Relationship Marketing Strategies: When Buyer and Supplier Follow Different Strategies to Achieve Performance

Relationship marketing is essential for success in business. The need to understand better the differences in the strategies buyers and suppliers follow is what has motivated this study. We drew on emerging perspectives on inter-firm governance and networks to develop a theoretical framework to understand the success of long-term relationships. We tested the framework using data from 67 merchant distributors (buyers) and 174 suppliers of theirs in the Dutch potted plant and flower industry. While the most successful distributors tend to take the “hard”, tangible strategy using transaction specific investments and fostering joint action, the successful suppliers take the “soft”, social approach by emphasizing trust and the norm of flexibility in the relationship

The Enhancing Impact of Friendship Networks on Sales Managers’ Performance

This paper examines how relationships with friends moderate the impact of professional networks on sales performance. Based on a sample of 204 sales managers in a professional service company, this study presents evidence that friendship networks amplify the effect of sales forces’ professional networks on new product sales as well as on prospecting and converting new deals. Our results offer important insights into the socio-cognitive perspective of sales management literature and suggest that firms should encourage managers to improve their friendships in order to access valuable information that will enhance customer knowledge and support their sales efforts

EFL readers' text comprehension: assessing the effectiveness of illustrations

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Comunicação e Expressão, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Letras/Inglês e Literatura Correspondente, Florianópolis, 2010Este estudo empírico investigou o efeito facilitador de ilustrações na compreensão de texto para leitores de inglês como língua estrangeira. O estudo foi motivado pela necessidade de maior entendimento do tema, tendo em vista ser um assunto atualmente abordado por vários pesquisadores do campo de Linguística Aplicada. A metodologia adotada envolveu a coleta de dados de 13 participantes do curso de inglês extracurricular da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, com nível básico de proficiência, correspondente ao terceiro semestre do curso, o qual é composto por seis semestres. Os participantes foram divididos em três grupos pequenos e cada grupo leu o mesmo texto com uma abordagem diferente: O Pre-Reading Group realizou uma atividade pré-leitura com figuras antes de ler o texto; O With-Picture Group leu o texto com as imagens; e o No-Picture Group leu o texto sem imagens. As atividades realizadas pelos participantes consistiram em uma leitura de texto, uma arefa de recordação de conteúdo imediatamente após a leitura, uma tarefa de múltipla escolha, um questionário retrospectivo; uma segunda tarefa de recordação do conteúdo foi realizada uma semana após o primeiro encontro. Os dados foram analisados tanto quantitativamente quanto qualitativamente, examinando-se os resultados das tarefas de recordação do conteúdo lido, os dados da tarefa de múltipla escolha e o questionário retrospectivo. Os achados deste estudo indicam um efeito facilitador das ilustrações na compreensão de leitura quando levado em consideração o uso das imagens como suporte na atividade de pré-leitura. O grupo WPG mostrou melhores resultados no delayed recall quando comparado com o immediate recall. Os resultados gerais sugerem que o efeito facilitador do uso de ilustrações pode auxiliar os leitores de segunda língua (inglês) na seleção de informação relevante, o que pode ajudar na compreensão de texto para alunos/leitores com nível básico de proficiência

Development of a Business Intelligence Conceptual Model for Waste Collection and Transportation Monitoring

Project Work presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Knowledge Management and Business IntelligenceThe need to answer ever-increasing urban challenges and the integration of new technologies in every aspect of our daily lives prompt the creation of the Smart City concept. These new technologies gather an enormous quantity of data that reveals interesting patterns about cities, enabling opportunities to enhance public decision-making and problem-solving. One critical aspect of urban life is its relationship with the environment. There’s a real need to work on a unified global approach on how to tackle issues such as pollution and waste management, but there is not a single framework or guideline to handle these new data gathered. This work focuses on structuring a framework of analysis for waste collection and transportation purposes. The objective was to develop monitoring dashboards for Departamento de Higienização Urbana (DMHU), using proven metrics of efficiency and effectiveness, result of a comprehensive literature review. A BI framework was developed using Power BI to perform efficiency-based analysis of waste collection circuits – the main process of DMHU. The receptivity of DMHU towards the solution presented seems to indicate that a BI solution is indeed valuable for complex monitoring problems such as solid waste management

RESPONSABILIDADE SOCIAL: O QUE OS FUTUROS ADMINISTRADORES ENTENDEM SOBRE O CONCEITO?

The main purpose of companies nowadays is not only generation of profits for shareholders and investors, of jobs and income or even their own survival and growth. Companies are also responsible for sustainable development and social equity. The objective of this study is to identify the interpretation of undergraduate management students on social responsibility, based on the assumption that these students are the next generation of managers. In addition, this study analyzes the socio demographic antecedents of social responsibility: age, gender, semester in the university, family monthly income, contact with the issue in the university and the impact of social projects on financial performance. In total, 250 structured questionnaires were applied in two different universities in São Paulo State. Results show that the respondents do not have a complete understanding of what social responsibility is. This incomplete perception can influence negatively the commitment of companies to social projects and, consequently, to sustainable development.social responsibility, concept interpretation, undergraduate students, Agribusiness, Agricultural Finance, Industrial Organization,

Nanotech tools offer affordable, accurate historical paint analysis

UID/HIS/04666/2013A nanotech-based clinical diagnosis kit for analysing ancient layers of paint promises conservation professionals cost reductions and greater accuracy.publishersversionpublishe

ELEMENTOS MOTIVADORES DA GESTÃO AMBIENTAL EM UMA UNIDADE PRODUTORA LEITEIRA: UM ESTUDO DE CASO NA HOLANDA

The environmental impact caused not only on agriculture but also for all economic production has changed the development model adopted by society. Several proposals are presented regarding the control of environment impact, which goes worse every day. Thus, some organizations have changed their practices related to the environment, by introducing principles of environmental management and sustainability. However, the purposes of an organization do not always correspond to favorable environmental practices. Motivated by these contradictions this case study was carried out in The Netherlands. The objectives of this study are understanding the incorporation of the environmental variable, finding out the factors that motivate such incorporation, as well as defining the environmental behavior of a Dutch dairy farm. The results showed that this organization will not arouse serious environmental impact, but it was verified that there is a common behavior of “putting out the fire†in the production process when it comes to environmental problems, characterizing its behavior as more reactive than active. In terms of theorical purposes versus actually executed practices the behavior of the organization can be defined as being somewhere between a responsible and a follower organization. The incorporation of the environmental variable by the use of environmentally correct practices was motivated by an external element which is the existence of an environmental legislation instead of an environmental conscience.environmental management, organizational behavior, Dutch dairy farm.,