In Norden, two countries, Sweden and Finland, are actively engaged in site investigations for the location of deep repositories for spent nuclear fuel from powerproducing nuclear reactors. These investigations are bei...In Norden, two countries, Sweden and Finland, are actively engaged in site investigations for the location of deep repositories for spent nuclear fuel from powerproducing nuclear reactors. These investigations are being carried out in crystalline rocks of the Fennoscandian Shield. In Sweden, a long history of site selection has led to the identification and investigation of two sites, Forsmark and Laxemar/Simpevarp, based on a strategy of combining favourable bedrock with consent by the local population. Surface-based geoscientific investigations of the two candidates, with extensive deep drilling, are now drawing to a close. A proposal as to which of the sites would be most suitable for the development of a deep repository will be submitted to the governmental regulatory authorities in 2009. In Finland, the site selection process was shorter and less politically controversial, and led to a ＂Decision in Principle＂ by the Finnish parliament, in May 2001, to develop a deep repository at the Olkiluoto site. The access tunnel to an underground rock characterisation facility at 400-500 m depth is at present under construction, accompanied by extensive geoscientific investigations in the subsurface. An application for a construction licence for a deep repository will be submitted in 2012. Although all sites are located in Precambrian crystalline rocks, the Swedish homogeneous granitic rocks, sites both lie in relatively whilst the Finnish site is located in an heterogeneous migmatite complex. The Nordic approach to high-level nuclear waste disposal in crystalline rock will be the theme of a Topical Symposium at the 33rd International Geological Congress at Oslo, in August 2008, and the three sites mentioned above will be the focus of Congress Excursion no. 14.展开更多
Praxis and doctrine agree on the importance of innovation for the competitiveness and profitability of the firm. Innovation is considered as a leverage to start a virtuous circle that improves company performance and,...Praxis and doctrine agree on the importance of innovation for the competitiveness and profitability of the firm. Innovation is considered as a leverage to start a virtuous circle that improves company performance and, consequently, reduce financial constraints for its development. Being creative is definitely the first mechanism that leads to innovation. Creativity spreads from both the individuals that work in the firm and from the social processes and contextual factors that characterize individual relationships within the company. Relational capital is the second mechanism that brings innovation. Relationships with clients, suppliers, competitors, producers of complementary products, public and private research institutions provide creative elements that, once screened, give rise to innovation. The first mechanism requires the firm to be creative on its own as innovations come directly from within the organization （＂closed innovation＂ model）. In the second, the firm must get in touch with potentially innovative idea~ coming from outside （＂open innovation＂ model）. Doctrine and praxis point out that firms, which do not stop at the first mechanism of innovation, turn out to be more innovative. The paper is structured as follows. In the first part, a theoretical framework is provided, describing the main findings, in the literature, in terms of relationships among innovation, creativity and relational capital. The second part is based on the analysis of two case studies. The first case （Coswell）, the very different degree of success （in terms of generated income） of its products seems to be tightly related on how much ＂relational capital＂ is ＂inside＂ the innovation. In the second case （Pastificio Rana） shows that innovation resulting from relational capital allows the company to excel against its far bigger and financially superior competitors.展开更多
文摘In Norden, two countries, Sweden and Finland, are actively engaged in site investigations for the location of deep repositories for spent nuclear fuel from powerproducing nuclear reactors. These investigations are being carried out in crystalline rocks of the Fennoscandian Shield. In Sweden, a long history of site selection has led to the identification and investigation of two sites, Forsmark and Laxemar/Simpevarp, based on a strategy of combining favourable bedrock with consent by the local population. Surface-based geoscientific investigations of the two candidates, with extensive deep drilling, are now drawing to a close. A proposal as to which of the sites would be most suitable for the development of a deep repository will be submitted to the governmental regulatory authorities in 2009. In Finland, the site selection process was shorter and less politically controversial, and led to a ＂Decision in Principle＂ by the Finnish parliament, in May 2001, to develop a deep repository at the Olkiluoto site. The access tunnel to an underground rock characterisation facility at 400-500 m depth is at present under construction, accompanied by extensive geoscientific investigations in the subsurface. An application for a construction licence for a deep repository will be submitted in 2012. Although all sites are located in Precambrian crystalline rocks, the Swedish homogeneous granitic rocks, sites both lie in relatively whilst the Finnish site is located in an heterogeneous migmatite complex. The Nordic approach to high-level nuclear waste disposal in crystalline rock will be the theme of a Topical Symposium at the 33rd International Geological Congress at Oslo, in August 2008, and the three sites mentioned above will be the focus of Congress Excursion no. 14.
文摘Praxis and doctrine agree on the importance of innovation for the competitiveness and profitability of the firm. Innovation is considered as a leverage to start a virtuous circle that improves company performance and, consequently, reduce financial constraints for its development. Being creative is definitely the first mechanism that leads to innovation. Creativity spreads from both the individuals that work in the firm and from the social processes and contextual factors that characterize individual relationships within the company. Relational capital is the second mechanism that brings innovation. Relationships with clients, suppliers, competitors, producers of complementary products, public and private research institutions provide creative elements that, once screened, give rise to innovation. The first mechanism requires the firm to be creative on its own as innovations come directly from within the organization （＂closed innovation＂ model）. In the second, the firm must get in touch with potentially innovative idea~ coming from outside （＂open innovation＂ model）. Doctrine and praxis point out that firms, which do not stop at the first mechanism of innovation, turn out to be more innovative. The paper is structured as follows. In the first part, a theoretical framework is provided, describing the main findings, in the literature, in terms of relationships among innovation, creativity and relational capital. The second part is based on the analysis of two case studies. The first case （Coswell）, the very different degree of success （in terms of generated income） of its products seems to be tightly related on how much ＂relational capital＂ is ＂inside＂ the innovation. In the second case （Pastificio Rana） shows that innovation resulting from relational capital allows the company to excel against its far bigger and financially superior competitors.
