A relação entre capital humano, inovação e internacionalização das micro e pequenas empresas: o caso da fileira agroalimentar do Vale do Tejo

This paper aims to contribute empirically to a better understanding of the relationship between human capital formation in micro and small enterprises and the respective behaviors in innovation and internationalization. Based on a brief review of literature on human capital and regional innovation systems, as well as in results obtained in a survey, the paper reveals that the reduced stock of human capital in this corporate segment can inhibit their potential for innovation; but this does not impede access external markets. There is evidence that these firms make use of stable partnerships with intermediary economic agents and promoting organizations, demonstrating how effective are non-market assets (of territorial nature, specially) to the agri-food supply chain competitiveness of Tagus Valley, in the framework of Common Agricultural Policy.Este artigo visa contribuir empiricamente para uma melhor compreensão da relação entre a formação de capital humano nas micro e pequenas empresas e os respetivos comportamentos em inovação e internacionalização. Baseado numa revisão de literatura sucinta acerca do capital humano e dos sistemas territoriais de inovação, bem como em resultados obtidos num estudo por inquérito, o artigo revela que o reduzido ‘stock’ de capital humano neste segmento de empresas pode inibir o seu potencial de inovação; contudo, tal não impede que alcancem mercados externos. Existe evidência de que estas empresas fazem uso de parcerias estáveis com agentes económicos intermediários e organizações promotoras, demonstrando quão eficazes se revelam os ativos não mercantis (de natureza territorial, especialmente) para a competitividade da fileira agroalimentar do Vale do Tejo, no quadro da Política Agrícola Comum.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Implicit method for nonlinear complex diffusion with applications to image denoising

In this paper we focus on the development and implementation of an implicit finite difference method for solving a complex diffusion differential equation with applications to noise filtering in images. We give a complete characterization of the implementation of the fully implicit method, including the characterization of the derivatives for Newton's method at each step. In order to show the feasibility of the method, we compare the implicit method with the semi-implicit and apply it to both in vivo images of the human retina by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and standard images (Lena and the Cameraman). We compute noise removal performance metrics to show the effect of several parameters in the performance of the method.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Real Options Valuation : an application to the portuguese real estate market

The contribution of real options analysis on the valuation of Portuguese undeveloped building sites is significant on the decision making regarding the apartment-buildings construction. Using the options model developed by Quigg (1993), and including the necessary readjustments for the Portuguese market, it was found that the scale price elasticity parameter and construction expenditures’ elasticity of scale parameter had a strong impact on building sites’ values. The empirical analysis revealed that the option to defer adds value to undeveloped building sites’ valuations. This fact cannot be ignored when deciding upon an investment’s implementation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Wind Risk Assessment in Urban Environments: The Case of Falling Trees During Windstorm Events in Lisbon

Trees bring many benefits to the urban environment. However, they may also cause hazards to human population, being the major causes of injuries and infrastructural damage during strong wind events. In the city of Lisbon, strong winds rather frequently result in tree falls, depending on the season and meteorological conditions. This paper presents a methodology to analyse tree damage due to strong wind events in urban environments. Each occurrence has been recorded by the Lisbon Fire Brigade and Rescue Services (Regimento de Sapadores Bombeiros de Lisboa - RSBL). Information provided by RSBL relating to the period of 1990-2005 was considered along with hourly wind speed and direction, species, fitossanitary conditions and urban parameters. To ensure that the fallen trees were caused by strong winds, only days with three or more occurrences of fallen trees were selected. It was found that in summer, northerly winds are responsible for 11% of tree falls, with winds from other directions (west, southwest and south) responsible for 5%. From autumn to spring, perturbed weather conditions originating from the west, southwest and south are responsible for 84% of fallen trees. The majority of tree falls occurred when wind speed surpassed 7 m/s in the six hours prior to their fall. Some recommendations to the Civil Protection Agency and the Fire Department are presented to improve the mission of collecting information. This research is a contribution to the assessment of wind risk in Lisbon

Information technologies and the development of professional knowledge and identity in teacher education

This paper addresses the preparation in ICT of preservice mathematics teachers. We describe the aims, assumptions, and work carried out in a course offered at the University of Lisbon and briefly discuss the processes involved in the development of professional knowledge and the formation of professional identities. Using a qualitative methodology, based on the administration of free-response questionnaires to the student teachers enrolled in the course in 1999-2000, we analyze their general perspectives about ICT, the implications of the use of ICT in their view of teaching methodologies, and their development of a professional identity. This work provides suggestions for teacher education practice and for further research

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