The sparks from the spirit of science include not only new knowledge but also innovations, the major ingredients of development and sustainability. This book creates an understanding of science and its role in innovation and sustainable development and points out unfilled gaps in human development. It highlights opportunities for societies to overcome obstacles in development. The book is written in an easy-to-understand manner, avoiding technical jargon, and contains case studies, practical examples, and historical perspectives. It is intended for a general, especially young readership and will appeal to those curious about the nature of science and its benefits, together with its possible pitfalls.

This book will provide the necessary theoretical background and a description of plasma-related devices and processes that are used industrially for physicists and engineers. It is a self-contained introduction to the principles of plasma engineering with comprehensive references. This volume also includes the terminology, jargon and acronyms used in the field of industrial plasma engineering - indexed when they first appear in the text - along with their definitions and a discussion of their meaning. It is aimed at assisting the student in learning key terminology and concepts, and providing the in-service engineer or scientist with a technical glossary. An extensive index and appendices enhance the value of this book as a key reference source. These incorporate a list of the nomenclature used in mathematical expressions in the text, physical constants, and often-used plasma formulae. SI units are used throughout. Intended for students from all engineering and physical science disciplines, and as a reference source by in-service engineers. Coverage: * basic information on plasma physics and the physical processes important in industrial plasmas * sources of ion and electron beams and ionizing radiation used in industrial applications * physics and technology of DC and RF electrical discharges.

New technology is intimately associated with increased economic growth. The tools people have and when they acquired them tells us much about cyclical patterns of growth. Those interested in encouraging economic growth would do well to look to the conditions that spur the origins, development, and impact of technology - as well as the circumstances that spur prolific periods of invention, the mother of technology.Despite general recognition of the connection between technology and growth, economists rarely have gotten to the heart of the relationship. Joseph Schumpeter and John Hicks were aware of the role of technology in cyclical variability, but their thoughts were not elaborated upon after they passed from the scene. Nathan Edmonson goes beyond formal theory, reviewing the record of economic growth and the role of technology in this growth.What does the technology future hold? One clue is where past prototype inventions that that have fomented massive technological innovations have come from. Some parts of the private sector, such as Bell Labs, have been important. The government, particularly in its sponsorship of defense related research, has delivered a number of inventions. Universities are very much in the picture in certain fields, such as nanotechnology. The challenges we face at the onset of the twenty-first century are covered in depth and with imagination by Edmonson. The book will spur much rethinking about economic futures.

The Silicon Dragon is a systematic study of the growth of high-tech giants in the Greater China Region, depicting the success story of the microelectronics industry in Taiwan. Literature and studies on Taiwan's success are surprisingly limited, and this book aims to fill this gap, addressing questions such as: How has Taiwan achieved such an outstanding performance in the information industry? How did Taiwan obtain and maintain its competitive advantage? What was the secret of success? What role did the government and manufacturers play during the development process? What insights can newcomers gain from these achievements? The book examines the government policies that acted as catalysts to the growth of high-tech industries in Taiwan, along with the roles of high-tech 'incubators' and government-administered science parks. The authors provide case studies of high profile companies including Acer, Philips Semiconductors and Macronix International, and interviews with key decision makers to highlight the corporate strategies adopted in response to government policies and global commercial demand. Finally, insightful narratives on the birth and growth of a government-fostered strategic industry are provided, as is a synopsis of the Asian contribution to the evolution of the global microelectronics development. This book will strongly appeal to academics, researchers and students with an interest in engineering, technology and business management. Business managers and government officials will also find much to interest them in this book.

This work presents a compilation of technical papers and poster synopses delivered at the 14th Conference on Catalysis of Organic Reactions. The book investigates current developments in the study of catalysis as it relates to organic synthesis, detailing industrial applications. It suggests cost-effective routes for the synthesis of valuable industrial and pharmaceutical chemicals.

Providing comprehensive, up-to-the minute discussions of all aspects that relate to the physical and chemical properties, manufacture, and industrial uses of biosurfactants, this important new reference offers first-hand accounts of biosurfactant research from leading biotechnology laboratories.It also introduces promising possible uses of biosurfactants in medicine, in environmental control, and for marine organisms supplying a comprehensive overview of production, this text - reviews the biosynthetic mechanisms for surfactants and their precursor molecules; examines immobilized biocatalyst, lipopeptide, and rhamnolipid production; highlights glycolipid biosynthesis; explicates genetic engineering of surface-active compounds and the biophysics of microbial surfactants; evaluates biological activities and microbial lipopolysaccharides; assesses the application of biosurfactants in environmental control; focuses on pulmonary surfactants; furnishes information on the economics of biosurfactants as a key to industrial applications. experts and containing more than 1430 literature citations, tables and figures, this book provides a resource for physical, surface, and colloid chemists; petrochemical, chemical, biochemical, petroleum, and pollution control engineers; pharmacologists; cosmetic scientists; food scientists; microbiologists; biotechnologists; and graduate-level and continuing education students in these discipline

Many scientists and technologists would like to carry out their own statistical analyses without reference to a professional statistician. Often, however, they have no knowledge of statistics or otherwise do not know how to apply it to research and development problems. The first edition of Statistics in Research and Development was written for these people. The second edition brings the book up-to-date.

The text is divided into two parts; the first introduces basic but very important statistical techniques whilst the second part presents the modern powerful methods of data analysis that are particularly useful in modern research and development. Problems are provided at the end of each chapter with worked solutions provided at the end of the book. A problem-centered approach is used throughout and care has been taken to choose problems with which the scientist or technologist can identify. The results of the statistical analyses are reinterpreted into the language of the scientist. Mathematics is kept to a minimum and the assumptions underlying each technique are clearly explained. All the techniques introduced are powerful and proven, and commercial computer programs are available for many of them.

Behind the rhetoric of intervention' and deregulation' which has accompanied state attempts to stimulate technological innovation in the last decade is secreted a story of failed ambitions, confusion, muddle and incoherence.
Techno-industrial innovation does make demands on the state, not only in terms of new industries, but also in regard to the inter-relation of industrial and R&D policy and the creation of markets.
This book provides a comparative analysis of techno-industrial innovation in Europe, Japan and the USA. Drawing on case studies ranging from the semi-conductor to the biotechnology industries, the book presents a comprehensive and detailed survey of national strategies for the internal and world markets and sets them in their political context, where the costs may be high and the pay-offs uncertain'.

The first book devoted to laser techniques in the generation and reception of ultrasonic waves in materials, Laser Ultrasonics: Techniques and Applications provides a full description of the state of the art in all fields involving both lasers and ultrasonics. This practical book focuses mainly on the possible applications of the techniques, yet theory is discussed wherever necessary. After an introduction to ultrasonics and laser technology, the book reviews acousto-optics, various acousto-optic devices, and noninterferometric optical methods of measuring ultrasonic displacements. The authors then describe opto-acoustic techniques, discussing laser interferometry, including reference-beam, velocity, and Fabry-Perot systems, and their application to ultrasonic measurement on different surfaces. The authors also detail the generation of ultrasound as a consequence of the absorption of laser light in material. The book proceeds to discuss applications of laser-generated ultrasound, both by itself and in combination with laser interferometric reception to form an entirely remote and non-contact measurement and testing system. Comparisons with nonoptical techniques for ultrasonic generation and detection are made where appropriate. The book concludes with a discussion of the future developments and uses of laser techniques in ultrasonics, with particular reference to nondestructive testing.

Advances in Photovoltaics: Part Four provides valuable information on the challenges faced during the transformation of our energy supply system to more efficient, renewable energies. The volume discusses the topic from a global perspective, presenting the latest information on photovoltaics, a cornerstone technology. It covers all aspects of this important semiconductor technology, reflecting on the tremendous and dynamic advances that have been made on this topic since 1975, when the first book on solar cells-written by Harold J. Hovel of IBM-was published as volume 11 in the now famous series on Semiconductors and Semimetals. Readers will gain a behind the scenes look at the continuous and rapid scientific development that leads to the necessary price and cost reductions in global industrial mass-production.

This is a comprehensive introduction to our present understanding of the electrical nature of thunderstorms for graduate level students of physics and/or meteorology, as well as research scientists. The text systematically discusses the electrical measurements of storms, examines lightning mapping studies in detail, presents many electrical observations in the context of storm structure and evolution, explains modern numerical cloud models of storm electrification, and examines electrical properties of several types of storms and storm systems. The book details the advances made possible by new technologies in a form that is suitable both for students and for professionals in the field.

Researchers in the rapidly growing field of intelligence studies face unique and difficult challenges ranging from finding and accessing data on secret activities, to sorting through the politics of intelligence successes and failures, to making sense of complex socio-organizational or psychological phenomena. The contributing authors to Researching National Security Intelligence survey the state of the field and demonstrate how incorporating multiple disciplines helps to generate high-quality, policy-relevant research. Following this approach, the volume provides a conceptual, empirical, and methodological toolkit for scholars and students informed by many disciplines: history, political science, public administration, psychology, communications, and journalism. This collection of essays written by an international group of scholars and practitioners propels intelligence studies forward by demonstrating its growing depth, by suggesting new pathways to the creation of knowledge, and by identifying how scholarship can enhance practice and accountability.

Worldwide, countries have to respond to local and global socio-technological shifts and needs, specifically the transformations wrought by a rapidly shifting understanding of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Science, technology and innovation policy (STI) finds itself at the intersection of these local and global challenges. Innovation Policy at the Intersection: Global Debates and Local Experiences shows that a comprehensive rethink in STI policy-making is required - one that takes a systemic view of the varied challenges, and adopts an inclusive and holistic approach to STI policy. Such a rethink has to bring together the global and local, the theoretical and practical. The chapters in this book follow three broad concerns: The theories and approaches that have historically informed STI policy-making, along with the most influential current approaches in different country contexts; The development and application of comprehensive STI monitoring and evaluation systems as developed and implemented by various public agencies; and The role and function of STI policy advisory bodies within their respective contexts. Innovation Policy at the Intersection provides a comparative lens of different theories and practices across a unique spectrum of national contexts, including Austria, Brazil, Colombia, Finland, Iran, Mexico, Norway, South Africa, South Korea, and Sweden.

Companies have to innovate to stay competitive, and they have to collaborate with other organizations to innovate effectively. Although the benefits of "open innovation" have been described in detail before, mechanisms underlying how companies can be successful "open innovators" have not be understood well. A growing community of innovation management researchers started to develop different frameworks to understand open innovation in a more systematic way. This book provides a thorough examination of research conducted to date on open innovation, as well as a comprehensive overview of what will be the most important, most promising and most relevant research topics in this area during the next decade. "Open Innovation: Researching a new paradigm" (OUP 2006) was the first initiative to bring open innovation closer to the academic community. Open innovation research has since then been growing in an exponential way and research has evolved in different and unexpected directions. As the research field is growing, it becomes increasingly difficult for young (and even experienced scholars) to keep an overview of the most important trends in open innovation research, of the research topics that are most promising for the coming years, and of the most interesting management challenges that are emerging in organizations practicing open innovation. In the spirit of an open approach to innovation, the editors have engaged other scholars and practitioners to contribute some of their interesting insights in this book.

The pace of change today is unprecedented. As more than one observer has said, change itself has changed. Technologies and markets in virtually every industry are now subject to rapid and unpredictable change, placing a premium on the ability to successfully manage new paradoxes, such as being entrepreneurial and efficient, as well as able to sense shifts and rapidly respond and secure enough stability for quality and efficiency. In short, enterprise leaders face a paradigm shift in management, and they will be forced to transform their organizations in order to survive in the 21st century. This book will provide leaders with the fundamental principles for managing a firm in the digital economy, as well as the Rendanheyi business model, developed for the new century. Finally, the book will provide leaders with a case, based on GE Appliances, on how they can effectively transform their own organizations. Foreword by Edgar Schein and Peter Schein.

Stresses the Potential Applications of Biosurfactants in Various Industries Environmental concerns and a demand for sustainable chemical production have become important issues in recent years. As a result, microbial biosurfactant-producing systems are gaining momentum as potential replacements for chemical surfactants. Biosurfactants: Production and Utilization-Processes, Technologies, and Economics explores the production, utilization, and industrial/economic use of biosurfactants in modern biotechnology. This book represents comprehensive material developed by contemporary experts in the field. Focusing on research and developments within the last 20 years, it highlights relevant changes in the industry. It provides a detailed account of the current applications of biosurfactants, considers the potential for further environmental, biological, and industrial applications, and concentrates on surfactants and organisms with possibilities for future use. Emphasizes Process Scale-Up and Commercialization Factoring in the industrial application of biosurfactant production based on renewable resources, the book determines how biosurfactants can enhance or replace the properties of chemically synthesized surface-active agents. It discusses moving beyond the laboratory scale of research and development and on to the industrial scale of commercial interest. The book consists of 17 chapters and features expert authors discussing topics that include: Understanding the regulatory processes controlling the production of biosurfactants Strategies for feasible commercial biosurfactant production Examples of cost analysis based on published information The viability of industrial applications in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals Patents for future trends Biosurfactants: Production and Utilization-Processes, Technologies, and Economics contains special sections devoted to the overview and evaluation of specific patents relating to biosurfactants, and methods for production of biosurfactants on a laboratory and industrial/commercial scale. It also presents novel and proven applications for biosurfactants from a number of biotechnology laboratories and research facilities around the world. In addition, it introduces the reader to a variety of real-world industry techniques readily applicable for practical use.

This book addresses the new field of standards dynamics. It focuses in particular on the tension between standards and change. Standards are points of reference and should therefore be inherently stable (at least to a certain degree). However, technologies change at an increasing pace, particularly in the field of information technology (IT). This requires the development of more standards and more updates, and leads to increased competition between standards. In many situations problems arise, such as how to retain compatibility if standards keep on changing and whether to adopt the new version. If standards are related, how does changing one standard affect the others? The contributing authors gathered here analyse the causes and scale of change in order to demonstrate how to prevent, reduce and cope with its negative impact. Addressing a number of highly up-to-date issues including the sustainability of documents and data, this book will be of great interest to those concerned with innovation, management of technology and the emerging field of standardization studies. In addition, standard-setting organizations and policymakers should be aware of the ambivalence of standards dynamics.

The rise of artificial intelligence and its countless branches have caused many professional industries to rethink their traditional methods of practice and develop new techniques to keep pace with technological advancement. The continued use of intelligent technologies in the professional world has propelled researchers to contemplate future opportunities and challenges that artificial intelligence may withhold. Significant research is a necessity for understanding future trends of artificial intelligence and the preparation of prospective issues. Analyzing Future Applications of AI, Sensors, and Robotics in Society provides emerging research exploring the potential uses and future challenges of intelligent technological advancements and their impact in education, finance, politics, business, healthcare, and engineering. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as neuronal networks, cognitive computing, and e-health, this book is ideally designed for practitioners, researchers, scientists, executives, strategists, policymakers, academicians, government officials, developers, and students seeking current research on future societal uses of intelligent technology.

The increasing creation, support, use and consumption of digital representation of information touches a wide breadth of economic activities. This digitization has transformed social interactions, facilitated entirely new industries and undermined others and reshaped the ability of people - consumers, job seekers, managers, government officials and citizens - to access and leverage information. This important book includes seminal papers addressing topics such as the causes and consequences of digitization, factors shaping the structure of products and services and creating an enormous range of new applications and how market participants make their choices over strategic organization, market conduct, and public policies. This authoritative collection, with an original introduction by the editors, will be an invaluable source of reference for students, academics and practitioners with an interest in the economics of digitisation and the digital economy.

Technology infrastructure supports the design, deployment and use of both individual technology-based components and the systems of such components that form the knowledge-based economy. As such, it plays a central role in the innovation process and in the promotion of the diffusion of technologies. Thus, it is an important element contributing to the operation of innovation systems and innovation performance in any modern economy. Technology infrastructure, either in the narrow or broad sense, is not well understood as an element of a sector's technology platform or of a national innovation system. Similarly misunderstood are the processes by which such infrastructure is embodied in standards or diffused through various institutional frameworks. In fact, because of the public and quasi-public good nature of technology infrastructure, firms as well as public-sector agencies under invest in it, thus inhibiting long-term technological advancement and economic growth. This volume of essays brings together a collection of papers from eminent scholars on all of the various dimensions of technology infrastructure mentioned above. To our knowledge, it is the first such collection of papers and we expect this scholarship to become the foundation for future research in this area. This book was published as a special issue of Economics of Innovation and New Technology.

This ground-breaking and highly visual book presents a framework on how to relate to these times of technological uncertainties. The author, a serial entrepreneur, technology investor and futurist, argues that by combining curiosity, a bit of skepticism and understanding of current trends we can gain insight into and take advantage of the opportunities that come from new technologies. This handbook will give you a clear view of technology's impact beyond the hype and a complete toolbox on how to handle the upcoming revolution from a strategic perspective. You will delve into a step-by-step approach on how to analyze technologies, assess business implications and adapt to a new reality. Digitization is only the warmup, and ignorance is not a viable business strategy!

Until recently, economists studying economic development have tended to consider it as a universal process, or focused their attention on common aspects. This book originates from the growing recognition of significant sectoral differences in economic development and examines the catching-up process in five different economic sectors: pharmaceuticals, telecommunications equipment, semiconductors, software, and agro-food industries. Each of these sector studies explore the learning and catch-up processes in various developing countries, in order to identify both the common features, and those which differ significantly across sectors and nations. The authors pay particular attention to China, India, Brazil, Korea and Taiwan. Edited by two of the leading scholars in the field, this book will prove to be invaluable for academics and postgraduate students interested in economic and technological development, and evolutionary economics. Contributors include: J.O. Adeoti, S. Athreye, A.C. Castro, R. Diaz, S. Gu, S. Guennif, X.-X. Kong, K. Lee, Y. Lin, F. Malerba, S. Mani, Q. Mu, R.R. Nelson, J. Niosi, J. Orozco, S.V. Ramani, R. Rasiah, J. Song, T. Tschang

The management of technological innovation (MTI) is one of the most important challenges facing businesses today. Innovation has become the fundamental driver of competitiveness for firms of all sizes in virtually all business sectors and nations. The first edition of this book has become one of the most popular texts for students of innovation and technology management. This new edition sees David Gann and Ammon Salter join Mark Dodgson as authors, drawing on their combined experience of 60 years of researching and teaching MTI. It combines the most relevant theoretical analysis with contemporary and historical empirical evidence to provide a comprehensive, yet concise and readable, guide to the challenges of MTI. By explaining the innovation process the book reveals the broad scope of MTI and its importance for company survival, growth and sustainability. It describes how MTI has to be managed strategically and how this is successfully achieved by formulating and implementing strategy and delivering value. Chapters provide frameworks, tools and techniques, and case studies on managing: innovation strategy, communities, and networks, R&D, design and new product and service development, operations and production, and commercialization. Based on robust analysis, the book provides a wide range of empirical evidence from a huge diversity of case studies, with around fifty case studies newly written for this edition. It analyses MTI in all parts of the world, in companies large and small, and in services, manufacturing, and resource-based business sectors. This new edition has been fully revised and updated to reflect the latest teaching and research, and to ensure its continuing relevance to the contemporary world of MTI. It will be an important resource for academics, students, and managers throughout the world, is a recommended text for students of innovation and technology management at postgraduate and undergraduate level, and is particularly valuable for MBA courses.

The overarching theme of this volume is the cyclical nature of technological change, its impact on economic growth, and the limits of government intervention. Technological revolutions are infrequent; there were only three in all of the twentieth century. When they occur, their possibilities are often not immediately apparent. Technology revolutions induce capital investment, not just because they stimulate the need to acquire the new technology, but also because of the need to replace obsolete capacity and new infrastructure.

While government has encouraged general economic progress by carrying out highly risky innovations unrelated to fostering economic growth, it seldom succeeds with specific efforts to foster growth. Recent examples of success include the Internet and the global positioning system (GPS), which trace their origins to defense-related research. In contrast, the countercyclical economic stimuli of 2007-2009 have achieved little in the way of general growth. The lack of data about the technology cycle makes formulating appropriate monetary and other policy countercyclical interventions difficult.

A technology-founded upswing animated the American economy after 1990, and the "great recession" of 2007- 2009 reflected the waning of the investment boom that this revolution generated. Edmonson argues that the impact of technology revolutions on general economic growth has never received the attention it deserves. This volume will contribute much to debates on economic policy.

Technological change is key in explaining industrial leadership, but the relationships and interactions between scientific research, industrial innovation, and competitiveness are neither clear nor straightforward. This book analyses the role of technological change in the competitiveness of firms and national economies.