Foreign market entry as network entry: A relational-structuration perspective on internationalization in television content production

Summary Our study of German television content production firms entering the Hungarian market and other markets, and of U.S. firms entering the German market shows that foreign market entry in this industry often takes the form of network entry and, in some cases, collective network entry. The network orientation is the preferred strategy, to help firms cope with the often substantial "cultural discount" on their products. To interpret these observations, we extend the network approach of the Nordic school of international business research and distinguish between networks as a (relational) perspective and a form of governance. Our data show that, in this industry, different "market" entry strategies are implicated in network entry. Foreign market entry is a process that includes a dynamic mix of market, hierarchical, and network arrangements. Using ideas from Giddens' (1984) structuration theory, we conceptualize foreign market entry as a process driven by the recursive interplay of knowledgeable agents and the social structure of organizational networks and fields.Foreign market entry Network entry Organizational field Structuration theory Television industry

Exploratory analysis of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Abstract Background Chronic inflammation emerges as a feature of the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in experimental models. Alterations of circulating cell subsets have been observed in patients with PAH. We aimed to assess associations of the white blood cell count with disease severity and outcome in patients with PAH. Methods The total and differential white blood cell count was related to functional parameters, pulmonary hemodynamics and transplantation-free survival in 77 patients with PAH in an observational single center study. Results An increased neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was associated with poor World Health Organization functional class and shorter 6-minute walking distance, as well as with elevated right atrial pressure and high level of N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide. During a median follow-up period of 31 months (range 16-56) 23 patients died and 2 patients were referred to lung transplantation. Using uni- and subsequent bivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses an increased neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was associated with unfavorable transplantation-free survival independent of hemodynamic parameters and C-reactive protein. The prognostic implication sustained in subsets of patients with incident PAH and in the absence of cardiovascular risk factors. Conclusions The results of this analysis indicate that a neutrophilic inflammation may be associated with clinical deterioration and poor outcome in patients with PAH. Assessing the composition of the differential white blood cell count may render prognostic information and could represent a step towards incorporating an inflammatory marker into the clinical management of patients with PAH

Additional file 1: Table S1. of Exploratory analysis of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Correlation of differential blood count parameters with functional and hemodynamic parameters of patients with PAH. (DOCX 13 kb

Additional file 4: Table S3. of Exploratory analysis of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Association of the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio with demographic, functional and hemodynamic parameters, as well as co-morbidities. (DOCX 16 kb