Differentiability of the effective Lagrangian for Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations in dynamic random environments

We prove differentiability of the effective Lagrangian for continuous time multidimensional directed variational problems in random dynamic environments with positive dependence range in time. This implies that limiting fundamental solutions in the associated homogenization problems for HJB equations are classical.Comment: 27 page

Empirical Analysis of Distinct Entry Mode Strategies among Service Firms: Case Studies from Australia

This paper investigates the aspect of market commitment by international service firms into the new host market. Australia was chosen as the host market because it is a strong service economy. This paper responds to several calls for studies focusing on service firm internationalization and the often neglected market commitment aspect. After splitting service firms into capital intensive and knowledge intensive categories, it is argued that they exhibit different patterns of initial resource commitment. Adopting a case study approach, the results indicate that capital intensive service firms enter a new host market with relatively lower resource commitment than knowledge intensive service firms and hence follow the Uppsala process model more closely

Novel Bio-Logging Tool for Studying Fine-Scale Behaviors of Marine Turtles in Response to Sound

Increases in the spatial scale and intensity of activities that produce marine anthropogenic sound highlight the importance of understanding the impacts and effects of sound on threatened species such as marine turtles. Marine turtles detect and behaviorally respond to low-frequency sounds, however few studies have directly examined their behavioral responses to specific types or intensities of anthropogenic or natural sounds. Recent advances in the development of bio-logging tools, which combine acoustic and fine-scale movement measurements, have allowed for evaluations of animal responses to sound. Here, we describe these tools and present a case study demonstrating the potential application of a newly developed technology (ROTAG, Loggerhead Instruments, Inc.) to examine behavioral responses of freely swimming marine turtles to sound. The ROTAG incorporates a three-axis accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer to record the turtle\u27s pitch, roll, and heading; a pressure sensor to record turtle depth; a hydrophone to record the turtle\u27s received underwater acoustic sound field; a temperature gauge; and two VHF radio telemetry transmitters and antennas for tag and turtle tracking. Tags can be programmed to automatically release via a timed corrodible link several hours or days after deployment. We describe an example of the data collected with these tags and present a case study of a successful ROTAG deployment on a juvenile green turtle (Chelonia mydas) in the Paranaguá Estuary Complex, Brazil. The tag was deployed for 221 min, during which several vessels passed closely (\u3c2 km) by the turtle. The concurrent movement and acoustic data collected by the ROTAG were examined during these times to determine if the turtle responded to these anthropogenic sound sources. While fine-scale behavioral responses were not apparent (second-by-second), the turtle did appear to perform dives during which it remained still on or near the sea floor during several of the vessel passes. This case study provides proof of concept that ROTAGs can successfully be applied to free-ranging marine turtles to examine their behavioral response to sound. Finally, we discuss the broad applications that these tools have to study the fine-scale behaviors of marine turtles and highlight their use to aid in marine turtle conservation and management

The effects of within-country linguistic and religious diversity on foreign acquisitions

This article explores how within-country diversity of both language and religion influences the ownership structure of foreign acquisitions. Commentators have acknowledged the potential importance of "within-country diversity," but to date this issue has received minimal empirical attention. We propose that diversity plays two distinct roles. Namely, diversity within the host country may be an additional source of behavioral uncertainty and information asymmetry, over and above the effects arising from cross-national differences. Moreover, diversity within the home country may increase the cognitive complexity of the decision makers, moderating the firm's response to the distance and diversity of the host country. Results based on foreign acquisitions across 67 acquirer and 69 target countries confirm both of these roles. While the main focus of this article is on the role that within-country diversity plays in international business decisions, it also makes contributions in terms of expanding the range of dimensions of distance investigated in the cross-border acquisition literature, in highlighting a potentially positive role that diversity might play in such acquisitions, and in providing a potential explanation for asymmetries in distance - that is, differences in cognitive complexity

Inertia and managerial intentionality: extending the Uppsala model

The Uppsala Internationalization Process Model is the most cited model within the field of international business. However, even with its most recent formulation, the model is predicated on a key set of assumptions about the limiting and releasing mechanisms in a ‘change of state’ decision. The model assumes that uncertainty, risk, lack of trust, and lack of awareness of opportunities are the main constraints, and that the accumulation of experiential knowledge, trust, and market commitment are the main releasing factors that allow a firm to overcome those constraints and progress to a higher state of commitment. We argue that the preceding view may be excessively narrow, and that inertia and managerial intentionality may also play a role as critical limiting and releasing mechanisms, respectively. This development implies that the passage of time and experiential learning may not always have a positive impact on firm internationalization. The extended model proposed in this paper highlights the role of the manager, and brings a contingent element to the model, thus broadening its applicability by providing new insights on issues typically considered outside the realm of the Uppsala model, such as rapidly internationalizing firms, regionalization, mode inertia and mode skipping

Error bounds for dynamical spectral estimation

Dynamical spectral estimation is a well-established numerical approach for estimating eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the Markov transition operator from trajectory data. Although the approach has been widely applied in biomolecular simulations, its error properties remain poorly understood. Here we analyze the error of a dynamical spectral estimation method called "the variational approach to conformational dynamics" (VAC). We bound the approximation error and estimation error for VAC estimates. Our analysis establishes VAC's convergence properties and suggests new strategies for tuning VAC to improve accuracy.Comment: 34 pages, 7 figure

Neurotization Improves Contractile Forces of Tissue-Engineered Skeletal Muscle

Engineered functional skeletal muscle would be beneficial in reconstructive surgery. Our previous work successfully generated 3-dimensional vascularized skeletal muscle in vivo. Because neural signals direct muscle maturation, we hypothesized that neurotization of these constructs would increase their contractile force. Additionally, should neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) develop, indirect stimulation (via the nerve) would be possible, allowing for directed control. Rat myoblasts were cultured, suspended in fibrin gel, and implanted within silicone chambers around the femoral vessels and transected femoral nerve of syngeneic rats for 4 weeks. Neurotized constructs generated contractile forces 5 times as high as the non-neurotized controls. Indirect stimulation via the nerve elicited contractions of neurotized constructs. Curare administration ceased contraction in these constructs, providing physiologic evidence of NMJ formation. Histology demonstrated intact muscle fibers, and immunostaining positively identified NMJs. These results indicate that neurotization of engineered skeletal muscle significantly increases force generation and causes NMJs to develop, allowing indirect muscle stimulation.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/63133/1/ten.2007.0003.pd