Under What Conditions Do Outward FDI of Emerging Market Enterprises Enhance Innovation Performance?

This paper provides some new ideas in understanding the relationship between the internationalisation of EMEs and their innovation outcomes. Due to the dramatic economic development of emerging economies, emerging market enterprises (EMEs) have increasingly participated in the internationalisation process like their counterparts in the developed markets (Godwin and Cook 2018). Although extant research and empirical studies have focused on the motives and strategies of the internationalisation of EMEs, the innovation performance of internationalized EMEs has received limited attention. While outward FDI of EMEs can enhance their innovation performance, this relationship is moderated by a series of third variables. This paper proposes three factors that may positively or negatively moderate the focal relationship, which are the speed of internationalisation, state ownership, and sub-national institutional distance. The internationalisation process model, organisational learning theories, and institution-based view are used to frame the analysis. Key words: outward FDI; emerging market enterprises; innovation

Under What Conditions Do Outward FDI of Emerging Market Enterprises Enhance Innovation Performance?

This paper provides some new ideas in understanding the relationship between the internationalisation of EMEs and their innovation outcomes. Due to the dramatic economic development of emerging economies, emerging market enterprises (EMEs) have increasingly participated in the internationalisation process like their counterparts in the developed markets (Godwin and Cook 2018). Although extant research and empirical studies have focused on the motives and strategies of the internationalisation of EMEs, the innovation performance of internationalized EMEs has received limited attention. While outward FDI of EMEs can enhance their innovation performance, this relationship is moderated by a series of third variables. This paper proposes three factors that may positively or negatively moderate the focal relationship, which are the speed of internationalisation, state ownership, and sub-national institutional distance. The internationalisation process model, organisational learning theories, and institution-based view are used to frame the analysis. Key words: outward FDI; emerging market enterprises; innovation

Calculative trust, relational trust, and organizational performance: A meta-analytic structural equation modeling approach

We draw on transaction cost economics and social exchange theory to explore how two different types of inter-organizational trust, namely, calculative trust and relational trust, affect organizational performance. Our meta-analysis of 60 empirical studies shows that both types of trust have a positive effect on organizational performance. However, the two types of trust influence organizational performance through different mediating mechanisms. Whilst calculative trust influences organizational performance through inter-organizational information exchange and uncertainty, relational trust affects organizational performance through inter-organizational communication and commitment. Our study enhances understanding of the mechanisms through which trust influences organizational performance, and also provides an explanation of the contradictory findings regarding the relationship between inter-organizational trust and organizational performance

TMT functional background heterogeneity and SMEs' performance: The role of dynamic capabilities and business environment

Drawing on the insights from upper echelons theory (UET), we advance understanding of how top management team (TMT) functional background heterogeneity (TMTFBH) influences the performance of technology-based small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Analysis based on a sample of listed Chinese SMEs shows that TMTFBH has a positive effect on firm performance. While the two dimensions of dynamic capabilities, namely, integrating capabilities and innovating capabilities, mediate this relationship, business environment positively moderates the relationship between dynamic capabilities and firm performance. The study provides a more nuanced understanding of the mechanisms and conditions underlying the effects of TMTFBH on the performance of technology-based SMEs, highlighting the role of dynamic capabilities and business environment. TMT functional background heterogeneity and SMEs' performance: The role of dynamic capabilities and business environmen

A Working Fluid Assessment for a Biomass Organic Rankine Cycle under Different Conditions

Many thermal resources are not reasonably used in the chemical industry’s production process. To recover the waste heat from organic waste residue-calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which is added to inhibit hydrogen production, an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system is applied in this research. An ORC system can reuse the low-temperature waste heat that is not fully utilized. In this study, the mathematical model of the biomass ORC power generation system is constructed. Five organic working fluids, R11, R113, R123, R141b, and R245fa, were selected from the physical characteristics and safety of working fluids. The system application case is the low-temperature heat absorption in a chemical industry’s production process. The system is simulated by Aspen Plus V11 software, so as to study and analyze the influence of different working fluids and working conditions on the system performance and to obtain the preferred working fluids under different working conditions. At the same time, the economic evaluation and entropy method of the system are evaluated by using the investment profit rate PRI from different angles. It can be found that R11 and R141b have advantages, but R11 does not have advantages in environmental aspects. Through research, it is found that it is difficult to have a working fluid that can adapt to the biomass ORC power generation system under any working conditions. This paper can provide a basis for the subsequent research and selection of working fluids in the biomass ORC system

A Working Fluid Assessment for a Biomass Organic Rankine Cycle under Different Conditions

Many thermal resources are not reasonably used in the chemical industry’s production process. To recover the waste heat from organic waste residue-calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which is added to inhibit hydrogen production, an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system is applied in this research. An ORC system can reuse the low-temperature waste heat that is not fully utilized. In this study, the mathematical model of the biomass ORC power generation system is constructed. Five organic working fluids, R11, R113, R123, R141b, and R245fa, were selected from the physical characteristics and safety of working fluids. The system application case is the low-temperature heat absorption in a chemical industry’s production process. The system is simulated by Aspen Plus V11 software, so as to study and analyze the influence of different working fluids and working conditions on the system performance and to obtain the preferred working fluids under different working conditions. At the same time, the economic evaluation and entropy method of the system are evaluated by using the investment profit rate PRI from different angles. It can be found that R11 and R141b have advantages, but R11 does not have advantages in environmental aspects. Through research, it is found that it is difficult to have a working fluid that can adapt to the biomass ORC power generation system under any working conditions. This paper can provide a basis for the subsequent research and selection of working fluids in the biomass ORC system

Oncogenic Alterations in Histologically Negative Lymph Nodes Are Associated with Prognosis of Patients with Stage I Lung Adenocarcinoma

Background: Survival of patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) varies greatly. We sought to explore whether presence of oncogenic alterations in histologically-negative lymph nodes (LNs) can be of prognostic significance in stage I lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Methods: Genomic analysis of oncogenic alterations was applied to 123 stage I LUAD tumors. The same genomic variants identified in primary tumors were examined in corresponding histologically-negative LNs. Results: A total of 102 (82.9%) patients had at least one canonical oncogenic alteration detected in primary tumors, and 57 LNs from 12 patients (11.8%) were found to carry the identical oncogenic alterations detected in the corresponding primary tumor tissues, including EGFR mutations (six cases), KRAS mutations (three cases), ALK fusion (one case), BRAF mutation (one case) and HER2 & NRAS co-mutations (one case). None of these LNs was found to have occult tumor cells by routine pathological assessment or immunohistochemistry staining using antibodies against pan-cytokeratins (AE1/AE3) and the epithelial marker Ber-EP4. The detection rate of oncogenenic alterations in LN was significantly higher in RAS-mutant tumors than EGFR mutant tumors (36.36% verse 7.41%, p = 0.017). Patients with oncogenic alterations in LN showed inferior disease-free survival (DFS, p = 0.025) and overall survival (OS, p = 0.027). Furthermore, patients with RAS-mutations detected in LN had the worst DFS and OS (p = 0.001). Among the 11 patients with RAS mutation in primary tumors, DFS and OS in the four patients with mutations detected in LN were significantly shorter than the remaining seven patients without mutations LN (DFS, p = 0.001, OS, p = 0.002). Conclusions: Genomic analysis has the potential to detect oncogenic alterations in regional LNs for localized LUAD and presence of oncogenic alterations in regional LN may be associated with inferior clinical outcome of stage I LUAD, particularly for certain molecular subgroups. ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT0426669

Immune-active tumor-adjacent tissues are associated with favorable prognosis in stage I lung squamous cell carcinoma

Summary: The immunogenomic features of tumor-adjacent lungs (TALs) in stage I lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) are not clear. Multiomics analyses of tumor tissues and paired TALs from 59 stage I LUSC patients were performed. Compared to tumors, TALs exhibited a better-preserved immune contexture indicated by upregulation of immune pathways, increased immune infiltration, and higher expression of immune effector molecules. Notably, TALs had no mutations in PTEN and KEAP1, a lower incidence of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loss and higher expression of HLA class I genes, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) I chaperones, and interferon (IFN)-γ-associated genes. Digital spatial profiling validated the generally higher immune infiltration in TALs and revealed a higher level of immune heterogeneity in LUSC tumors. Importantly, patients with higher immune infiltration in TALs had significantly longer survival, while high immune heterogeneity was associated with inferior patient survival. Our work can be considered in the selection of patients for adjuvant therapy, especially immunotherapy