A research framework of crowdfunding platform usage

In this paper, we define the crowdfunding platform (CFP) a virtual place where project creators document their projects for gaining awareness or social support for making the project proceed. By doing so, project teams can voice the propositions they have worked on or they may also speak out on one party’s behalf for seeking advices. This paper proposes a research framework that targets the issue of CFP in investigating usage behavior in the project teams’ perspectives. It aims at filling the research gap as there is no clear link has been made in understanding how project teams keep up with the usage of CFP in terms of making progresses of proposed projects. In doing so, we believe the power of enormous crowds as project teams can be probably gathered and managed. Moreover, the administrations of CFP can be correctly directed for opening up opportunities for new start-ups

Combining Clustering and MCDM Approach for Evaluating Customer Lifetime Value Ratings

Creating successful transaction actions to retain customers for future re-purchasing is extremely important in fiercely competitive environments. Moreover, different market strategies should be practiced for customers with different lifetime values and loyalty ratings. This work proposes a method, which combines clustering analysis and multiple criteria decision-making approach to evaluate customer lifetime value ratings, and construct the classification rules for individual clusters in market segmentation. An empirical case involving a hardware retailer is illustrated to show the usefulness for evaluating customer lifetime value ratings

Functional characterization of cellulases identified from the cow rumen fungus Neocallimastix patriciarum W5 by transcriptomic and secretomic analyses

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Neocallimastix patriciarum</it> is one of the common anaerobic fungi in the digestive tracts of ruminants that can actively digest cellulosic materials, and its cellulases have great potential for hydrolyzing cellulosic feedstocks. Due to the difficulty in culture and lack of a genome database, it is not easy to gain a global understanding of the glycosyl hydrolases (<it>GHs</it>) produced by this anaerobic fungus.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have developed an efficient platform that uses a combination of transcriptomic and proteomic approaches to <it>N. patriciarum </it>to accelerate gene identification, enzyme classification and application in rice straw degradation. By conducting complementary studies of transcriptome (Roche 454 GS and Illumina GA IIx) and secretome (ESI-Trap LC-MS/MS), we identified 219 putative <it>GH </it>contigs and classified them into 25 <it>GH</it> families. The secretome analysis identified four major enzymes involved in rice straw degradation: β-glucosidase, endo-1,4-β-xylanase, xylanase B and Cel48A exoglucanase. From the sequences of assembled contigs, we cloned 19 putative cellulase genes, including the <it>GH1</it>, <it>GH3</it>, <it>GH5</it>, <it>GH6</it>, <it>GH9</it>, <it>GH18</it>, <it>GH43 </it>and <it>GH48 </it>gene families, which were highly expressed in <it>N. patriciarum </it>cultures grown on different feedstocks.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These <it>GH </it>genes were expressed in Pichia pastoris and/or Saccharomyces cerevisiae for functional characterization. At least five novel cellulases displayed cellulytic activity for glucose production. One β-glucosidase (W5-16143) and one exocellulase (W5-CAT26) showed strong activities and could potentially be developed into commercial enzymes.</p

Hybrid recommendation approaches: collaborative filtering via valuable content information

Collaborative filtering (CF) method has been successfully used in recommender systems to support product recommendation, but it has several limitations. This work uses customer demands derived from the frequent purchased products in each industry as valuable content information. Accordingly, this work explores two hybrid approaches each of which combines CF and customer demands to improve quality of recommendation. Valuable content information is also included as a factor in making recommendations for re-ranking candidate products. The experimental results indicate that the quality of recommendation obtained by the combined methods is promising

Social Innovation, Employee Value Cocreation, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior in a Sport-Related Social Enterprise: Mediating Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility

This stakeholder theory-based study explored the mediating role of employee attitudes regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR) among perceptions of social innovation (SI), value cocreation (VCC), and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) in a sport social enterprise context. Eighty-three employees in a Taiwanese social enterprise were recruited using random sampling. A self-administered online survey was conducted for the collection of data, which were examined using linear regression analysis. The results indicated that employee attitudes regarding CSR fully mediated the relationship among perceived SI and OCB. Additionally, the attitude toward CSR was found to partially mediate the relationship between perceptions of SI and VCC. Employees’ attitudes toward CSR play a critical role in increasing their VCC and OCB in addition to their perception of an organization’s SI. Meaningful theoretical and practical implications were revealed