A Constructivist Framework for Understanding Entrepreneurship Performance

1993 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 549-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamid Bouchikhi
Keyword(s):  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Complex Interaction ◽  
Entrepreneurial Process ◽  
The Core ◽  
Prior Performance ◽  
Chance Events

This paper outlines a constructivist framework for understanding the outcomes of the entrepreneurial process. The core thesis of the paper is that, taken alone, neither the personality of the entrepreneur nor the structural characteristics of the environment determine the outcome. Rather, it is argued that the outcome of the entrepreneurial process is emergent from a complex interaction between the entrepreneur, the environment, chance events and prior performance. The framework is illustrated with evidence from biographies of six entrepreneurs involved in successful processes.

scholarly journals Electron Cryotomography Studies of Maturing HIV-1 Particles Reveal the Assembly Pathway of the Viral Core

2014 ◽  
Vol 89 (2) ◽  
pp. 1267-1277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cora L. Woodward ◽  
Sarah N. Cheng ◽  
Grant J. Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Viral Genome ◽  
Virus Assembly ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Hexagonal Lattice ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Core ◽  
Assembly Pathway ◽  
Viral Particles ◽  
Electron Cryotomography ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACTTo better characterize the assembly of the HIV-1 core, we have used electron cryotomography (ECT) to image infected cells and the viral particles cryopreserved next to them. We observed progressive stages of virus assembly and egress, including flower-like flat Gag lattice assemblies, hemispherical budding profiles, and virus buds linked to the plasma membrane via a thin membrane neck. The population of budded viral particles contains immature, maturation-intermediate, and mature core morphologies. Structural characteristics of the maturation intermediates suggest that the core assembly pathway involves the formation of a CA sheet that associates with the condensed ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex. Our analysis also reveals a correlation between RNP localization within the viral particle and the formation of conical cores, suggesting that the RNP helps drive conical core assembly. Our findings support an assembly pathway for the HIV-1 core that begins with a small CA sheet that associates with the RNP to form the core base, followed by polymerization of the CA sheet along one side of the conical core toward the tip, and then closure around the body of the cone.IMPORTANCEDuring HIV-1 assembly and release, the Gag polyprotein is organized into a signature hexagonal lattice, termed the immature lattice. To become infectious, the newly budded virus must disassemble the immature lattice by proteolyzing Gag and then reassemble the key proteolytic product, the structural protein p24 (CA), into a distinct, mature hexagonal lattice during a process termed maturation. The mature HIV-1 virus contains a conical capsid that encloses the condensed viral genome at its wide base. Mutations or small molecules that interfere with viral maturation also disrupt viral infectivity. Little is known about the assembly pathway that results in the conical core and genome encapsidation. Here, we have used electron cryotomography to structurally characterize HIV-1 particles that are actively maturing. Based on the morphologies of core assembly intermediates, we propose that CA forms a sheet-like structure that associates with the condensed viral genome to produce the mature infectious conical core.

scholarly journals Spinnability and characteristics of polyoxymethylene-based core–sheath bicomponent fibers

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 155892501985944
Author(s):  
Jitlada Boonlertsamut ◽  
Supaphorn Thumsorn ◽  
Toshikazu Umemura ◽  
Hiroyuki Hamada ◽  
Atsushi Sakuma
Keyword(s):  
Lactic Acid ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Core Material ◽  
Poly Lactic Acid ◽  
Bicomponent Fibers ◽  
Fiber Properties ◽  
The Core ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Fiber Processing ◽  
Selection Of

In this work, the spinning abilities of polyoxymethylene-based core–sheath bicomponent fibers were investigated. Bicomponent fibers were prepared using polyoxymethylene as the core material and poly(lactic acid) blended with polyoxymethylene or pure polyoxymethylene as sheath materials, and their characteristics were investigated and compared. Fiber properties such as elongation are important because they directly relate to the spinning performance during fiber processing. This work reports the impact of the composition designation of the core–sheath bicomponent fibers on the controllable stability of poly(lactic acid) in polyoxymethylene–poly(lactic acid) blends in the fibers, as well as the influence of the core–sheath material on the structure, fiber diameter and distribution, thermal stability, and mechanical properties of the core–sheath bicomponent fibers. It was found that the selection of core and sheath materials affected the structural characteristics of the fibers. The polyoxymethylene core–polyoxymethylene sheath (FV) fiber showed dimensional stability. However, the polyoxymethylene core–poly(lactic acid)/polyoxymethylene sheath (FT30) fiber provided the optimum limit of poly(lactic acid) content for controlling the stable properties of the core–sheath bicomponent fibers.

Analytical Evaluation of Core Bowing Reactivity in the 4S Reactor

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoshi Nishimura ◽  
Hirokazu Ohta ◽  
Nobuyuki Ueda
Keyword(s):  
Fast Reactor ◽  
Radial Displacement ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Outer Core ◽  
Radial Expansion ◽  
Neutron Absorption ◽  
Analytical Evaluation ◽  
Life Condition ◽  
The Core

The 4S (super-safe, small and simple) reactor is a sodium-cooled small fast reactor. The core reactivity is controlled by moving the reflectors installed around the core, and the reactor has a fixed absorber at the core center to accomplish a long core lifetime. To evaluate core bowing behavior and the resulting reactivity feedback in the 4S reactor, an analytical evaluation was conducted under various core power to flow ratios (P/F). The core bowing reactivity under the BOC (beginning of core life) condition becomes increasingly negative with increasing P/F up to 2.0, then becomes less negative with increasing P/F from 2.0 to 3.0, and finally becomes positive at P/F = 3.0. The bowing reactivity under the EOC (end of core life) condition becomes increasingly negative with increasing P/F up to 1.5, then becomes less negative then positive with increasing P/F from 1.5 to 3.0; the core bowing reactivity is positive when P/F ≥ 2.0. These results are mainly caused by the following two mechanisms originating from the structural characteristics of the 4S reactor: - a decrease in neutron absorption by the fixed absorber due to the radial displacement of the inner core subassemblies (under the BOC condition); - a decrease in neutron streaming caused by the small gaps between the outer core subassemblies and the reflectors due to core radial expansion (under the EOC condition).

KonnurokusΣm: Kinship and Family in the History of the Oyoko KɔKɔɔ Dynasty of Kumase

1995 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 357-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. C. McCaskie
Keyword(s):  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
West African ◽  
Interpersonal Dynamics ◽  
The Core ◽  
The Past ◽  
Kinship Relations ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Affective Dimensions

This paper is concerned with a vitally significant – but hitherto largely unrecovered – feature of the pre-colonial African past. Historians of Africa commonly pay conventional lip service to the idea that the structural and affective dimensions of kinship are of great, and even shaping, importance in the past of many of the societies that they study. However, such acknowledgements remain in the realm of generalization, and hardly any scholarship exists that seeks to historicize kinship in any detail. This paper tries to redress this situation. It goes beyond synchronic ethnographic commonplaces, and offers a historically documented analysis and interpretation of the operation of kinship within a specific pre-colonial context.The subject matter is the West African forest kingdom of Asante (Ashanti), now located within the Republic of Ghana. In specific terms, the paper addresses the structural characteristics and the interpersonal dynamics of kinship within the history of the Kumase Oyoko KɔKɔɔ abusua (the ruling dynasty of Asante) between, very broadly, the 1760s and the 1880s. The discussion is centred on the evolving history of relations between individuals – most centrally the Asantehene Kwaku Dua Panin and the Asantehemaa Afua Sapon – within a particular ɔyafunu koro (uterine group or stirp; ‘family’) that was a componential part of the royal dynasty. The core of the paper is an analytic reading of the konnurokusΣm, a complex dynastic conflict that involved the individuals named and that occurred in the 1850s.In sum, this paper argues that the reconstruction and analysis of the field of kinship relations within African societies – such as the example of pre-colonial Asante discussed here – places an extremely important, if hitherto neglected, tool in the hands of historians. The interpretation of events, the understanding of actions and motives, and the overall deepening of comprehension are all enriched by the use of this tool. The enrichment thereby attained – it is argued – pays appropriate and overdue attention to specifically indigenous readings of the Asante (and African) past.

scholarly journals Preparation of PVA–CS/SA–Ca2+ Hydrogel with Core–Shell Structure

Polymers ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 212
Author(s):  
Shuai Zhang ◽  
Yu Wan ◽  
Weijie Yuan ◽  
Yaoxiang Zhang ◽  
Ziyuan Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Shell Structure ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Core Structure ◽  
Cross Linking ◽  
Core Shell ◽  
Mass Ratio ◽  
Swelling Properties ◽  
The Core ◽  
Swelling Degree ◽  
Wide Range

Hydrogels are highly hydrophilic polymers that have been used in a wide range of applications. In this study, we prepared PVA–CS/SA–Ca2+ core–shell hydrogels with bilayer space by cross-linking PVA and CS to form a core structure and chelating SA and Ca2+ to form a shell structure to achieve multiple substance loading and multifunctional expression. The morphology and structure of core–shell hydrogels were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The factors affecting the swelling properties of the hydrogel were studied. The results show that the PVA–CS/SA–Ca2+ hydrogel has obvious core and shell structures. The SA concentration and SA/Ca2+ cross-linking time show a positive correlation with the thickness of the shell structure; the PVA/CS mass ratio affects the structural characteristics of the core structure; and a higher CS content indicates the more obvious three-dimensional network structure of the hydrogel. The optimal experimental conditions for the swelling degree of the core–shell hydrogel were an SA concentration of 5%; an SA/Ca2+ cross-linking time of 90 min; a PVA/CS mass ratio of 1:0.7; and a maximum swelling degree of 50 g/g.

scholarly journals Analysis on Evolution Characteristics of Industry University Research Innovation Network in Guizhou Province Based on Patent

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 141-144
Author(s):  
Yu Zhao ◽  
◽  
Nana Hu ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
University Research ◽  
Guizhou Province ◽  
Central Position ◽  
Innovation Network ◽  
Cooperative Groups ◽  
Patent Data ◽  
The Core ◽  
Evolution Characteristics ◽  
Evolution Dynamics

Based on the industry-university-research cooperation patent data of Guizhou Province from 1986 to 2020, this paper constructs Guizhou industry-university-research innovation network, and empirically explores the overall structural characteristics of Guizhou industry-university-research innovation network, such as network scale and network density, as well as the time evolution dynamics of nodes and cooperation intensity. It is found that the scale of industry-university-research innovation network in Guizhou Province is gradually expanding, the nodes are gradually increasing, and more cooperative groups have been formed, but the overall network is low density; Guizhou University and other universities and scientific research institutions have always occupied the central position of the network. Although enterprises are not in the core position, the intensity of cooperation with institutions is gradually increasing.

Structural characteristics of the core layer and biomimetic model of the ladybug forewing

Micron ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 101 ◽  
pp. 156-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinxiang Chen ◽  
Mengye Xu ◽  
Yoji Okabe ◽  
Zhensheng Guo ◽  
Xindi Yu
Keyword(s):  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Core Layer ◽  
The Core

scholarly journals A Monocular Visual Odometry Method Based on Virtual-Real Hybrid Map in Low-Texture Outdoor Environment

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (10) ◽  
pp. 3394
Author(s):  
Xiuchuan Xie ◽  
Tao Yang ◽  
Yajia Ning ◽  
Fangbing Zhang ◽  
Yanning Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Visual Odometry ◽  
Outdoor Environment ◽  
Line Segments ◽  
Camera Pose Estimation ◽  
The Core ◽  
Ordinary Point ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Core Idea ◽  
The Stability

With the extensive application of robots, such as unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in exploring unknown environments, visual odometry (VO) algorithms have played an increasingly important role. The environments are diverse, not always textured, or low-textured with insufficient features, making them challenging for mainstream VO. However, for low-texture environment, due to the structural characteristics of man-made scene, the lines are usually abundant. In this paper, we propose a virtual-real hybrid map based monocular visual odometry algorithm. The core idea is that we reprocess line segment features to generate the virtual intersection matching points, which can be used to build the virtual map. Introducing virtual map can improve the stability of the visual odometry algorithm in low-texture environment. Specifically, we first combine unparallel matched line segments to generate virtual intersection matching points, then, based on the virtual intersection matching points, we triangulate to get a virtual map, combined with the real map built upon the ordinary point features to form a virtual-real hybrid 3D map. Finally, using the hybrid map, the continuous camera pose estimation can be solved. Extensive experimental results have demonstrated the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed method in various low-texture scenes.

scholarly journals Who Contributes Knowledge? Core-Periphery Tension in Online Innovation Communities

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hani Safadi ◽  
Steven L. Johnson ◽  
Samer Faraj
Keyword(s):  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Open Innovation ◽  
Complex Interaction ◽  
Social Embeddedness ◽  
Epistemic Norms ◽  
Epistemic Position ◽  
Production Of Knowledge ◽  
The Core ◽  
The Social ◽  
Innovation Community

Where do valuable contributions originate from in online innovation communities? Prior research provides conflicting answers. One view, consistent with a community of practice perspective, is that valued knowledge contributions are primarily provided by central participants at the core of a community. In contrast, other research—including work adopting an open innovation perspective—predicts that valuable ideas primarily emerge from peripheral participants, those at the margins of a field of knowledge who provide novel ideas and viewpoints. We integrate these contrasting perspectives by considering two distinct forms of position: social embeddedness (a core social position within the social network of participants interacting within a community) and epistemic marginality (a peripheral epistemic position based on the network of topics discussed by a community). Analyzing contributions by 697,412 participants of 52 Stack Exchange online innovation communities, we find that both participants who are socially embedded and participants who are epistemically marginal provide knowledge contributions that are highly valued by fellow community participants. Importantly, among epistemically marginal participants, those with high social embeddedness are more likely to provide contributions valued by the community; by virtue of their epistemic marginality, these participants may offer novel ideas while by virtue of their social embeddedness they may be able to more effectively communicate their ideas to the community. Thus, the production of knowledge in an online innovation community involves a complex interaction between the novelty emanating from the epistemic periphery and the social embeddedness required to make ideas congruent with existing social and epistemic norms.

scholarly journals The Poetics of Mysticism in Lyudmila Ulitskaya’s Prose

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tünde Szabó
Keyword(s):  
Short Stories ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Psychological Disorder ◽  
The Core ◽  
Rational Explanation ◽  
Mystical Experiences ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Recurrent Motifs ◽  
Structural Point

We often find the Soviet past at the core of Lyudmila Ulitskaya’s works, and most critics agree that the description of everyday life and historicity are fundamental principles of her prose. Nonetheless, episodes which record the characters’ mystical experiences play a fairly significant part in Ulitskaya’s works. However, they receive considerably less attention in research on her oeuvre. In this paper, the author focuses on the mystical component of Ulitskaya’s novels and most recent short stories and attempts to define the thematic and structural characteristics of the mystical episodes. In the first part of the paper, the author reviews the constant elements of the characters’ mystical experiences in different works. These experiences are primarily connected with encountering death and are based on the character’s borderline position and the permeability of the frontier between “reality” and the afterworld. This frontier is marked out by recurrent motifs, which symbolically bestow upon death the meaning of transformation (transubstantiation) and revival. From a structural point of view, the delineation of the frontier between the two worlds can be explained, among others, through the characteristics of fantasy. In the second part of the paper, the article examines this aspect of the mystical episodes of Ulitskaya’s works with reference to Tzvetan Todorov’s concept, which defines the fantastical as an interim phenomenon between the “uncanny” and the “miraculous”. The characters’ mystical experiences in the episodes examined here receive a rational explanation (dream, hallucination before dying, psychological disorder), which cancels their fantastic nature. As a result of this duality of a rational explanation and the simultaneous uncertainty about judging the experience, the mystical episodes of Ulitskaya’s works can be categorised as “fantastical and uncanny”. When these episodes are examined from the point of view of the properties of the genuinely mystical texts, we find a “profane mysticism”, primarily as a result of the neutrality of the narrator’s discourse, the blurriness of the difference between what is real and what is supernatural, and the proximity of the narrator’s and the author’s positions.

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