Xinlu Qiu, Marcelo Cano-Kollmann and Ram Mudambi
The purpose of this paper is to explore how firms achieve competitiveness by implementing design-driven innovation.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how firms achieve competitiveness by implementing design-driven innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is a detailed longitudinal analysis of the design innovation underpinning the Norwegian furniture industry. Using a data set spanning 40 years (1976-2015) of design patents by both Norwegian firms and inventors, the authors map the coinventor connectivity of the design-innovation clusters of Norway, both within the country and with foreign locations.
Findings
Using network analysis, the authors find that most of the rise of co-inventor connectivity within Norwegian furniture industry’s design innovation is occurring within the country. More surprisingly, the leading firms and star inventors are less likely to collaborate internationally, i.e. they are characterized by greater innovative “lock-in”.
Research limitations/implications
The exploration of all the potential reasons for the “lock-in” in design innovation of the Norwegian furniture industry is beyond the scope of this paper. A particularly interesting avenue for future research would be to compare the coinventor connectivity of traditional sectors like furniture with more high technology sectors within Norway.
Originality/value
By assessing a detailed and historical context of the evolution of Norwegian furniture industry, the paper provides a fairly comprehensive study of design innovation as a source of firms’ competitiveness, which has been rarely explored. The authors suggest that innovative “lock-in” may be more likely to arise in the traditional sectors of an economy and the forces may be particularly strong for those firms and individuals that have the highest domestic connectedness and status.
Details
Keywords
Chen-Xi Han, Tian-Shun Hou and Ye Chen
To solve the instability problem of Zhangjiayao landslide caused by rainfall, the internal mechanism of slope instability and the supporting effect of anti-slide piles are…
Abstract
Purpose
To solve the instability problem of Zhangjiayao landslide caused by rainfall, the internal mechanism of slope instability and the supporting effect of anti-slide piles are studied. The research results can provide theoretical basis for the prevention and control of loess landslides.
Design/methodology/approach
A three-dimensional finite element model of Zhangjiayao landslide is established by field geological survey, laboratory test and numerical simulation.
Findings
The results show that Zhangjiayao landslide is a loess-mudstone contact surface landslide, and rainfall leads to slope instability and traction landslide. The greater the rainfall intensity, the faster the pore water pressure of the slope increases and the faster the matrix suction decreases. The longer the rainfall duration, the greater the pore water pressure of the slope and the smaller the matrix suction. Anti-slide pile treatment can significantly improve slope stability. The slope safety factor increases with the increase of embedded depth of anti-slide pile and decreases with the increase of pile spacing.
Originality/value
Based on the unsaturated soil seepage theory and finite element strength reduction method, the failure mechanism of Zhangjiayao landslide was revealed, and the anti-slide pile structure was optimized and designed based on the pile-soil interaction principle. The research results can provide theoretical basis for the treatment of loess landslides.
Highlights
A three-dimensional finite element model of Zhangjiayao landslide is established.
Zhangjiayao landslide is a loess-mudstone contact surface landslide.
The toe of Zhangjiayao slope is first damaged by heavy rainfall, resulting in traction landslide.
The deformation of Zhangjiayao slope is highly dependent on rainfall intensity and duration.
The anti-slide pile can effectively control the continuous sliding of Zhangjiayao slope.
A three-dimensional finite element model of Zhangjiayao landslide is established.
Zhangjiayao landslide is a loess-mudstone contact surface landslide.
The toe of Zhangjiayao slope is first damaged by heavy rainfall, resulting in traction landslide.
The deformation of Zhangjiayao slope is highly dependent on rainfall intensity and duration.
The anti-slide pile can effectively control the continuous sliding of Zhangjiayao slope.