Gender wage and productivity differentials in the Portuguese tourism industry

The objective of this paper is to provide empirical evidence on the determinants of gender wage inequality in the Portuguese tourism industry. Relying on firm level wage equations and production functions, gender wage and productivity differentials are estimated and then compared in order to infer whether observed gender disparities are justifiable on the grounds that women are relatively less productive than men, or instead disparities are due to gender wage discrimination. This approach is applied to tourism industry data gathered in the matched employer-employee data set Quadros de Pessoal (Employee Records). The main findings indicate that female employees in the tourism industry in Portugal are less productive than their male colleagues and that gender differences in wages are fully explained by gender differences in productivity.

Gender, wages, and productivity: an analysis of the tourism industry in northern Portugal

Tourism represents a major economic activity in Portugal, with an enormous wealth and employment growth potential. A significant proportion of jobs in the industry tourism are occupied by women, given that this industry is characterized by a relatively higher percentage of female employees. Despite the evidence of female progress with regard to their role in the Portuguese labor market, women continue to earn less than their male counterparts. This is clearly the case of the tourism industry, where statistics reveal a persistent gender wage gap. The objective of this paper is to provide empirical evidence on the determinants of gender wage inequality in the tourism industry in northern Portugal. Relying on firm-level wage equations and production functions, gender wage and productivity differentials are estimated and then compared. The comparison of these differentials allows inferring whether observed wage disparities are attributable to relatively lower female productivity, or instead disparities are due to gender wage discrimination. This approach is applied to tourism industry data gathered in the matched employer-employee data set Quadros de Pessoal (Employee Records). The main findings indicate that female employees in the tourism industry in northern Portugal are less productive than their male colleagues and that gender differences in wages are fully explained by gender differences in productivity.

Certification and integration of management systems: the experience of Portuguese small and medium enterprises

The purpose of this study was to characterize the situation of Portuguese Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) concerning the certification of their Quality Management Systems (QMS), Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS), in their individually form, to identify benefits, drawbacks and difficulties associated with the certification process and to characterize the level of integration that has been achieved. This research was based on a survey carried out by the research team; it was administered to 46 Portuguese SMEs. Our sample comprised 20 firms (43%) from the Trade/Services activity sector, 17 (37%) from the Industrial sector, 5 (11%) from the Electricity/Telecommunications sector and 4 (9%) from the Construction area. All SMEs surveyed were certified according to the ISO 9001 (100%), a quarter of firms were certified according to the ISO 14001 (26.1%) and a few certified by OHSAS 18001 (15.2%). We undertook a multivariate cluster analysis, which enabled grouping variables into homogeneous groups or one or more common characteristics of the SMEs participating in the study. Results show that the main benefits that Portuguese SMEs have gained from the referred certifications have been, among others, an improvement of both their internal organization and external image. We also present the main difficulties in achieving certification. Overall, 7 of the Portuguese SMEs examined indicated that the main benefits of the IMS implementation management included costs reduction, increased employee training and easier compliance of legislation. The respective drawbacks and difficulties are also presented. Finally, we presented the main integrated items in the certified Portuguese SMEs we examined.

Anotação, numa perspectiva de Direito Penal e de Criminologia, de alguns dos aspectos do Acórdão do Supremo Tribunal de Justiça (português), de 28 de Setembro de 2011 - os problemas do direito ao silêncio e do dever em o arguido se sujeitar a aplicações de prova no processo penal

Resumo: 1 – Sumário do Acórdão do Supremo Tribunal de Justiça, de 28 de Setembro de 2011; 2 – Texto completo do Acórdão do Supremo Tribunal de Justiça, de 28 de Setembro de 2011, Juiz Conselheiro Raul BORGES (Relator), Juiz Conselheiro Armindo MONTEIRO cfr. http://www.dgsi.pt , 20 de Janeiro de 2012; 3 – Anotação; 3.1 – Introdução à anotação; 3.2 – Algumas das referências, por parte do Acórdão do Supremo Tribunal de Justiça, de 28 de Setembro de 2011, aos problemas do direito ao silêncio e do dever em o arguido se sujeitar a aplicações de prova no processo penal; 3.3 – «Teoria geral» dos problemas do direito ao silêncio em contraste com o dever de sujeição do arguido a diligências de prova no contexto do direito processual penal lusitano; 4 - Conclusão. § Abstract: 1 - Summary of the Judgement of the Supreme Court of Justice of 28 September 2011 2 - Full text of the Judgement of the Supreme Court of Justice of 28 September 2011, Councillor Judge Raul Borges (Reporter), Councillor Judge Armindo Monteiro cf. . http://www.dgsi.pt, January 20, 2012, 3 - Note: 3.1 - Introduction to the annotation; 3.2 - Some of the references, by the Judgement of the Supreme Court of Justice of 28 September 2011, the problems the right to silence and the duty in the defendant be subject to applications of proof in criminal proceedings; 3.3 - "general Theory" of the problems the right to silence in contrast to the duty of subjection of the accused to proof steps in the right context criminal procedure Lusitanian 4 - Conclusion. P.S.: este é o "abstract" tal qual como surge no artigo.

Do silêncio à acção.

From silence to action: silence taken as a foundational action that allows creative processes. It is a blankness that precedes the moment of creation but also stands for a search for perfection, the un-representable, the Sublime. The ‘art moment’ is that what is created from such emptiness, in the vertiginous abyss from nowhere to action. We will work this complex process of understanding if an action precedes the silence or if the silence precedes the action. Analyzing art process, considering its phases, from the tension between either to create or not to create will be related with the potency refereed by Agamben regarding Bartleby: starting with blankness, with the invisibility of potency, when communication is urgent. When “the blues” are called into participation, when the melancholic state installs the potency of the work both to grow or be doubted, of to do or not to do, how do we read agency? Is silence the action? Should the action rest in silence? What to do? Remain in the state of pure potency or prove the impossibility to create form? Nowadays, the pensive image counters the logic of the narrative action. On the one hand, the image extends the action on the other hand suspends any given presumption. The artistic process carries on, in its poetic freedom, a search without the enslavement of representational forms.

PÁSCOA, CRUZADOS E GENOCÍDIOS (M/18)

“Acredita-se que mais de cem milhões de cristãos enfrentam perseguições diariamente em todo o mundo por causa da sua fé em Jesus Cristo”, Eric Metaxas, “comparou a atitude da maior parte das lideranças cristãs com o silêncio dos cristão no tempo da Alemanha nazi”, Metaxas escreveu uma biografia de Dietrich Bonhoeffer, torturado e morto pelos nazis – 1906/45, foi um teólogo pastor luterano e membro da resistência anti-nazi, tendo estado envolvido com o Almirante Canaris da Abwehr para assassinar Hitler. Bonhoeffer, que foi um crítico das perseguições aos judeus, tinha por lema: “O silêncio diante do mal é o próprio mal”. § "It is believed that over one hundred million Christians face persecution every day around the world because of their faith in Jesus Christ," Eric Metaxas, "compared the attitude of most Christian leaders with Christian of silence in the German time Nazi, "Metaxas wrote a biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, tortured and killed by the Nazis - 1906/45, was a pastor Lutheran theologian and member of the anti-Nazi resistance, having been involved with Admiral Canaris of the Abwehr to assassinate Hitler. Bonhoeffer, who was a critic of the persecution of Jews, had a motto: "Silence in the face of evil is evil itself."

Use of Performance Measurement in the Public Sector: the case of the police service

Many public organisations have been under great pressure in recent years to increase the efficiency and transparency of outputs, to rationalise the use of public resources, and to increase the quality of service delivery. In this context, public organisations were encouraged to introduce the New Public Management reforms with the goal of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the performance organisation through a new public management model. This new public management model is based on measurement by outputs and outcomes, a clear definition of responsibilities, the transparency and accountability of governmental activities, and on a greater value for citizens. What type of performance measurement systems are used in police services? Based on the literature, we see that multidimensional models, such as the Balanced Scorecard, are important in many public organisations, like municipalities, universities, and hospitals. Police services are characterised by complex, diverse objectives and stakeholders. Therefore, performance measurement of these public services calls for a specific analysis. Based on a nationwide survey of all police chiefs of the Portuguese police force, we find that employee performance measurement is the main form of measurement. Also, we propose a strategic map for the Portuguese police service.

Organisational and professional commitments: the influence in nurses´organizational citizenship behaviours

The way an employee behaves in his work can be influenced by the organisational and professional commitment. Nurses are professionals who are guided by organisational and professional goals and values. Among nurses, professional commitment may be an important antecedent of organisational citizenship behaviours. The study shows how organisational and professional commitment is related with nurses’ organisational citizenship behaviours. Data from a sample of 420 nurses working in two hospitals --- the Hospital of St. Marcos, Braga and the Hospital Centre of Alto Ave, Guimarães and Fafe units were collected. The main findings are as follows: (a) organisational commitment and professional commitment contribute to the explanation of nurses’ organisational citizenship behaviours, (b) affective organisational commitment, continuance organisational commitment --- personal sacrifice, affective professional commitment and continuance professional commitment explain 28.6% of variance of organisational citizenship behaviours. © 2013 Instituto Politécnico do Cávado e do Ave (IPCA). Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.