Presenting extensive, recent advances in the field of hydrocracking-including new catalytic materials, reaction mechanisms and pathways, as well as new hydrocracking processes and applications-this unified reference covers in detail both catalysts and processes. Analyzing every important area related to the subject, Hydrocracking Science and Technology describes the petroleum refining process and the history of hydrocracking catalyst composition, preparation, and manufacturing methods deactivation and reactivation the correlation between catalyst composition and performance catalyst characterization and reclamation techniques reaction mechanisms and much more

Information & communication technology (ICT) and the automotive sector are two of the most important industries in the EU and the US. The EU's eastern expansion and economic globalization have reinforced competition on the one hand; on the other hand the importance of outsourcing and off-shoring has increased. Against this background the intensification of innovation dynamics becomes crucial - and with them the role of regional innovation clusters. The analysis examines seven regions and six EU countries. The focus is on cluster and network dynamics in both industries, as regional ICT clusters are playing an increasingly central role in many European regions. Specialization and structural change in the automotive sector are highlighted, and new strategic approaches for multinational companies and changes in policy options are identified.

In this book, author Sadao Nomura taps into his decades of experience leading and advising Toyota operations in a wide variety of operations to tell the story of radical improvement at Toyota Logistics & Forklift (TL&F). This book tells in great detail what the author did with TL&F, how they did it, and the dramatic results that ensued. TL&F has long been a global leader in its industry. TL&F is part of Toyota Industries Corporation, which was founded by Toyota Group founder Sakichi Toyoda almost 100 years ago. Sakichi Toyoda is legendary in the Lean community as the originator of the all-important "JIDOKA" pillar of TPS, which ensures 1) built-in quality and 2) respect for people through ensuring that technology works for people rather than the other way around. Although TL&F seemed to be performing well, insiders knew that, as the founding company of the Toyota group, it needed to do better, especially in the quality performance of its global subsidiary operations. But improvement would not be easy in a company that already prided itself in its history as an exemplar in providing highest quality products and services. In 2006, TL&F requested assistance from Sadao Nomura. The initial request was for Mr. Nomura to support quality improvement in three global operations that had become part of TL&F through acquisition: US, Sweden, and France. Improvement was expected at these affiliates, but the dramatic nature of the improvement was not. Further, the improvement activities were so powerful that they were also instituted at the parent operations in Japan. Over a period of almost ten years, the company with the name most associated with product quality experienced quality improvement unparalleled in its history. "Dantotsu" means "extreme," "radical," or "unparalleled."

Food is a massive industry and the many key players involved have very different interests. In wealthy nations those interests can range from corporate survival and maintaining profitability in a market with limited demand, to promoting a healthy diet and ensuring food safety. For the poor, the emphasis is all too often on simply getting enough to eat. As information technology and biotechnology are set to revolutionize the food system, it is essential to understand the broad context in which the different actors operate, so that all the world's people can enjoy a safe, secure, sufficient and sustainable food supply. This text provides an overview of today's dominant food system - one developed in and controlled by northern industrialized countries, and one that is becoming increasingly globalized.

This volume provides information on how to select and screen plants for their medicinal properties. It describes phytopharmacological techniques for extracting and qualitatively and quantitatively analyzing a plant's phytochemicals. After a detailed in vitro investigation including nutritional and anti-nutritional analyses, medicinal properties were tested with various in vivo models for anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-pyretic, anticancer and anti-diabetic properties, as well as wound healing, neurodegenerative diseases, etc. Compound identification and purification techniques include, among others, TLC and column chromatography, as well as molecular docking with specific proteins.

Sridharan provides an interpretative comparison of the political economy of policy and development of a new industry--electronics--in three major developing countries --India, Brazil, and Korea--over a quarter of a century. Electronics, defined to encompass the entire microelectronics-based complex of industries, is the epitome of a new industry for developing countries. Promoting it involves all the dilemmas of industrial policy for developing countries: state versus market, multinations versus domestic firms, imported versus indigenous development of technology, import-substitution versus export-orientation, and so forth.

India, Brazil, and Korea are three of the developing world's technological leaders and largest industrial producers. All began to systematically promote a local electronics industry in the late 1960s. Different strategies were chosen, different trajectories followed, and different outcomes resulted. Sridharan interprets this experience in comparative perspective in the light of the concept of strategic capacity (of developing countries to effect industrialization), refining and further augmenting it to advance the theoretical debate on the political economy of industrialization. This book will be of great interest to students, scholars, researchers, and policy makers involved with industrial development and public policy.

This groundbreaking book is the first to provide state-of-the-art information on the current changes and developments in European food and agricultural marketing. Food and Agribusiness Marketing in Europe contains broad and up-to-date coverage of agricultural and food marketing by experts in a variety of European countries including Germany, Greece, Italy, the United Kingdom, France, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, and Hungary. With chapters selected by the famous marketing specialist Matthew Meulenberg of The Netherlands, this enlightening book allows food and marketing professionals to gain new perspectives on the changing roles of food retailing and food industry in agricultural marketing and the structure of agriculture and food markets.This insightful book introduces readers to the common factors influencing European food marketing today including the stagnating volume of food demand, severe competition between suppliers of agricultural and food products, the overall shift in agricultural marketing towards more market-consumer orientation, and the resulting concern about product development, branding, and customer relationships. Major national differences in food and agricultural marketing in each country are also analyzed, in particular, the problems of implementing European Community legislation in the face of tremendous divergences among member countries in their needs, expectations, and priorities. Some of the other important topics covered in this in-depth book include: European food consumption and consumers food retailing in Europe the impact of the Common Agricultural policy and other government policies on agricultural marketing the conduct of agricultural marketing institutions and agribusinesses and their marketing performances agricultural and food marketing channels in European countries Food and Agribusiness Marketing in Europe is the first resource available that provides essential information on the tremendous changes in food and agricultural marketing in Europe. It is an invaluable reference on European marketing for students and teachers of agricultural marketing, European-oriented agribusiness managers, and internationally oriented agriculture policymakers who need to develop an understanding of food marketing developments in this area of the world.

A solid, rigorous, yet comprehensible analysis of process capability indices, this work bridges the gap between theoretical statisticians and quality control practitioners, showing how an understanding of these indices can lead to process improvement.

International competitiveness is a prime concern of food industries and governments around the world as they have come to recognize that freer markets pose new threats and offer new opportunities. This book provides a review of the current thinking on competitiveness, encompassing ideas from Porter's "Diamond of Competitive Advantage", Balassa's "Revealed Comparative Advantage", Dunning's analysis of international business, Italian analysis of industrial districts and Boston Consulting Group approaches. Issues raised will be addressed through six European case studies, chosen to provide representation in terms of food product sector, orientation and country type.

Pharmaceutical Economics begins with an investigation of the structure of the industry and its three main components: the research firms which produce innovative products; the generic drug industry and its expanding role; and the biotech industry, which is regarded as the future for pharmaceuticals. Further sections discuss topics including demand and incentives, pricing and regulation. Professor Comanor and Professor Schweitzer have selected the most significant articles by leading academics, in order to offer a blend of standard economic interpretations of pharmaceutical policy and important new topics including biosimilars, insurance coverage for pharmaceuticals, price-fixing and direct-to-consumer advertising. An authoritative new introduction by the editors provides an insightful guide to these important topics.

The world's population continues to grow year after year, putting pressure on all global resources. This book provides examples of how we can deal with all the challenges associated with aspects of population growth in the quest for sustainable development. It presents case studies on different areas of sustainability in the food industry, which includes food production and consumption. The collection of illustrative examples includes cases from agriculture and fisheries, the food refining sector, the supply chain, wholesale and retail channels, and other relevant aspects that enhance our understanding of how sustainability takes place in this global sector. The book will appeal to a wide readership, from practitioners to researchers, teachers and students worldwide.

This path-breaking book addresses the ongoing implications for traditional pharmaceutical companies and biopharmaceutical start-ups of the realignment of the industry knowledge-base. The theoretical approach draws on the modern theory of the firm and related ideas in order to better define the concept of the business model, which is employed to guide the case studies and empirical analysis in the book. The author shows that while traditional pharmaceutical companies have successfully adjusted their business models to meet the challenges of biotechnology, biopharmaceutical start-ups have experienced more problems. Despite the poor financial performance of the vast majority of these firms, the biopharmaceutical sector as a whole has created significant value. However, this has been captured disproportionately by a handful of large, fully-integrated biopharmaceutical firms and, to a lesser extent, by the largest dozen pharmaceutical companies.This highly focused book will be a captivating read for innovation and biopharmaceutical industry analysts, as well as advisers formulating policies to support the development of the biopharmaceutical sector. Academics working on innovation and biotechnology, as well as scientists engaged in research in the life sciences, will also find this book of particular interest.

This book examines the application of key elements of the Japanese Production System to five East Asian countries whose social and managerial environments differ from each other as well as from those of Japan. To analyse the key elements, a working model was constructed and applied. Using this model, these Japanese plants are also compared with those in the US where a previous study was undertaken. It includes contributions from leading researchers and academics.

Whirl Flutter of Turboprop Aircraft Structures, Second Edition explores the whirl flutter phenomenon, including theoretical, practical, analytical and experimental aspects of the matter. Sections provide a general overview regarding aeroelasticity, discussions on the physical principle and the occurrence of whirl flutter in aerospace practice, and experimental research conducted, especially from the 60s. Other chapters delve into analytical methods such as basic and advanced linear models, non-linear and CFD based methods, certification issues including regulation requirements, a description of possible certification approaches, and several examples of aircraft certification from aerospace. Finally, a database of relevant books, reports and papers is provided. This updated and expanded second edition covers new chapters including both analytical and experimental aspects of the subject matter.

Around the world, food has probably never been as safe as it is today. However, periodic crises have aroused consumer anxiety and contributed to a general lack of confidence in the agro-industrial system. The diverse nature of these crises increases governments' and industry difficulties in predicting and tackling them. This book addresses the relations between risk and food theoretically and empirically through case studies from Japan and China. Part I of the book examines the interaction between theoretical aspects and decision-making. The book theorizes the links between food and risk and analyses the decision-making process in light of risks and governance. The relationship between food risks, governance systems and economic decisions is assessed to explore ideas such as the "pact of nutrition" and the theory of weak signals. Part II examines case studies from China and Japan in the aftermaths of recent crises such as the milk powder scandal in China and food safety following the Fukushima nuclear accident and tsunami in Japan. This book will be an important resource for scholars, academics and policy-makers in the fields of sociology, economics, food studies, Chinese studies and Japanese studies and theories of risks and safety.

Did food poisoning play a role in the Salem witch trials, leading to the hanging of nineteen men and women? Which poison recently laced the food of Russian ex-KGB agent Viktor Litvinenko, and how did it kill him? In Death in the Pot, internationally renowned food expert Morton Satin documents several culinary mishaps and misdeeds in an engrossing narrative that spans the ancient world to the present day. Historic events both tragic and bizarre have resulted from adulterated food. In the fifth century BCE, the great plague of Athens, probably caused by contaminated cereals, led to the defeat of the Athenians in the Peloponnesian War. In the prescientific Middle Ages, illnesses resulting from contaminated food were often attributed to the wrath of God or malevolent spirits. Heavily infectious ergot induced a spasmodic muscle condition, which the Church named "St. Anthony's Fire" and interpreted as retribution by God on heretics. Similarly, in seventeenth-century America the hallucinogenic symptoms of moldy grain were thought by Puritans to be signs of witchcraft. Even the madness of King George III, which played a role in the American Revolution, may have been induced by accidental arsenic poisoning. In the twentieth century, Satin recounts the efforts of modern industrial societies to make food safer; in some cases these efforts were heroic. For example, in the early days of the Food and Drug Administration a "Poison Squad" was formed, consisting of young scientists who willingly acted as guinea pigs to test the toxic effects of chemical additives. Today, the government has focused on the hazards of food bioterrorism. Satin concludes by describing measures taken to protect the public from intentional and unintentional poisoning, as well as recounting recent poisoning incidents. Both a fascinating glimpse into history from a unique angle and an authoritative reference work on food safety, Death in the Pot offers entertaining and informative reading for laypersons as well as experts in food technology and public health.

Energy consumption is of great interest to manufacturing companies. Beyond considering individual processes and machines, the perspective on process chains and factories as a whole holds major potentials for energy efficiency improvements. To exploit these potentials, dynamic interactions of different processes as well as auxiliary equipment (e.g. compressed air generation) need to be taken into account. In addition, planning and controlling manufacturing systems require balancing technical, economic and environmental objectives. Therefore, an innovative and comprehensive methodology - with a generic energy flow-oriented manufacturing simulation environment as a core element - is developed and embedded into a step-by-step application cycle. The concept is applied in its entirety to a wide range of case studies such as aluminium die casting, weaving mills, and printed circuit board assembly in order to demonstrate the broad applicability and the benefits that can be achieved.

The world population is expected to increase exponentially within the next decade, which means that the food demand will increase and so will waste production. There is a need for effective food waste management as wasted food leads to overutilization of water and fossil fuels and increasing greenhouse gas emissions from the degradation of food. Global Initiatives for Waste Reduction and Cutting Food Loss explores methods for reducing waste and cutting food loss in order to help the environment and support local communities, as well as solve issues including that of land space. Covering topics that include food degradation, enzymes, and microorganisms, this publication is designed for policymakers, environmentalists, engineers, government officials, researchers, scientists, academicians, and students.

This book explores the importance of the agriculturally-based fiber and textile industry, and how local, small-scale operations and markets, coupled with a connection to soil health, can lead the way to new transformative changes. It draws on a four-year research project on Norwegian wool, as well as similar studies in Poland and Portugal. It also explores the role of women and the Indigenous perspective: in Europe this will constitute Sami and Inuit, in Northern America the Inuit and First Nations in Canada, along with Native Americans. Born out of academic interest in the slow food movement, the importance of local raw materials has been put under the spotlight in recent years. Meanwhile, the havoc wreaked by the fast fashion industry has been drawing attention to the need for a new, sustainable approach to clothing and textile manufacture. This edited collection is unique in its scope, taking the conversation beyond traditional debates around fast fashion and agriculture, and examining how textile industry is rooted in the land, and within society and community. Featuring a diverse range of authors, the book will be valuable reading for academics interested in sustainable management, the study of consumption, the study of Indigenous perspectives, and the study of agricultural practices.

Biotechnology' - the integrated use of biochemistry, microbiology, and chemical engineering for the technological application of the capabilities of microbes and cultured tissue cells - is quickly becoming pervasive and challenging, rapidly developing both new techniques and industries. The Economic and Social Dynamics of Biotechnology - a joint project between Statistics Canada, the Program of Research on Innovation, Management and Economy (PRIME) at the University of Ottawa, and CIRANO at the University of Quebec in Montreal - brings together economic, social, and statistical views on the dynamics of this set of emerging technologies. It examines the costs as well as the benefits - the challenges as well as the choices - of the rapidly expanding science-based world of biodiversity, biopharmaceuticals, and bioinformatics, and it provides suggestions for future work and research. This project fits into an ongoing research program at Statistics Canada to develop meaningful indicators for science, technology, and innovation in a technology-intensive economy. This book tells the story of the inner workings of innovation systems, technological systems, and competence blocs in the production, use, and diffusion of knowledge.

Video recording has recently become an important phenomenon. Although the majority of American homes have at least one video recording set, not much is known about video recording's past and about its continual effect on affiliated industries. This text documents the history of magnetic recording, stressing its importance in consumer as well as commercial applications from the advent of magnetism through the invention of such new technologies as Digital Audio Tape (DAT), High Definition Television (HDTV), and a multitude of sophisicated Digital Video Cassette Recorders.