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Social enterprise performance: the role of market and social entrepreneurship orientations
No full textMarket orientation has been presented as an important predictor of business performance, and it is presumed to contribute to long-term success in both profitoriented and non-profit enterprises. Similarly, entrepreneurial orientation is a concept that has been widely applied to business firms but has not been empirically tested in social enterprises. Moreover, the literature does not present a widely accepted and tested conceptual model relating entrepreneurial orientation, market orientation and performance, in the realm of social enterprises. In order to fill this gap, this research assesses how these strategic orientations affect social and economic performance in the
setting of social enterprises. Structural equation modeling was used as a means to analyze the hypothesized relationships.
After testing the model on a sample of 805 Portuguese social enterprises, the findings show that both social entrepreneurship and market orientations significantly impact social performance. The results also indicate that market orientation mediates the effect of social entrepreneurship orientation on the performance of social enterprises.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Measuring the simultaneous quantity game in OMEL spot electricity market
No full textIn the electricity spot market the various competitive levels, as well as their subsequent changes in the market equilibrium, are justified by the simultaneous quantity game between electricity generators. It is expected that the dominant market players employ differentiated strategic behaviours, thus, permitting the quantification of such differentiated effects on the use of market power. The various competitive levels, as well as their subsequent changes in the market equilibrium, are justified by the simultaneous quantity game. The results show that the quantities purchased in the spot market for sale in open market influence prices, i.e., when there is an imbalance in the estimated long-term relationship, prices themselves move in order to recover the state of equilibrium, which reveals that, in the long-term, the OMEL Price is weakly exogenous to the cointegration vector, whereas quantities purchased for sale in open market move towards the reestablishment of the long-term equilibrium.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Innovating for tomorrow: industry 4.0’s role in sustainable healthcare
No full textPurpose: It is essential for professionals to stay informed about the revolution we are witnessing and understand the related technical concepts in today’s rapidly evolving society. In addition to exploring how Industry 4.0 technologies—such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, and blockchain—are transforming the healthcare sector, this literature review aims to address a crucial question: How can new technologies improve operational and environmental sustainability in healthcare while maintaining accessibility, safety, and equity?
Methods: A comprehensive literature study was conducted to analyze current research and discussions around the integration of Industry 4.0 technology in healthcare. This paper covers the various aspects of automation, data processing, system interconnection, ethical, financial, and infrastructure issues. Among the main topics discussed is data integration, which helps to enhance resource management, predictive analytics, and decision-making.
Results: Through international case studies (Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Manifal Hospital, University College London Hospitals, Charité Hospital, Mount Sinai Hospital, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra) this review shows how these technologies improve patient outcomes, healthcare efficiency, and the environment. Significant problems should be warned about, including ethical issues about patient data security and privacy, unequal access to technological developments, the necessity of guaranteeing health information system interoperability, and economic viability concerns, particularly in countries or regions with limited resources.
Conclusions: Healthcare 4.0 has enormous potential for global justice and sustainability, but its ethical integrity, data security, and broad accessibility must be monitored. Although the healthcare sector will benefit much from the 4th industrial revolution, this analysis cautions about the related social and economic issues and inequalities. Encouraging ethical innovation will rely much on public policies to support this technological transition being implemented in a sustainable manner in the healthcare sector.Open access funding provided by FCT|FCCN (b-on)
As bibliotecas e a biblioterapia: um estudo bibliométrico
No full textDissertação de Mestrado em Gestão da Informação e Bibliotecas Escolares, apresentada à Universidade abertaNesta dissertação abordamos a mediação da leitura e os benefícios da terapêutica da leitura através da biblioterapia e seus componentes. Para esta finalidade, é proposto uma pesquisa de análise bibliográfica no tema, buscando aprimorar o conhecimento acadêmico sobre biblioterapia e sua disseminação na área da Biblioteconomia e da Educação, tendo como foco a sua aplicação no ambiente das Bibliotecas, e em particular das Bibliotecas Escolares no Brasil.
A investigação realizada vai ao encontro da transversalidade dos conceitos de literatura, desenvolvimento humano e da saúde através da biblioterapia com a utilização dos espaços da Biblioteca, designadamente a Biblioteca Escolar. Devido a necessidade de constante desenvolvimento de ações que favoreçam a leitura e o desenvolvimento socioemocional em ambiente escolar, buscamos com esta pesquisa colaborar também para o aprimoramento das práticas de leitura em Bibliotecas Escolares brasileiras.
Foram realizadas pesquisas em diversas bases de dados, com o objetivo de identificar os trabalhos acadêmicos sobre esta temática, em língua portuguesa e espanhola. Pretendeu-se, através dessa pesquisa, observar o alcance do desenvolvimento de atividades biblioterapêuticas em Bibliotecas Escolares.
Os resultados da pesquisa apontam para um número razoável de estudos, realizados entre 2001 e 2024, com destaque para o contexto brasileiro. A análise dos trabalhos selecionados aponta para a importância de fortalecer a Biblioteca Escolar como espaço terapêutico e humanizador como ação estratégica para a promoção da saúde. Os elementos sistematizados constituem um contributo que pode favorecer este tipo de trabalho nas Bibliotecas Escolares do Brasil.In this dissertation, we address the mediation of reading and the benefits of reading therapy through bibliotherapy and its components. For this purpose, bibliographic analysis research on the topic is proposed, aiming to enhance academic knowledge about bibliotherapy and its dissemination in the fields of Library Science and Education, with a focus on its application in Library environments, particularly in School Libraries in Brazil.
The research conducted aligns with the intersection of the concepts of literature, human development, and health through bibliotherapy, utilizing Library spaces, especially School Libraries. Given the need for constant development of actions that promote reading and socio-emotional development in the school environment, this research also aims to contribute to the improvement of practices in Brazilian School Libraries.
Research was conducted in several databases to identify academic works on this topic, in Portuguese and Spanish. The aim was to observe the extent of the development of bibliotherapeutic activities in school libraries through this research.
The results of the research point to a reasonable number of studies, conducted between 2001 and 2024, with an emphasis on the Brazilian context. The analysis of the selected works highlights the importance of strengthening the school library as a therapeutic and humanizing space as a strategic action for health promoting. The systematized elements constitute a contribution that can enhance this type of work in School Libraries in Brazil
Ownership concentration, contestability, family firms, and capital structure
No full textThis study analyses the distribution of power among the several blockholders of a firm and the identity of those blockholders as a determinant of firm leverage. Using a sample of 694 firms from 12 Western European countries, our results support a negative relationship between ownership concentration in the hands of the main blockholder and firm leverage. Moreover, we detect that the
presence of a second and third large shareholder (beyond the first blockholder) has a significant positive effect on the leverage ratio. In addition, the results show that contestability in family firms plays a more relevant role. Finally, we show that family firms do have significant impact on firm leverage level, and this impact varies depending on the legal framework and institutional environment. In our main sample the results show family firms negatively affect market leverage, supporting the theory that family firms are more averse to an increase in the debt level due to
the risk of bankruptcy and financial distress as a result of having an under-diversified portfolio. In contrast, the opposite effect is found in the sample that excludes the United Kingdom. This last result cannot be explained by agency theory, given that family businesses are those that suffer less from Type I agency problems. This result suggests either some difficulty in financing their investments by issuing new equity or the need to use debt as a signal of the quality of its investments. Our results prove to be stable against a battery of robustness tests.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Main factors affecting the development of interorganizational partnerships in biodiesel supply chain in Brazil
No full textPartnership in supply chain stands out for the need to coordinate the productive activity between different economic agents who often have conflicting goals. Thus, the aim of this paper is to analyse how the partnerships producer/supplier are developed in biodiesel supply chain, through the motivating and facilitating factors that affect this relationship. The methodological aspect
involves a multiple case study conducted in three supply chains located in the South Region of Brazil, which have used semi-structured interviews. We involved in this investigation the three largest biodiesel producer plants in the South Region and the two most representative cooperatives in providing raw material for each one of the selected plants, totalling six cooperatives. We realized through the found motivating and facilitating factors that, despite the existing conflicts, both plants and cooperatives have shown the desire to renew the partnership over time.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Internationalisation of SMEs: a comparative perspective between Africa and Latin America
No full textThis paper explores the internationalisation of small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) in Africa and Latin America. A total of 97 papers covering the period between 1995 and 2017 were analysed, providing a unique comparative perspective of the internationalisation of SMEs. The analysis of the papers revealed the following six main topics: international networking; financing, export promotion; internationalisation strategies; resources and business environment/context; e-business, e-commerce; and barriers to internationalisation. The topic ‘internationalisation strategies’ is the most researched topic both regarding the internationalisation of both African and Latin American SMEs. However, while the studies on Latin American SMEs focus on rapid internationalisation, international entrepreneurship orientation and export performance, the studies on African SMEs focus on supply performance, international behaviour, internationalisation process, knowledge and key-selection of foreign markets. This provides a clear perspective on how SMEs of those two emerging continents deal with the intricacies of internationalisation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Inward internationalization: a case study from the hotel industry
No full textThis chapter analyzes the internationalization strategy of a small hotel firm of Central region of Portugal.
It is based on a case study and the main objective is to discuss what internationalization theory best
explains the company’s internationalization strategy. This chapter explores a gap in the literature on
inward internationalization involving a player of service-based firm of the hotel industry. The literature reviews the main internationalization patterns—Uppsala model, network-based model, and inward internationalization—in order to analyze behavior of small hotel and its internationalization. At the end of the chapter, a table summarizes the main characteristics of the internationalization process of each model presented. This chapter adds value by explaining how a small service-based firm of the hotel industry manages to address its inward internationalization process.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Conciliação entre vida profissional e vida pessoal e familiar e efetividade dos direitos laborais: Portugal e Países Baixos em perspetiva europeia
No full textDissertação de Mestrado em Estudos sobre a Europa, apresentada à Universidade AbertaA presente dissertação analisa de que modo o Direito do Trabalho opera, em contexto europeu, para garantir a conciliação entre a vida profissional e a vida pessoal/familiar. Com base numa abordagem qualitativa e comparativa, foram examinados os ordenamentos jurídicos de Portugal e dos Países Baixos, Estados-Membros da União Europeia que representam modelos diferenciados de desenvolvimento económico, social e cultural. O estudo incidiu sobre quatro dimensões centrais: trabalho à distância, horários de trabalho, parentalidade e igualdade de género.
Os resultados evidenciam que, embora Portugal possua uma legislação laboral ampla e protetora, esta não se traduz necessariamente em melhores condições laborais. Em contraste, os Países Baixos, com um quadro normativo menos completo, apresentam melhores indicadores de equilíbrio entre a vida profissional e a vida pessoal/familiar, o que sugere a influência determinante de fatores culturais e institucionais na efetividade das normas jurídicas e dos direitos laborais.
Conclui-se que a efetividade dos direitos laborais depende não apenas da sua consagração normativa, mas também da sua aplicação prática, da cultura laboral dos países e da existência de políticas públicas integradas. A investigação defende, por conseguinte, o reforço do diálogo entre a União Europeia e as instituições nacionais na monitorização das políticas laborais, com vista à adaptação das Diretivas às realidades sociais e culturais de cada Estado-Membro. Num contexto global competitivo, a proteção efetiva dos direitos dos trabalhadores e a promoção de um equilíbrio sustentável entre vida profissional e pessoal/familiar constituem condições essenciais para a produtividade, o bem-estar e a coesão social europeia.This dissertation examines how Labour Law operates within the European context to ensure the reconciliation between professional life and personal/family life. Based on a qualitative and comparative approach, the legal systems of Portugal and the Netherlands – European Union Member States that represent distinct models of economic, social, and cultural development – were analysed. The study focused on four central dimensions: teleworking, working hours, parenthood, and gender equality.
The results show that, although Portugal has broad and protective labour legislation, this does not necessarily translate into better working conditions. In contrast, the Netherlands, with a less comprehensive legal framework, presents better indicators of balance between professional and personal/family life. This suggests the decisive influence of cultural and institutional factors on the effectiveness of legal norms and labour rights.
It is concluded that the effectiveness of labour rights depends not only on their legal recognition but also on their practical implementation, on each country’s labour culture, and on the existence of integrated public policies. The research therefore advocates strengthening dialogue between the European Union and national institutions in monitoring labour policies, with a view to adapting Directives to the social and cultural realities of each Member State. In a competitive global context, the effective protection of workers’ rights and the promotion of a sustainable balance between professional and personal/family life are essential conditions for productivity, well-being, and European social cohesion
Corporate performance under geoeconomic fragmentation: evidence from iberian transnational corporations
No full textThis paper examines the value creation of Iberian transnational corporations (TNCs) from 2013 to 2023, focusing on the impact of geoeconomic fragmentation. Using data from 7,040 TNCs, we find that total shareholder returns (TSR) exhibited variability, driven by macroeconomic recoveries and geopolitical disruptions, with differences between Portuguese and Spanish firms. Lower geoeconomic risk is associated with a higher 1.60 percent TSR, emphasizing the importance of stable environments for multinational corporations, particularly for manufacturing firms. Key financial and strategic drivers of TSR also include financial performance, financial stability, cost of equity, growth opportunities, and geographical diversification. Additionally, firms with negatively skewed stock returns show higher corporate value as investors demand lower expected returns, particularly for firms not at extreme skewness levels. Our findings highlight the role of risk management and diversification strategies in enhancing firm performance when experiencing geoeconomic challenges. Results provide insights for corporate leaders, investors, and policymakers on the effects of global fragmentation on TNCs’ performance. Our results are robust to alternative models and variable specifications.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio