A longitudinal study of the impact of market structure,firm structure,strategy, and market orientation culture on dimensions of small-firm performance

The purpose of this article is to determine market orientation’s relative impact on small-business performance, compared to other influences, in an integrated model using longitudinal data. Contrary to expectations based on the management literature, the results indicate weak causal relationships between market environment, small-firm structure, and small-firm strategy. The results further indicate weak influences of these variables, but strong and consistent influences of market orientation, on various measures of small-firm performance. Contrary to expectations based on business policy literature, relative product quality and new product success were not significant influences on profitability, perhaps due to the significant influence of market orientation on these variables. In addition, although increases in growth/share had a significant short-term influence on increases in profitability, high levels of previous years’ firm growth/share had a negative influence on current profitability. The previous year’s level of firm coordinating systems and market competitive intensity has a significant impact on the level of small-firm market orientation.     

结合新型模糊支持向量机和证据理论的多传感器水质数据融合

在多传感器水质数据融合领域,证据理论是有效的数据融合方法之一,但基本概率分配一般不易确定,从而使数据融合能力难以有效发挥。支持向量机是统计学习理论之上的高级分类算法,具有普适性和全局优化等特点,但输出的基本概率分配有待进一步提高。提出了一种基于证据理论和新型模糊支持向量机相结合的数据融合方法,通过建立基于分类超平面距离的模糊隶属度,训练模糊支持向量机提高传统支持向量机的基本概率分配,并结合证据理论进行海河水质数据融合。通过证据理论分别结合支持向量机和模糊综合评价法与上述方法进行对比实验,经精度、平均绝对百分误差、均方根误差等指标验证,精度提高10.5%,表明所提方法是一种可靠的多传感器的水质融合方法,较其他方法具有更高的融合精度。     

Basic needs: An assessment of education and nutritional status in two villages of Venda

A basic needs survey was conducted among people living on two agricultural smallholder schemes in Venda. The paper describes the research methodology and assesses the availability of education and the nutritional status of respondents on these two schemes.

Neither the availability of formal schooling nor extension work is satisfactory. The situation regarding primary education has improved over the last few years and almost every child in the survey area goes to school. This seems to be an indication of changing attitudes among parents, increased money available for schooling, as well as greater financial commitments from the Government. However, informal training through extension is carried out only on an irregular basis.

An assessment of the frequency of consumption of various foodstuffs suggests an emphasis on carbohydrates at the expense of proteins, minerals and vitamins. Villagers interviewed indicated that food is in short supply and that allocation of additional land could assist in overcoming these shortages.     

环境绩效、绿色创新与企业财务业绩

尽管企业环境绩效与财务业绩、企业创新与财务业绩之间的关系得到了广泛关注,但这两个因素如何共同作用于企业财务业绩的综合影响尚未明确。通过对2002-2019 年中国上市风险投资公司数据的实证分析,进一步探究了环境绩效和绿色创新与企业财务业绩之间的相互作用。研究发现,环境绩效的提升和绿色创新的增加均能对企业财务业绩产生积极的推动作用。特别是在碳排放减少和绿色创新并行实施的情境下,对企业财务业绩的正向影响更为显著,并随时间推移而增强。此外,绿色创新水平较高的企业往往展示出更优越的财务表现。本研究不仅在理论上首次明确了环境绩效、绿色创新与企业财务业绩的综合关系,而且为管理层、投资者、监管机构和政策制定者在推动企业绿色创新战略方面提供了有力的学术支持。