Market Growth Potential Research Articles

Trend Analysis for the Market and Application Development of 3D Printing

In 2011, the Economist newspaper declared the advent of 3D printing, also known as Additive Manufacturing (AM), to herald the start of the Third Industrial Revolution. Chris Anderson, originator of the “long-tail theory”, not only authored Makers, a book on3D printing, but also co-founded 3D Robotics to realize his vision for the potential of 3D printing by applying his perspectives embedded in his book. Nevertheless, opposing viewpoints suggest that 3D printing may not be the game changer its proponents claim. The article explores the technical classification and market growth potential of 3D printing, and analyzes the main markets and countries as well as the application scope of 3D printing.

Fullvision Endpoint Application on ILD0 P1 Polish

With continued scaling beyond 45 nm, endpointing is becoming essential for precise control of wafer-to-wafer and within-wafer uniformity during CMP processes. The Applied Materials FullVision™ endpoint system employs an in-line, large-spot, multi-wavelength light source (white light) and a spectrometer to collect spectral signals from the wafer while it is polishing. This makes possible a much more delicate and accurate control of endpoint triggering compared to the standard single-wavelength endpoint system. The FullVision system is beneficial for a variety of dielectric applications, including oxide, STI, and poly CMP. It has already been adopted by major memory customers and for BEOL copper inter-metal and top metal CMP on Applied Reflexion® LK CMP systems in high volume manufacturing. In this paper, we assessed the capability of FullVision to control the endpoint of a 28nm node ILD0 P1 polishing process on three kinds of patterned wafers with different masks. The results showed well-behaved linear fitting (> 0.98) of the endpoint traces of P1 polishing to the library data of a selected wafer, indicating that the FullVision system is qualified to moniter the ILD0 polishing process. Meanwhile, the endpoint times of tested wafers was controlled to within 25 seconds with the goodness-of-fit (GOF) value less than 2. These results demonstrated the capability of FullVision endpoint control for ILD0 P1 polish, indicating potential market growth for this system in 28nm CMP processes.

Consequents of functional and technical quality: evidence from electronic and mobile service industry in China

The growing market potential of China's service industry requires an in-depth understanding of factors leading to consumers' loyalty towards e-service and mobile services providing websites. The growth of e-service and mobile services has changed the manner in which firms and consumers interact. A conceptual model that examines the relationship between service quality, trust, satisfaction, and loyalty in electronic and mobile environment is proposed. The analysis of data from 415 Chinese consumers reveals that both technical and functional quality of e-services and mobile services have a strong impact on consumers' trust and satisfaction, which in turn positively influence their loyalty towards service providers in electronic and mobile environment. We conclude our paper with a discussion of our findings and possible future research alternatives.

Life cycle assessment on polylactide-based wood plastic composites toughened with polyhydroxyalkanoates

Wood plastic composites (WPC) have become the state-of-the-art commercial products with a growing market potential in the area of building, construction, and automotives in the past ten years. Increasing attention has been given to polylactide (PLA)-based WPC in recent years, due to the renewable raw materials, good mechanical and processing properties. However, the environmental impacts of the wood flour (WF) reinforced PLA-based WPC need be evaluated before they are produced and installed commercially. Life cycle assessment (LCA) based on the input–output model was carried out to evaluate the energy demand and environmental impacts, as well as the water requirement of the PLA-based WPC during the cradle-to-gate stages. An attribute hierarchy model (AHM) was used to determine the weighting factors of the different environmental impact categories to the environmental impact load (EIL). The results showed that the energy demand for 1000 kg of the unmodified PLA-based WPC (Sample A, 20 wt% WF+80 wt% PLA) and their polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) toughened counterpart (Sample B, 20 wt% WF+55 wt% PLA+25 wt% PHAs) was 3.08 × 108 kJ and 3.05 × 108 kJ, respectively. Water requirement for Sample A was more than that of Sample B. The non-dimensional indicator EIL was 1.9 and 1.6 for Sample A and Sample B, respectively. Photochemical oxidation potential made up the largest part among the six environmental impact categories (global warming potential, acidification potential, photochemical oxidation potential, eutrophication potential, smog potential and eco-toxicity potential), while eutrophication potential was the least for both Sample A and Sample B. This cradle-to-gate LCA will contribute to optimizing the eco-design, reducing the energy consumption and pollutant emissions during the eco-profiles of the PLA-based WPC.

Ways of seeing degrees of leisure: from practice to pedagogy

In the context of higher education (HE), Leisure Studies has become an increasingly diverse, segmented and disjointed collection of curricula, driven by a fast-changing politico-economic landscape and the growing market potential of emergent sub-specialisms such as sport, tourism and event management. A decline in interest in, and perceived relevance of, the idea of leisure has seen Leisure Studies as a field fade from curricula at many universities. With issues of disconnect between leisure research and leisure practice cited as a major reason for the downturn in leisure-focused degree programmes, the challenges facing leisure scholars are inherently pedagogic: linking the fields of theory and practice in meaningful ways. Drawing upon evidence-based practice, this paper examines the philosophical and practical utility of leisure not just as a teaching object but as a pedagogic orientation; a profound way of seeing that ushers in a critical appreciation and understanding of the nature and significance of leisure in the lifeworld experiences of students. The ‘leisured' pedagogic orientation outlined represents one way experiential knowledge can be recognised and embedded in HE curricula, providing insight into the kinds of learning that might be effective in terms of enhancement of students' awareness of leisure and their development of leisure knowledge, skills, attitudes and values. This calls for the suspension of the traditional paradigms of thought relating to learning for leisure, in favour of a leisure pedagogy that is truly situated in the context of modern leisure in all its subtle complexity.

Competition and cooperation: can South African business create synergies from BRIC+S in Africa?

The relationship of cooperation and competition between South African private businesses and Asian companies has become more complex in the last 20 years. With South Africa joining what became BRICS in early 2011, it now represents the African continent with its growing market potential. However, South African medium and large size companies (SA MLCs) seem to perceive the positioning of BRIC businesses rather as a challenge than as a window of opportunity. This article identifies the need for a deeper understanding of the adaptive capacity and practices of South African private companies which play a significant role for job creation in South Africa. What we hereby present is in fact a first foray into companies’ pragmatic engagements for achieving relative stability in increasing competitive markets. This is consequent of empirical research in its initial stages. The theoretical framework applied picks up recent debates revolving around the ‘practice turn.’ First evidence from business corroborates an alternative field-specific approach referring to Fligstein’s relational sociology of markets and Thévenot’s concept of pragmatic regimes of justification.

How to create innovation by building the translation bridge from basic research into medicinal drugs: an industrial perspective

The global healthcare industry is undergoing substantial changes and adaptations to the constant decline of approved new medical entities. This decrease in internal research productivity is resulting in a major decline of patent-protected sales (patent cliff) of most of the pharmaceutical companies. Three major global adaptive trends as driving forces to cope with these challenges are evident: cut backs of internal research and development jobs in the western hemisphere (Europe and USA), following the market growth potential of Asia by building up internal or external research and development capabilities there and finally, ‘early innovation hunting’ with an increased focus on identifying and investing in very early innovation sources within academia and small start-up companies. Early innovation hunting can be done by different approaches: increased corporate funding, establishment of translational institutions to bridge innovation, increasing sponsored collaborations and formation of technology hunting groups for capturing very early scientific ideas and concepts. This emerging trend towards early innovation hunting demands special adaptations from both the pharmaceutical industry and basic researchers in academia to bridge the translation into new medicines which deliver innovative medicines that matters to the patient. This opinion article describes the different modalities of cross-fertilisation between basic university or publicly funded institutional research and the applied research and development activities within the pharmaceutical industry. Two key factors in this important translational bridge can be identified: preparation of both partnering organisations to open up for new and sometime disruptive ideas and creation of truly trust-based relationships between the different groups allowing long-term scientific collaborations while acknowledging that value-creating differences are an essential factor for successful collaboration building.

Opportunities and Challenges for a Foreign Invested Company at Yatanarpon Cyber City, Myanmar

Information & Communication Technology (ICT) Parks have proved a vital element for economic improvement in developing countries. Studies have shown that attracting foreign investments in technology parks can impact the quality of human capital and the country’s development. With that in mind, Myanmar government has started adopting the market economy and allowing foreign investments, especially in high-tech investments. The most significant high-tech initiative was the establishment of the Yatanarpon Cyber City (YCC) in late 2007.This paper reports on that establishment of YCC in Myanmar. This paper focuses on the opportunities and challenges for foreign investors who are intending to invest in the newly established Cyber City. Based on Myanmar’s current investment environment, this paper shows that both host country and foreign investors get benefits from YCC. In fact, foreign investors can access growing market potential, lower labor costs, and potential for expanding markets. Similarly, Myanmar could diffuse technical know-how from foreign investments, something considered beneficial for economic development. However, the paper argues that Myanmar still needs to improve policies and procedures for making YCC an attractive place for investments.

English Commercial Banks and Organizational Inertia: The Financing of SMEs, 1944–1960

This article is a study in the strength of shared strategic beliefs amongst leading British clearing bankers in the years following World War II and how those common beliefs may have inhibited potential for market growth. The subject of the study is the performance of large British deposit bankswith respect to the financing of industry. This behavior has long been criticized by economic historians as suboptimal and, depending on the commentator, has been presented variously as evidence of entrepreneurial failure, the gentrification of the City, social schism amongst the economic and social elite, the political influence of City institutions, the external orientation of capital markets, or institutional sclerosis. However, in earlier studies we have offered a rational economic explanation of the banks' behavior and practices in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

English Commercial Banks and Organizational Inertia: The Financing of SMEs, 1944–1960

This article is a study in the strength of shared strategic beliefs amongst leading British clearing bankers in the years following World War II and how those common beliefs may have inhibited potential for market growth. The subject of the study is the performance of large British deposit bankswith respect to the financing of industry. This behavior has long been criticized by economic historians as suboptimal and, depending on the commentator, has been presented variously as evidence of entrepreneurial failure, the gentrification of the City, social schism amongst the economic and social elite, the political influence of City institutions, the external orientation of capital markets, or institutional sclerosis. However, in earlier studies we have offered a rational economic explanation of the banks' behavior and practices in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Workshop report – A successful contractual setting

Successful public transport service contracts can be judged against procedural and outcome criteria, located within an integrated strategic, tactical and operational level framework for planning and delivery. Clear goal setting at the strategic level sets the basis for supportive tactical system planning and for service delivery that meets goals. The workshop considers relevant success criteria and key matters that need to be resolved for their achievement. Market growth potential and the governmental attitude to supporting service growth are important issues shaping the contractual environment. The growing interest in negotiated performance-based contracts and the role of trust between the operator and the authority are also matters for particular attention.

KSF OF TV SHOPPING INDUSTRY IN CROSS-STRAITS

There have been few studies on the Key Success Factors (KSF) of TV shopping industry in both China and Taiwan. Moreover, the market growth potential and size across the Formosa Strait are significant. Using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) in Export Choice (EC) software, we find that the top ten KSF in the TV shopping industry across the Formosa Strait are somewhat different in order of importance and in the content. Managers in Taiwan consider watching habit, income, age, occupation, product positioning strategy, channel releasing policy, education, differential pricing, target product strategy and strategic sensitivity as the top ten KSF in order of importance. Meanwhile, managers in China consider domestic economic development, income, average domestic income, business philosophy, channel releasing policy, watching habit, product positioning strategy, related broadcasting laws, age, and occupation as the top ten KSF in order of importance.

The economics of pediatric formulation development for off-patent drugs

Background: Many drugs currently used in children have never been adequately studied in rigorous scientific trials. Although these medications can still be prescribed in the pediatric setting, they are considered “off-label” because they are not specifically approved for use in children. The role of the Economics Working Group (EWG) within the Pediatric Formulation Initiative (PFI) of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) is to identify economic barriers and to propose possible mechanisms to create cost-effective and appropriately formulated products for off-patent pediatric drugs and to ensure their distribution and availability.Objective: The purpose of this article was to briefly outline the EWG's considerations and recommendations on these topics.Methods: Information for this article was gathered from the proceedings of a PFI workshop sponsored by the NICHD, held December 6 and 7, 2005, in Bethesda, Maryland. Other information was based on: the authors' unpublished and published research as well as personal communication with members of the EWG; a comprehensive search of Web sites, publications, and publicly accessible databases of the European Medicines Agency, the US Food and Drug Administration, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the NICHD; and the databases and publications available from the Louis Lasagna Library of the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development (Boston, Massachusetts).Results: The US Congress has attempted to remedy the lack of incentives to develop pediatric drugs by passing 2 key pieces of legislation. After >10 years, this US pediatric initiative has stimulated a great deal of pediatric drug research, and similar initiatives have been emulated in Europe and proposed in Japan. Although the initiative is generally considered successful in the United States, an incentive gap exists that still hinders pediatric drug development. It results from a series of factors, including: (1) a relatively small market size (<10% of the overall pharmaceutical market); (2) a predominance of off-patent drug use in the pediatric setting (perhaps as much as 70%); (3) no pediatric incentives for generic drug manufacturers; (4) fewer chronic illnesses in children than in adults; (5) a higher proportion of uninsured (mostly Medicaid recipients) and underinsured (many young families) patients; and (6) higher per-patient costs as well as greater complexity of drug development. By understanding these barriers, more appropriate incentives can be generated by government, where these incentives are not inherently present in the market.Conclusions: The lack of child-friendly formulations leaves 40% of the world's population at increased risk for avoidable adverse events, suboptimal dosing, noncompliance, and lack of access to new medicines. Incentive programs are the surest and least expensive means to overcome the tendency of “big pharma” to overlook the pediatric market as too small, and of start-up and specialty companies to consider it too problematic. Given the relatively lengthy period required to build product development infrastructure, these several decades—when market growth potential, demographics, and public health considerations are aligned in favor of pediatric formulation needs—are a critical time frame for creating a private and public sector environment to support this effort.

Purchasing global luxury brands among young Korean consumers

PurposeSince South Korea has widened its market doors to global trade, demand has been continuously on the rise for foreign luxury brands, especially from young South Korean consumers. This study aims to identify the determinants of young South Korean consumers' purchasing intentions toward foreign luxury fashion brands and their relative importance.Design/methodology/approachThe data used in this study were gathered by surveying university students in Seoul, South Korea using convenience sampling, and 319 questionnaires were used in the statistical analysis. In analyzing data, factor analysis, correlation, and regression were conducted.FindingsThe results showed that all determinants, except for vanity, were significantly related to the purchasing of foreign luxury fashion brands. Regarding their relative importance, purchasing frequency was the most influential factor followed by conformity, age, consumer ethnocentrism, social recognition, and pocket money, in that order.Originality/valueFor the luxury brand marketers, practical implications of why young South Korean consumers have increasing demands for foreign luxury brands, the potential market growth, consumer profiles, and marketing strategies were discussed.

Exploring technology paths: The development of alternative transport fuels in Sweden 2007–2020

By using socio-technical scenarios, we investigate how present policy choices may affect the development of alternative transport fuels in Sweden. One important choice for policy lies in the balance between general tax exemptions stimulating the market for alternative fuels, and funding of research and development more directly promoting new technology. The implications of this choice are illustrated with four diverging development paths until 2020. In the market-oriented scenarios, we illustrate consequences of breaking the dominance of entrenched technologies and demonstrating a growing market potential for alternatives, but also the risks with a large focus on first generation renewable fuels. In the technology-oriented scenarios, we point out the value of keeping variety among niches in this stage of the transition. In conclusion, if policy is implemented without taking the dynamic forces within the system into account, there is a risk that any measure leads the system into a dead end. But if policy strives to balance the development in different parts of the technological system while making use of various prevailing forces of change, a multitude of different efforts can contribute to the development of a more sustainable transport system.

Comparing Academic and Corporate Technology Development Processes*

There is a growing concern that a large portion of innovation, one area in which the United States has excelled, may soon follow manufacturing to less costly, more efficient countries overseas. Although U.S. innovators collectively still have more patentable technologies granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) than all other countries, offshore competitors have made substantial gains with recent year‐to‐year percent increases much larger than the United States. Of concern is the relatively low number of patents granted to academic innovators. In spite of the Bayh‐Dole Act of 1980, success in this area has been limited with the proportion of patents from academia being less than 2 percent of the total patents awarded in the United States in the years since the act. Consequently, this article examines the U.S. technology development process in a descriptive study to determine exactly how and where academic and corporate inventors differ in their approaches. A series of structured interviews with academic and corporate innovators was conducted as part of a larger study investigating the technology development processes of academic and corporate inventors. Each inventor developed a concept map describing the particular process followed. To do this, a comprehensive set of possible development process elements was compiled. Inventors were then asked to select and then to arrange the elements they actually used to reflect their individual process. The resultant maps were examined using five different approaches—three quantitative and two qualitative. These analyses clearly documented that, on average, academic inventors used significantly less elements in their process (maps) than did their corporate counterparts, and further, that there was little commonality among elements on the academic maps. Overall, the corporate maps were viewed as being more complete, correct, and organized than the academic maps. This article reveals that for a small number of academic inventors and for a single technology scope, activities such as defining the market and IT growth potential, actual versus planned cost evaluation, and determination of changing customer needs/market requirements are not being conducted by the inventor. If such activities were performed either by the academic inventor or more logically by the PTO, more licensures and patents may occur.

The impact of ownership

PurposeThis paper aims to analyse the growing body of literature on small and medium‐sized enterprise (SME) internationalisation by considering a set of propositions regarding the drivers and inhibitors of an entry mode decision.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a quantitative methodological approach, a survey was applied to a sample of SMEs to empirically test the proposed conceptual model. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyse the data.FindingsResults from the study revealed the importance of the firm's international experience, its ability to innovate, the market potential for growth and market‐specific knowledge as key predictors for choosing an equity‐entry mode. SMEs are rather flexible in nature and tend to perform activities with low‐cost structures, thereby minimising the relevance of the perceived risk associated with the host country.Practical implicationsEmpirical findings are relevant as they may assist SME managers to make financially sound entry mode choices, which, if effectively made, enable a firm to gain important competitive advantages.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the current body of knowledge in the area of SME internationalisation by combining two key dimensions of Dunning's eclectic framework, while also including the managerial and ownership structure characteristics, whose dimensions have been assumed to be important drivers for SME internationalisation.

Women Entrepreneurs Preparing for Growth: The Influence of Social Capital and Training on Resource Acquisition

This study examines the influence of formal and informal social capital and training needs of 421 women entrepreneurs that the acquisition of financial resources needed for growth. Results revealed that women entrepreneurs with high growth resources tended to use more formal social networks and needed training in strategic planning and production/operations. Our study offers support for the process by which formal and informal capital resources within women-owned firms can serve as critical antecedents of potential market growth and expansion. This research takes an important initial step in understanding the process of how women entrepreneurs leverage and build internal and external resources.

Carsharing in North America: Market Growth, Current Developments, and Future Potential

Carsharing provides members access to a fleet of autos for short-term use throughout the day, reducing the need for one or more personal vehicles. More than 10 years ago, carsharing operators began to appear in North America. Since 1994, 40 programs have been deployed—28 are operating in 36 urban areas, and 12 are now defunct. Another four are planned to launch in the next year. Carsharing growth potential in North America is examined on the basis of a survey of 26 existing organizations conducted from April to July 2005. Since the mid-1990s, the number of members and vehicles supported by carsharing in the United States and Canada has continued to grow, despite program closures. The three largest providers in the United States and Canada both support 94% of the total carsharing membership. Growth potential in major metropolitan regions is estimated at 10% of individuals over the age of 21 in North America. Although carsharing continues to gain popularity and market share, the authors conclude that increa...

Rapid Access to Modern Energy Services Using Lp Gas

Modern energy is not universally available. An estimated two billion people in the world do not yet have access to modern fuels and around one quarter of all energy consumed in developing countries is derived from the burning of wood, charcoal, crop residues and animal dung. Yet a modern energy carrier exists that can meet the thermal energy needs of many of these people from both developing and developed countries. This energy carrier is available now, at low marginal cost. It can rapidly provide a critical step up on the energy ladder from traditional fuels to modern fuels whilst accelerating the socio-economic development of urban and rural regions in a sustainable manner. This modern energy carrier is LP Gas. LP Gas (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) is a by-product of natural gas production and / or crude oil refining. With an annual demand of approximately 250 million tonnes of oil equivalent, LP Gas consumption is now equivalent to approximately 10% of global natural gas consumption. Due to its versatile characteristics, LP Gas has found uses in many applications from being a thermal fuel in domestic applications to being essential in industrial and agricultural uses. LP Gas is now also the world's most popular alternative automotive fuel. Energy demand generally increases with population growth but in many developing countries, the rate of population growth far exceeds the rate of modern energy provision with a result that energy poverty in developing countries is extremely high. Lack of modern energy prevents the socio-economic development necessary to allow communities to move up the energy ladder from traditional fuels to fuels that can support and stimulate a greater level of economic activities. LP Gas is the ideal transition fuel to modern energy carriers such as natural gas. Access can be achieved at relatively low marginal cost through a well-developed global LP Gas industry. Barriers to LP Gas use can often be overcome through effective government policies. The case for government support to the LP Gas sector is based on the positive contribution the fuel can make to sustainable development. Experience from several countries shows that active government support can catalyse the development of the LP Gas market and lead to a virtuous circle of growing market potential, increased investment and expanded availability. LP Gas is available now. There is nothing exotic to invent or improve. The transportation system that moves it is in place and the tanks that store it are available today.