Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2010-01"
Now showing 1 - 10 of 10
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Entrepreneurship research: a bibliometric study of the EnANPADs 1997-2008Publication . Ferreira, Manuel Portugal; Santos, João Carvalho; Serra, Fernando A. Ribeiro; Reis, NunoWe have witnessed a fast growth in academic interest on entrepreneurship over the past two to three decades, although at disparate paces in different countries. A wealth of papers presented and published, books, dedicated journals, websites, professional and research groups have emerged accompanying this increased interest. It is thus important to understand what are these scholars studying. In this paper we examine the state of the art in entrepreneurship research in Brazil, by scrutinizing the entire track record of the papers presented at the EnANPAD over a twelve years period: 1997 to 2008. The results of the bibliometric analysis revealed that entrepreneurship research maintains a broad spectrum of interests, focusing both on contextual, individual and process issues. Less visible is a unified theoretical background or the use of established theories foundational to other management disciplines. It is notable the increase in the Brazilian empirical, theoretical and case-study based entrepreneurship research. This paper is organized in four main sections. First, we review the entrepreneurship literature, followed by a description of the method employed, the third, presents and discusses the results of the bibliometric study, and we conclude with a broad discussion, conclusions to be drawn, limitations and avenues for future research.
- Make or buy in a mature industry? Models of client-supplier relationships under TCT and RBV perspectivesPublication . Ferreira, Manuel Portugal; Serra, Fernando A. RibeiroIn this paper, we use the transaction cost theory [TCT] and the resource-based view [RBV] to discuss three propositions on the models of client-supplier relationships in mature industries. The two theories seem to advance different organizational forms of the client-supplier relationships, and in some instances are contradictory. How should firms organize to prosper and grow, namely in the international markets? Through the case study of three Portuguese packaging firms, with primary (interviews) and secondary data, we discuss how the three firms deploy three distinct strategic organization models in a mature industry. One firm utilizes marketbased governance mechanisms, and concentrates its production in a few selected locations. Another firm vertically integrates almost the entire value chain of the product to provide full service to its clients. The third firm operates in a model of integrated outsourcing, with the installation wall to wall with its clients. The clientsupplier models adopted by these firms are based on efficient, stable, and trustworthy relationships that permit them to focus on their core competences and reduce transaction costs. The superior performance of firms requires a proper alignment of hierarchical and relational governance, taking the dimensions of their transactions into consideration.
- Planejamento estratégico participativo em uma instituição de ensino superior (IES) comunitáriaPublication . Ferreira, Marcus Vinicius Anátocles; Serra, Fernando A. Ribeiro; Ferreira, Manuel Portugal; Santos, Neri dosEste artigo propõe uma metodologia de participação da comunidade de gestores universitários e stakeholders para validação das questões e determinação das estratégias no processo de Planejamento Estratégico em IES comunitária. Propõe ainda um mecanismo de participação que considera uma visão sistêmica e evolutiva na proposição, estruturação e no processo de operacionalização do planejamento estratégico, preservando as características das comunidades das IES. A utilização de entrevistas, reuniões, seminários e trabalhos com membros das comunidades envolvidas através de grupos de trabalho e comitês, servem como forma de legitimação dos resultados e para realizar um pensamento estratégico integrado.
- The international entrepreneurial firm's social networksPublication . Ferreira, Manuel Portugal; Santos, João Carvalho; Serra, Fernando A. RibeiroThis paper investigates theoretically the importance and impact of the international entrepreneurial firms’ (IEFs) social networks on selected firms’ strategies. We focus specifically on some core attributes of IEFs and the impact of social networks on such strategies as the choice of the foreign markets to operate and the foreign entry modes. The social networks are a major driver of the internationalization from inception and help in overcoming a variety of physical and social resource limitations as well as transactional hazards. We conclude that it is likely that both some fundamental characteristics of the IEFs and those of the foreign markets entered account for these firms reliance on their social networks.
- Automatic histogram threshold using fuzzy measuresPublication . Lopes, Nuno Vieira; Couto, Pedro M.; Bustince, Humberto; Melo-Pinto, PedroIn this paper, an automatic histogram threshold approach based on a fuzziness measure is presented. This work is an improvement of an existing method. Using fuzzy logic concepts, the problems involved in finding the minimum of a criterion function are avoided. Similarity between gray levels is the key to find an optimal threshold. Two initial regions of gray levels, located at the boundaries of the histogram, are defined. Then, using an index of fuzziness, a similarity process is started to find the threshold point. A significant contrast between objects and background is assumed. Previous histogram equalization is used in small contrast images. No prior knowledge of the image is required.
- A niched pareto genetic algorithm: For multiple sequence alignment optimizationPublication . Silva, Fernando José Mateus da; Pérez, Juan Manuel Sánchez; Pulido, Juan Antonio Gómez; Rodríguez, Miguel A. VegaThe alignment of molecular sequences is a recurring task in bioinformatics, but it is not a trivial problem. The size and complexity of the search space involved difficult the task of finding the optimal alignment of a set of sequences. Due to its adaptive capacity in large and complex spaces, Genetic Algorithms emerge as good candidates for this problem. Although they are often used in single objective domains, its use in multidimensional problems allows finding a set of solutions which provide the best possible optimization of the objectives - the Pareto front. Niching methods, such as sharing, distribute these solutions in space, maximizing their diversity along the front. We present a niched Pareto Genetic Algorithm for sequence alignment which we have tested with six BAliBASE alignments, taking conclusions regarding population evolution and quality of the final results. Whereas methods for finding the best alignment are mathematical, not biological, having a set of solutions which facilitate experts' choice, is a possibility to consider.
- Particle swarm optimization with fractional-order velocityPublication . Pires, E. J. Solteiro; Machado, J. A. Tenreiro; Oliveira, P. B. de Moura; Cunha, J. Boaventura; Mendes, LuísThis paper proposes a novel method for controlling the convergence rate of a particle swarm optimization algorithm using fractional calculus (FC) concepts. The optimization is tested for several wellknown functions and the relationship between the fractional order velocity and the convergence of the algorithm is observed. The FC demonstrates a potential for interpreting evolution of the algorithm and to control its convergence.
- Gestão de Conflitos e Negociação: Estudo Aplicado aos Técnicos de Diagnóstico e TerapêuticaPublication . Pedrosa, Vanda; Fernandes, AlexandraO estudo da gestão de conflitos e da negociação associada aos contextos de saúde tem vindo a ser tema de investigação, nomeadamente no contexto dos Cuidados de Saúde Primários, em modernização desde 2006. A crescente cooperação entre profissionais e utentes na realização de tarefas clínicas e de gestão torna as competências em gestão de conflitos e negociação cruciais à sustentação e estabelecimento das relações. A presente tese teve como objectivo saber se os Técnicos de Diagnóstico e Terapêutica do Agrupamento, de Centros de Saúde da Lezíria I do Ribatejo, consideram as competências em gestão de conflitos e negociação um factor crítico à modernização dos Centros de Saúde e à sua actividade profissional de contacto com o utente. Utilizou-se uma abordagem qualitativa e o método de entrevista. Observou-se que os entrevistados consideram as competências em análise críticas à modernização dos serviços, numa lógica de gestão partilhada. A formação é apreciada, pois não obtiveram estas competências nos diferentes ciclos de ensino. O grupo detém autonomia profissional, poder negocial e uma concepção de negociação que não é simplista. Os profissionais trabalham maioritariamente como elementos únicos, confirmando que ter um colega de profissão é positivo. Ser-se elemento único e deter competências técnicas singulares faz com que a gestão do tempo e dos recursos seja crucial. Os conflitos surgem, maioritariamente, por o contexto ser de proximidade, pela comunicação, a interdependência de funções e de recursos. Tendem a ficar sem solução, surgindo sem razão aparente. Preferem uma orientação negocial integrativa e estratégias negociais colaborativas.
- Automated design of microwave discrete tuning differential capacitance circuits in Si‐integrated technologiesPublication . Mendes, Luís; Pires, E. J. Solteiro; Vaz, João C.; Rosário, Maria J.; Oliveira, P. B. de Moura; Machado, J. A. TenreiroA genetic algorithm used to design radio-frequency binary-weighted differential switched capacitor arrays (RFDSCAs) is presented in this article. The algorithm provides a set of circuits all having the same maximum performance. This article also describes the design, implementation, and measurements results of a 0.25 μm BiCMOS 3-bit RFDSCA. The experimental results show that the circuit presents the expected performance up to 40 GHz. The similarity between the evolutionary solutions, circuit simulations, and measured results indicates that the genetic synthesis method is a very useful tool for designing optimum performance RFDSCAs.
- How parameters and regularization affect the Polyakov–Nambu–Jona-Lasinio model phase diagram and thermodynamic quantitiesPublication . Costa, P.; Hansen, H.; Ruivo, M. C.; Sousa, C. A. deWe explore the phase diagram and the critical behavior of QCD thermodynamic quantities in the context of the so-called Polyakov-Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model. We show that this improved field theoretical model is a successful candidate for studying the equation of state and the critical behavior around the critical endpoint. We argue that a convenient choice of the model parameters is crucial to get the correct description of isentropic trajectories. The effects of the regularization procedure in several thermodynamic quantities is also analyzed. The results are compared with simple thermodynamic expectations and lattice data.