Overcoming inertia : drivers of the outsourcing process

Almost all managers have directly or indirectly been involved in the practice of outsourcing in recent years. But as they know, outsourcing is not straightforward. Outsourcing inertia, when companies are slow to adapt to changing circumstances that accommodate higher outsourcing levels, may undermine a firm’s performance. This article investigates the presence of outsourcing inertia and the factors that help managers overcome it. Using statistical evidence, we show that positive performance effects related to outsourcing can accumulate when circumstances change. This is then followed by rapid increases in outsourcing levels (i.e. outsourcing processes). We investigate what gives rise to these outsourcing processes through follow-up interviews with sourcing executives, which suggest five drivers behind outsourcing processes: managerial initiative (using outside experience); hierarchy (foreign headquarters); imitation (of competitors and of similar firms); outsider advice (from external institutions); knowledge sources (using external information). These five drivers all offer scope for managerial action. We tie them to academic literatures and suggest ways of investigating their presence and impact on the outsourcing process. Overall, we conclude that while economizing factors play a key role in explaining how much firms outsource, it is socializing factors that tend to drive outsourcing processes

Chromosome mapping of repetitive sequences in four Serrasalmidae species (Characiformes)

The Serrasalmidae family is composed of a number of commercially interesting species, mainly in the Amazon region where most of these fishes occur. In the present study, we investigated the genomic organization of the 18S and 5S rDNA and telomeric sequences in mitotic chromosomes of four species from the basal clade of the Serrasalmidae family: Colossoma macropomum, Mylossoma aureum, M. duriventre, and Piaractus mesopotamicus, in order to understand the chromosomal evolution in the family. All the species studied had diploid numbers 2n = 54 and exclusively biarmed chromosomes, but variations of the karyotypic formulas were observed. C-banding resulted in similar patterns among the analyzed species, with heterochromatic blocks mainly present in centromeric regions. The 18S rDNA mapping of C. macropomum and P. mesopotamicus revealed multiple sites of this gene; 5S rDNA sites were detected in two chromosome pairs in all species, although not all of them were homeologs. Hybridization with a telomeric probe revealed signals in the terminal portions of chromosomes in all the species and an interstitial signal was observed in one pair of C. macropomum. © 2014, Sociedade Brasileira de Genética

Molecular taxonomy and evolutionary hypothesis concerning Astyanax fasciatus (Characiformes, Characidae) from Vila Velha State park and Tibagi and Iguaçu Rivers

A species complex hypothesis involving Astyanax fasciatus from southern Brazil was tested using 12S mtDNA sequences. Phylogenetic inferences were performed with maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony and Bayesian as phylogenetic methods and Hemigrammus bleheri as the outgroup. Besides 11 sequences from A. fasciatus, the data set was comprised of other partial 12S sequences including material from Astyanax altiparanae (two sequences) and Astyanax sp (four sequences), both from the Iguaçu River. The hypothesis of an A. fasciatus species complex was reinforced given the close relationship between A. altiparanae and Astyanax sp observed in the Bayesian tree. Consequently, a taxonomic revision is necessary for these species. © FUNPEC-RP

Fluorescence image analyzer - FLIMA: Software for quantitative analysis of fluorescence in situ hybridization

The Fluorescence Image Analyzer (FLIMA) software was developed for the quantitative analysis of images generated by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Currently, the images of FISH are examined without a coefficient that enables a comparison between them. Through GD Graphics Library, the FLIMA software calculates the amount of pixels on image and recognizes each present color. The coefficient generated by the algorithm shows the percentage of marks (probes) hybridized on the chromosomes. This software can be used for any type of image generated by a fluorescence microscope and is able to quantify digoxigenin probes exhibiting a red color, biotin probes exhibiting a green color, and double-FISH probes (digoxigenin and biotin used together), where the white color is displayed. © 2017 The Authors

Adaptabilidade e estabilidade produtiva de genótipos de feijão-caupi de portes ereto e semiereto nos estados de Minas Gerais e São Paulo.

Resumo: Estudos de adaptabilidade e estabilidade de genótipos são importantes nas fases finais de um programa de melhoramento para subsidiar a recomendação de novas cultivares. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a adaptabilidade e estabilidade produtiva de genótipos de feijão-caupi de portes ereto e semiereto nos estados de Minas Gerais e São Paulo. Foram avaliados 20 genótipos (16 linhagens e quatro cultivares) em seis ambientes, no biênio 2011-2012. Os ensaios foram conduzidos em delineamento de blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições. Foram realizadas análises de variância conjunta e a adaptabilidade e a estabilidade dos genótipos foram analisadas pelo método de Lin e Bins modificado por Carneiro (1998). Observaram-se diferenças para os efeitos de ambientes e interação genótipo x ambiente. A linhagem MNC03-725F-3 apresenta ampla adaptabilidade e alta estabilidade aos ambientes avaliados de Minas Gerais e São Paulo, sendo também a mais adaptada a ambientes favoráveis, enquanto que a linhagem MNC02-675F-9-3, a mais adaptada a ambientes desfavoráveis