As características de carcaças bovinas relacionam-se indiretamente com aspectos de qualidade da carne bovina, bem como permitem verificar limitações e progressos do sistema produtivo. Portanto, um retrato atual daquelas características em âmbito regional e suas variações anuais e plurianuais é ferramenta essencial na transferência de informação para o gerenciamento e sustentabilidade da cadeia de carne bovina. A análise do banco de dados de um grupo frigorífico com unidades industriais localizadas no Sudoeste de Mato Grosso do Sul, Meio-Oeste de São Paulo, Noroeste de Goiás e Triângulo Mineiro, importantes regiões para a pecuária nacional, durante 31 meses de operação industrial (janeiro de 2001 a agosto de 2003), permitiu descrever as características das carcaças bovinas nessas regiões geográficas, entre épocas do ano e entre os anos. Cada unidade foi abastecida principalmente por fornecedores do próprio estado e as regiões que mais negociaram estavam nas proximidades das unidades, exceto a unidade frigorífica de SP onde grande parte do abate teve origem no Leste de MS. As fêmeas totalizaram 13,16% dos abates e houve oferta crescente no período a partir do segundo semestre de 2002 com pequena redução no abate de machos, destes 75,96% eram castrados e 10,88% inteiros. A região teve impacto na oferta de características como classe sexual, maturidade e grau de acabamento para machos castrados, contudo houve um padrão predominante em todas as unidades em volume e freqüência de oferta, com carcaças de machos castrados de 6 a 8 dentes compondo 61,6% dos abates do grupo. A unidade de GO foi a que mais abateu machos inteiros, totalizando 36% dos abates. A unidade de MG se destacou na proporção de machos castrados até 4 dentes (novilhos) em relação aos machos castrados abatidos, com uma média de 25%. O abate de novilhos com grau de acabamento 3 (espessura de gordura entre 3 e 6 mm) representaram 7,9% dos abates, destacando-se MS e SP em volume de abate e proporção, com 2/3 dos novilhos atingindo este acabamento. A oferta de carcaças de novilhos e de novilhos com grau de acabamento 3 ocorreu em dois momentos do ano, de abril a junho e de agosto a novembro. No período estudado, a oferta de novilhos com grau de acabamento 3 não acompanhou a oferta de novilhos, variando com a região, sendo que a unidade de SP foi abastecida de forma mais regular. O peso médio de abate dos machos castrados foi de 264,4 kg (DP ± 15,2 kg), equivalente a 17,6@ e à medida que os animais avançaram na idade aumentou a freqüência de carcaças pesadas. Carcaças acima de 18@ corresponderam à 40,6% dos adultos e 22,9% dos novilhos. Para os novilhos com acabamento 3 a faixa de peso predominante foi de 16 -17@ em todas unidades, exceto em MG onde a classe de peso predominante esteve acima de 18@. / Beef carcass characteristics are indirectly related with meat quality and helps to identify limitations and progresses of the productive system. Wherefore establishing a picture of such characteristics and their annual and pluriannual variations represents an essential tool on information transference for the beef supply chain management and sustainability. This study was based on data from a beef industry composed by four unities located in important Brazilian regions for beef cattle production (Southeast of Mato Grosso do Sul State, Middle-West of São Paulo State, Northwest of Goiás State and at Triângulo Mineiro Region of Minas Gerais State), during 31 months (January, 2001 to August, 2003). Database analysis allowed to describe beef carcass characteristics within periods over a year and among years of industrial activity. Producers from regions close to the plants inside the same state were their main suppliers, except for the unity in the São Paulo State where a large number of animals came from East of Mato Grosso do Sul State. Castrated males represented 75.96% of total slaughter, intact males 10.88% and females 13.16%. The number of female slaughtered increased over the second semester of 2002 reducing thus the proportion of male slaughtered. There was an influence of the supplying region on sexual condition, maturity and finishing of castrated males with up to four permanent incisors (steers). However, the main carcass pattern in all unities, when considering number and frequency, was castrated males with at least six permanent incisors, representing 61.6% of total slaughter. The Goiás State’s plant slaughtered the highest number of intact males with 36% of its total slaughter. The Minas Gerais State’s plant registered the highest proportion of steers when considering castrated male slaughtered, averaging 25% of its total. Steers with finishing grade 3 (fat thickness 3 to 6 mm) represented 7.9% of all carcasses, distinguishing Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo States’ plants in which two-thirds of steers reached that finishing grade. The supply of steers finishing grade 3 had two peaks with increasing offer over the years, from April to July and from August to November. The number of these carcasses did not follow steers supply with a regional influence. São Paulo State plant was the only one regularly supplied with properly finished steers. The average carcass weight was 264.4 kg (SE ± 15.2 kg). Heavier carcasses were obtained only when animals slaughtered grew older with frequencies of carcass weight over 269.9 kg corresponding to 40.6% of the older castrated males and 22.9% of the steers. The most frequent carcass weight ranged from 240 to 254.9 kg for steers with finishing grade 3 in all plants, except for the one at Minas Gerais State where the predominant weight range was over 269.9 kg.

As características de carcaças bovinas relacionam-se indiretamente com aspectos de qualidade da carne bovina, bem como permitem verificar limitações e progressos do sistema produtivo. Portanto, um retrato atual daquelas características em âmbito regional e suas variações anuais e plurianuais é ferramenta essencial na transferência de informação para o gerenciamento e sustentabilidade da cadeia de carne bovina. A análise do banco de dados de um grupo frigorífico com unidades industriais localizadas no Sudoeste de Mato Grosso do Sul, Meio-Oeste de São Paulo, Noroeste de Goiás e Triângulo Mineiro, importantes regiões para a pecuária nacional, durante 31 meses de operação industrial (janeiro de 2001 a agosto de 2003), permitiu descrever as características das carcaças bovinas nessas regiões geográficas, entre épocas do ano e entre os anos. Cada unidade foi abastecida principalmente por fornecedores do próprio estado e as regiões que mais negociaram estavam nas proximidades das unidades, exceto a unidade frigorífica de SP onde grande parte do abate teve origem no Leste de MS. As fêmeas totalizaram 13,16% dos abates e houve oferta crescente no período a partir do segundo semestre de 2002 com pequena redução no abate de machos, destes 75,96% eram castrados e 10,88% inteiros. A região teve impacto na oferta de características como classe sexual, maturidade e grau de acabamento para machos castrados, contudo houve um padrão predominante em todas as unidades em volume e freqüência de oferta, com carcaças de machos castrados de 6 a 8 dentes compondo 61,6% dos abates do grupo. A unidade de GO foi a que mais abateu machos inteiros, totalizando 36% dos abates. A unidade de MG se destacou na proporção de machos castrados até 4 dentes (novilhos) em relação aos machos castrados abatidos, com uma média de 25%. O abate de novilhos com grau de acabamento 3 (espessura de gordura entre 3 e 6 mm) representaram 7,9% dos abates, destacando-se MS e SP em volume de abate e proporção, com 2/3 dos novilhos atingindo este acabamento. A oferta de carcaças de novilhos e de novilhos com grau de acabamento 3 ocorreu em dois momentos do ano, de abril a junho e de agosto a novembro. No período estudado, a oferta de novilhos com grau de acabamento 3 não acompanhou a oferta de novilhos, variando com a região, sendo que a unidade de SP foi abastecida de forma mais regular. O peso médio de abate dos machos castrados foi de 264,4 kg (DP ± 15,2 kg), equivalente a 17,6@ e à medida que os animais avançaram na idade aumentou a freqüência de carcaças pesadas. Carcaças acima de 18@ corresponderam à 40,6% dos adultos e 22,9% dos novilhos. Para os novilhos com acabamento 3 a faixa de peso predominante foi de 16 –17@ em todas unidades, exceto em MG onde a classe de peso predominante esteve acima de 18@. / Beef carcass characteristics are indirectly related with meat quality and helps to identify limitations and progresses of the productive system. Wherefore establishing a picture of such characteristics and their annual and pluriannual variations represents an essential tool on information transference for the beef supply chain management and sustainability. This study was based on data from a beef industry composed by four unities located in important Brazilian regions for beef cattle production (Southeast of Mato Grosso do Sul State, Middle-West of São Paulo State, Northwest of Goiás State and at Triângulo Mineiro Region of Minas Gerais State), during 31 months (January, 2001 to August, 2003). Database analysis allowed to describe beef carcass characteristics within periods over a year and among years of industrial activity. Producers from regions close to the plants inside the same state were their main suppliers, except for the unity in the São Paulo State where a large number of animals came from East of Mato Grosso do Sul State. Castrated males represented 75.96% of total slaughter, intact males 10.88% and females 13.16%. The number of female slaughtered increased over the second semester of 2002 reducing thus the proportion of male slaughtered. There was an influence of the supplying region on sexual condition, maturity and finishing of castrated males with up to four permanent incisors (steers). However, the main carcass pattern in all unities, when considering number and frequency, was castrated males with at least six permanent incisors, representing 61.6% of total slaughter. The Goiás State’s plant slaughtered the highest number of intact males with 36% of its total slaughter. The Minas Gerais State’s plant registered the highest proportion of steers when considering castrated male slaughtered, averaging 25% of its total. Steers with finishing grade 3 (fat thickness 3 to 6 mm) represented 7.9% of all carcasses, distinguishing Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo States’ plants in which two-thirds of steers reached that finishing grade. The supply of steers finishing grade 3 had two peaks with increasing offer over the years, from April to July and from August to November. The number of these carcasses did not follow steers supply with a regional influence. São Paulo State plant was the only one regularly supplied with properly finished steers. The average carcass weight was 264.4 kg (SE ± 15.2 kg). Heavier carcasses were obtained only when animals slaughtered grew older with frequencies of carcass weight over 269.9 kg corresponding to 40.6% of the older castrated males and 22.9% of the steers. The most frequent carcass weight ranged from 240 to 254.9 kg for steers with finishing grade 3 in all plants, except for the one at Minas Gerais State where the predominant weight range was over 269.9 kg.

En s'appuyant sur les modèles théoriques de la démographie relationnelle, du leader-member exchange et du leadership transformationnel, cette thèse examine l'impact de la diversité des âges sur la qualité des interactions, les comportements de leadership transformationnel, et sur la satisfaction au travail et l'engagement organisationnel affectif des managers et de leurs collaborateurs, au sein de deux entreprises high-tech françaises, situées dans la région grenobloise. La diversité des âges est ici considérée sous l'angle des différences, des similitudes et des termes d'interaction entre les dimensions chronologique et subjective de l'âge. Cette recherche gravite autour de la notion que la diversité des âges entre les managers et leurs collaborateurs joue un rôle important dans la qualité de leurs échanges quotidiens et pour les comportements de leadership transformationnel, en influant ainsi sur leur satisfaction au travail et leur engagement organisationnel affectif. Nos résultats montrent que l'âge chronologique, l'âge subjectif et leurs termes d'interaction exercent un rôle important dans les perceptions à l'égard de la qualité d'échanges intervenant au travail entre les managers et leurs collaborateurs directs, selon que les managers sont plus âgés ou plus jeunes que les salariés. De plus, cette thèse montre que la diversité des âges est bénéfique pour l'expression du comportement de leadership transformationnel affiché par les managers. D'une part, nos résultats suggèrent que plus il y a de différences importantes d'âge (chronologique et subjectif) entre les managers et leurs collaborateurs plus jeunes qu'eux, plus les managers sont enclins à afficher un comportement de leadership transformationnel. D'autre part, lorsque les managers sont plus jeunes que leurs collaborateurs, les premiers sont moins enclins à afficher un comportement de leadership transformationnel dans leurs échanges au travail avec les salariés. En outre, plus l'écart d'âge entre managers plus jeunes et salariés plus âgés est prononcé, moins les salariés estiment que leur supérieur serait capable d'afficher un comportement de leadership transformationnel. Nos résultats démontrent aussi la présence d'un effet de médiation par la qualité des relations LMX intervenant dans le lien entre la diversité des âges et la satisfaction au travail, dans le cas où les managers sont plus âgés que leurs collaborateurs. Des effets directs positifs émanant des âges des managers et de leurs collaborateurs sur la satisfaction au travail et sur l'engagement organisationnel affectif – selon que les managers sont plus jeunes ou plus âgés que les salariés – ont également été constatés. Cette recherche souligne l'importance de continuer la réflexion sur le rôle et le sens que les individus attribuent à l'âge, d'une part ; et elle souligne aussi le besoin d'approfondir les effets de cet attribut sur les attitudes et les comportements au travail, d'autre part. Sous un angle pratique et managérial, les résultats de cette recherche pourraient servir aux pratiques managériales dans les entreprises dont les équipes de travail se composent de managers plus jeunes que leurs collaborateurs, ou bien de managers plus âgés que leurs collaborateurs – à la fois chronologiquement et subjectivement. Sous un angle de recherche, ce travail met en exergue l'utilité particulière d'examiner les âges des managers et ceux de leurs collaborateurs de manière simultanée, afin de mieux comprendre leurs effets sur les conséquences organisationnelles examinées dans la présente étude. / Drawing on relational demography, leader-member exchange, and transformational leadership, this dissertation examines the impact of age diversity on the quality of manager-employee work interactions, transformational leadership behaviors, job satisfaction, and affective commitment in two high-tech French organizations. Age diversity is herein considered in terms of differences, similarities, and interaction terms between chronological and subjective dimensions of age. This research posits that age diversity between managers and their dyadic collaborators is paramount for the quality of their daily work interactions, for transformational leadership behaviors, impacting as well on their job satisfaction and organizational affective commitment. Our findings show that chronological age, subjective age as well as their interaction terms play an important role in the perceptions about the quality of work exchanges between managers and their direct reports, depending on whether the managers are younger or older than the employees. In addition, this research shows that age diversity may facilitate managers to display transformational leadership behaviors. On the one hand, our findings suggest that the greater the (chronological or subjective) age differences between older managers and their younger reports, the more likely are the managers to display transformational leadership behaviors. On the other hand, when the managers are younger than the employees, they are less likely to display transformational leadership behaviors at the workplace. Moreover, the greater the age distance between younger managers and older reports, the less likely is for the employees to perceive their younger superiors as able to display transformational leadership. Our results highlight also that the LMX interactions mediate the relationship between age diversity and job satisfaction especially when managers are older than their dyadic partners. Furthermore, this study underscores a number of positive direct effects of managers' and employees' ages on the job satisfaction and organizational affective commitment, depending on whether managers are younger or older than their collaborators. This work highlights the importance of further research on the role and meaning individuals assign to age, on the one hand, and the need for a closer examination of its complex effects on work attitudes and behaviors, on the other hand. In terms of practical and managerial implications, these findings may help managerial practice in the organizations comprising work teams whereby chronologically / subjectively younger managers and older employees or vice versa collaborate daily. As for research implications, this dissertation emphasizes the particular usefulness to simultaneously examine managers' and employees' ages for a more thorough understanding of their effects on organizational outcomes such as those presently studied.

Problematisering: En del av ledarskapets svåraste uppdrag är att bibehålla motivation och prestation bland medarbetare. Medarbetare som presterar genererar en framgångsrik organisation. Motivationen till att fortsätta prestera tenderar att förändras och avta med åldern. En organisation som har omotiverade medarbetare uppnår inte bästa tänkbara resultat och ledare har ett stort ansvar för medarbetarnas förutsättningar att fortsätta prestera och finna motivation i sitt arbete. Syfte: Studiens syfte är att undersöka vilken syn ledare har på äldre medarbetare samt vilken attityd de har till äldre medarbetare. Studien ska även undersöka vilken strategi ledarna tillämpar för att motivera äldre medarbetare till att fortsätta prestera på arbetsplatsen. Metod: Genom att tillämpa en kvalitativ metod i form av semistrukturerade intervjuer har studien kunnat undersöka och analysera vilken syn och attityd ledare har till äldre medarbetare och vilken strategi som är avgörande för att bibehålla motivation och prestation bland äldre medarbetare. Slutsats: Det främsta sambandet som återfinns är synen på äldre medarbetare som föråldrade kunskaper, färdigheter och attityder. De äldre medarbetarna har vidare skickligheter och kunskaper som anses vara ovärderliga för organisationen. Studiens resultat visar att ett transformativt och individanpassat ledarskap har varit framgångsrikt för att motivera äldre medarbetare till att fortsätta prestera. Ledarens attityd till åldern har en påverkan på individen och dess förmåga vilket främst har påverkats vid förändringar, tekniska incitament och den fysiska förmågan. / Problematization: Part of the leadership's hardest mission is to maintain motivation and performance among employees. Employees who perform generate a successful organization. The motivation to continue performing tends to change and wane with age. An organization that has unmotivated employees does not achieve the best possible results, and leaders have a great responsibility for the employees' conditions to continue performing and find motivation in their work. Purpose: The aim of the study is to investigate what view managers have of older employees and what attitude they have towards older employees. The study will also investigate which strategy the leaders apply to motivate older employees to continue performing in the workplace. Method: By applying a qualitative method in the form of semi-structured interviews, the study has been able to investigate and analyze which view and attitude leaders have towards older employees and which strategy is decisive for maintaining motivation and performance among older employees.  Conclusion: The main connection found is the view of older employees as outdated knowledge, skills and attitudes. The older employees also have skills and knowledge that are considered invaluable to the organization. The study's results show that a transformative and individualized leadership has been successful in motivating older employees to continue performing. The leader's attitude to age has an impact on the individual and his ability, which has mainly been affected by changes, technical incentives and physical ability.