bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The state of opportunities: clarifying the transitions between opportunity types
Authors: Welter Chris , Alvarez Sharon 
Published: August 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to describe how discovery and creation opportunities transition from one to the other and thereby clarify the relationship between opportunity types. This theoretical work will offer insight for studying opportunities and clarify the different practical implications of different opportunity types.Design/methodology/approach– To further the understanding of opportunity types, the paper employs Dubin’s (1978) theory building methodology focussing specifically on the concepts of system states. Approaching opportunity types as system states clarifies the relationship between discovery and creation opportunities.Findings– This research argues that opportunities transition from creation opportunities to discovery opportunities. Furthermore, understanding the opportunity state can clarify the practical implications for entrepreneurs. In particular, entrepreneurs in discovery states employ different processes regarding human resources, strategy, financing, planning, leadership, and potential competitive advantage than entrepreneurs pursuing creation states.Originality/value– This paper offers value to researchers by clarifying the differences between opportunity types. To date, there has been little to no investigation into how opportunity types change from one type to another. This research offers to clarify the debate about the existence of different opportunity types and move the discussion forward theoretically. Additionally, this manuscript offers practical insights for entrepreneurs pursuing different types of opportunities.
Firm performance and alliance capability: the mediating role of culture
Authors: Luvison Dave , de Man Ard-Pieter 
Published: August 2015

Purpose– Extant literature has looked at the effect of alliance capability and organizational culture on alliance portfolio performance, but the relationship between the two has not been explored. The purpose of this paper is to explore the hypothesis that an alliance supportive culture is not only fostered by a firm’s alliance capabilities, but that it mediates the relationship between capabilities and performance.Design/methodology/approach– Survey responses from 190 alliance managers, collected using a two-stage process, were analyzed to investigate the interrelationship of firm-level alliance capability, alliance supportive culture and portfolio performance.Findings– Alliance supportive culture was found to mediate the relationship between alliance capability and alliance portfolio performance. This finding suggests that in order to effectively manage a firm’s portfolio of alliances, the benefits of alliance capability must be transferred broadly into the organization’s cultural orientation toward alliances.Research limitations/implications– Further research may extend this analysis to explore the effect of subcomponents of alliance capability and alliance culture to better understand fine-grained influences on alliance performance. The findings of this study also may be extended to inform how supportive culture orientation affects partner selection, negotiation and time to performance.Practical implications– Managers should utilize culture-building actions as a way of extending the value of their firms’ alliance capabilities in order to improve their effectiveness across the portfolio.Originality/value– Extant studies have considered the discrete effects of capability and cultural orientation on alliance portfolio success, but the mediation effect has not previously been investigated. The findings also identify a boundary condition for the benefit of alliance capabilities on portfolio performance.
Prevalent concealed ignorance of low-moral careerist managers
Authors: Shapira Reuven 
Published: August 2015

Purpose– Organizational research missed managerial ignorance concealment (MIC) and the low-moral careerism (L-MC) it served, leaving a lacuna in managerial stupidity research: MIC serving L-MC was not used to explain this stupidity. The purpose of this paper is to remedy this lacuna.Design/methodology/approach– A semi-native longitudinal multi-site ethnography of automatic processing plants, their parent inter-kibbutz co-operatives (I-KC-Os) and their kibbutz field context enabled a Strathernian ethnography that contextualized the prevalence of MIC and L-MC.Findings– I-KC-Os’ oligarchic context encouraged outsider executives’ MIC and L-MC that caused vicious distrust and ignorance cycles, stupidity and failures. A few high-moral knowledgeable mid-managers prevented total failures by vulnerable involvement that created virtuous trust and learning cycles. This, however, furthered dominance by ignorant ineffective L-MC executives and furthered use of MIC.Practical implications– As managerial know-how portability is often illusory and causes negative dominance of ignorant outsider executives, new CEO succession norms and new yardsticks for assessing fitness of potential executives are required, proposed in the paper.Social implications– Oligarchic contexts encourage MIC and L-MC, hence democratization is called for to counter this negative impact and promote efficiency, effectiveness and innovation.Originality/value– Untangling and linking the neglected topics of MIC and L-MC explains, for the first time, the prevalence of these related phenomena and their unethical facets, particularly among outsider executives and managers, emphasizing the need for their phronetic ethnographying to further explain the resulting mismanagement.
Financial effects of open innovation in the manufacturing industry
Authors: Noh Yonghwi 
Published: August 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the long-term financial effects of open innovation in the manufacturing industry.Design/methodology/approach– Drawing upon an open innovation literature, this study examined 671 open innovation announcements made by firms listed on the New York Stock Exchange and National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations during 2003-2012. By employing the event study, the long-term financial performances of the firms that announced open innovation were measured using six dependent performance variables (ROA, ROS, Tobin’sQ, Cost ratio, Sales growth, Asset turnover).Findings– The results indicate that open innovation in the manufacturing industry may lead to long-term improvements in firm profitability, triggering a positive reaction by stockholders. Open innovation also decreased production costs and increased sales volume over the long run. In all, open innovation was found to be beneficial to the firm in terms of profitability, production process improvement, and market benefits.Originality/value– This paper is the first longitudinal empirical study to investigate the long-term effects of open innovation in terms of US manufacturing financial performance. It contributes to the body of knowledge by complementing previous open innovation studies, which generally focus on context-specific issues.
Determination of fixed expenses in central heating costs allocation
Authors: Gelegenis John Joachim , Harris Douglas , Diakoulaki Danae , Lampropoulou Helen , Giannakidis George 
Published: August 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the reduction in efficiency of central heating systems of multi-family buildings when independent heating capability is offered to each apartment, to access the impact of the applied heating cost allocation (HCA) on this deterioration and suggest highly cost-effective ways (operation, control strategy, alternative HCA) of overcoming them at minimum cost.

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper reveals the problem of reduced efficiency in centrally heated multi-family dwellings through two case studies in real buildings, where data-loggers were installed and performance curve analysis was performed, in combination with detailed simulation.

Findings
– The paper finds that the enforcement of a suitable HCA regulation is a prerequisite to achieving energy savings in centrally heated multi-family dwellings. In addition the effects of dissimilarly heated apartments on the total energy demand and the significance of indirect heating and how these should be charged, are assessed. It is found that convenient operation of the central heating system may lead to high energy cost savings and higher efficiency at no cost.

Research limitations/implications
– HCA adopted more than three decades ago should be revised according to the present situation, namely, increasing fuel costs, existence of many low income families, energy poverty, availability of alternative (or supplementary) heating devices and better building envelopes.

Practical implications
– Occupants of multi-family dwellings should be appropriately educated and agree on rational use of the common heating system of the building.

Originality/value
– The paper identifies weak points of valid HCA regulation, reveals inefficiencies in centrally heated multi-family dwellings and measures the actual effectiveness of remedying measures. Detailed simulation contributes to the scientific documentation of the findings.
Sustainable municipal solid waste management decision making
Authors: Ak Hacer , Braida Washington 
Published: August 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to assess a comprehensive model that computes a single score in order to evaluate the sustainability of the municipal solid waste management (MSWM) system of a given city. The model was applied to calculate the sustainability index for the MSWM of Istanbul, Turkey as a case study.Design/methodology/approach– Different sustainability indicators (including environmental, economical, and social parameters) along with exergy analysis were integrated to utilize an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) under a life cycle perspective.Findings– The Istanbul case study helped to verify that AHP is an effective and efficient decision-making tool. According to the analysis, the current MSWM system of Istanbul is sustainable, and the sustainability can be improved only by changing the amounts to be treated by the current system without any new technological investments.Research limitations/implications– The Municipal Solid Waste Management Sustainability Index (MSWMSI) in this study allowed to integrate large amount of information on interrelated parameters and the sustainability indicators in the whole life cycle into one value that is useful for a general or a comparative judgment and helpful in MSWM decision making.Originality/value– The fact that the weighting assigned to each component in the model is dependent on the decision makers’ evaluations enables the model to be tailored to any city of concern. The model allows the user to readily determine the relative contribution of each criterion or sub-criterion to the final MSWM selection. It is convenient to use and the computations can be run utilizing available specialized software as well as computing by hand.
An energy retrofitting methodology of Mediterranean historical buildings
Authors: Fatiguso Fabio , De Fino Mariella , Cantatore Elena 
Published: August 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to develop and discuss a methodological approach for energy assessment and retrofitting of envelope systems in Mediterranean historical buildings, in order to ensure the desirable balance between improvement requirements and preservation principles.

Design/methodology/approach
– The methodology is based on the assessment of historical districts at the site, building and component scales, the development of energy models of building-types that are highly representative, in terms of materials, construction techniques, typologies and performances, the identification of intervention priorities and the validation of compatible retrofitting solutions.

Findings
– The methodology, applied to a representative Adriatic sea town in South Italy, shows the potentialities of innovative materials and technologies (aerogel, PCMs, etc.) as tools to achieve the improvement of the energy performances and the preservation of the original characters. Nevertheless, it shows how the preliminary qualification of the environmental, architectural, constructional and technological characteristics is paramount to support the identification of the current behavior of the building system and the transformation boundaries from the historical values.

Originality/value
– The paper proves how assessment and intervention methods and tools, besides effective, compatible, low invasive and durable, should be geocluster oriented and performance based, thus with general reliability for the whole local context and suitable flexibility to be tailored to different specific situations, toward the definition of retrofitting micro-scale measures and macro-scale strategies that are replicable and scalable.
Assessing emerging wastewater regulations to minimize the risk from pharmaceuticals and personal care products
Authors: Blair Benjamin , Kehl Jenny , Klaper Rebecca 
Published: August 2015

Purpose
– Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) and phosphorus are pollutants that can cause a wide array of negative environmental impacts. Phosphorus is a regulated pollutant in many industrial countries, while PPCPs are widely unregulated. Many technologies designed to remove phosphorus from wastewater can remove PPCPs, therefore the purpose of this paper is to explore the ability of these technologies to also reduce the emission of unregulated PPCPs.

Design/methodology/approach
– Through meta-analysis, the authors use the PPCPs’ risk quotient (RQ) to measure and compare the effectiveness of different wastewater treatment technologies. The RQ data are then applied via a case study that uses phosphorus effluent regulations to determine the ability of the recommended technologies to also mitigate PPCPs.

Findings
– The tertiary membrane bioreactor and nanofiltration processes recommended to remove phosphorus can reduce the median RQ from PPCPs by 71 and 81 percent, respectively. The ultrafiltration technology was estimated to reduce the median RQ from PPCPs by 28 percent with no cost in addition to the costs expected under the current phosphorus effluent regulations. RQ reduction is expected with a membrane bioreactor and the cost of upgrading to this technology was found to be $11.76 per capita/year.

Practical implications
– The authors discuss the management implications, including watershed management, alternative PPCPs reduction strategies, and water quality trading.

Originality/value
– The evaluation of the co-management of priority and emerging pollutants illuminates how the removal of regulated pollutants from wastewater could significantly reduce the emission of unregulated PPCPs.
Investigation on the modification to solvent-containing two-component polyurethane coating by carbon nanotubes
Authors: Jiang X. , Lin L. , Bai X. , Wang S. , Wang C. 
Published: August 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the mechanical, thermal and colour properties of solvent-containing two-component polyurethane (PU) coating.

Design/methodology/approach
– Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and observation of dispersion stability were used to assess the effects of acid treatment on CNTs. The CNTs and PU composite coating was synthesised by in situ polymerisation and bending polymerisation, and the mechanical, thermal and colour appearance properties of coating were characterised.

Findings
– It was found that desirable modifications to CNTs occurred after acid treatment; thus, mainly carboxylic acid groups were introduced onto the surface of CNTs. And the acid-treated CNTs could improve the mechanical and thermal properties of PU coating, and the properties of composite coating was improved more successfully by in situ polymerisation than by blending polymerisation.

Practical implications
– The investigation established a method to synthesise CNTs and PU composite coating. The mechanical and thermal properties of PU coating could be improved by the inclusion of CNTs.

Originality/value
– This study established a method to synthesise CNTs and PU composite coating by in situ polymerisation and blending polymerisation; the effects of CNTs on modifying mechanical, thermal and colour properties of PU coating were investigated and compared in detail.
Polyurethane-tetraaniline conducting composites: synthesis and their anti-corrosion performance
Authors: Ravi A. , Praveen T. , Rao Chepuri R.K , Narayan Ramanuj , Raju K.V.S.N. 
Published: August 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to get the insulating polyurethane (PU) as conductive type polymer by compositing with oligoanilines, namely, tetraaniline (TANi) with an implication of its use as anti-corrosion coating material.

Design/methodology/approach
– Water dispersion of PU was prepared and used as a host material for TANi for composite formulation.

Findings
– The composites are very useful as anti-corrosion coating on mild steel as evident from Tafel polarisation studies.

Research limitations/implications
– The solubility of TANi is limited in other organic solvents; because of this, a high-boiling solvent like N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) is used.

Practical implications
– It can be used as a good anti-corrosion coating on mild steel. Apart from anti-corrosion material, this can be used as conductive-based sensor material and also electrostatic dissipation (ESD) or electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield.

Originality/value
– The work is original.
CmpacC regulates mycoparasitism, oxalate degradation and antifungal activity in the mycoparasitic fungus Coniothyrium minitans
Authors: Lou Yi , Han Yongchao , Yang Long , Wu Mingde , Zhang Jing , Cheng Jiasen , Wang Moying , Jiang Daohong , Chen Weidong , Li Guoqing 
Published: August 2015

SummaryThe PacC/Rim101 pH‐responsive transcription factor is an important pathogenicity element for many plant‐pathogenic fungi. In this study, we investigated the roles of a PacC homologue, CmpacC, in the mycoparasitic fungus Coniothyrium minitans. CmpacC was confirmed to have the transcriptional activation activity by the transcriptional activation test in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Disruption of CmpacC resulted in impaired fungal responses to ambient pH. Compared to the wild‐type, the CmpacC‐disruption mutant ΔCmpacC‐29 was significantly suppressed for activities of chitinase and β‐1,3‐glucanase at pH 5 and 7, consistent with reduced expression levels of Cmch1 and Cmg1 coding for the two enzymes respectively. However, the mutant displayed acidity‐mimicking phenotypes such as improved oxalate degradation and increased antifungal activity at pH 6 or higher. Improved efficacy in oxalate degradation by ΔCmpacC‐29 was consistent with the enhanced expression level of Cmoxdc1 coding for oxalate decarboxylase. CmpacC transcriptional activation of Cmch1 and Cmg1 and repression of Cmoxdc1 were verified by the presence of the PacC/Rim101 consensus binding‐motifs in gene promoter regions and by the promoter DNA‐binding assays. This study suggests that CmpacC plays an activator role in regulation of C. minitans mycoparasitism, whereas plays a repressor role in regulation of oxalate degradation and possibly antifungal activity of C. minitans.
Lignin‐modifying processes in the rhizosphere of arid land grasses
Authors: Hudson Corey M. , Kirton Edward , Hutchinson Miriam I. , Redfern Joanna L. , Simmons Blake , Ackerman Eric , Singh Seema , Williams Kelly P. , Natvig Donald O. , Powell Amy J. 
Published: August 2015

SummaryGenes associated with elevated oxidative enzyme activities in arid systems have not been well characterized. To link measured oxidative activities with specific enzymes, we assembled protein‐coding reads from the rhizospheres (RHZ) of two arid land grasses. Targeted gene scans for open reading frames, encoding genes potentially involved in lignin modification, resulted in 127 distinct assembly products. The putative genes included those significantly similar to Class II secretory fungal peroxidases. These genes are expressed at sufficiently high levels for assembly, annotation and differentiation across experimental conditions, and they demonstrate the interplay of root systems, environment and plant microbiomes. The genes assembled also included copper‐dependent lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases. We detail the enzymes in the host grass RHZs and present a preliminary taxonomic microhabitat characterization. Our findings provide support for biologically mediated Fenton chemistry in the root zones of desert grasses, and provide insight into arid land carbon flow. These results also demonstrate a hyperdiverse microbial community. Both ribosomal RNA and messenger RNA sequences were dominated by bacteria, followed by fungal sequence abundance. Among the notable fungal sequences were those from the members of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomeromycota), which though abundant in this study, we rarely observed in previous PCR‐based surveys.
Ultrafast STR Separations on Short‐Channel Microfluidic Systems for Forensic Screening and Genotyping
Authors: Aboud Maurice J. , Gassmann Marcus , McCord Bruce 
Published: August 2015

AbstractThere are situations in which it is important to quickly and positively identify an individual. Examples include suspects detained in the neighborhood of a bombing or terrorist incident, individuals detained attempting to enter or leave the country, and victims of mass disasters. Systems utilized for these purposes must be fast, portable, and easy to maintain. DNA typing methods provide the best biometric information yielding identity, kinship, and geographical origin, but they are not portable and rapid. This study details the development of a portable short‐channel microfluidic device based on a modified Agilent 2100 bioanalyzer for applications in forensic genomics. The system utilizes a denaturing polymer matrix with dual‐channel laser‐induced fluorescence and is capable of producing a genotype in 80 sec. The device was tested for precision and resolution using an allelic ladder created from 6 short tandem repeat (STR) loci and a sex marker (amelogenin). The results demonstrated a precision of 0.09–0.21 bp over the entire size range and resolution values from 2.5 to 4.1 bp. Overall, the results demonstrate the chip provides a portable, rapid, and precise method for screening amplified short tandem repeats and human identification screening.