CamEPrints
Not a member yet
689 research outputs found
Sort by
Controllo strategico e knowledge management system: nuove potenzialità in un'ottica di supporto alle decisioni
No full textInnovative pharmacological strategies for treatment of binge-type eating disorders
No full textBinge eating (BE) episodes are a common behavioral feature of clinically diagnosed eating disorders, including Bulimia Nervosa (BN), Binge Eating Disorder (BED) and the binge/purge subtype of Anorexia Nervosa (AN). BE is characterized by uncontrollable, distressing eating of a large amount of highly palatable food (HPF) in a short period of time, accompanied by feeling of disgust, depression, being guilty. Recent data indicate that BE is the most common eating disorder, affecting approximately 5% of the USA population; BE may greatly contribute to obesity,\ud
Medications that at present have been reported to reduce BE in clinical studies, like topiramate or sibutramine, are associated with a variety of adverse side effects, which represent a serious problem during chronic treatment. Fluoxetine has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for BN, but evidence for its efficacy is inconclusive. Hence, BED and BN represent a still largely unmet medical need.\ud
Well-characterized animal models are necessary to study the neuro- and psychobiology of BE, the motivational alterations associated with compulsive eating behaviors, as well as to develop novel treatment strategies.\ud
According to the hypothesis that dieting and stress are key etiological determinants of BE, a new animal model of BE has been recently developed in female rats at the School of Pharmacy of the University of Camerino (Cifani et al. 2009), in which BE episodes are evoked by 3 cycles of food restriction/re-feeding followed by stress. Stress is elicited by exposing rats to HPF, but preventing them from having access to it for 15 min.\ud
Since a certain degree of variability was observed in the BE response in the Cifani model, a preliminary interest of my research program was to understand the causes of this variability in order to improve the reliability of the method. In particular, it was evaluated whether the ovarian cycle of female rats may be responsible for the observed variability. It was found that BE episodes do not occur during the estrus phase of the ovarian cycle and the observed variability in the BE response can be almost completely abolished if female rats in estrus are not included in the statistical evaluation.\ud
Then, the effects of several compounds, targeting stress and CRF mechanisms, were evaluated on this BE model: natural anti-stress products such as dry extracts of Rhodiola rosea and of Hypericum perforatum, the CRF-1 receptor antagonist R121919, Corticosterone (CORT), the CORT synthesis inhibitor metyrapone, and finally Nociceptin/orfanin FQ (N/OFQ, a functional CRF antagonist). Using the same BE model, orexin receptor antagonists were investigated since orexin appear to be involved both in stress and in reward mechanisms. Lastly, based on the observation that drugs that affect compulsive alcohol consumption can also influence BE, a further study was carried out to assess the effect on BE of A2A adenosine receptors (A2AARs) agonists, that have been shown to suppress voluntary alcohol intake and alcohol self-administration in alcohol- preferring rats.\ud
The results obtained confirmed that the combination of stress and repeated episodes of food restriction is able to induce in female rats a pronounced BE response for HPF.\ud
The natural extract of Rhodiola rosea, as well as its active principle salidroside, exerted a pronounced and selective suppression of HPF intake in rats expressing BE, apparently reducing the response to stress. Also Hypericum perforatum extracts selectively reduced BE, but without modifying serum CORT levels; thus their effect on BE may be related to suppression of addictive-like behaviors, rather than to anti-stress activity.\ud
The CRF-1 receptor antagonist R121919 completely abolished BE in the experimental model adopted, without affecting HPF intake in the groups of rats that did not express BE. These findings suggest that CRF-1 receptor antagonists may represent very interesting agents, endowed with marked and highly selective effect, for the pharmacotherapy of bingeing-related eating disorders. CRF may likely exert its role on BE in extrahypothalamic sites, since CORT, the hormone released by hypothalamic-pituitary axis activation, failed to evoke BE in rats exposed to cycles of food restriction/re-feeding and metyrapone, a CORT synthesis inhibitor, failed to suppress BE.\ud
On the other hand, the functional CRF antagonist N/OFQ was not able to evoke a relevant suppression of BE. Following repeated food restrictions, an increase in responsiveness to the hyperphagic effect of N/OFQ was found, which may account for its failure to suppress BE. Interestingly, cycles of food restriction/re-feeding increase the response to several orexigenic mechanisms (in the present study this was observed for N/OFQ and for NPY); this phenomenon may be responsible for failure of dieting cycles as a strategy to reduce body weight and it may predispose to binge type-eating disorders.\ud
On the other hand, OX1R blockade selectively reduced BE for HPF without affecting standard food pellet intake, and could represent a novel interesting strategy for the treatment of BE related disorders. Further studies are necessary to evaluate their mechanism of action of OX1R antagonists, in particular whether their effect may be mediated by interaction with stress or reward mechanisms.\ud
A2AAR agonists proved to exert a rather general effect on food intake, suppressing HPF intake not only in animals expressing BE, but also in controls. Moreover they inhibited also the homeostatically driven intake of food pellets in response to food deprivation. In relation to the finding that A2AARs influenced D2 DA receptors, it may be speculated that the suppressive effect on BE of A2AAR agonists tested may be due to interference with DA mechanisms.\ud
In conclusion, the experimental model adopted to evoke BE, which is endowed with face, contruct and predictive validity, was made highly reliable and reproducible by selecting the experimental animals on the basis of the ovarian cycle. The studies carried out in this model have allowed the evaluation of several pharmacological agents, that proved to be highly effective in suppressing BE. Particularly pronounced and selective effects were evoked by the CRF-1 receptor antagonist and the OX1R antagonist tested, that evoked effects of clear interest in the perspective of treating binge-type eating disorders. Interestingly, also the herbal products Rodiola rosea and Hypericum perforatum proved to be very effective, but the receptor mechanisms mediating their effects remain to be elucidated
The Construction and Building Materials Industries for Sustainable Development in Developing Countries:\ud Appropriate and Innovative Local Building Materials and Technologies for Housing in the Sudan
Get PDFThe construction industry (CI) in developing countries (DCs) faces multitude challenges confronting its improved performance and development. Similar to many developing countries, the Sudan faces severe problems in its construction sector which should be seriously addressed\ud
and eliminated. Problems related to building materials (BMs) production, supply and management tend to dominate the list of impediments to the development of the Sudanese\ud
Construction Industry (SCI).\ud
The main objective of this study is to conduct a comprehensive and elaborate review and analysis of the construction and building materials industries in the Sudan focusing on locally produced building materials and building technologies employed in the provision of housing.\ud
The research aimed to delineate the significance of the construction industry in the socioeconomic development in the Sudan and to assess the potentials of the country in selfsufficiency of key building materials. It reviewed the status quo of the Sudanese Construction Industry (SCI) and the Sudanese Building Materials Industry (SBMI) by investigating the role of construction in the socio-economic development of the country. The study examined the\ud
causality relationship between construction and the economy as a whole and its subsectors employing statistical tests, namely the Granger causality test. Data pertaining to the\ud
performance of the Sudanese economy during 1982-2009 were employed for the analysis. The study explored the possibility of producing BMs locally in terms of raw materials availability and distribution.\ud
The underlying research demonstrated the role that innovation and technology transfer (TT) could possibly play in the adoption of appropriate materials and technologies. It examined the role of globalization, innovation and technology transfer in the development of the CI in the\ud
Sudan and the extent of its effectiveness. Case studies were helpful in understanding the mechanisms through which innovative and appropriate technologies are transferred. These case studies covered projects - involving transfer of technology - developed by; research institutes, governmental authorities, national and international NGOs, private sector companies and individual practitioners.\ud
The study attempted to evaluate the application of appropriate building materials and technologies for housing in the Sudan by reviewing research efforts in the field and highlighting the potential role that technology transfer could play. A comparative analysis, based on costeffectiveness and environmental impact, was performed to assess the appropriateness of selected building materials and technologies applied or recently introduced in the Sudan.\ud
Based on available literature, a generic model was proposed for the categorization of problems facing the SCI. The underlying research scrutinized the challenges facing the SCI and the SBMI and the factors affecting the utilization of local building materials (LBMs). It measured the\ud
relative importance of the factors influencing the development of the construction and building materials industries in the country. Ranking these factors forms a reference for the formulation of strategies and policies for the development of the CI to take its due place in the socioeconomic development of the nation. Moreover, the research indicated the interrelationship between these factors, whereby scenarios could be developed for the improvement of the construction sector performance. The study also examined the importance of the factors\ud
affecting successful transference of technology for the adoption of appropriate building materials and technologies. A questionnaire was constructed and circulated to different stakeholders of the SCI for the purpose of collecting primary data about the impediments to the development of the SCI and the SBMI. The research proposed a causality model to demonstrate how the successfulness of technology transfer is influenced by the level of awareness of the benefits associated with technology transfer.\ud
The subject study provided a set of recommendations for the purpose of attaining sustained development in the construction and building materials industries in the Sudan. Most of these recommendations are expected to be handled by the government and the professional intuitions\ud
jointly with other stakeholders of the SCI. The study also identified areas where further research is required
Plant co-existence mechanisms related to stress and disturbance intensities in sub-Mediterranean and sub-desertic grassland systems
Get PDFPlant species co-existence may depend upon a complex chain of events involving competitive ability, complementarity and facilitation between plants and numerous interactions with herbivores, pathogens, soil features, fauna and micro-organisms. The co-existence of species in herbaceous vegetation is possible by the presence of factors that limit the expression of the dominance of plants. This limitation may operate through stress or disturbance or by a combination of the two, and its effect is usually to debilitate the potential dominants and to allow plants of smaller stature to regenerate and to co-exist with them. Species co-existence can reflect niche partitioning at several spatial and temporal scales. The functional strategies avoiding the temporal and/or spatial overlapping of the neighbouring individuals are key factors in the niche partitioning inside the plant community, so that species do not exclude each other by competition. Stress and disturbance are the two external factors affecting the vegetation. Their effects on the system change according their intensity. Stress includes factors which restrict the photosynthetic activity. In fact, plant biomass production in vegetation is subjected to a variety of environmental constraints, the most frequent of which are related to shortages and excesses in the supply of solar energy, water, and mineral nutrients. Disturbance includes mechanisms which limit the plant biomass by causing its partial or total destruction (grazing, mowing, forest cutting, soil erosion, and fire). Vegetation composition and species distribution may be influenced by negative processes (competition) and positive interactions (facilitation). Competition shows a maximal intensity in habitats with high productivity and low disturbance, while this phenomenon disappears under conditions of low productivity or intense disturbance. In order to obtain a more complete assessment of the role of these factors upon species density it is necessary to consider the rather different circumstances which arise when the intensities of stress and/or disturbance become severe.\ud
In harsh habitats plants are subjected to extreme stress or disturbance conditions, thus seedling establishment is promoted under the canopies of established vegetation. In this positive interaction, known as facilitation, some plants benefit from closely associated neighbours. The intensities of stress and/or disturbance experienced by herbaceous vegetation are sufficient, not only to eliminate potential dominants but also to produce local environments which are inhospitable to all, except a few specialised plants. Facilitation occurs widely but is more frequently documented in unproductive habitats and dominates under harsh conditions. \ud
Stress and disturbance involve functional responses by plants; thus, the analysis of plant functional traits (biological characteristics of plants responding to the dominant processes in an ecosystem) is a useful tool for the understanding of plant community assemblage.\ud
Grazing is a major disturbance which often causes extensive changes in plant richness and composition. However, pasture plants do not undergo herbivory passively, but react to defend themselves against grazers by means avoidance and tolerance strategies that enable them to survive and grow in grazed systems. Grazing avoidance involves mechanisms that reduce the probability and severity of grazing (mechanical and chemical defence or escape strategy), while grazing tolerance consists of mechanisms that promote growth following defoliation.\ud
The research aim was to assess how different types and intensity of disturbance affect species and functional composition of sub-Mediterranean and sub-desertic grassland systems, also in relation with environmental stress. Consequently, the specific research goals were to: i) identify changes in species and functional trait composition and in diversity of plant communities, under different disturbance types (grazing vs. mowing; mown vs. unmown meadows; grazed vs. ungrazed pastures; sheep grazing vs. horse grazing); ii) identify coenological and functional responses of grassland to intensity of stress and intensity and timing of disturbance, by analysing the plant functional traits, that are expression of competitive ability, facilitation, co-existence, avoidance and tolerance strategies; iii) identify plant-plant spatial interactions, i.e. whether species have species-specific spatial associations, especially in harsh environments, and understand how disturbance intensity affect species co-occurrence.\ud
Two study areas were considered: sub-Mediterranean grasslands of Umbria-Marches Apennine (central Italy) and the sub-desertic rangelands of southern Peruvian Andes (Peru).\ud
In the studied sub-Mediterranean grasslands the competition for light and soil resources may be extremely intense among species. In fact, competition plays a key role, especially in dense and more productive grasslands, where the co-existence of plants is mainly linked to the competitive exclusion. For this reason, in these plant communities the species co-existence is driven by a specific pattern of functional plant traits that ensures foliage expansion affording a competitive advantage. Furthermore, clonal growth forms and vegetative propagation modes that imply horizontal space occupation, can be interpreted as a strategy aimed at maximizing the species competitive ability when there is higher exploitation of soil resources, allowing individuals to explore the neighbouring areas and find unexploited soil niches. This helps to avoid competition for soil resources with the dominant species. Accordingly, the plant functional composition also affects the competitive ability in relation to the stress and the disturbance intensity. \ud
In terms of biodiversity conservation, the research outputs represent an advance in the understanding of the ecological processes involved at plant community level, as well as at landscape scale. Some plant traits may reflect selection by herbivores, while others are likely to be by-products of selection for other ecological functions. Moreover, several plant traits may have a dual role. The study findings allow to highlight a general scheme, in which the stress intensity filters the pool of traits at landscape scale, while the disturbance intensity leads to the distribution, occurrence and abundance of single traits at plant community level.\ud
Stress intensity (drought stress) selects the trait composition of the plant community at a landscape scale. Thus, traits and associated plant species are distributed at landscape scale depending on stress intensity. In xeric grassland, stress tolerance and avoidance strategies by hairs and leaf texture, determining low evapotranspiration and low palatability, are widespread. Therophyte and chamaephyte life forms are fostered. In semimesic condition either avoidance mechanisms (rosette form, chemical substances, spines and prostrate form) or tolerance strategies (re-growth capacity) occur, as well as late flowering and tall species (upright forbs, tall tussock grasses). More productive environments develop numerous functional types and a higher floristic richness.\ud
Disturbance intensity (number of herbivores), type (mowing or grazing, and the different livestock type) and timing act as driving forces in promoting or suppressing the plant functional traits expression. The pool of traits is filtered in different ways by the system. High intensity of disturbance favours avoidance strategies (i.e. prostrate form, rosette forbs, hairs) and vegetative reproduction (clonal ability). The intermediate disturbance condition leads to the largest pool of traits that allows maximum floristic richness. The co-existence of species is promoted by the co-existence of avoidance and tolerance strategies, due to the possibility to use the maximum number of spatial (micro-scale) and temporal niches (change in sward structure during the growing season).\ud
In low intensity of disturbance and abandonment conditions, tolerance strategies and dominant species are promoted; on the contrary, the low statured (rosette and prostrate form), accidental and subordinate species are disadvantaged. \ud
Large herbivores like horses cause the increase of short grasses, sedges, rosette forbs and annuals (growth forms with poor root systems). These plants do not ensure the maintenance of soil on steep slopes.\ud
Upright forbs, dominant unpalatable tall grasses (Brachypodium rupestre) and chamaephyte species are promoted by selective defoliation of small herbivores like sheep. Facilitative interactions between palatable and unpalatable species were observed. Grazing in springtime negatively affects the early spring flowering species of mid/tall dimensions and relevant species such as orchids. This is an issue for biodiversity conservation.\ud
The research findings highlight the strong importance of plant–plant spatial interactions in the Peruvian dry Puna. In this harsh environment many species need some kind of facilitative interaction with nurses (mainly with tall grasses, shrubs or cushion plants). Tall grasses (mainly Festuca orthophylla) are the most important nurse species because they have the highest number of spatially associated plants. Thus, the management of this species should be viewed as a key factor for dry Puna biodiversity conservation. In fact, as camelids prefer the fresh, regrown leaves of F. orthophylla that resprout after burning throughout the Peruvian dry Puna, there is the widespread practice of burning these plant communities to renew forage for livestock. Subsequent to burning, shelter and regenerative niches are probably few and small for some years. Because of this, species with strong spatial relationship with F. orthophylla could be threatened with local extinction, especially in conditions of overgrazing. The effects of combined overgrazing and fire lead to the decrease of tall species F. orthophylla and to an increase of the dwarf and spiny shrub Tetraglochin cristatum. The reduction of nurse cover value leads to the decrease of facilitative interactions and consequently to a reduction of species richness. Thus, inappropriate land use practices (e.g. excessive grazing and uncontrolled fire) are the fundamental causes of land degradation. The abundance of tall grasses and shrubs counters soil erosion by wind, and reduction of their cover value could lead to increased soil loss. This could contribute to desertification more than climatic change, or contribute to a cumulative process that amplifies the impact of climatic change. \ud
\ud
Key words: Avoidance and tolerance strategies, Competition, Facilitation, Plant functional traits, Plant-plant spatial interactions.\u
The Impossible Mission: Global Justice Movement against Transnational Organized Crime
Get PDFThis article argues that the best counterattack against globally oriented transnational organized crime (TOC) is by a global response. The contribution of participating states and the creation of a collective identity against TOC are both necessary. This creation would be more effective through transnational social movements. Therefore, activating the global justice movement (GJM) against TOC would be a significant achievement. This has not yet taken place for both structural and ideological reasons which are on the surface quite rational. If GJM activists create a more unified movement, however, and adhere more strictly to non-violence as have other social movements like the Libera anti-Mafia association of Italy and Flare Network of Europe, there is potential for convergence
La violazione delle regole di concorrenza ed il risarcimento del danno subito dai consumatori.
No full textNegli ultimi anni il tema del benessere dei consumatori in rapporto con la disciplina della concorrenza è stato al centro di numerosi dibattiti. Ci si è chiesti se le due policies possano essere considerate complementari; se rappresentino, in realtà, due momenti di un’unica forma di tutela; o se, addirittura, non siano discipline tra loro configgenti. \ud
E’ormai opinione consolidata che le norme sulla concorrenza non devono perseguire solo il fine della protezione dei concorrenti ma sono funzionali alla tutela dell’intero processo competitivo, in modo tale da garantire anche il benessere dei consumatori. Se così è, tutela della concorrenza e consumer interest non sono in conflitto: anzi, condividono un fine comune.\ud
Il tema delle azioni private risarcitorie è un terreno scivoloso e complesso ed ha rappresentato per diverso tempo un argomento estraneo alla cultura giuridica europea della concorrenza.\ud
In Europa, come è noto, pur essendo in linea di principio possibile ottenere un risarcimento del danno subito a causa di un illecito antitrust, il contenzioso in materia si è rivelato sempre scarso e non ha mai giocato un ruolo di rilievo nella determinazione delle regole di concorrenza. Tuttavia, è unanimemente riconosciuto che le pratiche anticoncorrenziali, sono idonee a generare un pregiudizio diretto oltre che sulle impresi concorrenti del danneggiante, anche a carico dei consumatori.\ud
Questo progetto di ricerca in materia di private antitrust enforcement si propone proprio di indagare le ragioni per le quali i consumatori risultano disincentivati dalla proposizione di azioni risarcitorie antitrust, al fine di predisporre un meccanismo unitario, di natura giudiziale o stragiudiziale, in grado di superare gli ostacoli ad un effettivo soddisfo della pretesa risarcitoria. La tesi dottorale, infatti, affronta il tema del private enforcement indagando proprio gli aspetti critici della materia- con speciale riferimento alle questioni procedurali- e considerando, solo marginalmente, il tradizionale confronto con il sistema nordamericano, nella speranza di cogliere maggiori spunti per una risoluzione domestica delle problematiche affrontate.\ud
Nella fase di avvio della ricerca si è resa indispensabile l’indagine dell’assetto normativo e concettuale esistente in tema di azioni risarcitorie antitrust, tanto in sede europea che nazionale, con brevi riferimenti anche ad altre realtà nazionali comprese nel panorama comunitario.\ud
Partendo da un canonico interrogativo di base, ci si è chiesti, anzitutto, quale sia, se esiste, il modello di private antitrust enforcement in Europa.\ud
Questa indagine, solo apparentemente scontata, risulta fondamentale quando si è stati giuridicamente educati a confrontarsi solo con una dimensione “pubblicistica” di tutela della concorrenza, appannaggio delle autorità amministrative nazionali ed europee.\ud
Le prime ricerche, pertanto, hanno riguardato i documenti, gli atti, le comunicazioni e i proclami sul tema, provenienti dalle istituzioni dell’Unione Europea.\ud
In Europa, nel 2008, con il Libro Bianco in materia di azioni di risarcimento del danno per violazione di norme antitrust comunitarie, si è aperta una nuova fase di quel processo già avviato con il Libro Verde del 2005, ed ancor prima con la sentenza Courage della Corte di Giustizia. Il Libro bianco del 2008, infatti, presenta una serie di raccomandazioni volte a garantire che i soggetti danneggiati da un illecito concorrenziale abbiano accesso a meccanismi veramente efficaci per chiedere un risarcimento completo del danno subito.\ud
Il modello contemplato dalla Commissione si basa su un risarcimento unico del danno subito. Le altre raccomandazioni del Libro bianco riguardano i principali aspetti problematici della materia: il ricorso collettivo, la divulgazione delle prove e gli effetti delle decisioni definitive emesse dalle autorità amministrative di concorrenza nelle cause per danni avviate successivamente (c.d. follow-on), la prescrizione, al quantificazione e qualificazione del danno antitrust, i costi delle azioni risarcitorie.\ud
La seconda parte del progetto di ricerca, è stata interamente dedicata all’approfondimento delle questioni procedurali che sul terreno nazionale vengono problematicamente in rilievo in sede di azione risarcitoria antitrust.\ud
L’azione risarcitoria antitrust, infatti, non presenta tanto dei profili di specialità derivanti dalla materia in sé, quanto piuttosto delle criticità sostanziali e procedurali, dovute soprattutto alle particolari caratteristiche degli elementi del giudizio antitrust.\ud
In considerazione di ciò, in Italia, la cognizione delle azioni per il risarcimento del danno da illecito antitrust, sebbene siano considerate alla stregua di azioni ordinarie ex art. 2043 del Codice Civile, è devoluta alla Corte d’Appello competente per territorio, in caso di violazione della legge nazionale sulla concorrenza mentre per il private enforcement delle regole comunitarie di concorrenza, rivivono, stranamente, le ordinarie regole di competenza del Codice di Procedura Civile.\ud
Tutti gli altri elementi dell’azione risarcitoria antitrust, invece, seguono le regole di un’ordinaria azione di danno extracontrattuale.\ud
Ma la materia presenta ulteriori aspetti di complessità se si considerano i rapporti tra giudizio ordinario e procedimento amministrativo (tanto davanti alla Commissione europea che all’Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato) e il problema della la valenza dei provvedimenti adottati dalle autorità amministrative nel processo civile.\ud
Per ciò che concerne i rapporti tra giudizio ordinario e procedimento amministrativo, inoltre, nel nostro ordinamento si dovranno, altresì, tenere in conto le recenti novità determinate dall’introduzione dell’azione di classe, delle quali ci si è occupati nella terza parte del progetto.\ud
Le misure proposte nel Libro Bianco, inoltre, andrebbero ad incidere notevolmente sui rapporti tra azione civile risarcitoria nazionale e provvedimenti amministrativi, attraverso l’introduzione del principio dell’ effetto vincolante delle decisioni delle autorità nazionali di concorrenza. \ud
In questa fase del progetto di ricerca, quindi, ci si è occupati, anzitutto, del sistema di distribuzione della competenza giurisdizionale in materia di azioni private antitrust. \ud
Successivamente sono state prese in esame le principali questioni procedurali inerenti l’azione risarcitoria antitrust, quali la legittimazione ad agire, l’onere della prova, la quantificazione e la qualificazione del danno, il nesso di causalità e i termini di prescrizione.\ud
Altro aspetto della materia del private antitrust enforcement di notevole e primario interesse è quello concernente i rapporti tra giudizio civile ordinario e procedimento dinanzi all’Autorità amministrativa di concorrenza. Anche in questo caso, la questione presenta un duplice nodo da sciogliere, all’interno del più generale scenario dei rapporti tra giudizio ordinario e procedimento amministrativo: i procedimenti da tenere in considerazione, infatti, non riguardano solo il rapporto “domestico” tra giudice civile e AGCM, nel nostro caso, ma coinvolgono anche le interazioni esistenti tra giudici nazionali e Commissione, nel ruolo di Autorità amministrativa europea di concorrenza.\ud
Questi ultimi rapporti, in particolare, sono stati esaminati tenendo conto dell’assetto normativo determinato a seguito dell’introduzione del regolamento 1/2003 e dello scenario che potrebbe venire a determinarsi con l’accoglimento delle proposte formulate nel Libro Bianco.\ud
La seconda fase della ricerca si è conclusa con lo studio dei c.d. “contratti a valle”, argomento che, da solo, varrebbe l’intrapresa di un nuovo progetto.\ud
La questione nasce dall’interrogativo relativo agli effetti che l’esistenza di una pratica anticoncorrenziale esplica sui contratti conclusi successivamente tra le imprese coinvolte e i consumatori.\ud
La terza parte del progetto di ricerca, dedicata all’indagine dei rimedi di natura civilistica agli illeciti concorrenziali, trova il proprio fulcro nella disamina delle misure con le quali è stata introdotta nel nostro ordinamento l’azione di classe, considerata dal Libro Bianco in materia di private enforcement un valido strumento di incentivo all’azione risarcitoria antitrust.\ud
La seconda parte di questa fase della ricerca, invece, è stata orientata allo studio di un’ulteriore possibilità di risoluzione delle controversie antitrust, segnalata dal Parlamento europeo, in una recente risoluzione in materia di private enforcement. Al considerando C) della citata risoluzione, infatti, il Parlamento tiene conto del fatto che, in circostanze adeguate, gli strumenti alternativi di risoluzione delle controversie potrebbero costituire una valida opzione sia all’azione risarcitoria individuale che collettiva, poiché essi sono in grado di giungere ad una soluzione basata su meccanismi transattivi rapidi ed equi. Le procedure alternative presentano indubbiamente notevoli vantaggi, soprattutto in termini di speditezza del procedimento. Ciononostante, analizzandone il funzionamento, ci si è resi immediatamente conto che l’ostacolo maggiore al loro successo, specie per le controversie di modico valore, è rappresentato dai costi ancora troppo elevati dei relativi procedimenti. Ecco perché, a fronte di ciò, si è cercato di confrontare l’esperienza domestica con il curioso ed innovativo sistema di arbitraje de consumo spagnolo, in cui la gratuità della procedura e la semplicità di accesso alla stessa, hanno sancito il successo di questa forma di arbitrato amministrato per le controversie in materia di consumo.\ud
Nell’ultima fase del lavoro, la ricerca ha mutato radicalmente approccio. Si è passati, infatti, dal consueto studio teorico e dogmatico dei concetti e del dato normativo al case method, ovvero allo studio diretto delle decisioni che hanno maggiormente contribuito all’evoluzione degli strumenti di private antitrust enforcement. Del resto, la storia del più “ evoluto” sistema antitrust, quello americano, ci insegna che la complementarietà tra private e public enforcement e la diffusione delle azioni risarcitorie in materia di concorrenza, non sono una creazione legislativa, ma costituiscono l’effetto diretto della proposizione delle domande risarcitorie alle Corti.\ud
\ud
\u
Il caso Lady Cucine: proposta di un sistema integrato di formazione e lavoro(Proposta di una soluzione di knowledge management).
No full textL'obiettivo del percorso di ricerca è stato quello di costruire un modello di riferimento per pianificare un sistema integrato di formazione e lavoro, partendo dalla consapevolezza di una documentata arretratezza delle aziende italiane e particolarmente del Mezzogiorno, in termini di "cultura del lavoro", al fine di offrire uno "strumento" utile per legittimare la formazione continua come parte integrante del processo lavorativo. \ud
Alimentare i processi cognitivi di una organizzazione implica una organizzazione del patrimonio di informazioni, cioè di quell'insieme di dati che, acquisendo valore d'uso, producono un “comportamento decisionale corretto” e si trasformano in conoscenza. Organizzare e rendere disponibili a tutti le informazioni opportunamente raccolte, attraverso sistemi di Knowledge Management altro non è che un processo di "competenza distribuita", che ha, quindi, un alto "valore educativo". In questo senso si realizza una vera e propria sinergia tra la formazione e il Knowledge Mangement che, hanno in comune, appunto, "l'accesso alla conoscenza". \ud
Questo lavoro, partendo dallo studio e dall'approfondimento delle dinamiche storiche e di pensiero relative al fattore umano quale fattore "produttivo" determinante sull'intero potenziale di sviluppo di una organizzazione, a cui si affianca una visione rinnovata della "formazione", lontana dall'addestramento strumentale di matrice tayloriana e "interessata alla complessità delle relazioni sociotecnologiche e culturali all'interno dell'organizzazione", approda alla proposta di un sistema integrato di formazione e lavoro, quale strumento possibile per legittimare la dimensione formativa nei contesti di lavoro, fatta ad PMI lucana, produttrice di cucine zone living. \ud
In particolare la problematica principale dell'azienda è risultata essere la gestione dei flussi informativi interni tra i tre principali settori (settore commerciale, settore tecnico e settore della produzione), che è apparsa alquanto faticosa, non strutturata in modo omogeneo e spesso affidata a metodologie non adeguate (soprattutto documentazione cartacea). \ud
Il lavoro di ricerca si è, quindi, concentrato sulla azienda "Lady Cucine", che ha manifestato la volontà di rendere il sapere individuale usufruibile dall'intera comunità, quindi, condivisibile dalla organizzazione, per garantire alla stessa il margine di competitività raggiunto, dopo essersi ricollocata nel mercato con un prodotto riconvertito da medio ad alto. Importante strumento di lavoro è stato il confronto tra i dati emersi dal dialogo intrapreso con la direzione, dalla documentazione interna (dati, procedure, informazioni, manuale della qualità) e dalle risultanze derivate dall'utilizzo di due questionari, utilizzati per comprendere il punto di vista dei lavoratori. Per procedere alla elaborazione della proposta progettuale, è stato necessario programmare gli interventi di analisi, sia per il management sia per i dipendenti, su tre aree organizzativa, tecnologica e formazione del personale, che sono poi, state oggetto della proposta progettuale.\ud
Il processo di riprogettazione organizzativa è incentrato, in gran parte, sull'implementazione della tecnologia scelta per l'informatizzazione del complessivo sistema formativo aziendale ma, poichè la finalità è anche quella di rendere fruibile lo strumento di Knowledge Management scelto, segue un percorso da realizzare per l'adeguamento della conoscenza della Lady Cucine, attraverso strumenti, metodologie e pratiche che favoriscano l'integrazione tra informazione, formazione e conoscenza. Chiude il processo di riprogettazione organizzativa dell'azienda lucana, una serie di interventi finalizzati all'ottimizzazione dei processi formativi, in stretta connessione con le precedenti proposte di innovazione del sistema informativo, nonchè dell'assetto organizzativo aziendale nel suo complesso.\ud
Il criterio utilizzato nella stesura della tesi ha ricalcato verosimilmente il percorso personale di ricerca, partito dalla individuazione di una problematica che la scrivente ha potuto rilevare autopticamente. Pertanto, la struttura appare nel complesso sequenziale in quanto la conclusione di ogni capitolo rappresenta l'inizio del successivo e continui sono i richiami interni tra le "due linee di ricerca" che si sono seguite.\ud
La prima "teorica" relativa alla organizzazione del capitale umano nel suo processo evolutivo, di estrema rilevanza ai fini del lavoro, in quanto ha avallato l'obiettivo posto. Il momento di approdo di questa fase è coinciso con la parte conclusiva della lunga e importante tradizione di teorie, studi e ricerche volte a definire e a rendere efficaci i processi di interazione tra l'uomo e il lavoro e, precisamente, da quanto detto dal grande pedagogista italiano scomparso di recente, Giorgio Bocca, che ha dedicato gran parte della sua ricerca al tema del lavoro e della formazione, che ha guardato alla "organizzazione come entità di per se stessa formativa". Tale momento ha rappresentato, anche, il punto di partenza su cui si è poi costruito tutto il restante percorso di ricerca, il cui discorso si è incentrato sulla "necessità per l'impresa post moderna di ripensarsi offrendo tempi e spazi dove sia possibile compartecipare consapevolmente e responsabilmente alla creazione e alla crescita di una cultura organizzativa in cui tramite scambi relazionali autentici e simmetrici, si rinvengano eventualità di autoeducazione personale": è ancora Giorgio Bocca a suggerire ciò. \ud
Da ciò la seconda linea di ricerca,"pratica", ha inteso valutare il contesto esaminando svariate tipologie produttive dislocate sul territorio lucano da cui è stata individuata una sola realtà organizzativa su cui si è impostato tutto il lavoro, concretizzato, appunto, nella proposta di un modello integrato di formazione e lavoro. \ud
Il lavoro ha, inoltre, portato una azienda, quindi un microsistema, a riflettere su se stessa, a farsi consapevole delle proprie potenzialità rappresentate dal capitale umano in essa presente, che si è mostrato, nonostante le numerose difficoltà in cui è chiamato ad operare giornalmente, dettate da una non adeguata capacità formativa e quindi organizzativa, di condivisione delle conoscenze, pronto a condividere e ad accettare la mission aziendale e a farsi partecipe della vision aziendale. \ud
In conclusione, aver portato una azienda ad auto analizzarsi al fine di riprogettare se stessa è sicuramente un passo importante, se non il primo, per portare la formazione continua a divenire prassi riconosciuta ed accettata dal sistema produttivo, in quanto ha permesso di ripensarsi in termini di qualità e di competitività
Design di involucri ad alta efficienza energetica:\ud Caratterizzazione “Low-energy” per il settore turistico-ricettivo\ud Design of high energy-efficient architectural enclosure: \ud Low-energy characterization in tourist facilities sector
No full textDuring the postwar period, tourism became a very important\ud
economic activity and, successively, a real industry with an\ud
incomparable territorial distribution.\ud
In the world, the productive economic sector connected with\ud
tourism grows about 6.5% every year and it is one of the\ud
most important sources of employment.\ud
The growth of the tourist trade is always connected with the\ud
building industry and, for this reason, it produces effects on the environment which are being more and more important\ud
for what concerns the used resources and the produced\ud
environmental wastes.\ud
The main interest regarding the “environmental sustainability” of the tourist sector consists in minimizing the environmental impact by making operators and tourists have “responsible” behaviours.\ud
The choice of the “eco-efficiency” is one of the abovementioned behaviours which mainly constitutes an economic advantage because the daily energy consumption is, for each person, in Italian hotels, four times higher than the typical consumption of the residential sector.\ud
It is worth mentioning that by realizing bioclimatic buildings and/or low environmental impact facilities it is possible to get improvements in the energy management from 30% to 70% in comparison with the standardized medium energy\ud
consumption.\ud
The Italian accommodation facilities are the theme of this\ud
research.\ud
It has to be considered that users spend in the accommodation facility a relaxing and quite period. It\ud
encourages the meditation and some virtuous behaviours in\ud
which it is possible to assure the best quality and the best\ud
level of wellness; at the same time, it is a complex system,\ud
difficult to control during its planning, management and\ud
following transformation and/or its casting off in order to\ud
optimize the environmental impact.\ud
Furthermore, there is an aspect connected with the energy\ud
classification and the correspondence to standard\ud
performance parameters because all the buildings destined\ud
to become accommodation facilities have to be shortly\ud
adapted to the CEE directives (2002 – 2010) about energy\ud
efficiency and to the connected national laws about the\ud
energy performances of the buildings (DL 192/05 and 311/06,\ud
Linee guida per la certificazione energetic DL 59/09).\ud
Generally, the accommodation facilities use a great deal of\ud
energy and, for this reason, they have to be built or reconvert into eco-efficient systems thanks to the bioclimatic design used both in new buildings and in existing accommodation facilities.\ud
Taking into account this situation, the problems to be studied in this research are:\ud
The intensity of energy consumption compared with other kinds of tourism connected with seasons which can show different, contrasting performances;\ud
The problem related to the integration between the quality of the building cover and the installation using by different kinds of control connected with the type, the levels of obtainable comfort and the geographical situation on which the accommodation facility is; consequently, all the cases are different in terms of needs and/or consumption of energy sources;\ud
The use of renewable energy, such as the solar, the mini-aeolic, the geothermal, the water ones and the energy which uses the biomass, using by integrable system with each one formed by building/installation;\ud
The use of eco-efficient material which assumes a great value in the accommodation facilities in terms of marketing and inner wellness, coming from the healthiness of the spaces for users; it is an important value, added from the point of view of the tourist offer;\ud
The integration and the variety of performances granted by the building components (ecological materials with high-thermal, lighting and acoustic performances, technologies for the production of energy, installation).\ud
To conclude, the research shows a method of design specific\ud
for building covers in the accommodation facilities, by\ud
pointing its attention on “light” component (with a frontal mass not higher than 100÷150 kg/mq) in which “intelligent”,\ud
reactant materials will be used; thanks to their specific,\ud
physical properties, they can interact dynamically with the\ud
outside and the inside microclimate. Consequently, most of\ud
the time, they can assure comfort by reducing the need of\ud
“external” energy sources.\ud
When this level of comfort couldn’t be granted by the dynamic performance of the building cover, inside the component of this cover an installation integration “located” by dedicated system is foreseen.\ud
The aim of this method is a planning and a transformation of\ud
eco-efficient, architectural cover; they are more important\ud
because Italy is a tourist country, where hotels are spread all over the national area in very different climatic conditions (from the Alps to the southern coasts) which, every time, require a great adaptability of planning situations
