Product Development Practices for Meeting Financial Objectives

This paper reports product development practices that separate the most successful product development programs from the rest. A detailed understanding of best product development practices is important because product development is fundamental to corporate success (Clark & Fujimoto, 1991; Eisenhardt & Tabrizi, 1995; Eppinger & Chitkara, 2006). Teams from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and McKinsey and Company have collaborated to investigate practices used for 112 product development projects at 57 firms in the medical device, industrial, and high-tech industries. Preliminary results suggest that certain practices are particularly important for influencing project outcomes. Our research is consistent with and contributes to best practices reported previously by the Product Development and Management Association (PDMA) (see Barczak, Griffin, & Kahn, 2009; Griffin & Page, 1996; Page, 1993). As this previous research has shown, best practices in product development evolve. For example, the 1990 PDMA study found that successful firms differentiated themselves from the rest by having well defined New Product Development (NPD) processes and new product strategies (Page, 1993). The second study, conducted in 1995, found that successful firms measured their product development efforts and outcomes, did qualitative market research, and used engineering design tools such as CAD (Griffin & Page, 1996). The third study, completed in 2003, found that successful firms put more emphasis on portfolio management, use a wide variety of software tools, have supporting organizational mechanisms and processes in place, and use formal processes for generating ideas (Barczak, Griffin, & Kahn, 2009). The findings presented here contribute additional understanding of practices that lead to successful product development. Researchers and practitioners often investigate product development from the perspectives of cost, schedule, and performance. There are many more ways to evaluate product development processes and outcomes (Cooper, 1979). Griffin and Page (1996) identified over 75 different product development metrics documented in the literature. Some researchers categorize these metrics into firm level, project level, or product level metrics (e.g. Montoya-Weiss & Calantone, 1994); others categorize them into financial and non-financial metrics (e.g. Hart, 1993). This paper presents our work on correlating product development practices with a broad set of financial metrics

Sr-Nd isotope systematics in 14-28 Ma low-temperature altered mid-ocean ridge basalt from the Australian Antarctic Discordance, Ocean Drilling Program Leg 187

[1] The effects of low-temperature alteration on the Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd isotope systems were investigated in 14–28 Ma mid-ocean ridge basalts recovered during Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 187 from the Australian Antarctic Discordance through comparison of pristine glass and associated variably altered basalts. Both Nd and Sm are immobile during low-temperature alteration, and 143Nd/144Nd displays mantle values even in heavily altered samples. In contrast, 87Sr/86Sr and Rb concentrations increase during seawater-rock interaction, which is especially apparent in single samples with macroscopically zoned alteration domains. The increase in 87Sr/86Sr roughly correlates with the visible degree of alteration, indicating a higher seawater/rock ratio in the more altered samples. Sr concentrations, however, do not systematically increase with increasing degree of alteration, most likely reflecting exchange of Sr in smectite interlayer sites. The degree of alteration in the uppermost oceanic crust of the Australian Antarctic Discordance is independent of crustal age. A comparison with literature data for young and old altered oceanic crust suggests that most low-temperature alteration occurs within a few million years after formation of the oceanic crust, probably reflecting greater fluid flux through the crust during its early history as a result of higher permeability and increased fluid circulation near the ridge

First Records for Spawning of Caribbean Acropora Species in Colombian MPAs

Estimates of Colombian Caribbean coral percent cover in the Southern Caribbean are consistent with those throughout the Caribbean Sea, which has declined to about 10% of historical levels in the last few decades. Human activities like destructive fishing techniques in the marine parks have degraded the reefs over the last few decades. Colombia’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have thousands of square kilometers to map and patrol and few resources to devote to scientific and restoration efforts. Efforts to implement sexual reproduction techniques for restoration are starting to successfully propagate and settle corals on ceramic plates for reef deployment in the area but require more natural history information for large-scale implementation in restoration. Past observations of captive endangered coral Acropora cervicornis in the nursery of the Oceanario Islas del Rosario indicate spawning 6 days after the August full moon for the previous 3 years. Coral spawn collection from the wild reef was completed each night from 2 to 7 days after the full moon in August 2019, and resulted in the first observation of A. cervicornis spawning on natural reefs in Parque Nacional Natural Los Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo, a 1,200 km2 underwater national park and MPA established in 1977. Additionally, coral spawn collection from the nursery reefs in August 2019 provide the first reported observations of spawning for endangered coral Acropora palmata in Colombia

Clinical management of financial toxicity - identifying opportunities through experiential insights of cancer survivors, caregivers, and social workers

Perspectives of cancer survivors, caregivers, and social workers as key stakeholders on the clinical management of financial toxicity (FT) are critical to identify opportunities for better FT management. Semi-structured interviews (cancer survivors, caregivers) and a focus group (social workers) were undertaken using purposive sampling at a quaternary public hospital in Australia. People with any cancer diagnosis attending the hospital were eligible. Data were analysed using inductive-deductive content analysis techniques. Twenty-two stakeholders (n = 10 cancer survivors of mixed-cancer types, n = 5 caregivers, and n = 7 social workers) participated. Key findings included: (i) genuine concern for FT of cancer survivors and caregivers shown through practical support by health care and social workers; (ii) need for clarity of role and services; (iii) importance of timely information flow; and (iv) proactive navigation as a priority. While cancer survivors and caregivers received financial assistance and support from the hospital, the lack of synchronised, shared understanding of roles and services in relation to finance between cancer survivors, caregivers, and health professionals undermined the effectiveness and consistency of these services. A proactive approach to anticipate cancer survivors’ and caregivers’ needs is recommended. Future research may develop and evaluate initiatives to manage cancer survivors and families FT experiences and outcomes

Lewy Body Dementia Association\u27s Research Centers of Excellence Program: Inaugural Meeting Proceedings.

The first Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA) Research Centers of Excellence (RCOE) Investigator\u27s meeting was held on December 14, 2017, in New Orleans. The program was established to increase patient access to clinical experts on Lewy body dementia (LBD), which includes dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson\u27s disease dementia (PDD), and to create a clinical trials-ready network. Four working groups (WG) were created to pursue the LBDA RCOE aims: (1) increase access to high-quality clinical care, (2) increase access to support for people living with LBD and their caregivers, (3) increase knowledge of LBD among medical and allied (or other) professionals, and (4) create infrastructure for a clinical trials-ready network as well as resources to advance the study of new therapeutics

Machiavellianism, emotional manipulation, and friendship functions in women's friendships

Machiavellianism and emotional manipulation has not been investigated in friendships. The current studies investigated Machiavellianism, emotional manipulation, and six friendship functions in women's same-sex friendships. For study 1, women (N = 221) completed the Mach IV, emotional manipulation measure (with reference to their own behaviour and their friend's behaviour), mood worsening and use of inauthentic displays from the managing emotions of others scale, and the friendship function measure. Machiavellianism predicted the self-perceived ability to employ emotional manipulation towards a same-sex friend and perceiving their friend to use emotional manipulation towards them. Machiavellianism predicted lower scores on all six friendship functions. For study 2, women (N = 186) completed the Mach IV, the modified emotional manipulation measure (with reference to their own behaviour and their friend's behaviour), and the friendship function measure. Women high on Machiavellianism reported using emotional manipulation more frequently towards their same-sex friend and perceived their same-sex friend to frequently use emotional manipulation towards them. Machiavellianism predicted lower scores on five of the friendship functions. These studies demonstrated that women higher on Machiavellianism employ emotional manipulation in their same-sex friendships. Women with higher Machiavellianism scores also perceived that they themselves were manipulated by their friend