Marketing mix and new product diffusion models

In this paper we analyze the relationship between the marketing mix and new product diffusion models. The goal is to obtain a general new product diffusion model that incorporates the classic 4Ps model of the Marketing Mix: Product, Price, Place, Promotion. An empirical study was conducted using mobile broadband adoption data in Japan.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Five really easy steps to build a homemade low-cost simulator

Published online march 2012Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate how simple it is to build a homemade low-cost simulator using a simple 5-step scheme. Methods. A scheme explaining how to build an endoscopic surgery simulator in 5 easy steps was presented to 26 surgeons. The simulator required a pair of scissors and easy-to-find materials. Its total cost was less than €35. The participants assessed the simulator using common endoscopic training toys or ex vivo tissue and completed an anonymous query comparing it with other commercial simulators that they had experienced before. Results. In all, 84.6% found the simulator really easy to build. Every participant felt that he or she could do the same simulator themselves. Comparing with other commercial available box simulators, the majority of participants found the homemade simulator easier to (a) mount and dismount, (b) transport, (c) clean, and (d) use when practicing alone. Conclusions. Anyone can build its own simulator for a small amount of money.The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article

Monitoring for a decidable fragment of MTLD

The 15th International Conference on Runtime Verification (RV'15). 22-25 September. Vienna, Austria.Temporal logics targeting real-time systems are traditionally undecidable. Based on a restricted fragment of MTLD, we propose a new approach for the runtime verification of hard real-time systems. The novelty of our technique is that it is based on incremental evaluation, allowing us to effectively treat duration properties (which play a crucial role in real-time systems). We describe the two levels of operation of our approach: offline simplification by quantifier removal techniques; and online evaluation of a three-valued interpretation for formulas of our fragment. Our experiments show the applicability of this mechanism as well as the validity of the provided complexity results

Gentrification in Porto: problems and opportunities in the past and in the future of an internationally open city

O ritmo e escala de crescimento do turismo urbano colocam novos desafios à compreensão dos processos contemporâneos de gentrificação, designadamente em cidades médias internacionalmente abertas e com um valor patrimonial muito importante. Baseados no caso do Porto (Portugal), exploramos dois destes desafios. Primeiro, defendemos que o conceito está a tornar-se baste difuso e que há uma necessidade evidente de considerar diferentes tipos de transformação urbana acelerada, nomeadamente social (de residentes) e/ou económica (relacionada com atividades). Em segundo lugar, defendemos uma melhor apreciação do contexto histórico, argumentando que os processos de gentrificação orientados pelo lazer acontecem há vários séculos no Porto. Em terceiro lugar, comparamos os processos de gentrificação promovidos pelos britânicos no século XXI na cidade com as transformações urbanas contemporâneas no centro da cidade, destacando a alteração funcional sem precedentes imposta pelos visitantes internacionais e pelos "utilizadores flutuantes da cidade", bem como o número de desafios que se colocam à manutenção da diversidade, considerando as bases que deveriam sustentar o desenvolvimento local.The speed and scale of urban tourism growth raises new challenges to understand contemporary gentrification processes, namely for internationally open, heritage-rich medium-sized cities. Based on the case of Porto (Portugal), we explore two of such challenges. First, we claim that the concept is becoming rather diffuse and that there's a need to consider different types of rapid urban change, namely social (of residents) and/or economic (related with activities). Second, we defend a better appreciation of history by arguing that leisure-led gentrification processes have been taking place for centuries in Porto. Third we compare 19th century British-driven gentrification processes in the city with contemporary urban change in its central district, in order to highlight the unprecedented functional change imposed by international visitors and "floating city users", as well as a number of associated challenges in keeping diversity having in mind what local development should be about

Genetic diversity of two Portuguese populations of the pullet carpet shell Venerupis senegalensis, based on RAPD markers: contribution to a sustainable restocking program

The pullet carpet shell Venerupis senegalensis (=V. pullastra) is a commercially important species in Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy. In Portugal, this species was once abundant in the Ria Formosa (southern Portugal

Monitoring for a decidable fragment of MTL-∫

Temporal logics targeting real-time systems are traditionally undecidable. Based on a restricted fragment of MTL-R, we propose a new approach for the runtime verification of hard real-time systems. The novelty of our technique is that it is based on incremental evaluation, allowing us to e↵ectively treat duration properties (which play a crucial role in real-time systems). We describe the two levels of operation of our approach: offline simplification by quantifier removal techniques; and online evaluation of a three-valued interpretation for formulas of our fragment. Our experiments show the applicability of this mechanism as well as the validity of the provided complexity results

Salvamento de Bracara Augusta. Rua do Janes 41-43

O projeto de reconstrução e ampliação do edifício com o nº 41-43 da rua de Janes, promovido por João Esteves da Silva, foi aprovado condicionalmente pela DRCN (ofício nº S-2011/273404 (C.S:786900), de 26/12/2011). Nos termos da condicionante estabelecida, os trabalhos de renovação do prédio deveriam ser acompanhados por uma equipa de arqueologia, visto o imóvel se encontrar inserido no centro histórico de Braga, especificamente numa área que corresponde ao interior do que terá sido o recinto amuralhado medieval desta urbe, próximo da igreja de São João do Souto, cuja referência mais antiga remete para o século XII, quando a 12 de julho de 1161, Pedro Ourives e a sua mulher Elvira Mides, doam a igreja ao arcebispo de Braga, à época, D. João Peculiar (Marques, 1986). Perto do edifício, a uns escassos 60 metros encontramos um conjunto de ruínas do período romano, conhecido como a “Domus das Frigideiras do Cantinho”, vestígios de uma habitação romana do Baixo-império que se encontra musealizada e visível através do piso do estabelecimento comercial que agora ocupa o local

Lean Management “Quick-Wins”: Results of Implementation. A Case Study

Purpose: This study comprised two main goals. The first goal demonstrates how LT (Lean Tools) allows the highest impact during the implementation phase.The second goal consisted of introducing procedure changes based on the Management of Human Resources through Lean Leadership tool. The target for these two objectives is to achieve an increase of 5% in machine occupancy rate and a reduction of 10% regarding the costs of defective products per hour. Methodology/Approach: The research methodology is a Action-Research/Research-Action developed by Professor Kurt Lewin of MIT that goes through cycles of five stages: Diagnosis; Planning; Implementation; Evaluation, Conclusions. Findings: Regarding the two objectives above mentioned, it was observed an increase of 8.5% in machine occupancy rate and a reduction of 27.9% regarding the costs per hour of defective products. It was created an additional motivation in the employees and very satisfying results in every production. Research Limitation/implication: The study is limited to a Portuguese Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) in the metalworking sector. Originality/Value of paper: Lean tools can be rapidly and easily implemented and quickly understood by the workers. With that implementation, the occupation of the machines has increased and the defects and their costs have decreased, so the added value grows.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Salvamento de Bracara Augusta. Rua dos Biscaínhos, nº 99 a 105 e Praça Conde S. Joaquim, nº 30 a 34, Braga

A intervenção arqueológica foi determinada pela reconhecida sensibilidade arqueológica e arquitetónica do local, importando sublinhar que foi a Unidade de Arqueologia executou os trabalhos arqueológicos no edifício contíguo (Rua dos Biscainhos, nº 89 a 97), tendo o respetivo relatório sido oportunamente aprovado pelas entidades da tutela e publicado online pela Unidade de Arqueologia, através da plataforma virtual da biblioteca da Universidade do Minho (http://hdl.handle.net/1822/10715). Considerando o conhecimento obtido relativamente à sequência da ocupação do local, bem como o facto de, ao contrário da outra obra, esta não prever a construção de cave, mas apenas a abertura de valas para fundações até 1 metro de profundidade (com exceção da vala para a caixa de elevador, que atinge os 1,5 metros de profundidade), junto às paredes portantes e portanto em zona já revolvida pela sua edificação, julgamos ser suficiente o acompanhamento presencial da execução das referidas valas. Complementarmente, entendemos adequado proceder ao levantamento da parte visível do alçado sul da torre medieval