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There is a research tradition in the economics of standards which addresses standards wars, antitrust concerns or positive externalities from standards. Recent research has also dealt with the process characteristics of standardisation, de facto standard-setting consortia and intellectual property concerns in the technology specification or implementation phase. Nonetheless, there are no studies which analyse capabilities, comparative industry dynamics or incentive structures sufficiently in the context of standard-setting. In my study, I address the characteristics of collaborative research and standard-setting as a new mode of deploying assets beyond motivations well-known from R&D consortia or market alliances. On the basis of a case study of a leading user organisation in the market for industrial automation technology, but also a descriptive network analysis of cross-community affiliations, I demonstrate that there must be a paradoxical relationship between cooperation and competition. More precisely, I explain how there can be a dual relationship between value creation and value capture respecting exploration and exploitation. My case study emphasises the dynamics between knowledge stocks (knowledge alignment, narrowing and deepening) produced by collaborative standard setting and innovation; it also sheds light on an evolutional relationship between the exploration of assets and use cases and each firm's exploitation activities in the market. I derive standard-setting capabilities from an empirical analysis of membership structures, policies and incumbent firm characteristics in selected, but leading, user organisations. The results are as follows: the market for industrial automation technology is characterised by collaboration on standards, high technology influences of other industries and network effects on standards. Further, system integrators play a decisive role in value creation in the customer-specific business case. Standard-setting activities appear to be loosely coupled to the products offered on the market. Core leaders in world standards in industrial automation own a variety of assets and they are affiliated to many standard-setting communities rather than exclusively committed to a few standards. Furthermore, their R&D ratios outperform those of peripheral members and experience in standard-setting processes can be assumed. Standard-setting communities specify common core concepts as the basis for the development of each member's proprietary products, complementary technologies and industrial services. From a knowledge-based perspective, the targeted disclosure of certain knowledge can be used to achieve high innovation returns through systemic products which add proprietary features to open standards. Finally, the interplay between exploitation and exploration respecting the deployment of standard-setting capabilities linked to cooperative, pre-competitive processes leads to an evolution in common technology owned and exploited by the standard-setting community as a particular kind of innovation ecosystem.

The end of the Cold War led to a seismic change in the political and security milieux. Within this changing context, small states were perceived as being weak and vulnerable since they are 'powers which lack the resources and ability to maintain an independent international role'. This study seeks to analyse Malta's role in this changing security milieu following the end of the Cold War. As a small-island state on the periphery of the European continent, Malta participates in the initiatives which help to address the geopolitical realities of the Mediterranean. The use of Malta as a case-study presents a more nuanced view of the role of small states within the context of the new security milieu. It portrays two different viewpoints: that of a small-island state within a changing security scenario and that of a quintessentially Mediterranean state. This qualitative analytical study utilizes a number of primary sources (contemporary newspaper articles, interviews, and leaked diplomatic cables) as well as a selection of secondary sources to investigate Malta's role in the provision of security within the Mediterranean area. ; peer-reviewed

Canada's international commitments and notably its participation in NATO were essentially dictated by its attitude vis-à-vis the USSR. During the Cold War, Canada's attitude to the USSR was more flexible and conciliatory than that of most of its allies. Gorbachev's initiatives, however, left Ottawa skeptical at first. It was necessary to wait until May 1989 for the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for External Affairs to declare their support for the reforms undertaken by Gorbachev. From 1990 on, Canada drew nearer to the USSR and even showed haste in recognizing the Baltic states and Ukraine. The large-scale pullout of Canadian troops form Europe does not call into question Canada's participation in NATO, cooperation among members of the Atlantic alliance being of cardinal importance to this country.

This essay explores the conceptualization and parameters of contemporary lifelong learning in Canada. It considers the learning-and-work crisis of Canadian youth, and government strategies to address the crisis. It suggests that lifelong learning is not always a cure for dislocation in life and work.

Describes experiences of business executives who choose to be repatriated and reemployed in Hungary; compares personal experiences and management challenges of ethnic Hungarian and non-Hungarian repatriates; 1990s.