Investigating the Mediating Role of Market Orientation between Internal Marketing and the Development of Entrepreneurial Orientation within Private Sports Clubs

Purpose–This studyexamines the role of market orientation in the relationship between internal marketing and entrepreneurial orientation within private sports clubs. Design/methodology/approach–The research is a descriptive-correlational study based on private sports clubs employees within Iran (Sanandaj). A theoretical model was developed based on the literature and tested using SPSS and PLS-SEM software. Findings– The findings indicate a positive relationship between internal marketing and employees’ entrepreneurial orientation. Market orientation has also played a positive mediating role in the relationship between internal marketing and entrepreneurial orientation. Originality/value– The results suggest a higher level of market orientation in the organization can increase teamwork and, consequently, entrepreneurship development among employees. This is important in sports clubs as employees have a significant role in the success of the sports club. Club employees’ satisfaction, generated through internal marketing, provides is a prerequisite for customer satisfaction. This therefore creates an environment supportive of entrepreneurial orientation in the club

The Selective α7 Agonist GTS-21 Attenuates Cytokine Production in Human Whole Blood and Human Monocytes Activated by Ligands for TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, TLR9, and RAGE

The cholinergic antiinflammatory pathway modulates inflammatory cytokine production through a mechanism dependent on the vagus nerve and the α7 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. GTS-21 [3-(2,4-dimethoxybenzylidene) anabaseine], a selective α7 agonist, inhibits inflammatory cytokine production in murine and human macrophages and in several models of inflammatory disease in vivo, but to date its antiinflammatory efficacy in human monocytes has not been characterized. We report here our findings that GTS-21 attenuates tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin 1β levels in human whole blood activated by exposure to endotoxin. GTS-21 inhibited TNF production in endotoxin-stimulated primary human monocytes in vitro at the transcriptional level. The suppressive effect of GTS-21 was more potent than nicotine in whole blood and monocytes. Furthermore, GTS-21 attenuated TNF production in monocytes stimulated with peptidoglycan, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, CpG, HMGB1 (high-mobility group box 1 protein), and advanced glycation end product–modified albumin. GTS-21 decreased TNF levels in endotoxin-stimulated whole blood obtained from patients with severe sepsis. These findings establish the immunoregulatory effect of GTS-21 on human monocytes, and indicate the potential benefits of further exploration of GTS-21’s therapeutic uses in human inflammatory disease