La nueva era de la polarización de los hábitos de consumo : Lujo Vs. Lowcost

En este artículo se estudian los efectos de las marcas low-cost y de las marcas de lujo en los hábitos de consumo en la sociedad occidental. Por un lado, existe un grupo de consumidores que desea emplear su dinero del mejor modo y por otro lado, existe otro grupo de la sociedad que demanda productos y servicios cada vez más personalizados y exclusivos. Este fenómeno está provocando un cambio en la percepción colectiva en torno al precio, obligando a las marcas a reforzar su posicionamiento y su propuesta de valor para fortalecer la lealtad hacia la marca y así mantener la rentabilidad de la compañía. Pero pese a lo que pueda parecer, las marcas de lujo y low-cost comparten planteamientos estratégicos: ambas se esfuerzan en dar valor añadido para desbancar a la competencia y en poner en el centro de su estrategia al consumidor para construir el universo de su marca.This article studies the impact of low-cost brands and luxury brands in consumer habits in the Western society. On the one hand, there is a group of consumers who want to use their money the best way they can, and on the other hand, there is another group that demands personalized and exclusive products and services. This phenomenon is caused by a change in price perception, making brands reinforce their positioning and value proposition to strengthen client loyalty and maintain business profit figures. Contrary to what one might think, luxury brands and low-cost ones share strategic approaches: both try to add value to oust the competition and place the consumer in a central position so as to build their brand universe

The Strategic Transfer of Intangible Assets via Twitter by Spanish Listed Companies in Times of Crisis

In times of crisis such as the one we have experienced due to COVID-19, listed companies have enhanced the communication of their intangible assets. Thus, the aim of this research is to study how listed companies in Spain have used one of the most popular social channels, such as Twitter, to transfer their intangible assets to their stakeholders. To this end, the communication of IBEX35 companies in Spain with a verified corporate profile on Twitter has been studied during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the main results, it should be noted that the transfer of intangible assets has been based on a strategy where providing added value was the connecting axis of the communication actions implemented and the content provided on Twitter. Hence, this work demonstrates that companies can provide added value in social networks to generate trust, build long-term relationships and strengthen their competitive advantage

The impact of corporate social responsibility strategy on the management and governance axis for sustainable growth

The aim of this work is to show whether a continuous strategy in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) over time brings efficiency and profitability to the company’s operations. The methodology used in this paper is based on two sets of variables: the scoring for 27 listed companies present in the Spanish MERCO Corporate Responsibility and Governance Ranking (MERCO CR&G Ranking), and their share price in the Spanish open stock market for said companies from 2011 to 2019. These variables are compared with regressive, autoregressive and moving average econometrical methods over time. Results reveal that: (i) there is a directly proportional relationship between CSR, measured by the MERCO CR&G Ranking, and the share price; (ii) such relationship loses relevance when considering the economic context; (iii) the great progress of CSR in terms of management, transparency, measurement, environment and governance translates into a crucial contribution to the efficiency and sustainable growth of the company

The Massive Implementation of ICT in Universities and Its Implications for Ensuring SDG 4: Challenges and Difficulties for Professors.

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The use of Twitter as a strategic dialogue platform for IBEX35 companies during the pandemic

El trabajo analiza la comunicación realizada por parte de empresas del IBEX35 en situacio-nes de crisis para determinar los mecanismos que tratan de favorecer el diálogo entre organizaciones y sus stakeholders. La muestra la componen los tuits que incluyen la palabra covid y que han sido emiti-dos por las 27 compañías del IBEX 35 que disponían de perfiles corporativos verificados en la platafor-ma social Twitter durante los primeros 6 meses de la pandemia COVID-19. Tomando en consideración los principios dialógicos establecidos por Kent y Taylor (1998), que fueron adaptados por Rybalko y Seltzer (2010) para Twitter, se realizó una adaptación para establecer indicadores que aplicar en la conversación establecida en la plataforma. Para analizar las diferencias de interacción se ha utilizado la prueba t para muestras independientes y el ANOVA de un factor. Los resultados muestran que las em-presas mantienen un interés por relacionarse con sus públicos pero que siguen tratando temas que no son del interés de los usuarios, lo que dificulta que exista una diálogo o conversación entre empresas y stakeholders. El artículo demuestra que los recursos más utilizados por las empresas en situaciones de crisis son la llamada a la acción y al diálogo, ya sea planteando preguntas a sus usuarios o sugiriendo la interacción deseada. Mientras que preguntar directamente a los usuarios sus opiniones no genera más diálogo, los resultados demuestran que solicitar actitudes, como comentar, difundir una imagen o dar un me gusta sí que aumenta la interacción. Esto implica que existe un interés bajo por parte de los públicos por unirse a una conversación real.This paper analyses the communication carried out by IBEX35 companies in crisis situations in order to determine the mechanisms that try to favour dialogue between organisations and their stakeholders. The sample is made up of the tweets that include the word covid and that have been issued by the 27 IBEX 35 companies that had verified corporate profiles on the Twitter social platform during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. Taking into consideration the dialogic principles established by Kent and Taylor (1998), which were adapted by Rybalko and Seltzer (2010) for Twitter, an adaptation was made to establish indicators to apply to the conversation established on the platform. To analyse the differences in interaction, the t-test for independent samples and the one-factor ANOVA were used. The results show that companies maintain an interest in engaging with their audiences but continue to deal with topics that are not of interest to users, which makes it difficult for a dialogue or conversation to take place between companies and stakeholders. The article shows that the resources most used by companies in crisis situations are the call to action and dialogue, either by asking their users questions or suggesting the desired interaction. While directly asking users for their opinions does not generate more dialogue, the results show that soliciting attitudes, such as commenting, sharing an image or liking an image, does increase interaction. This implies that there is low interest on the part of audiences to join a real conversation

Metabolomic-Based Studies of the Intake of Virgin Olive Oil: A Comprehensive Review

Virgin olive oil (VOO) is a high-value product from the Mediterranean diet. Some health and nutritional benefits have been associated with its consumption, not only because of its monounsaturated-rich triacylglycerols but also due to its minor bioactive components. The search for specific metabolites related to VOO consumption may provide valuable information to identify the specific bioactive components and to understand possible molecular and metabolic mechanisms implicated in those health effects. In this regard, metabolomics, considered a key analytical tool in nutritional studies, offers a better understanding of the regulatory functions of food components on human nutrition, well-being, and health. For that reason, the aim of the present review is to summarize the available scientific evidence related to the metabolic effects of VOO or its minor bioactive compounds in human, animal, and in vitro studies using metabolomics approachesFEDER 2014–2020/Junta de Andalucía/ Consejería de Transformación económica, Industria, Conocimiento y Universidades.Project (B-AGR-257-UGR18

Exploring Dietary Behavior Changes Due to the COVID-19 Confinement in Colombia: A National and Regional Survey Study

The authors would like to extend their gratitude and acknowledgments to all study participants and to all Foundations, Institutions, and Societies that supported the survey, helping in the process of dissemination: Asociacion Colombiana de Dietistas y Nutricionistas, ACODIN, Asociacion Colombiana de Facultades de Nutricion y Dietetica (ACOFANUD), Asociacion de Egresados de Nutricion y Dietetica de la Universidad Nacional (ANDUN), Colegio colombiano de nutricionistas Dietistas-COLNUD, Observatorio de Soberania y Seguridad alimentaria y Nutricional de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia (OBSSAN UN). The authors are also thankful to Gloria Esperanza Prada Gomez from Universidad Industrial de Santander (Facultad de Salud, Escuela de Nutricion y Dietetica), who also supported the dissemination of the survey in the Eastern region of Colombia. Sonia Liliana Pertuz Cruz is thankful to Fundacion Carolina, for a doctoral scholarship award.The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of coronavirus SARS-Cov2 (COVID-19) confinement measures in Colombia on the dietary behaviors of a large population sample, at national and regional levels. A survey was conducted to assess dietary behaviors during the COVID-19 confinement. The survey involved 2,745 participants, aged 18 years or older, from six regions of the country (Atlantica, Bogota, Central, Oriental, Orinoquia and Amazonia, and Pacifica). Dietary intake of foods and foods groups in grams per day before and during the confinement was estimated by considering standard serving sizes of foods. One-way ANOVA was used to analyze differences between the regions with regard to dietary behavior changes during the confinement. Differences were deemed significant at p-value < 0.05. Dietary patterns (DPs) before and during the confinement were derived from principal component analysis. Certain dietary habits were adopted by the study population during the confinement (e.g., higher frequency of snacking and home cooking), with significant differences by regions with regard to these habits, as well as regarding culinary processes. The levels of consumption of several foods also changed during the confinement, nationally and regionally. We identified three DPs before the confinement (protein-rich, carbohydrate-rich, and sugar foods patterns) and four DPs during the confinement (westernized, carbohydrate-rich, protein-rich, fish and fruits-vegetable patterns), with an explained total variance of 33 and 45%, respectively. The profile of these DPs varied to some extent between the regions; their adherence to each DP also varied (p-value < 0.001). Our results show that there were marked differences by regions in the dietary behaviors of this population during the confinement, with an overall trend toward unhealthier DPs. These results may help to shape public health nutrition interventions in Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic and in a post-COVID stage.Fundacion CarolinaAsociacion Colombiana de Dietistas y Nutricionistas, ACODINAsociacion Colombiana de Facultades de Nutricion y Dietetica (ACOFANUD)Asociacion de Egresados de Nutricion y Dietetica de la Universidad Nacional (ANDUN)Colegio colombiano de nutricionistas Dietistas-COLNUDObservatorio de Soberania y Seguridad alimentaria y Nutricional de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia (OBSSAN UN

Rol de Bacillus subtilis y dosis de fósforo en la concentración, distribución y absorción de macronutrientes en frijol común

El conocimiento sobre la absorción y distribución de macronutrientes es indispensable en los programas de fertilización en el cultivo de frijol (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Al respecto, el empleo de rizobacterias promotoras de crecimiento vegetal (PGPR) en combinación con la fertilización fosfatada, podrían ejercer un efecto sinérgico y potencializar la absorción y distribución de nutrientes en este cultivo. Se estableció un experimento con el propósito de investigar la respuesta del cultivo de frijol a cuatro dosis de fósforo (P), (0, 25, 50, 100 kg ha-1 P2O5) y a la cepa Bacillus subtilis Q11 (Bs) (inoculación a la semilla y un testigo sin inocular) en la concentración, distribución y acumulación de macronutrientes. El experimento se estableció bajo un diseño de parcelas divididas en bloques al azar con tres repeticiones. Según los resultados obtenidos, la acumulación de biomasa se afectó de forma individual por el P y Bs. La mayor acumulación de biomasa se obtuvo con dosis de P mayores a los 50 kg ha-1, mientras que la inoculación con Bs produjo mayor biomasa que el testigo. La interacción P × Bs afectó la concentración de nitrógeno, fósforo, potasio, calcio y magnesio en los órganos de la planta en todas las etapas fenológicas, excepto en la vaina durante la etapa de llenado de grano. La acumulación de nutrientes presentó un patrón característico sigmoidal y se modificó individualmente por el P y la inoculación con Bs. La dosis de 50 kg ha-1 de P incrementó la acumulación de macronutrientes, sobre todo en la etapa de llenado de grano, mientras que el uso de Bs incrementó la absorción en las etapas de llenado de grano y madurez fisiológica. En conclusión, se comprobó la utilidad de la combinación de Bs con P en la modificación de la concentración, absorción y acumulación de nutrientes en frijol

Characterization of individuals at high risk of developing melanoma in Latin America: bases for genetic counseling in melanoma

PURPOSE: CDKN2A is the main high-risk melanoma-susceptibility gene, but it has been poorly assessed in Latin America. We sought to analyze CDKN2A and MC1R in patients from Latin America with familial and sporadic multiple primary melanoma (SMP) and compare the data with those for patients from Spain to establish bases for melanoma genetic counseling in Latin America. METHODS: CDKN2A and MC1R were sequenced in 186 Latin American patients from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay, and in 904 Spanish patients. Clinical and phenotypic data were obtained. RESULTS: Overall, 24 and 14% of melanoma-prone families in Latin America and Spain, respectively, had mutations in CDKN2A. Latin American families had CDKN2A mutations more frequently (P = 0.014) than Spanish ones. Of patients with SMP, 10% of those from Latin America and 8.5% of those from Spain had mutations in CDKN2A (P = 0.623). The most recurrent CDKN2A mutations were c.-34G>T and p.G101W. Latin American patients had fairer hair (P = 0.016) and skin (P < 0.001) and a higher prevalence of MC1R variants (P = 0.003) compared with Spanish patients. CONCLUSION: The inclusion criteria for genetic counseling of melanoma in Latin America may be the same criteria used in Spain, as suggested in areas with low to medium incidence, SMP with at least two melanomas, or families with at least two cases among first- or second-degree relatives.Genet Med 18 7, 727-736

La nueva era de la polarización de los hábitos de consumo : Lujo Vs. Lowcost

En este artículo se estudian los efectos de las marcas low-cost y de las marcas de lujo en los hábitos de consumo en la sociedad occidental. Por un lado, existe un grupo de consumidores que desea emplear su dinero del mejor modo y por otro lado, existe otro grupo de la sociedad que demanda productos y servicios cada vez más personalizados y exclusivos. Este fenómeno está provocando un cambio en la percepción colectiva en torno al precio, obligando a las marcas a reforzar su posicionamiento y su propuesta de valor para fortalecer la lealtad hacia la marca y así mantener la rentabilidad de la compañía. Pero pese a lo que pueda parecer, las marcas de lujo y low-cost comparten planteamientos estratégicos: ambas se esfuerzan en dar valor añadido para desbancar a la competencia y en poner en el centro de su estrategia al consumidor para construir el universo de su marca.This article studies the impact of low-cost brands and luxury brands in consumer habits in the Western society. On the one hand, there is a group of consumers who want to use their money the best way they can, and on the other hand, there is another group that demands personalized and exclusive products and services. This phenomenon is caused by a change in price perception, making brands reinforce their positioning and value proposition to strengthen client loyalty and maintain business profit figures. Contrary to what one might think, luxury brands and low-cost ones share strategic approaches: both try to add value to oust the competition and place the consumer in a central position so as to build their brand universe