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Purpose – The objective of this chapter is to examine and provide new perspectives on the contributions of public and private R&D to biotech crop improvement.

Methodology/approach – The chapter examines a set of topics that have affected the way that research is undertaken on plant germplasm improvement and how it has changed with the genetically modified (GM) trait revolution.

Findings – Although the basic science providing the foundations for GM crops was undertaken in the public sector, GM traits and GM crop varieties have been developed almost exclusively by the private sector. The biotech events leading to GM traits are currently being developed largely by five companies – all having ties to both the chemical and the seed industries. The GM crop revolution started in North American in 1996 and has spread slowly to the largest developing countries that have large agricultural sectors, including Argentina, China, Brazil, and India, but not to Europe or Japan.

Practical implication – To shed new light on the economic reasons for private sector dominance in GM crop varietal development in selected crops but not in others.

Social implication – Shows how GM traits have contributed to technical change and declining real food prices.

Purpose – This chapter discusses the utility of engaging in participatory action research (PAR) methodologies to investigate prison climates within correctional settings. In doing so, facilitators and barriers accompanying this research approach are highlighted.

Methodology/Approach – PAR methodologies were adopted to investigate living and working conditions within a Mid-Atlantic prison. In line with this approach, members of the incarcerated population and staff within the institution were selected to be members of the research team.

Findings – Following the PAR framework to studying prison climates, several barriers and facilitators in conducting this research were identified and are presented to inform continued efforts investigating prison conditions and culture.

Originality/Value – Overall, a limited understanding of prison conditions, culture, and quality of life within correctional institutions exists. Moreover, a lack of attention has been devoted to improving working and living conditions behind the prison walls. Therefore, efforts to improve the prison environment are limited due to a lack of data about prison conditions and quality of life within these settings. PAR methodologies provide an important framework for addressing these gaps.

Given the focus on auditor independence in the corporate literature, prior research has focused almost exclusively on nonaudit services obtained from the incumbent CPA firm. By contrast, auditor independence is generally not viewed as a critical issue in the public sector; rather, the policy emphasis is on the control benefits obtained from an audit. Despite the fact that there is less concern about auditor independence and the low search costs and potential knowledge spillover benefits associated with procuring nonaudit services from the incumbent auditor, governments appear to spend proportionately more on nonaudit services obtained from non-incumbent CPA firms. Our empirical findings are consistent with management’s reduced sensitivity to perceived auditor independence in the government environment and the potential importance of partisan politics and political patronage.

Citizens are substantial stakeholders in every e-government system, thus their willingness to use and ability to access the system are critical. Unequal access and information and communication technology usage, which is known as digital divide, however has been identified as one of the major obstacles to the implementation of e-government system. As digital divide inhibits citizen’s acceptance to e-government, it should be overcome despite the lack of deep theoretical understanding on this issue. This research aimed to investigate the digital divide and its direct impact on e-government system success of local governments in Indonesia as well as indirect impact through the mediation role of trust. In order to get a comprehensive understanding of digital divide, this study introduced a new type of digital divide, the innovativeness divide.

The research problems were approached by applying two-stage sequential mixed method research approach comprising of both qualitative and quantitative studies. In the first phase, an initial research model was proposed based on a literature review. Semi-structured interview with 12 users of e-government systems was then conducted to explore and enhance this initial research model. Data collected in this phase were analyzed with a two-stage content analysis approach and the initial model was then amended based on the findings. As a result, a comprehensive research model with 16 hypotheses was proposed for examination in the second phase.

In the second phase, quantitative method was applied. A questionnaire was developed based on findings in the first phase. A pilot study was conducted to refine the questionnaire, which was then distributed in a national survey resulting in 237 useable responses. Data collected in this phase were analyzed using Partial Least Square based Structural Equation Modeling.

The results of quantitative analysis confirmed 13 hypotheses. All direct influences of the variables of digital divide on e-government system success were supported. The mediating effects of trust in e-government in the relationship between capability divide and e-government system success as well as in the relationship between innovativeness divide and e-government system success were supported, but was rejected in the relationship between access divide and e-government system success. Furthermore, the results supported the moderating effects of demographic variables of age, residential place, and education.

This research has both theoretical and practical contributions. The study contributes to the developments of literature on digital divide and e-government by providing a more comprehensive framework, and also to the implementation of e-government by local governments and the improvement of e-government Readiness Index of Indonesia.

The purpose of this paper is to study extensive enlargement and safety of flight data recorder memory.

The study involves the moving the memory of flight data recorders from an internal embedded device to a cloud.

The implementation has made the embedded memory device of flight data recorder effectively unlimited, and, hence, much more information can be stored.

The possibility of a flight data recorder to be damaged or lost in a crash is not so high, but the implementation can be very helpful in cases such as aerial disappearances.

The implication is larger and protected memory for flight data recorders.

Finding reasons for crashes is faster, and immediate actions can be taken to find remedy to the failures.

The use of internet and cellphones in airplanes is nothing special at present. It is suggested to take this technology for flight data recorders as well.