Estratégias para o setor vitivinícola brasileiro, em contexto global: desenvolvimento de gestão empresarial das empresas no Rio Grande do Sul e no Vale de São Francisco

Este estudo aborda a indústria vitivinícola brasileira, em perspetiva global. Excedentário e em recentragem estratégica, o setor no Brasil está sendo remodelado lentamente, num processo complexo que enfrenta um ambiente hostil, tanto pela pressão da invasão dos vinhos importados no mercado interno, como pelo imenso desafio de internacionalizar-se. O objetivo geral do estudo é diagnosticar a competitividade das vitivinícolas do Rio Grande do Sul (RGS) e do pólo emergente do Vale do São Francisco (VSF), no Brasil, por meio da identificação dos tipos de abordagem estratégica estabelecidos e respetivos impactos nas suas performances económicas, para, no final, propor linhas de ação estratégica (para o setor e para as empresas) que sejam capazes de melhorar as hipóteses de sucesso no ambiente global. Este objetivo geral foi desagregado em quatro objetivos específicos: (1) Identificar as estruturas existentes e as estratégias em curso nas empresas do RGS e do VSF; (2) Identificar e discutir os tipos de abordagem estratégica que norteiam as decisões nessas empresas; (3) Identificar os impactos ambientais internos e externos nos desempenhos económicos das empresas; (4) Formular propostas estratégicas renovadas para uma maior competitividade empresarial. Para tanto, a metodologia utilizada centrou-se numa Grelha Integrada de Reflexão Estratégica para o Brasil (GIRE-br), que inclui um diagnóstico interno e um estudo sistémico, designado C-A-D, pela articulação das três dimensões que envolve: Contexto, Abordagem estratégica e Desempenho; sendo ancorado em análises quantitativas e qualitativas. Foram ainda utilizados o Octógono Estratégico (OE) e a Matriz de Desenvolvimento Empresarial e Operacional Dinâmico (MADED), instrumentos desenvolvidos especialmente para esta investigação e que possibilitaram proposições estratégicas renovadas. Esta metodologia permitiu concretizar os objetivos fixados e testar as três hipóteses de investigação operativas. Os principais resultados identificaram três tipos de abordagem estratégica de perfis diferenciados (Adaptativo, Empreendedor-P e Planeamento Artesanal), um contra modelo brasileiro, um descompasso entre estratégias e estruturas, baixa atratividade do setor nas duas regiões, níveis incipientes de internacionalização, ambição estratégica conservadora, informalidade organizacional marcante e ênfase de gestão mais voltada para as operações do que para a estratégia (indefinição estratégica); Strategies for the Brazilian wine sector, in a global context: business management of companies in Rio Grande do Sul and in Vale do São Francisco. ABSTRACT: This study has as a background the Brazilian wine industry, in a global perspective. In a surplus and refocusing the strategies, the sector in Brazil is slowly being remodeled, in a complex process that faces a hostile environment, both by the pressure of the invasion of imported wines in the domestic market, and by the immense challenge of internationalization. The general objective of the study is to diagnose the competitiveness of the wineries in Rio Grande do Sul (RGS) and the ones in the emerging pole in Vale do São Francisco (VSF), in Brazil, by identifying the types of strategic approach established and their impacts on their economic performance, in order to propose strategic lines of action (for the sector and for companies) that are capable of improving the chances of success in the global environment. This general objective has been broken down into four specific objectives: (1) To identify existing structures and strategies in place in RGS and VSF companies; (2) To identify and discuss the types of strategic approach that guide decisions in these companies; (3) To identify the internal and external environmental impacts of economic performance of the companies; (4) To formulate renewed strategic proposals for greater business competitiveness. To that end, the methodology used was centered on an Integrated Strategic Reflection Grid for Brazil (GIRE-br), which includes an internal diagnosis and a systemic study, called CA- D, through the articulation of the three dimensions involved: Context (Contexto), Strategic Approach (Abordagem estratégica) and Performance (Desempenho); being anchored in quantitative and qualitative analyzes. The Strategic Octagon (OE) and the Dynamic Business and Operational Development Matrix (MADED) were also used, instruments specially developed for this research and that enabled renewed strategic propositions. This methodology allowed to achieve the objectives set and to test the three operative research hypotheses. The main results identified three types of strategic approach of different profiles (Adaptive, Entrepreneur-P and Artisan Planning), a Brazilian counter model, a lack of balance between strategies and structures, low attractiveness of the sector in both regions, incipient levels of internationalization, conservative strategic ambition, a striking organizational informality, and management emphasis more on operations than on strategy (strategic uncertainty)

Assessing entrepreneurial education in higher education in Portugal

Comunicação apresentada em Fostering Entrepreneurship: The Role of Higher Education,Trento, ItalyThe main purpose of the paper is to assess how entrepreneurship is developed in Higher Education in Portugal. To accomplish this, we did an analysis of courses related with entrepreneurship offered by Public Universities in Management Degrees. To assess every course, a search on websites of each institution and a content analysis of reports produced by External Committees of Higher Education Performance Assessment were used. Results indicate that entrepreneurship is not a key structuring objective in Higher Education. The governmental authorities overlook entrepreneurship as a goal to be pursuit by Universities

Globalização e estratégias para o sector vitivinícola brasileiro; o polo emergente do Vale do São Francisco

The wine production sector is going through a transition state all over the world. It is breaking up national boundaries and resulting in the adherence to a economic, strategic and political transnationality (globalization). Facing a surplus, the industry reconfigures itself. This article, which is the result of research work that led to a Master degree dissertation, focuses on this reconfiguration. Its specific objectives are: (i) to reflect on the business competitiveness of the local (Vale do São Francisco) and national wine production sector in a global market, focusing the analysis on the identification and discussion of adjustments that are being implemented, (ii) proposing additional lines of strategic action, (iii) analyzing prospects of success in the new global competitive environment. The research adopted the comparative multiple case study method. The results highlight the existence of a strategic and competitive potential that can be translated (if the proper conditions are created – business structures and operational management aspects) into the establishment of a "competitive geographic concentration” in line with the Michael Porter's clusters for competitiveness.O sector vitivinícola mundial está a passar por um estado de transição. Experimenta uma ruptura crescente das fronteiras nacionais e consequente adesão a uma transnacionalidade económica, estratégica e política (globalização). Excedentário, o sector reconfigura-se. O presente artigo, sendo decorrente de um trabalho de investigação que conduziu à elaboração de uma dissertação de mestrado, debruça-se sobre essa reconfiguração. Tem como objectivos específicos: (i) reflectir sobre a competitividade empresarial vitivinícola brasileira e local (Vale do São Francisco) num contexto de mercado global, centrando a análise na identificação e discussão das adaptações que estão a ser implementadas; (ii) propor linhas adicionais de acção estratégica; (iii) perspectivar as suas possibilidades de sucesso no novo contexto competitivo globalizado. A investigação foi centrada no método de estudo de caso múltiplo comparativo. Os resultados relevam a existência de um significativo potencial estratégico-competitivo capaz de se traduzir (caso sejam criadas as condições adequadas – estruturas empresariais e aspectos de gestão operacional) no estabelecimento de uma “concentração geográfica competitiva”, na linha das referidas “bases domésticas” de Michael Porter para a competitividade

Dinâmica competitiva global e inovação no setor de vinho brasileiro: uma análise do polo do Vale do São Francisco

The wine sector is currently facing a transformation all over the world. Facing a surplus, it rebuilds itself. In Brazil, firms assist to the decline of their market share (but reflecting a tendency to protectionism) to imported wines although per capita consumption begins to overcome discreetly an historical stagnation with perspectives of sustainable growth. Thus, it is of utmost importance to look for new capabilities in order to achieve greater integration in a globally fragmented market and with low attractiveness rates. The wine pole of Vale do São Francisco (VSF), though emergent, already needs to find a new strategic innovative positioning. However, it reveals some innovative features. This study has as its main objectives (a) to analyze the strategic and innovative adaptations of local firms; (b) to propose innovative additional lines of strategic action; and (c) to perspective their success possibilities in the new globalized competitive environment. The methodological positioning is set out through the study of multiple and exploratory cases.O setor do vinho está atualmente a enfrentando transformações ao redor do mundo. Encarando o superávit está se reconstruindo. No Brasil, as empresas assistem o declínio de seus market-share (mas refletindo uma tendência ao protecionismo) para os vinhos importados, enaquanto o consumo per capita continua a superar discretamente uma estagnação histórica com perspectivas de crescimento sustentável. Assim, é de extrema importância olhar para novos capacidades, a fim de alcançar uma maior integração num mercado fragmentado globalmente e com taxas baixas de atratividade. O pólo de vinhos do Vale do São Francisco (VSF), embora emergente, já precisa encontrar um posicionamento estratégico inovador. No entanto, ele revela algumas características inovadoras. Este estudo tem como principais objetivos (a) analisar as adaptações estratégicas e inovadoras das empresas locais; (b) propor linhas adicionais inovadoras de ação estratégica; e (c) mostrar as suas possibilidades de sucesso no novo ambiente competitivo globalizado. O posicionamento metodológico é estabelecido através do estudo de vários casos exploratórios

Fluorinated surfactants in solution: Diffusion coefficients of fluorinated alcohols in water

Intra-diffusion coefficients of three fluorinated alcohols, 2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropan-1-ol (PFP), 2,2,3,3,4,4,4-heptafluorobutan-1-ol (HFB) and 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,5-nonafluoropentan-1-ol (NFP) in water have been measured by the PFG–NMR spin-echo technique as a function of temperature and composition, focusing on the alcohol dilute region. For comparison, intra-diffusion coefficients of 2,2,2- trifluoroethanol (TFE) and HFB have also been measured in heavy water using the same method and conditions. As far as we know, these are the first experimental measurements of this property for these binary systems. Intra-diffusion coefficients for NFP in water and for TFE and HFB in heavy water have also been obtained by molecular dynamics simulation, complementing those for TFE, PFP and HFB reported in a previous work. The agreement between experimental and simulated results for PFP, HFB and NFP in water is reasonable, although presenting higher deviations than for the TFE/water system. From the dependence of the intra-diffusion coefficients on temperature, diffusion activation energies were estimated for all the solutes in water and heavy water

Diffusion Coefficients of Fluorinated Surfactants in Water:

Intradiffusion coefficients of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol in water have been measured by the pulsed field gradient (PFG)-NMR spin−echo technique as a function of temperature and composition on the dilute alcohol region. The measurements extend the range of compositions already studied in the literature and, for the first time, include the study of the temperature dependence. At the same time, intradiffusion coefficients of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol, 2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropan-1-ol, and 2,2,3,3,4,4,4-heptafluorobutan-1-ol in water were obtained by computer simulation (molecular dynamics) as a function of composition and temperature. The intradiffusion coefficients of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol in water obtained by simulation agree with the experimental results, while those of 2,2,3,3,3- pentafluoropropan-1-ol and 2,2,3,3,4,4,4-heptafluorobutan-1-ol are the first estimation of this property for those systems. The molecular dynamics simulations were also used to calculate the intradiffusion coefficients of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid in water at infinite dilution as a function of temperature, which are very difficult to obtain experimentally because of the very low solubility of these substances. From the dependence of the intradiffusion coefficients on temperature, diffusion activation energies were estimated for all the solutes in water

Diffusion coefficients of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol/water mixtures

Aqueous mixtures of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol have received significant attention in the last years because their applications, such as working fluid in Rankine cycle thermal engines or as solvent in studies of protein stability (protein folding). From the fundamental point of view, fluoroalcohols have an amphyphile character, due to the simultaneous presence of a hydrophobic (and alkane-phobic) fluorinated surface and a hydroxyl group. Mixtures of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol with hydrogenated alcohols were studied recently in our research group (experimental determination of pVT surfaces as well as thermal, volumetric and structural properties by computer simulation) [1]. In the case of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol/water this study suggested a preference of cross hydrogen bond. Hydrogen bonds play a determinant role in the structure of aqueous mixtures of alcohols, and should influence the dynamic properties of binary systems of fluorinated alcohols with water. The goal of this work is to study a dynamic property (diffusion coefficient) of binary mixtures 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol/water, comparing the results with equilibrium and structural properties already known for this and related systems

Automated recognition of lung diseases in CT images based on the optimum-path forest classifier

The World Health Organization estimated that around 300 million people have asthma, and 210 million people are affected by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Also, it is estimated that the number of deaths from COPD increased 30% in 2015 and COPD will become the third major cause of death worldwide by 2030. These statistics about lung diseases get worse when one considers fibrosis, calcifications and other diseases. For the public health system, the early and accurate diagnosis of any pulmonary disease is mandatory for effective treatments and prevention of further deaths. In this sense, this work consists in using information from lung images to identify and classify lung diseases. Two steps are required to achieve these goals: automatically extraction of representative image features of the lungs and recognition of the possible disease using a computational classifier. As to the first step, this work proposes an approach that combines Spatial Interdependence Matrix (SIM) and Visual Information Fidelity (VIF). Concerning the second step, we propose to employ a Gaussian-based distance to be used together with the optimum-path forest (OPF) classifier to classify the lungs under study as normal or with fibrosis, or even affected by COPD. Moreover, to confirm the robustness of OPF in this classification problem, we also considered Support Vector Machines and a Multilayer Perceptron Neural Network for comparison purposes. Overall, the results confirmed the good performance of the OPF configured with the Gaussian distance when applied to SIM- and VIF-based features. The performance scores achieved by the OPF classifier were as follows: average accuracy of 98.2%, total processing time of 117 microseconds in a common personal laptop, and F-score of 95.2% for the three classification classes. These results showed that OPF is a very competitive classifier, and suitable to be used for lung disease classification