O presente estudo, de abordagem qualitativa e descritiva, investiga as relações entre as teorias sobre Economia Criativa, Vantagem Competitiva, Cadeia de Valor e Qualidade no Mercado de Luxo objetivando identificar a contribuição do Programa do Polo de Joias do Pará para a criação de valor na indústria de joias do referido estado brasileiro. O método de pesquisa utilizado abrangeu a construção de proposições a partir da literatura revisada e reduzida, a realização de entrevistas com profissionais do setor joalheiro brasileiro, análise de conteúdo das entrevistas e análise da cadeia de valor do Polo de Joias do Pará com base na observação participante. Os resultados apontam que as estruturas teóricas empregadas neste estudo estão presentes na Cadeia de Valor do Programa do Polo de Joias do Pará, destacando a criação de valor por meio do benefício percebido pelo consumidor. O incipiente estudo cria oportunidade para a realização de novas relações com outros clusters criativos ou para a identificação de atitudes e intenções de compra dos clientes do Polo. / This qualitative and descriptive study investigate the relationship between theories about Creative Economy, Competitive Advantage, Value Chain and Quality in Luxury Market aiming to identify the contribution of the Pará Jewelry Cluster Program for creating value in jewelry industry of that Brazilian state. The research method included the construction of propositions from the literature reviewed and reduced, conducting interviews with professionals in the Brazilian Jewelry Industry, content analysis of the interviews and analysis of value chain of Pará Jewelry Cluster based on observation participant. The results show that the theoretical frameworks used in this study are present in the Value Chain of the Pará Jewelry Cluster Program, highlighting the creation of value through benefit perceived by consumers. The study creates opportunity for the realization of new relationships with other creative clusters or to identify attitudes and purchase intentions of customers from Polo.

The objective of the study is to apply Markov chain analysis to analyze student flow through King Abdul Aziz University (KAU) in Saudi Arabia, and to predict important metrics such as graduation and dropout rates. This objective arises from examination of the policies of KAU University. We begin with background information detailing the subject of study, then move into a general outline of stochastic processes. We then use these methods to construct a specific matrix of transition probabilities with data from the university student population. Finally, we discuss the calculation of the possibilities of transition between each level of study and the average time a student takes to complete each stage. The study uses Markov chains with these outcomes to analyze student retention data from the Department of Mathematics at KAU. From this analysis, the study will provide university policy recommendations that can be generalized to examine other universities.

Livestock and poultry are two growing subsectors of global farming economy with an impact on the environment and thus deserving closer attention. While the farms play a major role in providing protein essential for human diets, they are also sources of significant amounts of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Hence, the sectors need to improve their environmental performance and mitigate their negative impacts on climate. To estimate the annual GHG emissions from a dairy and poultry farm, a case study was conducted in the rural area of Bangladesh. The study has considered the supply chains of both farms while estimating the emissions.  The study also estimated the GHG emission reduction potential of a small biogas based polygeneration system aimed at providing energy services in the rural area. LCA (lifecycle assessment) has been used as the main tool while estimating the emissions.

Clinical supervision is integral to promoting the professional development of counselors-in-training and gatekeeping the counseling services provided by counselor trainees (Bernard & Goodyear, 2014). Despite the value of studying participants’ retrospective perceptions about or reflections upon supervision, the supervisory process in which supervision transpires is infrequently quantified and measured (Holloway, 1982; Holloway, 1987). As described by most developmental supervision models, clinical supervision is “a process with sequential and qualitatively distinct stages through which supervisors and trainees progress” (Littrell, Lee-Borden, & Lorenz, 1976, p. 134). In order to capture these stages and phenomena with observable and measurable units, the author used six states of interest to measure the supervision process, which exhibit the progressively complex nature of clinical supervision. The six states include: (a) social interfacing (non-skills phase), (b) reflecting on foundational competencies, (c) deepening case conceptualization, (d) processing the relational management, (e) overcoming personal and multicultural barriers, and (f) furthering professional development. These states underpin the codebook of this study and are used to conceptualize the supervision process. Although the interactions between the supervisor and supervisee are transient and difficult to grasp, supervisory interactions move from one state to another. Indeed, state-transitional dynamics of clinical supervision are subject to a constellation of factors that supervisors and supervisees initially bring in and constantly reinforce, such as supervisory styles, supervisee developmental levels, supervisory working alliance, and supervisee satisfaction with clinical supervision. By using Markov chain analysis, this study detects the overall transitional dynamics of supervisory dyads and investigates how transitional dynamics vary based on the aforementioned variables that manifest themselves as supervision dynamics unfold and closely interface with other supervision variables. Results of this study provide implications for clinical supervisors, counselor educators, and counselors-in-training.

A partir de 1994, com a cessão das terras e benfeitorias do extinto Instituto Penal Cândido Mendes na Vila Dois Rios, a Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ) passou a atuar na Ilha Grande (Angra dos Reis/RJ), de forma mais expressiva, fundando o Centro de Estudos Ambientais e Desenvolvimento Sustentável (CEADS). Em função da relevância socioambiental da Costa Verde, em especial, da Ilha Grande, e dos compromissos assumidos pela universidade com a implantação do CEADS, o presente estudo buscou avaliar como a gestão desse campus pode contribuir para o estabelecimento de políticas públicas que promovam a sustentabilidade socio-ambiental da Ilha Grande. Desta forma, a partir de um diagnóstico socioambiental da Costa Verde, com ênfase na Ilha Grande, foi realizada uma reflexão crítica sobre os processos de territorialização em Dois Rios e uma apreciação dos problemas socioambientais prioritários por meio da Análise da Cadeia Causal. Identificou-se como as principais causas raízes dos problemas prioritários da Ilha Grande, a fragilidade do sistema de governança (dificuldade de implementar acordos; dificuldade de mobilização social; falta de ordenamento dos diferentes níveis de governo; inadequada integração de considerações ambientais nas políticas públicas; impunidade; corrupção, precariedade da fiscalização) e causas políticas (conflitos entre diferentes instância públicas). Evidenciou-se, também, um distanciamento entre as instituições gestoras locais e os centros de produção de conhecimento que atuam na região, entre os quais a UERJ, através do CEADS. A partir do envolvimento institucional mais forte e de uma política ambiental a ser assumida como estratégia de gestão da UERJ como um todo, propõe-se a implantação de um ecocampus na unidade de Dois Rios, que oportunize à universidade contribuir, de forma pró-ativa, para a sustentabilidade da Costa Verde, sem exclusão da população local, assim como, realizar uma ampla reflexão e reformulação de suas práticas. Palavras-chave: Ilha Grande. Turismo. Análise da Cadeia Causal. Território. Ecocampus. Sustentabilidade / After 1994, when Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ) became the new guardian of land and buildings that originally belonged to the extinct Penal Cândido Mendes Institute in Dois Rios Village, Grande Island/RJ, the University expanded and intensified its activities in the Island by creating the Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development (CEADS). Considering the high socio-environmental relevance of the Verde Coast and in particular, the Grande Island, as well as the commitments undertaken by the university through CEADS, the objective of this study was to evaluate how a new management model for this campus can contribute to the establishment of public policies to promote he socio-environmental sustainability. Starting with a socio-environmental diagnosis of the Verde Coast, with emphasis on the Grande Island, a critical analysis was carried out about the territorialisation processes in Dois Rios village, with identification of the socio-environmental priority problems by using the Causal Chain Analysis methodology. The main root causes identified related to the priority problems in the Grande Island were governance failures (difficulty to implement agreements and social mobilization; failure in articulating different government levels, including environmental concerns into public policies; impunity; corruption; precariousness in the command-and-control system), as well as political causes (conflicts between different public institutions). It was also found that the local management institutions are apart from the centres of knowledge generation, which are acting in the region, among them, UERJ, through CEADS. Starting with a stronger institutional engagement and an environmental policy put on as the main management strategy for the whole UERJ, it is proposed that CEADS becomes an eco-campus, making possible to the university to contribute in a pro-active way, to promote the sustainability in the Verde Coast, without excluding the local population, at the same time implementing a deep reflexion and reformulation of its current practices. Keywords: Tourism; Causal Chain Analysis; Territory; Eco-campus; sustainability.

A partir de 1994, com a cessão das terras e benfeitorias do extinto Instituto Penal Cândido Mendes na Vila Dois Rios, a Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ) passou a atuar na Ilha Grande (Angra dos Reis/RJ), de forma mais expressiva, fundando o Centro de Estudos Ambientais e Desenvolvimento Sustentável (CEADS). Em função da relevância socioambiental da Costa Verde, em especial, da Ilha Grande, e dos compromissos assumidos pela universidade com a implantação do CEADS, o presente estudo buscou avaliar como a gestão desse campus pode contribuir para o estabelecimento de políticas públicas que promovam a sustentabilidade socio-ambiental da Ilha Grande. Desta forma, a partir de um diagnóstico socioambiental da Costa Verde, com ênfase na Ilha Grande, foi realizada uma reflexão crítica sobre os processos de territorialização em Dois Rios e uma apreciação dos problemas socioambientais prioritários por meio da Análise da Cadeia Causal. Identificou-se como as principais causas raízes dos problemas prioritários da Ilha Grande, a fragilidade do sistema de governança (dificuldade de implementar acordos; dificuldade de mobilização social; falta de ordenamento dos diferentes níveis de governo; inadequada integração de considerações ambientais nas políticas públicas; impunidade; corrupção, precariedade da fiscalização) e causas políticas (conflitos entre diferentes instância públicas). Evidenciou-se, também, um distanciamento entre as instituições gestoras locais e os centros de produção de conhecimento que atuam na região, entre os quais a UERJ, através do CEADS. A partir do envolvimento institucional mais forte e de uma política ambiental a ser assumida como estratégia de gestão da UERJ como um todo, propõe-se a implantação de um ecocampus na unidade de Dois Rios, que oportunize à universidade contribuir, de forma pró-ativa, para a sustentabilidade da Costa Verde, sem exclusão da população local, assim como, realizar uma ampla reflexão e reformulação de suas práticas. Palavras-chave: Ilha Grande. Turismo. Análise da Cadeia Causal. Território. Ecocampus. Sustentabilidade / After 1994, when Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ) became the new guardian of land and buildings that originally belonged to the extinct Penal Cândido Mendes Institute in Dois Rios Village, Grande Island/RJ, the University expanded and intensified its activities in the Island by creating the Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development (CEADS). Considering the high socio-environmental relevance of the Verde Coast and in particular, the Grande Island, as well as the commitments undertaken by the university through CEADS, the objective of this study was to evaluate how a new management model for this campus can contribute to the establishment of public policies to promote he socio-environmental sustainability. Starting with a socio-environmental diagnosis of the Verde Coast, with emphasis on the Grande Island, a critical analysis was carried out about the territorialisation processes in Dois Rios village, with identification of the socio-environmental priority problems by using the Causal Chain Analysis methodology. The main root causes identified related to the priority problems in the Grande Island were governance failures (difficulty to implement agreements and social mobilization; failure in articulating different government levels, including environmental concerns into public policies; impunity; corruption; precariousness in the command-and-control system), as well as political causes (conflicts between different public institutions). It was also found that the local management institutions are apart from the centres of knowledge generation, which are acting in the region, among them, UERJ, through CEADS. Starting with a stronger institutional engagement and an environmental policy put on as the main management strategy for the whole UERJ, it is proposed that CEADS becomes an eco-campus, making possible to the university to contribute in a pro-active way, to promote the sustainability in the Verde Coast, without excluding the local population, at the same time implementing a deep reflexion and reformulation of its current practices. Keywords: Tourism; Causal Chain Analysis; Territory; Eco-campus; sustainability.

This diploma thesis is focused on creation of competitive strategy of small family firm. It analyses current status of a company, which is specialized in complete design and stress analysis of constructions. The thesis investigates impact of external enviroment on the firm and it also analyses internal enviroment. The thesis defines strategic targets, contains proposal of competitive strategy of the company and time of its implementation.

This master’s thesis deals with the proposal of a marketing strategy. The part of this thesis is an external and an internal analyse. The proposal part contains the summary of steps how to reach the possible development of the business activities.

This thesis adds the market orientation approach to a global value chain analysis of four farmed seafood value chains from two Asian countries to the EU. The overall aim of the research is to critically evaluate whether, and to what extent, access to market information is the key to unlocking the potential of developing countries to create greater value: whether knowledge is power. The objectives of the thesis are therefore to explore the process of generating market information in seafood value chains from Asia to the EU; understand under what conditions market information is, is not or is only partially disseminated; and, evaluate the role of market information in responses by chain agents that create value. In order to achieve these objectives, fieldwork was conducted along the length of shrimp (Penaeus monodon) and prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) from Bangladesh, and shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) and tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) from Thailand to the EU. The EU is the world’s largest single market for imported fish and fishery products. France, Germany and the UK were selected for fieldwork as they are primary importers of the species from the selected countries. The research found that although increased knowledge is necessary, it is not a sufficient condition for increased value creation. Instead, the research advances existing understanding of seafood value chains by revealing that successful integration of developing country producers into global markets is partly dependent on governance and industry development in the exporting country. Weaknesses in these structures and relationships undermine supplier power by reducing access to market information, lessening incentives for sharing information, and restricting response capabilities. A number of methods for overcoming these constraints were found in the chains examined, focusing on direct links between market and value chain agents. Importantly, the research found that integration is also dependent on the willingness of those with a market presence in importing countries to share knowledge and power. Critically, the research has led to the conclusion that the possession of market information is one way for value chain agents, particularly those downstream, to guard knowledge and power for themselves. A better understanding of seafood markets and an improved analysis of aquaculture value chains from Asian countries to the EU revealed through the research will facilitate public and private responses that focus on the competitive advantage of the whole chain as a means to more sustainable development. This may well promote new chain configurations that place a premium on stronger and more collaborative linkages, increasing coordination between weak and strong suppliers and contribute to private sector development assistance. Only when knowledge is shared and suppliers gain power, will the market orientation of seafood value chains be improved, if not optimised.

The purpose of thesis is to formulate, based on an analysis of the activities taken by the operations and strategic management, measures to improve strategic-operational collaboration and raise the quality of strategic decision making in a selected business company. To accomplish the set objective, internal and external environments in which the company competes have been identified using PESTL analysis, Porter five forces analysis, Value Chain Analysis and Financial Analysis. Based on these analyses, the strengths and weaknesses, important opportunities and threats within the company have been determined. SWOT analysis and Fuller's Triangle Method have been applied to assess the internal capabilities, limitations and chances of the organization in the business environment. The completed analyses have been assessed and used to create proposals and recommendations for developing strategic decision making in the investigated company.