Case Study in Intellectual Capital and Territorial Development: Analysing Portuguese Local Governments WEB Pages

Multiple authors argue that the digital infrastructure of municipalities and regions, such as websites, have an important role to play in local and regional development since they enable the access and sharing of information, knowledge and the provision of certain services. Functioning as an entrance way to a territory, the websites provide important contributions in the knowledge and intellectual capital management activities. In this sense, an evaluation of websites is a core activity for the updating of content and delivery of services, contributing to their best management in the context of e-government. However, there are a limited number of studies on evaluation of websites from the perspective of intellectual capital, although the importance of this asset, either in business or public sector, and also to the development of territories is recognized. So, this study intend to show the importance of intellectual capital in the public sector, more specifically on local government, by assessing the intellectual capital of its web pages by implementing a model of intellectual capital for the public sector

A consistent discrete version of a non-autonomous SIRVS model

A family of discrete non-autonomous SIRVS models with general incidence is obtained from a continuous family of models by applying Mickens non-standard discretization method. Conditions for the permanence and extinction of the disease and the stability of disease-free solutions are determined. The consistency of those discrete models with the corresponding continuous model is discussed: if the time step is sufficiently small, when we have extinction (respectively permanence) for the continuous model we also have extinction (respectively permanence) for the corresponding discrete model. Some numerical simulations are carried out to compare the different possible discretizations of our continuous model using real data.Comment: 20 figures, 29 page

Efficient redistribution policy: an analysis focused on the quality of institutions and public education

In this work we intend to study how the quality of the institutional factor may influence the efficiency of redistribution policy specifically associated with human capital accumulation. We develop a conceptual discussion building on the importance of income redistribution for economic growth and the key role of political institutions in securing growth-enhancing redistribution policies. We introduce endogenous growth theory elements into our analysis by considering as a fundamental source of economic growth human capital accumulation, motivated by tax-financed education secured through efficient redistribution policies. We outline crucial insights on the underlying mechanisms, emphasizing however that extensive research on the subject is undoubtedly still required. In particular, we identify the main factors negatively affecting the decisive role of political institutions and, consequently, distorting efficient redistribution policy. We then define a political-economic equilibrium as a combination of intermediately strong state and efficient control-rights institutions, implying simultaneous protection from expropriation and implementation of efficient redistribution policy, conducive to sustained economic growth.redistribution policy, human capital, institutions, taxation, public education, economic growth

The financial sustainability of Microcredit in Portugal

Microcredit and microfinance emerged in the 1970’s in Bangladesh and other developing countries and expanded rapidly worldwide as a business model financially sustainable and able to fight poverty and social exclusion. Empirical evidence confirms microcredit ability to mitigate poverty but its financial sustainability is controversial. Using 2006-2009 Portuguese micro-level data, we estimate the failure rate of Portuguese micro-credit projects as 20,6%/year that, to be financially sustainable, would require a real interest rate by 25%/year. Using a territorial variable on a discrete Cox proportional hazard model with censured data, we estimate that the failure rate of those micro-credit projects located in the worst-case NUTS II Portuguese regions (Alentejo and Centro) and promoted by lower schooling people is significantly higher than best-case.Microcredit, Firms failure rate, Poverty, Financial sustainability

New technology in schools: is there a payoff?.

Economists have typically been sceptical that computers improve educational outcomes. But research by Stephen Machin, Sandra McNally and Olmo Silva finds evidence that new technology can have a positive effect on pupils' performance.

New Technology in Schools: Is There a Payoff?

information and communication technology (ICT), pupil achievement

Inequality and Growth: Uncovering the main conclusions from the empirics

The theme of the relationship between inequality and economic growth has gained considerable attention among economists over the last two decades. In this paper, we analyse the effect of inequality on growth, whose related literature has been producing inconclusive results. After an exhaustive study of the major empirical works in this specific research area, we are able not only to advance with some potential explanations for the apparent lack of consensus on the empirical assessment of the inequality-growth relationship, but also to achieve a better understanding of the nature of this relationship and the forces underlying it. We conclude that the disparities found in the results of the estimation of the reduced-form relationship are most likely due to three dimensions: differences in the estimation techniques, the countries and the periods included in the sample, and the variable used to measure inequality. The last two aspects have particularly important implications. First, country/region specificities play a crucial role in the relationship between inequality and growth, so more emphasis should be put on the estimation of such a relationship on a national/regional basis, rather than trying to establish universal patterns. Second, the time horizon of the analysis should be carefully chosen, as different transmission channels from inequality to growth tend to operate differently in the short and in the long-run. Third, the fact that inequality in wealth distribution has a stronger negative effect on growth than inequality in income distribution may indicate that the channels through which inequality affects growth are not the same in both distributions. Therefore, we argue that in order to produce an accurate assessment of both the reduced-form relationship and the underlying transmission channels these aspects should be accordingly considered, which has not been the case in most of the empirical literature.inequality, economic growth, transmission channels, income distribution, wealth distribution, taxation

Economics of the Firm and Economic Growth. An hybrid theoretical framework of analysis

The characterization of individual firms is an essential step toward the study of the behaviour of industries and other more aggregated units of economics, and so to the analysis of economic growth processes. Hence, the main goal of this study is to achieve a critical discussion around the conceptualisation of the firm and its role in the dynamical process of economic growth. The approach to the main topic starts with the construction of a theoretical matrix of the economics of the firm, opening with the two major traditions of institutionalist thought in economics, and evolving then towards some considerations around the contractual and the evolutionary approaches. Another important theoretical stream that deals with organizations in economic and sociological terms also appears, the population ecology approach. After this overview, it is developed a cross-exam of distinct theoretical perspectives and the identification of possible flaws of the neoclassical theory. This confrontation, which goes throughout many imperative and controversial issues within economics such as the nature of the firm and the cognitive capacities of economic agents, results in a systematisation about the impact of this discussion on economic growth. The conclusions appear as crucial to develop further research aiming the construction of economic growth models based on a microeconomics that is closer to the reality of firms.Firm; Economic Growth; Institutionalism; Evolutionary theory; Contractual Theory; Ecology Population Theory.

A influência da leitura do livro “Os Meninos das Costas Perfeitas”, na adoção de comportamentos saudáveis, relacionados com a mochila escolar

Introdução: O impacto do transporte diário das mochilas tornou-se uma área de preocupação da saúde pública, sendo necessária uma urgente mudança de comportamentos das crianças, educadores e cuidadores. Objetivos: O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a influência da leitura do livro “Os Meninos das Costas Perfeitas” na mudança de comportamentos de estudantes do 1º e 4º anos. Métodos: Efetuou-se um estudo quase – experimental, onde se avaliou o efeito da leitura do livro, efetuada por pais ou professores, na mudança de comportamentos de estudantes (E) do 1º e 4º ano, voluntários, de uma escola de Felgueiras composto por 36 E (grupo experimental - GE). O grupo de controlo (GC), não sujeito à leitura do livro, foi constituído por 40 E do 1º e 4º ano de uma escola de Famalicão. Elaboraram-se dois questionários, um para avaliar subjetivamente os comportamentos dos E e outro para avaliar a perceção dos cuidadores (C) acerca da mudança de comportamentos dos E. Mediu-se do peso dos E e das mochilas e, nos modelos de mochila com duas alças, a distância de C7 ao topo da mochila, para avaliar a sua posição nas costas. Todos os instrumentos foram aplicados antes da leitura e após 3 meses. Resultados: O GE melhorou significativamente a posição da mochila nas costas (χ²=6,702; p=0,035) e a organização do material no seu interior (χ²=32,864; p <0,001) (χ²=15,587; p <0,001) quando comparado com o GC. Os C percecionaram uma melhoria significativa no ajuste da mochila às costas (χ²=6,231; p=0,013) e uma melhor organização do material no interior da mochila quando comparado com os C dos GC (χ²=5,394; p=0,020; χ²=14,266; p <0,001; χ²=5,365, p=0,021; p=0,021). Conclusão: A leitura do livro demonstrou ser eficaz numa mudança de comportamentos dos estudantes relacionados com o uso da mochila, que se tornaram mais saudáveis.Background: The impact of daily transportation of schoolbags has become an area of concern for public health, which requires an urgent change of behavior of children, educators and caregivers. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of reading the book "Os Meninos das Costas Perfeitas" in changing behaviors of students of the 1st and 4th years. Methods: We conducted a –controlled trial , which evaluated the effect of reading a book, performed by parents or teachers, in changing behaviors of students (E) of the 1st and 4th year, volunteers from a school Felgueiras comprising 36 E (experimental group - EG). The control group (CG), not subject to reading the book, comprising 40 E of the 1st and 4th year of a school in Famalicão. Two questionnaires were prepared, one to subjectively evaluate the behavior of E and to evaluate the perception of caregivers (C) about switching behaviors of E. It was measured E schoolbag’s weight, and in two straps’s bag it was measured , the distance from the top of the bag to C7, to evaluate their position in the back. All instruments were administered before the study and after 3 months. Results: The EG significantly improved the position of the backpack (χ ² = 6.702, p = 0.035) and the organization of the material inside (χ ² = 32.864, p <0.001) (χ ² = 15.587, p <0.001) when compared with the CG. The C perceiving a significant improvement in the fit of the backpack (χ ² = 6.231, p = 0.013) and a better organization of the material inside the bag when compared with the C of GC (χ ² = 5.394, p = 0.020; χ ² = 14.266, p <0.001, χ ² = 5.365, p = 0.021, p = 0.021). Conclusion: Reading a book proved to be effective in changing behaviors of children regarding the use of the schoolbag, which became more healthy