Firm Growth from a Knowledge Structure Perspective

Although there are several theories of growth of the firm, the literature is limited in two interrelated respects. First, empirical evidence does not match well theoretical predictions. Second, the firm growth literature does not address the structure of knowledge both in firms and sectors as well as knowledge flows between them. Based on existing theoretical and empirical literature, the paper outlines an ‘appreciative’ theory of firm growth and presents new testable hypotheses to inform present and future empirical research. The paper seeks to address this gap by analysing not only levels of human capital, but also its composition both on a firm and sector level. A key departure from earlier approaches is the inclusion of the role of ‘knowledge structures’ played in the growth of the firm. In this context make a distinction between (a) levels of human capital available to firms, (b) the composition of various kinds of human capital (‘firm- specific’, ‘industry-specific’, and ‘general knowledge’) contained, and (c) the diversity of knowledge domains represented to characterise the knowledge structure of firms. In addition, we present our first empirical results, using the knowledge structure approach. In the first part of our empirical analysis we find – while controlling for intial size and industry affiliation – that the availability of a high fraction of employees with higher education within each establishment (an aspect of ‘general kowledge’), is in general conducive to establishment growth. In the second part of the empirical analysis, we find important sectoral differences with respect to the ability of the level of formal education to explain firms growth.firm growth, human capital, knowledge structure

Exploring the mediatization of organizational communication by religious communities in digital media

This article presents an exploratory study of some of the ways in which religious communities communicate as organizations in digital spaces. Based on previous research, the article examines the extent to which processes of mediatization are visible in the digital spaces utilized by religious communities in Denmark today.The study is based on data from websites and Facebook groups from ten Christian churches: five ELCD (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark) parishes and five free churches. Data was collected using methods particularly designed for collecting digital data, with due consideration of the ethical implications of researching religious identity online. The data collection represents a follow-up study to the research project Religion in Aarhus 2013. Based on our findings, we suggest that mediatization processes progress more slowly in institutional religious communication because of the way in which they are organized. Furthermore, we demonstrate that there are some patterns in the way Christian communities express themselves online, and that these patterns to some extent depend on whether an ELCD parish or a free church is involved

User-Driven Designs in Medical Informatics:Developing and Implementing Support forInter-departmental Coordination of Hospital Work using Electronic Whiteboard

We present an ethnographic study of the organizational aspects of the use of an electronic whiteboard (EW) system implemented in a Danish hospital located in Nykøbing Falster (NFH). The EW system had originally been developed for the emergency department (ED), but had later been extended to the entire hospital, and the study was conducted about 10 months its implementation. The study focuses on coordination regarding inter-departmental ordering of surgical operations via the EW system. The research question asked whether clinicians experienced impacts, and challenges in this respect. The results of the study show that the EW system had been configured, and the use of it organized, in a manner that facilitates support of inter-departmental coordination of work. We identify, describe and discuss the challenges related to the difficulty of accommodating the heterogeneous practices and demonstrate the complexity of organizing cooperative work using artefacts and technology across organizational units

Religion i Danmark 2014

Kristendom i udkanten af Danmar

Folkekirken i Tal 2012 - Hvad Skjern siger om Folkekirkens fremtid

Når der skal skrives kirke og kristendomshistorie om perioden hvor 2012 indgår, så vil der utvivlsomt blive skrevet om indførelsen af det nye ritual til vielse af homoseksuelle, som dominerede debatten om Folkekirken i 2012 og i tilknytning hertil spørgsmålet om stigningen i udmeldelser af Folkekirken. Disse emner blev dog suppleret af diskussioner om lukning af kirker i København, lav kirkegang i visse områder, og også enkeltsager som blev taget op i medierne, såsom præsten der spiste en græshoppe og dermed blev baggrund for en kollegas opsigelse i protest. Denne artikel fokusere på emnet ”udmeldelser” og hvilke spørgsmål der rejser sig ud fra de mønstre i udmeldelser fra Folkekirken som vi så i 2012

Lost to follow-up in the Norwegian mother, father and child cohort study

publishedVersio

Grænser for forandring. Præsten som garant for den danske religionsmodel

Through an analysis of the document Debatoplæg fra Udvalget om en mere sammenhængende og moderne styringsstruktur for folkekirken from 2013 (discussion paper from the commission for a more cohesive and modern governance structure for folkekirken), the current article examines the identity formation of the Danish folkekirke. Developments within discursive institutionalism are utilized in the analysis in order to present the identity of the institution in question as represented in the document. Additionally, I show how this discourse may be seen as an argument for change through the establishment of a connection between confessional identity, institutional structure and societal gain with emphasis placed on the function of the specialized pastor. In this manner, the article contributes both to the study of changes in the Danish model of religion and to the discussions pertaining to which theoretical perspectives may be applied in the study of church-state relations.Denne artikel analyserer folkekirkens identitet, som den fremstår i Debatoplæg fra Udvalget om en mere sammenhængende og moderne styringsstruktur for folkekirken. Artiklen benytter teorier udviklet inden for nyere institutionalisme, særligt diskursiv institutionalisme, til for det første at præsentere, hvordan denne institution fremstår i dokumentet, og for det andet hvordan dokumentet indeholder en diskurs om grænser for forandring. Denne diskurs etablerer dokumentet gennem en sammenhæng mellem konfessionel identitet, institutionel struktur og bredere samfundsmæssige bidrag med en særlig vægt på den rolle præsten har i denne sammenhæng. Artiklen bidrager hermed både til diskussionen af forandringer i den danske religionsmodel og til diskussionen af hvilke teoretiske perspektiver, der kan benyttes til at forstå forandringer i forholdet mellem stat og kirk