RCAAP Repository

The study tests the relationship between motivation, satisfaction, and loyalty using a structural equation model. Data have been collected through a questionnaire applied to visitors attending a local festival, Castro Marim Medieval Fair, which hosts every year between 45.000 and 60.000 visitors. Results show that satisfaction towards controlled variables of the event within the venue’s boundaries, such as animation, gastronomy, and handicraft, influences visitors’ overall satisfaction towards the event. On the other hand, they also reveal a direct relationship between overall satisfaction and loyalty. The study contributes to a better understanding of visitors’ behaviour and provides useful guidance to festival ideation and design.

This article reviews state-of-the-art findings on care and quality from published research from 2003-2014 in Germany, specifically from the perspective of the elderly. It is based on a larger project on care and quality in Germany that was funded by the Hans Böckler Foundation. The study provides a much needed overview of current issues on quality and care in light of increased pressure to address care and changes in German social policy. Although quality also encompasses conditions for professional care work and informal carers, this article focuses on the elderly as recipients of care, their perspectives and the ways in which they are involved in their care. Research on care quality from the perspective of the elderly is highlighted in the following themes: 1) the rights of the elderly to quality care 2) elderly perception of satisfaction and quality of outcomes of care, 3) documentation of care as quality control and time, 4) active aging and 5) equality of access. Results show that long-term care rights are more clearly defined and expanded, but enforcement problems are present. Satisfaction with care is traced to good communication with carers, but time for care is scarce. Active aging has become a central focus of care and more research on equal access is needed. The article outlines strengths and weaknesses in German quality care provision as well as learning effects for other countries.

Background: Although evidence demonstrates that physical activity beneficially influences major chronic illnesses, older adults remain sedentary. Many interventions to increase physical activity intend to reduce disease complications as well as improve quality of life by enhancing physical function in our even more aging society. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to summarize knowledge on randomized controlled trials studying the effects of physical activity interventions on quality of life in the elder population. Methods: Randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews or meta-analysis were searched in the Pubmed data base. Search terms: “quality of life”, “intervention” and “physical activity” were used to identify English written articles, with humans older than 65 years. Results: From the initial screening of 234 titles, only 5 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Conclusions: Physical activity interventions seem to have a slight effect on physical function and in improving quality of life of people aged 65 and over. More intervention studies involving physical activity in older people should include measures of quality of life as primary outcome, as well as a standardization of measures would help to compare results and enlarge the evidence base in this area.

Several studies have demonstrated how physical activity in older people benefits their physical fitness, health and well-being. The relation between physical activity and perceived functional capacity and health is yet to be considered. This study is a quantitative research design that investigated the improvement of the physical-functional fitness and the perception of the functional capacity and health of an elderly group participating in a waterbased exercise program (hydrotherapy). The data was collected in three different moments of the exercise program through a battery of tests of physical-functional fitness established by Batista and Sardinha (2005) and a questionnaire adapted from SABE project (Lebrão and Duarte, 2003). Twenty-six elderly persons (23 women and 3 men) aged between 60 and 84 years old participated in a 31-week hydrotherapy program (twice a week; 45 minutes by session). Friedman test was used for assessing statistical differences between the physicalfunctional fitness and the questionnaire responses in each of the three evaluation moments. Results revealed that this program was enough to improve the physical-functional fitness of the elderly, as well as the perception they had about their health and ability to perform activities of daily living.

In this paper we focused on the experiences of ageing from the perspective of elderly people. Our main aims were to explore their perceptions and representations about the ageing experience and to analyse if their conceptions are closer to positive social representations of active ageing or to ageist social assumptions. Thirty-five females (mean age of 80 years) and seven males (mean age of 73 years) participated in this study, recruited in a network of institutions run by the city council of Setubal. Data collection was conducted with structured interviews and the obtained transcriptions were submitted to qualitative thematic analysis. With this analytic approach it was possible to identify dominant themes in participants’ discourses. Results show that elderly perceive and represent the process of ageing according to a binary perspective, displaying both positive and negative dimensions. Even if the ageing experience is described according to a positive perspective, it is also anchored on ageist social constructions. Thus the positive social representations of ageing expressed through active ageing discourses are still not fully assimilated and integrated on people’s self-perceptions and identities.

Migrants’ and their family members’ living conditions in origin and destination countries have come to depend very much on how they cope with the laws and legal systems that affect them. Attached to the importance of acquiring a legal status, there are specific areas of juridical and administrative regulation that are of enormous interest for older people living in a family context of migration, such as pensions and the capacity to move to be closer to loved ones. Based on qualitative research with people aged 50 and over in Spain, Peru and Morocco, the article explores older individuals´responses to the legal frameworks, and, especially, inquires on the practices that help them benefit from or overcome the laws. It reveals that, as a result of states’ unclear legal actions, together with the desire to overcome barriers in these specific areas, interviewees are forced to act against or at least partially behind the law.

This paper presents the story of a Norwegian man in his mid-70s, primary caretaker for his wife who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. Focus is on the cooperation with home-based public health-care services. The case is part of a larger qualitative research project on the topic. The story has come into being through narrative interviews followed up with telephone conversations and is analyzed with Antonovsky’s Sense of Coherence as a frame of reference. Three topics are highlighted: 1) The carer’s journey during the time of his wife’s illness; 2) His description and construction of meaning and ways of coping; 3) The interaction between him as a caregiver and professional health workers. The research project aims to highlight the rationality of caring facing the organizational/ bureaucratic framework conditions of home-based public health care. As the caregiver is watching his loved one being changed into someone who is unrecognizable he needs to adjust to a new reality of which a working relationship with home-based public health care is an element. Concerning the latter, a very important factor is the respect for the uniqueness of the couple’s story and situation, as well as the acknowledgement of the caregiver’s expertise – or lack thereof.

The proliferation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) with particular emphasis on internet have been rapidly adapted to tourism, where new opportunities for design and marketing strategies for destinations are being explored in both physical and virtual environments. Furthermore, the process of designing strong brands and facilitating positive and memorable experiences are central activities concerning destinations aiming to become more competitive. Accordingly, Destinations Marketing Organizations (DMOs) are now exploring ICT and new forms of human interactions with a view to offer new opportunities for visitors to engage in the process of co-creating enhanced destination experiences in a technology-based environment. Considering that ICT both contribute to the process of designing innovative destination experiences and support enhanced individuals’ experiences before, during and after the trip, the purpose of this paper is to explore the role of ICT in the marketing and brand design of destination experiences.

The present work aims at analyzing the profiles of social networks’ users, having accomplished an online questionnaire. A sample of 230 cases was obtained (limited to a deadline of a thesis that combined this study with another about enterprises’ involvement in social networks). From the socio-demographic data obtained (age, time of day in social networks, level of education and occupational status) there are different behaviors. The results highlight the need of harnessing the potential of recruitment and business partnerships/projects through social networks. This is important because the vast majority of respondents use these platforms for more than one year and a significant percentage accesses them every day. Another issue is that mobile phone connection has a significant expression, thus relevant for ubiquitous business or work applications. Regarding the actions performed, besides seeing/ sending messages as the most usually done, searching for knowledge (new contents) is also expressive what is relevant for innovative initiatives. Regarding the motivation factors, it is interesting that besides communication with friends and meeting old friends, the use of such platforms for professional relations has high importance what corroborates some potentials mentioned.

This paper endeavours to research about simulation/serious games exploration within University of Algarve (Portugal), namely Cesim SimBrand for Marketing Simulation (course unit). A total amount of 30 learners participated in this study through a mixed survey (openended and closed-ended queries). The empirical evidences exhibit interesting outcomes: (i) a response rate of 50 percent; (ii) these tools increase learning engagement, although it is essential to be more realistic; (iii) teamwork seems to be a controversial topic; (iv) learners had a positive experience; however, some feel unprepared before their usage (prior knowledge). Hence, this survey provides a good platform for future research and approaches how to promote a better exploration of simulation/serious games. To conclude, this manuscript will be divided into six sections: (i) the 5W’s of game-based learning; (ii) research (statement of the problem, aims/objectives, philosophical approach and data collection/analysis); (iii) diagnosis (game deliver and learners’ pre-perception); (iv) findings (learners’ profile, awareness, experiences and preparation); (v) limitations and future work (methodological limitations and tools/analysis upgrade); and, (vi) conclusions.

The present study addresses the communication between professionals of information technology (IT) and its users in the corporate environment of Curitiba (Brazil). The main aim was to analyze communication problems and implications for management and marketing. Empirical research examined responses from a sample of IT professionals with some professional experience in the area and academic level, as well as responses from a sample of IT users (making use of technology in that corporate environment). The questionnaires were available online, and the SPSS software was used for data processing. Results allow us to infer that, in the sample studied, problems in communication between IT professionals and the services’ users do exist. Data obtained reflect a need for formal training by the professionals to serve customers, manage their careers and use technology on behalf of users in order to improve business management practice. Professionals must be clear with users, to create confidence. Also, it was evident that respondent users consider technology as a basic tool, and they expect professionals to share and explain their actions toward the machine or system. This research makes some implications obvious in relation to communication processes in the IT field for management and marketing.

This paper aims to assess whether and how current Portuguese national spatial planning policy and regional spatial plans are based on evidence revealing trends and patterns of population decrease and rural and urban shrinkage in Portugal. Firstly, built on a literature review, we identify the consequences of population decrease, the so-called characteristics of shrinkage, and we briefly look at dominant approaches and strategies to deal with it. Secondly, we review macro level policy documents to access global awareness and perception of shrinkage from a transnational perspective. Finally, after sketching an international framework on our subject matter shrinkage, a content analysis is applied to the Regional Spatial Plans of the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon and of the Northern Region. Urban shrinkage and shrinking cities are not explicitly mentioned in these documents. This is partly understandable because it is an emergent phenomenon in Portugal, in comparison with other countries, and because the concept is recent and it has not yet come to light in Portuguese planning practice. In addition, results suggest that the doctrine of growth is still embedded in Portuguese planning culture. In sum, despite clear evidence of population decrease in Portugal, spatial planning policy and regional spatial plans have either disavowal or reactive character pertaining population decrease and shrinkage.

The new demographic, social, economic and cultural conditions that appeared in Poland after 1990 have crucially influenced the transformation of its cities in both quantitative and qualitative terms. One of the manifestations of those changes is an increasingly visible process of shrinkage of many of them. The overcoming of its detrimental effects will be one of the most important challenges for planning and urban policy in Poland in the 21st century. This article seeks to identify new urban policy challenges that Polish cities have to meet in the face of advancing urban shrinkage. It starts with the presentation of theoretical issues concerning urban policy and urban shrinkage. Discussed next are the formation of urban policy in Poland and major aspects of the transformation and shrinkage of Polish cities after 1990. Special emphasis is put on the need to work out a new, integrated urban policy that would allow them to adapt to the negative demographic trends observed.

Assuming that providing memorable experiences is the raison d’être of tourism industry, the city envisaged as a tourist destination should assume the tourist’s perspective when designing the settings and the most significant activities of a visit. Cities are facing new challenges, noticeably the globalisation of economies, the growing importance of the visual and the symbolic that define the current trends of consumption and the attractiveness of a place. Culture and events play a strategic role when designing innovative and appealing tourism experiences. The European Capital of Culture (ECoC) is an international event which represents a unique opportunity for the cities to stand out in this globalised and competitive scenario. This paper focuses on the study of Pécs, European Capital of Culture 2010, and it aims to study the influence of this event on the design of city tourism routes. A survey by questionnaire was administered to tourists before and during ECoC in Pécs. Respondents indicated in open-ended questions the most outstanding points in their visit to the city, on which were designed the relevant circuits and routes during that tourist experience in Pécs. Data analysis was performed using the statistical software STAS.

Ecuador is immersed, since the adoption of the 2008 Constitution, in a process of economic, social and political changes, following the steps on their path to a more equal, post-extractive and democratic society. The main tool for this purpose, the National Strategy for the «Buen Vivir» (Good living) and the Change in the Production Model emphasizes new ways for producing, consumption and self-organization. Although Ecuadorian Constitution comprises these ideas and the Ecuadorian Government has promoted different programs and strategies, there is a limited analysis about the local manifestations of these policies. In this way, this paper proposes a study of the local strategies developed in a medium-size city in the south of Ecuador through the analysis of the local networks and the initiatives of local actors for developing strategies oriented to this end. Interviews and statistical data (demographic, economic and social data mainly) are used to confirm the level of accomplishment of these objectives. Thus, the existing local networks and the path of the city of Santa Rosa may explain the different level of recent socioeconomic changes taken place at local level instead of Central government policies.

Conflict is an inevitable reality both in personal and in organizational life. For being inevitable, the conflict must be managed Defined as a process that occurs when one party feels adversely affected by another (e.g., De Dreu, 1997 the conflict management styles can be analysed as a function of personality variables. In this respect the cultural intelligence, self-monitoring and self-interdependent seem to be relevant variables, since characterised by flexibility and interest in other aspects present in conflict management styles. In this study, we propose that cultural intelligence, associated with the self-interdependent and self-monitoring, can have a positive impact on the choice of most effective interpersonal conflict resolution styles. Being cultural intelligence an attribute of extreme importance, we still sought to determine how the quantity and quality of intercultural contact and self-interdependent present themselves as predictors of it. With a sample of 399 individuals, the proposed model suggests that high levels of cultural intelligence mediated by a high self-monitoring and selfinterdependent positively affect and predict the conflict resolution styles adopted. Given the need to develop abilities aimed at increasing the skills of conflict resolution, this study adds to the existing literature new predictors, contributing to the welfare and performance of human resources, and consequently to success and organizational effectiveness.

This paper presents an analytical approach to the reality of Spanish-Moroccan families in Spain, constructed from two areas of data collection. The first was collected from available intermarriage data (in which at least one of the two members of the couple was Moroccan) and the second from the available data about children of these unions. The analyses were performed using official data collected in the Statistical Bulletin of Birth from the National Institute of Statistics (NIS henceforth). Since 2008, the Moroccan community has constituted the second largest contingent of foreign residents in Spain (after Romanians), although its historical trajectory places them as the immigration group with higher sociodemographic relevance. The Moroccan migration is the result of young people who marry at young ages with a strong trend toward marrying homogamously within their own national group who journey to Spain and reside primarily in larger regions such as Madrid, Valencia, Andalusia and Catalonia. The results of this study indicate that couples who are both Moroccan parents show some different marriage patterns when compared to couples where only one parent is of this nationality

Based on the management of diversity’s implications on the provision of public services, this work reflects on the perception that groups with ethnic differentiation have over housing policies in Andalusia. Specifically, we present the results obtained through a questionnaire elaborated ad hoc from a project based on modeling socio-spatial social intervention in social housing in Andalusia. The most significant differences found in relation to the Andalusians who benefit from these politics are exposed, with differentiation of the Gypsy collective as well as the Group of Moroccan immigrants who have access to this type of housing. Despite the differences, the needs for action in the field of social housing are equal for everyone in the neighborhood, despite ethnic diversity, although their perceptions, valuations and satisfaction can influence actions that are developed and must be considered. Finally, we believe that the politics of public housing in Andalusia expires with the social function of the housing. The problems reside in improving the management of this public park to achieve a major implication of the tenants in the maintenance of the communities and to promote new public housings that they could answer to the situations supervened in this context of crisis.

The business expansion to other geographical areas with different cultures from which organizations were created and developed leads to the expatriation of employees to these destinations. Recruitment and selection procedures of expatriates do not always have the intended success leading to an early return of these professionals with the consequent organizational disorders. In this study, several articles published in the last five years were analyzed in order to identify the most frequently mentioned dimensions in the selection of expatriates in terms of success and failure. The characteristics in the selection process that may increase prediction of adaptation of expatriates to new cultural contexts of the some organization were studied according to the KSAOs model. Few references were found concerning Knowledge, Skills and Abilities dimensions in the analyzed papers. There was a strong predominance on the evaluation of Other Characteristics, and was given more importance to dispositional factors than situational factors for promoting the integration of the expatriates.

This study seeks to analyze a) if the frequency with which group choose to use a certain strategy is associated with the type of conflict represented in a given situation and b) if, for different types of conflict, different conflict handling patterns (the frequency of their use) could be considered significant predictors of group effectiveness, measured through group performance and satisfaction. We developed a correlational empirical study with a sample composed of 73 work groups, taken from 14 organizations in the industrial and service sectors. The results showed that groups in task conflict situations choose integrative strategies more often than when in relational conflict situations. Moreover, avoiding strategies were more likely to be used in relational conflict situations than in task conflict situations. On the other hand, our results showed that the frequency with which a group uses an integrative strategy can be considered a significant (positive) predictor of group satisfaction for both types of conflict situations (task and relationship). Our results are discussed and compared with our previous literature review, as well as the implications and limitations of the study, along with some thoughts on further investigation.