Reverse logistics, stakeholders' influence, organizational slack, and managers' posture

Reverse logistics (RL) has strategic importance. However, little is known concerning what motivates firms to adopt RL systems. Drawing on stakeholder theory formulations, organizational slack, and the manager's strategic stance concept, this article develops a model that proposes external, internal, and individual factors that affect the implementation of RL programs. Our framework considers three major explicative variables: the attributes of the stakeholder (power, legitimacy and urgency), organizational slack for RL programs, and the manager's strategic posture. The study draws on a sample of 118 Spanish companies and uses a probit model to determine the influence of these factors on the probability of firms to implement RL systems. The study finds that customers, employees, and the government salience in terms of RL activities and manager's progressive posture have a significant influence on the final decision of implanting RL programs. Conversely, the study finds that shareholder salience negatively impacts the decision.Fundación BBVA and the project “Estrategias en las empresas europeas internacionales y medioambiente: análisis de recursos humanos, producción y negocio” for supporting this research. They also acknowledge the help of Prof. Dr. Carlos Larrinaga in providing access to financial statements. They are indebted as well to the Spanish Minister of Education and Science and the Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid which have provided financial support under the research projects entitled “Diseño e implantación de las estrategias medioambientales de aprovisionamiento, fabricación y comercialización: relación con el rendimiento organizativo” (sec2001-1578-c02- 01), “La dirección de operaciones y las teorías de stakeholders y de recursos y capacidades. Implicaciones estratégicas en la gestión del ciclo de vida de los equipos informáticos” (SEJ04- 07877-C02-02),. “Efectos de los distintos tipos de relaciones entre las empresas y sus mercados: prácticas de marketing, orientación al mercado y resultados económicos”, and “ Innovación versus imitacón: un test de la capacidad innovadora de las empresas de la Comunidad de Madrid “.Publicad

Synthesis of novel MMT/acyl-protected nucleo alanine monomers for the preparation of DNA/alanyl-PNA chimeras

Alanyl-peptide nucleic acid (alanyl-PNA)/DNA chimeras are oligomers envisaged to be beneficial in efficient DNA diagnostics based on an improved molecular beacon concept. A synthesis of alanyl-PNA/DNA chimera can be based on the solid phase assembly of the oligomer with mixed oligonucleotide/peptide backbone under DNA synthesis conditions, in which the nucleotides are introduced as phosphoramidites, whereas the nucleo amino acids make use of the acid labile monomethoxytrityl (MMT) group for temporary protection of the α-amino groups and acyl protecting groups for the exocyclic amino functions of the nucleobases. In this work, we realized for the first time the synthesis of all four MMT/acyl-protected nucleo alanines, achieved by deprotection/reprotection of the newly synthesized Boc/acyl intermediates, useful monomers for the obtainment of (alanyl-PNA)/DNA chimeras by conditions fully compatible with the standard phosphoramidite DNA synthesis strategy

Nucleic acid-based fluorescent probes and their analytical potential

It is well known that nucleic acids play an essential role in living organisms because they store and transmit genetic information and use that information to direct the synthesis of proteins. However, less is known about the ability of nucleic acids to bind specific ligands and the application of oligonucleotides as molecular probes or biosensors. Oligonucleotide probes are single-stranded nucleic acid fragments that can be tailored to have high specificity and affinity for different targets including nucleic acids, proteins, small molecules, and ions. One can divide oligonucleotide-based probes into two main categories: hybridization probes that are based on the formation of complementary base-pairs, and aptamer probes that exploit selective recognition of nonnucleic acid analytes and may be compared with immunosensors. Design and construction of hybridization and aptamer probes are similar. Typically, oligonucleotide (DNA, RNA) with predefined base sequence and length is modified by covalent attachment of reporter groups (one or more fluorophores in fluorescence-based probes). The fluorescent labels act as transducers that transform biorecognition (hybridization, ligand binding) into a fluorescence signal. Fluorescent labels have several advantages, for example high sensitivity and multiple transduction approaches (fluorescence quenching or enhancement, fluorescence anisotropy, fluorescence lifetime, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), and excimer-monomer light switching). These multiple signaling options combined with the design flexibility of the recognition element (DNA, RNA, PNA, LNA) and various labeling strategies contribute to development of numerous selective and sensitive bioassays. This review covers fundamentals of the design and engineering of oligonucleotide probes, describes typical construction approaches, and discusses examples of probes used both in hybridization studies and in aptamer-based assays

Innowacje w relacjach operatorów logistycznych - w poszukiwaniu satysfakcji klienta

Background: Nowadays LSPs face an increasingly competitive environment in which a strategy to focus on existing customers by satisfying and sustaining them has been proved to be more successful than trying to get the small share of customers that have not yet outsourced any logistics activities. To be able to keep and grow the customers, LSPs have to overcome a number of barriers, align with customers and innovate. However, there is still a lack of understanding when, with what type of customers, and how LSPs can effectively leverage customer integration within Innovation Alignment for successful innovation. The purpose of the paper is to: present the concept of logistics innovation and its role in creating customer satisfaction, point a number of barriers to LSPs' innovativeness, and analyze the role and characteristics of relationship innovation alignment when developing and implementing innovative logistics services. Methods: The research adopts a two-stage effort, with Stage 1 being focus groups with LSPs and their customers, and Stage 2 being a theory-testing survey. Up to now, focus groups, survey development, and survey pre-tests with LSPs senior executives have been completed. Conducting the survey and collecting data is in progress. To illustrate the preliminary findings from the American market, case studies in the European surrounding, describing cooperation between LSPs and their customers on logistics innovations, were prepared. Results: Aligning with a customer when pursuing something new is a crucial success factor in logistics sector, especially when pursuing and developing a radical tailored service innovation. The Innovation Alignment should embrace managerial as well as relational mechanisms. Conclusions: LSPs, compared to other industries, are not very innovative. However, logistics managers should try to overcome barriers and proactively develop and implement logistics service innovations. The preliminary results of the research have already shown that integrating customers into the logistics innovation process could increase their satisfaction and enhance the innovation performance of LSP.Wstęp: Współcześnie operatorzy logistyczni funkcjonują w bardzo konkurencyjnym środowisku, w którym strategia koncentracji na dotychczasowych klientach, zaspokojeniu ich potrzeb i dzięki temu zatrzymaniu ich, okazuje się być bardziej skuteczna niż próba pozyskania nowych zleceniodawców, którzy nigdy wcześniej nie współpracowali z operatorami logistycznymi. Praktyka pokazuje, iż, dążąc do zatrzymania i zwiększania udziału w kieszeni klienta, operatorzy logistyczni muszą pokonać szereg barier, wejść w sojusz z klientami i stać się innowacyjni. Głównym pytaniem badawczym jest kiedy, z jakiego typu klientami i w jaki sposób operatorzy powinni współpracować, aby osiągnąć sukces innowacyjny. Celem artykułu jest: zaprezentowanie koncepcji innowacji logistycznych oraz ich roli w kreowaniu satysfakcji klienta, wskazanie na liczne bariery na drodze do innowacyjności operatorów logistycznych oraz przeanalizowanie roli i elementów składowych relacyjnego sojuszu innowacyjnego, gdy operator rozwija i wdraża innowacyjne usługi logistyczne. Metody: Badanie składa się z dwóch etapów: fazy pierwszej - zogniskowanych wywiadów z operatorami logistycznymi i ich klientami oraz fazy drugiej - kwestionariusza ankietowego, pozwalającego przetestować model współpracy nad innowacją. Do chwili obecnej przeprowadzono zogniskowane wywiady, przygotowano kwestionariusz ankiety oraz pilotaż ankiety wśród naczelnej kadry kierowniczej wybranych operatorów logistycznych. Zbieranie danych jest w trakcie. Celem zilustrowania wstępnych wyników badań prowadzonych na rynku amerykańskim, opracowano europejskie studia przypadków opisujące współpracę operatorów logistycznych z ich klientami nad innowacją. Wyniki: Sojusz z klientem, gdy firma wypracowuje innowacje jest ważnym czynnikiem sukcesu w usługach logistycznych, zwłaszcza w pracy nad radykalną usługą innowacyjną szytą na miarę potrzeb klienta. Sojusz innowacyjny powinien obejmować zarządcze i relacyjne mechanizmy. Wnioski: Operatorzy logistyczni, w porównaniu do innych branż, są raczej mało innowacyjni. Jednakże menedżer logistyczny powinien spróbować pokonać te bariery i proaktywnie opracować i wdrożyć innowacyjne usługi logistyczne. Wstępne wyniki badań pokazały, że włączenie klientów w proces innowacji logistycznej może spowodować wzrost satysfakcji klienta i poprawić wynik innowacyjny operatora logistycznego

Mechanistic studies of atomic layer deposition on oxidation catalysts – AlO_x and PO_x deposition

Atomic layer deposition is a rising technique for catalyst synthesis and modification. Typically, the focus of ALD in catalysis is on supported metal nanoparticles. Here, the authors give mechanistic insights into the ALD of oxides on redox active catalysts by a combination of in situ analytics, such as XPS, DRIFTS and gravimetric measurements. Phosphorus oxide and aluminum oxide were deposited on divanadium pentoxide powder in a fixed bed reactor. In contrast to the generally accepted concepts, the first half cycle does not proceed over surface hydroxyl groups but involves redox chemistry between the precursor and the vanadium atoms, as shown by 31P-SSNMR and XPS. For POx deposition, a temperature step from 150 °C in the first half cycle to 450 °C in the second half cycle is needed to obtain linear mass gain per cycle as the remaining ligands are combusted and reduced vanadium atoms are reoxidized. Homogeneous deposition was confirmed by STEM-EDX and XRD showing no additional phases, despite performing up to 10 ALD cycles. Even the well-known process of alumina ALD confirms the involvement of reduction–oxidation reactions between the ALD precursor and the substrate V2O5. However, redox chemistry can be suppressed for alumina ALD at low temperatures of 50 °C. Therefore, this study shows that ALD on oxidation catalysts is complex and thus the developed ALD processes are unusual compared to ALD on typical supports, such as SiO2 or Al2O3

Pd@Al2O3-Catalyzed Hydrogenation of Allylbenzene to Propylbenzene in Methanol and Aqueous Micellar Solutions

The palladium on alumina (Pd@Al2O3)-catalyzed hydrogenation of allylbenzene to propylbenzene was studied in methanol and aqueous micellar solutions of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), decyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB), and t-octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol (TX-100). Over Pd@Al2O3, propylbenzene was obtained via direct hydrogenation of allylbenzene and isomerization to ß-methylstyrene which was hydrogenated afterwards. In aqueous micellar solutions, the reaction was faster than in pure water, but slower than in methanol due to lower hydrogen solubility. In the H2O/SDS system, a higher activation energy was obtained than in methanol. For the investigated surfactants, the initial reaction rate in the micellar systems decreased in the order SDS >TX-100 >DTAB. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, [email protected]

Probing conformational dynamics in single donor-acceptor synthetic molecules by means of photoinduced reversible electron transfer

We use single-molecule fluorescence lifetimes to probe dynamics of photoinduced reversible electron transfer occurring between triphenylamine (donor) and perylenediimide (acceptor) in single molecules of a polyphenylenic rigid dendrimer embedded in polystyrene. Here, reversible electron transfer in individual donor-acceptor molecules results in delayed fluorescence that is emitted with a high photon count rate. By monitoring fluorescence decay times on a photon-by-photon basis, we find fluctuations in both forward and reverse electron transfer spanning a broad time range, from milliseconds to seconds. Fluctuations are induced by conformational changes in the dendrimer structure as well by polystyrene chain reorientation. The conformational changes are related to changes in the dihedral angle of adjacent phenyl rings located in the dendritic branch near the donor transferring the charge, a torsional motion that results in millisecond fluctuations in the “through-bond” donor-acceptor electronic coupling. Polymer chain reorientation leads to changes in the local polarity experienced by the donors and to changes in the solvation of the charge-separated state. As a result, switching between different donor moieties within the same single molecule becomes possible and induces fluctuations in decay time on a time scale of seconds