Green IT Maturity: developing a framework based on practices and actions

In a society whose issues related to sustainability have become increasingly important, the IT area has been responsible for some of the environmental problems that society faces. In this context, Green IT appears as a way of combining available resources to sustainable and economic policies in organizations, generating benefits for the environment and business. The adoption of Green IT practices may create value for companies and society. This study aimed to develop and validate a tool which is able to assess the organizational maturity of Green IT, identifying the main practices adopted and the different components that influence the way organizations have addressed environmental sustainability in the IT field. The framework proposed in this study has suggested four constructs to assess the organizational maturity of Green IT: socio environmental awareness of the organization; sustainable actions applied to IT field; IT activities monitoring; and search and update of approaches regarding the use of IT. Results are expected to motivate not only students but also practitioners who study and implement different Green IT initiatives, so that organizations can become more efficient and effective and commit to the planet conservation, as well

Green IT: an Empirical Study regarding Organizational Actions and Impacts on Environmental Performance

Environmental sustainability has become increasingly important to business as a response to rapid depletion of natural resources. IT specifically represents a meaningful part of environmental issues which society has faced lately. In this sense, Green IT/S emerges as a way of combining available resources and sustainable and economic policies, thus generating benefits for the environment and for business. So, this research aims at investigating the organizational actions that stimulate the implementation of Green IT and its subsequent impacts on environmental performance. We empirically tested our hypotheses based on survey data gathered from 327 IT users and managers of 83 Brazilian companies. The results indicate that Green IT sourcing, Green IT policy and Green IT monitoring have a significant and positive effect on Green IT implementation practices, standing out Green IT sourcing as the main predictor. Still, the relationship between Green IT adoption and Environmental performance is also positive and significant, meaning that improvements in Green IT implementation are associated to improvements in environmental performance – considering the environmental impact provided by IT, the efficiency of the IT operations and the environmental awareness of the employees

Coopetition: does it really matter?

This article consists of a bibliometric study that aims at analyzing the academic literature that applies the term coopetition as a central subject in the business area for the last twenty years. We analyzed 380 articles published in the Google Scholar database according to quantitative, exploratory and descriptive procedures. The results show that publication on the subject is new and presents growth trends, concluding that the term coopetition is a current and relevant topic. The concept can be seen as a topic within the business area and it was associated with innovation and the pursuit and sharing of knowledge, with the aim of gaining competitive advantage. The use and dissemination of the term coopetition seems to be more related to the benefits and reasons why companies adopt it.Este artigo apresenta um estudo bibliométrico com o objetivo de analisar a literatura acadêmica que usa o termo coopetição como assunto central na área de administração nos últimos 20 anos. Foram analisados 380 artigos da base de dados do Google Scholar de acordo com um procedimento quantitativo, exploratório e descritivo. Os resultados mostram que a publicação sobre o assunto é recente e crescente, concluindo-se que o termo coopetição é atual e relevante. O conceito pode ser considerado um tópico dentro da área de administração, sendo associado à inovação e à busca e ao compartilhamento de conhecimento, com o objetivo de garantir vantagens competitivas. O uso e a difusão da coopetição mostraram-se mais relacionados aos benefícios e motivos pelos quais se adota esse tipo de relacionamento.

Systematic review and new insights into the molecular characterization of the Candida rugosa species complex

Recently, Candida rugosa was characterized as a species complex comprising four taxa: C rugosa sensu stricto, Candida pseudorugosa, Candida neorugosa and Candida mesorugosa. Although considered relatively rare, several clusters of candidemia due to C rugosa complex had been reported presenting mortality rates close to 70%. in this work we discuss the systematization, phenotyping and molecular methods based on internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) sequencing and proteomic analyses for species identification, as well as clinical aspects of the C rugosa complex. We performed a Bayesian phylogenetic analysis using 72 ITS sequences representative of C rugosa complex isolates and related species within the genus. Biochemical, morphological and MALDI-TOF MS analyses were processed with C rugosa complex type strains and related species isolates. We described that the phylogeny showed four distinct clades inferred with high posterior probabilities, corresponding to the four species within the C. rugosa complex, excluding C. pararugosa. Biochemical and morphological aspects distinguished only C rugosa sensu strict but were not sufficient to accurately identify species within the rest of the complex. Protein spectrum profiles differentiated all reference strains from different species analyzed. To our knowledge, we presented the first phylogenetic analysis using a large collection of ITS sequences as well as proteomic profiles generated from isolates of the C rugosa complex and related species that can enlighten systematics, diagnostics and clinical research fields. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Disciplina Infectol, Lab Especial Micol, BR-04039032 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Disciplina Infectol, Lab Especial Micol, BR-04039032 São Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 2007/08575-1FAPESP: 2009/10155-6CAPES: PNPD 02640-09-0Web of Scienc

Inovação no Agronegócio: um estudo sobre o processo de desenvolvimento de produto

Inovar é um dos elementos fundamentais para garantir a competitividade das empresas no ambiente de negócios contemporâneo. Nesse contexto, discussões sobre competitividade e inovação no agronegócio, particularmente na ovinocultura, vêm ganhando cada vez mais espaço. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo é analisar o processo de desenvolvimento de um novo produto em uma empresa do segmento de ovinocultura. Para tanto, realizou-se um estudo de caso único, em que foram entrevistados os proprietários de uma empresa localizada estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Os dados foram analisados a partir de três categorias do processo de desenvolvimento de produto baseadas na literatura: pré-desenvolvimento, desenvolvimento e pós-desenvolvimento. Os resultados apontam que, mesmo fazendo parte de um setor agroindustrial considerado low tech, a empresa é capaz de inovar através do desenvolvimento de um novo produto. Ainda, é preciso considerar estratégias de orientação tecnológica e mercadológica para que o processo de desenvolvimento tenha maior eficiência. Espera-se contribuir para a temática da inovação no agronegócio, bem como incentivar que empresas do setor percebam a importância da inovação para sua sobrevivência no mercado

Desarrollo de una escala para evaluar el grado de utilización de las tecnologías verdes por las organizaciones

Issues related to sustainability have received more importance in the research and practice of organizations over the last decades. Specifically, the area of Information Technology (IT) has been responsible for some of the environmental problems that society faces today. In this sense, Green IT appears as a way of combining available resources to sustainable and economic policies in organizations, generating benefits for environment and business. This study aimed to develop and validate a tool for assessing the degree of Green IT use by organizations. We found that Green IT can be measured by the effectiveness of sustainable actions applied to IT field, environmental orientation and environmental awareness of the organization, IT activities monitoring, and environmental expertise of IT organization. Environmental orientation and Green IT actions appear as the most developed dimensions, suggesting they are the main triggers of the Green IT presence in the organization. Environmental awareness, in turn, stands out as the less effective dimension assessed, indicating that environmental issues are not a priority for the investigated companies.A lo largo de las últimas décadas, se ha dado más importancia a cuestiones concernientes a la sustentabilidad en la investigación y la práctica de las organizaciones. Específicamente, el área de Tecnología de la Información (TI) ha sido responsable de algunos de los problemas ambientales que la sociedad enfrenta actualmente. En este sentido, la tecnología verde o Green IT aparece como una forma de combinar los recursos disponibles con políticas de desarrollo sostenible y economía en las organizaciones, lo que puede generar beneficios para el medio ambiente y los negocios. El objetivo en este estudio es desarrollar y validar un instrumento para evaluar el grado de utilización de Green IT por las organizaciones. Se encontró que Green IT puede medirse por medio de: la eficiencia de las acciones sostenibles aplicadas al área de TI; el grado de orientación ambiental y conciencia socioambiental de la organización; el control de las actividades de TI; y la experiencia ambiental en el área de TI. La orientación ambiental y las acciones de Green IT figuran como las dimensiones más desarrolladas, lo que sugiere que son los principales factores que desencadenan la presencia de Green IT en las organizaciones. La conciencia socioambiental, por otra parte, aparece como la dimensión menos eficaz, lo que indica que las cuestiones ambientales no son todavía una prioridad para las empresas estudiadas.Questões relacionadas à sustentabilidade ambiental têm-se mostrado cada vez mais importantes na pesquisa e na prática das organizações ao longo das últimas décadas. Especificamente, a área de Tecnologia da Informação (TI) tem sido responsável por parte dos problemas ambientais com que a sociedade se depara atualmente. Nesse sentido, a TI Verde aparece como uma forma de aliar recursos disponíveis a políticas de sustentabilidade e economia nas organizações, gerando benefícios para o meio ambiente e para as empresas. Neste trabalho, o objetivo é desenvolver e validar um instrumento para avaliar o grau de utilização da TI Verde pelas organizações. Verificou-se que a TI Verde pode ser mensurada: pela efetividade das ações sustentáveis aplicadas à área de TI; pelo grau de orientação ambiental e pelo nível de consciência socioambiental da organização; pelo monitoramento das atividades de TI; e pelo grau de expertise ambiental na área de TI. A orientação ambiental e as ações de TI Verde aparecem como as dimensões mais efetivas, sugerindo serem as principais desencadeadoras da presença da TI Verde nas organizações. A onsciência socioambiental é, por sua vez, a dimensão menos efetiva, indicando que as questões ambientais ainda não são prioridade para as empresas investigadas

Formação de professores de inglês e projetos sociais: uma proposta de experimento didático formativo

Social projects emerge as an attempt to minimize the differences between the public and private sectors, offering complementary multidisciplinary activities for the training of their participants, including English classes. Based on one of the researcher's experiences as a volunteer English teacher in social projects, the lack of teachers’ preparation to work in this context was identified, as well as the absence of research that refers to the training of English teachers in contexts of social vulnerability. In order to fill these gaps, a Didactic Formative Experiment (SFORNI, 2015) was created for English language teachers working in social projects with the aim of preparing teachers to understand the social context in which they are inserted and to list the necessary knowledge to act in contexts of social vulnerability. The theoretical framework that supports this research are studies referring to the role of social projects (NASCIMENTO, 2011) (BONFIM, 2010), the perspective of social justice for education (BELL, 2016), teaching knowledge (TARDIF; RAYMOND, 2000) and the Didactic Formative Experiment (SFORNI, 2015) (AQUINO, 2014). This qualitative research aims to present the proposal of a Didactic Formative Experiment for the formation of teachers in contexts of social vulnerability. We point out that the educational product has the potential to start the preparation of teachers for this context, but we emphasize the need for longitudinal studies to evaluate the development of teachers.Os projetos sociais surgem como uma tentativa de minimizar as diferenças entre o setor público e privado, oferecendo atividades complementares multidisciplinares para a formação de seus participantes, entre elas, aulas de inglês. A partir da experiência de uma das pesquisadoras como professora de inglês voluntária em projetos sociais, foi identificada a falta de preparo dos professores para atuar neste contexto, bem como a ausência de pesquisas que se referem à formação de professores de inglês em contextos de vulnerabilidade social. A fim de suprir tais lacunas, foi criado um Experimento Didático Formativo (SFORNI, 2015) para professores de língua inglesa atuantes em projetos sociais com o objetivo de preparar os professores para entender o contexto social em que estão inseridos e elencar os conhecimentos necessários para atuação em contextos de vulnerabilidade social. O referencial teórico que embasa esta pesquisa são estudos referentes ao papel dos projetos sociais (NASCIMENTO, 2011) (BONFIM, 2010), a perspectiva de justiça social para a educação (BELL, 2016), os saberes docentes (TARDIF; RAYMOND, 2000) e o Experimento Didático Formativo (SFORNI, 2015) (AQUINO, 2014). Esta pesquisa de caráter qualitativo tem como objetivo apresentar a proposta de um Experimento Didático Formativo para a formação de professores em contextos de vulnerabilidade social. Apontamos que o produto educacional tem potencial para iniciar a preparação dos professores para este contexto, porém ressaltamos a necessidade de estudos longitudinais para avaliar o desenvolvimento de professores

Dental manifestations in bariatric patients: review of literature

The rate of bariatric surgery has significantly risen in the past decade as an increasing prevalence of extreme obesity can be observed. Although bariatric surgery is an effective therapeutic modality for extreme obesity, it is associated with risk factors affecting also oral health. Based on an overview of the current literature, this paper presents a summary of dental manifestations in bariatric patients. Bariatric surgeries are associated with an increased risk for gastro-esophageal reflux which in turn might account for the higher amount of carious and erosive lesions observed in bariatric patients. As a result, also dentin hypersensitivity might be observed more frequently. The current data indicate that recommended postsurgical meal patterns and gastric reflux might increase the risk for dental lesions, particularly in the presence of other risk factors, such as consumption of sweet-tasting foods and acidic beverages. Further research is needed to evaluate the correlation of bariatric surgery and the development of dental diseases

Monitoring and Evaluation as a Way to Complete and to Implement a Policy : The Case of Brazilian National Innovation Policy

The present National Innovation Policy (henceforth called PNI) was instituted in Brazil by Decree No. 10.537, of October 28, 2020, within the federal public administration. The policy's objective is to guide, coordinate and articulate strategies, programs, and actions across several public entities to foster innovation in the productive sector. Thus, it aims to increase the productivity and competitiveness of companies and other institutions throughout the innovation process. The policy is structured around six axes: funding innovation, innovation culture, technological background, market development, educational systems, and intellectual property. Objectives and guidelines are defined for each of these Axes. However, neither a previous Theory of Change, a Logical Framework, nor a monitoring and evaluation system was established to guide the implementation. Operationally speaking, the policy was implemented by gathering ongoing actions from eighteen different federal ministries and agencies and then assigning them to the axes above. It was an ad hoc measure to put the policy into practice. As can be inferred, the selected actions did not emerge as a breakdown from axes. In 2021 the design and implementation of a monitoring and evaluation model (M&E) were commissioned to an independent evaluation group. The objective was to develop an original methodology and indicators for monitoring and evaluating outputs, outcomes and impacts of the PNI. The challenge of the model is twofold: to adjust the matching amongst actions, axes, and the policy's objectives, and to implement a common framework for M&E able to coordinate the involved agencies. A Theory of Change and a Logical Framework were ex-post designed and validated, and based on these references, the model was conceived. It defined a classical template for monitoring the ongoing actions (using flags and lights according to execution), adding indicators of outcomes and impacts. It is an integrated M&E model that, once implemented, will require that new actions be justified not only in terms of their outputs but also on the expected outcomes and impacts. Standard indicators of science, technology and innovation outcomes and impacts from different sources as for OECD, UNESCO, Global Innovation Index and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG/UN) have been gathered and organized to be employed in the M&E process. Non-standard indicators are also foreseen so that the model can measure internationally comparable and specific indicators. The whole model is now under development and validation among stakeholders. We expect this process to go beyond the domain of M&E and influences the way priorities are defined, and governance is established and run. By involving different actors, incorporating the SDGs into the policy's core, the evaluation process facilitated the policy's implementation and coordination. Furthermore, the articulation between the different stakeholders, promoted by the M&E, minimized fragmentation and uncoordinated actions within the scope of the policy's formulation. It is in this sense that the evaluation process is a way to transform the policy itsel

The genus Camelobaetidius Demoulin (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) in America: Phylogenic and biogeographic analyses

The genus Camelobaetidius is the second most diverse genus of the family Baetidae in America. Also, two other genera were described as closely related to Camelobaetidius: Corinnella, and Tapajobaetis. A peculiar spatulate tarsal claw is the character shared among them. We used TNT (Tree analysis using New Technology) and GEM (Geographically explicit Event Model) to recover the phylogenic and biogeographic history of these genera. A matrix of 42 taxa and 77 morphological characters was constructed, of which 68 were treated as discrete and nonadditive (unordered), and eight as continuous. All available records of Camelobaetidius plus Corinnella, Tapajobaetis, and the species's outgroup were included in the biogeographic analysis. Corinnella and Tapajobaetis were obtained into Camelobaetidius and, therefore, are here considered junior synonyms. The founder events were the most frequent in this genus, followed by vicariance, sympatry and point sympatry. The long-distance dispersal ability in mayfly seems to be the rule instead of the exception in the history of this clade.Fil: Nieto Peñalver, María Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; ArgentinaFil: Boldrini, Rafael. Universidade Federal de Roraima. Centro de Estudos da Biodiversidade; BrasilFil: Gonzalez, Juan Cruz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; ArgentinaFil: Pes, Ana Maria. Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovações. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia; BrasilFil: Falcao Salles, Frederico. Universidade Federal de Viçosa. Departamento de Entomologia. Museu de Entomologia; Brasi