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This paper explores the role of regional networks in processes of innovation within an international business context. It is hypothesized that firms participating in regional networks demonstrate a stronger innovation competence. Data are drawn from a survey among food firms in the region of Meetjesland, Belgium, and reflect the relation between the firm and a number of regional characteristics. After restructuring the data through factor analysis and cluster analysis, the important role of regional networking is revealed using discriminant analysis. The analysis marks out two factors having the strongest power to discriminate between the clusters: firms are classified as having a stronger innovation competence when networking within the region, and when orienting towards the international market. Results demonstrate that internationally operating firms benefit from regional networking. Further, it is argued that regional networking is not contradictory to an international market orientation, and that firms gain innovation competence by searching for external knowledge on differrent geographical scales. As these networks have the potential to enhance the innovation competence of firms, support to regional networking is promoted as a policy tool

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This paper focuses on the effect of information about meat safety and wholesomeness on consumer trust based on several studies with data collected in Belgium. The research is grounded in the observation that despite the abundant rise of information through labelling, traceability systems and quality assurance schemes, the effect on consumer trust in meat as a safe and wholesome product is only limited. The overload and complexity of information on food products results in misunderstanding and misinterpretation. Functional traceability attributes such as organisational efficiency and chain monitoring are considered to be highly important but not as a basis for market segmentation. However, process traceability attributes such as origin and production method are of interest for particular market segments as a response to meat quality concerns. Quality assurance schemes and associated labels have a poor impact on consumers' perception. It is argued that the high interest of retailers in such schemes is driven by procurement management efficiency rather than safety or overall quality. Future research could concentrate on the distribution of costs and benefits associated with meat quality initiatives among the chain participants.

An electrochemical direct current polarization method was used to investigate characteristics of copper deposition onto silicon from dilute and buffered hydrofluoric acid solutions. The corrosion current density and corrosion potential of silicon were not very sensitive to the Cu2 concentration, up to 1000 parts per billion, in buffered hydrofluoric acid. However, the extent of copper deposition, as measured by total reflection X-ray fluorescence, increased as the Cu' concentration in solution increased. In dilute hydrofluoric acid, Cu2 addition had a significant and systematic effect on the corrosion potential and corrosion current density of silicon. However, in both types of solution, the cathodic current calculated from the measured copper deposition was found to be only a small fraction of the corrosion current (less than 1%). This indicates that the primary cathodic reaction is not copper ion reduction but hydrogen ion reduction. Illumination affected the electrochemical behavior of both p-and n-type silicon in Cu' spiked dilute hydrofluoric acid, but only that of p-type silicon in buffered hydrofluoric acid.

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Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to probe the mechanism of copper deposition on silicon from dilute hydrofluoric acid solutions. Reaction parameters such as polarization resistance and space-charge capacitance were evaluated using an equivalent circuit model. The electrochemical impedance technique was found to be sensitive to parts per billion levels of Cu2 ion in dilute hydrofluoric acid solutions. An inductive loop appeared in Nyquist plots only when Cu2 ions were present in hydrofluoric acid solutions. Both the polarization resistance and inductance decreased significantly as the solution Cu2 concentration increased. Addition of a nonionic surfactant to hydrofluoric acid solutions significantly altered impedance characteristics of the silicon/solution interface. Total reflection X-ray fluorescence results showed that illumination enhanced deposition of copper on silicon nearly an order of magnitude.

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