Competition and R&D cooperation with universities and competitors

This paper analyses the relationship between competitive environment and R&D cooperation with universities and competitors. Our simple model suggests that cooperation creates benefits in terms of synergies but also induces costs due to spillovers. Since the value of these synergies and spillovers depends on the competitive pressure, cooperation propensity depends on the competitive environment. Differentiating between the dimensions of competition, we hypothesize that university cooperation corresponds to quality competition, while horizontal cooperation relates to price competition. Furthermore, we predict that a higher number of competitors reduces the incentives for horizontal cooperation as it diminishes the gains from “collusion”. We test these hypotheses using Swiss firm-level panel data that allows us to control for simultaneity of cooperation decisions and endogeneity of competition. Our empirical analysis supports the relevance of distinguishing between competition dimensions and cooperation partners, respectively. We find that price competition has an influence on university cooperation in the form of an inverted U. Quality competition only has an influence on university cooperation and the relationship shows a U-form. Moreover, we see that the number of principal competitors reduces cooperation between competitors.     

Einschleusung von Migranten

In jüngster Vergangenheit hat sich die Einschleusung von Migranten zu einem neuen Massenphänomen weltweiter Wanderung entwickelt. Trotz seiner international steigenden Bedeutung wird der Menschenschmuggel von der Migrationssoziologie bislang kaum beachtet. Vor diesem Hintergrund gibt der vorliegende Beitrag zum einen — vorwiegend aus deutschem Blickwinkel — grundlegende Informationen über die Einschleusung von Migranten, zum anderen nähert er sich seinem Gegenstand aus soziologischer Perspektive. Menschenschmuggel lässt sich als sozialer Prozess verstehen, der durch ein Tauschgeschäft zwischen Migranten und Schleusern in Gang kommt und immer organisierter abläuft. Die starke Expansion der Einschleusung kann vor allem durch Globalisierungsprozesse und schleusungsbedingte Eigendynamiken erklärt werden. Wie die abschließende Evaluation bisheriger staatlicher Gegenmaßnahmen zeigt, können westliche Gesellschaften auch in nächster Zukunft nicht auf eine verstärkte Grenzsicherung verzichten.     

The Vocabulary of Progress in Interwar International Law: An Intellectual Portrait of Stelios Seferiades

The intellectual portrait of Stelios Seferiades sketched outin this article performs a dual function. While paying tributeto the work of a neglected, but fascinating, scholar, it servesas a heuristic device which allows us to examine the ‘vocabularyof progress’ in international law – the discursivestrategies used in legal argument to legitimize the transformationof the discipline. Crucial to the construction of such a vocabularyof progress in the international law writings of Seferiadesis the opposition between the notions of absolutism and democracy.The article situates this opposition in the political milieuof the interwar period and the life trajectory of Seferiades.Ultimately, it points to the closely-knit relationship between‘universalist’ vocabularies of progress, such asthe opposition between absolutism and democracy, and the personal-ideologicalpursuits of public international lawyers.     

Teaching criminal investigation: A critical thinking approach

The purpose of this paper is to explore the “critical thinking” approach to teaching and develop those concepts into meaningful instructional activities in the classroom. The authors offer practical suggestions based on the critical thinking philosophy for implementing an active learning approach. The case study method serves as the foundation for an investigative process course and lead-up activity to the simulated preliminary and follow-up investigation. The instructor presents the critical thinking process and content information that enables students to perform five basic progressions: (1) case studies; (2) the preliminary investigation; (3) follow-up; (4) suppression hearing; and (5) moot court criminal justice simulations.