What role for knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) in de-industrialised regions?

This paper seeks to provide insights into the structural role that Knowledge Intensive Business Services (KIBS) SMEs play in de-industrialised regions in the UK. The paper aims to establish what contribution KIBS make to their regional economies in terms of exports to other regions in the UK as well as abroad but also to what extent do they depend on the intermediate demand in their respective regions. The paper draws evidence from a survey of KIBS SMEs in the North East and the West Midlands conducted during the most recent recession. The results exhibit a degree of wider generalizability to other regions, which may be characterised by deindustrialisation. Results from the West Midlands and the North East survey show that although KIBS play an important role in the local economic base of de-industrialised regions they are not as important as their elite, tradable counterparts in global cities such as London. However, KIBS SMEs in the North East and West Midlands provide important support to their regional clients, many of which are in the declining manufacturing and public service sectors. A vast majority are also trading outside their respective regions

Semilogarithmic Nonuniform Vector Quantization of Two-Dimensional Laplacean Source for Small Variance Dynamics

In this paper high dynamic range nonuniform two-dimensional vector quantization model for Laplacean source was provided. Semilogarithmic A-law compression characteristic was used as radial scalar compression characteristic of two-dimensional vector quantization. Optimal number value of concentric quantization domains (amplitude levels) is expressed in the function of parameter A. Exact distortion analysis with obtained closed form expressions is provided. It has been shown that proposed model provides high SQNR values in wide range of variances, and overachieves quality obtained by scalar A-law quantization at same bit rate, so it can be used in various switching and adaptation implementations for realization of high quality signal compression

Overeducation and hourly wages in the UK labour market; 2006 to 2017

In 2017, around 16% of all those in employment aged 16 to 64 years were overeducated (had more education than required for their job); the corresponding figure for graduates (with first degree or equivalent) was around 31%. In 2017, 21.7% of those who graduated before 1992 were overeducated, whereas the corresponding figure for those who graduated in 2007 or later was 34.2%. There is a wage penalty associated with overeducation, although overeducated employees earn positive return on wages, this is significantly lower compared with those who are matched to their jobs. In 2017, the overeducation rate was similar for women and for men, however the wage penalty for overeducation was somewhat higher for men than for women; this suggests that overeducation does not contribute to gender pay gap. Recent graduates experience lower pay penalty on overeducation compared with non-recent graduate

Knowledge-based entrepreneurship in Central and Eastern Europe: myth and reality

This paper summarises results of a survey of 304 knowledge based firms in six central and east European (CEE) countries. Knowledge-based entrepreneurs in CEE are not ‘gazelles’ (i.e., fast growing new technology based firms which have the potential to reshape the industrial landscape). They consist of distinct types of companies, of which new technology based firms (NTBFs) are only one. The key factor in KBE firms’ growth is most often firm specific capabilities which do not always involve R&D. Based on factor analysis we develop several taxonomies of KBEs which all point to a specific nature of knowledge based entrepreneurship in CEE. The networks of KBEs are broader and more frequently involve innovation system actors, including professional networks. For different types of KBEs different networks are important

Finance pathways for young innovative small‐ and medium‐size enterprises: a demand‐side examination of finance gaps and policy implications for the post‐global financial crisis finance escalator

The paper addresses the persistent finance gaps facing young, innovative SMEs, by examining the financing pathways of 40 UK businesses in a post global financial crisis (GFC) environment. Using a unique combination of finance escalator and resource-based view theories four propositions are tested by examining: (i) early and growth stage development; (ii) innovation R&D investment horizons; (iii) the management resource base; (iv) finance gaps and their implications. The paper finds that successful financing strategies are emerging, using a mix of bootstrapping, collaboration and new emerging post-GFC finance escalator funding, which is heavily reliant on government interventions. It also pinpoints remaining finance gaps and the need for more cohesive financing and support policy to address these

Standard Error of Empirical Bayes Estimate in NONMEM® VI.

The pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics analysis software NONMEM® output provides model parameter estimates and associated standard errors. However, the standard error of empirical Bayes estimates of inter-subject variability is not available. A simple and direct method for estimating standard error of the empirical Bayes estimates of inter-subject variability using the NONMEM® VI internal matrix POSTV is developed and applied to several pharmacokinetic models using intensively or sparsely sampled data for demonstration and to evaluate performance. The computed standard error is in general similar to the results from other post-processing methods and the degree of difference, if any, depends on the employed estimation options

Innovation and external knowledge sources in knowledge intensive business services (KIBS): evidence from de-industrialized UK regions

This paper explores the effect of external knowledge sources and the uneven geography on innovation activity in small Knowledge Intensive Business Services (KIBS). It draws on results from a survey of 342 small and medium (SME) KIBS located in the UK’s North East and West Midlands, both de-industrialised regions. It is shown that innovation is supported by knowledge gained from frequent interaction with customers both regional and UK based as well as international. More frequent interaction with local business networks, informal contacts and national licensing arrangements also enhances innovativeness. Various industry-specific business networks and regional government agencies act as important sources of knowledge and networking and these are more important for KIBS located in the North East. The results indicate that more frequent collaboration with regional universities and regional public sector organisations does not benefit KIBS from either region. Also, while we acknowledge a positive effect of R&D on KIBS innovativeness we argue that its effect is less important compared to regional and extra regional knowledge sources

The effect of external knowledge sources and their geography on innovation in Knowledge Intensive Business Services (KIBS) SMEs; some Implications for de-industrialized regions in the UK

The paper explores the effect of external knowledge sources and their geography on innovation activity in small Knowledge Intensive Business Services (KIBS). It draws on results from a survey conducted in 2010 of 342 small and medium (SME) KIBS in the UK’s, North East and West Midlands. It is shown that innovation is supported by knowledge gained from frequent interaction with regional and UK customers as well as more frequent interaction with local business networks, including informal contacts as well as national licensing arrangements, regional and UK commercial networks and UK public and professional infrastructure. Innovation capability is also enhanced by internationalisation through both traded and untraded relationships. Various industry-specific business networks and regional government agencies also act as important sources of knowledge and networking in de-industrialised regions. No support is found for benefits arising from the clustering of firms in similar line of business or with regional universities or public sector organisations. Also, while we acknowledge positive effect of R&D on KIBS innovativeness we argue that its' effect is much less important compared to regional and extra regional knowledge source

Evidence for coordinated induction and repression of ecto-5'-nucleotidase (CD73) and the A2a adenosine receptor in a human B cell line

In the human B cell line P493-6 two mitogenic signals, the EpsteinBarr virus nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2) and myc, can be independently regulated by means of an estrogen receptor fusion construct or an inducible expression vector, respectively. Shut off of EBNA2, either in the presence or absence of myc, leads to a significant increase in enzymatic activity and surface expression of ecto-5nucleotidase (CD73) as well as an increased adenosine receptor response in cyclic AMP formation. Shut off of myc expression has a small additional positive effect on CD73 activity. Among the four different subtypes of adenosine receptors, the A2a receptor exclusively is subject to regulation in this system, which is substantiated by pharmacologic data (specific agonists and inhibitors), as well as on the mRNA level. With upregulated CD73 and A2a, cells also respond to 5AMP with increased cyclic AMP formation. Turn on of EBNA2 has the reverse effect of repression of CD73 and A2a expression. The time course of both induction and repression of CD73 and A2a is rather slow

Optimization of Quercetin Extraction from Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) Using Central Composite Design, and the Pharmacological Activity of the Extract

The aim of this paper was to optimize an extraction procedure of quercetin from green tea using central composite design. Extraction time, ethanol concentration, and solid to liquid ratio were selected as the independent variables, while quercetin yield was defined as a response. The impact of factors and their interactions on the quercetin yield was studied based on the results of ANOVA test. The extraction time of 58.5 min, ethanol concentration of 94.7 % (v/v), and solid to liquid ratio of 1:19.4 (m/v) were found as the optimal conditions. The experimental confirmation of the proposed optimal conditions indicated that there was a good agreement between the experimental and predicted values. In addition to quercetin, the presence of 17 bioactive compounds was confirmed in the green tea extract using mass spectrometry method. Antioxidant, antimicrobial and antitumor activity of the optimal extract was determined using DPPH assay, disk diffusion method, and MTT assay, respectively