Descripción de la estructura organizacional del área de Responsabilidad Social del Helm Bank en el año 2012

La investigación que se presenta a continuación reconstruye las acciones de la Responsabilidad Social Empresarial en el sector financiero Colombiano, congregando información académica donde los autores; teóricos y ejecutores, analizan y ofrecen pautas para el actuar responsable y sostenible en una organización. Así mismo este trabajo pone a la vista del lector información recopilada fruto de fuentes primarias, producto de conversaciones con la directiva en el área de Sostenibilidad del Helm Bank, integrante del sector financiero Colombiano y al gremio de bancos más relevantes en el país ASOBANCARIA. El direccionamiento de esta investigación se centra en la identificación del diseño estructural de un área de RSE en el sector financiero y sus componentes definidos en las siguientes variables; Evolución del área, Coordinación del trabajo, División laboral y Plataforma Estratégica Como resultado de dicha investigación se encontraron interesantes elementos. Dentro de estos elementos se hace especial mención a la sinergia que unen la planeación estratégica empresarial con las prácticas de Sostenibilidad, la directa conexión de la alta gerencia con el área de Responsabilidad Empresarial y con especial agrado la enorme puesta en marcha de acciones responsables en las tres dimensiones; social, ambiental y económica por parte de algunas entidades de la banca nacional en torno a sus actores de interés.

Virtualization of seed research: perhaps a continuity model.

The research nurseries serve as a initiative designed for the purpose of contribute to the breakdown of seizure paradigms of knowledge, supported by a theoretical model of discernment that exceed the traditional method of learning in the classroom, to transcend critical insights into transforming the environment under an autonomous space to provide tools essentially scientific, but with ethical criterion and social commitment. Such a conception, however, could be perceived as talkative, and even metaphorical, at the contrast of reality purely versatile in which the neophyte not only tries to get enough of the fruit of knowledge, but also requires that appropriate strategies are put forward to achieve seizure. Then arises, from the formative entelechy the use of technological tools based on virtual learning environments, in order to enhance motivation as an alternative against the blurring of perspectives and the emerging business in some types of nurseries, stranded attitude, that sometimes not far from the master model.

Media bias and central bank response. Evidence from the nominal exchange rate behavior in Colombia

Since 1991 Colombia has had a market-determined Peso - US Dollar Nominal Exchange Rate (NER), after more than 20 years of controlled and multiple exchange rates. The behavior (revaluation / devaluation) of the NER is constantly reported in news, editorials and op-eds of major newspapers of the nation with particular attention to revaluation. The uneven reporting of revaluation episodes can be explained by the existence of an interest group particulary affected by revaluation, looking to increase awareness and sympathy for help from public institutions. Using the number of news and op-eds from a major Colombian newspaper, it is shown that there is an over-reporting of revaluation episodes in contrast to devaluation ones. Secondly, using text analysis upon the content of the news, it is also shown that the words devaluation and revaluation are far apart in the distribution of words within the news; and revaluation is highly correlated with words related to: public institutions, exporters and the need of assistance. Finally it is also shown that the probability of the central bank buying US dollars to lessen revaluation effects increases with the number of news; even though the central bank allegedly intervenes in the exchange rate market only to tame volatility or accumulate international reserves.

Modeling the monetary policy reaction function of the colombian central bank

This paper proposes a simple Ordered Probit model to analyse the monetary policy reaction function of the Colombian Central Bank. There is evidence that the reaction function is asymmetric, in the sense that the Bank increases the Bank rate when the gap between observed inflation and the inflation target (lagged once) is positive, but it does not reduce the Bank rate when the gap is negative. This behaviour suggests that the Bank is more interested in fulfilling the announced inflation target rather than in reducing inflation excessively. The forecasting performance of the model, both within and beyond the estimation period, appears to be particularly good.

The cyclical behavior of bank capital buffers in an emerging economy: size do matters

Using a panel of Colombian banks and quarterly data between 1996:1 and 2010:3, we study the relationship between short-run adjustemnts in bank capital buffers and the business cycle. We follow a partial adjustment framework and control for several variables that have been identified as important determinants of bank capital buffers in previous studies, and find that bank capital buffers vary over the business cycle. We are able to identify a negative co-movement of capital buffers and and the business cycle. However, we also find that capital buffers of small and large banks behave asymmetrically during the business cycle. While the former appear to be constant over time, once the appropriate set of control variables is used, the latter present a countercyclical behavior. Our results suggest the possible need of the implementation of regulatory policy measures in developing countries

Central Bank Independence and inflation: the case of Colombia. 1924 - 1998.

Este artículo evalúa el vínculo entre la independencia del banco central y la inflación, para el caso de Colombia. Se desarrolla un marco teórica relacionada con la independencia del Banco Central y la inflación. La conclusión es que la independencia del Banco Central es una característica importante de cara a la reducción de la inflación y con el fin de resolver parcialmente el problema de la inconsistencia temporal, y asumiendo la existencia de un régimen monetario dominante la independencia del Banco Central ha llevado a una reducción de la inflación y de su variabilidad en Colombia. No obstante, los resultados de la inflación en el último periodo no han sido tan impresionantes. Este artículo sugiere explicaciones alternativas a este resultado. La independencia real del Banco Central colombiano puede ser más baja que su independencia formal. Adicionalmente, otros factores pueden contribuir a explicar una inflación más elevada que la esperada, particularmente la existencia de un déficit fiscal financiado con recursos externos.

From seed to sunflower.

Se describe de la forma más sencilla posible la historia del crecimiento y cambio de una semilla de girasol. El texto es de letra grande con dos o tres frases por cada doble página que tiene grandes ilustraciones acompañadas de otro tamaño de letra cuando es necesario proporcionar una mayor información. También hay un glosario.

The tiny seed.

Relato a modo de cuento del ciclo de vida de una flor. El recorrido lleno de obstáculos de una multitud de pequeñas semillas desde que el fuerte viento otoñal, las esparce por el aire y la tierra, pasando por todas las estaciones del año hasta llegar otra vez al otoño. Solamente, una de ellas consigue llegar a tierra fértil y germinar en una flor en primavera.

Sc1 investigation for key stage 1 and key stage 2 : a bank of differentiated investigations for primary schools.

Este documento es un intento de dar orientación y apoyo a los profesores en la organización de la enseñanza de las ciencias de investigación, en el nivel primario. Se presentan distintas actividades, flexibles para los docentes, a fin de que los niños participen en las distintas etapas del proceso de investigación: planificación, obtención y visualización de resultados y, conclusión y evaluación. Así, desarrolla unos conceptos que permitan la progresión en los conocimientos y en las pruebas prácticas de los alumnos, a nivel individual y, para los diferentes niveles educativos. Se incluyen hojas en blanco para ser rellenadas por los alumnos con sus conclusiones de cada uno de los procesos investigados.

Building wood debris piles benefits avian seed dispersers in burned and logged Mediterranean pine forests

Salvage logging is a common practice carried out in burned forests worldwide, and intended to mitigate the economic losses caused by wildfires. Logging implies an additional disturbance occurring shortly after fire, although its ecological effects can be somewhat mitigated by leaving wood debris on site. The composition of the bird community and its capacity to provide ecosystem services such as seed dispersal of fleshy-fruited plants have been shown to be affected by postfire logging. We assessed the effects of the habitat structure resulting from different postfire management practices on the bird community, in three burned pine forests in Catalonia (western Mediterranean). For this purpose, we focused on the group of species that is responsible for seed dispersal, a process which takes place primarily during the winter in the Mediterranean basin. In addition, we assessed microhabitat selection by seed disperser birds in such environments in relation to management practices. Our results showed a significant, positive relationship between the density of wood debris piles and the abundance of seed disperser birds. Furthermore, such piles were the preferred microhabitat of these species. This reveals an important effect of forest management on seed disperser birds, which is likely to affect the dynamics of bird-dependent seed dispersal. Thus, building wood debris piles can be a useful practice for the conservation of both the species and their ecosystem services, while also being compatible with timber harvesting

Can salvage logging affect seed dispersal by birds into burned forests?

The recovery of vegetation in Mediterranean ecosystems after wildfire is mostly a result of direct regeneration, since the same species existing before the fire regenerate on-site by seeding or resprouting. However, the possibility of plant colonization by dispersal of seeds from unburned areas remains poorly studied. We addressed the role of the frugivorous, bird-dependent seed dispersal (seed rain) of fleshy-fruited plants in a burned and managed forest in the second winter after a fire, before on-site fruit production had begun. We also assessed the effect on seed rain of different microhabitats resulting from salvage logging (erosion barriers, standing snags, open areas), as well as the microhabitats of unlogged patches and an unburned control forest, taking account of the importance of perches as seed rain sites. We found considerable seed rain by birds in the burned area. Seeds, mostly from Olive trees Olea europaea and Evergreen pistaches Pistacia lentiscus, belonged to plants fruiting only in surrounding unburned areas. Seed rain was heterogeneous, and depended on microhabitat, with the highest seed density in the unburned control forest but closely followed by the wood piles of erosion barriers. In contrast, very low densities were found under perches of standing snags. Furthermore, frugivorous bird richness seemed to be higher in the erosion barriers than elsewhere. Our results highlight the importance of this specific post-fire management in bird-dependent seed rain and also may suggest a consequent heterogeneous distribution of fleshy-fruited plants in burned and managed areas. However, there needs to be more study of the establishment success of dispersed seeds before an accurate assessment can be made of the role of bird-mediated seed dispersal in post-fire regeneration