Electrochemical Surface Restructuring of Phosphorus-Doped Carbon@MoP Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution

The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) through electrocatalysis is promising for the production of clean hydrogen fuel. However, designing the structure of catalysts, controlling their electronic properties, and manipulating their catalytic sites are a significant challenge in this field. Here, we propose an electrochemical surface restructuring strategy to design synergistically interactive phosphorus-doped carbon@MoP electrocatalysts for the HER. A simple electrochemical cycling method is developed to tune the thickness of the carbon layers that cover on MoP core, which significantly influences HER performance. Experimental investigations and theoretical calculations indicate that the inactive surface carbon layers can be removed through electrochemical cycling, leading to a close bond between the MoP and a few layers of coated graphene. The electrons donated by the MoP core enhance the adhesion and electronegativity of the carbon layers; the negatively charged carbon layers act as an active surface. The electrochemically induced optimization of the surface/interface electronic structures in the electrocatalysts significantly promotes the HER. Using this strategy endows the catalyst with excellent activity in terms of the HER in both acidic and alkaline environments (current density of 10 mA cm−2 at low overpotentials, of 68 mV in 0.5 M H2SO4 and 67 mV in 1.0 M KOH).

Management restructuring on distress firm in Indonesia

Companies experiencing financial distress will try to solve these problems with various improvement efforts. One of the efforts that can be done is to carry out management restructuring, namely management changes. This study focuses on the management restructuring strategy on manufacturing companies that experience a decrease in performance, with the proportion of Earning Before Interest and Tax which decreased for two or more consecutive years period 2010 to 2020. The reason for taking this period is to capture the period after the 1997 crisis until the occurrence of global crisis in 2008. This study aims to examine the effect of ownership structure in choosing management turnover restructuring. The data used is cross-section data and processed using logistic regression with Stata. The results of this research simultaneously show that insider ownership, institutional ownership, family ownership, and corporate characteristic variables have an impact on the management restructuring decision. This study proves that the ownership structure mechanism affects the choice of management restructuring in distressed companies in Indonesia.

Recovery and exit of zombie firms in Portugal

The resources sunk in zombie firms have risen over the last two decades, hampering productivity growth in developed economies. In this paper, we examine the recovery and exit of zombie firms among small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME), as well as the determinants of these transitions. To our knowledge, this is the first study on the determinants of the probability of a zombie recovering or exiting in a European context. The study also contributes to the discussion of the definition of zombie firms. Based on a panel of Portuguese manufacturing and services firms covering the 2004–2017 period, we do find a widespread presence of zombies. As expected, they are relatively less productive than non-zombies, while the probability of transition into recovery and exit is relatively low, which we interpret as evidence in favour of the presence of high barriers to firm mobility. In turn, the regression results show that downsizing and restructuring, as well as debt restructuring, are crucial in enhancing recovery of zombie firms. These are non-trivial results from the perspective of managers and policy makers. We performed several exercises using alternative definitions of zombie firms and estimation techniques and found that our findings are robust.Plain English Summary A 1% decline in the share of highly indebted and unprofitable firms (i.e. zombies) is estimated to increase the average labour productivity by 3.1 percent. Recovery of zombies in particular can be enhanced by downsizing and restructuring. Based on a very large panel of Portuguese small- and medium-sized manufacturing and services firms, covering the 2004–2017 period, we do find a widespread presence of zombie firms. Moreover, the chance of these firms to recover or exit is relatively low, an evidence of the presence of high barriers to firm mobility and resource misallocation. Our results have important managerial and policy implications: (1) a coordinated and holistic restructuring strategy (technological, operational and debt-related) is crucial to increase the likelihood of recovery of weak companies; (2) governments should formulate an adequate institutional framework in order to strengthen the selection of zombie firms, namely by designing more reallocation-friendly insolvency regimes and discouraging creditors to refinance unviable firms.

Demystifying Corporate Restructuring Strategy Through Digital Transformation

During the past two decades, corporate restructuring in the banking sector has gained much scholarly and public attention in both more developed and less developed countries as a strategic response to a decline in organizational performance. Surprisingly, there is fragmented and scant evidence on corporate restructuring through digital transformation in the banking sector, especially in the Zimbabwean context. With this in mind, this chapter aims at capturing worldwide issues and controversies linked to corporate restructuring through digital transformation, reviewing the success stories of corporate restructuring through digital transformation in the banking sector of Zimbabwe, identifying the challenges associated with digital transformation so that recommendations are proffered to top management and policymakers accordingly, and presenting suggestions for future research.

Organizational and Technological Modeling of Industrial Facility Redeployment

Redeployment of industrial facilities allows companies to optimize their structure while also creating a competitive environment in the service sector. In addition, during the redeployment process, the property complex undergoes optimization. Because of releasing production, the costs could be reduced by preserving, selling, and leasing production space. However, to achieve and strengthen long-term competitiveness, companies are forced to adjust their activities with an emphasis on the changing demands of the period. Since the world is constantly changing, it is very important to respond to these changes expediently and quickly. So far, international practice and experience of redeployment in the Russian Federation have shown that it is one of the most difficult managerial tasks. During this process, many restrictions and unique characteristics of the company, where they are implemented, should be considered. Consequently, it must be performed only in the presence of the clearly defined goals, redeployment concept, and an understanding of each stage and the methods to be observed. This is a relevant study because the model of the work performed during redeployment allows this process to go as smoothly and efficiently as possible allowing the company to adapt to new market conditions. However, the topic of the study is poorly covered nowadays. In fact, many sources consider a redesigning strategy only as a special case study of a restructuring strategy or a strategy for updating the fixed assets. Therefore, regulatory documentation for capital construction projects as well as redeployment facilities should be improved

Going Postal

Chapter three examines work suicides at La Poste, situating these in the context of a restructuring strategy that sought to transform the company from a public service entity, underpinned by a notion of the general interest, to a commercial entity, driven by product sales. Whereas earlier reforms had modified external working methods and practices, the new phase of restructuring sought to transform workers themselves, targeting their ways of being, seeing and thinking. I draw on Michel Foucault’s conception of disciplinary surveillance to examine the management methods that were imposed across the company following its liberalisation. Whilst the company was freed of regulatory controls and administrative constraints, the individual employee was subject to intensified surveillance of everyday working activity. The chapter examines a corpus of suicide letters in which postal workers explain the causes and motivations of their self-killing. Many employees experienced restructuring as a cultural assault that undermined the values, meanings and ideals by which they had defined themselves and their place in the world. The case of La Poste shows that when company strategy transcends external working activity and targets the intimate, subjective and vulnerable resources of the person, this can have deleterious consequences for lived experiences of work.

Proposed Restructuring Strategy for Sustainable Future of PT Pos Indonesia

PT Pos Indonesia (Persero) as one of the oldest SOEs in Indonesia strives to survive in the 4.0 industry era. One of the efforts is by diversifying its business. However, the current strategy implemented is not in accordance with the current condition of the company. It can be seen from the performance of PT Pos Indonesia which has been getting worse from year to year and does not reach the planned company targets. The condition causes a value-reducing for PT Pos Indonesia. To identify problems in this research using external analysis, internal analysis, and SWOT analysis. This research uses qualitative methods using primary data and secondary data. The business issue of PT Pos Indonesia is the performance and sustainability of PT Pos Indonesia which is getting worse related to business units and affiliations. To find the appropriate solution for company’s problem, this research proposes a new corporate strategy by restructuring. The tool used in analyzing corporate restructuring in this research is hexagonal restructuring. Hexagonal restructuring can help company to examine constraining opportunities to value-creating by improving operations, restructuring its business, managing assets, and improving governance. The research focused on determining corporate strategies that can be proposed to be implemented. The research was expected to provide contributions for the research on hexagonal restructuring theory.