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Woven piezoelectric sensors as part of the textile reinforcement of fiber reinforced plastics
(2019)
Sensor integration in fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) structures enables online process and structural health monitoring (SHM). This paper describes the development and application of woven fabric-based piezoelectric impact and bending sensors for integration into FRP. The work focuses on design and characterization of woven piezoelectric sensors, especially as a part of the reinforcement structure. The reinforcement of the component acts as a sensor in itself and therefore no additional external objects in the form of sensor components or sensor fibers, which could create unwanted weak points within the FRP, are added. The bending test results reveal a direct relationship between the applied load and the sensor signal. Furthermore, the appropriate sensor position in the component cross section was determined and the influence of thermal polarization on the sensor properties was investigated.
Willingness-to-pay for alternative fuel vehicle characteristics : a stated choice study for Germany
(2016)
In the light of European energy efficiency and clean air regulations, as well as an ambitious electric mobility goal of the German government, we examine consumer preferences for alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) based on a Germany-wide discrete choice experiment among 711 potential car buyers. We estimate consumers’ willingness to-pay and compensating variation (CV) for improvements in vehicle attributes, also taking taste differences in the population into account by applying a latent class model with 6 distinct consumer segments. Our results indicate that about 1/3 of the consumers are oriented towards at least one AFV option, with almost half of them being AFV-affine, showing a high probability of choosing AFVs despite their current shortcomings. Our results suggest that German car buyers’ willingness-to-pay for improvements of the various vehicle attributes varies considerably across consumer groups and that the vehicle features have to meet some minimum requirements for considering AFVs. The CV values show that decision-makers in the administration and industry should focus on the most promising consumer group of ‘AFV aficionados’ and their needs. It also shows that some vehicle attribute improvements could increase the demand for AFVs cost-effectively, and that consumers would accept surcharges for some vehicle attributes at a level which could enable their private provision and economic operation (e.g. fast-charging infrastructure). Improvement of other attributes will need governmental subsidies to compensate for insufficient consumer valuation (e.g. battery capacity).
Will chatbots play a significant role for B2B marketingin the future? Chatbots in B2B businesses
(2022)
Digitalization has gained a foothold in our everyday lives. However, it remains to be seen what digital tools B2B companies can benefit from. During the last few years, chatbots have been on the rise and have played a more significant role in B2B marketing. Thus, this research follows a literature review to examine the current state of B2B chatbots. With this, the study will discover the buyer’s preferences for chatbots compared to sales agents and the role of chatbots in different stages of the B2B sales funnel.
Whither the german council of economic experts? The past and future of public economic advice
(2014)
The article discusses the development and impact of the German Council of Economic Experts (GCEE). Firstly, the author studies the historical origins and the institutional setup of the GCEE. In the second step, an analyse of the impact of the annual reports of the German Council is given, along with the international comparison with other advisory boards. Finally, the paper discusses the current economic challenges and the need of modernization of the GCEE in special and political advisory boards in general.
This paper develops a new governance scheme for a stable and lasting European Monetary Union (EMU). I demonstrate that existing economic governance is based on flawed incentives especially due to insufficient macroeconomic coordination, failures of institutional enforcement and animal spirit in financial markets. All this caused the European sovereign debt crisis in 2010. Consequently, the EMU crisis is not a conundrum at all rather a failure of national and supranational governance. To tackle this problem, I propose a return to flexible but compulsory rules driven by market forces. The new governance principles shall promote the compliance and effective enforcement of rules.
The implementation of human resource (HR) policies often proves troublesome due to the appearance, and stubborn persistence, of gaps in the process. Human resource management (HRM) scholars problematise these gaps and advocate tight implementation to reduce gaps and to ensure the desired impact of policies on organisational performance. Drawing on organisational institutionalism, we contend that gaps in implementing HR policies can actually be productive, as they secure organisational legitimacy, and thus enable organisations to operate viably within several institutional environments. We suggest that different approaches to implementation are needed, some of them premised on accepting sustained implementation gaps. We introduce minimum and moderate implementation approaches, rooted in the notion of decoupling, to complement approaches aimed at tight implementation. Our aim is to support the further development of research based on a richer interpretation of HRM implementation challenges and choices they present for HR managers.
Together with many success stories, promises such as the increase in production speed and the improvement in stakeholders' collaboration have contributed to making agile a transformation in the software industry in which many companies want to take part. However, driven either by a natural and expected evolution or by contextual factors that challenge the adoption of agile methods as prescribed by their creator(s), software processes in practice mutate into hybrids over time. Are these still agile In this article, we investigate the question: what makes a software development method agile We present an empirical study grounded in a large-scale international survey that aims to identify software development methods and practices that improve or tame agility. Based on 556 data points, we analyze the perceived degree of agility in the implementation of standard project disciplines and its relation to used development methods and practices. Our findings suggest that only a small number of participants operate their projects in a purely traditional or agile manner (under 15%). That said, most project disciplines and most practices show a clear trend towards increasing degrees of agility. Compared to the methods used to develop software, the selection of practices has a stronger effect on the degree of agility of a given discipline. Finally, there are no methods or practices that explicitly guarantee or prevent agility. We conclude that agility cannot be defined solely at the process level. Additional factors need to be taken into account when trying to implement or improve agility in a software company. Finally, we discuss the field of software process-related research in the light of our findings and present a roadmap for future research.
This study examines the underexplored areas of customer success management, focusing on the impact of leadership and companywide collaboration, and the role of customer success in overall firm performance. A qualitative research approach was utilized, which involved reviewing relevant literature and conducting an interview with the Vice President of Customer Success Management in B2B at a case company. Findings revealed that both leadership and pervasive collaboration greatly enhance the customer journey experience. Given that 75% of Annual Recurring Revenue is derived from existing customers, the substantial role of customer success in propelling business growth is affirmed. The study also demonstrated the importance of proactive customer engagement, assimilating customer feedback into products and services, and nurturing personal relationships with customers for fostering innovation. It further stressed the need for service provision and decision-making at various levels, as well as the implementation of a range of communication channels, to ensure customer success.
Water jacket systems are routinely used to control the temperature of Petri dish cell culture chambers. Despite their widespread use, the thermal characteristics of such systems have not been fully investigated. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive set of theoretical, numerical and experimental analyses to investigate the thermal characteristics of Petri dish chambers under stable and transient conditions. In particular, we investigated the temperature gradient along the radial axis of the Petri dish under stable conditions, and the transition period under transient conditions. Our studies indicate a radial temperature gradient of 3.3 °C along with a transition period of 27.5 min when increasing the sample temperature from 37 to 45 °C for a standard 35 mm diameter Petri dish. We characterized the temperature gradient and transition period under various operational, geometric, and environmental conditions. Under stable conditions, reducing the diameter of the Petri dish and incorporating a heater underneath the Petri dish can effectively reduce the temperature gradient across the sample. In comparison, under transient conditions, reducing the diameter of the Petri dish, reducing sample volume, and using glass Petri dish chambers can reduce the transition period.
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face tension between economic growth and environmental impact. Tourism fuels growth, but the resulting solid waste and other pollutants threaten the SIDS’ natural beauty, quality of life for residents, attractiveness to tourists, and economic success. We assess the tension between tourism-driven economic growth and environmental degradation from a limits-to-growth perspective, developing a generic system dynamics model of the problem using 38 years of data from the Maldives to estimate parameters and Monte-Carlo methods to assess the sensitivity of results to uncertainty. We contrast development paths for the next three decades under three sets of policies focusing on promoting growth, managing tourism demand–supply balance, and improving waste management. Findings are counterintuitive; policies focused on better waste management alone are self defeating, because they increase tourism, growth and waste generation, undermining attractiveness and growth later. Policies that limit tourism demand improve economic and environmental health.
In breath analysis, ambient air contaminations are ubiquitous and difficult to eliminate. This study was designed to investigate the reduction of ambient air background by a lung wash-out with synthetic air. The reduction of the initial ambient air volatile organic compound (VOC) intensity was investigated in the breath of 20 volunteers inhaling synthetic air via a sealed full face mask in comparison to inhaling ambient air. Over a period of 30 minutes, breath analysis was conducted using ion mobility spectrometry coupled to a multi-capillary column. A total of 68 VOCs were identified for inhaling ambient air or inhaling synthetic air. By treatment with synthetic air, 39 VOCs decreased in intensity, whereas 29 increased in comparison to inhaling ambient air. In total, seven VOCs were significantly reduced (P-value < 0.05). A complete wash-out of VOCs in this setting was not observed, whereby a statistically significant reduction up to 65% as for terpinolene was achieved. Our setting successfully demonstrated a reduction of ambient air contaminations from the airways by a lung wash-out with synthetic air.
This study investigates how integrated reporting (IR) creates value for investors. It examines how providers of financial capital benefit from an improved firm information environment provided by IR. Specifically, this study investigates the effect of voluntary IR disclosure on analyst earnings forecast accuracy as well as on firm value. To do so, we use an international sample of 167 listed companies that voluntarily publish an integrated report. Our analysis shows no significant effect of a voluntary IR publication on analyst earnings forecast accuracy and no significant effect on firm value. We thus do not find evidence for the fulfillment of IR's promises regarding improved information environment and value creation of voluntary adopters. We conclude that such companies might already have a relatively high level of transparency leading to an absent additional effect of IR disclosure. Positive effects of IR appear to be more relevant in environments where IR is mandatory.
Purpose: Human breath analysis is proposed with increasing frequency as a useful tool in clinical application. We performed this study to find the characteristic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the exhaled breath of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) for discrimination from healthy subjects. Methods: VOCs in the exhaled breath of 40 IPF patients and 55 healthy controls were measured using a multi-capillary column and ion mobility spectrometer. The patients were examined by pulmonary function tests, blood gas analysis, and serum biomarkers of interstitial pneumonia. Results: We detected 85 VOC peaks in the exhaled breath of IPF patients and controls. IPF patients showed 5 significant VOC peaks; p-cymene, acetoin, isoprene, ethylbenzene, and an unknown compound. The VOC peak of p-cymene was significantly lower (p < 0.001), while the VOC peaks of acetoin, isoprene, ethylbenzene, and the unknown compound were significantly higher (p < 0.001 for all) compared with the peaks of controls. Comparing VOC peaks with clinical parameters, negative correlations with VC (r =−0.393, p = 0.013), %VC (r =−0.569, p < 0.001), FVC (r = −0.440, p = 0.004), %FVC (r =−0.539, p < 0.001), DLco (r =−0.394, p = 0.018), and %DLco (r =−0.413, p = 0.008) and a positive correlation with KL-6 (r = 0.432, p = 0.005) were found for p-cymene. Conclusion: We found characteristic 5 VOCs in the exhaled breath of IPF patients. Among them, the VOC peaks of p-cymene were related to the clinical parameters of IPF. These VOCs may be useful biomarkers of IPF.
Background: Multicapillary column ion-mobility spectrometry (MCC-IMS) may identify volatile components in exhaled gas. The authors therefore used MCC-IMS to evaluate exhaled gas in a rat model of sepsis, inflammation, and hemorrhagic shock.
Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized and ventilated via tracheostomy for 10 h or until death. Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and incision in 10 rats; a sham operation was performed in 10 others. In 10 other rats, endotoxemia was induced by intravenous administration of 10 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide. In a final 10 rats, hemorrhagic shock was induced to a mean arterial pressure of 35 +/- 5 mmHg. Exhaled gas was analyzed with MCC-IMS, and volatile compounds were identified using the BS-MCC/IMS-analytes database (Version 1209; B&S Analytik, Dortmund, Germany).
Results: All sham animals survived the observation period, whereas mean survival time was 7.9 h in the septic animals, 9.1 h in endotoxemic animals, and 2.5 h in hemorrhagic shock. Volatile compounds showed statistically significant differences in septic and endotoxemic rats compared with sham rats for 3-pentanone and acetone. Endotoxic rats differed significantly from sham for 1-propanol, butanal, acetophenone, 1,2-butandiol, and 2-hexanone. Statistically significant differences were observed between septic and endotoxemic rats for butanal, 3-pentanone, and 2-hexanone. 2-Hexanone differed from all other groups in the rats with shock.
Conclusions: Breath analysis of expired organic compounds differed significantly in septic, inflammation, and sham rats. MCC-IMS of exhaled breath deserves additional study as a noninvasive approach for distinguishing sepsis from inflammation.
Prominent theories of action recognition suggest that during the recognition of actions the physical patterns of the action is associated with only one action interpretation (e.g., a person waving his arm is recognized as waving). In contrast to this view, studies examining the visual categorization of objects show that objects are recognized in multiple ways (e.g., a VW Beetle can be recognized as a car or a beetle) and that categorization performance is based on the visual and motor movement similarity between objects. Here, we studied whether we find evidence for multiple levels of categorization for social interactions (physical interactions with another person, e.g., handshakes). To do so, we compared visual categorization of objects and social interactions (Experiments 1 and 2) in a grouping task and assessed the usefulness of motor and visual cues (Experiments 3, 4, and 5) for object and social interaction categorization. Additionally, we measured recognition performance associated with recognizing objects and social interactions at different categorization levels (Experiment 6). We found that basic level object categories were associated with a clear recognition advantage compared to subordinate recognition but basic level social interaction categories provided only a little recognition advantage. Moreover, basic level object categories were more strongly associated with similar visual and motor cues than basic level social interaction categories. The results suggest that cognitive categories underlying the recognition of objects and social interactions are associated with different performances. These results are in line with the idea that the same action can be associated with several action interpretations (e.g., a person waving his arm can be recognized as waving or greeting).
This study examines the phenomenon of Virtual Influencer (VI) marketing and its impact on customer purchase behavior. The aim is to understand the scope and impact of VI marketing. The study compares VI marketing to traditional Human Influencer (HI) marketing and identifies the unique benefits and challenges associated with VIs. A survey was conducted to gain insight into consumer attitudes and behaviors toward VIs. Key findings reveal varying levels of trust and acceptance of VIs among consumers. While some participants expressed openness to buying products promoted by VIs, others had reservations about their authenticity. The study also explores the potential role of VIs in the metaverse, highlighting business opportunities and challenges in this evolving digital landscape. Overall, this research sheds light on the growing influence of VIs and the need for further research in the field of marketing.
The present study investigated the possibilities and limitations of using a low-cost NIR spectrometer for the verification of the presence of the declared active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in tablet formulations, especially for medicine screening studies in low-resource settings. Spectra from 950 to 1650 nm were recorded for 170 pharmaceutical products representing 41 different APIs, API combinations or placebos. Most of the products, including 20 falsified medicines, had been collected in medicine quality studies in African countries. After exploratory principal component analysis, models were built using data-driven soft independent modelling of class analogy (DD-SIMCA), a one-class classifier algorithm, for tablet products of penicillin V, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, ciprofloxacin, furosemide, metronidazole, metformin, hydrochlorothiazide, and doxycycline. Spectra of amoxicillin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid tablets were combined into a single model. Models were tested using Procrustes cross-validation and by projection of spectra of tablets containing the same or different APIs. Tablets containing no or different APIs could be identified with 100 % specificity in all models. A separation of the spectra of amoxicillin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid tablets was achieved by partial least squares discriminant analysis. 15 out of 19 external validation products (79 %) representing different brands of the same APIs were correctly identified as members of the target class; three of the four rejected samples showed an API mass percentage of the total tablet weight that was out of the range covered in the respective calibration set. Therefore, in future investigations larger and more representative spectral libraries are required for model building. Falsified medicines containing no API, incorrect APIs, or grossly incorrect amounts of the declared APIs could be readily identified. Variation between different NIR-S-G1 spectroscopic devices led to a loss of accuracy if spectra recorded with different devices were pooled. Therefore, piecewise direct standardization was applied for calibration transfer. The investigated method is a promising tool for medicine screening studies in low-resource settings.
Venture capital and the innovative power of a state : econometric study including Google data
(2015)
This article focuses on venture capital investments and the innovative power of a state defined by its public infrastructure. The economic implications are evaluated by estimating several panel regression models. The novelty is twofold: on the one hand the research approach and on the other hand the new data set. The data ranges from 1995 to 2014 and consists of 10 European countries plus the US and Canada. For the first time we include Google search data on Venture Capital. The results show a significant increase in Venture Capital is mainly determined by economic conditions such as real GDP growth. The impact of the innovative power of a state is not significant. We find that Google data is positively related and significant in respect to Venture Capital investments too. Consequently, we confirm that private business investments cannot be created by government policy alone rather via solid macroeconomic conditions.