Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Marking constraints'

Le contrôle des processus de désassemblage fait référence aux méthodes et aux techniques utilisées pour démonter de manière sûre et efficace des composants mécaniques ou des ensembles complexes. Pour ce faire, des approches de commandes des contrôles sont développés pour satisfaire les contraintes imposées à ces systèmes. Plus précisément, dans cette thèse nous nous s'intéressons à trois types de spécifications : les contraintes marquages, les Contraintes de Marquage Généralisées (CMGs), et les Contraintes d'Exclusions Mutuelles (CEMs).Pour cela, nous avons proposé trois méthodes analytiques. La première contribution concerne une nouvelle technique de conception de lois de commande pour les systèmes de désassemblages afin d'assurer la satisfaction des contraintes de marquage dans des Graphes d'Evénements Temporisés (GETs) avec certaines transitions d'entrée incontrôlables. La deuxième technique met l'accent sur la synthèse des contrôleurs tout en assurant des CMGs spécifiées par des inégalités pondérées dans l'algèbre Min-Plus soumis à des GETs. La dernière approche vise à piloter les processus de désassemblages modélisés par des Réseaux de Graphes d'Evénements Temporisés (RGETs) imposés à des CEMs.En alternative, il convient de noter que ces approches se basent sur les structures conceptuelles des Systèmes à Evénements Discrets (SEDs) ainsi que sur l'algèbre Min-Plus. Ces outils offrent la capacité de représenter de façon exacte et méthodique les systèmes de manufacturier. Par conséquent, la problématique se trouve formulée en utilisant des modèles linéaires de contrôle basés sur l'algèbre Min-Plus. En fait, le comportement de ces graphes est décrite en utilisant des équations Min-Plus linéaires, et les contraintes sont exprimées par des inégalités ou des inégalités pondérées dans l'algèbre Min-Plus.Des conditions suffisantes pour l'existence des lois de commande causales sont établies. Ces contrôleurs développés sont des retours d'états qui peuvent être symbolisés par des places de surveillance empêchant le système de toute violation de contrainte. Le graphe est vivant et sans blocage
Disassembly process control involves the methods and techniques used to safely and efficiently disassemble mechanical components or complex assemblies. To do this, control approaches are developed to satisfy the constraints imposed on these systems. More specifically, in this thesis we are interested in three types of specifications: marking constraints, Generalized Marking Constraints (GMCs), and Mutual Exclusion Constraints (MECs).To this aim, we have proposed three analytical methods. The first contribution concerns a new technique for designing control laws for disassembly systems to ensure the satisfaction of marking constraints in Timed Event Graphs (TEGs) with some uncontrollable input transitions. The second technique focuses on controller synthesis while ensuring GMCs specified by weighted inequalities in the Min-Plus algebra subject to GETs. The final method aims to control disassembly processes modelled by Timed Event Graph Networks (NGETs) imposed on MECs.Alternatively, it is worth noting that these approaches are based on the conceptual structures of Discrete Event Systems (DES) and the Min-Plus algebra. These tools offer the ability to represent manufacturing systems accurately and methodically. Consequently, the problem is formulated using linear control models based on Min-Plus algebra. In fact, the behaviour of these graphs is described using linear Min-Plus equations, and constraints are expressed by inequalities or weighted inequalities in the Min-Plus algebra.Sufficient conditions for the existence of causal control laws are established. These developed controllers are state feedbacks that can be represented by monitoring places preventing the system from any constraint violation. The graph is alive and unblocked

Un Système de production peut être représenté par les systèmes à événements discrets. En dehors de la planification (où les gens travaillent avec des ratios de produits fabriqués par semaine ou par jour), la modélisation pourrait être basée sur les concepts d'événement et d'activités. Un événement correspond à un changement d'état. Une activité est une boîte noire d'encapsulation de ce qui se passe entre deux événements. En utilisant les réseaux de Petri (RdP), les événements sont représentés par les transitions, et les activités par les lieux. Notre travail propose une synthèse de commande par supervision pour les systèmes d'événements discrets modélisés par une classe de réseaux de Petri appelé graphe d'événements. L'objective de cette thèse est de concevoir un superviseur capable d'aider à améliorer la performance de système et de protéger le système en respectant des spécifications données par le fabricant ou le client selon les besoins et les conditions de travail. Pour modéliser ces spécifications, nous avons proposé un nouveau modèle mathématique de contrainte, appelé Contrainte d'Exclusion de Marquage (CEM). La deuxième contribution principale de ma thèse est de synthétiser une technique efficace et simple pour construire un superviseur qui impose le système de respecter des contraintes en évitant l'ensemble des états interdits modélisé par CEM. Nous avons également développé cette synthèse pour résoudre le problème d'existence des événements incontrôlables et des événements inobservables. Parfois, afin d'étudier les aspects liés à la performance, nous devons prendre le temps en considération. Donc, nous avons résolu aussi le problème des événements temporisé en utilisant RdP temporisés soumis à CEM
A manufacturing system may be represented by Discrete Event System (DES). Apart from planning (where people work with ratios of products fabricated per week or per day), any modelling could be based on the concepts of event and activities. An event corresponds to a state change. An activity is a black-box summarizing what is occurring between two events. When using Petri Nets, events are associated with transitions, and activities with places. Our work proposes a supervisory synthesis for Discrete Event System modelled by a class of Petri Net called Marked Graph. The objective of this synthesis is to build a control law that enforces the system to respect a set of given specifications. To model these specifications, we propose new mathematical formulas called Marking Exclusion Constraint (MEC). This model is our first contribution. The Second main contribution of my thesis is to synthesize a computationally efficient technique to build a supervisor that enforces the system to respect the constraints by avoiding a set of forbidden states modelled by MEC specifications. We extend this synthesis technique to solve the problem in the presence of uncontrollable events and unobservable events. Sometimes in order to study the performance aspects, we must take in consideration the time data. Thus we address control synthesis for Timed Discrete Event Systems under MEC specifications by using Timed Petri Nets

Lesotho has a land area of about 30.340 square kilometers and is completely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. Much of the country is mountainous. Its agricultural sector is characterized by low productivity due to erratic climatic conditions, limited arable land and fragile soils with a low water holding capacity. These conditions have proved very detrimental to crop production, rendering agriculture a risky economic activity. Numerous efforts have been made over the years to address the technical constraints confronting the sector, but nothing seems to be changing. The implication is that the technical/climatic factors mentioned above may be only part of the problem. The current situation whereby Lesotho imports nearly 95% of its domestic food requirements is unsustainable, but this desperate picture looks set to worsen with the continuing threats of contracting farm sizes and further declines in farmer participation rates. But this sector has continued to be an important source of household survival and existence. A study was designed and conducted during 2008 and 2009 to identify the institutional constraints to horticulture production in Lesotho, looking specifically at the obstacles to effective production and marketing of horticultural products. A total of 100 farming households were enumerated in four districts of the country, namely Butha Buthe, Berea, Mafeteng, and Thaba-Tseka. A range of institutional and non-price factors in the farming and marketing environment were incorporated in a binary choice model to investigate the degree of satisfaction of the farming households with their previous year’s farming results. To avoid selection bias in the sample, a probit model was chosen, and the Stata-10 software was used to estimate probit coefficients. The results provide indications that property rights, the agricultural extension service, the condition of the physical infrastructure, and distance to markets may be crucial elements threatening the existence of this sector in Lesotho. The difficulties in accessing markets and land remain important institutional constraints to horticulture production and marketing in Lesotho. Recommendations made on these issues include providing more policy support to homestead gardening and for these issues to be incorporated into the Vision 2020 process. Also to be included is the issue of addressing the growing national food insecurity and enhancing Basotho livelihoods in general.

Includes bibliographical references.
Over the last decade a South African product, namely Rooibos, has conquered the German consumer market. It initially started as a small trend amongst health conscious people, developing into a staple product, to being difficult nowadays to imaging Rooibos not being available for sale. As Rooibos gained popularity on the extremely competitive German food market, marketing strategies had to change accordingly. To reach the mass market, it was necessary to market Rooibos at the discounters and supermarkets, important for the German grocery industry. Advertising also played an important role as through TV and pring media many consumers can be approached and therefore product awareness increased.

The rate of obesity has risen dramatically over recent years and is an epidemic in many countries. School pupils and university students are no exception to this. The negative effects physically, mentally and emotionally of being overweight are detrimental to one’s quality of life. It is therefore critical to encourage pupils and students to participate in physical activity. Formalised sport is a key component of encouraging physical activity. The habits learnt in childhood and early adulthood are often carried through for the rest of one’s life. The benefits of participating in sport need to be promoted extensively to the students, as research has shown students that participate in sport are not only healthier but achieve better academic results. This study examined the constraints to students’ participation in formalised sport. The empirical data was collected by means of a survey, using self-administered questionnaires distributed to students on the three Summerstrand campuses at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth. Two hundred and eighty three usable questionnaires were received. Time and scheduling was found to be the most constraining factor to participation in sport. I am too busy with my university studies attracted the highest mean score of all the items on the questionnaire. It is recommended that: • sport organisers at NMMU emphasise to the students the benefits of regular participation in physical activity; • the effectiveness of the current NMMU sport programmes and accessibility be further investigated as only 18 per cent of the students in 2011 were participating in sport programmes at NMMU; • time management skills be taught to the NMMU students as the Time and scheduling constraint was the most profound constraint to participation in formalised sport; • NMMU academic staff work more closely with the staff at the University Sport Bureau to promote regular sport participation and to disseminate sport related information that could promote being more actively involved in sport; and • relevant introductory sport programmes and more internal leagues be offered, that gently introduce various sport codes to the students.

New product ideation is the transformation of a raw idea into a robust concept with consideration of fit and feasibility of technologies, customer benefits, and market opportunity. Although the ideation process often involves ambiguous processes, it is the most critical activity in new product development (NPD). As a creativity task, the ideation process is considered heuristic rather than algorithmic. However, managing the ideation process as either a completely heuristic or an entirely algorithmic procedure leads to just conventional outcomes. Rooted in cognitive psychology, this study proposes that ideation activities in NPD should be pursued as Simonton's "constrained stochastic behavior." An ideation task not only needs good componential factors but also requires constraint to frame the task by precluding unwieldy ideas while promoting high variability of ideas. Focusing on the inputs and attempting to strike a balance between algorithmic and heuristic ideation process may provide the mechanisms to manage the psychological perceptions with an aim to stimulate and orchestrate the ideation staff's cognitive efforts to generate the creative idea. To achieve this goal, new product idea creativity is considered as the ideas that could turn out to be products that are novel to and useful for customers, and appropriate to firms' existing production systems. In addition, the study asserts that componential factors include two factors: specialization representing idea creators' depth of NPD knowledge, experience, and skills in a product domain, and diverse expertise representing the breadth of ideation team's knowledge, experience, and skills concerning the same domain of NPD. These factors are essential and collectively can enhance creativity in the development of new product ideas. Finally, goal constraint is defined, operationalized, and incorporated in the NPD ideation framework. This constraint encapsulates the overall criteria and stylistic principle for a particular product domain and reflects the frame of reference for new product idea development. The findings provide mixed results, and yield at least three new concepts. First, the process of new product idea development truly requires specialization and diverse expertise if its ultimate goal is creativity. Both componential factors are essential and together can enhance new product ideas on all important dimensions. Second, goal constraint exhibits a linear relationship, rather than an inverted U-curve relationship, with idea newness and usefulness-two dimension of creativity important for customers. Finally, goal constraint can enhance creative outcomes of new product ideas, especially in the ideation team exhibiting a low level of specialization.

Master of Science - Agricultural Education and Communication
Department of Communications and Agricultural Education
Lauri M. Baker
Kansas and Oklahoma were in the top five cattle producing states in the United States. Beef cattle producers across Kansas and Oklahoma had access to best management practices (BMPs) for proper grazing land management, but were still underutilizing these practices. This study sought to understand why producers did not adopt grazing BMPs suggested by Extension professionals and to identify opportunities to improve communication and adoption. Under the postulates of elaboration likelihood model (ELM), if BMPs were communicated to producers in a way that persuaded them to adopt BMPs, the resiliency of the entire beef cattle grazing system, would increase. This study was guided by community-based social marketing (CBSM) and elaboration likelihood model (ELM). Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 43 producers in north central Oklahoma and south central Kansas during the summer of 2015. Initial participants were recruited using a purposive sampling method through Extension contacts with a snowball sample after initial participants were identified. Interviews were transcribed by a professional transcription service and analyzed using Glaser’s constant comparative method. Producers in the study were aware of BMPs like rotational grazing, prescribed burning, and the usage of alternative forages. The major themes discovered in this study include Producers had varying definitions of both rotational grazing and cover crops; Producers used each other, Extension and university materials and personnel as information sources; Practices producers used were determined by visual observations and past experiences. Barriers and social constrains to the adoption of BMPs that were discovered included: water availability and quality, land leases, time and labor, land lords, generational gaps, and a lack of skilled employees. Producers saw the benefits of burning practices and rotational grazing. Another major theme was drought tested the resiliency of producer’s operations. This study offers several recommendations for Extension professionals and research. The way that Extension agents were communicating BMPs should be researched and analyzed. The implementation of CBSM and ELM by Extension professionals could increase the adoption of BMPs in grazing systems. A major implication of this study was the need for Extension to more openly communicate with producers rather than just exchange information.

У тезах досліджені особливості теорії обмежень як новітньої бізнес-концепції, що набуває все більшої популярності. Розкритий зміст концепції, історія її розвитку. Проаналізовані можливості її застосування на практиці.
В тезисах исследованы особенности теории ограничений как новой бизнес-концепции, которая приобретает все большую популярность. Раскрыто содержание концепции, история ее развития. Проанализированы возможности ее использования на практике.
In the theses the features of the theory of constraints as the newest business concept, which is gaining popularity, are investigated. The content of the concept, history of its development is revealed. The possibilities of its application in practice are analyzed.

Contemporarily, one of the major business demands is to extensively understand the impact of technology on the major business strategies and practices. Technologicalship marketing, a concept investigated in this study, emanates from a symbiosis of technology and relationship marketing. Per se, a prevalent area of debate pertains to whether technology promotes or constrains relationships. Outstandingly, this study pursued the technologicalship marketing concept, a new and vital 21st century suggestion in literature (Zineldin, 2000:16). Secondly, against the scarcity of empirical studies in mass marketing environments, the study at hand focused on retail banking client relationships. Lastly, the proposed meta-construct hypothetical model is an essential relationship marketing instrument. The proposed model consists of four major relationship marketing construct categories, namely, personal contact, customer retention, customer switching and relational exchange. At the hand of these constructs, the research primarily aimed to determine the impact of technology on client relationships in e-banking with the focus of closing the gap prevalent in literature on whether technology constraints or supports relationship marketing. The study focused on retail banking client relationships of the four major commercial banks in East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa. A survey was conducted of a sample of 200 clients selected using the convenience sampling method. The study hypothesised that technology is resulting in more transactional than relationship marketing in retail banking by constraining social constructions, customer retention and relational exchange, whilst, promoting customer switching mobility. Through the GLM regression analysis method, findings of the study established that technology was to a larger extent supporting relationship marketing. However, it is envisaged that technology is resulting in the disappearance of human contact which is a critical aspect of relationships. Conclusively, the researcher recommended that the only plausible strategy is to endeavour to integrate the human aspect at self-service podiums e.g. mounting of staff at ATM points, which most banks have been doing.

This study focused on the technical and institutional constraints faced by the vegetable co-operatives with regard to the impact on productivity. Vegetable co-operatives have no access to markets due to their poor performance on productivity and poor quality produce resulting to low prices for the produce such that they cannot compete in a market economy. In this study, the data was drawn from a sample of thirty vegetable co-operatives in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) of the Eastern Cape; obtained through focus group discussions and interviews from each cooperative. The objectives of the study are to measure the productivity of vegetable co-operatives using Total factor productivity analysis (TFP) and profitability of vegetable co-operative using Gross Margin (GM). Followed by the descriptive statistics in identifying and assessing the socio-economic characteristics as well as coping strategies adopted by vegetable co-operatives in BCMM where percentages, means and tables are used looking at the highest frequency. The results show that the vegetable co-operatives in the BCMM are not productive and profitable due to major constraints experienced by co-operatives such as lack of market, information, trainings and business skills, capital, infrastructural facilities, effective extension services that all leads to poor produce quality. Co-operative is said to be profitable and viable if total revenue is greater than the total variable cost which makes the gross margin positive. In this case, the total gross margin is negative. The results showed that the production costs, maintenance (tractor hire, generator hire and servicing) and electricity costs were the major costs incurred in the production of vegetable by the co-operatives.

South Africa's biggest challenge remains the high rate of unemployment especially among the country's youth. Small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) have been shown to be instrumental in many third world economies as a sustainable means not only to address unemployment but also to contribute significantly to economic growth. Despite government's good intentions and support, the South African SMME sector is not growing as expected and this is impacting negatively on unemployment creation in the country. Good business development services (BDS) is necessary to support SMMEs and specifically the Market Development Approach to the provision of BDS, where subsidies are replaced by private payment for services. Makana municipal area provided scope for analysing the constraints to the implementation of such business development services. Analysing the scope and magnitude of the constraints in this setting would contribute to understanding the constraints also in other parts of the country and help officials in local economic development make better informed decisions regarding support to SMMEs. Authors like Rogerson (2011), UNDP (2004), Miehlbradt and McVay, (2003), the Committee of Donor Agencies for SME Development (Blue book) (2001) and Bear et al., (2001) Gibson (2001), propose that the key to sustainable BDS is the implementation of the Market Development approach which focusses on for-profit activities in the provision of BDS to SMMEs. The aim of this study was to examine perceptions of key stakeholders towards SMME support and development, to identify the constraints to the implementation of a Market Development approach to the provision of business development services to SMMEs in the Makana area and to make recommendations to the Makana LED office of possible intervention strategies to address identified constraints. Purposive sampling was used to identify key stakeholders in SMME support in the Makana area in the categories of, big institutional buyers, public and private BDS providers as well the municipal LED office. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each stakeholder using questions shown in appendixes A to D. Perceptions of all key stakeholders were very positive with good intentions to support SMMEs. However, this was not consistent with procurement practice at the big institutional buyers. Constraints are summarized in the following five themes: Theme 1. Inconsistent practice in dealing with SMMEs across the organisation. Theme 2. Absence of a cooperative body or Chamber of Commerce. Theme 3. Fragmented Business Development Services. Theme 4. A lack of a culture of cost recovery. Theme 5. Limited awareness of BDS in the Makana area. A number of recommendations were suggested. Big institutional buyers like Rhodes University and Makana municipality need to take a longer term view and move the focus from employment creation to enterprise support which is a more sustainable and empowering source of employment (ILO, 2009). The Grahamstown Chamber of Commerce should become more representative and big institutional buyers also need to be convinced of the value of private BDS. Stakeholders should work together to combine resources to offer a comprehensive one-stop BDS for the Makana area (Chetty, 2009) and this comprehensive BDS should be provided according to the Market Development approach focusing on those services that lend themselves better to this approach whilst using subsidies only for those services with a low potential for cost recovery (UNDP, 2004).

A região do corredor do rio Dande-Bengo apresenta problemas de vária ordem nas suas áreas rurais. Nesta região os problemas vão desde as infra-estruturas, transportes, saúde, educação, até ao problema de existência de uma agricultura rudimentar. A melhoria das condições de vida das populações rurais passa por uma intervenção integrada de promoção do desenvolvimento rural. O presente trabalho tem como objectivo identificar os principais constrangimentos no desenvolvimento da agricultura no corredor do rio Dande, caso do município com o mesmo nome, e propor estratégias para ultrapassar os constrangimentos com vista a contribuir na redução da pobreza e no aumento do desenvolvimento económico e bem-estar das populações. As dificuldades no desenvolvimento da agricultura no Corredor do rio Dande não são apenas da responsabilidade da falta de chuva mas sobretudo do fraco investimento tecnológico e de infraestruturas capazes de fazer face a esse desiderato; ABSTRACT:The present work aims to identify the main constraints on agricultural development in the corridor of the river Dande, in the municipality with the same name, mainly the ones related to infrastructures, transport, health, education, until the problem of existence of a rudimentary agriculture. The present work aims to identify the main constraints to the development of the agriculture in corridor do rio Dande region, and to propose strategies to overcome these constraints contributing to the reduction of hunger and poverty and to the increase of the economic development and wellbeing of the people The difficulties in the development of agriculture in the Corredor do rio Dande are not just the responsibility of the lack of rain but mostly of the weak technological investment and infrastructure able to cope with this problem.

Le système de marquage personnel du kurde centrale, avec un ensemble complexe de paradigmes personnels, présente un bon nombre de problèmes. Par exemple, un enclitique personnel qui marque l’actant oblique, construit avec une préposition dans les constructions au présent, devient un affixe personnel dans les constructions au passé. Les recherches précédentes (Bynon 1979 ; Samvelian 2007 ; Haig 2008 ; Jügel 2009) ont mis en évidence les phénomènes pertinents, mais un traitement global du problème et une explication générale des motivations derrière le phénomène font encore défaut. Nous établissons le statut morphophonologique des paradigmes des personnes et nous examinons en détail le fonctionnement des marques de personnes. Nous proposons une nouvelle analyse du positionnement des enclitiques mobiles en kurde centrale en termes de phonologie prosodique (Selkirk 1995 ; Truckenbrodt 1999 ; Anderson, 2005) selon laquelle une forme de personne enclitique apparait systématiquement après la première phrase phonologique (ou mot prosodique) dans le domaine du syntagme verbal. L’alternance formelle d’un enclitique personnel et d’un affixe personnel est considéré comme le résultat des restrictions sur les combinaisons des enclitiques (Gerlach 2002). D’autres problèmes du système des marques de personnes sont expliqués grâce à un examen plus approfondi des faits de prosodie et par une série de contraintes plus générales de la langue (Prince and Smolensky 1993 ; Yip 1998) qui favorisent l’expression des actants en maintenant distincte l’identité morphologique et phonologique des marques de personnes lorsqu’elles sont en combinaison
The person-marking system of Central Kurdish, with a complex set of person-marker paradigms, presents a number of problems, especially in the manners in which different person-marker paradigms are distributed for argument-indexing. For instance, a pronominal complement of an adposition is a person form from clitic person markers in a present-tense construction, but the formal expression of the same argument is switched to a verbal affix person marker in a past-tense construction. Previous scholarship (Bynon 1979; Samvelian 2007; Haig 2008; Jügel 2009) has pointed to the relevant phenomena and provided important descriptive facts, but, a comprehensive treatment of the problem is still lacking. In this study, morphophonological status of person marking paradigms is established and argument-indexing function of person-marker paradigms are thoroughly investigated. A novel analysis of clitic placement in Central Kurdish is proposed whereby a clitic is considered to be systematically occurring after a prosodic word. The formal switch from a clitic to a verbal affix person marker in the expression of a number of arguments is analysed as occurring for avoiding certain clitic combinations (Gerlach 2002) since the latter inevitably leads to an improperly placed clitic. A number of other problems relating to seeminlgy non-clitic-

En adoptant un point de vue utilitariste du consommateur sur certains produits orientés service, nous avons d'abord contribué à la proposition d'un modèle de contextes d'usage que se doit de couvrir au mieux un produit. Le modèle conduit à une meilleure intégration des analyses de marketing et d'ingénierie de la conception amenant à une optimisation d'un produit paramétré plus orientée vers les besoins du marché ou à un meilleur étagement d'une famille de produits. Nous proposons une série d'indices qui révèlent l'adéquation entre les usages couverts par un produit de dimensions données ou une famille de produits donnée avec un espace d'usages cible qu'il s'agit de couvrir dans sa totalité ou en partie mais d'une manière suffisamment dominante par rapport à la concurrence. En premier lieu, l'indice de couverture d'usage (UCI) pour un produit unique est introduit par la cartographie du produit relativement à un ensemble d'utilisateurs représentatifs définis par des usages attendus. Sur cette base, l'UCI pour une famille de produits est construite pour évaluer la composition de la famille et la redondance des produits qui la composent. Les avantages par rapport à la traditionnelle estimation de la demande en marketing sont de réduire la complexité de l'enquête et de l'analyse des données et de pouvoir estimer le niveau de compétitivité d'une offre innovante sans nécessiter de retour d'expérience du marché. Nous expérimentons nos propositions sur un problème de reconception d'une famille de scies sauteuses. L'approche proposée permet d'évaluer l'adaptabilité, pour une famille de produits de tailles croissantes, à divers scénarios dans le contexte d'usage d'un marché cible. Les concepteurs peuvent s'appuyer sur les résultats pour éliminer les produits redondants au sein d'une famille. Des configurations de produits de tailles croissantes peuvent aussi être rapidement simulées et comparées de manière à aboutir à une famille minimale de produits idéalement étagée.

碩士
國立彰化師範大學
資訊管理學系所
99
As the rapidly change of the marketing environment, traditional marketing strategy and the technology are under the affect, many company all have given up the Mass marketing and Differentiation, and then change to the Target marketing. The target marketing can base on customers’ different needs to segment one or more market. It can be effectively to adjust the price of product, the specifications of spare parts and distributions. Clustering technology in the segmentation marketing is often used to analyze the data according to different styles and through the features to separate into several groups, applying the group to achieve effective analysis and prediction the results. Therefore, this study has proposed a constrained genetic algorithm clustering, we used clustering technology to deal with the large number of consumer records and reduce the complexity of analysis. We also used associate rule at product to understand relationships in products. It can let marketing manager planning of promotional or marketing activities which the consumer demand is the most appropriated products and recommend to it. It’s also increased customer satisfaction and improved the company’s profits. Finally, we have built a prototype and verified its effectiveness by experiments. The experiments showed that our method is better than the others, and approved that the constraints can actually promote the clustering to get much better quality.

In many cases rural crafters have had only limited exposure to the market economy and have little understanding of how it works. If the crafters are unable to market their products, then their efforts in making craft items are being wasted. It was for this reason that this study was undertaken. The study focused on indigenous handcraft (beadwork, basketry and leatherwork) owing to the fact that these kinds of crafts are widely produced in the area of Izinqoleni. The purpose of this study was to investigate the marketing opportunities of indigenous handcrafts, and highlight problems faced by crafters in Izinqoleni. To accomplish this, the study had to describe the productive functioning of individuals and group producers of indigenous handcraft, find out about the kinds of craft items produced, and understand what was required to produce crafts in sufficient quantities and appropriate quality for markets. It also had to identify such suitable markets and describe the market places in relation to access, requirements, and potential for economic returns of crafters, to identify the gaps in the relationships between present production by crafters and marketing requirements, identify the constraints on crafters and markets, and recommend remedial actions that need to be taken. For this study, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and personal observations were employed to obtain information. The target population of this study comprised of the individuals and group crafters, craft traders (formal and informal traders such as art and craft galleries, craft shops, farm stalls, Tourism Information Centre, beach/road side craft sellers) as well as the buyers of indigenous handcrafts (schools and Shembe religious groups). Ten individual crafters, two craft groups, seven informal craft traders, four formal craft traders, two schools and two Shembe groups participated in this study. The findings of this study indicated that, despite the constraints facing the crafters in Izinqoleni; both the individual and group crafters had great potential for producing marketable products, although groups had better opportunities in term of exposure to markets and other requirements than individuals. There was not a big difference between the craft items that were produced by the crafters of Izinqoleni and those that were available at the local craft outlets. The traders, however, did not obtain their goods from local crafters; they depended on the distant crafters for supply of indigenous handcrafts. Therefore, they were very positive in creating strong relationships with the local crafters, provided they conformed to the requirements of these markets. It was therefore recommended that the crafters form cooperatives so that they could become recognized and then be supported in every possible way. The Government policies should consider indigenous handcraft as a major contributor to the economy, and promote indigenous handcraft production and marketing by providing sufficient support and services.
Thesis (M.Sc)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

碩士
銘傳大學
觀光事業學系碩士在職專班
102
LianJiang County Government as well as Local Governmentsin Taiwanhas been promoting tourism actively. LianJiang has mapped out a blueprint of tourism for Matsu as the main policy. Although visitors increased year by year last decade, visitors decreased significantly during foggy season in spring due to the flight obstruction. It causeda depression of local tourism related business in the spring. As a result the long term development of Matsu’s tourism industry is impacted. In this study, tourism resources and tourism categories as well as tourism obstructions in Matsu were inventoried firstly. Based on the theory of experimential marketing, tourism marketing and market segmentation, the internal and external environments, strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and completion were analyzed for Matsu tourism. And then, the marketing strategies in the spring were evaluated and the target marketwassketched.Proposing feasible marketing recommends aimed at targetmarketto the local government forpromotingspring tourinMatsu is the main objective of this research. The pretesting of the questionnaire was doneduringthe spring of 2012. And, the official survey was carried out from Marchto May, 2013. 472of497distributed questionnaireswere retrieved and,459 of them arevalid. Factor analysis was applied to qualify the questionnaire. And, descriptive statistics, ANOVA and Chi-square analysis were involved to exam and approve hypotheses.The results of the reaserch are as follows: 1.Tourism categories are correlated with tourism resources, tourism images and tourism obstructions. 2.Tourism categories relate to population characteristics. 3.Operating performance of the Target market depands on marketing strategies.

碩士
朝陽科技大學
企業管理系碩士班
92
In recent years, due to the Internet getting popular, the demand of local area network (LAN) and wireless local area network (WLAN) equipment are continued greatly growth. With new specification and new technology developing of those networking device, the performance and speed have huge improvement and the price is getting cheaper. Enterprise users and consumer users are introduced using wireless networking. Not only wireless network devices strongly increase demand but also other network devices are hot too. WLAN devices market become very competition due to many suppliers positively provide related appliance to the market. So, market strategy plays an important role of the success in this competitive market. This research using Theory of constrains (TOC) to analysis the constraint that WLAN device provider will meet in this market. It also indicates that industrial structure’s effects to the appliance of WLAN devices and competitive situation. Two network device companies been the model of this research to study the possible market constrains. By realize the constraint, its suggestions and solution to the constraint are provided in this research. Keyword: Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN); Theory of Constrains (TOC)

Every consumer decision incurs a cost. An hour spent researching products is an hour not spent working. Vacation days used in the winter are vacation days not used in the summer. A dollar spent on a car payment is a dollar not spent dining out. What determines the extent to which consumers consider such opportunity costs when making decisions?

Although every purchase requires an outlay cost (i.e., spending dollars in order to obtain a good), outlay costs only have economic significance because some other good or service must be given up as a result. Consumers have unlimited wants but limited resources, so satisfying one want means not satisfying another (the opportunity cost). An opportunity cost is "the evaluation placed on the most highly valued of the rejected alternatives or opportunities" (Buchanan 2008) or "the loss of other alternatives when one alternative is chosen" (Oxford English Dictionary 2010). Opportunity costs are foundational to the science of economics and, normatively, consumers should account for opportunity costs in every decision they make. I define opportunity cost consideration as "considering alternative uses for one's resources when deciding whether to spend resources on a focal option."

Because consumers face opportunity costs, every purchase decision is effectively a choice among alternative resource uses, not just a decision of whether or not to make a particular purchase. When consumers consider their opportunity costs, alternative resource uses specify the broadest form of competition that products face: each resource use competes for share-of-wallet with all other potential resource uses. Understanding when consumers consider a purchase decision as an allocation across multiple options, and what those considered options are, allows researchers and practitioners to better understand why consumers make the purchases that they do, why they restrain from making the purchases that they do not, and how to influence purchases of focal options by increasing or decreasing consideration of alternative resource uses.

What determines when consumers consider opportunity costs? In Essay 1, I propose that consumers consider opportunity costs when they perceive immediate resource constraints. In Essay 2, I propose that consumers consider opportunity costs when the resource in use increases the accessibility of alternative resource uses in memory.

Beyond addressing when consumers consider opportunity costs, I address three additional questions. First, who is more likely to consider opportunity costs? Individuals with a high propensity to plan are likely to consider opportunity costs even when they are not immediately constrained. Second, which opportunity costs are consumers more likely to consider? Consumers are more likely to consider opportunity costs that are more typical of the category of possible resource uses than opportunity costs that are less typical of the category of possible resource uses. Third, what are the consequences of opportunity cost consideration? Individuals who consider their opportunity costs are more sensitive to their value than those who do not consider them. In addition to aiding our understanding of the consumer decision process, understanding opportunity cost consideration has important implications for consumers' sensitivities to the structure of the decision environment, understanding the nature of competition and cross-price elasticities, memory for foregone options, and construction of preferences.

Dissertation

碩士
國立交通大學
管理學院高階主管管理碩士學程
94
Switchgear is the requisite equipment of the electricity and control system so the supply and demand of the switchgear are closely linked to the growth of the using demand of the electricity system. The rapid and strong development of mainland China economy in recent years has caused absorbent effect, which led the domestic industry in Taiwan to the investing reduction. It is predictable that the switchgear demand of the domestic market in Taiwan will grow less. Besides, the switchgear export from Taiwan can’t be competed with the international major companies as well. Therefore, there will be a huge impact on domestic switchgear industry, which will make the competition among those switchgear manufactories more intensively. There are 115 companies of the switchgear manufacture in Taiwan. This case study uses a switchgear manufactory, so-called “N company”, as the example. N company, the leading switchgear manufactory in Taiwan, predicts the demand of the switchgear will less grow gradually in the future. To ensure the leading position in the manufacture, how to change the patterns of taking orders and producing products to lift the competitive ability will increase its revenue and profits. To seek the strategies to improve, this research applies Theory of Constraints by Dr. Eliyahu M Goldratt to find out the core conflict. The main demands of the clients are quality, delivery time, price and service. However, the major six items of undesirable effects of N company’s can’t be satisfied with its clients’ demands, which imply the crises of the decreases of revenue and profits. Using the analysis of Theory of Constraints Evaporating Cloud, we can get the core conflict , the conflicts of the product manufacture standardized or not standardized from the clients’ demands. Then, draw out the strategy, “Manufacturing the products to meet the client’s demands and to maximize the company’s capacity.” Therefore, N company chooses the international excellent label to build up the technical collaboration and the business partner relationship to manufacture the standardized products, which can make the delivery time shortened, the products standardized by the international institutes, and the inventory built for the well-prepared service. Then, with instructions and promotion, clients will adopt the products. Because the standards are less and the employees are more skillful, after the product standardization, the quality of the products can be guaranteed. Also, it can use the automatic equipments to manufacture for the production procedure, which will decrease the dependence on the employees and increase the efficiency of the production. To make annual purchasing agreements can dramatically shorten the operation time of the supply chain and decrease the excess of the capital to lower the cost. Not only to meet the clients’ demands on quality, delivery time, price and service but the standardization also lowers the cost the meanwhile and lifts the competitive ability to increase its revenue and profits. After the development of N company in its standardization, according to Theory of Constraints based on future, this research can suggest the study trends for the ongoing improvements in the future.

碩士
國立臺北科技大學
工業工程與管理研究所
92
Customized is the trend of the market recently. It’s very important to regard customer as the honorable guest now. There are some conflicts between customer demands and expectations with the difference of the manager cognition. Therefore, manager has to won an operating strategy based on customers to get continuous improvement so that it can face the environmental change. This study emphasized and how to find out the key points according to the Theory of constrains. To resolve the existing conflicts in music is by Evaporating and to study customer expectation is by Future Reality Tree. Finally, developing the strategy rule is according to the Prerequisite Tree and Transition Tree. It can find out some paints as below. 1.Understand customer demands. 2.Correct manager strategy. 3.Suitable financial management. 4.Completely service mould. It expects “win-win-win” when a business can meet the satisfactory of customer recorder industry and on-line music by related studies mentioned above.

Since China's reform and opening up, along with the continuous improvement of China's patent system, Huawei and other Chinese companies, as latecomer firms, have gone through a development process of technology introduction, technology imitation, imitation innovation, independent innovation, and open innovation. In this process, Chinese companies are charged high royalty fees. As their technological capabilities develop and cost advantages weaken, patent licensing renegotiations are initiated, all of which deserves careful review, especially the strategies adopted to reduce royalty fees. The thesis adopts the mathematical model construction and derivation method based on game theory. A patent hold-up model based on the technology gap and cost advantages is then constructed to analyze the dynamic impact of gaps in technological capabilities and cost advantages on patent hold-up. The thesis further verifies the above theoretical research conclusions through empirical analysis and the case study. For example, the technology gap and cost advantages of the latecomer firms are analyzed at two points of time, namely, “ten years ago” and “the recent three years”. One of the important conclusions is that compared with ten years ago, in the recent three years, as the cost advantages of latecomer firms weaken and their technology gap with foreign leading companies narrows, the severity of hold-up encountered by latecomer firms has not mitigated, which demonstrates to some extent that in the case of reduced technology gap and weakened cost advantage, latecomer firms must adopt corresponding strategies to reinitiate negotiations with foreign leading companies in order to obtain lower royalty rates. As a conclusion, the thesis proposes ways to achieve technological progress and patent-holdup to catching-up ICT. The Chinese ICT industry could take effective measures to control the labour cost and increase in investment in R&D, especially in basic research. Chinese companies should optimize the patent portfolio while working on technological advancement, realize the value of patents and establish and contribute to an improved IP system to facilitate IP operations. Foreign frontier firms can adapt and adjust their patent licensing strategies to fully utilize the infringement relief rule brought about by China’ s IP system reform, while actively seeking cooperation with Chinese companies like Huawei in emerging fields and look for the future technological pathways.
Desde a abertura económica da China, depois graças ao melhoramento contínuo do sistema de patentes da China, a Huawei e outras empresas retardatárias chinesas passaram por um processo de desenvolvimento de introdução tecnológica, imitação tecnológica, inovação em imitação, inovação independente e inovação aberta. Nesse processo, as empresas chinesas pagam altas taxas de licenciamento de patentes a entidades ocidentais. À medida que suas capacidades tecnológicas se desenvolvem e as vantagens de custo enfraquecem, renegociações de licença de patentes são iniciadas, todas as quais merecem uma revisão cuidadosa, especialmente as estratégias adotadas para reduzir as taxas de patentes. A tese adopta o método de construção e derivação de modelos matemáticos com base na teoria dos jogos. Um modelo de patente "holdup" baseado no fosso tecnológico e vantagens de custo é então construído para analisar o impacto dinâmico do "holdup" dos espaços nas capacidades tecnológicas e vantagens de custo. A tese verifica ainda as conclusões teóricas da pesquisa acima por meio da análise empírica e do estudo de caso. O fosso tecnológico e as vantagens de custo das empresas retardatárias são analisadas em dois momentos, a saber, "dez anos atrás" e "os últimos três anos". Uma das conclusões importantes é que, em comparação com dez anos atrás, nos últimos três anos, à medida que as vantagens de custo das empresas retardatárias enfraquecem e seu fosso tecnológico com as empresas dominantes estrangeiras diminuiu, a gravidade de patente "holdup" encontrado pelas empresas retardatárias não se mitigou, o que demonstra até certo ponto que, no caso de fosso tecnológico reduzido e vantagem de custo enfraquecida, as empresas retardatárias devem adotar estratégias correspondentes para reiniciar as negociações com empresas estrangeiras dominantes a fim de obter acesso mais económico a tecnologias proprietárias. A tese propõe maneiras de alcançar o progresso tecnológico e o gerir o "holdup" nas novas tecnologias de informação e comunicação (TIC). As empresas chinesas de NTIC devem tomar medidas eficazes para controlar os custos de trabalho e aumentar o investimento em I&D (Investigação e desenvolvimento), especialmente em pesquisa básica. As empresas chinesas de NTIC devem optimizar o portfólio de patentes enquanto trabalham no avanço tecnológico, criar confiança em sua tecnologia própria, perceber o valor das patentes e estabelecer e melhorar um sistema de PI (propriedade intelectual) para facilitar as estratégias de operação. As empresas avançadas estrangeiras devem adaptar-se e ajustar oportunamente suas estratégias de licenciamento de patentes, utilizar totalmente a regra de alívio de infração trazida pela reforma do sistema de PI da China, buscar activamente a cooperação com empresas chinesas como a Huawei em campos emergentes e olhar para futuras avenidas tecnológicas.

Text in English, abstract in English, Shona and Xhosa
The purpose of this study was to explore the practice of quality control in the onscreen marking (OSM) environment of Biology (5008) examinations between 2013 and 2017. Examination marking is gradually being migrating from paper-based marking (PBM) to OSM in a bid to improve the efficiency and quality of marking. The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) introduced OSM for some O Level subjects in June 2012, in a context characterised by a persistent economic crisis, patchy internet coverage, erratic power supplies and low digital literacy, among other challenges. The Council encountered some difficulties related to quality control, which triggered this qualitative instrumental single case study that was informed by the ontology, epistemology, methods and axiology of the constructivist philosophy. Data were collected through face-to-face and focus group interviews on the WhatsApp platform with 4 subject managers, 11 senior markers and 18 normal markers, and through document review. The findings of the study suggest that the quality of marking was influenced by the context in which the examinations were marked. The socio-political climate that prevailed in Zimbabwe impacted on the technological infrastructure for the OSM and the digital literacy of the examination personnel. The capacity of the examiners to work in the OSM environment was influenced by knowledge and skills transfer from training and standardisation to the live marking. The quality of marking was monitored by the seeds approach to script moderation, automatically generated reports and audit trails, and escalation of problem scripts. It was also influenced by the structure of the question papers, cognitive demands of the questions and mark schemes on the examiners, spaces provided for candidates’ responses and mark scheme features such as language and marks to marking points ratio. The assessment framework provided by the syllabus guided the design and marking of Biology examinations. From these findings, a framework that could guide the practice of quality control in the OSM environment was formulated. OSM technology could enhance the quality of marking Biology examinations, thereby eliminating challenges associated with PBM. Some of the opportunities were, however, reduced by the challenges encountered during the OSM of the examinations. It is recommended that ZIMSEC put in place policies and procedures that could guide specific quality control activities in the OSM environment and establish computer centres in the provincial capital towns. The Council could also consider benchmarking examiner recruitment, training and standardisation procedures with international examination authorities.
Tsvakurudzo ino yanga yakananga kuvandudza nharaunda yemakwenyero ebvunzo kubudikidza nemichina pachidzidzo cheBhayaroji, 5008 pakati pemakore a2013-2017. Vandudzo iyi iri kuuya zvishoma nezvishoma kubva pakukwenya pamapepa zvichienda mukukwenya nemichina (on screen marking :OSM ) nechinangwa chekuda kukwenenzvera mhando yebasa rezvekukwenya . Bazi rebvunzo reZimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) rakavarura kukwenya kubudikidza nemichina (OSM) kubvunzo dzedanho reOdhinari revhuru muna Chikumi 2012 , mumamiriro anozivikanwa ematambudziko ezveupfumi, masaisai eindaneti asingavimbiki anouya zvigamba zvigamba , magetsi asingawanikwe nguva dzose, nezivo yezvemichina muvakwenyi isina kupararira pakati pezvimwe zvimhingamupini. Kanzuru yezvebvunzo yakasangana nemamwe matambudziko ane chokuita nounaku hwezvemakwenyerwe ebvunzo hwakakonzera kuti paitwe tsvakurudzo ino yezveudzamu (qualitative) muchinzvimbo chiduku chakasarudzwa (case study) yaitungamirirwa nemaziviro evacho vanoona nezvekukwenya bvunzo (interpretivist epistemology) nemaziviro okuti chokwadi chinosiyana nekusiyana kwenharaunda nokuti chigadzirwa chevarimukati mekukwenya (constructivist ontology), nekuumba mufungo kubudikidza neumboo huchabuda mutsvakurudzo (inductive theory) nenzira nezvinokosheswa nenharaunda mukuumba ruzivo (constructivist philosophy). Umboo hwetsvakurudzo hwakawanikwa kubudikidza nebvunzurudzo ine udzamu padungamunhu nemumapoka nekupindurana padare reWatsiApu nevanotungamira zvidzidzo (Subject managers ) vana , zvidza mune zvokukwenywa bvunzo gumi neumwe, nevamwewo vakwenyi gumi nevasere uye kuongorora magwaro. Mamiriro ezvemagariro nematongerwo enyika mu
Ihloso yaleli rhubhululo bekukuphenya indlela ikhwalithi elawulwa ngayo ngehlelo lokutshwaya ngekhomphyutha kwe enhlahlubo zeBhayiloji (5008) phakathi komnyaka ka-2013 no-2017. Ukutshwaywa kwe enhlahlubo kancanikancani kuyasuka ehlelweni lokutshwaya iphepha ngesandla (PBM) kuya ehlelweni lokutshwaya ngekhomphyutha (OSM) ngomzamo wokuthuthukisa umsebenzi omuhle kanye nokuletha iqophelo eliphezulu lokutshwaya. Hlangana nezinye iintjhijilo, UMkhandlu wezokuTshwaywa kwe eNhlahlubo eZimbabwe (Zimbabwe School Examinations Council) (ZIMSEC) sewungenise ihlelo le-OSM kwezinye iimfundo zesigaba sika-O Level ngenyangaka Mgwengweni 2012, ngaphasi kobujamo obumbibe zomnotho, kobujamo obumaratha be-inthanedi, obuqokeme kobokuphakelwa ngegezi kanye na ngaphasi kwezinga eliphasi lefundo ye dijithali. UMkhandlu uhlangabezene nobunye ubudisi obumalunga nanokulawulwa kwekhwalithi, okubujamo obukhwezelele isizathu sokobana kube nerhubhululo linye elisebenzako elisebenzisa indlela yerhubhululo yekulumo, kanti lokhu kwabangelwayi-ontholoji, i-ephistemoloji, iindlela zerthubhululo kanye ne-akziyoloji yefilosofi i-constructivist philosophy. Idatha ibuthelelwe ngendlela yehlolombono yokubuza umuntu ngamunye ubuso nobuso kanye nokubuza iinqhema zabantu ezinqotjhiwe kokukundla yezokucocisana, i-WhatsApp platform kanye nabaphathi beemfundo aba-4 subject managers, abatshwayi abakhulu abali-11, kanye nabatshwayi abajayelekileko abali-18, kanti lokhu kwenziwa ngokubuyekeza umtlolo. Ilwazi elifumane keerhubhululweni liphakamisa kobana izinga lekhwalithi lokutshwaya laba nomthintela wobujamo/wendawo lapho iinhlahlubo zatshwaywa khona. Ubujamo bezehlalakuhle yabantu kezepolotik iebebusezweni leZimbabwe laba nomthelela phezu komthanga lasisekelo wethekinoloji, kanti kwathinta abasebenzi behlelo le-OSM kanye nezinga lefundo yedijithali. Amandla wekghono labatshwayi lokusebenza ebhodulukweni le-OSM lalilawulwa kudluliselwa kwelwazi kanye namakghonofundwa ukusukela ekubandulweni kanye nokwenza izinto ngendlela efanako ehlelweni elibonakala ngamehlo lokutshwaya. Izinga lokutshwaya lalitjhejwe yindlela yokulinganiswa kwamaphepha atshwayiwako, ihlelo le-seeds approach to script moderation, kanti ihlelwe lingokwalo lihlanganisa imibiko begodu lilandelela ukuhlolwa, kanti goduli yakwazi nokuveza amaphepha ane miraro. Leli hlelo begodula lilawulwa sisakhiwo sephepha lemibuzo, lilwazi elifunekako ephepheni lemibuzo kanye namaskimu wamaksi phezu kwabatshwayi bamaphepha, iinkhala ezenzelwako bana abafundi baphendulele kizo kanye namaskimu wokutshwaya okunje ngelimi kanye namamaksi asesilinganiswe nisamamaksi, phecelezi-marking points ratio. Isakhiwo sokuhlola sinikelwa yisilabhasi, okungiyo eyikombandlela yedizayini kanye nokutshwaywa kwe enhlahlubo zeBhayiloji. Ngalelilwazi elitholakeleko, kukghonakele ukuthi kutlanywe isakhiwo ebesingabayi kombandlela yendlela engalandelwa ukulawula ikhwalithi ebhodulukweni ye-OSM. Ithekinoloji ye-OSM beyinga siza izinga lokumakha iinhlahlubo zeBhayiloji, ngalokho lokhu bekungaphungula iintjhijilo ezihlobene nehlelo le-PBM. Nanyana kunjalo, amanye amathuba, aphungulwazi intjhijilo ekuhlangabezenwe nazo nakutshwaywa iinhlahlubo zehlelo le-OSM. Kuye kwa tjhukunyiswa ukobana i-ZIMSEC izene mithethomgomo kanye ne enkambiso ezingabayikombandlela elayela imisebenzi ethile koyokulawulwa kwekhwalithi ebhodulukweni le-OSM kanye nokuhloma iinkhungo zekhomphyutha kumadorobhahloko we emfunda. UMkhandlu begodu ungatjheja yokubeka izinga lokuqatjhwa kwabatshwayi, lokubandulwa kanye nehlelolokwenza izinto ngendlela efanako neyamaziko we entjhabatjhaba alawula iinhlahlubo.
Science and Technology Education
D. Phil. (Education)

While Social Media (SM) is becoming even more relevant for consumers, managers are seeking to understand how they can improve brand’s SM performance while dealing with different external and internal constraints. This dissertation describes the Decision-Making Processes (DMP) of Portuguese firms when managing their brand’s presence in different SM platforms, resulting in developing a normative, theory-driven framework that supports SM management. To this end, primary data resulting from eight interviews with key informants from seven different firms and two natural observations of DMP from two different companies were analysed. Then, data was interpreted under the light of existing theories about DMP in marketing management. Subsequently, secondary data depicting the cases of four firms deciding about their SM presence was analysed in line with the final framework, resulting on different possible firms’ behaviours characterization when developing their SM strategy. It was concluded that although SM platforms business model suit current firms and marketing needs, managers have difficulties to integrated SM on marketing strategies. Plus, managers should be aware about firm’s external and internal constraints that are influencing firm’s SM performance. Moreover, it was found that firms still rely a lot in organic SM possibilities and their Investment capacity definition is strategically poor, which leads to a weak SM performance. In brief, SM positive contribution to firm’s performance requires strong analytical skills, development of Marketing, Branding and Communication strategies, a solid SM budget definition and SM platforms’ business model, audiences and advertising offers appropriate to firm’s goals.
As Redes Sociais (RS) são cada vez mais relevantes para os consumidores, enquanto isso, gestores procuram perceber como podem melhorar a performance das marcas nas RS, enquanto lidam com constrangimentos externos e internos. Esta dissertação descreve o Processo de Tomada de Decisão (PTD) das empresas portuguesas, aquando à gestão da presença das marcas; resultando na criação de um esquema teórico que apoia o PTD no âmbito das RS. Para este fim, foram recolhidos dados primários de oito entrevistas a key informants de sete empresas e de duas observações naturais de duas empresas. Os dados foram analisados e interpretados em linha com as teorias existentes sobre o tema principal. Posteriormente, dados secundários de quatro empresas foram analisados com base no esquema teórico final; o que resultou na caracterização de diferentes comportamentos que as empresas podem ter quando gerem as suas RS. Assim, conclui-se que embora os modelos de negócio das RS se adequam às necessidades das empresas, ainda há dificuldade em integra-las nas estratégias de marketing. É necessário ter consciência de quais são os possíveis constrangimentos que podem influenciar a performance nas RS. Também foi descoberto que as empresas se baseiam nos resultados orgânicos, ignorando que uma fraca capacidade de investimento resulta numa má performance. Resumindo, para que a atividade nas RS contribua positivamente para a empresa são necessárias fortes capacidades analíticas, desenvolvimento das estratégias de marketing, branding e de comunicação, definição de orçamento e, com base nos modelos de negócio, audiências e publicidade, escolher as RS mais adequadas.

Project Work presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Statistics and Information Management, specialization in Marketing Research and CRM
With its recent growth and continuous expansion to international markets, Landings.Jobs has increasing challenges that call for a deep understanding of the current talent userbase and its experience with the platform. The goal was to build the foundations for a Customer Relationship Management strategy, by identifying which steps should the start-up undertake in order to optimize the acquisition, management and retention of its talent userbase. Based on Peppers and Roger’s IDIC Model, four research questions arise: “how can Landing.Jobs identify and characterize its current userbase?”, “how can Landing.Jobs differentiate tech talent by value and needs?”, “what is Landing.Jobs’ current CRM capability and what Get, Keep, Grow strategies does it have in place?”, and “what are the potential barriers for Landing.Jobs to have a successful CRM implementation?”. The data collected was through Kotler’s Marketing Information System, that consists of internal databases (including Data Studio and Google Analytics), marketing intelligence (publicly available and actionable information about the company’s markets) and marketing research (both exploratory and conclusive). Descriptive statistics such as absolute/relative frequencies, Chi-square test and ANOVA analysis were able to provide relevant characterizing information: demographic, mainly location; psychographic, suchlike job search status, relationship with online tools and social networks; and behavioural, particularly users’ engagement with the platform. Multivariate statistical analyses, including Structural Equation Modelling and Factor Analysis, used Bordieu’s forms of capital and supported Cardoso’s findings in associating social, economic and cultural capital with talent’s perceived success. These conclusions helped differentiating tech talent by value and, alongside correlation analyses with perceived success, by needs. After examining talent’s journey in the Landing.Jobs’ platform, the potential barriers identified for Landing.Jobs to have a successful CRM implementation were related to data quality, lack of automated differentiation and resistance from Management. The study’s resulting tech talent’s identification/characterization and differentiation findings enabled a set of actionable recommendations for the implementation of a CRM strategy, under the Business Requirement of a CRM system.
O recente crescimento da empresa e a expansão contínua para mercados internacionais apresentam à Landings.Jobs desafios crescentes, que exigem um profundo entendimento da atual base de utilizadores e da sua experiência com a plataforma. O objetivo foi criar as bases para uma estratégia de Customer Relationship Management, identificando as etapas que a start-up deveria executar para otimizar a aquisição, gestão e retenção da sua base de talento. Com base no modelo IDIC de Peppers e Roger, surgem quatro questões de pesquisa: “como pode a Landing.Jobs identificar e caracterizar sua base de utilizadores atual?”, “como pode a Landing.Jobs diferenciar o talento tech por valor e necessidades?”, “qual é a capacidade atual de CRM da Landing.Jobs e quais estratégias de Get, Keep, Grow existentes?”, e “quais são as possíveis barreiras para a Landing.Jobs ter uma implementação bem-sucedida de CRM”. Os dados foram colecionados por meio do Marketing Information System de Kotler, que consiste em bases de dados internas (incluindo o Data Studio e o Google Analytics), inteligência de marketing (informações publicamente disponíveis e acionáveis sobre os mercados da empresa) e estudos de mercado (exploratório e conclusivo). Estatísticas descritivas, como frequências absolutas / relativas, teste Chi-Square e análise ANOVA, forneceram informações caracterizadoras relevantes: demográficas, principalmente localização; psicográficas, status de procura de emprego, relacionamento com ferramentas on-line e redes sociais; e comportamentais, principalmente o envolvimento dos utilizadores com a plataforma. Análises estatísticas multivariadas, incluindo modelagem por equações estruturais e análise fatorial, usaram as formas de capital de Bordieu e apoiaram as descobertas de Cardoso na associação de capital social, económico e cultural ao sucesso percecionado pelo talento. Estas conclusões ajudaram a diferenciar o talento tech por valor e, juntamente com as análises de correlação com o sucesso percecionado, por necessidades. Após a examinação da jornada do talento na plataforma Landing.Jobs, as possíveis barreiras identificadas para que a Landing.Jobs tenha uma implementação bem-sucedida de CRM, estavam relacionadas com a qualidade dos dados, falta de diferenciação automatizada e resistência por parte da Administração. As conclusões de identificação / caracterização e diferenciação do talento tech resultante deste projeto permitiram um conjunto de recomendações acionáveis para a implementação de uma estratégia de CRM, sob o requisito de negócio de um sistema de CRM.

With the rapid development of Chinese construction and installation industry, many companies undertook various types of construction and installation projects in the past decades. However, it is observed that most of these companies just focused on their cash flows when they make decisions on project selection. It is true that the cash flow is a fundamental and important metric but this metric hardly reflects the comprehensive effects of projects on the companies’ development and strategy implementation. Thus, besides the cash flow metric, the company’s strategic objectives in terms of technology innovation, management innovation, and social responsibility need to be involved in the procedure of project portfolio and selection. On the other hand, scarce resources in a company hardly support executions of all candidate projects simultaneously, and thus the allocation of scarce resources within the portfolio has to be considered additionally. Otherwise, there may be some conflicts of using the resources within the selected projects in practice. In the existing literature, it has been proved that a reasonable project portfolio management is an effective way to implement company strategy through the success of the selected projects. Some research has proposed general frameworks and methods for project selection and portfolio with respect to the company’s strategy. However, these general frameworks and methods are hardly directly applied to a specific industry and company since they fail to capture the characteristics of a specific industry and companies. Moreover, some existing researchers have enforced the resources limitation into their project selection and portfolio procedure. However, in the operational levels, the allocation of scarce resources among the selected projects is seldom considered and integrated to the project selection and portfolio procedure, which results in that the generated project portfolio scheme is impractical or cannot be carried out in specific industry and company. Motivated by both industry and existing literature, this thesis studies project portfolio problem with considering a company’s strategy and resource allocation. The following two questions are addressed in this study: 1) How to comprehensively evaluate projects according to a company's predetermined strategy? 2) How to select projects and allocate scarce resources in order to maximize the whole strategic contribution of the project portfolio? portfolio? To answer the first question above, we first decompose a company's predetermined strategic goal into four objectives: financial objective, management innovation, technological innovation, and social responsibility . We t hen apply the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method to establish a project evaluation system composed of hierarchical criteria and the relative weights of the criteria to the strategic goal. To solve the second question, we define an evolution metric to measure a project’s contribution ratio to the strategic goal by consuming per unit scarce resource. We then formulate the second problem as a 0 1 Knapsack problem by mixed integer programming method and further develop a heuristic rule to determine the allocation of the scarce resource among the selected projects. Finally, the proposed project evaluation system and resource allocation approaches are applied to a real case in Huashi Installation Engineering Company (HIEC), a state owned installation engineering enterprise in Sichuan Province of China. The application results show that our approach helps HIEC to improve the performance of the project portfolio management. The results of this thesis give some inspiration and guidelines to project portfolio management in the construction and installation of industry and other industries in China.
Com o rápido desenvolvimento da indústria chinesa de construção, muitas empresas empreenderam vários tipos de projetos de construção e instalação nas últimas décadas. No entanto, constatou-se que a maioria dessas empresas se concentra apenas em fluxos financeiros quando tomam decisões sobre a seleção de projetos. É um facto que os fluxos financeiros constituem-se como uma métrica fundamental e importante, no entanto essa métrica dificilmente reflete os efeitos abrangentes dos projetos sobre o desenvolvimento das empresas e a sua implementação estratégica. Assim, além da métrica dos fluxos financeiros, os objetivos estratégicos das empresas em termos de inovação tecnológica, gestão da inovação e responsabilidade social precisam de estar envolvidos num processo de seleção e gestão de portfólio de projetos. Por outro lado, os poucos recursos existentes numa empresa dificilmente suportam a execução de diversos projetos a que uma empresa se candidate em simultâneo, portanto, a alocação dos poucos recursos existentes dentro do portfólio de projetos tem que ser considerada adicionalmente. Caso contrário, poderão existir alguns conflitos sobre a gestão dos projetos que se encontram em execução. Durante a revisão de literatura, foi verificado que uma gestão equilibrada do portfólio de projetos traduz-se numa maneira efetiva de implementar a estratégia de uma companhia através do sucesso dos projetos selecionados. Foi efetuada uma pesquisa que propôs uma metodologia geral bem como métodos para a seleção de portfolios de projetos em linha com a estratégia da empresa. No entanto, essas estruturas e métodos gerais dificilmente são aplicados diretamente a uma indústria ou a uma empresa específica, uma vez que não conseguem capturar as características específicas dessa indústria ou empresa. Além disso, alguns autores reforçaram, o facto das limitações dos recursos nos seus projetos e processos de portfólio. No entanto, em níveis operacionais, a alocação de recursos dispersos entre os diversos projetos selecionados é raramente considerada e integrada no processo de seleção do portfólio de projetos, ou seja, a estrutura do portfólio em projeto não é realista ou então não pode ser colocada em prática numa indústria ou empresa específica. Motivado pela indústria e pela literatura existente, esta tese estuda o problema do portfólio de projetos considerando a estratégia definida por uma empresa e a sua alocação de recursos. Neste estudo são abordadas duas questões: 1) como avaliar de forma abrangente os projetos de acordo com a estratégia predefinida de uma empresa? 2) como selecionar projetos e alocar os poucos recursos para maximizar toda a contribuição estratégica do portfólio de projetos? Para responder à primeira questão, primeiro é desagrupado o objetivo estratégico pré definido de uma empresa e m quatro grandes objetivos: objetivo financeiro, gestão de inovação, inovação tecnológica e responsabilidade social. Em seguida, aplicamos o método do processo de hierarquia analítica (AHP) para estabelecer um sistema de avaliação de projeto composto por critérios hierárquicos e ponderações relativas para a definição do objetivo estratégico. A resposta à segunda questão foi obtida através da elaboração de uma métrica evolutiva que permitiu medir o rácio de contribuição de um projeto para um objetivo estratégico através da análise da contribuição de cada recurso num dado projeto. Posteriormente, foi definido o segundo problema como um problema 0 1 Knapsack através da programação linear mista e, em seguida, através de uma função heurística que permitiu determinar a alocação dos poucos recursos existentes numa determinada empresa aos projetos selecionados. Por fim, o sistema evolutivo proposto e as métricas de alocação dos recursos existentes foram aplicados a um caso real, nomeadamente à empresa de engenharia Huashi (HIEC), uma empresa pública chinesa localizada na província de Sichuan. Os resultados da aplicação destes modelos demonstraram que a abordagem desenvolvida ajudou a HIEC a melhorar substancialmente o seu desempenho na gestão do portfólio de projetos. Os resultados desta tese providenciaram conhecimento e linhas gerais contributivas uma eficaz para a gestão do portfólio de projetos das diversas industrias na China.