Beyond categorization: new directions for theory development about entrepreneurial internationalization

Categorizations emphasizing the earliness of internationalization have long been a cornerstone of international entrepreneurship research. Here we contend that the prominence of categories has not been commensurate with theory development associated with them. We draw on categorization theory to explain why earliness-based categories are persistent, and argue that a greater focus on notions related to opportunity can open new avenues of research about the entrepreneurial internationalization of business. We propose and discuss three directions for opportunity-based research on entrepreneurial internationalization, involving context, dynamics and variety

Transfer dehydrogenation of 1-Phenylethanol over Pd/C under mild conditions: effect of reaction conditions and optimization of catalytic performance

The catalytic activity of 5 wt% Pd/C has been evaluated using the liquid phase transfer dehydrogenation of 1-phenylethanol as a model reaction. The reaction parameters such as catalyst loading and stirring rate have been optimized to determine the required conditions to carry out the reaction under kinetic regime control. By performing the reaction under different temperatures, the value of apparent activation energy has been determined as being 61 kJ/mol. Furthermore, the influence of thermal treatment of 5 wt% Pd/C catalyst on its catalytic performance for the liquid phase transfer dehydrogenation of 1-phenylethanol has been investigated in a temperature range of 110–200 °C. The results reveal that the catalyst activity is strongly dependent on the ratio between Pd/PdO species. The fresh and used catalysts were characterized using a range of characterization techniques (XRPD, XPS, TEM, SEM-EDX, and BET) in order to investigate structure–activity relationships. The 5 wt% Pd/C exhibit high conversion (90%) and selectivity (91%) toward acetophenone under mild conditions. Moreover, the reusability tests have been carried out, and the results show that the catalyst preserves 80% of its initial catalytic activity after five cycles indicating the high stability of the 5 wt% Pd/C catalyst in the liquid phase transfer dehydrogenation of 1-phenylethanol. The influence of reaction conditions on the catalytic activity is also discussed

Problem-solving dissension and international entry mode performance

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine international decision making, information processing, and related performance implications. The authors aim to explore the relationship between international decision making and problem-solving dissensions related to entry mode decisions. In addition, they aim to investigate the effects of dissension on entry mode performance, and the moderating effect of the foreign direct investment (FDI) vs non-FDI decision as it relates to dissension- mode performance. Despite their significance from an information processing perspective, these issues have not been sufficiently explored in international entry mode research. Design/methodology/approach: This research presents data collected from 233 privately owned internationalized Chinese firms. The analysis in this investigation includes hierarchical ordinary least squares regression. Findings: The findings suggest an inverse U-shaped relationship between dissension and entry mode performance, as opposed to a linear one, and a moderating effect of FDI vs non-FDI decisions on this curvilinear dissension-performance association. These findings support and refine the rationale of the information processing perspective. Originality/value: These findings add realistic elements to the alleged “ rational ” international decision-making doctrine assumed in previous entry mode literature. The findings show the importance of the heterogeneity of information processing in entry mode strategic decision-making processes (SDMPs), and its effects on specific decision types. The authors believe that this is the first empirical study to use an information processing perspective to examine the effects of SDMPs on entry mode performance

Tailoring Gold Nanoparticle Characteristics and the Impact on Aqueous-Phase Oxidation of Glycerol

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-stabilized Au nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by colloidal methods in which temperature variations (−75 to 75 °C) and mixed H2O/EtOH solvent ratios (0, 50, and 100 vol/vol) were used. The resulting Au NPs were immobilized on TiO2 (P25), and their catalytic performance was investigated for the liquid phase oxidation of glycerol. For each unique solvent system, there was a systematic increase in the average Au particle diameter as the temperature of the colloidal preparation increased. Generation of the Au NPs in H2O at 1 °C resulted in a high observed activity compared with current Au/TiO2 catalysts (turnover frequency = 915 h–1). Interestingly, Au catalysts with similar average particle sizes but prepared under different conditions had contrasting catalytic performance. For the most active catalyst, aberration-corrected high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy analysis identified the presence of isolated Au clusters (from 1 to 5 atoms) for the first time using a modified colloidal method, which was supported by experimental and computational CO adsorption studies. It is proposed that the variations in the populations of these species, in combination with other solvent/PVA effects, is responsible for the contrasting catalytic properties

Exploring the effect of Au/Pt ratio on glycerol oxidation in presence and absence of a base

Bimetallic AuPt nanoparticles with different Au:Pt ratios (molar ratio: 9-1, 8-2, 6-4, 2-8, 1-9) and the corresponding Au and Pt monometallic ones were prepared by sol immobilization and immobilized on commercial TiO2 (P25). The catalytic activity was evaluated in the liquid phase glycerol oxidation in presence and absence of a base (NaOH). It was found that the Au:Pt molar ratio and reaction conditions strongly influence the catalytic performance. In the presence of NaOH, Au-rich catalysts were more active than Pt-rich ones, with the highest activity observed for Au9Pt1/TiO2 (6575 h−1). In absence of a base, a higher content of Pt is needed to produce the most active catalyst (Au6Pt4/TiO2, 301 h−1). In terms of selectivity, in presence of NaOH, Au-rich catalysts showed a high selectivity to C3 products (63–72%) whereas Pt-rich catalysts promote the formation of formic and glycolic acids. The opposite trend was observed in absence of a base with Pt-rich catalysts showing higher selectivity to C3 products (83–88%)

Investigation of the catalytic performance of Pd/CNFs for hydrogen evolution from additive-free formic acid decomposition

In recent years, research efforts have focused on the development of safe and efficient H2 generation/storage materials toward a fuel-cell-based H2 economy as a long-term solution in the near future. Herein, we report the development of Pd nanoparticles supported on carbon nanofibers (CNFs) via sol-immobilisation and impregnation techniques. Thorough characterisation has been carried out by means of XRD, XPS, SEM-EDX, TEM, and BET. The catalysts have been evaluated for the catalytic decomposition of formic acid (HCOOH), which has been identified as a safe and convenient H2 carrier under mild conditions. The influence of preparation method was investigated and catalysts prepared by the sol-immobilisation method showed higher catalytic performance (PdSI/CNF) than their analogues prepared by the impregnation method (PdIMP/CNF). A high turnover frequency (TOF) of 979 h−1 for PdSI/CNF and high selectivity (>99.99%) was obtained at 30 °C for the additive-free formic acid decomposition. Comparison with a Pd/AC (activated charcoal) catalyst synthesised with sol-immobilisation method using as a support activated charcoal (AC) showed an increase of catalytic activity by a factor of four, demonstrating the improved performance by choosing CNFs as the preferred choice of support for the deposition of preformed colloidal Pd nanoparticles

Controlling the incorporation of phosphorus functionalities on carbon nanofibers: effects on the catalytic performance of fructose dehydration

Phosphorylated carbons have been reported to be effective catalysts in dehydration reactions for biomass valorization. The amount and the nature of P groups are a key parameter affecting the catalytic performances of functionalized materials. Herein, we investigate the role of structural and surface properties of carbon-based materials, specifically carbon nanofibers, in determining the amount of P-functionalities. In order to incorporate P groups on carbon surfaces, various carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with different graphitization degrees have been functionalized through treatment with a H3PO4-HNO3 mixture at 150 °C. The pristine materials, as well as the functionalization protocol, were properly selected to achieve an effective functionalization without drastically altering the morphology of the samples. Surface and structural properties of the synthesized functionalized materials have been investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy. The catalytic behavior of phosphorylated carbon nanofibers has been evaluated in the selective dehydration of fructose to hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to elucidate structure-activity relationships

Hydrogen generation from additive-free formic acid decomposition under mild conditions by Pd/C: experimental and DFT studies

Safe and efficient hydrogen generation and storage has received much attention in recent years. Herein, a commercial 5 wt% Pd/C catalyst has been investigated for the catalytic, additive-free decomposition of formic acid at mild conditions, and the experimental parameters affecting the process systematically have been investigated and optimised. The 5 wt% Pd/C catalyst exhibited a remarkable 99.9% H2 selectivity and a high catalytic activity (TOF = 1136 h−1) at 30 °C toward the selective dehydrogenation of formic acid to H2 and CO2. The present commercial catalyst demonstrates to be a promising candidate for the efficient in-situ hydrogen generation at mild conditions possibiliting practical applications of formic acid systems on fuel cells. Finally DFT studies have been carried out to provide insights into the reactivity and decomposition of formic acid along with the two-reaction pathways on the Pd (111) surface

Spectroscopic investigation of Titania-supported gold nanoparticles prepared by a modified deposition/precipitation method for the oxidation of CO

The spectroscopic characterization of a material is a fundamental tool for understanding the structure–activity correlation for catalytic purposes. Regarding supported nanoparticles, this perspective has acquired more relevance in recent years and several techniques have been employed. In this work diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), coupled with CO adsorption, was used to investigate a modified deposition/precipitation method (DP-UC) for the preparation of supported gold nanoparticles with very low metal loading (0.1–0.5 wt %). This promising synthetic route involves the use of urea as basic agent and NaBH4 as chemical reductant in contrast to the traditional high-temperature reduction step. The systematic IR spectroscopic study of the Au loading was combined with CO oxidation catalytic tests. The evaluation of the results was also supported by several other techniques, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, N2 physisorption, and transmission electron microscopy. Particular attention was given to the evaluation of the gold electronic state, surface dispersion, particle size, and the corresponding structure–activity relationship