Support Technology Innovation Research Articles

Leveraging Technology Innovations to Boost Africa’s Industrialisation

The study employed using dynamic panel modelling technique to examine the effects of technology innovations on industrialization in Africa using annual panel data from 2011 to 2022. The findings show that per capita income, total national reserves, and remittances positively affect industrialisation processes in Africa. With regards to technology innovations, the findings show that technological innovations positively influence industrialisation in Africa. The major policy implication is that Africa’s industrialisation could be realised by targeting technology innovation in the continent. The study therefore recommends that African countries should increase investments in innovation, strengthen and build institutions that support technology innovation.

Machine Learning Models for Predictive Maintenance in Industrial Engineering

Purpose: The general objective of this study was to investigate machine learning models for predictive maintenance in industrial engineering. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to machine learning models for predictive maintenance in industrial engineering. The research highlighted the transformative potential of machine learning models in optimizing predictive maintenance for industrial engineering, demonstrating significant reductions in unplanned downtime and maintenance costs. It identified the strengths of various machine learning approaches, such as supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning, in predicting equipment failures and optimizing maintenance schedules. Despite the benefits, challenges such as data quality, integration complexity, and the need for specialized skills were noted. Future advancements in machine learning, IoT data, and computational power were expected to further enhance predictive maintenance systems, making them more accurate, efficient, and widely adopted across industries.Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Systems Theory, Diffusion of Innovations Theory and Resource-Based View (RBV) Theory may be used to anchor future studies on machine learning models for predictive maintenance in industrial engineering. This study provided several recommendations that contributed to theory, practice, and policy. It emphasized the development of hybrid machine learning models, integration of domain-specific knowledge, and real-time data collection using IoT technologies. It suggested standardized data protocols and personnel training for better implementation and efficiency. Policy recommendations included regulatory frameworks, incentives for technology adoption, data sharing, and robust data privacy guidelines. These contributions aimed to enhance the accuracy and applicability of predictive maintenance models, improve industrial maintenance practices, and support technological innovation through supportive policies.

HYBRID POWER SYSTEMS IN MINING: REVIEW OF IMPLEMENTATIONS IN CANADA, USA, AND AFRICA

This comprehensive exploration delves into Hybrid Power Systems (HPS), investigating their components, technologies, economic considerations, environmental impacts, and technological challenges. Integrating renewable and traditional sources in HPS emerges as a transformative solution for sustainable energy. Economic analyses reveal initial costs offset by long-term benefits. At the same time, environmental impacts demonstrate a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and resource preservation. Technological challenges, including intermittency and system optimization, are addressed through advanced storage, smart grids, and microgrid technologies. The abstract concludes with recommendations emphasizing research, education, policy support, international collaboration, public awareness, and ongoing technological innovation. As HPS stands at the forefront of sustainable energy solutions, this comprehensive study navigates the complex terrain, offering insights and guidance for a future where HPS plays a pivotal role in a resilient, efficient, and environmentally conscious global energy landscape.
 Keywords: Hybrid Power Systems, Renewable Energy, Sustainability, Technological Challenges.

Environmental and Social Acceptance module: reducing global and local environmental impacts for Ocean Energy Projects

Designing reliable ocean energy devices with reduced costs is crucial for the sector’s development. This development of renewable energies should also be implemented in a sustainable manner and not cause additional environmental stress and related damage. In order for the ocean energy sector to consider environmental impacts at the earliest stage of concept creation, the Environmental and Social Acceptance (ESA) module was developed and included in an integrative suite of design and assessment tools (namely DTOceanPlus) to support technology innovation processes. Several complementary features were developed in the ESA module which provides insight into impacts at different levels. At local scale, environmental impacts are assessed in relation to the different design choices using thirteen functions (i.e. Footprint of the array, Collision risk with devices, Collision risk with operating vessels, Energy modification, Reef effect, Reserve effect, Resting place, Chemical pollution, Turbidity, Temperature modification, Electrical fields, Magnetic fields and Underwater noise) that cover various potential pressures induced by the ocean energy array. Moreover, surveys and mitigation measures are provided regarding endangered species potentially present. At global scale, a life cycle assessment is conducted to evaluate the carbon footprint of a project in terms of its contribution to global warming and the cumulative energy demand. Two reference models were used to exemplify the use and relevancy of the different features. Overall the ESA module provides insight and support to the ocean energy sector to achieve sustainable development of marine renewable energies.

First Report of Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) on Dioscorea opposita in Henan Province, China.

Dioscorea opposita is an annual twining plant in China that is used for consumption and medicinal purposes. The planting area of D. opposita is near 500,000 hectares in China, mainly in Shangdong, Hebei, Henan, Jiangxi and Yunnan provinces. In August 2021, we observed that some D. opposita plants grew poorly with smaller and chlorotic leaves in Changyuan (35°8'12"N; 114°43'52"E), Henan Province, China. Galls with hook-shaped roots and tuber damage were also observed, typical of root-knot nematode. Thirty tubers were randomly collected and 60% were infested with root-knot nematodes. During a disease survey in Changyuan, the incidences of root-knot nematode damage were 31.5%, 21%, and 18% in three fields (0.33, 0.67, and 4 ha, respectively) at harvest. The average tuber length of infected plants was decreased by 65.8%, and the average weight was decreased by 70.1% compared to the healthy plants. Males, females, second-stage juveniles (J2s), and eggs were extracted from individual diseased tubers from the three fields for morphological identification. Females were white, pear-shaped with a projecting neck. Males showed a trapezoidal labial region with prominent stylet knobs, including a high head cap which had a stepped outline and was centrally concave in lateral view. Morphological measurements are described in the supplementary material. All data and descriptions conformed to the morphological characteristics of Meloidogyne incognita. Genomic DNA was extracted from J2s (n=9) using PCR lysis buffer, and used for PCR amplification of the sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers specific for M. incognita. Two pairs of the SCAR primers, Mi-F/Mi-R, and Inc-K14-F/Inc-K14-R, were used to diagnose whether these nematodes from D. opposita were M. incognita (Meng et al. 2004; Randig et al. 2002). The PCR produced expected amplification products of 955 and 399 bp, confirming the nematode to be M. incognita. Primers specific for M. arenaria (Far/Rar) and M. javanica (Fjav/Rjav) were used but failed to amplify fragments (Randig et al. 2002; Zijlstra et al. 2000). The obtained PCR fragments were sequenced and deposited in GenBank (accession no. OQ420602.1, OQ427638.1). They showed 99.9 and 100% identity to the available GenBank M. incognita sequence (accession no. MK410954.1, ON861825.1), respectively. A pathogenicity test was conducted in greenhouse conditions. Bulbils of D. opposita were sown in the pots filled with 2,000 ml of autoclaved soil mixture (loamy soil/sand, 1:1). One month later, 15 seedlings (five to six leaf stage) were inoculated with 1,000 M. incognita J2s individually. Five plants without nematode inoculation were used as the control. Two months after inoculation, all of the inoculated roots had galling symptoms similar to those observed in the field, and 100% of root system tissues had galls. The root gall index was ~6 according to a 0 to 10 RKN damage rating scale (Poudyal et al. 2005). No symptoms were found on the control plants. The nematodes were reisolated from root tissue and identified. M. incognita has a broad host range in many species of economic importance including Salvia miltiorrhiza (Wen et al. 2023), Ipomoea batatas (Maleita et al. 2022), and Zea mays (López-Robles et al. 2013). So far, M. incognita has been reported in D. alata and D. rotundata in Africa (Onkendi et al. 2014). To our best knowledge, this is the first record of M. incognita on D. opposita in Henan Province, China. With the increased planting area of D. opposita in China, root-knot nematodes are becoming more serious and reducing tuber production, with yield losses more than 60%. This identification is a preliminary step in developing effective disease management schemes. Declaration of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding This work was financially supported by the Key Scientific Research Projects of Higher Education Institutions of Henan Province (21A180013), China Agriculture Research System (CARS-21), The Zhongyuan high level talents special support plan-Science and Technology Innovation Leading Talents (224200510011) and Science and Technology Research Project of Henan Province (222102310211). References López-Robles, J., et al. 2013. Plant Dis. 97:694. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-07-12-0674-PDN. Maleita, C., et al. 2022. Plant Dis. 106:2536. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-12-21-2680-PDN. Meng, Q. P., et al. 2004. Acta Phytopathol. Sinica 34:204. https://doi.org/10.13926/j.cnki.apps.2004.03.003. Onkendi, E. M., et al. 2014. Plant Pathol. 63:727. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.12202. Poudyal, D. S., et al. 2005. Australas. Plant Pathol. 34:181. https://doi.org/10.1071/AP05011. Randig, O., et al. 2002. Genome 45:862. https://doi.org/10.1139/g02-054. Wen, Y., et al. 2023. Plant Dis. Accepted. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-05-22-0997-PDN. Zijlstra, C., et al. 2000. Nematology 2:847. https://doi.org/10.1163/156854100750112798.

Get the win-win: Sustainable circular model of 'generation-value-technology' of industrial solid waste management.

The management of industrial solid waste (ISW) and promoting sustainable circular development of the industrial economy is an urgent priority today. Therefore, this article constructs a sustainable circular model of 'generation-value-technology' of ISW management through the lens of industrial added value (IAV) and technology level. Also, the importance of the role of government is considered in the model. Based on actual data of China, this article simulates the future trend of the model using a system dynamics approach. The chief findings of the study are as follows: (1) under the current policy, China's future industrialization is increasing and the technological level of industrial enterprises is rising, but this is accompanied by a climb in ISW generation. (2) The win-win situation of ISW decrease and IAV increase can be achieved through enhanced information disclosure, technology innovation and government incentives. (3) Government subsidy should be oriented towards supporting technology innovation in industrial enterprises while reducing the proportion of incentives for ISW management results. Based on the results, this study proposes targeted policy implications for government and industrial enterprises.

Food companies' innovations in creating sustainable product packaging on the Polish market

The emergence of the problem of creating and implementing sustainable food packaging is forcing companies to implement innovations in this area. Changes in the approach to the production of sustainable packaging should take into account environmental, social and financial aspects. The introduction of modern technologies is becoming a natural part of companies' production processes. Awareness of ongoing changes in the spheres of production innovation, technology, IT and communication can contribute to the creation and implementation of sustainable food packaging. The aim of this article is to identify and define innovative activities of food companies in the creation and implementation of sustainable product packaging. The objective included refers to one of the United Nations' objectives - Goal 9: 9.B - Support technological development, research and innovation in developing countries through enabling policies. In addition to the objective, a research hypothesis was included and a research problem was defined. The research used the CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interview) interview method, and the CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interview) method. The research tool used was a survey questionnaire. The research addressed, among other issues, the use of raw materials and materials used in the production of packaging, the impact of packaging on transport costs, packaging recycling activities and ways of placing information on packaging. The final section of the article discusses the results of the research and identifies recommendations for future research directions.

Responsible plant nutrition: A new paradigm to support food system transformation

The coming 10–20 years will be most critical for making the transition to a global food system in which mineral nutrients in agriculture must be managed in a more holistic manner. Fertilizers play a particular role in that because they are among the key drivers for securing global food security and improving human nutrition through increased crop yields and nutritional quality. A new paradigm for responsible plant nutrition follows a food systems and circular economy approach to achieve multiple socioeconomic, environmental and health objectives. Achieving that requires utilizing all available organic and inorganic nutrient sources with high efficiency, tailored to the specific features of food systems and agroecosystems in different world regions. Critical actions include: (i) sustainability-driven nutrient roadmaps, (ii) digital crop nutrition solutions, (iii) nutritious crops, (iv) nutrient recovery and recycling, (v) climate-smart fertilizers, and (vi) accelerated innovation. The outcome of this transformation will be a new societal plant nutrition optimum rather than a purely economic optimum. New partnerships and sustainability-focused business models will create added value for all actors in the nutrient chain and benefit farmers as well as consumers. Research needs to become more problem-driven and merge excellent science with entrepreneurial innovation approaches in order to develop robust solutions faster and at larger scale. Evidence-based policies should focus on creating and supporting the necessary nutrient stewardship roadmaps, including realistic national targets, progressive regulation and incentives that support technology and business innovation.

The Moderating Effects of the Korean Technological Gaps with Japan’s Technology between Government Support Policies and Technological Innovation Success in Materials, Components and Equipments Industry

The Moderating Effects of the Korean Technological Gaps with Japan’s Technology between Government Support Policies and Technological Innovation Success in Materials, Components and Equipments Industry

POLA PENDAMPINGAN TEKNOLOGI PADA PROGRAM SWASEMBADA DAGING SAPI DAN KERBAU DI KABUPATEN REJANG LEBONG

Abstract In order to meet production targets local beef at 420.3 thousand tons, the Ministry of Agriculture launched the Self-Sufficiency Program Beef (PSDS) in 2014, which consists of five principal program are: the provision of feeder / local beef, increased productivity and the reproducibility of local cattle, cuts prevention productive cows, cows provision, and setting domestic beef stock. In a way the problems encountered in the implementation of the Self-Sufficiency Acceleration Beef and Buffalo namely coordination and technical issues that are often caused by the slow process of technology transfer from the source to the users of technology. The purpose of this study was to determine the response of users to program and produce recommendations for improvement PSDSK implementation of assistance activities at the local level and Farmers. The experiment was conducted in Rejang Lebong for 8 months, starting in January to October 2011. Assessment is done by "desk study ", field surveys, and the preparation of recommendations for improvement pilot project implementation assistance. Model guidance is expected breeder technology innovation is the high intensity level meeting to discuss the technological innovations that accompanied the practice of cattle farming directly with farmers raising cattle mainly technical. Dissemination of information media support technology innovation raise cattle in various forms also need to be added and evenly distribution. Non-technical aspects such as capital support in raising cattle is also an important requirement adoption of a technological innovation by cattle ranchers. Keywords: Mentoring, technological innovation, swasembada, cows, buffaloes

A panel of extracellular vesicle long noncoding RNAs in seminal plasma for predicting testicular spermatozoa in nonobstructive azoospermia patients.

Whether the testis-specific extracellular vesicle (EV) long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in seminal plasma could be utilized to predict the presence of testicular spermatozoa in nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) patients? Our findings indicate that the panel based on seminal plasma EV lncRNAs was a sensitive and specific method in predicting the presence of testicular spermatozoa and may improve clinical decision-making of NOA. The adoption of sperm retrieval techniques, especially microdissection testicular sperm extraction (mTESE), in combination with ICSI has revolutionized treatment for NOA. However, there are no precise and noninvasive methods for predicting whether there are testicular spermatozoa in NOA patients before mTESE. RNA sequencing was performed on seminal plasma EVs from 6 normozoospermic men who underwent IVF due to female factor and 5 idiopathic NOA patients who failed to obtain testicular spermatozoa by mTESE and were diagnosed as having Sertoli cell-only syndrome by postoperative pathology. A biomarker panel of lncRNAs was constructed and verified in 96 NOA patients who underwent mTESE. Decision-making process was established based on the panel in seminal plasma EVs from 45 normozoospermia samples, 43 oligozoospermia samples, 62 cryptozoospermia samples, 96 NOA samples. RNA sequencing was done to examine altered profiles of EV lncRNAs in seminal plasma. Furthermore, a panel consisting of EV lncRNAs was established and evaluated in training set and validation sets. A panel consisting of nine differentially expressed testis-specific lncRNAs, including LOC100505685, SPATA42, CCDC37-DT, GABRG3-AS1, LOC440934, LOC101929088 (XR_927561.2), LOC101929088 (XR_001745218.1), LINC00343 and LINC00301, was established in the training set and the AUC was 0.986. Furthermore, the AUC in the validation set was 0.960. Importantly, the panel had a unique advantage when compared with models based on serum hormones from the same group of NOA cases (AUC, 0.970 vs 0.723; 0.959 vs 0.687, respectively). According to the panel of lncRNAs, a decision-making process was established, that is when the score of an NOA case exceeds 0.532, sperm retrieval surgery may be recommended. In the future, the sample size needs to be further expanded. Meanwhile, the regulatory functions and mechanism of lncRNAs in spermatogenesis also need to be elucidated. When the score of our panel is below 0.532, subjecting the NOA patients to ineffective surgical interventions may not be recommended due to poor sperm retrieval rate. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81871110, 81971314 and 81971759); the Guangdong Special Support Plan-Science and Technology Innovation Youth Top Talents Project (2016TQ03R444); the Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province (2016B030230001 and 201707010394); the Key Scientific and Technological Program of Guangzhou City (201604020189); the Pearl River S&T Nova Program of Guangzhou (201806010089); the Transformation of Scientific and Technological Achievements Project of Sun Yat-sen University (80000-18843235) and the Youth Teacher Training Project of Sun Yat-sen University (17ykpy68 and 18ykpy09). There are no competing interests related to this study. N/A.

The effects of equity financing and debt financing on technological innovation

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to compare the effects of equity financing and debt financing on technological innovation, and prove that the enhancement of a financing system’s risk tolerance for technological innovation can enhance the innovation risk preference of enterprises and thus promote innovation.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on a transnational sample of 35 developed countries from 1996 to 2015, by using the panel econometric model to empirically examine the effects of two financing modes on innovation.FindingsThe findings showed that equity financing, which has higher risk tolerance, has a more positive impact on innovation than debt financing in terms of both economic uptrend and economic downtrend, and that government efficiency plays a significant role in supporting the performance of technological innovation.Originality/valueThe paper provides a research framework for examining how a financing system’s risk tolerance capacity affects the development of technological innovation through promoting risk preference among enterprises. This paper provides transnational and cross-cycle comparative evidence that equity financing with a strong risk tolerance capacity can better support technological innovation, even in periods of economic downtrend. Moreover, the importance of financing system’s risk tolerance capacity for innovation during economic crises is discussed.

Life cycle assessment of 3D printing geo‐polymer concrete: An ex‐ante study

AbstractThree‐dimensional (3D) printing and geo‐polymers are two environmentally oriented innovations in concrete manufacturing. The 3D printing of concrete components aims to reduce raw material consumption and waste generation. Geo‐polymer is being developed to replace ordinary Portland cement and reduce the carbon footprint of the binder in the concrete. The environmental performance of the combined use of the two innovations is evaluated through an ex‐ante life cycle assessment (LCA). First, an attributional LCA was implemented, using data collected from the manufacturer to identify the hotspots for environmental improvements. Then, scaled‐up scenarios were built in collaboration with the company stakeholder. These scenarios were compared with the existing production system to understand the potential advantages/disadvantages of the innovative system and to identify the potential directions for improvement.The results indicate that 3D printing can potentially lead to waste reduction. However, depending on its recipe, geo‐polymer likely has higher environmental impacts than ordinary concrete. The ex‐ante LCA suggests that after step‐by‐step improvements in the production and transportation of raw materials, 3D printing geo‐polymer concrete is able to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete components, while it does still perform worse on impact categories, such as depletion of abiotic resources and stratospheric ozone depletion. We found that the most effective way to lower the environmental impacts of 3D concrete is to reduce silicate in the recipe of the geo‐polymer. This approach is, however, challenging to realize by the company due to the locked‐in effect of the previous innovation investment. The case study shows that to support technological innovation ex‐ante LCA has to be implemented as early as possible in innovation to allow for maintaining technical flexibility and improving on the identified hotspots.

An Intersectional Technofeminist Framework for Community-Driven Technology Innovation

In this article, we describe the philosophy, objectives, and development of Multilingual User-Experience (Multilingual UX), a community-driven initiative for supporting technology innovation with marginalized communities. We highlight how community-based mentorship can guide innovative technology design through an intersectional technofeminist perspective. We begin with a discussion of the impetus for building this initiative before discussing how we are collaboratively designing a research center to facilitate technology design with and for marginalized communities. We both theorize and enact the intersectional technofeminist principles of our work by telling the story of our project with our collaborators and community partners, in the form of vignettes from a symposium. We conclude by looking ahead to our next steps and by offering strategies for intersectional technofeminist community building and technology innovation, in the hope that our experiences can be further developed and localized to support similar initiatives that highlight the value of feminist collaboration in technology design.

The Analysis for the Scale and Efficiency of China’s Major Automotive Enterprises Based on DEA Model

This paper uses Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to measure the scale and efficiency of 28 major automotive enterprises in Chinese, and the results show that at this stage, large automobile manufacturers of China are under-produced and the production is too scattered, and the overall efficiency of automobile manufacturers is low. One of the main reasons is that because of the low technical efficiency value, the technological innovation capability of enterprises needs to be strengthened. The other reason is that the low efficiency of a large number of enterprises lowers the overall efficiency level. There is a positive correlation between the scale and efficiency of automobile manufacturers. Whether it is the horizontal comparison between different enterprises (nature) or the vertical comparison between the same enterprises, all show that compared with small-scale enterprises, large-scale manufacturing enterprises not only have higher scale efficiency but also have higher technical efficiency. With the expansion of production scale, the scale of enterprises and technical efficiency have improved, which shows that for the automotive industry, compared with other factors, economies of scale is the main factor that affects the automotive industry, and not only is it reflected in the scale but also in technological innovation. Therefore, when formulating policies, the relevant departments should support the development of large-scale enterprises, encourage mergers and acquisitions among enterprises, increase R&D investment, support technological innovation, and set up a scientific market exit mechanism to reduce exit costs, such as guiding the transformation of enterprises and establish a competition mechanism for the survival of the fittest.

Правовое обеспечение государственных гарантий в инвестиционной сфере

The article deals with the provisions of the current legislation containing measures of state stimulation of investment activity for the purpose of industrial development and production of competitive products. Among the array of legislation, the author identifies the position of the industrial policy under which conditions are created for legal, economic and organizational stimulation of legal entities and individual entrepreneurs to establish or maintain (modernizing) industrial projects in the Russian Federation. The author points out that the legislation provides for financial assistance in terms of grants from the federal budget of the Russian Federation, the budgets of the Russian Federation, local budgets; the possibility of concluding a special investment contract; provision of information and consulting services; support scientific and technological activity and innovation activity of investors in the industry. The article details the procedure for granting state guarantees of the Russian Federation on loans or bond loans, attracted for implementation of investment projects related to the creation of new or renovation of existing social, agroindustrial, industrial, utility and transportation facilities, and the possibility of their further exploitation. The authors point to the desirability of introducing legislation on investment activities, the provisions on the criteria for the recognition of investment objects as socially important facilities in the Russian Federation.

Tax Policy Studies to Support Scientific and Technological Innovation under the Background of PPP

In recent years, Chinese government has regarded the technological innovation industry as the national economy steadily forward “new engine”. In addition to setting up the external environment and developing endowments, the central government devote all the effort to the developing “PPP” model. So the article expounds the statement, question and puts forward some advice to discuss.

Creating Semiconductor Value through Advanced Package Technology

Over the past few years, there has been a significant shift from PCs and notebooks to smartphones and tablets as drivers of advanced packaging innovation. In fact, the overall packaging industry is doing quite well today as a result, with solid growth expected to create a market value in excess of $30B USD by 2020. This is largely due to the technology innovation in the semiconductor industry continuing to march forward at an incredible pace, with silicon advancements in new node technologies continuing on one end of the spectrum and innovative packaging solutions coming forward on the other in a complementary fashion. The pace of innovation has quickened as has the investments required to bring such technologies to production. At the packaging level, the investments required to support the advancements in silicon miniaturization and heterogeneous integration have now reached well beyond $500M USD per year. Why has the investment to support technology innovation in the packaging community grown so much? One needs to look no further than the complexity of the most advanced package technologies being used today and coming into production over the next year. Advanced packaging technologies have increased in complexity over the years, transitioning from single to multi-die packaging, enabled by 3-dimensional integration, system-in-package (SiP), wafer-level packaging (WLP), 2.5D/3D technologies and creative approached to embedding die. These new innovative packaging technologies enable more functionality and offer higher levels of integration within the same package footprint, or even more so, in an intensely reduced footprint. In an industry segment that has grown accustomed to a multitude of package options, technology consolidation seems evident, producing “The Big Five” advanced packaging platforms. These include low-cost flip chip, wafer-level chip-scale package (WLCSP), microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), laminate-based advanced system-in-package (SiP) and wafer-based advanced SiP designs. This presentation will address ‘The Big Five’ packaging platforms and how they are adding value to the Semiconductor Industry.

Research and Implementation on Patent Knowledge Modeling Based on TRIZ

Patent is a key knowledge base for product innovation design. The current patent knowledge model and retrieving pattern can not supporting technology innovation sufficiently. TRIZ is a kind of innovation methodology based on patent analysis and there is a congenital relationship between them. Innovation design oriented patent model is researched based on inventive principles, standard solutions, effect and other TRIZ tools. As a Computer Aided Innovation system, Innovation Engine is introduced and developed. The effectiveness is proved by the conceptual design of Cotton Picker. The patent knowledge of cross domain is used successfully by Innovation Engine.

Linking Organizational Structure, Technological Support and Process Innovation: the Mediating Role of Knowledge Sharing in the Iraqi Textile Industry

This paper investigates the relationships among organizational structure, technological support, knowledge sharing and process innovation and whether knowledge sharing has a mediating effect on these relationships. Based on the survey among employees in the Iraqi textile industry, the results revealed that organizational structure and technological support positively and significantly influence knowledge sharing. Knowledge sharing was also found to be an important mediator between organizational structure, support technology and process innovation. The findings bear implications to the Iraqi government’s call for innovation in the Iraqi textile industry.