Vitalität oder Zerfall? Der Gurkentest - eine neue Methode

Um herauszufinden, wie gut die Qualität von Gurken ist, wurde ein Vitalitätstest erfunden: Gurken werden in ca. 2 cm dicke Scheiben geschnitten, in transparente Plastikfolie gewickelt und in einen Inkubator gelegt. Nach einigen Tagen zeigt sich, welche Gurken mikrobiell angegriffen wurden oder an den Schnittflächen zusammengewachsen sind. Dieses Vorgehen wird beliebig oft wiederholt. Die Untersuchungen nach dieser Methode ergaben, dass alte Sorten und biologisch bzw. bio-dynamisch angebaute Gurken am vitalsten sind. Sie zeigten teilweise erst nach zweieinhalb Monaten einen Befall durch Mikroorganismen. Die wieder zusammengewachsenen Schnittfläche können sogar mit mehr als 2 kg belastet werden

Does Environmental Uncertainty Affect Entrepreneurs Orientation and Performance? Empirical Evidence from Indonesian SMEs

Abstract: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have a critical role in economic growth in Indonesia and become the backbone for job creation, poverty alleviation, and safeguard during the crisis. However, they are highly exposed to uncertain environments. The present study aimed to investigate the influence of SMEs entrepreneurial orientation on business performance when uncertain environments exist. A total of 152 Indonesian SMEs were studied in order to assess this relationship. Moderated regression analysis is performed as the main statistical procedures to analyse the moderating role of environmental uncertainty on the influence of entrepreneurial orientation on business performance. Surprisingly, the result of the present study did not confirm the previous predominant studies which found that entrepreneurial orientation dimensions are positively associated with business performance in growing in an uncertain environment. Indonesian entrepreneurs were reluctant to innovate, be proactive, and take risks when an uncertain environment exists. The present study was an endeavour to provide better insight in explaining the inconsistent and ambiguous findings from existing literature. Abstrak: Usaha kecil dan menengah (UKM) memiliki peran penting dalam pertumbuhan ekonomi di Indonesia dan menjadi tulang punggung untuk penciptaan lapangan kerja, pengentasan kemiskinan, dan menjaga ekonomi tetap stabil selama krisis. Meskipun demikian, UKM sangat rentan terhadap ketidakpastian lingkungan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh orientasi kewirausahaan UKM terhadap kinerja bisnis dalam kondisi yang tidak pasti. Sebanyak 152 UKM Indonesia diteliti untuk menilai hubungan tersebut. Moderated Regression Analysis digunakan sebagai prosedur statistik utama untuk menganalisis peran moderasi ketidakpastian lingkungan terhadap hubungan antara orientasi kewirausahaan terhadap kinerja bisnis.Hasil pada penelitian ini tidak mengkonfirmasi penelitian sebelumnya yang pada umumnya menemukan bahwa dimensi orientasi kewirausahaan berpengaruh positif terhadap kinerja bisnis dalam kondisi lingkungan yang tidak pasti. Penelitian ini menemukan bahwa pemilik UKM di Indonesia enggan untuk berinovasi, proaktif, dan mengambil risiko ketika dihadapkan pada lingkungan yang tidak pasti. Penelitian ini merupakan upaya untuk memberikan pemahaman yang lebih baik dalam menjelaskan literatur terdahulu yang cenderung memberikan hasil dan penjelasan yang tidak konsisten dan ambig

Ejector Noise Suppression with Auxiliary Jet Injection

An experimental program to reduce aircraft jet turbulence noise investigated the interaction of small auxiliary jets with a larger main jet. Significant reductions in the far field jet noise were obtained over a range of auxiliary jet pressures and flow rates when used in conjunction with an acoustically lined ejector. While the concept is similar to that of conventional ejector suppressors that use mechanical mixing devices, the present approach should improve thrust and lead to lower weight and less complex noise suppression systems since no hardware needs to be located in the main jet flow. A variety of auxiliary jet and ejector configurations and operating conditions were studied. The best conditions tested produced peak to peak noise reductions ranging from 11 to 16 dB, depending on measurement angle, for auxiliary jet mass flows that were 6.6% of the main jet flow with ejectors that were 8 times the main jet diameter in length. Much larger reductions in noise were found at the original peak frequencies of the unsuppressed jet over a range of far field measurement angles

Sensitivity analysis of socio-economic values of time for public transport projects

The socio-economic time benefits of two light rail projects in Copenhagen are investigated using three different sets of values of time. The first set is the one the Ministry of Transport recommends for use in socio-economic analysis in Denmark; this is used as basis for comparison with the two other sets of values of time. The second set is the expected new recommended values of time that has the same time values for non-business travel. The third set is estimated from traffic modelling parameters and operates with different in-vehicle time values; the reason for this is thoroughly described supported by examples. Traffic modelling of the two light rail projects has been performed and the results are used to generate the time benefits. The time benefits for the two light rail projects using the expected new values of time will increase around 20% compared to the result when using the values recommended by the Ministry of Transport. Differentiated in-vehicle values prove to generate an even higher increase in time benefits, but vary depending on the projects

Light rail project in Copenhagen – the Ring 21⁄2 corridor

The need for high class public transport service of the increasing travel across the radial urban structure of the greater Copenhagen region was examined through planning of a light rail. The exact corridor (defined as the Ring 21⁄2 corridor) and alignment of the light rail were documented and the locations of stops were examined through analyses of catchment areas. The timetable of the light rail was determined through travel time and correspondences with other high class public transport lines/corridors. The justification of the light rail was examined through factors like traffic impacts, operation economy, socioeconomics and strategic impacts. The light rail shows a good result on most factors. But it displays socioeconomic non-viability. However, this was expected when using the standard procedures. But the Ring 21⁄2 light rail shows a better socioeconomic result than many other examined light rail projects

Light rail project in Copenhagen – the Ring 21⁄2 corridor

The need for high class public transport service of the increasing travel across the radial urban structure of the greater Copenhagen region was examined through planning of a light rail. The exact corridor (defined as the Ring 21⁄2 corridor) and alignment of the light rail were documented and the locations of stops were examined through analyses of catchment areas. The timetable of the light rail was determined through travel time and correspondences with other high class public transport lines/corridors. The justification of the light rail was examined through factors like traffic impacts, operation economy, socioeconomics and strategic impacts. The light rail shows a good result on most factors. But it displays socioeconomic non-viability. However, this was expected when using the standard procedures. But the Ring 21⁄2 light rail shows a better socioeconomic result than many other examined light rail projects

Occupational Identities and Physical Exertion in (re)configurations of New Technologies in Eldercare

New technologies are perceived as a solution to the rising proportion of people requiring elderly care across the Nordic countries. Implementing technologies has unforeseen consequences for the content of work and the working environment. This interview-based study within Danish elderly care investigates the consequences of physical exertion for the work and occupational identities of care workers. Through analytical framework integrating positioning theory and agential realism, the study shows that new technologies in certain constellations may further synergies between the reduction of physical exertion and occupational identities, and in others may harm this relation. The study contributes to empirical knowledge about implementing technologies and to discussions of moral literacy and workarounds within care work by suggesting that the ability to openly judge and question physical and ethical consequences of employing technologies is a valuable competence for care workers and, in addition, that furthering these competences is a challenge for managers and legislators