We discuss a mechanism through which inversion symmetry (i.e., invariance of a joint probability density function under the exchange of variables) and Gibrat’s law generate power-law distributions with different tail exponents. Using a dataset of firm size variables, that is, tangible fixed assets K, the number of workers L, and sales Y , we confirm that these variables have power-law tails wit...

The need to focus healthcare expenditures on innovative and sustainable health systems that efficiently use existing effective therapies are the major drivers stimulating Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) across the globe. Lack of adequate access and high cost of essential medicines and technologies in many countries increases morbidity and mortality and cost of care that forces people a...

The Canadian Cancer Society's Centre for Behavioural Research and Program Evaluation (CBRPE) is a national asset for building pan-Canadian capacity to support intervention studies that guide population-level policies and programs. This paper briefly describes CBRPE's experience in advancing this work in the field of prevention. The aim is to illuminate issues of central importance for advancing...

The populations of the Middle East and Africa are increasing rapidly, contributing to rapid urban growth. This paper describes a two-year action research process involving diverse public, private, and community stakeholders. The actions aimed to develop and strengthen the capabilities of three Mediterranean cities (Marrakech, Morocco; Sin el Fil, Lebanon; and Bodrum, Turkey) in managing and pro...

Based on two sub-samples of SMEs: i) 135 high-tech SMEs; and ii) 330 non high-tech SMEs, using panel data models and the two-step estimation method, this study investigates if the capital structure decisions of high-tech SME and non high-tech SMEs are closer to what is predicted by Pecking Order Theory, or if they are closer to what is predicted by Trade-Off Theory. The results suggest that the...

Strategy researchers have long been concerned with the sources of competitive advantage, i.e., why some firms’ performance is superior over others. One argument to answer this question is provided by the dynamic capability view which posits that some firms are better at adapting to a changing business environment than others. This study scrutinizes online communities and their interplay with dy...

Crowdsourcing spreads and morphs quickly, shaping areas as diverse as creating, organizing, and sharing knowledge; producing digital artifacts; providing services involving tangible assets; or monitoring and evaluating. Crowdsourcing as sourcing by means of 'global search' yields four types of values for sourcing actors: creative expertise, critical items, execution capacity, and bargaining pow...

Contemporary capitalism is often described as a economical system based on knowledge, whats indicate a shift from material production to more intangible assets related to exchange, control and circulation. It is strictly connected with something what we can define as a 'language (or communicative) turn' in debate on contemporary city, and particularly on public space. Architects and many urban ...

Amid the tangible transformations within the knowledge era, seismic changes in the business model have taken place. These changes have led to the emergence of what is so called ‘knowledge business model’ (KBM). Utilisation of a new business model includes unique challenges and opportunities. Knowledge assets and information technology are embodied as the driving forces beyond application of KBM...

Software as a Service (SaaS) is a promising approach for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) firms, in particular those that are focused on growing fast and leveraging new technology, due to the potential benefits arising from its inherent scalability, reduced total cost of ownership and the ease of access to global innovations. This paper proposes a dynamic perspective on IS capabilities to un...