Determinants of the outcomes of services outsourcing: an empirical study of transport services.

The purpose of our study is to examine whether the design and management of the interfaces and interaction processes between customer and provider in services outsourcing are determinants of the results achieved by the outsourcing company. Following the conceptual framework initiated in the study by Wynstra et al. [11], this study focuses on transport services and hypothesized relationships are tested using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) statistical technique. The primary data used was obtained from a survey in three different countries (Germany, Japan and Spain), and from manufacturing companies in the electronics, automotive and machinery sectors. Among other things, the results show that both the structural dimensions of interaction (the organization's resources that it must commit) and the process dimensions of interaction (that consider the dynamic nature of the relationships), are important for obtaining adequate performance from transport services outsourcing.Spanish National Program of Industrial Design and Production DPI 2009 11148PAIDI Excellence Projects P08-SEJ0384

Los procesos de autolegitimación en madres a solas por elección: una aproximación cualitativa

Con el presente trabajo, se pretende profundizar en los procesos de autolegitimación que utilizan las madres a solas por elección para sostener su decisión de convertirse en madres sin pareja. Se ha llevado a cabo un análisis cualitativo de 20 entrevistas en profundidad a madres solas por elección. De acuerdo con el análisis de sus discursos, se han identificado en todos ellos nueve argumentos básicos de autolegitimación. Entre los más frecuentes encontramos: la desvinculación entre maternidad y emparejamiento, la prescindibilidad de la figura paterna o la ausencia de conflicto conyugal. Con estos argumentos, se pone de manifiesto un claro cuestionamiento por parte de estas mujeres a los mandatos de maternidad que la sociedad patriarcal les impone, así como una actitud central de empoderamiento ante la experiencia de ser madres a solas. Los resultados obtenidos, nos sirven para discutir sobre el proceso de transición de los modelos tradicionales de familia a los nuevos modelos, en el que las madres a solas por elección están fuertemente implicadas

Graduates’ satisfaction with the training received in the Master of Advanced Studies in Business Administration

Al objeto de conocer el nivel de satisfacción de los egresados con la formación recibida en el Máster de Estudios Avanzados en Dirección de Empresas, que se imparte en la Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales de la Universidad de Sevilla, se ha realizado un estudio descriptivo de carácter transversal. Para ello se ha hecho uso de un cuestionario, al que han contestado los egresados que han culminado sus estudios hace al menos un año. Del análisis de los resultados se ha constatado, entre otras cuestiones, que, en opinión del alumnado: 1) el Máster contribuye en grados diferentes a la mejora de la formación investigadora y de la profesional, así como al acceso al mundo laboral y a las posibilidades de promoción profesional; 2) parece necesario mejorar en la capacitación de las competencias para llevarlas al nivel de lo que los alumnos han expresado como necesario en el plano práctico, identificándose aquellas competencias que deben priorizarse; 3) la mayoría de los alumnos están satisfechos de haber realizado el Máster, aunque la valoración dada al mismo parece demandar mejoras. Se han recibido propuestas realizadas al respecto por los egresados, que se han pasado a la coordinación del Máster con el objetivo de contribuir a la mejora continua del Título.In order to know the level of graduates´ satisfaction related to the training received in the Master of Advanced Studies in Business Administration, taught at the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Seville, it was made a cross-descriptive study using a questionnaire, replied by graduates who finished their studies, at least, one year ago. The result analysis shows, among other things, that in the graduates´ opinion: 1) the Master studies contributes in different levels to improve professional and research training, as well as gaining access to employment and having career opportunities, 2) it seems necessary to improve the competence training to bring them to the necessary level in professional skills, identifying those that should be improved as a priority, 3) most of the students are satisfied with the completion of this Master, but the results obtained seems to demand improvements, which are shown in this paper. Graduates have made proposals in this regard, that were passed to the coordination of the Master with the aim of contributing to the continuous improvement of Title

Empowerment evaluation: Key methodology aspects from participatory research and intervention with Roma girls

Empowerment evaluation (EE) is an especially useful tool that enables people to be involved in both individual and group transformation processes, in particular in contexts characterized by social inequality. By using a participatory approach, this methodological article analyses an Empowerment Evaluation experience within the European RoMoMatteR project. This project, which focuses on the notion of reproductive justice, has involved a group of Roma girls from Alicante (Spain), in a context characterized by discrimination based on ethnicity, gender and age, as well as by structural determinants such as social exclusion. The main research objective has been to analyse the relevance of the methodology designed to assess how project participants have developed a sense of autonomy and the acquisition of socio-cultural resources as assets for their future life choices. Therefore, the study design has followed the model proposed by Fetterman for Empowerment Evaluation: establishing a mission to be assessed, participatory diagnosis of the current status and finally planning for the future to start the desired change. Fetterman's model was adapted by designing and organizing participatory workshops with the girls involved in the project. The results confirm the relevance of the methodological proposal of the workshops to engage aspects of empowerment. The findings also allow to detect the empowerment of the Roma girls especially in two areas of the project: reaching the proposed objectives and the methodology used to register significant information. In the first case, the results show that Roma girls' establish a critical perspective on the idea of reproductive justice, and related to this, the activation of proactive behaviours linked to the acquisition of socio-cultural resources in the development of visions of their personal futures. In the second case, the Roma girls have also shown empowerment in decision-making on technical aspects, methodological design and taking action aimed at the collective construction of useful information in the project.This initiative is funded by the DG Justice of the European Commission in the Call for proposals for action grants under 2017 Rights Equality and Citizenship Work REC-AG #809813. Text editing work was supported by the Generalitat Valenciana Research and Development Programme (2022–2024) [ref. CIAICO/2021/019]

Does [-2]Pro-Prostate Specific Antigen Meet the Criteria to Justify Its Inclusion in the Clinical Decision-Making Process?

lntroduction: To assess whether [-2]pro-prostate-specific antigen (p2PSA) meets the criteria to justify its inclusion in a predictive model of prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis and in the clinical decision-making process. Materials and Methods: A total 172 men with total prostate-specific antigen of 2-10 ng/ml underwent measurement of free PSA and p2PSA before prostate biopsy in an observational and prospective study. From these measurements, the Prostate Health lndex (PHI) was calculated. Clinical and analytical predictive models were created incorporating PHI. Results: Of 172 men, 72 (42%) were diagnosed with PCa, 33 (46%) of whom were found to be with high-grade disease. PHI score was the most predictive of biopsy outcomes in terms of discriminative ability (area under the curve = 0.79), with an added gain in predictive accuracy of 17%. AII the models that incorporated PHI worked better in terms of calibration close to 45º on the slope. In the decision curve analysis, a threshold probability of 40% we could prevent 82 biopsies, missing only 16 tumors and 5 high-grade tumors. Conclusions: PHI score is a more discriminant biomarker, has superior calibration and superior net benefit, and provides a higher rate of avoided biopsies; thus, it can be useful for aiding in making a more informed decision for each patient

Diseño de escenarios para una política forestal en la Comunitat Valenciana

Los análisis de prospectiva basados en escenarios se han convertido en los últimos años en una importante herramienta para la planificación y la formulación de políticas públicas en numerosos ámbitos. El presente trabajo recoge un análisis participativo prospectivo de escenarios orientado a contribuir a la toma de decisión en el ámbito de las políticas forestales de la Comunitat Valenciana. El trabajo se ha realizado a lo largo de las siguientes etapas: (1) recopilación a partir de una revisión bibliográfica de un total de 18 factores de cambio que pueden tener incidencia en los montes valencianos; (2) valoración de estos indicadores por parte de un conjunto de expertos a partir de tres criterios: relevancia, grado de incertidumbre y capacidad de influencia desde las políticas autonómicas; (3) tratamiento estadístico descriptivo de los resultados con el fin de entender las valoraciones recibidas por dichos factores, así como el grado de consenso entre los expertos. En base a estos tres criterios, los dos factores que aparecen señalados como más relevantes son Coordinación de los departamentos administrativos sectoriales y Nivel de gasto público. A partir de estos dos factores se puede configurar un marco de escenarios que podría servir de base para la implementación de un proceso participativo para el desarrollo de los escenarios

Menarche and reproductive health in Spanish Roma women from a reproductive justice perspective: a qualitative study

Objectives This study aimed to explore the perceptions of Roma women about their experience of menarche and reproductive health considering the principles of reproductive justice. Design Qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with Roma women ages 18 through 67 in different neighbourhoods in the southeast of Spain. Using a thematic analysis, we analyzed experiences related to menarche and menstruation and their significance for reproductive health, the preparation for the phase of menarche and intergenerational support. Results The Roma women interviewed shared their approach to the experiences of menarche and menstruation as children in their family environments with a focus on access to information provided by other women in the family and community for reproductive health management. In their discourses we observed that the onset of menstruation supposes a rupture in the public and private spaces of girls and women. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that women and girls do not gain access to information that contributes to their reproductive wellbeing through their experience of menarche. Access to resources and skills to manage biological changes in adolescents could contribute to reducing the impact of cultural myths, false ideas and taboos that prevent advocacy and empowerment on issues of reproductive justice.This initiative is funded by the DG Justice of the European Commission in the call for proposals for action grants under 2017 Rights Equality and Citizenship Work REC-AG #809813. The work was supported by the Generalitat Valenciana Research and Development Programme (2022- 2024) [ref. CIAICO/2021/019]

The impact of adaptive forest management on water fluxes and growth dynamics in a water-limited low-biomass oak coppice

[EN] Marginal semi-arid forests in areas currently affected by climate change are a challenge to forest management, which has to focus on key functional traits that can effectively contribute to resistance under extreme drought. We studied the effects of thinning in a marginal forest by quantifying functional responses relating to growth, carbon and water fluxes. Two experimental plots were established, one thinned in 2012 and the other one left as a control. The environmental conditions varied substantially during the 4-year study period, although dry years predominated. There were signs of dieback in the control with a decreasing inter-annual trend in LAI, as opposed to the treated plots, where LAI by the end of the study almost reached pre-thinning levels. Sap flow and transpiration were greatly enhanced by the treatment, with thinned trees transpiring 22.41 tree(-1) day(-1) in the growing season, about twice the control figures. The seasonal patterns of transpiration and soil moisture were uncoupled, indicating a contribution of deep groundwater to the former flux. In the control, limitations to water and carbon dynamics (canopy conductance) occurred at soil moisture values below 16%, whereas in the thinned trees these limitations appeared when soil moisture dropped below 10%. Overall, oaks' transpiration was enhanced with thinning to the point that stand-water use surpassed that of the control by the second half of the study period, averaging 24% of gross rainfall in both plots. Soil evaporation increased from 12 to 20% of gross rainfall after treatment in the overall period. The treatment had a profound watering effect in this marginal forest, led by fewer trees using the same amount of water as those in the untreated overstocked plot. This research may provide guidelines for ecohydrology-oriented silviculture in stands experiencing tree encroachment and transformation into shrublands that are more prone to global change-induced disturbances.This study is a component of the research projects HYDROSIL (CGL2011-28776-C02-02), SILWAMED (CGL2014-58127-C3-2) and CEHYRFO-MED (CGL2017-86839-C3-2-R), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the FEDER fund of the EU. The authors are grateful to the Valencia Regional Government (CMAAUV, Generalitat Valenciana) and ACCIONA for their support in allowing the use of the experimental forest La Hunde and for their assistance in the fieldwork.Campo García, ADD.; González Sanchís, MDC.; Garcia-Prats, A.; Ceacero Ruiz, CJ.; Lull, C. (2019). The impact of adaptive forest management on water fluxes and growth dynamics in a water-limited low-biomass oak coppice. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 264:266-282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2018.10.016S26628226

Rainfall partitioning after thinning in two low-biomass semiarid forests: Impact of meteorological variables and forest structure on the effectiveness of water-oriented treatments

[EN] Water-oriented forest management is an urgent need in semiarid catchments. In the case of low-biomass forests and shrublands, the magnitude, efficiency and temporal duration of thinning effects on rainfall partitioning needs further attention. This work studies the effects of juvenile thinning and shrub clearing on stemflow (Stf), throughfall (Thr) and interception (It) in two low-biomass forests (CAL: post-fire Aleppo pine saplings with 74% of basal area, BA, removed; and HU: evergreen oak coppice with 41% of BA removed), as well as the relative contribution of the event meteorology. The effects are compared with a control plot during the first 3¿4¿years. Stf rate (%) decreased with density and, on a tree scale, it was enhanced by the treatment only in the bigger oaks. Event Thr increased from 55 to 81% and from 68 to 86% of gross rainfall (Pg) for CAL and HU respectively after thinning, resulting in about 15% less intercepted Pg. High evaporative conditions and an open (ventilated) forest structure led to high It rates in the controls when comparing with other studies, thus making the treatments more efficient in net precipitation (Pn) gain (Pg intercepted decreased 17% or 2.3% per unit of LAI or BA removed respectively). In general, depths (mm) were mostly explained (>75%) by the rainfall characteristics of the event (e.g. amount, duration, intensity), with a limited contribution from forest structure (e.g. cover, LAI) and event meteorology (e.g. temperature, wind speed, vapor pressure deficit). On the contrary, when expressed as rates (% of Pg), forest structure and event-meteorology gained importance (explaining 25¿65%), especially in the drier site (CAL). In this site, the low gain in Pn (~25¿mm per year on average) was offset with no temporal dampening during the span of this study, as observed in the wetter site (HU), where plant growth tended to mitigate the effect of the treatment by the end of the study. The results presented here make a contribution to a better understanding of the effects of water-oriented forest management in low-biomass semiarid forests.This study is a component of research projects: HYDROSIL (CGL2011-28776-C02-02), SILWAMED (CGL2014-58127-C3-2) and CEHYRFO-MED (CGL2017-86839-C3-2-R) funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the FEDER fund of the EU. The authors are grateful to the Valencia Regional Government (CMAAUV, Generalitat Valenciana), Serra municipality, VAERSA and ACCIONA for their support in allowing the use of the experimental forest and for their assistance in carrying out the fieldwork.Campo García, ADD.; González Sanchís, MDC.; Lidón, A.; Ceacero Ruiz, CJ.; Garcia-Prats, A. (2018). Rainfall partitioning after thinning in two low-biomass semiarid forests: Impact of meteorological variables and forest structure on the effectiveness of water-oriented treatments. Journal of Hydrology. 565:74-86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.08.013S748656

La crisis de la COVID-19: impacto en los hogares de familias gitanas

The aim of this study is to analyse the impact that COVID-19 has had on the Roma population in Spain, showing results of a telephone interview on a sample of 592 Roma households in the more restrictive phase of lockdown (phase 0 of the de-escalation period to gradually lift confinement). This study has been developed by means of an alliance in which researchers from the public universities of Alicante and Navarre and the Health Institute Carlos III have participated, as well as several Roma associations. The results reflect the significant impact that the pandemic has caused in households that were already affected by social exclusion and inequality. Thus, a worsening of self-perception of health and a high rate of anxiety or depression problems were detected, the impact of which goes beyond health and affects all dimensions of social inclusion. In education, half of the households refer to minors having difficulties continuing their studies from home. A similar percentage have had their jobs affected and have seen a significant reduction in income. In addition to the aforementioned problems, perceived discrimination is also added.El objetivo de este estudio es analizar el impacto que ha tenido el COVID-19 en la población gitana en España, mostrando los resultados de una entrevista telefónica a una muestra de 592 hogares gitanos en la fase más restrictiva del confinamiento (fase 0 del período de desescalada para levantar gradualmente el confinamiento). Este estudio se ha desarrollado mediante una colaboración en la que han participado investigadores de las universidades públicas de Alicante y Navarra y del Instituto de Salud Carlos III, así como varias asociaciones gitanas. Los resultados reflejan el impacto significativo que la pandemia ha causado en hogares que ya estaban afectados por la exclusión social y la desigualdad. Así, se detectó un empeoramiento de la autopercepción de la salud y una alta tasa de problemas de ansiedad o depresión, cuyo impacto va más allá de la salud y afecta a todas las dimensiones de la inclusión social. En educación, la mitad de los hogares se refieren a menores con dificultades para continuar sus estudios desde casa. Un porcentaje similar ha visto afectados sus trabajos y ha visto una reducción significativa en los ingresos. Además de los problemas antes mencionados, también se suma la discriminación percibida