Use and Perception of the Internet as a Marketing Tool to Promote Rural Tourism

Businesses and communities in rural areas face increased challenges to compete in the globalized tourism market. Rural areas and small communities often have rich endogenous natural resources, which may appeal to a stressed urban public, however, simply possessing these attributes is not sufficient, the must be communicated and promoted to the right people. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of Internet and online marketing tools to improve the competitiveness of small-scale rural tourism companies. The paper presents an overview of the perception, knowledge and use of Internet as a marketing toll by small-scaled rural tourism companies located in Portugal centre region and discusses the challenges and motivations involved in promoting rural tourism in a globalized market. A sample of small-scaled rural tourism companies was inquired about their attitudes toward the use of Internet marketing tools. The results show that Rural Tourism companies have limited knowledge of web marketing tools potential to support the rural tourism and highlight the need to increase the use of Internet as a marketing tool to globally communicate, promote and positioning rural tourism in order to leverage resources and create sustainability.Rural tourism, SMEs, Internet, Marketing, e-Commerce

Affective temporalities in Gob Squad’s Kitchen (you’ve never had it so good)

In this article I will be drawing upon affect theory to unpack issues of authenticity, mediation, participation in the production Gob Squads’s Kitchen, by Gob Squad. English/German collective reconstructed Andy Warhol’s early film Kitchen, shot 47 years before, in the flamboyant Factory, starring ephemeral celebrities such as Eve Sedgwick. Alongside Eat (1964), Sleep (1963) and Screen Test (1964-66). Although it premièred in Berlin, in 2007, the show has been touring in several countries and, in 2012, it received the New York Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience. I will be examining how the production’s spatial dispositive creates a mediated intimacy that generates affective temporalities and how their performativity allows us to think of the audience as actively engaged in an affective resonance with the stage. Intimacy creates worlds (BERLANT, 2000). It brings audience and performer closer not only to each other but also to the shifting moment of Performance Art’s capture by institutional discourses and market value. Unleashing affective temporalities allows the audience to embody its potency, to be, again, “at the beginning”. Drawing upon André Lepecki’s notion of reenactments as activations of creative possibilities, I will be suggesting that Gob Squads’s Kitchen merges past and present by disclosing accumulated affects, promises and deceptions attached to the thrilling period of the sixties in order to reperform a possibility of a new beginning at the heart of a nowthen time. In conclusion, this article will shed new light on the performative possibilities of affect to surmount theatrical separation and weave intensive attachments.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

From effect to affect: narratives of passivity and modes of participation of the contemporary spectator

This article considers how dominant cultural and scientific notions of the body and emotions pervade narratives of a passive spectator in the western theatrical tradition. Two main conceptions of passivity model the idea of spectator in the West: one in Antiquity (passivity as receptivity) and the other in Modernity (passivity as inactivity). Theatre history demonstrates that these conceptions are intertwined with the development of theatre architecture and acting practices and theories set out to produce emotional effects on the spectator. Drawing upon Teresa Brennan’s theory of affect transmission, I will be looking at how the gradual enclosure of the stage – culminating in Zola’s fourth wall and Wagner’s darkened auditorium - and the emphasis on the spectator as the target of theatrical effects is in line with the validity decay of cultural notions of the transmission of affect that lead to a self-contained modern subject, that is, confined to the limits of the body. I will be suggesting that the avant-garde movements in the 20th century and post-dramatic practices reactivate affective a fluid connection between performers and spectators that value affect transmission as vital to live events, both as social process and aesthetic material.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Re-Affecting the Stage: Affective Resonance as the Function of the Audience

This article uses an affect theory framework to show how the audience has the power to intensify the circulation of affect in the theatrical encounter, and to impact on the unique felt quality of the performance. Assessment is made of the vital function of affect to performance through the images, sensations and expressions that performers use to describe audience engagement. Intermittently, from 2010 to 2012, the author embarked on practice-led research to find out how performers describe the experience of being on stage with regard to their engagement with an audience. Conversations were recorded with more than 50 performers (mainly actors and dancers) from the USA and Brazil, as well as Portugal and other European countries.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Arte e educação: desenhar relações para colorir o conhecimento: relatório final

O presente Relatório Final foi desenvolvido no âmbito do Mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, enquanto estagiária. O documento encontra-se dividido em duas partes, ambas centradas nas duas experiências de estágio, nas respetivas vertentes do Mestrado. A primeira parte do Relatório consiste na contextualização dos ambientes educativos e no processo em que as práticas foram desenvolvidas. A segunda parte consiste numa exploração aprofundada de cinco experiências determinantes durante os estágios e do desenvolvimento de uma investigação em jardim-de-infância. As experiências correspondem a uma análise crítico-reflexiva de aspetos de diferentes naturezas: uma dimensão específica da documentação; dois tipos distintos de punição com o objetivo de beneficiar as crianças, o time-out e a retenção; a necessidade de inovar através da tecnologia; e o tema transversal a todo o documento, a importância de dar espaço à criança para se expressar através da Arte. As práticas de ensino supervisionada constituíram a base para a prática profissional, como está patente ao longo do documento, destacando a importância de aspetos como a reciprocidade de aprendizagens e a aprendizagem através da Arte. A observação atenta e a abertura para uma reflexão crítica das organizações educativas foram elementos fulcrais para o desenvolvimento do presente Relatório Final. A partir da utilização destas duas conceções foi possível enriquecer o trabalho em campo, e por sua vez, construir um documento mais completo e estruturado

Using an escape room activity to enhance the motivation of undergraduate life science students in mathematics classes: A case study

Mathematics is one of the school subjects where demotivation, dislike and failure are frequent concerns. To address this, it is important to actively engage students in the classroom and employ resources that make math classes more appealing and captivating, leading to meaningful learning experiences. Active, cooperative, and participative learning methods should be prioritized over traditional didactic teaching and the mere transmission of knowledge. Active learning methods offer alternative approaches to the conventional lecture format, actively involving students in the learning process. The concept of an escape room, a gaming experience where participants must solve challenges to escape from a locked room, has gained popularity in educational contexts. The educational escape room is an extension of this concept, aiming to promote real-time problem-solving, teamwork, and discovery of clues and mysteries to facilitate active learning. By engaging in various tasks within a room, students work together in teams, fostering an active learning environment. The educational escape room offers several benefits, including the enhancement of problem-solving skills, student performance, and motivation. By incorporating gamification strategies into teaching and learning processes, this approach proves to be an effective way of promoting active learning in mathematics. In this paper, we present a case study that explores the use of an educational escape room with first-year undergraduate students from a Portuguese higher education institution, with the goal of improving their mathematical problem-solving skills. The study aims to evaluate how escape rooms can contribute to increased student motivation. To assess the perception of students regarding this escape room methodology, a quantitative survey was conducted. The findings indicate that using the escape room as an educational approach effectively increased student interest and improved learning outcomes in mathematics.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

How are Portuguese venture capitalists weighting the skills of the entrepreneur when evaluating a venture opportunity?

Startups can raise money from several sources but one of the most common is through Venture Capital. There is an interest in better understanding how venture capital deals come together, as entrepreneurs know too well how difficult it can be to raise funds. Hence, the objective of this thesis is to analyze if the entrepreneur, its competencies and skills, do play a major role in the venture capitalists’ seed-stage investment decision process with a focus on Portugal. The collection of primary data, through surveys and interviews, pinpointed the entrepreneur as one of the most important factors that ultimately influences the funding decision. Additionally, a cohesive start-up team, founders presenting relevant previous experience (startup and managerial), as well as technical and market expertise, and face-to-face interactions (between entrepreneurs and Venture Capitalists), in which storytelling ability plays a role, also favorably increase the odds of successful funding. On the other hand, two factors that were not conclusively validated with this current analysis were i) direct and/or indirect ties between entrepreneurs and Venture Capitalists and ii) entrepreneur’s social skills. These were not considered direct fundraising drivers and will require further investigation.O capital de risco constitui uma das mais utilizadas fontes de financiamento por parte das startups. No entanto, os empreendedores têm conhecimento do quão difícil pode ser conseguir financiamento. Há, deste modo, um interesse em perceber como é que as decisões de investimento são realizadas. Posto isto, a presente tese tem como objetivo analisar se o empreendedor, as suas competências e capacidade de contar uma história sobre o seu projeto, influenciam de forma preponderante a decisão das sociedades de Capital de Risco, com foco em Portugal, numa fase seed. A recolha de dados, através de questionários online e entrevistas, permitiu identificar o empreendedor como um dos fatores mais dominantes aquando da decisão de financiamento. Além disso, uma equipa que apresenta experiência relevante em startups, bem como um conhecimento técnico e do mercado, tem mais probabilidade de obter financiamento. Por outro lado, as interações/ o relacionamento entre empreendedor e investidor são de extrema importância, no qual a capacidade de contar uma história sobre a empresa/produto é saliente. Contudo, dois fatores incialmente identificados como influenciadores da decisão de investimento, não foram validados conclusivamente pela presente análise: i) ligações, direta ou indiretamente, entre empreendedor e investidor e ii) competências sociais do empreendedor. Conclui-se que não aumentam a probabilidade de uma startup conseguir apoio financeiro. No entanto, a análise conduzida abre portas para, no futuro, haver um estudo mais aprofundado nestas duas vertentes

Dados científicos para elaborar políticas relativas à biodiversidade, conservação e áreas protegidas sob o Tratado da Antártida

The Antarctic region and its surrounding ocean experience numerous threats including human activities, invasive species, illegal fishing, pollution, and climate change. To help protect the Antarctic environment a system of international governance for the area south of 60°S latitude was created, the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS). The ATS is comprised of several agreements including the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty and the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CAMLR Convention). In Annex 2 to the Protocol on Environmental Protection, Specially Protected Species (SPS) designation is stipulated, a status granted only to the Ross Seal (Ommatophoca rossii). In this thesis, it is intended to (i) understand the conservation and protection status of Antarctic marine species, (ii) to comment on their risk of extinction attributed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and (iii) to determine if any of these species should be included or excluded from the SPS list. Data obtained from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species website was filtered to obtain a list of species whose geographic range overlapped with the Antarctic Treaty area and/or with the CAMLR Convention area and that were classified as “Near Threatened” or above by the IUCN. This resulted in a list of 13 species of which the emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) and the Antarctic minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) where chosen to evaluate and compare their conservation status with that of the Ross seal using a list of life-history traits and demographic parameters. The results of this study show that of the 13 species classified as “Near Threatened”, or above by the IUCN none has SPS status. It was also found that the information about this species available in the IUCN is significantly different from that currently available in the scientific literature. Furthermore, it was also found that the Antarctic Treaty only protects around two thirds of marine species located in the Southern Ocean, this could be a concern since the rest of the species are only protected under the CAMLR Convention and cannot be design as SPS if needed. These results allows to recommend that (i) the IUCN should update their categories and criteria in face of the vast and rapid effects that climate change has on Antarctic marine species, (ii) more Antarctic species should have their assessments revised to take into consideration climate change scenarios, (iii) the Antarctic minke whale status should be revised, (iv) updated population and distribution data should be collected regularly to better assess the species conservation status, (v) the status of the Ross seal should be assessed by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) to understand if there is need for an Action Plan and therefore if the species should maintains its SPS status or if the status no longer is needed.A região Antártida e o oceano que a rodeia estão sob inúmeras ameaças, incluindo atividades humanas, espécies invasoras, pesca ilegal, poluição e alterações climáticas. Para ajudar a proteger a região foi criado um sistema de governação internacional para a área a sul de 60°S de latitude, o Sistema do Tratado da Antártida (ATS). O ATS é composto por vários acordos, incluindo o Protocolo para a Proteção Ambiental do Tratado da Antártida e a Convenção para a Conservação da Fauna e da Flora Marinha da Antártida (Convenção CAMLR). No Anexo 2 do Protocolo para a Proteção Ambiental, é estipulada a designação de Espécies Especialmente Protegidas (SPS), um estatuto atualmente concedido apenas à foca Ross (Ommatophoca rossii). Nesta tese, pretende-se (i) compreender o estado de conservação e proteção das espécies marinhas da Antártida, (ii) comentar o seu estado de risco de extinção atribuído pela Lista Vermelha da União Internacional para a Conservação da Natureza (IUCN) e (iii) determinar a necessidade de estas espécies serem, ou não, incluídas na lista de SPS. Dados obtidos a partir do website da Lista Vermelha da IUCN, foram filtrados para obter uma lista de espécies cuja área de distribuição se sobrepõe à área do Tratado da Antártida e/ou à área da Convenção CAMLR e cuja categoria de risco de extinção é igual ou superior a “quase ameaçada”, resultando em 13 espécies. Destas, foram selecionadas duas, o pinguim imperador (Aptenodytes forsteri) e a baleia anã da Antártida (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) cujo estado de conservação foi avaliado e comparado com o da foca Ross, utilizando uma lista de atributos de história de vida e parâmetros demográficos. Os resultados deste estudo mostram que das 13 espécies que têm uma classificação de “quase ameaçadas” ou superior pela IUCN, nenhuma tem o estatuto de SPS. Verificou-se também que a informação da IUCN sobre as três espécies em estudo apresenta diferenças em relação à informação atualmente disponível na literatura científica. É também revelado que o tratado da Antártida protege apenas cerca de dois terços das espécies marinhas localizadas no Oceano Sul, o que pode ser uma preocupação, uma vez que o resto das espécies estão apenas protegidas pela CCAMLR e não podem ser classificadas como Espécies Especialmente Protegidas, se tal for necessário. Face a estes resultados é recomendado que (i) a IUCN atualize as suas categorias e critérios face aos vastos e rápidos efeitos que as alterações climáticas têm nas espécies marinhas da Antártida, (ii) a avaliação do estatuto de conservação de mais espécies da Antártida seja revista tendo em conta os cenários de alterações climáticas, (iii) o estatuto de baleia anã da Antártida seja revisto, (iv) que seja feita uma recolha regular de dados demográficos e de distribuição para permitir uma melhor avaliação do estatuto de conservação das espécies e, (v) o estatuto de Espécie Especialmente Protegida da foca Ross seja avaliado pelo Comité Cientifico para a Investigação Antártida (SCAR) para compreender se há necessidade de um plano de ação e, portanto, a espécie mantém o estatuto de SPS ou se o estatuto já não é necessário.Mestrado em Biologia Marinha Aplicad

Consulting project for the lubricants exports division at Galp energia: assessing the attractiveness of the Latin American lubricants market in the context of a potential partnership with Latina

The following report seeks to assess the attractiveness of the Latin American lubricants market in the context of a potential partnership with Latina1. Galp Energia, a Portuguese Oil and Gas company, presented the project to NOVA SBE’s Management Consulting Lab initiative, which, in turn, had allocated the project to a team of four students with complementary academic backgrounds. With Galp’s Exports Division support, the main goal was to assess the economic and financial viability of entering the Latin American market with a local partner. For that purpose a market assessment was conducted, followed by a financial analysis of the two-staged partnership and lastly, the team provided Galp with valuable recommendations on how to pursue the internationalization strategy and approach the Latin American partner