1,709 research outputs found
MANAGING LEVERS OF ORGANIZATION DESIGN TO ENHANCE SMESâ LONGEVITY: An Agenda for Further Research
SME success is often primarily linked to the personal traits of entrepreneurs and vice versa. In terms of SME failure, most of the literature, research and popular press, seems focused on individual factors, such as those related to the owner/entrepreneurâs profile and behavior, or contextual factors like those associated with relationships between the firm and its own stakeholders, especially on the competitive and financial systems arenas.
That said, some scholars have emphasized the relevance of organizational design for SME longevity, though there seems to be little inter-relating of the two sides. This paper examines the relationships between owner/entrepreneur attributes and organization design and infrastructure in an attempt to gain a clearer understand of SME longevity and failure. It examines critical issues in appropriateness and comprehensiveness of organizational design, control and decision-making flexibility and risk perception. It concludes that these linkages are not well understood and may lead to unhelpful misdiagnoses of small business failure. It consequently suggests a research agenda based on a structural analysis and modeling using the system dynamics approach
Microvascular alterations in hypertension and vascular aging
Hypertension and aging are characterized by vascular remodelling and stiffness as well as endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial function declines with age, since aging is associated with senescence of the endothelium due to increased rate of apoptosis and reduced regenerative capacity of the endothelium. Different phenotypes of hypertension have been described in younger and adult subjects with hypertension. In younger patients functional and structural alterations of resistance arteries occur as the earliest vascular alterations which have prognostic significance and may contribute to stiffness of large arteries through wave reflection. In individuals above age of 50 years as well as in subjects with long-lasting elevated blood pressure, vascular changes occur predominantly in conduit arteries which become stiffer. Activation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone and endothelin systems plays a key role in endothelial dysfunction, vascular remodelling, and aging by inducing reactive oxygen species production, and promoting inflammation and cell growth
Unleashing growth potential in 'stunted' SMEs: Insights from simulator experiments
The literature recognises the phenomenon of 'dwarf' or 'stunted' small and micro firms (in Italian nanismo aziendale) and that they might represent potential lost opportunities for owners and the local economy. This paper describes the development of a simple 'insight' model to simulate the behaviour of such firms. The model replicates the basic no-growth, cyclical behaviour attributed to them and shows how changes in targets and attitudes towards asset management can change that behaviour to one of stable growth. In this simple form, the model does link behaviours to system structure and could support individual entrepreneurs in understanding the reasons for dwarfism in their firm and the potential for unleashing their growth potential. It could further form the basis for a more detailed model that could support the identification and evaluation of strategic alternatives in individual firms. Copyright © 2006 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd
Scritti in onore di Pellegrino Capaldo
La qualitĂ dei servizi Ăš stata riconosciuta come un rilevante aspetto caratterizzante la performance dellâazienda pubblica, analogamente alla capacitĂ di operare secondo criteri di efficienza e nel rispetto dei vincoli di bilancio.
Sebbene sia possibile riscontrare alcuni significativi casi di adozione di politiche di customer satisfaction nelle amministrazioni pubbliche italiane, a tuttâoggi il tema presenta significative criticitĂ , specialmente in ordine agli aspetti metodologici e agli strumenti operativi che consentano di integrare dette politiche nel sistema di programmazione e controllo delle aziende che erogano tali servizi.
Il presente lavoro adotta una diversa prospettiva di analisi del miglioramento della performance in ottica di âcustomer satisfactionâ, rispetto a quella tradizionalmente utilizzata, specie con riferimento al settore pubblico. Piuttosto che focalizzare soltanto lâinterazione tra âcliente/utenteâ esterno allâamministrazione pubblica e unitĂ direttamente preposte allâerogazione dei servizi, in questa sede si propone di una chiave di lettura di tipo interistituzionale. Tale prospettiva Ăš volta a comprendere le criticitĂ e i generatori di prestazione connessi allo svolgimento dei processi gestionali da cui deriva il conseguimento di âprodottiâ dellâattivitĂ amministrativa a beneficio dei âclienti/utentiâ interni ed esterni, rispetto allâamministrazione pubblica. La rappresentazione della âcatena del valoreâ alla luce della quale sia possibile esplicitare le responsabilitĂ e i connessi indicatori di performance volti a collegare in sequenza diverse unitĂ di âback-officeâ nel settore pubblico, ai fini del miglioramento del servizio allâutenza finale, costituisce un momento fondamentale per internalizzare nella pubblica amministrazione gli stimoli provenienti dalle tradizionali indagini di âcustomer satisfactionâ e tradurli in concreti miglioramenti ai processi gestionali e ai connessi âprodottiâ dellâattivitĂ amministrativa
The mtDNA 15497 G/A polymorphism in cytochrome b in severe obese subjects from Southern Italy.
Background and aim: A large number of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)
mutations have been implicated in degenerative diseases and aging. The aim of this
study was to evaluate whether the 15497 G/A mtDNA polymorphism (G251S) in the
cytochrome b subunit of respiratory complex III, which has been associated with
obesity-related variables and lipid metabolism in a Japanese population, is
associated with severe obesity also in adult Caucasians from southern Italy.
Methods and results: Unrelated severely obese patients (n Z 317; BMI > 40 kg/m2)
and controls (n Z 217; BMI < 25 kg/m2) from Southern Italy were genotyped by
allelic discrimination TaqMan assay for the 15497 G/A mtDNA polymorphism. In
obese patients fasting serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol and
glucose were measured enzymatically and sitting blood pressure and heart rate
were also collected. Mean levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose were
below the upper reference limit for healthy subjects. Female obese subjects
showed lower levels of blood pressure and heart rate and higher levels of
HDL cholesterol than male obese patients (P < 0.001). All the control subjects and 315/317 severely obese patients were homozygous for the G allele (wild type),
whereas only 2/317, were females homozygous for the A allele.
Conclusions: The mtDNA 15497 G/A polymorphism in cytochrome b was present in
0.6% obese subjects, two females whose lipid parameters and BMI were similar to
those of the overall group. Therefore, this mutation may appear to contribute in
rare instances to severe obesity but does not explain the majority of cases in our
population. A more extensive genetic haplogroup characterization is required to
identify associations to obesity in Caucasians
Metabolic and nutritional status changes after 10% weight loss in severely obese patients treated with laparoscopic surgery vs integrated medical treatment
Generation of strong magnetic fields by r-modes in millisecond accreting neutron stars: induced deformations and gravitational wave emission
Differential rotation induced by the r-mode instability can generate very
strong toroidal fields in the core of accreting, millisecond spinning neutron
stars. We introduce explicitly the magnetic damping term in the evolution
equations of the r-modes and solve them numerically in the Newtonian limit, to
follow the development and growth of the internal magnetic field. We show that
the strength of the latter can reach large values, G, in the
core of the fastest accreting neutron stars. This is strong enough to induce a
significant quadrupole moment of the neutron star mass distribution,
corresponding to an ellipticity |\epsilon_B}| \sim 10^{-8}. If the symmetry
axis of the induced magnetic field is not aligned with the spin axis, the
neutron star radiates gravitational waves. We suggest that this mechanism may
explain the upper limit of the spin frequencies observed in accreting neutron
stars in Low Mass X-Ray Binaries. We discuss the relevance of our results for
the search of gravitational waves.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figure
âCandidatus Phytoplasma cynodontisâ (16SrXIV group) affecting Oplismenus burmannii (Retz.) P. Beauv. and Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop. in India.
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Detection and characterization of Phytophthora species infecting tomato in southern Italy by DNA-based methods.
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