Scientist women perceptions of their work conditions and career development

This article reports preliminary findings about Portuguese scientist women’s perceptions of gender issues in their institutions. Empirical data have been collected by means of an electronic open questionnaire sent to the AMONET (Portuguese Association of Women in Science) members. Basically, the study aims to examine the degree of satisfaction with their profession, the difficulties they meet in everyday professional life, and whether they feel or have felt gender discrimination in their institutions. Findings show that all respondents feel happy or very happy with their profession. However, discrimination is mentioned by a significant percentage, even if such discrimination assumes, quite often, an elusive way, suggesting that higher institutions still discriminate against women. Findings, articulated with literature, also lead to discussion about power and leadership, both in the hands of male academics, in the majority of the institutions, as well as the clarification of different perceptions of ambition both by women and man.

Meta-analysis of gender and science research - Country report - Portugal

In Portugal, especially starting in the 1970s, women’s studies had implications on the emergency of the concept of gender and the feminist criticism to the prevailing models about differences between sexes. Until then, women had been absent from scientific research both as subject and as object. Feminism brought more reflexivity to the scientific thinking. After the 25th of April 1974, because of the consequent political openness, several innovating themes of research emerged, together with new concepts and fields of study. However, as far as gender and science relationship is concerned, such studies especially concentrate on higher education institutions. The feminist thinking seems to have two main objectives: to give women visibility, on the one hand, and to denunciate men’s domain in the several fields of knowledge. In 1977, the “Feminine Commission” is created and since then it has been publishing studies on women’s condition and contributing to the enhancement of the reflection of female condition at all levels. In the 1980s, the growing feminisation of tertiary education (both of students and academics), favoured the development of women’s studies, especially on their condition within universities with a special focus on the glass ceiling, despite the lack of statistical data by gender, thus making difficult the analysis of women integration in several sectors, namely in educational and scientific research activities. Other agglutinating themes are family, social and legal condition, work, education, and feminine intervention on political and social movements. In the 1990s, Women Studies are institutionalised in the academic context with the creation of the first Master in Women Studies in the Universidade Aberta (Open University), in Lisbon. In 1999, the first Portuguese journal of women studies is created – “Faces de Eva”. Seminars, conferences, thesis, journals, and projects on women’s studies are more and more common. However, results and publications are not so divulgated as they should be, because of lack of comprehensive and coordinated databases. 2. Analysis by topics 2.1. Horizontal and vertical segregation Research questions It is one of the main areas of research in Portugal. Essentially two issues have been considered: - The analysis of vertical gender segregation in educational and professional fields, having reflexes on women professional career progression with special attention to men’s power in control positions and the glass ceiling. - The analysis of horizontal segregation, special in higher education (teaching and research) where women have less visibility than men, and the under-representation of women in technology and technological careers. Research in this area mainly focuses on description, showing the under-representation of women in certain scientific areas and senior positions. Nevertheless, the studies that analyze horizontal segregation in the field of education adopt a more analytical approach which focuses on the analysis of the mechanisms of reproduction of gender stereotypes, especially socialisation, influencing educational and career choices. 1

Establishment of optimal physical assets inspection frequency based on risk principles

Risk Based Inspection (RBI) is a risk methodology used as the basis for prioritizing and managing the efforts for an inspection program allowing the allocation of resources to provide a higher level of coverage on physical assets with higher risk. The main goal of RBI is to increase equipment availability while improving or maintaining the accepted level of risk. This paper presents the concept of risk, risk analysis and RBI methodology and shows an approach to determine the optimal inspection frequency for physical assets based on the potential risk and mainly on the quantification of the probability of failure. It makes use of some assumptions in a structured decision making process. The proposed methodology allows an optimization of inspection intervals deciding when the first inspection must be performed as well as the subsequent intervals of inspection. A demonstrative example is also presented to illustrate the application of the proposed methodology.

China's space program : a new tool for PRC "soft power" in international relations?

When China launched an anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon in January 2007 to destroy one of its inactive weather satellites, most reactions from academics and U.S. space experts focused on a potential military “space race” between the United States and China. Overlooked, however, is China’s growing role as global competitor on the non-military side of space. China’s space program goes far beyond military counterspace applications and manifests manned space aspirations, including lunar exploration. Its pursuit of both commercial and scientific international space ventures constitutes a small, yet growing, percentage of the global space launch and related satellite service industry. It also highlights China’s willingness to cooperate with nations far away from Asia for political and strategic purposes. These partnerships may constitute a challenge to the United States and enhance China’s “soft power” among key American allies and even in some regions traditionally dominated by U.S. influence (e.g., Latin America and Africa). Thus, an appropriate U.S. response may not lie in a “hard power” counterspace effort but instead in a revival of U.S. space outreach of the past, as well as implementation of more business-friendly export control policies.

O Impacto da Inovação na Internacionalização das Empresas Exportadoras do Tâmega e Sousa

Dissertação de Mestrado em Gestão e Internacionalização de Empresas

The Prognostic Impact of Renal Failure in Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Acute Myocardial Infarction

INTRODUCTION: Renal insufficiency (RI) is associated with higher morbidity and mortality in patients (P) with coronary artery disease and in P submitted to angioplasty. In ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEAMI), this impact has not been well demonstrated. AIM: To evaluate the impact of RI in P with STEAMI. METHODS: We evaluated 160 P admitted with STEAMI, mean age of 62+/-14 years, 76% male. We determined creatinine levels on admission. RI was defined as a level >1.5 mg/dl. Analysis of clinical, electrocardiographic and laboratory variables was performed, in relation to the endpoint defined as the occurrence of death at 30-day follow-up. RESULTS: There were 16 deaths (10%) at 30-day follow-up. P with RI (n=21) were older (68+/-11 vs 61+/-14 years, p<0.001), more often had diabetes (57 vs 24 %, p=0.004) and presented more often with Killip class > or =2 (57 vs 12%, p<0.001). The use of statins (62 vs 83%, p=0.05) and beta-blockers (24 vs 65%, p<0.001) was lower in P with RI. Mortality was higher in RI P (62 vs 2%, p<0.001). The univariate predictors of death were age > or =75 years, diabetes, Killip class > or =2 on admission, RI, non-use of statins and beta-blockers and use of diuretics. In multivariate analysis, independent predictors of death at 30 days were RI (HR 29.6, 95% CI 6.3-139.9, p<0.001) and non-use of beta-blockers (HR 0.13, 95% CI 0.02-1.01, p=0.01). CONCLUSION: In P admitted for STEAMI, the presence of RI was an independent predictor of death at 30 days whereas the usage of beta-blockers was protective.

A technological innovation plan for enterprises in the Azores

The INOTEC-Empresa – the Technological Innovation Plan for Enterprises in the Autonomous Region of the Azores (RAA) - was developed in 2006-2007, at the request of the Regional Government, with the main aim of promoting innovation within small and medium enterprises. The methodological approach used in the development of the INOTEC – Empresa Plan was designed to obtain a comprehensive view of regional actors and included a document review, participation of the various actors through interviews, a collection of statements from RAA – Região Autónoma dos Açores – entrepreneurs, academics, public leaders and other key players, together with an analysis of their views and a survey of the innovation dynamics of the most relevant Azorean enterprises. The INOTEC-Empresa – the Technological Innovation Plan for Enterprises – comprises seven programmes aimed at promoting innovation in the Region. This paper focuses on the Programmes for Qualification of Human Resources and the Development of Scientific and Technological Capacities for Innovation. Some socio-economic data and the metrics selected to assess and benchmark the implementation of the Plan will als

Crowdsourcing innovation: a strategy to leverage enterprise innovation

Innovation is recognized by academics and practitioners as an essential competitive enabler for any company to survive, to remain competitive and to grow. Investments in tasks of R&D have not always brought the expected results. But that doesn't mean that the outcomes would not be useful to other companies of the same business area or even from another area. Thus, there is much knowledge already available in the market that can be helpful to some and profitable to others. So, the ideas and expertise can be found outside a company's boundaries and also exported from within. Information, knowledge, experience, wisdom is already available in the millions of the human beings of this planet, the challenge is to use them through a network to produce new ideas and tips that can be useful to a company with less costs. This was the reason for the emergence of the area of crowdsourcing innovation. Crowdsourcing innovation is a way of using the Web 2.0 tools to generate new ideas through the heterogeneous knowledge available in the global network of individuals highly qualified and with easy access to information and technology. So, a crowdsourcing innovation broker is an organization that mediates the communication and relationship between the seekers - companies that aspire to solve some problem or to take advantage of any business opportunity - with a crowd that is prone to give ideas based on their knowledge, experience and wisdom. This paper makes a literature review on models of open innovation, crowdsourcing innovation, and technology and knowledge intermediaries, and discusses this new phenomenon as a way to leverage the innovation capacity of enterprises. Finally, the paper outlines a research design agendafor explaining crowdsourcing innovation brokering phenomenon, exploiting its players, main functions, value creation process, and knowledge creation in order to define a knowledge metamodel of such intermediaries.

Information Systems Outsourcing Adoption

Dissertação apresentada como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Estatística e Gestão de Informação

PME.Box: Internationalization to Poland

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Corporate networks in Poland: Interlocking directorates and business systems

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Acquisition of Plus Discount by Jerónimo Martins

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Finance from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Portuguese investor profile in Poland, a managerial approach

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Are annual budgets being abandoned by companies operating in Portugal?: Evidence from the 500 “Maiores e Melhores”

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Finance from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

The international expansion strategy of Striyah in Poland

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics