Technology strategies in the process of student retention and efficiency of academic management

This article discusses the application of Information and Communication Technologies and strategies for best practices in order to capture and maintain faculty students' attention. It is based on a case study of ten years, using a complete information system. This system, in addition to be considered an ERP, to support the activities of academic management, also has a strong component of SRM that provides support to academic and administrative activities. It describes the extent to which the presented system facilitates the interaction and communication between members of the academic community, using the Internet, with services available on the Web complementing them with email, SMS and CTI. Through a perception, backed by empirical analysis and results of investigations, it demonstrates how this type of practice may raise the level of satisfaction of the community. In particular, it is possible to combat failure at school, avoid that students leave their course before its completion and also that they recommend them to potential students. In addition, such a strategy also allows strong economies in the management of the institution, increasing its value. As future work, we present the new phase of the project towards implementation of Business Intelligence to optimize the management process, making it proactive. The technological vision that guides new developments to a construction based on Web services and procedural languages is also presented.

A promo����o/progress��o em 2008 de Assistente do 1�� tri��nio a Assistente do 2�� tri��nio (ECPDESP) e a aplicabilidade ou n��o das Leis n��s 43/2005, de 29.08 e 53-C/2006, de 29.12

Trabalho de natureza profissional para a atribui����o do T��tulo de Especialista do Instituto Polit��cnico do Porto, na ��rea de Direito, defendido a 11-01-2013.

Metodologia BIM aplicada �� conce����o e produ����o de uma estrutura met��lica

Este relat��rio apresenta o est��gio curricular relativo ao curso de mestrado em engenharia civil na ��rea de especializa����o de estruturas. O est��gio decorreu no grupo O Feliz, S.A, uma metalomec��nica sedeada em Braga. No ��mbito do est��gio, foi efetuada uma pesquisa e de seguida um projeto real aplicando a metodologia Building Information Modeling. Inicialmente, ser�� feita uma apresenta����o da empresa e definidos os objetivos propostos para o est��gio. Seguidamente, ser�� apresentada toda a pesquisa realizada sobre o BIM para poder, seguidamente, realizar um projeto real utilizando esta metodologia, proposta pela empresa. Posteriormente �� apresentado o projeto realizado com a metodologia BIM e todo o seu processo at�� chegar �� sua constru����o. Por ��ltimo, s��o apresentadas algumas das obras que estavam em curso durante a realiza����o do presente trabalho e que houve a oportunidade de acompanhar, refletindo a experi��ncia adquirida na ��rea, durante o desenvolvimento do est��gio.

O Impacto do project finance nas empresas portuguesas no setor t��xtil

Disserta����o para a obten����o do Grau de Mestre em Contabilidade e Finan��as Orientador: Mestre Adalmiro ��lvaro Malheiro de Castro Andrade Pereira

Causas e consequ��ncias do empreendedorismo no concelho de Vila do Conde entre 2005 e 2011

A economia portuguesa regista nos ��ltimos anos uma enorme ���turbul��ncia���, que foi em grande parte motivada pela constante transforma����o dos mercados, sobretudo dos financeiros. Torna-se ent��o, fundamental que as empresas apostem na modernidade, na competitividade e na inova����o. A atual crise econ��mica faz ���disparar��� os n��veis de desemprego e nesta perspetiva o empreendedorismo pode assumir um papel fundamental na compensa����o do mesmo. Este fen��meno pode ser visto como um elemento de desenvolvimento que contribui de uma forma positiva para o aumento da competitividade na economia, gerando riqueza e emprego. Por outro lado, pode tamb��m originar estabilidade social, uma vez, que se foca na pol��tica econ��mica e industrial, abrangendo quer a cria����o de novos neg��cios quer o desenvolvimento de novas oportunidades de neg��cio em organiza����es j�� existentes. O espirito empresarial �� tamb��m um grande impulsionador da inova����o. O objetivo deste trabalho �� analisar as causas e as consequ��ncias do empreendedorismo no Concelho de Vila do Conde entre os anos de 2005 e 2011, para se identificarem os aspetos que assumem particular relev��ncia. Quanto �� metodologia usada para estudar as causas deste fen��meno, optamos pela elabora����o de um inqu��rito a todos os empreendedores atr��s referidos, quanto �� metodologia utilizada para estudar as consequ��ncias, optamos pela elabora����o de um estudo econ��mico-financeiro comparativo entre empresas de cria����o recentes e empresas de cria����o mais antiga. Com a realiza����o deste estudo, verificamos que, no que concerne ��s causas, o empreendedorismo n��o est�� associado a um mecanismo de ref��gio para os desempregados e ainda que a auto-realiza����o �� a principal motiva����o para a cria����o dos novos neg��cios. No que concerne ��s consequ��ncias, observamos que as empresas mais recentes apresentam pior performance econ��mico-financeira que as mais antigas.

Controlador dedicado de Ecr��s LCD/TFT

Para dar resposta aos grandes avan��os tecnol��gicos e, consequentemente, �� postura mais exigente dos clientes, a empresa Francisco Parracho ��� Electr��nica Industrial, Lda., que tem actividade no ramo dos elevadores, decidiu introduzir no mercado um controlador dedicado de ecr��s Liquid Crystal Display / Thin Film Transistor (LCD / TFT). O objectivo �� substituir um sistema suportado por um computador, caracterizado pelas suas elevadas dimens��es e custos, mas incontorn��vel at�� �� data, nomeadamente para resolu����es de ecr�� elevadas. E assim nasceu este trabalho. Com uma selec����o criteriosa de todos os componentes e, principalmente, sem funcionalidades in��teis, obteve-se um sistema embebido com dimens��es e custos bem mais reduzidos face ao seu opositor. O ecr�� apontado para este projecto �� um Thin Film Transistor ��� Liquid Crystal Display (TFT-LCD) da Sharp de 10.4��� de qualidade industrial, com uma resolu����o de 800 x 600 p��xeis a 18 bits por p��xel. Para tal, foi escolhido um micro-controlador da ATMEL, um AVR de 32 bits que, entre outras caracter��sticas, possui um controlador LCD que suporta resolu����es at�� 2048 x 2048 p��xeis, de 1 a 24 bits por p��xel. Atendendo ao facto deste produto ser inserido na ��rea dos elevadores, as funcionalidades, quer a n��vel do hardware quer a n��vel do software, foram projectadas para este ��mbito. Contudo, o conceito aqui exposto �� adjacente a quaisquer outras ��reas onde este produto se possa aplicar, at�� porque o software est�� feito para se tornar bem flex��vel. Com a ajuda de um kit de desenvolvimento, foram validados os drivers dos controladores e perif��ricos base deste projecto. De seguida, aplicou-se esse software numa placa de circuito impresso, elaborada no ��mbito deste trabalho, para que fossem cumpridos todos os requisitos requeridos pela empresa patrocinadora: - Apresenta����o de imagens no ecr�� consoante o piso; - Possibilidade de ter um texto horizontalmente deslizante;Indica����o animada do sentido do elevador; - Representa����o do piso com deslizamento vertical; - Descri����o sum��ria do direct��rio de pisos tamb��m com deslizamento vertical; - Rel��gio digital; - Leitura dos conte��dos pretendidos atrav��s de um cart��o SD/MMC; - Possibilidade de actualiza����o dos conte��dos via USB flash drive.

Communication protocol for the rempli project

The overall goal of the REMPLI project is to design and implement a communication infrastructure for distributed data acquisition and remote control operations using the power grid as the communication medium. The primary target application is remote meter reading with high time resolution, where the meters can be energy, heat, gas, or water meters. The users of the system (e.g. utility companies) will benefit from the REMPLI system by gaining more detailed information about how energy is consumed by the end-users. In this context, the power-line communication (PLC) is deployed to cover the distance between utility company���s Private Network and the end user. This document specifies a protocol for real-time PLC, in the framework of the REMPLI project. It mainly comprises the Network Layer and Data Link Layer. The protocol was designed having into consideration the specific aspects of the network: different network typologies (star, tree, ring, multiple paths), dynamic changes in network topology (due to network maintenance, hazards, etc.), communication lines strongly affected by noise.

A genetic algorithm for the resource constrained multi-project scheduling problem

This paper presents a genetic algorithm for the resource constrained multi-project scheduling problem. The chromosome representation of the problem is based on random keys. The schedules are constructed using a heuristic that builds parameterized active schedules based on priorities, delay times, and release dates defined by the genetic algorithm. The approach is tested on a set of randomly generated problems. The computational results validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Project scheduling under multiple resources constraints using a genetic algorithm

The resource constrained project scheduling problem (RCPSP) is a difficult problem in combinatorial optimization for which extensive investigation has been devoted to the development of efficient algorithms. During the last couple of years many heuristic procedures have been developed for this problem, but still these procedures often fail in finding near-optimal solutions. This paper proposes a genetic algorithm for the resource constrained project scheduling problem. The chromosome representation of the problem is based on random keys. The schedule is constructed using a heuristic priority rule in which the priorities and delay times of the activities are defined by the genetic algorithm. The approach was tested on a set of standard problems taken from the literature and compared with other approaches. The computational results validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

A biased random-key genetic algorithm with forward-backward improvement for the resource constrained project scheduling problem

This paper presents a biased random-key genetic algorithm for the resource constrained project scheduling problem. The chromosome representation of the problem is based on random keys. Active schedules are constructed using a priority-rule heuristic in which the priorities of the activities are defined by the genetic algorithm. A forward-backward improvement procedure is applied to all solutions. The chromosomes supplied by the genetic algorithm are adjusted to reflect the solutions obtained by the improvement procedure. The heuristic is tested on a set of standard problems taken from the literature and compared with other approaches. The computational results validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Managing informal learning in engineering contexts: the learners' perspective

According to recent studies, informal learning accounts for more than 75% of our continuous learning through life. However, the awareness of this learning, its benefits and its potential is still not very clear. In engineering contexts, informal learning could play an invaluable role helping students or employees to engage with peers and also with more experience colleagues, exchanging ideas and discussing problems. This work presents an initial set of results of the piloting phase of a project (TRAILER) where an innovative service based on Information & Communication Technologies was developed in order to aid the collection and visibility of informal learning. This set of results concerns engineering contexts (academic and business), from the learners' perspective. The major idea that emerged from these piloting trials was that it represented a good way of collecting, recording and sharing informal learning that otherwise could easily be forgotten. Several benefits were reported between the two communities such as being helpful in managing competences and human resources within an institution.

TRAILER project overview: tagging, recognition and acknowledgment of informal learning experiences

The evolution of new technology and its increasing use, have for some years been making the existence of informal learning more and more transparent, especially among young and older adults in both Higher Education and workplace contexts. However, the nature of formal and non-formal, course-based, approaches to learning has made it hard to accommodate these informal processes satisfactorily, and although technology bring us near to the solution, it has not yet achieved. TRAILER project aims to address this problem by developing a tool for the management of competences and skills acquired through informal learning experiences, both from the perspective of the user and the institution or company. This paper describes the research and development main lines of this project.

A random key based genetic algorithm for the resource constrained project scheduling problem

This paper presents a genetic algorithm for the Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (RCPSP). The chromosome representation of the problem is based on random keys. The schedule is constructed using a heuristic priority rule in which the priorities of the activities are defined by the genetic algorithm. The heuristic generates parameterized active schedules. The approach was tested on a set of standard problems taken from the literature and compared with other approaches. The computational results validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

A evolu����o de um modelo BIM de constru����o para gest��o de empreendimentos

A implementa����o da evolu����o tecnol��gica no setor da constru����o tem se caracterizado pelo aparecimento de novas tecnologias que dinamizam os processos de troca de informa����o entre os v��rios intervenientes no ciclo de vida do empreendimento. O surgimento da tecnologia Building Information Modeling - BIM assente na modela����o param��trica e na interoperabilidade suportada em ficheiros de padr��o aberto (IFC) pressup��em um novo paradigma na forma como s��o tratados os processos de troca de informa����o entre os v��rios intervenientes no ciclo de vida dos empreendimentos. Com base no BIM o Construction Operations Building Information Exchange ��� COBie, �� outra tecnologia recente que recolhe informa����es n��o geom��tricas associadas ao modelo e em conjunto com a informa����o geom��trica produzida pelo BIM fazem parte dos documentos de entrega para a fase Facility Management ��� FM. O objetivo da presente disserta����o centrou-se no estudo da evolu����o de um modelo BIM de constru����o para a gest��o de empreendimento. Foi desenvolvido o estudo de um modelo prot��tipo que incidiu na utiliza����o de softwares para verifica����o e aplica����o das tecnologias COBie e BIM e tamb��m foi sincronizado com a fase FM. Da aplica����o dos requisitos COBie e modela����o BIM foram extra��das informa����es geom��tricas e n��o geom��tricas preenchidas nas folhas de trabalho COBie. As principais conclus��es do estudo realizado foram que as tecnologias COBie e BIM t��m pouca implanta����o a n��vel nacional e a sua integra����o dinamiza os processos, reduzindo custos e aumentando a qualidade da informa����o fornecida.

Teaching accounting and management through business simulation:

Everyday accounting and management teachers face the challenge of creating learning environments that motivate students. This chapter describes the Business Simulation (BS) experience that has taken place at the Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Institute of Accounting and Administration (IPP/ISCAP). The chapter presents students��� perceptions about the course and the teaching/learning approach. The results show that pedagogical methods used (competency-oriented), generic competencies (cooperation and group work), and interpersonal skills (organisational and communication skills) are relevant for future accounting professionals. In addition, positive remarks and possible constraints based on observation, staff meetings, and past research are reported. The chapter concludes with some recommendations from the project implementation.