Programmable sphere-tubule frameworks through supramolecular and supracolloidal assembly pathways

The dissertation focuses on the study of a series of new supracolloidal frameworks which can be specifically programmed by the use of tailored supramolecular bile salt derivatives (BSDs) anisotropic structures in combination with isotropic polymeric particles, without resorting to auxiliary functionalization of none the two species. With their high tunability and high repetibility these programmable frameworks could be seen as an innovative pathway for mere nanomaterial preparation and for a deeper understanding of supracolloidal interaction mechanisms among different colloidal units. Three important features can be remarked: 1. The innovative use of anisotropic supramolecular building blocks working as versatile tools for supracolloidal assemblies preparation: the introduction of these mixed systems, based on elementary units composed from isotropic and anisotropic particles, allows to bypass the state of the art constrain given, among the other things, by the need to induce the anisotropy of interaction with satellite chemical functionalizations on the particle surface, particularly influencing the range of geometries accessible and the preparation complexity. 2. The possibility to program the specific framework desired, choosing among a wide range of BSDs with an achieved and solid know-how of their self-assembly behavior and structural characteristics. 3. The possibility to have as outcome intriguing systems in a wide range of configurations possible: from core-corona assemblies to chirally (or non-chirally) decorated supramolecular tubules, from highly ordered frameworks with lattice properties to well-defined crystalline domains in a gel matrix

Wormlike reverse micelles in lecithin/bile salt/water mixtures in oil

Knowing the ability of water and bile salts to promote the reverse wormlike micelle growth in lecithin/water or lecithin/bile salt mixtures in oil, this work was aimed at elucidating the association properties of the three solutes lecithin, water and the bile salt (BS) sodium deoxycholate in cyclohexane. By systematically changing the fraction of the two additives (i.e.: water and BS) we could identify a region at low additive/lecithin molar ratios where stable wormlike micelle dispersions were formed. Small angle X-ray scattering and oscillatory rheology measurements demonstrated that the ability of bile salt and water to transform the originally spherical lecithin reverse micelles into wormlike micelles and thereby impart to the sample viscoelastic properties is preserved in the three-solute mixture. The results suggest that reverse micelle including both bile salt and water are formed in this system. Reasonably the two primers interact with the same region of the lecithin headgroups and are complementary in altering the packing parameter of the amphiphile to values suitable for the formation of cylindrical aggregates

Microfoundations of dynamic design capabilities:An empirical analysis of “excellent” Italian design firms

This article investigates how managers of firms awarded for their design excellence build organizational-level design-related dynamic capabilities by selecting designers with specific individual capabilities and managing how and the extent to which users of the firms’ products are actively involved in design activities. The following two types of dynamic capabilities were studied: user-centered design (UCD) and meaning innovation (MI). Data from a survey of managers of 106 Italian firms recognized for their products’ “design excellence” during the 2011–2016 period were analyzed using a structural equation model (PLS-SEM). The results suggest that managers seeking to build dynamic UCD capabilities prefer designers with holistic thinking capabilities over those with ideation and envisioning capabilities and value user involvement throughout the design process. In contrast, managers seeking to build dynamic MI capabilities search for designers with holistic thinking and envisioning capabilities and avoid ideation capabilities. They also consider the value of involving users in the design process to be limited. This study is among the first to present the results of an empirical investigation of the microfoundations of dynamic design capabilities. Limitations of the research and prospects for future work are discussed. In particular, our findings point to the need for additional studies that further specify the routines and associated competencies that managers responsible for design employ to attract, nurture, integrate and exploit the micro-level capabilities required for UCD and MI. Given that some of these microfoundations were found to be differentially important, unimportant, or even detrimental to the development of either UCD or MI, an important remaining question is the extent to which, and how, a single firm can accommodate and effectively exploit both of these dynamic design capabilities

New Design Thinking Tools for the Next Generation of Designer-Entrepreneurs

AbstractThis paper analyses a new phenomenon to date poorly researched both in entrepreneurship and Design Thinking literature: Design-Intensive Start-ups (DIS), i.e. start-ups that focus on design as primary source for their development.Two main questions underpin the study: what are the specific features that describe design-intensive start-ups? Which are possible conceptual tools supporting designers in the creation of their own design-based enterprises?A multiple case studies protocol was adopted to investigate the first question. According to our results, DIS diverge from New-Technology Start-ups on several dimensions, and represent an alternative entrepreneurial model, which is not supported by extant literature. Currently, there are no tools helping designers to become entrepreneurs. Therefore, we developed a set of Design Thinking tools addressing the specific traits of DIS in the steps of their creation and evolution. Such tools are intended to support the decision-making process of designers-ent..

The impact of Artificial Intelligence on Design Thinking practice: Insights from the Ecosystem of Startups

Design Thinking (DT) is spreading out in the managerial community as an alternative way to innovate products and services respect to the classical stage-gate model mostly linked to technology-push innovative patterns. At the same time few disruptive technologies – like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning – are impacting the ways companies manage their knowledge and activate innovation and design processes. What is the impact that AI is exerting on DT practices? What are the main changes that DT is undergoing? These questions are analyzed in this paper, where the aim consists in increasing the understanding of the transformation that is occurring in DT and more general in innovation practices. Through a qualitative case study analysis made on startups offering AI based solutions supporting multiple or individual DT phases, the article pinpoints few main changes: i) a facilitation in blending the right mix of cultures and creative attitudes in innovation teams; ii) the empowerment of the research phase where statistical significance is gained and user analysis are less observer-biased; iii) the automatization of the prototyping and learning phases

Boosting Design Thinking adoption in organisations through a game‐based toolkit: A gamified approach in building facilitators to overcome Design Thinking adoption barriers

Design Thinking is increasingly used within organisations to achieve innovative results that give companies a competitive advantage. However, this is not an easily achievable result: companies face multiple obstacles that slow adoption and often force companies not to pursue adoption. The scientific community has not identified clear contributions that can help overcome the barriers discussed in the literature for years, giving the possibility to companies to boost Design Thinking adoption. By studying 10 private organisations that have adopted Design Thinking effectively, overcoming the main adoption obstacles, this study tries to identify which facilitators can be adopted to enable an effective adoption. This puts companies in a position to benefit from Design Thinking and achieve innovative performance. In any case, these represent complex notions to be even understood. As an additional result, the study recognises how game-based formats enhance and facilitate the adoption mentioned above of Design Thinking within private organisations. The literature has already identified that game-based formats facilitate the understanding and digestion of new concepts and procedures. This study expands the range of applications of gamified approaches in unconventional contexts and scope, verifying the benefits also in relation to Design Thinking. A new game-based format has been designed for this research, which was also tested. The study demonstrates how the integration in the organisational culture of approaches such as Design Thinking through a gamified format represents one of the critical ways companies can embrace to face the internal tension of transformation, speeding up the adoption process to give companies the possibility to adopt innovation processes faster

Shifting Design Thinking to a Circular Design Perspective: Reframing the Process of Circular Innovation

Design Thinking (DT) is a valuable design innovation approach, but its application in addressing sustainability challenges within the Circular Economy (CE) paradigm requires a revision from a circular innovation perspective. This article explores the convergence, limitations, and potential of DT and CE, emphasizing the need for a more comprehensive circular and systemic evolution of DT. Frameworks, objectives, and strategies for achieving sustainable design goals through DT are discussed, with an emphasis on integrating DT with the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD) to enhance systemic perspectives and sustainability considerations. The integration of DT with Sustainability-Oriented Innovation (SOI) is also highlighted, emphasizing a systemic thinking approach. Case studies demonstrate the application of DT principles in Circular Design ideation and development, showcasing tools that promote a systemic thinking approach to address sustainability challenges effectively. This article introduces the ongoing CD-TOOLS project, which includes a training program and digital platform supporting Lithuanian entrepreneurs and design professionals in creating circular product-service solutions. The project’s contributions to addressing the identified limitations and promoting sustainable design practices are discussed

Data in design: How big data and thick data inform design thinking projects

Scholars and practitioners have recognized that making innovation happen today requires renewed approaches focused on agility, dynamicity, and other organizational capabilities that enable firms to cope with uncertainty and complexity. In turn, the literature has shown that design thinking is a useful methodology to cope with ill-defined and wicked problems. In this study, we address the question of the little-known role of different types of data in innovation projects characterized by ill-defined problems requiring creativity to be solved. Rooted in qualitative observation (thick data) and quantitative analyses (big data), we investigate the role of data in eight design thinking projects dealing with ill-defined and wicked problems. Our findings highlight the practical and theoretical implications of eight practices that differently make use of big and thick data, informing academics and practitioners on how different types of data are utilized in design thinking projects and the related principles and practices

Physiology and physical chemistry of bile acids

Bile acids (BAs) are facial amphiphiles synthesized in the body of all vertebrates. They undergo the enterohepatic circulation: they are produced in the liver, stored in the gallbladder, released in the intestine, taken into the bloodstream and lastly re-absorbed in the liver. During this pathway, BAs are modified in their molecular structure by the action of enzymes and bacteria. Such transformations allow them to acquire the chemical–physical properties needed for fulling several activities including metabolic regulation, antimicrobial functions and solubilization of lipids in digestion. The versatility of BAs in the physiological functions has inspired their use in many bioapplications, making them important tools for active molecule delivery, metabolic disease treatments and emulsification processes in food and drug industries. Moreover, moving over the borders of the biological field, BAs have been largely investigated as building blocks for the construction of supramolecular aggregates having peculiar structural, mechanical, chemical and optical properties. The review starts with a biological analysis of the BAs functions before progressively switching to a general overview of BAs in pharmacology and medicine applications. Lastly the focus moves to the BAs use in material science

O design para a gestão. A gestão para o design

O presente artigo, baseado em uma revisão de literatura, traça a evolução das Disciplinas de Gestão e Design para destacar como atualmente elas se encontram em um terreno comum ligado à inovação. A convergência entre as duas áreas temáticas apresenta diferentes abordagens. Por um lado, as Ciências Gerenciais têm visto no Design e na Inovação duas fontes de vantagem competitiva; por outro, o Design expandiu sua gama de intervenção - através do design thinking - lidando com a forma de criar e inovar os modelos de negócios. Nesse contexto, busca-se discutir um modelo interpretativo sobre como o design e a gestão podem ser híbridos e vistos de um ponto de vista em comum. Por fim, o artigo destaca o poder competitivo do Design na criação de novas fórmulas de negócio