The Barcelonnettes: an example of network-entrepreneurs in XIX century Mexico. An explanation based on a theory of bounded rational choice with social embeddedness

A theory of network-entrepreneurs or "spin-off system" is presented in this paper for the creation of firms based on the community’s social governance. It is argued that firm’s capacity for accumulation depends on the presence of employees belonging to the same social/ethnic group with expectations of "inheriting" the firm and becoming entrepreneurs once they have been selected for their merits and loyalty towards their patrons. Such accumulation is possible because of the credibility of the patrons’ promises of supporting newcomers due to high social cohesion and specific social norms prevailing in the community. This theory is exemplified through the case of the Barcelonnettes, a group of immigrants from the Alps in the South of France (Provence) who came to Mexico in the XIX Century.

Start-up conditions and the performance of women – and men- controlled businesses in manufacturating industries

Recent research on the economic performance of women-controlled firms suggests that their underperformance may not result from differences in the managerial ability of women as compared to men, but it can be the result of different levels of start-up resources. Using accounting data, this paper examines the effects that selected start-up conditions have on the economic performance observed in a sample of 4450 Spanish manufacturing firms. The results indicate significant differences regarding the initial conditions, showing lower levels of assets and number of employees what have implications on the economic performance of women-controlled firms.

R&D cooperation between Spanish firms and scientific partners: what is the role of tertiary education?

This paper explores the factors that determine firm’s R&D cooperation with different partners, paying special attention on the role of tertiary education (degree and PhDs level) in facilitating the connection between the firms and the to scientific bodies (technology centres, public research centres and universities). Here, we attempt to answer two questions. First, are innovative firms that carry out internal and external R&D activities more likely to cooperate on R&D projects with other partners? Second, do Spanish innovative firms with a high participation of researchers with degrees or PhDs tend to cooperate more with scientific partners? To answer both questions we apply a three-dimensional approach on a firm level Panel Data with a sample of 4.998 manufacturing and services Spanish firms. First, we run a complementary test between external R&D acquisition and skilled research workers and find that firms which carry out external R&D activities obtain a greater return on R&D cooperation when they have skilled workers in R&D, especially in high-tech manufactures and KIS services. Second, we carry out a 2-step tobit model to estimate, in the first stage, the determinants that explain whether Spanish innovative firms cooperate or not; and in the second stage the factors that affect the choice of partners. And third, we apply an ordered probit model to test the marginal effects of explanatory variables on the different partners. Here we contrast some of the most interesting empirical hypotheses of previous studies, and which emphasize the role of employees with degrees and PhDs in facilitating cooperative R&D between firms and scientific partners.

R&D cooperation between Spanish firms and scientific partners: what is the role of tertiary education?

This paper explores the factors that determine firm’s R&D cooperation with different partners, paying special attention on the role of tertiary education (degree and PhDs level) in facilitating the connection between the firms and the to scientific bodies (technology centres, public research centres and universities). Here, we attempt to answer two questions. First, are innovative firms that carry out internal and external R&D activities more likely to cooperate on R&D projects with other partners? Second, do Spanish innovative firms with a high participation of researchers with degrees or PhDs tend to cooperate more with scientific partners? To answer both questions we apply a three-dimensional approach on a firm level Panel Data with a sample of 4.998 manufacturing and services Spanish firms. First, we run a complementary test between external R&D acquisition and skilled research workers and find that firms which carry out external R&D activities obtain a greater return on R&D cooperation when they have skilled workers in R&D, especially in high-tech manufactures and KIS services. Second, we carry out a 2-step tobit model to estimate, in the first stage, the determinants that explain whether Spanish innovative firms cooperate or not; and in the second stage the factors that affect the choice of partners. And third, we apply an ordered probit model to test the marginal effects of explanatory variables on the different partners. Here we contrast some of the most interesting empirical hypotheses of previous studies, and which emphasize the role of employees with degrees and PhDs in facilitating cooperative R&D between firms and scientific partners. JEL classification: O31, O33, O38. Key words: Determinants R&D cooperation, industry-university flows, PhD research workers.

Human Capital Questionnaire (PHCQ): Assessment of European nurses' perception as indicators of human capital quality

Healthcare accreditation models generally include indicators related to healthcare employees' perceptions (e.g. satisfaction, career development, and health safety). During the accreditation process, organizations are asked to demonstrate the methods with which assessments are made. However, none of the models provide standardized systems for the assessment of employees. In this study, we analyzed the psychometric properties of an instrument for the assessment of nurses' perceptions as indicators of human capital quality in healthcare organizations. The Human Capital Questionnaire was applied to a sample of 902 nurses in four European countries (Spain, Portugal, Poland, and the UK). Exploratory factor analysis identified six factors: satisfaction with leadership, identification and commitment, satisfaction with participation, staff well-being, career development opportunities, and motivation. The results showed the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, which when applied to healthcare organizations, provide a better understanding of nurses' perceptions, and is a parsimonious instrument for assessment and organizational accreditation. From a practical point of view, improving the quality of human capital, by analyzing nurses and other healthcare employees' perceptions, is related to workforce empowerment.

Human Capital Questionnaire (PHCQ): Assessment of European nurses' perception as indicators of human capital quality

Healthcare accreditation models generally include indicators related to healthcare employees' perceptions (e.g. satisfaction, career development, and health safety). During the accreditation process, organizations are asked to demonstrate the methods with which assessments are made. However, none of the models provide standardized systems for the assessment of employees. In this study, we analyzed the psychometric properties of an instrument for the assessment of nurses' perceptions as indicators of human capital quality in healthcare organizations. The Human Capital Questionnaire was applied to a sample of 902 nurses in four European countries (Spain, Portugal, Poland, and the UK). Exploratory factor analysis identified six factors: satisfaction with leadership, identification and commitment, satisfaction with participation, staff well-being, career development opportunities, and motivation. The results showed the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, which when applied to healthcare organizations, provide a better understanding of nurses' perceptions, and is a parsimonious instrument for assessment and organizational accreditation. From a practical point of view, improving the quality of human capital, by analyzing nurses and other healthcare employees' perceptions, is related to workforce empowerment.

Inequity version and team incentives

We study optimal contracts in a simple model where employees are averse to inequity as modelled by Fehr and Schmidt (1999). A "selfish" employer can profitably exploit such preferences among its employees by offering contracts which create inequity off-equilibrium and thus, they would leave employees feeling envy or guilt when they do not meet the employer's demands. Such contracts resemble team and relative performance contracts, and thus we derive conditions under which it may be beneficial to form work teams of employees with distributional concerns who were previously working individually. Similar results are obtained for status-seeking and efficiency concerns preferences.

Gestión de la Productividad en la Delegación delGobierno en la Junta de Andalucía

Aquest sistema, donarà la possibilitat als funcionaris d'una determinada Delegació, de conèixer la seva productivitat via web, als caps de Servei introduir les avaluacions dels empleats al seu càrrec sense necessitat de reunió prèvia, i al cap de personal la de validar la productivitat i exportar el fitxer resultat a l'aplicació de Nòmines.

Endogenous spillovers, increased competition and re-organization waves

We consider an entrepreneur that is the sole producer of a costreducing skill, but the entrepreneur that hires a team to usethe skill cannot prevent collusive trade for the innovation related knowledge between employees and competitors. We showthat there are two types of diffusion avoiding strategies forthe entrepreneur to preempt collusive communication i) settingup a large productive capacity (the traditional firm) and ii)keeping a small team (the lean firm). The traditional firm ischaracterized by its many "marginal" employees that work shortdays, receive flat wages and are incompletely informed about the innovation. The lean firm is small in number of employees,engages in complete information sharing among members, that are paid with stock option schemes. We find that the lean firm is superior to the traditional firm when technological entry costsare low and when the sector is immature.

Aplicación web para la gestión de peluquerías

El proyecto consiste en una aplicación web que permitirá gestionar todo lo relacionado con una peluquería, es decir, tener un control de los trabajadores, clientes, productos y proveedores, tener acceso a una agenda virtual para administrar citas, controlar la gestión económica de la empresa, etc.

Evaluar el trabajo con foros electrónicos: propuesta de un sistema

[spa] El presente texto resume la estrategia y resultados del trabajo con foros electrónicos entre octubre y diciembre del 2006 en dos grupos de una asignatura de la licenciatura de Pedagogía de la Universidad de Barcelona. En continuidad con proyectos anteriores, se partió de un objetivo inicial: facilitar un sistema de evaluación transparente y compartida con los estudiantes al usar el foro electrónico de la asignatura como instrumento de aprendizaje colaborativo.

L'avaluació de l'alumnat a la universitat

En les últimes dècades, en el camp de l'avaluació en general i, en particular, en el de l'avaluació dels aprenentatges, s'hi reflecteixen importants transformacions. Moltes raons justifiquen aquests canvis projectats en l'àmbit universitari. Podem indicar-ne com a rellevants els següents: a) La incorporació ineludible de nous objectius d'aprenentatge que la societat de la informació requereix dels professionals universitaris: capacitat de transferència, de treballar en grup i en xarxa; habilitats per seleccionar informació i per autoformar-se; saber desenvolupar comportaments d'autonomia, etc. Tots aquests objectius d'aprenentatge són competències que van més enllà del que ofereixen els tradicionals procediments d'avaluació. b) El desenvolupament de noves estratègies d'avaluació (mapes conceptuals, portafolis, etc. ) que posen en joc habilitats complexes i processos metacognitius, més d'acord amb les noves competències professionals i personals. A l'article s'analitzen diferents plantejaments d'avaluació de l'alumnat en l'àmbit universitari, distingint diferents modalitats i presentant tècniques, tant de tipus tradicionals com noves.

Autorregulación de aprendizajes en educación superior mediante la escritura de blogs

La importancia de mecanismos de regulación de los propios aprendizajes por parte de los estudiantes, así como de la calidad de la retroalimentación y de la evaluación formativa por parte de los profesores está en las agendas internacionales de la calidad de la enseñanza superior. El uso de herramientas de lectura, escritura e interacción web 2.0 se enmarca claramente en ese propósito general. El artículo ofrece resultados de una investigación-acción interuniversitaria sobre la evaluación de competencias con blogs. Más concretamente, presenta tres escenarios formativos en los que el blog se utiliza como herramienta de evaluación reflexiva; indaga el grado en que el alumnado se hace consciente de su proceso de aprendizaje, cómo lo evidencia y cómo lo autorregula; y, finalmente, analiza el tipo de feed-back utilizado por el profesorado. Se presentan resultados del análisis documental tanto de las producciones llevadas a cabo en los blogs como del feed-back facilitado por el profesorado. Los resultados muestran el peso que tiene la calidad del feed-back que facilita el profesorado en el proceso de acompañamiento de construcción de competencias.

Análisis de la evaluación única y continuada en Biofarmacia y Farmacocinética-I

La construcción del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior (EEES) tiene como objetivo disponer de un espacio abierto en el que no existan obstáculos a la movilidad de estudiantes, titulados, profesores y personal de administración. El sistema se articula en torno al reconocimiento de titulaciones y otras calificaciones de educación superior, la transparencia (un sistema de titulaciones comprensibles y comparables organizado en tres ciclos) y la cooperación europea en la garantía de la calidad Ante este gran reto, la enseñanza universitaria ha tenido que reorganizarse y los planes de estudio de cada facultad han tenido que adaptarse a las nuevas exigencias del EEES. Además las metodologías docentes centran su interés en un seguimiento más tutorizado del alumno, para garantizar su aprendizaje, no sólo en la adquisición de conocimientos sino también de competencias.

Análisis de la evaluación única y continuada en Biofarmacia y Farmacocinética-I

La construcción del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior (EEES) tiene como objetivo disponer de un espacio abierto en el que no existan obstáculos a la movilidad de estudiantes, titulados, profesores y personal de administración. El sistema se articula en torno al reconocimiento de titulaciones y otras calificaciones de educación superior, la transparencia (un sistema de titulaciones comprensibles y comparables organizado en tres ciclos) y la cooperación europea en la garantía de la calidad Ante este gran reto, la enseñanza universitaria ha tenido que reorganizarse y los planes de estudio de cada facultad han tenido que adaptarse a las nuevas exigencias del EEES. Además las metodologías docentes centran su interés en un seguimiento más tutorizado del alumno, para garantizar su aprendizaje, no sólo en la adquisición de conocimientos sino también de competencias.