Customer Orientation of Family Business in the Hotel Sector

La presente tesis doctoral se ha realizado a través de la modalidad de compendio de publicaciones. El primer artículo es un artículo conceptual, en el que se detalla la revisión de la literatura existente sobre el tema. En el mismo se propone un modelo de investigación y un cuestionario para estudiar las relaciones causales entre las variables. En el segundo artículo, se testa el modelo propuesto en el primer artículo mediante ecuaciones estructurales. El tercer artículo, consta de un estudio cualitativo, en el que se analizan nuevas relaciones entre las variables

El voluntariado corporativo y sus efectos sobre la satisfacción laboral y el compromiso en empresas familiares de Andalucía

Esta investigación analiza el voluntariado corporativo en empresas familiares de Andalucía y su impacto sobre los empleados. Se ha investigado la presencia de programas de voluntariado corporativo junto con otros factores (el interés de la dirección y la conciliación entre vida laboral y familiar) desde la perspectiva de la dimensión de la Responsabilidad Social Corporativa. Tras la revisión teórica, se mide el grado de implantación del voluntariado corporativo en empleados, en clientes y en su intención de desarrollo en el futuro. Queda de manifiesto que las empresas que pongan en marcha acciones de voluntariado corporativo podrían contribuir a incrementar los niveles de satisfacción y de compromiso de los empleados.

Analysis of corporate volunteering in internal market orientation and its effect on job satisfaction

This study analyses some of the factors comprising Internal Market Orientation (IMO) in family businesses in Andalusia (Spain): Management Concern, Training and Work-Family-Balance. Corporate Volunteering (CV) has been incorporated for the first time in IMO. A statistical analysis shows that CV can be inserted within the dimension of response to internal market intelligence and, its incorporation is proposed for future IMO models as a part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The impact of some factors on Job Satisfaction has also been considered. The two most influential factors on Job Satisfaction are CV and Work-Family-Balance

The effect of corporate volunteering programs on job satisfaction and commitment in andalusian family business enterprises

This research shows an analysis of the presence of Corporate volunteering programs in family firms of Andalucía (Spain) and its impact on employees. Corporate Volunteerism has been analyzed from social dimension of CSR and how other factors, like management concern and work family balance have impact over job satisfaction and employee´s commitment. After theoretical review, Coorporate Volunteerism in Andalusian family enterprises have been measured regarding employees, customers and also the intention of broader implementation in the future. It concludes by stressing the fact that companies that implement corporate volunteerism might help to increase levels of job satisfaction and employee’s commitment

Customer orientation of service employees in family businesses in the hotel sector

Las interactuaciones de los empleados de servicios con los clientes son cruciales para el reflejo de la calidad del servicio, y para los beneficios de la empresa. Se ha identificado un hueco sin cubrir dentro de la literatura de Customer Orientation of Service Employees(COSE) y Family Businesses (FBs), los dos conceptos nunca se han investigado juntos antes. Debido a este hecho, se presenta un artículo conceptual que desarrolla un modelo teórico basado en Hennig-Thurau (2004). Las dos principales contribuciones son: (1) electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) se propone como consecuencia de COSE, (2) se ha desarrollado un cuestionario, a raíz de importantes subescalas, para medir COSE y dos posibles consecuencias que derivan del concepto (satisfacción del cliente y eWOM). Una base de datos procedente de SABI se ha seleccionado para estudiar estas variables en el sector hotelero, lo cual se propone para en un futuro trabajo, y que se espera que le se soporte empírico a la teoría aportada.The business interactions between front-line employees and customers are crucial to evaluating service quality and for a business’ performance. A gap has been identified in the literature on both the customer orientation of service employees (COSE) and family businesses (FBs); both concepts never have been studied together before. Due to this fact, we present a concept that develops a theoretical model based on Hennig-Thurau (2004). This model drives research about the COSE and FBs in the hotel sector. The two main contributions are the following: (1) electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) is proposed as a consequence of COSE within FBs and (2) a questionnaire has been developed from relevant subscales to measure COSE and two possible consequences derived from it (Customer Satisfaction and eWOM). A database from Iberic Balance Analysis System (SABI) has been selected to study these variables in the hotel sector, and it will be used in a proposed future empirical study that is expected to provide support for the theory. &nbsp

Mechanisms of interaction between montmorillonite and 3-aminotriazole

The adsorption of aminotriazole, at its solution pH, with montmorillonite saturated with different cations has been studied. A pesticide-montmorillonite complex is formed through interlamellar cations which are not displaced. Aminotriazole is situated mostly as a polarized molecule around Mg2+ and Zn2+ cations, removing a great amount of water. In Na+- and Li+-montmorillonite, the pesticide remains as a non-polarized molecule, hydration water being retained in the interlamellar space; the pesticide is coordinated to interlamellar cations through water bridges. For all samples a proportion of cationic aminotriazole is also adsorbed, the amount being greater with increasing polarizing power of the interlamellar cation; consequently, in Fe3+-montmorillonite all the aminotriazole adsorbed is in the cationic form.The authors acknowledge the Direcci6n General de Investigaci6n Científica y Técnica, Spain, for financial support of this work through Project PB87-0240.Peer Reviewe

A Multiple System of Radio Sources at the Core of the L723 Multipolar Outflow

We present high angular resolution Very Large Array multi-epoch continuum observations at 3.6 cm and 7 mm towards the core of the L723 multipolar outflow revealing a multiple system of four radio sources suspected to be YSOs in a region of only ~4 arcsecs (1200 AU) in extent. The 3.6 cm observations show that the previously detected source VLA 2 contains a close (separation ~0.29 arcsecs or ~90 AU) radio binary, with components (A and B) along a position angle of ~150 degrees. The northern component (VLA 2A) of this binary system is also detected in the 7 mm observations, with a positive spectral index between 3.6 cm and 7 mm. In addition, the source VLA 2A is associated with extended emission along a position angle of ~115 degrees, that we interpret as outflowing shock-ionized gas that is exciting a system of HH objects with the same position angle. A third, weak 3.6 cm source, VLA 2C, that is detected also at 7 mm, is located ~0.7 arcsecs northeast of VLA 2A, and is possibly associated with the water maser emission in the region. The 7 mm observations reveal the presence of an additional source, VLA 2D, located ~3.5 arcsecs southeast of VLA 2A, and with a 1.35 mm counterpart. All these radio continuum sources have a positive spectral index, compatible with them being YSOs. We also propose that the high velocity CO emission observed in the region could be the superposition of multiple outflows (at least three independent bipolar outflows) excited by the YSOs located at the core, instead of the previous interpretations in terms of only one or two outflows.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal (2007 December 6

Beneficial effects of exercise on gut microbiota functionality and barrier integrity, and gut-liver axis crosstalk in an "in vivo" model of early obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

[EN]Childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels, representing one of the most serious public health concerns associated with metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). There is limited clinical experience concerning pediatric NAFLD patients, and thus the therapeutic options are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits of exercise on gut microbiota composition and functionality balance, and consequent effects on early obesity and NAFLD onset in an in vivo model. Juvenile (21-day-old) male Wistar rats fed a control diet or a high-fat diet (HFD) were subjected to a combined aerobic and resistance training protocol. Fecal microbiota was sequenced by an Illumina MiSeq system, and parameters related to metabolic syndrome, fecal metabolome, intestinal barrier integrity, bile acid metabolism and transport, and alteration of the gut-liver axis were measured. Exercise decreased HFD-induced body weight gain, metabolic syndrome and hepatic steatosis, as a result of its lipid metabolism modulatory capacity. Gut microbiota composition and functionality were substantially modified as a consequence of diet, age and exercise intervention. In addition, the training protocol increased Parabacteroides, Bacteroides and Flavobacterium genera, correlating with a beneficial metabolomic profile, whereas Blautia, Dysgonomonas and Porphyromonas showed an opposite pattern. Exercise effectively counteracted HFD-induced microbial imbalance, leading to intestinal barrier preservation, which, in turn, prevented deregulation of the gut-liver axis and improved bile acid homeostasis, determining the clinical outcomes of NAFLD. In conclusion, we provide scientific evidence highlighting the benefits of gut microbiota composition and functionality modulation by physical exercise protocols in the management of early obesity and NAFLD development.SIThis work was supported by grants from Ministerio de Economıa y Competitividad ́ (BFU2017-87960-R), Junta de Castilla y León and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) (LE063U16 and GRS1888/A/18). D.P. and S.C.-P. were supported by a fellowship from Junta de Castilla y León, co-financed by the European Social Fund. E.N. was supported by Fundación de Investigación Sanitaria of León. M.V.G.-M. was supported by contracts from the CIBERehd, which is funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III

Resistance of soil bacterial communities from montane heathland ecosystems in the Cantabrian mountains (NW Spain) to a gradient of experimental nitrogen deposition

[EN] Elevated atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition on terrestrial ecosystems has become one of the most important drivers of microbial diversity loss on a global scale, and has been reported to alter the soil function of nutrient-poor, montane Calluna vulgaris heathlands in the context of global change. In this work we analyze for the first time the shifts of bacterial communities in response to experimental addition of N in Calluna heathlands as a simulation of atmospheric deposition. Specifically, we evaluated the effects of five N addition treatments (0, 10, 20, and 50 kg N ha−1 yr−1 for 3-years; and 56 kg N ha−1 yr−1 for 10-years) on the resistance of soil bacterial communities as determined by changes in their composition and alpha and beta diversities. The study was conducted in montane Calluna heathlands at different development stages (young and mature phases) in the southern side of the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain). Our results evidenced a substantial increase of long-term (10-years) N inputs on soil extractable N-NH4+, particularly in young Calluna stands. The alpha diversity of soil bacterial communities in mature Calluna stands did not show a significant response to experimental N addition, whereas it was significantly higher under long-term chronic N addition (56 kg N ha−1 yr−1 for 10-years) in young Calluna stands. These bacterial community shifts are mainly attributable to a decrease in the dominance of Acidobacteria phylum, the most representative in montane Calluna ecosystems, in favor of copiotrophic taxa such as Actinobacteria or Proteobacteria phyla, favored under increased N availability. Future research should investigate what specific ecosystem functions performed by soil bacterial communities may be sensitive to increased nitrogen depositions, which may have substantial implications for the understanding of montane Calluna ecosystems' stability.SINext-Generation Funds of the European Union (EU) in the framework of the FIREMAP project (TED2021-130925B-I00)Regional Government of Castile and León in the framework of the IA-FIREXTCyL project (LE081P23)Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology in the frame of project UIDB/04033/2020Spanish Ministry of Universities (FPU21/00309

El Valle del río Guasimal, un Geositio de interés turístico local en Pinar del Río, Cuba

The initiatives for the development of sustainable local tourism that have extended in Cuba, in general, are based on key factors such as the potential of the natural heritage and the richness of rural culture in the territory. In this sense, the singularities of the flora and fauna, their state of conservation and the aesthetic and scenic aspects of the landscape, are considered among the main elements of the Rocío de Sol Tourist Center Project. For this contribution, the geological features of the Guasimal river valley as an attraction of tourist interest and heritage value, based on the documentary review, cartographic analysis and field work. The identification and characterization of singular elements and a variety of interests were achieved, highlighting the geomorphological, hydrological, stratigraphic, tectonic and didactic. On the other hand, the inventory documentation was obtained, which substantiates the proposal to the Institute of Geology Paleontology of Cuba, for the declaration and recognition of the environment as a Geosite, according to Resolution 82 of the Ministry of Energy and Mines of the Republic of Cuba, depending on of integration of the geological potential in the local management of the territory and its link with Geotourism practices.Las iniciativas para el desarrollo del turismo local sostenible que se han extendido en Cuba, de manera general, se basan en factores clave como las potencialidades del patrimonio natural y la riqueza de la cultura rural en el territorio. En este sentido, las singularidades de la flora y la fauna, su estado de conservación y los aspectos estéticos y escénicos del paisaje, se consideran entre los principales elementos del Proyecto Centro Turístico Local “Rocío de Sol”. Para esta contribución, se evaluaron los rasgos geológicos del valle del río Guasimal como atractivo de interés turístico y valor patrimonial, a partir de la revisión documental, análisis cartográfico y el trabajo de campo. Se logró la identificación y caracterización de elementos singulares y variedad de intereses, destacando el geomorfológico, hidrológico, estratigráfico, tectónico y didáctico. Por otra parte, se obtuvo la documentación de inventario, que permitió fundamentar la propuesta al Instituto de Geología y Paleontología de Cuba, para la declaración y reconocimiento del entorno como Geositio, según Resolución 82 del Ministerio de Energía y Minas de la República de Cuba, en función de la integración del potencial geológico en la gestión local del territorio y su vinculación con prácticas de Geoturismo