Gabriela Cardozo Ferreira

Willingness to try innovative food products: a comparison between British and Brazilian consumers

In this study we investigate the consumers willingness to try innovative food products in the context of the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre in Brazil and Cirencester in England, UK. Innovation in the food industry is an important source of differentiation and a value-adding opportunity for managers to develop new products. Therefore, the adoption or rejection of innovative food products becomes strategic from a market point-of-view. Using the Domain Specific Innovativeness [DSI] scale and the Food Neophobia Scale [FNS], two surveys were carried out in Brazilian and British universities with 279 and 101 respondents, respectively. Consumers were not the most inclined to adopt innovations, but they were not afraid of new foods either, especially in the UK. Managers in the food industry could be missing out on opportunities to innovate more. The results provide strategic and unique information about consumers for the food industry, aiming at supporting the development of innovative food products.

Capsaicin modulates proliferation, migration, and activation of hepatic stellate cells.

Capsaicin, the active component of chili pepper, has been reported to have antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects on a variety of cell lines. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the effects of capsaicin during HSC activation and maintenance. Activated and freshly isolated HSCs were treated with capsaicin. Proliferation was measured by incorporation of EdU. Cell cycle arrest and apoptosis were investigated using flow cytometry. The migratory response to chemotactic stimuli was evaluated by a modified Boyden chamber assay. Activation markers and inflammatory cytokines were determined by qPCR, immunocytochemistry, and flow cytometry. Our results show that capsaicin reduces HSC proliferation, migration, and expression of profibrogenic markers of activated and primary mouse HSCs. In conclusion, the present study shows that capsaicin modulates proliferation, migration, and activation of HSC in vitro.

Intervenientes na Transferência de Tecnologia Universidade- Empresa: o Caso PUCRS

Few studies have addressed the university-industry technology transfer (UITT) process in developing countries (Povoa & Rapini, 2010); especially, in Brazilian private universities (Closs & Ferreira, 2010). This paper seeks to identify and analyze elements in processes involving academic patents through a case study investigating researchers and the TTO manager of PUCRS. Many results were similar to those identified by other national and international studies. Among the drivers that stand out are scientific challenges and competition to produce patents. An innovative environment was favored by institutional policies. Access to information structures, laboratories, skilled staff and multidisciplinary research groups favored invention. The existence of the technology park in the university also facilitated the dissemination of tacit knowledge between universities and companies. Reconciling research, teaching, and patenting with each other is an issue that requires special attention, because researchers were essential to successful commercialization of academic technology. We suggest the creation of policies which allow researchers more time for UITT and developing their interpersonal and commercial skills.

A transferência de tecnologia universidade-empresa no contexto brasileiro: uma revisão de estudos científicos publicados entre os anos 2005 e 2009

O tema da gestao da inovacao e transferencia de tecnologia (TT) no contexto de interacao universidade-empresa e relativamente novo no Brasil e emergente em âmbito internacional (REISMAN, 2005), assim, seus dados e teorias ainda se apresentam de modo fragmentado. Considerando essa fragilidade, este estudo objetivou identificar e analisar pesquisas recentes publicadas no Brasil sobre o tema, buscando contribuir para a consolidacao desse corpo teorico. O trabalho, de cunho exploratorio, revisou as pesquisas publicadas em periodicos nacionais entre 2005 e 2009, sob uma abordagem qualitativa. Os objetivos, metodos e principais resultados desses estudos foram sintetizados e discutidos. A analise coletiva desses trabalhos sugere que a cooperacao universidade-empresa (U-E) gera inovacoes, aprendizados e beneficios mutuos. Esta aponta ainda existir muito espaco para ampliar a transferencia de tecnologia U-E. O estudo identificou os metodos usados nas pesquisas; motivadores, facilitadores e obstaculos ao processo; elementos das estruturas universitarias, bem como politicas das IES e do governo intervenientes no processo; caracteristicas de empresas geradas a partir de spillovers academicos; o papel social exercido pelas IES; diferentes formas de TT na interacao U-E; lacunas de pesquisas e sugestoes para a realizacao de estudos futuros.

What Motivates Brazilian Academic Researchers to Transfer Technology

This study investigated what motivates Brazilian academic researchers to get involved in University-Industry Technology Transfer (UITT) and deterrents to contributing to this process. The research relied on interviews with experienced academic scientists and managers from four universities in Brazil. Determination, persistence and entrepreneurship, related to motivational types Self-direction and Stimulation, were prominent. Hedonism, Achievement and Power - highlighting a shift in their professional identity - were also observed. Universalism type involved opening career opportunities, awakening and maintaining the interest of students. The major motivational goals were: generate resources, solve problems, professional challenge, personal gains, personal gratification, academic prestige, competition, and solving problems of society. Factors that discouraged researchers were: time required for UITT, lack of incentive, innovation environment, and fear of contravening university rules, among others. Knowledge of motivational profiles of academic scientists favors the development of incentive policies and programs for UITT, helping to attract and retain qualified researchers at Brazilian universities.

Gestão da interação Universidade-Empresa: o caso PUCRS

A sociedade passou a exigir das universidades, alem da formacao de recursos humanos, atuacao mais efetiva no processo de desenvolvimento economico e social, reforcando a importância da contribuicao da academia para o sistema de inovacao. O presente artigo descreve uma pesquisa qualitativa realizada atraves de um estudo de caso unico em uma universidade privada. Os resultados indicam que essa universidade esta se adequando a nova realidade e vem realizando acoes para internalizar conceitos como Inovacao, Empreendedorismo e Universidade Empreendedora na comunidade academica.

Organizational Factors that Affect the University-Industry Technology Transfer Processes of a Private University

This case study researched organizational factors that affect the university-industry technology transfer (UITT) processes of a private university, chosen by its success and uniqueness in the Brazilian context. Stood out as factors: innovation among pillars of management; valuing of research and intellectual property; qualified students, teachers and managers; multidisciplinary research groups; stability of governing body; performance of the TTO, Technology Management Agency and Technology Park. Difficulties highlighted were: reconciliation of time between activities of professors-researchers, bureaucracy and centralization of administrative and legal support; valuation of research results; approach and negotiation with companies. Among suggestions are: granting greater independence to the structures in charge of UITT and making them self-sustainable; training agents in technology marketing, sale, and negotiation skills.

A relação entre sucesso de novos produtos, orientação para o mercado e performance empresarial

Apesar da consolidacao teorica do tema orientacao para mercado e sua influencia no desempenho organizacional, uma serie de estudos vem demonstrando que ha limites na sua capacidade para impactar diretamente algumas facetas da performance organizacional, sugerindo a existencia de variaveis mediadoras nesta relacao, entre elas a inovacao. Nesta linha, este artigo objetivou avaliar a relacao da orientacao para mercado com a performance empresarial, sob a mediacao do nivel de sucesso de novos produtos. Para tanto, um modelo teorico desenvolvido foi testado pela aplicacao da tecnica de modelagem de equacoes estruturais, em um estudo que envolveu empresas de diversos setores economicos do Brasil. Os resultados apontam para um impacto indireto da orientacao para mercado sobre a participacao de mercado, mediada pelo sucesso de novos produtos. Tambem foi registrado o impacto indireto do sucesso de novos produtos sobre a lucratividade, tendo como variavel mediadora a participacao de mercado.

Gerenciamento de cadeias de suprimento: novas formas de organização na cadeia da carne bovina do Rio Grande do Sul

In the field of agri-industrial chain, the increase in the demand of food items points out an increase in the demand for not only a differentiation of products but also for food safety. In this respect, the coordination of those chains is crucial not only for the development of new markets but also for the maintainance of the existing ones. The present work analyzes the beef chain in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, where the agents, moved by the necessity for alternatives to the present predominant relationship which is of permanent conflict between each participant of the chain. This way, new forms of organization are being implemented, based on the concept of supply chain management, involving producers, agribusiness, distribution and commercialization. The results of this research points out to an effective change in the relationship between each agent of the chain, and three types of initiatives were identified: those conducted by the producers, those coordinated by the slaughterhouses, and those organized by the supermarket chains. Although the present characteristics can be observed in the three types, the objective that has mobilized the agents to form an organization like a supply chain is the search for improved competitiveness of the participants of the chain. Such competitiveness is understood by the participants as the striking advances in the quality control of the raw material, in the standardization of the product flow, norms and practices existing along the chain.

GERAÇÃO DE PATENTES EM UNIVERSIDADES: UM ESTUDO EXPLORATÓRIO

Este estudo procura analisar a geracao de patentes em universidades. Especificamente, pretende-se caracterizar as etapas da geracao de patentes e os aspectos que condicionam o processo, alem da interacao existente com as empresas, considerando-se a relevância do tema no processo de desenvolvimento tecnologico dentro das Universidades e a importância desse desenvolvimento para a competitividade do Pais. Para tanto foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa de natureza exploratoria, por meio de entrevistas em profundidade com pesquisadores de tres grupos de pesquisa da Faculdade de Farmacia da UFRGS. Os resultados obtidos demonstram que a geracao de patentes, embora ocorra, ainda pode ser considerada novidade para os pesquisadores entrevistados. Pode-se constatar que os grupos de pesquisa ainda passam por um periodo de adaptacao, mas observa-se, tambem, um empenho no sentido de proteger o conhecimento gerado nos laboratorios de pesquisa. Embora exista interacao com as empresas, o processo nao parece ser realizado de forma integrada entre os agentes. Esta separacao, bem como a diferenca de visao entre universidade e empresa, parece ser o principal elemento limitante da evolucao do desenvolvimento dessas relacoes e, consequentemente, da geracao de patentes em universidades.