The effect of incentive reforms upon productivity: Evidence from the Vietnamese rice industry

In this study we use region-level panel data on rice production in Vietnam to investigate total factor productivity (TFP) growth in the period since reunification in 1975. Two significant reforms were introduced during this period, one in 1981 allowing farmers to keep part of their produce, and another in 1987 providing improved land tenure. We measure TFP growth using two modified forms of the standard Malmquist data envelopment analysis (DEA) method, which we have named the Three-year-window (TYW) and the Full Cumulative (FC) methods. We have developed these methods to deal with degrees of freedom limitations. Our empirical results indicate strong average TFP growth of between 3.3 and 3.5 per cent per annum, with the fastest growth observed in the period following the first reform. Our results support the assertion that incentive related issues have played a large role in the decline and subsequent resurgence of Vietnamese agriculture.

Nocturnal activity in the green sea turtle alters daily profiles of melatonin and corticosterone

In nature, green turtles (Chelonia mydas) can exhibit nocturnal activity in addition to their typically diurnal activity cycle. We examined whether nocturnal activity in captive and free-living green turtles altered daily plasma profiles of melatonin (MEL) and corticosterone (CORT). In captivity, diurnally active green turtles expressed distinct diel cycles in MEL and CORT; a nocturnal rise was observed in MEL and a diurnal rise was observed in CORT. However, when induced to perform both low- and high-intensity nocturnal activity, captive green turtles exhibited a significant decrease in MEL, compared to inactive controls. In contrast, plasma CORT increased significantly with nocturnal activity, and further, the relative increase in CORT was correlated with the intensity of the nocturnal behavior. In free-living green turtles that performed nocturnal activity including: nesting, mate searching, and feeding/swimming behaviors, plasma profiles in MEL and CORT exhibited relatively little, or no, daily fluctuation. Our findings demonstrate that nocturnal activity in green turtles is often associated with MEL and CORT profiles that resemble those measured during the day. We speculate that these conspicuous changes in MEL and CORT during nocturnal activity could either support or promote behaviors that enable acquisition of transient resources important to the survival and reproductive success of green turtles. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

Communism and Carnival: Ralph de Boissieres Crown Jewel and its Australian Context

The Australasian Book Society (ABS) was established in Melbourne in 1952 by a small group ofleft-leaning writers, unionists and literary supporters. It was inspired in part by the success of Frank Hardy's scandalous novel of Labar betrayal, Power Without Glory, which in 1950 had been published independently - and printed secretly - outside the commercial publishing networks. Many of those involved were communists but although the ABS came to operate in accord ,..rith Communist Party cultural politics it was never Simply a Party front nor did it publish only communist writers or communist texts. For the most part it operated under a broader notion of 'progressive' , nationalist or democratic literature.

The genetics of coronary heart disease: the contribution of twin studies

Despite the decline in coronary heart disease in many European countries, the disease remains an enormous public health problem. Although we know a great deal about environmental risk factors for coronary heart disease, a heritable component was recognized a long time ago. The earliest and best known examples of how our genetic constitution may determine cardiovascular risk relate to lipoprotein(a), familial hypercholesterolaemia and apolipoprotein E. In the past 20 years a fair number of polymorphisms assessed singly have shown strong associations with the disease but most are subject to poor repeatability. Twins constitute a compelling natural experiment to establish the genetic contribution to coronary heart disease and its risk factors. GenomEUtwin, a recently funded Framework 5 Programme of the European Community, affords the opportunity of comparing the heritability of risk factors in different European Twin Registries. As an illustration we present the heritabilities of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, based on data from over 4000 twin pairs from six different European countries and Australia. Heritabilities for systolic blood pressure are between 52 and 66% and for diastolic blood pressure between 44 and 66%. There is no evidence of sex differences in heritability estimates and very little to no evidence for a significant contribution of shared family environment. A non-twin based prospective case/cohort study of coronary heart disease and stroke (MORGAM) will allow hypotheses relating to cardiovascular disease, generated in the twin cohorts, to be tested prospectively in adult populations. Twin studies have also contributed to our understanding of the life course hypothesis, and GenomEUtwin has the potential to add to this.

Analysis of the mouse transcriptome for genes involved in the function of the nervous system

We analyzed the mouse Representative Transcript and Protein Set for molecules involved in brain function. We found full-length cDNAs of many known brain genes and discovered new members of known brain gene families, including Family 3 G-protein coupled receptors, voltage-gated channels, and connexins. We also identified previously unknown candidates for secreted neuroactive molecules. The existence of a large number of unique brain ESTs suggests an additional molecular complexity that remains to be explored. A list of genes containing CAG stretches in the coding region represents a first step in the potential identification of candidates for hereditary neurological disorders.

Everyday incivility: towards a benchmark

Commonplace incivility is a topic of longstanding interest within social theory, perhaps best exemplified by Goffman's studies of the interaction order. Nevertheless we know very little about its distribution and expression in everyday life. Current empirical work is dominated by criminological agendas. These tend to focus on more serious and illegal activities rather than minor deviant acts that are simply inconsiderate or rude. The paper reports findings from a focus group study conducted in Melbourne, Australia that set out to benchmark everyday incivilities. The results suggest that perpetrators of incivility have a surprisingly broad social distribution as does the range of locales that might be characterised as 'high risk'. Turning to the work of Putnam and Wolfe, we call for a research focus on low-level incivilities as key symptoms of the state of civic virtue and the strength of moral ties within civil society. Drawing on Virilio, Bauman and Durkheim, it is suggested that the experience of incivility is underpinned by the growth of freedom and movement in contemporary urban settings, and has ambivalent implications that not only invoke boundary maintenance and retreatism, but also offer the possibility for boundary expansion and tolerance of difference.

Trends in physical activity participation and the impact of integrated campaigns among Australian adults, 1997-99

Objectives: To determine whether awareness of the moderate physical activity message and prevalence of participation changed among Australian adults between 1997 and 1999, and if changes differed across Australia. Methods: Data were compared on awareness of the moderate physical activity message and on physical activity participation from identical national physical activity surveys in 1997 and 1999. Results: In 1999, following integrated public health efforts, recognition of the Active Australia campaign was substantially higher in NSW/ACT (61.7%) than elsewhere (29.3%). Knowledge about benefits of moderate activity increased between 1997 and 1999, more so in States with public health campaigns. National participation in 'sufficient physical activity' declined between 1997 and 1999, from 63% to 57%, but the decline was smaller in NSW/ACT (4.4%) than in the other States (6.0%). Conclusions and implications: Declining trends in physical activity in Australia require increased public health investments, including strategic planning and public education, such as occurred in NSW (1997/98).

Balanced Scorecard: adequa????o para a gest??o estrat??gica nas organiza????es p??blicas

Os ??rg??os da Administra????o P??blica Federal (APF) ter??o maior ??xito no alcance de seus objetivos estrat??gicos, investindo na implanta????o de um modelo de gest??o estrat??gica, adaptado para o ambiente de governo, mantendo o alinhamento estrat??gico com os ??rg??os normativos e de controle. Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar um modelo de gest??o estrat??gica, adaptado a partir das perspectivas do Balanced Scorecard (BSC) desenvolvido pelos professores da Harvard Business School, Robert Kaplan e David Norton, em 1992, para ser utilizado pelos ??rg??os da APF; tal modelo mant??m um alinhamento estrat??gico organizacional com as recomenda????es do Tribunal de Contas da Uni??o (TCU). O modelo ir?? permitir a gest??o estrat??gica a partir da identifica????o dos objetivos estrat??gicos, metas, indicadores e a????es referentes ??s perspectivas do Balanced Scorecard, o que permitir?? o equil??brio entre os indicadores de efici??ncia no acompanhamento das metas de cada ??rg??o da APF, colaborando para uma gest??o estrat??gica integrada, que venha a modernizar a gest??o p??blica, agilizando as tomadas de decis??es e a troca de informa????es.

A performance social nas organizações

No âmbito deste trabalho proponho-me elaborar um estudo sobre o conceito da Responsabilidade Social Empresarial no setor das telecomunicações, e ilustrar algumas das vantagens inerentes à adoção de um comportamento empresarial socialmente responsável, que contribui por sua vez para o entendimento, comunicação, divulgação e crescimento da estratégia empresarial neste setor. Procurarei expor, que a estratégia de RSE, sendo acolhida voluntariamente e recebendo o apoio de todos stakeholders poderá gerar um reforço da imagem, reputação, distinção da concorrência (devido à criação do produto social com valor) e confiança do consumidor sendo algumas das vantagens identificadas e peças fundamentais para o sucesso de uma empresa. Propus-me analisar o caso de estudo das empresas PT, TIM, Telefónica, América Móvil e China Mobile. O principal objetivo deste estudo consiste em compreender a performance das empresas anteriores, relativamente às ações de responsabilidade social, na dimensão social.

O setor de telefonia móvel do Brasil após o SMP: as estratégias das operadoras e a convergência fixa-móvel

Este artigo analisa como a regulação do Serviço Móvel Pessoal (SMP), implementada pela Anatel em 2001, alterou a estrutura do mercado e as estratégias das operadoras do setor de telefonia móvel no Brasil, entre 2002 e 2007. Foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa e um estudo de caso múltiplo acerca das maiores operadoras do setor: Vivo, Tim, Claro e Oi. Diante da análise setorial e da influência de fatores externos sobre a estrutura do mercado, adotou-se o referencial teórico clássico de estratégia competitiva a fim de se entender as estratégias das operadoras. Adotou-se também um referencial mais específico do setor de telecomunicações, com destaque para trabalhos que discutem a convergência entre as telefonias fixa e móvel. Entre as conclusões do trabalho estão os efeitos de caráter deliberado das mudanças na regulação sobre as estratégias empresariais do setor, entre elas a adoção generalizada de estratégias de custo até o lançamento de serviços inovadores no mercado nacional, caracterizados pela integração entre as operadoras de telefonias fixa e móvel, promovendo estratégias de diferenciação, claramente representadas pela formação de dois grupos estratégicos: um com serviços convergentes do tipo bundle e relações de quase integração vertical entre operadoras fixas e móveis e outro com serviços convergentes entre operações de telefonia fixa e móvel verticalmente integradas.

Tino Navarro (MGN Filmes): "A quota nacional do cinema português é um décimo da média europeia. Porquê?"

O projecto “Principais tendências no cinema português contemporâneo” nasceu no Departamento de Cinema da ESTC, com o objectivo de desenvolver investigação especializada a partir de um núcleo formado por alunos da Licenciatura em Cinema e do Mestrado em Desenvolvimento de Projecto Cinematográfico, a que se juntaram professores-investigadores membros do CIAC e convidados. O que agora se divulga corresponde a dois anos e meio de trabalho desenvolvido pela equipa de investigação, entre Abril de 2009 e Novembro de 2011. Dada a forma que ele foi adquirindo, preferimos renomeá-lo, para efeitos de divulgação, “Novas & velhas tendências no cinema português contemporâneo”.

Data analysis model selection for estimating local population size of the Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus) in the Azores

27th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society. Setúbal, Portugal, 8-10 April 2013.

O futuro da web semântica e sua importância nas organizações

Trabalho realizado sob orientação do Prof. António Brandão Moniz para a disciplina “Factores Sociais da Inovação” do Mestrado Engenharia Informática realizado na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa (Portugal)