nep-knm New Economics Papers
on Knowledge Management and Knowledge Economy
Issue of 2007‒12‒19
ten papers chosen by
Emanuele Canegrati
Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

  1. Knowledge Engineering Technique for Cluster Development By Pradorn Sureephong; Nopasit Chakpitak; Yacine Ouzrout; Gilles Neubert; Abdelaziz Bouras
  2. Knowledge Management System Architecture for the Industry Cluster By Pradorn Sureephong; Nopasit Chakpitak; Yacine Ouzrout; Gilles Neubert; Abdelaziz Bouras
  3. Human capital and university-industry linkages ' role in fostering firm innovation : an empirical study of Chile and Colombia By Thorn, Kristian; Blom, Andreas; Mark, Michael; Marotta, Daniela
  4. Search Patterns and Absorptive Capacity: A Comparison of Low- and High-Technology Firms from Thirteen European Countries By Grimpe, Christoph; Sofka, Wolfgang
  5. (Mis-)Understanding Education Externalities By Mueller, Normann
  6. Upgrading in Agricultural Value Chains: The Case of Small Producers in Honduras By Ingrid Fromm
  7. Incentives for Interdisciplinary Research By Isabel Maria Medalho Pereira
  8. On Platforms, Incomplete Contracts, and Open Source Software By Andras Niedermayer
  9. Ericulture as a Remedy of Rural Poverty in Assam: A Micro Level Study in Barpeta District By De, Utpal Kumar; Das, Manjit
  10. STATUS OF WOMEN IN THE RURAL KHASI SOCIETY OF MEGHALAYA By De, Utpal Kumar; Ghosh, Bhola Nath

  1. By: Pradorn Sureephong (LIESP - Laboratoire d'Informatique pour l'Entreprise et les Systèmes de Production - Université Claude Bernard - Lyon I - Université Lumière - Lyon II - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon, CAMT - College of Arts, Media and Technology - Chiang Mai University); Nopasit Chakpitak (CAMT - College of Arts, Media and Technology - Chiang Mai University); Yacine Ouzrout (LIESP - Laboratoire d'Informatique pour l'Entreprise et les Systèmes de Production - Université Claude Bernard - Lyon I - Université Lumière - Lyon II - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon); Gilles Neubert (LIESP - Laboratoire d'Informatique pour l'Entreprise et les Systèmes de Production - Université Claude Bernard - Lyon I - Université Lumière - Lyon II - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon); Abdelaziz Bouras (LIESP - Laboratoire d'Informatique pour l'Entreprise et les Systèmes de Production - Université Claude Bernard - Lyon I - Université Lumière - Lyon II - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon)
    Abstract: After the concept of industry cluster was tangibly applied in many countries, SMEs trended to link to each other to maintain their competitiveness in the market. The major key success factors of the cluster are knowledge sharing and collaboration between partners. This knowledge is collected in form of tacit and explicit knowledge from experts and institutions within the cluster. The objective of this study is about enhancing the industry cluster with knowledge management by using knowledge engineering which is one of the most important method for managing knowledge. This work analyzed three well known knowledge engineering methods, i.e. MOKA, SPEDE and CommonKADS, and compares the capability to be implemented in the cluster context. Then, we selected one method and proposed the adapted methodology. At the end of this paper, we validated and demonstrated the proposed methodology with some primary result by using case study of handicraft cluster in Thailand.
    Keywords: Knowledge Engineering; Industry Cluster; CommonKADS; Knowledge Management System
    Date: 2007–11–26
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:papers:hal-00196472_v1&r=knm
  2. By: Pradorn Sureephong (LIESP - Laboratoire d'Informatique pour l'Entreprise et les Systèmes de Production - Université Claude Bernard - Lyon I - Université Lumière - Lyon II - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon, CAMT - College of Arts, Media and Technology - Chiang Mai University); Nopasit Chakpitak (CAMT - College of Arts, Media and Technology - Chiang Mai University); Yacine Ouzrout (LIESP - Laboratoire d'Informatique pour l'Entreprise et les Systèmes de Production - Université Claude Bernard - Lyon I - Université Lumière - Lyon II - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon); Gilles Neubert (LIESP - Laboratoire d'Informatique pour l'Entreprise et les Systèmes de Production - Université Claude Bernard - Lyon I - Université Lumière - Lyon II - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon); Abdelaziz Bouras (LIESP - Laboratoire d'Informatique pour l'Entreprise et les Systèmes de Production - Université Claude Bernard - Lyon I - Université Lumière - Lyon II - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon)
    Abstract: Since the concept of the industry cluster was popularized by Porter in 1990, many countries try to improve the competitiveness through industry sector. Not only companies who take part in the cluster but also academic institutes, government agencies, associations, and supportive industries. The more actors involved in the cluster the more knowledge were distributed among the member of cluster. Although, many literatures about cluster explained how knowledge is important for the cluster development. But, there is no specific knowledge management methodology or system for the cluster. This study is concerned about knowledge exchange in the cluster by using knowledge engineering methodology to analyze, model and design Knowledge Management System (KMS). At the end of this study, we will implement KMS in handicraft cluster in Thailand as our case study. As we are in the beginning of the study, this paper proposed methodology and primary result from knowledge engineering. Then the KMS architecture was proposed as the result of the study in this paper.
    Date: 2007–12–03
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:papers:hal-00196486_v1&r=knm
  3. By: Thorn, Kristian; Blom, Andreas; Mark, Michael; Marotta, Daniela
    Abstract: A firm ' s absorptive capacity, human capital and linkages with knowledge institutions have been shown to increase the firm ' s probability of innovating in OECD economies. Despite its importance for national- and firm-level competitiveness, few papers examine the impact of the same variables for firms innovation in Latin America. This paper investigates the link between firm innovation and its absorption capacity as proxied by the presence of a R & D department, the firm ' s human capital, and its interaction with research centers and universities. We analyze the case of Chilean and Colombian manufacturing firms using data from innovation surveys. A probit regression model is applied to identify the determinants of innovation activity. We find that collaboration with university and research institutions is associated with an increase in the probability of introducing a new product in Chilean and Colombian firms of 29 and 44 percent, respectively, and it can increase up to 58 percent in the case of Colombian firms interacting with research centers. Moreover, firms whose employees have a higher level of education, or whose managers/supervisors have a higher (perceived) level of knowledge, are more likely to innovate. Although the estimates could be affected by biases and suffer from shortcomings in data, the findings suggest that policies and incentives to increase firm-level human capital and industry-university linkages are important to increase innovation in Latin America.
    Keywords: E-Business,Education for Development (superceded),Innovation,Agricultural Knowledge & Information Systems,Labor Policies
    Date: 2007–12–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:4443&r=knm
  4. By: Grimpe, Christoph; Sofka, Wolfgang
    Abstract: Searching for externally available knowledge has been characterised as a vital part of the innovation process. Previous research has, however, almost exclusively focused on hightechnology environments, largely ignoring the substantial low- and medium-technology sectors of modern economies. We argue that low- and high-technology firms differ in their search patterns and that these moderate the relationship between innovation inputs and outputs. Based on a sample of 4,500 firms from 13 European countries we find that search patterns in low-technology industries focus on market knowledge while they are built around differences in technology sourcing activities for high-technology industries.
    Keywords: Absorptive capacity, search strategies, low-, medium- and high-technology sectors, open innovation
    JEL: L60 O32
    Date: 2007
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:zewdip:6800&r=knm
  5. By: Mueller, Normann
    Abstract: This article reviews the current state of research on education externalities. It finds that much of the confusion regarding their magnitude results from conceptual misunderstandings about their nature. The concepts of 'education', 'teaching', and 'knowledge' need to be distinguished for a better understanding. Whereas pure teaching yields externalities on the primary and secondary level, only the generation of knowledge may produce the spillovers which are typically linked to the tertiary level. The accumulation of education itself does not have such an effect. Education is argued to be a private good with well defined property rights. Individuals may exploit those and provide the production sector with the efficient amount of human capital. Following this rationale, it is demonstrated that empirical studies, contrasting estimates of private and social returns to education, are unsuitable to substantiate the existence of externalities. As a consequence, subsidies to tertiary programs are called into question.
    Keywords: Public education finance; Education expenditures; Human capital externalities; Property rights; Endogenous economic growth; Private and social return to education
    JEL: O11 D62 H5 I28 H23 I22
    Date: 2007–11
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:6307&r=knm
  6. By: Ingrid Fromm (the Small Enterprise Promotion and Training Program, University of Leipzig)
    Abstract: Local producers, in their interaction with local processors or exporters and international retailers have the possibility to acquire new skills and knowledge. The type of trust relationship and coordination pattern can determine how information flows and how firms upgrade. In addition, the implementation and compliance with standards provides opportunities for learning and acquiring skills and knowledge. Focusing on this kind of interactions, the study explains how local producers in Honduras engage in upgrading and whether this had an impact on the sales of those firms. The majority of the producers in the sample upgraded their products and internal processes. A limited number of producers engaged in functional upgrading. Most of the producers were aware of the important role of standards. They affirmed that in the process of implementing and complying with standards, they have gained new knowledge and were convinced that they succeeded in securing at better position in the value chain.
    Keywords: Coordination, governance, standards, upgrading, value chain analysis, Honduras
    Date: 2007–12
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gig:wpaper:64&r=knm
  7. By: Isabel Maria Medalho Pereira
    Abstract: This paper is a positive analysis of the driving forces in interdisciplinary research. I take the perspective of a research institution that has to decide how to apply its resources among the production of two types of knowledge: specialized or interdisciplinary. Using a prize mechanism of compensation, I show that the choice of interdisciplinarity is compatible with profit maximization when the requirement for the production is sufficiently demanding, and when the new interdisciplinary field is not too neutral. Productive gains due to complementarities of efforts is the main advantage of interdisciplinary organization.
    Keywords: scientific research, specialization, interdisciplinarity, adaptative-skills, prizes, standards
    JEL: D80 O31 O38
    Date: 2007–05–31
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:aub:autbar:720.07&r=knm
  8. By: Andras Niedermayer
    Abstract: We consider a firm A initially owning a software platform (e.g. operating system) and an application for this platform. The specific knowledge of another firm B is needed to make the platform successful by creating a further application. When B’s application is completed, A has incentives to expropriate the rents. Netscape claimed e.g. that this was the case with its browser running on MS Windows. We will argue that open sourcing or standardizing the platform is a warranty for B against expropriation of rents. The different pieces of software are considered as assets in the sense of the property rights literature (see Hart and Moore (Journal of Political Economy, 1990)). Two cases of joint ownership are considered beyond the standard cases of integration and non-integration: platform standardization (both parties can veto changes) and open source (no veto rights). In line with the literature, the more important a party’s specific investments the more rights it should have. In contrast to Hart and Moore, however, joint ownership can be optimal in our setting. Open source is optimal if investments in the applications are more important than in the platform. The results are driven by the fact that in our model firms invest in physical (and not in human) capital and that there is non-rivalry in consumption for software.
    Keywords: Platforms; open source; standardization; incomplete contracts; property rights; joint ownership
    JEL: C70 D23 L13 L22 L86
    Date: 2007–10
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ube:dpvwib:dp0707&r=knm
  9. By: De, Utpal Kumar; Das, Manjit
    Abstract: Ericulture i.e., rearing of eri cocoon and spinning as well as weaving of endi clothes has been an integral part of the rural economic activities especially of the rural women in Assam. Though both male and female folk of all sections of rural population have been engaged in different sericulture activities, tribal women have been predominant in the rearing and weaving of eri raw silk and endi textiles, who in addition to their daily household activities use their leisure time and with the help of their traditionally inherited knowledge produce useful but comparatively cheaper endi clothes. The activities not only help to increase their household income but also help many of them to come out of the acute poverty. Moreover, these women become economically and thus socially more empowered. An attempt is made in this paper to throw some light on the role of ericulture and endi-entrepreneurship in the generation of income, employment and removal of poverty in Assam.
    Keywords: Ericulture; Poverty eradication; Rural entrepreneurship.
    JEL: Q1 R1
    Date: 2007–10–02
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:6291&r=knm
  10. By: De, Utpal Kumar; Ghosh, Bhola Nath
    Abstract: The issue of empowerment of women has been much discussed at various levels to find out the solution to age old problem of gender discrimination, exploitation of women and to uplift their status and position in the society. However, in most of the tribal societies even if poor, women always have an instilled special position and role they play in different spheres with great responsibility vis a vis their counterpart men. The Khasi society of Meghalaya is such a society, commonly known as matrilineal where authority, title, inheritance, residence after marriage and succession are traced through female line. So it is presumed that they do not require any special effort to make them aware and get social, economic, political or psychological understanding and knowledge to establish their rights along with men in their society as they are automatically placed on an esteemed level. They are presumed to have access to education, ownership of property, authority in their family and society; they are the heads of their families and decide what to be done or not etc. But a recent survey by us in the rural areas of Meghalaya shows that about one-third of the families are headed by the male. Also many of the families headed by females who are either widow or deserted. Also in the political sphere, hardly anybody is there who is female and even in the Dorbar; females are not allowed to take part in the meeting or decision-making. But in most of the socio-economic activities, still now dominance on female is observed even though they are assumed to be physically weak. Also, even though some families are headed by males it may be that they are just to carry out activities with the guidance of their female counterpart who has better control over assets and therefore no fear of loosing anything even if they are deserted by their husbands. Therefore, a question may arise whether in Khasi tribe the status of women is ascribed or prescribed by the society. Also it is pertinent to enquire about the direction to which the position and status of women are moving with the development of the society. This paper is thus an attempt to examine the dynamics of status and role of tribal women in Meghalaya, especially of Khasi women. It is examined through a number of social, economic, political, cultural, psychological and attitudinal indicators on the basis of the primary data on such factors collected from two villages in East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya.
    Keywords: Status of Women; Empowerment of Women
    JEL: Z1 A31
    Date: 2007–02–02
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:6290&r=knm

This nep-knm issue is ©2007 by Emanuele Canegrati. It is provided as is without any express or implied warranty. It may be freely redistributed in whole or in part for any purpose. If distributed in part, please include this notice.
General information on the NEP project can be found at http://nep.repec.org. For comments please write to the director of NEP, Marco Novarese at <director@nep.repec.org>. Put “NEP” in the subject, otherwise your mail may be rejected.
NEP’s infrastructure is sponsored by the School of Economics and Finance of Massey University in New Zealand.