Zooarqueologia e tafonomia de Castanheiro do Vento

Dissertação mest., Arqueologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2007This dissertation is the result of the study of the faunal remains recovered until the 2006 field season, in the archaeological site of Castanheiro do Vento, located on the top a of a 700 m high hill, near Teja Valley in Horta do Douro, Vila Nova de Foz Côa. The site is characterized by a complex architectural system in schist dated to the III/II millennium b. C.. Due to the geomorphological setting, the sediments result from the degradation of the local schist (manipulated by humans). Besides a very slow sedimentation process, the faunal assemblage shows some specific characteristics such as a very low percentage of identifiable material and a very high index of fragmentation. According to these characteristics, our study began with a taphonomic approach, trying to reconstruct the different phenomena responsible by the perturbation of the original accumulations of bones. In the case of the assemblage recovered in Castanheiro do Vento, we could see that the cultural and erosion were the main agents responsible by the characteristics of bones. Being a site constructed and re-constructed by humans with the local materials like stone and clay, and located in a top of a hill with very low sedimentation process, the assemblage corresponds mainly to secondary accumulations though there is a very small percentage of the original accumulation at the site

The Effects of Monetary Policy: A Meta-Analysis

In this paper we perform a meta-analysis of the effects of monetary policies on output and prices. We use a sample of published papers on the effects of monetary policies in different countries. There is a large variation in the estimated effects of monetary policies on output and prices. We find that the use of different econometric methodologies is an important variable explaining these differences. In addition, we analyze the importance of macroeconomic variables. Thus we find that in countries with high inflation, the output effects of monetary policies are significantly reduced. A lot of variation in the estimated effects of monetary policies remains unexplained. More research will have to be done to understand these large differences.

Is Monetary Policy in the Eurozone less Effective than in the US?

There is a wide consensus that the existence of structural rigidities in the Eurozone reduces the effectiveness of the ECB’s monetary policies. In order to test this “ECB-handicap” hypothesis, we perform a meta-analysis of the effects of monetary policies in the US and the Eurozone countries. This consists in collecting the estimated transmission coefficients obtained from published econometric studies. Meta-analysis then allows us to control for a number of factors that can affect these estimated coefficients. We conclude that there is no evidence for the hypothesis that the ECB is handicapped in using monetary policies for the purpose of stabilizing output compared to the US.

Globalization and the Price Decline of Illicit Drugs

Retail prices of major drugs like cocaine and heroin have declined dramatically during the last two decades. This price decline has tended to offset the effects of drug policies aimed at reducing drug use in major industrial countries. The main finding of this paper is that the decline in the retail prices of drugs is related to the strong decline in the intermediation margin (the difference between the retail and producer prices) in the drug business. We develop the hypothesis, and give some evidence, that globalization has been an important factor behind the decline of the intermediation margin. We conclude with some thoughts about the effects of globalization on the effectiveness of drug policies and argue that globalization may have increased the relative effectiveness of policies aiming at reducing the demand of drugs.

Three essays on innovation: the moderating roles of reputation for innovation, CSR principles and managerial perceptions of environmental turbulence

This dissertation examines three moderating effects on innovation. First, the impact of reputation for innovation on corporate and product evaluations in user design products. Secondly, the effect of corporate social responsibility principles (CSR) on innovation capabilities is analysed. Finally, the role of managerial perceptions of environmental turbulence is investigated to understand the impact on the relationship between innovativeness and performance. Two criteria guided the moderators selected. First, moderators were identified by looking at trends in marketing research and practice in the 21st century society. Secondly, by revisiting the work of Peter Drucker along such trends, observing that his ideas are still very much emphasised by today’s marketing scholars. Chapter 1 provides the background for the following chapters. We review Drucker’s insights on the moderators and how they relate to this dissertation. This chapter also sets the definitions that will guide the three essays. Chapter 2 introduces the question of open innovation, particularly how a user design label impacts corporate and product evaluations. This framework is tested in firms high and low in reputation for innovation, in the apparel and fashion industries. Insights were gained on how perceptions of innovation can be hampered (or helped) from a user design label. Chapter 3 analyses in a context of high-tech industries how innovation capabilities are developed for firms that pursue CSR principles. The result is a novel finding on how CSR principles and innovation can be synergistic to export performance. Chapter 4 questions whether the effectiveness of new service success is contingent upon managerial perceptions of the environment in the hotel industry. This essay shows that how managers perceive the environment has implications for resource allocation and consequently to innovation. Chapter 5 provides an overall discussion for managers and theory and leaves suggestions for future research

As emoções nas ruas barcelonesas do século XV

Nos relações estabelecidas pelos cidadãos de Barcelona do século XV as emoções se manifestam de maneira turbulenta , principalmente no que se refere aos vínculos afetivos. Dessas relações e de seus conflitos derivam processos judiciais que trazem em seu texto, principalmente nos depoimentos, a expressão latente das emoções dos envolvidos. O presente artigo apresenta esses relatos através da transcrição parcial de alguns dos processos, pretendendo uma aproximação aos sentimentos desses barceloneses e barcelonesas de finais da Idade Média.The relationships between the citizens of fifteenth century Barcelona were often turbulent, especially between couples. The conflicts that occurred sometimes resulted in legal proceedings. The statements submitted for these cases were a visible expression of the emotions and conflicts involved. This article presents some of these legal proceedings through partial transcriptions, with the aim of getting as close as possible to the feelings and emotions of the people of Barcelona at the end f the Middle Ages

Portuguese local government’s typology of tourism policy tools: how many clusters?

The evolution of Public Policy, in general, and tools approach, in particular, has recognized a wide range of policy tools, beyond the traditional direct provision. In fact, such development has enabled the design of several public policy typologies, in specific the Weimer and Vining’s typology, which is one of the most important and comprehensive in classifying governments interventions to solve market failures. Based on market failures theory and the tools approach, this research extends their analysis to the context of tourism providing a broader typology of policy tools specifically aimed at tourism policy at the local level. In this sense, the design a typology of tourism policy tools represents the main goal and the original contribution of this research. Given this goal, we defined a multi-methods research plan, using questionnaires and interviews as data collection techniques. Particularly, based on information gathered from interviews, we created and apply a questionnaire to the 308 Portuguese municipalities. This empirical analysis uses a representative sample of 214 Portuguese municipalities and the cluster analysis technique to classify the tourism policy tools used by Portuguese municipalities. The main results suggest a strong alignment with Weimer and Vining’s typology but at the same time the existence of particular situations in Portuguese municipalities demanding the extension of this typology. Besides the many policy options, the intervention by Portuguese municipalities in tourism relies predominantly in the use of direct provision. For many municipalities, the direct provision cluster represents the main set of policy tools employed to solve tourism market failures.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Falhas de Mercado na Atividade Turística: Uma Análise Exploratória da Atuação dos Municípios Portugueses

This paper presents an exploratory analysis of Portuguese municipalities interventions to solve tourism market failures (public goods, externalities, natural monopolies and asymmetric information). With this purpose, and considering the use of interviews as data collection technique, a case study with five municipalities are carefully examined. The results suggest that Portuguese municipalities used the most policy tools identified in state of the art to mitigate the tourism market failures. Additionally, the results also suggest that Portuguese municipalities increases policy tools to typology specifically aimed at tourism policy.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Emotions on the Barcelona Streets of the Fifteenth Century

The relationships between the citizens of fifteenth century Barcelona were often turbulent, especially between couples. The conflicts that occurred sometimes resulted in legal proceedings. The statements submitted for these cases were a visible expression of the emotions and conflicts involved. This article presents some of these legal proceedings through partial transcriptions, with the aim of getting as close as possible to the feelings and emotions of the people of Barcelona at the end f the Middle Ages