Firm's network capability and innovation performance: evidences from China hi-tech industry

ABSTRACT : A firm's competitive advantage can arise from internal resources as well as from an interfirm network. -This dissertation investigates the competitive advantage of a firm involved in an innovation network by integrating strategic management theory and social network theory. It develops theory and provides empirical evidence that illustrates how a networked firm enables the network value and appropriates this value in an optimal way according to its strategic purpose. The four inter-related essays in this dissertation provide a framework that sheds light on the extraction of value from an innovation network by managing and designing the network in a proactive manner. The first essay reviews research in social network theory and knowledge transfer management, and identifies the crucial factors of innovation network configuration for a firm's learning performance or innovation output. The findings suggest that network structure, network relationship, and network position all impact on a firm's performance. Although the previous literature indicates that there are disagreements about the impact of dense or spare structure, as well as strong or weak ties, case evidence from Chinese software companies reveals that dense and strong connections with partners are positively associated with firms' performance. The second essay is a theoretical essay that illustrates the limitations of social network theory for explaining the source of network value and offers a new theoretical model that applies resource-based view to network environments. It suggests that network configurations, such as network structure, network relationship and network position, can be considered important network resources. In addition, this essay introduces the concept of network capability, and suggests that four types of network capabilities play an important role in unlocking the potential value of network resources and determining the distribution of network rents between partners. This essay also highlights the contingent effects of network capability on a firm's innovation output, and explains how the different impacts of network capability depend on a firm's strategic choices. This new theoretical model has been pre-tested with a case study of China software industry, which enhances the internal validity of this theory. The third essay addresses the questions of what impact network capability has on firm innovation performance and what are the antecedent factors of network capability. This essay employs a structural equation modelling methodology that uses a sample of 211 Chinese Hi-tech firms. It develops a measurement of network capability and reveals that networked firms deal with cooperation between, and coordination with partners on different levels according to their levels of network capability. The empirical results also suggests that IT maturity, the openness of culture, management system involved, and experience with network activities are antecedents of network capabilities. Furthermore, the two-group analysis of the role of international partner(s) shows that when there is a culture and norm gap between foreign partners, a firm must mobilize more resources and effort to improve its performance with respect to its innovation network. The fourth essay addresses the way in which network capabilities influence firm innovation performance. By using hierarchical multiple regression with data from Chinese Hi-tech firms, the findings suggest that there is a significant partial mediating effect of knowledge transfer on the relationships between network capabilities and innovation performance. The findings also reveal that the impacts of network capabilities divert with the environment and strategic decision the firm has made: exploration or exploitation. Network constructing capability provides a greater positive impact on and yields more contributions to innovation performance than does network operating capability in an exploration network. Network operating capability is more important than network constructing capability for innovative firms in an exploitation network. Therefore, these findings highlight that the firm can shape the innovation network proactively for better benefits, but when it does so, it should adjust its focus and change its efforts in accordance with its innovation purposes or strategic orientation.

Production and Evaluation of Calcium Magnesium Acetate, HR-243, 1982

Calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) has been identified by Bjorksten Research Laboratories as an environmentally harmless alternative to sodium or calcium chloride for deicing highways. Their study found CMA to be noncorrosive to steel, aluminum and zinc with little or no anticipated environmental impact. When used, it degrades into elements found in abundance in nature. The deicing capabilities were found to be similar to sodium chloride. The neutralized CMA they produced did cause scaling of PC concrete, but they did not expect mildly alkaline CMA to have this effect. In the initial investigation of CMA at the Iowa DOT laboratory, it was found that CMA produced from hydrated lime and acetic acid was a light, fluffy material. It was recognized that a deicer in this form would be difficult to effectively distribute on highways without considerable wind loss. A process was developed to produce CMA in the presence of sand to increase particle weight. In this report the product of this process, which consists of sand particles coated with CMA, is referred to as "CMA deicer". The mixture of salts, calcium magnesium acetate, is referred to as "CMA". The major problems with CMA for deicing are: (1) it is not commercially available, (2) it is expensive with present production methods and (3) there is very little known about how it performs on highways under actual deicing conditions. In view of the potential benefits this material offers, it is highly desirable to find solutions or answers to these problems. This study provides information to advance that effort. The study consisted of four principal tasks which were: 1. Production of CMA Deicer The objective was to further develop the laboratory process for producing CMA deicer on a pilot plant basis and to produce a sufficient quantity for field trials. The original proposal called for producing 20 tons of CMA deicer. 2. Field Evaluation of CMA Deicer The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of CMA deicer when used under field conditions and obtain information on application procedures. Performance was compared with a regular 50/50 mixture of sand and sodium chloride. 3. Investigation of Effects of CMA on PC Concrete The objective was to determine any scaling effect that mildly alkaline CMA might have on PC concrete. Comparison was made with calcium chloride. 4. Determine Feasibility of Producing High Magnesium CMA The objective was to investigate the possibility of producing a CMA deicer with magnesium acetate content well above that produced from dolomitic lime. A high magnesium acetate content is desirable because pure magnesium acetate has a water eutectic of -22 F° as compared with +5 F° for calcium acetate and is therefore a more effective deicer.

Embodying feminist research: learning from action research, political practices, diffractions and collective knowledge.

In the past three decades, feminists and critical theorists have discussed and argued the importance of deconstructing and problematizing social science research methodology in order to question normalized hierarchies concerning the production of knowledge and the status of truth claims. Nevertheless, often, these ideas have basically remained theoretical propositions not embodied in research practices. In fact there is very little published discussion about the difficulties and limits of their practical application. In this paper we introduce some interconnected reflections starting from two different but related experiences of embodying 'feminist activist research'. Our aim is to emphasise the importance of attending to process, making mistakes and learning during fieldwork, as well as experimenting with personalized forms of analysis, such as the construction of narratives and the story-telling process.

Embodying feminist research: learning from action research, political practices, diffractions and collective knowledge.

In the past three decades, feminists and critical theorists have discussed and argued the importance of deconstructing and problematizing social science research methodology in order to question normalized hierarchies concerning the production of knowledge and the status of truth claims. Nevertheless, often, these ideas have basically remained theoretical propositions not embodied in research practices. In fact there is very little published discussion about the difficulties and limits of their practical application. In this paper we introduce some interconnected reflections starting from two different but related experiences of embodying 'feminist activist research'. Our aim is to emphasise the importance of attending to process, making mistakes and learning during fieldwork, as well as experimenting with personalized forms of analysis, such as the construction of narratives and the story-telling process.

Sensitive determination of D-lactic acid and L-lactic acid in urine by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

D-lactic acid in urine originates mainly from bacterial production in the intestinal tract. Increased D-lactate excretion as observed in patients affected by short bowel syndrome or necrotizing enterocolitis reflects D-lactic overproduction. Therefore, there is a need for a reliable and sensitive method able to detect D-lactic acid even at subclinical elevation levels. A new and highly sensitive method for the simultaneous determination of L- and D-lactic acid by a two-step procedure has been developed. This method is based on the concentration of lactic acid enantiomers from urine by supported liquid extraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The separation was achieved by the use of an Astec Chirobiotic? R chiral column under isocratic conditions. The calibration curves were linear over the ranges of 2-400 and 0.5-100 µmol/L respectively for L- and D-lactic acid. The limit of detection of D-lactic acid was 0.125 µmol/L and its limit of quantification was 0.5 µmol/L. The overall accuracy and precision were well within 10% of the nominal values. The developed method is suitable for production of reference values in children and could be applied for accurate routine analysis.

The Interplay of Mastery and Performance Goals in Social Comparison: A Multiple-Goal Perspective.

Régner, Escribe, and Dupeyrat (2007) recently demonstrated that not only performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals (respectively, the desire to outperform others and not to be outperformed by others) but also mastery goals (the desire to acquire knowledge) were related to social comparison orientation (SCO, the tendency to search for social comparison information). In the present article, the possibility of a link between mastery goals and social comparison that depends on the level of performance-approach goals-a possibility supported by a multiple-goal perspective-was tested by examining the interaction effect between mastery and performance-approach goals. This is an important endeavor, as educational settings are rarely free from performance-approach goals, even when mastery goals are promoted. In Study 1, we tested self-set achievement goals (mastery, performance-approach, and performance-avoidance goals) as predictors of SCO; the interaction between mastery goals and performance-approach goals indicated that the higher the performance-approach goal endorsement, the stronger the link between mastery goals and SCO. In Study 2, we manipulated goal conditions; mastery goals predicted interest in social comparison in the performance-approach goal condition only. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of multiple-goal pursuit in academic settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)

Innovations in hypoxic training

Athletes seem compelled to include some forms of altitude training in their preparation expecting additional performance gains compared to equivalent training at sea-level. For the general population, altitude training often only consists in spending weeks at altitude to enhance red blood cell production, hemoglobin mass and thus oxygen delivery to the muscles. Over the past two decades, intermittent hypoxic training (IHT), that is, a method where athletes live at or near sea-level but train in hypobaric hypoxia (HH, real altitude) or normobaric hypoxia (NH, simulated altitude) was shown to induce exclusive adaptations directly at the muscular level that may support performance improvements. Our work first demonstrated significant differences between exposure and exercise in HH vs. NH that may help disentangling hypoxia and hypobaria for athletes or mountaineers who use NH to prepare for altitude competitions or expeditions. Second, we produced a comprehensive review of the strikingly poor and controversial benefits of IHT for performance enhancement in team or racket sports. Using evidence of peripheral muscular adaptations with the recruitment of fast-twitch fibers playing a major role, we then developed and assessed the potential of a new training method in hypoxia based on the repetitions of "all-out" sprints interspersed with incomplete recovery periods, the so called "repeated sprint training in hypoxia" (RSH). We have consequently shown RSH to delay fatigue when sprints with incomplete recoveries are repeated until exhaustion both in cycling and cross-country ski double poling. We definitely outlined RSH as a promising training strategy and proposed new studies to judge the efficacy of RSH in team sports and determine the specific mechanisms that may enhance team game results. In conclusion, our work allowed updating the panorama over the contemporary hypoxic training possibilities. It provides an overview of the current scientific knowledge about intermittent hypoxic training and repeated sprint training in hypoxia (RSH). This will benefit athletes and teams in intermittent sports looking to include a hypoxic stimulus to their training to gain a specific competitive edge.

Performance of Randomly Oriented, Fiber-Reinforced Roadway Soils, HR-211, 1982

Several primary techniques have been developed through which soil aggregate road material properties may be improved. Such techniques basically involve a mechanism of creating a continuous matrix system of soil and/or aggregate particles, interlocked through the use of some additive such as portland cement, lime, or bituminous products. Details by which soils are stabilized vary greatly, but they are dependent on the type of stabilizing agent and nature of the soil, though the overall approach to stabilization has the common feature that improvement is achieved by some mechanism(s) forcing individual particles to adhere to one another. This process creates a more rigid material, most often capable of resisting the influx of water during freezing, loss of strength due to high moisture content and particle dispersion during thawing, and loss of strength due to migration of fines and/or water by capillarity and pumping. The study reported herein, took a new and relatively different approach to strengthening of soils, i.e., improvement of roadway soils and/or soil-aggregate materials by structural reinforcement with randomly oriented fibers. The purpose of the study was to conduct a laboratory and field investigation into the potential of improving (a) soil-aggregate surfaced and subgrade materials, including those that are frost-prone and/or highly moisture susceptible, and (b) localized base course materials, by uniting such materials through fibrous reinforcement. The envisioned objective of the project was the development of a simple construction technique(s) that could be (a) applied on a selective basis to specific areas having a history of poor performance, or (b) used for improvement of potential base materials prior to surfacing. Little background information on such purpose and objective was available. Though the envisioned process had similarities to fibrous reinforced concrete, and to fibrous reinforced resin composites, the process was devoid of a cementitious binder matrix and thus highly dependent on the cohesive and frictional interlocking processes of a soil and/or aggregate with the fibrous reinforcement; a condition not unlike the introduction of reinforcing bars into a concrete sand/aggregate mixture without benefit of portland cement. Thus the study was also directed to answering some fundamental questions: (1) would the technique work; (2) what type or types of fibers are effective; (3) are workable fibers commercially available; and (4) can such fibers be effectively incorporated with conventional construction equipment, and employed in practical field applications? The approach to obtaining answers to these questions, was guided by the philosophy that an understanding of basic fundamentals was essential to developing a body of engineering knowledge, that would serve as the basis for eventual development of design procedures with fibrous products for the applications previously noted.

Effect of a small dose of alcohol on the endurance performance of trained cyclists.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an acute small ethanol (EtOH) dose (0.5 ml EtOH/kg fat-free mass, combined with carbohydrate) in a drink on endurance performance of trained cyclists. METHODS: Thirteen well-trained male cyclists took part in this study. A 60-min cycling endurance performance test (time trial) was performed in a calorimetric chamber after drinking an EtOH (30 +/- 1.8 ml) or a non-EtOH control (C) drink. RESULTS: Overall, EtOH induced a significant decrease in the average cycling power output (PO) (EtOH: 233 +/- 23 W versus C: 243 +/- 24 W, P < 0.01). The time course of mechanical PO showed an early decrease during the EtOH trial as compared to C (P < 0.01). Due to the lower PO, oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production and glucose oxidation were significantly lower (P < 0.05) as compared to C. Relative to PO, heart rate response and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were increased by EtOH as compared to C (P < 0.05). In contrast, EtOH did not influence gross work efficiency, glycaemia and blood lactate concentration. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that the acute low dose of EtOH decreased endurance performance. An increase of cardio-vascular strain and psychobiological mechanisms may explain this decrease of endurance performance.

Agronomic performance of quinoa selected in the Brazilian Savannah

Twenty six breeding lines, selected from individual plant progenies of hybrids among varieties Amarilla de Marangani, Blanca de Junín, Chewecca, Faro 4, Improved Baer, Kancolla, Real, and Salares-Roja, had their agronomic characters evaluated, in Planaltina, DF, Brazil (15º36'S and 47º12'W), 1,000 masl, in randomized complete blocks, on a Ferralsol, previously limed and fertilized. Grain yield was positively associated with plant height, inflorescence length and diameter, and plant cycle. Genetic gain can be attained by selection based in these characters for commercial production of quinoa in tropical regions.

Yield and performance of sugarcane in on-farm interface with rubber in Brazil

Agroforestry systems are indicated as an alternative for sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) cultivation in Piracicaba, SP, Brazil, however there are not many field experiments on plant performance under these conditions in the world. The objective of this work was to assess crop yield and partitioning in a sugarcane-rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) interface in on-farm conditions. The availability of irradiance for the crop along the interface was simulated and its effe ct over sugarcane dry matter production was tested. Crop yield was negatively affected by distance of the trees, but development and sucrose were not affected. Above ground dry matter increased from 16.6 to 51.5 t ha-1 from trees. Partitioning did not have a defined standard, as harvest index increased from 0.85 to 0.93, but specific leaf area was not significant along the transect, ranging from 13.48 to 15.73 m² kg-1. Light is the main factor of competition between the trees and the crop, but the relative importance of below ground interactions increases closer to the trees. Feasibility of the system depends on maturity of the trees and management strategies.

Mitochondrial DNA of Nellore and European x Nellore crossing cattle of high performance

The objective of this work was to evaluate, through a polymorphism in the ND5 gene of the bovine mitochondrial DNA, the frequency of Bos taurus indicus mtDNA individuals in a sample of Nellore purebred origin animals (n = 69) and crossbred animals originated from crosses of European sires and Nellore purebred origin females (n = 275). Only 2.26% (8/354) of the animals presented Bos taurus indicus mtDNA. The high frequency of Bos taurus taurus mtDNA in these animals can be a consequence of selection, once the animals studied are originated from selected lineages of high performance for meat production.

L'empresa xarxa a Catalunya : TIC, productivitat, competitivitat, salaris i rendiment a les empreses de Catalunya. Informe final de recerca (volum II)

El projecte de recerca L'empresa xarxa a Catalunya. TIC, productivitat, competitivitat, salaris i beneficis a l'empresa catalana té com a objectiu principal constatar que la consolidació d'un nou model estratègic, organitzatiu i d'activitat empresarial, vinculat amb la inversió i l'ús de les TIC (o empresa xarxa), modifica substancialment els patrons de comportament dels resultats empresarials, en especial la productivitat, la competitivitat, les retribucions dels treballadors i el benefici. La contrastació empírica de les hipòtesis de treball l'hem feta per mitjà de les dades d'una enquesta a una mostra representativa de 2.038 empreses catalanes. Amb la perspectiva de l'impacte de la inversió i l'ús de les TIC no s'aprecia una relació directa entre els processos d'innovació digital i els resultats de l'activitat de l'empresa catalana. En aquest sentit, hem hagut de segmentar el teixit productiu català per a buscar les organitzacions en què el procés de coinnovació tecnològica digital i organitzativa és més present i en què la intensitat de l'ús del coneixement és un recurs molt freqüent per a poder copsar impactes rellevants en els principals resultats empresarials. Això és així perquè l'economia catalana, avui, presenta una estructura productiva dual.

L'empresa xarxa a Catalunya : TIC, productivitat, competitivitat, salaris i rendiment a les empreses de Catalunya. Informe final de recerca (volum I)

El projecte de recerca L'empresa xarxa a Catalunya. TIC, productivitat, competitivitat, salaris i beneficis a l'empresa catalana té com a objectiu principal constatar que la consolidació d'un nou model estratègic, organitzatiu i d'activitat empresarial, vinculat amb la inversió i l'ús de les TIC (o empresa xarxa), modifica substancialment els patrons de comportament dels resultats empresarials, en especial la productivitat, la competitivitat, les retribucions dels treballadors i el benefici. La contrastació empírica de les hipòtesis de treball l'hem feta per mitjà de les dades d'una enquesta a una mostra representativa de 2.038 empreses catalanes. Amb la perspectiva de l'impacte de la inversió i l'ús de les TIC no s'aprecia una relació directa entre els processos d'innovació digital i els resultats de l'activitat de l'empresa catalana. En aquest sentit, hem hagut de segmentar el teixit productiu català per a buscar les organitzacions en què el procés de coinnovació tecnològica digital i organitzativa és més present i en què la intensitat de l'ús del coneixement és un recurs molt freqüent per a poder copsar impactes rellevants en els principals resultats empresarials. Això és així perquè l'economia catalana, avui, presenta una estructura productiva dual.

Endogenous growth with capital in R&D production functions

[eng] In this paper we claim that capital is as important in the production of ideas as in the production of final goods. Hence, we introduce capital in the production of knowledge and discuss the associated problems arising from the public good nature of knowledge. We show that although population growth can affect economic growth, it is not necessary for growth to arise. We derive both the social planner and the decentralized economy growth rates and show the optimal subsidy that decentralizes it. We also show numerically that the effects of population growth on the market growth rate, the optimal growth rate and the optimal subsidy are small. Besides, we find that physical capital is more important for the production of knowledge than for the production of goods.