Inter-organisational networks, value creation and the process of technology integration in research and development

Traditional methods of R&D management are no longer sufficient for embracing innovations and leveraging complex new technologies to fully integrated positions in established systems. This paper presents the view that the technology integration process is a result of fundamental interactions embedded in inter-organisational activities. Emerging industries, high technology companies and knowledge intensive organisations owe a large part of their viability to complex networks of inter-organisational interactions and relationships. R&D organisations are the gatekeepers in the technology integration process with their initial sanction and motivation to develop technologies providing the first point of entry. Networks rely on the activities of stakeholders to provide the foundations of collaborative R&D activities, business-to-business marketing and strategic alliances. Such complex inter-organisational interactions and relationships influence value creation and organisational goals as stakeholders seek to gain investment opportunities. A theoretical model is developed here that contributes to our understanding of technology integration (adoption) as a dynamic process, which is simultaneously structured and enacted through the activities of stakeholders and organisations in complex inter-organisational networks of sanction and integration.

Relationship between ash content and R-70 self-heating rate of Callide Coal

Borecore samples from the Trap Gully pit at Callide have been assessed using the R-70 self-heating test. The highest R-70 self-heating rate value was 16.22 degrees C/h, which is consistent with the subbituminous rank of the coal. R-70 decreases significantly with increasing mineral matter content, as defined by the ash content of the coal. This effect is due to the mineral matter in the coal acting as a heat sink. A trendline equation has been fitted to the borecore data from the Trap Gully pit: R-70 = 0.0029 x ash(2) - 0.4889 x ash + 20.644, where all parameters are on a dry-basis. This relationship can be used to model the self-heating hazard of the pit, both vertically and laterally. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Effect of moisture content on the R-70 self-heating rate of Callide coal

Strip samples from the Boundary Hill pit at Callide have been tested in an adiabatic oven to assess the effect of moisture on the R-70 self-heating rate of coal. The two strip samples tested had R-70 self-heating rate values of 10.23 and 8.61 degrees C/h. As the moisture content of the coal was progressively increased, from the dry state of the test, the R-70 value decreased dramatically. At approximately 40-50% of the moisture holding capacity of the coal, the self-heating rate becomes measurable. Above this critical level of moisture content, the heat produced by oxidation is dissipated by moisture evaporation and coal self-heating is significantly delayed. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

The value of patches of intertidal seagrass to prawns depends on their proximity to mangroves

Penaeid prawns were sampled with a small seine net to test whether catches of postlarvae and juveniles in seagrass were affected by the distance of the seagrass (mainly Zostera capricorni) from mangroves and the density of the seagrass in a subtropical marine embayment. Sampling was replicated on the western and eastern sides of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. Information on catches was combined with broad-scale spatial information on the distribution of habitats to estimate the contribution of four different categories of habitat (proximal dense seagrass, distal dense seagrass, proximal sparse seagrass, distal sparse seagrass) to the overall population of small prawns in these regions of Moreton Bay. The abundance of Penaeus plebejus and Metapenaeus bennettae was significantly and consistently greater in dense seagrass proximal to mangroves than in other types of habitat. Additionally, sparse seagrass close to mangroves supported more of these species than dense seagrass farther away, indicating that the role of spatial arrangement of habitats was more important than the effects of structural complexity alone. In contrast, the abundance of P. esculentus tended to be greatest in sparse seagrass distal from mangroves compared with the other habitats. The scaling up of the results from different seagrass types suggests that proximal seagrass beds on both sides of Moreton Bay provide by far the greatest contribution of juvenile M. bennettae and P. plebejus to the overall populations in the Bay.

Solvability of singular second order m-point boundary value problems of Dirichlet type

Let f : [0, 1] x R2 -> R be a function satisfying the Caxatheodory conditions and t(1 - t)e(t) epsilon L-1 (0, 1). Let a(i) epsilon R and xi(i) (0, 1) for i = 1,..., m - 2 where 0 < xi(1) < xi(2) < (...) < xi(m-2) < 1 - In this paper we study the existence of C[0, 1] solutions for the m-point boundary value problem [GRAPHICS] The proof of our main result is based on the Leray-Schauder continuation theorem.

Multiplicity results for second-order two-point boundary value problems with superlinear or sublinear nonlinearities

We consider boundary value problems for nonlinear second order differential equations of the form u + a(t) f(u) = 0, t epsilon (0, 1), u(0) = u(1) = 0, where a epsilon C([0, 1], (0, infinity)) and f : R --> R is continuous and satisfies f (s)s > 0 for s not equal 0. We establish existence and multiplicity results for nodal solutions to the problems if either f(0) = 0, f(infinity) = infinity or f(0) = infinity, f(0) = 0, where f (s)/s approaches f(0) and f(infinity) as s approaches 0 and infinity, respectively. We use bifurcation techniques to prove our main results. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimating the recreational-use value for hiking in Bellenden Ker National Park, Australia

The recreational-use value of hiking in the Bellenden Ker National Park, Australia has been estimated using a zonal travel cost model. Multiple destination visitors have been accounted for by converting visitors' own ordinal ranking of the various sites visited to numerical weights, using an expected-value approach. The value of hiking and camping in this national park was found to be $AUS 250,825 per year, or $AUS 144,45 per visitor per year, which is similar to findings from other studies valuing recreational benefits. The management of the park can use these estimates when considering the introduction of a system of user pays fees. In addition, they might be important when decisions need to be made about the allocation of resources for maintenance or upgrade of tracks and facilities.

Global behavior of positive solutions of nonlinear three-point boundary value problems

We investigate the structure of the positive solution set for nonlinear three-point boundary value problems of the form u('') + h(t) f(u) = 0, u(0) = 0, u(1) = lambdau(eta), where eta epsilon (0, 1) is given lambda epsilon (0, 1/n) is a parameter, f epsilon C ([0, infinity), [0, infinity)) satisfies f (s) > 0 for s > 0, and h epsilon C([0, 1], [0, infinity)) is not identically zero on any subinterval of [0, 1]. Our main results demonstrate the existence of continua of positive solutions of the above problem. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using extreme value theory to measure value-at-risk for daily electricity spot prices

The recent deregulation in electricity markets worldwide has heightened the importance of risk management in energy markets. Assessing Value-at-Risk (VaR) in electricity markets is arguably more difficult than in traditional financial markets because the distinctive features of the former result in a highly unusual distribution of returns-electricity returns are highly volatile, display seasonalities in both their mean and volatility, exhibit leverage effects and clustering in volatility, and feature extreme levels of skewness and kurtosis. With electricity applications in mind, this paper proposes a model that accommodates autoregression and weekly seasonals in both the conditional mean and conditional volatility of returns, as well as leverage effects via an EGARCH specification. In addition, extreme value theory (EVT) is adopted to explicitly model the tails of the return distribution. Compared to a number of other parametric models and simple historical simulation based approaches, the proposed EVT-based model performs well in forecasting out-of-sample VaR. In addition, statistical tests show that the proposed model provides appropriate interval coverage in both unconditional and, more importantly, conditional contexts. Overall, the results are encouraging in suggesting that the proposed EVT-based model is a useful technique in forecasting VaR in electricity markets. (c) 2005 International Institute of Forecasters. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prognostic value of intraventricular dyssynchrony according to clinical stage of left ventricular impairment

Intraventricular dyssynchrony has prognostic implications in patients who have severe functional limitation and decreased ejection fraction. Patients with less advanced cardiac disease often exhibit intraventricular dyssynchrony, but there is little available information about its prognostic relevance in such patients. We investigated the prognostic effect of intraventricular dyssynchrony on outcome in 318 patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease who were classified according to the presence or absence of left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure symptoms. Mortality was considered the primary end point over a median follow-up of 56 months, and a Cox proportional hazards model was used for survival analysis. Despite a low prevalence (8%) of left bundle branch block, there was a high prevalence of intraventricular dyssynchrony even in patients without symptomatic heart failure. The magnitude of intraventricular dyssynchrony correlated poorly with QRS duration (r = 0.25),end-systolic volume index (r = 0.27), and number of scar segments (r = 0.25). There,were 58 deaths during follow-up. Ventricular volume, ischemic burden, and magnitude of intraventricular dyssynchrony predicted outcome, but magnitude of intraventricular dyssynchrony was an independent predictor of survival only in patients with asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction. In conclusion, patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease have a high prevalence of intraventricular dyssynchrony. Although ventricular volume, ischemic burden, and intraventricular dyssynchrony are potentially important prognostic markers, the relative importance of intraventricular dyssynchrony changes with the clinical setting and, may be greatest-in patients with preclinical disease. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program provide value for money?

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the economic case for the implementation of the Triple P- Positive Parenting Program on a population basis in Queensland, Australia, in order to reduce the prevalence of conduct disorder in children. Method: Threshold analysis was undertaken together with a limited cost-effectiveness analysis. Results: The Triple P-Positive Parenting Program is a dominant intervention; that is, it costs less than the amount it saves, until the reduction in prevalence falls below 7% where net costs become positive. Conclusions: Triple P is likely to be a worthwhile use of limited health funds. The economic case is promising, but further research is required to confirm the study results.