International Journal of Technology Management & Sustainable Development - Volume 7, Issue 2, 2008

The premise of triple helix circulation is that movement of people around the spheres enhances creativity, ideas and skills. Universities, the traditional providers of human resources and knowledge, are now critical socio-economic development actors. Removing the blockages to circulation and enhancing interaction and cooperation among development actors and agencies is the development challenge of the 21st century. Sustainable knowledge-based development is the objective of all societies in an interdependent era characterized by resource constriction and efflorescence of science and technology.

The debate on environmental regulation and industrial competitiveness of developing countries rages on with no easy solution to the micro-level problems it poses to firms. The discourse in this article demonstrates that firms' responses to environmental policy are influenced by local and foreign environmental regulatory regimes and the perceived sustainability objectives that firms pursue. The empirical illustrations drawn from a survey of Nigerian firms showed that a weak environmental policy regime might not be a deterrent to significant technology responses for pollution control. However, this does not imply that environmental policy should not be strengthened or enforced with more rigour. Rather, the empirical cases demonstrated that firms' decisions to respond are influenced by the intricate links between the prevailing regime of environmental policy under which firms are operating and the economic, social and environmental motives of firms. The findings suggest that policies aimed at promoting environmentally friendly behaviour of industrial firms should not be limited to environmental policy. Equally important are technology and industrial policies which are also capable of promoting ecological objectives.

Despite legislation governing the handling of red meat abattoirs waste in South Africa, irregularities still occur. Economic conditions in South Africa force under-privileged communities to scavenge on landfill sites, dumping grounds and abattoir disposal sites. Condemned products/carcasses are eaten by scavengers which could lead to significant health problems, disease and death. The waste products generated and the waste disposal strategies used was determined. A condemned product waste handling model was developed, causing minimum environmental pollution, reducing health risks and adding value to these products. Waste handling practices of 78 red meat abattoirs were determined by administering questionnaires and site visits. Most condemned products were buried/burned whereas most blood was disposed of into municipal drainage systems with the waste water. Limited by-product processing, denaturing and incineration took place. Minimal amounts of stomach contents and manure were utilized as compost but were mostly dumped on municipal landfill sites or farm land.

Water shortages are often viewed as a problem facing emerging economies, but with changes in weather patterns developed economies are discovering that the water supply infrastructure that was designed to meet their needs is failing to provide an adequate supply of water for consumers. In regions were an adequate supply of water was taken for granted households and businesses are ill-prepared to manage water shortages. Many businesses are able to manage changing resource availability however responding to changes requires that they understand the risks associated with water shortages and they have sufficient time to implement operational changes to meet the scarcity of water. The article reports on the approach taken by an association of businesses in Australia to understand and manage the risks associated with ongoing water shortages.

Le phnomne d'essaimage ou de spin-off est le rsultat d'un changement conomique, politique, socio-culturel et idologique. L'objectif de ce papier est de dmontrer que la russite de l'opration d'essaimage est conditionne par l'existence de certains pralables. Il s'agit principalement de la nature du capital relationnel dtenu par le dirigeant de l'entreprise essaime et la personnalit de ce dernier. Pour cela, notre tude sera articule autour de trois grandes parties. La premire partie nous permettra d'identifier et de bien cerner le concept d'essaimage travers une revue synthtique et critique des diffrentes approches thoriques en prsence. La deuxime partie aura pour but d'valuer la capacit du contexte tunisien favoriser l'mergence de cette forme d'entrepreneuriat. La troisime partie portera sur une tude comparative de deux cas d'entreprises essaimes partir d'une des plus grandes entreprises tunisiennes : La Compagnie des Phosphates de Gafsa.

North African Immigrant Businessmen: From Stigmatisation to Social Recognition, Mohammed Madoui (2008)

Montreil, Paris, France: Aux lieux d'tre, 190 pp., ISBN 978-2-916863-55-3 (pbk), 19.90