Putting Japanese investment in Europe in its place

Summary Research on Japanese economic activity in Europe concentrates almost exclusively on investment in manufacturing. However, this paper demonstrates that this emphasis both underestimates the longevity of Japanese direct investment in Europe and also grossly underdefines the importance of services. Not only does Japanese direct investment have a much longer history in Europe than is usually recognized but also—and perhaps more significantly—the bulk of that investment is not in manufacturing production per se but in a variety of circulation services. Using establishment-level data, this paper shows that the spatial manifestation of these circulation services is very different from that of manufacturing production.     

Sharks caught in the KwaZulu-Natal bather protection programme,South Africa. 14. The smooth hammerhead shark Sphyrna zygaena (Linnaeus)

The current study provides long-term catch-rate, biological and feeding data for smooth hammerhead sharks, Sphyrna zygaena, caught in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal bather protection programme. In total, 2 512 S. zygaena were caught in net installations between 1978 and 2014, and 72 S. zygaena were caught on drumlines between 2007 and 2014. There was no significant log-linear year trend in the net catch rate over time (slope = 0.0054, t = 1.808, p = 0.07). However, there was a significant temporal increase in mean size of the captured sharks (slope = 0.0012, t = 3.502, p < 0.001). A quasi-Poisson generalised additive mixed model showed that increasing latitude, winter months, colder sea temperatures and the deployment of drumlines all had a significant positive effect on the catch rate of sharks in nets. The size frequency of the catch was unimodal, with significantly more females caught in the nets and more males on the drumlines. The majority (93.1%) of all sharks caught were immature and measured between 80 and 120 cm precaudal length. Teleosts and cephalopods dominated the sharks’ diet in terms of all dietary indices. The prey species consumed indicate that immature S. zygaena are feeding primarily within the pelagic zone of shallow coastal habitats.     

Foreign direct investment in European manufacturing industry: the changing position of the United Kingdom as a host country

The position of the United Kingdom as a host country for foreign direct investment in manufacturing is examined in the European context. Several trends are identified which suggest that the United Kingdom's relative position is changing. In particular, the balance of United States manufacturing investment has been shifting away from the United Kingdom and towards mainland Europe while the United Kingdom's membership of the EEC enables European countries to serve the United Kingdom market by exporting rather than by direct investment. As yet, the volume of Japanese investment in United Kingdom and European manufacturing is small. In the competition between nations for internationally mobile investment. Ireland has captured a good deal of new manufacturing investment, some of which may have been ‘diverted’ from the United Kingdom. The apparent decline in the attractiveness of the United Kingdom as a host country for foreign manufacturing investment could have serious consequences for employment in the peripheral regions of the United Kingdom particularly in the light of developments in the organization of multinational enterprise and the impending enlargement of the EEC.     

Genomic resources for the spotted ragged-tooth shark Carcharias taurus

Genomic data can be a useful tool in the management and conservation of biodiversity. Here, we report the development of genomic resources for the spotted ragged-tooth shark Carcharias taurus using genome-wide DNA data from Illumina next-generation sequencing. We explored two commonly used genetic marker types: microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA. A total of 4 394 putative microsatellites were identified, of which 10 were tested on 24 individuals and found to have ideal properties for population genetic analyses. Additionally, we reconstructed the first complete mitochondrial genome of a South African spotted ragged-tooth shark, and highlight the most informative gene regions to facilitate future primer design. The data reported here may serve as a resource for future studies and can ultimately be applied in the sustainable conservation and fisheries management of this apex predator.     

Sharks caught in the KwaZulu-Natal bather protection programme,South Africa. 13. The tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier

The current study provides long-term catch rate and biological data for tiger sharks Galeocerdo cuvier caught in the KwaZulu-Natal bather protection programme. Between 1978 and 2014, 1 760 G. cuvier were caught in nets and between 2007 and 2014, 108 G. cuvier were caught on drumlines. Standardised catch rates increased significantly over time (p < 0.001) for both small (≤180 cm precaudal length, PCL) and large sharks (>180 cm). There was also a significant temporal increase in the mean size of sharks across gear types (p < 0.001). A quasi-Poisson generalised additive mixed model showed that the deployment of drumlines had no significant effect on the catch rate of sharks in nets. The nets, however, caught significantly larger sharks (mean 184.5 cm, SD 39) than did drumlines (mean 138.6 cm, SD 36.5; p < 0.001). The size frequency of the catch was unimodal and females significantly outnumbered males in both gear types. Few young-of-the-year (0.8%) or mature sharks (1.8%) were caught. Only 23 (4.7%) of the 486 sharks tagged and released were recaptured, with the majority (87.0%) of those recaptured <150 km from their original tagging locality. The results from this study suggest an increasing local population trend in G. cuvier along the KwaZulu-Natal coast.     

信息技术对企业空间组织的影响——以诺基亚北京星网工业园为例

最近通信技术的进展引发了对经济活动集聚和扩散力量的争论。本文以坐落于北京经济技术开发区的星网工业园为例 ,探讨在新的信息技术下地方企业集群的动力机制。过去几十年中 ,新的信息技术在经济空间变化中起着越来越重要的作用 ,但是它只是一种提供可能或促成发生的介质 ,并不是决定性的。新的信息技术的应用会导致企业的“虚拟集群” ,这是运用信息技术整合和缩短供应链的必然结果 ,但是零部件厂是否选择在地理空间上与整装厂集中在一起还取决于其他因素。在这个过程中 ,时间成本正成为企业空间组织的重要影响因素