Investigating Routines and Dynamic Capabilities for Change and Innovation

In attempting to research the challenging question of how routines and dynamic capabilities are related to change and innovation, I utilize a variety of approaches that eventually complement each other in coming to answer in the following ways: 1) How can current knowledge regarding routines and dynamic capabilities be utilized to explain how organizations can solve various problems of various complexities? 2) To what extent are insights from the routine dynamics and dynamic capabilities research streams utilized by scholars from both fields and what are the implications of the current state of conversation? 3) How do routines and dynamic capabilities relate to exploratory innovation? 4) Can routines display dynamic patterns when they are enacted in constrained settings, yet actors are pressured by high levels of environmental variation? Each of the questions are asked with a different purpose and hence, require a substantially different approach. Hence, I have utilized four different methodologies throughout this dissertation

Communicating climate change adaptation information using web-based platforms

To facilitate progress in climate change adaptation policy and practice, it is important not only to ensure the production of accurate, comprehensive and relevant information, but also the easy, timely and affordable access to it. This can contribute to better-informed decisions and improve the design and implementation of adaptation policies and other relevant initiatives. Web-based platforms can play an important role in communicating and distributing data, information and knowledge that become constantly available, reaching out to a large group of potential users. Indeed in the last decade there has been an extensive increase in the number of platforms developed for this purpose in many fields including climate change adaptation. This short paper concentrates on the web-based adaptation platforms developed in Europe. It provides an overview of the recently emerged landscape, examines the basic characteristics of a set of platforms that operate at national, transnational and European level, and discusses some of the key challenges related to their development, maintenance and overall management. Findings presented in this short paper are discussed in greater detailed in the Technical Report of the European Environment Agency Overview of climate change adaptation platforms in Europe

Who is connected with whom? A Social network analysis of institutional interactions in the European CCA and DRR landscape

Communication and collaboration are critical for designing and implementing responses to climate change impacts and related disasters. This acknowledgement has increased interest in understanding social and institutional networks for climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR). In this study, we used Social Network Analysis (SNA) to explore institutional interactions within and across the communities of the aforementioned domains in Europe. Firstly, we investigated the type and intensity of interactions. We calculated SNA metrics to assess the roles of different actors and applied cluster analysis to identify actors with similar patterns of connections. SNA showed that communication is often more intensive within the two communities, while collaboration is frequent around topics related to both CCA and DRR. Cluster analysis revealed that actors tied with DRR were more closely connected, while actors tied with CCA and those with mixed connections showed no obvious clustering affnity. The European Climate Adaptation Platform, Climate-ADAPT, had the highest value for various SNA metrics, reflecting its popularity in the network and its potential for enhancing interactions among its actors. Finally, SNA was complemented by qualitative interviews, which emphasised the importance of connecting CCA and DRR in organisational mission and vision statements

Better vehicle design for all

With increases in life expectancy, there is a growing population of older people around the world. As a result, the population of older drivers is showing a similar increase. Many cars have not been designed to meet the needs of people with age-related disabilities. A questionnaire survey of older and younger drivers (paper/online version n=903) and supplementary interviews with drivers aged ≥ 65 years (n=15) were conducted June-August 2012. Younger drivers were identified as <65 years (53.5%) and older drivers were ≥65 years (46.5%). 7.1% of participants were aged ≥ 80. Older males and females reported more difficulties with parallel parking and driving on a foggy day than younger drivers. Significantly more discomfort was reported by older drivers in the hips, thighs, buttocks and knees compared to younger drivers

Spatio-temporal patterns of recent and future climate extremes in the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East region

Recent and future changes in temperature and precipitation climate extremes are estimated using the Hadley Centre PRECIS ("Providing REgional Climates for Impacts Studies") climate model for the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East region. The area of interest is considered vulnerable to extreme climate events as there is evidence for a temperature rise while precipitation tends to decline, suggesting likely effects on vital socioeconomic sectors in the region. Observations have been obtained for the recent period (1961–1990) and used to evaluate the model output. The spatial distribution of recent temporal trends in temperature indicates strong increasing in minimum temperature over the eastern Balkan Peninsula, Turkey and the Arabian Peninsula. The rate of warming reaches 0.4–0.5 °C decade⁻¹ in a large part of the domain, while warming is expected to be strongest in summer (0.6–0.7 °C decade⁻¹) in the eastern Balkans and western Turkey. The trends in annual and summer maximum temperature are estimated at approximately 0.5 and 0.6 °C decade⁻¹ respectively. Recent estimates do not indicate statistically significant trends in precipitation except for individual sub-regions. Results indicate a future warming trend for the study area over the last 30 years of the 21st century. Trends are estimated to be positive and statistically significant in nearly the entire region. The annual trend patterns for both minimum and maximum temperature show warming rates of approximately 0.4–0.6 °C decade⁻¹, with pronounced warming over the Middle Eastern countries. Summer temperatures reveal a gradual warming (0.5–0.9 °C decade⁻¹) over much of the region. The model projects drying trends by 5–30% in annual precipitation towards the end of the 21st century, with the number of wet days decreasing at the rate of 10–30 days year⁻¹, while heavy precipitation is likely to decrease in the high-elevation areas by 15 days year⁻¹

The tumor suppressor protein OPCML potentiates anti-EGFR and anti-HER2 targeted therapy in HER2-positive ovarian and breast cancer.

OPCML is a tumor suppressor gene that is frequently inactivated in ovarian cancer and many other cancers by somatic methylation. We have previously shown that OPCML exerts its suppressor function by negatively regulating a spectrum of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), such as ErbB2/HER2, FGFR1 and EphA2, thus attenuating their related downstream signaling. The physical interaction of OPCML with this defined group of RTKs is a prerequisite for their downregulation. Overexpression/gene amplification of EGFR and HER2 is a frequent event in multiple cancers including ovarian and breast cancers. Molecular therapeutics against EGFR/HER2 or EGFR only, such as lapatinib and erlotinib respectively, were developed to target these receptors but resistance often occurs in relapsing cancers. Here we show that, though OPCML interacts only with HER2 and not with EGFR, the interaction of OPCML with HER2 disrupts the formation of the HER2-EGFR heterodimer and this translates into a better response to both lapatinib and erlotinib in HER2-expressing ovarian and breast cancer cell lines. Also, we show that high OPCML expression is associated with better response to lapatinib therapy in breast cancer patients and better survival in HER2-overexpressing ovarian cancer patients, suggesting that OPCML co-therapy could be a valuable sensitizing approach to RTK inhibitors

Effect of Aging Treatment on Surface Roughness, Mechanical Properties, and Fracture Behavior of 6xxx and 7xxx Aluminum Alloys

The effect of aging treatment on the surface roughness and mechanical properties of AA6061 and AA7075 alloys was studied. Microhardness and tensile tests were used to investigae the mechanical properties. X-ray diffraction analysis was used to investigate the surface of the specimens. Furthermore, after tensile tests fractured surfaces were examined with scanning electron microscopy. An atomic force microscope was employed for analysis of the effect of aging treatment on surface roughness. Higher surface roughness with an increase in the volume fraction of the precipitate was revealed.Исследовано влияние процесса старения на шероховатость поверхности и механические свойства алюминиевых сплавов AA6061 и AA7075. Механические свойства исследовали при испытаниях на микротвердость и растяжение. Поверхность образцов исследовали с помощью рентгеноструктурного анализа. После испытания на растяжение поверхность разрушения исследовали методом растровой электронной микроскопии. Влияние процесса старения на шероховатость поверхности изучали с помощью атомно-силового микроскопа. Показано, что с ростом шероховатости поверхности увеличивается количество выделившихся фаз.Досліджено вплив процесу старіння на шорсткість поверхні і механічні властивості алюмінієвих сплавів АА6061 та АА7075. Механічні властивості досліджували при випробуваннях на мікротвердість і розтяг. Поверхню зразків досліджували за допомогою рентгеноструктурного аналізу. Після випробувань на розтяг поверхню руйнування досліджували методом растрової електронної мікроскопії. Вплив процесу старіння на шорсткість поверхні вивчали за допомогою атомно-силового мікроскопа. Показано, що з ростом шорсткості поверхні збільшується кількість виділених фа