The role of an intermediary agent in technology integration within developing countries: a film industry perspective

AbstractThe Bangladesh Film Industry has been attempting to move from traditional analogue film production to digital production during the last decade without much success. One major problem is that the digital technology has to be acquired from international donors in advanced countries and the Government's public procurement policy stipulates that this transfer of technology from the donor to the recipient must be expedited by a local ‘intermediary agent’ (e.g. business entrepreneurs). Our research findings have confirmed that the local film industry (recipient) requires support with installation of technology, film distribution/ exhibition, and maintenance (production level) and some management tasks. All of which is not usually provided because of incompetency on the part of the intermediary agents and because of limitations in the public procurement policy for this industry sector. One policy implication is whether government procurement policy should target more direct B2B contact between the technology recipient and the international donor. This could help upgrade innovation capabilities of local industry. Our empirical research findings are based on direct insights gained from six semi-structured face-to-face interviews with key respondents based in Bangladesh (e.g. Directors and Senior Management staff of the Bangladesh Film & Development Corporation and other key respondents). Note: findings reported here are from a larger study of 40+ interviews on the theme of digital technology integration in Bangladesh film industry. We report that policy makers should direct policy toward the development of technological system, infrastructure and technical training in the long run, rather than mainly focusing on boosting foreign technical assistance, which does not appear to help support manufacturing processes in film making to make a smooth transition from analogue to digital technology use. There should also be a sterner public evaluation body that pre-evaluates and post-evaluates the success or otherwise of the technology integration process

Development of absorptive capacity over time and across boundaries: The case of R&D consortia

Absorptive capacity (AC) has been identified as the ability of firms to acquire, assimilate, and apply external knowledge, and thus as a pre-condition for learning from knowledge environment. However, extant literature has focused on AC as (1) a static and (2) a firm-centred concept. In particular, there is little conceptual framing and empirical evidence of how AC develops over time and across boundaries. Taking R&D consortia as the unit of analysis and based on insights from three in-depth case studies of collaborative R&D, our contribution is a framework for AC development over time and across inter-organizational, intra-organizational, and practice boundaries at different stages of collaboration in R&D consortia. Using this framework, we identify a set of mechanisms which enable the development of AC and we discuss the preconditions for these mechanisms. For R&D managers, our research implies that in order to enhance effectiveness of knowledge transfer and learning in R&D consortia they need to develop a strategy that (1) supports learning and AC development throughout the whole cycle of the collaboration, not only by focusing on intra-firm capabilities, but in particular by providing flexible interfaces for overcoming a variety of interaction and learning boundaries between heterogeneous R&D partners, and (2) enables the integration of created and acquired knowledge within the organization once the collaboration is over

An Instrument for Measuring National Readiness and Capacity to Participate in Global Knowledge Base Economy

An important question often asked is what are the determinants of science, technology and innovation (STI)? Is STI a measurable quantity? How can it be measured in quantitative terms? To answers                                                          these questions, a Science, Technology and Innovation Index (STII) has been developed for top 100 economies of the world on the basis of GDP, to evaluate, determine and measure the overall scientific, technological and innovative capacity and readiness of a country. The STII relies on four dimensions, each built around two or three pillars, each of which is composed of individual indicators, for a total of 44 STI indicators. The STI index is the average of aggregate of four dimensions. The economies are ranked on the basis of STII values and classified into six groups: i.e. leaders, potential leaders, dynamic adopters, slow adopters, marginalized and laggards. For more meaningful assessment of the STI capacities of nations, it captures the achievement gap of individual countries with the highest achiever. A comprehensive analysis into the strengths and weaknesses in different dimensions of STI capability of eight East - South Asian countries is also provided. The results show that there are significant dispari¬ties between developed and developing nations in STI capacity and its various aspects. STI capacity and achievement gap analysis of individual countries provides useful information for STI policy makers to furnish their STI policies for increasing national capacity, and readiness to participate in the knowledge based economy

Impact of Science Technology and Innovation (STI) on Economic Growth and Development: A Case Study of Pakistan

The study reports the case study research about the impact of STI on economic growth and development. 305 scientists responded the questionnaire. Out of 305, 94% (288) confirmed that STI has the impact on economic growth and economic development.  In response to the 2nd question, about the impact of their research on economic growth and development, 85 %(260) scientists supported that STI has the positive impact on economic growth. The STI system of Pakistan is also discussed and found that STI system in Pakistan is very weak. To improve STI system of Pakistan, there is dire need of long-term STI policy. Therefore, at the end of the study on the basis of survey results and STI capacity indicator, the policy recommendations and implications of the study are presented. These recommendations are very useful for STI policy makers and planners for Pakistan as well as developing countries, to improve STI situation.&nbsp

Effect of Use Faba bean (Minor) and Barley Soaked Water as a Partial Substitute for Soybeans and Maize in Starter and Finisher Broiler’s Diets

اجريت التجربة في حقول شعبة الثروة الحيوانية/قسم بحوث نينوى باستخدام 756 فرخاً من نوعRoss 308بعمر يوم واحد وزعت على تسع معاملات، ثلاثة مكررات لكل معاملة في كل مكرر 28 فرخاً، غذيت الأفراخ على تسع علائق تجريبية بادئ وتسع علائق تجريبية نهائية وعلى حسب عمر الطيور للتعرف على تأثير استبدال الباقلاء العلفية كبديل لكسبة فول الصويا، والشعير المنقوع بالماء كبديل للذرة الصفراء على بعض الصفات الانتاجية في فروج اللحم. إن افضل النتائج التي تم الحصول عليها كانت لـنسبة الاحلال 25% باقلاء علفية والتي لم تختلف معنوياً عن معاملة السيطرة في الصفات (وزن الجسم، الزيادة الوزنية واستهلاك العلف)لمعظم فترات التجربة، كذلك لم يكن لمستويي الاحلال الباقلاء العلفية 25% و 50% تأثير معنوي على وزن (القلب، الكبد، القانصة، البنكرياس، الدهون، الافخاذ، الصدر، الاجزاء الثانوية و نسبة التصافي)، لم تختلف25% شعير منقوع بالماء معنوياً عن معاملة السيطرة لكل الفترات لوزن الجسم واستهلاك العلف، ولمعظم الفترات على الزيادة الوزنية و كفاءة التحويل الغذائي.كما لم يكن لمعاملتي الشعير المنقوع بالماء 25% و 50% تأثير معنوي على وزن (القلب، الكبد، القانصة، البنكرياس، الدهون، الافخاذ، الصدر، الاجزاء الثانوية( ولم تختلف نسبة 25% شعير منقوع بالماء معنوياً عن السيطرة في نسبة التصافي. نستنتج من الدراسة الحالية إمكانية استخدام الباقلاء العلفية كبديل عن فول الصويا والشعير المنقوع بالماء بدل الذرة الصفراء بالتراكيز المنخفضة حتى نسبة 25%.The study was carried out in the fields of Livestock Research Division / Nineveh Research Department, using 756 (ROSS 308) birds, 1 day old, distributed on nine experimental treatments, 3 replicates /  treatment, each containing 28 birds, the chicks were fed nine experimental starter and finisher diets  depending the age of chicks to determine the effect of substituting Faba Bean Minor substitutes instead of soybeans and Barley soaked water instead of  Maize on some broiler productive characteristics.The best results were obtained with a 25%  FB minor which have no significant differences to control treatment in BW, WG and FI in most experimental periods, also there are no significant effect to 25% and 50%  on (heart, liver, gizzard, pancreas, fat, chest and secondary part) weights  and dressing%.  BSW 25% had no significant differences with control treatment  over experimental period for BW, FI only and for most experimental periods for WG and FCR, BSW 25% and 50% had no significant effect on (heart, liver, gizzard, pancreas, fat, chest and secondary part) weights, there are insignificant effect between control treatment and 25% BSW only in dressing%. We conclude from the present study the possibility of using FB minor as a substitute of  soybeans and barley soaked water instead of yellow corn in low concentrations up to 25%