nep-knm New Economics Papers
on Knowledge Management and Knowledge Economy
Issue of 2010‒03‒20
eleven papers chosen by
Laura Stefanescu
European Research Centre of Managerial Studies in Business Administration
  1. Learning Clusters as Drivers - A perspective on knowledge generation and learning processes within clusters By Bode, Alexander; Talmon l'Armee, Tobias
  2. ROLE OF INNOVATIONS AND KNOWLEDGE - INFRASTRUCTURE AND INSTITUTIONS By Nabradi, Andras
  3. BOUNDARY ORGANIZATIONS: AN EFFICIENT STRUCTURE FOR MANAGING KNOWLEDGE IN DECISION-MAKING UNDER UNCERTAINTY By Boissin, Denis
  4. KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION, MULTIFUNCTIONALITY OF AGRICULTURE AND PUBLIC DECISIONS: CRITICAL ISSUES OF CONTEMPORARY CONTROVERSIES By Laurent, Catherine; Labarthe, Pierre; Berriet-Solliec, Mariel; Trouve, Aurelie; Kirsch, Marc
  5. Effects of user's cooperation and location on innovation activity of firms: an input-output approach. By Sánchez González, Gloria; Herrera, Liliana
  6. âTHE METAPONTUM AGRO-FOOD DISTRICT OF QUALITYâ: A CASE STUDY OF KNOWLEDGE, INNOVATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF HUMAN CAPITAL IN TERRITORIAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT By Conto, Francesco; La Sala, Piermichele; Papapietro, Paolo
  7. KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY AND INNOVATIONS AS FACTORS OF AGRARIAN COMPETITIVENESS By Mihailovic, Branko; Hamovic, Vladana; Parausic, Vesna
  8. Financial Constraints and Innovation: Why Poor Countries Don't Catch Up By Gorodnichenko, Yuriy; Schnitzer, Monika
  9. A Sectoral Approach to the Diffusion of ICT:Empirical Evidence on Italian Firms By Davide Arduini; Leopoldo Nascia; Antonello Zanfei
  10. Innovation, Adoption, Ownership, and Productivity: Evidence from Ukraine By J. David Brown; John S. Earle; Hanna Vakhitova; Vitaliy Zheka
  11. MULTIFUNCTIONAL AGRICULTURE AS AN INNOVATION PATH FOR RURAL AREAS By Madureira, Livia; Costa, Susete
  1. By: Bode, Alexander; Talmon l'Armee, Tobias
    Date: 2009–10–13
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dar:wpaper:36334&r=knm
  2. By: Nabradi, Andras
    Keywords: Innovation, knowledge, infrastructure, institutions, Agribusiness, Labor and Human Capital,
    Date: 2009–12
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:ea113a:57336&r=knm
  3. By: Boissin, Denis
    Abstract: Modern environmental issues imply that decision-makers take into account opinions from experts of different spheres. Boundary organizations are institutions able to cross the gap between different areas of expertise and to act beyond the boundaries while remaining accountable to each side: by encouraging a flow of useful information, they permit an exchange to take place while maintaining the authority of each side, in order to provide a better knowledge and understanding of a situation characterized by uncertainty. Though never formally proved, this hypothesis is widely accepted based on the observation of existing boundary organizations. Through a multi-agent simulation, it is possible to assess their impact on the diffusion of opinions among experts. This virtual interaction of heterogeneous agents based on a model of continuous opinion dynamics over two dimensions, shows that boundary organizations have a significant quantitative impact on the diversity of opinions expressed and the number of experts agreeing to each emerging position.
    Keywords: boundary organization, opinion, knowledge diffusion, multi-agent system, Agribusiness, Labor and Human Capital, Public Economics,
    Date: 2009–12
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:ea113a:57494&r=knm
  4. By: Laurent, Catherine; Labarthe, Pierre; Berriet-Solliec, Mariel; Trouve, Aurelie; Kirsch, Marc
    Abstract: Various theoretical models of public policy analysis are used to treat situations of decision-making in which public deciders have to take into account the multifunctionality of agriculture. For some, science-society relations are not really problematical. Others acknowledge the current attempts of these policy-makers to find adequate scientific knowledge, and the difficulties they encounter. These difficulties stem partly from the very content of knowledge produced by research. Could other modes of production be more efficient? The status of the knowledge produced by these approaches is a subject of debate. Bridging the divide between science and policy more effectively is not only a question of knowledge brokerage. Accessibility and reliability of the existing evidences are also problems to be addressed. The debates around evidence-based practices may provide some landmarks in this new situation although they also emphasize the limits of the tools that can be built for this purpose.
    Keywords: Multifunctionality, Agriculture, Knowledge, Policy, Agribusiness, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Labor and Human Capital,
    Date: 2009–12
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:ea113a:57479&r=knm
  5. By: Sánchez González, Gloria (Departamento de Dirección y Economía de la Empresa, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad de León); Herrera, Liliana (Departamento de Dirección y Economía de la Empresa, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad de León)
    Abstract: The present study analyses the profile of firms cooperating with users and estimates the effect of this cooperation on firms’ innovation activities. This issue is particular novel and important as users provide information that will be very useful for generating new products and making the innovation process more efficient. The findings confirm that cooperation with users is a tool for progress and development as it has a positive influence on both input and output of firms’ innovation process. This paper makes three important contributions to the literature. First, we analyse the effect of cooperation with users on how firms distribute their R&D expenditures (basic research, applied research and technological development) in order to make clear how this tool can affect the different strategies for generating knowledge. Second, we also study the impact of this kind of cooperation on the degree of novelty of new products, with the aim of explaining how it affects the productivity of R&D activities. Third, to estimate these effects, the study analyses these relationships and explore the role of proximity in the cooperation with users taking into account the location of this agent (domestic versus international users). Results confirm that cooperation with users increases investments in activities that generate knowledge with a specific practical objective and which are near to firms’ technological domain (applied research and technological development). Independently of user’s location, firms increase their investment in technological development to act quickly in the market and to obtain profits. The study also concludes that cooperation with users has positive effects on innovation outputs and its degree of novelty (radical versus incremental innovations). Nonetheless, these effects are different according to user’s location. Cooperation with domestic users stimulates the sales of radical innovations and cooperation with international users increase sales of incremental innovations.
    Keywords: Cooperation with users, basic research, applied research, technological development, degree of novelty, location.
    Date: 2009–05
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ntd:wpaper:2009-10&r=knm
  6. By: Conto, Francesco; La Sala, Piermichele; Papapietro, Paolo
    Abstract: The aim of this research is to find a concrete construction methodology of the Metapontum Agro - food district by three main phases: awaking of the operators and the institutional stakeholders (got together in the districtâs local web); economicterritorial analysis; experimentation. This last phase will be the final step of the project, i.e. creation of the Development Centre - Formative laboratory, where both new methodologies of servicesâ spreading on enterprises and new methodologies of formation-information for operators and new potential entrepreneurs will be tested. This new methodology, based on the Learning Organization, set in the usual âdistrict approachâ to the local development, will employ information technology, solutions regarding the economic and the agricultural field, as well as training of human resources; this will follow the PSR 2007 â 2013 of Basilicata Region and the rural development program (PIT for the district). Therefore, after the analysis to identify the territorial organization of local development we can plan the new model of district, beginning from integrated supply chain. This will facilitate the construction of a Society of District - Service Center can organize territorially local development and to optimize the planned investments from financial instruments offered by the PSR, to provide horizontal services (training, promotion, internationalization, etc.) to member companies to increase efficiency of management effectiveness. In this context, based on the development of knowledge and ability to do business, underpinning the organization of the Center to ensure improved outcomes for companies and local business.
    Keywords: The Metapontum Agro-food district of quality, Concrete construction methodology of agro - food district, Creation of the shop of development, Formative laboratory, Information technology training of human resources solutions, Rural Development Program, Agribusiness, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Labor and Human Capital, Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,
    Date: 2009–12
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:ea113a:57477&r=knm
  7. By: Mihailovic, Branko; Hamovic, Vladana; Parausic, Vesna
    Abstract: Today, more than ever, development of agriculture leans on science research results and their practical application. Research in the field of agriculture is conducted by large network of public institutions, institutes and universities are mostly directed toward improvement of production. Economical research, at the level of husbandry, market analysis, or analysis and estimations of economic policy is poorly developed. Profitability of agriculture and food industry should be improved and supported by adequate research and application of gained results. Experience acquired in research and education systems of post-communist countries can help these countries change their economy towards knowledge, innovations and new technologies. But, in spite of great number of research workers and successful education system inherited from the communist period, it would be difficult for countries that were part of East Block to turn these potential advantages into commercially successful innovations unless universities and research institutions cooperate closely with private sector, what implies restructuring research system towards adjustment to agro-economy needs.
    Keywords: Agro-economy, Cooperation, Performances, Competitiveness, Agribusiness, Community/Rural/Urban Development, International Development, Labor and Human Capital,
    Date: 2009–12
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:ea113a:57487&r=knm
  8. By: Gorodnichenko, Yuriy (University of California, Berkeley); Schnitzer, Monika (University of Munich)
    Abstract: This paper examines micro-level channels of how financial development can affect macroeconomic outcomes like the level of income and export intensity. We investigate theoretically and empirically how financial constraints affect a firm's innovation and export activities, using unique firm survey data which provides direct measures for innovations and firm-specific financial constraints. We find that financial constraints restrain the ability of domestically owned firms to innovate and export and hence to catch up to the technological frontiers. This negative effect is amplified as financial constraints force export and innovation activities to become substitutes although they are generally natural complements.
    Keywords: innovation, productivity, financial constraint, export, technology frontier, BEEPS
    JEL: O3 O16 F1 G3
    Date: 2010–02
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp4786&r=knm
  9. By: Davide Arduini (Dipartimento di Economia e Metodi Quantitativi, Università di Urbino (Italy)); Leopoldo Nascia (National Bureau of Statistics, Italy); Antonello Zanfei (Dipartimento di Economia e Metodi Quantitativi, Università di Urbino (Italy))
    Abstract: It is suggested that our understanding of ICT adoption in the Italian economy can benefit from complementary insights derived from some of the most important theoretical approaches to sectorial diffusion of innovation (epidemic, probit and systemic). As regards the epidemic models the key variables are firms’ market performance indicators. Probit models call our attention to the size of user firms, their ability to utilize technology and the degree of industrial concentration. Systemic models emphasise the role played by the public sector, which is viewed as catalyst and stimulator of innovative activities in the industrial system, and by the evolution of the technological and infrastructural context in which users are active. We utilize a composite indicator, which describes the use of ICT in a sample of 1947 Italian firms in 2004 and 2005, as the dependent variable for an econometric exercise which allows to assess the importance of factors identified in the different approaches emerging from the existing literature.
    Keywords: Truncated and Censored Models, Market structure and Size distribution of firms, Diffusion processes and Technology adoption.
    JEL: C34 L11 O33
    Date: 2010
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:urb:wpaper:10_02&r=knm
  10. By: J. David Brown; John S. Earle; Hanna Vakhitova; Vitaliy Zheka
    Abstract: How do new and foreign firms achieve superior productivity? Do they conduct more and better R&D? Or do they distinguish themselves through computerization and organizational capital? We investigate the determinants of and returns to several types of investment, using a panel of over 40,000 Ukrainian industrial firms in 2000-2007. Foreign firms engage in more non-technological investment and IT and less in R&D than domestic private firms. Similarly, new firms invest more in non-technological capital and IT and less in R&D than initially state-owned firms. Productivity gains from R&D and non-technology investment are insignificantly different across ownership types, whereas foreign firms achieve much higher returns to IT investment than other firms. These results suggest that foreign firms outperform others via organizational capital that is better able to exploit IT investment. New firm productivity growth is a result of higher investment volume rather than investment efficiency.
    Keywords: R&D, information technology, foreign ownership, transition, Eastern Europe,<br /> Ukraine
    JEL: D21 D24 F23 G34 L33 O32 P31
    Date: 2010
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:diw:diwesc:diwesc18&r=knm
  11. By: Madureira, Livia; Costa, Susete
    Abstract: The main purpose of this paper is to discuss the potential of MFA model to enhance innovation in rural areas build on the analysis of information from a database of best practices on innovation in EU rural areas collected by the RAPIDO project1. The analysis shows innovation to be strongly related to multiple-activity. This suggests the synergies between functions and land-uses to overlap the competition for resources between activities and that MFA shows a promising approach to enhance innovation in rural areas.
    Keywords: Innovation, Multifunctionality, Rural areas, Sustainability, Agribusiness, Community/Rural/Urban Development,
    Date: 2009–12
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:ea113a:57644&r=knm
This nep-knm issue is ©2010 by Laura Stefanescu. 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.
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