Role of Sorption Isotherms in the Analysis of Coupled Heat and Mass Fluxes in Porous Media

The aim of this work is to show the importance of the sorption isotherms in the study of the heat and mass fluxes in unsaturated porous media. General forms of the heat and mass fluxes are presented in terms of experimentally accessible quantities. The role of the isotherm slope in the coupling of heat and mass fluxes and its influence on the effective permeability are shown. Separate relations for vapor and liquid fluxes through the porous medium are presented as functions of the temperature and the isotherm slopes. Nonstationary isothermal mass flux is also analyzed, a relaxation time for this process is identifled, and its relation to the isotherm slope is also discussed

Influences of cosmic radiation, artificial radioactivity and aerosol concentration upon the fair-weather atmospheric electric field in Lisbon (1955–1991)

The atmospheric electric field is influenced by cosmic radiation, radioactivity and aerosols. In this work we investigate the existence of: (i) correlations between relative anomalies of annual values of atmospheric electric field and cosmic radiation intensity, artificial radioactivity and aerosol concentration; (ii) seasonal correlations between relative anomalies of the atmospheric electric field and cosmic radiation intensity. We used data of the electric field strength recorded at the Portela meteorological station (Lisbon) in the period 1955–1991. We found statistically significant inverse correlations between atmospheric electric field and cosmic radiation in the period 1967–1991. We also found that the influence of cosmic radiation on the atmospheric electric field is strong in wintertime and very weak in summertime. The GCR–CN–CCN–Cloud Hypothesis and the wintertime reduced boundary layer convection are analyzed as possible explanations for this difference

On the adaptation of the firm to the International Business Environment

This paper advances on the importance of the adaptation of the firm to the International Business Environment (IBE). The IBE is a distinguishing factor in international business studies and the firm?s adaptation to the environment has been presented as a basic survival strategy. We argue that adaptation is indeed a dynamic and largely internally driven process that leads the firm to co-evolve with the external environment. The ability to adapt to different international business environments is developed over time through the firm?s experiences and built into its routines. Adaptation is both suggested to incorporate the elements of a planned strategy and of random variation in search for local peaks given bounded rationality, imperfect information and the current pool of resources and capabilities. The ability to adapt to the environment may be conceptualized as a knowledge-based capability and a potential source of competitive advantage for the multinational corporation.Adaptation, International Business Environment, MNC, capabilities, evolution, environmental stability

The relevance of follow-ups in data collection for the quality assurance system of the Portuguese population and housing census

The operationalization of the Population and Housing Census in Portugal is managed by a hierarchical structure in which Statistics Portugal is at the top and local government institutions at the bottom. When the Census takes place every ten years, local governments are asked to collaborate with Statistics Portugal in the execution and monitoring of the fieldwork operations at the local level. During the Pilot Test stage of the 2011 Census, local governments were asked for additional collaboration: to answer the Perception of Risk survey, whose aim was to gather information to design a quality assurance instrument that could be used to monitor the Census operations. The response rate of the survey was desired to be 100%, however, by the deadline of data collection nearly a quarter of local governments had not responded to the survey and thus a decision was made to make a follow up mailing. In this paper, we examine whether the same conclusions could have been reached from survey without follow ups as with them and evaluate the influence of follow ups on the conception of the quality assurance instrument. Comparison of responses on a set of perception variables revealed that local governments answering previous or after the follow up did not differ. However the configuration of the quality assurance instrument changed when including follow up responses.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Quality assurance in the Portuguese census: the contribution of the balanced scorecard

This article describes how the balanced scorecard methodology and associated procedures were developed and implemented as the framework for the quality assurance strategy of the fieldwork in the 2011 Portuguese Population and Housing Census. The main goal of a census operation is to provide high-quality statistical information on population, buildings, and dwellings that meet users’ needs. The most critical activity of a census is the fieldwork operation where the distribution, completion, and recollection of census questionnaires are handled. Due to the dimension, complexity, and need to guarantee the final product quality of the census 2011 operation, the balanced scorecard methodology was elected as the framework for the quality assurance strategy implementation. This was the first time such a management system was used in a census operation. In terms of academic research on census quality control, the quality focus has been on the net undercount based on post enumeration survey. On the contrary, the authors’ concern is about how to ensure quality enumeration work during the census operation. The balanced scorecard methodology allowed integrating the operational execution of goals and its control into a single census management tableaux du bord, which allowed the provision of updated information on the ongoing processes and, thus, the ability to make timely corrections for those targets that suffered deviations.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Entrepreneurship research: A bibliometric study of the EnANPADs 1997-2008

We have witnessed a fast growth in academic interest on entrepreneurship over the past two to three decades, although at disparate paces in different countries. A wealth of papers presented and published, books, dedicated journals, websites, professional and research groups have emerged accompanying this increased interest. It is thus important to understand what are these scholars studying. In this paper we examine the state of the art in entrepreneurship research in Brazil, by scrutinizing the entire track record of the papers presented at the EnANPAD over a twelve years period: 1997 -to 2008. The results of the bibliometric analysis revealed that entrepreneurship research maintains a broad spectrum of interests, focusing both on contextual, individual and process issues. Less visible is a unified theoretical background or the use of established theories foundational to other management disciplines. It is notable the increase in Brazilian entrepreneurship research, both empiric, theoretical and case-study based. We conclude with an umbrella discussion and suggestions for future research.entrepreneurship research, entrepreneur, bibliometric study, EnANPAD

Mergers & Acquisitions research: A bibliometric study of top strategy journals, 2000 - 2009

Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are important modes through which firms undertake their domestic and international strategies. This bibliometric review examines the extant research on M&As in the top five strategic management journals during a ten years period ? from 2000 to 2009. The 90 articles identified in these top journals denote an eclectic theoretical focus with the prevalence of four theories ? resource-based view, transaction costs, agency theory and institutional theory. We present a brief analysis of the key issues in M&A research, as well as the samples and theories more commonly used. We conclude by presenting a broad discussion comprising the methods used, the research questions investigated, the type of articles, as well as limitations and avenues for future enquiry.mergers & acquisitions; strategic management journals, bibliometric study

Methodology to design a Map of Alert for population and housing censuses: the Portuguese case

The Portuguese Population and Housing Census is carried out every 10 years by Statistics Portugal. In the Census 2011, a new tool was developed to assist the Quality Assurance system in order to make the monitoring of fieldwork operations more efficient and thus diminish the uncertainties that could cause coverage error in the results. This tool, named as Map of Alert, presents a three-level typology of alert that ensures advance knowledge of the potential risk of each freguesia’s failure to meet the quality standards defined for the enumeration process. This article describes the methodological process that guided the development of the Map of Alert and presents the Map itself.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Efeito da restrição animal no período seco sobre o desempenho de bovinos de recria.

bitstream/item/137687/1/PESQ-EM-ANDAMENTO-47.pdfCNPGC