The interaction of R&D intensity and firm age: Empirical evidence from technology-based growth companies in the German “Neuer Markt”

This study examines the technology strategies of 88 technology-based growth companies that went public on the German “Neuer Markt” between 1997 and 2002. The regression analyses show significant positive effects of R&D on growth but negative effects on profitability. The data suggests that firm age is a moderating factor influencing whether technology investments lead to higher growth or profitability in the life cycle of technology-based growth companies. In our sample, higher R&D intensity led to increased sales growth but lower return on sales, but the growth effect was negative and the impact on profitability positive. These results support the significance of company life cycle theories for formulating technology strategies, which suggests that different stages in the development of technology-based firms call for specific levels of R&D intensity to sustain growth and profitability.     

What users want: Assessing government information preferences to drive information services

Access to government information has changed dramatically in the past 20 years. There are many indicators of information use, but it is challenging for service institutions to gain a current and comprehensive view of the research practices and preferences of their users. Information stakeholders must seek out current data to gauge the potential success of new initiatives and policies in order to meet user needs. To that end, a user study was conducted on the University of Montana campus in spring of 2006. The survey was sent to a random, stratified sample of the campus population. The instrument included questions on frequency of government information use, methods of locating and learning about government documents, awareness of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), and service and format preferences. The results show that the majority of researchers are using government information at least quarterly and that they most often use general search engines to find it. Respondents indicate a strong interest in alerting services, tutorials, virtual reference, and topic-oriented assistance. Although some respondents prefer printed materials for specific types of information, users generally want to find and access government information online. The results offer current data for program planning, collection development, and information policy creation.     

Quantum lithography: A?non-computing application of quantum information

Quantum information theory holds the promise of revolutionizing technologies other than computing and communications. In this article we show how quantum entanglement can be harnessed to beat the Rayleigh diffraction limit of conventional optical lithography, and to permit nano-devices to be fabricated at a scale arbitrarily shorter than the wavelength used. Given the relative ease of performing optical lithography compared with other schemes, and the relative costs associated in migrating the lithography industry to each new fabrication technology, exploiting quantum entanglement to extend the useful life of optical lithography could be economically attractive.     

The design and evaluation of a cryptography teaching strategy for software engineering students

The present paper describes the design, implementation and evaluation of a cryptography module for final-year software engineering students. The emphasis is on implementation architectures and practical cryptanalysis rather than a standard mathematical approach. The competitive continuous assessment process reflects this approach and rewards experimentation. Students who excel at mathematics will invariably do well in cryptography. A key aim of the module is to try to extend this relationship to include good software engineers who may find mathematics more difficult. The approach is evaluated quantitatively by statistical analysis. The results of the statistical analysis show a significantly higher correlation between a student's performance in software engineering and cryptography than in mathematics and cryptography. These results indicate that this teaching approach is a better fit for software engineers than a standard approach.     

On learning fundamental concepts of group theory

The research reported in this paper explores the nature of student knowledge about group theory, and how an individual may develop an understanding of certain topics in this domain. As part of a long-term research and development project in learning and teaching undergraduate mathematics, this report is one of a series of papers on the abstract algebra component of that project.The observations discussed here were collected during a six-week summer workshop where 24 high school teachers took a course in Abstract Algebra as part of their work. By comparing written samples, and student interviews with our own theoretical analysis, we attempt to describe ways in which these individuals seemed to be approaching the concepts of group, subgroup, coset, normality, and quotient group. The general pattern of learning that we infer here illustrates an action-process-object-schema framework for addressing these specific group theory issues. We make here only some quite general observations about learning these specific topics, the complex nature of understanding, and the role of errors and misconceptions in light of an action-process-schema framework. Seen as research questions for further exploration, we expect these observations to inform our continuing investigations and those of other researchers.We end the paper with a brief discussion of some pedagogical suggestions arising out of our considerations. We defer, however, a full consideration of instructional strategies and their effects on learning these topics to some future time when more extensive research can provide a more solid foundation for the design of specific pedagogies.Work on this project has been partially supported by the National Science Foundation.     

Actualizing multicultural counselingcompetencies: A multifaceted course approach

This article responds to the need for specificcourse activities that may facilitate theacquisition of multicultural counselingcompetence. Sue et al.'s (1992) tripartiteframework is used to discuss how multiculturalcounseling competencies may be actualizedthrough the following course components: (a)ice-breaker name activity, (b) class discussionof multicultural experiences, (c) ethnicsharing, (d) action plan, (e) ethnic literaturereview, (f) cultural awareness presentation,(g) multicultural legacy, (h) triad model roleplay, and (i) small-group research project.Several guidelines are suggested to assistinstructors in implementing components.Finally, trainees' reactions to coursecomponents are provided to illustrate courseeffectiveness.     

Possibilities or paradoxes? How aspiring turnaround principals conceptualise turnaround and their place within it

This study focuses on how a cohort of participants in a programme aimed at producing ‘turnaround leaders’ came to understand this policy and their role within it. Using a theory of action framework, I find that, over time, participants’ espoused theories of turnaround shifted in three key areas: (1) the cause of poor school performance, (2) the principal’s approach to leading change, and (3) the district’s role in turnaround. While these shifts created more complex views of organisational change, they also produced disillusionment and highlighted tensions in current conceptualisations of turnaround including their potential role in enacting it.     

Where the two shall meet: Exploring the relationship between teacher professional culture and student learning culture

This study focuses on the understudied connection between teachers’ and students’ perceptions of school culture. Utilizing a longitudinal sample of approximately 130,000 students and 9000 teachers in 225 New York City traditional public schools, we investigate how professional culture among teachers intersects with students’ collective emotional engagement—that is, the extent students together view the school environment as trusting and respectful, both between teachers and students and among students (i.e., student learning culture). We find that when the teachers report a strong collaborative culture, believe they have adequate materials, and feel physically safe, students report a stronger and more positive learning culture. Our results thus fill a gap in prior research on school change that has looked at either teacher or student perceptions of school culture but not the two together. Here, because our results demonstrate such a positive relationship between the collective views of teachers and the collective views of students regarding the environment in which these groups work, they suggest new avenues for research to examine how such subcultures within a school may, together, act as critical and interdependent levers for school change.