Exploring the complementarity between innovation and export for SMEs’ growth

Variation among bird species in growth rates is traditionally attributed to differences in energy availability and developmental mode. However, the extent and form of competition among siblings for limited food resources may also be an important determinant. Kin-selection-based models of intrabrood competition suggest that nestling growth rates should be highest in those species in which siblings are likely to be less genetically related to one another (half-sibs rather than full-sibs). We test this novel prediction using the frequency of multiple paternity as an index of average sib relatedness within broods. As predicted, we find a significant positive association between the rate of multiple paternity within broods and nestling growth rates. Furthermore, this holds true when we control for the effects of variation in other factors that may be associated with variation in growth rate, such as body size, brood size, mating system and the form of parental care. We suggest, therefore, that variation in growth rate among bird species is not simply dependent on proximate ecological and developmental factors but is also strongly influenced by interactions, over an evolutionary time-scale, among kin.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the strategic human resource management practices and organizational innovation: evidence from small and medium enterprises in India. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Research on SHRM practices and organizational innovation in Indian SMEs indicates a positive relationship between SHRM adoption and innovation outcomes. Training initiatives are particularly vital, enhancing innovation capabilities by building human capital. Additionally, fostering a supportive organizational culture promotes creativity and experimentation. Aligning HRM strategies with organizational goals and promoting continuous learning further enhances innovation performance. Overall, SHRM practices play a critical role in driving innovation and competitive advantage in Indian SMEs (Agarwal & Yadav, 2018). Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Resource-based view (RBV) theory, social exchange theory & dynamic capabilities theory may be used to anchor future studies on the strategic human resource management practices and organizational innovation: evidence from small and medium enterprises in India. Develop tailored HRM training programs for SMEs in India, focusing on building capabilities related to creativity, problem-solving, and innovation among employees. Advocate for government policies that promote investment in human capital development and innovation capabilities among SMEs.

Microorganisms growing in their habitat constitute a complex system. How the individual constituents of the environment contribute to microbial growth remains largely unknown. The present study focused on the contribution of environmental constituents to population dynamics via a high-throughput assay and data-driven analysis of a wild-type Escherichia coli strain. A large dataset constituting a total of 12,828 bacterial growth curves with 966 medium combinations, which were composed of 44 pure chemical compounds, was acquired. Machine learning analysis of the big data relating the growth parameters to the medium combinations revealed that the decision-making components for bacterial growth were distinct among various growth phases, e.g., glucose, sulfate, and serine for maximum growth, growth rate, and growth delay, respectively. Further analyses and simulations indicated that branched-chain amino acids functioned as global coordinators for population dynamics, as well as a survival strategy of risk diversification to prevent the bacterial population from undergoing extinction.

Colony form directly effects colony reproductive output among colonial benthic invertebrates. The relationship between reproductive effort, colony form, and growth rate in colonies of the Caribbean octocoral Briareum asbestinum were examined by measuring the growth rates of 118 tagged colonies on Pinnacles and House Reef in the San Blas Islands, Panama. Colony growth rates, individual branch growth rates, and branch addition rates were measured over six month intervals from July 1986 to July 1988. Colonies grew at a net rate of 16.6 cm/year and added 1.2 branches/year. Individual branch measurements yielded a net rate of growth of 2.02 cm/year/branch. Positive growth rates, which provide a measure of minimum potential growth, were 71.3 cm/year, and 8.7 branches/year for colonies and 6.21 cm/year for individual branches. Net growth rates and branch addition rates were 76 and 85% less than potential growth rates indicating large losses to fragmentation and predation. Calculated mean longevity of individual colonies (ramets) is short (10.6 years), given observed rates of growth and loss. However, since fragmented branches can reattach and initiate new colonies, losses due to fragmentation contribute to the asexual expansion of the genet. In July 1987, 783 branches on the tagged colonies were individually mapped in order to characterize the relationship between branch size and the number of bifurcations (tips), and growth rates. The best predictor of growth rate was the number of tips per branch (r2 = 0.46; P < .0001). No relationship was found between branch growth and branch size, consequently branch growth per unit length decreased as branch size increased. The independence of branch growth and size may reflect the diversion of energy away from growth toward reproduction. As a consequence of this pattern, bifurcating growth forms will, on a colony basis, grow more rapidly and amass more reproductive tissue than simple linear extension. However, the short longevity of ramets of Briareum asbestinum limits the advantage to be gained from accumulating reproductive tissue by rapid branch bifurcation.

Marine fish larvae are subject to variable environments, which is probably reflected in their growth and survival rates. Mortality rates are generally high and size-dependent. At the species level, these mortality rates are usually accompanied by correspondingly high growth rates. Here we provide examples from experimental studies with Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) larvae, in which multiple cohorts were followed over time. Body size, prey concentrations, and temperature are shown to influence growth rates. We present a method based on cumulative size distributions (CSDs) for visualizing variability of sizes within cohorts over time. Analysis of CSDs revealed size-selective mortality and variations among populations in size- and temperature-dependent growth throughout ontogeny. We found that cod larvae consistently exhibit higher growth rates than herring larvae. While cod larvae may have an advantage over herring larvae when food availability is high, herring were more able to survive at low food concentrations than cod. Cod and herring seem to represent two growth strategies: cod larvae are relatively small at hatching and a high growth rate appears to be a prerequisite for success, whereas herring larvae are initially large, but grow more slowly.

Abstract:We studied the relation between light climate and growth strategies in canopy species Fagus crenata and Acer mono, and subcanopy species Carpinus cordata, to evaluate if differences in growth strategy can contribute to coexistence of shade-tolerant tree species. The study was carried out in the Ogawa Forest Reserve in central Honshu, Japan. For saplings of each species, we analyzed the relation between growth patterns and tree-size and light-environment factors. All three species had higher growth-rates in higher light levels, but an increase in light level affected growth rates differently in the three species. Acer mono had the highest growth rates, and was most affected by annual variation in the environment, probably temperature and duration of sunshine. Fagus crenata had lower growth rates and showed little annual variation in growth. Only Fagus crenata showed response in the 90–100% canopy-cover range. Carpinus cordata had intermediate growth rates, and crown size and growth rate were not m...

The growth and nitrogen utilization strategies in two dominant Symbiodiniaceae species facing nitrogen deficiency and enrichment

We examine growth strategies for the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) focusing on the role of tourism and diversification. First, we quantify the contribution of tourism to growth using panel regressions and we compute how much additional tourism would be needed for PICs to sustain comparators’ growth rates. Given the sizable scaling ups in tourism required, we consider the benefits of an alternative growth strategy based on diversification. We identify diversification episodes in the PICs and quantify their benefits using the synthetic control method. Such episodes have had mixed results for PICs. Finally, we outline a framework for designing growth strategies in the PICs, based on diagnosing the binding constraints to their economic expansion and working around these limitations.

During the last three decades the economic performance of the Asian developing countries has been spectacular. In the 1980s their overall growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP) was 7.3 per cent compared with 6.5 per cent in the 1970s and about 5 per cent in the 1960s. However, the growth rates varied widely among the countries and have been accompanied by significant structural transformation of the economies in terms of the shares of GDP and employment originating in agriculture, industry and services. Both external and internal factors contributed to the high growth rates, their variations among countries and differences in structural transformation. The external factors included buoyant export markets caused by relatively high growth rates in industrial countries, a favorable international trading environment, and transfers of capital and technology to the Asian developing economies. Since all these countries faced the same external environment, differences in growth rates and structural transformation among them could be explained by internal factors such as differing resource endowments, sociocultural environment, growth strategies, economic policies and stages of development. Growth strategies and economic policies have been widely held to be the most important factors in explaining the high growth rates and rapid structural transformation in the countries and variations among them…

Vertical stratification reduces competition for light in dense tropical forests

Causes of interspecific variation in growth rates within and among geographic regions remain poorly understood. Passerine birds represent an intriguing case because differing theories yield the possibility of an antagonistic interaction between nest predation risk and food delivery rates on evolution of growth rates. We test this possibility among 64 Passerine species studied on three continents, including tropical and north and south temperate latitudes. Growth rates increased strongly with nestling predation rates within, but not between, sites. The importance of nest predation was further emphasized by revealing hidden allometric scaling effects. Nestling predation risk also was associated with reduced total feeding rates and per-nestling feeding rates within each site. Consequently, faster growth rates were associated with decreased per-nestling food delivery rates across species, both within and among regions. These relationships suggest that Passerines can evolve growth strategies in response to predation risk whereby food resources are not the primary limit on growth rate differences among species. In contrast, reaction norms of growth rate relative to brood size suggest that food may limit growth rates within species in temperate, but not tropical, regions. Results here provide new insight into evolution of growth strategies relative to predation risk and food within and among species.

In the western Baltic Sea (WBS), whiting Merlangius merlangus is the main piscivorous fish together with cod Gadus morhua. In the present study, we investigate the growth and food consumption rates of WBS M. merlangus and compare the growth rates of males and females with those of M. merlangus in the North Sea (NS). Food consumption rates are estimated directly from sampled stomach contents in the WBS using a gastric evacuation rate model and indirectly by using a static energy-budget model together with the growth rates. The results indicate that male and female M. merlangus in the WBS have similar feeding and growth strategies, while in the NS M. merlangus show more pronounced differences in food consumption and growth dynamics between the sexes. Female WBS M. merlangus grow significantly slower than their conspecifics in the NS, but there is no significant difference for males. Sexual size dimorphism is seen in both areas, but for M. merlangus in the WBS the difference is less pronounced. Food consumption rates in the WBS differ between seasons, with the lowest food intake in the first 2 quarters of the year and the highest in the 3rd quarter. No differences in consumption rates were seen between males and females, which could be related to the more similar growth pattern seen for M. merlangus in the WBS.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to advance and test the idea that product exports and technology imports are complementary cross-border learning approaches for emerging market firms’ innovation performance. In addition, this paper also seeks to search for contextual variables that affect this complementarity.Design/methodology/approachThis study takes systems approach to examine complementarity, combining a “productivity” and an “adoption” approach. In addition, interaction approach is also used as robustness check.FindingsThe authors show that the positive effect of export activity on firms’ growth rate is higher for firms that also engage in technology import, and vice versa. Furthermore, they show that, Ceteris paribus, firms’ adoption of one cross-border learning mechanism (e.g. entering export markets) positively influences the adoption of the other (e.g. technology import). Moreover, this complementarity is only significant for firms from province with low level of marketization.Research limitations/implicationsThis inconsistency about learning-by-exporting and technology import on innovation can be resolved, at least partially, by the complementarities perspective. This paper also reveals two mechanisms of learning-by-exporting: the indirect effect of export on innovation through increasing the likelihood of adoption decision of importing technology and enhancing the positive effect of technology imports.Practical implicationsThe potential of combining the two strategies should not be ignored by managers. To improve regional competitiveness, local governments should try best to improve the efficiency of customs to help firms realize the synergistic effect of learning-by- exporting and learning-by-technology-importing.Originality/valueThis study first explores the positive complementarity between the two cross-border learning mechanism in sharping EEEs 2019 innovation performance and identifies the condition to realize the synergistic effect of learning-by-exporting and learning-by-technology-importing.

Most comparability studies examine average pay differences, but this article explores differences in the distribution of public‐ and private‐sector wages. Applying a new type of decomposition method, the results indicate that the difference in average wages is only a small part of wage incomparability, whereas differences in the variance of the differential are a much more important factor explaining incomparability. Further results find that differences in wage structure and unobservable factors determining wages have distinct effects in different parts of the wage distribution.

This article is a contribution to the discussion on innovation activity and its influence on financial performance of companies. The authors employ a simple measure of innovativeness, which was also used in other studies, and the division of companies into two groups (innovative and non-innovative) was based on the fact whether they obtained a patent (patents) or not. In this paper, we compare the rates of return and revenue growth achieved by innovative versus non-innovative companies operating in the manufacturing industry in Poland, in the years 2006 to 2012. Financial and qualitative data for testing the hypotheses were taken from the Amadeus database provided by Bureau van Dijk. The sample consisted of 4004 enterprises, of which 681 were owners of at least one patent. T-Student test, ANOVA and OSL models were used to verify the working assumptions. The study tests the following three research hypotheses. H1: “Innovative companies achieve higher rates of return than the noninnovative ones.” That hypothesis was confirmed in relation to the EBITDA margin and ROS (return on sale), but not to ROA (return on assets) and ROE (return on equity). The fact of belonging to a group of innovative companies had an impact on an average EBITDA margin increase by 0.83 p.p. in 2007, 0.78 p.p. in 2009 and 0.73 p.p. in 2012, ceteris paribus. The difference between ROE was found statistically insignificant in most analysed periods (except 2007 and 2009), however, non-innovative companies have achieved a higher return on equity than innovative companies. It can be associated with higher operational risk in innovative companies which restrict access to external capital, leading such companies to expand their businesses through their own equity. The second tested hypothesis is: “An innovative activity has higher impact on financial performance in medium-sized companies than in large and very large ones.” During the research, it was found out that having obtained a patent is important determinant of EBITDA margin for medium-sized companies, increasing it by 0.76 p.p., ceteris paribus. In large companies, it contributed to an increase of 0.71 p.p., and for very large ones – by only 0.19 p.p., with the slope for the latter group at a number other than zero found to be statistically insignificant. In relation to third tested hypothesis:” Innovative companies are more sensitive in terms of revenue dynamics to economic slowdown than the non-innovative ones.” it was found out that in the period of time from 2006 to 2012 the dynamics of revenue growth in innovative companies was generally higher than in the non-innovative ones, except in the year 2009, when all companies showed a significant decline in revenues, but for innovative companies, the decline amounted to 6.39%, and for the remaining ones it was found at 4.98%. Based on those findings it was confirmed that innovative companies are characterized by a greater sensitivity to economic slowdown.