Regionale Wirtschaftsförderung und E-Commerce—Ergebnisse einer Untersuchung in Baden-Württemberg

Die Auswirkungen des Einsatzes moderner Informationsund Kommunikationstechnologien (IuK) werden oftmals unter dem Schlagwort der Globalisierung zusammengefaßt. IuK-Technologien stellen die technischen Voraussetzungen beispielsweise für die weitgehende Vernetzung von Unternehmen, für neue Formen der Arbeitsteilung und -kooperation.Im Fokus der wissenschaftlichen Diskussion um E-Commerce stehen Veränderungen auf globaler Ebene, die Frage nach den möglichen, raumwirksamen Veränderungen in den Regionen wird dagegen nur wenig diskutiert. Was aber bedeutet der Einsatz von E-Commerce konkret für Absatzmärkte, Kunden- und Lieferantenbeziehungen auf der regionalen Ebene? Besteht die Gefahr einer Schwächung insbesondere der mittelständischen, meist regional verankerten Betriebe oder bietet E-Commerce gerade für die kleineren und mittleren Unternehmen (KMU) die Chance eines Innovationsschubs? Ein Blick auf die regionale Ebene zeigt, daß hier zahlreiche Förderaktivitäten unternommen werden. Dies wirft Fragen auf: Welche Strategien sind bei dieser Förderung erkennbar? Wie geht die traditionelle Wirtschaftsförderung mit diesem für sie neuen Thema um?

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Identifying pre-Hispanic water storages in agricultural areas of south-central Andes through diatom evidence

In the Andes, there are several pre-Hispanic irrigation networks with structures destined for water storage. However, it has not been widely discussed in archaeological research. This is probably due to their being difficult to identify. The aim of this study is to explore the use of diatom assemblage analysis as a methodological tool suitable to help in the identification and characterization of these ancient hydraulic structures. We analyzed two archaeological structures interpreted as water reservoirs from north-western Argentina (EH1 in Antofagasta de la Sierra and U-88R1 in Yocavil) and compared them to current reservoirs. The diatom species composition and the changes in the dominant ecological groups in the studied structures highlight different periods of hydraulic behavior. EH1 contained and stored water, but there were periods of time in which there was a lack of use or abandonment of the structure. However, the U88-R1 structure does not have diatom evidence of containing standing water for a prolonged time but presence of wet soils. Thus, the structure could have been used for other water management strategies. The results show that diatom analysis is a methodological tool with a high potential to study ancestral hydrotechnologies.     

Coloniality as a Barrier to Climate Action: Hierarchies of Power in a Coal-Based Economy

South Africa has a coal-based energy system and extractive economy, largely responsible for its high emission levels relative to countries with similar GDP. This extractive, coal-based economy began during British colonisation and today shows few signs of transitioning rapidly to limit climate change. This paper interrogates the role of coloniality in climate delay, given that colonisation is responsible for establishing fossil fuel dependence in South Africa. Combining theory on decolonisation, specifically colonial hierarchies of power, with a critical discourse analysis, this research uses interview and policy data to show how colonial power hierarchies can lead to climate delay in South Africa, through normalising emissions intensive development and silencing alternatives. In doing so, it highlights the need to recognise the colonial foundations of climate change and the potential for a coalition between decolonisation and climate action to motivate for radical change both in South Africa and at a global level.     

Book Reviews

Technopoles of the World: The Making of 21st Century Industrial Complexes. M. Castells and P. Hall. London, Routledge, 1994, x + 275 pp, £45.00 hb, ISBN 0 415 10014 3, £14.99 pk, ISBN 0 415 10015 1 pb.

Transport and Communications Innovation in Europe. G. Giannopoulos and A. Gillespie (Eds). London, Belhaven Press, 1993, xii + 369 pp, £42.00 hb, ISBN 1 85293 269 4.

The Argumentative Turn in Policy Analysis and Planning. F. Fisher and J. Forester (Eds). London, UCL Press, 1993, 327pp, £14.95, pb, ISBN 1 85728 183 7.

Regional Development in the 1990s. The British Isles in Transition. P. Townroe and R. Martin (Eds). London, Jessica Kingsley Publishers and Regional Studies Association, 330pp, £22.50 pb, ISBN 1 85302 139 3.

Urban Land and Property Markets in France. R. Acosta and V. Renard. London, University College Press, 1993, 166pp, £40.00 hb, ISBN 1 85728 050 4.