scholarly journals Success Factors in Cluster Initiative Management

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magnus Klofsten ◽  
Dzamila Bienkowska ◽  
Inessa Laur ◽  
Ingela Sölvell
Keyword(s):  
Big Five ◽  
Triple Helix ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Regional Growth ◽  
Job Creation ◽  
Cluster Development ◽  
Regional Cluster ◽  
Over Time

Cluster development is prioritized in policy programmes as a means to facilitate regional growth and job creation. Triple Helix actors are often involved in so-called cluster initiatives – intermediary organizations having the objective of the development of a local or regional cluster. This paper maps out the ‘big five’ qualitative success factors in cluster initiative management: the idea; driving forces and commitment; activities; critical mass; and organization. The proposed framework enables the assessment of performance and sustainability over time, useful for both everyday management operations and policy programmes designed to support cluster initiatives.

scholarly journals The Analysis of Foreign Experience in Implementing Cluster Policy

2019 ◽  
pp. 13-26
Author(s):  
Alla Kalinina ◽  
Elena Petrova ◽  
Marina Lapina ◽  
Alexandra Rvacheva
Keyword(s):  
Critical Mass ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Competitive Advantages ◽  
Cluster Policy ◽  
Cluster Development ◽  
Geographical Concentration ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Regional Cluster ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Definition Of

The article represents the results of the comparative analysis of implementing cluster policy in foreign and Russian practice. The proposed methodology is based on the main characteristics of clusters (the presence of competitive enterprises, the presence of competitive advantages for cluster development in the region, geographical concentration and proximity, a wide range of participants and the presence of “critical mass”, the presence of links and interaction between cluster members) that characterize them as complex economic structures. Creating clusters involves a number of studies at the territorial level, which, above all, relate to determining the competitive advantages of the territory in a particular industry. Therefore, at the first stage of benchmarking, the authors propose to systematize theoretical approaches to the definition of “cluster” category. The second stage involves identifying the features of the cluster approach as a tool to improve the competitiveness of individual territories, regions, economies. At the last stage, authors determine structuring of foreign and Russian experience in the development of clusters and analyze the approaches to implementing cluster policy and identify their strengths and weaknesses. In contrast to the existing methods for assessing the potential of a cluster, the approach implemented in this article makes it possible to identify not only promising territories from the point of view of the industry clusterization, but also to identify possible participants of such a cluster, which is the most promising in forming regional cluster development programs in the regional economy. The article presents the approbation of the proposed methodology for the Russian Federation based on statistical data for 2014–2016. The authors highlight industries and enterprises that can be clustered, which will ensure adequate support of regional authorities.

The Role of Vascular Aging in Atherosclerotic Plaque Development and Vulnerability

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (29) ◽  
pp. 3098-3111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Liberale ◽  
Giovanni G. Camici
Keyword(s):  
Atherosclerotic Plaque ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Plaque Burden ◽  
Vascular Aging ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Plaque Development ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time

Background: The ongoing demographical shift is leading to an unprecedented aging of the population. As a consequence, the prevalence of age-related diseases, such as atherosclerosis and its thrombotic complications is set to increase in the near future. Endothelial dysfunction and vascular stiffening characterize arterial aging and set the stage for the development of cardiovascular diseases. Atherosclerotic plaques evolve over time, the extent to which these changes might affect their stability and predispose to sudden complications remains to be determined. Recent advances in imaging technology will allow for longitudinal prospective studies following the progression of plaque burden aimed at better characterizing changes over time associated with plaque stability or rupture. Oxidative stress and inflammation, firmly established driving forces of age-related CV dysfunction, also play an important role in atherosclerotic plaque destabilization and rupture. Several genes involved in lifespan determination are known regulator of redox cellular balance and pre-clinical evidence underlines their pathophysiological roles in age-related cardiovascular dysfunction and atherosclerosis. Objective: The aim of this narrative review is to examine the impact of aging on arterial function and atherosclerotic plaque development. Furthermore, we report how molecular mechanisms of vascular aging might regulate age-related plaque modifications and how this may help to identify novel therapeutic targets to attenuate the increased risk of CV disease in elderly people.

scholarly journals Ecodesign—A Review of Reviews

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 315
Author(s):  
Malte Schäfer ◽  
Manuel Löwer
Keyword(s):  
Success Factors ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Pollution Prevention ◽  
Past Research ◽  
The Past ◽  
Review Articles ◽  
Complete Life Cycle ◽  
Review Of Reviews ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Over Time

With the intent of summing up the past research on ecodesign and making it more accessible, we gather findings from 106 existing review articles in this field. Five research questions on terminology, evolution, barriers and success factors, methods and tools, and synergies, guide the clustering of the resulting 608 statements extracted from the reference. The quantitative analysis reveals that the number of review articles has been increasing over time. Furthermore, most statements originate from Europe, are published in journals, and address barriers and success factors. For the qualitative analysis, the findings are grouped according to the research question they address. We find that several names for similar concepts exist, with ecodesign being the most popular one. It has evolved from “end-of-pipe” pollution prevention to a more systemic concept, and addresses the complete life cycle. Barriers and success factors extend beyond the product development team to management, customers, policymakers, and educators. The number of ecodesign methods and tools available to address them is large, and more reviewing, testing, validation, and categorization of the existing ones is necessary. Synergies between ecodesign and other research disciplines exist in theory, but require implementation and testing in practice.

scholarly journals A Central Element of Europe’s Football Ecosystem: Competitive Intensity in the “Big Five”

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3097
Author(s):  
Fabio Wagner ◽  
Holger Preuss ◽  
Thomas Könecke
Keyword(s):  
Big Five ◽  
Central Element ◽  
Quantitative Approach ◽  
Competitive Intensity ◽  
Entrepreneurial Ecosystems ◽  
Long Run ◽  
The Future ◽  
European Football ◽  
Over Time

This study perceives professional European football as one of the most relevant event-related entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) worldwide. It also identifies a healthy sporting competition in the five most popular European football leagues (Spain, England, Germany, Italy, and France), the “big five,” as a key pillar for the functioning of this ecosystem. By applying a quantitative approach, competitive intensity (CI) is measured for all big five leagues for 21 seasons (1998/99 to 2018/19). The chosen method does not only convey an overall indication of the competitive health of the entire league but also provides detailed information on the four important sub-competitions (championship race, qualification for Champions League or Europa League, and the fight against relegation). In all five leagues, seasonal CI tends to decrease over time, and especially over the last decade. The main reason is a decline in the intensity of the championship race while all other sub-competitions show relatively robust CI values. Overall, it can be concluded that the competitive health of the big five is intact, but the dwindling CI of the championship races can harm the EE of professional European football in the long run. Accordingly, it should be closely monitored in the future.

The rise of the Chinese regional cluster specializing in fashion in Lombardy

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 491-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Ganzaroli ◽  
Ivan De Noni
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Regional Growth ◽  
Regional Distribution ◽  
Fashion Industry ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Institutional Settings ◽  
Regional Cluster ◽  
Main Driver ◽  
Changing Role

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the rise of a Chinese fashion cluster in Lombardy. Design/methodology/approach Three approaches and descending levels of analysis are integrated: a quantitative analysis based on demographic data to highlight the evolution of the regional distribution of the Chinese community and Chinese entrepreneurship in Lombardy; a literature review to reconstruct the historical development of Chinatown in Milan; and few in-depth interviews and a survey to represent how the Chinese living in Chinatown perceive the changing role of the enclave. Findings The Chinese in Lombardy are rising as a regional ethnic fashion cluster. This cluster is rising out of three major drivers: ethnic social capital as a source of community-based entrepreneurship; the crisis of traditional industrial districts in the 1990s as a trigger opportunity; and the trans-regionalization of the fashion industry as a main driver of its current development. The rise of this cluster is bottom-up. Research limitations/implications The findings are based on a single case study. There are evidences showing that the Chinese are rising as regional and/or inter-regional clusters in other institutional settings. However, this study may benefit from comparisons with other institutional and national contexts. Practical implications Chinese entrepreneurship may foster regional growth as a complementary source of cultural variety, internationalization and multi-regional co-specialization. Social implications Entrepreneurship may foster social cohesion and collaboration. Originality/value This paper contributes to existing literature by proposing a would-be theory of the evolution of regional ethnic clusters.

scholarly journals Comprehensive longitudinal microbiome analysis of the chicken cecum reveals a shift from competitive to environmental drivers and a window of opportunity for Campylobacter

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Umer Zeeshan Ijaz ◽  
Lojika Sivaloganathan ◽  
Aaron Mckenna ◽  
Anne Richmond ◽  
Carmel Kelly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Diversity ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Natural Infection ◽  
Environmental Drivers ◽  
Natural Setting ◽  
Window Of Opportunity ◽  
Microbiome Analysis ◽  
Conversion Rates ◽  
Chicken Cecum ◽  
Over Time

AbstractChickens are a key food source for humans yet their microbiome contains bacteria that can be pathogenic to humans, and indeed potentially to chickens themselves. Campylobacter is present within the chicken gut and is the leading cause of bacterial foodborne gastroenteritis within humans worldwide. Infection can lead to secondary sequelae such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and stunted growth in children from low-resource areas. Despite the global health impact and economic burden of Campylobacter, how and when Campylobacter appears within chickens remains unclear. As such, there has been a motivation to decrease the number of Campylobacter within chickens and thus reduce the risk of infection to humans. The lack of day-to-day microbiome data with replicates, relevant metadata, and a lack of natural infection studies have delayed our understanding of the chicken gut microbiome and Campylobacter. Here, we performed a comprehensive day-to-day microbiome analysis of the chicken cecum from day 3 to 35 (12 replicates each day; n=396) combining metadata such as chicken weight and feed conversion rates to investigate what the driving forces are for the microbial changes within the chicken gut over time, and how this relates to Campylobacter appearance within a natural habitat setting. We found a rapidly increasing microbial diversity up to day 12 with variation observed both in terms of genera and abundance, before a stabilisation of the microbial diversity after day 20. In particular, we identified a shift from competitive to environmental drivers of microbial community from days 12 to 20 creating a window of opportunity whereby Campylobacter appears. Campylobacter was identified at day 16 which was one day after the most substantial changes in metabolic profiles observed. In addition, microbial variation over time is most likely influenced by the diet of the chickens whereby significant shifts in OTU abundances and beta dispersion of samples often corresponded with changes in feed. This study is unique in comparison to the most recent studies as neither sampling was sporadic nor Campylobacter was artificially introduced, thus the experiments were performed in a natural setting. We believe that our findings can be useful for future intervention strategies and can help elucidate the mechanism through which Campylobacter within chickens can be reduced.

scholarly journals MAKING A CHANGE FROM BELOW

Traditiones ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-91
Author(s):  
Daša Ličen ◽  
Dan Podjed
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Waste Reduction ◽  
Social Transition ◽  
Environmental Movements ◽  
The Social ◽  
Grassroots Initiatives ◽  
Ethnographic Analysis ◽  
Shed Light ◽  
Over Time

The authors look into two environmental movements that arose from grassroots initiatives. The first is Ecologists without Borders, the leading NGO promoting waste reduction in Slovenia. The second is Critical Mass, an international cyclists’ movement that seeks more public space for urban cyclists, which the authors studied in Belgrade and Budapest. Ethnographic analysis indicates that the two movements have had certain common experiences. The authors use these cases to investigate the social transition that such movements support and shed light on how they arise, function, and change over time.

Peaceful Revolutions in Algeria and Sudan: the Factor of the Coronavirus Pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 37-46
Author(s):  
Nailia Fakhrutdinova
Keyword(s):  
Driving Forces ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
African Studies ◽  
Long Period ◽  
First Time ◽  
Further Development ◽  
Over Time

The article deals with the problem of the post Arabic spring situation. Only three Arab countries remained unchanged in Africa: Morocco, Algeria and Sudan. After a long period of time their protesters remained outside the zone of active action, but over time they appeared in the streets again. The circumstances forced people to take to the streets. Moroccans were in a better situation, but gradually the population of Algeria and Sudan where the situation was especially serious began to criticize the policy of the authorities, although they did it exclusively peacefully. For the first time in Russian African studies, the author assesses all the driving forces of the events at the end of 2020 and early 2021 and, emphasizing the complications brought by the coronavirus pandemic, makes an analytical forecast for the further development of the situation.

CONCEPT AND PROBLEMS OF PRODUCTION COOPERATION

2020 ◽  
pp. 16-18
Author(s):  
L.S. Markov ◽  
◽  
V.S. Plotnikov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Cluster ◽  
The State ◽  
Cluster Policy ◽  
Cluster Development ◽  
Industrial Cooperation ◽  
Regional Cluster ◽  
Direct Support ◽  
Labor Resources ◽  
Cooperation Support

One of the modern forms of cooperation between enterprises is industrial and territorial clusters. Researchers in the development of industrial cooperation processes and cluster projects highlight a number of problems, among which there are problems associated with the development of international cooperation, support for industrial cooperation at the state and regions of the state levels, the formation and implementation of joint projects, as well as the quality of labor resources. Today, an actual rejection of the systemic cluster policy in all directions is demonstrated, which is confirmed by the curtailment of direct support for industrial cluster projects, as well as the refusal to support regional cluster development centers. The main reason for this reversal seems to be the insufficiency of the cooperative component of domestic clusters.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document