Schistosomiasis control program in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil

The Schistosomiasis Control Program (PCE) was implemented in Minas Gerais (MG) in 1984. In 1999, the state started the investigation and control of schistosomiasis in 470 municipalities. The aim of the present paper is to report the evolution of this Program from 1984-2007. The program included a coproscopic survey carried out in the municipalities of known endemic areas using a quantitative method. Positives were treated with praziquantel and given a program of health education. The information for this study was obtained from data collected and stored by the Health State Department. From 2003-2007, 2,643,564 stool examinations resulted in 141,284 positive tests for Schistosoma mansoni (5.3%). In the first evaluation after treatment, a decrease in the number of municipalities with prevalence over 10% was documented. In one village, selected for a more detailed evaluation, the percentage of positive tests decreased from 14.9% in the baseline survey to 5.3% after treatment. A reference centre for patients with severe schistosomiasis was created in Belo Horizonte, MG. Based on our findings, we believe that the implementation of PCE in MG is on the right path and in due time these new initiatives will provide desirable results.

Studying the micro-angels approach to micro-investment decisions

Purpose: The paper analyzes the micro-angels investment behaviour, looking both to the criteria used in the selection of their investment projects and to the characteristics of their guidance role during the investment period. Design/Methodology/Approach: The paper focuses on a double bottom line movement of French micro-angels clubs that has been operating since 1983. Our primary source of data is an online survey carried out during March 2012, asking members of clubs all over France for different aspects of their procedures. Findings: Our findings suggest that micro-angels are interested in small, socially or environmentally friendly projects having the potential to contribute to the development of their neighbourhood. We find that women are even more interested than men in such projects. Educated micro-angels value entrepreneurial motivation and understanding of the project more than less-educated micro-angels. We also point out the factors that micro-angels consider important in accompanying enterprises. Here we find that gender makes little difference. However, retired micro-angels value financial diagnosis made conjointly with entrepreneurs, while both active micro-angels and educated micro-angels value more the use of their network to help micro-entrepreneurs. Practical/Social Implications: Given the potential benefits of micro-angels investing and guiding the development of micro-enterprises, a social micro-angel investment on a major scale in developing countries could help in tackling some of the problems faced by the development of microfinance, such as the over-indebtedness of micro-entrepreneurs. Practitioners and new initiatives would gain from understanding what adaptations need to be made. Originality/value: We expect to add to the venture capital theory to take into account non-economic motives.

Affirmative Action in Iowa, September 2005

In accordance with 19B.5 of the Code of Iowa, the 2005 Affirmative Action in Iowa report illustrates the progress made during fiscal year 2005 to balance the State's worforce, the challenges that the State must address and the effort that the Department of Administratie Services must lead in order to remove barriers that limit the hiring, retention and advancement of females, minorities and persons with disabilities in the State's workforce. Highlighted in the report are four departments that initiated proactive and innovative measures to address their workplace equal opportunity, affirmative action and diversity programs. Additionally, the Department of Administrative Services-Human Resources Enterprise outlines its plan to build on its past efforts as well as pursue new initiatives to partner with advocacy groups and reach out to the commuity more directely to enhance employment opportunities for females, minorities and persons with disabilities in State of Iowa employment.

Affirmative Action in Iowa, September 2005

In accordance with 19B.5 of the Code of Iowa, the 2005 Affirmative Action in Iowa report illustrates the progress made during fiscal year 2005 to balance the State's worforce, the challenges that the State must address and the effort that the Department of Administratie Services must lead in order to remove barriers that limit the hiring, retention and advancement of females, minorities and persons with disabilities in the State's workforce. Highlighted in the report are four departments that initiated proactive and innovative measures to address their workplace equal opportunity, affirmative action and diversity programs. Additionally, the Department of Administrative Services-Human Resources Enterprise outlines its plan to build on its past efforts as well as pursue new initiatives to partner with advocacy groups and reach out to the commuity more directely to enhance employment opportunities for females, minorities and persons with disabilities in State of Iowa employment.

Affirmative Action in Iowa, September 2006

In accordance with 19B.5 of the Code of Iowa, the 2006 Affirmative Action in Iowa report illustrates the progress made during fiscal year 2006 to balance the State's worforce, the challenges that the State must address and the effort that the Department of Administrative Services must lead in order to remove barriers that limit the hiring, retention and advancement of females, minorities and persons with disabilities in the State's workforce. Highlighted in the report are the qualitative achievements made by all departments setting goals for fiscal year 2006. Additionally, the Department of Administrative Services-Human Resources Enterprise outlines its plan to build on its past efforts as well as pursue new initiatives to partner with advocacy groups and reach out to the commuity more directly to enhance State employment opportunities for females, minorities and persons with disabilities.

Flood Plain Management & Hazard Mitigation Task Force Report, August 2008

The Flood Plain Management and Hazard Mitigation Task Force emphasizes the long-term benefits of mitigation and management to the entire state in preventing or reducing damages from floods and other hazards faced in Iowa. Investments in efforts to manage watershed areas and to mitigate any damages from floods or other disaster events benefit individuals, families, communities, agriculture, business and industry, and certainly public entities and infrastructure. The Task Force encourages the Rebuild Iowa Advisory Commission to balance the immediate needs for rebuilding to include the beginning of the investments required to effectively mitigate future damage and maintain effective policy in Iowa’s watersheds. The significance of the damage seen in Iowa from the tornadoes, storms, and floods of 2008 include the loss of eighteen Iowans in disaster-related events. This alone should inspire investment in mitigation efforts for all hazards. Much of the damage resulting from the disasters can be tied to floodplain management and hazard mitigation, pointing the way toward enhanced efforts and new initiatives to safeguard lives, property, and communities’ economic health. Even so, it must be recognized that the weather events throughout last winter and spring added impetus to the rains and storms that ultimately resulted in record flooding. Some perspective must be maintained as planning progresses and significant investments in mitigation are considered to meet a specific level of safety and protection from future threats. The Task Force identified a number of issues, and four were agreed-upon as those with the highest priority to be addressed by the Task Force through a set of recommendations.

Supplemental Information to the August 2008 Flood Plain Management & Hazard Mitigation Task Force Report, August 2008

The Flood Plain Management and Hazard Mitigation Task Force emphasizes the long-term benefits of mitigation and management to the entire state in preventing or reducing damages from floods and other hazards faced in Iowa. Investments in efforts to manage watershed areas and to mitigate any damages from floods or other disaster events benefit individuals, families, communities, agriculture, business and industry, and certainly public entities and infrastructure. The Task Force encourages the Rebuild Iowa Advisory Commission to balance the immediate needs for rebuilding to include the beginning of the investments required to effectively mitigate future damage and maintain effective policy in Iowa’s watersheds. The significance of the damage seen in Iowa from the tornadoes, storms, and floods of 2008 include the loss of eighteen Iowans in disaster-related events. This alone should inspire investment in mitigation efforts for all hazards. Much of the damage resulting from the disasters can be tied to floodplain management and hazard mitigation, pointing the way toward enhanced efforts and new initiatives to safeguard lives, property, and communities’ economic health. Even so, it must be recognized that the weather events throughout last winter and spring added impetus to the rains and storms that ultimately resulted in record flooding. Some perspective must be maintained as planning progresses and significant investments in mitigation are considered to meet a specific level of safety and protection from future threats. The Task Force identified a number of issues, and four were agreed-upon as those with the highest priority to be addressed by the Task Force through a set of recommendations. Supplemental Information to the August 2008

Tuotantoympäristön jatkuva parantaminen

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli luoda kohdeyritykseen toimintamalli, jonka avulla saadaan osallistettua työntekijät, tiiminvetäjät ja työnjohto tuotannon jatkuvaan parantamiseen sekä parannettua tuotannon takaisinkytkentää tiimitasolla. Tutkimus rajattiin pilottitiimiin sekä tiimissä olevien työpisteiden kautta reititettyihin tuotteisiin. Ennen tutkimuksen aloitusta yrityksellä oli jo olemassa sähköinen aloitejärjestelmä, mutta sen käyttö oli organisaation uudelleen järjestelyjen myötä vähentynyt. Tutkimuksen teoriaosassa tutustuttiin jatkuvan parantamisen kulttuuriin ja työkaluihin. Lisäksi tutustuttiin laadunhallinnan sisältöön, käsitteistöön ja laadunvalvontatyökaluihin sekä tuotannon mittareihin. Teorian pohjalta tutkimuksessa luotiin jatkuvan parantamisen toimintamalli, joka tunnistaa ja eliminoi prosessissa olevaa hukkaa osallistamalla pilottitiimin työntekijöitä hukkakorttien avulla. Lisäksi tutkimuksessa luotiin toimintamalli tuotannon kehitysideoiden raportointiin ja käsittelyyn. Tuotannon takaisinkytkentää kehitettiin luomalla pilottitiimiin tuloskortti sekä perustamalla yritykseen päiväkatsauskäytäntö. Tutkimuksessa suoritettiin myös toimihenkilötason kehitysprojekteja käyttäen apuna teoriassa esiteltyjä malleja ja työkaluja. Tuloksena saatiin toimintamalli, joka tuottaa työntekijämäärään suhteutettuna enemmän kehitysideoita sekä käsittelee ne tehokkaammin kuin sähköinen aloitejärjestelmä. Hukkakorteilla toteutetun hukan raportoinnin kautta tunnistettiin ja raportoitiin seitsemän viikon tarkasteluajanjakson aikana yhteensä 23,6 tuntia hukka-aikaa. Tiimin tuloskortin avulla tiimin työntekijät pystyivät viikkotasolla seuraamaan oman tiiminsä suorituskykyä tavoitearvoihin verrattuna. Tämä näkyi muun muassa tiimin suoritustason nousuna. Kehitysprojektien avulla saatiin parannettua pilottitiimin toiminnan ja tuotteiden laatua. Päiväkatsauskäytännön avulla saatiin osallistettua tiiminvetäjät ongelmaratkaisuun sekä tuotannon suorituskyvyn varmistamiseen.

Exploring Capacity Building of Ontario Dental Hygiene Educators During National Curriculum Reform

In times of educational change, educators are given the task of implementing new initiatives that meet the needs of a changing environment; yet, they are often dismissed from developmental phases of the reform. This top-down structure deters educators’ personal capacity building as their knowledge, values, assumptions, and beliefs are not acknowledged or explicitly developed as part of the initiative. This study explored Ontario dental hygiene educators’ perspectives of how they may build personal capacity during an externally mandated national curriculum reform, the Entry-to-Practice Competencies and Standards for Canadian Dental Hygienists (National Competencies). Narratives were collected from 5 dental hygiene educators of diverse educational training and teaching organizations. Three themes emerged that included perceptions of structural influence, perceptions of learning access, and perceptions of identity. Each theme was linked to tasks that were required to build personal capacity for sustainable school change. The theoretical framework and the required tasks demonstrated the interconnectedness between educators, leaders, and the organization for building educators’ personal capacity.

Modelo de desarrollo de iniciativas en la industria digital

El siguiente documento contiene, en primer lugar la caracterización del sector de las Industrias Digitales, construida a partir de la recopilación de información, datos y estadísticas y basada en el contexto que presenta dicha industria, se presentan además diferentes teorías que permiten el entendimiento del desarrollo de iniciativas digitales desde un perspectiva académica dando peso a los argumentos planteados, dentro de estas se establece como fuente de investigación principal la planteada por Eric Ries quien presenta la metodología Lean Startup, base de la construcción del modelo que se construye como herramienta fundamental para dar soporte a la creación y ejecución de nuevas iniciativas para la industria, de forma que los interesados encuentren una manera sencilla y efectiva de volver tangible, útil y sostenible su idea acompañada de un soporte teórico y académico y permitiendo la disminución de la informalidad en el sector.

Desafios que enfrenta a ANP para regular a indústria de petróleo no Brasil depois da quebra do monopólio em 1997 ate o ano de 2005

This work is analyzing the challenges which the National Petrol Agency is facing to regulate the Petrol industry in Brazil after the Monopoly crash in the period between 1997 until 2005. Due to the necessities of adaptation of its political strategies to the rules which determine the international economic flows, Brazil was forced to use the Economic Regulation in order to control the market. The regulation established in Brazil is not indifferent to imperfect markets. Thus can be find a conflict of interests among companies, the government and consumers within this process of regulation. The established agency does not have enough autonomy for administrating a regulation. The State with its paternalism power does not allow the agency to fulfill its function for which it was established, even though its function was established by law. A regulating policy which is clearly defined will establish a strong and independent agency with a clear limitation of its competences, avoiding divergent interpretation which prioritizes investments and promotes economic development. The agency will have the challenge to regulate the companies that enter the sector, allowing the opening of the market for new initiatives of investments which contribute to the welfare of the country and breaking at the same time the monopoly that is lead by Petrobras since 1953. Combining a stable set of rules with agility in order to adapt to changes will provide the regulator with a great decision-making power. The flexibility in the regulation will improve the correcting of the rules that were set in the beginning, being more efficient, which are based on acquired experience and achieved results. The structure of the agency and the flexibility of the regulation should be orientated on the promotion of competition in order to achieve economic and social development.

O planejamento estratégico do capital humano como fator de desenvolvimento sustentável das organizações na agroenergia: estudo de caso

O objetivo desta tese é analisar, orientar e indicar algumas formas de mensuração de resultados das ações ou programas na área de Gestão de Pessoas ao longo dos anos, bem como de novas tendências no setor de agroenergia. O trabalho procura também propor práticas de planejamento estratégico e, indicadores para as organizações com foco no desenvolvimento e nas mudanças previstas nas organizações, no mercado de trabalho, nos modelos de gestão e de negócios do segmento de produção de cana-de-açúcar para os próximos anos. No estudo são analisados as transformações organizacionais, novos desafios competitivos do presente e do futuro, e a forma como a área de Recursos Humanos nas diversas organizações do setor, tem acompanhado tal processo, verificando o impacto dessas ações em um contexto de mudanças nos processos da cadeia agrícola (mecanização do plantio, colheita,.dentre outros), da cadeia industrial (biorefinarias, etanol de segunda geração, gaseificação...dentre outros), e no desenvolvimento organizacional e humano como parte integrante de um programa de sustentabilidade das organizações. São abordados metodologias, sistemas e ferramentas de planejamento estratégico, e mensuração propostas por certos autores que visam a demonstrar o impacto das estratégias e as ações na Gestão de Pessoas em direção ao cumprimento das metas e objetivos das organizações, em um cenário de forte crescimento interno e global do mercado de bioenergia. Nesse cenário, expõe-se e discute-se como as empresas do setor sucroalcooleiro utilizam, na prática, essas metodologias e os indicadores de performance da área frente às necessidades, e indicam-se as melhores práticas e ferramentas que visam a facilitar os processos decisórios, o uso de métricas de Recursos Humanos para previsão e acompanhamento do Capital Humano, e a otimização dos recursos e dos investimentos frente aos novos desafios do setor. Embora já se notem várias iniciativas visando a tornar a Gestão de Pessoas um fator estratégico para as organizações da agroenergia, a pesquisa identificou que a área de Recursos Humanos está evoluindo nessa direção e pode contribuir de forma efetiva para a melhor performance e sustentabilidade dos negócios. Palavras chaves: Cana-de Açúcar, Estratégia Organizacional, Capital Humano

Latin America and the Caribbean in the World Economy 2010-2011: The region in the decade of the emerging economies

Incluye Bibliografía

O ato da enunciação: semiótica e produção de texto

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Evaluating sustainability and food security of peasant farming systems in Mesoamerican highlands

En las últimas décadas, la agricultura sostenible ha sido objeto de gran interés y debate académico, no sólo en términos conceptuales, sino también en términos metodológicos. La persistencia de la inseguridad alimentaria y el deterioro de los recursos naturales en muchas regiones del mundo, ha provocado el surgimiento de numerosas iniciativas centradas en revitalizar la agricultura campesina así como renovadas discusiones sobre el rol que juega la agricultura como motor de desarrollo y principal actividad para alivio de la pobreza. Por ello, cuando hablamos de evaluar sistemas campesinos de montaña, debemos considerar tanto la dimensión alimentaria como las especificidades propias de los sistemas montañosos como base fundamental de la sostenibilidad. Al evaluar la contribución que han hecho alternativas tecnológicas y de manejo en la mejora de la sostenibilidad y la seguridad alimentaria de los sistemas campesinos de montaña en Mesoamérica, surgen tres preguntas de investigación: • ¿Se está evaluando la sostenibilidad de los sistemas campesinos teniendo en cuenta la variabilidad climática, la participación de los agricultores y las dinámicas temporales? • ¿Podemos rescatar tendencias comunes en estos sistemas y extrapolar los resultados a otras zonas? • ¿Son inequívocamente positivas las alternativas propuestas que se han llevado a cabo? En este trabajo se presentan tres evaluaciones de sostenibilidad que tratan de poner de manifiesto cuáles son los retos y oportunidades que enfrentan actualmente los sistemas campesinos de montaña. En primer lugar, se evalúan tres sistemas de manejo agrícola bajo dos años meteorológicamente contrastantes. Se determinó que durante el año que experimentó lluvias abundantes y temperaturas moderadas, los sistemas de bajos insumos, basados en el uso de abonos orgánicos y rotación de cultivos, obtuvieron los mejores resultados en indicadores ecológicos y similares resultados en los económicos y sociales que el sistema de altos insumos químicos. En el segundo año, con heladas tempranas y sequía invernal, la productividad se redujo para todos los sistemas pero los sistemas más diversificados (en variedades de maíz y/o siembra de otros cultivos) pudieron resistir mejor los contratiempos climáticos. En segundo lugar, se evalúa el grado de conocimiento (percepción) campesino para determinar los factores claves que determinan la sostenibilidad de sus sistemas y su seguridad alimentaria. Se determinó que los principales puntos críticos identificados por los campesinos (tamaño de parcela y pendiente del terreno) afectan de forma significativa a cuestiones de índole económica, pero no son capaces de explicar los desequilibrios alimenticios existentes. Realizando un análisis comparativo entre comunidades que presentaban buenos y malos resultados en cuanto a aporte energético y proteico, se determinó que la seguridad alimentaria estaba relacionada con la sostenibilidad de los sistemas y que concretamente estaba ligada a los atributos de equidad y autonomía. Otro resultado destacable fue que las comunidades más marginales y con mayor dificultad de acceso mostraron mayores niveles de inseguridad alimentaria, pero la variabilidad intergrupal fue muy alta. Eso demuestra que la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional forma parte de un complejo sistema de estrategias de autoabastecimiento ligada a la idiosincrasia misma de cada uno de los hogares. En tercer lugar, se evaluó el desempeño de las escuelas de campo de agricultores (ECAs) en la mejora de la sostenibilidad y la seguridad alimentaria de un sistema campesino de montaña. Para ver el efecto del impacto de estas metodologías a largo plazo, se estudiaron tres comunidades donde se habían implementado ECAs hace 8, 5 y 3 años. Encontramos que el impacto fue progresivo ya que fue la comunidad más antigua la que mejores valores obtuvo. El impacto de las ECAs fue rápido y persistente en los indicadores relacionados con la participación, el acceso a servicios básicos y la conservación de los recursos naturales. El estudio demostró un claro potencial de las ECAs en la mejora general de la sostenibilidad y la seguridad alimentaria de estos sistemas, sin embargo se observó una relación directa entre el aumento de producción agrícola y el uso de insumos externos, lo que puede suponer un punto crítico para los ideales sostenibles. ABSTRACT During the last decades, sustainable agriculture has been the subject of considerable academic interest and debate, not only in conceptual terms, but also in methodological ones. The persistence of high levels of environmental degradation and food insecurity in many regions has led to new initiatives focused on revitalizing peasant agriculture and renewed discussions of the role of sustainable agriculture as an engine for development, environmental conservation and poverty alleviation. Therefore, to assess mountain farming systems, we must consider food dimension and taking into account the specificities of the mountain systems as the foundation of sustainability. When evaluating contribution of technological and management alternative proposals in achieving sustainability and food security for peasant farming systems in Mesoamerican highlands, three research questions arise: • Is sustainability of peasant-farming systems being evaluated taking into account climate variability, participation of farmers and temporal dynamics? • Can we rescue common trends in these systems and extrapolate the results to other areas? • What alternative proposals that have been conducted are unequivocally positives? In this document, we present three evaluations of sustainability that try to highlight the challenges and opportunities that currently face mountain farming systems in Mesoamerica. First, we evaluate the sustainability of three agricultural management systems in two contrasting weather years. We determined that during the first year that exposed heavy rains and moderate temperatures, low-input systems, which are based on the use of organic fertilizers and crop rotation, provided better results in terms of ecological indicators and equal results in terms of economic and social indicators than those achieved using a high chemical input system. In the second year, which featured early frosts and a winter drought, productivity declined in all systems; however, the most diversified systems (in terms of the maize varieties grown and the sowing of other crops) more successfully resisted these climatic adversities. Second, we evaluate the farmers’ perception to determine the key drivers for achieving their sustainability and food and nutritional security. We determined that the key factors identified by farmers (landholding size and slope of cropland) exerted significant impacts on economic disparities but did not explain the malnutrition levels. We compared two contrasting hamlets according to their energy and protein supply, one namely Limón Timoté (LT), which did not present food problems and Limón Peña Blanca (LP), which did exhibit food insecurity. The results showed that FNS is linked to sustainability, and it is primarily related to the sustainability attributes of self-reliance and equity. Although the more marginated and inaccessible community exhibited more food insecurity, food and nutritional security depend upon a complex array of self-sufficiency strategies that remain linked to individual household idiosyncrasies. Third, we evaluated the impact of farmer field schools for improving the sustainability and food security of peasant mountain systems. In order to appreciate the long-term impact, we studied three communities where FFSs were implemented eight, five and three years ago, respectively. We found that FFSs have a gradual impact, as the community that first implemented FFSs scores highest. The impact of FFSs was broad and long-lasting for indicators related to participation, access to basic services and conservation of natural resources. This study demonstrates the potential of FFSs, but more attention will have to be paid to critical indicators in order to scale up their potential in the future. We observed a direct relationship between the increase in agricultural production and the use of external inputs, which is a critical point for sustainable ideals.