Frontier Of Innovation Research Articles

Lobbying and innovation in the European Union

AbstractAside from anecdotal evidence, lobbying activities and the role of vested interests in the EU have not been scrutinized. This article attempts to cast focus on the relationship between lobbying and aspects of innovation in the EU. The modest performance of the EU compared to the innovation frontier has been attributed to an array of factors, one of which is the adverse effect of vested interests. The lack of new, innovative enterprises has been identified as a decisive factor behind the productivity stagnation and lobbying by incumbents poses as a credible culprit. In this article, I create a novel firm‐level database through the cross‐fertilization of data from the growing Transparency Register (EC and EP), AMADEUS (BvD), the OECD, Eurostat, and the European Commission in order to address the complex relationship between vested interests, innovation, and competition. The preliminary findings indicate that more R&D intensive firms tend to spend significantly larger amount of funds on lobbying, primarily competing for EU grants and government procurement. Using data for country‐sector concentration, I find that the relationship is stronger in the presence of low competition. Despite the improvements required in the documentation of lobbying activities, these results provide preliminary tangible evidence on the effect of vested interests on innovation performance.

ChatGPT and Generative Artificial Intelligence in Mohs Surgery: A New Frontier of Innovation

The rapid and exponential progress in generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies has inspired many to contemplate the potential applications of such tools within medicine. With regard to the Mohs surgical workflow, AI shows promise in assisting with perioperative planning, patient education, patient communication, and clinical documentation. AI has the potential to transform modern Mohs surgical practices, but at this time, critical human review of any AI-generated content remains necessary.

Exploring the Frontiers of AI Innovation

In Schumpeter’s innovation edifice, there are three pillars: new functionality and knowledge base, reshuffle activities pursued by entrepreneurs, and wave-like creative destruction formed by interrelationship adjusting. Against those pillars, this writing takes three snapshots of AI-enabled innovation. Based on the existing gaps, this editorial predicts the frontiers of AI-enabled innovation, which are shown as three “integrations.”

Advancing the frontiers of innovation: insights and perspectives

Advancing the frontiers of innovation: insights and perspectives

In Their Own Words: Student Perceptions of Technical Poetry Writing in Discipline-Specific Undergraduate Engineering Courses: Opportunities and Challenges

Although some studies have incorporated poetry into engineering courses, no studies exist that explore the use of writing poetry about technical topics to develop creative thinking skills in undergraduate engineering education. This study explores engineering students’ perceptions of incorporating poetry writing within an upper-level discipline-specific engineering course. Two research questions are considered: (RQ1) Do students think that the poetry assignments will be beneficial to their careers? (RQ2) What beneficial gain, if any, do students report from the poetry assignments? Sixty-one students from an industrial and systems engineering course at the University of Florida completed a four-question, open-ended survey. Data were qualitatively coded and analyzed. For RQ1, 63.3% of participants considered the assignment beneficial to their future engineering careers, 13.3% did not see it as beneficial, and 23.3% were uncertain. For RQ2, 11 code categories and four themes emerged; three themes addressed benefits related to professional skills (creative thinking, problem-solving, communication) and one theme suggested the enhancement of technical skills via deepened conceptual knowledge acquisition. Poetry writing on technical topics has the potential to cultivate creative thinking skills in upper-level discipline-specific courses in undergraduate engineering education. Additional research is warranted. Funding: This work was supported by the University of Florida Creative Campus Program as well as The Cottmeyer Family Innovative Frontiers Faculty Fellowship awarded to E. Akçalı. Supplemental Material: The e-companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/ited.2023.0284 .

AI-tocracy

Abstract Recent scholarship has suggested that artificial intelligence (AI) technology and autocratic regimes may be mutually reinforcing. We test for a mutually reinforcing relationship in the context of facial-recognition AI in China. To do so, we gather comprehensive data on AI firms and government procurement contracts, as well as on social unrest across China since the early 2010s. We first show that autocrats benefit from AI: local unrest leads to greater government procurement of facial-recognition AI as a new technology of political control, and increased AI procurement indeed suppresses subsequent unrest. We show that AI innovation benefits from autocrats’ suppression of unrest: the contracted AI firms innovate more both for the government and commercial markets and are more likely to export their products; noncontracted AI firms do not experience detectable negative spillovers. Taken together, these results suggest the possibility of sustained AI innovation under the Chinese regime: AI innovation entrenches the regime, and the regime’s investment in AI for political control stimulates further frontier innovation.

Editorial Letter from Editor in Chief

Dear Esteemed Readers, Researchers, and Contributors, With great pleasure and enthusiasm, we extend our warmest greetings to you through the pages of Agriculture Archives: an International Journal. As we embark on this journey together, we are filled with a sense of anticipation and commitment to fostering excellence in agricultural research and innovation. Agriculture Archives aims to serve as a premier platform for scholars, scientists, practitioners, and enthusiasts from around the globe to share their insights, discoveries, and success stories in agriculture. Our journal is dedicated to advancing knowledge, promoting sustainable practices, and addressing the agricultural sector’s multifaceted challenges today. Through rigorous peer-review processes and a commitment to scholarly integrity, Agriculture Archives endeavors to publish high-quality research articles, reviews, case studies, and commentaries that contribute to the advancement of agricultural sciences. We welcome submissions across a broad spectrum of topics, including but not limited to crop science, soil management, plant genetics, agricultural economics, agribusiness, food security, and sustainable agriculture. At Agriculture Archives, we recognize the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the power of collective wisdom in addressing the complex issues confronting agriculture in the 21st century. Therefore, we encourage researchers from diverse disciplines and backgrounds to contribute their expertise and perspectives to our journal. As we strive to uphold the highest standards of academic excellence and editorial integrity, we are committed to providing a transparent, fair, and timely review process for all submitted manuscripts. Our esteemed editorial board comprises eminent scholars and experts in various domains of agricultural sciences, whose guidance and expertise are instrumental in maintaining the quality and relevance of the journal. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our esteemed reviewers, whose constructive feedback and critical insights play a pivotal role in shaping the scholarly discourse within our journal. We also express our sincere appreciation to our authors, whose dedication, creativity, and perseverance enrich the pages of Agriculture Archives with valuable contributions that advance the frontiers of agricultural research and innovation. As we embark on this collaborative journey, we invite you to join us in our quest to explore new horizons, discover innovative solutions, and create a positive impact in the realm of agriculture. Together, let us harness the power of knowledge and collective endeavor to build a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable future for agriculture and society at large. Thank you for your continued support and participation in Agriculture Archives: an International Journal. We look forward to your valuable contributions and engagement as we embark on this enriching scholarly odyssey together. With warm regards, [Dr. Amtul Waris] Editor-in-Chief Agriculture Archives: an International Journal

Mesoporous Ca-alginate/melamine-rich covalent organic polymer/cupric oxide-based microgel beads as heterogeneous catalyst for efficient catalytic reduction of hazardous water pollutants

Present work focused on employing the advantages of novel porous melamine-rich covalent organic polymer (MCOP)-nano cupric oxide (CuO)–based heterogeneous catalysts for catalytic reduction of diverse pollutants including aromatic nitro compounds (p-nitrophenol, o-nitrophenol), toxic dyes (rhodamine B, methylene blue, congo red, methyl orange), and heavy metal ions (chromium(VI)). First, nano-CuO was prepared in a green process, and MCOP was fabricated by a solvothermal method. Subsequently, MCOP@CuO hybrids were developed. To improve the recyclability and stability of the MCOP@CuO hybrids and prevent secondary contamination by the powdery form of hybrids in the water, microgel beads based on alginate substrate were developed. First, the fabricated catalysts were employed for p-nitrophenol reduction, and the effect of catalyst loading and NaBH4 concentration were optimized. In optimum conditions, the catalytic reduction of other pollutants was tested and kinetic studies were examined. Furthermore, the proposed mechanisms for catalytic reductions were presented. Ca-alginate/MCOP@CuO microgel beads efficiently and successfully reduced toxic contaminants in a short time. All pollutants were removed in the time range of 14–55 min. Conversion percentages in removing pollutants were obtained at 90–98% for Ca-alginate/MCOP@CuO Ex-situ microgel beads. These microgel beads were greatly stable and effortlessly recycled without loss of their performance (for 5 consecutive cycles). The kinetics data were fit to the pseudo-first-order model with good correlation coefficients (R2 > 98). Such microgel-based catalysts will expose an innovative frontier in design materials for different potential requests such as treating toxic pollutants.

'Unleashing the Power of Artificial Intelligence in Social Work: A New Frontier of Innovation'

'Unleashing the Power of Artificial Intelligence in Social Work: A New Frontier of Innovation'

Construction and Application of University Patent Evaluation Model based on Machine Learning

As the frontier of scientific and technological innovation, universities will produce a large number of patents based on their talent, technology and resource advantages. How to evaluate the value of university patents in a more scientific and efficient manner is of great significance in improving the scientific research and innovation capability of universities and promoting the transfer and transformation of university patents. Firstly, combined with the characteristics of universities and the definition of “high-value patents”, we constructed a scientific evaluation index system of university patent value. Secondly, machine learning algorithms were used to build patent value evaluation models. Finally, we conducted an empirical study with invention patent data from 134 universities in Sichuan Province, and then tested six evaluation models for their performances. The XGB model and GBDT model are found to have better accuracy and reliability. In addition, the number of IPC classifications, patent family citations and independent claims are of higher importance in patent value evaluation, university characteristics are less important to the value of university patents.

Data Innovation: A New Frontier of Digital Innovation

Data Innovation: A New Frontier of Digital Innovation

Big Data Analytics Capability Ecosystem Model for SMEs

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, together with globalization and advanced technologies, has drastically changed the business environment and forced companies to become more innovative and agile in the way they run their business and respond to the needs and wants of customers. Survival highly depends on the adaptability of SMEs to this ever-changing complex dynamic environment by taking steps in implementing Big Data Analytics as the next frontier for innovation, competition, productivity, and value creation. Based on the grounded theory, this study employed a qualitative method via focus group discussion. Focus groups were conducted with 14 government agencies, SMEs associations, business owners, Chief Operating Officers (CEOs), academic and industrial experts and directors of SMEs in Malaysia. The study revealed the challenges of Malaysian SMEs in adopting Big Data Analytics Capability, presents the criticality of Big Data Analytics Capability to overcome the identified challenges, and develops a BDA Capability Ecosystem Model that integrates the internal enablers, external barriers and support to explain the adoption of BDA Capability for value creation and support the decision-making process. This paper is followed by some policy suggestions for companies’ owners, policymakers, government agencies, universities, and SMEs. This study directly impacts Malaysia’s economy as a whole by addressing Malaysia’s Shared Prosperity Vision 2030. This research contributes to industries that are still in the low value added category with low adoption of technology. Furthermore, it will ultimately lead to the realization of SMEs as ‘game changers’ to transition the economy to a high-income nation. This study proposes a model that could help SMEs improve their value creation performance, directly influencing the country’s GDP and employability.

Case of the Development of a Biomedical Device Innovation Project of a Mexican Public University to Face COVID-19

Through the case study method, in this article, the activities of an innovation project carried out by the Biomedical Devices group of the Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology of the National Autonomous University of México (UNAM) to face Covid-19 pandemic are presented. A notable result is that the drastic reduction of university development times required to deliver results to the health sector in the form of technological products to face the disaster situation is observed. However, it is also noted that some government authorities in the field of intellectual property and health permits act as barriers that make it difficult to reach the innovation frontier because the time required to obtain governmental authorizations. This situation made it difficult to reach the moment of launching the technological product to society. It is concluded that the joint reaction time of the different innovation actors is one of the main variables or dimensions that must be reduced through emergency policies and actions that must be planned, based on the organizational and individual learning that occurs in contingent situations.

Ten questions concerning human-building interaction research for improving the quality of life

This paper seeks to address ten questions that explore the burgeoning field of Human-Building Interaction (HBI), an interdisciplinary field that represents the next frontier in convergent research and innovation to enable the dynamic interplay of human and building interactional intelligence. The field of HBI builds on several existing efforts in historically separate research fields/communities and aims to understand how buildings affect human outcomes and experiences, as well as how humans interact with, adapt to, and affect the built environment and its systems, to support buildings that can learn, enable adaptation, and evolve at different scales to improve the quality-of-life of its users while optimizing resource usage and service availability. Questions were developed by a diverse group of researchers with backgrounds in design, engineering, computer science, social science, and health science. Answers to these questions draw conclusions from what has been achieved to date as reported in the available literature and establish a foundation for future HBI research. This paper aims to encourage interdisciplinary collaborations in HBI research to change the way people interact with and perceive technology within the context of buildings and inform the design, construction, and operation of next-generation, intelligent built environments. In doing so, HBI research can realize a myriad of benefits for human users, including improved productivity, health, cognition, convenience, and comfort, all of which are essential to societal well-being.

Innovations for Reducing Methane Emissions in Livestock toward a Sustainable System: Analysis of Feed Additive Patents in Ruminants.

Simple SummaryThe mitigation of the environmental impact of animal production is a global objective, and innovation can provide new strategies and technologies to support the transition toward a more sustainable livestock system. Using patent data analysis to identify innovation dynamics, we explored the sector of feed additives to reduce methane emissions in ruminants. We found that this innovation sector is recent and rapidly expanding, with the European Union representing the center of innovation. The most promising inventions are related to the use of beneficial microorganisms (probiotics) and plant-based extracts.An important challenge for livestock systems is the mitigation of environmental impacts while ensuring food security, and feed additives are considered as one of the most promising mitigation strategies. This study analyzed the innovation landscape of feed additives to reduce methane emissions in ruminants. The analysis is based on patent data to evaluate the development, scientific importance, and market-level impact of the innovations in this field. The results reveal that the EU is on the innovation frontier, with substantial and quality patent production. The innovation field is dominated by private players, characterized by high specificity in the R&D pipeline. Additives derived from plant or botanical extracts, together with 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP), represent the emerging innovations, indicating a clear orientation toward more sustainable livestock systems. Despite the regulatory and semantic limitations related to the use of patent databases, data reveal a growing innovation activity at global level, which could lead to macroeconomic benefits for the entire livestock sector.

A state-of-the-art review and prospect of gas hydrate reservoir drilling techniques

Securing energy means grasping the key link in the national development and security strategy. Under the goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, the overall tendency of energy development is to increase the proportion of natural gas while stabilizing oil consumption, and the global primary energy is entering the era of natural gas. Gas hydrate in deep seabed shallow strata and extremely cold permafrost regions has piqued the interest of researchers due to its abundant resources, widespread distribution, and high energy density. Although the drilling of hydrate wells is still fraught with unknowns and challenges due to the technological barriers between countries, complex on-site working conditions, and unique physical chemical properties, accumulation forms, and occurrence characteristics of gas hydrate, more than ten successful trial productions around the world have opened the door of hope for the development of this potentially new energy. The gas hydrate reservoir drilling technique is the frontier and hotspot of scientific and technological innovation and competitiveness around the globe today, reflecting the level of oil and gas technical advancement. At the national level, it possesses strategic and revolutionary features. Innovative drilling techniques, scientific well location layout, appropriate wellbore structure and well trajectory design, efficient drilling fluid, qualified drilling and completion equipment, and successful pressure-temperature preserved coring may all provide a strong guarantee for the successful completion of gas hydrate wells. This review comprehensively reviews the drilling techniques and engineering measures that can be used to develop gas hydrate. It focuses on the research advancement of important hydrate drilling technologies and the enlightening significance of these developments in the application of hydrate drilling. This work will deliver valuable experience as well as comprehensive scientific information for gas hydrate exploration and drilling.

Nature-inspired innovation policy: Biomimicry as a pathway to leverage biodiversity for economic development

One of the most important challenges of the 21st century is the quest for economic development models that respect the planet's ecosystem. Rather than imposing our industrial systems on nature, why not let nature influence our industrial and innovation systems?From wind turbine blades to bullet trains and solar cells, many of the technologies we rely on today have been inspired by solutions found in nature. Although relatively widespread in the fields of architecture and engineering, biomimicry/biomimetics remains largely overlooked in economics, public policy, and development studies. This is paradoxical because the world's remaining biodiversity stock-a knowledge bank of solutions to both current and unknown challenges- is largely held in developing economies and can be leveraged as a source of inspiration for -and entry door to- industrial innovation. This paper, therefore, investigates the relevance of biomimicry in the formulation of sustainable development strategies in biodiverse developing countries and maps out the national policy landscapes that can advance it.Several findings arise from this study. First, despite the exponential growth of biomimicry as a field and our understanding of its economic impact, what drives nature-inspired innovation remains elusive. Second, the biomimicry innovation landscape is dominated by industrialised economies that have relied on proactive policy interventions, while virtually no developing country has adopted biomimicry as an innovation strategy, consolidating the exploitation of the biodiversity in the developing world by firms in high-income nations. Third, by drawing on empirical evidence from a selection of Latin American countries, this paper shows that while biomimicry presents tremendous opportunities to leapfrog towards high value-added knowledge-intensive activities by using local biodiversity and related expertise as factor endowments, policy, and institutional factors have led to the persistence of important coordination failures that hinder the expansion and commercialization of biomimicry-based R&D. This paper concludes by discussing the public policies needed to support the integration of developing nations at the innovation frontier through biomimicry.

Articulating transboundary education: Growing IJCE to cultivate innovation frontiers

Articulating transboundary education: Growing IJCE to cultivate innovation frontiers

The road ahead for applications of mechanics in drug delivery

From vaccination to cancer treatment, controlled drug delivery systems have shown great promise across a wide range of therapies. Understanding the mechanics of advanced drug delivery systems is essential to aid in the design of better treatments for patients. Mechanics has particularly emerged as a key area intersecting engineering and drug delivery. Most drug delivery systems work in direct interaction with the body (e. g. vasculature, GI tract). In this perspective, we focus on three areas highlighting the importance of mechanics for next-generation drug delivery applications. We identify challenges and opportunities for innovation. The areas explored include micro/nano mechanics, gastrointestinal mechanics, and vascular mechanics for next generation drug delivery systems and organoids. First, we review applications of micro/nano technology in fabrication of advanced drug delivery systems. We specifically highlight opportunities for using computational mechanics in drug delivery in micro/nano scales. Second, we include a discussion on mechanical considerations for the design of next-generation cancer therapeutics, drug discovery systems and cell therapy platforms. Finally, we discuss the importance of a detailed understanding of gastrointestinal mechanics in designing orally administered drug delivery systems. Taken together, we highlight areas of mechanics that could be important frontiers for innovation across length scales, disease models and organ systems for advanced therapeutics.

Big data analytics for supply chain risk management: research opportunities at process crossroads

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to map current knowledge on big data analytics (BDA) for supply chain risk management (SCRM) while providing future research needs.Design/methodology/approachThe research team systematically reviewed 53 articles published between 2015 and 2021 and further contrasted the synthesis of these articles with four in-depth interviews with BDA startups that provider solutions for SCRM.FindingsThe analysis is framed in three perspectives. First, supply chain visibility – i.e. the number of tiers in the solutions; second, BDA analytical approach – descriptive, prescriptive or predictive approaches; third, the SCRM processes from risk monitoring to risk optimization. The study underlines that the forefront of innovation lies in multi-tiered, multi-directional solutions based on prescriptive BDA to support risk response and optimization (SCRM). In addition, we show that research on these innovations is scant, thus offering an important avenue for future studies.Originality/valueThis study makes relevant contributions to the field. We offer a theoretical framework that highlights the key relationships between supply chain visibility, BDA approaches and SCRM processes. Despite being at forefront of the innovation frontier, startups are still an under-explored agent. In times of major disruptions such as COVID-19 and the emergence of a plethora of new technologies that reshape businesses dynamically, future studies should map the key role of such actors to the advancement of SCRM.