A BUSINESS CASE STUDY FOR COMPARING THE MANUFACTURING OF IMPLANT-SUPPORTED DENTURE FRAMES THROUGH DIRECT METAL LASER SINTERING TO CONVENTIONAL CASTING AND MACHINING PROCESSES

Conference ProceedingsRetaining dentures in edentulous patients is a common problem which can be overcome through the use of implant-supported denture frames. These frames are conventionally manufactured through the lost wax investment casting processes or through computer aided machining in cobalt chrome. Although Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes are now commonly used in the manufacturing of crowns and bridges in dentistry, the manufacturing of implant-supported denture frames is less common. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of manufacturing these frames through AM from a business point of view compared to conventional casting and machining. A case study is presented where a full overdenture frame is designed and manufactured in Titanium-6Aluminium-4Vanadium (Ti-6Al-4V) alloy through the Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) process. This is compared to manufacturing the same frame in cobalt chrome through traditional processes in terms of manufacturing time and cost. Results from the study showed that it is more expensive and takes longer to produce overdenture frames through DMLS compared to conventional manufacturing techniques. Although costs and time can be reduced by producing a number of frames simultaneously on the DMLS machine’s building platform, the manufacturing process is still not considered viable for overdenture frames from a business point of view

Socioeconomic Classification of the Working-Age Brazilian Population: A Joint Latent Class Analysis Using Social Class and Asset-Based Perspectives

This paper presents and applies a methodology of socioeconomic classification that integrates asset- and social class approaches. We employ data from the 2013 Brazilian National Household Survey and use latent class analysis to identify clusters and classify the working population. With regard to social class the Brazilian occupations are classified based on the European Socioeconomic Classification (ESeC) schema and an indicator of employment status. As for household wealth, we use the items related to household condition, ownership of durable goods and access to public services with the highest discriminatory power. We also make use of variables that account for the Brazilian spatial and socio-demographic heterogeneity. We found four clusters which we term latent socioeconomic stratum (LSeS). When compared we found an ordered pattern from the best-off LSeS (1) to the worst-off (4) with respect to household wealth and ESeC classes. Nevertheless, although the class composition of each LSeS reveals a distinct concentration of specific ESeC classes, all classes are present in each LSeS. Controlling for social class, differences in household wealth are more marked between LSeS than between social classes within the same LSeS. Hence, the methodology unveils the latent socioeconomic strata, reveals a class schema for each stratum and points out potential stratum fractions within them. The results were validated using variables external to the model, namely household food security status and years of schooling. The external validation revealed the same ordered pattern and the presence of stratum fractions.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Women entrepreneurship and digital technologies: towards a research agenda

Purpose The aim of this paper is underline how the new emerging digital technologies could be of great value in expanding the opportunities for women entrepreneurship by supporting them in overcoming the constrains they face as well as in creating more favorable network environment. This is creating the conditions for a new phenomenon called Digital Women Entrepreneurship. Methodology A qualitative literature review in relation to women entrepreneurship activities and the emergence of digital technologies is performed. Findings Specifically the contribution and the impact provided by the Digital Technologies will be analyzed for women entrepreneurship. A holistic interpretative framework for analyzing Digital Women Entrepreneurship is proposed. A conceptual discussion on how the Digital Technologies opportunities could be valuable in overcoming some of the constrains women tackle in their entrepreneurship process and which are the main research streams that emerge for future investigation on the theme. Originality/value Even if the literature on Women Entrepreneurship is well covered, to our best knowledge the intersection between the two fields remains unexplored. The paper provides a contribution in this direction, identifying new trends and future directions for research. Practical implications The major implication is to advance knowledge and practice in the area of gender in management and use of Digital Technologies by focusing upon empirical research, theoretical developments, practice and current issues. Benefits are related to a better understanding of the debate on “Gender and Management” themes by reconsidering networking activities with social media