Nature and relevance of inherited blueprints on business models choices and innovation: an assessment

One important metaphor, referred to biological theories, used to investigate on organizational and business strategy issues is the metaphor about heredity; an area requiring further investigation is the extent to which the characteristics of blueprints inherited from the parent, helps in explaining subsequent development of the spawned ventures. In order to shed a light on the tension between inherited patterns and the new trajectory that may characterize spawned ventures’ development we propose a model aimed at investigating which blueprints elements might exert an effect on business model design choices and to which extent their persistence (or abandonment) determines subsequent business model innovation. Under the assumption that academic and corporate institutions transmit different genes to their spin-offs, we hence expect to have heterogeneity in elements that affect business model design choices and its subsequent evolution. This is the reason why we carry on a twofold analysis in the biotech (meta)industry: under a multiple-case research design, business model and especially its fundamental design elements and themes scholars individuated to decompose the construct, have been thoroughly analysed. Our purpose is to isolate the dimensions of business model that may have been the object of legacy and the ones along which an experimentation and learning process is more likely to happen, bearing in mind that differences between academic and corporate might not be that evident as expected, especially considering that business model innovation may occur.

Models for reliability estimation of HVDC cable systems

The work carried out in this thesis aims at: - studying – in both simulative and experimental methods – the effect of electrical transients (i.e., Voltage Polarity Reversals VPRs, Temporary OverVoltages TOVs, and Superimposed Switching Impulses SSIs) on the aging phenomena in HVDC extruded cable insulations. Dielectric spectroscopy, conductivity measurements, Fourier Transform Infra-Red FTIR spectroscopy, and space charge measurements show variation in the insulating properties of the aged Cross-Linked Polyethylene XLPE specimens compared to non-aged ones. Scission in XLPE bonds and formation of aging chemical bonds is also noticed in aged insulations due to possible oxidation reactions. The aged materials show more ability to accumulate space charges compared to non-aged ones. An increase in both DC electrical conductivity and imaginary permittivity has been also noticed. - The development of life-based geometric design of HVDC cables in a detailed parametric analysis of all parameters that affect the design. Furthermore, the effect of both electrical and thermal transients on the design is also investigated. - The intrinsic thermal instability in HVDC cables and the effect of insulation characteristics on the thermal stability using a temperature and field iterative loop (using numerical methods – Finite Difference Method FDM). The dielectric loss coefficient is also calculated for DC cables and found to be less than that in AC cables. This emphasizes that the intrinsic thermal instability is critical in HVDC cables. - Fitting electrical conductivity models to the experimental measurements using both models found in the literature and modified models to find the best fit by considering the synergistic effect between field and temperature coefficients of electrical conductivity.