New Directions in Quantum Computing for a Tectonic Shift of Technological Change

Quantum computer and computing are areas of theoretical and experimental research having a phase of growth that can generate a tectonic shift of the evolution of technology in society. The scientific and technological development in quantum research is due to a range of driving technological trajectories that are growing to solve more and more complex problems. The goal of this study is to detect emerging research fields and technological trajectories of quantum computing to explain and generalize, whenever possible, the technological characteristics of evolutionary dynamics in science and technology. Database of Scopus concerning documents and patents is used for statistical analyses to determine the growth of research fields and technological trajectories having a high potential impact in science and society. Results suggest that quantum research is driven by emerging scientific and technological trajectories given by Qubits, Quantum optics, Quantum circuit, Semiconductor quantum dots and quantum information. Overall, this study explains, whenever possible, emerging research fields and technological technologies in quantum computing that support scientific and technological change directed to future economic and social progress. Finally, technology analysis of this study can help policymakers to support the allocation of resources for all areas of Quantum Science having a high potential of growth and positive impact in science and society.

Scientific Developments and New Technological Trajectories in Sensor Research

Scientific developments and new technological trajectories in sensors play an important role in understanding technological and social change. The goal of this study is to develop a scientometric analysis (using scientific documents and patents) to explain the evolution of sensor research and new sensor technologies that are critical to science and society. Results suggest that new directions in sensor research are driving technological trajectories of wireless sensor networks, biosensors and wearable sensors. These findings can help scholars to clarify new paths of technological change in sensors and policymakers to allocate research funds towards research fields and sensor technologies that have a high potential of growth for generating a positive societal impact.

New Directions in Sensor Research: A Bibliometric Analysis for Detecting Emerging Research Fields and New Technological Trajectories

The fundamental question in the field of sensor research is new directions of scientific fields, which play a vital role in the progress of science and technology. This study confronts this question here by developing a bibliometric analysis, which endeavors to explain the evolution of sensor research and new technologies that are critical to science and society. The database of Scopus concerning scientific documents and patents is used for statistical and computational analyses in these topics. Results suggest that emerging technological trajectories in sensors are wireless sensor networks, wearable sensors and biosensors. Main characteristics of these growing research fields and technologies in sensors are described for fruitful implications of research and innovation policy directed to science advances and technological change in society.

In Search of Optimal Distinctiveness: Balancing Conformity and Differentiation via Organizational Learning

ABSTRACT Firms in a nascent industry need to search across various technological trajectories and market opportunities with limited prior knowledge. While inter-firm learning (e.g., imitation) helps the focal firm adapt in the process of conformity, intra-firm learning (e.g., independent experimentation) helps a firm stand out from rivals in the process of differentiation, both of which can gain competitive advantages. This study investigates how the conformity-differentiation balance can be achieved from the cross-level learning perspective. Adopting a mixed-method design, we first conduct a case study on the Chinese photovoltaic industry. The case suggests that firms are inclined to conform in upstream and bottleneck technological domains but differentiate in the downstream market applications. We then extend the case findings through a computational simulation based on March's learning model. When experimentation and imitation are possible, the balance between conformity and differentiation can be reframed as the classical balance between exploitation and exploration across the firm and industry levels: while experimentation is often exploitative at the firm level but exploratory at the industry level, imitation is often exploratory at the firm level but exploitative at the industry level. The study makes a new attempt to bridge the optimal distinctiveness literature with the organizational learning literature.

SCENARIOS OF INNOVATIVE AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ACCORDING TO THE MAIN TECHNOLOGICAL TRAJECTORIES

Аннотация В статье рассматриваются основные направления формирования стратегии инновационно-производственного развития, представлен комплекс мероприятий, обеспечивающих технологическое развитие организаций. Представлены сценарии инновационно-производственного развития, основанные на различных технологических траекториях, проведен их анализ. Предложены мероприятия по компонентам развития в соответствии с вариантом сценария и выявлены существующие обстоятельства, ограничивающие применение сценариев инновационно-производственного развития. The article discusses the main directions of formation of the strategy industrial development, a set of measures is presented to ensure the technological development of organizations. Scenarios of innovation and production development based on various technological trajectories are presented and analyzed. Measures are proposed for the components of development in accordance with the scenario variant and the existing circumstances are identified that limit the using scenarios of innovation and production development.

Paving the path: drivers of standardization participation at ISO

Several studies investigating the trade effects of standardization have found a positive impact of the number of international standards in a country on its trade volumes. While international standards have so far been considered as exogenous, we investigate what drives countries to take over leading roles, i.e. secretariats, in committees of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) using a panel dataset on the ISO participation of 12 countries. Looking at this phenomenon through the perspective of agenda setting in international institutions we expect ISO participation to be a desirable tool for shaping technological trajectories and substantiating global influence via international technology transfer. We find that, while for most countries no systematic pattern can be observed, both China and the US show a close correlation between R&D and standardization work at ISO. For China, we attribute this finding to having a strategic approach toward standardization participation, for the US to the distinct features of the decentralized US standardization system. Finally, we derive implications of findings for both research and practice.

Epidemiology, Biodiversity, and Technological Trajectories in the Brazilian Amazon: From Malaria to COVID-19

The Amazon biome is under severe threat due to increasing deforestation rates and loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services while sustaining a high burden of neglected tropical diseases. Approximately two thirds of this biome are located within Brazilian territory. There, socio-economic and environmental landscape transformations are linked to the regional agrarian economy dynamics, which has developed into six techno-productive trajectories (TTs). These TTs are the product of the historical interaction between Peasant and Farmer and Rancher practices, technologies and rationalities. This article investigates the distribution of the dominant Brazilian Amazon TTs and their association with environmental degradation and vulnerability to neglected tropical diseases. The goal is to provide a framework for the joint debate of the local economic, environmental and health dimensions. We calculated the dominant TT for each municipality in 2017. Peasant trajectories (TT1, TT2, and TT3) are dominant in ca. fifty percent of the Amazon territory, mostly concentrated in areas covered by continuous forest where malaria is an important morbidity and mortality cause. Cattle raising trajectories are associated with higher deforestation rates. Meanwhile, Farmer and Rancher economies are becoming dominant trajectories, comprising large scale cattle and grain production. These trajectories are associated with rapid biodiversity loss and a high prevalence of neglected tropical diseases, such as leishmaniasis, Aedes-borne diseases and Chagas disease. Overall, these results defy simplistic views that the dominant development trajectory for the Amazon will optimize economic, health and environmental indicators. This approach lays the groundwork for a more integrated narrative consistent with the economic history of the Brazilian Amazon.