Corporate social responsibility practices at brazilian firms

Corporate Social Responsibility practices have been on the rise in recent years in firms all over the world. Brazil, as one of the most important countries emerging on the international scene, is no exception to this, with more and more firms taking up these practices. The present study focuses on analyzing the corporate social responsibility practices that Brazilian companies engage into. The sample used is comprised of 500 firms grouped by geographical area; the theoretical framework is based on stakeholder and institutional theories; and the technique used for the analysis is the biplot, more specifically the HJ Biplot and cluster analysis. From the results obtained it is possible to infer that the CSR variables corresponding to environmental practices are more closely linked to companies located in the northern areas of Brazil. Social and community practices are related to companies primarily in the southern and northeastern regions of the country.

STRATEGIC DECISIONS OF FAMILY FIRMS ON CASH ACCUMULATION

ABSTRACTGiven the particular strengths, weaknesses, and peculiarities of family firms as well as the importance of liquidity in today’s marketplace, we analyze the distinct characteristics and strategies of family businesses related to the amount of cash a firm holds. We look beyond the traditional factors that influence decisions related to cash management to examine factors that are particularly important for family firms. Specifically, we outline the relevance of strategic decisions guided by family firms’ conservatism, flexibility, long-term view, and the active control that they have over family members. To our knowledge, no prior studies exist regarding family firms and their strategic adjustment of cash holding. Therefore, we investigate whether the ownership structure of the firm (through the presence of a controlling family) moderates decisions on cash holding. We found that family firms tend to accumulate cash for strategic reasons and as a result of their own idiosyncrasies. Thus, family firms can achieve optimal cash accumulation more efficiently than non-family firms.

Innovative technological capability in firms of the tourism sector: a study of the hotels in the city of Rio de Janeiro during the 1990-2008 period

This article presents the preliminary report of the research project entitled "Innovative technological capability in firms of the tourism sector: a study of the hotels in the city of Rio de Janeiro during the 1990-2008 period". The objective of this project is to apply and evaluate an analytical model of technological capability and underlying learning processes and examine the accumulation trajectory of innovative technological capability in the firms of tourism service industry, and the impact of learning processes undertaken by these firms on the technological capability levels achieved during the 1990-2008 period.

Ensuring dynamic strategic fit of firms that compete globally in alliances and networks: proposing the Global SNA - Strategic Network Analysis - framework

In order to sustain their competitive advantage in the current increasingly globalized and turbulent context, more and more firms are competing globally in alliances and networks that oblige them to adopt new managerial paradigms and tools. However, their strategic analyses rarely take into account the strategic implications of these alliances and networks, considering their global relational characteristics, admittedly because of a lack of adequate tools to do so. This paper contributes to research that seeks to fill this gap by proposing the Global Strategic Network Analysis - SNA - framework. Its purpose is to help firms that compete globally in alliances and networks to carry out their strategic assessments and decision-making with a view to ensuring dynamic strategic fit from both a global and relational perspective.

Climate strategies of firms in the automotive and pulp & paper industries in Brazil: insights from an international perspective

This article focuses on the results of the final stage of research into the climate strategies of firms in the automotive and pulp-and-paper industries in Brazil, a country that is becoming increasingly important also in terms of climate change issues. In the first stage, the Climate Strategy Model (CSM) was developed to assess whether firms were adopting the necessary practices to assure the successful implementation of climate strategies. In the second, the CSM was applied to firms in the above mentioned industries that were chosen because of their important role in the domestic economy. In the final stage, interviews with executives of these firms were conducted to identify root causes of climate strategy implementation deficiencies and obtain new insights from an international perspective.

PHLEBOTOMINE FAUNA (DIPTERA: PSYCHODIDAE) IN AN AREA OF FISHING TOURISM IN CENTRAL-WESTERN BRAZIL

The aim of this study was to identify behavioral aspects of the sandfly fauna of a fishing tourism area in the municipality of Bonito (MS). Monthly captures were undertaken from December 2009 to November 2010, using automatic CDC type light traps, from 18h00 to 06h00, in a forested area, a savannah area, peridomiciles and animal shelters near peridomiciliary areas. Nyssomyia whitmani was the most frequent out of a total of 6,699 specimens collected, belonging to 16 species, followed by Psathyromyia bigeniculata and Lutzomyia longipalpis, found in all the environments investigated, though in their greatest numbers in the animal shelters. Ny. whitmani exhibited its highest frequencies during the dry months, coincident with the fishing season, when the risk of transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis for tourists and inhabitants increases. Noteworthy was the finding of two species naturally infected by flagellates: Ny. whitmani and Pa. bigeniculata. The local population and visiting tourists should be warned of the threat posed by leishmaniasis and the health authorities alerted to the need for adopting environmental sanitary measures, especially regarding such animal shelters as they seem to provide favorable conditions to the proliferation, maintenance and breeding opportunities of phlebotomines.

Trauma and envenoming caused by stingrays and other fish in a fishing community in Pontal do Paranapanema, state of São Paulo, Brazil: epidemiology, clinical aspects, and therapeutic and preventive measures

INTRODUCTION: Accidents caused by fish are common in inland fishing communities in Brazil, being work-related injuries in the majority of cases. These populations have no information on the mechanisms of trauma or envenoming. METHODS: Through a questionnaire administered to fishermen, we obtained clinical and epidemiological data on accidents in Rosana, Pontal do Paranapanema, State of São Paulo, Brazil. These data were analyzed and converted into an easily understood prevention and treatment program for the colony. RESULTS: Thirty-nine fishermen replied to the survey. All of the patients had been hurt by fish. Of those mentioned, the yellow catfish (Pimelodus maculatus) was the main fish species associated with injuries, but others also caused trauma to the fishermen. Six fishermen had been envenomed by stingrays. Pain and ulcers were the main symptoms and were described as intolerable. Approximately half of those injured were treated using traditional folk remedies. CONCLUSIONS: The fishermen suffered multiple accidents with catfish, which are venomous and cause intense pain, as well as trauma due to other fish, such as surubins, traíras, freshwater croakers, and piranhas. Approximately 16% of those interviewed presented with envenomation from stingrays. Our data and previous experience in the area led to the creation of a pamphlet with clear language that can effectively help fishermen in the region, an area in need of health services and disease prevention. This initiative also applies to the whole La Plata River basin, which has similar fauna.

On the standardization of the fishing effort

In this note we demonstrate that the use of an index to standardize the fishing effort using the cpue of a standard vessel or gear is mistaken, once the cpues- catch per unit of total effort after standardization is similar to cpues - catch per unit of effort of the standard vesel or gear arbitrarily chosen.

Fishing territoriality and diversity between the ethnic populations Ashaninka and Kaxinawá ,Breu river, Brazil/Peru

This study describes the diversity and the subsistence fishing territoriality of traditional populations of a village Ashaninka and two Kaxinawá living at the margins of Breu River (Brasil/Peru). In general, samplings in the dwellings were carried out late in the afternoon, as the fishermen arrived in the village. The data were analysed in an exploratory way through the index of pondered dominance (ID%), by analysis of variance and by a correspondence analysis in order to determine the associations of the fish species and the fishing spots between the villages of the Indigenous Reserve. The results of the analysis of variance demonstrated that differences exist between the fish diversities of the catches. However, post-hoc tests only detected differences in diversities between the hand fishhook and the other fishing gears (bow and arrow, castnets and rotenone tingui). Although the use of bow and arrow resulted in a low capture (Kg), this fishing strategy is associated with a high fishing diversity, in terms of number of species. These results demonstrate that there is no overlap in the frequency of the visits to the fishing spots between the Ashaninka and Kaxinawá populations. This pattern is the same found for the correspondence analysis for the fish species, which describes the relationship between the deep pools environments exploited by the fishermen Ashaninka and Kaxinawá of Mourão. These ethnic populations still continue to maintain a strong cultural and cosmological tradition, with their territories defined in an informal way of the upper Juruá area.

Fisheries and fishing effort at the Indigenous Reserves Ashaninka/Kaxinawá, river Breu, Brazil/Peru

This article aimed to describe the subsistence fisheries of traditional populations of three ethnic groups, one Ashaninka and two Kaxinawá, lying on the banks of the River Breu. Initially, monitors were trained to fill logbooks with data from fisheries of the villages during an annual cycle (august/1995 august/1996). Based on these data, it was realized an inventory of the most common fish species caught as well as one about the fishing environment. The following results were obtained: i) Indians prefer to use pools, locally known as "poços", for fishing; ii) the most common caught species are the "mandis" (35%, Pimelodidae), armored catfishes (Loricariidae), specially Hypostomus sp. (25%), the "curimatá" (9%, Prochilodus sp.) and the "saburus" (8%, Curimatidae), among others; iii) the fishing gears that lead to a high rate of fishing are the native "tingui", nets and bow and arrows; iv) fisheries are more intensive during summer; v) the fishing effort and their associated factors statistically significant in predicting the catches in the Indian Reserve were f1 = number of fishermen, f2 = (number of fishermen*total time devoted to fishing), f3 = [(number of fishermen)*(total time devoted to fishing)-(the time displacement)] and the factor villages and fishing gears; vi) although almost all the fisheries are done by walking to the fishing places, catches increase when paddle boats are used; and vii) the most active fishermen belong to Kaxinawá tribe.

Peacock bass mortality associated with catch-and-release sport fishing in the Negro River, Amazonas State, Brazil

Sport fishing for peacock bass Cichla spp. in the Brazilian Amazon has increased in popularity and attracts anglers who generate significant economic benefits in rural regions. The sustainability of this fishery is partly dependent on the survival of fish caught through catch-and-release fishing. The objective of this work was to investigate, hooking mortality of Cichla spp., including speckled peacock bass (C. temensis Humbolt), butterfly peacock bass (C. orinocensis Humbolt), and popoca peacock bass (C. monoculus Agassiz) in the basin of the Negro River, the largest tributary of the Amazon River. Fish were caught at two different sites using artificial lures, transported to pens anchored in the river and monitored for 72 hours. A total of 162 individual peacock bass were captured and hooking mortality (mean % ± 95% confidence intervals) was calculated. Mean mortality was 3.5% (± 5.0), 2.3% (± 3.5) and 5.2% (± 10.2) for speckled peacock bass, butterfly peacock bass, and popoca peacock bass, respectively. Lengths of captured fish ranged from 26 to 79 cm (standard length), however, only fish under 42 cm died. This research suggests that catch-and-release sport fishing of peacock bass does not result in substantial mortality in the Negro River basin.

Preliminary assays indicate that Antonia ovata (Loganiaceae) and Derris amazonica (Papilionaceae), ichthyotoxic plants used for fishing in Roraima, Brazil, have an insecticide effect on Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

Laboratory-reared Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz and Neiva 1912) was tested with extracts of two ichthyotoxic plants, known as timbós, used as fishing poison in the Amazon. Phlebotomines, L. longipalpis, and plants, Antonia ovata and Derris amazonica, were collected in the Raposa-Serra do Sol Indian Reserve, a focus of visceral leishmaniasis in the State of Roraima, Brazil. Extracts were prepared from dried leaves of A. ovata and roots of D. amazonica that were percolated in water, filtered and dried out at 50°C. The solid extract obtained was diluted in water at 150, 200 and 250 mg/ml. The solution was blotted in filter paper placed at the bottom of cylindric glass tubes containing sand flies. For each plant extract and dilution, two series of triplicates with 5 male and 5 female specimens of L. longipalpis were used. Mortality was recorded every 2 h during 72 h of exposure. At 72 h the mortality was as high as 80% for extracts of A. ovata (LD50 = 233 mg/ ml), and 100% for D. amazonica (LD50 = 212 mg/ ml) whereas in the control groups maximum mortality never surpassed 13%. Preliminary assays indicated that A. ovata and D. amazonica displayed significant insecticide effect against L. longipalpis.

Host characteristics do not affect community structure of ectoparasites on the fishing bat Noctilio leporinus (L., 1758) (Mammalia: Chiroptera)

Patterns of parasite abundance and prevalence are thought to be influenced by several host characteristics such as size, sex, developmental stage, and seasonality. We examined two obligatory ectoparasites of the bat Noctilio leporinus (L.) (Chiroptera, Noctilionidae) to test whether prevalence and abundance of Noctiliostrebla aitkeni Wenzel and Paradyschiria fusca Speiser (Diptera, Streblidae) are influenced by the host characteristics. During this survey, 2110 flies were collected. The total abundance was 1150 N. aitkeni and 950 P. fusca. The prevalence of both species was shown to be superior to 75% and neither host size, sex, reproductive stage nor season influenced significantly the variation of the observed values. N. aitkeni were more abundant than P. fusca in all seasons except winter. Both flies showed a significant seasonal variation in terms of abundance but host biological characteristics (host size, sex, and reproductive stage) did not play a significant role as structuring factors of the batflies component community.