Taking advantage of the Kyoto mechanisms in the natural gas industry; Benefices des mecanismes de Kyoto pour l'industrie du gaz naturel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Janssen, J. [Institute for Economy and the environment at the University of St. Gallen, IWOe-HSG (Switzerland)

2000-07-01

The Kyoto Protocol has laid the basis of global markets for greenhouse gas emission reductions. By means of the Kyoto Mechanisms Joint Implementation, the Clean Development Mechanism and International Emissions Trading it will be possible to produce abroad and trade internationally the greenhouse gas emission reductions needed to satisfy cost-efficiently the respective demand of industrialized countries. The paper analyses options available in the natural gas sector for realizing Joint Implementation and Clean Development Mechanism projects. Furthermore, it examines strategies that might be economically viable for companies operating in the natural gas sector for taking advantage of the Kyoto Mechanisms. (author)

How Knowledge Accumulation changed the Competitive Advantage of Strategy Consulting Firms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

F.A.J. van den Bosch (Frans); M.G. Baaij (Marc); H.W. Volberda (Henk)

2005-01-01

textabstractResearch evidence confirms that the accumulation of knowledge contributes to the competitive advantage of firms. In the strategy consulting industry, one of the most knowledge-intensive professional services industries, however, established firms that exploited their knowledge

Differentiation strategy : how to create a competitive advantage in online groceries

OpenAIRE

Lok, Ka Heng

2017-01-01

Since the beginning of e-commerce, digital selling of commodities is becoming more common and accessible to every consumer. It is possible to order any grocery item on the Internet. A successful company in online groceries requires a strategy that could make it stand out from its competitors. That is the aim of the thesis; to create a competitive advantage in online groceries by using a differentiation strategy. The study focuses on analysing the external factors: the macro environment, ...

Students’ strategies for position-taking in transnational education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Jin Hui

2016-01-01

as a field of struggle. The article discusses in depth how different student positions are led by the dispositions of having a certain nationality combined with international experiences/travel mobility. It will furthermore also discuss how the dispositions of national academic capital are related......The article illuminates the positions distributed and the strategies for position-taking which students pursue in order to transform or preserve their positions in a classroom with a transnational context where students have different national and international education experiences. Furthermore......, how their positions are related to their aspirations for the future will be elucidated. Based on interviews with Danish and Chinese students enrolled at a Sino-Danish university situated in Beijing, the article identifies four different navigation strategies for position-taking in such a classroom...

Parallel Note-Taking: A Strategy for Effective Use of Webnotes

Science.gov (United States)

Pardini, Eleanor A.; Domizi, Denise P.; Forbes, Daniel A.; Pettis, Gretchen V.

2005-01-01

Many instructors supply online lecture notes but little attention has been given to how students can make the best use of this resource. Based on observations of student difficulties with these notes, a strategy called parallel note-taking was developed for using online notes. The strategy is a hybrid of research-proven strategies for effective…

Students’ strategies for position-taking in transnational education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Jin Hui

2016-01-01

The article illuminates the positions distributed and the strategies for position-taking which students pursue in order to transform or preserve their positions in a classroom with a transnational context where students have different national and international education experiences. Furthermore...

Features of formation of competitive advantages: a strategic dimension

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O.Р. Pashchenko

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The article examines the features of formation of competitive advantages, the depth of theoretical and methodological basis for the formation of competitive advantages at an enterprise. The author has reviewed the approaches to the formation of stable and long-term competitive advantages. The author has also overviewed the requirements which are to be met by competitive advantages of a company and the factors that affect the possibility of competitive advantages. The author develops her own approach to the definition of «competitive enterprise strategy», suggests to understand the concept as the perspective of company development, the way of achieving the goals a company sets for itself guided by its policy, using internal and external competitive advantages. The author implements the model of strategic management of enterprise development based on competitive advantage creating. The suggested model will take into account the maximum possible factors that impact on the development and implementation of strategies. Due to the model risks will also be reduced. The paper determines that the important stage of enterprise development strategic management based on competitive advantage creating is the management of changes and the management of resistance to changes caused by the influence of factors of external and internal environment.

Note-Taking with Computers: Exploring Alternative Strategies for Improved Recall

Science.gov (United States)

Bui, Dung C.; Myerson, Joel; Hale, Sandra

2013-01-01

Three experiments examined note-taking strategies and their relation to recall. In Experiment 1, participants were instructed either to take organized lecture notes or to try and transcribe the lecture, and they either took their notes by hand or typed them into a computer. Those instructed to transcribe the lecture using a computer showed the…

Innovation strategies and competitive advantage

OpenAIRE

Gërguri, Shqipe; Rexhepi, Gadaf; Ramadani, Veland

2013-01-01

Companies today operate in a very dynamic, uncertain and competitive environment. They compete in "nicety" that are so small but so important. Companies are trying to achieve competitive advantage in order to help them obtain a better and a stable position in the marketplace. The best way for companies to achieve a competitive advantage is through innovation. This paper addresses the meaning of innovation what does innovation present, types of innovation specifically discussing the right way ...

Comparative advantage strategy for rapid pollution mitigation in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yuan

2013-09-03

Due to its sheer size and growth trend, no other country is facing more daunting challenges than China in reducing its pollutant emissions. A critical but inadequately addressed question is how rapidly China could feasibly achieve such mitigation. The stake is high not only about how much worse China's environmental quality could become but also about how the world can prevent catastrophic climate change. Through examining sulfur dioxide (SO2) mitigation in coal-fired power plants and wind energy development for carbon dioxide (CO2) mitigation, this article proposes a comparative advantage strategy for overcoming high barriers to fast pollution mitigation. On the demand side, China could first make progress in the deployment of more pollution control facilities and then improve their operational performance. The resulting low technological market entry barriers could help to build enough industrial capacity to meet the huge demand with prices under control. The strategy in the current practice could be improved to establish not only a large supply industry but also a strong one to enable other countries to move more rapidly in pollution mitigation.

THE RESOURCE POTENTIAL AND THE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES IN BUSINESS STRUCTURE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Okolnishnikova Irina Yurievna

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research is the development of theoretical approaches to the study of the essence and structure of the resource potential of entrepreneurship in the context of the development strategy of the competitive advantages in business structure. As the research methodology the complex of principles and tools of system and axiological approaches is used. According to the results of the conducted research, possessing the scientific novelty, the conceptual apparatus is clarified and the author's definition of the resource potential of the enterprise is given, a model of the resource potential structure in commercial organization is analyzed and the mechanism of strategy formation for sustainable competitive advantages provision of the organization on the basis of the effective use of its resource potential is identified. Area of application of the research results is the control of competitiveness in general and resource potential of entrepreneurial structures, in particular at all levels of the socio-economic system of society.

Social customer relationship management: taking advantage of Web 2.0 and Big Data technologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Orenga-Roglá, Sergio; Chalmeta, Ricardo

2016-01-01

The emergence of Web 2.0 and Big Data technologies has allowed a new customer relationship strategy based on interactivity and collaboration called Social Customer Relationship Management (Social CRM) to be created. This enhances customer engagement and satisfaction. The implementation of Social CRM is a complex task that involves different organisational, human and technological aspects. However, there is a lack of methodologies to assist companies in these processes. This paper shows a novel methodology that helps companies to implement Social CRM, taking into account different aspects such as social customer strategy, the Social CRM performance measurement system, the Social CRM business processes, or the Social CRM computer system. The methodology was applied to one company in order to validate and refine it.

Leveraging Diversity Of Thought Through Inclusion: Advantages, Disadvantages, And Taking Advantage

Science.gov (United States)

2017-03-17

Jeffrey Pfeffer states in his book, Leadership BS: Fixing Workplaces and Careers One Truth at a Time, that “measuring the wrong thing is often...develop a detailed and comprehensive toolkit . For example, a person’s ability to sing may not have the same importance to the organization as an...individual’s ability to perform mathematics. Identifying the “tools” in each person’s toolkit takes considerable resources, but with this framework, a

Strategy modulates spatial perspective-taking: evidence for dissociable disembodied and embodied routes

Science.gov (United States)

Gardner, Mark R.; Brazier, Mark; Edmonds, Caroline J.; Gronholm, Petra C.

2013-01-01

Previous research provides evidence for a dissociable embodied route to spatial perspective-taking that is under strategic control. The present experiment investigated further the influence of strategy on spatial perspective-taking by assessing whether participants may also elect to employ a separable “disembodied” route loading on inhibitory control mechanisms. Participants (N = 92) undertook both the “own body transformation” (OBT) perspective-taking task, requiring speeded spatial judgments made from the perspective of an observed figure, and a control task measuring ability to inhibit spatially compatible responses in the absence of a figure. Perspective-taking performance was found to be related to performance on the response inhibition control task, in that participants who tended to take longer to adopt a new perspective also tended to show a greater elevation in response times when inhibiting spatially compatible responses. This relationship was restricted to those participants reporting that they adopted the perspective of another by reversing left and right whenever confronted with a front-view figure; it was absent in those participants who reported perspective-taking by mentally transforming their spatial orientation to align with that of the figure. Combined with previously published results, these findings complete a double dissociation between embodied and disembodied routes to spatial perspective-taking, implying that spatial perspective-taking is subject to modulation by strategy, and suggesting that embodied routes to perspective-taking may place minimal demands on domain general executive functions. PMID:23964229

How College Science Students Engage in Note-Taking Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Bonner, Janice M.; Holliday, William G.

2006-01-01

A composite theory of college science student note-taking strategies was derived from a periodic series of five interviews with 23 students and with other variables, including original and final versions of notes analyzed during a semester-long genetics course. This evolving composite theory was later compared with Van Meter, Yokoi, and Pressley's…

BUSINESS STRATEGY AND COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN FAMILY BUSINESSES IN GHANA: THE ROLE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING RELATIONSHIPS

OpenAIRE

MOSES ACQUAAH

2011-01-01

The business strategy perspective argues that achieving competitive advantage hinges on pursing a coherent competitive strategy. Family businesses are also said to manifest a strong desire to develop enduring and committed social relationships with external stakeholders. This study examines the effect of business strategy on performance of family businesses and how their managerial social networking relationships with external entities moderate the business strategy–performance link. Using da...

The Strategy and Competitive Advantage of Indoor Sports Industry in Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Tan, Kar Fai

2011-01-01

The sports industry in Malaysia is an industry which is full of potential as it is considered young in this country. The most popular sports in Malaysia are football (soccer) and badminton. Other sports such as squash, cycling, hockey are also quite popular due to our national representative success in the international arena. The purpose of this study is to determine the strategy taken by firms operating in indoor sports industry in Malaysia and to know their competitive advantage. The me...

THE RESOURCE POTENTIAL AND THE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES IN BUSINESS STRUCTURE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ирина Юрьевна Окольнишникова

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research is the development of theoretical approaches to the study of the essence and structure of the resource potential of entrepreneurship in the context of the development strategy of the competitive advantages in business structure.As the research methodology the complex of principles and tools of system and axiological approaches is used.According to the results of the conducted research, possessing the scientific novelty, the conceptual apparatus is clarified and the author's definition of the resource potential of the enterprise is given, a model of the resource potential structure in commercial organization is analyzed and the mechanism of strategy formation for sustainable competitive advantages provision of the organization on the basis of the effective use of its resource potential is identified.Area of application of the research results is the control of competitiveness in general and resource potential of entrepreneurial structures, in particular at all levels of the socio-economic system of society.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12731/2218-7405-2013-2-39

Ecological advantages of partial migration as a conditional strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Vélez-Espino, Luis A; McLaughlin, Robert L; Robillard, Melissa

2013-05-01

Partial migration is a widespread phenomenon characterized by migrant and resident forms from the same population. In phenotypically plastic taxa with indeterminate growth, resident and migrant ecophenotypes can differ in size and life history traits in ways expected to maximize fitness in the different habitats they exploit. Studies of partial migration in different taxa have advocated either density-dependence or environmental stochasticity as explanations for partial migration. We used a demographic approach for a virtual Brook Trout population to demonstrate the ecological consequences of partial migration under interacting density dependence and environmental stochasticity. The maintenance of partial migration as a conditional strategy in species/populations where resident and migrant forms exhibit life history asymmetries provides ecological advantages. We show that density-dependent migration is expected to increase population fitness under constant environmental conditions or low environmental variation, but decreases population fitness under high environmental variation. These conditions favor intermediate levels of migration as an advantageous tactic. However, there are threshold rates of return migration below which partial migration is no longer a viable tactic. Our modeling approach also allowed the exploration of the distribution of the population by life stage and habitat in response to the strength of density dependence, costs of migration, and return rates, and demonstrated the importance of the conservation of ecophenotypes in partially migratory populations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Advantage Management Strategy in Competition via Technological Race Perspective: Empirical Evidence from the Taiwanese Manufacturing Industry

OpenAIRE

Tsu-Yi Hung; Yu-Ju Hsiao; Shih-Wei Wu

2014-01-01

This study investigated the advantage management strategies of a firm regarding the technological race in the manufacturing sector. This is to reveal whether firms adopt a catch-up or leapfrogging strategy in the competition for innovation. The results show that competition is fierce in the Taiwanese manufacturing industry. Taiwanese manufacturing firms (mostly SMEs) tend to adopt the “catch-up” strategy to keep up with their competitors in order to remain in the technological race. The resu...

Taking Competitive Advantage By Business Model Innovation(İş Modeli İnovasyonu ile Rekabetçi Bir Avantaj Yakalamak

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mustafa BEKMEZCİ

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In the world and Turkey there are many companies that both survive and increase their market shares and profits by changing business models. Business model innovation is one of the best and prevailing methods to tackle with the difficulties emerged in crisis and recession periods and the other endangering factors that should be reacted at once as well as to increase market share and to make profit. In this study, some significant points that companies have to consider for taking competitive advantage by business model innovation are indicated. Taking these findings into consideration will help managers to cope with the crises caused by environmental and/or organizational factors.

Cooperative Group Performance in Graduate Research Methodology Courses: The Role of Study Coping and Examination-Taking Coping Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Jiao, Qun G.; Collins, Kathleen M. T.; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.

2013-01-01

This study seeks to examine the extent to which cooperative group members' levels of coping strategies (study and examination-taking coping strategies) and the degree that heterogeneity (variability of study coping strategies and examination-taking coping strategies) predict cooperative groups' levels of achievement in research methodology…

PERUMUSAN STRATEGI PERUSAHAAN BERDASARKAN COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Endah Utami

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Perusahaan Tenun Ikat Lestari Indah adalah perusahaan pembuatan kain dengan alat tenun bukan mesin. Dalam menjalankan bisnisnya, perusahaan menghadapi berbagai kendala, diantaranya daya beli masyarakat menurun akibat situasi perekonomian yang tidak menentu serta persaingan harga yang tidak sehat antar pengrajin. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk merumuskan strategi perusahaan sesuai dengan kondisi internal dan eksternal perusahaan. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah analisis SWOT, I-E (Internal-External, dan QSPM (Quantitative Strategy Planning Matrix. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan posisi bisnis perusahaan berada pada posisi pertumbuhan, sehingga strategi yang dirumuskan adalah menghindari kehilangan profit dan penjualan. Dari hasil analisis QSPM (Quantitative Strategy Planning Matrix diketahui strategi yang terpilih untuk strategi jangka pendek adalah menjalin hubungan baik dengan konsumen tetap , strategi jangka pendek-menengah adalah menjalin kerjasama dengan biro-biro perjalanan wisata, strategi jangka menengah adalah menetapkan tingkatan harga sesuai kualitas dan desain, dan strategi jangka panjang adalah memperluas jaringan pemasaran di dalam dan luar negeri.

Voices of University Students with ADHD about Test-Taking: Behaviors, Needs, and Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Ofiesh, Nicole; Moniz, Erin; Bisagno, Joan

2015-01-01

In order to understand the test-taking behavior, needs, and strategies of postsecondary students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), focus group comments from 17 university students with ADHD were analyzed. These comments formed the basis for a series of research studies that are in progress regarding test-taking and individuals…

A guided note taking strategy supports student learning in the large lecture classes

Science.gov (United States)

Tanamatayarat, J.; Sujarittham, T.; Wuttiprom, S.; Hefer, E.

2017-09-01

In higher education, lecturing has been found to be the most prevalent teaching format for large classes. Generally, this format tends not to result in effective learning outcomes. Therefore, to support student learning in these large lecture classes, we developed guided notes containing quotations, blank spaces, pictures, and problems. A guided note taking strategy was selected and has been used in our introductory physics course for many years. In this study, we investigated the results of implementing the guided note taking strategy to promote student learning on electrostatics. The samples were three groups of first-year students from two universities: 163 and 224 science students and 147 engineering students. All of the students were enrolled in the introductory physics course in the second semester. To assess the students’ understanding, we administered pre- and post-tests to the students by using the electrostatics test. The questions were selected from the conceptual survey of electricity and magnetism (CSEM) and some leading physics textbooks. The results of the students’ understanding were analyzed by the average normalized gains (). The value of each group was 0.61, 0.55, and 0.54, respectively. Furthermore, the students’ views on learning with the guided note taking strategy were explored by using the five-point rating scale survey. Most students perceived that the strategy helped support their active learning and engagement in the lectures.

Test-Taking Strategies and Task-based Assessment: The Case of Iranian EFL Learners

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Barati

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The present study examined the effect of task-based assessment on the type and frequency of test-taking strategies that three proficiency groups of Iranian adult EFL learners used when completing the First Certificate in English FCE reading paper. A total of 70 EFL university undergraduates (53 females and 17 males took part in the main phase of this study. They were divided into three proficiency groups: high, intermediate, and low. A set of Chi-square analyses was used to explore the type and frequency of test-taking strategies used by participants. The results suggested that the intermediate group test takers used the strategies significantly different after completing each task (sub-test in the FCE reading paper. However, the high and low proficient test takers› use of strategies was only significant after completing the third task of the FCE reading paper. The findings also revealed that a pattern could be drawn of the type of strategies used by the three proficiency groups who participated in this study. Nonetheless, such a pattern shifted at times depending on the ability of the test takers and/or the task under study.

Solar Wear Tattoo – Combining Functional Materials Taking Advantage of Different UPF of Textiles, to Create Healthier Tattooing Alternatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mendes Vanessa

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Tattooing process can be a painful experience whether achieving a permanent or temporary body art on skin, and there can be horrible consequences. By taking advantage of UV protection factor variables of fashion clothing materials, it is possible to create this kind of body art in a much healthier way. The material performance is key, besides UPF materials that relies on the material behaviour when combined, layer sequence of these materials used for the desired function is equally as important, if not, even more important so. When properly combined in the correct order, making use of the right technology it may be possible to test different combinations. The advantages are, besides creating a temporary tattoo, that the user can benefit from moderate sun bathing advantages, that can provide the desired body art design on skin and the sunbathing health benefits. All of this can only be possible with a deep understanding of the UV protection factor of fashion materials, and how it can be tested and used in the manufacturing process for the desired function.

Teaching Study Skills and Test-Taking Strategies to Elementary School Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Beidel, Deborah C.; Turner, Samuel M.; Taylor-Ferreira, Jill C.

1999-01-01

Presents and evaluates a pilot program to reduce test anxiety and related social-evaluative concerns. The Testbusters program teaches effective study habits, study skills, and test-taking strategies for children in grades 4 through 7. Results indicate that Testbusters decreased general levels of test anxiety and improved overall grade point…

The Implementation of Knowledge Strategy-Based Entrepreneurial Capacity to Achieve Sustainable Competitive Advantage

OpenAIRE

Widodo

2013-01-01

This study aims to develop a model of knowledge strategy-based entrepreneurial capacity to achieve sustainable competitive advantage of rurol banking in Central Java province. The sampling method is ‘‘Purposive sampling’’ by considering the characteristics of the population items, namely: operational experience for at least 5 years and representatives of each area of rurol banking in Semarang, Surakarta and Purwokerto. Then, the sample size is 150 of 251 (59.7%) of top managers of rurol bank...

Advantage Management Strategy in Competition via Technological Race Perspective: Empirical Evidence from the Taiwanese Manufacturing Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tsu-Yi Hung

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the advantage management strategies of a firm regarding the technological race in the manufacturing sector. This is to reveal whether firms adopt a catch-up or leapfrogging strategy in the competition for innovation. The results show that competition is fierce in the Taiwanese manufacturing industry. Taiwanese manufacturing firms (mostly SMEs tend to adopt the “catch-up” strategy to keep up with their competitors in order to remain in the technological race. The result indicates that, under financial constraints, Taiwanese manufacturing firms attempt to invest in R&D to catch up with their rivals or to avoid being eliminated from the race.

Advantage management strategy in competition via technological race perspective: empirical evidence from the Taiwanese manufacturing industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Tsu-Yi; Hsiao, Yu-Ju; Wu, Shih-Wei

2014-01-01

This study investigated the advantage management strategies of a firm regarding the technological race in the manufacturing sector. This is to reveal whether firms adopt a catch-up or leapfrogging strategy in the competition for innovation. The results show that competition is fierce in the Taiwanese manufacturing industry. Taiwanese manufacturing firms (mostly SMEs) tend to adopt the "catch-up" strategy to keep up with their competitors in order to remain in the technological race. The result indicates that, under financial constraints, Taiwanese manufacturing firms attempt to invest in R&D to catch up with their rivals or to avoid being eliminated from the race.

Advantage Management Strategy in Competition via Technological Race Perspective: Empirical Evidence from the Taiwanese Manufacturing Industry

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Tsu-Yi; Hsiao, Yu-Ju; Wu, Shih-Wei

2014-01-01

This study investigated the advantage management strategies of a firm regarding the technological race in the manufacturing sector. This is to reveal whether firms adopt a catch-up or leapfrogging strategy in the competition for innovation. The results show that competition is fierce in the Taiwanese manufacturing industry. Taiwanese manufacturing firms (mostly SMEs) tend to adopt the “catch-up” strategy to keep up with their competitors in order to remain in the technological race. The result indicates that, under financial constraints, Taiwanese manufacturing firms attempt to invest in R&D to catch up with their rivals or to avoid being eliminated from the race. PMID:25295307

Modern Paradigm of Ensuring Competitive Advantages of an Enterprise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klymchuk Alyona O.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The article considers evolution of development of the paradigm of ensuring competitive advantages of an enterprise. Foreign and domestic scientists focus on individual directions of development of competitive advantages and pay insufficient attention to new management concepts – development of the information society, knowledge economy and dynamism of integration processes. The goal of the study is formation of the modern paradigm of ensuring competitive advantages of an enterprise with consideration of tendencies of development of the knowledge economy, information society and integration processes. Enterprise competitiveness is a synergetic characteristic, which reflects enterprise capability of dynamic response to changes of the market situation with the aim of keeping predominance over other economic subjects. Management of the future, on the basis of the management 2.0 concept, should take into account interests not only of top management and shareholders but also employees, local communities and territories and meet requirements of the society in general, individual groups of consumers and tendencies of development of managerial and information technologies. The paradigm of the modern theory of ensuring competitive advantages should include models of keeping competitive advantages in the existing markets and models of development of future markets; strategy of development of enterprise competitiveness, human capital development and efficient enterprise management.

Firm Strategy and the Asian Advantage : The Case of the Emerging Biotech Industry

OpenAIRE

Umali, Celia L.

2006-01-01

Asia is considered by many to be the next biotech hub of the world as countries in the region are striving to develop the sector to be the next engine of growth of their respective economies. Recently many pharmacentical firms derive new products from the biotech sector. This paper on one hand examines the strategies pharmaceutical firms adopt to compete in the domestic and global market place and on the other hand evaluates the Asian advantages in terms of market and globalization drivers. F...

Test-Taking Strategies in L2 Assessment: The Test of English for International Communication Speaking Test.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Heng-Tsung Danny

2016-08-01

This research explored the test-taking strategies associated with the Test of English for International Communication Speaking Test (TOEIC-S) and their relationship with test performance. Capitalizing on two sets of TOEIC-S and a custom-made strategy inventory, the researcher collected data from a total of 215 Taiwanese English learners consisting of 84 males and 131 females with an average age of 20.1 years (SD = 2.6). Quantitative data analysis gave rise to three major findings. First, TOEIC-S test-taking strategy use constituted a multi-faceted construct that involved multiple types of strategic behaviors. Second, these strategic behaviors matched those allowing test-takers to communicate both in real life and in the workplace. Third, communication strategy use and cognitive strategy use both contributed significantly to TOEIC-S performance. © The Author(s) 2016.

Implications for Firms with Limited Information to Take Advantage of Reference Price Effect in Competitive Settings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junhai Ma

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper studies internal reference price effects when competitive firms face reference price effects and make decisions based on partial information, where their decision-making mechanism is modeled by a dynamic adjustment process. It is shown that the evolution of this dynamic adjustment goes to stabilization if both adjustment speeds are small and the complexity of this evolution increases in adjustment speeds. It is proved that the necessary condition for flip bifurcation or Neimark-Sacker bifurcation will occur with the increase of adjustment speed in two special cases. What is more, numerical simulations show that these bifurcations do occur. Then, the impacts of parameters on stability and profits are investigated and some management insights for firms with limited information to take advantage of reference price effects are provided.

Towards a sustainable community database: taking advantage of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study aimed to assess whether the magnitude of possession and retention of RTH cards is adequate to serve as a community database for monitoring and evaluating health interventions targeting under fives. ... database. This paper discusses some of the strategies to increase retention of the cards by caretakers.

The Impact of Note-Taking Strategies on Listening Comprehension of EFL Learners

Science.gov (United States)

Hayati, A. Majid; Jalilifar, Alireza

2009-01-01

The main concern of the present study is to probe the relationship between note-taking strategy and students' listening comprehension (LC) ability. To conduct the study, a language proficiency test was administered to the undergraduate students majoring in English Translation at Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz and sixty students were selected…

Strategi Pembelajaran Tanpa Kekerasan

OpenAIRE

Idrus, Muhammad

2013-01-01

This paper will discuss learning strategy models which put student as subject of learning. Teacher is expected to take an advantage in using those models to reduce violence in education circumstance. As found in researches and mass media, violence in education circumstances, which is performed by teachers or students, still become high concerns among parents, teachers, and students themselves. One such thing that may cause this violence is learning and teaching approach or strategy by which t...

Size and shape of Brain may be such as to take advantage of two Dimensions of Time

Science.gov (United States)

Kriske, Richard

2014-03-01

This author had previously Theorized that there are two non-commuting Dimensions of time. One is Clock Time and the other is Information Time (which we generally refer to as Information, like Spin Up or Spin Down). When time does not commute with another Dimension of Time, one takes the Clock Time at one point in space and the Information time is not known; that is different than if one takes the Information time at that point and the Clock time is not known--This is not explicitly about time but rather space. An example of this non-commutation is that if one knows the Spin at one point and the Time at one point of space then simultaneosly, one knows the Spin at another point of Space and the Time there (It is the same time), it is a restatement of the EPR paradox. As a matter of fact two Dimensions of Time would prove the EPR paradox. It is obvious from that argument that if one needed to take advantage of Information, then a fairly large space needs to be used, a large amount of Energy needs to be Generated and a symmetry needs to be established in Space-like the lobes of a Brain in order to detect the fact that the Tclock and Tinfo are not Commuting. This Non-Commuting deposits a large amount of Information simultaneously in that space, and synchronizes the time there.

CREATING A CORPORATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP STRATEGY FOR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

OpenAIRE

ENGİNOĞLU, Didem; ARIKAN, Cenk Laçin

2016-01-01

Current competitive environment is rapidly changing. In today’s business environment, organizations are having an increasingly difficult time in creating competitive advantages. The main reason for this is the ease in contemporary business life for organizations to reach the same or very similar resources. Firms need innovation to create and sustain success and effectiveness. In such a highly competitive business life, the importance of creating competitive advantages for organizations based ...

Strategies and Perceptions of Students' Field Note-Taking Skills: Insights from a Geothermal Field Lesson

Science.gov (United States)

Dohaney, Jacqueline; Brogt, Erik; Kennedy, Ben

2015-01-01

Field note-taking skills are fundamental in the geosciences but are rarely explicitly taught. In a mixed-method study of an introductory geothermal field lesson, we characterize the content and perceptions of students' note-taking skills to derive the strategies that students use in the field. We collected several data sets: observations of the…

ACQUISITION AS A GENERATOR STRATEGY FROM COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES IN THE BRAZILIAN MARKET OF FUELS DISTRIBUITION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maurício Fernandes Pereira

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The subject from this work is about acquisitions as organizational strategies and it is guided by the general objective on identifying if the acquisition of Texaco by Ultra Group, in Brazil, could generate competitive advantages. Thus, the main aim is to characterize, specifically, the fuel distribution sector in Brazil, presenting characteristics, strategies, classification of resources and the competitive advantage’s identification in the buying process of Texaco by Ultra Group. The methodology used for this research is a case study of qualitative nature. Data collection has been performed through literature review, documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews. In the analysis of collected data, specific objectives have been met. It was clear, therefore, the presence of features such as scale earnings, brand exposure, better management practices, synergies, tangible and intangible assets and market growth. So, those resources are classified according to the competitive implications. Then, it might be concluded that Texaco´s acquisition could bring competitive advantages for Ultra / Ipiranga Group. Respondents believe the sector is growing and businesses tend to grow despite the world crisis. They also confirmed that, in a highly competitive market, strategic alliances and market growing are factors that may ensure success to each company.

Taking "O" Level GCE Examinations: The Strategies Employed by Candidates and Their Teachers.

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, J.C.

1981-01-01

Examines the relationship of study techniques and test-taking strategies to success on the "O" level of the British General Certificate of Education (GCE) examination. Findings showed that teachers and students felt that course reviews, including study of past examinations, was the best preparation. (AM)

The Effect of Note Taking vs. Summarizing Strategy on Iranian EFL Learners’ Listening Comprehension

OpenAIRE

Mehri Khavazi; Mandana Yousefi; Naeemeh Kharaghani

2018-01-01

This study, specifically, investigated the effect of note taking and summarizing strategies on Iranian EFL learners’ listening comprehension. The study aimed at investigating the effects of note taking and summarizing on listening comprehension of Iranian EFL learners. The participants of the study included 75 female language learners in Bojnord who were homogenized in terms of language proficiency. They were divided into two experimental and onecontrol groups. ANCOVA test was used to analyze...

Competitive Advantage in the Service Industry : The Importance of Strategic Congruence, Integrated Control and Coherent Organisational Structure – A Longitudinal Case Study of an Insurance Company

OpenAIRE

Poth, Susanna

2014-01-01

Competitive advantage has received considerable attention. Few studies have however chosen a holistic approach taking multiple aspects and organisational levels into consideration. This research has the goal of filling parts of this void. The aim is to deepen the understanding of competitive advantage in the service industry by analysing how alignment of strategy, control and organisation structure on multiple organisational levels impacts competitive advantage of a service company over a lon...

Competitive advantage and corporate communications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mitić Sanja

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Strategic importance of corporate communications and its role in the development of competitive advantage has attracted interest of numerous researchers in the fields of organization, management, marketing and public relations. Recent studies particularly emphasise the growing importance of soft factors, such as reputation in the development of competitive advantage. Concept of reputation is strongly connected with stakeholder theory, which stresses the importance of corporate communications for competitive advantage of firms. The paper focuses on competitive advantage and the link among strategy, reputation and corporate communications.

Utilizing Marzano's Summarizing and Note Taking Strategies on Seventh Grade Students' Mathematics Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Jeanmarie-Gardner, Charmaine

2013-01-01

A quasi-experimental research study was conducted that investigated the academic impact of utilizing Marzano's summarizing and note taking strategies on mathematic achievement. A sample of seventh graders from a middle school located on Long Island's North Shore was tested to determine whether significant differences existed in mathematic test…

Fatigue Analysis of a Wave Energy Converter Taking into Account Different Control Strategies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zurkinden, Andrew Stephen; Lambertsen, Søren Heide; Damkilde, Lars

2013-01-01

on a point absorber have shown that the stresses at a particular section of the structure depend on the control parameters. The power is increased by choosing a more advanced control mechanism. The consequences are that the stress amplitudes are higher than for the more conservative control case....... In this study, the focus is given on the fatigue damage calculation of a structural detail by taking into account the control parameters of the power take-off system. The predicted fatigue damage is calculated based on the spectral approach. Finally the question will be answered which control strategy is more...

ENTERPRISE IRELAND: Design for Competitive Advantage Conference

OpenAIRE

Dee, Peter

2003-01-01

A stimulating conference bringing together world leading experts on design to address the importance of brand development strategies to achieve competitive advantage. Peter Dee - Strategic Design and Marketing Consultant, specialised in the creation of brand development strategies for Enterprise Ireland’s Design Unit. Peter was responsible for the design and development of the the brand identity for the Enterprise Ireland Design for Competitive Advantage Conference in Dublin.

Precommitted Investment Strategy versus Time-Consistent Investment Strategy for a Dual Risk Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lidong Zhang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We are concerned with optimal investment strategy for a dual risk model. We assume that the company can invest into a risk-free asset and a risky asset. Short-selling and borrowing money are allowed. Due to lack of iterated-expectation property, the Bellman Optimization Principle does not hold. Thus we investigate the precommitted strategy and time-consistent strategy, respectively. We take three steps to derive the precommitted investment strategy. Furthermore, the time-consistent investment strategy is also obtained by solving the extended Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations. We compare the precommitted strategy with time-consistent strategy and find that these different strategies have different advantages: the former can make value function maximized at the original time t=0 and the latter strategy is time-consistent for the whole time horizon. Finally, numerical analysis is presented for our results.

The competitive advantage of nations and choice of entry strategies : a three scenario case study

OpenAIRE

Helvik, Marianne; Harnecker, Maria Luisa Garrido

2005-01-01

Michael E. Porter’s Diamond framework has been used as an analysis tool the last 15 years to define the competitive advantage of nations, but few researchers have discussed if there is a link between the Diamond framework and how international firms can pursue the best entry mode. Different variables will be presented linking the Diamond framework to entry strategies, designing an extended framework. Three case scenarios are used for analysis purposes; the first two originating in Porter’s Di...

A tactical asset allocation strategy that exploits variations in VIX

OpenAIRE

Richard Cloutier; Arsen Djatej; Dean Kiefer

2017-01-01

Buy and hold strategies make staying disciplined difficult for investors, especially given the variability of returns for different asset classes/strategies during divergent market conditions. Market timing strategies, on the other hand, present significant theoretical benefits, but in reality these benefits are difficult to obtain. Tactical asset allocation, where limited deviations from the strategic allocation are allowed permits the portfolio manager to take advantage of market conditions...

Nonlinear iterative strategy for NEM refinement and extension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engrand, P.R.; Maldonado, G.I.; Al-Chalabi, R.; Turinsky, P.J.

1992-01-01

The work discussed in this paper is related to the nonlinear iterative strategy developed by Smith to solve the nodal expansion method (NEM) representation of the neutron diffusion equations. The authors show how it is possible to save computation time by taking advantage of the reducibility of the matrices that have to be inverted when employing this strategy. In addition, they show how this strategy can be adapted in an easy and efficient manner to time-dependent problems

Creating corporate advantage.

Science.gov (United States)

Collis, D J; Montgomery, C A

1998-01-01

What differentiates truly great corporate strategies from the merely adequate? How can executives at the corporate level create tangible advantage for their businesses that makes the whole more than the sum of the parts? This article presents a comprehensive framework for value creation in the multibusiness company. It addresses the most fundamental questions of corporate strategy: What businesses should a company be in? How should it coordinate activities across businesses? What role should the corporate office play? How should the corporation measure and control performance? Through detailed case studies of Tyco International, Sharp, the Newell Company, and Saatchi and Saatchi, the authors demonstrate that the answers to all those questions are driven largely by the nature of a company's special resources--its assets, skills, and capabilities. These range along a continuum from the highly specialized at one end to the very general at the other. A corporation's location on the continuum constrains the set of businesses it should compete in and limits its choices about the design of its organization. Applying the framework, the authors point out the common mistakes that result from misaligned corporate strategies. Companies mistakenly enter businesses based on similarities in products rather than the resources that contribute to competitive advantage in each business. Instead of tailoring organizational structures and systems to the needs of a particular strategy, they create plain-vanilla corporate offices and infrastructures. The company examples demonstrate that one size does not fit all. One can find great corporate strategies all along the continuum.

Energy strategy of the 21st century taking advantage of fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okumura, Norihiro

2002-01-01

There is some general concern that economic development in developing countries will hasten global warning. In terms of reducing CO 2 emissions, fusion will have great potential as a primary energy in the late 21st century according to the results of WING model simulations based on scenario analysis, if the cost of fusion with hydrogen generation would become competitive compared with those of other substitutive energies. However, securing social acceptance is very important to maintain the fossil research funded by the government suffering from cumulative debt. (author)

The relation between proactive environmental strategies and competitive advantage

Science.gov (United States)

Butnariu, A.; Avasilcăi, S.

2015-11-01

There are two distinct orientations of the environmental management that companies may adopt: the model of compliance and the strategic model. The strategic model treats environmental expenses as investments that will lead to competitive advantage for the company. Nevertheless, there are few scientific works that prove the relation between corporate environmental investments and competitive advantage. Thereby, in order to bring clarifications about the profound implications of environmental investments, in the first stage of our research we have proposed the hypothesis that the environmental investments would probably lead to competitive advantage by creating capabilities that are mediators of this relation. In the second stage we have tested this hypothesis, using the research method of survey. A questionnaire was sent to managers in textile Romanian industry, and 109 answers were received. The data was analysed using the linear multiple regression method and the results confirm our hypothesis.

Innovating in the teaching of Chemical Equilibrium: Taking effective advantage of Information and Communication Technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Fonseca, Susana Cristina Morais da

Chemical Equilibrium (CE) is a good example of the specific nature of chemistry. The understanding of this theme requires the conceptualization of macroscopic events, as well as explanations of sub microscopic nature, application of symbolic language and mathematics. CE is commonly identified as a topic suitable for the pedagogical use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). However, the growth in the roll of digital resources for the teaching of CE, that took place in the last decades, was not accompanied by a decrease in the signalling of students' difficulties and misconceptions in the subject. This fact, points out the relevance of clarifying the circumstances under which digital resources turn out to be useful in the teaching of CE and develop educative modules that take into account the findings and recommendations from the literature. This project aims to bring a contribution to take advantage form ICT potential in the teaching of CE. The objectives underlying the main purpose of the project were defined according to literature review, which crosses three fundamental dimensions (scientific, pedagogical and technological). The project also benefited from the previous experience of the group and the collaboration with an European project (CROSSNET). The level of abstraction necessary for the understanding of the scientific model is pointed out as the major source of difficulties in the learning of CE, while also referred as a privileged target for the intervention of ICT. In this context, we introduce the expression "facilitating abstraction" to summarize the idea of supporting students' abstract thinking process during the learning of formal concepts. This idea has gained importance throughout the project leading to the development of a pedagogical approach to facilitate abstraction in the learning of CE. Although based on the use of ICT, the main purpose wasn't to introduce new digital resources in the saturated field of CE. Instead, the

Workshop approach for developing climate change adaptation strategies and actions for natural resource management agencies in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Jessica E. Halofsky; David L Peterson; Michael J. Furniss; Linda A. Joyce; Constance I. Millar; Ronald P. Neilson

2011-01-01

Concrete ways to adapt to climate change are needed to help land-management agencies take steps to incorporate climate change into management and take advantage of opportunities to balance the negative effects of climate change. Because the development of adaptation tools and strategies is at an early stage, it is important that ideas and strategies are disseminated...

Empathy and perspective-taking: Examination and comparison of strategies to reduce weight stigma

OpenAIRE

Gloor Jamie Lee; Puhl Rebecca M.

2016-01-01

Considerable evidence indicates that individuals with obesity are vulnerable to stigma and discrimination. However comparably less research has examined strategies to reduce weight bias and the existing evidence is mixed. To help clarify these findings and incorporate prejudice reduction interventions that have been successfully applied to other stigmatized groups (i.e. empathy induction and perspective taking) we experimentally tested and compared 4 different brief stigma reduction intervent...

MARKETING STRATEGY IN SPORTS SPONSORSHIP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Srećko Novaković

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Sponsorship, as a very successful form of marketing, is quite common in sports. Thanks to the financial means which come from sponsorship, sports teams and individuals achieve top results. In return for that, sponsors take advantage by enhancing their brand and image for longer period. An extensive influence of sponsorship over sports development has been achieved through properly selected elements of sports strateg.y

MARKETING STRATEGY IN SPORTS SPONSORSHIP

OpenAIRE

Srećko Novaković

2012-01-01

Sponsorship, as a very successful form of marketing, is quite common in sports. Thanks to the financial means which come from sponsorship, sports teams and individuals achieve top results. In return for that, sponsors take advantage by enhancing their brand and image for longer period. An extensive influence of sponsorship over sports development has been achieved through properly selected elements of sports strateg.y

COMPETITIVE PRODUCT ADVANTAGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrian MICU

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Cost advantages may be either internal or external. Internal economics of scope, scale, or experience, and external economies of focus or logistical integration, enable a company to produce some products at a lower cost than the competition. The coordination of pricing with suppliers, although not actually economizing resources, can improve the efficiency of pricing by avoiding the incrementalization of a supplier's nonincremental fixed costs and profit. Any of these strategies can generate cost advantages that are, at least in the short run, sustainable. Even cost advantages that are not sustainable, however, can generate temporary savings that are often the key to building more sustainable cost or product advantages later.. Even when a product's physical attributes are not readily differentiable, opportunities to develop product advantages remain. The augmented product that customers buy is more than the particular product or service exchanged. It includes all sorts of ancillary services and intangible relationships that make buying thesame product from one company less difficult, less risky, or more pleasant than buying from a competitor. Superior augmentation of the same basic product can add substantial value in the eyes of consumers, leading them to pay willingly what are often considerable price premiums.

Biomechanical reconstructions and selective advantages of neck poses and feeding strategies of Sauropods with the example of Mamenchisaurus youngi.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreas Christian

Full Text Available A very long neck is a characteristic feature of most sauropod dinosaurs. In the genus Mamenchisaurus, neck length is extreme, greater than 40 percent of total body length. However, the posture, utilization, and selective advantage of very long necks in sauropods are still controversial. An excellently preserved skeleton of Mamenchisaurus youngi, including a complete neck, provides an opportunity for a comprehensive biomechanical analysis of neck posture and mobility. The biomechanical evidence indicates that Mamenchisaurus youngi had a nearly straight, near horizontal neck posture and browsed at low or medium heights. The results differ from the findings for some other sauropod species, like Euhelopus, Diplodocus, and Giraffatitan (Brachiosaurus that had been analyzed in previous studies with similar methods. The selective advantage of extreme neck length in sauropods is likely advantageous for different feeding strategies.

Relationships between Spontaneous Note-Taking, Self-Reported Strategies and Comprehension When Reading Multiple Texts in Different Task Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Hagen, Åste M.; Braasch, Jason L. G.; Bråten, Ivar

2014-01-01

This study investigated note-taking during multiple-text reading across two different task conditions in relation to comprehension performance and self-reports of strategy use. Forty-four undergraduates read multiple texts about climate change to write an argument or a summary. Analysis of students' spontaneous note-taking during reading…

A waste package strategy for regulatory compliance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stahl, D.; Cloninger, M.O.

1990-01-01

This paper summarizes the strategy given in the Site Characterization Plan for demonstrating compliance with the post closure performance objectives for the waste package and the Engineered Barrier System contained in the Code of Federal Regulations. The strategy consists of the development of a conservative waste package design that will meet the regulatory requirements with sufficient margin for uncertainty using a multi-barrier approach that takes advantage of the unsaturated nature of the Yucca Mountain site. 7 refs., 1 fig

Advantages and disadvantages of franchising as a form of business

OpenAIRE

Kolesova, A. A.

2015-01-01

The article describes the features of the development of franchising in Russia. Franchising has a number of advantages and it is a perspective form of interaction between small and large businesses. However, in taking a decision to contract with the franchise network, in addition to understanding the forms of doing business, the advantages of the system, you should also take into account that the franchise system is associated with some risks.

Competitive Advantage through Innovation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brem, Alexander; Maier, Maximilian; Wimschneider, Christine

2016-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe how Nespresso achieved competitive advantage through innovation by changing the rules of the game in its industry. Design/methodology/approach Nespresso was analyzed based on public available secondary data, in combination with related academic...... concepts on innovation and competitive advantage. Findings The company succeeded by the thorough application of a strategy that, through perfect alignment, allowed the company to reach a unique market position. However, as described in the case, it took a relatively long time and the company came close...... as a source for competitive advantage. Research limitations/implications Especially given the current market situation, the case offers different starting points for discussion about innovation and long-term company success. Practical implications Especially before the current market situation, the case...

Adaptive Treatment Strategies in Youth Mental Health: A Commentary on Advantages, Challenges, and Potential Directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Sherrill, Joel T

2016-01-01

This commentary underscores the importance and potential of the research approaches and intervention strategies described in the JCCAP special issue on the Science of Adaptive Treatment Strategies in Child and Adolescent Mental Health for addressing the widely observed heterogeneity in response to even our most promising research-informed interventions. First, the commentary briefly summarizes the advantages of these approaches and highlights how these programs of research are responsive to widely agreed-upon calls for more personalized, prescriptive interventions. Next, the commentary briefly discusses key common challenges and gaps in our knowledge that might be addressed to advance the development, testing, and implementation of adaptive intervention strategies. For example, research to identify robust moderators that might serve as potential tailoring variables for initial assignment and sequencing of interventions, efforts to operationalize surrogate endpoints for early identification of individuals who are unlikely to respond to first-line interventions, and research that helps define what constitutes an adequate exposure (i.e., dose) or response threshold (e.g., response that suggests the need to intensify, switch, or augment interventions) would inform decision rules for adaptive algorithms. The commentary concludes with a discussion of potential strategies and current initiatives that might ultimately help facilitate research on more targeted, prescriptive approaches to intervening, including efforts to encourage investigators to use common data elements, to share and integrate data across trials, and to employ a more mechanism-based approach to intervention development and testing.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AS STRATEGY TO ACHIEVE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES IN OIL ORGANIZATIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Fernando Arellano Morales

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Man's interest in knowing and transform his reality, has led to a continuous and incessant development of science and the production of knowledge inherent in them. This cyclical and systemic process has become itself abundance of knowledge that is daily creating and disseminating, surpassing even the physical spaces where it can be stored and beyond assimilation, use and transfer. The complex and changing knowledge in the activities of oil organizations undoubtedly demands designing strategies that transform and create new experiences, knowledge and skills, in order to innovate traditional management processes, information technology and communication, the intellectual capital and organizational culture. This paper aims to highlight the importance of Knowledge Management (KM when the enthusiasm and ability to learn intangible capital of an organization is involved to generate knowledge to make intelligent decisions. As argue Argyris and Schön (1978 Nonaka (1991 Kogut and Zander (1992 "knowledge is one of the most critical variables to achieve sustainable success in any organization." In addition to highlighting the success of organizations and the economy of the country depend on its ability to produce, assimilate, to use and transmit knowledge, to transform it into a competitive advantage.

Correlation of Positive and Negative Reciprocity Fails to Confer an Evolutionary Advantage: Phase Transitions to Elementary Strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Attila Szolnoki

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Economic experiments reveal that humans value cooperation and fairness. Punishing unfair behavior is therefore common, and according to the theory of strong reciprocity, it is also directly related to rewarding cooperative behavior. However, empirical data fail to confirm that positive and negative reciprocity are correlated. Inspired by this disagreement, we determine whether the combined application of reward and punishment is evolutionarily advantageous. We study a spatial public goods game, where in addition to the three elementary strategies of defection, rewarding, and punishment, a fourth strategy that combines the latter two competes for space. We find rich dynamical behavior that gives rise to intricate phase diagrams where continuous and discontinuous phase transitions occur in succession. Indirect territorial competition, spontaneous emergence of cyclic dominance, as well as divergent fluctuations of oscillations that terminate in an absorbing phase are observed. Yet, despite the high complexity of solutions, the combined strategy can survive only in very narrow and unrealistic parameter regions. Elementary strategies, either in pure or mixed phases, are much more common and likely to prevail. Our results highlight the importance of patterns and structure in human cooperation, which should be considered in future experiments.

Correlation of Positive and Negative Reciprocity Fails to Confer an Evolutionary Advantage: Phase Transitions to Elementary Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Szolnoki, Attila; Perc, Matjaž

2013-10-01

Economic experiments reveal that humans value cooperation and fairness. Punishing unfair behavior is therefore common, and according to the theory of strong reciprocity, it is also directly related to rewarding cooperative behavior. However, empirical data fail to confirm that positive and negative reciprocity are correlated. Inspired by this disagreement, we determine whether the combined application of reward and punishment is evolutionarily advantageous. We study a spatial public goods game, where in addition to the three elementary strategies of defection, rewarding, and punishment, a fourth strategy that combines the latter two competes for space. We find rich dynamical behavior that gives rise to intricate phase diagrams where continuous and discontinuous phase transitions occur in succession. Indirect territorial competition, spontaneous emergence of cyclic dominance, as well as divergent fluctuations of oscillations that terminate in an absorbing phase are observed. Yet, despite the high complexity of solutions, the combined strategy can survive only in very narrow and unrealistic parameter regions. Elementary strategies, either in pure or mixed phases, are much more common and likely to prevail. Our results highlight the importance of patterns and structure in human cooperation, which should be considered in future experiments.

The pen is mightier than the keyboard: advantages of longhand over laptop note taking.

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, Pam A; Oppenheimer, Daniel M

2014-06-01

Taking notes on laptops rather than in longhand is increasingly common. Many researchers have suggested that laptop note taking is less effective than longhand note taking for learning. Prior studies have primarily focused on students' capacity for multitasking and distraction when using laptops. The present research suggests that even when laptops are used solely to take notes, they may still be impairing learning because their use results in shallower processing. In three studies, we found that students who took notes on laptops performed worse on conceptual questions than students who took notes longhand. We show that whereas taking more notes can be beneficial, laptop note takers' tendency to transcribe lectures verbatim rather than processing information and reframing it in their own words is detrimental to learning. © The Author(s) 2014.

The Temporal Limits of Technological Advantage

Science.gov (United States)

2017-06-01

technologically advanced capabilities. “ Technology , in fact, is one of the keys to understanding relations between Hitler’s regime and the German business ...strategy sought to “leverage US advantages in technologies 2 like big data, stealth, advanced manufacturing (e.g. 3-D printing), robotics, and... history has had different parameters and different results, examining historical situations in which a technological advantage has been achieved

Climate change adaptation strategies by small-scale farmers in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mburu

Some of these strategies had serious adverse environmental impacts on social, economic and biophysical domains of the .... Women farmers in Peru take advantage of the knowledge inherited from ancient Peruvian .... is listed in the IUCN Red List (2010) as a near threatened species. Sand harvesting. The results show that ...

Multicriteria Decision Analysis to Develop Effective Sustainable Development Strategies for Enhancing Competitive Advantages: Case of the TFT-LCD Industry in Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iuan-Yuan Lu

2016-07-01

Full Text Available In the Internet of Things era, panel displays play a major role in human life, because humans frequently use liquid crystal displays to monitor their electrical devices. The display industry creates remarkable economic output, but every manufacturing process inevitably has some undesirable effects on the environment. With the increasing awareness of environmental protection, balanced development is necessary to address the emerging market trends. However, short-sighted manufacturing corporations that focus solely on financial performance can achieve only short-term profits. The purpose of this study was to develop the most effective sustainable improvement strategies that can enhance competitive advantages in real-world situations. The proposed method combines the balanced scorecard and a new hybrid modified multiple attribute decision-making model which together adopt the DEMATEL technique to construct the influential network relation map and develop the DEMATEL-based ANP with the VIKOR method to deliver strategies that integrate environmental sustainability and competitive advantage. Finally, a real-world case study applying the proposed method to the cases of liquid crystal display manufacturers was conducted. Then, this paper discusses the effective use of natural resources, development of enterprises, and sustainable competitive advantage in this context. Various manufacturers, communities, and stakeholders can benefit from the coopetition solutions explained by the proposed method.

Petrochemical producers gain advantage with novel business strategies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glauthier, T.; Kalkstein, H.; Williamson, R.

1997-01-01

After 50 years of gradual change in the petrochemicals industry, the rules of the game are rapidly being written. Parity among competitors has made strategies based on minimizing costs increasingly ineffectual. Some competitors are now finding new business approaches that may allow them to leave others behind. Although the recent upturn in the chemical cycle has brought with it high utilization rates and encouraging financial returns for manufacturers of both petrochemicals and other chemicals, chemical managers need to be aware that the next downturn may erase these gains. The industry has experienced periods of poor financial performance in the past, and there is little reason to expect that the future will bring improvements. Until recently, petrochemical companies have generally pursued strategies focused on optimizing particular portions of the value chain. For the purposes of this article, it is helpful to think of the value chain in terms of four main business segments: feedstocks, products, production processes, and service/distribution. Some chemical companies have managed to avoid a competitive stalemate by developing strategies that have fundamentally changed the way the game is played. Granted, it will still be necessary to pursue maximum efficiency, but the emerging strategies will allow the companies that adopt them to differentiate themselves further than they otherwise could have done. These strategies are discussed

How Human Papillomavirus Replication and Immune Evasion Strategies Take Advantage of the Host DNA Damage Repair Machinery.

Science.gov (United States)

Bordignon, Valentina; Di Domenico, Enea Gino; Trento, Elisabetta; D'Agosto, Giovanna; Cavallo, Ilaria; Pontone, Martina; Pimpinelli, Fulvia; Mariani, Luciano; Ensoli, Fabrizio

2017-12-19

The DNA damage response (DDR) is a complex signalling network activated when DNA is altered by intrinsic or extrinsic agents. DDR plays important roles in genome stability and cell cycle regulation, as well as in tumour transformation. Viruses have evolved successful life cycle strategies in order to ensure a chronic persistence in the host, virtually avoiding systemic sequelae and death. This process promotes the periodic shedding of large amounts of infectious particles to maintain a virus reservoir in individual hosts, while allowing virus spreading within the community. To achieve such a successful lifestyle, the human papilloma virus (HPV) needs to escape the host defence systems. The key to understanding how this is achieved is in the virus replication process that provides by itself an evasion mechanism by inhibiting and delaying the host immune response against the viral infection. Numerous studies have demonstrated that HPV exploits both the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and ataxia-telangiectasia and rad3-related (ATR) DDR pathways to replicate its genome and maintain a persistent infection by downregulating the innate and cell-mediated immunity. This review outlines how HPV interacts with the ATM- and ATR-dependent DDR machinery during the viral life cycle to create an environment favourable to viral replication, and how the interaction with the signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) protein family and the deregulation of the Janus kinase (JAK)-STAT pathways may impact the expression of interferon-inducible genes and the innate immune responses.

The effects of image transfer strategy achieved through cobranding and brand extension

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rakita Branko

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the strategic importance of brand extension and cobranding. These two strategies we identify as the most important and the most popular brand image transfer strategies. They are widely adopted strategies for firms entering new markets, so they can take advantage of an existing brand's equity. In this article, we investigate whether cobranding with partner and brand extension has positive effects on customers' responses toward a new product. We also analyzed prerequisites for successful implementation of mentioned brand strategies. .

Advantages and risks in service standardization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veres Zoltán

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Comparing the advantages and risks in standardizing services, there can be no clear-cut answer concerning the strategy to be followed. Exploiting advantages in the long run is only worth it for a provider of a service that is able to build up a powerful brand image. However, the more successful a service concept, the stronger the temptation to imitation. The success of imitators will sooner or later bring about multibrand loyalty.

Taking advantage of ground data systems attributes to achieve quality results in testing software

Science.gov (United States)

Sigman, Clayton B.; Koslosky, John T.; Hageman, Barbara H.

1994-01-01

During the software development life cycle process, basic testing starts with the development team. At the end of the development process, an acceptance test is performed for the user to ensure that the deliverable is acceptable. Ideally, the delivery is an operational product with zero defects. However, the goal of zero defects is normally not achieved but is successful to various degrees. With the emphasis on building low cost ground support systems while maintaining a quality product, a key element in the test process is simulator capability. This paper reviews the Transportable Payload Operations Control Center (TPOCC) Advanced Spacecraft Simulator (TASS) test tool that is used in the acceptance test process for unmanned satellite operations control centers. The TASS is designed to support the development, test and operational environments of the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) operations control centers. The TASS uses the same basic architecture as the operations control center. This architecture is characterized by its use of distributed processing, industry standards, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and software components, and reusable software. The TASS uses much of the same TPOCC architecture and reusable software that the operations control center developer uses. The TASS also makes use of reusable simulator software in the mission specific versions of the TASS. Very little new software needs to be developed, mainly mission specific telemetry communication and command processing software. By taking advantage of the ground data system attributes, successful software reuse for operational systems provides the opportunity to extend the reuse concept into the test area. Consistency in test approach is a major step in achieving quality results.

Interface Adsorption Taking the Most Advantageous Conformation for Electron Transfer Between Graphene and Cytochrome c.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Benfeng; Ge, Zhenpeng; Li, Xiaoyi

2015-07-01

Most designed functions in biomedical nanotechnology are directly influenced by interactions of biological molecules with nano surfaces. Here, we explored and detected the most favorable adsorption conformation of cytochrome c on graphene by measuring the adsorption energy, the number of contact atoms, and the minimal distance between protein and surface. From the root mean square deviation of the protein backbone, the radius of gyration, and the proportion of secondary structure, it is revealed that cytochrome c does not deform significantly and the secondary structures are preserved to a large extent. The residues, Lys, Phe and Thr contribute significantly to the adsorption of cytochrome c to graphene. The long hydrophobic and flexible alkyl tail of Lys, the π-π stacking interaction between Phe and graphene, and the presence of abundant Thr constitute the driving force for the stable adsorption of cytochrome c on graphene. Cytochrome c is adsorbed to graphene with the group heme lying almost perpendicular to the graphene, and the distance between Fe atom and the graphene is 10.15 A, which is shorter than that between electron donor and receptor in many other biosystems. All the results suggest that the most favorable adsorption takes the most advantageous conformation for electron transfer, which promotes significantly the electron transfer between graphene and cytochrome c. The findings might provide new and important information for designs of biomedical devices or products with graphene-based nanomaterials.

The Survival Advantage: Underlying Mechanisms and Extant Limitations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephanie A. Kazanas

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Recently, researchers have begun to investigate the function of memory in our evolutionary history. According to Nairne and colleagues (e.g., Nairne, Pandeirada, and Thompson, 2008; Nairne, Thompson, and Pandeirada, 2007, the best mnemonic strategy for learning lists of unrelated words may be one that addresses the same problems that our Pleistocene ancestors faced: fitness-relevant problems including securing food and water, as well as protecting themselves from predators. Survival processing has been shown to promote better recall and recognition memory than many well-known mnemonic strategies (e.g., pleasantness ratings, imagery, generation, etc.. However, the survival advantage does not extend to all types of stimuli and tasks. The current review presents research that has replicated Nairne et al.'s (2007 original findings, in addition to the research designs that fail to replicate the survival advantage. In other words, there are specific manipulations in which survival processing does not appear to benefit memory any more than other strategies. Potential mechanisms for the survival advantage are described, with an emphasis on those that are the most plausible. These proximate mechanisms outline the memory processes that may contribute to the advantage, although the ultimate mechanism may be the congruity between the survival scenario and Pleistocene problem-solving.

The greenhouse advantage of natural gas appliances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coombe, N.

2000-01-01

The life cycle report prepared recently by Energetics for the AGA, Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Natural Gas, demonstrates clearly the greenhouse advantage natural gas has over coal in generating electricity. This study also goes one step further in applying this life cycle approach to the use of space and water heating within the home. The study shows the significant green-house advantage that natural gas appliances have over electric appliances. Findings from other studies also support this claim. The natural gas suppliers are encouraged to take advantage of the marketing opportunity that these studies provide, offering the householders the fuel that will significantly reduce their contribution to greenhouse emission

RECONSIDERING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valentina Zaharia

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Development of the competitive advantage involves a considerable effort from any organization. In particular, those organizations involved in a strong competitive market require the development of strategies to allocate long-term strategic marketing resources, efficiently and with easily quantifiable results. Faced with a multitude of phenomena and processes sometimes contradictory on different markets of consumption, contemporarily marketing has the mission to develop as creative as possible the business strategy of the organizations, their capacity of interacting with customers and other categories of audience. Such concepts as strategic positioning, relational marketing, management of the relationship with the consumer, marketing integrated research, a.s.o. are only a few of the tools with the help of which the marketing managers will implement successful operational strategies. All these developments are creating a real new paradigm of Marketing aimed to better explain the new types of complex market relationship in which the 21st Century organization is .

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Outsourcing

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2007-01-01

Nowadays, the increasing globalization and internationalization bring huge changes to business environment, which has been changed from a lot of dispersed local markets to a single economic market. These changes make businessmen have to think about their international business strategies, such as outsourcing. This article will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing in the context of global manufacturing strategy in order to help managers handle it more effectively.

Achieving competitive advantage through strategic human resource management.

Science.gov (United States)

Fottler, M D; Phillips, R L; Blair, J D; Duran, C A

1990-01-01

The framework presented here challenges health care executives to manage human resources strategically as an integral part of the strategic planning process. Health care executives should consciously formulate human resource strategies and practices that are linked to and reinforce the broader strategic posture of the organization. This article provides a framework for (1) determining and focusing on desired strategic outcomes, (2) identifying and implementing essential human resource management actions, and (3) maintaining or enhancing competitive advantage. The strategic approach to human resource management includes assessing the organization's environment and mission; formulating the organization's business strategy; assessing the human resources requirements based on the intended strategy; comparing the current inventory of human resources in terms of numbers, characteristics, and human resource management practices with respect to the strategic requirements of the organization and its services or product lines; formulating the human resource strategy based on the differences between the assessed requirements and the current inventory; and implementing the appropriate human resource practices to reinforce the strategy and attain competitive advantage.

Taking advantage of an unerupted third molar: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor Figueiredo Pereira

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Introduction: Treatments with dental surgery seek to displace tooth to the correct position within the dental arch. Objective: To report a clinical case that took advantage of an unerupted third molar. Case history: A male patient, 18 years of age, was referred by his dentist to evaluate the third molars. The clinical exam revealed no visible lower third molars. The computed tomography (CT exam showed the presence of a supernumerary tooth in the region of the mandibular ramus, on the left side, and impaction of the third molar, which was causing root resorption on the second molar, thus making it impossible to remain in the buccal cavity. The preferred option, therefore, was to remove both second molar and the supernumerary tooth, in addition to attaching a device to the third molar during surgery for further traction. Results: After 12 months, the third molar reached the proper position. Conclusion: When a mandibular second permanent molar shows an atypical root resorption, an impacted third molar can effectively substitute the tooth by using an appropriate orthodontic-surgical approach.

Strategy and society: the link between competitive advantage and corporate social responsibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, Michael E; Kramer, Mark R

2006-12-01

Governments, activists, and the media have become adept at holding companies to account for the social consequences of their actions. In response, corporate social responsibility has emerged as an inescapable priority for business leaders in every country. Frequently, though, CSR efforts are counterproductive, for two reasons. First, they pit business against society, when in reality the two are interdependent. Second, they pressure companies to think of corporate social responsibility in generic ways instead of in the way most appropriate to their individual strategies. The fact is, the prevailing approaches to CSR are so disconnected from strategy as to obscure many great opportunities for companies to benefit society. What a terrible waste. If corporations were to analyze their opportunities for social responsibility using the same frameworks that guide their core business choices, they would discover, as Whole Foods Market, Toyota, and Volvo have done, that CSR can be much more than a cost, a constraint, or a charitable deed--it can be a potent source of innovation and competitive advantage. In this article, Michael Porter and Mark Kramer propose a fundamentally new way to look at the relationship between business and society that does not treat corporate growth and social welfare as a zero-sum game. They introduce a framework that individual companies can use to identify the social consequences of their actions; to discover opportunities to benefit society and themselves by strengthening the competitive context in which they operate; to determine which CSR initiatives they should address; and to find the most effective ways of doing so. Perceiving social responsibility as an opportunity rather than as damage control or a PR campaign requires dramatically different thinking--a mind-set, the authors warn, that will become increasingly important to competitive success.

Potential of axial fuel management strategies in thorium-fuelled CANDU's

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milgram, M.S.

1978-06-01

Three axial fuel management strategies are compared for use in a CANDU-PHW reactor operating on a self-sufficient, equilibrium thorium cycle. Two of these strategies are familiar ones for uranium reactors, and the third seeks to take advantage of the nuclear characteristics of the Th 232 → U 233 transmutation chain to improve the economics of the fuel cycle by periodically removing the fuel from the reactor. This results in an approximately 50% increase in burnup and an approximately 15% decrease in heavy element fuel inventory at a channel power of 6 MW, relative to the other strategies. (author)

Developing people: a strategy for competitive advantage.

Science.gov (United States)

King, S

1995-05-01

This article will provide vital insights, acquired in a recent study with eight manufacturing companies, to guide the development of a human resource development strategy. This study was a pilot for a larger study, planned for the fall of 1995 with 50 manufacturing companies randomly chosen from the Directory of Massachusetts High Technology Companies.

Analyzing Sustainable Competitive Advantage: Strategically Managing Resource Allocations to Achieve Operational Competitiveness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul Malek Nurul Aida

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In today’s dynamic business environment, a key challenge for all companies is to make adaptive adjustments to their manufacturing strategy. This study demonstrates the competitive priorities of manufacturing strategy in hydro-power case company to evaluate the level of sustainable competitive advantage and also to further analyze how business strategies are aligned with manufacturing strategies. This research is based on new holistic analytical evaluation of manufacturing strategy index, sense and respond, and sustainable competitive advantage models. These models help to describe, evaluate, and optimize resource allocation to meet the performance requirements in dynamic decision making. Furthermore, these models evaluate operational competitiveness for manufacturing strategies according to the multi-criteria priority. The results show that the adjustments of competitive priorities in manufacturing strategies by implementing the proposed holistic analytical models are helpful in strategically managing business operations. The discussion derives the most critical attributes in business operations while alignment of resource allocation with competitive priorities help to strategically focus those attributes. In conclusion, we argue that resource allocation and manufacturing strategies have become the most important capabilities in a business environment where companies focus to get a sustainable competitive advantage.

Performance Achievement As The Impact Of Strategy Organizatonal Competence Strategy Execution And Competitive Advantage A Study On Private Polytechnics In West Java Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bertha Musty

2015-08-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT - The higher education environment has changed faster than the ability of higher education to respond the competition becomes more intense complex and dynamic making some polytechnics can thrive survive and others are stopping operations. This study was conducted to examine the profile of 29 polytechnics in West Java to achieve organizational performance. Research results show that polytechnic performance is affected by the quality of the execution and its competitive advantage which are determined by the precision and alignment strategies with organizational competence. The model findings of this study could be an analysis tool to solve the polytechnics survival problems how to face the intense competition and changing environment.

Gazprom: Russia's strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lizin, A.M.; Zeisler, N.

2007-01-01

Seventeen years after the splitting up of the Soviet empire, Russia is looking again for huge international ambitions. Its main advantage in this power search will is its energy resources. Production area, but also transit area between Asia, central Asia, Caucasus and Europe, Russia is an inevitable partner and wishes to take advantage of this strategic position. Gazprom, the hugest gas company in the world, is totally under the control of the government. Therefore, the Kremlin has made gas its main political and diplomatic weapon. Such an energetic imperialisms has strong economical and political consequences on the rest of Europe as illustrated by the recent Ukrainian crisis. The reconstruction of an energy empire similar to the one of the hottest days of the cold war worries also the USA. This study is a collective work carried out by students of the Sciences Po school of Paris in the framework of the 'international organizations' seminar given by by A.M Lizin, president of the Belgium senate and chairwoman of the human rights commission of the organization for European security and cooperation. Content: Gazprom's international strategy, Gazprom: an omnipotent gas company, Gazprom's international strategy at the service of the Russian foreign policy, Gazprom's energy stake and strategies, Gazprom and Armenia, Gazprom and Azerbaijan, Gazprom and Belgium, Gazprom and Bielorussia, Gazprom and Iberia, French position in energy stakes and in front of Gazprom, Gazprom's difficulties in Hungary, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan in front of Gazprom, Gazprom and the US strategy. (J.S.)

Is testing a more effective learning strategy than note-taking?

Science.gov (United States)

Rummer, Ralf; Schweppe, Judith; Gerst, Kathleen; Wagner, Simon

2017-09-01

The testing effect is both robust and generalizable. However, most of the underlying studies compare testing to a rather ineffective control condition: massed repeated reading. This article therefore compares testing with note-taking, which has been shown to be more effective than repeated reading. Experiment 1 is based on a 3 × 3 between-participants design with the factors learning condition (repeated reading vs. repeated testing vs. repeated note-taking) and final test delay (5 min vs. 1 week vs. 2 weeks). It shows that in the immediate condition, learning performance is best after note-taking. After 1 week, both the note-taking and the testing groups outperform the rereading group, and after 2 weeks, testing is superior to both note-taking and rereading. Since repeated notetaking may not be the most effective (and common) operationalization of note-taking, Experiment 2 contrasts repeated testing with 2 other note-taking conditions: note-taking plus note-reading and note-taking plus testing (with only a 2-week final test delay). Both conditions that include a testing phase result in better long-term learning than note-taking plus note-reading. In summary, our findings indicate that-in the long run-testing is a powerful learning tool both in isolation and in combination with note-taking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Plant nutrient acquisition strategies in tundra species: at which soil depth do species take up their nitrogen?

Science.gov (United States)

Limpens, Juul; Heijmans, Monique; Nauta, Ake; van Huissteden, Corine; van Rijssel, Sophie

2016-04-01

The Arctic is warming at unprecedented rates. Increased thawing of permafrost releases nutrients locked up in the previously frozen soils layers, which may initiate shifts in vegetation composition. The direction in which the vegetation shifts will co-determine whether Arctic warming is mitigated or accelerated, making understanding successional trajectories urgent. One of the key factors influencing the competitive relationships between plant species is their access to nutrients, in particularly nitrogen (N). We assessed the depth at which plant species took up N by performing a 15N tracer study, injecting 15(NH4)2SO4 at three depths (5, 15, 20 cm) into the soil in arctic tundra in north-eastern Siberia in July. In addition we explored plant nutrient acquisition strategy by analyzing natural abundances of 15N in leaves. We found that vascular plants took up 15N at all injection depths, irrespective of species, but also that species showed a clear preference for specific soil layers that coincided with their functional group (graminoids, dwarf shrubs, cryptogams). Graminoids took up most 15N at 20 cm depth nearest to the thaw front, with grasses showing a more pronounced preference than sedges. Dwarf shrubs took up most 15N at 5 cm depth, with deciduous shrubs displaying more preference than evergreens. Cryptogams did not take up any of the supplied 15N . The natural 15N abundances confirmed the pattern of nutrient acquisition from deeper soil layers in graminoids and from shallow soil layers in both deciduous and evergreen dwarf shrubs. Our results prove that graminoids and shrubs differ in their N uptake strategies, with graminoids profiting from nutrients released at the thaw front, whereas shrubs forage in the upper soil layers. The above implies that graminoids, grasses in particular, will have a competitive advantage over shrubs as the thaw front proceeds and/or superficial soil layers dry out. Our results suggest that the vertical distribution of nutrients

COMPETITORS ACCOUNTING AS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE TOOL

OpenAIRE

YÜCENURŞEN, Mehmet; DUMAN, Haluk; APAK, İbrahim; KALAV, Ömer

2016-01-01

In recent years, it seems that businesses adopt customer-oriented marketing strategies. According to the adopted strategies to keep customer satisfaction at the highest level, businesses have been focused to developt new product, to find new customers, to improve distribution and promotion activity etc. Besides, businesses have recognized that they should analize their competitor’s activity and movement to make high profit and growth. Porter's competitive advantage that it is possib...

Determining the appropriate strategies for emergency planning through AHP-SWOT.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalatpour, Omid

2017-01-01

During an unexpected incident, companies should demonstrate appropriate behaviour based on predetermined and rehearsed emergency strategies. This paper describes how to select the proper strategies for emergency situations via means of the AHP-SWOT tool, where the initial SWOT analysis is conducted for the emergency management system, and the final strategies are selected via the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Alternative response strategies comprise internal, shared and external responses. Most of the scenarios investigated for this study demanded a shared response. These findings highlight the importance of mutual aid agreements, cooperative exercises and the improvement of communication systems. Organisations can take advantage of integrated approaches to select the best strategies and tactics for normal situations in general and emergency situations in particular.

SUSTAINABILITY AS A STRATEGY OF RESPONSIBLE AND COMPETITIVE DEVELOPMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José G. Vargas-Hernández

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to analyze a competitiveness strategy based on sustainability to lead the way to a model of responsible and competitive development. The analysis takes as its starting point the assumption that the maturity of a sustainable business strategy positively affects competitiveness. The used method is the critical analysis. Among other results of this analysis concludes that the current business strategy seeks a system ecologically appropriate, economically viable and socially fair to reach sustainable equilibrium. This strategy based on sustainability must be promoted by the institutions and strengthened by the capabilities and resources that each company counts on to develop advantages to foster the overall development and achieve the maximization of benefits from the tangible and intangible perspectives

Replication Strategy for Spatiotemporal Data Based on Distributed Caching System.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Lian; Yang, Liu; Tao, Yang; Xu, Juan; Zhao, Lun

2018-01-14

The replica strategy in distributed cache can effectively reduce user access delay and improve system performance. However, developing a replica strategy suitable for varied application scenarios is still quite challenging, owing to differences in user access behavior and preferences. In this paper, a replication strategy for spatiotemporal data (RSSD) based on a distributed caching system is proposed. By taking advantage of the spatiotemporal locality and correlation of user access, RSSD mines high popularity and associated files from historical user access information, and then generates replicas and selects appropriate cache node for placement. Experimental results show that the RSSD algorithm is simple and efficient, and succeeds in significantly reducing user access delay.

Competitive Advantages of Indonesian Plywood Industry: A Perspective from Porter???s Five Forces Model

OpenAIRE

Makkarennu

2015-01-01

The Understanding industry structure is of great concern to industry strategic since depending against the competitive forces and shaping them in a company???s favor area essential to strategy. Competitive advantages provide the framework for assessing strategy and understanding the source of competitive advantage. This paper applies Porter Five Forces Model to identify the positioning of competitive advantages of plywood industry in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Qualitative research was carried...

A Conceptual Mapping Resource Advantage Theory, Competitive Advantage Theory, and Transient Competitive Advantage

OpenAIRE

Jasanta PERANGINANGIN

2015-01-01

Competitive advantage is the main purposed of the business entity focusing on market base view. Resource advantage theorists put their concern to empowering resources development with resources based view, in the other side needs to redefining competitive advantage. All the competitive advantage are transient, concluded the end of competitive advantage. Redefining competitive advantage by selling migration and shrewdness outward. This research to emphasize innovation capability rarely appears...

Competitive advantage for multiple-memory strategies in an artificial market

Science.gov (United States)

Mitman, Kurt E.; Choe, Sehyo C.; Johnson, Neil F.

2005-05-01

We consider a simple binary market model containing N competitive agents. The novel feature of our model is that it incorporates the tendency shown by traders to look for patterns in past price movements over multiple time scales, i.e. multiple memory-lengths. In the regime where these memory-lengths are all small, the average winnings per agent exceed those obtained for either (1) a pure population where all agents have equal memory-length, or (2) a mixed population comprising sub-populations of equal-memory agents with each sub-population having a different memory-length. Agents who consistently play strategies of a given memory-length, are found to win more on average -- switching between strategies with different memory lengths incurs an effective penalty, while switching between strategies of equal memory does not. Agents employing short-memory strategies can outperform agents using long-memory strategies, even in the regime where an equal-memory system would have favored the use of long-memory strategies. Using the many-body 'Crowd-Anticrowd' theory, we obtain analytic expressions which are in good agreement with the observed numerical results. In the context of financial markets, our results suggest that multiple-memory agents have a better chance of identifying price patterns of unknown length and hence will typically have higher winnings.

Strategi Periklanan pada Bisnis Retail

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veny Ari Sejati

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This research aims to analyze the benefits of advertising strategy of Poundland. The method used is a qualitative approach because its ability to produce an in-depth description to obtain an authentic understanding of the experience of the people concerned. The study found that Poundland conducted intensive advertising by utilizing important moments such as Halloween, Christmas, Mother Day, etc using Internet media, social media, and e-mail sent 1-2 times per week. Poundland also employs other media such as word of mouth spread among students. Catalog is also used as the print media to reach the consumers. Poundland uses communication technology and take advantage of important moments for advertising strategy. This description can be a reference for retail businesses in Indonesia to pay attention to important events in Indonesia such as national moments and utilizing non-traditional communication technologies as an advertising strategy.

Prioritizing operation strategies of companies using fuzzy AHP and importance-performance matrix

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamad Amin Kaviani

2014-06-01

Full Text Available One of the most important steps to build an appropriate business unit is to setup a suitable long-term strategy. A good strategy helps organization take better advantage of the existing resources and improve the performance of the firm. This paper presents a hybrid method consists of importance-performance analysis combined with fuzzy analytical hierarchy process to determine different operating strategies to increase the performance of a cement industry in Iran. The results indicate that being competitive is number one priority followed by fast delivery, quality product, dependability, cost of production and flexibility.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN THE ENTERPRISE PERFORMANCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

PRUNEA Ana Daniela

2014-07-01

once they develop a strategy for obtaining a competitive advantage. The purpose of this paper is to present the importance of having competitive advantage; the ways in which it ppoate obtain and hazards that may arise with its implementation by companies.

The energy-efficiency business - Energy utility strategies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loebbe, S.

2009-01-01

This article takes a look at the energy-efficiency business and the advantages it offers. The author quotes that energy-efficiency can contribute to making savings in primary energy, minimise the economic impact of global warming, improve reliability of supply and protect the gross national product. The advantages of new products for the efficient use of energy are reviewed and the resulting advantages for power customers are noted. Also, possibilities for the positioning of electricity suppliers in the environmental niche is noted. The partial markets involved and estimates concerning the impact of energy-efficiency measures are reviewed. Climate protection, co-operation with energy agencies, consulting services and public relations aspects are also discussed. The prerequisites for successful marketing by the utilities are examined and new business models are discussed along with the clear strategies needed. The development from an electricity utility to a system-competence partner is reviewed

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP - THEIR IMPACT ON CREATING SUSTAINABLE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ljiljana Stošić Mihajlović

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Modern economy, less oriented to natural resources, and more on the intellectual aspects of asset, based on the fact that the competitive advantage of any company is the knowledge that she possesses. Terms of economic theory terms, it is necessary to build a strategy that will produce super profits, ie. strategy that will enable the efficient exploitation of knowledge companies to win competitive advantage. It is assumed that knowledge in its explicit or implicit manifestations can be managed. The question is how to develop a knowledge management strategy that would exploit this valuable resource and protect its value. Possibility of knowledge management is becoming increasingly important in today's so-called. knowledge economy (knowledge economy. The creation and dissemination of knowledge within modern organizations is becoming increasingly crucial factor in achieving and maintaining its competitive advantage. In fact, the only sustainable competitive advantage of modern organizations derives from what the company knows, how efficiently used what you know and how quickly acquire and use new knowledge. Modern organizations in the era of knowledge is one who learns, remembers and acts on the basis of the information and knowledge available in the best possible way.

Initiative-taking, Improvisational Capability and Business Model Innovation in Emerging Market

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cao, Yangfeng

Business model innovation plays a very important role in developing competitive advantage when multinational small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from developed country enter into emerging markets because of the large contextual distances or gaps between the emerging and developed economies....... Many prior researches have shown that the foreign subsidiaries play important role in shaping the overall strategy of the parent company. However, little is known about how subsidiary specifically facilitates business model innovation (BMI) in emerging markets. Adopting the method of comparative...... innovation in emerging markets. We find that high initiative-taking and strong improvisational capability can accelerate the business model innovation. Our research contributes to the literatures on international and strategic entrepreneurship....

Improving the satellite communication efficiency of the accumulative acknowledgement strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Duarte, Otto Carlos M. B.; de Lima, Heliomar Medeiros

The performances of two finite buffer error recovery strategies are analyzed. In both strategies the retransmission request decision between selective repeat and continuous retransmission is based on an imminent buffer overflow condition. These are accumulative acknowledgment schemes, but in the second strategy the selective-repeat control frame is uniquely an individual negative acknowledgment. The two strategies take advantage of the availability of a greater buffer capacity, making the most of the selective repeat, postponing the sending of a continuous retransmission request. Numerical results show a better performance very close to the ideal, but it does not integrally conform to the high-level data link control (HDLC) procedures. It is shown that these strategies are well suited for high-speed data transfer in the high-error-rate satellite environment.

Monitoring mangrove forests: Are we taking full advantage of technology?

Science.gov (United States)

Younes Cárdenas, Nicolás; Joyce, Karen E.; Maier, Stefan W.

2017-12-01

Mangrove forests grow in the estuaries of 124 tropical countries around the world. Because in-situ monitoring of mangroves is difficult and time-consuming, remote sensing technologies are commonly used to monitor these ecosystems. Landsat satellites have provided regular and systematic images of mangrove ecosystems for over 30 years, yet researchers often cite budget and infrastructure constraints to justify the underuse this resource. Since 2001, over 50 studies have used Landsat or ASTER imagery for mangrove monitoring, and most focus on the spatial extent of mangroves, rarely using more than five images. Even after the Landsat archive was made free for public use, few studies used more than five images, despite the clear advantages of using more images (e.g. lower signal-to-noise ratios). The main argument of this paper is that, with freely available imagery and high performance computing facilities around the world, it is up to researchers to acquire the necessary programming skills to use these resources. Programming skills allow researchers to automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks, such as image acquisition and processing, consequently reducing up to 60% of the time dedicated to these activities. These skills also help scientists to review and re-use algorithms, hence making mangrove research more agile. This paper contributes to the debate on why scientists need to learn to program, not only to challenge prevailing approaches to mangrove research, but also to expand the temporal and spatial extents that are commonly used for mangrove research.

Strategies for Translating Vocative Texts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga COJOCARU

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with the linguistic and cultural elements of vocative texts and the techniques used in translating them by giving some examples of texts that are typically vocative (i.e. advertisements and instructions for use. Semantic and communicative strategies are popular in translation studies and each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages in translating vocative texts. The advantage of semantic translation is that it takes more account of the aesthetic value of the SL text, while communicative translation attempts to render the exact contextual meaning of the original text in such a way that both content and language are readily acceptable and comprehensible to the readership. Focus is laid on the strategies used in translating vocative texts, strategies that highlight and introduce a cultural context to the target audience, in order to achieve their overall purpose, that is to sell or persuade the reader to behave in a certain way. Thus, in order to do that, a number of advertisements from the field of cosmetics industry and electronic gadgets were selected for analysis. The aim is to gather insights into vocative text translation and to create new perspectives on this field of research, now considered a process of innovation and diversion, especially in areas as important as economy and marketing.

Investigation the impact of outsourcing on competitive advantages' creation by considering Porter's model; Case study: Zamyad Company

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Reza Kasrai

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Competitive advantage is an important factor in boosting companies' success and is considered more emphatically in management and strategic marketing literature in recent years. There are many different ideas about effective factors in creation of competitive advantages. Also fast rate of change in business, is forcing CEOs to utilize some strategies, which have the best impact on current organizational circumstances and the future trend of investigation in organizational trades. Outsourcing is one of the best strategies, which are widely utilized by CEOs in different organizations. Many managers believe that outsourcing is the solitary way for preserving the balance of organization in 21 century. Based on Porter competitive advantage model, there are three strategies, which lead a company to reach competitive advantage. These strategies are cost leadership, differentiation strategy and segmentation strategy. In this article, we are investigating outsourcing effects on creation of competitive advantages through Porter model in an automotive factory in Iran. We design a questionnaire for gathering necessary information about the role of outsourcing in creation of different strategies as competitive advantages in managers' point of view. We analyze the questionnaires and implement a goodness of fit test to recognize the distribution of data and the statistical method. Preliminary results show that nonparametric statistic methods can be utilized for testing our hypothesis. We use a Wilcoxon test to consider the null hypothesis and a Friedman test to estimate the rank of means. Our findings verify an undeniable effect of outsourcing on creation of competitive advantage and the ranking list is presented.

Experimental strategies in Laue crystallography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clifton, I.J.; Hajdu, J.; Elder, M.

1991-01-01

The efficiency of data collection using the Laue technique varies with the wavelength range, the crystal symmetry, the orientation of the crystal in the X-ray beam, the crystal-to-film distance and the acceptance angle of the detector. By optimizing these parameters and by taking advantage of the diffraction symmetry represented by the Laue class, it is often possible to collect a nearly complete data set in one or two exposures. This paper discusses general strategies for data collection and presents results from a computer survey to find optimal crystal orientations for the eleven Laue classes. (orig.)

Replication Strategy for Spatiotemporal Data Based on Distributed Caching System

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Lian; Tao, Yang; Xu, Juan; Zhao, Lun

2018-01-01

The replica strategy in distributed cache can effectively reduce user access delay and improve system performance. However, developing a replica strategy suitable for varied application scenarios is still quite challenging, owing to differences in user access behavior and preferences. In this paper, a replication strategy for spatiotemporal data (RSSD) based on a distributed caching system is proposed. By taking advantage of the spatiotemporal locality and correlation of user access, RSSD mines high popularity and associated files from historical user access information, and then generates replicas and selects appropriate cache node for placement. Experimental results show that the RSSD algorithm is simple and efficient, and succeeds in significantly reducing user access delay. PMID:29342897

Indonesian Comparative Advantage Entering the ASEAN Economic Community

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riandi .

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to examine the comparative advantage of Indonesian commodities in order to enter the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC. This study uses the export data during the period of 2003-2013 among five ASEAN countries participating in the AEC, including Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. All data obtained from the UN Comtrade database following the Harmonized System (HS at the two-digit classification level. This study applies dynamic revealed comparative advantage (DRCA index developed by Edwards and Schoer (2001 which is the development of revealed comparative advantage (RCA index by Balassa (1965. The results show that Indonesia is ready to enter the AEC. From this research, there are several Indonesian main commodities which have comparative advantage in ASEAN, including fish, crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic invertebrates ones (HS-03, edible fruit, nuts, peel of citrus fruit, melons (HS-08, oil seed, oleagic fruits, grain, seed, fruit, etc, nes (HS-12, lac, gums, resins, vegetable saps and extracts nes (HS-13, rubber and articles thereof (HS-40, paper & paperboard, articles of pulp, paper and board (HS-48, special woven or tufted fabric, lace, tapestry etc (HS-58, articles apparel, accessories, not knit or crochet (HS-62, and vehicles other than railway, tramway (HS-87. Those commodities are in line with Indonesian government export's strategy direction which mainly focuses on several sectors, including fishery, vegetable products, rubber, wood and wood products, textiles, and transportation. Therefore, Indonesian government should focus to improve those commodities in AEC. Keywords: Indonesian Comparative Advantage, Main Export Commodities, Export Strategy Direction, ASEAN Economic Community

Taking the stairs instead: The impact of workplace design standards on health promotion strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marian Tye

2013-01-01

Full Text Available AbstractBackground Comprehensive health promotion in Western Australia has been conducted from the point of views of policy development, promotion, education and service delivery. Much of this recent work has been focused on supporting workplaces – but there has yet to be any real focus on the design of the actual physical workplace environment from a health promotion perspective. Aims This paper is aimed at highlighting the gap in health promotion knowledge by addressing how the disciplines of architecture and health promotion can work together to challenge the regulations that dictate design practice and ultimately bridge that gap for long-term change. The overarching aim is to undertake further evidenced-based research that will inform best practice in the planning and design of workplaces to reduce sedentary behaviour and increase opportunities for physical activity. Method Within this wide objective this paper focuses in particular on the idea of stairs-versus-lift movement strategies within office buildings. By examining building design guidelines from a health promotion perspective we expose a central dichotomy, where health promotion posters say “Take the stairs instead” whereas the language of building design suggests that the lift is best. Results From a design point of view, the National Codes of Construction (NCC, formally known as the Building Codes of Australia (BCA, the essential technical regulation for all building design and construction, primarily addresses the concepts of ‘egress’ and ‘travel distance’ for escape in the event of fire, and building access in terms of universal access. Additionally, The Property Council of Australia’s Guide to Office Building Quality prioritises lift performance criteria along with the quality and experience of lift use as a major grading factor. There is no provision in either set of standards for staircase quality and experience. Conclusion The stairs, despite being promoted

DigiMemo: Facilitating the Note Taking Process

Science.gov (United States)

Kurt, Serhat

2009-01-01

Everyone takes notes daily for various reasons. Note taking is very popular in school settings and generally recognized as an effective learning strategy. Further, note taking is a complex process because it requires understanding, selection of information and writing. Some new technological tools may facilitate the note taking process. Among such…

Deployment technique that takes advantage of the characteristics of Enterprise VRD2: an in vitro study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chihara, Hideo; Ishii, Akira; Kikuchi, Takayuki; Ikeda, Hiroyuki; Arai, Daisuke; Miyamoto, Susumu

2017-10-01

Enterprise VRD, a stent frequently used to assist coil embolization of cerebral aneurysms, has been upgraded to reduce the risk of incomplete stent apposition (ISA), a known risk factor for thromboembolic complications. To compare the performances of Enterprise VRD and Enterprise VRD2 in curved vessels, and to investigate a deployment method that takes advantage of the features of Enterprise VRD2 to achieve better vessel wall apposition. A silicone vascular model connected to a temperature-adjustable perfusion circuit was used. First, Enterprise VRD and Enterprise VRD2 were deployed under fluoroscopy and then ISA was evaluated as the stent cross-sectional area ratio at the curved segment of the vessel. For the measurements, each stent was deployed in vessels with different angles of curvature. Second, the incidence of ISA after insertion of Enterprise VRD2 by the 'pushing over outer curve technique', in which stents are deployed along the outer curve of vessels with continuous wire advancement, was compared with 'Heller's push and pull technique'. For all stents, the cross-sectional area ratio decreased with acute curvature of the vessel. Comparisons of the two stents showed that Enterprise VRD2 was better than Enterprise VRD in maintaining a greater cross-sectional area ratio in curved vessels. In addition, kinking with an acute curvature was also minimized with Enterprise VRD2. Furthermore, ISA was reduced using our technique with Enterprise VRD2. Enterprise VRD2 is superior to Enterprise VRD in reducing ISA in curved vessels and can alter ISA according to the deployment technique used. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Strategy for decommissioning of NPP's in Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rittscher, D.; Sterner, H.

2003-01-01

According to German Atomic Law, two different strategies are possible, i.e. direct dismantling and safe enclosure before dismantling. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages. Taking into account the site and plant specific conditions the optimal strategy can be evaluated. Both approaches have been applied in Germany in the past. The German Atomic Law and the Radiation Protection Ordinance (June 2002) were adapted recently (July 2002). Additionally, the life operation time of the German NPP's was fixed in a new law (April 2002): Orderly Termination of the Commercial Production of Nuclear Electricity. These issues have made it necessary for the power utilities to review the strategies applied. As long as the final disposal in Germany is still an open issue, the construction of local Interim Stores is necessary to be able to dismantle a NPP. The basic strategies are not excluding each other and it seems clear today, that the optimal approach is a combination of these strategies, e.g. dismantling of all auxiliary systems and leaving activated parts for a longer SE period. Within this approach the advantages of both basic strategies have been integrated in one. The EWN GmbH has developed such integrated but still different approaches for the decommissioning projects of the Kernkraftwerke Greifswald (KGR) and the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Versuchsreaktor (AVR) Juelich. It can be stated that the decommissioning of a NPP does not present technical issues of concern, but is more a project management issue, although surrounded by sometime intricate political and juridical boundary conditions. A major strategy change is to be expected only when final disposal capacities are available in the future. (authors)

Strategy as simple rules.

Science.gov (United States)

Eisenhardt, K M; Sull, D N

2001-01-01

The success of Yahoo!, eBay, Enron, and other companies that have become adept at morphing to meet the demands of changing markets can't be explained using traditional thinking about competitive strategy. These companies have succeeded by pursuing constantly evolving strategies in market spaces that were considered unattractive according to traditional measures. In this article--the third in an HBR series by Kathleen Eisenhardt and Donald Sull on strategy in the new economy--the authors ask, what are the sources of competitive advantage in high-velocity markets? The secret, they say, is strategy as simple rules. The companies know that the greatest opportunities for competitive advantage lie in market confusion, but they recognize the need for a few crucial strategic processes and a few simple rules. In traditional strategy, advantage comes from exploiting resources or stable market positions. In strategy as simple rules, advantage comes from successfully seizing fleeting opportunities. Key strategic processes, such as product innovation, partnering, or spinout creation, place the company where the flow of opportunities is greatest. Simple rules then provide the guidelines within which managers can pursue such opportunities. Simple rules, which grow out of experience, fall into five broad categories: how- to rules, boundary conditions, priority rules, timing rules, and exit rules. Companies with simple-rules strategies must follow the rules religiously and avoid the temptation to change them too frequently. A consistent strategy helps managers sort through opportunities and gain short-term advantage by exploiting the attractive ones. In stable markets, managers rely on complicated strategies built on detailed predictions of the future. But when business is complicated, strategy should be simple.

Competitive advantage for differentiation of Pereira International Free Trade Zone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paola Andrea Echeverri Gutiérrez

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The best way to know if a company is at the heart of success is by determining its competitive advantage. For Pereira International Free Trade Zone, foreign trade platform and recent project implementation, it is important to identify its competitive advantage, so it can develop strategies for entering and staying in the market. In this research, an analysis of the five forces industry free zones was performed, the value chain of the Pereira International Free Trade Zone was defined, finally the factors that influence their competitive advantage was determined.

LHCb software strategy

CERN Document Server

Van Herwijnen, Eric

1998-01-01

This document describes the software strategy of the LHCb experiment. The main objective is to reuse designs and code wherever possible; We will implement an architecturally driven design process; This architectural process will be implemented using Object Technology; We aim for platform indepence; try to take advantage of distributed computing and will use industry standards, commercial software and profit from HEP developments; We will implement a common software process and development environment. One of the major problems that we are immediately faced with is the conversion of our current code from Fortran into an Object Oriented language and the conversion of our current developers to Object technology. Some technical terms related to OO programming are defined in Annex A.1

Seeking the competitive advantage: it's more than cost reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

South, S F

1999-01-01

Most organizations focus considerable time and energy on reducing operating costs as a way to attain marketplace advantage. This strategy was not inappropriate in the past. To be competitive in the future, however, focus must be placed on other issues, not just cost reduction. The near future will be dominated by service industries, knowledge management, and virtual partnerships, with production optimization and flexibility, innovation, and strong partnerships defining those organizations that attain competitive advantage. Competitive advantage will reside in clarifying the vision and strategic plan, reviewing and redesigning work processes to optimize resources and value-added work, and creating change-ready environments and empowered workforces.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Weighted Grading. Research Brief

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Karen

2004-01-01

What are the advantages and disadvantages of weighted grading? The primary purpose of weighted grading has been to encourage high school students to take more rigorous courses. This effort is then acknowledged by more weight being given to the grade for a specified class. There are numerous systems of weighted grading cited in the literature from…

CREATING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES – THE EUROPEAN CSR-STRATEGY COMPARED WITH PORTER'S AND KRAMER'S SHARED VALUE APPROACH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Regina Moczadlo

2015-07-01

Full Text Available In 2011 the European Commission changed the definition and strategy for corporate social responsibility (CSR with the creation of shared value as one core element of the new concept. In the same year Porter and Kramer published in the Harvard Business Review their approach of creating shared value (CSV as core element of long-term business strategies. The starting point of both approaches is the societal legitimation of enterprises to do business. CSR respective CSV are evaluated to be a mean for reaching this legitimation and to further to gain back trust of the society that was lost during the financial crisis. This paper describes the two concepts and analyzes similarities and differences. From the overall aim and intention the EU concept has a wider focus and much higher requirements for enterprises. The European Commission assesses CSR as a measure for business to contribute to inclusive growth, employment and well-being of the society. Hence, companies have to take into account economic, social and environmental targets further include ethical, human rights and consumer concerns when developing their long-term business strategy. CSV of Porter and Kramer also goes beyond the pure business case of CSR because CSV also is defined as a long-term measure which has to be integrated systematically in the strategic core business of companies. The Commission see shareholder as just one common group of a company's stakeholder and gives no preference to them. For Porter and Kramer the simultaneous creation of profit and societal value are decisive.

The Advantage and Limitation of Agriculture Byproduct and Feeding Strategy Based on Agriculture Byproduct for Beef Cattle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariyono

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Feed supply is getting limited since the use of land for forages has been replaced by building industries big plantation, agriculture. Sustainable integration between animal and food crop and plantation is efficient and gives advantage for both. Rice, cassava soybean, groundnut, palm oil, coconut, coffee, cocoa and sugar cane are food crop and plantation which their byproducts are generally used or modified/processed for ruminant production. This paper describes optimization on the use of these byproducts to decrease feed cost without ignoring the feed quality. These byproducts have special characteristic and limitation with fluctuated price. Their nutritive values vary and they can be grouped into fiber, fiber-energy, fiber-protein, protein or energy sources. Therefore, special strategy for each location and purpose of livestock industry is required to get an efficient and optimal feed composition.

On the Marketing Strategies of Heritage in Chongzuo City

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2015-01-01

Chongzuo city is in the southwest border of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.After ten years’ development,its tourism industry has been taking shape.However,the tourism market of Chongzuo still facessome problemslike being limited in long-distance domestic marketand immigration market.With considering Chongzuo’s geographical advantages as well as its abundant natural and cultural resources,this paperwill mainly focus on analyzing the tourism marketing strategies of Chongzuo and give certain feasible modes to enhance the development of heritage tourism in Chongzuo.

BUSINESS COMPETITORS AND COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SUCIU TITUS

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the concept of competition, both from the perspective of the economic sector –where it is characteristic for pure monopole, oligopoly, monopole competition and pure competition, as well asfrom the market’s point of view – where it determines the strategies, objectives, advantages and weaknesses of acompany. The main point of the paper is the criticism of the pure and perfect competition theory. Concluding,the author insists on innovation, especially on the model of open innovation.

The Critical Advantage: Developing Critical Thinking Skills in School

Science.gov (United States)

Gormley, William T., Jr.

2017-01-01

In "The Critical Advantage," noted scholar and early childhood expert William T. Gormley, Jr. takes a wide ranging look at the important role of critical thinking in preparing students for college, careers, and civic life. Drawing on research from psychology, philosophy, business, political science, neuroscience, and other disciplines,…

A strategy for the economic optimization of combined cycle gas turbine power plants by taking advantage of useful thermodynamic relationships

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godoy, E.; Benz, S.J.; Scenna, N.J.

2011-01-01

Optimal combined cycle gas turbine power plants characterized by minimum specific annual cost values are here determined for wide ranges of market conditions as given by the relative weights of capital investment and operative costs, by means of a non-linear mathematical programming model. On the other hand, as the technical optimization allows identifying trends in the system behavior and unveiling optimization opportunities, selected functional relationships are obtained as the thermodynamic optimal values of the decision variables are systematically linked to the ratio between the total heat transfer area and the net power production (here named as specific transfer area). A strategy for simplifying the resolution of the rigorous economic optimization problem of power plants is proposed based on the economic optima distinctive characteristics which describe the behavior of the decision variables of the power plant on its optima. Such approach results in a novel mathematical formulation shaped as a system of non-linear equations and additional constraints that is able to easily provide accurate estimations of the optimal values of the power plant design and operative variables. Research highlights: → We achieve relationships between power plants' economic and thermodynamic optima. → We achieve functionalities among thermodynamic optimal values of decision variables. → The rigorous optimization problem is reduced to a non-linear equations system. → Accurate estimations of power plants' design and operative variables are obtained.

Testing take-the-best in new and changing environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Michael D; Blanco, Gabrielle; Bo, Nikole

2017-08-01

Take-the-best is a decision-making strategy that chooses between alternatives, by searching the cues representing the alternatives in order of cue validity, and choosing the alternative with the first discriminating cue. Theoretical support for take-the-best comes from the "fast and frugal" approach to modeling cognition, which assumes decision-making strategies need to be fast to cope with a competitive world, and be simple to be robust to uncertainty and environmental change. We contribute to the empirical evaluation of take-the-best in two ways. First, we generate four new environments-involving bridge lengths, hamburger prices, theme park attendances, and US university rankings-supplementing the relatively limited number of naturally cue-based environments previously considered. We find that take-the-best is as accurate as rival decision strategies that use all of the available cues. Secondly, we develop 19 new data sets characterizing the change in cities and their populations in four countries. We find that take-the-best maintains its accuracy and limited search as the environments change, even if cue validities learned in one environment are used to make decisions in another. Once again, we find that take-the-best is as accurate as rival strategies that use all of the cues. We conclude that these new evaluations support the theoretical claims of the accuracy, frugality, and robustness for take-the-best, and that the new data sets provide a valuable resource for the more general study of the relationship between effective decision-making strategies and the environments in which they operate.

LINKING HUMAN RESOURCES STRATEGY WITH KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY TO DRIVE MEASURABLE RESULTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Otilia‐Maria\tBORDEIANU

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Today the human resources are seen as a very valuable asset to achieve long-term performance. Today we understand that every employee is required to learn throughout life, so to acquire new knowledge, to process such knowledge and possibly disseminate expertise with other members of the organization. The theory on human resources in various organizations has changed over time; recommendations have become more numerous, but there is no consensus on the subject. In other words, the permanent change which defines the competitive environment of business remains a type of constant when analysing the efficiency of human resources within companies; inter-individual relations (formal and informal and the values to which each employee relates remains crucial for any theoretical construction in this area. Principles and strategies applied by organizations yesterday could prove their inefficiency today; human resource strategies in organizations today should include a separate subcomponent, we believe, i.e. knowledge management (KM strategy. This is because the competitive advantage obtained or maintained by the company depends today, in large proportion, on the type, quality and value of knowledge possessed by the organization. Therefore, organizational strategy and thus the strategy of acquisition, developing and rewarding of human resources (HR should take into account this reality from the global environment. Moreover, in the current knowledge-driven economy, organizations must know how to develop and implement knowledge-based strategies to drive measurable business results. The goal of this paper is to describe a potential relation between the overall company strategy, HR strategy and KM strategy.

Transumbilical single-site laparoscopy takes the advantage of ultraminilaparotomy in managing an extremely large ovarian cyst

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsuan Su

2012-11-01

Conclusion: This application not only provides both advantages of ultraminilaparotomy and laparoscopy but it also overcomes the limitations of both approaches. Therefore, it is the surgical approach of choice for a patient bearing an extremely large ovarian cystic tumor.

Advantages and disadvantages of developing nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhixin

1987-01-01

To solve the problem of the shortage of electricity in China, an objective assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of generating electricity from different energy sources is necessary. Nuclear power is evaluated against hydro-, oil-, gas- and coal-power. It is proposed to develop nuclear power in a planned way as a sensible long term strategy

The advantages of using photographs and video images in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the advantages of a telephone consultation with a specialist in paediatric surgery after taking photographs and video images by a general practitioner for the diagnosis of some diseases. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study of the reliability of paediatric ...

Taking Advantage of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Popularity to Enhance Student/Public Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Dittrich, T. M.

2011-12-01

. Our goal is to expand the use of these modules to a more broad public audience, including at a future campus/public event know as "All Things Water". We have also organized a walking tour/demo with 3rd-5th graders in a small mining town west of Boulder where we hiked to an old historical mine site, measured water quality (pH, dissolved lead, conductivity), and coated the inside of small bottles with silver. Organizing and hosting a conference can also be a great way to facilitate a discussion of ideas within the community. "All Things STEM" organized a broad student research conference related to water quality and water treatment which included research from 22 students from 11 different countries. We worked with 12 local engineering consultants, municipalities, and local businesses to provide 2000 for student awards. Our presentation will focus on lessons we have learned on how to take advantage of student energy, excitement, and time on campus to receive funding opportunities for planning events that engage the public. We will also talk about our experiences in using student energy to develop partnerships with K-12 schools, community groups, and industry professionals.

Institutional advantage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Martin, Xavier

Is there such a thing as institutional advantage—and what does it mean for the study of corporate competitive advantage? In this article, I develop the concept of institutional competitive advantage, as distinct from plain competitive advantage and from comparative institutional advantage. I first

Strategies for the municipal waste management system to take advantage of carbon trading under competing policies: The role of energy from waste in Sydney

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Hanandeh, Ali; El-Zein, Abbas

2009-01-01

Climate change is a driving force behind some recent environmental legislation around the world. Greenhouse gas emission reduction targets have been set in many industrialised countries. A change in current practices of almost all greenhouse-emitting industrial sectors is unavoidable, if the set targets is to be achieved. Although, waste disposal contributes around 3% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in Australia (mainly due to fugitive methane emissions from landfills), the carbon credit and trading scheme set to start in 2010 presents significant challenges and opportunities to municipal solid waste practitioners. Technological advances in waste management, if adopted properly, allow the municipal solid waste sector to act as carbon sink, hence earning tradable carbon credits. However, due to the complexity of the system and its inherent uncertainties, optimizing it for carbon credits may worsen its performance under other criteria. We use an integrated, stochastic multi-criteria decision-making tool that we developed earlier to analyse the carbon credit potential of Sydney municipal solid waste under eleven possible future strategies. We find that the changing legislative environment is likely to make current practices highly non-optimal and increase pressures for a change of waste management strategy.

Taking Advantages of Technologies:Using the Socrative in English Language Teaching Classes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayhan Kaya

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The advantages of technology cannot be ignored and new technological applications come into our life almost every day. In this sense, it is inevitable to use those technological devices in the field of education for efficient teaching and learning. This paper deals with the attitudes of prep school students toward using Socrative in the classroom as a tool of response system in real time. Socrative is a smart student response system that enables instructors to discover or assess what students have learned in their lectures in real time. The study was conducted at the beginning of the second semester of 2014-2015 academic year in a university prep school. The survey was applied after the Socrative being practiced for a five-month period of first semester. The survey instrument which was previously used by Dervan (2014 was used to reveal students’ attitudes toward Socrative. The result of this study indicated that Socrative is a right tool that can help to improve users’ engagement in the classroom. Moreover, statistical analysis showed that there was no difference between the attitudes across gender.

A Comparative Study of Handwriting and Computer Typing in Note-taking by University Students = Análisis comparativo entre escritura manual y electrónica en la toma de apuntes de estudiantes universitarios

OpenAIRE

Aragón-Mendizábal, Estíbaliz; Delgado-Casas, Cándida; Navarro-Guzmán, José-I.; Menacho-Jiménez, Inmaculada; Romero-Oliva, Manuel-F.

2016-01-01

Taking notes is a common strategy among higher education students, and has been found to affect their academic performance. Nowadays, however, the use of computers is replacing the traditional pencil-and-paper methodology. The present study aims to identify the advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of computer (typing) and pencil-and-paper (handwriting) for taking notes by college students. A total of 251 social and health science students participated in the study. Two experim...

Building Models in the Classroom: Taking Advantage of Sophisticated Geomorphic Numerical Tools Using a Simple Graphical User Interface

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, S. G.; Koons, P. O.; Gerbi, C. C.; Capps, D. K.; Tucker, G. E.; Rogers, Z. A.

2014-12-01

Sophisticated numerical tools exist for modeling geomorphic processes and linking them to tectonic and climatic systems, but they are often seen as inaccessible for users with an exploratory level of interest. We have improved the accessibility of landscape evolution models by producing a simple graphics user interface (GUI) that takes advantage of the Channel-Hillslope Integrated Landscape Development (CHILD) model. Model access is flexible: the user can edit values for basic geomorphic, tectonic, and climate parameters, or obtain greater control by defining the spatiotemporal distributions of those parameters. Users can make educated predictions by choosing their own parametric values for the governing equations and interpreting the results immediately through model graphics. This method of modeling allows users to iteratively build their understanding through experimentation. Use of this GUI is intended for inquiry and discovery-based learning activities. We discuss a number of examples of how the GUI can be used at the upper high school, introductory university, and advanced university level. Effective teaching modules initially focus on an inquiry-based example guided by the instructor. As students become familiar with the GUI and the CHILD model, the class can shift to more student-centered exploration and experimentation. To make model interpretations more robust, digital elevation models can be imported and direct comparisons can be made between CHILD model results and natural topography. The GUI is available online through the University of Maine's Earth and Climate Sciences website, through the Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System (CSDMS) model repository, or by contacting the corresponding author.

[Legal framework and strategy of the tobacco industry in relation to tobacco advertising in Spain].

Science.gov (United States)

Elder, J; Cortés Blanco, M; Sarriá Santamera, A

2000-01-01

Publicity is legally regulated in Spain, in order to avoid its misuse. Tobacco publicity is also under those regulation, having had the companies operating in this sector to adapt themselves through new strategies. In this work, the legal restrictions existing in Spain regarding publicity are analyzed, together with some of the strategies developed by tobacco companies in order to elude them. In this sense, and despite of the existing legal framework, it should be noticed that tobacco companies are cleverly taking advantage of the existence of legal loopholes in tobacco publicity to promote their products.

R&D INVESTMENTS AND SPILLOVERS UNDER ENDOGENOUS ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY: COMPETITIVE R&D CANNOT TAKE FULL-ADVANTAGE OF COMPLEMENTARITY IN ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY WHILE COOPERATIVE R&D CAN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mário A.P.M. Da Silva

2018-03-01

Full Text Available We show that the setting up of general conditions on complementarity in absorptive capacity gives rise to different, if not opposite Nash equilibrium outcomes to those found when absorptive capacity is assumed to be determined only by the similarity of R&D orientations. Firms that cooperate in R&D can take full-advantage of complementarity in R&D by adopting firm-specific R&D paths, which appears to contradict findings and predictions of existing theoretical literature on R&D and spillovers. Oddly, firms competing in R&D cannot gain the most from the potential of complementarity in knowledge by not choosing firm-specific R&D approaches in equilibrium under even milder conditions, which is contrary to another prediction of existing related models.

Managing Multiple Sources of Competitive Advantage in a Complex Competitive Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandre Howard Henry Lapersonne

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to review the literature on the topic of sustained and temporary competitive advantage creation, specifically in dynamic markets, and to propose further research possibilities. After having analyzed the main trends and scholars’ works on the subject, it was concluded that a firm which has been experiencing erosion of its core sources of economic rent generation, should have diversified its strategy portfolio in a search for new sources of competitive advantage, ones that could compensate for the decline of profits provoked by intensive competitive environments. This review concludes with the hypothesis that firms, who have decided to enter and manage multiple competitive environments, should have developed a multiple strategies framework approach. The management of this source of competitive advantage portfolio should have allowed persistence of a firm’s superior economic performance through the management of diverse temporary advantages lifecycle and through a resilient effect, where a very successful source of competitive advantage compensates the ones that have been eroded. Additionally, the review indicates that economies of emerging countries, such as the ones from the BRIC block, should present a more complex competitive environment due to their historical nature of cultural diversity, social contrasts and frequent economic disruption, and also because of recent institutional normalization that has turned the market into hypercompetition. Consequently, the study of complex competition should be appropriate in such environments.

Interconnected firms’ relationships as a source of a competitive advantage

OpenAIRE

Iga Rudawska

2010-01-01

The mainstream economy poses the opinion that a competitive advantage lies in resources, and, consequently - in competences as well - being a share of a single company and remaining under its sole control. Recently, some researchers (e.g. Castaldo, 2007; Lavie, 2006) have revised that approach and tend to emphasise the role of other sources of competitive advantage in business strategy, which embrace new, intangible assets. Such assets are being born and developed only within the inter-firm r...

Peran Strategic Entrepreneurship Dalam Membangun Sustainable Competitive Advantage

OpenAIRE

Handrimurtjahjo, Agustinus Dedy

2014-01-01

Strategic entrepreneurship has emerged as a new concept in examining convergence in entrepreneurship studies (opportunity-seeking behavior) and strategic management (advantage-seeking behavior). Studies in the area of strategic management have gradually exposed the relationship betweenstrategic management and entrepreneurship: entrepreneurial strategy making; intrapreneurship; entrepreneurial strategic posture within organizations; entrepreneurial orientation; strategic managementintegration ...

'Taking care' in the age of AIDS: older rural South Africans' strategies for surviving the HIV epidemic.

Science.gov (United States)

Angotti, Nicole; Mojola, Sanyu A; Schatz, Enid; Williams, Jill R; Gómez-Olivé, F Xavier

2018-03-01

Older adults have been largely overlooked in community studies of HIV in highly endemic African countries. In our rural study site in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa, HIV prevalence among those aged 50 and older is 16.5%, suggesting that older adults are at risk of both acquiring and transmitting HIV. This paper utilises community-based focus-group interviews with older rural South African men and women to better understand the normative environment in which they come to understand and make decisions about their health as they age in an HIV endemic setting. We analyse the dimensions of an inductively emerging theme: ku ti hlayisa (to take care of yourself). For older adults, 'taking care' in an age of AIDS represented: (1) an individualised pathway to achieving old-age respectability through the taking up of responsibilities and behaviours that characterise being an older person, (2) a set of gendered norms and strategies for reducing one's HIV risk, and (3) a shared responsibility for attenuating the impact of the HIV epidemic in the local community. Findings reflect the individual, interdependent and communal ways in which older rural South Africans understand HIV risk and prevention, ways that also map onto current epidemiological thinking for improving HIV-related outcomes in high-prevalence settings.

What drives successful implementation of pollution prevention and cleaner technology strategy? The role of innovative capability.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhupendra, Kumar Verma; Sangle, Shirish

2015-05-15

Firms that are dynamic and prepared to implement environmental strategies have a potential competitive advantage over their industry counterparts. Therefore, it is important to understand, what capabilities are required to implement proactive environmental strategies. The paper discusses the attributes of innovative capability required by firms in order to adopt pollution prevention and cleaner technology strategies. Empirical results show that process and behavioral innovativeness are required by firms to implement a pollution prevention strategy. In addition to process and behavioral innovativeness, firms need a top management with high risk-taking ability as well as market, product, and strategic innovativeness to implement a cleaner technology strategy. The paper proposes some important managerial implications on the basis of the above research findings. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Cultural Boundaries of Perspective-Taking: When and Why Perspective-Taking Reduces Stereotyping.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Cynthia S; Lee, Margaret; Ku, Gillian; Leung, Angela K-Y

2018-06-01

Research conducted in Western cultures indicates that perspective-taking is an effective social strategy for reducing stereotyping. The current article explores whether and why the effects of perspective-taking on stereotyping differ across cultures. Studies 1 and 2 established that perspective-taking reduces stereotyping in Western but not in East Asian cultures. Using a socioecological framework, Studies 2 and 3 found that relational mobility, that is, the extent to which individuals' social environments provide them opportunities to choose new relationships and terminate old ones, explained our effect: Perspective-taking was negatively associated with stereotyping in relationally mobile (Western) but not in relationally stable (East Asian) environments. Finally, Study 4 examined the proximal psychological mechanism underlying the socioecological effect: Individuals in relationally mobile environments are more motivated to develop new relationships than those in relationally stable environments. Subsequently, when this motivation is high, perspective-taking increases self-target group overlap, which then decreases stereotyping.

Development strategies and regional income disparities in China

OpenAIRE

Lin, Justin Yifu; Liu, Peilin

2006-01-01

This paper argues that the regional income gap of China is endogenously determined by its long-term economic development strategy. Development strategies can be broadly divided into two mutually exclusive groups: (i) the comparative advantage-defying (CAD) strategy, which attempts to encourage firms to deviate from the economy’s existing comparative advantages in their entry into an industry or choice of technology; and (ii) the comparative advantage-following (CAF) strategy, which attempts t...

Designing Growth Strategies for Romanian Offshore Outsourcing Vendors: Deploying Competitive Intelligence from Indian Software Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mukta SAMTANI

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The paper aims to derive growth strategies for three Romanian software developers involved in offshore outsourcing, by deploying competitive intelligence on the top offshore players from India. The paper revolves around two key assumptions. One is that Romanian companies are growing the way Indian companies did few years ago and so it would be important to analyse the strategies that they had adopted to reach their present potential. Second, there is a set of factors common to all industry players whether in India or Romania as the industry is global in nature, so it would really be important to collect information about how are these global competitors planning to mitigate the environmental threats and to take advantage of the opportunities being presented by the changes in the external environment. For the three Romanian companies whose managers accepted to be included in our study, the main strategic option they want to pursue is market penetration. Taking cue from the strategies adopted by their Indian counterparts, the study recommends growth strategies for these Romanian players.

Optimized Strategies for Detecting Extrasolar Space Weather

Science.gov (United States)

Hallinan, Gregg

2018-06-01

Fully understanding the implications of space weather for the young solar system, as well as the wider population of planet-hosting stars, requires remote sensing of space weather in other stellar systems. Solar coronal mass ejections can be accompanied by bright radio bursts at low frequencies (typically measurement of the magnetic field strength of the planet, informing on whether the atmosphere of the planet can survive the intense magnetic activity of its host star. However, both stellar and planetary radio emission are highly variable and optimal strategies for detection of these emissions requires the capability to monitor 1000s of nearby stellar/planetary systems simultaneously. I will discuss optimized strategies for both ground and space-based experiments to take advantage of the highly variable nature of the radio emissions powered by extrasolar space weather to enable detection of stellar CMEs and planetary magnetospheres.

On the Shallow Processing (Dis)Advantage: Grammar and Economy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reuland, E.J.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/073809837; Koornneef, A.W.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/30483288X

In the psycholinguistic literature it has been proposed that readers and listeners often adopt a “good-enough” processing strategy in which a “shallow” representation of an utterance driven by (top-down) extra-grammatical processes has a processing advantage over a “deep” (bottom-up)

How to Achieve a Competitive Advantage

OpenAIRE

Adina Musetescu

2013-01-01

In order to succeed in any market a company has to decide which strategy is more appropriate to use, which means identifying the sources of a potential competitive advantage such as skills or resources. Superior skills in creating a special product can represent the element that is setting the company apart from its competitors. That is easily translated into a very good quality of the products. The resources of the company refer to the great number of retailers (a good distribution chain tha...

Learning, Teaching, and Turn Taking in the Repeated Assignment Game

OpenAIRE

Timothy N. Cason; Sau-Him Paul Lau; Vai-Lam Mui

2011-01-01

History-dependent strategies are often used to support cooperation in repeated game models. Using the indefinitely repeated common-pool resource assignment game and a perfect stranger experimental design, this paper reports novel evidence that players who have successfully used an efficiency-enhancing turn-taking strategy will teach other players in subsequent supergames to adopt this strategy. We find that subjects engage in turn taking frequently in both the Low Conflict and the High Confli...

Value oriented marketing strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stanković Ljiljana

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The complexity of business environment imposes the need for continuous change and reexamination of business marketing strategies of enterprises. Theory and practice of strategic management and marketing show that the activities of marketing, which are closely connected to corporate strategy, are the key drivers of growth. There is a positive correlation between competition intensity, marketing strategy and business performance of companies. Even though, managers of many companies don't see a clear connection between marketing strategy and business performance, numerous empirical research show that the companies which possess and efficiently use marketing resources and capabilities are more successful. In knowledge-based economics, the development of value oriented marketing strategies for all participants in the chain is a supposition of the survival, growth and development of companies. Competitive advantage is the essence of any strategy. Acquisition and maintenance of competitive advantage is more successful if the potentials for value creation are used efficiently. The paper examines the critical factors that influence alignment and transformation of marketing strategies in accordance with changes in value estimation. Superior value, is created in different network classes. Theory and practice researches create a reliable basis for the development of new concepts, marketing strategy business models that will contribute to competitive advantage of enterprises and the economy.

Harnessing complexity: taking advantage of context and relationships in dissemination of school-based interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Helen; Bowes, Glenn; Drew, Sarah; Glover, Sara; Godfrey, Celia; Patton, George; Trafford, Lea; Bond, Lyndal

2010-03-01

Schools and school systems are increasingly asked to use evidence-based strategies to promote the health and well-being of students. The dissemination of school-based health promotion research, however, offers particular challenges to conventional approaches to dissemination. Schools and education systems are multifaceted organizations that sit within constantly shifting broader contexts. This article argues that health promotion dissemination needs to be rethought for school communities as complex systems and that this requires understanding and harnessing the dynamic ecology of the sociopolitical context. In developing this argument, the authors draw on their experience of the dissemination process of a multilevel school-based intervention in a complex educational context. Building on this experience, they argue for the need to move beyond conventional dissemination strategies to a focus on active partnerships between developers and users of school-based intervention research and offer a conceptual tool for planning dissemination.

When perspective taking increases taking: reactive egoism in social interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Epley, Nicholas; Caruso, Eugene; Bazerman, Max H

2006-11-01

Group members often reason egocentrically, believing that they deserve more than their fair share of group resources. Leading people to consider other members' thoughts and perspectives can reduce these egocentric (self-centered) judgments such that people claim that it is fair for them to take less; however, the consideration of others' thoughts and perspectives actually increases egoistic (selfish) behavior such that people actually take more of available resources. A series of experiments demonstrates this pattern in competitive contexts in which considering others' perspectives activates egoistic theories of their likely behavior, leading people to counter by behaving more egoistically themselves. This reactive egoism is attenuated in cooperative contexts. Discussion focuses on the implications of reactive egoism in social interaction and on strategies for alleviating its potentially deleterious effects.

A Spatiotemporal-Chaos-Based Cryptosystem Taking Advantage of Both Synchronous and Self-Synchronizing Schemes

Science.gov (United States)

Lü, Hua-Ping; Wang, Shi-Hong; Li, Xiao-Wen; Tang, Guo-Ning; Kuang, Jin-Yu; Ye, Wei-Ping; Hu, Gang

2004-06-01

Two-dimensional one-way coupled map lattices are used for cryptography where multiple space units produce chaotic outputs in parallel. One of the outputs plays the role of driving for synchronization of the decryption system while the others perform the function of information encoding. With this separation of functions the receiver can establish a self-checking and self-correction mechanism, and enjoys the advantages of both synchronous and self-synchronizing schemes. A comparison between the present system with the system of advanced encryption standard (AES) is presented in the aspect of channel noise influence. Numerical investigations show that our system is much stronger than AES against channel noise perturbations, and thus can be better used for secure communications with large channel noise.

The energy-efficiency business - Energy utility strategies; Geschaeftsfeld Energieeffizienz. Strategien von Energieversorgern

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loebbe, S.

2009-07-01

This article takes a look at the energy-efficiency business and the advantages it offers. The author quotes that energy-efficiency can contribute to making savings in primary energy, minimise the economic impact of global warming, improve reliability of supply and protect the gross national product. The advantages of new products for the efficient use of energy are reviewed and the resulting advantages for power customers are noted. Also, possibilities for the positioning of electricity suppliers in the environmental niche is noted. The partial markets involved and estimates concerning the impact of energy-efficiency measures are reviewed. Climate protection, co-operation with energy agencies, consulting services and public relations aspects are also discussed. The prerequisites for successful marketing by the utilities are examined and new business models are discussed along with the clear strategies needed. The development from an electricity utility to a system-competence partner is reviewed.

Gold(I)-catalyzed diazo coupling: strategy towards alkene formation and tandem benzannulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Daming; Xu, Guangyang; Ding, Dong; Zhu, Chenghao; Li, Jian; Sun, Jiangtao

2014-10-06

A gold(I)-catalyzed cross-coupling of diazo compounds to afford tetrasubstituted alkenes has been developed by taking advantage of a trivial electronic difference between two diazo substrates. A N-heterocyclic-carbene-derived gold complex is the most effective catalyst for this transformation. Based on this new strategy, a gold(I)-initiated benzannulation has been achieved through a tandem reaction involving a diazo cross-coupling, 6π electrocyclization, and oxidative aromatization. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Teaching Marketing Strategy: Using Resource-Advantage Theory as an Integrative Theoretical Foundation

Science.gov (United States)

Hunt, Shelby D.; Madhavaram, Sreedhar

2006-01-01

Knowledge of marketing strategy is essential for marketing majors. To supplement and/or replace the traditional lecture-discussion approach, several pedagogical vehicles have been recommended to teach marketing strategy, including the analytic hierarchy process; career-planning cases; computer-assisted, simulated marketing cases; experiential…

Teachable Moment: Google Earth Takes Us There

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Ann; Davinroy, Thomas C.

2015-01-01

In the current educational climate, where clearly articulated learning objectives are required, it is clear that the spontaneous teachable moment still has its place. Authors Ann Williams and Thomas Davinroy think that instructors from almost any discipline can employ Google Earth as a tool to take advantage of teachable moments through the…

Production of sugar and alcohol: financial and operational strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Celma de Oliveira Ribeiro

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This article proposes the construction of an optimization model to define the product portfolio of a sugarcane mill, taking into account operational and financial aspects. It is considered that the revenue earned by a producer comes from the sale of sugar and alcohol in the physical market and the results obtained through hedging in the derivatives market of sugar. Employing CVaR (Conditional Value-at-Risk, as the risk measure, the model allows the construction of an efficient frontier and, according to the producer's risk tolerance, defines the optimal strategy of production (production mix and activity in the derivatives market (hedge ratio. Through the model the article also seeks to analyze the advantage of using the options market in the construction of financial hedging strategies in agricultural commodities markets.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM): Financial & Competitive Advantages of an Effective Hotel SEM Strategy

OpenAIRE

Leora Halpern Lanz

2015-01-01

Search Engine Marketing and Optimization (SEO, SEM) are keystones of a hotels marketing strategy, in fact research shows that 90% of travelers start their vacation planning with a Google search. Learn five strategies that can enhance a hotels SEO and SEM strategies to boost bookings.

The Impact of Competencies, Information Search, and Competitive Strategy on the Export Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lena Elitan

2011-04-01

Full Text Available This confirmatory study is aimed at analyzing the impact of relationships, information search, and competencies on competitive strategy and SMEs performance in Indonesia. The study used 100 SMEs samples that obtained through mailed questionnaires. The results show: Firstly, the perception of information, information sources, and export competence has no significant effect on competitive strategy. However the findings for SMEs in Indonesia, indicated that export related information has negative effects on competitive strategy. Secondly, export competencies has an enormous influence on the company’s capacity and ability to use information appropriately, when the company must deal with challenges or when the company is eager to take advantage of the opportunities to increase growth and profitability. Thirdly, competitive strategy does not directly affect export performance but it is moderated by the environment uncertainty. It indicates that the influence of competitive strategy would be greater in an uncertain business environment. The uncertain business environment will encourage companies to explore competitive strategy to improve their performance.

The Impact of Competencies, Information Search, and Competitive Strategy on the Export Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lena Elitan

2011-04-01

Full Text Available This confirmatory study is aimed at analyzing the impact of relationships, information search, and competencies on competitive strategy and SMEs performance in Indonesia. The study used 100 SMEs samples that obtained through mailed questionnaires. The results show: Firstly, the perception of information, information sources, and export competence has no significant effect on competitive strategy. However the findings for SMEs in Indonesia, indicated that export related information has negative effects on competitive strategy. Secondly, export competencies has an enormous influence on the company’s capacity and ability to use information appropriately,when the company must deal with challenges or when the company is eager to take advantage of the opportunities to increase growth and profitability. Thirdly, competitive strategy does not directly affect export performance but it is moderated by the environment uncertainty. It indicates that the influence of competitive strategy would be greater in an uncertain business environment. The uncertain business environment will encourage companies to explore competitive strategy to improve their performance.

Evaluation Strategy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Coto Chotto, Mayela; Wentzer, Helle; Dirckinck-Holmfeld, Lone

2009-01-01

The paper presents an evaluation strategy based on deliberate ideals and principles of dialogue design. The evaluation strategy is based on experiential phenomenology taking the point of departure for design and evaluation processes in the experienced practitioners themselves. The article present...... the evaluation strategy and methodology of a research project Making Online Path to Enter new Markets, MOPEM. It is an EU-research project with partners from different Educational Institutions of Technology and Business in five European Countries.......The paper presents an evaluation strategy based on deliberate ideals and principles of dialogue design. The evaluation strategy is based on experiential phenomenology taking the point of departure for design and evaluation processes in the experienced practitioners themselves. The article presents...

Search Engine Marketing (SEM: Financial & Competitive Advantages of an Effective Hotel SEM Strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leora Halpern Lanz

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Search Engine Marketing and Optimization (SEO, SEM are keystones of a hotels marketing strategy, in fact research shows that 90% of travelers start their vacation planning with a Google search. Learn five strategies that can enhance a hotels SEO and SEM strategies to boost bookings.

In Their Own Words: Adolescents Strategies to Prevent Friend's Risk Taking

Science.gov (United States)

Buckley, Lisa; Chapman, Rebekah L.; Sheehan, Mary C.; Reveruzzi, Bianca N.

2014-01-01

Injury is a significant public health problem among youth. A primary cause of adolescent injury is risk-taking behavior, including alcohol use, interpersonal violence and road-related risks. A novel approach to prevention is building on friendships by encouraging adolescents to intervene into their friends' risk taking. Fifty-one early adolescents…

Incorporation of Indigenous Forces in Major Theater War: Advantages, Risks and Considerations

Science.gov (United States)

2004-05-03

training exercises and programs like the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program, to name a few, the United States has a far better...USAWC STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT INCORPORATION OF INDIGENOUS FORCES IN MAJOR THEATER WAR: ADVANTAGES , RISKS AND CONSIDERATIONS by Ms. Priscilla... Advantages , Risks and Considerations 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Priscilla Sellers 5d. PROJECT NUMBER

Know the risk, take the win: how executive functions and probability processing influence advantageous decision making under risk conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Matthias; Schiebener, Johannes; Pertl, Marie-Theres; Delazer, Margarete

2014-01-01

Recent models on decision making under risk conditions have suggested that numerical abilities are important ingredients of advantageous decision-making performance, but empirical evidence is still limited. The results of our first study show that logical reasoning and basic mental calculation capacities predict ratio processing and that ratio processing predicts decision making under risk. In the second study, logical reasoning together with executive functions predicted probability processing (numeracy and probability knowledge), and probability processing predicted decision making under risk. These findings suggest that increasing an individual's understanding of ratios and probabilities should lead to more advantageous decisions under risk conditions.

Research on motor braking-based DYC strategy for distributed electric vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jingming; Liao, Weijie; Chen, Lei; Cui, Shumei

2017-08-01

In order to bring into full play the advantages of motor braking and enhance the handling stability of distributed electric vehicle, a motor braking-based direct yaw moment control (DYC) strategy was proposed. This strategy could identify whether a vehicle has under-steered or overs-steered, to calculate the direct yaw moment required for vehicle steering correction by taking the corrected yaw velocity deviation and slip-angle deviation as control variables, and exert motor braking moment on the target wheels to perform correction in the manner of differential braking. For validation of the results, a combined simulation platform was set up finally to simulate the motor braking control strategy proposed. As shown by the results, the motor braking-based DYC strategy timely adjusted the motor braking moment and hydraulic braking moment on the target wheels, and corrected the steering deviation and sideslip of the vehicle in unstable state, improving the handling stability.

How gas producers can position themselves to take advantage of a deregulated energy market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reid, S.D.

1996-01-01

An overview of Norcen Energy Resource's finances, their production of oil, natural gas liquids (NGL) and gas, and their approach to marketing was provided in this poster presentation. Formerly owned power projects and current opportunities for Norcen were summarized. The potential role of natural gas in electrical restructuring, and some possible marketing strategies were highlighted

Facilitating Youth to Take Sustainability Actions: The Potential of Peer Education

Science.gov (United States)

de Vreede, Catherine; Warner, Alan; Pitter, Robert

2014-01-01

Peer education is an understudied yet valuable strategy for sustainability educators in shifting youth to take action for sustainability. This case study conceptualizes the change process in facilitating youth to take sustainability actions, and explores the benefits, dynamics, and challenges of peer education as a strategy in facilitating change.…

GAINING SUSTAINABLE COMPETITIVE IT ADVANTAGES: MULTIPLE CASE STUDIES IN INTERNATIONALIZED BUSINESSES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo Armando

2010-07-01

Full Text Available This research studies how the studied firms gain sustainable competitive advantages (SCAs. The issue has been studied in the literature on business strategy: the challenge for managers is to identify, develop, protect and use resources and skills that provide the firm with SCAs. Eight cases were studied. All concerned Information Technology firms that sell to other companies. The variables used were qualitative. Data was collected from primary and secondary sources of information. The primary sources consisted of the studied firms, where interviews with management were held. The main results are: (1 One firm develops products abroad and this aspect is a competitive advantage. (2 There are cases that resort to a model that provides them with great operating flexibility. (3 One firm obtained SCAs by developing a strategy whereby it implemented a franchise model for development and distribution. The franchise system encourages entrepreneurial behavior among the franchisees. (4 One case gained a competitive advantage through the complexity and sophistication of its products. (5 Some of the cases searched for market niches that were less exposed to competition.Key-words: Strategic management. Strategic planning. Advanced Technology firms. Management of multinationals. 

The Airpower Advantage in Future Warfare: The Need for Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

2007-12-01

diagnosed accurately. The problem, to repeat, is that the United States has a severe strategy deficit. It is, and has long been, guilty of what is...remains strong in basic science and it has a gigantic nuclear infrastructure that continues to function well enough to be able to innovate

High School Students' Performance on Vandenberg's Mental Rotations Test: Art Ability, Gender, Activities, Academic Performance, Strategies, and Ease of Taking the Test.

Science.gov (United States)

Gurny, Helen Graham

This study tested whether mental rotation performance of 186 high school students (80 males and 106 females) in grades 9 through 12 in art and nonart classes on Vandenbergs Mental Rotations test (S. Vandenberg and Kuse, 1978) was affected by gender, visual-spatial activities, strategies used while performing the test, and the ease of test taking.…

New cochlear implant research coding strategy based on the MP3(000™) strategy to reintroduce the virtual channel effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Neben, Nicole; Lenarz, Thomas; Schuessler, Mark; Harpel, Theo; Buechner, Andreas

2013-05-01

Results for speech recognition in noise tests when using a new research coding strategy designed to introduce the virtual channel effect provided no advantage over MP3(000™). Although statistically significant smaller just noticeable differences (JNDs) were obtained, the findings for pitch ranking proved to have little clinical impact. The aim of this study was to explore whether modifications to MP3000 by including sequential virtual channel stimulation would lead to further improvements in hearing, particularly for speech recognition in background noise and in competing-talker conditions, and to compare results for pitch perception and melody recognition, as well as informally collect subjective impressions on strategy preference. Nine experienced cochlear implant subjects were recruited for the prospective study. Two variants of the experimental strategy were compared to MP3000. The study design was a single-blinded ABCCBA cross-over trial paradigm with 3 weeks of take-home experience for each user condition. Comparing results of pitch-ranking, a significantly reduced JND was identified. No significant effect of coding strategy on speech understanding in noise or competing-talker materials was found. Melody recognition skills were the same under all user conditions.

Peran Strategic Entrepreneurship dalam Membangun Sustainable Competitive Advantage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agustinus Dedy Handrimurtjahjo

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Strategic entrepreneurship has emerged as a new concept in examining convergence in entrepreneurship studies (opportunity-seeking behavior and strategic management (advantage-seeking behavior. Studies in the area of strategic management have gradually exposed the relationship betweenstrategic management and entrepreneurship: entrepreneurial strategy making; intrapreneurship; entrepreneurial strategic posture within organizations; entrepreneurial orientation; strategic managementintegration as a context for entrepreneurial actions; and entrepreneurship theory with strategic management and the resource-based view (RBV. A conceptual model of SE that has been developed by Ireland et al.suggested that a firm which linearly and sequentially: employs an entrepreneurial mindset to identify opportunities; manages resources strategically to tackle the opportunity; applies creativity and innovation; andgenerates a competitive advantage is strategic and entrepreneurship operation. Managers must maximize the pursuit of new business opportunities while simultaneously maximize the generation and application of temporary competitive advantages to sustainably create organizational value. This paper develops a conceptual framework that demonstrate the role of strategic entrepreneurship in building sustainable competitiveadvantage.

Waste package for Yucca Mountain repository: Strategy for regulatory compliance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cloninger, M.; Short, D.; Stahl, D.

1989-02-01

This document summarizes the strategy given in the Site Characterization Plan (1) for demonstrating compliance with the post closure performance objectives for the waste package and the Engineered Barrier System (EBS) contained in the Code of Federal Regulations. The strategy consists of the development of a conservative waste package design that will meet the regulatory requirements with sufficient margin for uncertainty using a multi-barrier approach that takes advantage of the unsaturated nature of the Yucca Mountain site. This strategy involves an iterative process designed to achieve compliance with the requirements for substantially complete containment and EBS release. The strategy will be implemented in such a manner that sufficient evidence will be provided for presentation to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) so that it may make a finding that there is ''reasonable assurance'' that these performance requirements will indeed be met. In implementing the strategy, DOE recognizes four fundamental goals: (1) protect public health and safety; (2) minimize financial and other resource commitments; (3) comply with applicable laws and regulations; and (4) maintain an aggressive schedule. The strategy is intended to be a reasonable balance of these competing goals. 7 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

Developing Competitive Advantage in the Private Medical Services Market. The Case of Romania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simona BASTURESCU

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Health was, is and will always be a top priority for a country’s stakeholders. The average health expenditure depicts an impressive variability worldwide, with Americans being the top spenders and South East Asia countries being at the bottom of the respective list. This study analyses the existing competitive advantages of the most important players in the private medical services market, in Romania. It traces their development and the factors that determine positioning strategic decisions. The competitive advantage of a business in the private medical services market is a result of a number of factors. The top three criteria of choice for a patient are doctors, medical technology and waiting time for accessing the service. The objectives of this research paper are: 1. to identify the key success factors (KSFs and the drivers of change (DC in the Romanian Medical Industry; 2. to propose a fine tuning in strategy as a response to changes in the macro and micro environment, 3. to re-evaluate existing business models and propose amendments that may lead to future sustainable competitive advantage and 4. to develop a proposition for growth strategies, business strategies and means of implementation that will lead to long term growth.

Sustainable competitive advantage for accountable care organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Macfarlane, Michael Alex

2014-01-01

In the current period of health industry reform, accountable care organizations (ACOs) have emerged as a new model for the delivery of high-quality and cost-effective healthcare. However, few ACOs operate in direct competition with one another, and the accountable care business model has yet to present a means of continually developing new marginal value for patients and network partners. With value-based purchasing and patient consumerism strengthening as market forces, ACOs must build organizational sustainability and competitive advantage to meet the value demands set by customers and competitors. This essay proposes a strategy, adapted from the disciplines of agile software development and Lean product development, through which ACOs can engage internal and external customers in the development of new products that will provide sustainability and competitive advantage to the organization by decreasing waste in development, promoting specialized knowledge, and closely targeting customer value.

Prochlorococcus: Advantages and Limits of Minimalism

Science.gov (United States)

Partensky, Frédéric; Garczarek, Laurence

2010-01-01

Prochlorococcus is the key phytoplanktonic organism of tropical gyres, large ocean regions that are depleted of the essential macronutrients needed for photosynthesis and cell growth. This cyanobacterium has adapted itself to oligotrophy by minimizing the resources necessary for life through a drastic reduction of cell and genome sizes. This rarely observed strategy in free-living organisms has conferred on Prochlorococcus a considerable advantage over other phototrophs, including its closest relative Synechococcus, for life in this vast yet little variable ecosystem. However, this strategy seems to reach its limits in the upper layer of the S Pacific gyre, the most oligotrophic region of the world ocean. By losing some important genes and/or functions during evolution, Prochlorococcus has seemingly become dependent on co-occurring microorganisms. In this review, we present some of the recent advances in the ecology, biology, and evolution of Prochlorococcus, which because of its ecological importance and tiny genome is rapidly imposing itself as a model organism in environmental microbiology.

Exploring the Effect of Teaching Test-Taking Strategies on Intermediate Level Learners on Reading Section of Ielts; Learners’ Attitude in Focus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hooshang Khoshsima

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Language proficiency tests have become common instruments to judge people based on their performance. Thus, the scores on language proficiency tests, such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS or Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL, play a crucial role in the test-takers’ lives. Because of increasing demands on the part of students to get a good score on these tests, test preparatory courses have emerged. These preparatory courses, characteristically short and limited in terms of time, equip IELTS candidates with the skills required for passing the test, called test-taking strategies. The present study explored the effect of strategy teaching- namely wash-back effect on reading section of academic IELTS on intermediate learners in Iran. Besides, learners’ attitude toward the strategy teaching was investigated as well. According to the descriptive statistics and t-test results, those learners who received strategy teaching outperformed those who had not received strategy teaching in reading section of IELTS.According to t-test results, there was a significant difference between the mean scores of the two groups since the p value was lower than .05 (p < .001.  Furthermore, the learners had positive attitudes toward receiving strategy teaching since there was a significant difference between the obtained mean score and the presupposed average because the p value was lower than .05.

Competitive advantage of hotels in Jinhua --Combining Institutional and Resource based Views

OpenAIRE

Wang, Wei

2007-01-01

This research endeavors to address the sustainable competitive advantage issue of Chinese firms from the paradigm combining resource based and institutional views. Both views have been used extensively in the strategy research literature in China, and the integrative perspective has the potential to approach the strategy issues new insight by incorporating the institutional influence on resource. Establishing on extensive RBV, institutional theory literature and especially Oliver(1997)��...

Cooperative resources lead to sustainable competitive advantage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Vieira

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The objective of this research is to analyze how organizational resources contribute to cooperatives achieving a sustainable competitive advantage. The theoretical approach of this study is the Resource Based View and VRIO model advocated by Barney and Hesterly (2007. The research was characterized as descriptive and quantitative, through data collection from secondary sources and a survey. The data collection tool was a questionnaire devised by Peacock, Sehnem and Hoffmann (2011. Data collection took place between the months of September 2014 and March 2015. The study sample was composed of a total of 215 cooperatives from across the country, divided into 13 segments. Secondary data was subjected to content analysis. The primary data was analyzed using statistical inference, namely: descriptive statistics, mean, Pearson correlation, Varimax rotation and the Kruskal-Wallis test. The main results showed that human resources are seen as important to achieving a sustainable competitive advantage. This research contributed to and enables new studies concerning the growth of cooperatives taking into account the use of internal resources.

MARKET ORIENTATION IN DIGITAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: ADVANTAGES AND CHALLENGES IN A WEB 2.0 NETWORKED WORLD

OpenAIRE

NEIL HAIR; LYLE R. WETSCH; CLYDE EIRÍKUR HULL; VICTOR PEROTTI; YU-TING CAISY HUNG

2012-01-01

Strong market orientation is essential to firm success. In the diverse and dynamic digital environment, a strong market orientation philosophy is even more important to the digital entrepreneur. We explore the advantages and challenges that the networked world offers the market-oriented digital entrepreneur. In particular, we examine the role of electronic community and communication and how successful digital entrepreneurs takes advantage of electronic community technologies to facilitate mo...

Social customer relationship management: taking advantage of Web 2.0 and Big Data technologies

OpenAIRE

Orenga-Rogl?, Sergio; Chalmeta, Ricardo

2016-01-01

The emergence of Web 2.0 and Big Data technologies has allowed a new customer relationship strategy based on interactivity and collaboration called Social Customer Relationship Management (Social CRM) to be created. This enhances customer engagement and satisfaction. The implementation of Social CRM is a complex task that involves different organisational, human and technological aspects. However, there is a lack of methodologies to assist companies in these processes. This paper shows a nove...

Advantages of high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy in treatment of prostate cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Molokov, A. A.; Vanina, E. A.; Tseluyko, S. S.

2017-09-01

One of the modern methods of preserving organs radiation treatment is brachytherapy. This article analyzes the results of prostate brachytherapy. These studies of the advantages of high dose brachytherapy lead to the conclusion that this method of radiation treatment for prostate cancer has a favorable advantage in comparison with remote sensing methods, and is competitive, preserving organs in comparison to surgical methods of treatment. The use of the method of polyfocal transperineal biopsy during the brachytherapy session provides information on the volumetric spread of prostate cancer and adjust the dosimetry plan taking into account the obtained data.

Environmental strategy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zabkar, Vesna; Cater, Tomaz; Bajde, Domen

2013-01-01

perspective, appropriate environmental strategies in compliance with environmental requirements aim at building competitive advantages through sustainable development. There is no universal “green” strategy that would be appropriate for each company, regardless of its market requirements and competitive......Environmental issues and the inclusion of environmental strategies in strategic thinking is an interesting subject of investigation. In general, managerial practices organized along ecologically sound principles contribute to a more environmentally sustainable global economy. From the managerial...

The WHO's new End TB Strategy in the post-2015 era of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Science.gov (United States)

Lönnroth, Knut; Raviglione, Mario

2016-03-01

The WHO's new End TB Strategy 2016-2035 has evolved from previous global strategies to respond to old and new challenges and take advantage of new opportunities. It frames the global fight against TB as a development, social justice and human rights issue, while re-emphasizing the public health and clinical fundaments of TB care and prevention. In this commentary, we outline how TB prevention, care and control will both benefit from and contribute to the achievement of the new Sustainable Development Goals that were recently adopted at the United Nations. © The author 2016. The World Health Organization has granted Oxford University Press permission for the reproduction of this article.

Complexity, Competitive Intelligence and the "First Mover" Advantage

Science.gov (United States)

Fellman, Philip Vos; Post, Jonathan Vos

In the following paper we explore some of the ways in which competitive intelligence and game theory can be employed to assist firms in deciding whether or not to undertake international market diversification and whether or not there is an advantage to being a market leader or a market follower overseas. In attempting to answer these questions, we take a somewhat unconventional approach. We first examine how some of the most recent advances in the physical and biological sciences can contribute to the ways in which we understand how firms behave. Subsequently, we propose a formal methodology for competitive intelligence. While space considerations here do not allow for a complete game-theoretic treatment of competitive intelligence and its use with respect to understanding first and second mover advantage in firm internationalization, that treatment can be found in its entirety in the on-line proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Complex Systems at http://knowledgetoday.org/wiki/indec.php/ICCS06/89

Investigation of factors determining risk-taking strategies in Pension fund investment of Defined Benefit schemes in the UK corporate pension system

OpenAIRE

Hu, Chunan

2014-01-01

This paper investigates various incentives determining risk taking strategies of the corporate pension fund investment from the perspective of sponsors. In the United Kingdom, occupational pension plans especially defined benefit (DB) pension schemes play important roles in the financial market. Comparing with the conventional framework managing pension risk as a contained part of the whole firm risk, recent studies start to focus on pension risk especially investment risk as an individual to...

MARKETING CAPABILITIES FOR INNOVATION-BASED COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN THE SLOVENIAN MARKET

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vojko Potocan

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The primary role of marketing within the competitive advantage is innovation. The customer value-based differentiation strategies will drive the company’s market research efforts, its selection of target markets, its product development processes, its market communications programs, and its delivery processes. These processes require many specific capabilities that enable the firm to carry out activities necessary to move its products or services through the value chain. We must explore the role of distinctive marketing capabilities in competitive strategy of the company. As sources of competitive advantage, companies try to create their product or service differentiation by developing higher product or service quality, by using their knowledge to solving marketing problems, by communicating with their customers, and by satisfying customer’s needs. We also would like to confirm that superior customer service lead to company’s innovation. The paper closes with the implications of the findings and highlights promising future research avenues.

Taking the UK's national LLW programme from strategy development to implementation - 59059

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossiter, David; O'Donnell, Rachel

2012-01-01

In 2008 UK Nuclear Waste Management Ltd (UKNWM) became the Parent Body Organisation (PBO) at the Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR) in the UK. LLWR is the primary disposal facility for the UK's LLW, supporting a wide range of industries across the nuclear power generation, reprocessing, defence, health care, education, and oil and gas sectors. One of the key tasks following the appointment of the new PBO was to work with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) to develop a national strategy for LLW generated in the UK, predominantly in the NDA estate. The new National Strategy for LLW was required to address the gap between the forecast waste arisings and predicted capacity at LLWR. The National Strategy for LLW Management was published in August 2010 following an 18 month development period. The main focus of the strategy is on three areas: - Application of the waste management hierarchy to extend the life of LLWR and ensure waste is managed in a risk-based, fit-for-purpose manner - Making best use of existing assets such as transport, packaging, treatment and disposal facilities - Opening up new fit-for-purpose waste management routes to divert waste away from LLWR Developing a robust strategy is vital to provide strategic direction to Government, waste producers, regulators, and stakeholders. Once the strategy is developed and approved, the key challenge is then to implement the strategy on a national scale in an efficient and cost-effective manner that delivers maximum value for money to the UK taxpayer. As well as developing the strategy, LLWR has been actively working to develop the enablers to implement the strategy. Since the publication of the strategy in August 2010 LLWR has been re-organised to reflect the shift in focus, from strategy development to implementation and delivery of the strategy. New resources have been brought in with international waste management experience to help integrate delivery with waste producers. This paper covers the

INNOVATION POTENTIAL AS A DETERMINING FACTOR IN THE GROWTH OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES BUILDING PRODUCTS

OpenAIRE

T. U. Levitsky; A. M. Esetova

2014-01-01

It is stipulated that the construction company, chosen the strategy of economic growth, should have some competitive advantages, determining opportunities for sustainable development and effective improving, and operational efficiency increase. One of the factors of the competitiveness increase of construction products is the innovative potential of construction industry. Methodical approaches to the evaluation of innovative capacity and its effect on the growth of competitive advantages have...

78 FR 52753 - Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to Commercial Fishing Operations; Harbor Porpoise Take...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-26

... strategy enacted in 2010 based on deliberations by the Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Team. This action is... information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information... Protection Act (MMPA) to reduce the level of serious injury and mortality of the Gulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy...

Self-Employment for People with Psychiatric Disabilities: Advantages and Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Ostrow, Laysha; Nemec, Patricia B; Smith, Carina

2018-05-29

Self-employment is an alternative to wage employment and an opportunity to increase labor force participation by people with psychiatric disabilities. Self-employment refers to individuals who work for themselves, either as an unincorporated sole proprietor or through ownership of a business. Advantages of self-employment for people with psychiatric disabilities, who may have disrupted educational and employment histories, include opportunities for self-care, additional earning, and career choice. Self-employment fits within a recovery paradigm because of the value placed on individual preferences, and the role of resilience and perseverance in business ownership. Self-employment creates many new US jobs, but remains only a small percentage of employment closures for people with psychiatric disabilities, despite vocational rehabilitation and Social Security disability policies that encourage it. This commentary elucidates the positive aspects of self-employment in the context of employment challenges experienced by individuals with psychiatric disabilities and provides recommendations based on larger trends in entrepreneurship.

Absolute advantage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.G.M. van Marrewijk (Charles)

2008-01-01

textabstractA country is said to have an absolute advantage over another country in the production of a good or service if it can produce that good or service using fewer real resources. Equivalently, using the same inputs, the country can produce more output. The concept of absolute advantage can

Investment in intellectual capital and achievement of the competitive advantage in hotel sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qasim Mohammed Dahash

2018-07-01

Full Text Available The primary objective of the research paper is to provide some insights on the concepts of intellec-tual capital and its important dimensions alongside to investigate the possible association between intellectual capital and attainment of competitive advantage. This study focuses on Iraqi hotel industry which is an under-research area in the context of intellectual capital and its relationship with competitive advantage. An adapted questionnaire was utilized to collect the responses from top and middle level managers of four and five-star hotels in Iraq. The reliability and validity of data collec-tion instrument were measured through Cronbach’s alpha, Composite Reliability and Average Var-iance Extracted respectively. The competitive advantage was then regressed against Human, Rela-tional and Structural capital by application of Partial Least Square methodology. Results of the study showed a positive and strong connotation among intellectual capital and attainment of competitive advantage. The human capital had the highest contribution for competitive advantage in hotel sector of Iraq. The top management of hotels should take interest to develop, maintain and retain human capital to attain competitive advantage over competitors.

Optimisation of petroleum refinery water network systems retrofit incorporating reuse, regeneration and recycle strategies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khor, Cheng Seong; Shah, Nilay [Imperial College London (United Kingdom); Mahadzir, Shuhaimi [Universiti Teknologi Petronas (Malaysia); Elkamel, Ali [University of Waterloo (Canada)

2012-02-15

Increasingly strict environmental regulations have given rise to higher requirements for operating efficiency and optimization and water has become a vital resource in the refining process and allied industries. Due to this high demand for water, plants may be exposed to supply interruptions and shortages in the future. Major concerns in the petroleum refining industry are the scarcity of fresh water supply and increasingly rigid rules on wastewater discharge, which have resulted from concerns over the environmental impact. This paper presents the efforts made to develop an optimization framework for design of petroleum refinery water network systems and retrofitting that incorporates reuse, regeneration, and recycling strategies. This framework includes the complementary advantage of water pinch analysis (WPA). Water minimization strategies were incorporated as first postulates in a superstructural representation that includes all feasible flow-sheet options for taking advantage of water reuse, regeneration and recycling opportunities. Additionally, a post-optimization analysis was carried out to evaluate the repeated treatment processes required to identify the most efficient retrofit option.

The half-truth of first-mover advantage.

Science.gov (United States)

Suarez, Fernando; Lanzolla, Gianvito

2005-04-01

Many executives take for granted that the first company in a new product category gets an unbeatable head start and reaps long-lasting benefits. But that doesn't always happen. The authors of this article discovered that much depends on the pace at which the category's technology is changing and the speed at which the market is evolving. By analyzing these two factors, companies can improve their odds of succeeding as first movers with the resources they possess. Gradual evolution in both the technology and the market provides a first mover with the best conditions for creating a dominant position that is long lasting (Hoover in the vacuum cleaner industry is a good example). In such calm waters, a company can defend its advantages even without exceptional skills or extensive financial resources. When the market is changing rapidly and the product isn't, a first entrant with extensive resources can obtain a long-lasting advantage (as Sony did with its Walkman personal stereo); a company with only limited resources probably must settle for a short-term benefit. When the market is static but the product is changing constantly, first-mover advantages of either kind--durable or short-lived--are unlikely. Only companies with very deep pockets can survive (think of Sony and the digital cameras it pioneered). Rapid churn in both the technology and the market creates the worst conditions. But if companies have an acute sense of when to exit-as Netscape demonstrated when it agreed to be acquired by AOL-a worthwhile short-term gain is possible. Before venturing into a newly forming market, you need to analyze the environment, assess your resources, then determine which type offirst-mover advantage is most achievable. Once you've gone into the water, you have no choice but to swim.

Competitive versus comparative advantage

OpenAIRE

Neary, J. Peter

2002-01-01

I explore the interactions between comparative, competitive and absolute advantage in a two-country model of oligopoly in general equilibrium. Comparative advantage always determines the direction of trade, but both competitive and absolute advantage affect resource allocation, trade patterns and trade volumes. Competitive advantage in the sense of more home firms drives foreign firms out of marginal sectors but also makes some marginal home sectors uncompetitive. Absolute advantage in the se...

Building Competitive Advantage Through Open Innovation : A case study in the financial technology sector

OpenAIRE

Jonsson Holm, Erik; Andersson, Felix

2018-01-01

The modern financial industry includes fast-changing technology, new regulations, and markets where companies at times find themselves at disadvantage. This study focuses on how organizations can build competitive advantage, particularly by drawing on the open innovation concept. We conceptualize its relationship to competitive advantage as a strategy of using and developing dynamic capabilities in business ecosystems. This view is empirically analysed through qualitative data from four organ...

Competitive advantage of informational technologies and communications sector for the Romanian west 5 region

OpenAIRE

Duda-Daianu, Dana Codruta

2008-01-01

The present work paper aims to analyse and to point out the competitive advantage of the Western 5 Region in the field of information and communication technology (ICT). Applying the Michael Porter’s model was determined that the competitive advantage is given by human resources. The results of this research will help the decision factors at local level to understand that it may enforce the combination of development strategies.

Informal leadership support: an often overlooked competitive advantage.

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, L H; O'Connor, E J

2001-01-01

As environmental pressures mount, the advantage of using the same strategies and tactics employed by competitors continues to shrink. An alternative is adapting and applying answers successfully employed in other industries to health care organizations. Working with informal influence leaders to share your change management efforts represents one such example. Informal influence leaders offer an often-overlooked source of competitive advantage--they have already earned credibility and respect from others, who regularly look to them for guidance. When sharing their views, they significantly influence the acceptance or rejection of new initiatives. Influence leaders reach into every conversation, every meeting, and every decision made in an organization. The important question is whether they will exert their leadership in support or in opposition to changes you propose. By identifying influence leaders and inviting them to join a group to discuss change initiatives, physician executives can create a positive force for change.

The Competitive Advantages of Retail Enterprises: the Factor and the Result of Competitive Relations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chorna Maryna V.

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The article is aimed at systematization and development of a conceptual-categorical apparatus of the essence of competitive advantages. The approaches to their interpretation have been allocated. The essential characteristics and stages of the life cycle of competitive advantages are considered. As active stages it is suggested to consider the following: formation, implementation, and development. The basic properties of competitive advantages such as dual character have been substantiated and supplemented. Both the factor and the effective nature of competitive advantages are characterized. On the basis of the mentioned approaches together with the identified features, a definition of the concept of «competitive advantages» as economic category has been proposed. Its use as a base along with taking into consideration the functional specificity of trade enterprises has allowed: clarifying the essence of competitive advantages of retail enterprises; suggesting their definition as a factor and as a result of competitive relations. The identification of dual character will increase the possibilities to assess competitive advantages. Prospects for further researches in this direction are connected with allocating of peculiarities and kinds of competitive advantages of retail trade enterprises with the purpose of increasing the of validity of decisions on their formation, implementation, and development.

Constructing regional advantage in branding the cross-border Euroregion Galicia-northern Portugal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

da Silva Oliveira, Eduardo

2015-01-01

This paper employs a constructing regional advantage (CRA) approach in respect of examining the potential of joint branding strategies intended to position and give visibility to cross-border regions. The CRA concept is introduced here to improve understanding about the empirical significance of a

Ear Advantage for Musical Location and Relative Pitch: Effects of Musical Training and Attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchison, Joanna L; Hubbard, Timothy L; Hubbard, Nicholas A; Rypma, Bart

2017-06-01

Trained musicians have been found to exhibit a right-ear advantage for high tones and a left-ear advantage for low tones. We investigated whether this right/high, left/low pattern of musical processing advantage exists in listeners who had varying levels of musical experience, and whether such a pattern might be modulated by attentional strategy. A dichotic listening paradigm was used in which different melodic sequences were presented to each ear, and listeners attended to (a) the left ear or the right ear or (b) the higher pitched tones or the lower pitched tones. Listeners judged whether tone-to-tone transitions within each melodic sequence moved upward or downward in pitch. Only musically experienced listeners could adequately judge the direction of successive pitch transitions when attending to a specific ear; however, all listeners could judge the direction of successive pitch transitions within a high-tone stream or a low-tone stream. Overall, listeners exhibited greater accuracy when attending to relatively higher pitches, but there was no evidence to support a right/high, left/low bias. Results were consistent with effects of attentional strategy rather than an ear advantage for high or low tones. Implications for a potential performer/audience paradox in listening space are considered.

Mobile strategies for digital publishing a practical guide to the evolving landscape

CERN Document Server

McIlroy, Thad

2015-01-01

The explosion of mobile devices around the world is transforming the nature of digital publishing. Publishers and digital content developers must rethink every node of the publishing process in order to take advantage of the fast-approaching mobile future. Mobile Strategies for Digital Publishing: A Practical Guide to the Evolving Landscape offers an in-depth look at the latest mobile trends and how they're changing the shape of the industry. Publishing analyst Thad McIlroy, founder of the Future of Publishing blog, assembles and a reviews a wide range of recent data on e-reading prac

The essence and market advantages of the direct sales of goods and services

OpenAIRE

A.O. Dvigun

2011-01-01

The article deals with the economic substance of the method of direct selling of goods and services, analyzes the features of this method as a marketing strategy, discusses the advantages and prospects of technology introduction of direct sales.

INNOVATION POTENTIAL AS A DETERMINING FACTOR IN THE GROWTH OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES BUILDING PRODUCTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. U. Levitsky

2014-01-01

Full Text Available It is stipulated that the construction company, chosen the strategy of economic growth, should have some competitive advantages, determining opportunities for sustainable development and effective improving, and operational efficiency increase. One of the factors of the competitiveness increase of construction products is the innovative potential of construction industry. Methodical approaches to the evaluation of innovative capacity and its effect on the growth of competitive advantages have been proposed. 

University Interdisciplinary Research Organizations in the Process of Collaborative Innovation: Advantages, Difficulties and Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Bi Ying; Yang, Liansheng

2015-01-01

Under the background of collaborative innovation, interdisciplinary research organizations due to its structural advantages should actively target frontier science and the great needs of national development, key research and strategic issues of solving the country's need, prospective issues in the frontier of science and technology and major…

Smart Cities are Big Cities - Comparative Advantage in Chinese Cities

OpenAIRE

Shiwei Hu; Steven Brakman; Charles van Marrewijk

2014-01-01

The literature on China indicates that the concentration of economic activities in China is less than in other industrialized countries. Institutional limits are largely held responsible for this finding (e.g. the Hukou system); firms and workers are not able to take full advantage of the benefits from agglomeration economies. China is changing rapidly, however, also in this respect. We show that, by using the methodology developed by Davis and Dingel (2013), high-skilled workers in high-skil...

The Exposure Advantage: Early Exposure to a Multilingual Environment Promotes Effective Communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Samantha P; Liberman, Zoe; Keysar, Boaz; Kinzler, Katherine D

2015-07-01

Early language exposure is essential to developing a formal language system, but may not be sufficient for communicating effectively. To understand a speaker's intention, one must take the speaker's perspective. Multilingual exposure may promote effective communication by enhancing perspective taking. We tested children on a task that required perspective taking to interpret a speaker's intended meaning. Monolingual children failed to interpret the speaker's meaning dramatically more often than both bilingual children and children who were exposed to a multilingual environment but were not bilingual themselves. Children who were merely exposed to a second language performed as well as bilingual children, despite having lower executive-function scores. Thus, the communicative advantages demonstrated by the bilinguals may be social in origin, and not due to enhanced executive control. For millennia, multilingual exposure has been the norm. Our study shows that such an environment may facilitate the development of perspective-taking tools that are critical for effective communication. © The Author(s) 2015.

Emotion regulation and risk taking: predicting risky choice in deliberative decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Panno, Angelo; Lauriola, Marco; Figner, Bernd

2013-01-01

Only very recently has research demonstrated that experimentally induced emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) affect risky choice (e.g., Heilman et al., 2010). However, it is unknown whether this effect also operates via habitual use of emotion regulation strategies in risky choice involving deliberative decision making. We investigated the role of habitual use of emotion regulation strategies in risky choice using the "cold" deliberative version of the Columbia Card Task (CCT; Figner et al., 2009). Fifty-three participants completed the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ; Gross & John, 2003) and--one month later--the CCT and the PANAS. Greater habitual cognitive reappraisal use was related to increased risk taking, accompanied by decreased sensitivity to changes in probability and loss amount. Greater habitual expressive suppression use was related to decreased risk taking. The results show that habitual use of reappraisal and suppression strategies predict risk taking when decisions involve predominantly cognitive-deliberative processes.

Refining the focus: Alberta's international marketing strategy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-07-01

This strategic plan is the key initiative established under 'Alberta's Framework for International Strategies'. Its objective is to ensure the wellbeing of Albertans, sustaining Alberta's environment, and economic growth through successfully taking advantage of Alberta's many opportunities for marketing its goods, products, and services. It is predicated on industry and government continuing to work together to sustain a strong market-driven economy, strengthen Alberta's economic advantages and build an economic environment conducive to investment and growth in quality jobs. At present more than 150 foreign markets buy Alberta's goods and services, but the obvious focus of any strategy must be those regions and sectors of industry that offer the greatest possibilities for new and expanded opportunities for Alberta business. Accordingly, this strategy identifies priorities, selects the best initiatives and develops activities to achieve economic growth. Adding value to Albertan commodities before they are being shipped to export markets is a particular objective of the plan. An equally important consideration is to achieve growth through expansion of existing investments, attract new investment to the province, and to increase exports in response to international market and investment opportunities for Alberta's goods and services. Major topics discussed in the document include a discussion of the importance of trade and investment, a thorough analysis of the marketing priorities, the strategic framework, and priority market profiles for the United States, Japan,China, other Asia-Pacific markets, the European Union, Mexico, the Middle East and South Asia, and South America.

Night Owl Women are Similar to Men in Their Relationship Orientation, Risk-taking Propensities, and Cortisol Levels: Implications for the Adaptive Significance and Evolution of Eveningness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dario Maestripieri

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Individual differences in morningness/eveningness are relatively stable over time and, in part, genetically based. The night-owl pattern is more prevalent in men than in women, particularly after puberty and before women reach menopause. It has been suggested that eveningness evolved relatively recently in human evolutionary history and that this trait may be advantageous to individuals pursuing short-term mating strategies. Consistent with this hypothesis, eveningness is associated with extraversion, novelty-seeking, and in males, with a higher number of sexual partners. In this study, I investigated whether eveningness is associated with short-term relationship orientation, higher risk-taking, and higher testosterone or cortisol. Both female and male night-owls were more likely to be single than in long-term relationships than early morning individuals. Eveningness was associated with higher risk-taking in women but not in men; this association was not testosterone-dependent but mediated by cortisol. Female night-owls had average cortisol profiles and risk-taking tendencies more similar to those of males than to those of early-morning females. Taken together, these findings provide some support to the hypothesis that eveningness is associated with psychological and behavioral traits that are instrumental in short-term mating strategies, with the evidence being stronger for women than for men.

Social Welfare Control in Mobile Crowdsensing Using Zero-Determinant Strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Qin; Wang, Shengling; Bie, Rongfang; Cheng, Xiuzhen

2017-05-03

As a promising paradigm, mobile crowdsensing exerts the potential of widespread sensors embedded in mobile devices. The greedy nature of workers brings the problem of low-quality sensing data, which poses threats to the overall performance of a crowdsensing system. Existing works often tackle this problem with additional function components. In this paper, we systematically formulate the problem into a crowdsensing interaction process between a requestor and a worker, which can be modeled by two types of iterated games with different strategy spaces. Considering that the low-quality data submitted by the workers can reduce the requestor's payoff and further decrease the global income, we turn to controlling the social welfare in the games. To that aim, we take advantage of zero-determinant strategy, based on which we propose two social welfare control mechanisms under both game models. Specifically, we consider the requestor as the controller of the games and, with proper parameter settings for the to-be-adopted zero-determinant strategy, social welfare can be optimized to the desired level no matter what strategy the worker adopts. Simulation results demonstrate that the requestor can achieve the maximized social welfare and keep it stable by using our proposed mechanisms.

International HR Strategy of Brazilian Technology Multinationals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia Morilha Muritiba

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Four cases of Brazilian Multinationals from the information technology [IT] sector were compared in their international Human Resources strategy. The analysis is focused on the development and application of two research models. One analyzes the level of subsidiary autonomy in terms of strategic HR decisions, including difficult decisions regarding coordination in multinationals, following the theoretical approach of the autonomy of subsidiaries (Kidger, 2002; Nohria & Ghoshal, 1997. The other is related to the level of internationalization of HR strategies, defined as the capacity to take advantage of globalization, providing the best resources for the company regardless of where they are located (Sparrow, 2007. Both models were applied in a multiple case study method (Eisenhardt, 1989. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and company reports, and analyzed through content analysis. The results show: (a a more centralizing characteristic of the multinational companies examined, despite the limitations of this choice as shown by the literature; and (b that Brazilian IT multinationals tend to rely more on their national competencies when managing human resources instead of going global to aggregate differentiated competencies.

The Effect of Competitive Advantage and Human Advantage on Industrial Competitive Strategy (Case Study: Smis in Gorontalo Province)

OpenAIRE

Lasalewo, Trifandi; Masruroh, Nur Aini; Subagyo; Hartono, Budi; Yuniarto, Hari Agung

2016-01-01

Small and Medium Industries (SMIs) have a strategic role in the Indonesian economy, as they earn 61.9 percent of the foreign exchange which goes to make up the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, and nationally they are able to absorb 97 percent of the workforce. The Global Competitiveness Report also notes that SMIs serve as the business units that affect every nation’s competitiveness. Considering this strategic role, the selection of a competitive strategy for these SMIs is absolutely necessa...

A strategic conflict avoidance approach based on cooperative coevolutionary with the dynamic grouping strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Xiangmin; Zhang, Xuejun; Wei, Jian; Hwang, Inseok; Zhu, Yanbo; Cai, Kaiquan

2016-07-01

Conflict avoidance plays a crucial role in guaranteeing the safety and efficiency of the air traffic management system. Recently, the strategic conflict avoidance (SCA) problem has attracted more and more attention. Taking into consideration the large-scale flight planning in a global view, SCA can be formulated as a large-scale combinatorial optimisation problem with complex constraints and tight couplings between variables, which is difficult to solve. In this paper, an SCA approach based on the cooperative coevolution algorithm combined with a new decomposition strategy is proposed to prevent the premature convergence and improve the search capability. The flights are divided into several groups using the new grouping strategy, referred to as the dynamic grouping strategy, which takes full advantage of the prior knowledge of the problem to better deal with the tight couplings among flights through maximising the chance of putting flights with conflicts in the same group, compared with existing grouping strategies. Then, a tuned genetic algorithm (GA) is applied to different groups simultaneously to resolve conflicts. Finally, the high-quality solutions are obtained through cooperation between different groups based on cooperative coevolution. Simulation results using real flight data from the China air route network and daily flight plans demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can reduce the number of conflicts and the average delay effectively, outperforming existing approaches including GAs, the memetic algorithm, and the cooperative coevolution algorithms with different well-known grouping strategies.

Competitive strategy : Sorrin Puutarha

OpenAIRE

Haaristo, Emilia

2010-01-01

The thesis handles the fresh food product industry in Finland and especially one company operating in the industry and its competitive position. Sorrin Puutarha manufactures ready-to-use fresh cut salad bag, which is sold in the grocery stores. The objective of the thesis was to find competitive advantages of the case company. Once the competitive advantages were identified the purpose was to choose a fitting competitive strategy that would strengthen those advantages. The field study was con...

Change in Counter movement Jump Strategy by Varying Jump Height Based on Simplified Framework for Center of Mass Mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Seyoung

2017-01-01

In this study, we investigated how a jumping strategy changes with an increase in the vertical jump height for a resultant ground reaction force (GRF) vector. We expected that the resultant force vector between two sequential motion phases (i.e., countermovement and push-off) of the counter movement jump would significantly change with the vertical jump height to take advantage of the resulting supportive force (i.e., an initial push-off force larger than the body weight) through the counter movement phase. Nine healthy young subjects were instructed to jump straight up to five different height levels ranging from 191 cm to 221 cm, and the kinematic and kinetic data were obtained in regular trials. The results showed that a lower center of mass position and larger resultant force vector were clearly observed in a higher jump, implying that the counter movement strategy changed with the vertical jump height to prepare for sufficient joint deviation and obtain a force advantage for larger push-off work.

Change in Counter movement Jump Strategy by Varying Jump Height Based on Simplified Framework for Center of Mass Mechanics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Seyoung [Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials(KIMM), Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-04-15

In this study, we investigated how a jumping strategy changes with an increase in the vertical jump height for a resultant ground reaction force (GRF) vector. We expected that the resultant force vector between two sequential motion phases (i.e., countermovement and push-off) of the counter movement jump would significantly change with the vertical jump height to take advantage of the resulting supportive force (i.e., an initial push-off force larger than the body weight) through the counter movement phase. Nine healthy young subjects were instructed to jump straight up to five different height levels ranging from 191 cm to 221 cm, and the kinematic and kinetic data were obtained in regular trials. The results showed that a lower center of mass position and larger resultant force vector were clearly observed in a higher jump, implying that the counter movement strategy changed with the vertical jump height to prepare for sufficient joint deviation and obtain a force advantage for larger push-off work.

Developing a glocalisation strategy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hollensen, Svend; Schimmelpfennig, Christian

2015-01-01

while exploiting the benefits of global integration. The challenge is to balance the local knowledge with global reach. In the case of Persil Abaya Shampoo (for the Middle East market) and Persil Black Gel (for the European market), Henkel chose a strategy that successfully benefitted from...... markets and used Persil Abayas’ particular significance in the Arab world to its advantage. The results document that it has been possible for Henkel’s Persil to gain competitive advantages in terms of higher market shares, with the ‘glocalisation strategy’ in the (Middle East) liquid detergent market.......The glocalisation strategy strives to achieve the slogan, ‘think globally but act locally’, through dynamic interdependence between headquarters and subsidiaries and/or local intermediaries around the world. Companies following such a strategy coordinate their efforts, ensuring local flexibility...

Strategy and the Internet.

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, M E

2001-03-01

Many of the pioneers of Internet business, both dot-coms and established companies, have competed in ways that violate nearly every precept of good strategy. Rather than focus on profits, they have chased customers indiscriminately through discounting, channel incentives, and advertising. Rather than concentrate on delivering value that earns an attractive price from customers, they have pursued indirect revenues such as advertising and click-through fees. Rather than make trade-offs, they have rushed to offer every conceivable product or service. It did not have to be this way--and it does not have to be in the future. When it comes to reinforcing a distinctive strategy, Michael Porter argues, the Internet provides a better technological platform than previous generations of IT. Gaining competitive advantage does not require a radically new approach to business; it requires building on the proven principles of effective strategy. Porter argues that, contrary to recent thought, the Internet is not disruptive to most existing industries and established companies. It rarely nullifies important sources of competitive advantage in an industry; it often makes them even more valuable. And as all companies embrace Internet technology, the Internet itself will be neutralized as a source of advantage. Robust competitive advantages will arise instead from traditional strengths such as unique products, proprietary content, and distinctive physical activities. Internet technology may be able to fortify those advantages, but it is unlikely to supplant them. Porter debunks such Internet myths as first-mover advantage, the power of virtual companies, and the multiplying rewards of network effects. He disentangles the distorted signals from the marketplace, explains why the Internet complements rather than cannibalizes existing ways of doing business, and outlines strategic imperatives for dot-coms and traditional companies.

The contracting risks of nuclear power engineering and the risk management strategies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding Shuying

2010-01-01

With the trend of professional operation on the nuclear power engineering (thereafter using NPE for short) construction, the companies specialized on NPE whole-contracting are established one after the other, the mode of NPE whole-contracting has been wide adopted domestically. As people always concern for the safety of nuclear power, the risks exposed to NPE contractors are also concerned with the operator, the NPE corporations and the society. Therefore, it is very meaningful to analyze on the risks exposed to NPE contractors and the strategies they should take, for it not only determines whether the NPE construction will be finished on time, but also related to sustainable development of the NPE contracting corporations. The main content of this paper includes the analysis on the features and advantages of NPE whole contracting, the major NPE contracting risks, such as nuclear safety risks, strategic risks, market risks, legal risks, financial risks and operation risks, and the strategies to prevent or to control these risks. The paper focuses on identifying those business processes which risks may frequently take place, and how to manage them, illustrating practice cases to explain the theory, in order to make reference to NPE corporations. (author)

Hedging strategies for petroleum companies; Estrategias de hedging para empresas de petroleo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cohen, Joaquim Dib [PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2004-07-01

The prices of crude oil and products in the international market are becoming more and more volatile putting in risk the investment plans of the Oil Companies, their commercial revenues and even their survival. From 1983, with the launch of the WTI crude contract at the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), the market for derivatives had been growing at very high rate, letting the Companies to use it in order to protect their positions (hedging) and minimizing their business exposure to price risk. The Over the Counter (OTC) market, leaded by Financial Institutions, together with the exchange, are bringing a sort of different strategies to allow producers to protect their portfolios against an adverse move of the market, traders and refiners can, also, fix their margins and guarantee their profitability and, finally, end users are entitle to freeze their feedstock and keep their market competitiveness. Thus, producers, refiners, traders and end users of petroleum and products, have more and more take advantage of the use of derivatives to make their business foreseeable and profitable choosing the risk level they want to take by using a combination of market derivative hedging strategies as shown in this paper. (author)

Point-of-sale marketing of tobacco products: taking advantage of the socially disadvantaged?

Science.gov (United States)

John, Robert; Cheney, Marshall K; Azad, M Raihan

2009-05-01

With increasing regulation of tobacco industry marketing practices, point-of-sale advertising has become an important channel for promoting tobacco products. One hundred and ten convenience stores in Oklahoma County were surveyed for tobacco-related advertising. There were significantly more point-of-sale tobacco advertisements in low-income and minority neighborhoods than in better educated, higher-income, predominantly White neighborhoods. Storeowners or managers were also interviewed to determine who has decision-making power regarding store signage and placement, and to elicit perceptions of industry tactics. Contracts with tobacco companies leave storeowners with little or no control over promotion of tobacco products within their store, and many are unaware of the implications of the tobacco industry point-of-sale practices. Local ordinances that regulated outdoor signage reduced outdoor tobacco advertisements, as well as tobacco signage and promotions within the store. Policy change, rather than education targeting storeowners, is recommended as the most effective strategy for reducing point-of-sale tobacco advertising.

The Impact of Note Taking On the Improvement of Listening Comprehension of Iranian EFL Learners

OpenAIRE

Mohammad Zohrabi; Farzaneh Esfandyari

2014-01-01

Note taking is a popular and operative strategy which increases the students? ability to remember, comprehend, and keep the material in mind. Nowadays, it is very common for teachers to use the note taking strategy in EFL listening classes due to the fact that taking notes can help students catch the main points easily and in turn promote their listening comprehension effectively. However, it creates areas of concerns for some researchers about whether taking notes is effective for students t...

A Short Take on: Teaching Strategies for Workplace Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Desai, Raj

2006-01-01

The American workplace needs a workforce competent in a trade area and proficient in communication skills, group interaction skills, computer skills, and critical thinking skills. Many may argue that it is not possible to teach a technician all these skills in just two years--hence the need for new teaching strategies. Thus, in this article, the…

On the Shallow Processing (Dis)Advantage: Grammar and Economy

OpenAIRE

Koornneef, Arnout; Reuland, Eric

2016-01-01

In the psycholinguistic literature it has been proposed that readers and listeners often adopt a ‘good-enough’ processing strategy in which a ‘shallow’ representation of an utterance driven by (top-down) extra-grammatical processes has a processing advantage over a ‘deep’ (bottom-up) grammatically-driven representation of that same utterance. In the current contribution we claim, both on theoretical and experimental grounds, that this proposal is overly simplistic. Most importantly, in the do...

Energy Management Strategy for a Bioethanol Isolated Hybrid System: Simulations and Experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pablo Gabriel Rullo

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Renewable energy sources have significant advantages both from the environmental and the economic point of view. Additionally, renewable energy sources can contribute significantly to the development of isolated areas that currently have no connection to the electricity supply network. In order to make efficient use of these energy sources, it is necessary to develop appropriate energy management strategies. This work presents an energy management strategy for an isolated hybrid renewable energy system with hydrogen production from bioethanol reforming. The system is based on wind-solar energy, batteries and a bioethanol reformer, which produces hydrogen to feed a fuel cell system. Bioethanol can contribute to the development of isolated areas with surplus agricultural production, which can be used to produce bioethanol. The energy management strategy takes the form of a state machine and tries to maximize autonomy time while minimizing recharging time. The proposed rule-based strategy has been validated both by simulation and experimentally in a scale laboratory station. Both tests have shown the viability of the proposed strategy complying with the specifications imposed and a good agreement between experimental and simulation results.

Does being female provide a neuroprotective advantage following spinal cord injury?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeffrey P Datto

2015-01-01

Full Text Available It has been controversial whether gender has any effect on recovery following spinal cord injury (SCI. Past experimental and clinical research aimed at addressing this subject has led to constrasting findings on whether females hold any advantage in locomotor recovery. Additionally, for studies supporting the notion of a female gender related advantage, a definite cause has not been explained. In a recent study, using large sample sizes for comparative male and female spinal cord injury cohorts, we reported that a significant gender advantage favoring females existed in both tissue preservation and functional recovery after taking into consideration discrepancies in age and weight of the animals across sexes. Prior animal research frequently used sample sizes that were too small to determine significance with certainty and also did not account for two other factors that influence locomotor performance: age and weight. Our finding is important in light of controversy surrounding the effect of gender on outcome and the fact that SCI affects more than ten thousand new individuals annually, a population that is disproportionately male. By deepening our understanding of why a gender advantage exists, potential new therapeutics can be designed to improve recovery for the male population following the initial trauma or putatively augment the neuroprotective privilege in females for enhanced outcomes.

COMPARISON OF CLASSICAL AND INTERACTIVE MULTI-ROBOT EXPLORATION STRATEGIES IN POPULATED ENVIRONMENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nassim Kalde

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Multi-robot exploration consists in coordinating robots for mapping an unknown environment. It raises several issues concerning task allocation, robot control, path planning and communication. We study exploration in populated environments, in which pedestrian flows can severely impact performances. However, humans have adaptive skills for taking advantage of these flows while moving. Therefore, in order to exploit these human abilities, we propose a novel exploration strategy that explicitly allows for human-robot interactions. Our model for exploration in populated environments combines the classical frontier-based strategy with our interactive approach. We implement interactions where robots can locally choose a human guide to follow and define a parametric heuristic to balance interaction and frontier assignments. Finally, we evaluate to which extent human presence impacts our exploration model in terms of coverage ratio, travelled distance and elapsed time to completion.

Strategic advantage in web tourism promotion:an e-commerce strategy for developing countries

OpenAIRE

Sambhanthan, A.; Good, Alice

2014-01-01

This research informs the means to develop an e-commerce strategy for web based tourism promotion of hotels located in developing countries. The study explored the aspects related to the use of information systems in web based tourism promotion, along with a focus on the organizational factors affecting the use of e-commerce strategy. Interviews were conducted with the managers of selected five sample hotels located in Sri Lanka. A structured web content analysis was undertaken for all five s...

Strategy Only Matters A Bit: The role of Strategy in the High Performance Organization

OpenAIRE

André de Waal

2011-01-01

Ever since Porter’s book Competitive Strategy (1980), developing a generic strategy and then executing this strategy well has been seen as the main source of competitive advantage for organizations. However, since the publication of Porter’s book the business environment has changed dramatically, giving rise to the questions: How important is strategy nowadays for an organization to become and stay successful? and Are the generic strategies of Porter still valid? To find answers on these ques...

Scandinavian Cooperative Advantage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Strand, Robert; Freeman, R. Edward

2015-01-01

. We conclude by endorsing the expression “Scandinavian cooperative advantage” in an effort to draw attention to the Scandinavian context and encourage the field of strategic management to shift its focus from achieving a competitive advantage toward achieving a cooperative advantage....

Accessing offshoring advantages

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mykhaylenko, Alona; Motika, Agnes; Wæhrens, Brian Vejrum

2015-01-01

. Assuming that different levels of synergy may exist between particular offshoring strategic decisions (choosing offshore outsourcing or captive offshoring and the type of function) and different offshoring advantages, this work advocates that the actual fact of realization of certain offshoring advantages...

Strategy of technology and innovation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Yeon Min

1998-10-01

This book introduces strategy of technology and innovation which includes design and development of strategy of technology, performance of strategy of technology and building and practice of strategy of development. The contents of this book are form of industrial innovation, act in strategy, advantage of technical innovation, new perspective of studying and innovation, alliance with competitor, cost of transmission and innovation, learning cycle of new product and power of consistency of product.

Rethinking Marketing for Sustainable Competitive Advantages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akın KOÇAK

2012-12-01

Full Text Available When formal marketing thought developed in the early 1900s, dominant perspective of marketing was about taking things “to market”. After 1950 marketing thought moved to a “market to” orientation. This orientation reflects “product dominant logic”. After radical changes in information technology, knowledge asymmetry between firm and customer is decreased and customer becomes operant resource instead of a resource to be acted on. Therefore, new marketing paradigm has been emerged and main focus moved from “value in exchange” to “value in use” and customer becomes collaborative partner. Firm can only provide value proposition. New definition of marketing comprises “customer relationship”, “share holders”, and “value creation”. Apart from evolving of marketing thought, theories of competitive advantages have been also change form industry perspective to internal resource and dynamic capabilities.

Revealed Comparative Advantage of Services in Cariforum Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie Freckleton

2014-09-01

Full Text Available A pesar de la importancia de las exportaciones de servicios a los países del CARIFORUM no hay muchos estudios sobre de la competitividad de las exportaciones. Este artículo examina la ventaja comparativa revelada de las exportaciones de servicios de los países del CARIFORUM. El análisis muestra que la mayoría de los países del CARIFORUM han puesto de manifiesto las ventajas comparativas en el turismo, pero también hay casos de ventaja comparativa revelada en otros servicios como transporte, seguros y servicios empresariales, servicios personales, culturales y recreativos. Los resultados sugieren que existe un potencial de CARIFORUM para diversificar las exportaciones de servicios con el fin de pro-mover el crecimiento económico y reducir la vulnerabilidad. Sin embargo, en la medida en que los países del CARIFORUM pueden tomar ventaja de las oportunidades existentes de acceso al Mercado de los servicios depende de su capacidad de mejorar la capacidad de oferta de servicios y promover la competitividad de los servicios. English: Despite the importance of services ex-ports to CARIFORUM countries there is limited research on the competitiveness of such exports. This article examines the revealed comparative advantage of services exports in CARIFORUM countries. The analysis shows that most CARIFORUM countries have revealed comparative advantage in tourism but there are also cases of revealed comparative advantage in other services including transport, insurance, business services and personal, cultural and recreational services. The results suggest that there is potential for CARIFORUM to diversify exports of services in order to promote economic growth and reduce vulnerability. However, the extent to which CARIFORUM countries can take advantage of existing market access opportunities for services depends on their ability to improve the capacity to supply services and to promote the competitiveness of services.

Taking a climate chance: a procedural critique of Vietnam's climate change strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Fortier, François

2010-01-01

This article asks through what processes and for which interests the emerging Vietnamese climate change strategy is being designed, and if, ultimately, it is likely or not to be effective in the face of the looming threat. Through a review of an emerging body of literature and field observations, the paper finds the strategy partial and problematic in several ways. Its technocratic process prevents a pluralist representation of interests, obfuscating and perpetuating sectorial ones, at the expense of a more transparent and democratic resource allocation. The strategy therefore reflects and reinforces existing power relations in both politics and production. It feeds into a business-as-usual complacency, protecting national and international interests vested in unchallenged continuity, even when considering post-carbon technological fixes, which largely serve to expand capital accumulation opportunities. The article concludes that the national climate change strategy provides an illusion of intervention and security, but largely fails to identify and mitigate the underlying causes of climate change, or to lay the ground for a robust mid- and long-term adaptation strategy that can cope with yet unknown levels of climatic and other structural changes.

Multi-infill strategy for kriging models used in variable fidelity optimization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chao SONG

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a computationally efficient optimization method for aerodynamic design has been developed. The low-fidelity model and the multi-infill strategy are utilized in this approach. Low-fidelity data is employed to provide a good global trend for model prediction, and multiple sample points chosen by different infill criteria in each updating cycle are used to enhance the exploitation and exploration ability of the optimization approach. Take the advantages of low-fidelity model and the multi-infill strategy, and no initial sample for the high-fidelity model is needed. This approach is applied to an airfoil design case and a high-dimensional wing design case. It saves a large number of high-fidelity function evaluations for initial model construction. What’s more, faster reduction of an aerodynamic function is achieved, when compared to ordinary kriging using the multi-infill strategy and variable-fidelity model using single infill criterion. The results indicate that the developed approach has a promising application to efficient aerodynamic design when high-fidelity analyses are involved. Keywords: Aerodynamics, Infill criteria, Kriging models, Multi-infill, Optimization

EFFECT OF CSR ON PRODUCT DIFFERENTIATION IN THE PRESENCE OF COST ADVANTAGE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samar K. Mukhopadhyay

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Corporate social responsibility (CSR, once thought of only a philanthropic activity of a firm, is now treated as a serious business strategy that can contribute to a firm’s profitability. The seemingly altruistic activity helps build the firm’s image with all the stakeholders including its customers so that it has the potential to increase the firm’s profit. This fact is now well established in research literature. Product differentiation is another corporate strategy that is pursued by some companies in order to offer a distinctive product in the market to avoid competition, charge premium price, and increase profit. What is not known is that when two firms compete in a Hotelling type product differentiation line, how much this product differentiation is affected by the extent of the CSR activity of a firm. Our study is conducted in a game-theoretic setting where the CSR firm is competing with a non-CSR firm. The CSR firm maximizes a convex combination of its own profit and a form of social utility function, while the non-CSR firm maximizes its own profit only. The CSR firm is also assumed to have a technological advantage that reduces its production cost. The interaction of the effects of both the extent of CSR and the extent of this production cost advantage is also considered. We also study a scenario of asymmetric information. Our main results include that the degree of product differentiation is reduced when CSR is practiced. On the other hand, product differentiation increases with the production cost advantage. The interaction between the two factors – CSR activity and cost advantage – is also studied.

LOOKING BEYOND COST LEADERSHIP AND DIFFERENTIATION IN THE QUEST FOR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristian – Liviu Vele

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The current business environment, shaped by significant changes in the consumers’ behavior and, also, by a decrease in the demand for products and services, has influenced the way in which the companies are organized and managed, making the quest for sustainable competitive advantages top priority. The companies that will be able to provide customers with superior products and services will have the highest chances of survival. While it is true that times of economic crises causes a large number of companies to exit the market, it is also true that those who manage to adapt and gain sustainable competitive advantages will not only survive, but will be able to fill in the gaps left by their competitors and thus to increase their business. This article wishes to provide a theoretical perspective on the possible sources of sustainable competitive advantages, besides Michael Porter’s cost leadership and differentiation strategies. Following this, we will show how technological innovation, time, efficient use of the resources and designing the best organizational structure can be used as sources to gain sustainable competitive advantages.

An Optimal Domestic Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy for Reducing Network Transmission Loss While Taking Seasonal Factors into Consideration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuancheng Zhao

2018-01-01

Full Text Available With the rapid growth of domestic electric vehicle charging loads, the peak-valley gap and power fluctuation rate of power systems increase sharply, which can lead to the increase of network losses and energy efficiency reduction. This paper tries to regulate network loads and reduce power system transmission loss by optimizing domestic electric vehicle charging loads. In this paper, a domestic electric vehicle charging loads model is first developed by analyzing the key factors that can affect users’ charging behavior. Subsequently, the Monte Carlo method is proposed to simulate the power consumption of a cluster of domestic electric vehicles. After that, an optimal electric vehicle charging strategy based on the 0-1 integer programming is presented to regulate network daily loads. Finally, by taking the IEEE33 distributed power system as an example, this paper tries to verify the efficacy of the proposed optimal charging strategy and the necessity for considering seasonal factors when scheduling electric vehicle charging loads. Simulation results show that the proposed 0-1 integer programming method does have good performance in reducing the network peak-valley gap, voltage fluctuation rate, and transmission loss. Moreover, it has some potential to further reduce power system transmission loss when seasonal factors are considered.

The advantages of reliability centered maintenance for standby safety systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dam, R.F.; Ayazzudin, S.; Nickerson, J.H.; DeLong, A.I.

2002-01-01

predictive monitoring. The testing in this strategy is part of an effort to ensure that the desired function is not only available today, but will be available tomorrow as well. This paper considers the application of a streamlined form of RCM to the Emergency Core Cooling (ECC) and Standby Generator (SG) Systems of a CANDU plant. Recently completed studies provide useful insight into the important value added of the systematic assessment approach (using RCM techniques) for these standby safety systems. In the case of RCM analysis performed on the Emergency Core Cooling (ECC) System of Point Lepreau Nuclear Power Generating Station (PLGS), it was found that 60% of the current maintenance tasks are testing (functional, stroke, logic, and annunciation tests). Similarly, the SGs have 50% of the maintenance tasks associated with testing. The paper considers how the results of the RCM analysis demonstrate that the analysis can be used to assist in the optimization of the testing program dictated by reliability while also taking better advantage of the testing through condition monitoring and predictive maintenance techniques. Further, the results illustrate the importance of identifying and linking the different plant activities within a well integrated plant culture. (author)

Flicker Mitigation Strategy for a Doubly Fed Induction Generator by Torque Control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Yunqian; Hu, Weihao; Chen, Zhe

2014-01-01

induction generator is presented to investigate the flicker mitigation. Taking advantage of the large inertia of the wind turbine rotor, a generator torque control (GTC) strategy is proposed, so that the power oscillation is stored as the kinetic energy of the wind turbine rotor, thus the flicker emission...... is an effective means for flicker mitigation of variable speed wind turbines during continuous operation.......Owing to the rotational sampling of turbulence, wind shear and tower shadow effects grid connected variable speed wind turbines could lead to the power fluctuations which may produce flicker during continuous operation. A model of an megawatt (MW)-level variable speed wind turbine with a doubly fed...

The advertising strategies

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

YAKOUBI Mohamed Lamine

2013-01-01

We will try to demonstrate, through the display of the various advertising creation strategies and their evolution, how the advertising communication passed from of a vision or a strategy focused on the product, to a vision focused on the brand. The first advertising strategy that was applied by advertising agencies is the＂Unique Selling Proposition＂;it focused only on the product advantages and its philosophy dominated the advertising world, throughout its various evolutions, till the nineties but this is without counting the introduction of the new advertising strategies that brought a more brand oriented philosophy to the ground.

Customer social network affects marketing strategy: A simulation analysis based on competitive diffusion model

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Rui; Wu, Jiawen; Du, Helen S.

2017-03-01

To explain the competition phenomenon and results between QQ and MSN (China) in the Chinese instant messaging software market, this paper developed a new population competition model based on customer social network. The simulation results show that the firm whose product with greater network externality effect will gain more market share than its rival when the same marketing strategy is used. The firm with the advantage of time, derived from the initial scale effect will become more competitive than its rival when facing a group of common penguin customers within a social network, verifying the winner-take-all phenomenon in this case.

A Tale of Two Types of Perspective Taking: Sex Differences in Spatial Ability.

Science.gov (United States)

Tarampi, Margaret R; Heydari, Nahal; Hegarty, Mary

2016-11-01

Sex differences in favor of males have been documented in measures of spatial perspective taking. In this research, we examined whether social factors (i.e., stereotype threat and the inclusion of human figures in tasks) account for these differences. In Experiment 1, we evaluated performance when perspective-taking tests were framed as measuring either spatial or social (empathetic) perspective-taking abilities. In the spatial condition, tasks were framed as measures of spatial ability on which males have an advantage. In the social condition, modified tasks contained human figures and were framed as measures of empathy on which females have an advantage. Results showed a sex difference in favor of males in the spatial condition but not the social condition. Experiments 2 and 3 indicated that both stereotype threat and including human figures contributed to these effects. Results suggest that females may underperform on spatial tests in part because of negative performance expectations and the character of the spatial tests rather than because of actual lack of abilities. © The Author(s) 2016.

Potential advantages and disadvantages of an endgame strategy: a 'sinking lid' on tobacco supply.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Nick; Thomson, George W; Edwards, Richard; Blakely, Tony

2013-05-01

One possible supply-side strategy for the tobacco endgame is a government-mandated 'sinking lid' on tobacco supply (tradeable but decreasing quotas on sales or imports). We considered literature on quota systems and from a tobacco endgame workshop at the University of Michigan. Likely strengths of the sinking lid strategy include: (1) that it can provide a clear timetable and an unambiguous signal of a tobacco end-date; (2) that supply reduction is likely to increase product price levels, and there is very strong evidence that increasing price is a highly effective tobacco control intervention. Its feasibility is also supported by the growing international experience with, and political acceptability of, using quota and auction systems in other domains (eg, greenhouse gases, other air pollutants and for fisheries). However, the main disadvantages of this strategy are probably the need for strong political will and high public support (to pass a new law), potential legal challenges by industry (eg, under trade agreements), and vulnerability to problems from illegal supplies of tobacco and from corruption. The sinking lid strategy is a plausible option that is worth considering when investigating possible tobacco endgame strategies, though it may be most applicable in well-organised jurisdictions with low (<15%) adult smoking prevalence. This idea could benefit from further research, such as studies in virtual worlds, and real-world testing on small island jurisdictions, or closed systems, such as military bases.

A MOORA based fuzzy multi-criteria decision making approach for supply chain strategy selection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bijan Sarkar

2012-08-01

Full Text Available To acquire the competitive advantages in order to survive in the global business scenario, modern companies are now facing the problems of selecting key supply chain strategies. Strategy selection becomes difficult as the number of alternatives and conflicting criteria increases. Multi criteria decision making (MCDM methodologies help the supply chain managers take a lead in a complex industrial set-up. The present investigation applies fuzzy MCDM technique entailing multi-objective optimization on the basis of ratio analysis (MOORA in selection of alternatives in a supply chain. The MOORA method is utilized to three suitable numerical examples for the selection of supply chain strategies (warehouse location selection and vendor/supplier selection. The results obtained by using current approach almost match with those of previous research works published in various open journals. The empirical study has demonstrated the simplicity and applicability of this method as a strategic decision making tool in a supply chain.

Green synthesis of nanoparticles: Their advantages and disadvantages

Science.gov (United States)

Parveen, Khadeeja; Banse, Viktoria; Ledwani, Lalita

2016-04-01

The nanotechnology and biomedical sciences opens the possibility for a wide variety of biological research topics and medical uses at the molecular and cellular level. The biosynthesis of nanoparticles has been proposed as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to chemical and physical methods. Plant-mediated synthesis of nanoparticles is a green chemistry approach that connects nanotechnology with plants. Novel methods of ideally synthesizing NPs are thus thought that are formed at ambient temperatures, neutral pH, low costs and environmentally friendly fashion. Keeping these goals in view nanomaterials have been synthesized using various routes. Among the biological alternatives, plants and plant extracts seem to be the best option. Plants are nature's "chemical factories". They are cost efficient and require low maintenance. The advantages and disadvantages of nanotechnology can be easily enumerated. This study attempts to review the diversity of the field, starting with the history of nanotechnology, the properties of the nanoparticle, various strategies of synthesis, the many advantages and disadvantages of different methods and its application.

Advantages and contributions in the balanced scorecard implementation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrícia Quesado

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Purpose: In this paper we aim to identify and analyse a set of advantages and contributions derived from the Balanced Scorecard (BSC implementation. Design/methodology/approach: In order to answer the research question, we have carried out a qualitative research based on the exclusively bibliographical review of theoretical / conceptual and empirical works previously done on the subject (systematic review of the literature. Findings: The results allow us to conclude that the BSC is more than a simple performance evaluation system, to become a true strategic management tool able to clarify and translate the mission and organizational strategy, making possible the communication process, the strategic alignment and the organizational learning. Originality/value: The study presents a contribution to the current state of knowledge, since the identification of the advantages and contributions in the BSC introduction and implementation can facilitate its adoption and development in the organizations that intend to implement this tool. In addition, a theoretical basis is provided for subsequent research, evidencing the breadth of research on the topic studied.

[Anterior lumbar interbody fusion. Indications, technique, advantages and disadvantages].

Science.gov (United States)

Richter, M; Weidenfeld, M; Uckmann, F P

2015-02-01

Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) for lumbar interbody fusion from L2 to the sacrum has been an established technique for decades. The advantages and disadvantages of ALIF compared to posterior interbody fusion techniques are discussed. The operative technique is described in detail. Complications and avoidance strategies are discussed. This article is based on a selective literature search using PubMed and the experience of the authors in this medical field. The advantages of ALIF compared to posterior fusion techniques are the free approach to the anterior disc space without opening of the spinal canal or the neural foramina. This gives the possibility of an extensive anterior release and placement of the largest possible cages without the risk of neural structure damage. The disadvantages of ALIF are the additional anterior approach and the related complications. The most frequent complication is due to damage of vessels. The rate of complications is significantly increased in revision surgery. The ALIF technique meaningfully expands the repertoire of the spinal surgeon especially for the treatment of non-union after interbody fusion, in patients with epidural scar tissue at the index level and spinal infections. Advantages and disadvantages should be considered when evaluating the indications for ALIF.

Management strategies for business

OpenAIRE

Alexander Sumets

2018-01-01

The paper aims to systematize business management strategies and identify their potential opportunities for the development of the competitive business advantages in transition economies. Characteristics of the features of modern business in developing countries (on the example of Ukraine) are given in the article in concise form. The relevance of the study of the relationship between strategy and business management is substantiated. Modern interpretations of the concepts of «strategy», «str...

All strategy is local.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenwald, Bruce; Kahn, Judd

2005-09-01

The aim of strategy is to master a market environment by understanding and anticipating the actions of other economic agents, especially competitors. A firm that has some sort of competitive advantage-privileged access to customers, for instance--will have relatively few competitors to contend with, since potential competitors without an advantage, if they have their wits about them, will stay away. Thus, competitive advantages are actually barriers to entry and vice versa. In markets that are exposed, by contrast, competition is intense. If the incumbents have even brief success in earning greater than normal returns on investments, new entrants will swarm in to grab a share of the profits. Sooner or later, the additional competition will push returns as far down as the firms' costs of capital. For firms operating in such markets, the only choice is to forget about strategy and run the business as efficiently as possible. Barriers to entry are easier to maintain in a competitive arena that is "local", either in the geographic sense or in the sense of being limited to one product or a handful of related ones. The two most powerful competitive advantages-customer captivity and economies of scale-are more achievable and sustainable in circumscribed markets of this kind. Their opposites are the open markets and host of rivals that are features of globalization. Compapies entering such markets risk frittering away the advantages they secured on smaller playing fields.., Ifa company wants to grow but still obtain superior returns, the authors argue, the best strategy is to dominate a series of discrete but preferably contiguous markets and then expand only at their edges. WalMart's diminishing margins over the past 15 years are strong evidence of the danger of proceeding otherwise.

Thermal advantage of tracking solar collectors under Danish weather conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Elsa; Dragsted, Janne; Furbo, Simon

2010-01-01

Theoretical investigations have been carried out with the aim to elucidate the thermal advantage of tracking solar collectors for different weather conditions in Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark (55.8°N), and for the weather conditions in Sisimiut, Greenland (66.9°N), just north of the arctic circle....... The investigations are based on calculations with a newly developed program. Measured weather data from a solar radiation measurement station at Technical University of Denmark in Kgs. Lyngby Denmark in the period 1990 to 2002 and the Danish Design Reference Year, DRY data file are used in the investigations....... The weather data used for Sisimiut are based on a Test Reference Year, TRY weather data file. The thermal advantages of different tracking strategies is investigated for two flat plate solar collectors with different efficiencies, operated at different temperature levels. The investigations show...

Transforming Defense Basic Research Strategy

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Fountain, Augustus W

2004-01-01

.... Public funding of basic research for the DoD during the Cold War was successful because it minimized risk through taking maximum advantage of long term research projects that produced rather mature...

THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF BITCOIN PAYMENTS IN THE NEW ECONOMY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CARINA-ELENA STEGĂROIU

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In the Internet economy, with the help of cryptography, a branch of mathematics dealing with the security of information, as well as authentication and restriction of access to a computer system, a new digital coin as an alternative to national currencies appeared. In accomplishing this, using both mathematical methods (taking advantage of, for example, the difficulty of factorizing very large numbers, and quantum encryption methods. Throughout the world, information technology companies are focusing on information protection, inventing day-to-day methods with greater durability. In the horizon of Information Security, Quantum Cryptography has emerged, generating new possibilities in that field, hoping that data will be better protected and that the digital currency will resist over time and eventually evolve in the future, although Kurzweil, Bitcoin's pioneering technology is unlikely to be used in this respect. The idea of virtual alternatives to national currencies is not new, with advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of this coin are high payment freedom, transparency of information, high security, reduced risks for traders. Among the disadvantages we highlight the risk and volatility, the lack of notification and understanding, with incomplete functions, but which are developing, so Bitcoin is not perfect.

Future generations of CANDU: advantages and development with passive safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duffey, R. B.

2006-01-01

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) advances water reactor and CANDLT technology using an evolutionary development strategy. This strategy ensures that innovations are based firmly on current experience and keeps our development programs focused on one reactor concept, reducing risks, development costs, and product development cycle times. It also assures our customers that our products will never become obsolete or unsupported, and the continuous line of water reactor development is secure and supported into the future. Using the channel reactor advantage of modularity, the subdivided core has the advantage of passive safety by heat removal to the low- pressure moderator. With continuous improvements, the Advanced CANDU Reactor TM (ACR-1000TM) concept will likely remain highly competitive for a number of years and leads naturally to the next phase of CANDU development, namely the Generation IV CANDU -SCWR concept. This is conventional water technology, since supercritical boilers and turbines have been operating for some time in coal-fired power plants. Significant cost, safety, and performance advantages would result from the CANDU-SCWR concept, plus the flexibility of a range of plant sizes suitable for both small and large electric grids, and the ability for co-generation of electric power, process heat, and hydrogen. In CANDU-SCWR, novel developments are included in the primary circuit layout and channel design. The R and D in Canada is integrated with the Generation IV international Forum (GIF) plans, and has started on examining replaceable insulating liners that would ensure channel life, and on providing completely passive reactor decay heat removal directly to the moderator heat sink without forced cooling. In the interests of sustainability, hydrogen production by a CANDU- SCWR is also be included as part of the system requirements, where the methods for hydrogen production will depend on the outlet temperature of the reactor

Application of the risk-based strategy to the Hanford tank waste organic-nitrate safety issue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunter, V.L.; Colson, S.D.; Ferryman, T.; Gephart, R.E.; Heasler, P.; Scheele, R.D.

1997-12-01

This report describes the results from application of the Risk-Based Decision Management Approach for Justifying Characterization of Hanford Tank Waste to the organic-nitrate safety issue in Hanford single-shell tanks (SSTs). Existing chemical and physical models were used, taking advantage of the most current (mid-1997) sampling and analysis data. The purpose of this study is to make specific recommendations for planning characterization to help ensure the safety of each SST as it relates to the organic-nitrate safety issue. An additional objective is to demonstrate the viability of the Risk-Based Strategy for addressing Hanford tank waste safety issues

Application of the risk-based strategy to the Hanford tank waste organic-nitrate safety issue

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hunter, V.L.; Colson, S.D.; Ferryman, T.; Gephart, R.E.; Heasler, P.; Scheele, R.D.

1997-12-01

This report describes the results from application of the Risk-Based Decision Management Approach for Justifying Characterization of Hanford Tank Waste to the organic-nitrate safety issue in Hanford single-shell tanks (SSTs). Existing chemical and physical models were used, taking advantage of the most current (mid-1997) sampling and analysis data. The purpose of this study is to make specific recommendations for planning characterization to help ensure the safety of each SST as it relates to the organic-nitrate safety issue. An additional objective is to demonstrate the viability of the Risk-Based Strategy for addressing Hanford tank waste safety issues.

Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli gains a competitive advantage by using ethanolamine as a nitrogen source in the bovine intestinal content.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertin, Yolande; Girardeau, J P; Chaucheyras-Durand, F; Lyan, Bernard; Pujos-Guillot, Estelle; Harel, Josée; Martin, Christine

2011-02-01

The bovine gastrointestinal tract is the main reservoir for enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) responsible for food-borne infections. Characterization of nutrients that promote the carriage of these pathogens by the ruminant would help to develop ecological strategies to reduce their survival in the bovine gastrointestinal tract. In this study, we show for the first time that free ethanolamine (EA) constitutes a nitrogen source for the O157:H7 EHEC strain EDL933 in the bovine intestinal content because of induction of the eut (ethanolamine utilization) gene cluster. In contrast, the eut gene cluster is absent in the genome of most species constituting the mammalian gut microbiota. Furthermore, the eutB gene (encoding a subunit of the enzyme that catalyses the release of ammonia from EA) is poorly expressed in non-pathogenic E. coli. Accordingly, EA is consumed by EHEC but is poorly metabolized by endogenous microbiota of the bovine small intestine, including commensal E. coli. Interestingly, the capacity to utilize EA as a nitrogen source confers a growth advantage to E. coli O157:H7 when the bacteria enter the stationary growth phase. These data demonstrate that EHEC strains take advantage of a nitrogen source that is not consumed by the resident microbiota, and suggest that EA represents an ecological niche favouring EHEC persistence in the bovine intestine.

Optimising the Use of Note-Taking as an External Cognitive Aid for Increasing Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Makany, Tamas; Kemp, Jonathan; Dror, Itiel E.

2009-01-01

Taking notes is of uttermost importance in academic and commercial use and success. Different techniques for note-taking utilise different cognitive processes and strategies. This experimental study examined ways to enhance cognitive performance via different note-taking techniques. By comparing performances of traditional, linear style…

Advantages of robotics in benign gynecologic surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Truong, Mireille; Kim, Jin Hee; Scheib, Stacey; Patzkowsky, Kristin

2016-08-01

The purpose of this article is to review the literature and discuss the advantages of robotics in benign gynecologic surgery. Minimally invasive surgery has become the preferred route over abdominal surgery. The laparoscopic or robotic approach is recommended when vaginal surgery is not feasible. Thus far, robotic gynecologic surgery data have demonstrated feasibility, safety, and equivalent clinical outcomes in comparison with laparoscopy and better clinical outcomes compared with laparotomy. Robotics was developed to overcome challenges of laparoscopy and has led to technological advantages such as improved ergonomics, visualization with three-dimensional capabilities, dexterity and range of motion with instrument articulation, and tremor filtration. To date, applications of robotics in benign gynecology include hysterectomy, myomectomy, endometriosis surgery, sacrocolpopexy, adnexal surgery, tubal reanastomosis, and cerclage. Though further data are needed, robotics may provide additional benefits over other approaches in the obese patient population and in higher complexity cases. Challenges that arose in the earlier adoption stage such as the steep learning curve, costs, and operative times are becoming more optimized with greater experience, with implementation of robotics in high-volume centers and with improved training of surgeons and robotic teams. Robotic laparoendoscopic single-site surgery, albeit still in its infancy where technical advantages compared with laparoscopic single-site surgery are still unclear, may provide a cost-reducing option compared with multiport robotics. The cost may even approach that of laparoscopy while still conferring similar perioperative outcomes. Advances in robotic technology such as the single-site platform and telesurgery, have the potential to revolutionize the field of minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. Higher quality evidence is needed to determine the advantages and disadvantages of robotic surgery in benign

Understanding multinational companies in public health systems, using a competitive advantage framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Lethbridge, Jane

2011-07-01

This paper discusses the findings of a study which developed five case studies of five multinational health care companies involved in public health care systems. Strategies were analysed in terms of attitude to marketing, pricing and regulation. The company strategies have been subjected to an analysis using Porter's Five Forces, a business strategy framework, which is unusual in health policy studies. This paper shows how analysing company strategy using a business tool can contribute to understanding the strategies of global capital in national health systems. It shows how social science methodologies can draw from business methods to explain company strategies. The five companies considered in this paper demonstrate that their strategies have many dimensions, which fit into Porter's Five Forces of comparative advantage. More importantly the Five Forces can be used to identify factors that influence company entry into public health care systems. The process of examining the strategic objectives of five health care companies shows that a business tool can help to explain the actions and motives of health care companies towards public health care systems, and so contribute to a better understanding of the strategies of global capital in national health systems. Health service commissioners need to understand this dynamic process, which will evolve as the nature of public health care systems change.

Peran Strategi, Sumber Daya Serta Perubahan Teknologi dan Lingkungan terhadap Penciptaan Keunggulan Kompetitif yang Berkesinambungan

OpenAIRE

Aisyah, Mimin Nur

2007-01-01

Creating a sustainable competitive advantage is a crucial factor in strategic management. With the competitive advantage, an organization will be able to continue its operation, win the competition, and achieve its goals. Strategy, resources, and technological & environmental changes are key factors that should be considered in building a sustainable competitive advantage. Strategy theorized the organization methods to compete successfully in its business. The strategies formulated to achieve...

Reading Comprehension Strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Unal Ulker

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The academic success of the university students greatly depends on the mastery of an academic reading skill. However, students as well as teachers, take the learning of this skill for granted, as they tend to presuppose that reading skill is acquired as a part of their secondary education. As a result, most first-year students employ non university strategies to read academic texts, which leads to a surface approach to reading and prevents students from a better understanding of the material. This paper will discuss the strategies that involve students in taking a deep approach to reading academic texts.

Insurance World in Transition: Changes in Global Risk Taking and Risk Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Michel, Gero; Tiampo, Kristy

2015-04-01

Catastrophe insurance risk assessment, risk taking, and regulation has evolved over the last 20 years and is gearing up for significant further change in the years ahead. Changes in regulation and influx of capital have put profit margins for catastrophe risk products under pressure despite the fact that changes in climate as well as increasing insurance penetration is expected to heighten demand. As a result, reinsurance strategies are moving away from catastrophe risk. In addition, lower margins require cheaper and more efficient risk assessment methods and processes which are contrary to evolving analytical tools and methods that had increased expenses in line with growing margins over the last decade. New capital providers are less familiar with and less willing to accept complex supply chains for risk management, relationship-driven business and tedious data exchange and management processes. Risk takers claim new measures and ask for more flexibility in the use of tools. The current concepts of catastrophe insurance risk assessment are hence under thorough scrutiny. This presentation deals with the changing landscape in catastrophe insurance risk assessment and risk hedging and discusses changes in catastrophe risk assessment products and demand. How likely is it that private, small and nimble hazard and risk consulting groups - increasingly emanating from larger science organizations - will replace large established firms in their role to assess risk? What role do public-private academic partnerships play in assuming risk for catastrophe insurance and what role could they play in the future? What are the opportunities and downsides of the current changes in risk taking and hedging? What is needed from the scientific community in order to fill the gaps in risk management and who is likely to take advantage of the current changes?

A Simple Operating Strategy of Small-Scale Battery Energy Storages for Energy Arbitrage under Dynamic Pricing Tariffs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Enrico Telaretti

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Price arbitrage involves taking advantage of an electricity price difference, storing electricity during low-prices times, and selling it back to the grid during high-prices periods. This strategy can be exploited by customers in presence of dynamic pricing schemes, such as hourly electricity prices, where the customer electricity cost may vary at any hour of day, and power consumption can be managed in a more flexible and economical manner, taking advantage of the price differential. Instead of modifying their energy consumption, customers can install storage systems to reduce their electricity bill, shifting the energy consumption from on-peak to off-peak hours. This paper develops a detailed storage model linking together technical, economic and electricity market parameters. The proposed operating strategy aims to maximize the profit of the storage owner (electricity customer under simplifying assumptions, by determining the optimal charge/discharge schedule. The model can be applied to several kinds of storages, although the simulations refer to three kinds of batteries: lead-acid, lithium-ion (Li-ion and sodium-sulfur (NaS batteries. Unlike literature reviews, often requiring an estimate of the end-user load profile, the proposed operation strategy is able to properly identify the battery-charging schedule, relying only on the hourly price profile, regardless of the specific facility’s consumption, thanks to some simplifying assumptions in the sizing and the operation of the battery. This could be particularly useful when the customer load profile cannot be scheduled with sufficient reliability, because of the uncertainty inherent in load forecasting. The motivation behind this research is that storage devices can help to lower the average electricity prices, increasing flexibility and fostering the integration of renewable sources into the power system.

Inequality and redistribution behavior in a give-or-take game

Science.gov (United States)

Bechtel, Michael M.; Scheve, Kenneth F.

2018-01-01

Political polarization and extremism are widely thought to be driven by the surge in economic inequality in many countries around the world. Understanding why inequality persists depends on knowing the causal effect of inequality on individual behavior. We study how inequality affects redistribution behavior in a randomized “give-or-take” experiment that created equality, advantageous inequality, or disadvantageous inequality between two individuals before offering one of them the opportunity to either take from or give to the other. We estimate the causal effect of inequality in representative samples of German and American citizens (n = 4,966) and establish two main findings. First, individuals imperfectly equalize payoffs: On average, respondents transfer 12% of the available endowments to realize more equal wealth distributions. This means that respondents tolerate a considerable degree of inequality even in a setting in which there are no costs to redistribution. Second, redistribution behavior in response to disadvantageous and advantageous inequality is largely asymmetric: Individuals who take from those who are richer do not also tend to give to those who are poorer, and individuals who give to those who are poorer do not tend to take from those who are richer. These behavioral redistribution types correlate in meaningful ways with support for heavy taxes on the rich and the provision of welfare benefits for the poor. Consequently, it seems difficult to construct a majority coalition willing to back the type of government interventions needed to counter rising inequality. PMID:29555734

Categories, diversity, and relevance of memory strategies reported by community-dwelling seniors.

Science.gov (United States)

Haché, Marie-Michèle; Lussier, Maxime; Parisien, Manon; Langlois, Francis; Bier, Nathalie

2018-01-01

Memory strategies help seniors remember information that is essential for the performance of their daily activities and contribute to their independence in the context of declining memory skills. This study aimed to analyze the categories, the diversity, and relevance of memory strategies known by seniors, and to identify individual characteristics that correlated with these variables. The sample consisted of 294 participants aged 60 and over who decided to take part in a cognitive vitality promotion program. An adapted version of the memory situation questionnaire (Troyer, 2001) was administered to identify the memory strategies that seniors would use in five daily life situations. A scoring grid, also adapted from the questionnaire's original version (Troyer, 2001), was used to quantify the relevance of the strategies that were reported by participants. All participants mentioned at least once that they would use a strategy from the physical category of memory strategies. Out of a possible range of 26 strategies, participants answered an average of 6.14 (SD = 1.7) different answers across the five situations. Based on expert consensus, 67.7% of the mentioned memory strategies were relevant. Diversity and relevance were significantly higher when trying to remember appointments, things to bring or phone numbers (p ≤ 0.05). The level of education, cognitive skills, and participation in leisure activities were related to diversity and relevance of reported strategies. Seniors know various and relevant memory strategies to perform daily activities. The advantages of integrating strategies that they already know in cognitive health promotion programs should be considered in further studies.

Management Methods and Concepts for Building Competitive Advantage in Hospitality Companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gierczak Beata

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Competitive advantage determines the success of modern enterprises, such as hospitality companies, on the market. In turn, competitive advantage is gained as the result of skillful management, taking into account the factors that characterize the company environment. In the management process, methods and concepts that, when properly applied, facilitate the company's innovative activities play the key role, thus contributing to building competitive advantage. The purpose of this paper is to specify and characterize the methods and management concepts most commonly used by hospitality companies in the process of building competitive advantage. The core benefit of these considerations is that they serve to identify those activities of hospitality companies in which the analyzed methods and concepts found practical application. The final part of the article is devoted to an attempt to identify barriers and problems that significantly limit the use of these methods and concepts. Material and methods. In order to achieve this objective, a survey and interviews were carried out in all three- and four-star hotels in the Rzeszów area in the first quarter of 2012. Results. The results revealed that the concept most commonly used by hoteliers was knowledge-based organization (knowledge management, followed by outsourcing, benchmarking and internal competition, respectively. Conclusions. The study also demonstrated that the managers of these hospitality companies significantly lacked substantive knowledge of emerging “market” management methods and concepts.

Brokers and Competitive Advantage

OpenAIRE

Michael D. Ryall; Olav Sorenson

2007-01-01

The broker profits by intermediating between two (or more) parties. Using a biform game, we examine whether such a position can confer a competitive advantage, as well as whether any such advantage could persist if actors formed relations strategically. Our analysis reveals that, if one considers exogenous the relations between actors, brokers can enjoy an advantage but only if (1) they do not face substitutes either for the connections they offer or the value they can create, (2) they interm...

Hi-tech products marketing and competitive advantage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Perović Jelena

2004-01-01

Full Text Available The company today, in causes turbulent environment and intensive integrations must cooperate, accept and develop high technology in order to achieve needs of customers. It's only way that companies replay on challenge global environment, decrease costs of investment per capita, decrease the risk, captivate new market and held competitive in causes of global market. High tech technology marketing function is help that results of new technology transfer on economy. Their function is reach need of customers, too. Positive influence of technology is the highest in area of production costs and productivity. Speed years are in front of our and it demands larger productivity, which primary source must be technology changes. High technology marketing is the most provocative framework for take competitive advantage, answer on global change and way of permanent reach rigorous need of customers.

Generic Advantages

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics. Generic Advantages. Scalability an incremental coverage. Standardization. Business Plan Flexibility. Lifecycle Flexibility. Reliability. Service Interoperability. Changed Industry dynamics.

Marketing strategy: a key leverage point for dietitians.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, T G; Brooks, B J

1981-09-01

The time is right for planned change in the profession of dietetics. The concept of the nutrition support team offers the clinical dietitian a means of increasing the visibility and effectiveness of dietetic services. Dietitians must take advantage of the renewed interest in nutrition and intervene assertively to improve nutritional care through role expansion. By focusing on a systematic marketing strategy to expand their current role, dietitians can become proactive participants in role change, rather than reactive victims to changes dictated by others. When goals, objectives, and plans are made explicit, definite progress toward desired role changes can be recognized. This case study demonstrates that this change in role is possible within the present state of health case systems and that physicians are willing and even eager to allow dietitians to assume a high degree of responsibility for nutritional care.

The Impact of Structured Note Taking Strategies on Math Achievement of Middle School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkinson, Gregory Ashley

2012-01-01

Student math achievement continues to be a national, state, and local concern. Research suggests that note taking can improve academic achievement, but current research has failed to report how low achievers might benefit from using note taking during math classes. The purpose of this study was to determine if teaching students structured note…

Modernization of Physical Appearance and Solution Color Tests Using Quantitative Tristimulus Colorimetry: Advantages, Harmonization, and Validation Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Pack, Brian W; Montgomery, Laura L; Hetrick, Evan M

2015-10-01

Color measurements, including physical appearance, are important yet often misunderstood and underappreciated aspects of a control strategy for drug substances and drug products. From a patient safety perspective, color can be an important control point for detecting contamination, impurities, and degradation products, with human visual acuity often more sensitive for colored impurities than instrumental techniques such as HPLC. Physical appearance tests and solution color tests can also serve an important role in ensuring that appropriate steps are taken such that clinical trials do not become unblinded when the active material is compared with another product or a placebo. Despite the importance of color tests, compendial visual tests are not harmonized across the major pharmacopoeias, which results in ambiguous specifications of little value, difficult communication of true sample color, and significant extra work required for global registration. Some pharmacopoeias have not yet recognized or adopted technical advances in the instrumental measurement of color and appearance, whereas others begin to acknowledge the advantage of instrumental colorimetry, yet leave implementation of the technology ambiguous. This commentary will highlight the above-mentioned inconsistencies, provide an avenue toward harmonization and modernization, and outline a scientifically sound approach for implementing quantitative technologies for improved measurement, communication, and control of color and appearance for both solutions and solids. Importantly, this manuscript, for the first time, outlines a color method validation approach that is consistent with the International Conference on Harmonization's guidance on the topic of method validation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Imagine-Self Perspective-Taking and Rational Self-Interested Behavior in a Simple Experimental Normal-Form Game

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adam Karbowski

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to explore the link between imagine-self perspective-taking and rational self-interested behavior in experimental normal-form games. Drawing on the concept of sympathy developed by Adam Smith and further literature on perspective-taking in games, we hypothesize that introduction of imagine-self perspective-taking by decision-makers promotes rational self-interested behavior in a simple experimental normal-form game. In our study, we examined behavior of 404 undergraduate students in the two-person game, in which the participant can suffer a monetary loss only if she plays her Nash equilibrium strategy and the opponent plays her dominated strategy. Results suggest that the threat of suffering monetary losses effectively discourages the participants from choosing Nash equilibrium strategy. In general, players may take into account that opponents choose dominated strategies due to specific not self-interested motivations or errors. However, adopting imagine-self perspective by the participants leads to more Nash equilibrium choices, perhaps by alleviating participants’ attributions of susceptibility to errors or non-self-interested motivation to the opponents.

Imagine-Self Perspective-Taking and Rational Self-Interested Behavior in a Simple Experimental Normal-Form Game.

Science.gov (United States)

Karbowski, Adam; Ramsza, Michał

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the link between imagine-self perspective-taking and rational self-interested behavior in experimental normal-form games. Drawing on the concept of sympathy developed by Adam Smith and further literature on perspective-taking in games, we hypothesize that introduction of imagine-self perspective-taking by decision-makers promotes rational self-interested behavior in a simple experimental normal-form game. In our study, we examined behavior of 404 undergraduate students in the two-person game, in which the participant can suffer a monetary loss only if she plays her Nash equilibrium strategy and the opponent plays her dominated strategy. Results suggest that the threat of suffering monetary losses effectively discourages the participants from choosing Nash equilibrium strategy. In general, players may take into account that opponents choose dominated strategies due to specific not self-interested motivations or errors. However, adopting imagine-self perspective by the participants leads to more Nash equilibrium choices, perhaps by alleviating participants' attributions of susceptibility to errors or non-self-interested motivation to the opponents.

Information systems supported organizational learning as a competitive advantage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jose Manuel Arias

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the characteristics that make information systems useful in gathering and processing information with the aim of organizational learning and subsequent structural adaptation for better fitting to market requirements. Design/methodology/approach: Adaptation is a must when turning to foster the competitiveness and sustainability of the organization. Findings and Originality/value: It is clear that information systems can really create a difference in the way an organization acquires information from its environment and from itself in order to achieve a high-quality decision taking process. Research limitations/implications: Organizations have to look inside themselves in order to ensure the comprehension of their core competencies and the way they carry them out. Practical implications: Organizational learning is one of the means employed by organizations to get adapted to their surrounding environment. Social implications: Systems engineering techniques can be applied in order to leverage these core competencies and make organizations adaptable to the organizational environment requirements through the use of information systems. Originality/value: To obtain competitive advantages in the market. Keywords: competitive advantage, information systems, knowledge management, & the learning organization.

Home advantage in professional tennis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koning, Ruud H.

2011-01-01

Home advantage is a pervasive phenomenon in sport. It has been established in team sports such as basketball, baseball, American football, and European soccer. Attention to home advantage in individual sports has so far been limited. The aim of this study was to examine home advantage in

IMS IN SMES - REASONS, ADVANTAGES AND BARRIERS ON IMPLEMENTATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dragan Rajković

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Appearance of a number of management systems with various and sometimes divergent demands, demands for revise of optimal strategy on implementation of these standards in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs and the attempt on their integration into integrated management system are suggested even more. Firstly question on choice and reasons for implementation of standards is raised. Management and employees expect benefits on the implementation and they pass and minimize the implementation barriers. Basic concept on integrated management system (IMS into SMEs and analyse on reasons, advantages and barriers at IMS implementation are presented in this paper.

A conceptual optimisation strategy for radiography in a digital environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baath, M.; Haakansson, M.; Hansson, J.; Maansson, L. G.

2005-01-01

Using a completely digital environment for the entire imaging process leads to new possibilities for optimisation of radiography since many restrictions of screen/film systems, such as the small dynamic range and the lack of possibilities for image processing, do not apply any longer. However, at the same time these new possibilities lead to a more complicated optimisation process, since more freedom is given to alter parameters. This paper focuses on describing an optimisation strategy that concentrates on taking advantage of the conceptual differences between digital systems and screen/film systems. The strategy can be summarised as: (a) always include the anatomical background during the optimisation, (b) perform all comparisons at a constant effective dose and (c) separate the image display stage from the image collection stage. A three-step process is proposed where the optimal setting of the technique parameters is determined at first, followed by an optimisation of the image processing. In the final step the optimal dose level - given the optimal settings of the image collection and image display stages - is determined. (authors)

Potential advantages and disadvantages of an endgame strategy: a ‘sinking lid’ on tobacco supply

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Nick; Thomson, George W; Edwards, Richard; Blakely, Tony

2013-01-01

Background One possible supply-side strategy for the tobacco endgame is a government-mandated ‘sinking lid’ on tobacco supply (tradeable but decreasing quotas on sales or imports). Methods We considered literature on quota systems and from a tobacco endgame workshop at the University of Michigan. Findings Likely strengths of the sinking lid strategy include: (1) that it can provide a clear timetable and an unambiguous signal of a tobacco end-date; (2) that supply reduction is likely to increase product price levels, and there is very strong evidence that increasing price is a highly effective tobacco control intervention. Its feasibility is also supported by the growing international experience with, and political acceptability of, using quota and auction systems in other domains (eg, greenhouse gases, other air pollutants and for fisheries). However, the main disadvantages of this strategy are probably the need for strong political will and high public support (to pass a new law), potential legal challenges by industry (eg, under trade agreements), and vulnerability to problems from illegal supplies of tobacco and from corruption. Conclusions The sinking lid strategy is a plausible option that is worth considering when investigating possible tobacco endgame strategies, though it may be most applicable in well-organised jurisdictions with low (<15%) adult smoking prevalence. This idea could benefit from further research, such as studies in virtual worlds, and real-world testing on small island jurisdictions, or closed systems, such as military bases. PMID:23591499

The introvert advantage how to thrive in an extrovert world

CERN Document Server

Laney, Marti Olsen

2002-01-01

At least one out of four people prefers to avoid the limelight, tends to listen more than they speak, feels alone in large groups, and requires lots of private time to restore their energy. They're introverts, and here is the book to help them boost their confidence while learning strategies for successfully living in an extrovert world. After dispelling common myths about introverts-they're not necessarily shy, aloof, or antisocial--The Introvert Advantage explains the real issues. Introverts are hardwired from birth to focus inward, so outside stimulation-chitchat, phone calls, parties, office meetings-can easily become "too much." The Introvert Advantage dispels introverts' belief that something is wrong with them and instead helps them recognize their inner strengths-their analytical skills, ability to think outside the box, and strong powers of concentration. It helps readers understand introversion and shows them how to determine where they fall on the introvert/extrovert continuum. It provides tools ...

Understanding multinational companies in public health systems, using a competitive advantage framework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lethbridge Jane

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This paper discusses the findings of a study which developed five case studies of five multinational health care companies involved in public health care systems. Strategies were analysed in terms of attitude to marketing, pricing and regulation. The company strategies have been subjected to an analysis using Porter's Five Forces, a business strategy framework, which is unusual in health policy studies. Methods This paper shows how analysing company strategy using a business tool can contribute to understanding the strategies of global capital in national health systems. It shows how social science methodologies can draw from business methods to explain company strategies. Results The five companies considered in this paper demonstrate that their strategies have many dimensions, which fit into Porter's Five Forces of comparative advantage. More importantly the Five Forces can be used to identify factors that influence company entry into public health care systems. Conclusions The process of examining the strategic objectives of five health care companies shows that a business tool can help to explain the actions and motives of health care companies towards public health care systems, and so contribute to a better understanding of the strategies of global capital in national health systems. Health service commissioners need to understand this dynamic process, which will evolve as the nature of public health care systems change.

Understanding multinational companies in public health systems, using a competitive advantage framework

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background This paper discusses the findings of a study which developed five case studies of five multinational health care companies involved in public health care systems. Strategies were analysed in terms of attitude to marketing, pricing and regulation. The company strategies have been subjected to an analysis using Porter's Five Forces, a business strategy framework, which is unusual in health policy studies. Methods This paper shows how analysing company strategy using a business tool can contribute to understanding the strategies of global capital in national health systems. It shows how social science methodologies can draw from business methods to explain company strategies. Results The five companies considered in this paper demonstrate that their strategies have many dimensions, which fit into Porter's Five Forces of comparative advantage. More importantly the Five Forces can be used to identify factors that influence company entry into public health care systems. Conclusions The process of examining the strategic objectives of five health care companies shows that a business tool can help to explain the actions and motives of health care companies towards public health care systems, and so contribute to a better understanding of the strategies of global capital in national health systems. Health service commissioners need to understand this dynamic process, which will evolve as the nature of public health care systems change. PMID:21722372

Strategies that fit emerging markets.

Science.gov (United States)

Khanna, Tarun; Palepu, Krishna G; Sinha, Jayant

2005-06-01

It's no easy task to identify strategies for entering new international markets or to decide which countries to do business with. Many firms simply go with what they know-and fall far short of their goals. Part of the problem is that emerging markets have "institutional voids": They lack specialized intermediaries, regulatory systems, and contract-enforcing methods. These gaps have made it difficult for multinationals to succeed in developing nations; thus, many companies have resisted investing there. That may be a mistake. If Western companies don't come up with good strategies for engaging with emerging markets, they are unlikely to remain competitive. Many firms choose their markets and strategies for the wrong reasons, relying on everything from senior managers' gut feelings to the behaviors of rivals. Corporations also depend on composite indexes for help making decisions. But these analyses can be misleading; they don't account for vital information about the soft infrastructures in developing nations. A better approach is to understand institutional variations between countries. The best way to do this, the authors have found, is by using the five contexts framework. The five contexts are a country's political and social systems, its degree of openness, its product markets, its labor markets, and its capital markets. By asking a series of questions that pertain to each ofthe five areas, executives can map the institutional contexts of any nation. When companies match their strategies to each country's contexts, they can take advantage of a location's unique strengths. But first firms should weigh the benefits against the costs. If they find that the risks of adaptation are too great, they should try to change the contexts in which they operate or simply stay away.

BUSINESS STRATEGY, STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE

OpenAIRE

CORINA GAVREA; ROXANA STEGEREAN; LIVIU ILIES

2012-01-01

Organizational structure and competitive strategy play an important role in gaining competitive advantage and improving organizational performance. The objective of this paper is to examine how organizational structure and strategy affects firm performance within a sample of 92 Romanian firms. The data used in this study was collected through a questionnaire used to quantify the three variables of interest: organizational performance, strategy and structure.

Comparative Analysis of Competitive Strategy Implementation

OpenAIRE

Maina A. S. Waweru

2011-01-01

This paper presents research findings on Competitive Strategy Implementation which compared the levels of strategy implementation achieved by different generic strategy groups, comprising firms inclined towards low cost leadership, differentiation or dual strategic advantage. The study sought to determine the preferences for use of implementation armaments and compared how such armaments related to the level of implementation achieved. Respondents comprised 71 top executives from 59 companies...

DAYA SAING DAN STRATEGI PENGEMBANGAN MINYAK SAWIT DI INDONESIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jauhar Samudera Nayantakaningtyas

2012-11-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACTThe aims of this study were to analyze the competitiveness of Indonesian Crude palm oil CPO products in the international market and to analyze the strategy to improve the competitiveness of Indonesian CPO. The analysis methods used this research were descriptive qualitative methods. The tools used to analyze the competitiveness of palm oil is Revealed Comparative Advantages and Porter Diamond Theory, while the development of the strategy used to determine the SWOT method. Based on the analysis of Porter's Diamond System and revealed comparative advantages, this study concluded that the competitiveness of Indonesian CPO was pretty strong, but it still needed a strategy to strengthen its competitiveness especially on derivative products. Some of the routine strategies that need to be done every year, are the development of the CPO industry human resources through training and innovation activities, paying attention to national and international issues by improving government policies, downstream industrial development and palm oil value-added increase, enhance cooperation with manufacturers from other countries through promotions.Keywords: crude palm oil, competitiveness, strategy, analysis of porter's diamondABSTRAKTujuan penelitian ini adalah menganalisis daya saing produk Crude Palm Oil (CPO Indonesia di pasar internasional dan menganalisis strategi peningkatan daya saing CPO Indonesia. Metode pengolahan dan analisis data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode deskriptif kualitatif. Alat  yang digunakan untuk menganalisis daya saing minyak sawit  adalah Revealed Comparative Advantages dan Teori Berlian Porter, sedangkan untuk mengetahui strategi pengembangan digunakan metode SWOT. Hasil analisis Sistem Berlian Porter dan revealed comparative advantages disimpulkan bahwa daya saing CPO Indonesia cukup kuat, namun masih diperlukan adanya strategi untuk memperkuat terutama pada produk turunan CPO. Strategi rutin yang harus

Management in achieving competitive advantage in Nigerian public organisations under the global economy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chijioke Hope Ukanwah

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This paper explores the strategic role of human resources management in achieving competitive advantage in a global economy. Human resource management remains indispensable in engendering competitive advantage for businesses in this era of tense global competition. Productivity and competitiveness of organisations is now dependent on their employees’ ability to generate, process, and apply knowledge. Scholars and practitioners of human resources management agree that a workforce that is properly trained and managed is a source of competitive advantage. The article recognised the fact that public organisations have not really given importance to human resource management and this is responsible for their underwhelming performance. The paper recommends some HR strategies that managers can adopt to improve the quality and value of their workforce, and these range from effective talent management, continuous workplace learning, safe and healthy work environment, ICT adoption, competitive benefit system, HR planning to proper deployment of skills and expertise.

CORRELATION BETWEEN THE PENETRATION STRATEGIES AND MARKETING MIX OF INTERNATIONAL HOTEL CHAINS IN ROMANIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adina Cosma Smaranda

2016-03-01

Full Text Available On the Romanian market there are 21 international hotel chains, having 51 hotels. The goal of the research paper is to analyze which are the marketing mix policies and strat-egies used by the hotels, belonging to an international hotel chain on the Romanian market. For this purpose, a descriptive research was implemented through investigation of all the hotels that are part of an international hotel chain. The research reveals that hotels operate by abiding the norms established by contract. The higher the risk, the investment and control are, the more influence the hotel chain has regarding the pricing strategies. Hotels use their own channels but also the parent chain channels. Promo-tion strategy takes into account global, regional and local issues encountered. The ma-jority of the hotels have the possibility to decide some internal elements for their per-sonnel. All the hotels apply norms and standardized procedures regarding the quality of the services. The most expected advantage for a hotel that belongs to an international chain is the visibility at international level.

The environmental advantage in the competitive equation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horst, T.J.; Blake, E.T.

1992-01-01

The role of environmental issues in the utility business has undergone a dramatic transition in the past few years and this new role is the basis for new definitions and new responses. Policies or products that protect the environment are now an advantage to those companies that properly capture environmental issues in their strategic planning process. This paper will focus on the underpinnings of this shift in the role of environmental protection in business and go beyond the issues of today to suggest some paradigms for the future. The current status of environmental concern is evident in the time and resources committed to environmental protection. Public officials take more proactive environmental positions; Corporations recognize environmental values in competitive equation; Citizens express willingness to pay for environmentally responsible services and products; Environmental issues tie business to the community; and Environmental planning tradeoffs are becoming more complex

Why do adult women in Vietnam take iron tablets?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhao Yun

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Conducting iron supplementation programs has been a major strategy to reduce iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy. However, only a few countries have reported improvements in the anemia rate at a national level. The strategies used for control of nutrition problems need regular review to maintain and improve their effectiveness. The objective of this study was to analyze the factors in compliance with taking iron tablets, where daily doses of iron (60 mg and folic acid (400 μg were distributed in rural Vietnamese communes. Methods A cross sectional survey was conducted in Nghe An province, Vietnam in January, 2003. The study population was adult women aged less than 35 years who delivered babies between August 1st 2001 and December 1st 2002 (n = 205, of which 159 took part in the study. Data for the study were collected from a series of workshops with community leaders, focus group discussions with community members and a questionnaire survey. Results Improvements in the rate of anemia was not given a high priority as one of the commune's needs, but the participants still made efforts to continue taking iron tablets. Two major factors motivated the participants to continue taking iron tablets; their experience of fewer spells of dizziness (50%, and their concern for the health of their newborn baby (54%. When examining the reasons for taking iron tablets for at least 5–9 months, the most important factor was identified as 'a frequent supply of iron tablets' (OR = 11.93, 95% CI: 4.33–32.85. Conclusion The study found that multiple poor environmental risk factors discouraged women from taking iron tablets continuously. The availability (frequent supply of iron tablets was the most effective way to help adult women to continue taking iron tablets.

POTENSI EKOWISATA DAN STRATEGI PENGEMBANGAN TAHURA NIPA-NIPA, KOTA KENDARI, SULAWESI TENGGARA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alamsyah Flamin

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This study aims to determine the potency and nature tourism development strategy in the region of Tahura Nipa-Nipa. The research was conducted at the Regions Tahura Nipa-Nipa Kendari City in Southeast Sulawesi Province in 2010. The methodology of this study is to use surveys and The results showed that the potential attraction of Nipa-Nipa Tahura Region consists of potential flora-fauna and natural scenery. Potential flora consists of various plant species habitus trees, including the type of wood resin, Bintangur, Eha, including species of palm Nongella sp, and rattan. The endemic fauna are anoa, deer, Sulawesi black monkey, wild boar, species such as reptiles lizard, python. Some species of bird such as the pigeon forest, cuckoo. The potential natural beauty consists of objects such as Lahundape waterfall and a campground. Alternative strategies for developing ecotourism in the Nipa-Nipa Tahura is SO strategy to develop an optimal potential of flora, fauna, natural scenery and indigenous communities in package by using the support from the government and local communities. While WO strategies take advantage of the support of the community and the local government to improve the quality of tourism, particularly in the sights of Waterfall Lahundape. 

Financing wind plants, taking leasing into special account

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veltrup, M.

1993-01-01

Leasing cannot be managed without a special sort of external financing of wind power plants. Specifically for wind energy, it was found from an investigation of less than a year that an intended erection of a wind power plant should be carried out in the months of September or October, so that the autumn and winter months rich in energy can be used. For the erection of small wind power plants, it was found that taking advantage of the Investment Cost Grant is more sensible than the Operating Cost Grant. (orig./HW) [de

Sunoco takes energy marketing initiative to the Web

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2000-01-01

Natural gas customers can now take advantage of two new program on Sunoco's Internet site which will deliver package savings on gasoline and heating bills. In addition, when the Ontario power market opens to retail competition, consumers will have the opportunity to save on their electricity requirements. The web site at www.sunoco.ca will offer instant discounts on gasoline and on-line purchases via the new Affinity Card and Web Gas program. Sunoco's web site also gives customers the opportunity to buy natural gas from Sunoco at three-year locked in prices

Gaining Relational Competitive Advantages

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hu, Yimei; Zhang, Si; Li, Jizhen

2015-01-01

Establishing strategic technological partnerships (STPs) with foreign partners is an increasingly studied topic within the innovation management literature. Partnering firms can jointly create sources of relational competitive advantage. Chinese firms often lack research and development (R......&D) capabilities but are increasingly becoming preferred technological partners for transnational corporations. We investigate an STP between a Scandinavian and a Chinese firm and try to explore how to gain relational competitive advantage by focusing on its two essential stages: relational rent generation...... and appropriation. Based on an explorative case study, we develop a conceptual framework that consists of process, organizational alliance factors, and coordination modes that we propose lead to relational competitive advantage....

Optimization of the data taking strategy for a high precision τ mass measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Y.K.; Mo, X.H.; Yuan, C.Z.; Liu, J.P.

2007-01-01

To achieve a high precision τ mass (m τ ) measurement at the forthcoming high luminosity experiment, Monte Carlo simulation and sampling technique are adopted to simulate various data taking cases from which the optimal scheme is determined. The study indicates that when m τ is the sole parameter to be fit, the optimal energy for data taking is located near the τ + τ - production threshold in the vicinity of the largest derivative of the cross-section to energy; one point in the optimal position with luminosity around 63pb -1 is sufficient for getting a statistical precision of 0.1MeV/c 2 or better

Strategie modrého oceánu

OpenAIRE

Reiman, Yuliya

2013-01-01

The subject of my bachelor's thesis is "Blue Ocean Strategy". The main goal of this work is to explain the problems of Blue Ocean Strategy, which is the actual trend in the market. The thesis is divided into two parts. The first part describes what it is competitiveness, competitive advantage, Porter's five forces model and its competitive strategies further build on the Blue Ocean Strategy, value innovation, analytical tools and system framework of strategy and attributes that well-developed...

Diploidy and the selective advantage for sexual reproduction in unicellular organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleiman, Maya; Tannenbaum, Emmanuel

2009-11-01

This article develops mathematical models describing the evolutionary dynamics of both asexually and sexually reproducing populations of diploid unicellular organisms. The asexual and sexual life cycles are based on the asexual and sexual life cycles in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Baker's yeast, which normally reproduces by asexual budding, but switches to sexual reproduction when stressed. The mathematical models consider three reproduction pathways: (1) Asexual reproduction, (2) self-fertilization, and (3) sexual reproduction. We also consider two forms of genome organization. In the first case, we assume that the genome consists of two multi-gene chromosomes, whereas in the second case, we consider the opposite extreme and assume that each gene defines a separate chromosome, which we call the multi-chromosome genome. These two cases are considered to explore the role that recombination has on the mutation-selection balance and the selective advantage of the various reproduction strategies. We assume that the purpose of diploidy is to provide redundancy, so that damage to a gene may be repaired using the other, presumably undamaged copy (a process known as homologous recombination repair). As a result, we assume that the fitness of the organism only depends on the number of homologous gene pairs that contain at least one functional copy of a given gene. If the organism has at least one functional copy of every gene in the genome, we assume a fitness of 1. In general, if the organism has l homologous pairs that lack a functional copy of the given gene, then the fitness of the organism is kappa(l). The kappa(l) are assumed to be monotonically decreasing, so that kappa(0) = 1 > kappa(1) > kappa(2) > cdots, three dots, centered > kappa(infinity) = 0. For nearly all of the reproduction strategies we consider, we find, in the limit of large N, that the mean fitness at mutation-selection balance is max{2e(-mu) - 1,0} where N is the number of genes in the haploid set of

”What works” in rehabilitation? – Dominant patients’ strategies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guldager, Rikke

”What works” in rehabilitation? – Dominant patients’ strategies. OBJECTIVES: In Denmark, as part of the Nordic welfare states equality in social, educational and health care are an ideal. But quantitative studies have shown that high positioned patients in the health care system achieve better...... and qualitative interview has been conducted of one patient following the patients’ trajectories though different phases of the rehabilitation process during admission at Traumatic Brain Unit. Interdisciplinary meetings are regarded as key elements of the empirical attention. RESULTS: The presented case is a 60...... capitals. That means that the couple’s knowledge is articulated and used in practice and furthermore that they have the ability to take advantage and make use of it in the rehabilitation process. CONCLUSIONS: Denmark as part of the Nordic welfare states is relatively equal in access to treatment in health...

Expansion Strategy of Agricultural Industrial Chain of Suburban Villages and Towns in the Process of Urbanization - A Case Study of Yongle Town in Nanming District of Guiyano City

OpenAIRE

Zhu, Li; Zhu, Jing

2011-01-01

On the basis of introducing the connotation of agricultural industrial chain, taking Yongle Town in Nanming District of Guiyang City as an example, this paper analyzes me advantages and constraint factors of the suburban villages and towns in the process of expanding agricultural industrial chain in the context of urbanization. Corresponding strategies of expanding the agricultural industrial chain of Yongle Town in the process of urbanization as follows, vigorously develop the leading enterp...

HR strategy – necessity or fad for business sustainability?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghinea Valentina Mihaela

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The present paper pleads for the awareness of HR strategy importance, in terms of proper design and implementation, as they definitely could impede or sustain the development of an organization. By making use of G.VALI, the model of organizational culture dynamics, we look for revealing the impact that (non-existence of HR strategy, its alignment and coherence could have on the organization success. As proven by human experience, all types of strategies could work and be effective in certain conditions. Even more, no one can say that one strategy is better than other. However, in the same way, there is no guarantee of some strategies success. In this light, the difference lays in the handy and clever interlock of the country specific advantages and firm (-tobe specific advantages. For achieving this specific aim, vertical (alignment and horizontal (coherence integration of each functional strategy must be ensured.

Optimal strategy for selling on group-buying website

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuan Jiang

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to help business marketers with offline channels to make decisions on whether to sell through Group-buying (GB websites and how to set online price with the coordination of maximum deal size on GB websites. Design/methodology/approach: Considering the deal structure of GB websites especially for the service fee and minimum deal size limit required by GB websites, advertising effect of selling on GB websites, and interaction between online and offline markets, an analytical model is built to derive optimal online price and maximum deal size for sellers selling through GB website. This paper aims to answer four research questions: (1 How to make a decision on maximum deal size with coordination of the deal price? (2 Will selling on GB websites always be better than staying with offline channel only? (3 What kind of products is more appropriate to sell on GB website? (4How could GB website operator induce sellers to offer deep discount in GB deals? Findings and Originality/value: This paper obtains optimal strategies for sellers selling on GB website and finds that: Even if a seller has sufficient capacity, he/she may still set a maximum deal size on the GB deal to take advantage of Advertisement with Limited Availability (ALA effect; Selling through GB website may not bring a higher profit than selling only through offline channel when a GB site only has a small consumer base and/or if there is a big overlap between the online and offline markets; Low margin products are more suitable for being sold online with ALA strategies (LP-ALA or HP-ALA than high margin ones; A GB site operator could set a small minimum deal size to induce deep discounts from the sellers selling through GB deals. Research limitations/implications: The present study assumed that the demand function is determinate and linear. It will be interesting to study how stochastic demand and a more general demand function affect the optimal

Adaptive local routing strategy on a scale-free network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Liu; Han, Zhao; Ming, Li; Yan-Bo, Zhu; Feng-Yuan, Ren

2010-01-01

Due to the heterogeneity of the structure on a scale-free network, making the betweennesses of all nodes become homogeneous by reassigning the weights of nodes or edges is very difficult. In order to take advantage of the important effect of high degree nodes on the shortest path communication and preferentially deliver packets by them to increase the probability to destination, an adaptive local routing strategy on a scale-free network is proposed, in which the node adjusts the forwarding probability with the dynamical traffic load (packet queue length) and the degree distribution of neighbouring nodes. The critical queue length of a node is set to be proportional to its degree, and the node with high degree has a larger critical queue length to store and forward more packets. When the queue length of a high degree node is shorter than its critical queue length, it has a higher probability to forward packets. After higher degree nodes are saturated (whose queue lengths are longer than their critical queue lengths), more packets will be delivered by the lower degree nodes around them. The adaptive local routing strategy increases the probability of a packet finding its destination quickly, and improves the transmission capacity on the scale-free network by reducing routing hops. The simulation results show that the transmission capacity of the adaptive local routing strategy is larger than that of three previous local routing strategies. (general)

Knowledge Management and Competitive Advantage: study in the metal-mechanic sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andressa Centenaro

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The study aims to analyze the factors related to organizational culture that assist in knowledge management processes, helping to generate competitive advantage in the companies of metal-mechanic sector. Therefore, a quantitative survey data collection strategy was performed by applying a structured questionnaire in a sample of 63 employees from 13 companies in the metal-mechanic sector. The results were analyzed using multiple regression and indicate that the studied segment, learning and trust are positive and significant predictors of knowledge management. Thus, it can be inferred that the companies that stimulate its employees to learn and invest in maintaining confidence among members of the organization may achieve better performance in knowledge management. Finally, the results also expose that the knowledge management directly influences the performance and organizational effectiveness, demonstrating that the use and sharing of tacit and explicit knowledge are generating competitive advantage to competitors.

Strategic advantages of high-rise construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yaskova Natalya

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Traditional methods to assess the competitiveness of different types of real estate in the context of huge changes of new technological way of life don’t provide building solutions that would be correct from a strategic perspective. There are many challenges due to changes in the consumers’ behavior in the housing area. A multiplicity of life models, a variety of opportunities and priorities, traditions and new trends in construction should be assessed in terms of prospective benefits in the environment of the emerging new world order. At the same time, the mane discourse of high-rise construction mainly relates to its design features, technical innovations, and architectural accents. We need to clarify the criteria for economic evaluation of high-rise construction in order to provide decisions with clear and quantifiable contexts. The suggested approach to assessing the strategic advantage of high-rise construction and the prospects for capitalization of high-rise buildings poses new challenges for the economy to identify adequate quantitative assessment methods of the high-rise buildings economic efficiency, taking into account all stages of their life cycle.

Strategic advantages of high-rise construction

Science.gov (United States)

Yaskova, Natalya

2018-03-01

Traditional methods to assess the competitiveness of different types of real estate in the context of huge changes of new technological way of life don't provide building solutions that would be correct from a strategic perspective. There are many challenges due to changes in the consumers' behavior in the housing area. A multiplicity of life models, a variety of opportunities and priorities, traditions and new trends in construction should be assessed in terms of prospective benefits in the environment of the emerging new world order. At the same time, the mane discourse of high-rise construction mainly relates to its design features, technical innovations, and architectural accents. We need to clarify the criteria for economic evaluation of high-rise construction in order to provide decisions with clear and quantifiable contexts. The suggested approach to assessing the strategic advantage of high-rise construction and the prospects for capitalization of high-rise buildings poses new challenges for the economy to identify adequate quantitative assessment methods of the high-rise buildings economic efficiency, taking into account all stages of their life cycle.

Principles of marketing: Setting goals and marketing strategies

OpenAIRE

Marjanova Jovanov, Tamara

2015-01-01

Presented material to the students: 6.1. The mission of the organization and corporate goals 6.2. Marketing goals 6.3. Classification of marketing strategies 6.4. Generic marketing strategies regarding the wanted competitive advantage. 6.5. Competitive strategies in relation to the competitors and in relation to the environment. 6.6. Growth strategies or investment (intensive growth and integration / diversification) and maintenance strategies or divest (maintenance, harvest...

Contract Source Selection: An Analysis of Lowest Price Technically Acceptable and Tradeoff Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-01

it can start moderately, and as it progresses to the right, price is seen to be less important than the advantage (non-cost factor) gained. 3... advantages compared to the LPTA source selection strategy. These include “learning,” “ business judgment,” “flexibility,” and “customer satisfaction...2014, p. 5). The next advantage is the use of business judgment. The tradeoff source selection strategy is highly subjective and this allows the source

The Successful Test Taker: Exploring Test-Taking Behavior Profiles through Cluster Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Stenlund, Tova; Lyrén, Per-Erik; Eklöf, Hanna

2018-01-01

To be successful in a high-stakes testing situation is desirable for any test taker. It has been found that, beside content knowledge, test-taking behavior, such as risk-taking strategies, motivation, and test anxiety, is important for test performance. The purposes of the present study were to identify and group test takers with similar patterns…

Marketing aspects of steady growth business strategy

OpenAIRE

GONCHAR V.; KALININ O.

2015-01-01

The article analyzed the importance of marketing to achieve steady business growth, the main strategy of internal development and marketing of its level of development, achieving competitive advantage and the main directions of marketing management. The examples of marketing strategies for leading corporations were described. The problems and prospects of the business strategy of extensive growth and diversification were made.

The Role of Human Resource Management in Strategy Making

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Torben Juul; Minbaeva, Dana

2013-01-01

Among the strategy scholars, there is general consensus that responsive-integrative strategy making is essential for ensuring a competitive advantage in contemporary dynamic environments. What is the role of HR in this process, and how can HR support responsive-integrative strategy making? To ans...

Competitive advantage with e-business : a survey of large American and Swedish firms

OpenAIRE

Beheshti, Hooshang; Salehi-Sangari, Esmail; Engström, Anne

2006-01-01

Advances in information and communications technology have allowed for a wide range of electronic business models and applications. These applications are providing a competitive advantage for organizations by creating efficiencies and cost reductions. Electronic business should be part of the overall corporate strategy and be integrated into core business processes. This study provides interesting insights into electronic business applications in large corporations and discusses similarities...

Exploring Metacognitive Strategy Use during Note-Taking for Students with Learning Disabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Boyle, Joseph R.; Rosen, Sonia M.; Forchelli, Gina

2016-01-01

This mixed-methods study analysed over 200 interviews from 20 seventh-grade students with learning disabilities (LD). Students were instructed how to use a note-taking intervention during science lectures. The interview analyses were supported by pre- and post-intervention quantitative data. Data suggest that the intervention helped students…

Perspective-taking: decreasing stereotype expression, stereotype accessibility, and in-group favoritism.

Science.gov (United States)

Galinsky, A D; Moskowitz, G B

2000-04-01

Using 3 experiments, the authors explored the role of perspective-taking in debiasing social thought. In the 1st 2 experiments, perspective-taking was contrasted with stereotype suppression as a possible strategy for achieving stereotype control. In Experiment 1, perspective-taking decreased stereotypic biases on both a conscious and a nonconscious task. In Experiment 2, perspective-taking led to both decreased stereotyping and increased overlap between representations of the self and representations of the elderly, suggesting activation and application of the self-concept in judgments of the elderly. In Experiment 3, perspective-taking reduced evidence of in-group bias in the minimal group paradigm by increasing evaluations of the out-group. The role of self-other overlap in producing prosocial outcomes and the separation of the conscious, explicit effects from the nonconscious, implicit effects of perspective-taking are discussed.

TAKING ADVANTAGES OF KAIZEN TO IMPROVE LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Kostenko

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The paper encapsulates the essence of kaizen system, its main elements and the possibility of use it in enhancing labour productivity. The study examines a specific of kaizen implementation in Japan, the U.S. and Europe as well as in Ukraine and Russia. The comparative analysis of traditional and kaizen management is presented.

Methodology of Integration for Competitive Technical Intelligence with Blue Ocean Strategy: Application to an exotic fruit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marisela Rodríguez Salvador

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This article presents a new methodology that integrates Competitive Technical Intelligence with Blue Ocean Strategy. We explore new business niches taking advantage of the synergy that both areas offer, developing a model based on cyclic interactions through a process developed in two stages: Understanding opportunity that arise from idea formulation to decision making and strategic development. The validity of our approach (first stage was observed in the evaluation of an exotic fruit, Anacardium Occidentale, in the South of the State of Veracruz, Mexico with the support of the university ITESM, Campus Monterrey. We identified critical factors for success, opportunities and threats. Results confirm the attractiveness of this crop.

Taking an object-oriented view of accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishimura, H.

1995-01-01

It was almost a decade ago that accelerator experts were introduced to the concept of object-oriented programming. This new methodology was expected to play a key role in solving various software problems. Today, there seems be nothing that prevents us from taking advantage of this new technology. In fact, we are often forced to catch up with the computer industry's new standards. This is especially true for graphics programming. While evaluating the benefits of using this new technology, we must also evaluate whether it is as effective as it was claimed. In this paper, we discuss these issues based on experiences at the Advanced Light Source

Strategy as Projects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund Pedersen, Carsten; Ritter, Thomas; Andersen, Torben Juul

This paper proposes the adoption of a project-based view to analyze strategy formation and strategic renewal over time. Projects are resource-committing, empirically-tracable investments, and as such, particularly suitable for the analysis of different manifestations of intended strategies as well...... as post-hoc manifestations of deviant, even rebellious, actions taken in opposition to the initial strategy announcement. The paper presents an analytical framework (a 5x2 matrix) of ten different project categories that together allows researchers to investigate how strategic renewal is realized through...... the enactment of different types of project initiatives throughout the organization. The developed framework is validated by two field studies that outline the robustness of the proposed matrix. In addition to the demonstration of the advantages of the framework, we discuss the limitations of the strategy-as-projects...

Intersections between strategy and business models

OpenAIRE

磯村 和人

2015-01-01

This paper explores the relationship between strategy and business models. I review major researches on strategy and business models to provide a viewpoint to consider the intersections between them. The theory of strategy shifts the focus from visible competitive advantage to its internal managerial resources. The concept of business models has been discussed because a business model is considered to be a combination of internal and external business processes; it clarifies how to effectivel...

Technical and cost advantages of silicon carbide telescopes for small-satellite imaging applications

Science.gov (United States)

Kasunic, Keith J.; Aikens, Dave; Szwabowski, Dean; Ragan, Chip; Tinker, Flemming

2017-09-01

Small satellites ("SmallSats") are a growing segment of the Earth imaging and remote sensing market. Designed to be relatively low cost and with performance tailored to specific end-use applications, they are driving changes in optical telescope assembly (OTA) requirements. OTAs implemented in silicon carbide (SiC) provide performance advantages for space applications but have been predominately limited to large programs. A new generation of lightweight and thermally-stable designs is becoming commercially available, expanding the application of SiC to small satellites. This paper reviews the cost and technical advantages of an OTA designed using SiC for small satellite platforms. Taking into account faceplate fabrication quilting and surface distortion after gravity release, an optimized open-back SiC design with a lightweighting of 70% for a 125-mm SmallSat-class primary mirror has an estimated mass area density of 2.8 kg/m2 and an aspect ratio of 40:1. In addition, the thermally-induced surface error of such optimized designs is estimated at λ/150 RMS per watt of absorbed power. Cost advantages of SiC include reductions in launch mass, thermal-management infrastructure, and manufacturing time based on allowable assembly tolerances.

Risk taking in adversarial situations: Civilization differences in chess experts.

Science.gov (United States)

Chassy, Philippe; Gobet, Fernand

2015-08-01

The projections of experts in politics predict that a new world order will emerge within two decades. Being multipolar, this world will inevitably lead to frictions where civilizations and states will have to decide whether to risk conflict. Very often these decisions are informed if not taken by experts. To estimate risk-taking across civilizations, we examined strategies used in 667,599 chess games played over eleven years by chess experts from 11 different civilizations. We show that some civilizations are more inclined to settle for peace. Similarly, we show that once engaged in the battle, the level of risk taking varies significantly across civilizations, the boldest civilization using the riskiest strategy about 35% more than the most conservative civilization. We discuss which psychological factors might underpin these civilizational differences. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Operating strategies for biogas plants - conflict of objectives between advantageous grid and economically oriented operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skau, Katharina; Bettinger, Carola; Schild, Vernea; Fuchs, Clemens; Beck, Hans-Peter

2015-01-01

In an intelligent energy system, ''smart grid'' and ''smart market'' must go hand in hand (Aichele et al., 2014). Changes to the legal framework, especially the German Renewable Energies Act (EEG), aim at bringing in line the requirement for increased generation of renewable energy with the market and system integration of renewable energies (see Schwarz, 2014). This determines whether the operation of a modern renewable energy plant has both the maximisation of profits (smart market) as well as the easing of the higher-order grid (smart grid) as its goal or whether it is only geared towards one aspect. The agricultural biogas producer is the focus of this interdisciplinary paper. He can either use the electrical energy generated by his plant himself in an economically orientated way or design the supply to the upstream grid in a way that is advantageous for the grid through the increased flexibility of generation and consumption. Through a two-stage simulation of the impact on the grid and the operational performance, the differences with regards to the strain on the grid and the financial losses to the farmer are quantified. If is clearly shown that none of the legislative and regulatory incentive schemes favour a mode of operation that is advantageous for the grid.

Collaborative Advantage in Public and Social Services: the Case of Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Janina SZYMANKIEWICZ

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This article seeks to analyse the relationships between the third and the public sector, with a particular focus on relations with local government units (LGUs on the example of Poland. The article characterises the essence and rules of collaboration between the social and public sectors in Poland, and determines the meaning of the cooperative development of strategy of collaborative advantage. It also presents a useful tool which facilitates the realisation of such a task – a model of strategic cross-sector collaboration.

Balanced Sourcing As An Important Attribute Of Operations Strategy ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Balanced Sourcing As An Important Attribute Of Operations Strategy: Reality Or ... the questions “who should perform an activity or process in the value chain? ... Operations Strategy, Strategic Sourcing, Sustainable Competitive Advantage, ...

"This One's for VIP Users!": Participation and Commercial Strategies in Children's Virtual Worlds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina Martinez

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Through the integrated framework of participation theory and political economy, this article analyzes participatory opportunities in the virtual world Habbo Hotel, and how participation is constrained and framed by the producer's commercial strategies, which are based on advertising and sales of virtual goods. The study also looks into the ways in which the producer Sulake Corporation discursively represents the virtual world, and how the users with various forms of tactics try to bypass the commercial constraints. The methods used include observations of the English and Swedish language versions of Habbo Hotel, document analysis, and an interview with one designer employed by Sulake. The results show how participation in this virtual world takes minimalist forms, and that it is foremost an arena for interaction and consumption. Users' participation in the virtual world is constrained by the commercial strategies in numerous ways, and the producer strategically takes advantage of children's need to gain status in their peer group, in order to get them to purchase on the site. Habbo Hotel is represented by the producer as a safe and creative environment with learning opportunities for the children. Observations of the virtual world instead reveal Habbo as a panopticon-like shopping mall where users, through the practice of begging and other tactics, try to resist the commercial strategies. Virtual worlds could be potential spaces for children's participation and contribute to a democratization of the social; however, this study shows how participation in this virtual world is clearly structured and limited for commercial purposes.

A symbiotic gas exchange between bioreactors enhances microalgal biomass and lipid productivities: taking advantage of complementary nutritional modes.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, C A; Ferreira, M E; da Silva, T Lopes; Gouveia, L; Novais, J M; Reis, A

2011-08-01

This paper describes the association of two bioreactors: one photoautotrophic and the other heterotrophic, connected by the gas phase and allowing an exchange of O(2) and CO(2) gases between them, benefiting from a symbiotic effect. The association of two bioreactors was proposed with the aim of improving the microalgae oil productivity for biodiesel production. The outlet gas flow from the autotrophic (O(2) enriched) bioreactor was used as the inlet gas flow for the heterotrophic bioreactor. In parallel, the outlet gas flow from another heterotrophic (CO(2) enriched) bioreactor was used as the inlet gas flow for the autotrophic bioreactor. Aside from using the air supplied from the auto- and hetero-trophic bioreactors as controls, one mixotrophic bioreactor was also studied and used as a model, for its claimed advantage of CO(2) and organic carbon being simultaneously assimilated. The microalga Chlorella protothecoides was chosen as a model due to its ability to grow under different nutritional modes (auto, hetero, and mixotrophic), and its ability to attain a high biomass productivity and lipid content, suitable for biodiesel production. The comparison between heterotrophic, autotrophic, and mixotrophic Chlorella protothecoides growth for lipid production revealed that heterotrophic growth achieved the highest biomass productivity and lipid content (>22%), and furthermore showed that these lipids had the most suitable fatty acid profile in order to produce high quality biodiesel. Both associations showed a higher biomass productivity (10-20%), when comparing the two separately operated bioreactors (controls) which occurred on the fourth day. A more remarkable result would have been seen if in actuality the two bioreactors had been inter-connected in a closed loop. The biomass productivity gain would have been 30% and the lipid productivity gain would have been 100%, as seen by comparing the productivities of the symbiotic assemblage with the sum of the two

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF APPLYING EVOLVED METHODS IN MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING PRACTICE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SABOU FELICIA

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The evolved methods of management accounting have been developed with the purpose of removing the disadvantages of the classical methods, they are methods adapted to the new market conditions, which provide much more useful cost-related information so that the management of the company is able to take certain strategic decisions. Out of the category of evolved methods, the most used is the one of standard-costs due to the advantages that it presents, being used widely in calculating the production costs in some developed countries. The main advantages of the standard-cost method are: in-advance knowledge of the production costs and the measures that ensure compliance to these; with the help of the deviations calculated from the standard costs, one manages a systematic control over the costs, thus allowing the making of decision in due time, in as far as the elimination of the deviations and the improvement of the activity are concerned and it is a method of analysis, control and cost forecast; Although the advantages of using standards are significant, there are a few disadvantages to the employment of the standard-cost method: sometimes there can appear difficulties in establishing the deviations from the standard costs, the method does not allow an accurate calculation of the fixed costs. As a result of the study, we can observe the fact that the evolved methods of management accounting, as compared to the classical ones, present a series of advantages linked to a better analysis, control, and foreseeing of costs, whereas the main disadvantage is related to the large amount of work necessary for these methods to be applied.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF APPLYING EVOLVED METHODS IN MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING PRACTICE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SABOU FELICIA

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The evolved methods of management accounting have been developed with the purpose of removing the disadvantages of the classical methods, they are methods adapted to the new market conditions, which provide much more useful cost-related information so that the management of the company is able to take certain strategic decisions. Out of the category of evolved methods, the most used is the one of standard-costs due to the advantages that it presents, being used widely in calculating the production costs in some developed countries. The main advantages of the standard-cost method are: in-advance knowledge of the production costs and the measures that ensure compliance to these; with the help of the deviations calculated from the standard costs, one manages a systematic control over the costs, thus allowing the making of decision in due time, in as far as the elimination of the deviations and the improvement of the activity are concerned and it is a method of analysis, control and cost forecast; Although the advantages of using standards are significant, there are a few disadvantages to the employment of the standard-cost method: sometimes there can appear difficulties in establishing the deviations from the standard costs, the method does not allow an accurate calculation of the fixed costs. As a result of the study, we can observe the fact that the evolved methods of management accounting, as compared to the classical ones, present a series of advantages linked to a better analysis, control, and foreseeing of costs, whereas the main disadvantage is related to the large amount of work necessary for these methods to be applied

Comparative Advantage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Jie; Jensen, Camilla

2007-01-01

that are typically explained from the supply-side variables, the comparative advantage of the exporting countries. A simple model is proposed and tested. The results render strong support for the relevance of supply-side factors such as natural endowments, technology, and infrastructure in explaining international...

THE ROLE OF A QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF ENTERPRISES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joanna Szwacka-Mokrzycka

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The paper was elaborated in order to determine the role and importance of quality management systems for an increase in the competitive advantage of an enterprise. The starting point is to present the contribution of different scientific staff to the development of the competitiveness theory and modern quality management systems. The presentation of contemporary sources of the competitive advantage and possibilities of the use of optimal competing strategies in particular conditions are a base for these considerations. The next part of the study includes a review of quality management systems as well as research results concerning sources of competitive advantages as well as economic and marketing effects of improvement of management efficiency. According to the research results, it could be concluded that quality perception, of both products and service quality proved by a suitable certificate as well as quality of the costumer’s service, is tightly connected with the level of costumer’s awareness. The research results confirm that implementation of the quality management system is perceived by enterprises as a significant source of the competitive advantage. As the respondents indicated, it contributes in increase in market access, acquiring new costumers, and as a consequence increase in market share of the investigated enterprises.

Sustainable Competitive Advantage (SCA Analysis of Furniture Manufacturers in Malaysia: Normalized Scaled Critical Factor Index (NSCFI Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tasmin Rosmaini

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to investigate Malaysian furniture industry via Sustainable competitive advantages (SCA approach. In this case study, sense and respond method and Normalized Scaled Critical Factor Index (NSCFI are used to specify the distribution of companies’ resources for different criteria and detect the attributes which are critical based on expectation and experience of companies’ employs. Moreover, this study evaluates Malaysian furniture business strategy according to manufacturing strategy in terms of analyzer, prospector and defender. Finally, SCA risk levels are presented to show how much company’s resource allocations support their business strategy.

Punishment Strategies: First Choice or Last Resort

Science.gov (United States)

Lukowiak, Twila; Bridges, Jennifer

2010-01-01

Is it appropriate to implement punishment strategies in the home and school settings when children display disrespectful and inappropriate behaviors? This article depicts the advantages and disadvantages of teachers and parents utilizing an array of punishment strategies including: (a) reprimands, (b) response cost, (c) timeout, and (d) corporal…

The transnational strategies of migrants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Connie Carøe

Certain activities among migrants take place in a social space spanning the sending and receiving societies. Migrants who e.g. take part in activities in hometown associations or in Islamic activism tend to do so in these social spaces, increasingly conceptualized as transnational. Our understand......Certain activities among migrants take place in a social space spanning the sending and receiving societies. Migrants who e.g. take part in activities in hometown associations or in Islamic activism tend to do so in these social spaces, increasingly conceptualized as transnational. Our...... to explain. It has been suggested that transnational strategies are applied as a safety net to substitute for prospects of a secure future in the receiving society. Solidarities or obligations, sometimes in the shape of a social contract between stayers and leavers of a family, are another suggestion. While...... both these suggestions obviously have some resonance, against them goes the observation that those who take up transnational strategies are active and most capable of succeeding and managing their lives in the receiving society. In other words, the transnational engagements of migrants...

Analysing the differences between theoretical and implemented supply chain strategies in selected organisations

OpenAIRE

Danie J. Nel; Johanna A. Badenhorst-Weiss

2011-01-01

Organisations can use supply chain strategies to gain a competitive advantage for the supply chain. A competitive advantage can be achieved by means of low cost or by means of differentiation. However, organisations have to implement the correct supply chain strategy. Returns on investment can be compromised if organisations implement an incorrect supply chain strategy. The objective of the article is to analyse the differences between theoretically implied and implemented supply chain strate...

Sustainability and cleaner production: a study on the implications competitive advantage in business

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaqueline Guimarães Santos

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the relationship between the adoption of environmental management system in the business and the competitive advantages that can result from this process. Therefore, the effects are discussed the emergence of a model of sustainable development and the role and opportunities of the company that perspective. Being theoretical, the aim of this paper is to discuss the potential contributions that the implementation of cleaner production technology can offer to the enterprise competitive strategy. To elucidate these relationships are discussed concepts relating to the introduction of an environmental management system, which emphasized the use of environmental measures, specifically the inherent Cleaner Production that aim to reduce the environmental impacts of industrial production, eliminating waste and reducing costs. Moreover, the concept of competitive advantage is crafted light of assumptions Porter on profitability from cost reduction and product differentiation. The findings indicate that the introduction of the Cleaner Production to reduce costs and add value to the image of the product, is an instrument of competitiveness that allows the company to differentiate and gain competitive advantage.

On the cost-effective abatement of CO2-options taking consumer behaviour into account

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wietschel, M.; Rentz, O.

1995-01-01

The current ecopolitical discussion focusses on the greenhouse effect and the consequent political aim to abate anthropogenic CO 2 emissions. Studies on individual measures for CO 2 abatement and on the development of efficient abatement strategies are already at hand. There is one aspect, however, that has hardly been dealt with as yet: If CO 2 abatement suceeds as it is planned by the Federal Government, then energy and prices will rise considerably, and this will curb the demand for energy. Any efficient abatement strategy must take this into account. The article presents a new concept for energy-emission models that takes consumer behaviour into account and discusses efficient CO 2 abatement strategies following from the application of such models. (orig.) [de

Responsible Consumption – Source of Competitive Advantages and Solution for Tourist Protection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gheorghe Epuran

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The recent preoccupations of national institutions and organizations and, especially of European and global institutions, regarding the responsible consumption of raw materials, resources and materials became more and more intense in the last years. In the same time, they contribute to the creation of a mentality of equilibrium in consumption and among consumers. With no connection with the area of activity, the XXIst century companies make real efforts to obtain competitive advantages by a consequent implementation of social responsibility, by assuring a responsible consumption in all the processes, and by protecting the consumer interests and rights. It became more and more frequent for the companies from tourism industry to apply the principles of sustainable development and to follow a strategy of responsible consumption. Their efforts are focused on providing different and unique experiences to contemporary consumer. In this way, the responsible consumption becomes not only a competitive advantage, but, also, an efficient way of informing the tourists and protecting their interests and rights. Without having a well-determined “ideological motivation”, tourists become more careful in responsible selection of services, depending on their degree of sustainability. They choose those touristic services that have a big contribution at the environment protection and preservation, respectively that integrate in a harmonious and synergic way cultural, psycho-social and emotional considerations. The institutions that regulate the touristic services supply contribute, also, at the careful monitoring of messages submitted to tourists and the messages content. To measure the way that the rural tourist guesthouses from Romania base their actions on the responsible consumption of raw materials and resources in their strategies of approaching the market and attracting tourists, in order to get sustainable competitive advantages and to offer efficient

Advantaged Bidders in Franchise Auctions

OpenAIRE

van den Berg, V.A.C.

2012-01-01

Consider a government that auctions a franchise for, e.g., an airport, telecommunication network, or utility. Consider an 'incumbent bidder' that owns a complement or substitute. With an auction on the transfer (i.e. payment) to the government, the incumbent is advantaged.If the government regulates the market with an auction on the price asked to consumers, it depends who is advantaged. With complements, the incumbent is advantaged: it can set a lower price on the new franchise, as this inc...

Management of fluctuations in wind power and CHP comparing two possible Danish strategies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lund, H.; Clark, W.W.

2002-01-01

Both CHP (combined heat and power production) and wind power are important elements of Danish energy policy. Today, approximately 50% of both the Danish electricity and heat demand are produced in CHP and more than 15% of the electricity demand is produced by wind turbines. Both technologies are essential for the implementation of Danish climate change response objectives, and both technologies are intended for further expansion in the coming decade. Meanwhile, the integration of CHP and wind power is subject to fluctuations in electricity production. Wind turbines depend on the wind, and CHP depends on the heat demand. This article discusses and analyses two different national strategies for solving this problem. One strategy, which is the current official government policy known as the export strategy, proposes to take advantage of the Nordic and European markets for selling and buying electricity. In this case, surplus electricity from wind power and CHP simply will be sold to neighbouring countries. Another strategy, the self-supply strategy, runs the CHP units to meet both demand and the fluctuations in the wind scheduling. In this case, investments in heat storages are necessary and heat pumps have to be added to the CHP units. Based on official Danish energy policy and energy plans, this article quantifies the problem for the year 2015 in terms of the amount of surplus electricity, and investments in heat pumps, etc. needed to solve the problem are calculated. Based on these results between the two different strategies, the conclusion is that the self-supply strategy is recommended over the official export strategy. (author)

Sunoco takes energy marketing initiative to the Web

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon

2000-08-21

Natural gas customers can now take advantage of two new program on Sunoco's Internet site which will deliver package savings on gasoline and heating bills. In addition, when the Ontario power market opens to retail competition, consumers will have the opportunity to save on their electricity requirements. The web site at www.sunoco.ca will offer instant discounts on gasoline and on-line purchases via the new Affinity Card and Web Gas program. Sunoco's web site also gives customers the opportunity to buy natural gas from Sunoco at three-year locked in prices.

Regional Economic Development Strategy in Preparation for the Establishment of a New Autonomous Region in Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lepi Ali Firmansyah

2014-06-01

Full Text Available In general, the purpose of this study is to analyze the economic potential readiness in South Cianjur Development Region and formulate economic development strategies in an effort to achieve independence in the execution of development. The method of analysis used in this study are the analysis of Location Quotient, analysis of Limpitan Sejajar system, analysis of Internal Factor Evaluation Matrix (IFE Matrix and External Factor Evaluation Matrix analysis (EFE matrix, analysis of matrix Strength-Weakness-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT, and analysis of Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM. The analysis showed that South Cianjur has potential, especially on: (1 agriculture, livestock, fisheries and forestry sector; (2 the mining and quarrying sector; and (3 the tourism sector. Based on IFE- EFE matrix analysis and SWOT analysis, South Cianjur district has priority strategy that uses internal strength to take advantage of external opportunities (S-O strategies. Selected strategic priorities are: (1 the development of agriculture by ecotourism, ecotourism and community forestry pattern; (2 the development of agroindustry; and (3 select and promote the spesific commodity to provide value-added (GDP and PAD.

Mechanistic Basis of Cocrystal Dissolution Advantage.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Fengjuan; Amidon, Gordon L; Rodríguez-Hornedo, Naír; Amidon, Gregory E

2018-01-01

Current interest in cocrystal development resides in the advantages that the cocrystal may have in solubility and dissolution compared with the parent drug. This work provides a mechanistic analysis and comparison of the dissolution behavior of carbamazepine (CBZ) and its 2 cocrystals, carbamazepine-saccharin (CBZ-SAC) and carbamazepine-salicylic acid (CBZ-SLC) under the influence of pH and micellar solubilization. A simple mathematical equation is derived based on the mass transport analyses to describe the dissolution advantage of cocrystals. The dissolution advantage is the ratio of the cocrystal flux to drug flux and is defined as the solubility advantage (cocrystal to drug solubility ratio) times the diffusivity advantage (cocrystal to drug diffusivity ratio). In this work, the effective diffusivity of CBZ in the presence of surfactant was determined to be different and less than those of the cocrystals. The higher effective diffusivity of drug from the dissolved cocrystals, the diffusivity advantage, can impart a dissolution advantage to cocrystals with lower solubility than the parent drug while still maintaining thermodynamic stability. Dissolution conditions where cocrystals can display both thermodynamic stability and a dissolution advantage can be obtained from the mass transport models, and this information is useful for both cocrystal selection and formulation development. Copyright © 2018 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring the Effects of Digital Note Taking on Student Comprehension of Science Texts

Science.gov (United States)

Horney, Mark A.; Anderson-Inman, Lynne; Terra, Fatima

2009-01-01

This study investigated the effects of text notes and voice notes on the comprehension of science texts by fifth grade students. The study was conducted to determine whether digital note taking was an effective reading strategy, and whether one form of digital note taking was more effective than the other. Results revealed that general education…

Putting leadership back into strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Montgomery, Cynthia A

2008-01-01

In recent decades an infusion of economics has lent the study of strategy much needed theory and empirical evidence. Strategy consultants, armed with frameworks and techniques, have stepped forward to help managers analyze their industries and position their companies for strategic advantage. Strategy has come to be seen as an analytical problem to be solved. But, says Montgomery, the Timken Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, the benefits of this rigorous approach have attendant costs: Strategy has become a competitive game plan, separate from the company's larger sense of purpose. The CEO's unique role as arbiter and steward of strategy has been eclipsed. And an overemphasis on sustainable competitive advantage has obscured the importance of making strategy a dynamic tool for guiding the company's development over time. For any company, intelligent guidance requires a clear sense of purpose, of what makes the organization truly distinctive. Purpose, Montgomery says, serves as both a constraint on activity and a guide to behavior. Creativity and insight are key to forging a compelling organizational purpose; analysis alone will never suffice. As the CEO--properly a company's chief strategist--translates purpose into practice, he or she must remain open to the possibility that the purpose itself may need to change. Lou Gerstner did this in the 1990s, when he decided that IBM would evolve to focus on applying technology rather than on inventing it. So did Steve Jobs, when he rescued Apple from a poorly performing strategy and expanded the company into attractive new businesses. Watching over strategy day in and day out is the CEO's greatest opportunity to shape the firm as well as outwit the competition.

Magnetic fusion energy plasma interactive and high heat flux components. Volume III. Strategy for international collaborations in the areas of plasma materials interactions and high heat flux materials and components development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gauster, W.B.; Bauer, W.; Roberto, J.B.; Post, D.E.

1984-01-01

The purpose of this summary is to assess opportunities for such collaborations in the specific areas of Plasma Materials Interaction and High Heat Flux Materials and Components Development, and to aid in developing a strategy to take advantage of them. After some general discussion of international collaborations, we summarize key technical issues and the US programs to address them. Then follows a summary of present collaborations and potential opportunities in foreign laboratories

Design Of Vertical Take-Off And Landing VTOL Aircraft System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Win Ko Ko Oo

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Vertical Take Off and Landing Vehicles VTOL are the ones which can take off and land from the same place without need of long runway. This paper presents the design and implementation of tricopter mode and aircraft mode for VTOL aircraft system. Firstly the aircraft design is considered for VTOL mode. And then the mathematical model of the VTOL aircraft is applied to test stability. In this research the KK 2.1 flight controller is used for VTOL mode and aircraft mode. The first part is to develop the VTOL mode and the next part is the transition of VTOL mode to aircraft mode. This paper gives brief idea about numerous types of VTOLs and their advantages over traditional aircraftsand insight to various types of tricopter and evaluates their configurations.

Design strategies for self-assembly of discrete targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madge, Jim; Miller, Mark A.

2015-01-01

Both biological and artificial self-assembly processes can take place by a range of different schemes, from the successive addition of identical building blocks to hierarchical sequences of intermediates, all the way to the fully addressable limit in which each component is unique. In this paper, we introduce an idealized model of cubic particles with patterned faces that allows self-assembly strategies to be compared and tested. We consider a simple octameric target, starting with the minimal requirements for successful self-assembly and comparing the benefits and limitations of more sophisticated hierarchical and addressable schemes. Simulations are performed using a hybrid dynamical Monte Carlo protocol that allows self-assembling clusters to rearrange internally while still providing Stokes-Einstein-like diffusion of aggregates of different sizes. Our simulations explicitly capture the thermodynamic, dynamic, and steric challenges typically faced by self-assembly processes, including competition between multiple partially completed structures. Self-assembly pathways are extracted from the simulation trajectories by a fully extendable scheme for identifying structural fragments, which are then assembled into history diagrams for successfully completed target structures. For the simple target, a one-component assembly scheme is most efficient and robust overall, but hierarchical and addressable strategies can have an advantage under some conditions if high yield is a priority

A comparative study of imbalance reduction strategies for virtual power plant operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zapata, J.; Vandewalle, J.; D'haeseleer, W.

2014-01-01

The penetration of a large amount of distributed generation (DG) technologies with intermittent output, such as photovoltaic installations and wind turbines, yields an important challenge to the electric grid. It is believed that aggregating them with controllable technologies such as cogeneration devices (CHP) can help to balance fluctuations of renewable energy. This work evaluates the ability of a virtual power plant (VPP) to reduce the imbalance error of renewable generators. The study is undertaken in a VPP that consists of several cogeneration devices and photovoltaic (PV) installations. The virtual power plant operator bids electricity into the day-ahead market using the forecast for solar irradiation and for the thermal demand. During the actual day, the imbalance due to deviations between the forecasted electricity delivered and the real output has to be settled in the balancing market. Thus, in order to compensate these errors and possible economic drawbacks, the operation of the CHP is adjusted periodically in a so called reschedule. Two different rescheduling strategies are compared against a ‘reference scenario’ in which the imbalance error is settled in the market. The first one (‘forced strategy’) aims at reducing the imbalance error every time step regardless of the imbalance prices. The second (‘economic strategy’) considers the imbalance prices and takes only action if it is economically appropriate and thus intends to reduce the total operational cost. The results show that the rescheduling technique is able to reduce the imbalance error (up to 90% depending on the season and the strategy). Additionally, the total operational cost is estimated. However, the nowadays imbalance prices only lead to a minor financial advantage that is unlikely to motivate real life operators to perform a rescheduling strategy. - Highlights: • The VPP is dispatched by a day-ahead optimization followed by a rescheduling. • A forced rescheduling strategy

Bundling Strategies in Global Supply Chains

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M. Acciaro (Michele)

2010-01-01

textabstractThe development of logistics has offered a wide range of new business opportunities for transport operators. Shipping lines have been taking advantage of these opportunities and have expanded their business scope beyond the movement of cargo, to include, for example, coordination among

Design strategy for control of inherently safe reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chisholm, G.H.

1984-01-01

Reactor power plant safety is assured through a combination of engineered barriers to radiation release (e.g., reactor containment) in combination with active reactor safety systems to shut the reactor down and remove decay heat. While not specifically identified as safety systems, the control systems responsible for continuous operation of plant subsystems are the first line of defense for mitigating radiation releases and for plant protection. Inherently safe reactors take advantage of passive system features for decay-heat removal and reactor shutdown functions normally ascribed to active reactor safety systems. The advent of these reactors may permit restructuring of the present control system design strategy. This restructuring is based on the fact that authority for protection against unlikely accidents is, as much as practical, placed upon the passive features of the system instead of the traditional placement upon the PPS. Consequently, reactor control may be simplified, allowing the reliability of control systems to be improved and more easily defended

Health insurance take-up by the near-elderly.

Science.gov (United States)

Buchmueller, Thomas C; Ohri, Sabina

2006-12-01

To examine the effect of price on the demand for health insurance by early retirees between the ages of 55 and 64. Administrative health plan enrollment data from a medium-sized U.S. employer. The analysis takes advantage of a natural experiment created by the firm's health insurance contribution policy. The amount the firm contributes toward retiree health insurance coverage depends on when a person retired and her years of service at that date. As a result of this policy, there is considerable variation in out-of-pocket premiums faced by individuals in the data. This variation is independent of the nonprice attributes of the health insurance plans offered and is plausibly exogenous to individual characteristics that are likely to affect the demand for insurance. A probit model is used to estimate the decision to take-up employer-sponsored health insurance by early retirees between the ages of 55 and 64. Demand for insurance is measured as a function of out-of-pocket premiums and a set of individual characteristics. We find that price has a small but statistically significant effect on the decision to take up coverage. Estimated price elasticities range from -0.10 to -0.16, depending on the sample. The implied elasticities are comparable with results found in previous studies using very different data. Our estimates indicate that policy proposals for a Medicare buy-in or a nongroup tax credit will have a modest impact on take-up rates of near-elderly retirees.

Gelişen Piyasa Ekonomilerinde Alternatif Para Politikası Stratejileri, Türkiye Ekonomisi Açısından Bir Değerlendirme(Alternative Monetary Policy Strategies in Emerging Countries, An Assessing For Turkish Economy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Şehnaz Bakır YİĞİTBAŞ

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This paper assesses the advantages and disadvantages of alternative monetary policy strategies involves for emerging market countries. Then it discusses two emerging market countries which illustrate what it takes to make inflation targeting work well, Chile and Brazil. The next topic that assessing inflation targeting as a monetary policy strategy for Turkey. The conclusion from this analysis is that inflation targeting is more complicated in Turkey. In order to improve inflation targeting’s performance in Turkey, the role of communication and transparency which is crutial for the process of building credibility, should be increased.

International Engagement Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

2017-06-14

agreements and issue legal guidance on international law and intellectual property issues. ICPO will play an important role in realizing this vision and...the U.S. and its partners. INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT VISION The directorate’s vision is for global S&T engagements to take advantage of emerging ideas...reduce risk to U.S. and partner countries, and increase their resilience; and Establish enduring relationships to provide access to

Evaluation of motion management strategies based on required margins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sawkey, D; Svatos, M; Zankowski, C

2012-01-01

Strategies for delivering radiation to a moving lesion each require a margin to compensate for uncertainties in treatment. These motion margins have been determined here by separating the total uncertainty into components. Probability density functions for the individual sources of uncertainty were calculated for ten motion traces obtained from the literature. Motion margins required to compensate for the center of mass motion of the clinical treatment volume were found by convolving the individual sources of uncertainty. For measurements of position at a frequency of 33 Hz, system latency was the dominant source of positional uncertainty. Averaged over the ten motion traces, the motion margin for tracking with a latency of 200 ms was 4.6 mm. Gating with a duty cycle of 33% required a mean motion margin of 3.2–3.4 mm, and tracking with a latency of 100 ms required a motion margin of 3.1 mm. Feasible reductions in the effects of the sources of uncertainty, for example by using a simple prediction algorithm to anticipate the lesion position at the end of the latency period, resulted in a mean motion margin of 1.7 mm for tracking with a latency of 100 ms, 2.4 mm for tracking with a latency of 200 ms, and 2.1–2.2 mm for the gating strategies with duty cycles of 33%. A crossover tracking latency of 150 ms was found, below which tracking strategies could take advantage of narrower motion margins than gating strategies. The methods described here provide a means to guide selection of a motion management strategy for a given patient. (paper)

STRATEGIC ALLIANCES – VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO CREATE A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN A GLOBAL MARKET

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irina NICOLAU

2010-12-01

Full Text Available In the past years, in the light of the economic turbulences all around the world, one of the most important ways to assure a competitive advantage is creating a strategic alliance. Such collaborative ventures between firms were developed as a response to the changes which have been happening to the world economy as increased competition, higher costs of developing new products, accelerated technological changes and, maybe the most important – the recent world economic crises. Being part of a strategic alliance creates competitive advantage for the companies by establishing their presence worldwide, by building up operating experience in overseas markets and gaining access to those national markets that were inaccessible before. At the same time, a strategic alliance means management commitment, special skills and forward planning for each company which takes part to an alliance.

STRATEGI BERSAING UNTUK MENINGKATKAN DAYA SAING SEKOLAH TINGGI TEOLOGIA DI UNGARAN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I Putu Ayub Darmawan

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to design a competitive strategy to improve the competitiveness of STT Simpson. This study was a research and development. The data were collected through observation, FGD (Focus Group Discussion and interviews. Competitive strategies of STT Simpson are 1 Differentiation strategy: STT Simpson can offer theological education class in the evening to optimize the facilities owned for the churches in Ungaran and its surrounding; 2 Cost advantage strategy: STT Simpson has an advantage in some types of costs but STT Simpson still have to adjust the tuition course to prevent the gap with another STT and keep maintaining its competitiveness; 3 Focus strategy: STT Simpson perform its marketing by focusing on youth of the church around GKII; and 4 Marketing communication strategy with various forms of marketing communications utilizing the technologies esvolving by offering characteristics possessed.

Delegated Portfolio Management and Risk Taking Behavior

OpenAIRE

José Luiz Barros Fernandes; Juan Ignacio Peña; Benjamin Miranda Tabak

2009-01-01

Standard models of moral hazard predict a negative relationship between risk and incentives; however empirical studies on mutual funds present mixed results. In this paper, we propose a behavioral principal-agent model in the context of professional managers, focusing on active and passive investment strategies. Using this general framework, we evaluate how incentives affect the risk taking behavior of managers, using the standard moral hazard model as a special case; and solve the previous c...

Development of glancing-incidence and glancing-take-off X-ray fluorescence apparatus for surface and thin-film analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuji, Kouichi; Wagatsuma, Kazuaki; Yamada, Takashi; Utaka, Tadashi

1997-01-01

We have studied X-ray fluorescence analysis under glancing incidence and glancing take-off conditions. Recently, we have developed a third apparatus for detecting glancing-incidence and take-off X-ray fluorescence, which makes it possible to measure the incident-angle dependence, the take-off-angle dependence. X-ray reflectivity, and X-ray diffraction. Primarily, we have measured the take-off angular dependence of X-ray fluorescence using this apparatus. Glancing take-off X-ray fluorescence has some advantages in comparison with glancing-incidence X-ray fluorescence. The surface density and the absolute angles were determined by analysing the take-off angle dependence of the fluorescent X-rays emitted from identical atoms with the aid of the reciprocity theorem. (Author)

Can renewable energies be turned to a source of advantage by developing countries?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathews, J.

2007-01-01

Traditional industrial development pathways, that did not take into explicit consideration the issue of energy technologies to be utilized, now imperil development prospects around the world. As oil supplies approach their peak globally, and energy security becomes a major issue, so developing countries have everything to lose by simply following fossil fuel based industrialization, and everything to gain by recasting their development strategies around the prospects for renewable energies and biofuels. This is now a feasible prospect, as shown dramatically by the Brazilian experience, now being replicated in many developing countries, including most notably in India and China. This paper argues that the time is therefore ripe for developing countries, and development agencies such as the World Bank, to re-evaluate their stance on biofuels. Developing countries, particularly in the tropics, have an abundance of land, water and sunshine that give them a competitive advantage in biofuels, and for the development of a new industry ergo-culture that will stand alongside traditional agriculture. The paper argues that a swing behind biofuels can unlock a chain reaction of favorable developmental processes provided developing countries seize the initiative and set in place renewable energy industry creation projects before the developed world has managed to shake itself out of its fossil fuel dependence. In doing so, they will do a great service to themselves and to everyone concerned with the disastrous prospects of global climate change. (author)

21 CFR 7.42 - Recall strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Recall strategy. 7.42 Section 7.42 Food and Drugs....42 Recall strategy. (a) General. (1) A recall strategy that takes into account the following factors... in the market-place. (v) Continued availability of essential products. (2) The Food and Drug...

Sustaining Regional Advantages in Manufacturing: Skill Accumulation of Rural–Urban Migrant Workers in the Coastal Area of China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huasheng Zhu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Extant research pays little attention to unorganized migrant workers’ skill accumulation/upgrading from the perspective of the labor supply. This paper takes China as an example to explore the factors influencing the skill accumulation of rural–urban migrant workers (RUMWs, with the purpose of discovering how to sustain or reshape regional competitive advantages by improving RUMWs’ skill accumulation. Structured questionnaire surveys were adopted for data collection in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province and Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province located in the Yangtze River Delta in eastern China. In total, 700 questionnaires were issued and 491 effective questionnaires were recovered. It takes the perspective of individual laborers, with special regard to the effects of localization on the laborers’ skill accumulation within the context of globalization. It adopts a broad viewpoint including intra-firm skill-biased strategy (as a response to intense competition, inter-firm relationships, and the accessibility of local non-firm organizations. The findings indicate that firms’ skill preference, which impacts employees’ skills and innovation ability and stimulates them to learn with initiative, have a significant influence on RUMWs’ skill accumulation. In terms of collective efficiency based on the co-competitive relationship between local firms, the more intensive interactions are, the more opportunities RUMWs are afforded for skill accumulation. The accessibility of local institutions and favorable policies also benefit RUMWs’ skill accumulation. In addition, the place itself, as a synthesized space of a firm’s internal labor-management relations and inter-organizational relations, also exerts an influence on and causes regional differences in RUMWs’ skill accumulation.

National Strategy on Action for Children in Russia and Council of Europe Strategies for the Rights of the Child

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Semya G.V.,

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Development of the National Strategy for Action on Children for 2012–2017 implemented in two phases (2012–2014 and 2015–2017 coincided with the Council of Europe Strategies for the Rights of the Child for 2012–2015, and the new Council of Europe Strategies for the Rights of the Child for 2016–2022 takes effect in 2016. Author provides description of a new European instrument: the main current challenges in the field of children safeguarding; top areas and measures to respond to these challenges; methods to implement the strategy including based on the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to the Member States. The article gives examples of Russia’s accession to the international legal community through the ratification of various conventions that allowed to take domestic measures to ensure international standards to secure children from such crimes as trafficking in children, underage prostitution and por- nography, sexual abuse. The present paper examines opportunity to take into ac- count the new European guidelines and standards in Russian childhood policy and describes action taken in Russia to protect children’s rights as a response to the integrated European challenges, taking into account social and cultural differences.

Novel strategies for sedentary behavior research.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenberg, Dori E; Lee, I-Min; Young, Deborah Rohm; Prohaska, Thomas R; Owen, Neville; Buchner, David M

2015-06-01

This article reports on the "Novel Strategies for Sedentary Behavior Research" session of the Sedentary Behavior: Identifying Research Priorities workshop. The purpose of this session of the workshop were to propose strategies for accomplishing a research agenda in dealing with sedentary behavior and to consider research priorities for people at high risk for excess sedentary behavior. The four major recommendations from this workshop were as follows: 1) To add repeated objective measures of physical activity and sedentary behavior to existing cohort studies and standardize approaches to measurement and analysis. Epidemiologic studies will be the most efficient design for addressing some research questions. 2) To increase research efficiency, consider the advantages of a network of connected research studies and health systems. Advantages include access to existing data in electronic health records. 3) To carefully select a variety of high-risk study populations and preplan collaboration among studies in intervention research. This strategy can efficiently address the breadth of issues in sedentary behavior research. 4) To include comparative effectiveness designs and pure environmental interventions in intervention research. This strategy facilitates and enhances translation of interventions into practice.

Measuring gluconeogenesis using a low dose of 2H2O: advantage of isotope fractionation during gas chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Katanik, Jill; McCabe, Brendan J; Brunengraber, Daniel Z; Chandramouli, Visvanathan; Nishiyama, Fumie J; Anderson, Vernon E; Previs, Stephen F

2003-05-01

The contribution of gluconeogenesis to glucose production can be measured by enriching body water with (2)H(2)O to approximately 0.5% (2)H and determining the ratio of (2)H that is bound to carbon-5 vs. carbon-2 of blood glucose. This labeling ratio can be measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after the corresponding glucose carbons are converted to formaldehyde and then to hexamethylenetetramine (HMT). We present a technique for integrating ion chromatograms that allows one to use only 0.05% (2)H in body water (i.e., 10 times less than the current dose). This technique takes advantage of the difference in gas chromatographic retention times of naturally labeled HMT and [(2)H]HMT. We discuss the advantage(s) of using a low dose of (2)H(2)O to quantify the contribution of gluconeogenesis.

Advantages and limitations of peer assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karmen Goršak, Karmen Pižorn

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This article examines current theoretical work and research findings regarding the effectiveness of peer assessment. The main purpose of the article is to define peer asses sment and its subcategory peer feedback and to present the advantages and limitations of peer assessment derived from different research findings. In addition, conditions and strategies to successfully guarantee the benefits of peer assessment are presented. The main research studies, mentioned in this article, have been carried out in different disciplines in higher education programmes and their findings reveal positive students’ and teachers’ attitude to peer assessment as well as high correlation between peers’ and te achers’ grades. The main results of the studies show a positive effect of peer assessment on student’s active role in the process of learning and assessment, the development of social and professional skills, student’s autonomy, critical thinking, peer and selfassessment skills. Recommendations for implementing peer assessment within foreign language tea ching, as well as implications for future research work are provided.

A study of STP strategies of Chinese retail banking industry for competitive advantage

OpenAIRE

Wen, Manqing

2006-01-01

This dissertation reports on the research in how Chinese domestic banks use Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning (STP) strategy for retail banking in the context of anticipated competition after 2006 when the banking business will be fully open to foreign banks. With the full liberalization of China's banking sector due under China's WTO commitments, Chinese domestic banks are faced with the need to increase their competitiveness. This research will start with a literature review conce...

Linking empathy to visuospatial perspective-taking in gambling addiction.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomei, Alexander; Besson, Jacques; Grivel, Jeremy

2017-04-01

It has been demonstrated that people suffering from substance-related addictions are less empathic than their non-addicted counterparts. Our first aim was to verify if this is also true for behavioral addictions. We hypothesized that problem gamblers are less empathic than healthy controls. Our second aim was to identify a cognitive marker of empathy that could be targeted in cognitive rehabilitation strategies. We propose that a potential cognitive marker of empathy could be visuospatial perspective-taking. Specifically, we hypothesized that visuospatial perspective-taking performances are lower in problem gamblers compared to healthy controls and that these visuospatial performances predict empathy. Thirty-one non-gamblers, 24 healthy gamblers, and 21 problem gamblers performed a visuospatial perspective-taking task before completing the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI; Davis, 1980; Davis, 1983). Problem gamblers had decreased empathy and lower performance at the visuospatial perspective-taking task than non-gamblers and healthy gamblers. Furthermore, we confirmed that visuospatial perspective-taking abilities predict empathy on the IRI dimensions of interpersonal perspective-taking and personal distress. The present study provides new evidence that reduced empathy is not limited to subjects with substance-related addictions; rather, it extends to behavioral addictions. Visuospatial perspective-taking may be a viable cognitive marker for use as a rehabilitation target of empathy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative Advantage of Maize- and Grass-Silage Based Feedstock for Biogas Production with Respect to Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreas Meyer-Aurich

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This paper analyses the comparative advantage of using silage maize or grass as feedstock for anaerobic digestion to biogas from a greenhouse gas (GHG mitigation point of view, taking into account site-specific yield potentials, management options, and land-use change effects. GHG emissions due to the production of biogas were calculated using a life-cycle assessment approach for three different site conditions with specific yield potentials and adjusted management options. While for the use of silage maize, GHG emissions per energy unit were the same for different yield potentials, and the emissions varied substantially for different grassland systems. Without land-use change effects, silage maize-based biogas had lower GHG emissions per energy unit compared to grass-based biogas. Taking land-use change into account, results in a comparative advantage of biogas production from grass-based feedstock produced on arable land compared to silage maize-based feedstock. However, under current frame conditions, it is quite unrealistic that grass production systems would be established on arable land at larger scale.

Effects of Note-Taking Training on Reading Comprehension and Recall

Science.gov (United States)

Rahmani, Mina; Sadeghi, Karim

2011-01-01

The present study examined the process and product effects of note-taking strategy training on Iranian EFL learners' comprehension and retention of written material, with gender as a moderating variable. Intermediate undergraduate EFL learners (N = 108) were assigned to experimental and control groups. The Experimental (intervention) Group…

Reducing gravity takes the bounce out of running.

Science.gov (United States)

Polet, Delyle T; Schroeder, Ryan T; Bertram, John E A

2018-02-13

In gravity below Earth-normal, a person should be able to take higher leaps in running. We asked 10 subjects to run on a treadmill in five levels of simulated reduced gravity and optically tracked centre-of-mass kinematics. Subjects consistently reduced ballistic height compared with running in normal gravity. We explain this trend by considering the vertical take-off velocity (defined as maximum vertical velocity). Energetically optimal gaits should balance the energetic costs of ground-contact collisions (favouring lower take-off velocity), and step frequency penalties such as leg swing work (favouring higher take-off velocity, but less so in reduced gravity). Measured vertical take-off velocity scaled with the square root of gravitational acceleration, following energetic optimality predictions and explaining why ballistic height decreases in lower gravity. The success of work-based costs in predicting this behaviour challenges the notion that gait adaptation in reduced gravity results from an unloading of the stance phase. Only the relationship between take-off velocity and swing cost changes in reduced gravity; the energetic cost of the down-to-up transition for a given vertical take-off velocity does not change with gravity. Because lower gravity allows an elongated swing phase for a given take-off velocity, the motor control system can relax the vertical momentum change in the stance phase, thus reducing ballistic height, without great energetic penalty to leg swing work. Although it may seem counterintuitive, using less 'bouncy' gaits in reduced gravity is a strategy to reduce energetic costs, to which humans seem extremely sensitive. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Project management as a competitive advantage for the internationalization of Brazilian companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andre Luiz Spinelli Schelini

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study focuses on three theoretical axes: project management (PM, internationalization of companies and the resource-based view (RBV. It aimed to analyze if, and in what way, PM maturity contributes to the international strategy of Brazilian companies from the RBV perspective. The research strategy adopted in three Brazilian companies constituted a multiple case study with a descriptive exploratory approach through intercase and intracase analysis. As an unprecedented result, the study identified five characteristics of mature project management: project sustainability, stakeholder engagement, goal setting and strategy, change management, and risk management. Furthermore, all of these contributed to the internationalization of the companies in question, with an impact on competitive advantage, considering the RBV-VRIO analysis. Thus, the study contributes to the field by aiding companies that are beginning or intend to begin internationalization processes, enabling them to obtain better results through PM. A limitation of the study is the small number of cases investigated, which may be viewed as an opportunity for conducting further studies.

Red ocean vs blue ocean strategies

OpenAIRE

Λαΐνος, Ιάσονας

2011-01-01

This paper is about the strategies that a company can adopt in order to get a competitive advantage over its rivals, and thus be successful (Red Ocean Strategies). We also tried to explain what actually entrepreneurship is, to be able to understand why the corporate strategies are formed as they do, and why companies are choosing to follow them. The following project is a part of our master thesis that we will present for the University of Piraeus for the MBA-TQM master department. The thesis...

Strategies to reduce the complexity of hydrologic data assimilation for high-dimensional models

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez, F.; Liang, X.

2017-12-01

Probabilistic forecasts in the geosciences offer invaluable information by allowing to estimate the uncertainty of predicted conditions (including threats like floods and droughts). However, while forecast systems based on modern data assimilation algorithms are capable of producing multi-variate probability distributions of future conditions, the computational resources required to fully characterize the dependencies between the model's state variables render their applicability impractical for high-resolution cases. This occurs because of the quadratic space complexity of storing the covariance matrices that encode these dependencies and the cubic time complexity of performing inference operations with them. In this work we introduce two complementary strategies to reduce the size of the covariance matrices that are at the heart of Bayesian assimilation methods—like some variants of (ensemble) Kalman filters and of particle filters—and variational methods. The first strategy involves the optimized grouping of state variables by clustering individual cells of the model into "super-cells." A dynamic fuzzy clustering approach is used to take into account the states (e.g., soil moisture) and forcings (e.g., precipitation) of each cell at each time step. The second strategy consists in finding a compressed representation of the covariance matrix that still encodes the most relevant information but that can be more efficiently stored and processed. A learning and a belief-propagation inference algorithm are developed to take advantage of this modified low-rank representation. The two proposed strategies are incorporated into OPTIMISTS, a state-of-the-art hybrid Bayesian/variational data assimilation algorithm, and comparative streamflow forecasting tests are performed using two watersheds modeled with the Distributed Hydrology Soil Vegetation Model (DHSVM). Contrasts are made between the efficiency gains and forecast accuracy losses of each strategy used in

So simple, so hard: Taking medication as directed.

Science.gov (United States)

Burkholder, Rebecca; Linn, Elaine

Millions of Americans either fail to take the full course of prescribed medication or they take it incorrectly. The problem is particularly serious for people with cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes, and for racially and ethnically diverse populations. The (U.S.) National Consumers League through its Script Your Future medication adherence awareness campaign presented the conference "So Simple, So Hard: Taking Medications as Directed", convening health care professionals, community health workers, consumer and patient advocates, researchers, industry representatives, public agencies, and policymakers. This a one-day research symposium aimed to explore challenges and barriers to medication adherence and to highlight tools and strategies to improve adherence and health outcomes, particularly among underserved populations. The conference began with presentations on adherence research and health disparities, and continued with presentations on strategies and tools to improve adherence that could be utilized in health care practices or organizations (including assessing adherence, medication synchronization, and comprehensive medication management). Through group discussions, the conference provided a forum for participants to interact and lay the groundwork to develop partnerships for collaborative initiatives to improve appropriate medication use and adherence. Participants surveyed at the end of the day and 30 days after the conference reported that they found the meeting highly useful (rated 4.6 out of 5), with the vast majority saying they learned about research and tools they can apply in their work and made new connections for potential collaborations. The conference learnings are being shared by participants and disseminated to other interested organizations and individuals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A universal optimization strategy for ant colony optimization algorithms based on the Physarum-inspired mathematical model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Zili; Gao, Chao; Liu, Yuxin; Qian, Tao

2014-01-01

Ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithms often fall into the local optimal solution and have lower search efficiency for solving the travelling salesman problem (TSP). According to these shortcomings, this paper proposes a universal optimization strategy for updating the pheromone matrix in the ACO algorithms. The new optimization strategy takes advantages of the unique feature of critical paths reserved in the process of evolving adaptive networks of the Physarum-inspired mathematical model (PMM). The optimized algorithms, denoted as PMACO algorithms, can enhance the amount of pheromone in the critical paths and promote the exploitation of the optimal solution. Experimental results in synthetic and real networks show that the PMACO algorithms are more efficient and robust than the traditional ACO algorithms, which are adaptable to solve the TSP with single or multiple objectives. Meanwhile, we further analyse the influence of parameters on the performance of the PMACO algorithms. Based on these analyses, the best values of these parameters are worked out for the TSP. (paper)

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF THE EASTERN-EUROPEAN AUTO SECTOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucian-Ovidiu CINADE

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Car-building industry territorial reconfiguration in Europe is the result of several rounds of company delocations from origin countries to emergent countries. Such rounds have been limited by the gradual opening of the national countries, as well as by changes in East European ideology and politics. Hence, about the end of the 90’s, European car-building industry shows considerable disparity, East to West. In the car-building companies’ vision, East-European car-building development potential is basically sustained by both the car low penetration rate, and the low labor cost. On the long term run, gradual valorizing of the East-european trading, with increasing labor costs, may read as a wearing thin of the competitive advantage in car-building industries, as well as problem issues of novel territory attractiveness needing permanent boosting. Country-to-country comparative analysis indicates that competitive advantage of car-building has not gone down in all of the West-European States. Competitive advantage of the West-European car-building industry increases, which can be explained, in part, by adequate strategies, as both labor costs, and cars penetration rate, go up.

Push and pull strategies: applications for health care marketing.

Science.gov (United States)

Kingsley, B R

1987-08-01

As health care markets mature and expand, strategies available in other industries become useful. This article examines how traditional push-pull strategies apply to health care. Marketers using a push strategy recognize that the sale of their services or goods is dependent upon the endorsement of a middleman and promote their product through the middleman. Those using a pull strategy market directly to the consumer. In this article, the author outlines the advantages and disadvantages of using each strategy.

STRATEGIES FOR SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE IN RECESSIONS: PRO OR COUNTER-CYCLICAL?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudio Ramos Conti

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Recessions are recurring events in which most firms suffer severe impacts while others are less affected or may even prosper. Strategic management has made little progress in understanding such performance differences. In a scenario of decreased demand, intensified competition, and higher uncertainty, most firms try to survive by pro-cyclically cutting costs and investments. But firms could take advantage of undervalued resources in the market to counter-cyclically invest in new business opportunities to overtake competitors. We survey Brazilian firms in various industries about the 2008-2009 recession and analyze data using PLS-SEM. We find that while most firms pro-cyclically reduce costs and investments in recessions, a counter-cyclical strategy of investing in opportunities created by changes in the market enables superior performance. Most successful are firms with a propensity to recognize opportunities, an entrepreneurial orientation to invest, and the flexibility to efficiently implement investments.

Managerial attitudes, strategic intent, environmental initiatives and competitive advantage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reyes Rodríguez, Juan Felipe; Ulhøi, John Parm; Madsen, Henning

2013-01-01

To stay at the competitive forefront successful firms have for quite a while addressed environmental issues as part of their strategy. The competitive 'imperative' is however not restricted to large enterprises entirely. This paper reports empirical findings from a series of identical surveys per...... will be provided that allows for making recommendations with regard to possible new strategic directions. Before concluding, key implications for future research, managers and other related decision-makers are briefly addressed....... performed regularly since 1999. The purpose has been to track and analyse the development of the strategic responses of SMEs in Denmark. Furthermore, identification of potential shifts in the influence of motivators and the impact on competitive advantage has also been focused. In so doing, evidence...

Thermal reactor strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

This statement sets down briefly the CEGB's views on the requirement for nuclear power and outlines current progress in the implementation of the CEGB's thermal reactor strategy. The programme is traced historically, together with statements of Government policy. The place of Magnox, AGR, SGHWR, PWR and fast breeder reactors is discussed. Advantages and problems associated with the various types are outlined. (U.K.)

Diversity as strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, David A

2004-09-01

IBM's turnaround in the last decade is an impressive and well-documented business story. But behind that success is a less told people story, which explains how the corporation dramatically altered its already diverse composition and created millions of dollars in new business. By the time Lou Gerstner took the helm in 1993, IBM had a long history of progressive management when it came to civil rights and equal-opportunity employment. But Gerstner felt IBM wasn't taking full advantage of a diverse market for talent, nor was it maximizing the potential of its diverse customer and employee base. So in 1995, he launched a diversity task force initiative to uncover and understand differences among people within the organization and find ways to appeal to an even broader set of employees and customers. Gerstner established a task force for each of eight constituencies: Asians; blacks; the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered community; Hispanics; white men; Native Americans; people with disabilities; and women. He asked the task forces to research four questions: What does your constituency need to feel welcome and valued at IBM? What can the corporation do, in partnership with your group, to maximize your constituency's productivity? What can the corporation do to influence your constituency's buying decisions so that IBM is seen as a preferred solution provider? And with which external organizations should IBM form relationships to better understand the needs of your constituency? The answers to these questions became the basis for IBM's diversity strategy. Thomas stresses that four factors are key to implementing any major change initiative: strong support from company leaders, an employee base that is fully engaged with the initiative, management practices that are integrated and aligned with the effort, and a strong and well-articulated business case for action. All four elements have helped IBM make diversity a key corporate strategy tied to real growth.

Creating competitive advantage in international marketing: strategic alliances at exportation logistics – a case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leonel Mazzali

2008-07-01

Full Text Available This paper analyses the creation process of a competitive advantage in the international business, starting on the concept of the supply chain management. First, the aim of this study is to show that the dimension of the success in the international negotiations depends on the formation of strategic alliances. Second, that the formation of the alliances demands the adaptation of cultures and strategies of all the involved parties. It was opted for a qualitative research, with descriptive character, associated to the experience of an executives group of the Cia Cacique de Café Solúvel and its partners, on the constitution of a logistic alliance. It is clearly shown, on one hand, that the alliance between the main company and its partners consolidates the necessity of strategic interdependence in the interior of the supply chain. On the other hand, the success of it is based on the identification and selection of the partners, the effective alignment of interests and strategies, the construction of the confidence, the equal treatment and transparence in the negotiation. Key-words: export logistics; strategic alliances; competitive advantage

How do they make it look so easy? The expert orienteer's cognitive advantage.

Science.gov (United States)

Eccles, David W; Arsal, Guler

2015-01-01

Expertise in sport can appear so extraordinary that it is difficult to imagine how "normal" individuals may achieve it. However, in this review, we show that experts in the sport of orienteering, which requires on-foot navigation using map and compass through wild terrain, can make the difficult look easy because they have developed a cognitive advantage. Specifically, they have acquired knowledge of cognitive and behavioural strategies that allow them to circumvent natural limitations on attention. Cognitive strategies include avoiding peaks of demand on attention by distributing the processing of map information over time and reducing the need to attend to the map by simplifying the navigation required to complete a race. Behavioural strategies include reducing the visual search required of the map by physically arranging and rearranging the map display during races. It is concluded that expertise in orienteering can be partly attributed to the circumvention of natural limitations on attention achieved via the employment of acquired cognitive and behavioural strategies. Thus, superior performance in sport may not be the possession of only a privileged few; it may be available to all aspiring athletes.

Using portfolios as a powerful strategy to foster and develop students writing skill in EFL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Albeiro Melgarejo M.

2006-02-01

Full Text Available This article emphasises on the use of portfolios as a powerful strategy to monitor the students’ writing performance in EFL and foster their writing production by means of taking advantage of their interests and beliefs when creating different types of compositions. Some of the ideas included in this article come from a large project research carried out with children between 9 and 13 years old who were in the Intermediate level of “Cursos de Extensión” at Universidad Pedagó- gica Nacional. The data analysis component is still in process and it is part of the thesis proposed by the author for the Master in Applied Linguistics for the TEFL at Universidad Distrital “Francisco José de Caldas”.

National action strategy on global warming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-11-01

A document prepared by a committee of Canadian environmental ministries proposes a strategic framework for a national action plan concerning global warming. The strategy would be carried out jointly by governments and all other sectors of the economy, taking into account the present state of scientific knowledge on global warming. Within this framework, the governments in cooperation with interested parties would take certain measures in their respective areas of competence. The main recommendations of the document include the following. The action strategy should comprise 3 elements: limiting emissions of greenhouse gases; forecasting climatic changes which Canada could undergo due to global warming and preparing for such changes; and improving scientific knowledge and the capacity to predict climatic changes. Limitations on this strategy should take into account such matters as the interaction of greenhouse gases with other pollutants, the importance of the international context, the need to adapt to new discoveries, and the importance of regional differences. Implementation of the strategy should incorporate widespread consultation of all affected sectors, sustained work on establishing international conventions and protocols on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, objectives and schedules for such reductions, and stepwise actions to control emissions in order to enable an adequate evaluation of the consequences and effectiveness of such measures. 10 figs., 2 tabs

Taking the High Ground: A Case for Department of Defense Application of Public Cloud Computing

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-01

Windows-based servers or LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP ) for Red Hat servers. The server configuration can be customized as needed with up to four CPUs...Linux, Apache, MySQL and Perl preinstalled saving the user a considerable amount of setup time. Often IaaS providers take advantage of the developer

Efficient on-line setup correction strategies using plan-intent functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keller, Harry; Jaffray, David A.; Rosewall, Tara; White, Elizabeth

2006-01-01

With the introduction of image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) delivery systems on-line set-up correction strategies have gained in popularity. Usually, the correction workload of these strategies is high compared to off-line strategies as daily setup corrections have to be performed based on a predefined action level. In this work, it is proposed that on-line strategies must not only be judged in terms of workload but also in terms of efficacy. While workload can be easily predicted for such strategies, the efficacy must ultimately reflect the efficiency with which the original treatment plan intent is met. The purpose of this work is to investigate the tradeoff between workload and efficacy of three different on-line set-up correction strategies: The common fixed action level strategy and two novel on-line setup correction strategies, i.e., a dose-volume histogram (DVH) constraint and an equivalent uniform dose (EUD) score strategy that aim directly for better compliance with original treatment plan intent. All strategies were reformulated in terms of a score function that reflected treatment plan intent. A retrospective study was conducted on 5 prostate patients (7-field conformal, 79.8 Gy, 42 fractions). PTV margins were 10 mm except in the posterior direction (7 mm). The original treatment plan intent for these patients was defined using a set of DVH constraints. The results show that the on-line setup correction strategy based on a fixed action level of 3 mm resulted in a considerable correction workload. For larger action levels, a dose benefit (in terms of EUD) in the rectum and bladder was observed for all patients which is clinically ''fortuitous'' but difficult to take advantage of. In contrast, the application of the two novel strategies generally resulted in a controlled decrease of the dose to the rectum and the bladder with a smaller workload. It is concluded that using information about target anatomy and the planned dose distribution allows the

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF A FRANCHISEE IN THE SOFTWARE MARKET: THE CASE OF TOTVS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joelson Obregão Matoso

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In highly competitive technology markets, such as the market in which Enterprise Resource Management (ERP service providers do business, it has become of fundamental importance to understand the factors that create competitive advantages. This paper presents the support from the theoretical frameworks offered by the Resource-based View (RBV and the Market-based View (MBV to attempt to explain the competitive advantage held by Totvs Curitiba, a franchise of Totvs, which in turn is a Brazilian company that is a market leader in ERP service provision. In methodological terms, this is a Case Study for which data was collected during interviews and by observation and review of secondary documentary sources. The results suggest that the franchise's market-leading position was built on a relationship, which is identifiable in the results of this study, between the strategies adopted, resources controlled and competences developed.

Structuring the competitive advantage of printing company

OpenAIRE

Kukharuk A. D.

2013-01-01

The nature of the concept of "competitive advantage of the company" if analyzed. The concept of "structuring a competitive advantage" is suggested. The model of structuring of printing company’s competitive advantage based on fundamentals of stakeholder theory is developed.

STRATEGIC ALLIANCE AND STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFECT TO COMPANY PERFORMANCE IN CREATING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE (STUDY CASE AT INDOFOOD CBP SUKSES MAKMUR COMPANY - FOOD SEASONING DIVISION )

OpenAIRE

Ardiyanto, Yan

2016-01-01

This research head for analyze the effect of inter variable to answered set problems how is strategic alliance and strategic planning to improve company performance for create competitive advantage. This research gives theoritic and managerial implication concern pace which have to take by PT. Indofood CBP Sukses Makmur Food Seasoning Division to improve their company performance for create competitive advantage which got from product strategic alliance and strategic planning. Population in t...

INNOVATIVE MARKETING STRATEGIES IN TOP MOST COMPANIES

OpenAIRE

Sonia*

2018-01-01

This Research Study looks at various innovative marketing strategies used by our top most companies .Marketing strategies is a long term, forward looking approach to planning with the fundamental goal achieving a sustainable competitive advantage. Overall approach of this paper is to create a link between growth rate of companies and new marketing strategies. Good marketing is no accident, It is both an art and a science and it results from careful planning and execution using state-of-the-ar...

CHANGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES RELATED TO THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT COMPLEXITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena DOVAL

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The changes in organizations appear as a reaction to the organizational environment changes. In order to manage these changes successfully, the managers need to anticipate and design alternative strategies by preparing different options.  Nevertheless, the complexity of the global environment forces the managers to adopt strategies for their organizations that are facilitating the creation of new strategic competences and competitive advantages to face the environmental rapid changes. In this context, this paper is aiming to illustrate the main directions the change management may consider to change the organization strategies in order to harmonize them to the external environment, such as: integration versus externalization, flexible specialization and flexible organization, standardization versus adaptation, market segmentation, relationship building and maintaining and communication integration.  However, the new strategies are based on a changed attitude of the managers towards the competitive advantage that is dynamic and focused on creation rather then to operations.

Pareto Optimal Solutions for Network Defense Strategy Selection Simulator in Multi-Objective Reinforcement Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Sun

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Using Pareto optimization in Multi-Objective Reinforcement Learning (MORL leads to better learning results for network defense games. This is particularly useful for network security agents, who must often balance several goals when choosing what action to take in defense of a network. If the defender knows his preferred reward distribution, the advantages of Pareto optimization can be retained by using a scalarization algorithm prior to the implementation of the MORL. In this paper, we simulate a network defense scenario by creating a multi-objective zero-sum game and using Pareto optimization and MORL to determine optimal solutions and compare those solutions to different scalarization approaches. We build a Pareto Defense Strategy Selection Simulator (PDSSS system for assisting network administrators on decision-making, specifically, on defense strategy selection, and the experiment results show that the Satisficing Trade-Off Method (STOM scalarization approach performs better than linear scalarization or GUESS method. The results of this paper can aid network security agents attempting to find an optimal defense policy for network security games.

Combining Compact Representation and Incremental Generation in Large Games with Sequential Strategies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bosansky, Branislav; Xin Jiang, Albert; Tambe, Milind

2015-01-01

representation of sequential strategies and linear programming, or by incremental strategy generation of iterative double-oracle methods. In this paper, we present novel hybrid of these two approaches: compact-strategy double-oracle (CS-DO) algorithm that combines the advantages of the compact representation...

76 FR 56262 - Community Advantage Pilot Program

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-12

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION [Docket No. SBA 2011-0003] Community Advantage Pilot Program AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). ACTION: Notice of change to Community Advantage Pilot... Community Advantage Pilot Program. In that notice, SBA modified or waived as appropriate certain regulations...

Take It, Leave It, Fold It

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elias, Camelia

2008-01-01

This introduction to the volume sets the tone for a reading experience of Federman's works. Since the early 60s, Raymond Federman has been one of the most important American writers. In his highly experimental fictions, in works that bear such titles as Take It or Leave It, Double or Nothing......, and The Twofold Vibrations, he has explored cultural and personal memory, invented intricate narrative strategies, and above all has given readers an experience that exceeds the ordinary. Creating situations that make one really think and really laugh is a tall order for any writer. But Federman did it. He is one...

Hospital marketing: strategy reassessment in a declining market.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Doren, D C; Spielman, A P

1989-03-01

Despite continued significant increases in the nation's spending for health care, use of inpatient hospital services has declined. The authors use the product life cycle to analyze the market for inpatient hospital services and to examine competitive strategies for hospital marketing success. The product life cycle literature suggests at least four strategies for products in decline. The authors analyze the advantages and disadvantages of these strategies as they relate to the hospital market.

Group Differences in Test-Taking Behaviour: An Example from a High-Stakes Testing Program

Science.gov (United States)

Stenlund, Tova; Eklöf, Hanna; Lyrén, Per-Erik

2017-01-01

This study investigated whether different groups of test-takers vary in their reported test-taking behaviour in a high-stakes test situation. A between-group design (N = 1129) was used to examine whether high and low achievers, as well as females and males, differ in their use of test-taking strategies, and in level of reported test anxiety and…

New rules for transient advantage, social business, breakthrough innovation, big data and information technology

CERN Document Server

Randall, Robert

2014-01-01

Business models and processes are evolving in quicktime to take advantage of opportunities enabled by the rapid advance of digital technology. Meanwhile, the preferences of customers and the jobs they need to do are co-evolving. What's accelerating the transformation of markets is that, using digital networks, customers and other stakeholder can instantly influence the development of new offerings. As a result, upstart businesses that can connect with customers through new social channels burgeon and thrive and long-established segments suddenly wither and vanish. This book identifies several

Quantum Locality in Game Strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Melo-Luna, Carlos A; Susa, Cristian E; Ducuara, Andrés F; Barreiro, Astrid; Reina, John H

2017-03-22

Game theory is a well established branch of mathematics whose formalism has a vast range of applications from the social sciences, biology, to economics. Motivated by quantum information science, there has been a leap in the formulation of novel game strategies that lead to new (quantum Nash) equilibrium points whereby players in some classical games are always outperformed if sharing and processing joint information ruled by the laws of quantum physics is allowed. We show that, for a bipartite non zero-sum game, input local quantum correlations, and separable states in particular, suffice to achieve an advantage over any strategy that uses classical resources, thus dispensing with quantum nonlocality, entanglement, or even discord between the players' input states. This highlights the remarkable key role played by pure quantum coherence at powering some protocols. Finally, we propose an experiment that uses separable states and basic photon interferometry to demonstrate the locally-correlated quantum advantage.

Quantum Locality in Game Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Melo-Luna, Carlos A.; Susa, Cristian E.; Ducuara, Andrés F.; Barreiro, Astrid; Reina, John H.

2017-03-01

Game theory is a well established branch of mathematics whose formalism has a vast range of applications from the social sciences, biology, to economics. Motivated by quantum information science, there has been a leap in the formulation of novel game strategies that lead to new (quantum Nash) equilibrium points whereby players in some classical games are always outperformed if sharing and processing joint information ruled by the laws of quantum physics is allowed. We show that, for a bipartite non zero-sum game, input local quantum correlations, and separable states in particular, suffice to achieve an advantage over any strategy that uses classical resources, thus dispensing with quantum nonlocality, entanglement, or even discord between the players’ input states. This highlights the remarkable key role played by pure quantum coherence at powering some protocols. Finally, we propose an experiment that uses separable states and basic photon interferometry to demonstrate the locally-correlated quantum advantage.

A Study of Marketing Strategy in the Information Society

OpenAIRE

高谷, 和夫; Kazuo, Takaya; 人間社会学部社会情報学科

2007-01-01

Most theories of marketing strategy had been studied and advocated in the industrial society. In this article, you can find the background of best-selling products based on the theory where the marketing strategy in the information society is totally different from the industrial society. Considering consumer needs and competitive advantage, attention, positioning and designing strategies have been found to be most effective in the information society.

Service-Oriented Strategies for Manufacturing Firms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tan, Adrian; McAloone, Tim C.; Matzen, Detlef

2009-01-01

This chapter establishes PSS (Product/Service-Systems) approaches in the context of manufacturing firms and their existing product-oriented business. PSS can be seen as a strategy for manufacturing firms to gain competitive advantage in the market, but what market conditions and organisational......, customers and partners in business planning and strategy to reap the full benefits. Finally a path to how manufacturers can make the change from product to service-orientation is traced....

PRICING POLICY AND MARKETING STRATEGIES AS A PART OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF RETAILS STORES IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC

OpenAIRE

Jaroslava Gburová; Róbert Štefko; Radovan Baèík

2013-01-01

The paper deals with price and marketing pricing strategies of retail chain stores in the Slovak Republic. The aim of this paper is to highlight the perception of the impact of economic recession in the retail chain stores. To determine the most used marketing pricing strategies has been used analysis of variance ANOVA. The global finance crisis does not have influence to selection and implementation of pricing strategy, which is used by branches of chain stores marketing management of in are...

SU-E-J-21: Advantages of Ultra Fast Radiation Dose Delivering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Y

2014-01-01

Purpose: For delivering conformed dose to a moving tumor and sparing normal tissue, we presented an innovation that was combined a linear accelerator and a storage ring to generate ultra high dose rate. This innovation allows delivering prescribed dose to a moving target in such a short time period, for an example 0.1 second, during which the displacement of the target could be ignored. Methods: The advantages of this approach were evaluated based on normal tissue sparing, feasibility, accuracy, and time saving in clinical treatment. The target volume reduction with this innovation approach was demonstrated by analyzing the values of GTVs, ITVs, and PTVs obtained from 15 patients who had been diagnosed with malignant neoplasm of lung and treated with SBRT. The processes of SBRT treatment were investigated and advantages of this innovation in improving SBRT lung treatment were evaluated. Results: With the ultra-high dose rate, the target volumes could be reduced by ∼30% to 50%. The innovation combining with IGRT technique could deliver prescribed dose to moving target accurately with simpler procedures than that of adaptive approach. This new approach could reduce the time of guiding treatment by many times. The new technique make a new strategy became feasible that was to deliver the dose to a target when it moved to a desirable location, such as away from critical organs. Conclusion: Combining with IGRT technique, this innovation could significantly improve the accuracy to deliver dose to moving targets with a shorter time than conventional techniques. The innovation opens a door for new strategies to deliver dose to moving targets

Competitive advantage and corporate communications

OpenAIRE

Mitić Sanja; Ognjanov Galjina

2013-01-01

Strategic importance of corporate communications and its role in the development of competitive advantage has attracted interest of numerous researchers in the fields of organization, management, marketing and public relations. Recent studies particularly emphasise the growing importance of soft factors, such as reputation in the development of competitive advantage. Concept of reputation is strongly connected with stakeholder theory, which stresses the importance of corporate communications ...

Speed-sensorless control strategy for multi-phase induction generator in wind energy conversion systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dumnić Boris P.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Renewable energy sources, especially wind energy conversion systems (WECS, exhibit constant growth. Increase in power and installed capacity led to advances in WECS topologies. Multi-phase approach presents a new development direction, with several key advantages over three-phase systems. Paired with a sensorless control strategy, multi-phase machines are expected to take primacy over standard solutions. This paper presents speed sensorless vector control of an asymmetrical six-phase induction generator based on a model reference adaptive system (MRAS. Suggested topology and developed control algorithm show that sensorless control can yield appropriate dynamic characteristics for the use in WECS with increase in reliability and robustness. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 042004: Smart Electricity Distribution Grids Based on Distribution Management System and Distributed Generation

Medical students' note-taking in a medical biochemistry course: an initial exploration.

Science.gov (United States)

Morrison, Elizabeth H; McLaughlin, Calvin; Rucker, Lloyd

2002-04-01

Beginning medical students spend numerous hours every week attending basic science lectures and taking notes. Medical faculty often wonder whether they should give students pre-printed instructors' notes before lectures. Proponents of this strategy argue that provided notes enhance learning by facilitating the accurate transmission of information, while opponents counter that provided notes inhibit students' cognitive processing or even discourage students from attending lectures. Little if any research has directly addressed medical students' note-taking or the value of providing instructors' notes. The educational literature does suggest that taking lecture notes enhances university students' learning. University students perform best on post-lecture testing if they review a combination of provided notes and their own personal notes, particularly if the provided notes follow a 'skeletal' format that encourages active note-taking.

Where is the competitive advantage going?: a management model that incorporates people as a key element of the business strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emilio García Vega

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Competitive advantage is a concept that has evolved in an accelerated way during the last few years. Some scholars and executives claim that people are a fundamental element of its construction. In this line, business management has shown an inclination towards the human resources management – also called “talents” – as the key element of its organizational success. In this journey, the ideas, paradigms and conceptions have been modified in an interesting way. This paper tries to propose these new conceptions facing the organization management challenge, and proposes a management model based on the importance of the people in the competitive advantage administration.

Selecting decision strategies: the differential role of affect.

Science.gov (United States)

Scheibehenne, Benjamin; von Helversen, Bettina

2015-01-01

Many theories on cognition assume that people adapt their decision strategies depending on the situation they face. To test if and how affect guides the selection of decision strategies, we conducted an online study (N = 166), where different mood states were induced through video clips. Results indicate that mood influenced the use of decision strategies. Negative mood, in particular anger, facilitated the use of non-compensatory strategies, whereas positive mood promoted compensatory decision rules. These results are in line with the idea that positive mood broadens the focus of attention and thus increases the use of compensatory decision strategies that take many pieces of information into account, whereas negative mood narrows the focus of attention and thus fosters non-compensatory strategies that rely on a selective use of information. The results further indicate that gaining a deeper theoretical understanding of the cognitive mechanisms that govern decision processes requires taking emotions into account.

A strategy for company improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Howley, L

2000-03-01

Strategies based on the kaizen methodology are designed to continuously improve company performance without the need for large capital investments. This article looks at how one company used simple kaizen principles to its advantage, achieving 67% increase in productivity and 10% reduction in the standard cost of product.

Smart device-based testing for medical students in Korea: satisfaction, convenience, and advantages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eun Young Lim

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate respondents’ satisfaction with smart device-based testing (SBT, as well as its convenience and advantages, in order to improve its implementation. The survey was conducted among 108 junior medical students at Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Korea, who took a practice licensing examination using SBT in September 2015. The survey contained 28 items scored using a 5-point Likert scale. The items were divided into the following three categories: satisfaction with SBT administration, convenience of SBT features, and advantages of SBT compared to paper-and-pencil testing or computer-based testing. The reliability of the survey was 0.95. Of the three categories, the convenience of the SBT features received the highest mean (M score (M= 3.75, standard deviation [SD]= 0.69, while the category of satisfaction with SBT received the lowest (M= 3.13, SD= 1.07. No statistically significant differences across these categories with respect to sex, age, or experience were observed. These results indicate that SBT was practical and effective to take and to administer.

Home advantage in high-level volleyball varies according to set number.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcelino, Rui; Mesquita, Isabel; Palao Andrés, José Manuel; Sampaio, Jaime

2009-01-01

The aim of the present study was to identify the probability of winning each Volleyball set according to game location (home, away). Archival data was obtained from 275 sets in the 2005 Men's Senior World League and 65,949 actions were analysed. Set result (win, loss), game location (home, away), set number (first, second, third, fourth and fifth) and performance indicators (serve, reception, set, attack, dig and block) were the variables considered in this study. In a first moment, performance indicators were used in a logistic model of set result, by binary logistic regression analysis. After finding the adjusted logistic model, the log-odds of winning the set were analysed according to game location and set number. The results showed that winning a set is significantly related to performance indicators (Chisquare(18)=660.97, padvantage at the beginning of the game (first set) and in the two last sets of the game (fourth and fifth sets), probably due to facilities familiarity and crowd effects. Different game actions explain these advantages and showed that to win the first set is more important to take risk, through a better performance in the attack and block, and to win the final set is important to manage the risk through a better performance on the reception. These results may suggest intra-game variation in home advantage and can be most useful to better prepare and direct the competition. Key pointsHome teams always have more probability of winning the game than away teams.Home teams have higher performance in reception, set and attack in the total of the sets.The advantage of home teams is more pronounced at the beginning of the game (first set) and in two last sets of the game (fourth and fifth sets) suggesting intra-game variation in home advantage.Analysis by sets showed that home teams have a better performance in the attack and block in the first set and in the reception in the third and fifth sets.

Why Leading Consumer Product Companies Develop Proactive Chemical Management Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Scruggs, Caroline E.; Van Buren, Harry J.

2014-01-01

Scholars have studied the various pressures that companies face related to socially responsible behavior when stakeholders know the particular social issues under consideration. Many have examined social responsibility in the context of environmental responsibility and the general approaches companies take regarding environmental management. The issue of currently unregulated, but potentially hazardous, chemicals in consumer products is not well understood by the general public, but a number of proactive consumer product companies have voluntarily adopted strategies to minimize use of such chemicals. These companies are exceeding regulatory requirements by restricting from their products chemicals that could harm human or environmental health, despite the fact that these actions are costly. They do not usually advertise the details of their strategies to end consumers. This article uses interviews with senior environmental directors of 20 multinational consumer product companies to investigate why these companies engage in voluntary chemicals management. The authors conclude that the most significant reasons are to achieve a competitive advantage and stay ahead of regulations, manage relationships and maintain legitimacy with stakeholders, and put managerial values into practice. Many of the characteristics related to the case of chemicals management are extendable to other areas of stakeholder management in which risks to stakeholders are either unknown or poorly understood. PMID:27471326

Why Leading Consumer Product Companies Develop Proactive Chemical Management Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Scruggs, Caroline E; Van Buren, Harry J

2016-05-01

Scholars have studied the various pressures that companies face related to socially responsible behavior when stakeholders know the particular social issues under consideration. Many have examined social responsibility in the context of environmental responsibility and the general approaches companies take regarding environmental management. The issue of currently unregulated, but potentially hazardous, chemicals in consumer products is not well understood by the general public, but a number of proactive consumer product companies have voluntarily adopted strategies to minimize use of such chemicals. These companies are exceeding regulatory requirements by restricting from their products chemicals that could harm human or environmental health, despite the fact that these actions are costly. They do not usually advertise the details of their strategies to end consumers. This article uses interviews with senior environmental directors of 20 multinational consumer product companies to investigate why these companies engage in voluntary chemicals management. The authors conclude that the most significant reasons are to achieve a competitive advantage and stay ahead of regulations, manage relationships and maintain legitimacy with stakeholders, and put managerial values into practice. Many of the characteristics related to the case of chemicals management are extendable to other areas of stakeholder management in which risks to stakeholders are either unknown or poorly understood.

Management strategy 3: fixed rate fertilizer applications

Science.gov (United States)

Previous chapters outlined management strategies for pond fertilization that take into account specific individual pond nutrient needs. Those methods would most likely be more ecologically efficient than a pre-determined fixed-rate nutrient addition strategy. However, the vast majority of available ...

Trends in observable passive solar design strategies for existing homes in the U.S

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruzner, Kelly; Cox, Kristin; Machmer, Brian; Klotz, Leidy

2013-01-01

Passive design strategies are among the most cost-effective methods to reduce energy consumption in buildings. However, the prevalence of these strategies in existing U.S. homes is not well understood. To help address this issue, this research evaluated a nationally-representative sample of 1000 existing homes distributed geographically across the U.S. Using satellite images, each building was evaluated for three passive design strategies: orientation, roof color, and level of shading. Several statistically significant regional trends were identified. For example, existing homes in the High Plains, Ohio Valley, Northwest, and Southern regions show a statistically significant trend towards orientation in the East–West direction, an effective passive design strategy. Less intuitively, in terms of what would seem to be optimal passive design, buildings in the High Plains and Ohio Valley generally have lighter roof colors than buildings in the warmer Southwest region. At the national level, no statistically significant trends were found towards the passive design strategies evaluated. These trends give us no reason to believe they were a major consideration in the design of existing homes. Policy measures and education may be required to take advantage of the opportunity for cost-effective energy savings through more widespread passive solar design. - Highlights: ► GoogleMaps to examine implementation of cost-effective, observable passive solar strategies in U.S. houses. ► No national trends toward passive solar design in U.S.—a missed opportunity. ► Some regional passive solar trends in U.S. for house orientation, roof color

Cost-effectiveness of rotavirus immunization in Indonesia taking breastfeeding patterns into account

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Suwantika, A.A.; Tu, H.A.T.; Postma, M.J.

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness of rotavirus immunization in Indonesia, taking breastfeeding patterns explicitly into account. METHODS: An age-structured cohort model was developed for the 2011 Indonesia birth cohort. Next, we compared two strategies, the current

Knowledge Management and the Competitive Strategy of the Firm

Science.gov (United States)

Halawi, Leila A.; McCarthy, Richard V.; Aronson, Jay E.

2006-01-01

Purpose: Knowledge management (KM) has emerged as a strategy to improve organizational competitiveness. Our purpose is to identify the relationship between KM and the firm's competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach: We review the existing literature on KM and strategy formulation. We utilize the resource-based view approach as a lens for…

Perceived versus Actual Competitive Advantage

OpenAIRE

Langemeier, Michael R.; Yeager, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

This paper examined the relationship between farm characteristics and perceived sources of competitive advantage, and cost-based and revenue-based efficiency indices. Gross farm income and the percentage of labor devoted to crop production were significant and positively correlated with cost and revenue efficiency while the perception of the cowherd being the most important part of the operation was negatively correlated with efficiency. In general, perceived sources of competitive advantage ...

Corporate Finance and Comparative Advantage

OpenAIRE

Peter Egger; Christian Keuschnigg

2009-01-01

Since innovative firms are often financially constrained, access to external funds is important for the expansion of innovative industries. This paper reports four important results. First, comparative advantage is shaped by factor endowments as well as fundamental determinants of corporate finance. In particular, a larger equity ratio of firms and tough governance standards relax finance constraints and create a comparative advantage in innovative industries. Second, factor price equalizatio...

It Takes Research to Build a Community: Ongoing Challenges for Scholars in Digitally-Supported Communicative Language Teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Dooly, Melinda

2015-01-01

This article provides an argument for closer multilateral alliances between the emergent and loosely-bound international community of educational researchers who are working in areas related to Digitally Supported Communicative Language Teaching and learning (herein DSCLT). By taking advantage of the communications revolution that is currently…

From field to factory-Taking advantage of shop manufacturing for the pebble bed modular reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wallace, Edward; Matzie, Regis; Heiderd, Roger; Maddalena, John

2006-01-01

overall plant level where up to eight units can be integrated into one site on a plot plan smaller than an equivalent large LWR with similar electric output. The bottom line is that schedules are shorter, the absolute cost is lower, and both are more predictable. These advantages will yield a higher return to clients and investors

Enabling SMEs to take full advantage of E-business

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Caskey, K.R.; Hunt, I.; Browne, J.

2001-01-01

Electronic business is rapidly changing the relationships between supply chain partners. This paper looks at what is needed to allow SMEs to participate fully in supply chain integration. First, current trends in supply chain integration, electronic commerce, and Internet support are examined. Next,

Taking advantage of Google's Web-based applications and services.

Science.gov (United States)

Brigham, Tara J

2014-01-01

Google is a company that is constantly expanding and growing its services and products. While most librarians possess a "love/hate" relationship with Google, there are a number of reasons you should consider exploring some of the tools Google has created and made freely available. Applications and services such as Google Docs, Slides, and Google+ are functional and dynamic without the cost of comparable products. This column will address some of the issues users should be aware of before signing up to use Google's tools, and a description of some of Google's Web applications and services, plus how they can be useful to librarians in health care.

Superior piezoelectric composite films: taking advantage of carbon nanomaterials.

Science.gov (United States)

Saber, Nasser; Araby, Sherif; Meng, Qingshi; Hsu, Hung-Yao; Yan, Cheng; Azari, Sara; Lee, Sang-Heon; Xu, Yanan; Ma, Jun; Yu, Sirong

2014-01-31

Piezoelectric composites comprising an active phase of ferroelectric ceramic and a polymer matrix have recently found numerous sensory applications. However, it remains a major challenge to further improve their electromechanical response for advanced applications such as precision control and monitoring systems. We here investigated the incorporation of graphene platelets (GnPs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), each with various weight fractions, into PZT (lead zirconate titanate)/epoxy composites to produce three-phase nanocomposites. The nanocomposite films show markedly improved piezoelectric coefficients and electromechanical responses (50%) besides an enhancement of ~200% in stiffness. The carbon nanomaterials strengthened the impact of electric field on the PZT particles by appropriately raising the electrical conductivity of the epoxy. GnPs have been proved to be far more promising in improving the poling behavior and dynamic response than MWNTs. The superior dynamic sensitivity of GnP-reinforced composite may be caused by the GnPs' high load transfer efficiency arising from their two-dimensional geometry and good compatibility with the matrix. The reduced acoustic impedance mismatch resulting from the improved thermal conductance may also contribute to the higher sensitivity of GnP-reinforced composite. This research pointed out the potential of employing GnPs to develop highly sensitive piezoelectric composites for sensing applications.

Superior piezoelectric composite films: taking advantage of carbon nanomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saber, Nasser; Araby, Sherif; Meng, Qingshi; Hsu, Hung-Yao; Lee, Sang-Heon; Ma, Jun; Yan, Cheng; Xu, Yanan; Azari, Sara; Yu, Sirong

2014-01-01

Piezoelectric composites comprising an active phase of ferroelectric ceramic and a polymer matrix have recently found numerous sensory applications. However, it remains a major challenge to further improve their electromechanical response for advanced applications such as precision control and monitoring systems. We here investigated the incorporation of graphene platelets (GnPs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), each with various weight fractions, into PZT (lead zirconate titanate)/epoxy composites to produce three-phase nanocomposites. The nanocomposite films show markedly improved piezoelectric coefficients and electromechanical responses (50%) besides an enhancement of ∼200% in stiffness. The carbon nanomaterials strengthened the impact of electric field on the PZT particles by appropriately raising the electrical conductivity of the epoxy. GnPs have been proved to be far more promising in improving the poling behavior and dynamic response than MWNTs. The superior dynamic sensitivity of GnP-reinforced composite may be caused by the GnPs’ high load transfer efficiency arising from their two-dimensional geometry and good compatibility with the matrix. The reduced acoustic impedance mismatch resulting from the improved thermal conductance may also contribute to the higher sensitivity of GnP-reinforced composite. This research pointed out the potential of employing GnPs to develop highly sensitive piezoelectric composites for sensing applications. (paper)

A worldwide fuel strategy by AREVA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bordy, Michel

2004-01-01

Operating as a global company, inside AREVA the Fuel Sector implements a common strategy among three Business Units of fuel activities. These Business Units which are in Framatome ANP Zirconium, Manufacturing and Design and Sales Units, are operated in Germany (former Siemens activity), in USA (former BWFC Babcock and Wilcox Fuel Co,. and SPC Siemens Power Co. activities), in Belgium and in France (former Framatome activity). They have resources and facilities which are cooperatively working on R and D, engineering, project management, sales and services to achieve synergy on a cross-business basis. Based on its experience of worldwide activities and taking advantage of its diversified fuel design knowledge, Framatome ANP proposes a full range of fuel products and services on the BWR and PWR markets. With the ability to supply all fuel assembly arrays and fuel pellet types, supplemented by the range of stationary and movable core components, and completed by a full-range of on-site fuel services and performance of fuel packing and delivery, Framatome ANP is positioned as a major participant on the world fuel market. Today, Framatome ANP takes advantage of the cross-fertilization in the short term of existing products which include four original PWR fuel designs of HTP TM alloy as the reference material for cladding tubes, guide thimbles, and grids, -- Gradual incorporation of the valuable high-stiffiness MONOBLOC tM guide thimble, -- Progressive integressive integration of the High Mechanical Performance (HMP) Inconel end grid, -- Planned standardization of mechanical components such as nozzles, holddown systems and top and bottom connections. As a continuation of its existing technology, Framatome ANP is developing improved technical features within the scope of the Alliance fuel assembly qualification program. With an irradiation program ranging up to a burnup of 70 MWd/kgU expected to be reached in 2006, Alliance shows excellent behaviour with very low corrosion

Sampling vs. taking some - 59349

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Francois-Bongarcon, D.

2012-01-01

Collecting a sample is a delicate task that is Not naively equivalent to simply 'taking some of the material'. The question examined is: 'What is it exactly?' The problem of sampling in general, and for nuclear decontamination in particular, is properly defined. A theory is presented (Gy's Theory of Sampling, a.k.a. TOS) that brings all the answers and allows us to put them to work. The author draws form his lifelong experience in research, teaching and practical applications in this domain to emphasize the critical odds (i.e. risks) of not taking sampling explicitly into account when assessing grades and concentrations. The evolution of the acceptance of this theory in the nuclear industry is finally illustrated, and a hopeful glimpse into the future concludes the presentation. Equally interesting, however, besides what has already been achieved at the CEA along these years, is the realization of what could not be done with TOS, and therefore had to be treated in some other ways - e.g. using mapping tools (geostatistical). It is one the great side-advantages of using a consistent theory that it warns you, before it is too late, that what you are trying to do will not work: TOS, indeed, much like its Geo-statistics sister, besides preventing many a disaster, can provide pragmatic lessons in scientific humility that are best not being left ignored. In conclusion, there are great tools out there, such as TOS, that are well worth investing into, and that our community should be much more attuned to. (author)

Liberating literacies: L1-students resources for stance-taking in the literature classroom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kabel, Kristine; Brok, Lene Storgaard

2015-01-01

a pattern in students’ linguistic choices in the literature classroom and their metadiscourses. Moreover, privileged ways of participating in group work about text production involve strategies that enhance students’ development of an independent voice and of resources for stance-taking. Such strategies can...... by approaches to the importance of explorative meaning-making processes in the classroom (Flower, 1994; Aadahl et al., 2010) and by social semiotic notions of reflection literacy (Hasan, 1996, 2011) as well as critical literacy (Gee, 2012; Gibbons, 2006;), which emphasize students’ meta knowledge and agency...... 5 classes) and consist of students’ written texts, student interviews, video recorded classroom observations and field notes. Preliminary results show a variety in students’ resources for stance-taking, specifically in regard to what extent other voices are integrated in texts, and they show...

Branding Strategies for Digital Tv Channels

OpenAIRE

M. Pagani

2011-01-01

This chapter analyses the impact of digitalization on TV marketing strategies focusing on the role of brand as a loyalty-based resource, available to digital television networks to create a sustainable competitive advantage. We analyze the cognitive process adopted by a viewer in the selection process of a TV channel and provide managerial implications for branding strategy and the tools that a television network and an iTV portal need to adopt to communicate values connected with their brand...

Take Charge. Take the Test. PSA (:30)

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

As part of the Take Charge. Take the Test. campaign, this 30 second PSA encourages African American women to get tested for HIV. Locations for a free HIV test can be found by visiting hivtest.org/takecharge or calling 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636).

Taking ad-Vantage of lax advertising regulation in the USA and Canada: reassuring and distracting health-concerned smokers.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Stacey J; Pollay, Richard W; Ling, Pamela M

2006-10-01

We explored the evolution from cigarette product attributes to psychosocial needs in advertising campaigns for low-tar cigarettes. Analysis of previously secret tobacco industry documents and print advertising images indicated that low-tar brands targeted smokers who were concerned about their health with advertising images intended to distract them from the health hazards of smoking. Advertising first emphasized product characteristics (filtration, low tar) that implied health benefits. Over time, advertising emphasis shifted to salient psychosocial needs of the target markets. A case study of Vantage cigarettes in the USA and Canada showed that advertising presented images of intelligent, upward-striving people who had achieved personal success and intentionally excluded the act of smoking from the imagery, while minimal product information was provided. This illustrates one strategy to appeal to concerned smokers by not describing the product itself (which may remind smokers of the problems associated with smoking), but instead using evocative imagery to distract smokers from these problems. Current advertising for potential reduced-exposure products (PREPs) emphasizes product characteristics, but these products have not delivered on the promise of a healthier alternative cigarette. Our results suggest that the tobacco control community should be on the alert for a shift in advertising focus for PREPs to the image of the user rather than the cigarette. Global Framework Convention on Tobacco Control-style advertising bans that prohibit all user imagery in tobacco advertising could preempt a psychosocial needs-based advertising strategy for PREPs and maintain public attention on the health hazards of smoking.

Cost-effectiveness of rotavirus immunization in Indonesia : Taking breastfeeding patterns into account

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Suwantika, Auliya A.; Tu, Hong Anh T.; Postma, Maarten J.

2013-01-01

Objective: This study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness of rotavirus immunization in Indonesia, taking breastfeeding patterns explicitly into account. Method: An age-structured cohort model was developed for the 2011 Indonesia birth cohort. Next, we compared two strategies, the current situation

Competitive market and sources of its advantages in the electric energy subsector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazimierz Pająk

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The electric energy subsector varies considerably in terms of competitiveness depending on the area under analysis. Power generation, transmission and distribution have quite different characteristics of competitiveness than areas such as electricity trading. In the area of power generation, competitive advantage is developed by factors such as: skilful operation in the fuel market and targeted investments affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of equipment. In the area of energy distribution, despite the natural monopoly, some distribution system operators dynamically take over the market share of newly constructed networks. The area of energy trading can be successfully compared to other competitive market segments where mass sales of services and products occur.

The marketing strategy of a small enterprise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trandafilović Igor

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Small enterprise shows some specific characteristics which are necessary for creation of marketing strategy. The goal of this work is an attempt of marketing strategy analysis of the small enterprises. The necessary request of the analysis is to define the small enterprise. There have also been analyzed the specific orders for small enterpriser. Special part of work is dedicated to a small enterprises management strategy and the other one to their marketing communications. There are mentioned some specific advantages and problems of the small enterprises, too.

THE BANDWAGON EFFECT OF LEADERS' ENTRY STRATEGIES ON FOLLOWERS' ENTRY STRATEGIES

OpenAIRE

Kaplan, Tugba

2017-01-01

Firms, whichhave to compete with global firms in domestic market, try to internationalizefor gaining competitive advantage. The aim of this study is to recommend a conceptual framework to explain thedynamics of internationalization process of leader and follower firms thatinternationalize from an emerging country. In this study, author tries tofigure out the determinants of entrymode decisions of follower firms. In addition, bandwagon effect of leaders'entry mode strategies on followers&...

A classification of strategies for the development of product configurators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haug, Anders; Hvam, Lars; Mortensen, Niels Henrik

2009-01-01

the right strategy. However, the literature does not discuss different strategic alternatives in a detailed manner, but only provides generalised recommendations of single strategies. To deal with this issue, this paper defines three main and four additional strategies for the development of product...... configurators. The strategies are defined based on literature, seven named case studies, and other case experiences of the authors. The paper deduces the advantages and disadvantages of the individual strategies, and gives a general recommendation of which type of strategy to pursue in different types...

IT OUTSOURCING: METHODOLOGY FOR SUPPLIER SELECTION CRITERIA FOR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergio Alexandre Simões

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Two criteria are usually adopted to select the provider of IT: lower prices or better service qualification of the supplier. This article proposes a strategic approach: the company should hire the provider that best leverage their competitive advantages. This approach implied the need to develop a methodology. To support it, the authors analyzed four models, Porter, RBV (Resource-Based View, Balanced Scorecard and the Weapons and Field Competition. Preferred the latter to be the most complete, qualiquantitative technique and able to accurately align the goals of the IT service firm's to competitive contracting strategy. The methodology was developed and applied to an insurance company and in face of the excellent results, decided to write this article to disclose it.

Features of strategy formation of bank’s customer relationship management

OpenAIRE

Yatsenko Alexandra Vitalievna

2015-01-01

The article is concerned with the algorithm of marketing strategy choice for the bank. The author tested methods of strategy choosing, that is based on the evaluation of dynamic possibilities of the bank as compared with the market. The advantages and disadvantages of this approach are analyzed.

Substantiating Recommendations on the Choice of an Efficient Strategy of the State Regulation for System of Monitoring Economy Branches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashchaulov Vitalii V.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The article is concerned with substantiating recommendations on the choice of an effective strategy of the State regulation for system of monitoring economy branches. To display the financial aspect of the enterprise's strategic positioning in the sectoral environment, a modified ADL matrix was used. A matrix of choosing an optimum variant (scenario of the enterprise's financial strategy has been considered taking into account possibilities of its use in the system of monitoring the development of economic sectors. Disadvantages in the use of modified ADL matrices and in choosing an optimum variant (scenario financial strategy of the enterprise's financial strategy have been identified. Factors of internal and external environment, which affect the strategic choice of enterprises, have been determined and analyzed. The SPACE matrix for building the model of choosing a strategy of financing the development of enterprises in the economy branches has been modified in the context of the system of monitoring the development of economy branches. A description of the strategies proposed by author for financing the development of enterprise has been provided, their advantages and disadvantages have been determined. Individual tools of the proposed models of actions can be accepted as a way of improving the strategic positions with a view to achieving a higher quantitative-qualitative situation as well as adjustment of the existing model of behavior.

Pengaruh Strategi Diferensiasi terhadap Keunggulan Bersaing Ritel Modern (Kasus Hypermart Mall Ska Pekanbaru)

OpenAIRE

", Kasmiruddin; Fadilla, Nanda

2015-01-01

Competition is a condition that can not be avoided by any company in its business. Fierce competition in industry will lead to any utilizing all resources to create a strong competitive advantage. One source of profits that can be optimized by the company to improve competitiveness is through the implementation of differentiation strategy. This study aimed to analyze the effect of the differentiation strategy on competitive advantage in the SKA Mall Hypermart Pekanbaru. The data used is prima...

Memory boosts turn taking in evolutionary dilemma games.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tao; Chen, Zhigang; Yang, Lei; Zou, You; Luo, Juan

2015-05-01

Spontaneous turn taking phenomenon can be observed in many self-organized systems, and the mechanism is unclear. This paper tries to model it by evolutionary dilemma games with memory mechanism. Prisoner's dilemma, Snowdrift (including Leader and Hero) and Stag-hunt games are unified on an extended S-T plane. Agents play game with all the others and make decision by the last game histories. The experiments find that when agents remember last 2-step histories or more, a kind of cooperative turn taking (CAD) bursts at the area of Snowdrift game with restriction of S + T > 2R and S ≠ T, while the consistent strategy (DorC) gathers on the line of S + T > 2R and S = T. We also find that the system's fitness ratio greatly improved with 2-step memory. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Practical advantages of evolutionary computation

Science.gov (United States)

Fogel, David B.

1997-10-01

Evolutionary computation is becoming a common technique for solving difficult, real-world problems in industry, medicine, and defense. This paper reviews some of the practical advantages to using evolutionary algorithms as compared with classic methods of optimization or artificial intelligence. Specific advantages include the flexibility of the procedures, as well as their ability to self-adapt the search for optimum solutions on the fly. As desktop computers increase in speed, the application of evolutionary algorithms will become routine.

The Mutual Benchmarking Method for Smes’ Competitive Strategy Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rostek Katarzyna

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Competitive advantage is a relative feature, evaluated in respect of other competing enterprises. The gaining of sustainable competitive advantage is conditioned by knowledge of own performance and the results of the competitive environment. SMEs have limited opportunities to obtain such information on their own. The method of mutual benchmarking changes this situation by introducing the collaborative network. The aim of the cooperation is to support each of the group members to achieve sustainable competitive advantage, which is the result of a conscious strategy, and not only a matter of chance. This cooperation is based on the collecting and processing of data and sharing information through a common IT platform: for example, a group of Polish SMEs was shown how to implement such a common IT solution and how to provide the information preparing within the proposed service. The whole is a complete proposal for effective support of creating a competitive strategy in SMEs.

Advantaged group's emotional reactions to intergroup inequality: the dynamics of pride, guilt, and sympathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Harth, Nicole Syringa; Kessler, Thomas; Leach, Colin Wayne

2008-01-01

Three studies establish intergroup inequality to investigate how it is emotionally experienced by the advantaged. Studies 1 and 2 examine psychology students' emotional experience of their unequal job situation with worse-off pedagogy students. When inequality is ingroup focused and legitimate, participants experience more pride. However, when inequality is ingroup focused and illegitimate, participants experience more guilt. Sympathy is increased when inequality is outgroup focused and illegitimate. These emotions have particular effects on behavioral tendencies. In Study 2 group-based pride predicts greater ingroup favoritism in a resource distribution task, whereas group-based sympathy predicts less ingroup favoritism. Study 3 replicates these findings in the context of students' willingness to let young immigrants take part in a university sport. Pride predicts less willingness to let immigrants take part whereas sympathy predicts greater willingness. Guilt is a weak predictor of behavioral tendencies in all studies. This shows the specificity of emotions experienced about intergroup inequality.

Marketingová strategie restaurací Potrefená Husa

OpenAIRE

Krejčíková, Lenka

2010-01-01

This thesis focuses on the marketing strategy of Potrefená husa Resslova restaurant as a part of the franchise chain of Pivovary Staropramen. The aim of this thesis is to suggest a new marketing strategy of this restaurant based on the analysis of the current marketing environment and the results of the consumer's typology questionnaire. The new strategy also results from the analysis of the marketing campaign on Slevomat.cz. The teoretical part of this thesis describes advantages and disadva...

PHA Corporate Strategy 2011-2015

OpenAIRE

Public Health Agency

2011-01-01

The PHA Corporate Strategy has been developed with input from staff across the PHA and taking account of feedback from external stakeholders.� It is a high level document, setting out the direction for the PHA over the next few years, and will be supported by the annual PHA Corporate Business Plan, Directorate Business Plans and the Joint Commissioning Plan.� The Strategy was approved by the PHA board at the November 2011 board meeting.�The PHA Corporate strategy sets out the role, direction ...

Take the "Ow!" Out of Taxes Now: How to Plan for and Increase Your Medical Deductions

Science.gov (United States)

Medisky, Shannon M.

2009-01-01

Each year countless taxpayers overpay simply because they're not taking full advantage of medical deductions. Individuals with disabilities are especially at risk. Time and energy spent running around to doctor visits, therapy sessions, and the like can leave little left to spend on preparing taxes. Fortunately, with a little effort year round and…

Competitive Advantage of MBA for Physician Executives: A Systematic Literature Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Anthony D; Stawicki, Stanislaw P; Guo, Weidun Alan

2018-06-01

In response to systemic challenges facing the US healthcare system, many medical students, residents and practicing physicians are pursuing a Master in Business Administration (MBA) degree. The value of such proposition remains poorly defined. The aim of this review is to analyze current literature pertaining to the added value of MBA training for physician executives (PEs). We hypothesized that physicians who supplement their clinical expertise with business education gain a significant competitive advantage. A detailed literature search of four electronic databases (PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase and ERIC) was performed. Included were studies published between Jan 2000 and June 2017, focusing specifically on PEs. Among 1580 non-duplicative titles, we identified 23 relevant articles. Attributes which were found to add value to one's competitiveness as PE were recorded. A quality index score was assigned to each article in order to minimize bias. Results were tabulated by attributes and by publication. We found that competitive domains deemed to be most important for PEs in the context of MBA training were leadership (n = 17), career advancement opportunities (n = 12), understanding of financial aspects of medicine (n = 9) and team-building skills (n = 10). Among other prominent factors associated with the desire to engage in an MBA were higher compensation, awareness of public health issues/strategy, increased negotiation skills and enhanced work-life balance. Of interest, the learning of strategies for reducing malpractice litigation was less important than the other drivers. This comprehensive systemic review supports our hypothesis that a business degree confers a competitive advantage for PEs. Physician executives equipped with an MBA degree appear to be better equipped to face the challenge of the dynamically evolving healthcare landscape. This information may be beneficial to medical schools designing or implementing combined dual-degree curricula.

Climate change mitigation strategies in fast-growing countries: The benefits of early action

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bosetti, Valentina; Carraro, Carlo; Tavoni, Massimo

2009-01-01

This paper builds on the assumption that OECD countries are (or will soon be) taking actions to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. These actions, however, will not be sufficient to control global warming, unless developing countries also get involved in the cooperative effort to reduce GHG emissions. The paper investigates the best short-term strategies that emerging economies can adopt in reacting to OECD countries' mitigation effort, given the common long-term goal to prevent excessive warming without hampering economic growth. Results indicate that developing countries would incur substantial economic losses by following a myopic strategy that disregards climate in the short-run, and that their optimal investment behaviour is to anticipate the implementation of a climate policy by roughly 10 years. Investing in innovation ahead of time is also found to be advantageous. The degree of policy anticipation is shown to be important in determining the financial transfers of an international carbon market meant to provide incentives for the participation of developing countries. This is especially relevant for China, whose recent and foreseeable trends of investments in innovation are consistent with the adoption of domestic emission reduction obligations in 2030.

FT-Raman and NIR spectroscopy data fusion strategy for multivariate qualitative analysis of food fraud.

Science.gov (United States)

Márquez, Cristina; López, M Isabel; Ruisánchez, Itziar; Callao, M Pilar

2016-12-01

Two data fusion strategies (high- and mid-level) combined with a multivariate classification approach (Soft Independent Modelling of Class Analogy, SIMCA) have been applied to take advantage of the synergistic effect of the information obtained from two spectroscopic techniques: FT-Raman and NIR. Mid-level data fusion consists of merging some of the previous selected variables from the spectra obtained from each spectroscopic technique and then applying the classification technique. High-level data fusion combines the SIMCA classification results obtained individually from each spectroscopic technique. Of the possible ways to make the necessary combinations, we decided to use fuzzy aggregation connective operators. As a case study, we considered the possible adulteration of hazelnut paste with almond. Using the two-class SIMCA approach, class 1 consisted of unadulterated hazelnut samples and class 2 of samples adulterated with almond. Models performance was also studied with samples adulterated with chickpea. The results show that data fusion is an effective strategy since the performance parameters are better than the individual ones: sensitivity and specificity values between 75% and 100% for the individual techniques and between 96-100% and 88-100% for the mid- and high-level data fusion strategies, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

INTEGRATED CORPORATE STRATEGY MODEL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CATALINA SORIANA SITNIKOV

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Corporations are at present operating in demanding and highly unsure periods, facing a mixture of increased macroeconomic need, competitive and capital market dangers, and in many cases, the prospect for significant technical and regulative gap. Throughout these demanding and highly unsure times, the corporations must pay particular attention to corporate strategy. In present times, corporate strategy must be perceived and used as a function of various fields, covers, and characters as well as a highly interactive system. For the corporation's strategy to become a competitive advantage is necessary to understand and also to integrate it in a holistic model to ensure sustainable progress of corporation activities under the optimum conditions of profitability. The model proposed in this paper is aimed at integrating the two strategic models, Hoshin Kanri and Integrated Strategy Model, as well as their consolidation with the principles of sound corporate governance set out by the OECD.

Using IT-CMF to build Competitive Advantage

OpenAIRE