Management consulting labs- Galp loyalty

The purpose of this project was to diagnose and estimate the possible value to add to the current loyalty program of Galp and to explore possible redefinitions to the loyalty approach. In order to do that it was performed a deep benchmarking about the company, exhaustive research on the existent data about loyalty and loyalty programs, new data mining with quantitative and qualitative analysis, exploratory market research and ideation sessions. Based on all the work developed, a group of five changes of paradigm were suggested through structured and innovative ideas to answer the challenge proposed.

Management consulting labs-Galp loyalty

The objective of this consulting project was to assist Galp Energia in its approach to loyalty. In order to do so, two hypotheses were defined. The first assumed there was value to capture in the existing approach. The second held that it was possible to create value through a radically innovative approach. The methodology used to corroborate those hypotheses encompassed several quantitative analyses, as well as desk research and market research. As a result, a compilation of recommendations comprising implementation proposals that considered both hypotheses as valid was presented in order to suggest a paradigm change

"Joãozinho", hospital de S. João do Porto

The purpose of this research is to recommend a brand identity for Joãozinho brand. This one is linked with the new pediatric hospital of Hospital de São João do Porto and with the fundraising project named “Um Lugar para o Joãozinho”. For this, a 360º market research, with the most important stakeholders, was conducted. The aim was to comprehend how children perceived the brand’s mascot (Joãozinho), what characteristics of a pediatric service parents look for, what makes companies help this project (either through sponsorship agreements or other means of financial aid) and what do brand builders want for the brand.

The global shopper & brands communication at airports

This project aims to illuminate two perspectives on travel retail. On the one hand, it describes the main character of the shopping scenario at airports, namely the Global Shopper. It covers the entire profile of the referred character, the main nationalities that represent him and the current shopping trends of the passenger. Also estimates of the booming nationalities and the future purchasing trends are accurately presented. On the other hand, the travel retail market is analyzed from the airport brands’ perspective. It is described what is currently done in terms of brands communication in the top ten airports around the world and the expected future market retail trends. To accurately explore the Global Shopper behavior and purchasing preferences, a market research was conducted with a sample of 128 respondents, male and female, from different nationalities, age groups, occupation and education backgrounds. The essay tests hypothesis regarding the relevance of several variables in the purchasing process of the Global Shopper in order to understand the most pleasant way to approach consumers in travel retail. The main variables studied concern the reasons to shop at airports, to whom the passenger shops, the preferred category and brand of purchase, feelings while shopping abroad, impulsive buying behavior, brand loyalty, the use of mobile devices in the shopping process, brands communication at airports, pre-ordering online and the attitude towards self-service stores. Some findings were in accordance with expectations, while others were a surprise and may produce valuable recommendations for future travel retail practices. 4 The main relevant results concern two areas, namely pre-ordering online and self-service stores. Results showed a certain stress about not having enough time to choose between the various offerings in travel retail, as well as difficulty in dealing with crowed stores. However, pre-ordering online was not common, which would be an initiative that could solve the discomfort at airport’s stores. Moreover, self-service would promote efficiency in stores allowing passengers to save time if they already know how to go through the shopping process by themselves. Another possible recommendation concerns differentiating the strategy in travel retail for the two genders. Some differences were found in the categories bought by male and female, as well as to how brands should shape their approach concerning the demands of each gender.

On the routines of wild-type silk fibroin processing toward silk-inspired materials: a review

For years, silk fibroin of a domestic silkworm, Bombyx mori, has been recognized as a valuable material and extensively used. In the last decades, new application fields are emerging for this versatile material. Those final, specific applications of silk dictate the way it has been processed in industry and research. This review focuses on the description of various approaches for silk downstream processing in a laboratory scale, that fall within several categories. The detailed description of workflow possibilities from the naturally found material to a finally formulated product is presented. Considerable attention is given to (bio-) chemical approaches of silk fibroin transformation, particularly, to its enzyme-driven modifications. The focus of the current literature survey is exclusively on the methods applied in research and not industry.

Desenvolvimento de acessórios de máquinas de movimentação de terras recorrendo a soluções avançadas em aço de alta resistência

Dissertação de mestrado em Tecnologias de Manufatura

Codificació i transmissió interactiva d'imatges en dispositius mòbils

JPEG2000 és el nou estàndard de compressió d’imatges impulsat pel Joint Photographics Experts Group, el qual defineix un protocol eficient per la transmissió interactiva d’imatges, anomenat JPIP. El Group on Interactive Coding of Images (GICI) té una implementació d’aquest protocol, CADI. En aquest projecte es realitza l’implementació del client d’aquest protocol en un dispositiu mòbil. Per això s’ha realitzat un estudi de les plataformes mòbils que hi ha actualment en el mercat. Finalment s’han proposat millores, en el descodificador, per reduir el temps de computació i la carrega de memòria.

The Extent and Cyclicality of Career Changes: Evidence for the UK

Using quarterly data for the U.K. from 1993 through 2012, we document that in economic downturns a smaller fraction of unemployed workers change their career when starting a new job. Moreover, the proportion of total hires that involves a career change for the worker also drops in recessions. Together with a simultaneous drop in overall turnover, this implies that the number of career changes declines during recessions. These results indicate that recessions are times of subdued reallocation rather than of accelerated and involuntary structural transformation. We back this interpretation up with evidence on who changes careers, which industries and occupations they come from and go to, and at which wage gains.

Monthly wages in the Swiss Household Panel

This paper describes the construction of monthly income from employment and self employment in the Swiss Household Panel (SHP). It documents the assumptions that have to be taken and addresses possibilities and difficulties when relating monthly income variables with the number of working hours. Finally, some descriptive statistics of the monthly wages are provided from 1999 to 2008. These show a high correlation of wages across the years, which is higher than correlation from yearly wages. This underlies the suitability of these variables on monthly wages for labour market research with the SHP. Median and average hourly wages have increased slightly from 2002 to 2008. The inequality of wages has remained stable for the total population.

Some Considerations Concerning Regulation and Competition in the Port Sector

The aim of this paper is to discuss the circumstances in which the process of competition between ports takes place in Spain − circumstances arising from the way the port system is currently set up and from the regulations governing it. The importance of this matter lies both in the fact that intensified competition between ports is the way to set about boosting the efficiency of the Spanish port sector and in the relevance of this business to the economies of the regions in which the ports are located. It is precisely for this reason that the reform instituted in 1992 aimed to combine balanced development of the national port system with the defence of the interests of autonomous regions. To this end the current regulatory framework provides for the possibility of port authorities drawing up their own competitive strategies, but makes their implementation conditional upon approval of their business plan by the Spanish state port authority. The latter body coordinates the national port system to ensure the guidelines set by the central government authorities are followed in the field of transport. However, the scale of the differences which exist among both the size of facilities and their relevant markets on the one hand, and the financial and economic circumstances of each of them on the other, suggest that each port authority's needs must be very different. Consequently, their competitive strategies must also be very different. It is therefore valid to ask whether coping with this diversity calls for different guidelines to regulate their freedom of action. Key words: Competition, regulation, port sector JEL classification numbers: L1, L5, L9

Producció de material docent per a ciència de materials mitjançant microscòpia electrònica de rastreig i làser confocal

Aquest projecte s'ha realitzat al Servei de Microscòpia de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, i ha tingut una durada de dos anys (2006-2008). La finalitat d’aquest projecte ha estat l’elaboració de material didàctic basat en la captació d’imatges i l’edició de recursos pedagògics de suport digital aplicats a la ciència de materials. Es pretén millorar així la qualitat docent de les pràctiques de diverses assignatures dels ensenyaments de Física i d’Enginyeria de Materials utilitzant tècniques d’anàlisi actuals com són la Microscòpia Electrònica de Rastreig (MER) i la Microscòpia Optica (MO). Amb aquest projecte es vol fomentar també el treball interdisciplinari en equip entre professionals (docents i tècnics superiors de recerca) i acostar la teoria de les assignatures a la realització pràctica, facilitant el suport digital necessari per aconseguir un màxim aprofitament a les aules. Les imatges de MER i MO ajudaran als alumnes a familiaritzar-se amb el món de la recerca i la indústria.

A logistic regression approach to estimating customer profit loss due to lapses in insurance

This article focuses on business risk management in the insurance industry. A methodology for estimating the profit loss caused by each customer in the portfolio due to policy cancellation is proposed. Using data from a European insurance company, customer behaviour over time is analyzed in order to estimate the probability of policy cancelation and the resulting potential profit loss due to cancellation. Customers may have up to two different lines of business contracts: motor insurance and other diverse insurance (such as, home contents, life or accident insurance). Implications for understanding customer cancellation behaviour as the core of business risk management are outlined.

Report of the Activities of the Professional Advisors of the Nursing Policy Division

This report focuses on the activities of the Nursing Advisors throughout the year 2000, within the framework of the Business Plan formulated by the Nursing Policy Division, and in relation to other professional activities in which they have been involved. Download the Report here

Evaluation of Pilot One Stop Shop Programme

In November 2010, the Public Health Agencycommissioned Social Market Research (www.socialmarketresearch.co.uk) to undertake a formative evaluation of the pilot 'One Stop Shop' (OSS) Programme. This report presents the outcomes from this evaluation as well as recommendations to support the further development of the programme beyond the pilot period.

PHA Corporate Strategy 2011-2015

The PHA Corporate Strategy has been developed with input from staff across the PHA and taking account of feedback from external stakeholders.� It is a high level document, setting out the direction for the PHA over the next few years, and will be supported by the annual PHA Corporate Business Plan, Directorate Business Plans and the Joint Commissioning Plan.� The Strategy was approved by the PHA board at the November 2011 board meeting.�The PHA Corporate strategy sets out the role, direction and priorities of the PHA for the next four years, taking account of the requirements of the Comprehensive Spending Review.The goals set out in this strategy�are supported by annual plans detailing how the goals will be achieved.The strategy outlines the following:protecting health;improving health and wellbeing;improving quality and safety;improving early detection.