Corporate entrepreneurship programmes as mechanisms to accelerate product innovations

This paper explores how firms engage in corporate entrepreneurship through programmes, and what kind of outcomes they achieve in terms of innovations. Insights are drawn from four cases of organisations that engaged in corporate entrepreneurial activities. The paper identifies two dimensions of corporate entrepreneurship programmes as idea themes, indicating whether programmes are designed with specific themes in mind, and idea ownership, indicating whether there is a dedicated team to focus on new ideas, or not. These dimensions are under the direct control of management. Based on these two dimensions, four models of corporate entrepreneurial activities are presented linking each of these models to one of the four cases of product innovations (product line extensions, product improvements, new products, start-up businesses). By drawing on the insights of the effectuation and causation logics, the paper provides a fresh perspective of corporate entrepreneurship programmes in an emerging, non-Western cultural setup and the product innovation context. This is primarily done by introducing a 2 × 2 matrix regarding corporate entrepreneurship idea themes and idea ownership in an emerging context.

Hidden Histories of Pakistan

Censorship, Urdu literature, Islam, and progressive secular nationalisms in colonial India and Pakistan have a complex, intertwined history. Sarah Waheed offers a timely examination of the role of progressive Muslim intellectuals in the Pakistan movement. She delves into how these left-leaning intellectuals drew from long-standing literary traditions of Islam in a period of great duress and upheaval, complicating our understanding of the relationship between religion and secularism. Rather than seeing 'religion' and 'the secular' as distinct and oppositional phenomena, this book demonstrates how these concepts themselves were historically produced in South Asia and were deeply interconnected in the cultural politics of the left. Through a detailed analysis of trials for blasphemy, obscenity and sedition, and feminist writers, Waheed argues that Muslim intellectuals engaged with socialism and communism through their distinctive ethical and cultural past. In so doing, she provides a fresh perspective on the creation of Pakistan and South Asian modernity.

When numbers are not what they seem – analysis of the functions and distribution of numerals in the numeronyms featured in the “Netlingo Dictionary of Texting Terms & Online Acronyms”

The paper attempts to explore the concept of numeronyms, which, in the literature of the subject, are perceived as numeral-based words. Its principal aim is to contribute to the existing discussion about numeronymy by offering a fresh perspective, concentrated on the raison d'être of numeronyms, i.e., numerical figures incorporated within. The analysis concerns particular examples of numeronyms, as featured in the “Netlingo Dictionary of Texting Terms & Online Acronyms”. This source comprises a list of acronyms and shorthands derived from two language varieties: textspeak and online slang. Specifically, subject to the analysis are those terms that, in their written form, contain numerical figures. The corpus of 200 numeronyms is scrutinised with respect to two factors, namely, the function the numeral performs in the numeronym, as well as the possible patterns regarding the distribution of particular numerals. The research, both quantitative and qualitative in nature, reveals four distinct functions of numerals within numeronyms: homophonic, conceptual, typographic and quantifying. Only the last group can be claimed to follow the function normally attributed to numerals, i.e., quantity property assignment. In turn, the distributionoriented analysis brings to light the conclusion that certain numerals that point to number words possessing homophonic properties feature in numeronyms more prominently than others.

A Broader Relevance of Gullivers Suffering in the Context of Culture Shock

Purpose: This study analyzes Gulliver’s sufferings among his different hosts and his relevancy to today’s sojourners who travel abroad and suffer from the effects of culture shock. During his stay with four different hosts, Gulliver remains unable to adjust with them due to the impact of culture shock. He looks at his hosts from the cultural parameters of his native land that leads to multiplication his problems. Like him, most of the travelers who move abroad for various reasons undergo the effects of culture shock. If they fail to understand the internal and external aspects their hosts’ culture, they may respond as Gulliver does. Approach: Though critics have analyzed Gulliver’s character from different perspectives, none has studied him from the lens of culture shock. On close analysis of the text of Gulliver’s Travels, readers can easily observe Gulliver suffering from the effects of culture shock among his hosts. A fresh perspective has been adopted in this study by analyzing Gulliver’s character in the light of culture shock. Culture shock affects sojourners in multiple ways. Many students, migrants, and the diaspora go through this experience while living in a new culture among new people. Findings: This study shows that culture has been a common phenomenon for people who stay abroad for long or settle though they do not realize that several problems that they face are caused by culture shock. However, if someone consciously assimilates the effects of culture shock, it becomes a great experience to live a better life. Implications: Though Gulliver belongs to the eighteenth century England, yet he exists around and among us. It is Gulliver’s relevancy that adds to the meaningfulness of his character for the contemporary sojourners.

Loneliness and Social Networks in Europe

The paper analyses social causes of loneliness in Europe using cross-national data from the 2017 International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) module “Social Networks and Social Resources” from 13 countries categorised as Northern Europe, Continental Europe, and Central and Eastern Europe. The paper aims to examine loneliness with regard to three specific groups of predictors, related to network, sociocultural and sociostructural aspects. The results suggest that sociability patterns and personal networks are the most important predictors of loneliness. While the frequency of contacts with family members and close friends and the overall number of contacts showed significance, loneliness was primarily related to the quality of personal relationships. Considering sociocultural factors, the obtained findings showed that social trust is consistently associated with lower levels of loneliness. Furthermore, people from Continental Europe were, in general, less lonely than North and East Europeans. Age was an important factor here as respondents from younger age groups were lonelier in Nordic countries than in the other two blocs of countries, while older respondents were lonelier in Central and East European countries. Finally, sociostructural indicators in general showed less predictive value compared to sociability patterns and sociocultural variables. However, when it came to socioeconomic exclusion, this aspect showed a stronger connection with loneliness for the individuals from the Nordic group of countries. The findings of this paper contribute to the vibrant field of contemporary scholarship on loneliness with a fresh perspective based on comparing three large blocs of European countries and an integrated approach to various predictors of loneliness.

Sustainable Corporate Governance – The Purpose of the Company

The objective of this paper is to explore the latest trends in sustainable corporate governance with а focus on the purpose of the company. Referring to her previous research projects and publications, the author aims to build on the preceding findings and research results. The objective of the paper is to give an answer to whether company purpose (the new mantra) is a totally new concept within the framework of corporate governance or, in other words, whether the business community has changed completely and whether a new business model has been developed by academia, consultants and business leaders. To answer these questions the author has initiated a literature survey and web mining to get a fresh perspective from the corporate practices in the EU and US economies. Experts’ views and judgement are discussed in order to obtain information about the agenda and priorities of listed Bulgarian companies. The paper is structured as follows: overview of sustainable corporate governance (introduction); survey on the academic views on the purpose of the company (part one); investigation of the business views on the purpose (part two) and the corporate governance agenda – shareholders’ perspective on the purpose studies (part four) and conclusions and suggestions for future research.

Nowcasting of Lumber Futures Price with Google Trends Index Using Machine Learning and Deep Learning Models

Firms engaged in producing, processing, marketing, or using lumber and lumber products always invest in futures markets to reduce the risk of lumber price volatility. The accurate prediction of real-time prices can help companies and investors hedge risks and make correct market decisions. This paper explores whether Internet browsing habits can accurately nowcast the lumber futures price. The predictors are Google Trends index data related to lumber prices. This study offers a fresh perspective on nowcasting the lumber price accurately. The novel outlook of employing both machine learning and deep learning methods shows that despite the high predictive power of both the methods, on average, deep learning models can better capture trends and provide more accurate predictions than machine learning models. The artificial neural network model is the most competitive, followed by the recurrent neural network model.

Governing Democracy Outside the Law: India's Election Commission and the Challenge of Accountability

Comparative law and politics literature widely recognizes the role of election management bodies (EMBs) in securing the well-being of constitutional democracies. Scholars have noted the political desirability of both independence and accountability of these institutions. But striking balance between these two values is easier said than done. This Article highlights the dilemma of accountability by focusing on India's Election Commission (ECI) as a paradigmatic version of a powerful EMB. Scholars of Indian politics have long noted the institution's widening powers – often beyond the original constitutional intent or parliamentary legislation – over the last few decades. This, they argue, has impaired its institutional accountability. This Article adopts a fresh perspective on the ECI's expansive functions, and the attendant concerns these raise. It argues that the ECI regulates the electoral process not through what we may ordinarily identify as the law. The most compelling and consequential of its functions are through extra-legal modalities of regulation. Drawing from recent scholarship on regulation, the Article argues that the ECI shapes the electoral environment and behaviour through non-legal modalities of architecture, nudge and notice-based regulations. Much like the other fields where they are deployed, these extra-legal modalities exhibit unique, and in many ways, inherent limitations with respect to transparency. It is thus this character of the ECI's functions – rather than only their widening breadth – that poses the most significant challenge for democratic accountability. Based on this assessment, the Article notes that for powerful EMBs like the ECI, accountability in the form of on-going operational accountability is inherently limited in compelling ways. This increases the stakes for accountability of these institutions through other means, particularly by securing their constitution, composition and tenure.

Commitment Without Consequences. A Carnapian Approach to Fictional Objects and Negative Existence Statements

<p>The overall aim of this thesis is to present a fresh perspective on three closely related areas of enquiry: Descriptivist theories of reference, Direct Reference theories and the Carnapian approach to questions of existence and identity. This perspective is developed and tested by a critical analysis of the work of a leading Carnapian theorist, Amie Thomasson, and by looking at some of the central problems associated with our talk of fictional objects. It concludes in an account of negative existence statements and fictional objects as possibly existing objects. In Chapter one I set out the key elements of Carnap’s approach, as that approach was developed over time and in dialogue with his colleague Quine. In Chapter two I explore the relation between the previously mentioned three areas of enquiry through an examination of Amie Thomasson’s brand of Carnapian meta-ontology. In Chapters four and five I develop the view that fictional objects are objects that meet the criteria of existence and identity of at least one linguistic framework but fail to meet the criteria of another, preferred framework. This provides the basis for a neo-Carnapian account of fictional objects in terms of the relations between linguistic frameworks, a novel approach to the questions surrounding such objects. In chapter five, the concluding chapter of the thesis, I further develop my explanation of how there can be truths about fictional and non-existent objects by giving an ontological version of John MacFarlane’s relativity principle. This paves the way for a neo-Carnapian analysis of true negative existence statements. Here I integrate the story I have told about fictional objects and the relations between linguistic frameworks with theories of reference and meaning. In particular, I incorporate a satisfactory concept of the rigid designation of ordinary proper names (and, potentially, of natural and artefactual kind terms). This then leads on to an explanation of how fictional objects, contra Kripke and many others, may reasonably said to be possible objects that, though they don’t exist, might exist under different circumstances.</p>

Commitment Without Consequences. A Carnapian Approach to Fictional Objects and Negative Existence Statements

<p>The overall aim of this thesis is to present a fresh perspective on three closely related areas of enquiry: Descriptivist theories of reference, Direct Reference theories and the Carnapian approach to questions of existence and identity. This perspective is developed and tested by a critical analysis of the work of a leading Carnapian theorist, Amie Thomasson, and by looking at some of the central problems associated with our talk of fictional objects. It concludes in an account of negative existence statements and fictional objects as possibly existing objects. In Chapter one I set out the key elements of Carnap’s approach, as that approach was developed over time and in dialogue with his colleague Quine. In Chapter two I explore the relation between the previously mentioned three areas of enquiry through an examination of Amie Thomasson’s brand of Carnapian meta-ontology. In Chapters four and five I develop the view that fictional objects are objects that meet the criteria of existence and identity of at least one linguistic framework but fail to meet the criteria of another, preferred framework. This provides the basis for a neo-Carnapian account of fictional objects in terms of the relations between linguistic frameworks, a novel approach to the questions surrounding such objects. In chapter five, the concluding chapter of the thesis, I further develop my explanation of how there can be truths about fictional and non-existent objects by giving an ontological version of John MacFarlane’s relativity principle. This paves the way for a neo-Carnapian analysis of true negative existence statements. Here I integrate the story I have told about fictional objects and the relations between linguistic frameworks with theories of reference and meaning. In particular, I incorporate a satisfactory concept of the rigid designation of ordinary proper names (and, potentially, of natural and artefactual kind terms). This then leads on to an explanation of how fictional objects, contra Kripke and many others, may reasonably said to be possible objects that, though they don’t exist, might exist under different circumstances.</p>