An aproach for implementing knowledge management in small and medium companies in Brazil: A case study

The search for competitive advantage in a global environment must consider the use of tacit and explicit knowledge circulating inside companies. Differential factors can be easily replicated nowadays. Due to the great volume of knowledge and information, it is necessary to create a system that allows the management of important knowledge. Existing models for Knowledge Management are based on the reality at large companies. In Brazil, most of the companies are smaller ones. This work presents a simplified model to implement Knowledge Management in Small and Medium Companies in Brazil, based on a unique case study with limited scope. Despite some human and financial restrictions, Knowledge Management can help smaller companies, preserving organizational memory and increasing process efficiency. Observing a unique case prevented any generalization of the model. But the recommendations can be references to other companies, because projects like this must address the specific issues of each organization. The objective of this study is to introduce a simplified model for planning Knowledge Management at small companies in Brazil, considering their restrictions and also seeking to create a competitive advantage. Human aspects are very important in Knowledge Management, but that is not the focus of this study. The model was conceived presuming the participation of all people involved.

Indicadores para gestão empresarial no setor sucroalcooleiro

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

A interferência da jornada de trabalho na qualidade do serviço: contribuição á gestão de pessoas

Pós-graduação em Enfermagem (mestrado profissional) - FMB

Ontologia empresarial do modelo de referência MPS para software (MR-MPS-SW) com foco nos níveis G e F

Pós-graduação em Ciência da Computação - IBILCE

Fatores de risco em cadeia de suprimentos do setor aeroespacial: aspectos qualitativos e quantitativos

The lack of risk management can generate disruption in the supply chain, and there is little literature related to the aerospace industry. This article aims at identifying the risk factors for supply chain of the main Brazilian aircraft manufacturer. Nine risk factors specific to aircraft manufacturers were identified: Environmental, Natural and Political, Supply Chain, Business Strategy, Product Management, Indicators, Organization, Productivity, and Quality and Information System. These factors were quantitatively evaluated with respect to their criticality using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The Quality and Productivity factors were considered the most relevant in this study, which can be classified as a single case study. The necessary data were obtained through interviews with professionals from different areas of the studied enterprise.

Cartas de controle para gerenciamento de operações agrícolas mecanizadas

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Performance measurement and indicators for water supply management: review and international cases

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estimation and evaluation of dynamic properties as indicators of changes on soil structure in sugarcane fields of São Paulo State - Brazil

The indiscriminate management and use of soils without moisture control has changed the structure of it due to the increment of the traffic by agricultural machines through the years, causing in consequence, a soil compaction and yield reduction in the areas of intensive traffic. The purpose of this work was to estimate and to evaluate the performance of preconsolidation pressure of the soil and shear stress as indicators of changes on soil structure in fields cropped with sugarcane, as well as the impact of management processes in an Eutrorthox soil structure located in São Paulo State. The experimental field was located in Piracicaba's rural area (São Paulo State, Brazil) and has been cropped with sugarcane, in the second harvest cycle. The soil was classified by Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA) [Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA), 1999. Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Solos. Sistema Brasileiro de Classificao de Solos, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA), Brasilia, 412 pp.] as an Eutrorthox. Undisturbed samples were collected and georeferenced in a grid of 60 m x 60 m from two depths: 0-0.10 m (superficial layer - SL) and in the layer of greatest mechanical resistance (LGMR), previously identified by cone index (CI). The investigated variables were pressure preconsolidation (sigma(p)), apparent cohesion (c) and internal friction angle (phi). The conclusions from the results were that the SLSC was predicted satisfactorily from up as a function of soil moisture; thus, decisions about machinery size and loading (contact pressures) can be taken. Apparent cohesion (c), internal friction angle (phi) and the Coulomb equation were significantly altered by traffic intensity. The sigma(p), c and phi maps were shown to be important tools to localize and visualize soil compaction and mechanical resistance zones. They constitute a valuable resource to evaluate the traffic impact in areas cropped with sugarcane in State of São Paulo, Brazil. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nutrient recycling and physical indicators of an alley cropping system in a sandy loam soil in the pre-Amazon region of Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Effect of management practices on screw-worm among sheep in São Paulo State, Brazil

The screw-worm Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), whose larvae develop in wild and domestic animals as well as in man, is one of the major causes of myiasis in Brazil. Sheep raising is expanding in the state of São Paulo, where information about the infestation of screw-worm is necessary for appropriate control measures. The present data were obtained from questionnaires sent to all sheep breeders belonging to 'Associação Paulista de Criadores de Ovinos' - ASPACO (São Paulo State Association of Sheep Breeders). Response reliability was tested by random visits paid to 10.6% of the respondents. The results show that screw-worm is the most frequent ectoparasite in the flocks and is responsible for the greatest economic losses. Its occurrence is strongly associated with flock size, reaching 100% in hocks consisting of more than 500 animals. Infestation is higher in spring and summer and lowest in the fall. The number of cases increases in the presence of some management practices such as tail amputation. Furthermore, several other associations between the indicators surveyed were also found to be significant. The data obtained will permit the elaboration of strategies for the control of this parasitosis.

Fish as Indicators of Disturbance in Streams Used for Snorkeling Activities in a Tourist Region

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Determination of the quality index of a Paleudult under sunflower culture and different management systems

Soil is an essential resource for life and its properties are susceptible to be modified by tillage systems. The impact of management practices on soil functions can be assessed through a soil quality index. It is interesting to assess soil quality in different soil types. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the soil quality index of a Paleudult under different management conditions and sunflower culture. The experiment was carried out in Botucatu (SP, Brazil), in an 11-year non-tilled area used for growing soybean and maize during summer and black oat or triticale in winter. Four management systems were considered: no-tillage with a hoe planter (NTh), no-tillage with a double-disk planter (NTd), reduced tillage (RT) and conventional tillage (CT). Soil samples were taken from the planting lines at harvest time. To determine the soil quality indices, following the methodology proposed by Karlen and Stott (1994), three main soil functions were assessed: soil capacity for root development, water storage capacity of the soil and nutrient supply capacity of the soil. The studied Paleudult was considered a soil with good quality under all the observed management systems. However, the soil quality indices varied between treatments being 0.64, 0.68, 0.86 and 0.79 under NTh, NTd, RT and CT, respectively. Physical attributes such as resistance to penetration and macroporosity increased the soil quality index in RT and CT compared to NTh and NTd. The soil quality indices obtained suggested that the evaluated soil is adequate for sunflower production under our study conditions. In view of the SQI values, RT is the most suitable management for this site since it preserves soil quality and provides an acceptable sunflower yield. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

Measuring supply chain management practices

Purpose: This paper aims to perform an empirical investigation about the constructs and indicators of the supply chain management practices framework. Design/methodology/approach: The measuring framework proposed is based on a survey that was carried out on 107 Brazilian companies. Statistical techniques were employed to verify, validate, and test the reliability of the constructs and their indicators. To validate this framework principal component analysis and structural equation modeling techniques were used. Findings: In general, previous studies suggest six constructs for measuring the supply chain management practices framework. However, in this study a framework was achieved with four constructs of supply chain management practices, namely, supply chain (SC) integration for production planning and control (PPC) support, information sharing about products and targeting strategies, strategic relationship with customer and supplier, and support customer order. This framework has adequate levels of validity and reliability. Research limitations/implications: The main limitation of this study was that only a small sample of companies in a single sector and country were surveyed, and therefore there needs to be further research considering the special conditions in other countries. Originality/value: This study investigated statistically set indicators to discuss the topic supply chain management practices. The framework obtained has good quality of validity and reliability indicators. Thus, an alternative framework has been added to measure supply chain management practices, which is currently a popular topic in the supply chain mainstream literature. Both defined constructs and the validated indicators can be used in other studies on supply chain management. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Supply chain risk management: An exploratory research in Brazilian aerospace industry

This paper aimed to analyse supply chain risk factors in aerospace industry. It was conducted an exploratory research at an important Brazilian aerospace company. This company has a major role at the global aerospace industry. Senior managers assessed risk factors such as quality, productivity, supply chain, business strategy, organisation, environmental and natural political, indicators, product management, and information system. Analytic hierarchy process was applied to prioritise these factors. The most relevant were quality and productivity. Copyright © 2011 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Sugarcane productivity correlated with physical-chemical attributes to create soil management zone

The socioeconomic importance of sugar cane in Brazil is unquestionable because it is the raw material for the production of ethanol and sugar. The accurate spatial intervention in the management of the crop, resulting zones of soil management, increases productivity as well as its agricultural yields. The spatial and Person's correlations between sugarcane attributes and physico-chemical attributes of a Typic Tropustalf were studied in the growing season of 2009, in Suzanápolis, State of São Paulo, Brazil (20°28'10'' S lat.; 50°49'20'' W long.), in order to obtain the one that best correlates with agricultural productivity. Thus, the geostatistical grid with 120 sampling points was installed to soil and data collection in a plot of 14.6 ha with second crop sugarcane. Due to their substantial and excellent linear and spatial correlations with the productivity of the sugarcane, the population of plants and the organic matter content of the soil, by evidencing substantial correlations, linear and spatial, with the productivity of sugarcane, were indicators of management zones strongly attached to such productivity.