Plan prospectivo estrátegico 2012 de Napa -NTS : una visión prospectiva de la empresa NAPA NTS frente al TLC.

Tesis (Magíster en Administración de Empresas) -- Universidad del Norte. Programa de Maestría en Administración de Empresas, 2008.Teniendo en cuenta la permanente apertura de fronteras comerciales que se viene dando desde la década pasada, que ha llevado a la globalización de la economía, así como la gran dependencia de la empresa NAPA-NTS, de las relaciones comerciales binacionales entre Colombia Estados Unidos de América, por tener esta empresa el 85% de sus proveedores de repuestos originarios de ese país, se ha hecho necesario el análisis de los factores expuestos a cambios en la ecuación de negocios de NAPA-NTS, con la firma del tratado de libre comercio entre los dos países, mediante la realización de una prospectiva estratégica al año 2012. El objetivo principal de este trabajo es proponer un plan prospectivo para NAPA-NTS para el año 2012, mediante la metodología teórica para la construcción de prospectivas estratégicas y la utilización de los softwares MICMAC y MACTOR. El resultado obtenido en el proyecto fue el plan prospectivo de NAPA-NTS para el año 2012 con la suscripción del TLC entre Colombia y Estados Unidos de América, en el cual se consiguió la identificación de las variables claves del cambio, la descripción del eje estratégico de las variables claves del cambio, el Señalamiento de escenarios posibles prospectivos que puedan ser utilizados como la base del plan estratégico y la determinación de los actores claves que pueden generar un cambio en el nuevo ambiente de negocios de NAPA NTS con el TLC. Como conclusión del trabajo realizado, se determina la implementación de una estrategia de diferenciación, sobre la base de un producto de alta calidad apoyado sobre una cadena de distribución fortalecida y con territorios muy bien definidos y una estrategia de penetración del mercado consistente en incrementar la participación de la empresa con sus características de distribución comercial en los mercados en los que opera y con los productos actuales, es decir, en el desarrollo del negocio básico

An Artificial Latrine Log for Swamp Rabbit Studies

Managers use latrine surveys to monitor swamp rabbit (Sylvilagus aquaticus) populations but may miss rabbits in sites lacking suitable latrine logs. We tested artificial latrine logs in logless thickets in southern Illinois, USA, generally detecting swamp rabbits in fewer visits than by live-trapping. Artificial logs can aid swamp rabbit monitoring, especially in logless habitats

Feasibility of Public-private Partnerships for Swamp Rabbit Conservation.

The distribution and abundance of swamp rabbits in southern Illinois have decreased due to loss and fragmentation of bottomland hardwood forests. Remaining populations are likely isolated because of limited dispersal across open areas. Private citizens own 69% of highly suitable swamp rabbit habitat in southern Illinois, so public-private partnership is key to any conservation efforts. Owners of highly suitable habitat were sent mail surveys to determine current and acceptable forms of land management, participation in government incentive programs, and interest in swamp rabbit conservation. The response rate was 41%, and 69% of surveyed landowners indicated interest in learning about or participating in swamp rabbit conservation efforts, implying that creation of public-private partnerships could be feasible. Nearly half of the respondents were already enrolled in government incentive programs. Our results suggest that there could be substantial support for swamp rabbit conservation, and that outreach efforts may increase enrollment in incentive programs

Eating fermented: Health benefits of lab-fermented foods

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are involved in producing a considerable number of fermented products consumed worldwide. Many of those LAB fermented foods are recognized as beneficial for human health due to probiotic LAB or their metabolites produced during food fermentation or after food digestion. In this review, we aim to gather and discuss available information on the health-related effects of LAB-fermented foods. In particular, we focused on the most widely consumed LAB-fermented foods such as yoghurt, kefir, cheese, and plant-based products such as sauerkrauts and kimchi

Comparison of epoxy and braze-welded attachment methods for FBG strain gauges

This paper presents experimental results from fatigue and static loading tests performed on both epoxy and braze-welded FBG strain sensors. Most FBG attachment methods are relatively understudied, with epoxy the most commonly used. Long curing times and humidity sensitivity during curing render epoxy inappropriate for certain implementations. This work shows that a bespoke braze-welded attachment design is able to achieve a higher static failure limit of 22kN when compared to strain gauge epoxies, which fail at 20kN. Both methods demonstrate high fatigue life, with no significant deterioration after two million cycles. Epoxy swelling was observed when the sensors were held at a relative humidity of 96%, applying ~0.6 mϵ of tension to the FBG, whereas a braze-weld attachment was unaffected by humidity

Phoenician Pottery in the Western Mediterranean: A New Perspective Based on the Early Iron Age (800-550 BC) Settlement of Sant Jaume (Alcanar, Catalonia)

One of the most important reception sites for Phoenician pottery imports in the NE Iberian Peninsula is the Early Iron Age (800-550 BC) settlement of Sant Jaume. This site is exceptional in terms of preservation and the large number of complete vessels recovered. Moreover, the ceramic assemblage comprises one of the best collections of the earliest wheel-thrown pottery that is considered evidence of trade from the western Phoenician colonies and their specific interest in exploiting metallurgical resources. In this research, a sample of 58 individuals of wheel-thrown pottery has been analysed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), petrography (PE), and scanning electron microscopy attached with an energy dispersive X-ray unit (SEM-EDX). It was possible to identify 29 ceramic groups, some of which correspond to known Phoenician workshops of southern Andalusia and Ibiza, though the origin of most groups remains to be determined. The wide variety of sources identified illuminates the patterns of trade and exchange that the Phoenicians developed during the Early Iron Age and the export of their manufactured products. This information is fundamental to our understanding of the economic system developed by the Western Mediterranean Phoenician colonies that affected and transformed indigenous communities in the Mediterranean region

Wind turbine lifetime extension decision-making based on structural health monitoring

In this work, structural health monitoring data is applied to underpin a long-term wind farm lifetime extension strategy. Based on the outcome of the technical analysis, the case for an extended lifetime of 15 years is argued. Having established the lifetime extension strategy, the single wind turbine investigated within a wind farm is subjected to a bespoke economic lifetime extension case study. In this case study, the local wind resource is taken into consideration, paired with central, optimistic, and pessimistic operational cost assumptions. Besides a deterministic approach, a stochastic analysis is carried out based on Monte Carlo simulations of selected scenarios. Findings reveal the economic potential to operate profitably in a subsidy-free environment with a P90 levelised cost of energy of £25.02 if no component replacement is required within the nacelle and £42.53 for a complete replacement of blades, generator, and gearbox

Cognitive abilities that predict success in a computer-based training program.

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were (a) to identify cognitive abilities and other factors related to successful completion of training for computer-based tasks that simulated real jobs and (b) to create a brief assessment battery useful in assessing older adults for these kinds of jobs. DESIGN AND METHODS: Participants from three age groups (young, middle-aged, and older) completed a battery of cognitive measures. They then trained on one of three computer-based tasks that simulated actual jobs and were asked to perform the tasks for 3 days. We recorded whether they completed training and whether and how well they did the tasks. In a series of logistic regressions, we evaluated the ability of a subset of cognitive measures drawn from a larger battery to predict participants\u27 ability to successfully complete training and go on to task performance. RESULTS: Results confirmed theory-based expectations that measures of domain knowledge, crystallized intelligence, memory, and psychomotor speed would predict success in computer-based activities. A brief battery was able to predict older adults\u27 successful completion of training for one task but was less useful for another. IMPLICATIONS: A brief battery of cognitive measures may be useful in evaluating individuals for job selection. Different measures are related to job-related criteria depending on task and group evaluated, although it was not possible to identify a reduced battery for one task. The specific cognitive abilities related to participants\u27 success have implications for task and interface design for the elderly population