A state-space approach for measuring regional manufacturing production indices

In this paper we propose a latent variable model, in the spirit of Israilevich and Kuttner (1993), to measure regional manufacturing production. To test the validity of the proposed methodology, we have applied it for those Spanish regions that have a direct quantitative index. The results demonstrate the accuracy of the methodology proposed and show that it can overcome some of the difficulties of the indirect method applied by the INE, the Spanish National Institute of Statistics.

La investigación regional en España: un análisis bibliométrico

Este trabajo analiza cual ha sido la evolución de la investigación en ciencia regional y urbana en España en el período 1991-2000 situándola en el contexto internacional. Para ello, se elaboran rankings de países, autores e instituciones en función de las publicaciones realizadas en una muestra de nueve revistas internacionales ampliamente reconocidas dentro de este campo. Los resultados muestran que la mejora en la posición relativa a nivel internacional encontrada por otros autores para el conjunto de la investigación española en economía también se produce en el contexto de la investigación económica regional y urbana De hecho, hay un claro aumento de la presencia a nivel internacional de los autores e instituciones españolas motivado en buena medida por un incremento de las publicaciones de autores con tradición en la investigación en ciencia regional y urbana pero también por la irrupción con fuerza de 'nuevos' autores.

La investigación regional en España. Rankings de países, instituciones y autores en ciencia regional y urbana para el período 1991-2000

Este trabajo analiza cual ha sido la evolución de la investigación en ciencia regional y urbana en España en el período 1991-2000 situándola en el contexto internacional. Para ello, se elaboran rankings de países, autores e instituciones en función de las publicaciones realizadas en una muestra de nueve revistas internacionales ampliamente reconocidas dentro de este campo. Los resultados muestran que la mejora en la posición relativa a nivel internacional encontrada por otros autores para el conjunto de la investigación española en economía también se produce en el contexto de la investigación económica regional y urbana De hecho, hay un claro aumento de la presencia a nivel internacional de los autores e instituciones españolas motivado en buena medida por un incremento de las publicaciones de autores con tradición en la investigación en ciencia regional y urbana pero también por la irrupción con fuerza de 'nuevos' autores.

Ecological fallacy in a time series context: evidence from the Spanish regional unemployment rates

The ecological fallacy (EF) is a common problem regional scientists have to deal with when using aggregated data in their analyses. Although there is a wide number of studies considering different aspects of this problem, little attention has been paid to the potential negative effects of the EF in a time series context. Using Spanish regional unemployment data, this paper shows that EF effects are not only observed at the cross-section level, but also in a time series framework. The empirical evidence obtained shows that analytical regional configurations are the least susceptible to time effects relative to both normative and random regional configurations, while normative configurations are an improvement over random ones.

La financiación autonómica: datos para una negociación complicada

Tras un cierto tira y afloja, el Gobierno ha anunciado que en pocos meses se iniciará el proceso de análisis y negociación que deberá culminar con la reforma del sistema de financiación regional. Trabajando con datos homogeneizados de financiación autonómica, en la presente nota se destacan algunos aspectos de la evolución recient del sistem y de su situación actual que puede ayudar a entender el punto de partida de este proceso y las reivindicaciones de las distintas comunidades.

Stratification of regional sampling by model-predicted changes of carbon stocks in Forested mineral soils

Selective papers of the workshop on "Development of models and forest soil surveys for monitoring of soil carbon", Koli, Finland, April 5-9 2006.

Regional potential for collaborative implementation of small CHP plants in bioenergy technology

This thesis is a preliminary study targeting South-Eastern Finland. The objective was to find out the financial and functional readiness and willingness of the small and medium-sized enterprises of the region to manufacture and sell distributed bioenergy solutions collaboratively as a business network. In this case these solutions mean small-scale (0.5 - 3 MW) woodchips-operated combined heat and power (CHP) plants. South-Eastern Finland has suffered from a decline in the recent years, mostly due to the problems of the traditionally strong industrial know-how area of the region, the paper industry. Local small and medium-sized companies will have to find new ways to survive the toughening competition. A group of 40 companies from suitable industries were selected and financial and comparative analysis was performed on them. Additionally 19 managing directors of the companies were selected for an interview to find out their views on networking, its requirements, advantages and the general interest in it. The studied companies were found to be generally in fairly good financial condition and in that sense, fit for networking activities. The interviews revealed that the companies were capable of producing all the needed elements for the plants in question, and the managers appeared to be very interested in and have a positive attitude towards such business networks. Thus it can be said that the small and medium-sized companies of the region are capable of and interested in manufacturing small bio-CHP plants as a production network.

Internato regional e formação médica: percepção da primeira turma pós-reforma curricular

As escolas médicas brasileiras priorizam o ambiente hospitalar para o ensino e acabam formando profissionais carentes de compromisso social. O curso de Medicina da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria implantou, em 2004, um novo currículo que inclui o Internato Regional (IR), em que o interno permanece dois meses em município conveniado, atuando em atenção primária em saúde. Este estudo transversal e quanti-qualitativo teve por objetivo conhecer a percepção dos acadêmicos da primeira turma que realizou o IR sobre o impacto desse modelo de estágio em sua formação, mediante a aplicação de um questionário semiestruturado. Mais de 75% das respostas apontaram ter havido contribuição para maior conhecimento da realidade social e profissional, aprimoramento da relação médico-paciente e desenvolvimento de autoconfiança no exercício da profissão. O principal ponto negativo ressaltado foi o despreparo dos médicos-preceptores para atuar como docentes. No atual contexto de mudanças, o IR surge como uma proposta satisfatória de ampliação dos cenários de prática-ensino-aprendizagem e contribui com a formação humana e pessoal dos futuros médicos, apesar de ainda carecer de preceptoria qualificada.

Estágio supervisionado regional: visão do aluno

O curso de Medicina da Uniderp/Anhanguera busca graduar um médico apto a desenvolver ações condizentes com os princípios do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Para isto, é necessário que o aluno realize as atividades práticas do quinto e sexto anos nos três níveis de atenção à saúde e em diferentes cenários do Estado do Mato Grosso do Sul. Para alcançar tais objetivos, foi idealizado o Estágio Supervisionado Regional (ESR), em que os alunos do sexto ano desenvolvem atividades práticas em alguns municípios do Estado. Semanalmente, via Nead, os alunos enviam relatório em que descrevem as atividades, demonstram seus conhecimentos teóricos e práticos, fazem autoavaliação conforme o Plano de Ensino, organizam as atividades teóricas e tecem críticas sobre o funcionamento do estágio. Estes relatórios são arquivados no Nead. Foram buscados os conteúdos referentes aos depoimentos e críticas, para fazer um relato da visão do aluno nesse momento de aprendizado extramuros da academia.

Integrating eco-innovation principles into regional strategy and policy: case of Päijät-Häme region, Finland

This study focuses on the integration of eco-innovation principles into strategy and policy at the regional level. The importance of regions as a level for integrating eco-innovative programs and activities served as the point of interest for this study. Eco-innovative activities and technologies are seen as means to meet sustainable development objective of improving regions’ quality of life. This study is conducted to get an in-depth understanding and learning about eco-innovation at regional level, and to know the basic concepts that are important in integrating eco-innovation principles into regional policy. Other specific objectives of this study are to know how eco-innovation are developed and practiced in the regions of the EU, and to analyze the main characteristic features of an eco-innovation model that is specifically developed at Päijät-Häme Region in Finland. Paijät-Häme Region is noted for its successful eco-innovation strategies and programs, hence, taken as casework in this study. Both primary (interviews) and secondary data (publicly available documents) are utilized in this study. The study shows that eco-innovation plays an important role in regional strategy as reviewed based on the experience of other regions in the EU. This is because of its localized nature which makes it easier to facilitate in a regional setting. Since regional authorities and policy-makers are normally focused on solving its localized environmental problems, eco-innovation principles can easily be integrated into regional strategy. The case study highlights Päijät-Häme Region’s eco-innovation strategies and projects which are characterized by strong connection of knowledge-producing institutions. Policy instruments supporting eco-innovation (e.g. environmental technologies) are very much focused on clean technologies, hence, justifying the formation of cleantech clusters and business parks in Päijät-Häme Region. A newly conceptualized SAMPO model of eco-innovation has been developed in Päijät-Häme Region to better capture the region’s characteristics and to eventually replace the current model employed by the Päijät-Häme Regional Authority. The SAMPO model is still under construction, however, review of its principles points to some of its three important spearheads – practice-based innovation, design (eco-design) and clean technology or environmental technology (environment).