Technical Notes in BPR usually originate when a progress report goes beyond the usual form to present a wealth of detail about some single aspect of the subject under investigation . In other cases, a progress report may simply require a more generous physical format to do justice to its content, in the opinion of the Editor . BPR Technical Notes are carefully studied by the publication's staff...

"In any case, progress implies that it looks much greater than it really is." This statement by the Austrian poet Johann Nestroy became famous when Ludwig Wittgenstein chose it as a text for the beginning of his Philosophical Investigations. Is it true, however? It seems to be true for the problems, methods, and methodologies of philosophy itself—for Wittgenstein's own investigations, which dep...

The past several years have seen much progress in the area of propositional reasoning and satisfiability testing. There is a growing consensus by researchers on the key technical challenges that need to be addressed in order to maintain this momentum. This paper outlines concrete technical challenges in the core areas of systematic search, stochastic search, problem encodings, and criteria for ...

We detail the most pressing physics and technical issues confronting short-wavelength acceleration. We review new acceleration concepts that are proposed and under development, and recent progress on technical issues such as structure fabrication and material damage. We outline key areas where work is still needed before a reliable assessment of the value of working at wavelengths below 1 cm ca...

The past several years have seen much progress in the area of propositional reasoning and sat-issability testing. There is a growing consensus by researchers on the key technical challenges that need to be addressed in order to maintain this momentum. This paper outlines concrete technical challenges in the core areas of systematic search, stochastic search, problem encod-ings, and criteria for...

The growth of e-learning, and subsequently, of blended learning in recent years in response to the global demand for increased productivity in education and training has been astounding! While the commercial response, including that of universities, to this rapid increase in demand and to the associated potential of communications technologies to provide global access has been impressive, signi...

2. Given what we know about how farms become and stay efficient, competitive, and poverty-reducing, what type of technical progress helps them do so—and is any type harmful? 3. How can research lead to more of the “helpful” technical progress and less of the “harmful” sort—or, to disaggregate the question, what kind of research might improve smallholder access, or returns, to key inputs (water,...

Technical progress is at the heart of economic growth and development. New or improved technology can be achieved through own research and innovations or through the absorption and adaptation of foreign technologies. To facilitate such technical progress requires a complex system of supporting institutions and good economic policies. This paper analyzes technical progress and innovation policie...