The internationalization profiles of Portuguese SMEs

Given the (increasing) view point that firms’ internationalization strategy is the unique path to overcome the Portuguese dismissal economic growth, the present paper offers a comprehensive picture of the internationalization behavior of Portuguese SME, constituting therefore an important tool for political action. On the basis of the literature review and the factorial and cluster analyses performed, we propose three main segmentation criteria, one (‘Whole encompassing segmentation’: Experienced Medium Low-Tech firms; Low skill, Low-Tech firms; Young High-Tech firms) based on language skills, SME business experience, foreign market dependency, introduction of organizational innovation, exporting to ‘High income countries’ and education level of executive teams. The second segmentation proposal (‘Intermediate segmentation’: Young small-sized firms; Young micro-sized firms; Mature small-sized firms; Young medium-sized firms; Mature medium-sized firms; Foreign equity firms; Highly productive firms) has as criteria the firm size, the SME export intensity and industry. The last segmentation proposal (‘Parsimonious segmentation’: Medium-sized firms; Small-sized manufacturing firms; Micro-sized firms; Non-manufacturing small-sized firms; Export active small-sized firms; Potential exporters; Promising exporters firms) is based on SME size, business experience, foreign capital presence, and average productivity. Given the need for a parsimonius segmentation criterion, we convey that the most adequate segmentation criterion is the one combining SME size, export intensity and industry. This restricted number of criteria does not, however, affect the quality of the proposed SME segmentation, and has the advantage of being stasticaly adequate and user/cost friendly.Internationalization performance determinants, Portugal, Segmentation, SME

The determinants of technology transfer efficiency and the role of innovation policies: a survey

The diversity found in the various Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs), besides being a consequence of the capacities and motives of the different stakeholders involved (public research organisations, industry, consulting firms and public authorities) also reflects the specificities of public incentives or policies and their differing degrees of commitment to technology transfer. Notwithstanding the fact that the literature on technology transfer is voluminous, few studies (up to the present date) have investigated the role of innovation policy on TTOs efficiency and the instruments available for governments to improve technology transfer from publicly funded research. The present paper surveys the literature on the determinants of TTOs efficiency, highlighting in particular the role of innovation policy. Additionally, evidence within the context of the European Union on innovation policies for technology transfer improvement is detailed.Technology transfer, innovation policies, technology transfer efficiency

Policy approaches regarding technology transfer: Portugal and Switzerland compared

The environment in which technology transfer takes place plays a key role in defining the best approaches and, ultimately, their success. In the present paper we analyse the extent to which Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) efficiency is influenced by framework conditions and, in particular, by the innovation policies and programmes. We hypothesise that countries with higher technology transfer efficiency levels would have innovation policies more supportive to technology transfer efforts. Results based on an in depth account and statistical analysis of over 60 innovation policies from Switzerland (widely associated to high levels of technology transference efficiency) and Portugal (a laggard country in this particular) corraborate our initial hypothesis. Switzerland policies overall include more references to knowledge and technology transfer, in the form of licenses, R&D collaboration and spin-offs, than Portuguese policies. One exception is the case of patents (intellectual property rights, in general) with stronger weight in Portuguese policies and, to some extent, the support to spin-off creation and venture capital. The findings highlighted significant differences in variables with impact in technology transfer, namely the priorities addressed, target groups and funding eligibility, aspects of the innovation process targeted and forms of funding. From the exercise it was possible to derive some policy implications. Specifically, we advance that if a country wishes to increase technology transfer efficiency then it should implement a mandate for R&D cooperation between different actors, give priority to fund cutting edge science and research performers, and attribute a higher emphasis on applied industrial research and prototype creation aspects of the innovation process.Technology transfer, innovation policies, technology transfer efficiency

Policy approaches regarding technology transfer: Portugal and Switzerland compared

The environment in which technology transfer takes place plays a key role in defining the best approaches and, ultimately, their success. In the present paper we analyse the extent to which Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) efficiency is influenced by framework conditions and, in particular, by the innovation policies and programmes. We hypothesise that countries with higher technology transfer efficiency levels would have innovation policies more supportive to technology transfer efforts. Results based on an in depth account and statistical analysis of over 60 innovation policies from Switzerland (widely associated to high levels of technology transference efficiency) and Portugal (a laggard country in this particular) corraborate our initial hypothesis. Switzerland policies overall include more references to knowledge and technology transfer, in the form of licenses, R&D collaboration and spin-offs, than Portuguese policies. One exception is the case of patents (intellectual property rights, in general) with stronger weight in Portuguese policies and, to some extent, the support to spin-off creation and venture capital. The findings highlighted significant differences in variables with impact in technology transfer, namely the priorities addressed, target groups and funding eligibility, aspects of the innovation process targeted and forms of funding. From the exercise it was possible to derive some policy implications. Specifically, we advance that if a country wishes to increase technology transfer efficiency then it should implement a mandate for R&D cooperation between different actors, give priority to fund cutting edge science and research performers, and attribute a higher emphasis on applied industrial research and prototype creation aspects of the innovation process.Technology transfer, innovation policies, technology transfer efficiency

Regeneración en bosques mixtos en la Serra da Lousa

Stand regeneration is one of the most important aspects of silviculture as it ensures stand and production perpetuity. Regeneration occurs after one or several disturbances releasing growing space, usually after the elimination of some adult trees. In Northern and Central Portugal many maritime pine old growth stands have natural regeneration of several broadleaved species, in particular sweet chestnut and English oak. In multi-species stands regeneration and recruitment analysis should consider both density and diversity measures. A series of permanent plots established in Serra da Lousã made it possible to characterise the existing natural regeneration and its evolution with two successive measurements in 2001 and 2009. All individuals with a diameter at breast height equal or less than 5 cm were considered as regeneration. Their recruitment was evaluated in 2009 and analysed as a function of absolute stand density measures and seven diversity indices. The results revealed that recruitment rate was high and that there was a trend towards a balance in terms of species and their proportions, while maintaining a tendency towards clustering and segregation according to the Clark and Evans and the Pielou indices, respectively.La regeneración del rodal es uno de los aspectos más importantes de la silvicultura, ya que garantiza la perpetuidad del rodal y de la producción. La regeneración se produce después de uno o varias intervenciones para liberar el espacio de crecimiento, generalmente después de la eliminación de algunos árboles adultos. En el norte y centro de Portugal muchos rodales de pino negral de edad madura presentan regeneración natural de varias especies de frondosas, en particular, castaño y roble. En rodales con varias especies el análisis de la regeneración y el reclutamiento debe tener en cuenta medidas tanto de densidad como de diversidad. Una serie de parcelas permanentes establecidas en la Serra da Lousã ha permitido caracterizar la regeneración natural existente y su evolución con dos mediciones sucesivas en 2001 y 2009. Se consideran como regenerado todos los individuos con un diámetro a la altura del pecho igual o inferior a 5 cm. Su reclutamiento se evaluó en 2009 y se analizó en función de medidas de la densidad absoluta de la masa y de siete índices de diversidad. Los resultados revelaron que la tasa de reclutamiento fue alta y que hubo una tendencia hacia un equilibrio en términos de especies y sus proporciones, mientras se mantiene una tendencia a la agrupación y segregación de acuerdo con los índices de Clark y Evans y el índice de Pielou, respectivament

In search of excellence - Innovation contests to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in Portugal

Innovation contests are one of numerous initiatives of different nature which have taken place in Portugal over the recent years aiming at raising consciousness of the importance and advantages of innovation and entrepreneurship. From sporadic and unpretentious events before 2000, the phenomenon gained unprecedented dimension and became a popular means that many different organizations use to uncovering novel business ideas and promoting innovation and entrepreneurship. Based on a large data base purposefully built for this research by the author, this paper characterizes the phenomenon of innovation contests in Portugal over the period 2000-2008. Findings show an increasing trend in the number of innovation contests launched annually in Portugal, high rates of rotation of the innovation contests launched annually and growing diversification of promoters

The Pathogenesis Of Tropical Spastic Paraparesis/human T-cell Leukemia Type I-associated Myelopathy

Tropical spastic paraparesis/human T-cell leukemia type I-associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM) is caused by a human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) after a long incubation period. TSP/HAM is characterized by a chronic progressive paraparesis with sphincter disturbances, no/mild sensory loss, the absence of spinal cord compression and seropositivity for HTLV-I antibodies. The pathogenesis of this entity is not completely known and involves a multivariable phenomenon of immune system activation against the presence of HTLV-I antigens, leading to an inflammatory process and demyelination, mainly in the thoracic spinal cord. The current hypothesis about the pathogenesis of TSP/HAM is: 1) presence of HTLV-I antigens in the lumbar spinal cord, noted by an increased DNA HTLV-I load; 2) CTL either with their lytic functions or release/production of soluble factors, such as CC-chemokines, cytokines, and adhesion molecules; 3) the presence of Tax gene expression that activates T-cell proliferation or induces an inflammatory process in the spinal cord; 4) the presence of B cells with neutralizing antibody production, or complement activation by an immune complex phenomenon, and 5) lower IL-2 and IFN-γ production and increased IL-10, indicating drive to a cytokine type 2 pattern in the TSP/HAM subjects and the existence of a genetic background such as some HLA haplotypes. All of these factors should be implicated in TSP/HAM and further studies are necessary to investigate their role in the development of TSP/HAM.331213951401Aboulafia, D.M., Clinical implications of human T-cell leukemia virus type I/II-associated diseases (1995) AIDS Reader, 5, pp. 118-125Uchiyama, T., Yodoi, J., Sagawa, K., Takatsuki, K., Uchino, H., Adult T-cell leukemia: Clinical and hematologic features of 16 cases (1977) Blood, 50, pp. 481-492Osame, M., Janssen, R., Kubota, H., Nishitani, H., Igata, A., Nagataki, S., Mori, M., Khabbaz, R., Nationwide survey of HTLV-I-associated myelopathy in Japan: Association with blood transfusion (1990) Annals of Neurology, 28, pp. 50-56Gessain, A., Barin, F., Vernant, J.C., Gout, O., Maurs, L., Calender, A., De The, G., Antibodies to human T-lyrnphotropic virus type-I in patients with tropical spastic paraparesis (1985) Lancet, 2, pp. 407-410Osame, M., Usuku, J., Izumo, S., Ijichi, N., Amitani, H., Igata, A., Matsumoto, M., Tara, M., HTLV-I-associated myelopathy: A new clinical entity (1985) Lancet, 1, pp. 1031-1032Gessain, A., Gout, O., Chronic myelopathy with human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) (1992) Annals of Internal Medicine, 117, pp. 933-946Iwasaki, Y., Pathology of chronic myelopathy associated with HTLV-I infection (TSP/HAM) (1990) Journal of Neurological Sciences, 96, pp. 103-123Seiki, M., Hattori, S., Hirayama, Y., Yoshida, M., Human adult T-cell leukemia virus: Complete nucleotide sequence of the provirus genome integrated in leukemia cell DNA (1983) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 80, pp. 3618-3622Murphy, E.L., Blattner, W.A., HTLV-I-associated leukemia: A model for chronic retroviral diseases (1988) Annals of Neurology, 23, pp. S174-S180Piccardo, P., Ceroni, M., Rodgers-Johnson, P., Mora, C., Asher, D.M., Char, G., Gibbs C.J., Jr., Gajdusek, D.C., Pathological and immunological observations on tropical spastic paraparesis in patients from Jamaica (1988) Annals of Neurology, 23, pp. 156-160Azizuki, S., Nakasato, O., Higuchi, Y., Tanabe, K., Setoguchi, M., Yoshida, S., Miyazaki, Y., Okajima, T., Necropsy findings in HTLV-I associated myelopathy (1987) Lancet, 1, pp. 156-157Tendler, G.L., Greenberg, S.J., Blattner, W.A., Manns, A., Murphy, E., Fleisher, T., Hanchard, B., Waldmann, T.A., Transactivation of mterleukin 2 and its receptor induces immune activation in human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I-associated myelopathy: Pathogenic implications and a rationale for immunotherapy (1990) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 87, pp. 5218-5222Cheng, H., Tranok, J., Parks, W.P., Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 genome activation induced by human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 tax protein is through cooperation of NF-kB and tat (1998) Journal of Virology, 72, pp. 6911-6916Gessain, A., Saal, F., Gout, O., Daniel, M.T., Flandrin, G., De The, G., Peries, J., Sigaux, F., High human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I proviral DNA load with polyclonal integration in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of French West Indian, Guianese, and African patients with tropical spastic paraparesis (1990) Blood, 75, pp. 428-433Nagai, M., Usuku, K., Matsumoto, W., Kodama, D., Takenouchi, T.M., Hashiguchi, S., Ichinose, M., Osame, M., Analysis of HTLV-I proviral load in 202 TSP/HAM patients and 243 asymptomatic HTLV-I carriers: High proviral load strongly predisposes to TSP/HAM (1998) Journal of Neurovirology, 4, pp. 586-593Manns, A., Miley, J.W., Wilks, J.R., Morgan, O.C., Hanchard, B., Warfe, G., Cranston, B., Waters, D., Quantitative proviral DNA and antibody levels in the natural history of HTLV-I infection (1999) Journal of Infectious Diseases., 180, pp. 1487-1493Hara, H., Autoimmune mechanism in TSP/HAM (1994) Nippon Rinsho, 52, pp. 2919-2925Levin, M.C., Krichavsky, M., Berk, J., Foley, S., Rosenfeld, M., Dalmau, J., Chang, G., Jacobson, S., Neuronal molecular mimicry in immune-mediated neurologic disease (1998) Annals of Neurology, 44, pp. 87-98Hoffman, T.L., Doms, R.W., Chemokines and coreceptors in HIV/SIV-host interactions (1998) AIDS, 12 (SUPPL. A), pp. S17-S26Copeland, K.F.T., Heeney, J.L., T helper cell activation and human retroviral pathogenesis (1996) Microbiological Reviews, 60, pp. 722-742Oliva, A., Kinter, A.L., Vaccarezza, M., Rubbert, A., Catanzaro, A., Mo'r, S., Monaco, J., Fauci, A.S., Natural killer cells from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-in-fected individuals are an important source of CC-chemokines and suppress HIV-1 entry and replication in vitro (1998) Journal of Clinical Investigation, 102, pp. 223-231Umehara, F., Izumo, S., Takeya, M., Takahashi, K., Sato, E., Osame, M., Expression of adhesion molecules and monocyte chemcattractant protem-1 (MCP-1) in the spinal cord lesions in HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (1996) Acta Neuropathologica, 91, pp. 343-350Giraudon, P., Buart, S., Bernard, A., Belin, M.F., Cytokines secreted by glial cells infected with HTLV-I modulate the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their natural inhibitor (TIMPs): Possible involvement in neurodegenerative processes (1997) Molecular Psychiatry, 2, pp. 107-110Greten, T.F., Slansky, J.E., Kubota, R., Soldan, S.S., Jaffee, E.M., Leist, T.P., Pardoll, D.M., Schneck, J.P., Direct visualization of antigen-specific T cells: HTLV-1 Taxi11-19-specific CD8(+) T cells are activated in peripheral blood and accumulate in cerebrospinal fluid from TSP/ HAM patients (1998) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 95, pp. 7568-7573Biddison, W.E., Kubota, R., Kawanishi, T., Taub, D.D., Cruikshank, W.W., Center, D.M., Connor, E.W., Jacobson, S., Human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I)-specific CD8+ CTL clones from patients with HTLV-I-associated neurologic disease secrete proinflammatory cytokines, chemokmes, and matrix metalloproteinase (1997) Journal of Immunology, 159, pp. 2018-2025Hoffman, P.M., Dhib-Jalbut, S., Mikovits, J.A., Robbins, D.S., Wolf, A.L., Bergey, G.K., Lohrey, N.C., Ruscetti, F.W., Human T-cell leukemia virus type I infection of monocytes and microglial cells in primary human cultures (1992) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 89, pp. 11784-11788Fox, R.J., Levin, M.C., Jacobson, S., Tumor necrosis factor alpha expression in the spinal cord of human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type I associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis patients (1996) Journal of Neurovirology, 2, pp. 323-329Nagai, M., Ijichi, S., Hall, W.W., Osame, M., Differential effect of TGF-beta 1 on the in vitro activation of HTLV-I and the proliferates response of CDS+ T lymphocytes in patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM) (1995) Clinical Immunology and Immunopathology, 77, pp. 324-331Saarloos, M.N., Koenig, R.E., Spear, G.T., Elevated levels of iC3b and C4d, but not Bb, complement fragments from plasma of persons infected with human T cell leukemia virus HTLVI with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (1995) Journal of Infectious Diseases, 172, pp. 1095-1097Lira, J., Nakamura, M., Sawada, Y., Ohori, N., Itoyama, Y., Yamamoto, N., Sakaki, Y., Goto, I., Antibody titers to HTLV-Ip40tax protein and gag-env hybrid protein in HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis: Correlation with increased HTLV-I proviral DNA load (1992) Journal of Neurological Sciences, 107, pp. 98-104Usuku, K., Sonoda, S., Osame, M., Yashiki, S., Takahashi, K., Matsumoto, M., Sawada, T., Igata, A., HLA haplotype-linked high immune responsiveness against HTLV-I in HTLV-I-associated myelopathy: Comparison with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (1988) Annals of Neurology, 23, pp. 143-150Godoy, A.J., Itoyama, Y., Tokunaga, K., Hara, H., Kawaga, Y., Kiyokawa, H., Maeda, Y., Goto, I., Allolymphocytotoxic antibodies in sera from HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis patients-putative anti-HLA antibodies (1994) Journal of Neurological Sciences, 125, pp. 62-69Uchiyama, T., Human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) and human diseases (1997) Annual Review of Immunology, 15, pp. 15-37Manns, A., Hanchard, B., Morgan, O.S., Wilks, R., Cranston, B., Nam, J.M., Blank, M., Sonoda, S., Human leukocyte antigen class II alleles associated with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I infection and adult T-cell leukemia/ lymphoma in a Black population (1998) Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 90, pp. 617-622Jeffery, K.J.M., Usuku, K., Hall, S.E., Matsumoto, W., Taylor, G.P., Procter, J., Bunce, M., Bangham, C.R.M., HLA alleles determine human T-lymphotropic virus-I (HTLV-I) proviral load and the risk of HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (1999) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 96, pp. 3848-3853Bangham, C.R.M., Kermode, A.L., Hall, S.E., Daenke, S., The cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response to HTLV-I: The main determinant of disease? (1996) Seminars in Virology, 7, pp. 41-48Höllsberg, P., Pathogenesis of chronic progressive myelopathy associated with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (1997) Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 169 (SUPPL.), pp. 86-93Elovaara, I., Koenig, S., Brewah, A.Y., Woods, R.M., Lehky, T., Jacobson, S., High human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-specific precursor cytotoxic T lymphocyte frequencies in patients with HTLV-1-associated neurological disease (1993) Journal of Experimental Medicine, 177, pp. 1567-1573Casseb, J., Hong, M.A., Salomão, S., Duarte, A.J.S., Gallo, D., Hendry, R.M., Comfection with human immunodeficiency virus and human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I: Reciprocal activation with clinical and immunological consequences (1997) Clinical Infectious Diseases, 25, pp. 1259-1260Casseb, J., Is HTLV-I more clever than HIV-I? (1998) Clinical Infectious Diseases, 27, pp. 1309-131

An approach to cork oak forest management planning: a case study in southwestern Portugal

This paper presents results of research aiming at the development of tools that may enhance cork oak (Quercus suber L.) forest management planning. Specifically, it proposes an hierarchical approach that encompasses the spatial classification of a cork oak forest and the temporal scheduling of cork harvests. The use of both geographical information systems and operations research techniques is addressed. Emphasis is on the achievement of cork even flow objectives. Results from an application to a case study in the Charneca Plioce´nica of Ribatejo in southern Portugal encompassing a cork oak forest extending over 4.8 thousand ha are discussed. They suggest that the proposed approach is capable of effective spatial classification of cork oak management units. They further suggest that it may be used to select optimal cork even flow scheduling strategies. Results also show that the proposed approach may lead to a substantial increase in net present value when compared to traditional approaches to cork oak forest management planning