Strategic Alliances - a differentiated view

The common literature about strategic alliances offers a very fragmented picture. This thesis gives a theoretical overview on strategic alliances and builds the basis for the following examination of the different dimensions most strategic alliances have. The examination of the different dimensions is the crucial point of this thesis. Here the reader gets a detailed insight into the different dimensions and the implications they have on the design of a particular strategic alliance. This examination leads in the end to a more differentiated view on strategic alliances and the insight that no simple models exist, which give a sufficient basis for decision-making and understanding strategic alliances, today. The thesis concludes with an outlook into the future and some prognoses what topics have to be examined more carefully

Turbulence in the Watchmaking Field: A Socioecological Approach to Strategizing

The Swiss Watchmaking Field is again entering a period of turbulence (Emery and Trist 1965) due to regulatory changes, the emergence of connected devices, volatile consumer behavior, currency changes, and relations among these factors that may challenge the capabilities for adaptation of key firms. Ramirez and Selsky (2014) suggested that in turbulent environments, a socio-ecological strategy approach emphasizing collaboration at a field level rather than competition is advisable. Based on multiple case study research, we empirically examine the application of contrasting strategic stances and principles comparing competitive strategy with the socio-ecological approach. We assess the presence of the transition, heterogeneity and subjectivity principles and how a coopetition strategic stance fares in the context of the Swiss Watchmaking Industry. We conclude by exploring new research venues

Tube shape selection for heat recovery from particle-laden exhaust gas streams

Heat recovery from exhaust gas streams is applicable to a wide variety of industries. Two problems encountered in exhaust gas heat recovery are: the high heat transfer resistance of gases and the presence of entrained particulate matter, which can limit the use of extended surface area. Standard heat exchangers use round tube. This study uses Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to investigate whether round or another shape is the best tube selection for exhaust heat recovery. Tube shape rankings are based on taking into account heat transfer, gas flow resistance and foulability. Foulability is inferred from the average wall shear stress around the front or back of each shape. An estimated asymptotic fouling resistance is used to calculate an equivalent fouled j factor, jf. CFD results suggest the best tube for exhaust heat recovery is an elliptical tube. The ellipse shape produced j/f and jf/f ratios (where f is the tube bank friction factor) over 1.5 times larger than that of standard round tube. A flattened round tube is also promising and may be the practical and economic optimum

Antecedents of Consumer Engagement in Electronic Word-Of-Mouth (EWOM) Under Consideration of Deviations Between Genders

Electronic word of mouth (eWOM) is one of the most investigated topics in contemporary marketing research and its strong impact on brand perceptions and purchase intention is making it essential for both practitioners and researchers. Several academic studies analysed the effectiveness of eWOM communication and how it influences a consumer’s purchase intention. On the contrary, few studies analysed a consumer’s antecedents to spread eWOM. This study applies the self-determination theory (SDT) from social psychology, or particularly the concept of extrinsic and altruistic motivation to explain a consumer’s eWOM intention. Indeed, some existing eWOM studies were drawing back on the SDT before, yet the novelty of this study is a broader concept of extrinsic motivation, containing the subordinate factors self-enhancement, social benefit and economic incentives. Furthermore, based on Putrevu (2001), who identified behavioural differences among genders, this study analysed these differences in an eWOM context. This study examined survey data from 223 respondents in order to analyse popular eWOM platform in consideration of age and gender and to analyse if extrinsic and altruistic motivation significantly influences one’s eWOM intention. Moreover, literature from the avenue of social psychology indicates a higher degree of altruistic behaviour for females and a stronger extrinsically orientation for males. Therefore, it has been tested if those gender differences also hold up in the eWOM context. The results of this study show significant differences in the popularity of eWOM platforms between different age groups, yet differences between genders could not be proven. Additionally, the conceptualised research model to predict a consumer’s eWOM intention yield good results, as it explains 26% of the variance. Moreover, a significantly positive influence of extrinsic motivation on eWOM intention could be evidenced

A multiport partial power processing converter with energy storage integration for EV stationary charging

Battery storage system (BSS) integration in fast charging station (FCS) is becoming popular to achieve higher charging rates with peak-demand shaping possibility. However, the additional conversion stage for integrating the BSS increases the system losses, size and cost. The concept of partial power processing converter (PPPC), can mitigate this effect. Compared to conventional used full power processing converter, PPPC reduces the amount of transferred power from the BSS to the electric vehicle by the converter. As a consequence, the power losses generated by the converter are reduced, leading to lower sized converters and higher system efficiencies. This paper proposes a DC/DC multiport converter which allows the integration of battery storage in FCS based on a partial power processing concept, while maintaining the specific requirements in terms of isolation for FCS. The proposed three-port partial power processing converter (3P-PPPC) is derived from the commonly used triple active bridge (TAB) converter. The resulting design trade-offs, the dynamic behavior and limitations of the topology are investigated. Furthermore, the round-trip efficiency of the 3P-PPPC for integrating BSS in FCS is compared with conventional full power processing converter solutions, highlighting the superiority of the proposed topology. A prototype has been built to validate the 3P-PPPC

50-W average power Ho:YAG SESAM-modelocked thin-disk oscillator at 2.1 um

Ultrafast laser systems operating with high-average power in the wavelength range from 1.9 um to 3 um are of interest for a wide range of applications for example in spectroscopy, material processing and as drivers for secondary sources in the XUV spectral region. In this area, laser systems based on holmium-doped gain materials directly emitting at 2.1 um have made significant progress over the past years, however so far only very few results were demonstrated in power-scalable high-power laser geometries. In particular, the thin-disk geometry is promising for directly modelocked oscillators with high average power levels that are comparable to amplifier systems at MHz repetition rate. In this paper, we demonstrate Semiconductor Saturable Absorber Mirror (SESAM) modelocked Ho:YAG thin-disk lasers (TDLs) emitting at 2.1 um wavelength with record-holding performance levels. In our highest average power configuration, we reach 50 W of average power, with 1.13 ps pulses, 2.11 uJ of pulse energy and ~1.9 MW of peak power. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the highest average power, as well as the highest output pulse energy so far demonstrated from a modelocked laser in the 2 um wavelength region. This record performance level was enabled by the recent development of high-power GaSb-based SESAMs with low loss, adapted for high intracavity power and pulse energy. We also explore the limitations in terms of reaching shorter pulse durations at high power with this gain material in the disk geometry and using SESAM modelocking, and present first steps in this direction, with the demonstration of 30 W of output power, with 692 fs pulses in another laser configuration.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figure