1,720,959 research outputs found
Corporate Social Responsability and the paradigm of the state: critical perspective and social evidence in philosophical approch
No full textIl territorio come risorsa nel processo di internazionalizzazione delle imprese di minori dimensioni. Il case study Brunello Cucinelli Cashemere Spa
No full textL'internazionalizzazione come processo di crscita per le PMI. Il ruolo degli attori pubblici nel territorio umbro
No full textLa complessità delle dinamiche sociali, economiche e non da ultimo relazionali tra i vari attori, in un contesto di mercato ormai globale, ha definitivamente evidenziato l’emergenza del concetto di territorio quale aggregato di risorse naturali e culturali, in grado di generare vincoli ed opportunità non solo a livello della practice, ma, primariamente, della capacità dell’impresa quale precipuo soggetto di indagine di mutuare risorse tangibili ed intangibili dall’ambiente esterno e di utilizzarle al fine di generare un vantaggio economico.
Prima di delineare le linee teoriche fondamentali della ricerca, è d’uopo evidenziare una differenza tra i termini ambiente, contesto e territorio che, benché nell’accezione comune possano assumere un significato analogo, in un uso più specifico sembrerebbero rimandare a domini ontologici differenti.
Secondo una concettualizzazione soggettiva, il termine ambiente è da intendersi, nell’ottica del pensiero sistemico, come quell’eterorganizzazione potenzialmente funzionale all’impresa per percepire se stessa in quanto autorganizzazione . Si pone, in tal senso, particolare enfasi sui concetti di relazione e di organizzazione come caratteristiche emergenti del sistema-impresa rispetto all’ambiente. La necessità di interpretare e costruire tale relazione comporta il fatto che l’informazione e la conoscenza non siano oggettivamente provenienti dall’esterno, ma presuppongano una osservazione di secondo livello à la Morin; ciò può motivare, a parità di condizioni esogene, il differente comportamento/performance delle imprese. Questa argomentazione, trasposta alle evidenze empiriche della presente ricerca, ha evidenziato una questione: quanto consapevolmente il soggetto economico percepisce e pone in essere La necessità di interpretare e costruire tale relazione comporta il fatto che l’informazione e la conoscenza non siano oggettivamente provenienti dall’esterno, ma presuppongano una osservazione di secondo livello à la Morin; ciò può motivare, a parità di condizioni esogene, il differente comportamento/performance delle imprese. Questa argomentazione, trasposta alle evidenze empiriche della presente ricerca, ha evidenziato una questione: quanto consapevolmente il soggetto economico percepisce e pone in essere.Al termine contesto si è scelto di dare la connotazione linguistico-cognitiva, partendo dall’assunto che le relazioni ed in species le decisioni del soggetto economico dell’impresa, benché non dipendano meramente dalle informazioni mutuate dall’esterno, tuttavia non possono prescindere da esse. In tal senso, partendo dal presupposto che il linguaggio costituisce una modalità di costruzione ed interpretazione del mondo, tale concetto è da intendersi ampliando la rielaborazione di Perry del primitivo principio fregeano, ed in particolare quale concetto doxastico o semantico, cioè l’insieme delle aspettative, credenze e comportamenti impliciti nella comunicazione tra soggetti che condividono un medesimo background culturale
Criteria and methods for microplastics monitoring in water to be used for human consumption within the new EU legislation framework
Full text linkMicroplastics are ubiquitous contaminants and their release into the environment has long been documented, especially in the last few years. Their widespread presence in several environmental and biological matrices, even in those usually less prone to contamination, have led the regulatory authorities, the scientific community and interested stakeholders to question about possible effects on human health. While the toxicity posed by plastics and microplastics (especially those > 300 μm) to marine organisms seems evident, effects induced by smaller particles on humans are yet to be understood. The main challenge in the identification and toxicological assessments of microplastics rises from the complexity and heterogeneity of these compounds. Regarding microplastics analysis, several different approaches are available. However, the application of different sampling, pre-treatment and analytical methods has resulted in not directly comparable data. In addition, as a consequence of toxicological findings, analytical criteria and matrices investigated are changing. To deal with the increasing levels of plastics and microplastic pollution, the European Commission is adopting a number of actions under the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan. In addition, in Directive (EU) 2020/2184 on the quality of water intended for human consumption microplastics appeared for the first time. Described as emerging compounds, microplastics have been related to the “watch list” mechanism introduced with Directive (EU) 2020/2184. The European Commission, by 2024, aims to adopt an analytical method to measure microplastics and, by 2019, to submit a report of risk analysis related to microplastics in drinking water. In order to identify a suitable analytical methodology, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) launched a dedicated project in order to harmonize experience and knowledge about microplastic analysis in drinking water, requiring support from national technical-scientific representatives, industry experts and stakeholders. This project includes an online survey and a (series of) workshops designed to collect contribution from stakeholders and experts in microplastics analysis.
It is within this complex framework that the present PhD project was structured. This project has multiple purposes, equally divided between the institutional and experimental activities. Institutional activities included the establishment of the Italian National working group on microplastics in drinking water and the discussion on data resulting from the first national survey, based on feedbacks by working group members. The Italian National working group which includes experts from the National Research Council (CNR), national and local environmental Authorities (SNPA: ISPRA and ARPA), Universities and Federation of water suppliers (Utilitalia). The group was designed to work on: (i) JRC and EC support on national expertise about microplastic monitoring in drinking water (ii) development of national analytical method for microplastic in drinking water to be presented to the JRC. From survey data, emerged that experts are flexibly adapting to new challenges posed by microplastics. Regarding experimental activities, specific aims were to develop a method for microplastic analysis suitable for both surface water and water to be used for human consumption, by comparing sampling and analytical techniques, in order to evaluate their pros and cons with a view to a routine approach. Surface water to be used for human for human consumption from the three longest Italian rivers (Po, Adige and Tiber) and water from Drinking Water Treatment Plants (DWTPs) were sampled. For microplastics sampling, a new sampling method, including 2-steps in situ filtration was developed in order to collect several litres of surface water. Assembled filtration system proved to be effective in filtering high volumes of surface water without clogging (average of 1.803,6 L). Tests to assess the goodness of this sampling method for drinking water were also carried out and an average of 2792,6 L litres was filtered without clogging. In order to compare sampling techniques, also water was collected by filling 2.5 L bottles (discrete sampling).
Sample pre-treatment and Micro-FTIR analysis were carried out at Istituto di Scienze Polari – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ISP-CNR) in Mestre while Micro-Raman analysis were carried out at Department of Chemistry of Padua University. Regarding sample pre-treatment, a “mild” oleo-extraction and purification method was employed. The method has been proved to be adaptable to surface water and efficient to extract microplastics, minimizing any interferers for the analysis. Abundance and polymer identifications were evaluated following the “semi-automated analysis: particle measuring” and “subsampling” approaches in Micro-FTIR. Each IR transmittance spectrum of suspected plastics was then compared with specific microplastics reference libraries. Microplastics were counted, identified and divided by size and shape. For particles between 20 and 100 μm a size range distribution was also performed. Microplastics were observed in every surface water samples collected with both sampling methods, with the exception of the one performed at DWTP #1 with the filtration system, due to inability to properly apply particle measurement to the filters. Microplastics found greatly differed in type and number at each sampling site, while for size distribution and shape greater homogeneity was observed. In terms of polymer composition, heterogeneity was observed, probably due to differences between the various sampling sites. In samples from the filtration systems, polyester, fluorocarbon, polytetrafluoroethylene and acrylic were retrieved in both samples while, in their corresponding discrete samples, only fluorocarbon and polyolefin were common to all sites. Thus, only fluorocarbon was common to all surface water samples. A higher homogeneity was noted by comparing the composition of plastics in filtration system samples with the corresponding discrete samples of the same site. However, only 5 polymers out of 9 (approx. 56%) were common in DWTP #2 and only 5 polymers out of 12 (approx. 42%) were common in DWTP #3. These differences underline the necessity of performing also studies on sampling methods when developing protocols for microplastics analysis, as results may be very different by changing the sampling input. In terms of size, a higher homogeneity was observed. Only approximately 5% of particles found was bigger in size than 100 μm (max 515,9 μm) and approximately 95% of particle size varied between 20 and 100 μm. In any case, particles between 7 μm (LoD) and 20 μm, potentially the most harmful ones, were not retrieved in any samples analyzed with Micro-FTIR. In addition, a detailed dimensional analysis of particles 20 – 100 μm fraction was performed for each sample. Data showed that 40-50 μm size cluster was the most populated for every sample. The 40-50 μm size cluster remained the most populated even if stratifying by sampling techniques and assuming a 1000 L volume for filtration system samples. A general trend in which particles are more condensed in the region to the left of the 60-70 μm cluster can be observed. In terms of shape, a high degree of homogeneity was observed among samples. Non-elongated particles were by far the most common particles (AR < 2) in all samples. The proportion of non-elongated particles over the total remained essentially the same stratifying data for sampling type (approx. 65% for filtration system samples assuming 1000 L as a reference volume and approx. 65% for discrete samples). Raman microscopy analysis was performed on two samples from DWTP #2 and DWTP #3 following the Point and Shoot and Imaging/Mapping approach. Several suspected microplastics were identified with Point and Shoot approach while in Imaging/Mapping a 50x50μm surface area with a 2 μm-spaced grid was mapped. During the Imaging/Mapping, polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene signals (R = 0.53 and R = 0,69), were found in two different points, without any similar signals in the surrounding area. Thus, two suspected microplastics < 2 μm were detected in the sample. Experimental showed that microplastics are present in surface water in significant amounts and have the opportunity to reach DWTPs. Each site showed different polymers composition but small microplastics (SMPs) (especially those non elongated and < 70 μm) proved to be the most abundant group
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
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
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