Narratives of quantum theory in the age of quantum technologies

Quantum technologies can be presented to the public with or without introducing a strange trait of quantum theory responsible for their non-classical efficiency. Traditionally the message was centered on the superposition principle, while entanglement and properties such as contextuality have been gaining ground recently. A less theoretical approach is focused on simple protocols that enable technological applications. It results in a pragmatic narrative built with the help of the resource paradigm and principle-based reconstructions. I discuss the advantages and weaknesses of these methods. To illustrate the importance of new metaphors beyond the Schrödinger cat, I briefly describe a non-mathematical narrative about entanglement that conveys an idea of some of its unusual properties. If quantum technologists are to succeed in building trust in their work, they ought to provoke an aesthetic perception in the public commensurable with the mathematical beauty of quantum theory experienced by the physicist. The power of the narrative method lies in its capacity to do so.     

The 2015 list of the greatest emerging technologies

正The 2015 list of the greatest emerging technologies was recently published by Bernard Meyerson,chief innovation officer of IBM and chair of the World Economic Forum's MetaCouncil on Emerging Technologies.The council,made of 18 technology gurus,uses its shared intelligence and discretion to identify the year's most captivating,promising and interesting innovations.The annual list represents     

Scientists and citizens: getting to quantum technologies

I will discuss the history and prospects for new machines and instruments as anticipated in the newly announced EU Flagship for Quantum Technology. The program of Richard Feynman, as announced almost 60 years ago, to go to the “bottom” in the miniaturization of information-processing technology, has come to fruition, and a set of well-defined technologies, in the areas of quantum computing, quantum simulation, quantum sensing and metrology, and quantum communication, have emerged. I give a perspective on the sometimes abstruse significance of these coming technologies. The scientists will continue beyond these technologies to new unfoldings of quantum knowledge, whose technological significance we can barely fathom today.     

From invisibility to impact: Recognising the scientific and societal relevance of interdisciplinary sustainability research

Academics are increasingly expected to produce concrete and directly applicable solutions to hard-to-solve ‘real-world problems’ such as poverty, development, and environmental degradation. However, conventional assessments of the impact of science on society have not yet been adequately adapted to capture the diverse effects of this type of problem-centred research. Drawing on a case study of a large-scale project on (un)sustainable consumption, this paper demonstrates the range, complexity and potential long-term nature of impact in interdisciplinary sustainability research. It thus supports arguments for alternative approaches to impact assessment that question conventional views of translating scientific knowledge into action, value the multi-directionality of science-society relations and recognise diverse forms of engagement between scientists and non-scientific actors through non-academic channels and outputs. The paper also challenges common (mis)conceptions of work practices in a university context by demonstrating the highly innovative and inclusive nature of much sustainability research that seeks to address the needs of diverse communities of actors. It is argued that only radically different ways of conceptualising and measuring short-, medium- and long-term impacts can capture the success or otherwise of social-scientific and interdisciplinary sustainability research.     

情景规划在新兴技术动态评估中的应用/FONT

针对现有新兴技术评估方法的不足,分析了将情景规划应用于新兴技术动态评估的思路与方法;在此基础上,开发了一个新兴技术动态评估的过程模型,并以微硬盘技术为例,说明了该模型的特点与应用过程。     

The impact of virtual technologies on knowledge-based processes: An empirical study

This study examines the organizational knowledge creation processes in two highly virtual teams involved in new product development projects in the automotive industry. Using Nonaka's model of knowledge creation, we explore how the virtualization of knowledge-based processes, i.e. the intensive exploitation of information and communication technologies (ICTs), has led to new forms of knowledge creation at both the individual and organizational levels. In contrast to previous studies that identify knowledge codification as the main contribution of ICTs, this study provides detailed micro-level evidence about the ability of virtual technologies to support the transfer and the creation of new knowledge – both explicit and tacit – and offers some implications for scholars and practitioners.     

Modeling the unknown: how to make a perfect whale

Making a life-sized model of a blue whale is difficult. Making one to the exacting standards of 'scientific accuracy' is backbreaking. When, in the early 1960s, the American Museum of Natural History in New York undertook to fabricate a replica of the largest animal that ever lived, little was known about how blue whales really looked and behaved in the wild. Exhibitors like Richard Van Gelder guided themselves by old photographs, illustrations, tables of measurements and the experience of other institutions--as well as their own educated guesswork, and ideas of beauty, value and pride.     

The potential impact of quantum computers on society

This paper considers the potential impact that the nascent technology of quantum computing may have on society. It focuses on three areas: cryptography, optimization, and simulation of quantum systems. We will also discuss some ethical aspects of these developments, and ways to mitigate the risks.     

重树学会学术权威性的重要性与迫切性

随着学会改革走向转折的关键时期,学会普遍存在的:1、活动经费短缺,2、学会活动难于开展,3、学会专职干部年龄老化、队伍不稳定等方面的困难越来越严重,学会发展中的:1、政府机构改革步伐与学会自身改革滞后,2、学会非盈利性、公益性的基本特性与学会作为独立法人需要财力支撑,3、为经济建设服务与促进学科发展,4、挂靠体制与学会独立自主开展活动等矛盾日益突出,以至于严重阻碍学会的发展及其改革的深入.如何克服上述困难,解决这些矛盾,为学会的改革找出一条阳关大道,为此,从事学会发展研究的仁人志士及热爱学会工作的学会的专兼职干部一方面苦苦探索与追求,另一方面围绕这些长期阻碍学会发展的问题展开了热烈的讨论,众说纷纭.诚然,长期以来学会发展中确实存在这些困难与矛盾,但笔者以为,这些困难与矛盾都是表象,而非问题的本质或主要矛盾.矛盾的实质是,我们的学会在社会上没有真正树立起绝对的学术权威性.换言之,学会的学术权威未得到社会特别是政府的认可,是产生上述困难和矛盾的主要原因.下面,笔者根据近几年从事学会管理的经历及对中外学会发展的对比,就此谈点肤浅的认识,供大家探讨,以收抛砖引玉之效.     

共享出行对出租车行业的影响——基于破坏性创新的理论视角

共享出行以相对便宜的价格为消费者提供了便利、灵活、高质量的出行服务,惠及大量有出行需求的乘客,引起政府、原有主流企业出租车行业的极大关注。Christensen教授的破坏性创新理论可以为我们分析共享出行对出租车行业的影响,以及出租车行业在新模式竞争下如何维持自身优势或找到新的竞争优势提供一个新的理论视角。共享出行已经具备了目标市场破坏、低价格入侵和破坏性技术优势的破坏性创新关键特征,对传统出租车行业造成了巨大冲击。所以,传统出租车行业应该积极做出响应,从提高延续性创新的角度探索新的发展模式。     

面向老龄社会的新兴技术预测与评价研究

当前面向老龄社会的新兴技术预测相关研究十分匮乏,且存在分析节点聚焦于新兴技术已知的事后分析,分析对象局限于单一技术领域的局限性,导致新兴技术预测结果即时性、可靠性不高。鉴于此,本文基于2019美国发布的《Emerging Technologies to Support an Aging Population》报告,对面向老龄社会的新兴技术领域进行全局的系统梳理与归纳,利用语义挖掘和空间向量模型深入探析专利主题与技术内涵,引入数据降维方法与可视化分析识别技术空位,并嵌入更具前瞻性的实时专家网络评论文本进行社会感知分析,有效识别并评估了养老科技潜在新兴技术。研究结果表明：通过技术空位与社会感知双重验证,有效降低了新兴技术预测结果的风险性。面向老龄社会的新兴技术趋势为：老年大数据与信息采集与处理技术、老年人出行辅助与防护技术、老年人医疗保健技术、老年智能家居技术、老年远程护理辅助系统与技术、老年人认知管理技术。     

战略性新兴产业政策不确定性对研发投资的影响

战略性新兴产业作为我国未来发展的重点,备受中央和地方政府重视,一系列扶持政策相继出台,但相关政策在颁布以及执行中存在的不确定性以及在此过程中引发的不确定性预期都将影响企业的研发投资行为。本文以战略性新兴产业相关企业为研究样本,基于融资约束影响企业研发投资的现实背景,通过抑制效应与挤出效应双重视角,实证检验了政策不确定性对新兴企业研发投资的影响。研究结果证明,政策不确定性抑制新兴企业研发投资,并且,该不确定性加剧了新兴企业的融资约束和固定资产投资倾向,对研发投资产生抑制效应和挤出效应。进一步截面差异性检验发现政策不确定性对民营企业、老龄企业、所处地区市场化程度较低的企业影响更加显著。     

The spill-over theory reversed: The impact of regional economies on the commercialization of university science

The concept of regional technology spill-overs created by university research is one of the most enduring theories within the economic geography and innovation management fields. This article introduces an alternative perspective on academic commercialization, arguing that the quality of a university's regional environment can significantly impact a university's success in commercializing science. Recent research on university technology transfer stresses the importance of personal contacts between academic and industry scientists in driving commercialization. The social structure of the regional economy in which a university is embedded will strongly influence the density of contacts linking university scientists with individuals in industry, and through doing so, impact the density of networks through which university knowledge can be commercialized. Social network analysis is used to examine the quality of social ties linking industry and university scientists within the San Francisco and Los Angeles California biotechnology industries over the 1980–2005 period. Results support the theory that the existence of strong social networks linking inventors heightens university commercialization output. Despite similar university research endowments, universities in San Francisco have dramatically commercialization outputs than San Francisco, which is correlated with the existence of cohesive inventor networks linking industry and university scientists in this region, but not Los Angeles. Moreover, longitudinal analysis shows that the commercialization output of San Francisco universities increased substantially starting in the early 1990s, the time period in which cohesive inventor networks emerged in the region.     

新型研发机构绩效评估研究——基于资源依赖和社会影响力的双重视角

作为创新驱动发展战略的关键举措之一，新型研发机构在推动地区创新要素的集聚、开放与互融，打开从“科学”到“技术”再到“产品”的通道，促进创新链、产业链和服务链协同发展，支撑引领战略性新兴产业发展等方面被寄予厚望。目前，政府科技经费投入与相关政策支持是新型研发机构建设发展的重要科技资源来源。在当今社会各界日趋关注公共财政配置绩效的情境下，为保障新型研发机构建设目标实现，最大化财政资金的投资绩效，有关省市相继出台了新型研发机构建设与评估管理相关文件。然而，作为“四不像”的科研机构，新型研发机构“如何评”依旧面临诸多困境与挑战,主要表现为价值困境、多元主体困境、个性与共性兼具困境以及体制机制困境。本文基于新型研发机构组织特点，从资源依赖和社会影响力双重视角，建构了新型研发机构从资源投入到社会影响力产生全过程的绩效分析框架，并以上海微工院为例，针对其不同阶段关键绩效特征建构关键绩效指标与评估重点。其中，建设期重点考核政府资源投入、制度建设与资源集聚能力；运营成长期，关注资源集聚能力、技术研发能力、服务能力和产业化能力，并对新型研发机构近期社会影响力进行评估；运营成熟期，重点评估新型研发机构的社会影响力。     

战略性新兴产业中政府补贴对企业创新的影响

关于政府补贴对企业创新的影响的研究一直受到广泛关注,以往多从资源的视角对此进行探讨,但极少有研究从信号传递的视角来做分析。本研究试图以战略性新兴产业为对象,就政府补贴在企业创新中的资源属性和信号属性作用进行探究,对以往研究做出补充。研究发现：第一,政府补贴能够发挥资源属性的作用,促进战略性新兴产业内企业的创新投入,带动创新产出;第二,政府补贴能够发挥信号属性作用,帮助企业获取利益相关者的资源和支持,直接促进企业的创新产出。本研究有助于更好地理解政府补贴在战略性新兴产业发展中的推动作用,具有重要的理论和实践意义。     

新兴技术产品早期市场用户采用意向实证研究

新兴技术产品如何在市场中呈现出爆发式增长的研究尚处于初期阶段,而把目光聚焦在早期市场的研究显得更为缺乏。基于技术扩散及用户采集生命周期理论,对早期市场中"创新者"与"早期采用者"的特征进行分析,借助营销管理中的顾客价值理论,剖析了影响两类用户对新兴技术产品采用意向的影响因素,并构建相应的假设模型;再通过选取两类不同特点的用户样本,采用实证的方法对其进行验证。研究结果表明创新者对新兴技术产品的采用意向受到:个性产品、创新者认同感、人际交往、用户参与、感知功能性的正向影响,其中个性产品、人际交往、用户参与影响度较高;早期采用者的采用意向则受到:设计性产品、早期采用者认同感、技术服务、用户参与、感知有用性的正向影响,其中设计性产品、技术服务、用户参与影响度较高。最后,依据研究结果为企业加快新兴技术产品在早期市场中的推广提出策略建议。     

The relation between research priorities and societal demands: The case of rice

To what extent is scientific research related to societal needs? To answer this crucial question systematically we need to contrast indicators of research priorities with indicators of societal needs. We focus on rice research and technology between 1983 and 2012. We combine quantitative methods that allow investigation of the relation between ‘revealed’ research priorities and ‘revealed’ societal demands, measured respectively by research output (publications) and national accounts of rice use and farmers’ and consumers’ rice-related needs. We employ new bibliometric data, methods and indicators to identify countries’ main rice research topics (priorities) from publications. For a panel of countries, we estimate the relation between revealed research priorities and revealed demands. We find that, across countries and time, societal demands explain a country's research trajectory to a limited extent. Some research priorities are nicely aligned to societal demands, confirming that science is partly related to societal needs. However, we find a relevant number of misalignments between the focus of rice research and revealed demands, crucially related to human consumption and nutrition. We discuss some implications for research policy.