Consumer Awareness in the Adoption of Microgeneration Technologies: An Empirical Investigation in the Republic of Ireland
Claus Michelsen, A. O´Driscol, M.R. Mullen, Marius Claudy
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,
2010
Abstract
Despite major policy and marketing efforts, the uptake of microgeneration technologies in most European countries remains low. Whereas most academic studies and policy reports aim to identify the underlying reasons why people buy these new technologies, they often fail to assess the general level of consumer awareness. The process of adopting an innovation, however, shows that awareness is a prerequisite which needs to be understood before adoption can be addressed. This paper takes a closer look at awareness of microgeneration and presents the results from a nationally representative study conducted in the Republic of Ireland. Findings from logistic regressions clearly indicate that awareness varies significantly between the individual technologies and customer segments. The paper concludes with implications for policy makers and marketers aiming to promote microgeneration technologies in consumer markets.
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Technology Clubs, R&D and Growth Patterns: Evidence from EU Manufacturing
Claire Economidou, J. W. B. Bos, Michael Koetter
European Economic Review,
No. 1,
2010
Abstract
This paper investigates the forces driving output change in a panel of EU manufacturing industries. A flexible modeling strategy is adopted that accounts for: (i) inefficient use of resources and (ii) differences in the production technology across industries. With our model we are able to identify technical, efficiency, and input growth for endogenously determined technology clubs. Technology club membership is modeled as a function of R&D intensity. This framework allows us to explore the components of output growth in each club, technology spillovers and catch-up issues across industries and countries.
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Do All Countries Grow Alike?
Claire Economidou, J. W. B. Bos, Michael Koetter, James W. Kolari
Journal of Development Economics,
No. 1,
2010
Abstract
This paper investigates the driving forces of output change in 77 countries during the period 1970–2000. A flexible modeling strategy is adopted that accounts for (i) the inefficient use of resources, and (ii) different production technologies across countries. The proposed model can identify technical, efficiency, and input change for each of three endogenously determined regimes. Membership in these regimes is estimated, rather than determined ex ante. This framework enables explorations into the determinants of output growth and convergence issues in each regime.
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Technologie- und Gründerzentren im Lichte von Diversifizierung versus Spezialisierung
Michael Schwartz, Christoph Hornych
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 7,
2008
Abstract
In Germany, a growing tendency can be observed to focus business incubators (BIs) and technology centers and their respective support elements and processes as well as the selection criteria applied by the incubator management on firms from solely one sector or few but complementary sectors and their specific needs and requirements. These are called specialized business incubators (SBIs). Despite the increasing importance of specialization strategies of business incubators as local and regional policy instruments, there are no reliable empirical examinations of the specifics, and advantages in particular, of SBIs compared to more diversified BIs. On the basis of survey-data, that comprises responses from 161 actual firms incubated in 13 diversified BIs and 13 specialized BIs in Germany, this study investigates the mechanisms within the specific context of specialized BIs and their value-added contribution versus the more diversified incubation model. For the first time, this study provides large-scale empirical evidence concerning the effects of adopting a specialization strategy in the context of business incubation.
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The Effects of Shared ATM Networks on the Efficiency of Turkish Banks
H. Evren Damar
Applied Economics,
No. 6,
2006
Abstract
This study investigates whether forming shared ATM networks has yielded positive benefits for banks in Turkey by increasing their productive efficiency. Using a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach, pure technical and scale efficiency scores of Turkish banks are estimated and analysed for the period 2000–2003. The results suggest that although it is possible to realize positive effects through ATM sharing arrangements, there are multiple factors that determine which banks realize such benefits. The geographical distribution of shared ATMs between urban and rural markets and the level of competition between banks within urban areas are shown to be important determinants of differences in bank efficiency. This discrepancy between the gains associated with ATM sharing may have important implications concerning the adoption and sharing of new technology by banks in developing countries.
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Capturing the changes in the knowledge base underlying drug discovery and development in the 20th century and the adjustment of Bayer, Hoechst, Schering AG and E. Merck to the advent of modern biotechnology.
Iciar Dominguez Lacasa
Scientometrics,
No. 2,
2006
Abstract
The so-called biotechnology revolution has changed the institutional and knowledge environment of the pharmaceutical industry. The industry incumbents have faced the challenge of adjusting to the new conditions for innovation in drug discovery and development. Drawing on the theoretical framework of the organizational capabilities of the firm, this contribution aims at capturing the changes in the knowledge environment and exploring the adjustment of 4 German corporations (2 companies rooted in the coal tar dyestuff industry and 2 traditional pharmaceutical companies) to the advent of modern biotechnology. Despite the firm-specific capabilities in organic chemical synthesis, the representatives of the coal tar dyestuff industry seem to have been better able to adjust to the external discontinuity in their knowledge environment.The existence of research and development activities, the science-based research tradition together with interactions to access the extramural knowledge base of the firms seem to have been crucial in the perception and adoption of the new technological possibilities of biotechnology after the 1970s, rather than prior competence in biotechnology or the employees with the skills to develop the capabilities to exploit it.
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