Enhancing organizational performance with social media use: the catalysing effect of corporate entrepreneurship

Social Media use has become pervasive and firms are increasingly relying on it, not only to relate to customers, but also to leverage internal processes like innovation. The strategic use of these tools can facilitate also the entrepreneurial orientation of the firm, as it provides useful knowledge which can make the firm more entrepreneurial, stimulating it to find new opportunities or innovative ideas where other companies do not recognize them. However, despite the relevance of the phenomenon in current hyper-competitive environments, empirical research on the topic remains scarce. To shed some light on the issue, the main purpose of the paper is to examine how Social Media use impacts the different dimensions of corporate entrepreneurship (new business venturing, innovativeness, proactiveness and self-renewal), enhancing also organizational performance. The study is intended to extend knowledge on this topic, by providing understanding of the path firms should take to benefit from Social Media use to become more entrepreneurial and achieve higher organizational performance, developing and nurturing competitive advantages. The paper analyses data obtained from a sample of 201 technological firms located in Spain. The methodology used is Structural equation modelling with LISREL analysis. Findings confirms how the use of Social Media tools positively impacted all the different dimensions of corporate entrepreneurship, translating also in enhanced performance. This paper contributes to the literature by empirically confirming in a structural model how Social Media use helps to create business value, by enhancing proactive behaviours, promoting strategic renewal inside the firm and increasing innovativeness and new business venturing and displaying the internal and sequential relationships among these dimensions.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Determinantes del tipo impositivo efectivo en el sector turístico: un modelo dinámico con datos de panel

This paper presents a dynamic model of the Effective Tax Rate (ETR) in the tourism sector. A dynamic model where the lagged endogenous variable ETR has been included as a regressor to identify the dynamic structure of the variable due to the existence of temporal adjustments between the short and long run in ETR payments has been estimated. The empirical analysis based on a panel data set over the 2008-2013 period explores the determinants of the ETR variable by using a Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) estimator controlling for heterogeneity in the tourism sector. The Arellano-Bond system GMM estimator has been used to estimate the model. The study seeks to shed light on the determinants of tax burden in the tourism sector covering the lack of studies on this topic. The findings obtained suggest that the ETR borne is determined by size, financing structure and type of entity. We deem the finding of the existence of non-linear relationships between ETR and size and financing structure relevant.Este artículo presenta un modelo dinámico para el Tipo Impositivo Efectivo (TIE) en el sector turístico. Este modelo dinámico ha sido estimado usando la variable endógena retardada TIE como regresor para identificar la estructura dinámica de dicha variable, debido a la existencia de ajustes entre el corto y largo plazo en los pagos del TIE. El análisis empírico basado en datos de panel en el periodo 2008-2013 explora los determinantes de la variable TIE utilizándose el estimador del Método Generalizado de Momentos (GMM) controlando la heterogeneidad en el sector turístico. El estimador de Arellano-Bond ha sido utilizado para estimar el modelo. Este estudio busca arrojar luz sobre los determinantes de las cargas impositivas en el sector turístico debido a la escasez de estudios en esta materia. Los resultados obtenidos sugieren que el TIE se encuentra determinado por el tamaño, la estructura financiera y el tipo de empresa. Igualmente consideramos relevante el hallazgo de relaciones no lineales entre el TIE y el tamaño y la estructura de financiación

El impacto de las redes sociales digitales en las administraciones locales. Mitos y realidades en el caso español

Les xarxes socials digitals han començat a ésser eines d’ús freqüent en les administracions públiques espanyoles en els últims anys. Hi ha elevades expectatives per part dels ajuntaments de què aquestes tecnologies socials puguin ajudar-los a millorar la seva relació amb la ciutadania. No obstant això, amb prou feines trobem estudis a Espanya que explorin el procés d’adopció de les xarxes socials digitals i les seves repercussions. Aquest article proporciona dades empíriques sobre el seu ús als ajuntaments espanyols de més de 50.000 habitants. Seguint un enfocament teòric basat en el neoinstitucionalisme en el sector públic, aquest article aborda les següents preguntes de recerca: quines són les principals estratègies plantejades per al foment de les xarxes socials en les administracions locals? Quin és el nivell de desenvolupament en el procés d’implementació de les xarxes socials dins del sector públic local? Metodològicament, les dades per a aquest article deriven d’un qüestionari dirigit als responsables de la gestió de les xarxes socials en els municipis objecte de l’anàlisi. Els primers resultats mostren una alta difusió d’aquestes tecnologies, si bé hi ha mancances en les estratègies, mentre el seu desenvolupament dins de les organitzacions és encara incipient i amb prou feines ha aconseguit la seva institucionalització. Per tant, aquest article contribueix al creixent camp d’estudi de les xarxes socials digitals en les administracions públiques, així com a la seva consolidació en l’àmbit de parla hispana.Social media have begun to be frequently used by the Spanish government in recent years. Municipalities harbour high expectations that these social technologies can help them improve their relations with citizens. However; in Spain there are few studies that explore the process of adopting social media and their impact. This article provides empirical data on their use in Spanish municipalities of over 50 000 inhabitants. Following a theoretical approach based on neo-institutionalism in the public sector; this article addresses the following research questions: What are the main strategies laid out for promoting social media in local government? What is the level of development in the process of implementing social media within the local public sector? Methodologically; data for this article were drawn from a questionnaire sent to the heads of social media management in the municipalities under analysis. Early results show a high take-up of these technologies; although there are gaps in strategies; while their development within organisations is still in its infancy and their use has hardly been institutionalised. Therefore; this article contributes to the growing field of study of social media in public administration and their consolidation in the Spanish-speaking area.Las redes sociales digitales han comenzado a ser herramientas de uso frecuente en las administraciones públicas españolas en los últimos años. Existen elevadas expectativas por parte de los ayuntamientos de que estas tecnologías sociales puedan ayudarlos a mejorar su relación con la ciudadanía. Sin embargo, apenas existen estudios en España que exploren el proceso de adopción de las redes sociales digitales y sus repercusiones. Este artículo proporciona datos empíricos sobre su uso en los ayuntamientos españoles de más de 50.000 habitantes. Siguiendo un enfoque teórico basado en el neoinstitucionalismo en el sector público, este artículo aborda las siguientes preguntas de investigación: ¿Cuáles son las principales estrategias planteadas para el fomento de las redes sociales en las administraciones locales? ¿Cuál es el nivel de desarrollo en el proceso de implementación de las redes sociales dentro del sector público local? Metodológicamente, los datos para este artículo derivan de un cuestionario dirigido a los responsables de la gestión de las redes sociales en los municipios objeto del análisis. Los primeros resultados muestran una alta difusión de estas tecnologías, si bien existen carencias en las estrategias, mientras su desarrollo dentro de las organizaciones es aún incipiente y apenas ha logrado su institucionalización. Por tanto, este artículo contribuye al creciente campo de estudio de las redes sociales digitales en las administraciones públicas, así como a su consolidación en el ámbito de habla hispana

Restriction of cytosolic Acetyl-CoA to promote healthy aging

Motivation: During the last century humans have reached the longest lifespan in History. However, the increase on lifespan is associated to the development of age-related diseases that limit the quality of life of aged individuals (1). Therefore, there is a current need to determine the molecular mechanisms underlining age-related pathologies and to develop novel effective therapies for these diseases. Acetyl-CoA (Ac-CoA) is a central metabolite in energy metabolism involved in protein acetylation, fatty acid synthesis and cholesterol synthesis (2,3), which may play a significant role modulating the intrinsic processes of aging. In this work, we studied the effects of 4 cytosolic Ac-CoA reducing agents; two inhibitors of the ATP citrate lyase; SB-204990 (SB) and hydroxycitric acid (HCA), an inhibitor of Ac-CoA synthase; allicin, and a inhibitor of the citrate isocitrate carrier; 1,2,3-benzenetricarboxylic acid (BTC).Methods: Mice were fed a Standard Diet (STD) or a High Fat Diet (HFD) supplemented with SB for 15 weeks. After in vivo studies, we performed WB on metabolic tissues. In liver tissue we performed a proteomic analysis by iTRAQ (Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification). In parallel, we have initiated a longevity assay using HCA. Necropsies have been performed to determine the cause of death. Finally, we are currently investigating the effects of BTC and allicin in murine physiology using three experimental approaches; a healthy STD, a prophylactic treatment using an obesogenic/diabetogenic HFD and a therapeutic treatment used in obese mice.Results: Preliminary in vivo results have shown improvements in metabolic health on mice treated with SB. Ex vivo analyses have indicated that SB modulates lipid metabolism. Proteomic analyses revealed a decrease in the expression of proinflammatory proteins in SB-treated and HFD-fed mice. HCA supplementation in healthy STD-fed mice has resulted in delayed early mortality in mice. Additionally, HCA treatment revealed potential benefits in muscle strength in wirehang test. Our research using BTC and allicin will generate results in the nearly future.Conclusions: Results of SB-treated and HFD-fed mice show a robust modulation in lipid metabolism and in inflammatory pathways, suggesting that the intervention could rescue the phenotype associated to a metabolic deregulation. The improvements observed in HCA-treated mice suggest that HCA could have geroprotective effects in early mortality

Adenovirus as Tools in Animal Health

Adenoviruses have long been identified as good candidates for use as viral vectors in gene therapy and as vaccines. These viruses can infect multiple cell types, while in division or in quiescence, and are relatively easy to manipulate so that parts of their genome can be replaced with exogenous genes. Progressive safety improvements in replication-deficient adenoviral vectors have been achieved with the second and third generation, and ending with the gutless adenoviral vectors. Adenoviral vectors are immunogenic and can act as adjuvants. Nonetheless, the potency of human recombinant adenoviral vaccines was below expectations in clinical trials mainly because of the pre-existing adenoviral immunity found in the general population. This drawback can however become advantageous in animal health, as no previous immunity to human adenoviral vectors exists in animals. Other viral vectors viruses are used as vaccine, but adenoviruses remain the most employed and promising recombinant vector in veterinary medicine. In this chapter, we review the generation of adenoviral vectors, the immune response they trigger, and their advantages and disadvantages for veterinary use in terms of safety and efficacy. This chapter also describes how recombinant adenoviral vectors can be integrated as tools for vaccination and immunomodulation in veterinary medicine

Forecasting Models Selection Mechanism for Supply Chain Demand Estimation

AbstractThe aim of this work is to present a selection mechanism of forecast models to contribute to demand estimation in a supply chain. At present, to estimate a product future demand, several forecast models based on historical information - quantitative and qualitative- are used. When companies face this situation, they select a group of forecast models (usually based on a visual basis of the time series), then estimate, and with the forecast error measurement criteria decide which the best method is. But they always have to estimate over all the selected forecast models. Based on that, this paper introduces an alternative methodology to estimate the best-forecast model without the need to estimate all the forecast models or complement with another technique (visual). To do so, the main theoretical fundaments associated to this new methodology are addressed, and then the methodology itself is presented in order to be applied in two real cases of Chilean companies to finally conclude the results of the described mechanism

Role of Oxidative Stress in Transformation Induced by Metal Mixture

Metals are ubiquitous pollutants present as mixtures. In particular, mixture of arsenic-cadmium-lead is among the leading toxic agents detected in the environment. These metals have carcinogenic and cell-transforming potential. In this study, we used a two step cell transformation model, to determine the role of oxidative stress in transformation induced by a mixture of arsenic-cadmium-lead. Oxidative damage and antioxidant response were determined. Metal mixture treatment induces the increase of damage markers and the antioxidant response. Loss of cell viability and increased transforming potential were observed during the promotion phase. This finding correlated significantly with generation of reactive oxygen species. Cotreatment with N-acetyl-cysteine induces effect on the transforming capacity; while a diminution was found in initiation, in promotion phase a total block of the transforming capacity was observed. Our results suggest that oxidative stress generated by metal mixture plays an important role only in promotion phase promoting transforming capacity

Chapter Adenovirus as Tools in Animal Health

Adenoviruses have long been identified as good candidates for use as viral vectors in gene therapy and as vaccines. These viruses can infect multiple cell types, while in division or in quiescence, and are relatively easy to manipulate so that parts of their genome can be replaced with exogenous genes. Progressive safety improvements in replication-deficient adenoviral vectors have been achieved with the second and third generation, and ending with the gutless adenoviral vectors. Adenoviral vectors are immunogenic and can act as adjuvants. Nonetheless, the potency of human recombinant adenoviral vaccines was below expectations in clinical trials mainly because of the pre-existing adenoviral immunity found in the general population. This drawback can however become advantageous in animal health, as no previous immunity to human adenoviral vectors exists in animals. Other viral vectors viruses are used as vaccine, but adenoviruses remain the most employed and promising recombinant vector in veterinary medicine. In this chapter, we review the generation of adenoviral vectors, the immune response they trigger, and their advantages and disadvantages for veterinary use in terms of safety and efficacy. This chapter also describes how recombinant adenoviral vectors can be integrated as tools for vaccination and immunomodulation in veterinary medicine

New data from Orihuela and Callosa Mountains (Betic Internal Zone, Alicante, SE Spain). Implications for the “Almágride Complex” controversy

In this paper, we present the results of the stratigraphic and structural study of the Orihuela and Callosa Mountains (Alicante province, SE Spain), belonging to the Internal Betic Zone. The terrains cropping out in this area had been assigned by previous authors to the Ballabona-Cucharón Complex, lately redefi ned as the Almágride Complex. New data afforded in this work lead us to propose a new stratigraphic succesions, structural division, and geodynamic evolution. We also assign both mountains ranges to the lower Alpujarride Complex, confi rming that the Almágride Complex is not a singular element of the Betic Cordillera.En este trabajo presentamos los resultados del estudio estratigráfi co y estructural de las sierras de Orihuela y Callosa (provincia de Alicante, SE de España), pertenecientes ambas a la Zona Interna Bética. Estas sierras fueron asignadas por autores precedentes al Complejo Ballabona-Cucharón, más tarde redefi nido como Almágride. Los datos presentados en este trabajo nos llevan a proponer una nueva serie estratigráfi ca, división tectónica y evolución geodinámica del sector estudiado. Así mismo, asignamos las unidades reconocidas a la parte inferior del Complejo Alpujárride, confi rmando que el Complejo Almágride no debe ser considerado como elemento singular de la Zona Interna Bética