bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Performance and financing strategies of female and male entrepreneurs in the Republic of Serbia
Authors: Stošic Panić Danijela 
Published: May 2017

Purpose
The paper examines gender differences in the performance and financing strategies of female and male entrepreneurs in the Republic of Serbia. The aim of this study is to explore the gender dimension – a much under-researched aspect of entrepreneurship in the Republic of Serbia – and to link the findings with those of other environments.

Design/methodology/approach
To explore gender-based differences in entrepreneurial activity, a random sample of 327 units was drawn from the Serbian Business Registers Agency’s Register of Companies. In total, 101 completed questionnaires were received. The chi-square test of association was used to assess the relationship between two categorical variables, while the non-parametric Mann–Whitney U test was used to assess the statistical importance of the differences between groups of female and male entrepreneurs. The relationship between the performance and different sources of financing was assessed by multiple regression analysis.

Findings
The results confirm the existence of a gender gap in the net profit, employment growth rate, return on assets (ROA) and in use of various types of alternative financing sources. The evidence shows that those male entrepreneurs who use personal funds achieve lower levels of net profit and ROA compared to those who use internal business sources. Lower ROA is also achieved by those male entrepreneurs who use alternative sources of financing, relative to those who do not use these sources. Female entrepreneurs who applied for bank loans realized higher net profit value compared to those who did not apply for a loan. Moreover, female entrepreneurs who use some kind of state-supported funding achieve higher ROA than those who do not. Other gender differences found regarding the various aspects of the financing practices lacked statistical significance.

Originality/value
Although the generalizability of part of the findings is weakened due to the lack of statistical significance, most of the expected gender differences were found to exist at the sample level. This encourages further studies of similarities and differences between female and male entrepreneurs’ financing strategies and their impact on business performance. This is particularly important for the environments in which the gender aspect of entrepreneurial activity is under-researched.
Dynamics of female-owned smallest businesses in the USA
Authors: Mijid Naranchimeg 
Published: May 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to answer whether the female-owned smallest firms differ from their male-owned counterparts in terms of their success and performances; if so, whether it affects banks’ loan approval decisions.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses the Kauffman Firm Survey – the largest and longest longitudinal data which contain 4,928 new firms that started their business in the USA in 2004. The authors use two measures of median asset values to classify firms into smallest firm category. They use multiply imputed logit estimates to predict the probability of loan approval in each category.FindingsThe results show that female-owned smallest firms have significantly lower rate of loan approval. In addition, the study finds minority women owners face double burden. However, married women have significantly higher probability of loan approval. The authors’ results are robust.Research limitations/implicationsFrom a public policy perspective, providing equal access to credit to women business owners, especially unmarried and/or minority women, may solve the puzzle why female-owned firms are so small.Originality/valueAlthough many studies examined why businesses owned by women are typically smaller compared to men-owned firms, there exist limited studies on female-owned smallest firms and why they stay smaller. This study fills the gap in the literature by examining female-owned smallest businesses.
Customer–brand engagement and Facebook fan-page “Like”-intention
Authors: Halaszovich Tilo , Nel Jacques 
Published: May 2017

Purpose
The potential outcomes of social media-facilitated customer–brand relationships have prompted many firms to develop strategies that would enable them to connect with as many customers as possible through social media. Nevertheless, the marketing value of these artificial connections is questionable. Therefore, this paper aims to identify determinants of customers’ intention to connect with a brand on social media (i.e. Facebook) in the absence of “pull-strategies”.

Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the concept of customer–brand engagement (CBE) is applied to the intentions to “Like” a brand’s Facebook fan page using structural equation modelling.

Findings
The results show that the three dimensions of CBE collectively explain about 50 per cent of the intentions to “Like” a brand’s Facebook fan page. Additionally, the results show that the influences of two of the CBE dimensions on the two “Like”-intentions are conditional effects of brand trust.

Originality/value
Because of the novelty of the CBE construct, further investigation of its application in a social media setting is lacking. To address this gap in the literature, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how CBE influences customers’ intention to “Like” a brand’s Facebook page.
Co-branding strategy in cause-related advertising: the fit between brand and cause
Authors: Huertas-García Rubén , Lengler Jorge , Consolación-Segura Carolina 
Published: May 2017

Purpose
Companies are increasingly incorporating support for social causes in advertising to improve brand image and increase sales, but it is unclear how these behaviours influence purchase intentions. This paper aims to analyse this relationship from a strategic perspective to assess whether the degree of fit of any of the five strategic dimensions that Zdravkovic et al. (2010) propose influence purchase intentions synergistically.

Design/methodology/approach
This study includes two stages: a qualitative stage to build brand–cause relationships and a quantitative study of one of these relationships to examine which fit dimensions are involved and whether they generate synergy in purchase intentions.

Findings
Results demonstrate that adjustment to two of the five dimensions is sufficient to influence emotional responses positively.

Research limitations/implications
This study presents limitations, as it has been developed using a particular sample of university students.

Practical implications
These analyses provide tools for managers to verify which types of strategic fit operate in this relationship and facilitate co-branding planning to achieve financial goals.

Originality/value
The analysis provides tools for managers to verify which types of strategic fit operate in this relationship and facilitate co-branding planning to achieve financial goals.
Newspaper reporting of mental illness
Authors: Ottewell Namino 
Published: May 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine a time trend in newspaper reporting of mental illness in Japan between 1987 and 2014.Design/methodology/approachFour high-circulation national newspapers (theYomiurinewspaper, theAsahinewspaper, theMainichinewspaper and theNikkeiNewspaper) were selected for analysis. Articles were analysed using qualitative content analysis (n=448).FindingsWhilst articles concerning the dangerousness of those with mental illness occupied a high proportion of coverage between 1987 and 2014, an overall shift is apparent whereby there is now more reporting of mental illness in relation to stress than in relation to dangerousness, particularly for depression. In contrast, schizophrenia was often reported in the context of violent crime. Information on the treatment, symptoms and prevalence of mental illness was rarely reported.Social implicationsWhile the nature of newspaper coverage of mental illness has been changing, there still is over-representation of dangerousness of mental illness, particularly of schizophrenia. For improving the public’s images of mental illness, it is hoped to reduce the proportion of reporting about dangerousness and to increase the proportion of reporting about treatment, symptoms and prevalence of mental illness and personal stories of those affected.Originality/valueThe present study is the first to examine changes in Japanese newspaper coverage over time and at the variation in reporting among diagnoses.
Recognizing human concurrent activities using wearable sensors: a statistical modeling approach based on parallel HMM
Authors: Wang Zhelong , Chen Ye 
Published: May 2017

Purpose
In sensor-based activity recognition, most of the previous studies focused on single activities such as body posture, ambulation and simple daily activities. Few works have been done to analyze complex concurrent activities. The purpose of this paper is to use a statistical modeling approach to classify them.

Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the recognition problem of concurrent activities is explored with the framework of parallel hidden Markov model (PHMM), where two basic HMMs are used to model the upper limb movements and lower limb states, respectively. Statistical time-domain and frequency-domain features are extracted, and then processed by the principal component analysis method for classification. To recognize specific concurrent activities, PHMM merges the information (by combining probabilities) from both channels to make the final decision.

Findings
Four studies are investigated to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results show that PHMM can classify 12 daily concurrent activities with an average recognition rate of 93.2 per cent, which is superior to regular HMM and several single-frame classification approaches.

Originality/value
A statistical modeling approach based on PHMM is investigated, and it proved to be effective in concurrent activity recognition. This might provide more accurate feedback on people’s behaviors.

Practical implications
The research may be significant in the field of pervasive healthcare, supporting a variety of practical applications such as elderly care, ambient assisted living and remote monitoring.
A low power mixed signal correlator for power efficient sound signature detection and template matching
Authors: Habibi Mehdi , Shakarami Mohammad , Khoddami Ali Asghar 
Published: May 2017

Purpose
Sensor networks have found wide applications in the monitoring of environmental events such as temperature, earthquakes, fire and pollution. A major challenge with sensor network hardware is their limited available energy resource, which makes the low power design of these sensors important. This paper aims to present a low power sensor which can detect sound waveform signatures.

Design/methodology/approach
A novel mixed signal hardware is presented to correlate the received sound signal with a specific sound signal template. The architecture uses pulse width modulation and a single bit digital delay line to propagate the input signal over time and analog current multiplier units to perform template matching with low power usage.

Findings
The proposed method is evaluated for a chainsaw signature detection application in forest environments, under different supply voltage values, input signal quantization levels and also different template sample points. It is observed that an appropriate combination of these parameters can optimize the power and accuracy of the presented method.

Originality/value
The proposed mixed signal architecture allows voltage and power reduction compared with conventional methods. A network of these sensors can be used to detect sound signatures in energy limited environments. Such applications can be found in the detection of chainsaw and gunshot sounds in forests to prevent illegal logging and hunting activities.
An efficient FDIR strategy on nonlinear processes of self-validating multifunctional sensors
Authors: Yang Jingli , Sun Zhen , Chen Yinsheng 
Published: May 2017

Purpose
This paper aims to enhance the reliability of self-validating multifunctional sensors.

Design/methodology/approach
An effective fault detection, isolation and data recovery (FDIR) strategy by using kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) coupled with gray bootstrap and fault reconstruction methods.

Findings
The proposed FDIR strategy is able to the address fault detection, isolation and data recovery problem of self-validating multifunctional sensors efficiently.

Originality/value
A KPCA-based model which can overcome the limitation of existing linear-based models is used to achieve the fault detection task. By using gray bootstrap method, the position of all faulty sensitive units can be calculated even under the multiple faults situation. A reconstruction-based contribution method is adopted to evaluate the amplitudes of the fault signals, and the fault-free output of the faulty sensitive units can be used to replace the fault output.
A MEMS flow velocity sensor with low kinetic energy dissipation rate
Authors: Tian Bian , Li Huafeng , Yang Ning , Zhao Yulong , Chen Pei , Liu Hanyue 
Published: May 2017

Purpose
It is significant to know the real-time indexes about the turbulence flow of the ocean system, which has a deep influence on ocean productivity, distribution of the ocean populations and transmission of the ocean energy, especially the measurement of turbulence flow velocity. So, it is particularly urgent to provide a high-sensitivity, low-cost and reliable fluid flow sensor for industry and consumer product application. This paper aims to design a micro fluid flow sensor with a cross beam membrane structure. The designed sensor can detect the fluid flow velocity and has a low kinetic energy dissipation rate.

Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, a micro fluid flow sensor with a cross beam membrane structure is designed to measure the ocean turbulence flow velocity. The design, simulation, fabrication and measurement of the designed sensor are discussed. By testing the simply packaged sensor in the fluid flow and analyzing the experiments data, the results show that the designed sensor has favorable performance.

Findings
The paper describes the tests of the designed sensor, and the experimental results show that the designed sensor can measure the fluid flow velocity and has a sensitivity of 11.12 mV/V/(m/s)2 and a low kinetic energy dissipation rate in the range of 10-6-10-4 W/kg.

Originality/value
This paper provides a micro-electro-mechanical systems fluid flow sensor used to measure ocean turbulence flow velocity.
A comprehensive review of fuzzy-based clustering techniques in wireless sensor networks
Authors: Singh Manjeet , Soni Surender Kumar 
Published: May 2017

Purpose
This paper aims to discuss a comprehensive survey on fuzzy-based clustering techniques. The determination of an appropriate sensor node as a cluster head straightforwardly affects a network’s lifetime. Clustering often possesses some uncertainties in determining suitable sensor nodes as a cluster head. Owing to various variables, selection of a suitable node as a cluster head is a perplexing decision. Fuzzy logic is capable of handling uncertainties and improving decision-making processes even with insufficient information. Then, state-of-the-art research in the field of clustering techniques has been reviewed.

Design/methodology/approach
The literature is presented in a tabular form with merits and limitations of each technique. Furthermore, the various techniques are compared graphically and classified in a tabular form and the flowcharts of important algorithms are presented with pseudocodes.

Findings
This paper comprehends the importance and distinction of different fuzzy-based clustering methods which are further supportive in designing more efficient clustering protocols.

Originality/value
This paper fulfills the need of a review paper in the field of fuzzy-based clustering techniques because no other paper has reviewed all the fuzzy-based clustering techniques. Furthermore, none of them has presented literature in a tabular form or presented flowcharts with pseudocodes of important techniques.
Predicting the consequences of disperser extinction: richness matters the most when abundance is low
Authors: Rumeu Beatriz , Devoto Mariano , Traveset Anna , Olesen Jens M. , Vargas Pablo , Nogales Manuel , Heleno Ruben 
Published: May 2017

Summary

The ongoing biodiversity crisis entails the concomitant loss of species and the ecological services they provide. Global defaunation, and particularly the loss of frugivores, may negatively affect the seed dispersal of fleshy‐fruited plant species, with predictable stronger impacts in simplified communities such as those on oceanic islands. However, logistical difficulties have hindered the experimental and theoretical need to disentangle the roles of species identity, richness (i.e. number of species) and abundance. Consequently, studies to date have focused exclusively on the loss of species richness leaving us largely ignorant regarding how species identity and abundance affect the loss of ecosystem functions.

Here, we applied a network approach to disentangle the effects of disperser abundance, richness and identity on the seed dispersal service provided by frugivores to the Galapagos plant community.

We found that both abundance and richness of the dispersers significantly affect the function of seed dispersal and that richness becomes increasingly important as disperser abundance declines. Extinction simulations revealed that the order of species loss has profound implications to the plant community. On the one hand, abundant generalist dispersers like the Galapagos lizards, can mitigate the loss of specialized dispersers. On the other hand, specific threats affecting key dispersers can lead to the rapid collapse of the community‐level dispersal services.

Our results suggest that the identity of the disperser species lost can have a large effect on the number of plant species dispersed, and generalist species are essential to the persistence of the community dispersal service. Both abundance and species richness of seed dispersers are key and synergistic drivers of the number of plant species dispersed. Consequently, the coupled negative effect of population declines and species extinctions in frugivore assemblages may lead to an accelerated loss of the seed dispersal function.

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A dynamical model for invasive round goby populations reveals efficient and effective management options
Authors: N'Guyen Anouk , Hirsch Philipp E. , Bozzuto Claudio , Adrian‐Kalchhauser Irene , Hôrková Kristína , Burkhardt‐Holm Patricia 
Published: May 2017

Abstract

When prevention of invasive species’ introductions fails, society faces the challenge to manage invasive species in an effective and efficient way. The success of this depends on biological aspects and on cooperation between decision makers and scientists. Using the case of the round goby Neogobius melanostomus, one of Europe's “worst invasive species”, we propose an approach guiding scientists to co‐produce effective and efficient population control measures in collaboration with decision makers.

We surveyed the effectiveness, urgency and simplicity perceived by decision makers as well as the support of two population control options: removal of eggs and/or adults. Using a field study and a dynamical population model, we investigated the effectiveness and efficiency for both options in different population contexts.

Decision makers initially seemed to lack a clear preference for either control option. After being presented with preliminary field and modelling results, decision makers mostly approved measures being developed to implement the two control options.

Starting population control early after detecting the species requires in total fewer years for eradication than controlling an established population: to reach an eradication success rate of 95%, 13 years for early start vs. 18 years for late start are needed when removing eggs and adults; when removing adults only, 20 vs. 29 years are needed. Removing eggs and adults combined results in a yearly effort of 5.01 h/m2, while removing adults only results in a yearly effort of 1.76 h/m2. Thus, removing adults only proves to be the most efficient option to eradicate the population. Nonetheless, considerable effort is needed: when removing less than 57% of the adult population, eradication is not feasible, even assuming low survival and fecundity rates for the population. Furthermore, inflow of new propagules renders eradication efforts ineffective.

Synthesis and applications. Scientists who aim to support decision makers in finding an optimal control strategy for invasive species need to be able to provide scientific knowledge on effectiveness and efficiency of different options. For round goby and most non‐native species, eradication is only feasible if started early in recently arrived populations and if inflow of new propagules can be prevented.
Production of a fungal furocoumarin by a polyketide synthase gene cluster confers the chemo‐resistance of Neurospora crassa to the predation by fungivorous arthropods
Authors: Zhao Yanxia , Ding Jianing , Yuan Weihua , Huang Jinjin , Huang Wenxiu , Wang Yan , Zheng Weifa 
Published: May 2017

SummaryThe formation of sexual fruiting bodies and production of polyketides are believed to be the most important strategies for fungal survival in environmental insults. In Neurospora crassa, the backbone gene of polyketide synthase gene cluster 6 (pks‐6), which is expressed at lower level under vegetative growth, is highly expressed during perithecia development. Intriguingly, deletion of pks‐6 does not affect perithecia maturation. How the expression of pks‐6 correlates with fungal sexual development remains to be established. Here, we showed that overexpression of pks‐6 results in an enhanced production of an insecticidal furocoumarin (neurosporin A). Deletion of pks‐6, however, abolished neurosporin A biosynthesis. Moreover, the content of neurosporin A negatively associates with the food preference of fungivores, where the pks‐6 knockout strain is more prone to be grazed by collembolans Sinella curviseta. Additionally, during vegetative growth, confrontation with Drosophila melanogaster also results in an enhanced expression of pks‐6 and production of neurosporin A. Thus, high expression of pks‐6 positively interrelates with the chemo‐resistance of N. crassa to arthropod predation. Our findings suggest that pks‐6 confers the production of insecticidal neurosporin A counteracting the feeding attack by arthropods during sexual development of N. crassa.
Tenant Protection, Temporal Vacancy and Frequent Reconstruction in the Rental Housing Market
Authors: Suzuki Masatomo , Asami Yasushi 
Published: May 2017

AbstractIn Japan, tenants are protected in the sense that owners must compensate them for evicting them against their will, while owners cannot foresee the intended tenure length of prospective tenants. If owners cannot specify the term of a lease, social inefficiency emerges: (i) detached houses owned by individual households remain vacant for a certain period; (ii) alternatively, landlords’ newly constructed apartments, which are free from eviction risk, accommodate a large proportion of tenants; and (iii) the apartments are rebuilt frequently even though they remain viable. If a fixed‐term contract is available, only short‐term tenants choose it, and the information asymmetry is dissolved, realizing social efficiency.