How does a company’s existing knowledge base result in radical innovation? An empirical study of Dutch companies in the life sciences and health-industry

The main objective of this thesis is to test how a company’s existing knowledge base results in radical innovation, proposing four behavioural process as mediators. Companies with broad knowledge seem to lack sufficient coordination to successfully complete an innovative process. This study proposes that combination and socialization are behavioural processes that could create new combinations of existing knowledge to detect new, unseen patterns to achieve radical innovation. Vice versa, the depth of knowledge could hinder a company, as it could mean that they lack the experience to tackle potential problems in the implementation phase. Furthermore, the depth of knowledge often leads to observational slowness. Therefore, externalization and internalization are proposed behavioural processes that serve as mediators to overcome these challenges and achieve radical innovation consequently. The conceptual model can be found below. These relationships are tested empirically on a sample of Dutch companies in the Life Sciences and Health Industry. The results and conclusions drawn from this study makes valuable contributions to both literature and practice. No significant mediating effect of internalization was found between a company’s deep knowledge base and radical innovation, nor the mediating effect of socialization between a company’s broad knowledge base and radical innovation. Nevertheless, significant results show that externalization partially mediates the relationship between a company’s deep knowledge base and radical innovation and combination mediates the relationship between company’s broad knowledge base and radical innovation. In conclusion, this study provides concrete behavioural processes to facilitate the relationship between a company’s knowledge base and the realization of radical innovation and offers a better understanding in this complex relationship

The policies of the state and targeting the poor in Egypt: Egypt\u27s transition to a welfare state?

Understanding who the poor are and what defines their level of deprivation is critical in the state\u27s responsibility to its citizens. This thesis looks at how the Egyptian State targets the poor through the narrative of poverty during the last sixty years. While the state has historically addressed this issue within the broader context of societal welfare, it has not always specifically targeted the marginalized and vulnerable groups. The Egyptian State has transitioned from authoritarian socialism, to a rentier economy, and then to a free market state without upsetting the status quo of the ruling bureaucracy and state agents. Recently, it has tried to become a more welfare-oriented regime, attempting to cater to a population without really progressing or acknowledging the problem of poverty. This thesis aims to shed light on a particular relationshipâ the social contract between the impoverished and the state. I do this by examining how the problem of poverty in Egypt came to the government toward this particular group of people in order to understand some of the broader processes of poverty reduction, welfare, and social protection in Egypt

Rezeptionsmotive und Identifikationspotenziale in Disneys High School Musical: eine filmanalytische Untersuchung des Teen-Phänomens mit einer Befragung Jugendlicher aus Deutschland und den USA

van Bebber K. Rezeptionsmotive und Identifikationspotenziale in Disneys High School Musical: eine filmanalytische Untersuchung des Teen-Phänomens mit einer Befragung Jugendlicher aus Deutschland und den USA. Bielefeld: Universitätsbibliothek Bielefeld; 2014.Der US-amerikanische Film High School Musical ist eine Produktion der Walt Disney Company und wurde im Jahr 2006 im Fernsehen ausgestrahlt. Insgesamt sahen weltweit knapp 300 Millionen (vorrangig junge) Menschen dieses Film-Musical, obwohl dieses Genre seit den 1970er-Jahren stark an Popularität verloren hatte. High School Musical folgte auf eine Ära, als die Walt Disney Company hauptsächlich mit Zeichentrickfilmen in Verbindung gebracht wurde, der letzte erfolgreiche Realfilm von Disney war das Film-Musical Marry Poppins aus dem Jahre 1964. Warum war High School Musical dann so erfolgreich bei jungen Rezipient_innen? Mit welchen Motiven wurde dieses Film-Musical gesehen und warum begeisterte es das vornehmlich junge Publikum? Welche Variablen sind im Vergleich zu vorherigen Film-Musicals (von Disney) vorzufinden und auf welche Konstanten wurde bei der Produktion zurückgegriffen? Um diese Fragen zu beantworten, wurde eine Filmanalyse (Produkt- und Rezipient_innen-Analyse) durchgeführt (Teil 1). Der zweite Teil der Dissertation umfasst eine Untersuchung von Jugendlichen aus Deutschland und den USA, die High School Musical gesehen haben und eine große Affinität gegenüber diesem Film aufweisen. Die Analyse der Befragten Personen zeigt auf, welche Motive für die Rezeption von High School Musical relevant sind

Computerized adaptive testing in primary care: CATja

In this dissertation, research is described that has been conducted to develop an online test battery (named CATja) that supports general practitioners and mental health assistants (MHAs) in deciding which level of care suits their clients that experience diverse psychological complaints best. Would treatment in general practices be sufficient, or is referral to generalist or specialist mental health care required? For this, CATja generates a profile of complaints (e.g. depression) and strengths (e.g. emotional support). In order to incorporate the valuable experience, knowledge and wishes of the intended users, CATja has been developed in close collaboration with MHAs from the beginning. The innovative feature of CATja is its adaptive character, making it very efficient in practice. Adaptive means that follow-up questions during test administration are tailored to answers given to preceding questions. After each answer provided, the extent to which a certain domain (e.g. fear) is present in a client is newly computed and it is determined which follow-up question yields most information given this level of fear. Questions that provide little information are skipped. One could say that 'the behavior' of a 'computerized adaptive test' (CAT, hence the name CATja), as it were, mimics the behavior of an experienced interviewer. The first version of CATja includes five psychopathology domains: anxiety, depression, distress (general stress symptoms), and negative and positive symptoms of psychosis. In addition, MHAs can map the quality of clients’ social networks by use the domains emotional support and friendship. First results of our implementation study are promising

Numerical Simulation of Transient Diabatic Pipe Flow by using the Method of Characteristics

The following paper presents a one-dimensional numerical model for simulating transient thermohydraulic pipe flow based on the Method of Characteristics. In addition to mass and momentum conservation, the proposed scheme also guarantees compliance with the laws of thermodynamics by solving the energy equation. The model covers transient changes in fluid properties due to pressure changes, heat transfer and dissipation. The presented methodology also allows the computation of the transient temperature distribution in the pipe wall through an additional ordinary finite difference scheme. The numerical procedure is implemented in the commercial simulation software DSHplus. The capability of the code is examined by comparing the simulation results with theoretical solutions and experimental data

Detection of mRNA using the BIACORE

We present the detection of native mRNA using the BIACORE system. The influence of different probes and flow rates on the detection is shown and compared to the hybridisation of oligonucleotides. Probes for mRNA detection were chosen by calculations of secondary structures using energy minimizing criteria based on the algorithm of Zuker. Probe concentrations were optimised as well as the regeneration conditions for the sensor surface. The influence of the flow rate appeared to be more marked for mRNA than for oligonucleotide hybridisation

A Review of Studies Examining Stated Preferences for Cancer Screening

INTRODUCTION: Stated preference studies for cancer screening programs are used to understand how the programs can be improved to maximize usage. Our objectives were to conduct a systematic review of stated preference studies for cancer screening, identify gaps in the literature, and determine which types of research should be conducted in the future. METHODS: We considered all studies in the PubMed database through May 2005 that measured utility-based stated preferences for cancer screening using contingent valuation or conjoint analysis. We abstracted data on 1) study characteristics and 2) study results and policy implications. RESULTS: We found eight (of 84 identified) preference studies for cancer screening. The most commonly studied cancer was breast cancer, and the most commonly used method was contingent valuation. We found no studies for prostate cancer or physician preferences. Studies demonstrated that although individuals are able to state their preferences for cancer screening, they do not weigh test benefits and harms, and a significant percentage would choose to have no screening at all. Several studies found that test accuracy and reduction in mortality risk were important for determining preferences. CONCLUSION: Few studies of cancer screening preferences exist. The available studies examine only a few types of cancer and do not explore practice and policy implications in depth. The results of this review will be useful in identifying the focus of future research, identifying which screening methods may be more preferred to increase use of the programs, and developing interventions and policies that could facilitate informed and shared decision making for screening