Mergers and acquisitions in the Spanish banking industry : some empirical evidence

El nuevo entorno operativo del sistema bancario español, desde finales de la decada de los ochenta, ha obligado a las entidades bancarias a replantear sus estrategias a fin de adaptarse a la nueva situacion. Una de las estrategias elegidas ha sido la de la concentracion mediante fusiones. Este trabajo pretende aportar alguna evidencia empirica sobre el impacto que dicho proceso de concentracion ha tenido en la transmision de la politica monetaria, en el grado de competencia de los mercados bancarios y en la evolucion de las entidades fusionadas. Incluye bibliografia, graficos y datos estadisticos. (ad

Agents of Forest Disturbance in the Argentine Dry Chaco

Forest degradation in the tropics is a widespread, yet poorly understood phenomenon. This is particularly true for tropical and subtropical dry forests, where a variety of disturbances, both natural and anthropogenic, affect forest canopies. Addressing forest degradation thus requires a spatially-explicit understanding of the causes of disturbances. Here, we apply an approach for attributing agents of forest disturbance across large areas of tropical dry forests, based on the Landsat image time series. Focusing on the 489,000 km2 Argentine Dry Chaco, we derived metrics on the spectral characteristics and shape of disturbance patches. We then used these metrics in a random forests classification framework to estimate the area of logging, fire, partial clearing, riparian changes and drought. Our results highlight that partial clearing was the most widespread type of forest disturbance from 1990–to 2017, extending over 5520 km2 (±407 km2), followed by fire (4562 ± 388 km2) and logging (3891 ± 341 km2). Our analyses also reveal marked trends over time, with partial clearing generally becoming more prevalent, whereas fires declined. Comparing the spatial patterns of different disturbance types against accessibility indicators showed that fire and logging prevalence was higher closer to fields, while smallholder homesteads were associated with less burning. Roads were, surprisingly, not associated with clear trends in disturbance prevalence. To our knowledge, this is the first attribution of disturbance agents in tropical dry forests based on satellite-based indicators. While our study reveals remaining uncertainties in this attribution process, our framework has considerable potential for monitoring tropical dry forest disturbances at scale. Tropical dry forests in South America, Africa and Southeast Asia are some of the fastest disappearing ecosystems on the planet, and more robust monitoring of forest degradation in these regions is urgently needed.Peer Reviewe

Desarrollo de un laboratorio virtual para la medida de ciclos indicados de un motor alternativo policombustible de encendido provocado

Se ha desarrollado un laboratorio virtual para la medida de ciclos indicados en un motor alternativo policombustible de encendido provocado. El laboratorio virtual desarrollado permite por una parte simular y obtener el ciclo indicado de un motor alternativo de cuatro tiempos, pudiendo modificar los parámetros más importantes de operación (régimen de giro, presiones de admisión y escape, temperaturas, etc.) y de diseño (parámetros geométricos del motor). Por otra parte, el laboratorio virtual permite simular el ensayo del motor en banco de pruebas y la medida del ciclo indicado. Los modelos matemáticos necesarios se han escrito en lenguaje Fortran, y estos interaccionan con un interfaz gráfico de usuario (GUI) programado en VEE®. El laboratorio virtual puede implementarse en una plataforma virtual de enseñanza de manera que los alumnos puedan tener acceso al sistema desde cualquier ordenador, en cualquier momento y desde cualquier lugar

Incremental transformations in consolidated informal housing: The case of Santa María de las Lomas, Guayaquil

La máxima repercusión que puede tener un proyecto arquitectónico en la transformación social de un barrio no es cambiar la sociedad mediante el proyecto, sino permitir que la sociedad cambie a través de la arquitectura. En el caso de la vivienda informal, esta transformación se produce mediante pequeñas alteraciones incrementales en cada vivienda, clasificadas en tres tipos: improvisaciones, tanteos y aproximaciones. Éstas dan lugar a comportamientos globales lógicos que pueden suponer avances significativos en la estructura social de un barrio. El presente artículo expone el avance parcial de la investigación llevada a cabo en la Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, cuyo objetivo consiste en encontrar influencias mutuas entre las transformaciones físicas de la casa y las transformaciones sociales de la familia, en el barrio informal de Santa María de las Lomas, de Guayaquil. Para ello, se generan diagramas comparativos entre ambos motores de transformación, los cuales describen un detonante de cambio que no es ni la arquitectura ni la sociedad, sino la relación dialéctica entre ambas. The maximum impact that an architectural project can have in the social transformation of a neighborhood is not to change society through the project, but to make it possible for society to change through architecture. In the case of informal housing, this transformation occurs through small, incremental changes in each dwelling. These can be classified into three types: improvised, trial and error, and approximations, which give rise to logical global behaviors that can mean significant advances in the social structure of the neighborhood. This article presents progress of research carried out at the Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil, which seeks to find mutual influences between the physical transformations of the house, and the social transformation of the family in the informal neighborhood of Santa María de las Lomas, in Guayaquil. To this end, comparative diagrams of both transformation systems are produced, which describe a trigger for change that is neither architecture nor society, but rather a dialectic relationship between the two.&nbsp

Connecting citizens with urban environments through an augmented reality pervasive game

The concept of Playable City situates games in public spaces to create connections between the citizens and the urban environment. To this end, Augmented Reality (AR) and pervasive technologies can provide additional information about urban objects or places and support innovative and engaging experiences to increase the user interest in the surrounding area. Understanding how these experiences affect the user interest is crucial for reaching a well-established connection between the people and the spaces around them. Our contribution is a preliminary framework to evaluate how being engaged in a playful activity improves interest and awareness in a specific urban area. The framework is based on the situated motivational affordances to establish a correlation among the users' motivations, the situation, and the employed technological artifact. We use an AR pervasive game to evaluate a playful historical experience as a technology probe. The results suggest that while playing the game, the citizens started to show a growing interest in the historical facts around them. At the same time, they began to raise concerns about other issues like sustainability, socio-environmental, and socioeconomic development.This work is supported by the project sense2MakeSense grant funded by the Spanish State Agency of Research (PID2019-109388GB-I00) and the Madrid Government (Comunidad de Madrid - Spain) under the Multiannual Agreement with UC3M in the line of Excellence of University Professors (Grant Number: EPUC3M17) context of the V PRICIT (Regional Programme of Research and Technological Innovation

La complejidad en la dirección de proyectos análisis del concepto y modelos de evaluación de la complejidad

La complejidad en los proyectos y la complejidad en dirección de proyectos son conceptos cuyo interés va en aumento. En la primera parte de esta investigación se conceptualiza la complejidad en dirección de proyectos desde diferentes dimensiones y se caracteriza la evolución del término hasta la fecha. En una segunda parte se abordan las herramientas existentes para el análisis y evaluación de la complejidad en dirección de proyectos. La metodología desarrollada consiste en una investigación teórica, con la finalidad de conocer el estado del arte del tema en cuestión y su evolución en el tiempo. Tras el análisis realizado y la evolución de los estándares y tendencias internacionales, en esta investigación se propone la complejidad social, como una tercera dimensión de la dirección de proyectos complejos

Project-Based Governance Framework for an Agri-Food Cooperative

In a context that approaches the limits of environmental and social problems, and in view of the challenges that the agri-food sector faces today, the need to produce more food, linking environmental sustainability and human health, constitutes a means for sector organizations to turn these new conditions into opportunities to achieve their strategic objectives in project governance. The objective of this study is to analyze the governance of an agri-food cooperative comprised of farmers with more than 40 years of experience. In addition, we propose, based on the findings obtained, a plan for the organization to integrate the culture of the projects and project management in its governance system. This paper is based on a conceptual framework that takes into account the systemic nature and dynamics of social and organizational interactions, with the aim of moving towards sustainability within the agri-food system, through the analysis of an empiric study in the agriculture cooperative sector in the southeast of Spain. The findings show that working by projects offers a novel and effective governance model for the sector, and that integrating expert and experienced knowledge, working with people, is a fundamental condition for moving towards sustainability

Complexity in project management: analysis from the conceptual model working with people

At present, traditional methods to direct -centered projects in meeting goals, time, budget and quality-requirements are insufficient. In recent years, various studies have shown that the main factors of complexity in project management come from the social dimension of the parties involved and from contextual aspects. It has also been shown to analyze and understand the complex factors that affect the project is a necessary step for proper direction

Relative fascicle excursion effects on dynamic strength generation during gait in children with cerebral palsy

Evaluation of muscle structure gives us a better understanding of how muscles contribute to force generation which is significantly altered in children with cerebral palsy (CP). While most muscle structure parameters have shown to be significantly correlated to different expressions of strength development in children with CP and typically developing (TD) children, conflicting results are found for muscle fascicle length. Muscle fascicle length determines muscle excursion and velocity, and contrary to what might be expected, correlations of fascicle length to rate of force development have not been found for children with CP. The lack of correlation between muscle fascicle length and rate of force development in children with CP could be due, on the one hand, to the non-optimal joint position adopted for force generation on the isometric strength tests as compared to the position of TD children. On the other hand, the lack of correlation could be due to the erroneous assumption that muscle fascicle length is representative of sarcomere length. Thus, the relationship between muscle architecture parameters reflecting sarcomere length, such as relative fascicle excursions and dynamic power generation, should be assessed. Understanding of the underlying mechanisms of weakness in children with CP is key for individualized prescription and assessment of muscle-targeted interventions. Findings could imply the detection of children operating on the descending limb of the sarcomere length–tension curve, which in turn might be at greater risk of developing crouch gait. Furthermore, relative muscle fascicle excursions could be used as a predictive variable of outcomes related to crouch gait prevention treatments such as strength training

Representaciones del tercer mundo

Se propone una aproximación a la construcción territorial del extremo meridional de América en el contexto de los debates renacentistas sobre la imagen del mundo y la posibilidad de un ecumene austral. El análisis de los registros cartográfico, icónico y verbal integrados en la trama discursiva de los mapas elaborados durante el siglo XVI, apoyado en otras fuentes documentales, se orienta a indagar sobre los modos de producción del conocimiento espacial en el inicio del proceso de descubrimiento y exploración del hemisferio sur. Interesa mostrar el papel que jugaron los mapas en la conformación de una matriz de representación de los territorios australes de Sudamérica como frontera, confín del mundo conocido y pasaje a otro mundo posible.É proposta uma aproximação para a construção territorial do extremo meridional da América no contexto dos debates renascentistas sobre a imagem do mundo e a possibilidade de um ecúmeno austral. A análise dos registros cartográfica, icônica e verbal integradas na trama discursiva dos mapas elaborados durante o século XVI, apoiados em outras fontes documentais, está orientada a indagar sobre os modos de produção do conhecimento espacial no início do processo da descoberta e exploração do Hemisfério Sul. Interessa mostrar o papel que tiveram os mapas na conformação de uma matriz de representação dos territórios austrais da América do Sul como fronteira, limite do mundo conhecido e passagem a outro mundo possível.We approach the territorial construction of the southernmost tip of America, within the context of the Renaissance debates on the image of the world and the prospect of a southern ecumene. The analysis of cartographic, iconic and verbal records as part of the discourse narrative of the 16th century maps, based on other documentary sources, aims at investigating the different ways of production of spatial knowledge at the outset of the process of discovery and exploration of the southern hemisphere. It is worthwhile showing the role that maps played in forging a template for the representation of the southern territories of South America as a frontier, the end of the known world and a passage to another possible world.Il est proposé une approche sur la construction territoriale de l’extrémité méridionale de l’Amérique dans le contexte des débats de la Renaissance sur l’image du monde et la possibilité d’un oïkoumène austral. L’analyse des registres cartographiques, iconiques et langagiers intégrés dans la trame discursive des cartes élaborées au cours du XVIème siècle, en s’appuyant sur d’autres sources documentaires, nous dirige vers la recherche d’autres modes de production de la connaissance spatiale au commencement de l’entreprise de découverte et d’exploration de l’hémisphère sud. Il est intéressant de montrer le rôle joué par les cartes dans la conformation d’une matrice de représentation des territoires australes d’Amérique du Sud en tant que frontière, confins du monde connu et passage à un autre monde possible