Análisis de la relación entre la estrategia de diversificación y el desempeño de la empresa: el rol del ciclo económico

[EN] The relationship between corporate strategies and firm performance has been one of the key debates in the discipline of Strategic Management. There are studies that analyse the moderating role that certain variables may play in that relationship. These variables tend to refer to aspects within the firm or, at the very least, within the competitive environment in which a firm operates. Nevertheless, the empirical evidence on the part the general environment plays from an economic perspective is much less common, and focuses on large corporations and on periods of economic growth. Accordingly, using a panel of 1,828 Spanish manufacturing firms of different sizes, an analysis is conducted of the differences in Return On Assets (ROA), Growth in Sales (GS) and Labor Productivity (LP) between specialised firms, those with related diversification, and those with unrelated diversification, between 2002 and 2011, in which there was a period of growth alternated with another one of economic recession. Although some superiority is noted of related diversification and specialisation over unrelated diversification, the differences between strategies are less significant in periods of economic recession, and vary according to the dimension of performance considered. These results reveal the need to consider the economic cycle as a contingent factor that affects the impact corporate strategies have on firm performance.[ES] La relación entre las estrategias corporativas y el desempeño empresarial ha sido uno de los debates centrales en la disciplina de la dirección estratégica. Diversos estudios analizan el rol moderador que juegan diversas variables en esta relación. Dichas variables tienden a referirse a aspectos internos de la empresa o, si acaso, a aspectos del entorno competitivo en el que la empresa opera. Sin embargo, es más escasa la evidencia empírica sobre el rol que desempeña el entorno general y suele enfocarse en grandes empresas y en períodos de crecimiento económico. En consecuencia, utilizando un panel de 1.828 empresas manufactureras españolas de diferentes tamaños, se realiza un análisis de las diferencias de rentabilidad sobre activos, crecimiento de ventas y productividad laboral entre empresas especializadas, con diversificación relacionada y con diversificación no relacionada, entre los años 2002 y 2011, en los cuales hubo un período de crecimiento alternado con otro de recesión económica. Aunque se destaca cierta superioridad de la diversificación relacionada y la especialización sobre la diversificación no relacionada, las diferencias entre estrategias son menos significativas en los períodos de recesión económica y varían de acuerdo a la dimensión de desempeño considerada. Estos resultados revelan la necesidad de considerar el ciclo económico como un factor contingente que afecta el impacto que las estrategias corporativas tienen sobre el desempeño de la empresa.This paper has been supported by Project ECO2015-67434-R of Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Spain) and for the Excellent Research Group “Strategor” of URJC-Bank of Santander

Devonian of the Aran Valley Synclinorium, Central Pyrenees, Spain: stratigraphical and paleontological data

In the Aran Valley Synclinorium, situated in the Axial Zone of the Pyrenees, a Devonian succession crops out. This succession has been studied in three localities, two on its southern limb and one on the northern one. These series can be correlated and show the sharp lithological changes occurring in the Devonian of this area, with a predominance of sandstones towards the North and an important development of limestones towards the South. The paleontological study has allowed, on the basis of conodonts, to date several  levels in the two sections on the southern limb; in one of them the Middle- Upper Devonian boundary has been traced fairly accurately. Anomalous faunal distributions have been detected in some of the successions and it is suggested that they are related to the existence of thrusts. However, other processes such as folding or sedimentary reworking, cannot be rejected

Capacidad Cardiovascular en Adultos Sedentarios Obesos sometidos a prueba de esfuerzo en banda sin fin con Protocolo de Bruce modificado en el Centro de Medicina de la Actividad Física y el Deporte, año 2012

El estilo de vida sedentario es uno de los principales factores de riesgo para enfermedades de alta prevalencia, como la diabetes tipo 2, las enfermedades cardiovasculares, la osteoporosis y algunos cánceres. (1). La asociación del sedentarismo con la actual pandemia de obesidad y con el síndrome metabólico (SM) es clara. En consecuencia, el sedentarismo es un factor asociado con una peor calidad de vida y un incremento de la mortalidad general

Taxonomy and evolutionary significance of some "gnathodus" species (conodonts) from the Mississippian of the northern Iberian Peninsula

A new species of Gnathodus, G. joseramoni, is defined and Gnathodus cantabricus Belka & Lehmann is revised from the study of some new conodont associations and analysis of previous data from the Cantabrian Mountains and the Pyrenees, North Iberian Peninsula. G. cantabricus is regarded as a junior synonym of Gnathodus kiensis Pazukhin from the Urals. Other occasional European findings of both taxa are indicated and stratigraphic middle Viséan to Arnsbergian ranges are established. Finally, the phylogenetic relations with other Gnathodus species are also outlined.Asturias (Comunidad Autónoma). Consejería de Educación y Cultura; PB02-079Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología; BTE2003-01609Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología; BTE2002-0381

Conodontes carbonifères de la coupe du río Cares (Unité de Picos de Europe, Zone Cantabrique, NW d’Espagne)

[Sommaire] Des conodontes du Carbonifère ont été isolés pour la première fois dans la coupe du río Cares. 15 espèces et 1 sous-espèce appartenant à 7 genres ont été déterminés, certains d’entre eux n’avaient encore jamais été mentionnés dans l’Unité de Picos de Europa. Ces conodontes correspondent à différentes zones situées entre le Tournaisien supérieur et le Serpoukhovien inférieur. C’est également la première fois que l’espèce Idiognathodus incurvus DUNN est citée dans la Cordillère Cantabrique et en Europe méridionale dans le niveaux du Bashkirien supérieur ou dans le Moscovien inférieur.[Abstract] The first Carboniferous conodonts studied from the Cares river section correspond to fifteen species and one subspecies from seven genera, some of them reported from the Picos de Europa Unit for the first time. The conodonts belong to several zones between the upper Tournaisian and the upper Serpukhovian-lower Bashkirian. Furthermore, the species Idiognathodus incurvus DUNN is reported for the first time in the Cantabrian Mountains and southern Europe, from upper Bashkirian or lower Moscovian beds.Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología; BTE-2003-1060

Funcionamiento básico y social de los usuarios de las viviendas supervisadas para personas con trastorno mental severo en Asturias: necesidad de una intervención pedagógica

The psychiatric reform changed the model of care for people with severe mental illness, opening the door to the development of alternative socio and community support. Housing is a key element in their recovery and social integration, improving clinical, personal and social. Method. The aim of the study is to analyze the basic skills of daily living and social behavior users' supported housing in Asturias and evaluated the influence of the residential program in their functional profile. We used a questionnaire with sociodemographic and clinical variables, the Social Behavior Inventory (SBS) and the Basic Skills Scale of Daily Living (BELS), by interviewing staff and users of the accommodations. They have more than four serious dysfunctions daily living and four serious behavior problems. There are differences in terms of gender, age and place of residence prior. The stay in the program reduces mental health hospitalizations, increases adherence and improves their domestic skills and activities of daily living, but not their social and behavioral. It notes the need for educational intervention at the community level, and shows that the home is able to maintain in the community for people with different levels of difficulty in their social behavior, their symptoms and life skills.Introducción. El proceso de reforma psiquiátrica cambió el modelo de atención a las personas con trastorno mental severo, abriendo las puertas al desarrollo de alternativas socioeducativas y de apoyo en la comunidad. La vivienda representa un elemento clave en su recuperación e inserción social, mejorando aspectos clínicos, personales y sociales. Método. El objetivo del estudio es analizar el funcionamiento básico y social de los usuarios de las viviendas supervisadas en Asturias y evaluar la influencia del programa residencial en su perfil funcional. Se utiliza un cuestionario que recoge las variables sociodemográficas y clínicas, el Inventario de Conducta Social (SBS) y la Escala Habilidades Básicas de la Vida Diaria (BELS), mediante entrevistas a personal y usuarios de los alojamientos. Resultados. Presentan más de cuatro disfunciones graves para la vida diaria y cuatro problemas graves de conducta. Existen diferencias en función de género, edad y el lugar de residencia previo. La estancia en el programa reduce ingresos en salud mental, aumenta la adherencia al tratamiento y mejora sus habilidades domésticas y actividades de la vida diaria, pero no sus relaciones sociales y conductuales. Conclusiones. Se constata la necesidad de una intervención pedagógica en el ámbito comunitario, y se demuestra que la vivienda es capaz de mantener en la comunidad a personas con distintos niveles de dificultad en su conducta social, sus síntomas y sus habilidades cotidianas

Preliminary study on non-viral transfection of F9 (factor IX) gene by nucleofection in human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Background. Hemophilia is a rare recessive X-linked disease characterized by a deficiency of coagulation factor VIII or factor IX. Its current treatment is merely palliative. Advanced therapies are likely to become the treatment of choice for the disease as they could provide a curative treatment. Methods. The present study looks into the use of a safe non-viral transfection method based on nucleofection to express and secrete human clotting factor IX (hFIX) where human adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells were used as target cells in vitro studies and NOD. Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ mice were used to analyze factor IX expression in vivo studies. Previously, acute liver injury was induced by an injected intraperitoneal dose of 500 mg/kg body weight of acetaminophen. Results. Nucleofection showed a percentage of positive cells ranging between 30.7% and 41.9% and a cell viability rate of 29.8%, and cells were shown to secrete amounts of hFIX between 36.8 and 71.9 ng/mL. hFIX levels in the blood of NSG mice injected with ASCs transfected with this vector, were 2.7 ng/mL 48 h after injection. Expression and secretion of hFIX were achieved both in vitro cell culture media and in vivo in the plasma of mice treated with the transfected ASCs. Such cells are capable of eventually migrating to a previously damaged target tissue (the liver) where they secrete hFIX, releasing it to the bloodstream over a period of at least five days from administration. Conclusions. The results obtained in the present study may form a preliminary basis for the establishment of a future ex vivo non-viral gene/cellular safe therapy protocol that may eventually contribute to advancing the treatment of hemophilia

Proceso de inducción a personal en una empresa de alimentos.

El objetivo de la investigación fue, identificar la importancia del proceso de inducción de personal en la empresa Alimesa, S.A. Así mismo, detectar los problemas que genera la ausencia del proceso de inducción. El estudio se llevó a cabo en el mes de julio del año 2015, con 10 colaboradores, comprendidos entre los 20 a 40 años de edad, 2 hombres y 8 mujeres, que tenían más de 1 año de antigüedad en la empresa de alimentos ubicada en la 28 calle 11-04 colonia Granai & Towson II, zona 11, Guatemala. Los instrumentos utilizados fueron: un cuestionario abierto y una encuesta. Producto del proceso de evaluación se estructuró y se entregó una guía de inducción con los contenidos y las actualizaciones pertinentes, de acuerdo a las necesidades de la organización. Concluyó que, los problemas causados por la ausencia de una inducción en la empresa de alimentos son: desconocimiento organizacional, ausencia e incumplimiento de objetivos organizacionales y falta de sentido de pertenencia

Chain‑End Functional di‑Sorbitan Oleate Monomer Obtained from Renewable Resources as Precursors for Bio‑Based Polyurethanes

Artículo derivado de una tesis de MCMA three-step synthetic route was proposed and tested to obtain a chain-end functional di-sorbitan oleate monomer: First, 1,18-octadec-9-enedioic acid compound was produced by self-metathesis reaction of an oleic acid; then, the 1,18-octadec 9-enoyl dichloride compound was yielded by chlorination of the di-acid with thionyl chloride, and fnally, the 1,18-di-sorbitan oleate monomer was yielded by esterifcation of the dichloride with 1,4-sorbitan. The di-sorbitan oleate monomer was purifed and then characterized by FTIR, 1 H-NMR, DSC and TGA to establish its structure and properties. A bio-based polyurethane (PU) was synthesized by reacting the obtained 1,18-di-sorbitan oleate monomer and MDI. Rheological analysis showed that a curing reaction occurs as a signifcant increase of the storage modulus (G’) and the complex viscosity (η*) at 100 °C. The obtained bio-based PU was characterized by FTIR, TGA and DMA, confrming that 1,18-di-sorbitan oleate is a feasible monomer for synthesizing polyurethanes.Conacyt CB-2015–01-257591

Box 4. The pass-through of higher natural gas prices to inflation in the euro area and in Spain

Artículo de revistaThis early-release box was published on 30 Septembe