Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2021-10-24"
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- Médicos pela verdade, mentira e ódioPublication . Cunha, Joana Milhazes da; Oliveira, Luciana Gomes deThe COVID-19 pandemic catalysed the phenomenon of false information sharing on social networks, which became explosive as a result of the fear and uncertainty felt by citizens, resulting in its classification as an “infodemic” by the World Health Organization, i.e. a disinformation epidemic. In this paper, we present the results of an investigation developed around the phenomenon of disinformation about COVID-19 on Facebook, focusing on the page "Médicos pela Verdade - Portugal". This movement gained projection and relevance thanks to the social consternation it caused, following its persistent dissemination of false information. Thus, in order to obtain a comprehensive and in-depth view of the reality of the page, as a salient actor in the disinformation phenomenon, we proceeded to characterize the community as to its activity and as to the engagement generated by its followers; we identified what are the most debated themes on the page; what are the beliefs postulated over time; and we observed the community polarization trends, resorting to established theoretical models. In this descriptive case study we adopted a mixed research strategy, of embedded typology, using the analysis of metrics and thematic content analysis, in deductive and inductive processes, on a sample of 82 posts and 2 460 comments, selected based on their popularity, and representing a coverage of 25% of all content published in the community. The results show that this is a community with a very polarized discourse, revealing a true echo chamber, where the main topics of discussion focus on the discredit of protective measures, such as the use of masks and PCR tests. A total of 32 beliefs associated with COVID-19 were identified, most of them demonstrably false, postulated in the community, by physicians and followers. Political and cultural hate speech were also heavily present, the latter supported by the belief that the pandemic is an hoax, mainly fabricated by the media. This research offers the first systematized view on the phenomenon of misinformation around COVID-19 in this Portuguese Facebook community, which leads us to believe that the results have relevant scientific and social impacts.
- Corporate governance e desempenho das empresas de seguros em PortugalPublication . Oliveira, Mafalda Alexandra Borges; Mota, Carlos Filipe Magalhães Bastos daThe theme of Corporate Governance and business performance has been widely discussed and analyzed, but the results on this relationship are mixed. Therefore, the main issue addressed in this dissertation is whether there is a relationship between the internal mechanisms of corporate governance and the performance of companies. For this, a sample composed of the 10 largest life and non-life insurance companies, selected by the criterion of total production, in the period from 2010 to 2019. The methodology used consisted of estimating and analyzing multiple regression models of panel data with fixed effects, to verify the influence of Corporate Governance characteristics on business performance, measured by three indicators: return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE) and a combined ratio that measures operating profitability (RC). According to PLS (Panel Least Squares) regressions, the results provide some evidence of a relationship between the characteristics of the board of directors and governance mechanisms and the performance of insurers. The models indicate that board size and the separation of the roles of CEO and Chairman is positively related to performance. The findings show that a longer term of office of executive directors worsens the performance measured by ROE and RC. The longer term of office for non-executives seems to have a positive impact on asset profitability (ROA). A higher variable remuneration of executive directors relates positively to firm performance, while the weight of the shareholder in the board of directors was not related to performance. The independence of the board of directors and the auditing revealed a negative association with performance. Furthermore, the effects of the Portuguese economic and financial crisis (2010-2009) only impacted operating profitability.
- Influência de conteúdos digitais do Instagram na intenção de prática de atividade física em tempos de pandemiaPublication . Borges, Mariana Isabel Oliveira; Pinto, José Agostinho de Sousa; Albuquerque, Alexandra Marina Nunes deAlong with technological and Internet developments, marketing communication has faced a major transformation. Social networks have played a very important role in the digital marketing strategies of brands and, with them, also digital influencers. These have become a source of communication of extreme importance, gaining a position of ambassadors and influencers for product and services, as well as for healthy lifestyle and behavior. Resulting from the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, companies had to readapt to maintain their business, which boosted e-commerce, namely in gyms and other companies related to physical activities. There was an increase in the practice of physical activity during the lockdown and several influencers shared content on Instagram related to physical activity, promoting this practice, often due to its fundamental role in physical and mental health. Thus, this research work aims at identifing, based on the perceptions of followers, how the contents of digital influencers contributed to the increase of the practice of physical activity of their followers on Instagram, during the period of lockdown between March 2020 and June 2021. The research is based on the Grounded Theory, through qualitative analysis of data collected by interview, to 13 respondents. From the analysis of the results of the study, we have been able to conclude that digital content influences the practice of physical activity of its followers. This is to say that followers used the digital content shared by influencers on Instagram, following their advice, to preserve their health and well-being, in the context of the pandemic.
- A relação crescimentorentabilidade nas PME portuguesas: um estudo nos setores da indústria e do comércio e serviçosPublication . Martins, Catarina Isabel Tavares; Machado, Ricardo André Cabral de Carvalho Bahia; Lopes, Isabel Cristina da SilvaEnterprise’s growth is an important factor in the dynamics of the national economy. Considering that the Portuguese business market is mostly constituted by SMEs, the study of the growth of these enterprises and the determinants that influence it assumes great relevance. The main purpose of this investigation is to understand the nexus between growth and profitability, to analyse how profitability influences the growth of Portuguese SMEs, namely in the industry and commerce and services sectors. Thus, for this study it was collected a panel data of 6403 Portuguese SMEs from industry and commerce and services sectors, comprising 64030 observations for the period between 2010 and 2019. The definition of this time spectrum considered the importance of studying the effects of the international financial crisis, which affected the Portuguese economy in the early 2010s, on the determinants of growth. To analyse the objective of this study, several econometric models were formulated, such as the OLS model, the Fixed Effects model and the 2SLS model, until reaching the model to be used in the study, the Random Effects model. The results of the Random Effects model suggest that profitability has a positive and statistically significant influence on the Portuguese SMEs growth. A positive and significant impact was also found between SME size, leverage ratio and tangibility of assets with their growth. On the contrary, there was a negative influence between age and SME growth. The results of the OLS model made it possible to verify the negative impact of the Portuguese financial crisis on SME growth.