Cooperation in Innovation Practices among Portuguese Firms: Do Universities Interface Innovative Advances?

This paper aims to identify the nature of the relationships that are established amongst agents who co-operate in terms of innovation practices. It analyses whether the entrepreneurial innovation capability of firms is stimulated through the relationships developed with external partners. The data of 2nd Community Innovation Survey of EUROSTAT is used in a logistic model. In the estimation process of the Logit function, the entrepreneurial innovation capability is considered as the answer variable. The scientific agents who cooperate in terms of innovation activities impact, positively, on the propensity to engage in innovative advances revealed by the firms, at the level of product innovation. The paper presents policy implications, which may be used in the design of public policies for fostering open innovation networks between scientific agents and firms.Innovation; Networks; Entrepreneurial Innovation Capability

CSR and Social Marketing: What is the desired role for Universities in fostering Public Policies?

The paper aims to identify the role of Universities in fostering public policies, through the promotion of social responsibility, and the implementation of social marketing initiatives. This innovative approach is particularly interesting since the literature does not cover, until now, the importance of adopting a social responsibility strategy within Universities, in order to foster public policies for development. First, Corporate Social Responsibility should be developed at Universities. For this purpose, an integrative approach that embraces marketing, economic, ecological, and social aspects is proposed, through the design of a strategic action plan, which includes three operational levels: analysis, implementation and assessment. Second, in order to foster the impact of public policies for development, social marketing initiatives should be implemented among institutional and social networks where Universities assume an increasing strategic role.Corporate Social Responsibility; Government Policy; Social Marketing

What Determines the Entrepreneurial Innovative Capability of Portuguese Industrial Firms?

In the context of globalisation, innovation is considered as a key factor for enhancing the competitiveness of firms. Nowadays, it is widely accepted that Portuguese firms face an increasing competitive environment, which is characterised by internationalization and globalization. In this sense, it becomes important to analyse the determinant factors of innovation capability of firms. This paper aims to identify and analyse the degree of importance of the determinant factors of innovation capability of Portuguese industrial firms. The data obtained through the 2rd Community Innovation Survey (CIS II) conducted by EUROSTAT, is used in a linear regression model. The entrepreneurial innovative capability, measured as product innovation, is considered as the variable answer, in the estimation process of a Logit function. The paper presents an innovative contribution since it uses a set of five determinant factors of innovation capability of industrial firms, at a product innovation level. Technological capacity, dimension of the firm, activity sector, market orientation and location of the firm, are considered as determinants factors of innovation capability of the firms. The results of the joint analysis provide the identification of stimulating factors and restraining factors of the entrepreneurial innovative capability of a selected sample of Portuguese industrial firms. Under a Schumpeterian approach, the paper ratifies that large enterprises are more prone to innovate than small enterprises. The dimension plays a role, in terms of the strategic conduct implemented by small firms, which are not so prone to innovate, due to its small dimension. Benchmarking the Portuguese case is particularly important, because small industrial enterprises face restraining conditions imposed by outsourcing contracts that are established between small producers and leading international buyers. This restrains, broadly, the entrepreneurial innovative capability of small industrial enterprises.Innovation; Entrepreneurial Innovative Capability

Barriers to Innovation faced by Manufacturing Firms in Portugal: How to overcome it?

This paper aims to identify the barriers to innovation that influence the innovation capability of Portuguese industrial firms. The literature review about innovation makes use of two references approaches: (i) the systemic; and (ii) the networks and inter-organizational relationships. The database is obtained through the Community Innovation Survey II (CIS II) conducted by EUROSTAT. Furthermore, from the results several public policies are proposed in order to overcome the restraining factors of the entrepreneurial innovative capability.Innovation; Entrepreneurial Innovative Capability

ICT in higher education in Portugal. Call computer assisted language learning

Este artículo pretende explorar el Aprendizaje de Lenguas Asistido por Ordenador (CALL, Computer-Assisted Language Learning) en Portugal. Para ello, se centrará en el nivel de educación superior. La escasa explotación del CALL en Portugal ha sido ampliamente estudiado en varios informes, por ejemplo, el informe encargado por la UE titulado The Impact of Information and Communications Technologies on the Teaching of Foreign Languages and on the Role of Teachers of Foreign Languages (2002: 5): "The use and employment of ICT in FLT and FLL is far from satisfactory, as ICT resources are traditionally reserved for '(computer) science' subjects, and rarely assigned to art subjects. A general lack of appropriate training of language teachers in meaningful uses of ICT tends to strengthen this trend". Este artículo abordará dichas necesidades centrándose en los resultados de proyectos europeos como POOLS. Analizaremos cuestiones relativas a los materiales en línea que pueden utilizarse para desarrollar contenidos de clases de lengua, hacienda uso de las ventajas del e-Learning.G.I. HUM 767 (ayudas a Grupos de Investigación de la Junta de Andalucía) / Editorial Comares (colección interlingua

Human biomonitoring as a support for health and environment policies

EditorialNa sociedade moderna, o homem encontra-se exposto a um vasto espectro de poluentes ou estressores ambientais e suas misturas, presentes no ar, solo, água, produtos de consumo e alimentos. Alguns desses poluentes causam efeitos deletérios no organismo, sendo que a exposição humana prolongada, mesmo que a baixas doses, pode associar-se ao desenvolvimento de patologias crónicas e cancro.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

THE USE of CONSORTIA for the INTERNATIONALIZATION of FIRMS – MOTA-ENGIL CASE STUDY

Internationalization has been widely studied throughout the years. Broadly, it has been predicted as irrevocable and having increasing impact on firm-related strategy. Within entry modes, consortium, has not received as much attention as others. Hence, it seems important to understand how this specific entry mode allows the entrance of firms in the international markets. This study intends to answer the question of “how” to internationalize, anticipating the consortium as the most feasible way for construction firms to enter certain markets. The reasons that determine its choice concern the specificness of the projects, markets and of the firm. In the first part of the study, we review the existent literature on consortia as an entry mode and as a tool of internationalization used by construction firms. Through this review we build a framework that reveals the motivations that lead to this choice. In the second part, we present the case study of Mota-Engil, as a potential source of valuable information which may contribute to the understanding of the phenomenon under study. This case study corroborates the motivations found to create consortia. The paper closes with its contributions, limitations and suggestions for future researches.consortia, internationalization, cooperation, construction

A didactic model to support the use of senses and sensors in environmental education problem solving

Problem solving, and specifically the goal of developing problem-solving competences, is a significant dimension of environmental education. Moreover, human senses and electronic sensors have been recognized as important tools in authentic problem-based learning. The purpose of this paper is to present a model to support teachers in creating didactic activities that use human senses and electronic sensors as epistemic mediators in participatory environmental education problem-based learning. The EcoSolvingS model is based on a set theoretical and practical perspectives, and on a cross analysis of a selection of environmental education problem-solving case studies. In a first part, this paper presents the dimensions of the theoretical foundations of the EcoSolvingS model. Subsequently, the results of the cross analysis of the environmental education problem-solving case studies are presented and related to the components of the EcoSolvingS model. Finally, the model is described, and its utility and future developments are discussed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Comparison of cloud height and depth from atmospheric modelling and ceilometer measurements

In the current study, the cloud base height obtained from the ceilometer measurements, in Evora (south of Portugal), are compared with the results obtained from atmospheric modelling. The atmospheric model adopted is the nonhydrostatic MesoNH model, initiated and forced by ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range weather Forecasts) analyses. Also the simulated cloud depth results are presented. The availability of mesoscale modelling for the region, as well as the cloud local vertical distributions obtained from the ceilometer, provide a good opportunity to compare cloud base height and estimate the errors associated. From the obtained results it is possible to observe that the simulated cloud base height values are in good agreement with the correspondent values obtained from the ceilometer measurements

Avaliação da segurança de nanomateriais manufacturados através da caracterização do seu potencial efeito genotóxico

Presentemente, encontra-se já disponível uma nova geração de produtos inovadores contendo um amplo espectro de nanomateriais (NM), em áreas tão diversas como a biomedicina, electrónica, alimentação e cosmética. Porém, os potenciais riscos para a saúde humana decorrentes da exposição a estes produtos, desde a fase de produção e aplicação industrial até à manipulação e utilização pelo consumidor, são motivo de preocupação, à escala mundial. A potencial actividade carcinogénica dos NM, em particular, constitui uma séria preocupação que se parece justificar pelas observações de que à escala “nano” algumas substâncias revelam maior toxicidade em roedores do que os seus análogos não-ultrafinos e são tumorigénicas. Para avaliar de uma forma simplificada, rápida e económica a potencial carcinogenicidade de um composto, caracterizam-se os seus efeitos genotóxicos em sistemas celulares ou em roedores que se espera serem preditivos de um potencial efeito carcinogénico no homem. No que se refere à caracterização dos efeitos genotóxicos dos NM, uma questão crucial é saber em que medida os métodos/estratégias convencionais são aplicáveis a estes materiais, considerando que a sua entrada nas células, processamento e interacção com as moléculas biológicas podem conduzir a efeitos tóxicos imprevisíveis, ao nível do organismo. Tendo em vista a resposta a esta e outras questões, foi delineada e recentemente aprovada a Acção Concertada Europeia “NANOGENOTOX – Safety evaluation of manufactured nanomaterials by characterisation of their potential genotoxic hazard”, que decorrerá entre 2010 e 2013. Serão apresentados os objectivos e o estado actual dos estudos no âmbito desse projecto que visa, essencialmente, o estabelecimento de metodologias robustas para avaliar a potencial genotoxicidade de três classes de nanopartículas (sílica, titânio e nanotubos de carbono), de forma a contribuir para a avaliação de risco decorrente da exposição a esses NM. De entre os objectivos específicos do NANOGENOTOX, salentam-se: i) a caracterização das propriedades físico-químicas dos NM; ii) a avaliação dos efeitos genotóxicos através do ensaio do cometa e da análise de micronúcleos in vitro e in vivo e iii) a determinação de parâmetros toxicocinéticos dos NM num modelo murino. Espera-se que os resultados gerados ao longo do projecto permitam reforçar, expandir e partilhar o conhecimento requerido para uma avaliação global do risco das nanopartículas e permitam ainda estabelecer uma estratégia capaz de gerar dados relevantes e fidedignos sobre a segurança dos nanomateriais, utilizável pelas autoridades de saúde pública a nível europeu