Cost-effective biodiversity restoration with uncertain growth in forest habitat quality

This paper develops a dynamic model for cost-effective selection of sites for restoring biodiversity when habitat quality develops over time and is uncertain. A safety-first decision criterion is used for ensuring a minimum level of habitats, and this is formulated in a chance-constrained programming framework. The theoretical results show; (i) inclusion of quality growth reduces overall cost for achieving a future biodiversity target from relatively early establishment of habitats, but (ii) consideration of uncertainty in growth increases total cost and delays establishment, and (iii) cost-effective trading of habitat requires exchange rate between sites that varies over time. An empirical application to the red listed umbrella species - white-backed woodpecker - shows that the total cost of achieving habitat targets specified in the Swedish recovery plan is doubled if the target is to be achieved with high reliability, and that equilibrating price on a habitat trading market differs considerably between different quality growth combinations. © 2013 Elsevier GmbH.

Gestão da cadeia de fornecimento :um estudo em empresas de construção certificadas com a ISO 9000

The aim of this present research is to investigate about aplication of the supply chain management in Civil Construction, through perception of brasilian building companies directors. Research purpose includes potential benefits and main dificults analysis in supply chain management, beyond to identify decision criterions for suppliers and sales chain (commission agent and real state agency) choice and reduction, to facilility management in companies. The methodology used in this work considers the application of a questionnaire with scales of the type Likert being constituted of variables that compose the aspects of evaluation and of behaviors, beyond questions to identify the market profile of the respondents. For analysis statistics is used the descriptive, clusters and variance, ANOVA, analysis last two to verify the connections between variables. The results show more perception as for long terms contracts with suppliers for purchase of materials and services being decisive for companies nowadays (40%) than as for exclusive contracts with commission agents (30%). There is a positive appraisal about viability of hipotetic situations showed, but more caution as for disposition to apply them too. Another results aim for biggers dificults in management of chain links formed by commission agents and real state agencies, than chain links formed by anothers suppliers of materials and services. The companies for study were chosen among to those with ISO 9000 certificate until november 2001, considering that these companies have the best management systems, probably

Tourism Destination Preferences: A Longitudinal Analysis of Consumer Decision Sets

There have only been a small number of applications of consumer decision set theory to holiday destination choice, and these studies have tended to rely on a single cross sectional snapshot of research participants’ stated preferences. Very little has been reported on the relationship between stated destination preferences and actual travel, or changes in decision set composition over time. The paper presents a rare longitudinal examination of destination decision sets, in the context of short break holidays by car in Queensland, Australia. Two questionnaires were administered, three months apart. The first identified destination preferences while the second examined actual travel and revisited destination preferences. In relation to the conference theme, there was very little change in consumer preferences towards the competitive set of destinations over the three month period. A key implication for the destination of interest, which, in an attempt to change market perceptions, launched a new brand campaign during the period of the project, is that a long term investment in a consistent brand message will be required to change market perceptions. The results go some way to support the proposition that the positioning of a destination into a consumer’s decision set represents a source of competitive advantage.