Browsing by Author "Lima, Vanda"
Now showing 1 - 10 of 19
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- B Corp versus ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications: Aligned, or alternative paths, towards sustainable development?Publication . Fonseca, Luís; Silva, Vitor; Sá, José Carlos; Lima, Vanda; Santos, Gilberto; Silva, RuiCorporate social responsibility (CSR) emerged to deliver sustainable economic, environmental, and social value to organization's extended stakeholders and society in general. This study investigates the similarities, differences, and relationships between B Corp, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001 certifications and is supported by a mixed research methodology and a sample of 701 B Corp companies certified between January 2020 and March 2021. The results indicate that ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certified B Corp companies have statistically higher scores for the Environment dimension but are inconclusive, or even contradictory, for the other BIA (B Impact Assessment) dimensions. Differences in size, activity sector and geographical location are discussed. It is shown that both B Corp, ISO 9001 and 14001 certified companies, guided by different missions and business models, contribute, at different levels, towards CSR and sustainable development goals.
- B Corp versus ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications: Aligned, or alternative paths, towards sustainable development?Publication . Fonseca, Luís; Silva, Vitor; Sá, José Carlos; Lima, Vanda; Santos, Gilberto; Silva, RuiCorporate social responsibility (CSR) emerged to deliver sustainable economic, environmental, and social value to organization's extended stakeholders and society in general. This study investigates the similarities, differences, and relationships between B Corp, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001 certifications and is supported by a mixed research methodology and a sample of 701 B Corp companies certified between January 2020 and March 2021. The results indicate that ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certified B Corp companies have statistically higher scores for the Environment dimension but are inconclusive, or even contradictory, for the other BIA (B Impact Assessment) dimensions. Differences in size, activity sector and geographical location are discussed. It is shown that both B Corp, ISO 9001 and 14001 certified companies, guided by different missions and business models, contribute, at different levels, towards CSR and sustainable development goals.
- B Impact Assessment as a Sustainable Tool: Analysis of the Certification ModelPublication . Silva, Vítor; Lima, Vanda; Sá, José Carlos; Fonseca, Luís; Santos, GilbertoCurrently, certification is an essential tool for a company’s sustainability and a seal of trust for the stakeholders. The B Corporation (B Corp) certification system is in line with the leading indicators of sustainable development and social responsibility published by the general assembly of the United Nations, namely: environment, community, workers, customers, and governance. Nevertheless, it is essential that academic research should empirically assess the B Corp model’s reliability for its validation and legitimization. In this study, we address the results of the B Impact Assessment of 2262 companies certified by B Corp from the beginning of 2017 to March 2021. The main objective is to analyze the B Impact Assessment, verifying the robustness and consistency of the model to measure and improve the economic, social, and environmental impact of companies. We analyzed the construct’s validity through a confirmatory factorial analysis using AMOS statistical software. The results allowed us to identify some weaknesses and limitations of the B Impact Assessment. This certification system reflects an unadjusted model where the main assessment indicators have problems with regard to the measurement scale. The governance and customer indicators are the most vulnerable. The findings also allow us to state that there are apparently no minimum values established for each of the parameters evaluated, which may cause imbalances in the sustainable development process of B Corp companies. This research contributes to enhancing B Impact Assessment as a sustainability tool, highlighting areas for improvement concerning the indicators’ measurement scales and the assessment process, including the monitoring of evaluators.
- B Impact Assessment as a Sustainable Tool: Analysis of the Certification ModelPublication . Silva, Vítor; Lima, Vanda; Sá, José Carlos; Fonseca, Luís; Santos, GilbertoCurrently, certification is an essential tool for a company’s sustainability and a seal of trust for the stakeholders. The B Corporation (B Corp) certification system is in line with the leading indicators of sustainable development and social responsibility published by the general assembly of the United Nations, namely: environment, community, workers, customers, and governance. Nevertheless, it is essential that academic research should empirically assess the B Corp model’s reliability for its validation and legitimization. In this study, we address the results of the B Impact Assessment of 2262 companies certified by B Corp from the beginning of 2017 to March 2021. The main objective is to analyze the B Impact Assessment, verifying the robustness and consistency of the model to measure and improve the economic, social, and environmental impact of companies. We analyzed the construct’s validity through a confirmatory factorial analysis using AMOS statistical software. The results allowed us to identify some weaknesses and limitations of the B Impact Assessment. This certification system reflects an unadjusted model where the main assessment indicators have problems with regard to the measurement scale. The governance and customer indicators are the most vulnerable. The findings also allow us to state that there are apparently no minimum values established for each of the parameters evaluated, which may cause imbalances in the sustainable development process of B Corp companies. This research contributes to enhancing B Impact Assessment as a sustainability tool, highlighting areas for improvement concerning the indicators’ measurement scales and the assessment process, including the monitoring of evaluators.
- Differences of absorptive capacity between firms within a clusterPublication . Eiriz, Vasco; Barbosa, Natália; Lima, VandaFirms located within a cluster have access to tacit, complex and specific local knowledge which allow them to develop competitive advantage. However, firms have no equal ability to access and to apply that knowledge, meaning that not all have a similar knowledge absorptive capacity. Using a sample of the largest Portuguese firms within a footwear cluster, this paper examine whether there are significant differences in firm’s absorptive capacity and whether such differences within a cluster are related to firms’ specific characteristics. The results suggest that absorptive capacity is significantly associated with the firms’ characteristics, namely size, export intensity and position within the cluster.
- E-Comunicando: desafios na implementação de uma conferência com emissão streamingPublication . Jesus, Ângelo; Silva, Armando; Oliveira, Lino; Peres, Paula; Castro, António de; Araújo, Maria José; Lima, Vanda; Liberal, Ana; Mesquita, Anabela; Ferreira, RuiA Internet e várias aplicações web são usadas virtualmente em todos os domínios das atividades humanas. A preparação de conferências é um dos exemplos onde a internet é amplamente utilizada para divulgação das informações sobre um evento futuro (através de e-mail e websites), Registo do participantes e submissão e armazenamento de documentos associados ao evento. No âmbito da 1ª Convenção Nacional do Ensino a Distância , o Instituto Politécnico do Porto, propôs-se organizar este evento de forma integrada – presencial e online. Resultando a experiência acumulada da Unidade de e-Learning e Inovação Pedagógica, e com o expertise de técnicos especializados, a C convenção foi realizada no dia 6 de Maio de 2019, envolvendo com cerca de meia centena de participantes online a a distância, e cerca de 30% dos oradores estiveram a distância . Com este paper pretendemos partilhar experiência e conhecimento, focando-nos nos aspetos organizacionais, comunicacionais, tecnológicos , legais e financeiros associados a um evento desta natureza.
- Emergency remote teaching: perceptions in higher educationPublication . Silva, Cândida; Carvalho, Amélia; Peres, Paula; Fernandes, Joana; Silva, Susana; Lima, VandaAs we are all aware, during 2020, all over the world, most educational institutions were forced to confine due to COVID19. Within this pandemic context, academic activities were mostly provided by distance learning solutions. Such a transition to an emergency model, from face-to-face education to distance learning raised new challenges for students, lecturers and academic staff. The present study is particularly focused on lecturers’ perceptions, namely, it aims at analysing the levels of their satisfaction with teaching and assessment during the remote period, as well as analysing possible differences in the levels of satisfaction of instructors according to their career position, their tenure and the knowledge domain they teach. As for methodology, the research was based on a quantitative and qualitative approach. For the data collection, we gathered information from a questionnaire and from semi-structure interviews. The data were collected through an online questionnaire delivered during the period of June and July 2020, and a semi-structured interview conducted during September 2020. We obtained 547 answers to the questionnaire and 24 to the interviews. Results show that instructors with the highest career positions demonstrate the lowest levels of satisfaction with the way the lessons and the assessment were conducted during the remote teaching period. Although such a difference is not statistically significant, during the interviews, lecturers with lowest career positions also revealed more satisfaction with the teaching during pandemic and lecturers from highest professional categories mentioned lower satisfaction levels. Regarding satisfaction according to labour contract, part-time lecturers reported higher satisfaction levels with assessment and teaching experience than full-time lecturers. The results also revealed a statistically significant difference between part-time and full-time positions. Emergency remote teaching had a greater impact on full-time teachers. In the same fashion, qualitative interviews reinforce these data showing that full-time lecturers had more teaching and administrative workload and huge challenges when compared with the part-time lecturers. As for satisfaction, according to the knowledge domain, it was observed that lecturers in the domains of Technology and Management, Health, Accounting and Business, and Hospitality and Tourism were the most satisfied with Emergency Remote Teaching. The qualitative data demonstrate that major difficulties concerned a timely adaptation to acquire the technological skills required in remote teaching and an increase of the workload concerning class preparation. Nonetheless, the biggest challenges encountered were the lack of student’s interaction during the classes and the difficulty to redesign a fair and correct assessment for every subject, within a remote environment. To sum up, within the context of the first lockdown, we can conclude that the more experienced lecturers were the least satisfied with the teaching and the assessment. Furthermore, in more theoretical knowledge domains, the satisfaction level with the teaching and assessment experience was also more significant. These results reinforce the need to stabilise the teaching staff in the Higher Education Institutions and to develop new strategies and models for higher education.
- Higher education students’ perceptions of emergency remote teaching: degree levels and knowledge domainsPublication . Lima, Vanda; Silva, Susana; Silva, Cândida; Fernandes, Joana; Peres, PaulaThe COVID-19 pandemic generated a strong impact on Higher Education. In Portugal, the closure of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), in March 2020, led to a transformation of Traditional Education into Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT). This paper analyzes students’ perceptions concerning such a change in teaching and assessment methodologies and practices, considering the different degrees of education and the different knowledge domains. The research was developed at the Polytechnic Institute of Porto. The data were collected through an online questionnaire, during the period of June and July 2020. The sample obtained was of 1182 students. Results show relevant differences in the students’ satisfaction levels, considering the degree level and the knowledge domain. The most satisfied with the functioning of the classes and the assessment during ERT period were master's degree students and students from the areas of education, accounting and business, and hospitality and tourism, in contrast with the undergraduate students and students from the areas of media arts and design, engineering and technology, and management who showed lower levels of satisfaction. This research highlights the need for the development of policies and practices that promote the creation of smart learning environments for a better articulation between face-to-face and online teaching.
- Instrumentos para transformar a experiência de aprendizagem: contexto do ensino superiorPublication . Jesus, Ângelo; Silva, Armando; Silva, Cândida; Martins, Constantino; Oliveira, Lino; Faria, Luiz; Peres, Paula; Oliveira, Paulo; Lima, VandaO presente livro aborda um conjunto de instrumentos pedagógicos que podem ser usados para potenciar as experiências de aprendizagem em contexto de ensino a distância. O livro destina-se quer a docentes, quer a estudantes. Os docentes podem encontrar no livro informação sobre técnicas e ferramentas que permitam melhorar as experiências de aprendizagem. Os estudantes, como destinatários do processo de aprendizagem, poderão também usufruir do conteúdo do livro, permitindo que estes tenham acesso às técnicas e ferramentas a que terão acesso durante o seu processo de aprendizagem.
- Interacting with "zoomies": difficulties and challenges trough the eyes of lecturersPublication . Carvalho, Amélia; Lima, Vanda; Silva, Susana; Silva, Cândida; Fernandes, Joana; Peres, PaulaThe COVID-19 pandemic period has had a massive impact on educational environments, and Higher Education has not been an exception. During the lockdown period, academic activities were mainly provided in a remote teaching environment. This transition has raised new challenges for students and lecturers. The present study is particularly focused on lecturers’ perceptions. Namely, it aims to understand their perception of the teaching and assessment process during the first lockdown due to COVID-19, in a Portuguese Higher Education Institution. More specifically, we aim to explore the main difficulties and challenges associated with remote teaching environments. This research was based on a qualitative approach. For the data collection, we gathered information from semi-structured interviews. The data were collected through a semi-structured interview conducted in September 2020. We obtained 24 interviews from teachers at Porto Polytechnic University, the country’s largest Portuguese Polytechnic Higher Education Institution. Data were analysed according to content analysis procedures using specific software for data conduct and content analysis. Our results showed that full-time lecturers had more teaching and administrative workload and enormous challenges when compared with part-time lecturers. Most of the teachers were satisfied with Emergency Remote Teaching. The main difficulties referred by the teachers were the time adaptation to acquire the technological skills required in remote teaching and an increased workload concerning class preparation. Nonetheless, the most significant challenges encountered were the lack of student interaction during the classes and the difficulty in redesigning a fair and correct assessment for every subject within a remote environment. Therefore, the more experienced lecturers were the least satisfied with the teaching and the assessment during the first lockdown. Furthermore, technological issues and problems related to teacher-student interaction were perceived as challenging. These results reinforce the need to stabilise the teaching staff in Higher Education Institutions and to develop new strategies and models for Higher Education.