Classical liberalism | EPFL Graph Search

Classical liberalism is a political tradition and a branch of liberalism that advocates free market and laissez-faire economics; and civil liberties under the rule of law, with special emphasis on individual autonomy, limited government, economic freedom, political freedom and freedom of speech. Classical liberalism, contrary to liberal branches like social liberalism, looks more negatively on social policies, taxation and the state involvement in the lives of individuals, and it advocates deregulation. Until the Great Depression and the rise of social liberalism, classical liberalism was called economic liberalism. Later, the term was applied as a retronym, to distinguish earlier 19th-century liberalism from social liberalism. By modern standards, in the United States, simple liberalism often means social liberalism, but in Europe and Australia, simple liberalism often means classical liberalism. Classical liberalism gained full flowering in the early 18th century, building on idea

Visions pour l'arc jurassien.

Didier Collin

L'Arc jurassien, région reliant la Suisse à la France, est un territoire entre ciel et terre, entre lacs et forêts, recouvert par un voile de faible densité. Sculpté par les glaciers il y a plus de vingt mille ans, la nature lui a donné, à travers les siècles, un caractère brutal et sensible à la fois. Paysage aux mille facettes, composé d'un assemblage de vallées longilignes, celui-ci se transforme en forêts impénétrables bordées d'une forme d'urbanité en chaîne, en vastes plateaux à habitat dispersé ou encore en gorges abruptes au caractère industriel. Ses formes diverses et variées faites d'arêtes agressives ou de courbes séduisantes alliées à un mode de vie spécifique, ont modelé et influencé les hommes qui l'ont progressivement occupés. L'Arc jurassien semble aujourd'hui comme endormi. Périphérique et composé d'industries en déclin, ce territoire, rattaché aux voies de communications internationales et possédant un savoir–faire spécialisé, offre des possibilités d'évolutions alternatives à l'idéal industriel dans un cadre paysager attractif. Les visions proposées mettent en scène une possible transformation. Leur but n'est pas d'imposer une image figée. Au contraire, leur intention est de suggérer un avenir pour cette région en essayant de révéler des traits de caractère forts de celle-ci à travers des représentations analytiques, puis projectuelles, à différents niveaux et à diverses échelles. Des visions fortes pour l'Arc jurassien de demain, où celui-ci tiendra une place complémentaire dans un monde en perpétuelle mutation.

2004

Innovation dynamics in the medical device sector

Monica Coffano

This thesis aims to provide new insights into the evolution of the medical device sector (MedTech). After the analysis of the history of the sector, I examine the key points that in the past 60 years, have led the industry to grow so impressively, and I proceed to an analysis of the actual situation. The scope of the thesis is to understand if what has stimulated the success of the sector at the beginning is still important, and if the introduction of new elements has positively changed the evolution of the sector. The thesis is composed of three works. The first work (chapter 2) is developed in collaboration with Dominique Foray and Michele Pezzoni. I analyze how the network structure of inventors in the Swiss regions can influence regional innovation performance. I aim to contribute to the existing literature related to the debate on the importance of inventors' collocation for the creation of innovation. I claim that an increased degree centrality of MedTech inventors in the regional technological community is positively associated with the number of MedTech patent applications in the focal region. Moreover, the presence of MedTech inventors in the principal component of the regional technological community is positively associated with the number of MedTech patent applications in the region. However, local connections are not enough to promote innovation. In fact, the results show that intense cross-regional linkages of MedTech inventors increase the number of MedTech patent applications in the region. Thus, it is not only important that an inventor be well connected within her region, but also that she be exposed to external knowledge in order to increase her possibility of achieving high performance in MedTech within that region. Finally, I want also to understand how MedTech is open to other technological domains. I find that the average degree centrality and cross-regional linkages of academic inventors and inventors specialized in technologies complementary to MedTech affect regional innovation outcomes. The second work (chapter 3) is developed in collaboration with Dominique Foray. I aim to study the impact of external technologies on the MedTech sector. I start analyzing the literature of knowledge spillovers, and I do a comprehensive review of the extant measures of knowledge spillovers. I argue that the classical measures based on patent backward citations should be carefully interpreted. The reason as to why this type of index needs a prudent interpretation is linked to the characteristics of different technologies in terms of the speed at which other sectors are capable of understanding, absorbing and using them. Therefore, I propose a new formulation of the classical measure of backward citations. The third work (chapter 4) is developed in collaboration with Fabiana Visentin. I aim to understand the effects of the MedTech regulation that entered into force in Europe in 1993. I argue that the regulation has two effects. The first effect is related to the level of radicalness in the innovation. I claim that after the introduction of the regulation, and consequently with the tightening of the requirements to fulfill, firms became more careful and less motivated to propose radical innovations. At the same time, standardization of the requirements over the European countries gives to firms the possibility of widening their market.

EPFL2016

'Peak Oil' As Classical Economic Process

François Meynard

Forecasts about 'peak oil', the limits of oil production, are the subject of controversies. 'Peak oil' forecasts are based on extrapolations of a priori chosen mathematical models fitted to field data. Scientifically that is not very sound. To clarify this point, in this paper 'peak oil' is modelled in a generic reductionist, approach, in which the conflicting dynamic between economic forces and physical laws are well identified. This model finds a natural interpretation just supress in a classical economic analysis frame. The 'peak oil' controversy is thus brought into the field of economic thought as a debate between classical and mainstream economics, in particular between an objective and a faith based appraisal about this historical event. The goal is not to improve forecasts about 'peak oil', which is very likely not a predictable event, but to propose an objective framework for the analysis of its systemic effects on economic production.

Multi-Science Publ Co Ltd2014

Innovation dynamics in the medical device sector

Monica Coffano

EPFL2016