Modelagem do desempenho ambiental dos projetos de explora����o e produ����o aplicando equa����es estruturais

A legisla����o ambiental e os principais agentes que se relacionam com a empresa se constituem em fatores ex��genos que n��o podem ser negligenciados ao formular-se e avaliar-se a pol��tica ambiental corporativa. As influ��ncias ex��genas e seus efeitos sobre a gest��o ambiental e o gerenciamento de projetos de explora����o e produ����o (E&P) e, por essa via, sobre o desempenho ambiental, foram objetos de estudo desta tese. Embora o desempenho ambiental seja um assunto relevante, a pesquisa sobre esse tema ainda �� escassa. Tal car��ncia desponta ainda mais acentuada quando se aborda o desempenho ambiental de projetos na ind��stria de petr��leo e g��s. O principal objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a rela����o entre a legisla����o ambiental vigente, as a����es de ��rg��os reguladores, fornecedores, empresas terceirizadas e comunidades locais e o desempenho ambiental dos projetos de E&P na ind��stria de petr��leo e g��s e, tamb��m, analisar os efeitos do sistema de gest��o ambiental e o gerenciamento dos projetos sobre tal desempenho. Na fase abdutiva, foi conduzido um estudo de caso com abordagem qualitativa em uma grande empresa brasileira do setor de petr��leo e g��s, na fase dedutiva, foi realizada uma pesquisa survey explanat��ria de corte transversal com abordagem quantitativa, incluindo 113 projetos de E&P de cinco unidades executoras da empresa. Foi formulado um modelo conceitual, com cinco construtos e sete hip��teses de pesquisa, representativo dos efeitos de fatores externos sobre o desempenho ambiental dos projetos de E&P. Os dados foram tratados aplicando a An��lise Fatorial Explorat��ria e a Modelagem de Equa����es Estruturais com aplica����o dos softwares IBM�� SPSS�� Statistics 20.0 e IBM�� SPSS�� Amos 18.0. O modelo de equa����es estruturais foi reespecificado e estimado utilizando o m��todo de M��xima Verossimilhan��a e o procedimento bootstrap com 2000 reamostragens, at�� alcan��ar adequados valores dos ��ndices de ajustamento. O modelo mostrou boa ader��ncia ��s evid��ncias emp��ricas, representando uma teoria explicativa dos fatores que influenciam o desempenho ambiental dos projetos de E&P na empresa estudada. As estat��sticas descritivas apontaram adequado desempenho dos projetos de E&P com rela����o aos efluentes descartados, volume de ��gua reutilizada, redu����o de res��duos e pr��ticas de reciclagem. Identificou-se que projetos de maior porte alcan��am melhor desempenho ambiental em rela����o aos de menor tamanho. N��o foram achadas diferen��as significativas entre os desempenhos de projetos executados por unidades operacionais distintas. Os resultados da modelagem indicaram que nem a legisla����o ambiental, nem os agentes externos exercem influ��ncia significativa sobre a sistem��tica da gest��o dos projetos de E&P. Os agentes externos atuam sobre a gest��o ambiental da empresa exercitando capacidades colaborativas, obstrutivas e propositivas. A legisla����o ambiental �� percebida como entrave ao desenvolvimento dos projetos ao longo de seu ciclo de vida, principalmente, pelas defici��ncias dos ��rg��os ambientais. Identificou-se que o sistema de gest��o ambiental influencia diretamente o Programa de Desenvolvimento e Execu����o de Projetos de E&P, que, por sua vez, provoca efeitos diretos e indiretos sobre o desempenho ambiental. Finalmente, comprovou-se que o Sistema de Gest��o Ambiental da empresa �� determinante para o desempenho ambiental dos projetos de E&P, tanto pelos seus efeitos diretos, como pelos indiretos, estes ��ltimos mediados pela sistem��tica de gest��o dos projetos de E&P

Modelagem do desempenho ambiental dos projetos de explora����o e produ����o aplicando equa����es estruturais

A legisla����o ambiental e os principais agentes que se relacionam com a empresa se constituem em fatores ex��genos que n��o podem ser negligenciados ao formular-se e avaliar-se a pol��tica ambiental corporativa. As influ��ncias ex��genas e seus efeitos sobre a gest��o ambiental e o gerenciamento de projetos de explora����o e produ����o (E&P) e, por essa via, sobre o desempenho ambiental, foram objetos de estudo desta tese. Embora o desempenho ambiental seja um assunto relevante, a pesquisa sobre esse tema ainda �� escassa. Tal car��ncia desponta ainda mais acentuada quando se aborda o desempenho ambiental de projetos na ind��stria de petr��leo e g��s. O principal objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a rela����o entre a legisla����o ambiental vigente, as a����es de ��rg��os reguladores, fornecedores, empresas terceirizadas e comunidades locais e o desempenho ambiental dos projetos de E&P na ind��stria de petr��leo e g��s e, tamb��m, analisar os efeitos do sistema de gest��o ambiental e o gerenciamento dos projetos sobre tal desempenho. Na fase abdutiva, foi conduzido um estudo de caso com abordagem qualitativa em uma grande empresa brasileira do setor de petr��leo e g��s, na fase dedutiva, foi realizada uma pesquisa survey explanat��ria de corte transversal com abordagem quantitativa, incluindo 113 projetos de E&P de cinco unidades executoras da empresa. Foi formulado um modelo conceitual, com cinco construtos e sete hip��teses de pesquisa, representativo dos efeitos de fatores externos sobre o desempenho ambiental dos projetos de E&P. Os dados foram tratados aplicando a An��lise Fatorial Explorat��ria e a Modelagem de Equa����es Estruturais com aplica����o dos softwares IBM�� SPSS�� Statistics 20.0 e IBM�� SPSS�� Amos 18.0. O modelo de equa����es estruturais foi reespecificado e estimado utilizando o m��todo de M��xima Verossimilhan��a e o procedimento bootstrap com 2000 reamostragens, at�� alcan��ar adequados valores dos ��ndices de ajustamento. O modelo mostrou boa ader��ncia ��s evid��ncias emp��ricas, representando uma teoria explicativa dos fatores que influenciam o desempenho ambiental dos projetos de E&P na empresa estudada. As estat��sticas descritivas apontaram adequado desempenho dos projetos de E&P com rela����o aos efluentes descartados, volume de ��gua reutilizada, redu����o de res��duos e pr��ticas de reciclagem. Identificou-se que projetos de maior porte alcan��am melhor desempenho ambiental em rela����o aos de menor tamanho. N��o foram achadas diferen��as significativas entre os desempenhos de projetos executados por unidades operacionais distintas. Os resultados da modelagem indicaram que nem a legisla����o ambiental, nem os agentes externos exercem influ��ncia significativa sobre a sistem��tica da gest��o dos projetos de E&P. Os agentes externos atuam sobre a gest��o ambiental da empresa exercitando capacidades colaborativas, obstrutivas e propositivas. A legisla����o ambiental �� percebida como entrave ao desenvolvimento dos projetos ao longo de seu ciclo de vida, principalmente, pelas defici��ncias dos ��rg��os ambientais. Identificou-se que o sistema de gest��o ambiental influencia diretamente o Programa de Desenvolvimento e Execu����o de Projetos de E&P, que, por sua vez, provoca efeitos diretos e indiretos sobre o desempenho ambiental. Finalmente, comprovou-se que o Sistema de Gest��o Ambiental da empresa �� determinante para o desempenho ambiental dos projetos de E&P, tanto pelos seus efeitos diretos, como pelos indiretos, estes ��ltimos mediados pela sistem��tica de gest��o dos projetos de E&P

Understanding the behavior of workshop facilitators in systems analysis and design projects: Developing theory from process modeling projects

Organizational and technological systems analysis and design practices such as process modeling have received much attention in recent years. However, while knowledge about related artifacts such as models, tools, or grammars has substantially matured, little is known about the actual tasks and interaction activities that are conducted as part of analysis and design acts. In particular, key role of the facilitator has not been researched extensively to date. In this paper, we propose a new conceptual framework that can be used to examine facilitation behaviors in process modeling projects. The framework distinguishes four behavioral styles in facilitation (the driving engineer, the driving artist, the catalyzing engineer, and the catalyzing artist) that a facilitator can adopt. To distinguish between the four styles, we provide a set of ten behavioral anchors that underpin facilitation behaviors. We also report on a preliminary empirical exploration of our framework through interviews with experienced analysts in six modeling cases. Our research provides a conceptual foundation for an emerging theory for describing and explaining different behaviors associated with process modeling facilitation, provides first preliminary empirical results about facilitation in modeling projects, and provides a fertile basis for examining facilitation in other conceptual modeling activities.

Governors highway safety associations and transportation planning: Exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling

The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 mandated the consideration of safety in the regional transportation planning process. As part of National Cooperative Highway Research Program Project 8-44, "Incorporating Safety into the Transportation Planning Process," we conducted a telephone survey to assess safety-related activities and expertise at Governors Highway Safety Associations (GHSAs), and GHSA relationships with metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and state departments of transportation (DOTs). The survey results were combined with statewide crash data to enable exploratory modeling of the relationship between GHSA policies and programs and statewide safety. The modeling objective was to illuminate current hurdles to ISTEA implementation, so that appropriate institutional, analytical, and personnel improvements can be made. The study revealed that coordination of transportation safety across DOTs, MPOs, GHSAs, and departments of public safety is generally beneficial to the implementation of safety. In addition, better coordination is characterized by more positive and constructive attitudes toward incorporating safety into planning.

Reliable and valid survey design for structural equation modelling

My quantitative study asks how Chinese Australians��� ���Chineseness��� and their various resources influence their Chinese language proficiency, using online survey and snowball sampling. ���Operationalization��� is a challenging process which ensures that the survey design talks back to the informing theory and forwards to the analysis model. It requires the attention to two core methodological concerns, namely ���validity��� and ���reliability���. Construction of a high-quality questionnaire is critical to the achievement of valid and reliable operationalization. A series of strategies were chosen to ensure the quality of the questions, and thus the eventual data. These strategies enable the use of structural equation modelling to examine how well the data fits the theoretical framework, which was constructed in light of Bourdieu���s theory of habitus, capital and field.

Maternal concern about her toddler undereating and becoming underweight and use of feeding practices - analysis of the NOURISH and SAIDI cohorts using structural equation modeling

The chubby baby who eats well is desirable in our culture. Perceived low weight gains and feeding concerns are common reasons mothers seek advice in the early years. In contrast, childhood obesity is a global public health concern. Use of coercive feeding practices, prompted by maternal concern about weight, may disrupt a child���s innate self regulation of energy intake, promoting overeating and overweight. This study describes predictors of maternal concern about her child undereating/becoming underweight and feeding practices. Mothers in the control group of the NOURISH and South Australian Infants Dietary Intake studies (n = 332) completed a self-administered questionnaire when the child was aged 12���16 months. Weight-for-age z-score (WAZ)was derived from weight measured by study staff. Mean age (SD) was 13.8 (1.3) months, mean WAZ (SD), 0.58 (0.86) and 49% were male. WAZ and two questions describing food refusal were combined in a structural equation model with four items from the Infant feeding Questionnaire (IFQ) to form the factor ���Concern about undereating/weight���. Structural relationships were drawn between concern and IFQ factors ���awareness of infant���s hunger and satiety cues���, ���use of food to calm infant���s fussiness��� and ���feeding infant on a schedule���, resulting in a model of acceptable fit. Lower WAZ and higher frequency of food refusal predicted higher maternal concern. Higher maternal concern was associated with lower awareness of infant cues (r = ���.17, p = .01) and greater use of food to calm (r = .13, p = .03). In a cohort of healthy children, maternal concern about undereating and underweight was associated with practices that have the potential to disrupt self-regulation.

Developing and implementing an environmental performance index for the Portuguese military

Business Strategy and the Environment n�� 15, p. 71���86

Social cognition as a mediator variable between neurocognition and functional outcome in schizophrenia: empirical review and new results by structural equation modeling

Cognitive impairments are currently regarded as important determinants of functional domains and are promising treatment goals in schizophrenia. Nevertheless, the exact nature of the interdependent relationship between neurocognition and social cognition as well as the relative contribution of each of these factors to adequate functioning remains unclear. The purpose of this article is to systematically review the findings and methodology of studies that have investigated social cognition as a mediator variable between neurocognitive performance and functional outcome in schizophrenia. Moreover, we carried out a study to evaluate this mediation hypothesis by the means of structural equation modeling in a large sample of 148 schizophrenia patients. The review comprised 15 studies. All but one study provided evidence for the mediating role of social cognition both in cross-sectional and in longitudinal designs. Other variables like motivation and social competence additionally mediated the relationship between social cognition and functional outcome. The mean effect size of the indirect effect was 0.20. However, social cognitive domains were differentially effective mediators. On average, 25% of the variance in functional outcome could be explained in the mediation model. The results of our own statistical analysis are in line with these conclusions: Social cognition mediated a significant indirect relationship between neurocognition and functional outcome. These results suggest that research should focus on differential mediation pathways. Future studies should also consider the interaction with other prognostic factors, additional mediators, and moderators in order to increase the predictive power and to target those factors relevant for optimizing therapy effects.

The Relationship Between Sociosexuality and Aspects of Body Image in Men and Women: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

The present study investigated the association between individual differences in sociosexual orientation and four aspects of body image in 156 male and 136 female students. While men were characterized by a less restricted sociosexual orientation, higher self-perceived physical attractiveness, and more pronounced self-rated physical assertiveness, women placed more emphasis on accentuation of body presentation. Structural equation modeling revealed significant positive relationships between sociosexual attitudes and physical attractiveness and accentuation of body presentation as well as between sociosexual behavior and physical attractiveness for the total sample. When introducing sex as a grouping variable, the attitudinal and behavioral components of sociosexuality were reliably related to both physical attractiveness and accentuation of body presentation as two aspects of body image in men, but not in women. Furthermore, our findings suggest that accentuation of body presentation represents a goal-directed behavior in men to increase the likelihood of having uncommitted sex but serves additional functions widely unrelated to unrestrictive sociosexual behavior in women.

Use of structural equation modeling to examine the association between breast cancer risk perception and repeat screening mammography among United States women

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in United States women, estimated to be diagnosed in 1 out of 8 women in their lifetime. Screening mammography detects breast cancer in its pre-clinical stages when treatment strategies have the greatest chance of success, and is currently the only population-wide prevention method proven to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with breast cancer. Research has shown that the majority of women are not screened annually, with estimates ranging front 6% - 30% of eligible women receiving all available annual mammograms over a 5-year or greater time frame. Health behavior theorists believe that perception of risk/susceptibility to a disease influences preventive health behavior, in this case, screening mammography The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the association between breast cancer risk perception and repeat screening mammography using a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework. A series of SEM multivariate regressions were conducted using self-reported, nationally representative data from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey. Interaction contrasts were tested to measure the potential moderating effects of variables which have been shown to be predictive of mammography use (physician recommendation, economic barriers, structural barriers, race/ethnicity) on the association between breast cancer risk perception and repeat mammography, while controlling for the covariates of age, income, region, nativity, and educational level. Of the variables tested for moderation, results of the SEM analyses identify physician recommendation as the only moderator of the relationship between risk perception and repeat mammography, thus the potentially most effective point of intervention to increase mammography screening, and decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with breast cancer. These findings expand the role of the physician from recommendation to one of attenuating the effect of risk perception and increasing repeat screening. The long range application of the research is the use of the SEM methodology to identify specific points of intervention most likely to increase preventive behavior in population-wide research, allowing for the most effective use of intervention funds.^