Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DEVELOPING AND DEPLOYING KNOWLEDGE FOR INNOVATION: BRITISH AND JAPANESE CORPORATIONS COMPARED

Within a broader comparison of the management of innovation in British and Japanese firms, this paper focuses on an alliance between British Steel Strip Products and Nippon Steel Corporation established to help the UK firm improve its plant-level procedures for product and process development. The alliance proved successful and clear improvements in defect rates, productivity and product quality were achieved by the UK firm. Some practices, however, proved to be difficult or impossible to "learn" or develop in the organisation context of the British firm. A variety of theoretical approaches, including dynamic capabilities, innovation studies and the "social shaping of technology" are combined in a knowledge-based approach to analyse how differences in the organisation context influence knowledge-management capabilities and innovation. The findings highlight important differences between the two firms, including aspects of managerial power and employee motivation, that influence how specialist knowledge is developed, deployed, integrated and "leveraged" for manufacturing innovation. Contextual factors underpin sustained differences between such firms and therefore represent sources of competitive advantage, but may also contribute to inertia and path-dependency.
High performance work systems and workers' well–being: a sceptical view

The mainstream approach to new work systems - so–called high performance work systems - views workers' commitment, satisfaction and well–being as the main mediators between the introduction of new organisational practices and business performance. However, the effects of such practices on workers are highly controversial. By means of a survey of existing theoretical and empirical studies on the topic, this paper analyses the traditional opposition between supporters of the 'empowerment thesis' and supporters of the 'intensification thesis'. The results show that internal tensions relative to the application of the new work practices and methodological difficulties encountered by researchers explain the uncertainty of the results obtained in the literature. The principal implications for future research in this field concern closer attention to the context in which the practices are introduced and to the characteristics of individuals, the use of more detailed indicators, and the devising of multi–approach and multi–method research designs.
The Philosophy of Graves' Ophthalmopathy

When asked what has been my philosophy of Graves' ophthalmopathy in the last 25 years in the process of caring for patients with this disease and doing clinical research, I identified in hindsight three major guiding principles. The first is a multidisciplinary approach to the disease. A close collaboration between internists and ophthalmologists and the institution of combined thyroid-eye clinics definitely improves patient care. It also creates a favorable environment for research, allowing one, for example, to do randomized clinical trials. The second is involvement of the patients themselves. This has been of great benefit. Contact with patient support groups, which are experts by experience, add a dimension not readily provided by physicians. Patients assisted in the development of a disease-specific quality-of-life questionnaire (the GO-QOL), which can be used as a separate outcome measurement of therapeutic interventions. The third is attention to the possibility of preventing the disease. Smoking has been identified as a major factor in Graves' ophthalmopathy, and there exists good circumstantial evidence that refraining from smoking has preventive value in every stage of the disease. The challenge for the future will be to identify Graves' hyperthyroid patients at high risk for the development of ocular pathology, thus allowing preventive intervention, and to design more effective therapeutic interventions once the disease has become clinically manifest.
Leverage determinants in the absence of corporate tax system: the case of non‐financial publicly traded corporations in Saudi Arabia

Reviews previous research on the factors affecting the proportions of debt and equity used to finance firms, describes the Saudi Arabian tax system (based on net worth) and stock market; and examines the capital structure 1993‐1997 of a sample of 35 publicly traded Saudi companies. Uses multi‐linear regression models to investigate the relationships between capital structure and other variables in 5 sectors and illustrates their varied leverage ratios. Discusses and analyses the positive links between leverage ratios, firm size and share of government ownership; and negative links with growth, return on assets and profitability margin.
The right tool for the right question --- beyond the encoding versus decoding dichotomy

There are two major questions that neuroimaging studies attempt to answer: First, how are sensory stimuli represented in the brain (which we term the stimulus-based setting)? And, second, how does the brain generate cognition (termed the response-based setting)? There has been a lively debate in the neuroimaging community whether encoding and decoding models can provide insights into these questions. In this commentary, we construct two simple and analytically tractable examples to demonstrate that while an encoding model analysis helps with the former, neither model is appropriate to satisfactorily answer the latter question. Consequently, we argue that if we want to understand how the brain generates cognition, we need to move beyond the encoding versus decoding dichotomy and instead discuss and develop tools that are specifically tailored to our endeavour.
The Effect of High-Performance Work Practices on Employee Earnings in the Steel, Apparel, and Medical Electronics and Imaging Industries

Using interview and survey data they gathered in 1995–97 from managers and employees in 45 establishments, the authors investigate how high-performance work practices, such as self-directed teams and offline teams, affected workers' earnings in the apparel, steel, and medical electronics industries. An analysis with extensive controls for personal characteristics and other variables shows a positive relationship between high-performance practices and earnings in the apparel and steel industries. In medical electronics and imaging, the same statistically significant association disappears when a control variable for education is added, suggesting that there is a strong relationship between formal education and high-performance systems in that industry.
Money and the C-CAPM

Abstract We consider asset pricing in a monetary economy where liquid assets are held to lower transaction costs. The ensuing model extends the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) and the consumption CAPM by deriving real money growth as an additional factor determining returns. Empirically, the two model versions compare favorably to other theoretical asset pricing models along several dimensions, supporting the traditional intertemporal asset pricing perspective. A value premium arises because value firms are sensitive to liquidity shocks but growth firms are not. Although no alternative factor drives out the money growth factor, the conditioning CAY factors of Lettau and Ludvigson (2001b) add explanatory power.
Locus of control, socialization, and organizational identification

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to investigate factors that influence employees' organizational identification. Focusing on the banking industry in Taiwan, this study aims to examine how locus of control and organizational socialization affect employees' organizational identification.Design/methodology/approach – The author borrows and modifies scales from the literature on locus of control, organizational socialization, and organizational identification to create a questionnaire that was translated into Chinese and distributed to bankers in Taiwan. The author analyzes reliability of the scales and performs regression analysis on hypothesized model relationships.Findings – Significant positive relationships are found between locus of control and organizational socialization, locus of control and organizational identification, and organizational socialization and organizational identification. Organizational socialization has mediating influences on locus of control and organizational identificat.
Compressive channel estimation for universal filtered multi-carrier system in high-speed scenarios

Due to the high mobility of communication, channel times can vary rapidly and system performance can be decreased. In this study, pseudo-random noise is used as the guard interval and the training sequence in the time domain in order to estimate the channel-based compressive sensing scheme. This scheme reduces the number of pilots in the frequency domain and improves spectrum efficiency. By adequately exploiting the sparse characteristics and temporal correlation of the wireless channel, a low complexity compressive channel estimation scheme is proposed. Firstly, the authors average the successive symbols of the channel impulse response in the coherence time to improve the accuracy of the coarse channel estimation. Secondly, a low complexity partial priori information CoSaMP (PPI-CoSaMP) algorithm is proposed to accurately estimate the channel state information. Finally, based on the precise time delay, the accurate gains are estimated based on the least-squares algorithm. The simulation results show that compared with the conventional algorithms, the number of observation points required by the PPI-CoSaMP algorithm is reduced by at least 25%. Moreover, the proposed scheme is more robust at larger multipath channel delays. The complexity of the proposed scheme is reduced by 51.21% compared with the conventional CoSaMP algorithm.
Contract Law, Social Norms and Inter-firm Cooperation

This paper analyzes the regulation of interfirm contracting in Germany, Britian, and Italy. Contrary to earlier empirical studies and to models drawn from transaction-cost theory, the authors find that contract law may play an important role in underpinning long-term, cooperative relationships and in fostering trust. The impact of contract law depends on the relationship between the legal system and other forms of institutional regulation, including trade associations and standard-setting bodies. Copyright 1997 by Oxford University Press.
Methylprednisolone reduces axonal impairment in the experimental model of brain oedema.

OBJECTIVES In our earlier paper we demonstrated that opening of the blood-brain barrier with an osmotic insult induces brain oedema which represents a factor triggering axonal impairment accompanied with myelin disintegration. The aim of the present study was to find whether methylprednisolone can reduce such axonal impairment in our model of brain oedema. METHODS Brain oedema was induced by osmotic blood-brain barrier opening with 20% mannitol applied selectively into the internal carotid. Axonal changes were recognized as signs of myelin disintegration (oedematous vesicles, varicosity, myelin fragmentation) at histological sections stained with Black Gold in hippocampal areas CA1 and CA3 and in the dentate gyrus at time intervals of 30 minutes (acute group) or one week (chronic group) after the blood-brain barrier opening. At the same time intervals methylprednisolone was applied in two different ways - into peritoneal cavity or into the right carotid artery. RESULTS Impairment of the axonal integrity (changes of the myelin sheet integrity) was identified in all areas studied in both experimental groups. Whereas in the control group axons were of the uniform diameter, in the experimental groups various forms of myelin disintegration were observed. Methylprednisolone reduced the degree of myelin disintegration in both time intervals with the highest effect in the acute group with the intracarotic administration. CONCLUSION Methylprednisolone can effectively reduce myelin changes accompanying brain oedema induced by blood-brain barrier opening with an osmotic insult.
Nursing work environment and nurse caring: relationship among motivational factors.

AIM This paper is a report of a study of the relationships among compassion satisfaction, nurse job satisfaction, stress, burnout and compassion fatigue to nurse caring. BACKGROUND Nurse caring is the most influential dimension of patient advocation and is predictive of patient satisfaction. Qualitative studies have indicated that nurse caring is a key motivational factor impacting recruitment and retention. METHODS A correlational study of nurses (N = 126) was conducted in 2008 at a single, academic medical center. The six variables of interest were operationalized using four valid and reliable research instruments: (1) the Mueller McCloskey Satisfaction Scale, (2) the Professional Quality of Life Scale, (3) the Stress in General Scale and (4) the Caring Behaviors Inventory. RESULTS Pearson Product-moment correlations showed statistically significant relationships between nurse caring and compassion satisfaction (r = 0.51, P < 0.001), nurse job satisfaction subscales (r = 0.16-0.28, P < 0.05), stress (r = -0.21, P < 0.05), and burnout (r = -0.22, P < 0.01). A statistically significant relationship was found between the nurse caring subscale of knowledge and skill and compassion fatigue (r = -0.22, P < 0.01). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis demonstrated that compassion satisfaction (R(2) = 0.287, beta = 0.536, P = 0.000) and nurse satisfaction with social interaction opportunities related to work (beta = 0.223, P = 0.032) explained variability in nurse caring. CONCLUSION Fostering compassion satisfaction and social interaction opportunities among nurses may improve nurse caring, potentially sustaining long-term improvements in patient.
Q Methodology as a Tool for Committee Governance Research

The allegiance of national bureaucratic elites to European, national, institutional and policy-specific identities or associations is the subject of a growing body of European integration literature. Reviewing the methods employed by committee governance research, Q methodology is suggested as an alternative mechanism for measuring bureaucrat norms, beliefs and values. Its application to research on European committee governance could therefore increase the robustness of the qualitative element of existing mixed methods approaches. This would provide further insight into policy-making processes at the international level.
An Investigation of Perceived Value Dimensions: Implications for Hospitality Research

The proposition that guides this article is that value for money not only influences customers’ choice behavior at the prepurchase phase but also affects their intention to recommend and return behavior at the postpurchase phase. Perceived value is conceptualized as consisting of two dimensions: acquisition value and transaction value. The study applied a two-dimensional value scale developed by Grewal, Monroe, and Krishnan to hospitality services; hotels, and restaurants. Although the scale was found to be reliable, there were some concerns about its validity across the two studies. In particular, although the dimension of acquisition value was found to be valid, transaction value showed poor validity. The conclusion suggests that a new conceptualization of transaction value and a better scale should be developed for the evaluation of hospitality services.
Gender Differences in Saving Behavior and its Determinants (Evidence from Punjab, Pakistan)

The fundamental aim of conducting this research is evaluating gender dissimilarities in saving behavior and determinants of saving behavior among males and females of Punjab, Pakistan. Sample size of this study includes males and females. Total 400 questionnaires were selected for study which includes 124 responses of females and 276 for males. Non-parametric test of chi-square for gender dissimilarities in their saving behaviors and linear regression for the determinants of saving behavior applied in study. Findings of study show that males and females have significantly different saving behaviors. Females save mostly and more for short term needs as compare males while males also save for medium and long term needs. Both males and females have significantly different impacts of determinants of saving on saving behavior except from education, work status, own home, risk tolerance level and medical expenses. The originality of this study is that it is first research work in Punjab, Pakistan on this topic especially in these four cities selected for analysis.
A Model of the Demand for Investment Banking Advising and Distribution Services for New Issues

This paper presents a theory of the demand for investment banking advising and distribution services for the case in which the investment banker is better informed about the capital market than is the issuer, and the issuer cannot observe the distribution effort expended by the banker. The optimal contract under which the offer price decision is delegated to the better-informed banker in order to deal with the adverse selection and moral hazard problems resulting from the informational asymmetry and the observability problem is characterized. The model demonstrates a positive demand for investment banking advising and distribution services and provides an explanation of the underpricing of new issues. AN INVESTMENT BANKER PERFORMS three functions which may be of value to an issuer of new securities: underwriting, advising, and distribution. This paper presents a theory of the demand for investment banking advising and distribution services based on an informational asymmetry between an issuer of new securities and an investment banker. Ultimately, a theory of the organization of the financial intermediary industry is required that would predict which firms would use which types of financial intermediaries for which purposes, and which firms would raise capital without engaging the services of a financial intermediary. Only a limited set of such predictions are developed here in the context of a model of a fixedprice offering under a negotiated contract in which the investment banker is
Community Forest Management Addressing Social Vulnerability of Forest Communities in Bangladesh

SUMMARY Focusing on people oriented forest policy initiatives, this paper intends to understand whether and to what extent these initiatives can address the social vulnerability of forest communities in Bangladesh. This paper found that despite the potential of community forest management, the community based policy initiatives in Bangladesh fail to address the dynamic relationships among the formal and informal institutions that largely shape the rights and access of forest communities to forest resources. These policies ignored the social construction process that generated inequality and marginalisation in gaining access to forest resources. This paper argues that various forms of institutional arrangements and their relationships are of central importance in determining which social actors gain access to and control over their local natural resources. This, in turn, contributes to the forest communities' limited ability to ensure their livelihoods, their basic needs and their capacity to cope with adverse events such as climate induced hazards.
The implication from RAS/RAF/ERK signaling pathway increased activation in epirubicin treated triple negative breast cancer

Background Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is not sensitive to RAS/RAF/ERK signaling pathway (ERK pathway) targeting therapy, due to the absence of excessive activation of ERK pathway. However, the kinase cascades might be activated after chemotherapy in TNBC. Here we aimed to predict whether ERK pathway targeting therapy could be used as an adjuvant therapy in TNBC. Methods Within online GEO datasets (GSE43816 and GSE54326), gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to detect molecular changes in epirubicin treated TNBC samples and cells, ERK pathway components and regulation genes changes were included. Results In epirubicin treated TNBC samples and cells, we found ERK pathway components (eg. MAPK13, MAP3K1, MAPK12, MAPK11 and MAPKAPK3) were obviously enriched, also, expression of ERK pathway positive regulation genes significantly increased (P<0.05) and negative regulation genes decreased (P<0.05) in epirubicin resistant cells. Moreover, phosphorylated ERK levels were significantly elevated in MDA-MB-231 cells after epirubicin treatment. Conclusion ERK signaling pathway was more activated in epirubicin treated TNBC, possibly contributing to the epirubicin resistance in TNBC, it implicated that ERK pathway could be used as an novel candidate for targeting therapy in refractory and relapse TNBC.
Endogenous Verifiability and Relational Contracting

Principal-agent models usually invoke the strong assumption that the parties know for sure ex ante whether a variable is verifiable or not. This paper assumes that only the probability of verification is known, and that this probability is endogenously determined. We analyze a principal-agent relationship where the verifiability of the agent's output is determined by the principal's investment in drafting an explicit contract. The model is well suited for analyzing the relationship between explicit contracting, legal courts, trust, and relational contracting. In particular, we show how trust -- established through repeated interaction -- and legal courts may induce contractual incompleteness. (JEL D82, D86)
Internet-based business among knowledge intensive business services: Some Irish regional evidence

Technological innovation associated with e-business is now widely appreciated as one of the key drivers of positive economic change and innovation performance and provides a potentially important test of a region or nation's ability to generate and sustain competitiveness. Specifically, the importance of the knowledge-intensive business service sector to economic growth will increase significantly with rapid development of the service economy and the rise of e-business. Using a quantitative methodology, the research described in this article was aimed at exploring these issues relative to e-business activities within the two regions of Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland. We examined e-business ‘global’ drivers, barriers, uses and benefits, and found (among other things) a high level of website ownership (64 per cent). The main perceived barrier to future e-business plans was a lack of government support.