Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2021-05"
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- TREINAR O PROCESSO DE DECISÃO EM SAÚDE USANDO SERIOUS GAMESPublication . Rosa, Marlene
- Cidadania da União: fator de união e de exclusãoPublication . Monteiro, Susana SardinhaA "constitucionalização" da cidadania da União pelo Tratado da União Europeia (TUE), em 1992, representou uma mudança no centro da gravidade de certos direitos de carácter público do homem europeu, e não já do homo economicus, do operador económico, elevando-o assim, ao status de um verdadeiro cidadão europeu.
- A reflection on explanatory factors for COVID -19: A comparative study between countriesPublication . Santos, E.; Oliveira, M. F.; Ratten, V.; Tavares, F.; Tavares, V.The COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest problem facing the world nowadays. Each country in the world has its own characteristics, which means that its governments, at different rhythms, adopt identical measures to combat this new virus. This article aims to perform a comparative study between countries with a population similar to the Portuguese in number of inhabitants and to find out which factors may explain the numbers registered with the COVID-19 pandemic. The results show that the countries that carried out more population tests have higher values in tourism, secu rity, innovation, competitiveness, and GDP per capita indicators. There is a significant and positive relationship between temperature and the daily cases of COVID-19 infections. The results found contribute to a greater knowledge of the behavior of this disease according to the characteristics of each country, making it useful for international business managers to compare and contrast different country environ mental conditions in order to define alternative strategies to overcome this great period of disturbance more quickly.
- Light field image coding with flexible viewpoint scalability and random accessPublication . Monteiro, Ricardo J. S.; Rodrigues, Nuno M. M.; Faria, Sérgio M. M.; Nunes, Paulo J. L.This paper proposes a novel light field image compression approach with viewpoint scalability and random access functionalities. Although current state-of-the-art image coding algorithms for light fields already achieve high compression ratios, there is a lack of support for such functionalities, which are important for ensuring compatibility with different displays/capturing devices, enhanced user interaction and low decoding delay. The proposed solution enables various encoding profiles with different flexible viewpoint scalability and random access capabilities, depending on the application scenario. When compared to other state-of-the-art methods, the proposed approach consistently presents higher bitrate savings (44% on average), namely when compared to pseudo-video sequence coding approach based on HEVC. Moreover, the proposed scalable codec also outperforms MuLE and WaSP verification models, achieving average bitrate saving gains of 37% and 47%, respectively. The various flexible encoding profiles proposed add fine control to the image prediction dependencies, which allow to exploit the tradeoff between coding efficiency and the viewpoint random access, consequently, decreasing the maximum random access penalties that range from 0.60 to 0.15, for lenslet and HDCA light fields.
- The influence of financial management and governance in the provision of social services in non-profit organizationsPublication . Oliveira, Márcio; Sousa, Marlene; Silva, Rui; Santos, Tânia Cristina Simões de Matos dosThe financial crises and the pandemic COVID 19 have reinforce the importance of the nonprofit organizations (NPOs) in promoting the social welfare. These institutions face nowadays various challenges related to the new needs required by the populations, and also the deepening of the traditional social problems. In this context, fulfill their social mission implies that NPOs have to take care with their performance and simultaneously maximize the social value generated. The review of the literature allowed to identify factors associated with financial management and governance that may contribute to the definition of the social services offered by NPOs. Thus, in a studied applied to Holy Houses of Mercy in Portugal, this investigation intends to understand the influence of the financial management and the governance on the NPO social services provided. The results obtained show a positive contribution of the finances and the governance on the social services of these institutions, which lead us to conclude that to be more effective in the social services provision, NPOs must emphasize their financial management and governance practices.
- Performance of human resources in nonprofit organizations – What really counts?Publication . Oliveira, Márcio; Sousa, Marlene; Silva, Rui; Santos, Tânia Cristina Simões de Matos dosHuman resources are seen as an important asset for general associations, particularly for non-profit organizations. In the literature, it is possible to ascertain a set of factors influencing the performance of these resources, in general, in an organizational context. However, given the specificity of their missions, realizing that large management areas in this type of institutions influence their performance would significantly contribute. In practice, it was possible to implement assertive strategies to promote the performance of these employees. Thus, for the present study, and using a quantitative methodology, we started by analysing strategic management, financial management, governance and management of social services promoted by the Holy Houses of Mercy in Portugal. It was possible to ascertain that, among these areas, only financial management does not influence the performance of human resources in this type of institution. Recognizing the importance of the remaining areas, it was possible to present a set of indicators grouped into subdimensions, revealing important contributions to theory and practice. It was possible to conclude that, in a context of significant economic and social instability, such as the one we are currently experiencing, NPOs that seek to improve their level of human resource management should pay special attention to aspects related to strategy, governance and management of the social services they promote, as this is where the key factors for this performance improvement are found.
- Potencial da aquacultura offshore ou em zonas costeiras de PortugalPublication . Mosqueira, Miguel Maria Guimarães Bonneville Mendes; Pombo, Ana Margarida Paulino Violante; Palma, CarlaA aquacultura é uma área em rápido crescimento e em 2030 espera-se que a produção atinga as 109 milhões de toneladas. A necessidade de aumentar os valores da produção está relacionada com o rápido crescimento da população, onde atualmente 3 biliões de pessoas estão dependentes da aquacultura para obtenção de proteína de elevada qualidade. Neste contexto, a produção offshore é essencial para acompanhar a procura, aumentar a produção nacional e reduzir as importações de pescado e Portugal apresenta diversos fatores geográficos que permitem a sua implementação. O projeto Aquimar tem como objetivo caraterizar as condições oceanográficas, físicoquímicas, geoquímicas e biológicas das águas da costa portuguesa de modo a otimizar a seleção dos locais para realizar uma aquacultura; avaliar a viabilidade de novas espécies para cultivo e estimar a sua produtividade em cada local. Neste âmbito, foram determinados parâmetros físico-químicos (amónia, nitrito, nitrato, fósforo, sílica, oxigénio dissolvido, pH e temperatura) e biológicos (clorofila a) ao longo da costa portuguesa com a finalidade de avaliar a possível implementação de aquaculturas offshore ou costeiras das espécies produzidas com interesse económico, como os peixes (Argyrosomus regius, Gadus morhua, Salmo salar, Sparus aurata e Dicentrarchus labrax), bivalves (Mytilus edulis, Pecten maximus, Crassostrea gigas e Ruditapes decussatus) e macroalgas (Gracilaria gracilis, Porphyra umbilicalis e Undaria pinnatifida) no local mais apropriado para cada espécie. As amostras de água foram recolhidas num período de 22 dias entre 5 de outubro a 27 de outubro de 2018 e 27 dias entre 16 de abril a 13 de maio de 2019 no navio hidrográfico N.R.P. Almirante Gago Coutinho. A área A (entre Viana do Castelo e Porto) apresentou as maiores concentrações de clorofila a, as temperaturas mais baixas e concentrações altas de nitrato, em ambas as campanhas, ideais para o desenvolvimento em zonas costeiras dos bivalves Mytilus edulis e Pecten maximus, das macroalgas Undaria pinnatifida e Porphyra umbilicalis e possivelmente são condições que permitiriam a produção offshore de salmão Salmo salar. As áreas B (entre a Figueira da Foz e Aveiro) e C (Peniche) demonstraram algum potencial para a produção de salmão Salmo salar, robalo Dicentrarchus labrax e ostra Crassostrea gigas, uma vez que apresentaram altas concentrações de sílica e temperaturas mais baixas. A área D (onde já se produzem dourada Sparus aurata e robalo Dicentrarchus labrax em jaulas no porto de Sines) apresenta potencial para produzir a ostra Crassostrea gigas e a área E, devido às temperaturas mais altas, apresenta condições para implementar macroalgas como a Gracilaria gracilis e peixes marinhos como a corvina Argyrosomus regius, a dourada Sparus aurata e o robalo Dicentrarchus labrax.
- Design of Kinematic Connectors for Microstructured Materials Produced by Additive ManufacturingPublication . Silva, Miguel R.; Dias-de-Oliveira, João A.; Pereira, António; Alves, Nuno M.; Sampaio, Álvaro M.; Pontes, António J.The main characteristic of materials with a functional gradient is the progressive composition or the structure variation across its geometry. This results in the properties variation in one or more specific directions, according to the functional application requirements. Cellular structure flexibility in tailoring properties is employed frequently to design functionally-graded materials. Topology optimisation methods are powerful tools to functionally graded materials design with cellular structure geometry, although continuity between adjacent unit-cells in gradient directions remains a restriction. It is mandatory to attain a manufacturable part to guarantee the connectedness between adjoining microstructures, namely by ensuring that the solid regions on the microstructure’s borders i.e., kinematic connectors) match the neighboring cells that share the same boundary. This study assesses the kinematic connectors generated by imposing local density restrictions in the initial design domain (i.e., nucleation) between topologically optimised representative unit-cells. Several kinematic connector examples are presented for two representatives unit-cells topology optimised for maximum bulk and shear moduli with different volume fractions restrictions and graduated Young’s modulus. Experimental mechanical tests (compression) were performed, and comparison studies were carried out between experimental and numerical Young’s modulus. The results for the single maximum bulk for the mean values for experimental compressive Young’s modulus (Ex¯ ) with 60%Vf show a deviation of 9.15% . The single maximum shear for the experimental compressive Young’s modulus mean values (Ex¯ ) with 60%Vf , exhibit a deviation of 11.73% . For graded structures, the experimental mean values of compressive Young’s moduli (Ex¯ ), compared with predicted total Young’s moduli (ESe ), show a deviation of 6.96 for the bulk graded structure. The main results show that the single type representative unit-cell experimental Young’s modulus with higher volume fraction presents a minor deviation compared with homogenized data. Both (i.e., bulk and shear moduli) graded microstructures show continuity between adjacent cells. The proposed method proved to be suitable for generating kinematic connections for the design of shear and bulk graduated microstructured materials.
- Authentic Leadership and Improved Individual Performance: Affective Commitment and Individual Creativity’s Sequential MediationPublication . Duarte, Ana Patrícia; Ribeiro, Neuza; Semedo, Ana Suzete; Gomes, Daniel RoqueAuthentic leadership has become increasingly important in the literature, attracting the attention of many scholars in the last decade. This study adopted an employee-centered perspective to guide its examination of the relationship between authentic leadership and individual performance and investigation of the sequential mediation of employees' affective commitment and individual creativity. An analysis was conducted of data collected from 214 employees working in different business sectors. The results reveal a statistically significant positive relationship between authentic leadership and employees' workplace performance, which are both directly connected and indirectly linked through the two proposed psychosocial mechanisms. The findings thus indicate that authentic leadership reinforces workers' emotional connection with their organizations, thereby increasing their individual creativity and, subsequently, promoting better on-the-job performance. This study presents new and significant results since, on the one hand, it relied on a sequential mediation analysis of variables and, on the other hand, integrated the four main constructs into a single model. The proposed model displays the chain of effects between authentic leadership, affective commitment, individual creativity, and employee workplace performance. Implications for organizational management are discussed.