Exploring the Intricacies of Integrating with a Port Community System

On the basis of an exploratory case study, this paper is intended to provide understanding on the intricacies associated with the integration of firms with a business sector information infrastructure (BSII) such as a port community system (PCS). Although there is some research on the implementation of PCS, these studies have rarely addressed the issue of integration of preexisting systems. We address this gap with a case study of a PCS in a Spanish port community, which, moreover, complements prior studies by adopting a processual socio-technical perspective on integration. Finally we elaborate implications relevant to the implementation of BSIIs

Connecting the Mediterranean System of Innovation: A functional perspective

Presented at GLOBELICS 2009, 7th International Conference, 6-8 October, Dakar, Senegal.Parallel session 3: Measuring innovation: surveys and indicatorsPurpose - This paper provides the first qualitative exploratory overview of the Mediterranean System of Innovation (MSI) and presents the results of an interactive work with 25 different innovation delegates from northern and southern Mediterranean countries. The study comes at the turning point where the Union for the Mediterranean is designing the innovation policies and debating the mechanisms to boost the central activities. Design / Methodology / Approach - This research applies the literature of National Systems of Innovation, applying the functions perspective, to study the means Mediterranean countries use to advance its innovation capacity. In collaboration with IEMed, this research invited delegates from northern and southern Mediterranean countries, program directors and European Commission representatives to present the activities in their countries. Findings- The data shed light on the most relevant enabling and blocking mechanisms for innovation as well as showed that R&D support is slightly changing to services and business models. Finally, it highlighted the relevance of having a defined innovation strategy necessary for increasing the existing capabilities. Originality / value - The value of this research represents the use of the system of innovation functions perspective to explore the Mediterranean region. Further research could focus on exploring the differences between the northern and southern Mediterranean countries

Aplicación y evolución de la mejora continua de procesos en la Administración Pública

This article is the first part of a qualitative research process which aims to respond to the following question: How can sustainable Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) be achieved in government departments? In this initial approach, we concentrate on presenting a conceptual and empirical analysis of the application and evolution of CPI at the local governments assessed. This reveals a group of evolutional stages and actions for improvement which arise upon application of CPI. Each of these stages involves a number of basic, strengthening and inhibiting factorsNeste artigo é apresentada a primeira parte de uma investigação qualitativa que procurou responder à seguinte pergunta: Como se consegue a sustentabilidade da Melhoria contínua de processos (MCP) nas Administrações Públicas? Assim, nesta primeira aproximação, centrámo-nos em mostrar sob uma análise conceptual e empírica, a aplicação e a evolução da MCP nas Administrações locais estudadas. Surgem do mesmo um grupo de etapas evolutivas e actividades de melhoria que se manifestam no momento em que se aplica a MCP. Cada uma destas etapas evolutivas é acompanhada por um grupo de elementos básicos, potenciadores e inibidores.En este artículo se presenta la primera parte de una investigación cualitativa que ha buscado responder a la siguiente pregunta: ¿Cómo se consigue la sostenibilidad de la Mejora Continua de Procesos (MCP) en las Administraciones Públicas? Por lo que en esta primera aproximación, nos hemos centrado en mostrar bajo un análisis conceptual y empírico la aplicación y la evolución de la MCP en las Administraciones locales estudiadas. Afloran del mismo, un grupo de etapas evolutivas y actividades de mejora que surgen al momento que se aplica la MCP. Cada una de estas etapas evolutivas es acompañada por un grupo de elementos básicos, potenciadores e inhibidores

Caminos de sostenibilidad de la mejora continua de procesos en la Administración Pública: comparativa de Ayuntamientos españoles

In this second qualitative research article based on four Spanish local governments, the results for each one are presented in an exemplified manner. The following sub-questions are answered: 3) What different routes towards sustainability have been identified?, 4) What are the strengthening and inhibiting factors which influence these routes? The article consequently identifies a range of routes to sustainable CPI: “Continuous cyclic flow”, “continuous flow in batches”, “flow in development”, “unblocked flow” and “blocked and irreversible flow”. (See the article in a back issue of the journal on the conceptual analysis and the development and response to the first two sub-questions of this research project at http://gcg.universia.net/artículo/85/APLICACIÓN-EVOLUCIÓN-MEJORA-CONTINUA-PROCESOSADMINISTRACIÓN-PÚBLICA.html).Neste segundo artigo da investigação qualitativa baseada em quatro Autarquias espanholas são apresentados, de forma exemplificativa, os resultados para cada uma delas. São dadas respostas às seguintes perguntas complementares: 3) Quais os diferentes caminhos de sustentabilidade que se detectam? 4) Que potenciadores e inibidores influem na evolução dos diferentes caminhos de sustentabilidade? Emergem do mesmo uma série de diferentes caminhos de sustentabilidade da MCP: «Fluxo contínuo cíclico», «fluxo contínuo por lotes», «fluxo em desenvolvimento», «fluxo desbloqueado» e «fluxo bloqueado e irreversível». (Ver o artigo publicado num número anterior da revista para a análise conceptual e o desenvolvimento e resposta às primeiras perguntas complementares da investigação http://gcg.universia. net/artículo/85/APLICACIÓN-EVOLUCIÓN-MEJORA-CONTINUA-PROCESOS-ADMINISTRACIÓNPÚBLICA.html).En este segundo artículo de la investigación cualitativa basada en cuatro Ayuntamientos españoles se presentan de manera ejemplificada los resultados para cada uno de ellos. Se responde a las siguientes sub-preguntas: 3) ¿Qué diferentes caminos de sostenibilidad se detectan?, 4) ¿Qué potenciadores e inhibidores influyen en la evolución de los diferentes caminos de sostenibilidad? Emergen del mismo, una serie de diversos caminos de sostenibilidad de la MCP: Flujo continuo cíclico, flujo continuo por lotes, flujo en desarrollo, flujo desbloqueado y flujo bloqueado e irreversible. (Ver el artículo aparecido en un número anterior de la revista para el análisis conceptual y el desarrollo y respuesta a las dos primeras sub-preguntas de la investigación http://gcg.universia.net/articulo/85/APLICACION-EVOLUCION-MEJORA-CONTINUA-PROCESOS-ADMINISTRACION-PUBLICA.html )

Floating plastic debris in the Central and Western Mediterranean Sea

9 páginas, 5 figuras, 2 tablas.In two sea voyages throughout the Mediterranean (2011 and 2013) that repeated the historical travels of Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria (1847e1915), 71 samples of floating plastic debris were obtained with a Manta trawl. Floating plastic was observed in all the sampled sites, with an average weight concentration of 579.3 g dw km 2 (maximum value of 9298.2 g dw km 2) and an average particle concentration of 147,500 items km 2 (the maximum concentration was 1,164,403 items km 2). The plastic size distribution showed microplastics (<5 mm) in all the samples. The most abundant particles had a surface area of approximately 1 mm2 (the mesh size was 333 mm). The general estimate obtained was a total value of 1455 tons dw of floating plastic in the entire Mediterranean region, with various potential spatial accumulation areas.This work was carried out within the framework of the NIXE III project (http://www.nixe3.com/), the PLAYA þ project of the National Research Plan of Spain in R þ D þ i (CGL2013-49061), and the KnowSeas þ project (201530E018).Peer reviewe

Now, you see me: High concentrations of floating plastic debris in the coastal waters of the Balearic Islands (Spain)

Este artículo contiene 11 páginas, 7 figuras, 1 tabla.Coastal ecosystems are under significant human pressure, partly due to the proximity of pollution sources. In this study, a total of 20 samples were taken in summer around the coastal waters of the Balearic Islands (Spain) using a manta trawl net to examine the concentrations of floating plastic debris through the NIXE III project campaign. Although plastic concentrations showed high variability along the coast, the higher particle concentration (max: 4,576,115 items ⋅ km−2) and weight (max: 8,102.94 g(DW) ⋅ km−2) values were located at the north of the Balearic Promontory. The particle size analysis showed the high prevalence of microplastics (< 5 mm) in these waters, where particles of approximately 0.7mm and 1mm2 were the most frequent in the range analyzed. The high plastic concentration values in the N-NW coast of Ibiza and Mallorca in sparsely populated locations suggest that the plastic particle distribution was mostly conditioned by the hydrodynamic surface conditions.This work was carried out within the framework of the NIXE III project (http://www.nixe3.com/), the PLAYA +project of the National Research Plan of Spain in R+D+i (CGL2013-49061), and the KnowSeas + project (201530E018).Peer reviewe