Market analysis 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

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

Business concept design of an innovative product: Partnership between Nmusic and Rovio Entertainment Ltd.

Field Lab in Entrepreneurial Innovative Ventures

Les casual games : définition à l’aide du savoir professionnel des designers de jeux

Le jeu casual est un phénomène majeur de l’industrie vidéoludique, pourtant il reste peu étudié et mal considéré. Les quelques définitions scientifiques recensées présentent des divergences importantes, ainsi qu’un décalage par rapport aux jeux produits. Les modèles théoriques en design de jeu, centrés sur le gameplay, semblent inadéquats face à ce phénomène. En utilisant le modèle du praticien réflexif de Donald Schön, l’objectif de notre recherche est d’apporter un nouvel éclairage sur le jeu casual grâce au savoir professionnel des designers de jeux. Notre approche est qualitative, d’inspiration phénoménologique : nous avons recueilli l’expérience de huit designers de jeux par l’intermédiaire d’entretiens semi-dirigés proches du récit de pratique. Nos résultats montrent que les concepts utilisés dans les modèles vidéoludiques traditionnels restent pertinents pour définir le jeu casual, mais demandent à être retravaillés afin de rendre compte des mutations de l’expérience de jeu. Ainsi, un challenge dans un jeu casual n’est pas un obstacle mais une opportunité d’action pour le joueur. De plus, la progression se fait par la variation des challenges plutôt que par l’augmentation de la difficulté. Ensuite, certains concepts qui semblaient pertinents pour définir les jeux casual, tels que la fiction positive, ont été rejetés par nos participants. Enfin, notre étude a permis de rassembler des informations sur le rôle du designer de jeu casual et le contexte dans lequel il exerce, ce qui permet d’expliquer certaines causes de la vision péjorative du jeu casual.

Consumers’ Reactions to Sanitation in Casual Dining, Quick-Service, and Fine Dining Restaurants

Consumers’ concern about food safety, sanitation, and health has increased since food-borne illnesses still frequently occur in the US. This article explored consumers’ perceptions, emotions, and behavioral intention about the sanitation of the physical environment in three different restaurant settings, casual dining, quick-service, and fine dining restaurants. Disgust was the most strongly felt negative emotion, but no significant differences were found for negative emotional reactions to dirty conditions among the three types of restaurants. Positive emotional reactions were significantly different among the restaurant types. Behavioral intention was also significantly different among the three restaurant types as a reaction to dirty food. The findings help restaurant owners and managers understand how consumers feel and react to “dirty” food, service staff, or dining room tables in casual, quick-service and fine dining restaurant.

Vitamin D-Resistant Rickets Type II-A, Basal Ganglia Calcification, and Catatonia: A Casual or Causal Relationship?

Background: Vitamin D-resistant rickets type-IIA (VDRR-IIA) is a rare, congenital, metabolic disorder characterized by hypocalcemia, rickets, and alopecia. There are reports correlating calcium-metabolic disorders with basal ganglia calcification (BGC) and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Objective: The authors document and discuss the relationships of these phenomena. Method: The authors describe a patient born with VDRR-IIA who subsequently developed BGC at age 15, and catatonic symptoms of progressive severity at age 16. Results: There appeared to be a positive correlation between the severity of BGC and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Discussion: This is the first time VDRR-IIA, BGC, and catatonia have been reported in a patient, and the authors discuss the relationship among the conditions. (Psychosomatics 2009; 50: 420-424)

Determinantes precoces da glicemia casual em adultos da coorte de nascimentos de 1982, Pelotas, RS

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o efeito de variáveis socioeconômicas, peso ao nascer, duração da amamentação e mudança de renda sobre a glicemia ao acaso em jovens adultos. MÉTODOS: Estudo sobre coorte de nascidos em 1982, quando os 5.914 nascimentos hospitalares ocorridos na cidade de Pelotas foram identificados e as mães entrevistadas. As crianças, cujas famílias residiam na área urbana da cidade, foram acompanhadas diversas vezes. Em 2004-5, 4.927 indivíduos da coorte foram entrevistados e 3.730 tiveram sangue da polpa digital coletado para medida da glicemia casual. Foi avaliada a associação entre glicemia casual e cor da pele, renda familiar ao nascer, escolaridade materna, mudança de renda entre 1982 e 2004-5, peso ao nascer e duração da amamentação. RESULTADOS: A média da glicemia foi de 97,3±15,1mg/dL, sendo maior entre os homens. Nenhuma das variáveis estudadas esteve associada com a glicemia dos homens. Entre as mulheres, a escolaridade materna, a renda familiar aos 23 anos e o peso ao nascimento estiveram inversamente associados com a glicemia. Contudo, o efeito do peso ao nascer perdeu a significância estatística na análise multivariável. CONCLUSÕES: O peso ao nascer e a duração da amamentação não apresentaram efeito em longo prazo sobre a glicemia casual, apenas a escolaridade materna e a renda atual estiveram associados com a glicemia casual nas mulheres.

Expanding the magic circle in pervasive casual play

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Informática