Science and Technology Studies Commons^™

Secondary Markets: The Quiet Economic Value Creator, John Mayo, Scott J. Wallsten

Scott J. Wallsten

No abstract provided.

The Value Of Government Mandated Location-Based Services In Emergencies In Australia, Anas Aloudat, Katina Michael, Roba Abbas, Mutaz M. Al-Debei

Dr. Mutaz M. Al-Debei

The adoption of mobile technologies for emergency management has the capacity to save lives. In Australia in February 2009, the Victorian Bushfires claimed 173 lives, the worst peace-time disaster in the nation’s history. The Australian government responded swiftly to the tragedy by going to tender for mobile applications that could be used during emergencies, such as mobile alerts and location services. These applications, which are becoming increasingly accurate with the evolution of positioning techniques, have the ability to deliver personalized information direct to the citizen during crises, complementing traditional broadcasting mediums like television and radio. Indeed governments have a responsibility …

What Gets Measured Gets Done: Stop Focusing On Irrelevant Broadband Metrics, Scott J. Wallsten

Scott J. Wallsten

Concerns regarding the state of U.S. broadband arises from a combination of focusing on the wrong metrics, a misguided interpretation of consumer preferences, and a popular obsession with rankings. These misperceptions translate into misdirected, if well-intentioned, public policies that waste scarce resources and distract from real issues like a large income-based digital divide.

Primitive Accumulation And Enclosure Of The Commons: Genetically Engineered Seeds And Canadian Jurisprudence, Wilhelm Peekhaus

Wilhelm Peekhaus

This paper juxtaposes the legal decisions made in the case of Percy Schmeiser, who was sued by Monsanto for patent infringement, against the attempt by the Organic Agriculture Protection Fund to obtain class certification in its efforts to sue Monsanto and Bayer for genetic contamination of organic canola. Together these two cases establish an unacceptable incongruity at common law between the rights enjoyed by intellectual property owners and any corresponding duties that might attach to their inventions. I suggest that Marx’s concept of primitive accumulation offers a suitable theoretical register for apprehending contemporary erosions of the commons through the enclosure …

Testimony On The Role Of Government In Promoting R&D, Scott J. Wallsten

Scott J. Wallsten

No abstract provided.

Public Policy Instruments In (Re)Building National Innovation Capabilities: Cases Of Nanotechnology Development In China, Russia And Brazil, Evgeny A. Klochikhin

Evgeny A. Klochikhin

In 2001 Goldman Sachs named Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRICs) the most rapidly-growing countries in the world capable of surpassing the United States, Japan and Europe as leading economies by 2050.

Nevertheless, for the last decade we have learned relatively little about the mechanisms of success and failure in these countries. All of them have huge territory and population as well as fast-growing economies that sometimes show two-digit rates of GDP growth per year and surprise the world by their increasing budgets and public spending. In the meantime, most of these countries are believed to be desperately struggling against …

How To Create A More Efficient Broadband Universal Service Program By Incorporating Demand And Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, Scott J. Wallsten

Scott J. Wallsten

The existing high-cost fund suffers from two inherent flaws: it does not incorporate how much consumers value the services being subsidized, and does not measure the incremental, rather than average, effects of the program. This paper proposes a way to incorporate those factors into the Connect America Fund—the proposed high-cost broadband support program—to enable it to operate more efficiently than the existing high-cost program ever could.

In particular, decisions about where to provide subsidies should be based on cost-effectiveness analyses that explicitly take into account not just the cost of providing service but also how much consumers would value the …

Datenschutzaspekte Smarter Überwachung, Michael Friedewald, Marc Langheinrich

Michael Friedewald

Kurz&bündig Moderne «intelligente» Überwachungssysteme sollen den Bürger besser vor Terrorismus und organisierter Kriminalität schützen, greifen potentiell aber tief in die Privatsphäre des Einzelnen ein. Das EU-Forschungsprojekt SAPIENT untersucht die Risiken solcher intelligenten Überwachungstechniken und erarbeitet Verfahren, um diese im Einklang mit Menschenrechten und unter Beachtung des sozialen und gemeinschaftlichen Zusammenhalts gestalten zu können.

The Role Of The University In Urban Regeneration: Reframing The Analytical Approach, Manuel Fernández-Esquinas, Hugo Pinto

Manuel Fernández-Esquinas

This paper sets out a conceptual framework for the analysis of the role played by higher education establishments in urban-renewal initiatives. It is based on an integrated analysis of the uses of the university both as promoters of business innovation and in terms of their civic and social outcomes. This is combined with the dimensions habitually considered in urban regeneration strategies. The paper is organised so as to consider the possible effects of universities’ resources along four axes: physical infrastructure, human resources, governance and social intervention, and economic development. The concluding section discusses options for integrating universities’ capabilities as an …

Broadening Participation Through E-Petitions? An Empirical Study Of Petitions To The German Parliament, Ralf Lindner

Ralf Lindner

Petitioning is a well established form of political participation in most liberal democracies, but little is known about petitioners, their socio-demographics, motivations and assessments of petitioning processes. In 2005, the German parliament introduced public e-petitions which are submitted, signed and discussed on the Internet. This article reports a 2007 survey of 571 traditional and 350 e-petitioners. The results indicate that both petitioner samples are characterised by an above average level of general political participation and Internet use. Users of the e-petition system are younger than traditional petitioners, but the group continues to be dominated by men and those with higher …

Hacia La Construcción De Políticas Públicas Globales: Retos Para El Estado Nación De Cara A La Globalización, Mario A. Pinzón Mapc

Mario A Pinzón Camargo

Este artículo analiza los efectos en la idea de Estado nación bajo la lógica de la globalización. Examina los retos para el Estado en la construcción de políticas públicas globales, la definición de una nueva agenda global y un nuevo sistema institucional desarrollado bajo la lógica de la gobernanza global.

Secondary Spectrum Markets As Complements To Incentive Auctions, Scott J. Wallsten, John W. Mayo

Scott J. Wallsten

No abstract provided.

Nanotechnology Policy In Russia: Can An Emerging Technology Push A Country Onto A New Development Trajectory?, Evgeny A. Klochikhin

Evgeny A. Klochikhin

In 2001 Goldman Sachs predicted that a group of emerging markets – Brazil, Russia, India and China – will surpass leading economies by 2050. Nevertheless, we seem to have studied little about the mechanisms of success and failure in these countries in the recent decade. In this paper I focus on one of these giants – Russia – which seems seriously understudied but retains important creative and science and technology potential capable of pushing the country onto a new development trajectory.

Russia sees nanotechnology as one of the major technological platforms that could help it achieve the established growth objectives. …

Auburn University Team Takes Third Place In 2011 Launchpad Competition

Paul Swamidass

"Launchpad helps motivate the Thomas Walter Center to prepare a sound business plan for a promising Auburn University engineering invention each year," said Swamidass. "The screening provided by the Launchpad judges and publicity offered by the competition increases the chances that a strong Auburn invention will get to market for the benefit of the economy and the public. We expect IPC Foam to attract a CEO and private capital to establish a local startup to successfully commercialize this technology."

El Papel De Las Universidades En Las Estrategias De Regeneración Urbana: Una Reconsideración Del Marco Conceptual, Manuel Fernández-Esquinas

Manuel Fernández-Esquinas

Este artículo ofrece un marco conceptual sobre el rol que juegan las organizaciones de educación superior en las iniciativas de regeneración de entornos urbanos. Para ello se realiza un análisis integrado de los usos de la universidad tanto en su vertiente de promoción de la innovación empresarial como en su vertiente cívica y social. Ello se combina con las dimensiones consideradas habitualmente en las estrategias de regeneración urbana. La organización del artículo considera los efectos que pueden tener los recursos disponibles en las universidades en cuatro dimensiones: infraestructuras físicas, recursos humanos, gobernanza e intervención social y desarrollo económico. Las conclusiones …

Construyendo Políticas Públicas Globales: Una Aproximación Al Marco Teórico De Estudio. Working Paper N. 5, Mario A. Pinzón Mapc

Mario A Pinzón Camargo

El objetivo de este artículo es proporcionar un marco teórico a partir del cual sea posible hablar de las políticas públicas globales, como categoría de análisis de la gobernanza global. Se presenta una aproximación teórica basada en la teoría de la elección racional.

Disentangling University-Industry Relationships: Evidence From Firms In A Catch-Up Region, Manuel Fernández-Esquinas, Carmen Merchán-Hernández, Elena Espiniosa-De-Los-Monteros

Manuel Fernández-Esquinas

This article examines the complexity of the links between industry and universities in a peripheral region from the perspective of the firms. It focuses specifically on the diversity of situations in which these university-industry interactions occur. A survey of 737 firms in Andalusia is used for the analysis, reflecting a variety of innovative profiles. The analysis identifies the importance of a wide range of relationships, determines how they are structured and draws a profile of firms according to their links with universities. The results show the multiple channels by which a university system can contribute to firm innovation. They also …

Pricing Strategies In A Digital World, Laura Martin, Scott J. Wallsten

Scott J. Wallsten

No abstract provided.

The Policy Rationale For Cross-Sector Research Collaboration And Contemporary Consequences, Turpin Tim, Manuel Fernández-Esquinas

Manuel Fernández-Esquinas

National policies and practices shape the tools and institutional form of cross-sector research collaboration (CSRC). However, because innovation systems vary considerably across different countries, so too has the evolution of policy. In this special issue contributions review the policy processes and their implications in seven countries: Australia; Norway; Germany; the USA; Spain; Ireland; and the UK. Overall the comparisons reveal some common trends. For example, there is a general trend toward the institutionalisation of collaborative processes and practices in formal organisational structures. However, the variation across systems, governance and industrial structures reinforce the need for a diverse approach to CSRC …

Emerging Forms Of Cross-Sector Collaboration In The Spanish Innovation System, Manuel Fernández-Esquinas, Irene Ramos-Vielba

Manuel Fernández-Esquinas

The Spanish innovation system has grown since the 1980s following a predominantly supply-side model where R&D capacities have concentrated in universities and public research organizations. Since then efforts have been made to stimulate cross-sector linkages. These have relied on university– industry projects, various forms of interface organizations, technology centres and programmes to encourage mobility. However, initiatives have encountered some significant drawbacks. Due to a lack of progress, a range of centres and other collaborative arrangements have emerged since 2000 to try to foster greater collaboration and firm based innovation. The process of policy change and their institutional structure are examined …

Territorios Digitales: El Camino A La Sociedad De La Innovación. El Caso De San Luis, Argentina, Lucas Jolías, Susana Finquelievich, Alejandro Prince

Lucas Jolías

El artículo describe los resultados de una investigación de campo que estudia los alcances del programa San Luis Digital en Argentina, originado por el gobierno provincial y en el que los municipios de la Provincia han participado activamente. Se hace foco sobre los procesos de innovación social basados en la utilización de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) promovidos por la Gobierno administración provincial a través de acuerdos con otros actores sociales. La metodología utilizada para la investigación fue principalmente la de meta research, es decir la integración de modelos, teorías, datos e información provenientes de diversas …

Etapas De La Inclusión Digital En Argentina: Difusión Y Adopción De Tic, Lucas Jolías, Alejandro Prince

Lucas Jolías

La inclusión digital es uno de los principales desafíos de los gobiernos en los próximos años, pero para cumplir con éste objetivo se debe prestar atención a las particularidades de la adopción de TIC en nuestra región, contemplando las diferencias socioeconómicas, culturales y motivacionales. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar la inclusión digital en América Latina y el Caribe, con particular atención al caso de Argentina. Las hipótesis más importantes pueden resumirse en dos: primero, que los niveles de inclusión digital en la actualidad son en gran medida producto del mercado y la capacidad económica y de consumo de …

The Universal Service Fund: What Do High-Cost Subsidies Subsidize?, Scott J. Wallsten

Scott J. Wallsten

The universal service program in the United States currently transfers about $7.5 billion per year from telephone subscribers to certain telephone companies. Those funds are intended to help achieve particular policy goals, such as subsidizing telephone service in rural areas and making phone service more affordable to low-income people. The bulk of the funds, about $4.5 billion per year, subsidizes firms operating in high-cost areas. A large literature documents the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of these subsidies, raising the question of where the money goes. This paper uses data submitted by about 1,400 recipients of high-cost subsidies from 1998 – 2008 …

El Desarrollo De La Ciencia Política En México. Una Mirada A Través De Los Estudios Sobre El Estado De La Disiciplina, J. R. Joel Flores-Mariscal

J. R. Joel Flores-Mariscal

Se presenta una revisión de los títulos publicados hasta 2009 que han analizado la situación de la ciencia política en México o algún aspecto de ésta. Destaca el crecimiento y la diversificación de autores e instituciones, de las revistas publicadas y de los enfoques y temas recurrentes. Hasta fines de los años noventa se ven autores recurrentes y momentos de auge en las publicaciones asociados a coyunturas como congresos, procesos de modificación a planes de estudio, etc., Después de estos años hay la emergencia de nuevos autores y enfoques de estudio, y que el desarrollo de estos trabajos en su …

Analyzing The Role Of Icts In The Tunisian And Egyptian Unrest From An Information Warfare Perspective, Brett Van Niekerk, Kiru Pillay, Manoj Maharaj

Manoj Maharaj

In January 2011, the Tunisian government stepped down after weeks of protests; this was followed by unrest and protests in Egypt against the Egyptian government, leading also to the resignation of its president. Demonstrations in both countries were facilitated in some part by the online social media and related information and communications technologies that impacted the flow of information. The manner in which the information and communication technologies were employed suggests that the uprisings were a form of social information warfare. To provide an alternative understanding of the role of technology and information in the events that led to the …

The Information Warfare Lifecycle Model, Manoj Maharaj, Brett Van Nikerk

Manoj Maharaj

No abstract provided.

Strategic Planning For Digital Convergence In South African Businesses, Manoj Maharaj, Kiru Pillay

Manoj Maharaj

No abstract provided.

Characterizing A Technology Development At The Stage Of Early Emerging Applications: Nanomaterial-Enhanced Biosensors, Lu Huang, Ying Guo, Zhengchun Peng, Alan L. Porter

alan l porter

We devise Future-oriented Technology Analyses tools to investigate a technology at an interesting development stage of early emerging applications. At this stage, technologies show great potential with little established commercialization. Future development pathways are highly uncertain and heavily dependent on contextual interactions. We apply R&D profiling, R&D-to-Applications cross-charting, and Technology Delivery System modelling to help understand the phenomena that bear upon development prospects. We develop our approach through a two-tier case study: general treatment of nanomaterial-enhanced biosensors, followed by more specialized treatment of one subset of those. Results convey the importance of considering technological and social context factors together to …

Assessment Of Brazil’S Research Literature, David J. Schoeneck, Alan L. Porter, Ronald N. Kostoff, Elena M. Berger

alan l porter

This “country study” analyzes substantial samples of research papers by Brazilian authors drawn from two global databases. The approach and the findings may each be of interest. Our approach is to examine R&D outputs through bibliometrics (to identify key authors, institutions, journals, etc) and text mining with taxonomy generation (to identify pervasive research thrusts). We extend prior country studies by providing for interactive data access and exploring military-relevant R&D information. The resulting publication activity profiles provide insight on Brazilian R&D strengths and investment strategies, and help identify opportunities for collaboration. Brazil, a nation of 190 million, evidences a substantial research …

Mining External R&D, Alan L. Porter, Nils C. Newman

alan l porter

Open Innovation presses the case for timely and thorough intelligence concerning research and development activities conducted outside one’s organization. To take advantage of this wealth of R&D, one needs to establish a systematic “tech mining” process. We propose a 5-stage framework that extends literature review into research profiling and pattern recognition to answer posed technology management questions. Ultimately, one can even discover new knowledge by screening research databases. Once one determines the value in mining external R&D, tough issues remain to be overcome. Technology management has developed a culture that relies more on intuition than on evidence. Changing that culture …