Gestión del conocimiento y del capital intelectual en una PYME del sector textil

Se presenta una propuesta para la Gestión del Conocimiento en una empresa del sector textilque desarrolla las actividades de ennoblecimiento del producto. El objetivo ha sido diseñar unsistema de soporte para la toma de decisiones, que considere la perspectiva de la medición delCapital Intelectual, y que incorpore elementos del Cuadro de Mando Integral. La realizaciónde la propuesta se basa en una amplia documentación sobre modelos y casos, tanto de Gestióndel Conocimiento como de la Medición del Capital Intelectual.

Timing of Capacity Change: Models for Capital Intensive Industry

The suitable timing of capacity investments is a remarkable issue especially in capital intensive industries. Despite its importance, fairly few studies have been published on the topic. In the present study models for the timing of capacity change in capital intensive industry are developed. The study considers mainly the optimal timing of single capacity changes. The review of earlier research describes connections between cost, capacity and timing literature, and empirical examples are used to describe the starting point of the study and to test the developed models. The study includes four models, which describe the timing question from different perspectives. The first model, which minimizes unit costs, has been built for capacity expansion and replacement situations. It is shown that the optimal timing of an investment can be presented with the capacity and cost advantage ratios. After the unit cost minimization model the view is extended to the direction of profit maximization. The second model states that early investments are preferable if the change of fixed costs is small compared to the change of the contribution margin. The third model is a numerical discounted cash flow model, which emphasizes the roles of start-up time, capacity utilization rate and value of waiting as drivers of the profitable timing of a project. The last model expands the view from project level to company level and connects the flexibility of assets and cost structures to the timing problem. The main results of the research are the solutions of the models and analysis or simulations done with the models. The relevance and applicability of the results are verified by evaluating the logic of the models and by numerical cases.

Codeine accumulation and elimination in larvae, pupae, and imago of the blowfly Lucilia sericata and effects on its development.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of insect larvae as samples for toxicological investigations. For this purpose, larvae of Lucilia sericata were reared on samples of minced pig liver treated with different concentrations of codeine: therapeutic, toxic, and potentially lethal doses. Codeine was detected in all tested larvae, confirming the reliability of these specimens for qualitative toxicology analysis. Furthermore, concentrations measured in larvae were correlated with levels in liver tissue. These observations bring new elements regarding the potential use of opiates concentrations in larvae for estimation of drug levels in human tissues. Morphine and norcodeine, two codeine metabolites, have been also detected at different concentrations depending on the concentration of codeine in pig liver and depending on the substance itself. The effects of codeine on the development of L. sericata were also investigated. Results showed that a 29-h interval bias on the evaluation of the larval stage duration calculated from the larvae weight has to be considered if codeine was present in the larvae substrate. Similarly, a 21-h interval bias on the total duration of development, from egg to imago, has to be considered if codeine was present in the larvae substrate.

Dry matter accumulation and mineral nutrition of arracacha in response to nitrogen fertilization

Abstract:The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen fertilization on the growth and yield of arracacha (Arracacia xanthorrhiza), as well as on the plant's nutrient uptake, distribution, and removal. The experiment was carried out in a typical Oxisol, with sandy texture. A randomized complete block design was used, with four replicates. The treatments consisted of five N rates: 0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 kg ha-1. The plots were composed of three 8-m-length rows, spaced at 0.60 m between rows and 0.40 m between plants. The plants were harvested after an 8-month cycle. Nitrogen fertilization significantly increased the proportion of N and S accumulated in stems, and of Ca, Mg, Fe, and Mn in leaves. N supply increased Zn distribution to stems and leaves, whereas high N rates increased Cu allocation to stems more than to the rootstock. High N rates increase plant dry matter (DM) production and nutrient uptake and removal, but do not result in the greatest yield due to the greater development of leaves and stems, and to the lower allocation of DM in storage roots.

Low concentrations of 3-hydroxy glutarate leads to ammonium accumulation and non-apoptotic cell death in developing brain cells

We previously showed in a 3D rat brain cell in vitro model for glutaric aciduria type-I that repeated application of 1mM 3-hydroxy-glutarate (3-OHGA) caused ammonium accumulation, morphologic alterations and induction of non-apoptotic cell death in developing brain cells. Here, we performed a dose-response study with lower concentrations of 3- OHGA.We exposed our cultures to 0.1, 0.33 and 1mM 3-OHGA every 12h over three days at two developmental stages (DIV5-8 and DIV11-14). Ammonium accumulation was observed at both stages starting from 0.1mM 3-OHGA, in parallel with a glutamine decrease. Morphological changes started at 0.33mM with loss of MBP expression and loss of astrocytic processes. Neurons were not substantially affected. At DIV8, release of LDH in the medium and cellular TUNEL staining increased from 0.1mM and 0.33mM 3-OHGA exposure, respectively. No increase in activated caspase-3 was observed. We confirmed ammonium accumulation and non-apoptotic cell death of brain cells in our in vitro model at lower 3-OHGA concentrations thus strongly suggesting that the observed effects are likely to take place in the brain of affected patients. The concomitant glutamine decrease suggests a defect in the astrocyte ammonium buffering system. Ammonium accumulation might be the cause of non-apoptotic cell death.

Workplace adjustment of an expatriate manager: identifying key components from a social capital perspective

Perustaen tutkimuksen kansainvälisen sopeutumisen teoreettiselle rungolle täydentäen sitä sosiaalisen pääoman teorialla, tämä tutkielma tutkii kuinka johtoasemassa oleva ulkosuomalainen luo hyvin toimivan sosiaalisen verkoston hong kongilaisella työpaikallansa. Tutkielma lähestyy aihetta Nahapietin ja Ghoshalin (1998) kehittämän sosiaalisen pääoman kolmen ulottuvuuden mallin avulla. Tutkielmassa kirjallisuudesta haettua teoriaa käytetään tutkimustavarten tehtyjen haastattelujen analysointiapuna. Tutkimalla sosiaalista pääomaa, kansainvälisen sopeutumisen kirjallisuutta, ekspatriootin perinteisiä menestystekijöitä ja guanxia (kiinalaisten henkilökohtaisia siteitä) tämän tutkimuksen teoriaosuus implikoi, että sosiaalisella pääomalla tulisi olla täydentävä rooli kansainvälisen sopeutumisen kirjallisuudessa. Sosiaalisen pääoman kolmen ulottuvuuden mallia käytetään pohjana empiirisen datan analysointiin. Tutkielman empiiriset tulokset osoittavat, että työpaikan sosiaaliseen verkostoon sopeutuminen liittyy exspatriootin kykyyn käsitellä estäviä ja mahdollistajia sosiaalisen pääoman luontiin vaikuttavia tekijöitä. Lisäksi sopeutuminen vaatii exspatriootin tunnistavan kohdemaalle tyypillisiä exspatriootin menestystekijöitä ja ekspatriootinomia tärkeitä henkilökohtaisia ominaisuuksia.

The Role and Measurement of Social Capital in New Technology-Based Start-up Context

Tämän Pro gradu-tutkielman tavoitteena olirakentaa esiymmärrys sosiaalisen pääoman roolista ja mittaamisesta uuden teknologian start-up yrityksissä. Pääasiallisena tarkoituksena tässä tutkimuksessa olilöytää sosiaalisen pääoman ja start-up yrityksen tuloksellisuuden välille yhdistävä tekijä. Tutkimuksen empiirinen aineisto kerättiin pääasiallisesti kuuden OKO Venture Capitalin sijoitusportfolioon sisältyvien case-yritysten kvalitatiivisten teemahaastatteluiden sekä kvantitatiivisten kyselylomakkeiden avulla. Kvalitatiivisten haastatteluiden tulosten perusteella sosiaalisen pääoman ja tuloksellisuuden välille löytyi yhdistävä tekijä, jota käytettiin myöhemmin hyväksi kvantitatiivisessa kyselylomakkeessa. Tämän tutkielman tulokset osoittivat, että startegisen päätöksenteon kautta sosiaalinen pääoma vaikuttaa osittain start-up yritysten tuloksellisuuteen. Manageriaalisesti tärkempi löydös tässä tutkimuksessa oli kuitenkin se, että sosiaalista pääomaa voidaan käyttää hyväksi ennustettaessa uuden teknologian start-up yritysten tulevaisuuden kassavirtoja.

Analyzing dynamic intellectual capital: System-based theory and application

This research report presents an application of systems theory to evaluating intellectual capital (IC) as organization's ability for self-renewal. As renewal ability is a dynamic capability of an organization as a whole, rather than a static asset or an atomistic competence of separate individuals within the organization, it needs to be understood systemically. Consequently, renewal ability has to be measured with systemic methods that are based on a thorough conceptual analysis of systemic characteristics of organizations. The aim of this report is to demonstrate the theory and analysis methodology for grasping companies' systemic efficiency and renewal ability. The volume is divided into three parts. The first deals with the theory of organizations as self-renewing systems. In the second part, the principles of quantitative analysis of organizations are laid down. Finally, the detailed mathematics of the renewal indices are presented. We also assert that the indices produced by the analysis are an effective tool for the management and valuation of knowledge-intensive companies.

Homogamia educativa y capital cultural

El artículo trata la relación positiva entre hipogamia educativa, cohorte generacional femenina nacida con posterioridad a 1955 y capital cultural en los hogares de la ciudad de Lleida. Los resultados se interpretan en un contexto más amplio de modernización familiar de la sociedad española.

"Las cosechas se calcularon en dólares y la tierra se valoraba en capital más interés". Una interpretación crítica desde la Economía Ecológica de la evaluación monetaria de la degradación del suelo

El objetivo de este trabajo es discutir las principales aproximaciones utilizadas en la literatura para la evaluación monetaria de la degradación de los suelos: el método del coste de reposición y el método del cambio en la productividad. El método del coste de reposición ha sido aplicado principalmente a procesos de erosión, y representa a los suelos como simples "stocks" de nutrientes para las plantas. Este método es erróneo, además, por considerar que una unidad de nutriente en el suelo erosionado es equivalente a una unidad del mismo nutriente en un fertilizante sintético, ya que la concentración del nutriente en éste es muy superior a la concentración en aquél. Por su parte, el método del cambio en la productividad asigna al suelo lo que es, en realidad, un resultado del sistema de uso del territorio. Además, sólo considera la función de producción agraria del suelo, sobre la base de una definición por otro lado simplista de la productividad. En cualquier caso, estas aproximaciones no permiten resolver la valoración de los procesos irreversibles en la dinámica de los suelos ya que no disponemos de sustitutos renovables del suelo. Por ello, estos métodos no pueden considerarse sino complementarios de los métodos de valoración física de la dinámica de los suelos.

Liver-specific loss of lipin-1-mediated phosphatidic acid phosphatase activity does not mitigate intrahepatic TG accumulation in mice.

Lipin proteins (lipin 1, 2, and 3) regulate glycerolipid homeostasis by acting as phosphatidic acid phosphohydrolase (PAP) enzymes in the TG synthesis pathway and by regulating DNA-bound transcription factors to control gene transcription. Hepatic PAP activity could contribute to hepatic fat accumulation in response to physiological and pathophysiological stimuli. To examine the role of lipin 1 in regulating hepatic lipid metabolism, we generated mice that are deficient in lipin-1-encoded PAP activity in a liver-specific manner (Alb-Lpin1(-/-) mice). This allele of lipin 1 was still able to transcriptionally regulate the expression of its target genes encoding fatty acid oxidation enzymes, and the expression of these genes was not affected in Alb-Lpin1(-/-) mouse liver. Hepatic PAP activity was significantly reduced in mice with liver-specific lipin 1 deficiency. However, hepatocytes from Alb-Lpin1(-/-) mice had normal rates of TG synthesis, and steady-state hepatic TG levels were unaffected under fed and fasted conditions. Furthermore, Alb-Lpin1(-/-) mice were not protected from intrahepatic accumulation of diacylglyerol and TG after chronic feeding of a diet rich in fat and fructose. Collectively, these data demonstrate that marked deficits in hepatic PAP activity do not impair TG synthesis and accumulation under acute or chronic conditions of lipid overload.