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Drawing upon data from a sample of 597 small manufacturing firms, the current paper hopes to contribute to the emerging body of empirical literature, which seeks to distinguish the characteristics of more and less innovative small...
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Drawing upon data from a sample of 597 small manufacturing firms, the current paper hopes to contribute to the emerging body of empirical literature, which seeks to distinguish the characteristics of more and less innovative small firms. Importantly, in so doing, a definition of innovation is employed which, at least partially, resolves many of the difficulties associated with operationalising the relativity of "innovativeness" and which places the emphasis upon innovation as a commercial, rather than a technological, phenomenon. To this end, a number of noteworthy observations are apparent. In broad terms, the paper points to the limits of viewing innovation output as a simple function of the volume of inputs. In other words, capability appears to matter at least as much as capacity. Moreover, the findings place the means of improving innovativeness firmly within the ambit of executives and suggest that these are likely to involve internal strategising and the development of human and intellectual capital.
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This study examines the findings of a survey of small, high innovator firms and their assessment of the risks and benefits of forming strategic alliances with third party "complementors". The study found that the entrepreneurs of ...
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This study examines the findings of a survey of small, high innovator firms and their assessment of the risks and benefits of forming strategic alliances with third party "complementors". The study found that the entrepreneurs of these small innovator firms were willing to form strategic alliances where such collaboration would assist in reducing customer perceptions of risk in the adoption of their innovation, while also enhancing the customer's understanding of the innovation. However, the entrepreneur of the small firm also needed to be confident that the alliance would allow him or her to retain control over the quality of the final outcome to their customer. These findings suggest that education of the entrepreneur in the development and management of strategic networks may be a useful enhancement to the process of innovation in small firms.
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This paper examines the relationship between external relations and innovation in small, knowledge-intensive Norwegian firms. Our findings indicate that external relations are beneficial for innovation. The analysis shows that it ...
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This paper examines the relationship between external relations and innovation in small, knowledge-intensive Norwegian firms. Our findings indicate that external relations are beneficial for innovation. The analysis shows that it is necessary to treat innovation as more than a concept. Our independent variables related differently to product innovation, process innovation, and market innovation.
We found that market participation in product development has a positive impact on product, process and market innovation. We also found that top management interaction with other firms had a positive effect on market innovation and that top management interaction with external R&D had a positive effect on product innovation. This finding probably indicates that access to R&D resources is vital for product development in the context of knowledge-intensive products. The results also show that participation in conferences and courses positively influences process and market innovation and that systematic environmental scanning positively influences product innovation.
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This paper provides two new characterizations of RM-domains, i.e. domains satisfying the restricted minimum condition. A Noetherian domain is a RM-domain if and only if every torsion module is a direct sum of submodules whose cycl...
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This paper provides two new characterizations of RM-domains, i.e. domains satisfying the restricted minimum condition. A Noetherian domain is a RM-domain if and only if every torsion module is a direct sum of submodules whose cyclic submodules have finite length and homogeneous composition series. We show that this occurs exactly if all self-small torsion modules are finitely generated.
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OBJECTIVES:: Critically ill neonates often have their enteral intake severely limited shortly after birth. Whether glutamine (Gln) or glutamate (Glu) can preserve intestinal structure and function in the neonate undergoing limited...
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OBJECTIVES:: Critically ill neonates often have their enteral intake severely limited shortly after birth. Whether glutamine (Gln) or glutamate (Glu) can preserve intestinal structure and function in the neonate undergoing limited enteral feeding is not clear. We hypothesize that Gln and Glu can similarly preserve intestinal structure in the developing small intestine of infant rats fed a low protein diet. METHODS:: Using a gastrostomy-fed "pup-in-a-cup" rat model, the effects of Gln and Glu on the developing rat small intestine were examined. Four groups of 6- to 7-day-old pups were fed rat milk substitute (RMS) via gastrostomy tube. One group was provided 100% and three were provided 25% of the protein normally received from their mothers. Two of the groups fed 25% protein received additional Gln or Glu for 6 days. RESULTS:: Pups receiving the 100% protein RMS were larger than pups receiving the 25% protein RMS with or without Gln/Glu supplementation (P < 0.001). Average villus height (P < 0.01) and area (P < 0.01) were greater in pups receiving 100% protein RMS than in pups given 25% protein RMS formula. There was no significant difference among the groups in mucosal maltase or alkaline phosphatase activities. Tight junction protein claudin-1 was significantly higher in the group fed 100% protein RMS diet, while occludin did not differ among the 4 groups. Neither Gln nor Glu increased claudin-1 or occludin in rats fed 25% protein. CONCLUSIONS:: These results suggest that neither Gln nor Glu supplementation can substitute effectively for whole protein in the developing rat small intestine for the outcomes that were evaluated.
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Even though the study of risk management (RM) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has increased recently, there have been few cross-country studies. Therefore, the present research project can be considered as one of the ...
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Even though the study of risk management (RM) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has increased recently, there have been few cross-country studies. Therefore, the present research project can be considered as one of the first of its kind drawing upon an extensive empirical study into the status of RM in SMEs. More precisely, the cross-country study, involving SMEs from China, Germany and Scotland, investigates differences in their RM practices. The findings, which were based on a web-based survey, provide a clearer understanding of the personal and organisational factors that have influenced the RM practices of SMEs in these countries. This study also sheds light on the influence that the perception of environmental uncertainty has on the RM efforts in SMEs.
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This research investigates the adoption of RM theory in relation to its practice within small and medium-sized hotels (SMHs) in Nigeria based on the semi-structured interviews of 21 hotel managers. The concept of revenue managemen...
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This research investigates the adoption of RM theory in relation to its practice within small and medium-sized hotels (SMHs) in Nigeria based on the semi-structured interviews of 21 hotel managers. The concept of revenue management (RM) has developed since its inception in the early 1970s during the deregulation of the airline industry in the USA. It is now a common phenomenon in the service industry, particularly within the hospitality and tourism industry. This paper reveals that an adequate understanding and application of revenue management theory could maximise every aspect of operations in the hotel sector. This research involves a detailed investigation in the following key areas: the concept of revenue management, price determination, demand prediction and the effect of technology. The research methodology adopted a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews. Data from the interviews were transcribed and thematic analysis was used to evaluate the findings.
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The Siemens microPET family of scanners provides for acquiring a measured attenuation correction using a $^{57}{rm Co}$ point transmission source that spirals around the field of view (FOV). The standard transmission source mechan...
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The Siemens microPET family of scanners provides for acquiring a measured attenuation correction using a $^{57}{rm Co}$ point transmission source that spirals around the field of view (FOV). The standard transmission source mechanism advances the source 0.5 mm for every spiral about the FOV. The transmission scan measurement requires approximately 10 minutes, so that often in the interest of time it is not done. The aim of this work was to reduce the transmission scan time on the microPET without compromising the accuracy of the measured attenuation map. The transmission source mechanisms of a microPET R4 and Focus 120 were modified by replacing the 0.5 mm pitch source driving rod with rods of pitches 1.0 mm and 1.5875 mm, thus reducing the transmission scanning times by 50% and 68% respectively. The reductions in transmission imaging acquisition times drop to 40% and 56% for the two rods when the time required to configure the system to low energy singles mode is considered. Transmission data were acquired of uniform cylinders and of a euthanized rat. The reconstructed attenuation maps showed no apparent artefacts introduced by the increase in source pitch. Image noise increased according to that expected from Poisson statistics. The effects of increased image noise had little effect on the attenuation map when segmentation methods were used. We conclude that accurate measured attenuation maps can be produced in as little as 1/3 of the normal transmission scan time by modifying the transmission source mechanism to have a more aggressive source pitch.
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Background: Intra-abdominal metastasis is a rare form of tumor dissemination in children. Complete surgical resection is usually deemed impossible. Children are frequently offered palliative care only. We adopted an aggressive app...
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Background: Intra-abdominal metastasis is a rare form of tumor dissemination in children. Complete surgical resection is usually deemed impossible. Children are frequently offered palliative care only. We adopted an aggressive approach for these cases which includes removal of dozens to hundreds of tumor nodules followed by perfusion of the abdominal cavity with hyperthermic chemotherapy (HIPEC) with a curative intent. Methods: We evaluated toxicity in 23 children and young adults undergoing 27 HIPEC procedures using cisplatin. Disease diagnoses included rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), non-RMS soft tissue sarcoma, (NRSTS), desmoplastic small round cell tumor, (DSRCT), mesothelioma, Wilms tumor, melanomatosis, and adenocarcinoma. Patients underwent cytoreductive surgery followed by cisplatin at 40.5-41°C, for 90minutes. A subset of these patients was enrolled on our phase 1 study and as part of dose escalation cohort received 150mg/m 2 of cisplatin. All toxicities were recorded. Results: Maximum tolerated dose was 100mg/m 2. Dose limiting toxicity was grade 3 renal failure. In five of 27, 18% had grade 3 or higher renal failure. One patient developed a subclinical decrease in hearing and there were 2 grade 3 hematologic toxicities, 2 grade 3 hepatic toxicities, and one grade 3 ileus. One patient suffered grade3 cardiotoxicity. There were no operative/perioperative mortalities. Surgical complications occurred in 5/27 (18%) of patients. With a follow-up of 6-60 months, seven patients (26%) had no recurrence. Conclusions: HIPEC is reasonably tolerated in pediatric patients with extensive abdominal metastasis. More study is needed to determine for which histologies HIPEC is most efficacious.
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The effects of modulation p-doping on 1.3- $mu{hbox {m}}$ InGaAs–InAs quantum-dot (QD) lasers are systematically investigated using a series of wafers with doping levels from 0 to 18 acceptors per QD. Various characterization tec...
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The effects of modulation p-doping on 1.3- $mu{hbox {m}}$ InGaAs–InAs quantum-dot (QD) lasers are systematically investigated using a series of wafers with doping levels from 0 to 18 acceptors per QD. Various characterization techniques for both laser diodes and surface-emitting light-emitting diode structures are employed. We report: 1) how the level of modulation p-doping alters the length dependant laser characteristics (in turn providing insight on various key parameters); 2) the effect of modulation p-doping on the temperature dependence of a number of factors and its role in obtaining an infinite ${rm T} _{0}$; 3) how increasing concentrations of modulation p-doping affects the saturated gain, differential gain, and gain profile of the lasers; and finally, 4) the effect modulation p-doping has on the small signal modulation properties of 1.3-$mu{hbox {m}}$ QD lasers. In each of these areas, the role of modulation p-doping is established and critically discussed.
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