Enterprise Models and the EU agenda. CEPS Policy Contribution 28 Jan 2021.

The EU is leading the world with its roadmap for companies – the Sustainable Industry as part of the Green Deal, the EU Climate Target plan for 2030 and the New EU Industrial Strategy. At the same time, in pursuit of these crucial objectives, the Union is heavily dependent on the contribution of the private sector. The question is whether companies are equipped to follow this path and take on the associated responsibilities. Hurdles that so far received little attention now present themselves in the realm of governance and management, organisation structure and culture as the major determinants of corporate behaviour. This paper argues that the dominant enterprise models, the shareholder model and the stakeholder model, both serve as barriers to the shift from growth-oriented to sustainable, resilience-oriented capitalism. It stresses the need for alternative models and sketches the contours of a new competitive enterprise model that is firmly rooted in values continental Europeans share. It will be called the EU Model. Finally, it proposes an EU agenda for a level playing field, because competition between models should be encouraged. The day has come for politicians and policymakers to no longer limit themselves to rubberstamping corporate governance codes. They must actively engage in discussions about how the private sector organises itself. Bravery will be rewarded

Globalization, Transformation and Management Education

This is the time of great change. The way we manage the business, the way we lead the policies, the way we trade and invest, the way we exchange information and culture, the way we interact with each other is going through a process of dynamic and vast change. Such change has a paramount implication for conduct of macroeconomic policy and microeconomic enterprise. It makes a lot of impact on business management thus if must have also a significant influence upon the way we study and teach management

Simultaneous siRNA Targeting of Src and Downstream Signaling Molecules Inhibit Tumor Formation and Metastasis of a Human Model Breast Cancer Cell Line

Src and signaling molecules downstream of Src, including signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) and cMyc, have been implicated in the development, maintenance and/or progression of several types of human cancers, including breast cancer. Here we report the ability of siRNA-mediated Src knock-down alone, and simultaneous knock-down of Src and Stat3 and/or cMyc to inhibit the neoplastic phenotype of a highly metastatic human model breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-435S, a widely used model for breast cancer research.Src and its downstream signaling partners were specifically targeted and knocked-down using siRNA. Changes in the growth properties of the cultured cancer cells/tumors were documented using assays that included anchorage-dependent and -independent (in soft agar) cell growth, apoptosis, and both primary and metastatic tumor growth in the mouse tumor model. siRNA-mediated Src knock-down alone, and simultaneous knock-down of Src and Stat3 and/or cMyc inhibited the neoplastic phenotype of a highly metastatic human model breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-435S. This knock-down resulted in reduced growth in monolayer and soft agar cultures, and a reduced ability to form primary tumors in NOD/SCID mice. In addition, direct intra-tumoral injection of siRNAs targeting these signaling molecules resulted in a substantial inhibition of tumor metastases as well as of primary tumor growth. Simultaneous knock-down of Src and Stat3, and/or Myc exhibited the greatest effects resulting in substantial inhibition of primary tumor growth and metastasis.These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of simultaneous targeting of Src and the downstream signaling partners Stat3 and/or cMyc to inhibit the growth and oncogenic properties of a human cancer cell line. This knowledge may be very useful in the development of future therapeutic approaches involving targeting of specific genes products involved in tumor growth and metastasis

The Association of Textbook Outcome and Long-Term Survival After Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer

Background: Esophagectomy is the key component of curative esophageal cancer treatment. Textbook outcome is a composite measure describing an optimal perioperative course, including variables related to radical resection, including at least 15 lymph nodes, and an uncomplicated postoperative course without hospital readmission. This study assessed clinicopathologic predictors of textbook outcome and the association of textbook outcome with survival in 2 tertiary referral centers. Methods: All patients with esophageal cancer who underwent esophagectomy with gastric tube reconstruction and curative intent between 2007 and 2016 were included. Patients with carcinoma in situ and patients undergoing a salvage or nonelective procedure were excluded. The primary end point was the association of textbook outcome of esophageal cancer surgery with long-term survival. Secondary end points were clinicopathologic predictors of textbook outcome. Results: In total, 1065 patients were included, of whom 327 achieved textbook outcome (30.7%). Squamous cell carcinoma (odds ratio [OR], 0.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.39 to 0.80), hybrid approach (OR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.10 to 0.89), and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class II or higher predicted worse textbook rates (ASA class II: OR, 0.33, 95% CI, 0.22 to 0.49; ASA class III or IV: OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.48 to 0.96), whereas neoadjuvant therapy predicted a better textbook rate (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.08 to 2.31). Superior overall (hazard ratio, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.64 to 0.93) and disease-free survival (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.96) were observed in the textbook outcome group. Conclusions: Achieved textbook outcome was associated with better overall and disease-free survival, thus illustrating the association of improved short-term outcomes and long-term survival and the importance of pursuing textbook outcome

Treatment of anastomotic leak after oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer : large, collaborative, observational TENTACLE cohort study

Background: Anastomotic leak is a severe complication after oesophagectomy. Anastomotic leak has diverse clinical manifestations and the optimal treatment strategy is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of treatment strategies for different manifestations of anastomotic leak after oesophagectomy. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed in 71 centres worldwide and included patients with anastomotic leak after oesophagectomy (2011-2019). Different primary treatment strategies were compared for three different anastomotic leak manifestations: interventional versus supportive-only treatment for local manifestations (that is no intrathoracic collections; well perfused conduit); drainage and defect closure versus drainage only for intrathoracic manifestations; and oesophageal diversion versus continuity-preserving treatment for conduit ischaemia/necrosis. The primary outcome was 90-day mortality. Propensity score matching was performed to adjust for confounders. Results: Of 1508 patients with anastomotic leak, 28.2 per cent (425 patients) had local manifestations, 36.3 per cent (548 patients) had intrathoracic manifestations, 9.6 per cent (145 patients) had conduit ischaemia/necrosis, 17.5 per cent (264 patients) were allocated after multiple imputation, and 8.4 per cent (126 patients) were excluded. After propensity score matching, no statistically significant differences in 90-day mortality were found regarding interventional versus supportive-only treatment for local manifestations (risk difference 3.2 per cent, 95 per cent c.i. -1.8 to 8.2 per cent), drainage and defect closure versus drainage only for intrathoracic manifestations (risk difference 5.8 per cent, 95 per cent c.i. -1.2 to 12.8 per cent), and oesophageal diversion versus continuity-preserving treatment for conduit ischaemia/necrosis (risk difference 0.1 per cent, 95 per cent c.i. -21.4 to 1.6 per cent). In general, less morbidity was found after less extensive primary treatment strategies. Conclusion: Less extensive primary treatment of anastomotic leak was associated with less morbidity. A less extensive primary treatment approach may potentially be considered for anastomotic leak. Future studies are needed to confirm current findings and guide optimal treatment of anastomotic leak after oesophagectom