Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Listening practices and performance in service organisations

Considers the concept of the “listening” organisation and its influence on service and business performance. Specifically reports on empirical research which investigated the link between service quality information practices, the listening organisation and service and business performance. In this respect, builds on an earlier model of service management developed by the London Business School and Warwick Business School in the UK. This extended model employs two composite performance indexes as moderator variables. Surveyed 438 service organisations in the Republic of Ireland; the loglinear model used to analyse the data shows a clear pattern. By taking listening practices, including information technology, as a holistic view of a constellation of information‐related practice type factors, demonstrates that there is a close relationship with service performance, which in turn influences business performance. Furthermore, technology type and competitive intensity, moderate this relationship. Establishes that the relationship between listening practices and service performance is much more important for the sophisticated task technology sector and that competitive intensity has a very minor interactive effect on the relationship. The results of the survey mirror recent empirical research in market orientation and organisational learning.
Research Commentary - Digital Natives and Ubiquitous Information Systems

Most information systems research until now has focused on information systems in organizations and their use by digital immigrants. Digital immigrants are those who were not born into the digital world---they learnt to use information systems at some stage in their adult lives. An underlying assumption of much of this research is that users “resist” technology or at least have some difficulty in accepting it. Digital natives, conversely, are those who have grown up in a world where the use of information and communications technology is pervasive and ubiquitous. These ubiquitous technologies, networks, and associated systems have proliferated and have woven themselves into the very fabric of everyday life. This article suggests that the rise of the digital native, along with the growth of ubiquitous information systems (UIS), potentially represents a fundamental shift in our “paradigm” for IS research. We propose a research agenda that focuses on digital natives and UIS.
The measurement of brand orientation, its performance impact, and the role of leadership in the context of destination branding: An exploratory study

Abstract As a result of the increasingly competitive global marketplace, many tourism destinations have turned to branding to improve their performance. However, although marketing scholars have begun to examine the transferability and contribution of marketing tools to destination marketing, relatively little attention has been given to the concept of brand orientation. Drawing on previous empirical work, this study uses path modelling to develop a reliable and valid multidimensional measure of brand orientation in the context of destination branding and examines its relationship to brand performance and brand leadership by senior management. The findings from a sample of CEOs and directors in 90 destination marketing organisations suggest that destination brand orientation consists of five dimensions – brand culture, departmental coordination, brand communication, stakeholder partnership, and brand reality – and has a strong, positive impact on brand performance. The findings also suggest that leadership by senior management is an important determinant of destination brand orientation.
The Influence of CEO Experience and Education on Firm Policies

We study the influence of CEO experience and education on firm performance, on variability of firm performance, on investment and financing policies, and on organizational strategy. We also include measures of CEO power to study differences in influence between powerful and non-powerful CEOs. Our results suggest that older and more experienced CEOs are associated with more conservative strategies. The younger and less experienced the CEO, the more volatile the firm performance. MBA degree holders seem to be more stability-oriented. We associate CEOs with technical education with more volatility of firm performance. Firms with powerful CEOs also have more volatile performance (stock returns). The status of a founder seems to be the most influential dimension of CEO power. By borrowing from personality and social psychology as well as from generational theory, we employ the 2SLS estimator in an attempt to shed more light on the direction of causality from CEO characteristics to firm policies. We find that it is not only firms selecting CEOs to match the company’s needs but, provided there is a sufficient period for a CEO to leave an imprint, the causality runs from CEOs to firm outcomes as well. Firm outcomes and policies, especially firm performance, variability of firm performance and investment policy, reflect the CEOs’ industry and CEO experience.
A comparison of domain decomposition techniques for elliptic partial differential equations and their parallel implementation

Abstract : Several preconditioned conjugate gradient (PCG)-based domain decomposition techniques for self-adjoint elliptic partial differential equations in two dimensions are compared against each other and against conventional PCG iterative techniques in serial and parallel contexts. The authors consider preconditioners that make use of fast Poisson solvers on the subdomain interiors. Several preconditioners for the interfacial equations are tested on a set of model problems involving two or four subdomains, which are prototype of the stripwise and boxwise decompositions of a two-dimensional region. Selected methods have been implemented on the Intel Hypercube by assigning one processor to each subdomain, making use of up to 64 processors. The choice of a 'best' method for a given problem depends in general upon: (a) the domain geometry, (b) the variability of the operator, and (c) machine characteristics such as the number of processors available and their interconnection scheme, the memory available per processor, and communication and computation rates. Emphasized is the importance of the third category, which has not been as extensively explored as the first two in the domain decomposition literature to date. (Author)
FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI LUAS PENGUNGKAPAN SUKARELA DALAM ANNUAL REPORT

This study aims to analyze the factors that affect the wider voluntary disclosure. Voluntary disclosure is needed by investors and other users in making better decisions because it is considered mandatory disclosure is not sufficient in providing information to investors. The factors examined in this study are firm size, leverage, profitability, firm age, size of the firm, and the proportion of independent board. The sample of this study are secondary data from the Indonesia Stock Exchange in the form of annual reports companies listed in 2010-2012. Determination of the sample using purposive sampling method with judgment sampling technique. The total sample in this study was 49 companies. This study uses multiple regression analysis. This is because the variables are tested more than one independent variable. The results show that profitability, size of the firm, and the proportion of independent board broad positive effect on voluntary disclosure, while negatively affects leverage extensive voluntary disclosure. Meanwhile, firm size and firm age has no effect on the wider voluntary disclosure.
An Analysis of X-Ray Induced Chromosomal Aberrations in Tradescantia.

HE cause and nature of chromosomal alterations has become an im- portant genetic problem since it has been shown that both mutation and speciation often are associated with structural alterations of the chromosomes (DOBZHANSKY 1937). The frequency of spontaneous structural changes is too low in most organisms to permit a statistical analysis of types or frequencies of alterations, although recently GILES (1940) has been able to analyze a considerable number of natural chromosomal aberrations in Tradescantia hybrids. In most respects these natural aberrations resemble those induced by X-rays, and although the spontaneous breaks are not caused by radiation, the same secondary factors seem to be involved in producing the various types and frequencies of aberrations. The X-ray induced aberrations can be produced in large numbers under controlled conditions, permitting adequate statistical analyses of types of aberrations and their frequency in relation to dosage, temperature, time of exposure, and radiation intensity.
The Organisation of External Communication Disciplines in UK Companies: A Conceptual and Empirical Analysis of Dimensions and Determinants

The subject of the organisation of a company's external communications has been characterised by enduring debate exemplified in the discussions on the relationship between marketing and public relations as well as, more recently, in arguments for a greater "integration" or interaction between and consolidation of a company's communication disciplines. Despite this prolific attention to communication organi sation in the literature, having resulted in a number of normative prescriptions and suggestions, there has been little if any actual empirical research on aspects of communication organisation across companies. Moreover, within the little prior empirical research, scant attention has been given, firstly, to conceptual develop ment in the sense of defining constructs and developing valid measures of commu nication organisation, and, secondly, to the contextual factors that may make a particular organisational arrangement of communication disciplines either more or less appropriate for a particular company. This paper therefore develops and tests a number of literature-derived propositions relating organisational dimensions to conditions in a company's internal and external environments. Findings of an exploratory empirical study show that the organisational relationship (in the form of different types of interaction and their degree of formalisation) between the two primary departments involved in a company's external communication programmes are correlated with such internal environmental conditions as the departments' domain similarity and resource dependence, as well as the prevailing organisa tional norms and cultural conditions within a company.
Dynamics of sperm DNA fragmentation in raw boar semen and fertility.

The aims were to evaluate sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) in boars through the dispersion of their chromatin in raw semen samples, quantifying the extent of SDF, and to assess dynamic aspects of sperm DNA damage after incubation to obtain the rate of sperm DNA fragmentation (rSDF) under thermal conditions similar to the uterus (37°C) over a period of up to 24 hr and to correlate the reproductive outcome of the sows with the SDF of the boars at ejaculation. The study was performed on a pig-breeding farm in southern Uruguay. Sixty-one ejaculates from five of the most frequently used hybrid boars were evaluated. Semen was collected weekly from each of the boars, using the gloved-hand technique and discarding the jelly-like fraction of the ejaculate. Fresh semen was kept in a water bath at 37°C and protected from light, and was thereafter processed with Sperm-Sus-Halomax(®) to evaluate SDF. The smears for time 0 (T0) were made on farm, and thereafter smears were made at the laboratory at 4 hr of obtaining the semen (T4), then every 2 hr (T6, T8, T10, T12) and a final fixation at 24 hr (T24). Differences in SDF were observed among exposure times for all boars (p < .05), but not between T10 and T12 (p = .7751) nor T4 and T24 (p = .9113). In none of the T24 samples, sperm heads could be seen with chromatin dispersion halos. Furthermore, there were differences among boars when comparing sperm rSDF (p < .05). Farrowing rate was not affected by SDF at T0 (r = .38, p = .75), nor was litter size (r = .16, p = .70). With the present experimental conditions, we have not been able to show a relationship between sperm DNA fragmentation at ejaculation and reproductive performance. However, this could be a result of the low number of ejaculates and boars used.
Cyclical Patterns of Business Entry and Exit Dynamics in the US Economy

This paper documents the cyclical patterns of business entry and exit dynamism in the US using the Business Dynamic Statistics (BDS) dataset. The main finding is that, for both firms and establishments, the entry margin is significantly procyclical while the exit margin shows little cyclicality. In addition to the entry and exit rates, the numbers and relative sizes of entering and exiting businesses exhibit similar patterns over the business cycles. I then examine the roles of size, age, and sector in shaping the observed cyclicality, or lack thereof, and find significant variation across different groups.
THE EFFECT OF EARNINGS MANAGEMENT ON THE DISCLOSURE OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AS VARIABLE MODERATION (STUDIES ON COMPANIES REGISTERED IN LQ 45)

The population in this study is a public company listed in listed companies LQ 45 samples were taken by using purposive sampling method and obtained a sample of 30 companies listed in the LQ45 contain elements of both. Public company in Indonesia, according to the companies listed in LQ 45 in the 2012 period. The first hypothesis states that the disclosure of earnings management affects corporate social responsibility. Therefore it can be concluded that the positive effect of earnings management, higher earnings management will lead to a higher level of social responsibility disclosure. The second hypothesis (a), the higher the corporate responsibility will continue lower earnings management by independent commissioners and directors, no significant effect on social responsibility disclosure. In the second hypothesis (b), the higher the corporate social responsibility disclosure will reduce earnings management by the board of directors significant effect on leverage and can have a significant effect on the disclosure of social responsibility.
Corazonin gene expression in the waxmoth Galleria mellonella

We cloned and sequenced a full length cDNA coding for [Arg7]‐corazonin in the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella. The deduced corazonin preprohormone consists of a nineteen amino acid signal peptide, the actual eleven amino acid corazonin sequence, followed by a Gly serving for amidation, a Lys‐Arg processing site and an eighty amino acid corazonin precursor‐related peptide. The data confirm the phylogenetic conservation of the actual corazonin sequence. The signal peptide and the precursor‐related peptide exhibit a similar spacing of a few amino acids as detected in the corazonin preprohormone of Drosophila melanogaster. Northern blots and in situ hybridization experiments revealed that the G. mellonella corazonin gene is tissue‐specifically expressed in four pairs of lateral neurosecretory cells in the brains of penultimate and last instar larvae, as well as of pupae and adults. No corazonin mRNA was detected in other cells of the nervous system, fat body, gut, and several other organs.
Model-based multi-sensor data fusion

The authors describe an algorithm for implementing a multisensor system in a model-based environment with consideration of the constraints. Based on an environment model, geometric features and constraints are generated from a CAD model database. Sensor models are used to predict sensor response to certain features and to interpret raw sensor data. A constrained MMS (minimum mean squared) estimator is used to recursively predict, match, and update feature location. The effects of applying various constraints in estimation were shown by simulation system mounted on a robot arm for localization of known object features. <<ETX>>
DEVELOPMENT OF THE GERMAN SCREENING TEST ( KKT ) FOR CONCRETISTIC THOUGHT DISORDER – A PILOT STUDY

Objective: Concretism is a well-known symptom in patients with schizophrenia. Our aim was to develop a screening tool for the use in in early recognition of psychosis. Method: Subjects referred to the early recognition centre at the Psychiatric Services in Münsterlingen/Switzerland completed a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery including multiple choice proverb items. Results: The performance on the multiple choice proverb items of patients in an at risk mental state and first episode patients differed significantly from patients with other psychiatric diagnosis. We optimised discriminant validity and efficiency of the test by deleting items. Conclusions: The present study suggests that a short proverb test can efficiently and effectively discriminate between patients at risk of psychosis or psychosis and patient controls.
Adoption of Customer Relationship Management in the Service Sector and Its Impact on Performance

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the factors that determine the adoption of customer relationship management processes in the service sector. The article conceptualises and measures adoption as a continuous multi-item construct. The conceptual model combines an extended version of Rogers's (1962) perceived attributes of innovation model with Y. M. Sin, C. B. Tse, and H. K. Yim's (2005) conceptualisation of customer relationship management practice within organisations. The outcomes of adoption are measured in terms of business performance and customer/employee satisfaction. The model is tested using structural equation methods and questionnaire data from 215 organisations in Hong Kong. This article highlights the value of analysing the adoption of a complex innovation using a multifaceted dependent variable.
Do companies invest more after shareholder tax cuts

This paper investigates changes in firm spending following changes in shareholder taxes. We show that firms with less elastic demand for equity capital will expand operations less than other firms following shareholder tax cuts. Since financial constraint is a factor that diminishes a firmi¯s demand elasticity for capital, we predict that financially constrained firms expand less than other companies following shareholder tax reductions. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we find that financially constrained companies increased their capital expenditures and acquisitions less than other firms did, following the two most recent U.S. reductions in shareholder taxes. The effects appear stronger when capital gains taxes alone were cut (1997) than when both capital gains and dividend taxes were reduced (2003). To our knowledge, these findings provide the first evidence of differential effects on the direct link between corporate spending and the shareholder taxes that its owners face.
Spoligotyping of Mycobacterium africanum, Burkina Faso

Using Ziehl-Neelsen–positive slides collected from tuberculosis diagnostic centers in Burkina Faso, we showed that 20% of 80 spoligotyping-positive DNA samples had a characteristic Mycobacterium africanum–specific genomic signature. This result suggests that M. africanum is still present in Burkina Faso at almost the same prevalence as 15–20 years ago.
EXPLORING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FOUNDER AND CEO SUCCESSION AS CAUSES OF CORPORATE LONGEVITY: FINDINGS FROM KOREAN LONG-LIVED COMPANIES

What are the common characteristics of the founder and CEO succession process at long-lived companies? And how do these characteristics help companies survive long periods of time? This inductive study of 26 Korean long-lived companies led to propositions exploring these questions. Long-lived companies had long-tenured founders, less frequent successions, high ratio of insider succession and a formal succession process to secure management stability and competitiveness. It was also observed that the founding vision had an emphasis on corporate social responsibilities and that founding philosophy has succeeded to current management philosophy in most long-lived companies. The study results imply that the heritage of founding stages may play a crucial role for companies to achieve
Basement membranes in adenoid cystic carcinoma an immunohistochemical study

Tissue samples from 30 patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma and 20 with adenocarcinoma of salivary gland origin were studied by immunohistochemical staining with specific antibodies to the four macromolecules that are present in normal basement membranes: type IV collagen, laminin, heparan sulfate proteoglycan, and entactin. In the adenoid cystic carcinoma samples, the four proteins were localized in different types of extracellular matrices in the tumor, namely pseudocystic spaces, hyaline stroma, and around tumor cell nests. The staining intensity was enhanced by pretreatment with hyaluronidase. The tumor cells of adenoid cystic carcinoma showed a tendency to proliferate with individual cells in contact with the basement membrane and to infiltrate through basement membrane‐rich tissues, such as peripheral nerves, blood vessels, and skeletal muscles. In contrast, only circumferential staining of tumor cell nests was obtained in adenocarcinoma samples. The results suggest that adenoid cystic carcinoma is a tumor with affinity for basement membranes, and this basic feature is reflected in its histology and presumably in its biologic behavior. Immunostaining with antibodies to basement membrane proteins appears to be useful for differential diagnosis of some types of these two carcinomas.
Does Ownership Structure Affect Ipo Valuation?

The purpose of this study is to shed light on the valuation of firms at the time of their IPO. We question if the particularity in the corporate governance and ownership of European companies affect the valuation of the firms going public. With reference to the 3.052 firms that went public in Europe in the last decade, we find that value at IPO is driven by firm and offer specific variables, such as age, size, underpricing, as well as by variables measuring the separation of ownership and control. In particular, investors to some extent anticipate the higher possibility to be expropriated when pricing shares of companies owned by a pyramidal group.
Adaptive Action Selection in Autonomic Software Using Reinforcement Learning

The planning process in autonomic software aims at selecting an action from a finite set of alternatives for adaptation. This is an abstruse problem due to the fact that software behaviour is usually very complex with numerous number of control variables. This research work focuses on proposing a planning process and specifically an action selection technique based on "Reinforcement Learning" (RL). We argue why, how, and when RL can be beneficial for an autonomic software system. The proposed approach is applied to a simulated model of a news web application. Evaluation results show that this approach can learn to select appropriate actions in a highly dynamic environment. Furthermore, we compare this approach with another technique from the literature, and the results suggest that it can achieve similar performance in spite of no expert involvement.