether or not an idea warrants further investment of time and resources. In addition, invention promotion services that focus on independent inventors are often costly; and some of these have been accused of fraud. The business school at the University of the Pacific (UOP) launched a pilot invention evaluation service (IES) in autumn 1999. The process used in the IES is based on new product development models used in companies, and addresses basic market, technical and financial potential. The programme benefits not only the community of inventors: because IES staff members are graduate research assistants, it also provides a unique experiential learning opportunity for students. This article details the design of the service and the manner in which it has been implemented at UOP. Data from surveys of the inventors who have been served over the past three years is presented, which indicates that they have found the IES to be very effective in improving their decision making. Other universities may benefit from establishing a similar programme.
Technological Innovation in Women-Owned Firms
Authors: Gundry Lisa , Kickul Jill , Welsch Harold P. , Posig Margaret
Published: September 2010

This study seeks to determine the influence of the underlying factors that facilitate the growth and implementation of new technologies within women-owned businesses. In the proposed model, market growth mediates the relationship between the individual antecedents (entrepreneurial intensity and opportunity costs) and technological change. Using the two-step approach for measurement analysis and structural equation modelling, results revealed that the process by which women entrepreneurs implement new technological changes is influenced by their decision to expand the business. Entrepreneurial intensity and the entrepreneur's willingness to incur opportunity costs were key motivating factors that compelled the entrepreneur to seek new growth strategies. Implications for research and practice related to ways in which entrepreneurs' strategic focus can enable technological innovations are discussed.
Tourism's Contribution to a State Economy: A Multi-Regional General Equilibrium Analysis
Authors: Dwyer Larry , Forsyth Peter , Spurr Ray , VanHo Thiep
Published: September 2010

A multi-regional general equilibrium model is used to estimate the effects of increased tourism on the economy of New South Wales, Australia's largest state. Simulations were undertaken of the effects of an increase in world, interstate and intrastate tourism on the economy of New South Wales focusing on the assumptions that generate maximum impacts. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for policy making from the perspective of New South Wales as a tourism destination.
Genomics: Delivering Added Value to the Beef Industry?
Authors: Moore Stephen S. , Hansen Christiane
Published: September 2010

An international effort in animal genomics has promised a better way to select animals based on predictive markers for many production and quality traits. Coupled with advances in reproductive technology, the approach could revolutionize the way farm animals are selected and bred. Approaches towards the application of the technology are however not universal across the different animal species, due in large part to the structures of the industries. The beef industry in particular is problematic, due to the lack of vertical integration and the diverse nature of the breeding sector. For genomics technologies to impact fully on the beef industry, a higher level of sophistication of the genetic tests will be needed. Tests based on the genes themselves, rather than DNA markers associated with genes, will be required. Further, an understanding of how multiple genes interact to affect important traits in cattle will be required if maximum benefit is to be realized from genomics technologies. Thus the application of marker-assisted selection will be best achieved in the context of traditional quantitative genetic analysis, already practised in a large section of the cattle-breeding industry.
Guaranteeing Healthy Meat
Authors: Poudelet Eric
Published: September 2010

European Union (EU) consumer policy should provide essential health and safety requirements and safeguard economic interests to ensure a high level of protection and meet the expectations of citizens throughout the EU. Products placed on the market must be safe and consumers should receive the relevant information to make appropriate choices. Today the impact of genomics is certainly lower in the meat sector than in the plant origin product sector. Nevertheless, the slow genetic improvement of livestock, implemented empirically in the nineteenth century and more scientifically in the twentieth century, could probably be speeded up in the short term by genomic technologies. But nowadays consumer concerns cannot be overlooked as they were in the past.
Teachers are from Heaven, Students are from Hell — True or False?
Authors: Capretz Luiz Fernando
Published: September 2010

Researchers have long tried to relate personality types to teaching and learning styles. It is believed that the psychological theory behind the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) can help university teachers to accept variety in teaching and learning approaches. This paper makes some assertions about the personality traits of academics and students. These traits can create harmony or discord for individual students, depending on whether their approach to learning matches the teacher's approach to teaching. Although some teaching strategies can be useful for a whole class, differences among students make it necessary to diversify those strategies.
Education in Management of Data Created by New Technologies for Rapid Product Development in SMEs
Authors: Shaw Andrew , Aitchison David
Published: September 2010

This paper presents outcomes from a research programme aimed at developing new tools and methodologies to assist small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in rapid product development (RPD). The authors suggest that current education strategies for the teaching of RPD tools and methodologies may be of limited value unless those strategies also involve consideration of the data and information management systems in which the knowledge is to be used. The research identified knowledge of product data management systems, particular to the discrete product development industries in New Zealand, which we believe needed to be transferred to the industrial sector to assist in the rapid development of products. These findings have led to iterative modifications to a Computer-Aided Product Development (CAPD) course for final-year undergraduate students, so that they can be better equipped in the management of data associated with RPD tools and methodologies. The paper builds on previously published work by the authors and describes the mechanisms by which students' awareness of the associated technologies, methods and data is increased.
The European Entrepreneurial University
Authors: Etzkowitz Henry
Published: September 2010

The European entrepreneurial university is based on the teaching mission of the university, whereas US academic entrepreneurship is typically an extension of the research mission. Recognizing that the European professoriate has traditionally been more removed from entrepreneurship than its US counterpart, some European universities have organized programmes to train students to develop start-up firms. Nevertheless, given similar goals of encouraging science-based regional development, and increasing the returns to the university from its research and other activities, it can be expected that European and US universities will adopt each other's entrepreneurial formats in coming years.
Comparative Study of Technology Transfer Practices in Europe and the USA
Authors: de Juan Veronica
Published: September 2010

This paper provides a comparative analysis of technology transfer practices in the European Union (EU), with special emphasis on Spain, and the USA. In EU member states hundreds of policy measures and support schemes for innovation have been implemented or are under discussion. In particular, two aspects of innovation are being specifically developed by each country because of their relevance to the global economy: industry-science relationships and the protection of intellectual property rights. This study first presents an overview of the evolution of the regulatory framework and the current legal status in the EU with regard to these key issues. The USA continues to record impressive statistics concerning the transfer of the results of academic research for commercial application and the exploitation of intellectual property rights. To identify the key factors in its success, some distinct characteristics of the US regulatory environment are presented. Finally, the paper identifies the crucial steps that need to be taken in the next phase of global interaction between science and industry and international patent systems so as to manage a worldwide network of innovation that will encourage a growing competitive economy.
Guiding New Product Idea Generation
Authors: Park Yongtae
Published: September 2010

The creation of innovative ideas is the initial step in entrepreneurial practice and venture management. As the management of technology is now on the priority agenda of higher education institutions, there is a need to develop pedagogic schemes for idea generation. Despite its importance, the idea generation process is hard to systematize or to standardize, since it is by nature an ill-defined and relatively unstructured problem. In this article, the author presents a systematic scheme for idea generation, comprising the additive, subtractive, change, substitutive, converse and concurrent approaches. The proposed set of approaches is by no means exhaustive and the approaches are complementary to each other rather than mutually exclusive. Although the scheme is a general-purpose one applicable to all industrial/technical sectors, sector-specific guidelines are suggested, based on a statistical analysis of successful new product development cases. The proposed scheme was originally developed and practised in an engineering school to enrich management-oriented courses and to foster an entrepreneurial spirit in prospective engineers. Here, in an attempt to enhance the linkage between the academic and industrial settings, sector-based teamwork and consultation with real-world experts are emphasized.
Impact of Gender on Difficulties Faced by Entrepreneurs
Authors: Heilbrunn Sibylle
Published: September 2010

During the last decade, women have been recognized as successful entrepreneurs, and the constantly rising number of women-owned businesses all over the world has led to an increasing number of studies on the differences between male and female entrepreneurs and their businesses. Women's entrepreneurship is characterized by structural constraints such as family responsibility and a relative lack of relevant resources such as social capital. Following the resource-based perspective, this study investigates whether women entrepreneurs face different difficulties from their male counterparts and are indeed disadvantaged as to resources such as management experience, business and technical skills, raising capital, etc. The results of the study show that women's ventures are smaller, service-oriented and ‘cheaper’ to finance. Compared with their male counterparts, women entrepreneurs perceive their lack of management experience and business skills as a major constraint.
Technology and Knowledge Transfer in the Graz Region
Authors: Hofer Franz , Adametz Christoph , Holzer Franz
Published: September 2010

Technology and knowledge transfer from universities to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is seen as one way to strengthen a region's innovation capability. But what if SMEs do not want to play along? Looking back at some 10 years' experience of supporting SMEs, the authors describe in detail the ‘Active Knowledge Transfer’ programme, which aims to facilitate technology and knowledge transfer from universities to SMEs in the Graz region. The aim of the article is to provide an insight into the operational tasks of the programme and to discuss how a more active and broader-ranging approach to technology and knowledge transfer projects can overcome existing barriers between problem ‘owners' and potential problem ‘solvers’.
The University Inventor's Obligation to Assign
Authors: Ohashi Naoko
Published: September 2010

Until recently, it was unclear under US case law whether university patent policies were sufficient to obligate university personnel to assign their inventions to the university without a signed invention-assignment agreement. This paper examines the question through recent case law. These cases indicate a trend in support of university claims that patent policies alone may be sufficient to require assignment under certain circumstances. In addition to discussing the sufficiency of patent policies to obligate academics to assign, this paper also considers the applicability of patent policies to students.
Public Relations and Technology Transfer Offices
Authors: Haney James M. , Cohn Andrew
Published: September 2010

This article discusses the importance for technology transfer offices of sound media and government relations strategies. It reports the results of a nationwide electronic survey in the USA and interviews with technology transfer managers on how they handle public relations issues in their offices. Strengths and weaknesses of their communication operations are highlighted, and perceived training needs are identified. Based on their research, the authors recommend: (a) more proactive public relations activities for technology transfer offices, (b) increased promotion of business partnerships, (c) effective evaluation of current activities, (d) possible best practices, (e) specific training initiatives and (f) ways to improve responses to attacks on the Bayh–Dole Act.
An Application of PAR Models for Tourism Forecasting
Authors: Rodrigues Paulo M.M. , Gouveia Pedro M.D.C.B.
Published: September 2010

This paper extends the existing literature on tourism forecasting by developing an application study based on periodic models. The need for this type of approach derives from the common procedure in tourism literature of classifying series into three seasons: peak, shoulder and off-peak. This classification is useful in identifying more parsimonious periodic models when compared with unrestricted periodic monthly models. The authors apply their proposed models on several tourism series collected and analysed from Portugal's southernmost province, Algarve. The economy of this region relies heavily on the tourism industry, catering largely for the European market. Besides statistically validating these models, the authors compare their forecasting ability with other models in the current literature. The results show that the models presented achieve a superior forecasting performance.
Knowledge Circulation: The ‘Triple Helix’ Concept Applied in South Africa
Authors: Taylor Susanne
Published: September 2010

In this article the author looks at knowledge circulation in its literal context, starting from its initial production (creation) by means of research, through the recording/documentation stage to its eventual distribution and circulation. Knowledge circulation and the application of knowledge are essential to a country's economic sustainability The author considers this in the context of South Africa, where industry and the higher education sector, particularly the technikons (equivalent to polytechnics or universities of technology in other countries), are working together more and more closely to bridge an education and skills gap that was mainly created during the Apartheid era. This closer cooperation is largely being achieved by means of the cooperative education model used by the technikons and by a national skills development initiative implemented by the Department of Labour via the Skills Development Act (Act 97 of 1998). The notion of the ‘triple helix’ of interaction between higher education, government and industry, as proposed by Etzkowitz and Leydesdorff, is incorporated into the author's analysis. The ultimate fruit of knowledge is obtained when it is widely circulated and becomes embedded in the minds of people who are able to put it to everyday use – to support themselves and their families and to sustain the economy – and then to go on to produce new knowledge.
SMEs and Innovation in the Netherlands
Authors: van Vliet Harry , Horvath Janika
Published: September 2010

Although the increase of knowledge as an ‘asset’ in products and services offers new challenges and opportunities, it also throws up new barriers. One such barrier, the lack of access to knowledge, is analysed as consisting of several processes with different key factors that obstruct or stimulate those processes. Furthermore, different levels of analysis are introduced and the concept of ‘knowledge circulation’ is positioned. Barriers to access affect in particular small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which consequently do not participate to their full potential in the knowledge infrastructure. A new initiative in the Netherlands, the Innovation Alliance, focuses on renewing and strengthening the position of SMEs in the knowledge infrastructure giving special attention to the universities of professional education and their ‘centres of excellence’. This is illustrated by a project in which SMEs work together in a hydraulic cluster.
Organizational Capabilities and Performance of SMEs in Dynamic and Stable Environments
Authors: Lau Theresa , Man Thomas W.Y. , Chow Ida
Published: September 2010

This study examines the correlation between the organizational capabilities and firm performance of SMEs in both dynamic and stable environments in Hong Kong. Organizational capabilities are measured in terms of innovative ability, quality-enhancing capability, cost-reduction capability and ‘organicity’. Organizational capabilities are hypothesized to correlate positively with firm performance and to be moderated by environmental dynamism. A sample of 71 SMEs was drawn from the chemical and computer industries, which represent stable and dynamic industrial environments respectively. The findings suggest that organizational capabilities can significantly explain the level of SME performance and the impacts of environmental dynamism on these relationships.
Generating Orders and Winning New Business
Authors: Atherton Andrew , Sear Leigh
Published: September 2010

Small businesses deploy specific and transactionally focused approaches to market development and selling that re-define the notion of marketing within this particular organizational context. Indeed, most smaller businesses use alternative terms to marketing to describe these activities. In-depth interviews with small and medium-sized enterprises in the north of England indicated that the most appropriate and meaningful phrases were ‘generating orders’ and ‘developing markets’. The interview transcripts identified specific activities and phases undertaken by small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as their sequence and phasing, generating a shared process framework that was common to the businesses surveyed. Process constraints were analysed, as well as possible means of intervention to enable order generation and winning new business in the small firm.
Entrepreneurship and SMEs in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Authors: Ateljevic Jovo , O'Rourke Tony , Todorovic Zdravko
Published: September 2010

There is a broad consensus amongst academics, policy makers and practitioners that a fundamental cause of difficulties experienced by the majority of economies in transition is a lack of entrepreneurialism. This is manifested in the low rate at which new, especially smaller-scale, private businesses are created. This is particularly evident in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) where many barriers either created by or inherited from the old system remain in place. Such barriers inhibit entrepreneurial progress in the country despite a number of strengths and opportunities. The main prerequisite for such progress is the development of an institutional infrastructure capable of creating the optimum conditions for entrepreneurial development. International experience shows that a number of models perceived to be relevant in different international contexts have not been effective in BiH, due to the lack of a holistic, equitable and future-oriented approach to socioeconomic transformation. The aim of this paper is to address and assess the current problems and issues in BiH and to provide an integrative framework for entrepreneurship and SME development appropriate to the local and other contexts.
International Entrepreneurship in Local SME Supplier Networks
Authors: Cubillo José María , Cerviño Julio
Published: September 2010

The objective of this study is to analyse the influence of a multinational corporation (MNC) on the productive network of the host territory and the proliferation of entrepreneurs. In particular, an attempt has been made to analyse the influence on the exporting activities of local SMEs – both suppliers and non-suppliers. The study has shown that strategic integrated suppliers show greater exporting tendencies than those that are not considered to be strategic suppliers for an MNC. Similarly, those companies whose founder and/or part of the executive team have worked previously in a multinational corporation show greater levels of export activity compared with those founded by local entrepreneurs.
Tourism and Economic Growth: The Case of Mauritius
Authors: Durbarry Ramesh
Published: September 2010

Tourism is now believed to provide an impetus to the economic progress of developing nations and its importance is gaining widespread recognition. In fact, the relationship between exports and growth is the subject of ongoing debate, but the nature of exports has received little attention. Despite the continuous efforts of developing countries to increase their exports, this strategy often adds little foreign exchange to their balance of payments. For many reasons, the non-traditional exports of developing countries have too often failed to prove effective in economic development and so tourism is increasingly seen as something of a saviour. This paper focuses on the success story of a small island economy, Mauritius. Once regarded as an extreme case of a mono-crop economy, relying very predominantly on the export of sugar, Mauritius is now a reputed exporter of non-traditional goods (textiles) and services (tourism). Using cointegration and causality tests, the author's results lend support to the contention that tourism has promoted growth, and further evidence suggests that tourism has a significant positive impact on Mauritian economic development.
Trends in the Use of Agricultural Pesticides and the Environmental Risk-Reduction Status in Japan
Authors: Parveen Sultana , Nakagoshi Nobukazu , Kohguchi Testuyuki
Published: September 2010

This paper evaluates the trends in pesticide use with special emphasis on the state and progress of environmental toxic-risk-reduction initiatives taken in Japan. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) pesticide-use indicator was used to assess changes in the last 15 years (1985–2000). The total amount of active ingredients used in pesticides increased by 9% between 1985/87 and 1998/00. The change was mainly due to the increase in fungicide use (89%) and the decline in insecticide (7%) and herbicide (42%) use. The change in pesticides used was largely associated with the amount (kg/ha) used in paddy cultivation. The environmental toxicity of herbicides also decreased substantially. Larger numbers of active ingredients were used in pesticides in 1998/00 compared with 1985/87, but the newly added active ingredients are less toxic than those used previously.
Use of ICT as a Critical Marketing Success Factor in Turkish Agri-Food SMEs
Authors: Çetin Bahattin , Akpinar Arzu , Özsayin Damla
Published: September 2010

In the mid- to late 1980s, the rapid growth in computer networks and online services steered companies, including those in the agri-food sector, towards the use of information and communication technologies (ICT). Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) now need to adapt to remain competitive in the rapidly changing business environment of the twenty-first century, driven by the use of the Internet and Websites. The adoption of ICT as a communication and marketing platform provides considerable advantages to agri-food SMEs. This article examines the impact of the Internet and Websites on the marketing activities of Turkish agri-food SMEs and provides information about their use of ICT. The data result from a two-stage survey undertaken by the Turkish agri-food directorate (KOBI).
Agrobiotechnology in Developing Countries
Authors: Tollens Eric , Demont Matty , Swennen Rony
Published: September 2010

Agricultural production almost needs to double in the twenty-first century, putting tremendous pressure on agricultural resources. Most food production increases must come from more agricultural intensification in the South. This advances the need for a new green revolution: higher productivity and at the same time less pressure on the environment. Agrobiotechnology can contribute to this double green revolution. Biotechnology innovations are often scale-neutral and are therefore suitable for small farmers. Moreover, genetic modification offers special advantages for crops that have been domesticated for a very long time and which are therefore quite different from their wild relatives. However, agrobiotechnology also engenders risks and dangers, outlined in the paper. Multinational companies show little interest in small developing countries because the market is small and intellectual property rights protection is not effective. Not surprisingly, these are the very countries where food insecurity problems are most acute. In many developing countries the capacity to conduct biotechnology research and development is lacking, as is the legal framework for biosafety testing, patent enforcement and release of transgenic crops. This is illustrated by a case study on transgenic plantain bananas, developed by the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. The authors argue that legal and research capacity building are the main priorities. These can be achieved through public–private and North–South partnerships.
tti2004: Introduction and Conference Overview
Authors: Robson E. H.
Published: September 2010

This special issue of Industry and Higher Education is devoted to a selection of papers (revised for publication) from tti2004, an international conference on technology transfer and innovation held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, Scotland, from 29 June to 1 July 2004. In this introductory paper, the author provides the context for the conference, summarizes the presentations by invited speakers and offers personal reflections on the event.
The Novelty Trap: Why Does Institutional Learning about New Technologies Seem So Difficult?
Authors: Rayner Steve
Published: September 2010

The emerging controversy over nanotechnology is redolent of the pattern of past disputes over new technological fields, which the author describes as the ‘novelty trap’. In each case, ambitious claims for revolutionary innovation are met by sceptical concerns about unintended consequences and new risks, to which advocates respond with reassurances of continuity with past experience. The paper goes on to identify possible obstacles to institutional learning that may result in the repetition of this pattern, including three versions of the deficit model of public understanding. Finally, the author poses the possibility that the pattern itself may represent an emergent form of societal technology assessment, which embodies informal social learning.
Challenges in Implementing Design-Led Technologies in Small Manufacturing Companies
Authors: Millward Huw , Dorrington Peter , Lewis Alan
Published: September 2010

This paper examines some of the challenges of implementing design-led technologies, such as computer-aided design (CAD), in the context of small manufacturing companies. The research is based on university-company collaborations in the UK using the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) model, and the paper adopts a case-study approach based on three such partnerships. The authors assess the operational impact of design-led technologies in three key areas: lead times, project costs and product quality. The general design-based challenges are evaluated by examining the management and new product development culture in small manufacturing companies.
The Role of Science and Technology in the 21st Century
Authors: Coventry Cowan
Published: September 2010

While our world is being transformed by rapid developments in ‘new’ technology, nearly one-third of humanity continues to be deprived of the benefits available from technologies centuries old. Northern markets rather than Southern needs increasingly determine what scientific and technological advances are developed and for whom. We urgently need to reclaim science and technology for the public good as well as private gain if we are to meet the poverty targets of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. However, rather than simply applying technologies to poverty, we need to help poor women and men access useful knowledge so that they can choose and use appropriate technologies.
Science and Education
Authors: Miller Raymond J. , Hanson James , Fretz Thomas , Weismiller Richard
Published: September 2010

Modern agriculture depends on a continuous stream of new knowledge if it is to remain productive, competitive and profitable. Similarly, rural communities need to have well founded education and infrastructure systems to be viable and provide opportunities for their citizens to enjoy economic benefits. Globally, different countries have evolved both unique and complementary systems to serve the science and education needs of their agricultural and rural communities. This paper attempts to identify some of the conditions necessary to ensure that rural communities are provided with a knowledge-based science and education system for the creation of a successful agricultural sector.
Education, Industry and the Knowing—Doing Gap
Authors: Nicolaidis Christos S. , Michalopoulos George
Published: September 2010

This paper examines the evolutionary path of the university and its impact on the quality of education it provides to people, industry and society The authors first analyse the (Kantian) paradigm of reason, the (German Idealists') paradigm of culture and the current dominant techno-bureaucratic paradigm of excellence. They then argue that the paradigm of excellence significantly contributes to the ‘knowing-doing’ gap which causes the difficulties practitioners experience when they try to turn their tertiary knowledge into action. Finally, they argue that the knowledge creation and integration model of Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) may help academics and practitioners to bridge the knowing-doing gap they encounter.
Academic Accreditation of Work-Based Learning in the Construction Environment
Authors: McLernon Tim , Hughes David
Published: September 2010

This paper examines the contribution of work-based learning (WBL) to the education of construction students. The research draws on the experiences of part-time students and students on sandwich courses in a School of the Built Environment. The sandwich courses include a year in industry as the penultimate year of a four-year programme. This WBL component constitutes a valuable link between higher education and industry and provides a mechanism for students to consolidate learning in their final year as well as preparing them to take on responsibility in industry immediately after graduation. The paper also examines the relationship between WBL and institutional learning with a view to determining what academic credit is awarded for and how it is awarded. The authors argue that WBL is an essential component of higher education, and that credit for WBL is desirable in a system that promotes credit accumulation and transfer. There is currently no rational method of awarding credit for work-based learning and this paper proposes that articulations in current frameworks for credit accumulation and transfer schemes for academic learning may provide a substantive and transparent means of attributing academic credit to WBL. They also recommend that such a framework should be developed specifically for work-based learning.
External Costs from Increased Island Visitation: Results from the Southern Thai Islands
Authors: Cushman Colin A. , Field Barry C. , Lass Daniel A. , Stevens Thomas H.
Published: September 2010

Recreational development on islands is often subject to open-access conditions. In the absence of control over aggregate visitation levels, external effects among visitors would lead to visitation rates that were too high, relative to efficient rates. Information on the extent of these externalities would be invaluable in developing visitation management plans. In this study the authors surveyed 1,625 visitors to southern Thai Island resorts and estimated the extent of these external effects using a revealed preference analysis of visits to beaches with different characteristics. Our results show that externalities and resource degradation are substantial in this setting and that welfare losses from open access are relatively large.
Negotiating Entrepreneurial Identity
Authors: Warren Lorraine
Published: September 2010

This paper focuses on the negotiation of identity in case studies of four women undergoing career change in the UK. The triple nexus between identity as a reflexive journey, entrepreneurship as a social process and communities of practice is established and provides a powerful means of exploring the dynamics of the entrepreneurial transition. The paper examines how identity is constructed and reconstructed during their trajectory from one mode of work to another, as they acknowledged, and were acknowledged by, shifting communities of practice. The central argument of the paper is that the women were at times constituted as entrepreneurs by a powerful discourse, but that their first priority was to be recognized and legitimized as professionals as they engaged with particular communities of practice. Further, they rework these discourses with an impact not just at the level of their own individual experience, but also at network level through interaction with their community of practice. The study uses narrative analysis to provide insights into the processes and practices that have constituted their experience. The purpose of the paper is to contribute to an understanding of the early stages of entrepreneurial activity; this may be of benefit to policy makers, support services and educators, as well as the academic community. Theoretically, it is demonstrated that the notion of the community of practice has value in developing a processual understanding of the entrepreneurial transition.