Major Growth Sector Research Articles

Impact of Tourism Employment on Economic Growth

Tourism has become a major growth sector in developing countries. That is, tourism affects the economic growth of a country in different ways. Tourism contributes to various aspects of the economy such as foreign exchange earnings, employment, income generation, regional development etc. Accordingly, the main objective of this study is to examine the contribution of tourism employment to the economy. Accordingly, using quantitative data, the study found that tourism employment had a positive impact on economic growth in Sri Lanka during the period 2004 – 2023. Accordingly, the implication of this study is that policy makers should take policy measures to further identify tourism employment opportunities.

Toward defining materials chemistry (IUPAC Technical Report)

AbstractThis report describes the results of a Project whose goals were to "assemble, collate and disseminate information about the scope of the newly-emerging discipline of materials chemistry, leading to an authoritative definition of the subject within the family of chemical sciences" and further, as a corollary, "to recommend to IUPAC how this new discipline might best be represented within the IUPAC structure". The history and current status of the research and teaching, only recently labeled as "materials chemistry", is described. This field has become one of the major growth sectors in pure and applied chemistry and now accounts for a significant fraction of all publications in the chemical sciences, based on measures such as journal citations and submitted papers and journals that are devoted entirely or in part to this subject. Nonetheless, there is still considerable confusion about what does, and does not, fall within the scope of "materials chemistry", and there is no consensus regarding a definition for the subject. After examining existing definitions for "chemistry" and "materials science" and considering prior attempts to define the subject, the following working definition for "materials chemistry" was suggested: "Materials chemistry comprises the application of chemistry to the design, synthesis, characterization, processing, understanding and utilisation of materials, particularly those with useful, or potentially useful, physical properties." In conclusion, the report suggests that IUPAC consider elevating this field from its current Subdivision status to that of "a cross-divisional Committee that would work with all the current IUPAC Divisions to develop and co-sponsor new projects, in the area of chemical education, nomenclature, terminology, health and safety, etc., that will increase the recognition of the current and future importance of this field to the international chemistry community".

Back to the future

AbstractDevelopment of renewable‐based building blocks for the chemical and material science industries will become a major growth sector. © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Synchrotron X-ray studies of strain in (100)-oriented high pressure-high temperature (HP-HT) synthetic diamonds

The wavelength tunability and high intensity of a dedicated synchrotron X-ray source were extensively used in four-azimuth double-crystal diffraction experiments to study synthetic diamonds with (001) polished faces. These had major growth sectors of {001} and {111} type and some minor sectors of {110} and {113}. Many series of topographs (up to 80 per sample) in symmetric Bragg reflection geometry were recorded. Some of the common features frequently present in synthetic diamonds, namely metallic cylindrical inclusions as well as the growth sectors and growth sector boundaries, were the subject of this study. The presence of any source of strain in the crystal may seriously affect its performance in applications: mechanical (tools), optical (IR windows) or electronic (radiation detectors). X-Ray “pinhole” rocking curve measurements as well as detailed analysis of the topographic records yielded interesting new results concerning the state of the lattice in close proximity to each inclusion and inside growth sectors of the minor forms of {113} and {110} type. The axisymmetric strain field caused by the embedded body of each cylindrical inclusion was recorded as a symmetrically compressed lattice. The lattice parameter of the {113} growth sectors was found to be smaller (by 7 ppm) than that of the surrounding major growth sectors. More importantly, it is recorded and reported here for the first time that in addition to lattice parameter differences there exists significant lattice bending (radius R = 7.5 m) inside the minor sectors that is created by the compressive action of the surrounding major {001} and {111} growth sectors. Previous experiments have been unable to record this component of stress in synthetic diamonds either because of an inappropriate choice of diffraction geometry or because of incompleteness of the experimental procedures.

The political economy of satellite business

Satellite communications systems are the outcome of the fusion of big governments, high technology and big business, whose needs they meet. As a major growth sector they are becoming extremely important in economic terms. But satellite communications raise wider issues of the relationships between rich and poor countries and within rich countries. They will crucially influence the location of economic activity and the future prospects for countries in terms of access to information, decision making and income. The article discusses these questions and suggests how Europe might improve its position. It also argues that participation in public policy on satellite communications should be opened to a wider range of parties.