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The aim of this paper is to evaluate the practices of economic intelligence used by Portuguese firms and to identify the attributes that may increase the probability of their adoption.

A questionnaire was designed and addressed to the CEOs of Portuguese firms. The authors used the mixed logit method to select a number of significant variables that influence the use of economic intelligence by firms in the sample.

From the results, the authors concluded that firm size, information and environmental scanning connected to the markets, social networks, economic diplomacy and public policies, namely clusters and industrial policies in the context of competitive intelligence, were some of the attributes relevant in this study. It is concluded that the probability of firms adopting competitive intelligence practices lies in two spheres: in orientations of business policy and strategy and in public policies that improve business context in the perspective of competitive intelligence.

The different categories of attributes that explain the existence of economic intelligence practices are relatively limited when compared with studies made outside Portugal. This derives from specific factors tied to Portuguese entrepreneurial culture.

This paper contributes to the literature on this area of research. One of the innovations introduced here was the design of a conceptual model proposal integrating business and public policy approaches connected to the competitive intelligence and, consequently, the capacity to formulate entrepreneurial strategies and public policies geared for the adoption of competitive intelligence procedures.

Focussing on the historical experience, the purpose of this paper is to argue the need for change in the design and implementation of social policies in order to overcome the stalemate of the last two or three decades.

Starting with the social measures taken by Bismarck in the late nineteenth century, the paper shows that modern social policy has ever since been diversely developed in the world, and compares the experiences of the USA and Europe. Under this framework, the paper raises less handled social issues that are decisive for a true reform, and that must be taken into account either theoretically or for practical purposes.

In a competitive environment and in a rapidly changing world economy, it is demonstrated that the paper's topic has a strong theoretical and empirical basis. Owing to its great complexity, however, the search for sound economic foundations of social policies must be continued.

In dealing with the dilemmas faced by social policies more emphasis should be put on the development of new insights, particularly on a global scale and in a more friendly approach to technological modernisation.

The paper explores the deepening of the policy mix between public measures and civil society initiatives as a possible solution to the present difficulties. Furthermore, it stresses the relevance of marginalised issues like the full integration of technological modernisation, and of an international dimension into the social policies, so far basically domestic.

Begins by focusing on the rise of formalism in the post‐war period leading to virtual monopoly as far as the method of economic analysis is concerned, and on the main consequences of this process. After mounting criticism of formalism, internal as well as external, it is acknowledged that some signs of renewed interest in a non‐mathematical approach and in its potentialities can be observed, particularly in the 1990s. Moreover, it is postulated that free competition between different methods, as opposed to concentrating on only one, is the best framework for the progress of economics. In particular, it increases the possibilities for dealing with many economic problems in an innovative way. Finally, outlines a possible stage where the two main methods (mathematical and non‐mathematical) have a more balanced and useful role in the course of economic analysis.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the environmental scanning practices and information sources used by large companies as well as by small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), the latter being relatively absent from scientific scrutiny. In doing so, it endeavours to contribute to a better understanding of the scanning and information‐gathering behaviour of SMEs, in order to develop measures to overcome their potential disadvantages in this respect.

Data were obtained from 165 Portuguese firms. Respondents were required to evaluate their use of 11 different environmental scanning practices and 12 information sources. For data analysis, the variables were classified using principal component analysis. Subsequently, the retained components and variables underwent a one‐way variance analysis.

Results indicate that smaller firms do not scan as broadly and as frequently as their larger counterparts. Although external information sources are used equally by larger and smaller enterprises, in general there is also a positive relationship between the exploitation of information sources and firm size.

Findings are taken from the Portuguese context, with its own idiosyncratic economic structure and climate. Generalisations should therefore be made with caution.

As the “size effect” influences the propensity for environmental scanning, SMEs are urged to adopt inter‐firm strategies in order to achieve a critical mass. The importance of building scanning and information networks among SMEs must be highlighted.

Research on environmental scanning in SMEs and comparative studies of the firm size effect have been relatively scarce. The findings reveal that firm size matters, insofar as the use of different scanning practices and information sources mostly augments with increasing firm size.

This essay sheds light on the problems arising from trade between asymmetric countries, particularly when associated with a different degree of power. At present, when the importance of external trade is clearly increasing and different countries of different size, wealth and stage of economic development establish even more extensive commercial links with one another, this raises fresh policy issues, but also theoretical challenges.

Describes how mathematics enjoyed a virtual monopoly as the privileged method of economic inquiry in the post‐war period. Counters the argument that such a position generates negative consequences, such as monopoly rents and the abuse of dominant positions. Argues that competing schools of economic thought such as Chicago, Harvard, neoclassical and post‐Keynesian, neo‐Australian, evolutionary and institutional economists all hold positions that diverge on essentials. Suggests that the market structure of post‐war economies is not a monopoly but a heterogeneous asymmetric oligopoly with a few large and a fringe of small suppliers. Analyses the relationship between two large and two fringe suppliers, stating that the oligopoly metaphor suggests that there is competition between schools that may lead to winners and losers and to changes in the market shares. In conclusion, offers a projection of what the author expects, i.e. who will lose and how the market structure will change, offering an insight into the role of mathematics.

Maintenance is one of the most critical and expensive operations during the life cycle of metallic structures, in particular in the aeronautic industry. However, early detection of fatigue cracks is one of the most demanding operations in global maintenance procedures. In this context, non-destructive testing using image techniques may represent one of the best solutions in such situations, especially thermal stress analyses (TSA) using infrared thermography. The purpose of this paper is to access and characterize the main stress profile calculated through temperature variation, for different load frequencies.

In this paper, a cyclic load is applied to an aluminum sample component while infrared thermal image is being acquired. According to the literature and experiments, a cyclic load applied to a material results in cyclic temperature variation.

Frequency has been shown to be an important parameter in TSA evaluations, increasing the measured stress profile amplitude. The loading stimulation frequency and the maximum stress recorded show a good correlation (R² higher than 0.995). It was verified that further tests and modeling should be performed to fully comprehend the influence of load frequency and to create a standard to conduct thermal stress tests.

This work revealed that the current infrared technology is capable of reaching far more detailed thermal and spatial resolution than the one used in the development of TSA models. Thus, for the first time the influence of mechanical load frequency in the thermal profiles of TSA is visible and consequentially the measured mechanical stress.