Vol 9, No 2 (2015)
- Year: 2015
- Articles: 6
- URL: https://bakhtiniada.ru/1995-459X/issue/view/23799
INNOVATION AND ECONOMY
Technological Landscape and Collaborations in Hybrid Vehicles Industry
Abstract
The main purpose of this paper is to developa patent study on hybrid vehicles as an initial approach toidentify the patent density in this field and the collaborative efforts of organizations with the highestpatent activity, including strategic partners and more recent patents. The present paper presents thetechnological landscape of hybrid vehicles by means of a methodology that integrates collaborative systemsengineering with patent analysis. Its major contributions lie in the methodology employed and insightsobtained. We obtained and analyzed a total of 40,023 patents from 2000 to 2014. The research was developedthrough two stages. Stage one identified the main emphasis of research and the top patent companies.Furthermore, we analysed collaborations efforts.Results show that patent activity mainly focuses on control and electric vehicle propulsion, as well as oncontrol systems especially adapted for hybrid vehicles. The analysis indicates that the company with thehighest patent activity also has a strong focus on collaborative technology development. Toyota stands outfor having the highest patenting rate and a diversity of collaboration agreements, particularly for Hybridand Electric Vehicle Technologies. The second stage included determining the research focus according tothe type of hybrid vehicle, the predominant alternative energy sources, and the recent patents of topcompanies according to the most frequent alternative source of energy.The insights obtained indicate that research on parallel hybrid vehicle predominates, followed byseries-hybrid and series-parallel hybrid type. Turning to alternative sources of energy, there is extensiveresearch on hydrogen, followed by solar energy. Toyota and Hyundai occupy the leading positions; we alsoidentified their recent inventions in this arena. This paper contributes to the ongoing research on hybridvehicles. The outcomes of this study aim to support the strategic decision-making processes by stakeholdersinvolved in the automotive sector.
Forsajt. 2015;9(2):6-21
6-21
The Role of Companies in Human Capital Accumulation: Cross-Country Analysis
Abstract
In this article, the mechanism of human capital accumulation is explored as an example of the participation of the economically active adult population in the main forms of lifelong learning. Demand for expanding lifelong activities is expressed by those employers who are concerned about the development of sustainable skills and upgrading the qualifications of their employees at companies. This process is driven by companies engaged in innovation activity.Russia has a high position in the world if the criterion for assessment is the level of formal education of employees, but Russian employees improve their professional knowledge and skills through lifelong learning less actively than employees in the EU. According to the results of the surveys, the gap between the rates of participation in lifelong learning of top and middle managers and the rates of participation of other employees is quite dramatic, and it demonstrates a failure in exchanging and transferring new knowledge and skills in Russian companies. In its turn, such a disproportionate state creates an obstacle for innovation activity in companies. In this article, we will discuss some state and corporate compensatory measures aimed at adjusting the extreme inequality in the education and training of employees. A higher return on investment in training can be achieved only by the harmonization of advanced knowledge of top and middle managers, who are most actively participating in lifelong learning, with a process of training other employees at companies. Middle managers are considered a key element, a sort of proponent of such a knowledge and skills exchange system, because they act as a mentors for workers.The paper’s core is comparative analysis of international surveys and a survey of Russian employers in six sectors of economy as a part of project “Monitoring of education markets and organizations,” which was initiated by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science and was conducted by National Research University HSE and Levada Center. In the paper we estimate the educational capital of top and middle managers and their rate of participation in lifelong training compared with the rate for employees occupying lower positions and evaluate Russian employers’ contribution to the provision of lifelong learning for employees in comparison with their colleagues from countries in the EU and OECD.
Forsajt. 2015;9(2):22-37
22-37
SCIENCE
From Research Project to Research Portfolio: Meeting Scale and Complexity
Abstract
The article considers how the past and present tendency to focus on selecting the best projects based on the sole criterion of meritorious science may result in a sub-optimal portfolio. The authors argue that scientists need to proactively engage in the discussion over the need to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of societal investments to ensure that the next generation of the management and decision-making process for our science, technology and innovation system is rooted in sound principles.The classic peer review process tends to provide unintended overlap and allows for an ill fit between some of the pieces and unwanted gaps to occur. Areas of high risk and high return can be missed due to their controversial nature and split decisions typically resulting in negative funding decisions. In general, high risk and a high frequency of split decisions tend to be replaced with lower risk initiatives. The authors propose herein supplementing peer review with research portfolio evaluation approaches and decision-making tools that can better assess research uncertainties and other special features of the transformation of the resulting knowledge into improved social well-being. A coupling of research quality review by peers with more systematic portfolio meta-analysis of recommended projects is both possible and essential.
Forsajt. 2015;9(2):38-43
38-43
MASTER CLASS
Entrepreneurship Theory: New Challenges and Future Prospects
Abstract
The paper analyses the problems of contemporary entrepreneurship theory which scientists are confronting inrecent years. There are arguments given in favour of a broad definition of entrepreneurship as ‘emergenceof new economic activity’. The starting point of research on entrepreneurship research is the question,‘how, why, and when do entrepreneurial firms explore and exploit entrepreneurial opportunities?’ Accordingto the author of this paper, it thus becomes possible to redefine the subject of the discipline, which inturn enables a sustainable development of the theory, and a refocusing on new areas such as social andinstitutional entrepreneurship.The paper forecasts a shift in research on entrepreneurship beyond Western societies to encompass theso-called transitional economies and emerging markets. These countries have some important contextualdifferences which affect the practices of entrepreneurship and these are discussed here. Contextualdifferences justify the importance of investigating new institutions and actors which might becomechallenging subjects of entrepreneurship theory in future.The paper also discusses the agenda of entrepreneurship research in Russia, explains the reasons for therelatively weak development of Russian entrepreneurship theory, and suggests policies to improve thissituation.The author stresses the changes in methods and research design and the new possibilities and empirical datasources resulting from the latest advancements in IT and big data. In particular, more intensive researchand demand for this research will likely emerge because of the increasing availability of techniques forcollecting and analysing big data. The author anticipates the increasing importance of internationalcomparative studies conducted by large project teams, and of longitudinal projects to elaborate realisticrecommendations for civil society, national governments, and international organizations.
Forsajt. 2015;9(2):44-57
44-57
Long-term Stochastic Forecasting of the Nuclear Energy Global Market
Abstract
This article looks at the problem of devising a long-term developmental forecast of the nuclear energy market and the possibility of studying certain sections of the market. Bearing in mind the current state of the market and associated industries, it is particularly important to have a scientific approach to developing statistical forecasting instruments and methods with assessments of the dispersion of forecasts. is particularly important. The authors are the first to have developed and applied a probabilistic forecasting method for severala number of market indicators reflecting the physical size of the global nuclear energy industry for the period up to 2035, and in particular: the number and electrical capacity of reactors in service or taken out of service, and the demand for natural and enriched uranium and enrichment services. The forecasting relies on stochastic modelling of nuclear power plant (NPP) life cycles and operating characteristics, open nuclear fuel cycle parameters, and energy policy in corresponding regions around the world. Unlike scenario approaches, this model makes it possible to obtain probabilistic distributions of these characteristics, which is important when assessing the economic risks of various participants in the global nuclear energy market.The results obtained from the long-term forecast of NPP capacity dynamics for the world as a whole and for the largest regions of the planet are consistent with the scenarios of the World Nuclear Association (WNA) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). These scenarios are developed on the basis of data provided by members of these organizsations, which confirms the reliability of the frequency distribution model used for key stages of the reactor life cycle. The authors have modelled the market’s probable new NPP construction volumes and NPP decommissioning volumes over the next 15 years in Russia, globally, and in certain world regions. The paper also presents an analysis of the likely capacity of the new Russian-made NPP construction market globally and its share of the global services map in this field up to 2030.
Forsajt. 2015;9(2):58-71
58-71
EVENT
XVI HSE April International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development. Section 'Science and Innovation' (April 8–10, 2015)
Abstract
Cross-country competition and cooperation in research and innovation are the key concerns of currentscience and technology (ST) policy. To provide a broad public discussion of these issues, the HSE ISSEKorganized several round tables and seminars as part of the XVI HSE April Conference. Participantsconsidered new approaches to prepare Russia’s long-term ST forecast, the outputs of Foresight studies inhealthcare, fuel and energy, aerospace and water industries, and discussed the practicalities ofestablishing an HSE-based international Foresight network. The preliminary results of the HSE project thatstudies the impact of technology on society were presented. A special seminar held under the auspices of anOECD working group focused on cooperation between universities, businesses and public authorities inresearch, education, and innovation. Another discussion focused on Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programmefor research and innovation development which started in 2014 and is open to research institutions fromthird countries. Finally, new approaches to building regional innovation systems were scrutinized,including ‘smart specialization’, the impact of local conditions on the effectiveness of research andinnovation activities, and effective practices of interaction between authorities of different levels.Presentations were made by representatives of George Washington University (US), OECD, UN EconomicCommission for Europe, National Institute for Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP, Japan), Centre forSocial Innovation (Austria), The Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, RussianScience Foundation, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow Government, Bank for Development and ForeignEconomic Affairs (Russia), Russian Venture Company, Higher School of Economics (Russia), and otherorganizations.
Forsajt. 2015;9(2):72-81
72-81