Initiative-taking, Improvisational Capability, and Business Model Innovation in Emerging Markets

Business model innovation plays a very important role in developing competitive advantage when multinational small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from developed country enter into emerging markets because of the large contextual distances or gaps between the emerging and developed economies. Many prior researches have shown that the foreign subsidiaries play important role in shaping the overall strategy of the parent company. However, little is known about how subsidiary specifically facilitates business model innovation (BMI) in emerging markets. Adopting the method of comparative and longitudinal case study, we tracked the BMI processes of four SMEs from Denmark operating in China. Using resource-based view (RBV), we develop one theoretical framework which indicates that initiative-taking and improvisational capability of subsidiary are the two primary facilitators of business model innovation in emerging markets. We find that high initiative-taking and strong improvisational capability can accelerate the business model innovation. Our research contributes to the literatures on international and strategic entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship-Enabled Dynamic Capability of Medium-Sized Multinational Enterprises

This PhD dissertation focuses on business model innovation (BMI), which plays a central role in explaining firm performance and is viewed as a source of competitive advantage. A recent global survey of more than 4,000 senior executives by the Economist Intelligence Unit found that the majority (54%) favoured BMI over product or service innovation as a source of future competitive advantage. Hence, the research on BMI is a salient topic for strategic management and entrepreneurship studies because it is central to a firm‘s dynamic capability for novel value creation and novel value capture on a sustainable basis. Prior studies have argued that a business model can be only effective if it is designed properly for a specific context. In this sense, the business models of multinational enterprises (MNEs) should differ from those of domestic firms. Specifically, owing to the large gaps or distances in the economic and institutional contexts between advanced and emerging economies, as two sides of the global divide, cross-divide entry by MNEs, either from an advanced economy into an emerging economy as a top-down venture or from an emerging economy to an advanced economy as a bottom-up venture, will depend heavily on the novel business model designed to match the host context on the other side of the global divide. This is particularly true in the case of entering the mid-end market as the mainstream in the host economy. In addition, owing to the internal contextual dimensions of corporate size and age, the key challenge to a top-down venture seems more acute for medium-sized MNEs (MMNEs) than both large and small MNEs (the latter is often referred to as ‗born-global‘ firms). This is because MMNEs tend to have more limited resources than large MNEs, but less flexibility than small MNEs. Given the salience of the cross-divide context to MNEs as well as the paucity of research on MMNEs, this PhD dissertation focuses on how BMI occurs in the special context of cross-divide entry with a top-down venture for a mid-end market by MMNEs

Off-hour admission and mortality risk for 28 specific diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 251 cohorts

Background: A considerable amount of studies have examined the relationship between off-hours (weekends and nights) admission and mortality risk for various diseases, but the results remain equivocal. Methods and Results: Through a search of EMBASE, PUBMED, Web of Science, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, we identified cohort studies that evaluated the association between off-hour admission and mortality risk for disease. In a random effects meta-analysis of 140 identified articles (251 cohorts), off-hour admission was strongly associated with increased mortality for aortic aneurysm (odds ratio [OR], 1.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.30-1.77), breast cancer (1.50, 1.21-1.86), leukemia (1.45, 1.17-1.79), respiratory neoplasm (1.32, 1.20-1.26), pancreatic cancer (1.32, 1.12-1.56), malignant neoplasm of genitourinary organs (1.27, 1.08-1.49), colorectal cancer (1.26, 1.07-1.49), pulmonary embolism (1.20, 1.13-1.28), arrhythmia and cardiac arrest (1.19, 1.09-1.29), and lymphoma (1.19, 1.06-1.34). Weaker (OR<1.19) but statistically significant association was noted for renal failure, traumatic brain injury, heart failure, intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, stroke, gastrointestinal bleeding, myocardial infarction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and bloodstream infections. No association was found for hip fracture, pneumonia, intestinal obstruction, aspiration pneumonia, peptic ulcer, trauma, diverticulitis, and neonatal mortality. Overall, Off-hour admission was associated with increased mortality for 28 diseases combined (OR, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-1.13).Conclusions: Off-hour admission is associated with increased mortality risk, and the associations varied substantially for different diseases. Specialists, nurses, as well as hospital administrators and health policy makers can take these findings into consideration to improve the quality and continuity of medical services

An Inductive Study from China

This study aims to put forward a new concept in charismatic leadership theory: source of leader charisma (SLC). Using an inductive approach, we identified the various dimensions of SLC in the Chinese context, and found that SLC comprises of charismatic personality and charismatic behaviors. Charismatic personality consists of three dimensions: high morality, outstanding talents, and attractive characteristics. Charismatic behavior also includes three dimensions: visional inspiration, character development, and morale stimulation. Finally, we developed a primary model to explore the mechanism by which the SLCs are attributed to charisma by follower. Our findings in the present study contribute to new evidence that charismatic leadership theory may transcend cultural boundaries

A study on thermal-induced distortion in solid objects

The thermal-induced distortions in three simple-shaped solids that are a cube, a short cylinder and a sphere loaded with temperature boundary conditons are studied. Lastly focus is made on our main concern for a slider head.Master of Science (Mechanics & Processing of Materials

Experience with 2 years’ intervention to progressively reduce salt supply to kitchens in elderly care facilities—challenges and further research: post hoc analysis of the DECIDE-Salt randomized clinical trial

Abstract Background Progressive reduction of sodium intake is an attractive approach for addressing excessive salt intake, but evidence for this strategy in real practice is limited. We aimed to determine the feasibility, effectiveness, and safety of a progressive sodium intake reduction intervention in real-world setting. Methods We randomized 48 residential elderly care facilities in China, with 1612 participants aged 55 years and older, to either progressive reduction (PR, 24 facilities) or no reduction (NR, 24 facilities) of the supply of study salt to the kitchens of these facilities for 2 years. The primary efficacy outcome was systolic blood pressure (SBP) at any scheduled follow-up visit. Secondary efficacy outcomes included diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at any scheduled follow-up visit, and major adverse cardiovascular events (comprising non-fatal stroke, non-fatal myocardial infarction, hospitalized non-fatal heart failure, or vascular death) and total mortality. The perception of food saltiness, the addition of out-of-study salt in meals, and 24-h urinary sodium excretion were used as process indicators. Results Pre-specified analysis per randomization found no effect of the intervention on the 2-year overall mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) and any other outcomes. However, post hoc analysis showed that the intervention effect on blood pressure varied over multiple follow-up visits (p for interaction < 0.046) and presented favorable differences at the 24-month visit (SBP =  − 3.0 mmHg, 95%CI =  − 5.6, − 0.5; p = 0.020; DBP =  − 2.0 mmHg, 95%CI − 3.4, − 0.63; p = 0.004). The effect on 24-h sodium was non-significant (− 8.4 mmol, 95%CI =  − 21.8 to 4.9, p = 0.216), though fewer participants with NR than with PR reported food tasting bland (odds ratio 0.46; 95%CI 0.29 to 0.73; p = 0.001). Reporting of bland food taste and other process measures indicated that intervention delivery and adherence were not fully achieved as designed. Conclusions The experience of this real-world study demonstrated that achieving acceptability and sustainability of the progressive sodium intake reduction strategy among older adults was challenging, but it has shown potential for effectiveness in these and potentially other residential settings if the lessons of DECIDE-Salt are applied in further studies. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03290716)