Family meals and identity in urban China

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 505-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongyan Yu ◽  
Ann Veeck ◽  
Fang (Grace) Yu
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Dynamic Environment ◽  
Urban China ◽  
Family Meals ◽  
Chinese Family ◽  
Family Identity ◽  
Household Expenditures ◽  
Family Structures ◽  
Chinese Cities ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – This study aims to, with family structures in urban China becoming increasingly diverse, examine how and to what extent the characteristics of everyday family meals relate to the establishment and strengthening of a collective sense of the Chinese family. Integrating ritual and family identity theories developed through studies conducted in the West, the research explores the relationship between family identity and the major dimensions that characterize ritualistic practices through an examination of family dinners in a non-Western context. Design/methodology/approach – The mixed-method approach combines a qualitative phase (focus groups and interviews) with a large-scale survey of households (n = 1,319) in four Chinese cities. Findings – The results find a positive relationship between family identity and commitment to family meals, as well as continuity promoted through family meals, at a 99 per cent confidence level. Research limitations/implications – One important research limitation is that the sample was limited to four cities. In addition, it is difficult for quantitative measures to capture the richness of emotionally and symbolically laden constructs, such as communication, commitment, continuity and family identity. Practical implications – The results provide insights into the meanings of family meals in China. With over one-third of household expenditures spent on food in Chinese cities, the formulation of brand positions and promotions can be informed through a greater understanding of the influence of family dynamics on food consumption. Social implications – The findings indicate that, within China’s dynamic environment of changing family values, strengthening the ritualistic characteristics of everyday family activities, such as family meals, can lead to an increase in a collective sense of family. Originality/value – The study demonstrates under what conditions, within this rapidly changing socioeconomic environment, the family dinner provides stability and a sense of unity for Chinese families. In China, a trend toward individualization is accompanied by a deep-seeded sense of obligation toward family that exerts an important influence on meal composition and patterns.

How does the speed of institutional change affect the allocation of entrepreneurship in family firms

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 447-474
Author(s):  
Jun Ma ◽  
Xuan He ◽  
Lina Zhu ◽  
Xinchun Li ◽  
Ye Liu
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Change ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Chinese Family ◽  
Total Recovery ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Family Enterprises ◽  
Productive Activities

Purpose This paper, from the perspective of based view of dynamic system, aims to take the family enterprise as a sample to articulate how the speed of institutional change affects the entrepreneur’s spirit collocation of family enterprises and investigate the moderating effects of the scale of enterprises as well. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses survey database from Chinese research of private enterprise group in 2010 with the ninth national large-scale private entrepreneurs, and the legal source of data comes from research center for Chinese family firm of Sun Yat-Sen University. A total of 4,900 questionnaires are issued, 4,614 are recovered and the total recovery rate is 94.16 per cent. In this paper, STATA12.0 is used for data processing and basic regression testing. To overcome the possible existence of the different variance problem, the authors use the feasible generalized least squares to estimate the model. Findings The speed of institutional change will lead to the reduction of unproductive activities and the increase of productive activities in the area where the speed of institutional change is slow. Meanwhile, the scale of enterprise can reverse the negative relationship between the speed of institutional change and unproductive activities. The speed of institutional change will lead to the reduction of unproductive activities and the increase of productive activities in the area where the speed of institutional change is fast. Meanwhile, the scale of enterprises can reverse the positive relationship between the speed of institutional change and the unproductive activities. Originality/value It can be concluded that because of the difference of the regional market, a positive U-type reflects the relationship between the speed of institutional change and the entrepreneur’s allocation of entrepreneurship in family firms, whereas the scale of enterprises plays a key role of nonlinear regulation. This research has a certain theoretical value and practical significance on the understanding of how family firms make strategic decisions in response to institutional change and it can further enrich the research results of entrepreneurship allocation theory and institutional change theory.

Financial distress determinants among SMEs: empirical evidence from Sweden

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 547-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darush Yazdanfar ◽  
Peter Öhman
Keyword(s):  
Financial Crisis ◽  
Financial Distress ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Global Financial Crisis

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to empirically investigate determinants of financial distress among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during the global financial crisis and post-crisis periods.Design/methodology/approachSeveral statistical methods, including multiple binary logistic regression, were used to analyse a longitudinal cross-sectional panel data set of 3,865 Swedish SMEs operating in five industries over the 2008–2015 period.FindingsThe results suggest that financial distress is influenced by macroeconomic conditions (i.e. the global financial crisis) and, in particular, by various firm-specific characteristics (i.e. performance, financial leverage and financial distress in previous year). However, firm size and industry affiliation have no significant relationship with financial distress.Research limitationsDue to data availability, this study is limited to a sample of Swedish SMEs in five industries covering eight years. Further research could examine the generalizability of these findings by investigating other firms operating in other industries and other countries.Originality/valueThis study is the first to examine determinants of financial distress among SMEs operating in Sweden using data from a large-scale longitudinal cross-sectional database.

The dialectics of authoring expansive learning: tracing the long tail of a Change Laboratory

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 245-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annalisa Sannino ◽  
Yrjö Engeström ◽  
Johanna Lahikainen
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Scale Transformation ◽  
Dialectical Tensions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organization Model ◽  
Expansive Learning ◽  
Conceptual Argument ◽  
University Library ◽  
Dialectical Process ◽  
Cultural Historical Activity

Purpose The paper aims to examine organizational authoring understood as a longitudinal, material and dialectical process of transformation efforts. The following questions are asked: To which extent can a Change Laboratory intervention help practitioners author their own learning? Are the authored outcomes of a Change Laboratory intervention futile if a workplace subsequently undergoes large-scale organizational transformations? Does the expansive learning authored in a Change Laboratory intervention survive large-scale organizational transformations, and if so, why does it survive and how? Design/methodology/approach The paper develops a conceptual argument based on cultural–historical activity theory. The conceptual argument is grounded in the examination of a case of eight years of change efforts in a university library, including a Change Laboratory (CL) intervention. Follow-up interview data are used to discuss and illuminate our argument in relation to the three research questions. Findings The idea of knotworking constructed in the CL process became a “germ cell” that generates novel solutions in the library activity. A large-scale transformation from the local organization model developed in the CL process to the organization model of the entire university library was not experienced as a loss. The dialectical tension between the local and global models became a source of movement driven by the emerging expansive object. Practitioners are modeling their own collective future competences, expanding them both in socio-spatial scope and interactive depth. Originality/value The article offers an expanded view of authorship, calling attention to material changes and practical change actions. The dialectical tensions identified serve as heuristic guidelines for future studies and interventions.

Dynamic output feedback control for nonlinear large-scale interconnected systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 801-821
Author(s):  
Ezzeddine Touti ◽  
Ali Sghaier Tlili ◽  
Muhannad Almutiry
Keyword(s):  
Decentralized Control ◽  
Output Feedback ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Optimization Problem ◽  
Lyapunov Theory ◽  
Interconnected Systems ◽  
Dynamic Output Feedback ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Dynamic Output ◽  
Control Scheme

Purpose This paper aims to focus on the design of a decentralized observation and control method for a class of large-scale systems characterized by nonlinear interconnected functions that are assumed to be uncertain but quadratically bounded. Design/methodology/approach Sufficient conditions, under which the designed control scheme can achieve the asymptotic stabilization of the augmented system, are developed within the Lyapunov theory in the framework of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Findings The derived LMIs are formulated under the form of an optimization problem whose resolution allows the concurrent computation of the decentralized control and observation gains and the maximization of the nonlinearity coverage tolerated by the system without becoming unstable. The reliable performances of the designed control scheme, compared to a distinguished decentralized guaranteed cost control strategy issued from the literature, are demonstrated by numerical simulations on an extensive application of a three-generator infinite bus power system. Originality/value The developed optimization problem subject to LMI constraints is efficiently solved by a one-step procedure to analyze the asymptotic stability and to synthesize all the control and observation parameters. Therefore, such a procedure enables to cope with the conservatism and suboptimal solutions procreated by optimization problems based on iterative algorithms with multi-step procedures usually used in the problem of dynamic output feedback decentralized control of nonlinear interconnected systems.

scholarly journals Large-Scale Synonymous Substitutions in Cucumber Mosaic Virus RNA 3 Facilitate Amino Acid Mutations in the Coat Protein

2018 ◽  
Vol 92 (22) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomofumi Mochizuki ◽  
Rie Ohara ◽  
Marilyn J. Roossinck
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Secondary Structure ◽  
Viral Genome ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Viral Rna ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Competitive Fitness ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Synonymous Substitutions ◽  
Cp Gene

ABSTRACTThe effect of large-scale synonymous substitutions in a small icosahedral, single-stranded RNA viral genome on virulence, viral titer, and protein evolution were analyzed. The coat protein (CP) gene of the Fny stain of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) was modified. We created four CP mutants in which all the codons of nine amino acids in the 5′ or 3′ half of the CP gene were replaced by either the most frequently or the least frequently used synonymous codons in monocot plants. When the dicot host (Nicotiana benthamiana) was inoculated with these four CP mutants, viral RNA titers in uninoculated symptomatic leaves decreased, while all mutants eventually showed mosaic symptoms similar to those for the wild type. The codon adaptation index of these four CP mutants against dicot genes was similar to those of the wild-type CP gene, indicating that the reduction of viral RNA titer was due to deleterious changes of the secondary structure of RNAs 3 and 4. When two 5′ mutants were serially passaged inN. benthamiana, viral RNA titers were rapidly restored but competitive fitness remained decreased. Although no nucleic acid changes were observed in the passaged wild-type CMV, one to three amino acid changes were observed in the synonymously mutated CP of each passaged virus, which were involved in recovery of viral RNA titer of 5′ mutants. Thus, we demonstrated that deleterious effects of the large-scale synonymous substitutions in the RNA viral genome facilitated the rapid amino acid mutation(s) in the CP to restore the viral RNA titer.IMPORTANCERecently, it has been known that synonymous substitutions in RNA virus genes affect viral pathogenicity and competitive fitness by alteration of global or local RNA secondary structure of the viral genome. We confirmed that large-scale synonymous substitutions in the CP gene of CMV resulted in decreased viral RNA titer. Importantly, when viral evolution was stimulated by serial-passage inoculation, viral RNA titer was rapidly restored, concurrent with a few amino acid changes in the CP. This novel finding indicates that the deleterious effects of large-scale nucleic acid mutations on viral RNA secondary structure are readily tolerated by structural changes in the CP, demonstrating a novel part of the adaptive evolution of an RNA viral genome. In addition, our experimental system for serial inoculation of large-scale synonymous mutants could uncover a role for new amino acid residues in the viral protein that have not been observed in the wild-type virus strains.

scholarly journals Biological Impact of a Large-Scale Genomic Inversion That Grossly Disrupts the Relative Positions of the Origin and Terminus Loci of theStreptococcus pyogenesChromosome

2019 ◽  
Vol 201 (17) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dragutin J. Savic ◽  
Scott V. Nguyen ◽  
Kimberly McCullor ◽  
W. Michael McShan
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Parental Strain ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Acute Infection ◽  
Relative Length ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Rich Medium ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTA large-scale genomic inversion encompassing 0.79 Mb of the 1.816-Mb-longStreptococcus pyogenesserotype M49 strain NZ131 chromosome spontaneously occurs in a minor subpopulation of cells, and in this report genetic selection was used to obtain a stable lineage with this chromosomal rearrangement. This inversion, which drastically displaces theorisite relative to the terminus, changes the relative length of the replication arms so that one replichore is approximately 0.41 Mb while the other is about 1.40 Mb in length. Genomic reversion to the original chromosome constellation is not observed in PCR-monitored analyses after 180 generations of growth in rich medium. Compared to the parental strain, the inversion surprisingly demonstrates a nearly identical growth pattern in the first phase of the exponential phase, but differences do occur when resources in the medium become limited. When cultured separately in rich medium during prolonged stationary phase or in an experimental acute infection animal model (Galleria mellonella), the parental strain and the invertant have equivalent survival rates. However, when they are coincubated together, bothin vitroandin vivo, the survival of the invertant declines relative to the level for the parental strain. The accompanying aspect of the study suggests that inversions taking place nearoriCalways happen to secure the linkage oforiCto DNA sequences responsible for chromosome partition. The biological relevance of large-scale inversions is also discussed.IMPORTANCEBased on our previous work, we created to our knowledge the largest asymmetric inversion, covering 43.5% of theS. pyogenesgenome. In spite of a drastic replacement of origin of replication and the unbalanced size of replichores (1.4 Mb versus 0.41 Mb), the invertant, when not challenged with its progenitor, showed impressive vitality for growthin vitroand in pathogenesis assays. The mutant supports the existing idea that slightly deleterious mutations can provide the setting for secondary adaptive changes. Furthermore, comparative analysis of the mutant with previously published data strongly indicates that even large genomic rearrangements survive provided that the integrity of theoriCand the chromosome partition cluster is preserved.

scholarly journals Potentiating Effect of Mandelate and Lactate on Chemically Induced Germination in Members of Bacillus cereus Sensu Lato

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (24) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alistair H. Bishop
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Cereus ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Germination Rate ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Clostridium Sporogenes ◽  
Specific Chemical ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ph Range ◽  
Significant Discovery ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Endospores of the genus Bacillus can be triggered to germinate by a limited number of chemicals. Mandelate had powerful additive effects on the levels and rates of germination produced in non-heat-shocked spores of Bacillus anthracis strain Sterne, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus thuringiensis when combined with l-alanine and inosine. Mandelate had no germinant effect on its own but was active with these germinants in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations higher than 0.5 mM. The maximum rate and extent of germination were produced in B. anthracis by 100 mM l-alanine with 10 mM inosine; this was equaled by just 25% of these germinants when supplemented with 10 mM mandelate. Half the maximal germination rate was produced by 40% of the optimum germinant concentrations or 15% of them when supplemented with 0.8 mM mandelate. Germination rates in B. thuringiensis were highest around neutrality, but the potentiating effect of mandelate was maintained over a wider pH range than was germination with l-alanine and inosine alone. For all species, lactate also promoted germination in the presence of l-alanine and inosine; this was further increased by mandelate. Ammonium ions also enhanced l-alanine- and inosine-induced germination but only when mandelate was present. In spite of the structural similarities, mandelate did not compete with phenylalanine as a germinant. Mandelate appeared to bind to spores while enhancing germination. There was no effect when mandelate was used in conjunction with nonnutrient germinants. No effect was produced with spores of Bacillus subtilis, Clostridium sporogenes, or C. difficile. IMPORTANCE The number of chemicals that can induce germination in the species related to Bacillus cereus has been defined for many years, and they conform to specific chemical types. Although not a germinant itself, mandelate has a structure that is different from these germination-active compounds, and its addition to this list represents a significant discovery in the fundamental biology of spore germination. This novel activity may also have important applied relevance given the impact of spores of B. cereus in foodborne disease and B. anthracis as a threat agent. The destruction of spores of B. anthracis, for example, particularly over large outdoor areas, poses significant scientific and logistical problems. The addition of mandelate and lactate to the established mixtures of l-alanine and inosine would decrease the amount of the established germinants required and increase the speed and level of germination achieved. The large-scale application of “germinate to decontaminate” strategy may thus become more practicable.

scholarly journals Whole-Genome Phylogenomic Heterogeneity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolates with Decreased Cephalosporin Susceptibility Collected in Canada between 1989 and 2013

2014 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Demczuk ◽  
Tarah Lynch ◽  
Irene Martin ◽  
Gary Van Domselaar ◽  
Morag Graham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
23S Rrna ◽  
Genome Comparison ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Genomic Epidemiology ◽  
High Level ◽  
Sequence Types

A large-scale, whole-genome comparison of CanadianNeisseria gonorrhoeaeisolates with high-level cephalosporin MICs was used to demonstrate a genomic epidemiology approach to investigate strain relatedness and dynamics. Although current typing methods have been very successful in tracing short-chain transmission of gonorrheal disease, investigating the temporal evolutionary relationships and geographical dissemination of highly clonal lineages requires enhanced resolution only available through whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Phylogenomic cluster analysis grouped 169 Canadian strains into 12 distinct clades. While someN. gonorrhoeaemultiantigen sequence types (NG-MAST) agreed with specific phylogenomic clades or subclades, other sequence types (ST) and closely related groups of ST were widely distributed among clades. Decreased susceptibility to extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESC-DS) emerged among a group of diverse strains in Canada during the 1990s with a variety of nonmosaicpenAalleles, followed in 2000/2001 with thepenAmosaic X allele and then in 2007 with ST1407 strains with thepenAmosaic XXXIV allele. Five genetically distinct ESC-DS lineages were associated withpenAmosaic X, XXXV, and XXXIV alleles and nonmosaic XII and XIII alleles. ESC-DS with coresistance to azithromycin was observed in 5 strains with 23S rRNA C2599T or A2143G mutations. As the costs associated with WGS decline and analysis tools are streamlined, WGS can provide a more thorough understanding of strain dynamics, facilitate epidemiological studies to better resolve social networks, and improve surveillance to optimize treatment for gonorrheal infections.

Analytical redefinition of DOL and managerial investment decisions

2014 ◽  
Vol 40 (7) ◽  
pp. 734-754 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoram Kroll ◽  
David Yechiam Aharon
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Investment Decision ◽  
Production Level ◽  
Fixed Cost ◽  
Theoretical Formulation ◽  
Optimal Production ◽  
Demand Shocks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Operating Leverage ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop alternative analytical measures for the degree of operating leverage (DOL) that reflect the impact of uncertain demand shocks in the product's market on optimal production levels, sales and profits of the firm. Design/methodology/approach – The elasticity measures are constructed according to a theoretical formulation of optimal production level that corresponds to demand shocks for given predetermined levels of fixed cost. Findings – The paper suggests two main findings. First, the analytical marginal DOL is at least twice the traditional DOL depending on the structure of the shock, the production function and demand's elasticity. The traditional DOL is equal to the measure only when large-scale negative demand prompts the firm to abandon production. Second, the paper also provides an analytical measure of DOL in terms of elasticity of profit to sales rather than to production level. Both theoretically and empirically elasticity of profit to sales can be better measured and better reflects risk. Research limitations/implications – This paper should be extended to encompass multiple shocks on demand and supply while investigating the empirical multi variants distribution of the shocks. Practical implications – The model can be used by managers who are well informed about the fixed and variable costs of their firm. The model determines the mean profit- risk trade off which is an important factor in all investment decision problems. Originality/value – Surprisingly and according to the best knowledge, this paper is the first attempt in the literature for alternative analytical DOLs’ formulations that is coherent with basic economic theories of optimal production level under risk.

Thermo-mechanical coupling particle simulation of three-dimensional large-scale non-isothermal problems

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 1551-1571 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming Xia
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Simulation Method ◽  
Particle Simulation ◽  
Similarity Criteria ◽  
Particle Model ◽  
Length Scale ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mechanical Coupling ◽  
Particle Simulation Method

Purpose The main purpose of this paper is to present a comprehensive upscale theory of the thermo-mechanical coupling particle simulation for three-dimensional (3D) large-scale non-isothermal problems, so that a small 3D length-scale particle model can exactly reproduce the same mechanical and thermal results with that of a large 3D length-scale one. Design/methodology/approach The objective is achieved by following the scaling methodology proposed by Feng and Owen (2014). Findings After four basic physical quantities and their similarity-ratios are chosen, the derived quantities and its similarity-ratios can be derived from its dimensions. As the proposed comprehensive 3D upscale theory contains five similarity criteria, it reveals the intrinsic relationship between the particle-simulation solution obtained from a small 3D length-scale (e.g. a laboratory length-scale) model and that obtained from a large 3D length-scale (e.g. a geological length-scale) one. The scale invariance of the 3D interaction law in the thermo-mechanical coupled particle model is examined. The proposed 3D upscale theory is tested through two typical examples. Finally, a practical application example of 3D transient heat flow in a solid with constant heat flux is given to illustrate the performance of the proposed 3D upscale theory in the thermo-mechanical coupling particle simulation of 3D large-scale non-isothermal problems. Both the benchmark tests and application example are provided to demonstrate the correctness and usefulness of the proposed 3D upscale theory for simulating 3D non-isothermal problems using the particle simulation method. Originality/value The paper provides some important theoretical guidance to modeling 3D large-scale non-isothermal problems at both the engineering length-scale (i.e. the meter-scale) and the geological length-scale (i.e. the kilometer-scale) using the particle simulation method directly.

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