Business Administration

Knowledge Creation Through University-Industry Collaborative Research Projects Julie Hermans and Annick Castiaux Business Administration Department, University of Namur, Belgium Julie. Hermans@ fundp. ac. be Annick. Castiaux@ fundp. ac. be Abstract: It is obvious ...

▪ Dans cette communication, nous étudions la possibilité de rendre les publications plus disponibles pour les cher-cheurs tant au Nord qu'au Sud en soutenant les initiatives de publication en libre accès. Ces initiatives, nées récem-ment de la volonté de certains chercheurs de revenir ...

The electronic scattering Green function formalism is applied to a system processing a n-lold symmetry axis. A suitable discretization of the Lippmann-Schwinger equations leads to the inversion of block circuhmt matrices. This calcu[afiou is carried out by using a specialized algorithm, also described, which fully exploits the formal consequences of symmetD'. @ 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.

Bulk LaBa 2 Cu 3 O (7Ϫy) samples with different Ag additions were investigated. It was shown that Ag does not enter the crystallographic structure of the superconductor and segregates on the grain boundary region. Current path in these samples occurs through the proximityconnected grains, and this was confirmed from the temperature dependence of the critical current density and mutual inductance. By using the theory developed for the thin-film structures, we conclude that growing of the Ag content increased the effective cross-section and the normal metal thickness. The effective cross-section prevails at low concentration, increasing the current. The normal metal thickness dominates at higher concentration, leading to saturation or even lowering of the critical current.

In this paper, we present a theoretical model of a Fabry-Prrot combined with a Scanning Tunneling Optical Microscope (STOM). The computation method is completely ab initio: the scattering problem is wholly treated, without any preliminary assumption. It is particularly suited to handle dielectric perturbations having complicated shapes, for example this resonator problem. Both radiative and evanescent transmissions of light, and transition between these two modes are described here.

The design of tips is of outstanding importance to obtain maximal efficiency in scanning near-field microscopy. As a support towards this optimization, this work presents the computation of the electromagnetic field penetrating into twodimensional tips. The investigated geometries consist of elongated two-dimensional dielectric slabs (glass) terminated by pointed tips. Distributions of the electric field amplitude inside and outside two-dimensional models of tips are computed and from those solutions, far-field differential cross-sections are obtained.

This paper discusses recent theoretical efforts to develop a general and flexible method for the calculation of the field distributions around and inside complex optical systems involving both dielectric and metallic materials. Starting from the usual light-matter coupling Hamiltonian, we derive a self-consistent equation for the optical field in arbitrary optical systems composed of N different subdomains. We show that an appropriate solving procedure based on the real-space discretization of each subdomain raises the present approach to the rank of an accurate predictive numerical scheme. In order to illustrate its applicability, we use this formalism to address challenging problems related to nonradiative energy transfers in near-field optics. In particular, we investigate in detail the detuning of a microresonator probed by a near-field optical probe.

In this paper we consider the innovation power of Corporate Responsibility. If some authors consider that environmental and/or social awareness can foster innovation in a company, other authors consider it as an additional constraint to innovative behaviors. We first make the point concerning the points of view defended in the literature. We then present which kinds of innovation Corporate Responsibility could favor in a firm, making the difference between incremental innovation, which is more related to continuous improvement and exploitation of acquired assets, as it is prescribed by quality management practices, and radical innovation, which requires creativity and exploration of totally new opportunities from the firm's viewpoint.

Although it is commonly accepted that farmers’ participation in the process of technology development can improve adoption rates, few studies have tested this relationship. We tested the role of farmers’ participation in the decision to adopt new sorghum varieties in the Sudan Savanna of Mali. We applied a conditional mixed-process method to data collected from 496 households in 58 villages the national agricultural research program (Institut d’Economie Rurale) and International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) worked through farmer organizations to test varieties in farmer-managed trials and implement seed production activities. We found that the intensity of participation positively affects adoption rates on household plots. Intensity of participation was measured as the ratio of participants in the household to the total number of participants in the village. Several plot manager and household characteristics influence adoption, including education and...

Bioenergy from agriculture is today at the heart of sustainable development, integrating its key components: environment and climate change, energy economics and energy supply, agriculture, rural and social development. Fighting against climate change imposes the mitigation of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. Considerable efforts have to be pursued, especially in the field of energy production and use. Concerning energy supply, the limitation of fossil fuels import is a crucial matter: beside the rational use of energy, the contribution of renewable sources, including biomass, for energy production is of considerable importance. It is worth to note that, in addition to the limitation of fossil fuels import, implementing renewable energy sources offers other attractive economic advantages, such as jobs creation, technology development, technology export, etc.

While power has been recognized as a critical issue for the understanding of knowledge creation and sharing, especially in the context of innovation, empirical works are still in their infancy. This paper addresses this issue in a twofold way: by proposing a methodological tool – the observation of “critical events” – to explore the phenomenon of power exercise and by illustrating this approach with an in-depth case study, a University-Industry R&D project. The analysis permits to identify four strategies deployed by project managers and academic professors to address dissatisfactions in the project: bonding, spinning-out, bridging and assimilating. Such strategies are used to shape the direction and usefulness of knowledge flows by taking organizational interests into account. Specific risks and stakes ensue.

In this paper, we consider the clustering initiative from the Walloon government (Belgium) as a framework favouring the emergence of dominant designs. We compare the “poles de competitivite wallons” – that we decided to translate as “global clusters” – to the clusters already studied in the literature. We show that the particularities of Walloon clusters make them a powerful instrument to enhance collateral assets [8] helping to lead the emergence of technological dominant designs. To illustrate our approach, we present the MecaTech cluster in which one of us is involved with his Nuclear Physics Lab. We finally consider the way those global clusters should evolve to favour the exploitation of the emerged dominant designs while exploring future opportunities. A good balance between exploitation and exploration as well as adequate networking and clustering instruments to support both objectives are absolutely necessary to ensure sustainability and growth of the involved actors.

Dans cette communication, nous etudions la possibilite de rendre les publications plus disponibles pour les chercheurs tant au Nord qu'au Sud en soutenant les initiatives de publication en libre acces. Ces initiatives, nees recemment de la volonte de certains chercheurs de revenir a leur mission de communication au plus grand nombre et de collaboration scientifique, proposent une alternative a l'industrie de la publication scientifique. Elles ouvrent des perspectives d'acces aux donnees et publications scientifiques importantes pour les chercheurs appartenant a des universites ou centres de recherche moins bien dotes financierement. En cela, elles soutiennent egalement l'effort d'innovation necessaire au developpement d'economies emergentes ou en declin.