Knowledge sourcing and firm performance in an industrializing economy: The case of Taiwan (1992-2003)

We examine the impact of R&D and technology imports on firm performance in Taiwan’s manufacturing industry in a policy context of industrial upgrading. To do so, we estimate a Translog production function on two panels (covering 1992-1995 and 1997-2003), using stochastic frontier models. We find that the effects of both knowledge inputs become significant in a larger number of industries in the second panel. These results suggest that the policies encouraging innovation implemented from 1991 onwards paid off in the second half of the 1990s, with innovation driving firm sales. In traditional industries, the effect of innovation can be interpreted as an effort to catch up with the global technology frontier. In the electronics and high-technology industries, it rather testifies of the emergence of a new domain of specialization for Taiwan – which was largely enabled by the aforementioned innovation policies.Manufacturing Industries, Newly Industrialized Countries, Technology Imports - Stochastic Frontier Estimation.

Using the Asymptotically Ideal Model to estimate the impact of knowledge on labour productivity: An application to Taiwan in the 1990s.

This paper examines the impact of embodied and disembodied knowledge on labour productivity in Taiwan’s manufacturing industry, using the Asymptotically Ideal Model. The model is estimated on a panel of 27,754 firms observed from 1992 to 1995, using three estimations procedures: fixed-effect regression, random-effect GLS, and Hausman-Taylor estimation. Our findings show that, in traditional industries, labour productivity is mostly driven by embodied knowledge, whereas in high-tech industries, labour productivity depends on both embodied and disembodied knowledge. The latter result may be the consequence of the Industrial Upgrading Statute implemented in Taiwan after 1991.Asymptotically Ideal Model; Disembodied Knowledge; Embodied Knowledge; Labour Productivity; Newly Industrialized Countries.

Knowledge sourcing and firm performance in an industrializing economy: the case of Taiwan in the 1990s.

This paper examines the impact of R&D and technology imports on firm performance in Taiwan’s manufacturing industry. Using a panel of 27,754 firms observed from 1992 to 1995, we estimate Translog production functions in twenty 2-digit industries. We implement four estimations procedures: fixed-effect regression, random-effect GLS, Hausman-Taylor estimator, and Stochastic Frontier Estimation. Our most reliable estimates, obtained with fixed effect and Hausman-Taylor models, show that knowledge inputs have a significant impact on firm sales in a small number of industries, and suggest that R&D and technology imports are more likely to be complements rather than substitutes.Manufacturing Industries; Newly Industrialized Countries; Technology Imports.

Innovation Strategy and Total Factor Productivity Growth : Micro Evidence from Taiwanese Manufacturing Firms

This paper investigates the relationship between firms’ innovation practices and performance in Taiwan. Using a panel of 4000 firms, we examine the effects of importing technology (versus doing R&D) on Total Factor Porductivity (TFP) growth. The relationship between these two innovation strategies is also explored. We find that R&D strongly contributes to the growth of TFP, whereas the importation of technology is only weakly significant, which makes it difficult to qualify the type of relationship (complementarity or substitutability) that exists between the two innovation strategies.Importation of technology;Newly industrializzed countries;Productivity growth;Firm-level panel data; Manufacturing industries

Doing R&D and Importing Technology : an Empirical Investigation on Taiwan’s manufacturing firms

The objective of this paper is to identify the determinants of the decision to innovate in Taiwan. Three “innovation strategies” are considered : doing R&D only, importing technology only, and combining both. We estimate a Bivariate Probit on a panel of more than 27000 Taiwanese manufacturing firms observed from 1992 to 1995. Results suggest that the decision to R&D over the period was influenced by the prior changes in exportations at the industry level, whereas the decision to import technology is affected by the current changes. We identify a non-linear relationship between firm size and innovation. Moreover, older firms tend to innovate less, whereas market structure doesn’t affect the decision to innovate. These two results change when only high-tech industries are considered : the effect of firm’s age becomes insignificant, whereas a more concentrated market structure is shown to increase the probability to innovate.R&D;importation of technology;market structure;technological opportunities;high-tech industries;panel data;bivariate Probit.

A 3D cell death assay to quantitatively determine ferroptosis in spheroids

The failure of drug efficacy in clinical trials remains a big issue in cancer research. This is largely due to the limitations of two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures, the most used tool in drug screening. Nowadays, three-dimensional (3D) cultures, including spheroids, are acknowledged to be a better model of the in vivo environment, but detailed cell death assays for 3D cultures (including those for ferroptosis) are scarce. In this work, we show that a new cell death analysis method, named 3D Cell Death Assay (3DELTA), can efficiently determine different cell death types including ferroptosis and quantitatively assess cell death in tumour spheroids. Our method uses Sytox dyes as a cell death marker and Triton X-100, which efficiently permeabilizes all cells in spheroids, was used to establish 100% cell death. After optimization of Sytox concentration, Triton X-100 concentration and timing, we showed that the 3DELTA method was able to detect signals from all cells without the need to disaggregate spheroids. Moreover, in this work we demonstrated that 2D experiments cannot be extrapolated to 3D cultures as 3D cultures are less sensitive to cell death induction. In conclusion, 3DELTA is a more cost-effective way to identify and measure cell death type in 3D cultures, including spheroids.</jats:p

Conformal Anomaly Of Submanifold Observables In AdS/CFT Correspondence

We analyze the conformal invariance of submanifold observables associated with $k$-branes in the AdS/CFT correspondence. For odd $k$, the resulting observables are conformally invariant, and for even $k$, they transform with a conformal anomaly that is given by a local expression which we analyze in detail for $k=2$Comment: 11 p

The Economic Impact of the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act in Clark County, Nevada – Preliminary Findings

Objective. The primary purpose of this exploratory study was to quantitatively evaluate the economic impact of the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act (NCIAA) on businesses in Clark County. Methods. The goal of this research was to assess economic indicators over a ten year period utilizing measurable data points, including restaurant and drinking establishment employment rates, taxable sales, openings and closings, as well as slot gaming revenues. This ten year time period consisted of a seven year span prior to the enactment of the NCIAA, and three years post enactment. Researchers conceived this study as a means to independently evaluate and address the potential economic impact of a smoke-free law in a region dependent upon tourism and gaming. Results. Economic indicators did in fact decrease after the NCIAA was enforced but most of the declining trends began prior to the passage of the smoke-free act and are consistent with downward trends in other, non-NCIAA affected segments of our economy. Conclusion. The overall findings of this study are consistent with similar non-tobacco industry supported economic studies showing little or no statistically significant downward economic trends after passage of smoke-free legislation