Showing papers by "Dimo Dimov published in 2021"

Look who is talking ... and who is listening: Finding an integrative “we” voice in entrepreneurial scholarship

Abstract: This paper explores the relationship between the study of entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurs we study. While scholars typically adopt a detached, third-person stance for the purpose of explaining ...

Mixing oil with water: Framing and theorizing in management research informed by design science

Abstract: Design science (DS) approaches have been emerging in engineering, management and other disciplines operating at the interface between design research and the natural or social sciences. Research informed by DS is challenging because it involves “mixing oil with water”, using a famous phrase of Herbert Simon. A key challenge here is the dual role of theory: one can develop a “theory of” any empirical phenomenon to explain its characteristics and outcomes, or alternatively, develop a “theory for” generating this phenomenon, focused on solving problems and enlarging possibilities. To clearly distinguish these two perspectives, we talk about theorizing in relation to theory-of and framing related to theory-for. A state-of-the-art review of how DS is applied by management researchers results in two main findings. First, explicit (re)framing efforts appear to be highly instrumental in challenging a given theoretical paradigm and thereby reduce the risk of being constrained to it; these findings confirm the generative nature of design activity. Moreover, many studies reviewed draw on knowledge formats that synthesize descriptive-explanatory and prescriptive-normative knowledge. Our main findings are subsequently integrated into a DS methodology, which may especially be of interest to design-oriented disciplines that tend to adopt a rather intuitive (undefined) notion of theory.

The Recursive Interplay of Capabilities and Constraints Amongst Microfinance Entrepreneurs

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to investigate, through practices and capabilities, how entrepreneurs use microfinance in a context of serious constraints.,The chosen methodology for this paper is longitudinal. A three-and-a-half-year study was conducted to be able to capture the entrepreneurial journeys of ten entrepreneurs at a micro-level in the developing economy of Ghana. This was augmented by a further 15 interviews with entrepreneurs and loan officers. This data is used to develop a theoretical model of entrepreneurial practices in this context.,The paper identifies two distinct pathways for understanding the recursive nature of entrepreneurial practices. It highlights how entrepreneurs generate capabilities through microfinance resources through convergent or divergent venturing in response to the serious constraints they face. This is identified as a generative recursive mechanism for the process, representing the “chain of actions” and how entrepreneurs engage with their “settings” and “intended relations” in practice.,The research is limited by its focus on one nation in Sub-Saharan Africa and therefore how the findings may be transferred to other contexts.,The paper contributes to a practice approach in entrepreneurship by identifying how mechanisms of practice relate to entrepreneurial action in this context. It also provides an important contribution to discussion at the intersection of entrepreneurship and the capabilities approach by using Amartya Sen's concepts of process and opportunity freedom to understand practices.

Envisioning Entrepreneurship’s Future: Introducing Me-Search and Research Agendas:

Abstract: The future of the field of entrepreneurship is bright primarily because of the many research opportunities to make a difference. However, as scholars how can we find these opportunities and choose ...

Factors determining the choice of bedding for freestall housing system in dairy cows farming - A review

Abstract: The subject of the study are the most commonly used bedding materials in freestall housing system in dairy cattle farming and the factors determining their choice. In recent years, in many countries as well as in Bulgaria there has been a tendency to change from small dairy cattle farms to larger ones by applying intensive farming systems. Many factors must be taken into account when developing appropriate interior design of dairy freestall barns. Among these factors is the providing of comfortable resting places with minimal risk of body injuries and bacterial infections. The bedding must meet many conditions: to be inexpensive, dry, not to support bacterial growth, not to contain pathogens, to be comfortable for cows to rest, and to be compatible with the manure cleaning system. Increased amounts of bedding have been shown to increase cow comfort by increasing the lying time, however controlling bacterial counts and udder health requires frequent removal of bedding material. The most widely used bedding materials in dairy cattle farming worldwide can be grouped into two main groups: organic - straw, hay (dried grass), sawdust, wood shavings, crop residues, composted manure and paper, and inorganic: sand, limestone, gypsum, rubber mats and mattresses, cement. When choosing bedding, first the comfort that it will provide to the animals must be considered, then whether the bedding will properly match the manure cleaning system and last but not least the price it will cost.

The leukocyte telomere length, single nucleotide polymorphisms near TERC gene and risk of COPD

Abstract: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by irreversible airflow obstruction and is associated with chronic local and systemic inflammation and oxidative stress. The enhanced oxidative stress and inflammation have been reported to affect telomere length (TL). Furthermore, a number of SNPs at loci encoding the main components of the telomerase genes, TERT and TERC have been shown to correlate with TL. We aimed to explore the leukocyte TL and genotypes for single nucleotide polymorphisms, rs12696304 (C > G) and rs10936599 (C > T) near TERC in COPD cases and matched healthy controls using q-PCR technologies. Successful assessment of TL was performed for 91 patients and 88 controls. The patients had shorter TL (17919.36 ± 1203.01 bp) compared to controls (21 271.48 ± 1891.36 bp) although not significant (p = 0.137). The TL did not associate with the gender, age, spirometric indexes, smoking habits but tended to correlate negatively with BMI (Rho = - 0.215, p = 0.076) in the controls, but not in COPD patients. The genotype frequencies of the SNPs rs12696304 and rs10936599 were compared between patients and controls and the odds ratios (OR) for developing COPD were calculated. The carriers of the common homozygous (CC) genotypes of the SNPs had higher risk for COPD, compared to carriers of the variants alleles (rs12696304 CG+GG vs. CC; OR: 0.615, 95% CI [0.424-0.894], p = 0.011 and for rs10936599 CT+TT vs. CC OR = 0.668, 95% CI [0.457-0.976], p = 0.044). Analysis on the combined effects of the TERC rs12696304 (C > G) and rs10936599 (C > T) genotypes, CC/CC genotype combination was associated with higher risk for COPD (p < 0.0001) and marginally lower FEV1% pr. in patients with GOLD II (p = 0.052). There was no association between the SNP genotypes and TL. In summary, our results suggest that COPD patients may have shorter TL, and rs12696304 and rs10936599 near TERC may affect the risk of COPD independently of TL.

Influence of Heat Stress and Physiological Indicators Related to It on Health Lipid Indices in Milk of Holstein-Friesian Cows.

Abstract: The aim of the survey was to study the effect of heat stress (HS) on health lipid indices in milk of Holstein-Friesian cows. The study was conducted in a cattle farm with Holstein-Friesian cows in the region of Karnobat (Southeastern Bulgaria) in 2018. Cows were housed in semi-open free stall dairy barn, fed year-round ad libitum with a total mixed ration. The study included 22 cows on different parities studied in two periods - at thermo-neutral environment conditions and at heat stress, respectively, May and August. Extraction of milk fat was performed by the Rose-Gottlieb method. Conditions of HS lead to changes in the values of health lipid indices associated with a decrease in the values of Atherogenic index (AI), Thrombogenic index (TI), Lipid Preventive Score (LPS) and Desaturase (18) index (DI 18) and an increase in Health promoting Index (HPI), polyunsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids (PUFA/SFA), unsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids (UFA/SFA), mono unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), Desaturase (16) index (DI 16) and hypocholesterolaemic/hypercholesterolaemic ratio (h/H). Increasing the Temperature-humidity index (THI) above 72, results in a decrease in the AI values and an increase in those of the PUFA/SFA. The values of health lipid indices showed a moderate positive correlation with those of THI (PUFA/SFA - 0.36) with rectal temperature (h/H, MUFA/SFA, UFA/SFA) rp from 0.36 to 0.37, and with respiratory rate (h/H, PUFA/SFA), rp of 0.33 and 0.31, respectively. Under the influence of heat stress, changes in the metabolic processes occur in the body of dairy cows leading to changes in the fatty acid content of milk related to the improvement of health lipid indices in terms of human health due to an increase in UFA and reduction in SFA.

Influence of heat stress on reproductive performance in dairy cows and opportunities to reduce its effects – a review

Abstract: Abstract. The goal of this review is to consider and discuss the scientific literature related to the effect of heat stress (HS) on reproductive performance in dairy cows and opportunities to reduce its effects. The information in literature shows that the HS topic in dairy cows began to be discussed in the 1970s. As genetic progress related to productivity increases, the requirements for cows also increase, including for their reproduction performance. In the present review, a significant array of scientific papers is examined, as a result of which it is established that HS has a multifaceted effect on reproduction in dairy cows. The main role for the negative impact of HS is the effect of high ambient temperature on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. As a result, hormonal changes occur in the body of cows, which affect the behavior of cows in estrus, the development of follicles in the ovaries and the survival of the embryo in the uterus. These changes affect the main elements of cattle breeding such as length of days open interval, conception rate, number of inseminations required for conception. To mitigate the negative impact of HS on cows, methods have been developed for better estrus detection, for microclimate control, as well as for hormonal treatment of cows in order to increase reproductive performance. Although some progress has been made in each of the measures, HS still poses a serious reproductive problem for dairy cows, especially in the countries with warmer climates. This provokes the interest of many scientists around the world who seek to offer a solution/mitigation to this problem.

Thermal Work Limit Index in Cattle Farm

Abstract: The survey was conducted in workers in dairy farming in Bulgaria. In the survey were not reported Thermal Work Limit (TWL) index values, which require cessation of employment and constitute a danger to human health. The lowest values of TWL were registered during the summer and spring months, respectively 229.3 and 258.4 W/m2. The highest are normally registered in the autumn and winter months - 318.3 and 312.2 W/m2. Outdoor the lowest average TWL values were reported in the summer and spring months 236 and 287.9 W/m2, respectively, and the highest in the autumn and winter months - 316.4 and 317.2 W/m2. An inverse dependency was found between the calculated values of Temperature-humidity index (THI) and the TWL.

Study of influence of heat stress on some physiological and productive traits in Holstein-Friesian dairy cows

Abstract: Received: October 6th, 2020 ; Accepted: February 1st, 2021 ; Published: March 18th, 2021 ; Correspondence: tonchopenev@abv.bg