How much cultural events are "worth" for host communities: Case of Faz Música Lisboa

This paper studies the economic and social impact of Faz Música Lisboa on the segment of society that feels from any direct or indirect consequence due to its existence. A qualitative research based on surveys and interviews is made to retract a list of the benefits and costs that each stakeholder perceives. Relying on the quantifiable variables, it is performed a cost-benefit analysis to measure how much the event is “worth” for the community. I conclude this is a viable project, as it brings a positive net benefit to the society, value that could increase with a higher institutional support.

Healthcare and medical tourism - Cascais Municipality case study

The purpose of this work project is to evaluate Cascais’ potential of becoming a reference in Health Care and Medical Tourism in the near future. It is done a careful research about the industry, followed by a thorough analysis of the region. It is concluded that it holds many key characteristics and conditions for the development of this kind of clusters, even though it lacks consumers’ perception regarding this product. Some guidelines are suggested in order to position Cascais as a competitive player in this field.

"Managing the impact of tourism in historic urban destinations. A sustainability approach: Case study of Sintra"

In this Work Project, it will be assessed how Sintra’s sustainability is affected by the consequences of the visitor flow on its urban historical center. Two research questions will support this case study: What is the main problem affecting Sintra as a tourism destination? How sustainable will Sintra be in the next 10-15 years? The main findings suggest Sintra faces an intense seasonal pressure on its historical city center and its sustainability might be seriously affected in the near future, whereby three domains of the destination deserve a serious strategy reassessment: promotion, management, and supply.

Escalation of conflict in FMCG industry: A negotiation case

This work project develops a case-study to be used in Negotiation courses, both in Masters programs and in executive education workshops. The case-study is based on a real-life negotiating situation in Belgium between Unilever, the second largest Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company in the world, and Delhaize, one of the most important Belgium’s retailers, with a significant international presence. We also present an analysis of the negotiation based on relevant literature. First, a brief literature review is presented about how to deal with multiple-issue negotiations and how to deal with processes of escalation of conflict. These concepts are then applied to the analysis of the case-study.

“What matters?”: The case of sustainability reporting in Spain and Portugal

This project explores the case of Sustainability Reporting in Spain and Portugal and the recently launched new generation of Global Reporting Initiative Guidelines. The sample of the study is composed of companies included in the “GRI Report list 1999-2015”. In particular 2013 onwards 51 companies that published their G4 Report are taken into consideration. An indirect study is conducted based on the content of the sustainability reports of companies that implemented the Global Report Initiatives (GRI) reporting guidelines in order to identify focus areas of sustainability reporting in Spain and Portugal, analyzing trends and patterns relevant for observation. The project also promotes a discussion of the usability of the G4 guidelines and the adoption of materiality definition.

How to bring equity investors to the social sector? A quasi-equity approach through the case study of SPEAK

As nonprofits do not have access to the same capital markets as for-profit enterprises, organizations usually scramble for funding to keep up with their mission. This scenario can be changed through the use of the right financial engineering. This Work Project aims at studying an innovative financing mechanism based on the concept of quasi-equity for organizations devoted to social ends to cope with their capital needs. A quasi-equity investment model is built for the Portuguese social business SPEAK, and an in-depth assessment of its current financial, organizational and impact situations is conducted. This is a pioneer case study in Portugal.

Value creation in the nursing home real estate investment market - A case study

The underlying thesis examines the value drivers of direct investments in nursing home real estate in Germany. A survey among investors and operators is conducted in order to identify significant value drivers. Moreover, based on survey results, a framework for assessing German nursing home real estate is developed. This is applied in a case-study about the set-up of a nursing home value-add fund which will demonstrate the value creation process of redeveloping an existing nursing home real estate portfolio. Through a concluding analysis the sources of value creation, sensitivities and future prospects of direct investing into German nursing home real estate are concluded.

The use of technology in Portuguese hospitals- The case of MRI

We study the determinants of MRI use across Portuguese NHS hospitals for patients belonging to specific DRGs. Using data on individual hospital admissions, we estimate a probit model including individual-, hospital-, time- and region-specific variables in order to explain the probability of a patient being sent for MRI. Results convey a tightening effect on the hospital’s budget constraint in the end of each year. Hospitals seem to account for regional characteristics when defining adoption patterns. Individual-specific variables are good predictors of MRI use. Measures taken by the Government only impact the short run. Finally, the gains from an MRI scan, as far as the probability of death is concerned, occur mainly for less severe patients.

The refinancing of Cimpor- Case study

The present case is about the refinancing of Cimpor, a highly profitable Portuguese cement group that encounters a set of obstacles in its debt restructuring. The case is intended to be used in a Corporate Finance class and is divided in three distinct parts: a case A which presents a detailed description of the internal and external events that increased Cimpor’s refinancing risk, a case B which informs the audience of the outcome of the refinancing process, and a Teaching Note with suggested questions and answers to be used in class. Key words:

Dimensions of source credibility in the case of user-generated advertisements

User-generated advertising changed the world of advertising and changed the strategies used by marketers. Many researchers explored the dimensions of source credibility in traditional media and online advertising. However, little previous research explored the dimensions of source credibility in the context of user-generated advertising. This exploratory study aims to investigate the different dimensions of source credibility in the case of user-generated advertising. More precisely, this study will explore the following factors: (1) objectivity, (2) trustworthiness, (3) expertise, (4) familiarity, (5) attractiveness and (6) frequency. The results suggest that some of the dimensions of source credibility (objectivity, trustworthiness, expertise, familiarity and attractiveness) remain the same in the case of user-generated advertising. Additionally, a new dimension is added to the factors that explain source credibility (reputation). Furthermore, the analysis suggests that the dimension “frequency” is not an explanatory factor of credibility in the case of user-generated advertisement. The study also suggests that companies using user-generated advertisement as part of their overall marketing strategy should focus on objectivity, trustworthiness, expertise, attractiveness and reputation when selecting users that will communicate sponsored user-generated advertisements.

How to engage low category users through social media- The case of the make-up sector in Portugal

Purpose: This work project should be inevitably deemed as a practical approach to a marketing problem; “How to engage low category users through the social media – the case of the make-up sector in Portugal”. Design/methodology/approach: Online structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews were used. The questionnaire was answered by 110 women aged from 15 to 45 years old and the interviews were conducted with 14 women of the same age. The interviews provided key insights for the questionnaire formulation. Findings: Women are poorly informed on make-up properties and characteristics, feeling a genuine concern in regard to this subject. Lack of time, occasional usage and skin damage are the main barriers for make-up usage by low category users. Overcoming these aspects pass by demystifying the association of make-up with skin damage and emphasise the functional and emotional benefits of make-up. Further, brands need to create contents more consumer-oriented and ask directly to fans/followers suggestions and other insights. Resort to Portuguese “common” women for greater empathy in campaigns, promote online meetings between followers and make-up professionals on social media; and finally take advantage of the hybrid condition of Facebook, which incorporates multiple forms of content presentation, including videos, the most appealing format of make-up presentation for women. Research limitations/implications: Further studies addressing this topic, by using larger samples and study of specific make-up brands and campaign programs, over social media to reach a solid growth potential of make-up market evidences in Portugal. Originality/ value: Make-up brands are emphasising their interest in linking social media and marketing their promotional mix around social marketing.

The effectiveness of supply chain management on firm's performance: A comparative case study

The purpose of the paper is to investigate the effectiveness of supply chain management (SCM) practices to increase a company’s performance based on a cross-border and cross-sector analysis. The paper follows a comparative case study approach which was achieved by interviewing supply chain management experts of three companies operating in different industries and positions in a supply chain. Practices that were mutually applied by the firms and their contribution to achieve quality, economic, cost, and time advantages were analyzed. The paper revealed practices, which contribute the most to increase specific performance areas.

The born global phenomenon- The Portuguese case

The growing significance of companies that conduct international business at or near their funding has been critically challenging previous incremental models of international expansion. This thesis aims to cross-compare, by means of a multiple-case study, eight Portuguese start-ups among themselves and with the theoretical concept of born global firms versus traditional ones. This work project finds that: (1) active entrepreneurs with global vision from inception are essential for the implementation of international strategies; (2) only formal network plays a key role for successful internationalization and (3) inimitable sources of value creation, niche-focused strategies and unique intangible assets are also crucial.

Measuring impact with the social return on investment: the case of the social innovation hub

There is a growing interest in social impact assessment across the private, the public and the nonprofit sector. However, there is still limited academic research produced in this area, particularly in what concerns to the application of the Social Return of Investment (SROI) methodology. The goal of this Work Project is to give an overview of the social impact measurement literature and apply the Social Return on Investment, a flagship methodology to measure impact, to the specific case of the Social Innovation Hub (SIH). The findings suggest that each 1€ invested on the SIH generates 1,21€ in terms of social value. While this value seems very appealing to use, there are some risks in monetizing impact in such way, mainly due to the lack of reliable data available for benchmarking purposes.