Forward Momentum Research Articles

CRISPR as agent: a metaphor that rhetorically inhibits the prospects for responsible research

In 2015, a group of 18 scientists and bioethicists published an editorial in Science calling for “open discourse on the use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology to manipulate the human genome” and recommending that steps be taken to strongly discourage “any attempts at germline genome modification” in humans with this powerful new technology. Press reports compared the essay to a letter written by Paul Berg and 10 other scientists in 1974, also published in Science, calling for a voluntary deferral of certain types of recombinant DNA experimentation. A rhetorical analysis of the metaphors in these two documents, and in the summary statements that came out of the respective National Academy of Sciences conferences they instigated, shows that while they have a lot in common, they are different in at least one important way. The more recent texts deploy conceptual metaphors that portray the biotechnology in question as an autonomous agent, subtly suggesting an inevitability to its development, in contrast to the earlier texts, which portray the scientists who are using the technology as the primary agents who take action. Rhetorical moves depicting biotechnology as an agent in the 2015 texts hint at contemporary skepticism about whether humans can restrain the forward momentum of science and technology in a global context, thus inhibiting scientists from imagining a consequential role for themselves in shaping the future of responsible research.

Parameters that remain consistent independent of pausing before gait-initiation during normal rise-to-walk behaviour delineated by sit-to-walk and sit-to-stand-and-walk.

BackgroundRising-to-walk is an everyday transitional movement task rarely employed in gait rehabilitation. Sit-to-walk (STW) and sit-to-stand-and-walk (STSW), where a pause separates sit-to-stand and gait-initiation (GI) represent extremes of rising-to-walk behaviour. Delayed GI can indicate pathological impairment but is also observed in healthy individuals. We hypothesise that healthy subjects express consistent biomechanical parameters, among others that differ, during successful rising-to-walk task performance regardless of behaviour. This study therefore sought to identify if any parameters are consistent between STW and STSW in health because they represent normal rise-to-walk performance independent of pause, and also because they represent candidate parameters sensitive enough to monitor change in pathology.MethodsTen healthy volunteers performed 5 trials of STW and STSW. Event timing, ground-reaction-forces (GRFs), whole-body-centre-of-mass (BCoM) displacement, and centre-of-pressure (CoP) to extrapolated BCoM (xCoM) distance (indicator of positional stability) up to the 3rd step were compared between-tasks with paired t-tests. For consistent parameters; agreement between-tasks was assessed using Bland-Altman analyses and minimal-detectable-change (MDC) calculations.ResultsMean vertical GRFs, peak forward momentum and fluidity during rising; CoP-xCoM separation at seat-off, upright, GI-onset, and steps1-2; and forward BCoM velocity were all significantly greater in STW. In contrast, peak BCoM vertical momentum, flexion-momentum time, and 3rd step stability were consistent between tasks and yielded acceptable reliability.ConclusionSTW is a more challenging task due to the merging of rising with GI reflected by greater CoP-xCoM separation compared to STSW indicative of more positional instability. However, BCoM vertical momentum, flexion-momentum time, and step3 stability remained consistent in healthy individuals and are therefore candidates with which to monitor change in gait rehabilitation following pathology. Future studies should impose typical pause-durations observed in pathology upon healthy subjects to determine if the parameters we have identified remain consistent.

Carving a dialogical epistemology for investigating altruism: A reply to Mitchell and Eiroa–Orosa

This is a reply to Sue Mitchell and Francisco J. Eiroa-Orosa's ‘Love your enemy.’ The latter seeks to explore the self-transcending potential of altruistic behaviour through a dialogical paradigm. It not only initiates fresh discussion on the subject of altruism, but also advances new discussion on Bakhtinian aesthetics. For the continuation of this forward momentum, we suggest a more nuanced approach to the placement of the ‘researcher’ within the applied methodological matrix. Similarly, we also advocate for the synthesising of research tools, often appropriated by theological studies, into said methodological matrix.

Piezo-ICSI

The Piezo-ICSI could perform the membrane breakage by applying a Piezo pulse which produced ultra-fast submicron forward momentum using flat-tipped micropipettes with no bevel or spike. Before performing the Piezo-ICSI, operation liquid was placed in the middle of the micropipette about 10-15 mm. Then the micropipette was inserted and clamped into the micropipette holder. The Piezo-micromanipulator drive unit was attached to the micropipette holder. After operation liquid was pushed to the tip of the micropipette, 7% PVP was aspirated into the micropipette. The sperm was then immobilized by applying a few Piezo pulses during the sperm’s tail was attached to the edge of the micropipette and aspirated into the micropipette. Without oocyte deformation, the micropipette was gently placed against the zona pellucida while Piezo pulses were applied, to allow the pipette to break through the zona pellucida and not the membrane. The sperm was advanced until the sperm head was near the tip of the micropipette, and the micropipette was advanced forward (to ∼60 % of the oocyte diameter) to stretch the membrane. The breakage of the membrane was performed by applying one Piezo pulse without aspirating the cytoplasm into the micropipette, and the sperm was injected into the oocyte. In our previous analysis, the calculated mean volume of cytoplasm aspirated into the micropipette with Conventional-ICSI (2746 ± 940 μm3) was significantly higher than with Piezo-ICSI (0 ± 0 μm3) (P < 0.05). In addition, significantly higher rates for survival (99% vs. 90%), fertilization (89% vs. 68%), good quality Day-3 embryo (55% vs. 37%), pregnancy (31% vs. 19%), implantation (31% vs. 19%), and live births (25% vs. 15%) were obtained when using the Piezo-ICSI than with the Conventional-ICSI (P < 0.05) (Hiraoka et al. JARG 2015). Moreover, the fertilization rate for Conventional-ICSI performed by our three embryologists was 66%, whereas the fertilization rate with Piezo-ICSI significantly improved to 82% (P < 0.05). The fertilization rates for Conventional-ICSI performed by our three embryologists I, II, and III were 60%, 74%, and 64%, respectively. The fertilization rates for Piezo-ICSI performed by our three embryologists I, II, and III were 80%, 83%, and 83%, respectively. The fertilization rates in case of each our embryologist using Piezo-ICSI was significantly higher than that for Conventional-ICSI (P < 0.05). After 20 procedures, the fertilization rates from our embryologists using Piezo-ICSI reached ≥80% per 20 oocytes. Our results indicate that Piezo-ICSI significantly improved the fertilization rates for the procedures performed by our three embryologists from 66% to 82%, and they became proficient in performing Piezo-ICSI after 20 procedures.

Transition versus Continuous Slope Walking: Adaptation to Change Center of Mass Velocity in Young Men.

During continuous uphill walking (UW) or downhill walking, human locomotion is modified to counteract the gravitational force, aiding or impeding the body's forward momentum, respectively. This study aimed at investigating the center of mass (COM) and center of pressure (COP) velocities and their relative distance during the transition from uphill to downhill walking (UDW) to determine whether locomotor adjustments differ between UDW and UW. Fourteen participants walked on a triangular slope and a continuous upslope of 15°. The kinematics and COPs were obtained using a force plate and a motion capture system. The vertical velocity of the COM in the propulsion phase, the horizontal distance between the COM and COP at initial contact, and the duration of the subphases significantly differed between UDW and UW (all p < 0.05). Compared with the results of UW, longer durations and the deeper downward moving COM in the propulsion phase were observed during UDW (all p < 0.05). Additionally, a shorter horizontal distance between the COM and COP at initial contact was associated with a slower vertical COM velocity in the propulsion phase during UDW. The reduced velocity is likely a gait alteration to decrease the forward momentum of the body during UDW.

Bed shear stress, surface shape and velocity field near the tips of dam-breaks, tsunami and wave runup

An analytical model is presented for the 2DV flow-structure, bed shear stress and surface shape of the tips of dam-break waves, tsunami- or wave run-up. This model differs from previous analytical models, which have taken the usual ‘hydraulics approach’, describing bed-parallel velocities only and expressing the bed shear stress, τ in terms of a friction factor from steady, uniform flow and an ad-hoc velocity. The 2DV model presented here gives a simple, rational explanation for the fact that the boundary layer is very thin at the contact point. In turn, this explains the measurements of bed shear stresses, which decay with distance s from the tip, or at a fixed point, with time t since passage of the tip. The manner of τ−decay depends on the growth of the boundary layer thickness δ with distance from the tip. The details of this boundary layer growth depend on challenging turbulence features for unsteady, non-uniform flows over rough and usually mobile beds. For illustrative purposes, details are given for the simple example of δ = (vtt)1/2 = (vts/c)1/2, where vt is the nominal eddy-viscosity and c is the speed of the tip, assumed to progress with constant form. With this variation of δ, the model gives τ ∼ t−1/2 = (s/c)−1/2, which is in good qualitative agreement with measurements. Subsequently, this quasi-steady model gives h ∼ s1/4 for the depth on a horizontal bed, also in good agreement with experiments. The 2DV flow pattern includes surface particles drifting towards the tip and eventually impacting on the bed at the contact point with full forward momentum and large bed-normal velocity. As well as large local bed shear stresses, this tip-flow pattern involves large vertical accelerations and associated large localized pressures, which are likely to be important for the sediment entrainment under the tip. The eddy viscosity is the only tuning parameter in this simple initial model. Based on shear-stress and depth measurements from laboratory settings, with tip propagation speeds of the order 2 m/s, one finds that the required eddy viscosity is in the range 1 × 10−6 - 18 × 10−6 m2/s increasing with increasing bed roughness in the range from smooth beds to beds of 2.85 mm fixed sand-grains.

Experiences of stroke survivors, their families and unpaid carers in goal setting within stroke rehabilitation: a systematic review of qualitative evidence.

The objective of the review was to synthesize the best available qualitative evidence regarding the experiences of stroke survivors, their families and unpaid carers, about goal setting within stroke rehabilitation. Clinical guidelines recommend person-centered goal setting in stroke rehabilitation but many barriers exist to its implementation. Individual differences and preferences, of both the stroke survivor and practitioner, may influence involvement in goal setting. A stroke survivor's relationship with close family members and unpaid carers can be powerful and could influence rehabilitation, recovery and goal setting. The participants of interest were adults (over 18 years) who had experienced a stroke and undergone rehabilitation, and their families and unpaid carers. The phenomena of interest were the experiences of goal setting within stroke rehabilitation for stroke survivors, their families and unpaid carers. The context was stroke rehabilitation in acute and community hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation units and the community. Studies considered for this review were qualitative primary research studies and the qualitative portion of mixed methods research. A three-step search strategy was used to identify English language qualitative primary research studies (both published and unpublished) through November 2017. Two reviewers independently appraised the included studies using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research. Studies were included if they achieved 50% "yes" results for the methodological assessment. Data were extracted from the included papers using the standardized JBI qualitative data extraction tool. Data were synthesized using meta-aggregation. Four studies were included in this review, from which 44 findings were extracted. These were aggregated into 12 categories and four synthesized findings: (1) Person-centered goal setting is possible but often does not occur; (2) Practitioners shape the context of goal setting; (3) Practitioners need to listen to the person and know "who they are" - there is a need for an individualized approach to goal setting; (4) Recovery is ongoing and unpredictable. No findings reporting the experiences of goal setting from the perspective of family or unpaid carers were found, therefore all findings represent stroke survivor experiences. The role of goal setting in self-management could not be extracted from the data. Person-centered goal setting within stroke rehabilitation is both possible and rewarding but often does not occur. Goal setting contributes to the post-stroke rehabilitation experience and can be positively or negatively influenced by practitioners. Maintaining hope and a sense of forward momentum in recovery after stroke is perceived by stroke survivors as important and could be supported using goal setting that is tailored to the individual's needs and preferences. Future research should focus on refining individualized methods of goal setting in stroke rehabilitation and the role of the practitioner in this, including what skills are needed and how they can be acquired. The identified gaps in the literature about family members' and unpaid carers' experiences, and the role of goal setting in self-management, warrant further research.

Balance Control and Energetics of Powered Exoskeleton-Assisted Sit-to-Stand Movement in Individuals With Paraplegic Spinal Cord Injury

ObjectiveTo quantify the effects of initial hip angle and angular hip velocity settings of a lower-limb wearable robotic exoskeleton (WRE) on the balance control and mechanical energy requirements in patients with paraplegic spinal cord injuries (SCIs) during WRE-assisted sit-to-stand (STS). DesignObservational, cross-sectional study. SettingA university hospital gait laboratory with an 8-camera motion analysis system, 3 forceplates, a pair of instrumented crutches, and a WRE. ParticipantsPatients (N=12) with paraplegic SCI. InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresThe inclination angle (IA) of the body’s center of mass (COM) relative to the center of pressure (COP), and the rate of change of IA (RCIA) for balance control, and the mechanical energy and forward COM momentum before and after seat-off for energetics during WRE-assisted STS were compared between conditions with 2 initial hip angles (105° and 115°) and 3 initial hip angular velocities (800, 1000, 1200 rpm). ResultsNo interactions between the main factors (ie, initial hip angle vs angular velocity) were found for any of the calculated variables. Greater initial hip angle helped the patients with SCI move the body forward with increased COM momentum but reduced RCIA (P<.05). With increasing initial angular hip velocity, the IA and RCIA after seat-off (P<.05) increased linearly while total mechanical energy reduced linearly (P<.05). ConclusionsThe current results suggest that a greater initial hip angle with smaller initial angular velocity may provide a favorable compromise between momentum transfer and balance of the body for people with SCI during WRE-assisted STS. The current data will be helpful for improving the design and clinical use of the WRE.

High-order above-threshold ionization beyond the electric dipole approximation

Photoelectron momentum distributions from strong-field ionization are calculated by numerical solution of the one-electron time-dependent Schrödinger equation for a model atom including effects beyond the electric dipole approximation. We focus on the high-energy electrons from rescattering and analyze their momentum component along the field propagation direction. We show that the boundary of the calculated momentum distribution is deformed in accordance with the classical three-step model including the beyond-dipole Lorentz force. In addition, the momentum distribution exhibits an asymmetry in the signal strengths of electrons emitted in the forward/backward directions. Taken together, the two non-dipole effects give rise to a considerable average forward momentum component of the order of 0.1 a.u. for realistic laser parameters.

Whole-body 3D kinematics of bird take-off: key role of the legs to propel the trunk.

Previous studies showed that birds primarily use their hindlimbs to propel themselves into the air in order to take-off. Yet, it remains unclear how the different parts of their musculoskeletal system move to produce the necessary acceleration. To quantify the relative motions of the bones during the terrestrial phase of take-off, we used biplanar fluoroscopy in two species of birds, diamond dove (Geopelia cuneata) and zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). We obtained a detailed 3D kinematics analysis of the head, the trunk and the three long bones of the left leg. We found that the entire body assisted the production of the needed forces to take-off, during two distinct but complementary phases. The first one, a relatively slow preparatory phase, started with a movement of the head and an alignment of the different groups of bones with the future take-off direction. It was associated with a pitch down of the trunk and a flexion of the ankle, of the hip and, to a lesser extent, of the knee. This crouching movement could contribute to the loading of the leg muscles and store elastic energy that could be released in the propulsive phase of take-off, during the extension of the leg joints. Combined with the fact that the head, together with the trunk, produced a forward momentum, the entire body assisted the production of the needed forces to take-off. The second phase was faster with mostly horizontal forward and vertical upward translation motions, synchronous to an extension of the entire lower articulated musculoskeletal system. It led to the propulsion of the bird in the air with a fundamental role of the hip and ankle joints to move the trunk upward and forward. Take-off kinematics were similar in both studied species, with a more pronounced crouching movement in diamond dove, which can be related to a large body mass compared to zebra finch.

Becoming and Coming Undone on the Streets of Dar es Salaam

We examine how young men who have spent years living on the streets of downtown Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, have used urban spaces, as well as particular kinds of spatial and fixes, to navigate the process of growing into adulthood. We argue that places called maskani have provided them with a powerful sense of forward momentum, engendering more immediate and future-oriented forms of becoming. As time has passed, however, life at these places has also generated a sense of stagnation and engendered forms of coming undone, which have necessitated particular kinds of spatial flights and fixes. Some men have left maskani and the city altogether, despite limited prospects elsewhere.

Smaller Radius Width in Women With Distal Radius Fractures Compared to Women Without Fractures.

IntroductionBone mineral density (BMD) measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is typically used to assess fracture risk. However, other factors such as bone size and the forward momentum of a fall (a function of body size) can also potentially influence fracture risk, but are understudied. This report describes the characteristics of a cohort of Caucasian pre- and postmenopausal women with distal radius fractures (DRF) after falling onto an outstretched hand.MethodsThe fracture cohort comprised entries in an institutional review board-approved registry of study patients who had had DXA scans. For patients with DRF, the contralateral radius was scanned and BMD, T-scores (used to define bone status as normal, osteopenic, or osteoporotic), and radius width were recorded. Generally, side-to-side (left-right) differences in bone size and BMD are small and, hence, the contralateral radius was considered a surrogate for bone status of the fractured radius. Apparently healthy women without fractures were used as race-, age-, and BMI-matched controls. ResultsPremenopausal women < 49 years of age (mean age, 38 years) with DRF had significanty smaller radii width compared to matched controls. Mean radius BMD was in the normal range. As a group, the cohort was overweight based on mean BMI. Postmenopausal women > 50 years (mean age, 64 years) with DRF also had low radius width, but in contrast to the first group, this group had low peripheral and central BMD.ConclusionsWomen with DRF had contralateral and presumably fractured radii of bone width smaller than matched controls. As a group, these women were also overweight based on BMI. The smaller radius width may increase the risk for fracture irrespective of BMD, especially since larger body size would result in greater inertial force when falling while ambulating.

Behavior of Quintuple Friction Pendulum System Under Near-Fault Earthquakes

The Quintuple Friction Pendulum (QTFP) system is a new generation sliding isolation having six spherical sliding surfaces with five effective pendula. Due to multiple sliding surfaces, QTFP system shows highly adaptive behavior under different hazard level of earthquakes, despite being a passive system. The paper describes mathematical model and seismic response of QTFP system under 60 earthquake records consisting of service level, design basis and maximum considered earthquakes. To study the effect of directivity focusing and fling step, additional 15 records consist of far-field, near-fault with forward directivity and fling step effect are also considered. Three types of effective period and effective damping in combination with two different displacement capacities of QTFP bearing resulting in six isolator designs are considered. The seismic demand parameters like base shear, top floor absolute acceleration and isolator displacement have been studied. It is found that the QTFP bearing stiffens at low input, softens with increasing input, and then stiffens again at higher levels of input. Thus, it shows highly adaptive behavior under different hazard levels of earthquake. Further, due to forward and backward momentum conveyed by the directivity pulse, near-fault directivity effect imposes higher demand compared to fling step containing only forward momentum.

U.S.-Cuba Normalization: U.S. Constituencies for Change

The United States and Cuba made important strides after the re-launch of diplomatic relations between the two countries under Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro in 2015-2016. These changes were both psychological and symbolic as key themes of mutual respect, sovereignty and reconciliation gained ground. They were also pragmatic, cutting across a wide range of issues from travel and hospitality, which has helped catalyze a major increase in U.S. travelers to the island, to telecommunications and migration. These measures reflected the emergence of an effective coalition of U.S. constituencies that organized individual and joint efforts to regain the advantage over the traditional pro-embargo approach of the Cuban diaspora. With the inauguration of Donald Trump in January 2017, however, forward momentum in bilateral relations has nearly ground to a halt as the hardline Cuban exile community has reasserted primacy in shaping U.S. policy toward the island. Nonetheless, the Republican Party is divided over how far to roll back the changes made by Obama as specific constituencies with the most to gain from normalization defend their interests in continued normalization. The author analyzes the various U.S. stakeholders pushing for relaxation of the embargo and how the Obama administration’s policies benefited them. It will also look at the role of the U.S. Congress and the prospects for rapprochement in the years ahead.

From the President of RUSA: RUSA: Change is in the Air

It is my turn to welcome all new and returning members to RUSA. As we open the door on the new year this September, we find some interesting changes on our doorstep. While change is no stranger to our profession, perhaps some of the appeal of RUSA is the comfort we find in an association that does not change too much. Members enjoy established traditions and supportive, collegial networks that span our working lives. But, RUSA is an organic organization, so change and adaptation are part of the natural evolution of things. This year will be a year of adjustment and new beginnings. It will require patience when, not if, we encounter bumps in the road. The challenge before us is to manage the change while endeavoring to create forward momentum.

Planning for Publication

Planning for Publication

Mode conversion enables optical pulling force in photonic crystal waveguides

We propose a robust scheme to achieve optical pulling force using the guiding modes supported in a hollow core double-mode photonic crystal waveguide instead of the structured optical beams in free space investigated earlier. The waveguide under consideration supports both the 0th order mode with a larger forward momentum and the 1st order mode with a smaller forward momentum. When the 1st order mode is launched, the scattering by the object inside the waveguide results in the conversion from the 1st order mode to the 0th order mode, thus creating the optical pulling force according to the conservation of linear momentum. We present the quantitative agreement between the results derived from the mode conversion analysis and those from rigorous simulation using the finite-difference in the time-domain numerical method. Importantly, the optical pulling scheme presented here is robust and broadband with naturally occurred lateral equilibriums and has a long manipulation range. Flexibilities of the current configuration make it valuable for the optical force tailoring and optical manipulation operation, especially in microfluidic channel systems.

Doctoral Peer Writing Groups as a Means of Promoting Well-Being

This collaborative autoethnography explores how a doctoral peer writing group (PWG) has become an important means of fostering well-being among the authors, who are four doctoral scholars. Focusing on how writing in doctoral education can act as a barrier to well-being, defined as feeling part of a community, feeling balanced, and feeling motivated by forward momentum, each author shares her particular experiences with writing and how the PWG has contributed to her well-being. Based on the authors' narratives, the article also suggests how PWGs may be useful in promoting well-being across several levels of education.

Clinical Cancer Advances 2017: Annual Report on Progress Against Cancer From the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

A MESSAGE FROM ASCO’S PRESIDENT I am pleased to present Clinical Cancer Advances 2017, which highlights the most promising advances in patient-oriented cancer research over the past year. The report gives us an opportunity to reflect on what an exciting time it is for cancer research and how swiftly our understanding of cancer has improved. One year ago, the White House announced the national Cancer Moonshot program to accelerate progress against cancer. This shared vision of progress has reinvigorated the research community, identified new areas of scientific collaboration, and raised our ambitions regarding what may be possible beyond the progress we have already made. When I entered the field 35 years ago, I could not have imagined where we would be today. We can now detect cancer earlier, target treatments more effectively, and manage adverse effects more effectively to enable patients to live better, more fulfilling lives. Today, two of three people with cancer live at least 5 years after diagnosis, up from roughly one of two in the 1970s. This progress has resulted from decades of incremental advances that have collectively expanded our understanding of the molecular underpinnings of cancer. There is no better current example of this than ASCO’s 2017 Advance of the Year: Immunotherapy 2.0. Over the last year, there has been a wave of new successes with immunotherapy. Research has proven this approach can be effective against a wide range of hard-to-treat advanced cancers previously considered intractable. Researchers are now working to identify biologic markers that can help increase the effectiveness of treatment and determine who is most likely to benefit from immunotherapy. This knowledge will enable oncologists to make evidence-based decisions so as many patients as possible might benefit from this new type of treatment. Each successive advance builds on the previous hard work of generations of basic, translational, and clinical cancer researchers. Importantly, the advances described in this report would not have been possible without the individuals who volunteered to participate in clinical trials as part of their treatment. To turn the promising vision of a cancer moonshot into meaningful advances, we need sustained, robust federal funding for continued research and innovation. Approximately 30% of the research highlighted in this report was funded, at least in part, through federal dollars appropriated to the National Institutes of Health or the National Cancer Institute. Without this federal investment—unique internationally in scale, duration, and impact for decades—I fear we may lose the forward momentum needed to further the progress we see highlighted in this report. Federal lawmakers can further fuel progress by advancing initiatives that facilitate the use of big data to achieve the common good of high-quality care for all patients. Such programs, like ASCO’s CancerLinQ, will rapidly increase the pace of progress and dramatically expand the reach of treatment advances to the millions of patients who are living with cancer today or who will do so in the future. This investment will yield medical, scientific, economic, and societal benefits for years to come. Much work still lies ahead. Many questions remain about how cancer develops and spreads and how best to treat it. As you read through Clinical Cancer Advances 2017, I hope you are as inspired as I am by the gains the clinical cancer research community has made over the past year and by the promise of a new era of advances just over the horizon. Daniel F Hayes, MD, FASCO, FACP ASCO President, 2016 to 2017

Keddeg Company (B): Succession to the Next Generation of Small Business

A married couple who have a successful industrial B2B business evaluate whether or not to sell the business to two of their offspring, who are both entrepreneurial MBA graduates. Complicating factors include the fact that the sale price and structure need to finance the couple's retirement and give fair inheritance treatment to the remaining siblings. In addition, the father has had some health issues and the business is doing well, so there is a lot of forward momentum to sell to the next generation.Evaluate whether or not, and how, to keep a business founded and run by entrepreneurs as a family business into the sibling generation. Explore "escalation of commitment" and how it influences decisions to keep the business in the family or not.