How Does Effectual Logic Impact Survival of High-tech Startups in an Emerging Economy? - Evidence from 99tests.com Case Study

During the early stages of operation, high-tech startups need to overcome the liability of newness and manage high degree of uncertainty. Several high-tech startups fail due to inability to deal with skeptical customers, underdeveloped markets and limited resources in selling an offering that has no precedent. This paper leverages the principles of effectuation (a logic of entrepreneurial decision making under uncertainty) to explain the journey from creation to survival of high-tech startups in an emerging economy. Based on the 99tests.com case study, this paper suggests that early stage high-tech startups in emerging economies can increase their probability of survival by adopting the principles of effectuation.

Relay Selection with Channel Probing in Sleep-Wake Cycling Wireless Sensor Networks

In geographical forwarding of packets in a large wireless sensor network (WSN) with sleep-wake cycling nodes, we are interested in the local decision problem faced by a node that has ``custody'' of a packet and has to choose one among a set of next-hop relay nodes to forward the packet toward the sink. Each relay is associated with a ``reward'' that summarizes the benefit of forwarding the packet through that relay. We seek a solution to this local problem, the idea being that such a solution, if adopted by every node, could provide a reasonable heuristic for the end-to-end forwarding problem. Toward this end, we propose a local relay selection problem consisting of a forwarding node and a collection of relay nodes, with the relays waking up sequentially at random times. At each relay wake-up instant, the forwarder can choose to probe a relay to learn its reward value, based on which the forwarder can then decide whether to stop (and forward its packet to the chosen relay) or to continue to wait for further relays to wake up. The forwarder's objective is to select a relay so as to minimize a combination of waiting delay, reward, and probing cost. The local decision problem can be considered as a variant of the asset selling problem studied in the operations research literature. We formulate the local problem as a Markov decision process (MDP) and characterize the solution in terms of stopping sets and probing sets. We provide results illustrating the structure of the stopping sets, namely, the (lower bound) threshold and the stage independence properties. Regarding the probing sets, we make an interesting conjecture that these sets are characterized by upper bounds. Through simulation experiments, we provide valuable insights into the performance of the optimal local forwarding and its use as an end-to-end forwarding heuristic.

Profit as Cost versus Profit as Surplus over Cost: A Case Study on Varian's "Intermediate Microeconomics"

On the analysis of Varian’s textbook on Microeconomics, which I take to be a representative of the standard view, I argue that Varian provides two contrary notions of profit, namely, profit as surplus over cost and profit as cost. Varian starts by defining profit as the surplus of revenues over cost and, thus, as the part of the value of commodities that is not any cost; however, he provides a second definition of profit as a cost, namely, as the opportunity cost of capital. I also argue that the definition of competitive profit as the opportunity cost of capital involves a self-contradictory notion of opportunity cost.

Understanding the ex-ante cost of liquidity in the limit order book: A note

This paper estimates a new measure of liquidity costs in a market driven by orders. It represents thecost of simultaneously buying and selling a given amount of shares, and it is given by a single measure of ex-ante liquidity that aggregates all available information in the limit order book for a given number of shares. The cost of liquidity is an increasing function relating bid-ask spreads with the amounts available for trading. This measure completely characterizes the cost of liquidity of any given asset. It does not suffer from the usual ambiguities related to either the bid-ask spread or depth when they are considered separately. On the contrary, with a single measure, we are able to capture all dimensions of liquidity costs on ex-ante basis.

La promoción de ventas en los mercados de consumo: Propuesta de un nuevo enfoque de gestión promocional

[ES] Actualmente son numerosos los factores que provocan una mayor utilización de la promoción por parte de las empresas fabricantes en los mercados de consumo. Tradicionalmente, las empresas han utilizado la promoción como último recurso para el cumplimiento de los objetivos de ventas. Esta forma de actuar representa una clara orientación a la venta, cuando se trata de analizar la gestión promocional.

Emaús, una organización de acción social

[ES] Emaús Bilbao Sociedad Cooperativa, es una entidad de Economía Social y Solidaria para la inserción sociolaboral, dedicada a la gestión integral de residuos sólidos urbanos (RSU), con sede en Bilbao y que desarrolla esta actividad en Bizkaia.

Particularidades de China para el desarrollo empresarial: reflexión a partir de casos de estudio

[ES] China ha irrumpido como actor principal del escenario global al haber protagonizado, durante las tres últimas décadas, un proceso de transformación económica y social de gran magnitud. Ahora bien, vender productos –sobre todo, del sector de alimentación– de origen occidental en China es, con diferencia, el reto más complicado al que deben enfrentarse las compañías de deciden entrar a operar en este mercado.

Los programas de fidelización como plataforma de venta directa: clasificación de los titulares según la redención de billetes aéreos

[ES] Cada vez son más numerosos los programas de fidelización que ofrecen al titular la posibilidad de comprar puntos o conseguir premios, viajes o billetes aéreos pagando una parte de los mismos con dinero. Dicha característica, unida a la propia estructura y dinámica de los programas de fidelización y a la actual coyuntura del sector turístico, ha permitido desarrollar plataformas de venta directa desde las que ofrecer servicios a los titulares.

Optimal overall emissions taxation in durable goods oligopoly

We analyze optimal second-best emission taxes in a durable good industry under imperfect competition. The analysis is performed for three different types of emissions and for situations where the good is rented, sold or simultaneously sold and rented. We show, for durable goods that may cause pollution in a period (or in periods) different from the production period, that the expected overall emission tax and the expected total marginal environmental damage per unit produced in each period are the relevant variables to consider in the analysis of overinternalization and in the comparison of optimal emission taxes for renting, selling and renting-selling firms. Our results allow to extend some previous results in the literature to these durable goods and provide an adequate perspective on some other results (in particular, we point out the limitations of focusing only, for those durable goods, on the level and effects of the optimal emission tax in the production period).

Informational report: Bycatch reduction devices used in the Pink Shrimp trawl fishery

The California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) has the authority to require one or any combination of Bycatch Reduction Device (BRD) types in the trawl fishery within California waters for Pacific ocean shrimp (Pandalus jordani), most commonly referred to as pink shrimp. The purpose of this report is to provide the Commission with the best available information about the BRDs used in the pink shrimp trawl fishery. The mandatory requirement for BRDs occurred in California in 2002, and in Oregon and Washington in 2003, resulting from an effort to minimize bycatch of overfished and quota managed groundfish species. Three types of BRDs currently satisfy the requirement for this device in the California fishery: 1) the Nordmøre grate (rigid-grate excluder); 2) soft-panel excluder; and 3) fisheye excluder; however, the design, specifications, and efficacy differ by BRD type. Although no data has been collected on BRDs directly from the California pink shrimp fishery, extensive research on the efficacy and differences among BRD types has been conducted by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) since the mid-1990s. Rigid-grate excluders are widely considered to be the most effective of the three BRD types at reducing groundfish bycatch. Over 90 percent of the Oregon pink shrimp fleet use rigid-grate excluders. The majority of the current California pink shrimp fleet also uses rigid-grate excluders, according to a telephone survey conducted by the California Department of Fish and Game (Department) in 2007-2008 of pink shrimp fishermen who have been active in the California fishery in recent years. Hinged rigid-grate excluders have been developed in recent years to reduce the bending of the BRD on vessels that employ net reels to stow and deploy their trawl nets, and they have been used successfully on both single- and double-rig vessels in Oregon. Soft-panel excluders have been demonstrated to be effective at reducing groundfish bycatch, although excessive shrimp loss and other problems have also been associated with this design. Fisheye excluders have been used in the California fishery in the past, but they were disapproved in Oregon and Washington in 2003 because they were found to be less effective at reducing groundfish bycatch than other designs. The reputation of the United States west coast pink shrimp fishery as one of the cleanest shrimp fisheries in the world is largely attributed to the effectiveness of BRDs at reducing groundfish bycatch. Nevertheless, BRD research and development is still a relatively new field and additional modifications and methods may further reduce bycatch rates in the pink shrimp fishery.(PDF contains 12 pages.)

Market survey of the periwinkle Tympanotonus fuscatus in Rivers State: Sizes, prices, trade routes and exploitation levels

Tympanotonus fuscatus was collected from 23 markets through Rivers State (Nigeria), a few in neighbouring states, and from an unexploited population at Buguma. The size distribution of shells was determined,and information on prices and trade routes was also obtained. The mean shell length of specimens from the unexploited Buguma population was 46.4 mm, compared to 30.4 mm for the Buguma market samples. Mean sizes in other markets showed a geographic pattern: the smallest were from the Adoni-Ogoni-Opobo sector (28.1-30.9); the largest were from the Nembe-Brass sector (37.7-44.2) and Bendel State (35.7-45.6); The results suggest the population structure of Tympanotonus in much of Rivers State has been strongly impacted by overharvesting. They show that local market as well as some in Cross River State, are increasingly being supplied by road with specimens from the Benin River area of Bendel State. Differences between shell types; and relations between shell size, selling price and market distance from source, are also discussed

Marketing of fishing gear materials and fishing gear making in parts of Kainji Lake basin

The importance of fishing gear in fishing cannot be over-emphasized; as without it fish cannot be obtained. The method used to catch fish affects the condition in which the product is landed. This means that a bad-catching method would produced bad fish to the consumer. To achieve the goal of self-sufficiency in fish production in Nigeria, there is need to address the lingering problems of fishing gear and craft technology, especially in terms of availability of materials and their cost. The sale and making of fishing gear materials are two areas of fisheries, which are yet to be exploited by the general public as forms of businesses for livelihood. The study is conducted in villages around the lower part of Kainji Lake, towards the dam, including New Bussa. It reveals that only the fishermen themselves are involved in making their own fishing gears while those involved in the selling of fishing gear materials like the sheet netting, ropes, twines, floats, sinkers etc are business men and women who may not have any experience of fishing. Also considered in the study is the art of making fishing crafts like the canoe and gourd. Very few entrepreneurs are involved and they are so skilled that each is specialized in the making of only one kind of craft or gear

Applications of frequency modulation interference cancellers to multiaccess communications systems

Cancellation of interfering frequency-modulated (FM) signals is investigated with emphasis towards applications on the cellular telephone channel as an important example of a multiple access communications system. In order to fairly evaluate analog FM multiaccess systems with respect to more complex digital multiaccess systems, a serious attempt to mitigate interference in the FM systems must be made. Information-theoretic results in the field of interference channels are shown to motivate the estimation and subtraction of undesired interfering signals. This thesis briefly examines the relative optimality of the current FM techniques in known interference channels, before pursuing the estimation and subtracting of interfering FM signals.

The capture-effect phenomenon of FM reception is exploited to produce simple interference-cancelling receivers with a cross-coupled topology. The use of phase-locked loop receivers cross-coupled with amplitude-tracking loops to estimate the FM signals is explored. The theory and function of these cross-coupled phase-locked loop (CCPLL) interference cancellers are examined. New interference cancellers inspired by optimal estimation and the CCPLL topology are developed, resulting in simpler receivers than those in prior art. Signal acquisition and capture effects in these complex dynamical systems are explained using the relationship of the dynamical systems to adaptive noise cancellers.

FM interference-cancelling receivers are considered for increasing the frequency reuse in a cellular telephone system. Interference mitigation in the cellular environment is seen to require tracking of the desired signal during time intervals when it is not the strongest signal present. Use of interference cancelling in conjunction with dynamic frequency-allocation algorithms is viewed as a way of improving spectrum efficiency. Performance of interference cancellers indicates possibilities for greatly increased frequency reuse. The economics of receiver improvements in the cellular system is considered, including both the mobile subscriber equipment and the provider's tower (base station) equipment.

The thesis is divided into four major parts and a summary: the introduction, motivations for the use of interference cancellation, examination of the CCPLL interference canceller, and applications to the cellular channel. The parts are dependent on each other and are meant to be read as a whole.

Optimización técnico-económica del sistema de refrigeración de una planta termosolar de colectores cilindroparabólicos.

[ES]Este proyecto comprende la realización de un estudio de optimización mediante análisis técnico-económico del sistema de refrigeración de una planta termosolar de colectores cilindroparabólicos. Se incluye una exposición descriptiva de la planta y el sistema de agua de circulación y condensado. El estudio técnico-económico se apoya en la realización de los balances térmicos variando los parámetros dimensionantes relativos a dicho sistema mediante el software Thermoflex, partiendo del valor de estos que proporciona la potencia nominal de la planta. Se calcula la producción eléctrica diferencial e inversión diferencial de cada alternativa de dimensionamiento del sistema, calculándose la rentabilidad económica para cada caso. Se refleja también el cambio legislativo sucedido en cuanto al precio de venta de la electricidad y como afecta éste en la rentabilidad de cada caso. De esta forma se seleccionará la solución óptima y se extraerán las conclusiones.

O acesso aos exames de alta complexidade nos planos de saúde privados na perspectiva dos usuários

A dissertação trata do acesso aos serviços de alta complexidade, particularmente os exames diagnósticos e complementares, estudado entre usuários de planos de saúde privados que buscam atendimento e diagnóstico especializado. Desde a década de 80 o usuário do sistema público de saúde vem procurando a saúde suplementar. Contudo, afirmar que o acesso é garantido no domínio privado, através da contratação dos planos de saúde, é uma incerteza que rodeia a inspiração para esta pesquisa, que se justifica pela relevância de ações que possibilitem a melhora da qualidade regulatória dos planos de saúde, a partir do controle social de seus usuários. O objetivo geral é analisar as percepções do acesso aos exames de alta complexidade nos serviços de saúde privados entre usuários de planos de saúde. Os objetivos específicos são descrever as percepções dos usuários de planos de saúde acerca do acesso aos exames de alta complexidade; analisar as motivações dos usuários de planos de saúde privados para a realização de exames de alta complexidade através da rede privada de assistência; e analisar o nível de satisfação dos usuários de planos de saúde quanto ao acesso aos exames de alta complexidade. A metodologia é qualitativa-descritiva, onde a amostra foi de trinta usuários de planos de saúde, acima de 18 anos, selecionados no campo de estudo no ano de 2010. O cenário de estudo foi um laboratório privado de medicina diagnóstica no Rio de Janeiro. As técnicas de coleta de dados utilizadas foram formulário e entrevista individual estruturada. A análise do formulário foi realizada através de estatística descritiva, e as entrevistas através da análise de conteúdo temática-categorial. Os usuários de plano de saúde declararam que o acesso é garantido com facilidade para os exames de alta complexidade. Suas principais motivações para a realização desses exames na rede privada de assistência foram caracterizadas pela rapidez de atendimento, flexibilidade e facilidade de marcação pela internet, telefone ou pessoalmente no laboratório estudado, pronta entrega dos resultados, dificuldade e morosidade do atendimento do SUS, localização do prestador credenciado próxima de bairros residenciais ou do trabalho, resolutividade diagnóstica de imagem de excelência, possibilidade de escolha pelo usuário entre as modalidades aberta e fechada de ressonância magnética e tomografia computadorizada, além da densitometria óssea que foram facilmente acessíveis a todos os sujeitos da pesquisa. O nível de satisfação foi correspondido com a rapidez na realização dos exames em caráter eletivo e de urgência quase equiparados na escala de tempo de acordo com os usuários. Contudo, embora as notas de avaliação dos usuários quanto aos seus planos de saúde tenham sido altas, foram abordadas algumas dificuldades, tais como: prazos de validade dos pedidos médicos com datação prévia; solicitações de senhas de autorização pela operadora; burocracia nos procedimentos de agendamento; dificuldades de acesso para tratamentos como implantes, fisioterapia, RPG, pilates, home care, consultas de check up; negação de reembolsos; restrição de materiais cirúrgicos, em especial as próteses e órteses; e restrições específicas de grau para cirurgias de miopia. Conclui-se que o atendimento rápido dos exames de imagem de alto custo na amostra foi descrito como satisfatório, embora a percepção de rapidez possa variar em função do tipo de produto do plano de saúde privado contratado, com necessidade de melhoria regulatória em alguns aspectos pontuais da saúde suplementar.