ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND LIQUIDITY CONSTRAINTS IN DEPRIVED AREAS: EVIDENCE FROM THE SLUMS OF RIO DE JANEIRO

Several economic models have described the theoretical causes and onsequences of 'credit rationing' and 'under-investment'; one string of this literature shows the long-run effects of initial wealth distribution and entrepreneurial ability on the process of occupational choice and performance, and its consequences on inequality. Surprisingly, there is very little micro-level evidence on the existence and effects of 'credit rationing' in the context of developing countries. This is the contribution of the current paper. Using a survey of 4,553 entrepreneurs in 51 slums in Rio de Janeiro, this paper uses mean and quantile regression estimates to shows the effects of the type of initial capital, credit constraints, and human capital factors on entrepreneurs' performance. The main findings of the the paper are that entrepreneurs that were able to self-finance their business start-up presented earnings 16% greater than entrepreneurs that had to borrow their initial capital. In addition, entrepreneurs that explicitly claimed to be credit constrained performed substantially worse than their observationally identical counterparts, even if they were credit worthy. Both, initial source of funding and liquidity constraint presented greater effects on the highest quantiles. In terms of human capital, the current study shows positive and statistically significant returns for both years of schooling and experience, with higher returns on the lowest quantiles, indicating the potential role of these factors on inequality reduction.

Biopolymers valorization using biocompatible ionic liquids for biomedical applications

In the last decades, biopolymers received much attention, especially due to its inherent properties, such as biodegradability, biocompatibility and biological properties. However, they showed some limitations in a wide range of applications, mainly in the biomedical field, due to their low solubility in water and in biocompatible organic solvents. To overcome this, ionic liquids (ILs) as low-melting organic salts appeared as an alternative dissolution agent, mainly due to their peculiar properties, which can be tuned according to the adequate selection of the cation and anion. In this context, this thesis aims the development of polymeric structures via biopolymer dissolution using innovative biocompatible ILs. ILs containing pharmaceutically acceptable drugs – namely lidocaine, procaine, and ibuprofen with anaesthetic and anti-inflammatory effects, respectively – were synthesized to enhance the therapeutic properties of the produced biopolymeric structures. This way, the IL will have a double role, it will act as a solvent for the biopolymer dissolution as well as a therapeutic agent, for example for topical delivery of anaesthetic and anti-inflammatory drugs. Different protic ionic liquids, which are ILs that are not fully ionized, have been successfully synthetized by acid-base reactions, using active pharmaceutical drugs as a cation (lidocaine or procaine) combined with carboxylate anions, namely acetate, propionate, hexanoate or ibuprofenate (anti-inflammatory properties). They have been characterized by spectroscopic techniques (1H NMR, FTIR) to assess their structure, thermal analysis (TGA, DSC) to evaluate their thermal stability, and viscosity studies. The prepared ILs have been tested as dissolution agents for different biopolymers, namely chitin-glucan complex (CGC) and chitosan. In general, the prepared ILs containing acetate or propionate anions seemed to be capable to dissolve the CGC biopolymer (1 wt. %). The obtained polymeric structures have been characterized by adequate methods to study their morphology (SEM), composition (FTIR), thermal (TGA, DSC) and mechanical properties depending on their form (films or gels). FTIR studies suggested the obtained films were composed mainly by lidocaine free base and the obtained gel was composed mainly by procaine free base. In general, all prepared polymeric structures showed lower thermal stability than the CGC biopolymer. The obtained gel exhibited a viscous behaviour, whereas films exhibited hydrophilic surface and, poor mechanical properties which limits their potential for application

Designing logistics networks based on sustainable tertiary transport packaging solutions under a circular economy

The packaging industry has a considerable impact in the economy, environment and society. Along with its increasing importance, comes a high responsibility regarding its effect on sustainability, a growing matter of concern in the recent years. Political pressure and consumer perceptions are pushing the packaging industry to adopt sustainable practices such as the use of alternative sustainable materials. Packaging is divided in primary, secondary and tertiary levels and tertiary packaging plays a major role in transportation processes to increase the logistics efficiency of supply chains. However, tertiary transport packaging is generating excessive waste. For reasons like this, the Circular Economy emerges as an alternative economic model, in which Supply Chain Management assumes high relevance for implementing a logistics network design that entails Closed-Loop Supply Chains. This Thesis has the objective of designing alternative logistics networks, based on sustainable tertiary transport packaging solutions, under a context of Circular Economy, meanwhile contributing for the practical solution of a company’s business challenge. Based on a literature review, insights on important areas are systematized to proceed with an analyzis of packaging suppliers’ logistics networks with sustainable closed-loop practices that impact sustainability performance of their supply chains. The best material-supplier option is selected to proceed with a case study where different scenarios are assumed. Finally, important conclusions and solutions are presented to improve the performance of the selected logistics network.A indústria das embalagens gera um impacto considerável na economia, ambiente e sociedade. Existe uma responsabilidade maior no que diz respeito ao seu efeito na sustentabilidade, uma questão cada vez mais preocupante nos últimos anos. A pressão política e a perceção do consumidor estão a forçar a indústria das embalagens a adotar práticas sustentáveis tais como o uso de materiais alternativos sustentáveis. As embalagens dividem-se em primárias, secundárias e terciárias, sendo que as terciárias desempenham um papel importante no transporte, de forma a aumentar a eficiência logística das cadeias de abastecimento. Contudo, as embalagens terciárias de transporte geram desperdício excessivo. Posto isto, a Economia Circular surge como um modelo económico alternativo, onde a gestão da cadeia de abastecimento assume elevada relevância para implementar um design de rede logística que envolva Cadeias de Abastecimento de Circuito Fechado. Esta Tese tem como objetivo conceber redes logísticas alternativas, baseadas em soluções sustentáveis de embalagens terciárias de transporte, num contexto de Economia Circular, enquanto contribui para a resolução prática do desafio de uma empresa. Com base numa revisão de literatura, procede-se a uma sistematização de conhecimento em áreas importantes para analisar redes logísticas de fornecedores de embalagens, com práticas sustentáveis de circuito fechado que impactam o desempenho de sustentabilidade das suas cadeias de abastecimento. A melhor opção de material-fornecedor é selecionada para prosseguir com um estudo de caso onde diferentes cenários são assumidos. Por fim, são apresentadas conclusões e soluções importantes para melhorar o desempenho da rede logística selecionada

Ach Brito - sell or not sell?

This case study is based on a real family business, Ach Brito. The company has more than 100 years of history and is in its 4th Generation. It is a well-known Portuguese firm that has had a stable growth and sells in more than 50 countries. The main focus of this case is on participation selling in a family business context. The case intends to: illustrate how family companies can surpass obstacles and return to a stable path; leading to a discussion regarding capital selling in a family business context; family business decision-making complexity and emotional value impact. Ach Brito’s case is a basis for discussion of family business theoretical content. The case includes a teaching note to beacon the lecture of the case in classroom context. Complementary readings and discussion questions with suggested answers are available with the objective of enhancing the learning process

How new online communication tools and the availability of content influence the audiences and the creative process

We live in a changing world. At an impressive speed, every day new technological resources appear. We increasingly use the Internet to obtain and share information, and new online communication tools are emerging. Each of them encompasses new potential and creates new audiences. In recent years, we witnessed the emergence of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other media platforms. They have provided us with an even greater interactivity between sender and receiver, as well as generated a new sense of community. At the same time we also see the availability of content like it never happened before. We are increasingly sharing texts, videos, photos, etc. This poster intends to explore the potential of using these new online communication tools in the cultural sphere to create new audiences, to develop of a new kind of community, to provide information as well as different ways of building organizations’ memory. The transience of performing arts is accompanied by the need to counter that transience by means of documentation. This desire to ‘save’ events reaches its expression with the information archive of the different production moments as well as the opportunity to record the event and present it through, for instance, digital platforms. In this poster we intend to answer the following questions: which online communication tools are being used to engage audiences in the cultural sphere (specifically between theater companies in Lisbon)? Is there a new relationship with the public? Are online communication tools creating a new kind of community? What changes are these tools introducing in the creative process? In what way the availability of content and its archive contribute to the organization memory? Among several references, we will approach the two-way communication model that James E. Grunig & Todd T. Hunt (1984) already presented and the concept of mass self-communication of Manuel Castells (2010). Castells also tells us that we have moved from traditional media to a system of communication networks. For Scott Kirsner (2010), we have entered an era of digital creativity, where artists have the tools to do what they imagined and the public no longer wants to just consume cultural goods, but instead to have a voice and participate. The creativity process is now depending on the public choice as they wander through the screen. It is the receiver who owns an object which can be exchanged. Virtual reality has encouraged the receiver to abandon its position of passive observer and to become a participant agent, which implies a challenge to organizations: inventing new forms of interfaces. Therefore, we intend to find new and effective online tools that can be used by cultural organizations; the best way to manage them; to show how organizations can create a community with the public and how the availability of online content and its archive can contribute to the organizations’ memory.N/

Recheio : growing through a declining channel : a case on wholesale food private labels and its competitiveness

The Portuguese wholesale food market is in a mature phase where the space to grow seems to be limited. In the end of 2008 economic and business environment were expected to deteriorate intensely making this growth even more difficult wholesale food companies. Recheio, the market leader in this sector, had been growing sustainably and regardless the situation they wanted to keep their pace. As so Mr. Antunes challenged the Marketing Director Rita Silva, to develop a strategy to boost the Traditional Retail channel sales since it was the one with the one decreasing the most. Due to its lack of capacity to compete with Modern Retail chains Mrs. Silva and her team worked to understand the gap between these two channels in order to build the necessary management tools to increase traditional retailers´ competitiveness and Recheio sales. These management tools could be as simple as more competitive prices or as complex as developing a Private Label but one thing was clear, waiting to see the exact evolution without any of these actions was not an option

Climate change impacts on water supply: implications for reservoir management in upper Sabor, northeast Portugal

Climate change scenarios project warmer temperatures and less precipitation in Mediterranean watersheds. This can aggravate drought conditions, with negative impacts on water supply. Here, reservoirs may play an important role to mitigate these impacts. However, the implications of climate change are not always considered in the reservoir planning and management. This study aimed to address this issue for the Upper Sabor watershed, northeast Portugal. This is a medium watershed (403km2), part of the Sabor river, a tributary of Douro (one of the major rivers in the Iberian Peninsula). It is a mountainous watershed (up to 1500m), characterized by humid Mediterranean climate, with three dry months in summer. Almost 52% of the area is occupied by shrubland and 18% agriculture. Water supply for about 33 000 people has been based almost exclusively in one reservoir, but constant problems of water supply in dry summers, which coincide with a doubling of population due to summer holidays, led to the construction of a new reservoir in 2015. The Soil andWater Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used for a climate change impact assessment, considering the current water supply regime (single reservoir) and the construction of the new reservoir. SWAT was calibrated and validated against daily-observed discharge and reservoir volume, with a good agreement between model predictions and observations. Results from four GCMs (General Circulation Models) for two scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) were statistically downscaled and bias-corrected with ground observations; climate scenarios for 2021-2040 and 2041-2060 were compared with a control period in 1981-2000. In the future, a general increase of temperatures is expected in the Upper Sabor watershed, especially in the maximum temperature under RCP 8.5 scenario for 2041-2060 (Tmax: +2.88ºC). The change in precipitation is more uncertain, with larger differences according to the selected climate model. Annual precipitation would slightly decrease in RCP 8.5, less than 1% change compared to 1981-2000. However, seasonal changes would be more significant, with more precipitation in winter (+ 6.8%) and much less in spring and summer (-13.2% and -14.9%, respectively). In turn, an annual increase in precipitation is expected under RCP 4.5 for 2021-2040 (+1.8%) and a higher decrease for 2041-2060 (+6.4%), when compared to RCP 8.5. For hydrological impacts, SWAT results showed a small reduction in river discharge, more pronounced under RCP 8.5 for 2041-2060, for the spring and summer months. Results showed that the existence of two reservoirs will solve the water supply problems in current conditions, but in future conditions the reliability of this solution will decrease, especially under scenario RCP 8.5 for 2041-2060 (reliability of water supply below 80%). Here, the variability given by the different climate models simulated in SWAT brings some uncertainty. The main conclusion of this study is that the solution for water supply in this region, calculated taking only present-day climate into account, will be inefficient for water supply management under future climates. Taking climate change into account would have avoided the need for further investment in the near future. It is a mountainous watershed (up to 1500m), characterized by humid Mediterranean climate, with three dry months in summer. Almost 52% of the area is occupied by shrubland and 18% agriculture. Water supply for about 33 000 people has been based almost exclusively in one reservoir, but constant problems of water supply in dry summers, which coincide with a doubling of population due to summer holidays, led to the construction of a new reservoir in 2015. The Soil andWater Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used for a climate change impact assessment, considering the current water supply regime (single reservoir) and the construction of the new reservoir. SWAT was calibrated and validated against daily-observed discharge and reservoir volume, with a good agreement between model predictions and observations. Results from four GCMs (General Circulation Models) for two scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) were statistically downscaled and bias-corrected with ground observations; climate scenarios for 2021-2040 and 2041-2060 were compared with a control period in 1981-2000. In the future, a general increase of temperatures is expected in the Upper Sabor watershed, especially in the maximum temperature under RCP 8.5 scenario for 2041-2060 (Tmax: +2.88ºC). The change in precipitation is more uncertain, with larger differences according to the selected climate model. Annual precipitation would slightly decrease in RCP 8.5, less than 1% change compared to 1981-2000. However, seasonal changes would be more significant, with more precipitation in winter (+ 6.8%) and much less in spring and summer (-13.2% and -14.9%, respectively). In turn, an annual increase in precipitation is expected under RCP 4.5 for 2021-2040 (+1.8%) and a higher decrease for 2041-2060 (+6.4%), when compared to RCP 8.5. For hydrological impacts, SWAT results showed a small reduction in river discharge, more pronounced under RCP 8.5 for 2041-2060, for the spring and summer months. Results showed that the existence of two reservoirs will solve the water supply problems in current conditions, but in future conditions the reliability of this solution will decrease, especially under scenario RCP 8.5 for 2041-2060 (reliability of water supply below 80%). Here, the variability given by the different climate models simulated in SWAT brings some uncertainty. The main conclusion of this study is that the solution for water supply in this region, calculated taking only present-day climate into account, will be inefficient for water supply management under future climates. Taking climate change into account would have avoided the need for further investment in the near future

Avaliação dos níveis de conforto e qualidade do ar em churrasqueiras

A churrasqueira, devidamente equipada e higienizada, é o local no qual se confecionam todo o tipo de refeições. Durante a produção das mesmas, existe a libertação de calor e de vapor de água, fumo e substâncias químicas que vão afetar o ambiente, tanto a nível térmico como a nível da qualidade do ar, expondo os trabalhadores e os clientes a um ambiente desagradável. Para evitar que tal aconteça, são necessárias ferramentas/instrumentos que tornem o posto de trabalho agradável para os trabalhadores e para as pessoas que utilizam o estabelecimento. A ventilação, por exemplo, é uma ferramenta que permite extrair o ar interior e substituí-lo por ar limpo (Monteiro, 2009). O presente trabalho tem por objetivo a avaliação e o diagnóstico das condições do ambiente ocupacional e qualidade de ar interior em estabelecimentos na área de restauração que contenham churrasqueira. Para o efeito foi feito um levantamento das unidades de restauração no Centro de Aveiro e estabelecido contactos com os operadores, no sentido de apurar as que incluem churrasqueiras. O estudo incidiu sobre três restaurantes, cujos menus são suportados essencialmente na confeção em grelhadores a carvão. A realização de campanhas de monitorização em cada local permitiu apurar que os trabalhadores dos grelhadores estão expostos a um stress térmico elevado, com valores de temperatura do ar e temperatura de globo superiores ao que está referenciado na ISO 7730/2005 e 7243/1989. Ao nível da qualidade do ar interior observaram-se sistematicamente concentrações médias de partículas PM10, durante o período de funcionamento, superiores ao limiar de proteção e margem de tolerância para os poluentes físico-químicos estabelecidos na Portaria n.º 353-A/2013. A variação da concentração dos poluentes medidos no interior dos restaurantes evidencia uma estreita relação com a atividade e ocupação dos mesmos.The kitchen of grill restaurants, properly equipped and sanitized, is the place where all kind of meals are prepared. During their productions, it is released heat a water vapour, smoke and chemical vapours that will affect the environment, both in terms of temperature and air quality, exposing workers and costumers to unpleasant environment. To prevent this from happening, tools/instruments are needed to make the work station pleasant for the workers and for the people to use the facilitys. Ventilation, for example, is a tool a tool that extracts the indoor air and renews the space with fresh clean air (Monteiro, 2009). The objective of this study is to evaluate and diagnose occupational and indoor air quality conditions in the establishments in the restaurant business that contain barbecue. For that purpose, a survey of the restaurants units in the Center of Aveiro was made and contacts were established with the operators, in order to determine which ones, include barbecue. The study focused on three restaurants, whose menus are mainly based on cooking on charcoal grills. The implementation of monitoring campaigns at each location, allowed to verify that the workers of the grills are exposed to a high thermal stress, with values of air temperature and global temperature higher than what is referenced in ISO 7730/2005 and ISO 7243/1989. The level of indoor air quality, average concentrations of PM10 particles, during the operating period, were consistently above the protection threshold margin of tolerance for the physic-chemical pollutants established in “Portaria No. 353-A / 2013”. The variation of the concentration of the pollutants measured inside the restaurants, evidences a close relation with the activity and occupation of the same one.Mestrado em Engenharia do Ambient

Sistemas Adesivos Self-Etch: revisão sistemática da evidência e orientações na aplicabilidade clínica

Projeto de Pós-Graduação/Dissertação apresentado à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Medicina DentáriaOs adesivos SE constituem uma estratégia adesiva dos materiais restauradores ao substrato dentário baseado na ação de monómeros acídicos que simultaneamente condicionam e infiltram os tecidos dentários. Esta abordagem técnica aparenta ser promissora clinicamente não só por apresentar-se com menos uma fase operatória reduzindo o tempo de aplicação clínico, mas também por reduzir significativamente a sensibilidade da técnica de aplicação e a probabilidade de erros durante a sua utilização. O presente trabalho visou rever os conceitos associados a adesivos SE, a “adesivos simplificados”, categorizar as diversas classificações quanto aos sistemas adesivos SE, descrever o que os distingue, que vantagens e limitações apresentam no seu universo e comparativamente com a estratégia ER. Pretendeu ainda efetuar uma revisão sistemática da eficácia adesiva SE com artigos publicados entre os anos de 2010 e 2012. Dos 1408 artigos encontrados foram selecionados 16 conforme os critérios de inclusão, referentes a ensaios clínicos com períodos de avaliação observacional com 1 ano (4 artigos); 18 meses (2 artigos); 2 anos (4 artigos); 3 anos (2 artigos); 4 anos (2 artigos) e 8 anos (2 artigos). Os sistemas adesivos SE-2 revelam melhores resultados clínicos que os SE-1 e os SE-1-all-in-one; Quando se pretende efectuar uma adesão ao esmalte, uma abordagem ER é preferível; Quando se pretende efectuar uma adesão à dentina os SE com menor agressividade acídica aparentam ser melhores e poderá ocorrer um envolvimento por ligação iónica adicional com HAp residual, em alguns adesivos; Quando se pretende adesão ao esmalte e dentina, o pre-etching seguido de uma aplicação de adesivo SE, particularmente SE-2, aparenta ser a melhor escolha para uma adesão eficaz a médio, longo prazo. São ainda necessários ensaios, sobretudo clínicos, que revelem dados consistentes quanto ao desempenho e eficácia dos adesivos SE, com períodos de avaliação longos, sobretudo dos SE simplificados (SE-1 e SE-1-all-in-one), e ainda relativamente ao uso ou não, e à determinação das concentrações adequadas de agentes desinfetantes e sua influência no desempenho de restaurações com sistemas adesivos SE e SE simplificados. SE adhesives are a strategy of adhering restorative materials to dental substrates based on the action of acidic monomers that simultaneously etch and infiltrate the dental tissues. This approach seems to be clinically promising not only because they present fewer technical steps reducing the operative time of clinical application, but also because significantly reduce the sensitivity of the application technique and the errors occurance during use. This study aimed to review the concepts associated with SE adhesives and "simplified adhesives," to categorize the several classifications regarding SE adhesive systems, to describe what distinguishes them, what advantages and limitations presents in their universe and its comparison with the ER strategy. It also pretended to do a systematic review on adhesive SE effectiveness with articles published between the years 2010 and 2012. Of the 1408 articles found, 16 were selected according to inclusion criteria, being clinical trials with evaluation periods with 1 year (4 articles), 18 months (2 articles), 2 years (4 articles), 3 years (2 articles), 4 years (2 articles) and 8 years (2 articles). The SE-2 adhesive systems showed better clinical results than the SE-1 and SE-1-all-in-one adhesives; When to make an adhesion to enamel, an ER approach is preferable; When to make an adhesion to dentin the SE with less aggressive acidicity appears to be better and may result in additional involvement by ionic bonding with residual HAp, in some adhesives; When to make adhesion to enamel and dentin, the enamel pre-etching followed by an application of an SE adhesive, particularly SE-2, appears to be the best choice for an effective adhesion in medium- long-terms. More trials are needed, especially clinical trials, revealing consistent data about SE adhesives performance and effectiveness, with long-term evaluations, especially regarding simplified SE adhesives (SE-1 and SE-1-all-in-one), and relatively to the use or not, and the determination of disinfectants appropriate concentrations and their influence on restorations performance with SE and simplified SE adhesive systems