The determinants of the quality of Sales-Marketing Interface in a Multinational Customer Brand Focused Company: The Latin American Branches

Customer evolution and changes in consumers, determine the fact that the quality of the interface between marketing and sales may represent a true competitive advantage for the firm. Building on multidimensional theoretical and empirical models developed in Europe and on social network analysis, the organizational interface between the marketing and sales departments of a multinational high-growth company with operations in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay is studied. Both, attitudinal and social network measures of information exchange are used to make operational the nature and quality of the interface and its impact on performance. Results show the existence of a positive relationship of formalization, joint planning, teamwork, trust and information transfer on interface quality, as well as a positive relationship between interface quality and business performance. We conclude that efficient design and organizational management of the exchange network are essential for the successful performance of consumer goods companies that seek to develop distinctive capabilities to adapt to markets that experience vertiginous change

Descriptors for terpene esters from chromatographic and partition measurements: Estimation of human odor detection thresholds

We have used gas chromatographic retention data together with other data to obtain Abraham descriptors for 30 terpene esters. These include the air-water partition coefficient, as log Kw, for which no experimental values are available for any terpene ester. The other descriptors are the ester dipolarity, S, the hydrogen bond basicity, B, (the ester hydrogen bond acidity is zero for the esters studied), and L the logarithm of the air-hexadecane partition coefficient. Both S and B are larger than those for simple aliphatic esters, as expected from the terpene ester structures that include ring systems and ethylenic double bonds. These descriptors can then be used to obtain a large number of physicochemical and environmental properties of terpene esters. We have analyzed experimental results on human odor detection thresholds and have constructed another equation for the calculation of these thresholds, to go with a previous equation that we have reported. Then the descriptors for terpene esters can be used to estimate the important odor detection thresholds

Systematic Characterization of Gas Phase Binary Pre-Nucleation Complexes Containing H2SO4 + X, [ X = NH3, (CH3)NH2, (CH3)2NH, (CH3)3N, H2O, (CH3)OH, (CH3)2O, HF, CH3F, PH3, (CH3)PH2, (CH3)2PH, (CH3)3P, H2S, (CH3)SH, (CH3)2S, HCl, (CH3)Cl)]. A Computational Study

A systematic characterization of gas phase binary prenucleation complexes between H2SO4 (SA) and other molecules present in the atmosphere (NH3, (CH3)NH2, (CH3)2NH, (CH3)3N, H2O, (CH3)OH, (CH3)2O, HF, CH3 F, PH3, (CH3)PH2, (CH3)2PH, (CH3)3P, H2S, (CH3)SH, (CH3)2S, HCl, (CH3)Cl) has been carried out using the ωB97X-D/6-311++(2d,2p) method at the DFT level of theory. A relationship between the energy gap of the SA's LUMO and the partner molecule's HOMO, and the increasing number of methyl groups -CH3 in the SA's partner molecule is provided. The binding energies of the bimolecular complexes are found to be related to the electron density in the hydrogen bond critical point, the HOMO-LUMO energy gap, the nature of the hydrogen acceptor atom, and the frequencies shift of acid OH bonds. The results show how the frontier orbital compatibility determines the binding energy and that the properties of SA's OH bond which remains free of interactions are affected by the bimolecular adduct formation.Fil: Sebastianelli, Paolo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Cometto, Pablo Marcelo. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Pereyra, Rodolfo Guillermo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentin

Marketing and Sales organization in a “Brand-Focused Professional” multinational

This article tests a multidimensional model of the marketing and sales organizational interface, based on a previous one tested for European companies (Homburg et al., 2008), in a specific taxonomical configuration: a brand focused professional multinational, in three successful Latin American branches. Factor reliability and hypotheses were studied through a confirmatory factor analysis. Results show the existence of a positive relationship between formalization, joint planning, teamwork, information sharing, trust and interface quality. Interface quality and business performance show also a positive relationship. This empirical study contributes to the knowledge of the organizational enhancement of interactions in emerging market

The role of Tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine reducing agent in the controlled formation of α,ω-Alkanedithiols Monolayers on Au(111) with monocoordinated and bicoordinated configurations

The addition of the reducing agent tris(2-carboxyethyl) phosphine (TCEP) during the formation of α,ω-alkanedithiols monolayers on Au(111) using the immersion method produces the assembly of monolayers with bicoordinated molecules (both S-terminal groups bound to the surface) that have a reductive desorption potential that is more positive than for monolayers with monocoordinated molecules in a standing up configuration. We show that the use of TCEP either during formation of the monolayer or as a post treatment procedure allows the controlled formation of monolayers with bicoordinated or monocoordinated configurations. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were performed to elucidate the role of TCEP in the formation of the bicoordinated configuration. We investigated the TCEP-dithiol interaction in ethanol solvent as well as the coadsorption of trimethylphosphine with 1,2-ethanedithiol on Au(111). The Brønsted base character of the phosphine facilitates the H exchange from the −SHgroups of the dithiol to the phosphorous atom of TCEP with very low activation energy barriers, thus allowing the thiolate groups to bind to the Au(111) surface, thus yielding the bicoordinated configuration. Dithiol lifting mechanisms such as H exchange between S atoms and the formation of intra/inter layer disulfide bonds have much higher energy barriers.Fil: Euti, Esteban. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Velez, Patricio. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Matemática y Física; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Leiva, Ezequiel Pedro Marcos. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Matemática y Física; ArgentinaFil: Macagno, Vicente Antonio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Paredes Olivera, Patricia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Matemática y Física; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Patrito, Eduardo Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Cometto, Fernando Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; Argentin

Methylthiolate-induced reconstruction of Ag(1 1 1): A medium energy ion scattering study

Medium energy ion scattering (MEIS), using 100 keV H+ incident ions, has been used to investigate the structure of the Ag(1 1 1)(√7 × √7)R19° –CH3S surface phase. The results provide the first direct evidence that this structure does involve substantial reconstruction of the Ag surface layer. The measured absolute scattered ion yields and blocking curves are in generally good agreement with a specific structural model of the surface based on a reconstructed layer containing 3/7 ML Ag atoms, previously suggested on the basis of scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and normal incidence X-ray standing wave (NIXSW) studies. However, the MEIS data indicate that any rumpling of the thiolate layer, is small, and probably 0.2 Å. This value is smaller than the amplitude suggested in the STM and NIXSW studies, but could be entirely consistent with the earlier experimental data

The local adsorption structure of methylthiolate and butylthiolate on Au(1 1 1): a photoemission core-level shift investigation

Measurements of the core-level shifts in Au 4f photoemission spectra from Au(1 1 1) at different coverages of methylthiolate and butylthiolate are reported. Adsorption leads to two components in addition to that from the bulk, one at lower photoelectron binding energy attributed to surface atoms not bonded to thiolate species, while the second component has a higher binding energy and is attributed to Au atoms bonded to the surface thiolate. The relative intensities of these surface components for the saturation coverage (mainly (√3 × √3)R30°) phases are discussed in terms of different local adsorption sites in a well-ordered surface, and favour adsorption of the thiolate species atop Au adatoms. Alternative interpretations that might be consistent with an Au-adatom-dithiolate model are discussed, particularly in the context of the possible influence of reduced coverage associated with a disordered surface. Marked differences from previously-reported results for longer-chain alkylthiolate layers are highlighted

Improving the resilience and workforce of health systems for women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health

The United Nations’ first Every Woman Every Child strategy, Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health, provided an impetus “to improve the health of hundreds of millions of women and children around the world and, in so doing, to improve the lives of all people.” The updated Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s, and Adolescents’ Health calls for an even more ambitious agenda of expanding equitable coverage to a broader range of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health services, as integral to the 2030 targets of the sustainable development goals.These goals cannot be realised by efforts that tackle only specific parts of the global strategy. Instead, an integrated approach is required, to include the complementary functions of stewardship, financing, workforce, supply chain, information systems, and service delivery.3 In this paper we highlight two core aspects that require urgent attention—building the resilience of health systems and ensuring sufficient human resources

Health workforce requirements for effective governace of health systems

Introdução O desempenho dos sistemas de saúde depende da capacidade dos gestores dos serviços de saúde. O termo “capacity building” é frequentemente usado para referir formações de curto prazo e a transferência de habilidades específicas. No entanto, múltiplos determinantes de lacunas de capacidade geralmente coexistem e conduzem a um ambiente abaixo do ideal para o desempenho dos gestores de serviços de saúde, incluindo constrangimentos ao nível do sistema de serviços, e de financiamento e políticas, de pessoal e procedimentos administrativos, e também de falta de motivação individual ou capacidade técnica. Esta tese identifica os determinantes da governança do setor de saúde ligados à força de trabalho, analisando as evidências publicadas sobre o desenvolvimento da capacidade dos gestores de serviços. Propõe uma estrutura para orientar a conceptualização e implementação de estratégias de desenvolvimento de capacidades. A estrutura categoriza as intervenções prioritárias de desenvolvimento de capacidade nos níveis individual, organizacional e de sistema, e relaciona-as com os resultados do sistema de serviços de saúde e os de saúde da população. Em seguida, contribui com evidências adicionais por meio de três artigos revistos por pares desenvolvidos de acordo com essa estrutura. Resultados A revisão da literatura e os três artigos mostram que a base de evidências sobre os determinantes do desempenho dos gestores de recursos humanos para a saúde (RHS) está fragmentada e é de baixa certeza, o que limita o conhecimento sobre a eficácia das intervenções de desenvolvimento de capacidades. O primeiro artigo discute o papel dos gestores de RHS na formulação de políticas abrangentes de força de trabalho em saúde, e categoriza facilitadores e barreiras para uma administração eficaz de RHS de acordo com a estrutura proposta. O segundo artigo utiliza a estrutura para analisar as características organizacionais e individuais e as unidades de RHS nos ministérios da saúde na região Sudeste da Organização Mundial da Saúde. O terceiro artigo aplica a estrutura à análise do objetivo dos gestores de RHS de modo a garantir a oferta de cuidados compassivos e respeitosos. 8 Em geral, a tese mostra que os resultados das intervenções para melhorar as competências de nível individual são limitados e precisam ser acompanhados por outras que abordem os determinantes do nível organizacional e sistémico. Quanto aos obstáculos a intervenções bem-sucedidas são de nível sistémico o organizacional, levando a que devam ser abordados primeiro. Por exemplo, a disponibilidade de ferramentas de trabalho essenciais, um número adequado de pessoal devidamente qualificado, a continuidade do serviço, acesso a aprendizagens práticas, o fortalecimento das capacidades institucionais, um ambiente de trabalho e uma cultura organizacional motivadores, delineamento claro dos papeis, e alinhamento dos mecanismos de governança com os objetivos da política de saúde estão alvos prioritários que as evidências disponíveis identificam como críticas para a efetividade das intervenções de desenvolvimento de capacidade. Discussão Embora o discurso da assistência ao desenvolvimento enfatize intervenções orientadas “por fora”, uma nova abordagem do fortalecimento das capacidades requer o abandono da noção de gestores de serviços de saúde como sujeitos passivos cuja capacidade precisa ser construída por meio de intervenções externas. Em vez disso, os gestores de serviços de saúde devem ser reconhecidos como potenciais impulsionadores de processos endógenos de desenvolvimento de capacidades, e ser mobilizados e capacitados para se tornarem campeões das intervenções pretendidas, desde a fase preliminar de análise da situação. Iniciativas de desenvolvimento de capacidade bem-sucedidas exigem não apenas uma compreensão do contexto do sistema de saúde e das lacunas de capacidade, mas também da economia política e das considerações de exequibilidade e aceitabilidade. A estrutura utilizada na tese pode orientar tanto a identificação de necessidades quanto a conceptualização e a priorização das intervenções multifacetadas necessárias.Introduction Health system performance depends on the capacity of health service managers. The term ‘capacity building’ is often used to refer to short-term training and to the transfer of specific skills. However, multiple determinants of capacity gaps often coexist and determine a sub-optimal environment for health service managers, including system-wide financing, policy, and institutional staffing and administrative constraints, as well as individual lack of motivation or technical capacity. The thesis identifies the workforce determinants of health sector governance by reviewing the published evidence on health service managers’ capacity development. It proposes a framework to guide the conceptualization and implementation of capacity development strategies. It categorizes priority capacity development interventions in individual, organizational and system level, and links them with health system outputs and population health outcomes. It then contributes additional evidence through three peer reviewed articles structured according to this framework. Results A literature review and the three articles identify a fragmented and low certainty evidence base on the determinants of performance of human resources for health (HRH) managers, which limits knowledge of the effectiveness of capacity development interventions. The first article discusses the role of HRH managers in shaping overarching health workforce policies and categorizes enablers and barriers for effective HRH stewardship according to the framework. The second article adopts the framework to analyse the system, organizational, individual characteristics and tools of HRH units in the South-East region of the World Health Organization. The third article applies the framework to the analysis of HRH managers’ objective to ensure the provision compassionate, respectful care.6 Overall, the thesis highlights that the results of interventions targeting individual level competencies are often limited and need to be accompanied by approaches addressing the determinants of performance at institutional and system level. When the obstacles of effective interventions are at the system or organizational levels, they should be addressed first. The availability of essential work tools, an adequate number of suitably qualified staff, the continuity of service, access to hands-on experiential learning, the strengthening of institutional capacities, a motivating work environment and organizational culture, clear role delineation, and alignment of governance mechanisms with health policy objectives, are priority targets that the available evidence identifies as critical capacity development interventions. Discussion While the development assistance lens emphasizes externally driven interventions, a new capacity strengthening approach requires abandoning the notion of health service managers as passive subjects whose capacity needs to be built through external interventions. Instead, health service managers should be recognized as potential drivers of endogenous capacity development processes, to be mobilized and empowered to become champions of the intended interventions as early as the preliminary situation analysis stage. Successful capacity development initiatives require not only an understanding of the health system context and capacity gaps, but also of the political economy and feasibility and acceptability considerations. The framework outlined in this thesis can guide both the identification of needs and the conceptualization and prioritization of the multi-pronged interventions required

A Private Space Within the Public Sphere: How Did the Crinoline Shape Victorian Society?

This thesis examines the social impact of middle-class women’s fashion in nineteenth-century Britain. Using a blend of historical research and object analysis, this project reveals the juxtaposition between how fashion was written by its contemporaries versus how it actually appeared in real life. Victorian women's fashion is often portrayed both in history and the media as very restrictive and cumbersome to both the wearer and those around them. While this perception is not entirely untrue, it also perpetuates the idea that fashion is a frivolous commodity with no real purpose. This paper dives deeper into the possibility that fashion was used by women as a tool to solidify their position within the public sphere that was traditionally dominated by men. By focusing on the steel-cage crinoline and the department store of the nineteenth-century, this paper highlights how middle-class women used the popular fashion of the time to their advantage despite the public outcry against it. When comparing the steel-cage crinoline with previous skirt shaping devices and the similar public reactions they caused, the key difference was the scale and speed in which these devices were able to be produced, sold, and purchased by a wider consumer audience. Shopping had already been established as a primarily feminine activity and was a common reason for women to be seen in public. However, when the department store appeared in the nineteenth-century, it quickly became a haven for middle-class women since many upper-class ladies still patronized the traditional aristocratic shops and lower-class women typically had jobs. Upper-class women were also more likely to wear steel-cage crinolines of extreme measurements to distinguish themselves from the other social classes and working women may have not worn one at all. This meant that a majority of average sized crinolines would have been worn by the middle-class women who were most likely to frequent the department stores. This paper brings to the surface some of these women' s voices that have traditionally been stifled by the mass amount of media focused mostly on the extreme crinoline wearers and not the experience of most women. Comparing the shopping experience for middle-class women in the eras before, during, and after the popularity of the steel-cage crinoline reveals the ways women used the device as a tool to solidify their position within the public sphere. Women surely existed in public before the crinoline, but this existence was limited by their lack of visibility and thus their autonomy. However, as the popularity of the crinoline began to dissipate in the latter half of the century there would be a new trend of ‘women only’ spaces that emerged. This timeline shows how the crinoline’s visibility granted women more autonomy in the public sphere and how its disappearance endangered this freedom, resulting in feminine defined spaces designed to preserve it. This paper therefore contributes to the academic conversation on the public sphere by highlighting lived experiences from ordinary women as well as the before and after effect of the steel-cage crinoline on Victorian society