Exploitation of neighbouring subsoil for nutrient acquisition under annual-perennial strip intercropping systems

Little is known of how the deep root systems of perennial crops contribute to deeper and better resource use when intercropped with annuals in arable fields. Therefore, we aimed at measuring the capacity of perennial deep roots, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and curly dock (Rumex crispus L.) to access the nutrient source located under the neighboring annuals at 1.0 and 2.5 m of soil depth. Alfalfa and curly dock were able to access the tracer-labelled source placed at a distance under the annual crop strips. As a result, the reliance on deeper soil layer for nutrient uptake under intercroppings became greater compared with sole-croppings. Combination of an annual cereal (winter rye) and a perennial legume (alfalfa) with contrasting root systems exhibited higher resource complementarity compared with intercroppings having similar root systems or absence of legumes. Our results demonstrated that the deep-rooted perennials when intercropped with annuals can induce vertical niche complementarity, especially at deeper soil layers. This was assumed to be due to the vertically stratified root activity between the crop components, however, the magnitude of the effects depended on choice of crop combinations, and on types of tracers. Future studies should include estimates such as relative yield total and land equivalent ratio to quantitatively determine the effects of resource acquisition under annual-perennial intercropping in arable fields.

Providing Alternative Hosts and Nectar to Aphid Parasitoids in a Plum Orchard to Determine Resource Complementarity and Distance Range Effect on Biological Control

There are many different practices that contribute to conservation biological control, but little is known about their complementarity. We tested the effects of providing food and alternative hosts to parasitoids by intercropping a plum orchard with companion plants. Oats and vetch were intercropped into the orchard either as single-species (oats or vetch) or two-species (oats and vetch combined) intercrops within an inter-row. The trophic resources provided by these intercrops were assessed, along with the incidences of aphids and their parasitoids in plum trees. We found up to ten alternative host species provided by oats and vetch, and extrafloral nectar was available from the vetch and mixed strips. An effect of intercrop type and distance to plum trees was observed on aphid incidence during one sampling period. Parasitism rates in exclusion cages were affected by intercrop type, reaching almost 60% close to the mixed intercrop. However, no general tendency was observed upon whether oats, vetch or their mixture was associated with a lower incidence of aphids. We found no evidence that providing effective sources of food and alternative hosts for parasitoids increased aphid mortality in this study. The context-dependent efficiency of intercropping is discussed.

Determinants of Selection of R&D Cooperation Partners: Insights from Korea

These days, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face more severe competition in foreign markets due to the globalization of the economy (e.g., FTA). They usually lack technological capabilities and often depend on external R&D activities. Thus, it is worth exploring what factors facilitate SMEs’ R&D collaboration with partners. This paper empirically analyzes the determinants of SMEs’ selections of R&D cooperation partners in Korea. According to the regression results, SMEs with a larger labor force in R&D, larger sales, younger CEOs, more advanced technologies, and less R&D equipment are more likely to cooperate with external R&D partners. When SMEs produce a product that is not easily imitated by others, they are more willing to cooperate with universities or research institutions but not with suppliers or customers. In sum, for Korean SMEs, the arguments of appropriability and resource complementarity appear to work in their R&D activities. However, the former is more important for collaborations with universities or research institutions, and the latter is more influential to those with suppliers and customers. This paper contributes to the literature in two aspects—quantitative studies on the collaborative innovation of SMEs are still limited, and the differences in cooperation determinants across types of partners are explored due to the richness of the dataset.

Exploring the Grid Value of Offshore Wind Energy in Oregon

The significant offshore wind energy potential of Oregon faces several challenges, including a power grid which was not developed for the purpose of transmitting energy from the ocean. The grid impacts of the energy resource are considered through the lenses of (i) resource complementarity with Variable Renewable Energy resources; (ii) correlations with load profiles from the four balancing authorities with territory in Oregon; and (iii) spatial value to regional and coastal grids as represented through a production cost model of the Western Interconnection. The capacity implications of the interactions between offshore wind and the historical east-to-west power flows of the region are discussed. The existing system is shown to accommodate more than two gigawatts of offshore wind interconnections with minimal curtailment. Through three gigawatts of interconnection, transmission flows indicate a reduction of coastal and statewide energy imports as well as minimal statewide energy exports.

The Interplay of Competition and Cooperation in the Innovation Process Between Established Organizations and Startups

This study aims to analyze the dynamic process of coopetition between an established organization and startups to develop innovation. We conducted an exploratory, qualitative study, based on Grounded Theory. The Grounded Theory allows the development of a theory emerging from data that is simultaneously collected and analyzed, determining the categories to observe the core questions. It can be divided into two stages: initial coding (open and axial coding) and focused coding. In the open coding, are defined categories and subcategories that are reviewed in the axial coding to generate more precise explanations? Along with the focused coding, the data organized from initial coding is categorized for an analytical understanding of the phenomena. In the first stage, we conducted eight semi-structured interviews with a homogeneous sample. An interview guide addressing coopetition factors was developed. As a result, we developed a framework from the theoretical background. This framework was evaluated by three executives and professors with experience in coopetition between large corporations and startups. The snowball technique was used to recruit the participants. Our findings reveal that different factors – market increase, strategic alignment, and technological alignment – are associated. We observed that coopetition not only helps in developing new markets but also in understanding the user demands of these markets. Thus, coopetition is an accelerator of innovation, since it allows the identification of the resource complementarity and technological scale gains.

“Start-up Nation” vs “the Republic of Samsung”: power and politics in the partner choice discourse in Israeli–Korean business collaboration

Purpose This paper aims to propose to politicize partner choice as a discourse that rationalizes, legitimizes and justifies the choice of partners by underlining economic, cultural and institutional differences to (re)create power relations. By reconceptualizing partner choice as a discourse, the paper challenges the established view of partner choice according to international business and management studies as a rational and strategic behavior based on resource complementarity, best practices and win–win situations. Design/methodology/approach Based on the longitudinal study of Israeli–Korean business collaboration, which includes in-depth interviews, observations and media texts, this paper uses critical discourse analysis (CDA) to demystify partner choice as neither a neutral nor an objective behavior to unveil its discursive construction and embeddedness in power relations. Findings The actors on both sides of the Israeli–Korean business collaboration evoke resource complementary discourse between “Israeli innovation” and “Korean productivity” to rationalize their partner choice as a win–win situation. CDA demonstrates how both sides are engaged in a “borrowing” process from east-to-west and head-to-hands postcolonial images to (re)produce hierarchy between the parties. While east–west mapping remained almost unchallengeable, the reversal, crossing and blurring of the Israel-to-Korea knowledge transfer direction provides a counter-narrative to resource complementarity discourse. Originality/value The resource complementarity discourse supported by east–west mapping and “head–hands” justifications for partner choice reveals the lingering presence of postcolonial images, imagery and imagination. By taking two nations without substantial troubled memories, histories and relations, the paper broadens the picture beyond national contexts, emphasizing the importance of borrowing and translation from postcolonial vocabulary to non-colonial situations.

A Quantitative Risk-Averse Model for Optimal Management of Multi-Source Standalone Microgrid with Demand Response and Pumped Hydro Storage

High renewable energy integrated standalone microgrid requires greater ramping capabilities from other dispatchable resources to compensate for effects of the intermittent and variability of the renewable energy available in the system. To address this, a wind-solar-thermal-hydro-coupled multi-source standalone microgrid (WSTHcMSSM) considering demand response and pumped hydro storage is proposed to maximize the operating profit and get the optimal solution of the multi-source generation system by taking advantage of multi-resource complementarity. In WSTHcMSSM, we present a conditional value-at-credibility (CVaC)-based quantitative risk-averse model for uncertain wind and solar power by thoroughly examining the randomness and fuzziness characteristics. Additionally, the most severe issues caused by wind and solar power fluctuation happen during the peak load, and this paper proposes a load partitioning method to get the time-of-use (TOU) in demand response for peak load shaving. A case study is conducted for the validation of the proposed method. It is found from the study case that the CVaC can well evaluate the uncertainty in WSTHcMSSM with wind and solar integration. Additionally, the WSTHcMSSM can efficiently explore the potential flexibility in multi-source complementarity for promoting the penetration of renewable energy.

Production Potential and Weed Dynamics in Maize + Legumes Intercropping System

The experiment was carried out at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur during summer season of 2012 to identify suitable legume crops for growing with maize in a maize + legume intercropping system for better weed suppression, system productivity and economic benefits in kharif season. There were 17 treatments, viz.T1= Sole maize (no weeding), T2= Maize + Mungbean (no weeding), T3= Maize + Mungbean (weeding at 20 DAE), T4= Maize + Mungbean (weeding at 40 DAE), T5= Maize + Mungbean (weeding at 20 and 40 DAE), T6= Maize + Soybean (no weeding), T7= Maize + Soybean (weeding at 20 DAE), T8= Maize + Soybean (weeding at 40 DAE), T9= Maize + Soybean (weeding at 20 and 40 DAE), T10= Maize + Blackgram (no weeding), T11= Maize + Blackgram (weeding at 20 DAE), T12= Maize + Blackgram (weeding at 40 DAE), T13= Maize + Blackgram (weeding at 20 and 40 DAE) T14 =Sole maize (weed free), T15= Sole Mungbean (weed free), T16= Sole Soybean (weed free) and T17= Sole Blackgram (weed free) were studied. Intercropping systems significantly reduced the weed population and weed dry biomass in comparison to sole cropping of maize under unweeded situation. Among the three different intercropping systems, maize + mungbean with two hand weedings produced the lowest weed dry weight (184.30 g at 20 DAE and 14.07 g at 40 DAE) and the highest weed control efficiency (87% at 40 DAE) followed by maize + soybean and maize + blackgram intercropping systems. The highest grain yield was obtained from weed free sole maize (8.05 t ha-1) than unweeded sole maize (6.48 t ha-1) treatment. Among all intercropping, maize + mungbean along with two hand weedings gave the highest yield (maize: 7.18 t ha-1; 572.6 kg ha-1 mungbean), resource complementarity and profitability (MEY = 10.62 t ha-1, LER = 1.81 and BCR = 2.47). From the study it was concluded that maize + mungbean with two hand weedings at 20 and 40 DAE would be the best in reducing weed growth, producing maximum yield and getting net return in intercropping systems during kharif season. Bangladesh Agron. J. 2020, 23(2): 1-12

Research on Agricultural Cooperation Potential between China and CEE Countries Based on Resource Complementarity

Central and East European (CEE) countries are attractive among emerging markets due to a combination of factors such as economic growth and market potential. Although the CEE countries as a whole have a very high degree of connectivity, each country has different market opportunities and external environment, so agricultural enterprises wanting to enter the CEE market must take into account the diverse and complex resource base of CEE countries. In the light of economic globalization, China and CEE countries face mutual opportunities and challenges, and it is necessary to strengthen agricultural cooperation. The potential of agricultural investment cooperation between China and CEE countries is the basis for multinational enterprises to allocate resources and implement internationalization strategies rationally. The purpose of this paper is to analyze theagricultural cooperation potential between China and CEE countries in the perspective of resource complementarity, with a selection of macro data related to agricultural capacity from 2009–2018. In particular, this study examines the differences and complementarities between China and CEE countries in terms of agricultural resource conditions and product output and trade; by constructing an agricultural cooperation potential evaluation model, the entropy value method is applied to predict and evaluate the potential characteristics of agricultural cooperation between China and CEE countries in 2021–2025. The research results show that the current intermittent and episodic nature of agricultural cooperation between China and CEE countries does not match the high or medium-high level of complementarity between agricultural production factors. Thus, agricultural enterprises can utiliza such considerable cooperation potential based on the resource complementarity to develop internationalization strategies and overseas investment.