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In a review of the literature, supported by six case studies, executive development for senior managers in public and private organisations is explored in depth. The study looks at the roles and responsibilities of the chairman, CEO, executive and non‐executive directors, the required capabilities to achieve successful performance, and the related executive development activity implemented to support these. Methods of delivery, development needs analysis and evaluation are explored in case organisations to ascertain current practice. A detailed review of the leadership and governance literatures is included to highlight the breadth of knowledge required at director level. Key findings of the study include the importance of focusing executive development on capability enhancement, to ensure that it is supporting organisational priorities, and on its thorough customisation to the corporate context. Deficiencies in current corporate practice are also identified.

The purpose of this study is to calibrate a microstructure-based fatigue model for its use in predicting fatigue life of additively manufactured (AM) Ti-6Al-4V. Fatigue models that are capable of better predicting the fatigue behavior of AM metals is required to further the adoption of such metals by various industries. The trustworthiness of AM metallic material is not well characterized, and fatigue models that consider unique microstructure and porosity inherent to AM parts are needed.

Various Ti-6Al-4V samples were additively manufactured using Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS), a direct laser deposition method. The porosity within the LENS samples, as well as their subsequent heat treatment, was varied to determine the effects of microstructure and defects on fatigue life. The as-built and heat-treated LENS samples, together with wrought Ti-6Al-4V samples, underwent fatigue testing and microstructure and fractographic inspection. The collected microstructure/defect statistics were used for calibrating a microstructure-sensitive fatigue model.

Fatigue lives of the LENS Ti-6Al-4V samples were found to be consistently less than those of the wrought Ti-6Al-4V samples, and this is attributed to the presence of pores/defects within the LENS material. Results further indicate that LENS Ti-6Al-4V fatigue lives, as predicted by the used microstructure-sensitive fatigue model, are in close agreement with experimental results. The used model could predict upper and lower prediction bounds based on defect statistics. All the fatigue data were found to be within the bounds predicted by the microstructure-sensitive fatigue model.

To further test the utility of microstructure-sensitive fatigue models for predicting fatigue life of AM samples, future studies on additional material types, additive manufacturing processes and heat treatments should be conducted.

This study shows the utility of a microstructure-sensitive fatigue model for use in predicting the fatigue life of LENS Ti-6Al-4V with various levels of porosity and while in a heat-treated condition.

Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some legal aspects concerning MNEs, cyberspace and e‐commerce as the means of expression of the digital economy. The whole effort of the author is focused on the examination of various aspects of MNEs and their impact upon globalisation and vice versa and how and if we are moving towards a global digital economy.

Summarizes the reasons for and methods of regulation in worldwide capital markets; and describes in detail the development, governance and regulatory structure of the Warsaw stock exchange (Poland). Uses a variance ratio approach based on Lo and MacKinlay (1988, 1989) to examine price behaviour in the exchange from 1991 to 1995, shows that it is not a random walk market and puts forward possible explanations for its market inefficiency. Considers the implications for the Polish economy and suggests that public policymakers could tighten securities laws and exchange rules to improve the efficiency of this emerging capital market.

Since the seminal contributions of Chandler and Williamson, a substantial body of research in industrial organization has examined the performance benefits of the organizational innovation of divisionalization. While existing empirical work has, for the most part, utilized a static framework to analyse the performance effects of divisionalization, adopts a dynamic approach, thereby allowing the intertemporal nature of any such performance benefits to be examined. Presents results from the UK manufacturing industry; the model estimated uses a spline function to incorporate differing organizational regimes over time. The results obtained are less supportive of the benefits of divisionalization than certain of the earlier empirical studies; thus the evidence presented lends no support to the view that organizational change provides unambiguous performance benefits for the firm.

The purpose of this study is to shed light on the importance of innovation and patient centricity to improve the existing pharmaceutical products. In the pharmaceutical industry, defining the “value” or “added value” of medicines is a very complex issue that requires objective information about how they can make people healthier and what “value” means to patients. In light of “value creation” strategy for the existing medicines, many original and generic pharmaceutical companies hope to create new portfolios to enter into new markets, to capture more market share or to strengthen their market position in the existing markets. The fact that “value” and “added value” are not static and change rather rapidly over the time, cannot always facilitate market access for the so-called improved or repurposed/repositioned versions now claiming “added-value” status. The only way “added value” category can promote smarter drug pricing scenarios and access to markets, is focusing on “patient Centricity” while innovating for satisfying their unmet medical needs.

This article is designed and structured by two methodologies: the first one is based on face to face interviews and the second one is focused on literature review regarding the value added pharmaceuticals.

There is an increasing confusion regarding “value-added” pharmaceuticals. This term is mainly used to define improved generic versions. This article discusses the “added-value” of this improvement for patients and manufacturers. By launching such products, these companies attempt to become more “innovative and patient-centric”. Furthermore, adopting a patient-centric strategy as a framework for optimizing the modified pharmaceuticals can create value, new pricing models may emerge through this strategy and can promote the “value” of these products by facilitating their access to higher margins.

Limited to an European discussion around the value-added pharmaceuticals.

The facts about value added medicines. The real classifications of these products.

For patients and health care systems, it is important to trust to real value in pharmaceutical treatments. If their “added value” is not justified by scientific proofs, if it is not patient centric, then they can occupy the status of the next generation of generic medicines a category between innovative and pure generics.

This is an original topic which was never discussed before.

In order to emphasize in-depth analyses of individual life stories, seven informants were selected. Since breadth of experience will contribute to a more detailed contextualization of the consumer's use of products in identity negotiation, diversity across informants was emphasized. Interviews generally followed the format as suggested by Thompson, Locander, and Pollio (1989). A comfortable setting was chosen and pseudonyms were used to ensure anonymity. Interviews were audio-taped and lasted anywhere from one to just over two hours. Grand tour questions (McCracken, 1988) focused on the meaning of the tattoo design, the experience of being tattooed, perceptions of the body, words the informants used to describe themselves, and other biographical information important for understanding the informant's personal myth. Every effort was made to present a natural front, keep the informant on track without being too directive, demonstrate active listening, and prompt the informant as a way of probing for details (Spradley, 1979). To ensure accuracy, an experienced and trained transcriptionist transcribed each of the seven interviews. The final text totaled 450 typed double-spaced pages.