Spanning trees with generalized degree constraints arising in the design of wireless networks

In this paper we describe a minimum spanning tree problem with generalized degree constraints which arises in the design of wireless networks. The signal strength on the receiver side of a wireless link decreases with the distance between transmitter and receiver. In order to work properly, the interference on the receiving part of the link must be under a given threshold. In order to guarantee this constraint, for each node we impose a degree constraint that depends on the ”length” of the links adjacent to the corresponding node, more precisely, nodes adjacent to long links must have a smaller degree and vice-versa. The problem is complicated by considering different signal strengths for each link. Increasing the strength in a link increases the cost of the link. However, it also reduces the maximum allowed degree on its end nodes. We create two models using adequate sets of variables, one may be considered an extended version of the other, and relate, from a theoretical perspective, the corresponding linear programming relaxations.FCT - POCTI-ISFL-1-152FCT - PTDC/EIA/64772/200

Barroso and Goldman Sachs: has the EU regulatory state yielded to big business interests?

The appointment of former President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso as an adviser at Goldman Sachs has generated criticism in recent weeks, with some observers arguing that it represents a clear conflict of interest. Luís de Sousa writes that Barroso’s appointment highlights the need for more effective conflict of interest standards and clearance procedures for Commissioners, and that failure to establish these standards could undermine public confidence in the EU’s institutions

Challenges to political financing regulation: sound external monitoring/enforcement and sensible internal party accountability

Paper prepared for the international conference Corruption Control in Political Life and the Quality of Democracy: A Comparative Perspective Europe – Latin America, ISCTE, Lisbon, 19-20 May 2005In recent years, governments and legislatures have made an unprecedented effort to improve regulatory systems of political financing which had been perceived by many as fraught with corruption. Some countries have been more sensitive to the problem than others given the nature and extent of occurrences, but the successive waves of reform show how difficult it has been for the political class to arrive at an adequate control response. The reform panorama of the 1990s has been characterised by incremental, short-lived and non-comprehensive articulation of control instruments and monitoring/enforcement shortcomings. The general regulatory context was one of reforming to address scandal and an increasingly discontented public opinion towards parties and their representatives. Despite different national responses and understandings of the major issues of concern, there has equally been a convergence of the type of measures adopted and an increasing cross-country transfer of knowledge about the panoply of instruments available. What this paper will argue, however, is that “similarities” concern more the form rather than the substance of control. The transfer of regulatory instruments has taken place faster than the expected convergence of standards of conduct. Drawing from different regulatory experiences, the article deals with a series of interrelated issues of political financing regulation: liberal versus regulatory approaches to political financing; public versus private modes of political financing; balancing revenue and expenditure; rules of publicity and publication of accounts; making parties accountable internally and externally to monitoring bodies; matching penalties to offences. The aim is to provide a general reflection of the general features of the law and practice of political finance as a preliminary step towards more general conclusions about the challenges facing political financing regulation today. In short, the article attempts to address two overarching questions: Do laws on political financing suffice to constrain party related illegality? Why certain countries do better than others in face of the degree of cross-country transfer of knowledge and regulatory innovation achieved in recent years

Corrupção e Ética em Democracia: O Caso de Portugal, 2006

Complete description of the study here: http://www.apis.ics.ulisboa.pt/catalogo/APIS0038/Para uma descrição completa do estudo, http://www.apis.ics.ulisboa.pt/catalogo/APIS0038/The main objective of the study is to understand the ethical context in which Portuguese democracy takes place, analysing the attitudes, values and practices of citizens regarding corruption. In other words, the study tried to figure out: what do Portuguese citizens think about ethics and corruption; what is the importance level of corruption among other themes of public agenda; how they judge behaviours regarding the public and political positions; how they evaluate the fight against corruption and what measures should be taken.O objetivo principal do estudo é o de procurar compreender o ambiente ético em que a democracia Portuguesa funciona, através de uma análise das atitudes, valores e práticas (reportadas) dos cidadãos em matéria de corrupção. Por outras palavras, procurou-se aferir o que pensam os cidadãos sobre ética e corrupção; qual o grau de importância da corrupção vis-à-vis outros temas da agenda pública; como julgam os comportamentos relacionados com o desempenho de cargos públicos e políticos (definição social de corrupção); que avaliação fazem do combate à corrupção e que medidas/reformas consideram fundamentais para o seu combate.info:eu-repo/semantics/updatedVersio

Of the significance of business relationships

The Industrial Network Theory aims to describe and explain the business relationships and networks in which the focal firm is deeply embedded. One of its major propositions is that business relationships somehow influence, to different extents and over time, the focal firm’s survival. This pertains to the diverse and time-varying significance of business relationships for the focal firm. It has often been implicitly sustained that such significance is strongly related to the role played by business relationships and consequently the relationship outcomes accruing to the focal firm. The logic underlying the relationship significance proposition is outwardly oriented, somewhat overlooking the focal firm’s inside and in particular the conspicuous influence of business relationships on what the focal firm does competently both within and across its vertical boundaries. Arguably, the (predominantly ‘functional’) network-based arguments currently advanced represent a necessary but not sufficient condition for relationship significance. This conceptual paper tentatively suggests that there may be missing a supplementary (essentially internal) explanation supported by Competence-based Theories of the Firm.Industrial Network Theory; relationship significance proposition

Relationship significance: is it sufficiently explained?

The Industrial Networks Theory (cf. Axelsson and Easton, 1992, Hakansson and Snehota, 1995) sets out to describe and explain the business relationships and markets in which the focal firm is deeply embedded. One of its major propositions pertains to the (time-varying) significance of business relationships for the focal firm (Gadde et al., 2003), i.e., business relationships influence to some extent the focal firm’s survival. Such significance seems strongly related to the role played by business relationships and consequently the relationship outcomes accruing to the focal firm. The theoretical justification underlying this proposition is outwardly oriented, somewhat overlooking the inside of the focal firm - in particular the influence of business relationships on what the focal firm does competently within and across its boundaries. Arguably, the creation and appropriation of relationship value by the focal firm is a necessary but not sufficient condition for relationship significance. A supplementary (internal) explanation supported by Knowledge-based Theories of the Firm (e.g., see Kogut and Zander, 1992), we suggest, may be missing. Our aim here has been to intuitively pinpoint a theoretical flaw, further suggesting a feasible path for its solution.Industrial Networks Theory; relationship significance proposition; relationship functions, dysfunctions, benefits, sacrifices, and value

How is the relationship significance brought about? A critical realist approach

The markets-as-networks theorists contend, at least tacitly, the significance of business relationships for the focal firm – that is, business relationships contribute somewhat to the focal firm’s survival and growth. We do not deny the existence of significant business relationships but sustain, in contrast to the consensus within the Markets-as-Networks Theory, that relationship significance should not be a self-evident assumption. Significance cannot be a taken-for-granted property of each and every one of the focal firm’s business relationships. We adopt explicitly a critical realist position in this conceptual paper and claim that the relationship significance is an event of the business world, whose causes remain yet largely unidentified. Where the powers and liabilities of business relationships (i.e., their functions and dysfunctions) are put to work, inevitably under certain contingencies (namely the surrounding networks and markets), effects result for the focal firm (often benefits in excess of sacrifices, i.e., relationship value) and as a result the relationship significance is likely to be brought about. In addition, the relationship significance can result from the dual influence that business relationships have on a great part of the structure and powers and liabilities of the focal firm, i.e., its nature and scope respectively.Markets-as-Networks Theory, relationship significance, business relationships, focal firm, resources, competences, activities

The use of interactive communication technologies for collaborative E-mentoring

This document investigates COVID-19’s impact on the education system by gathering data on how interactive digital technologies mitigated such disruption. Moreover, the study also analyses how and if education’s approaches were modified during the pandemic and what issue(s) arose in that process. The procedures consisted of the analysis of evidence retrieved from three surveys delivered to a broader group of teachers, students, and parents (N=215) crossed with an examination of a set of 5-week longitudinal interviews (30) with three stakeholder groups - teachers, students, and parents (N=6). Results of the analysis are used to derive a set of important design implications that: (1) highlights shortcomings of the distance learning strategies used during COVID-19 and how they can be mitigated; (2) empowers teachers, students and parents with innovative pedagogical approaches that can be fostered by interactive digital technologies that are optimized for distance learning; (3) promotes positive learning experiences supported with scientific evidence. The interactive system’s design derived from a collaborative reflection expressed on the stakeholders’ daily needs while teaching and learning during the unpredictable circumstances created by the pandemic. The OWL CLUB mobile app system seeks to curate the knowledge exchange in a more humane and positive digital experience among an education community. This application also allows the creation and growth of a space that encourages new genuine connections in a digital learning environment for students, with the pursuit of knowledge as their main objective.Este documento investiga o impacto do COVID-19 no sistema educacional, reunindo dados sobre como as tecnologias digitais interativas mitigaram tal disrupção. Além disso, o estudo também analisa como e se as abordagens educativas foram modificadas durante a pandemia e qual ou quais as questões que surgiram nesse processo. Os procedimentos consistiram na análise de evidências obtidas através de três questionários feitos a um grupo mais amplo de professores, alunos e pais (N = 215) cruzadas com uma análise de um conjunto de entrevistas longitudinais de 5 semanas (30) com três grupos de atores - professores, alunos e pais (N = 6). Os resultados da análise são usados para obter um conjunto de importantes implicações de design que: (1) destacam as deficiências das estratégias de ensino à distância usadas durante o COVID-19 e como elas podem ser mitigadas; (2) capacita professores, alunos e pais com abordagens pedagógicas inovadoras que podem ser promovidas por tecnologias digitais interativas, otimizadas para o ensino à distância; (3) promove experiências de aprendizagem positivas apoiadas em evidências científicas. A criação do sistema interativo deriva de uma reflexão colaborativa expressa sobre as necessidades diárias das partes interessadas durante o ensino e a aprendizagem durante as circunstâncias imprevisíveis criadas pela pandemia. O sistema de aplicativos móveis OWL CLUB procura assegurar a troca de conhecimento numa experiência digital mais humana e positiva entre uma comunidade educativa. Esta aplicação também permite a criação e o crescimento de um espaço que estimula novas conexões genuínas num ambiente digital de aprendizagem para os estudantes, tendo a busca pelo conhecimento como objetivo principal

Merleau-Ponty on Intersubjectivity, Subjectivity, and Husserlian Phenomenology

UID/FIL/00183/2019 SFRH/BPD/97288/2013 DL 57/2016/CP1453/CT0035publishersversionpublishe

Sujeito

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