Management In Colombia Research Articles

A Colombian classic management thinker: Alejandro López Restrepo

PurposeThis paper aims to present the Colombian Alejandro López Restrepo as a classic management thinker from the first half of the twentieth century and discuss his ideas in the light of Anglo-Saxon authors at that time and his contributions as a professor, manager and public servant.Design/methodology/approachBibliographic material including López’s books and essays and their biography published by Mayor (2001) are reviewed to organize a new reading of López as a management thinker and practitioner.FindingsBeyond several classical managerial thinkers, López reconceptualized scientific management with a critical discussion of classical economic theory using sociology and psychology to present a unique conception of work, enterprise and efficiency as a public service that gives sense to individual and social realization to face the future and create development.Research limitations/implicationsTechniques as critical biography and interpretation of data have not been used, instead the aim to contribute to the literature of management history a Latin American’ thinker.Practical implicationsIncluding López as a classical management thinker can improve the study of management history. His life and ideas give new reflexive insight to understand the development of management in Colombia and serve to inspire administrators to seek improvements in society.Originality/valueThe paper offers a new approach toward studying Alejandro López beyond previous sociological work by Mayor (2001) with the discussion of the contributions in the lenses of managerial practices and theoretical insights at that time.

Evaluating formal and informal rules as a basis for implementing coastal marine artisanal fisheries management in Colombia

In artisanal fisheries, rules are essential elements for controlling access to and using resources, regulating the behavior of users and contributing to successful management. In Colombia, the management of the coastal marine artisanal fishing sector has utilized a centralized approach, limiting the implementation of rules and generating the need to look for alternatives that facilitate rule enforcement and contribute to the sustainability of fishing. Therefore, this study evaluates the enforcement of formal (regulations) and informal rules related to fisheries based on the perspective of 120 Colombian fishers from two case study coastal communities: Taganga (Caribbean) and Bahía Solano (Pacific). The implementation of an ancestral rule based on the allocation of fishing turns to beach seine nets in specific locations (ancones), stands out in the Caribbean community, while the implementation of an Exclusive Zone of Artisanal Fishing is stands out in the Pacific community. The results indicate that fishers recognize several regulations and have created informal rules within their territories, and the enforcement of these rules varies according to the context of each community. However, there are factors that influence the enforcement of both types of rules, such as participation of users in decision-making, the congruence of the rules with the socioeconomic context of the communities, the organization of the fishers and the monitoring, control and surveillance by the National Fisheries Authority. This study shows the urgency of managing the artisanal fishing sector in Colombia using a participatory approach and strengthening the empowerment of communities as alternatives to improving the implementation of rules.

Tecnologías emergentes para disposición de relaves: oportunidades en Colombia

Aunque Colombia es un país de amplia tradición minera, las experiencias y reglamentación sobre grandes estructuras de disposición de residuos mineros son escasas. Este artículo describe las prácticas actuales de manejo de residuos mineros en Colombia, particularmente relaves, al igual que las oportunidades y limitaciones para la adopción de tecnologías modernas. Para este manuscrito, se revisaron las prácticas mundiales tradicionales y los aspectos técnico-normativos en Colombia. Adicionalmente, se estudió bibliografía reciente sobre tecnologías emergentes para manejo de relaves, particularmente espesamiento, filtrado, retrollenado, realce y disposición submarina. Finalmente, se analizó la situación normativa y tecnológica en Colombia de cara a la posible adopción de tecnologías modernas. Se concluye que las tecnologías emergentes minimizan el gran pasivo que dejan las estructuras convencionales, aunque actualmente la disposición submarina debe evitarse. En cualquier caso, el país requiere prontamente desarrollar capital humano con competencias para abordar el manejo moderno y masivo de residuos mineros.

DESAFIOS DA PARTICIPAÇÃO E DA DESCENTRALIZAÇÃO NA GESTÃO DE POLÍTICAS CULTURAIS NAS CIDADES

Analisa-se a inserção da participação e da descentralização como princípios para a gestão das políticas culturais tomando como exemplo a capital da Colômbia mediante o levantamento documental de material normativo sobre políticas culturais nesse país e o estudo de caso intrínseco através dos depoimentos de diferentes sujeitos dentro e fora da institucionalidade que refletem sobre os mecanismos estabelecidos especificamente em Bogotá. Para tal fim, exploram-se os principais traços da governança urbana no período neoliberal e as particularidades dessa cidade, revisa-se a incorporação dos princípios de participação e descentralização nas políticas culturais e nas diretrizes para a gestão cultural da Colômbia, e discute-se a forma como estes se materializam nas políticas culturais da cidade visibilizando algumas fraquezas relacionadas com o desenho do sistema, a capacidade institucional e dos agentes culturais que agem nos espaços, a articulação entre diversos canais de participação e a incidência dos acordos em decisões como distribuição de recursos, entre outros. Finalmente, apontam-se alguns desafios em três perspectivas: a integração dos públicos nas discussões, o grau de autonomia dos espaços e a necessidade de debater a categoria ‘cultura’ como ponto de partida para a definição das linhas de intervenção.

How to learn Thematic Cartography in the context of Geosciences and Engineering? Towards a new pedagogical proposal

Abstract. This paper aims to expose the development of a educational proposal supported in the use of ICT, adopting for this purpose the methodology of instructional design ADDIE, widely used in the design and development of e-learning courses, which offer the possibility of analyzing the results obtained from an individual assessment of each one of these phases and make the feedback respective to the whole process, therefore it allowing assess the effectiveness of the training in terms of its quality and relevance in the academic and professional work of learners, with the goal of helping the process of teaching-learning of Thematic Cartography applied to the study of Geosciences through the design and implementation of a free course in a virtual environment. In this sense the course allows to highlight the scope of the thematic map as a support tool for smart land management in Colombia. The final result is a theoretical and practical virtual course proposed to be developed over a period of five weeks with a total of fifty hours of academic work by the learner, oriented to facilitate the appropriation of concepts, criteria and techniques for reading and apply graphical representation of geospatial information, used and produced in the theme of Geosciences and the use of web tools for geo-visualization and publication. Likewise, this paper offers a short discussion of the opportunities and challenges that involve the course construction, to join efforts that motivate innovation and continuous improvement in transfer quality knowledge in this discipline.

Avocado wilt complex disease, implications and management in Colombia

El cultivo de aguacate en Colombia viene creciendo en los últimos, especialmente variedades comerciales como el Hass. La acelerada siembra de aguacate ha carecido de una planificación adecuada y se ha desarrollado bajo recomendaciones técnicas externas, las cuales en muchas circunstancias carecen de aplicabilidad para las condiciones del país. Esta situación ha conducido al fracaso de muchas explotaciones, donde existen fuertes rezagos tecnológicos que evitan que este sistema productivo sea sostenible. Dentro de los mayores limitantes se encuentra el complejo marchitez del aguacate (CMA), termino definido para múltiples patologías asociadas a distintos agentes causales, los cuales pueden ser de origen biótico o abiótico, que afectan el sistema de raíces y la base del tallo de plantas de aguacate en todos los estados de desarrollo, induciendo síntomas de expresión similares en la parte aérea. El objetivo de este trabajo fue realizar una descripción del CMA en Colombia, realizando énfasis en aspectos básicos como sintomatología, agentes causales implicados, incidencia, distribución, importanciaeconómica, problemática asociada, factores determinantes, prácticas de manejo, uso de tecnologías de la información y escenarios futuros. La información que se describe hace parte de múltiples ensayos investigativos desarrollados en campo, invernadero y laboratorio por el autor por un periodo de tiempo de más de 8 años, además de la literatura reportada para Colombia en los distintos tópicos descritos anteriormente. Este trabajo se convierte en la base fundamental para entender la importancia del CMA y sienta las bases para definir la manera de abordarlo de manera técnica y científica.

Challenges in implementing the extended producer responsibility in an emerging economy: The end-of-life tire management in Colombia

Abstract With increasing problems related to the management of end-of-life products, emerging economies have adopted an environmental policy principle – Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), following the example of OECD countries. Colombia was one of the early adopters in Latin America, having introduced EPR in 2007 to manage several end-of-life products, such as pesticide containers, medicines, lead acid batteries, light bulbs, small batteries, computers, and tires. However, there has been no comprehensive investigation into how EPR has been applied in the context of Colombia. Using the case of end-of-life tires, this study aimed to provide an understanding about two aspects of the EPR system in Colombia: the governance structure and the performance in the end-of-life management. This study found that the Colombian EPR governance model imposes full financial and operational responsibilities on tire producers and importers, while it fails to incentivize other actors in the product chain to carry out their allocated tasks and responsibilities. As for the performance, the EPR system has increased the amount of tires collected over the last five years, but the level is low compared with other developed countries, and more importantly, it does not fully promote the recovery of values from tire waste. The analysis of the current situation in Colombia and lessons from other countries suggest that the effectiveness of the EPR policy would require the establishment of solid, but feasible targets, while allowing flexibility in meeting those targets. It would also benefit from the consideration of economic instruments, as well as establishment of complementary policies to promote innovation and strengthen the regulatory controls over the free riders and management of tire waste.

Cancer risk management in Colombia, 2016.

Objective:To describe the outcomes of risk management indicators for five types of cancer in population that is affiliated to the General System of Social Security in Health, in six cities of Colombia.Methods:Based on the data from the administrative cancer registry for the period 2016, the High Cost Disease Fund (CAC in Spanish) as a technical organization of the Colombian health system, processed and analyzed the data for the calculation of risk management indicators established in consensus based on the evidence found in six citiesResults: There is a diversity in the indicators results found among the different cities, evidencing strengths and weaknesses in each of them for the different types of cancer. From the set of indicators, those with the best results presented are related to the greater detection of cancer in early stages or in situ, as well as a decrease in mortality, especially in colorectal and in gastric cancer. Most indicators in gastric cancer showed optimal results. Important measurements such as the opportunity for diagnosis and treatment are below the proposed standard for most types in all the six cities.Conclusions:The descriptive analysis of cancer risk management indicators shows certain weaknesses in the quality and timeliness of the care of cancer patients, the standards agreed upon in the consensus with the different actors of the system are not being reached, situation which may be due to a reality of problems of the Colombian health system, as well as deficiencies in the quality of the report to the CAC.

Relationship between Handgrip Strength and Muscle Mass in Female Survivors of Breast Cancer: A Mediation Analysis.

This study explored the mediating factors of sarcopenia in a group of women survivors of breast cancer in Bogotá, Colombia. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study with 98 women survivors of breast cancer, who were registered with the SIMMON (Integrated Synergies to Improve Oncological Management in Colombia) Foundation. Body weight, height, and waist circumference (WC) were measured, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Body composition (percentage of fat and muscle mass) was evaluated via four-pole bioelectrical impedance analysis. Sarcopenia was defined as low muscle mass plus low grip strength or low gait speed (European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) criteria). A “causal” mediation analysis with the Baron & Kenny procedure (PROCESS® macro, Columbus, OH, USA) was used to explore variables related to sarcopenia. Analyses were performed with the IBM SPSS 21 statistical package (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). The significance level of the results obtained in the hypothesis contrast was p < 0.05. The mean age of the sample was 65.5 ± 5.9 years, with a BMI of 27.8 ± 4.7 kg/m2. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 22.4%. Linear regression models suggest a partial mediation of anthropometric parameters (body mass, body mass index and waist circumference) in the association between handgrip strength and muscle mass. In conclusion, one in every five women survivors of breast cancer had sarcopenia. The findings seem to emphasize the importance of obesity prevention in women survivors of breast cancer, suggesting that high handgrip strength may not relate closely to greater muscle mass and therefore would not exclude the risk of sarcopenia.

Universidad de Antioquia

The purpose of this paper is Public Private Partnerships –hereinafter APP-, and in a timely manner, the study of Law 1508 of 2012 as a manifestation of innovation and shared responsibility in public management in Colombia. Under this approach, from a new perspective of public management and dogmatic approach, the following topics will be addressed: i) its emergence within the new dimension of the public, ii) its international and national antecedents, iii) a conceptual definition of its notion and defining features, iv) its legal configuration in Colombia, and v) determine the reasons why they constitute a manifestation of innovation and shared responsibility in public management.

De la gestión y la política cultural. Conversación con Clarisa Ruiz Correal

Esta entrevista con Clarisa Ruiz Correal, hace parte de un proyecto de mayor envergadura que busca indagar por las prácticas de la gestión cultural en Colombia y en la ciudad de Bogotá principalmente a partir de la voz de sus protagonistas. En un tono autobiográfico, se pretende explorar de qué manera han configurado sus acciones, cuál ha sido su posición frente a las esferas del poder y a las instituciones o dependencias que han dirigido, cómo han asumido o sido parte de los elementos declarativos de la retórica institucional y cuál ha sido su particular visión para concretar tanto el horizonte de sentido como el desarrollo organizacional de su gestión en el campo cultural.

Managing small-scale fisheries in Colombia

The small-scale fishermen of Colombia face a wide range of problems and conflicts. While many problems are shared among individuals from both the Atlantic and the Pacific coasts (bi-coastal), others are unique to a subset of the communities, only occur on one of the coasts (uni-coastal) or in an individual locality. To come to grips with the major problems for these fisheries requires establishing a fisheries management strategy that can prioritize solutions at different levels: national, coastal, and local. This study describes the solutions identified by three sets of stakeholders: fishermen, local leaders and fisheries experts, to improve small-scale fisheries management in Colombia. Some cross-cutting solutions were recommended by all three sets of stakeholders. In other cases, only two of the three stakeholder groups agreed on certain proposals, and some isolated solutions were found in only one type of stakeholder. All three sets of stakeholders recommended that the government put in place fundamental regulatory framework for small-scale fisheries including support for alternative employment opportunities to reduce fishing pressure on the resources. Some but not all groups supported specific measures, such as gear restrictions, closed areas and closed seasons. There was also a clear need to distinguish those truly engaged in fishing as their livelihood from opportunists moving in and out of the sector. Specific recommendations are here presented to reform and restructure governance through co-management, and to develop a consensus among the main government and user stakeholders.

Un punto de vista dinámico para la gestión de la cadena de suministro de plástico en Colombia

Desde que el plástico es considerado materia prima esencial para la fabricación de diferentes productos, existe la oportunidad de analizar el comportamiento dinámico de la gestión de la cadena de suministro en Colombia. Este artículo argumenta que el diseño estratégico es una medida importante para crear confianza en un modelo de simulación, sin considerar una prueba de validez. Con el fin de analizar las principales variables de la cadena de suministro, el artículo muestra una visión dinámica para entender la relación entre los actores. El objetivo de este artículo es explorar y discutir la estructura de cadena de suministro del plástico, así como también las directrices para el diseño estratégico a través del diagrama de flujo y abastecimiento de un modelo dinámico de sistema. El mayor resultado de este artículo consiste en un resumen sobre el diseño estratégico y los impulsores de un modelo dinámico de sistema en la gestión de la cadena de suministro.

Modelo de requisitos para la renovación tecnológica de los sistemas de administración del mercado de energía en Colombia

With the purpose of conducting a technological renewal of the systems that support the energy market management in Colombia, a new model of requirements addressing in detail the modeling of processes, together with software specifications, has been developed. The new model provides relevant guidelines to use GMPN and UML standards and is supported by the company’s experience in market management processes. This article shows the results found after applying the new model of requirements intended to gain knowledge on market management process, formal representation of processes, improvement of traceability between system specifications and the process, and standardization of the understanding of processes by several stakeholders involved. This article further exhibits the results from the application of the model based on the technological renewal within the COLCIENCIAS technological research project “CNBT 833559938649, a System for Electric Energy Market Management in Colombia, Phase I.”

The banality of displacement: Discourse and thoughtlessness in the internal refugee crisis in Colombia

Colombia has one of the largest internal refugee populations in the world. For years government agencies and NGOs presented vastly disparate statistics, with government figures showing much lower estimates of the amount of internally displaced persons, or IDPs. In this article I suggest that the discourse of displacement in Colombia was dominated by a “war over numbers” at the expense of a more complex characterization of the displaced population. Drawing on Hannah Arendt's suggestive ideas on the banality of evil, I propose the notion of the “banality of displacement” to examine two distinct but related processes. First, the normalization of violence over time has made forced displacement appear as a mundane social fact in Colombia. Second, this banality is actively produced through an “attitudinal thoughtlessness” in government and NGO circles. To illustrate this banality at play, I focus on two interrelated aspects. First, I examine the history of IDP management in Colombia, in particular the disputes over displacement statistics. Second, I explore the “colour-blindness” in the counting strategies and the lack of reliable data regarding displaced Afro-Colombians. In a final section I discuss ways in which the banality of displacement has been contested, both from civil society and by the Constitutional Court, which has challenged the Colombian government over its handling of the displacement crisis. I also suggest more broadly how a re-reading of Arendt brings a critical sensibility to other geopolitical contexts, exemplified by geographers' engagement with the “war on terror.”

La evaluación del desempeño condicional de las carteras colectivas en colombia

El presente artículo evalúa la gestión de las carteras colectivas en Colombia tras la entrada en vigor del Decreto 2175 de 2007, que transformó radicalmente la industria de la inversión colectiva en Colombia en términos de la cuantía de activos gestionados, así como en la orientación hacia productos negociados en mercados regulados. En particular, el artículo analiza la gestión de 8 carteras colectivas de renta variable durante el período 2008-2011, tanto con una metodología incondicional, como condicional, que incorpora información pública en la gestión de las carteras. Se utiliza además una evaluación de la gestión dinámica, como complemento a la tradicional única y estática. El artículo da a conocer, primero, que las carteras colectivas de la muestra han sido gestionadas en forma muy satisfactoria durante el período de estudio, aunque sin apreciar diferencias relevantes entre la evaluación incondicional y la condicional.

Patients' knowledge, attitudes, behaviour and health care experiences on the prevention, detection, management and control of hypertension in Colombia: a qualitative study.

Hypertension is a leading cause of premature death worldwide and the most important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Effective screening programs, communication with patients, regular monitoring, and adherence to treatment are essential to successful management but may be challenging in health systems facing resource constraints. This qualitative study explored patients’ knowledge, attitudes, behaviour and health care seeking experiences in relation to detection, treatment and control of hypertension in Colombia. We conducted in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 26 individuals with hypertension and 4 family members in two regions. Few participants were aware of ways to prevent high blood pressure. Once diagnosed, most reported taking medication but had little information about their condition and had a poor understanding of their treatment regime. The desire for good communication and a trusting relationship with the doctor emerged as key themes in promoting adherence to medication and regular attendance at medical appointments. Barriers to accessing treatment included co-payments for medication; costs of transport to health care facilities; unavailability of drugs; and poor access to specialist care. Some patients overcame these barriers with support from social networks, family members and neighbours. However, those who lacked such support, experienced loneliness and struggled to access health care services. The health insurance scheme was frequently described as administratively confusing and those accessing the state subsidized system believed that the treatment was inferior to that provided under the compulsory contributory system. Measures that should be addressed to improve hypertension management in Colombia include better communication between health care professionals and patients, measures to improve understanding of the importance of adherence to treatment, reduction of co-payments and transport costs, and easier access to care, especially in rural areas.

National ecosystems services priorities for planning carbon and water resource management in Colombia

The modelling and mapping of ecosystem services (ES) are important components of any programme of land management planning, as they help evaluate the potential benefits that ecosystems provide to society. The objective of this paper is to evaluate ES for setting priorities and planning carbon and water resource management in Colombia. By using information related to provision and regulation services for water, carbon storage and protection services against extreme events such as landslides, we have evaluated the spatial distribution of ES and identified geographical hotspots. The results are presented for two levels of analyses: (1) natural regions and (2) watersheds. We found differences in the distribution and range of values for ES and observed that each region and watershed tends to maximise one or two services, with the exception of the Caribbean region, which presents low values for most services. The services of water resources provision, regulation of water flow and carbon storage in the above-ground biomass presented high correlations among them, with the Pacific and Amazonian regions presenting the highest average values for these ES. The Andean region was important for the prevention of landslides and the amount of carbon in the soil. At the watershed level, the Amazon watershed and those associated with transition areas (piedmont) between the Andes and the lowlands of the Amazonian, Orinoquia and Pacific regions were the areas where the greatest number of hotspots was concentrated. These results provide valuable information on how better use official institutional information to quickly define and prioritise ES, to guide management actions within the country's recent policies on integrated water resources management and on biodiversity and ES.

Integrating environmental education in marine protected areas management in Colombia

Environmental Education (EE) is a key component in any marine protected area management. However, its visibility and action plans are still poorly developed and structured as a clear element in management procedures. The objective of this study is to contribute with a methodological route that integrates EE to the existing model of management planning and strategies, taking the Colombian National Natural Parks System as a case study. The creation of the route is proposed as a participatory research with different stakeholders in order to respond to the specific conservation needs and goals for the National Parks System. The EE national diagnosis has shown that its integration within the parks management structure is a first priority need, being a converging result on the two case studies on National Parks from the Pacific Coast of Colombia. The diagnosis also demonstrates that communication, participation, training and evaluation have to be reinforced, linking the community and stakeholders involved in the park management to the whole EE process. The proposed methodology route has been agreed upon by the National Parks staff and incorporates advice and recommendations from different stakeholders, in order to better include the park users. This step will help us to advance toward sustainable management in marine and coastal protected areas elsewhere, taking into account not only the biological but also the social–cultural prism. The main challenges in the management and conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems today are discussed.

MantisGRID: a grid platform for DICOM medical images management in Colombia and Latin America.

This paper presents the mantisGRID project, an interinstitutional initiative from Colombian medical and academic centers aiming to provide medical grid services for Colombia and Latin America. The mantisGRID is a GRID platform, based on open source grid infrastructure that provides the necessary services to access and exchange medical images and associated information following digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) and health level 7 standards. The paper focuses first on the data abstraction architecture, which is achieved via Open Grid Services Architecture Data Access and Integration (OGSA-DAI) services and supported by the Globus Toolkit. The grid currently uses a 30-Mb bandwidth of the Colombian High Technology Academic Network, RENATA, connected to Internet 2. It also includes a discussion on the relational database created to handle the DICOM objects that were represented using Extensible Markup Language Schema documents, as well as other features implemented such as data security, user authentication, and patient confidentiality. Grid performance was tested using the three current operative nodes and the results demonstrated comparable query times between the mantisGRID (OGSA-DAI) and Distributed mySQL databases, especially for a large number of records.