For many years, Sales and Operations Plannning process, or S&OP, had been considered as the promise of alignment between demand and supply that would provide the solution to all planning problems to companies. However, time has shown that in volatile planning environments with high levels of uncertainty, the traditional planning hierarchi, S&OP aligned with MPS, no longer provides all the expected benefits, failing to meet the expectations of numerous organizations that have put great efforts to implement it. As result, in recent years, there have been adaptations of planning processes to meet the need for alignment in highly dynamic environments. These adaptations have often appeared in the form of a weekly \"S&OP\", with short-term horizon, weekly frequency and low level of plans aggregation. However, a more sophisticated solution found to address the need for more agile planning was the creation of a new process that aims to link S&OP to the Master Production Schedule (MPS) called Sales and Operations Execution (S&OE). Although the subject has arisen for some time, studies on the subject are scarce. Thus, the goal of this research is to formalize this process in academic literature in an in-depth way. For this, it was carried out a broad literature review, case studies in four companies that sought to explore how S&OE process occurs in practice. From the analysis resulting from the case studies, both individual and cross-case, it was proposed a model of the process using BPMN language and a list of all the main process characteristics. This model was compared to the existing literature to analyze its convergence and it can be considered transferable given the same conditions of application. It was possible to conclude that S&OE is a process that performs the breakdown of the S&OP plans to the execution in a way that is more aligned with the business goals than the traditional MPS application isolated. / Durante muitos anos, o processo de Sales and Operations Plannning, ou S&OP, foi visto como a promessa de alinhamento entre demanda e suprimentos que traria a solução para todos os problemas de planejamento nas empresas. Entretanto, o tempo mostrou que em ambientes de planejamento voláteis e com alto nível de incertezas, a hierarquia de planejamento tradicional, S&OP alinhado ao MPS, já não proporciona todos os benefícios esperados, falhando em atender as expectativas das inúmeras organizações que empregaram grandes esforços em sua implementação. Como resultado, nos últimos anos, surgiram adaptações dos processos de planejamento para atender a necessidade de alinhamento em ambientes altamente dinâmicos. Estas adaptações apareceram, muitas vezes, no formato de um \"S&OP semanal\", com horizonte de curto prazo, frequência semanal e baixo nível de agregação dos planos. Entretanto, uma solução mais sofisticada que o mercado encontrou para sanar a necessidade de planejamentos mais ágeis foi a criação de um novo processo que faz o elo entre o S&OP e o Master Production Schedule (MPS), chamado Sales and Operations Execution, o S&OE. Apesar de já ter surgido há algum tempo, estudos sobre o tema são bastante escassos. Assim, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi formalizar este processo na literatura acadêmica de maneira aprofundada. Para tal, foi realizada uma ampla revisão de literatura, estudos de caso em quatro empresas que buscaram explorar como o processo de S&OE ocorre na prática. A partir da análise resultante dos estudos de caso, tanto individual quanto inter-casos, foi proposto um modelo do processo em linguagem BPMN e uma listagem de todas as principais características do processo. Este modelo foi comparado à literatura existente para analisar sua convergência e pode ser considerado transferível dadas as mesmas condições de aplicação. Foi possível concluir que o S&OE é um processo que desagrega os planos do S&OP para a execução de uma maneira mais alinhada com os objetivos do negócio do que a aplicação isolada tradicional do MPS.

For many years, Sales and Operations Plannning process, or S&OP, had been considered as the promise of alignment between demand and supply that would provide the solution to all planning problems to companies. However, time has shown that in volatile planning environments with high levels of uncertainty, the traditional planning hierarchi, S&OP aligned with MPS, no longer provides all the expected benefits, failing to meet the expectations of numerous organizations that have put great efforts to implement it. As result, in recent years, there have been adaptations of planning processes to meet the need for alignment in highly dynamic environments. These adaptations have often appeared in the form of a weekly \"S&OP\", with short-term horizon, weekly frequency and low level of plans aggregation. However, a more sophisticated solution found to address the need for more agile planning was the creation of a new process that aims to link S&OP to the Master Production Schedule (MPS) called Sales and Operations Execution (S&OE). Although the subject has arisen for some time, studies on the subject are scarce. Thus, the goal of this research is to formalize this process in academic literature in an in-depth way. For this, it was carried out a broad literature review, case studies in four companies that sought to explore how S&OE process occurs in practice. From the analysis resulting from the case studies, both individual and cross-case, it was proposed a model of the process using BPMN language and a list of all the main process characteristics. This model was compared to the existing literature to analyze its convergence and it can be considered transferable given the same conditions of application. It was possible to conclude that S&OE is a process that performs the breakdown of the S&OP plans to the execution in a way that is more aligned with the business goals than the traditional MPS application isolated. / Durante muitos anos, o processo de Sales and Operations Plannning, ou S&OP, foi visto como a promessa de alinhamento entre demanda e suprimentos que traria a solução para todos os problemas de planejamento nas empresas. Entretanto, o tempo mostrou que em ambientes de planejamento voláteis e com alto nível de incertezas, a hierarquia de planejamento tradicional, S&OP alinhado ao MPS, já não proporciona todos os benefícios esperados, falhando em atender as expectativas das inúmeras organizações que empregaram grandes esforços em sua implementação. Como resultado, nos últimos anos, surgiram adaptações dos processos de planejamento para atender a necessidade de alinhamento em ambientes altamente dinâmicos. Estas adaptações apareceram, muitas vezes, no formato de um \"S&OP semanal\", com horizonte de curto prazo, frequência semanal e baixo nível de agregação dos planos. Entretanto, uma solução mais sofisticada que o mercado encontrou para sanar a necessidade de planejamentos mais ágeis foi a criação de um novo processo que faz o elo entre o S&OP e o Master Production Schedule (MPS), chamado Sales and Operations Execution, o S&OE. Apesar de já ter surgido há algum tempo, estudos sobre o tema são bastante escassos. Assim, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi formalizar este processo na literatura acadêmica de maneira aprofundada. Para tal, foi realizada uma ampla revisão de literatura, estudos de caso em quatro empresas que buscaram explorar como o processo de S&OE ocorre na prática. A partir da análise resultante dos estudos de caso, tanto individual quanto inter-casos, foi proposto um modelo do processo em linguagem BPMN e uma listagem de todas as principais características do processo. Este modelo foi comparado à literatura existente para analisar sua convergência e pode ser considerado transferível dadas as mesmas condições de aplicação. Foi possível concluir que o S&OE é um processo que desagrega os planos do S&OP para a execução de uma maneira mais alinhada com os objetivos do negócio do que a aplicação isolada tradicional do MPS.

The finding of reversals in weekly returns has been attributed to a combination of microstructure issues and overreaction to information. I provide new evidence eliminating overreaction as a source of reversal. I show that well-known weekly contrarian profits are followed by a long run of momentum profits. In fact, these profits are strong enough to produce a significant momentum effect over the full year following portfolio formation. Thus, the market does not appear to view extreme weekly returns as excessive, as implied by an overreaction story. To the contrary, this return continuation is consistent with underreaction to the news driving extreme weekly returns. This is supported by cross-sectional tests in which I find this week's news is positively related to next week's returns. The evidence presented here is consistent with growing evidence that underreaction to firm-specific information is a pervasive feature of price formation. Therefore, if any short-run contrarian profits can be realized, they are better viewed as compensation for providing liquidity than as a reward for arbitrage.

The finding of reversals in weekly returns has been attributed to a combination of microstructure issues and overreaction to information. I provide new evidence eliminating overreaction as a source of reversal. I show that well-known weekly contrarian profits are followed by a long run of momentum profits. In fact, these profits are strong enough to produce a significant momentum effect over the full year following portfolio formation. Thus, the market does not appear to view extreme weekly returns as excessive, as implied by an overreaction story. To the contrary, this return continuation is consistent with underreaction to the news driving extreme weekly returns. This is supported by cross-sectional tests in which I find this week's news is positively related to next week's returns. The evidence presented here is consistent with growing evidence that underreaction to firm-specific information is a pervasive feature of price formation. Therefore, if any short-run contrarian profits can be realized, they are better viewed as compensation for providing liquidity than as a reward for arbitrage.

Heterotrophic bacterioplankton plays a pivotal role in marine food webs and biogeochemical cycling. However, their temporal dynamics and underlying factors are still poorly understood in many regions, including the tropical waters of the Red Sea. The main goal of the MS project was to describe the seasonality and assess the impact of top-down controls (viruses and heterotrophic nanoflagellates) in parallel to bottom-up controls (substrate availability) on coastal bacterioplankton on a weekly basis. To that end, we monitored the abundance of the different planktonic groups by flow cytometry together with a set of environmental variables including temperature, salinity, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) and chlorophyll a concentration. We analyzed a weekly dataset collected over 2017 at the surface water of KAUST Harbor. The abundance of heterotrophic bacteria ranged from 1.55 to 4.97 x 105 cells ml-1, with that of autotrophic bacteria 4 to 14 fold less on average and presents 1 x 104 to 1.19x105 cells ml-1, while viruses ranged from 1.30 x 106 to 1.59 x 107 particles ml-1, and heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNF) ranged from 8.62 x 10 to 1.63 x 103 cells ml-1. We distinguished between five groups of heterotrophic bacteria depending on the relative nucleic acid content, membrane state and cell-specific metabolic activity, two groups of Synechococcus, as well as three groups of viruses based on relative nucleic acid content. We found unexpected inverse relationship between viruses and HNFs. Based on a strong negative correlation, the results suggest that viruses controlled heterotrophic bacteria during summer until early winter period. HNFs showed a selective grazing behavior based their apparent preference to prey on both high (HNA) and low nucleic acid bacteria (LNA). Our results demonstrates that top-down control are key agents of heterotrophic bacterioplankton mortality and more important than bottom-up control in governing heterotrophic bacterioplankton abundances in the coastal tropical waters of the Red Sea.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-01

Background: Tue Businessweek magazine proposed lists of attending doctors in medical centers and regional hospitals based on the recommendation of hospital presidents, directors and supervisors of medical societies, and surveyed doctors. The current study aims to investigate the criteria existing in Businessweek¡¦s selection and factors related to the nomination of Taiwan¡¦s best 100 doctors. Material and Method: Subjects are the 667 doctors nominated in Businessweek¡¦s ¡§100 Especially Recommended Doctors¡¨ and ¡§600 Doctor-Recommended Doctors,¡¨ published respectively on May 5th and October 3rd, 2008. Biographical data of the subjects is firstly reorganized according to such items as specialty, hospital, education, professional training, experience and current status; introduction to specialties on websites of the hospitals where the subjects serve is also taken into consideration during data reorganization. Secondly, additional social network variables, including special positions in such non-hospital and non-school institutions as societies, foundations and publishing companies, are implemented. Collected data is analyzed by means of descriptive statistics, chi-square test and logistic regression. Results: Out of the 667 doctors, the 131 ones especially recommended by Businessweek tend to either serve in northern Taiwan or have graduated from National Taiwan University. In terms of social network, ¡§directors¡¨ of a department/branch/center are 3.082 times more likely to be nominated among the 131 than those who do not have the title, while those with special positions in medical societies are 5.314 times more likely to be nominated than those without any special position. Conclusion: The physicians not only training in the medical profession, but also need to expand social network.

Orientador: Murilo Cesar Soares / Banca: Danilo Rothberg / Banca: Maximiliano Martin Vicente / Resumo: Esta dissertação analisa como se comportaram as principais revistas semanais brasileiras - CartaCapital, Época, Istoé e Veja - a respeito da crise política do primeiro mandato do governo Lula que ficou reconhecida como "Escândalo do Mensalão". Trata-se de uma crise paradoxal e rica, do ponto de vista analítico, porque envolveu com denúncias de corrupção um partido cuja trajetória foi permeada pela defesa da ética e por se tratar de uma crise revestida de características de "escândalos políticos midiáticos". Buscando evidenciar os tipos de contrastes apresentados, tratamentos e enquadramentos nas abordagens do tema, a pesquisa analisa as narrativas jornalísticas de 51 matérias das quatro revistas no período 13/06/2005 a 21/09/2005, considerando o pico de interesse público no tema e atenção da mídia. A análise indicou o nível de responsabilidade imputado pelas revistas ao Partido dos Trabalhadores, ao governo e ao presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, bem como o volume de críticas direcionadas a cada um deles, revelando diferenças significativas de tratamento e indicando nuances de enquadramentos relativos ao assunto. Existiu consenso, isolamento e conflitos de extremos, observados entre as revistas, caracterizando uma diversidade de pensamento livremente expressados pelos veículos de comunicação. Lula foi um dos agentes mais referidos a respeito do escândalo, mas o percentual de críticas e enquadramentos negativos a respeito dele foi diferente entre as revistas. Existiu, no entanto, único consenso: a responsabilidade do PT no episódio / Abstract: This paper analyses how the main Brazilian weekly magazines - CartaCapital, Época, Istoé, and Veja - approached the political crisis of president Lula first mandate, which became known as the mensalão. It was a paradoxical and complex crisis, from a more analytical point of view, because a political party with a history of ethical principles defence was accused of corruption and because it was a crisis that presented "media scandal" characteristics. In search of bringing evidences about the kind of contrast that were presented, treatment and framings when tackling the subject, this paper analyzes the journalist narratives of 51 stories of the four magazines from the period of 06/16/2005 to 09/21/2005, taking into consideration the public interest and the media attention about the matter. The analysis indicated the level of responsibility that was attributed by the magazines to the Workers' Party, to the government, and to president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, as well as the amount of critics directed to each one, revealing significant differences in the treatment of the subject and indicating nuances regarding the matter. There were consensus, isolation and conflicts between opposite sides, which could be observed among the magazines, which can show a diversity of thougts that were freely expressed by the media. Lula was one of the most cited elements regarding the scandal, but the level of negative critic and framings about him was different in each magazine. There was, however, a sole consensus: the Workers' Party (PT) responsibility in the event / Mestre

The problem of this study was an audience analysis of the weekly newspaper Outdoor Times, a Dallas based publication, by conducting a readership survey of randomly selected subscribers. The study also contains a brief history of the Outdoor Times, tracing its development since its inception to the present. The purposes of this study were (1) to examine the characteristics of a specialized, regional publication, the Outdoor Times, (2) to determine some characteristics of subscribers to the Outdoor Times, (3) to determine some reasons why readers subscribe to the Outdoor Times, (4) to examine subscribers' likes and dislikes concerning the Outdoor Times.

Musikstreamingtjänster som Spotify erbjuder en omfattande mängd musik online jämfört med innan digitaliseringen. Trots detta förändrade musiklandskap, kvarstår fortfarande önskan att samla, byta ut och dela musik. Däremot har musikstreamingtjänster medfört ett ökat behov av att navigera användarna genom de omfattande låtarkiven. Spotifys spellista Discover Weekly syftar till att tillhandahålla användarna med 30 nya låtar varje måndag. Låtarna är personanpassade utifrån användarnas smakprofiler, som är kalibrerade av rekommendationsalgoritmer. Musikstreamingtjänsten konstaterar att de vill erbjuda en explorativ användarupplevelse med hjälp av rekommendationsalgoritmerna. I denna studie valde vi att utvärdera hur användarna själva upplever de personanpassade låtarna på Discover Weekly. Tidigare studier om Spotify, musikupptäckter i en digital era, rekommendationsalgoritmer, och effekterna av algoritmer ansågs vara relevanta för att utforska hur låtarna på Discover Weekly upplevs vara. Frågeställningen undersöktes genom inledande intervjuer, en veckas lyssningsperiod av Discover Weekly samt uppföljande intervjuer med en testgrupp bestående av studenter från KTH. Resultatet från intervjuerna visade att låtarna på spellistan upplevdes vara ensidiga där användarna gillade låtarna som stack ut från mängden i stil av tempo eller genre. Majoriteten av testpersonerna uppskattar ändå rekommendationsalgoritmen. Flera testpersoner förklarade att de önskade mer explorativa alternativ på spellistan för att stödja det givna löftet om utforskande av nya musikupptäckter vilket namnet, Discover Weekly, indikerar på. Deltagarna ansåg dock fortfarande att icke-datordrivna rekommendationer var att föredra och mer pålitliga. Vårt resultat kan därmed jämföras med tidigare studiers teorier där algoritmer / Music streaming services like Spotify provide a staggering amount of music online compared to before digitalization. Even though the music landscape is changing, the desire to collect, exchange, and share music remains. However, music streaming services have contributed to an increased desire to navigate users through the extensive song archives. Spotify's Discover Weekly playlist aims to provide users with 30 new songs every Monday. The songs are personalized based on the users' taste profiles, which are calibrated by recommendation algorithms. The music streaming service states that they want to offer an exploratory user experience using the recommendation algorithms. In this study, we evaluate how users themselves experience the personalized songs on Discover Weekly. Previous related research regarding Spotify, music discovery in a digital era, recommendation algorithms, and algorithmic effects were considered relevant when exploring how the songs on Discover Weekly are experienced to be. The thesis was investigated through introductory interviews, one week listening of Discover Weekly, and follow-up interviews with a test group consisting of students from KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The results from the interviews showed that the songs on the playlist were perceived as indistinguishable, where the users liked the songs that stood out from the rest in tempo or genre. The majority of the participants still appreciate the recommendation algorithm. Several participants explained that they wished for more exploratory options on the playlist to support the promise of exploring new music discoveries as the name Discover Weekly indicates. However, the participants still considered user recommendations as more reliable than algorithmically driven recommendations. Our findings support previous researchers’ insights where these algorithms can affect the diversification of consumption on Spotify.