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The use of databases and microcomputers enables almost anyone to analyse a scientific field. Forecasting scientific production is a way of estimating trends in various countries, patents, thresholds of investment, etc. This analysis of trends can be used to determine research policy. Fundamental research and R&D must obviously be developed with full regard to results present in the international scientific literature. Moreover, it is important to view the various human and financial potentials involved in certain areas. The aim of this paper is to show how, with an information tool such as the Chemical Abstracts database, it is possible to carry out various analyses of scientific subjects. The authors present a real‐life case study developed at the laboratory of the Centre de Recherche Retrospective de Marseille; the work was closely related to the analytical work on various liquefaction products from the French coal liquefaction pilot plant. The database used was Chemical Abstracts. Two periods corresponding to two files have been considered: CA 77 (from 1977 to 1981) and CA 82 (from 1982 to date). The software used allows most types of search, and the mathematical analysis and trends were determined with an Apple II/e computer using the programs Vitrend, Visiplot and Appleplot.

Financial management, corporate finance, strategic management, managerial accounting and project management.

The case is suitable for courses such as MBA, Bachelor level business courses (in finance, business strategy) and training programs for working executives.

The case study deals with financial and strategic appraisal of a unique coal-to-liquid project. India imported about two thirds of its crude oil requirements resulting in huge outflow of precious foreign exchange. As a result, it became necessary for the country to look for alternative sources of energy. The coal-to-liquid (CTL) technology of coal gasification offers a credible alternative source of fuels as proved by Sasol of South Africa. The Government of India short-listed Global Synfuels Company (name changed) as one of the selected few companies to build a CTL project. While the project is strategically important to the company and highly desirable for the country, there are serious doubts about the commercial viability of the project because of which the company is in dilemma whether to go ahead with the project. The case study presents this decision dilemma in a very interesting way and will be useful for teaching courses in corporate finance and strategic management.

The case can be used to engage participants to make a SWOT analysis for a new business opportunity, discuss environmental and financial issues facing a company, use DCF techniques to evaluate the project viability, carry out scenario analysis of the project to the changes in variables as well as challenge the participants to generate strategies for the success of a new project. Participants would also develop a better understanding of: environmental issues involved in CTL projects and new technologies to deal with such issues; and the employment impact of large projects such as the CTL.

Teaching notes are available; please consult your librarian for access.

The purpose of this study is to determine the cavitation flow characteristics of the high-pressure differential control valve. The relationship between cavitation, flow coefficient and spool angle is obtained. By analyzing the relationship between different spool angles and energy loss, the energy loss at different spool angles is predicted.

A series of numerical simulations were performed to study the cavitation problem of a high-pressure differential control valve using the RNG k–e turbulence model and the Zwart cavitation model. The flow states and energy distribution at different spool angles were analyzed under specific working conditions.

The cavitation was the weakest when the spool angle was 120° or the outlet pressure was 8 MPa. The pressure and speed fluctuations of the valve in the throttle section were greater than those at other locations. By calculating the entropy production rate, the reason and location of valve energy loss are analyzed. The energy loss near the throttling section accounts for about 92.7% of the total energy loss. According to the calculated energy loss relationship between different regions of the spool angle, the relationship between any spool angle and energy loss in the [80,120] interval is proposed.

This study analyzes the cavitation flow characteristics of the high-pressure differential control valve and provides the law of energy loss in the valve through the analysis method of entropy. The relationship between spool angle and energy loss under cavitation is finally proposed. The research results are expected to provide a theoretical basis for the optimal design of valves.

The UK aerospace industry is the largest and most comprehensive in Western Europe and the second largest in the Western World. Employing 195,000 people in some 300 companies, of which the two largest are British Aerospace and Rolls‐Royce, the industry designs, constructs, sells and supports products ranging from civil and military aircraft, engines, guided weapons and space vehicles, to a wide variety of components, sub‐assemblies, electronic and avionic equipment, plastics and marine engineering products, and has many other diverse scientifically‐based programmes. The industry is responsible for some of the largest contracts ever awarded for overseas support and consultancy services and has, within its constituent companies, experience second to none in the organisation and management of major international collaborative projects. Operating predominantly in the intensely‐competitive and fast‐moving international arena, aerospace makes one of the more positive contributions to the UK balance of payments. Since 1971, exports have risen from £328 million a year to the 1978 record level of £1,200 million and already the forward order books of British Aerospace and Rolls‐Royce alone total over £5 billion, much of it for export. In the longer term, market forecasts predict a vast potential for aerospace products, particularly in the commercial aircraft sector, where continuing technological developments have resulted in lower real costs of air transport and led to a new era of mass travel. But the air transport industry needs fuel and the aerospace industry, with its history of technological innovation, its constant quest for more‐efficient and durable products and its stimulation of other industries through advanced design requirements and spin‐off activities, is well placed to make a positive contribution, directly and indirectly, to combating the UK energy challenge.

The purpose of this paper is to understand how the consistency between objective and perceived environmental uncertainty might affect supply chain flexibilities that cope with supply chain risk.

This study adopted a case study of comparative four companies in order to obtain an in-depth knowledge of the environmental conditions under which the companies implement different types of supply chain risk management (SCRM) strategies: logistics flexibility and relationship flexibility.

The case analysis not only distinguished the different effects of objective and perceived environmental uncertainty on supply chain flexibility, but also established the propositions about the effects of the consistency between objective and perceived environmental uncertainty on logistics flexibility and relationship flexibility in SCRM.

In principle, supply chain flexibility aims to cope with complex and turbulent environments. Yet, empirical findings about the effects of environmental uncertainty on supply chain flexibility are inconclusive. This study addressed this question by differentiating between objective and perceived environmental uncertainty as well as between logistics and relationship supply chain flexibilities.

To anticipate science and technology (S&T) changes and shifts in the competitive environment for the preparation of strategic development in an organization, this paper aims to address a structured analysis method for future technology trajectories and interactions by mapping and associating the future technology themes in foresight reports with a state‐of‐the art technology classification system. The objective of this paper is to develop an integrative method for systematically clustering, analyzing and visualizing the path for technology development and transformation.

Delphi topics related to sustainable energy were collected from strategic foresight reports of Japan, South Korea and China, and used as sources for future technology themes analysis. A standard mapping taxonomy based on international patent classification system was used to map out the technology concept described in these future technology themes. Technology interactions can be identified through a causal effect analysis during the mapping, and the results among selected countries are cross‐compared and visualized in an aggregated view.

By this standard mapping taxonomy and structured analysis, future technology themes in strategic foresight reports from countries in focus are systematically mapped and integrated for viewing future technology options and interactions. Similarities and discrepancies for prospecting the future technology trajectory among these countries are also identified.

It would be a significant contribution if this structured analysis could be applied more broadly across different geographic regions or across research areas in foresight reports. This research may help to solve the practical difficulties faced during the secondary analysis of foresight studies in foresight preparatory studies by providing a consistent classification framework to make comparison and aggregation of future technology options from different countries/regions. Also, this classification framework can provide a bridge for linking with current technology performance such as patent productivity or quality and help in identifying the gaps between the probable future changes in S&T and the current capability.

The integrative method in this research provides a way to combine both the advantage of strategic technology foresight and competitive technology intelligence by utilizing the results deriving from the former as targets for analysis and the analytic practice deriving from the latter to identify the possible competitive or cooperative landscapes in the future.

The U.S. Congress has been struggling to create a comprehensive energy program. A key component of the present attempt, recommended by President Carter, is a synthetic fuel program. In July of 1979, the President asked for an $88 billion “crash program” to encourage development of synthetic fuels. To date, a three month struggle to reach a consensus between House and Senate conferees has brought only limited results. Compromise is emerging in the form of a proposal for a “synthetic fuels corporation.” The body would have the authority to disperse $20 billion in the form of federal loan guarantees and purchase agreements with more money to become available later.