Using PLS-SEM to Measure the Mediating Effect of Territory in the Relationship Between Social Innovation and Territorial Development

This study aims to measure the mediating effect of territory in the relationship between social innovation and territorial development. To achieve this objective, we analyzed a sample of 126 social innovation initiatives distributed across the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region in Morocco, utilizing the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) methodology. Our research provides valuable insights into how territory plays a mediating role in facilitating the impact of social innovation initiatives on territorial development. Our analysis reveals that territory acts as a significant mediating factor between social innovation initiatives and territorial development. The results demonstrate that the effectiveness of social innovation initiatives in achieving territorial development is augmented when territorial efforts are prioritized and strategically implemented. This finding underscores the importance of considering territory as an integral component of social innovation initiatives for achieving impactful territorial development. Moreover, the research yields practical implications for policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders involved in social innovation initiatives. Policymakers should recognize the pivotal role of territory as a mediator and support the integration of territorial considerations in social innovation programs to enhance their effectiveness. For practitioners, our findings highlight the significance of incorporating the dimension of 'territory' when designing and implementing social innovation initiatives. By acknowledging the mediating effect of territory, practitioners can enhance the sustainability and long-term impact of their initiatives. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing robust empirical evidence of the mediating effect of territory in the relationship between social innovation and territorial development. These novel insights advance our understanding of the interplay between social innovation initiatives and territorial outcomes, offering context-specific knowledge with broader implications for social innovation initiatives worldwide.   Keywords: social innovation; territory; territorial development; PLS-SEM. JEL Classification: O15, O17, O31, Q01 Paper type: Empirical researchThis study aims to measure the mediating effect of territory in the relationship between social innovation and territorial development. To achieve this objective, we analyzed a sample of 126 social innovation initiatives distributed across the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region in Morocco, utilizing the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) methodology. Our research provides valuable insights into how territory plays a mediating role in facilitating the impact of social innovation initiatives on territorial development. Our analysis reveals that territory acts as a significant mediating factor between social innovation initiatives and territorial development. The results demonstrate that the effectiveness of social innovation initiatives in achieving territorial development is augmented when territorial efforts are prioritized and strategically implemented. This finding underscores the importance of considering territory as an integral component of social innovation initiatives for achieving impactful territorial development. Moreover, the research yields practical implications for policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders involved in social innovation initiatives. Policymakers should recognize the pivotal role of territory as a mediator and support the integration of territorial considerations in social innovation programs to enhance their effectiveness. For practitioners, our findings highlight the significance of incorporating the dimension of 'territory' when designing and implementing social innovation initiatives. By acknowledging the mediating effect of territory, practitioners can enhance the sustainability and long-term impact of their initiatives. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing robust empirical evidence of the mediating effect of territory in the relationship between social innovation and territorial development. These novel insights advance our understanding of the interplay between social innovation initiatives and territorial outcomes, offering context-specific knowledge with broader implications for social innovation initiatives worldwide.   Keywords: social innovation; territory; territorial development; PLS-SEM. JEL Classification: O15, O17, O31, Q01 Paper type: Empirical researc

Water Confinement in Nanoporous Silica Materials

International audienceThe influence of the surface polarity of cylindrical silica nanopores and the presence of Na + ions as compensating charges on the structure and dynamics of confined water has been investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. A comparison between three different matrixes has been included: a protonated nanopore (PP, with SiOH groups), a deprotonated material (DP, with negatively charged surface groups), and a compensated-charge framework (CC, with sodium cations compensating the negative surface charge). The structure of water inside the different pores shows significant differences in terms of layer organization and hydrogen bonding network. Inside the CC pore the innermost layer is lost to be replaced by a quasi bulk phase. The electrostatic field generated by the DP pore is felt from the surface to the centre of pore leading to a strong orientation of water molecules even in the central part of the pore. Water dynamics inside both the PP and DP pores shows significant differences with respect to the CC pore in which the sub-diffusive regime of water is lost for a superdiffusive regime

Microphase separation of a miscible binary liquid mixture under confinement at the nanoscale

International audienc

Unravelling the Anomalous Dielectric Permittivity of Nanoconfined Electrolyte Solutions

International audienceThe dielectric properties of sodium chloride solutions confined in a hydrophilic nanocavity were investigated by means of molecular dynamics simulations. Unlike what is observed in the bulk phase, three dielectric regimes were evidenced, namely an anomalous increase in the dielectric permittivity at low concentrations (with respect to confined pure water), a dielectric plateau at intermediate concentrations and finally a bulk-like behavior for salt concentrations higher than a critical value. It was shown that this peculiar behavior results from the competition between dielectric saturation due to the electric field generated by ions (which tends to lower the dielectric permittivity) and the ion-induced perturbation of pre-oriented water molecules inside the nanocavity which gain some rotational degrees of freedom (entropic contribution) leading to an increase in dipolar fluctuations responsible for the increase in the dielectric permittivity

Computation of the hindrance factor for the diffusion for nanoconfined ions: molecular dynamics simulations versus continuum-based models

Special Issue: Thermodynamics 2011 ConferenceInternational audienceWe report the self-diffusion coefficients and hindrance factor for the diffusion of ions into cylindrical hydrophilic silica nanopores (hydrated silica) determined from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We make a comparison with the hindered diffusion coefficients used in continuum-based models of nanofiltration (NF). Hindrance factors for diffusion estimated from the macroscopic hydrodynamic theory were found to be in fair quantitative agreement with MD simulations for a protonated pore, but they strongly overestimate diffusion inside a deprotonated pore

Zhu et al. Reply

International audienceA Reply to the Comment by S. Gekle and A. Arnold. Original Article: Stephan Gekle and Axel Arnold, Comment on "Anomalous Dielectric Behavior of Nanoconfined Electrolytic Solutions", Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 089801 (2013)

How does the electronic continuum model perform in the prediction of the surface tension of salt solutions?

International audienceThe electronic continuum (EC) model uses a scaling of the charges of the ions in order to model implicitly the polarization into nonpolarizable models. This scaling procedure is applied here to two standard nonpolarizable force fields to investigate the salt concentration dependence of the surface tension and density of NaCl aqueous solutions. The composition of the interface and the orientation of the water molecules at the water surface are reported for different combinations of force fields

Is V̇O2peak a Valid Estimation of V̇O2max in Swimmers with Physical Impairments?

Peak and maximal oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively) are used in assessing aerobic power. For swimmers with physical impairments, it is unclear whether the physiological variables obtained in 200-m and Nx200-m tests are similar. The objective of this study is to assess the validity of [Formula: see text] as an estimator of [Formula: see text] and complementary physiological variables, in particular, carbon dioxide production ([Formula: see text]), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), minute-ventilation ([Formula: see text] and absolute (HR) and relative (%HRmax) heart rates-which were obtained in a time trial test (200-m) and an incremental intermittent test (Nx200-m) performed by swimmers with physical impairments. Methods: Eleven well-trained swimmers with physical impairments performed 200-m all-out and Nx200-m from low to all-out (controlled by a visual pacer), both with a respiratory valve system and a portable gas analyzer. Results: A paired Student's t-test showed no statistical difference (p > .05) for all comparisons. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.97 and 0.98 for [Formula: see text] in l/min and ml/kg/min, respectively; ICC = 0.75 to 0.9 for [Formula: see text] (l/min and ml/kg/min),[Formula: see text] (in l/min) and HR (beats/min); ICC = 0.5 and 0.75 for %HRmax; and ICC < 0.5 for RER. Passing-Bablok regression showed that the dispersions were acceptable, considering the proportionality, except for HR and %HRmax. Bland-Altman method showed a high level of agreement for all variables. Conclusions: The [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], as well as the physiological variables [Formula: see text] and HR obtained, respectively, by 200-m and Nx200-m tests in swimmers with physical impairment were not different.The study was approved by the local ethics committee (number 2.274.037) and was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio