Expatriates recruitment and selection for long-term international assignments in portuguese companies

Long-term international assignments’ increase requires more attention being paid for the preparation of these foreign assignments, especially on the recruitment and selection process of expatriates. This article explores how the recruitment and selection process of expatriates is developed in Portuguese companies, examining the main criteria on recruitment and selection of expatriates’ decision to send international assignments. The paper is based on qualitative case studies of companies located in Portugal. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews of 42 expatriates and 18 organisational representatives as well from nine Portuguese companies. The findings show that the most important criteria are: (1) trust from managers, (2) years in service, (3) previous technical and language competences, (4) organisational knowledge and, (5) availability. Based on the findings, the article discusses in detail the main theoretical and managerial implications. Suggestions for further research are also presented.

The influence of pre-departure training on expatriate adjustment: an empirical investigation with portuguese international assignees

This chapter examines the cross-cultural influence of training on the adjustment of international assignees. We focus on the pre-departure training (PDT) before an international assignment. It is an important topic because in the globalized world of today more and more expatriations are needed. The absence of PDT may generate the failure of the expatriation experience. Companies may neglect PDT due to cost reduction practices and ignorance of the need for it. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews to 42 Portuguese international assignees and 18 organizational representatives from nine Portuguese companies. The results suggest that companies should develop PDT programs, particularly when the cultural distance to the host country is bigger and when there is no previous experience of expatriation to that country in the company. The study is original because it details in depth the methods of PDT, its problems, and consequences. Some limitations linked to the research design and detailed in the conclusion should be overcome in future studies.

Privatization in an international mixed duopoly with environmental taxes

We study the effects of environmental and trade policies in an international duopoly serving two countries, with pollution abatement. This analysis is done in both mixed and privatized markets. The model has two stages: First, governments choose environmental taxes and import tariffs, simultaneously; then, the firms compete in the market by choosing output levels for the domestic market and to export and also abatement levels.

China's space program : a new tool for PRC "soft power" in international relations?

When China launched an anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon in January 2007 to destroy one of its inactive weather satellites, most reactions from academics and U.S. space experts focused on a potential military “space race” between the United States and China. Overlooked, however, is China’s growing role as global competitor on the non-military side of space. China’s space program goes far beyond military counterspace applications and manifests manned space aspirations, including lunar exploration. Its pursuit of both commercial and scientific international space ventures constitutes a small, yet growing, percentage of the global space launch and related satellite service industry. It also highlights China’s willingness to cooperate with nations far away from Asia for political and strategic purposes. These partnerships may constitute a challenge to the United States and enhance China’s “soft power” among key American allies and even in some regions traditionally dominated by U.S. influence (e.g., Latin America and Africa). Thus, an appropriate U.S. response may not lie in a “hard power” counterspace effort but instead in a revival of U.S. space outreach of the past, as well as implementation of more business-friendly export control policies.

Expatriates’ influence on knowledge sharing: an empirical study with International portuguese companies

Despite the abundant literature in knowledge management, few empirical studies have explored knowledge management in connection with international assignees. This phenomenon has a special relevance in the Portuguese context, since (a) there are no empirical studies concerning this issue that involves international Portuguese companies; (b) the national business reality is incipient as far as internationalisation is concerned, and; (c) the organisational and national culture presents characteristics that are distinctive from the most highly studied contexts (e.g., Asia, USA, Scandinavian countries, Spain, France, The Netherlands, Germany, England and Russia). We examine the role of expatriates in transfer and knowledge sharing within the Portuguese companies with operations abroad. We focus specifically on expatriates’ role on knowledge sharing connected to international Portuguese companies and our findings take into account organizational representatives’ and expatriates’ perspectives. Using a comparative case study approach, we examine how three main dimensions influence the role of expatriates in knowledge sharing among headquarters and their subsidiaries (types of international assignment, reasons for using expatriation and international assignment characteristics). Data were collected using semi‐structured interviews to 30 Portuguese repatriates and 14 organizational representatives from seven Portuguese companies. The findings suggest that the reasons that lead Portuguese companies to expatriating employees are connected to: (1) business expansion needs; (2) control of international operations and; (3) transfer and knowledge sharing. Our study also shows that Portuguese companies use international assignments in order to positively respond to the increasingly decaying domestic market in the economic areas in which they operate. Evidence also reveals that expatriation is seen as a strategy to fulfill main organizational objectives through their expatriates (e.g., business internationalization, improvement of the coordination and control level of the units/subsidiaries abroad, replication of aspects of the home base, development and incorporation of new organizational techniques and processes). We also conclude that Portuguese companies have developed an International Human Resources Management strategy, based on an ethnocentric approach, typically associated with companies in early stages of internationalization, i.e., the authority and decision making are centered in the home base. Expatriates have a central role in transmitting culture and technical knowledge from company’s headquarters to the company’s branches. Based on the findings, the article will discuss in detail the main theoretical and managerial implications. Suggestions for further research will also be presented.

Os custos das fracturas de etiologia osteoporótica em mulheres : institucionalização na Rede Nacional de Cuidados Continuados (RNCCI) e lares de 3ª idade

RESUMO - Contexto: A osteoporose é uma doença sistémica associada à diminuição da resistência óssea que condiciona o aparecimento de fracturas por traumatismos de baixa energia as quais reduzem em muitos casos a esperança e a qualidade de vida, implicando um elevado número de horas de dedicação dos cuidadores e conduzindo, em muitos casos, à necessidade de institucionalização dos doentes. Em Portugal, ocorrem cerca de 40.000 fracturas anualmente, das quais 8.500 do fémur proximal, que se estima consumirem mais de 50 milhões de euros só em cuidados hospitalares1. Objectivo: Avaliar o impacto económico da institucionalização na Rede Nacional de Cuidados Continuados Integrados e Lares da 3ª idade por fractura de etiologia osteoporótica em mulheres no ano 2009, em Portugal. Métodos: O estudo começa por analisar sucintamente os aspectos clínicos, sociais e epidemiológicos da osteoporose, focando a perda de autonomia e qualidade de vida dos doentes vítimas deste episódio e a subsequente necessidade de institucionalização. Descrevem-se os custos associados à institucionalização na RNCCI, em Portugal, ano 2009, utilizando como fonte principal a base de dados da instituição “Gestcare CCI”, complementada com dados da literatura. Apuram-se os custos totais associados ao encaminhamento dos doentes para Lares de 3ª Idade em Portugal no ano 2009, utilizando-se informação proveniente de um painel de Delphi modificado e dados da literatura. A valorização dos recursos tem por base os preços em vigor no território nacional, expressos nos decretos-lei devidamente referenciados. Resultados: No ano 2009 em Portugal foram empregues cerca de 2,5 milhões de euros no internamento das mulheres na RNCCI, na perspectiva da sociedade, sendo cerca de 2,2 milhões atribuíveis à osteoporose (90%). Cerca de 91% dos custos totais são alocados à fractura osteoporótica da anca (2 milhões €). Para a fractura vertebral, úmero e punho os custos foram mais baixos - 7,1%, 1,3% e 1% dos custos totais da osteoporose, respectivamente. Nos Lares de 3ª idade, estimou-se a admissão de aproximadamente 14.372 doentes com fractura osteoporótica em diferentes localizações, em 2009, Portugal, com um custo que oscilou entre os 19 e os 21,6 milhões de euros. A fractura osteoporótica da anca foi a mais incidente e a que representou custos mais elevados para a Segurança Social – entre 17,5 e 19,7 milhões de euros. Considerando como referência os 52 milhões de euros gastos em 2006 no tratamento hospitalar da fractura da anca (DGS, 2006), o encaminhamento das mulheres para a RNCCI e Lares da 3ª Idade corresponde a 42% do bolo total. Assim, os resultados nacionais enquadram-se no que se encontra descrito na literatura internacional - os custos atribuíveis à hospitalização oscilaram entre 17%50 e 63%29 da despesa total da doença e das institucionalizações entre os 16%58 e os 59%51. Conclusões: Em Portugal o impacto económico da institucionalização por fractura osteoporótica, sobretudo por fractura da anca, não é desprezável e mostra que existiriam poupanças significativas se fosse possível reduzir a prevalência da doença em Portugal. Face às alterações demográficas associadas ao envelhecimento da população, é expectável que a incidência e custos com o tratamento das fracturas do colo do fémur, mais associadas à osteoporose, venham a subir nos próximos anos, pelo que o combate à doença deve ser considerada uma prioridade nacional. A decisão pela opção por determinados programas de prevenção da doença ou da comparticipação ou não de determinada terapêutica necessita contudo de ser complementada com a medição da dimensão dos benefícios terapêuticos. --- ABSTRACT - Background: Osteoporosis is a systemic disease associated with the loss off the bone strength and it is one of the major causes of low energy fractures, which in many cases reduce life hope and quality. This happens because it has associated extensive treatments and it usually carries loss of independence, implying many hours of caregivers dedication and leading, in many cases, to the institutionalization of the patients. In Portugal, about 40,000 fractures occur annually, which 8,500 are proximal femur, and that are estimated to consume over 50 million euros only in hospital care. Objective: Evaluate the economic impact of institutionalization on the Integrated Continued Care National Network (RNCCI) and Care Homes associated to osteoporotic fractures in women, in the year 2009 in Portugal. Methods: The study begins by reviewing briefly the clinical, social, and epidemiological studies of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures, focusing on the patient autonomy loss and life quality. The total and average costs per episode associated with the institutionalization in RNCCI are described, in Portugal, year 2009, using as main data source the application "Gestcare CCI", complemented with literature data. The total costs associated with the patients referral for the Care Homes in Portugal in 2009 is also calculated, using information from a modified Delphi panel and some literature data. The resources valuation is based on prices prevailing in Portugal. Results: In 2009, women relocation in RNCCI consumed approximately 2.5 million euros, which 2.2 million are attributable to osteoporosis (90%). About 91% of the total costs are allocated to osteoporotic hip fracture (€ 2 million). For vertebral, humerus, and wrist fracture, the associated costs were lower, 7.1%, 1.3%, and 1% of total costs of osteoporosis treatment, respectively. In Care Homes, an intake of approximately 14 372 patients with osteoporotic fracture was estimated, at a cost that is between 19 and 21.6 million euros. The osteoporotic hip fracture was the most frequent and represented higher costs for Social Security - between 17.5 and 19.7 million euros. Taking as reference the 52 million spent in 2006 with hospital treatment of hip fracture (DGS, 2006), referring women to RNCCI and Care Homes represents 42% of the total costs. The results are in accordance with the international literature - costs attributable to hospitalization ranged between 17% and 63% of total expenditure of illness and institutionalization between 16% and 59%. Conclusions: In Portugal, the economic impact of institutionalization for osteoporotic fracture, particularly for hip fracture, is not negligible. It was shown that there would be significant savings if it were possible to reduce the prevalence of the disease in Portugal. Femoral fractures were the second most frequent diagnosis in RNCCI in 2008 and 2009 (16% of all episodes recorded). The execution of RNCCI in 2008 was 75 million euros, and 2.7% consumed by hip fracture and 0.3% by wrist, humerus, and spine fractures. The average cost per episode in 2009, from the perspective of society, for hip fracture, vertebral, humerus, and wrist (or non-osteoporotic) was € 5,195, € 5,160, € 5,030, and € 4,854 respectively. Thus, considering an average cost per episode in RNCCI from January to March of 3230€, the expense related to the treatment of these patients in RNCCI in 2009 was higher. For the Care Homes, an intake of approximately 14 372 patients with osteoporotic fracture in 2009 was estimated, at a cost to Social Security that ranged from 19 to 21.6 million €. The osteoporotic hip fracture was the most frequent and it was shown to absorve higher resources from Social Security - between 17.5 and 19.7 million €. This was followed by the analysis of vertebral and humerus fracture and the results showed that these fractures have a low incidence and low proportion of institutionalization, with a significantly lower cost - only about 4.7% and 3.3% of total expenditure, respectively. With demographic changes associated to ageing, it is expected that the incidence and treatment cost of the femoral neck fractures, more commonly associated with osteoporosis, will climb in coming years, so the fight against the disease should be considered a national priority. The decision to choose a certain disease prevention program or to reimburse a certain drug not should only account about the costs, but also the benefits of it. In fact, the size and impact of this problem, makes it necessary to focus all interventions in the prevention of these episodes either by using an appropriate therapy, either through real programs for disease prevention. Once the problem is installed, we must measure the health gains associated with the patient institutionalization by conducting additional research.

Exploring why portuguese companies expatriate, and portuguese expatriates accept international assignments

This study explores (1) the reasons that lead Portuguese companies to use expatriates and (2) the motivations that led the repatriates to accepting an international assignment. Semistructured interviews were carried out on 44 individuals (14 responsible for organizational management of the expatriates and 30 repatriates), in seven international companies based in Portugal, and analysis of the thematic content was conducted for data processing. Results suggest that the reasons that lead Portuguese companies to expatriating employees are connected to business needs and the control of international operations, while individual motivations are linked to personal and professional ambition, the will to serve the company and organizational pressure. We concluded that Portuguese companies, like most European companies, seem to develop a strategy of International Human Resources Management (IHRM) according to an ethnocentric approach, characteristic to companies in early stages of internationalization. Similarly, the main motivations of Portuguese repatriates are identical to those of other expatriates, though the will to serve the company seems to be more valued by Portuguese repatriates than by expatriates from other countries.

International Expectations: ICW - Prelúdio para o CNM

Neste artigo são abordadas as primeiras diligências internacionais para se formar o CNMP, Conselho Nacional das Mulheres Portuguesas. Procurámos identificar as figuras que estiveram envolvidas nesses contactos iniciais, delineando o relacionamento com a Rainha Sr.ª D. Amélia por parte de quem esteve envolvido. Tempo será ainda de apurar as razões do insucesso. Este estudo assinala uma antecipação em cerca de 10 anos no historial do CNMP, relevante pelas pessoas envolvidas, pelas relações com o feminismo internacional, com particular impacto pois sinaliza o sentido em que o mesmo ocorreu. A iniciativa partiu do ICW «International Council of Women» para Portugal, como acontecera antes estando na génese de outros Conselhos congé

Proceedings of the fifth international conference on Axiomatic Design (ICAD 2009)

FCT/UNL; UNIDEMI, Caixa Geral de Depósitos, CEST, MANO, Visteon, Axiomatic Design, Pionee

Foresight studies on work in the knowledge society: a 2nd international conference at UNL

The 2nd International Conference on "Foresight Studies on Work in the Knowledge Society" was organised by IET, the Research Centre on Enterprise and Work Innovation, at the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of "Universidade Nova de Lisboa" (FCT-UNL), and took place on January 26 and 27 of 2009 with the support of the European project WORKS-Work Organisation Re-structuring in the Knowledge Society (financed by the European Commission, and co-ordinated by HIVA Leuven)

Privatization and social welfare in an international mixed Stackelberg duopoly

Competition between public and private firms exists in a range of industries like telecommunications, electricity, natural gas, airlines industries, as weel as services including hospitals, banking and education. Some authors studied mixed oligopolies under Cournot competition (firms move simultaneously) and some others considered Stackelberg models (firms move sequentially). Tomaru [1] analyzed, in a Cournot model, how decision-making upon cost-reducing R&D investment by a domestic public firm is affected by privatization when competing in the domestic market with a foreign firm. He shows that privatization of the domestic public firm lowers productive efficiency and deteriorates domestic social welfare. In this paper, we examine the same question but in a Stackelberg formulation instead of Cournot. The model is a three-stage game. In the first stage, the domestic firm chooses the amount of cost-reducing R&D investment. Then, the firms compete à la Stackelberg. Two cases are considered: (i) The domestic firm is the leader; (ii) The foreign firm is the leader. We show that the results obtained in [1] for Cournot competition are robust in the sence that they are also true when firms move sequentially.

Welfare effects of entry into international markets with licensing

We study the effects of entry of a foreign firm on domestic welfare in the presence of licensing, when the entrant is technologically inferior to the incumbent. We show that foreign entry increases domestic welfare for intermediate (respectively, sufficiently large) technological differences between the firms under licensing with fixed fee (respectively, output royalty).

Será que a Definição de Síndroma Metabólica pela International Diabetes Federation Melhora a Capacidade Preditora para Doença Coronária e do Espessamento da Íntima-Média Carotídea?

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with increased incidence of diabetes and atherosclerotic complications. The new definition of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) increases the population with this entity, compared to the NCEP ATP III definition. OBJECTIVES: To study the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in patients with and without MS, according to the NCEP ATP III and IDF definitions, and the predictive ability of carotid IMT for CAD. METHODS: We studied 270 consecutive patients admitted for elective coronary angiography due to suspicion of CAD. All patients underwent ultrasound study of the carotid arteries to measure IMT (the highest value between the right and left common carotid arteries was used in the analysis). Coronary stenosis of > or =70% (or 50% for the left main coronary artery) was considered significant. RESULTS: By the ATP III definition, 14% of the patients had MS, and these patients had a higher prevalence of CAD (87% vs. 63%, p = 0.004), but no significant difference was found for carotid IMT (1.03 +/- 0.36 mm vs. 0.95 +/- 0.35 mm, p=NS). With the IDF definition, 61% of the patients had MS; this group was slightly older and included more women. There were no differences in terms of CAD (68% vs. 63%) or carotid IMT (0.97 +/- 0.34 vs. 0.96 +/- 0.39 mm). On multivariate analysis, the ATP III definition of MS predicts CAD (OR 4.76, 95% CI 1.71-13.25, p = 0.003), but the IDF definition does not (OR 1.29, 95% CI 0.74-2.27, p = 0.37). On ROC curve analysis, an IMT of > or = 0.95 mm predicts CAD (AUC 0.66, p < 0.001), with a sensitivity of 52% and specificity of 75%. CONCLUSIONS: The new IDF definition increases the population with MS, decreasing the capacity to predict the presence of CAD. In our population, neither the ATP III nor the IDF definition showed differences in terms of carotid IMT. Carotid IMT can predict CAD, but with only modest sensitivity.

The International Multilateral System: Imperatives of Change, Potential Scenarios and Suggestions for the Future

Thesis presented to satisfy the necessary requirements for obtaining a PhD degree in International Relation with specialization in Globalization and the Environment,