Fatores críticos de sucesso como antecedentes da aceitação de um sistema de informação em uma universidade federal

In recent decades the public sector comes under pressure in order to improve its performance. The use of Information Technology (IT) has been a tool increasingly used in reaching that goal. Thus, it has become an important issue in public organizations, particularly in institutions of higher education, determine which factors influence the acceptance and use of technology, impacting on the success of its implementation and the desired organizational results. The Technology Acceptance Model - TAM was used as the basis for this study and is based on the constructs perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. However, when it comes to integrated management systems due to the complexity of its implementation,organizational factors were added to thus seek further explanation of the acceptance of such systems. Thus, added to the model five TAM constructs related to critical success factors in implementing ERP systems, they are: support of top management, communication, training, cooperation, and technological complexity (BUENO and SALMERON, 2008). Based on the foregoing, launches the following research problem: What factors influence the acceptance and use of SIE / module academic at the Federal University of Para, from the users' perception of teachers and technicians? The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of organizational factors, and behavioral antecedents of behavioral intention to use the SIE / module academic UFPA in the perspective of teachers and technical users. This is applied research, exploratory and descriptive, quantitative with the implementation of a survey, and data collection occurred through a structured questionnaire applied to a sample of 229 teachers and 30 technical and administrative staff. Data analysis was carried out through descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling with the technique of partial least squares (PLS). Effected primarily to assess the measurement model, which were verified reliability, convergent and discriminant validity for all indicators and constructs. Then the structural model was analyzed using the bootstrap resampling technique like. In assessing statistical significance, all hypotheses were supported. The coefficient of determination (R ²) was high or average in five of the six endogenous variables, so the model explains 47.3% of the variation in behavioral intention. It is noteworthy that among the antecedents of behavioral intention (BI) analyzed in this study, perceived usefulness is the variable that has a greater effect on behavioral intention, followed by ease of use (PEU) and attitude (AT). Among the organizational aspects (critical success factors) studied technological complexity (TC) and training (ERT) were those with greatest effect on behavioral intention to use, although these effects were lower than those produced by behavioral factors (originating from TAM). It is pointed out further that the support of senior management (TMS) showed, among all variables, the least effect on the intention to use (BI) and was followed by communications (COM) and cooperation (CO), which exert a low effect on behavioral intention (BI). Therefore, as other studies on the TAM constructs were adequate for the present research. Thus, the study contributed towards proving evidence that the Technology Acceptance Model can be applied to predict the acceptance of integrated management systems, even in public. Keywords: Technology

Impactos da certificação ISO 9000 no desempenho estratégico :um estudo em empresas brasileiras do setor químico

This thesis deals with analyzing the contribution grade of the ISO 9000 quality system to the strategic performance of the Brazilian firms in the Chemistry sector, using the Balanced Scorecard system as reference. An exploratory research is developed to get technical information about these two management systems, with emphasis in their integration. After, a quantitative research is implemented using a questionnaire, to know and to obtain necessaries data for improving statistical estimations of the multiple relationships between the variables and the strategic performance for the universe of 352 Brazilians firms that make use of ISO 9000 as quality system. The size of the sample totalized 111 firms, which represent more than 31% of the selected universe. The main results show different visions of directors and managers about the significant variables that contribute for the strategic performance of the analyzed firms. The ISO 9000 system presents a big contribution to the strategic performance, when referred by the four perspectives of the Balanced Scorecard: learning and growth; internal process; customer and financial. Better performance was verified in the learning and growth perspective and reasonable performance was verified in the financial perspective

Construção e implementação do Balanced Scorecard em uma organização educacional: o caso do Serviço Nacional de Aprendizagem Comercial do Rio Grande do Norte SENAC RN

The changes that have taken place in the organizational environment in recent decades have led to new performance measurement systems being proposed, given the inadequacy of traditional models. The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) emerged as an instrument to translate financial and non-financial assets into real values for all interested parties in the organization, allowing the introduction of strategies to achieve the desired goals. Research shows that most errors committed with the use of this method are related to the implementation process. Thus, the aim of this dissertation is to analyze the process of building and implementing the BSC in an organization. This empirical exploratory study is based on the classic case study method, which enables the researcher to work with a set of evidence, including direct observation, interviews and document analysis. The results show that the use of BSC in the company investigated posed problems during the process of building and implementing the method. These problems were caused mainly by the lack of involvement on the part of upper management and the team s scant knowledge of Balanced Scorecard. One of the gains obtained from adopting the system was the introduction and/or consolidation of a culture of strategic planning and participative management. The continuous implementation phase was highlighted in the monitoring program, created by the organization in an attempt to reverse existing problems, using the BSC as a third generation strategic management system, which led to significant gains, better use of the system and stronger management practices

Melhoria de desempenho e ISO 9000: um estudo em empresas brasileiras do setor hoteleiro na perspectiva do Balanced Scorecard

This Thesis deals with the performance improvement on hotels that have adopted the ISO 9000 Quality Management Systems. It is researched the Brazilian hotels that have an ISO 9001 registration with an assessment form based on the Balanced Scorecard approach. The main findings are that ISO 9000 provided improvement on the performance of the hotels in general and also in all the BSC perspectives, and that are different perception on managers and directors, what suggests a need for a tool like BSC to register the performance improvements on the same basis. The Thesis contributes to provide information on the performance improvement in hotels, one of the claimed regarding the low ISO 9000 adoption rate in Brazilian hotels

Comportamento de adesão da madeira de um híbrido clonal de Eucalyptus urophylla x Eucalyptus grandis proveniente de três condições de manejo

This study aimed to evaluate the adhesion ability of eucalyptus lumber from three tillage systems, using adhesives: resorcinol formaldehyde and two adhesives in water emulsion based on vinyl poly-acetate. The management systems were characterized by three strata, the stratum one (E1) characterized by wood from coppice and 70 months of age, the stratum two (E2) characterized by wood and retirement age of 166 months and stratum three (E3), also characterized by retirement at 70 months of age. The wood was derived from a random mixture of the first two sawn logs, each three feet from the base, which comprised three treatments on the adhesive used. We evaluated the shear strength by compression tests and the percentage of wood failure in the glue line. Based on the results obtained, it can be said that the adhesion had satisfactory performance with all the resins used, and the average values of shear strength of the glue line were shown to be equivalent to the shear strength of solid wood only for the samples which adhered with 'Wonderbond' adhesive and also provide higher values for wood failure (97.64%). The highest density present in the wood of the second stratum (E2) influenced only sticking with the resorcinol formaldehyde resin. For polyvinyl acetate (Cascorez 2590), shear values decreased in the third management condition (E3).

Diretrizes para implantação de sistemas de segurança e saúde do trabalho em empresas produtoras de baterias automotivas

O desenvolvimento de Sistemas de Gestão da Segurança e Saúde no Trabalho (SGSST) ganha um significado cada vez mais importante no desempenho das empresas, pois, por meio deles, é possível obter a promoção da saúde e satisfação dos trabalhadores e a redução dos riscos de acidentes. No entanto, para que um SGSST obtenha bons resultados, as empresas precisam estar atentas às dificuldades comumente encontradas durante o seu processo de implantação, procurando solucioná-las de maneira antecipada e estruturada. Pelo exposto, este trabalho tem como principal objetivo apresentar diretrizes, baseadas no referencial teórico e nos resultados dos estudos de caso realizados, para implantação de SGSSTs em empresas fabricantes de baterias automotivas. Para o seu desenvolvimento adotou-se o método de pesquisa qualitativa a partir da realização de dois estudos de caso em empresas fabricantes de baterias automotivas localizadas na cidade de Bauru. Os instrumentos de coleta de dados foram entrevistas semiestruturadas, análise de documentos e observação in loco. Ao final do artigo, são propostas diretrizes relacionadas aos seguintes elementos: alta direção, estratégia organizacional, cultura organizacional, departamento de Segurança e Saúde do Trabalho (SST), técnicos de SST, recursos humanos, treinamento, equipes multidisciplinares, comunicação interna, resistência à mudança, indicadores de desempenho, ferramentas gerenciais para solução de problemas de SST, gestão de projetos, recompensas e incentivos, e integração do sistema.

Soil management and nitrogen fertilization for sprinkler-irrigated upland rice cultivars

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Utilização de indicadores financeiros e não-financeiros na gestão de hotéis no Rio Grande do Norte: um estudo sob a ótica do Balanced Scorecard

This study presents the results of a research on the use of financial and non-financial performance indicators used by medium and large hotels. The research was conducted in Rio Grande do Norte, a Brazilian State. The objective is to identify the usage of performance measures by these companies. Hotel industry is one of the most important sectors in the Rio Grande do Norte economy. The research takes the Balanced Scorecard as a conceptual framework, since it represents an original contribution to the literature of managerial accounting, for rethinking old issues, pointing out themes that were forgotten or badly interpreted, to discuss the requirements imposed by the economy environment, dominated by competitive companies, and increasing the understanding of the relationship between strategy and operation. The objective of the research is to investigate if the hotel managers make use of a managerial information system or not, when evaluating the performance of their business unit. The research reveals the usage of performance evaluation using a large variety of measures. Among them is worth mention: the usage of accounting profit altogether with the EVA/MVA, the process cycle time, total quality management, process transformation, strategic mission, vision, strategic measures, measures related to feedback, risk, costs, productivity, incomes, customers retention, customer satisfaction and profitability, measures using time as a component, quality of the process, cost of the processes, employees capabilities, information systems, motivation, empowerment and alignment. The research leads to the conclusion that the usage of the deriving concepts of Balanced Scorecard can improve the performance measurement systems used by hotels

Gestão ambiental: uma súplica do planeta, um desafio para políticas públicas, incubadoras e pequenas empresas

O texto traz uma reflexão sobre o papel das incubadoras de empresas no apoio a práticas ambientais por micro e pequenas empresas. Reconhecendo as debilidades estruturais das empresas de pequeno porte e as dificuldades para a realização de investimentos ambientais, defende o uso de incubadoras como instrumento de política pública para estimular investimentos ambientais. Identifica um número restrito de incubadoras de tecnologias ambientais, em plano internacional. Relata os resultados de uma pesquisa que avaliou a aplicabilidade de um indicador para apurar o desempenho ambiental de incubadoras. Destacaram-se dois resultados: a) a baixa importância atribuída, pelas incubadoras (e pelas empresas abrigadas) ao desempenho ambiental; e b) a ausência de estímulos, pelas incubadoras, aos investimentos ambientais. Desse último resultado deriva importante conclusão: a de que, uma vez apurados os padrões insatisfatórios de desempenho ambiental, de incubadoras e empresas assistidas, ficariam criadas as condições para a formulação e a implementação de medidas indutoras de novas posturas.

Dynamics of aggregate stability influenced by soil management and crop residues

The type of tillage and crop systems used can either degrade or cause a recovery of the structure of agricultural soils. The objective of this study was to determine the structural stability of the soil using mean weight diameter (MWD) of soil aggregates in three different periods of a succession of crops consisting of beans/cover plants/maize under no tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) management systems. Soils were sampled at 0- to 5-cm and 5- to 15-cm depths in three periods (P1, P2, P3): 1) November 2002 (spring/summer), 2) April 2003 (beginning of autumn), and 3) December 2003 (end of spring/beginning of summer). Aggregate stability was determined by wet sieving. The effects of the tillage systems, vegetal residues, and sampling depths on the structural stability of the aggregates were assessed and then related to organic matter (OM) contents. Aggregate stability showed temporal variation as a function of OM contents and sampling period. No tillage led to high MWD values in all study periods. The lowest MWD values and OM contents were observed 4 months after the management of the residues of cover plants. This finding is consistent with the fact that at the time of the samplings, most of the OM had already mineralized. The residues of sunn-hemp, millet, and spontaneous vegetation showed similar effects on soil aggregate stability.

Integration of the dispersed generators in the distribution management system

Since the 80s huge efforts have been made to utilize renewable energy sources to generate electric power. An important issue about using renewable energy sources is a Distribution Management System (DMS) in presence of dispersed generators. This paper reports some aspects of integration of the dispersed generators in the DMS. Besides, an investigation of impact of the dispersed generators on the overall performances of the distribution systems in steady state is performed. In order to observe losses in the distribution networks with dispersed generators, several loss allocation methods are applied. Results obtained from case study using IEEE test network, are presented and discussed. © 2003 IEEE.

A tool to simplify the management of homogeneous and heterogeneous grids

To simplify computer management, several system administrators are adopting advanced techniques to manage software configuration on grids, but the tight coupling between hardware and software makes every PC an individual managed entity, lowering the scalability and increasing the costs to manage hundreds or thousands of PCs. This paper discusses the feasibility of a distributed virtual machine environment, named Flexlab: a new approach for computer management that combines virtualization and distributed system architectures as the basis of a management system. Flexlab is able to extend the coverage of a computer management solution beyond client operating system limitations and also offers a convenient hardware abstraction, decoupling software and hardware, simplifying computer management. The results obtained in this work indicate that FlexLab is able to overcome the limitations imposed by the coupling between software and hardware, simplifying the management of homogeneous and heterogeneous grids. © 2009 IEEE.

E-business innovation and customs renovation for secure supply chain management

Includes bibliography

Municipal solid waste management in the Caribbean: a benefit-cost analysis

Includes bibliography

Uso do AHP na avaliação do desempenho do sistema de gestão da qualidade, meio ambiente e segurança e saúde ocupacional integrados

The paper analyses the application of the AHP method together with the attach A of ISO 9004:2000 in order to evaluate the performance of two industrial organizations, both possessing quality management systems with ISO 9001:2000 certifications, based on the specific requirements of quality, environment, occupational health and management systems. The evaluated organizations were a government-owned company from the science and technology sector that works in the nuclear area, and a private company that works in the automotive and railroad area. The open software Web-Hipre version 1.22 from Helsinki University of Technology, Finland, was used. The results demonstrated that the AHP method together with the attach A of ISO 9004:2000 is adequate to evaluate organizational performances. Both organizations presented similar performance levels.