Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2022-10-25"
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- E-fuels and climate goals : an analysis of the German automotive industryPublication . Heckmann, Maximilian Friedrich; Rajsingh, Peter V.Climate change is increasingly impacting life globally. To reduce damage, stricter governmental regulations have been developed, and companies need to adapt to these changes. The automotive industry is transitioning towards new technologies like electrification or hybrid systems to comply with these regulations. This study investigates how so called “e-fuels” could impact the automotive industry. E-fuels are an innovative alternative to fossil fuels, compatible with a combustion car fleet and can be produced in a CO2 neutral manner. Experts from different areas related to the automotive industry in Germany were interviewed. The potential of e-fuels was evaluated and the importance of an ambidextrous strategy was discussed. Synthesizing the experts’ opinions gives two key problems for e-fuels: Energy efficiency and the lack of accreditation in the current European regulation. A global value chain and technology openness could help to overcome these problems. The potential for e-fuels therefore depends on regulation and is significantly reduced by the current fleet emission regulation in Europe. In fields where no substitution with other technologies is possible, e-fuels will likely become a standard. Manufacturers will continue to sell combustion cars in the next decades, but the ambidextrous approach is restricted by regulations. The simultaneous development of electric and combustion technology is costly and unlikely for most car manufacturers. Thus, many will transition towards complete electrification. Further research should include experts from other related fields and regions beyond Europe to investigate the global potential of e-fuels.
- Compreensão de estruturas sintáticas com movimento A’ e com movimento A em crianças portuguesas surdas com implante coclear: efeitos da idade de início de exposição ao input linguístico e do tempo de exposição à línguaPublication . Moita, Mara; Lobo, MariaIn the period in which language should be acquired, auditory input deprivation compromises oral language exposure. The literature reports difficulties in the oral comprehension of syntactic dependencies resulting from A’ movement, but no difficulties in the acquisition of syntactic structures with A-movement in hearing-impaired children with hearing aids. Our study investigates the effects of the total deprivation of linguistic input during the first year(s) of life (critical period of language acquisition) and length of language exposure on the comprehension of dependencies with A and A-bar movement (Wh- questions, relative clauses, and passives) in 47 Portuguese hearing-impaired children with cochlear implants. The results reveal that CI activation before age 3 combined with at least 6 years of language exposure determines comprehension of Wh- questions and relatives at the same level as the control group. The same does not happen with the comprehension of passives, that remain problematic in this population even after prolonged exposure. We discuss these findings in light of theoretical proposals that attribute the acquisition of passives to maturational constraints.
- Digital transformation and business model innovation : a multiple case study of consulting companies from GermanyPublication . Brunnthaler, Lisa-Maria; Wójcik, PiotrThis dissertation provides a status quo of the digital transformation within the German IT consulting industry in 2022 and examines the influence of digitalization on the business model (BM) development of consultancies. The paper studies the determinants which led consultancies to arrive at their current digitalization level, how their current BMs are characterized as well as how the development process induced by digitalization is composed, and eventually which success factors need to be fulfilled to overcome potential future growth barriers. In the literature review, definitions of the concept of BM and the innovation on BMs are discussed. Based on those insights, the characteristics of BMs in the consulting industry are identified and a deepened understanding of the phenomenon on digitalization is created. Grounded on the theoretical insights, a multiple case study spanning four different IT consulting firms is performed which investigates the business model developments of those consultancies by conducting two semi-structured interviews with related consultants per case complemented with secondary data generating data triangulation. The dissertation identifies changing requirements of stakeholders and in particular clients as the most relevant determinants for business model innovation. The findings of the thesis stress the importance of an outbalanced focus on the people business and the technological aspects of IT consulting. As most critical success factors a change affine mindset and company culture have been identified which embraces that mindset and consequently enables an organizational structure to execute the willingness for change.
- The influence of overweight and obesity in the oral health of a sample of Portuguese adultsPublication . Veiga, N.; Ferreira, L.; Couto, P.; Correia, P.; Lopes, P.; Correia, M. J.; Coelho, InêsBackground: Overweight and obesity may lead to different problems in various body systems and in the oral cavity. Dental caries and periodontal disease have been related with overweight. The aim of this study was to assess how overweight and obesity have impact on the lifestyle, oral habits and oral pathologies. Methods: We conducted an observational cross-sectional study where we applied a questionnaire to 140 individuals from Lisbon and Viseu, Portugal., which 70 had a normal Body Mass Index (BMI) (control group) and 70 had an excessive BMI. We also made an oral observation in each individual to record the permanent teeth decayed, missing and filled index (DMFT), the Community Periodontal Index and the oral hygiene status. Results: From the final sample, 30% of the subjects with overweight brushed their teeth once a day or less, while the majority (62.9%) of the control group brushed twice a day. In the oral examination, 70% had calculus, while in the control group only 22.5% presented calcified plaque. The DMFT was higher among the obesity group in comparison with the control group. Regarding periodontal disease, the participants with overweight need more dental intervention (81.4%) in contrast with the control group (14%). Conclusions: Most overweight and obese individuals present precarious oral hygiene habits, higher prevalence of dental caries, and worse periods of periodontal health. They are not aware of the repercussions of the association between their cariogenic diet, oral health and overweight.
- Internationalization of small and medium-sized companies : the case of the Canarian food and beverage industryPublication . Santos, Claudia Manescau; Reis, Ricardo FerreiraThe thesis presented describes the situation at the time of internationalization of food and beverage SMEs in the Canary Islands. The case plays the role of a didactic tool as it allows students to apply theories and strategic frameworks they learn in class to a real-life situation. The Canary Islands are a group of Spanish islands in Africa, where internationalization is complex. There are several food and beverage companies that are not only unique, they are of high quality, so several companies want to internationalize and make known fantastic products of the islands. This region has more than 15 million tourists a year, one of the main sources of the islands, so many companies see possibilities through tourism.
- Cloud Kitchens : a novelty in the restaurant industry after COVID-19Publication . Piccioni, Francesco; Rajsingh, Peter V.Over the past few years, the restaurant industry has faced numerous challenges. The arrival of COVID-19 forced various countries around the world to take measures to contain the expansion of the pandemic, especially the mandatory quarantine and the closure of restaurants are measures that have been implemented more by governments. This paper focuses on the Cloud Kitchen phenomenon, a new business model for restaurants. The strategy used is to focus solely on the production of food for one or more brands dedicated exclusively to delivery. The arrival of the pandemic was a catalyst event that created an increase in the amount of food delivery ordered by people never seen before in history. Based on qualitative and quantitative analysis, in this thesis we are going to study how this new business model may or may not be a disruptor for traditional restaurants, especially, the paper intends to try to identify the possible future scenario of the restaurant industry following the arrival of these new competitors in the market. The focus is mainly on analyzing the factors that strengthen the Cloud Kitchen, the advantages that an entrepreneur could have by opting for this operational model, and the limitations that arise when operating under this business format. Competition in the Restaurant Industry is very strong and constantly evolving, restaurants that want to survive and continue to be profitable will have to innovate and adapt to change, anticipating new trends is of fundamental importance to do not be cut off from the market.
- Planting tradition and harvesting innovation : a case study of how a Portuguese family winery achieved international reputationPublication . Gouveia, Mafalda Alexandra Carreira de; Reis, Ricardo FerreiraAlthough small family-owned businesses populate the wine industry, they encounter greater barriers when trying to promote their wines, especially at an international level. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how small wineries can stand out from competitors. The level of rivalry in the market is lessened when producers can differentiate their products. While an innovation strategy is crucial for wine producers to compete, research on how they approach such practices is scarce. This work seeks to complement the existing literature by illustrating the analysis with a case study of Ervideira, a Portuguese family-run winery. The company’s international success relies on the production of high-end wines and innovation both in the production methods applied and the services provided. The company has invested in promoting the wines through direct contact with clients via the wine club, its stores, and its website, as well as attempting to attract potential customers through wine tourism and trade fair participation. I conclude that small wineries can differentiate themselves in the market by managing innovation and quality while nurturing tradition and adjusting to global consumer trends.
- Are EU Member States required to have a sense of humor?Publication . Rendas, TitoIn transposing the CDSM Directive, the EU Member States that presently lack a parody exception in their domestic copyright laws are faced with one fundamental choice: either they include a provision allowing for parodic uses only in the context of Article 17, or they implement a general parody defense, covering not only those online acts, but also others, online and offline alike, that are not related to Article 17. This paper argues that the former approach is not compatible with EU copyright law when interpreted in light of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Instead, those Member States that have no parody exception and that are yet to transpose the Directive, like Cyprus, Greece and Portugal, would be well-advised to use the opportunity provided by the implementation to finally recognise a general parody defense.
- Fare-free public transportation effects’ assessment on french economyPublication . Noël, Théotime Stéphane Fernand; Geys, BennyThis dissertation uses a single event - the implementation of Fare Free Public Transportation (FFPT) in 140 French cities between 1965 and 2018 - to measure thanks to a staggered Difference-in-Differences regression approach, the socioeconomic effects of this policy. The treatment group includes all cities with FFPT. The control group represents all other cities with a public transport network. Our work consisted in the verification of 3 hypotheses: first, free public transport reduces unemployment in the cities concerned. Second, it makes these cities more attractive. The population rate changes are more favourable (said differently, population is growing more or shrinking less) in those places compared to the control group. Finally, this policy would reduce the number of cars per household. Three main lessons can be drawn for this work. First, we found a reduction in unemployment of 0.517% on average when the city has implemented FFPT for more than 5 years for the active population 15-64- years-old and up to -18% unemployment for all municipalities for the 25-54-years-old. This is consistent with our hypothesis. Second, we found no statistically significant effect of FFPT on population growth in city. This frown on our second hypothesis. Finally, our findings indicate a slight but statistically significant impact of FFPT on household’s car ownership (-0.8%). Thus, this confirms the third hypothesis.
- Fine wines : a study of financial returns with a focus on the Covid-19 pandemic and key implications of wine fraudsPublication . Scattoni, Niccolò Carlo Manfredi Maria; Rajsingh, Peter V.This dissertation investigated how fine wines can be a valid asset class and how they have performed in terms of returns in the past 6 years, with a focus on the COVID-19 pandemic. It analyzed the extensive literature around fine wines and the definition of fine wine and attempted to link the fine wine phenomenon to relevant notions in the literature on strategy and management theory. Qualitative data gathered through expert interviews aimed at validating fine wines as an asset class and to understand better what influenced price increases of fine wines, as well as how fake wines may limit the market and hamper growth. Fine wines were confirmed to be a valid asset class, recently gaining more interest due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the growth of fine wines into Asian markets. Experts further acknowledged that fake wines are a serious threat and that investors should always be careful, especially when buying from China, and buy directly from producers or trusted sales representatives to avoid fakes. Quantitative data used from the eWibe proprietary database, to analyze price trends and study price behavior. Fine wines have demonstrated the ability to deliver, on average, a 60% gross return over 6 years, which can increase up to an average 90% by selecting the fine wines produced in the two best performing regions, namely Burgundy in France and Piedmont in Italy. Finally, by comparing these two, we found that the April 2021 adverse weather had an average impact on Burgundy’s prices of 12%.