Maturing,Technology-Based,Born-Global Companies: Surviving Through Mergers and Acquisitions

To date, there has been little research about the corporate growth of born-global companies and relatively little data exist about their maturation, survival as independent companies (or failure to do so) and their international strategies. The present paper is based on an empirical study of Israeli technology-based companies that were identified in the late 1990s as born global. We collected data about the continuing development of these firms for the decade spanning 2000–2009. Our findings show that maturing technology-based, born-global companies can increase their chances of survival by acquiring other firms. Although such acquisitions do not increase profits, they allow born-global firms to continue increasing their sales and to expand and upgrade their product line, which in turn increases their chances of remaining independent. The data also show that if the firms prefer to merge with another company, they are in a better position if they do not acquire any other firms beforehand. Finally, our data show that although the majority of born-global companies can continue operations if they survived the first decade, they are not highly successful on the measures of growth and shareholder wealth. One of the recommendations of this study is that for maturing, technology-based, born-global companies to remain successful, they must be more aggressive in their M&A strategy than they are at the moment.     

A novel co-processing method to manufacture an API for extended release formulation via formation of agglomerates of active ingredient and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose during crystallization

A novel process for generating agglomerates of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and polymer by swelling the polymer in a water/organic mixture has been developed to address formulation issues resulting from a water sensitive, high drug load API with poor powder properties. Initially, the API is dissolved in water, following which hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is added, resulting in the imbibing of water, along with the dissolved API, into the HPMC matrix. The addition of acetone and isopropyl acetate (anti-solvents) then causes the API to crystallize inside and on the surface of HPMC agglomerates. The process was scaled up to 20?kg scale. The agglomerates of API and HPMC generated by this process are ～350?µm diameter, robust, and have significantly better flow than the API as measured by Erweka flow testing. These agglomerates exhibit improved bulk density, acceptable chemical stability, and high compressibility. The agglomerates process well through roller compaction and tableting, with no flow or sticking issues. This process is potentially adaptable to other APIs with similar attributes.     

Fate of the pathogen indicators phage ΦX174 and Ascaris suum eggs during the production of struvite fertilizer from source-separated urine

Human urine has the potential to be a sustainable, locally and continuously available source of nutrients for agriculture. Phosphate can be efficiently recovered from human urine in the form of the mineral struvite (MgNH₄PO₄·6H₂O). However, struvite formation may be coupled with the precipitation of other constituents present in urine including pathogens, pharmaceuticals, and heavy metals. To determine if struvite fertilizer presents a microbiological health risk to producers and end users, we characterized the fate of a human virus surrogate (phage ΦX174) and the eggs of the helminth Ascaris suum during a low-cost struvite recovery process. While the concentration of phages was similar in both the struvite and the urine, Ascaris eggs accumulated within the solid during the precipitation and filtration process. Subsequent air-drying of the struvite filter cake partially inactivated both microorganisms; however, viable Ascaris eggs and infective phages were still detected after several days of drying. The infectivity of both viruses and eggs was affected by the specific struvite drying conditions: higher inactivation generally occurred with increased air temperature and decreased relative humidity. On a log-log scale, phage inactivation increased linearly with decreasing moisture content of the struvite, while Ascaris inactivation occurred only after achieving a minimum moisture threshold. Sunlight exposure did not directly affect the infectivity of phages or Ascaris eggs in struvite cakes, though the resultant rise in temperature accelerated the drying of the struvite cake, which contributed to inactivation.     

Treatment delay, outcome, and satisfaction in time-limited group and individual psychotherapy.

As part of a randomized clinical trial in which we compared outcome in time-limited individual and time-limited group psychotherapy, patients were interviewed and completed a battery of assessment measures. All participants in the study were then randomly assigned to one or the other treatment modality. There were inevitable delays before patients began their assigned therapies. Group treatment patients waited an appreciably longer period of time, on average, than did individual treatment patients (48 days vs. 31 days). Nonetheless, it was only for individual therapy patients that we found a highly significant relationship between this delay and treatment satisfaction at the completion of therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attachment-Related Strategies During Thought Suppression: Ironic Rebounds and Vulnerable Self-Representations.

The authors conducted 2 studies of attachment-related variations in thought suppression. Participants were asked, or not asked, to suppress thoughts about a relationship breakup and then to perform a Stroop task under high or low cognitive load. The dependent variables were the rebound, of previously suppressed separation-related thoughts (Study 1) and the accessibility of self-traits (Study 2). Under low cognitive load, avoidant individuals did not show any rebound of separation-related thoughts and activated positive self-representations. Under high cognitive load, avoidant participants failed to suppress thoughts of separation and were more likely to activate negative self-representations. Attachment anxiety was associated with high activation of negative self-representations and unremitting separation-related thoughts. The results are discussed in terms of the hidden vulnerabilities of avoidant individuals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reducing inventory data requirements for scenario representation in comparative life cycle assessment (LCA), demonstrated on the urban wastewater system

Wastewater reuse has become an attractive option for alleviating the stress from water resources. Centralized wastewater reuse is a common and continuously expanding practice worldwide, but the advantages of centralized over decentralized approaches are lately being questioned. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a well-accepted means of assessing the overall environmental performance of service systems, however, construction of a life cycle inventory (LCI) for complex systems such as urban wastewater systems, is very time consuming. Lack of resources and unavailability of data often enforce constraints on the scope of the assessment. In such cases it may be beneficial to consider the approach presented here, which manifests the differences between the studied alternatives. By eliminating processes that remain unchanged, less data and human resources are required in building the inventory, and less parameter uncertainty is introduced into the analysis. The proposed approach is demonstrated through the conceptual modeling steps of an assessment of decentralized urban wastewater reuse alternatives.     

Corrosion inhibition of magnesium by combined zirconia silica sol-gel films

The inhibition of Mg (AZ91D) corrosion by thin sol-gel films was studied. The sol-gel films were prepared by the traditional acid or base-catalyzed hydrolysis and condensation, and finally deposited by dip coating. Two different sol-gel monomers were used: phenyltrimethoxysilane (PTMOS) and zirconium(IV)tetra-1-propoxide (ZrTPO). Films were made of each of the individual monomers and by depositing first a PTMOS film followed by ZrTPO-based film. The corrosion inhibition of the films and their characterization were examined by different methods including potentiodynamic polarization, contact angle measurement, adhesion test, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).We found that while the ZrTPO-based film did not show a significant corrosion inhibition, the PTMOS-based film provided moderate protection. Interestingly, the combined film exhibited superior corrosion inhibition as compared with the other films.     

A meeting with clay: Individual narratives, self-reflection, and action.

The arts-based qualitative research presented in this article explores the interaction between nonartists and a specific art material, clay, and on reflection, the meaning that they make from this interaction. The aspect of meaning making focused on relates to a typology of thinking and doing strategies that emerged from the research. Thinking and doing are seen as 2 aspects of a creative process here with clay, which are interdependent. The thinking category encompasses 4 groups in which the participants employ different modes of thinking strategies. Different modes of thinking create a different kind of doing with the material. These "dialogues" between creator and material can be seen to exemplify individual ways of "making sense" in the interaction between sensing, feeling, thinking, and doing; and the material, in which structure, process, content, and meaning intertwine. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)