Marketing in SMEs: the sales process of SMEs on the food and drink industry.

There would appear to be varied approaches to the sales process practiced by SMEs in how they go about locating target customers, interfacing with prospects and new customers, presenting the benefits and features of their products and services, closing sales deals and building relationships, and an understanding of what the buyers needs are in the seller-buyer process. Recent research has revealed that while entrepreneurs and small business owners rely upon networking as an important source of sales, they lack marketing competencies, including personal selling skills and knowledge of what is involved in the sales process to close sales deals and build relationships. Small companies and start-ups with innovative products and services often find it difficult to persuade potential buyers of the merits of their offerings because, while the products and services may be excellent, they have not sufficiently well-developed selling skills necessary to persuade their target customers.

Science parks and university-industry links: a case-study of the surrey research park.

Doutoramento em Economia.

“Acid-spike” effect in spurs/tracks of the low/high linear energy transfer radiolysis of water : potential implications for radiobiology and nuclear industry

Résumé : Les ions hydronium (H3O + ) sont formés, à temps courts, dans les grappes ou le long des trajectoires de la radiolyse de l'eau par des rayonnements ionisants à faible transfert d’énergie linéaire (TEL) ou à TEL élevé. Cette formation in situ de H3O + rend la région des grappes/trajectoires du rayonnement temporairement plus acide que le milieu environnant. Bien que des preuves expérimentales de l’acidité d’une grappe aient déjà été signalées, il n'y a que des informations fragmentaires quant à son ampleur et sa dépendance en temps. Dans ce travail, nous déterminons les concentrations en H3O + et les valeurs de pH correspondantes en fonction du temps à partir des rendements de H3O + calculés à l’aide de simulations Monte Carlo de la chimie intervenant dans les trajectoires. Quatre ions incidents de différents TEL ont été sélectionnés et deux modèles de grappe/trajectoire ont été utilisés : 1) un modèle de grappe isolée "sphérique" (faible TEL) et 2) un modèle de trajectoire "cylindrique" (TEL élevé). Dans tous les cas étudiés, un effet de pH acide brusque transitoire, que nous appelons un effet de "pic acide", est observé immédiatement après l’irradiation. Cet effet ne semble pas avoir été exploré dans l'eau ou un milieu cellulaire soumis à un rayonnement ionisant, en particulier à haut TEL. À cet égard, ce travail soulève des questions sur les implications possibles de cet effet en radiobiologie, dont certaines sont évoquées brièvement. Nos calculs ont ensuite été étendus à l’étude de l'influence de la température, de 25 à 350 °C, sur la formation in situ d’ions H3O + et l’effet de pic acide qui intervient à temps courts lors de la radiolyse de l’eau à faible TEL. Les résultats montrent une augmentation marquée de la réponse de pic acide à hautes températures. Comme de nombreux processus intervenant dans le cœur d’un réacteur nucléaire refroidi à l'eau dépendent de façon critique du pH, la question ici est de savoir si ces fortes variations d’acidité, même si elles sont hautement localisées et transitoires, contribuent à la corrosion et l’endommagement des matériaux.

Industria de calzado jovical una lección empresarial de perdurabilidad

Esta investigación acerca de lecciones empresariales de perdurabilidad se basa en el caso de Industria de Calzado Jovical, reconocida empresa del sector de la industria del cuero y calzado en Colombia. A lo largo del documento se tienen en cuenta tres momentos en la historia de esta compañía: Antes, durante y después de las crisis de los años 90 resultado de la difícil situación económica que vivía el país ocasionada por la contracción de la demanda. Esta investigación tiene como objetivo principal identificar las causas que llevaron a la crisis a Industria de Calzado Jovical y además aprender cómo esta organización logró alcanzar la ruta de la perdurabilidad después de sobrepasar esta crisis. Este trabajo, se desarrolló con la colaboración del Sr. Cesar Jaramillo Gerente General de Industria de Calzado Jovical, quien nos brindó su ayuda para el trabajo de campo permitiendo tener una mejor visión y entender el problema en su totalidad. Se plantea un proceso de observación y posterior análisis con el fin de entender cómo fue que la empresa entró en estado de crisis y también como logró mitigarlo, convirtiéndose en una empresa perdurable hasta la actualidad. Teniendo en cuenta las situaciones que condujeron a la empresa a la crisis y su comportamiento a nivel interno, externo y del mercado. Además se realiza un acercamiento a la gestión de sus líderes y las estrategias utilizadas por estos, basadas en testimonios y experiencias. Para efectos de este documento se propone seguir el lineamiento planteado por la Universidad del Rosario en el que se divide la gestión administrativa de una empresa en Dirección y Gerencia, los cuales serán los argumentos centrales de esta investigación con el fin de explicar los motivos del fracaso que están asociados a cada uno de los componentes esenciales de la gestión administrativa, y es en este punto donde se buscan las fallas para lograr visualizar las estrategias implantadas por la compañía Industria de Calzado Jovical para conseguir ese resurgir en la industria de calzado.

A indústria de confecção do vestuário na região metropolitana de Belém-PA

Partindo do instrumental teórico neo-schumpeteriano e institucionalista, a presente pesquisa faz uma análise sobre a expansão do arranjo produtivo da indústria de confecção e da moda na Região Metropolitana de Belém (RMB) Pará, e do tecido institucional, de 1991 a 2008. Os objetivos da pesquisa são analisar o processo de formação e desenvolvimento do arranjo produtivo local, identificar a configuração e as características da estrutura produtiva e das atividades institucionais de apoio e as relações de sinergia entre agentes, analisar como estão constituídas as formas de governança e externalidades existentes e como essas podem dinamizar o processo de desenvolvimento desse arranjo produtivo. A proposta deste trabalho pretende responder a três questões: Por que o segmento da indústria do vestuário não se desenvolveu na RMB? Como a dinâmica do setor e das características dos fenômenos da inovação tecnológica no ramo é vivenciada pelos empresários das pequenas e médias empresas do setor de confecção na RMB? Como ocorre a coexistência de dois processos, a modernização e a precarização no setor de confecção na RMB? A pesquisa empírica realizada representa 55% do emprego formal na RMB. Nesse processo, observou-se a inexistência da ação institucional anterior ao período pesquisado e isso limitou a evolução científica e tecnológica do setor, assim como o desenvolvimento da cadeia produtiva. Essa condição levou os produtores atomizados a baixos níveis de sinergia e representatividade. Em função disso, as taxas de crescimento na indústria foram muito baixas, a dificuldade de se encontrar mão-de-obra qualificada é apontada como maior entrave ao desenvolvimento da indústria. A maioria das empresas instaladas é produtora de uniformes, mas constatou-se nos três últimos anos a abertura de empresas dedicadas à fabricação de produtos de moda. Apesar da dificuldade encontrada pelas indústrias em funcionamento, observou-se um movimento social na construção e ampliação do conhecimento técnico e da promoção de um arranjo produtivo impulsionado pela vontade de fazer moda, a atuação de designers e instituições promovem o desejo de transformar a moda em coisa nossa. O desenvolvimento da moda no Pará, como movimento espontâneo e meio de expressão da cultura local, representa, de certa forma, a vontade de inserir a cultura local no contexto do consumo contemporâneo. A moda é uma forma de estabelecimento de relação com o lugar que considera a ação na construção de uma mitologia local. A questão da especificidade do local é de grande importância para os mercados, portanto, deve-se levar em conta a importância e a potencialidade de um mercado povoado por um grande número de consumidores ávidos por inserção e diferenciação, emocionalmente atrelados ao local. Os atores pesquisados apontam que, para estimular o desenvolvimento da cadeia produtiva têxtil-vestuário, seriam necessários mais investimentos na formação de mão-de-obra que favoreça o desenvolvimento das atividades já em funcionamento, e que permitam ampliar a viabilidade de investimentos em um setor de fundamental importância na história da industrialização e na vida cotidiana dos seres humanos, no mundo capitalista contemporâneo que tem o consumo como mito fundamental. Esta pesquisa contribui para um melhor entendimento do setor.

NAFTA and the apparel commodity chain: Corporate strategies, interfirm networks, and industrial upgrading

The apparel industry is one of the oldest and largest export industries in the world, with global trade and production networks that connect firms and workers in countries at all levels of economic development. This chapter examines the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as one of the most recent and significant developments to affect patterns of international trade and production in the apparel and textile industries. Tr ade policies are changing the institutional environment in which firms in this industry operate, and companies are responding to these changes with new strategies designed to increase their profitability and strengthen their control over the apparel commodity chain. Our hypothesis is that lead firms are establishing qualitatively different kinds of regional production networks in North America from those that existed prior to NAFTA, and that these networks have important consequences for industrial upgrading in the Mexican textile and apparel industries. Post-NAFTA crossborder production arrangements include full-package networks that link lead firms in the United States with apparel and textile manufacturers, contractors, and suppliers in Mexico. Full-package production is increasing the local value added provided by the apparel commodity chain in Mexico and creating new opportunities for Mexican firms and workers. The chapter is divided into four main sections. The first section uses trade and production data to analyze shifts in global apparel flows, highlighting the emergence and consolidation of a regional trade bloc in North America. The second section discusses the process of industrial upgrading in the apparel industry and introduces a distinction between assembly and full-package production networks. The third section includes case studies based on published industry sources and strategic interviews with several lead companies whose strategies are largely responsible for the shifting trade patterns and NAFTA-inspired cross-border production networks discussed in the previous section. The fourth section considers the implications of these changes for employment in the North American apparel industry. © 2009 by Temple University Press. All rights reserved.

The Latin American Pacific Basin initiative and the Asia-Pacific region

Includes bibliography

Opportunities for trade and investment between Latin America and Asia-Pacific: the link with APEC

Includes bibliography

The transformation of the North American apparel industry: is NAFTA a curse or a blessing?

Includes bibliography

Augmented and Virtual Reality techniques for footwear

The use of 3D imaging techniques has been early adopted in the footwear industry. In particular, 3D imaging could be used to aid commerce and improve the quality and sales of shoes. Footwear customization is an added value aimed not only to improve product quality, but also consumer comfort. Moreover, customisation implies a new business model that avoids the competition of mass production coming from new manufacturers settled mainly in Asian countries. However, footwear customisation implies a significant effort at different levels. In manufacturing, rapid and virtual prototyping is required; indeed the prototype is intended to become the final product. The whole design procedure must be validated using exclusively virtual techniques to ensure the feasibility of this process, since physical prototypes should be avoided. With regard to commerce, it would be desirable for the consumer to choose any model of shoes from a large 3D database and be able to try them on looking at a magic mirror. This would probably reduce costs and increase sales, since shops would not require storing every shoe model and the process of trying several models on would be easier and faster for the consumer. In this paper, new advances in 3D techniques coming from experience in cinema, TV and games are successfully applied to footwear. Firstly, the characteristics of a high-quality stereoscopic vision system for footwear are presented. Secondly, a system for the interaction with virtual footwear models based on 3D gloves is detailed. Finally, an augmented reality system (magic mirror) is presented, which is implemented with low-cost computational elements that allow a hypothetical customer to check in real time the goodness of a given virtual footwear model from an aesthetical point of view.

Location of manufacturing plants by industry, county, and employment size: 1954. Based on a special tabulation of the 1954 census of manufacturers.

pt. 1. Food and kindred products; tobacco manufactures.--pt. 2. Textile mill products; apparel and related products; leather and leather goods.--pt. 3. Lumber and wood products; furniture and fixtures.--pt. 4. Pulp, paper, and products; printing and publishing.--pt. 5. Chemical and products: petroleum and coal products; rubber products.--pt. 6. Stone, clay, and glass products; miscellaneous manufactures.--pt. 7. Primary metal industries; fabricated metal products.--pt. 8. Machinery, except electrical; electrical machinery.--pt. 9. Transportation equipment; instruments and related products.

Technology and its impact on labor in four industries : lumber and wood products, footwear, hydraulic cement, wholesale trade.

"November 1986."

Pre-importation review program : documentary and procedural requirements for footwear.

Mode of access: Internet.