148 research outputs found
How ICTs Raise Manufacturing Performance: Firm-level Evidence in Southeast Asia.
No full textThis paper examines the effects of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on business performance, using firm-level data obtained through a questionnaire survey in four ASEAN countries (Indonesia, The Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam). Sources of information and new technologies exchanged via ICTs by firms are also explored to investigate the mechanism behind ICT adoption. Empirical results verify that the introduction of ICT to reorganize business processes is significantly correlated with business performance, in particular the development of export markets and improvement of production management. ICTs facilitate access to information and technologies accumulated in in-house departments and joint-venture (JV) affiliates of the respondent firms. There are considerable differences between multinational companies (MNCs)/JVs and local firms. MNCs/JVs make use of information and technologies obtainable via ICTs from their own R&D departments, JVs established with local partners and foreign-owned suppliers/customers to improve factory management, mostly for product quality improvement and production cost reduction. In contrast, local firms interconnect their own R&D departments via ICTs to enhance their business performance in broader areas than MNCs/JVs, including the development of export markets.
The infinite and contradiction: A history of mathematical physics by dialectical approach
No full textThe following hypothesis is proposed: "In mathematics, the contradiction involved in the development of human knowledge is included in the form of the infinite." To prove this hypothesis, the author tries to find what sorts of the infinite in mathematics were used to represent the contradictions in some revolutions in mathematical physics, and concludes "the contradiction involved in mathematical description of motion was represented with the infinite within recursive (computable) set level by early Newtonian mechanics; and then the contradiction to describe discontinuous phenomena with continuous functions and the contradiction about "ether" were represented with the infinite higher than the recursive set level, namely of arithmetical set level in second order arithmetic (ordinary mathematics), by mechanics of continuous bodies and theory of field; and subsequently the contradictions appeared in macroscopic physics applied to microscopic phenomena were represented with the further higher infinite in third or higher order arithmetic (set theoretic mathematics), by quantum mechanics.
Detecting Effective Knowledge Sources in Product Innovation: Evidence from Local Firms and MNCs/JVs in Southeast Asia
No full textThis paper examines the effects of internal and external sources of knowledge on the introduction of new products based on new technologies or information at firms which responded to a questionnaire survey conducted in four Southeast Asian countries. The results confirm that local firms make full use of locally available sources of new technology or information to achieve product innovation. On the other hand, foreign-owned firms depend mainly on internal R&D capacities and also possibly upon cooperation with local universities. These findings highlight the fact that local firms complement their lack of internal resources for product innovation with external knowledge sources. Foreign-owned firms utilize their international production networks to concentrate their resources on innovative activities.
1P314 Design of functional nucleic acid that controls receptor signaling(28. Bioengineering,Poster,The 52nd Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society of Japan(BSJ2014))
No full textLocation Choice of Multinational Enterprises in China: Comparison between Japan and Taiwan
No full textThis paper explores the location choice of MNEs in China, shedding special light on the role of agglomeration of same-nationality firms. In particular, we examine how its role differs according to investors’ productivity. Furthermore, we compare the location choice of Japanese and Taiwanese MNEs in China, because Taiwanese MNEs are expected to experience less uncertainty in investing in China than Japanese MNEs, due to Taiwan’s linguistic and cultural advantages in China. We find that, less productive Japanese firms prefer to locate close to larger same-nationality agglomerations, there are no differences in location according to firms’ productivity in the case of Taiwanese firms.
Severe Eosinophilic Disorders: Mechanisms and Clinical Management
No full textThis eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers Editorial Office: frontiersin.org/about/contac
Harmonizing Biodiesel Fuel Standards in East Asia: Current Status, Challenges and Way Forward
No full textAbstract: This paper discusses the development of and policy towards biodiesel fuel (BDF) in the East Asia Summit (EAS) Region (hereafter East Asia), with a focus on activities related to harmonizing BDF standards. It finds that the EAS countries have actively promoted the development of BDF for a variety of reasons. To minimize problems with engines arising from the use of BDF, most EAS countries have established their national BDF standards. However, these diverse standards cause barriers for BDF trade and act against the regional interest in maximizing benefits from BDF production and utilization. Therefore, the EAS policy makers decided to harmonize BDF standards, and a regional benchmark standard has been published. Through a comparative review of existing national standards against the benchmark, it finds that the harmonization is beneficial economically and environmentally, and is technically feasible but practically stalled due to the lack of political determination. Therefore, among a few policy implications, the key message to deliver is a call for political determination to implement the harmonization in the EAS region. Since harmonization of BDF standards has been tried in other regions, the findings of this paper may supplement the literature, enhance understanding of the EAS case, and provide lessons and implications that may be helpful in advancing similar harmonization elsewhere.
Nongenetic Reprogramming of the Ligand Specificity of Growth Factor Receptors by Bispecific DNA Aptamers
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