Surviving Radical Technological Change through Dynamic Capability: Evidence from the Typesetter Industry

Recent work in the field of management has focused on ‘dynamiccapability’, the ability of a firm to develop new capabilitiesin response to shifts in its external environment, as a significantsource of competitive advantage. This paper enhances our understandingof dynamic technical capability. While most established firmshave difficulty adapting when confronted with radical, competence-destroyingtechnological change, Mergentbaler Linotype, a firm foundedin 1886, has survived three such revolutions and led the marketin 1990. An examination of the history of this firm in contrastto other incumbents from the same era highlights two key contributorsto dynamic technical capability: external integrative capabilityand geographically distributed research sites. External integrativecapability comprises two elements: internal investments thatdevelop absorptive capacity and an external communication infrastructureto facilitate the transmission of external knowledge. In combination,these elements enable the firm successfully to identify andintegrate knowledge outside its boundaries. Geographically distributedresearch sites facilitate the development of new technical capabilityin three ways. First, competition among research sites spursinnovation. Second, multiple locations help to overcome organizationalinertia by allowing for the development of different generationsof technology in different locations. Finally, multiple locationsprovide a source of variation, enabling the firm to leveragedifferences in local environments.     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book Reviewed in this Article:
WHEAT FLOUR MILLING. Elieser S. Posner and Arthur N. Hibbs.
QUALITY IN FROZEN FOOD. Marilyn C. Erikson and Yen-Con Hung, editors.
SENSORY EVALUATION OF FOOD: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES. Harry T. Lawless and Hildegarde Heymann.
TECHNIQUES FOR ANALYZING FOOD AROMA. Ray Marsili, editor.
PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FOOD – 1995, PART II-TOXICOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL.
PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FOOD-1996, EVALUATIONS 1996, PART II TOXICOLOGICAL.     

ROLE OF INITIAL MUSCLE pH ON THE SOLUBILITY OF FISH MUSCLE PROTEINS IN WATER

The solubility of the myofibrillar and cytoskeletal proteins in water was determined for the muscle tissue often species offish. The flesh of six white-muscled fish had pH's at the time of processing above pH 6.6 and greater than 80% of their myofibrillar/cytoskeletal proteins were soluble in water. The flesh of three pelagic species and a shark had pH values when processed below 6.6 and the water solubility of their myofibrillar and cytoskeletal proteins was less than 40%. When the washed minced muscle of one of the white-fleshed species, cod, was exposed to low pH, the solubility of its myofibrillar and cytoskeletal proteins decreased substantially. The water solubility of the cod myofibrillar and cytoskeletal proteins could be reestablished by washing the acid-treated cod flesh with neutral salt solutions. It is suggested that pH values below 6.6 modify certain proteins which prevent the water-extractability of the rest of the myofibrillar and cytoskeletal proteins from being expressed.     

SENSORY EVALUATION OF JAMS MADE FROM THREE EASTERN THORNLESS AND MARION BLACKBERRIES1

Jams were produced from fruit of eastern thornless blackberries (Black Satin, Chester, Hull Thornless, and Thornfree cultivars) harvested by hand or machine, of a blend of imported fruit from Yugoslavia and Mexico, and of Marion blackberries from Oregon. Jams were evaluated by 12 trained panelists for color, spreadability, consistency, sweetness, blackberry flavor, off-flavor, and seediness. Jams made from hand-harvested Marion, and Black Satin were the most red-purple in color. Machine-harvested Chester fruit yielded the firmest jam and was among the jams rated with the thickest mouthfeel. Jams of hand-harvested Thornfree and Black Satin fruit were rated sweetest. No differences were noted among cultivars in seediness or blackberry flavor. Jam of Marion, Black Satin, and Chester fruit had less off-flavor than the imported fruit blend and Thornfree; however, the intensity of off-flavor was scored low in all jams. Jams made from hand-harvested blackberries were less seedy and had more intense blackberry flavor than machine-harvested fruit.     

Identification of Methylene-Bridged Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Products of Catechol Pyrolysis

As methylene-bridged polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are known for their carcinogenicity and occurrence in solid-fuel byproducts and environmental samples, we have employed high-pressure liquid chromatography with diode-array ultraviolet- visible absorbance and mass spectrometric detection (HPLC/UV/MS) to search for methylene-bridged PAH among the products of the laboratory-scale pyrolysis of cate- chol, a model fuel representing aromatic moieties in coal, tobacco, and plant-based biomass fuels. Utilizing two different octadecylsilica columns and five different mobile- phase separation methods, the HPLC/UV/MS analyses have led to the unequivocal identification of six methylene-bridged PAH among the products of catechol pyrolysis at 1000°C and 0.3 s in a laminar-flow reactor: the C₁₅H₁₀ 4H-cyclopenta- [def]phenanthrene, the C₁₉H₁₂ 11H-benz[bc]aceanthrylene and 4H-cyclopenta[def]- chrysene, the C₂₁H₁₂ 11H-indeno[2,1,7-cde]pyrene and 4H-benzo[def]cyclopenta[mno]- chrysene, and the C₂₃H₁₂ 1H-benzo[ghi]cyclopenta[pqr]perylene. None of these six methylene-bridged PAH have ever before been identified as pyrolysis products of catechol or of any other pure-component fuel. The mass and UV spectra of two additional catechol pyrolysis product components have been examined in light of the finding that the UV spectra of methylene-bridged PAH generally resemble those of their respective parent benzenoid PAH (but with a 5- to 12-nm bathochromic shift in the p band)—resulting in the identification of a methylene-bridged naphtho[2,1-a]pyrene and the tentative identification of a methylene-bridged naphtho[2,3-a]pyrene, two previously unrecognized C₂₅H₁₄ PAH that would be expected to exhibit significant mutagenic and/or carcinogenic behavior.     

Effect of Storage and Cooking on Qualities of Loin and Top-Wound Steaks

SUMMARY— Boneless, trimmed steaks (U. S. Good) from the longissimns dorsi muscle (loin) and semimembranosus muscle (top-round) and conventionally cut loin steaks were removed 8 days post-mortem, quick-frozen and stored at −18°C to −23°C for three storage periods, 0, 6, and 9 months. Steaks were sampled at each storage period and cooked to an internal temperature of 70°C in a microwave oven and electric range. Quality was evaluated by chemical tests, sensory evaluations and cooking loss data.
Storage up to 6 months had little effect on loin steaks with the exception of TBA values, but significant changes occurred between 6 and 9 months. Loin steaks had increased cooking losses and decreased juiciness scores, percent moisture, and juice content. TBA values increased with each storage period. Top-round steaks at the 9-month period showed a decrease in collagen content and juiciness and flavor scores, and an increase in TBA values. Storage up to 9 months did not influence tenderness in either muscle.
Conventionally broiled loin steaks had higher palatability scores, cooking losses, percent moisture, percent total proteins, and lower percent total lipids than did microwave cooked loin steaks. Electronically cooked top-round steaks had higher total cooking losses and percent total proteins and lower collagen values than did conventionally roasted top-round steaks.
The qualities of boneless loin steaks did not differ significantly from those of conventionally cut loin steaks when compared at each storage period.     

Browning reactions during storage of low-moisture Australian sultanas: Evidence for arginine-mediated Maillard reactions

Browning during storage of low‐moisture dried Vitis Vinifera L. cv. Sultana (Thompson Seedless) grapes was examined in a multifactorial treatment and storage trial. Grapevines were subjected to two different levels of sun exposure, harvested fruit was dipped and subjected to different drying treatments to obtain a range of initial moisture contents (a_w= 0.419–0.558). The storage effects of temperature (10^oC and 30^oC), and the presence of oxygen on colour change (CIE L*a*b* tristimulus values, hue‐angle (h_ab*)) and chroma (C_ab*) over a fourteen‐month period were observed. The most significant changes in colour were measured for samples stored at 30^oC, both aerobically and anaerobically, although the largest changes occurred in the presence of oxygen. Initial a_w had a strong effect on colour changes; higher a_w non‐sunfinished samples underwent more significant browning compared to lower a_w sunfinished controls regardless of their oxygen status. Changes in the concentration of the free‐arginine and free‐proline, the most abundant free amino acids in sultanas, were monitored throughout the storage period. Free arginine decreased significantly at 30^oC in both the absence and presence of oxygen, whereas free proline increased (at both 10^oC and 30^oC), implying that free proline did not play a role in browning reactions at those temperatures. In addition to the decreases in free arginine, the concentration of 5‐hydroxymethyl furfural (5‐HMF), a marker of Maillard browning reactions, increased significantly in samples stored at 30^oC. Significant differences in the concentrations of 5‐HMF under the two oxygen conditions indicated sultana Maillard reactions, and possibly other non‐enzymatic browning processes, were oxygen sensitive.     

PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF FOOD RISK ISSUES AND FOOD RISK MESSAGES ON THE ISLAND OF IRELAND: THE VIEWS OF FOOD SAFETY EXPERTS

Food safety experts have a key role in constructing food risk messages and thus their perceptions will influence how food risk issues are communicated to the public. This research examined the perceptions of food safety experts regarding public understanding of food risk issues and food risk messages on the island of Ireland. It also looked into expert views of the barriers to effective food risk communication and how to improve food risk messages. One hundred and forty‐three experts, working in areas related to food safety, completed an online questionnaire. Questionnaire and statement design was guided by the results of four in‐depth interviews with food safety experts. The findings indicate that most experts surveyed have little confidence in the public's understanding of food risk issues, their assessment of food risks, their ability to deal with scientific information and their food safety practices. Experts are of the view that the public under‐assesses the risk associated with some microbiological hazards and over‐assesses the risk associated with other hazards such as genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and bovine spongiform encephalopathy. The opinion of experts with regard to GMOs is not supported by previous consumer research. Experts noted that the level of education and age were important determinants for the level of understanding of food risk issues and messages. Experts were of the view that early intervention via school curricula was the best method to improve public understanding of food risk messages in the long term. Furthermore, experts are of the view that the media have the ability to improve awareness and knowledge about food risk issues but believe that the media tend to communicate information that is misleading. The majority of experts also believe that they should communicate uncertainty but are not confident that the public is able to cope with this uncertainty. Many of the experts also indicated a desire for training on how to interact with the media. The results may be used by those experts who are involved in the construction of food risk messages to improve the design and communication of food risk messages.     

Protein and Fiber Supplementation Effects on Extruded Cornmeal Snack Quality

Cornmeal snacks containing blends of soy protein isolate (SPI) with cotton linter cellulose (CEL) or soy cotyledon fiber (SF) were produced with a twin screw extruder. SPI increased expansion and reduced collet bulk density. Samples containing soy materials were darker than those containing 10% CEL or only cornmeal. CEL reduced expansion and increased residual moisture. The effects of SF were intermediate between those of SPI and CEL. Samples containing either type fiber had slight increases in nitrogen solubility and higher losses of available lysine after extrusion. A sensory evaluation panel found samples with 15% SPI and 10% either fiber were tan and soft, with a nutty or grain flavor.     

ISOLATION OF β2-CHACONINE, A POTATO BITTERNESS FACTOR

The 4-rhamnoglucoside of alkaloid solanidine, β₂-chaconine, was isolated from a mixture of α-solanine with β₂-chaconine by fractionation from hot ethyl acetate. The mixture of the two glycoalkaloids is obtained by endogenous enzyme action in a homogenate of potato berries and blossoms within a 24–36 h incubation at 37° C, pH 6.00. The identity of β₂-chaconine was ascertained by m.p., [α]D° IR spectrum, TLC of sugar components and reference to partial acid hydrolysis products of α-chaconine.