Determinants of child undernutrition in India. A micro-case study to operationalize the Capability Approach

The present research aims at shedding light on the demanding puzzle characterizing the issue of child undernutrition in India. Indeed, the so called ‘Indian development paradox’ identifies the phenomenon according to which higher level of income per capita is recorded alongside a lethargic reduction in the proportion of underweight children aged below three years. Thus, in the time period occurring from 2000 to 2005, real Gross Domestic Production per capita has annually grown at 5.4%, whereas the proportion of children who are underweight has declined from 47% to 46%, a mere one point percent. Such trend opens up the space for discussing the traditionally assumed linkage between income-poverty and undernutrition as well as food intervention as the main focus of policies designed to fight child hunger. Also, it unlocks doors for evaluating the role of an alternative economic approach aiming at explaining undernutrition, such as the Capability Approach. The Capability Approach argues for widening the informational basis to account not only for resources, but also for variables related to liberties, opportunities and autonomy in pursuing what individuals value.The econometric analysis highlights the relevance of including behavioral factors when explaining child undernutrition. In particular, the ability of the mother to move freely in the community without the need of asking permission to her husband or mother-in-law is statistically significant when included in the model, which accounts also for confounding traditional variables, such as economic wealth and food security. Also, focusing on agency, results indicates the necessity of measuring autonomy in different domains and the need of improving the measurement scale for agency data, especially with regards the domain of household duties. Finally, future research is required to investigate policy venues for increasing agency in women and in the communities they live in as viable strategy for reducing the plague of child undernutrition in India.

Validación de Herramientas Metodológicas de Estudios Sociales y Psicoacústicos de Ruido

El ruido es un contaminante que cada vez va tomando más importancia por ser un tipo de contaminación propio de las sociedades modernas. Su estudio en tanto su origen y efectos en la población, ha sido objeto de numerosas líneas de investigación en el mundo, siendo una de las herramientas más utilizadas las encuestas de percepción de molestias realizadas en numerosos países y de variados diseños metodológicos. Sin embargo, la profusa información recolectada por muchos años y por distintos países por medio de estas herramientas no permite obtener datos relacionados entre ellos para estudiar las distintas condiciones de exposición a distintos tipos de fuentes de ruido, dado que responden a diseños de instrumentos de recolección de datos (encuestas) distintos y, aún más, a escalas de mediciones distintas. Un esfuerzo por generar datos y estudios que puedan ser relacionados para contribuir a mayor conocimiento del ruido y sus efectos en la salud de la población, es la iniciativa desarrollada por el ICBEN (International Commission of Biological Effects on Noise) que desde el año 1997 un grupo de investigadores se ha propuesto generar estudios e investigaciones bajo una metodología que permita comparar los diferentes estudios que se realicen y que sus conclusiones permitan ser utilizadas por el resto y así generar nuevos conocimientos y validar dichos resultados. Uno de los problemas que en la actualidad se tiene es que las encuestas que se utilizan en distintos países, e incluso en ellos mismos, no sólo incorporan preguntas de diversas modalidades y estilos, sino que además para las respuestas que entregan los encuestados se utilizan una variedad de métodos y escalas que no permiten ser extrapolados o comparados con otros estudios. Dado que las escalas que algunos estudios utilizan, para conocer el grado de molestia que presenta la población, sin verbales, las líneas de investigación y recomendaciones internacionales sugieren que cada país desarrolle sus propias escalas y que no se remitan sólo a traducir aquellas utilizadas en otros idiomas. Esto debido que cada palabra que se utilice en las escalas encierra un concepto metrológico, esto es, que las personas le asignan un valor específico de intensidad en el continuo de grados de molestia, por lo que deben ser obtenidas para cada población bajo estudio. Esta investigación, siguiendo las recomendaciones internacionales, ha obtenido una escala verbal para ser utilizada en encuestas de percepción subjetiva de molestias por ruido en Chile, para una población de entre 15 a 65 años de edad. Se ha podido desarrollar un test para obtener dicha escala siguiendo la metodología internacional, lo que ha permitido además discutir y analizar su utilización en futuras investigaciones. Del mismo modo, se ha podido analizar la equivalencia que tiene con otras escalas que podrían ser obtenidas con esta misma metodología, así como la escala que la recomendación internacional ISO propone para el idioma español. Los resultados obtenidos permiten comprobar la necesidad de que cada país hispanoparlante desarrolle sus propias escalas lo que podría explicar, entre otros aspectos, del por qué la norma internacional aún no tiene características de oficial a falta de mayor consenso en la comunidad científica, por lo que los datos aportados en esta investigación permitirán profundizar estos y otros aspectos a los investigadores en esta materia. ABSTRACT Noise is considered as a pollutant that it is growing in importance because it has become recognized as a major annoyance in modern societies. The study of its origin and effects on populations has been the objective of numerous lines of investigation all over the world. The annoyance questionnaire is a tool that is frequently utilized in numerous countries using a variety of design methods. Nevertheless, the quantity of information collected over several years in different countries using these tools has not allowed an interrelated correlation of data because the data indicates that the different study tools designed to collect data have used varying collection techniques and measurement scales that define the exposure to different types and sources of noise pollution. In an effort to generate data and studies then can be combined to better the understanding of noise and its effects on public health, an initiative that was developed by ICBEN (International Commission of Biological Effects on Noise) was proposed in 1997 and is designed to generate and investigate studies under methodologies that allow the comparisons of different studies already undertaken and the coordination of their conclusions. These investigative tools can be used by other investigators who will be able to generate additional information and validates results. One of the currently existing problems is that the questionnaires utilized by different countries and within the same countries not only use questions based on different models and styles, but also the answers given by the subjects being interviewed are interpreted using different methods and measurement scales which do not permit direct comparison of relationship with other studies. Given the measurement tools used to obtain the reported levels of annoyance that the population experiences (without verbal response) the lines of investigation and international recommendations are that each country develops its own scale that does not rely only on verbal responses in the corresponding language. This is because each word utilized in the measurement scale has a numeric concept with which interview subjects will assign a specific numeric intensity from the continuum of levels of annoyance and must be obtained for each population under study. This investigation, which follows international recommendations, has obtained a verbal scale to be utilized in subjective perception questionnaires of noise annoyance in Chile, for a subject population of subjects between 15 and 65 years of age. It has been able to develop a test to obtain said measurement scale following the international methodology guidelines which has permitted discussion and analysis of their use by other investigators. By the same token, it has been possible to analyze the equivalency that exists between other scales that could be obtained with the same methodology including the scale as recommended by international ISO for Spanish Language. The results obtained allows proof of the necessity that each Spanish Speaking Country develop their own measurement scales which could explain, the reason why the international norm still does not have the official characteristics because of a failure of a majority consensus in the scientific community, by which the data contribution from this investigation will allow the investigator to deepen these and other aspects of the subject.

Condições de Enfrentamento Psicológico de Trabalhadores Aeroportuários

Esse estudo teve por objetivos identificar sinais e sintomas de transtornos psiquiátricos e descrever tipos de enfrentamento utilizados por trabalhadores aeroportuários. Participaram desse estudo 203 trabalhadores e utilizou-se uma Escala Modo de enfrentamento problemas EMEP e uma Escala de Medida de Sinais e Sintomas psiquiátricos QMPA. Os resultados indicaram predomínio de estratégias positivas : a) focalizadas no problema (3,78) que significam que há um esforço do indivíduo no enfrentamento de situações estressantes procurando mudanças na relação entre o indivíduo e o ambiente causador de tensão; b) busca de suporte social (3,13), denotando busca de apoio instrumental, emocional ou de caráter informativo, ou seja, enquanto a maior parte da amostra apresentava estratégias mais positivas e integradoras também não apresentava sinais e sintomas psiquiátricos. Houve, portanto indicativos de que os sujeitos que compuseram essa amostra apresentaram mais respostas positivas em seus esforços cognitivos ante as situações estressantes ao mesmo tempo em que eram não suspeitos de sintomas psiquiátricos; acrescendo ao fato de que houve consonância entre os instrumentos de medida utilizados no presente estudo. Porém, uma pequena parte da amostra apresentou sinais e sintomas psiquiátricos (23,2%), bem como maior utilização de estratégias focalizadas na emoção (2,50), ou seja, estratégias de enfrentamento negativas. Embora esse fosse um número pequeno em relação à amostra total, considera-se preocupante, dado ao fato de serem trabalhadores aeroportuários e exercerem importantes funções tanto em relação ao manejo e orientação de manobras de aeronaves no solo como em relação à lida com pessoas; de modo que a associação entre sinais e sintomas com estratégias consideradas negativas implicam em transtornos que merecem acompanhamento pela equipe de saúde e de recursos humanos na empresa. É nesse sentido que aqui se sugere um trabalho de constante acompanhamento com trabalhadores em geral, a fim de verificar aqueles que necessitam de suporte psicológico e médico e aqueles que podem ser remanejados de suas funções dentro do aeroporto. O acompanhamento com instrumentais adequados, além de serem preventivos e promotores de saúde psicológica, na medida em que facilitam a detecção de sintomatologias mentais, também auxilia no planejamento de programas de saúde e, por conseguinte, como benefício no trabalho e fator preditor de saúde.(AU)

Condições de Enfrentamento Psicológico de Trabalhadores Aeroportuários

Esse estudo teve por objetivos identificar sinais e sintomas de transtornos psiquiátricos e descrever tipos de enfrentamento utilizados por trabalhadores aeroportuários. Participaram desse estudo 203 trabalhadores e utilizou-se uma Escala Modo de enfrentamento problemas EMEP e uma Escala de Medida de Sinais e Sintomas psiquiátricos QMPA. Os resultados indicaram predomínio de estratégias positivas : a) focalizadas no problema (3,78) que significam que há um esforço do indivíduo no enfrentamento de situações estressantes procurando mudanças na relação entre o indivíduo e o ambiente causador de tensão; b) busca de suporte social (3,13), denotando busca de apoio instrumental, emocional ou de caráter informativo, ou seja, enquanto a maior parte da amostra apresentava estratégias mais positivas e integradoras também não apresentava sinais e sintomas psiquiátricos. Houve, portanto indicativos de que os sujeitos que compuseram essa amostra apresentaram mais respostas positivas em seus esforços cognitivos ante as situações estressantes ao mesmo tempo em que eram não suspeitos de sintomas psiquiátricos; acrescendo ao fato de que houve consonância entre os instrumentos de medida utilizados no presente estudo. Porém, uma pequena parte da amostra apresentou sinais e sintomas psiquiátricos (23,2%), bem como maior utilização de estratégias focalizadas na emoção (2,50), ou seja, estratégias de enfrentamento negativas. Embora esse fosse um número pequeno em relação à amostra total, considera-se preocupante, dado ao fato de serem trabalhadores aeroportuários e exercerem importantes funções tanto em relação ao manejo e orientação de manobras de aeronaves no solo como em relação à lida com pessoas; de modo que a associação entre sinais e sintomas com estratégias consideradas negativas implicam em transtornos que merecem acompanhamento pela equipe de saúde e de recursos humanos na empresa. É nesse sentido que aqui se sugere um trabalho de constante acompanhamento com trabalhadores em geral, a fim de verificar aqueles que necessitam de suporte psicológico e médico e aqueles que podem ser remanejados de suas funções dentro do aeroporto. O acompanhamento com instrumentais adequados, além de serem preventivos e promotores de saúde psicológica, na medida em que facilitam a detecção de sintomatologias mentais, também auxilia no planejamento de programas de saúde e, por conseguinte, como benefício no trabalho e fator preditor de saúde.(AU)

Development of a psychological assessment battery to measure client beliefs about the effectiveness of psychotherapy

The author attempted to develop a brief scale to measure clients' beliefs about the effectiveness of psychotherapy. The study is an early pilot study to determine if the scale can predict therapy outcomes. While the scale did differ significantly between clients who were active in therapy and those who were not, higher scores on the instrument were not indicative of greater involvement. Possibilities for future research to refine the instrument are discussed.

LMX à distance : analyse qualitative et développement d’une échelle de mesure

Notre recherche a pour objectif général de proposer l’adaptation du concept de la relation d’échange superviseur-subordonné (leader-member exchange ou LMX) à la nouvelle réalité du travail à distance. Il s’agit d’étudier la relation d’échange qui se développe entre le superviseur et le subordonné travaillant à distance. Plus précisément, nous visons à définir et à développer une échelle de mesure valide et fiable du concept du LMX à distance. Jusqu’à présent, aucune définition de cette relation d’échange superviseur-subordonné n'a été proposée et aucune échelle de mesure n'a été développée. Dans l’étude que nous proposons, la notion de la distance n’est pas considérée comme un élément contextuel, mais plutôt un élément indissociable du concept lui-même, contrairement à certaines études qui ont examiné la distance comme modérateur de la relation entre le LMX et ses résultantes (Bligh et Riggio, 2012; Brunelle, 2013). À cet effet, cette étude constitue la première sur le sujet. Étant donné l'importance du LMX à distance pour les travailleurs à distance et dont le nombre atteindrait plus de 50 % d’ici 2020 (ITIF, CAS et CoreNet Global), il est primordial de comprendre et d'analyser la relation d’échange superviseur-subordonné à distance afin de mieux comprendre sa nature et son processus de développement, ce qui permettra aux parties de la dyade superviseur-subordonné de mieux s’adapter à cette nouvelle réalité de travail et de développer des relations d’échanges de qualité. Cette recherche aidera les superviseurs travaillant à distance à mieux gérer leur potentiel humain. Pour cerner ce sujet de recherche, nous avons fait une revue approfondie de la littérature traitant du LMX traditionnel et de la notion de distance, et ce, afin de pouvoir proposer une définition du concept du LMX à distance. En outre, nous avons fait appel aux recommandations de la littérature portant sur la psychométrie et nous avons réalisé une étude exploratoire de nature qualitative pour développer son échelle de mesure. Nous avons donc effectué des entrevues individuelles semi-dirigées auprès de trente professeurs d’une université canadienne. Ces entrevues ont été analysées avec le logiciel qualitatif spécialisé Nvivo et ont permis de présenter une première échelle de mesure du LMX à distance composée de sept dimensions et de 27 indicateurs. En somme, nous avons tenu à acquérir une meilleure compréhension de ce phénomène qui est très répandu dans les organisations modernes et à offrir une plateforme théorique et pratique que les chercheurs pourront utiliser pour enrichir leurs connaissances sur le concept du LMX à distance. Enfin, notre étude permettra aux superviseurs et aux subordonnés de comprendre l'importance de développer et de maintenir des relations de qualité conduisant à des résultats organisationnels et personnels positifs.

LMX à distance : analyse qualitative et développement d’une échelle de mesure

Notre recherche a pour objectif général de proposer l’adaptation du concept de la relation d’échange superviseur-subordonné (leader-member exchange ou LMX) à la nouvelle réalité du travail à distance. Il s’agit d’étudier la relation d’échange qui se développe entre le superviseur et le subordonné travaillant à distance. Plus précisément, nous visons à définir et à développer une échelle de mesure valide et fiable du concept du LMX à distance. Jusqu’à présent, aucune définition de cette relation d’échange superviseur-subordonné n'a été proposée et aucune échelle de mesure n'a été développée. Dans l’étude que nous proposons, la notion de la distance n’est pas considérée comme un élément contextuel, mais plutôt un élément indissociable du concept lui-même, contrairement à certaines études qui ont examiné la distance comme modérateur de la relation entre le LMX et ses résultantes (Bligh et Riggio, 2012; Brunelle, 2013). À cet effet, cette étude constitue la première sur le sujet. Étant donné l'importance du LMX à distance pour les travailleurs à distance et dont le nombre atteindrait plus de 50 % d’ici 2020 (ITIF, CAS et CoreNet Global), il est primordial de comprendre et d'analyser la relation d’échange superviseur-subordonné à distance afin de mieux comprendre sa nature et son processus de développement, ce qui permettra aux parties de la dyade superviseur-subordonné de mieux s’adapter à cette nouvelle réalité de travail et de développer des relations d’échanges de qualité. Cette recherche aidera les superviseurs travaillant à distance à mieux gérer leur potentiel humain. Pour cerner ce sujet de recherche, nous avons fait une revue approfondie de la littérature traitant du LMX traditionnel et de la notion de distance, et ce, afin de pouvoir proposer une définition du concept du LMX à distance. En outre, nous avons fait appel aux recommandations de la littérature portant sur la psychométrie et nous avons réalisé une étude exploratoire de nature qualitative pour développer son échelle de mesure. Nous avons donc effectué des entrevues individuelles semi-dirigées auprès de trente professeurs d’une université canadienne. Ces entrevues ont été analysées avec le logiciel qualitatif spécialisé Nvivo et ont permis de présenter une première échelle de mesure du LMX à distance composée de sept dimensions et de 27 indicateurs. En somme, nous avons tenu à acquérir une meilleure compréhension de ce phénomène qui est très répandu dans les organisations modernes et à offrir une plateforme théorique et pratique que les chercheurs pourront utiliser pour enrichir leurs connaissances sur le concept du LMX à distance. Enfin, notre étude permettra aux superviseurs et aux subordonnés de comprendre l'importance de développer et de maintenir des relations de qualité conduisant à des résultats organisationnels et personnels positifs.

Performance of the Norwegian version of AUSCAN - a disease-specific measure of hand osteoarthritis

Objective: To examine the performance of the Norwegian version of the AUSCAN Index as a disease-specific health status measure in patients with hand osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: One hundred and ninety-nine patients with clinical hand OA (mean (SD) age 61.7 (5.7) years, 18 (9%) males) underwent a comprehensive examination including joint status, examination of grip strength and completion of several self-reported health status questionnaires. The Australian/Canadian OA hand index (AUSCAN) captures three different dimensions of hand OA: pain (5 items), stiffness (1 item), and difficulties with daily activities (9 items). Our pre-study hypothesis was to identify AUSCAN as a specific hand measure with strong correlations to hand measures and lower correlations to other general measures of health. Results: Patient completion of the AUSCAN Index was similar or better than other measures. The internal consistency of the AUSCAN was excellent. The pain and physical dimension of AUSCAN correlated substantially to, each other and moderately to the stiffness scale. The AUSCAN physical scale correlated moderately to substantially to other measures, the highest correlation being seen with the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale (AIMS) 2 hand and finger function scale (r= 0.73). The standardised differences between patients with and without radiographic abnormalities were numerically larger for the AUSCAN pain and physical scales than for other measures. Conclusion: The Norwegian version of the AUSCAN has an acceptable clinimetric performance and is a suitable tool for assessment of hand OA. (C) 2005 OsteoArthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Condições de Enfrentamento Psicológico de Trabalhadores Aeroportuários

Esse estudo teve por objetivos identificar sinais e sintomas de transtornos psiquiátricos e descrever tipos de enfrentamento utilizados por trabalhadores aeroportuários. Participaram desse estudo 203 trabalhadores e utilizou-se uma Escala Modo de enfrentamento problemas EMEP e uma Escala de Medida de Sinais e Sintomas psiquiátricos QMPA. Os resultados indicaram predomínio de estratégias positivas : a) focalizadas no problema (3,78) que significam que há um esforço do indivíduo no enfrentamento de situações estressantes procurando mudanças na relação entre o indivíduo e o ambiente causador de tensão; b) busca de suporte social (3,13), denotando busca de apoio instrumental, emocional ou de caráter informativo, ou seja, enquanto a maior parte da amostra apresentava estratégias mais positivas e integradoras também não apresentava sinais e sintomas psiquiátricos. Houve, portanto indicativos de que os sujeitos que compuseram essa amostra apresentaram mais respostas positivas em seus esforços cognitivos ante as situações estressantes ao mesmo tempo em que eram não suspeitos de sintomas psiquiátricos; acrescendo ao fato de que houve consonância entre os instrumentos de medida utilizados no presente estudo. Porém, uma pequena parte da amostra apresentou sinais e sintomas psiquiátricos (23,2%), bem como maior utilização de estratégias focalizadas na emoção (2,50), ou seja, estratégias de enfrentamento negativas. Embora esse fosse um número pequeno em relação à amostra total, considera-se preocupante, dado ao fato de serem trabalhadores aeroportuários e exercerem importantes funções tanto em relação ao manejo e orientação de manobras de aeronaves no solo como em relação à lida com pessoas; de modo que a associação entre sinais e sintomas com estratégias consideradas negativas implicam em transtornos que merecem acompanhamento pela equipe de saúde e de recursos humanos na empresa. É nesse sentido que aqui se sugere um trabalho de constante acompanhamento com trabalhadores em geral, a fim de verificar aqueles que necessitam de suporte psicológico e médico e aqueles que podem ser remanejados de suas funções dentro do aeroporto. O acompanhamento com instrumentais adequados, além de serem preventivos e promotores de saúde psicológica, na medida em que facilitam a detecção de sintomatologias mentais, também auxilia no planejamento de programas de saúde e, por conseguinte, como benefício no trabalho e fator preditor de saúde.(AU)

Electronic commerce adoption:a study of business-to-business practice in Saudi Arabia

Electronic commerce (e-commerce) has become an increasingly important initiative among organisations. The factors affecting adoption decisions have been well-documented, but there is a paucity of empirical studies that examine the adoption of e-commerce in developing economies in the Arab world. The aim of this study is to provide insights into the salient e-commerce adoption issues by focusing on Saudi Arabian businesses. Based on the Technology-Organisational-Environmental framework, an integrated research model was developed that explains the relative influence of 19 known determinants. A measurement scale was developed from prior empirical studies and revised based on feedback from the pilot study. Non-interactive adoption, interactive adoption and stabilisation of e-commerce adoption were empirically investigated using survey data collected from Saudi manufacturing and service companies. Multiple discriminant function analysis (MDFA) was used to analyse the data and research hypotheses. The analysis demonstrates that (1) regarding the non-interactive adoption of e-commerce, IT readiness, management team support, learning orientation, strategic orientation, pressure from business partner, regulatory and legal environment, technology consultants‘ participation and economic downturn are the most important factors, (2) when e-commerce interactive adoption is investigated, IT readiness, management team support, regulatory environment and technology consultants‘ participation emerge as the strongest drivers, (3) pressure from customers may not have much effect on the non-interactive adoption of e-commerce by companies, but does significantly influence the stabilisation of e-commerce use by firms, and (4) Saudi Arabia has a strong ICT infrastructure for supporting e-commerce practices. Taken together, these findings on the multi-dimensionality of e-commerce adoption show that non-interactive adoption, interactive adoption and stabilisation of e-commerce are not only different measures of e-commerce adoption, but also have different determinants. Findings from this study may be valuable for both policy and practice as it can offer a substantial understanding of the factors that enhance the widespread use of B2B e-commerce. Also, the integrated model provides a more comprehensive explanation of e-commerce adoption in organisations and could serve as a foundation for future research on information systems.

Fuzzy Membership Functions in a Fuzzy Decision Making Problem

Authors analyses questions of the subjective uncertainty and inexactness situations in the moment of using expert information and another questions which are connected with expert information uncertainty by fuzzy sets with rough membership functions in this article. You can find information about integral problems of individual expert marks and about connection among total marks “degree of inexactness” with sensibility of measurement scale. A lot of different situation which are connected with distribution of the function accessory significance and orientation of the concrete take to task decision making are analyses here.

Cultura e clima organizacionais: um estudo multicasos em indústrias de laticínios do estado do Rio Grande do Norte

The objective of this study is to investigate if exist relationship between organizational culture and the organizational climate, having as research s locus three dairy industries in the Rio Grande do Norte State. As such, an exploratory-descriptive and conclusive-causal study, with a sample composed of 211 employees of all firms hierarchical levels was undertaken. By way the data collection, the employees personal characteristics, the predominant organizational culture profile and the predominant organizational climate in the industries researched were identified. In order to analyse the organizational culture, the Competing Value Model (CAMERON; QUINN, 2006), with adaptations by Santos (1998, 2000), was used. In order to analyse the organizational climate, the Organizational Climate Measurement Scale, proposed by Martins (et al., 2004, 2008), with modifications, was used. The data were submitted to quantitative statistical analyses, firstly to the set of firms and afterwards to the firms alone, that permitted arrival to the following conclusions: the cultural profiles was met in a balanced way in the researched organizations, with emphasis to clan culture and market culture profiles; the researched organizations have a good organizational climate, based in the Martins (2008) classification, with emphasis to boss and organization s support and physical comfort , being these factors coherent whit the clan culture profile; the personal variables are correlated with the cultural profiles and with the organizational climate factors, however, each organization show its singular form of relation; and the cultural profiles showed influence on organizational climate factors. Thus, the results permitted to conclude that there are relations between the cultural profiles and the organizational climate factors in the researched organizations

Early investigation towards defining and measuring sustainability as a quality attribute in software systems

Sustainability in software system is still a new practice that most software developers and companies are trying to incorporate into their software development lifecycle and has been largely discussed in academia. Sustainability is a complex concept viewed from economic, environment and social dimensions with several definitions proposed making sometimes the concept of sustainability very fuzzy and difficult to apply and assess in software systems. This has hindered the adoption of sustainability in the software industry. A little research explores sustainability as a quality property of software products and services to answer questions such as; How to quantify sustainability as a quality construct in the same way as other quality attributes such as security, usability and reliability? How can it be applied to software systems? What are the measures and measurement scale of sustainability? The Goal of this research is to investigate the definitions, perceptions and measurement of sustainability from the quality perspective. Grounded in the general theory of software measurement, the aim is to develop a method that decomposes sustainability in factors, criteria and metrics. The Result is a method to quantify and access sustainability of software systems while incorporating management and users concern. Conclusion: The method will empower the ability of companies to easily adopt sustainability while facilitating its integration to the software development process and tools. It will also help companies to measure sustainability of their software products from economic, environmental, social, individual and technological dimension.

A gestão da pessoa com hipertensão arterial na unidade móvel de saúde

Enquadramento: A gestão da doença, designadamente da hipertensão arterial (HTA) através do apoio à auto-gestão, aconselhamento motivacional, acesso à informação resultam em maior adesão terapêutica. Objetivos: Identificar os fatores que determinam a adesão ao tratamento na pessoa com HTA numa amostra comunitária. Metodologia: Estudo transversal, descritivo-correlacional, com amostra de 235 hipertensos (63,8% do género feminino), idade média 75 ± 8,14 anos, 62,6% casados e a maioria com o 1.º ciclo de escolaridade. Recorremos ao questionário com variáveis sociodemográficas, dietéticas, clínicas, motivacionais, relacionadas com os profissionais e serviços de saúde, Escala de Apgar Familiar, Questionário de Dependência Alcoólica, Questionário Internacional de Atividade Física, Questionário de Determinação da Saúde Nutricional, Escala de Autocuidado com a Hipertensão, Questionário de Crenças Sobre a Doença, Escala de Crenças Acerca dos Medicamentos, Escala de Satisfação dos Utentes com os Cuidados de Enfermagem na Unidade Móvel de Saúde, Questionário abreviado da Perceção do Cliente sobre o Ambiente Terapêutico, Questionário de Autorregulação, Escala de Competência Percebida e Escala de Medida de Adesão aos Tratamentos para colheita de dados. Resultados: A pressão arterial estava controlada em 34,5% da amostra, 28,2% homens e 38% mulheres. A MAT revelou um mínimo de 3,86 e um máximo de 6 com uma média de 5,66±0,49. As variáveis preditoras da adesão foram: controlo pessoal (p=0,005), identidade (p=0,000), ambiente terapêutico (p=0,001), alimentação geral (p=0,041), atividade física (p=0,007) e toma de medicamentos (p=0,000). Conclusões: Compreender os fatores envolvidos na gestão do tratamento permite perceber como podem os enfermeiros contribuir para melhorar a adesão ao regime terapêutico. Palavras-chave: Hipertensão arterial, gestão da doença crónica, adesão ao tratamento e adultos.

Investigating the role of fan club membership on perceptions of team brand equity in football

Researchers have suggested that brand equity is vital for professional sport teams by focusing on the examination of sport fans in general. The current study aims to examine the differences in team brand equity perceptions between fan club members and nonmembers, and the predictive role of brand equity dimensions on behavioral intentions. Data were collected from fans of a professional football league (n = 2287) with an adapted version of the spectator-based brand equity scale. The results gathered through a confirmatory factor analysis provide evidence of fair psychometric properties of the measurement scale. A multi-group CFA analysis showed factorial stability of the model in both groups, while the latent mean comparisons revealed significant differences in the dimensions of brand mark, social interaction, commitment, team history, organizational attributes, team success, head coach, management, stadium, and internalization. In addition, a multi-group SEM analysis revealed that the relationships between brand equity dimensions and behavioral intentions are not significantly different among the groups. Social interaction, team success and internalization were the significant positive predictors of behavioral intentions among the overall sample. These findings highlight the importance of studying different types of consumers and suggest managerial implications, such as the need for clubs to establish reciprocal relationships with fans in order to increase their levels of internalization and contribute to increased behavioral intentions.