A value chain analysis of tuna industry in Ghana

Every can of tuna purchased by the consumer has taken a long journey before reaching the supermarket shelves. For each can bought there is a lengthy process from sea to shelf. A large proportion of the tuna cans purchased in the European Union come all the way from West Africa; a developing region with a high dependency on fisheries. Amidst an ever-increasing demand for tuna products the global tuna fisheries are set to continue expanding, apparently one of the last natural resource based industries fit to do so in West Africa. Tuna is the biggest fisheries export and dominates the fisheries sector in Ghana, a country situated in West Africa. This thesis aims to understand how this globally important industrial fisheries functions in terms of procedures, practices, Governance and finance. Socioeconomic influences, in the setting of a developing country, were also examined. For these purposes a Value Chain Analysis was employed. A Value Chain Analysis is a tool commonly used to understand how different companies and organizations participate in a domestic policy environment, which directs conclusion in the global economy. This analysis has the potential to allow researchers to fully understand a commodity chain and hence identify realistic opportunities for consequential improvements. Interviews and questionnaires were employed in-field Ghana along with secondary data collection techniques. It was found that the fisheries functions at the production level under influences from large multinational companies and tends to operate with a certain degree of lawlessness. Governance over the value chain is well defined, however implementation is poor or non-existent. The processors, whom are also dominated by multinationals, exert some control over the producers and their sales, however the high value links which are highlighted occur at the retail stage. Socioeconomic dynamics acting in the chain included the lack of communication between the public and private sector, power imbalances amongst players at production, the role of local businesswomen as actors in the chain and the general characteristics of the workers in the industry. Value addition and upgrading are needed the most in Governance over the chain, especially within Monitoring, Control and Surveillance. The results of the study provide a wealth of material about the components of a cost-heavy fishing industry in a developing country; an industry on which many eyes have recently turned due to illegal fishing activities. It highlights clearly where funding and future focus are needed. This value chain can be used as a guide for those that need to comprehend the financial complexities and real life dynamics of the Ghanaian tuna fishing industry today.

Antimicrobial activity of essential oils isolated from Portuguese endemic species of Thymus

Aims: Thymus species are wild species mostly found in the arid lands of Portugal. Possible antimicrobial properties of Thymus essential oils have been investigated. The chemical composition of the essential oils and the antimicrobial activity of Thymus mastichina (L) L. subsp. mastichina , T. camphoratus and T. lotocephalus from different regions of Portugal were analysed. Methods and Results: Hydrodistillation was used to isolate the essential oils and the chemical analyses were performed by gas chromatography (GC) and GC coupled to mass spectrometry. The antimicrobial activity was tested by the disc agar diffusion technique against Candida albicans , Escherichia coli , Listeria monocytogenes , Proteus mirabilis , Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus . Pure linalool, 1,8-cineole and a mixture (1:1) of these compounds were included. Linalool, 1,8-cineole or linalool/1,8-cineole and linalool/1,8-cineole/linalyl acetate were the major components of the essential oils, depending on the species or sampling place. The essential oils isolated from the Thymus species studied demonstrated antimicrobial activity but the micro-organisms tested had significantly different sensitivities. Conclusions: The antimicrobial activity of essential oils may be related to more than one component. Significance and Impact of the Study: Portuguese endemic species of Thymus can be used for essential oil production for food spoilage control, cosmetics and pharmaceutical use. Further studies will be required to elucidate the cell targets of the essential oil components.

The Rathbone Hotel: internship

The main objective of the internship is to complete the requirement of the Master program as prescribed by the University of the Algarve. An intern has to prepare an internship report at the end of the internship period but the main objective of the internship is to get experience of the real world organisation. The internship was concluded with the objective of getting practical knowledge in all departments at The Rathbone Hotel. The first responsibility I was assigned during these 12 months of internship period was to assist the Housekeeping Department. Secondly, I was allotted the work of F&B, Accounts, Reservations, Front Office, Back Office and assisting the Assistant Manager was the last task I was assigned during my Internship program. As an intern, I realised that I was successful to gather a lot of significant learning experiences which would be helpful in my future career. Work in all departments of The Rathbone Hotel offered me ample space and opportunities, not only to learn but also to exhibit my skills as a Rathbone team member. I could use my theoretical knowledge in real practice while participating in many discussions. I was actively involved in the revenue meetings where I shared my knowledge and views regarding the performance in Reservations of The Rathbone Hotel. I successfully completed all the assigned duties and passed them over to the supervisor at the end of the internship. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenges that came along every single day. These lessons that I have learned will be a valuable one for my future activities as well.

Crieff Hydro Hotel: the experience economy and the guest perspective

The purpose of this report is to do a presentation of the hotel where I will be working, characterising the reception department and all the activities that I developed during this placement. On this placement at the CHH (Crieff Hydro Hotel) – family 4 stars resort, my goal is to have an experience in hospitality, in special in reception. This placement is carried out from my Master degree in Direcção e Gestão Hoteleira (Commercial branch) at the University of the Algarve – Campus Penha. For this report it was also intended to do an analysis of the guest experience in hospitality and for that it was necessary to do a literature review adequate for my area of work in the hotel giving importance to the guest experience in the hospitality. For my analysis regarding the guest experience in hospitality, I used data collected from the surveys answered by the guests that stayed with us in the hotel. To analyse the data it was necessary to do a categorial analysis technique. After this year of placement in the hotel and after this analysis, as results I have the opportunity to continue my work in the hotel and also the possibility of a better position in a near future. Last but not least, this report demonstrates my work path and also helps to have a better understanding of the satisfaction perceived by the guest in order to give us tools to improve it. From what we can see, the guests’ satisfaction is highly rated on both surveys.

Hotel W Barcelona: style department (housekeeping)

Este relatório pretende descrever a experiência proporcionada pelo estágio efetuado no departamento de Style do hotel W Barcelona, enquanto supervisor de housekeeping. Para melhor conseguir definir esta experiência, é feita uma caraterização da entidade de acolhimento, referindo os elementos diferenciadores associados à brand do hotel, assim como aspetos gerais da cadeia hoteleira a que esta está liga. Segue-se uma revisão de literatura onde é explorada a descrição do departamento de alojamento e do subdepartamento de housekeeping. Nesta revisão focam-se as funções dos vários colaboradores pertencentes ao subdepartamento, assim como os variados documentos inerentes ao decorrer da operação. Posteriormente é feita uma descrição da realidade do hotel, ao nível da área de housekeeping: relata-se as funções dos vários elementos do departamento, dando-se especial destaque à função de supervisor de andares. Refere-se quais os procedimentos e relatórios exigidos, durante a operativa do hotel. Comenta-se, também, a implementação de um sistema (REX), que visa melhorar o desempenho deste departamento. Comparando os conceitos obtidos através da revisão da literatura com a realidade do hotel verifica-se que não é fácil implementar grandes inovações, dentro da área do housekeeping, e que a forma de operar não conheceu profundas alterações nos últimos dez anos e conclui-se que este hotel estabeleceu para a operativa, procedimentos estandardizados.

Romantik Hotel Vivenda Miranda: estágio

O presente relatório de estágio tem como objetivo relatar as tarefas exercidas durante a realização do estágio do Mestrado em Direção e Gestão Hoteleira no Romantik Hotel Vivenda Miranda. O relatório é de cariz obrigatório segundo o Regulamento de Mestrados e as metodologias utilizadas durante o estágio e respetivo relatório interligam-se com a revisão da literatura acerca da temática relativa à análise e gestão estratégica, gestão da receita e engenharia da ementa. Após a realização do estágio constata-se a aquisição de vários conhecimentos referentes à gestão e operação hoteleira, nomeadamente, no que concerne a várias fases importantes de planeamento, execução, optimização, controlo e monitorização da estratégia, numa tentativa de melhorar processos futuros. É colocado grande destaque à filosofia do hotel no que se refere à relação de proximidade com o cliente, muito por influência da dimensão do hotel e elevado número de repeaters. A gestão da receita implicou um resultado positivo no que se refere ao planeamento futuro e ao budgeting da empresa, bem como na afirmação dos canais de distribuição e mercado-alvo a apostar e/ou continuar a apostar. Por fim, mas não menos importante, a aquisição de conhecimentos analíticos relacionados com a avaliação da ementa e sua produtividade, não só em termos financeiros, como também no que toca à avaliação qualitativa e intangível da mesma foi igualmente notória. Os resultados daqui adquiridos envolvem-se num carácter mais organizacional, em que se denotou a necessidade de uma maior estruturação de processos já existentes, mas ainda não informatizados, facilitando a gestão da receita nas secções restaurante e cozinha.

Avaliar o impacto de um website/plataforma web sobre a gestão de uma pme na área de hotelaria: estudo de caso Hotel Passagem do Sol

Nesta investigação, tendo em conta a natureza do problema, escolhemos um paradigma de investigação interpretativo, numa abordagem mista, recorrendo a dados qualitativos e quantitativos. A opção de utilizar metodologias de índole qualitativa e quantitativa contribui para valorizar o estudo realizado, de forma a conhecer a situação e compreender a complexidade, construindo novas perspetivas e abrindo caminho para futuros estudos. O objetivo deste estudo é compreender e avaliar a importância da Internet para a gestão de uma PME, avaliar a Importação do Website/plataforma Web para a gestão da PME, estudo do Website como ferramenta de e-Marketing, avaliar o impacto do grafismo da plataforma no cliente, avaliar o comportamento dos clientes através do Website e a forma como a empresa aproveita esses dados e analisar em que vertentes da gestão de PME o uso da plataforma tem implicações. De acordo com o problema apresentado, classificamos o estudo, como um estudo de caso. Neste tipo de investigação duas das principais vantagens são, possuirmos o método ideal para caracterizar e aprender acerca de um indivíduo em particular e o facto de poder-se, a qualquer momento, alterar os métodos da recolha de dados e estruturar novas questões de investigação. Os resultados deste estudo foram extremamente elucidativos para a importância de uma plataforma web na gestão de um negócio, a forma como os utilizadores utilizam a internet e a própria estrutura da plataforma web. Observou-se de facto que estes fatores e outros indicados no estudo possuem impacto direto e indireto na gestão de uma organização e que o simples facto de o negócio estar online já é um fator de diferenciação e revelou ser uma ferramenta de e-CRM e de e-Marketing muito poderosa. O facto de estudarmos uma PME, deu para concluir que o trabalho nesta área ainda tem muito para crescer, devido à falta de recursos humanos e há pequena dimensão do negócio que não permite esta evolução tão rápida quanto a desejada. Por outro lado as PME’s tendem a ter outros comportamentos Web menos complexos, o que favorece o negócio, os colaboradores e os clientes. Concluiu-se também que toda a informação na Web corre à velocidade da luz, pelo que é muito importante as empresas e os seus colaboradores acompanharem esta evolução constantemente.

Framework for the characterization of hotel websites

Nowadays the importance of websites to the tourism and hospitality industries is fundamental. Hotels, for instance, spend a huge amount of money improving their websites to show all the activities and amenities that they can provide. There are studies to evaluate website performance based on functionality, usability and other factors; nevertheless, they are not exhaustive. This paper presents a framework for the characterization of hotel and resort websites, that was applied as a case study to the websites of 5-star hotels and resorts that operate in the tourism region of the Algarve, Portugal. This framework allows us to identify a set of features for the hotel and resort websites characterization. From these features, we propose a set of comprehensive indicators, grouping them into ten fundamental information dimensions, as well as the application of these indicators and information dimensions, which allows obtaining quantitative and qualitative results.

Medium-term prospects for portuguese agriculture under health check Proposals: a quantitative analysis with the CAPRI modelling system

The challenges of Common Agricultural Policy are driven by internal and external factors, such as the budgetary constraints, the budget reform, the globalization and the world financial crisis. According to this work results, CAP will continue its evolution from a sectorial to a territorial approach, with a slow re-balance of its two pillars. The Portuguese agriculture will slowly adjust itself to the disappearance of prices and markets policy and the reinforcement of rural development policy. As in the past, agriculture will accommodate the reform effects and adjust to a new framework without sudden brakes or disclosers.

Structural issues on the portuguese fig production: recent developments

Fig production evolution registered an enormous decrease in Portugal on the last decades. In what concerns any agricultural production and its evolution we have to look to the structural issues affecting the culture trying to understand what is going on and where to act. This paper will begin to show the decrease on Portuguese fig production, according to FAO statistics. Then, we will look to this evolution in parallel with the evolution of farm structure on the last decades that has been quite strong, in Portugal, even if in what concerns farm area and the distribution of farms among area classes there has been only slight modifications. The population evolution is also a matter of importance and we will try to characterize the Portuguese agricultural population, in what concerns educational level and age and then move to fig producers, trying to understand what is the age and educational level of those who produce rig in Portugal. Finally, we will briefly focus on the economics of production. As a conclusion, there will be some appointments on the fig production future in Portugal.

The perception of woman on the example of the Odyssey of Homer and its english translation by James Huddleston and portuguese translation by Frederico Lourenço

Dissertação de mestrado, Estudos Literários e Artísticos, Faculdade de Ciências Humanas e Sociais, Universidade do Algarve, 2015

Study of the expression of different genes of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) metabolism during the early paralarval development of the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris)

Dissertação de mestrado, Aquacultura e Pescas, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologias, Universidade do Algarve, 2015

Technical and economic viability of traps in the portuguese fishery of deepwater rose shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris)

Dissertação de mestrado, Aquacultura e Pescas, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2015

Análise energética de uma unidade hoteleira do Algarve - caso de estudo Real Marina Hotel

Dissertação de mestrado, Energias Renováveis e Gestão de Energia, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2015

Bela Vista Country Hotel & Spa

Dissertação de mestrado, Direção e Gestão Hoteleira, Escola Superior de Gestão, Hotelaria e Turismo, Universidade do Algarve, 2015