Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2021-02"
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- Opening Pandora's Box: Everything We (Do Not) Know About the Global StrategyPublication . Veiga, Pedro; Figueiredo, Ronnie; Teixeira, Sérgio; Fernandes, CristinaGlobal strategy research is rapidly increasing in quantity but is found in divergent literature and disciplines. Now is the time to offer a comprehensive review that identifies, synthesizes, and integrates previous research and highlights knowledge gaps and the way forward. This methodical literature search helped to identify 338 articles in the Web of Science database published until 2018. Using a systematic and in-depth content analysis using bibliometric techniques, the authors reviewed the articles and identified the main theories used and the methodological guidelines in these articles. This review helps to identify significant knowledge gaps in terms of theoretical orientation and core content. The main contributions of this paper are to outline and summarize a multilevel analysis of emerging global strategy literature, integrate and extract potential theoretical contributions in this field, and indicate directions for future research.
- Strategy and Human Resources Management in Non-Profit Organizations: Its Interaction with Open InnovationPublication . Oliveira, Márcio; Sousa, Marlene; Silva, Rui Jorge Rodrigues da; Santos, TâniaThe socioeconomic changes that many countries have been experiencing in recent decades, caused by structural factors or by specific circumstances, where the pandemic crisis of COVID-19 is only the most recent example, have posed challenges to organizations, which present themselves more and more and in various forms as threatened by the possibility of fulfilling their mission. Public and private sectors increasingly present themselves as insufficient to respond effectively to day-to-day requests. This context of instability and the resulting impacts for non-profit organizations pose serious problems to the way in which governance is exercised and served as a motivation for carrying out a study that aimed to understand the influence of strategy and human resources on the governance of these organizations. A review of the literature on the variables under study made it possible to identify the sub-dimensions associated with each one of them and the respective indicators. Thus, for a quantitative study, it was possible to apply a questionnaire to 242 Holy Houses of Mercy in Portugal to understand the direct and indirect influences of strategic management and human resources management on the governance of these institutions. The results obtained show the existence of a positive relationship between the variables under analysis, confirming that not only do these variables influence, by themselves and directly, the governance of the institutions studied, but also the strategy influences human resources policies, which in turn have implications for the way the Holy Houses of Mercy deal with aspects associated with governance. It is concluded that, in general, for these organizations to be more effective in efforts to improve their governance processes, they must focus on strategic management and human resources management instruments.
- Cores & Design: Caderno 2Publication . Norogrando, RafaelaObra de carácter pedagógico elaborada para o contexto académico em cursos de Design. Em quatro cadernos apresenta estudos da cor em relação a superfícies e objetos de design. O caderno 2 trata de sensibilização e aplicação da cor na superfície a ter como exemplo a cor na natureza a sua distinta interpretação cultural e outros exemplos de aplicações no design.
- Characterization of bitter taste receptors expression and function in the human blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrierPublication . Duarte, Ana Catarina Abreu; Santos, Cecília Reis Alves dos; Gonçalves, Isabel Maria Theriaga Mendes VarandaBitter taste receptors (TR2) expression and functionality was recently reported in the rat choroid plexus (CP). CP epithelial cells establish a major brain barrier, the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB). Given their capacity to bind a large array of chemical compounds, we hypothesised that TR2 might be involved in monitoring the composition of blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Brain barriers play a critical role in the protection of the central nervous system (CNS) by hindering the access of toxic substances to the brain. Consequently, many drugs targeting neurological disorders are impaired to cross these barriers. This is explained through the expression of several membrane transporters in brain barriers cells that efflux drugs, thus impairing drug cell accumulation in the brain. A wide range of compounds that bind to TR2 show neuroprotective and anti-tumoral properties. However, their low bioavailability in the CNS restrains its therapeutic application. Additionally, bitter compounds might interact with transporters that are also found in brain barriers. Therefore, bitter compounds might be effluxed which explains their low bioavailability but can also regulate the action of these transporters in order to increase their or other drugs’ intracellular accumulation. Considering that bitter compounds are TR2 agonists it is possible that TR2 play an important role on the bioactive effects of bitter compounds in the CNS, as reported in other tissues. The main goal of this doctoral thesis was to analyse the expression and function of the bitter signalling pathway in the human BCSFB. Additionally, the role of human TR2 (TAS2Rs) as modulator of specific neuroactive bitter compounds on ABC transporters function and activity at the BCSFB was also evaluated. The first research work presented showed the expression of 13 TAS2Rs as well as of downstream effector proteins of the taste signalling pathway in the human BCSFB. Moreover, we demonstrated that TAS2R14 and TAS2R39 are functional in a human cell model of the BCSFB and respond to bitter compounds quercetin and chloramphenicol, respectively. The second research work evaluated resveratrol transport across the BCSFB and the involvement of TAS2Rs. Results showed that resveratrol is able to cross the BCSFB from blood to cerebrospinal fluid in a dependent manner of TAS2R14 expression at CP epithelial cells. Further, efflux transporters ABCC1, ABCC4 and ABCG2, which are expressed at CP epithelial cells, transport resveratrol. Additionally, resveratrol upregulated ABCG2 expression and regulated ABCC4 and ABCG2 efflux activity in TAS2R14 dependent way. In conclusion, the results obtained during this project demonstrate that TAS2Rs are expressed and functional at the human BCSFB and support their participation in the monitorization of chemical composition of the surrounding fluids. Furthermore, the major achievements of this thesis strongly support the role of BCSFB in the regulation of the transport of molecules into the brain. In the future, it is necessary to further exploit the role of other TAS2Rs as mediators of the effects of bitter compounds in the brain, as well as in the regulation of transport and detoxifying systems at the BCSFB. The knowledge hereby created has far-reaching potential for improving the challenging task of delivering therapeutic drugs into the CNS.
- A Influência da Educação para o Empreendedorismo nos Empresários PortuguesesPublication . Gomes, Sandra Christina Brito; Paço, Arminda Maria Finisterra doA literatura indica que a formação em empreendedorismo facilita a aquisição de competências, revelando-se um instrumento essencial, que permitirá aos indivíduos enfrentarem os desafios colocados pela sociedade atual, tornando-os mais competitivos, criativos e geradores de riqueza. As Instituições do Ensino Superior (IES) têm uma responsabilidade acrescida nesta tarefa de fomentar o empreendedorismo, por isso cabe-lhes introduzir conteúdos e disciplinas relacionadas no currículo dos diferentes cursos superiores. A presente investigação pretende apresentar um estudo sobre a influência da educação para o empreendedorismo nos alunos do ensino superior português, estando organizada em dois blocos: a perspetiva dos professores que ensinam empreendedorismo e a perspetiva dos empresários que tiveram contacto com a(s) disciplina(s) de empreendedorismo, aquando da sua formação. Tendo em vista o cumprimento do objetivo central desta investigação, que consiste em analisar se os empresários portugueses que criaram negócios entre 2010-2017, foram influenciados pela existência da educação para o empreendedorismo na sua formação, e pelas aprendizagens e conhecimentos obtidos durante o percurso académico, foram, numa primeira fase, recolhidos dados referentes aos professores (n=51) que lecionam ou lecionaram disciplinas de empreendedorismo ou conexas e, numa segunda fase, foram recolhidos dados junto de empresários portugueses (n=206). De ressalvar que se trata da realização de dois estudos independentes com o intuito de, por um lado, perceber como é lecionada a disciplina de empreendedorismo (perspetiva dos professores) e, por outro lado, perceber se o ensino para o empreendedorismo, recebido ao longo da sua aprendizagem, influenciou os empresários na sua decisão de criar um negócio. Em ambos os estudos, a recolha de dados foi realizada através de um inquérito por questionário e análise documental. A análise da evidência foi feita com base em técnicas estatísticas (análise fatorial, teste t-student, teste qui-quadrado, teste Fisher e tabulações cruzadas). O primeiro estudo mostrou que os professores inquiridos valorizam menos as competências ligadas à literacia financeira, valorizando mais outras habilidades, como a criatividade, a perseverança e as relações externas. Constatou-se que o plano de negócios, as aulas expositivas e o contacto com as incubadoras são as estratégias pedagógicas mais utilizadas pelos professores para fomentar competências empreendedoras. Apesar de 98% dos professores considerar que as estratégias a que recorrem influenciam positivamente os alunos na criação de negócios, não conseguem mensurar com exatidão o número de alunos que efetivamente criou o seu próprio negócio. O segundo estudo mostrou que não existem diferenças significativas na forma como as competências adquiridas, através da formação em empreendedorismo, são valorizadas quer para os empresários que criaram empresas, quer para os outros indivíduos, que apesar de frequentarem unidades curriculares no âmbito do empreendedorismo não criaram o seu próprio negócio. Verificou-se, também, que não existem diferenças significativas, na forma como homens e mulheres valorizam as competências empreendedores, tendo-se verificado o mesmo relativamente aos empresários de diferentes áreas de formação. Por outro lado, constatou-se que os empresários graduados no ensino politécnico desenvolvem mais competências empreendedoras do que os graduados no ensino universitário, particularmente, as que dizem respeito às competências ligadas à autonomia na resolução de problemas e na tomada de decisões. Por último, aferiu-se que os empresários com familiares detentores de negócios apresentam um maior interesse para o empreendedorismo, do que os empresários que não têm qualquer familiar com negócios.
- Business Education: Filling the Gaps in the Leader’s Awareness Concerning Organizational PhronesisPublication . Rocha, Raysa; Pinheiro, PauloEducation is a method of sharing social consciousness and social reconstruction. There is an existential crisis in business education driven by the conflict between social and financial objec- tives. A paradigm shift in business education requires that leaders be taught how to incorporate new competencies. Phronesis (practical wisdom), individual and collective, is an essential compe- tence to be addressed in business education. It leads companies to continuous innovation and highly sustainable performance. We conducted 23 interviews with leaders from organizations in 14 coun- tries to discuss some transformations that business education needs through leaders’ awareness concerning organizational phronesis. We conducted a thematic analysis of the interviews with sup- port from NVivo software. The results demonstrate gaps in leaders’ awareness concerning phronesis and its relationships with knowledge management and organizational spirituality. Business educa- tion still needs to be reviewed to enable leaders to learn and incorporate phronesis theory and prac- tice. Building on the gaps found in the leaders’ awareness of phronesis, we propose interdisciplinary pedagogical methods to teach business students competencies that enable the embodiment of phronesis. These changes in business education are indispensable to reach sustainability.
- Assessing Eco-Efficiency in Asian and African Countries Using Stochastic Frontier AnalysisPublication . Moutinho, Victor; Madaleno, MaraThis study aims to evaluate the economic and environmental efficiency of Asian and African economies. In the model proposed, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is considered as the desired output and Greenhouse Gases (GHG), like carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, as the undesirable output. Capital, labor, fossil fuels, and renewable energy consumption are regarded as inputs, and the GDP/CO2 ratio is the output, by using a log-linear Translog production function and using data from 2005 until 2018, including 22 Asian and 22 African countries. Results evidence cross-countries heterogeneity among production inputs, namely labor, capital, and type of energy use and its efficiency. The models complement each other and are based on different distributional assumptions and estimation methods while providing a picture of Eco-efficiency in Asian and African economies. Labor and renewable energy share increase technical Eco-efficiency, while fixed capital decreases it under time-variant models. Technical improvements in Eco-efficiency are verified through time considering the time variable into the model estimations, replacing fossil fuels with renewable sources. An inverted U-shaped Eco-efficiency function is found concerning the share of fossil fuel consumption. Important policy implications are drawn from the results regarding the empirical results.
- Cores & Design: Caderno 1Publication . Norogrando, RafaelaObra de carácter pedagógico elaborada para o contexto académico em cursos de Design. Em quatro cadernos apresenta estudos da cor em relação a superfícies e objetos de design. O caderno 1 trata de princípios e fundamentos da cor na superfície, alguns efeitos, percepções e exemplos de aplicações no design.
- Impact of the propagation model on the capacity in small‐cell networks: comparison between the UHF/SHF and the millimetre wavebandsPublication . Teixeira, Emanuel; Sousa, Sofia; Velez, Fernando J.; Peha, JonThis work shows how both frequency and the election of path loss model affect estimated spectral efficiency. Six different frequency bands are considered, ranging from 2.6 GHz in the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) band to 73 GHz in the millimetre wave bands (mmWaves), using both single-slope and two-slope path-loss models. We start by comparing four ur ban path loss models for UHF: the urban/vehicular and pedestrian test environment from the ITU-R M. 1255 Report, which includes the two-slope urban micro line-of-sight (LoS) and NLoS, from the ITU-R 2135 Report. Then, we consider mmWaves taking into con26 sideration the modified Friis propagation model, followed by an analysis of the through put for the 2.6, 3.5, 28, 38, 60 and 73 GHz frequency bands. We have found that the signal to-interference-plus-noise ratio, as estimated with the more realistic two-slope model, is lower for devices that are within the break-point of the transmitter, which is a small dis tance in the UHF/SHF band. As a result, spectral efficiency is higher with mmWaves than with UHF/SHF spectrum when cell radius is under 40 meters but not when cells are larger. Consequently, mmWaves spectrum will be more valuable as cells get small. We also find that capacity as estimated with the two-slope model is considerably smaller than one would obtain with the one-slope model when cells are small but there is little difference in the models when cells are larger. Thus, as cells get smaller, the use of one slope models may underestimate the number of cells that must be deployed.
- Study of Indoor Small Cell DeploymentsPublication . Paulo, Rui R.; Velez, Fernando J.; Khan, BahramThis work aims at studying the indoor deployment of small cells, also known as femtocells, to provide coverage to a 5 × 5 grid geometry. The number of deployed HeNBs is 4, 5, or 6. An updated version of LTE-Sim is considered to extract values for Exponential Effective SINR Mapping (EESM), Packet Loss Ratio (PLR), maximum number of supported users, goodput and delay. Results reveal that the use of four HeNBs corresponds to the highest values of EESM. For the considered geometry, 3GPP suggested a maximum of five HeNBs. However, this deployment shows worser performance compared to the topology with four HeNBs. The geometry with six HeNBs is the one with the best overall performance results for the 5 × 5 grid of apartments.