Fostering entrepreneurship and economic growth: Pathways to economic resilience in Kosovo

This study examines economic resilience in the new born state of Kosovo. Resilience is an emerging concept, which has been employed to examine economic performance and responsiveness to exogenous shocks. Drawing on interviews with stakeholders in Kosovo, this paper contributes to the emergent literature on economic resilience by examining how policy seeks to improve resilience through entrepreneurial activity. The paper finds that entrepreneurship in Kosovo is integral to promoting the diversification and capacity building, by developing institutional arrangements to harness productive entrepreneurship and reduce informal economic activity. The paper concludes that restructuring in a post-war context is extremely challenging and requires long-term joined-up approaches, before drawing a series of recommendations concerning the wider policy implications of the study

The co-pyrolysis of flame retarded high impact polystyrene and polyolefins

The co-pyrolysis of brominated high impact polystyrene (Br-HIPS) with polyolefins using a fixed bed reactor has been investigated, in particular, the effect that different types brominated aryl compounds and antimony trioxide have on the pyrolysis products. The pyrolysis products were analysed using FT-IR, GC-FID, GC-MS, and GC-ECD. Liquid chromatography was used to separate the oils/waxes so that a more detailed analysis of the aliphatic, aromatic, and polar fractions could be carried out. It was found that interaction occurs between Br-HIPS and polyolefins during co-pyrolysis and that the presence of antimony trioxide influences the pyrolysis mass balance. Analysis of the Br-HIPS + polyolefin co-pyrolysis products showed that the presence of polyolefins led to an increase in the concentration of alkyl and vinyl mono-substituted benzene rings in the pyrolysis oil/wax resulting from Br-HIPS pyrolysis. The presence of Br-HIPS also had an impact on the oil/wax products of polyolefin pyrolysis, particularly on the polyethylene oil/wax composition which converted from being a mixture of 1-alkenes and n-alkanes to mostly n-alkanes. Antimony trioxide had very little impact on the polyolefin wax/oil composition but it did suppress the formation of styrene and alpha-methyl styrene and increase the formation of ethylbenzene and cumene during the pyrolysis of the Br-HIPS

A Migration Study of \u3ci\u3eStelidota Geminata\u3c/i\u3e (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae)

The strawberry sap beetle, Stelidota geminata (Say), is a major pest of strawberries in the northeastern United States. Further knowledge of the migratory habits of this insect pest can enhance the effectiveness of pest management strategies. This nitidulid was shown to migrate from its overwintering sites to one of its primary reproductive sites, strawberry fields, in late May. The beetle population peaked in the third week in July, 1993 in the strawberry field and then gradually declined. In 1994, the peak, as well as the total population, was much greater than in 1993. Furthermore, S. geminata was concentrated in the transition areas surrounding the strawberry fields prior to the ripening of the fruit

Detection of Metallic Mordants on Textiles by Particle-Induced X-Ray Emission

A group of modern wool and cotton samples prepared as mordanted standards was subjected to particle-induced x-ray emission analysis (PIXE). The mordants applied were potassium aluminum sulfate, cupric sulfate, ferrous sulfate, stannous chloride, and potassium dichromate. Results agreed with analyses of identical mordanted standards by energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry in a scanning electron microscope (SEM-EDS)

Distinguishing step relaxation mechanisms via pair correlation functions

Theoretical predictions of coupled step motion are tested by direct STM measurement of the fluctuations of near-neighbor pairs of steps on Si(111)-root3 x root3 R30 - Al at 970K. The average magnitude of the pair-correlation function is within one standard deviation of zero, consistent with uncorrelated near-neighbor step fluctuations. The time dependence of the pair-correlation function shows no statistically significant agreement with the predicted t^1/2 growth of pair correlations via rate-limiting atomic diffusion between adjacent steps. The physical considerations governing uncorrelated step fluctuations occurring via random attachment/detachment events at the step edge are discussed.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figure

Entrepreneurship and local economic resilience: the impact of institutional hysteresis in peripheral places

This article examines how the legacies of the past in peripheral post-industrial places serve to shape current and future entrepreneurial activity, and with it local economic resilience. Drawing on in-depth qualitative interviews with key regional stakeholders, the article reveals how peripheral post-industrial places are constrained by their histories. This is found to be manifest in different ways, such as low aspirations, generational unemployment and a loss of identity which are in turn compounded by negative perceptions of place and opportunity. These issues culminate in institutional hysteresis at the local level and constrain entrepreneurial ambition. The article argues that the rigidity and reproduction of informal institutions continues to stymie economic resilience and growth. We conclude by reflecting on the implications for entrepreneurship in peripheral post-industrial places as well as with recommendations for policy