Internationalization strategy of Origama to Brazil

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Vila Galé Hóteis internationalization strategy to Florida, U.S.A.

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Education in primary school as a strategy to control dengue

The proliferation of Aedes aegypti, a species of mosquito that is the vector of the dengue pathogen, is being augmented by the population's lack of care in allowing the formation of larval habitats. One form of controlling dengue is the distribution of information on the mosquito to improve awareness and to provide the means necessary for the elimination of its reproductive habitats. To evaluate a teaching method concerning the vector and dengue, students from the 5th and 6th years of primary education were compared before and after didactic intervention with a group of control students. The students who received intervention were more successful in identifying the stages of the cycle, biological and morphological characteristics of the adult insect and the importance of the mosquito in health issues. The didactic intervention was successful in developing knowledge leading to increased awareness of the importance of preventative measures that should be taken against the vector and the disease.

Internationalization strategy of Quinta dos Termos to the U.S.A.

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Strategy definition of a new business opportunity in mobile-casual gaming: Partnership between Nmusic and Rovio Entertainment Ltd.

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Internationalization Plan - How can UniPlaces improve its customer acquisition strategy in the London market?

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Draft for a Mental Health strategy Lebanon

RESUMO: O Líbano é um pequeno país na costa leste do Mar Mediterrâneo, com uma população de aproximadamente 4.350.000 pessoas, incluindo 1,5 milhões de refugiados, 400 mil dos quais são palestinos atendidos pela UNRWA (Agência das Nações Unidas de Socorro aos Refugiados da Palestina) (UNHCR, 2013; OMS, 2010a). Desde 2012, um excedente de 1.000.000 refugiados sírios cruzaram a fronteira com o Líbano, representando um aumento populacional de aproximadamente 25%. Além disso, entre 1975 e 1990, a violenta guerra civil pela qual o Líbano passou, destruiu grande parte da infra-estrutura do país, incluindo os serviços de saúde. O sector da saúde, mais especificamente os serviços de saúde mental, é majoritariamente privado. Serviços especializados em Saúde Mental estão disponíveis em três hospitais psiquiátricos privados, e em 4 unidades psiquiátricas de hospitais gerais, que estão localizados centralmente em torno da capital, Beirute. O Líbano é um dos dois únicos países da região que não tem uma Política de Saúde Mental e um dos seis países que não têm uma Legislação em Saúde Mental. Nos últimos anos, a Saúde Mental está sendo colocada no topo da agenda nacional, apesar das contínuas questões políticas e de segurança. Baseando-se nas informações acima, um projecto de estratégia em Saúde Mental, conduzido pelo Ministério da Saúde e apoiado pela OMS, foi escrito para servir como um guia para trabalhar em diferentes aspectos relacionados tanto em saúde mental quanto em organização dos serviços, revisão de legislação, financiamento e proteção dos direitos humanos básicos dos usuários do serviço. Esta tese descreve o processo pelo qual o projecto de estratégia nacional de Saúde Mental foi desenvolvido, seus principais componentes, os próximos passos a serem tomados para a sua implementação, os desafios e as oportunidades para implementá-lo e propõe alguns passos iniciais a serem tomados em primeiro lugar.----------ABSTRACT: Lebanon is a small country on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea with a population of approximately 4,350,000 including 1,500,000 refugees, 400,000 of whom are Palestinians served by UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) (UNHCR, 2013; WHO, 2010a). Since 2012 an excess of 1,000,000 Syrian refugees have crossed the border into Lebanon accounting for approximately 25% increase in the population. In addition, from 1975 to 1990 Lebanon underwent a violent civil war that had also destroyed much of the country infrastructure including health services. The health sector, more so the mental health services, is mostly private. Specialized Mental Health services are available at three private mental hospitals, and 4 psychiatric units within general hospitals, which are located centrally around the capital, Beirut. Lebanon is one of only two countries of the region that does not have a Mental Health policy and one out of the six countries that does not have a Mental Health legislation. In recent years, Mental Health is getting placed higher on the national agenda despite the ever continuing political and security issues. Based on the above, A Mental Health strategy draft, lead by the Ministry of Health and supported by WHO, was written to serve as a guide to work on different aspects related to Mental Health from service organization, to the revision of legislation, financing and the protection of the basic human rights of service users. This thesis describes the process through which the national Mental Health draft strategy was developed, its main components, the next steps to be taken for its implementation, the challenges and the opportunities to implementing it and proposes a few initial steps to be taken first.

Life cycle and reproductive patterns of Triatoma rubrovaria (Blanchard, 1843) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) under constant and fluctuating conditions of temperature and humidity

The aim of this study was to evaluate the temperature and relative humidity influence in the life cycle, mortality and fecundity patterns of Triatoma rubrovaria. Four cohorts with 60 recently laid eggs each were conformed. The cohorts were divided into two groups. In the controlled conditions group insects were maintained in a dark climatic chamber under constant temperature and humidity, whereas triatomines of the ambiental temperature group were maintained at room temperature. Average incubation time was 15.6 days in the controlled conditions group and 19.1 days in the ambiental temperature. In group controlled conditions the time from egg to adult development lasted 10 months while group ambiental temperature took four months longer. Egg eclosion rate was 99.1% and 98.3% in controlled conditions and ambiental temperature, respectively. Total nymphal mortality in controlled conditions was 52.6% whereas in ambiental temperature was 51.8%. Mean number of eggs/female was 817.6 controlled conditions and 837.1 ambiental temperature. Fluctuating temperature and humidity promoted changes in the life cycle duration and in the reproductive performance of this species, although not in the species mortality.

Strategy of Logoplaste in Mozambique's flexible plastic packaging industry

Logoplaste is a specialist in operating in-house industrial sites for manufacturing rigid plastic packaging containers. In developing countries, especially in Africa, the low income of consumers does not allow a widespread adoption of products typically sold in rigid plastic containers. In these countries the flexible packages are usually adopted as they allow for better ratios of cost/litter of product, particularly in smaller packages. Should Logoplaste offer this type of technology in order to expand into developing countries?

Enhancing and implementing a pairs trading strategy

This paper designs a pairs trading model with the intent to identify existing profitable market opportunities to invest, i.e. traditionally strong correlated stocks that have diverged from its historical norm. It comprises a broad literature review on this strategy whose relevant findings (strategy improvements) are contemplated in the model. The authors combine the statistical results of the model with a backtesting analysis in order to provide guidance on the best investment opportunities.

Health-related quality of life in patients with Chagas disease

INTRODUCTION: Chagas disease (ChD) is a chronic illness related to significant morbidity and mortality that can affect the quality of life (QoL) of infected patients. However, there are few studies regarding QoL in ChD. The objectives of this study are to construct a health-related QoL (HRQoL) profile of ChD patients and compare this with a non-ChD (NChD) group to identify factors associated with the worst HRQoL scores in ChD patients. METHODS: HRQoL was investigated in 125 patients with ChD and 21 NChD individuals using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form (SF-36) and the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLWHFQ). Patients were submitted to a standard protocol that included clinical examination, ECG, Holter monitoring, Doppler echocardiogram and autonomic function tests. RESULTS: HRQoL scores were significantly worse among the ChD group compared to the NChD group in the SF-36 domains of physical functioning and role-emotional and in the MLWHFQ scale. For the ChD group, univariate analysis showed that HRQoL score quartiles were associated with level of education, sex, marital status, use of medication, functional classification and cardiovascular and gastrointestinal symptoms. In the multivariate analysis, female sex, fewer years of education, single status, worst functional classification, presence of cardiovascular and gastrointestinal symptoms, associated illnesses, Doppler echocardiographic abnormalities and ventricular arrhythmia detected during Holter monitoring were predictors of lower HRQoL scores. CONCLUSIONS: ChD patients showed worse HRQoL scores compared to NChD. For the ChD group, sociodemographic and clinical variables were associated with worst scores.

The impact of leprosy on health-related quality of life

INTRODUCTION: Leprosy is a potentially disabling infectious disease that evolves into emotional issues due to the prejudice that persists about the illness. The endemic has declined substantially with multidrug therapy (MDT) in the 80's; however, new demands associated with the reduction of stigma and the improvement of the affected people's quality of life have emerged. In Brazil, leprosy is still a public health problem. Piauí is the second state in the Northeast in prevalence and detection, and Teresina is a hyperendemic city. This study aimed to analyze the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of people in treatment for leprosy in Teresina/PI. METHODS: An observational study was conducted using the SF-36 (a specific questionnaire for assessing quality of life), which sought the determinants of poor quality of life among people with leprosy, outlining the sociodemographic, clinical, and epidemiological characteristics of the 107 patients interviewed. RESULTS: The correlations between the variables showed five determinants of HRQoL: late diagnosis, multibacillary forms, reactions, disability diagnosis grade II, and prejudice. The profile of the participants showed that leprosy still affects the lower social classes in historically endemic areas, causing high percentages of secondary injuries that compromise the work capacity and quality of life of the affected people, perpetuating the stigma associated with the disease. CONCLUSIONS: The study reinforces the need to implement more effective strategies of disease control, due to the development of severe and disabling forms of leprosy is directly related to poor HRQoL in the same cured patient.

Internationalization strategy of Skypro Shoes to Japan

Skypro is a footwear brand targeted at the aviation professionals’ niche market, explored by the Portuguese microenterprise Abotoa Lda..The saturation of the Portuguese market led Skypro to expand to different worldwide countries and to be a footwear supplier of Airlines from the USA, Qatar or Australia, among others. Abotoa aims for its 2014’s exports to represent around 80% of total sales and this Internationalization Plan for Japan represents the possibility of further exploring the Asian market. Japan appears as the 2nd worldwide footwear importer and the 5th footwear consumer, with a high purchasing power – GDP per capita (PPP). This country possesses two enormous Airlines (ANA and JAL) that employ more than 15000 on-board personnel, the world’s 4th busiest Airport in 2013 (Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport) and a geographic structure with more than 6500 islands, implying high frequency of aerial transportation in the medium-run. These aspects make Japan an adequate country to invest in. At the course of this Work Project, trustworthy recommendations are provided for the current state of Abotoa and for the introduction and implementation of this Internationalization Plan. These findings strongly suggest that Skypro should indeed penetrate Japan’s market.