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1 – 10 of over 2000This essay seeks to extend the original gambit of this forum, of thinking possible modes of postcolonial sociology, unto a more relational terrain. It takes as its point of…
Abstract
This essay seeks to extend the original gambit of this forum, of thinking possible modes of postcolonial sociology, unto a more relational terrain. It takes as its point of departure the vexed status of history in sociology and the hermeneutic suspicion of comparison in postcolonial theory. Any potential rapprochement between postcolonial theory and sociology must engage with the deeply incongruent status of history and comparison across these fields. I attempt to bridge this divide historically by revisiting an anti-imperial internationalist sociology forged in interwar colonial India. I seek thereby to show what Pierre Bourdieu called a “particular case of the possible” and to participate in ongoing efforts to “provincialize” sociology.
The purpose of this paper is to present a fresh approach to stimulate individual creativity. It introduces a mathematical representation for creative ideas, six creativity…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a fresh approach to stimulate individual creativity. It introduces a mathematical representation for creative ideas, six creativity operators and methods of matrix-algebra to evaluate, improve and stimulate creative ideas. Creativity begins with ideas to resolve a problem or tackle an opportunity. By definition, a creative idea must be simultaneously novel and useful. To inject analytic rigor into these concepts of creative ideas, the author introduces a feature-attribute matrix-construct to represent ideas, creativity operators that use ideas as operands and methods of matrix algebra. It is demonstrated that it is now possible to analytically and quantitatively evaluate the intensity of the variables that make an idea more, equal or less, creative than another. The six creativity operators are illustrated with detailed multi-disciplinary real-world examples. The mathematics and working principles of each creativity operator are discussed.
Design/methodology/approach
The unit of analysis is ideas, not theory. Ideas are man-made artifacts. They are represented by an original feature-attribute matrix construct. Using matrix algebra, idea matrices can be manipulated to improve their creative intensity, which are now quantitatively measurable. Unlike atoms and cute rabbits, creative ideas, do not occur in nature. Only people can conceive and develop creative ideas for embodiment in physical, non-physical forms, or in a mix of both. For example, as widgets, abstract theorems, business processes, symphonies, organization structures, and so on. The feature-attribute matrix construct is used to represent novelty and usefulness. The multiplicative product of these two matrices forms the creativity matrix. Six creativity operators and matrix algebra are introduced to stimulate and measure creative ideas. Creativity operators use idea matrices as operands. Uses of the six operators are demonstrated using multi-disciplinary real-world examples. Metrics for novelty, usefulness and creativity are in ratio scales, grounded on the Weber–Fechner Law. This law is about persons’ ability to discern differences in the intensity of stimuli.
Findings
Ideas are represented using feature-attribute matrices. This construct is used to represent novel, useful and creative ideas with more clarity and precision than before. Using matrices, it is shown how to unambiguously and clearly represent creative ideas endowed with novelty and usefulness. It is shown that using matrix algebra, on idea matrices, makes it possible to analyze multi-disciplinary, real-world cases of creative ideas, with clarity and discriminatory power, to uncover insights about novelty and usefulness. Idea-matrices and the methods of matrix algebra have strong explanatory and predictive power. Using of matrix algebra and eigenvalue analyses, of idea-matrices, it is demonstrated how to quantitatively rank ideas, features and attributes of creative ideas. Matrix methods operationalize and quantitatively measure creativity, novelty and usefulness. The specific elementary variables that characterize creativity, novelty and usefulness factors, can now be quantitatively ranked. Creativity, novelty and usefulness factors are not considered as monolithic, irreducible factors, vague “lumpy” qualitative factors, but as explicit sets of elementary, specific and measurable variables in ratio scales. This significantly improves the acuity and discriminatory power in the analyses of creative ideas. The feature-attribute matrix approach and its matrix operators are conceptually consistent and complementary with key extant theories engineering design and creativity.
Originality/value
First to define and specify ideas as feature-attribute matrices. It is demonstrated that creative ideas, novel ideas and useful ideas can be analytically and unambiguously specified and measured for creativity. It is significant that verbose qualitative narratives will no longer be the exclusive means to specify creative ideas. Rather, qualitative narratives will be used to complement the matrix specifications of creative ideas. First to specify six creativity operators enabling matrix algebra to operate on idea-matrices as operands to generate new ideas. This capability informs and guides a person’s intuition. The myth and dependency, on non-repeatable or non-reproducible serendipity, flashes of “eureka” moments or divine inspiration, can now be vacated. Though their existence cannot be ruled out. First to specify matrix algebra and eigen-value methods of quantitative analyses of feature-attribute matrices to rank the importance of elementary variables that characterize factors of novelty, usefulness and creativity. Use of verbose qualitative narratives of novelty, usefulness and creativity as monolithic “lumpy” factors can now be vacated. Such lumpy narratives risk being ambiguous, imprecise, unreliable and non-reproducible, Analytic and quantitative methods are more reliable and consistent. First to define and specify a method of “attacking the negatives” to systematically pinpoint the improvements of an idea’s novelty, usefulness and creativity. This procedure informs and methodically guides the improvements of deficient ideas.
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Gino Cattani and Daniele Rotolo
Social network theory and analytic tools have been increasingly used to examine the interaction between science and technology. Recently, researchers have paid attention to the…
Abstract
Social network theory and analytic tools have been increasingly used to examine the interaction between science and technology. Recently, researchers have paid attention to the role of publishing inventors, that is, individuals bridging the collaborative networks between authors (co-authorship network) and inventors (co-invention network). Building on this research, we study how publishing inventors’ structural position in the joint co-authorship and co-invention network affects the quality of the inventions to which they contribute. Specifically, we identify publishing inventors who play a pivotal role in holding the two networks together: their removal not only increases the network fragmentation but also disconnects the joint co-authorship and co-invention network. We define these publishing inventors as cutpoints and find them to contribute to inventions of greater quality. We situate the analysis within the context of the emerging field of nanotechnology. The theoretical and managerial implications of the results are discussed.
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Jitrinee Chanphati and Nongnapat Thosuwanchot
Under currently uncertain and fast-changing environments, it is important for firms to supplement their main strategy with alternative ones so that they can quickly change courses…
Abstract
Under currently uncertain and fast-changing environments, it is important for firms to supplement their main strategy with alternative ones so that they can quickly change courses of actions. Strategic flexibility is thus an important factor for the viability and success of firms. Although previous research has emphasized the need for strategic flexibility, some firms are reluctant to do so since it requires high investments. Existing studies on strategic flexibility have emerged from various disciplines and drawn on diverse theoretical perspectives. Due to the increasing importance of strategic flexibility, this chapter reviews and summarizes existing studies on strategic flexibility based on the applications of strategic flexibility in various business disciplines, including management and strategy, business entrepreneurship, and marketing. The authors also summarize different theoretical perspectives, including upper echelons theory, resource-based view theory, and dynamic capabilities theory, as well as their limitations.
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Kumar Shubham, R.U. Khan and P. Chakrabarti
This paper aims to investigate the gas-sensing capability of Pd/TiO2/Si MIS capacitor using capacitance versus gate voltage (C-V) response as a function of hydrogen gas…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the gas-sensing capability of Pd/TiO2/Si MIS capacitor using capacitance versus gate voltage (C-V) response as a function of hydrogen gas concentration varying from 0.1 to 2 ppm at 300 kHz frequency.
Design/methodology/approach
The objective is to fabricate a metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) capacitor sensor based on TiO2-thin-film insulator deposited by sol-gel spin-coating process. Gas-sensing signal derived on exposure to hydrogen with concentration varying from 0.1 to 2 ppm at different operating temperatures (room temperature to 1,500°C) was measured as variation in flat-band voltage in C-V characteristics of the MIS capacitor.
Findings
High sensitivity of the sensor is attributed to the large change of interface state charges because of the large surface-to-volume ratio of the nano-structured TiO2. The values of response time as well as the recovery time have also been estimated and are found to be comparable to that observed in the case of conventional Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) structure.
Research limitations/implications
The use of Si substrate restricts the performance of gas sensors to 200°C, as the Si substrate begins to show conductive nature.
Originality/value
This paper deals with an MIS capacitor gas sensor which replaces conventional insulating material by TiO2 and uses a high-quality fabrication procedure for controlled growth of novel surface structure.
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Vittoria Giada Scalera, Alessandra Perri and Ram Mudambi
To investigate the impact of knowledge-intensive FDI in the Chinese pharmaceutical industry, this study analyzes the activity of foreign MNEs operating in this context by…
Abstract
To investigate the impact of knowledge-intensive FDI in the Chinese pharmaceutical industry, this study analyzes the activity of foreign MNEs operating in this context by exploring their innovative background, the organizational arrangements they use for local knowledge creation and the performance of their local innovative processes. Based on the analysis of the universe of USPTO pharmaceutical patents applied for between 1975 and 2010 and granted to foreign assignees utilizing the work of Chinese inventors, our results show that, while the presence of foreign MNEs in the Chinese pharmaceutical industry entails a strong potential for positive externalities that could enhance the performance of the local innovation system, such externalities do not completely materialize yet, likely because of local actors’ limited absorptive capacity.
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The purpose of this paper is to assess the current status of special libraries of Bangladesh and their ability to adapt information technology (IT) in various library operations…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the current status of special libraries of Bangladesh and their ability to adapt information technology (IT) in various library operations and services.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on the case study method. A structured questionnaire was distributed among the special libraries of Bangladesh to uncover the status of using IT by those libraries.
Findings
Being a developing country, Bangladesh is confronted with certain problems to introduce IT‐based services and other facilities in the special libraries. The study has revealed the embryonic state of IT in the special libraries of Bangladesh.
Originality/value
The paper is an original case study on the application of IT in the Special Libraries of Bangladesh. It will help web researchers to obtain a precise picture of the application of IT in these libraries. It will also help researchers to acquaint themselves with IT applications in libraries in a third world country.
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Laure Ambroise, Céline Bérard and Isabelle Prim-Allaz
This paper aims to explore the complex relationships between knowledge strategies (i.e. exploration and exploitation) and the performance of manufacturing SMEs by testing the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the complex relationships between knowledge strategies (i.e. exploration and exploitation) and the performance of manufacturing SMEs by testing the mediating role of customer relationship management capabilities, which are defined as a firm’s level of interaction orientation in this study.
Design/methodology/approach
Following a hypothetical deductive approach and using data collected from 793 French manufacturing SMEs, the measurement model and relationships among the constructs were examined with structural equation modelling, using the partial least squares approach.
Findings
The results support the expected mediating role of interaction orientation between exploitation and performance, and stress a competitive mediating role between exploration and performance. Complementary analyses demonstrate that while both exploration and exploitation are effectively antecedents of interaction orientation, which also acts as a lever to performance, they exhibit specific effects on the different dimensions of interaction orientation.
Originality/value
The results specifically highlight that interaction orientation counterbalances the negative impact of exploration on performance. Moreover, the findings underline the key role that customer interaction processes and tools play in making exploration and exploitation singularly effective. This is a real issue, as SMEs broadly tend to adopt opportunistic tools, not necessarily as part of a clearly defined strategic focus.
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Amitava Ray, Bijan Sarkar and Subir Sanyal
The aim of this paper is to develop and demonstrate an outsourcing decision model in which constraint resource prevents the throughput of the organization.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to develop and demonstrate an outsourcing decision model in which constraint resource prevents the throughput of the organization.
Design/methodology/approach
An integrated model is proposed by incorporating the weighted product model (WPM) of AHP in estimating the priority of each product in a multi‐product constraint resource environment. A numerical example is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of this model. The outsourcing decision model compares four alternatives: Standard cost accounting, standard theory‐of‐constraints (TOC), LP analysis and an original solution.
Findings
The numerical results show that the proposed model is superior and more realistically optimizes resource allocation and measures the performance of the model.
Research limitations/implications
This research is limited to the production processes that do not have multiple constraints.
Practical implications
This research is applicable to the companies which produce multi‐products in a situation in which market demand exceed the company's production capacity.
Originality/value
This is the first time that the WPM of AHP/TOC has been used to maximize the product throughput. Instead of calculating $return per constraint minute, it decides the priority of product that maximizes the product throughput in the constraint resource environment. It makes a significant contribution to the manufacturing organization where one can compare the financial performance of the organization by selecting the right decision model.
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