Scholars have long debated the causes of late third party state joining in ongoing inter-state wars. This research has generally concluding that peace-time conditions, measured in terms of: third party capabilities; proximity to warring states; and inter-state alliances, are determining factors in the decision to join. However, these studies utilize theories derived from static pre-war measures of capabilities and motivation to explain late joining; indeed, the same measures that fail to predict participation at war's outset. Further, extant research has no explanation for why weak and non-proximate states every participate. Existing theory thus fails to provide a comprehensive explanation of joining behavior. This project contends that a resolution lies the interaction between pre-war conditions and intra-war events. Intra-war events that are allowed to vary on a per battle basis, including change in combat location and alliance entry and exit from combat, reveal new information about the war and its progress, thereby forcing third party states to recalculate their initial decision to abstain in relation to their pre-existing situation. Incorporation of intra-war processes helps to better explain decisions by third party states to join ongoing inter-state wars late in their development, and why states that frequently choose to abstain (e.g., weak states) ever choose to participate. This project is executed using a combination of ex post facto historical case studies, a theory of joining based on pre and intra-war environments, and large-N empirical analysis on all inter-state wars 1823-1988, conducted utilizing a novel collection of event-level data based on inter-state war battles.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Katherine Nesse / The following report examines the craft beer industry as a major component of the beverage production cluster in Northern Colorado. By using the four locational determinants derived by Porter (1990) as a framework, this study evaluates the role of geography as a key component in an industry’s ability to foster a competitive advantage. Despite his focus on national competitiveness, Porter's diamond model has influenced strategic thinking on a regional scale (Stimson, Stough & Roberts, 2006). In turn, it can help us to understand the interactions that underlie localized cluster dynamics. The cluster conception in economic development literature assumes that each of Porter's components is equally spatially connected. Resources are focused towards building assets in a region defined by analyzing the cluster. However, factors of the craft beer industry in Northern Colorado did not completely adhere to the traditional parameters of regional cluster geography. Personal interviews with key actors involved in the craft beer industry, along with economic data revealed that local factors are not always the driving force behind the development of the craft beer industry. In addition, the data analysis indicates that determinants of cluster success may be significant at various geographic scales. Locational determinants may not operate within the same area as defined by cluster analysis. Thus, this report closes with a recommendation to consider the significance of proximity when looking to increase the competitiveness of a given industry cluster—for the relationship between locational determinants and geography varies between factors.

Considera-se que viver em grupo aumenta a probabilidade de transmissão de parasitos entre co-específicos, dada a maior proximidade e/ou frequência de interação entre os indivíduos. A transmissão de doenças entre diferentes espécies de hospedeiros, entre indivíduos de uma mesma espécie ou de um mesmo grupo social pode levar populações de animais selvagens ao declínio. Dada a relevância do tema, neste trabalho, buscamos contribuir para o entendimento dos fatores que afetam a ocorrência de parasitoses em primatas selvagens. Investigamos a ocorrência de parasitos intestinais em uma população selvagem de macacos-prego (Sapajus libidinosus), analisando os efeitos de três fatores distintos: proximidade geográfica entre primatas humanos e não humanos; características intrínsecas dos hospedeiros e climáticas do ambiente e, por fim, relações sociais diferenciadas. Encontramos que a sobreposição de área de vida não é suficiente para explicar a co-ocorrência de parasitos intestinais entre as diferentes espécies de hospedeiros na Fazenda Boa Vista (Piauí, Brasil). Ao considerarmos os efeitos dos hospedeiros e do ambiente sobre as parasitoses intestinais de acordo com o modo de transmissão dos parasitos, confirmamos que parasitos com diferentes ciclos de vida e modos de transmissão são afetados diferentemente por características dos hospedeiros e do ambiente: parasitos transmitidos diretamente foram afetados somente por características dos hospedeiros; parasitos transmitidos via hospedeiros intermediários foram afetados somente por características climáticas do ambiente, enquanto parasitos transmitidos via ambiente foram afetados por ambos (hospedeiros e ambiente). Por fim, ao investigarmos os efeitos das interações sociais sobre as parasitoses com base nos modos de transmissão dos parasitos, encontramos que a transmissão de parasitos, mesmo os com modo de transmissão direta, não depende exclusivamente da frequência de associação espacial entre os indivíduos. Os resultados deste trabalho contrariaram as principais premissas do efeito da socialidade sobre a transmissão de parasitos. Assim, é preciso considerar que a chance de aquisição e transmissão de parasitos em espécies sociais é complexa e está sujeita à interação de diversos fatores: individuais, ambientais e dos próprios parasitos, os quais, portanto, devem ser incorporados aos estudos de transmissão de doenças em populações de animais selvagens / Living in a group theoretically increases the probability of transmission of parasites between co-specifics, given the greater proximity and / or frequency of interaction between individuals. Transmission of diseases among different host species, among individuals of the same species or of the same social group, may lead to a decline in wild animal populations. Given the relevance of this research area, we seek to contribute in this thesis to the understanding of the factors that affect the occurrence of intestinal parasites in wild primates. We investigated the occurrence of intestinal parasites in a wild population of capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus), analyzing the effects of three distinct factors: geographical proximity between human and non-human primates; intrinsic host and environment climatic characteristics of the environment and, finally, differentiated social relationships. We found that the living area overlap is not sufficient to explain the co-occurrence of intestinal parasites between the different host species at Fazenda Boa Vista (Piaui State, Brazil). When we considered the effects of host and environmental characteristics on intestinal parasites according to the mode of transmission of the parasites, we confirmed that parasites with different life cycles and modes of transmission are differently affected differently: directly transmitted parasites were affected only by host characteristics; parasites transmitted via intermediate hosts were affected only by climatic characteristics of the environment, and parasites transmitted through the environment were affected by both host and environmental characteristics. Finally, when investigating the effects of social interactions on the occurrence of parasites according to parasite transmission modes, we found that the transmission of parasites, even those with direct transmission, do not depend exclusively on the frequency of spatial association between individuals. The results of this work contradict the main premises about the effect of sociality on the transmission of parasites. Thus, it is necessary to consider that the likelihood of acquisition and transmission of parasites in social species is complex and is subject to the interaction of several factors: individual, environmental and of the parasites themselves, which, therefore, must be considered in studies of disease transmission in wild animal populations

Background: Due to the dynamic business environment and acceleration of technological renewal the need to pursue newest knowledge becomes crucial and more and more challenging for companies. Traditionally firms tended to keep R&D in-house but now they have to search for alternative approach to innovation, namely open innovation. Science parks are claimed to facilitate the process of inter-organizational collaboration and open innovation, in particular due to geographic proximity of on-park actors. Aim: This research is aimed to investigate the influence of geographic proximity of companies situated within a science park on collaboration and open innovation initiatives. Apart from this, other factors in a science park environment that can have an effect on open innovation are studied as well. In particular, these issues are analyzed from the perspective of on-park small and medium enterprises. Completion and results: This study revealed that geographic proximity of firms within one science park can influence open innovation to some extent. In particular, effects of certain mechanisms of geographic proximity were observed. However, all in all, geographic proximity does not have a decisive influence on inter-firm collaboration in Swedish science parks. Besides geographic proximity, other factors that may stimulate open innovation process for SMEs were analyzed.

In 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives, newly under Republican control, sought to limit federal spending, creating a potentially dangerous situation for American space exploration and NASA. Given the budget situation, it may be beneficial for NASA to look to its existing geographic footprint for areas of deeper support to provide elected leaders with an electoral justification to support NASA missions. The areas with the greatest chance of generating support for NASA are spaceports due to the rocket launches they support serving as focusing events for NASA. Rather than focusing as past scholars have on specific regions, this research examines driving distance from the Kennedy Space Center to provide more detail about the possible relationship between geographic proximity to spaceports and views of NASA. To test for the existence of this proximal relationship and the impact of viewing rocket launches on opinions of NASA, the study fielded an original online survey to gather U.S. residents' opinions about NASA, as well as information on where they lived and on how frequently they view rocket launches. Employing bivariate and multivariate regression models, the responses were analyzed to explore the relationship between geographic proximity to the primary spaceport and exposure to rocket launches on respondents' reported views of NASA. This study found that as respondents' distance from the Kennedy Space Center increased, positive views of NASA decreased. Additionally, respondents who viewed the launch of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket had more positive views of the agency than others. Overall, these results indicate that direct exposure to NASA activities, facilitated either by living near the Kennedy Space Center or by viewing the SLS launch is associated with more positive perceptions of NASA. The hypothesis that rocket launches can impact views of space exploration was supported based on analyses of reported online and in-person viewership that suggested notable relationships with opinions of commercial launch providers. Yet, even though the models found support for this relationship, they suggested that other factors likely are also important to fully understanding the relationship. NASA's future public engagement strategies evidently should focus on narrowing the awareness gap of NASA activities for those further away from spaceports and do not have direct exposure to the agency. / Master of Arts / In 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives, newly under Republican control, sought to limit federal spending, creating a potentially dangerous situation for American space exploration and NASA. Given the budget situation, it may be beneficial for NASA to look to its existing geographic footprint for areas of deeper support to provide elected leaders with an electoral justification to support NASA missions. The areas with the greatest chance of generating support for NASA are spaceports due to the rocket launches they support serving as potential advertisements for NASA. Rather than focusing as past scholars have on specific regions, this research examines driving distance from the Kennedy Space Center to provide more detail about the possible relationship between geographic proximity to spaceports and views of NASA. Additionally, given that the impact of rocket launches on support for NASA has not been measured this study can help quantify support for NASA's most visible public events. To test for the existence of this relationship and the impact of viewing rocket launches on opinions of NASA, the study fielded an original online survey to gather U.S. residents' opinions about NASA, as well as information on where they lived and on how frequently they view rocket launches. Regression analyses are used to determine the impact of distance from the Kennedy Space Center and different modes of viewership of rocket launches on opinions of NASA. This study found that as respondents' distance from the Kennedy Space Center increased positive views of NASA decreased. Additionally, respondents who viewed the launch of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket had more positive views of the agency. Overall, these results indicate that direct exposure to NASA activities facilitated either by living near the Kennedy Space Center or by viewing the SLS launch can increase positive perceptions of NASA. NASA's future public engagement strategies evidently should focus on narrowing the awareness gap of NASA activities for those further away from spaceports and do not have direct exposure to the agency.

This paper seeks to understand the role of proximity to Silicon Valley and the Silicon Valley network effect on venture success. Despite the wealth of literature on the role and importance of geographic proximity in the venture capital process, no studies have specifically examined the impact of geographic proximity to Silicon Valley on venture success. I build my study on existing literature but deviate from past research in the following ways: first, I narrow the research question to the relationship between geographic proximity to Silicon Valley and successful exit; second, I consider success from the perspective of the venture rather than the venture-backing firm; third, I employ a logistical model as well as a linear probability model; fourth I control for endogeneity by isolating first rounds; lastly, I exclude syndicated deals, focusing on 1:1 venture-backing firm-to-venture deals. I use VenureXpert data for Silicon Valley-backed firms located both in and outside Silicon Valley to test hypotheses regarding geographic proximity. The results are significant and suggest that venture location in Silicon Valley is associated with greater venture success. Based on the results, it is clear that the impact of the Silicon Valley network effect is statistically meaningful and should encourage ventures to continue to strategically locate themselves in Silicon Valley.

This doctoral thesis consists of five self-contained essays on interaction in R&D between university researchers and private firms. Together, these essays explore the conditions under which private firms benefit from spillovers from publicly funded and organised research. From the first essay, which sets out to empirically validate the theoretical arguments about the benefits of university-industry interaction for private firms, the thesis follows a line of pursuit that goes back and forth between exploration of the different benefits that firms enjoy from university interaction and the relationships between these benefits and the conditions of interaction. In essay II, a typology of rationales for establishing cooperative relations is presented. A considerable breadth of interaction rationales is documented, but on closer examination, a “core” set of rationales related to innovation in terms of invented or improved products or processes are found to be the main drivers of interaction. Developing this view, three critical issues previously studied within innovation economics are re-considered from the point of view of firm rationales for interaction; public co-funding of university-firm interaction (essay II), the role of geographic proximity for interaction on R&D (essay III) and the organisation of public sector research (public research institutes and universities) in relation to firm level competences (essay IV). In a fifth essay, four ideal types of strategy for localised interaction between R&D subsidiaries and universities are proposed. Through the framework developed in this essay, the rationales for interaction are related to the overall R&D strategy of multinational firms. Concluding the thesis, it is discussed how the research presented herein opens up for improved theorizing around the roles of academic research for industrial innovation. / QC 20100706

Malaysia is a transition economic country that aims to be a developed country by 2020. In realising this mission (Vision 2020), the cluster concept has been an interest and adopted by the central authorities. There are few years ahead to reach the targeted year and it interest of this study to investigate the relevant development on its own engineered cluster of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) that was put forward on the success of Silicon Valley in the US. This thesis focuses on the development of the MSC cluster in the Malaysia context. It examines and measures the state of the cluster, the role played by its core actors (from Triple Helix perspective) and their relationship in the MSC. The role of collaboration has been used to measure the relationship among actors with the key determinants of cluster formation. A mixed data collection method was used to answer the research question and objectives involved. A conceptual model for analysing the MSC cluster is proposed, bringing together insights from the literature on clusters, role of actors, collaborative relationship and the complex systems of innovation approach. This conceptual model uncover the weaknesses of social dimension (social infrastructure) in Porter’s diamond model and the general approach of Triple Helix model in the cluster development. The cluster lifecycle model is used to add the depth to the analysis on the condition of cluster development.