Reviews

Troels Fink, Estruptidens politiske historic 1875–1894, I‐II (The Political History of the Estrup Era 1875–1894, vol. 1: The Struggle Between the Two Chambers 1875–85; vol. 2: The Period of Decree Legislation 1885–94) (Odense, 1986), 621 pp., ISBN 87 7492 581 4.

Poul Thestrup, Nærbutik og Næringslov‐omgåelse. En unders?gelse of brugsforeningerne og deres placering i innovationsprocessen i Danmark mellem 1850 og 1919 (The Consumer Co‐operatives in the Innovation Process in Denmark 1850–1919), Odense University Studies in History and Social Sciences, vol. 95 (Odense Universitetsforlag), 549 pp., ISBN 87 7492 595 4, DKK 240+moms.

Tuomo Polvinen, Valtakunta ja raijamaa. N. I. Bobrikov Suomen kenraalikuvemöörind 1898–1904 (The Empire and a Borderland. N. I. Bobrikov as Governor General of Finland 1898–1904) (Helsinki, 1984), 432 pp., ISBN 951 0 12660 8.

Danske Handelskompagnier 1616–1843. Oktrojer og interne Ledelsesregler (Charters and By‐Laws of Danish Trading Companies, 1616–1843), edited by Ole Feldbæk, Selskabet for Udgivelse af Kilder til Dansk Historie (Copenhagen, 1986), 779 pp., ISBN 87 7500 159 4, DanKr 300.

Kalle Bäck, Harald Gustafsson, Jon Herstad, Jens Holmgaard, Markku Kuisma, Maud Molander, Illka Mäntylä, Øjstein Rian and Gustav Grunde Sætra. Skog och Brännvin. Studier i näringspolitiskt beslutsfattande i Norden på 1700‐talet (Wood and Spirits. Studies in Economic Policy‐Making in the Nordic Countries in the Eighteenth Century), Nordic Research Project on Central Power and Local Communities ‐ Decision‐making in the 1700s (Det nordiska forskningsprojektet Centralmakt och lokal‐samhalle ‐ beslutsprocess på 1700‐talet), publication 3 (Oslo University Press, 1984), ISBN 82 00 07053 0 (English summary).

Karl‐Gustaf Anderson, Inger Diibeck, Birgitta Ericsson, Gfsli Agust Gunnlaugsson, Per‐Arne Karlsson, Markku Kuisma, Anne‐Hilde Nagel, Oscar Nilula and Gustav Grunde Sa;tra, Industri og Bjergvarksdrift. Privilegering i Norden i det 18. arhundrede (Industry and Mining. Studies in the Granting of “Privilegia” to Industrial Enterprises in the Nordic Countries in the Eighteenth Century). Nordic Research Project on Central Power and Local Communities ‐ Decision‐making in the 1700s, publication 5 (Oslo University Press, 1985), ISBN 82 00 07694 6 (English summary).

Christian Wichmann Matthiesen, Danske Byers Vaekst (Urban Growth in Denmark). Det Kgl. Geografiske Selskab, Atlas over Denmark, Serie II, vol. 3 (C. A. Reitzels Forlag, K?benhavn, 1985), 142 pp., 245 Dkr. (English summary).

I?rn Pi?, Nye veje til Folkevisen (New Approaches to the Ballad) (Copenhagen, 1985), 344 pp., ISBN 87 00 93582 4 (English summary).     

BRAIN CIRCULATION AND FLEXIBLE ADJUSTMENT: LABOUR MOBILITY AS A CLUSTER ADVANTAGE

This article explores the role of labour mobility as a potential cluster advantage. We review the theoretical arguments as for how and why labour mobility could enhance the dynamism and performance of clusters of similar and related firms. A combination of quantitative and qualitative data from two information and communication technology (ICT) clusters is used to answer two research questions: (1) What is the role of mobility enhancing (or restricting) institutions in clusters? and (2) In what ways does labour mobility contribute to knowledge transfer within clusters? The two ICT clusters studied in the article generally seem to have higher levels of mobility, compared to the labour market at large. Although it is regarded as beneficial in theory, most cluster firms try to restrict mobility of workers since they fear the risk and costs of losing staff. Labour mobility is also rarely viewed as a viable way to increase the knowledge bases or contact networks of firms. However, when firms need to recruit the clustered labour markets seem to benefit them by facilitating the use of informal recruitment processes. By way of conclusion it is suggested that cluster firms might be under‐investing in mobility and that innovative institutional solutions could help realize clusters' mobility potential.     

Writing up the region: anchor firm dismantling and the construction of a perceived regional advantage in Swedish news media

This study investigates how geographic representations and regional industrial identity in news media are used to mobilize local/regional actors and to attract inward and outward investments by mediating and narrating stories of the recovery and rebirth of a region in distress – that is, how media contribute to economic development in or of the region. The study targets media attention covering the dismantling and relocation of two regionally embedded life science and likewise anchor firms: the Pharmacia and Upjohn merger in Uppsala in 1995 and the closure of AstraZeneca's operations in Lund in 2010. By drawing on the method of framing and content analysis of news articles derived from a public media database, the analysis show that: (a) geographic representation and associations are intensified in times of media turbulence; (b) news coverage follows two subsequent phases (an initial ‘crisis’ phase and a following more optimistic ‘recovery’ phase) and (c) news media (as intermediary actors and arenas) by communicating ideas of a shared regional industrial identity contribute to the construction of a ‘perceived regional advantage’ (as understood and communicated by news media). Thus, regional industrial identity-building and how the region is perceived by internal and external audiences are important for regional development.     

Strengths and weaknesses of accessibility instruments in planning practice: technological rules based on experiential workshops

Accessibility instruments can play a valuable role in urban planning practice by providing a practical framework for exploring and testing relationships between land use and transport infrastructure. Despite many available accessibility instruments, they are still not widely used in planning practice. This paper explores the background of this problem by examining the findings of a EU-funded study on the usability and usefulness of existing accessibility instruments. The study applied 16 instruments in local planning contexts according to a standardized process protocol. The outcomes of these so-called experiential workshops were analysed through a standardized measurement protocol, which included participant observation along with pre- and post-workshop practitioner questionnaires. This broad investigation presents a rich analytical tool for understanding how different types of accessibility measures, spatial resolutions of output and levels of comprehensiveness affect usability and usefulness. Based on this we propose 10 technological rules that (a) can be used directly in practice to improve usability of accessibility instruments and (b) can provide hypotheses to be examined in further academic studies. Our results suggest that instead of striving for the ultimate accessibility measure, it would be more effective to identify which measures could successfully serve different user needs in accessibility planning.     

Observations on the Development of Small Private Enterprises in Russia

A prominent Western specialist on the Russian economy presents an up-to-date overview of the country's small private business enterprises, here defined as registered enterprises employing up to 200 workers. Navigating through the inadequacies of the statistical evidence, the author presents and analyzes new data on size, employment, branch structure, geographical distribution, and related economic indices covering developments through the end of 1996. The paper highlights a number of factors that repress and impede development of small private enterprises, identifying among the principal obstacles arbitrary government regulation and punitive inspections involving extortion. Remedial measures in taxation and crime prevention as well as other forms of assistance are proposed and discussed. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: Ml3, P31, P42. 2 tables, 31 references.     

Molecular and osteometric sexing of cattle metacarpals: a case study from 15th century AD Beja,Portugal

In the course of a zooarchaeological survey of Holocene sites in southern Portugal, a substantial size increase of cattle bones was noted following the Christian reconquista of the 11th–13th centuries AD. A size increase in the course of time within a lineage of domestic livestock is usually considered to represent animal improvement. However several other factors including sex may influence the average size of a sample of mammal bones – cattle exhibit considerable sexual size dimorphism, with bulls being larger than cows. A histogram of the distal widths of a large (n = 44) sample of cattle metacarpals from 15th century Beja (Alentejo, Portugal), revealed a bimodal distribution. It was assumed that the large measurements belonged to males and the small to females. In order to rule out the possibility of a post-Moslem change in the sex ratio of cattle, a sub-sample of 21 cattle metacarpals from Beja was selected and we used genetic markers to identify the sex of the animals to which these metacarpals belonged. The ancient DNA sex of all specimens agreed with the previously assumed sex as determined osteometrically. We conclude that the two nearly separated peaks for the metacarpal distal width measurements do indeed indicate sex. A similar bimodal distribution was obtained from another large but earlier sample of cattle metacarpals from Moslem Alcáçova de Santarém (9th–12th century AD). Although these have not been molecularly sexed and since osteometric sexing has now been validated, we conclude that both small (female) and large (male) peaks are smaller than the 15th century ones and that there was an overall size increase or improvement of cattle in this region. Why the Christians improved cattle is unclear, but a selection for larger beeves for meat is one possibility as is the selection of more robust cattle for power. The spread of the quadrangular or chariot plough in Iberia is known to have occurred at this time. We then use the genetically sexed metacarpals to determine which measurements provide reasonable distinction between the sexes. Both the distal width (BFd; as already noted by Svensson et al., 2008; in Swedish medieval cattle) and the width of the lateral condyle (WCL) offer the best distinction. We also used them as a reference ‘collection’ to sex the medieval and post-medieval cattle metacarpals from Launceston Castle in England. This re-visit of the Launceston data corroborates other evidence indicating increased specialisation (milk and veal) in post-medieval cattle husbandry in England.     

Building global knowledge pipelines: The role of temporary clusters

Business people and professionals come together regularly at trade fairs, exhibitions, conventions, congresses, and conferences. Here, their latest and most advanced findings, inventions and products are on display to be evaluated by customers and suppliers, as well as by peers and competitors. Participation in events like these helps firms to identify the current market frontier, take stock of relative competitive positions and form future plans. Such events exhibit many of the characteristics ascribed to permanent spatial clusters, albeit in a temporary and intensified form. These short-lived hotspots of intense knowledge exchange, network building and idea generation can thus be seen as temporary clusters. This paper compares temporary clusters with permanent clusters and other types of inter-firm interactions. If regular participation in temporary clusters can satisfy a firm's need to learn through interaction with suppliers, customers, peers and rivals, why is the phenomenon of permanent spatial clustering of similar and related economic activity so pervasive? The answer, it is claimed, lies in the restrictions imposed upon economic activity when knowledge and ideas are transformed into valuable products and services. The paper sheds new light on how interaction among firms in current clusters coincides with knowledge-intensive pipelines between firms in different regions or clusters. In doing so, it offers a novel way of understanding how inter-firm knowledge relationships are organized spatially and temporally.