Take Your Time: Olafur Eliasson

Book Review of Take Your Time: Olafur Eliasson / Edited by Madeleine Grynsztejn.--ISBN-13: 978-0-500-09340-5. Reviewed by Julie Mellby

Ehon: The Artist and the Book in Japan

Book Review of Ehon: The Artist and the Book in Japan / Roger S. Keyes.--ISBN 0-295-98624-7 (cl., alk. paper). Reviewed by Julie Mellby

The Darker Side of Light: Arts of Privacy, 1850-1900

Book Review of The Darker Side of Light: Arts of Privacy, 1850-1900 / Peter Parshall.--ISBN 978-1-84822-02-8. Reviewed by Julie Mellby

Detection of Early-Stage Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma From Blood Samples : Results of a Multiplex Biomarker Signature Validation Study

INTRODUCTION: The IMMray PanCan-d test combines an 8-plex biomarker signature with CA19-9 in a proprietary algorithm to detect pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in serum samples. This study aimed to validate the clinical performance of the IMMray PanCan-d test and to better understand test performance in Lewis-null (le/le) individuals who cannot express CA19-9. METHODS: Serum samples from 586 individuals were analyzed with the IMMray PanCan-d biomarker signature and CA19-9 assay, including 167 PDAC samples, 203 individuals at high risk of familial/hereditary PDAC, and 216 healthy controls. Samples were collected at 11 sites in the United States and Europe. The study was performed by Immunovia, Inc (Marlborough, MA), and sample identity was blinded throughout the study. Test results were automatically generated using validated custom software with a locked algorithm and predefined decision value cutoffs for sample classification. RESULTS: The IMMray PanCan-d test distinguished PDAC stages I and II (n = 56) vs high-risk individuals with 98% specificity and 85% sensitivity and distinguished PDAC stages I-IV vs high-risk individuals with 98% specificity and 87% sensitivity. We identified samples with a CA19-9 value of 2.5 U/mL or less as probable Lewis-null (le/le) individuals. Excluding these 55 samples from the analysis increased the IMMray PanCan-d test sensitivity to 92% for PDAC stages I-IV (n = 157) vs controls (n = 379) while maintaining specificity at 99%; test sensitivity for PDAC stages I and II increased from 85% to 89%. DISCUSSION: These results demonstrate the IMMray PanCan-d blood test can detect PDAC with high specificity (99%) and sensitivity (92%).Peer reviewe

AGORA Research - Designed Interventions in Interorganizational Settings

The thesis is about a research approach in the intersection of action research, artificial science, and innovation systems. The thesis is based on two projects, one from intraorganizational context (EURobust) and the other from interorganizational settings (Open Arenas). The studies are reflected upon from three audiences: policymakers; action researchers; and my self. The reflections constitute a bricolage (set of building bricks) to a design proposition of an action research approach, called Agora Research. The term agora is inspired by Helga Nowotny et al (2001) in Re-thinking Science. Agora Research might be seen as a meta-intervention in ongoing societal interventions. It intervenes by practicing action research approach, applies diversified research team, cultivate dialogues, cultivate systemic thinking, and design webs of interacting artifacts. The distinctive characteristic of Agora Research with respect to action research in general, is that the research process should improve its interaction and develop new relations in its contexts, and practice second order leadership of interorganizational public-private arenas. Agora Research is a perfect match to the request of development of vertical and horizontal learning processes in regional innovation systems that resulted in an interactive research program by Visanu

Combining mechanistic and organic approaches to change: A case study on a Swedish national transformation program for medium sized enterprises

Purpose: Produktionslyftet (PL) is a national programme for enhancing the performance of medium sized manufacturing enterprises in Sweden. The programme was initiated in 2007 and lasted until 2010 and comprised of 60 enterprises. The programme was deemed successful and a second version called Produktionslyftet 2 (PL2) was subsequently launched. PL2 is currently on-going (2010-2012) and is currently working with approximately 40 companies. A third version, PL3, is being planned for. The programme consists of 3 interacting activities: an education in Lean Production for at least 2 employees, workshops on the companies for education and training, and finally two consultants from the programme stays at the company and aids in their transformation. All in all, this takes 18 months.Four years after the start of PL, the experiences that follow after working with this number of medium sized companies are valuable. The purpose of this case study paper is to describe how Produktionslyftet operates, and to reflect on how the methodology has evolved in Produktionslyftet.Methodology/Approach: One of the authors is involved in consulting and education in Produktionslyftet as well as designing parts of the methodology. This allows for access to data, which comes from own experiences as well as both formal and informal interviews with other consultants of the programme.Findings: During the evolution of Produktionslyftet, there has been a move towards a combination of a mechanistic and organic approach to change, where in the beginning the mechanistic approach dominated.Originality/Value of paper: Transformations and change processes in medium sized enterprises are not well described in literature. This paper gives a practical example on a programme that is aiding numerous medium sized manufacturing enterprises in transforming. It suggests that an organic view on change is needed in these circumstances

Does voluntary audit and accounting consulting affect growth and profitability in small-sized enterprises?

Bakgrund Under 2010 avskaffade den svenska regeringen revisionsplikten för små aktiebolag. Motiven bakom beslutet var att små aktiebolag som valde att inte köpa in revisionstjänster skulle bli mer konkurrenskraftiga och minska sina administrativa kostnader, vilket skulle skapa förutsättningar för ökad tillväxt och lönsamhet. Tidigare forskning argumenterar för att revisionstjänster är en viktig resurs för små aktiebolags utveckling mot ökad tillväxt och lönsamhet. Redovisningskonsulttjänster likt revisionstjänster involverar kvalitetssäkring och rådgivning, vilket tyder på att även dessa tjänster kan bidra till små aktiebolags utveckling mot ökad tillväxt och lönsamhet. Syfte Syftet med den här studien är att förklara om revisions- och redovisningskonsulttjänster har ett positivt samband med tillväxt och lönsamhet. Metod Denna uppsats utgår från en kvantitativ forskningsmetod och en deduktiv ansats. Studiens hypoteser grundas i resursberoendeteorin, intressentteorin och agentteorin. En tvärsnittsdesign används då studien undersöker olika fall vid en viss tidpunkt. Studiens empiriska material hämtas från årsredovisningar genom databasen Business Retriever och genom en enkätundersökning. Slutsats Studien indikerar att det inte finns något positivt samband mellan revisions- och redovisningskonsulttjänster och tillväxt samt lönsamhet hos små aktiebolag. Därmed förkastas studiens hypoteser. Däremot indikerar studien att det finns ett negativt signifikant samband mellan lönsamhet och redovisningskonsulttjänster. Vidare indikerar studien att det skuldsättningsgraden, nettoomsättningen och ålder påverkar tillväxten och lönsamheten i små aktiebolag.Introduction In 2010 the Swedish government abolished auditing obligations for small companies. The motivation behind the decision were that companies that chose not to purchase audit Services would reduce their administrative costs and thus become more competitive and they could reduce their administrative costs, which would create the conditions for increased growth and profitability. However, previous research argues that audit services are an important resource for the development of small companies towards increased growth and profitability. Accounting services from consultants as well as audit services involve quality assurance and advisory services, which indicates that these services contribute to the development of small companies towards increased growth and profitability. Purpose The purpose of this study is to explain whether audit and accounting consulting services have a positive relation with growth and profitability among small companies. Method This is a quantitative study based on a deductive approach. The hypotheses of the study relies essentially on resource dependence theory, interest theory and agent theory. A cross-sectional design is used since the study investigates different cases at a certain time point. The empirical data of the study is collected from annual reports from the Retriever Business database and a survey. Conclusion This study indicates that audit and accounting consulating services have no positive correlation with growth and profitability among small companies. As a result, we must reject the hypotheses. The study indicates a significant negative correlation between accounting consulting services and profitability. Furthermore, the study also indicates that the leverage, net sales and year have an impact on the growth and profitability in small companies