Regional study on Women's unrecognized contribution to the economy

The findings and analysis of this study are based on desk review and secondary data to substantiate this growing phenomenon, especially among the female population. Further the recommendations that will be put forward in this study will be added to the literature and serve as a baseline for further study in the Caribbean region. The study is sectionalized as follows. Chapter one discusses in brief the demographics, social and economic profiles of Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. This chapter also examines the employment rate, gender and poverty, and the achievements and progress of member states as it relates to the MDGs especially goal number 3. Men are more likely to be employed in the formal sector than women, and earn higher wages and salaries in the labour market despite the fact women may have obtained tertiary level education. The literature showed that women are at home spending more time on child care and other household related responsibilities but this can still be considered employment. This chapter also addresses the achievements and progress of member states as it relates to the MDGs especially Goal 3. Chapter 2 identifies the literature review of related subjects for this study. Chapter 3 discusses the categories and type of labour activities in the informal economies in the Caribbean Region, for example, paid and unpaid work, time use, women working and their caring, responsibilities for their relatives, domestic workers being undervalued and under paid, street and market vendors, micro-enterprises the services sector and commercial sex workers. Chapter 4 examines the importance of social protection for those employed in the informal labour market and the self employed. Chapter 5 provides a preliminary analysis of the findings from this study. Chapter 6 details the preliminary conclusions and recommendations.

An assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the water sector in the Turks and Caicos Islands

The best description of water resources for Grand Turk was offered by Pérez Monteagudo (2000) who suggested that rain water was insufficient to ensure a regular water supply although water catchment was being practised and water catchment possibilities had been analysed. Limestone islands, mostly flat and low lying, have few possibilities for large scale surface storage, and groundwater lenses exist in very delicate equilibrium with saline seawater, and are highly likely to collapse due to sea level rise, improper extraction, drought, tidal waves or other extreme event. A study on the impact of climate change on water resources in the Turks and Caicos Islands is a challenging task, due to the fact that the territory of the Islands covers different environmental resources and conditions, and accurate data are lacking. The present report is based on collected data wherever possible, including grey data from several sources such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Cuban meteorological service data sets. Other data were also used, including the author’s own estimates and modelling results. Although challenging, this was perhaps the best approach towards analysing the situation. Furthermore, IPCC A2 and B2 scenarios were used in the present study in an effort to reduce uncertainty. The main conclusion from the scenario approach is that the trend observed in precipitation during the period 1961 - 1990 is decreasing. Similar behaviour was observed in the Caribbean region. This trend is associated with meteorological causes, particularly with the influence of the North Atlantic Anticyclone. The annual decrease in precipitation is estimated to be between 30-40% with uncertain impacts on marine resources. After an assessment of fresh water resources in Turks and Caicos Islands, the next step was to estimate residential water demand based on a high fertility rate scenario for the Islands (one selected from four scenarios and compared to countries having similar characteristics). The selected scenario presents higher projections on consumption growth, enabling better preparation for growing water demand. Water demand by tourists (stopover and excursionists, mainly cruise passengers) was also obtained, based on international daily consumption estimates. Tourism demand forecasts for Turks and Caicos Islands encompass the forty years between 2011 and 2050 and were obtained by means of an Artificial Neural Networks approach. for the A2 and B2 scenarios, resulting in the relation BAU>B2>A2 in terms of tourist arrivals and water demand levels from tourism. Adaptation options and policies were analysed. Resolving the issue of the best technology to be used for Turks and Caicos Islands is not directly related to climate change. Total estimated water storage capacity is about 1, 270, 800 m3/ year with 80% capacity load for three plants. However, almost 11 desalination plants have been detected on Turks and Caicos Islands. Without more data, it is not possible to estimate long term investment to match possible water demand and more complex adaptation options. One climate change adaptation option would be the construction of elevated (30 metres or higher) storm resistant water reservoirs. The unit cost of the storage capacity is the sum of capital costs and operational and maintenance costs. Electricity costs to pump water are optional as water should, and could, be stored for several months. The costs arising for water storage are in the range of US$ 0.22 cents/m3 without electricity costs. Pérez Monteagudo (2000) estimated water prices at around US$ 2.64/m3 in stand points, US$ 7.92 /m3 for government offices, and US$ 13.2 /m3for cistern truck vehicles. These data need to be updated. As Turks and Caicos Islands continues to depend on tourism and Reverse Osmosis (RO) for obtaining fresh water, an unavoidable condition to maintaining and increasing gross domestic product(GDP) and population welfare, dependence on fossil fuels and vulnerability to increasingly volatile prices will constitute an important restriction. In this sense, mitigation supposes a synergy with adaptation. Energy demand and emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) were also estimated using an emissions factor of 2. 6 tCO2/ tonne of oil equivalent (toe). Assuming a population of 33,000 inhabitants, primary energy demand was estimated for Turks and Caicos Islands at 110,000 toe with electricity demand of around 110 GWh. The business as usual (BAU), as well as the mitigation scenarios were estimated. The BAU scenario suggests that energy use should be supported by imported fossil fuels with important improvements in energy efficiency. The mitigation scenario explores the use of photovoltaic and concentrating solar power, and wind energy. As this is a preliminary study, the local potential and locations need to be identified to provide more relevant estimates. Macroeconomic assumptions are the same for both scenarios. By 2050, Turks and Caicos Islands could demand 60 m toe less than for the BAU scenario.

Marketing de relacionamento e relações públicas: uma aplicação no serviço de pós-venda da Embraer Executive Jets

The present study aims to investigate the interrelationship between the Relationship Marketing and Public Relations areas, high lighting its strategic value. The main goal is to discuss how the public relations professional can manage the customer loyalty by improving the after-sales services provided, applying it to a specific market such as business a viation. To establish the foundation to support the hypotheses, a revision of the subject literature was made, seeking to break down the barriers between marketing-mainly of relationship and public relations knowledge fields. A consult of the relevant literature was a continuous activity throughout the work. Divided into three chapters, the two first ones of fundamentals concepts, presents an after-sales services scenario, emphasizing the importance of the relationship and the definition of audiences in this area, in addition to a detailed description of the luxury market, a business aviation reality. The third chapter ends the discussion with a relationship proposal for Embraer Executive Jets, through actions based on the studied concepts. By gathering ideas and reflecting about the subject, using them to develop the proposal, a conclusion was resulted: the public relations professional is prepared and essential to build an effective after-sales relationship, since it's concerned about the communication excellence and knows the audiences significance in this process

Previsão do comportamento de estruturas de contenção atirantadas utilizando o software FTOOL

Population growth, together with the gradual social ascent in Brazil, reflects at the growing need for better use of urban spaces. In this context, the amount of new buildings to meet the demand in property market, the needs for creating new roads and highways, among others, make the use of geotechnical works and, more specifically, retaining walls, more and more common. One of the simplest solutions for underground works is the use of retaining structures using tie back walls for soil support, therefore, the present work deals with this kind of structures. This paper proposes the use of FTOOL software testing in predicting deformations in tie back walls, by comparing simulations of the presented model to a real and measured deformation case in Guabirotuba Formation (PR). The results showed the importance of defining the parameters such as stiffness and curtain geometry, as well as the definition of representative loads acting on it. Also, it was pointed out that the passive response of the steel rods depends on the horizontal displacement of the wall. The study concluded that the program generates very representative results when compared to field data and seems to be a promising tool for tie back structures displacement predictions

Aumento da capacidade produtiva por meio da padronização de embalagem

Currently the market share gains and complying fully with the demand in the market is considered essential for the companies survival against the competitors. This work aims to analyze the packing standardization as a strategy to increase production capacity. As result it was implemented a project to standardize the primary packaging of products offered, so it was possible to reduce inventory, increased productivity, improved workload of line operators and decrease the complexity of the planning of the primary packaging and production planning as well, all these factors contributing to cost reduction and increased competitiveness

Practices of environmentally responsible reverse logistics systems in Brazilian companies

The aim of this paper is to propose a classification of reverse logistics systems based on activities for value recovery from returned products. Case studies were carried out in three Brazilian companies. Research results show that Company 1 uses a reverse logistics system based on ‘disposal logistics system’, the main reason for returns is ‘end of life’ and the main motivation is ‘legislation’; Company 2 uses ‘Recycling logistics system’, the main reason for the returns is ‘products not sold’ and the main motivation is ‘recovery of assets and value’; finally, Company 3 uses ‘product reprocessing logistics system’, the main reason for returns is ‘end of life’ and the main motivation is ‘social and environmental responsibility’.

Métodos de previsão auto-regressivo aplicado a uma série de volume de produção de caminhões

The national truck fleet has expanded strongly in recent decades. However, due to fluctuations in the demand that the market is exposed, it needed up making more effective strategic decisions of automakers. These decisions are made after an evaluation of guaranteed sales forecasts. This work aims to generate an annual forecast of truck production by Box and Jenkins methodology. They used annual data for referring forecast modeling from the year 1957 to 2014, which were obtained by the National Association of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (Anfavea). The model used was Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and can choose the best model for the series under study, and the ARIMA (2,1,3) as representative for conducting truck production forecast

Métodos de previsão auto-regressivo aplicado a uma série de volume de produção de caminhões

The national truck fleet has expanded strongly in recent decades. However, due to fluctuations in the demand that the market is exposed, it needed up making more effective strategic decisions of automakers. These decisions are made after an evaluation of guaranteed sales forecasts. This work aims to generate an annual forecast of truck production by Box and Jenkins methodology. They used annual data for referring forecast modeling from the year 1957 to 2014, which were obtained by the National Association of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (Anfavea). The model used was Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and can choose the best model for the series under study, and the ARIMA (2,1,3) as representative for conducting truck production forecast

Mikrobielle Prozesskontrolle in Biogasanlagen durch Monitoring der Kohlenstoff-Isotopenverhältnisse im Gasbereich

Der zunehmende Anteil von Strom aus erneuerbaren Energiequellen erfordert ein dynamisches Konzept, um Spitzenlastzeiten und Versorgungslücken aus der Wind- und Solarenergie ausgleichen zu können. Biogasanlagen können aufgrund ihrer hohen energetischen Verfügbarkeit und der Speicherbarkeit von Biogas eine flexible Energiebereitstellung ermöglichen und darüber hinaus über ein „Power-to-Gas“-Verfahren bei einem kurzzeitigen Überschuss von Strom eine Überlastung des Stromnetzes verhindern. Ein nachfrageorientierter Betrieb von Biogasanlagen stellt jedoch hohe Anforderungen an die Mikrobiologie im Reaktor, die sich an die häufig wechselnden Prozessbedingungen wie der Raumbelastung im Reaktor anpassen muss. Eine Überwachung des Fermentationsprozesses in Echtzeit ist daher unabdingbar, um Störungen in den mikrobiellen Gärungswegen frühzeitig erkennen und adäquat entgegenwirken zu können. rnBisherige mikrobielle Populationsanalysen beschränken sich auf aufwendige, molekularbiologische Untersuchungen des Gärsubstrates, deren Ergebnisse dem Betreiber daher nur zeitversetzt zur Verfügung stehen. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde erstmalig ein Laser-Absorptionsspektrometer zur kontinuierlichen Messung der Kohlenstoff-Isotopenverhältnisse des Methans an einer Forschungsbiogasanlage erprobt. Dabei konnten, in Abhängigkeit der Raumbelastung und Prozessbedingungen variierende Isotopenverhältnisse gemessen werden. Anhand von Isolaten aus dem untersuchten Reaktor konnte zunächst gezeigt werden, dass für jeden Methanogenesepfad (hydrogeno-troph, aceto¬klastisch sowie methylotroph) eine charakteristische, natürliche Isotopensignatur im Biogas nachgewiesen werden kann, sodass eine Identifizierung der aktuell dominierenden methanogenen Reaktionen anhand der Isotopen-verhältnisse im Biogas möglich ist. rnDurch den Einsatz von 13C- und 2H-isotopen¬markierten Substraten in Rein- und Mischkulturen und Batchreaktoren, sowie HPLC- und GC-Unter¬suchungen der Stoffwechselprodukte konnten einige bislang unbekannte C-Flüsse in Bioreaktoren festgestellt werden, die sich wiederum auf die gemessenen Isotopenverhältnisse im Biogas auswirken können. So konnte die Entstehung von Methanol sowie dessen mikrobieller Abbauprodukte bis zur finalen CH4-Bildung anhand von fünf Isolaten erstmalig in einer landwirtschaftlichen Biogasanlage rekonstruiert und das Vorkommen methylotropher Methanogenesewege nachgewiesen werden. Mithilfe molekularbiologischer Methoden wurden darüber hinaus methanoxidierende Bakterien zahlreicher, unbekannter Arten im Reaktor detektiert, deren Vorkommen aufgrund des geringen O2-Gehaltes in Biogasanlagen bislang nicht erwartet wurde. rnDurch die Konstruktion eines synthetischen DNA-Stranges mit den Bindesequenzen für elf spezifische Primerpaare konnte eine neue Methode etabliert werden, anhand derer eine Vielzahl mikrobieller Zielorganismen durch die Verwendung eines einheitlichen Kopienstandards in einer real-time PCR quantifiziert werden können. Eine über 70 Tage durchgeführte, wöchentliche qPCR-Analyse von Fermenterproben zeigte, dass die Isotopenverhältnisse im Biogas signifikant von der Zusammensetzung der Reaktormikrobiota beeinflusst sind. Neben den aktuell dominierenden Methanogenesewegen war es auch möglich, einige bakterielle Reaktionen wie eine syntrophe Acetatoxidation, Acetogenese oder Sulfatreduktion anhand der δ13C (CH4)-Werte zu identifizieren, sodass das hohe Potential einer kontinuierlichen Isotopenmessung zur Prozessanalytik in Biogasanlagen aufgezeigt werden konnte.rn

Rural water system sustainability : a case study of community-managed water systems in Saramaka communities

Worldwide, rural populations are far less likely to have access to clean drinking water than are urban ones. In many developing countries, the current approach to rural water supply uses a model of demand-driven, community-managed water systems. In Suriname, South America rural populations have limited access to improved water supplies; community-managed water supply systems have been installed in several rural communities by nongovernmental organizations as part of the solution. To date, there has been no review of the performance of these water supply systems. This report presents the results of an investigation of three rural water supply systems constructed in Saramaka villages in the interior of Suriname. The investigation used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, coupled with ethnographic information, to construct a comprehensive overview of these water systems. This overview includes the water use of the communities, the current status of the water supply systems, histories and sustainability of the water supply projects, technical reviews, and community perceptions. From this overview, factors important to the sustainability of these water systems were identified. Community water supply systems are engineered solutions that operate through social cooperation. The results from this investigation show that technical adequacy is the first and most critical factor for long-term sustainability of a water system. It also shows that technical adequacy is dependent on the appropriateness of the engineering design for the social, cultural, and natural setting in which it takes place. The complex relationships between technical adequacy, community support, and the involvement of women play important roles in the success of water supply projects. Addressing these factors during the project process and taking advantage of alternative water resources may increase the supply of improved drinking water to rural communities.

Qualifikationsnachfrage und Arbeitsmarkteintritt in der Schweiz: Arbeit im erlernten Beruf, Berufswechsel oder Arbeitslosigkeit

Berufsorientierte Bildungssysteme sind auf die Vermittlung von spezialisierten beruflichen Qualifikationen ausgelegt. Werden diese nach Abschluss einer beruflichen Grundbildung auf dem Arbeitsmarkt wenig nachgefragt, riskieren die Absolventen, die erworbenen berufsspezifischen Qualifikationen nicht verwerten zu können. Dies trifft nicht nur zu, wenn Arbeitsmarkteinsteiger arbeitslos werden, sondern auch, wenn sie den Beruf wechseln müssen. Für die drei verschiedenen Optionen des Arbeitsmarkteinstiegs – Arbeit im erlernten Beruf, Berufswechsel und Arbeitslosigkeit – wird erstens untersucht, welche Bedeutung das individuell passende und das fachfremde Stellenangebot hat. Zweitens wird analysiert, wie eine unterschiedlich ausgeprägte Nachfrage nach fachspezifischen Qualifikationen die Bedeutung ausbildungsbezogener und individueller Merkmale für den Berufseinstieg verändert. Die Schweiz mit ihrem berufsorientierten Bildungssystem und berufsfachlich segmentieren Arbeitsmarkt dient als empirische Referenz. Die multinominalen logistischen Regressionsmodelle basieren auf den Daten des Schweizer Jugendpanels PISA2000/TREE. Die Individualdaten von Lehrabgänger werden auf Berufsebene, zeitpunkt- und regionsspezifisch mit dem individuell passenden und fachfremden Stellenangebot verknüpft, das auf den Stelleninseratendaten des Stellenmarktmonitors Schweiz (SMM) beruht. Dank dieser Verknüpfung von Angebot und Nachfrage nach beruflichen Qualifikationen auf der Mikroebene kann zum ersten Mal die grundlegende Bedeutung der Personalnachfrage für den Berufseinstieg nachgewiesen werden.

Total Factor Productivity and Monetary Policy: Evidence from Conditional Volatility

This paper empirically assesses whether monetary policy affects real economic activity through its affect on the aggregate supply side of the macroeconomy. Analysts typically argue that monetary policy either does not affect the real economy, the classical dichotomy, or only affects the real economy in the short run through aggregate demand new Keynesian or new classical theories. Real business cycle theorists try to explain the business cycle with supply-side productivity shocks. We provide some preliminary evidence about how monetary policy affects the aggregate supply side of the macroeconomy through its affect on total factor productivity, an important measure of supply-side performance. The results show that monetary policy exerts a positive and statistically significant effect on the supply-side of the macroeconomy. Moreover, the findings buttress the importance of countercyclical monetary policy as well as support the adoption of an optimal money supply rule. Our results also prove consistent with the effective role of monetary policy in the Great Moderation as well as the more recent rise in productivity growth.

Los grandes grupos económicos : Ganadores y perdedores en la post-convertibilidad : Un estudio basado en la trayectoria del sector servicios y en el nuevo rol del Estado [2002-2010]

A lo largo de la post-convertibilidad el esquema de los ganadores y perdedores entre los grandes grupos económicos 'pertenecientes al sector servicios, financiero, agro-industrial, industrial, petrolero-minero' se fue redefiniendo. Este trabajo de cuenta de tales cambios a partir de considerar los estudios sociales más importantes sobre el tema, que incluyen tanto el problema de la crisis de la convertibilidad como la nueva situación de los grandes grupos económicos y el Estado durante la post-convertibilidad. De esta manera es de suponer como necesario comenzar con una conceptualización de la crisis de la convertibilidad y sus consecuencias, para entender la situación y los problemas que debieron solucionar los grandes grupos económicos y el Estado a comienzos de la post-convertibilidad para impulsar un proceso de crecimiento económico sostenido. Así las dicotomías presentes entre los trabajos que priorizan, por un lado, la lucha entre fracciones, y, por otro, el peso de la crisis, nos servirá para dicho fin. En segundo lugar se analizaran los diferentes trabajos que explican, de diversas maneras, la nueva situación en que se encontraron -y se encuentran- las fracciones de la burguesía, y su relación con las funciones del Estado a lo largo de la post-convertibilidad. De aquí saldrán los principales insumos para pensar el rol del Estado -bajo un nuevo tipo de arbitraje- y las acciones de los grandes grupos económicos, ambos condicionados por la crisis de la convertibilidad y el mercado mundial. Con las conceptualizaciones aceptadas, se analizará la acción de los grandes grupos económicos y las funciones del Estado para un caso específico: los grandes grupos económicos de las empresas privatizadas y su relación con el nuevo tipo de arbitraje estatal en la post-convertibilidad, según dos periodos diferentes. Y, se redefinirá el esquema de ganadores y perdedores para tal caso, teniendo como elemento distintivo la relación de las empresas privatizadas y los subsidios

Los grandes grupos económicos : Ganadores y perdedores en la post-convertibilidad : Un estudio basado en la trayectoria del sector servicios y en el nuevo rol del Estado [2002-2010]

A lo largo de la post-convertibilidad el esquema de los ganadores y perdedores entre los grandes grupos económicos 'pertenecientes al sector servicios, financiero, agro-industrial, industrial, petrolero-minero' se fue redefiniendo. Este trabajo de cuenta de tales cambios a partir de considerar los estudios sociales más importantes sobre el tema, que incluyen tanto el problema de la crisis de la convertibilidad como la nueva situación de los grandes grupos económicos y el Estado durante la post-convertibilidad. De esta manera es de suponer como necesario comenzar con una conceptualización de la crisis de la convertibilidad y sus consecuencias, para entender la situación y los problemas que debieron solucionar los grandes grupos económicos y el Estado a comienzos de la post-convertibilidad para impulsar un proceso de crecimiento económico sostenido. Así las dicotomías presentes entre los trabajos que priorizan, por un lado, la lucha entre fracciones, y, por otro, el peso de la crisis, nos servirá para dicho fin. En segundo lugar se analizaran los diferentes trabajos que explican, de diversas maneras, la nueva situación en que se encontraron -y se encuentran- las fracciones de la burguesía, y su relación con las funciones del Estado a lo largo de la post-convertibilidad. De aquí saldrán los principales insumos para pensar el rol del Estado -bajo un nuevo tipo de arbitraje- y las acciones de los grandes grupos económicos, ambos condicionados por la crisis de la convertibilidad y el mercado mundial. Con las conceptualizaciones aceptadas, se analizará la acción de los grandes grupos económicos y las funciones del Estado para un caso específico: los grandes grupos económicos de las empresas privatizadas y su relación con el nuevo tipo de arbitraje estatal en la post-convertibilidad, según dos periodos diferentes. Y, se redefinirá el esquema de ganadores y perdedores para tal caso, teniendo como elemento distintivo la relación de las empresas privatizadas y los subsidios

Los grandes grupos económicos : Ganadores y perdedores en la post-convertibilidad : Un estudio basado en la trayectoria del sector servicios y en el nuevo rol del Estado [2002-2010]

A lo largo de la post-convertibilidad el esquema de los ganadores y perdedores entre los grandes grupos económicos 'pertenecientes al sector servicios, financiero, agro-industrial, industrial, petrolero-minero' se fue redefiniendo. Este trabajo de cuenta de tales cambios a partir de considerar los estudios sociales más importantes sobre el tema, que incluyen tanto el problema de la crisis de la convertibilidad como la nueva situación de los grandes grupos económicos y el Estado durante la post-convertibilidad. De esta manera es de suponer como necesario comenzar con una conceptualización de la crisis de la convertibilidad y sus consecuencias, para entender la situación y los problemas que debieron solucionar los grandes grupos económicos y el Estado a comienzos de la post-convertibilidad para impulsar un proceso de crecimiento económico sostenido. Así las dicotomías presentes entre los trabajos que priorizan, por un lado, la lucha entre fracciones, y, por otro, el peso de la crisis, nos servirá para dicho fin. En segundo lugar se analizaran los diferentes trabajos que explican, de diversas maneras, la nueva situación en que se encontraron -y se encuentran- las fracciones de la burguesía, y su relación con las funciones del Estado a lo largo de la post-convertibilidad. De aquí saldrán los principales insumos para pensar el rol del Estado -bajo un nuevo tipo de arbitraje- y las acciones de los grandes grupos económicos, ambos condicionados por la crisis de la convertibilidad y el mercado mundial. Con las conceptualizaciones aceptadas, se analizará la acción de los grandes grupos económicos y las funciones del Estado para un caso específico: los grandes grupos económicos de las empresas privatizadas y su relación con el nuevo tipo de arbitraje estatal en la post-convertibilidad, según dos periodos diferentes. Y, se redefinirá el esquema de ganadores y perdedores para tal caso, teniendo como elemento distintivo la relación de las empresas privatizadas y los subsidios