Can Brazilian Firms Survive the Chinese Challenge: Effects of Globalization on Markets, Strategies, and Performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to apply the structure-conduct-performance theory and the strategic fit concept to examine the effects of globalization on markets, strategies, and performance of business-to-consumer firms in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes a qualitative approach to answer the research questions. Top decision makers such as president, chief executive officer, chairman of the board, vice president, and director of the companies were interviewed. The elite approach to in-depth interviewing was followed to obtain reliable information from the decision makers. Findings – Findings indicate that globalization and especially the entry of Chinese firms significantly changed market contexts in Brazil. Brazilian executives responded to changes in market contexts by shifting from production to customer orientation, building brand equity, developing new products, and differentiating offerings. Overall, marketing performance of Brazilian firms was positive, but profitability suffered. Originality/value – The study contributes to the literature by showing that globalization has changed market contexts in Brazil by developing a new form of competition in which firms from emerging economies are now competing against each other. Findings from this study can provide useful theoretical and strategic insights into the behavior and performance of firms in other emerging markets

TGF-β signaling links E-cadherin loss to suppression of nucleotide excision repair.

E-cadherin is a cell adhesion molecule best known for its function in suppressing tumor progression and metastasis. Here we show that E-cadherin promotes nucleotide excision repair through positively regulating the expression of xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group C (XPC) and DNA damage-binding protein 1 (DDB1). Loss of E-cadherin activates the E2F4 and p130/107 transcription repressor complexes to suppress the transcription of both XPC and DDB1 through activating the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway. Adding XPC or DDB1, or inhibiting the TGF-β pathway, increases the repair of ultraviolet (UV)-induced DNA damage in E-cadherin-inhibited cells. In the mouse skin and skin tumors, UVB radiation downregulates E-cadherin. In sun-associated premalignant and malignant skin neoplasia, E-cadherin is downregulated in association with reduced XPC and DDB1 levels. These findings demonstrate a crucial role of E-cadherin in efficient DNA repair of UV-induced DNA damage, identify a new link between epithelial adhesion and DNA repair and suggest a mechanistic link of early E-cadherin loss in tumor initiation

Competitive Threats, Strategic Responses and Performance of Brazilian B2B Firms

Purpose – The economic realignment in Latin America has created two clusters, one stagnant in the north and the other growth-bound in the south. This study aims to focus on Brazil, the key player in the growth-bound southern cluster, and address three fundamental questions: how Brazilian executives in four B2B sectors (telecommunications, business equipment, steel, and transportation) viewed the internal competitive developments, how they strategically responded to these developments, and what were the marketing and financial outcomes of these strategies. Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained by interviewing top decision makers such as president, chief executive officer, and director of the companies. Findings – Findings show that the intensity of competitive pressures due to globalization varied by sector and so did strategic responses of firms. Marketing and financial performance outcomes also varied by sectors. Originality/value – The study adds to the growing literature on competitive market developments, strategic responses and performance outcomes of firms in Brazil, an important emerging economy and the key player in the southern Latin America cluster

Santiagos Ponientes ou formas de conceber um projeto urbano

O presente artigo pretende contribuir para a compreensão dos limites semânticos do que se entende por projeto urbano por meio da análise comparada de duas propostas para o bairro Santiago Poniente em Santiago do Chile – uma de 1977 e outra de 1991. Ainda que a segunda tenha sido proposta como resgate e reafirmação da primeira e que ambas tenham tido o envolvimento dos mesmos autores em sua concepção – que objetivava a preservação e a valorização dos padrões tipo-morfológicos encontrados naquele bairro –, os projetos diferem significativamente. A hipótese que se pretende demonstrar é que a passagem temporal revela as vicissitudes das ideias: o primeiro olhar sobre o bairro era especulativo e provocativo; o segundo era pragmático e conciliatório, buscava viabilizar sua execução. Em ambos, no entanto, revela-se o aspecto do projeto como forma de investigação e de produção de conhecimento sobre um determinado território.This article aims to contribute to establish the semantic boundaries of what is meant by urban project in Latin America through the comparative analysis of two proposals for Santiago Poniente neighborhood in Santiago, Chile: one developed in1977 and the other in 1991. Although the fact that the latter was proposed as rescue and reassurance of the first one – which aimed the preservation and development of typo-morphological standards found in that neighborhood – and that the same authors designed both; the two projects differ significantly. The hypothesis that we seek to demonstrate is that the temporal passage reveals the vicissitudes of ideas: the first look at the neighborhood was speculative and provocative; the second was pragmatic and conciliatory, seeking to enable its implementation. In both, however, remains the aspect of the project understood as a way to research and to product new knowledge on a given territory

The convergence of radiation and immunogenic cell death signaling pathways.

Ionizing radiation (IR) triggers programmed cell death in tumor cells through a variety of highly regulated processes. Radiation-induced tumor cell death has been studied extensively in vitro and is widely attributed to multiple distinct mechanisms, including apoptosis, necrosis, mitotic catastrophe (MC), autophagy, and senescence, which may occur concurrently. When considering tumor cell death in the context of an organism, an emerging body of evidence suggests there is a reciprocal relationship in which radiation stimulates the immune system, which in turn contributes to tumor cell kill. As a result, traditional measurements of radiation-induced tumor cell death, in vitro, fail to represent the extent of clinically observed responses, including reductions in loco-regional failure rates and improvements in metastases free and overall survival. Hence, understanding the immunological responses to the type of radiation-induced cell death is critical. In this review, the mechanisms of radiation-induced tumor cell death are described, with particular focus on immunogenic cell death (ICD). Strategies combining radiotherapy with specific chemotherapies or immunotherapies capable of inducing a repertoire of cancer specific immunogens might potentiate tumor control not only by enhancing cell kill but also through the induction of a successful anti-tumor vaccination that improves patient survival

Dengue and the world football cup: a matter of timing.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-22T17:06:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 BARCELLOS_LOWE_ICICT_2014.pdf: 529626 bytes, checksum: c0b1cf6e40048a0b841f357b712ac650 (MD5) license.txt: 1914 bytes, checksum: 7d48279ffeed55da8dfe2f8e81f3b81f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Comunicação e Informação Científica e Tecnológica em Saúde. RIo de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Institut Català de Ciències del Clima. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain