Surgimiento y conformación de bandas emergentes. Conformación y confrontación de las bandas emergentes

De décadas pasadas el País ha venido experimentando múltiples manifestaciones criminales, generadoras de violencia y que han entorpecido el crecimiento económico y social, inicialmente se dan los movimientos de autodefensas campesinas que a mediados del siglo anterior dieron origen a los grupos subversivos, posterior a ellos surgen los grupos de autodefensas (paramilitares) con el propósito de realizar una lucha contra subversiva, su actuar criminal dejo un mal aprendizaje tanto en la población civil como en los combatientes, estos últimos que posterior a la desmovilización y pese a los esfuerzos gubernamentales no hallaron camino diferente a continuar con su actuar criminal. En el fenómeno BACRIM se ha dado un reciclaje de especialistas en el uso de las armas, en el grado de subordinación que los diferentes bloques de las AUC habían logrado y las limitaciones y retraso de la política de reintegración para enfrentar ese reciclaje encaminado al trafico de drogas, extorciones entre otras actividades ilícitas, lo que ha permitido a estos grupos delincuenciales un acrecentamiento y fortalecimiento en su actuar criminal.For decades our country has been experiencing multiple criminal manifestations, generating violence and that they have hampered the economic and social growth, initially given the movements of peasant self-defense groups that in the middle of the previous century gave rise to subversive groups, subsequently arise the groups of self-defense (paramilitary) for the purpose of making a fight against subversive emerge back to them. their criminal actions leave one bad learning both, in the civilian population as combatants, these last that later to demobilization and despite the Government's efforts did not find different path that continue with his criminal act. In the BACRIM phenomenon, is given a recycling of specialists in the use of weapons, in the degree of subordination that the different blocks of the AUC had been achieved and the limitations and delay of the reintegration policy to face the recycling intended to the drugs traffic, extortion among other illicit activities, which allowed these criminal groups an enhancement and strengthening in his criminal act

Web Acceptance and Usage Model: A Comparison between Goal-directed and Experiential Web Users

In this paper we analyse the Web acceptance and usage between goal-directed users and experiential users, incorporating intrinsic motives to improve the particular and explanatory TAM value –traditionally related to extrinsic motives-. A field study was conducted to validate measures used to operationalize model variables and to test the hypothesised network of relationships. The data analysis method used was Partial Least Squares (PLS).The empirical results provided strong support for the hypotheses, highlighting the roles of flow, ease of use and usefulness in determining the actual use of the Web among experiential and goal-directed users. In contrast with previous research that suggests that flow would be more likely to occur during experiential activities than goal-directed activities, we found clear evidence of flow for goal-directed activities. In particular the study findings indicate that flow might play a powerfulrole in determining the attitude towards usage,intention to useand, in turn,actual Web use among experiential and goal-directed users

EDMS Use in Local E-Government: Extent of Use and Overall Performance Mediated by Routinization and Infusion

This study analyzes the effects of several post-adoption behaviors (extent of use, routinization and infusion) on overall performance in using an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS). Furthermore, we test whether the routinization and infusion variables mediate the influence of the extent of use on overall performance. This research collects data from a survey answered by 2,175 employees (EDMS users) of Portuguese municipalities. The Partial Least Squares technique is applied to test the model. The results showed that routinization is directly predicted by the extent of use, whereas infusion is directly affected by the extent of use and also by routinization. Consequently, such post-adoptive behaviors are interrelated not only in a sequential process, but also in parallel. In addition, overall performance is directly influenced by routinization and infusion. Finally, an indirect effects analysis shows that routinization and infusion mediate the relationship between extent of use and overall performance

Importancia de la dimensión hedónico-placentera sobre la estrategia de ejecución del anuncio entre consumidores escasamente implicados

Throughout the last decade, research on beliefs and attitudes towards advertising has shown that the studied subdimensions (materialism, social role and image, good for economy, hedonism/pleasure, corruption of values and others) contribute in different ways to the generation of a global attitude among consumer segments. The present work examines the beliefs and attitudes of a sample of university students, a population segment known to be scarcely involved in advertising and without brand information discriminating skills. The aim of this research is twofold: First, to confirm the major contribution of the social and hedonism/pleasure subdimensions: second, to create a model of beliefs and attitudes for the studied segment. We propose guidelines aimed to enhance both ad processing/elaboration and the generation of appropriate attitudes, in order to taylor advertising strategies to the particular attributes of a given consumer segment.Au cours de la derniére décennie, les recherches sur les croyances et attitudes a l'égard de la publicité ont montré que les sous-dimensions étudiées (matérialisme, image et role social, les effects positifs sur l'économie, hédonisme / du plaisir, corruption des valuers et autres) contribuaient de différentes manieres á la création générale parmi des segments de consommateurs. Le présent travail recherche les croyances et attitudes d’un échantillón d’étudiants universitaires, un segment de population bien connu avec peu d’affinités sur la publicité et incapable de différencier les informations présentées sur les marques. Le but de cette recherche est double. Premiérement, confirmer que le role joué par les sous-dimensions sociale et hédoniste / du plaisir est le plus important. Deu- xiémement. élaborer un modéle de croyances et attitudes pour le segment en question. Nous proposons des points de repáre visant a mettre en valeur á la fois le développement / la création de la publicité et la géneration de com- portements propres, en adaptant les estratégies publicitaires aux attributs spécifiques d'l segment de consommateurs donn

The moderator role of Gender in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT): A study on users of Electronic Document Management Systems

Venkatesh et al. [1] tried to integrate predictability capabilities from the different existing models of technology acceptance. This produced the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). This comprehensive model resulted in the identification of common aspects. It proposed several constructs with a greater explanatory power and analyzed moderating drivers, such as age, Gender, experience and voluntariness of use. By doing so, UTAUT identifies three major drivers of behavioral intention: performance expectancy, effort expectancy and social influence. On the other hand, facilitating conditions and behavioral intention were identified as determinant factors of actual use [1]. In addition to previous considerations about UTAUT, empirical research has scarcely analyzed the moderating role of Gender [2]. This is why this paper particularly aims to fill this gap. Hofstede [3] describes strength, competitiveness and guidance for material success as social roles linked to male values, whilst modesty, tenderness, sensitivity and concern for the quality of life are values associated with women. With respect to UTAUT, existing studies have shown that performance expectancy positively influences behavioral intention more strongly for men (cf. [4], [5], [6] and [7]). Moreover, it has been observed that effort expectancy positively influences behavioral intention more strongly for women (cf. [4], [5] and [6]), while social influence positively affects behavioral intention more strongly for women (cf. [5], [7] and [8]). In our research, with the aim of testing the moderating effects of Gender, a sample of 2,175 users of Electronic Document Management Systems (EDMS) in Portuguese municipalities was used. Taking into account that Gender is a categorical variable, we have adopted a multi-group or multi-sample analysis [9] -dividing the sample into two groups (male = 748; female = 1,427) and estimating each group of observations separately. Before comparing the groups, an analysis of the measurement invariance was carried out to make sure that the construct measures were invariant between both groups [10]. Once the metric invariance had been assessed, we carried out a set of multi-group analyses –interpreting statistically-significant differences in path coefficients as moderating effects. On the one hand, the parametric approach considering both equal variances and different variances has been used [11, 12]. On the other hand, we have applied non-parametric approaches exemplified by the permutation test [13], and Henseler’s PLS multi-group analysis [10, 12, 14]. This study notes slight differences in the results of the aforementioned methods. As a result, the moderating effect of Gender on the relation between performance expectancy and behavioral intention showed that this relationship is stronger among men than women. Finally, a discussion on the implications of Gender as a moderator for the UTAUT model is included

Determinants of User Acceptance of a Local eGovernment Electronic Document Management System (EDMS)

On numerous occasions the significant value of the investments involved in the development of eGovernment and the expectations of governmental information systems use do not correspond to the rate of effective use. This scenario makes it difficult to justify the development of electronic government by governments and local authorities among its citizens. It is therefore important to understand the factors that influence the employees' intention of using governmental information systems. With the aim of understanding the determining factors of using an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) in the context of Portuguese municipalities, this study develops an empirical analysis using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, (Venkatesh et al., 2003). This model's application for information systems research in the governmental context has a weak expression and is unique in EDMS research. This empirical research follows a realist and positivist approach. Data was collected from a survey answered by 2,175 employees of Portuguese municipalities (EDMS users). Partial Least Squares (PLS) was used to test the model proposed. The results showed that Intention to Use is positively affected by Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence and Facilitating Conditions. With respect to the EDMS Use, the results showed that it is positively influenced by Intention to Use and Facilitating Conditions. The main result indicates that EDMS users believe that the use of this information system will help them to obtain performance benefits in their work. However, the increasing use of EDMS is not very influenced by the system's perceived ease of use. In short, this study provides a contribution to the Information Systems Acceptance and Adoption literature in local eGovernmental contexts. In addition, our contribution empirically tests the model for implementation in governmental organizations and provides a better understanding of the adoption and use of an EDM

Aplicación del método del caso a la enseñanza de las finanzas: una experiencia

La aplicación del método del caso en finanzas resulta relativamente complicado según la experiencia previa existente sobre el tema, es por ello que nos propusimos aplicar el método del caso en la asignatura Innovación y Tendencias en Finanzas Corporativas que se imparte en el Master de Estudios Avanzados en Dirección de Empresa, para lo que se solicitó el Proyecto de Innovación Docente de título: Diseño y aplicación del método del caso como una metodología activa de enseñanza y evaluación. Ello nos ha permitido aproximarnos al método del caso de una manera activa puesto que hemos elaborado, implementado y evaluado un caso. Gracias a este proceso hemos podido identificar los problemas, dificultades, ventajas y bondades que lleva aparejada está metodología docente. En principio, los resultados han sido satisfactorios según la encuesta realizada a los alumnos participantes, si bien de cara al futuro será necesario introducir ciertas mejoras según se desprende de las opiniones de los alumnos y del propio profesor.The Teaching Innovation Project Title: Design and Implementation of the Case Method as an active methodology of teaching and assessment has been proposed to apply the case method in the course Innovation and Trends in Corporate Finance taught in the Master of Advanced Studies in Business. This has allowed us to approach the case method in an active sense because we have developed, implemented and evaluated a case. Through this process we have identified the problems, difficulties, advantages and benefits of this teaching methodology. The results have been satisfactory according to the survey of participating students, although it will require some improvements in the future

Evaluation in the new degrees: opportunity or chaos

Uno de los pilares de la Educación Universitaria que se ha visto afectado por la implantación del Plan Bolonia ha sido el sistema de evaluación de las enseñanzas. Las nuevos Grados en las áreas de las Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales entraron en funcionamiento en la Universidad de Sevilla en el curso 2009-2010. Ya han pasado dos cursos completos, por lo que estamos en condiciones de realizar una primera valoración de los sistemas de evaluación utilizados. Para desarrollar nuestro estudio tomamos como muestra el primer curso del Grado en Economía. Este análisis nos permitirá contestar las siguientes cuestiones: ¿qué métodos de evaluación se utilizan? ¿han cambiado las cosas para que todo siga igual, o por el contrario, ha mejorado el sistema de evaluación? ¿hay homogeneidad en los sistemas de evaluación entre las distintas asignaturas?...The evaluation system is one aspect of university education that has been affected by the implementation of the Bologna Plan. The new degree in Economics and Business began at the University of Seville in 2009-2010. Two academic years have been completed, so we are able to make a first assessment of the evaluation systems used. For our study we analyse the situation of the first course in Economics Degree. This analysis will allow us to answer the following questions: What evaluation methods are used? Has the evaluation system improved? Is there homogeneity in evaluation systems between different subjects

Understanding relationship quality in hospitality services : A study based on text analytics and partial least squares

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the occurrence of terms to identify the relevant topics and then to investigate the area (based on topics) of hospitality services that is highly associated with relationship quality. This research represents an opportunity to fill the gap in the current literature, and clarify the understanding of guests’ affective states by evaluating all aspects of their relationship with a hotel. Design/methodology/approach – This research focuses on natural opinions upon which machine-learning algorithms can be executed: text summarization, sentiment analysis and latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA). Our data set contains 47,172 reviews of 33 hotels located in Las Vegas, and registered with Yelp. A component- based structural equation modeling (partial least squares (PLS)) is applied, with a dual – exploratory and predictive – purpose. Findings – To maintain a truly loyal relationship and to achieve competitive success, hospitality managers must take into account both tangible and intangible features when allocating their marketing efforts to satisfaction-, trust- and commitment-based cues. On the other hand, the application of the PLS predict algorithm demonstrates the predictive performance (out-of-sample prediction) of our model that supports its ability to predict new and accurate values for individual cases when further samples are added. Originality/value – LDA and PLS produce relevant informative summaries of corpora, and confirm and address more specifically the results of the previous literature concerning relationship quality. Our results are more reliable and accurate (providing insights not indicated in guests’ ratings into how hotels can improve their services) than prior statistical results based on limited sample data and on numerical satisfaction ratings alone

Psychological elements explaining the consumer's adoption and use of a website recommendation system: A theoretical framework proposal

The purpose of this paper is to understand, with an emphasis on the psychological perspective of the research problem, the consumer's adoption and use of a certain web site recommendation system as well as the main psychological outcomes involved. The approach takes the form of theoretical modelling. Findings: A conceptual model is proposed and discussed. A total of 20 research propositions are theoretically analyzed and justified. Research limitations/implications: The theoretical discussion developed here is not empirically validated. This represents an opportunity for future research. Practical implications: The ideas extracted from the discussion of the conceptual model should be a help for recommendation systems designers and web site managers, so that they may be more aware, when working with such systems, of the psychological process consumers undergo when interacting with them. In this regard, numerous practical reflections and suggestions are presented