Theory and application of Agricultural Innovation Platforms for improved irrigation scheme management in Southern Africa

Abstract

Many small-scale irrigation systems are characterized by low yields and deteriorating infrastructure. Interventions often erroneously focus on increasing yields and rehabilitating infrastructure. Small-scale irrigation systems have many of the characteristics of complex socio-ecological systems, with many different actors and numerous interconnected subsystems. However, the limited interaction between the different subsystems and their agents prevents learning and the emergence of more beneficial outcomes. This article reports on using Agricultural Innovation Platforms to create an environment in which irrigation scheme actors can engage, experiment, learn and build adaptive capacity to increase market-related offtake and move out of poverty.     

User experience and personal innovativeness: An empirical study on the Enterprise Resource Planning systems

Although user experience and personal innovativeness are two important factors in new technology adoption, there has been no prior study to test these factors with the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) adoption. This paper investigates moderating roles of user experience on the relationship between the personal innovativeness and the ERP adoption motivations. This issue is important because if the user has more experience with the systems then the power of influence of personal innovativeness on ERP adoption motivation would be different. Thus, this paper tests these important insights of ERP systems adoption with the two different field samples with high (more than three years) and low (less than three years) user experience, based on the innovation diffusion theory, self determination theory, and different types of motivations such as intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. The findings, based on the PLS analysis of the model using 107 ERP end users, show that there are clear moderating effects of user experience—such as impacts of personal innovativeness on ERP systems adoption motivations are higher in case of low user experience samples, as expected. Academic and practical implications are discussed in the paper based on these empirical findings.     

开发人力资源 加快技术创新 重铸景德镇陶瓷辉煌

本文讨论了景德镇陶瓷业存在的问题，并探讨如何更好地发展景德镇陶瓷业，从而实现再度辉煌。     

Gender,culture and determinants of behavioural intents to adopt mobile commerce among the Y Generation in transition economies: evidence from Kazakhstan

This study investigates perceived risk and trust in relationship to the Diffusion of Innovation Theory [Rogers, E.M., 1962. Diffusion of innovations. Glencoe, IL: The Free Press; 1983. Diffusion of innovations. 3rd ed. New York: The Free Press] from a cultural perspective to understand the determinants of behavioural intent to adopt mobile commerce among the Y Generation in Kazakhstan. Surveys from 345 university-level students and subsequent structural equation modelling revealed perceived risk, trustworthiness and Rogers’ five innovation characteristics are important determinants. Perceived risk and trustworthiness are important determinants because of the high uncertainty avoidance characteristics of the Kazakh society. This study advances theory regarding culture- and generation-based characteristics to transition economies by verifying theoretical proposition regarding the behavioural intent towards mobile commerce adoption, resulting in a greater understanding of mobile commerce adoption among the Y Generation in transition economies. Marketing implications are discussed.     

入世后，中国香料香精企业若干发展方向的思考

本文根据中国香料香精企业的现状,从几个方面分析了入世后对中国这个行业的影响,提出了一些应对策略,包括提高企业竞争力、创新能力和投资海外、走战略联盟等,并预测了中国香料香精行业的未来发展前景。     

自主创新,发展新型优质耐火材料

讨论了今后我国耐火材料品种、结构、调整、升级的问题,应当以自主创新为主旋律,充分利用资源优势发展有自己特色的新型质合成原料和高效制品,还介绍了近两三年来这方面的一些科技成果。     

高职服装设计专业校内生产性实训基地模式研究

校企共建集多功能校内生产性实习基地,是提升学生专业技能、降低教学实训成本、更好地服务于区域经济的有效方式。面对现有国内高职院校的校内生产性实习过程中遇到诸多问题,通过企业横向项目融入实训教学。营造真实的生产氛围。引进企业生产管理机制。打造双骨千兼职教师等创新建设手段。让校内生产性实训基地运行进入可持续发展的良好模式。     

中国传统家具造型的传承与创新

中国传统家具源远流长,经过千年历炼在明清时期达到历史颠蜂,然而随着国门的被迫打开。中国家具经历了动荡起伏的局面。笔者深入解读中国传统家具发展现状,探讨萁造型的演变以及近现代尝试与不足,最后对中国传统家具的传承和创新提出自己观点。     

医疗产品设计中的人性化研究

在经济飞速发展的今天,传统的医疗产品行业应该顺应社会的需求,更加重视人的情感需求,从人性化的设计角度,着眼于造型、色彩、人机上对医疗产品进行更深入的设计研究。     

珠江三角洲创新集群管理信息系统

创新集群管理信息化目前依然是一个较新的课题, 不同产业、不同区域都在摸索当中。本项目基于创新集群科研管理信息化的需求, 针对创新集群跨机构、跨区域、跨领域的特征, 利用先进的信息化技术和应用平台, 通过统一的门户管理平台, 在创新集群内部建立功能互补、交流合作、协同发展的综合管理生态系统, 有效集成、共享优势创新资源, 实现集群内部资源的灵活组合和调配, 不断促进跨所跨学科的交叉融合和协同发展, 提升创新集群的管理能力和综合竞争力。