A Dynamic Knowledge Management Framework for the High Value Manufacturing Industry

Dynamic Knowledge Management (KM) is a combination of cultural and technological factors, including the cultural factors of people and their motivations, technological factors of content and infrastructure and, where these both come together, interface factors. In this paper a Dynamic KM framework is described in the context of employees being motivated to create profit for their company through product development in high value manufacturing. It is reported how the framework was discussed during a meeting of the collaborating company’s (BAE Systems) project stakeholders. Participants agreed the framework would have most benefit at the start of the product lifecycle before key decisions were made. The framework has been designed to support organisational learning and to reward employees that improve the position of the company in the market place

Regional Interest Rate Pass-Through in Italy

Regional interest rate pass-through in Italy, Regional Studies. This paper estimates the pass-through and speed of adjustment of Italian regional interest rates to changes in the money market rate for the period 1998Q1–2009Q4. The main findings suggest that the mark-ups for the lending rates that banks charge are generally higher in the South than in the North. Moreover, the empirical results indicate that the pass-through tends to be longer in Southern regions. Furthermore, little support is found for the hypothesis that regional banks react asymmetrically when adjusting their loan rates when these are above or below equilibrium levels, but some evidence supporting an upward rigidity in the regional deposit rates is detected

Financial stability, wealth effects and optimal macroeconomic policy combination in the United Kingdom: A New-Keynesian Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium Framework

This study derives an optimal macroeconomic policy combination for financial sector stability in the United Kingdom by employing a New Keynesian Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (NK-DSGE) framework. The empirical results obtained show that disciplined fiscal and accommodative monetary policies stance is optimal for financial sector stability. Furthermore, fiscal indiscipline countered by contractionary monetary stance adversely affects financial sector stability. Financial markets, e.g. stocks and Gilts show a short-term asymmetric response to macroeconomic policy interaction and to each other. The asymmetry is a reflection of portfolio adjustment. However in the long-run, the responses to suggested optimal policy combination had homogenous effects and there was evidence of co-movement in the stock and Gilt markets

The porin and the permeating antibiotic: A selective diffusion barrier in gram-negative bacteria

Gram-negative bacteria are responsible for a large proportion of antibiotic resistant bacterial diseases. These bacteria have a complex cell envelope that comprises an outer membrane and an inner membrane that delimit the periplasm. The outer membrane contains various protein channels, called porins, which are involved in the influx of various compounds, including several classes of antibiotics. Bacterial adaptation to reduce influx through porins is an increasing problem worldwide that contributes, together with efflux systems, to the emergence and dissemination of antibiotic resistance. An exciting challenge is to decipher the genetic and molecular basis of membrane impermeability as a bacterial resistance mechanism. This Review outlines the bacterial response towards antibiotic stress on altered membrane permeability and discusses recent advances in molecular approaches that are improving our knowledge of the physico-chemical parameters that govern the translocation of antibiotics through porin channel

Renal Trauma in the West of Ireland — A Regional Review

There is a paucity of data regarding renal trauma. The majority of cases of renal trauma are amenable to conservative management. We sought to streamline the management of renal trauma in the west of Ireland. Patients presenting with a computerised tomogram–confirmed renal injury were assessed over 5 years. Patient demographics, injury details, initial emergency department management, definitive management, and follow-up were assessed. Renal trauma was graded in a blind fashion (I-V). Twenty-five patients were identified; male:female (23:2). The mean age was 26 years. The majority of renal traumas were managed conservatively (92%); 8% patients underwent nephrectomy. The common mechanisms of renal injuries were road traffic accidents (44%). The majority of cases of renal injuries occur as a result of blunt trauma and can be conservatively treated. Two nephrectomies (8%) were performed. We believe this study potentially can be beneficial as part of an all-Ireland trauma database to improve patient outcome

Macroeconomic policy interaction: State dependency and implications for financial stability in UK: A systemic review

The association between economic and financial stabilities and influence of macroeconomic policies on the financial sector creates scope of active policy role in financial stability. As a contribution to the existing body of knowledge, this study has analysed the implications of macroeconomic policy interaction/coordination for financial stability, proxied by financial assets, i.e. equity and bonds price oscillation. The critical review and analysis of the existing literature on the subject suggests that there is also ample evidence of interdependence between monetary and fiscal policies and this interrelation necessitates coordination between them for the sake of financial stability. There is also a case for analysing the symmetry of financial markets responses to macroeconomic policy interaction. On methodological and empirical grounds, it is vital to test the robustness of policy recommendations to overcome the limitation of a single empirical approach (Jeffrey–Lindley’s paradox). Hence, the Frequentist and Bayesian approaches should be used in commentary manner. The policy interaction and optimal policy combination should also be analysed in the context of institutional design and major financial events to gain insight into the implications of policy interaction in the periods of stable economic and financial environments as well as period of financial and economic distress