5 research outputs found
Business Incubator and Economic Development
This chapter aims to (i) understand the functioning and importance of incubators in supporting the creation of new business and local economic development, as they help locally engage young entrepreneurs and thus retain expertise, for example, in regions farthest from large urban centers, (ii) realize the importance of incubators and science parks in the development of start-ups, (iii) understand the role of education in promoting entrepreneurship, and (iv) understand the competitive environment as it becomes more complex and dynamic, as there are opportunities to serve customers who are dissatisfied; thus the threats that large companies experience offer small business opportunities
A Fuzzy Logic Model to Enhance Quality Management on R&D Units
Nowadays, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), are becoming even more competitive, with the public ones, facing at the same time a greater restriction on public funding. Therefore, HEIs, have to be more effective and more efficient as well, on pursuing their own goals, which includes Research and Development (R&D) units as well. Such demands can be achieved, by enhancing R&D’s global performance. Therefore, the use of a framework such as European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), can bring value to an organization with the characteristics of a R&D unit. This work presents a new integrated method based on EFQM model, by using Fuzzy Logic, to enhance the organizations’ overall performance. The applicability of the proposed approach is demonstrated by a case study in a R&D unit, where an initial performance evaluation takes place, by using RADAR’s Logic approach. The proposed method, based on Fuzzy Logic, is then applied, followed by the identification of the strength points as well as the improvement areas, according to the EFQM framework. Then, the improvement actions with high priority are determined, followed by the correspondent action measures.
Keywords: Quality management, Fuzzy logic, EFQ
Analysis of coastal lagoon metabolism as a basis for management
This work was carried out in a shallow eutrophic coastal lagoon (St. André lagoon, SW Portugal) which is artificially
opened to the sea each year in early spring. Macrophytes, mainly Ruppia cirrhosa, are keystone species in
this ecosystem covering up to 60% of its total area with peak biomasses over 500 g DWm−2. The main objectives
were to study ecosystem metabolism, to evaluate the metabolic contribution to the community of the macrophyte
stands and their influence in the development of thermal stratification and bottom oxygen depletion.
The work combined an experimental and a modelling methodology. The experimental approach included open
water, mesocosm and microcosm seasonal experiments. During these experiments several physical, chemical
and biological parameters were monitored in the lagoon and in plastic enclosures (mesocosms) for periods of
24 hours. The microcosm experiments followed the light-dark bottle technique. The simultaneous use of these
different methodologies allowed the analysis of the contribution of the planktonic and benthic compartments to the
ecosystem’s oxygen budget.
The modelling work was based on the mathematical simulation of heat and gas exchanges in a vertically
resolved water column, under different macrophyte densities. Several simulations were carried out, in order to
investigate the importance of the macrophytes in the development of water column stratification and anoxia.
The simulation results suggest that macrophytes may greatly influence thermocline and oxycline development.
This influence is proportional to their biomass and canopy height. It is suggested that controlled macrophyte
biomass removal of up to 25% of available biomass in summer, may be useful in preventing bottom anoxia without
compromising benthic net primary production
Analysis of coastal lagoon metabolism as a basis for management
This work was carried out in a shallow eutrophic coastal lagoon (St. André lagoon, SW Portugal) which is artificially
opened to the sea each year in early spring. Macrophytes, mainly Ruppia cirrhosa, are keystone species in
this ecosystem covering up to 60% of its total area with peak biomasses over 500 g DWm−2. The main objectives
were to study ecosystem metabolism, to evaluate the metabolic contribution to the community of the macrophyte
stands and their influence in the development of thermal stratification and bottom oxygen depletion.
The work combined an experimental and a modelling methodology. The experimental approach included open
water, mesocosm and microcosm seasonal experiments. During these experiments several physical, chemical
and biological parameters were monitored in the lagoon and in plastic enclosures (mesocosms) for periods of
24 hours. The microcosm experiments followed the light-dark bottle technique. The simultaneous use of these
different methodologies allowed the analysis of the contribution of the planktonic and benthic compartments to the
ecosystem’s oxygen budget.
The modelling work was based on the mathematical simulation of heat and gas exchanges in a vertically
resolved water column, under different macrophyte densities. Several simulations were carried out, in order to
investigate the importance of the macrophytes in the development of water column stratification and anoxia.
The simulation results suggest that macrophytes may greatly influence thermocline and oxycline development.
This influence is proportional to their biomass and canopy height. It is suggested that controlled macrophyte
biomass removal of up to 25% of available biomass in summer, may be useful in preventing bottom anoxia without
compromising benthic net primary production