HETERARCHICAL COORDINATION IN INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL NETWORKS: EVIDENCE FROM THE TOURISM INDUSTRY

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to report the results of a qualitative research on heterarchical coordination within an interorganizational network in the tourism sector. Design/Methodology/Approach – The study follows the qualitative approach and case study research design. The main data collection techniques were semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Data triangulation was used to collect and analyze qualitative research data and narrative form supported the presentation of the results. Findings – The study has shown the nature, strengths and weaknesses of heterarchical coordination within the distributed inter-firm network. Based on the study, heterarchy is an appropriate form of coordination for distributed inter-firm networks with a high proportion of SMEs operating in the tourism sector. Heterarchy supports a high level of engagement of focal firms in joint activities and emergent growth of the whole community. Originality of the research – The study brings a new overview of coordination mechanisms in inter-firm networks and identifies the characteristics and conditions of heterarchical coordination in a distributed cooperative network. The results of the study are useful for scholars studying business networks as well as for managers and local authorities responsible for managing and supporting inter-firm networks in tourism destinations

JAK MYŚLĄ STRATEDZY? O ZBIEŻNYCH I ROZBIEŻNYCH ORIENTACJACH W MYŚLENIU STRATEGICZNYM

The goal of the paper is to present the literature review results and empirical findings on combining opposite orientations within a strategic thinking style. The construct with five independent dimensions describing a strategic thinking style was conceptualized based on a systematic literature review and used as a framework in the qualitative study. The empirical study includes individual in-depth interviews (n=18) with top-level managers. The findings show it is possible to combine opposite orientations in all five identified dimensions describing the strategic thinking style in line with the literature on paradoxes and strategic ambidexterity.  Keywords: strategic thinking, strategic thinking styles, paradox, strategic ambidexterity  JEL classification codes: L2, L20, L21, M12Celem artykułu jest zbadanie możliwości łączenia przeciwstawnych orientacji w ramach stylu myślenia strategicznego. W artykule dokonano prezentacji wyników badań literaturowych i empirycznych. Na podstawie systematycznego przeglądu literatury został opracowany wielowymiarowy konstrukt opisujący styl myślenia strategicznego, który następnie wykorzystano jako podstawę w badaniach jakościowych. Badania te obejmowały indywidualne wywiady pogłębione (IDIs) (n = 18) z menedżerami najwyższego szczebla. Uzyskane wyniki wskazują na możliwość łączenia przeciwstawnych orientacji w ramach wszystkich pięciu zidentyfikowanych wymiarów opisujących styl myślenia strategicznego, wpisując się tym samym w dorobek literaturowy z obszaru paradoksów i oburęczności strategicznej. Słowa kluczowe: myślenie strategiczne, style myślenia strategicznego, paradoks, oburęczność strategiczna Kody klasyfikacji JEL: L2, L20, L21, M1

Effect of mutation in MC4R gene on carcass quality in Pulawska pig included in conservation breeding programme

In addition to highly productive breeds of pigs, Polish breeders keep local pigs subject to the conservation programme including Pulawska (P) pig. Analysis of records spanning 20 years showed that lean content of P carcass increased from 41.43% in 1983 to 45.68% in 2003, with a simultaneous decrease in fat content. Considering the relatively high rate of changes in these traits, it would be interesting to find out parameters that could serve as a criterion for evaluating the degree of heterozygosity in P pig. The aim of this study was, therefore, to determine the melanocortin receptor gene polymorphism in P pig and its effect on carcass quality. The study involved 66 P fatteners. After slaughter and 24-hour cooling at 4°C, linear measurements of carcasses were taken and dissection was made according to the Walstra and Merkus method. Genotype analysis showed the highest frequency of MC4R A/G and the lowest of MC4R A/A animals. Frequency of the allele MC4R A was only by 15.2 per cent units lower than that of the MC4R G allele. The MC4R A allele showed a significant effect on increasing backfat thickness, especially over the loin and was significantly correlated with a greater fat amount of neck. Animals with the A allele at the MC4R locus were also characterized by a significantly lower amount of lean in this cut. The results obtained for frequency of different genotypes in P pig could serve as reference values for selection-induced changes, thus reflecting the level of genetic variation in the breed

Screening for candidate genes related with histological microstructure, meat quality and carcass characteristic in pig based on RNA-seq data

Objective The aim of the present study was to identify genetic variants based on RNA-seq data, obtained via transcriptome sequencing of muscle tissue of pigs differing in muscle histological structure, and to verify the variants’ effect on histological microstructure and production traits in a larger pig population. Methods RNA-seq data was used to identify the panel of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly related with percentage and diameter of each fiber type (I, IIA, IIB). Detected polymorphisms were mapped to quantitative trait loci (QTLs) regions. Next, the association study was performed on 944 animals representing five breeds (Landrace, Large White, Pietrain, Duroc, and native Puławska breed) in order to evaluate the relationship of selected SNPs and histological characteristics, meat quality and carcasses traits. Results Mapping of detected genetic variants to QTL regions showed that chromosome 14 was the most overrepresented with the identification of four QTLs related to percentage of fiber types I and IIA. The association study performed on a 293 longissimus muscle samples confirmed a significant positive effect of transforming acidic coiled-coil-containing protein 2 (TACC2) polymorphisms on fiber diameter, while SNP within forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) locus was associated with decrease of diameter of fiber types IIA and IIB. Moreover, subsequent general linear model analysis showed significant relationship of FOXO1, delta 4-desaturase, sphingolipid 1 (DEGS1), and troponin T2 (TNNT2) genes with loin ‘eye’ area, FOXO1 with loin weight, as well as FOXO1 and TACC2 with lean meat percentage. Furthermore, the intramuscular fat content was positively associated (p<0.01) with occurrence of polymorphisms within DEGS1, TNNT2 genes and negatively with occurrence of TACC2 polymorphism. Conclusion This study’s results indicate that the SNP calling analysis based on RNA-seq data can be used to search candidate genes and establish the genetic basis of phenotypic traits. The presented results can be used for future studies evaluating the use of selected SNPs as genetic markers related to muscle histological profile and production traits in pig breeding

Strategiczni myśliciele w świetle przeglądu literatury i studiów biograficznych

The main goal of the research was to present fundamental conceptualisations of strategic thinking and strategic thinkers. A thorough literature review led to conceptual conclusions with regards to the understanding of strategic thinking definitions and strategic thinkers’ place in the organisation, as well as characteristics differentiating them from other types of leaders. In the manuscript we also present how strategists vary, forming specific types of strategic thinkers. This led to the identification of a research gap and a goal of strategic thinkers’ typology development. Thanks to biographic studies all strategic thinker types have been illustrated with examples of well-known business leaders. // Celem podjętych badań było przedstawienie podstaw teoretycznych koncepcji myślenia strategicznego i myślicieli strategicznych, a także cech różnicujących strategów. Pogłębiona analiza literatury pozwoliła ustalić, jak najczęściej rozumiane jest myślenie strategiczne i co stanowi jego istotę, a także kim jest myśliciel strategiczny, za co w organizacji odpowiada i jakie cechy wyróżniają go wśród innych liderów. W rozdziale wskazano także na różnice występujące pomiędzy myślicielami strategicznymi, identyfikując tym samym lukę badawczą dotyczącą typologii strategów (strategic thinkers). Dzięki przeprowadzonym studiom biograficznym poszczególne typy myślicieli strategicznych zostały zilustrowane przykładami znanych postaci ze świata biznesu

Expression of DLK1 and MEG3 genes in porcine tissues during postnatal development

The Drosophila-like homolog 1 (DLK1), a transmembrane signal protein similar to other members of the Notch/Delta/Serrate family, regulates the differentiation process in many types of mammalian cells. Callipyge sheep and DLK1 knockout mice are excellent examples of a fundamental role of the gene encoding DLK1 in muscle growth and fat deposition. DLK1 is located within co-regulated imprinted clusters (the DLK1/DIO3 domain), along with other imprinted genes. Some of these, e.g. the RNA coding MEG3 gene, presumedly interfere with DLK1 transcription. The aim of our study was to analyze DLK1 and MEG3 gene expression in porcine tissues (muscle, liver, kidney, heart, brain stem) during postnatal development. The highest expression of both DLK1 and MEG3 variant 1 (MEG3 var.1) was observed in the brain-stem and muscles, whereas that of MEG3 variant 2 (MEG3var.2) was the most abundant in muscles and the heart. During development (between 60 and 210 days of age) expression of analyzed genes was down-regulated in all the tissues. An exception was the brain- stem, where there was no significant change in MEG3 (both variants) mRNA level, and relatively little decline (2-fold) in that of DLK1 transcription. This may indicate a distinct function of the DLK1 gene in the brain-stem, when compared with other tissues

Behavioural strategy: Adaptability context

The paper is embedded in the following fields: strategic management in terms of behavioural strategy concept, adaptability construct, and micro-foundations realm as well as organizational theory and psychology. Moreover, the paper concerns to some extent a multi-level approach in strategic management involving individual, team, and organizational level. The aim of the paper is to contribute to extend, on one hand, the ascertainment set in the field of behavioural strategy as behavioural strategy encompasses a mindboggling diversity of topics and methods and its conceptual unity has been hard to achieve (Powell, Lovallo, Fox 2011, p. 1371), and on the other hand, to order mixed approaches to adaptability especially to gain insights on micro-level adapting processes (individual adaptability and adaptive performance) in terms of the multi-level approach. The method that has been used is literature studies and the interference is mostly deductive. The structure of the manuscript is four-fold. The first part involves the considerations in the field of adaptability and adaptive performance at the individual level. The issues of adaptability and adaptive performance at the team level have been presented in the second part. The third part encompasses the organizational adaptability assertions. Finally, the conclusion, limitations of the considerations highlighted as well as the future research directions have been emphasized. The overarching key finding is that the behavioural strategy concept may constitute the boundary spanner in exploring and explaining adaptability phenomenon at different levels of analysis

A dynamic context of behavioural strategy: managerial cognitive capabilities and organizational adaptive performance

The prior research has emphasized the importance of either individuals to organizational performance or of managerial cognition to strategic change and action and provided support for the salient role of managerial cognition in developing managerial capabilities and behaviour. Nevertheless, given that managerial perceptions may vary across industry contexts and that high and low velocity industry pose different cognitive challenges to managers, there is no prior research investigating the associations between managerial cognitive and adaptive capabilities, the individual propensity to adapt, and organizational adaptive performance in a high velocity industry, only some research has explored how individual characteristics affect the ability to develop adaptive capabilities. Hence the aim of the paper is to present a theoretical and methodological proposition exploiting a cognitive approach and a microfoundations perspective in strategic management, aiming to examine the interdependencies between managerial cognitive capabilities ,adaptive capabilities, and organizational adaptive performance as well as explore the moderators and/or mediators of that relationship. The method used is the literature review. The main findings constitute the propositions resulting from a developed conceptual framework