Customers as Predictors of Rent Returns to Innovation and Small Firms – an exploratory study

Small to medium enterprises (SME) are frequently associated with high levels of innovation. However, it is difficult for such firms to fully assess the merits of a particular innovation. This study examined the risk-return profile of future investment in innovation by SME with respect to anticipated ‘rent' or financial returns. A survey of highly innovative SME was undertaken that examined management perceptions of the key strategic influences on rent returns. Regression analysis suggests that the firms' assessment of the rent returns from their innovation may be influenced by the value it is likely to deliver to the customer, the customer's expected use of the innovation to generate new sales and the ease of integrating the new innovation into existing technologies. The findings have implications for how entrepreneurs from early stage ventures are assisted.small business; entrepreneurship; innovation; risk assessment

Contribution à la compréhension du processus d’élaboration de la stratégie des PME : Deux études de cas

La littérature sur le management stratégique des PME s’est, pendant longtemps, beaucoup intéressée à l’importance de la planification stratégique, mais ne s’est attachée que plus récemment à étudier le processus de décision, de formulation et de mise en oeuvre de la stratégie (Ivanaj et Bayad, 2005). En particulier dans les PME, le processus d’élaboration de la stratégie a une dimension ontologique fondatrice de l’identité de l’entreprise et à partir de laquelle elle projette et construit son avenir dans un processus dynamique et cumulatif. Cet article se concentre sur le processus d’élaboration de la stratégie afin d’évaluer à quel point ce processus est contraint et afin de relever les facteurs qui peuvent l’influencer. Cette recherche est un effort de synthèse des travaux évolutionnistes (Nelson et Winter, 1982, 2002) et constructivistes (Weick, 1995 ; Marmuse, 1999) centrés sur le processus d’élaboration de la stratégie et d’Émile-Michel Hernandez (2001) sur le modèle entrepreneurial. À partir de ces travaux, nous avons construit un modèle théorique que nous avons testé en réalisant deux études de cas de type instrumental (Hlady Rispal, 2002) auprès de deux entreprises moyennes, un fabricant de cycles et une entreprise d’injection plastique. Au plan méthodologique, cette recherche est donc fondamentalement exploratoire. L’objet de cette communication est de décrire et analyser le processus d’élaboration de la stratégie de deux PME dans un système de contraintes et d’influences à la lumière de notre modèle théorique.Literature on small and medium sized enterprises has mostly looked at the importance of strategic planning but paid little attention until recently to strategic decision making, strategy formulation and strategy implementation processes (Ivanaj et Bayad, 2005). This paper focuses on strategy development process in SMEs, in order to evaluate the extent to which it is a constrained process, and identifies specific influencing factors. This research is an attempt to synthesize evolutionist (Nelson and Winter, 1982, 2002) and constructivist (Weick, 1995 ; Marmuse, 1999) contributions on strategy making process on the one hand and entrepreneurial literature (Hernandez, 2001) on the other hand. This research is exploratory and is based upon two instrumental case studies (Hlady Rispal, 2002) to evaluate the practical relevance of the model and to consolidate its theoretical foundation. This paper traces the dynamic and cumulative strategy formulation processes of two SMEs in the context of a system of constraints and influences reflecting our theoretical model.La literatura sobre el management estratégico de las PyMEs se ha interesado por mucho tiempo a la importancia de la plantación estratégica y solo recientemente toma en cuenta el proceso de decisión, de formulación y de puesta en marcha de la estrategia (Ivanaj et Bayad, 2005). En particular en las PyMEs, el proceso de elaboración de la estrategia tiene una dimensión antológica fundadora de la entidad de la empresa, a partir de la cual ella proyecta y construye su porvenir en un proceso dinámico y acumulativo. Esta comunicación se centra en los procesos de elaboración de la estrategia a fin de evaluar hasta que punto este proceso se encuentra limitado, y con el fin de identificar los factores que pueden influenciarlo. Esta investigación es un esfuerzo de síntesis de trabajos evolucionistas (Nelson et Winter, 1982, 2002),constructivistas (Weick, 1995 ; Marmuse, 1999) y de emprendedor (Hernandez 2001) centrados en el proceso de elaboración de la estrategia. En el plan metodológico, esta investigación es por lo tanto fundamentalmente exploratoria, y consiste en realizar dos estudios de caso de tipo instrumental (Hlady Rispal, 2002), permitiéndonos probar nuestro modelo teórico. Son, de alguna manera, la ilustración detallada de una hipótesis teórica permitiendo afinar la grille de lectura de las otras entrevistas. El objetivo de esta comunicación corresponde a la análisis de el proceso de elaboración de la estrategia de dos PyMEs en un sistema de limitaciones y de influencias a la luz de nuestro modelo teórico.Die Literatur zum strategischen Management in KMU hat sich lange Zeit vor allem um die strategische Planung gekümmert. Erst seit kürzerer Zeit sind der Entscheidungsprozess, die Formulierung sowie die Umsetzung der Strategie ein Thema (Ivanaj & Bayad, 2005). Insbesondere bei den KMU hat der Prozess zur Ausarbeitung der Strategie eine ontologische Dimension, die die Identität des Unternehmens mitbegründet und die Zukunft in einer dynamischen und konstruktiven Entwicklung projiziert und gestaltet. Vorliegende Kommunikation konzentriert sich auf den Ausarbeitungsprozess der Strategie, um festlegen zu können bis zu welchem Punkt dieser Prozess zwingend ist und welche Faktoren ihn beeinflussen. Unsere Forschung synthetisiert die evolutionistischen (Nelson & Winter, 1982, 2002) und konstruktivistischen (Weick, 2005 ; Marmuse, 1999) Arbeiten, die den strategischen Ausarbeitungsprozess und das unternehmerische Modell von Émile-Michel Hernandez (2001) thematisieren. Auf dieser Basis haben wir ein theoretisches Modell entwickelt und es anhand von instrumentalen Fallstudien (Hlady Rispal, 2002) bei zwei mittelgrossen Unternehmen getestet. Aus methodischer Sicht handelt es sich also um ein grundsätzlich exploratives Vorgehen. Ziel des Beitrages ist somit die systemische Umschreibung und Analyse des Strategieerarbeitungsprozesses bei KMU – mitsamt sämtlicher Erfordernisse und Einflüsse – im Lichte unseres theoretischen Modelles

Organisational factors, anticipated rents and commercialisation in SMEs

The study investigates the relationship between organisational factors and the anticipated returns to the commercialisation of an innovation within small to medium enterprises (SMEs). Using a large multi-country sample, the analysis involved a structural equation model of seven organisational factors associated with the management of innovation, and their relationship with the anticipated volume of sales, profitability and lifecycle of the innovation. Significant relationships were found between the possession of an innovation strategy and formal commercialisation management, and optimism over sales volumes and lifecycle. The study provides new insights into the resource-based view and theory of entrepreneurial rents, strengthening SME owner-managers’ assessment on future investments in innovation and how to utilise their best capabilities. Policy makers also gain more insights into the commercialisation process within SMEs to foster the innovation orientation in both high and low tech sectors

Employer and employee perspectives of HRM practices within SMEs

This paper examines the perspectives of employers and employees within nano, micro, small, medium, and large firms in relation to HRM practices. The study draws upon a large sample of respondents from firms of all size categories. An online questionnaire comprising established HRM measures was used to collect the data. A multivariate discriminant analysis procedure was used to identify the interrelationships between the employer and employee groups, across firms by size, and how they viewed the importance of the HRM measures. The study found a strong congruence between employers and employees across most constructs and provides insights into the role firm size plays in the formalization of HRM practices and the relative importance of such factors within SMEs

HIV-1 Protease and Reverse Transcriptase Control the Architecture of Their Nucleocapsid Partner

The HIV-1 nucleocapsid is formed during protease (PR)-directed viral maturation, and is transformed into pre-integration complexes following reverse transcription in the cytoplasm of the infected cell. Here, we report a detailed transmission electron microscopy analysis of the impact of HIV-1 PR and reverse transcriptase (RT) on nucleocapsid plasticity, using in vitro reconstitutions. After binding to nucleic acids, NCp15, a proteolytic intermediate of nucleocapsid protein (NC), was processed at its C-terminus by PR, yielding premature NC (NCp9) followed by mature NC (NCp7), through the consecutive removal of p6 and p1. This allowed NC co-aggregation with its single-stranded nucleic-acid substrate. Examination of these co-aggregates for the ability of RT to catalyse reverse transcription showed an effective synthesis of double-stranded DNA that, remarkably, escaped from the aggregates more efficiently with NCp7 than with NCp9. These data offer a compelling explanation for results from previous virological studies that focused on i) Gag processing leading to nucleocapsid condensation, and ii) the disappearance of NCp7 from the HIV-1 pre-integration complexes. We propose that HIV-1 PR and RT, by controlling the nucleocapsid architecture during the steps of condensation and dismantling, engage in a successive nucleoprotein-remodelling process that spatiotemporally coordinates the pre-integration steps of HIV-1. Finally we suggest that nucleoprotein remodelling mechanisms are common features developed by mobile genetic elements to ensure successful replication

Physics case for an LHCb Upgrade II - Opportunities in flavour physics, and beyond, in the HL-LHC era

The LHCb Upgrade II will fully exploit the flavour-physics opportunities of the HL-LHC, and study additional physics topics that take advantage of the forward acceptance of the LHCb spectrometer. The LHCb Upgrade I will begin operation in 2020. Consolidation will occur, and modest enhancements of the Upgrade I detector will be installed, in Long Shutdown 3 of the LHC (2025) and these are discussed here. The main Upgrade II detector will be installed in long shutdown 4 of the LHC (2030) and will build on the strengths of the current LHCb experiment and the Upgrade I. It will operate at a luminosity up to 2×1034 cm−2s−1, ten times that of the Upgrade I detector. New detector components will improve the intrinsic performance of the experiment in certain key areas. An Expression Of Interest proposing Upgrade II was submitted in February 2017. The physics case for the Upgrade II is presented here in more depth. CP-violating phases will be measured with precisions unattainable at any other envisaged facility. The experiment will probe b → sl+l−and b → dl+l− transitions in both muon and electron decays in modes not accessible at Upgrade I. Minimal flavour violation will be tested with a precision measurement of the ratio of B(B0 → μ+μ−)/B(Bs → μ+μ−). Probing charm CP violation at the 10−5 level may result in its long sought discovery. Major advances in hadron spectroscopy will be possible, which will be powerful probes of low energy QCD. Upgrade II potentially will have the highest sensitivity of all the LHC experiments on the Higgs to charm-quark couplings. Generically, the new physics mass scale probed, for fixed couplings, will almost double compared with the pre-HL-LHC era; this extended reach for flavour physics is similar to that which would be achieved by the HE-LHC proposal for the energy frontier

LHCb upgrade software and computing : technical design report

This document reports the Research and Development activities that are carried out in the software and computing domains in view of the upgrade of the LHCb experiment. The implementation of a full software trigger implies major changes in the core software framework, in the event data model, and in the reconstruction algorithms. The increase of the data volumes for both real and simulated datasets requires a corresponding scaling of the distributed computing infrastructure. An implementation plan in both domains is presented, together with a risk assessment analysis

Determination of quantum numbers for several excited charmed mesons observed in B- -> D*(+)pi(-) pi(-) decays

A four-body amplitude analysis of the B − → D * + π − π − decay is performed, where fractions and relative phases of the various resonances contributing to the decay are measured. Several quasi-model-independent analyses are performed aimed at searching for the presence of new states and establishing the quantum numbers of previously observed charmed meson resonances. In particular the resonance parameters and quantum numbers are determined for the D 1 ( 2420 ) , D 1 ( 2430 ) , D 0 ( 2550 ) , D ∗ 1 ( 2600 ) , D 2 ( 2740 ) and D ∗ 3 ( 2750 ) states. The mixing between the D 1 ( 2420 ) and D 1 ( 2430 ) resonances is studied and the mixing parameters are measured. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.7     fb − 1 , collected in proton-proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8 and 13 TeV with the LHCb detector