Dispersions are quite sensitive to growth and attack by micro‐organisms. This presents itself by discolouration of the dispersion, a putrid smell, gasformation and alterations of…
Abstract
Dispersions are quite sensitive to growth and attack by micro‐organisms. This presents itself by discolouration of the dispersion, a putrid smell, gasformation and alterations of the physical properties of the pH. Total disintegration such as the dispersion seldom occurs. A contaminated product does not have to show all the above mentioned effects but may show only discolouration.
Phuc Huynh Evertsen and Einar Rasmussen
Managing resources is crucial for firms to gain competitive advantages and succeed, particularly for startups with limited resources. It is important to understand how digital…
Abstract
Purpose
Managing resources is crucial for firms to gain competitive advantages and succeed, particularly for startups with limited resources. It is important to understand how digital startups in general and digital academic spin-offs (ASOs) in particular may orchestrate their resources to optimize value. This paper integrates the resource-based perspective with digital entrepreneurship to analyze the resource configurations leading to success of digital ASOs.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper adopts an inductive approach and applies qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) on a longitudinal dataset of digital ASOs to identify the resource configurations for a successful outcome.
Findings
The authors' paper identifies two main paths to success among digital ASOs, consisting of five distinct resource configurations. The first path is termed “market exploiters” that operate in favorable market conditions where specific technological resources and research collaboration resources are lacking. The second path involves “technology explorers” that combines both technological and commercial resources to achieve success.
Research limitations/implications
By outlining distinct pathways to the success of digital ASOs, this paper contributes to the digital academic entrepreneurship literature and the resource-based view of entrepreneurial firms. The paper also suggests implications for policymakers and managers in managing resources for the success of digital ventures.
Originality/value
By exploring the resource configurations leading to the success of ASOs commercializing digital technologies, the paper shows that favorable market conditions and complementary resource configurations can be alternative pathways to success.
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Emmeline de Pillis and Kathleen K. Reardon
The purpose of this paper is to examine persuasion and personality variables as predictors of entrepreneurial intention in a cross‐cultural sample.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine persuasion and personality variables as predictors of entrepreneurial intention in a cross‐cultural sample.
Design/methodology/approach
Undergraduates in the USA and the Republic of Ireland completed measures of personal efficacy, achievement motivation, ambiguity tolerance, attitudes toward entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurial intention.
Findings
The results suggest that the decision to become an entrepreneur comes about differently in different cultures. US participants appear to perceive entrepreneurship as a societally sanctioned and appropriate outlet for their achievement motivation. While achievement motivation correlated with entrepreneurial intention for the US participants, this result did not obtain for the Irish subjects. In both cultures, those who have come to believe that being an entrepreneur is consistent with their self‐image showed strong entrepreneurial intention independent of their other beliefs about entrepreneurship. This study suggests that recollections of positive interpersonal and mass media messages about entrepreneurship encourage entrepreneurial intention – but only for US participants. Other factors discussed in this report appear to mitigate the effect of such recollections for the Irish.
Research limitations/implications
This study is part of a larger research program that includes following up on these participants at a later date. With longitudinal data, we will be able to track the relationship between stated entrepreneurial intention and later business startup.
Originality/value
This investigation compares factors influencing entrepreneurial intention in the USA and Ireland.
Details
Keywords
The importance of networks with respect to acquiring the resources needed for business creation is one of the main areas within entrepreneurship research. Although there is…
Abstract
Purpose
The importance of networks with respect to acquiring the resources needed for business creation is one of the main areas within entrepreneurship research. Although there is significant literature on the use of social capital and human capital by immigrant entrepreneurs, there is an absence of studies which report the impact of business networks. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a study examining the process of business network development by immigrant entrepreneurs.
Design/methodology/approach
For each of the 28 entrepreneurs, data were collected using a questionnaire and an interview. In completing the questionnaire, the entrepreneurs were asked to fill out a network audit, followed by a series of multiple‐choice questions. For the responses from the interviews, narrative structuring is used to create a coherent story of the entrepreneurs' experience of business networks.
Findings
This paper presents data characterizing the entrepreneurs, their experience in business networks, and enablers and disablers to the development of a business network.
Practical implications
The outcome is multiple perspectives on the purpose, process, benefits and challenges of developing a business network, and the impact of participation in a formal business network.
Originality/value
The findings which emerge offer insights into the development of business networks by immigrant entrepreneurs.
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Muhammad Hakeem Mohammad Nazri, Tan Chou Yong, Farazila B. Yusof, Gregory Soon How Thien, Chan Kah Yoong and Yap Boon Kar
Die edge quality with its corresponding die strength are two important factors for excellent dicing quality especially for low-k wafers due to their weak mechanical properties and…
Abstract
Purpose
Die edge quality with its corresponding die strength are two important factors for excellent dicing quality especially for low-k wafers due to their weak mechanical properties and fragile structures. It is shown in past literatures that laser dicing or grooving does yield good dicing quality with the elimination of die mechanical properties. This is due to the excess heat energy that the die absorbs throughout the procedure. Within the internal structure, the mechanical properties of low-k wafers can be further enhanced by modification of the material. The purpose of this paper is to strengthen the mechanical properties of wafers through the heat-treatment process.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology of this approach is by heat treating several low-k wafers that are scribed with different laser energy densities with different laser micromachining parameters, i.e. laser power, frequency, feed speed, defocus reading and single/multibeam setup. An Nd:YAG ultraviolet laser diode that is operating at 355 nm wavelength was used in this study. The die responses from each wafer are thoroughly visually inspected to identify any topside chipping and peeling. The laser grooving profile shape and deepest depth are analysed using a laser profiler, while the sidewalls are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to detect cracks and voids. The mechanical strength of each wafer types then undergoes three-point bending test, and the performance data is analyzed using Weibull plot.
Findings
The result from the experiment shows that the standard wafers are most susceptible to physical defects as compared to the heat-treated wafers. There is improvement for heat-treated wafers in terms of die structural integrity and die strength performance, which revealed a 6% increase in single beam data group for wafers that is processed using high energy density laser output but remains the same for other laser grooving settings. Whereas for multibeam data group, all heat-treated wafer with different laser settings receives a slight increase at 4% in die strength.
Originality/value
Heat-treatment process can yield improved mechanical properties for laser grooved low-k wafers and thus provide better product reliability.
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Aqdas Malik, Kari Hiekkanen and Marko Nieminen
The purpose of this paper is to examine gender and age differences regarding various aspects of privacy, trust, and activity on one of the most popular Facebook activity – “photo…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine gender and age differences regarding various aspects of privacy, trust, and activity on one of the most popular Facebook activity – “photo sharing.”
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected using an online survey hosted by a web-based survey service for three weeks during December 2014-January 2015. The target audience comprised of Facebook users over 18 years engaged in sharing their photos on the platform.
Findings
Women and young Facebook users are significantly more concerned about the privacy of their shared photos. Meanwhile, users from older age groups are less active in using the site, in sharing photos, and in taking privacy-related protective measures. Interestingly, despite having more privacy concerns, young Facebook users display higher trust levels toward the platform than older users. Overall, in the study, there was an extremely significant difference in privacy attitudes among people under and over 35 years of age.
Originality/value
The main contribution of this study is new knowledge regarding the gender and age differences in various privacy-related aspects, trust, and activity. Findings from the study broadens the overall understanding of how these issues positively/negatively influence the photo-sharing activity on Facebook.
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Sarah C. Howes, Darryl Charles, Katy Pedlow, Iseult Wilson, Dominic Holmes and Suzanne McDonough
Active computer gaming (ACG) is a way for older people to participate in strength and balance exercise. Involving older adults in the development of a bespoke ACG system may…
Abstract
Purpose
Active computer gaming (ACG) is a way for older people to participate in strength and balance exercise. Involving older adults in the development of a bespoke ACG system may optimise its usability and acceptability. The purpose of this paper is to employ user-centred design to develop an ACG system to deliver strength and balance exercises, and to explore its safety, usability and acceptability in older adults.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper describes user involvement from an early stage, and its influence on the development of the system to deliver strength and balance exercise suitable for display on a flat screen or using an Oculus Rift virtual reality (VR) headset. It describes user testing of this ACG system in older adults.
Findings
Service users were involved at two points in the development process. Their feedback was used to modify the ACG system prior to user testing of a prototype of the ACG system by n=9 older adults. Results indicated the safety, usability and acceptability of the system, with a strong preference for the screen display.
Research limitations/implications
The sample size for user testing was small; however, it is considered to have provided sufficient information to inform the further development of the system.
Practical implications
Findings from user testing were used to modify the ACG system. This paper identified that future research could explore the influence of repeated use on the usability and acceptability of ACG in older adults.
Originality/value
There is limited information on the usability and acceptability VR headsets in this population.