Identifying innovation opportunities emerging from technology and business trends

PhD thesis in TechnologyBusinesses are continuously looking for opportunities to innovate. There is a gap in the literature regarding innovation models and approaches that are systematic, practical and easy to apply. This thesis addresses this issue through investigation of the potential for identifying innovation opportunities emerging from technology and business trends and of how to evaluate ideas. Technology trends depict the evolving direction of technology; can they be used to innovate products? Inspired by ideation literature, a novel model is presented which combines technology trends with product breakdown to generate product innovation ideas. The empirical evidence suggests that the model can generate quality ideas. Further investigation of technology trends indicated that the largest trend of the near future will be autonomation, which suggests that many products and services will be delivered in a totally autonomous way. Operations that can be standardized have a high likelihood of being autonomated in the near future. This is because sensor advancement has made it possible to install low-cost sensors on machines; these act as senses for the machine, and then the sensor data can be processed in digital algorithms to carry out fine-tuned decision-making for the machine. This enables a paradigm shift in how machines and applications are operated. The megatrend of electrification has dominated the past century, during which the leading inspiration for innovators was how to electrify industry, households, automobiles, etc. The inspiration for future innovation could likewise be how to autonomate the same. Anecdotal evidence supports this claim. A model and case study are presented in this regard. In a similar way to technology trends, business trends are also agents of change, revealing how businesses are evolving. The largest trend observed is servitization. Companies are gradually shifting away from the traditional model of selling just products towards selling the functionality of the products as services. The shelf life of many products has been significantly reduced, and there is stiff competition in the market. Services, on the other hand, are more sustainable. Servitization is here defined as reducing tangibility in the product. A utility-driven approach is developed, in which the products are broken down into the utility features that encourage the customer to purchase the product and barriers that prohibit the customer from purchasing the product. The model presented in the study presents options to gradually enhance utility and reduce both barriers and the overall tangibility of the product. That can assist users in transforming their products into services. Another way to servitize is to add services to a product in the form of product-service-system. Financing/ownership value added services are explored, and the changes they bring to the business model are studied. These services do not require changes to the product or technological development and can add service benefits to the product. A systematic framework is presented, in which the options can be individually evaluated, and suitable value-added service options can be selected. Another important business trend observed is outsourcing. Start-ups and high growth companies have limited resources, and they do not have the flexibility to carry out all business activities internally. Companies tend to outsource business activities, to survive with limited resources. However, sometimes outsourcing the core activities of the business can invite competition. In this thesis, a decision tree for evaluating business activities for outsourcing purposes is presented. The decision tree assists users in evaluating those activities that can be outsourced with minimal side effects for the business. Traditionally, ideas are screened based on subjective judgement after a brainstorming session. In this thesis, a systematic high-level idea screening tool is presented, which is useful for screening ideas in a short period of time. Six key parameters, which are producibility, problem size, market size, novelty, profit margin and business alignment, are pillars of the idea screening tool, compiled by assorting the idea screening literature. The tool is useful for screening the ideas generated in the aforementioned models. Together, the appended papers contribute to filling the gap in the innovation literature regarding practical guidelines to innovate businesses

Integration of value adding services related to financing and ownership: A business model perspective

OA-merket på doi-sidenIt is an agreed fact among scholars that services are more sustainable compared to the products. By offering services, traditional companies can lock their customers into a long-term and sustainable revenue generation settlement. Available academic literature is abundant with methodologies related to service development. However, this study investigates various value adding service options related to financing and ownership of a product that can be offered on top of the existing products. It is important to understand these options from the consumer as well as supplier perspective. The most well established options available for financing/ownership are compiled, and sorted with respect to intangibility, ownership, financing and value addition scale. The study argues that the identified options incrementally add value to the existing offering by increasing the purchasing power and reducing the ownership obstacles for the customers. However, for the supplier, the decision depends on the trade-off between value addition for the customers and the business model changes required.publishedVersio

ROLE OF SERUM ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE IN DISEASE SEVERITY AMONG PATIENTS HAVING CARCINOMA BREAST AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Background; This study was carried out to determine the role of total serum alkaline Phosphatase in bone metastasis among patients of breast cancer. Study setting; Department of Surgery, Nishtar Medical University, Multan in collaboration with breast clinic MINAR. Study Duration; January 2016 to June 2017 Subjects and methods; It was a retrospective study carried out at breast clinic MINAR, Multan. The medical record of the female patients having breast cancer aged 25 to 70 years (who presented from January 2016 to June 2017) was scrutinized. All the registered patients during above mentioned period having breast carcinoma with metastatic bone disease, as depicted on bone scan, were taken as index cases. All the cases underwent total serum alkaline Phosphatase estimation. We collected 86 cases for this research study. Primary bone tumours, lymphomas, sarcomas and bone metastasis due to other primary visceral malignancies were excluded. All the required data were entered and analyzed using computer program SPSS version 20.0. Results; The mean age of the breast cancer patients was 46.51 ± 11.11 years (ranging from 25 – 70 years).  Eighty four (97.7%) were married. All the patients presented with lump breast. Only 3 (3.5%) of the cases gave family history of breast cancer and history of contraceptive pills was positive in 4 (3.7%) of the cases. History of breast feeding was positive in 63 (73.3%) of the cases. Mean age at menarche was 13.21± 0.896 years in our study cases. Mean age at menopause in our study was 46.86 ± 5.66 years. Total serum alkaline Phosphatase was raised in 27 (31.4%) cases. Only 6 (6.9%) of the cases showed its level more than 500 IU/L. Conclusion; Our study results don’t favor total serum alkaline Phosphatase estimation as biological marker of bone metastasis among breast cancer patients. Bone scan is more reliable and hence be employed for detection of bone metastasis. Further studies on bone ALP and total ALP estimation are required to generate further evidence on this subject. Keywords; Serum alkaline Phosphatase, breast cancer, bone metastasis

Derangement in Serum Inflammatory Biomarkers Among Patients with End Stage Renal Disease

Background: End stage renal disease is an important public health problem. Renal replacement therapy, dialysis and transplantation are used to provide relief from the symptoms of end stage renal disease whilst also preserving the life of the patients though they are not curative. Haemodialysis is the widely used method although it produces a negative impact on quality of life of the patients. Hypoalbumianemia has been reported to be frequently present in haemodialysis patients and correlates strongly with mortality and morbidity. Objective: To determine the frequency of deranged  inflammatory biomarkers in patients with end stage renal disease on hemodialysis, in Nishtar Hospital Multan. Material and methods: One hundred thirty-one cases with ESRD were selected from Hemodialysis Department, Nishtar Hospital Multan and  3ml of venous blood sample was taken before starting a session of hemodialysis and sent to central laboratory of Nishtar Hospital Multan. Serum Albumin was obtained by an automatic analyzer, and serum CRP by slide test, free of cost, to measure deranged inflammatory biomarkers. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 20. Results: Of these 131 study cases, 85 (64.9%) were male patients while 46 (35.1%) were female patients. Mean age of our study cases was 42.37 ± 5.98 years. Of these 131 patients with ESRD on hemodialysis 33 (25.2%) were diabetic, 65 (49.6%) were hypertensives and 13 (9.9%) were obese. Mean duration on hemodialysis was 19.51 ± 7.59 months, 80 (61.1%) had to undergo hemodialysis twice a week and 51 (38.9%) had to undergo three times a week. Mean serum albumin level was noted to be 3.37 ± 0.59 g/dl. Mean serum C-reactive protein level was noted to be 20.73 ± 15.84 mg/l. Frequency of deranged inflammatory biomarkers in our study was noted to be in 109 (83.2%) of the study cases. Conclusion: Very high frequency of derangement in inflammatory biomarkers have been noted in our study. This derangement in these inflammatory biomarkers was significantly associated with female gender, increasing age, increased duration on hemodialysis and increased frequency of hemodialysis. The early diagnosis of these derangements followed by preventive measures can help decrease disease morbidity and mortality among targeted population. Keywords: Inflammatory biomarkers, deranged, end-stage renal disease, hemodialysis

The Relationship between Ethical Leadership and Whistle-Blowing: The Moderating Effects of Job Security and Affective Commitment

The present study examines the positive impact of ethical leadership on whistleblowing. The study further investigates the role of job security and affective commitment as moderators on the relationship between ethical leadership and whistleblowing. This study examined the fundamental moderating mechanism, which is unique because no such mechanism has been investigated in previous research. A cross-sectional representative sample of 285 Federal Government employees from various Ministries/Divisions and the Benazir Income Support Programme, a corporate body and a renowned social safety net under the Federal Government of Pakistan, was collected. Of the 285 questionnaires, only 241 were deemed useable and were analyzed. A statistical analysis was carried out through correlation, descriptive, and moderated regression analysis. The results supported the first three hypotheses that ethical leadership and whistleblowing had a positive relationship. Furthermore, job security moderated the positive relationship between ethical leadership and whistleblowing, such that the relationship is stronger for employees with high job security and weaker for employees with low job security. Affective commitment also moderated the relationship directly meaning that the relationship is stronger when the affective commitment is strong and weaker when it is weak. Discussion, implications, limitations, and future directions have been suggested in accordance with the results of the study

Determination of phytoconstituents of n-hexane extract of leaves of Morus nigra and evaluation of their effects on biochemical and histopathological parameters in paracetamol intoxicated mice liver

In-vitro investigation of Morus nigra L. (Moraceae) has demonstrated the evidence of several antioxidant compounds. Current study was aimed to determine the phytoconstituents and hepatoprotective potential of n-hexane extract of Morus nigra. Swiss albino mice were divided into five groups: normal control, paracetamol control, silymarin control, 250 mg/kg p.o. extract for 7 days plus paracetamol 3 h later, 500 mg/kg p.o. extract for 7 days plus paracetamol 3 h later. Serum levels of liver enzymes and total bilirubin were assessed and compared between the groups by using one-way ANOVA to confirm hepatoprotective activity. HPLC analysis revealed the presence quercetin, oleanolic acid, luteolin, apigenin, vitamin C and kuwanon C. n-hexane extract of Morus nigra at dose of 250 mg/kg reduced elevated ALT by 54.3% (p<0.001), AST by 55.1% (p<0.01), ALP by 28.5% (p<0.01) and TBR by 56.4% (p<0.01) as compared to paracetamol control. The dose of 500 mg/kg of the extract reduced the ALT levels by 62.9% (p<0.001), AST by 56.7% (p<0.01), ALP by 33.6% (p<0.01) and TBR by 54.5% (p<0.01), as compared to paracetamol group. However, the reduction of liver enzymes and total bilirubin after administration of extract was comparable to the silymarin. Current study demonstrated potential hepatoprotective activity of n-hexane extract of Morus nigra

The Fiqh and Shari’ah Dimensions of Seerah in the Contemporary Era

In the perspective of the modern period, this study aims to investigate the Fiqh and Shari’ah aspects of the Seerah (the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad). This study's main goal is to shed light on the Seerah's relevance and applicability in modern Muslim life, particularly in the context of Islamic law and jurisprudence. The goal of the study is to clarify the Seerah's crucial importance as a source of instruction and law for the contemporary issues that the Muslim community worldwide is dealing with. The goals of this study includes a thorough examination of the Seerah in light of current moral and legal concerns. It aims to evaluate how the Seerah's guiding principles and practices can influence contemporary Fiqh decisions and Shari’ah compliance. This study uses a multifaceted methodology that includes an analysis of traditional Islamic scriptures, Fiqh judgments, and modern Islamic jurisprudence literature. Along with secondary materials like scholarly publications and legal opinions, primary sources like the Quran and Hadith are considered. The study's conclusions highlight how the Seerah continues to be relevant in addressing current ethical, legal, and societal issues. It emphasizes how Shari’ah law, which is based on the Seerah, is flexible and adaptable enough to offer direction and solutions to modern problems. Muslims can navigate the complexity of the modern world while maintaining their religion and principles by consulting the Seerah, which has emerged as an important and dynamic source. The Seerah's influence on Islamic jurisprudence and adherence to Shari’ah in the modern day is a topic that this study encourages more discussion and investigation. Keywords: Shari’ah, Fiqh Seerah, Quran, Hadith, Contemporary Er

Sugarcane Production under Changing Climate: Effects of Environmental Vulnerabilities on Sugarcane Diseases, Insects and Weeds

Sugarcane is an important crop for bioenergy and sugar, contributing to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Pakistan. Global warming and increasing greenhouse gas emission result in the increased intensity and frequency of extreme weather events. Temperature stress is a major environmental stress that limits the sugarcane growth, productivity and metabolism worldwide. Numerous biochemical reactions are involved in plant development, and these biochemical reactions are very sensitive to temperature stress. Now a day, temperature stress is a major concern for sugarcane production and approaches for high yield of sugarcane under temperature stress are important agriculture goals. Sugarcane plant adapts a number of acclimation and avoidance mechanism against different environmental stress. Plant survival under different stresses depends on ability to generate and transmit the signal and biochemical and physiological changes. In future, climate change is an important consequence for sugarcane production in the world because of its relative low adaptive capacity, poor forecasting system and high vulnerable to natural hazard. In this review we briefly describe climate change effects on sugarcane, sugar production in several countries especially in Pakistan, future challenges for sugar production under changing climatic scenario and propose strategies for mitigation negative impacts of climate change

A Cell-Based Examination of Modulators of Pre-Membrane Processing As a Target against Dengue Virus

Dengue Virus (DenV) is an arbovirus that represents a budding risk in the world. Every year, up to 100 million DenV infections manifest into Dengue Fever or in extreme cases Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever and Dengue Shock Syndrome. DenV research in vaccine development has proven to be a difficult feat due to the phenomenon of antibody dependent enhancement. Furthermore, there are currently no available antivirals to fight infection, viral protein processing or viral production. DenV lifecycle begins with its genomic release in the cytoplasm, where it is then translated as a single polypeptide embedded in the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) membrane. DenV, like so many other viruses, exploits a range of host enzymes in the Classical Secretory Pathway (CSP) for modifications. Among these important host enzymes are proteases such as the family of Proprotein Convertases (PCs), including furin. The modulation of the pre- membrane (pr-M) protein, most likely by PCs, is a critical step in the DenV lifecycle as an absence results in noninfectious progeny. Interestingly, the maturation of pr-M by the host enzymes during infection has been characterized as incomplete, thus rendering some viral particles noninfectious. Thus, the inhibition of pr-M cleavage presents an attractive target for potential antivirals. This assay is based on a fusion that contains an ER targeting signal sequence, the substrate of significance with flanking FLAG and HA epitopes, and a transmembrane (TM) domain. The assay in the context of the pr-M boundary has shown robust transportation with a wild phenotype in both transient and stable cell expression using retroviral technology. The original pr-M substrate included only 20 aa of the substrate boundary. Here, I have designed different substrate boundaries of pr-M to monitor important motifs in enzyme recognition and secretion, hypothesizing that by adapting to larger segments, we will have a powerful platform for the discovery of competitive inhibitors rather than inhibitors of the enzyme

Highly Efficient Visible Hologram through Dielectric Metasurface

To achieve applied aspect of metasurfaces in the visible regime, dielectric materials with low absorption are indispensable. This work presents highly efficient generation of hologram via processed amorphous silicon, which exhibits significantly low absorption in the region of interest. The phase and the polarization of transmitted light are tailored by varying the orientation of dielectric nanorods whereas their conversion efficiency is optimized by adjusting their structural parameters. Better image fidelity and higher conversion efficiency (up-to 75%) are achieved as compared to previously reported work. The proposed design methodology paves a way toward on-chip realization of various novel phenomena with substantially enhanced performance.11Yscopu