"Seis sigma": uma nova cultura empresarial

Existe uma miríade de ferramentas para a gestão da qualidade. A grande maioria apareceu no meio industrial, e algumas ultrapassaram barreiras, chegando a todas as áreas de negócio. O processo Seis Sigma é uma ferramenta que se destacou pela sua versatilidade e eficácia, e alcançou uma grande notoriedade na indústria fabril. O discente teve a oportunidade de contactar com o processo Seis Sigma, que evidenciou a sua validade, como ferramenta poderosa em qualquer área de negócio. Baseado nesse trabalho, pretende-se demonstrar a mais-valia que esta ferramenta apresenta, e que, com empenho e dedicação, todos podem usar. Os objectivos deste trabalho são: • Identificar o valor superior numa empresa do ramo automóvel na implementação de um processo Seis Sigma numa área de BackOffice; • Verificar se após o fim do projecto Seis Sigma, as medidas implementadas continuam a produzir efeitos. Metodologia usada para a execução deste trabalho • O discente, com a função de Green Belt, foi o responsável pela implementação de um projecto Seis Sigma. No seguimento do que já havia sido efectuado no projecto Seis Sigma, este trabalho usou a ferramenta DMAIC (ver p.5) como metodologia para a sua execução. Conclusões Ficou demonstrado com este projecto, em que o discente teve um profundo envolvimento, que a metodologia Seis Sigma ao ser aplicada num qualquer processo repetitivo de trabalho vai: • Obrigar a repensar todos os procedimentos instalados procurando todas as oportunidades demelhoria; • Criar novas ferramentas para dar solução às oportunidades encontradas; • Verificar a validade e mais-valia nas novas ferramentas e procedimentos; • Em função da constante verificação, melhorar as ferramentas e procedimentos instalados, ou criar novos procedimentos ou ferramentas; • De uma forma permanente, continuar a analisar o processo, monitorizando a qualidade e a procura de novas oportunidades de melhoria. O facto de o processo Seis Sigma obrigar a uma introspecção ao trabalho realizado, e, tornar todo o processo de melhoria sistemático, faz com que seja sempre uma mais-valia a sua aplicação, num ambiente fabril, ou de BackOffice. Ainda que o processo Seis Sigma seja terminado a dada altura, as melhorias que trouxe e as ferramentas que foram desenvolvidas para a sua execução ficam, deixando um legado de melhoria de processos, que, por si só, justificam a sua implementação.

Trends in properties of para-substituted 3-(phenylhydrazo)pentane-2,4-diones

Trends between the Hammett's sigma(p) and related normal sigma(n)(p), inductive sigma(I), resonance sigma(R), negative sigma(-)(p) and positive sigma(+)(p) polar conjugation and Taft's sigma(o)(p) substituent constants and the N-H center dot center dot center dot O distance, delta(N-H) NMR chemical shift, oxidation potential (E-p/2(ox), measured in this study by cyclic voltammetry (CV)) and thermodynamic parameters (pK, Delta G(0), Delta H-0 and Delta S-0) of the dissociation process of unsubstituted 3-(phenylhydrazo)pentane-2,4-dione (HL1) and its para-substituted chloro (HL2), carboxy (HL3), fluoro (HL4) and nitro (HL5) derivatives were recognized. The best fits were found for sigma(p) and/or sigma(-)(p) in the cases of d(N center dot center dot center dot O), delta(N-H) and E-p/2(ox), showing the importance of resonance and conjugation effects in such properties, whereas for the above thermodynamic properties the inductive effects (sigma(I)) are dominant. HL2 exists in the hydrazo form in DMSO solution and in the solid state and contains an intramolecular H-bond with the N center dot center dot center dot O distance of 2.588(3)angstrom. It was also established that the dissociation process of HL1-5 is non-spontaneous, endothermic and entropically unfavourable, and that the increase in the inductive effect (sigma(I)) of para-substitutents (-H < -Cl < -COOH < -F < -NO2) leads to the corresponding growth of the N center dot center dot center dot O distance and decrease of the pK and of the changes of Gibbs free energy, of enthalpy and of entropy for the HL1-5 acid dissociation process. The electrochemical behaviour of HL1-5 was interpreted using theoretical calculations at the DFT/HF hybrid level, namely in terms of HOMO and LUMO compositions, and of reactivities induced by anodic and cathodic electron-transfers. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Five models for lepton mixing

We produce five flavour models for the lepton sector. All five models fit perfectly well - at the 1 sigma level - the existing data on the neutrino mass-squared differences and on the lepton mixing angles. The models are based on the type I seesaw mechanism, on a Z(2) symmetry for each lepton flavour, and either on a (spontaneously broken) symmetry under the interchange of two lepton flavours or on a (spontaneously broken) CP symmetry incorporating that interchange - or on both symmetries simultaneously. Each model makes definite predictions both for the scale of the neutrino masses and for the phase delta in lepton mixing; the fifth model also predicts a correlation between the lepton mixing angles theta(12) and theta(23).

O webmarketing e o perfil de consumidor online: estudo de caso da Delta Q

Mestrado em Controlo de Gestão e dos Negócios

Dynamic peripheral visual performance relates to alpha activity in soccer players

Many studies have demonstrated the relationship between the alpha activity and the central visual ability, in which the visual ability is usually assessed through static stimuli. Besides static circumstance, however in the real environment there are often dynamic changes and the peripheral visual ability in a dynamic environment (i.e., dynamic peripheral visual ability) is important for all people. So far, no work has reported whether there is a relationship between the dynamic peripheral visual ability and the alpha activity. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate their relationship. Sixty-two soccer players performed a newly designed peripheral vision task in which the visual stimuli were dynamic, while their EEG signals were recorded from Cz, O1, and O2 locations. The relationship between the dynamic peripheral visual performance and the alpha activity was examined by the percentage-bend correlation test. The results indicated no significant correlation between the dynamic peripheral visual performance and the alpha amplitudes in the eyes-open and eyes-closed resting condition. However, it was not the case for the alpha activity during the peripheral vision task: the dynamic peripheral visual performance showed significant positive inter-individual correlations with the amplitudes in the alpha band (8-12 Hz) and the individual alpha band (IAB) during the peripheral vision task. A potential application of this finding is to improve the dynamic peripheral visual performance by up-regulating alpha activity using neuromodulation techniques.

alpha-Co(OH)(2)/carbon nanofoam composite as electrochemical capacitor electrode operating at 2 V in aqueous medium

In this work, alpha-Co(OH)(2) is electrodeposited onto carbon nanofoam forming a composite electrode operating in a potential window of 2 V in aqueous medium. Prior to electrodeposition, the carbon nanofoam substrate is subjected to a functionalization process, which leads to an increase of about 40% in its specific capacitance value. Formation of cobalt hydroxide clusters onto the functionalized carbon nanofoam by pulse electrodeposition further enhances the specific capacitance of the electrode. The combination of these factors with an enlarged working potential window, results in a material with specific capacitance close to 300 F g(-1) at current density of 1 A g(-1), considering the total mass loading of the composite. This suggests the potential application of the prepared composites in high energy density electrochemical supercapacitors. (c) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.