A Management approach for interdisciplinary Research networks in a knowledge-based Society - Case study of the cluster of Excellence ""Integrative Production technology for high-wage countries
Due to globalisation, innovations in low-wage countries take place in increasingly faster cycles for several years. By this means, the pressure on high-wage countries rises in order to keep up their knowledge advantage within diverse branches. Because of the fact that new knowledge is established more and more among interfaces of various disciplines, different demands arise with regard to an adequate institutional framework. Thus, the nationwide initiation of so-called Clusters of Excellence in Germany can be classified as a measure which has the target to support innovation activities within knowledge intensive networks. However, highly complex and heterogeneous research networks are in need of an appropriate management approach which supports the cross linking of various disciplines and increases the scientific output, but a corresponding approach is not established yet. Therefore, the so-called Cross Sectional Processes in the Cluster of Excellence `Integrative Production Technology for High-Wage Countries' at RWTH Aachen University, Germany, aim at creating management approaches to fit the needs of huge, heterogeneous, highly complex and dynamic research clusters. Moreover, the aim of the investigations is to design, implement and evaluate a management approach transferable to similar clusters and networks in future in order to foster interdisciplinary innovation activities in networks.
Learning from clusters; A critical assessment from an economic-geographical perspective
Preface. 1: Clustering, learning and regional development, Ron A. Boschma & Robert Kloosterman. Part I: The 'Cluster' Model. 2: A systematic perspective on local development, Sergio Conti. 3: Cluster dynamics, Bart Nooteboom & Rosalinde Klein Woolthuis. 4: Embedded local growth: a theory taken too far?, Michael Taylor. 5: Beyond the learning region: the dialectics of innovation and culture in territorial development, Frank Moulaert & Jacques Nussbaumer. 6: Economic development, institutions and trust, Gert-Jan M. Linders, Henri L.F. de Groot & Peter Nijkamp. 7: Social capital and regional development: an empirical analysis of the Third Italy, Ron A. Boschma. 8: Regional innovation systems, varieties of capitalism and non-local relations: challenges from the globalising economy, Bjorn T. Asheim & Sverre J. Herstad. 9: Delirious Rotterdam: The formation of an innovative cluster of architectural firms, Robert C. Kloosterman & Eva Stegmeijer. 10: Competitiveness in regional clusters. The case of Oce's 'Knowledge Industry Clustering' project, Roel Rutten & Frans Boekema Part II: The Impacts of ICT and Externalities on Urban Development. 11: Urban milieux: from theory to empirical findings, Roberto Camagni & Roberta Capello. 12: The spatial clustering of knowledge-intensive services: computing services in the Netherlands, Anet Weterings. 13: Dynamic information externalities and employment growth in the Netherlands, Frank G. van Oort, Daan P. van Soest & Shelby D. Gerking. 14: New regional economics: about virtual agglomeration effects, Luc Soete. 15: 'Old' and 'new' economy and services, Peter W. Daniels. 16: Economic capabilities and strategic clusters: new perspectives for national and regional economic policy, Pieter P. Tordoir. Part III: Concluding Remarks. 17: Further learning from clusters, Robert C. Kloosterman & Ron A.Boschma About the authors Index
Spectroscopy of high rate events during active interrogation
Abstract Pulsed accelerators are being used for radiographic inspections in homeland security applications. Adding spectroscopic detection capability enables additional information to be extracted but challenges signal processing hardware. This work compares two approaches to cost-effective digital spectroscopy systems designed to handle these high rate scenarios. In the first system, the signal from a PMT is directly digitized and then deconvolved on a PC using standard techniques. Bypassing the preamplifier, this system can handle high count rates (>10 6  cps) from an LaCl 3 detector with no dead time and an energy resolution of 5% at 1.33 MeV. Spectra acquired from fission product gamma rays between interrogation pulses are shown. At higher rates, this approach is limited by the DAQ transfer rate to the PC. Instead, we tested a fast ADC (125 MSPS) and an FPGA that performed onboard, real-time digital signal processing (DSP). The energy spectrum is generated on the FPGA board during the measurement and transferred later. This system was tested in nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) experiments. Resonance peaks from NRF reactions are shown.