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This paper analyzes "Concejo a la casa", the initiative developed by DemoLab, the Open Council Laboratory of Bogota, as the first case of political innovation in Colombia that uses lottery as a selection mechanism for a process of citizen participation. It builds upon both the conceptual framework based on political innovation and lottery, and the descriptive analysis of the data collected by "Concejo a la casa" to explore the relationship between the descriptive representation of randomness and the conditions that enhance the reduction of some barriers and bias related to participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In this paper, through primary sources, we intend to clarify and specify the role and actions taken by the government against the flu pandemic of 1918 in Bogotá. Materials and methods: Primary Sources: Newspapers of the time in Bogota and Colombia, official reports of the Central Board of Hygiene, official reports of the Board of Relief and medical thesis, National University of Colombia. Also, secondary sources on the topic were reviewed. Conclusion: The Public Hygiene, headed by State, proved unable to deal with the pandemic. The Relief Board was the only institution that took effective action. This institution of private character was created by the notables of the capital. The Board of Relief is remembered and praised by the print media, in contrast, the Central Board of Hygiene was represented as victim in the cartoons and was heavily criticized for their limited participation in the pandemic flu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we study how the legal subject "homeless" (habitante de la calle) was created in Colombia, and how it allowed certain ways of governance in contemporary cities. Focusing on the Colombian case, we argue that contemporary forms of control were only possible when the subject 'homeless' was distanced from other concepts such as lazy, indigent or mad. Furthermore, we make an analysis of the legal frame and academic discourses that developed the new subject of government, and studied how they legitimized new forms of crime control and new ways of organizing urban spaces. In order to do so, a case study of Bogota has been conducted focusing on national and local regulations on the matter, as well as on the discourses on security, crime control and government of problematic populations in both scales of the state administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There is a problem in the city of Barranquilla regarding the ignorance of the generation of used tires and their treatment at the end of their life cycle. This difficulty also occurs in Colombia, even globally. It is known that tire sales have a directly proportional relationship with the increase in the car fleet. Barranquilla shows a vehicle increase of 6% in 2015, 5% in 2016 and 4% in 2017. To date, the number of registered vehicles continues growing. As of December of 2018, the date on which this project is being carried on; there is no official system regulating the generation and proper disposal of used tires. While there are laws that oversee this issue, and preliminary projects that formulate systems for the proper collection and disposal of waste tires [1], most of them made in the capital city of Bogotá, are not duly reinforced by environmental authorities. Being the ignorance of generation is one of the main problems, a survey was applied to a sample of establishments that handle used tires in Barranquilla, where the existence of the problem was diagnosed and validated, and the number of used tires generated was estimated. Additionally, a forecast was made to analyze the behavior in later years. Following this, the most appropriate final disposal strategy for the treatment of this special solid waste was identified. Objective: analyze the current status of the generation, disposition and environmental effects of used tires in the city, focusing on the Riomar and Northern Historic Centre, as the field data on which the analysis is based on was collected there, due most concentration of establishments. This paper provides a starting point for an estimate of the used tires generated and forecasts the size of the environmental impact generated. Further, explores existing alternatives and processes for handling the disposed of used tires enabling the use of the materials and compounds within its structure for efficient uses of this resource while diminishing its impact on the environment. Method: Initially, 91 surveys were applied to establishments that handle used tires selected by sample size. The result of the study, whose consistency was verified through a Cronbach's Alpha analysis, shows in numbers the generation of weekly used tires at these active points. Then, the current factors that influence the generation of used tires are identified and expanded with a forecast for the generation of used tires in the next 5 years, covering the range of years from 2019 to 2023. Following the forecast, it will be in the foreground the existing methods for handling discarded tires, selecting the most appropriate by means of AHP method to contribute to the reduction of the environmental impact generated by improper disposal. Results: The results show that the problem of used tires is indisputable since most of these are eliminated in landfills. On the other hand, it's evident that there is a strong correlation between economic growth and registered vehicles. In the same way, the influence of the factors shows that there is a growing positive relationship between the registered vehicles and the number of used tires generated in the year. To give solution to the generation of used tires, it is found that the best final disposal strategy is the mechanical crushing of tires since, in addition to mitigating the environmental impact of the waste treatment, it also eliminates the possibility of contributing with pollutants. Conclusion: According to the results of the surveys and the forecasts made, it's evident that in 2023 the number of vehicles in Barranquilla will reach near that 231.918, which means an exponential growth in the generation of used tires; therefore, the importance of controlling the disposal of used tires is highlighted. Through the AHP methodology, it's established that the best practice to reduce or eliminate used tires is mechanical crushing due to its zero-carbon dioxide emission factor, and its products can be applied for rubber road asphalt and rubber coating for public playgrounds, among others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the affective features of the linguistic attitudes of students from different geolectal areas of Colombia who attend to a university in Cali. This city is characterized by its cultural and dialectal plurality, partly due to forced migrations from armed conflict areas. In addition, in recent years, the Colombian State has boosted the access of top students to the university, mostly from rural areas. The diversity of uses of the language that students have built in their home contexts could get in tension with the dynamics of the college environment. From a mentalist perspective in which internal phenomena susceptible of self-observation prevail, it seeks to extrapolate the affective features of the linguistic attitudes of the population studied through a matched-guise and a questionnaire, instruments that inquire perceptions regarding five dialects very frequent used in the university. The results show different assessments of the dialects and an opinion on the Bogota accent as central, prestigious and standard, strongly associated with forms of academic orality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural stone has been an important element in Colombian construction since the hispanic period, especially in Bogotá city capital from Colombia. Sandstone and limestone rocks are ornamental and structural elements on heritage buildings and new constructions, and their use is important to revitalization of urban spaces for the enjoyment of the population. This paper shows the results of some technological characterization tests of two rock types widely used in construction, commonly known as Piedra Muñeca or Piedra Bogotana and Marmol Royal Bronce, used in historical buildings as well as modern ones. Petrophysical and mechanical properties of these rocks identified in a preliminary way were: Petrographic analysis, physical properties (bulk density, bulk porosity and water absorption), compressive strength, flexural strength, weathering resistance and impact resistance, as shown in the Brazilian technical standard ABNT NBR15845. The obtained results allows to determine, in an early way, that the two varieties (yellow and pink) of the Piedra bogotana stone can be used as a structural element (walls, columns, beams and foundations) and also as a dimension stone for buildings, floors and squares. It´s recommended the use of yellow variety specially on interior spaces. Marmol Royal Bronce can be used in finishes and also in any type of facing, floor and as a structural element in highly traffic streets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objetive of this paper is to determine the enabling conditions for exercising participatory budgets in Bogotá. An analysis of the citizen participation regulatory framework in Colombia is introduced in order to understand the existent conditions for the execution of democratic budgets. After, a diagnostic of the main national and international citizen participation programs is completed using Arnstein’s “participatory ladder”, highlighting the failures in promoting citizen participation and in the development of participatory budgets. Finally, the last chapter presents a proposal to synthetize conditions that will enable the development of citizen budgets as well as the lessons learnt from international and national cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction- There is a great interest in reducing the use of fossil fuels due to the variation of prices and strong regulatory controls, which is why methods are being sought to reduce fuel consumption in internal combustion engines, such as the supply of products from the Hydrolysis of the water in the engine manifold. Objective- The objective of this paper is to present the results of an experimental methodology applied to estimate the mechanical and environmental performance of a vehicle fueled with gasoline and natural gas, when the engine is supplied with products resulting from the hydrolysis of water. Methodology- For the supply of said products to the vehicle, an external hydrolysis device was installed, and the vehicle has been instrumented with a fifth wheel, temperature and engine revolutions speed sensors, to perform acceleration tests on a flat road and a road with longitudinal slope angle. Additionally, torque and power tests with a chassis dynamometer, and pollutant emissions and fuel consumption tests were carried out. The tests were conducted in the outskirts of the city of Bogotá DC - Colombia, located at 2650 m above sea level. Results- The results show that the products of hydrolysis do not improve the mechanical performance of the vehicle, since they increase the time to arrive at the speeds defined in the acceleration tests up to 18% in the engine with gasoline and 7% in the engine with natural gas, and the torque and power are increase by around 1%. On the other hand, the results of the polluting emissions tests indicate that fuel consumption is reduced by about 7%. Conclusions- The results indicate that the performance of the vehicle does not improve, although fuel consumption decreases, the environmental performance does not decrease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around the world, healthcare organizations have had to accommodate to national and international regulations governing work and health. This process has been accompanied by the introduction of knowledge and practices coming from social and administrative sciences. In this encounter between the liberal reforms and the particular ways of managing the workforce, the circulating meanings play an important role because, to a large extent, the agendas, programs and interventions geared to towards workforce management depend on these circulating meanings to succeed. In this paper, meanings about work, worker, organization, human resources management and hiring that are currently circulating in a human resources department of a university hospital in Bogotá, Colombia, are presented. The qualitative design used in this paper aimed to collect the circulating meanings as well as their emotional correlative elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the determinants of teacher and course evaluations at the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia. The paper explores how teacher and course characteristics affect evaluation results. Grades obtained by students directly and positively affect teacher evaluations. Class size negatively affects the results of the evaluations. Finally whether teachers are full or part-time as well as years of experience of teachers have a negligible impact on evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainwater collection for domestic uses represents an interesting practice from the economical and environmental point of view. However, this solution is adopted due to the threat of the scarcity of water resources; it is not neutral from a sanitary perspective. This paper presents an analysis of the economical and technical viability of the its use as an alternative for irrigation purposes, as well as cleaning of facades and hard areas in the campus of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogota, Colombia). Three main aspects are developed in the paper: (i) estimation of the available rainwater volumes and the possible collection points; (ii) preliminary quality analysis of the collected rainwater; (iii) estimation of the construction costs for the basic infrastructure required to collect rainwater and estimation of the monetary savings obtained with the proposed solution. The results suggest that the use of rainwater is economically and technically viable, and that it may contribute with a sustainable management and development of the University's campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is grounded on an ethnographic investigation on the "Diana Turbay" neighborhood in Bogota. Its objective is to analyze certain aspects that favored the formation of this neighborhood of illegal origin, the organization of its inhabitants in their daily struggle to get better life conditions and the dynamics of change in their social relationships as part of the process of incorporation of the neighborhood to the city. This paper is inscribed on the debates about right to city and urban marginality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to build a review to the correspondence between the discourse of political ideology, the discourse of urban ideology and its manifestation in architectural realization. The text generally consists of two main bodies. The first, reviews the process of building the modern movement in architecture and urbanism and then subsequent transit and implementation in Colombia, specifically in Bogotá. It is necessary to note that the political speech to revise is Colombian, although the Modern Movement has a European origin and American developments, the context to review is specifically limited by the interaction of these ideas with the historical-geographical space of Bogotá, embodied in the urban development of the city. Under these rules, the European political considerations are hardly references to contextualize the modern movement itself and its vicissitudes. Also, the definition of the time period of study, which is due to the appearance in the country of the need to consider the problem of urban planning through intellectual exercises grounded in architecture, urbanism and medicine; the latter as a driver of the concepts of modern ideology of healthy living and social hygiene (Ramírez, 2000b). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2004, the district of Bogotá has built massively schools of great capacity and infraestructure known as Megacolegios (Mega-schools). By 2010, the city counted with 42 new school which were built in the areas of the city with the highest demand for educational access. This paper uses matching techniques to measure the impact of the megacolegios in the students performance on the Saber 11° estandarized test. The results show that the megacolegios have no impact on the students performance. Nevertheless, The megacolegios do mitigate the negative relation between performance and some students characteristics like over age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "hiring carousel" in Bogotá has been the biggest corruption scandal that has been dismantled in Colombia up to this day. Consequently, the Colombian state countered by promoting the creation and modification of legal rules as a way to defeat corruption, as illustrated, for instance, in the 1474 law of 2011 (Anti-Corruption Statute). This paper portrays an evaluation and a comparison between facts and legislative measures that were promoted to offset this corruption phenomenon. Furthermore, this piece analyzes the enforceability of the anti-corruption statute and evaluates if legislative measures are the correct path to defeat and eradicate corruption, or if law, because of its rigidity, is not enough to face this social calamity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a methodology based on genetic algorithms that allows the reordering of the existing park transformers voltage level I of the distribution systems of Bogotá city, Colombia, in order to maximize the recognition of assets that the regulator CREG (Comisión Reguladora de Energía y Gas) made to the various network operators, as set out in resolution 097 of 2008. For the application of the algorithm, we obtained maximum active power measurements for each hour of the year 2009 in a number of transformers of different capacities, chosen at random, installed in the distribution system CODENSA SA ESP, the company that provides electric service in the Bogotá city. With this information we built representative daily load curves and developed a database that contains the operating costs of moving equipment and tariffs, from which it was possible to model the objective function and constraints of the problem, obtaining a high number of possible combinations (about 1 * 10134) due to the large number of nodes and processors present in the distribution system. Conventional search of a solution in the above situation implies the use of prohibitive times. For this reason we implemented a classical genetic algorithm, thus obtaining an optimal solution that offers a financial gain in the first year, associated with the increase in the usage charge, of $ 253.446.362,47 (COP), profits that could be increased considerably when running the algorithm on larger transformers parks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a methodology based on genetic algorithms that allows the reordering of the existing park transformers voltage level I of the distribution systems of Bogotá city, Colombia, in order to maximize the recognition of assets that the regulator CREG ( Comisión Reguladora de Energía y Gas) made to the various network operators, as set out in resolution 097 of 2008. For the application of the algorithm, we obtained maximum active power measurements for each hour of the year 2009 in a number of transformers of different capacities, chosen at random, installed in the distribution system CODENSA SA ESP, the company that provides electric service in the Bogotá city. With this information we built representative daily load curves and developed a database that contains the operating costs of moving equipment and tariffs, from which it was possible to model the objective function and constraints of the problem, obtaining a high number of possible combinations (about 1 * 10134) due to the large number of nodes and processors present in the distribution system. Conventional search of a solution in the above situation implies the use of prohibitive times. For this reason we implemented a classical genetic algorithm, thus obtaining an optimal solution that offers a financial gain in the first year, associated with the increase in the usage charge, of $ 253.446.362,47 (COP), profits that could be increased considerably when running the algorithm on larger transformers parks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the cost effectiveness property of different control strategies for improving environmental quality. Our prospective analysis considers the application of Transferable Emissions Permit System (TEPS), Transferable Ambient Permit System (TAPS) and Standards (Std) applied on fix sources in Bogota-Colombia. A numerical simulation model allowed us to obtain costs of each regulatory system, which were compared with associated environmental quality. The results show that the most cost effective regulation for any environmental quality goal is TEPS, followed by TAPS and finally Std. In addition, the paper presents a new conceptual result on the enforcement strategies for a regulatory instrument that considers a spatially differentiated pollutant. The results suggest that for any goal of environmental improvement, a TAPS induce compliance cheaper than in any other regulatory system under consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the results achieved in the evaluation of two housing projects developed as part of international design competitions, which constitute paradigmatic experiences in that field in Latin America: PREVI Lima (1965) and Elemental Chile (2002). The evaluation is part of a wider research trying to make recommendations to improve the design quality of the social housing in Bogotá, starting from the diagnosis of the current situation and the best of the national Colombian, the international experience in this field, as well as the presentation of two cases. A theoretical model elaborated in the research is taken as a basis to make a comparative evaluation of both examples to verify that they constitute important experiences from which is possible to learn, their achievements as well as from their failures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is the development of an accessibility estimation method as a transport policy assessment tool based on the state of the art of the accessibility concept and measurement techniques, and available information directly related to socioeconomic data, transport demand and supply characteristics for specific areas of Bogotá. Study areas and indicators are defined in order to determine relevant relationships between transport and access to opportunities for individuals with specific socioeconomic characteristics and present mobility conditions. In addition, evaluation of restricted travel budgets scenarios defined both by the standard transport theory and individuals is performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Departing from the need to evaluate the design quality of the social housing in Bogotá according to the necessities and expectations of the inhabitants, the paper exposes a procedure based on a temporal approach that articulates the past, present and future by considering traditions, changing needs and expectancies. This approach leads to the necessity of a flexible design that allows a progressive housing adaptation. Housing is defined as a design solution in a broad scope that involves the evaluation of the habitable space at the architectural scale, its relation to the immediate environment and to the city at the urban scale. Variables, parameters and indicators are presented as basis to the structure of the theoretical model for the evaluation of the design quality of housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the use of the stated-preference technique in a discrete choice experiment carried out to examine the behavior of car users concerning changes in parking costs in the central business district of Bogotá. The research seeks to determine the level of elasticity between parking costs and car use for work trips. First, the area of interest is selected, bearing in mind compatibility with other studies. Then, the experiment is designed taking into account variables such as costs, commuting time, parking time and walking distance from the parking lot to the workplace. A multinomial logit model is used in order to determine elasticity between the parking cost and the use of the car, and to experiment with the variables included in the model. The model shows that the elasticity between parking costs and car use is -0.13496, which is considered low when compared to international standards. However, the model indicates high sensitivity on the part of car users with respect to walking distances. This work contributes to improving parking pricing policies to discourage the use of cars in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper intends to provide an analytical framework on relevant aspects derived from the present research, which intended to explore and understand demobilized youth's subjectivity shifts, and the way some educational programs addressed to that community are coming to terms with them, as a part of those groups' process of return to civilian life. By the same token, a number of pedagogical reflections born from the educational experiences studied are brought into focus. Thus, this study intends to enrich the field of knowledge and discussion on the processes of return to civilian life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to identify digital territorial segregation in the city of Bogotá, Colombia. The primary source of information is the Quality of Life Survey (ECV) made in Bogotá in 2007. Once the elements of the theoretical framework are exposed, the research results are addressed: 1) Internet connection and computer ownership in households in the localities of Bogotá, and 2) relational indicators for assessing territorial segregation in the city. Research demonstrates that digital territorial segregation in Bogotá is a fact that cannot be denied nor hidden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An exploratory study, conducted at Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia, of the potential use of glued laminated bamboo guadua (Guadua angustifolia Kunt) as a structural material is presented in this paper. The influence of the direction of the fiber and the location of the laminae in the mechanical properties is discussed. The compression, tension, shear and flexural design stresses of glued laminated guadua are compared to those of Andean structural woods (lumber). Additionally, the effect on the mechanical properties of the bond strength of the adhesive at different test temperatures is investigated. Based on the mechanical properties obtained in this research, glued laminated guadua bamboo can be a suitable construction material for structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic growth in Bogota and its region will produce important changes in urban development and mobility. Increases in private vehicle ownership in the next decades will contribute to urban sprawl and car dependency in a development pattern similar to the one lived by North American cities. This paper underlines the policy and strategy to be adopted by Bogota District in order to prevent a path of non-sustainable development, promote a more inclusive city and an efficient integration with the Region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper attempts to measure empirically the externalities generated by the street vendors in four zones of the city. Given the lack of information censuses and surveys were carried out during December of 2004 and January 2005. The descriptive statistics show that the established commerce is less formal than expected; whereas the street vendors are mostly stationary, exhibit reduced scale and low space rivalry. The econometric estimations show that the congestion of the public space generated by street vendors has a negative impact on both sales and employment of established retail commerce. The simulations of a reduction of street vendors pinpoint that although street sales account for just 2% of total sales in the four areas under study, they reduce 14% and 16% sales and employment of formal retail commerce respectively. Finally, some limitations of the methodological strategy are raised and some public policy proposals to face the phenomenon are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an exercise on the ethnographic interpretation of the "paseode olla", an urban practice observed at a traditional park in bogotá, the "Parque Nacional Enrique Olaya Herrera". The text combines ethnographic descriptions and reflections about the urban public space as well as socio-spatial analyses of human interaction. The text emphasizes in the importance of space practices analyses as forms of culture materialization in urban contexts. It also shows the persistence of the family in contemporary urban practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the results of a research project about practices and representation of natural and cultural heritage in Bogotá, this paper contributes to the anthropology of space and other disciplines associated to it. It introduces the concept of place-heritage as a notion that will be helpful in the participatory management of heritage, regarding social interaction and practices in such places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofuels constitute an important alternative for the current national and worldwide energy demand. The main goal of this paper is to summarize the recent contributions of Universidad de los Andes for the development of technologies related to its production. Such efforts have been conveyed to the use of sub products like oil palm empty-fruit-bunch or domestic solid waste for ethanol production, hydrogen production and liquid fuels through anaerobic digestion and waste pyrolysis respectively, and biodiesel by fatty acids esterification. Generally, the limitations of these technologies stand on discovering adequate catalysts either from biological or chemical origin, finding optimum reaction conditions (temperature, pressure and reactive systems) accounting yield and selectivity and, finally, feedstock selection from an economical perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following paper shows the result of a new tool assisted by computer developed for cell coverage prediction in the VHF and UHF bands for urban environments. The application is based on the two ray electromagnetic model in combination with Vogler model, which takes into account themodiffraction effects. There were taken several power measurements in Bogota (Colombia), using an automatic monitoring system, in order to validate the implemented model. Based on the power measurement data a new simplified empirical model was proposed which lets predict the coverage in urban scenarios with buildings where the height is comparable with that of the transmitter's. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents results from two research projects aimed at inquiring about socioeconomic stratification in Bogota from the perspective of its value as representation of social order and hierarchy. Although socioeconomic stratification was implemented as a targeting mechanism of subsidies for the poorest households with the objective to enable them to have domiciliary potable water, electricity, sewer, gas and telephone, the policy has deeply affected the way social differences are collectively evoked. Research results from projects conducted in Bogota between 2005 and 2007, based on a variety of sources and methods, are approached with a view on social representations as a group of ideas and practices that are collectively shared and socially generated. Conclusions deal with issues of stratification and socio-spatial segregation, as well as the present configuration of representations about social differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the extent to which the establishment of the different governance forms linking hospitals to insurance companies in Bogotá is carried out taking into account transaction costs reduction criteria. An empirical test is applied, using the transaction dimensions proposed by Williamson (1985). Hypotheses are tested by a combination of the acceptability analysis stochastic method and multiple discriminant analysis. We conclude that both hospitals and insurance companies seek to reduce production costs, while transaction costs are not relevant to the decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perception of security related to crime is not always tied to the individual level of victimization or the real risk of crime, but rather to the fear of crime. To investigate this, we carried out a survey among the community at Universidad de los Andes. We found that the fear of crime is more decisive than the actual victimization in terms of shaping people's perception of security during Bogotá's current administration (i.e., Garzón) as compared to its three former administrations (i.e., Mockus-Peñalosa-Mockus). This becomes even more surprising if one takes into account the fact that Bogotá has experienced a decrease in most high social-impact crimes, according to official data, yet the survey reveals that still one third of those surveyed feel worst under Garzón's administration as compared to the three former ones. We show that the perception of security in public spaces, and on public transport, is determined by factors which are related more to the fear of crime than to the level of subjective victimization (understood as that of the surveyed and his/her kin). This paper also corroborates widely held beliefs that surround the fear-of-crime literature, such as the attitude towards crime risk among the young, and the higher perception of safety that men feel as compared to women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the context of the research financed by Universidad Nacional de Colombia, this paper reviews the specialized literature on human resource management in organizations. It determines the main theories that have served as a basis for research in this discipline and profiles the practical trends in human resource management as well as the academic debate at hand. It also highlights findings on how important persons are for building a sustained competitive advantage and how important the human resource management area is for obtaining organizational capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A specific form of social mobility, spatial mobility, is examined in this paper. Likewise, social representations by residents of different social strata are analyzed. The research project that the current results are based upon, deals with the effects of the stratification policy on paying public utilities and with social mobility. Spatial mobility patterns towards and within Bogotá are reviewed, as well as the way its inhabitants move around in the city by socioeconomic stratum. Finally, representations related to moral categories and social stratifications in the city are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the debate on the concept of city-region and to the possible problems encountered in its construction. With this purpose in mind, an introduction is made on globalization, that sort of contemporary mantra and back screen of almost all processes of change, urbanization among them. Some concepts that have tried to overcome the traditional idea of city are examined and, taking those concepts as a starter point, a new definition of city-region is made. Some of the problems superimposed in its construction are discussed and brief comments on the specific case of the city of Bogotá and the department of Cundinamarca are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the first part of this paper the basics of the estimation of the stochastic production function is discussed. In the second part an application of the former is presented aimed at the hierarquization of the educational institutions which depend of the District of Bogotá, according to a measure of the technical efficiency --using inputs to maximize the output. For the present, a Cobb-Douglas production function is assumed with a symmetric noise and a semi-normal efficiency perturbations. Using maximum likelihood the parameters are obtained and the efficiency for each institution is calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is identify the main reasons for which the providers of health services in Bogotá outsource some of their services. The framework that supports the study is based on the central concept of developing core competences in the provision of services. The empirical component of the study involved 35 providers, public and private, of various levels of complexity. The main result is that the main reason for which hospitals use outsourcing is to reduce costs, and the second reason is the advantage that specialized firms have in certain areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the factors underlying the shift of public space management Bogotá's Historic Center from one neglect by presidentially appointed mayors to an aggressive public space recuperation campaign led by Bogotá's elected mayors from 1988 to the present. Faced with the high barriers to public space recovery-the potential loss of needed political support from vendors and the power of vendor unions to obstruct their removal-this article holds that two factors enabled elected Bogotá mayors to recuperate public space. These are: 1. a democratization of the Bogotá Mayor's Office which made elected mayors responsible to the electorate for their neglect of public space, and 2. the political-economic marginalization of traditionally obstructive Bogotá vendor unions. Field work was carried out in metropolitan Bogotá to determine the impact of the public space recuperation on vendors who were relocated by the Mayor's Office of Bogotá. When compared to data from the street, results of the randomized surveys illustrate improvements in working conditions but lower income and fewer clientele for relocated street vendors. The study similarly documents how more benefits accrued to relocated vendors in markets that specialize in the sale of one product instead of more generalized markets. The conclusion points to the importance of public space recovery for the reinstatement of public order and for downtown economic revitalization. These benefits are described parallel to the disadvantages of the intensification of vendor-government conflict and the large-scale abandonment of costly markets by relocated street vendors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of virtual media as a support to formal higher education requires a methodology able to support the teacher's specific educative needs and the pedagogical requirements of diverse subjects and knowledge areas. This paper presents the methodology used on the construction of Learning Virtual Environments as a complement to the face to face activities of ten different disciplines courses on the Universidad de los Andes, at Bogotá (Colombia). The procedure and balance of this methodology are part of the reflection contained in this document. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]