Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2014-11-08"
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- Creation of a time-driven activity-based costing model to the Administrative Head Department of SonaePublication . Osório, Maria Ana Vasconcelos e Sousa Vasques; Lino, Rute Sofia Barbosa XavierIn today’s increasingly competitive market, companies are focusing on improving efficiency and on restructuring their organization, turning it to efficacy. In this context, companies have available several models that can be implemented as the Activity-Based Costing, Activity-Based Management, Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing and many others. The aim of this thesis is to create a fitting costing model for the Administrative Head Department of Sonae, specifically for the Accounts Payable and Business Support Department. In the first part, results of a comparative analysis of two important and supposedly more appropriate to this situation costing models, Activity-Based Costing and Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing, are presented. As a result of the analysis and of the expectation of the client, the best model to be used in this case study is the Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing Model. Secondly, it will be analyzed the best form to apply the chosen model to the current case study, using not only secondary research but also primary research as interviews and meetings. Consequently, it will enable the creation of a personalized Time-Driven Activity Based Costing model according to the characteristics of the company. To conclude, the last part of this thesis will provide a discussion on the model created, its limitations and recommendations for further improvements. It is also important to refer that the model developed is not a prototype that can be applied directly in other organizations, although the methodologies and techniques used and developed can be used as indicative for similar companies.
- Change management in ISBAN : optimizing process workflow and hierarchical pyramidsPublication . Lei, Mariana Teixeira; Xavier, RuteIf we look at the world 30 years ago and the way businesses worked at the time and compare with today’s world, the difference in terms of tools used by the companies is obvious. Technology has been changing the daily basis processes of the companies significantly. Since the moving from paper to electronic, new business opportunities arise along with the technological evolution. The software industry has its origins back in the late 1950s and early 1960s and appeared as a need to support that evolution. The software development projects are considerably expensive, requiring a special attention in terms of costs and rework controlling in order to be competitive in the industry. A solid planning strategy seems the soul of most of the business to deliver a product with quality and efficient cost structure. Isban is the software company of the Santander Bank Group and is represented in ten countries around the globe through the expansion of the Santander Group and its presence in the world. In Portugal, Isban PT is the IT provider for Santander Totta Bank. Isban companies provide transversal support activities between them. For instance, some departments at Isban Portugal work for Isban Spain and the other way around. These cross activities benefits the group as a whole and specially Isban Portugal. Due to the economic situation in Portugal, the Isban PT has been pursuing projects from other countries of the Santander Group because the growth of the business in Portugal has stagnated. Isban Portugal has competitive advantage in some technologies leading to an important role of the national Isban in the Group. This growing transversal support requires a restructuration in the company’s processes. In order to implement those changes the Isban Spain, the parent company, has been giving some guidelines in terms of structure and efficiency benchmarking aiming to standardize processes across the Group, taking into consideration each company competitive advantages. With this dissertation I intend to propose a model that incorporates the Group strategic guidelines and my own analysis of current processes in order to improve Isban Portugal efficiency. Once concluded, this project will be an essential tool for the decision making of the Isban Portugal management team in order to reach the proposed objectives by international guidelines.
- Customer segmentation in Retail Banking Industry : why Retail Banks should implement data mining techniques?Publication . Baptista, Eduarda Montalvão; Xavier, RuteOne of the most methodologies tool companies have to assure customer satisfaction and loyalty is customer segmentation. The purpose of this research is to explain what may be the most appropriate method to segment retail banking customers and how it can be implemented. Although demographic data is still the most commonly characteristics analysed by retail banks, behavioural segmentation as proved to achieve better results as it takes into account the heterogeneous patterns of services usage and consumption among individuals with the same age and income. Nevertheless, retail banks are the organizations by excellence mostly capable to apply this method, as it operates in the sector of activity with more organized and complete information about customers. Not only are known the consumption patterns as well as banks have access to information about customers’ income and attitudes towards investment and saving products. A comprehensive analysis was perform to assess the current state of the art of transaction processing system in Portugal, its operational model and how financial information could be collected. Given the extensive portions of data available, it was identified a technological solution to assist the information treatment. Data mining strategic implementation plan was drawn and this dissertation also assesses all the advantages of its integration by retail banks.