Ruben Mancha

Diterpenoid alkaloids from Delphinium gracile

Two highly oxygenated hetisine-type diterpenoid alkaloids, delphigraciline (1), 14-hydroxyhetisinone N-oxide (2), and the norditerpenoid alkaloid 8-methoxykarakoline (3), were isolated from a neutral extract of Delphinium gracile. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data and by comparison with previously reported spectroscopic data of similar alkaloids. Their antiparasitic and insecticidal activities are also discussed.

Finite mixture partial least squares for segmentation and behavioral characterization of auction bidders

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how to empirically segment, without a priori knowledge, online auction bidders using experimental data and finite mixture models. The proposed method utilizes a finite mixture partial least squares (FIMIX-PLS) approach to examine bidder behaviors and personality characteristics, evaluate bidder differences, and then segment the bidders. The empirical experiment is conducted for two different auction mechanisms - English and Vickrey. Results from both auction mechanisms indicate that FIMIX-PLS is capable of profiling and segmenting the bidders based on their individual characteristics. The post hoc analysis confirms the segmentation scheme and the capability of FIMIX-PLS in segmenting bidders into statistically identifiable homogeneous groups without a priori information of group characteristics. Such advantage is practical for online businesses dealing with increasing amount of data about their customers on a real time basis.

Self-Efficacy in Software Developers: A Framework for the Study of the Dynamics of Human Cognitive Empowerment

abstraCt This article applies General System Theory to the formalization of the Cognitive Affective Personality System (CAPS). A model is developed as means for understanding the relationships between widely studied constructs at the individual level of analysis: personality traits, affectivity, self-efficacy, intrinsic task complexity, and managerial empowerment, among others. The resulting theoretical framework is formalized within the setting of software development tasks, and qualitatively studied to show holistic emergent behavior. The discussion offers novel insights for future research and proposes quantitative analyses methods to unlock novel management strategies and productivity gains. [Article copies are available for purchase from InfoSci-on-Demand.com] The systems approach will have to disturb typical mental processes and suggest some radical approaches to thinking. The use of systems theory to study organizational phenomena is extensively supported inman, 1968) is used to characterize the cognitive processing of software developers as an open system, in interface with the organizational environment, namely: the interactions with the management, the environmental resources, and the characteristics of the tasks being pursued. The purpose of this article is to propose a theoretical model capable of depicting the

Figayou pursues a platform strategy: a case study of digital platform entrepreneurship

ABSTRACT Startups building the next generation of digital technologies have to make an important strategic decision to position their innovations: should they sell their technology as a product or a service, or package it as a platform? This decision will influence the startups’ strategies for value creation and value capture and, ultimately, their survival. Moreover, if the startup decides to pursue the platform model, how should it balance the building of its core technologies, designing incentives and rules, and capturing value? We explore the case of Figayou, a startup with unique mobile technologies, and the decisions its core team has to make to launch a digital platform and design a strategy to create a sustained competitive position. In this research case, we apply two complementary approaches to analyze Figayou’s business model and strategic position, one focused on internal competencies and another on the building of a platform and the creation of value.

Licensing for good: Social responsibility in the university-industry technology transfer process

Universities are increasingly endowed with the responsibilities of addressing social problems and partaking in the creation of a sustainable future. Teaching, research, and social engagement must be complemented with the successful transference of technologies from academia to markets. As universities re-envision their position in society and embark in new approaches to tackle social and environmental challenges, supporting interdisciplinary collaborations, designing programs with experiential components, and priming social relevance across all of their endeavors, they cannot forget the role of the university-industry technology transfer process in spreading innovation and securing social value creation. This is particularly relevant for technologies with a potential for environmental or social impact and those funded with federal grants. University Technology Transfer Offices (UTTOs) should make use of licensing terms and practices ensuring that the technologies under their purview reach the market and realize both their financial and social potential. In this study, drawing from literature on corporate social responsibility and university licensing, we evaluate the strategy and social responsibilities of universities when licensing their technologies, and provide guidelines on licensing practices that are aligned with the pursuit of profit and the enabling of social value.

Dynamics of Affect and Cognition in Simulated Agents: Bridging the Gap between Experimental and Simulation Research

The purpose of this article is to propose a simulation framework combining Soft-System Methodology, System Dynamics, and the Cognitive Affective Personality System model, to facilitate the design and development of agents (e.g., agent based models, software agents) with interacting affective and cognitive units. A review of the literature supports the building of a third-order positive causal-loop model between the constructs Affectivity, Self-Efficacy, and Perceived Task Complexity. The model is evaluated to exemplify the use of this framework to study affective states in simulated agents. The behavior of the model is consistent with previous research, corroborating its utility as a tool for endowing complex agents in simulations with mechanisms of human affectivity, and as a computational artifact to develop affective computing systems. The framework, incorporating soft-constructs into simulation models and supporting the study of their process-based (dynamic) interactions, serves to bridge the gap between experimental and simulation research. The limitations of the approach and directions for future research are also discussed. Dynamics of Affect and Cognition in Simulated Agents: Bridging the Gap between Experimental and Simulation Research