Cultural strategies: how do national cultures impact the operations strategy?

Through the assessment of the fourth round of the High Performance Manufacturing (HPM) project and the introduction of Hofstede’s Cultural Classification, the present work aims to deepen the comprehension of the impact of National Cultures on firms’ Operations Strategy. The ANOVA comparisons of four Operations Strategy elements in countries with different industrialization and development backgrounds (e.g. Germany, China, Brazil and South Korea) suggest that while Integrating Leadership and Implementation of Manufacturing Strategy are affected by the cultural levels of Power Distance, Individualism vs. Collectivism and Uncertainty Avoidance, the other two elements of Operations Strategy, Functional Integration and Formal Manufacturing Strategy, show effects of the degree of Individualism vs. Collectivism and Long-Term Orientation. The results of the study are expected to offer new perspectives on the planning and implementation of strategic and operations management for both practitioners and academics. More specifically, the analysis of cross-cultural influence over operations strategy may contribute to a better understanding of how cooperative behavior may lead firms to generate higher rents through the strengths and weaknesses of their relations, particularly in terms of global supply chains.

Processos de adaptação e vivências profissionais interculturais no futebol globalizado: profissionais brasileiros da bola

O presente trabalho tem como tema central as vivências interculturais dos atores do mundo do futebol que, a cada dia mais, perpassam diversas culturas como caminho ascensional das suas carreiras. O objeto dos Estudos Organizacionais Interculturais dá ênfase às interações entre pessoas de diferentes culturas, e esta é a problemática proposta nesta discussão, que enseja debates, convida à discussões interdisciplinares e evoca uma temática que instiga novos olhares sobres questões transculturais. Embora a literatura do campo aborde em sua maioria a adaptação e vivência de executivos expatriados, o presente trabalho pretende investigar a vivência e adaptação de jogadores e técnicos de futebol que trabalham em diferentes contextos. O referencial teórico é formado por áreas do conhecimento, promovendo uma conversa interdisciplinar, particularmente oriundas da Administração e Sociologia, bem como a literatura sobre futebol, que é o objeto empírico da tese. Metodologicamente a pesquisa adota uma abordagem qualitativa e interpretativista. A coleta de dados foi feita através de entrevistas com profissionais reconhecidos, que exerceram ou ainda estão exercendo suas atividades no exterior. Notadamente, e de forma prática, identificam-se questões de adaptação cultural que podem interferir no sucesso profissional da pessoa que se desloca para territórios estrangeiros, podendo influenciar na sua vida pessoal, dificultando o seu sucesso, por variados fatores, tais como: o idioma em si, a dificuldade de compreensão das figuras de linguagem e expressões inerentes a cada idioma, a mecânica laboral de cada cultura, o contraste no estilo de vida, os códigos culturais, linguagem corporal, hábitos cotidianos, estranhamento ao universo do outro, hábitos alimentares. Pretende-se que este estudo possa contribuir para ampliar e incitar o arcabouço teórico dos estudos de administração intercultural, através das vivências e proposições para uma melhor adaptação e vivência de jogadores e técnicos de futebol no exterior.

Indústria cultural e forró eletrônico no Rio Grande do Norte

The present study aimed to understand how and to what extent the electronic forró, currently hegemonic in the music market in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, establishes and maintains relations of domination in the social contexts in which it is produced, transmitted and received. Based, in significant form-content, on the writings of the first generation of theorists of the so-called Frankfurt School (Critical Theory), particularly with Theodor W. Adorno, and systematically using the contributions of the Cultural Studies (from the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies of Birmingham) and of the sociology of Pierre Bourdieu, this study aimed to perform, in the fertile intersection of these references, a critical possibility of interpretation of the electronic forró predominantly spread in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. To this end, aiming at a better apprehension of the so-called capital circuits/culture circuits , this study resulted from a qualitative investment of research, based on structured interviews with musicians, entrepreneurs of the sector and music consumers, as well as on the analysis of the themes contained in the official discography of the electronic forró band called Garota Safada (Shameless Girl). As a general empirical conclusion, it was possible to infer that far from the significant presence of domination or mere prevalence of oppositions, there is a relational pluralism of forms of domination and ways of resistances present in the production and consumption of electronic forró, regardless of gender, age, income, education or place of residence. However, the artifices of the cultural industry has been shown to be efficient: from large-scale businessmen to small producers enabled by the so-called open markets . The currentness of the concept of cultural industry is based on the idea that its products are offered systematically (the systematic insistence of everything to everyone) and on the notion that its production primarily meets the administrative criteria of control over the effects on the receiver (capacity of prescription of desires). Thus, the Adornian reflection on the pseudo-individualization leads to the inference that even in some of the most apparent ways of negotiation and/or refusal regarding the consumption of forró, certain behaviors of the cultural industry still prevail both in the very (re)interpretation of the forró and in the choice of other music genres also standardized, rationalized and massified. Therefore, despite the absence of cause-effect relation and the recognition of the popular capacity of re-elaboration and contestation of the media consumption, some world views prevailing in relation to the electronic forró establish or, at least, support some hegemonic ideologies, especially those concerning the life style, consumption and genre relations (fun by all means). Therefore, due the massification of certain songs, some ways of dissemination of values, beliefs and feelings are potentially experienced from the electronic forró. So, it is presumable that in the current advance of the process of semiformation (Halbbildung), the habitus of a part of the youth from the state of Rio Grande do Norte reinforces and is reinforced by the centrality of the trinomial fun, love and sex present in the songs, emphasized in some constructive practices of sense and in certain flows of social significance

Samba e negritude: práticas discursivas identitárias negras em sambas de enredo de temática africana

The study object of this thesis is the process of affirmation, (re)construction and (re)signification of the black identities in the discourses which cross the samba-enredo of African theme of the samba schools belonging to the elite group from the carioca carnival, in the period from 1960 and 2007. The main question which guides this research is the following: How does this discursive process occur and which are the possible effects resulting from it? This research aims to understand, through interpretation gestures of such discourses and from those which undergo the interview statements and the answers given to the questionnaires applied to spectators and parade exhibiters of these samba schools, in what way the negritude conception and the citizenship practice of the black Brazilian people, especially those from Rio de Janeiro, can be affected by the meaning production circulating in the discursive practices of these sambas. The research was theoretically related to the Applied Linguistics, however it articulates theories originated from Cultural Studies and Ethnic-racial Studies as well as it presents some theoretical and methodological fundamentals from the Discourse Analysis of French line. As concerns the methodology, it is of interpretative, qualitative basis with procedures of discursive character. The interview analysis did not reveal, as consequence of the discourses circulating in the sambas, a direct involvement of the black people who were interviewed in struggle for their citizenship practice, but it pointed out sliding of meaning in regard to the negritude emergence

Percepção do mercado romântico e influência do contexto nas preferências românticas entre universitários

Men and women express different preferences for ideal romantic partners. These preferences seem to vary with the level of involvement and commitment expected for the relationship and the perceptions people have about themselves. The current work was developed to expand the findings related to this subject, investigating the market perception of romantic relationships and the effect of context on self-assessment and preferences for romantic partners. For this purpose, 753 undergraduate, Brazilian and American, were enrolled between March 2010 and November 2012 and took part in at least one of the four studies that compose this research, performing the assessment of specific stimulus-subject descriptions. Studies one and two addressed Brazilian and American samples to respectively describe female and male expectations on human mating market. It was observed that individuals from both the genders expect positive assortative mating within couples, that each trait is not evaluated independently, and, in addition to biological predispositions, factors as environmental local constrains and cultural values may also affect mating expectations. The contrasts between the samples showed that Americans valued physical-attractiveness and social-status in describing the same-gender subjects and their expected partners, while Brazilians valued social-skills. Another expectation was also identified for both genders: physically attractive women and men of high-status were expected to be paired to each other. Study three addressed males and females expectations regarding which characteristics are most relevant in ensuring desirable partnerships for same-gender individuals. The results showed that men and women can be grouped together by having similar expectations. However, the group mainly composed of men considered status characteristics as the most important attributes, while the groups mostly composed of women indicated that social skills or physical characteristics as the most important in appealing to a desirable partner. Finally, study four investigated the effect of social comparison on self-perception and mate preferences, revealing that individuals were aware of the attributes valued by the opposite-gender and that self-perception was affected by the attributes of other people. In sum, this work evidenced that romantic relationships can be interpreted as a biological market and that the value of the attributes in the romantic mating marketplace are associated with reproductive relevance of the characteristics.

A cross-over randomised clinical trial of eccentric occlusion in complete dentures

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

Adaptação transcultural Portugal-Brasil do Inventário de Burnout de Maslach para estudantes

OBJETIVO: Realizar a adaptação transcultural da versão em português do Inventário de Burnout de Maslach para estudantes e investigar sua confiabilidade, validade e invariância transcultural. MÉTODOS: A validação de face envolveu participação de equipe multidisciplinar. Foi realizada validação de conteúdo. A versão em português foi preenchida em 2009, pela internet, por 958 estudantes universitários brasileiros e 556 portugueses da zona urbana. Realizou-se análise fatorial confirmatória utilizando-se como índices de ajustamento o χ²/df, o comparative fit index (CFI), goodness of fit index (GFI) e o root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA). Para verificação da estabilidade da solução fatorial conforme a versão original em inglês, realizou-se validação cruzada em 2/3 da amostra total e replicada no 1/3 restante. A validade convergente foi estimada pela variância extraída média e confiabilidade composta. Avaliou-se a validade discriminante e a consistência interna foi estimada pelo coeficiente alfa de Cronbach. A validade concorrente foi estimada por análise correlacional da versão em português e dos escores médios do Inventário de Burnout de Copenhague; a divergente foi comparada à Escala de Depressão de Beck. Foi avaliada a invariância do modelo entre a amostra brasileira e a portuguesa. RESULTADOS: O modelo trifatorial de Exaustão, Descrença e Eficácia apresentou ajustamento adequado (χ²/df = 8,498; CFI = 0,916; GFI = 0,902; RMSEA = 0,086). A estrutura fatorial foi estável (λ: χ²dif = 11,383, p = 0,50; Cov: χ²dif = 6,479, p = 0,372; Resíduos: χ²dif = 21,514, p = 0,121). Observou-se adequada validade convergente (VEM = 0,45;0,64, CC = 0,82;0,88), discriminante (ρ² = 0,06;0,33) e consistência interna (α = 0,83;0,88). A validade concorrente da versão em português com o Inventário de Copenhague foi adequada (r = 0,21;0,74). A avaliação da validade divergente do instrumento foi prejudicada pela aproximação do conceito teórico das dimensões Exaustão e Descrença da versão em português com a Escala de Beck. Não se observou invariância do instrumento entre as amostras brasileiras e portuguesas (λ:χ²dif = 84,768, p < 0,001; Cov: χ²dif = 129,206, p < 0,001; Resíduos: χ²dif = 518,760, p < 0,001). CONCLUSÕES: A versão em português do Inventário de Burnout de Maslach para estudantes apresentou adequada confiabilidade e validade, mas sua estrutura fatorial não foi invariante entre os países, apontando ausência de estabilidade transcultural.

Oldenburg Burnout Inventory - student version: cultural adaptation and validation into Portuguese

Realizou-se adaptação cultural do Inventário de Oldenburg para estudantes (OLBI-S) em português e estimou-se sua confiabilidade e validade. O OLBI-S foi preenchido por 958 estudantes universitários brasileiros e 602 portugueses. O modelo fatorial original apresentou ajustamento adequado mas foram removidos dois itens com confiabilidade individual baixa (λ<0,5). A nova estrutura apresentou bom ajustamento a 2/3 da amostra total sendo invariante no 1/3 restante da amostra. Verificou-se baixa consistência interna e validade convergente, confiabilidade compósita aceitável, boa validade discriminante, concorrente e divergente. O OLBI-S não foi invariante nas amostras de Brasil e Portugal. O OLBI-S apresentou limitações e ausência de validade transcultural nas amostras estudadas.

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire overseas: Evaluations and applications of the SDQ beyond Europe

Background During the few years that have passed since it became available, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) has been extensively evaluated and widely applied to assess behaviour disorders of children and adolescents in European countries. In contrast, relatively few reports have published SDQ results obtained in other parts of the world, although its briefness and availability in over 40 languages make this instrument particularly attractive for international collaborations and cross-cultural comparisons concerning clinical and epidemiological issues. Objectives This initial overview summarises some of these non-European experiences with the SDQ by presenting a selection of projects that have either psychometrically evaluated this novel questionnaire, applied it to screen for behaviour disorders, or employed its parent-, teacher- or self-rated versions as research tools. Since a large part of the mentioned studies are ongoing or have only recently been completed, much of the work reported here is still unpublished. Conclusions Across a huge variety of cultures and languages, experience gained with the SDQ in other continents has supported European evidence of good psychometric properties and clinical utility of this questionnaire. Since worldwide usage of the SDQ can be expected to increase in the future, more international coordination is encouraged, in order to fully exploit the promising potentials of this versatile assessment tool and systematically investigate cross-cultural differences and similarities in child and adolescent behaviour.

Association between breast-feeding practices and sucking habits: A cross-sectional study of children in their first year of life

In addition to providing nutrition and immunological protection, breast-feeding has positive effects on the development of the infant's oral cavity. The aim of the present study is to assess breast-feeding patterns and to analyze the influence of breast-feeding practices and maternal sociodemographic variables on the prevalence of non-nutritive sucking habits in a sample of Brazilian infants. This cross-sectional study was carried out in Southern Brazil. A random sample of 100 mothers of infants up to 12 months of age was interviewed during the National Vaccination Campaign Day. The prevalence and median duration of breast-feeding were assessed. Breast-feeding practice, the exposure factor, was categorized as exclusive breast-feeding, predominant breast-feeding, complementary breast-feeding, or weaning. Maternal sociodemographic variables included age, race, marital status, educational level, profession, and family income. The outcome investigated was the prevalence of sucking habits (pacifier use and thumb sucking). We used two-sample tests, the chi-square test and Fisher exact test0 for statistical analyses of the data. The study revealed that 75% of infants were being breast-fed. Pacifier use and thumb sucking were common in 55%. Bottle-feeding was prevalent in 74% of infants. Breast-feeding was negatively correlated with pacifier use and thumb sucking (OR = 0.11; 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.4). Bottle-feeding was strongly associated with weaning (p = 0.0003). Among the sociodemographic variables, only marital status showed a statistical association with sucking habits (p = 0.04). These findings suggest that breast-feeding can prevent the occurrence of sucking habits. Although we could not evaluate causality assessment, malocclusion prevention seems to be yet one more reason for promoting breast-feeding practices.

Smoking enhances bone loss in anterior teeth in a Brazilian population: A retrospective cross-sectional study

The aim of the present study was to radiographically evaluate the effect of smoking on bone loss resulting from chronic periodontitis. Periapical radiographs were analyzed of 80 patients with chronic periodontitis (40 current or former smokers and 40 never-smokers) that attended a private periodontal practice. The smokers or former-smokers with a minimum consumption of 10 cigarettes/day for a period of over 10 years were selected. Interproximal radiographic bone loss was considered as the distance between the cementum-enamel junction and the alveolar bone crest. Bone loss for smokers was higher than that observed in never-smokers (p < 0.05) (3.33 ± 1.09 mm and 2.24 ± 0.76 mm; mean ± standard deviation for smokers and non-smokers, respectively). When each region of the mouth was comparatively evaluated, it was observed that the smokers' incisors presented the highest bone loss when compared with the other groups of teeth (p < 0.01). Within the limits of the present investigation it can be concluded that smoking enhances the bone loss resulting from periodontitis and that the incisors are the teeth most affected.

The Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Clinician rating scale (NPI-C): Reliability and validity of a revised assessment of neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia

Background: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) affect almost all patients with dementia and are a major focus of study and treatment. Accurate assessment of NPS through valid, sensitive and reliable measures is crucial. Although current NPS measures have many strengths, they also have some limitations (e.g. acquisition of data is limited to informants or caregivers as respondents, limited depth of items specific to moderate dementia). Therefore, we developed a revised version of the NPI, known as the NPI-C. The NPI-C includes expanded domains and items, and a clinician-rating methodology. This study evaluated the reliability and convergent validity of the NPI-C at ten international sites (seven languages). Methods: Face validity for 78 new items was obtained through a Delphi panel. A total of 128 dyads (caregivers/patients) from three severity categories of dementia (mild = 58, moderate = 49, severe = 21) were interviewed separately by two trained raters using two rating methods: the original NPI interview and a clinician-rated method. Rater 1 also administered four additional, established measures: the Apathy Evaluation Scale, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Index, and the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia. Intraclass correlations were used to determine inter-rater reliability. Pearson correlations between the four relevant NPI-C domains and their corresponding outside measures were used for convergent validity. Results: Inter-rater reliability was strong for most items. Convergent validity was moderate (apathy and agitation) to strong (hallucinations and delusions; agitation and aberrant vocalization; and depression) for clinician ratings in NPI-C domains. Conclusion: Overall, the NPI-C shows promise as a versatile tool which can accurately measure NPS and which uses a uniform scale system to facilitate data comparisons across studies. Copyright © 2010 International Psychogeriatric Association.

Validation of the portuguese simple measure of impact of lupus erythematosus in youngsters (SMILEY) in Brazil

Background and Objective: Simple Measure of the Impact of Lupus Erythematosus in Youngsters (SMILEY) is a health-related quality of life (HRQOL) assessment tool for pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which has been translated into Portuguese for Brazil. We are reporting preliminary data on cross-cultural validation and reliability of SMILEY in Portuguese (Brazil). Methods: In this multi-center cross-sectional study, Brazilian children and adolescents 5-18 years of age with SLE and parents participated. Children and parents completed child and parent reports of Portuguese SMILEY and Portuguese Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQLTM) Generic and Rheumatology modules. Parents also completed the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ). Physicians completed the SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI), Physician's Global Assessment of disease activity (PGA) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus International Collaborating Clinics ACR Damage Index (SDI). Results: 99 subjects (84 girls) were enrolled; 93 children and 97 parents filled out the SMILEY scale. Subjects found SMILEY relevant and easy to understand and completed SMILEY in 5-15 minutes. Brazilian SMILEY was found to have good psychometric properties (validity and reliability), and the child-parent agreement was moderate. Conclusion: SMILEY may eventually be used routinely as a research/clinical tool in Brazil. It may be also adapted for other Portuguese-speaking nations offering critical information regarding the effect of SLE on HRQOL for children with SLE. © The Author(s), 2012.

Facial pain associated with fibromyalgia can be marked by abnormal neuromuscular control: A cross-sectional study

Background. Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) development in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is not yet fully understood, but altered neuromuscular control in FMS may play a role in triggering TMD. Objective. The purpose of this study was to verify the association between neuromuscular control and chronic facial pain in groups of patients with FMS and TMD. Design. A cross-sectional study was conducted. Methods. This study involved an analysis of facial pain and electromyographic activity of the masticatory muscles in patients with FMS (n=27) and TMD (n=28). All participants were evaluated according to Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders and surface electromyography (SEMG). Myoelectric signal calculations were performed using the root mean square and median frequency of signals. Results. The data revealed premature interruption of masticatory muscle contraction in both patient groups, but a significant correlation also was found between higher median frequency values and increased facial pain. This correlation probably was related to FMS because it was not found in patients with TMD only. Facial pain and increased SEMG activity during mandibular rest also were positively correlated. Limitations. Temporal conclusions cannot be drawn from the study. Also, the study lacked a comparison group of patients with FMS without TMD as well as a control group of individuals who were healthy. Conclusions. Altered neuromuscular control in masticatory muscles may be correlated with perceived facial pain in patients with FMS. © 2013 American Physical Therapy Association.

Tradução e adaptação transcultural do Caregiver Priorities and Child Health Index of Life with Disabilities Questionnaire (CPCHILD©) para a lingua portuguesa do Brasil

Pós-graduação em Bases Gerais da Cirurgia - FMB