New challenges in the artisanal ice cream market : the marketing strategy to enhance Artisani’s Brand Awareness

This study aims to find a suitable solution to Artisani’s real-life challenge regarding the lack of brand awareness, theoretically and practically addressing subjects like consumer behavior, brand knowledge, positioning and promotion. Artisani is a Portuguese company, operating in the artisanal ice cream industry for eight years. Recently, Artisani was able to improve its production capacity, so the firm is now focused on increasing brand awareness to raise new customers. Despite having conquered a relevant place in the market, the path to grow and to more closely compete with the market leader must include a strategy that boosts brand knowledge in consumers’ minds. Considering the opportunities brought by the digital environment, Artisani is ready to improve its online presence. Therefore, the problem statement this thesis strives to address is if a digital strategy is the most suitable way to enhance Artisani’s brand awareness. To accomplish this matter, primary and secondary data were collected. It was found that social media is very present in Portuguese consumers’ daily routine and that their purchasing decisions are increasingly influenced by digital factors: consumers are more connected and knowledgeable than ever. While Artisani has strived to be innovative and different, the aimed positioning was not achieved yet. Therefore, a digital strategy proves to be the best way to improve awareness and create unique associations to the brand: not only will it create exposure and engage the target audience, but it will also build trust and loyalty.O presente estudo pretende encontrar uma solução adequada para o desafio enfrentado pela Artisani relativamente à falta de notoriedade, abordando, numa vertente teórico-prática, temas relacionados com o comportamento do consumidor, conhecimento da marca, posicionamento e comunicação. A Artisani é uma empresa portuguesa que opera no mercado do gelado artesanal há oito anos. Tendo conseguido melhorar a sua capacidade produtiva, a Artisani está agora focada no aumento da notoriedade para atrair novos consumidores. Apesar de ter conquistado um lugar relevante no mercado, o caminho a percorrer para crescer e mais estreitamente competir com o líder de mercado terá de incluir uma estratégia que crie conhecimento sobre a marca na mente dos consumidores. Considerando as oportunidades presentes no ambiente digital, a empresa sente-se preparada para melhorar a sua presença online. Neste sentido, o problema que esta tese pretende abordar é se uma estratégia digital será a forma mais adequada para aumentar a notoriedade da Artisani. Para esse propósito, foram coleccionados dados primários e secundários. Concluiu-se que as redes sociais estão muito presentes na rotina diária dos portugueses e que as suas decisões de compra são, cada vez mais, influenciadas por factores digitais: os consumidores estão mais conectados e informados do que nunca. Apesar do esforço para ser uma marca inovadora e diferente, o posicionamento ambicionado não foi ainda conseguido. Uma estratégia digital será, então, a melhor forma de melhorar a notoriedade e criar associações únicas à marca: não só aumentará a sua exposição e envolverá o público-alvo, como criará confiança e lealdade

Characterization and interaction studies of triheme cytochromes from Geobacter: a contribution to the elucidation of extracellular electron transfer pathways

Geobacter species are frequently the most abundant Fe(III)-reducing microorganism in soils and sediments. They can also reduce other metals in the same type of environments and, in addition, make electrical connections with electrodes to produce electricity from waste organic matter or to drive anaerobic process with electrical energy. Proteomic and genetic studies have identified several multiheme cytochromes as essential for Fe(III) reduction. From all the cytochromes that were shown to be involved in the reduction of Fe(III), the best characterized to date are five periplasmic triheme cytochromes from Geobacter sulfurreducens, which constitute the so-called PpcA-family. The members of this family are designated PpcA, PpcB, PpcC, PpcD, PpcE. A similar family was found in Geobacter metallireducens (PpcA, PpcB, PpcC, PpcE and PpcF) but none of these proteins was characterized to date. When compared to the other homologs found in G. sulfurreducens, PpcF differs the most and for this reason was targeted in the present work. To characterize this cytochrome, PpcF was firstly expressed and purified. The yield obtained was approximately 1 mg/L of cell culture. The molecular mass of the protein was confirmed by mass spectroscopy (9737.13 Da). The molar extinction coefficient was determined (87.4 mM-1cm-1). The UV-visible spectral characteristics of PpcF are consistent with low-spin heme groups with His-His axial coordination, a feature that was further confirmed by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. The assignment of the heme substituent signals of PpcF in both reduced and oxidized states together with the analysis of their NOE connectivities showed that the heme core structure is similar to those of the PpcA family cytochromes in G. sulfurreducens. The reduction potentials of PpcF were determined at pH 7 and 8 (-56 mV and – 64 mV versus the standard hydrogen electrode, respectively). Lastly 2D-1H NMR exchange spectroscopy was used to determine the order of oxidation of the heme groups in PpcF: IV-I-III. In the second part of this thesis it was analyzed the possible molecular interaction between cytochromes PpcA, PpcB and PpcE from G. sulfurreducens and Fe(III) citrate. This molecule can be utilized as terminal electron acceptor by this bacterium and PpcA, PpcB and PpcE were shown to be crucial in this electron transfer pathway. For these purpose isotopic 15N-labeled cytochromes were expressed and purified. NMR spectroscopy enabled us to assign the protein NH backbone and heme methyl proton signals, as well as to probe the interaction regions between each cytochrome and Fe(III) citrate. The chemical shift perturbation studies showed that in all cytochromes the interaction region is located in the vicinity of heme IV

understanding the situation of unaccompanied minors in Europe - challenges and possibilities

Menores não acompanhados requerentes de asilos que deixam o seu país de origem são confrontados com múltiplos desafios e situações de perigo quando estão a caminho do seu país de destino. No entanto, mesmo quando chegam a países tidos como sendo seguros e respeitadores de direitos humanos, estes menores sofrem ainda várias violações a este nível, perpetuadas pelos estados receptores. Esta tese tem em consideração este tópico em solo da União Europeia, focando-se no mais importante instrumento legal internacional de direitos humanos para a protecção de crianças, a Convenção sobre os Direitos da Criança, e a principal directiva para a recepção de requerentes de asilo, bem como tendo em conta outros documentos vinculativos e não vinculativos, doutrina e jurisprudência relevantes. Consagrado na Convenção está uma parte controversa e essencial desta, o princípio do melhor interesse da criança, sobre o qual esta dissertação irá reflectir ao analisar a detenção de um grupo vulnerável, os menores não acompanhados requerentes de asilo, em território pertencente à União Europeia. De forma a conseguir isto, a tese analisa as diferentes fases que levam e influenciam a detenção de menores - os processos à chegada, o procedimento de asilo e as garantias legais processuais. Por fim, elabora-se uma reflecção sobre o acto de detenção de menores não acompanhados requerentes de asilo através da analise dos princípios de “último recurso” e “pela mínima duração possível”. Assim sendo, a tese ambiciona clarificar a famosa, mas desconhecida, situação dos menores não acompanhados requerentes de asilo que chegam à Europa e as violações de direitos humanos de que são vítimas, olhando para como a ilegalidade dos actos perpetuados é provada através de documentos e princípios legais internacionais, regionais e nacionais, mesmo se estes são defendidos e perpetuados por certos Estados.Unaccompanied asylum seeking minors leaving their countries of origins face a serious of challenges and dangerous situations on the way to their countries of destination. However, even when they arrive at safe countries they still face a number of violations of human rights, perpetuated by the receiving states. This thesis approaches this matter in the European Union, focusing on the main international human rights instrument protecting children, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the central European directive on the reception of asylum seekers, alongside other relevant binding and non-binding legal documents, doctrine and jurisprudence. Enshrined in the Convention is the best interest of the child principle, a controversial and essential part of it, which this dissertation will reflect upon through the detention of unaccompanied asylum seeking minors, a vulnerable group, in European Union territory. In order to do this, the thesis analyses the different stages that lead and affect the detention of minors - arrival procedures, asylum granting processes and judicial guarantees. Finally, it seeks to reflect on the act of the detention of unaccompanied asylum seeking minors itself by its assessing its legality concerning the principle of last resort and the principle of minimum time of detention as possible. As such, this thesis aims to shine light on the numerous violations of human rights that unaccompanied asylum seeking minors often suffer upon arrival in Europe and how their illegality is proven through a series of international, regional and national legally binding articles and principles, even if these acts are continuously perpetuated and states attempt to justify them.

Hybrid financing instruments for social purpose organizations

In the last decade, Social Purpose Organisations (SPOs) have been developing and adapting innovative business models to achieve their mission. However, these new and sometimes complex business models have financing needs that don’t match conventional financing instruments. So, there has been a growing need to develop alternative financing instruments and mechanisms to meet these new business models’ needs. In the growing field of Impact Finance, innovative funders have been experimenting with novel financing instruments that combine elements of grant, debt and equity in a way that responds to the financing needs of the Social Purpose Organisations and is closer to achieving the best possible alignment of risk, return and impact for the investors. These combinations are called hybrid financing instruments. However, there is a lack of systematic learning from the use of these instruments and there’s still a confusing nomenclature. At the same time, there isn’t a clear application context for these hybrid instruments in terms of the scenarios and the conditions that call for their use as effective financing mechanisms that generate virtuous incentives for the different parties of a financing transaction. In this thesis we intend to analyse specific hybrid financing instruments used in practice and identify the ideal conditions for the application of each one, regarding Social Purpose Organisations’ specific business models and life-cycle stages. Thus, we intend to develop a mapping of hybrid financing instruments focused on a single investor and a single financing contract, that will allow the commitment of traditional lenders, corporate partners, foundations and other stakeholders to the development of solid, professional and financially sustainable organisations. For each hybrid financing instrument analysed we will draw learnings from specific applications and discuss its most relevant uses

AGROTÓXICOS NAS CIÊNCIAS SOCIAIS, DEFENSIVOS AGRÍCOLAS NA AGRONOMIA

Tendo como referência a obra de Bruno Latour, o artigo analisa comparativamente agrotóxicos no curso de Ciências Sociais e defensivos agrícolas no curso de  Agronomia da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco. Através de observações e análise documental dos projetos pedagógicos e de ementas de disciplinas, chega-se à conclusão que, apesar de serem o mesmo actante, fazem parte de redes distintas

Assessing the sustainability of retail buildings: the Portuguese method LiderA

Retail stores are among the building typologies with the highest consumption of natural resources. However, studies regarding the development of Building Sustainability Assessment methods for retail buildings are missing, despite their environmental, economic, and social importance. This study intends to address this gap in knowledge by (i) developing the Portuguese method LiderA for retail buildings, (ii) comparing LiderA to other BSA methods, and (iii) assessing results in two case studies. The development of LiderA for retail buildings took under consideration the indicators, weights, and specific guidelines of different BSA methods for retail buildings (namely LEED, BREEAM, and DGNB) and trends in the retail sector expressed in retailers’ sustainability reports and retailers’ associations. The most innovative aspects of the development of LiderA for retail buildings include the definition of benchmarks to assess sustainability performance in terms of Energy Intensity (EI), Carbon Intensity (CI), and Water Intensity (WI). Additionally, sustainable business operation practices were introduced in selected indicators as an alternative way to foster the roots of sustainability further down into the value chain, namely regarding ethical and sustainable product purchases, the protection of human rights, a code of conduct for suppliers, fair trade, product traceability, healthy food, sustainable agriculture, and local and organic products. The LiderA method, developed for retail buildings, can support designers, managers, and users in designing and managing more sustainable stores by providing benchmarks and best-practice thresholds for EI, CI, and WI. Given that global retailers operate hundreds of stores, the results show a key potential to increase the environmental performance of retail stores, supporting decision-making towards maximum energy efficiency and carbon neutrality.This work was supported by FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia [grant number PD/BD/127852/2016] under the Doctoral Program EcoCoRe—Eco-Construction and Rehabilitation

Alfred Rosenberg e o mito de sangue : uma análise do conceito de antissemitismo na obra O Mito do Século XX

Trabalho de conclusão de curso (graduação)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Ciências Humanas, Departamento de História, 2017.O antissemitismo como ódio aos povos judaicos já datava de muito antes do Regime Nazista ascender ao poder, na Alemanha, em 1933. Contudo, na era moderna, esse conceito de animosidade adquiriu um caráter político e foi englobado nas ideias dos partidos ultranacionalistas que emergiram na Europa durante este período. Este trabalho tem como objetivo analisar a construção do conceito de antissemitismo presente na obra O Mito do Século XX, escrita por Alfred Rosenberg, Ministro do Reich para Territórios Orientais Ocupados na Segunda Guerra Mundial e confidente de Adolf Hitler; em especial, a legitimidade consentida pelo racismo, um dos mecanismos do biopoder, nos lastimáveis momentos de perseguição e extermínio sistemático dos judeus, tipo de homo sacer da sociedade.Antisemitism as hatred towards the Jewish people dates back to long before the ascension of the Nazi regime to power in Germany in 1933. However, in the modern era, this concept of animosity has acquired a political character and has been engulfed in the ideas of ultranationalist parties that emerged during this period. This work aims to analyze the construction of the antisemitism’s concept present in the book The Myth of the Twentieth Century by Alfred Rosenberg, Reich Minister for Eastern Occupied Territories in World War II and confidant of Adolf Hitler, especially, the legitimacy allowed by racism, one of the mechanisms of biopower, in the pitiful moments of persecution and systematic extermination of the Jews, the homo sacer of society