The role of mining in economic development in Namibia post-2008 global economic crisis

Namibia is reported to have experienced several years of moderate economic growth since the country gained independence in 1990. The economy is largely supported by the country’s mining sector which provides significant revenues through foreign export earnings, foreign direct investment (FDI), taxes and royalties. In the period leading to the 2008 global economic crisis, growth in the country’s mining sector started to decline due to the rapid fall in mineral commodities’ prices. This did not only negatively impact growth in the mining sector, but also stifled growth in other sectors of the economy. The paper examined the role of mining and its impacts in economic development in Namibia post-2008 global economic crisis. The paper also focused on building an understanding of Namibia’s key macroeconomic policies and development strategies with regards to the mining sector. Despite its impressive mineral wealth Namibia continues to grapple with many social challenges including high levels of unemployment, widespread poverty, and high income inequality. The paper sought to establish whether Namibia’s mineral resources were being optimally utilized to benefit Namibians. An extensive literature review which included amongst others, national and regional development policies, National Accounts, Chamber of Mines of Namibia reports as well as online data from the World Bank Data Catalog was carried out to appraise key social and economic development indicators. The paper found that despite the country having a fully articulated minerals policy, this has not effectively supported socio-economic development. The paper established that current levels of economic growth did not necessarily translate into broad-based sustainable socio-economic development. Lack of resource diversification has been identified as a major obstacle in the way of gainful economic transformation. In particular weak linkages between mining and other sectors of the economy have limited local business opportunities and impeded industrial development. Arguably, Namibia like many African countries has failed to obtain commensurate compensation for the exploitation of its mineral resources, as well as achieve equitable wealth sharing amongst its people. Keywords: Economic Development; Employment Creation; Empowerment; Gross Domestic Product, Macroeconomic; Minerals Policy; Mining

Bi-Lipschitz geometry of weighted homogeneous surface singularities

We show that a weighted homogeneous complex surface singularity is metrically conical (i.e., bi-Lipschitz equivalent to a metric cone) only if its two lowest weights are equal. We also give an example of a pair of weighted homogeneous complex surface singularities that are topologically equivalent but not bi-Lipschitz equivalent.Comment: 5 pages. Added result that nonhomogeneous cyclic quotients are not conica

Innovation in micro and small enterprises: a conceptual proposal for research

Micro and Small Enterprises (MSE) are considered the most dynamic and elastic forms of activity. In the economy, the foundation and development of these are important for the creation of the so-called "normal" economic environment. In the recent past it was enough for companies to meet their needs in a profitable way to stay in the market, but that scenario has changed dramatically. At present it’s necessary to be one step ahead towards the future, because the strategies that have worked well in the past are not guarantees of sustainable success. The key to longevity and business competitiveness lies in innovation. Accordingly, the main objective of the present research was to present a conceptual model of innovation research in Micro and Small Enterprises to analyze (1) the degree of innovation of Micro and Small Companies, (2) how the innovation presents itself in the MSE as a result of its business environments and (3) the determining factors of the innovation according to the geographical location. This research is of particular interest to Micro and Small Enterprises in developing countries, such as Brazil, given the greater relevance of innovation activities than innovation itself, and can provide subsidies for the formulation of innovation policies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Measuring the degree of innovation in micro and small enterprises In the northeast of Brazil

As empresas não operam em total isolamento do meio em que estão inseridas. O entorno ao mesmo tempo em que é influenciado pelas organizações influencia na conduta e desempenho das mesmas, sobretudo, no que diz respeito à prática da inovação. As pequenas e médias empresas são o motor do desenvolvimento económico, principalmente em países em desenvolvimento como o Brasil. Nessa conformidade, o principal objetivo desta pesquisa foi apresentar e testar um modelo de pesquisa de inovação em Micro e Pequenas Empresas proposto por Walter, Veloso e Fernandes (2017) para analisar: (1) o grau de inovação das Micro e Pequenas Empresas e (2) como a inovação é apresentada nas Micro e Pequenas Empresas como resultado de seus ambientes de negócios. Para isso, o estudo baseou-se em uma amostra de 617 MPE distribuídas em 6 cidades do Estado do Piauí. Os dados foram coletados através da aplicação do Radar de Inovação. Foram utilizadas técnicas estatísticas de natureza descritiva, exploratória e inferencial. Os resultados mostraram que as MPE têm capacidade de inovação entre “Pouco Inovadoras" e “Inovadoras Ocasionais", devido à maior expressividade de inovações organizacionais e de marketing, e que a média e a distribuição da inovação são as mesmas entre as MPE analisadas.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Respostas de defesa e resistência induzida por ulvana à antracnose (Colletotrichum lindemuthianum) em cultivares de feijoeiro comum (Phaseolus vulgaris L.): [dissertação]

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Agrárias. Programa de Pós-graduação em Recursos Genéticos VegetaisO efeito da aplicação foliar do polissacarídeo algal, ulvana, na resistência à antracnose e nas respostas de defesa foi estudado sobre as nervuras primária, secundária e terciária em folíolos de cultivares de feijoeiro comum (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Para tanto, três cultivares de feijoeiro, apresentando diferentes níveis de resistência foram usados, isto é, 'Uirapuru' (suscetível), 'Mouro Graúdo' (com resistência de planta adulta) e 'Valente' (resistente). Estas plantas, no estádio fenológico V3, foram pulverizadas com ulvana (10 mg/mL) ou com água destilada (testemunha) 6 e 3 dias antes da inoculação com a raça 73 de C. lindemuthianum. O folíolo central do segundo trifólio foi protegido com um saco plástico durante o tratamento, para avaliar o efeito sitêmico, enquanto que os dois folíolos laterais permaneceram desprotegidos. A área foliolar bem como o comprimento das nervuras foram determinados, e a severidade da doença foi avaliada por escala descritiva e pela mensuração do número e tamanho de lesões necróticas sobre cada nervura. Às 48 horas após a inoculação, discos foliares de 8mm de diâmetro foram coletados de folíolos laterais, clareados com solução de etanol e ácido acético glacial (3:1. v/v), conservados em solução de lactoglicerol, corados com azul de Amann (0,1%) e examinados ao microscópio óptico (480x) para determinar a germinação de conídios, a formação de apressórios e a freqüência de células hipersensitivas. A área foliolar e o comprimento das nervuras foram muito semelhantes entre os cvs. Uirapuru e Mouro Graúdo. A severidade da doença aos 8 dai (dias após a inoculação) não diferiu entre os tratamentos. Entretanto, a ulvana reduziu local e sistemicamente a taxa de desenvolvimento tanto do número como do comprimento de lesões de 8 a 14 dai em ambos os cultivares suscetíveis. A nervura primária foi mais suscetível à antracnose do que as outras. A taxa de formação de lesões foi reduzida sistemicamente pela ulvana somente na nervura secundária. Os conídios germinaram igualmente nos cultivares, mas a ulvana reduziu sua germinação em 28 e 44% nos cvs. Uirapuru e Mouro Graúdo, respectivamente. A maior formação de apressórios (42%) foi registrada no 'Valente' que diferiu significativamente daquela sobre os folíolos do 'Mouro Graúdo'. A ulvana não influenciou a formação de apressórios. A freqüência de células hipersensitivas foi semelhante entre os cultivares, mas significativamente maior em 'Uirapuru' tratado com ulvana que em plantas testemunhas de 'Mouro Graúdo'. A resistência inata e induzida bem como algumas respostas de defesa dos tecidos de feijoeiro à antracnose e o efeito da ulvana sobre a germinação de conídios são discutidos. The effect of foliar application of the algal polyssacharide ulvan on the resistance to anthracnose and defense responses was studied on primary, secondary and tertiary veins of bean leaflets (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). For that, three bean cultivars showing different resistance levels were used, i.e. 'Uirapuru' (susceptible), 'Mouro Graúdo' (with adult plant resistance) and 'Valente' (resistant). Plants at V3-growth stage were sprayed with ulvan (10 mg/mL) or water (control) six and three days before the inoculation with the race 73 of C. lindemuthianum. The central leaflet of the 2th leaf was covered with a plastic bag at treatment time, to evaluate the systemic effect, whereas two lateral leaflets remained uncovered. The leaflet area as well as vein length were determined and the disease severity assessed by both descriptive scale and measuring the number and the size of necrotic lesions on each leaflet vein. At 48 h after inoculation, 8-mm diameter leaf discs from lateral leaflets were collected, bleached with ethanol: glacial acetic acid (3:1. v/v), stored in lactoglycerol, stained with Amann's blue (0.1%) and examined with a light microscopy (480x) to determine the conidia germination, appressoria formation and frequency of hypersentive cells. Uirapuru and Mouro Graúdo cvs. presented similar leaflet area and vein length. Disease severity at 8 days after inoculation (dai) did not differ between treatments. However, ulvan locally and systemically reduced the development rate of both lesion number and length from the 8th to 14th dai in both susceptible cultivars. Primary vein was more susceptible to anthracnose than others. Lesion formation rate was systemically reduced by ulvan only at the secondary vein. Conidia germinated on cultivars equally well, but ulvan reduced their germination by 28 and 44% on 'Uirapuru' and 'Mouro Graúdo', respectively. The highest appressoria formation (42%) was recorded on 'Valente' which significantly differed from that on the 'Mouro Graúdo' leaflets. Ulvan did not influence appressoria formation. The frequency of hypersensitive cells was similar among cultivars, but significantly higher in ulvan-treated 'Uirapuru' than in 'Mouro Graúdo' control plants. The innate and induced resistance as well as some defense responses of bean plant tissues to anthracnose and the effect of ulvan on conidia germination are discussed

Measuring the degree of innovation in retail and services’ micro and small enterprises

Micro and small enterprises (MSEs) are considered the most dynamic and flexible arrangement of activity. In the economy, the foundation and development of these features is important for the creation of the so-called “normal” economic environment. The main objective of this research is to present a research model of innovation in MSEs to analyse: first, the degree of innovation of MSEs, and second, how the innovation is handled by existing MSEs as a result of its business environment. The research made is based on a sample of 550 MSEs distributed over six cities across the Brazilian State of Piauí. The data were collected using the Innovation Radar application, which is owned by the SEBRAE Local Innovation Agents program. Statistical techniques of descriptive, exploratory, and inferential nature were used for corresponding data treatment and results validation. The results obtained suggest that MSEs have innovation capacity between the “Little Innovative” and “Occasional Innovative” range, and also that the average and the distribution of innovation levels are similar amongst MSEs analyzed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Solidariedade não tem fronteiras: a trajetória do Comitê de Defesa dos Direitos Humanos Para os Países do Cone Sul- CLAMOR (1978-1991)

“Primeiramente acabaremos com os subversivos; depois com os colaboradores; em seguida com os simpatizantes; e, por último, com os indiferentes.” Foi assim que o General Ibérico Saint Jean, um dos ideólogos do golpe militar argentino de 1976, sintetizou de maneira lapidar a truculência das Ditaduras de Segurança Nacional que cobriram de verde oliva o cone sul.Instituto de Investigaciones en Humanidades y Ciencias Sociale