We present the results of a new evaluation of the running fine structu
re constant a at the scale of the Z mass in which the role of the e(+)
e(-) annihilation input data needed in this evaluation is minimized. T
his is achieved by reducing the weight function M-Z(2) /(s(M-Z(2) - s)
) in the dispersion integral over the e(+)e(-) annihilation data by su
btracting a polynomial function from the weight function which mimics
its energy dependence in given energy intervals. In order to compensat
e for this subtraction the same polynomial weight integral is added ag
ain but is now evaluated on a circular contour in the complex plane us
ing QCD and global duality. For the hadronic contribution to the shift
in the fine structure constant we obtain Delta alpha(had)((5)) = (277
.6 +/- 4.1).10(-4). Adding in the leptonic and top contributions our f
inal result is alpha((M)Z)(-1) = 128.925 +/- 0.056. (C) 1998 Elsevier
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