Nas metodologias de mapeamento de QTLs tradicionais, a relação de causalidade entre os caracteres fenotípicos e QTLs normalmente não são consideradas. O desenvolvimento deste trabalho contou com a utilização de dados longitudinais de crescimento de progênies oriundas do cruzamento entre os parentais PB217 e PR255 de um plantio de seringueira, localizado em uma área com dois períodos bem definidos ao longo do ano (altas e médias temperaturas; altas e baixas taxas precipitação). O experimento contém 4 medidas de incremento em diâmetro e altura, que são componentes periódicos do crescimento total da cultura, mensurados em um intervalo de dois anos (entre os 18 aos 52 meses de idade das plantas), sendo dois períodos em estação climática favorável ao desenvolvimento e dois em estação desfavorável, intercalados. Dessa forma foram estudados os parâmetros de relacionamento fenotípico e genético com objetivo de construir um diagrama de arquitetura genética que pondere relações de causalidade. Para modelar os dados fenotípicos foi realizado um elaborado modelo multi-caracteres que contemplou a variação espacial das parcelas experimentais e a variação entre os períodos de medição. Para tanto, foram ajustadas matrizes de variância-covariância (VCOV) adequadas à realidade dos dados, e incorporados dados meteorológicos que descrevessem cada um dos períodos. A partir destes modelos, os valores genotípicos ajustados foram utilizados na detecção dos QTLs. Posteriormente, fenótipos e genótipos foram articulados em um diagrama causal estrutural capaz de inferir sobre padrões genéticos de comportamento de crescimento da cultura. Foram mapeados um total de 13 QTLs, sendo que dois deles foram coincidentes para componentes periódicos de diâmetro nos períodos de estação desfavorável. Foi possível identificar efeitos aditivos e devido à dominância interessantes para o desenvolvimento em períodos de menores temperaturas, apontar o parental PR255 como portador de alelos importantes no desenvolvimento em clima adverso, estimar efeitos indiretos de QTLs não mapeados para determinadas características e explicar o padrão comportamental de crescimento no período em que as progênies foram avaliadas. Esta abordagem demonstrou-se proficiente para utilização em programas melhorando genético assistido por marcadores, por agregar informações pertinentes à seleção dos melhores materiais genéticos. / In traditional methodologies of QTL mapping, the causal relationship between phenotypic characters and QTLs are usually not considered. The development of this work involved the use of longitudinal growth data of progenies from parental PR255 and PB217 of a rubber tree plantation, located in an area with two periods of high and medium temperature and low and high precipitation rates well defined throughout the year. The experiment contains four measures of increment of diameter and height, which are periodic growth components of the total crop growing at an interval of two years (from 18 to 52 months old plants), two periods in a favorable climate station and two in a adverse station, intercalated. Was studied the parameters of phenotypic and genetic relationships in order to construct a diagram of genetic architecture to examine these causal relationships. A multi-trait-multi-occasion model that take into consideration spatial variation and climatic variation was developed. It also contains a variation-covariation matrix with appropriate to the reality of the data were adjusted and incorporated meteorological data was conducted to describe each of the periods. From these models the adjusted genotypic values were used in the detection of QTLs and later phenotypes and genotypes were linked in a structural causal diagram to infer about the genetic patterns of behavior. A total of 13 QTLs were mapped to the periodic growth components and total growth. The genetic architecture was able to identify additive effects and effects due dominance interesting to the development in periods of lower temperatures and drought, pointing parental PR255 as carrier of important alleles to development in adverse weather, estimating indirect effects of QTLs that were not mapped to certain characteristics and explain the physiological behavior pattern of growth in the period in which progenies were evaluated. This approach proved to be proficient to use in breeding programs aiming to implement marker assisted selection.

Submitted by isabela.moljf@hotmail.com (isabela.moljf@hotmail.com) on 2017-08-15T13:37:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 emersonrodriguesduarte.pdf: 2216421 bytes, checksum: 43f97cb531dd81ed57bb786ad5c5c5f2 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-08-16T11:22:02Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 emersonrodriguesduarte.pdf: 2216421 bytes, checksum: 43f97cb531dd81ed57bb786ad5c5c5f2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-16T11:22:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 emersonrodriguesduarte.pdf: 2216421 bytes, checksum: 43f97cb531dd81ed57bb786ad5c5c5f2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-05-30 / Propiciar condições para que os talentos esportivos (TE’s) sejam cultivados desde os anos escolares é fundamental, pois, além de seu valor social, trata-se de uma forma de promover autorrealização. Em diversos documentos, o Ministério da Educação reconhece a importância e a necessidade de políticas públicas que atendam as necessidades educacionais especiais dos alunos com essas características. Ademais, o TE é uma das principais e mais controvertidas questões de pesquisa das ciências do esporte, incluindo, evidentemente a Psicologia. Um dos principais debates diz respeito ao papel do organismo e do ambiente na sua determinação. Para analisar a natureza e possíveis determinantes do TE, enfatizando sua manifestação em escolares, três estudos foram realizados. O primeiro analisou o estado atual da arte das pesquisas sobre TE. Para tanto, analisou a produção científica indexada em bases de dados internacionais (PsycINFO, Web of Sciense, Sport Discus) e em uma nacional (SciELO). Os resultados evidenciaram que TE não têm recebido a atenção necessária no meio científico internacional. Quando ela ocorre, trata-se de um processo atencional muito focado na dotação de jovens esportistas do sexo masculino praticantes de futebol. Uma base de dados e um periódico se destacaram nas publicações. No Brasil, constatou-se que a produção científica sobre TE apresenta um cenário precário. O segundo avaliou algumas capacidades físicas, enfatizando o papel delas na identificação de pessoas com dotação (10% mais capazes) e comparou sua manifestação nos sexos. Ademais estimou-se a magnitude do efeito da idade, da maturação e da prática deliberada na identificação nesse tipo de dotação. Estudantes do Ensino Fundamental (N=346) foram submetidos a uma bateria de medidas antropométricas e de aptidão física. Observou-se que o grupo de meninas (n=15; 9,55%) e o de meninos (n=21; 11,11%) com dotação física apresentaram dimensões equivalentes. Uma análise de componentes principais identificou que o conjunto de medidas pode ser organizado em dois tipos de dotação: Dotação Antropométrica (DA) e Dotação Motora (DM). Com base nelas e em um escore geral, analisaram-se cinco perfis de dotação. Não foram observadas diferenças entre os sexos no que diz respeito à DA. No caso da DM, constatou-se que as meninas são mais flexíveis e os meninos obtiveram melhores resultados nas demais variáveis. A idade e, principalmente, a maturação apresentaram efeito significativo na identificação de algumas dotações, especialmente a DA. O terceiro estudo analisou com modelos de equação estrutural (MEE) o Modelo Diferencial de Dotação e Talento (DMGT 2.0), especificamente sete relações distintas entre dotação física, catalisadores ambientais e intrapessoais, processo de desenvolvimento e TE. Alunos (N=334) do Ensino Fundamental de escolas públicas foram submetidos a questionários, escalas e uma bateria de testes antropométricos e de aptidão física. O MME considerado mais adequado para o TE mostrou que a contribuição do processo de desenvolvimento é mediada significativa e respectivamente por catalisadores e dotação, sendo que a última apresentou maior efeito direto no TE. De modo geral, os três estudos denotam que os TEs são multifacetados, complexos, dinâmicos e precisam ser mais pesquisados. / Providing conditions for sports talent (ST) to be cultivated since school years is primary because, besides its social importance, it is also a means of promoting self-fulfillment. However, ST is one of the main and most controversial issues of research in sports sciences, including Psychology. One of the main debates is regarding the role of the organism and the environment on its establishment. The Differential Model of Gift and Talent (DMGT 2.0) represents a theoretical alternative that integrates these and other dimensions, and can explain ST. In order to analyse the nature and possible determiners of ST, emphasizing its manifestation on students, three studies were carried out. The first one analyzed today's art conditions of ST researches. In order to do so, it analyzed the scientific production indexed in international databases (PsycINFO, Web of Sciense, Sport Discus) and in a national one (SciELO). The conclusion was that ST has not received little attention in the sciences field. Such attention, when it happens, is focussed on young male soccer players. In Brazil, the art conditions are even worse. The second study analyzed physical abilities, emphasizing their role in the identification of gifted people (10% more capable) and compared their manifestation in both genders. Furthermore, the magnitude of age effect, maturation and practice were estimated in the identification of this kind of gift. Primary school students (N=346) went under tests of anthropometric measures and physical aptitude. Groups of boys and girls with physical abilities showed equivalent dimensions. The analysis of the main components identified that the group of measures can be organized in two types of gift: Anthropometric Gift (AG) and Technical Gift (TG). Having them as base and with a general score, five gift profiles were created. No difference between genders was observed regarding AG. As for TG, it was concluded that girls are more flexible and boys had better results in the remaining variables. Age and, mainly, maturation had an important effect in the identification of some gifts, specially AG. The third study analyzed, with models of structural equations (MSE), the DMGT 2.0, specifically seven distinct relations between physical gift, environmental and intrapersonal catalyzers, development process and ST. Primary school students of public schools went under questionnaires, scales and a series of anthropometric and physical aptitude tests. The MSE that was considered more suitable for ST showed that the contribution of the development process is mediated significatively and respectively by catalyzers and gift, when the latter presented better direct effect. In general, all three studies indicate that STs are multifaceted, complex, dynamic and need to be researched.

La présente recherche propose un cadre intégrateur de la gouvernance des réseaux de franchise, mobilisant à la fois l'approche contractuelle et relationnelle. Elle cherche à examiner le degré de dépendance entre les mécanismes de gouvernance émanant de ces deux approches. L'étude empirique est mise en œuvre à travers une méthodologie de recherche à la fois qualitative et quantitative. L'étude qualitative nous a permis de développer des connaissances plus détaillées sur le fonctionnement des réseaux de franchise, de vérifier la véracité empirique de notre modèle conceptuel et de mettre au point notre questionnaire définitif. Les données recueillies auprès de 90 franchisés français, à l'aide d'une enquête électronique, ont fait l'objet d'une étude quantitative. Cette dernière nous a permis, dans un premier temps, de valider les échelles de mesures des variables latentes intégrées dans le modèle conceptuel, à travers une analyse exploratoire suivie d'une autre confirmatoire appliquant la Modélisation en Equations Structurelles (MES). La MES a été également mobilisée afin de confirmer, dans un second temps, la structure causale du modèle empirique. En termes de résultats, nous avons mis en évidence, du moins partiellement, l'existence de relations de dépendance entre les trois composantes de la gouvernance contractuelle à savoir : le système d'allocation des droits décisionnels, le système d'évaluation des performances et le système d'incitation. Plus particulièrement, les résultats statistiques confirment que le système d'incitation dépend significativement de l'allocation des droits décisionnels et du système d'évaluation des performances. S'agissant des relations de complémentarité entre la gouvernance contractuelle et la gouvernance relationnelle, les résultats statistiques semblent plus concluants en montrant que les normes relationnelles de la dyade franchiseur-franchisé, fondées sur la confiance, la coopération et l'harmonisation des conflits, dépendent significativement des trois mécanismes de la gouvernance contractuelle cités ci-dessus. Voulant affiner davantage notre analyse, cette recherche met également en évidence l'influence de cinq variables de contrôle sur la portée de certains mécanismes de gouvernance plus que d'autres. Pour conclure, cette recherche contribue, sur le plan théorique, à enrichir les travaux émergents sur le contrôle et la gouvernance des réseaux de franchise et, sur le plan professionnel, à fournir aux acteurs du commerce des éléments d'appréciation sur la capacité de la franchise à concilier contrôle, autonomie et normes relationnelle, ainsi que des recommandations aux franchiseurs afin de bien gérer leurs relations avec leurs franchisés et emporter leur adhésion. / This research provides an integrating framework for the governance of franchising networks involving both contractual and relational approach. It seeks to examine the degree of dependence between the governance mechanisms from these two approaches. The empirical study is implemented through both qualitative and quantitative methodology. The qualitative study, allowed us to develop more detailed operational knowledge of franchising networks, to check the empirical veracity of our conceptual model and to finalize our questionnaire for the quantitative study. The electronic survey data collected from 90 French franchisees have been the subject of the quantitative study. This later allowed us, firstly, to validate the measurement scales of latent variables included in the conceptual model, through an exploratory analysis followed by a confirmatory one applying the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The SEM was also leveraged to confirm, in a second step, the causal structure of the empirical model. In terms of results, we have highlighted, at least partially, the dependency between all three components of the contractual governance, namely: the allocation of decision rights system, performance measurement system and incentive system. In particular, statistical results confirm that the incentive system depends significantly on the allocation of decision rights and performance measurement system. Regarding complementarities between contractual and relational governance, statistical results seem to be more conclusive by showing that the relational norms of the franchisor-franchisee dyad, based on trust, cooperation and harmonization of conflict, depend significantly on the three contractual governance mechanisms cited above. Wishing to further refine our analysis, this research also highlights the influence of five control variables on the scope of certain governance mechanisms more than others. In conclusion, the contributions of this research are related, on the theoretical level, to the enrichment of the emerging work on control and governance of franchising networks, and on the professional level, to providing trade players with evidence on the ability of franchising to reconcile control, autonomy and relational norms, as well as recommendations to franchisors in order to manage effectively their relationships with their franchisees and gain their support.

Este estudo tem por objetivo contribuir para a investigação sobre as relações entre as práticas de GERH, o engajamento no trabalho e resultados no nível do indivíduo: desempenho no cargo e intenção de sair da organização. A pesquisa bibliográfica demonstrou a multiplicidade de Práticas, Sistemas de Práticas de GERH, com convergências e divergências. O referencial Amo Framework para a definição das Práticas se mostrou, ao menos conceitualmente, um modelo robusto e integrador do plano organizacional para o plano individual. Empiricamente, encontramos forte associação entre as Práticas de GERH orientadas pelo AMO e o Engajamento o que, sem dúvida, é uma contribuição para o \"Problema da Caixa Preta\". Ainda quanto à pesquisa bibliográfica, foi analisado o construto engajamento no trabalho e suas diversas linhas teóricas, variáveis antecedentes e escalas de mensuração. Foi definido modelo teórico que relaciona as Práticas de GERH, os resultados individuais, o engajamento no trabalho e variáveis antecedentes relevantes associadas ao engajamento, que foi testado via Modelagem de Equações Estruturais (Lavaan- R), atendendo aos requisitos de qualidade de ajuste (GOF), com parâmetros considerados bons. O foco desta pesquisa foi trazer o construto de engajamento no trabalho para o debate acadêmico no Brasil e seu papel na Gestão Estratégica de RH. Desse modo, em tempos de alta competitividade, podemos afirmar que um dos objetivos da GERH deve estar ligado à promoção dos níveis de Engajamento. Nesse estudo, ficou demonstrada a robustez do construto e sua mensuração, a validade discriminante com outros construtos e na amostra pesquisada a associação significativa direta em relação ao Desempenho no Cargo e a Intenção de Sair. Foram confirmadas as hipóteses com respeito à importância do engajamento no trabalho - quer seja em sua associação direta com as variáveis de resultado individuais, quer seja pela sua associação indireta nas relações entre as Práticas de GERH (e Suporte Percebido) e as variáveis consequentes pesquisadas. Como contribuições da tese para a Teoria, consideramos que os resultados desta tese fazem avançar a compreensão acerca do \'Problema da Caixa Preta\' ao demonstrar a forte associação positiva entre as Práticas de GERH e o engajamento no trabalho e este com comportamentos e atitudes desejáveis. Sugestões para futuras investigações bem como implicações teóricas, metodológicas e práticas são discutidas. / This study aims to contribute to research on the relationships between the practices of SHRM, work engagement and results at the individual level: performance and intention to leave the organization (reverse). The bibliographical research demonstrated the multiplicity of Practices, Systems of Practices of SHRM, with convergences and divergences. The Amo framework for the definition of Practices has been shown, at least conceptually, as a robust and integrative model. Empirically, we find a strong association between the AMO oriented practices and the engagement, which undoubtedly contributes to the \'black box problem\'. As for bibliographical research, the work engagement construct and its various theoretical lines, antecedents variables and measurement scales were analyzed. It was defined a theoretical model that relates the SHRM Perceived Practices, the individual results, the engagement in the work and relevant antecedent variables associated to the engagement, which was tested using Structural Equation Modeling (Lavaan-R), meeting the requirements of quality of fit (GOF), with parameters considered good. The focus of this research was to bring the work engagement construct to the academic debate in Brazil and its role in SHRM. Thus, in times of high competitiveness, we can say that one of the objectives of the SHRM must be linked to the promotion of levels of work engagement. In this study, the robustness of the construct and its measurement, the discriminant validity with other constructs and a direct significant association with respect to job performance and the Intention to leave (reversed) were proved. The hypotheses regarding the importance of engagement at work - whether in their direct association with the individual outcome variables or their indirect association in the relationship between the Practices of SHRM Perceived Practices, and Perceived Support and the consequent variables were confirmed in the sample. As contributions of the thesis to the Theory, we consider that the results of this thesis advances the understanding about the \'Black Box Problem\' by demonstrating the strong positive association between the SHRM Practices and the work engagement and the latter with desirable behaviors and attitudes. Suggestions for future investigations as well as theoretical, methodological and practical implications are discussed.

A avaliação da educação superior adquiriu enorme relevância acadêmica e social. No Brasil, as instituições de ensino superior (IES), embora regidas por leis e normas gerais comuns, não são fenômenos homogêneos, apresentando importantes diferenças econômicas, culturais, pedagógicas, de infraestrutura física e de recursos humanos e materiais. Esta tese foi elaborada visando contribuir com um modelo capaz de mensurar o impacto dos indicadores da educação superior e demográficos com os indicadores de qualidade da educação superior, desta forma, aumentando a confiabilidade dos indicadores utilizados e possibilitando a integração das atividades de planejamento estratégico e avaliação institucional das Instituições. Embora estes métodos tenham sido estudados nos últimos anos, o que se propõe é, a partir de uma base de dados pública, a busca de um modelo explicativo sob as variáveis observáveis coletadas pelo Ministério da Educação todos os anos, verificando descritivamente quais variáveis são responsáveis pelo crescimento positivo ou negativo em relação às demais. A base de dados utilizada diz respeito ao censo da educação superior de 2013, com uma amostra de 1.868 IES válidas. Para alcançar o objetivo, a análise de dados utiliza a análise multivariada e a modelagem de equações estruturais para validar o modelo de análise proposto. Os principais resultados alcançados são a construção de um modelo de análise que demonstra a relação entre os construtos de pessoas, processo, mercado e financeiro com o construto de qualidade das IES e deste, com a região de atuação e a construção de modelos de análise a partir do tipo de IES, onde conclui-se, que a categoria administrativa influencia no modelo de análise proposto. / The evaluation of higher education has acquired enormous academic and social relevance. In Brazil, higher education institutions (IES), although governed basically by the same laws and norms, is not a homogeneous phenomenon, presenting important economic, cultural and pedagogical differences of physical infrastructure and human and material resources. This thesis was conceived in order to contribute with a model capable to measure the impact of higher education and demographic indicators with quality indicators of higher education, in this way, increasing the reliability of the available indicators and enabling the integration of the strategic planning and institutional evaluation of the organizations. Although these methods have been studied in recent years, what is proposed is, from a public database, the search for an explanatory model under the observable variables collected by the Ministry of Education every year, verifying descriptively which variables are responsible for the positive or negative growth regarding to the others. The database used concerns to the census of higher education of 2013, with a sample of 1,868 IES useable. To achieve the objective, the analysis of the data pursues multivariate analysis and the modelling of structural equations to validate the proposed analysis model. The main result achieved is the construction of a model of analysis that demonstrates the relationship between people, process, market and financial ideal concepts with the IES quality construct and from this, with the region of action and the construction of analysis models from the type of IES, where it is concluded that the administrative category influences the proposed model. / La evaluación de la educación superior adquirió enorme relevancia académica y social. En Brasil, las instituciones de enseñanza superior (IES), aunque regidas por leyes y normas generales comunes, no son fenómenos homogéneos, presentando importantes diferencias económicas, culturales, pedagógicas, de infraestructura física y de recursos humanos y materiales. Esta tesis fue elaborada objetivando contribuir con un modelo capaz de mensurar el impacto de los indicadores de educación superior e indicadores demográficos con la calidad de la educación superior, de esta forma, aumentando la confiabilidad de los indicadores utilizados y posibilitando la integración de las actividades de planeamiento estratégico y evaluación institucional de las Instituciones. Aunque estos métodos hayan sido estudiados en los últimos años, lo que se propone es, a partir de una base de datos pública, la busca de un modelo explicativo basado en las variables observables colectadas por el Ministerio de Educación todos los años, verificando descriptivamente cuáles variables son responsables por el crecimiento positivo o negativo en relación a las demás. La base de datos utilizada dice respecto al censo de educación superior de 2013, con una muestra 1.868 IES válidas. Para alcanzar el objetivo, el análisis de datos utiliza el análisis multivariado y el modelaje de ecuaciones estructurales para validar el modelo de análisis propuesto. Los principales resultados alcanzados son la construcción de un modelo de análisis que demuestra la relación entre los constructos de personas, proceso, mercado y financiero con el constructo de calidad de las IES y de éste, con la región de actuación y la construcción de modelos de análisis a partir del tipo de IES, concluyéndose, que la categoría administrativa influencia en el modelo de análisis propuesto.

Pour communiquer efficacement, les responsables marketing ont grand besoin de connaître les processus selon lesquels les consommateurs perçoivent et choisissent les marques. Au sein de ces processus, la certitude que le consommateur accorde à ses croyances joue un rôle important, notamment dans la déterminance des caractéristiques du produit. Dans la présente thèse, ce rôle est analysé à travers une variable que la mondialisation contribue à la fois à déformer et à amplifier : la nationalité de la marque. Il s'avère que la certitude dans la croyance envers la nationalité d'une marque est un élément capital du succès d'un positionnement stratégique sur les marchés internationaux. L'analyse des données et les statistiques effectuées ont permis d'identifier : • L'effet médiateur de l'attitude envers la marque, qui indique « comment » l'image du pays et la certitude qui s'y attache peuvent influencer les intentions d'achat de la marque, • L'effet modérateur de la certitude de la croyance envers la nationalité de la marque, qui indique « quand » les consommateurs risquent d'utiliser l'image du pays d'origine dans le processus de choix. Les implications théoriques et managériales de ces résultats sont discutées, de sorte que les managers puissent surveiller les origines nationales associées à leurs marques et éviter qu'elles soient défavorables ou en contradiction avec la stratégie marketing de la firme. / To communicate effectively, marketers need to know the process according to which consumers perceive and choose brands. Within these processes, consumer certainty plays an important role, particularly in the determinacy of product items. In this thesis, this role is analyzed through a variable that globalization contributes both to distort and amplify: brand's nationality. Data analysis and statistics indicates: The « mediating » effect of attitude toward the brand, which indicates "how" the country's image and certainty can influence consumer purchase intentions, The « moderating » effect of certainty of belief, which indicates "When" consumers can use an image of the « country of origin » in a decision process. Managerial and theoretical implications are discussed, so that managers can monitor the nationality associated with their brands and avoid negative effects for the company.

Sobre la base de la revisión teórica efectuada, se propone un modelo teórico de adopción del comercio electrónico por parte de los consumidores finales. De esta forma, se pretende analizar cuales son los factores que determinan la intención de compra futura en Internet por parte de los individuos particulares. Con objeto de dar respuesta a estas cuestiones se realiza un estudio cualitativo mediante entrevistas en profundidad a expertos en comercio electrónico, y una investigación cuantitativa mediante encuesta personal dirigida a usuarios habituales de Internet. La investigación cuantitativa pretende analizar las actitudes de los sujetos respecto a la compra electrónica, la influencia social que experimentan, el control que perciben en las transacciones virtuales, el riesgo asociado al comercio electrónico, su propensión a innovar y los atributos percibidos en el sistema. Así mismo, se examina el efecto de estas variables en el proceso de adopción de la compra en Internet. / Taking as a basis an extensive literature review, a theoretical model of e-commerce acceptance by consumers is proposed. Thus, we aim to analyse which are the factors that determine consumers' intention to buy in Internet in the future. With this objective a qualitative study is developed, consisting in in-depth interviews with experts in the field of e-commerce. Subsequently, a quantitative research based in a personal survey aimed to habitual Internet users is developed. This quantitative research aims to analyse consumers' attitudes towards e-commerce, normative influence in the behaviour, perceived behavioural control felt, perceived risk associated to virtual purchase, individual's innovativeness and the attributes perceived in Internet as a shopping channel. More over, the effect of these variables in the process of e-commerce adoption is evaluated through SEM methodology.

El objeto de este trabajo es evaluar la performance financiera de una muestra de fondos europeos de renta variable y analizar si existe una relación entre, por una parte, invertir en empresas socialmente responsables (factor social de la inversión), el tipo de política de inversión del fondo (criterios de selección negativos y/o positivos), y la calidad de la información utilizada por los gestores de fondos en sus decisiones de inversión, y por otra, la performance financiera de los fondos. Se propone dos tipos de análisis diferentes para comparar los resultados: uno clásico utilizado con frecuencia en la investigación empírica sobre el tema basado en el contraste de diferencia de medias (test de Mann-Whitney), y otro enfoque más innovador basado en la técnica multivariante de ecuaciones estructurales (SEM). La principal conclusión obtenida por este trabajo es que la aplicación de criterios sociales en las decisiones de inversión conlleva un coste para los inversores en términos de una menor rentabilidad. / The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of a sample of European equity funds and to examine whether there is any relationship between, on one hand, the investment in socially responsible firms (social factor of the investment), the type of investment policy (negative and positive screening), and the quality of information used by fund managers in their investment decisions and, on the other, the financial performance of funds. Two kinds of analysis are proposed to compare the results: one classical commonly used in empirical research into the subject based on the bivariate testing of difference in means (Mann-Whitney test), and another, more innovative approach, based on the multivariate technique of structural equation models (SEM). The main conclusion of this study is that the application of social criteria in investment decisions carries a cost to the investor in terms of lower return.

The overall focus of this doctoral thesis is the examination of the role of store design-architecture in consumer perceptions of retail brand loyalty. More specifically, it examines how consumers’ perceptions at the store design-architecture level promote brand loyalty and attachment at the overall retail-level. This research, therefore, aims to address the underdeveloped extant knowledge of the role of the store design-architecture in retail branding. This thesis addresses two research questions: 1) is it possible to improve on the specification or measurement of the store environment beyond the novelty, complexity collative constructs proposed in traditional studies of the store environment?; and 2) what effect, if any, do these improved store environment constructs (from answering research question number one) have in explaining the role of store design-architecture in consumer perceptions of retail brand loyalty? In its examination of the role of store-level design-architecture in overall retail-level branding, the theoretical significance of this thesis is based on two activities. First, this thesis proposes a conceptual framework that draws on multiple, diverse literatures from design-architecture, psychology and marketing. The critical review of pertinent literatures from these three sources then enables the second activity: the generation of novel empirical insights based on surveys of consumer perceptions of store-level design-architecture. A research instrument is developed that compares higher and lower levels of design in two stores of Penneys, a discount fashion retailer. The responses of 145 consumers are examined in an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). A separate dataset of 403 consumer responses are analysed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equations Modelling (SEM). Multiple-group invariance testing is also completed on this dataset. The primary theoretical contributions of this thesis to the extant literature are five-fold. First, the principal contribution of this thesis confirms that store aesthetic preference is positively associated with retail brand loyalty. Thus, the second research question is satisfactorily addressed; I explain that there is a mild association between store aesthetic preference and the emotionally valenced retail brand attachment construct in higher-level design contexts. Instead, a store aesthetic preference association is observed with the more behaviourally valenced retail brand loyalty construct in lower-level designs. Consequently, this principal contribution to the extant literature reveals the perceptive dynamic of how consumers processing of store-level design-architecture correspond with their perceptions of retail-level brand loyalty. A host of global-attribute, objective-subjective, and cognitive-emotional perceptive processing at the store and retail levels are observed in the proposed theoretical framework. Second, to confirm the role of store design-architecture in retail brand loyalty, I develop: a new scale for retail brand product; modify scales for store prototype, store novelty, store aesthetic preference, store complexity and retail brand price; and introduce scales for brand attachment and brand loyalty from non-retail contexts into a retail context for the first time. This research, therefore, addresses research question number one by making a notable conceptual and measurement contribution to the specification of the store environment. Third, as a progression from the previous contribution, I use these improved store environments constructs to better specify the store environment, and examine the associations between store prototype, store novelty and store aesthetic preference. I demonstrate that theory such as the preference-for-prototypes literature helps to improve the extant understanding of the associations between store prototype, store novelty and store aesthetic preference. The confirmation of the existence of these associations essentially means that the proposed model is robust, credible and able to account for consumers objective-subjective, global-attribute discriminations of the store-level aesthetic. Fourth, in an effort to explain the relative visual and non-visual contributions to retail brand attachment and retail brand loyalty, I examine associations concerning retail brand product and retail brand price. Retail brand product is confirmed to have stronger associations with retail brand attachment than store aesthetic preference or store prototypicality. Thus, this research extends the extant knowledge of the relative contributions of visual and non-visual constructs to understanding retail brand loyalty. Fifth, this research contributes to the extant understanding of how non-invariance analysis can be employed in Structural Equations Modelling (SEM) to confirm differences between groups. This research examines differences in parameter values to confirm differences in perception of the higher and lower levels of store design-architecture. This type of use of non-invariance analysis is not frequently employed in SEM and I propose that this research instrument can be generalised to other retail contexts also. Finally, this thesis concludes by presenting the limitations of this research. It makes suggestions on potential future research that could be completed, and raises some pertinent implications for practitioners arising from this research.

A avaliação da educação superior adquiriu enorme relevância acadêmica e social. No Brasil, as instituições de ensino superior (IES), embora regidas por leis e normas gerais comuns, não são fenômenos homogêneos, apresentando importantes diferenças econômicas, culturais, pedagógicas, de infraestrutura física e de recursos humanos e materiais. Esta tese foi elaborada visando contribuir com um modelo capaz de mensurar o impacto dos indicadores da educação superior e demográficos com os indicadores de qualidade da educação superior, desta forma, aumentando a confiabilidade dos indicadores utilizados e possibilitando a integração das atividades de planejamento estratégico e avaliação institucional das Instituições. Embora estes métodos tenham sido estudados nos últimos anos, o que se propõe é, a partir de uma base de dados pública, a busca de um modelo explicativo sob as variáveis observáveis coletadas pelo Ministério da Educação todos os anos, verificando descritivamente quais variáveis são responsáveis pelo crescimento positivo ou negativo em relação às demais. A base de dados utilizada diz respeito ao censo da educação superior de 2013, com uma amostra de 1.868 IES válidas. Para alcançar o objetivo, a análise de dados utiliza a análise multivariada e a modelagem de equações estruturais para validar o modelo de análise proposto. Os principais resultados alcançados são a construção de um modelo de análise que demonstra a relação entre os construtos de pessoas, processo, mercado e financeiro com o construto de qualidade das IES e deste, com a região de atuação e a construção de modelos de análise a partir do tipo de IES, onde conclui-se, que a categoria administrativa influencia no modelo de análise proposto. / The evaluation of higher education has acquired enormous academic and social relevance. In Brazil, higher education institutions (IES), although governed basically by the same laws and norms, is not a homogeneous phenomenon, presenting important economic, cultural and pedagogical differences of physical infrastructure and human and material resources. This thesis was conceived in order to contribute with a model capable to measure the impact of higher education and demographic indicators with quality indicators of higher education, in this way, increasing the reliability of the available indicators and enabling the integration of the strategic planning and institutional evaluation of the organizations. Although these methods have been studied in recent years, what is proposed is, from a public database, the search for an explanatory model under the observable variables collected by the Ministry of Education every year, verifying descriptively which variables are responsible for the positive or negative growth regarding to the others. The database used concerns to the census of higher education of 2013, with a sample of 1,868 IES useable. To achieve the objective, the analysis of the data pursues multivariate analysis and the modelling of structural equations to validate the proposed analysis model. The main result achieved is the construction of a model of analysis that demonstrates the relationship between people, process, market and financial ideal concepts with the IES quality construct and from this, with the region of action and the construction of analysis models from the type of IES, where it is concluded that the administrative category influences the proposed model. / La evaluación de la educación superior adquirió enorme relevancia académica y social. En Brasil, las instituciones de enseñanza superior (IES), aunque regidas por leyes y normas generales comunes, no son fenómenos homogéneos, presentando importantes diferencias económicas, culturales, pedagógicas, de infraestructura física y de recursos humanos y materiales. Esta tesis fue elaborada objetivando contribuir con un modelo capaz de mensurar el impacto de los indicadores de educación superior e indicadores demográficos con la calidad de la educación superior, de esta forma, aumentando la confiabilidad de los indicadores utilizados y posibilitando la integración de las actividades de planeamiento estratégico y evaluación institucional de las Instituciones. Aunque estos métodos hayan sido estudiados en los últimos años, lo que se propone es, a partir de una base de datos pública, la busca de un modelo explicativo basado en las variables observables colectadas por el Ministerio de Educación todos los años, verificando descriptivamente cuáles variables son responsables por el crecimiento positivo o negativo en relación a las demás. La base de datos utilizada dice respecto al censo de educación superior de 2013, con una muestra 1.868 IES válidas. Para alcanzar el objetivo, el análisis de datos utiliza el análisis multivariado y el modelaje de ecuaciones estructurales para validar el modelo de análisis propuesto. Los principales resultados alcanzados son la construcción de un modelo de análisis que demuestra la relación entre los constructos de personas, proceso, mercado y financiero con el constructo de calidad de las IES y de éste, con la región de actuación y la construcción de modelos de análisis a partir del tipo de IES, concluyéndose, que la categoría administrativa influencia en el modelo de análisis propuesto.