Diversification in small firms: Does parental influence matter?

Diversification is a common goal for many small firms, yet research examining whether small firm ownership structure influences their use of the tactic is limited. As such, this paper provides one of the first empirical investigations of the subject by examining whether the presence of a corporate parent positively influences the likelihood that small firms will utilize diversification. Results indicate that small firms with corporate parents are more likely to use both related and unrelated diversification than comparable firms that are independently owned. Such findings are noteworthy because diversification may be more beneficial for small, independently owned firms, yet small, subsidiary firms appear to be better able to utilize diversification. Implications of these findings are discussed

Corporate Parents, Initial Legitimacy, and Resource Acquisition in Small and Medium Firms: An Empirical Examination

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) commonly struggle to acquire needed financial, human, and technological resources. The above being stated, recent scholarly research argues that SMEs that are able to successfully navigate the legitimacy threshold are better able to gather the resources they need to survive and grow. This article provides an empirical test of that claim by examining whether the presence of a corporate parent positively influences SME resource acquisition. Results of the study show that SMEs with corporate parents, when compared to like-sized independent SMEs, have higher credit scores, have more complete management teams, use more computers, and are more likely to be on the Internet. These differences are most pronounced for very small firms and diminish in significance as firm size increases. Study implications include the notion that presence of a corporate parent likely represents a successful navigation of the legitimacy threshold, positively increasing SME resource acquisition

Small business owner persistence: Do personal characteristics matter?

Recent research suggests that (1) business failure rates are lower than previously thought and (2) business owners exit businesses for myriad reasons besides performance. Despite these findings, relatively little is known about whether personal characteristics (i.e. expectations, competencies, education) of small firm owners influence their likelihood to persist with business ownership. Given this gap, the present study investigates the relationship between owner characteristics and persistence intentions. Framed by threshold theory, we theorize and test whether owner growth expectations, satisfaction, education, competencies, and financial investment influence their persistence intentions. Results indicate that owner future growth expectations for the business, their opportunity recognition abilities, and their satisfaction with the business significantly impact persistence intentions. Implications of study findings are discussed.&nbsp

An Examination of How Personal Characteristics Moderate the Relationship between Startup Intent and Entrepreneurship Education

Purpose - While research has identified a consistent link between startup intent and entrepreneurship education (EE) intentions, studies also indicate that many entrepreneurs lack the EE they need. However, research examining factors that explain why certain individuals with high startup intent pursue EE while others do not is rare.Given this, the purpose of this paper is to examine how individual characteristics moderate the startup intent EE intentions relationship. Design/methodology/approach - Survey data were gathered on 199 US adults. Moderators examined include attitudes toward education, perceived entrepreneurial efficacy, propensity for risk taking and the Big Five personality traits. Linear regression models were used to test each of the moderation relationships predicted. Findings - Notable findings suggest that extroversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, perceived entrepreneurial efficacy and risk propensity reduce the chances that individuals with high startup intent will pursue EE, while viewing education as instrumental enhances the relationship. Research limitations/implications - Study findings imply that EE programs might not be reaching critical target markets, suggest that EE programs might need to be modified to attract individuals with high startup intent and indicate that individual characteristics are key factors that determine why certain individuals with high startup intent pursue EE while others with the same desires do not pursue EE. Originality/value - This study builds on previous work that looks at the relationship between startup intent and EE intentions by investigating how individual characteristics either amplify or diminish the relationship, increasing scholarly knowledge about why certain individuals with highstartup intent pursue EE while others do not

A transgenic Camelina sativa seed oil effectively replaces fish oil as a dietary source of eicosapentaenoic acid in mice

Background: Fish currently supplies only 40% of the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) required to allow all individuals globally to meet the minimum intake recommendation of 500 mg/d. Therefore, alternative sustainable sources are needed. Objective: The main objective was to investigate the ability of genetically engineered Camelina sativa (20% EPA) oil (CO) to enrich tissue EPA and DHA relative to an EPA-rich fish oil (FO) in mammals. Methods: Six-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were fed for 10 wk either a palm oil–containing control (C) diet or diets supplemented with EPA-CO or FO, with the C, low-EPA CO (COL), high-EPA CO (COH), low-EPA FO (FOL), and high-EPA FO (FOH) diets providing 0, 0.4, 3.4, 0.3, and 2.9 g EPA/kg diet, respectively. Liver, muscle, and brain were collected for fatty acid analysis, and blood glucose and serum lipids were quantified. The expression of selected hepatic genes involved in EPA and DHA biosynthesis and in modulating their cellular impact was determined. Results: The oils were well tolerated, with significantly greater weight gain in the COH and FOH groups relative to the C group (P < 0.001). Significantly lower (36–38%) blood glucose concentrations were evident in the FOH and COH mice relative to C mice (P < 0.01). Hepatic EPA concentrations were higher in all EPA groups relative to the C group (P < 0.001), with concentrations of 0.0, 0.4, 2.9, 0.2, and 3.6 g/100 g liver total lipids in the C, COL, COH, FOL, and FOH groups, respectively. Comparable dose-independent enrichments of liver DHA were observed in mice fed CO and FO diets (P < 0.001). Relative to the C group, lower fatty acid desaturase 1 (Fads1) expression (P < 0.005) was observed in the COH and FOH groups. Higher fatty acid desaturase 2 (Fads2), peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor α (Ppara), and peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ (Pparg) (P < 0.005) expressions were induced by CO. No impact of treatment on liver X receptor α (Lxra) or sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (Srebp1c) was evident. Conclusions: Oil from transgenic Camelina is a bioavailable source of EPA in mice. These data provide support for the future assessment of this oil in a human feeding trial

Dietary modulation of arachidonic acid metabolism in senegalese sole (Solea Sengalensis) broodstock reared in captivity

Previous studies have shown higher levels of arachidonic acid (20:4n-6, ARA) in testis, liver, and muscle of wild Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) compared to fish reared in captivity (first generation, G1). The present study was conducted to establish the optimal level of dietary ARA for G1 Senegalese sole broodstock, using as a reference the fatty acid profile of wild broodstock (gonads, liver and muscle). A total of 120 Senegalese sole broodstock were randomly distributed into 12 tanks (1:1 male and female) and fed in duplicate with six experimental diets containing increasing amounts of ARA (0.7%, 1.6%, 2.3%, 3.2%, 5.0%, and 6.0 % of total fatty acids) for 9months. The relative ARA levels in liver, muscle and male and female gonads at the end of the feeding period increased in a dose dependent manner. Dietary ARA was mainly incorporated and stored in testis or ovary, followed by liver and muscle. Fish fed 2.3% and 3.2% ARA showed no differences in the ARA content of testis, ovary and liver when compared to wild fish. In male fish, a significant increase in the levels of 22:4n-6 and 22:5n-6 fatty acids was also observed, which was consistent with the up-regulation of fatty acyl elongase (elovl5) and desaturase (d4fad) transcript levels in the liver of fish fed 0.7%, 2.3% and 6% ARA. These results suggest that dietary inclusion of 3.2% ARA during periods shorter than 9months, or of 2.3% ARA for prolonged periods, can maintain optimal levels of tissue ARA in captive Senegalese sole broodstock. In addition, the data indicate that male Senegalese sole is able to elongate and desaturate ARA to 22:4n-6 and 22:5n-6, suggesting that these fatty acids may be important for male reproduction

Structure Determination of Terpenes by The Crystalline Sponge Method

The crystalline sponge method was used to produce novel encapsulation complexes with the aim of structural determination of terpenes, such as geraniol-monoterpenoid, farnesol-sesquiterpenoid and β-damascone-tetraterpenoids. Along with the structure determination of the terpenoids, non-bonding CH-π, π-π interactions were identified in the host-guest complexes, which were responsible for holding the guests in the specific position with respect to the framework. In addition, the geometry of guests with respect to the framework was studied

Intermolecular interactions between encapsulated aromatic compounds and the host framework of a Crystalline Sponge

The crystalline sponge [{(ZnI2)3(tris(4-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine)2.x(solvent)}n] has been use to produce a range of novel encapsulation compounds with acetophene, trans-cinnamaldehyde, naphthalene, anthracene and benzylcyanide. Using additional data from previously reported encapsulation compounds, three systematic series have been created and analysed to investigate the behaviour of guest molecules within the sponge framework and identify the dominant intermolecular interactions

The Crystalline Sponge Method: A Systematic Study of the Reproducibility of Simple Aromatic Molecule Encapsulation and Guest–Host Interactions

A systematic study detailing the uptake of a series of chemically related simple functionalized aromatic guest molecules into the pores of the crystalline sponge [{(ZnI₂)₃(tris­(4-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine)₂·<i>x</i>(solvent)}_<i>n</i>] has been performed. The reproducible positioning of the guest molecules within the unit cell has been documented. Analysis of guest–host and guest–guest interactions has shown the dominant role of π···π and CH···π interactions in the ability of the crystalline sponge to render the guest molecules regularly ordered. Further interactions specific to guest functionality, such as weak hydrogen bonds, are seen to contribute to the particular orientation of the guests