Estudo da viabilidade para introduzir na rotina testes de diagnóstico para infecção respiratória aguda

Para avaliar os benefícios da comunicação rápida ao clínico do diagnóstico de vírus respiratórios, foi analisado a viabilidade econômica de 2 testes, com o tempo de entrega de resultado em 2 horas para teste rápido e 48 horas para Biologia Molecular. As amostras coletadas foram processadas utilizando técnicas convencionais e os testes disponíveis no mercado local. Foram escolhidos dois testes rápidos pelo método de imunocromatografia para quatro parâmetros analíticos: Influenza A, Influenza H1N1, Influenza B e Vírus Sincicial Respiratório (RSV) e em Biologia Molecular um teste de RT-PCR multiplex com 25 patógenos entre vírus e bactérias. O tipo de amostra utilizada foi swab e lavado de nasofaringe. A população escolhida para o estudo foi paciente adulto, em tratamento de câncer, que necessita de uma resposta rápida já que a maioria se encontra com comprometimento do sistema imune por doença ou por tratamento. O estudo foi transversal, realizado entre os anos de 2012 e 2013, para avaliar a viabilidade econômica da introdução de testes de diagnóstico da infecção respiratória aguda de etiologia viral a partir de amostras de nasofaringe em pacientes com câncer atendidos no Centro de Atendimento de Oncologia Intercorrência (CAIO ), do Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo (ICESP), hospital público que atende exclusivamente Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) e Hospital A.C. Camargo, que atende tanto a pacientes do SUS como da rede privada. O estudo incluiu 152 pacientes em tratamento para qualquer tipo de câncer, predominantemente do sexo feminino (81 mulheres e 70 homens) com idades entre 18-86 anos. Para participar do estudo o paciente era consultado e o critério para escolha do paciente foi ser portador de câncer, com história de febre (ainda que referida) acompanhada de tosse ou dor de garganta, tosse e sintomas respiratórios agudos, atendidos por protocolo padronizado que inclui avaliação na admissão, seguimento e manejo antimicrobiano. Para a avaliação econômica os pacientes foram classificados de acordo com o estado geral de saúde, se apresentavam bom estado de estado de saúde poderiam receber alta e faziam uso da medicação em casa evitando 5 dias de internação se recebessem algum resultado para Influenza ou RSV, no entanto os pacientes que apresentavam outro vírus, resultado negativo ou o estado geral era ruim permaneciam internados por 7 dias em observação e cuidados com medicação adequada. Foram realizadas análises econômicas em dois âmbitos: o sistema de saúde publico e o privado considerando o fator diminuição de dias de internação. A analise de Custo-benefício foi eficiente no Sistema privado mas inadequada para o SUS assim como, qualquer outra medida monetária já que os valores de reembolso do SUS estão defasados do custo de qualquer internação. A análise de Custo-efetividade que olha para outros fatores além do monetário foi efetiva nos dois sistemas que enfrentam falta de leitos além da condição de saúde do paciente de evitar a ingestão desnecessária de antibióticos, evitar os gastos do acompanhante, perda de dias de trabalho e estudo. Não houve correspondência de resultados dos testes rápidos com o multiplex de Biologia Molecular

Grouping genetic operators for the delineation of functional areas based on spatial interaction

The delineation of functional economic areas, or market areas, is a problem of high practical relevance, since the delineation of functional sets such as economic areas in the US, Travel-to-Work Areas in the United Kingdom, and their counterparts in other OECD countries are the basis of many statistical operations and policy making decisions at local level. This is a combinatorial optimisation problem defined as the partition of a given set of indivisible spatial units (covering a territory) into regions characterised by being (a) self-contained and (b) cohesive, in terms of spatial interaction data (flows, relationships). Usually, each region must reach a minimum size and self-containment level, and must be continuous. Although these optimisation problems have been typically solved through greedy methods, a recent strand of the literature in this field has been concerned with the use of evolutionary algorithms with ad hoc operators. Although these algorithms have proved to be successful in improving the results of some of the more widely applied official procedures, they are so time consuming that cannot be applied directly to solve real-world problems. In this paper we propose a new set of group-based mutation operators, featuring general operations over disjoint groups, tailored to ensure that all the constraints are respected during the operation to improve efficiency. A comparative analysis of our results with those from previous approaches shows that the proposed algorithm systematically improves them in terms of both quality and processing time, something of crucial relevance since it allows dealing with most large, real-world problems in reasonable time.

Tiempo de desplazamiento al trabajo y desajuste educativo en el mercado de trabajo español

En este trabajo se analiza cómo el tiempo de trayecto y las características de los mercados laborales locales influyen en el desajuste puesto de trabajo- nivel educativo del individuo, basado en la hipótesis de que los individuos que tienen un mayor tiempo de trayecto al trabajo y mejores condiciones en mercado laboral se asocian a una menor incidencia de la sobreeducación. La sobreeducación afecta a 17 % de los trabajadores en España, y se eleva al 22,4 % para los trabajadores menores de 35 años. El análisis se basa en los datos individuales de los trabajadores españoles que se refiere al período inicial de la crisis económica mundial (2007-2010). La variable dependiente, desajuste educativo-puesto se mide mediante el método subjetivo, basado en las respuestas del individuo a la pregunta de cómo ajusta su nivel de educación a las necesidades del trabajo que actualmente ocupan. La variable de interés son: (a) el tiempo de trayecto, es decir, el tiempo que tarda el individuo en llegar a su trabajo, y (b) dos variables que tienen en cuenta de las condiciones del mercado local: la tasa regional de desempleo (esta variable se refieren a la división territorial de España a nivel NUTS 2 y desglose por sexo y nivel de educación de cada Comunidad Autónoma sobre la base de las cifras medias anuales de la Encuesta de Población Activa española (EPA) para el período 2007-2010) y el tamaño del municipio. Se incluyen las variables de control habituales relativas al puesto de trabajo y variables dummy de los años de la muestra. Los resultados sugieren que las difíciles condiciones de trabajo regionales en términos de altas tasas de desempleo pueden actuar contra el efecto hipotético de la movilidad en la reducción del desajuste educativo, por lo tanto, se obtiene a una conclusión opuesta a la planteada en algunos trabajos anteriores.

Wonder Down Under: Australian sci-fi 1948-52

Moral guardians, industry protectionists and concerned citizens (each with their own political agendas) had, or many years, lobbied various Ministers of Customs to regulate the offensive material which flooded the local market-the war effectively opened a protectionist climate in which the local publishing industry nourished (Johnson-Woods Pulp Friction). Though westerns dominated at first, science fiction (i.e., futuristic stories, alternative histories, space exploration, time-travel past and future ) soon followed. Within the decaying and yellowed pages, contemporary readers have a glimpse into the culture of the 1950s and, amusing though some of the predictions are, the cultural and social critic gains some understanding of the anxieties and desires of post-World War II Australia.

Chain-store pricing and the structure of retail markets

This paper investigates competition between chain-stores and independents in the UK opticians' industry, using the relationship between the number of outlets present in a local market and the market size. Chain-stores are shown to have a significant effect on local market competition. In addition, the empirical approach is extended to allow inferences on the nature and extent of product differentiation. The results are broadly consistent with a model of vertical product differentiation in which chain-stores adopt national pricing strategies. The evidence suggests that the nature of competition between independent retailers depends on whether a chain-store is present.

Strategy making process, its content and context in small professional football clubs

This thesis examines the phenomenon of strategy. Making as practised by small professional football clubs. The study was undertaken because football clubs were perceived to have problems with strategy-making and because it was believed that the specific circumstances of football clubs could be outside the range of views covered by conventional views of strategy-making. The characteristics of the club environment are its uncertainty and unpredictability, simultaneous competition and co--operation, strong regulations, and a not-for-profit orientation. Small clubs in particular face a constant struggle for financial viability and survival, due in part to split business and playing objectives. The study was designed to establish the extent and nature of the difficulties clubs experience with a view to preparing the way for creating practical guidance on ways to overcome them. Clearly, in order to survive in the long term, small professional football clubs require very effective strategic decisions. This study has addressed this issue by inquiring into the nature of strategy making for these organisations with the objective to establish the general direction in which the football clubs in question should be moving. As a result, the main research question to guide this investigation was determined as: Why do small professional football clubs have difficulties making strategies. The investigation was based on an analysis the concept of strategy and its elements, the strategic vision and objectives, the process by which strategic action comes about, the strategic action itself, and the context within which this action occurs. Data has been collected, analysed and interpreted in relation to each of these elements. Together with a wide variety of published material, 20 small football clubs have been sampled and personal interviews were conducted with board members of those clubs. The findings indicate that small football clubs do indeed experience considerable difficulties in making strategies, the reasons for which lie both in the characteristics of their competitive environment and their approaches to strategy-making. The competitive environment is characterised by a cartel-like structure with a high degree of regulation, high levels of uncertainty, little control over the core product or the production process, short-term business cycles and a close geographical link between a club with its local market. The management of clubs is characterised by the need to balance conflicting sporting and business objectives. Formal planning techniques are of little use in the small football club context as decision-making processes have a strong political character and the development of novel strategies is hindered by a strong conservative, industry paradigm and a lack of financial and managerial resources. It is concluded that there is no simple advice to be given to clubs, as they must re-examine the relationship between their playing and business objectives to create a unified and workable approach.

Essays on exchange rate economics

Exchange rate economics has achieved substantial development in the past few decades. Despite extensive research, a large number of unresolved problems remain in the exchange rate debate. This dissertation studied three puzzling issues aiming to improve our understanding of exchange rate behavior. Chapter Two used advanced econometric techniques to model and forecast exchange rate dynamics. Chapter Three and Chapter Four studied issues related to exchange rates using the theory of New Open Economy Macroeconomics. ^ Chapter Two empirically examined the short-run forecastability of nominal exchange rates. It analyzed important empirical regularities in daily exchange rates. Through a series of hypothesis tests, a best-fitting fractionally integrated GARCH model with skewed student-t error distribution was identified. The forecasting performance of the model was compared with that of a random walk model. Results supported the contention that nominal exchange rates seem to be unpredictable over the short run in the sense that the best-fitting model cannot beat the random walk model in forecasting exchange rate movements. ^ Chapter Three assessed the ability of dynamic general-equilibrium sticky-price monetary models to generate volatile foreign exchange risk premia. It developed a tractable two-country model where agents face a cash-in-advance constraint and set prices to the local market; the exogenous money supply process exhibits time-varying volatility. The model yielded approximate closed form solutions for risk premia and real exchange rates. Numerical results provided quantitative evidence that volatile risk premia can endogenously arise in a new open economy macroeconomic model. Thus, the model had potential to rationalize the Uncovered Interest Parity Puzzle. ^ Chapter Four sought to resolve the consumption-real exchange rate anomaly, which refers to the inability of most international macro models to generate negative cross-correlations between real exchange rates and relative consumption across two countries as observed in the data. While maintaining the assumption of complete asset markets, this chapter introduced endogenously segmented asset markets into a dynamic sticky-price monetary model. Simulation results showed that such a model could replicate the stylized fact that real exchange rates tend to move in an opposite direction with respect to relative consumption. ^

Essays on Exchange Rate Economics

Exchange rate economics has achieved substantial development in the past few decades. Despite extensive research, a large number of unresolved problems remain in the exchange rate debate. This dissertation studied three puzzling issues aiming to improve our understanding of exchange rate behavior. Chapter Two used advanced econometric techniques to model and forecast exchange rate dynamics. Chapter Three and Chapter Four studied issues related to exchange rates using the theory of New Open Economy Macroeconomics. Chapter Two empirically examined the short-run forecastability of nominal exchange rates. It analyzed important empirical regularities in daily exchange rates. Through a series of hypothesis tests, a best-fitting fractionally integrated GARCH model with skewed student-t error distribution was identified. The forecasting performance of the model was compared with that of a random walk model. Results supported the contention that nominal exchange rates seem to be unpredictable over the short run in the sense that the best-fitting model cannot beat the random walk model in forecasting exchange rate movements. Chapter Three assessed the ability of dynamic general-equilibrium sticky-price monetary models to generate volatile foreign exchange risk premia. It developed a tractable two-country model where agents face a cash-in-advance constraint and set prices to the local market; the exogenous money supply process exhibits time-varying volatility. The model yielded approximate closed form solutions for risk premia and real exchange rates. Numerical results provided quantitative evidence that volatile risk premia can endogenously arise in a new open economy macroeconomic model. Thus, the model had potential to rationalize the Uncovered Interest Parity Puzzle. Chapter Four sought to resolve the consumption-real exchange rate anomaly, which refers to the inability of most international macro models to generate negative cross-correlations between real exchange rates and relative consumption across two countries as observed in the data. While maintaining the assumption of complete asset markets, this chapter introduced endogenously segmented asset markets into a dynamic sticky-price monetary model. Simulation results showed that such a model could replicate the stylized fact that real exchange rates tend to move in an opposite direction with respect to relative consumption.

Risque de prix et décisions de production et d'exportation : le cas de l'agriculture au Québec

Cette thèse porte sur l’effet du risque de prix sur la décision des agriculteurs et les transformateurs québécois. Elle se divise en trois chapitres. Le premier chapitre revient sur la littérature. Le deuxième chapitre examine l’effet du risque de prix sur la production de trois produits, à savoir le maïs grain, la viande de porc et la viande d’agneau dans la province Québec. Le dernier chapitre est centré sur l’analyse de changement des préférences du transformateur québécois de porc pour ce qui est du choix de marché. Le premier chapitre vise à montrer l’importance de l’effet du risque du prix sur la quantité produite par les agriculteurs, tel que mis en évidence par la littérature. En effet, la littérature révèle l’importance du risque de prix à l’exportation sur le commerce international. Le deuxième chapitre est consacré à l’étude des facteurs du risque (les anticipations des prix et la volatilité des prix) dans la fonction de l’offre. Un modèle d’hétéroscédasticité conditionnelle autorégressive généralisée (GARCH) est utilisé afin de modéliser ces facteurs du risque. Les paramètres du modèle sont estimés par la méthode de l’Information Complète Maximum Vraisemblance (FIML). Les résultats empiriques montrent l’effet négatif de la volatilité du prix sur la production alors que la prévisibilité des prix a un effet positif sur la quantité produite. Comme attendu, nous constatons que l’application du programme d’assurance-stabilisation des revenus agricoles (ASRA) au Québec induit une plus importante sensibilité de l’offre par rapport au prix effectif (le prix incluant la compensation de l’ASRA) que par rapport au prix du marché. Par ailleurs, l’offre est moins sensible au prix des intrants qu’au prix de l’output. La diminution de l’aversion au risque de producteur est une autre conséquence de l’application de ce programme. En outre, l’estimation de la prime marginale relative au risque révèle que le producteur du maïs est le producteur le moins averse au risque (comparativement à celui de porc ou d’agneau). Le troisième chapitre consiste en l’analyse du changement de préférence du transformateur québécois du porc pour ce qui est du choix de marché. Nous supposons que le transformateur a la possibilité de fournir les produits sur deux marchés : étranger et local. Le modèle théorique explique l’offre relative comme étant une fonction à la fois d’anticipation relative et de volatilité relative des prix. Ainsi, ce modèle révèle que la sensibilité de l’offre relative par rapport à la volatilité relative de prix dépend de deux facteurs : d’une part, la part de l’exportation dans la production totale et d’autre part, l’élasticité de substitution entre les deux marchés. Un modèle à correction d’erreurs est utilisé lors d’estimation des paramètres du modèle. Les résultats montrent l’effet positif et significatif de l’anticipation relative du prix sur l’offre relative à court terme. Ces résultats montrent donc qu’une hausse de la volatilité du prix sur le marché étranger par rapport à celle sur le marché local entraine une baisse de l’offre relative sur le marché étranger à long terme. De plus, selon les résultats, les marchés étranger et local sont plus substituables à long terme qu’à court terme.

As estratégias de internacionalização de empresas portuguesas: os casos de multinacionais e PMEs

O principal objetivo do presente estudo visa analisar as estratégias de internacionalização adotadas por empresas portuguesas de diferentes indústrias, e identificar alguns fatores que potenciem o sucesso das empresas durante este processo de internacionalização. Deste modo optou-se por um estudo qualitativo com entrevistas semiestruturadas baseadas num guião de entrevista (gravadas em áudio e transcritas na totalidade), envolvendo os diretores / responsáveis nas empresas por esta área da internacionalização, em seis empresas diferentes; foi ainda entrevistado um especialista em internacionalização com background desenvolvido no exercício de funções enquanto colaborador da AEP. Segundo foi apurado neste estudo destacam-se as áreas de relações humanas (rede de contactos (network); o know-how sobre o mercado local; as relações de confiança; proximidade cultural e linguística (CPLP)) e a capacidade técnica das empresas (a proximidade geográfica dos mercados; a adaptabilidade da empresa; a capacidade financeira e de inovação) como sendo fundamentais para a internacionalização de sucesso. Estes fatores supracitados potenciam o sucesso em novos mercados para as empresas complementando assim o que é apresentado pelas diferentes teorias na literatura (e. g. teoria de Uppsala). De notar que Blake e Mouton e estudos da Universidade de Michigan referem aspetos técnicos (da tarefa e da produção) e de relações humanas (preocupação com as pessoas) como sendo importantes na liderança de empresas, fatores que agora alargamos à internacionalização. Outro fator fundamental para o sucesso da internacionalização das empresas estudadas é a masculinidade, ou seja, a assertividade e a orientação para o sucesso dos gestores entrevistados e responsáveis pela área da internacionalização. De acordo com o modelo de Hofstede (2001), referido no capítulo 5, Portugal apresenta-se como sendo pouco masculina e pouco assertiva, coletivista, e com maior distância de poder. No entanto, a informação recolhida neste estudo, nomeadamente nas entrevistas, mostra aspetos contrários, ou seja, os diretores mostram-se mais masculinos, impulsionados também pela dificuldade acrescida de conquistar negócios em ambientes internacionais. Assim, os resultados e a competição revelam-se como sendo preocupações fundamentais, mas sem no entanto menosprezar os aspetos femininos de qualidade de relacionamento interpessoal.

A logística reversa e suas implicações na sustentabilidade: um estudo de caso de uma organização intermediária da cadeia reversa do ramo de sucatas

A sociedade impõe relações conscientes e saudáveis entre ela, consumidor, meio ambiente e economia de custo. Considerando os processos de retorno e descarte de resíduos, desenvolveram-se técnicas para que haja equilíbrio nas dimensões econômica, ambiental e social, sendo uma delas a logística reversa. Esse método minimiza as quantidades de resíduos descartados e promove seu reaproveitamento como fonte de matéria-prima em novos processos produtivos. No presente artigo, desenvolveu-se estudo de caso em uma recicladora que há doze anos coleta, classifica e separa materiais sólidos de indústrias do Distrito Industrial do Rio Grande (RS) para vendê-los a siderúrgicas e/ou comercializar subprodutos em condição de reuso no mercado local. Esse estudo tem por objetivo a análise das relações existentes entre as atividades logísticas reversas da recicladora em questão e as três dimensões da sustentabilidade. Tal análise justifica-se ao evidenciar como ocorre o processo de utilização da prática de logística reversa por uma organização intermediária, apontando-se sistematicamente as implicações ambientais, sociais e econômicas decorrentes de sua gestão.

Bande dessinée on the periphery

This thesis examines how Brittany and Corsica are represented in the medium of bande dessinée. Both are peripheral French regions with cultural identities markedly different from that of the overarching French norm, and both have been historically subject to ridicule from the political and cultural centre. By comparing a fair selection of bandes dessinées which are either set in Brittany or Corsica or feature characters from the relevant regions, this thesis sets out to discover whether representations of Brittany and Corsica differ according to the origin of the creators of the bandes dessinées and, if so, how. To facilitate this analysis, the bandes dessinées included for study have been classified as either external representations (published by mainstream bande dessinée publishers and/or the work of creators originating from outside the two regions) or internal representations (published by local Breton or Corsican companies and/or the work of local creators). It transpires that there are clear differences between mainstream and local bande dessinée authors and illustrators with regard to their portrayal of the local culture of both ‘outlying’ regions. External representations rely on broad stereotypes and received ideas, while internal representations draw on local folklore, regional history and regional identity to create works with more local relevance. In some cases internal representations are or were clearly aimed at a local market, while others aim both at local readers and at the wider bande dessinée market. Those aimed at a wider readership have an additional function, namely that of promoting their regional cultures in French culture generally and offering an alternative to the stereotypical representations presented by larger publishers of bandes dessinées. Brittany and Corsica are examined separately, each taking up roughly half of the thesis. Each half has the same general structure, beginning with discussion of how historical events have shaped perceptions of Brittany and Corsica in French popular consciousness, followed by analysis of the respective external representations and lastly internal representations. There are also two case studies of representations of Corsica in wider visual culture. Owing to its widespread appeal, its adaptability and its capacity to reflect popular opinion in different sectors of society, the medium of bande dessinée offers a potentially rich field for the investigation of social and cultural attitudes and prejudices. It is hoped that this thesis points the way to further research on the topic.

CHARACTERIZATION OF POSTHARVEST PHYSIOLOGY ATTRIBUTES OF SIX COMMERCIALLY GROWN TOMATO VARIETIES IN KENYA

Tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) is the leading vegetable in terms of production in Kenya. The Kenyan local market has a wide variety of tomato cultivars with a wide range of morphological and sensorial characteristics. However, information on the nutritional and postharvest quality of these varieties is lacking. The aim of this research was to investigate and identify tomato varieties of superior postharvest quality and recommend them to small and medium scale farmers. In this study, six tomato varieties were grown in a greenhouse and analyzed at three maturity stages (mature green, turning and red ripe). The tomatoes were analyzed at specific days after harvest and storage at room temperature (25o C). Percentage weight loss, color, respiration and ethylene production rates were analyzed to assess the postharvest quality of the tomatoes. The color was measured using a Minolta Chromameter while the respiration rate and ethylene production rates were determined using the static system approach. Color, weight loss, respiration and ethylene production rates were positively affected by storage time when harvested at the three maturity stages. The percentage weight loss of the tomato fruits was higher in the determinate varieties, and at the turning stage of maturity (3.8 %). Minor color changes were observed after storage of the tomatoes harvested at red stage for six days. Both rates of respiration and ethylene production were low, with the respiration rate ranging between 56-10 ml CO2 Kg-1h-1. The Chonto F1 variety had the highest rate of ethylene production (5.4 μL C2H4 Kg-1h-1) on the 4th day of storage after harvest at the red ripe stage. Overall, the indeterminate tomato varieties displayed better postharvest quality that can prolong the fruits shelf life for marketing. In turn, the turning stage of maturity proved to be a better stage to harvest tomatoes as the color development was more uniform.

Heavy metal contamination in vegetables grown in Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Summary: Copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr) nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) contents of various vegetables (bitter melon, tomato, eggplant, lettuce, cucumber and bell pepper) produced in Rawalpindi, Pakistan was determined using Atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). These plants are the basis of human nutrition in the study area. All vegetables grown at sewage water by farmers showed the highest contamination of heavy metals, followed by local market, Progressive farmers and hydroponic plant. The concentration ranges in mg/kg were (1.45 -2.55) for Cd, (3.10 to 4.92) Cr, (12.15- 20.50) Cu, (25.00-51.00) for Fe, (7.80 to 15.60) for Mn, (10.16 to 15.42) for Ni, (2.12 to 5.41) Pb and (16.58 to 24.08) for zinc. The contamination was above the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs), set out by WHO. Irregular trends in concentration were also observed in vegetables obtained from local market, progressive farmers and hydroponic plant.

Estructuración y estrategia de implementación de la empresa Outlanders Colombia

En el presente documento vamos a explicar el modelo de implementación y ejecución de la empresa Outlanders Colombia, dedicada al ofrecimiento de experiencias de ecoturismo a un público local y extranjero ubicado en Bogotá principalmente caracterizado por ser dinámico y buscar la realización de actividades de contacto con la naturaleza. Para el año 2018 queremos posicionarnos como una empresa referente en nuestro sector por ofrecer servicios de alta calidad en los destinos que abarcamos. Adicionalmente buscaremos concretar la realización de alianzas y acuerdos de cooperación con universidades, ONG´s y demás entidades que puedan ser fuentes de usuarios para nuestras actividades. Por otra parte y aprovechando un eventual escenario de paz en nuestro país, continuaremos con la exploración de lugares de alto atractivo natural en toda Colombia y seguiremos con nuestro modelo de desarrollo de alianzas con operadores y guías turísticos locales que tengan experiencia en la atención al mercado local y se adecúen a la gestión de calidad que planteamos para la prestación de servicios a un público más exigente. Dentro de nuestro portafolio actual ofrecemos productos enmarcados en 4 categorías distintas: Actividades de 1 día, Experiencias en ambientes naturales, recorridos por corredores turísticos y expediciones técnicas. En un futuro cercano desarrollaremos una nueva categoría: Inmersiones etnográficas, en donde pretendemos que nuestro cliente comparta con comunidades indígenas y socialmente lejanas al pensamiento occidental. Para hacer conocer al cliente potencial de nuestros servicios, realizaremos inicialmente caminatas y recorridos gratuitos en donde la gente interesada en actividades outdoor tenga una “muestra gratis” de nuestros servicios. Adicionalmente estamos en proceso de consolidación de alianzas para la promoción de nuestros servicios en entidades con flujo de clientes potenciales: Universidades, ONG´s, colegios, etc. Para complementar nuestra estrategia de publicidad y mercadeo realizaremos una fuerte presencia en redes sociales y canales virtuales de mercadeo. Sabemos de la gran influencia que tiene el componente audiovisual en la promoción de nuestros servicios por lo que nos enfocaremos en mostrar imágenes de lugares con alto atractivo natural por nuestros medios virtuales. Por otra parte sabemos de la importancia de ofrecer un servicio de alta calidad a nuestros turistas, por lo que nos aseguraremos de contar con equipo y personal adecuado para el desarrollo de las actividades. Programas de aseguramiento de la calidad y mejora continua son para nosotros una prioridad. Nuestro equipo inicialmente se compone de dos personas, que se encargan inicialmente de desarrollar labores en las dos principales áreas con las que por el momento cuenta la empresa: Logística y Marketing. Sin embargo para la realización de nuestras actividades contratamos temporalmente (dependiendo de la duración de los viajes) los servicios de expertos, guías y una serie de terceros preferiblemente provenientes de los lugares que visitamos. Actualmente contamos con experiencia en el sector con un acumulado de más de 30 viajes organizados en distintos destinos dentro del país que hacen parte de nuestro portafolio. Nos visualizamos como expertos en la realización de viajes destinos de difícil acceso en el país y así mismo nos queremos posicionar como una empresa ambiental y socialmente responsable con un modelo financiero sostenible.