A methodological approach in order to support decision-makers when defining Mobility and Transportation Politics

Nowadays Portugal is under a large process of creation/revision of studies and plans related with land use and territorial planning, mainly due to the end of the lifetime period of the actual Municipal Master Plan, but also because of the creation of the new Metropolitan Authorities of Transportation, which will require Mobility Plans. Even though the Portuguese law doesn’t impose these Mobility Plans at the present moment, there is a general feeling about the importance of the mobility system for the society and economics in general. This is the case in highly density areas, where the need and complexity of the system requires these specific studies in order to obtain an efficient management; or in the case of low-density areas where the risk of loosing competitiveness is too high to ignore the importance of the transportation and mobility system, and the advantage of gaining local and regional competitiveness might increase the importance of the municipality in regional context. This paper intends to provide an innovative approach regarding the provision, at an early stage, of technical support to decision-makers in order to define Mobility and Transportation Policies. The opportunity provided by using adapted SWOT analysis (among others) to identify weakening or potential factors, and how to take advantage of the results, always using a cause and effect approach and a coherent policy in order to obtain high quality and effective studies and politics. The methodology relies on a two-stage process. In the first stage a summary diagnose is provided, using inputs which are supposed to well characterise the territory’s mobility patterns. Afterwards, in a second phase, these are inter-related and evaluated in order to build-up a table of options, where policies are proposed with a careful attention to its qualitative cross impact with the measures and objectives intended to be achieved. The proposed methodology was applied in the Alcobaça´s Municipality case study, which provided different lines of action in diverse subjects, such as, public and private transportation networks, parking policies and organisation, and territory competitiveness. This study was particularly relevant, since this Municipality is under great pressure of its neighbour municipalities, has a low level of regional importance and a low intra-municipal cohesion. Finally, the general opinion of the decision-makers about this technical approach is presented. Keywords: Mobility; Transportation; Land Planning and Policies; Decision-making Support

Baudelaire y la moda: notas sobre la gravedad de lo frívolo

Charles Baudelaire's references about fashion, gravity in the frivolous, ("gravité dans le frivole") suggest a new awareness about it. Fashion as an artificial paradise with which to dress fashionably in modernity. Fashion as a modern attitude: as a way of thinking, feeling and acting in modernity. Ultimately, fashion as the eternal task that exudes from transitory, as a way of correspondence in the transfiguration of the commonplace.Las referencias de Charles Baudelaire sobre la moda, la gravedad en lo frívolo, sugieren una nueva conciencia sobre ella. La moda como un paraíso artificial con el que vestirse de moderno en la modernidad. La moda como actitud moderna: como modo de pensar, de sentir y actuar en la modernidad. En definitiva, la moda como tarea que destila lo eterno desde lo transitorio, como modo de correspondencia en la transfiguración del lugar común

La ciudad como texto y pretexto. De la estética metropolitana a las prácticas artísticas contemporáneas

El título sugiere ya una lectura del devenir de la ciudad en el último siglo. La irrupción de la metrópolis, en condiciones de una lograda aunque no siempre efectiva mayoría de edad, a principios del siglo XX, y la necesidad o querencia moderna por abordarla desde los distintos ámbitos epistémicos (antropología, sociología, historia, estética, arquitectura,…) hizo de ella el texto en el que se acrisolaron las diferentes texturas de una modernidad que fue perdiendo progresiva y lamentablemente su agitada y experiencial condición metropolitana inicial en favor de un perfil más funcional, racional, y también frío e impersonal. Así, en las tres últimas décadas, además de la impugnación postmoderna de la reducción urbanística de la ciudad, las prácticas artísticas contemporáneas, con sus gestos, han ido apropiándose del texto ciudad como pretexto. La ciudad ha sido invocada de nuevo para reactivar, cuando no iniciar, discursos y reflexiones estéticas que van más allá de la estricta acción y condición artística. Se reaviva el potencial político, que desde la antropología y sociología de los procesos estéticos recorrió buena parte del siglo XX, pero en una apelación a una trama multidisciplinar y rizomática más propia del XXI que no pierde de vista el difícil equilibrio entre el soberanismo monumental y la actitud libertaria de resistencia de lo acontecimental (Veyne). Muestra de ello es el doble rearme del significado artístico tanto desde las poéticas de la acción como de la recepción estética. El hacer de Spencer Tunick o Banksy —por citar dos jóvenes lenguajes y artistas— tanto para su, nunca mejor dicho, plástica práctica como para devolverle a la ciudad la porosidad perdida tras las pátinas del orden y la racionalidad International Style (Banham, Le Corbusier). Unas prácticas artísticas que potencian visualmente la condición efímera del hombre y de la ciudad insertando una discontinuidad y fragmentariedad más acorde con el imaginario actual del arte —líquido (Bauman), sombra (Perniola), complot (Baudrillard),…—. Prácticas, finalmente, que también entroncan o recuperan la metrópolis-texto (Benjamin, Simmel, Grosz) reabriendo la reflexión sobre las condiciones históricas, sociales, antropológicas en las que la ciudad sigue desvelándose, por el poder de las imágenes, como el espacio en el que las experiencias artísticas se forman y en el que las estéticas se constituyen dando cuenta de la sensibilidad contemporánea y de la transformación de las ciudades, de los hombres y de sus relacionesThe title already evokes a reading of the city’s development over the last century. The inrush of the metropolis, under a successful though not always effective age of majority, at the beginning of the 20th century, and the need or modern willingness to tackle it from different epistemic environments (anthropology, sociology, history, aesthetics, architecture…) made it the text which the different textures refined, those of a modernity that started to sadly and progressively lose its initial agitated and experimental metropolitan condition in favor of a more functional, rational, as well as cold and impersonal profile. Thus, in the last three decades, besides the postmodern contestation of the city's urban reduction, the contemporary artistic practices, with their gestures, have been keeping the city text as a pretext text. The city has been invoked again to reactivate, when not to initiate, discourse and aesthetic reflections that go beyond the strict artistic action and condition. The political potential, which travelled throughout the 20th century from anthropology and sociology, is brought back to life, but with an appeal to a multidisciplinary plot typical of the 21st century, which never loses sight of the complicated balance between the monumental sovereignty and the libertarian attitude of the happening´s resistance (Veyne). Proof of that is the double rearmament of the artistic meaning from both the action poetics and the aesthetic reception. The doing of Tunick or Bansky ―just to cite two young languages and artists― for their, for lack of a better word, plastic practice and their giving back to the city the lost porosity after the patina’s order and the rationality of the International Style (Bahnam, Le Corbusier.) Artistic practices that visually boost the ephemeral condition of men and the city, inserting a discontinuity and fragmentation more in harmony with the imaginary of the art ―liquid (Bauman), shadow (Perniola), complot (Baudrillard)...―. Practices, finally, which are also related and recuperate the metropolis-text (Benjamin, Simmel, Grosz) reopening reflections about the historic, social and anthropological conditions, in which the city continues to develop thanks to the power of images, as well as the space in which the artistic expressions are being formed and in which the aesthetics is constituted, considering the contemporary sensitivity and the transformation of cities, men, and their relation

The goddess is present: Marina Abramovic. Body and Event

Casi empujados por algunos pensamientos de Nietzsche y Wittgenstein recorreremos tanto la liturgia del acontecimiento como la letra del cuerpo: la diosa está presente. Marina Abramovic, diosa de la performance, gobierna, aun cuando solo quepa guardar silencio, en la trama indisoluble entre vida y arte. Más allá de las implicaciones estético-artísticas de su The artist is present, ella sigue presente más allá del documento; ella reina -como nadie y como nunca- en el acontecimiento: el súbdito ya aprendió, y también en su cuerpo, pues como decía el poeta, "solo en el peligro reside lo salvífico". Referente inequívoco para una antropología y sociología de los procesos estético-artísticos Marina Abramovic abre el territorio del cuerpo al acontecimiento, trazando distintos itinerarios (estéticos, artísticos, semióticos, políticos…). Abramovic es la reina, ese es el axioma... y con Nietzsche cabe decir: "A los despreciadores del cuerpo quiero decirles una palabra. Su despreciar constituye su apreciar"Almost pushed by some Nietzsche and Wittgenstein thoughts we will go through the liturgy of the event as well as the letter of the body: the goddess is present. Marina Abramovic, the performance goddess, governs, even if only to keep silence, in the insoluble plot between life and art. Beyond the aesthetic-artistic implications of her The artist is present, she continues to be present beyond the document; she reigns asnobodyhas done before in the event. The subject has already learned and also in its own body, since as the poet said 'only in the danger resides the salvific'. Unequivocal reference for an anthropology and sociology of the aesthetic- artistic processes, Marina Abramovic opens up the territory of the body to the event, outlining distinct itineraries (aesthetic, artistic, semiotic, political…). Abramovic is the queen, that is the axiom…and as Nietzsche writes: 'To the despisers of the body I want to tell them one word. Their despise constitutes their appreciate

Museo y regímenes del arte

SIAM. Series Iberoamericanas de Museología. Año 3, Vol.

The importance of politics in analyzing stock market reaction to U.S. companies´ misconducts: an event study

This paper addresses the noteworthy relevance of U.S. Politics in explaining the impact of corporate misconducts on stock returns. Using a database of regulatory violations in the U.S., the Event Study framework was employed to quantify, for each mis behavior, the resultant effect on the felonious firm’s stock. Those effects were then regressed on focal dummy variables, mirroring the acting political landscape. Ultimately, it is proven mis conducts happening under one party control of both Executive and Legislative branches tended to result in higher stock returns than if there is division of any sort. This research is among the first attempts to directly relate regulatory violations and Politics

Valuation of Ford Motor Company and a study of its industry

The present thesis presents an analysis of the car manufacturing industry, with especial focus on one of its major players, Ford, followed by a valuation of the company with the goal to achieve a price target and to make a recommendation to potential investors. The Automobile industry possesses unique characteristics and has a significant impact on society, not only on people’s everyday lives, but also on the economic perspective. The characteristics, cost and revenue drivers of the industry are thoroughly covered in the early chapters of this thesis, in order to create a solid framework of understanding that can improve the quality of the valuation. The valuation includes an analysis of the company’s financial statements and bears in mind the specific characteristics of both the company and the sector. Financial information from the last five historical years is the starting point for assessing Ford’s financial health, operational performance and profitability. The estimation of the price target is performed under the DFC Enterprise Value method and comprehends a 4 year forecast period, between 2017 and 2020. Alongside with this valuation framework, a multiple analysis is performed, to make a relative comparison with competitors and industry benchmarks, so that, the subjectivity of the valuation process can be somehow mitigated. Subsequently to the valuation performed, we conclude that the attained price target of $13.11, results in a HOLD recommendation.A presente tese de Mestrado constitui uma análise da indústria automóvel, com especial ênfase num dos seus principais participantes, a Ford, seguida de uma avaliação da empresa em questão, com o objetivo de estimar um preço alvo e subsequentemente fazer uma recomendação a potenciais investidores. A indústria automóvel possui características únicas e um impacto considerável na sociedade, não apenas do dia-a-dia das populações mas através do seu impacto económico. As características, fontes de custos e rendimentos são cobertos nos primeiros capítulos da presente tese, com o objetivo de criar uma base de compreensão sustentada que beneficie a qualidade da avaliação. A avaliação inclui uma análise das demonstrações financeiras e acomoda as características tanto da empresa como do seu setor de atividade. A informação financeira dos últimos 5 períodos históricos é o ponto de partida para analisar a saúde financeira, performance operacional e rentabilidade da Ford. O preço alvo apresentado foi estimado por aplicação do método de Fluxos de Caixa Descontados e compreende um período previsional de 4 anos, entre 2017 e 2020. Paralelamente, foi realizada uma avaliação por Múltiplos de forma a mitigar a subjetividade inerente à aplicação do método de avaliação anteriormente referido. Como resultado de avaliação realizada, concluímos que o preço alvo de$13.11 sugere a recomendação de MANTER

Dynamic - Constant proportion portfolio insurance: aplicação ao índice FTSE 100

Given the risk aversion usually associated with financial markets investors’, it is common, in literature, to present and study strategies to be used in order to limit risk. In this work, a traditional risk management strategy Constant Proportion Portfolio Insurance Strategy (CPPI) is modified in order to use a dynamic multiplier that varies based on the fluctuations of the risky asset prices. This strategy is called Dynamic - Constant Proportion Portfolio Insurance (D-CPPI). The multiplier is adjusted according to the price fluctuations, which means that it will increase when the quote goes up and decrease when the quote goes down. The work is based on the model presented by Yao & Li (2016) and is applied to the British stock market (FTSE 100) in the 2008-2018 period. The performance of D-CPPI is analysed and compared with the performance of the traditional CPPI strategy and with the Buy and Hold (BH) strategy. It also sought to analyse the impact of Brexit on the British market and whether the use of D-CPPI effectively reduces the risk faced by investors in this troubled period. The results show that the D-CPPI has the best profitability rates in falling markets despite its performance is generally lower than CPPI and BH strategies. BH proves to be the strategy that achieves better performance, despite being the one with the highest levels of risk. Brexit had a great impact in the market, however, the use of D-CPPI allowed to guarantee the expected results