With the globalization process, firms are seeking to expand their activities to international markets but are also "feeling" expanded competition from abroad. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), though seeking to expand abroad, have particularities that hinder their natural international expansion path due to particular barriers and challenges that most multinational firms have already overcome. Cases on Internationalization Challenges for SMEs provides a set of case studies on the internationalization of SMEs in order to share the latest empirical research findings in the field of internationalization in the context of a globalized world, and which considers a highly competitive international business setting. This includes examining the main reasons for the success or failure of the process of internationalization of SMEs and their inherent activities. Covering topics that include competitive advantage, export performance, and inward internationalization, this book targets managers, executives, and entrepreneurs concerned with how to adapt their companies to a fast-changing international business environment, how to conduct internationalization strategies, how to choose the most adequate international entry modes, and how to adapt their products and strategies to international markets. It is also suited for academicians, researchers, and students in the field of management.

Modern religious tourism is a main segment of the tourism business. The main goal of religious tourism is aimed at developing human spirituality, spiritual healing, and culture, where a person receives the experience of cooperation, or involvement with the place in which he resides, his people, culture, and religion. This type of tourism is able to play a significant role in the overall goals of society and to promote the establishment of trusting relationships between people of all cultures and religions. Global Development of Religious Tourism is a crucial reference book that contains research on the current religious situation as well as the tourism industry and provides insights on their joint development. It is not possible to study any religious field without understanding the religion itself and its impact on any country's political and social system. Therefore, the work also examines the impact of religion and tourism on economic and social developments across the world. Highlighting topics that include sanctuary cities, religious tourism management, and religious tourism in regions that span Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and more, this book is targeted to managers, executives, planners, and other professionals in the tourism and hospitality industry; government officials; religious leaders; and researchers, academicians, and students working in the fields of tourism management, business management, information and communication sciences, administrative sciences and management, education, and social and political sciences.

Approaches to the Purification, Analysis and Characterization of Antibody-Based Therapeutics provides the interested and informed reader with an overview of current approaches, strategies and considerations relating to the purification, analytics and characterization of therapeutic antibodies and related molecules. While there are obviously other books published in and around this subject area, they seem to be either older (c.a. year 2000 publication date) or are more limited in scope. The book will include an extensive bibliography of the published literature in the respective areas covered. It is not, however, intended to be a how-to methods book.

The retail industry has undergone enormous changes during the last thirty years.

But there is one retailer that not only has remained consistent in the fluctuating―even tenuous―market, but also has grown in the process.

"More Than a Hobby "takes you inside the story of David Green, the man who built the phenomenal success of Hobby Lobby. Green went beyond surviving in a competitive retail market to thriving, ultimately expanding his $600 start-up company into a $1.3 billion per-year enterprise.

Green's incredible accomplishments were based not on business-school theory but on his grassroots experiences as a store manager and his creative application of cutting edge ideas, including:

• Allow managers to spend no more than thirty minutes per day on paperwork
• Instead of paying a middleman, assemble as much of the product as possible in-house
• Give buyers the freedom to purchase without restraint--but within the realm of common sense
• Keep God and family first

"More Than a Hobby "is a practical field manual, filled with revolutionary ideas for all those who dream of success in the world of retail business.

Controlled Release Fertilizers for Sustainable Agriculture provides a comprehensive examination of precision fertilizer applications using the 4-R approach-the right amount of fertilizer at the right time to the right plant at the correct stage of plant growth. This volume consolidates detailed information on each aspect of controlled release fertilizers, including up-to-date literature citations, the current market for controlled release fertilizers and patents. Presenting the tremendous advances in experimental and theoretical studies on sustainable agriculture and related areas, this book provides in-depth insight into state-of-the-art controlled release mechanisms of fertilizers, techniques, and their use in sustainable agriculture. Conventional release mechanisms have historically meant waste of fertilizers and the adverse effects of that waste on the environment. Controlled release delivery makes significant strides in enhancing fertilizer benefit to the target plant, while protecting the surrounding environment and increasing sustainability.

Life-Cycle Cost Models for Green Buildings: With Optimal Green Star Credits illustrates the tools and methods for developing a life-cycle cost model that incorporates developer constraints while maximizing the number of credit points achieved. The book identifies the interdependencies among various credits in the Green Star environmental rating system. Afterwards, life-cycle cost is calculated by considering six main central business districts (CBDs) of Australia. The net present value (NPV) technique is used to calculate life-cycle costs. Further, a sensitivity analysis is also carried out for selected credits to identify the changes to life-cycle cost to the changes in discount rate. Once all the life-cycle cost data is calculated, this book illustrates the development of the proposed model using a Java application which allows users to evaluate each key criterion of green buildings separately. The book is designed to provide ample knowledge of the various options available to get green building certification and the further implications in-terms of life-cycle.

Plant Breeding and Cultivar Development features an optimal balance between classical and modern tools and techniques related to plant breeding. Written for a global audience and based on the extensive international experience of the authors, the book features pertinent examples from major and minor world crops. Advanced data analytics (machine learning), phenomics and artificial intelligence are explored in the book's 28 chapters that cover classical and modern plant breeding. By presenting these advancements in specific detail, private and public sector breeding programs will learn about new, effective and efficient implementation. The insights are clear enough that non-plant breeding majoring students will find it useful to learn about the subject, while advanced level students and researchers and practitioners will find practical examples that help them implement their work.

Fundamentals of Thermal and Nuclear Power Generation is the first volume in the JSME Series in Thermal and Nuclear Power Generation. The first part of this volume provides a thorough and complete reference on the history of thermal and nuclear power generation, which has informed and sculpted today's industry. It prepares readers for subsequent publications in the series that address more advanced topics and will particularly benefit early career researchers and those approaching the industry from an alternative discipline. Modern thermal and nuclear power generation systems and technologies are then explored, including clear analysis on the fundamentals of thermodynamics, hydrodynamics, thermal engineering, combustion engineering, and nuclear physics. The impact of these technologies on society is considered throughout, as well as supply issues, accident risk analysis, and important emission and sustainability considerations. This book is an invaluable resource for researchers and professional engineers in nuclear and thermal energy engineering, and postgraduate and undergraduate students in power generation, especially nuclear and thermal.

Low Carbon Energy Technologies for Sustainable Energy Systems examines, investigates, and integrates current research aimed at operationalizing low carbon technologies within complex transitioning energy economies. Scholarly research has traditionally focused on the technical aspects of exploitation, R&D, operation, infrastructure, and decommissioning, while approaches which can realistically inform their reception and scale-up across real societies and real markets are piecemeal and isolated in separate literatures. Addressing both the technical foundations of each technology together with the sociotechnical ways in which they are spread in markets and societies, this work integrates the technoeconomic assessment of low carbon technologies with direct discussion on legislative and regulatory policies in energy markets. Chapters address issues, such as social acceptance, consumer awareness, environmental valuation systems, and the circular economy, as low carbon technologies expand into energy systems sustainability, sensitivity, and stability. This collective research work is relevant to both researchers and practitioners working in sustainable energy systems. The combination of these features makes it a timely book that is useful and attractive to university students, researchers, academia, and public or private energy policy makers.

Sustainable Oil and Gas Development Series: Drilling Engineering delivers research materials and emerging technologies that conform sustainability drilling criteria. Starting with ideal zero-waste solutions in drilling and long-term advantages, the reference discusses the sustainability approach through the use of non-linear solutions and works its way through the most conventional practices and procedures used today. Step-by-step formulations and examples are provided to demonstrate how to look at conventional practices versus sustainable approaches with eventually diverging towards a more sustainable alternative. Emerging technologies are covered and detailed sustainability analysis is included. Economic considerations, analysis, and long-term consequences, focusing on risk management round out the with conclusions and a extensive glossary. Sustainable Oil and Gas Development Series: Drilling Engineering gives today's petroleum and drilling engineers a guide how to analyze and evaluate their operations in a more environmentally-driven way.

Given the central role of the food and agriculture system in driving so many of the connected ecological, social and economic threats and challenges we currently face, Rethinking Food and Agriculture reviews, reassesses and reimagines the current food and agriculture system and the narrow paradigm in which it operates. Rethinking Food and Agriculture explores and uncovers some of the key historical, ethical, economic, social, cultural, political, and structural drivers and root causes of unsustainability, degradation of the agricultural environment, destruction of nature, short-comings in science and knowledge systems, inequality, hunger and food insecurity, and disharmony. It reviews efforts towards 'sustainable development', and reassesses whether these efforts have been implemented with adequate responsibility, acceptable societal and environmental costs and optimal engagement to secure sustainability, equity and justice. The book highlights the many ways that farmers and their communities, civil society groups, social movements, development experts, scientists and others have been raising awareness of these issues, implementing solutions and forging 'new ways forward', for example towards paradigms of agriculture, natural resource management and human nutrition which are more sustainable and just. Rethinking Food and Agriculture proposes ways to move beyond the current limited view of agro-ecological sustainability towards overall sustainability of the food and agriculture system based on the principle of 'inclusive responsibility'. Inclusive responsibility encourages ecosystem sustainability based on agro-ecological and planetary limits to sustainable resource use for production and livelihoods. Inclusive responsibility also places importance on quality of life, pluralism, equity and justice for all and emphasises the health, well-being, sovereignty, dignity and rights of producers, consumers and other stakeholders, as well as of nonhuman animals and the natural world.

To compete effectively today and remain sustainable over the long term, business organizations must create flexible means of generating competitive advantage given the hypercompetitive nature of the global marketplace in all industries including tourism. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation, thus requiring the tourism industry to reassess itself and realign operations with global and local realities. The Handbook of Research on Sustainable Tourism and Hotel Operations in Global Hypercompetition examines various aspects of the hospitality, recreation, and tourism industries. It contributes empirical research, theoretical development, and current best practices to the field. Covering topics such as sustainable medical tourism, technology acceptance model, and cultural tourism, this major reference work is an essential resource for community leaders, business executives and managers, government officials, librarians, students and faculty of higher education, researchers, and academicians.

The Refinery of the Future, Second Edition, delivers useful knowledge that will help the engineer understand the processes involved, feedstocks, composition and future technologies. Covering the basic chemistry, commercial processes already in use and future innovation, this reference gives engineers and managers the tools needed to understand refining products, feedstocks, and the processes critical to convert feedstocks to desired outcomes. New information concerning tight shale formations and heavy oil process options is included for today's operations. Rounding out with future uses in shale, bioliquids and refinery configurations, this book gives engineers and refinery managers the knowledge to update and upgrade their refinery assets.

Freight Transport Modeling in Emerging Countries examines freight transport models developed in emerging countries including Turkey, South Africa, India, Chile, and more. It provides a toolbox of successful freight transport model applications, alternative data collection methods, and evaluation techniques for the development of future policies. The book offers solutions for issues related to the urban, national, and international transportation of goods and examines new advances in freight transport models and data collection techniques and their applications in emerging countries. Emerging countries have unique transport-related policies, regulatory structures, logistics systems, and long-term uncertainties that hinder their economic development. This book tackles these issues by examining decision-making models for locating logistics sites such as ports and distribution centers, modeling urban freight movements in megacities and port cities, using existing datasets to get information when data is not available, implementing policies related to the national and international movements of goods, and more.

With immense consumption of resources, increased global warming, and environmental pollution, the energy sector has inevitably embraced sustainability. Countries are releasing plans and programs to shift their fossil fuel-dependent energy sectors into clean energy sectors, and projections show that renewable energy will be a significant part of nations' energy mixes in the near future. Optimization and decision-making techniques have been commonly used in the energy sector as problems encountered in this sector are complex and therefore need comprehensive techniques to solve them. With the uncertainty and high-cost issues of renewable resources, the complexity increases in the sector and requires optimization and decision-making techniques. Optimization and Decision-Making in the Renewable Energy Industry analyzes renewable energy sources using current mathematical methods and techniques and provides advanced knowledge on key opportunities and challenges. The book discusses current and trending mathematical methods, tests their validity and verification, and considers their practical application in the field. Covering topics such as urban sustainability and renewable energy systems, this reference work is ideal for practitioners, academicians, industry professionals, researchers, scholars, instructors, and students.

Malgré de multiples efforts, les économies fragiles d'Afrique subsaharienne (ASS) comme celles du Mali, du Tchad, du Niger et de la Guinée se classent toujours parmi les moins diversifiées du monde, avec une part élevée des ressources naturelles dans leur produit intérieur brut ou dans leurs exportations. La production à grande échelle d'or pour le Mali, de pétrole pour le Tchad, d'uranium pour le Niger, et de bauxite pour la Guinée offre des opportunités importantes, mais aussi des défis majeurs pour ces pays. Des évidences concluantes mettent en exergue la mauvaise performance économique des pays fragiles d'ASS riches en ressources naturelles. La raison principale d'un tel constat n'est pas seulement leur grande vulnérabilité aux chocs externes, mais la cupidité ou les griefs qui conduisent généralement à l'accaparation des rentes par des petit groups qui conforment les élites dans des pays sujets aux conflits.Au moment où ces pays ont réaffirmé leur vision pour la diversification de leurs économies, ce livre explore les questions suivantes : Quelles sont les principales contraintes à la diversification des exportations telles que perçues par les principales entreprises exportatrices auditionnées dans ces pays ? Ces pays ont-ils bien fait de cibler certains produits d'exportation ? Les interventions actuelles de ces pays dans les chaînes de valeurs mondiales (CVM) sont-elles adéquates ? Quelles leçons peut-on tirer de cas spécifi ques de réussite/d'échec dans ces pays ? Quelles politiques commerciales et logistiques peuvent favoriser (ou entraver) la croissance tirée par la diversifi cation des exportations dans ces pays ?Le livre jette les bases d'interventions multidimensionnelles plus efficaces pour propulser la diversification des exportations dans les économies fragiles d'ASS entravées non seulement par une gouvernance et des institutions faibles, mais aussi par leur position enclavée (sauf la Guinée), la taille limitée des marchés domestiques, et les politiques défavorables au développement des entreprises. En suivant une approche graduelle, le livre préconise une CVM 2.0, basée sur des politiques de promotion des clusters pour la diversification des exportations. Tout en reconnaissant que plusieurs interventions des projets antérieurs dans ces pays ont eu un succès limité, principalement en raison de leur concentration unidimensionnelle dans des objectifs isolés des chaînes de valeur agricoles, l'approche spatiale CVM 2.0 propose plutôt des efforts multidimensionnelles axés sur des objectifs complémentaires de la part des futurs projets pour attirer des entreprises étrangères sélectionnées et réaliser des investissements publics complémentaires qui favorisent l'agro-industrie. Des exemples pilotes prometteurs de projets de bailleurs de fonds exécutés conjointement, de mécanismes financiers de partage des risques, de grappes agro-industrielles, et d'autres interventions de développeurs de chaînes de valeur sont décrits en détail dans ce livre.