Alterações nos regulamentos, mudanças no comportamento do consumidor e potenciais ganhos de competitividade são alguns dos motivos citados por gestores como motivadores para a adoção de várias práticas de gestão ambiental. Estas práticas afetam, de acordo com outros estudos, os desempenhos ambiental e financeiro das empresas. No entanto, práticas diferentes afetam de forma diferente os desempenhos mencionados, ou ainda algumas práticas podem ser usadas de forma propagandísticas, podendo afetar o desempenho financeiro, mas não necessariamente o desempenho ambiental.. Assim, este trabalho tem como objetivo verificar se há relação entre as práticas de gestão ambiental (aqui divididas em \'práticas de planejamento e organização\', \'práticas operacionais\' e \'práticas comunicacionais\') utilizadas pelas empresas e os desempenhos ambiental e financeiro destas por meio da análise de empresas do setor químico brasileiro, utilizando modelagem de equações estruturais (Structural Equation Modeling - SEM) e uma survey para coleta dos dados subjetivoprimários (percepção dos gestores). Para tanto, foi desenvolvido um modelo teórico e construído um diagrama de caminhos de relações causais que foi convertido em um conjunto de modelos estruturais e de mensuração. Para testar o modelo proposto, um teste empírico foi aplicado em empresas do setor químico brasileiro. Os resultados deste teste foram os seguintes: (a) PGAs de planejamento e organização possuem uma relação positiva com o desempenho ambiental e o com desempenho financeiro; (b) PGAs operacionais possuem uma relação negativa com o desempenho financeiro; (c) PGAs comunicacionais possuem uma relação positiva com o desempenho financeiro; (d) Não há relação estatisticamente significativa entre as PGAs operacionais e o desempenho ambiental; (e) Não há relação estatisticamente significativa entre as PGAs comunicacionais e o desempenho ambiental; (f) Não há relação estatisticamente significativa entre o desempenho ambiental e o desempenho financeiro. Neste estudo, as práticas de gestão ambiental se relacionam mais significativamente com o desempenho financeiro, podendo indicar, na amostra estudada, um perfil menos proativo de gestão ambiental, com foco na adequação legar para a continuar com um bom desempenho financeiro. / Regulation modifications, changes in consumer behavior, and potential competitiveness gains have motivated managers to adopt a number of environmental management practices. These practices affect, according to other studies, environmental and financial performance of companies. However, different practices act differently upon the aforementioned performances. Some practices may even be used in a propagandistic way, which may affect the financial performance, but not necessarily the environmental one. Thus, this study aims to determine whether there is relationship between environmental management practices (here divided into \'planning and organizational practices\', \'operational practices\', and \'communication practices\') used by companies and their environmental and financial performance by analyzing companies in the Brazilian chemical industry, using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and a survey to collect data according to the perception of managers. As a result, a theoretical model was developed and a diagram of causal relationships paths was built and converted into a set of structural models and measurement. To test the model, an empirical test was applied to companies in the Brazilian chemical industry. The results of this test were: (a) There is a positive relationship between planning and organizational practices and both environmental and financial performances; (b) There is a negative relationship between operational practices and financial performance; (c) There is a positive relationship between communication practices and financial performance; (d) there is no statistically significant relationship between operational practices and environmental performance; (e) there is no statistically significant relationship between communication practices and environmental performance; (f) there is no statistically significant relationship between environmental performance and financial performance. In this study, environmental management practices relates more significantly to the financial performance and may indicate, in the sample, a less proactive profile environmental management, focusing on theadequacy bequeath to continue with a good financial performance.

Abstract Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in wastewaters from the chemical industry are of major concern because of their environmental and health impacts. The reclamation of VOCs from wastewaters would not only reduce the hazard to the environment but also contribute to an efficient use of resources. The thesis explores the reclamation of n-butanol and dichloromethane from sodium chloride containing mixtures by pervaporation. Another aim was to gain understanding of mass transport phenomena during the pervaporation of multicomponent systems, and the effect of sodium chloride on the pervaporation performance. In this work, the reclamation of n-butanol and dichloromethane was conducted as a sequence of pervaporation stages which utilised first hydrophobic and then hydrophilic membranes. The objective was to segregate the mixture of n-butanol/dichloromethane/sodium chloride/water into three different streams: a re-use quality concentrate of VOCs, brine, and discharge quality purified water. The effect of the experimental variables, VOCs feed concentration, feed temperature and sodium chloride content on the performance of the pervaporation stages was studied. A statistical design, response surface methodology, was used to further resource efficiency. The results indicate the potential of pervaporation for the reclamation of n-butanol and dichloromethane from aqueous mixtures. A single step of pervaporation of n-butanol/dichloromethane/sodium chloride/water systems using the CMX-GF-010-D (Celfa) and PERTHESE® 500-1 (P 500-1) membranes does not sufficiently concentrate the VOCs for direct re-use. It is also demonstrated that the electrolyte does not permeate through the membranes and does not affect their separation effectiveness significantly. The pervaporation of the water/dichloromethane/n-butanol system using the hydrophilic poly(vinyl alcohol)-titanium dioxide/polyacrylonitrile/polyphenylene sulfide (PVA-TiO2/PAN/PPS) membrane is effective for dewatering purposes. The membrane shows impermeable features towards dichloromethane in the studied conditions. The analysis of the mass transport phenomena demonstrates that, under the experimental conditions studied, the resistance towards the mass transport of the compounds through the membrane is mainly exhibited by the membrane itself. This study also shows the advantage of analysing the effect of temperature on membrane permeation by the permeation activation energy instead of by the apparent activation energy.

In this day and age where technology is rapidly improving and developing, it is essential that information should be managed accurately, fast and dynamic. Information systems not adhering to the requirements of the environment must be replaced or updated. Dependable, available information is worth its value in gold to individuals, organisations and the government. Training information is one of the most controversial themes of our times, because of the dynamic nature of this field. The question is what is available in the market to manage training in its entirety? Legislation in South Africa has certain expectations and requirements, which have to be adhered to. A training management system that will satisfy the needs of individuals, organisations and the government is designed and developed to address the problems experienced by Sasol Utilities. Abbreviations such as SAQA, NQF, NSB and SETA are used generally and are an integral part of the training problem. The Computer Assisted Training Management System is designed to address the development possibilities of certain job categories and individuals. This includes the.management of all training information such as historical background, scheduling, the determination of certain short comings and achievement evaluation. Various reports, which are valuable for management purposes can be generated. The Computer Assisted Training Management System is designed in such a way that it can be adapted to suit a variety of needs. Information can be added, changed or deleted according to the specific needs. However, information can only be changed as determined by the administrator. A built in security system ensures that the integrity of the information is maintained and protected. The idea behind the design and development of the Computer Assisted Training Management System is that the system must be user friendly, dynamic, unique and functional and that it must comply with all the technical aspects. The need for training differs from institution to institution, as well as from the requirements laid down by the government. This system is therefore designed in such a way that it would not become obsolete in the near future. In fact, follow-up systems may originate from the current Computer Assisted Training Management System. The Computer Assisted Training Management System is therefore a dynamic and unique management tool for the processing of training information and is able to adapt to changing circumstances, without forfeiting integrity. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2001. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

La modélisation du recyclage - et l'allocation en général - est un sujet très débattu dans le domaine de l’analyse du cycle de vie (ACV). Cette thèse a pour objectif le développement d’une approche scientifique et cohérente pour la modélisation du recyclage en ACV afin de fournir des informations pertinentes aux entreprises. Ainsi, un cadre systématique est établi pour catégoriser les procédures d'allocation existantes en fonction de l’objectif de l’ACV et de l’approche attributionelle (ACV-A) ou conséquentielle (ACV-C). Une revue critique des directives officielles a montré qu'aucun d'entre elles ne recommande des procédures d’allocation conforme à ce cadre. L’approche d’imputation basée sur un schéma axiomatique qui explicite toute hypothèse subjective a été identifiée comme la méthode la plus pertinente pour l’ACV-A. Dans le cas de l'ACV-C, le ratio entre le prix du marché du matériau recyclé et celui du matériau primaire substitué est présenté comme un nouvel indicateur pour identifier si le recyclage permet de substituer la production de matériau primaire ou d’éviter son traitement en tant que déchet. Les processus qui sont affectés par une demande changeante pour un produit sont identifiés avec un diagramme de boucle causale, qui inclut également les stocks anthropiques comme un nouvel élément dans l’ACV-C. L'application des procédures d’allocation est démontrée par une étude de cas portant sur le recyclage des éléments de terres rares (ETR) des lampes fluorescentes. Les deux approches d’ACV fournissent des informations différentes et utiles aux entreprises. / Modeling of recycling – and allocation in general – is a heavily debated topic in the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) domain. This thesis aimed to find a coherent scientific approach to model recycling in LCA that provides relevant information to companies. Existing allocation procedures are captured by mathematical formulas and linked to an LCA goal and an attributional or consequential approach in a systematic framework. A review of official guidelines showed that none of them provides recommendations on allocation that is consistent with this framework. A partitioning approach was identified for attributional LCA (a-LCA). This approach is based on subjective assumptions, which are made explicit by axioms. In consequential LCA (c-LCA), the market-price ratio between the recycled and substituted primary material is introduced as a new indicator to identify whether additional recycling substitutes the production of primary materials or avoids waste treatment. The processes that are affected by a changing demand for a product are identified by a causal loop diagram, which also includes stockpiling as a new element in c-LCA. The application of the allocation procedures is demonstrated by a case study of the recycling of rare earth elements (REEs) from used fluorescent lamps. The a-LCA indicated that recycled REEs are more sustainable than primary REEs. The c-LCA showed that recycling is environmentally beneficial as long as the REEs are used in fluorescent lamps that substitute less energy-efficient halogen lamps. This demonstrates that both LCA approaches provide different but useful information for companies. Suggestions are given for policy measures when the market situation does not stimulate environmentally beneficial behavior. It is recommended, among other options, to extend the causal loop diagram of c-LCA to include additional mechanisms, such as rebound effects.

Orientador: Miguel Juan Bacic / Dissertação (mestrado profissional) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecanica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-04T02:12:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Vannucci_JoaoCarlosPiedade_M.pdf: 266701 bytes, checksum: 10ee6b7ec000accb8cfc088a830a6efc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004 / Resumo: As normas ISO 9000, constituindo o guia mais adequado para estabelecer, manter e documentar um Sistema de Qualidade formalizado em empresas de países economicamente expressivos, têm sido o tema de vários estudos e artigos em revistas especializadas. Acredita-se que parte do seu sucesso se deva ao fato de o Sistema da Qualidade ser passível de certificação por um organismo independente. Tal certificação pode indicar que a firma adota um mínimo de controle em seus processos produtivos, podendo gerar bens e serviços. Porém, fica uma questão controversa: a certificação traz ganhos para as empresas certificadas? Este trabalho procura estabelecer uma ligação entre a certificação e a performance empresarial, investigando as pequenas indústrias químicas paulistas que se certificaram nas normas ISO 9000. Dados financeiros públicos de empresas certificadas e não certificadas foram usados para testar a hipótese. Os resultados aqui obtidos podem auxiliar as empresas e os estudiosos do assunto, na sua decisão sobre as vantagens ou desvantagens da certificação / Abstract: ISO 9000 procedures, the most popular indicator to establish, upkeep and document a quality system at almost any company worldwide, have been discussed in many studies and articles in related magazines. Part of its success may be due to the fact that the quality system procedure can be certified by an independent organization. ISO 9000 would show that those certified companies have a certain control over their productive process, and may offer high quality goods and services. However, there still remains a controversy: does ISO 9000 actually bring profits to those certified companies? This essay is to establish a connection between the Certificate itself and certified companies¿ results, focusing on small chemical industries in the state of São Paulo that have adopted ISO 9000 procedures. Public financial data from both certified and non-certified companies were used to verify the hypothesis. The results obtained here may help related researchers and companies, on their decision about whether or not the Certificate brings more advantages / Mestrado / Gestão da Qualidade Total / Mestre Profissional em Engenharia Mecanica

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The thesis deals with the evaluation of investments in company shares. It analyzes internal and external surroundings of the selected enterprises and it describes historical development of their ordinary shares. It further deals with the particular comparison of selected investment opportunities in order to find most preferably one. The thesis should enable potential investor to orientate in the investment field

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El estado actual del conocimiento y el nivel de globalización imperante, hace que las empresas se vean expuestas a competidores más sofisticados. Actualmente, el grado de competitividad, incluso para los commodities, se apoya fuertemente en la potencia impuesta por el conocimiento que posee la organización. Como dicho conocimiento es capaz de brindar valor agregado, e incrementar el valor de la empresa incluyendo los resultados en el “goodwill” surge la necesidad de gestionarlo. La aplicación de tecnología, por sí sola, no asegura la gestión del conocimiento, y por lo tanto, se debe complementar con una clara comprensión de los mecanismos de captura, almacenamiento, recuperación y transferencia. Dicha gestión debe estar basada en un modelo sólido, y acompañada de una adecuada gestión de los recursos humanos y la cultura organizacional. En esta tesis se describen los conceptos de la gestión del conocimiento y la variedad de modelos y aspectos claves mencionados en la literatura. Considerando la heterogeneidad de visiones, se elaboró un modelo y se desarrolló una herramienta de evaluación para establecer el grado de madurez en la gestión del conocimiento. La herramienta se utilizó para evaluar la Gerencia de Operaciones de una organización del sector químico. A partir de los resultados del diagnóstico, se determina el nivel general alcanzado y asimismo para las áreas claves de cultura, procesos y tecnología. Finalmente, se elaboran propuestas que permitirían una mejora en la gestión del conocimiento considerando las necesidades reales de la gerencia. / The current state of knowledge and the level of prevailing globalization, expose companies to more sophisticated competitors. At present, the degree of competitiveness, even for commodities, relies heavily on the power imposed by the company’s knowledge. As this knowledge is able to provide added value, and increase the value of the company including the results in the "goodwill" there is a need to manage it. The simple application of technology does not ensure the management of knowledge, and therefore, it must be complemented with a clear understanding of the mechanisms of capture, storage, retrieval and transfer. Such management should be based on a solid model, and accompanied by a proper management of human resources and organizational culture. This thesis describes the concepts of knowledge management and the variety of models and key aspects mentioned in the literature. Given the heterogeneity of visions, a model was worked out and an assessment tool was developed to establish the degree of knowledge management maturity. The tool was used to assess the operations area of an organization in the chemical sector. Based on the results of the diagnosis, the general maturity level was determined, and also for key areas of culture, processes and technology. Finally, we elaborate a proposal that would enable an improvement in knowledge management considering the real needs of the division.