Challenging the notion that francophone literature generally valorizes a traditional, natural mode of being over a scientific, modern one, Inter-tech(s) proposes a new understanding of the relationship between France and its former colonies in Africa and the Caribbean by exploring how various postindependence authors depict technology as a mediator between them. By providing the first comprehensive study of the representation of technology in relation to colonialism and postcolonialism in francophone literature, Roxanna Curto shows the extent to which the authors promote modernization and social progress. Curto traces this trend in the wake of decolonization, when a series of important francophone African and Caribbean writers began to portray modern technology as a liberating, democratizing force, capable of erasing the hierarchies of the old colonial order and promoting economic development. Beginning with the founders of Négritude Aimé Césaire and Léopold Sédar Senghor and continuing with Frantz Fanon, postindependence novelists such as Ousmane Sembène, and contemporary writers such as Édouard Glissant, the author shows how these francophone writers champion the transfer of technology from the metropolis to the former colonies as a means of integrating their cultures into a global community, thus paving the way for modernization and technological development.

Since the U.S. Department of Defense initiated the development of networked computers in 1969, Internet technologies have rapidly advanced and revolutionized the way we communicate and conduct business. The second wave of the technological revolution came with intranet technology in the mid-1990s. With the intranet, organizations have strengthened the powers and speed of data gathering and sharing, communication, collaboration, and decision making within a firewall-protected organizational boundary. The third wave of this technological evolution, extranets, began in the second half of the 1990s. Many believe that it is the key technology enabler that is triggering a revolution in the structure and operations of many organizations in the new Internet-driven global economy. In addition to maturing Internet technologies, several technology drivers, as well as business drivers, further pushed the emergence of new types of organizations--virtual corporations, virtual organizations, extended enterprises, and trans-enterprise systems.

The focus of this volume is on the myriad dynamics associated with these interorganizational ventures. Emphasis is placed on (1) understanding the nature of these different interorganizational forms and (2) ways to enhance their effectiveness, creating and sustaining complex problem-solving capabilities and collaborative tendencies in a multiorganizational environment. While the orientation of many of the initiatives and interventions in this volume reflects a traditional organization-development (OD) focus, emphasis is placed on working across organizational interfaces, attempting to create the capacity and systemic potential for greater interorganizational learning and performance, rather than releasing human potential solely within an organization (see, e.g., Cummings, 1984). Consultants and researchers in this realm thus focus on spanning organizations, creating and modifying networks of participants that (1) have a stake in particular interorganizational outcomes and (2) depend on those inter-firm relationships and networks to accomplish their goals.

Volume 6 of 6 of the complete premium print version of journal forum for inter-american research (fiar), which is the official electronic journal of the International Association of Inter-American Studies (IAS). fiar was established by the American Studies Program at Bielefeld University in 2008. We foster a dialogic and interdisciplinary approach to the study of the Americas. fiar is a peer-reviewed online journal. Articles in this journal undergo a double-blind review process and are published in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.

In todayand’s fast-paced and ultra-competitive high-tech environment, an effectively managed patent licensing program is a must. The Second Editio n of Drafting Technology Patent License Agreements shows you how to achieve one. This valuable resource covers all of the legal and business transactional issues you are likely to encounter during the drafting and negotiation of patent licensing agreements. It guides you step-by-step through the unique aspects of the implementation of a patent licensing program for computers, electronics, telecommunications, and other industries, and it clarifies the issues involved in the enforcement and litigation of these patents. Youand’ll find incisive legal analysis on complex issues including: How to implement an aggressive and well-managed patent licensing program How to evaluate a patent or portfolio for licensing How to identify industry segments and select potential licensees How to discuss terms with industry targets How to formulate an effective licensing strategy How to use databases effectively in patent practice How to organize a licensing team How to file a patent infringement lawsuit And many more critical issues like these. Included with this key resource are 40 time-saving forms on the bonus CD-ROM: Forms for establishing a new technology company using patented technology Confidentiality agreements (for a third-party vendor, third party evaluation, or consultant) A projected royalty stream analysis A semiconductor technology cross-licensing agreement Software technology license agreements Model licensing and patent agreements for the telecommunications industry And many more!

Interorganizational cooperation between partners, markets, and business leaders is an important facet of business and maintaining organizational competitiveness. Understanding how to effectively collaborate with partners in other organizations is an important skill for the success of all parties. Information Acquisitions and Sharing through Inter-Organizational Collaboration: Impacts of Business Performance in China discusses the effectiveness and impact of trust, e-business diffusion, and organizational processes on business performance in cooperative scenarios. Incorporating data from over 500 organizations in China’s manufacturing sector, this book is an essential reference for business leaders, CEOs, senior managers, and all other members of organizations seeking to better collaborate with their partners.