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- Student’s satisfaction in a higher education contextPublication . Nogueira, Sónia P.; Fernandes, JoanaThe purpose of this study is to evaluate to what extent higher education students are satisfied with the quality of service. A quantitative investigation was conducted in a Portuguese higher education institution using a Likert-scale questionnaire in order to measure students’ opinions, regarding the satisfaction to the quality of service provided. The study concluded that, overall, students were satisfied with the higher education institution. Regarding the implications of the present research, it is pointed out that the studied higher education institution may take into consideration the results of this article and use them to understand its strengths and weaknesses. Future investigations can be conducted to understand if other factors have a greater impact on customer satisfaction than the quality of service. The impact of this study will increase the public perception of the educational institution. A study similar to the one presented here is useful for any organization in the world in order to access the level of satisfaction from time to time.
- Are enterprises from lagging regions digitally connected?Publication . Fernandes, Joana; Pires, Luís; Nogueira, Sónia P.This study focuses on how enterprises located on lagging regions are using online resources and how can they enhance their usage. Most companies have transitioned to the “online world”, however, in rural and more deprived regions, it is perceived that companies still have difficulties accessing some online resources or accessing qualified workers in ICT areas. As such, this paper focus on 29 enterprises from the northeast of Portugal, a recognized lagging region. In the context of an international project, CRECEER creation of business cooperation networks in rural cross-border regions between companies in the gourmet agri-food and tourism sectors, the use of ICT was analysed, what online tools were used and what could be done to improve their ICT use in their business.As a result, it was found that the majority of the companies only had a minimal investment in business online tools, they are not aware of the majority of cloud computing software, and they do not use it in their business. Even though the studied companies were willing to evolve digitally, they recognized the severe restrictions they had, namely the requirement of specific currently unavailable knowledge, the necessity of qualified workers that they couldn’t afford, and even the hardware necessity they couldn’t supress.It is clear that for these companies had it not been the CRECEER project, even the smallest changes and improvements, would not be achieved in a short period. It is rather crucial to have European funds dedicated to enhance the ICT competencies of these businesses.
- The role of higher education institutions as promoters of regional competitiveness: a case studyPublication . Fernandes, Joana; Pires, Luís; Nogueira, Sónia P.This paper describes a specific situation where the involvement of a Higher Education Institution (HEI), the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB) acted as a booster for region-al competitiveness. The HEI implemented a project named “creation of business coopera-tion networks in rural cross-border regions between companies in the gourmet agri-food and tourism sectors”, with the Portuguese acronym CRECEER, The main objective of this project was to develop and implement measures to increase the companies’ competitive-ness, by enhancing certain areas, such as quality, design, Information and Communication Technologies (ITC), and marketing, along with the creation of a common framework that jointly commercialized products and services, specifically from rural accommodation enterprises and companies producing endogenous products with gourmet potential. It is our intention to describe the activities developed by the HEI involved in the implementa-tion of the project, and to show the crucial part the education institution took in the crea-tion and enhancement of online marketing strategies, in two regions, Douro and Alto Trás-os-Montes (Portugal), that include a total of 28 municipalities.
- Cooperation as a key factor to increase local companies’ competitiveness: a descriptive analysisPublication . Fernandes, Joana; Nogueira, Sónia P.This study intends to present a characterization of the entrepreneurial group of a rural area of Portugal and focuses on the difficulties they face and expectations they have in current economy. We focus on one district that reunites nine municipalities. We aimed at understanding how in this small, isolated and deprived region a company can succeed competing in global markets. Such possibility as our object of analysis concerns companies of rural housing and production of endogenous products that have gourmet potential. Thus a study was conducted in the local enterprises. A qualitative approach followed and by means of in-depth interviews it was possible to understand the companies, their main difficulties, their current commercialization paths and the possibility of having both an online presence and a reality where they work together. It was possible to understand that the majority of the enterprises feel that it is very hard to work in the regions, that they face difficulties to increase their commercialization geographic and they all feel that a partnership, a cooperation between companies could help them reach further the public. The possibility was to create a common platform to commercialize both areas.
- The role of european funding in the development of rural tourismPublication . Nogueira, Sónia P.; Fernandes, Joana; Pires, LuísThe development of rural regions and the promotion of tourism within these areas are crucial for fostering economic growth, preserving cultural heritage, and ensuring social inclusivity. Governments, particularly in Europe, play a vital supporting role through funding and strategic initiatives. This paper highlights the importance of European funding in driving the development of rural regions and enhancing their tourism potential, through the project “Creation of business coop- eration networks in rural cross-border regions between companies in the gourmet agri-food and tourism sectors”, with the Portuguese acronym CRECEER. Within this project, it was possible to involve 20 enterprises, specifically rural accommoda- tion enterprises (RAE) and manufacturing endogenous products’ enterprises, from cross-border regions of northern Portugal. It was understandable that the develop- ment of rural regions and the promotion of tourism within these areas are essential for sustainable economic growth, cultural preservation, and social inclusivity. It was also found that European funding is pivotal in providing the necessary resources and support to overcome infrastructure and marketing challenges, foster regional devel- opment, and empower local communities. By investing in rural regions, governments and the European Union play a crucial role in harnessing the immense potential of these areas, thereby ensuring a more balanced and prosperous society.
- Are rural accommodation enterprises efficiently present online?Publication . Fernandes, Joana; Nogueira, Sónia P.; Pires, LuísThis study regards rural accommodation enterprises (RAE) and how much of their business is made online and what can be done to improve it. This work focus on 10 enterprises from the northeast of Portugal, since it is a more deprived and isolated region and far from the touristic centres. As such, these companies need to attract the visitors through their online presence. We analysed their use of ICT, if they had a digital marketing strategy and what could be done to improve their presence and their results through online marketing tools. It was possible to understand that the majority of the companies only have a minimal investment in online presence through the Booking platform and with their website. They do not work efficiently the social networks and they do not use, or know, most of the marketing online tools. As a result, even though the studied companies are willing to evolve digitally and to enhance their presence in a more efficient way, this is limited to the investment that is required since they all feel they cannot invest at the time. It is clear that for these companies and specially in these regions it is vital to bring European funds to help them evolve to the digital market in a knowledgeable and efficient way.
- The importance of touristic collaborative networks for peripheral regions: the CRECEER projectPublication . Fernandes, Joana; Pires, Luís; Nogueira, Sónia P.This chapter describes a specific project that was coordinated and implemented by a Higher Education Institution (HEI), the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB) to increase regional competitiveness. The project named “Creation of business cooperation networks in rural cross-border regions between companies in the gourmet agri-food and tourism sectors”, with the Portuguese acronym CRECEER, was implemented in two regions, Douro and Terras de Trás-os-Montes. In order to increase the competitiveness of companies located in peripheral regions, the project focused in enhancing the quality of their supply, their visibility, the development of a common framework for online business, and the creation of a collaborative network that jointly commercialized gourmet products and touristic services. The implementation of the project, the activities developed, and the results obtained through the creation of a regional collaborative network with different participants, will be described.