Hierarchical Structure in Brazilian Industrial Firms: An Econometric Study

The paper investigates different implications of theoretical models for hierarchical structure. A sample of 6578 firms in the Brazilian manufacturing industry is considered and explanatory factors pertaining structural characteristics, network technology, technological innovations, managerial innovations and Incentive mechanisms are investigated. Important joint effects are detected for all groups of variables in partial contrast with the related previous literature. Moreover, one detects significant joint effect of the newly considered group of incentive mechanisms variables. The evidence in terms of individual effects is largely consistent with the predicted effects from the theoretical literature on hierarchy.

Determinants of Survival of Newly Created SMEs in the Brazilian Manufacturing: An Econometric Study

The paper investigates the survival of newly created small and medium enterprises in Brazilian manufacturing taking as reference the 1996-2005 period. The econometric analysis relies on time-varying version of the proportional hazard rate model that controls for unobserved heterogeneity. The evidence mostly corroborates previous findings for developed countries. Salient results include the positive role played by firm size, industry size and industry growth on survival and yet the negative influence exerted by industrial concentration and entry rate.survival, small and medium enterprises, manufacturing industry

Fundamentals of wettability applied to Brazilian Pre-Salt reservoirs and wettability alteration evaluation in low salinity water injection

Brazilian Pre-Salt carbonate reservoirs have been one of the greatest oil discoveries of the past decade. In fields such as Lula, it is expected to recover between five to eight billion barrels of oil equivalent. To fulfil this, knowledge of reservoir wettability is fundamental, given that it dictates how fluids (water, oil and, gas) are distributed within the porous media, and how the multiphase flow occurs in the pore-network. This information is important in the construction of relative permeability curves which are input for reservoir simulators. Few works have been published regarding initial wettability of Pre-Salt carbonate reservoirs in spite of their great oil recovery potential. In this way, to close the data gap in the literature, this study aimed to investigate parameters that influence initial wettability of pure rocks (calcite and quartz) and analogue rocks (coquinas) that partly represent the Pre-Salt reservoirs. Contact angle experiments were used to study the influence of parameters that are important to rock wettability, such as rock composition, brine salinity, temperature, rock ageing and, presence of carbon dioxide in brine. Initial wettability was analysed at core scale by spontaneous imbibition and core flood experiments, obtaining the Amott index to water. Through these experiments, it was possible to evaluate the performance of different brines respective to oil recovery. Furthermore, wettability alteration was investigated in low salinity water injection as a tertiary injection method. Contact angles experiments were also used to analyse wettability alteration in clay-less rocks, focusing on understanding the role of fluid-fluid interactions on low salinity water injection. Respective to initial wettability in pure rocks and rock analogues relevant to the Brazilian Pre-Salt, it was found that at reservoir temperature (60°C) calcite, and quartz were neutral and weakly oil-wet, respectively. Amott index to water indicated that at that temperature, coquina rocks were intermediate-wet (mixed-wet). Presence of carbon dioxide in brine indicated that both calcite and quartz rocks become more water-wet. Regarding the application of wettability to low salinity water injection, the results suggested that wettability alteration is not exclusive of clayey rocks, nor resulting from a change in the ratio of divalent to monovalent cations. They indicated that crude oil composition is crucial for wettability alteration to happen, and it is possible that crude-oil/brine interactions dictate the low salinity effect. In summary, this work generated important data regarding initial wettability of Brazilian Pre-Salt reservoirs which are scarce in the literature. These results also instigate further investigation respective to the effects of carbon dioxide in brine on the initial wettability of rocks considering complex brines (presence of divalent cations and anions) rather than just brines composed of sodium chloride. This work showed that crude-oil/brine interactions is important for the low salinity effect

EFICIÊNCIA DA PRODUÇÃO FAMILIAR DE LEITE EM PROJETOS DE ASSENTAMENTO DE REFORMA AGRÃRIA: ESTUDO MULTICASO

The milk market changes in Brazil, occured in the last few decades, have challenged the milk producers, especially the smaller ones in relation to milk quality improvement, the reduction of production costs, the adoption of modern practical management technologies and efficiency and productivity gain. The economic sustainability of the producers depends, in great measure, on their success in responding positively to these challenges. This work has aimed to evaluate the technical and economical efficiency of the family dairy production in settlement projects of agrarian reform in the city of Unaí-MG. Information on the production of sixteen producers were collected during an eleven-month period. For evaluating the efficiency, it was used Data Envelopment Analisys (DEA), which is based in the linear programming to identify the producers that are more efficient in the use of the inputs. The calculations were carried through with software SIAD 2.0. Only four producers with maximum efficiency were identified. The efficiency of the inefficient producers was of 77%. It means that this group could reduce its inputs in 23% on average, without compromising the production. Generality, the benchmarks producers present better results in the index for costs of production, daily production, land productivity, efficiency in the use of concentrated for feeding the flock and in the gross margin by area. The simulations made indicate an efficiency gain of 28,04%, when the adjusts showed by the model were made.data envelopment analysis, efficiency, family dairy production.,

Survival of new firms in the Brazilian franchising segment: An empirical study

The paper investigates survival patterns of Brazilian franchising firms during the 1994-1999 period. First, at a more descriptive level one considered the (percentage) survival of newly created franchisors in the following years. The evidence indicated a drastic decay in survival after only a few years and contrasts with the higher survival of firms in the franchising firms in more developed economies. Survival functions were obtained by means of the Kaplan-Meier estimator for the selected sectors and indicated sharp declines in survival rates over time but with differential patterns across sectors. Finally, an econometric analysis based on Cox's proportional hazard model was considered by exploring explanatory variables pertaining size, age and support regarding legal aspects, location choice and training. The evidence indicates that those supports provided by the franchisor have a positive impact on the probability of survival of new firms whereas there is partial evidence favoring a positive role for firm size on survival

Trabalho Docente e as Influências de Forças Coercitivas : um Estudo em uma Universidade Privada

O ambiente educacional superior tem enfrentado inúmeras mudanças, que marcam várias transformações no âmbito do ensino e da aprendizagem, exigindo assim, principalmente dos docentes, novos posicionamentos frente às influências das forças coercitivas relacionadas aos órgãos reguladores (MEC), mercado e cliente. Este estudo teve, como objetivo geral, identificar e descrever como as forças coercitivas exercem influência sobre o trabalho. O estudo foi desenvolvido a partir de uma pesquisa qualitativa e os dados foram coletados por meio de duas técnicas: grupo focal e entrevista. No grupo focal, 11 docentes dos cursos do Centro de Ciências e Comunicação e Gestão (CCG) participaram, expressando suas percepções relacionadas às forças coercitivas por meio de discussão em grupo. A entrevista semiestruturada foi realizada com 4 coordenadores de cursos do CCG. Dentre os estudos na área, este faz-se original por associar a temática “trabalho docente e teoria institucional” e também pela escolha de duas técnicas e dois públicos distintos, possibilitando um maior aprofundamento dentro de duas visões distintas do fenômeno das influências das forças coercitivas sobre o trabalho docente. Os resultados evidenciaram percepções distintas entre os grupos de professores e os de coordenadores, com relação às influências das forças coercitivas: dos órgãos reguladoras, do mercado e do cliente; sobre o trabalho docente. Essas percepções distintas reforçaram reações antagônicas de conflito e de integração, quando analisadas as relações entre as mesmas. Desse modo, evidenciou-se que os docentes apresentaram percepções mais negativas em relação às forças coercitivas, enquanto os coordenadores consideraram mais positivas, na medida que as reconheceram como meio de regulamentação e alinhamento do ambiente institucional de educação superior, reforçando assim o entendimento da teoria institucional com o conceito isomórfico

A QUESTÃO SOCIAL NO BRASIL: UMA ABORDAGEM A PARTIR DA CONTRARREFORMA DO ESTADO BRASILEIRO

Trata-se de pesquisa bibliográfica, descritiva e qualitativa, que tem por objetivo abordar a evolução da Questão Social no Brasil, a partir da abordagem da contrarreforma do Estado Brasileiro. Tratada inicialmente como um caso de polícia, a Questão Social era reprimida e renegada pela sociedade e pelo Estado. Em seguida, a partir do Governo Vargas em 1930, passou a ser tratada como caso de política, culminando com a criação dos direitos sociais e de diversas legislações voltadas à classe trabalhadora. Além disso, o tratamento dado à questão social foi sendo moldado a partir da contrarreforma do Estado brasileiro

HISTOPLASMIN SURVEY IN HIV-POSITIVE PATIENTS: RESULTS FROM AN ENDEMIC AREA IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

SUMMARY Background. Disseminated histoplasmosis is common in AIDS patients with advanced immunosuppression in Ceará, Northeastern Brazil. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of Histoplasma infection in patients with HIV/AIDS living in Fortaleza, the capital of Ceará. Methods. Intradermal tests with histoplasmin (mycelial phase) were performed in 161 HIV patients with CD4 ≥ 350 cells/mm 3 . Evidence of recent illness was evaluated with immunodiffusion (ID) tests in 76 of these individuals. Results. A total of 11.8% of patients reacted to histoplasmin and 2.63% had ID test positive to Histoplasma. The presence of mango trees (Mangifera indica) in the patient neighborhood (OR = 2.870; 95% CI = 1.081-7.617; p = 0.040) and past activity involving soil (OR = 2.834; 95% CI = 1.045-7.687; p = 0.045) or visits to a farm (OR = 3.869; 95% CI = 1.189-12.591; p = 0.033) were significantly associated with Histoplasma infection. Conclusions. Patients with HIV living in Fortaleza have an expressive prevalence of infection with Histoplasma.RESUMO Introdução: Histoplasmose disseminada ocorre com grande frequência em pacientes com aids e imunossupressão avançada no Ceará, Brasil. O objetivo deste artigo é determinar a prevalência da infecção por Histoplasma em pacientes com HIV/aids residentes em Fortaleza capital. Métodos. Testes intradérmicos com histoplasmina (fase micelial), foram realizados em 161 pacientes com CD4 ≥ 350 células/mm 3 . Doença recente foi estudada por imunodifusão em 76 desses indivíduos. Resultados. Reagiram à histoplasmina, 11,8% dos pacientes e à imunodifusão para Histoplasma: 2,63%. A presença da árvore mangueira (Mangifera indica) na vizinhança (OR = 2,870; IC 95% = 1,081-7,617; p = 0,040), atividade com o solo no passado (OR = 2,834; IC 95% = 1,045-7,687, p = 0,045) e visitar sítio no passado (OR = 3,869; IC 95% = 1,189-12,591; p = 0,033); foram significativamente associados com positividade para o teste. Conclusões. Pacientes com HIV que vivem em Fortaleza apresentam uma prevalência expressiva de infecção por Histoplasma