MEDIDAS DE NÚCLEO INFLACIONARIO PARA COSTA RICA

En este documento se elaboran y evalúan medidas alternativas de núcleo inflacionario para Costa Rica. La idea fundamental contempla al núcleo inflacionario como un indicador de la tendencia subyacente de la inflación capaz de capturar el componente del cambio total de precios común a todos los bienes y servicios, cuya persistencia se mantendría en el mediano y largo plazo y que excluye los cambios en los precios relativos de estos. La medida de núcleo inflacionario seleccionada se contrasta con el Índice de Núcleo Inflacionario (INI), indicador de inflación subyacente actualmente utilizado por el Banco Central de Costa Rica (BCCR).El Índice Subyacente de Inflación (ISI), definido como una medida de núcleo inflacionario que excluye un 30,7% del peso total del Índice de Precios al Consumidor (IPC), refleja más fielmente la tendencia subyacente de la inflación y logra capturar el movimiento más permanente del nivel general de precios, aislando las variaciones en precios relativos. Además, el ISI es fácil de calcular e interpretar lo cual ayuda a incrementar la transparencia y credibilidad de la política monetaria. También es un indicador oportuno, aumentando su valor para los que formulan la política monetaria. Por último, el ISI supera algunas de las limitaciones del INI, como son la falta de un criterio estadístico para definir el punto de corte de los bienes y servicios a excluir y el alto porcentaje del peso total del IPC eliminado. AbstractThis paper builds and evaluates several alternative measures of core inflation for Costa Rica. The chosen measure of core inflation is contrasted with the core inflation index (INI), which is the indicator of underlying inflation used today by the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR). The main idea is that core inflation is a good indicator of the underlying inflation and catches the part of overall price change common to all the goods and services that is expected to persist in the medium-term and long-term, and excludes changes in the relative prices of goods and services.The Underlying Inflation Index (ISI) is defined as a measure of core inflation which excludes 30,7% of the total weight of the Consumer Price Index (IPC), it is the most closely related with inflation´s underlying trend and catches the component of overall price change that is expected to persist in the general level of prices. Furthermore, the ISI is easy to compute and to follow, increasing the transparency and credibility of monetary policy and moreover is an timely indicator increasing its value for the monetary policy makers. Finally, the ISI exceed some limitations of INI, as the absence of statistic criterion to define the cutting point of goods and services to exclude and the high percent of total weight eliminated of IPC.

Europeanization beyond the EU: The case of Georgia.

320 p.

La compra de pintura por parte del maestro de obra: elementos cognitivos, afectivos, conductuales y de entorno

RESUMEN: A pesar del posicionamiento que la marca Pintuco tiene entre los consumidores, su participación en el mercado nacional viene cayendo en los últimos años. El presente trabajo aporta elementos para mejorar esta situación por medio de una mayor fidelización de los maestros de obra, en su calidad de influenciadores del proceso de compra de pintura. El objetivo de este trabajo es identificar los factores que influyen en este proceso y la relación que el maestro de obra tiene con la pintura a nivel cognitivo, afectivo, conductual y de entorno, usando técnicas como las metáforas de Zaltman, la cadena de medios y fines, y la observación etnográfica. El trabajo muestra que el maestro de obra se ve a sí mismo como un artista y un experto deseoso de compartir sus conocimientos con sus compañeros y ayudantes. También se identificaron los principales valores asociados a la pintura y a la labor de pintar, tales como el reconocimiento por parte de los clientes, la credibilidad, y la estabilidad para su familia al conseguir más clientes. Finalmente se vio un alto interés por el precio en el punto de venta. Es así como se proponen en tres estrategias para fidelizar a este grupo en torno a su experticia y necesidad de reconocimiento, estabilidad familiar y credibilidad: La Escuela del Maestro Pintuco, el plan de Maestro Recomendado Pintuco, y los Puntos de Venta Certificados Pintuco.

"Policy externalisation" inherent failure : international financial institutions' conditionality in developing countries

Conditionalities – i.e. ‘exchanging finance for policy reform’ in an asymmetrical relationship between the ‘donor’ and the ‘recipient’ – are central mechanisms of the reform programmes of international financial institutions (IFIs). As they are imposed by outside entities, they can also be viewed as ‘policy externalisation’, which is paradoxically a massive intrusion in the shaping of a country’s domestic policies. The resilience of such devices is remarkable, however. Indeed, in the early 1980s, many developing countries were facing balance of payments difficulties and called upon these international financial institutions for financial relief. In exchange for this relief, they devised economic reforms (fiscal, financial, monetary), which were the conditions for their lending. These reforms were not associated with better economic performance, and this led the IFIs to devise in the 1990s different reforms, which this time targeted the functioning of the government and its ‘governance’, economic problems being explained by governments’ characteristics (e.g., rent-seekers). The paper demonstrates the limitations of the device of conditionality, which is a crucial theoretical and policy issue given its stability across time and countries. These limitations stem from: i) the concept of conditionality per se - the mechanism of exchanging finance for reform; ii) the contents of the prescribed reforms given developing countries economic structure (typically commodity-based export structures) and the weakness of the concept of ‘governance’ in view of these countries’ political economies; and iii) the intrinsic linkages between economic and political conditionalities, whose limitations thus retroact on each other, in particular regarding effectiveness and credibility.

The Arduous Process of Climate Change Negotiations: How Science Can Facilitate the Desired Outcome

Effective interaction between climate science and policy is important for moving climate negotiations forward to reach an ambitious global climate change deal. Lack of progress in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations during recent years is a good reason for taking a closer look at the process of climate science–policy interaction to identify and eliminate existing shortcomings hindering climate policymaking. This paper examines the current state of climate science–policy interaction and suggests ways to integrate scientific input into the UNFCCC process more effectively. Suggestions relate to improvement in institutional structures, processes and procedures of the UNFCCC and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), quality of scientific input, credibility of scientific message and public awareness of climate change.

Atitudes dos leitores de blogues de moda e beleza perante as publicações patrocinadas : intenção de compra e eWOM

Mestrado em Marketing

Perceções e atitude acerca da publicidade nas redes sociais e nos motores de pesquisa : uma análise comparativa

Mestrado em Marketing

Satisfação na educação à distância em uma disciplina semipresencial na área de saúde

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, 2016.

Prosecutors' perspectives on clarifying sexual acts in child abuse interviews

For the successful prosecution of child sexual abuse offences, investigative interviews of alleged victims must establish beyond reasonable doubt the nature of each sexual offence alleged. One limitation of interviews from an evidential (prosecution) perspective is that they often include unnecessary questions about sexual acts, which risk damaging the witness's credibility in the eyes of the jury. The aim of this study, using focus group methodology, was to elicit further guidance from prosecutors about when, and how, interviewers should clarify details about sexual acts. Overall, the prosecutors advised that three factors need to be considered before asking clarifying questions: whether the detail already provided by the witness would be clear to juries; the developmental age of the child; and the strength of the evidence available to support the allegations. These findings and their implications for investigative interviewers are discussed.

World heritage: alternative futures

In 2009, the General Assembly of States Parties to the 1972 Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (commonly known as the World Heritage Convention) established an open‐ended working group to debate, reflect on, and strategize for the future of the convention. Since that time, an array of scenarios for alternative directions has been discussed. At its fortieth anniversary celebration in Kyoto in 2012, the World Heritage Convention was referred to by many speakers as having reached a crossroads, a juncture at which a decisive path toward its future sustainability, credibility, and long‐term viability needs to be selected (Vujicic‐Lugassy 2013). Lengthy lists of challenges and gaps highlighted the shortcomings of the World Heritage Convention after four decades of implementation, and these now feature equally in contemporary discourses alongside those that refer to the convention’s enormous success and flagship status within UNESCO.While the World Heritage Convention’s popularity seems likely to increase, along with pressure for new World Heritage listings, the original intent of its authors – mutual support for conservation and international cooperation towards this end – seems to have shifted out of focus. In a time of growing utilization rather than implementation of the convention, its credibility is critically at stake.

Reasons and remedies for under-representation of women in medical leadership roles: a qualitative study from Australia

OBJECTIVE: To elicit medical leaders' views on reasons and remedies for the under-representation of women in medical leadership roles.

DESIGN: Qualitative study using semistructured interviews with medical practitioners who work in medical leadership roles. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis.

SETTING: Public hospitals, private healthcare providers, professional colleges and associations and government organisations in Australia.

PARTICIPANTS: 30 medical practitioners who hold formal medical leadership roles.

RESULTS: Despite dramatic increases in the entry of women into medicine in Australia, there remains a gross under-representation of women in formal, high-level medical leadership positions. The male-dominated nature of medical leadership in Australia was widely recognised by interviewees. A small number of interviewees viewed gender disparities in leadership roles as a 'natural' result of women's childrearing responsibilities. However, most interviewees believed that preventable gender-related barriers were impeding women's ability to achieve and thrive in medical leadership roles. Interviewees identified a range of potential barriers across three broad domains-perceptions of capability, capacity and credibility. As a counter to these, interviewees pointed to a range of benefits of women adopting these roles, and proposed a range of interventions that would support more women entering formal medical leadership roles.

CONCLUSIONS: While women make up more than half of medical graduates in Australia today, significant barriers restrict their entry into formal medical leadership roles. These constraints have internalised, interpersonal and structural elements that can be addressed through a range of strategies for advancing the role of women in medical leadership. These findings have implications for individual medical practitioners and health services, as well as professional colleges and associations.

Mechanisms of influence: alcohol industry submissions to the inquiry into fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Industry groups with vested interests in policy regularly work to protect their profits via the endorsement of ineffective voluntary regulation and interventions, extensive lobbying activity and minimising the health impact of consumption behaviours. This study aims to examine all alcohol industry submissions to the Australian House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs into Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), to assist in understanding how those with vested interests contribute to policy development. The analysis aims to document the strategies and arguments used by alcohol industry bodies in their submissions and to compare these with known strategies of vested-interest groups. DESIGN AND METHODS: All 92 submissions to the Inquiry were screened to include only those submitted by alcohol industry bodies (five submissions). Content domains were derived based on the major themes emerging from the industry submissions and on common vested-interest behaviours identified in previous literature. RESULTS: The following content categories were identified: Concerns about FASD; Current industry activities and FASD prevention; Value of mandatory warning labels; and Credibility of independent public health researchers and organisations. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol industry submissions sought to undermine community concern, debate the evidence, promote ineffective measure which are no threat to the profit margins and attack independent health professionals and researchers. In doing so, their behaviour is entirely consistent with their responses to other issues, such as violence and chronic health, and copies the tactics employed by the tobacco industry.

Not just a fisherman's wife : women's contribution to health and wellbeing in commercial fishing

OBJECTIVE: To explore the role of women in fishing industry organisations and communities in promoting best-practice health behaviours among fishers in Australia. DESIGN: This paper reports aspects of research that examined how the fishing industry can best support physical health and mental well-being of fishers. The study employed a mixed-methods, multisite case study approach. Data were gathered from face-to-face and phone interactions. SETTING: Two sites in Victoria and one in Western Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-one male fishers, including commercial licence owners, skippers, deckhands, three female family members, three fishing association representatives, one local government representative, two health care providers, and three regional health planning and funding bodies. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Not applicable. RESULTS: Often unrecognised, women associated with the fishing industry are integral to the promotion of good health for fishers. They are key to identifying health issues (particularly mental health issues) and proposing community-based health and well-being strategies. They often do so by incorporating health information and activities into 'soft entry points' - informal, non-health service mechanisms by which fishers can access health information and health services. CONCLUSIONS: While not working at the industry coalface, women have a stake, and are key players, in the commercial fishing industry. Their knowledge of, and credibility within, fishing enterprises makes them valuable sources of information about health issues facing the industry and effective strategies to address them. This expertise should be applied in conjunction with industry associations and health providers to achieve better health outcomes for fishers and their families.

A guide to clarifying evidence in Australian child forensic interviews

Purpose – Interviewing victims of child sex abuse requires considerable care in order to minimise error. Due to children’s heightened suggestibility any question asked of a child could potentially incite error that could undermine the witness’s credibility. A focus group was conducted in order to facilitate the development of guidance for interviewers around the circumstances in which it is necessary to ask children follow-up questions in an interview. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach – Seven Crown prosecutors representing every Australian state and territory (with the exception of one small state) were issued with 25 hypothetical narrative accounts of child abuse and asked to indicate what information, if any, required follow-up in the child’s narrative. Their responses and rationale for requiring following up in some cases and not others were discussed.

Findings – Thematic analysis revealed three recommendations to guide questioning: whether the case involved identification or recognition evidence; the presence of contextual features that may influence the witness’s memory, or that should trigger a particular line of questioning; and whether the information can or should be sought at a later stage by the trial prosecutor, rather than by the interviewer. Practical implications – The recommendations are discussed within the context of their implications for interviewing, that is, how each recommendation could be implemented in practice.

Originality/value – The present study extends prior literature by elucidating principles to guide decision making across interview topic areas. The need for such guidance is highlighted by research suggesting that topics such as offender identity, offence time and place, and witnesses are a source of overzealous questioning in interviews.

Shining the light on the dark side of medical leadership - a qualitative study in Australia

Purpose The paper aims to explore the beliefs of doctors in leadership roles of the concept of "the dark side", using data collected from interviews carried out with 45 doctors in medical leadership roles across Australia. The paper looks at the beliefs from the perspectives of doctors who are already in leadership roles themselves; to identify potential barriers they might have encountered and to arrive at better-informed strategies to engage more doctors in the leadership of the Australian health system. The research question is: "What are the beliefs of medical leaders that form the key themes or dimensions of the negative perception of the 'dark side'?". Design/methodology/approach The paper analysed data from two similar qualitative studies examining medical leadership and engagement in Australia by the same author, in collaboration with other researchers, which used in-depth semi-structured interviews with 45 purposively sampled senior medical leaders in leadership roles across Australia in health services, private and public hospitals, professional associations and health departments. The data were analysed using deductive and inductive approaches through a coding framework based on the interview data and literature review, with all sections of coded data grouped into themes. Findings Medical leaders had four key beliefs about the "dark side" as perceived through the eyes of their own past clinical experience and/or their clinical colleagues. These four beliefs or dimensions of the negative perception colloquially known as "the dark side" are the belief that they lack both managerial and clinical credibility, they have confused identities, they may be in conflict with clinicians, their clinical colleagues lack insight into the complexities of medical leadership and, as a result, doctors are actively discouraged from making the transition from clinical practice to medical leadership roles in the first place. Research limitations/implications This research was conducted within the Western developed-nation setting of Australia and only involved interviews with doctors in medical leadership roles. The findings are therefore limited to the doctors' own perceptions of themselves based on their past experiences and beliefs. Future research involving doctors who have not chosen to transition to leadership roles, or other health practitioners in other settings, may provide a broader perspective. Also, this research was exploratory and descriptive in nature using qualitative methods, and quantitative research can be carried out in the future to extend this research for statistical generalisation. Practical implications The paper includes implications for health organisations, training providers, medical employers and health departments and describes a multi-prong strategy to address this important issue. Originality/value This paper fulfils an identified need to study the concept of "moving to the dark side" as a negative perception of medical leadership and contributes to the evidence in this under-researched area. This paper has used data from two similar studies, combined together for the first time, with new analysis and coding, looking at the concept of the "dark side" to discover new emergent findings.