Il cambiamento strategico nell'Open Innovation: il caso InnoCentive

Riassunto analitico della tesi “Il cambiamento strategico nell’Open Innovation: il caso InnoCentive” di Baldassare Di Girolamo Il presente lavoro, partendo dal paradigma della Closed Innovation e da ciò che ne ha minato le basi, illustra il paradigma dell’Open Innovation descrivendo i modelli ideali di entrambi i contesti. Vengono presentate le modifiche apportate dal nuovo regime ai business model delle imprese, mostrando le peculiarità ed i ruoli dei nuovi player che stanno sorgendo nei contesti dell’Open Innovation, gli innovation intermediaries. Dopo aver introdotto la teoria di riferimento, si analizza l’evoluzione della strategia di InnoCentive (azienda rientrante nella categoria degli innovation intermediaries) e, in particolare, le innovazioni strategiche realizzate dall’impresa per sostenere una posizione di vantaggio competitivo. Il lavoro si chiude indicando il passaggio di InnoCentive dall’applicazione dei modelli sequenziali alla valorizzazione del network, immaginando così le probabili evoluzioni future dell’azienda. Analytic summary of the thesis “The strategic change in Open Innovation: the InnoCentive case” by Baldassare Di Girolamo The present work, starting from the Closed Innovation paradigm and from what has undermined its bases, introduces the Open Innovation paradigm describing the ideal models in both contexts. We show the changes in firms’ business models determined by the new regime, introducing features and functions of the new players born in the Open Innovation contexts, the so-called “innovation intermediaries”. After an introduction of the relevant theory, we analyze the evolution of InnoCentive strategy (enterprise that belongs to the category of innovation intermediaries) and, particularly, the strategic innovations carried out by the firm to sustain a competitive advantage position. The work concludes illustrating of InnoCentive’s transition from the application of sequential models to the exploitation of networks and, hence, figuring the probable future evolution of the firm

Application of a smart dynamic scale for measuring live-fish biomass in aquaculture

— The need of measuring the fish biomass, either for in-land facilities or offshore cages, drove recently to develop a cheap dynamic scale (by MEGA Materials srl), based on a board of the Arduino family, suitable to measure live-fish weights. Via a Bluetooth transmitter and a specific app the communication with smartphones is allowed. The estimation of live-fish biomass is extremely relevant to precisely quantify the daily dose of feed to be supplied and to avoid a reduction of fish growth. We present the comparison between ‘static’ and ‘dynamic’ weight measures of seabream juveniles reared in tanks

Genetic characterization of the Mascaruna goat, a Sicilian autochthonous population, using molecular markers

The aim of this work was to characterize a Sicilian autochthonous goat population using microsatellite markers and genetic polymorphisms at the casein genes. In order to investigate the genetic structure of the Mascaruna goat, a total of 60 (20 Girgentana, 20 mixed populations, and 20 Mascaruna) individuals were analyzed, using a panel of 18 microsatellite markers. Moreover, the Mascaruna goats were genotyped at casein loci using several molecular techniques. Based on the genetic structure at casein genes, the Mascaruna goat was similar to most goat breeds from the Mediterranean area, which are characterized by the predominance of strong alleles. The low value of genetic differentiation among populations (Fst=0.027) could indicate that these populations were differentiated little probably due to gene flow and breeding practices. The analysis of genetic distances between groups indicated that the Mascaruna goat was the most distanced group, and this result was confirmed by the unrooted neighbor-joining dendrogram, the factorial correspondence analysis, the presence of several private alleles and the Bayesian assignment test. However, the Mascaruna group, despite the influences from other populations, presents a certain degree of uniqueness and could be considered as a population with particular genetic background

Identificazione di una nuova variante alla κ-caseina nella razza caprina Girgentana

La κ-caseina è la lattoproteina che determina la grandezza e la funzione specifica delle micelle nel latte e la sua idrolisi, chimosina dipendente, è responsabile della coagulazione del latte stesso. Il gene della κ-caseina comprende 5 esoni. Ad oggi sono state identificate 16 varianti alleliche, di cui 13 sono varianti proteiche e 3 mutazioni silenti, per un totale di 15 siti polimorfici.Lo scopo di questo lavoro è stato la caratterizzazione dell’esone 4 del gene della κ-caseina nella razza caprina Girgentana. Un nuova variante alleliche, denominata X, è stata riscontrata con una frequenza relativamente bassa (0,04)

Genetic characterisation of CSN2 gene in Girgentana goat breed

Among the calcium sensitive caseins, the B-casein is the most abundant in milk, representing up to 50% of total casein content. The goat B-casein locus has been widely investigated and at least ten alleles have been identified in different goat breeds. The aim of this work was to investigate the genetic polymorphisms of the B-casein gene in the Girgentana dairy goat breed, in order to assess the genotype distribution and to evaluate how the frequencies have changed during the last 10 years, as it is known genotype influences technological and nutritional milk properties. Sequencing analysis and alignment of the obtained sequences of B-casein exon 7, showed the presence of A, C, and C1 strong alleles, and 0' null allele, with frequencies of 0.597, 0.326, 0.023, and 0.054, respectively. Seven genotypic classes were found in Girgentana goat breed and the most frequent genotype was CC1 (0.423) followed by CC (0.327), C1C1 (0.107), and C0' (0.097). No AA and 0'0' homozygous individuals were found. The presence of strong alleles at CSN2 gene in Girgentana goat breed could be useful for the production of milk with high protein content and good cheese-making properties. Moreover, food business operators should consider the possibility of reviving interest in Girgentana goat milk using weak and null genotypes at CSN2 locus to make peculiar food products, such as drinking milk

Molecular characterisation of k-casein gene in Girgentana dairy goat breed and identification of two new alleles

The k-casein fraction plays an important role in the formation, stabilisation and aggregation on casein micelles and thus affects technological and nutritional properties of milk. In this study, exon 4 of k-casein (CSN3) gene was sequenced and analysed in Girgentana goat breed. Analyses of the obtained sequences showed the presence of A, B, D, and G known alleles and two new genetic variants, named D’ and N. The new D’ allele differs from D in one transition, G284→A284, which did not cause amino acid change. The new N allele differs from A in five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): T245/C245, G284/A284, G309/A309, G471/A471 and T591/C591, while it differs from C in one transition, i.e. T583→C583. Comparing the amino acid sequences of N and A alleles, the first two SNPs caused no amino acid change, whereas the other SNPs produced changes (Val65/Ile65, Val119/Ile119, and Ser159/Pro159, respectively). Comparison of N allele with C revealed theamino acid change Val156→Ala156. The most frequent allele was A (0.480) followed by B (0.363), D (0.112), and N (0.034). The D’ and G alleles were identified only in two animals and in heterozygous conditions with a very low frequency (0.005). The most common genotype was AB (39.5%) followed by AA (19.5%), AD (12.7%), and BB (11.7%). Homozygous D’D’, GG, and NN individuals were not found. Further analysis will be performed in order to establish associations among genotypes and quantitative and qualitative milk traits

Genomic inbreeding estimation in small populations: Evaluation of runs of homozygosity in three local dairy cattle breeds

In the local breeds with small population size, one of the most important problems is the increase of inbreeding coefficient (F). High levels of inbreeding lead to reduced genetic diversity and inbreeding depression. The availability of high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays has facilitated the quantification of F by genomic markers in farm animals. Runs of homozygosity (ROH) are contiguous lengths of homozygous genotypes and represent an estimate of the degree of autozygosity at genome-wide level. The current study aims to quantify the genomic F derived from ROH (F ROH) in three local dairy cattle breeds. F ROH values were compared with F estimated from the genomic relationship matrix (F GRM), based on the difference between observed v. expected number of homozygous genotypes (F HOM) and the genomic homozygosity of individual i (F MOL i). The molecular coancestry coefficient (f MOL ij) between individuals i and j was also estimated. Individuals of Cinisara (71), Modicana (72) and Reggiana (168) were genotyped with the 50K v2 Illumina BeadChip. Genotypes from 96 animals of Italian Holstein cattle breed were also included in the analysis. We used a definition of ROH as tracts of homozygous genotypes that were >4 Mb. Among breeds, 3661 ROH were identified. Modicana showed the highest mean number of ROH per individual and the highest value of F ROH, whereas Reggiana showed the lowest ones. Differences among breeds existed for the ROH lengths. The individuals of Italian Holstein showed high number of short ROH segments, related to ancient consanguinity. Similar results showed the Reggiana with some extreme animals with segments covering 400 Mb and more of genome. Modicana and Cinisara showed similar results between them with the total length of ROH characterized by the presence of large segments. High correlation was found between F HOM and F ROH ranged from 0.83 in Reggiana to 0.95 in Cinisara and Modicana. The correlations among F ROH and other estimated F coefficients were generally lower ranged from 0.45 (F MOL i-F ROH) in Cinisara to 0.17 (F GRM-F ROH) in Modicana. On the basis of our results, recent inbreeding was observed in local breeds, considering that 16 Mb segments are expected to present inbreeding up to three generations ago. Our results showed the necessity of implementing conservation programs to control the rise of inbreeding and coancestry in the three Italian local dairy cattle breeds