Time varying fiscal policy in the U.S.

To investigate the time heterogeneity effects of fiscal policy in the U.S., we use a non-recursive, Blanchard and Perotti-like structural VAR with time-varying parameters, estimated through Bayesian simulation over the 1965:2-2009:2 period. Our evidence suggests that fiscal policy has lost some capacity to stimulate output but that this trend is more pronounced for taxes net of transfers than for government expenditure, whose effectiveness declines only slightly. Fiscal multipliers keep conventional signs throughout. An investigation of changes in fiscal policy conduct indicates an increase in the countercyclical activism of net taxes over time, which appears to have reached a maximum during the 2008-09 recession.Fiscal policy, Bayesian estimation, Structural change, Macroeconomic stabilization

An integrated approach for TQM implementation in SMEs

This paper tackles the broad issue of TQM implementation in SMEs. It includes a review of two models aimed at improving organisational performance, the EFQM Excellence Model and the Balanced Scorecard, which have been widely used in large organisations. Both models are examined as to their suitability and applicability to small and medium sized enterprises. The findings indicate that SMEs can benefit from the adoption of an integrated approach that combines both models if some critical factors are considered in the implementation process. A theoretical framework is proposed, which considers such integration and leads to a gradual implementation of TQM principles and methods in SMEs.TQM; quality; SME; organisational performance

Chinchillidae and Dolichotinae rodents (Rodentia: Hystricognathi: Caviomorpha) from the late Pleistocene of Southern Brazil

New records of rodents from the late Pleistocene Chuí Creek, Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil, are here described. A partial dentary with fragmented cheek teeth is identified as Chinchillidae, Lagostomus Brookes cf. L. maximus (Desmarest). Other two specimens are identified as cheek teeth of Dolichotinae indet. (Caviidae). Pleistocene fossils of Lagostomus were previously reported for Argentina and Uruguay. The material of Lagostomus from Chuí Creek represents the first confidently record of this taxon Brazil. Pleistocene fossil remains of Dolichotinae have been found in Argentina, Uruguay and other areas of southern Brazil, though the Brazilian find lack precise stratigraphic information. These new records widen the paleobiogeographic distribution of Lagostomus and confirm the presence of Dolichotinae during the late Pleistocene of southern Brazil.Fil: Kerber, Leonardo. Fundação Zoobotânica do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Pereira Lopes, Renato. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Vucetich, María Guiomar. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Ribeiro, Ana Maria. Fundação Zoobotânica do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Pereira, Jamil. Museu Coronel Tancredo Fernandes de Mello; Brasi

Applicability of SERVQUAL in restaurants: an exploratory study in a Portuguese resort

SERVQUAL is the most popular instrument to ascertain service quality. However, some debate exists about its ability to characterize different service environments. Furthermore, there is not a consensus about the inclusion of customer expectations in the model. The research presented in this paper intends to discuss the applicability of SERVQUAL to restaurant services and to analyze the inclusion of customer expectations in such environment. The research was developed in a Portuguese resort and more than 300 customers, from two different restaurants, were invited to participate in the study.service quality; restaurants

A package of controls for traditional budgeting replacement and organizational alignment : a case study of Corticeira Amorim

Over the last few years, budgeting has been under great criticism, and the number of cases that have challenged the use of this traditional system is increasing. The present master thesis studies the case of Corticeira Amorim, a large Portuguese company that has abandoned the traditional budgeting process. The main objectives of this study are to identify the alternative adopted by the company in order to address to the management requirements that were previously ensured by the budget, and to determine the degree of internal alignment with the implemented model. In order to answer these research questions, 18 interviews were conducted with top-level managers and an online questionnaire was sent to 30 other members of the organization. The present study allowed concluding that, over the last years, the company has been developing, a set of norms and procedures that are adequate to its internal and external contingencies, in order to address the management requirements formerly assured by the traditional budget. This study also allowed concluding that the definition and dissemination of policies and procedures by the management control department is not a sufficient condition for their complete internal recognition. The main contribution of this work is to study management control systems as a "package" of controls, as well as to evaluate the perception and internalization of new management practices in employees.Ao longo dos últimos anos, o processo de orçamentação tem vindo a ser alvo de grande crítica, e o número de casos de empresas que desafiaram o uso deste tradicional sistema é cada vez maior. O presente estudo recai sobre o caso da Corticeira Amorim, uma empresa portuguesa de grande dimensão que abandonou o processo de orçamento tradicional. Os principais objetivos deste estudo consistem em identificar a alternativa adotada pela empresa de forma a dar resposta aos requisitos de gestão que eram anteriormente respondidos pelo orçamento e, ainda, apurar o grau de alinhamento interno com o modelo implementado. Com o objetivo de responder às referidas questões de investigação, foram realizadas 18 entrevistas a gestores de alto nível e foi enviado um questionário online a outros 30 elementos da organização. O presente estudo permitiu concluir que, ao longo dos últimos anos, a empresa tem vindo a desenvolver, um conjunto de normas e procedimentos que se adequam às suas contingências internas e externas, de forma a responder aos requerimentos de gestão anteriormente endereçados pelo orçamento. Este estudo permitiu, ainda, concluir que a definição e propagação de políticas e procedimentos pelo departamento de controlo de gestão não é condição suficiente para o seu total reconhecimento interno. O principal contributo deste trabalho passa por estudar sistemas de controlo de gestão como um “pacote” de controlos, bem como avaliar a perceção e interiorização de novas práticas de gestão nos colaboradores

GuestCentric Systems and its internationalization to Brazil

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and EconomicsThis thesis studies the internationalization process of GuestCentric Systems to Brazil. GuestCentric is currently in operational breakeven situation, but yet, it has excess capacity and targets a niche market that has a huge necessity on the product offered. The study conducted focus primarily on the origin context and then on the host country. First, it was addressed the environmental context of GuestCentric in the origin markets in order to infer the market functioning, the competitive analysis, the firm’s positioning along with other relevant subjects. Assumed that GuestCentric’ product was globally required and that the main criteria to internationalize were, among others, cultural similarities, market size dimension or potential growth, Brazil resulted as the most attractive country to internationalize for. A deeper analysis of Brazil was followed to find out the country’s macro environmental context and then and more precisely, how the Travel & Tourism Industry works (GC’s industry). Brazil proofed to be a very viable solution and the 2011 year an excellent and opportune time of entry. Some suggestions were than enumerated on how can GuestCentric best exploit its capabilities and resources and how the firm may operate in Brazil. Among them, is the creation of a direct sales channel, through a sales team, to increase sales propensity and effectiveness

Validation of the portuguese version of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 for Children

A adaptação da Escala de Apreciação Corporal-2 para Crianças (BAS-2C; Halliwell et al., 2017) permite alargar o estudo da imagem corporal positiva a uma fase de desenvolvimento mais precoce e, assim, uma melhor compreensão da imagem corporal positiva ao longo do ciclo de vida. Este estudo teve como objetivo validar a versão portuguesa da BAS-2C. A amostra foi composta por 328 crianças, com idades compreendidas entre os 9 e os 11 anos (50.90% raparigas). A análise fatorial confirmatória sustentou o modelo unifatorial da versão portuguesa da escala e demonstrou invariância em função do sexo. Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre sexos na apreciação corporal. A BAS-2C demonstrou uma consistência interna adequada e validade convergente com a qualidade de vida, hábitos alimentares saudáveis, insatisfação com o tamanho corporal e índice de massa corporal (IMC). Os resultados sustentam as boas propriedades psicométricas da versão portuguesa da BAS-2C, possibilitando investigação futura em imagem corporal positiva neste grupo etário

Can an unattractive packaging lead to healhier eating behavior?

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Marketing IntelligenceIn the last few years, although the demand for a healthier lifestyle has been increasing, the obesity rates have boomed in developed contexts. Packaging is one of the main drivers for unhealthy food decisions, having important consequences for consumers' health. In two studies, this research aims to understand the impact of healthy eating nudges like unattractive packaging on indulgent products to analyze if the consumers are more aware of their food choices. The findings suggest that pictorial warnings can increase consumers’ perceived risk and that consumers would have more positive brand attitudes since they consider the brand is being sincere and have less intention to buy it, compared to verbal warnings or control (no warnings) in the indulgent products. In addition, findings suggest that construal level moderates healthy eating nudges, reducing perceived risk and increasing purchase intentions of indulgent products in abstract (vs. concrete) construal. Our research contributes by shedding light on the social and practical implications of food branding and how the companies can contribute to decreasing the obesity rate