Learning in peer-to-peer markets: evidence from Airbnb

Peer-to-peer markets are highly uncertain environments due to the constant presence of shocks. As a consequence, sellers have to constantly adjust to these shocks. Dynamic Pricing is hard, especially for non-professional sellers. We study it in an accommodation rental marketplace, Airbnb. With scraped data from its website, we: 1) describe pricing patterns consistent with learning; 2) estimate a demand model and use it to simulate a dynamic pricing model. We simulate it under three scenarios: a) with learning; b) without learning; c) with full information. We have found that information is an important feature concerning rental markets. Furthermore, we have found that learning is important for hosts to improve their profits.

O impacto do uso do computador nas práticas pedagógicas do ensino fundamental I: o construcionismo como inovação pedagógica

O processo de inserção do computador nas escolas públicas brasileiras decorre das políticas de Informática Educativa do Governo Federal, sendo o seu programa atual conhecido como Proinfo (Programa Nacional de Tecnologia Educacional). Esse programa tem, em seus objetivos principais, pretensões de que sejam criados ambientes de aprendizagem inovadores decorrentes da inserção do computador na educação e apresenta o Construcionismo como referencial teórico principal nas suas prescrições para a criação de tais ambientes. Uma Inovação Pedagógica seria uma ruptura com práticas educacionais tradicionais, possibilitando a criação de ambientes de aprendizagem novos, onde o foco não estaria mais na transmissão de saber por parte do professor e, sim, na construção ativa do conhecimento por parte dos alunos. Uma política educacional (como o Proinfo, por exemplo), inovações tecnológicas (como o computador) ou quaisquer outros fatores externos à escola podem até apoiar as rupturas necessárias a uma Inovação Pedagógica, mas esta não é algo intrínseco a tais fatores: a Inovação vem de dentro da escola, é algo construído em contexto pela ação local dos professores e alunos. Visto que o computador não traz em si nenhuma pedagogia, podendo ser usado tanto para reforçar pedagogias tradicionais quanto para potencializar uma Inovação Pedagógica e que esta não necessariamente decorrerá das prescrições presentes no Proinfo, o presente estudo objetivou analisar se as mudanças que aconteceram nas práticas pedagógicas do Ensino Fundamental I (2º. ao 5º. ano), após a inserção do computador em sala de aula, representam uma Inovação Pedagógica ou não, assumindo-se como referencial de Inovação Pedagógica o mesmo referencial presente nas prescrições do Proinfo, o Construcionismo. Foi realizada uma observação participante do cotidiano das aulas e do processo de inserção do computador, entrevistas com alunos e professores bem como uma análise documental das prescrições presentes nos livros do Proinfo.

Links hipertextuais na comunicação científica: análise webométrica dos sítios acadêmicos latino-americanos em ciências sociais

VANTI, Nadia. Links hipertextuais na comunicação científica: análise webométrica dos sítios acadêmicos latino-americanos em Ciências Sociais. Porto Alegre, 2007. 292 f. Tese (Doutorado em Comunicação e Informação) – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Porto Alegre, 2007.

A arte de montar equipes colaborativas

Bezerra, Gesiane Ferreira et. al. A arte de montar equipes colaborativas. In: SEMINÁRIO DE PESQUISA DO CENTRO DE CIÊNCIAS SOCIAIS APLICADAS,16,2010. Anais eletrônico... Natal: CCSA, 2010.Disponível em: -01.pdf>. Acesso em: 25 nov. 2011.

O uso do móbile marketing como estratégia de fidelização de clientes :um estudo e empresas do setor de comércio e serviços em natal-RN

This study aims to understand the effects of the mobile marketing use as a relationships tool for companies that operate locally, because of the lack of information about this new marketing tool, as well as the scarcity of studies in this area. This is an exploratory and qualitatively study, based on primary sources, raised through books, articles in the marketing area and the telecommunications industry organs as well as secondary sources. With the purpose to look into the issue, a semi-structured interview is made with the companies managers of the sectors of trade and services in Natal-RN. The advances in technology allow an important discussion focused on the marketing in the new communication technologies scenario. It appears that the mobile marketing adoption and use by local companies is already a reality and companies are awake to changes and technological innovations accessible, especially the mobile telephony as well as convergence with other media. There is, however, that the use of technologies offered by mobile marketing is still limited to the sending of text messages (SMS), despite the numerous possibilities of it use. Moreover, the results obtained with mobile marketing use show that companies can identify them, but there is no effective monitoring in quantity and financial terms. Only affect sales growth and support for progress in loyalty with customers. It shows up that the mentality of not measuring the results still in the plan of changes and technological innovations. The data allow saying that the mobile marketing is a reality, however has not yet signed as a tool for carrying out campaigns and marketing tool for loyalty of customers, despite presenting a wide range of possibilities to streamline and make more effective the marketing businesses process

Utilização de um ambiente virtual de aprendizagem: um estudo na perspectiva da prática docente

Advances related to information technology are visible and inherent to the management of contemporary organizations, regardless of industrial action. Synchronized with this dynamic, educational institutions are incorporating technological tools that assist its management and academic support to teachers in teaching and interaction with the students. Given that technological innovations are not always taken homogeneously and with the same degree of coverage, remain current and relevant studies on how these technologies are being used in academia. The objective of this research is to identify the usage profile of the functionality of a virtual learning environment related to teaching (undergraduate or postgraduate), demographic variables (age and gender) and institutional (time of admission and academic center of origin.) The methodology applied to the study is descriptive and quantitative. The research is characterized as census, covering all 2152 teachers of undergraduate and graduate students of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, who accessed the virtual classes of the Integrated Management of Academic Activities. The study findings revealed that there is a statistically significant difference regarding the use of these tools to teachers who work with undergraduate (49.3%) compared to graduate (6.6%). Regarding gender, women (40.1%) use the system more than men (38.5%). It was also observed that the younger teachers, aged 37 years, are the most active users (42.5%) of the Virtual Class with respect to their elders. For teachers with up to three years time of admission to the UFRN, the pattern of use is more advanced than those with more seniority, as well as the faculty of the Center for Science and Technology are the least likely to use the tools available in relation to other academic centers. It is hoped that with this study managers can direct actions to improve and expand the use of this environment by teachers

Henrique Novaes: técnica, território e cidade em uma trajetória profissional: Brasil, primeira metade do século XX

The career of civil engineer Henrique de Novaes, a remarkable figure in the academic, technical and political fields, demonstrates its extensive and relevant work across Brazil in the first half of the twentieth century. It covered from the design of water supply and sewage works, road and rail transport networks, works against drought in the Northeast, hydroelectric and harbor facilities to the urbanization planning and architectural projects, which displays a systematic and multiple production. City and territory conformed to his fields of verification, practical and above all, transformation. The search for understanding of the inclusion of a social actor in this process thus contributes to the specific analysis of the doings of Henrique de Novaes, who graduated at Polytechnic School of Rio de Janeiro in 1906. From a polymorphic activity in different scales, one tries to figure how, through academic education or professional practice, urban history in Brazil can be told or built. The introduction of technological innovations matched the purposes of planning and urban sprawl, as well as met the specifications of regulation and institutionalization of public infrastructure services at the time. The overall plans proposed by the engineer thought of the city as a whole, interconnected to the structural networks. At the same time, the knowledge of a larger physical scale the territory bounces back in the urban in a relationship of reciprocity and completeness. The objective research, therefore, tries to understand the roles played by Henrique de Novaes s works and academic education in the accomplishment of systematic modernization of Brazilian urban space and territory, recovering a little known historical figure by current historiography. It is proposed, as methodological axis, that the study of this professional career configures itself as an essential element for understanding the idea of progress embodied in the technical studies and proposals for improvements and sanitation nationwide in the first half of the twentieth century . The primary sources for the construction of this analysis were technical articles in journals of the period ( Clube de Engenharia , Viação e Revista Brasileira de Engenharia ), and technical reports, government messages, newspaper articles published at the time, autobiographical reports and the engineer s verbal communications with relatives. The work is structured in three chapters: "Biographical traces, academic education and 'technical and political' activities" illustrates the initiation into the technical, public and political environment; Chapter 2, "Technique and territory" outlines his network understanding through sanitation and transport services; Chapter 3 "Technique and City" describes the influence of polytechnics knowledge on the propositions of modernization of cities; Finally, "Final Thoughts: An Evaluation," presents an overview of the affiliations and practice of an engineer in the different scales, and its contribution to the modernization of Brazilian urban and territorial space

Gestão compartilhada de P&D em petróleo:a interação entre a Petrobrás e a Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

This work addresses the relationship between University-Firm aims to understand the model of shared management of R&D in petroleum of Petrobras with UFRN. This is a case study which sought to investigate whether the model of cooperation established by the two institutions brings innovation to generate technical-scientific knowledge and contribute to the coordination with other actors in the promotion of technological innovation. In addition to desk research the necessary data for analysis were obtained by sending questionnaires to the coordinators of projects in R&D at the company and university. Also, interviews were conducted with subjects who participated in the study since its inception to the present day. This case study were analysed through the Resource-Based View and Interorganizational Networks theory. The sample data also stands that: searches were aligned to the strategic planning and that 29% of R&D projects have been successful on the scope of the proposed objectives (of which 11% were incorporated into business processes); which was produced technical and scientific knowledge caracterized by hundreds of national and international publications; thesis, dissertations, eleven patents, and radical and incremental innovations; the partnership has also brought benefits to the academic processes induced by the improved infrastructure UFRN and changing the "attitude" of the university (currently with national prominence in research and staff training for the oil sector). As for the model, the technical point of view, although it has some problems, it follows that it is appropriate. From the viewpoint of the management model is criticized for containing an excess of bureaucracy. From the standpoint of strategic allocation of resources from the legal framework needs to be reassessed, because it is focused only on the college level and it is understood that should also reach the high school given the new reality of the oil sector in Brazil. For this it is desirable to add the local government to this partnership. The set of information leads to the conclusion that the model is identified and named as a innovation of organizational arrangement here known as Shared Management of R&D in petroleum of Petrobras with UFRN. It is said that the shared management model it is possible to exist, which is a simple and effective way to manage partnerships between firms and Science and Technology Institutions. It was created by contingencies arising from regulatory stand points and resource dependence. The partnership is the result of a process of Convergence, Construction and Evaluation supported by the tripod Simplicity, Systematization and Continuity, important factors for its consolidation. In practice an organizational arrangement was built to manage innovative university-industry partnership that is defined by a dyadic relationship on two levels (institutional and technical, therefore governance is hybrid), by measuring the quarterly meetings of systematic and standardized financial contribution proportional to the advancement of research. These details have led to the establishment of a point of interaction between the scientific and technological-business dimension, demystifying they are two worlds apart

Tempo livre de lazer e composição corporal de escolares do meio-oeste catarinense

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between free time for leisure and body composition of students in the crucial ninth year. (N = 228) of towns in the Midwest catarinense. We used the Adolescent Behavior Questionnaire of Santa Catarina (COMPAC) to assess lifestyle, considering that Active schoolchildren during the week, accumulated 300 or more minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Were used the time to 2 hours or more / day to determine the time of excessive use of TV and computer video game. To analyze body composition were used two criteria: the Body Mass Index (BMI) and sum of skinfolds (EDC). It was observed a proportion of 67.3% of girls and 68.7% of boys assets and more than 98% of students were using excessive TV time, computer and video game. In the classification by EDC, most of the boys showed great or low levels of body composition, while more than half of girls were classified at higher levels. As for BMI, most boys and girls had not overweight. Significant difference in the comparison of total minutes per week of MVPA reported between the groups, the second criterion of EDC and BMI for girls but not for BMI in boys. It is concluded that students with higher accumulation in minutes of MVPA showed better body composition indicators, but no significant difference was found when compared active groups with inactive, according to criteria used.

Reestruturação produtiva na Petrobrás e ação sindical dos petroleiros do RN

Ce travail a l objectif d analyser la question de la restructuration productive dans la Petrobrás/ RN et les implications possibles sur l action syndicale du Sindipetro/RN pendant la période 1995 2003. La restructuration productive dans la Petrobrás/RN commence dans la décennie 1990 quand l entreprise, au niveau national, décide d adhérer au Programa Brasileiro de Qualidade e Produtividade PBQP lancé par le gouvernement Collor comme motivation et priorité pour que les entreprises s adaptent à l ouverture de l économie brésilienne au marché extérieur. De ce fait, la Petrobrás/RN afin de se maintenir dans le marché compétitif et mondialisé , adopte des techniques administratives basées sur la philosophie de la qualité totate, met au point des inovations technologiques et organisationnelles, tout en altérant sa base technique et adopte, encore, la tertiairisation de quelques activités visant à la reduction des coûts. De telles mesures ont atteint de façon remarquable l action du Sindipetro/RN qui commence alors à agir selon la logique de la politique néo-libérale du gouvernement de conduite anti-syndicale. Face à ces faits le syndicat a rédéfini ses actions dans le but de trouver des manières de poursuivre les luttes syndicales dans cette conjoncture de difficultés dans les relations de travail. Celui-ci s engage donc à entamer les négociations comme stratégie afin de préserver les privilèges de la catégorie et d éviter la perte des droits acquis

Análise dos indicadores de qualidade versus taxa de abandono utilizando método de regressão múltipla para serviço de banda larga

Telecommunication is one of the most dynamic and strategic areas in the world. Many technological innovations has modified the way information is exchanged. Information and knowledge are now shared in networks. Broadband Internet is the new way of sharing contents and information. This dissertation deals with performance indicators related to maintenance services of telecommunications networks and uses models of multivariate regression to estimate churn, which is the loss of customers to other companies. In a competitive environment, telecommunications companies have devised strategies to minimize the loss of customers. Loosing customers presents a higher cost than obtaining new ones. Corporations have plenty of data stored in a diversity of databases. Usually the data are not explored properly. This work uses the Knowledge Discovery in Databases (KDD) to establish rules and new models to explain how churn, as a dependent variable, are related to a diversity of service indicators, such as time to deploy the service (in hours), time to repair (in hours), and so on. Extraction of meaningful knowledge is, in many cases, a challenge. Models were tested and statistically analyzed. The work also shows results that allows the analysis and identification of which quality services indicators influence the churn. Actions are also proposed to solve, at least in part, this problem

A influência da adição de caulim, quartzo e feldspato potássico na formulação de massas cerâmicas para telhas: Modelo estatístico

The production of roof tiles in the state of Rio Grande do Norte accounts for around 60% of the total of ceramic pieces produced. There is a need for investment to improve quality and productivity, thereby promoting technological innovations. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to determine the effect of kaolin, potassium feldspar and quartz in two standard formulations, as well as the effect of sintering temperature on the technological properties of linear firing shrinkage, water absorption and bending rupture stress, by fitting the statistical model and using multiple linear regression to assess the relationship between technological properties and independent variables. The raw materials were characterized using the following techniques: X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRF), rational analysis (RA), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and granulometric analysis (GA). The test specimens were compacted by uniaxial pressure (25 MPa), dried in a stove at 110 ºC for 24 hours and sinterized at 850 ºC, 950 ºC and 1050 ºC and held isothermal for 30 minutes. The results obtained indicate that the addition of kaolin to two standard formulations (M and R) promoted a reduction in water absorption values and an increase in bending rupture stress values. The sintering temperatures for group M that resulted in the lowest linear firing shrinkage and water absorption values were 850 ºC and 950 ºC, respectively, and the highest bending rupture stress values were reached at a temperature of 950 ºC. In the case of group R, the sintering temperature that obtained the lowest water absorption and linear firing shrinkage values was 850 ºC, and the highest bending rupture stress values were attained at a temperature of 1050 ºC. This work explains the statistical approach used to fit the model that describes the relationship between the technological properties and percentage of kaolin, quartz and feldspar, as well as the models that enable predictions, provided that the lower and upper limits of the percentage of clay minerals, flux and quartz used in this study are respected. Statistica 6 software was used and results were obtained by stepwise forward regression

A motivação e o significado do trabalho de bancários: estudo comparativo entre dois momentos do processo de reestruturação produtiva

This master s dissertation deals with motivation and the meaning of work amongst bank employees. This is done considering a cognitive perception. Work is understood here under a social and subjective comprehension, once it deals with significance attribution. Motivation is the process that rules choice of the different possibilities of individual behavior, all of which according to the Expectation Theory. This study aims to analyze the implications of the productive restructure, since it is related to technological innovation, organizational changes and management, in motivation and work significance. Thus, the objective of the research is to verify motivational differences and the meaning of work amongst bank employees. This is done in two distinct moments of the productive restructure of bank employees in Natal-RN. The research is divided in two parts. In the first one, changes that occurred in banks between 1999 until 2005 were identified by the means of interviews with 7 bank managers. The analyzed perspective was training intensifying, quality emphasis of customer attendance, the use of automation/technology, staff stabilization, change in staff profile, work intensification, etc. In the second study the Inventory of Motivation and Work Meaning was applied. Thus, questions related to work focus, social demographic data, in 187 bank employees were dealt with. The collected data was compared to data from previous work. It was observed that productive restructure has a reflection in the meaning of work increasing self-expression, economical reward, and responsibility in work conditions. All of the item mention beforehand maintain the level of inhumanness and consummation and respond as being the characteristics of the real work environment. On the other hand, bank employees value less justice, self-expression and more the survival perspective, implying instrumental values to work. As for motivation, it is increased among bank employees. These employees have greater expectations that their work produce results since they believe in their interference in work results

Empresas multinacionais e desempenho comercial do Brasil: uma revisão da literatura

Fazemos uma releitura dos estudos empíricos sobre empresas multinacionais (EMNs) e comércio exterior no Brasil a partir dos modelos teóricos e empíricos de comércio internacional com firmas multinacionais. Percebe-se que aqueles estudos não examinam como características econômicas do país (Brasil) condicionaram a emergência e tipo das EMNs e, assim, seus respectivos impactos sobre comércio exterior. Conseguem isolar, nas análises de impacto comercial, evidências dos serviços tecnológicos das estrangeiras, relativamente às domésticas do mesmo setor, mas não examinam se essas firmas se concentraram ou não em atividades com vantagens comparativas no país, o que seria crucial para determinar seu impacto comercial comparativo.

Investigações sobre o impacto da modernização do GNSS no Posicionamento

Pós-graduação em Ciências Cartográficas - FCT