5,747 research outputs found
The determinants of the quality of Sales-Marketing Interface in a Multinational Customer Brand Focused Company: The Latin American Branches
Customer evolution and changes in consumers, determine the fact that the quality of the interface between marketing and sales may represent a true competitive advantage for the firm. Building on multidimensional theoretical and empirical models developed in Europe and on social network analysis, the organizational interface between the marketing and sales departments of a multinational high-growth company with operations in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay is studied. Both, attitudinal and social network measures of information exchange are used to make operational the nature and quality of the interface and its impact on performance. Results show the existence of a positive relationship of formalization, joint planning, teamwork, trust and information transfer on interface quality, as well as a positive relationship between interface quality and business performance. We conclude that efficient design and organizational management of the exchange network are essential for the successful performance of consumer goods companies that seek to develop distinctive capabilities to adapt to markets that experience vertiginous change
Dynamics of link states in complex networks: The case of a majority rule
Motivated by the idea that some characteristics are specific to the relations
between individuals and not of the individuals themselves, we study a prototype
model for the dynamics of the states of the links in a fixed network of
interacting units. Each link in the network can be in one of two equivalent
states. A majority link-dynamics rule is implemented, so that in each dynamical
step the state of a randomly chosen link is updated to the state of the
majority of neighboring links. Nodes can be characterized by a link
heterogeneity index, giving a measure of the likelihood of a node to have a
link in one of the two states. We consider this link-dynamics model on fully
connected networks, square lattices and Erd \"os-Renyi random networks. In each
case we find and characterize a number of nontrivial asymptotic configurations,
as well as some of the mechanisms leading to them and the time evolution of the
link heterogeneity index distribution. For a fully connected network and random
networks there is a broad distribution of possible asymptotic configurations.
Most asymptotic configurations that result from link-dynamics have no
counterpart under traditional node dynamics in the same topologies.Comment: 9 pages, 13 figure
Optimal Carbon Taxes for Emissions Targets in the Electricity Sector
The most dangerous effects of anthropogenic climate change can be mitigated
by using emissions taxes or other regulatory interventions to reduce greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions. This paper takes a regulatory viewpoint and describes the
Weighted Sum Bisection method to determine the lowest emission tax rate that
can reduce the anticipated emissions of the power sector below a prescribed,
regulatorily-defined target. This bi-level method accounts for a variety of
operating conditions via stochastic programming and remains computationally
tractable for realistically large planning test systems, even when binary
commitment decisions and multi-period constraints on conventional generators
are considered.
Case studies on a modified ISO New England test system demonstrate that this
method reliably finds the minimum tax rate that meets emissions targets. In
addition, it investigates the relationship between system investments and the
tax-setting process. Introducing GHG emissions taxes increases the value
proposition for investment in new cleaner generation, transmission, and energy
efficiency; conversely, investing in these technologies reduces the tax rate
required to reach a given emissions target
Thermal Perception in Mild Climate: Adaptive Thermal Models for Schools
A comprehensive assessment of indoor environmental conditions is performed on a
representative sample of classrooms in schools across southern Spain (Mediterranean climate) to
evaluate the thermal comfort level, thermal perception and preference, and the relationship with
HVAC systems, with a comparison of seasons and personal clothing. Almost fifty classrooms were
studied and around one thousand pool-surveys distributed among their occupants, aged 12 to 17.
These measurements were performed during spring, autumn, and winter, considered the most
representative periods of use for schools. A new proposed protocol has been developed for the
collection and subsequent analysis of data, applying thermal comfort indicators and using the most
frequent predictive models, rational (RTC) and adaptive (ATC), for comparison. Cooling is not
provided in any of the rooms and natural ventilation is found in most of the spaces during midseasons.
Despite the existence of a general heating service in almost all classrooms in the cold period, the use
of mechanical ventilation is limited. Heating did not usually provide standard set-point temperatures.
However, this did not lead to widespread complaints, as occupants perceive the thermal environment
as neutral—varying greatly between users—and show a preference for slightly colder environments.
Comparison of these thermal comfort votes and the thermal comfort indicators used showed a better
fit of thermal preference over thermal sensation and more reliable results when using regional ATC
indicators than the ASHRAE adaptive model. This highlights the significance of inhabitants’ actual
thermal perception. These findings provide useful insight for a more accurate design of this type of
building, as well as a suitable tool for the improvement of existing spaces, improving the conditions
for both comfort and wellbeing in these spaces, as well as providing a better fit of energy use for
actual comfort conditions
Is the Voter Model a model for voters?
The voter model has been studied extensively as a paradigmatic opinion
dynamics' model. However, its ability for modeling real opinion dynamics has
not been addressed. We introduce a noisy voter model (accounting for social
influence) with agents' recurrent mobility (as a proxy for social context),
where the spatial and population diversity are taken as inputs to the model. We
show that the dynamics can be described as a noisy diffusive process that
contains the proper anysotropic coupling topology given by population and
mobility heterogeneity. The model captures statistical features of the US
presidential elections as the stationary vote-share fluctuations across
counties, and the long-range spatial correlations that decay logarithmically
with the distance. Furthermore, it recovers the behavior of these properties
when a real-space renormalization is performed by coarse-graining the
geographical scale from county level through congressional districts and up to
states. Finally, we analyze the role of the mobility range and the randomness
in decision making which are consistent with the empirical observations.Comment: 13 pages, 13 figure
Mediating Effects of Diagnostic Route on the Comorbidity Gap in Survival of Patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell or Follicular Lymphoma in England
Background: Socioeconomic inequalities in survival from non-Hodgkin lymphoma persist.
Comorbidities are more prevalent amongst those in more deprived areas and are associated with
diagnostic delay (emergency diagnostic route), which is also associated with poorer survival probability.
We aimed to describe the effect of comorbidity on the probability of death mediated by diagnostic
route (emergency vs. elective route) amongst patients with diffuse large B-cell (DLBCL) or follicular
lymphoma (FL). Methods: We linked the English population-based cancer registry and hospital
admission records (2005–2013) of patients aged 45–99 years. We decomposed the effect of comorbidity
on survival into an indirect effect acting through diagnostic route and a direct effect not mediated by
diagnostic route. Furthermore, we estimated the proportion of the comorbidity effect on survival
mediated by diagnostic route. Results: For both DLBCL (n = 27,379) and FL (n = 14,043), those with
any comorbidity, or living in more deprived areas, were more likely to experience diagnostic delay
and poorer survival. The indirect effect of comorbidity on mortality through diagnostic route was
highest at 12 months since diagnosis (DLBCL: Odds Ratio 1.10 [95% CI 1.07–1.13], FL: OR 1.09 [95%
CI 1.04–1.14]). Within the first 12 months since diagnosis, emergency diagnostic route accounted for
24% (95% CI 17.5–29.5) and 16% (95% CI 6.0–25.6) of the comorbidity effect on mortality, for DLBCL
and FL, respectively. Conclusion: Efforts to reduce diagnostic delay (emergency diagnosis) amongst
patients with comorbidity would reduce inequalities in DLBCL and FL survival by 24% and 16%,
respectively. Further public health programs and interventions are needed to reduce diagnostic delay
amongst lymphoma patients with comorbidities.Cancer Research UK C7923/A1852
MT-InSAR and Dam Modeling for the Comprehensive Monitoring of an Earth-Fill Dam: The Case of the Benínar Dam (Almería, Spain)
The Benínar Dam, located in Southeastern Spain, is an earth-fill dam that has experienced filtration issues since its construction in 1985. Despite the installation of various monitoring systems, the data collected are sparse and inadequate for the dam’s lifetime. The present research integrates Multi-Temporal Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (MT-InSAR) and dam modeling to validate the monitoring of this dam, opening the way to enhanced integrated monitoring systems. MT-InSAR was proved to be a reliable and continuous monitoring system for dam deformation, surpassing previously installed systems in terms of precision. MT-InSAR allowed the almost-continuous monitoring of this dam since 1992, combining ERS, Envisat, and Sentinel-1A/B data. Line-of-sight (LOS) velocities of settlement in the crest of the dam evolved from maximums of −6 mm/year (1992–2000), −4 mm/year (2002–2010), and −2 mm/year (2015–2021) with median values of −2.6 and −3.0 mm/year in the first periods (ERS and Envisat) and −1.3 mm/year in the Sentinel 1-A/B period. These results are consistent with the maximum admissible modeled deformation from construction, confirming that settlement was more intense in the dam’s early stages and decreased over time. MT-InSAR was also used to integrate the monitoring of the dam basin, including critical slopes, quarries, and infrastructures, such as roads, tracks, and spillways. This study allows us to conclude that MT-InSAR and dam modeling are important elements for the integrated monitoring systems of embankment dams. This conclusion supports the complete integration of MT-InSAR and 3D modeling into the monitoring systems of embankment dams, as they are a key complement to traditional geotechnical monitoring and can overcome the main limitations of topographical monitoringReMoDams project ESP2017-89344-R
(AEI/FEDER, UE) from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and CompetitivenessSIAGUA
project PID2021-128123OB-C21PID2021-128123OB-C22MCIN/AEI/10.13039/
501100011033/FEDER,UEPOAIUJA-2023/2024CEACTEMA from University of Jaén (Spain)RNM-282 research group from the Junta de Andalucía (Spain
CO2 Concentration and Occupants’ Symptoms in Naturally Ventilated Schools in Mediterranean Climate
A large part of the school building stock in Andalusia lacks ventilation facilities, so that
the air renewal of the classrooms is achieved through the building envelope (air infiltration) or the
opening of windows. This research analyses the airtightness of the classrooms in Andalusia and the
evolution of CO2 concentration during school hours through in situ monitoring. Pressurization and
depressurization tests were performed in 42 classrooms and CO2 concentration was measured in
two di erent periods, winter and midseason, to study the impact of the di erent levels of aperture
of windows. About 917 students (11–17 years of age) were surveyed on symptoms and e ects on
their health. The mean n50 values are about 7 h-1, whereas the average CO2 concentration values
are about 1878 ppm, with 42% of the case studies displaying concentrations above 2000 ppm with
windows closed
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