Estructura organizacional del área de responsabilidad social de Pacific E&P

Este artículo tiene como objetivo describir la estructura del área de Responsabilidad Social de Pacific E&P, mediante un proceso que explique el funcionamiento y desarrollo de la estructura de RSE. Este trabajo se desarrolla bajo una matriz estratégica la cual incluye variables como: evolución del área (historia), plataforma estratégica (plan de acción que desarrolla una ventaja competitiva de la empresa), división del trabajo (Fragmentación de trabajo y especialización entre sus fuerzas laborales) y por último la coordinación del trabajo (sincronización de fuerzas laborales). Los resultados que se obtienen de este estudio mostrarán las distintas unidades de trabajo de la organización y la forma de trabajar de la misma, bajo el marco de la Responsabilidad Social Corporativa.

Perdurabilidad a través de la competitividad: Proceso de planeación estratégica de Beca S.A

BECA S.A es una empresa que nace hace más de 25 años en la ciudad de Bogotá. Dedicada a la fabricación de partes y herrajes en plástico y en metal para muebles, reconocida por su extensa gama y calidad de los productos comercializados a nivel nacional para los sectores de la industria mobiliaria, de la construcción y de petróleos. Sin embargo, en los últimos años se ha encontrado en diversos problemas internos radicados en el corazón de la compañía: la estrategia. De esta manera, la problemática abordada en este proyecto será la planeación estratégica para mejorar los procesos internos, lograr mejores resultados, y ser competitiva y perdurable a través del tiempo. Como metodología se implementó las cinco fuerzas de Porter soportadas por plantillas que permitieron identificar las acciones que mejorarían la situación de la empresa y así dar un primer paso para la planeación estratégica. Entre los lineamientos identificados principalmente se encuentran la ampliación de la cartera de clientes, mejorar los acuerdos de pago y alianzas con proveedores, establecer un precio competitivo en el mercado, fortalecer el área de ventas y el área comercial, contar con información actualizada y en tiempo real, entre otros aspectos. Se concluye que el principal problema es la falta de planeación interna y que además es fundamental que se invierta en innovación y conocimiento para dar mayor valor agregado al cliente y a la vez superar sus expectativas. Se recomienda implementar la teoría de restricciones puesto que la implementación puede ser más eficiente y existiría una mejor proyección en el mercado, establecer estrategias de CRM dentro de la compañía y fomentar una cultura de cambio dejando de lado ciertas políticas que impiden la realización del objetivo.

El risc dinàmic: concepte, mesura i determinants econòmics

Aquesta tesi té la intenció de realitzar una contribució metodològica en el camp de la direcció estratègica, per mitjà de tres objectius: la revisió del concepte de risc ex post o realitzat per l'àmbit de la direcció estratègica; la concreció d'aquest concepte en una mesura de risc vàlida; i l'exploració de les possibilitats i l'interès de la descomposició del risc en diferents determinants que puguin explicar-ne la seva naturalesa. El primer objectiu es du a terme prenent com a base el concepte intuïtiu de risc i revisant la literatura en els camps més afins, especialment en la teoria comportamental de la decisió i la direcció estratègica. L'anàlisi porta a formular el risc ex post d'una activitat com el grau en què no s'han assolit els objectius per a aquesta activitat. La concreció d'aquesta definició al camp de la direcció estratègica implica que els objectius han de portar a l'obtenció de l'avantatge competitiu sostenible, el que descobreix l'interès de realitzar la mesura del risc a curt termini, és a dir, estàticament, i a llarg termini, és a dir, dinàmicament, pel que es defineix una mesura de Risc Estàtic i una altra de Risc dinàmic, respectivament. En l'anàlisi apareixen quatre dimensions conceptuals bàsiques a incorporar en les mesures: sign dependence, relativa, longitudinal i path dependence. Addicionalment, la consideració de que els resultats puguin ser cardinals o ordinals justifica que es formulin les dues mesures anteriors per a resultats cardinals i, en segon lloc, per a resultats ordinals. Les mesures de risc que es proposen sintetitzen els resultats ex post obtinguts en una mesura de centralitat relativa dels resultats, el Risc Estàtic, i una mesura de la tendència temporal dels resultats, el Risc Dinàmic. Aquesta proposta contrasta amb el plantejament tradicional dels models esperança-variància. Les mesures desenvolupades s'avaluen amb un sistema de propietats conceptuals i tècniques que s'elaboren expressament en la tesi i que permeten demostrar el seu gra de validesa i el de les mesures existents en la literatura, destacant els problemes de validesa d'aquestes darreres. També es proporciona un exemple teòric il·lustratiu de les mesures proposades que dóna suport a l'avaluació realitzada amb el sistema de propietats. Una contribució destacada d'aquesta tesi és la demostració de que les mesures de risc proposades permeten la descomposició additiva del risc si els resultats o diferencials de resultats es descomponen additivament. Finalment, la tesi inclou una aplicació de les mesures de Risc Estàtic i Dinàmic cardinals, així com de la seva descomposició, a l'anàlisi de la rendibilitat del sector bancari espanyol, en el període 1987-1999. L'aplicació il·lustra la capacitat de les mesures proposades per a analitzar la manifestació de l'avantatge competitiu, la seva evolució i naturalesa econòmica. En les conclusions es formulen possibles línees d'investigació futures.

Attention and selection behavior on ‘universal search’ result pages

The ISO norm line 9241 states some criteria for ergonomics of human system interaction. In markets with a huge variety of offers and little possibility of differentiation, providers can gain a decisive competitive advantage by user oriented interfaces. A precondition for this is that relevant information can be obtained for entrepreneurial decisions in this regard. To test how users of universal search result pages use those pages and pay attention to different elements, an eye tracking experiment with a mixed design has been developed. Twenty subjects were confronted with search engine result pages (SERPs) and were instructed to make a decision while conditions “national vs. international city” and “with vs. without miniaturized Google map” were used. Different parameters like fixation count, duration and time to first fixation were computed from the eye tracking raw data and supplemented by click rate data as well as data from questionnaires. Results of this pilot study revealed some remarkable facts like a vampire effect on miniaturized Google maps. Furthermore, Google maps did not shorten the process of decision making, Google ads were not fixated, visual attention on SERPs was influenced by position of the elements on the SERP and by the users’ familiarity with the search target. These results support the theory of Amount of Invested Mental Effort (AIME) and give providers empirical evidence to take users’ expectations into account. Furthermore, the results indicated that the task oriented goal mode of participants was a moderator for the attention spent on ads. Most important, SERPs with images attracted the viewers’ attention much longer than those without images. This unique selling proposition may lead to a distortion of competition on markets.

Logística externa de materiais : dificuldades em obras de construção em Angola

The objectives of this article are to analyze the role of external logistics in the construction sites in Angola and to evaluate the problems inherent in this activity in this country so we can find ways of increasing the rationalization of the production and, as a consequence of that, the competitiveness of Portuguese contractors operating in Angola. In spite of logistics being an administrative process that is incorporated, mainly, in the seriated industrial companies, it must also be applied to the construction industry because it presents unquestionable and vital benefits to its performance. Nevertheless, the evolution of logistics applied to the construction has been poor, which is proved by the limited bibliography in this area. This happens for two reasons: the intrinsic specificities of this industry and the consequent inapplicability of algorithms to rationalize production. Although it’s not viable to approach the logistics of construction through numeric models, it’s not unreasonable to study logistics applied to this area. Despite the fact that an approach to the construction logistics by numeric modeling is not viable, studying this theme continues to be meaningful. In most of the industries and especially in the construction one, the supply of resources (materials, equipments, workmanship or subcontractors) is an essential factor for the success of a business. The optimization of management of the supply chain for the construction industry constitutes one of the ways of optimizing a company and, especially, of increasing the profitability of its operations. Only through an improved logistic efficiency is it possible to take competitive advantage in the current market and, particularly, in the international market. In order for that to happen it is necessary to start making businessmen aware of the specific logistic difficulties in this industry and of ways to solve them either by disclosing them or by making businessmen reflect about them.

Tecnologia : um recurso estratégico no processo de externalizar

Ainda que o desenvolvimento das tecnologias de informação se tenham demarcado nestes últimos vinte anos como algo de verdadeiramente revolucionário que pode desencadear mudanças radicais na sociedade, isto não pode ser suficiente para determinar a estrutura da sociedade em geral e das organizações do trabalho em particular. Pretende-se assim mostrar que ainda que a inclusão de tecnologia possa ser benéfica para as organizações, o desenvolvimento de estratégias deve ser visto de um ponto de vista integrado juntando criatividade e sinergias que funcionem como companheiras naturais da vantagem competitiva. Neste contexto, o “Outsourcing” surge como um componente fundamental do processo estratégico, que muito embora possa incluir ou não tecnologia, terá sempre de ser visto como algo revolucionário no desenvolvimento de novos serviços em termos de eficiência operacional. / Although the development of information technologies have marked the past twenty years as something truly revolutionary that can initiate radical changes in the society, this may not be sufficient to determine the structure of society in general and labor organizations in particular. This article intend to show that although the inclusion of technology would be beneficial to the organizations, the development of strategies should be viewed from an integrated point of view by adding creativity and synergy, both acting as natural companions of competitive advantage. In this context, the "Outsourcing" arise as a key component of the strategic process, that although may include or not technology, must always be seen as something revolutionary in the development of new services in terms of operational efficiency.

Gestão da comunicação interna como uma ferramenta estratégica

A presente dissertação consiste num trabalho de investigação descritivo e exploratório, cujo principal objetivo é conhecer a eficácia da comunicação interna na organização. Atualmente tem-se apontado que a comunicação interna é um dos fatores geradores de comprometimento. Como as organizações são sistemas complexos, esta é uma ferramenta que pode favorecer a unidade organizacional. A comunicação interna é uma condição essencial para o bom funcionamento das organizações e um diferencial competitivo num mercado cada vez mais concorrencial. As organizações que possuem bons sistemas de comunicação interna são capazes de atingir melhores condições de planeamento estratégico, onde a informação flui com mais rapidez e facilidade.

Estratégias de inovação visando a competitividade empresarial- um estudo multicasos de gestão dos hotéis portas da Amazónia e faraó no município de Belém-Pará

Esta dissertação teve como objetivo principal analisar como a Estratégia da Inovação poderia ser empregada em benefício da competitividade das organizações hoteleiras, tendo em vista as experiências de inovação dos Hotéis Portas da Amazônia e Faraó. Os Hotéis Portas da Amazônia e Faraó destacam-se pela realização de experiências inovadoras, o primeiro apresenta uma proposta de Hotel Histórico, nasceu a partir da restauração de um casarão do início do século XIX e atende o segmento do Turismo Internacional e o segundo uma proposta de Hotel Temático, sendo entitulado o primeiro hotel temático do norte. O acirramento da concorrência no mercado hoteleiro de Belém-Pará, devido aos novos entrantes (grandes redes hoteleiras) e substitutos como flats, está provocando a redução das margens de lucro ademais está obrigando os gestores das empresas de micro e pequeno porte a repensarem suas estratégias de competição. Sendo que a inovação é uma estratégia que pode contribuir para criação e sustentação da vantagem competitiva. A metodologia adotada nesta investigação foi inicialmente o levantamento bibliográfico. Além disso, foram aplicadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas para os gestores dos hotéis. A entrevista baseou-se no Radar da Inovação para a classificação das Estratégias de Inovação. A investigação revelou que o empresário do Hotel Portas da Amazônia realizou uma inovação em modelo de negócios e inovação em descoberta de um novo mercado. Porém, no Hotel Faraó, identificou-se apenas um caso de inovação incremental em suas instalações como na decoração do prédio, pois para a proposta de um hotel temático, a gestão precisaria explorar a experiência do cliente. Nos dois casos, constatou-se que várias dimensões da inovação são negligenciadas como ofertas, experiências do consumidor e a inovação na organização.

Stages of organizational transformation in transition economies: A dynamic capabilities approach

How do organizations previously dominated by the state develop dynamic capabilities that would support their growth in a competitive market economy? We develop a theoretical framework of organizational transformation that explains the processes by which organizations learn and develop dynamic capabilities in transition economies. Specifically, the framework theorizes about the importance of, and inter-relationships between, leadership, organizational learning, dynamic capabilities, and performance over three stages of transformation. Propositions derived from this framework explain the pre-conditions enabling organizational learning, the linkages between types of learning and functions of dynamic capabilities, and the feedback from dynamic capabilities to organizational learning that allows firms in transition economies to regain their footing and build long-term competitive advantage. We focus on transition contexts, where these processes have been magnified and thus offer new insights into strategizing in radically altered environments.

Knowledge sharing: Context, confusion and controversy

Project managers in the construction industry increasingly seek to learn from other industrial sectors. Knowledge sharing between different contexts is thus viewed as an essential source of competitive advantage. It is important therefore for project managers from all sectors to address and develop appropriate methods of knowledge sharing. However, too often it is assumed that knowledge freely exists and can be captured and shared between contexts. Such assumptions belie complexities and problems awaiting the unsuspecting knowledge-sharing protagonist. Knowledge per se is a problematic esoteric concept that does not lend itself easily to codification. Specifically tacit knowledge possessed by individuals, presents particular methodological issues for those considering harnessing its utility in return for competitive advantage. The notion that knowledge is also embedded in specific social contexts compounds this complexity. It is argued that knowledge is highly individualistic and concomitant with the various surrounding contexts within which it is shaped and enacted. Indeed, these contexts are also shaped as a consequence of knowledge adding further complexity to the problem domain. Current methods of knowledge capture, transfer and, sharing fall short of addressing these problematic issues. Research is presented that addresses these problems and proposes an alternative method of knowledge sharing. Drawing on data and observations collected from its application, the findings clearly demonstrate the crucial role of re-contextualisation, social interaction and dialectic debate in understanding knowledge sharing.

Critical success factors for competitiveness of contractors: A China study

Gaining or maintaining a “contractor's” competitive advantage is not easy as it is determined by a large number of factors. Identification of critical success factors (CSFs) allows one to reduce the vast number of factors to some manageable few but vital ones. Based on the CSFs, contractors' limited resources such as money and manpower can be allocated and aligned appropriately for yielding a maximum outcome of overall competitiveness. This paper describes the CSFs identified from a survey study carried out in Mainland China. The ranking analysis of the survey results shows that 35 factors are rated as critical for determining the competitiveness of a contractor. Factor analysis reveals that the 35 CSFs identified can be grouped into eight clusters, namely, project management skills, organization structure, resources, competitive strategy, relationships, bidding, marketing, and technology. The CSFs in this study provide a vehicle for guiding a contractor in managing its resources in order to improve competitive advantage. The study also provides insights into the management of competitiveness for contractors that are operating in the particular context of the Chinese construction industry.

Prebiotics and probiotics: potential strategies for reducing travellers' diarrhoea in athletes competing abroad

Travellers’ diarrhoea (TD) is the most common gastrointestinal illness to affect athletes competing abroad. Consequences of this debilitating condition include difficulties with training and/or participating in competitions which the athlete may have spent several years preparing for. Currently, there are no targeted strategies to reduce TD incidence in athletes. General methods used to reduce TD risk, such as avoidance of contaminated foods, chemoprophylactics and immunoprophylactics, have disadvantages. Since most causative agents of TD are microbial, strategies to minimise TD risks may be better focused on the gut microbiota. Prebiotics and probiotics can fortify the gut microbial balance, thus potentially aiding the fight against TD-associated microorganisms. Specific probiotics have shown promising actions against TD-associated microorganisms through antimicrobial activities. Use of prebiotics has led to an improved intestinal microbial balance which may be better equipped to combat TD-associated microorganisms. Both approaches have shown promising results in general travelling populations; therefore, a targeted approach for athletes has the potential to provide a competitive advantage.

Transgenic soya beans: economic implications for EU livestock sector

World oilseed trade consists of many closely substitutable commodities, with canola and cottonseed as possible alternatives to soya beans for many purposes. Transgenic events in all three crops have been widely adopted, particularly in North and South America, for compelling economic or agronomic reasons. Despite the close attention from organizations concerned about the potential consequences of transgenic crop adoption, there appears to be no substantiated evidence of transgenic DNA in meat or milk products when such crops are fed to livestock. The global area of these transgenic crops continues to increase. No transgenic canola, cotton or soya bean crops are permitted for commercial cultivation in Europe, and although transgenic feed resources are permitted for import, importers risk shipments being denied entry if the traces of an unauthorized transgenic crop are detected. These tight controls can mean that livestock farmers in the EU are disadvantaged due to restricted access to cheaper feed or higher feed costs, and they are thus loosing a degree of competitive advantage. This paper reviews the extent to which transgenic soya beans have become the ‘conventional’ method of cultivation elsewhere, and notes implications this has for livestock nutrition, traceability and economics within the EU. The paper concludes with discussion regarding the implications for the EU of delayed acceptance of newly available transgenic traits.

Conceptualising and measuring the equity of online brands

Although brand equity is an important source of competitive advantage online, previous conceptualisations and measures overlook the unique characteristics of the internet that render consumers co-creators of brand value. In view of this, a threephased research programme was undertaken to identify the facets of online retail/service (ORS) brand equity and then develop and validate a scale for its measurement. ORS brand equity was found to be a second order construct with five correlated yet distinct dimensions: emotional connection, online experience, responsive service nature, trust, and fulfilment. A series of tests showed that the ensuing 12-item scale has strong psychometric properties. The implications of this research for marketing researchers and practitioners are discussed.