Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2022-06-28"
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- Harvest Club : creating a bridge between local private food producers and their customersPublication . Grigoleit, Katharina Maria; Bicho, MartaThe food commodity that is wasted most worldwide are vegetables and fruit. Most food waste takes place at the household level. While urban gardening and farming trends pick up, small, private producers cannot consume everything they produce contributing again to food waste. In advanced economies people are looking to consume low-emission products, from local sources. In this context, this dissertation will aim to find a way to reduce food waste by bridging the gap between private food producers and local consumers. The methods include a competitor analysis based on secondary data, and qualitative interviews based on hypotheses formed and tested through a quantitative survey to derive a business model canvas of a digital platform to be applied in different European countries. The research proved that people are aware and pained by food waste and have the intention to act. People who have a surplus of fresh products sometimes throw it away. Thus, society is interested in the idea of a food sharing platform, would use it, and is likely to spread the idea by word-of-mouth, especially among consumers who already buy local and in-season foods. The business plan for the platform Harvest Club was created to help disrupt unsustainable consumption patterns. Based on a regional and inclusive community-oriented approach it is a well-suited way to connect a neighborhood through the exchange of home-grown and homemade products and harvest, ultimately contributing to local and in-season consumption while reducing food waste.
- Characterization and evaluation of commercial carboxymethyl cellulose potential as an active ingredient for cosmeticsPublication . Costa, Eduardo M.; Pereira, Carla F.; Ribeiro, Alessandra A.; Casanova, Francisca; Freixo, Ricardo; Pintado, Manuela; Ramos, Óscar L.Carboxymethyl cellulose is the most used water-soluble cellulose with applications in industries such as food, cosmetics, and tissue engineering. However, due to a perceived lack of biological activity, carboxymethyl cellulose is mostly used as a structural element. As such, this work sought to investigate whether CMC possesses relevant biological properties that could grant it added value as a cosmeceutical ingredient in future skincare formulations. To that end, CMC samples (Mw between 471 and 322 kDa) skin cell cytotoxicity, impact upon pro-collagen I α I production, and inflammatory response were evaluated. Results showed that samples were not cytotoxic towards HaCat and HDFa up to 10 mg/mL while simultaneously promoting intracellular production of pro-collagen I α I up by 228% relative to the basal metabolism, which appeared to be related to the highest DS and Mw. Additionally, CMC samples modulated HaCat immune response as they decreased by ca. 1.4-fold IL-8 production and increased IL-6 levels by ca. five fold. Despite this increase, only two samples presented IL-6 levels similar to those of the inflammation control. Considering these results, CMC showed potential to be a more natural alternative to traditional bioactive cosmetic ingredients and, as it is capable of being a bioactive and structural ingredient, it may play a key role in future skincare formulations.
- The Small Christian Communities are pastoral priority of the Church in TanzaniaPublication . Mahimbali, Joseph Rodrick; Rodrigues, Luís Miguel FigueiredoThe Church is always looking for better ways to help Christians live the Christian faith well. Among the best way for Christians to live the Christian faith well is through their participation in the church's activities. Looking at one of the great themes of Vatican II, it was to see how Christians can participate well in the activities of their Church. So why, when Pope John XXIII convoked Vatican II, he used the Italian word aggiornamento in which it means updating the life of the Church. Small Christian Communities are one of the many pastoral methods the Church uses to help Christians participate well in the life of the Church. Thus, why, after the Second Vatican Council, many places in the world, especially in Africa and Latin America, immediately began to carry out pastoral realization through Small Christian Communities or Christian communities of the base. In Tanzania things were a little different. The bishops of Tanzania (TEC) and AMECEA decided to declare that small Christian communities are the Pastoral Priority. Catholic bishops in East Africa have chosen to declare CCS as the pastoral priority as the best way to build local churches to be truly self-ministers (self-governing), self-propagation (self-dissemination) and selfsustaining (self-reparation and self-sustaining). This means that the whole life of the Church in Tanzania is built on the basis of small Christian communities. The main capital or source of the Small Christian Communities are Christian families.
- The impact of gender clues in packaging on consumers’ purchase intentions and the mediating role of brand imagePublication . Oliveira, Maria Santos de; Romeiro, PauloIn the highly competitive world of FMCG, firms fight to differentiate their products and make them stand out in the eyes of the consumer. Hence, the packaging assumes an important role in grabbing consumers’ attention and in influencing them to make decisions. In order to study the impact of gender clues in packaging on consumers’ purchase intentions, this dissertation focuses on analyzing products in the wine’s category, namely, rosé wine. The methodology comprises primary data, obtained through qualitative research in the form of in-depth interviews, and quantitative research in the form of an online questionnaire. In fact, the findings illustrate that including gender clues in the packaging of rosé wines has a positive effect on consumers’ purchase intentions. Furthermore, results suggest that there is an indirect effect of brand image on the relationship between the variables. This effect has a positive impact and it is statistically significant, validating that there is partial mediation. Finally, in current times when gender and gender identity is one of the hottest topics, this dissertation opens the door for numerous possibilities regarding research about the role of gender in Consumer Packed Goods.
- Aspetos ressarcitórios do dano biológicoPublication . Correia, João Gabriel Amorim Aguiar de Araújo; Proença, José Carlos Barros BrandãoA presente dissertação versa sobre o dano biológico, decorrente da lesão à integridade físico-psíquica, e os seus aspetos ressarcitórios. Esta categoria de dano, de invenção sobretudo jurisprudencial, gera grandes divergências doutrinais e jurisprudenciais, quer quanto à sua admissibilidade, quer quanto à sua natureza jurídica e consequente ressarcibilidade. Deste modo, após uma análise à sua origem, à posição da doutrina e à forma como o dano biológico vem sendo tratado em sede judicial, propomo-nos ensaiar uma noção e natureza jurídica que melhor se adeque às exigências e à verdadeira essência deste dano.
- How can luxury companies integrate augmented reality throughout the value chain?Publication . Magnin, Aurianne Maud Marie; Leglise, LaureDue to the non-predictable Covid-19 pandemic, the physical stores of luxury brands which were living a three-dimensional and unique dream to all their visitors, had to close their doors and settle for online sales to ensure their survival. However, information online is trapped on two-dimensional sites and screens. This gap between the natural and digital worlds prevents luxury brands from expressing their proper DNA of know-how and heritage. Augmented reality, a technology that overlays our natural environment with virtual 3D images, answers the issue of viewing products directly in the context customers will apply them; augmented reality increases the ability to visualize and purchase them accordingly. Many luxury brands are already applying augmented reality in entertainment, especially on social media, but this technology is being applied more consistently within organizations. Luxury companies are using it not only for product design, but for manufacturing, logistics, marketing, service, and sales, and they have seen significant improvements in quality and productivity. Augmented reality will also have a significant impact on the competitiveness of businesses. Therefore, luxury brands implement this tool into their value chain. This research provides readers with answers to the question: How can luxury companies integrate augmented reality throughout the value chain?
- Industry case analysis : Tesla’s strategy towards mass production of electric vehiclesPublication . Busch, Leonard; Rajsingh, PeterThis thesis examines whether Tesla possesses sustainable competitive advantages in the mass production of electric vehicles over its German competitors. Thus, it seeks to decrease the two identified research gaps of Tesla’s production strategy and of Tesla’s competitive comparison to the German automotive industry which is substantially ramping up production of electric vehicles itself. To examine this coherence, the most appropriate method of analysis is found to be the examination according to Barneys VRIO framework which defines the four criteria of value, rarity, inimitability and organization for a competitive advantage to be classified as sustainable. The data to perform this analysis was collected using a survey with 71 respondents and 10 semi-structured interviews with both groups being composed of Tesla employees and employees of the most relevant German competitors BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen. The survey found a total of seven relevant competitive advantages, Tesla possesses towards the mass production of electric vehicles over its German competitors. These competitive advantages are then quantitatively assessed by the survey results on the VRIO framework and qualitatively assessed through the information provided by the expert interviews. This combination of analytical methods not only leads to the classification of five competitive advantages as temporary but also to the classification of two as sustainable competitive advantages: Firstly, Tesla’s speed & agility which refers to the company’s high operating & decision-making speed as well as fast construction & commission of new factories. Secondly, Tesla’s vertical backward integration of component manufacturing and future in-house battery cell production.
- The impact of blockchain on promoting co-opetition in the pharmaceutical industryPublication . Pedro, Andreia Raquel Fernandes; Rajsingh, PeterThe pharmaceutical industry is known for being resistant to cooperation. For decades pharma players avoided joining efforts with each other out of fear of sensitive data spillovers. It turns out that the industry’s paradigm has changed, and companies are now faced with the necessity of resorting to partnerships to solve industry-wide problems and reach the kind of profits they’ve grown used to. This thesis sought to understand the impact of blockchain on promoting co-opetition in the pharmaceutical industry in both Europe and the US. The results were based on scientific journals, industry reports, pilot projects, and expert interviews. Blockchain's main advantage resides in the fact that it allows for both secure interoperability between partners and process transparency. At the outset, blockchain adoption by companies presupposes an acceptance of cooperation. Experts agreed that the lack of familiarity with the technology can slow down mass adoption. However, since major companies are already engaging with blockchain and experiencing its convenience, it could constitute a new functionality for others to follow. Accordingly, the scenario planning tool indicated that in the near to medium term, blockchain will have moderate industry adoption, mainly by bigger players, whereas the scenarios where blockchain has little to none and mass adoption, were considered less likely by the experts.
- Supply chain due diligence’s influence on supply chain strategies : an analysis on the upcoming norwegian transparency actPublication . Gåskjenn, Nora Kristiane; Bicho, MartaThe aim of this thesis is to gain insight on how the Norwegian Transparency Act affects supply chain strategies, and further acquiring knowledge on which resources are being used and activities done to meet the requirements of the act. For this purpose, quantitative and qualitative studies were conducted in terms of a questionnaire answered by 29 companies and three in depth interviews with three companies. The research concludes that public policy and governmental regulations, exemplified by The Norwegian Transparency Act, have an impact on supply chain strategies. However, supply chain due diligence’s impact on supply chain strategies is varying depending on several factors, like size of supply chains, suppliers’ location, implemented guidelines similar to the act and operations in countries with due diligence laws. The most implemented resources and activities are creation of specialized teams, information sharing, use of legal services and other third-party contributions. The SCOR model (APICS, 2017), useful for measuring performance of supply chains, seems to have received little attention for its recently added 6 th “enabling” process, which includes i.e., regulatory compliance management. This process should be greatly emphasized as due diligence has an increasing impact on supply chain management. The Norwegian Transparency Act has not yet entered into force. Hence, this thesis contributes by expanding knowledge of companies’ awareness about the act and, if aware, how they prepare and adjust to meet new requirements. Further, it provides valuable insight for policy formulation, more effective implementation, and ultimately ensuring decent working conditions for all.
- On-demand medicine delivery services in Germany : an empirical analysis of consumer adoptionPublication . Feger, Nicolai; Rita, Miguel FontesOn-demand medicine delivery services are taking the next step toward a new e-pharmacy era and last-mile experience of e-commerce. Despite the fact that researchers and marketers are interested in the topic of on-demand delivery services empirical research on customer behavior in this field is limited. Consequently, this research aims to investigate the relation of consumer perceptions, attitudes, and values in the context of e-pharmacy, especially in on-demand medicine delivery services, and complement previous insights on consumer behavior. Empirical results gained through a mixed-methods study with qualitative expert and consumer interviews and a quantitative study with 194 online study respondents provide an overview, identification, and segmentation of consumers in the medicine purchasing environment. Based on the exploratory empirical findings of this study, researchers and marketers may understand the differentiation between consumer groups and their intentions and behaviors towards online medicine purchases. According to the findings, convenience factors like time-saving, urgency, and desired times of delivery as well as ease of use and the consumers' perception of quick delivery services are significant and important antecedent factors for consumer adoption. Further factors like the desired location of delivery, changes in consumers' life situations, and having friends or family using on-demand delivery services also positively impact adoption. This research presents companies and marketers with various practical and theoretical implications for increasing customers' willingness to adopt on-demand medicine delivery services and supports relevant strategy development through empirically verified insights.