Organizational agility and HRM strategy: Do they really enhance firms' competitiveness?

This article intended to emphasize and explicate the conceptual framework of organizational agility that discusses organizational spirit, capability, flexibility, nimbleness, and speediness. Whereas, the key activities of HR specialists involved in operational matters are progressively observed as a source of competitive advantage in today's severely competitive and fast changing markets. Similarly, it has been a competitive marketplace expansion; thus, nowadays, the situation is really difficult to enhance sustainable growth for the firms' side. Hence, the purpose of this article is to reveal that HR strategy enables organizations or firms to understand the value of internal and external customers, knowledge of competitors, products, technology, and sources of competitive advantage. It is all important to ascertain that the success of a business is founded along the belief that an organization achieve competitive advantage by making use of its people adequately and efficiently. Therefore, this article exemplifies some research propositions that how firms can respond rapidly and flexibly to the changing environment without facing market turbulence. Following this, the research aims to understand whether organizational agility and value of HR can really create a difference and influence on business performance. Finally, the result of this study highlights the importance of organizational agility and human resource's effectiveness which have an influence on enhancing organizational performance and competitive abilities. (C) AIMI Journal

Entrepreneurial universities perception and regional innovation system: Do they really create an environment for regional economic development?

The aim of this paper is to exemplify the entrepreneurial universities creativities that influence on the increasing regional innovation system and encourage knowledge development environment for regional economic development. During the era of socioeconomic development and industrialization, the entrepreneurial university’s innovative activities have been perceived as an important facilitator for regional economic and social development. Inclusively, the prime goal of this paper is to highlight the importance of an entrepreneurial university and its influence on regional innovation systems that enable to create an environment for regional economic development. This paper presents the identification of what is necessary for the emerging conception of the entrepreneurial universities phronetic approach to entrepreneurship that facilitate in the development procedure of entrepreneurial activities within the region. In addition, it identifies the connection between entrepreneurial university and regional growth in relation to smart specialization strategy and finally answers the question how the key enabling factors of regional innovation strategy to stimulate entrepreneurial activity. Last but not the least, this paper also suggested that the challenges of entrepreneurial universities deliberated creativities could be very stimulating and sophisticated style for the new EU member states, regions that act as a means of encouraging knowledge and innovation – driven regional economic development. © 2020, Allied Business Academies. All rights reserved

The impact of SHRM on sustainable organizational learning and performance development

This article aimed at developing a conceptual framework about the role of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) and its impact on managerial skills and organizational performance which offered some insights into how learning might occur at the organizational level in order to improve organizational capability as well as individual capability. It also indicated that there were plenty of research studies to advocate the influence of SHRM. Nevertheless, there were some rare examples of linkages between SHRM and sustainable organizational learning practices that can improve organizations effectiveness and develop its performance through ample qualification, suitable working condition, and potential motivation. Thus, this article aims to emphasize on several approaches of organizational learning as facilitating variables. Today, the strategic part of HRM practices which was integrated within the organization stated that the success of the organizational performance lied in developing positive attitudes of individuals, groups, and organizations that mainly enhanced individual competence as well organizational competence through organizational learning. Therefore, the context of this study identified the key concept of SHRM that influenced and boosted knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) of employees in an organization. Finally, this article recommended some research suggestions based on the highlighted propositions that accelerated organizational performance and improved competitive abilities. (c) AIMI Journal

Calcium phosphate incorporated bacterial cellulose-polyvinylpyrrolidone based hydrogel scaffold: Structural property and cell viability study for bone regeneration application

This work focuses on the analysis of structural and functional properties of calcium phosphate (CaP) incorporated bacterial cellulose (BC)-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) based hydrogel scaffolds referred to as "CaP/BC-PVP". CaP is incorporated in the scaffolds in the form of hydroxyapatite (HA) and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) in different concentrations (β-TCP: HA (w/w) = 20:80, 40:60, and 50:50). The scaffolds were characterized on the basis of porosity, thermal, biodegradation, mechanical, and cell viability/cytocompatibility properties. The structural properties of all the hydrogel scaffolds show significant porosity. The biodegradation of "CaP/BC-PVP" scaffold was evaluated following hydrolytic degradation. Weight loss profile, pH change, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) study confirm the significant degradability of the scaffolds. It is observed that a 50:50_CaP/BC-PVP scaffold has the highest degree of degradation. On the other hand, the compressive strengths of CaP/BC-PVP hydrogel scaffolds are found between 0.21 to 0.31 MPa, which is comparable with the human trabecular bone. The cell viability study is performed with a human osteosarcoma Saos-2 cell line, where significant cell viability is observed in all the hydrogel scaffolds. This indicated their ability to facilitate cell growth and cell proliferation. Considering all these substantial properties, CaP/BC-PVP hydrogel scaffolds can be suggested for detailed investigation in the context of bone regeneration application. © 2019 by the authors.Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of The Czech Republic - NPU Program I [LO1504]; Internal Grant Agency, Tomas Bata University in Zlin, Czech Republic [IGA/CPS/2019/003

N-[2-(Cyclohexylamino)-2-oxoethyl]-N-(4-octyloxy) phenyl-prop-2-enamide

N-[2-(Cyclohexylamino)-2-oxoethyl]-N-(4-octyloxy)phenyl-prop-2-enamide was prepared in good yield by coupling of 4(octyloxy)aniline, Cyclohexyl isocyanide, paraformaldehyde and acrylic acid by multicomponent Ugi reaction, at room temperature. The structure of the newly synthesized tripeptoid derivative was well characterized using elemental analysis, FTIR, NMR and mass spectral data. © 2016 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.DE-AC02-05CH11231, DOE, U.S. Department of EnergyMSMT CR-USA Kontakt II [LH14050]; Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, of the U.S. Department of Energy [DE-AC02-05CH11231]; Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic - NPU Program I [LO1504

Ethyl({[acryloyl(furan-2-ylmethyl)amino]acetyl}amino)acetate

Ethyl({[acryloyl(furan-2-ylmethyl)amino]acetyl}amino)acetate was synthesized via Ugi four component (4C) reaction at ambient temperature. The protocol employs a reaction between formaldehyde, furfurylamine, acrylic acid, and ethyl 2-isocyanoacetate. The course of the reaction was found to be high yielding, and the resulting glycine ester derivative was well characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometric techniques. © 2017 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.DE-AC02-05CH11231, DOE, U.S. Department of Energy; MŠMT, Ministerstvo Školství, Mládeže a TělovýchovyMSMT CR-USA Kontakt II [LH14050]; Molecular Foundry, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, of the U.S. Department of Energy [DE-AC02-05CH11231]; Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic - NPU Program I [LO1504

Effect of salt concentration and temperature on the rheological properties of guar gum-dead sea salt gel

Dead Sea Salt (DSS) contains 21 minerials including magnesium, calcium, sulfur, bromide, iodine, sodium, zinc and potassium etc. On the other hand, Guar Gum (GG) is a natural polysaccharide, water soluble, having highest molecular weight and good gelling property. Due to such advantageous properties of DSS and GG, it has been taken interest to prepare a user friendly medicated gel (designated as GG-DSS gel) adding additional ingredients:e.g. Glycerol, Thymol, Ethanol, Seabuckthorn oil, and essencial oils for the improvment of the gel's medicated values and healing properties for the curing of general skin diseases/treatment. In this study, the viscoelastic behavior of GG-DSS gels were characterized by dynamic storage (G') and loss (G") moduli and complex viscosity as a function of angular frequency. The effect of DSS concentration and temperature on these properties of GG-DSS gels was investigated. All GG-DSS gels having different amount DSS shows G' higher than G" over a wide range of angular frequency. Both moduli have the trends to increase with the increase of temperature (temperature varies from 28°C to 50°C), and increase with the increase of DSS concentration higher than about 10%. In conclusion, it can be mentioned that the knowledge about the rheological properties of DSS-GG gels may be useful during the characterization of similar kinds of medicated gel. © 2016 Author(s).ERDF, European Regional Development Fun

Twinning strategy: Is it a vehicle for sustainable organizational learning and institutional capacity development?

In the era of globalization and internationalization research organizations are lagging behind to enhance their organizational performance and to keep pace with the ever-changing world. This article presents the idea of twinning strategy as a mechanism for sustainable organizational learning and enhancing research performance under globalized in conditions. The development of organizational learning seems to promise one of the answers to the challenges created by increased international competition and the growing importance of innovation in the knowledge economy. Twinning of research organization is an ongoing debate of Horizon 2020 for advancing the policy and practice of capacity building in international development cooperation.The purpose of this article is to assess why twinning is an instrument for building and strengthening institutional capacity?. Twinning approach specifically address networking gaps and deficiencies between the research institutions of the low performing member states and regions that mitigate the stress through collaboration between internationally-leading counterparts at European Union (EU) level. By doing so this study not only indicate that twinning is the unique method for sustaining organizational learning and capacity building but also it shows how the distinctive features of twinning strategy can be the key of institutional development. © 2015, World Scientific and Engineering Academy and Society. All rights reserved

Entrepreneurial universities inclusive perspective: Does it trigger social innovation process and entrepreneurship?

This paper addressed an overview of the Entrepreneurial Universities Inclusive perspective in the era of globalization and socio-scientific innovation research. This conceptual paper builds a framework to explore and investigate the impression of entrepreneurial universities, enabling factors that foster social innovation and social entrepreneurship development in order to create and sustain social value. Moreover, this research intends to classify the style-the entrepreneurial universities are now recognizing their prominence as an incubator of a social innovation process that triggers the emergence of social entrepreneurship mindset. Since, the distinctive challenges of entrepreneurial universities are persistently pursuing new opportunities to swear out the university's mission; engaging in a process of continuous innovation, adaptation and learning that facilitate to run across the societal challenges and technological break. Therefore, this paper argues that it is important to understand the supports of entrepreneurial universities in the society that flows through the unique tacit knowledge in order to make an indispensable contribution to encouraging knowledge based urban development. Consequently, it activates the key driving forces of the social innovation process and its impact on the entrepreneurial innovation system, entrepreneurial skill development and social entrepreneurship. The main purpose of this paper is to exemplify, how does entrepreneurial development process can foster social innovation and social entrepreneurship. Thus, it mainly highlighted that it is important to understand the correlation of entrepreneurial universities empowering activities that deliberate innovation -driven economic growth, exceptional implicit knowledge that materializes the concept of social innovation process and contributes to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). © 2020 Academic Conferences and Publishing International Limited. All rights reserved

Ecofriendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles from garden rhubarb (rheum rhabarbarum)

Bioreduction of silver ions following one pot process is described to achieve Rheum rhabarbarum (RR) based silver nanoparticles (SNPs) which is termed as "RR-SNPs." The Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) confirms the characteristic surface plasmon resonance band for RR-SNPs in the range of 420-460 nm. The crystalline nature of SNPs was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks at 38.2 degrees, 45.6 degrees, 64.2 degrees, and 76.8 degrees. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) confirm the shape of synthesized SNPs. They are roughly spherical but uniformly distributed, and size varies from 60 to 80 nm. These biogenic SNPs show persistent zeta potential value of 34.8mV even after 120 days and exhibit potent antibacterial activity in presence of Escherichia coli (CCM 4517) and Staphylococcus aureus (CCM 4516). In addition, cytotoxicity of RR-SNPs against in vitro human epithelial carcinoma (HeLa) cell line showed a dose-response activity. The lethal concentration (LC50) value was found to be 28.5 mu g/mL for RR-SNPs in the presence of HeLa cells. These findings help us to evaluate their appropriate applications in the field of nanotechnology and nanomedicine