Estratégia ambiental e agências de viagens e turismo :um estudo sobre a importância de práticas ambientais na escolha de um pacote turístico

The objective of the work was to investigate, from the vision of travel agents, the importance of environmental practices as a decision factor in the purchase of a tourist package. For in such a way, it was established as target population, the travel agencies and tourism linked to he Brazilian Association of Travel agencies ABAV, hearing the Brazilian travel agents that exerted the function in Natal, city in 2005. The election of the sample was accomplished using the simple random sampling technique. The amount of agents effectively searched was of 150 agents being distributed 150 questionnaires, with closed and opened questions, applied during the month of November in 2005. Results showed great variability of interviewed answers in that if it relates for sale of package tourist where the customer demonstrates enviromental concern with the environmental quality. Through multiple regression analyses, it was environmental concern with the environmental quality of the place and the perception of the practical importance of the existence environmental practices in the place as important factor in the decision of tourist package purchase

Analise SWOT do gerenciamento de resíduos do coco verde em duas agroindústrias do estado do Rio Grande do Norte

In the current conjuncture, the environmental factor has been changing the position of companies that are practicing or minimally adopting environmental management. Such tool has been used by companies to face the problems caused by solid waste, in particular green coconut waste, which is constantly among the material discarded by society (companies/ consumer). It is a typical tropical fruit whose fresh water is very benefic for human health, and its popularization has caused a progressive increase of its consumption. Following this stream of thought, this present work came up with an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities SWOT analysis on green coconut solid waste management at two agribusiness companies in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Brazil, aiming to know the challenges and the potentials of this kind of waste. According to the approach of the problem, this work fits a descriptive, exploratory, and qualitative research. The data collection was obtained by a questionnaire and a structured interview, in order to evaluate the strategic posture of agribusiness companies through SWOT analysis, which is an English acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. The SWOT analysis is an effective tool to analyze the internal and external environment of an organization. This tool contributes to locate the company at the environment in question and when well applied it enables the detection of mistakes, the strengthening of correct procedures, the avoidance of threats, and the bet on opportunities. The studied agribusiness industries have very similar profiles, such as a long business life span, and a strategy that extends the useful life of the fruit, by using its waste for the manufacturing of new subproducts. In both, the daily quantity of waste resulted of this process reaches approximately 20 thousand units of the fruit in high season, being necessary a focus directed at use and/or treatment of these waste. Further to SWOT analysis, it was ascertained that the agribusiness company A works through a defensive marketing strategy and acts vulnerably, in other words, unable of acting before this market segment, for it has decided to stop using the waste due to a lack of equipment and technology. On the other hand, the agribusiness company B has incorporated an offensive marketing strategy because even not possessing equipments, technology, and appropriated internal installations, it still insists on use and benefits of green coconut waste in its agribusiness. Thus, it is considered that the potential of green coconut waste management for the production of several subproducts reduces the impacts produced by inappropriate placement and generates profits in a short, medium and long term. Such profits being tangible and intangible, as the interest for sustainability actions is not only a matter of obtaining return on capital, but it is an important question in order to move on into business, since it is not enough to have quality on products and process nowadays. It is necessary to establish socio-environmental practices aiming the image of the company as the prevailing role on consumers buying decision

Algoritmo Q-learning como estratégia de exploração e/ou explotação para metaheurísticas GRASP e algoritmo genético

Techniques of optimization known as metaheuristics have achieved success in the resolution of many problems classified as NP-Hard. These methods use non deterministic approaches that reach very good solutions which, however, don t guarantee the determination of the global optimum. Beyond the inherent difficulties related to the complexity that characterizes the optimization problems, the metaheuristics still face the dilemma of xploration/exploitation, which consists of choosing between a greedy search and a wider exploration of the solution space. A way to guide such algorithms during the searching of better solutions is supplying them with more knowledge of the problem through the use of a intelligent agent, able to recognize promising regions and also identify when they should diversify the direction of the search. This way, this work proposes the use of Reinforcement Learning technique - Q-learning Algorithm - as exploration/exploitation strategy for the metaheuristics GRASP (Greedy Randomized Adaptive Search Procedure) and Genetic Algorithm. The GRASP metaheuristic uses Q-learning instead of the traditional greedy-random algorithm in the construction phase. This replacement has the purpose of improving the quality of the initial solutions that are used in the local search phase of the GRASP, and also provides for the metaheuristic an adaptive memory mechanism that allows the reuse of good previous decisions and also avoids the repetition of bad decisions. In the Genetic Algorithm, the Q-learning algorithm was used to generate an initial population of high fitness, and after a determined number of generations, where the rate of diversity of the population is less than a certain limit L, it also was applied to supply one of the parents to be used in the genetic crossover operator. Another significant change in the hybrid genetic algorithm is the proposal of a mutually interactive cooperation process between the genetic operators and the Q-learning algorithm. In this interactive/cooperative process, the Q-learning algorithm receives an additional update in the matrix of Q-values based on the current best solution of the Genetic Algorithm. The computational experiments presented in this thesis compares the results obtained with the implementation of traditional versions of GRASP metaheuristic and Genetic Algorithm, with those obtained using the proposed hybrid methods. Both algorithms had been applied successfully to the symmetrical Traveling Salesman Problem, which was modeled as a Markov decision process

Utilização de redes neurais artificiais para detecção e diagnóstico de falhas

In a real process, all used resources, whether physical or developed in software, are subject to interruptions or operational commitments. However, in situations in which operate critical systems, any kind of problem may bring big consequences. Knowing this, this paper aims to develop a system capable to detect the presence and indicate the types of failures that may occur in a process. For implementing and testing the proposed methodology, a coupled tank system was used as a study model case. The system should be developed to generate a set of signals that notify the process operator and that may be post-processed, enabling changes in control strategy or control parameters. Due to the damage risks involved with sensors, actuators and amplifiers of the real plant, the data set of the faults will be computationally generated and the results collected from numerical simulations of the process model. The system will be composed by structures with Artificial Neural Networks, trained in offline mode using Matlab®

Uma contribuição à solução do problema dos k-servos usando aprendizagem por reforço

Neste trabalho é proposto um novo algoritmo online para o resolver o Problema dos k-Servos (PKS). O desempenho desta solução é comparado com o de outros algoritmos existentes na literatura, a saber, os algoritmos Harmonic e Work Function, que mostraram ser competitivos, tornando-os parâmetros de comparação significativos. Um algoritmo que apresente desempenho eficiente em relação aos mesmos tende a ser competitivo também, devendo, obviamente, se provar o referido fato. Tal prova, entretanto, foge aos objetivos do presente trabalho. O algoritmo apresentado para a solução do PKS é baseado em técnicas de aprendizagem por reforço. Para tanto, o problema foi modelado como um processo de decisão em múltiplas etapas, ao qual é aplicado o algoritmo Q-Learning, um dos métodos de solução mais populares para o estabelecimento de políticas ótimas neste tipo de problema de decisão. Entretanto, deve-se observar que a dimensão da estrutura de armazenamento utilizada pela aprendizagem por reforço para se obter a política ótima cresce em função do número de estados e de ações, que por sua vez é proporcional ao número n de nós e k de servos. Ao se analisar esse crescimento (matematicamente, ) percebe-se que o mesmo ocorre de maneira exponencial, limitando a aplicação do método a problemas de menor porte, onde o número de nós e de servos é reduzido. Este problema, denominado maldição da dimensionalidade, foi introduzido por Belmann e implica na impossibilidade de execução de um algoritmo para certas instâncias de um problema pelo esgotamento de recursos computacionais para obtenção de sua saída. De modo a evitar que a solução proposta, baseada exclusivamente na aprendizagem por reforço, seja restrita a aplicações de menor porte, propõe-se uma solução alternativa para problemas mais realistas, que envolvam um número maior de nós e de servos. Esta solução alternativa é hierarquizada e utiliza dois métodos de solução do PKS: a aprendizagem por reforço, aplicada a um número reduzido de nós obtidos a partir de um processo de agregação, e um método guloso, aplicado aos subconjuntos de nós resultantes do processo de agregação, onde o critério de escolha do agendamento dos servos é baseado na menor distância ao local de demanda

Degradação fotoquímica de hidrocarbonetos da gasolina em efluentes aquosos

Photo-oxidation processes of toxic organic compounds have been widely studied. This work seeks the application of the photo-Fenton process for the degradation of hydrocarbons in water. The gasoline found in the refinery, without additives and alcohol, was used as the model pollutant. The effects of the concentration of the following substances have been properly evaluated: hydrogen peroxide (100-200 mM), iron ions (0.5-1 mM) and sodium chloride (200 2000 ppm). The experiments were accomplished in reactor with UV lamp and in a falling film solar reactor. The photo-oxidation process was monitored by measurements of the absorption spectra, total organic carbon (TOC) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Experimental results demonstrated that the photo-Fenton process is feasible for the treatment of wastewaters containing aliphatic hydrocarbons, inclusive in the presence of salts. These conditions are similar to the water produced by the petroleum fields, generated in the extraction and production of petroleum. A neural network model of process correlated well the observed data for the photooxidation process of hydrocarbons

Satisfaçã dos Usuários e a qualidade da atenção primária à saúde no Rio Grande do Norte

O presente estudo tem por objetivo avaliar a satisfação dos usuários em relação à qualidade da Atenção Primária à Saúde no Rio Grande do Norte. Trata-se de Pesquisa Avaliativa observacional transversal, com abordagem quantitativa, a qual faz parte da Avaliação Externa do Programa de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica (PMAQ), da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Foram utilizados dados secundários de todas as entrevistas com usuários das equipes que participaram da Avaliação Externa do PMAQ no Estado do RN. A pesquisa foi realizada em 167 municípios do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, na qual a população foi composta por 1.650 usuários. A amostra se deu por conveniência a partir dos seguintes critérios: usuários que estavam presentes na Unidade Básica de Saúde (UBS) para realizar qualquer tipo de procedimento e que consentisse em participar da avaliação. Foram excluídos os que tinham ido pela primeira vez na unidade e aqueles que não frequentaram há mais de 12 meses. A coleta dos dados foi realizada no período de setembro a novembro de 2013. Para tanto, foi elaborado um protocolo de pesquisa contendo as seguintes dimensões: organizacional, interpessoal e estrutural. Em relação à dimensão organizacional os resultados mostram que a marcação de consultas tem se configurado em empecilho ao acesso do usuário ao serviço de saúde, uma vez que se faz necessário para o atendimento, enfrentar filas, antes da abertura da unidade para pegar fichas. No tocante ao funcionamento da unidade, se destaca o fato dos usuários referirem que o horário de funcionamento da unidade atende à suas necessidades, apesar de funcionar 5 (cinco) dias por semana, a maioria das unidades permanece fechada no horário de almoço. Outro dado importante refere-se à coordenação do cuidado, cujos resultados apresentam diferenças maiores entre os usuários da região metropolitana e do interior do Estado em relação à Capital. Essa diferença se expressa principalmente em relação de marcação de consulta com outros profissionais especialistas. A dimensão interpessoal, no que diz respeito à categorias interação usuário-serviço-equipe e vínculo, demonstraram alguns avanços, contudo os melhores resultados foram observados em relação a satisfação com o cuidado, onde mais de 50% dos usuários se mostraram satisfeitos com o cuidado recebido nas unidades. Em contrapartida, o estudo mostrou que, na opinião de 56% dos usuários da capital, a falta de materiais e equipamentos influencia negativamente no cuidado. Por fim, o estudo contribuiu para reforçar a ideia de que a avaliação da satisfação dos usuários dos serviços de saúde pode ser uma ferramenta importante para subsidiar o processo de decisão compartilhada, de forma a se repensar as práticas profissionais, reorganizar o processo de trabalho desenvolvido, realocar recursos, readequar ações e redefinir objetivos que estejam coerentes com o projeto de saúde estabelecido

Adiamento da aposentadoria e o significado do trabalho para servidores de uma universidade federal

This study investigated the intention of the older workers to continue working after state pension age/time. On this way, it explores the relation between this intention and factors related with the meanings of the work and retirement. Specifically, it was examined that factors related to work and non-work are predictors of the intention to continue working, and it was explored if meanings of retirement are linked to this decision. It is a crosssectional mixed methods study, using a survey conducted with 283 federal civil servants of a federal Northeastern University which were near retirement. It envolved an on-line questionnaire, with open-ended questions and the likert-type scale "Older Worker's Intention to Continue Working" (OWICW) of Shacklock and Brunneto (2011), which was validated to the Brazilian version. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and multivariate statistics, specifically procedures for comparing means and coefficients of multiple logistic regression. The qualitative data were analyzed using the lexicographical technique Descending Hierarchical Classification. The findings indicate that most participants want to continue in paid work, and that perception of personal autonomy at work, interpersonal relationships at work, interests outside of work, and flexible working arrangements are significant predictors of intention to continue working. Furthermore, the perception of personal autonomy at work, flexible working arrangements, and the financial incentives are predictors of decision to postpone retirement and remain in the organization. The analysis revealed five patterns of meanings of retirement: "worker's right", "resting", "idle time at home", "new stage in the life course", and "enjoy the use of time”. The decision to postpone retirement is linked to idleness and lack of substitutionary activities work, and the decision to stop working linked to retirement as a life with more quality. The study provides information that can contribute with management policies before the process of retirement decision.

Modelo de decisão multicritério para seleções interciclo das universidades novas: estudo na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

The discussions wherein develop proposals for university reform in Brazil include, among other things, the conception of the university titled "New University", whose structural origin comes from the bill of higher education reform and unification of the foundations of education European upper (Bologna process). At its core, the Bologna process has imposed a series of transformations, among which, the promotion of mobility, as a stimulus to interinstitutional cooperation to enable an better and bigger qualification of the students. Nevertheless, what we see is that this point is one of the main points made flawed by Brazilian institutions that have adopted this model of higher education. An example is the Bachelor of Science and Technology - BC&T, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte - UFRN, where there are problems of the internal order, represented by the problem of the reusing of the disciplines, such also of external order, in cases of transfers interinstitutional. Because of this, and knowing that this is a typical problem in which multiple criteria are involved, the aim of this study is to propose a multicriteria model for selection of interciclo of the BC&T of the UFRN which addresses the issue of mobility. For this, this study was of exploratory and study case nature, use as tools of data collection, the bibliographic and documentary research, as well as semi-structured interviews. For the elaboration of the model, were used the five phases most commonly used in the modeling of problems in operational research in a sample of 91 students of BC&T. As a result, we obtained a model that addresses the issue of internal and external mobility of the school and that, moreover, was also more robust and fair than the current model of BC&T and also what is used in other courses of the UFRN, taking into consideration the expected results by the decision makers

Modelagem de decisão na seleção de equipamento: um estudo usando o processo analítico hierárquico na contratação de sondas de perfuração de poços de petróleo

The main goal of this dissertation is to develop a Multi Criteria Decision Aid Model to be used in Oils and Gas perforation rigs contracts choices. The developed model should permit the utilization of multiples criterions, covering problems that exist with models that mainly use the price of the contracts as its decision criterion. The AHP has been chosen because its large utilization, not only academic, but in many other areas, its simplicity of use and flexibility, and also fill all the requirements necessary to complete the task. The development of the model was conducted by interviews and surveys with one specialist in this specific area, who also acts as the main actor on the decision process. The final model consists in six criterions: Costs, mobility, automation, technical support, how fast the service could be concluded and availability to start the operations. Three rigs were chosen as possible solutions for the problem. The results reached by the utilizations of the model suggests that the utilization of AHP as a decision support system in this kind of situation is possible, allowing a simplifications of the problem, and also it s a useful tool to improve every one involved on the process s knowledge about the problem subject, and its possible solutions

Um modelo de portfólio para gestão estratégica de compras hospitalares

O presente estudo, baseado no modelo teórico de portfólio de compras proposto por Kraljic (1983), apresenta um modelo de portfólio de compras voltado para gestão de compras hospitalares, por meio da aplicação do método de decisão multicritério Fuzzy-TOPSIS. Para fins de exemplificação do método, a pesquisa foi aplicada em um Hospital de grande porte localizado em Natal/RN e teve como amostra doze itens de compras. Os itens foram avaliados pelo grupo de decisores nas dimensões de importância da compra e complexidade de fornecimento, sendo cada dimensão composta por quatro critérios. Por meio da utilização do método Fuzzy-TOPSIS e de regras de decisão, os itens foram classificados entre as categorias: estratégicos, gargalos, alavancagem e não-críticos. O resultado dessa etapa identificou três itens estratégicos, seis itens gargalos, um item de alavancagem e dois itens não-críticos. Para os três itens classificados como estratégicos, foi aplicado o método Fuzzy-TOPSIS visando a identificar o posicionamento estratégico do Hospital em relação aos fornecedores desses itens, a partir da avaliação das dimensões força do mercado fornecedor e força da empresa compradora, sendo cada uma composta por quatro critérios. Nessa etapa, foi identificada uma postura de balanceamento das forças. Conclui-se a efetividade da ferramenta de portfólio de compras para gestão hospitalar, proporcionando uma visão mais clara das características, inerentes ao processo de compras nesse contexto complexo. O método Fuzzy-TOPSIS apresentou-se como uma ferramenta flexível, capaz de lidar com problemas de classificação, gerando resultados satisfatórios e contribuindo para a tomada de decisão.

Modelo de decisão multicritério para seleções interciclo das universidades novas: estudo na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

The discussions wherein develop proposals for university reform in Brazil include, among other things, the conception of the university titled "New University", whose structural origin comes from the bill of higher education reform and unification of the foundations of education European upper (Bologna process). At its core, the Bologna process has imposed a series of transformations, among which, the promotion of mobility, as a stimulus to interinstitutional cooperation to enable an better and bigger qualification of the students. Nevertheless, what we see is that this point is one of the main points made flawed by Brazilian institutions that have adopted this model of higher education. An example is the Bachelor of Science and Technology - BC&T, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte - UFRN, where there are problems of the internal order, represented by the problem of the reusing of the disciplines, such also of external order, in cases of transfers interinstitutional. Because of this, and knowing that this is a typical problem in which multiple criteria are involved, the aim of this study is to propose a multicriteria model for selection of interciclo of the BC&T of the UFRN which addresses the issue of mobility. For this, this study was of exploratory and study case nature, use as tools of data collection, the bibliographic and documentary research, as well as semi-structured interviews. For the elaboration of the model, were used the five phases most commonly used in the modeling of problems in operational research in a sample of 91 students of BC&T. As a result, we obtained a model that addresses the issue of internal and external mobility of the school and that, moreover, was also more robust and fair than the current model of BC&T and also what is used in other courses of the UFRN, taking into consideration the expected results by the decision makers

Propondo um modelo para acompanhamento do processo Composicional

Silva, Alexandre Reche. Propondo um modelo para acompanhamento do processo Composicional. Ictus - Periódico do PPGMUS/UFBA, v. 11, n. 1, p. 11-28, Salvador, BA, 2010.

Saberes de enfermeiros acerca do processo de enfermagem à luz do modelo conceitual de Wanda de Aguiar Horta

Objetivou-se caracterizar os saberes de enfermeiros sobre o Processo de Enfermagem. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo de natureza exploratório-descritivo, efetivado nos meses de agosto de 2010 a junho de 2011 com 12 enfermeiros atuantes da Estratégia de Saúde da Família da cidade de Juazeiro do Norte-Ceará. Aplicou-se uma entrevista através de um roteiro semiestruturado após a assinatura do termo de anuência pelos participantes. Resultados: Os enfermeiros percebem o Processo de Enfermagem como uma ferramenta tecnológica que permite a oferta de uma assistência de enfermagem sistemática, racional e planejada, tendo em vista o reconhecimento e atendimento das necessidades humanas básicas do ser cuidado. Conclusão: Portanto, os enfermeiros detêm uma convicção clara acerca da significação do Processo de Enfermagem e sua capacidade de satisfazer as demandas de cuidado do indivíduo, família e comunidade

Modelo institucional do processo de estruturação de empresas de desenvolvimento de software: um estudo de múltiplos casos

Some authors have shown the need of understanding the technological structuring process in contemporary firms. From this perspective, the software industry is a very important element because it provides products and services directly to many organizations from many fields. In this case, the Brazilian software industry has some peculiarities that distinguish it from other industries located in developed countries, which makes its understanding even more relevant. There is evidence that local firms take different strategies and structural configurations to enter into a market naturally dominated by large multinational firms. Therefore, this study aims to understand not only the structural configurations assumed by domestic firms but also the dynamic and the process that lead to these different configurations. To do so, this PhD dissertation investigates the institutional environment, its entities and the isomorphic movements, by employing an exploratory, descriptive and explanatory multiple cases study. Eight software development companies from the Recife's information technology Cluster were visited. Also, a form was applied and an interview with one of the main firm s professional was conducted. Although the study is predominantly qualitative, part of the data was analyzed through charts and graphs, providing a companies and environment overview that was very useful to analysis done through the interviews interpretation. As a result, it was realized that companies are structured around hybrids business models from two ideal types of software development companies, which are: software factory and technology-based company. Regarding the development process, it was found that there is a balanced distribution between the traditional and agile development paradigm. Among the traditional methodologies, the Rational Unified Process (RUP) is predominant. The Scrum is the most used methodology among the organizations based on the Agile Manifesto's principles. Regarding the structuring process, each institutional entity acts in such way that generates different isomorphic pressure. Emphasis was given to entities such as customers, research agencies, clusters, market-leading businesses, public universities, incubators, software industry organizations, technology vendors, development tool suppliers and manager s school and background because they relate themselves in a close way with the software firms. About this relationship, a dual and bilateral influence was found. Finally, the structuring level of the organizational field has been also identified as low, which gives a chance to organizational actors of acting independently