The Relationship of Learning Orientation to Organizational Performance

The fundamental premise of successful firms possessing resources that are superior to those of their competitors has been prevalent in the related literature. This has fostered a wealth of research to determine the source, as well as the necessary maintenance of these resources. Resources should possess certain characteristics that would benefit the firm, given that effective strategic deployment of resources at any time is moderated by time, the actions of competitors, and the dynamics of the external environment. It is through this ongoing process of competing and ultimately succeeding through ideocyncratic resources that provides the catalyst for superior financial performance. These capabilities, which are developed over time, provide a source of advantage that must be continually protected and improved. As the external environment changes, dynamism in the environment requires a departure from established organizational strategies; the entrepreneurial firm pursues competitive advantage through innovation, considered essential to competitive advantage. The competitive marketplace becomes the impetus for innovation, and innovation in turn becomes a key form of organizational learning

Enhanced diffusivity and skewness of a diffusing tracer in the presence of an oscillating wall

We examine a passive scalar diffusing in time-varying flows which are induced by a periodically oscillating wall in a Newtonian fluid between two infinite parallel plates as well as in an infinitely long duct. These shear flows yield the generalized Ferry waves which are exact solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations. First, we calculate the second Aris moment for all time, and its long time limiting effective diffusivity as a function of the geometrical parameters, frequency, viscosity, and diffusivity. We show that the viscous dominated limit results in a linear shear layer for which the effective diffusivity is bounded with upper bound $\kappa(1+A^2/(2L^2))$, where $\kappa$ is the tracer diffusivity, $A$ is the amplitude of oscillation, and $L$ is the gap thickness. Alternatively, we show that for finite viscosities the enhanced diffusion is unbounded, diverging in the high frequency limit. Physical arguments are given to explain these striking differences. Asymptotics for the high frequency behavior as well as the low viscosity limit are computed. Study of the exact formula shows that a maximum exists as a function of the viscosity, suggesting a possible optimal temperature for mixing in this geometry. Physical experiments are performed in water using Particle Tracking Velocimetry to quantitatively measure the fluid flow. Using fluorescein dye as the passive tracer, we document that the theory is quantitatively accurate. Further, we show that the scalar skewness is zero for linear shear at all times, whereas for the nonlinear Ferry wave, using Monte-Carlo simulations, we show the skewness sign (as well as front versus back loaded distributions) can be controlled through the phase of the oscillating wall. Lastly, short time skewness asymptotics are computed for the Ferry wave and compared to the Monte-Carlo simulations

Physical characteristics explain ball-carrying capability in sub-elite rugby union players.

The aims of the present study were two-fold: (i) to investigate the relationship between physical characteristics and the game statistics associated with ball-carrying capability amongst sub-elite rugby union players; and (ii) to predict the level of change in these physical characteristics required to improve the associated game statistic via regression analysis. Thirty-eight senior professional players (forwards, n = 22; backs, n = 16) were assessed for body mass (BM), back squat (BS) single-repetition maximum (1RM) normalised to BM (1RM/BM), 10 m sprint velocity (S10), 10 m sprint momentum (SM10), and the game statistics from 22 games within the 2019/20 RFU Championship season. The relationship between these measures and the predicted level of change in a physical measure required to improve the total number of the associated game statistic by one were assessed by Pearson's correlation coefficient and simple regression analyses. In forwards, an ~ 11.5% reduction in BM, an ~ 11.8% improvement in BS 1RM/BM, or an ~ 11.5% increase in S10 was required to improve the game statistics associated with ball-carrying capability. In backs, a ~ 19.3% increase in BM or a ~ 15.6% improvement in SM10 was required. These findings demonstrate that improvements in lower-body relative strength, acceleration performance, and position-specific alterations in body mass are required to maximise the ball-carrying capability and therefore match outcome of sub-elite rugby union players

WIP: Halting Attrition in Civil Engineering Programs Through Lower-Division Engagement Course Implementation

This work in progress paper will describe how a department of civil engineering has built 1-credit engagement courses into the first two years of a new curriculum design to increase retention rates, create a sense of belonging, showcase civil engineering principles and practicality to non-majors, and begin engaging alumni and local civil engineering professionals. Retention is a core issue for academic departments in the STEM fields. In civil engineering, we have seen a large number of students depart the major each fall and spring semester for various, preventable reasons. This is true for traditional, non-traditional, and transfer students alike. Students have cited a lack of community and support systems as well as a high degree of difficulty in foundational courses without an understanding of how the knowledge gained in these foundational courses will be used in civil engineering specific courses as reasons they have left the program. When students switch majors, they often switch to programs with a lower difficulty level in the required foundational coursework (math, chemistry, physics, etc.). We have also seen them begin to pursue programs where it is simple to see connections between lower division coursework and their intended field of study early in their academic career. Many students initially choose civil engineering as a career path with a limited view of the field’s breadth and interdisciplinary nature which, when not conveyed early, has led to attrition. Students desire a community of peers and faculty and a sense of belonging (Marra et al., 2012) in their major. Belonging can be developed in many ways, but a core piece of belonging is knowing what you belong to. When students understand what they are studying, they can connect their input to an output that reflects their values and self-identity now and in the future (Matusovich, Streveler, and Miller, 2010). A large contributing factor to programs not being able to help students make connections is a lack of major-specific courses available where students can find and spend structured time with peers/faculty in their major during the first two years of academic study. The lower division of a traditional civil engineering curriculum is largely made up of mathematics, physics, and chemistry coursework. At a majority of universities these courses cannot be modified to engage specific majors due to the nature of “service courses” that are taught by centralized departments outside the purview of engineering programs. These courses tend to be very large and students may have a difficult time finding peers from their own major. Students need time to develop a connection to peers as well as to the content of their coursework and neither of these goals are easily met in large-format courses that serve all majors (Hoit & Ohland, 1998). To begin addressing these issues, a new type of 1-credit, non-prerequisite course has been developed. Students in civil engineering will be required to take three Civil Engineering Engagement Courses (CE-EC or phonetically, “seek”) during the first two years of study and these courses aim to develop a sense of community amongst civil engineering students, introduce students to faculty in a non-intimidating fashion, and allow students to explore the different focus areas of civil engineering early in their academic career. Students outside of civil engineering will also be welcome into these courses to gain an understanding of the field and learn about potential interdisciplinary collaborations. Courses will also help students become acquainted with the local area and challenges faced by civil engineering professionals. In order to determine if these courses will help solve some of the ongoing retention and sense of belonging issues experienced by many civil engineering programs, we will look at historical attrition rates going back five years, survey alumni about their experiences, and survey students as they graduate. We will also be looking at internal markers that denote a student is thriving (Schreiner et al., 2012). This will occur in tandem with research determining the overall effectiveness of the full curriculum redesign. Through the implementation of CE-EC courses we anticipate that students, even those who struggle with connection making, will be able to build a connection with peers, faculty, staff, and the civil engineering program in general. We also expect lower attrition rates and possibly a larger student population due to the new visibility civil engineering will have across majors

SHIVERING BY CAPTIVE MOOSE INFESTED WITH WINTER TICKS

Occurence and rate of shivering were measured to assess thermoregulatory responses of captive moose (Alces alces) infested with winter ticks (Dermacentor albipictus). Shivering was observed on 47 occasions in 5 of 8 infested moose calves from October to April; in contrast, 4 moose calves not infested with winter ticks did not shiver under identical weather conditions. Only 5 shivering bouts occurred from October to March, all on a single day. The other 42 shivering bouts occurred in April with bouts lasting 1–103 min. During the April bouts, ambient temperature was 1– 4 °C (42 of 42), maximum wind speed was ≤12 km/h (38 of 42), and it was raining (30 of 42). Shivering was associated with 23–44% hair loss in April, but not during cold weather in mid-winter despite 5–10% hair loss in March. Maintaining stable core body temperature during late winter-early spring could compromise the energetic balance of wild free-ranging moose with extensive hair loss and abundant ticks, in conditions equivalent to or worse than measured in this study

Prokaryotic responses to a warm temperature anomaly in northeast subarctic Pacific waters

Recent studies on marine heat waves describe water temperature anomalies causing changes in food web structure, bloom dynamics, biodiversity loss, and increased plant and animal mortality. However, little information is available on how water temperature anomalies impact prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea) inhabiting ocean waters. This is a nontrivial omission given their integral roles in driving major biogeochemical fluxes that influence ocean productivity and the climate system. Here we present a time-resolved study on the impact of a large-scale warm water surface anomaly in the northeast subarctic Pacific Ocean, colloquially known as the Blob, on prokaryotic community compositions. Multivariate statistical analyses identified significant depth- and season-dependent trends that were accentuated during the Blob. Moreover, network and indicator analyses identified shifts in specific prokaryotic assemblages from typically particle-associated before the Blob to taxa considered free-living and chemoautotrophic during the Blob, with potential implications for primary production and organic carbon conversion and export. Traving et al. use small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequencing to examine spatial and temporal trends in bacterial and archaeal community structure during a large marine warm water surface anomaly, the Blob. Their findings suggest that community structure shifted during the Blob, with taxa considered free-living and chemoautotrophic prevailing under these unusual conditions

Investigation of optical coherence micro-elastography as a method to visualize micro-architecture in human axillary lymph nodes

This project is supported with funding from the Australian Research Council; and Cancer Council WA, which allowed us to develop the technology; Department of Health of Western Australia, National Breast Cancer Foundation (Australia); and the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia, which allowed us to design and implement the clinical protocol, and to perform the clinical measurements.Background : Evaluation of lymph node involvement is an important factor in detecting metastasis and deciding whether to perform axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in breast cancer surgery. As ALND is associated with potentially severe long term morbidity, the accuracy of lymph node assessment is imperative in avoiding unnecessary ALND. The mechanical properties of malignant lymph nodes are often distinct from those of normal nodes. A method to image the micro-scale mechanical properties of lymph nodes could, thus, provide diagnostic information to aid in the assessment of lymph node involvement in metastatic cancer. In this study, we scan axillary lymph nodes, freshly excised from breast cancer patients, with optical coherence micro-elastography (OCME), a method of imaging micro-scale mechanical strain, to assess its potential for the intraoperative assessment of lymph node involvement. Methods : Twenty-six fresh, unstained lymph nodes were imaged from 15 patients undergoing mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery with axillary clearance. Lymph node specimens were bisected to allow imaging of the internal face of each node. Co-located OCME and optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans were taken of each sample, and the results compared to standard post-operative hematoxylin-and-eosin-stained histology. Results : The optical backscattering signal provided by OCT alone may not provide reliable differentiation by inspection between benign and malignant lymphoid tissue. Alternatively, OCME highlights local changes in tissue strain that correspond to malignancy and are distinct from strain patterns in benign lymphoid tissue. The mechanical contrast provided by OCME complements the optical contrast provided by OCT and aids in the differentiation of malignant tumor from uninvolved lymphoid tissue. Conclusion : The combination of OCME and OCT images represents a promising method for the identification of malignant lymphoid tissue. This method shows potential to provide intraoperative assessment of lymph node involvement, thus, preventing unnecessary removal of uninvolved tissues and improving patient outcomes.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe