An assessment of factors affecting performance and growth of new technology based firms in the UK

New Technology Based Firms (NTBF) are considered to be important for the economic development of a country in regards to both employment growth and innovative activity. The latter is believed to contribute significantly to the increase in productivity and therefore the competitiveness of UK’s economy. This study contributes to the above literature by investigating two of the factors believed to limit the growth of such firms in the UK. The first concerns the existence of a ‘knowledge gap’ while the second the existence of a ‘financial gap’. These themes are developed along three main research lines. Firstly, based upon the human capital theory initially proposed by Backer (1964) new evidence is provided on the human capital characteristics (experience and education) of the current UK NTBF entrepreneurs. Secondly, the causal relationship between general and specific human capital (as well as their interactions) upon the company performance and growth is investigated via its traditional direct effect as well as via its indirect effect upon the access to external finance. Finally, more light is shed on the financial structure and the type of financial constraints that high-tech firms face at start-up. In particular, whether a financial gap exists is explored by distinguishing between the demand and the supply of external finance as well as by type of external source of financing. The empirical testing of the various research hypotheses has been obtained by carrying out an original survey of new technology based firms defined as independent companies, established in the past 25 years in R&D intensive sectors. The resulting dataset contains information for 412 companies on a number of general company characteristics and the characteristics of their entrepreneurs in 2004. Policy and practical implications for future and current entrepreneurs and also providers of external finance are provided.

The effects of substrate water availability on the isolation and growth of fungi

The work reported in this thesis was carried out to contribute to the knowledge of the effects of substrate water availability or water activity (a ) on fungal growth parameters and its implications in the preparationw of materials susceptible to biodeterioration. Fungi were isolated from soils of different ecological sites at a range of substrate aw levels controlled by sodium chloride (NaCl). Three groups of fungi were isolated : firstly, those isolated only at high a (aw about 0.997).secondly, those isolated at high and decreasing aw (aw 0.997 to 0.85) and finally, those isolated at only decreased aw (aw O.95 to 0.80). From these isolations, test fungi were selected to study the effects of pH, temperature, exo-enzyme production and biocide efficacy at decreased aw levels, with glycerol and NaCl as a controlling solutes. The linear extension rates of the fungi increased at all test pH values near optimum a of growth. Test fungi of the Aspergillus glaucus group were found to be most resistant to low aw. Growth and survival of vegetative and fruiting bodies at elevated temperatures were enhanced with the addition of a controlling solutes. A. flavus, A. fumigatus displayed high heat resistance and A. amstelodami, A. versicolor and Penicillium citrinum displayed low heat resistance at high aw levels and vice versa at low aw levels. Amylase, lipase and protease activities were studied at lowered aw , using modifications of the test tube method of Raute11a and Cowling. Amylase and protease production in most xerophilic fungi ceased around 0.80 aw , but lipase production in some xerophilic fungi, including A. glatlcus fungi, was up to and including 0.70 aw with g1ycero1.

SMEs in a globalised world:survival and growth strategies on Europe's geographical periphery

This insightful book shows how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from some of the traditionally less dynamic peripheral economies of the 'old' EU - namely Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain - have responded to the twin challenges of globalisation and industrial restructuring. Through a series of unique case studies the contributing authors discuss how these economies, and in particular the SME sector, can be transformed. The book begins by examining the key drivers of the globally competitive SME sector in the EU, before moving on to explore the relationship between multinational enterprises (MNEs), SMEs and industrial development. The authors investigate important policy implications and provide lessons for SME development and growth. With empirical and theoretical contributions on SMEs in both the manufacturing and the services sectors, this essential book will be invaluable for researchers and policymakers in small business economics and management. Postgraduate students of entrepreneurship, business economics, industrial economics and European studies will appreciate this unique set of insights.

Firm size, source of finance, and growth:evidence from China

Using a comprehensive firm-level data set from China spanning the period 1998–2005, this study investigates the relationship between firm size, financing sources, and total factor productivity growth. Controlling for the endogeneity of financing sources, we find that firm size plays an important role in the way financial structure affects the growth process. Domestic bank loans are more effective for bigger firms, while self-raised finance is more beneficial to smaller firms’ growth. We also uncover evidence that ownership mediates the relationship between firm size, finance, and growth.

Openness, knowledge, innovation and growth in UK business services

We explore the causal links between service firms' knowledge investments, their innovation outputs and business growth based on a bespoke survey of around 1100 UK service businesses. We combine the activity based approach of the innovation value chain with firms' external links at each stage of the innovation process. This introduces the concept of 'encoding' relationships through which learning improves the effectiveness of firms' innovation processes. Our econometric results emphasise the importance of external openness in the initial, exploratory phase of the innovation process and the significance of internal openness (e.g. team working) in later stages of the process. In-house design capacity is strongly linked to a firm's ability to absorb external knowledge for innovation. Links to customers are important in the exploratory stage of the innovation process, but encoding linkages with private and public research organisations are more important in developing innovation outputs. Business growth is related directly to both the extent of firms' service innovation as well as the diversity of innovation, reflecting marketing, strategic and business process change.

Development of areolae and growth of the peripheral prothallus in the crustose lichen Rhizocarpon geographicum:an image analysis study

Areolae of the crustose lichen Rhizocarpon geographicum (L.) DC., are present on the peripheral prothallus (marginal areolae) and also aggregate to form confluent masses in the centre of the thallus (central areolae). To determine the relationships between these areolae and whether growth of the peripheral prothallus is dependent on the marginal areolae, the density, morphology, and size frequency distributions of marginal areolae were measured in 23 thalli of R. geographicum in north Wales, UK using image analysis (Image J). Size and morphology of central areolae were also studied across the thallus. Marginal areolae were small, punctate, and occurred in clusters scattered over the peripheral prothallus while central areolae were larger and had a lobed structure. The size-class frequency distributions of the marginal and central areolae were fitted by power-law and log-normal models respectively. In 16 out of 23 thalli, central areolae close to the outer edge were larger and had a more complex lobed morphology than those towards the thallus centre. Neither mean width nor radial growth rate (RaGR) of the peripheral prothallus were correlated with density, diameter, or area fraction of marginal areolae. The data suggest central areolae may develop from marginal areolae as follows: (1) marginal areolae develop in clusters at the periphery and fuse to form central areolae, (2) central areolae grow exponentially, and (3) crowding of central areolae results in constriction and fragmentation. In addition, growth of the peripheral prothallus may be unrelated to the marginal areolae. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

The success of technical college students in relation to scores on attitude, personality and intelligence tests

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A study of factors affecting the incidence and growth rates of fungi in sewage bacteria beds

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Development and psychometric tests of the Chinese-version low vision quality of life questionnaire

Background/Aims: To develop and assess the psychometric validity of a Chinese language Vision Health related quality-of-life (VRQoL) measurement instrument for the Chinese visually impaired. Methods: The Low Vision Quality of Life Questionnaire (LVQOL) was translated and adapted into the Chinese-version Low Vision Quality of Life Questionnaire (CLVQOL). The CLVQOL was completed by 100 randomly selected people with low vision (primary group) and 100 people with normal vision (control group). Ninety-four participants from the primary group completed the CLVQOL a second time 2 weeks later (test-retest group). The internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, item-internal consistency, item-discrimination validity, construct validity and discriminatory power of the CLVQOL were calculated. Results: The review committee agreed that the CLVQOL replicated the meaning of the LVQOL and was sensitive to cultural differences. The Cronbach's α coefficient and the split-half coefficient for the four scales and total CLVQOL scales were 0.75-0.97. The test-retest reliability as estimated by the intraclass correlations coefficient was 0.69-0.95. Item-internal consistency was >0.4 and item-discrimination validity was generally <0.40. The Varimax rotation factor analysis of the CLVQOL identified four principal factors. the quality-of-life rating of four subscales and the total score of the CLVQOL of the primary group were lower than those of the Control group, both in hospital-based subjects and community-based subjects. Conclusion: The CLVQOL Chinese is a culturally specific vision-related quality-of-life measure instrument. It satisfies conventional psychometric criteria, discriminates visually healthy populations from low vision patients and may be valuable in screening the local community as well as for use in clinical practice or research. © Springer 2005.

The Hargreaves Review : digital opportunity:a review of intellectual property and growth

In December 2010 the Hargreaves Review was asked to “develop proposals on how the UK's intellectual property framework can further promote entrepreneurialism, economic growth and social and commercial innovation”. It reported in May 2011. The Government published its response in August 2011. This is an overview of both the Review and the Government Response.

The development and growth of tissues derived from cranial neural crest and primitive mesoderm is dependent on the ligation status of retinoic acid receptor γ:evidence that retinoic acid receptor γ functions to maintain stem/progenitor cells in the absence of retinoic acid

Retinoic acid (RA) signaling is important to normal development. However, the function of the different RA receptors (RARs)-RARα, RARβ, and RARγ-is as yet unclear. We have used wild-type and transgenic zebrafish to examine the role of RARγ. Treatment of zebrafish embryos with an RARγ-specific agonist reduced somite formation and axial length, which was associated with a loss of hoxb13a expression and less-clear alterations in hoxc11a or myoD expression. Treatment with the RARγ agonist also disrupted formation of tissues arising from cranial neural crest, including cranial bones and anterior neural ganglia. There was a loss of Sox 9-immunopositive neural crest stem/progenitor cells in the same anterior regions. Pectoral fin outgrowth was blocked by RARγ agonist treatment. However, there was no loss of Tbx-5-immunopositive lateral plate mesodermal stem/progenitor cells and the block was reversed by agonist washout or by cotreatment with an RARγ antagonist. Regeneration of the caudal fin was also blocked by RARγ agonist treatment, which was associated with a loss of canonical Wnt signaling. This regenerative response was restored by agonist washout or cotreatment with the RARγ antagonist. These findings suggest that RARγ plays an essential role in maintaining stem/progenitor cells during embryonic development and tissue regeneration when the receptor is in its nonligated state.

KFTKGA: Knowledge Flow Tracer and Growth Analyzer for Community Learning

The advances in building learning technology now have to emphasize on the aspect of the individual learning besides the popular focus on the technology per se. Unlike the common research where a great deal has been on finding ways to build, manage, classify, categorize and search knowledge on the server, there is an interest in our work to look at the knowledge development at the individual’s learning. We build the technology that resides behind the knowledge sharing platform where learning and sharing activities of an individual take place. The system that we built, KFTGA (Knowledge Flow Tracer and Growth Analyzer), demonstrates the capability of identifying the topics and subjects that an individual is engaged with during the knowledge sharing session and measuring the knowledge growth of the individual learning on a specific subject on a given time space.