Too many new products fail. Mainly because new products are hard to differentiate from exisiting products and they don't capture the customer's imagination. The failure is due to a poor understanding of customers' needs. Companies need to take a radical approach to identifying customers' real needs, and this book demonstrates innovative ways to acheive this.

The basic features of R & D and of technical change are presented in a descriptive fashion. An economic framework is then developed for studying endogenous technical change.

This book deals with the development and fortunes of Inmos, today the largest British-owned semiconductor manufacturer of high volume, standard micro-electronic components. Authors McLean and Rollands provide a detailed history of the company from its beginnings in the late 1970s as a desperate attempt on the part of the Labour Government to regain a strategic British presence in the microelectronics industry to its present position and future in the world of high-technology industry.

Kirchhoff blends economics, business, and governemnt policy to demonstrate that entrepreneurship's role in business formation and growth energizes and maintains the viability of capitalism. Entrepreneurs convert new ideas into marketable products and services and use these to grab market shares from older, established firms. This process not only produces economic growth, but also redistributes resources so as to assure equitable distribution within society. Acknowledging that this perception is descriptive but lacks predictive power, Kirchhoff offers a typology to assist in predictive theory building and to guide government policy development.

This volume explores Malaysian business in the era that began with the Asian financial crisis of 1997-1999. The contributions, by a broad range of international experts, are informed by a wish to identify what Malaysia needs to do to sustain economic growth, remain internationally competitive and further social stability in the post-crisis period. Malaysia's unconventional response to the crisis suggests that its business community has developed a new level of confidence in its ability to adopt and sustain innovative policies even when these strategies challenge the international financial community. This response is perceived as evidence that Malaysian business has indeed entered a new era characterised by a high level of confidence in the nation's capacity to weather the external periodic shocks that are a feature of the current wave of globalisation. The book argues that there are grounds for optimism in this regard while recognising that the true test will occur when Malaysia is compelled to confront a major decline in its international export markets brought on by a truly major crisis such as an OECD-wide recession. Business scholars and professionals as well as readers interested in Asian business and economics will find this volume informative.

Clemens Schutte analyses the emergence of corporate control structures in the Czech privatization process. The book depicts the basic features of the Czech system of corporate control and the direction of its transformation. This is an extremely relevant subject since the Czech privatization process is a model case in several respects: it is institutionally open and hence allows for spontaneous development; and privatization has been carried out comprehensively and rapidly. Based upon a theoretical analysis of the institutional cornerstones of corporate control, the book develops clear recommendations which are subsequently used as a benchmark to assess the performance of the evolving Czech system of corporate control.The book discusses the role of the most important players in corporate control including the big bank-centred financial groups, capital markets, the board model of Czech corporations and the institutional base of debt control and minority shareholder protection. It also reveals the conflict of political intentions and real-time developments. As an important and timely contribution, this book will be invaluable reading for all those involved, or interested, in the privatization and corporate control of other Central and Eastern European countries. Those working in financial and political institutions will also find this book valuable.

The book presents a stochastic analysis based on production risk and application of this method in the industrial sector under production risk where energy use is an input factor. Using South Korea as a case study, the book empirically models energy demand at the industrial level and analyzes the results to identify key determinants of energy demand, productions level, productions risk and energy usage efficiency. Particular attention is paid to the factors that enhance production risk or increase variations in energy input during production. A dynamic panel model is specified and applied to 25 Korean industrial sectors over the period 1970-2007. The determinants of energy usage are identified and their effects in the form of elasticities of energy usage are estimated. In addition the structural changes in the energy demand pattern are explored. Stochastic production technology is applied to create two primary models: A production model where the energy usage is a determinant of output and an energy demand model based on an inverted factor demand model where demand is a key determinant of the level of energy usage. The findings reveal that: First, there are large variations in the degree of overuse or inefficiency in energy usage among the individual industries and over time; second, ICT (information and communication technology) capital and labor are substituting energy; third, ICT capital and value added services are two input factors decreasing the variability of energy demand while non-ICT capital, material and labor are increasing the variability of energy demand. Finally, the results suggest that technical progress contributes more to the increase of mean of energy demand than to the reduction of the level of risk. An emerging recommendation is that industries increase the level of ICT capital and digitalization and invest more in R&D activities and value added services to reduce the uncertainty related to their demand for energy. This study forms the structure of the demand for energy under stochastic production risk for the South Korean industrial sector. Public research programs aimed at the industrial sector should be concerned about both mean and risk properties in research on new technologies and in the investigation of possible alternative energy inputs. This book describes the state of the art in energy usage analysis and production risk, applying factor requirement methodology. It will be of use as a main or supplementary text in the teaching of advanced graduate courses but also as a reference for those working on empirically advanced research. The book is an important addition to the existing literature on industrial development, with its focus on energy as a core production input.

Impacts of technological change have historically been assessed only after the passage of a significant period of time. It is then that historians recreate the decisions that were made, sort out the influencing factors, and debate in hindsight the options that were available at the time. Sheldon Krimsky, consistent with the importance of his subject, telescopes this process by providing to contemporary readers a broad overview of the first ten years of the industrial revolution in applied molecular genetics. He discusses the birth and expectations of the biotechnology industry, the response to products of genetic engineering, perspectives on risk assessment from different sectors of the scientific community, and public initiatives to regulate new products. The author explores the social and political discourse on the direction of biotechnology, and offers the most detailed examination to date of the controversy over the environmental release of genetically engineered organisms. Finally, he takes a critical look at the conventional role of technology assessment and suggests an alternative model that fits more closely with the needs of an environmentally sensitive world.

Krimsky's thought-provoking work offers readers a unique opportunity to understand what questions were being asked, what options were available, and what decisions were being made when the industrial application of genetic technologies was still in its infancy. His insider's perspective will interest those working in the fields of biology and social issues; science, technology, and society; and the sociology of science. Challenging, cautioning, and balanced, this book is required reading for all who are seriously concerned with the relationship of emerging technologies to society.

The book provides a comprehensive application of narrative theory to video games, and presents the player-response paradigm of game criticism. Video Game Narrative and Criticism explains the nature of gameplay - a psychological experience and a meaning-making process in the fictional world of video games.

Provides first time integrated approach to R and D-project, -pipeline and -department management from a micro-, meso- and macroscopic view.

Derives 21 easy and ready to apply rules for a better design and a superior control of R and D without losinf sight of high scientific standards.

In the last few years, most parts of the world have morphed into an electronically interdependent economic unit where a disruption in one marketplace affects the others. New technologies have emerged, transforming the ways we do business and, consequently, redesigning the world. Innovation in disruptive technologies pushes new and more agile firms to set new benchmarks and forces established companies to revisit existing models or re-invent themselves to stay competitive. Disruptive Technologies, Innovation and Global Redesign: Emerging Implications provides case studies as well as practical and theoretical papers on the issues surrounding disruptive technologies, innovation, global redesign. This book will be a useful reference for academics, students, policymakers and professionals in the fields of emerging and disruptive technologies, innovation, economic planning, technology and society, technology transfer, and general technology management.

The world's leading experts contribute to our understanding of regional innovation, cluster formation and the factors that influence regional productivity and innovative performance. The text improves our understanding of the reasons why, how and where innovation clusters emerge, as well as the factors that determine their respective success or failure. In doing so, it provides a timely and comprehensive picture on innovation, location, networks and clusters as important means in an environment of intensifying interregional competition. The book is written for professional researchers as well as for students and practitioners in politics, business and consultancy.

This volume discusses the latest techniques and their economic applications for modern industries like computer, pharmaceutical, banking and other manaufacturing. These industries are most important for a growing economy. Both econometric and mathematical programming techniques are analyzed so as to develop a synthetic approach. The industrial applications not only emphasize the various aspects of R&D spending, advertisement expenditure and imperfect market structures, but also assess the economic benefits of measuring some specific performance paremers in the light of policy reforms adopted in a growing economy.

This important book provides a comprehensive analysis of the impact of privatization on the economic performance of companies in Central and Eastern Europe. It sheds new light on the achievements and shortcomings of the privatization process and draws out lessons for the future. After considering the theoretical issues surrounding privatization, the authors provide an in-depth examination of corporate governance and company performance in advanced market economies as well as transition economies. They begin with a description of the main principles, techniques and results of privatization in Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary and Poland. A statistical and econometric analysis of extensive company-level data and interviews from a large number of firms between 1990 and 1997 is then conducted to discover the main factors in changing economic performance. Using this information the authors compare the transformation of the company sectors in the four countries, and in addition assess company restructuring from the perspective of West European privatizations. Privatization and Economic Performance in Central Eastern Europe will be of interest to policymakers in governments and international organizations and those working in the fields of microeconomics, industrial organization and transition studies.

A host of internationally recognized experts have been brought together to examine one of the most important sectors in today's world economy, the information sector. The study utilizes the most recent quantitative and econometric research on the media and information sectors and their markets. Most of the work presented is from two international conferences and other invited conferences.

This innovative book analyses the role and importance of investment in knowledge and fixed capital as two distinct sources of technological change. It provides a balance to most of the recent literature on technological change, which focuses almost exclusively on R&D and intangible investment in innovation and technological assets. The author shows how innovative investment in fixed capital still represents a central part of innovation in firms. The book begins by reviewing the major economic approaches to technology and innovation. It discusses the progressive shift from capital (embodied) investment to disembodied investment including R&D and design. Using one of the most extensive data sources, Rinaldo Evangelista empirically tests whether disembodied technological activities are more important than traditional investment in productive capital. Perhaps surprisingly, the evidence suggests that fixed productive capital emerges as the most relevant and widespread source of investment in innovation across firms and industrial sectors. The author concludes that even in high-tech industries embodied and disembodied technological activities are complementary rather than substitutive. This book will be welcomed by those interested in technological and innovation studies, industrial organization and business strategy.

With China's eminent entry into the World Trade Organization, past speculations of China becoming a world economic power in the 21st century is a reality with which few would disagree. We are witnessing the awakening of many sleepy giants, such as the successful reformed state-owned as well as township and village enterprises. We are also witnessing the birth and growth of a significant private sector, along with ever-increasing foreign investments. In this development process, there is a critical need to document and theorize about the management process by firms in this changing and dynamic context.
The Management of Enterprises in the People's Republic of China aims to contribute to the knowledge base of management within the Chinese context. The book begins with a mapping of research on management in PRC, and offers theoretical insights for cross-context, institutional, and behavioral studies. It then reports the results of fourteen empirical studies of management issues in the PRC firms. The issues studied include SOE transformation, globalization, governance, employment relationships, managerial networks, corporate culture and leadership. Also included are studies on the knowledge management process and management team characteristics of high technology firms. The methods of study include large-scale surveys, case studies, and interviews. The contributors are international experts in Chinese management research. Finally, we offer executive perspectives on several successful firms operating in China through interviews with their CEOs.

One of the most striking paradoxes of our time has been the growing importance of regions in the face of a globalizing economy. This insightful book explains the dynamics of regions in a global economy and sheds light on the role of knowledge in driving regional growth. The author examines the way in which regions grow by receiving knowledge from surrounding regions. Using evolutionary theory, she advances the argument that knowledge spillovers operate locally. Computer-simulations analyse the impact of knowledge spillovers on economic growth across European regions. Finally, the author uses new original data on, among others, patents and research and development to demonstrate differences in economic and innovative activity across regions.

Based on the 2005 publication The Financial Appraisal Profile Model , this book discusses how the FAP model can present an integrated process for the appraisal of financial and strategic benefits and the assessment of risk in ICT (Information Communication Technology) project proposals.

The mining industry traditionally has not incorporated behavioral science concepts in its organizational philosophy. Using it as a case study, "Organization and Development in the Mining Industry" describes organization development in action, reviews principles and lessons from short -- and long-term programs of intervention, and presents case studies which illustrate the process of organizational change.

Johnston and Edwards propose that high technology will be at the heart of the United States economy as it enters the 21st century. They also state that small business will be the key to the expansion of the United States economy in the year 2000. In this volume, the authors analyze some significant trends that tend to support their proposals. Drawing upon case studies from the bio-technology and microelectronics industries, they discuss how changing the relationship between industry, universities, and the government is encouraging an entrepreneurial way of thinking. "Business Library Newsletter"

Management strategy now is the management of continuous change, and this timely book provides an in depth view of the remarkable opportunities that will be present for those who understand its message.

"D. Bruce Merrifield, Assistant Secretary for Productivity, Technology, and Innovation, U.S. Department of Commerce"

"Entrepreneuial Science" is a provocative analysis of some of the most significant new trends in the high technology-based economy. Authors Johnston and Edwards use case studies from the biotechnology and microelectronics indstries to illustrate how the traditional relationships between industry, universities, and the government are shifting towards new entrepreneurial relationships that will have significant and lasting effects on the U.S. economy. Demonstrating that the entrepreneurial firm is better equipped to develop the early stages of technology than the large company, they contend that both individuals and corporations must adapt to an entrepreneurial way of thinking if they are to compete successfully in the marketplace over the next decade.

Drawing heavily upon their own considerable experience in the biotechnology industry, Johnston and Edwards fully discuss such emerging trends as the commercialization of the university, innovative regional technology development programs, the links between small entrepreneurial firms and university laboratories, and the collaboration between large research-based corporations and startup companies. As they clearly illustrate, each of these trends is related and all will work together to radically alter the traditional path by which a product gets from the laboratory bench to the marketplace. Corporate managers, entrepreneurs, public policy experts, and university administrators will find this book an indispensable aid as they plan for the future in their own institutions.