Purpose - This study aims to reveal how the organizational structure (vertical integration vs. franchising) of 308 stores in a Spanish fashion retail franchise chain affects their performance measured through two key performance indicators commonly used in this industry, namely, labor productivity and service quality ratings. We also appraise the moderating role played by the servant leadership of franchisees and managers of company-owned outlets to explore its influence on the relationship between organizational structure and store performance. Design/methodology/approach - We have used multivariate analyses to study the research questions, with a panel dataset of quarterly store-level data for the period January-December 2022. Findings - Vertically-integrated stores record lower labor productivity than franchised ones. This impact is lower in stores run by individuals high in servant leadership than in those run by individuals low in it. Franchised outlets also record lower ratings in service quality than vertically-integrated stores, and this negative impact is weaker in stores run by individuals high in servant leadership. Originality/valueNothing has thus far been published on the moderating effect of servant leadership in the relationship between the organizational structure of different stores and their outcomes in franchise systems.

Purpose: To compare surgical outcomes of phacoemulsification combined with Baerveldt implantation (phaco-tube) or trabeculectomy with mitomycin-C (MMC) (phaco-trab) in patients without prior incisional ocular surgery. Design: Single-center, retrospective, comparative case series. Participants: A total of 90 patients underwent surgical treatment, including 45 patients in the phaco-tube group and 45 patients in the phaco-trab group. Methods: Eligible patients were identified using current procedural terminology (CPT) codes, and their medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome measure was the rate of surgical failure (IOP <= 5 mmHg or >21 mmHg or reduced <20% from baseline on 2 consecutive study visits after 3 months, reoperations for glaucoma, or experienced loss of light perception vision). Patients who had successful surgical outcomes without use of glaucoma medications were classified as complete successes, while those who used glaucoma medications were classified as qualified successes. Secondary outcome measures were visual acuity (VA), visual field mean deviation (VFMD), intraocular pressure (IOP), glaucoma medication use, and complications. Results: The cumulative probability of failure was 6.7% in the phaco-tube group and 32.8% in the phaco-trab group after 3 years (P = 0.005; Restricted Mean Survival Time = 5.9 months, 95% CI = 1.4-10.4 months). The IOP was 13.1 +/- 3.4 mmHg in the phaco-tube group and 13.3 +/- 6.2 mmHg in the phaco-trab group at 3 years (P = 0.90), and the number of glaucoma medications was 2.6 +/- 1.5 in the phaco-tube group and 1.7 +/- 1.3 in the phaco-trab group (P = 0.015). The logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution VA was 0.39 +/- 0.58 in the phaco-tube group and 0.43 +/- 0.73 in the phaco-trab group at 3 years (P = 0.82), and VFMD was -18.3 +/- 9.0 dB in the phaco-tube group and -14.1 +/- 7.0 dB in the phaco-trab group (P = 0.16). Postoperative complications developed in 21 patients (47%) in the phaco-tube group and 15 patients (33%) in the phaco-trab group (P = 0.28). Conclusions: Phaco-tubes had a significantly lower rate of surgical failure compared to phaco-trabs after 3 years of follow-up. However, phaco-trabs used significantly fewer glaucoma medications at multiple postoperative timepoints and had a higher proportion of complete success. (c) 2024 by the American Academy of Ophthalmology

This study sheds light on how the organizational structure (vertically integrated vs. franchising) of 287 stores in a Spanish grocery retail chain affects store-level performance, estimated through two indicators frequently employed in this industry, namely, labor productivity and service quality ratings. We also appraise the moderating role played by the narcissistic leadership of franchisees and the managers of company-owned outlets to determine its influence on the relationship between organizational structure and store performance. We address these research issues through multisource, longitudinal data of both a subjective and objective nature. Franchised stores post higher labor productivity than vertically integrated ones, and this impact is stronger in those run by highly narcissistic people than in those managed by people low in narcissism. Franchised outlets also record lower ratings in service quality than vertically integrated ones, and this negative impact is also stronger in stores run by people higher in narcissistic leadership. The results are robust across our numerous specifications.

En la búsqueda de estrategias para el manejo adecuado de áreas naturales protegidas, esta investigación se encamina a establecer parámetros socioespaciales en la interfase urbano-rural y su transformación del medio natural al antrópico. Se analiza específicamente la Zona Metropolitana de Xalapa, Veracruz, pues en esta área existe una estrecha relación entre los asentamientos humanos y un área natural protegida que enmarca la mancha urbana. El objetivo es definir estrategias de transformación espacial a través de la participación, la gestión y la gobernanza, para fomentar un desarrollo integral sostenido, mediante el uso de metodologías mixtas en temas de hábitat, habitabilidad y desarrollo en el estudio del Corredor Biológico Multifuncional de la Región Capital del Estado de Veracruz (CBMRCEV). Como conclusiones se presentan evidencias de la construcción social de la identidad a través de un proceso paulatino, donde destaca el desarrollo integral y se fortalece el autoconsumo, la autogestión y el autodesarrollo.

Vazquez, Luis E. MD, PhD; Llaneras, Cristina N. BS; Vu, Daniel M. MD Author Information

En la búsqueda de estrategias para el manejo adecuado de áreas naturales protegidas, esta investigación se encamina a establecer parámetros socioespaciales en la interfase urbano-rural y su transformación del medio natural al antrópico. Se analiza específicamente la Zona Metropolitana de Xalapa, Veracruz, pues en esta área existe una estrecha relación entre los asentamientos humanos y un área natural protegida que enmarca la mancha urbana. El objetivo es definir estrategias de transformación espacial a través de la participación, la gestión y la gobernanza, para fomentar un desarrollo integral sostenido, mediante el uso de metodologías mixtas en temas de hábitat, habitabilidad y desarrollo en el estudio del Corredor Biológico Multifuncional de la Región Capital del Estado de Veracruz (CBMRCEV). Como conclusiones se presentan evidencias de la construcción social de la identidad a través de un proceso paulatino, donde destaca el desarrollo integral y se fortalece el autoconsumo, la autogestión y el autodesarrollo.

PurposeThis research seeks to discover how the organisational form (franchising vs vertical integration) of 384 fashion stores belonging to a Spanish franchise chain influences unit-level performance measured through three key indicators commonly used in the retail literature: sales per square metre, sales per employee and service quality scores.Design/methodology/approachThe authors have analysed this research question using bivariate and multivariate analyses, with a panel dataset that includes quarterly establishment-level data covering the period from January 2018 to December 2019.FindingsThe aggregated data initially reveal weaker outcomes among franchised establishments. However, after controlling for other variables related to the fashion stores and their local markets, the authors have found that franchised establishments record higher sales both per square metre and per employee than vertically integrated stores. The findings also reveal that franchised establishments record lower service quality scores than their company-owned counterparts.Originality/valueNothing has been published on the differences between franchising and company ownership in terms of establishment-level performance in fashion retailing.

Emerging literature suggests that male leaders guide their companies more towards operations-related (OR) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and female leaders lead their companies more towards non-operation-related (Non-OR) CSR activities. Nevertheless, very little research has considered intergenerational issues in CSR practices. This study explores this question in a context unexplored to date, the franchise industry. We apply multivariate analysis to explore differences between franchisor leaders. Our results reveal that successor leaders engage their companies more in normative CSR than founding leaders. Contrary to our expectations, they also encourage more instrumental CSR activities compared to the founders. We found that female leaders promote normative CSR practices to a greater extent than their male counterparts. However, gender differences in instrumental CSR were only present for the group of current leaders, where men outperformed women. When we delved into the analyses by looking at the influence of the gender of the previous founder, we found that female heirs engage their companies at the same levels of instrumental CSR as their male heir counterparts. Implications for CSR practices in franchise firms and directions for future research are discussed.

Purpose. This study investigated the effect of interview format changes (in-person to virtual, one-to-one to multiple-to-one) necessitated by the COVID-19 travel restrictions on preliminary fellowship candidate ranking variabilities. Design. Cross-sectional observational study. Method. In 2018 and 2019, the glaucoma fellowship interviews were conducted in-person in a one-to-one format, whereas in 2020, interviews were virtual and in a multiple (interviewers)-to-one (candidate) format. We compared ranking ranges of interviewers within the same virtual room (WSR) and not within the same virtual room (NWSR) to assess the effect of WSR versus NWSR on ranking variabilities. We also compared ranking categories (“accept,” “alternate,” and “pass”) agreements between 2018, 2019, and 2020 to assess the effect of virtual versus in-person interviews on ranking variabilities. Results. NWSR and WSR mean rankings differed by 1.33 (95% confidence interval difference 0.61 to 2.04, p = 0.0003), with WSR interviewers having less variability than NWSR pairs. The variability between 2018/2019 (in-person interviews) and 2020 (virtual interviews) showed no differences between in-person and virtual interviews (weighted Kappa statistic 0.086 for 2018, 0.158 for 2019, and 0.101 for 2020; p < 0.05 for all years). The overall least attractive candidate has the lowest variability; the most attractive candidate has the second lowest variability. Conclusion. Grouping interviewers WSR during the interview decreased ranking variabilities compared to NWSR, while a change from in-person to virtual interview format did not increase the ranking variabilities. This suggests that the decreased nonverbal interactions in virtual interviews do not decrease interviewers’ perceptions as applied to preliminary rankings.

This research seeks to discover how the organisational form (franchising vs. vertical integration) of 305 supermarkets belonging to a Spanish franchise chain influences unit-level performance measured through three key performance indicators commonly used in the retail literature: sales per square metre, sales per employee, and service quality scores. Additionally, we assess the moderating role of the manager's gender in each individual supermarket. We have analysed the research questions using multivariate analyses, with a panel dataset that includes quarterly establishment-level data covering the period from January 2017 to December 2019. We have found that franchised supermarkets record higher sales both per square metre and per employee than vertically integrated ones. This positive effect of franchising is lower in establishments run by females than in those run by males. The findings also reveal that franchised supermarkets record lower service quality scores than their company-owned counterparts, and this negative effect is again lower in establishments managed by females than in those managed by males.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to report a unique case of ocular surface squamous neoplasia that masqueraded as a nonresolving toxic epithelial keratitis. Methods: This was a case report and review of the literature. Results: A 79-year-old man presented with decreased vision, redness, and a foreign body sensation in his right eye that was refractory to treatment with lubrication and topical nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drops. Before presentation, the referring provider believed that he had medicamentosa-related keratitis and placed him on oral methazolamide. Slitlamp biomicroscopy of the right eye revealed diffuse epitheliopathy with punctate fluorescein staining and subtle underlying corneal epithelial opalescence. A mildly thickened and inflamed pinguecula was noted from 2 to 5 o'clock at the limbus of the right eye. An anterior segment high-resolution optical coherence tomography revealed thickened, hyperreflective epithelium with an abrupt transition. An incisional biopsy confirmed conjunctival and corneal intraepithelial neoplasia. The patient improved after 4 cycles of topical chemotherapy with 1% 5-fluorouracil eye drops with complete resolution of the corneal and conjunctival pathology. Conclusions: Ocular surface squamous neoplasia can rarely masquerade as a recalcitrant medicamentosa and epithelial keratitis. In subtle cases or in cases with combined ocular surface morbidities, anterior segment high-resolution optical coherence tomography can be helpful to diagnose and direct therapy.

This study of 246 franchise firms in Spain explores differences in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices as a function of a leader's gender and the industry sector. The results suggest that female-led firms engage more with normative CSR, while male leadership prompts a more instrumental approach. Overall, B2B companies engage more in instrumental CSR, while there are no significant differences between B2B and B2C firms in normative CSR. Interestingly, the results indicate that female-led firms engage more in CSR practices (normative and instrumental) in the B2B sector compared to B2C. Male-led firms, by contrast, tend to do so more in instrumental CSR in the B2C sector, thus operating more instrumentally when the outlook appears more promising. The results challenge existing theories whereby female-led firms may engage more in CSR in the B2C sector as opposed to B2B. The results support theories proposing that female-led firms adopt more of a stewardship theory approach in the B2B sector, building relationships and social capital through activities such as CSR. The findings extend the state-of-the-art on how gender may influence CSR practices in both type (normative or instrumental) and circumstance (B2B or B2C).

Joaquín Fernández de Lizardi es, sin duda, el mejor ejemplo que podemos encontrar de la figura del intelectual-escritor en la Nueva España del S. XVIII. Mediante el análisis de su novela Noches tristes y día alegre, rastrearemos la influencia de la novela ilustrada europea, así como los ecos de la obra Noches lúgubres de José Cadalso. Por último, analizaremos algunas de las principales ideas filosóficas de la época que propiciaron la independencia de México y que aparecen en la obra de Fernández de Lizardi.

Entre los institutos autoctonos del derecho administrativo, que reconocen su origen en la labor pretoriana del Consejo de Estado Frances, encontramos al vicio de “desviacion de poder”, que afecta al elemento esencial del acto administrativo denominado “finalidad”.

Purpose of review The aim of this article is to summarize findings of recent reports highlighting the utility of novel optical coherence tomography (OCT) parameters in the diagnosis and monitoring of glaucomatous optic neuropathy. Recent findings Optic nerve head (ONH), retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), and macular parameters show high levels of diagnostic capability. The Bruch's membrane opening-minimum rim width (BMO-MRW) measurement is a novel ONH parameter obtained using the Spectralis SD-OCT device (Heidelberg Engineering, Inc., Heidelberg, Germany). The inferotemporal BMO-MRW sector shows the highest diagnostic performance for this parameter. Minimum ganglion cell and inner plexiform layer thickness shows the highest diagnostic performance among macular parameters obtained with the Cirrus HD-OCT (Carl Zeiss, Inc., Dublin, CA, USA). Optic nerve head, macular, and retinal nerve fiber layer parameters are not interchangeable across protocols generated by varying OCT manufacturers. Novel machine-learning algorithms show promise with regards to achieving higher levels of diagnostic accuracy using OCT imaging platforms. Summary Digital imaging in glaucoma continues to evolve with novel parameters of the optic nerve head, retinal nerve fiber layer, and macula. Diagnostic abilities of these parameters are high and complementary to each other.