Labour productivity in state-owned enterprises

In the aftermath of the Global and Financial Crisis (GFC), between 2013 and 2015, the Portuguese government revoked four holidays for both public sector and private employees. We test whether the revocation had an effect on labour productivity in State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in Portugal. Moreover, we also study whether such effects are different taking into account the SOEs managed by the Central Government or the Local and Regional Governments. Our results show that revocation of holidays did not impact labour productivity for either central or local and regional government managed SOEs. Though revocation of holidays espoused to improve productivity, the policy seems to have served a ceremonial purpose, but not an economic oneinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Paradigmas diferencial e sistémico de investigação da inteligência humana : perspectivas sobre o lugar e o sentido do construto

Tese de doutoramento em Psicologia (Psicologia Diferencial), apresentada à Universidade de Lisboa através da Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação, 2007O presente projecto de investigação pretendeu explorar o conceito de inteligência humana em três níveis de análise (ou perspectivas): epistemológico e metateórico; teórico; e metodológico. Seis paradigmas (Miranda,1986,2003) ou metáforas (Sternberg,1990) de investigação da inteligência humana – biológico, diferencial/geográfico, construtivista/epistemológico, informacional/computacional, sociológico e antropológico – são apresentados e comparados no quadro dos Loci da Inteligência Humana (Sternberg,1990). Os seus fundamentos epistemológicos e ontológicos são explorados tendo em vista enquadrar a análise das actuais tentativas de integração. O paradigma sistémico, uma destas tentativas de integração de distintos níveis de análise e explicação da cognição humana (Reuchlin,1999/2002), é caracterizado e discutido, e outras abordagens integrativas são também propostas. O “paradigma diferencial” e o “paradigma sistémico” são analisados mais pormenorizadamente, tomando por referência os contributos teóricos e metodológicos de dois autores de primeiro plano – David Wechsler e Robert Sternberg. As suas técnicas de avaliação – a WAIS-III e o STAT-R(H) – aplicadas em conjunto, após os respectivos estudos e aperfeiçoamentos metrológicos, permitiram estudar o ajustamento entre a estrutura empírica das variáveis e os mais importantes modelos conceptuais da inteligência. O modelo mais ajustado aos dados é o que representa uma estrutura hierárquica da inteligência, semelhante à proposta por Carroll (1993), não o que corresponde à Teoria Triárquica da Inteligência Humana (Sternberg,1985,1996). Esta conclusão legitima a discussão dos fundamentos epistemológicos, dos conceitos e das medidas que consubstanciam este modelo de Sternberg, bem como o questionamento do seu carácter sistémico. A abordagem dos sistemas dinâmicos e a Teoria da Vicariância (Reuchlin,1978) são introduzidas como modelos de referência para o estudo sistémico da inteligência humana, por possibilitarem uma verdadeira integração entre os níveis de análise individual (paradigmas biológico, diferencial e informacional) e contextual (paradigmas sociológico e antropológico) ao tomar por principal objecto o estudo do processo intra-individual de interacção indivíduoXcontexto, na perspectiva epigenética do desenvolvimento cognitivo (paradigma construtivista).This research project aimed at exploring the concept of human intelligence on three levels of analysis (or perspectives): epistemological and metatheoretical; theoretical; and methodological. Six paradigms (Miranda,1986,2003) or metaphors (Sternberg,1990) for the study of human intelligence – biological, differential/geographic, constructivist/epistemological, informational/computational, sociological and anthropological – are described and compared in the framework of Loci of Human Intelligence (Sternberg,1990). Epistemological and ontological foundations are then explored in order to establish a common ground for the understanding of current efforts for integration. The systemic paradigm, one of those attempts to integrate different levels of analysis and explanation of human cognition (Reuchlin,1999/2002), is described and discussed, and some other potential approaches to integration are introduced. The “differential paradigm” and the “systemic paradigm” are subjected to a more detailed analysis based on the theoretical and methodological contributions from two representative authors – David Wechsler and Robert Sternberg. The assessment techniques WAIS-III and STAT-R(H) were administered together, after independent psychometric studies and metrological improvements, to examine the adjustment between the structure of the variables and the most important conceptual models of intelligence. The model that best fits the data is a hierarchical structure of intelligence, similar to the one proposed by Carroll (1993), not the model based on the Triarchic Theory of Human Intelligence (Sternberg,1985,1996). This finding provides the background for the discussion of epistemological foundations, concepts and measurements of this model of intelligence, and for the questioning of its systemic nature. The dynamic systems approach and the Theory of Vicariance (Reuchlin,1978) are proposed as a promising framework for the systemic study of human intelligence, to enable a true integration of the individual (biological, differential, informational paradigms) and the contextual (sociological and anthropological paradigms) levels of analysis, taking as core object the study of intra-individual processes of individualXcontext interaction in an epigenetic perspective of cognitive development (constructivist paradigm)

A Growth Model for the Quadruple Helix Innovation Theory

We propose a theoretical growth model with which to frame analytically the Quadruple Helix Innovation Theory (QHIT). The aim is to emphasise the investment in innovation transmission mechanisms in terms of economic growth and productivity gains, in one-high-technology sector, by stressing the role played by the helices of the Quadruple Helix Innovation Model: Academiaand Technological Infrastructures, Firms of Innovation, Government and Civil Society. In the existing literature, the relationship between the helices and respective impacts on economic growth does not appear clear. Results are fragiledue to data weakness and the inexistence of a theoretical framework to specify the relationship between the helices. Hence our motivation for providing the QHIT with a theoretical growth model. Our intent is to model the importance of emerging, dynamically adaptive, and transdisciplinary knowledge and innovation ecosystems to economic growth. We .nd that higher economic growth rate is obtained as a result of an increase in synergies and complementarities between different productive units, or an incease in productive government expenditure.Economic Growth; Quadruple Helix Innovation Model; Innovation Ecosystems.

EU Finance Ministers, capital markets and fiscal outcomes

We investigate the relevance of the characteristics of Ministers of Finance as an influence on the development of stock returns, sovereign yields and fiscal outcomes, which result from the implementation of their fiscal policies. For a panel of 27 EU countries, covering the period of 1980-2012, we find that academic background, tenure and gender, play a role in determining stock and bond market returns, as well as the general fiscal position of governments.UECE is supported by the Fundacão para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) through the PEst-OE/EGE/UI0436/2011 project. Advance is supported by the FCT

DESTA ÁGUA (não) BEBEREI? : modelos de correlação identificados entre dados biológicos e meteorológicos - lagoas de S. Miguel

A secção UAciência é coordenada pelo Professor Universitário Armindo Rodrigues.[…]. Neste trabalho foram identificados modelos de correlação de forma exploratória entre os diversos parâmetros biológicos (fitoplâncton) e meteorológicos, durante o período de 2003 a 2017, nas lagoas do Fogo, Furnas e Sete Cidades (site GRA). Neste estudo, com muitas amostras e variáveis de diversas naturezas, a melhor forma de avaliar globalmente os dados foi a metodologia estatística multivariada, como a análise de componentes principais (ACP), onde as variáveis podem ser analisadas em conjunto. Os dados disponíveis permitiram obter correlações por lagoa, profundidades de recolha, ano de recolha e por temporada (primavera, verão, outono e inverno), no período temporal considerado. As comunidades biológicas nas lagoas dos Açores estão representadas pelas divisões mais comuns do fitoplâncton. […].info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A growth model for the quadruple helix innovation theory

We propose a theoretical growth model with which to frame analytically the Quadruple Helix Innovation Theory (QHIT). The aim is to emphasise the investment in innovation transmission mechanisms in terms of economic growth and productivity gains, in one-high-technology sector, by stressing the role played by the helices of the Quadruple Helix Innovation Model: Academiaand Technological Infrastructures, Firms of Innovation, Government and Civil Society. In the existing literature, the relationship between the helices and respective impacts on economic growth does not appear clear. Results are fragiledue to data weakness and the inexistence of a theoretical framework to specify the relationship between the helices. Hence our motivation for providing the QHIT with a theoretical growth model. Our intent is to model the importance of emerging, dynamically adaptive, and transdisciplinary knowledge and innovation ecosystems to economic growth. We .nd that higher economic growth rate is obtained as a result of an increase in synergies and complementarities between different productive units, or an incease in productive government expenditure.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Innovation economy, productive public expenditures and economic growth

Innovation is the main engine of growth in an increasing number of economies. Innovation economies are, according to the Quadruple Helix (QH) Innovation Theory, sustained by four pilars – Firms, Academia, Government and Consumers –, all operating in a systemic, interactive environment. We provide a model that gives analytical body to the QH theory and links formally innovation to economic growth. We aim to emphasise the equally important roles of the four helices sustaining an innovation economy and its long run growth. In particular, given the downwards pressure on Government expenditures, we analyse the effects of an increase in public expenditures on economic growth, which we find positive in the short, medium and long-run.COMPETE; QREN; FEDER; Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Labour productivity in state‑owned enterprises

In the aftermath of the Global and Financial Crisis, between 2013 and 2015, the Portuguese government revoked four holidays for both public sector and private employees. We test whether the revocation had an effect on labour productivity in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in Portugal. Moreover, we also study whether such effects are different taking into account the SOEs managed by the Central Government or the Local and Regional Governments. Our results show that revocation of holidays did not impact labour productivity for either central or local and regional government managed SOEs. Though revocation of holidays espoused to improve productivity, the policy seems to have served a ceremonial purpose, but not an economic one.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A (re)avaliação do modelo de negócio no Departamento de Global Sales do Grupo Rangel : análise do caso de estudo do Grupo Rangel do Departamento de Global Sales

O termo modelo de negócio é um conceito utilizado há muitos anos, relevante para a criação de negócios de sucesso. Este estudo centra-se no paradigma de modelo de negócio que descreve a forma de criação, entrega e captação de valor pelas organizações (Osterwalder & Pigneur, 2010). Assim, este estudo procura analisar, mapear e avaliar o modelo de negócio implementado pelo Grupo Rangel: Departamento de Global Sales, de forma a percecionar as vantagens e desvantagens do modelo de negócio aplicado atualmente e determinar um conjunto de sugestões para uma futura implementação. Num primeiro momento foi realizada uma organização e sistematização da literatura referente à origem e desenvolvimento do conceito de modelo de negócio, modelo de negócio sustentável, business model canvas, inovação e métodos de avaliação de um modelo de negócio, possibilitando, assim, a elaboração de um enquadramento teórico com foco nos conceitos nucleares presentes na literatura, para depois estes serem aplicados num caso real de uma empresa, com a intenção de perceber como se ajustam e se adequam a esse contexto. Num segundo momento, realizou-se uma introdução e uma descrição do Grupo Rangel e do departamento de Global Sales e dos respetivos processos. Num terceiro momento procedeu-se à realização de entrevistas baseadas no questionário desenvolvido pelos autores Osterwalder e Pigneur (2010), visando a recolha de opinião de elementos corporativos sobre o modelo de negócio implementado atualmente, para, posteriormente, este ser avaliado e analisado de uma forma quantitativa através de um questionário baseado na SWOT. Os resultados obtidos com a investigação permitiram desenvolver algumas sugestões, de forma a obter uma melhor competitividade no mercado. Os resultados finais obtidos demonstraram a confirmação do potencial da abordagem de avaliação do business model canvas no departamento de Global Sales através da análise SWOT, propostas por Osterwalder e Pigneur (2010).The term business model is a concept used for many years, relevant to the creation of successful businesses. This study focuses on the business model paradigm that describes how organizations create, deliver and capture value (Osterwalder & Pigneur, 2010). Thus, this study seeks to analyze, map and evaluate the business model implemented by Rangel: Department of Global Sales, in order to perceive the advantages and disadvantages of the business model currently applied and determine a set of suggestions for a future implementation. At first, an organization and systematization of the literature was carried out regarding the origin and development of the business model, sustainable business model, business model canvas, innovation and evaluation of a business model, enabling the elaboration of a theoretical framework focusing on the core concepts present in the literature, to then be applied in a real case of a company, with the intention of understanding how they fit and adapt to this context. Secondly, there was an introduction and description of the Rangel Group and the Global Sales department and the respective processes. In a third moment, interviews were carried out based on the questionnaire developed by the authors Osterwalder and Pigneur (2010), aiming to collect the opinion of corporate elements about the currently implemented business model, to later be evaluated in a quantitative way through a quiz based on SWOT. The results obtained with the investigation allowed us to develop a proposal for a business model, in order to obtain better competitiveness in the market. The final results obtained demonstrated the confirmation of the potential of the evaluation method of business model canvas in Global Sales department through the SWOT analysis, approaches proposed by Osterwalder and Pigneur (2010)