An Exploratory Study of Data Quality Management Practices in the ERP Software Systems Context

Quality data are not only relevant for successful Data Warehousing or Business Intelligence applications; they are also a precondition for efficient and effective use of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. ERP professionals in all kinds of businesses are concerned with data quality issues, as a survey, conducted by the Institute of Information Systems at the University of Bern, has shown. This paper demonstrates, by using results of this survey, why data quality problems in modern ERP systems can occur and suggests how ERP researchers and practitioners can handle issues around the quality of data in an ERP software Environment.

Chromium uptake and adsorption in marine phytoplankton - Implications for the marine chromium cycle

Using the radioisotope 51Cr, we investigated the controls of cellular Cr accumulation in an array of marine phytoplankton grown in environmentally relevant Cr concentrations (1–10 nM). Given the affinity of Cr(III) for amorphous Fe-hydroxide mineral surfaces, and the formation of these mineral phases on the outside of phytoplankton cells, extracellular Cr was monitored in a model diatom species (Thalassiosira weissflogii) as extracellular Fe concentrations varied. Extracellular Cr in T. weissflogii increased with increasing extracellular Fe, demonstrating that Cr may be removed from seawater via extracellular adsorption to phytoplankton. Short-term Cr(VI) and Cr(III) uptake experiments performed with T. weissflogii demonstrated that Cr(III) was the primary oxidation state adsorbing to cells and being internalized by them. Cellular Cr:C ratios (<0.5 μmol Cr mol C−1) of the eight phytoplankton species surveyed were significantly lower than previously reported Cr:C ratios in marine particles with a high biogenic component (10–300 μmol Cr mol C−1). This indicates that Cr(III) likely accumulates in marine particles due to uptake and/or adsorption. Mass balance calculations demonstrate that surface water Cr deficits can be explained via loss of Cr(III) to exported particles, thereby providing a mechanism to account for the nutrient depth profile for Cr in modern seawater. Given the large fractionation of stable Cr isotopes during Cr(VI) reduction, Cr(III) associated with exported organic carbon is likely enriched in lighter isotopes. Most sedimentary Cr isotope studies have thus far neglected internal fractionating processes in the marine Cr cycle, but our data indicate that loss of Cr to exported particles may be traced in the sedimentary d53Cr record.

The Entrepreneurial Theory of the Firm and the Theory of the Entrepreneurial Firm

The entrepreneurial theory of the firm argues that entrepreneurship, properly understood, is a crucial but neglected element in explaining the nature and boundaries of the firm. By contrast, the theory of the entrepreneurial firm presumably seeks not to understand the nature and boundaries of "the firm" in general but rather to understand a particular type of firm: one that is entrepreneurial. This paper is an attempt to reconcile the two. After briefly delving for the concept of entrepreneurship in the work of Schumpeter, Kirzner, and (especially) Knight, the paper makes the case for the entrepreneurial theory of the firm. In such a theory, the firm exists as the solution to a coordination problem in a world of change and uncertainty, including Knightian or structural uncertainty. Taking a historical or developmental perspective, the paper then examines the changing nature of the entrepreneurial coordination problem over the life-cycle. In this formulation, "the entrepreneurial firm" is a nascent firm or proto-firm facing a problem of coordinating systemic change in economic capabilities. Lacking (by definition) adequate guidance from existing systems of rules of conduct embedded in markets or organizations, the entrepreneurial firm typically relies on a form of organization Max Weber called charismatic authority. In the end, although there is no such thing as a non-entrepreneurial firm, firms that must solve coordination problems in a world of novelty and systemic change ("entrepreneurial firms") are perhaps the purest case of the entrepreneurial theory of the firm.

Na 1 Nachlass Max Horkheimer, 651 - "Vorwort zu Alfred Schmidt: Der Begriff der Natur in der Lehre von Marx"; "Vorlesungen über Autorität und Gesellschaft"; "Über Logik"; "Vorlesungsankündigungen" (p. IX 32.1-3-IX 35)

Vorwort von Horkheimer, Max und Ardorno, Theodor W. zu: Schmidt, Alfred: Der Begriff der Natur in der Lehre Marx. Frankfurt am Main 1962, Frankfurter Beiträge zur Soziologie Band 11. Mehrere Typoskripte und zwei Entwürfe, Typoskrip c mit eigenhändigen Korrekturen von Theodor W. Adorno, 2 Blatt; zweiter Entwurf mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen von Friedrich Pollock, 1 Blatt; Schmidt, Alfred: Gutachten über die Inauguraldissertation 'Die Rolle der Natur in der Marxschen Konzeption der Gesselschaft'. Typoskript mit eigenhändigen Korrekturen, 4 Blatt; Typoskript, 7 Blatt; Pollock, Friedrich: Eigenhändige Notize und Korrekturvorschläge zur Dissertation von Alfred Schmidt, 24 Blatt; Vorlesungen über Autorität und Gesellschaft [Columbia University New York]; 1936-37 "Authority and Status in Modern Society"; 1937-38 "Authoritarian Thought and Institutions in Europe"; 1938-39 "Authoritarian Doctrines and modern European Institutions"; Einleitende Vorlesung über Autorität und Gesellschaft, 1936/37 (Max Horkheimer). Drei englsiche Fassungen, eine deutsche Fassung (GS 12, S.39-68); Zweite Vorlesung über Autorität und Gesellschaft (Max Horkheimer). Englische Fassung, Typoskript mit eigenhändigen Korrekturen, 27 Blatt; deutsche Fassung, Typoskript mit eigenhändigen Korrekturen, 20 Blatt (GS 12, S.39-68); "History" (Herbert Marcuse). Typoskript mit eigenhändigen Korrekturen, 7 Blatt; "Empirical Research" (Paul Lazarfeld). Typoskript, 7 Blatt; "Economica" (Friedrich Pollock). Typoskript, 9 Blatt; "Authoritarian State" (Franz Neumann). Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 18 Blatt; Teilstück, Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 1 Blatt; "Education" (Leo Löwenthal ?). Typoskript, 6 Blatt; Einleitung in den psychologischen Teil (Fromm). Englische Fassung, Typoskript, 5 Blatt; Abschlußvorlesung: Zusammenfassung (Max Horkheimer). Englische Fassung, Typoskript mit eigenhändigen und handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 9 Blatt; deutsche Fassung, Typoskript, 5 Blatt (GS 12, S. 39-68); Teilstücke (Entwürfe ?) zu den Vorlesungen. Typoskript mit eigenhändigen Korrekturen, 5 Blatt; Eigenhändige Notizen zu den Vorlesungen, 6 Blatt; Literaturlisten. Als Typoskript vervielfältigt, 3 Blatt; Vorlesungsankündigungen. Als Typoskript vervielfältigt, 4 Blatt; Typoskript, 2 Blatt; Ohne Namen: "Errors in Professor Horkheimers Lecture". Stichworte zu sprachlichen Fehlern Max Horkheimers, 4 Blatt; "Über Logik": Vorlesung von Max Horkheimer, 1939. Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Ergänzungen von Herbert Marcuse, 17 Blatt; Typoskript mit eigenhändigen Korrekturen, 10 Blatt (GS 12, S. 69-74); Vorlesungsankündigungen der Institutsmitglieder (1941 ?); Horkheimer, Max: "The Social Psychology of Mass Movements"; Horkheimer, Max: "Modern Utopias and their Social Background"; Adorno, Theodor W.: "Sociology of Art"; Adorno, Theodor W.: "Sociology of Popular Music"; Marcuse, Herbert: "Social and Intelectual Foundations of Modern European Democracy"; Marcuse, Herbert: "The Development of Social Thought in der Modern Era"; Neumann, Franz: "History of Modern Political Thought"; Neumann, Franz: "Sociology of Legal Institutions"; Löwenthal, Leo: "Sociology of Modern Popular Literature"; Löwenthal, Leo: "Social Trends in European Literature since the Renaissance"; Kirchheimer, Otto: "Sociology of Political Institutions"; Kirchheimer, Otto: "Development of Criminological Thought". Typoskript, 13 Blatt; Typoskript, 7 Blatt; Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 14 Blatt;

Policy implications of public health workforce development for disaster preparedness in the United States

Public health efforts were initiated in the United States with legislative actions for enhancing food safety and ensuring pure drinking water. Some additional policy initiatives during the early 20th century helped organize and coordinate relief efforts for victims of natural disasters. By 1950's the federal government expanded its role for providing better health and safety to the communities, and its disaster relief activities became more structured. A rise in terrorism related incidents during the late 1990's prompted new proactive policy directions. The traditional policy and program efforts for rescue, recovery, and relief measures changed focus to include disaster preparedness and countermeasures against terrorism.^ The study took a holistic approach by analyzing all major disaster related policies and programs, in regard to their structure, process, and outcome. Study determined that United States has a strong disaster preparedness agenda and appropriate programs are in place with adequate policy support, and the country is prepared to meet all possible security challenges that may arise in the future. The man-made disaster of September 11th gave a major thrust to improve security and enhance preparedness of the country. These new efforts required large additional funding from the federal government. Most existing preparedness programs at the local and national levels are run with federal funds which is insufficient in some cases. This discrepancy arises from the fact that federal funding for disaster preparedness programs at present are not allocated by the level of risks to individual states or according to the risks that can be assigned to critical infrastructures across the country. However, the increased role of the federal government in public health affairs of the states is unusual, and opposed to the spirit of our constitution where sovereignty is equally divided between the federal government and the states. There is also shortage of manpower in public health to engage in disaster preparedness activities, despite some remarkable progress following the September 11th disaster.^ Study found that there was a significant improvement in knowledge and limited number of studies showed improvement of skills, increase in confidence and improvement in message-mapping. Among healthcare and allied healthcare professionals, short-term training on disaster preparedness increased knowledge and improved personal protective equipment use with some limited improvement in confidence and skills. However, due to the heterogeneity of these studies, the results and interpretation of this systematic review may be interpreted with caution.^

La demanda de reconocimiento : un problema para el análisis de las corrientes éticas materiales

En las sociedades modernas existen diversas posturas posibles de asumir frente a los múltiples y complejos problemas culturales, sociales, económicos y políticos. En este trabajo abordamos el problema de la demanda de reconocimiento igualitario por parte de minorías étnicas, como el caso de las comunidades indígenas en Formosa, Argentina. Para su elucidación proponemos un análisis comparado de los aportes de dos filósofos: Charles Taylor (éticas comunitaristas) y Enrique Dussel (ética de la liberación).

Crítica y poesía. Elementos para una tradición

Este ensayo estudia las operaciones epistemológicas actuantes en la crítica argentina contemporánea de poesía, tomando en cuenta el estatuto teórico-filosófico de su discurso. Para ello, postula una tradición emergente en las últimas décadas del siglo XX, desde la constitución de un texto fundacional: el ensayo de Noé Jitrik titulado "Alturas de Machu Picchu. Una marcha piramidal a través de un discurso poético incesante". Posteriormente, se muestra en dos críticos destacados de una promoción posterior -Cristina Piña y Daniel Freidemberg- la coexistencia de tendencias opuestas en las elecciones estéticas, propias de las poéticas de los años sesenta y prolongadas hasta los ochenta, pero con la común característica del productivo procesamiento de la moderna teoría literaria.

Text Comprehension And roduction in University Students: Text Reformulation

This paper sets out to report on findings about features of task-specific reformulation observed in university students in the middle stretch of the Psychology degree course (N=58) and in a reference group of students from the degree courses in Modern Languages, Spanish and Library Studies (N=33) from the National University of La Plata (Argentina). Three types of reformulation were modeled: summary reformulation, comprehensive and productive reformulation.The study was based on a corpus of 621 reformulations rendered from different kinds of text. The versions obtained were categorised according to the following criteria: presence or absence of normative, morphosyntactic and semantic difficulties. Findings show that problems arise particularly with paraphrase and summary writing. Observation showed difficulties concerning punctuation, text cohesion and coherence , and semantic distortion or omission as regards extracting and/or substituting gist, with limited lexical resources and confusion as to suitability of style/register in writing. The findings in this study match those of earlier, more comprehensive research on the issue and report on problems experienced by a significant number of university students when interacting with both academic texts and others of a general nature. Moreover, they led to questions, on the one hand, as to the nature of such difficulties, which appear to be production-related problems and indirectly account for inadequate text comprehension, and on the other hand, as to the features of university tuition when it comes to text handling.

Size-related stable isotope changes in Late Cretaceous and Recent planktic foraminifera from the western tropical Atlantic

The paleoecology of Cretaceous planktic foraminifera during the Late Cenomanian to Coniacian period (~95-86 Ma) remains controversial since much of the tropical marine record is preserved as chalk and limestone with uncertain geochemical overprints. Here we present delta13C and delta18O data from sieve size fractions of monospecific samples of exceptionally well preserved planktic foraminifera recovered during Ocean Drilling Program Leg 207 (Demerara Rise, western tropical Atlantic). Our results suggest that all species studied (Hedbergella delrioensis, Heterohelix globulosa, Marginotruncana sinuosa, Whiteinella baltica) grew primarily in surface waters and did not change their depth habitat substantially during their life cycle. Comparison of size-related ontogenetic trends in delta13C in Cretaceous and modern foraminifera further suggests that detection of dinoflagellate photosymbiosis using delta13C is confounded by physiological effects during the early stages of foraminifer growth, raising doubts about previous interpretations of photosymbiosis in small foraminifera species. We propose that obligate photosymbiosis involving dinoflagellates may not have evolved until the Campanian or Maastrichtian since our survey of Cenomanian-Coniacian species does not find the delta18O and delta13C size-related trends observed in modern foraminifer-dinoflagellate symbioses.

Analysis of macerals in sediment core 159-959C

Organic petrologic and geochemical analyses were performed on modern and Quaternary organic carbon-poor deep sea sediments from the Equatorial Atlantic. The study area covers depositional settings from the West African margin (ODP Site 959) through the Equatorial Divergence (ODP Site 663) to the pelagic Equatorial Atlantic. Response of organic matter (OM) deposition to Quaternary climatic cycles is discussed for ODP Sites 959 and 663. The results are finally compared to a concept established for fossil deep sea environments [Littke and Sachsenhofer, 1994 doi:10.1021/ef00048a041]. Organic geochemical results obtained from Equatorial Atlantic deep sea deposits provide new aspects on the distribution of sedimentary OM in response to continental distance, atmospheric and oceanographic circulation, and depositional processes controlling sedimentation under modern and past glacial-interglacial conditions. The inventory of macerals in deep sea deposits is limited due to mechanical breakdown of particles, degree of oxidation, and selective remineralization of labile (mostly marine) OM. Nevertheless, organic petrology has a great potential for paleoenvironmental studies, especially as a proxy to assess quantitative information on the relative abundance of marine vs. terrigenous OM. Discrepancies between quantitative data obtained from microscopic and isotopic (delta13Corg) analyses were observed depending on the stratigraphic level and depositional setting. Strongest offset between both records was found close to the continent and during glacial periods, suggesting a coupling with wind-born terrigenous OM from central Africa. Since African dust source areas are covered by C4 grass plants, supply of isotopically heavy OM is assumed to have caused the difference between microscopic and isotopic records.

Crítica y poesía. Elementos para una tradición

Este ensayo estudia las operaciones epistemológicas actuantes en la crítica argentina contemporánea de poesía, tomando en cuenta el estatuto teórico-filosófico de su discurso. Para ello, postula una tradición emergente en las últimas décadas del siglo XX, desde la constitución de un texto fundacional: el ensayo de Noé Jitrik titulado "Alturas de Machu Picchu. Una marcha piramidal a través de un discurso poético incesante". Posteriormente, se muestra en dos críticos destacados de una promoción posterior -Cristina Piña y Daniel Freidemberg- la coexistencia de tendencias opuestas en las elecciones estéticas, propias de las poéticas de los años sesenta y prolongadas hasta los ochenta, pero con la común característica del productivo procesamiento de la moderna teoría literaria.

Text Comprehension And roduction in University Students: Text Reformulation

This paper sets out to report on findings about features of task-specific reformulation observed in university students in the middle stretch of the Psychology degree course (N=58) and in a reference group of students from the degree courses in Modern Languages, Spanish and Library Studies (N=33) from the National University of La Plata (Argentina). Three types of reformulation were modeled: summary reformulation, comprehensive and productive reformulation.The study was based on a corpus of 621 reformulations rendered from different kinds of text. The versions obtained were categorised according to the following criteria: presence or absence of normative, morphosyntactic and semantic difficulties. Findings show that problems arise particularly with paraphrase and summary writing. Observation showed difficulties concerning punctuation, text cohesion and coherence , and semantic distortion or omission as regards extracting and/or substituting gist, with limited lexical resources and confusion as to suitability of style/register in writing. The findings in this study match those of earlier, more comprehensive research on the issue and report on problems experienced by a significant number of university students when interacting with both academic texts and others of a general nature. Moreover, they led to questions, on the one hand, as to the nature of such difficulties, which appear to be production-related problems and indirectly account for inadequate text comprehension, and on the other hand, as to the features of university tuition when it comes to text handling.

Measurements of trace metal abundances and isotopes in carbonate sediments, Exuma, Bahamas

In order to validate the use of 238U/235U as a paleoredox proxy in carbonates, we examined the incorporation and early diagenetic evolution of U isotopes in shallow Bahamian carbonate sediments. Our sample set consists of a variety of primary precipitates that represent a range of carbonate producing organisms and components that were important in the past (scleractinian corals, calcareous green and red algae, ooids, and mollusks). In addition, four short push cores were taken in different depositional environments to assess the impact of early diagenesis and pore water chemistry on the U isotopic composition of bulk carbonates. We find that U concentrations are much higher in bulk carbonate sediments (avg. 4.1 ppm) than in primary precipitates (avg. 1.5 ppm). In almost all cases, the lowest bulk sediment U concentrations were as high as or higher than the highest concentrations found in primary precipitates. This is consistent with authigenic accumulation of reduced U(IV) during early diagenesis. The extent of this process appears sensitive to pore water H2S, and thus indirectly to organic matter content. d238/235U values were very close to seawater values in all of the primary precipitates, suggesting that these carbonate components could be used to reconstruct changes in seawater U geochemistry. However, d238/235U of bulk sediments from the push cores was 0.2-0.4 per mil heavier than seawater (and primary precipitates). These results indicate that authigenic accumulation of U under open-system sulfidic pore water conditions commonly found in carbonate sediments strongly affects the bulk U concentrations and 238U/235U ratios. We also report the occurrence of dolomite in a tidal pond core which contains low 234U/238U and 238U/235U ratios and discuss the possibility that the dolomitization process may result in sediments depleted in 238U. From this initial exploration, it is clear that 238U/235U variations in ancient carbonate sediments could be driven by changes in global average seawater, by spatial and temporal variations in the local deposition environment, or subsequent diagenesis. To cope with such effects, proxies for syndepositional pore water redox conditions (e.g., organic matter content, iron speciation, and trace metal distributions) and careful consideration of possible post-deposition alteration will be required to avoid spurious interpretation of 238U/235U data from ancient carbonate sediments.

Crítica y poesía. Elementos para una tradición

Este ensayo estudia las operaciones epistemológicas actuantes en la crítica argentina contemporánea de poesía, tomando en cuenta el estatuto teórico-filosófico de su discurso. Para ello, postula una tradición emergente en las últimas décadas del siglo XX, desde la constitución de un texto fundacional: el ensayo de Noé Jitrik titulado "Alturas de Machu Picchu. Una marcha piramidal a través de un discurso poético incesante". Posteriormente, se muestra en dos críticos destacados de una promoción posterior -Cristina Piña y Daniel Freidemberg- la coexistencia de tendencias opuestas en las elecciones estéticas, propias de las poéticas de los años sesenta y prolongadas hasta los ochenta, pero con la común característica del productivo procesamiento de la moderna teoría literaria.