On the extraction of weak transition strengths via the (3He,t) reaction at 420 MeV

Differential cross sections for transitions of known weak strength were measured with the (3He,t) reaction at 420 MeV on targets of 12C, 13C, 18O, 26Mg, 58Ni, 60Ni, 90Zr, 118Sn, 120Sn and 208Pb. Using this data, it is shown the proportionalities between strengths and cross sections for this probe follow simple trends as a function of mass number. These trends can be used to confidently determine Gamow-Teller strength distributions in nuclei for which the proportionality cannot be calibrated via beta-decay strengths. Although theoretical calculations in distorted-wave Born approximation overestimate the data, they allow one to understand the main experimental features and to predict deviations from the simple trends observed in some of the transitions.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Beta-delayed proton emission in the 100Sn region

Beta-delayed proton emission from nuclides in the neighborhood of 100Sn was studied at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. The nuclei were produced by fragmentation of a 120 MeV/nucleon 112Sn primary beam on a Be target. Beam purification was provided by the A1900 Fragment Separator and the Radio Frequency Fragment Separator. The fragments of interest were identified and their decay was studied with the NSCL Beta Counting System (BCS) in conjunction with the Segmented Germanium Array (SeGA). The nuclei 96Cd, 98Ing, 98Inm and 99In were identified as beta-delayed proton emitters, with branching ratios bp = 5.5(40)%, 5.5+3 -2%, 19(2)% and 0.9(4)%, respectively. The bp for 89Ru, 91,92Rh, 93Pd and 95Ag were deduced for the first time with bp = 3+1.9 -1.7%, 1.3(5)%, 1.9(1)%, 7.5(5)% and 2.5(3)%, respectively. The bp = 22(1)% for 101Sn was deduced with higher precision than previously reported. The impact of the newly measured bp values on the composition of the type-I X-ray burst ashes was studied.Comment: 15 pages, 14 Figures, 4 Table

Corporate governance and financial constraints on strategic turnarounds

The paper extends the Robbins and Pearce (1992) two-stage turnaround response model to include governance factors. In addition to the retrenchment and recovery, the paper proposes the addition of a realignment stage, referring specifically to the re-alignment of expectations of principal and agent groups. The realignment stage imposes a threshold that must be crossed before the retrenchment and hence recovery stage can be entered. Crossing this threshold is problematic to the extent that the interests of governance-stakeholder groups diverge in a crisis situation. The severity of the crisis impacts on the bases of strategy contingent asset valuation leading to the fragmentation of stakeholder interests. In some cases the consequence may be that management are prevented from carrying out turnarounds by governance constraints. The paper uses a case study to illustrate these dynamics, and like the Robbins and Pearce study, it focuses on the textile industry. A longitudinal approach is used to show the impact of the removal of governance constraints. The empirical evidence suggests that such financial constraints become less serious to the extent that there is a functioning market for corporate control. Building on governance research and turnaround literature, the paper also outlines the general case necessary and sufficient conditions for successful turnarounds

The 150^{150}Nd(3^3He,tt) and 150^{150}Sm(tt,3^3He) reactions with applications to ββ\beta\beta decay of 150^{150}Nd

The $^{150}$Nd($^3$He,$t$) reaction at 140 MeV/u and $^{150}$Sm($t$,$^3$He) reaction at 115 MeV/u were measured, populating excited states in $^{150}$Pm. The transitions studied populate intermediate states of importance for the (neutrinoless) $\beta\beta$ decay of $^{150}$Nd to $^{150}$Sm. Monopole and dipole contributions to the measured excitation-energy spectra were extracted by using multipole decomposition analyses. The experimental results were compared with theoretical calculations obtained within the framework of Quasiparticle Random-Phase Approximation (QRPA), which is one of the main methods employed for estimating the half-life of the neutrinoless $\beta\beta$ decay ($0\nu\beta\beta$) of $^{150}$Nd. The present results thus provide useful information on the neutrino responses for evaluating the $0\nu\beta\beta$ and $2\nu\beta\beta$ matrix elements. The $2\nu\beta\beta$ matrix element calculated from the Gamow-Teller transitions through the lowest $1^{+}$ state in the intermediate nucleus is maximally about half of that deduced from the half-life measured in $2\nu\beta\beta$ direct counting experiments and at least several transitions through $1^{+}$ intermediate states in $^{150}$Pm are required to explain the $2\nu\beta\beta$ half-life. Because Gamow-Teller transitions in the $^{150}$Sm($t$,$^3$He) experiment are strongly Pauli-blocked, the extraction of Gamow-Teller strengths was complicated by the excitation of the $2\hbar\omega$, $\Delta L=0$, $\Delta S=1$ isovector spin-flip giant monopole resonance (IVSGMR). However, the near absence of Gamow-Teller transition strength made it possible to cleanly identify this resonance, and the strength observed is consistent with the full exhaustion of the non-energy-weighted sum rule for the IVSGMR.Comment: 18 pages, 13 figures, 2 table

Human Resources and the Resource Based View of the Firm

The resource-based view (RBV) of the firm has influenced the field of strategic human resource management (SHRM) in a number of ways. This paper explores the impact of the RBV on the theoretical and empirical development of SHRM. It explores how the fields of strategy and SHRM are beginning to converge around a number of issues, and proposes a number of implications of this convergence

Using rival effects to identify synergies and improve merger typologies

"The strategic management literature has found it difficult to differentiate between collusive and efficiency-based synergies in horizontal merger activity. We propose a schematic to classify mergers that yields more information on merger types and merger effects, and that can, moreover, distinguish between mergers characterized largely by collusion-based synergies and mergers characterized largely by efficiency-based synergies. Crucial to the proposed measurement procedure is that it encompasses the impact of merger events not only on merging firms - as is custom - but also on non-merging competitor firms (the rivals). Employing the event-study methodology with stock-market data on samples of large horizontal mergers drawn from the US and UK (an Anglo-Saxon sub-sample) and from the European continent, we demonstrate how the proposed schematic can better clarify the nature of merger activity." (author's abstract)"Die Literatur über strategisches Management hatte bisher Schwierigkeiten, zwischen wettbewerbsschädlichen und Effizienz steigenden Synergien bei horizontalen Zusammenschlüssen zu differenzieren. Wir schlagen einen konzeptionellen Rahmen vor, um Fusionen zu klassifizieren, welcher mehr Informationen sowohl über die Fusionstypologie als auch über die Wirkung von Zusammenschlüssen entschlüsselt und welcher eine klare Abgrenzung zwischen wettbewerbsschädlichen und wettbewerbsfreundlichen Fusionen erlaubt. Fundamental für diesen konzeptionellen Rahmen ist, dass er nicht nur die Wirkung der Fusion auf die fusionierenden Unternehmen (was typisch in der Literatur ist) umfasst, sondern auch ihre Wirkung auf die Rentabilität der Wettbewerber. Wir wenden eine Ereignisstudienmethode mit Aktiendaten an, um unsere Kategorisierung empirisch umzusetzen. Im Vergleich einer Stichprobe von Fusionen in der angelsächsischen Welt (US und Großbritannien) mit Fusionen zwischen kontinentaleuropäischen Firmen zeigen wir, wie unsere Methodologie hilfreich sein kann, die Art der Fusionsaktivitäten zu identifizieren." (Autorenreferat

Production and β\beta decay of rp-process nuclei 96^{96}Cd, 98^{98}In and 100^{100}Sn

The $\beta$-decay properties of the N=Z nuclei $^{96}$Cd, $^{98}$In and $^{100}$Sn have been studied. These nuclei were produced at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) by fragmenting a 120 MeV/nucleon $^{112}$Sn primary beam on a Be target. The resulting radioactive beam was filtered in the A1900 and the newly commissioned Radio Frequency Fragment Separator (RFFS) to achieve a purity level suitable for decay studies. The observed production cross sections of these nuclei are lower than predicted by factors of 10 to 30. The $^{100}$Sn production cross section is 0.25(15) pb, in sharp contrast with the 120 pb lower limit established at 63 MeV/nucleon incident energy of the same primary beam. The deduced half-life of $^{100}$Sn is 0.55$^{+0.70}_{-0.31}$ s, in agreement with previous measurements. Two $\beta$-decaying states in $^{98}$In were observed with measured half-lives of 47(13) ms and 0.66(40) s. The half-life of $^{96}$Cd, which was the last experimentally unknown waiting point half-life of the astrophysical rp-process, is 1.03$^{+0.24}_{-0.21}$ s. The implications of the experimental T$_{1/2}$ value of $^{96}$Cd on the abundances predicted by rp-process calculations and the origin of A=96 isobars such as $^{96}$Ru are explored

High-spin {\mu}s isomeric states in 96Ag

The isomeric and {\beta} decays of the N = Z +2 nucleus 96Ag were investigated at NSCL. A cascade of {\gamma}-ray transitions originating from the de-excitation of a {\mu}s isomer was observed for the first time and was found in coincidence with two previously-known transitions with energies of 470 and 667 keV. The isomeric half-life was determined as 1.45(7) {\mu}s, more precise than previously reported. The existence of a second, longer-lived {\mu}s isomer, associated with a 743-keV transition, is also proposed here. Shell model results within the (p_{3/2}p_{1/2}f_{5/2}g_{9/2}) model space, using the jj44b interaction, reproduced level energies and isomeric decay half-lives reasonably well

Composition of the Top Management Team and Firm International Diversification

This study investigates the impact of various top management team characteristics on firm international diversification. Relying on data from 126 firms in the electronics industry, we find that certain top management team characteristics are related to international expansion. Specifically, results indicate that lower average age, higher average tenure, higher average elite education, higher average international experience, and higher tenure heterogeneity are associated with firm international diversification. The study reinforces the importance of top management team composition in internationalization decisions and suggests further research in this context.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline