This thesis is a bibliographic review of occupational health and safety status regarding mining in Colombia through multiple studies. For this purpose, it is used the definition of key concepts such occupational safety and health, defining the types of risks in current mining as well. Also, a general reading on Colombian mining is carried out, including a classification according to methods, size, development, and legal status, adding statistics on accidents-fatalities within different categories. Likewise, exploitation processes in small underground coal mining are defined, attempting to answer the research question: how is occupational safety carried out in underground coal mining in Colombia? Contextualizing good mining practices according to studies, this approach looks out for risk prevention, mitigation and control measures in the national panorama. In addition, a discussion around potential risk factors takes place, given the Colombian historic and current context, aside from those already exposed by occupational health and safety. Illegality and social dynamics around mining performed by vulnerable populations who subsist on said practice are also taken into account. To conclude, photographic material is presented to illustrate the current small mining conditions. Resumen: Esta tesis es una revisión bibliográfica del estado de la seguridad y salud ocupacional en relación con la minería en Colombia a través de múltiples estudios. Para ello, se utiliza la definición de conceptos clave como seguridad y salud ocupacional, definiendo también los tipos de riesgos en la minería actual. Además, se realiza una lectura general sobre la minería colombiana, incluyendo una clasificación de acuerdo a métodos, tamaño, desarrollo y estatus legal, agregando estadísticas sobre accidentes-fatalidades dentro de diferentes categorías. Asimismo, se definen los procesos de explotación en la pequeña minería subterránea del carbón, tratando de responder a la pregunta de investigación: ¿cómo se lleva a cabo la seguridad ocupacional en la minería subterránea de carbón en Colombia? Contextualizando las buenas prácticas mineras según los estudios, este enfoque busca medidas de prevención, mitigación y control de riesgos en el panorama nacional. Además, se realiza una discusión sobre los factores de riesgo potenciales dado el contexto histórico y actual colombiano, así como de los ya expuestos por la salud y la seguridad en el trabajo. También se tiene en cuenta la ilegalidad y las dinámicas sociales en torno a la minería que realizan las poblaciones vulnerables que subsisten de dicha práctica. Para concluir, se presenta material fotográfico para ilustrar las condiciones actuales de la pequeña minería.

Using LatAm data from 2000 to 2018, this research investigates asset pricing anomalies that have been found to generate outperformance globally. Specifically, we examine the Value, the Momentum, the Low Volatility, and the Quality anomaly in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Peru, and Colombia. All anomalies are found to be profitable, but Value and Momentum are the strongest in these markets. Alternative definitions for the effects generate higher expected returns and lower standard deviations than the traditional ones. The performance of single-factor portfolios can be enhanced by combining two or more anomalies simultaneously, and the portfolio blending approach is the best method to multi-factor portfolio construction. We find that a dynamic asset allocation strategy, leveraged by the concept of Absolute Momentum, can significantly improve the Sharpe ratio of multi-factor portfolios and reduces the exposure to extremely adverse events. It also makes the distribution of monthly returns to be positively skewed. Finally, we show that single- and multi-factor portfolios may have long periods of bad performance, while a dynamic asset allocation strategy to multi-factor portfolios performs well in all business cycles. Resumen: Usando información de Latinoamérica desde el 2000 hasta el 2018, este estudio investiga anomalías que han generado retornos superiores a nivel global. Especialmente, se examina las anomalías de Valor, Momento, Baja Volatilidad, y Calidad en Brasil, México, Chile, Perú, y Colombia. Se encontró que todas las anomalías son rentables pero Valor y Momento son las más fuertes en estos mercados. Definiciones alternativas para cada efecto generan retornos esperados más altos y una menor desviación estándar que las definiciones tradicionales. El rendimiento de portafolios de un único factor se puede mejorar combinando dos ó más anomalías de forma simultánea, y la metodología de combinación por portafolios es el mejor enfoque para crear portfolios multifactoriales. Se encontró que una estrategia dinámica de asignación de activos, apalancada por el concepto de Momento Absoluto, puede significativamente mejorar la razón de Sharpe de los portafolios multifactoriales y reducir la exposición a eventos extremos adversos. Esta estrategia también hace que los retornos estén positivamente sesgados. Finalmente, se demostró que los portafolios de un único factor y multifactoriales pueden tener largos periodos de malos rendimientos, mientras que una estrategia de asignación de activos dinámica se comporta bien en todos los ciclos económicos.

The Carnival of Barranquilla represents the maximum cultural expression of the city’s cultural life and, just as it produces an alternate life for its inhabitants, also transforms its urban space, understood as form and life, on different dimensions. Regarding a notion of cultural consumption as closely related to the place and the social network in which it takes place, this research raises the comprehension of carnival as a urban phenomenon and as a collective construction that allows new possibilities on space for different social actors and groups that inhabit it, although they are segregated on the daily scene. From a phenomenological perspective, this work makes a qualitative approach to characterize through cartographies, ethnographic narratives and in-depth interviews, the practices of use and appropriation of urban space, and the meanings and representations that are constructed about it. The results of the research showed an alterity of urban life during carnival: changes in the routes, destinations and spatial limits; different ways of using and appropriating public space and collective symbolization processes around carnival and the diverse scenarios that it generates. Resumen: El Carnaval de Barranquilla representa la máxima expresión de la vida cultural de la ciudad y, así como produce una vida alterna para sus habitantes, transforma también su espacio urbano, en tanto forma y vida urbana, en diferentes dimensiones. Considerando una noción de consumo cultural en estrecha relación con el lugar y la trama social en que se desarrolla, esta investigación plantea la comprensión del Carnaval como fenómeno urbano y como construcción colectiva que permite nuevos posibles en el espacio para los diferentes actores y grupos sociales que lo habitan, pese a que se encuentran segregados cotidianamente. Desde una perspectiva fenomenológica, el trabajo hace una aproximación cualitativa para caracterizar a través de cartografías, relatos etnográficos y entrevistas en profundidad las prácticas de uso y apropiación del espacio urbano y los significados y representaciones que sobre este se construyen. Los resultados de la investigación mostraron una alteridad en la vida urbana durante el Carnaval: cambios en las rutas, destinos y límites espaciales; diferentes formas de uso y apropiación del espacio público y procesos de simbolización colectiva en torno al Carnaval y los diversos tipos de escenarios que genera.

This Master’s directed study is the result of three years (2015-2018) of interdisciplinary research on the construction of the Museum of Historical Memory of Colombia or Museo de Memoria Histórica de Colombia (MMH). This research focuses on the challenges confronted by the museum professionals (curators, museographers, architects) responsible for implementing the institution’s mandate, sanctioned through a national law, into the design of a national memorial museum. Specifically, this study analyses the complexities involved in the conception process of the MMH’s general framework, as well as the curation of its first official exhibition, Voces para transformar a Colombia, or Voices for the transformation of Colombia. Resumen: Este trabajo final de maestría es el resultado de tres años (2015-2018) de investigación interdisciplinaria sobre la construcción del Museo de Memoria Histórica de Colombia (MMH). Esta investigación se centra en los desafíos enfrentados por los profesionales de museo (curadores, museógrafos, arquitectos) encargados de implementar el mandato legal de la institución y de desarrollar el diseño conceptual de este museo memorial nacional. Específicamente, este estudio analiza las complejidades del proceso de concepción del marco general de MMH, así como los desafíos curatoriales de su primera exposición oficial, Voces para transformar a Colombia.

This dissertation explores the relationship between corruption and social trust in Colombia through a mixed methods study that combines descriptive statistics and semi-structured interviews. Two hypotheses are established: first, that corruption is a cause of low social trust and second, that there are external factors that affect the relationship between corruption and social trust. The analysis confirms both hypotheses as results show that there is a strong correlation between the two factors, corruption is a cause of low social trust in the country, and three main external factors affect this relationship in the national context, which are culture, violence and drug trafficking, and Catholicism.

This research contrasts two of the most common methods used to estimate sprinkler response, semi-empirical correlations and computational models based on fluid dynamics. The semi-empirical calculations are based on Alpert’s relations and the modelling task is carried out with the software tool Fire Dynamic Simulator, FDS. The case studies implemented in this work were defined considering the limitations of Alpert’s equations. Different enclosure configurations were considered, such as, unconfined spaces (open rooms - steady state and time-dependent fires), confined spaces (rooms with parallel walls creating corridors – steady state fires) and obstructed areas (rooms with beams in the ceiling – steady state fires). The results obtained show that both approaches predict accurately the sprinklers activation time for unconfined configurations, except for the heat release of 500 kW since Alpert's relationships are not applicable for small fires. In general, the tendency observed is that semi-empirically calculated values are more conservative, resulting in the prediction of longer activation times. Therefore, this would result in designs based on the worst-case scenario, showing that Alpert’s correlations can be applied with certain confidence. On the contrary, for confined and obstructed scenarios, the outcomes show that the semi-empirical correlations are not completely reliable for this type of enclosures. In confined configurations, regardless of the magnitude of the heat release rate, the more confined the corridor, the sooner the sprinkler activation occurs. Therefore, in these cases, although Alpert's relationships consider the worst risk scenario by predicting longer activation times, the design of fire protection systems will be based on inappropriate values. In obstructed scenarios, even the smallest obstruction modifies the ceiling jet flow due to the presence of the beams, varying also the smooth ceiling jet attributes characteristic of unconfined scenarios. Therefore in rooms with obstructions, the semi-empirical correlations are not applicable anymore for devices located in a bay other than the primary, since Alpert´s equations predict shorter activation times to those that could be expected in reality, which means that the worst risk scenario would not be considered. This study demonstrates the importance of using computational tools for sprinkler response estimations, being a useful and valid alternative to analyse complex fire scenarios and to improve fire protection systems designs.

AEC industry is currently facing a remarkable transformative stage given by the use of disruptive technologies alongside a gradually increasing interest form project participants to enhance collaborative dynamics in projects, throughout the implementation of technologies such as Building Information Modelling, migrating from a fragmented conduct workflow in the built environment projects, to a share and open- access iterative process. The rising popularity and the wide adoption of these technology had unleash a high level of digital information and sharing transactions, overcoming the capacity of current digital infrastructures, entailing some collateral effects for the AEC organisations, such as handling with vast amount of information during multiple projects, increasing the complexity of data and resulting in a mistrust on the reliability on the information. Blockchain is the unbounded innovation technology behind cryptocurrencies, the characteristics of this platform presents multiple similarities with the database in the BIM files and the network workflows of information set a feasible scenario for the application of this technology as a backbone of BIM, this study sought to unveil and explore possible technological fusion between these two ground-breaking technologies, to achieve these goals, this study sets a qualitative methodology conducted with two approaches, a systematic literature review regarding previous research about this technologies alongside personal interviews with professionals in the AEC industry related to this. The findings on these two approaches are later discussed and analysed unveiling the best path that future researchers might follow to continue with the development of these technologies, benefiting the AEC industry in the long term. Resumen: La industria de AEC se enfrenta actualmente a una notable etapa de transformación dada por el uso de tecnologías disruptivas junto con un interés gradualmente creciente de los participantes del proyecto para mejorar la dinámica de colaboración en los proyectos, a lo largo de la implementación de tecnologías como el Modelado de información de construcción, migrando desde un flujo de trabajo fragmentado en entornos constructivos, a un proceso iterativo de acceso abierto y compartido. La creciente popularidad y la amplia adopción de estas tecnologías han desencadenado un alto nivel de información digital y transacciones de intercambio, superando la capacidad de las infraestructuras digitales actuales, lo que conlleva algunos efectos colaterales para las organizaciones de AEC, como el manejo con gran cantidad de información durante múltiples proyectos, aumentando la complejidad de los datos y dando lugar a una desconfianza en la fiabilidad de la información. Blockchain es la tecnología de innovación ilimitada detrás de las criptomonedas, las características de esta plataforma presentan múltiples similitudes con la base de datos en los archivos BIM y los flujos de trabajo de la red de información establecen un escenario factible para la aplicación de esta tecnología como columna vertebral de BIM, este estudio buscó Revelar y explorar la posible fusión tecnológica entre estas dos tecnologías innovadoras, para lograr estos objetivos, este estudio establece una metodología cualitativa realizada con dos enfoques, una revisión sistemática de la literatura sobre investigaciones anteriores sobre estas tecnologías junto con entrevistas personales con profesionales en la industria de AEC relacionados a esto. Los resultados de estos dos enfoques se discuten y analizan más tarde, revelando el mejor camino que los futuros investigadores podrían seguir para continuar con el desarrollo de estas tecnologías, beneficiando a la industria de AEC a largo plazo.

In 2019, the European Commission published the “2030 Clean Energy for All Europeans” package, as part of the 2050 Energy roadmap. To comply with the European directives, Italy published the National Energy and Climate Plan setting a target of 55% for RES share in electricity generation by 2030. This high RES generation target raises concerns about the operational flexibility of the Italian power system. The flexibility of the Italian power system was measured using currently available flexibility frameworks and indexes (e.g.: AFPER, FAST2). Hence, the 2030 Base Scenario and 15 alternative scenarios were simulated using Promed Grid, a market tool developed by CESI and able to perform a coordinated hydro- thermal dispatching over a one-year horizon, considering the adoption of some flexibility sources such as storage systems and demand response. The results were then compared to characterize the performance of each flexibility source and its influence on the power system. BESS, PHS, and DR showed a level of complementarity while covering flexibility needs and controlling price spikes. Daily needs are covered mainly by BESS and weekly needs by PHS, mainly during the summer since both technologies were more used due to high solar power generation. Conversely, peak shedding DR was primarily activated in winter since prices are higher and storage systems lees used. In the case of V2G and DR, the role of aggregators is vital to have a representative capacity to be offered in the power markets. Finally, from a holistic perspective, the benefits of implanting all flexibility source are higher than the costs. Nevertheless, such benefits should be redistributed to incentivize the deployment of certain sources with low benefit-cost ratios. The results of this thesis can serve as a starting point to delve into the technical performance and economic implications of each flexibility source. In addition, it highlighted the advantages for Italy of boosting and supporting some schemes such as DR and V2G, as well as incentivizing the installation of storage systems.

The importance of the knowledge universities constantly generate through research cannot be denied, and the appliance of this knowledge and its potential impact in industry has created challenges for the relation among academics and practitioners. One important topic for higher education is how to better generate relevant knowledge than can relate to industry and contribute to knowledge creation. That question has been examined by engaged scholarship where collaboration has been a tool to put both universes together. However, this model also faces some challenges which make pertinent the study of new ways to transfer knowledge from academia to industry. This research attempts to find the extent into which the appliance of creativity in knowledge translation could enhance knowledge transfer effectiveness. Advertising has shown effectiveness with the use of creativity; therefore, this research aims to link creative advertising and knowledge transfer to experiment with the role of creativity for a better academic communication. Resumen: No se puede negar la importancia del conocimiento que las universidades generan constantemente a través de la investigación y que el uso de este conocimiento y su impacto en la industria ha creado desafíos para la relación entre académicos y profesionales. Un tema importante para la educación superior es cómo generar conocimiento relevante que sea posible de relacionar con la industria y contribuir a la creación de conocimiento. Esa pregunta ha sido examinada en diferentes tipos de estudio en donde la colaboración ha sido una herramienta para unir ambos universos. Sin embargo, este modelo también enfrenta algunos desafíos que hacen pertinente el estudio de nuevas formas de transferir conocimiento de la academia a la industria. Esta investigación intenta encontrar en qué medida el uso de la creatividad en la traducción del conocimiento podría mejorar la eficacia en la transferencia de conocimiento. La publicidad ha demostrado efectividad con el uso de la creatividad; Por lo tanto, esta investigación tiene como objetivo vincular la publicidad creativa y la transferencia de conocimiento para experimentar el papel de la creatividad en la comunicación académica.

Kingdon’ (2014) Multiple Stream Framework (MSF) is a novel agenda-setting model, which is recognised for introducing agency into the agenda-setting processes. Empirical evidence indicates that there are cases in which a policy entrepreneur couples the three streams, from the MSF model, to close a policy window, for maintaining a policy status quo. Yet, the closing window policy entrepreneur role has not been developed under the MSF. Therefore, this study has been designed to initially explore the process by which an interest group couples to close a policy window under the MSF. This research applied the theoretical constructs of the MSF model in a Colombian television policy case study. In this case, two interest groups competed for a different policy result. One of them was a collective policy entrepreneur advocating for a policy status quo. The key findings of the research are that: (i) one interest group acted as a collective policy entrepreneur, and coupled the three streams to introduce a topic on the agenda for maintaining a policy status quo; and (ii) to handle the power imbalance, this coupling strategy was developed within a favourable narrative and problem categorization. These findings are synthesised and embodied in the following three key propositions: (i) Interest groups aiming for a policy status quo might act as policy entrepreneurs when they are willing to invest their resources to introduce a topic on the agenda, for maintaining a policy status quo. (ii) Policy entrepreneurs that advocate for a policy status quo might use an agenda-setting strategy within the MSF processes. (iii) When there are two competing policy entrepreneurs in an agenda-setting process and one believes that has less power than the other, the agency strategy might involve the re-categorization of the problem and a favourable narrative to handle the power imbalance. To my knowledge, this research is original as it is the first attempt across the agenda-setting literature to empirically study how a policy window is being closed under the MSF. Therefore, this work might be used in future research, to continue the exploration of the policy entrepreneur role in closing a window under the MSF model.