Abstract
The global economic crisis makes it necessary to increase business competitiveness. Lean is a manufacturing philosophy that deserves the attention of employers and their employees, since its objectives are to increase productivity, reduce waste, and optimize available resources. The 5S method is a lean tool that can improve productivity by improving the organization of the workplace. A brief survey of the market showed that there are several organizations dedicated to training and sharing this type of knowledge but only a few of them have digital tools available. Therefore, the use of a digital serious game that helps to understand the 5S method can effectively support an alternative form of learning. This article proposes a serious game that aims to respond to this need. This practical approach encourages the player to learn by trial and error. Information displayed throughout the game enhances learning, without a cognitive overload for the player. The game's evaluation has shown that our approach is efficient and results in the learning of 5S concepts. © 2013 IEEE.

Abstract
In the present paper we analyzed the behavior of firms in the construction and manufacturing sectors, located in the region of Vale do Sousa, in the north of Portugal. From the literature, even revising some disagreements, it is possible to conclude that planning is crucial for firms' survival and growth. Co-operation is another aspect that the literature presents as an important factor for firms sustainability. It also plays a major role in competition, since firms are adopting coo-petition strategies. By studying a sample of 251 firms, it was possible to realize, that the majority started their business without a formal planning, and they keep going without using it. In cooperation aspects, there is a lack of cooperation. It was possible to verify, that existing cooperation has some evidence but at a vertical level. These vertical relations were also identified in stakeholder's involvement.

Abstract
This paper describes an approach for assessing the level of stress of users of mobile devices with tactile screens by analysing their touch patterns. Two features are extracted from touches: duration and intensity. These features allow to analyse the intensity curve of each touch. We use decision trees (J48) and support vector machines (SMO) to train a stress detection classifier using additional data collected in previous experiments. This data includes the amount of movement, acceleration on the device, cognitive performance, among others. In previous work we have shown the co-relation between these parameters and stress. Both algorithms show around 80% of correctly classified instances. The decision tree can be used to classify, in real time, the touches of the users, serving as an input to the assessment of the stress level.

Abstract
Conflicts are a natural consequence of our daily social interactions and should be regarded as opportunities to improve some aspect, condition or flaw. In order for conflicts to have positive outcomes, not only from an economical view but also concerning the maintenance of good interpersonal-relationships, tools are needed that can explain to the parties the inner mechanisms of the conflict resolution process, its restrictions and its rules. Only well-informed parties can take good and realistic decisions and better understand the others’. In this thesis, the most important aspects in a conflict resolution process concerning the aforementioned are identified, with the objective of designing a tool that can effectively support the parties from the beginning to the end of the conflict. The resulting tool, UMCourt , has as main objective to support decisions by providing the right information in the right moment to the right stakeholders. Specifically, several problems are addressed that include the definition of a suitable agent-based architecture, the building of important knowledge and the support in the negotiation process, either by generating solutions or by analysing the behaviour of the parties. This last issue is addressed in more detail in this thesis. In fact, the most serious drawback that was identified in current conflict resolution methods is their complete disregard for contextual and subjective information about the parties: the trend has been, for many years, to focus on the objective aspects of the conflict. The main contribution of this thesis is a vision on conflict resolution that goes the other way around: asides from objective information, decisions should also be based on contextual features such as our level of stress, body language, attitudes or our conflict handling style. We rely on this information on a daily basis to communicate efficiently. It results only logical that it should be included in conflict resolution methods that rely so heavily on communication. The approach put forward relies on the analysis of the individual’s behaviour in order to infer such context information. Disputant parties and, in particular, mediators and negotiators, can better understand the state of the participants and take better decisions (e.g. make a pause, understand how a party is affected by an issue). This is particularly important when online dispute resolution methods that rely on cold and impersonal communication technologies (often constituting a barrier to efficient communication) are used.;Os conflitos são uma consequência natural das nossas interações sociais e devem ser vistos como oportunidades para melhorar determinados aspetos, condições ou mesmo falhas. Para que tenham resultados positivos, não só do ponto de vista económico mas também do ponto de vista das relações interpessoais, são necessárias ferramentas que expliquem às partes as particularidades do processo, as suas restrições e as suas regras. Apenas partes bem informadas podem tomar decisões realísticas e melhor entender as decisões dos restantes. Nesta tese, os aspetos mais importantes num processo de resolução de conflitos são identificados, com o objetivo de definir uma ferramenta que possa, efetivamente, suportar as partes do início ao fim do conflito. A ferramenta resultante, designada UMCourt , tem como principal objetivo suportar decisões fornecendo a informação certa no momento certo às entidades certas. Especificamente, vários problemas são atacados que incluem a definição de uma arquitetura de software adequada, a construção de conhecimento e o suporte à negociação, quer através da geração de soluções quer através da análise comportamental das partes. Este último tópico é tratado em mais detalhe nesta tese. De facto, a limitação mais significante que foi identificada nos atuais métodos de resolução de conflitos é a negligência da importância dos fatores contextuais e da informação subjetiva acerca das partes: a tendência tem sido no sentido de se focarem apenas nos aspetos objetivos. A principal contribuição desta tese é a de uma visão do processo de resolução de conflitos que aponta no sentido oposto: para além da informação objetiva, as decisões devem também ser baseadas em aspetos contextuais tais como o nível de stress, a linguagem corporal ou o estilo de lidar com o conflito. Enquanto indivíduos, baseamonos nestes aspetos diariamente para comunicar de forma eficiente. É portanto lógico que tal informação seja incluída em métodos de resolução de conflitos que se baseiam de forma tão clara na comunicação. A abordagem proposta baseia-se na análise comportamental de cada indivíduo para aquisiçao da informação de contexto. As partes em conflito e, em particular, os mediadores e negociadores, podem entender melhor o estado de todos os participantes e tomar melhores decisões (e.g. fazer uma pausa, perceber como uma parte é afetada por uma questão). Isto é especialmente importante quando são usados métodos de resolução de conflitos em linha baseados no uso de tecnologias de comunicação frias e impessoais, que geralmente configuram elas próprias um obstáculo à eficiência da comunicação.

Abstract
In a time in which a significant amount of interpersonal interactions take place online, one must enquire to which extent are these milieus suitable for supporting the complexity of our communication. This is especially important in more sensitive domains, such as the one of Online Dispute Resolution, in which inefficient communication environments may result in misunderstandings, poor decisions or the escalation of the conflict. The conflict manager, in particular, may find his skills severely diminished, namely in what concerns the accurate perception of the state of the parties. In this paper the development of a rich communication framework is detailed that conveys contextual information about their users, harnessed from the transparent analysis of their behaviour while communicating. Using it, the conflict manager may not only better perceive the conflict and how it affects each party but also take better contextualized decisions, closer to the ones taken in face-to-face settings.

Abstract
E-Learning, much like any other communication processes, has been significantly shaped by technological evolution. In its original form, e-Learning aimed to bring the education closer to people, making it more modular and personalized. However, in reality, we observe that it represents a separation between student and teacher, simplifying this relationship to the exchange of "text-based messages", leaving aside all the important contextual richness of the classroom. We are addressing this issue by devising a contextual layer for e-Learning platforms. Particularly, in this paper we describe a solution to convey information about the level of stress of the students so that the teacher can take better and more informed decisions concerning the management of the learning process.