Web-based strategies in the manufacturing industry

The explosive growth of Internet-based architectures is allowing an efficient access to information resources over geographically dispersed areas. This fact is exerting a major influence on current manufacturing practices. Business activities involving customers, partners, employees and suppliers are being rapidly and efficiently integrated through networked information management environments. Therefore, efforts are required to take advantage of distributed infrastructures that can satisfy information integration and collaborative work strategies in corporate environments. In this research, Internet-based distributed solutions focused on the manufacturing industry are proposed. Three different systems have been developed for the tooling sector, specifically for the company Seco Tools UK Ltd (industrial collaborator). They are summarised as follows. SELTOOL is a Web-based open tool selection system involving the analysis of technical criteria to establish appropriate selection of inserts, toolholders and cutting data for turning, threading and grooving operations. It has been oriented to world-wide Seco customers. SELTOOL provides an interactive and crossed-way of searching for tooling parameters, rather than conventional representation schemes provided by catalogues. Mechanisms were developed to filter, convert and migrate data from different formats to the database (SQL-based) used by SELTOOL.TTS (Tool Trials System) is a Web-based system developed by the author and two other researchers to support Seco sales engineers and technical staff, who would perform tooling trials in geographically dispersed machining centres and benefit from sharing data and results generated by these tests. Through TTS tooling engineers (authorised users) can submit and retrieve highly specific technical tooling data for both milling and turning operations. Moreover, it is possible for tooling engineers to avoid the execution of new tool trials knowing the results of trials carried out in physically distant places, when another engineer had previously executed these trials. The system incorporates encrypted security features suitable for restricted use on the World Wide Web. An urgent need exists for tools to make sense of raw data, extracting useful knowledge from increasingly large collections of data now being constructed and made available from networked information environments. This explosive growth in the availability of information is overwhelming the capabilities of traditional information management systems, to provide efficient ways of detecting anomalies and significant patterns in large sets of data. Inexorably, the tooling industry is generating valuable experimental data. It is a potential and unexplored sector regarding the application of knowledge capturing systems. Hence, to address this issue, a knowledge discovery system called DISKOVER was developed. DISKOVER is an integrated Java-application consisting of five data mining modules, able to be operated through the Internet. Kluster and Q-Fast are two of these modules, entirely developed by the author. Fuzzy-K has been developed by the author in collaboration with another research student in the group at Durham. The final two modules (R-Set and MQG) have been developed by another member of the Durham group. To develop Kluster, a complete clustering methodology was proposed. Kluster is a clustering application able to combine the analysis of quantitative as well as categorical data (conceptual clustering) to establish data classification processes. This module incorporates two original contributions. Specifically, consistent indicators to measure the quality of the final classification and application of optimisation methods to the final groups obtained. Kluster provides the possibility, to users, of introducing case-studies to generate cutting parameters for particular Input requirements. Fuzzy-K is an application having the advantages of hierarchical clustering, while applying fuzzy membership functions to support the generation of similarity measures. The implementation of fuzzy membership functions helped to optimise the grouping of categorical data containing missing or imprecise values. As the tooling database is accessed through the Internet, which is a relatively slow access platform, it was decided to rely on faster Information retrieval mechanisms. Q-fast is an SQL-based exploratory data analysis (EDA) application, Implemented for this purpose

Metodología para monitorear riesgos estratégicos provenientes del entorno externo (Methodology to monitor strategic risks)

Para las empresas es de vital importancia contar con una metodología que facilite el monitoreo de los riesgos estratégicos provenientes del entorno externo, ya que esta les permite ajustar sus planes estratégicos de acuerdo con los cambios del entorno -- La información que se obtiene con el monitoreo es el principal insumo para la toma de decisiones de la alta gerencia, ya que facilita tener una mejor visión de los hechos relevantes que pueden afectar la consecución de su estrategia -- Para cumplir el objetivo de la investigación, se realizó un estudio de carácter cualitativo, exploratorio y propositivo, en el cual se estudió información documental sobre diferentes prácticas de monitoreo organizacional —interno y externo—, tales como inteligencia económica, inteligencia competitiva, alertas tempranas, inteligencia de negocios, análisis PESTA y las cinco fuerzas competitivas de Porter, con el fin de reconocer instrumentos, herramientas y mecanismos que sirvieran de apoyo para la elaboración de la metodología -- Adicionalmente, se aplicaron entrevistas abiertas y semiestructuradas a diecinueve profesionales que trabajan el tema de riesgo en diferentes empresas que implementan técnicas de monitoreo -- Los resultados de esta investigación muestran la necesidad de contar con una metodología que incorpore los prerrequisitos para su aplicación —sensibilización hacia la importancia de esta práctica, identificación, evaluación y priorización de riesgos—, que incluya además el establecimiento del mecanismo de monitoreo de los riesgos priorizados, la búsqueda de información, su validación, análisis, y finalmente la toma de decisiones, que permitan responder ante los riesgos estratégicos que pueden afectar las organizacione

Ordenamiento territorial, recursos naturales y Asamblea Constituyente en Bolivia: ¿hacia un Estado Plurinacional? (Otros Temas)

El planeamiento del autor hace referencia a como el ordenamiento territorial y el control –estatal, comunal o privado– de los recursos estratégicos del país serán el tema central de debate en la Asamblea Constituyente de Bolivia. Garcés pasa revista a las propuestas de las organizaciones y del gobierno boliviano y finaliza señalando que será un desafío para la Asamblea y para el gobierno de Morales tomar en cuenta los planteamientos de las organizaciones indígenas y campesinas del país.The approach of the author makes reference to how territorial ordering and control-state, communal and private-of strategic resources are central themes of debate in Bolivia’s Constituent Assembly. Garcés provides an over view of the proposals of organizations and of Bolivian government and concludes by indicating that it will be a challenge for the Assembly and for the Morales government to take into account the proposals of the indigenous and peasant organizations

El impacto del desarrollo y la propuesta del Buen Vivir desde los pueblos originarios del Ecuador

The implementation of development in Ecuador has been a true failure and has caused a negative impact, especially on native and Afro-descendant peoples whose high price would be their disappearance as peoples. In a rebellious way, from the heart of the original peoples, the proposal of Sumak Kawsay, translated into English as Good Living, arises as a life project and as an alternative to development. It becomes necessary, then, to analyze the implementation of development in Ecuador and its impacts, and in view of this, assess the real meaning of the Sumak Kawsay proposal as a medium and long-term life project for all societies. In this essay, we make a brief tour of the economic history of Ecuador, we locate some causes of its underdevelopment and its eternal dependence on “developed” countries. We succinctly review the original concept of Sumak Kawsay as a proposal for life and an alternative to development and we end up describing how the constitutionalized Good Living is not the Sumak Kawsay originally proposed by the original peoples. La implementación del desarrollo en el Ecuador ha sido un verdadero fracaso y ha causado un impacto negativo especialmente en los pueblos originarios y afrodescendientes cuyo alto precio sería su desaparición como pueblos. De manera contestataria, desde el seno de los pueblos originarios, surge la propuesta del Sumak Kawsay traducido al castellano como Buen Vivir, como proyecto de vida y como alternativa al desarrollo. Se torna necesario entonces, analizar sobre la implementación del desarrollo en el Ecuador y sus impactos, y frente a ello, valorar el significado real de la propuesta del Sumak Kawsay como proyecto de vida a mediano y largo plazo para todas las sociedades. En el presente ensayo, hacemos un breve recorrido de la historia económica del Ecuador, ubicamos algunas causas de su subdesarrollo y su eterna dependencia de los países “desarrollados”. Revisamos de manera sucinta el concepto original del Sumak Kawsay como propuesta de vida y alternativa al desarrollo y terminamos describiendo cómo el Buen Vivir constitucionalizado no es el Sumak Kawsay originalmente propuesto por los pueblos originarios

Examinando algunas disyuntivas de política económica con un modelo estructural

En este documento se intenta dar respuesta, mediante el empleo de un modelo estructural, a tres tipos de interrogantes: las implicancias de una mejora en los procesos productivos, los efectos de un cambio en los niveles de endeudamiento público y los costos en términos del producto de un cambio en la tasa de inflación objetivo. Las simulaciones que arroja el modelo permiten concluir que un incremento permanente de productividad aumenta el nivel de producto (sostenible en el largo plazo) sin generar presiones inflacionarias; una reducción permanente de la deuda pública, manteniendo constante el gasto público, implica un mayor nivel de producto en el largo plazo a costa de una menor producción en el corto plazo y que el costo en términos de producto de una política de reducción de la inflación varía inversamente con el grado de credibilidad de la política monetaria.

Ceftiofur-loaded PHBV microparticles: A potential formulation for a long-acting antibiotic to treat animal infections

Indexación: Web of Science; ScieloBackground: The infectious diseases in the livestock breeding industry represent a significant drawback that generates substantial economic loss and have led to the indiscriminate use of antibiotics. The formulation of polymeric microparticles loaded with antibiotics for veterinary use can: reduce the number of required doses; protect the drug from inactivation; and maintain a sustained-release of the antibiotic drug at effective levels. Accomplishing all of these goals would have a significant economic and animal health impact on the livestock breeding industry. Results: In this work, we formulated ceftiofur-loaded PHBV microparticles (PHBV-CEF) with a spherical shape, a smooth surface and diameter sizes between 1.65 and 2.37 μm. The encapsulation efficiency was 39.5 ± 1.1% w/w, and we obtained a sustained release of ceftiofur in PBS-buffer (pH 7.4) over 7 days. The antibacterial activity of ceftiofur was preserved after the encapsulation procedure, and toxicity of PHBV-CEF microparticles evaluated by MTS was represented by an IC50 > 10 mg/mL. Conclusions: Our results suggest that PHBV-CEF particles have a potential application for improving the treatment of infectious diseases in the livestock breeding industry. Keywords: ceftiofur, drug delivery, livestock breeding industry, PHBV, polymeric microparticle

Impacto del tipo de cambio en las decisiones de inversión de las empresas peruana entre 1994 y el 2005

This paper examines the potential negative effects produced by a devaluation on an economy as the Peruvian utilizing a microeconomic analysis. The authors have examined the balance sheets pertaining to 182 non-financial companies and they have demonstrated that a devaluation for itself is not sufficient to guarantee a negative effect on the Peruvian companies’ levels of investment and production. It is necessary an additional high degree of dolarización of passives and a context of financial instability in order that the Balance-Sheet effect operates perniciously. On the other hand, it has been determined that the existence of two additional factors tends to promote the harmful effect of a devaluation: (i) the periods of economic recession, and (ii) the small size of firms. Concerning this last factor, it has been determined that the Balance-Sheet Effect operates asymmetrically since it strikes to small companies with a higher intensity.

Hacia una interpretación filosófica de la organización simbólica ritual del pueblo Kichwa Saraguro-Ecuador

The symbolic ritual organization of the native peoples has been deliberately ignored because the Western Civilizational Paradigm and its science considers it invalid.  In this sense, we have outlined the main objective of demonstrating that it is possible to recover a philosophical interpretation of the symbolic ritual organization of the Kichwa Saraguro people.To carry out this work we used the research and learning method called "Relational Symbolic Experiential" that has been used in the Pluriversidad Amamwtay Wasi. This implies recovering the voice of the original Saraguro sages, contributing with their point of view through conversations. These conversations can be compared to the focus group technique. We have preliminarily concluded, based on the research developed, that several original philosophical principles that governed the Tawantinsuyo, are present and in force in the Kichwa Saraguro People, for example: the existence of a reversal/dual symbolic ritual organization, the validity of the Hanan and Urin elements in the ritual-territorial organization and the validity of an agro-festive and lunisolar calendar.La organización simbólica ritual de los pueblos originarios ha sido deliberadamente ignorada debido a que el Paradigma Civilizatorio Occidental y su ciencia lo considera inválida.  En este sentido, hemos trazado el objetivo principal de demostrar que es posible recuperar una interpretación filosófica de la organización simbólica ritual del pueblo Kichwa Saraguro Para realizar este trabajo se usó el Método de investigación y aprendizaje llamado “Vivencial Simbólico Relacional” que se viene usando en la Pluriversidad Amamwtay Wasi. Esto implica recuperar la voz de los sabios originarios Saraguros, aportando con su punto de vista mediante los conversatorios. Estos conversatorios se pueden equiparar con la técnica de los grupos focales. Hemos concluido preliminarmente, en base a la investigación desarrollada, que varios principios filosóficos originarios que regían el Tawantinsuyo se encuentran presentes y vigentes en el Pueblo Kichwa Saraguro, así, por ejemplo: la existencia de una organización simbólica ritual pariversal/dual, la vigencia de los elementos Hanan y Urin en la organización ritual-territorial y la vigencia de un calendario agrofestivo y lunisolar   &nbsp

índice de sítio diamétrico: um método alternativo para estimar a qualidade do sítio em florestas de Nothofagus obliqua E N. alpina

The first step for constructing models of tree growth and yield is site quality assessment. To estimate this attribute, several methodologies are available in which site index (SI) is a standard one. However, this approach, that uses height at a reference age of trees, can be simplified if age is replaced by another reference variable easier to measure. In this case, the diametric site index (DSI) represents the mean height of dominant trees at a reference mean diameter at breast height. The aim of this work was to develop DSI in pure and mixed Nothofagus alpina and N. obliqua forests, and compare these models with the classical proposals based on height-age variables, within the temperate forest of northwestern Patagonia from Argentina, South America. Data originated from temporary plots and stem analyses were used. Tree age and diameter at breast height were obtained from each plot and used for establishing DSI family functions, following the guide-curve methodology. Site classes were proportionally represented among DSI curves of 17.0, 21.5, 26.0, 30.5 and 35.0 m of dominant tree height. Reference diameter instead of reference age can be cautiously used in order to fit site index models.Primeiro passo para a construção de modelos de crescimento e produção de árvores e a avaliação da qualidade do sítio. Para estimar este atributo, várias metodologias estão disponíveis, na qual o índice de sítio (IS) é padrão. No entanto, esta abordagem, que utiliza uma altura na idade de referência, pode ser simplificada se a idade é substituída por outra variável de referência mais fácil de medir. Neste caso, o índice de índice de sítio diamétrico (ISD) representa a altura média das árvores dominantes de um diâmetro à altura do peito referência. O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver ISD para florestas puras e mistas de Nothofagus alpina e N. obliqua, e comparar esses modelos com as propostas clássicas baseadas nas variáveis altura-idade, para a floresta temperada do noroeste da Patagônia da Argentina, América do Sul. Dados provenientes de parcelas temporárias e análises de tronco foram utilizados. Foram obtidos idade e diâmetro à altura do peito de cada parcela e utilizados para o estabelecimento das funções da família DSI, seguindo a metodologia da curva-guia. Classes de sítio foram proporcionalmente representados entre curvas DSI de 17,0; 21,5; 26,0; 30,5 e 35,0 m de altura da árvore dominante. O diâmetro de referência em vez da idade de referência pode ser usado com cautela para ajustar modelos de índice de sítio.Fil: Attis Beltran, Hernan. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Asentamiento Universidad San Martin de Los Andes; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue; ArgentinaFil: Chauchards, Luis Mario. Universidad Nacional del Comahue; ArgentinaFil: Velásquez, Abel. Universidad Nacional del Comahue; ArgentinaFil: Sbrancia, Renato. Universidad Nacional del Comahue; ArgentinaFil: Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue; Argentin