Portfolios of control in mobile eco-systems: evolution and validation

Info ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 36-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandip Mukhopadhyay ◽  
Harry Bouwman ◽  
Mahadeo Jaiswal
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Mobile Services ◽  
Service Development ◽  
Development Phase ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Implementation Phase ◽  
Input Control ◽  
Mobile Industry

Purpose – This paper aims to study the critical role played by interorganizational control mechanisms in a mobile ecosystems and how the portfolios of control evolves when the service moves from an initial idea to a solution that reaches market acceptance. Existing literature provides limited insight into (portfolios of) control mechanisms and how (portfolios of) control dynamically evolve(s) during the various stages of service innovation. Design/methodology/approach – Based on the Resource Dependency Theory (RDT), this study makes use of multiple cases to identify and validate the key roles of behavioural input and output control mechanisms and how they evolve during different phases of service development. Findings – Based on multiple cases, it is concluded that a dominant actor uses portfolios of control to acquire complimentary resources, coordinate interdependence between multiple partners and ensure a favourable value distribution for itself. Behavioural control is used in a limited way during the implementation and commercialisation phases, while input control is mostly used during the development phase and output controls are mostly used during implementation and commercialisation phases. The high occurrence of input control in the development phase ensures the lower occurrence of behavioural controls in the implementation phase. This study is very practical in nature, and it provides important insight on how to develop mobile services in collaboration with other organisations. Research limitations/implications – A limitation of this study is that it is based on two cases in a specific regulatory, cultural and institutional environment, i.e. India, which means that further testing of the propositions, with large-scale samples and within a more international setting, would be required. However, this study does provide some interesting insights that have to be corroborated by additional case studies and a large-scale questionnaire, initially with a focus on India. Originality/value – From an academic perspective, this study examines organisational controls in a less researched yet dynamic services industry, and is one of the first studies that the researchers have come across that uses RDT to explain the dynamics of control in value networks in the mobile industry. This study is also one of the very few to focus on understanding the objectives of the portfolios of control from the perspective of the structural player. As mentioned earlier, research focussing on integrating governance mechanisms and portfolios of control may provide new insights. From a practical perspective, this study may shed light on how to develop mobile services in collaboration with other organisations.

Control mechanisms employed between headquarters and subsidiaries in Multinational Enterprises (MNEs)

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 493-516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaithen Alharbi ◽  
Hamid Gelaidan ◽  
Abdullah Al-Swidi ◽  
Abubakr Saeed
Keyword(s):  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Successful Operation ◽  
Gulf Region ◽  
Output Control ◽  
Informal Control ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This study aims to investigated the control mechanisms of headquarters exercised over their subsidiaries and is conducted with the help of primary data. Design/methodology/approach The headquarters–subsidiary model used in this study has four components of control in it: personal centralised control (PCC), bureaucratic formalised control (BFC), output control (OUT) and informal control (INFO). These controls (as an agency mechanism) provide a solid platform on which other mechanisms can be built. Using a data collected from 147 multinational enterprises (MNEs) operating in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the influence of each of these factors on this selection is empirically tested with the help of primary data. Findings The study found that Anglo-Saxon countries heavily use impersonal types of control mechanisms, specifically bureaucratic formalised control and output control. Compared to the USA, the level of control in Oriental subsidiaries is less; or, put differently, the latter enjoy a greater degree of autonomy than US subsidiaries. The complementarities of these control mechanisms may be linked to earlier studies that show that successful organisations combine tight control with more open, informal and flexible information and communication exchanges. A focus that bends too much towards formal control or too much towards informal control may threaten a company’s existence. This research provides an empirical explanation on this premise. Research limitations/implications The methodology adopted for this study can be extended for similar studies in the Middle East or in Gulf Council Cooperation countries. Practical implications The study show that MNEs from different countries often have different dominant control mechanisms and organisational models. This is partly due to different industry distributions, but it is also related to cultural/societal differences between countries. These differences should be considered when searching for a partner in cross-national mergers and acquisitions. Failure to do so could hinder the successful operation of a merger that seems to be perfect from a financial and competitive point of view. Originality/value The study explored variations in the extent of control mechanisms, according to country of origin and organisational characteristics, in a challenging country of domicile. This empirical work not only replicates earlier studies, retesting propositions encountered in the existing literature, but also sheds new light on the challenges of doing business in the Gulf region, and the consequences of the large scale usage of expatriates.

scholarly journals Specific Midgut Region Controlling the Symbiont Population in an Insect-Microbe Gut Symbiotic Association

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (23) ◽  
pp. 7229-7233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiyeun Kate Kim ◽  
Na Hyang Kim ◽  
Ho Am Jang ◽  
Yoshitomo Kikuchi ◽  
Chan-Hee Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Activity ◽  
Molecular Basis ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Symbiotic Bacteria ◽  
Symbiotic Association ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bean Bug ◽  
Gut Symbionts ◽  
Series Of Experiments

ABSTRACTMany insects possess symbiotic bacteria that affect the biology of the host. The level of the symbiont population in the host is a pivotal factor that modulates the biological outcome of the symbiotic association. Hence, the symbiont population should be maintained at a proper level by the host's control mechanisms. Several mechanisms for controlling intracellular symbionts of insects have been reported, while mechanisms for controlling extracellular gut symbionts of insects are poorly understood. The bean bugRiptortus pedestrisharbors a betaproteobacterial extracellular symbiont of the genusBurkholderiain the midgut symbiotic organ designated the M4 region. We found that the M4B region, which is directly connected to the M4 region, also harborsBurkholderiasymbiont cells, but the symbionts therein are mostly dead. A series of experiments demonstrated that the M4B region exhibits antimicrobial activity, and the antimicrobial activity is specifically potent against theBurkholderiasymbiont but not the culturedBurkholderiaand other bacteria. The antimicrobial activity of the M4B region was detected in symbiotic host insects, reaching its highest point at the fifth instar, but not in aposymbiotic host insects, which suggests the possibility of symbiont-mediated induction of the antimicrobial activity. This antimicrobial activity was not associated with upregulation of antimicrobial peptides of the host. Based on these results, we propose that the M4B region is a specialized gut region ofR. pedestristhat plays a critical role in controlling the population of theBurkholderiagut symbiont. The molecular basis of the antimicrobial activity is of great interest and deserves future study.

Urban transportation: innovations in infrastructure planning and development

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 150-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sundaravalli Narayanaswami
Keyword(s):  
Public Transportation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Urban Transportation ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Service Development ◽  
New Service Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Transportation Service ◽  
Capital Intensive

Purpose New services design and development are difficult to plan, execute, measure and evaluate. Particularly, new services that are capital-intensive and involve a long gestation and development time are considered extremely risky. The purpose of this paper is to discuss a list of innovative practices in various managerial aspects in designing, planning and development of a large scale infrastructure intensive public transportation service. A contemporary new public transportation service development is discussed as evidence of proven and benchmarked criteria. Design/methodology/approach This is a technical paper, where theoretical foundations of best practices in new service development project are discussed and supported by practice-based evidences from a real-life urban transportation project. A case study approach is adopted with secondary data. Findings Worldwide during and after economic recession of 2008, several projects were stalled or abandoned. The inference through this work is that through efficient management practices, a large capital-intensive new service development project can be made successful even during a turbulent economy in a region marred by more challenges than elsewhere. Practical implications Several issues in large scale services development, such as urban transportation are domain specific. Some of the issues faced in urban transportation are common to several Gulf countries; therefore the policy guidelines, managerial practices and development strategies reported in this paper can be replicated in many of them. The commercial impact of the service project is a significant drive towards fuel conservation and to save huge amounts of productive time. Social implications Public transportation with a high quality of networked service improves the quality of life to a large extent. Unless certain measurable demands are not met, an affluent society is less likely to endorse public transportation. In addition, endorsement of public transportation is been promoted in several parts of the world as a drive towards a green, energy efficient, low-carbon emission and sustainable environment. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, new services planning and development is a key operations management topic, on which very little is written about. Particularly no other paper has presented a real-world large scale infrastructure intensive project development to this detail, and along with a theoretical background to benchmark performance and development practices.

scholarly journals Segregation but Not Replication of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Chromosome Terminates at Dif

mBio ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bijit K. Bhowmik ◽  
April L. Clevenger ◽  
Hang Zhao ◽  
Valentin V. Rybenkov
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Chromosome Segregation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
Chromosome Replication ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chromosome Partitioning ◽  
Bacterial Chromosomes ◽  
Large Domains

ABSTRACT Coordination between chromosome replication and segregation is essential for equal partitioning of genetic material between daughter cells. In bacteria, this is achieved through the proximity of the origin of replication, oriC, and the chromosome partitioning site, parS. We report here that in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, segregation but not replication is also controlled at the terminus region of the chromosome. Using the fluorescent repressor operator system (FROS), we investigated chromosome segregation in P. aeruginosa strain PAO1-UW, wherein the chromosome dimer resolution site, dif, is asymmetrically positioned relative to oriC. In these cells, segregation proceeded sequentially along the two chromosomal arms and terminated at dif. In contrast, chromosome replication terminated elsewhere, opposite from oriC. We further found two large domains on the longer arm of the chromosome, wherein DNA segregated simultaneously. Notably, GC-skew, which reflects a bias in nucleotide usage between the leading and lagging strands of the chromosome, switches polarity at the dif locus but not necessarily at the terminus of replication. These data demonstrate that termination of chromosome replication and segregation can be physically separated without adverse effects on bacterial fitness. They also reveal the critical role of the dif region in defining the global layout of the chromosome and the progression of chromosome segregation and suggest that chromosome packing adapts to its subcellular layout. IMPORTANCE Segregation of genetic information is a central event in cellular life. In bacteria, chromosome segregation occurs concurrently with replication, sequentially along the two arms from oriC to dif. How the two processes are coordinated is unknown. We explored here chromosome segregation in an opportunistic human pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, using its strain with markedly unequal chromosomal arms. We found that replication and segregation diverge in this strain and terminate at very different locations, whereas the longer chromosomal arm folds into large domains to align itself with the shorter arm. The significance of this research is in establishing that segregation and replication of bacterial chromosomes are largely uncoupled from each other and that the large-scale structure of the chromosome adapts to its subcellular layout.

Strategic responses to institutional pressures for sustainability

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 1677-1710 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaminda Wijethilake ◽  
Rahat Munir ◽  
Ranjith Appuhami
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Organisational Change ◽  
Management Control ◽  
Institutional Pressures ◽  
Strategic Responses ◽  
Apparel Manufacturing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainability Challenges ◽  
Outsourcing Contracts

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of management control systems (MCS) in strategically responding to institutional pressures for sustainability (IPS). Drawing on institutional theory (DiMaggio and Powell, 1983) and strategic responses to institutional pressures framework (Oliver, 1991), the study argues that organisations strategically respond to IPS using MCS. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected by interviewing sustainability managers of a large-scale multinational apparel manufacturing organisation with its headquarters in Sri Lanka. Findings The study finds that organisations actively respond to IPS using acquiescence, compromise, avoidance, defiance, and manipulation strategies. The results not only reveal that formal MCS play a critical role in complying with IPS, but also in more active responses, including compromise, avoidance, defiance, and manipulation. The findings highlight that organisations use MCS as a medium to respond strategically to IPS, and in turn, the use of MCS has important implications for organisational change and improvement. Practical implications The study has implications for Western organisations, finding that suppliers committed to sustainability in Asia strategically respond to IPS as a means of strengthening outsourcing contracts, instead of blindly accepting. Findings indicate that organisational changes and success seem to be a function of strategically responding to IPS rather than operating an organisation by neglecting sustainability challenges. The organisational ability to use MCS in strategically responding to IPS has the potential for long-term value creation. Originality/value This study provides novel insights into the MCS, strategy and sustainability literatures by exploring different uses of MCS tools in strategically responding to IPS. More specifically, it shows how the use of MCS tools varies in supporting strategic responses, and with respective IPS. In doing so, it enhances our understanding of the importance of the use of MCS in dynamics of institutional change and practical variances in strategically responding to IPS.

Appreciative enquiry peer review improving quality of services

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 857-866
Author(s):  
Frank R. Burbach ◽  
Sarah K. Amani
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Peer Review ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Service Development ◽  
Service Improvement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Early Intervention In Psychosis ◽  
Health Service Improvement

Purpose Mental health service improvement initiatives often involve the setting of targets and monitoring of performance. The purpose of this paper is to describe the application of appreciative enquiry (AE), a radically different but complementary approach to quality assurance and improvement, to specialist mental health services across a health region. Design/methodology/approach This case study describes a regional quality improvement (QI) project involving 12 early intervention in psychosis (EIP) services in South West England. In total, 40 people were trained in AE interviewing skills and in non-reciprocal peer review visits 59 interviews were conducted involving 103 interviewees including service users, carers, clinicians, managers and commissioners. Immediate verbal feedback was provided and main themes summarised in individual reports to host teams using the following headings: team values, strengths, dreams and development plans. A thematic analysis was conducted on team reports and a project report produced which summarised the stages and results of this regional initiative. Findings All participants rated the experience as positive; it enhanced staff motivation and led to service development and improvement. Research limitations/implications The experiences of these 12 EIP teams may not necessarily be generalisable to other services/regions but this positive approach to service improvement could be widely applied. Practical implications AE is applicable in large-scale QI initiatives. Originality/value To the authors knowledge this is the first time that AE has been applied to large-scale mental health service improvement and innovation.

Anticipation of organizational change

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 1271-1282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Krogh
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Systematic Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Implementation Phase ◽  
New Information ◽  
Danish Health ◽  
Gradual Development

Purpose Existing research on the organizational implications of the introduction of new information technology (IT) has neglected to focus on the anticipation of organizational change. In this paper, the author examines the extended pre-implementation phase prior to the introduction of the largest-ever health IT (HIT) implementation in Denmark. The purpose of this paper is to expand the conceptualization of organizational change to include the neglected pre-implementation phase preceding large-scale organizational change projects. Design/methodology/approach The research is based on qualitative data consisting of interviews, documents and observations gathered during a three-year research project in the Danish health sector. An important source of methodical inspiration has been grounded theory, which has allowed the pertinent interview themes to evolve and allowed for the gradual development of a theoretical framework. Findings The main finding of this paper is that the anticipatory pre-implementation phase is not simply passive waiting time for organizational members. Evidence from a three-year research project demonstrates how organizational members engage in recurring patterns of sensemaking, positioning and scripting of possible futures in preparation for the organizational changes that next generation HIT imposes. The study argues that resistance to organizational change may be better understood as resistance to having to give up institutionalized rights and responsibilities. Originality/value The paper offers a conceptual model—the anticipation cycle—that enables the systematic analysis of the relational mechanisms at work when organizational members are preparing for pending organizational change. Early analysis based on the anticipation cycle enables organizations and scholars to bring previously black-boxed anticipatory patterns into the equation of organizational change.

An exploratory model of interventionist research to calculate costs and prices in small Brazilian manufacturers, combining training and intervention phases

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Carlos Tiomatsu Oyadomari ◽  
Renato Monteiro da Silva ◽  
Octávio Ribeiro de Mendonça Neto ◽  
Carlos Alberto Diehl
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Long Term Results ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cost Calculation ◽  
Training Phase ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Implementation Phase ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
The One

Purpose This paper aims to propose an interventionist research model for cost measurement in small manufacturing companies. Design/methodology/approach The study was based on an interventionist model that consisted of two phases – training and intervention. The innovative model used in the study combined Labro and Tuomela’s (2003) framework with the socialization, externalization, combination and internalization model developed by Nonaka et al. (2001), and it was subsequently applied to two Brazilian manufacturing companies. Findings The main findings were as follows: the training phase is the one that generated the greatest impact on the cost calculation; competitors should not be invited to participate in the same program; it is necessary for the researchers to have professional experience of the subject being investigated and to have experience of micro and small enterprises; the training phase must be presented using appropriate language; and a better understanding of the costs can increase entrepreneurs’ confidence when negotiating prices with clients. Research limitations/implications The main limitation was the small number of companies that were included in the study. Future research could involve longitudinal studies to evaluate the long-term results of interventionist studies. Practical implications The study showed that even small business owners can implement costing techniques, but that this requires the development of an environment of knowledge creation, followed by an implementation phase. The model can be replicated on a large scale, with affordable costs. Social implications Improving the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises, which are high employers, with low implementation cost is a demand of society. Originality/value The model proved to be valid, and it could easily be replicated on a larger scale; the study therefore helps to demonstrate the benefits of interventionist research.

scholarly journals Systematic Analysis of the Lysine Crotonylome and Multiple Posttranslational Modification Analysis (Acetylation, Succinylation, and Crotonylation) in Candida albicans

mSystems ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaowei Zhou ◽  
Nana Song ◽  
Dongmei Li ◽  
Xiaofang Li ◽  
Weida Liu
Keyword(s):  
Functional Analysis ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Posttranslational Modification ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Interaction Network ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Systematic Analysis ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogen that causes lethal fungal infections in immunocompromised patients. Lysine crotonylation is a newly discovered PTM (posttranslational modification) epigenetic type that may play a critical role in regulating gene expression. In this study, we used an antibody-enrichment approach along with LC-MS/MS to carry out a quantitative crotonylome analysis in C. albicans. We found a total of 5,242 crotonylation sites and 1,584 crotonylated proteins among 9,038 proteins in this organism. Of these crotonylated proteins, a few unique crotonylated motifs are noted such as D and E in positions +1, +2, or +3 or K and R in positions +5 or +6, while A, E, F, G, P, W, and Y are in the −1 position or A, K, and R are found in positions −5, −6, −7, or −8. Functional analysis has shown that a majority of the crotonylated proteins are related to biosynthetic events and carbon metabolism. When combined with previously collected data on acetylation and succinylation, PPI (protein-protein interaction network) analysis reveals that proteins with functions in ribosomal biogenesis, oxidative phosphorylation, nucleus activity, and proteasome formation are heavily modified by these three PTM types. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first crotonylome study carried out in C. albicans and is an important step to a better understanding of the biological and pathogenic impact of PTM in C. albicans. IMPORTANCE C. albicans is a kind of pathogen of fungal infections that is found worldwide. Lysine crotonylation of proteins as a recently discovered PTM (posttranslational modification) may have a critical role in regulating cells. We first carried out large-scale analysis of crotonylated proteome and multiple PTM analysis (acetylation, succinylation, and crotonylation), then drew a diagram to show multiple PTM sites on histones in C. albicans of our study. This study about crotonylome in human pathogenic fungi is a milestone that first and deeply investigates the functional analysis of crotonylated proteins in C. albicans, which marks an important start for further research.

Nursing professionals’ attitudes toward use of physical restraints in Styrian nursing homes Austria

Pflege ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-63
Author(s):  
Hannes Mayerl ◽  
Tanja Trummer ◽  
Erwin Stolz ◽  
Éva Rásky ◽  
Wolfgang Freidl
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Physical Restraint ◽  
Care Practice ◽  
Physical Restraints ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Restraint Use ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Nursing Professionals

Abstract. Background: Given that nursing staff play a critical role in the decision regarding use of physical restraints, research has examined nursing professionals’ attitudes toward this practice. Aim: Since nursing professionals’ views on physical restraint use have not yet been examined in Austria to date, we aimed to explore nursing professionals’ attitudes concerning use of physical restraints in nursing homes of Styria (Austria). Method: Data were collected from a convenience sample of nursing professionals (N = 355) within 19 Styrian nursing homes, based on a cross-sectional study design. Attitudes toward the practice of restraint use were assessed by means of the Maastricht Attitude Questionnaire in the German version. Results: The overall results showed rather positive attitudes toward the use of physical restraints, yet the findings regarding the sub-dimensions of the questionnaire were mixed. Although nursing professionals tended to deny “good reasons” for using physical restraints, they evaluated the consequences of physical restraint use rather positive and considered restraint use as an appropriate health care practice. Nursing professionals’ views regarding the consequences of using specific physical restraints further showed that belts were considered as the most restricting and discomforting devices. Conclusions: Overall, Austrian nursing professionals seemed to hold more positive attitudes toward the use of physical restraints than counterparts in other Western European countries. Future nationwide large-scale surveys will be needed to confirm our findings.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document