1,721,067 research outputs found
Technical change and digital transformation. Firms’ performance and behavior in an innovation ecosystem
Full text linkQuesta ricerca ha lo scopo di esplorare, attraverso quattro diversi paper, l’impatto della Digital Transformation sul comportamento e la performance delle imprese innovative, in particolare piccole e medie imprese (PMI).
Nel primo articolo, si è cercato di fornire un breve excursus, attraverso una disanima della letteratura, sui meccanismi alla base dei processi di creazione di valore delle imprese attive in un ambiente
innovativo, tenendo in particolare considerazione le cosiddette managerial dynamic capabilities. Si è cercato di dimostrare come le tecnologie digitali, quali IoT, Big Data e Intelligenza Artificiale, pur con i loro numerosi vantaggi, siano in grado di fornire solo un piccolo contributo ai processi di creazione di valore delle imprese, se non supportate da un insieme di competenze manageriali e organizzative di vario genere. Alla luce di ciò, si è cercato di superare l’approccio tecno-centrico alla Digital Transformation, sottolineando piuttosto l’alto potenziale delle abilità manageriali e organizzative proprie degli attori di tale processo trasformativo, sia dal lato dell’offerta (fornitori di soluzioni digitali) che della domanda (PMI). Nel secondo articolo è presentata un’analisi empirica a livello regionale che vuole rappresentare una preliminare indagine qualitativa sul ruolo svolto dalla stampa 3D nel contesto manifatturiero italiano. Si è cercato di dimostrare come specifici vantaggi percepiti dalle imprese in riferimento alla stampa 3D possono influenzare in modo significativo il loro comportamento di adozione in merito a questa nuova tecnologia digitale. Inoltre, viene rilevato, attraverso lo studio di più casi aziendali, come la percezione delle imprese manifatturiere italiane sul proprio livello di innovazione sia, il più delle volte, in disaccordo con il loro reale livello di innovatività. Successivamente, nel terzo paper, si è cercato di spostare il focus della ricerca su un piano nazionale, progettando un’articolata web-survey, sulla base delle ultime linee guida dell’OCSE. Si è cercato, in tal modo, di identificare, a livello quantitativo, le abilità manageriali più rilevanti per l’incremento della performance nelle PMI italiane innovative. I risultati ottenuti si sono rivelati perfettamente in linea con la letteratura analizzata nel primo capitolo, specialmente rispetto alle dynamic managerial capabilities ed agli altri asset intangibili cruciali per la performance innovativa delle imprese.
Infine, nell’ultimo lavoro di ricerca, si è spostato il focus dell’analisi a livello internazionale, esplorando i meccanismi sottostanti gli effetti della Digital Transformation sulla performance dei system integrators, attori business che forniscono un supporto cruciale alle imprese nella trasformazione dei loro processi di creazione del valore. Rispetto al secondo e al terzo paper in cui l’analisi è stata condotta dal lato della domanda di digitalizzazione, in quest’ultima parte si è adottato il punto di vista dell’offerta, concentrandosi sul ruolo svolto dalle nuove tecnologie digitali e dalle capacità organizzative degli integratori di sistema sulla loro performance. I risultati supportano tutti quelli precedenti e forniscono nuovi interessanti spunti sugli effetti della Digital Transformation nel mondo business.The aim of this research is to explore, through four different papers, the impact of Digital Transformation on behaviour and performance of innovative firms, especially small and medium- sized companies (SMEs).
In the first paper, I tried to provide a brief excursus, through the most relevant literature review, on the mechanisms underlying firms’ value creation processes in a Digital Transformation environment, especially from a dynamic capabilities’ perspective. Therefore, it has been proved that digital technologies such as IoT, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, albeit their numerous benefits, are able to provide just a little contribution to the firms’ value creation if not supported by a diversified set of managerial and organizational skills. In line with this, I tried to go beyond the technology-centric perspective of Digital Transformation, emphasizing instead the actor-driven organizational transformation of capabilities, both from a supply-side (digital solution providers) and a demand-side perspective (SMEs). In my second paper, I carried on an empirical regional analysis to provide a preliminary qualitative investigation of the role played by 3D-printing (3DP) technology in the Italian manufacturing environment. It is shown that specific 3DP’s benefits can significantly influence the firms’ 3DP adoption behaviour. Moreover, it is demonstrated, through a multiple-case study analysis, how the perception of Italian manufacturing firms about their own innovation level is, most of time, not in line with their real level of innovativeness. Thereafter, in my third paper, I tried to extend the focus of my research on a national level by designing a richer web-survey, based on the last OECD guidelines to identify, in a quantitative way, the main business capabilities impacting on the performance of Italian SMEs with a strong innovation component. The results obtained turned out to be perfectly in line with the relevant literature abovementioned in terms of the crucial role played by dynamic managerial capabilities and intangibles assets on firms’ innovation performance.
Finally, in my last research essay, I moved my analysis on an international level, by exploring the mechanisms underlining the effects of the Digital Transformation on system integrators’ performance. Compared to the second and third papers where I analysed the phenomenon of interest by a demand-side perspective, in this last analysis it is adopted a supply-side point of view, focusing on the crucial role played by the organizational capabilities in system integrators’ performance improvement. The results support all the foregoing findings and provide new interesting insights on the effects of Digital Transformation in the business context
The Primary School as a Playful Space
No full textPlay is a fundamental experience and an essential environment for peer socialisation among school-age children. Research on play in primary school, though, needs to be developed further. The book tackles the gap in the literature by exploring the connection between play and learning, the impact of playfulness in the learning process, and the role of adults in facilitating these processes. The aim is to stimulate international debate and research into theories, policies and practices relating to play in primary schools. Consisting of five sections, the volume first provides conceptual frameworks for didactic and pedagogical reflection. It then offers insights into various aspects of well-being at school, as well as the many forms of play-based learning, playful learning, narrative play and storytelling. Finally, it proposes examples of good practice at the intersection of theoretical reflection and practice in schools
A Virtual Response Surface Strategy to Predict the Effects of Contouring on the Static and Fatigue Mechanical Behavior of Spinal Rods
No full textSpinal fixation techniques based on contoured spinal rods are well established to restore an adequate sagittal alignment; however, they often break due to fatigue loading because residual stresses arise while deforming the material and they significantly reduce rod fatigue strength. The present paper aims at developing a novel strategy based on Response Surfaces (RS) as surrogate reduced order models to accurately predict the key biomechanical parameters involved both during static spinal rod contouring and subsequent fatigue loading. Finite element (FE) models of different contouring methods are performed on a wide range of spinal rods to reproduce typical clinical scenarios. RSs based on polynomial equations are initially used to fit the collected FE data and relate input parameters of the process to outputs mechanical variables. Then, the RS approach is assessed and validated by comparison with extensive experimental observations from a variety of fatigue tests. The RS provides an accurate prediction of the output parameters of interest (R2 = 0.88-1), with an average relative error up to 9% compared to computationally demanding FE models. Fatigue outputs are correctly predicted both for breakages and survivals of rods, despite an average overestimation on the equivalent stress of 11%. The RS approach proves credible and accurate in predicting the experimental fatigue strength of contoured spinal rods. The proposed method could serve in clinical practice as an intraoperative virtual tool to support the decision-making process
Towards a Fracture Mechanics-Based Assessment for Fatigue Life Prediction of Ni–Ti Stents
Full text linkThe fatigue failure of Ni-Ti peripheral stents still represents an open issue of major concern due to the non-linear material behavior, the complex loads acting in vivo, and the manufacturing process. The fatigue assessment currently exploits total-life methodologies devoted to preventing crack nucleation. This work investigates a complementary fracture mechanics-based approach accounting for crack propagation from pre-existing manufacturing defects. Fatigue crack growth tests were performed on rolled Ni-Ti samples with a thickness and microstructure comparable to that of stents. A fracture mechanics-based assessment was implemented to predict the fatigue durability of surrogate samples tested at different mean and alternate strains. The fracture surfaces of the samples were inspected to determine a statistical distribution of defect size at the fracture origin. The cyclic J-integral was adopted as the crack driving force parameter, and it allowed to account for the complex response of the material, undergoing energy dissipations during phase transformation. Encouraging fatigue life predictions conforming to experimental data were obtained in the finite-life regime, whereas conservative estimates were computed below the fatigue threshold. This approach can be reverted to determine the maximum acceptable material defects for specific applications, providing a useful tool to manufacturing companies
Fatigue Life Assessment of Ni-Ti Stent-Like Devices: Investigation of a Fracture Mechanics Approach
No full textDamage-tolerant approaches, relying on fracture mechanics, are powerful tools adopted in many engineering sectors to predict the initiation and propagation of fracture. In the last two decades, there has been a growing interest in extending these methods to shape memory alloy (SMA) components despite their greater complexities related to phase transformation and the thermomechanical coupling characterizing material response [1]. SMA devices for actuation, damping, and energy absorption are the most appropriate applications of fracture mechanics, being large enough to sustain crack growth before fracture [2]. Nevertheless, also the biomedical field is moving toward these methods for a more accurate prediction of device failure [3, 4]. This work investigates a damage-tolerant approach for predicting the fatigue fracture of Nickel-Titanium (Ni-Ti) stent-like devices. In the case of stenotic lower limb arteries, Ni-Ti SMAs are the top choice for designing self-expanding stents for mini-invasive deployment. The stents throughout their lifespan are subjected to cyclic loads mainly due to gait (106 cycles/year at 1 Hz) causing fatigue failures related to dramatic drawbacks [5]. Since fatigue fracture is typically related to crack growth from manufacturing-related defects, this research aims to identify the basic ingredients needed to apply fracture mechanics, highlighting the critical aspects that should be considered given the particular features of the material and its application in the cardiovascular field
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Durability of Nickel-Titanium endovascular devices for peripheral applications
No full textNickel-Titanium belongs to the shape memory alloys and it is widely used in many biomedical fields. Its
temperature dependent property of pseudo-elasticity allows to design self-expandable devices, highly
convenient for mini-invasive deployments. Peripheral stents are subjected in vivo to a complex state
of cyclic solicitations due to blood pulsation and leg movements, which may induce weakening in the
material and fatigue failure. The role of stent fracture, which can influence in-stent restenosis, is nowadays
under investigation. Several computational modelling approaches have been proposed to understand the
interaction between stent and vessel during leg movements, while others studied the local response of the
stent disregarding the global biomechanical environment. In this paper, a multiscale numerical approach,
also coupled with some experiments, is proposed with the aim of considering all the factors influencing
the performance of a peripheral stent and offering good results in terms of fracture predictability
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