Innovation strategies in central Europe: a corporate perspective

This paper seeks to outline the innovations strategies that various corporations have pursued in Central Europe over the last few decades. It will examine from a corporate perspective the scope and definition of innovation, highlighting how this has changed in today's eclectic ever changing environment. Drawing upon cases studies, this paper will highlight best practice in formulating innovation strategies within Central Europe. In conclusion, it will be argued that in spite of living in an environment where the pressure for companies to constantly reinvent some part of themselves is increasing, companies could greatly benefit from taking time to pause and consider how they can capitalise on the key lessons and best practice considerations that have arisen

Sparking Social Innovations

{Excerpt} Necessity is the mother of invention. The demand for good ideas, put into practice, that meet pressing unmet needs and improve people’s lives is growing on a par with the agenda of the 21st century. In a shrinking world, social innovation at requisite institutional levels can do much to foster smart, sustainable globalization. In consequence of successive scientific revolutions, mankind has changed its conditions and capacities with increasing speed. Globalization is a given: today, mankind’s activities are affecting the entire planet—and thereby mankind itself—for good and ill. A select list of the worldwide challenges we face includes alleviating poverty; mitigating and adapting to climate change; ending abuse of natural resources and the environment; cleaning up environmental pollution; dealing with natural disasters; countering medical challenges, e.g., pandemics; encouraging disarmament; coping with security threats; accommodating nonstate power; handling failed states; tapping capacity for social action; allaying frustration among minorities; confronting violence; identifying global rights; building a global rule of law; evolving regulatory and institutional frameworks to contain global financial and economic crises; optimizing international trade; managing mass migrations; employing human resources better; and optimizing knowledge

Astronomy and Computing: a New Journal for the Astronomical Computing Community

We introduce \emph{Astronomy and Computing}, a new journal for the growing population of people working in the domain where astronomy overlaps with computer science and information technology. The journal aims to provide a new communication channel within that community, which is not well served by current journals, and to help secure recognition of its true importance within modern astronomy. In this inaugural editorial, we describe the rationale for creating the journal, outline its scope and ambitions, and seek input from the community in defining in detail how the journal should work towards its high-level goals.Comment: 5 pages, no figures; editorial for first edition of journa

Telecom regulation in the EU facing change of tack: Competition requires a clear policy line

The introduction of sector-specific regulation in the EU has fostered competition and innovation in the telecommunications industry. However, the liberalisation process still has a long way to go. The debate on the new scenario facing European telecoms regulators shows that as far as the institutional (centralised or decentralised) and time-related (ex-post or ex-ante) focus is concerned, a clear policy line is required. Politically motivated delays and ensuing uncertainties in the market must be avoided in order to boost innovation and achieve sustainable competition.regulation, telecommunications, EU, fixed line telephony

Distributive Injustice(s) in American Health Care

Havighurst and Richman seek to show the nature--and to suggest the cumulative attitude--of the many regressive tendencies of the financing, regulatory and legal regime governing the private side of US health care

Acrylic purification and coatings

Radon (Rn) and its decay daughters are a well-known source of background in direct WIMP detection experiments, as either a Rn decay daughter or an alpha particle emitted from a thin inner surface layer of a detector could produce a WIMP-like signal. Different surface treatment and cleaning techniques have been employed in the past to remove this type of contamination. A new method of dealing with the problem has been proposed and used for a prototype acrylic DEAP-1 detector. Inner surfaces of the detector were coated with a layer of ultra pure acrylic, meant to shield the active volume from alphas and recoiling nuclei. An acrylic purification technique and two coating techniques are described: a solvent-borne (tested on DEAP-1) and solvent-less (being developed for the full scale DEAP-3600 detector).Comment: Proceedings of Topical Workshop on Low Radioactivity Techniques (LRT 2010), SNOLAB, Sudbury, Canada, Aug 28-29, 201

Identifying entrepreneurial potential? An investigation of the identifiers and features of entrepreneurship

Abstract. The paper reports a study of entrepreneurship potential amongst students at one university using a quantitative instrument to measure three of the most commonly cited predictors: access to entrepreneurial role models; urgency of entrepreneurial intent; and desire for economic autonomy. The paper reports also on qualitative interviews with those identified as most and least likely to become entrepreneurs by the measure. Results suggest that the measure is effective and that there is variation between those most and least likely to become entrepreneurs and commonalities amongst those most likely to become entrepreneurs. Of the three predictors 'desire for economic autonomy' is most influential, but the generation of this 'desire' involves various internal and external influences. Findings are of interest to educators insofar as they might identify the stage of entrepreneurial development of students and develop appropriate pedagogic responses. It has implications also for policy aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurship support

Social innovation, social enterprise, and local public services: undertaking transformation?

This article discusses some of the challenges encountered in embedding effective and sustainable social enterprise and social innovation within established political institutional systems to deliver local welfare services. It draws upon evidence analyzing social innovation and social enterprise in Scotland to contribute to the debate over whether social innovations and social enterprises are able to meet expectations in addressing the significant challenges faced by welfare systems. The article clarifies the meaning of both these contested concepts and explains how social innovation and social enterprise relate to similar ideas in social and public policy. The evidence suggests that actually operating social enterprises and social innovations do not embrace the image of them promoted by enthusiasts as either “entrepreneurial” or “innovative”. Furthermore, they bring distinctive challenges in delivering local welfare services, including potential tensions or rivalry with existing public agencies. The article suggests that social enterprises and social innovations are not themselves instigators nor catalysts for systemic change, but that their impact is constrained by structural conditions and institutional factors beyond their control

Organizational Synergy, Dissonance and Spinoffs

Spinoff firms are exceptional performers across industries. The causes for the emergence of spinoff firms are widely investigated in the literature. However, the role of teams for spinoffs has received little scholarly attention. On one hand, talented individuals may find it necessary to team up with others to utilize complementary knowledge and generate synergies. On the other hand, some types of team production environments may have dissonance and motivate individuals to leave the team. The present study demonstrates that organizational synergies and dissonance can be incorporated into appropriate specifications of team production functions. This framework explains the necessity to form a team, stability of teams, and the emergence of different types of spinoffs depending on specific organizational arrangements.Organizational synergy, Production functions, Spinoffs