Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Innovative Technological Approach'

The need to be economically successful is the key driver for companies to be innovative and implement new technologies with increasing efficiency and effectiveness. Uncertainty about whether to use new technologies and missing knowledge about their advantages lead to staggering and withholding from fast diffusion of innovations. Focusing on the industry of logistics and the technology Mixed Reality, this research project developed a methodical approach for evaluating the fitness of an innovative technology and a specific process of application. A mixed methods approach was derived, based on interviews and experiments. The main methodologies used, were semi-structured interviews with decision makers in logistics companies to elaborate triggering criteria in the investment process and laboratory experiments for the evaluation of competing technologies. These methods were framed by an initial field experiment and feedback interviews after the analysis for the validation of the approach. The research proved the competitively viable applicability of Mixed Reality and its specific strengths and weaknesses in manual order picking. This set the foundation for possible further development and implementation of the technology. The developed methodological approach proved to be a valid and reliable assessment of the intersection between a technology and specified process of application. This can greatly enhance the speed of implementing new innovations and gaining competitive advantages for companies.

Інноваційний розвиток української економіки передбачає інтеграцію останньої у світовий технологічний обмін, що наразі розвивається швидкими темпами: тільки для технологій контролю та автоматизації виробництва у 2020 році ринок нових технологій складатиме 202,42 млрд дол, зростаючи щорічно на 6,73% від 2015 до 2020 року, за оцінками агентства маркетингових досліджень MarketsAndMarkets, а ринок інноваційних пристроїв для кінцевого споживача особистого використання (часи, телефони, навушники, відеокліпси, браслети тощо) – 34 млрд дол у 2020 році.

Advances in medical technology have altered the need for certain types of surgery to be performed in traditional inpatient hospital settings. Less invasive surgical procedures allow a growing number of medical treatments to take place on an outpatient basis. Hospitals face growing competition from ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). The competitive threats posed by ASCs are important, given that inpatient surgery has been the cornerstone of hospital services for over a century. Additional research is needed to understand how surgical volume shifts between and within acute care general hospitals (ACGHs) and ASCs. This study investigates how medical technology within the hospital industry is changing medical services delivery. The main purposes of this study are to (1) test Clayton M. Christensen’s theory of disruptive innovation in health care, and (2) examine the effects of disruptive innovation on appendectomy, cholecystectomy, and bariatric surgery (ACBS) utilization. Disruptive innovation theory contends that advanced technology combined with innovative business models—located outside of traditional product markets or delivery systems—will produce simplified, quality products and services at lower costs with broader accessibility. Consequently, new markets will emerge, and conventional industry leaders will experience a loss of market share to “non-traditional” new entrants into the marketplace. The underlying assumption of this work is that ASCs (innovative business models) have adopted laparoscopy (innovative technology) and their unification has initiated disruptive innovation within the hospital industry. The disruptive effects have spawned shifts in surgical volumes from open to laparoscopic procedures, from inpatient to ambulatory settings, and from hospitals to ASCs. The research hypothesizes that: (1) there will be larger increases in the percentage of laparoscopic ACBS performed than open ACBS procedures; (2) ambulatory ACBS will experience larger percent increases than inpatient ACBS procedures; and (3) ASCs will experience larger percent increases than ACGHs. The study tracks the utilization of open, laparoscopic, inpatient and ambulatory ACBS. The research questions that guide the inquiry are: 1. How has ACBS utilization changed over this time? 2. Do ACGHs and ASCs differ in the utilization of ACBS? 3. How do states differ in the utilization of ACBS? 4. Do study findings support disruptive innovation theory in the hospital industry? The quantitative study employs a panel design using hospital discharge data from 2004 and 2009. The unit of analysis is the facility. The sampling frame is comprised of ACGHs and ASCs in Florida and Wisconsin. The study employs exploratory and confirmatory data analysis. This work finds that disruptive innovation theory is an effective model for assessing the hospital industry. The model provides a useful framework for analyzing the interplay between ACGHs and ASCs. While study findings did not support the stated hypotheses, the impact of government interventions into the competitive marketplace supports the claims of disruptive innovation theory. Regulations that intervened in the hospital industry facilitated interactions between ASCs and ACGHs, reducing the number of ASCs performing ACBS and altering the trajectory of ACBS volume by shifting surgeries from ASCs to ACGHs.

The research aimed to identify the most appropriate team approaches for co-ordinating innovative products or process developments and for enhancing their success. Case studies were conducted in 25 UK companies, focusing on environmental technology projects. Research findings emphasised the diversity of organisational team approaches which were more complex when several departments, teams or companies were involved. Team approaches were broadly classified - 'single-disciplinary', 'multi-disciplinary' or 'multi-functional' - according to members' expertise and innovation function which could be more or less integrated. The results showed that: 1. Multi-tasking to meet all innovation functions reflected small firm limitations and small firms would benefit from more formal structures. Differences between medium- and large-sized firms were minimal since teams held more specialist expertise, However, the influence of firm size on innovation success was obscured and potentially negated by inter-company alliances. 2. Few differences in the management of minor and major company innovations applied since competitive pressures led to organisational innovation in each case, including integrated team approaches, inter-company alliances and company formations. 3. Multi-functional teams were important for achieving success in open markets because of their control over appropriate expertise, even though they did not guarantee commercial success or other benefits. Surprisingly, multi-functional teams were typically rated as unsatisfactory and ineffective by members which may have implications for staff morale and retention. 4. Inter-company teams represented opportunities for team learning and organisational development because company-based assumptions about organisational behaviour, expectations about inter-company operations and fears about inter-disciplinary teamworking were challenged. 5. Integrated teams were not sufficient for achieving team effectiveness and success outcomes, although most companies regarded their team as necessary for success. Complex team and innovation development processes emphasised the importance of the co-ordinator's role in managing unclear team and organisational boundaries associated with innovative developments. 6. Although the research supports the importance of teams for innovation success, team effectiveness had a more complex influence on success in open markets than on client-funded projects because of the nature of the teams and the influence of market and technological uncertainties.

Background: India is home to the largest number of underweight and stunted children in the world, but its national Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme has had negligible impact on the nutritional status of young infants. Aim: To use two innovative approaches – the Optifood tool and mobile phones – to strengthen counselling components of the ICDS programme to improve complementary feeding (CF) practices of 9-11 month old infants, in a rural district in Haryana state, Northern India. Methods: Optifood, a novel tool using linear programming analyses to formulate and evaluate food-based recommendations (FBRs), was used to strengthen existing ICDS FBRs. These FBRs were tested with mothers of young infants in a week-long trial, and promoted in a 6-week pilot test of a mobile phone-delivered (mHealth) intervention with 12 health workers and 60 mothers of 9-11 month old infants, using a before and after comparison. Evaluation of outcomes was based on Optifood analyses, 24-hour dietary recalls, food frequency questionnaires, open-ended structured questionnaires, an intervention development workshop, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews. Results: Local food-based approaches are unable to meet recommended nutrient intakes (RNIs) for seven key nutrients. However, FBRs alone could ensure dietary adequacy (i.e. ≥65% Recommended Nutrient Intake) for at least six nutrients for most infants. In the trial to test FBRs, the proportion of mothers feeding their infants legumes, vegetables and fruit at endline was significantly greater (p<0.05) than at baseline; no significant increases in the proportion of mothers feeding their infants grains, dairy, fats or egg were reported. Mothers reported 19 barriers to following the promoted FBRs, which were used to develop motivating statements for their promotion in a mHealth intervention. The mHealth pilot test findings suggest that the intervention was convenient, feasible and acceptable. Based on self-report, health workers adhered to the planned contact of 20 mobile phone calls during the study period. Compared to baseline, there were significant increases (p<0.05) in the following at endline: (i) infants’ median servings per week of grains, legumes, fruit, and added fats; (ii) proportion of mothers reporting feeding eggs, undiluted milk and green leafy vegetables; (iii) proportion of infants meeting promoted FBRs for all foods except dairy; and (iv) maternal knowledge regarding food consistency. Conclusions: This is the first study to use linear programming analyses to strengthen existing governmental FBRs, and to use mobile phones for CF counselling. Findings suggest that additional, complementary intervention(s) are required to improve the micronutrient status of infants. While evidence from a randomised controlled trial is needed, study findings provide valuable insights into the utility of evidence-based FBRs and mobile phones to enhance the impact of ICDS and CF programming and research strategies in the study setting, and potentially globally.

L’innovation, bien que clé pour le développement des entreprises peut être extrêmement compliquée. L’incertitude associée à la valeur qu’elle peut générer est souvent très dissuasive. Pour des petites entreprises, gérer un projet d’innovation de rupture technologique représente un challenge important. Dans ce travail de thèse, nous nous concentrons sur cette problématique. Dans le cadre d’une recherche-action menée dans la PME L’Hotellier, nous avons mis au point une méthode permettant de faciliter la prise de décisions critiques dans les projets d’innovation de rupture technologique pour de petites entreprises. Cette approche est basée sur l’étude des valeurs créées par l’innovation et sur l’analyse des risques menaçant cette création de valeur. Ce travail se concentre sur l’étude des petites et moyennes entreprises (PMEs). A travers une analyse bibliographique, nous mettons en évidence certains handicaps de ces structures : leurs faibles ressources (humaines et financières) et leurs difficultés à accéder à certaines connaissances spécifiques. Cette faiblesse peut être rédhibitoire pour le développement d’innovation dans ces structures également caractérisées par une faible formalisation des connaissances et des processus. Le second élément de contexte considéré est le type d’innovation développée. Ce que nous appelons ici innovations de rupture technologique sont des innovations qui présentent une haute incertitude technologique et qui mettent en jeu une discontinuité vis-à-vis du marché par rapport aux pratiques traditionnelles de l’entreprise. En conséquence, ces innovations sont caractérisées par un manque de connaissance vis-à-vis de la technologie et du marché. Cette analyse du contexte nous permet de souligner que pour une PME, un des plus importants défis des projets d’innovation de rupture technologique est l’identification et l’accès à ces connaissances clés. En plus de cette analyse, nous avons listé et identifié les forces et faiblesses des principaux modèles des processus d’innovation existants dans la littérature, tant dans le champ du management d’innovation que dans celui des sciences de la conception. Nous mettons en évidence que ces modèles décrivent généralement les processus d’innovation comme une succession d’activités et de décisions éventuellement mettant en œuvre des boucles de rétroaction. A cause de l’incertitude induite par les projets d’innovation de rupture technologique, nous soulignons que la gestion des phases de décisions constitue une problématique peu couverte par la littérature. Notre modèle vise à faciliter la prise des décisions critiques dans les différentes étapes du processus de conception. Nous définissons ces décisions comme des décisions ayant un impact important sur le projet d’innovation (qualité, coûts, délais) et ayant une incertitude significative concernant leurs alternatives. Ces décisions peuvent être liées au produit, au processus de fabrication ou au marché. L’objectif de l’innovation étant de créer de la valeur, nous montrons que deux informations sont nécessaires pour une prise de décision de qualité : la connaissance de la valeur qui va être créée pour les parties prenantes du projet pour chaque alternative ainsi que le niveau de risque associé à cette création de valeur. Nous en retirons l’hypothèse suivante : la prise de décision critique dans des projets d’innovation de rupture technologique en PME est plus facile, rationnelle et robuste lorsque les décideurs connaissent l’impact en termes de création de valeur et de risque de chaque alternative de la décision. Cela nous a conduits à définir un modèle en quatre étapes pour aider à la décision dans de tels projets. Une pose du problème consiste à définir les objectifs et contraintes liées à la décision et à les traduire en termes de création de valeur. [...]
Innovation, however key for the development of companies, can be a real adventure. The uncertainty related to the value it can create is often an important dissuasive factor. For small companies dealing with disruptive technological innovation it represents an important and specific challenge. In this thesis we tackle this particular issue. In a research action conducted in the SME “L’Hotellier”, we devised a method that aims to helpmanagers to pilot disruptive technological innovation projects in SMEs through the control of the criticaldecisions of the project. This approach is based on the study of the values created by the innovation and of the risks threatening this value creation. This thesis is divided in five main parts. We begin by studying the context of our research. Then we identify and analyze our problematic. Based on the results of this analysis, we propose a model for the management of these critical decisions. This model is then experimented twice in an innovation project in L’Hotellier. The results of these experimentations are analyzed in order to assess the validity and value of our model. Finally, a conclusion summarizes our contribution to the scientific field of design sciences and discusses the limits and perspectives of our work

Cette recherche propose d'étudier l'émergence d‘une industrie suite à une innovation de rupture. Afin de participer aux débats actuels autour de sa mesure, nous avons adopté une approche dynamique en retenant trois niveaux d‘analyse, c‘est-à-dire niveau macro, puis réseau et enfin, niveau organisationnel. A partir d‘une analyse de réseaux de l‘industrie du véhicule autonome de 2011 à 2019, nos résultats mettent en évidence le rôle des réseaux de relations interorganisationnelles autour d‘activités technologiques clefs permettant la réalisation de véhicules autonomes, comme mesure de l‘émergence et de la structuration d‘une industrie. L‘intensité de ces relations permettent également de distinguer ces deux phases souvent confondues, d‘émergence et de structuration d‘une industrie et de proposer une analyse dynamique et non a posteriori de l‘émergence
The present doctoral thesis aims to examine industry emergence caused by disruptive innovation. We adopted a dynamic approach to industry emergence to nourish debates around its assessment through a three-level funnel approach adopted: macro, network, and organizational levels. Based on a social network analysis of the Autonomous vehicles industry from 2011 to 2019, our findings allow us to assess the ex-ante emergence of an industry. The present thesis notably suggests an interesting way to measure industry emergence through interorganizational relationship networks building around Key Technological Activities required for the Autonomous vehicles industry to become a reality and to distinguish the emergence from the structuration of an industry

This thesis presents a qualitative study of the role of devices in the technological innovation phenomena of two venture medical equipment companies located in the Midlands, UK. The inquiry takes an empirical and non-foundational approach based on post-ANT and process philosophy. In particular, the thesis employs the theoretical lenses of both ANT and post-ANT concepts, Deleuze’s and Guattari’s machinic thought and Michel Serres’ parasitic philosophy. The data for this thesis comes from a fieldwork study lasting around one year. The methodology is mainly based on interviews and observations of engineers, technicians and managers working in venture companies. The central argument of this thesis shows that the venture organizing process of technological innovation is the product of discursive and non-discursive elements that act in several forms, keeping the venture company working but crucially reorganizing it. The present thesis offers a conceptualization of the device as a parasite-selector that reorganizes the venture company’s work activities and brings novelty to their operation. Equally, the mediational power of diagrams - which presents constitutional indifference - participates in the definition and production of the engineers’, managers’ and technicians’ professional identities. The thesis shows how the ideas regarding innovation in use at Med Dialysis and Med Diabetes bring forth the necessity of a life that embraces the uncertainty and ambiguity of the market. As a consequence, engineers and technicians build their professional identities by embracing the uncertainty of the venture company. This thesis names this process ‘engineering the engineer’. This is a process that leads to the emergence of a professional identity that this thesis tentatively calls the ‘venture engineer’.

Actuellement, comprendre comment les entreprises innovent avec un impact environnemental positif dans l’optique d’un développement plus durable est une problématique essentielle pour les entreprises et la société. Néanmoins,l’innovation environnementale reste insuffisamment appréhendée. L’objectif de cette thèse est de mettre en évidence les spécificités des innovations environnementales pour les PME au regard des déterminants et des barrières perçues.Le cadre théorique adopté est celui de l’hypothèse de Porter, pour examiner l’effet de la réglementation. Il a été enrichi par les approches RBV et KBV pour une meilleure prise en compte des capacités et ressources des PME dans leur adoption d’innovations environnementales.Cette recherche est basée sur trois articles empiriques et une démarche quantitative qui mobilise différentes méthodes économétriques.Trois contributions majeures sont issues de cette thèse : (1) Les PME innovantes en matière environnementale perçoivent plus de barrières, de manière plus intense et en plus grand nombre par rapport aux autres PME innovantes ou non-innovantes; (2) Les PME innovantes environnementalement font appel à plus de sources de connaissances externes vis-à-vis des autres PME; (3) Les PME peuvent adopter des innovations environnementales de manière proactive, comme les grandes entreprises, elles possèdent certaines capacités.Ces résultats sont à l’origine de recommandations en matière de politiques publiques et managériales qui visent à une plus grande diffusion des innovations environnementales pour les PME
Understanding how companies innovate for positive environment impact and sustainable development is a crucial issue for business and society today. Yet,little is currently known about this particular kind of innovation. The objective of this thesis is to shed light on the specificities of environmental innovation for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in terms of determinants and perceived barriers.The theoretical framework is based on the Porter’s Hypothesis in order to examine the effect of regulation. It is enriched by the RBV and KBV approaches to better take into account SMEs’ capabilities and resources in the adoption of environmental innovation.This research is based on three empirical articles and on a quantitative approach which mobilizes several econometric methods.This thesis contributes to three key findings: (1) Environmentally innovative SMEs perceive more barriers, in more intense and numerous ways, compared to others innovative or non-innovative SMEs; (2) Environmentally innovative SMEs utilize more external knowledge sources than other SMEs; (3) SMEs, like large firms, can adopt environmental innovations proactively because they possess certain capacities.These results lead to public policy and managerial recommendations for more widespread and more effective environmental innovation in SMEs

The objective of the technology assessment (TA) process is to understand problematic and undesirable consequences from the development and application of technology. TA advocates for the engagement of technology experts and stakeholders to understand the effects of technology. However, TA is often criticized that the decision-making process is not transparent - leaving stakeholders wondering if their contributions were heard. Furthermore, the methods have limited capability for conducting tradeoff analysis between the organizational objectives and conflicting stakeholder perspectives that can result in unintended consequences. Finally, these methods are static making it difficult to update and reassess decision alternatives when new information about issues becomes available. This dissertation research addresses these problems by developing a new technology assessment methodology using Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (Fuzzy Cognitive TA - FCTA). This novel approach supports both stages of the process: capturing expert and stakeholder perspectives in cognitive maps, and then using FCM for assessment and decision-making. The methodology shows how experts and stakeholders perceive the value or harm of a technology alternative, which stakeholders share the same perspectives, and how these perspectives change over time. The methodology also shows the degree to which expert and stakeholder perspectives are in support or in conflict with the organizational objectives to help avoid the direct and indirect consequences associated with the decision. Finally, the methodology shows how new or changing perspectives by experts and stakeholders affect the outcome of the decision to improve system knowledge. The research applies the FCTA methodology with a real-world Environmental Impact Study conducted by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). BPA is a U.S. federal agency that provides about a third of the electric power and 75 percent of the high-voltage electric transmission in the Pacific Northwest.

This thesis presents an appreciative application of the Systems of Innovation (SoI) approach to local development analysis (LDA) practice as applied in the context of a transformative approach to neighbourhood planning. The study’s point of departure is in interrogating what “lenses” conventional planning applies in making sense of neighbourhood-level realities in the first place, and therefore to recognise what it is that planning might “see” or fail to see in its analyses and prescripts. The researcher proposed to test this by undertaking an appreciative application of the Systems of Innovation (SoI) approach to neighbourhood planning to explore whether SoI contributes any additional perspective or insight beyond what conventional practice may have seen or found. The research undertaken was exploratory and inductive, involving data collection through intensive local observation and interviewing in two South African township neighbourhoods: T-Section in Mamelodi Township, and Saulsville node in Atteridgeville Township. The data was then analysed using an SoI model. The study found that the application of the SoI model identified additional key development considerations which were not previously recognised by conventional plans. Specifically, the findings highlight key social, economic and institutional factors which distinguish the two neighbourhoods from each other, and suggest different development intervention opportunities. The study also in addition identified an enhancement to the SoI model by introducing a spatial dimension which would strengthen the model’s application for planning and neighbourhood analysis. At the same time, however, the study also demonstrated the difficulty of applying the SoI framework to relatively deprived neighbourhood contexts, such as those in South African townships (or of describing these places as “systems of innovation” in the conventional sense) due to characteristic gaps and weaknesses, particularly their low technology base. The results of this study suggest that there are possible gaps in how conventional planning practices see local development contexts. It concludes that consideration should be given to what planning could glean from other disciplines which are grappling with similar transformational challenges, and adopting a transdisciplinary approach is motivated. Further research to support this continued exploration would have to address the main limitations of this study, which include the lack of generalizability, and limited interrogation of the limitations of SoI itself. Keywords: Local development analysis, System of Innovation, planning and transformation, neighbourhood development, township economy, transdisciplinarity

There is a need to increase awareness among African American men regarding their potential risk of prostate cancer and inform them of screening and treatment options, given the health disparities that affect their group. To do so, an innovative e health video was developed, using an animated avatar video to educate African American males about prostate cancer and potential screening methods in a way that is culturally appropriate. Effectiveness of this e-health intervention was tested on a sample of 41 African American males. Efficacy was measured using a repeated measures design that used pre- and post-measures of four target behaviors regarding prostate cancer screening. These four target behaviors include: (1) getting an annual physical exam, (2) discussing the possibility of getting a digital rectal exam to screen for prostate cancer with a doctor, (3) discussing the possibility of getting a PSA exam to screen for prostate cancer with a doctor, and (4) spreading awareness about prostate cancer among other African American men. The stage of change, which is a theoretical framework adapted from Prochaska and DiClemente (1983), measures changes in human behavior from precontemplation and contemplation on the low end to action and maintenance on the high end. Self-efficacy was also measured before and after the intervention for each of the four target behaviors. Paired t-tests show that the stage of change for the third and fourth target behaviors and self-efficacy for the second, third, and fourth target behaviors were significantly increased by the e-health intervention, indicating that the intervention was successful. Additionally, participant ratings about the intervention were largely positive. In effect, this study finds that the e-health intervention developed in this study not only works, but is an affordable, scalable, and practical tool that can educate African American males about prostate cancer screening practices.

Enquadramento: o desenvolvimento das tecnologias de informação tem impactado o mundo significativamente, reduzindo distâncias entre países erodindo as barreiras entre mercados, criando uma realidade global. A contabilidade tem sofrido os efeitos da evolução tecnológica que molda o sector através da criação de novas práticas, da alteração das exigências dos mercados e do desenvolvimento de novos sistemas. Objectivos: diminuir a lacuna de conhecimento sobre a relação entre a contabilidade e a tecnologia, identificando os padrões da mesma e providenciando informação relevante sobre como abordar o tópico de forma mais eficiente, permitindo que indivíduos e instituições se preparem da melhor forma para as mudanças que se sentem hoje e que se sentirão futuro. Metodologia: uma revisão sistemática da literatura foi elaborada, executando nos artigos seleccionados uma análise de dados baseada em quatro variáveis. Quatro critérios foram utilizados para a pesquisa dos artigos. Um processo de selecção foi levado a cabo através da análise do título, resumo e texto integral. Resultados: a revisão da literatura aponta para aspectos específicos da relação entre a contabilidade e a tecnologia, parcialmente suportados numa análise de dados que evidencia uma dispersão geográfica e temporal acentuada bem como uma preferência significativa dos autores pela utilização de métodos qualitativos. Conclusão: este estudo demonstra que a relação entre a tecnologia e a contabilidade é um assunto actual e relevante, preferencialmente abordado através de análises profundas e especificamente baseado nas tecnologias de informação e as alterações sofridas no sector da contabilidade.
Background: the development of information technology is having a significant impact in the world, reducing the distances between countries and eroding the barriers between markets, creating a global reality. Accounting has been suffering the effects of the evolution of technology that molds the sector through the rise of new practices, the changing demands of the markets and the development of new systems. Objectives: diminish the knowledge gap on the relationship between technology and accounting, identifying the patterns of such relationship and provide relevant insights on how to approach the topic in a more efficient way, enabling individuals and institutions to better prepare for current and future changes in the sector. Methods: a systematic literature review was applied with a data analysis based on four variables of the articles included. Four criteria were used for the search. A selection process was applied based on a Title Sift, Abstract Sift and Full-Text Sift. Results: the literature review points out specific aspects from the relationship between accounting and technology partially supported by the data analysis that shows a great geographical and temporal dispersion and a significant preference of authors for the use of in in-depth qualitative studies. Conclusions: this research shows that the relationship between technology and accounting is a “hot topic”, preferentially approached through in-depth studies, and specifically based on IT and the changes caused in the accounting sector.

This study used a complex adaptive systems approach to explore innovations geared towards the rehabilitation of offenders in the Department of Correctional Services. It examined how innovations came about in view of the complex adaptive nature of the department, which is defined as a complex system with agents having various schema and mental models. It used complex adaptive systems approach as a lens through which to view the emergence of correctional innovations. This was achieved through a multi-methodical qualitative research approach to data collection, using interviews and documentary data to unpack public sector innovation, with the Correctional Services‟ Service Delivery Improvement directorate as a unit of analysis. This study further explored the compatibility of the five bedrock principles of a complex adaptive system and how such principles have shaped the emergence of innovations in a public sector organization where all innovative efforts are geared towards the improvement of service delivery as opposed to profit-making for competitive advantage, as is often the case with the profit-making sectors. In view of the dynamic and nonlinearity nature of organizational systems, the use of a complex adaptive systems perspective provided this study with a pivotal tool to analyse innovation as an emergent property of a complex adaptive system rather than as a carefully planned organizational element emanating from either strategic planning or research and development initiatives of an organization. This is further strengthened by the lack of employment of complexity science in public sector organizations like Correctional Services in particular. The study sought to achieve ground-breaking work in using complex adaptive systems perspective in innovation within the Department of Correctional Services, a terrain that has not been ventured into before. It was seen to be of crucial significance to explore innovation using complex adaptive systems and to adopt a paradigm that was initially designed for the natural sciences, and has been adopted by profit-making organizations and cascaded to the non-profit making sector as represented by the Department Correctional Services.
Thesis (M.Com.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

O presente estudo foca-se na importância dos comportamentos de job crafting no local de trabalho, especificamente no setor da Consultoria de Tecnologias da Informação. Este estudo analisa a variável job crafting, apenas na perspetiva de approach crafting, dimensões aumentar recursos e aumentar exigências do trabalho. Com base no modelo Job Demands – Resources, as hipóteses apresentadas defendem que o approach crafting, influenciado por fatores contextuais, deverá ter uma influência positiva nos níveis de work engagement dos colaboradores. Os dados foram recolhidos em diversas empresas do setor da Consultoria da Tecnologia da Informação (N=565). Os resultados da análise de múltiplas regressões demonstraram que a liderança transformacional é preditor significativo dos comportamentos de approach crafting dos colaboradores, que por sua vez, é determinante na explicação dos níveis do work engagement. Complementarmente, verifica-se a significância da autonomia e carga de trabalho enquanto moderadores das relações apresentadas. Por fim, conclui-se que, tendo em conta os impactos positivos dos comportamentos de approach crafting no work engagement, estes comportamentos deverão ser incentivados e promovidos pelos líderes.
The present study focuses on the importance of job crafting behaviors in the workplace, specifically in the Information Technology Consulting sector. This study analyzes the job crafting variable, only from the perspective of approach crafting, which includes dimensions seeking resources and seeking challenges. Based on the Job Demands - Resources model, the presented hypotheses argue that the crafting approach, impacted by contextual factors, should have a positive influence on the employees’ level of work engagement. Data was collected from several companies in the Information Technology Consulting sector (N = 565). The results of the multiple regression analysis demonstrated that transformational leadership is a significant predictor of employees’ approach crafting behaviors, which in turn is significant in explaining work engagement levels. In addition, the significance of autonomy and workload as moderators of the relationships presented is verified. Finally, given the positive impact of approach crafting behaviors on work engagement, it is concluded that these behaviors should be encouraged by leaders.

Metropolitan areas are constantly evolving, and the smart city concept is gaining traction throughout local governance. The new paradigm for cities lands on an organic, efficient and interconnected structure, where the citizen is placed at the centre. Information and communication technologies (ICT) are the main technological enablers for this change and for citizen engagement, city services and applications (Apps) as one of the channels possible to use. The main objective of the present study is to find the key determinants that enable the adoption of city mobile apps. A theoretical model was created, and an online survey conducted to gather insights of the citizens' perspectives regarding the city apps. The results indicate the model is valid and that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are important components to the adoption of city apps. In addition, it was possible to identify some organizational and individual impacts recurring from the use of these apps. This study contributes to a new model of city apps adoption and provides evidence to organisms involved on the implementation and development of these apps.
As áreas metropolitanas estão em constante desenvolvimento e o conceito de smart cities tem vindo a ganhar força entre organismos de governação local. Este novo paradigma para as cidades assenta numa estrutura orgânica, interconectada e eficiente, onde o cidadão é colocado no centro. As tecnologias de comunicação e informação são consideradas os principais facilitadores para esta mudança e envolvimento do cidadão, sendo os serviços e aplicações (apps) disponíveis um dos canais utilizados. O objectivo principal do presente estudo é determinar o que proporciona adopção de apps citadinas. Um modelo teórico foi desenhado e um questionário online realizado, de modo a recolher as percepções dos cidadãos, relativamente ao uso destas aplicações mobile. Os resultados indicam que o modelo é válido e que a percepção de utilidade e de facilidade de utilização são importantes componentes na adopção de apps citadinas. Adicionalmente, foi possível identificar algum impacto individual e organizacional promovido pelo uso destas apps. Este estudo vem contribuir para um novo modelo de adopção a apps citadinas e facilitar informação aos organismos envolvidos no desenvolvimento e implementação das mesmas.

Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
It is critical to investigate the development, diffusion and utilisation of emerging technologies in relation with each other, as well as with incumbent technologies. This is particularly imperative in sectors such as energy and transportation that struggle with both economic concerns (e.g., resource scarcity) and ‘grand challenges’, such as unsustainable consumption and production and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This thesis takes a biological perspective and investigates whether technologies in an industry interact with one another in the same way that populations do in an ecology. The biological inter-population relationships analogy is applied to the three powertrain technologies of internal combustion engine, hybrid and battery electric vehicles (ICEV, HEV, and BEV) in the United States (US) automotive industry. Inter-powertrain relationships are studied in the early technological lifecycle (TLC) stage, known as an ‘era of ferment’, as it is characterised by an increase in technological variations, intense competition, high market uncertainty, and the frequent exits and entries of firms. This thesis conducts a qualitative and quantitative explanatory–exploratory study through a three-staged research design of narrative (conceptualisation), quantification and simulation. In the first stage, it conducts a qualitative explanatory–exploratory study to construct the conceptual framework. Adopting the technological innovation system (TIS) framework and the biological relationship modes, a dynamic approach to socio-technical interactions between technologies is proposed, called ‘dynapstic’. The various dimensions of the dynapstic framework are initially demonstrated by narrating some case studies, especially in the transportation and energy sectors. In the second stage, it conducts a quantitative explanatory–exploratory study to quantify the individual dimensions of the dynapstic framework. The biological Lotka-Volterra (L-V) equations are applied to quantify the individual socio-technical dimensions of powertrain technologies for the period 1985 to 2016. In the final stage, this thesis conducts a simulative explanatory–exploratory study to comprehensively simulate all the individual dimensions of the dynapstic framework. Feeding all the L-V quantifications and estimations from the second stage, all the individual socio-technical dimensions of powertrain technologies are integrated via an extensive system dynamics (SD) modelling for the time horizon of 1985 to 2050. This thesis illustrates that the internal dynamics of one powertrain technology become coupled with the internal dynamics of another powertrain technology through what is referred to as ‘co-dynamics’ in the dynapstic framework. Some of the proposed co-dynamics are entrepreneurial spawning, policy transfer, knowledge recombination and resource redeployment. Co-dynamics are illustrated to carry a mix of positive, negative and neutral influences between powertrain technologies that shape the various biological relationship modes between them, such as competition symbiosis, commensalism, parasitism and amensalism. These co-dynamics eventually lead to the build-up of shared structural elements or ‘couplings’ between powertrain technologies, such as overlap actors, knowledge overlap, institutional overlap and resource overlap. The findings throughout the three stages reveal that while inter-technology relationships can be multimodal and multidimensional, their nature and extent may undergo temporal transitions and suspensions over time. This thesis extends the TLC and strategic management literatures by challenging the assumptions for pure competition and for explicit dimensions, as technologies are illustrated to interact with each other in other forms (e.g., symbiosis, parasitism and commensalism) and for implicit dimensions (e.g., knowledge, policies, expectations and collaborations). It additionally contributes to the path dependency and sustainability transition literatures by revealing that transition processes are not only a result of path dependence, path creation and path destruction, but also a result of cross-path socio-technical interactions via positive and negative internalities and externalities. In particular, the TIS framework is made more outward oriented—first, by accommodating co-dynamics as a complementary dynamical unit of analysis to the conventional structural unit of analysis ‘couplings’, and second by proposing two new TIS motors, ‘motor of creative destruction’ and ‘motor of creative accumulation’. Finally, it contributes to the sustainability transition literature by challenging the transitionary, parasitic definition of hybrid technologies. This thesis informs transition managers and policymakers that their policy mixes may possess a triple nature of ‘creation’, ‘destruction’ and ‘accumulation’. Because their policy mixes may not only generate positive or negative internalities for the intended technology, but may also bring about positive or negative externalities in the field of other technologies. Taking a biological perspective, six types of strategies are proposed: competition, symbiosis, parasitism, commensalism, amensalism and neutral strategies. Considering the temporal transitions and suspensions findings, public policy makers are recommended to create and alternate their strategies in accordance with the changing multimodal and multidimensional relationships, but maintain a balance between them by strategically and proactively reconfiguring, modifying, facilitating and coordinating them over time. While public policy makers should avoid devising policies that may eventually lead to the demise of both incumbent and emerging technologies, their pro-entrepreneurship public policies should be preceded by pro-incumbent public policies, for instance, through exit options or transition supports such as knowledge recombination, knowledge continuity mobilisation, resource redeployment, and entrepreneurial recycling. Such an understanding informs policy decisions of when, and to what extent, one should invest in emerging disruptive technologies, divest from the incumbent technology, or pursue an intermediate solution between the new and incumbent technologies, while avoiding any dead ends.

O atual contexto económico é caracterizado pela complexidade, variedade, originalidade e globalidade. Numa era onde o local e o global são entendidos como complementares, e não como as duas faces opostas de uma mesma moeda, a territorialidade das ações políticas é entendida como fundamental para assegurar o desenvolvimento territorial coeso. Partindo deste ponto de vista, este trabalho procura analisar a temática da inovação através do seu âmbito territorial. Para tal adota-se uma abordagem teórico-conceptual que procura compreender o território enquanto sujeito ativo que influencia o processo de inovação. Partindo da reflexão crítica sobre a evolução temporal da bibliografia relativa aos Modelos Territoriais de Inovação (TIMs) conclui-se que “o território conta”, pois constitui uma âncora para as relações, globais ou locais, que os indivíduos e as empresas mantêm, tornando certas localizações únicas devido a estas relações.
The current economic context is characterized by complexity, variety, originality and globalization. In an era where the local and global are seen as complementary and not as the opposite sides of the same coin, the territoriality of public policies is seen as key aspect to ensuring cohesive territorial development. From this point of view, this paper analyzes the issue of innovation through its territorial lenses. Thus, we adopt a theoretical-conceptual perspective that seeks to understand the territory as an active player that influences the innovation process. Starting from the critical reflection on the evolution of the literature concerning Territorial Innovation Models (TIMs) it is concluded that “territory matters” since it is an anchor for relations, global or local, that individuals and companies keep, transforming certain locations unique as a result of this relationships. The final remarks are based on the idea that the territory is an active player because it anchors relationships, global or local, of individuals making certain localizations unique.

The public-health driven COVID-19 lockdowns unpredictably forced organization development (OD) consultants to work from home in no time. As original interventions, driven by behavioral and social science knowledge were predominantly designed for face-to-face encounters, adaptation to virtual OD services was inevitable. The purpose of this study was to investigate how organization development consultants adjusted their labor activity from a predominantly face-to-face to a solely technology-mediated setting. We adopted a bottom-up, research approach to inductive concept development, following Gioia and colleagues’ methodology (2013) to study the adaptation process of 10 both external and internal OD consultants. The emergent framework suggests that adjusting to a virtual setting was a complex process that occurs in more or less sequential stages: (1) we go into action, (2) acknowledging limits, (3) an ongoing need and evolvement of a tech & tool literacy, and finally (4) the acceptance of change, resulting in an evolved state of the occupational field. The findings indicate a parallel to Lewin’s famous Three-Phase Model of Change (1951). We suggest that our emergent framework can be well applied by other occupational fields (e.g., education sector, therapy, consultancies) in a transition process to a virtual setting. To facilitate the transition in other occupational fields we outline a roadmap as guidance.
Os confinamentos do COVID-19, impulsionados pela saúde pública, forçaram imprevisivelmente os consultores de desenvolvimento de organização (DO) a trabalharem a partir de casa em pouco tempo. Como as intervenções originais, impulsionadas por conhecimentos comportamentais e de ciências sociais foram predominantemente concebidas para encontros presenciais, a adaptação a serviços virtuais de DO era inevitável. O objetivo deste estudo era investigar como os consultores de desenvolvimento organizacional ajustaram a sua atividade laboral de um ambiente predominantemente presencial para um ambiente exclusivamente mediado pela tecnologia. Adoptámos uma abordagem "bottom-up", de investigação para o desenvolvimento de conceitos indutivos, seguindo a metodologia de Gioia e colegas (2013) para estudar o processo de adaptação de 10 consultores externos e internos de DO. O quadro emergente sugere que a adaptação a um cenário virtual foi um processo complexo que ocorreu em fases mais ou menos sequenciais: (1) entramos em acção, (2) reconhecimento de limites, (3) uma necessidade contínua e evolução de uma alfabetização tecnológica e de ferramentas, e finalmente (4) a aceitação da mudança, resultando num estado evoluído do campo ocupacional. Os resultados indicam um paralelo com o famoso modelo de mudança de três estágios de Lewin (1951). Sugerimos que o nosso quadro emergente seja aplicado por outros campos profissionais (por exemplo, sector da educação, terapia, consultorias) num processo de transição para um cenário virtual. Para facilitar a transição noutros campos profissionais, delineamos um roteiro como orientação.

Centramo-nos nas vivências da Cidadania, chegamos aos valores societais. E à necessidade da sua enunciação e reformulação adentro do paradigma científico atual, nas prerrogativas das sociedades democráticas ocidentais. Partindo do caminho que estabeleceu a fileira de conceitos e noções que definiu a noção de desenvolvimento sustentável atual – das pessoas, com as pessoas, para as pessoas – redesenha-se uma nova aproximação à ideia de Cidadania e das suas vivências pelas pessoas, na multidimensionalidade, enunciando novas discursividades. Impôs-se uma genealogia das ideias democráticas, do modelo societal que faz viver a Igualdade (destrói a ideia de classes), e propõe uma vivência dos valores societais na composição das identidades individuais e sociais, estabelecendo novas relações sociais, dando a ver novos regimes de vinculação, afiliação aos valores societais, redesenhando contextos e dinâmicas sociais, possibilitando viver a Solidariedade Social Territorial como modalidade de vivência da Cidadania. A Solidariedade Social Territorial desloca o enfoque para as relações sociais vividas em contextos socioculturais simbólicos, já não designa lugares sociais. Já não se trata de estabelecer uma identidade única mas garantir os direitos e liberdades individuais e sociais através da Equidade, fazendo viver a Igualdade e a Solidariedade Social Territorial na Diversidade.
We focus on Citizenship “experiences”, we come to societal values. And the need for its enunciation and reformulation within the current scientific paradigm, in the prerogatives of western democratic societies. Starting from the path that established the range of concepts and notions that defined the notion of current sustainable development - from people, with people, to people - a new approach to the idea of Citizenship and their experiences by people is redrawn, in multidimensionality, enunciating new discursivities. A genealogy of democratic ideas, the societal model that makes Equality live (destroys the idea of classes), and proposes a living of societal values in the composition of individual and social identities, establishing new social relations, revealing new regimes of attachment, affiliation to societal values, redesigning contexts and social dynamics, making it possible to live Territorial Social Solidarity as a way of “living” Citizenship. Territorial Social Solidarity shifts the focus to social relations lived in symbolic sociocultural contexts, no longer designating social places. It is no longer a matter of establishing a unique identity but of securing individual and social rights and freedoms through Equity, by living Equality and Territorial Social Solidarity in Diversity.

Packaging is an important element responsible for brand growth and one of the main rea-sons for producers to gain competitive advantages through technological innovation. In this re-gard, the aim of this work is to design a fully autonomous electronic system for a smart bottle packaging, being integrated in a European project named ROLL-OUT. The desired application for the smart bottle is to act as a fill-level sensor system in order to determine the liquid content level that exists inside an opaque bottle, so the consumer can exactly know the remaining quantity of the product inside. An in-house amorphous indium–gallium–zinc oxide thin-film transistor (a-IGZO TFT) model, previously developed, was used for circuit designing purposes. This model was based in an artificial neural network (ANN) equivalent circuit approach. Taking into account that only n-type oxide TFTs were used, plenty of electronic building-blocks have been designed: clock generator, non-overlapping phase generator, a capacitance-to-voltage converter and a comparator. As it was demonstrated by electrical simulations, it has been achieved good functionality for each block, having a final system with a power dissipation of 2.3 mW (VDD=10 V) not considering the clock generator. Four printed circuit boards (PCBs) have been also designed in order to help in the testing phase. Mask layouts were already designed and are currently in fabrication, foreseeing a suc-cessful circuit fabrication, and a major step towards the design and integration of complex trans-ducer systems using oxide TFTs technology.