This study describes the effects of an intergenerational program on self-esteem, loneliness, depression and happiness of a sample of six institutionalized children and six institutionalized older adults. A mixed-method with a pre-post approach was used. Such impact occurred in purpose, well-being and positive emotions, intergenerational sharing, and community involvement. The difficulties found were mobility constraints, low emotional expression and alphabetization (in elders), difficulty in establishing affective bonds (in children) and, also, length and periodicity. These results are discussed, and the implications of the psychosocial impact of such programs on all agents implicated in the intergenerational relationships are highlighted.

The individualistic culture that has permeated the so-called developed societies is a solvent culture of the individual as a medium for rational and political autonomy. However, intellectual emancipation is the first requirement for citizenship in democratic societies, manifested in the power and action of individuals to reconfigure the community. Intellectual emancipation emerges, then, in the interstitial space-time left vacant by the formatting of institutions where imagination, in its free play with thought, creates new possibilities for the configuration of the common, beyond those that exist.

O Desenvolvimento Profissional (DP) tem vindo a ser revelado como um elemento crítico na formação e desempenho profissional do Psicólogo. Tendo por base os fundamentos teóricos acerca do DP e da construção da identidade profissional, e com carácter exploratório, construiu-se, implementou-se e avaliou-se a eficácia de um programa de intervenção. O principal objectivo desta é, num contexto seguro à exploração, promover o DP de estudantes de Psicologia, em duas componentes (intrapessoal e interpessoal/social). Constituíram-se dois grupos (um de 10 e outro de cinco participantes), avaliados formalmente no início e no fim do programa, através de uma medida construída para o efeito – Questionário de Desenvolvimento de Estudantes de Psicologia. Os resultados apoiam a eficácia da intervenção e indicam mudanças ao nível do autoconhecimento, da representação de DP, do conhecimento do papel de Psicólogo, dos recursos para a transição entre papéis e contextos, da coerência e riqueza narrativa e das competências relacionais básicas. Não obstante as reformulações necessárias identificadas na avaliação informal, o programa promove o DP e a construção da identidade profissional dos estudantes de Psicologia, tendo os participantes demonstrado a sua satisfação com a mesma.

The interdependence between varying participants in exporting networks that has resulted from processes of globalization magnifies the inadequacies of using single-item measures and internally oriented perspectives to assess export performance. In order to overcome these concerns, we developed a network export performance (NEP) scale using as a basis network theory, a diversity of network-oriented indicators and different types of respondents. The final multi-dimensional NEP Scale includes 25 items grouped into five dimensions: (a) overall export venture performance, (b) relationship performance with the importer versus competitors, (c) relationship performance with the supplier, (d) product quality performance of the supplier, and (e) importer's satisfaction with the quality of the supplied product. Findings reveal that the flow of communication and interaction within exporting networks is positively and significantly associated with all of the five dimensions of the NEP Scale. Discussion centers on implications of this scale to network theory, international business, and to the managerial development of exporting strategies. The article closes with directions for future research.

The authors employ a resource-based view perspective to understand how a set of capabilities (organizational learning, relationship, and quality capabilities) influences product strategy (product quality and product innovation) and export performance (relationship performance and economic performance). Using two types of respondents from the same firm, they find strong support for the capability–strategy–performance link. The results indicate that managers should invest in relationship management capabilities to improve product innovation and product quality, which in turn leads to export performance enhancement. Furthermore, the findings reveal that though product quality is a critical aspect in international markets, both product innovation and relationship performance play a greater role in enhancing economic performance. The authors conclude with implications for international marketing theory and practice.

Quality systems and quality management are key elements for organizations wanting to maintain or develop their competitive edge. The training that underpins quality management determines the likely effectiveness of the quality initiatives undertaken. With the introduction of the new ISO 9000:2000 the issues of training needs analysis and training evaluation both form part of the standard. This article presents findings drawn from a questionnaire survey about quality management tools adopted and the training provided, focusing on the training needs assessment and training evaluation. A total of 450 responses is analysed. Findings from the UK, Portugal and Finland are compared to identify similarities or differences in national practice and identify any areas where one country can learn from the practices of another. Training needs assessment is dominated by senior management decision and supervisors' opinions. The skills inventory is the most widely applied formal technique. Finnish organizations tend to pay more attention to customers and work groups when defining training needs. In general, objective and formal methods should be adopted more widely (e.g. training audits). As with much training evaluation, informal feedback and participant satisfaction measures are the most frequently adopted. Formal, structured methods such as cost-benefit analysis are adopted by less than one in five organizations. Linking to quality-related organizational objectives is reasonably frequently done (about 40%), but this is mostly subjective. A greater objectivity is also needed in training assessment.

The patterns of adoption of quality management practices and techniques vary across national boundaries. This article presents the findings of a questionnaire survey into the quality management procedures and tools adopted in three European countries, the UK, Portugal and Finland. A total of 450 responses are analysed. The main differences between the three countries are outlined with regard to factors motivating the implementation of quality systems, quality tools and techniques used, outcomes from quality management and problems encountered in providing quality training. The results are then analysed under the perspective of the probable impact of national culture. The models of national culture developed by Hofstede, Trompenaars and Earley and Erez were used for this purpose. The main conclusion is that these models can help to explain, to a great extent, much of the variation observed and constitute a basis for understanding why particular quality management approaches are adopted.