Industry In Portugal Research Articles

The Political Police and the Emigration Industry in Portugal During the 1930s

This article aims to examine the practices for policing emigration from Portugal. In particular, the police culture associated with the surveillance and repression of the activities of emigration intermediaries – passage and passport agents – in the first years of the Portuguese dictatorship (1933–1939) will be analysed. In a context of organised departures in a still liberalised market, we will see how the political police, the Polícia de Vigilância e de Defesa do Estado (pvde – State Defence and Surveillance Police), became the main entity responsible for dealing with the activities of these agents and how it carried out its duties, taking into account its relation to the political and ideological purposes of the Portuguese dictatorship.

Help or Hindrance? The Alcohol Industry and Alcohol Control in Portugal

The influence of the alcohol industry, also known as “corporate political activity” (CPA), is documented as one of the main barriers in implementing effective alcohol control policies. In Portugal, despite an alcohol consumption above the European average, alcohol control does not feature in the current National Health Plan. The present research aimed to identify and describe the CPA of the alcohol industry in Portugal. Publicly-available data published between January 2018 and April 2019 was extracted from the main websites and social media accounts of alcohol industry trade associations, charities funded by the industry, government, and media. A “Policy Dystopia” framework, used to describe the CPA strategies of the tobacco industry, was adapted and used to perform a qualitative thematic analysis. Both instrumental and discursive strategies were found. The industry works in partnership with health authorities, belonging to the national task force responsible for planning alcohol control policies. Additionally, it emphasizes the role alcohol plays in Portuguese culture as a way to disregard evidence on control policies from other countries. This paper presents the first description of CPA by the alcohol industry in Portugal and provides evidence for the adoption of stricter control policies in the country.

Gerard de Lairesse in Portuguese: The Groot schilderboek in Lisbon and Rio

Through the adoption and endorsement of the ‘antique’, that was “followed by the most polite nations”, Gerard de Lairesse (1641-1711) aspired to reach out beyond the borders of the Northern Netherlands. His success with the grand and important elsewhere would eventually put contemporary Dutch art on the artistic map of Europe – or so he hoped. In that respect, the Groot schilderboek (1707) had an important role to play, and it was to do so marvelously well. It is little known, though, that De Lairesse’s encyclopedic treatise on art was translated into Portuguese in 1801. This job was entrusted to the Brazilian friar and botanist Jose Mariano da Conceicao Veloso, who was at the time the director of the Arco do Cego – the most important printing center to introduce new techniques to the Portuguese printing scene, that could accommodate ever-growing print runs. De Lairesse’s writings, however, not only contributed to the modernisation of printing industry in Portugal. In 1808 the Grande livro dos pintores crossed the ocean and landed in Brazil, where it played a significant role in (re)starting the printing industry. This article will trace the fascinating journey of the Groot schilderboek from Portugal to Brazil and assess its place in the modernisation of printing business in these two countries. In order to demonstrate the significance of De Lairesse’s musings in this process, the author will briefly scrutinise the Portuguese printing scene of the long eighteenth century (1683-1808), discuss the printing enthusiasts who stood behind the translation and various Portuguese editions of the Groot schilderboek, as well as the role of De Lairesse’s treatise in the training programme of aspiring print makers associated with the Arco do Cego. I will ultimately follow its crossing to Brazil, all in hope of shedding additional light on the purely practical side of the Groot schilderboek that has oftentimes gone unnoticed.

The Taxation of the Portuguese Venture Capital Industry

This article provides an overview of the taxation of the venture capital industry in Portugal. In particular, the authors describe the origins of the industry, enumerate the types of venture capital vehicles, explain the lifecycle of VCFs, highlight limitations on investment by private equity/venture capital funds, discuss fund incorporation formalities and mechanics, as well as fund governance. In the second part of the article, the authors conduct an exhaustive analysis of the tax regime applicable to such funds and their domestic and foreign investors.

Gamification aplicada à formação na indústria hoteleira

This study aims to explore the usefulness of a training platform/mobile app based on gamification for the hotel industry in Portugal, with contents that respond to the most common training needs in this context. Through gamification, companies can motivate workers to participate in learning activities and thus improve productivity. Using a qualitative approach, five different stakeholders were surveyed, companies that offer these type of training solutions and three hotel companies. In this case, data were collected in three hotel chains operating in Portugal, from twenty-three employees in five focus groups. The results of the study allowed the identification of the main training needs in the different hotel units and the main obstacles felt by managers and workers in the implementation of the training plan and also identified gamification in training as a motivational strategy that promotes adherence to training.

Challenges in the Portuguese textile and clothing industry: a fight for survival

ABSTRACTThe Portuguese textile and clothing industry thrived after 1960, when Portugal joined the European Free Trade Association, and it has been an important industry in Portugal in terms of value added, employment, and exports. Nevertheless, the industry has experienced significant challenges with the final integration of the apparel and textile industry into GATT on 1 January 2005, as well as the admission of relatively low-wage Bulgaria and Romania into the European Union in 2007. This paper describes recent trends in the industry between 1995 and 2016, including a substantial decrease in output after 2005 and recovery in recent years. In addition, a translog cost function is used to examine the existence of economies of scale, the relationships among inputs, and the effects of the 2005 GATT entry on the industry’s costs. The findings include strong evidence of economies of scale, consistent with the many small and mid-sized enterprises in the Portuguese textile and clothing industry. The results are also consistent with capital and labour being complementary inputs, while other input pairs are substitutes. The entry into GATT may have had a negative impact on cost, though the evidence for that effect is weak.

Rádio Caos: resistência e experimentação cultural nos anos 1980

The 1980s are crucial to the social, cultural, and political transformations in consolidating culture and establishing a mass entertainment industry in Portugal. It was in this decade that the consolidation of youth cultures occurred and subcultural identities were enhanced. We consider it valuable to understand the (counter) cultural activities surrounding the pirate radio stations that were operated in that decade by a group of young people dissatisfied with the universe of cultural possibilities existing in Portugal – a discontent that was even more pronounced in the city of Porto (Portugal) through Radio Caos’ broadcasts. We propose to study this radio station – called “pirate” – that was active from 1982 to 1988 as a paradigm of cultural, artistic, and musical change, mobilized by the youth of the time.

Main challenges, trends and opportunities for wine tourism in Portugal

Purpose This paper aims to define the boundaries of wine tourism to identify the main challenges, trends and opportunities of wine tourism in Portugal, providing some critical recommendations for those operating in this sector. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on a literature review and content analysis of prior and ongoing work. Findings The main challenges, trends and opportunities for the wine tourism industry in Portugal are identified, as well as suggestions and practical recommendations/contributions for managers, stakeholders, players and marketers. The paper concludes with some key points that could form the basis of a strategic agenda for future action. Originality/value Based on the reviewed literature, some benchmarks for the wine tourism industry in Portugal were developed.

Top managers' characteristics as causal explanations for self-reported performance

We use a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to examine how four characteristics of top managers (narcissism, sense of control, tenure, and workload) explain their high or low self-reported performance. Our survey sample comprises 784 top managers (572 males and 212 females) from non-listed firms in all industries in Portugal. While the results show that none of the characteristics is either a necessary or sufficient condition, they do show that three different paths exist that are conducive to high self-reported performance. The results indicate that the self-images of the managers and the control they exert over others influence their judgements about their performance and the reality of the firm. This finding highlights the important effect that top managers' characteristics have on performance, and stakeholders should consider this effect when analyzing a firm.

Intrapreneural Dynamics: A Case Research at the Insurance Industry in Portugal

Abstract This research focusses on the firm endowments; focusing on the impact of an organizational structure and its managerial systems as the intrapreneurial conditions (IC) for constraining and/or leveraging behavioral patterns of intrapreneurial dynamics (ID). With a positivistic stance and deductive approach to theory development, the researcher attempts to test the phenomenon using a single case design with a holistic frame. The intrapreneurial assessment model of Hartman (2006) outlines the IC variables. Online questionnaires directed to the stakeholders of the partaking firm have originated a probabilistic and randomized sample of 9,70% of respondents of the targetpopulation (670 employees). We argue that the firm´s environment has a direct impact on the intrapreneurial behavior at both, managerial and non-managerial levels, since data exhibits an interaction of variables IC-ID with a positive correlation in its mutation patterns. Herein, is not encompassed the subset of ID with roots upon corporate entrepreneurship (CE); however, it constitutes a clear gap for further statistical and analytical generalizations. This study illuminates the determinism of the organizational ecosystems on the formation of intrapreneurial ideas and ventures and shaping the new intraprises with regard to Entrepreneurial Employee Activity (EEA).

Motivação de colaboradores não familiares nas empresas familiares da hotelaria portuguesa

Neste artigo analisa-se a possibilidade de as empresas familiares no ramo hoteleiro em Portugal não serem capazes de motivar e reter «recursos humanos de talento» não pertencentes à família. Utilizaram-se dez casos e trinta entrevistas. Evidenciou-se, por um lado, o nepotismo e a existência de conflitos internos entre familiares. Por outro lado, destacaram-se fatores motivadores derivados do familiness. Conclui-se que há distinções entre a motivação dos colaboradores em hotéis familiares dos restantes hotéis, pois as empresas familiares têm características únicas com implicações tanto positivas como negativas na satisfação e na retenção dos colaboradores não familiares (CNF). Este artigo contraria a maioria dos estudos existentes pois concentra-se na motivação e não na monitorização dos CNF. A motivação é importante, pois permite reter talentos diferenciadores que conferem vantagens competitivas exclusivas.

Firm preparation for ISO 9001 certification – the case of the hotel industry in Portugal

The purpose of this study is to assess whether companies conduct preparations, such as managing culture, before starting to implement an ISO 9001 Quality Management System (QMS). Based on a literature review, the paper develops a model of firm preparation for ISO 9001 certification and several research hypotheses. The survey research method adopted consists of data collection through questionnaires – sent to hotels of four and five stars, in Portugal, in two different moments (2012 and 2014) – and of a longitudinal data analysis based on non-parametric statistical tests. Results show that the majority of companies conduct preparations before starting to implement an ISO 9001 QMS. However, most companies do not assess their initial situation, nor do they plan for the preparations. One of the significant implications from this research is that a more coherent and integrated approach in ISO 9001 preparation is required. Other implications for practice and for research are also noted. This is the first study, as far as the authors are aware of, that addresses the topic of planning for the preparations that a company can make before starting to implement an ISO 9001 QMS.

Do consumers value price transparency?

We examine the role of price transparency in consumer preferences and demand. We assemble a detailed dataset on the driving school industry in Portugal to quantify how firms present the price of the course of instruction, and its individual components, to potential students. Our unique data allows us to estimate a structural model of school choice and measure the impact of varying levels of price information on demand. The results show that consumers are willing to pay a significant amount for price transparency, on average 11% of the service price, and that consumer demographics drive heterogeneous preferences for transparency.

Uncovering the pathways to e-learning success: A qualitative approach

This paper reports a qualitative study on the effectiveness of an e-learning framework (IPTEACES) for Insurance Broker Training Program Certifications, using a sample of 3,726 trainees from 16 different corporations from insurance and banking industries in Portugal. We’ve applied fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) technique, which offers improved results when compared to the use of quantitative traditional statistical methods (e.g. regressions, structural equations modeling) that only provide an estimated solution to the dependent variable at stake. Findings suggest higher training success levels are achieved by: older, more educated women trainees attending banking training events covering a large breadth (double course). Concerning lower training success results, evidence shows that those are achieved by: less educated male trainees, attending insurance training events covering a single course. These study results are consistent with previous reported work that followed a quantitative approach.

Teams’ innovation: getting there through knowledge sharing and absorptive capacity

This study addresses the contribution of knowledge sharing behaviour and absorptive capacity to innovation at team level. Although the hypotheses reflect the dominant literature, the study’s novelty lies in the data collected from several industries in Portugal, avoiding possible industry bias. Relationships are tested outside sectors where traditionally team effects are studied, for example healthcare. Data were collected from 141 employees working in organizational teams, excluding top management teams, which are often the object of research addressing phenomena leading to innovation. There is no evidence in support of organizational size effect, team’s geographic concentration effect or gender effect. However, team tenure duration is positively related to increased knowledge sharing, that is, recent teams do not share as much knowledge as older ones. Structural Equation Modelling was used to test the mediation effect of absorptive capacity between individual knowledge sharing behaviour and team innovation. Evidence in support of full mediation was found.

Human capital and university–business interactions: an example from the wine industry

Research on university–business interactions has thrived in recent years, influenced by some very successful examples where they have led to the emergence of world-class clusters. However, this paper will argue that in less developed regions the most important contribution that universities can make to their regional economies is the supply of skilled human capital. Through the case study of the wine industry in Portugal, it will argue that this supply of human capital can have a significant impact on the absorptive capacity of firms, particularly SMEs. It will therefore seek to make an important contribution to academic research in this area, by outlining a relatively neglected research area. It is also relevant for policy-makers and practitioners, as it argues that innovation and regional development policies should pay more attention to the need to match skills provision by higher education institutions to business needs among SMEs.

Venture capital and the financial crisis in Portugal: the VC managers’ viewpoint

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine, from the venture capital (VC) managers’ perspective, the impact of the international financial and sovereign debt crises on the VC industry in Portugal, and the changes and adjustments VC managers were forced to adopt to their procedures and current practices to cope with these challenges.Design/methodology/approachA two-step research design was adopted to best capture the dynamics of the crisis. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and content analysed. The initial set of interviews with ten VC managers was conducted in 2011, immediately before the country bailout; and the second set in 2013, when the full impact of the debt crisis was being felt.FindingsThe study shows that the crises had a significant impact on the VC industry producing a complex and dynamic environment with high levels of uncertainty. The VC managers’ contradictory perceptions reflect their own struggle to figure out the best way to deal with the pressures in such a volatile environment where new opportunities may also arise. In general, VC firms became more selective adopting a more prudential attitude and tighter control mechanisms.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the field by analysing, from the VC managers’ perspective, the cumulative impact of the international financial and sovereign debt crisis on a European VC market with specific features: small dimension of the industry operating in a bank-centred capital market and where family-owned SMEs predominate.

The learning officer decision matrix – a structural equation modeling approach for the management of asynchronous e-Learning projects

Effectiveness is one of the major concerns in corporate e-Learning and is critical when projects face financial and time-to-market constraints. Organizations and corporate universities seek methodologies and tools to help them manage more efficiently diverse e-Learning Projects. This paper describes the outcome of a case study on the assessment of the effectiveness of an eLearning project (n=1317), from sixteen different corporations in the context of insurance and banking industry in Portugal. Results will be presented on the application of the methodology proposed by Levy for the assessment of the effectiveness of e-Learning systems. Based on the output of this assessment, this paper will present a new tool, the Learning Officer Decision Matrix, which will contribute to a more efficient management of corporate e-Learning projects.

Do Consumers Value Price Transparency?

We examine the role of price transparency in consumer preferences and demand. We assemble a detailed dataset on the driving school industry in Portugal to quantify how firms present the price of the course of instruction, and its individual components, to potential students. Our unique data allows us to estimate a structural model of school choice and measure the impact of varying levels of price information on demand. The results show that consumers are willing to pay a significant amount for price transparency, on average 11 percent of the service price, and that consumer demographics drive heterogeneous preferences for transparency.

Difusión de la investigación científica de turismo en Portugal

Considerando la creciente importancia del turismo en Portugal y el papel protagonista que desempeña este sector en su economía, es notoria la necesidad de analizar la investigación turística que los investigadores e instituciones de este país realizan en el ámbito turístico. El presente artículo analiza la contribución realizada por aquellos investigadores afiliados a instituciones portuguesas en revistas académicas especializadas en turismo, tanto de ámbito nacional, como internacional. El análisis permite identificar aquellas instituciones y autores que han realizado un mayor esfuerzo de investigación y difusión en turismo. El artículo presenta no sólo un ranking de instituciones y autores, sino que también analiza el ámbito geográfico de la aplicación de las investigaciones, el número de coautores medio por trabajo, el número de citas, las revistas en las que publican más activamente sus trabajos y la evolución temporal (2006-2011) del resultado obtenido en la investigación turística. Finalmente, se establecen una serie de conclusiones en relación a la situación actual de la investigación en turismo en Portugal.