Marcia Rohr da Cruz

Forecast models and the nature of the decision process: The case of a Brazilian electricity distribution company

Needs for adequate long-term planning in the execution of energy generation to meet growing demand leads to intense regulation on energy distributors. A research was realized by a Brazilian distribution company to identify the consumption prediction methods, the nature of the decision process and their specific interaction scheme. Were initially identified the models already used by other distribution companies. After, were studied the accuracy of the models and the models were adjusted based on the industrial consumption, with the use of Box-Jenkins methodology. Finally, were established criteria which have an impact on the decision process, using Herbert Simons theory; demonstrating the limited value of any existing tool, and the importance of using more than one, integrating quantitative to qualitative analysis.

Planning and production indicators facing seasonal agricultura machinery market

This article aims to compare the profile of the domestic market demand for agricultural machinery, and production indicators and planning of the mechanical industry. The data on sales, this market over the past eleven years, which showed the seasonal pattern characterized by a decline in demand from November and a recovery that begins in late February. The search about quantitative indicators of planning and operational efficiency, productivity of the 2009-2010 were related to market behavior. It can be concluded that manufacturing is efficient, since the actual production has correlation with production planned and that during the retraction of market resources are underutilized reflecting the low productivity that underscores the lack of company strategy for the period of falling demand.

Innovation as a strategy for the apple productive chain in Brazil

The challenges of companies nowadays pass through the necessity to meet the diversity of events of everyday life. In this context, this study aims to propose alternatives to the apple productive chain in Brazil, focused in the innovation management. The aims is propose some actions to maintain the competitiveness of this segment, so the proposals are focused on strategies to make the chain innovative, especially in the commercialization process and also strategies directed to the consumer market. As result, the actions raised in the study can contribute to a direction that will bring more competition to the productive chain of Brazilian apples, both domestically and externally, as well as offer its members a greater profitability and return on investment.

Tecnologia da Informação: Estratégia para os Negócios do Sistema Unimed do Rio Grande do Sul

No contexto atual em que vivemos a Tecnologia de Informacao (TI) esta cada vez mais inserida no ambiente empresarial ja que esta sendo considerado um componente fundamental para a gestao das empresas. Se por um lado essa tecnologia aplicada com sucesso rende muitos beneficios para as empresas por outro traz grandes desafios para a administracao deste recurso, dos quais as empresas passam a ter elevada dependencia. Nesse mesmo periodo, as Unimeds passaram a atuar num cenario complexo, em virtude da lei dos planos de saude, que resultou em maior competitividade, melhoria da qualidade dos produtos e servicos oferecidos aos clientes. Dentro deste contexto o presente artigo teve como objetivo investigar os investimentos estrategicos feitos em Tecnologia da Informacao, avaliando os impactos gerados na gestao de negocios do Sistema Unimed do Rio Grande do Sul. Para a realizacao da coleta de dados foi realizada uma pesquisa de carater descritiva atraves de um questionario, onde foram enviados 58 questionarios as singulares. A pesquisa permitiu analisar que as Unimeds na sua grande maioria estao fazendo investimentos modestos, ou seja, ate 1% do faturamento anual, visando atender as determinacoes legais primeiramente e apos utilizando a TI como uma ferramenta para se obter vantagem competitiva. Observou-se tambem que seus CEOs foram classificados como de segundo nivel (1 – causal ou ad hoc) conforme o Modelo de Maturidade de Capacidade (CMM –Capability Maturity Model) definido por Humphrey (1989), ou seja, quando os executivos percebem que existe a necessidade de envolvimento, mas nao existe nenhum processo ou comportamento estabelecido para isto.