The effects of noise on health and productivity represent environmental and occupational issues fororganizations, which can be mitigated by awareness of the importance and adoption of personal protective equipment (PPE). However, the analysis of noise levels and the use ofthesaid equipment are neglected in micro and small enterprises (MSE’s). The present study aimed to identify the relationship between noise levels and productivity in a small footwear company, in which two time studies were conducted: with and without the useof hearing protective devices. The result showed that noise levels have a negative effect on productivityand the existence of a real and significant difference in the operator’s productivity with and without the use of PPE.

This paper is one of the first to propose a research model to assess the quality and satisfaction perceived by low-income Brazilian patients using public healthcare services, under the moderating effect of perceived crowding. The model was evaluated from data obtained from 417 patients, and its proposed relationships and statistics were tested through Structural Equation Modeling using a Partial Least Squares approach (PLS-SEM). To explore the moderating effect of perceived crowding, the sample was divided into two groups and tested by employing multi-group analysis (MGA). The results show that Reliability, Safety, Tangibles, Empathy and Responsiveness have a positive effect on Perceived Healthcare Quality (PHQ), which, in turn, has a marked effect on patient satisfaction (PS), ergo, PHQ acts as antecedent of PS. However, perceived crowding has no moderating effect on any relationship in the model.

O acirramento da competitividade no setor de panificação industrial tornou essencial a análise das relações financeiras entre os elos de suas cadeias de suprimentos. Para tanto, as empresas têm adotado o Supply Chain Finance (SCF), que visa diminuir o risco de financiamento por meio da melhoria do capital de giro. Contudo, a adoção de práticas de SCF é normalmente negligenciada por pequenas e médias empresas (PME’s), que enfrentam dificuldades para obter financiamento junto a instituições financeiras. Logo, o objetivo deste estudo é identificar as principais barreiras ao financiamento de PME’s do setor de panificação brasileiro e o seu grau de maturidade em relação às práticas de SCF. Nesse sentido, desenvolveu-se um questionário estruturado que foi enviado por e-mail a organizações deste segmento. Os resultados demonstraram que as principais barreiras enfrentadas são o elevado custo de crédito e a burocracia excessiva, associadas ao risco de endividamento. Identificou-se, também, que há pouca maturidade acerca de práticas de SCF no setor, justificada pelo raro acompanhamento de qualquer indicador de desempenho financeiro associado às cadeias de suprimentos em que as empresas estão inseridas.