An investigation into commitment in non-Western industrial marketing relationships

This paper reports an investigation into the antecedents of commitment in non-Western industrial marketing relationships. The authors draw the antecedents from extant literature and posit that commitment is related to trust (integrity and reliability), communication quality, conflict, and similarity (social, ethnic, and economic). It is further argued that trust mediates the effects of communication, conflict, and similarity on commitment. As an extension, the authors examine the moderating effects of normative contracts (an implicit understanding of roles and responsibilities) on the construct interrelationships. The hypotheses are tested using data collected from approximately 150 industrial marketing relationships sampled from overseas Chinese firms. The results generally support the authors' framework; however, the mediating hypotheses are not supported. There is evidence of systematic differences in the effects of the studied antecedents on commitment and trust. Furthermore, a multigroup analysis provides evidence of significant moderating effects due to contracting mode. The study provides new insights into the theory and practice of industrial marketing. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

Kangaroos and feral goats as economic resources for graziers: Some views from south-west Queensland

Fifteen years ago it was proposed that the conversion of kangaroos from a pest to an economically valuable resource would allow graziers to reduce the numbers of domestic stock and thereby lower total grazing pressure. Since then, little progress towards this goal has been achieved. This is believed to be due mainly to the low prices obtained for kangaroo products. A survey of graziers in south-west Queensland was carried out to discover their opinions on kangaroos as a potential economic resource. Questions on the harvesting of feral goats were also included in the survey because of the contrast this industry provides to kangaroo harvesting in terms of grazier involvement. The results of the survey are discussed in relation to resource ownership rights; kangaroo product prices and marketing; and competition within the kangaroo harvesting industry. They show that while low kangaroo product prices do act as a disincentive to graziers, other administrative, legal and institutional factors are also important impediments to their entry to the industry. It is concluded that until the focus of attention widens to include consideration of these as well as just market factors, little progress will be made towards integrating graziers into the kangaroo harvesting industry.

The egalitarian leader: A comparison of leadership in Australia and New Zealand

This article compares leadership in Australia and New Zealand based on data collected as a part of the GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior effectiveness) 62-nation culture and leadership project. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to demonstrate that etic (universal) dimensions of 'Charismatic' and 'Self-Protective' leadership are evident in both cultures, but that the dimensions have emic (local) culturally determined manifestations. These emic manifestations were stronger in New Zealand than in Australia. Leadership effectiveness incorporated the negative emic dimension of 'Bureaucratic' leadership (both countries), and the positive emic dimension of 'Egalitarian leadership' in Australia and 'Team leadership' in New Zealand. Both models of leadership nonetheless represent styles of leadership based on egalitarian principles.

Sitting time and work patterns as indicators of overweight and obesity in Australian adults

BACKGROUND: Increasing levels of physical inactivity and sedentariness are contributing to the current overweight and obesity epidemic. In this paper, the findings of two recent studies are used to explore the relationships between sitting time ( in transport, work and leisure), physical activity and body mass index (BMI) in two contrasting samples of adult Australians. METHODS: Data on sitting time, physical activity, BMI and a number of demographic characteristics were compared for participants in two studies-529 women who were participants in a preschool health promotion project ('mothers'), and 185 men and women who were involved in a workplace pedometer study ('workers'). Relationships between age, number of children, physical activity, sitting time, BMI, gender and work patterns were explored. Logistic regression was used to predict the likelihood of being overweight or obese, among participants with different physical activity, sitting time and work patterns. RESULTS: The total reported time spent sitting per day ( across all domains) was almost 6 h less among the mothers than the workers (P

Selection of common bean lines with high grain yield and high grain calcium and iron concentrations

Genetic improvement of common bean nutritional quality has advantages in marketing and can contribute to society as a food source. The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic variability for grain yield, calcium and iron concentrations in grains of inbred common bean lines obtained by different breeding methods. For this, 136 F7 inbred lines were obtained using the Pedigree method and 136 F7 inbred lines were obtained using the Single-Seed Descent (SSD) method. The lines showed genetic variability for grain yield, and concentrations of calcium and iron independently of the method of advancing segregating populations. The Pedigree method allows obtaining a greater number of lines with high grain yield. Selection using the SSD method allows the identification of a larger number of lines with high concentrations of calcium and iron in grains. Weak negative correlations were found between grain yield and calcium concentration (r = -0.0994) and grain yield and iron concentration (r = -0.3926). Several lines show genetic superiority for grain yield and concentrations of calcium and iron in grains and their selection can result in new common bean cultivars with high nutritional quality.

SmallPower, Energias Renováveis, Lda.: tradução e gestão de conteúdos

Relatório de estágio realizado por: Tiago André Nogueira da Cruz Trabalho orientado pela Mestre Célia Sousa

Marketing e imagem: o caso do Hospital de Santa Maria - Porto

O sector da saúde ocupa, actualmente, um espaço muito visível na nossa sociedade, quer seja em termos económicos como sociais. Os utentes têm alterado as suas atitudes, tendo vindo a preocupar-se e a exigir cada vez mais dos serviços de saúde. Estas mudanças têm conduzido as Organizações a desenvolver serviços mais orientados para o marketing. Desta forma, reconhece-se a importância dessa avaliação como forma de aumentar os níveis de satisfação dos utentes e da eficiência organizacional. A estratégia de Marketing, passa pela escolha dos mercados alvo, da sua posição competitiva face aos seus concorrentes, que permita atender os seus utentes. Neste contexto, o Marketing poderá desempenhar um papel preponderante na rentabilidade e competitividade das Organizações, pelo que se achou pertinente desenvolver as estratégias de Marketing numa Instituição Privada de Saúde. Assim, no âmbito do 2º. Ano de Mestrado de Gestão das Organizações, ramo Unidades de Saúde, foi realizado um estágio na área do Marketing e Imagem, que teve lugar no Hospital de Santa Maria – Porto. Assim, com este relatório pretende-se reflectir sobre as actividades desenvolvidas, desde a conceptualização à realização das mesmas, e o seu impacto na Organização e, simultaneamente, disponibilizar um instrumento de avaliação da Unidade Curricular.

Recommendation and planning through mobile devices in tourism context

In this paper we present a mobile recommendation and planning system, named PSiS Mobile. It is designed to provide effective support during a tourist visit through context-aware information and recommendations about points of interest, exploiting tourist preferences and context. Designing a tool like this brings several challenges that must be addressed. We discuss how these challenges have been overcame, present the overall system architecture, since this mobile application extends the PSiS project website, and the mobile application architecture.

Evaluation of IMRT and VMAT techniques with and without flattening filter using pareto optimal fronts

Mestrado em Radiações Aplicadas às Tecnologias da Saúde.

Análise e avaliação sociocultural do projeto de desenvolvimento agrícola da Calenga: uma abordagem ao envolvimento dos agentes

Dissertação de Mestrado, Gestão e Conservação da Natureza, 13 de Dezembro de 2013, Universidade dos Açores.

Redes sociais e a sua utilização no marketing

Dissertação de Mestrado em Ciências Económicas e Empresariais.

Marketing e interdependência : lógicas de ação e atores na construção da imagem das escolas

Dissertação de Mestrado em Educação, especialidade em Administração e Organização Escolar.

Do buzz ao marketing viral : um estudo

Dissertação de Mestrado em Gestão de Empresas/MBA.

Promoção no ponto de venda: percepções e comportamentos do consumidor

Este estudo enquadra-se no âmbito do Marketing e Comportamento do Consumidor e tem como tema Promoção no Ponto de Venda. Esta investigação tem como objectivo conhecer a percepção e comportamento de grupos de consumidores face a promoções no ponto de venda. O desenvolvimento deste projecto procurou encontrar resposta para os objectivos de investigação propostos através da realização de um inquérito por questionário. Toda a investigação empírica teve por base os resultados obtidos através de 156 questionários online a consumidores, maiores de 18 anos, de super e hipermercados e centros comerciais. Foi utilizada uma amostra por conveniência, para a qual foi enviado questionário online através de email e redes sociais. Realizou-se então este estudo e os resultados demonstraram que as promoções continuam a motivar o consumo e a despoletar a compra imediata e em maior quantidade. Estas conclusões são diferenciadas face às categorias de produto, com maior interesse por parte do consumidor em relação às promoções nos bens essenciais e moda, e face às tipologias de promoção, cuja preferência de promoção são as que têm incidência no preço. No nosso estudo encontramos quatro segmentos de consumidores, que de uma forma global registam auto percepção de consumidores inteligentes, que procuram com a promoções optimizar a relação qualidade preço, e que são pouco impulsivos no consumo. Concluímos que as promoções no ponto de venda são técnicas de marketing em que os gestores de marketing devem continuar a apostar pois é um factor critico de sucesso no incremento de vendas.