Estudio de caso. “la cumbre de los países de américa del sur y países árabes en el posicionamiento de brasil como potencia latinoamericana” (2005-2012)

El presente trabajo de investigación tiene como objetivo realizar un análisis sobre el papel de la Cumbre de los países de América del sur y los países árabes (ASPA) en el posicionamiento de Brasil como potencia latinoamericana. Teniendo en cuenta lo anterior, esta investigación demostrará que dicha Cumbre constituye un elemento estratégico para el posicionamiento de Brasil como potencia a nivel regional en Latinoamérica, no solo por tratarse de una plataforma fructífera para consolidar el liderazgo regional de dicha nación, sino por su relevancia para fortalecer su prestigio internacional y el deseo de participar en la conformación del orden mundial a través de la cooperación Sur-Sur. Al ser este un estudio de caso que aborda experiencias concretas durante un tiempo determinado, el diseño de la investigación será longitudinal, ya que abarcará artículos y textos académicos que se han realizado desde 2005 hasta el año 2012.

Análisis de los períodos de regresión y transición en el primer año de vida

Aquesta tesi està centrada en l'estudi dels períodes de regressió i transició. A partir dels treballs de van de Rijt-Plooij & Plooij (1992) sobre els períodes de regressió, l'autor analitza les característiques comportamentals d'aquests períodes i la relació que tenen amb els períodes de transició. Els períodes de regressió s'entenen com uns moments del desenvolupament durant els quals els nens perden la homeostasi del seu organisme i manifesten una sèrie de conductes pertorbadores per a la mare. El matrimoni Plooij manté que els períodes de regressió són la manifestació de les reorganitzacions cerebrals que tenen lloc durant el període postnatal, i constitueixen la base de les noves habilitats que el nen va adquirint. Així, doncs, l'augment de l'atenció que la mare dispensa al nen durant els períodes de regressió esdevé una font estimular imprescindible en els processos d'educació i culturalització de l'infant. Per tant, els períodes de regressió estan íntimament relacionats amb els períodes durant els quals apareixen nous comportaments qualitativament diferents dels anteriors, que es manifesten de forma ràpida i sobtada, permetent una certa sistematització del procés evolutiu, per la qual cosa s'han denominat transicions. Van de Rijt-Plooij & Plooij, i també nosaltres, considerem que els períodes de regressió són índexs dels períodes de transició. Per aquesta raó també s'han denominar reprogressions. Tanmateix, els períodes de regressió es poden convertir en una font de conflictes que, en situació de risc, poden degenerar en maltractament infantil i, fins i tot, esdevenir el germen de possibles patogènies. Com veiem, els conceptes de període de regressió i transició es troben a l'encreuament entre la fisiologia, la psicologia i la psicopatologia del desenvolupament i, el seu estudi establiria un pont interdisciplinar que contribuiria a la construcció d'un model biopsicosocial del desenvolupament. Els objectius del nostre estudi varen ser comprovar si els períodes descrits per van de Rijt-Plooij i Plooij (1992) també els podem observar en un grup de nens de la població catalana sense problemes socio-econòmics o sanitaris aparents. Per altra banda, vàrem voler comprovar si els períodes de regressió tenen relació amb els períodes de transició. El disseny d'investigació correspon a un model longitudinal i transversal. Es varen seguir -mitjançant entrevistes, qüestionaris i observacions- vint diades mare-nen durant catorze mesos, repartides en quatre cohorts de cinc diades cada una d'elles. Partint d'uns criteris establerts a priori per a la categorització dels períodes de regressió i transició, vàrem estudiar la temporalitat d'ambdós tipus de períodes. També s'ha aprofundit sobre les característiques comportamentals i dinàmiques dels períodes de regressió. Respecte les dades, els percentatges màxims dels períodes de regressió del nostre grup d'estudi han aparegut a les setmanes: 5, 8, 12-13, 18, 26-27, 35, 43 i 52. La mitjana setmanal de cada període ha sigut de dues setmanes. Les nostres dades confirmen les obtingudes en la investigació de van de Rijt-Plooij & Plooij. Tanmateix, també hem trobat diferències (els períodes de regressió de l'estudi holandès són més llargs i coincideixen més) que ens suggereixen que la cultura podrien estar actuant en la forma de presentació del períodes de regressió. Pel que fa a la relació entre els períodes de regressió i l'emergència de nous comportaments (períodes de transició), els resultats mostren que les freqüències màximes dels períodes de regressió sempre es troben poques setmanes abans de les freqüències màximes dels períodes de transició. Per tant, és possible que els períodes de regressió siguin indicadors dels períodes de transició.

Drivers and barriers to digital television adoption in Portugal: the perspectives of the TV viewers and other main stakeholders

To understand what are the most significant factors for digital TV adoption by the Portuguese population in the switchover context is the main goal of the research project here presented. In April 26, 2012, the analogue terrestrial television switchoff is planned to occur in Portugal, according to the schedule published by the national telecommunication regulator Anacom. Digital terrestrial TV was launched in the country in April 2009, making Portugal one of the countries with a more ambitious schedule – or risky, depending on the perspective - for the full transition from analogue to digital terrestrial television. In this paper we will start by presenting the research project’s objectives, theoretical framework and research design. Next, we will present first results of the project focused on the barriers and drivers to digital TV adoption from two of the empirical studies which integrate it, namely, the quantitative inquiry administered to a representative sample of the Portuguese population and interviews with main stakeholders in the area of digital TV in Portugal. The perspectives of the television viewers are compared with other main stakeholders in this process. The paper will be concluded with a brief discussion of these results and a brief enumeration of next steps for the project.

Theory of mind in children with traumatic brain injury

Objective: This study was designed to examine the existence of deficits in mentalizing or theory of mind (ToM) in children with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Research design: ToM functioning was assessed in 12 children aged 6-12 years with TBI and documented frontal lobe damage and compared to 12 controls matched for age, sex and verbal ability. Brief measures of attention and memory were also included. Main outcome and results: The TBI group was significantly impaired relative to controls on the advanced ToM measure and a measure of basic emotion recognition. No difference was found in a basic measure of ToM. Conclusion: Traumatic brain damage in childhood may disrupt the developmental acquisition of emotion recognition and advanced ToM skills. The clinical and theoretical importance of these findings is discussed and the implications for the assessment and treatment of children who have experienced TBI are outlined.

Serum vitamin D concentration does not predict insulin action or secretion in European subjects with the metabolic syndrome

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relation between serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and insulin action and secretion. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In a cross-sectional study of 446 Pan-European subjects with the metabolic syndrome, insulin action and secretion were assessed by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) indexes and intravenous glucose tolerance test to calculate acute insulin response, insulin sensitivity, and disposition index. Serum 25(OH)D was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. RESULTS The 25(OH)D3 concentration was 57.1 ± 26.0 nmol/l (mean ± SD), and only 20% of the subjects had 25(OH)D3 levels ≥75 nmol/l. In multiple linear analyses, 25(OH)D3 concentrations were not associated with parameters of insulin action or secretion after adjustment for BMI and other covariates. CONCLUSIONS In a large sample of subjects with the metabolic syndrome, serum concentrations of 25(OH)D3 did not predict insulin action or secretion. Clear evidence that D vitamin status directly influences insulin secretion or action is still lacking.

Understanding construction competitiveness: the contribution of system dynamics

Purpose – Construction sector competitiveness has been a subject of interest for many years. Research too often focuses on the means of overcoming the “barriers to change” as if such barriers were static entities. There has been little attempt to understand the dynamic inter-relationship between the differing factors which impinge upon construction sector competitiveness. The purpose of this paper is to outline the benefits of taking a systems approach to construction competitiveness research. Design/methodology/approach – The system dynamics (SD) modelling methodology is described. This can provide practitioners with “microworlds” within which they can explore the dynamic effects of different policy decisions. The data underpinning the use of SD was provided by interviews and case study research which allowed an understanding of the context within which practitioners operate. Findings – The over-riding conclusion is that the SD methodology has been shown to be capable of providing a means to assess the forces which shape the sustained competitiveness of construction firms. As such, it takes the assessment of strategic policy analysis in the construction sector onto a higher plane. The need to collect data and make retrospective assessments of competitiveness and strategic performance at the statistical level is not now the only modus operandi available. Originality/value – The paper describes a novel research methodology which points towards an alternative research agenda for construction competitiveness research.

What people study when they study Twitter: classifying Twitter related academic papers

PURPOSE: Since its introduction in 2006, messages posted to the microblogging system Twitter have provided a rich dataset for researchers, leading to the publication of over a thousand academic papers. This paper aims to identify this published work and to classify it in order to understand Twitter based research. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Firstly the papers on Twitter were identified. Secondly, following a review of the literature, a classification of the dimensions of microblogging research was established. Thirdly, papers were qualitatively classified using open coded content analysis, based on the paper’s title and abstract, in order to analyze method, subject, and approach. FINDINGS: The majority of published work relating to Twitter concentrates on aspects of the messages sent and details of the users. A variety of methodological approaches are used across a range of identified domains. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: This work reviewed the abstracts of all papers available via database search on the term “Twitter” and this has two major implications: 1) the full papers are not considered and so works may be misclassified if their abstract is not clear, 2) publications not indexed by the databases, such as book chapters, are not included. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: To date there has not been an overarching study to look at the methods and purpose of those using Twitter as a research subject. Our major contribution is to scope out papers published on Twitter until the close of 2011. The classification derived here will provide a framework within which researchers studying Twitter related topics will be able to position and ground their work

The abandoned mandatory OFR: a lost opportunity for SER?

Purpose – An important outcome of the UK Company Law Review (CLR) involved draft regulations for a mandatory operating and financial review (OFR). The unprecedented abandonment of this mandatory OFR in November 2005 threw debate about the genuine motivations underlying the CLR into disarray. This paper seeks to reinterpret the abandonment of a mandatory OFR using interview research. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted a series of 24 interviews with companies from the FTSE100 between May and August 2004, prior to the abandonment. Findings – The interviews showed that the OFR was perceived as an appropriate vehicle for social and environmental reporting (SER). The interviewees considered that a mandatory OFR would provide a means of forcing SER into the mainstream and making it mandatory at a basic level. The interviews revealed that processes for the identification of material SER differ widely between organisations, ranging from embryonic to highly structured. Further, interviewees believed that directors had the final veto on inclusion of information. Despite directors' inclination to hide behind materiality as a means of avoiding SER, interviewees did not view the proposed mandatory OFR as “greenwash” but as a vehicle that would increase stakeholder confidence, as processes underlying the proposed OFR would be audited. Practical implications – The research implies that abandoning the mandatory OFR represented a lost opportunity for SER. Originality/value – The paper provides new evidence on the processes of materiality decision making in the SER area as well as strong endorsement of the mandatory OFR, contrary to the government turn-around.

Role of genetic polymorphism peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma2 Pro12Ala on ethnic susceptibility to diabetes in South-Asian and Caucasian subjects: Evidence for heterogeneity

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma Pro12ala polymorphism modulates susceptibility to diabetes in South Asians. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: South Asians (n = 697) and Caucasians (n = 457) living in Dallas/Forth Worth, Texas, and South Asians living in Chennai, India (n = 1,619), were enrolled for this study. PPAR-gamma Pro12Ala was determined using restriction fragment-length polymorphism. Insulin responsiveness to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was measured in nondiabetic subjects. RESULTS: The Caucasian diabetic subjects had significantly lower prevalence of PPAR-gamma 12Ala when compared with the Caucasian nondiabetic subjects (20 vs. 9%, P = 0.006). However, there were no significant differences between diabetic and nondiabetic subjects with reference to the Pro12Ala polymorphism among the South Asians living in Dallas (20 vs. 23%) and in India (19 vs. 19.3%). Although Caucasians carrying PPAR-gamma Pro12Ala had lower plasma insulin levels at 2 h of OGTT than the wild-type (Pro/Pro) carriers (76 +/- 68 and 54 +/- 33 microU/ml, respectively, P = 0.01), no differences in either fasting or 2-h plasma insulin concentrations were found between South Asians carrying the PPAR-gamma Pro12Ala polymorphism and those with the wild-type genotype at either Chennai or Dallas. CONCLUSIONS: Although further replication studies are necessary to test the validity of the described genotype-phenotype relationship, our study supports the hypothesis that the PPAR-gamma Pro12Ala polymorphism is protective against diabetes in Caucasians but not in South Asians.

An investigation into knowledge acquisition idiosyncrasies in Ghanaian universities

Purpose This paper aims to fill the research and knowledge gap in knowledge management studies in Ghana. Knowledge acquisition is one of the unexploited areas in knowledge management literature, especially in the Ghanaian context. This study tries to ascertain the factors affecting knowledge acquisition in Ghanaian universities. Design/methodology/approach The study used the quantitative approach. The cross-sectional survey was adopted as the research design. A questionnaire consisting of Likert scale questions was used to collect data from the respondents. The items and the constructs were derived from the extant literature. The questionnaire was sent to 350 respondents, out of which 250 were returned fully completed. Data were quantitatively analysed using descriptive methods and factor analysis. Findings This study provides empirical evidence about the factors affecting knowledge acquisition in Ghanaian universities. Findings from the study show that programme content, lecturers’ competence, student academic background and attitude and facilities for teaching and learning influence knowledge acquisition in Ghanaian universities. Research limitations/implications Although the study seeks to generalize the findings, this should be cautiously done, as some scholars have advocated for large sample size. Nonetheless, there are some studies that have used sample size less than the one used in this study. Practical implications The study takes notice of the need for Ghanaian universities to use modern facilities and infrastructures such as electronic libraries and information technology equipment and also provide reading rooms to enhance teaching and learning. Originality/value Studies looking at knowledge acquisition in Ghanaian universities are virtually non-existent, and this study provides empirical findings on the factors affecting knowledge acquisition in Ghanaian universities.

Role conflict and role ambiguity in construction projects

Role conflict happens when a person faces different and incompatible expectations regarding a particular social status which they occupy. The literature on role conflict is reviewed for a better understanding of project dynamics in construction teams. The discussion focuses on issues surrounding the miscommunication of role expectations and tensions owing to differences in expectations of the same role. This ongoing doctoral study involves a qualitative research design, based on interviews with practicing professionals. Analysis will focus on the relation between formal expectations, as evidenced in contracts and other types of written communication, and informal expectations as observed from the interviews. Insights from the literature review suggest: 1. that the differences between formal and informal expectations is a major sources of role conflict in construction teams and 2. that this effect is exacerbated by the failure of team members to recognise it and take it into account.

Do online hotel rating schemes influence booking behaviours?

Travelers’ hotel booking behaviors increasingly depend on peers' opinions and online ratings. This study investigates the effects of online hotel ratings on travelers' attitudes toward the hotel and booking intentions, using a 2 × 2 experimental research design. The results suggest that online rating lists are more useful and credible when published by well-known online travel communities (e.g., TripAdvisor). More favorable attitudes toward a hotel and higher booking intentions emerge when the hotel appears in best hotels lists. Finally, for the entries on best hotels lists, better attitudes and higher booking intentions result if the list is published on a well-known online travel community (Tripadvisor), whereas for entries on a worst hotel list, attitudes and booking intentions decrease even further if the list appears on TripAdvisor.

Detecting defects in UK new-build housing: a learning perspective

House builders play a key role in controlling the quality of new homes in the UK. The UK house building sector is, however, currently facing pressures to expand supply as well as conform to tougher low carbon planning and Building Regulation requirements; primarily in the areas of sustainability. There is growing evidence that the pressure the UK house building industry is currently under may be eroding build quality and causing an increase in defects. It is found that the prevailing defect literature is limited to the causes, pathology and statistical analysis of defects (and failures). The literature does not extend to examine how house builders individually and collectively, in practice, collect and learn from defects experience in order to reduce the prevalence of defects in future homes. The theoretical lens for the research is organisational learning. This paper contributes to our understanding of organisational learning in construction through a synthesis of current literature. Further, a suitable organisational learning model is adopted. The paper concludes by reporting the research design of an ongoing collaborative action research project with the National House Building Council (NHBC), focused on developing a better understanding of house builders’ localised defects analysis procedures and learning processes.