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Editorial de la revista Estoa N° 16

Good Jobs, Bad Jobs provides an insightful analysis of how and why precarious employment is gaining ground in the labor market and the role these developments have played in the decline of the middle class. Kalleberg shows that by the 1970s, government deregulation, global competition, and the rise of the service sector gained traction, while institutional protections for workers—such as unions and minimum-wage legislation—weakened. Together, these forces marked the end of postwar security for American workers. The composition of the labor force also changed significantly; the number of dual-earner families increased, as did the share of the workforce comprised of women, non-white, and immigrant workers. Of these groups, blacks, Latinos, and immigrants remain concentrated in the most precarious and low-quality jobs, with educational attainment being the leading indicator of who will earn the highest wages and experience the most job security and highest levels of autonomy and control over their jobs and schedules. Kalleberg demonstrates, however, that building a better safety net—increasing government responsibility for worker health care and retirement, as well as strengthening unions—can go a long way toward redressing the effects of today’s volatile labor market. There is every reason to expect that the growth of precarious jobs—which already make up a significant share of the American job market—will continue. Good Jobs, Bad Jobs deftly shows that the decline in U.S. job quality is not the result of fluctuations in the business cycle, but rather the result of economic restructuring and the disappearance of institutional protections for workers. Only government, employers and labor working together on long-term strategies—including an expanded safety net, strengthened legal protections, and better training opportunities—can help reverse this trend.

The objective of this study is to perform a review and contextualize the existing definitions of educational quality from the managerial point of view. We will be presenting also the factors that have been considered to support managerial decision making within educational institutions. Relevant research related to the different models for measuring educational quality and the different factors that affect this quality are discussed. The existing methodological gap of the statistical processes, the theoretical evidences and the number of investigations in every level of education are identified. The results provide a framework for future research and can become the basis for the design and construction of multidimensional models for educational management quality measurement needs of educational institutions. The results evidence also the lack of a single criterion to build the indicators, as well as the fact that there is a strong of subjectivity in the measuring processes.

In a randomized trial involving previously untreated patients with metastatic intermediate- or poor-risk renal-cell cancer, nivolumab plus ipilimumab was associated with higher response rates, longer overall survival, and greater improvement in quality of life than sunitinib.

Meat quality must be considered from a nutritional, sanitary and sensory perspective. In order to characterize bovine meat (three, four and five-stars), from the Urabá region (Antioquia), the bromatological, textural and industrial quality of seven new primary cuts from the forequarter of zebu cattle and crosses with zebu males was evaluated. The cuts showed bromatological characteristics that are within the ranges of premium category. The cuts´ tenderness was higher in those classified as five-stars, followed by four and three-stars. The cuts of loin and shank are more suitable for consumption at table and the other cuts can be used in formulations of derived meat products. The WHC increased along with myofibrillar protein content, while the EC decreased in the cuts with an increase of fat content. We conclude that these cattle can provide front cuts with important quality characteristics.

The service sector is a highly sensitive market segment in terms of quality management and certification, as its activities are essentially intangible. All companies require well-structured business process management, and in the service sector this concern is directly reflected in organizational survival and growth. Accordingly, this study aims to analyze the relationship and effects of the implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) practices on quality certification in service companies, as well as to examine the impact of TQM and quality certification (ISO 9000) on organizational performance. To this end, a structural equation modeling approach was employed to assess the relationships among the different dimensions. In order to measure the correlation between continuous variables and the dichotomous ISO 9000 variable, the ETA coefficient was used. The results show that TQM practices in Portuguese service companies lead to improvements in operational and market performance; however, TQM does not demonstrate an improvement in financial performance. With regard to ISO certification, the findings indicate that certified companies do not exhibit improvements in their performance, whether financial, operational, or marketrelated. This study contributes to the literature by addressing gaps arising from divergences identified in previous studies, not only with respect to the ambiguity of the results obtained, but also regarding differing interpretations of the concepts analyzed. O setor dos serviços é um segmento de mercado muito sensível em termos de gestão da qualidade e certificação, uma vez que as suas atividades consistem em algo intangível. Todas as empresas necessitam de uma gestão de processos de negócio bem estruturada e, no setor dos serviços, esta preocupação reflete-se mesmo na sua sobrevivência e crescimento. Assim, esta investigação tem como objetivo analisar a relação e os efeitos da implementação das práticas da Total Quality Management (TQM) na certificação da qualidade em empresas de serviços, bem como analisar o impacto da TQM e da certificação da qualidade (ISO 9000) no desempenho organizacional. Para o efeito foi utilizado um modelo de equações estruturais para avaliar a relação entre as diferentes dimensões. Com o objetivo de medir a correlação entre as variáveis contínuas e a variável dicotómica ISO 9000, foi utilizado o coeficiente ETA. Os resultados mostraram que as práticas de TQM nas empresas de serviços portuguesas proporcionam uma melhoria no desempenho operacional e de mercado; no entanto, a TQM não evidencia uma melhoria no desempenho financeiro. Relativamente à certificação ISO, os resultados indicam que as empresas certificadas não apresentam melhorias no seu desempenho, quer financeiro, quer operacional ou de mercado. Esta investigação enriquece a literatura ao colmatar a lacuna de algumas divergências identificadas em estudos anteriores, não só no que respeita à ambiguidade dos resultados obtidos nesses estudos, mas também às diferentes interpretações dos conceitos analisados. El sector servicios es un segmento de mercado altamente sensible en términos de gestión de la calidad y certificación, dado que sus actividades son esencialmente intangibles. Todas las empresas requieren una gestión de los procesos empresariales bien estructurada y, en el sector servicios, esta preocupación se refleja directamente en la supervivencia y el crecimiento organizacional. En este contexto, el presente estudio tiene como objetivo analizar la relación y los efectos de la implementación de las prácticas de Gestión de la Calidad Total (Total Quality Management, TQM) sobre la certificación de la calidad en las empresas de servicios, así como examinar el impacto de la TQM y de la certificación de la calidad (ISO 9000) en el desempeño organizacional. Para ello, se empleó un enfoque de modelización de ecuaciones estructurales con el fin de evaluar las relaciones entre las distintas dimensiones. Con el propósito de medir la correlación entre las variables continuas y la variable dicotómica ISO 9000, se utilizó el coeficiente ETA. Los resultados muestran que las prácticas de TQM en las empresas de servicios portuguesas conducen a mejoras en el desempeño operativo y de mercado; sin embargo, la TQM no evidencia una mejora en el desempeño financiero. En cuanto a la certificación ISO, los hallazgos indican que las empresas certificadas no presentan mejoras en su desempeño, ya sea financiero, operativo o de mercado. Este estudio contribuye a la literatura al abordar las lagunas derivadas de las divergencias identificadas en estudios previos, no solo en lo que respecta a la ambigüedad de los resultados obtenidos, sino también en relación con las diferentes interpretaciones de los conceptos analizados.

El artículo tiene como telón de fondo la creciente desconfianza ante el máster de formación del profesorado de educación secundaria, después de transcurrido un lustro desde su implantación en nuestro país. En este trabajo se examina su ordenación en el sistema de educación superior, adaptado al Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior. Lo que planteamos es la necesidad de volver a pensar, en términos más pragmáticos, esa formación inicial, desde una premisa: la reconstrucción del proyecto universitario como garantía de calidad, a partir de la creación de estructuras de inducción y desarrollo profesional que privilegie la evaluación práctica de los candidatos. Defendemos una ‘refundación’ de la formación de los profesores desde las universidades. Y argumentamos que la clave del éxito se encontrará en el estrechamiento de lazos operativos con buenas escuelas de educación secundaria de su entorno, a modo de centros de prácticas consorciados para iniciar procesos de cambio y transformación. Descriptores: • calidad • educación secundaria • Formación del profesorado

We examined features of citizen science that influence data quality, inferential power, and usefulness in ecology. As background context for our examination, we considered topics such as ecological sampling (probability based, purposive, opportunistic), linkage between sampling technique and statistical inference (design based, model based), and scientific paradigms (confirmatory, exploratory). We distinguished several types of citizen science investigations, from intensive research with rigorous protocols targeting clearly articulated questions to mass-participation internet-based projects with opportunistic data collection lacking sampling design, and examined overarching objectives, design, analysis, volunteer training, and performance. We identified key features that influence data quality: project objectives, design and analysis, and volunteer training and performance. Projects with good designs, trained volunteers, and professional oversight can meet statistical criteria to produce high-quality data with strong inferential power and therefore are well suited for ecological research objectives. Projects with opportunistic data collection, little or no sampling design, and minimal volunteer training are better suited for general objectives related to public education or data exploration because reliable statistical estimation can be difficult or impossible. In some cases, statistically robust analytical methods, external data, or both may increase the inferential power of certain opportunistically collected data. Ecological management, especially by government agencies, frequently requires data suitable for reliable inference. With standardized protocols, state-of-the-art analytical methods, and well-supervised programs, citizen science can make valuable contributions to conservation by increasing the scope of species monitoring efforts. Data quality can be improved by adhering to basic principles of data collection and analysis, designing studies to provide the data quality required, and including suitable statistical expertise, thereby strengthening the science aspect of citizen science and enhancing acceptance by the scientific community and decision makers. Examinamos las características de la ciencia ciudadana que influyen sobre la calidad de datos, el poder inferencial, y la utilidad en la ecología. Consideramos temas como el muestreo ecológico (basado en probabilidad, deliberado, oportunista), la conexión entre la técnica de muestreo y la inferencia estadística (basada en diseño, basada en modelo) y los paradigmas científicos (confirmatorio, exploratorio) como trasfondo contextual para nuestra evaluación. Distinguimos varios tipos de investigación de ciencia ciudadana, desde investigación intensiva con protocolos rigurosos enfocados en preguntas claramente articuladas hasta proyectos de participación masiva en plataformas de internet con recolección de datos oportunistas carentes de un diseño de muestreo, y examinamos los objetivos generales, el diseño, el análisis, y la preparación de los voluntarios y el desempeño. Identificamos características clave que influyen sobre la calidad de los datos: los objetivos del proyecto, el diseño y el análisis, y la preparación y el desempeño de los voluntarios. Los proyectos con buenos diseños, voluntarios preparados, y supervisión profesional pueden cumplir con criterios estadísticos para producir datos de alta calidad con un fuerte poder inferencial, y por lo tanto son muy adecuados para los objetivos de investigación ecológica. Los proyectos con una recolección oportunista de datos, un diseño de muestreo ínfimo o nulo, y una preparación mínima de los voluntarios son más adecuados para los objetivos generales relacionados con la educación pública o la exploración de datos ya que la estimación estadística confiable puede ser complicada o imposible. En algunos casos los métodos analíticos estadísticamente sólidos, los datos externos, o ambos, pueden incrementar el poder inferencial de ciertos datos recolectados de manera oportunista. El manejo ecológico, en especial el que realizan las agencias gubernamentales, requiere frecuentemente de datos apropiados para una inferencia confiable. Con protocolos estandarizados, métodos analíticos modernos, y programas supervisados correctamente, la ciencia ciudadana puede contribuir de forma valiosa a la conservación al incrementar el alcance de los esfuerzos de monitoreo para una especie. La calidad de datos puede mejorarse si se adhiere a los principios básicos de la recolección y análisis de datos, se diseñan los estudios para que proporcionen la calidad requerida de datos, y si se incluye una pericia estadística adecuada, fortaleciendo así el aspecto científico de la ciencia ciudadana y aumentando su aceptación dentro de la comunidad científica y con quienes toman las decisiones. 本研究分析了生态学中影响数据质量.、推论统计效カ和有用性的公民科学的特征。检验的背景包括如生 态学抽样(基于概率的抽样、目的抽样、机会抽样X 抽样技术与统计推断(基于设计或基于模型) 的联系，以及 科学范式(验怔性或探索性) 等话题。我们区分出不同类型的公民科学调查，从有清晰明确的问题及严格实验规 范的深入研究，到缺少抽样设计、投机型数据收集的基于互联网的大规模参与项目；并研究了项目的总体目标、 设计、分析、志愿者培训和实现情况。本研究确定了影响数据质量的关键特征，包括项目目标、设计和分析、 志愿者培训和实现情況。拥有良好的设计、训练有素的志愿者和专业监督的项目通常符合统计学标准，能获得 推论统计效カ强的高质量数据，因此可以达到生态学研究目标。而投机型数据收集、很少或没有进行抽样设计 且志愿者培训非常有限的项目，更适合与公共教育或数据探索相关的一般性目标，因为它们很难或不可能进行可 靠的统计估计。在一些情况下，统计上強健的分析方法和 外部数据也会増加某些投机型数据的推论效力。 生态管理特别是来自政府机构的管理，常常需要那些适合进行可靠统计推论的数据。当采用标准化的实验规 范、最先进的分析方法和良好监督的程序时，公民科学可以扩大物种监测范围，为保护做出重要贡献。坚持数据 收集和分析的基本原则、设计研究方案来提供所需的高质量数据，并恰当运用统计学知识，能够增强数据质置 从而加强公民科学的科学性，提高科学界和决策者对公民科学的接受度。

Axiomatic Quality and Reliability aids you in developing design concepts, processes and methodologies that eliminate or reduce both conceptual and operational types of weaknesses and help design teams in producing systems that operate at high quality levels for each of their design requirements.

Aerial insectivores (birds that forage on aerial insects) have experienced significant population declines in North America. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed for these declines, but current evidence suggests multiple factors could be operating in combination during their annual migratory cycles between breeding and nonbreeding areas. Potential drivers include decreased prey abundance, direct or indirect impacts of environmental contaminants, habitat loss, phenological changes due to warming climate, and conditions on migratory stopover or wintering grounds. While no single threat appears to be the cause of aerial insectivore declines, existing evidence suggests that several of these factors could be contributing to the declines at different times in the annual lifecycle. Breeding productivity for most of these species does not appear to be limited by overall prey abundance, contaminants, or habitat loss, which suggests that similar issues on nonbreeding grounds or carryover effects could play important roles. However, a better understanding of the importance of prey quality throughout the lifecycle is critically needed. Based on current evidence, we propose that changes in availability of high-quality prey, with variability across breeding and nonbreeding grounds, reduce various combinations of fledging success, post-fledging survival, and nonbreeding season body condition of aerial insectivores, resulting in species and geographic differences in population trends. We encourage others to use this hypothesis as a starting point to test specific mechanisms by which availability of high-quality prey influences demographic parameters. We suggest that future research focus on defining prey quality, monitoring insect abundance in conjunction with birds, comparing demographic models across local populations experiencing different population growth rates, and using tracking technology to document important migratory and nonbreeding areas. Considerable research progress already has been made, but additional research is needed to better understand the complex web of potential causes driving aerial insectivore declines.