ALBERT

Notizen: This note demonstrates how recent results in the literature on true cost-of-living indices are of direct relevance to attempts to measure Hicks’compensating and equivalent variations because of the close inter-relationship between the Hicksian surplus measures and true (or constant-utility) price indices.

Notizen: Interfuel substitution, a priori, seems to be of considerable importance in the economy of the United Kingdom. Consequently, an appropriate model is developed and estimated. All energy sources are demonstrated to be substitutable. Coal is the most price responsive with natural gas, oil and electrical following. The results are not inconsistent with other studies of energy substitution. Moreover, when the issue of the stability of the demand for energy types is considered, the suggestion that the demand for coal, oil, natural gas, and electrical energy have remained virtually constant over the past three decades.

Notizen: The purpose of this paper is to derive the demand functions corresponding to an intertemporal linear expenditure system in which goods are durable, and in which there are penalty costs for changes in planned stocks. Taste changes over time can be interpreted as changes in the technology converting goods into characteristics.

Notizen: “Is there a human being who does not revere his homeland, even though he may not return?” (Jimmie Durham, Cherokee Indian)

Notizen: Book reviewed in this article: Geography and the Urban Environment: Progress In Research and Applications, Volume 3, by D. T. Herbert and R. J. Johnston (eds.). The Geography of Public Finance: Welfare Under Fiscal Federalism and Local Government Finance, by R. J. Bennett. Modeling the Multiregional Economic System, by F. Gerard Adams and Norman J. Glickman (eds.). Improving the Elderly's Housing: A Key to Preserving the Nation's Housing Stock and Neighborhoods, by Raymond J. Struyk and Beth Soldo. Regional Studies for Planning and Projecting: The Siberian Experience, by A. G. Aganbegyan (ed.).

Notizen: Book reviewed in this article: Economic Impact Analysis: Methodology and Applications, edited by Saul Pleeter. Industrial Location and Air Quality Control: A Planning Approach, by Jean-Michel Guldmann and Daniel Shefer. Alternatives to Confrontation: A National Policy toward Regional Change, by Victor L. Arnold (ed.). Regional Accounts, Structure and Performance of the New York Region's Economy in the Seventies, by Regina Belz Armstrong, with David Gayer, Alberto Heimler, and Ruth Plawner. Boris S. Pushkarev and Peter J. Bearse (eds.). The Future of American Agriculture as a Strategic Resource, by Sandra Batie and Robert Healy (eds.). European Studies in Development, by Jacques de Bandt, Peter Mandi, and Dudley Seers (eds.). Refining the Waterfront: Alternative Energy Siting Policies for Urban Coastal Areas, by David Morell and Grace Singer. New Tools for Economic Development: The Enterprise Zone, Development Bank, and RFC, by George Sternlieb and David Listokin (eds.).

Notizen: Book reviewed in this article: Spatial Approach for District Planning: A Case Study of Karnal District, by R. N. Sharma. The Border Economy: Regional Development in the Southwest, by Niles Hansen. Geographical Economics, by Patrick O'Sullivan. Regional Policy: Past Experiences and New Directions, by D. MacLennan and J. B. Parr (eds.). Who Pays State and Local Taxes, by Donald Phares. Education and Society: The Geographer's View, Volume 1, Stockholm Studies in Human Geography, by Torvald Gerger and Göran Hoppe. Integration and Unequal Development; the Experience of the E.C., by D. Seers and C. Vaistos (eds.) with the assistance of M. L. Kiljunen. National Urbanization Policy in Developing Countries, by Bertrand Renaud. International Migration and Economic Development: A Theoretical and Empirical Study, by Domenick Salvatore. Federalism and Regional Development. Case Studies on the Experience in the United States and the Federal Republic of Germany, by George W. Hoffman (ed.).

Notizen: The current state of the art of technology forecasting (TF) is critically reviewed. A statement of the aims of TF, which distinguish it from futurology, a brief history and a summary of the basic principles are provided. The last includes the technological escalation, technological succession, societal impact and methods of quantification. TF techniques are divided into two pairs of classes: extrapolative versus normative and single-variable versus multivariable. Each is critically evaluated in terms of its potential applicability and reliability. Substitution analysis, Delphi techniques, cross impact analysis and morphological analysis are treated in some detail.It is concluded that some form of TF is essential to the success of strategic planning and its use will undoubtedly increase in the future.

Notizen: Abstract: The case study presented in this paper deals with the problem of selecting interrelated R & D projects in a small university R & D laboratory under constrained resources. A constrained optimization model was used, applying a multiattribute utility approach.

Notizen: Abstract: This paper summarises the results of a recent study carried out by the Science Policy Research Unit for the Norwegian Royal Commission on Industrial Research (the ‘Industriforskningsutvalget’). We assess in broad terms the effectiveness of existing Norwegian mechanisms for supporting Industrial research in institutes and firms, focussing in particular on the mechanical engineering and electronics sectors. A range of evaluation techniques are utilised in examining (a) research institute performance, (b) the research institute/industry interface, and (c) the general mode of operation of the funding system. It is suggested that the methodology adopted in the study may be of more general value in evaluating national systems for funding R & D.

Notizen: Abstract: The author outlines the way in which OR models can be used to aid the development and technical assessment of different technologies for obtaining energy from the wave motion of the seas. The cost of prototype devices would be enormous and their use would be quite impracticable for comparing different technologies. The author's models are sophisticated enough to give an initial assessment of different devices using the input from relatively inexpensive small-scale physical models. They are capable of varying the design parameters of each device and locating optimum values, thus ensuring that comparisons are made under the most favourable conditions.

Notizen: Equations are derived for the factor demand of an N firm oligopoly for fairly general market demand curves and production functions. Free-entry is then introduced and it is shown that this may either raise or lower derived demand elasticity. This result is then applied to show that a unit production tax may encourage entry and so cause larger changes in price and quantity in the short run than the long run.

Notizen: Abstract: Product development strategies in 20 major Swedish food processing companies are described and evaluated both from a company and a consumer point of view. Three types of company outcomes are focused on, technological, market and commercial success. Company variables related to success are size, ownership and research intensity. Strategic variables analyzed in relation to success are technology use, R and D cooperation and marketing. Consumer outcome is studied in terms of price differences, convenience, taste, nutritional benefit and medical value. As in previous studies carried out in the same research programme in more research and technology intensive industries, cooperating with the outside research environment and combining technologies is shown to be clearly associated with success in finding and developing new products. With regard to consumer outcome, convenience and taste differences are the most common attributes of new food products, differentiating them from existing products.

Notizen: Harwell's primary role. is to serve as the main research laboratory supporting the U. K. nuclear power development programme; in addition it undertakes research and development outside of the nuclear field for Government and industrial customers. Overall, there is the need to manage a very large number of separate and often disparate items of work and to ensure effective communication with senior managers of the nuclear power programme and with commercial customers on allocation of resources and technical progress. This is done through a version of “matrix management”. A large proportion of the technical, commercial and staff management decisions are devolved within Harwell's matrix organisation where teams of staff required for particular items of R & D are formed by arrangements agreed locally between the two axes of the matrix. The smaller groupings of staff created in the matrix are important in providing environments where good staff management practices can be established and where a team spirit aids motivation and technical initiative.

Notizen: A number of hypotheses are stated relating company technical sector success in the generation of new products to factors at the R & D/ Production Interface. Statistical differences and correlations between these factors are used to evaluate the hypotheses.The results suggest a strong link between productivity and expenditure per head in the R & D function, the unique fitness of the German Ing. Grad. engineer for the role of Project Manager and the importance to U. K. industry of project integration, flexibility of operation, absence of status consciousness and clarity of problem definition.

Notizen: The study, carried out in a large laboratory, shows that performance increases up to 1. 5 years tenure, stays steady for a time but by five years has declined noticeably. This tendency is best accounted for by the marked decline in communication rate among group members and between them and critical external sources of information. The authors analyse the significance of this finding and suggest means of maintaining the vitality of long-standing project teams.The study, carried out in a large laboratory, shows that performance increases up to 1. 5 years tenure, stays steady for a time but by five years has declined noticeably. This tendency is best accounted for by the marked decline in communication rate among group members and between them and critical external sources of information. The authors analyse the significance of this finding and suggest means of maintaining the vitality of long-standing project teams.

Notizen: Abstract: The application of RPD decision analysis to R & D tactics is discussed and the role of the technique as an aid to self-consistent decision making is enaphasized. RPD decision analysis is used to define limits to its own cost effectiveness.Two example problems are analysed in detail. Simple priority ratings are defined for two special cases: the sequence of independent tests all of which must succeed, and the sequence of independent problem solving attempts, any of which may succeed. The compromise between project duration and project cost is analysed in terms of time dependence of the value of success.The discrimination study is defined as an investigation which aims to provide information for an improved assessment of project success probability.It is shown that such a study is never worth more than one quarter of the total expected benefits of the project.

Notizen: Many high-technology products are characterized by a “short” product life cycle (PLC)—a short life on the market, a steep decline stage and the lack of a maturity stage. The paper discusses the implications for marketing activities of this pattern in the case of small high-technology companies. It is shown that the marketing of a short PLC product requires a high level of marketing, managerial ability and sophistication as well as an investment of a large amount of resources. It is pointed out that small high-technology firms are faced with a particularly difficult situation in this case because they lack appropriate resources and marketing sophistication. An understanding of the short PLC problem will help the small companies to conduct a more realistic assessment of the magnitude of the marketing task they face in order to adequately prepare themselves or avoid a commitment to projects which are beyond their abilities.

Notizen: Abstract: A study of eighty-eight small and medium sized electronics firms in the UK was undertaken in an attempt to investigate the impact of technical characteristics on their export involvement. The results show that high exporting firms in the sample were distinguished from the low exporters by certain key technical characteristics. Among these, the presence of in-house R&D capability emerged as the strongest feature. But the results also show that high exporting is associated with more than strong technical capability, and in particular a positive orientation towards export market, especially during the project selection and R&D stages, needs to be present.

Notizen: A major problem to be faced in the coming decade is ensuring an adequate supply of trained staff to innovate and exploit new technologies. Historically this has often been defined as a macroeconomic supply-demand issue, to do with generating people from the educational sector with the appropriate mix of expertise in the numbers required to meet demand in the industrial sector. In this paper the author makes the case that the concept of ‘expertise’ is not as simple as a supply-demand view assumes. The definition of what is appropriate expertise for given jobs—technical and managerial—seems to be heavily influenced by who is trying to gain control over whom, a phenomenon that can also be seen at work in situations as diverse as shopfloor demarcations and the behaviour of professional bodies. If this is the case, the solution to the supply-demand problem may well lie in the hands of the individual firm and its manpower policies, rather than in the overhaul of national systems of education.

Notizen: Abstract: The purpose of the study reported in this paper is to examine the view that one of the reasons for the poor performance of British companies in certain engineering industries may be the relatively low technical sophistication of its domestic customers. Data for the study were collected predominantly by mail questionnaire from customer organisations in Great Britain and West Germany. The results of the study suggest that British customers are significantly less receptive to new technology than their West German counterparts, and less demanding of new technology from their suppliers. Given the importance of the domestic customer to new product development activity this appears to be a major problem for British suppliers, and suggests an alternative approach to public policy designed to improve the innovative performance of British Industry in these sectors.

Notizen: The hierarchy of needs and concept of basic motivation proposed by Maslow have been widely accepted for the understanding they provide of management. Recently, a concept of decision style based on Jungian personality types has also been found useful in explaining some aspects of management. In this paper the two concepts are taken together to provide a better understanding of the individual scientist and therefore of research management. This concept of the ‘whole person’ is used to explain a number of issues. Objective evaluation of proposal benefits is more likely to be advocated by the thinking personality type, and more likely to be accepted by scientists who have fewer security needs. Objective selection procedures appeal to thinking personality types, and the subjective approach is preferred by feeling types. The advantages of both approaches are appreciated by the more creative scientists and administrators. Early adopters of innovation appear to have many of the characteristics of Maslow's self-actualising individuals. The matrix organisational structure is seen to require a degree of self-actualising behaviour in its participants before it will succeed.

Notizen: Project selection is a process fraught with uncertainties. Technological uncertainty is one of the major contributors to the total risk and its reduction has been a subject of many attempts to provide the decision maker with better decision material.In the following paper, we summarise three cases representing different technological contents of technology transfer projects. The possible technological changes and the sensitivity of project profitability to them is presented and analysed.A methodological approach involving convolution of the technological risk into a conventional economical project analysis has been developed and is evaluated in this paper. In particular, the aspect of trimming the analysis procedure into an efficient routine is discussed.

Notizen: Abstract: The literature of creativity consists mainly of prescriptive techniques and catalogues thereof. No unifying framework or vocabulary has emerged to enable comparisons to be made. It is suggested that the Catastrophe Theory of Thorn, though controversial, can contribute to this end.A version of the theory is used in an attempt to describe factors influencing success or failure in new product development and design in manufacturing industry and to indicate the position of de Bono's Lateral Thinking’ in the field of creativity.

Notizen: Successful innovation is a complex process. It involves a multitude of factors usually coming together over relatively long periods of time. Neither governments nor industry can realistically aspire to manage all aspects of it. Although each case of technology development and its subsequent exploitation has its own unique set of variables, shaped by the nature of technology being developed, the mandates of the research organization and the technical and commercial competence of the recipient, there are common factors which can be identified as having Important bearings on the level of innovation.

Notizen: Abstract: R & D groups are knowledge-intensive organizations. As such, their principal assets are the men and women with scientific and technical training who constitute these groups. The raw materials that they work on and the products that they produce are ideas or information. The patents, papers, and hardware which emanate from these groups represent the physical manifestations of these ideas. One important concern for increasing productivity in R & D laboratories, therefore, is the facilitation of information flow into, within, and out of research group (Fischer, 1980). This paper considers an approach for improving the performance of an R & D group by increasing its information acquisition and processing capabilities and reports findings from a field study undertaken to examine this approach.

Notizen: This paper outlines two innovative projects carried out within the same organisation, but with markedly differing results. One has been satisfactorily completed while the other, although having run for much longer, is still experiencing technical problems. The two projects, British Rail's Advanced Passenger Train, and High Speed Train, are examined in relation to the concept of uncertainty. It is suggested that many of the points upon which the projects are differentiated can be attributed to the degree of uncertainty to which they were subject. It is concluded that one means of handling the uncertainty associated with development programmes is to adopt a flexible approach. It is noted, however, that flexibility may not be simply a question of personnel or organisational disposition, but can be influenced by the characteristics of particular projects.

Notizen: Abstract: An information system which is designed for and is being implemented at Marmara Scientific and Industrial Research Institute, Turkey, is described. The basic objectives of the system are to provide for a continuous review of the activities carried out at the Institute based on quantitative as well as qualitative information and to facilitate the gathering of timely and accurate information required by the organizations with which the Institute is affiliated.

Notizen: Book reviewed in this article: ‘Research & Development Management’ Alan Glasser Industrial Innovation in the U. K., Canada and the United States Kerry Schott

Notizen: Book reviewed in this article:How Much Is Enough?
 Paul Burrows, The Economic Theory of Pollution Control.The High-Tech Dilemma
 New England Regional Commission, The New England Regional Plan: An Economic Development Strategy.Masters of Development
 Saburo Okita, The Developing Economies and Japan: Lessons in Growth.Perils of the Protoproletariat
 Ingolf Vogeler, The Myth of the Family Farm: Agribusiness Dominance of U.S. Agriculture.For Better or Worse
 Martin Kupferman and Maurice D. Levi, Slowth: The Changing Economy and How You Can Successfully Cope.Uncle Sam and Old Sol
 John H. Minan and William H. Lawrence, eds., Legal Aspects of Solar Energy.Managing Agricultural Resources
 Sandra S. Batie and Robert G. Healy, eds., The Future of American Agriculture as a Strategic Resource.Boom Town Women
 Elizabeth Moen et al., Women and the Social Costs of Economic Development: Two Colorado Case Studies.The British Economy
 Bill Jordan, Automatic Poverty.Planning by Synthesis
 Melville C. Branch, Continuous City Planning: Integrating Municipal Management and City Planning.Social Cleavage
 Lynne C. Burkhart, Old Values in a New Town: The Politics of Race and Class in Columbia, Maryland.Unconventional Wisdom
 P. T. Bauer, Equality, the Third World, and Economic Delusion.Fueling Better
 Joy Dunkerley et al., Energy Strategies for Developing Nations.Michael Satow and Ray Desmond, Railways of the Raj.Also of Interest
 J. A. Allan, Libya: The Experience of Oil. Boulder, Col.: WestviewI. Amon, Modernization of Agriculture in Developing Countries: Resources, Potentials, and Problems.James E. Austin, Agroindustrial Project Analysis.Robert H. Bates, Markets and States in Tropical Afica: The Political Basis of Agricultural Policies.Ian Bell, The Dominican Republic.Mark Blacksell and Andrew W. Gilg, The Countryside: Planning and Change.Larry S. Bourne, The Geography of Housing.P. R. Brahmananda, Growthless Inflation by Means of Stockless Money: A New Classical lYeatise on Rising Prices.Lawrence A. Brown, Innovation Diffusion: A New Perspective.Stanley D. Brunn and James O. Wheeler, The American Metropolitan System: Present and Future.Robert W. Burchell and David Listokin, eds., Cities under Stress: The Fiscal Crises of Urban America.Chong-Shik Chung and Gahb-chol Kim, eds., North Korean Communism: A Comparative Analysis.Albert M. Church, Taxation of Nonrenewable Resources.Diana Conyers, An Introduction to Social Planning in the Third World.Michael Dunn, Marilyn Rawson, and Alan Rogers, Rural Housing: Competition and Choice.John Gilderbloom, ed., Rent Control: A Source Book.David G. Green, Power and Party in an English City: An Account of Single-Party Rule.Philip Hanson, Trade and Technology in Soviet-Western Relations.George W. Hoffman, ed., Federalism and Regional Development: Case Studies on the Experience in the United States and the Federal Republic of Germany.Richard H. Jackson and Lloyd E. Hudman, World Regional Geography: Issues for Today.

Notizen: The author discusses the prospects for trade union growth in this industry in the light of a case study of the development of a branch of the Transport and General Workers’ Union within the EMI-owned Angus Steak House chain.

Notizen: A primary concern of those interested in the quality of working life has been with the design of jobs. In this article the authors review the reasons why job design reform has not generally attracted the interest of lawmakers. One notable exception is Norway, and this article reports the findings of a survey into the effects of the most recent law—the Work Environment Act of 1977.

Notizen: Book reviews in this article: WAGES POLICY IN THE BRITISH COALMINING INDUSTRY J. L. Handy THE MILITANCY OF BRITISH MINERS V. L. Allen BATTERED CHERUB Joe Gormley KING COAL Tony Hall THE DEGRADATION OF WORK?: SKILL, DESKILLING AND THE LABOUR PROCESS Edited by Stephen Wood SOVIET TRADE UNIONS: THEIR DEVELOPMENT IN THE 1970s Blair A. Ruble BLUE COLLAR WORKERS IN EASTERN EUROPE Jan F. Triska and Charles Gati (eds.) George Allen and Unwin