How will leadership agility be affected by the organization-s resistance to change and a hierarchical workforce engagement, in the future of work

This consulting research develops an assessment of the impact of leadership agility in the Future of Work, as well as the company’s positioning within this future, using the concept of Strategic Foresight and Scenario Planning. Four predictive scenarios of the future were designed, and one analyzed in deep within the insurance sector with the aim of helping the organization’s leaders to deal with a context of high resistance to change and hierarchization. The recommendations were developed considering the future drivers of Workforce Engagement and Pace of Work Technology Adoption and built upon specific leadership competencies that must be tackled

Electrochemical charaterization of PDMAAp/PEDOT coated electrodes for DC stimulation

Dissertação de mestrado em Biomedical EngineeringElectrotaxis or Galvanotaxis is the directed migration of cells in an electric field and constitutes a fundamental phenomenon in many biological mechanisms, for instance, cell division, wound healing, and embryonal development. It is caused by spontaneous endogenous electrical fields (EFs) due to ionic gradients. Multiple studies and experimental research have proven that applying an external electrical field (direct current DC) can originate an electrotactic response on the cells, since it resembles an endogenous EF. Besides fundamental understanding in biology, this form of artificial electrotaxis appears to be a promising alternative for wound healing treatment. The cell’s response and the mechanisms related to electrotaxis are still uncertain, and the properties of the electrode material hinder the advancements in cellular research and medical applications. A promising solution for this problem is the use of conductive polymer electrodes for DC stimulation. In this work, electrodes of different materials, IrOx, PEDOT/PSS, and PDMAAp/PEDOT, were developed, fabricated, and tested. The materials of the electrodes had different thicknesses that were tested and compared with each other. These electrodes were electrochemically characterized and used for DC stimulation. Due to their supercapacitive behavior, the electrodes were able to go through several DC stimulation cycles with different currents applied, without observable damage. A fluidic setup and an electronic readout system were designed and fabricated for pH measurements during different DC stimulations for all the electrodes materials. No changes in the pH value were observed in the medium surrounding the electrodes. Moreover, the electrodes materials were tested for cytotoxicity, and none could be observed. This work concludes that PDMAAp/PEDOT coated electrodes show excellent electrochemical properties and DC stimulation capabilities similar to PEDOT/PSS

Inovcity- Structure of trials evaluation

In 2007, the UK government commissioned the Energy Demand Research Project to conduct a large scale experiment of smart metering technologies to test the impacts from many different forms of feedback to residential consumers. A full evaluation of the results was completed in 2011. In Portugal, EDP is also conducting smart meter trials in a project called InovCity in the city of Évora whose results will be evaluated during 2012. In this work, the case of Great Britain is studied as a reference on how an evaluation of trial results should be conducted. I also discuss potential limitations of the experiments, implications for national roll-out decisions, and finally draw some lessons that can be applied to the Portuguese case

REHABILITATION OF THE [PORTUGUESE] TRADITIONAL HERITAGE IN CONJUGATION WITH STEEL ARCHITECTURE

Heritage is defined in different ways according to the interests of each person. There are numerous combinations of the word heritage used to define something that belong to us, such as the personal, environmental, artistic, historic, cultural and architectural heritage or even the memories. In the architectural heritage, numerous examples through History could be named, being the Portuguese Traditional Architecture chosen and quite often found in ruins, empty of content, but full of memories left by time; many of them are occupied by the nature which took possession of these uninhabited scenarios. The rehabilitation of this type of architecture is challenging because it has, in my opinion, particular characteristics; this type of construction "[…] has neither tendency nor urban origins; they are housing clusters that arise from the need and population growth, use local materials which removed from this context lose their identity"[01]. They were built in specific areas to allow the subsistence of the population, at the time, and were abandoned due to the rural exodus. Today, these “ghost places”, which still have a strong and own identity, allow the architect’s reinterpretation of the way of living, combining the essence of the existing building, where there were few material and financial resources, with the reality and current need. The rehabilitation of the Portuguese Traditional Architecture as a heritage to be preserved, in conjunction with the Modular Steel Architecture, a reference of the fifties of the industrial age, is a delicate case of study. The traditional architecture consists of buildings "[…] simple, coherent and harmonious, that respond to a functional simplicity, framed in the landscapes around them [...]" [02] with many memories and a very own genius loci, where the conjugation with the steel architecture, allows the differentiation of the existing history of the new building, valorising them; besides the new dwelling is adapted to the current needs and respond to the rapid technological change and is recreated where a scenario full of memories and experiences is an added value

Personality styles and defense mechanisms in a community sample of adolescents: An exploratory study

This study aimed to test if the preference for using certain types of defense mechanisms, according to Ihilevich and Gleser’s (1969, 1986) perspective, is associated with personality styles, proposed by Millon (1993), and also, aimed to test if both constructs give a contribution to the identification of global types of psychological functioning in adolescents. Eight hundred and thirty adolescents, ranging in age from 14 to 19 years (M = 16.64, SD = 1.9) participated in the study. The Portuguese versions of the Defense Mechanisms Inventory for Adolescents and the Millon Adolescents Clinical Inventory were administered. Multiple linear regression analysis and principal component analysis were computed. Results demonstrate an association between defense mechanisms and personality styles and both constructs contribute to the identification of two types of psychological functioning in adolescents: an internalizing type and an externalizing type

The relationship between context and health inequalities: Europe and Portugal as case studies

As desigualdades socioeconómicas na saúde têm sido observadas há séculos por todo o mundo. Décadas de investigação identificaram múltiplos fatores que determinam estas desigualdades, como educação ou emprego. Recentemente, o foco da investigação sobre desigualdades em saúde mudou de determinantes individuais para determinantes contextuais, como as características físicas e sociais do ambiente. No entanto, a investigação sobre os determinantes contextuais depara-se com a ausência de uma base teórica sobre como estes determinantes influenciam a saúde. Portugal, sendo um dos países Europeus mais desiguais, tanto em rendimento como em saúde, é um caso de estudo interessante para o estudo das desigualdades em saúde. Esta tese procura contribuir para a compreensão do impacto dos determinantes contextuais na saúde e na sua distribuição, utilizando Portugal e a Europa como casos de estudo. Para cumprir este objetivo, foram selecionados três determinantes contextuais – capital social, regimes de bem-estar e alterações macroeconómicas – e os seus efeitos sobre a saúde e sobre as desigualdades em saúde foram explorados. Fora utilizados dados transversais do European Social Survey para analisar a associação entre capital social e saúde auto-declarada em países Europeus entre 2002 e 2012. A mesma base de dados foi utilizada para analisar a associação entre a mobilidade social e saúde auto-declarada em seis tipos de regimes de bem-estar Europeus. Estas análises utilizaram regressões logísticas multinível. Para analisar evidência sobre desigualdades socioeconómicas na saúde em Portugal depois de 2000 foi efetuada uma revisão sistemática da literatura. Dados transversais do European Union Survey on Income and Living Conditions foram utilizados para analisar alterações da desigualdade nas limitações em saúde em Portugal entre 2004 e 2014, tendo em conta as alterações macroeconómicas no País. Nesta análise, foram utilizados o índice de concentração e regressões logísticas múltiplas. O capital social contextual estava associado com pior saúde auto-declarada em indivíduos com pouca confiança interpessoal, influenciando assim a distribuição da saúde. Regimes de bem-estar Europeus estavam associados com a magnitude do impacto da mobilidade social na saúde. A revisão sistemática mostrou que o estudo dos determinantes contextuais em Portugal ainda é incomum. Alterações macroeconómicas em Portugal influenciaram a saúde e a sua distribuição na última década. Com base nestes resultados, foi delineado um quadro conceptual sobre a influência do contexto na saúde da população e na sua distribuição. O quadro conceptual distingue claramente entre um mecanismo que influencia a saúde da população e outro que influencia a sua distribuição. Este quadro pode ser utilizado como base de análises futuras para clarificar os mecanismos pelos quais o contexto influencia a saúde e as desigualdades em saúde. Pode também apoiar decisões sobre políticas que procurem influenciar a saúde da população e reduzir as desigualdades em saúde. Apesar das suas limitações, este trabalho produz evidência sobre os determinantes socioeconómicos da saúde em Portugal e sobre o impacto que o contexto pode ter nestes determinantes e nas desigualdades em saúde. O quadro conceptual proposto poderá avançar o debate sobre a influência do contexto na saúde e na sua distribuição.Socioeconomic inequalities in health have been observed for centuries throughout the world. Decades of research have identified multiple factors that determine these inequalities, such as education or employment. More recently, the focus of research in health inequalities shifted from individual to contextual determinants, such as physical and social characteristics of the environment. However, research on contextual determinants has been undermined by the absence of a theoretical basis to explain how these determinants influence health outcomes. Portugal is an interesting case study as it is one of the most unequal European countries both in income and health inequality, with limited academic and political attention to the topic. This dissertation aims to contribute to the understanding of how contextual characteristics can impact population health and health distribution, using Portugal and Europe as case studies. To achieve its aim, this research selected three contextual determinants – social capital, welfare regimes, and macroeconomic changes – and explored their effect on health and health inequalities. Cross-sectional data from the European Social Survey was used to analyse how social capital was associated with self-assessed health in European countries between 2002 and 2012. The same database was used to analyse the association between social mobility and self-assessed health in six welfare regime types in Europe. These analyses used multilevel logistic regressions. A systematic review of the literature was done to collect and analyse evidence about socioeconomic health inequalities in Portugal after 2000. Cross-sectional data from the European Union Survey on Income and Living Conditions was used to analyse how inequalities in health limitations changed in Portugal between 2004 and 2014, in light of important macroeconomic changes in the country. For this analysis, the concentration index was calculated and a multiple logistic regression model was run for each year. Contextual social capital was found to have an effect on individuals with low interpersonal trust, thus influencing health distribution. Welfare regime types were associated with the magnitude of the impact of social mobility on health. The systematic review showed that the study of contextual determinants of health inequalities is still uncommon in Portugal. Finally, important contextual changes in Portugal over the last decade seem to have influenced health and its distribution in the country. Drawing on the findings from these analyses, a conceptual framework was outlined, summarising how context influences population health and health distribution. The framework draws a clear distinction between a mechanism that leads to changes in population health, and another mechanism that leads to changes in health distribution. This framework can be used as a basis for future empirical research, helping clarify the mechanisms by which context influences health and health inequalities. It can also support policies seeking to influence population health and health inequalities. Despite its limitations, this work provides evidence on the social determinants of health in Portugal and on the impact that contextual characteristics can have on these determinants and on health inequalities. The proposed conceptual framework will hopefully further the debate on how context can influence population health and health distribution

Societal transformation and climate change adaptation : PAR experiences in Portugal

Tese de doutoramento, Alterações Climáticas e Políticas de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (Sociologia), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto de Ciências Sociais, 2016The rationale for this thesis is based on the principle that the adaptability and resilience of societies to climate change impacts should be contemplated for those living today, as well as for future generations. This study is guided by a concept of climate change adaptation that accounts for the possibility of a sustainable transition to transformed socio-technical and social-ecological systems. It is also informed by multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary participatory action-research (PAR) experiences. PAR approaches can be instrumental for supporting collective action, simplifying complex decision-making processes; and facilitating shared common visions towards more sustainable development pathways. PAR is more likely to integrate insights from different knowledge systems, by engaging a number of researchers from diverse scientific disciplines, while attempting to respond to local needs and empirical questions. PAR may thus offer a ground for experimenting with disparate approaches to the study of transitions and transformation. The hypothesis that underlies this study suggests that, in climate change adaptation research, PAR promotes outputs that may influence more sustainable development pathways through the reflexive involvement of diverse social actors, at different scales and levels of governance. The hypothesis was depicted on the basis of three important aspects that co-evolved with the development of this thesis. First, it acknowledges the possibility for transformational adaptation. Second, its definition resulted from my experiences in conducting collaborative research within a multidisciplinary group, in the context of an EU funded research project. Third, it is also based on my own conceptual journey into different interpretations and approaches to the study of transitions and societal transformation. The thesis is structured in six chapters, and centred in four research articles. Chapter I provides a general introduction that starts with describing my personal transition, followed by the scientific context for the research developed; and ending with a description of the aims of the study and an outline of the following five chapters. Chapter II presents the results of a literature review on long-term sustainable transitions and societal transformation. The reviewed literature focused on different perspectives that have been developed over the previous decades, including the Sustainable Transitions Research Field; the Social-Ecological Systems Resilience Framework; and Social Practice Theory. Chapter III describes the methodological trajectory and presents na analytical framework that integrates the different components of the research developed. These methodological components include five research questions and three research objectives, leading up to the main hypothesis. The chapter also explains the collaborative framework under which multidisciplinary action-research case studies were implemented. Findings from the case study research experiences are described and critically discussed throughout the four papers encompassed by Chapter IV. The succeeding Chapter V presents a meta-discussion of the papers that address the thesis’ guiding questions and main hypothesis. In Chapter V, the key findings of the study are abridged. The empirical studies illustrate that PAR, co-implemented by scientists and other social actors, is playing a role in igniting adaptation processes in Portugal. PAR does serve the purpose of creating adaptation outputs, such as strategies, plans, or long-term visions for more adapted, resilient and sustainable societies. Nevertheless, the case studies do not provide any certainties of whether the momentum for adaptation will be sustained over the medium or long term. Yet, collaborations, dialogue, participation and a continuous reflexivity on how future directions are paved seem to be key features for moving forward in a new sustainability agenda that integrates and transforms the negative effects of climate change. Thus, this thesis advocates for complementarity, collaboration and the overcoming of conceptual and disciplinary frontiers in climate change adaptation research, towards a governance for transformation