The timing of differentiation underlies the development of any organ system. In neural development, the expression of the transcription factor Hes1 has been shown to be oscillatory in neural progenitors, but at a low steady state in differentiated neurons. This change in the dynamics of expression marks the timing of differentiation. We previously constructed a mathematical model to test the experimental hypothesis that the topology of the miR-9/Hes1 network and specifically the accumulation of the micro-RNA, miR-9, could terminate Hes1 oscillations and account for the timing of neuronal differentiation, using deterministic delay differential equations. However, biochemical reactions are the result of random encounters between discrete numbers of molecules, and some of these molecules may be present at low numbers. The finite number of molecules interacting within the system leads to inherent randomness, and this is known as intrinsic stochasticity. The stochastic model predicts that low molecular number causes the time to differentiation to be distributed, which is in agreement with recent experimental evidence and considered important to generate cell type diversity. For the exact same model, fewer reacting molecules causes a decrease in the average time to differentiation, showing that the number of molecules can systematically change the timing of differentiation. Oscillations are important for a wide range of biological processes, but current methods for discovering oscillatory genes have primarily been designed for measurements performed on a population of cells. We introduce a new approach for analysing biological time series data designed for cases where the underlying dynamics of gene expression is inherently noisy at a single cell level. Our analysis method combines mechanistic stochastic modelling with the powerful methods of Bayesian nonparametric regression, and can distinguish oscillatory expression in single cell data from random fluctuations of nonoscillatory gene expression, despite peak-to-peak variability in period and amplitude of single cell oscillations. Models of gene expression commonly involve delayed biological processes, but the combination of stochasticity, delay and nonlinearity lead to emergent dynamics that are not understood at a theoretical level. We develop a theory to explain these effects, and apply it to a simple model of gene regulation. The new theory can account for long time-scale dynamics and nonlinear character of the system that emerge when the number of interacting molecules becomes low. Both the absolute length and the uncertainty in the delay time are shown to be crucial in controlling the magnitude of nonlinear effects.

近年來服務創新風起雲湧，由服務科學在世界研究之進展，可以看出「服務科學」將成為下一個熱門學科的風潮。國內外著名大學或研究中心投入甚多資源於服務科學之研究與人才培育，就算是製造業，對於服務的提供亦是相當重視，希望透過服務增加價值、強化競爭力，以利與同業進行對抗。因此在現今服務相關的學術領域中，如何透過服務創新以強化競爭力就變得是重要的議題。 本研究以服務創新為架構針對流程差異化進行探討，選擇我國筆記型電腦代工產業進行研究，期望能幫產業找到出路，也為服務創新開創新猷。我國筆記型電腦代工產業由於對於國際大廠之忠誠度與服務滿意度均獲肯定，是故世界上有90%的筆記型電腦代工均是由我國廠商進行，本研究以服務創新解析筆記型電腦產業，進而了解其流程差異化對於競爭力之影響。 本研究將使用Rob Bilderbeek與Pim DenHertog等學者於1998年8月發表之論文中指出服務創新的四個構面進行個案撰寫，素材則是深度訪談與次級資料並用，個案的公司是我國筆記型電腦第一大廠－廣達電腦（Quanta），以及由研究者立意選的華宇電腦（Arima）與精英電腦（Elitegroup）。最後將產業分析與個案分析進行比對，做出本研究之結論與建議，並針對流程差異化在筆記型電腦產業所引發的服務創新相關議題進行省思。 / The service innovation in Taiwan has been thriving in recent years. With the development of service science, we can see its future potential to be the next trend of popular study. Many famous colleges and research centers all over the world invest a lot in research of service science and the cultivation of the experts. Even a manufacturing industry will put a high emphasis on its services. They hope to compete with their counterparts by adding the value and strengthening their competiveness through service. Therefore, how to strengthen competitiveness through service innovation has become an important issue. This research will use service innovation as a framework to discuss process differentiation, expecting to find much more profound thoughts of innovation services and then open a new gate for industry. Taiwan’s notebook computer fundry industry composes 90 percent in the world market thanks to the acknowledgement from global brand-names in terms of loyalty to the brand and satisfaction of service. This research will analyze the notebook industry from the aspect of service innovation and then the effect of process differentiation has on competitiveness. Rob Bilderbeek and Pim DenHertog’s essay in August 1998 discussing service innovation in four dimensions are used in my essay, which are: new service concept, new client interface, new service delivery system and technological options. Interviews in depth and secondary data will be used at the same time. The case studies included are Quanta, Arima and Elitegroup. Quanta have the largest scale in Taiwan notebook industry which may be resulted from their service innovation that enhances their competitiveness. Through their case, I hope to find the edge of those similar companies in Taiwan. To sum up, this research touches on the innovation services especially of notebook computer industry. Comparing industry analysis and case study can lead us to think about the following issues: whether service innovation is easy to be come up with, whether there are too many similar aspects in this industry, what competitive situation or custom can lead to such a desirable result, and how we can deal with the problem when there are too many people doing the same thing.