Organizational and national issues of an ERP implementation in a Portuguese company

This technical research report describes a case of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation in a Portuguese SME. We focused on the identification of organizational factors that affect the ERP implementation project. We also analyzed the ERP implementation project from a national cultural perspective using Geert Hofstede's dimensions. These dimensions were used to explain some of the attitudes and behaviours during the ERP implementation project. The findings suggest that some of the problems in ERP implementation projects are not of technological nature but may be attributed to organizational factors while some issues related to national culture.Postprint (published version

The HP2 Survey - IV. The Pipe nebula : Effective dust temperatures in dense cores

14 pages, 22 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics Reproduced with permission from Astronomy & Astrophysics. © 2018 ESOMulti-wavelength observations in the sub-millimeter regime provide information on the distribution of both the dust column density and the effective dust temperature in molecular clouds. In this study, we created high-resolution and high-dynamic-range maps of the Pipe nebula region and explored the value of dust-temperature measurements in particular towards the dense cores embedded in the cloud. The maps are based on data from the Herschel and Planck satellites, and calibrated with a near-infrared extinction map based on 2MASS observations. We have considered a sample of previously defined cores and found that the majority of core regions contain at least one local temperature minimum. Moreover, we observed an anti-correlation between column density and temperature. The slope of this anti-correlation is dependent on the region boundaries and can be used as a metric to distinguish dense from diffuse areas in the cloud if systematic effects are addressed appropriately. Employing dust-temperature data thus allows us to draw conclusions on the thermodynamically dominant processes in this sample of cores: External heating by the interstellar radiation field and shielding by the surrounding medium. In addition, we have taken a first step towards a physically motivated core definition by recognising that the column-densityerature anti-correlation is sensitive to the core boundaries. Dust-temperature maps therefore clearly contain valuable information about the physical state of the observed medium.Peer reviewe

Engineering and development in Brazil, challenges and prospects: a new perspective on the topic

Purpose – Engineering is a powerful instrument for promoting the social and economic development of nations. Its enhancement is a strategic element to accelerate Brazil’s progress. This paper aims to present a new perspective on the topic of “Engineering and Development in Brazil, Challenges and Prospects” (Guimarães et al., 2007). Its goal is to discuss the need for restructuring the Brazilian system for research, development and innovation (RD&I) and the training of human resources in engineering in the country. Design/methodology/approach – This article is designed to discuss the relations between the performance of the industrial sector and the maturation of engineering in Brazil by looking at the national scientific production in the area in comparison to the world production and to countries (South Korea and The Netherlands). Finally, in terms of training human resources, the Brazilian study abroad program Science without Borders program is discussed in the article as an important tool for the qualification of engineering students in Brazil. Findings – A few of the main findings in this research are as follows: despite being among the top 20 countries in scientific production in Engineering, Brazil still lacks turning this scientific-technological knowledge into products and patents; Brazilian universities and research institutes must build interorganizational collaborations with the industrial sector to increase innovation in the field of engineering; The distribution of the investment in RD&I in engineering must be strategically distributed among its various fields, taking into account national strategies and the technological interrelations between them. The article concludes that engineering is a powerful instrument for promoting a country’s social development while offering indications about Brazilian strategic orientation in the development of engineering. Originality/value – Despite already being well known that engineering is a powerful instrument for promoting a country’s social development, this article innovates by associating academic scientific production in engineering to other variables related to economic development, such as gross domestic product, human development index, industrial and manufactured production and the filing of patents. It comes at animportant moment when the Brazilian Government is discussing new strategies to increase social and economic development in the country while controlling for the investment in RD&I. Therefore, it is the right moment to discuss national policies in science, technology and innovation, especially in the area of engineering

Value-focused investigation into programming languages affinity

The search for better techniques to teach computer programming is paramount in order to improve the students' learning experiences. Several approaches have been proposed throughout the years, usually through technical solutions such as evaluation systems, digital classrooms, interactive lessons and so on. Personal factors, such as affinity, have been largely unexplored due to their qualitative and abstract nature. The results of a preliminary survey on how and why affinity is created between programmers and their favorite languages, conducted on a master’s degree class at Universidade do Minho, showed unexpected results as to which languages became favorites and the possible reasons for the students' choices. Aiming at further exploration on this topic and continuation of this research, the Value-Focused Thinking method was applied in order to construct a more complex, in-depth survey. This value-oriented method kept focus under control and even raised a handful of opportunities to improve the research as a whole. This paper describes the Value-Focused Thinking method and how it was applied to construct a new and deeper computer programming education survey to understand affinity with languages

Characterization and evaluation of potential impacts in the environment of residual fiber from cellulose

The search for final alternative destinations for residue from industrial processes is a growing problem. Pulp and paper industries generate large amounts of residue, which are not always reused or do not receive an adequate destination. An alternative is its reuse, using the final disposal of the residue in the soil, for its potential to inactivate part of the chemical compounds, allowing its use as agricultural inputs of low cost. The purpose of this study was to analyze the final residue of the wastewater treatment plant of a pulp and paper industry. Industries in this economic sector produce high resistance and low lignin cellulose pulp and recover the chemicals used, reducing costs. In order to pre-evaluate this disposal possibility, this study carried out the classification of the waste classifying the hazardousness of the cellulose fiber, and its behavior under solubilization and leaching tests. The results of the analysis showed the potential of solubilization of substances in water above the maximum permissible value (MPV), characterizing the residue as non-inert and non-hazardous Class IIA. This fact implies that safety doses must be evaluated before its application in soil. Further studies must be carried out in terms of toxicological effects and its potential to be applied to crops

Characterization and evaluation of potential impacts in the environment of residual fiber from cellulose

The search for final alternative destinations for residue from industrial processes is a growing problem. Pulp and paper industries generate large amounts of residue, which are not always reused or do not receive an adequate destination. An alternative is its reuse, using the final disposal of the residue in the soil, for its potential to inactivate part of the chemical compounds, allowing its use as agricultural inputs of low cost. The purpose of this study was to analyze the final residue of the wastewater treatment plant of a pulp and paper industry. Industries in this economic sector produce high resistance and low lignin cellulose pulp and recover the chemicals used, reducing costs. In order to pre-evaluate this disposal possibility, this study carried out the classification of the waste classifying the hazardousness of the cellulose fiber, and its behavior under solubilization and leaching tests. The results of the analysis showed the potential of solubilization of substances in water above the maximum permissible value (MPV), characterizing the residue as non-inert and non-hazardous Class IIA. This fact implies that safety doses must be evaluated before its application in soil. Further studies must be carried out in terms of toxicological effects and its potential to be applied to crops.A busca por destinações finais alternativas para os resíduos de processos industriais é uma problemática crescente. As indústriasde papel e celulosegeram grandes quantidades deresíduos, que nem sempre são reutilizados ou não recebem a destinação adequada. Uma alternativa é seu reaproveitamento, utilizando a disposição final do resíduo no solo, pelo potencial do mesmo em inativar parte dos compostos químicos, possibilitando seu uso como insumos agrícolas de baixo custo. Este estudo teve por finalidade analisar o resíduo final da estação de tratamento deefluentesde uma indústria de papel e celulose. Indústrias deste setor produzemuma polpa de celulose de alta resistência e com baixoteor de lignina, alémderecuperar os químicos utilizados, diminuindo custos.De forma a pré-avaliar esta possibilidadede disposição, este estudo realizou a classificação do resíduo classificando a periculosidade da fibra de celulose, e seu comportamentosob ensaios de solubilização e lixiviação.As análises conduzidas demonstraramcaracterísticas de solubilização de substâncias em água acima dos níveis de valor máximo permitido (VMP), caracterizando o resíduo como não inerte enãoperigoso Classe IIA. Isso significa que doses seguras devem ser estudadas antes de sua aplicação no solo. Estudos adicionais devem avaliaros efeitos toxicológicose o seu potencial na agricultura.  

Programmers' affinity to languages

Students face several challenges when learning computer programming languages, a central topic to acquire programming skills. While those challenges that present a predominantly technical nature have been intensely studied by researchers along the years, the ones that are concerned with qualitative, and personal aspects have not. Affinity to a programming language is one of the many personal factors that may contribute to surpass these qualitative aspects that describe the difficulties that students face. From this point-of-view, this paper presents a proposal for treating and studying programmers' affinity to programming languages as an important factor for learning computer programming. It also reports a preliminary questionnaire conducted on a master's degree class at Universidade do Minho that showed that affinity may have a broader relation to learning computer programming than anticipated. Finally, a set of relevant questions are stated to compose a future inquiry aimed at deepening the knowledge on the affinity between programmers and languages, paving the way for following research.This work has been supported by FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the R&D Units Project Scope: UIDB/00319/2020

Enabling rootless Linux Containers in multi-user environments: the udockerudocker tool

Containers are increasingly used as means to distribute and run Linux services and applications. In this paper we describe the architectural design and implementation of udocker , a tool which enables the user to execute Linux containers in user mode. We also present a few practical applications, using a range of scientific codes characterized by different requirements: from single core execution to MPI parallel execution and execution on GPGPUs.Peer Reviewe

Review : beer production : spoilage microorganisms and detection methods

A cerveja é uma bebida que apresenta características desfavoráveis para a multiplicação de vários microrganismos, sendo reconhecida como um produto de considerável estabilidade microbiológica. Porém, algumas espécies de microrganismos, incluindo bactérias Gram-positivas (Lactobacillus e Pediococcus), Gram-negativas (Pectinatus e Megasphaera) e leveduras selvagens (Saccharomyces e não-Saccharomyces) são capazes de se multiplicar nesta bebida, conferindo características indesejáveis, tais como turbidez e mudanças sensoriais, as quais prejudicam a qualidade do produto final. Este fato tem motivado uma série de pesquisas visando ao desenvolvimento de métodos rápidos e específicos para a detecção dos microrganismos deteriorantes da cerveja. Apesar de a detecção desses microrganismos, por cultivo em meios de laboratório, nem sempre proporcionar a especificidade e sensibilidade requerida, o uso de diferentes meios seletivos e condições de incubação continua sendo o método preferido pelas cervejarias. O presente artigo apresenta uma revisão da literatura sobre os principais microrganismos deteriorantes da cerveja, incluindo as causas que favorecem sua multiplicação e os métodos que podem ser empregados para sua detecção.Beer is a beverage that presents unfavourable features for the growth of several microorganisms, being recognized as a product of considerable microbiological stability. However, some species of microorganisms, including Gram-positive (Lactobacillus and Pediococcus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Pectinatus and Megasphaera) and wild yeasts (Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces) are able to grow in this beverage, providing undesirable characteristics, such as turbidity and sensory changes, which damage the quality of the final product. This fact has motivated a number of research projects aiming at the development of fast and specific methods for the detection of beer spoilage microorganisms. Although the detection of these microorganisms by cultivation in laboratory media does not always provide the required specificity and sensibility, the use of different selective media and incubation conditions still represent the method preferred by breweries. The present article is a literature review about the main beer spoilage microorganisms, including the causes that favour their growth and the methods that can be used for their detection