Knowledge creation and management in the five LHC experiments at CERN: implications for technology innovation and transfer

The present study analyses knowledge creation, acquisition and transfer in the five LHC physics experiments at CERN: ALICE, ATLAS, CMS, LHCb, and TOTEM. A questionnaire was provided during collaboration meetings and a total of 291 replies were obtained and analysed. The results of this research study provide evidence that the social process of participation in meetings, acquisition of skills in different areas, and the development of interests by interaction with colleagues are key elements of the learning process. Furthermore, the results indicate that knowledge acquisition in a multicultural environment plays a mediating role in the interaction between social capital constructs (social interaction, relationship quality, and network ties) and competitive advantage outcomes (invention development and technological distinctiveness). Social interaction, relationship quality, and network ties are connected to greater knowledge acquisition, and also contribute to innovation and transfer of the knowledge to industry. The fertile environment of the five LHC experiments building and managing multiple processes, involves a dynamic, interactive,and simultaneous exchange of knowledge both inside and outside their organization

Double hadron leptoproduction in the nuclear medium

First measurement of double-hadron production in deep-inelastic scattering has been measured with the HERMES spectrometer at HERA using a 27.6 GeV positron beam with deuterium, nitrogen, krypton and xenon targets. The influence of the nuclear medium on the ratio of double-hadron to single-hadron yields has been investigated. Nuclear effects are clearly observed but with substantially smaller magnitude and reduced $A$-dependence compared to previously measured single-hadron multiplicity ratios. The data are in fair agreement with models based on partonic or pre-hadronic energy loss, while they seem to rule out a pure absorptive treatment of the final state interactions. Thus, the double-hadron ratio provides an additional tool for studying modifications of hadronization in nuclear matter

Safety in an international work environment: CERN

The European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN) has recently completed a new accelerator. The installation of this accelerator and its experimental areas represents an example of harmonization of safety rules in supranational areas, as CERN is an international organization and the machine is housed in a tunnel of 26.7 km circumference, of which 20 km is on French territory and 6.7 km on Swiss territory. The work was carried out by a large number of firms from all over Europe, CERN staff and physicists and technicians from all over the world, and represented almost 4 million working hours. The safety organization chosen and applied with the agreement of the two host-State safety authorities is described and the resulting application, including the results in terms of accident statistics, from the installation of the machine, experimental areas and detectors are presented

Learning Across the Big-Science Boundary: Leveraging Big-Science Centers for Technological Learning

The interaction between industrial companies and the public research sector has intensified significantly during recent years (Bozeman, 2000), as firms attempt to build competitive advantage by leveraging external sources of learning (Lambe et al., 1997). By crossing the boundary between industrial and re- search spheres, firms may tap onto sources of technological learning, and thereby gain a knowledge- based competitive advantage over their competitors. Such activities have been actively supported by national governments, who strive to support the international competitiveness of their industries (Georghiou et al., 2000; Lee, 1994; Rothwell et al., 1992)

Can companies benefit from Big Science? Science and Industry

Several studies have indicated that there are significant returns on financial investment via "Big Science" centres. Financial multipliers ranging from 2.7 (ESA) to 3.7 (CERN) have been found, meaning that each Euro invested in industry by Big Science generates a two- to fourfold return for the supplier. Moreover, laboratories such as CERN are proud of their record in technology transfer, where research developments lead to applications in other fields - for example, with particle accelerators and detectors. Less well documented, however, is the effect of the experience that technological firms gain through working in the arena of Big Science. Indeed, up to now there has been no explicit empirical study of such benefits. Our findings reveal a variety of outcomes, which include technological learning, the development of new products and markets, and impact on the firm's organization. The study also demonstrates the importance of technologically challenging projects for staff at CERN. Together, these findings imply ways in which CERN - and by implication other Big Science centres - can further boost technology transfer into spill-over benefits for industrial knowledge and enhance their contribution to industrial R&D and innovation. (1 refs)

Quantification of CERN's economic spin-off

This is a condensed version of the CERN report Economic Ufility Resulting from CERN Contracts by the saine authors, which attempts to quantify the economic benefit to high technology manufacturing industries involved in CERN contracts, in relation to their sales to CERN. It covers the period 1973--87 and complements an earlier study ruade in 1973--75. Interviews were carriœ out in 166 European firms, of which the majority supplied estimates of increased sales and cost savings due to CERN contracts. This "Economic Utility" totals 3107 million Swiss francs (up to the year 1987) compared to sales to CERN in 1973--82 amounting to 748 million Swiss francs in 1982 prices. It is estimated that, by 1987, CERN's high technology purchases made in 1973--82 will have generated Economic Utility amounting to about 60~ of the overall cost of the Organization during the same period

A method for analysing secondary economic effects generated by big research centres.

Research activities in the natural sciences, and especially those in the field of pure research work as opposed to applied research, are being financially supported for various reasons, probably the least of which is the hope for a quick economic return. It has, nevertheless, been realised for a number of years that benefits of one sort or another may appear in various and sometimes unexpected ways, where these be— nefits are not the direct consequence of the applica— tion of a research result. They are rather to be com— pared with the well—known ”spin—off” effects obtained while pursuing the research work. An example may help to illustrate what is meant