STRATEGIES DEVELOPED BY LEADING EU AGRI-FOOD COOPERATIVES IN THEIR GROWTH MODEL

The rationale for this paper is the problem relating to the growth of agricultural cooperatives in Spain in recent years in comparison to increasingly concentrated food distribution, which captures most of the value added. This paper analyses the evolution and status of other countries within Europe where the need for business consolidation has been successfully addressed. For this purpose, there have been identified 7 cases to be studied: Kerry group, Irish Dairy Board, Arla Foods, The Greenery BV, Danish Crown, Agrifirm and DLG. The specific results of interviews with the senior management of this cooperatives were analyzed and organized into four blocks in which the issues raised are grouped (legal and institutional framework, strategic vision, business growth models and market standing). A number of specific aims are also pursued:  Identify the main barriers and problems faced by this type of cooperatives.  Show the strategies developed by leading cooperatives in their sector within the current comparative context.  Become familiar with the different growth models these cooperatives use to achieve and maintain their market standing.Agribusiness,

Does post merger financial performance improve after agrifood mergers of cooperatives? An empirican analysis

This study was carried out to characterize the mergers and acquisitions undertaken in the Spanish agrifood sector during the period 1995-2005 and has two objectives. Firstly, it aims to determine the manner in which economic-financial factors influence the type of merger carried out (merger by formation of a new legal person and merger by acquisition), and the role played by cooperatives (acquirer, acquired or cooperative involved in a merger by formation). Secondly, it aims to determine whether these mergers have contributed to reaching any of the objectives they were set out to achieve: improving the economic-financial situation of the companies involved, increasing income and reducing relative costs. The results obtained show that on average, following a merger, there were no statistically significant improvements in the economic-financial indicators studied.Agribusiness, Agricultural Finance,

Advancing medicine one research note at a time: the educational value in clinical case reports

A case report—a brief written note that describes unique aspects of a clinical case—provides a significant function in medicine given its rapid, succinct, and educational contributions to scientific literature and clinical practice. Despite the growth of, and emphasis on, randomized clinical trials and evidenced-based medicine, case reports continue to provide novel and exceptional knowledge in medical education. The journal BMC Research Notes introduces a new “case reports” section to provide the busy clinician with a forum in which to document any authentic clinical case that provide educational value to current clinical practice. The aim is for this article type to be reviewed, wherever possible, by specialized Associate Editors for the journal, in order to provide rapid but thorough decision making. New ideas often garnered by and documented in case reports will support the advancement of medical science — one research note at a time

An integrative model of knowledge management and team work

La relevancia de la gestión de recursos humanos en la gestión del conocimiento ha sido estudiada en las publicaciones académicas desde un enfoque de procesos de selección, remuneración o del sistema de desarrollo de carrera. Hemos encontrado pocas publicaciones que se centren en el comportamiento del grupo de personas que generan, comparten y transmiten el conocimiento trabajando en equipos. El objetivo de esta investigación es proponer un modelo que describa la relación entre gestión del conocimiento y trabajo en equipo, integrando las propuestas de los modelos de Nonaka y Takeuchi (1995); Leonard-Barton (1995) y Heisig (2000), y plantear una reflexión para futuras investigacionesHuman Resource Management relevance in Knowledge Management has been studied in academic literature mostly from the point of view of recruitment, selection, wages and salaries and career development processes. We have found few publications that are focused in the behaviour of the group of people who generate, share and transfer that knowledge while working in a team. The aim of this paper is to propose a framework that describes the relation between knowledge management and team work,, integrating Nonaka and Takeuchi, Leonard- Barton and Heisig framework proposals, as well as to outline some reflexions for further researches.Peer Reviewe

Breaking the Rayleigh-Plateau instability limit using thermocavitation within a droplet

We report on the generation of liquid columns that extend far beyond the traditional Rayleigh-Plateau instability onset. The columns are driven by the acoustic pressure wave emitted after bubble collapse. A high-speed video imaging device, which records images at a rate of up to 105 fps, was employed to follow their dynamics. These bubbles, commonly termed thermocavitation bubbles, are generated by focusing a midpower (275 mW) continuous wavelength laser into a highly absorbing liquid droplet. A simple model of the propagation of the pressure wavefront emitted after the bubble collapse shows that focusing the pressure wave at the liquid-air interface drives the evolution of the liquid columns. Control over the aspect ratio of the liquid column is realized by adjusting the cavitation bubble's size, beam focus position, and droplet volume. © 2013 by Begell House, Inc

Knowledge agents as drivers of environmental sustainability and business performance in the hospitality sector

This study examines the role of knowledge agents as key enablers in the process of creating and updating the environmental knowledge base of a firm and, in doing so, having a positive effect on business performance. From the perspective of a hotel as the most important cog in the machinery of the hospitality sector, knowledge agents are those individuals who can provide information and knowledge that enables the firm to deal with environmental issues effectively. The paper describes an empirical, longitudinal study of 87 organisations in the Spanish hospitality industry. The results highlight the importance of the relationship between knowledge agents and environmental knowledge for business performance. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the role of knowledge agents is also relevant for the future management of the environmental knowledge base of a firm within the hospitality sector.We thank the Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Ref: ECO2017-88987-R) which has supported our objectives

Extending structural capital through pro-environmental behaviour intention capital: an outlook on Spanish hotel industry

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to bring the attention of the intellectual capital (IC) research and practice communities to the value of IC in hotels' efforts to resolve or mitigate environmental problems over time. This research has been set to examine the relationships between key KM and IC concepts including environmental knowledge structures and exploitation and exploration of environmental knowledge (EK) as drivers of environmental organisational learning. The research has also examined the relevance of pro-environmental behavioural intention capital (PEBIC) as a component of structural capital and therefore an integral part of the intellectual capital of hotels. Design/methodology/approach The data analysis technique used to test the proposed conceptual model is partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Sample received from 87 companies from the Spanish hospitality sector in a longitudinal study (six years). Findings The results support that environmental knowledge structures (exploitation and exploration) has a positive impact on PEBIC over time. In other words, environmental organisational learning has the capability to create structural capital in hotel over time. Originality/value The research has addressed the challenges of exploration and exploitation of EK and PEBIC from a perspective not previously covered in the extant literature, further improved by the longitudinal nature of this study. Our focus on the hospitality sector makes this research relevant for management structures at numerous of hotels, as well as to their supply chains around the world. In addition, this research highlights the value to create structural capital through EK and organisational learning in the context of take care of our natural resources.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad of the Spanish Government for financing the research project ECO2017-88987-R (MINECO/FEDER;UE), cofinanced from the European Union FEDER funds