The role of guarantees in pension plan design: Pension saving decisions

This study centers on the assessment of psychological value of guarantees in pension products and the behavior biases associated with choice. When a guarantee on a product increases from 99% to 99,5% less than half of respondents show willingness to pay in contrast with 73% when going from 99,5% to 100%. Out of 105 respondents, 55 show that their choices concerning pension products are inconsistent with classic utility theory. Financial background proves insignificant thus pointing to behavioral biases. As individuals make choices that leave them worse-off, we argue that pension plan design would highly benefit from public policy interventions.

Caraterização metrológica de contadores de micro caudal

Nas últimas décadas, as empresas têm sido sujeitas a uma maior concorrência, ao desenvolvimento tecnológico mais acelerado e a novos desafios no que respeita à qualidade. A Metrologia deverá assim acompanhar estas tendências do mercado. O Departamento de Metrologia (DMET) do Instituto Português da Qualidade, I.P. (IPQ) tem vindo a desenvolver esforços significativos que visam a melhoria contínua das técnicas e dos processos de medição e de calibração realizados nos laboratórios. A presente dissertação de mestrado foi realizada no Laboratório de Volume e Caudal (LVC) do DMET. Os objetivos iniciais do trabalho centraram-se na caraterização metrológica de contadores de fluidos, tendo como base a medição do caudal, utilizando como método de referência o método gravimétrico. De forma a validar o sistema de medição foram realizados ensaios entre 1 mL/h a 100 mL/h, em condições de reprodutibilidade, com dois sistemas padrão distintos de acordo com o caudal a ensaiar. Em todos os ensaios efetuados foi necessário monitorizar as condições ambientais, i.e. temperatura, pressão atmosférica, humidade relativa e a temperatura do líquido padrão, para a aplicação das correções necessárias. Outro feito importante foi a caraterização das fontes de incerteza, que permitiram caraterizar o resultado das medições. A metodologia utilizada para a avaliação e para a estimativa da incerteza de medição encontra-se descrita no Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM). Neste projeto foram contempladas fontes de incerteza como as associadas à evaporação, à impulsão do tubo, à resolução da balança, entre outras. Com os resultados obtidos foi possível elaborar um procedimento técnico para a Calibração de Caudalímetros de Líquidos. Os resultados obtidos permitiram garantir a rastreabilidade das medições de caudal de líquidos ao SI, essencial para a calibração de equipamentos no Laboratório Nacional de Metrologia (LNM) do IPQ, nomeadamente para micro caudalímetros no intervalo de medição entre 0,12 mL/h e 600 mL/h.

Has the time for renewables finally arrived? – An event study on EPA’s Clean Power Plan

The recent proposals presented by EPA aimed to reduce the dependency of fossil fuels and to lower current emissions levels, hoping to gradually shift electric generation units to renewable energy sources. Actually, the Final Rule Proposal announcement day exhibited a negative Abnormal Return on Fossil Fuels but the following days had positive Abnormal Returns, mostly due to legislative change perceived by financial markets which eased up implementation periods of the proposed measures in the Final Rule when compared to the Draft Rule. Oppositely, Renewables and Solar Portfolios exhibited negative Cumulative Abnormal Returns over the period surrounding the Final Rule.

Marketing plan for online aqctivity of Rota Vicentina boosting direct website sales

The nature tourism experienced a great expansion of its market with the appearance of different lifestyles. In this Work Project a study regarding the website direct sales of Rota Vicentina was developed. Its website shows the idea of being solely an information structure and not a purchase one, leading to a current absence of online sales. Hence, it is suggested the modification of its business model, using different instruments and channels. Some digital marketing recommendations were developed in order to boost website sales, such as a platform for online reviews, remarketing campaigns and social media activity.

Kwafina: Internationalization plan

This Work Project develops a possible suggestion of how and where Kwafina, an Angolan firm, should internationalize to the European food market. The proposed methodology is used for identifying potential foreign markets and to identify the entry mode that best fits the firm’s strategy. Screening, identification, and selection characterize the three stages in the evaluation of potential foreign markets and the identification of possible entry modes are based on the proposed theoretical framework.

Land of the rising soy an internationalization plan for nutre to the Japanese Soy milk market

The present work project studies the next step in the internationalization process of Shoyce, the soy milk products brand of Nutre. In order to select the best target market in the Asia-Pacific for Nutre to export, a sequential screening process was developed using two complementary approaches: preliminary country screening and country ranking, followed by an in-depth analysis of the country ranking first. The analysis revealed Japan as the most attractive country for Shoyce’s international expansion. Potential entry modes in the Japanese soy milk market were then evaluated, whereby direct exporting via a local distributor was found to be the most appropriate.

Customer relationship management plan for wrike

Achieving long-term success for companies includes providing customers with exceptional products and ser-vices. It implies investing in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and building a plan of its implementation. This issue is addressed in present Work Project by conducting interviews with top-management of Wrike and sur-vey with other employees which showed there is space for improvement of company’s current CRM. Results give insights of CRM in Wrike and are the basis of CRM plan proposal. The key effect of the proposed plan can be seen in the increase of the customer’s value and consequently result in Return on Customers.

Distributed solar micro generation

Taking into account the fact that the sun’s radiation is estimated to be enough to cover 10.000 times the world’s total energy needs (BRAKMANN & ARINGHOFF, 2003), it is difficult to understand how solar photovoltaic systems (PV) are still such a small part of the energy source matrix across the globe. Though there is an ongoing debate as to whether energy consumption leads to economic growth or whether it is the other way around, the two variables appear correlated and it is clear that ensuring the availability of energy to match a country’s growth targets is one of the prime concerns for any government. The topic of centralized vs distributed electricity generation is also approached, especially in what regards the latter fit to developing countries needs, namely the lack of investment capabilities and infrastructure, scattered population, and other factors. Finally, Brazil’s case is reviewed, showing that the current cost of electricity from the grid versus the cost from PV solutions still places an investment of this nature with 9 to 16 years to reach breakeven (from a 25 year panel lifespan), which is too high compared to the required 4 years for most Brazilians. Still, recently passed legislation opened the door, even if unknowingly, to the development of co-owned solar farms, which could reduce the implementation costs by as much as 20% and hence reduce the number of years to breakeven by 3 years.

Connect to success- consulting program of the U.S. embassy Lisbon creation of a business plan for “Quinta dos I’s”

The purpose of this project is to analyse and evaluate if the rural tourism cottage Quinta dos I’s will be profitable within the first five years of operation. It starts with a brief description of the business, followed by an industry analysis of the rural tourism market in Portugal and an intensive competitor analysis to evaluate Quinta dos I’s’ competitive advantages. The project then defines a marketing plan to generate awareness and establish the cottage in the market. Finally, a financial analysis is performed to examine the outcome of Quinta dos I’s’ recommended strategic activities. The results of this project show that the cottage is profitable after the first year of operation and expects to grow annually.

Finest business plan

Field lab: Entrepreneurial and business ventures