E-commerce and e-procurement: an outsourcing perspective

The make or buy dilemma has been largely analyzed in the field of Information Systems. The main reason for this type of literature thriving so much is that the Information Systems function was one of the first enterprise areas to be externalized. If traditionally only few activities, distant from the core business of the enterprises, have been externalized with the sole objective of gaining efficiency, in the late Nineties externalization of real company functions has started to be considered again, in some instances concerning activities that have always been considered core business. The role played by the management of organizational interdependencies was stressed and the fact that outsourcing was perceived according to solutions of organizational engineering was highlighted, steering enterprises towards new organizational design criteria. In fact, make or buy decisions require more and more that organizational variables be structured by processes and not by functions, precisely to ease the management of organizational interdependencies and make externalization decisions more transparent and objectively measurable. The research question of this paper aims at understanding how much can a particular form of electronic commerce, such as e-procurement, be categorized as a special form of outsourcing, intending this phenomenon as a hybrid organizational form, halfway between hierarchy and market. In order to categorize the outsourcing phenomenon from a theoretical standpoint, the Transaction Cost Theory (TCT) has been used, while the research method consists of a case study. In this paper the attention will be focused on a particular process only, i.e., procurement, in relation to the activities involved in the externalization process. The paper will analyze an outsourcing case applied to the entire macro-process of procurement. The conclusions will highlight the evolving trends in this research field, which appears to be affected by substantial changes and to be increasingly more volatile and influenced by multiple factors that are not always easily recognizable and measurable. The purpose of this paper in fact is to give a contribution to the formalization of an application subject, namely, externalization of procurement, largely diffused in practice although scarcely developed from a theoretical standpoint

Qualidade de vida em adultos de zona rural no Sul do Brasil: estudo de base populacional

OBJETIVO: Analisar a qualidade de vida e seus determinantes em uma população residente na zona rural. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal de base populacional com indivíduos de 18 anos ou mais, da zona rural de Pelotas, Sul do Brasil. A qualidade de vida foi avaliada pelo WHOQOL-BREF, composto por quatro domínios ( físico, psicológico, relações sociais e meio ambiente), e duas perguntas: qualidade de vida global e satisfação com a saúde. Variáveis demográficas, socioeconômicas e de saúde foram consideradas entre as variáveis independentes. As associações foram avaliadas por regressão linear nos quatro domínios e por regressão logística ordinal nas duas perguntas gerais de qualidade de vida e satisfação com a saúde. RESULTADOS: A amostra foi composta por 1.479 indivíduos. As prevalências de percepção de qualidade de vida global muito ruim e insatisfação com a saúde foram, respectivamente, 22,5% e 26,3%. Indivíduos mais velhos (p < 0,001), com cor da pele não branca (p = 0,004), com menor escolaridade (p < 0,001), mais pobres (p = 0,001) e que residiram a vida toda na zona rural (p = 0,049) apresentaram menor chance de ter melhor percepção de qualidade de vida global. Quanto à satisfação com a saúde, as mulheres (p = 0,001), os mais velhos (p = 0,001), os desempregados (p = 0,023) e aqueles portadores de doenças tiveram menor chance de relatarem maior satisfação com a saúde. Para os quatro domínios avaliados, os resultados foram consistentes com os observados para as perguntas gerais. CONCLUSÕES: O fato de ser mulher, mais velho, não ser branco, ter baixa renda, ter menor escolaridade, residir a vida toda na zona rural, estar desempregado e portar alguma doença foram os aspectos mais relevantes para definir negativamente a qualidade de vida da população. Tendo em vista que são fatores significativamente importantes como determinantes da saúde, estes resultados sugerem que a qualidade de vida é um tema que deve ser colocado entre as necessidades de saúde, principalmente com relação aos grupos mais vulneráveis das áreas rurais.OBJECTIVE: To analyze the quality of life and its determinants in a population living in a rural area. METHODS: This is a population-based, cross-sectional study with individuals aged 18 years or over from the rural area of Pelotas, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. We evaluated quality of life using the WHOQOL-BREF, which has four domains (physical, psychological, social relations, and environment) and two questions: overall quality of life and satisfaction with health. We considered as independent variables the demographic, socioeconomic, and health variables. We evaluated the associations using linear regression in the four domains and ordinal logistic regression in the two general questions on quality of life and satisfaction with health. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 1,479 individuals. The prevalence of the perception of overall very poor quality of life and dissatisfaction with health were 22.5% and 26.3%, respectively. Individuals who were older (p < 0.001), non-white (p = 0.004), with lower education level (p < 0.001), poorer (p = 0.001), and who had always lived in the rural area (p = 0.049) were less likely to have a better perception of overall quality of life. As for satisfaction with health, women (p = 0.001), older individuals (p = 0.001), those unemployed (p = 0.023), and those with diseases were less likely to report higher satisfaction with health. For the four domains evaluated, the results were consistent with those observed for the general questions. CONCLUSIONS: The most relevant aspects that negatively defined the quality of life of the population were being a woman, older, non-white, having a low income, having a lower education level, having always lived in the rural area, being unemployed, and having a disease. Given that they are significant factors as determinants of health, these results suggest that quality of life is an issue that should be placed among health needs, especially regarding the most vulnerable groups in rural areas

Sistematización teórica para un estudio sobre el envejecimiento poblacional como fenómeno polisémico

El envejecimiento poblacional es uno de los problemas más latentes en la realidad actual cubana. Según cifras de la ONEI la población de más de 60 años asciende a más de dos millones de personas. Este es un fenómeno presente a lo largo del ciclo vital desde el mismo proceso de la concepción hasta la muerte; el que, a pesar de ser un fenómeno natural conocido por todos, ha resultado a muchos difícil aceptarlo como una realidad innata a todo ser. Dada la gran complejidad de los cambios que se producen durante el mismo, no ha de sorprender la existencia de más de 300 teorías a los fines de explicar el dónde, el cómo y el porqué de estos cambios. En el presente artículo se caracteriza doctrinalmente el fenómeno del envejecimiento poblacional en Cuba como proceso irreversible, único, individual, universal de cambio que involucra todas las dimensiones del ser humano y disminuye la velocidad de los procesos del cuerpo; sustentado su análisis en los fundamentos teóricos del mismo, así como en la visión totalizadora, que permite asumirlo como totalidad dialéctica, por ello se asume como objetivo Sistematizar una concepción teórica y metodológica que sustente el carácter polisémico del proceso de envejecimiento de la población. El estudio se desarrolla en el momento actual, como parte de un proceso de investigación que se acomete en el Tribunal Provincial de La Habana

BI as a service: an attempt to understand the leading adoption factors

The research question of this study attempts to identify which are the leading factors for the adoption of a sourcing Software as a Service model for Business Intelligence applications. The objective is to build a model containing enabling factors for the adoption of BI solutions. We seek to expand on the Benlian et al. model which is based on a theoretical framework including axioms from Transaction Cost Theory, Resource Based View, Theory of Planned Behavior. In order to better understand the phenomenon under investigation, we will use also the Organizational Culture Theory. It is a theoretical research in progress

Doppler ultrasound - a valid and reliable tool to assess spondyloarthritis

Enthesitis is the hallmark of spondyloarthritis and is observed in all subtypes. Namely, a wide information on spondyloarthritis abnormalities, including synovitis, bursitis, tendinitis, enthesitis and cortical bone abnormalities (erosions and enthesophytes), can be efficiently perceived by ultrasound power Doppler. Furthermore, several studies on imaging of enthesis showed that imaging techniques are better than clinical examination to detect pathology at asymptomatic enthesis. Vascularized enthesitis detected by ultrasound power Doppler appears to be a valuable diagnostic tool to confirm spondyloarthritis diagnosis. This article focuses on the validity and reliability of ultrasound enthesitis assessment in the management of spondyloarthritis patients

Conferencia magistral: Nuevas tendencias en la enseñanza de las ciencias geográficas / New trends in teaching geographic sciences

El pasado 20 de abril de 2012 se desarrolló una sesión solemne de la sección de base de la Sociedad Cubana de Geografía en la provincia de Camagüey, con el objetivo de celebrar el Día del Geógrafo Cubano, fecha instituida por acuerdo del III Congreso Nacional de Geografía, celebrado en julio del año 2000, como homenaje permanente al eminente científico cubano Dr. Antonio Núñez Jiménez. La Sociedad Cubana de Geografía tiene por objetivo agrupar a los geógrafos profesionales, especialistas, técnicos y personas con vocación autodidactas afines a las ciencias geográficas de Cuba; contribuir a la protección del medio ambiente y el uso racional de los recursos naturales; así  como promover una cultura de la Naturaleza. En ocasión de este acto, el autor dictó la conferencia que les ofrecemos íntegramente. En ella se propone fundamentar como la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de la Geografía pueden desempeñar un importante papel en la comprensión real del mundo en el que vivimos, por lo que sustenta que dicho proceso debe transcurrir a partir del tratamiento de tres tendencias principales: el tratamiento ético desde el estudio de las ciencias geográficas a los problemas del espacio geográfico, una concepción de la enseñanza-aprendizaje de las ciencias geográficas desde una perspectiva cultural y científico–desarrolladora y el fomento de las relaciones interdisciplinarias frente a la visión disciplinar. On April 20, 2012 a solemn session of the base section of the Cuban Society of Geography in the province of Camagüey was developed with the aim of celebrating the Day of Cuban geographer, date established by resolution of the Third National Congress of Geography held in July 2000, as a permanent tribute to the eminent Cuban scientist Dr. Antonio Nunez Jimenez. The Cuban Society of Geography aims to bring together professional geographers, specialists, technicians and people with self-taught vocation related to geographical science Cuba; contribute to environmental protection and rational use of natural resources; and promote a culture of nature. On the same occasion, the author gave the conference we offer full. It is proposed to base as the teaching and learning of geography can play an important role in understanding real world in which we live, which supports that the process should proceed from the treatment of three main trends: the treatment ethics from the study of geographical sciences to problems of geographical space, a conception of teaching and learning of geographical science from a cultural and scientific developer perspective and fostering interdisciplinary relationships against disciplinary vision

O contrato de felicidade conjugal proposto às mulheres: uma análise semiótico-discursiva sob a perspectiva de uma vítima de violência doméstica

De acordo com um estudo mais recentemente empreendido na área de Letras a partir do ferramental teórico-metodológico encontrado na Semiótica Discursiva, o contrato de felicidade conjugal desponta como uma das principais razões em nome das quais as mulheres vítimas de violência doméstica tanto ingressam em relacionamentos marcados por uma ou mais formas de agressão quanto neles muitas vezes permanecem por longos períodos – inclusive “até que a morte [dela] a separe” do então “companheiro”. Todavia, conquanto essas e outras pesquisas sigam avançando no que respeita ao entendimento dessas motivações, o mesmo não se pode afirmar em relação a quem seriam os destinadores desse contrato e quais estratégias eles empregariam a fim de propô-lo. Nesse contexto, valendo-se de um depoimento coletado de uma página do Instagram dedicada a sobreviventes de abusos, o objetivo deste estudo consiste em melhor compreender, sob a perspectiva de uma vítima de violência doméstica, por meio de quem e como esse contrato de felicidade conjugal é apresentado para/junto às mulheres. Para tanto, o trabalho igualmente se apoia nas contribuições de natureza semiótico-discursiva, mediante as contribuições de Barros (2005, 2016) e de Fiorin (1996, 2016), com base nas quais desvela o fazer persuasivo de dois sujeitos operadores

Conferencia magistral: Nuevas tendencias en la enseñanza de las ciencias geográficas / New trends in teaching geographic sciences

El pasado 20 de abril de 2012 se desarrolló una sesión solemne de la sección de base de la Sociedad Cubana de Geografía en la provincia de Camagüey, con el objetivo de celebrar el Día del Geógrafo Cubano, fecha instituida por acuerdo del III Congreso Nacional de Geografía, celebrado en julio del año 2000, como homenaje permanente al eminente científico cubano Dr. Antonio Núñez Jiménez.La Sociedad Cubana de Geografía tiene por objetivo agrupar a los geógrafos profesionales, especialistas, técnicos y personas con vocación autodidactas afines a las ciencias geográficas de Cuba; contribuir a la protección del medio ambiente y el uso racional de los recursos naturales; así  como promover una cultura de la Naturaleza.En ocasión de este acto, el autor dictó la conferencia que les ofrecemos íntegramente. En ella se propone fundamentar como la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de la Geografía pueden desempeñar un importante papel en la comprensión real del mundo en el que vivimos, por lo que sustenta que dicho proceso debe transcurrir a partir del tratamiento de tres tendencias principales: el tratamiento ético desde el estudio de las ciencias geográficas a los problemas del espacio geográfico, una concepción de la enseñanza-aprendizaje de las ciencias geográficas desde una perspectiva cultural y científico–desarrolladora y el fomento de las relaciones interdisciplinarias frente a la visión disciplinar.On April 20, 2012 a solemn session of the base section of the Cuban Society of Geography in the province of Camagüey was developed with the aim of celebrating the Day of Cuban geographer, date established by resolution of the Third National Congress of Geography held in July 2000, as a permanent tribute to the eminent Cuban scientist Dr. Antonio Nunez Jimenez. The Cuban Society of Geography aims to bring together professional geographers, specialists, technicians and people with self-taught vocation related to geographical science Cuba; contribute to environmental protection and rational use of natural resources; and promote a culture of nature. On the same occasion, the author gave the conference we offer full. It is proposed to base as the teaching and learning of geography can play an important role in understanding real world in which we live, which supports that the process should proceed from the treatment of three main trends: the treatment ethics from the study of geographical sciences to problems of geographical space, a conception of teaching and learning of geographical science from a cultural and scientific developer perspective and fostering interdisciplinary relationships against disciplinary vision