Firm Size and Regional Linkages. A Typology of Manufacturing Establishments in Southern Spain

Regions with different levels of development are characterized by different enterprise compositions according to firm size and regional productive linkages. Using these two variables and two additional ones -the technological level and the position in the value chain-, the composition of the industrial sector in any region can be studied. In this respect, a new theoretical enterprise typology is proposed in this paper as a powerful analytical tool. Furthermore, an empirical work is carried out using a data set from the survey done to estimate the regional input-output table of Andalusia, a backward region in southern Spain. Thus, the theoretical enterprise typology is applied to the industry in Andalusia, so that some strengths and weaknesses of the regional economy are identified

Dimensión empresarial, encadenamientos productivos y calidad del tejido empresarial. Un análisis de la industria en Andalucía

En este trabajo se contrasta la influencia del tamaño empresarial sobre la intensidad de los encadenamientos productivos regionales a partir de datos procedentes de la encuesta realizada por el Instituto de Estadística de Andalucía entre los establecimientos industriales andaluces para la estimación de las tablas input-output regionales. Así mismo, se propone una tipología empresarial basada en la estructura espacial de los encadenamientos que permite identificar diversos modelos empresariales con diferente repercusión sobre el desarrollo endógeno del territorio. Finalmente, se aplica dicha tipología a los establecimientos industriales en Andalucía, obteniendo así una aproximación a la calidad del tejido empresarial andaluz.In this paper, we test the influence of firm size on the intensity of regional productive linkages. The study is based in data from the survey made by the Statistical Institute of Andalusia in order to estimate the regional input-output table. Furthermore, we propose an entrepreneurial typology based in the spatial structure of firm’s productive linkages. This classification makes possible to identify several entrepreneurial patterns with different impacts on endogenous development of a territory. Finally, we apply this typology to industrial plants in Andalusia, so that we can approach to the quality of the andalusian entrepreneurial tissue

Encadenamientos productivos, externalidades y crecimiento regional: Una tipología de comportamiento empresarial

La idea de articulación productiva se aplica en el estudio de las relaciones intersectoriales atendiendo a la importancia estratégica de ciertas ramas productivas dotadas de una particular capacidad de empuje o arrastre. No obstante, la observación de los encadenamientos productivos se puede realizar también a escala microeconómica, adoptando como unidad de análisis la empresa en lugar del sector productivo. Este enfoque permite identificar patrones diversos de comportamiento empresarial en función de la lógica espacial de sus aprovisionamientos y ventas. En este trabajo se propone una tipología de modelos empresariales, como herramienta conceptual aplicable en la caracterización del tejido empresarial en un ámbito espacial determinado, que aquí se identifica con una economía regional

Actividad emprendedora en los inmigrantes. Influencia del guanxi sobre el desarrollo de los negocios chinos

Este trabajo trata sobre el estudio de la actividad emprendedora de los inmigrantes chinos en Andalucía. En particular, se analizan los factores que influyen en el dinamismo de los negocios de inmigrantes chinos en esta comunidad autónoma en términos del crecimiento de las ventas y de sus aproximaciones a la innovación. El estudio presta singular atención al papel que desempeña el capital social como factor favorecedor del desarrollo de estos negocios chinos. A este respecto, en el caso de la comunidad china se pone de manifiesto la influencia clave del ‘guanxi’. El guanxi puede ser definido como una conexión personal e informal entre dos individuos delimitada por un contrato moral implícito que obliga al cumplimiento de normas sociales, como mantener una relación de colaboración a largo plazo o un compromiso mutuo de lealtad, unido a ciertas obligaciones.El análisis empírico se basa en una encuesta realizada en 2012 entre inmigrantes chinos en Andalucía. Asimismo, se comparan las características de los negocios chinos con las empresas de empresarios autóctonos a partir de otra encuesta realizada para el conjunto del tejido empresarial andaluz

Biodiesel Is Dead: Long Life to Advanced Biofuels—A Comprehensive Critical Review

Many countries are immersed in several strategies to reduce the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of internal combustion engines. One option is the substitution of these engines by electric and/or hydrogen engines. However, apart from the strategic and logistical difficulties associated with this change, the application of electric or hydrogen engines in heavy transport, e.g., trucks, shipping, and aircrafts, also presents technological difficulties in the short-medium term. In addition, the replacement of the current car fleet will take decades. This is why the use of biofuels is presented as the only viable alternative to diminishing CO2 emissions in the very near future. Nowadays, it is assumed that vegetable oils will be the main raw material for replacing fossil fuels in diesel engines. In this context, it has also been assumed that the reduction in the viscosity of straight vegetable oils (SVO) must be performed through a transesterification reaction with methanol in order to obtain the mixture of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) that constitute biodiesel. Nevertheless, the complexity in the industrial production of this biofuel, mainly due to the costs of eliminating the glycerol produced, has caused a significant delay in the energy transition. For this reason, several advanced biofuels that avoid the glycerol production and exhibit similar properties to fossil diesel have been developed. In this way, “green diesels” have emerged as products of different processes, such as the cracking or pyrolysis of vegetable oil, as well as catalytic (hydro)cracking. In addition, some biodiesel-like biofuels, such as Gliperol (DMC-Biod) or Ecodiesel, as well as straight vegetable oils, in blends with plant-based sources with low viscosity have been described as renewable biofuels capable of performing in combustion ignition engines. After evaluating the research carried out in the last decades, it can be concluded that green diesel and biodiesel-like biofuels could constitute the main alternative to addressing the energy transition, although green diesel will be the principal option in aviation fuel

Advanced Biofuels from ABE (Acetone/Butanol/Ethanol) and Vegetable Oils (Castor or Sunflower Oil) for Using in Triple Blends with Diesel: Evaluation on a Diesel Engine

From a technical and economic point of view, our aim is to provide viable solutions for the replacement of fossil fuels which are currently used in internal combustion diesel engines. In this research, two new biofuels composed of second-generation vegetable oils (SVO),used oil sunflower (SO) or castor oil (CO), and the ABE blend (acetone/butanol/ethanol) were evaluated. ABE is an intermediate product from the fermentation of carbohydrates to obtain bio-butanol. Besides, the ABE blend exhibits suitable properties as biofuel, such asvery low kinematic viscosity, reasonable energy density, low autoignition temperature, and broad flammability limits. Diesel/ABE/SVO triple blends were prepared, characterized and then, tested on a diesel engine, evaluating power output, consumption, and exhaust emissions. The power output was slightly reduced due to the low heating values of ABE blend. Also, engine consumed more fuel with the triple blends than with diesel under low engine loads whereas, at medium and high loads, the fuel consumption was very similar to that of diesel. Regarding exhaust gas emissions, soot wasnotably reduced, and nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO2) emissions were lower or comparable to that of diesel, while the CO emissions increased. The use of these biofuels allows the replacement of high percentagesof diesel without compromising engine power and achievinga significant reduction in pollution emissions. Furthermore, a notable improvement in cold flow properties of the fuel blends is obtained, in comparison with diesel

A Review on Green Hydrogen Valorization by Heterogeneous Catalytic Hydrogenation of Captured CO2 into Value-Added Products

The catalytic hydrogenation of captured CO2 by different industrial processes allows obtaining liquid biofuels and some chemical products that not only present the interest of being obtained from a very low-cost raw material (CO2) that indeed constitutes an environmental pollution problem but also constitute an energy vector, which can facilitate the storage and transport of very diverse renewable energies. Thus, the combined use of green H2 and captured CO2 to obtain chemical products and biofuels has become attractive for different processes such as power-to-liquids (P2L) and power-to-gas (P2G), which use any renewable power to convert carbon dioxide and water into value-added, synthetic renewable E-fuels and renewable platform molecules, also contributing in an important way to CO2 mitigation. In this regard, there has been an extraordinary increase in the study of supported metal catalysts capable of converting CO2 into synthetic natural gas, according to the Sabatier reaction, or in dimethyl ether, as in power-to-gas processes, as well as in liquid hydrocarbons by the Fischer-Tropsch process, and especially in producing methanol by P2L processes. As a result, the current review aims to provide an overall picture of the most recent research, focusing on the last five years, when research in this field has increased dramatically

Internal combustion engines and carbon-neutral fuels: a perspective on emission neutrality in the European Union

Nowadays, there is an intense debate in the European Union (EU) regarding the limits to achieve the European Green Deal, to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent in the world. In this context, there are also different opinions about the role that thermal engines should play. Furhermore, there is no clear proposal regarding the possibilities of the use of green hydrogen in the transport decarbonization process, even though it should be a key element. Thus, there are still no precise guidelines regarding the role of green hydrogen, with it being exclusively used as a raw material to produce E-fuels. This review aims to evaluate the possibilities of applying the different alternative technologies available to successfully complete the process already underway to achieve Climate Neutrality by about 2050, depending on the maturity of the technologies currently available, and those anticipated to be available in the coming decades

Prevalencia de diabetes tipo 2 e hipertensión arterial en adultos de nivel económico bajo de Monterrey, México

Antecedentes: la hiperglucemia es signo característico de un grupo enfermedades, la diabetes tipo 2 abarca del 90 al 95% de los casos, y provoca alta morbilidad, e incapacidad e incluso muerte prematura. Objetivo: determinar la prevalencia de diabetes mellitus tipo 2, prediabetes y la de HA en adultos en área urbana de bajo nivel económico en Monterrey, México. Método: estudio de corte transversal con selección aleatoria de adultos (hombres y mujeres no embarazadas ni lactando) en una comunidad de bajo nivel económico. Se obtuvo glucemia capilar y plasmática en ayuno y 2h-poscarga oral de 75 g glucosa. Diagnósticos según criterios del American Diabetes Association 2004. Se presenta prevalencia con intervalo de confianza (IC95%) y regresión múltiple en inferencia de factores. Resultados: la prevalencia de diabetes mellitus tipo 2 fue 14.1% (9.6-18.6%), prediabetes 12.8% (8.5-17.1) y de hipertensión arterial 26.24% (20.4-32.4%). La edad, el índice de masa corporal y género justifican 38% de la variación de la hipertensión arterial (r = 0.616, todas p < 0.001); pero sólo 5% (r = 0.23) de la variación glucémica fue explicado por la edad (p < 0.01) y el índice de masa corporal (p < 0.05). Conclusiones: la prevalencia de hipertensión arterial fue la esperada, pero la de diabetes mellitus 2 sugiere ser más alta que en reportes previos. En esta población la adiposidad no justifica la alta prevalencia de diabetes mellitus 2, ni de prediabetes. ABSTRACT Background: Hyperglycemia is a characteristic sign of several diseases. In the case of type 2 diabetes, it has an effect on 90 to 95% of the patients. It produces a high morbidity, incapacity and even death. Objective: To determine the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, pre-diabetes and hypertension in a low-income urban area in Monterrey, Mexico. Method: A random, cross-sectional study was done in a low-income urban population in Monterrey, Mexico. Patients who had participated in a baseline glycemic study from 1992 to 1993 were re-examined. The concentration of capillary and plasmatic glucose on fasting and two hour post-load oral glucose (75 g) were determined. The diagnoses were established following the criteria of the American Diabetes Association 2004. Multiple regression analyses were done to infer the factors related with glycemia; the confidence interval was 95%. Results: The type 2 diabetes mellitus prevalence was 14.1%, pre-diabetes 12.8% and the one for hypertension was 26.24%. Age, body mass index and gender prognosticated in an independent manner the values of hypertension (p < 0.001). Glycemia was prognosticated based on age (p < 0.01) and body mass index (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Prevalence of type 2 diabetes was higher in low-income adult patients, but hypertension prevalence remained within normal parameters. In this population, the body mass index did not justify the high prevalence of type 2 diabetes nor that of pre-diabetes