Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Managing Strategic Nets

This conceptual article focuses on the management of strategic business networks. Networks are seen to offer firms collective benefits beyond those of a single firm or market transaction. We aim to contribute to the development of the emerging theory of network management by integrating notions from the Industrial Network Approach, strategic management, and the Dynamic Capabilities View. Our starting premise is that the characteristics of the task that organizations try to accomplish through forming a specific strategic net, influence the management of that net and thus the capabilities required. In other words, we expect different types of strategic nets to require different managerial skill sets or capabilities. On the basis of this premise, we suggest a classification system for different types of strategic nets, identify key management issues that arise in operating in a network context, and consequently identify the basic capabilities required in managing different types of strategic nets.
Tracking Small Targets in Heavy-Tailed Clutter Using Amplitude Information

Harbor surveillance above and below the sea surface depends on sensors such as surveillance radar and multibeam sonar. These sensors attempt to detect and track moderately observable targets such as small boats or human divers in environments which often are characterized by heavy-tailed backgrounds. Target tracking in heavy-tailed environments is challenging even for moderate signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) due to the increased frequency of target-like outliers. A tracking method operating in such an environment should exploit as much of the data as possible to ensure robustness. Still, conventional tracking methods rely on kinematic measurements such as range, bearing, and Doppler only. The performance of the tracking method can be improved by using the backscattered signal strengths together with the kinematic measurements. This is done in the probabilistic data association filter with amplitude information (PDAFAI). We propose new conservative amplitude likelihoods for the PDAFAI with improved robustness compared to existing methods. The first likelihood works by incorporating the uncertainty of the background estimate. The second likelihood explicitly treats the background as heavy tailed using the -distribution. Extensive and realistic Monte Carlo simulations show that both our conservative likelihoods give significant reductions in track loss. Furthermore, we provide a quantitative evaluation of the difficulties encountered by tracking methods in heavy-tailed clutter. To the best of our knowledge, such an analysis does not yet exist in the open literature.
Sound credit scores and financial decisions despite cognitive aging

Age-related deterioration in cognitive ability may compromise the ability of older adults to make major financial decisions. We explore whether knowledge and expertise accumulated from past decisions can offset cognitive decline to maintain decision quality over the life span. Using a unique dataset that combines measures of cognitive ability (fluid intelligence) and of general and domain-specific knowledge (crystallized intelligence), credit report data, and other measures of decision quality, we show that domain-specific knowledge and expertise provide an alternative route for sound financial decisions. That is, cognitive aging does not spell doom for financial decision-making in domains where the decision maker has developed expertise. These results have important implications for public policy and for the design of effective interventions and decision aids.
Modification Of Performance Measurement System In The Intentions Of Globalization Trends

Business ethics is a determinant of company competitiveness. Obeying ethical principles is elementary for positive company culture and company identity creation. It influences implementation of changes in an organization and achieving strategic goals. The Balanced Scorecard system is considered to be an essential element of the management system implementation strategy, where effectiveness of BSC is being able to clearly describe the strategy and linking it with the steering system. The utility of Balanced Scorecard in different types of organizations confirms its wide adaptability concept. The paper analyses the relationship between the strategic managerial system Balanced Scorecard and business ethics. The aim of this paper is the analysis the relationship between ethical orientation and the performance organization, and subsequently the systematization of the conditions for the introduction of moral values in BSC strategic map. This paper is a follow-up to a research realized in a period of 2009-2012 in Slovak organizations providing services in the area of Balanced Scorecard system implementation and it compares its results with the expected theoretical solutions.
Participation Patterns in Campus Recreational Sports: An Examination of Quality of Student Effort from 1983 to 1998

The 1980s and 1990s saw tremendous growth in campus recreational sports programs. The emergence of these programs as significant contributors to the higher education mission has led practitioners to recognize the importance of increased student involvement in this area of campus life. One of the issues facing campus recreational sports is a lack of theoretical and empirical research in almost all facets of the field. This study examined participation patterns in recreational sports programs and facilities at 314 colleges and universities (n=4000) in four groups of years: 1983–1986, 1987–1990, 1991–1994, and 1995–1998 using data derived from the College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CSEQ) and the Center for Postsecondary Research and Planning at Indiana University, Bloomington. The results of the study revealed the following: (a) there was no significant difference in student involvement for the recreational sports programs and facilities variables under investigation; (b) significant differences were found for all areas of recreational sports involvement under investigation regarding participants' gender, age, and place of residence, with males, students under the age of 22, and on-campus students reporting higher rates of recreational sports involvement than females, students over the age of 22, and off-campus students (p<.001); (c) there were no significant year-by-gender, year-by-age, or year-by place-of-residence interaction effects; d) where significant main effect differences were found, effect sizes (η2 partial) were fairly low.
The Nature of Customer Portfolios: Towards New Understanding of Firms' Exchange Contexts

Purpose: Customer portfolios represent one of the central contexts for business marketing and thereby an important focus for industrial marketing research. In this article, the authors used the concept of customer portfolio to create new insights into the relational context of exchange where companies operate and manage their business. The study examines the general nature of firms' total customer portfolios in contrast to analytical portfolio studies that focus on value-segmentation of the firm's customer base. The authors contribute to the existing, largely conceptual knowledge on the topic by identifying key dimensions that systematically characterize firms' customer portfolios and building an empirical classification of portfolios. Methodology: The study is based on a nationwide cross-industry survey. The authors use cluster analysis to create the classification and discriminant analysis to investigate the importance of the portfolio dimensions for the identified clusters. Findings: The results show that firms' customer portfolios vary markedly, both in terms of structural and relational complexity. The differences denote a clear emphasis on either focused partnership, dynamic-networked, or broad market-like portfolios, posing significantly different drivers and challenges for customer relationship management. The identified dimensions, their measures, and the empirical classification offer important implications for business marketing research and practice.
A taxonomy of measures for consumer‐based brand equity: drawing on the views of managers in Europe

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the components of consumer‐based brand equity from the perspective of experts in brand management in the UK, Germany and Greece.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from semi‐structured interviews with senior brand consultants and managers, five in the UK, five in Germany and five in Greece.Findings – The findings suggested four categories of measures which can be used to define brand equity. These are the consumers' understanding of brand characteristics; consumers' brand evaluation; consumers' affective response towards the brand; and consumers' behaviour towards the brand. Specific dimensions are identified as indicators of each category.Research limitations/implications – Although the focus of this study is Europe, data were only collected from the UK, Germany and Greece, countries representing three of the five European cultural clusters. The resultant taxonomy adds to the fragmented literature on brand equity measurement by proposing fo.
A pancultural perspective on the fading affect bias in autobiographical memory

The fading affect bias (FAB) refers to the negative affect associated with autobiographical events fading faster than the positive affect associated with such events, a reliable and valid valence effect established by researchers in the USA. The present study examined the idea that the FAB is a ubiquitous emotion regulating phenomenon in autobiographical memory that is present in people from a variety of cultures. We tested for evidence of the FAB by sampling more than 2400 autobiographical event descriptions from 562 participants in 10 cultures around the world. Using variations on a common method, each sample evidenced a FAB: positive affect faded slower than negative affect did. Results suggest that in tandem with local norms and customs, the FAB may foster recovery from negative life events and promote the retention of the positive emotions, within and outside of the USA. We discuss these findings in the context of Keltner and Haidt's levels of analysis theory of emotion and culture.
Chronic Oxidative Stress as a Mechanism for Radiation Nephropathy

Abstract Lenarczyk, M. , Cohen, E. P., Fish, B. L. , Irving, A. A. , Sharma, M. , Driscoll, C. D. and Moulder, J. E. Chronic Oxidative Stress as a Mechanism for Radiation Nephropathy. Radiat. Res. 171, 164–172 (2009). Suppression of the renin-angiotensin system has proven efficacy for mitigation and treatment of radiation nephropathy, and it has been hypothesized that this efficacy is due to suppression of radiation-induced chronic oxidative stress. It is known that radiation exposure leads to acute oxidative stress, but direct evidence for radiation-induced chronic renal oxidative stress is sparse. We looked for evidence of oxidative stress after total-body irradiation in a rat model, focusing on the period before there is physiologically significant renal damage. No statistically significant increase in urinary 8-isoprostane (a marker of lipid peroxidation) or carbonylated proteins (a marker of protein oxidation) was found over the first 42 days after irradiation, while a small but statistically significant increase in urinary 8-hydroxydeoxy-guanosine (a marker of DNA oxidation) was detected at 35–55 days. When we examined renal tissue from these animals, we found no significant increase in either DNA or protein oxidation products over the first 89 days after irradiation. Using five different standard methods for detecting oxidative stress in vivo, we found no definitive evidence for radiation-induced renal chronic oxidative stress. If chronic oxidative stress is part of the pathogenesis of radiation nephropathy, it does not leave widespread or easily detectable evidence behind.
Muscle Damping Measured With a Modified Pendulum Test in Patients With Fibromyalgia, Lumbago, and Cervical Syndrome

Study Design Muscle tension with tenderness may be localized or generalized as in fibromyalgia. Wartenberg's pendulum test might be appropriate for quantitating muscle damping, at least in generalized cases. Objective Damping values provide a quantitative measure of muscle tension and of the response to various treatments. Summary of the Background Data According to recent anatomic and experimental works, intrafusal muscle fibers are double‐innervated by gamma motoneurons and sympathetic fibers. With electromyograph recording, the activity of extrafusal fibers and gamma motoneurons (reflexes) can be assessed and separated from the action of the sympathetic system. Methods An electrogoniometer registers the movements of the freely swinging leg. On the oscilloscope, the patient's nodular curve is compared with an ideal calculated dampened curve to find the damping value. Electromyograph surface electrodes from the knee extensors and flexors detect the activity of extrafusal fibers and the occurrence of reflexes. Results In longstanding severe fibromyalgia, damping values are almost always elevated, at least in one leg. Half or more of patients with chronic lumbago and cervical syndrome present with increased damping. The surface electromyograph remains silent (in contrast to spastic patients). Conclusion The findings support the hypothesis that muscle tension in rheumatic patients results from overactivity of the sympathetic system (or part of it). Even in clinically localized pain syndromes, muscle damping is often increased in the legs. The test is valuable for quantitating muscle tension and the effectiveness of therapeutic methods.
The Influence of a Cochlear Implant Electrode on the Mechanical Function of the Inner Ear

Background: With the use of standard electrodes in cochlear implantation, residual acoustic hearing is markedly reduced or even lost. Possible reasons for this loss are direct implantation trauma to the inner ear, reaction of the cochlea triggered by the implantation, and change of cochlear mechanics due to the electrode. Hypothesis: The introduction of a cochlear implant electrode does not alter the global mechanical behavior of the cochlear fluid as recorded at the stapes and the round window (RW) to the point of clinical relevance. Objectives: 1) To assess RW motion in response to acoustic stimulation in live human subjects for the first time and to compare findings with the published data on similar measurements in human temporal bones; 2) to test the hypothesis by comparing intraoperative measurements of the stapes with the RW before and after cochlear implant. Patients and Methods: The study included 18 adult patients with profound bilateral hearing loss. A scanning laser Doppler interferometer system measuring through the facial recess and a calibrated multi-sinewave acoustic stimulation tone in the ear canal were used. Changes in cochlear mechanics were assessed by comparing intraoperative measurements of stapes with RW membrane responses to acoustic signals before and after cochlear implantation. Results: Vibration amplitudes and phase at the stapes and RW were not different in our patient group from published results from temporal bones. No significant changes in amplitude and phase were seen at the stapes and RW after cochlear implantation. Conclusion: It was possible to assess RW motion in live human subjects. Our results provide evidence that even a standard electrode does not alter cochlear mechanics to the point of clinical relevance.
German Corporate Law Reform's Impact on Publicly Listed Companies' Performance Through Changes in Ownership Concentration

This paper analyses the German corporate law reform’s effect on the publicly listed companies’ ownership and performance. First, theoretically plausible implications of the most important laws that were issued 1990-2009 are provided, then an empirical analysis using 1997-2008 panel data consisting of ownership, Tobin’s Q, and sales growth follows. Empirical evidence shows that ownership has become more dispersed (the total number of shareholders is larger) and that it had a positive statistically and economically significant effect on companies’ market value during the period. However, supporting Stulz (1988) and Shleifer and Vishny (1997) theories of optimal ownership dispersion level, our findings indicate that Germany has already approached the optimal ownership dispersion and concentration level and increased the equity market efficiency; therefore, these positive effects on companies’ market value have started to diminish.
Progress in the management of urinary tract infections: discussion.

Professor Wise summed up the key messages from each speaker including issues of resistance, safety, use in pregnancy, as well as ecological aspects of antibiotic use. He then started the discussion by asking the panel whether there was a requirement for another antimicrobial agent for empirical first-line therapy of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Dr Cars stated that we are facing issues similar to those of the pre-antibiotic era. Safety and antimicrobial resistance are the most important issues:
Brand Associations in the Fitness Segment of the Sports Industry in the United States: Extending Spectator Sports Branding Conceptualisations and Dimensions to Participatory Sports

The study advances brand association research into participatory sports (i.e. fitness) by examining health club related dimensions and extending research into the United States (US). Data were collected from health club members (n=148) at a branded US fitness facility. Factor and regression analyses used specified brand association dimensions and revealed a predictive model of brand loyalty. Findings and discussions will assist fitness managers in brand-building, marketing strategies and member retention.
The effect of Corporate Social Responsibility on the competitiveness of firms in the Mobile Telecommunication industry in Ghana

The study examined the effect of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices in achieving competitive advantage in the Mobile Telecommunication Industry in Ghana. Specifically, the study determined the extent of implementation of CSR policies by the Mobile Telecommunication companies, ascertained the factors influencing the companies to engage in CSR, examined the perceived influence of the practice of CSR in achieving competitive advantage among the companies, and identified the main challenges facing the Telecom companies in the implementation of CSR. The study used quantitative methodology to achieve its purpose. A survey questionnaire was used to gather data for the study. Overall 360 employees were selected from all the 6 Mobile Telecommunication companies operating in Ghana. The companies selected included GLO, AIRTEL, VODAFONE, MTN, EXPRESO and TIGO. Only senior managers of the various firms were sampled for the study. Both descriptive and inferential statistical tools were used in the data analysis. The study found that the performance of the companies CSR practices was high in the areas of community support, environmental issues, and ethics. The companies engaged in CSR for various reason including enhancing the reputation of the company’s, for positive image and branding of the company, to gain some competitive advantages, to improve business performance etc. The companies gained to moderated extent competitive advantage by engaging in CSR, VODAFONE gained higher competitive advantage than all the mobile telecommunication companies. A positive feeling complacency was the main challenge of the companies in undertaking their CSR initiatives and practices. The study recommends that shareholders should increase their commitment level to the practice of CSR as such practice was found to have effect in achieving competitive advantage.
Building benchmarking competence through knowledge management capability ‐ An empirical study of the Kuwaiti context

This paper is based on a study which examined the availability of knowledge management Systems in the Kuwaiti private and public sectors. The paper examines the actual situation, and how it could be improved to achieve organisational and national objectives through more effective training methods and more investment in human resources, geared towards enhancing and achieving effectiveness and efficiency. The study sample was five UK organisations (recognised as best practice organisations in their knowledge management systems) and 77 Kuwaiti organisations (40 government and 37 private ones). Interviews and questionnaires were used. The study reveals that the majority of respondents in both government and private sectors believe that their knowledge management system was very important to the development of their organisations, and that the most important sources of ideas come from employees’ and organisations’ existing knowledge. The most important method used by Kuwaiti organisations to facilitate the sharing of knowledge between employees, was found to include internal journals.
Resonant first- and second-order Raman scattering in AlSb.

The dependence on laser frequency of the scattering cross section for allowed and forbidden first-order Raman scattering and for second-order scattering is presented. The measurements were performed in the vicinity of the ${E}_{0}$ and ${E}_{0}+{\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{0}$ gaps. It is shown that the ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{15}$ components of the Raman tensor exhibit a sharp resonance at ${E}_{0}$ while ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{1}$ components resonate both at ${E}_{0}$ and ${E}_{0}+{\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{0}$. The results are interpreted in terms of a theory which assumes parabolic bands extending to infinity. The second-order scattering is produced mainly by electron-two-phonon interaction vertices, except for the strongly resonant sharp peaks which correspond to the creation of two LO phonons with $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{k}}\ensuremath{\simeq}0({\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{1})$ and one LO plus one TO phonon with $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{k}}\ensuremath{\simeq}0({\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{15})$. From these measurements, values for the electron-two-phonon deformation potentials are obtained.
Biased gene conversion is not occurring among rDNA repeats in the Brassica triangle.

Hybridization is a common phenomenon that results in complex genomes. How ancestral genomes interact in hybrids has long been of great interest. Recombination among ancestral genomes may increase or decrease genetic variation. This study examines rDNA from members of the Brassica triangle for evidence of gene conversion across ancestral genomes. Gene conversion is a powerful force in the evolution of multigene families. It has previously been shown that biased gene conversion can act to homogenize rDNA repeats within hybrid genomes. Here, we find no evidence for biased gene conversion or unequal crossing over across ancestral genomes in allotetraploid Brassica species. We suggest that, while basic genomic processes are shared by all organisms, the relative frequency of these processes and their evolutionary importance may differ among lineages. Key words : Brassica, rDNA, gene conversion, allotetraploids.