The BoP approach and its links to main related research fields: sense-making of the current discussion

A Base-da-Pirâmide (Base ofthePyramid- BoP) é referida na literatura como sendo o segmento sócio-econômico mais baixo em termos de paridade do poder de compra. Esse segmento encontrase geralmente excluído do sistema capitalista global. Esta tese analisa o tema BoP e discute dentro de um contexto sócio-econômico, como essa abordagem se relaciona com outras áreas de pesquisa, assim como a teoria do desenvolvimento internacional e a teoria de negócios internacionais. Estas duas teorias são identificadas como tendo uma relação mais forte com BoP. No que se segue, a abordagem BoP é incorporada nessas duas teorias com o objetivo de tornar este conceito mais claro e abrangente. Seguindo este raciocínio a abordagem BoP vem identificar contribuições no tocante a cada uma dessas abordagens teóricas. O argumento principal da tese é que a abordagem BoP é capaz de ligar essas duas teorias (teoria do desenvolvimento internacional e a teoria de negócios internacionais) em um só modelo teórico, mostrando assim que essas duas abordagens teóricas distintas podem na realidade serem complementares.

Need and opportunity: what are the main security threats to the pharmaceuticals industry in Latin America?

Os preços altos de produtos farmacêuticos patenteados sempre têm sido uma polêmica na América Latina. Considerando as disparidades económicas na região e a falta histórica do desenvolvimento, muitas vezes os preços altos servem como barreiras contra o acesso aos medicamentos essenciais. Por um lado, as companhias farmacêuticas dizem que os preços elevados são necessários para financiar os processos de pesquisa e desenvolvimento e para gerar um retorno do investimento lucrativo. Por outro lado, os consumidores, tanto privados como públicos, dizem que os preços altos têm resultado em uma falta histórica de medicamentos baratos. Neste debate, ambos lados têm realizado uma série de manobras e contramanobras que têm exposto algumas das vulnerabilidades do setor. Utilizando vários métodos de análise e entrevistas com profissionais no setor, este projeto analisa as vulnerabilidades do setor para determinar o risco, ao mesmo tempo tentando a responder à pergunta: Quais são as ameaças principais na segurança da indústria farmacêutica na América Latina? Justificação deste projeto é o aumento dos crimes relacionados aos produtos farmacêuticos na última década, que têm exposto os pacientes a um número de riscos mais alto. Uma compreensão das ameaças principais é necessária para melhor mitigar o risco, garantir a integridade de produtos e preservar a saúde pública.

Gestão do relacionamento entre franqueadores e franqueados e o grau de maturidade da rede : estudo comparativo de casos no segmento de alimentação no mercado brasileiro

O sistema de franquias vem recebendo um destaque cada vez maior nas mídias voltadas para negócios devido ao seu grande desenvolvimento tanto no Brasil quanto no restante do mundo, apresentando um alto índice de crescimento, além de possuir um grande potencial para atingir patamares ainda maiores. Com base nas teorias da agência e de recursos da empresa, foram descritas as principais abordagens sobre este setor, ampliando o conceito de contrato como suporte da relação entre franqueadores e franqueados para uma análise qualitativa sobre o relacionamento entre as partes, identificando ainda suas evoluções ao longo do tempo, vantagens e desvantagens, modelos e desafios de gestão. Um estudo de âmbito nacional realizado por Toledo e Proença (2005) enalteceu que um dos grandes motivos que geram o insucesso de uma rede de franquias é a falta de comprometimento na manutenção do bom relacionamento do franqueador para com seus franqueados. E este é o tema central deste trabalho, com o objetivo de dar a devida importância a este tópico, mostrando como ele é influenciado pelo grau de maturidade da rede e a sua relevância para o sucesso do negócio. Através de um estudo comparativo de casos, de caráter exploratório, tendo como principal forma de coleta de dados as entrevistas presenciais realizadas com franqueadores e franqueados de duas redes no segmento de alimentação brasileiro, foram obtidos resultados quanto a forma com que o relacionamento tem sido gerido por ambas as partes, em diversos âmbitos, e a sua relação com o estágio de maturidade em que a rede se encontra, tornando o estudo relevante para o mercado, com contribuições tanto acadêmicas, como a congruência de pesquisas, quanto corporativas, como a conexão de boas práticas e lições aprendidas com os conceitos abordados.

Main obstacles in the business environment affecting firm growth: a comparative analysis between Chinese and Brazilian SMEs

Usando dados do Banco Mundial, esta dissertação analisa as semelhanças e diferenças entre os obstáculos enfrentados pelas micro, pequenas e médias empresas (MSME) no Brasil e na China. Realizamos tanto uma análise comparativa entre os dos países como uma análise de clusters para confrontar os dados subjetivos e objetivos recolhidos, de modo a identificar o desempenho das empresas, levando em consideração as características dos países e o ambiente de negócios.

Main problems with the taxation of civil society organizations in Brazil: certifications and impact on payroll

The objective of this paper is to identify and analyze the main problems in the taxation—regarding both taxes themselves and compliance costs of taxation—of civil society organizations in Brazil. This study is qualitative descriptive research. A multiple case study with 26 organizations was performed. The results show that the problems mainly affect organizations with lower revenue and that do not work in the areas of education, health or social care. The main problems involve the taxation of the payroll and the difficulties related to obtaining and maintaining certifications. The study concludes with suggestions for the improvement of the regulatory framework.

O impacto da convergência de indústrias na configuração da cadeia de valor em empresas na indústria de telecomunicações no Brasil : um estudo de caso

O mercado de telecomunicações mundial, em geral e brasileiro em particular, passou por mudanças significativas ao longo dos últimos dez anos, tanto em âmbito concorrencial, como regulatório. O modelo de serviço único prestado por empresas distintas foi transformado pela convergência de indústrias, com a criação de novas ofertas e proposições de valor a partir de um portfólio diversificado e complementar de serviços aos consumidores. Estes fatos criaram para as empresas que operam no setor a necessidade de revisão de suas cadeias de valor para adequarem-se à nova dinâmica da indústria. Ainda que esse processo venha ocorrendo ao longo dos últimos anos, há poucos estudos que procurem endereçar os impactos para a realidade brasileira. O propósito desse trabalho é o de avaliar os efeitos para a configuração da cadeia de valor que a convergência de indústrias no setor de telecomunicações brasileiro trouxe para o estudo de caso. Para endereçar a resposta à pergunta de pesquisa, primeiro é conduzida uma revisão teórica sobre a definição do setor de TICs (FRANSMAN, 2010), a relação com a indústria de telecomunicações e os aspectos que marcam o caso brasileiro. Em segundo, é feita a revisão teórica para as definições constitutivas relacionadas à convergência de indústrias (HACKLIN, F. et al., 2009), cadeia de valor (PORTER, 1985) e rede de valor (PIL e HOLWEG, 2006; MÖLLER e RAJALA, 2007; PARTANEN e MÖLLER, 2012). A partir da constituição teórica e a análise dos dados qualitativos pretende-se aplicar os conceitos ao estudo de caso brasileiro e verificar se há alguma configuração da cadeia de valor que seja referência para melhor lidar com os efeitos da convergência de indústrias. Como ferramenta de coleta de dados serão feitas entrevistas para constituir os aspectos mais relevantes das mudanças causadas pela convergência de indústrias e entender as transformações consequentes para as cadeias de valor.

The value of ISE : main studies and investor perspective

This study has been prepared with the aim of bringing together the main research lines that seek to identify and convey the value of participating in initiatives like the ISE. This document is structured on three major fronts. On the first front, we conducted a survey to collect the main data on SRI trends in the two largest market niches: Europe and the United States, besides results from an MIT research study conducted among executives on the value of sustainability in the current market. Next, we carried out a non-exhaustive survey on academic studies that seek to identify the intangible and tangible gains achieved by companies through their participation in the ISE or related initiatives. Finally, we present the results of a survey done with major Brazilian pension funds aimed at investigating the knowledge of the ISE and how it could be used in their analysis and decision-making process.

Volatility of returns, variations in prices and volume traded: evidence from the main stocks in Brazil

We study the relationship between the volatility and the price of stocks and the impact that variables such as past volatility, financial gearing, interest rates, stock return and turnover have on the present volatility of these securities. The results show the persistent behavior of volatility and the relationship between interest rate and volatility. The results also showed that a reduction in stock prices are associated with an increase in volatility. Finally we found a greater trading volume tends to increase the volatility.

Citizens and the future of multilateralism in a polycentric world at 2030: the perspectives of emerging countries for the trading system: the impasse of WTO, the trends of mega agreements, the logic of value chains and the advent of consumers concerns on international trade

A new paradigm is modeling the World: evolutionary innovations in all fronts, new information technologies, huge mobility of capital, use of risky financial tools, globalization of production, new emerging powers and the impact of consumer concerns on governmental policies. These phenomena are shaping the World and forcing the advent of a new World Order in the Multilateral Monetary, Financial, and Trading System. The effects of this new paradigm are also transforming global governance. The political and economic orders established after the World War and centered on the multilateral model of UN, IMF, World Bank, and the GATT, leaded by the developed countries, are facing significant challenges. The rise of China and emerging countries shifted the old model to a polycentric World, where the governance of these organizations are threatened by emerging countries demanding a bigger participation in the role and decision boards of these international bodies. As a consequence, multilateralism is being confronted by polycentrism. Negotiations for a more representative voting process and the pressure for new rules to cope with the new demands are paralyzing important decisions. This scenario is affecting seriously not only the Monetary and Financial Systems but also the Multilateral Trading System. International trade is facing some significant challenges: a serious deadlock to conclude the last round of the multilateral negotiation at the WTO, the fragmentation of trade rules by the multiplication of preferential and mega agreements, the arrival of a new model of global production and trade leaded by global value chains that is threatening the old trade order, and the imposition of new sets of regulations by private bodies commanded by transnationals to support global value chains and non-governmental organizations to reflect the concerns of consumers in the North based on their precautionary attitude about sustainability of products made in the World. The lack of any multilateral order in this new regulation is creating a big cacophony of rules and developing a new regulatory war of the Global North against the Global South. The objective of this paper is to explore how these challenges are affecting the Tradinge System and how it can evolve to manage these new trends.

5th BRICS Trade and Economic Research Network (TERN) meeting: the impact of mega agreements on BRICS

The BRICS TERN – BRICS Trade and Economics Research Network is a group of independent research institutes established four years ago by five think tanks from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The main objective of the network is to study different aspects of trade and economic relations amongst these five countries. The purpose of the V BRICS TERN Meeting was to analyze and debate the effects of the negotiations of the Mega Agreements, mainly those initiated by the US and the EU, already in negotiation, to each of the BRICS Trade Policies. Both Mega Agreements were examined – the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The studies included the main impacts on trade flows and on the international trade rules system, respecting the perspective of each of the countries concerned. This workshop was an initiative of the Center for Global Trade and Investments (CGTI), a think-tank on International Trade held by FGV Sao Paulo School of Economics. Its main objective is the research on trade regulation, preferential trade agreements, trade and currency, trade and global value chains, through legal analysis and economic modelling. One of its main researches, now, is on the potential economic and legal impacts of the Mega Agreements on Brazil and WTO rules. This meeting was organized in March14, 2014, in Rio de Janeiro, in a perfect timing for introducing such issues in the international agenda, in advance of the 6th BRICS Summit scheduled to be held in Brazil in July 2014.

Natural disasters and their impacts on supply chains

This research aimed to understand how Brazilian organizations, located in areas affected by natural disasters were impacted in their operations and the impacts to their whole supply chain. Based on documentary analysis, the study identified the major events that happened in Brazil between 2003 and 2012 and the most affected supply chains, as well as key players during the disaster and the greatest impacts on economic activities. The results suggest that natural disasters are still not considered in the risk management by companies, despite the effects on their activities

Private label supply chains: a model for competitiveness?

The search for efficiency in supply chains has usually focused on logistic optimization aspects. Initiatives like the ECR are an example. This research questions the appropriateness of this focus comparing detailed cost structures of fifteen consumer products, covering five different product categories. It compares supply chains of private label products, presumably more efficient due to closer collaboration between chain members, to national brands supply chains. The major source of cost differences lies in other indirect costs incurred by the national brands and not directly assignable to advertising. Results indicate that a complete reconception of the supply chain, exploring different governance structures offers greater opportunities for cost savings than the logistic aspect in isolation. Research was done in the UK in 1995-1997, but results are only now publishable due to confidentiality agreements

Functionalization of dendrimers for improved gene delivery to mesenchymal stem cell

Disease, injury, and age problems compromise human quality of life and continuously motivate the search for new and more efficacious therapeutic approaches. The field of Tissue Regeneration and Engineering has greatly evolved over the last years, mainly due to the combination of the important advances verified in Biomaterials Science and Engineering with those of Cell and Molecular Biology. In particular, a new and promising area arose – Nanomedicine – that takes advantage of the extremely small size and especial chemical and physical properties of Nanomaterials, offering powerful tools for health improvement. Research on Stem Cells, the self-renewing progenitors of body tissues, is also challenging to the medical and scientific communities, being expectable the appearance of new and exciting stem cell-based therapies in the next years. The control of cell behavior (namely, of cell proliferation and differentiation) is of key importance in devising strategies for Tissue Regeneration and Engineering. Cytokines, growth factors, transcription factors and other signaling molecules, most of them proteins, have been identified and found to regulate and support tissue development and regeneration. However, the application of these molecules in long-term regenerative processes requires their continuous presence at high concentrations as they usually present short half-lives at physiological conditions and may be rapidly cleared from the body. Alternatively, genes encoding such proteins can be introduced inside cells and be expressed using cell’s machinery, allowing an extended and more sustained production of the protein of interest (gene therapy). Genetic engineering of stem cells is particularly attractive because of their self-renewal capability and differentiation potential. For Tissue Regeneration and Engineering purposes, the patient’s own stem cells can be genetically engineered in vitro and, after, introduced in the body (with or without a scaffold) where they will not only modulate the behavior of native cells (stem cell-mediated gene therapy), but also directly participate in tissue repair. Cells can be genetically engineered using viral and non-viral systems. Viruses, as a result of millions of years of evolution, are very effective for the delivery of genes in several types of cells, including cells from primary sources. However, the risks associated with their use (like infection and immunogenic reactions) are driving the search for non-viral systems that will efficiently deliver genetic material into cells. Among them, chemical methods that are promising and being investigated use cationic molecules as carriers for DNA. In this case, gene delivery and gene expression level remain relatively low when primary cells are used. The main goal of this thesis was to develop and assess the in vitro potential of polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers based carriers to deliver genes to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). PAMAM dendrimers are monodispersive, hyperbranched and nanospherical molecules presenting unique characteristics that make them very attractive vehicles for both drug and gene delivery. Although they have been explored for gene delivery in a wide range of cell lines, the interaction and the usefulness of these molecules in the delivery of genes to MSCs remains a field to be explored. Adult MSCs were chosen for the studies due to their potential biomedical applications (they are considered multipotent cells) and because they present several advantages over embryonic stem cells, such as easy accessibility and the inexistence of ethical restrictions to their use. This thesis is divided in 5 interconnected chapters. Chapter I provides an overview of the current literature concerning the various non-viral systems investigated for gene delivery in MSCs. Attention is devoted to physical methods, as well as to chemical methods that make use of polymers (natural and synthetic), liposomes, and inorganic nanoparticles as gene delivery vectors. Also, it summarizes the current applications of genetically engineered mesenchymal stem cells using non-viral systems in regenerative medicine, with special focus on bone tissue regeneration. In Chapter II, the potential of native PAMAM dendrimers with amine termini to transfect MSCs is evaluated. The level of transfection achieved with the dendrimers is, in a first step, studied using a plasmid DNA (pDNA) encoding for the β-galactosidase reporter gene. The effect of dendrimer’s generation, cell passage number, and N:P ratio (where N= number of primary amines in the dendrimer; P= number of phosphate groups in the pDNA backbone) on the level of transfection is evaluated, being the values always very low. In a second step, a pDNA encoding for bone morphogenetic protein-2, a protein that is known for its role in MSCs proliferation and differentiation, is used. The BMP-2 content produced by transfected cells is evaluated by an ELISA assay and its effect on the osteogenic markers is analyzed through several classical assays including alkaline phosphatase activity (an early marker of osteogenesis), osteocalcin production, calcium deposition and mineralized nodules formation (late osteogenesis markers). Results show that a low transfection level is enough to induce in vitro osteogenic differentiation in MSCs. Next, from Chapter III to Chapter V, studies are shown where several strategies are adopted to change the interaction of PAMAM dendrimers with MSCs cell membrane and, as a consequence, to enhance the levels of gene delivery. In Chapter III, generations 5 and 6 of PAMAM dendrimers are surface functionalized with arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) containing peptides – experiments with dendrimers conjugated to 4, 8 and 16 RGD units were performed. The underlying concept is that by including the RGD integrin-binding motif in the design of the vectors and by forming RGD clusters, the level of transfection will increase as MSCs highly express integrins at their surface. Results show that cellular uptake of functionalized dendrimers and gene expression is enhanced in comparison with the native dendrimers. Furthermore, gene expression is dependent on both the electrostatic interaction established between the dendrimer moiety and the cell surface and the nanocluster RGD density. In Chapter IV, a new family of gene delivery vectors is synthesized consisting of a PAMAM dendrimer (generation 5) core randomly linked at the periphery to alkyl hydrophobic chains that vary in length and number. Herein, the idea is to take advantage of both the cationic nature of the dendrimer and the capacity of lipids to interact with biological membranes. These new vectors show a remarkable capacity for internalizing pDNA, being this effect positively correlated with the –CH2– content present in the hydrophobic corona. Gene expression is also greatly enhanced using the new vectors but, in this case, the higher efficiency is shown by the vectors containing the smallest hydrophobic chains. Finally, chapter V reports the synthesis, characterization and evaluation of novel gene delivery vectors based on PAMAM dendrimers (generation 5) conjugated to peptides with high affinity for MSCs membrane binding - for comparison, experiments are also done with a peptide with low affinity binding properties. These systems present low cytotoxicity and transfection efficiencies superior to those of native dendrimers and partially degraded dendrimers (Superfect®, a commercial product). Furthermore, with this biomimetic approach, the process of gene delivery is shown to be cell surface receptor-mediated. Overall, results show the potential of PAMAM dendrimers to be used, as such or modified, in Tissue Regeneration and Engineering. To our knowledge, this is the first time that PAMAM dendrimers are studied as gene delivery vehicles in this context and using, as target, a cell type with clinical relevancy. It is shown that the cationic nature of PAMAM dendrimers with amine termini can be synergistically combined with surface engineering approaches, which will ultimately result in suitable interactions with the cytoplasmic membrane and enhanced pDNA cellular entry and gene expression. Nevertheless, the quantity of pDNA detected inside cell nucleus is always very small when compared with the bigger amount reaching cytoplasm (accumulation of pDNA is evident in the perinuclear region), suggesting that the main barrier to transfection is the nuclear membrane. Future work can then be envisaged based on the versatility of these systems as biomedical molecular materials, such as the conjugation of PAMAM dendrimers to molecules able to bind nuclear membrane receptors and to promote nuclear translocation.

Comparison of two extraction methods for evaluation of volatile constituents patterns in commercial whiskeys: Elucidation of the main odour-active compounds

An analytical procedure based on manual dynamic headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) method and the conventional extraction method by liquid–liquid extraction (LLE), were compared for their effectiveness in the extraction and quantification of volatile compounds from commercial whiskey samples. Seven extraction solvents covering a wide range of polarities and two SPME fibres coatings, has been evaluated. The highest amounts extracted, were achieved using dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) by LLE method (LLECH2Cl2)(LLECH2Cl2) and using a CAR/PDMS fibre (SPMECAR/PDMS) in HS-SPME. Each method was used to determine the responses of 25 analytes from whiskeys and calibration standards, in order to provide sensitivity comparisons between the two methods. Calibration curves were established in a synthetic whiskey and linear correlation coefficient (r ) were greater than 0.9929 for LLECH2Cl2LLECH2Cl2 and 0.9935 for SPMECAR/PDMS, for all target compounds. Recoveries greater than 80% were achieved. For most compounds, precision (expressed by relative standard deviation, R.S.D.) are very good, with R.S.D. values lower than 14.78% for HS-SPME method and than 19.42% for LLE method. The detection limits ranged from 0.13 to 19.03 μg L−1 for SPME procedure and from 0.50 to 12.48 μg L−1 for LLE. A tentative study to estimate the contribution of a specific compound to the aroma of a whiskey, on the basis of their odour activity values (OAV) was made. Ethyl octanoate followed by isoamyl acetate and isobutyl alcohol, were found the most potent odour-active compounds.