Analysis of integrated management systems from various perspectives

This article compiles the main topics addressed by management systems (MSs) literature concerningMSs integration by performing a systematic literature review. In this paper, it is intended to present themain limitations of non-integratedmanagement systems (IMSs), the main motivations driving an IMS implementation, the major resistances faced, the most common resultant benefits, the suitable guidelines and standards and the critical success factors. In addition, this paper addresses the issues concerning integration strategies and models, the integration levels or degrees achieved by an IMS and the audit function in an integrated context. The motivations that drive companies to integrate their management subsystems, the obstacles faced and the benefits collected may have internal or external origins. The publishing of standards guiding companies on how to integrate their management subsystems has been done mainly at a national level. There are several models that could be used in order to support companies in their management subsystems integration processes, and a sequential or an all-in strategy may be adopted. Four audit typologies can be distinguished, and the adoption of any of these typologies should consider resource availability and audit team know-how, among other features.

Project scheduling and cost minimization with multiple availability constrained resources under stochastic conditions

The authors propose a mathematical model to minimize the project total cost where there are multiple resources constrained by maximum availability. They assume the resources as renewable and the activities can use any subset of resources requiring any quantity from a limited real interval. The stochastic nature is inferred by means of a stochastic work content defined per resource within an activity and following a known distribution and the total cost is the sum of the resource allocation cost with the tardiness cost or earliness bonus in case the project finishes after or before the due date, respectively. The model was computationally implemented relying upon an interchange of two global optimization metaheuristics – the electromagnetism-like mechanism and the evolutionary strategies. Two experiments were conducted testing the implementation to projects with single and multiple resources, and with or without maximum availability constraints. The set of collected results shows good behavior in general and provide a tool to further assist project manager decision making in the planning phase.

Audit quality: a resource-based perspective

This study considers the Certified Public Accountants (CPA) partners of the audit firms as the core producers of these knowledge-based organisations and investigates the effects of audit firm-level of CPA partners’ experience in audit quality. Audit quality was measured through the audit clients’ earnings quality. The main findings suggested that the audit firm-level of CPA partners’ general experience is positively associated with audit quality. Also, the audit firm-level of CPA partners’ experience acquired with prior audit firms significantly improves audit quality. Concerning the effects of audit firm-level of CPA partners’ experience acquired in the current audit firm in audit quality, results were statistically insignificant. Finally, we found that changes in audit firm-level of CPA partners’ general experience also influence audit quality. We verified that the more positive the change in the audit firm stock of CPA partners’ general experience, the higher is audit quality. We interpret this finding as revealing that the year-to-year changes in audit firm’s stock of CPA partners’ general experience is the mechanism allowing these firms to achieve and maintain the critical mass of this resource and reach higher performance levels. We further showed that our main results were not driven by the engagement partner experience.

Maternal attachment representations in relation to emotional availability and discipline behaviour

"Published online: 15 Sep 2015."

Avaliação da implementação do SAP ERP na logística: estudo de caso

Dissertação de mestrado em Engenharia de Sistemas

Quantifying, generating and mitigating radio interference in Low-Power Wireless Networks

Doctoral Programme in Telecommunication - MAP-tele

Development of an intelligent earthwork optimization system

Tese de Doutoramento em Engenharia Civil.

Spawning habitat selection by Octopus vulgaris: new insights for a more effective management of this resource

The selection of spawning habitat of a population of Octopus vulgaris that is subject to a small-scale exploitation was studied in the Cíes Islands within the National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia (NW Spain). The technique used was visual censuses by scuba diving. We conducted 93 visual censuses from April 2012 to April 2014. The total swept area was 123.69 ha. Habitat features (season, depth, zone, bottom temperature, swept area, bottom substrate type, and creels fishing impact) were evaluated as predictors of the presence/absence of spawning dens using GAM models. O. vulgaris has a noteworthy preference for spawning in areas with hard bottom substrate and moderate depth (approximately 20 m). The higher density of spawning dens (1.08ha−1) was found in a surveyed area of 50.14ha located in the northeastern part of the northern Cíes Island. We propose to protect the area comprised from Punta Escodelo to Punta Ferreiro between 5 and 30 m depth. This area has a surface of 158 ha equivalent to 5.98% of the total marine area of the Cíes islands. The strengths and weaknesses of a management strategy based on the protection of the species’ spawning habitat are discussed.

Macroscopic and histopathological study of the placenta: an essential resource in litigation processes

The pathological study of the placenta is of upmost importance in cases of unexplained fetal/perinatal loss and often these carry litigation implications. Integrating pathological findings and the underlying pathophysiological processes, leading to placental lesions, is fundamental for the evaluation of poor fetal and perinatal outcomes and to distinguish from cases of true negligence.

From perfect strangers to research partners: a study of relationships, resource sharing and perceived benefits within R&D cooperation networks

Doctoral thesis in Marketing and Strategy.