Ecommerce as internationalization strategy: an exploratory study based on premium fashion brazilian brands: case study of farfetch

As stated by Hoffmann and Coste-Manière (2012) “The web is a mass medium that contrast completely with the traditional codes of exclusivity associated with the luxury industry, and has long been simply rejected by the luxury industry for being an illegitimate distribution channel.” Meanwhile this market presents an incomparable pace of growth and is gradually changing the existing retailing business model and companies must be aware of this change and capable to adapt to it. The internet and cross-border sales already changed the competition throughout retailing and it will increase even more, so companies must be ready to face it. Internet has shown its great opportunity for all markets, although luxury/premium market is not yet taking the proper advantage of its potential, but the necessity to be an omnichannel business strategy is growing. This paper presents an exploratory research based on a case study of how premium fashion Brazilian brands are using Farfetch, e-commerce, as an entry market strategy and how this affects them. The research question of this study is: How is Farfetch helping on the internationalization of Brazilian premium fashion brands?, and in order to answer it was conducted an in-depth interview with the Brazilian head of business development of Farfetch, apart an extensive secondary data research. As expected the study found a list of trade-offs of using an e-commerce, luxury specialized, with a marketplace approach to the brands willing to internationalize. As stated by Altagamma and McKinsey (2015) study “[...] luxury brands have no choice but to embrace the digital era and become truly omnichannel. This will require them a radical rethinking of both their customer experience of their consumer engagement strategy.” Looking either from the Farfetch point of view, trying to understand why they offer this opportunity to the brands, or also from the brand side if this is a manageable approach. This study presents a contribution for both sides, trying to give tools to the brands on understanding the internationalization reasons and approach, as well as explaining Farfetch business model, and the advantages it can bring to them, at the same time of a general market trend analysis for Farfecth.

Non-invasive strategy in assessing asthma through biofluids metabolomics exploration: exhaled breath and urine potentialities

Asthma is a significant health issue in the pediatric population with a noteworthy growth over the years. The proposed challenge for this PhD thesis was the development of advanced methodologies to establish metabolomic patterns in urine and exhaled breath associated with asthma whose applicability was subsequently exploited to evaluate the disease state, the therapy adhesion and effect and for diagnostic purposes. The volatile composition of exhaled breath was studied combining headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) with gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry or with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry with a high resolution time of flight analyzer (GC×GC–ToFMS). These methodologies allowed the identification of several hundred compounds from different chemical families. Multivariate analysis (MVA) led to the conclusion that the metabolomic profile of asthma individuals is characterized by higher levels of compounds associated with lipid peroxidation, possibly linked to oxidative stress and inflammation (alkanes and aldehydes) known to play an important role in asthma. For future applications in clinical settings a set of nine compounds was defined and the clinical applicability was proven in monitoring the disease status and in the evaluation of the effect and / or adherence to therapy. The global volatile metabolome of urine was also explored using an HSSPME/GC×GC–ToFMS method and c.a. 200 compounds were identified. A targeted analysis was performed, with 78 compounds related with lipid peroxidation and consequently to oxidative stress levels and inflammation. The urinary non-volatile metabolomic pattern of asthma was established using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). This analysis allowed identifying central metabolic pathways such as oxidative stress, amino acid and lipid metabolism, gut microflora alterations, alterations in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, histidine metabolism, lactic acidosis, and modification of free tyrosine residues after eosinophil stimulation. The obtained results allowed exploring and demonstrating the potential of analyzing the metabolomic profile of exhaled air and urine in asthma. Besides the successful development of analysis methodologies, it was possible to explore through exhaled air and urine biochemical pathways affected by asthma, observing complementarity between matrices, as well as, verify the clinical applicability.

A new and improved strategy combining a dispersive-solid phase extraction-based multiclass method with ultra high pressure liquid chromatography for analysis of low molecular weight polyphenols in vegetables

This paper reports on the development and optimization of a modified Quick, Easy, Cheap Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) based extraction technique coupled with a clean-up dispersive-solid phase extraction (dSPE) as a new, reliable and powerful strategy to enhance the extraction efficiency of free low molecular-weight polyphenols in selected species of dietary vegetables. The process involves two simple steps. First, the homogenized samples are extracted and partitioned using an organic solvent and salt solution. Then, the supernatant is further extracted and cleaned using a dSPE technique. Final clear extracts of vegetables were concentrated under vacuum to near dryness and taken up into initial mobile phase (0.1% formic acid and 20% methanol). The separation and quantification of free low molecular weight polyphenols from the vegetable extracts was achieved by ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) equipped with a phodiode array (PDA) detection system and a Trifunctional High Strength Silica capillary analytical column (HSS T3), specially designed for polar compounds. The performance of the method was assessed by studying the selectivity, linear dynamic range, the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ), precision, trueness, and matrix effects. The validation parameters of the method showed satisfactory figures of merit. Good linearity (View the MathML sourceRvalues2>0.954; (+)-catechin in carrot samples) was achieved at the studied concentration range. Reproducibility was better than 3%. Consistent recoveries of polyphenols ranging from 78.4 to 99.9% were observed when all target vegetable samples were spiked at two concentration levels, with relative standard deviations (RSDs, n = 5) lower than 2.9%. The LODs and the LOQs ranged from 0.005 μg mL−1 (trans-resveratrol, carrot) to 0.62 μg mL−1 (syringic acid, garlic) and from 0.016 μg mL−1 (trans-resveratrol, carrot) to 0.87 μg mL−1 ((+)-catechin, carrot) depending on the compound. The method was applied for studying the occurrence of free low molecular weight polyphenols in eight selected dietary vegetables (broccoli, tomato, carrot, garlic, onion, red pepper, green pepper and beetroot), providing a valuable and promising tool for food quality evaluation.

Effect of density on population development in the Amazon River prawn Macrobrachium amazonicum

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

Aquaculture Research and Development as an Entry-Point and Contributor to Natural Resources and Coastal Management

Recent, fervent international dialogue concerning the existence and magnitude of impacts associated with aquaculture has had both positive and negative outcomes. Aquaculture stakeholders have become sensitized to requirements for improved environmental management of aquaculture. on the other hand, in some cases aquaculture development has been negatively affected by some of the unwarranted and unproved allegations to the detriment of the stakeholders most in need of aquaculture development (i.e., resource users, particularly the poor, who are dependent on natural resources). These resource users are targeted by, and directly influence biodiversity and conservation agendas; hence the need to understand how to gain their active participation. This discussion focuses on examples of how aquaculture research and development can be a useful tool or strategy for resource management initiatives and provide tangible positive including increased stakeholder participation and cooperation, offering alternatives to resource extraction and use in otherwise difficult or intransigent resource management conflicts.

Propolis: Is there a potential for the development of new drugs?

Introduction: Propolis has plenty of biological and pharmacological properties and its mechanisms of action have been widely investigated in the last years, using different experimental models in vitro and in vivo. Researchers have been interested in the investigation of isolated compounds responsible for propolis action; however, there is lack of clinical research on the effects of propolis.Strategy and objectives: Since propolis-containing products have been marketed and humans have used propolis for different purposes, the goal of this review is to discuss the potential of propolis for the development of new drugs, by comparing data from the literature that suggest candidate areas for the establishment of drugs against tumors, infections, allergy, diabetes, ulcers and with immunomodulatory action.Conclusions: The efficacy of propolis in different protocols in vitro and in vivo suggests its therapeutic properties, but before establishing a strategy using this bee product, it is necessary to study: (a) the chemical nature of the propolis sample. (b) Propolis efficacy should be compared to well-established parameters, e.g. positive or negative controls in the experiments. Moreover, possible interactions between propolis and other medicines should be investigated in humans as well. (c) Clinical investigation is needed to evaluate propolis potential in patients or healthy individuals, to understand under which conditions propolis may promote health. Data point out the importance of this research field not only for the readers and researchers in the scientific community waiting for further clarification on the potential of propolis but also for the pharmaceutical industry that looks for new drugs. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gonadossomatic relation and reproductive strategy of Brycon opalinus (Cuvier, 1819) in the Serra do Mar State Park - Núcleo Santa Virgínia, Atlantic Forest, Brazil

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

Development, optimization and validation of gas chromatographic fingerprinting of Brazilian commercial gasoline for quality control

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Product development process: Using real options for assessments and to support the decision-making at decision gates

Enterprises need continuous product development activities to remain competitive in the marketplace. Their product development process (PDP) must manage stakeholders' needs - technical, financial, legal, and environmental aspects, customer requirements, Corporate strategy, etc. -, being a multidisciplinary and strategic issue. An approach to use real option to support the decision-making process at PDP phases in taken. The real option valuation method is often presented as an alternative to the conventional net present value (NPV) approach. It is based on the same principals of financial options: the right to buy or sell financial values (mostly stocks) at a predetermined price, with no obligation to do so. In PDP, a multi-period approach that takes into account the flexibility of, for instance, being able to postpone prototyping and design decisions, waiting for more information about technologies, customer acceptance, funding, etc. In the present article, the state of the art of real options theory is prospected and a model to use the real options in PDP is proposed, so that financial aspects can be properly considered at each project phase of the product development. Conclusion is that such model can provide more robustness to the decisions processes within PDP.

Sustainable development 20 years on from the earth summit: progress, gaps and strategic guidelines for Latin America and the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

Strengthening development: the interplay of macro- and microeconomics

Includes bibliography

Growth with stability: financing for development in the new international context

Includes bibliography

Ageing and development in a society for all ages

Includes bibliography

Input for the preparation of a regional agenda for the programme of action of the International Conference on Population and Development: towards 2014 and beyond

Spanish version available at the Library

Climate Change and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean. Overview 2009

Includes bibliography