SMEs innovation capabilities and export performance: an entrepreneurial orientation view

Although there are several studies analysing how innovation capabilities influence export performance, this study aims to present the impact of a set of internal innovation capabilities on export performance of small and medium-sized firms (smes), with the mediating role of entrepreneurial orientation contingent upon the proactive or reactive behaviour of the firms to external stimuli. The study involves the analysis of 147 questionnaire‐based survey of managers from plastic manufacturing smes operating in Portugal that were subjected to a Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) technique. The results show that proactive firms to external stimuli are not only better at innovating but also their entrepreneurial orientation capabilities underpin a better performance in international markets when compared with firms that react to external stimuli. This study has implications for smes aiming at increasing their export performance and innovativeness. For practitioners the findings of this study should enable smes owner/managers to better understand the possible impacts of innovation capabilities and entrepreneurial orientation on export performance, and thus lead to more effective smes management

Preface

The following topics are dealt with: mobile robots; multi-robot systems; path planning; robot vision; service robots; collision avoidance; learning (artificial intelligence); legged locomotion; control engineering computing; production engineering computing.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development of a device compatible with universal testing machine to perform hole expansion and Erichsen cupping tests

The material characterization regarding sheet metal formability is usually assessed by the forming limit curve (FLC). The FLC requires specialized and expensive equipment, several samples with different geometries, and can be a very time-consuming procedure for data treatment. Alternatively, the hole expansion test (HET) and the Erichsen Cupping Test (ECT) can be used for routine evaluations of sheet metal mechanical behavior. These formability tests require fewer quantities of material and easy specimen preparation with a fast analysis of results. The HET and ECT procedures provide a proper evaluation of sheet material stretch-flangeability, formability, strength, and ductility. In this work, we developed a low-cost mechanical device capable of performing the HET and ECT tests using a universal testing machine. The equipment is designed to meet the test parameters set by ISO 16630 (HET) and ISO 20482 (ECT) standards. In order to verify its functionality, tests were carried out with the dual-phase steels DP600 and DP780. The corresponding values determined for the hole expansion ratio and the Erichsen index provided reliable results in terms of the accuracy and repeatability of the proposed testing device.publishe

Is true friendship possible on Facebook? A study from the psychological perspective of Laín Entralgo

The present work aims to analyse the meaning of the concept of friendship through the study of the work of the doctor and philosopher Pedro Laín Entralgo. The initial hypothesis of the study is that the concept of friendship has been used instrumentally by social media networks, and that these do not offer the conditions necessary to fully experience true friendship. To verify this, we focused on the study of the psychological dimensions of friendship proposed by the author, identifying a series of variables and conducting an analysis by means of a survey of university students who are active users of the platform. With these results the descriptive statistics were extracted and a nonparametric analysis was performed of the variables to determine if Facebook does in fact offer the conditions necessary for to experience true friendship in its psychological dimensions. As the results show, to experience true friendship on social networks is difficult, given that the nature of the interactions between users of the platform are not appropriate for this experience. In calling this different type of relationship friendship Facebook benefits from an attractive hook which leads users to generate contacts as a form of currency which benefits the business model of the social media platform. The concept of true friendship is altered, deformed and displaced in favour of other types of relationships.El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar el significado del concepto de amistad a través del estudio de la obra del médico y filósofo Pedro Laín Entralgo. La hipótesis inicial del estudio es que el concepto de amistad ha sido utilizado instrumentalmente por las redes sociales, y que estas no ofrecen las condiciones necesarias para la vivencia plena de la verdadera amistad. Para comprobarlo, nos centramos en el estudio de las dimensiones psicológicas de la amistad que propone el autor, identificando una serie de variables y realizando un análisis mediante una encuesta a estudiantes universitarios que son usuarios activos de la plataforma. Con estos resultados se extrajo la estadística descriptiva y se realizó un análisis no paramétrico de las variables para determinar si Facebook efectivamente ofrece las condiciones necesarias para la vivencia de la verdadera amistad en sus dimensiones psicológicas. Como muestran los resultados, la experiencia de la verdadera amistad en las redes sociales es difícil, dado que la naturaleza de las interacciones entre los usuarios de la plataforma no son las adecuadas para esta experiencia. Al llamar amistad a este tipo diferente de relación, Facebook se beneficia de un atractivo gancho que lleva a los usuarios a generar contactos como moneda de cambio que favorece el modelo de negocio de la plataforma de redes sociales. El concepto de verdadera amistad se altera, deforma y desplaza a favor de otro tipo de relaciones

Heavy metal accumulation in plant species indigenous to a contaminated portuguese site: prospects for phytoremediation

Phytoremediation is a promising alternative to conventional soil clean-up methods; however, up to date, there is still not enough information on plant species suitable for application in this field of science. Therefore, plant screening on contaminated sites can lead to the identification of further species of interest. In the present study, pedological and botanical characteristics of an industrialised area known for its metal contamination, in special with Zn—Esteiro de Estarreja, in Portugal—were examined in a 1-year screening. Twenty-seven species were found, with a higher occurrence and variability in the summer/spring season. Zinc levels in the tissues of the collected plant samples ranged from 34 mg kg−1 in shoots to 2,440 mg kg−1 in roots of different species. Species as Verbascum virgatum, Hypochoeris radicata, Phalaris arundinacea, Conyza bilbaoana, Paspalum urvillei and Aster squamatus have shown high Zn shoot accumulation and bioconcentration factors (BCFshoots > 1) and high metal translocation factors (TF > 1). Others, namely Spergularia capillacea, excluded Zn from the shoot tissues and stored the metal at the root zone (BCFroots > 1), behaving as tolerant plants. Plants were also screened for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi colonisation, and only few species showed mycorrhizal presence, namely C. bilbaoana, Hirschfeldia incana, Epilobium tetragonum, Conyza sumatrensis, Pteridium aquilinum, P. urvillei and A. squamatus. The present work showed important indigenous species that can cope with installed harsh conditions and with potential for utilisation in phytoremediation strategies, either through metal removal to aerial parts or through its immobilisation in the root zone.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

The evaluation of laser weldability of the third-generation advanced high strength steel

To meet the demands of vehicular safety and greenhouse gas emission reduction, the automotive industry is increasingly using advanced high strength steels (AHSS) in the production of the components. With the development of the new generation of AHSS, it is essential to study their behavior towards manufacturing processes used in the automotive industry. For this purpose, the welding capability of newly developed third-generation Gen3 980T steel was investigated using the Nd:YAG (Neodymium:Yittrium Aluminum Garnet) laser-welding with different parameter conditions. The analysis was made by uniaxial tensile tests, micro-hardness, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The criteria used to evaluate the quality of the weld were the distance between the fracture and the weld bead and the surface finish. A relationship between the quality of the weld and the energy density was observed, expressed by a partial penetration for values below the optimal, and by irregularities in the weld bead and a high number of spatters for the values above the optimal.publishe