Green teams: Understanding their roles in the environmental management of companies located in Brazil

Green teams are frequently considered in the state-of-the-art literature as an essential factor for companies aiming to implement and improve environmental management approaches and practices. However, most of the available literature on green teams is conceptual and theoretical by nature. Therefore, the main purpose of this article is to evaluate the main characteristics of green teams in Brazilian companies and to analyse the relationships between green teams and the maturity level of environmental management in those companies. Based on a conceptual background on corporate environmental management and green teams, a research was done in two complementary phases: a survey of 94 companies with ISO 14001 certification; and a multiple case study of four industrial companies. Survey results suggest that 82% of the studied companies have cross-functional green teams, i.e. involving various companies' departments; and 65% have functional green teams, i.e. individual department teams. The results of the case study suggest that the use of green teams is an instrument to the greening of companies with ISO 14001 in Brazil. The company with the most proactive and advanced environmental management is the same company which uses green teams more intensely. Green teams are especially necessary for implementing more technical environmental management practices, e.g. Life Cycle Assessment. Since this is one of the first studies analysing green teams, the results presented can be useful for companies and public policies aiming to implementation of environmental initiatives. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social and environmental indexes to determine the impacts of closed neighbourhoods in Brazil

São Paulo State, in Brazil, is getting increasingly crowded, like in other third world countries around the world, so should give great importance to city development. This work considered the phenomenon of closed neighbourhoods (CN) as an important factor to city planning, papers report many impacts of this model of neighbourhoods in other countries, but in Brazil its impacts are not yet well listed in the literature. The aim of this work was to determine indicators to achieve the social and environmental performances and verify their applicability on three different closed neighbourhoods in São Paulo state, Brazil. The indicators were condensed on indexes: water management, waste management, energy and emissions, legal compliance, environment and buildings, risk management, health and education and governance. The preliminary results indicated several social and environmental problems in all indexes. © 2013 WIT Press.

Arthrocentesis procedure: Using this therapeutic maneuver for TMJ closed lock management

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder is a term that encompasses a number of overlapping conditions, such as closed lock. Closed lock of the TMJ is considered a consequence of a nonreducing deformed disc acting as an obstacle to the sliding condylar head that usually causes a decrease in the maximum mouth opening and acute pain. The management of the TMJ is still controversial. Thus, arthrocentesis of the TMJ is a valuable modification of the traditional method of arthroscopic lavage, which consists of washing the joint in order to remove chemical inflammatory mediators and intra-articular adhesions, changing intra-articular pressure. TMJ disorder has always presented as a therapeutic challenge to maxillofacial surgeons. Therefore, this paper aimed to describe a clinical report of a closed lock of the left TMJ in a 19-year-old female subject who was successfully treated by arthrocentesis procedure. © 2013 by Mutaz B. Habal, MD.

Integration practices for the technological innovation of products: Case studies at two large technological companies

Studies on innovation and technology management have emphasized the importance of integration between the research and development (R&D) department and others involved with the product development process (PDP) as a relevant practice for the good performance of technological innovation of product activities. This study addresses the topic of transfers of technologies to new product projects and also integration practices between the R&D department and others involved with the PDP. A qualitative study was conducted that was operationalized through two case studies at large high-tech companies: One is Brazilian and the other is a multinational subsidiary in Brazil. Among its main result, this paper represents and analyzes management practices that are favorable to integration in product development projects that demand development and transfer of technologies, such as: participation of R&D personnel in market activities, the adoption of virtual interaction mechanisms, and the application of methods such as technology roadmaps. © Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Facultad de Economía y Negocios.

Histologic Characterization of Engineered Tissues in the Canal Space of Closed-apex Teeth with Apical Periodontitis

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the capacity of endodontic regenerative procedures combining an induced blood clot, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and bone marrow aspirate (BMA) to regenerate dental pulp in canine closed-apex necrotic teeth. Methods: Apical periodontitis was induced in 20 upper and lower premolars of 2 dogs. After biomechanical preparation, enlargement to a #60 file, and disinfection with a triantibiotic paste for 28 days, the roots were randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups: blood clot (BC), BC + PRP gel, BC + BMA gel, and BC + BMA/PRP gel. Negative controls were also included. After a 3-month follow-up period, the animals were killed. Results: Histologic analysis showed the presence of newly formed vital tissues (connective, cement-like, and bone-like tissue) in 23 of the 32 treated roots (71.87%). There was no statistically significant difference between the treatment groups. Conclusions: New vital tissues were formed and characterized as connective, cementum-like, or bone-like, but not as pulp-like tissue; PRP and/or BMA did not improve the tissue ingrowth. © 2013 American Association of Endodontists.

Guidelines for the integration of certifiable management systems in industrial companies

Organizations often operate in turbulent environments characterized by intense competitiveness, constant technological progress, new market requirements, and scarce natural resources. This scenario imposes the constant need for change in the operation and companies' management. The integration of certifiable management systems is an effective alternative in this sense. The objective of the present study is to propose guidelines for the integration of the ISO 9001 Quality Management System (QMS), ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS) and OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) in industrial companies. These guidelines were developed based on a theoretical framework and on the results from fourteen case studies performed in Brazilian industrial companies. The proposed guidelines were divided into three phases: A) integration planning, b) integration development, and c) integration control and improvement.

Captive insurance companies in the Caribbean: an analysis

Includes bibliography

Transnational corporations and industrial modernization in Brazil: results of a questionnaire administered to the largest foreign-owned companies in the manufacturing sector during November 1991

Includes bibliography

O uso de jogos de empresas no ensino superior: um estudo sobre a prática docente

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Informação orgânica como insumo estratégico para a tomada de decisão em ambientes competitivos

Pós-graduação em Ciência da Informação - FFC

Industrial modernization in Mexico: results of a questionnaire administered to the largest foreign-owned companies in the manufacturing sector during May

Includes bibliography

Child abuse: a painful reality behind closed doors

Child abuse violates the most basic rights of children and adolescents. As documented in the main article of this issue of Challenges, child abuse is a massive, daily and underreported problem that affects the population of Latin America and the Caribbean. It manifests itself in different forms, including physical and psychological aggression, rape and sexual abuse, and takes place in the home, in neighbourhoods, at school, at work and in legal and child protection institutions. Abuse tends to be transmitted from one generation to the next, and the individuals most often responsible are parents or other adult members of the household

Análise da implementação dos elementos e ferramentas da produção enxuta em canteiros de obras na cidade de Belém do Pará

As empresas do setor da construção civil em Belém, estão buscando formas de melhorar seus processos e métodos construtivos através da implementação dos elementos e ferramentas do sistema de produção enxuta. O objetivo deste trabalho consistiu em avaliar os casos de sucesso e fracasso, através de um estudo exploratório da implementação do sistema de produção enxuta nos canteiros de obras na cidade de Belém do Pará, para identificar quais os elementos e ferramentas desse sistema são mais usadas na construção civil da cidade em questão. Desta forma, realizou-se uma ampla pesquisa bibliográfica sobre o assunto, mostrando a evolução histórica desde a criação da administração científica, destacando os precursores da administração da produção, em seguida, relatando o surgimento do sistema de produção enxuta, assim como suas origens e pilares, destacando seus elementos e ferramentas. A metodologia de pesquisa utilizada foi estudo de caso de caráter exploratório, onde o foco foram os gestores que atuam aplicando a produção enxuta em suas obras. Os dados foram coletados através da aplicação de um questionário com classificação de perguntas, fechadas e de múltipla escolha, composto por vinte questões objetivas, afim de, gerar dados para responder a questão de pesquisa. Após a coleta dos dados, foram geradas tabelas e gráficos para análise dos resultados. Os resultados analisados apontaram os elementos e ferramentas lean mais utilizados, além de apresentar as maiores dificuldades na implementação do sistema de produção enxuta, e em seguida, foi realizado uma correlação entre as dificuldades encontradas com a literatura pertinente. A partir disso, concluiu-se que as empresas não estão totalmente comprometida com o sistema de implementação de melhorias (SPE), de maneira que isto desmotiva os operários e cria resistência a mudanças.

O designer e a prática profissional na indústria automobilística no Brasil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)