Best Practices in Social and Private Enterprise Franchising

Franchising is a business form where an organization, or franchisor, with a market-tested business model enters into a contractual relationship with franchisees, independent firms which operate under the franchisor’s trade name using this proven business model. Different types of franchises include service franchises, product franchises, and distribution franchises. Franchising is a replication strategy that allows the franchisor to grow and penetrate new markets with less investment of its own capital than would be required for other forms of expansion. It also reduces some of the risk associated with starting a business for the franchisee as it builds on a model that has already been tested. Franchising has been applied to social enterprises as well as private enterprises. Franchising can enhance social enterprises by helping them achieve economies of scale that contribute to their viability and profit and by enabling replication that increases their scale and social impact.This is one of three literature reviews for research project D2 - Leveraging Social Ownership of Proprietary Trademarks related to the Golden Mussel as a Base for Expansion of Social Enterprise in Coastal B.C. Aboriginal Communities - of the BC-Alberta Social economy Research Alliance (BALTA). The review considers some of the available literature on best practices in franchising and on experiences with applying franchsing to social enterprises.BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA

Lessons Learned From Systematic Replication of Social Enterprises

Ultimately, this work will help inform the golden mussel initiative which BALTA is supporting, which aims to support the development of viable mussel aquaculture social enterprises in First Nations communities in BC that incorporate social economy principles.This is one of three literature reviews for research project D2 - Leveraging Social Ownership of Proprietary Trademarks related to the Golden Mussel as a Base for Expansion of Social Enterprise in Coastal B.C. Aboriginal Communities - of the BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA). This review describes examples of and insights into the systematic replication of social enterprises. The first part of the paper describes specific examples of social enterprise replication and identifies lessons learned while the latter section focuses on general insights from the literature. Seven examples of social enterprise replication are reviewed and assessed in this review. A summary of “lessons learned” with respect to the systematic replication of social enterprises is provided at the end of this review, as well as some suggestions of the implications of these “lessons learned” for the design of the golden mussel social enterprises.BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA

In Search of Something More: My Path Towards International Service-Learning in Engineering Education

My personal and professional travels led me toward global education, in particular the University of Dayton (UD) program Engineers in Technical Humanitarian Opportunities for Service-Learning (ETHOS). I do not believe I ever intended to become part of an international engineering education program. In fact, I think the international piece was just a bonus. What really drew me to the ETHOS program was what initially draws our students to the program - a desire to help people. In order for the reader to understand how I ended up being involved in global education through the ETHOS program, I must first explain where I came from, my rather unusual career path and the Marianist Spirit that is UD. The reason for this is that my upbringing makes my later involvement in an international program somewhat iron ic. My very early experiences as a practicing engineer guided me towards the path of enginee ring education in the first place and, in particular, my approach towards engineering education. My somewhat unusual career path had a huge impact on what I value as an engineer and educator and my willingness to take career risks as an untenured professor at UD. These career risks came in the form of breaking many of the unwritten (and sometimes even clearly stated) rules associated with the pursuit of an academic career. Most importantly, however, the unique culture at UD provided me with the passion, opportunity and support to not only grow the ETHOS program but to also grow with the ETHOS program

Women and the guitar in Spain's upper classes

The 13th-century Libro de Apolonio featured women and an aristocratic guitar called the vihuela. This instrument's prestige continued into the 16th century in the hands of empresses, queens, princesses, and ladies of the Spanish upper classes. Their inclination to perform on the fretted instruments enhanced the impact of humanistic and educational values emanating from the Italian Renaissance into Spain's Mediterranean ports. On the return ships, starting around 1550, Spanish women launched the baroque guitar's expatriation at Naples, which gathered forces for a northward invasion through the city-states and into the rest of Europe as the guitarra española. Reinforcements came from Spanish and Italian popular culture, as it advanced north to Scandinavia and west to the Americas. Following in the footsteps of the Habsburg infantas who became the wives of Louis XIII and Louis XIV of France, the guitar movement reached its apotheosis under Bourbon rule, which after 1700 circled back into Spain. From 1660 to 1800 the princesses and queens of the Habsburg, Savoyard, Stuart, and Bourbon dynasties, continually elevated the instrument's prestige, adding to its popularity and opening the way for its influence in secular art music.El tema del Libro de Apolonio, del siglo XIII, se basa en las mujeres y una aristocrática guitarra llamada vihuela. El prestigio de este instrumento continuó durante el siglo XVI en manos de emperatrices, reinas, princesas y señoras de las clases altas españolas. Su inclinación a tocar este tipo de instrumentos expandió la importancia de los valores humanísticos y educativos procedentes del Renacimiento Italiano que llegaban a los puertos mediterráneos de España. En los barcos de regreso, empezando alrededor de 1550, las mujeres españolas iniciaron la expatriación de la guitarra barroca a Nápoles, cuyas fuerzas estaban preparadas para una invasión del Norte a través de las ciudades-estado y en el resto de Europa como la «guitarra española». Los refuerzos vinieron de la cultura popular italiana y española, avanzando tanto hacia el Norte a Escandinavia como al Oeste a América. Siguiendo los pasos de las infantas Habsburgo, que se convirtieron en las esposas de Luis XIII y Luis XIV de Francia, el movimiento de la guitarra alcanzó su apoteosis bajo los Borbones, los cuales, después del 1700, regresaron a España. Desde 1660 a 1800, las princesas y reinas de las dinastías de los Habsburgo, Saboya, Estuardo y Borbones, elevaron continuamente el prestigio de este instrumento, añadiendo más popularidad y abriendo el camino para su influencia en la música artística secular

RESIN DUCT DEFENSES IN PONDEROSA PINE DURING A MOUNTAIN PINE BEETLE OUTBREAK: GENETIC EFFECTS, MORTALITY, AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH GROWTH

Despite formidable tree defenses against insect pests, including resin produced in resin ducts, bark beetles have recently caused extensive outbreaks in western North American forests. To date, our understanding of the extent to which resin duct defenses remain effective at the peak of an outbreak, the relative genetic vs. environmental controls on resin duct production, the degree to which drought reduces resin defenses in naturally occurring outbreaks, and whether and when defense production competes for resources with growth remains limited. Resolving these questions is relevant in the face of climate change, and increased risk of outbreaks. I took advantage of a 40-year-old ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) genetic trial where a recent mountain pine beetle outbreak (Dendrochtonus ponderosae) killed 36% of trees. I examined phenotypic and genetic variation in resin ducts, their consequences on survival during the outbreak, the influence of drought on resin duct defenses, and potential growth-defense tradeoffs. Using dendrochronology, I retrospectively measured growth and resin duct traits in thirty families from low to high mortality from before to during the outbreak. Resin duct defenses significantly decreased mortality during the peak of the outbreak both at the phenotypic and genetic levels. However, differences in resin duct defenses between trees that survived and those that died and between high and low mortality families were small prior to the outbreak but were amplified during the outbreak, which was preceded by a drought. Resin duct production, but not size, was under strong genetic control. Analyses at both the phenotypic and genetic levels indicated that drought significantly predisposed some trees and families to mortality via reductions of resin duct defenses, particularly duct size. I found no evidence of a resin duct defense-growth tradeoff. Rather, faster growing trees and families produced more resin ducts than slower ones. Despite this, however, faster growing families did not suffer lower mortality. These contradictory results suggest breeding for fast growth increases resin duct defenses and survival, but at high beetle densities during an outbreak, other factors possibly involving induced defenses, appear to ultimately offset this effect

Addressing the intersection of sexual identity and sexual behavior for women who have sex with women: understanding risk and exploring options

Variable inconsistencies and conflicting theories on female sexual orientation compromise women’s sexual health research. Subsequently, health risks associated with female-to-female sex play are largely unknown and providers continue framing services for sexual identities. The study’s focus was first, to establish whether discordance between sexual behavior and identity among women who have sex with women (WSW) correlates with risky sexual behaviors and then, to explore healthcare providers’ and practitioners’ methods for addressing the intersection of patients’ sexual identity and reported behaviors. After WSW sexual health-related response outcomes from a NYC Community Health Survey sample were assessed, practitioners from three providers were interviewed on best practices. Quantitative research revealed associations between incongruent identity-behavior and high-risk behaviors, while qualitative research found four themes in optimal patient care (avoid assumptions, communicate confidentiality, inclusive language, let the client lead). Observations of sexual discordance among WSW strengthen the case against identity-based healthcare, while shared tactics between providers set a standard for prompting WSW patient satisfaction

The Early Guitar in The New World: Its Route from Seville to Santo Domingo, Puerto Rico, and Cubagua (1497–1550)

Pinnell discusses the history of guitar in the New World. The third voyage of Christopher Columbus was not only the first of the Columbian voyages to reach South America along the Venezuelan coastline; it was also the first that explicitly included musical instruments and trained musicians. Their Catholic Majesties (Los Reyes Católicos), so designated by Pope Alexander VI upon their defeat of the Moors, had already been quite disappointed with the lack of stability and growth in the grim encampments established by Columbus, so this time they proposed a unique list of professions and skills among the passengers to ensure the success of their next venture. In order to address social, physical, and scientific needs along with their political and military strategies, Ferdinand and Isabella sought the inclusion of a wide range of experts in differing fields and vocations. They aimed to ensure that future settlements would not only be defensible but also civilized. Among the admiral\u27s handpicked passengers were artisans, craftsmen, health professionals, and finally the musicians, intended to improve the morale of the settlers