Business models for the operation of Mobility-as-a-Service solutions

Digitalization is reshaping the conventional transportation industry boundaries and it is important to understand which disruptive opportunities emerge. In this study, it is explained an alternative service than the current mobility offer, a concept named as Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS). It consists on transportation from A to B through a subscription plan in which the user plans, books, manages and pays in one single platform, that integrates diverse mobility partners. The empirical purpose of this research is to understand the distinct business models to implement MaaS based on common characteristics of current MaaS projects, implemented in different cities. To address the research problem, the following questions are asked: What are different business models already on the market to operate MaaS? Is it possible to identify different types? Which factors seems to influence the choice of a certain type? In order to answer these research questions, I use a multiple case study methodology. First by analyzing various scientific articles and MaaS projects presentations, specific to each city. Secondly, by collecting empirical data through semi-structured interviews from Mobility-as-a- Service Industry experts. My research determines that MaaS implementation is tailored to the city and a combination of challenges influences its operation. It concludes that the most influential factor for operating MaaS is the level of government support. This thesis finalizes providing a checklist for MaaS implementation.A digitalização está a reformular os limites do setor do transporte convencional e é importante entender quais as oportunidades disruptivas que surgem com ela. Nesta dissertação, é introduzida uma alternativa ao atual serviço de mobilidade, conceito denominado como Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS). Consiste na mobilidade de A para B, através de um plano de subscrição no qual o usuário planeia, reserva, gere e paga numa única plataforma, que integra diversos parceiros de mobilidade. O objetivo empírico desta pesquisa é entender os diferentes modelos de negócios para implementar MaaS, com base em características comuns dos projetos atuais, implementados em diferentes cidades. Para responder às questões de investigação, são colocadas as seguintes perguntas: Quais são os diferentes modelos de negócios já existentes no mercado para operar MaaS? É possível identificar diferentes tipos? Quais os fatores que parecem influenciar a escolha e aptidão de um determinado tipo? Para responder às questões anteriormente mencionadas, utilizei uma metodologia adequada para estudar múltiplos casos. Primeiro, analisando vários artigos científicos e apresentações de projetos relativos a MaaS, específicos para cada cidade. Em segundo lugar, recolhendo dados por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas, feitas a especialistas do setor de Mobility-as-a- Service. Através da minha pesquisa, determina-se que não só a implementação de MaaS é personalizada a cada cidade, mas há também diversos desafios que influenciam a sua implementação. Conclui-se que o nível de apoio do governo é o fator mais influente para a operação e implementação de MaaS numa cidade. Esta tese finaliza ao proporcionar uma checklist para implementação de MaaS

Interclássico case study : the emotional factor of a luxury product and its implication on sales

This written dissertation focuses on several topics related to marketing such as consumer behavior, sales strategy and consumer-product involvement through the analysis of a case study about Interclássico - A Classic Cars seller, founded in 2004. The company is situated in Alcácer-do-Sal and is the main national player in the market. Additionally, the firm expands part of its sales internationally. The case study describes the company, its history and its growth in the past 3 years in terms of sales, the firm’s dimension and market share comparing to its main competitors. Ultimately, this dissertation evolves around the consumer for this type of product, his motivations and purchasing process for a Classic Car. The focus of this study is to understand the relevant factors in the decision making process and the importance of these attributes for buyers. Results of this research are presented and interpreted in order to formulate useful recommendations to improve the firm’s marketing and sales strategy. At the end of this dissertation, a chapter dedicated as a Teaching Note is available alongside a set of guidelines in order to discuss this case study in a classroom setting.Esta dissertação escrita incide sobre vários tópicos relacionados com marketing, como comportamento de consumidor, estratégia de vendas e o envolvimento do consumidor-produto através da análise de um caso de estudo sobre a Interclássico - Um vendedor de Carros Clássicos, fundada em 2004. A empresa está situada em Alcácer-do- Sal e é a principal firma no mercado nacional de Clássicos. Adicionalmente, a empresa expande parte de suas vendas a nível internacional. O caso de estudo descreve a empresa, o seu historial e crescimento nos últimos 3 anos em termos de vendas, da sua dimensão e de quota de mercado da firma em comparação com os seus principais concorrentes. Em última análise, esta dissertação gira em torno do consumidor para este tipo de produto, as suas motivações e o seu processo de compra de um Carro Clássico. O foco deste estudo é compreender os factores relevantes no processo de tomada de decisão e a importância desses atributos para os compradores. Os resultados desta pesquisa são apresentados e interpretados a fim de formular recomendações úteis para melhorar a estratégia de marketing e de vendas da empresa. No final desta dissertação, um capítulo dedicado a uma Nota de Ensino se encontra disponível a par de um conjunto de orientações, a fim de abordar este caso de estudo em sala de aula

Rewiring Neural Interactions by Micro-Stimulation

Plasticity is a crucial component of normal brain function and a critical mechanism for recovery from injury. In vitro, associative pairing of presynaptic spiking and stimulus-induced postsynaptic depolarization causes changes in the synaptic efficacy of the presynaptic neuron, when activated by extrinsic stimulation. In vivo, such paradigms can alter the responses of whole groups of neurons to stimulation. Here, we used in vivo spike-triggered stimulation to drive plastic changes in rat forelimb sensorimotor cortex, which we monitored using a statistical measure of functional connectivity inferred from the spiking statistics of the neurons during normal, spontaneous behavior. These induced plastic changes in inferred functional connectivity depended on the latency between trigger spike and stimulation, and appear to reflect a robust reorganization of the network. Such targeted connectivity changes might provide a tool for rerouting the flow of information through a network, with implications for both rehabilitation and brain–machine interface applications

Multi-electrode stimulation in somatosensory cortex increases probability of detection

Objective. Brain machine interfaces (BMIs) that decode control signals from motor cortex have developed tremendously in the past decade, but virtually all rely exclusively on vision to provide feedback. There is now increasing interest in developing an afferent interface to replace natural somatosensation, much as the cochlear implant has done for the sense of hearing. Preliminary experiments toward a somatosensory neuroprosthesis have mostly addressed the sense of touch, but proprioception, the sense of limb position and movement, is also critical for the control of movement. However, proprioceptive areas of cortex lack the precise somatotopy of tactile areas. We showed previously that there is only a weak tendency for neighboring neurons in area 2 to signal similar directions of hand movement. Consequently, stimulation with the relatively large currents used in many studies is likely to activate a rather heterogeneous set of neurons. Approach. Here, we have compared the effect of single-electrode stimulation at subthreshold levels to the effect of stimulating as many as seven electrodes in combination. Main results. We found a mean enhancement in the sensitivity to the stimulus (d′) of 0.17 for pairs compared to individual electrodes (an increase of roughly 30%), and an increase of 2.5 for groups of seven electrodes (260%). Significance. We propose that a proprioceptive interface made up of several hundred electrodes may yield safer, more effective sensation than a BMI using fewer electrodes and larger currents

Productivity of Osprey, Pandion haliaetus, Nesting on Natural and Artificial Structures in the Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, 1991-2001

Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) declined throughout the Great Lakes basin during the 1950s to 1970s due to usage of organochlorine pesticides. Following the banning of DDT in 1972, artificial elevated nest structures were erected in the Kawartha Lakes region of south-central Ontario to aid in their recovery. As the population grew, large stumps of flooded trees, < 1 m above the surface of the water became important nesting sites, despite their propensity to flood in turbulent weather conditions. We compared the productivity of Ospreys among nest substrates and longevity of the nests in this area from 1991 to 2001. Of 260 individual nesting attempts made over the 11 years, 57% used man-made structures, primarily either quadrupod nesting platforms or utility poles. Of nests on natural substrates, stump nests accounted for 37% of total nesting attempts; elevated tree nests were relatively uncommon (6%). Productivity of stump nests was significantly greater than that of artificial or tree nests (1.48 versus 1.16 and 0.73 chicks produced per occupied nest, respectively). Nevertheless, survivorship of stump nests was less than that of platform nests after 3 years of age, as high water levels, storms or winter ice activity destroyed some of these low nests between breeding seasons. Ospreys were able to attain greater productivity in these stump nests than on man-made nesting substrates

Reproducción facial experimental

Este trabajo describe la realización de una reproducción facial experimental en el marco de un curso práctico en la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad Católica del Uruguay. Dentro de los muchos objetivos se destacan: el objetivo didáctico y académico, el testeo del método empleado y la pericia de los operadores. Para la realización de la misma se cuenta con una cabeza ósea que tenía sus partes blandas momificadas y a la que se le tomaron registros fotográficos previos para la posterior comparación. Una vez limpio el cráneo se procede a la realización de la reproducción facial empleando una técnica de modelado de las partes blandas, usando topes de goma según medidas obtenidas en las tablas de Stewart y material plástico para el relleno de las mismas. Es de destacar que los operadores no tenían experiencia previa ni conocían el material fotográfico testigo. Una vez finalizada la misma se compara con la fotografía del cadáver y se constata un aceptable parecido entre ambos. Esta reproducción facial experimental pone en manifiesto, una vez más, la utilidad que puede tener esta técnica de acercamiento a una identificación positiva y que la misma puede y debe ser utilizada cuando han fracasado todas las otras técnicas de cetreza conocidas

Reliability-based structural assessment of historical masonry arch bridges: The case study of Cernadela bridge

Nowadays, several historical masonry arch bridges present a deficient state of conservation due to degradation processes induced by natural or human actions. Usually, these constructions have significant economic, cultural, and heritage value. Therefore, they shall be thoroughly assessed to verify their structural integrity and safety condition. For this purpose, reliability-based structural assessments are typically performed. However, the associated outcomes (i.e., reliability index and probability of failure) highly rely on the accuracy of the structural parameters uncertainty quantification. This work presents a study regarding the influence of the scattering of the arches' thickness dimensions in the load-carrying capacity assessment of the Cernadela Bridge, a historical stone bridge located in Galicia, Spain. The study first involved a comprehensive experimental campaign to characterize the outer and inner bridge geometry through geomatic techniques, i.e., terrestrial laser scanning and ground penetrating radar. Subsequently, a limit analysis model was developed, considering only the arches' outer (visible) data. From this initial structural assessment, a reliability index of 2.38 was obtained. The influence of the uncertain structural parameters, both geometric features and material properties, in the collapse load was investigated through a global variance-based sensitivity analysis (i.e., Sobol' indices) complemented by a surrogate modeling strategy based on the Kriging approach. Finally, the measured inner geometry of the arches was introduced in the computational model through Bayesian inference procedures. Thus, two new structural assessments were performed: first, by considering the updated distributions of all arches thicknesses, and second, by considering only the updated distributions of the non-influential ones. Reliability indexes of 1.51 and 2.33 were derived, thus highlighting the importance of a proper uncertainty quantification process and the relevance of the sensitivity analysis outcomes to identify the critical parameters on the bridge mechanical response.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación | Ref. TED2021-130497A-I00Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación | Ref. RYC2019-026604-