Ict as a development factor in the tunisian olive oil sector

Olive oil is one of the main agricultural products of the countries that make up the Mediterranean basin. The low profitability of this sector of activity and the growing challenges of an increasingly turbulent market force the sector to search for more efficient organization. The aim of this paper is to determine the organisational and technological factors associated with the most economically efficient Tunisian olive-growing organisations. To this end, firstly the Data Envelopment Analysis method has been used to establish a hierarchy of the most efficient organizations. Secondly, the Qualitative Comparative Analysis method has been used, which allows us to establish the relationships of variables that explain the highest levels of economic efficiency. The results obtained show that the academic training of the top manager, training in information technology, the age of the organisation and the existence of plans and budget items for the adoption of information and communication technologies are variables that explain this greater efficiency.

The short-term bias in policy programs for small business: exploring discontinuation of a successful growth program

PurposeWhen a successful policy intervention for small firm growth is ending, a continuation decision may be relevant. However, immediately after program termination, solid analysis of the growth of the treated firms in comparison with similar firms cannot be produced, so decision makers rely on less valid data. Moreover, the decision process is challenging because many players, alternative programs, decision levels and financial sources tend to be part of the process. In such a complex and volatile policy environment, successful programs may well be discontinued despite a clear continuation need. The purpose of the paper is to explore this weakness.Design/methodology/approachThe paper identifies four fundamental principles that are conducive for a rational continuation choice: “additionality,” “substitution,” “need” and “success”. It argues that if these principles are fulfilled, the rational choice would be to continue the program. To demonstrate that this rational outcome does not always happen in practice, an extreme case fulfilling the four principles well was selected.FindingsThe program aimed to enhance growth in small firms through manager training. It encompassed about 700 growth-oriented small firms in three years and was comprehensively evaluated after program termination. This evaluation demonstrated a high success rate of the program in all respects, including in terms of achieved growth compared to a control group of similar firms.Originality/valueThis discontinuation case suggests that non-rational reasoning plays a significant role in contemporary complex and volatile policy environments, which again points to a need for reform in this policy area.

ASPECTS OF BIM-MANAGER TRAINING

The article demonstrates the timeliness of the emergence in Ukraine of new positions for higher / intermediate BIM qualification specialists at modern architectural offices and construction companies during design, construction, and operational stages of an architectural object. Attention is focused on the legislative framework for the development of interrelated (architectural and construction) specialties in Ukraine. At the same time, a shortage of personnel with deep knowledge of BIM technologies is noted. Development of specialized courses and curricula for training and integration of professional BIM managers in the design and development business throughout the country is encouraged. The hierarchy of the main responsibilities and functions of BIM managers determines the list of tasks and the direction of their professional activities. Engaging specialists from real design, leading specialized institutions, educational and experimental centers for the formation of an in-depth specialized training course for top-level specialists is proposed. For the preparation of BIM managers, the concept of a training program for senior years of a specialized university, a refresher courses or other postgraduate trainings in licensed training centers has been proposed. It includes training in project administration, setting up collaboration, an interdisciplinary system, checking the model’s quality, effective organization of BIM processes themselves and within a company, as a whole. A system of organizational, technical, methodological, software and other means of ensuring the educational process is considered. The stages and specifics of professional staff development, as well as preparation for the subsequent BIM certification, have been specified.

Trends and challenges for the policy of manager training: an interdisciplinary analysis of intercultural education in the rural area

The research presents thoughts on certain trends in the training of educational managers and the needs for innovation to seek to fill the gaps related to basic education. These have been demanded under the panorama of the characteristic reality of rural education: the construction of demands in the fundamental education policy and its perspectives for transformations in the management itself. With the theoretical methodological mention of a bibliographic and documentary research, we sought historical and philosophical foundations for the integration of the categories worked and the empirical focus established in state schools in the Regional of Dianópolis, to delimit the field of the same, which according to the approach, the alternatives have been to seek to carry out self-training actions, simultaneously with the organization of practices in educational institutions. What has made possible a partial exercise of the curricular instrument, when contemplating an education that thinks with cultural diversities and ethnic-racial relations, seeking through experiences and dialogues, to appreciate and adopt community knowledge with the valorization of subjectivity in the ways of each community, showing them in the school routine. The contradiction between the legislation and the educational marginalization, shows the insufficiency in the applicability of education in the field, however, it is important to highlight the urgency in the reformulation of the policy of continuing education for managers, it is proposed to transdisciplinary.

Public health investments and mortality risk in Brazilian peritoneal dialysis patients

Background End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) treatment is very costly and accounts for a significant percentage of public healthcare expenditures. Beyond direct costs, dialysis patients use other healthcare levels, but the impact of public investment on each of these levels is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between direct financing at different healthcare levels and overall mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Methods We included all adult incident PD patients from a Brazilian prospective, nationwide PD cohort. Overall mortality was the primary outcome of interest. We used a three-level multilevel survival analysis to investigate whether mortality was associated with the investments destined to different levels of healthcare complexity: (i) primary, (ii) medium and high and (iii) professional healthcare training and community awareness. Results We evaluated 5707 incident PD patients from 78 Brazilian cities, which were divided into four quartiles for each healthcare level (Groups I–IV). After taking the highest quartile (Group IV) as a reference, investment in the primary health level was not associated with patient survival. Otherwise, medium and high complexity levels were associated with higher mortality risk. Also, investment in healthcare manager training and community awareness had an impact on patient survival. Conclusions Investments in different levels of the healthcare system have distinct impacts on PD patient survival. Investment in healthcare manager training and community awareness seems to be a promising strategy on which to focus, given the relatively low cost and positive impact on outcome.

Model of advanced training for general education managers in the context of educational reform in Vietnam

With the requirement of fundamental and comprehensive reform of education, the coaching for managers in school is becoming urgent. The current model of regular coaching for managers in Vietnamese school is showing many shortcomings, failing to satisfy the requirements of educational reform in the current period. To solve this problem, different models and approaches may be used. The school manager training model using the LMS / TEMIS system is proposed to emphasize the role of self-study and selftraining; apply the achievements of information technology; promote the role of core educational managers and strengthen the relationships between leading experts at educational universities, academies of Vietnam and local educational institutions.

The Joint and Multilevel Effects of Training and Incentives from Upstream Manufacturers on Downstream Salespeople’s Efforts

Manufacturers frequently face the challenge of motivating distributor salespeople to focus efforts on their products rather than competitors’ products. The present research explores two mechanisms that manufacturers use to address this challenge: training and incentives (spiffs). The authors find that the impact of these mechanisms on distributor salespeople’s efforts (toward a manufacturer’s products) largely depends on the extent to which manufacturers also provide training and incentives to distributor sales managers. More specifically, providing greater incentives to distributor sales managers undermines the relationship between their salespeople’s training and effort but enhances the relationship between their salespeople’s incentives and effort. Furthermore, greater sales manager training enhances the impact of salespeople’s incentives on effort; however, greater salesperson training undermines the relationship between salesperson incentives and effort. Thus, this research shows that the combination of mechanisms (training and incentives) and the levels at which manufacturers provide them (distributor salespeople and sales managers) can have different implications for distributor salespeople’s efforts.

Políticas de tecnologia na educação no Brasil: Visão histórica e lições aprendidas

Brazilian initiatives aimed at the insertion of information and communication technologies (ICT) in K-12 education took their first steps in the 1970s, when several countries focused their efforts on the use of ICT in the educational context. Since the early 1980s, a number of public policies have been created that have given rise to various projects and programs developed at the national level. The objective of the article is to analyze these policies using the Four in Balance model resignified for the Brazilian reality. The methodology is based on a study of documents. The EDUCOM Project, the Immediate Action Program in Informatics in Education, and the national programs, PRONINFE and ProInfo, were analyzed. The results show that these projects and programs did not always balance the axes of vision, teacher and manager training, digital educational resources and infrastructure, and cross-curricular evaluation and research. From this analysis it was possible to highlight some lessons and suggestions for future public policies related to the implementation of technologies in education.