Power and selection of contract terms: The case from the Brazilian orange juice sector

ABSTRACT We propose a model to explain how contract terms are selected in the presence of a form of economic power: contract power. The orange juice sector is used to illustrate an analysis that demonstrates the effects of contract power on the economic organization of the sector. We define contract power as the ability to exploit contractual gaps or failures of contractual provisions, which are strategically left incomplete. Empirical evidence from content analysis of antitrust documents supports the logic of contract power in the orange juice sector in three forms: avoiding changes to payment methods from weight to solid contents (quality); using information asymmetries to manipulate indexes that calculate the formula of orange prices; and deliberately harvesting oranges late in order to dehydrate the fruit, which consequently reduces weight and price. The paper contributes to understanding the selection of contract terms and the debate about how antitrust offices can deal with this issue.

The evolution of universities' relations with the business sector in Brazil: What national publications between 1980 and 2012 reveal

ABSTRACT This paper addresses the changes in university-industry relations in Brazil regarding innovation activities. It is based on a survey of articles published in major national journals or presented at the most relevant Brazilian and regional conferences, between 1980 and 2012. The year 1980 was chosen due to the creation of the Technological Innovation Offices (NITs), which was the first government initiative to encourage knowledge transfer from universities to companies; the second was the Innovation Act of 2004. Our assumption was that after the Act the number of academic papers on this subject would increase, bringing new ideas and propositions of models to enhance this relationship. The methodology employed a qualitative, exploratory approach, using bibliographical research and a bibliometric analysis of 247 papers. Literature review of international studies shows the discussion of problems and suggestions for improvements, while in Brazil there is still a debate on whether this collaboration should occur, and if this is a legitimate role for the university. Despite the numerical growth, the content analysis showed few papers on new configurations and procedures for partnership management. We conclude that university-industry relations are not a regular and totally accepted process in Brazilian public universities, which reflect an ideological bias against cooperation with firms.

Implementació dels mòduls SD i MM del sistema SAP R/3 en una empresa del sector metal·lúrgic

SAP R/3 és un software estàndard de gestió empresarial que engloba tots els processos iactivitats d’una companyia i permet el disseny de l’aplicació a les necessitats de l’empresa.Diferents avantatges, com ara disposar d’una base de dades única, han fet escollir aquestsistema a una empresa del sector metal•lúrgic com a eina de gestió:Aquest projecte té com a objecte la implantació de dos dels mòduls que inclou el sistemaSAP R/3, concretament el mòdul SD (Sales and Distribution), amb el qual es controlen lesvendes de l’empresa, i el mòdul MM (Material Management), mòdul amb el qual es controlatot el que fa referència als materials, la gestió d’estocs i tota la gestió de compres del’empresa

Lean Management (LM): Bases, eines i avantatges de la seva utilització al Sector Sanitari. Aplicació del LM a l’hospital St. Rafael de Barcelona per optimitzar el flux de pacients a la consulta externa de Traumatología.

Aquest projecte presenta, per una banda, una revisió del Lean Management i de l'estat actual de la seva aplicació al sector sanitari. Es descriuen els principis i la filosofia en què es basa aquest sistema, les eines i tècniques que li són pròpies, així com les avantatges que aporta cadascuna d’elles a l'empresa en general i, més concretament, al sector sanitari. D'altra banda, també descriu una petita aplicació pràctica de la metodologia Lean per al control de fluxos de pacients al servei d’atenció ambulatòria de l’Hospital Sant Rafael de Barcelona, amb l’objectiu de disminuir el temps total que els pacients tarden en ser atesos pel metge, a través d’eines que alhora aporten valor afegit a tant a pacients com a professionals.

Implantació SAP ERP en el sector retail amb les BestPractices

L'objectiu del present TFC és dur a terme una implantació de SAP en una PIME del sector Retail mitjançant les BestPractices i comprovar que és possible realitzar aquesta implantació amb uns costos reduïts, un temps limitat i, el més important, uns riscos molt baixos i controlats.

Implantació de SAP R/3 a una empresa del sector cerveser

L'objectiu d'aquest TFC és la realització d'un estudi del projecte sobre la implantació d'un sistema de gestió integrat ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) a una empresa fictícia del sector cerveser CePe (Cerveses Penedès) d'acord amb els objectius estratègics de l'empresa.

Motivating Employees of the Public Sector: Does Public Service Motivation Matter?

This article analyzes if, and to what extent, the public service motivation (PSM) construct has an added value to explain work motivation in the public sector. In order to address the specificity of PSM when studying work motivation, the theoretical model underlying this empirical study compares PSM with two other explanatory factors: material incentives, such as performance-related pay, and team relations and support, such as recognition by superiors. This theoretical model is then tested with data collected in a national survey of 3,754 civil servants at the Swiss municipal level. Results of a structural equations model clearly show the relevance of PSM. They also provide evidence for the importance of socio-relational motivating factors, whereas material incentives play an anecdotal role.

Note méthodologique sur la collaboration entre praticiens dans le secteur ambulatoire. [Methodologic note on the collaboration between practitioners in the ambulatory care sector].

There are still few studies about the collaboration between ambulatory practitioners (physicians and paramedical services). Nevertheless, the interest seems to be growing for this aspect of health care; it involves indeed basic organisational problems as well as fundamental questions about quality of care and its economic implication. A basic problem is rooted in the inevitable contradiction of the efforts towards a highly qualified-i.e. specialised-care on the one hand and those towards continuity on the other hand.

Juvenile Crime and the Welfare of Youth, 1999

This staff report on various factors regarding juvenile issues and crime was prepared by the Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning (CJJP). It was prepared to help the Juvenile Justice Advisory Council (JJAC) prepare their 3-Year Strategy as prescribed by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDP Act).

On-farm animal welfare assessment in dairy cattle: improved lameness detection

Estudi realitzat a partir d’una estada a la University of British Columbia, Canada, entre 2010 i 2012. Primerament es va desenvolupar una escala per mesurar coixeses (amb valors de l’1 al 5). Aquesta escala es va utilitzar per estudiar l’associació entre factors de risc a nivell de granja (disseny de le instal.lacions i maneig) i la prevalencia de coixeses a Nord America. Les dades es van recollir en un total de 40 granges al Nord Est dels E.E.U.U (NE) i 39 a California (CA) . Totes les vaques del group mes productiu es van categoritzar segons la severitat de les coixeses: sanes, coixes i severament coixes. La prevalencia de coixeses en general fou del 55 % a NE i del 31% a CA. La prevalencia de coixeses severes fou del 8% a NE i del 4% a Ca. A NE, les coixeses en general increntaren amb la presencia de serradura als llits i disminuiren en granjes grans, amb major quantitat de llit i acces a pastura. Les coixeses mes severes incrementaren amb la falta d’higiene als llit i amb la presencia de serradura als llits, i disminuiren amb la quantitat de llit proveit, l’us de sorra als llits i amb la mida de la granja. A CA, les coixeses en general incrementaren amb la falta d’higiene al llit, i disminuiren amb la mida de la granja, la presencia de terres de goma, l’increment d’espai als cubicles , l’espai a l’abeuredor i la desinfeccio de les peulles. Les coixeses severes incrementaren amb la falta d’higiene al llit i disminuixen amb la frequencia de neteja del corral. En conclusio, canvis en el maneig i el disseny de les instal.lacions poden ajudar a disminuir la prevalencia de coixeses, tot i que les estrategies a seguir variaran segons la regio.

Impact of Ownership Structure on the Performance of China’s Feed Mill Sector, April 2005

In the decade of the 1990s, China’s feed sector became increasingly privatized, more feed mills opened, and the scale of operation expanded. Capacity utilization remained low and multi-ministerial supervision was still prevalent, but the feed mill sector showed a positive performance overall, posting a growth rate of 11 percent per year. Profit margin over sales was within allowable rates set by the government of China at 3 to 5 percent. Financial efficiency improved, with a 20 percent quicker turnover of working capital. Average technical efficiency was 0.805, as more efficient feed mills increasingly gained production shares. This study finds evidence that the increasing privatization explains the improved performance of the commercial feed mill sector. The drivers that shaped the feed mill sector in the 1990s have changed with China’s accession to the World Trade Organization. With the new policy regime in place, the study foresees that, assuming an adequate supply of soy meal and an excess capacity in the feed mill sector, it is likely that China will allow corn imports up to the tariff rate quota (TRQ) of 7.2 mmt since the in-quota rate is very low at 1 percent. However, when the TRQ is exceeded, the import duty jumps to a prohibitive out-quota rate of 65 percent. With an import duty for meat of only 10 to 12 percent, China would have a strong incentive to import meat products directly rather than bringing in expensive corn to produce meat domestically. This would be further reinforced if structural transformation in the swine sector would narrow the cost differential between domestic and imported pork.

Labeling Regulations and Segregation of First- and, Second-Generation Genetically Modified Products: Innovation Incentives and Welfare Effects, April 2005

We review some of the most significant issues and results on the economic effects of genetically modified (GM) product innovation, with emphasis on the question of GM labeling and the need for costly segregation and identity preservation activities. The analysis is organized around an explicit model that can accommodate the features of both first-generation and second-generation GM products. The model accounts for the proprietary nature of GM innovations and for the critical role of consumer preferences vis-à-vis GM products, as well as for the impacts of segregation and identity preservation and the effects of a mandatory GM labeling regulation. We also investigate briefly a novel question in this setting, the choice of “research direction”when both cost-reducing and quality-enhancing GM innovations are feasible.

The Rapid Rise of China’s Dairy Sector: Factors Behind the Growth in Demand and Supply, May 2005

With the rapid growth in China’s dairy industry, a number of recent papers have addressed either the supply or the demand trends for dairy products in China. None, however, presents a systematic explanation for the recent growth in both the supply and demand for dairy products. The goal of this paper is to sketch a more comprehensive picture of China’s dairy sector and to assess the nature of the sector’s development in the coming decades. Drawing upon several empirical studies, we examine the trends in dairy product consumption to create a composite picture of the factors underlying the recent growth. We also empirically investigate the sources of production gains in milk supply and assess the relative importance of expanding herd size, changes in the nature of production, technological change, and improvements in efficiency to the overall growth of milk production.