Driade space: an agent based simulation model for the analysis of the firm demography and the localization patterns in urban areas

An agent based model of firm mobility is presented in which diverse types of firms decide their geographical localization in function of some spatial variables. Although as much the regional economy as the geography have studied in depth the rules of localization of the companies, many of the complex behaviors that are observed in the reality are still, in great measure, unexplained. The simulation based on agents constitutes a new approach to the problem, allowing to integrate in the models of economy regional aspects of great relevance that, for its high complexity, could not be included in the analysis more than in qualitative terms. In the Driade Space model the demography of firms is considered in a wide sense: number of firms, entries and exits, distribution of sizes as well as the spatial density of firms. The entry of new companies in each period depends on the evolution of the market. The number of these is function of the profitability observed in the sector in the previous period and the height of the entry barriers. The companies are rational and they act on the variables within their reach in function of their objectives and of the limited information they have on the evolution of the market and the behavior of their competitors. This way, the companies in the moment of their entrance decide the localization they expect that will be more profitable considering their own characteristics while in the successive periods they decide on their investments and their production. The costs of the companies are not fixed; they depend not only on the production level and on the price of the used productive factors but also on the price of the land. The derived economies of the initial decision of localization are also considered. The characteristics of the territory where the firms are located are not static but rather evolve depending on the applied policies, demographic variables and the localization of the companies. Although the exits of the companies depend mainly on their profitability, they are also affected by random aspects. When the companies exit the market they leave a free space that can be covered by other companies favoring this way new entries. The model presented allows showing the endogenous rules of firm localization as well as the effects in the medium and the long term of the public policies.

"SATISFACTION AND E-QUALITY: SOME EVIDENCE FROM INTERNET BANKING"

The perceived quality has been described as a major determinant of the consumer satisfaction. We have integrated the perceived utility construct from Technology Acceptance Models (TAM) with perceived quality from SERVQUAL literature to describe perceived quality in eBank context. A specific scale has been developed and applied to an online survey at a major Portuguese eBank. 754 valid observations had been collected and structural equation modelling methodology was used. Perceived quality has been formalized as a second order construct and the results shows that it is manifested on products and services, convenience and trust in the information.eBank, private consumer behaviour, satisfaction, perceived quality, structural equation modelling.

Broadband transverse susceptibility in multiferroic Y-type hexaferrite Ba0.5Sr1.5Zn2Fe12O22

Producción CientíficaNoncollinear spin systems with magnetically induced ferroelectricity from changes in spiral magnetic ordering have attracted significant interest in recent research due to their remarkable magnetoelectric effects with promising applications. Single phase multiferroics are of great interest for these new multifunctional devices, being Y-type hexaferrites good candidates, and among them the ZnY compounds due to their ordered magnetic behaviour over room temperature. Polycrystalline Y type hexaferrites with composition Ba0.5Sr1.5Zn2Fe2O22 (BSZFO) were sintered in 1050 °C–1250 °C temperature range. Transverse susceptibility measurements carried out on these BSZFO samples in the temperature range 80–350 K with DC fields up to ± 5000 Oe reveal different behaviour depending on the sintering temperature. Sample sintered at 1250 °C is qualitatively different, suggesting a mixed Y and Z phase like CoY hexaferrites. Sintering at lower temperatures produce single phase Y-type, but the transverse susceptibility behaviour of the sample sintered at 1150 °C is shifted at temperatures 15 K higher. Regarding the DC field sweeps the observed behaviour is a peak that shifts to lower values with increasing temperature, and the samples corresponding to single Y phase exhibit several maxima and minima in the 250 K–330 K range at low DC applied field as a result of the magnetic field induced spin transitions in this compound.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades; Agencia Estatal de Investigación with FEDER (MAT2016-80784-P

Latin American B Corp Sustainability Challenges 2015

Latin America has produced a fertile crop of B Corp enterprises. To explore the challenges and opportunities facing B Corps, NBS gathered a group of 22 B Corps from Chile, Argentina and Colombia to form the first Latin American B Corp council. This report is the first outcome of the council’s work. It is a first step towards understanding, systematizing and using what happens in the B Corp world as inspiration and knowledge for a sustainable society

Synthesis, structural characterization and broadband ferromagnetic resonance in Li ferrite nanoparticles

Producción CientíficaLithium ferrites are well known materials due to its numerous technological applications especially in microwave devices. Lithium ferrite nanoparticles were prepared by sol-gel technique by means of Pechini method, and then annealed at different temperatures in 250–1000 °C range. XRD confirms spinel formation with particles sizes in 15–700 nm range, with increased size with annealing temperature, whereas FTIR and Raman measurement confirm that single phase lithium ferrite with ordered cationic structure is obtained. Microwave magnetoabsorption data of the annealed lithium ferrite nanoparticles were obtained with a broadband system based on a network analyzer that operates up to 8.5 GHz. At fields up to 200 mT we can observe a broad absorption peak that shifts to higher frequencies with magnetic field according to ferromagnetic resonance theory. The amplitude of absorption, up to 85%, together with the frequency width of about 5.5 GHz makes this material suitable as wave absorber. FMR parameters like resonance field, linewidth and broadening are analyzed in order to obtain the characteristic parameters and analyze the microwave behaviour.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad ( project MAT2016-80784-P

Romhacking : localización de videojuegos clásicos en un contexto de aficionados

L'objectiu d'aquest article és presentar a la comunitat acadèmica el concepte de romhacking i descriure la metodologia seguida pels romhackers per localitzar videojocs clàssics. També presenta una reflexió sobre la tasca que duen a terme els romhackers.Este artículo tiene como objetivo presentar a la comunidad académica el concepto de romhacking y describir la metodología seguida por los romhackers para localizar videojuegos clásicos. Asimismo, se presenta una reflexión acerca de la tarea que llevan a cabo los romhackers.This paper aims at presenting to the academic community the concept of romhacking and the methodology followed by romhackers to localize classic video games. Furthermore, it presents a reflection on the work carried out by romhackers

Satisfacción de necesidades de habitabilidad en procesos de reasentamientos urbanos: El caso de Ciudad Victoria en Guayaquil

En el Ecuador, la relación entre producción de barrios populares y enfoques psicoambientales de estudio ha sido muy poco explorada. Esta preocupación ha sido abordada por la línea de investigación en psicología ambiental comunitaria del Grupo de Investigaciones Psicosociales de la Carrera de Psicología de la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana. Sostenemos la necesidad de producir conocimientos relativos a la satisfacción de necesidades de habitabilidad y los factores que se asocian a la producción social del hábitat y de la ciudad. Las y los lectores de este trabajo podrán profundizar sobre las dimensiones psicosociales que median las relaciones humanas con sus entornos construidos. En efecto, se presenta el análisis de los factores psicosociales que inciden en la satisfacción de necesidades de habitabilidad de 32 familias de la primera etapa de relocalización que se dio en Ciudad Victoria en Guayaquil. Desde una perspectiva cualitativa de investigación se establece un modelo analítico que relaciona los conflictos entre actores institucionales y las familias beneficiarias, desde la comprensión de la experiencia vivida a nivel personal, relacional y colectivo. Este estudio adquiere relevancia en el sentido de documentar un complejo proceso de reasentamiento en vista de generar aprendizajes para mejorar los modelos de gestión pública en la producción de barrios populares