Brazil: an emerging military power? The problem of the use of force in Brazilian international relations in the 21st century

The central goal of this paper is thinking about the Brazilian military power and its linking to the international ambitions of the country in the 21st century. After a comparative analysis to other BRICs and with a historical one about Brazil's strategic irrelevance, we aim to establish what the minimum military capacity Brazil would need in order to meet the country's latest international interests. Similarly, it will be discussed if the National Strategy of Defense, approved in 2008, and the recent strategic agreements signed with France represent one more step toward this minimum military capacity.

Observations on the Brazilian presidency, democracy, and governance

This article presents the first results of research on the organization and administration of the Brazilian presidency and problems of democratic governance in Brazil. Biases of Euro-centrism in current views of presidentialism, democracy, governance, and representation are criticized and new comparative analysis of political experiences in the Americas called for. Initial analysis of the Brazilian presidency reveals a unique combination of executive-led electoral representation and muddling through governance since the transition from military rule.

Is the International Business Environment the actual context for international business research?

The International Business Environment (IBE) has been argued to be the essential context for international business (IB) studies and the distinguishing factor from other management studies and studies of large enterprises. Two content analysis show that many papers published in top tier IB journals either lack reference to any dimension of the IBE or tend to be uni-or bi-dimensional when addressing the IBE; it is not a surprise that the cultural dimension is the most often used. We suggest that: (a) there is need to developed more uni-and multi-dimensional environmental constructs; (b) a more holistic view of the IBE provides richer insights on the actual complexity underlying IB research. Future studies that provide more comprehensive models of the IBE that overcome the usual broad classifications of the international environment as undefined and uncontrollable factors are warranted to advance conceptual and empirical research.

WHAT IS THE USE OF A SINGLE-CASE STUDY IN MANAGEMENT RESEARCH?

The purpose of this article is to present a defense of the use of single case studies in management research. The defense is necessary because this type of research has been relegated to a secondary role, or even rejected, by many researchers, who consider it unscientific. Evidence of this low status is the fact that most reputable academic journals in management publish few articles based on single-case studies. In this paper, we examine in detail the objections to the use of such cases in management research. We show the efforts made by some researchers to answer these objections and we show quality criteria for research that are alternatives to the criteria used in the so-called "scientific method." Our analysis suggests that a better understanding - by researchers with different methodological preferences - of the arguments for each particular use of the single-case study as a research method would allow a better dialogue between researchers and benefit management research as a whole.

Scientific research in tourism: review of the literature from 2005 to 2009

This article presents the results of a review of the literature on tourism from 2005 to 2009. Precisely, 1,648 articles were reviewed and classified into eight macro-lines of research. The content of the Strategy macro-line was analyzed in greater depth, as it was considered to be an "umbrella" for the other dimensions pertinent to tourism. The literature thus provided significant elements confirming the appropriateness of the strategic network perspective for research on sustainable tourism management, and it also helped identify the actors that are most critical for leading the development of a tourist destination.

Pressupostos e significado do golpe de estado de 1998-1999 na Guiné-Bissau

RESUMO: O golpe de Estado de 1998-1999 na Guiné-Bissau é - entre outras razões - o resultado da difícil articulação e coabitação entre as principais racionalidades que afectam o xadrez sociopolítico guineense. De facto as racionalidades de tipo «weberianas», representadas maioritariamente pela população crioula, devido ao impacto da cultura colonial – o mimetismo cultural e político-económico nessa população -, não se adaptaram às racionalidades de tipo «tradicional» e estas por sua vez, não compreendem as primeiras. As práticas dos actores políticos das racionalidades de tipo «weberianas», dentro do aparelho de Estado confundiam-se com o próprio processo de construção e o funcionamento do Estado pós-colonial na Guiné De facto o Estado em referência tornou-se durante o segundo regime do PAIGC num simples instrumento político e económico a favor dos dirigentes daquele partido e da classe-Estado em geral em detrimento da população guineense sobretudo a da sociedade tradicional. E é também dentro desta lógica da difícil articulação e a coabitação de racionalidades entre actores guineenses que a suspensão do ex-Brigadeiro Ansumane Mané, das suas funções de chefe de Estado-maior das forças armadas guineenses deve ser analisada, explicada e entendida com a consequente ruptura político-militar. Certamente que a Guiné, como laboratório social, não se esgota neste trabalho, que apenas pretende abrir caminho para novas investigações. ABSTRACT: This study is focused on the analysis of the 1998-1999 «coup d’état» in Guiné as a denouncer of the difficulties in the construction of Guiné as a State and a Nation. The above mentioned coup d’état is, among other reasons, the result of the difficult articulation and cohabition among the main rationalities affecting the Guiné sociopolitical chess. The as-webeian rationalities, mainly represented by the creole population, on reproducing the colonial cultural, political and economic model, did not fit in the astraditional rationalities, which by their turn do not understand the former ones. The as-weberian practices of the main political agents within the state burocracy overlapped with the process of construction and the functioning of the post colonial state apparatus. During the second PAIGC regime the state becomes a mere political and economic instrument to favour the party leaders and the new emerging class of public workers, in detriment of the population, mainly the ones belonging to the traditional societies. It is against this sociopolitical background that the suspension of the ex-Brigadier Ansumane Mané from his functions as Chief Commander of the Armed Forces of Guiné, and the following military and political rupture, has to be analysed, explained and understood. Certainly, the study of Guiné as a social laboratory is not finished with the present research, which intended only to open the path to further researching.

Quality perception in research laboratories from Fiocruz after QMS implementation

Quality Management System has been implemented at the René Rachou Research Center since 2003. This study investigated its importance for collaborators (Cs) in laboratories. This was a quantitative and descriptive study performed in a group of 113 collaborators. It was based on the World Health Organization handbook: Quality Practices in Basic Biomedical Research. The questionnaires evaluated the parameters using the Likert scale. Biosafety, training and ethics were considered to be the most important parameters. Supervision and quality assurance, data recording, study plan, SOPs and file storage achieved intermediate evaluation. The lower frequency of responses was obtained for result report, result verification, personnel and publishing practices. Understanding the perception of the collaborators allows the development of improvement actions aiming the construction of a training program directing strategies for disseminating quality.

Solid-state Marx based two-switch voltage modulator for the On-Line Isotope Mass Separator accelerator at the European Organization for Nuclear Research

A new circuit topology is proposed to replace the actual pulse transformer and thyratron based resonant modulator that supplies the 60 kV target potential for the ion acceleration of the On-Line Isotope Mass Separator accelerator, the stability of which is critical for the mass resolution downstream separator, at the European Organization for Nuclear Research. The improved modulator uses two solid-state switches working together, each one based on the Marx generator concept, operating as series and parallel switches, reducing the stress on the series stacked semiconductors, and also as auxiliary pulse generator in order to fulfill the target requirements. Preliminary results of a 10 kV prototype, using 1200 V insulated gate bipolar transistors and capacitors in the solid-state Marx circuits, ten stages each, with an electrical equivalent circuit of the target, are presented, demonstrating both the improved voltage stability and pulse flexibility potential wanted for this new modulator.

Studies on mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) and anthropic environment: 2 - Immature stages research at a rice irrigation system location in South-Eastern Brazil

A relation between a rice irrigation system and mosquito breeding was established in a study undertaken at the Ribeira Valley Experimental Station, from January through December 1992. Flooding favoured Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) and Culex (Melanoconion) species, while empty paddies condition were propitious to Aedes scapularis and Culex (Culex) species. Compared with a more primitive area of the same region, several species showed high a degree of adaptation to the anthropic environment. Among them, Anopheles albitarsis, a potential malaria vector that breeds in the irrigation system, has shown immature stage production thirteen times higher than at the natural breeding sites. In addition, Ae. scapularis, An. oswaldoi, Cx. bastagarius, and Cx. chidesteri presented high levels of synanthropy.