Branding SMEs in the UAE\u27s Emerging Market

Brand positioning is one of the crucial elements to a businesses’ success or failure. Extensive research has been conducted to formulate theories and strategies around successful positioning for global brands and the ways small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) can compete in the market through positioning, but none of it completely or directly applies to the focus of this research. Dubai is emerging as a fashion capital, it is the second top retail tourist destination globally, and the market is highly saturated with fashion brands from around the world. Success in the UAE could provide endless opportunity for SMEs. Middle Eastern millennials were surveyed; which yielded 114 responses. Findings include, community involvement, ethical advertisements, in-store experiences, a preference for Western brands, social media usage and other key insights highly influence purchases and brand acceptance. Based on the responses, an integrated marketing campaign was planned for promoting two American apparel brands in the UAE

The Dynamics of the Rapsyn Scaffolding Protein at Individual Acetylcholine Receptor Clusters

Rapsyn, a cytoplasmic receptor-associated protein, is required for the clustering of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs). Although AChR dynamics have been extensively studied, little is known about the dynamics of rapsyn. Here, we used a rapsyn-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein and quantitative fluorescent imaging to study the dynamics of rapsyn in transfected C2C12 myotubes. First, we found that rapsyn-GFP expression at clusters did not alter AChR aggregation, function, or turnover. Quantification of rapsyn immunofluorescence indicated that the expression of rapsyn-GFP proteins at clusters does not increase the overall rapsyn density compared with untransfected myotube clusters. Using time lapse imaging and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, we demonstrated that the recovery of rapsyn-GFP fluorescence at clusters was very fast, with a halftime of about ∼1.5 h (∼3 times faster than AChRs). Inhibition of protein kinase C significantly altered receptor insertion, but it had no effect on rapsyn insertion. When cells were treated with the broad spectrum kinase inhibitor staurosporine, receptor insertion was decreased even further. However, inhibition of protein kinase A had no effect on insertion of either rapsyn or receptors. Finally, when cells were treated with neural agrin, rapsyn and AChRs were both directed away from preexisting clusters and accumulated together in new small clusters. These results demonstrate the remarkable dynamism of rapsyn, which may underlie the stability and maintenance of the postsynaptic scaffold and suggest that the insertion of different postsynaptic proteins may be operating independently

The Dynamics of Recycled Acetylcholine Receptors at the Neuromuscular Junction in vivo

At the peripheral neuromuscular junction (NMJ), a significant number of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) recycle back into the postsynaptic membrane after internalization to intermingle with not-yet-internalized `pre-existing\u27 AChRs. However, the way in which these receptor pools are maintained and regulated at the NMJ in living animals remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that recycled receptors in functional synapses are removed approximately four times faster than pre-existing receptors, and that most removed recycled receptors are replaced by new recycled ones. In denervated NMJs, the recycling of AChRs is significantly depressed and their removal rate increased, whereas direct muscle stimulation prevents their loss. Furthermore, we show that protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors cause the selective accumulation of recycled AChRs in the peri-synaptic membrane without affecting the pre-existing AChR pool. The inhibition of serine/threonine phosphatases, however, has no effect on AChR recycling. These data show that recycled receptors are remarkably dynamic, and suggest a potential role for tyrosine dephosphorylation in the insertion and maintenance of recycled AChRs at the postsynaptic membrane. These findings may provide insights into long-term recycling processes at less accessible synapses in the central nervous system in vivo

Dynamics of the Rapsyn Scaffolding Protein at the Neuromuscular Junction of Live Mice

The efficacy of synaptic transmission depends on the maintenance of a high density of neurotransmitter receptors and their associated scaffold proteins in the postsynaptic membrane. While the dynamics of receptors has been extensively studied, the dynamics of the intracellular scaffold proteins that make up the postsynaptic density are largely unknown in vivo. Here, we focused on the dynamics of rapsyn, a protein required for the clustering and maintenance of acetylcholine receptor (AChR) density at postsynaptic sites. Using time-lapse imaging, we demonstrated that rapsyn is remarkably dynamic compared to AChRs at functional synapses, turning over 4–6 times more rapidly than AChRs. In addition we found that the rapid turnover of rapsyn is insensitive to alterations in synaptic activity, whereas AChR turnover is profoundly affected, illustrating that rapsyn and receptor dynamics are controlled by distinct mechanisms. These data indicate that individual postsynaptic components are in permanent exchange despite the overall stability of synaptic structure, which may play a role in synaptic plasticity

Recycling of acetylcholine receptors at ectopic postsynaptic clusters induced by exogenous agrin in living rats

AbstractDuring the development of the neuromuscular junction, motor axons induce the clustering of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) and increase their metabolic stability in the muscle membrane. Here, we asked whether the synaptic organizer agrin might regulate the metabolic stability and density of AChRs by promoting the recycling of internalized AChRs, which would otherwise be destined for degradation, into synaptic sites. We show that at nerve-free AChR clusters induced by agrin in extrasynaptic membrane, internalized AChRs are driven back into the ectopic synaptic clusters where they intermingle with pre-existing and new receptors. The extent of AChR recycling depended on the strength of the agrin stimulus, but not on the development of junctional folds, another hallmark of mature postsynaptic membranes. In chronically denervated muscles, in which both AChR stability and recycling are significantly decreased by muscle inactivity, agrin maintained the amount of recycled AChRs at agrin-induced clusters at a level similar to that at denervated original endplates. In contrast, AChRs did not recycle at agrin-induced clusters in C2C12 or primary myotubes. Thus, in muscles in vivo, but not in cultured myotubes, neural agrin promotes the recycling of AChRs and thereby increases their metabolic stability

Identification of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Recycling and Its Role inn Maintaining Receptor Density at the Neuromuscular Junction \u3cem\u3eIn Vivo\u3c/em\u3e

In the CNS, receptor recycling is critical for synaptic plasticity; however, the recycling of receptors has never been observed at peripheral synapses. Using a novel imaging technique, we show here that nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) recycle into the postsynaptic membrane of the neuromuscular junction. By sequentially labeling AChRs with biotin-bungarotoxin and streptavidin-fluorophore conjugates, we were able to distinguish recycled, preexisting, and new receptor pools at synapses in living mice. Time-lapse imaging revealed that recycled AChRs were incorporated into the synapse within hours of initial labeling, and their numbers increased with time. At fully functional synapses, AChR recycling was robust and comparable in magnitude with the insertion of newly synthesized receptors, whereas chronic synaptic activity blockade nearly abolished receptor recycling. Finally, using the same sequential labeling method, we found that acetylcholinesterase, another synaptic component, does not recycle. These results identify an activity-dependent AChR-recycling mechanism that enables the regulation of receptor density, which could lead to rapid alterations in synaptic efficacy

Les indicateurs de performance à la lumière de la Loi Organique Relative aux Lois de Finances : Cas des départements ministériels marocains

   La modernisation du secteur public marocain a commencé dès les années 2000 avec l’adoption des pratiques de la gestion axée sur les résultats. Après plusieurs années d’expérimentation, La loi Organique Relative aux Lois de Finances a vu le jour en 2015, et a instauré une nouvelle démarche préconisant l’utilisation des indicateurs de performance pour rendre compte des résultats atteints. Notre étude cherche à explorer ces indicateurs en se focalisant sur les facteurs explicatifs de leur choix, et ce à travers l’analyse de 422 indicateurs établis par un échantillon de 12 départements ministériels pour l’année budgétaire 2016. Les résultats montrent que le nombre d’indicateurs augmente corrélativement à la taille du département, et leur type dépend fortement de la nature du secteur d’activité. Par contre, des efforts restent à déployer pour améliorer la qualité de ces indicateurs et leur pertinence vis-à-vis des programmes et des objectifs établis

REVUE DE LITTERATURE THEORIQUE ET EMPIRIQUE DE L’IMPACT DE LA LIBERALISATION FINANCIERE SUR L’EPARGNE

The mobilization of the households’ savings represent one of the major strategies of public and private institutions in order to promote the investment and growth. The implementation of these strategies requires a rather precise analysis of the determinants and assignments of savings on the one hand, and the impact of financial liberalization on the mobilization of savings on the other hand.Since the years 1950, the developing countries and developed countries knew a phase of administration of interest rates and financial system, which had fatal consequences on the growth, according to American authors R. Mac Kinnon and E. Shaw. This interventionist political in the monetary and financial field was described by these authors as financial repression. This had as a consequence: scarcity of savings and weakness of the investment as well at the quantitative level as qualitative.To avoid the consequences of financial repression, these authors proposed financial liberalization as solution to support the growth. The objective is to ensure a healthy and more considerable economic growth at the same time by the improvement of savings’ level and the quantity and quality of investment.This thesis caused positive reactions but also criticisms (the Post Keynesians and the post structuralist). However, the most important criticisms are those of J.Stiglitz and A.Weiss. These will push Mac Kinnon to re-examine at the beginning of the 1990s its conclusions of 1973. So our research question is to know how financial liberalization influences households’ savings. Thus, our paper proposes to review the various theoretical and empirical studies treating and analyzing the impact of financial liberalization on households’ savings. To treat this problematic we will see in a first point the effect of financial liberalization on savings on the theoretical level. The second point will present an empirical review of literature about the subject.On the theoretical level, the effect of financial liberalization on savings remains more or less ambiguous, because of the multidimensional and reversible aspect of the process. Some points like the liberalization of interest rate and the offer of new financial products can act positively on savings. On the other hand, other points can proceed in the opposite direction.Therefore, The Net impact on savings depends on the direction and the weight of these two dimensions of financial liberalization. As it was mentioned by Bandiera and al. (1999),the long-term effect of financial liberalization on savings can be different from the effect observed when the reforms have just been established (short-term effect).  Empirical work on this subject is not conclusive and sometimes against intuitive. These empirical validations are sensitive to the nature of the mobilized data and certain geographical surfaces. Also, the econometric instrument used and the subjacent assumptions can change the results radically.That works belong to two distinct approaches:The first tries to answer the question by estimating a function of aggregate savings then testing the elasticity of this one in relation to real credit interest rate; The second approach innovates by building proxy collecting the financial development or financial liberalization.Financial liberalization did not generate the expected positive results, the concept gradually evolved. This evolution was done around two principal poles: the awareness of the state of the economy and the integration of the new theories appeared these twenty last years. The failures of these policies were allotted to the absence of prerequisites necessary to their successes. So what remains of financial liberalization?

LE PROCESSUS DE LA DEFAILLANCE DES ENTREPRISES : ETAT DES LIEUX AU MAROC

La croissance économique est conditionnée par la performance de sa PME .cette dernière est à l’origine de création de richesse et des postes d’emplois d’une part, et d’autre part, est considérée comme un facteur de proximité social et humain. En dépit de plusieurs rôles qu’elle accomplit, la PME reste toujours vulnérable suite aux plusieurs anomalies. Bien qu’elle soit énormément traitée sous différents angles de recherche .La question de la défaillance des entreprises marocaines se trouve toujours bornée dans des rapports statistiques ou des débats politiques. Afin de bien comprendre les caractéristiques de la défaillance des PME dans le cadre économique marocain, le présente article tente tout d’abord, à proposer une meilleure compréhension théorique du processus de la défaillance ensuite ,d’identifier les déterminants macroéconomiques économiques des défaillance de l’entreprise en s’appuyant sur les enseignements théoriques et enfin analyser l’ampleur du phénomène dans le cadre marocain

Innovation Capacity: A Firm Level Response to Subsidy Activity in a National Setting

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect subsidies have on firm-level innovation across Eastern European and Central Asian countries and to assess if these effects move to increase firm-level capability. Specifically, we investigate the extent subsidy programs act to shape and guide firm-level innovative capabilities and how the presence of such capabilities affect operational performance. We employ a Probit model to investigate firm-level innovation and OLS regression to assess how subsidies, in association with the decision to adopt foreign technology and in-house research and development (R&D) affect firm productive capacity. Results suggest subsidies promote innovation and that when these subsidies are contemporaneously considered in the face of the decision to adopt foreign technologies and employ in-house R&D, firm-level capacity increases