Abstract:This study describes the application of Waterworld (a policy support system), in assessing the possible Ecosystem Services (ES) of Protected Areas (PAs) in the Magdalena River basin (Colombia), related to the provision of WQ gains to downstream populations and its relationships with diarrheal disease incidence. This was achieved by applying Land Use Change (LUC) scenarios to grazing and cropping inside the PAs of the Magdalena basin and analysing the potential impacts on the Human footprint Water Quality (Diarrheal Relevant) (HFWQ-DR) index in downstream rivers and population centres.Results indicate that LUC to grazing inside the PAs increases the HFWQ-DR index, suggesting that PAs do provide WQ gains downstream and that such LUC affects in more proportion this ES than an agricultural LUC, which obtained a reduction in the HFWQ-DR index.This study also emphasises the importance of PAs for the conservation of natural resources, especially hydrology, and the importance of identifying the ES that they provide in order to support public policies that enhance their protection and extension.Resumen:El estudio describe la aplicación de Waterworld (un sistema de soporte de decisiones basado en la web) para determinar los posibles servicios ecosistemicos (SE) de las áreas protegidas (AP) en la cuenca del Río Magdalena (Colombia), relacionados con la provisión de mayor calidad de agua para las poblaciones aguas abajo y sus relaciones con la incidencia en enfermedades diarreicas.Esto se logró mediante la aplicación de escenarios con cambios en el uso del suelo dentro de las áreas protegidas a usos de tipo pastoreo y agrícola para posteriormente analizar los potenciales impactos en el índice de Huella humana para la calidad de agua relevante a diarrea (Human footprint on water quality – diarrheal relevant, HFWQ-DR) en los ríos y centros poblados ubicados aguas abajo de las AP.Los resultados indicaron que cambios en el uso del suelo a pastoreo dentro de las AP incrementan el índice HFWQ-DR, lo cual sugiere que las AP si proveen mayor calidad de agua en ríos y poblaciones aguas abajo y que tales cambios en el uso del suelo afectan en mayor proporción estos SE en comparación con cambios de uso del suelo agrícolas, los cuales obtuvieron una reducción en el índice de HFWQ-DR, aunque en un menor grado. Este estudio también enfatiza la importancia de las AP en la conservación de los recursos naturales, especialmente hidrológicos y la importancia de identificar los SE que ellas proveen para soportar políticas públicas que puedan incrementar y mejorar su protección y extensión.

El método “El Avión de Papel” es para los niños de Colombia y está destinado a iniciar el camino de aprendizaje o la adquisición de la lengua francesa, para principiantes, niños o los niños con discapacidad mental que se proporcionan a través de la variedad de actividades y la simplicidad de contenido para los niños.Los contenidos proporcionan una comprensión más suave y progresiva de las materias básicas para el aprendizaje de la lengua francesa. Este método proporciona objetivos de aprendizaje, con actividades motivadoras y atractivas (canciones, juegos y proyectos de arte) que desarrollan las habilidades de producción y comprensión oral, iniciando con la introducción a la escritura.El método “El Avión de Papel” tiene como objetivo facilitar el aprendizaje del francés a los niños colombianos, de manera sencilla como un avión de papel, que es fácil de construir y utilizar a cualquier persona, en cualquier lugar.

This thesis introduces a financial simulation model covering two related financial domains: Mobile Payments and Retail Stores systems. The problem we address in these domains is different types of fraud. We limit ourselves to isolated cases of relatively straightforward fraud. However, in this thesis the ultimate aim is to introduce our approach towards the use of computer simulation for fraud detection and its applications in financial domains.Fraud is an important problem that impact the whole economy. Currently, there is a lack of public research into the detection of fraud. One important reason is the lack of transaction data which is often sensitive. To address this problem we present a mobile money Payment Simulator (PaySim) and Retail Store Simulator (RetSim), which allow us to generate synthetic transactional data that contains both: normal customer behaviour and fraudulent behaviour.These simulations are Multi Agent-Based Simulations (MABS) and were calibrated using real data from financial transactions. We developed agents that represent the clients and merchants in PaySim and customers and salesmen in RetSim. The normal behaviour was based on behaviour observed in data from the field, and is codified in the agents as rules of transactions and interaction between clients and merchants, or customers and salesmen.Some of these agents were intentionally designed to act fraudulently, based on observed patterns of real fraud. We introduced known signatures of fraud in our model and simulations to test and evaluate our fraud detection methods. The resulting behaviour of the agents generate a synthetic log of all transactions as a result of the simulation. This synthetic data can be used to further advance fraud detection research, without leaking sensitive information about the underlying data or breaking any non-disclose agreements.Using statistics and social network analysis (SNA) on real data we calibrated the relations between our agents and generate realistic synthetic data sets that were verified against the domain and validated statistically against the original source.We then used the simulation tools to model common fraud scenarios to ascertain exactly how effective are fraud techniques such as the simplest form of statistical threshold detection, which is perhaps the most common in use. The preliminary results show that threshold detection is effective enough at keeping fraud losses at a set level. This means that there seems to be little economic room for improved fraud detection techniques.We also implemented other applications for the simulator tools such as the set up of a triage model and the measure of cost of fraud. This showed to be an important help for managers that aim to prioritise the fraud detection and want to know how much they should invest in fraud to keep the loses below a desired limit according to different experimented and expected scenarios of fraud.

Colombia, as many low and middle-income countries, has been deeply influenced by the predominant linear economic model by using their extensive natural resources to create, to some extent, wealth. However, the current environmental problems and global economy deceleration are challenging the country to find new ways to growth the economy without harming the environment.The circular economy (CE) seems to be a promising model to achieve this goal by reducing the dependency on non-renewables, improving the competitiveness through innovation and ¬generating new and rewarding jobs. Thus, this paper explored the enablers that would facilitate the transition towards a CE in Colombia given its specific circumstances such as development gaps in infrastructure and a large informal sector involved in recycling.As a result, an enabling framework was proposed based on secondary data and the insights from interviewing an expert on the field. This framework was the baseline to assess the CE in Colombia and to identify the main interventions that are required to support a transition towards a more sustainable economy.This assessment was carried out through secondary data and some interviews with professionals performing in sustainable development in the country. The evaluation showed that Colombia does not have at the moment the right enabling conditions for a CE deployment.Therefore, the country presents opportunities to reinforce a CE transition in terms of political coherence and a suitable fiscal framework that promotes sustainable practices as well as a robust IT infrastructure and ICTs appropriation among the enterprises to develop business models framed within the CE principles. Moreover, it is required a safe and profitable recovery of materials discouraging the current practices of recycling.Finally, it is important to promote financing schemes and the development of design-led approaches to production among the industrial sector to foster innovation as a key building block of a CE. The findings of this dissertation provide a starting point for future research about the enablers for a CE transition in the context of low and middle-income economies.

The Colombian government introduced a capacity market to promote the diversification in the energy matrix, and protect users from high prices derived from dry seasonal events. Unfortunately, the flaws in the scarcity price definition- a mechanism that activates the capacity market obligation and sets a cap price for the spot market- have resulted in a market failure.Specifically, some generation plants have been forced to be unavailable because their variable costs are significantly higher than the scarcity price. This research presents an analysis and some possible alternatives fo the definition of the scarcity price in the Colombian Electricity market.An excel-based model was developed in order to analyse and compare different scarcity price definitions under three dimensions:i) Water management resources.ii) Penalty exposure of agents.iii) Change in prices for final demand.Results suggest that the proposed change in the scarcity price definition would induce to more efficient water management resources, and a reduction in the penalty exposure of agents. Complementary actions are recommended for policy makers in order to avoid some possible side effects of the implementation of a new scarcity price definition.

This dissertation aims at gaining an understanding about the current conceptualization that the music industry has regarding music artists as brands, in order to bridge the gap between the consumer goods’ branding theory, the arts branding literature and the music business’ reality. Although the body of literature pertaining to arts marketing is vast (O’Reilly, 2011), the one related to arts branding is small. Moreover, when it comes to music artists branding, the academic works are even scarcer. A definition of music artists brands, and related constructs such as music artists brand identity, music artists image, music artists brand loyalty and brand equity have not yet been presented by the literature.Pervaded by Cultural branding principles and by adopting Grounded theory, this research conceptualizes music artists as brands through the perspectives of nine music industry’s professionals. Based on unstructured interviews conducted with these practitioners, the concept of music artists as brands is contextualized within the decline of record sales during the 2000s. Music artists brands are characterized as multidimensional constructs understood as systems of values and experiences that foreground their identity upon the artists’ songs and human essence.Moreover, music artists are brands that are constructed following a Brand-orientation approach (Urde, 1999) and for which, in response to the culture of contemporary society, the image is constituted solely on visual elements. Aligned with Cultural branding, music artists are conceptualized as entities, which are socially constructed and found their value upon their fans. This co-creation of the brand frames the music industry within a service-dominant logic (Vargo and Lusch, 2004) in which the delivery of experiences is fundamental (Iglesias et al, 2011).This research positions brand alliances between artists and commercial brands as an implicit element of the definition of music artists brands, their brand identity and brand equity. Furthermore, as an implied aspect of these constructs, co-branding alliances are placed as enhancers of the music industry’s short and long-term sustainability. Lastly, contrary to common statements found in the literature, a harmonious coexistence between art, brands, artists and commercialization is acknowledged by this dissertation.

Abstract:A recent petrophysical formulation states that all the storage mechanisms present in shale reservoirs are best represented by a quintuple porosity system that is further fed by dissolved gas in the solid kerogen. The quintuple porosity system is made up of:1) adsorbed gas in the pore walls of the organic matter.2) free gas stored in the inorganic matrix porosity.3) free gas stored in natural fractures (microfractures and slot porosity)4) free gas stored in the hydraulic fractures created around the wellbore by the stimulation job.5) free gas stored in the organic nanopores. This thesis presents a new material balance methodology for shale gas and shale condensate reservoirs that considers all the aforementioned storage mechanisms.Results lead to the conclusion that ignoring the effects of gas diffusion from kerogen in shale material balance calculations can lead to pessimistic estimates of both OGIP and production forecasts.Resumen:Una formulación petrofísica reciente indica que todos los mecanismos de almacenamiento presentes en yacimientos de lutita son representados por un sistema de quíntuple porosidad que, además, se alimenta de gas disuelto en el kerógeno sólido.El sistema de quíntuple porosidad está compuesto de:1) gas adsorbido en las paredes de los poros en la materia orgánica.2) gas libre almacenado en la porosidad de la matriz inorgánica.3) gas libre almacenado en las fracturas naturales (microfracturas y porosidad ranurada).4) gas libre almacenado en las fracturas hidráulicas creadas alrededor de la cara del pozo por el trabajo de estimulación.5) gas libre almacenado en los nanoporos de la materia orgánica.Esta tesis presenta una nueva metodología para balance de materia de yacimientos de lutita de gas y gas condensado que considera todos los mecanismos de almacenamiento previamente mencionados. Los resultados permiten concluir que si los efectos de la difusión de gas del kerógeno son ignorados en los cálculos de balance de materia en yacimientos de lutita, pueden obtenerse estimados pesimistas tanto de gas original en sitio como de los pronósticos de producción.

Abstract:The World Wide Web, created in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN, was initially a motivation for researchers about a system that would allow the particle of physics world to share information across the Internet. Nowadays, the information era couldn’t exist if the World Wide Web had not been available for everyone and if the industry couldn’t be able to understand how to use it for developing products and services based on it. Although the World Wide Web was left open source, in general when technologies created through basic and applied research are transferred to the private sector, it occurs mainly through licensing to existing firms or new venture creation.The Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) states in its website (http://www.autm.net/autm-info/about-tech-transfer/about-technology-transfer/) that technology transfer is the process of transferring scientific findings from one organization to another with the purpose of further development and commercialization. It is also the process by which technology developed for a specific use or sector becomes applicable in a different productive environment (UNCTAD, 2014). In this sense, technology transfer appears to be a key element for economic development of all sorts and in different environments for both private and public sectors, involving two actors, the one transferring the technology and the one receiving the technology. Moreover, technology transfer has an invaluable impact crossing boundaries of nations, allowing developing countries to have access to technologies they lack, encouraging growth and setting a path towards development.This paper describes how technology transfer is currently applied around the world, and will focus on describing its barriers and enablers, which are those elements that affect the process of technology transfer, either making it a difficult task to carry causing investments to be lost and market needs unmet, or supporting it in such a way that it is carried out successfully. A project in which a research center, the private sector and academia meet to solve specific market needs is presented as an example of a technology transfer process, and both barriers and enablers are analyzed to assess these kind of projects for future improvement.Resumen: La World Wide Web (WWW), creada en 1989 por Tim Berners-Lee en la Organización Europea para la Investigación Nuclear, CERN, fue inicialmente una motivación para los investigadores acerca de un sistema que permitiría al mundo de la física de partículas compartir información a través de Internet. Hoy en día, la era de la información no podría existir si la World Wide Web no hubiera estado disponible para todos y si la industria no hubiera sido capaz de entender como usarla para el desarrollo de productos y servicios basados en ella. Aunque la World Wide Web fue dejada como fuente abierta, en general cuando nuevas tecnologías creadas desde la investigación básica y aplicada son transferidas al sector privado, esto ocurre mayormente a través de licenciamientos a empresas existentes o con la creación de nuevas empresas.La Asociación de Gerentes de Tecnología Universitarios de Estados Unidos (AUTM) declara en su sitio web (http://www.autm.net/autm-info/about-tech-transfer/about-technology-transfer/) que la transferencia de tecnología es el proceso de transformar descubrimientos científicos de una organización a otra con el propósito de un posterior desarrollo y comercialización. Es también el proceso por el cual tecnologías desarrolladas para un sector específico se vuelve aplicable en un entorno productivo diferente (UNCTAD, 2014). En este sentido, la transferencia de tecnología aparece como un elemento clave para el desarrollo económico de todo tipo y en diferentes entornos, tanto para el sector privado como para el público, involucrando dos actores, el que transfiere la tecnología y el que recibe la tecnología. Además, la transferencia de tecnología tiene un impacto invaluable cruzando fronteras entre países permitiendo a países en vía de desarrollo acceder a tecnologías que carecen, fomentando el crecimiento y marcando el camino hacia el desarrollo.Este documento describe cómo la transferencia de tecnología es usada hoy en día en el mundo, y se enfoca en describir sus barreras y facilitadores, que son aquellos elementos que afectan el proceso de transferencia de tecnología bien sea para hacerlo una tarea difícil de llevar a cabo causando pérdidas en inversiones y necesidades de mercado no satisfechas, o para apoyarlo en tal forma que el proceso sea llevado a cabo satisfactoriamente.Un proyecto en el cual un centro de investigación, el sector privado y la academia se unen para dar solución a necesidades específicas del mercado, es presentado como un ejemplo del proceso de transferencia de tecnología, y tanto barreras como facilitadores son analizados para evaluar este tipo de proyectos y sus mejoras en el futuro.

Political integration is an underlying challenge of peace accords, particularly in the case of Latin America. The agreements usually provide mechanisms to facilitate the transition of violent groups to the legal political parties; however, their integration, in political terms, requires the implementation of certain instruments that let the members of violent groups become citizens able to take part of the political decisions in different scenarios.The previous peace processes in El Salvador, Guatemala and Colombia left three peace accords that have served as analysis model to draw the conditions for political integration of violent groups. Then, this research analyses the inclusion of those conditions into the recent signed peace accords between the National Government of Colombia and the FARC – EP.

This thesis proposes a novel window aggregate sharing approach for out-of-order stream processing. We combined together the best of two worlds: the Google dataflow model for out-of-order stream processing and the Cutty aggregate sharing strategy. To our knowledge, our solution is the only aggregate sharing strategy for out-of-order stream processing that supports sliding, tumbling and session windows.Based on the experiments with the real world dataset DEBS12 [28] and a 3% out-of-order level, our solution has 1.24 higher throughput than the current implementation in Flink. Moreover, we show that the throughput of our solution becomes higher, as the out-of-order level increases.