Enhancing Inter functional coordination and marketing performance: utilization of the motivation/ability/opportunity framework

This paper integrates a large literature on intra-organisational relationships with the aim to understand how to enhance coordination between different functional units inside an organisation and to empirically examine the impact of inter functional coordination on marketing performance. By drawing on the Motivation/Ability/Opportunity (MAO) theoretical framework, this research attempts to examine factors to enhance employees? motivation/ability/opportunity to coordinate on improving inter functional coordination. The research also empirically examined the impact of inter functional coordination on marketing performance in terms of adaptiveness, effectiveness, efficiency and creativity of marketing programmes. The research conceptual model was tested with data collected from 274 structured surveys in medium to large Egyptian firms. Regression analysis was employed as a tool for testing the research hypotheses. The research findings suggest that the use of cross functional teams, resource dependency, joint reward systems, management support, positively affect the level of inter functional coordination. The research also showed that some factors, for example employees? interpersonal skills, might hinder coordination between functional units and these issues should be resolved in order to establish an effective inter functional coordination. The research provides empirical evidence of the direct positive impact of inter functional coordination on marketing performance

On the Structure and Stabilization Mechanisms of Planar and Cylindrical Premixed Flames

The configurational simplicity of the stationary one-dimensional flames renders them intrinsically attractive for fundamental flame structure studies. The possibility and fidelity of studies of such flames on earth, however, have been severely restricted by the unidirectional nature of the gravity vector. To demonstrate these complications, let us first consider the premixed flame. Here a stationary, one-dimensional flame can be established by using the flat-flame burner. We next consider nonpremixed flames. First it may be noted that in an unbounded gravity-free environment, the only stationary one-dimensional flame is the spherical flame. Indeed, this is a major motivation for the study of microgravity droplet combustion, in which the gas-phase processes can be approximated to be quasi-steady because of the significant disparity between the gas and liquid densities for subcritical combustion. In view of the above considerations, an experimental and theoretical program on cylindrical and spherical premixed and nonpremixed flames in microgravity has been initiated. For premixed flames, we are interested in: (1) assessing the heat loss versus flow divergence as the dominant stabilization mechanism; (2) determining the laminar flame speed by using this configuration; and (3) understanding the development of flamefront instability and the effects of the flame curvature on the burning intensity

High mobility two-dimensional electron system on hydrogen-passivated silicon(111) surfaces

We have fabricated and characterized a field-effect transistor in which an electric field is applied through an encapsulated vacuum cavity and induces a two-dimensional electron system on a hydrogen-passivated Si(111) surface. This vacuum cavity preserves the ambient sensitive surface and is created via room temperature contact bonding of two Si substrates. Hall measurements are made on the H-Si(111) surface prepared in aqueous ammonium fluoride solution. We obtain electron densities up to $6.5 \times 10^{11}$ cm$^{-2}$ and peak mobilities of $\sim 8000$ cm$^{2}$/V s at 4.2 K.Comment: to appear in Applied Physics Letter

Eschatological Approval in the Epistle of James

This study makes a case that eschatological approval is a unifying motif in the epistle of James. While themes like friendship, wisdom, obedience, and perfection have been demonstrated in the epistle of James, none of these occurs in every major portion of the epistle. Eschatological approval, or a favourable verdict from God in the end, runs like a thread through every major section addressed to the hearers. This study is developed in several stages. First, it establishes that James 1:2–27 serves as the introductory prologue of the epistle. Also, James 1 introduces major concepts of James, such as the use of speech, the rich and poor, and coming judgment. Next, this study contends for the structure of James. We examine two uses of a grand inclusio in James: 1:12/5:11 and 2:12–13/4:11–12. Next, using the principle of cohesiveness, we segment James into sections. We provide a tentative outline for the structure of James based on these principles. In the third stage, we examine eschatological approval in the text of the epistle. First, we make a case that the main idea is developed in the introductory prologue. The repeated themes in the beginning (Jas 1:2–3), middle (1:12), and end (1:25) of the prologue reveal a double-inclusio that points to 1:12 as a key saying that sums up the main idea: the author is concerned for his hearers to have a favourable verdict in divine eschatological judgment. After that, we examine James 2–5 to see how this main idea recurs throughout each section as delineated earlier. We will make the case that the motif of eschatological approval is the recurring motif that holds the epistle together. Even 4:13–5:6, which addresses those outside the epistle’s hearers, addresses eschatological approval by presenting the other side of eschatological judgment. The study concludes by arguing that James 1:12 is the thesis statement for the epistle, presenting both the main idea of the prologue and the thread that runs through the body of James. This main idea is reprised at Jas 5:11, with its repetition of the concepts of blessedness and perseverance. Ultimately, the author of James directs his hearers so that they will be approved by God at eschatological judgment

Coverage-dependent adsorption sites for K/Cu(001) and Cs/Cu(001) determined by surface X-ray diffraction

Surface X-ray diffraction has been used to analyze in situ the room-temperature adsorption behaviour and the structure of K and Cs on Cu(100) at submonolayer coverages. Adsorption of K takes place in fourfold hollow sites up to coverages of about 0.25 monolayers (ML), where 1 ML corresponds to 1.53 × 1015 atoms/cm2. At higher coverages the formation of a quasi-hexagonal incommensurate adlayer is observed. In contrast, for Cs adsorption we observe from the very beginning the formation of the quasi-hexagonal structure up to the completion of the adlayer at about 0.30 ML. For K adsorption in the hollow sites we determine an adsorption height, d = 2.25(15) Å, corresponding to an effective K radius of reff = 1.6(1) Å close to the ionic radius of 1.33 Å. We do not observe a change in the effective radius as a function of coverage. For the quasi-hexagonal Cs structure we find an (average) adsorption height d = 2.94 Å corresponding to an effective radius of reff = 2.18 and 1.93 Å, for the limiting ca hollow- and bridge-site adsorption, respectively. The analysis of the superlattice reflections corresponding to the quasi-hexagonal incommensurate structures indicated that the K adlayer is strongly modulated. The first Fourier component of the substrate-induced modulation was determined to u01 = 1.29(3) Å. In contrast, for Cs/Cu(001) static modulation is much less important (u01 0.2 Å). Variation of the Cs adlayer density by changing the substrate temperature allows continuous expansion and contraction of the adsorbate unit cell. No commensurate-incommensurate transition has been observed