Strategies and challenges for the circular economy: A case study in Portugal and a panorama for Brazil

8881.131605/2016-01 UID/AMB/04085/2019This article is about a case study based on the participation and contact with dynamized activities through action plans for the circular economy in Europe, specifically in Portugal. It aims to identify the main in-progress actions and the challenges for the diffusion of the circular economy in the Portuguese nation and draw a panorama for Brazil, transiting through different data sources, economic sectors and stakeholders. Through data triangulation, the investigative plan contemplated participatory observations in workshops, interviews with experts, documental analyses and means of communication. After going through data cross checking for validation, the content was aggregated to a strategic analysis matrix. As a result, it was possible to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges associated with the growth of the circular economy in Portugal, as well as to indicate directions and possibilities in the Brazilian context. It is possible to realize, for both countries, the importance of the international benchmarking for the recognition and promotion of circular economy actions, besides the necessity to revise laws aligned with the internal e external market rules, by increasing the offer of circular products and services.publishersversionpublishe

Ballast water management: technology choice comparing TODIM and THOR 2

This paper approaches the problem of ballast water treatment in ships. This has been identified as one of the four greatest threats to the world’s oceans. Solutions that have been considered for solving the problem are alternative water treatment technologies. In the case study reported in this paper three major water treatment technologies have been evaluated with the help of twenty-six criteria, quantitative as well as qualitative by using two discrete multicriteria methods, TODIM and THOR 2. The THOR 2 consists of the axiomatic evolution of the THOR method and both THOR 2 and THOR are made available through the THOR Web platform. Five groups of evaluation criteria are then considered: practicality; biological effectiveness; cost/benefit ratio; time frame for the implementation of standards; and environmental impact of the process' sub-products. In this paper a case study on choosing a ballast water treatment technology is presented. Three alternative ballast water management technologies are proposed by experts in the field and are evaluated with the help of twenty-six criteria, quantitative as well as qualitative. Each ballast water management method is described by a list of twenty-six attributes or criteria. After setting the problem in a clear way and consulting different experts, the two separate applications of both TODIM and THOR 2 are performed. What is denoted as Management Method #1 is indeed chosen as the best alternative according to both methods. The conclusion is that those two methods, although conceptually and analytically quite different, lead essentially to the same main results.  Two other applications of both TODIM and THOR have indeed confirmed the convergence of results in spite of the conceptual and technical differences between the two methods. This suggests that formulating a decision problem in a correct, clear-cut way can be at least as important as the technical characteristics of the method per se

Análise multicritério da ecoeficiência do transporte de cargas com veículos leves

É crescente a busca por alternativas de transporte mais sustentáveis, com uso de menos recursos e que causem menos impactos ao meio ambiente. Esta pesquisa busca avaliar a ecoeficiência de veículos leves para transporte de cargas, através de métodos de apoio à decisão, para orientar a escolha da alternativa com melhor desempenho econômico e ambiental. A avaliação de desempenho destes veículos foi desenvolvida com a utilização de um modelo híbrido composto de duas técnicas de apoio multicritério à decisão conhecidas: AHP e TOPSIS, para a classificação das alternativas. O modelo AHP-TOPSIS foi considerado robusto e bastante adequado para resolver esse tipo de problema. Os resultados desta pesquisa ajudam a identificar o nível de desempenho dos veículos e elaborar um ranking com base na ecoeficiência, o que ajudará a orientar o julgamento dos decisores no momento da escolha do veículo.

Proposição de melhorias organizacionais sob a perspectiva da psicologia do trabalho em um estabelecimento alimentício / Proposal of organizational improvements under the perspective of work psychology in a food establishment

O desempenho do trabalhador no exercício de suas atividades está intimamente relacionado com sua satisfação e motivação em seu ambiente de trabalho. O desempenho organizacional pode ser impactado negativamente por ambientes de trabalho inadequados, prejudicando a produtividade. O presente artigo tem como objetivo, sob a ótica interdisciplinar de áreas de conhecimento da Psicologia do Trabalho e Engenharia de Produção, avaliar aspectos organizacionais por meio da perspectiva dos funcionários e suas percepções, bem como propor melhorias a partir das análises realizadas. Em termos de método, inicialmente foi aplicado um questionário para coletar informações que subsidiaram as análises e o desenvolvimento de um roteiro de entrevista. A partir das entrevistas realizadas com os colaboradores de um estabelecimento alimentício, a partir de um protocolo de estudo de caso, foi possível compreender a rotina diária e as ações vivenciadas pelos funcionários da empresa. A partir da análise das respostas, foi possível perceber que quesitos motivacionais e de satisfação geram significativo impacto no desempenho da organização. Por fim, foram sugeridos planos de ação que pudessem contribuir para a solução ou mitigação dos problemas identificados. 

Determining the utility functions of criteria used in the evaluation of real estate

This article presents an application of the UTA method and its variant UTA-CR to determining utility functions for the multicriteria evaluation of residential real estate. Data for the city of Volta Redonda, Brazil, were used in this study. Unlike UTA, UTA-CR makes use of the decision agents' preferences in relation to a set of criteria to determine a ranking of the alternatives. It was concluded that UTA-CR manages to obtain utility functions closer to the preferences of the decision agents as compared to these that result from the use of UTA. This demonstrates an important advantage of UTA-CR over UTA.Utility additive method UTA method UTA-CR method Multicriteria decision aiding Residential real estate market

A study of professional mobility in a large corporation through cognitive mapping

Decisions which are made by executives in large corporations regarding professional mobility cause changes to both their personal and professional lives. This research was carried out with the aim of creating the structuring of a professional mobility problem through the use of a decision support tool, the cognitive mapping. Through the use of this tool, a decision making structure for professional mobility was developed, taking into consideration some important aspects of this process. The cognitive mapping proposed here was a problem structuring tool which leads decision makers to a greater understanding of the problem, giving them support towards good decision making in professional mobility. Through the research carried out it was possible to identify the principal factors which lead these professionals to a professional mobility decision which is as coherent and consistent as possible with the subjective aspects of their professional reality.<br>As decisões com relação à mobilidade profissional tomadas por executivos em grandes corporações causam mudanças em suas vidas pessoais e profissionais. A presente pesquisa foi desenvolvida com o objetivo de estruturar o problema da mobilidade profissional através de uma ferramenta de suporte à decisão: o mapa cognitivo. Esta ferramenta promove uma maior compreensão do problema pelos tomadores de decisão. Através da pesquisa desenvolvida foi possível identificar os principais fatores que levaram os profissionais a tomar a decisão de mobilidade de forma o mais coerente e consistente com os aspectos subjetivos de sua realidade profissional