Innovation Processes in Agro-Ecological Transitions in Developing Countries

Since the 1980s, and especially since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, there has been a substantial extension in the adoption and use of Environmental Assessment (EA) procedures in developing countries and countries in transition (low and middle income countries). However, few existing texts in environmental assessment or development studies have reflected this trend sufficiently, until this publication. Divided into two main parts: * EA Principles, Processes and Practice. * Country and Institutional Studies of EA Procedures and Practice. This book explains the essentials of environmental impact association in the context of developing countries and assesses its importance to both developed and developing countries.

The collected papers from the most prestigious symposia in the field of child development provide scholars, students, and practitioners with access to the work of key researchers in human development. This volume focuses on changes in our understanding of cogisnitive control processes—constructs important to the field since Wundt and Freud. Our understanding of these constructs has advanced dramatically in recent years—both empirically and conceptually. This collection brings generalists and specialists alike up-to-date on this central process of human development and the implications for this new knowledge on school success and other areas.

Filling the gap for a book covering vibronic, nonadiabatic and diabatic couplings as well as radiationless processes in context, this monograph compiles classic and cutting-edge work from numerous researchers into one handy source. Alongside a description of radiationless processes in statistical large molecules and calculational methods for intramolecular distributions, the authors also investigate the nuclear coordinate dependence of matrix elements. Whole chapters are devoted to the mathematical description of the lifetime and decay of a prepared states as well as miscellaneous applications. The text is supplemented by a number of appendices for optimum usability. With its integration of the necessary mathematical rigor, this is primarily intended for graduate students in theoretical physics and chemistry, but is also indispensable reading for those working in molecular physics, physical chemistry and laser physics.

The first book to provdie a comprehensive look at bioenergetics, the energy flow in living systems, by studying ion exchange and electron transfer processes in biological membranes and artificial bio-films, and how these processes contribute to developing modern biosensor and ion-sensor technology, as well as biofuel cells. The book: Discusses the ion fluxes and electron transfer processes in biological membranes and artificial bio-films Provides an in-depth description of the processes at the interface between the membrane/film and substrate electrode Is the first of its kind to provide a comprehensive look at how these processes are understood in biology of living cells Addresses how these processes contribute to developing modern biosensor and ion-sensor technology, as well as biofuel cells

Provides a comprehensive introduction to ion exchange for beginners and in-depth coverage of the latest advances for those already in the field As environmental and energy related regulations have grown, ion exchange has assumed a dominant role in offering solutions to many concurrent problems both in the developed and the developing world. Written by an internationally acknowledged leader in ion exchange research and innovation, Ion Exchange: in Environmental Processes is both a comprehensive introduction to the science behind ion exchange and an expert assessment of the latest ion exchange technologies. Its purpose is to provide a valuable reference and learning tool for virtually anyone working in ion exchange or interested in becoming involved in that incredibly fertile field. Written for beginners as well as those already working the in the field, Dr. SenGupta provides stepwise coverage, advancing from ion exchange fundamentals to trace ion exchange through the emerging area of hybrid ion exchange nanotechnology (or polymeric/inorganic ion exchangers). Other topics covered include ion exchange kinetics, sorption and desorption of metals and ligands, solid-phase and gas-phase ion exchange, and more. Connects state-of-the-art innovations in such a way as to help researchers and process scientists get a clear picture of how ion exchange fundamentals can lead to new applications Covers the design of selective or smart ion exchangers for targeted applications—an area of increasing importance—including solid and gas phase ion exchange processes Provides in-depth discussion on intraparticle diffusion controlled kinetics for selective ion exchange Features a chapter devoted to exciting developments in the areas of hybrid ion exchange nanotechnology or polymeric/inorganic ion exchangers Written for those just entering the field of ion exchange as well as those involved in developing the “next big thing” in ion exchange systems, Ion Exchange in Environmental Processes is a valuable resource for students, process engineers, and chemists working in an array of industries, including mining, microelectronics, pharmaceuticals, energy, and wastewater treatment, to name just a few.

Until the late 1980s, there were very few democratically elected governments in the developing world. These areas were characterized by a range of authoritarian regimes from military administrations to one-party dictatorships. Over the past decade, however, the situation has altered significantly and an increasing number of developing countries have made the transition to democracy. For some, this process of building and consolidating democracy has been relatively easy, while for others, it has proved more complex and harder to sustain. In this important new textbook, Jeff Haynes seeks to explain why these differences occur. Adopting a broadly comparative approach, he begins by examining the theories and practice of democratic transition and consolidation in the new democracies of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. Haynes argues persuasively that a country's ability to consolidate democracy depends not only on the interaction of structural and agency factors, but also on a variety of specific domestic and international concerns which may help or hinder democratic progress. Using a wide range of case studies to illustrate his argument, Haynes provides an accessible and comprehensive analysis of the processes and problems of democratic consolidation in developing nations. This is an important textbook that will be invaluable to students in a variety of areas from politics and comparative politics to development studies and history.

In this work the authors draw upon their expertise in geophysical and astrophysical MHD to explore the motion of electrically conducting fluids, the so-called dynamo effect, and describe the similarities and differences between different magnetized objects. They also explain why magnetic fields are crucial to the formation of the stars, and discuss promising experiments currently being designed to investigate some of the relevant physics in the laboratory. This interdisciplinary approach will appeal to a wide audience in physics, astrophysics and geophysics. This second edition covers such additional topics as small-scale dynamos, while also presenting the latest results and experiments.

Whether in terms of practices, equipment or services, the sports sector is characterized by intense inventiveness and is an excellent subject to study innovation processes.
This book provides a sociological reading of these processes, illustrated by case studies that allow us to grasp the complexity of innovation trajectories. The case studies highlight the astonishing pathways, from the origin of inventions to their effective dissemination and use, and including the bifurcations of projects. The “surprises” thus presented refer to an invariant of innovation processes, namely that trajectories are rarely linear and that the control exercised over them is relative. Innovation in Sport concludes with a set of recommendations for optimizing the management of sport innovation. This book is intended for students of sports science and management, as well as for professionals and entrepreneurs in the sports markets.

“Degradation process” refers to many types of reliability models, which correspond to various kinds of stochastic processes used for deterioration modeling. This book focuses on the case of a univariate degradation model with a continuous set of possible outcomes. The envisioned univariate models have one single measurable quantity which is assumed to be observed over time. The first three chapters are each devoted to one degradation model. The last chapter illustrates the use of the previously described degradation models on some real data sets. For each of the degradation models, the authors provide probabilistic results and explore simulation tools for sample paths generation. Various estimation procedures are also developed.

Forged at the heart of international political bodies by expert researchers, the innovation cluster concept has been incorporated into most public policies in industrialized countries. Based largely on the ideas behind the success of Silicon Valley, several imitative attempts have been made to geographically group laboratories, companies and training in particular fields in order to generate “synergies” between science and industry.
In its first part, Innovation in Clusters analyzes the infatuation with the system of clusters that is integral to innovative policies by analyzing its socio historical context, its revival in management and its worldwide expansion, looking at a French example at a local level. In its second part, the book explores a specialized biotechnology cluster dating back to the end of the 1990s. The sociological survey conducted twenty years later sheds a different light on the dynamics and relationships between laboratories and companies, contradicting the commonly held belief that innovation is made possible by geographical proximity.