Three essays in industrial organization

This dissertation comprises three essays on the topic of industrial organization. The first essay considers how different intellectual property systems can affect the incentives to invest in R&D when innovation is cumulative. I introduce a distinction between plain and sophisticated technological knowledge, which plays a crucial role in determining how different appropriability rules affect the incentives to innovate. I argue that the positive effect of weak intellectual property regimes on the sharing of intermediate technological knowledge vanishes when technological knowledge is sophisticated, as is likely to be the case in many high tech industries. The second essay analyzes a two-sided market for news where advertisers may pay a media outlet to conceal negative information on the quality of their own product (paying positive to avoid negative) and/or to disclose negative information on the quality of their competitors products (paying positive to go negative). It is shown that whether advertisers have negative consequences on the accuracy of media reports or not, ultimately depends on the extent of correlation among advertisers products. The third essay considers the role of social learning in the diffusion of a new technology. A population of agents can choose between two risky technologies: an old one for which they know the expected outcome, and a new one for which they have only a prior. Different environments are confronted. In the benchmark case agents are isolated and can perform costly experiments to infer the quality of the new technology. In the other cases agents are settled in a network and can observe the outcomes of neighbors. We observe that in expectations the quality of the new technology may be overestimated when there is a network spread of information.

Integrated analysis and design of optimization and up-scaling of inductively coupled plasma synthesis of nanoparticles

This study is focused on radio-frequency inductively coupled thermal plasma (ICP) synthesis of nanoparticles, combining experimental and modelling approaches towards process optimization and industrial scale-up, in the framework of the FP7-NMP SIMBA European project (Scaling-up of ICP technology for continuous production of Metallic nanopowders for Battery Applications). First the state of the art of nanoparticle production through conventional and plasma routes is summarized, then results for the characterization of the plasma source and on the investigation of the nanoparticle synthesis phenomenon, aiming at highlighting fundamental process parameters while adopting a design oriented modelling approach, are presented. In particular, an energy balance of the torch and of the reaction chamber, employing a calorimetric method, is presented, while results for three- and two-dimensional modelling of an ICP system are compared with calorimetric and enthalpy probe measurements to validate the temperature field predicted by the model and used to characterize the ICP system under powder-free conditions. Moreover, results from the modeling of critical phases of ICP synthesis process, such as precursor evaporation, vapour conversion in nanoparticles and nanoparticle growth, are presented, with the aim of providing useful insights both for the design and optimization of the process and on the underlying physical phenomena. Indeed, precursor evaporation, one of the phases holding the highest impact on industrial feasibility of the process, is discussed; by employing models to describe particle trajectories and thermal histories, adapted from the ones originally developed for other plasma technologies or applications, such as DC non-transferred arc torches and powder spherodization, the evaporation of micro-sized Si solid precursor in a laboratory scale ICP system is investigated. Finally, a discussion on the role of thermo-fluid dynamic fields on nano-particle formation is presented, as well as a study on the effect of the reaction chamber geometry on produced nanoparticle characteristics and process yield.

Institutional Complexity and Technology Transfer: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis

This Doctoral Thesis unfolds into a collection of three distinct papers that share an interest in institutional theory and technology transfer. Taking into account that organizations are increasingly exposed to a multiplicity of demands and pressures, we aim to analyze what renders this situation of institutional complexity more or less difficult to manage for organizations, and what makes organizations more or less successful in responding to it. The three studies offer a novel contribution both theoretically and empirically. In particular, the first paper “The dimensions of organizational fields for understanding institutional complexity: A theoretical framework” is a theoretical contribution that tries to better understand the relationship between institutional complexity and fields by providing a framework. The second article “Beyond institutional complexity: The case of different organizational successes in confronting multiple institutional logics” is an empirical study which aims to explore the strategies that allow organizations facing multiple logics to respond more successfully to them. The third work “ How external support may mitigate the barriers to university-industry collaboration” is oriented towards practitioners and presents a case study about technology transfer in Italy.

Geomorphological and statistical analysis on Ravenna dune fields changes, based on Terrestrial Laser Technology

Coastal sand dunes represent a richness first of all in terms of defense from the sea storms waves and the saltwater ingression; moreover these morphological elements constitute an unique ecosystem of transition between the sea and the land environment. The research about dune system is a strong part of the coastal sciences, since the last century. Nowadays this branch have assumed even more importance for two reasons: on one side the born of brand new technologies, especially related to the Remote Sensing, have increased the researcher possibilities; on the other side the intense urbanization of these days have strongly limited the dune possibilities of development and fragmented what was remaining from the last century. This is particularly true in the Ravenna area, where the industrialization united to the touristic economy and an intense subsidence, have left only few dune ridges residual still active. In this work three different foredune ridges, along the Ravenna coast, have been studied with Laser Scanner technology. This research didn’t limit to analyze volume or spatial difference, but try also to find new ways and new features to monitor this environment. Moreover the author planned a series of test to validate data from Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS), with the additional aim of finalize a methodology to test 3D survey accuracy. Data acquired by TLS were then applied on one hand to test some brand new applications, such as Digital Shore Line Analysis System (DSAS) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), to prove their efficacy in this field; on the other hand the author used TLS data to find any correlation with meteorological indexes (Forcing Factors), linked to sea and wind (Fryberger's method) applying statistical tools, such as the Principal Component Analysis (PCA).