Adaptability, Transformation and Complex Changes in Namibia and Tanzania: Resilience and Innovation System Development in Local Communities

This thesis is a research about the recent complex spatial changes in Namibia and Tanzania and local communities’ capacity to cope with, adapt to and transform the unpredictability engaged to these processes. I scrutinise the concept of resilience and its potential application to explaining the development of local communities in Southern Africa when facing various social, economic and environmental changes. My research is based on three distinct but overlapping research questions: what are the main spatial changes and their impact on the study areas in Namibia and Tanzania? What are the adaptation, transformation and resilience processes of the studied local communities in Namibia and Tanzania? How are innovation systems developed, and what is their impact on the resilience of the studied local communities in Namibia and Tanzania? I use four ethnographic case studies concerning environmental change, global tourism and innovation system development in Namibia and Tanzania, as well as mixed-methodological approaches, to study these issues. The results of my empirical investigation demonstrate that the spatial changes in the localities within Namibia and Tanzania are unique, loose assemblages, a result of the complex, multisided, relational and evolutional development of human and non-human elements that do not necessarily have linear causalities. Several changes co-exist and are interconnected though uncertain and unstructured and, together with the multiple stressors related to poverty, have made communities more vulnerable to different changes. The communities’ adaptation and transformation measures have been mostly reactive, based on contingency and post hoc learning. Despite various anticipation techniques, coping measures, adaptive learning and self-organisation processes occurring in the localities, the local communities are constrained by their uneven power relationships within the larger assemblages. Thus, communities’ own opportunities to increase their resilience are limited without changing the relations in these multiform entities. Therefore, larger cooperation models are needed, like an innovation system, based on the interactions of different actors to foster cooperation, which require collaboration among and input from a diverse set of stakeholders to combine different sources of knowledge, innovation and learning. Accordingly, both Namibia and Tanzania are developing an innovation system as their key policy to foster transformation towards knowledge-based societies. Finally, the development of an innovation system needs novel bottom-up approaches to increase the resilience of local communities and embed it into local communities. Therefore, innovation policies in Namibia have emphasised the role of indigenous knowledge, and Tanzania has established the Living Lab network.

NIR-spectroscopy for bioprocess monitoring & control

The Ingold port adaption of a free beam NIR spectrometer is tailored for optimal bioprocess monitoring and control. The device shows an excellent signal to noise ratio dedicated to a large free aperture and therefore a large sample volume. This can be seen particularly in the batch trajectories which show a high reproducibility. The robust and compact design withstands rough process environments as well as SIP/CIP cycles. Robust free beam NIR process analyzers are indispensable tools within the PAT/QbD framework for realtime process monitoring and control. They enable multiparametric, non-invasive measurements of analyte concentrations and process trajectories. Free beam NIR spectrometers are an ideal tool to define golden batches and process borders in the sense of QbD. Moreover, sophisticated data analysis both quantitative and MSPC yields directly to a far better process understanding. Information can be provided online in easy to interpret graphs which allow the operator to make fast and knowledge-based decisions. This finally leads to higher stability in process operation, better performance and less failed batches.

Sustentabilidade das empresas associadas à REDEPETRO-RN

The present study investigated the management of social, environmental and economic sustainability practices employed by 72 oil companies in Rio Grande do Norte state in Brazil associated to Joint Business Network for Enhancing the Competitive Ability of Suppliers of Goods and Services to the Gas and Oil Industry in Rio Grande do Norte (REDEPETRO-RN). Thus, our investigation aimed to determine the extent to which sustainability practices of companies associated to REDEPETRO-RN are developed through their own efforts or influenced by the Triple Helix interorganizational arrangement (governamental organizations, education and research institutions, and industries). The research instrument used was a questionnaire in order to map and characterize the sustainability practices. The research subjects were business owners and managers. The data collected supported the descriptive, correspondence and correlation analyzes. Were identified a greater emphasis of the companies surveyed in developing sustainability practices and greater economic influence of business organizations in the construction of sustainability status. It was concluded with confirmation of thesis of the REDEPETRO-RN arrangement exhibits the characteristics and functioning of a common Interorganizational Cooperative Arrangement, not those of a triple helix interorganizational arrangement, given that the influences exerted for the development of social, environmental and economical sustainability on the part of teaching and research institutions, and government and business organizations do not interact with one another sufficiently to create a virtuous circle of cooperation among the associated companies. By contrast, the Interorganizational Cooperative Arrangement plays an important role in strengthening the competitiveness of companies affiliated to REDEPETRO-RN, by combining different competencies in an attempt at supporting the adoption of sustainability practices, a role reinforced by the scope of PETROBRAS, which, due to its economic importance, has considerable weight in the managerial decisions of associated companies

Why are some companies more successful than others? An exploration into organizational culture and dynamic capabilities

Why are some companies more successful than others? This thesis approaches the question by enlisting theoretical frameworks that explain the performance with internal factors, deriving from the resource-based view, namely the dynamic capabilities approach. To deepen the understanding of the drivers and barriers towards developing these higher order routines aiming at improving the operational level routines, this thesis explores the organisational culture and identity research for the microfoundational antecedents that might shed light on the formation of the dynamic capabilities. The dynamic capabilities framework in this thesis strives to take the theoretical concept closer to practical applicability. This is achieved through creation of a dynamic capabilities matrix, consisting of four dimensions often encountered in dynamic capabilities literature. The quadrants are formed along internal-external and resources-abilities axes, and consist of Sensing, Learning, Reconfiguration and Partnering facets. A key element of this thesis is the reality continuum, which illustrates the different levels of reality inherent in any entity of human individuals. The theoretical framework constructed in the thesis suggests a link between the collective but constructivist understanding of the organisation and both the operational and higher level routines, evident in the more positivist realm. The findings from three different case organisations suggest that the constructivist assumptions inherent to an organisation function as a generative base for both drivers and barriers towards developing dynamic capabilities. From each organisation one core assumption is scrutinized to identify its connections to the four dimensions of the dynamic capabilities. These connections take the form of drivers or barriers – or have the possibility to develop into one or the other. The main contribution of this thesis is to show that one key for an organisation to perform well in a turbulent setting, is to understand the different levels of realities inherent in any group of people. Recognising the intangible levels gives an advantage in the tangible ones.

Comportamento organizacional: XXI temas e debates para o séc. XXI

Este artigo representa uma tentativa ensaística de elencar 21 temas que, porventura, marcarão o interesse e a investigação no seio da disciplina do comportamento organizacional. Sem pretensões de exaustividade e visando descortinar janelas de oportunidade para investigação, os autores fazem um breve retrato de uma grande diversidade de temas (e.g., ética e responsabilidade social, conciliação do trabalho com a vida familiar, teletrabalho e organizações virtuais, contratos psicológicos da «nova geração», organizações baseadas no conhecimento, globalização e transculturalização, organizações autentizóticas, dignidade humana no trabalho), procurando também gizar as pistas dinâmicas que cada um deles poderá tomar. O panorama traçado procura reflectir as mudanças que as envolventes organizacionais têm vindo a concitar, projectando sobre as organizações e os respectivos decisores um vasto catálogo de desafios, questionamentos e oportunidades – factos e possíveis desenvolvimentos a que os investigadores e estudiosos do CO não devem ficar alheios.

Gestão da informação: um estudo de caso em um instituto de pesquisa tecnológica

Each two years the amount of available information in the world double. This is the Information Age, where the success depends on what one knows, not on what one has. A new economy appears with the capacity to generate, to store, to process and to apply effectively the knowledge, based on information, determining the companies productivity and competitiveness.The objective of this work is to understand the information management model of a technological research institute - CTGÁS (Gas Technology Center). The research has been done focused on the 5 main processes and the 15 support processes of the organization value chain , aiming to understand the information management in the organization based on Davenport´s Information Management model (1998). Therefore, it was necessary to identify how the necessary information for the organizational processes accomplishment are determined, obtained, distributed and used by the organization. The research can be classified as descriptive, regarding to its aims, and as a case study, related to the research ways. Interviews with the managers of the organization value chain processes have been carried through, with the objective to identify how they perceive the Information Management process that circulates in the organizational processes. Complementarily, a documentary research has been carried through, associated to the direct observation and procedures and actions follow up, involving the Information Management. The data treatment and analysis have been done from the authors theoretical support and from the managers interviews analysis, documents and processes observed by the researcher in the organization. It was noticed that the organization has raised its level of information needs that are not difficult to be determined and are satisfactorily obtained and distributed, although the majority of them are not structuralized, automatized or even classified regarding to its confidence. These peaces of information have good quality and are important, however they reflect a medium dependence on external and informal information, besides being used only in its great majority for people to know what and how to do something

Suomen essiivi

Essiivi on suomen kielen sijamuoto, jota käytetään nykykielessä erilaisten olotilojen ilmaisemiseen (Hän on opettajana ~ sairaana). Se on taustaltaan lokatiivi, jonka paikanilmaisutehtävä näkyy edelleen erilaisissa kiteytymissä (kotona, luona). Essiivi kuuluu myös ajankohdanilmaisujärjestelmään (lauantaina, ensi vuotena). Tässä tutkimuksessa kuvaan essiivisijan käyttöä erityisesti olotilan ilmaisemisen näkökulmasta. Kiinnitän huomiota sijan merkitykseen ja pyrin tarkentamaan sen lauseopillista kuvausta hyödyntämällä yleislingvistis-kielitypologisia olotilanilmausten kategoriointitapoja. Tutkimukseni aineisto on kolmijakoinen. Pääaineistonani on Lauseopin arkisto, jota koskevan haun tuloksena olen saanut 9096 essiivisijaisen sanan sisältävää lauseketta virkekonteksteineen. Täydennän tätä aineistoa käytöstä poimituilla esimerkeillä ja intuitioon pohjautuvilla ns. selvillä tapauksilla. Tutkimusmenetelmänä on pääosin aineiston kvalitatiivinen tarkastelu, mutta tarkastelen essiiviä myös teoreettisemmin sääntöjärjestelmän näkökulmasta. Tärkeimpänä lähtökohtanani on tuottaa tutkimustietoa, joka kykenee käymään vuoropuhelua kielitypologisen tutkimuksen kanssa siten, että tutkimus kuitenkin tapahtuu yksittäiskielen ehdoilla. Erityisesti semantiikan kuvauksessa tarkastelutapani on kognitiivisen kielitieteen mukaisesti orientoitunut. Essiivin tehtävänä on pelkistetyssä nominaalilauseessa ilmaista olotilan tilapäisyyttä ja muutoksellisuutta, kun taas merkitystä kantavan verbin yhteydessä essiivisijainen olotilan ilmaus saa usein muita merkityksiä ja voi ilmaista myös vaihtoehtoisen tai tilanteen syynä olevan olotilan. Aspektinäkökulmasta essiivi tuo tilaan toimin¬nallisia piirteitä, ja se myös muodostaa selvästi omanlaisensa reviirin suhteessa muihin olotilaa ja sen lähimerkityksiä ilmaiseviin kieli- ja johto-opin kategorioihin. Syntaktisen luokittelun näkökulmasta essiivisijaiset predikoivat olotilanilmaukset jakautuvat kolmeen pääryhmään sen perusteella, millainen niiden suhde lauseen predikaattiin on. Ne voivat toimia kopulalauseen nominaalipredikaatteina, merkitystä kantavien verbien täydennyksinä ja sekundaarisina predikaatteina, jotka ovat määritteitä. Lisäksi essiivisijaiset olotilan ilmaukset voivat toimia predikoimattomina lauseadverbiaaleina. Tutkimus on essiivisijan laaja aineistopohjainen kuvaus, joka osoittaa, että yleislingvistis-kielitypologinen lähestymistapa sopii suomen essiivin kuvaukseen. Alakategorioinnissa joudutaan kuitenkin turvautumaan semantiikkaan. Myös pääkategorioiden jatkumomaisuus on hyväksyttävä. Tulosten perusteella on mahdollista käydä keskustelua siitä, olisiko predikoivien lauseenjäsenten syntaktista luokittelua mahdollista uudistaa. Lisäksi tutkimus avaa uusia kysymyksiä tutkittavaksi erityisesti sijojen käyttöä vertailevasta näkökulmasta.

Prática de ensino supervisionada em educação pré-escolar e 1º ciclo do ensino básico: (Re)construindo saberes em ciências com as crianças

O presente relatório transparece o progresso de aprendizagem e reflexão realizado no âmbito da Prática de Ensino Supervisionada em Educação Pré-Escolar e no 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico. Neste, evidenciou-se uma reflexão da prática educativa que teve como finalidade compreender de que maneira se poderão potenciar as aprendizagens das Ciências Naturais nas crianças. Para tal, destacam-se alguns objetivos que estiveram bastante presentes na dimensão investigativa, tais como a promoção de ambientes de aprendizagem na área das ciências físico-naturais tornando as crianças observadores ativos com competências para investigar, experimentar e aprender; a promoção de contextos de aprendizagem participativa e ativa, desafiadoras e motivantes; o conhecimento e compreensão dos conhecimentos prévios destas, refutando assim a sua expressão e dúvida através do questionamento; e por fim, a promoção de atitudes, competências de ação, competências metodológicas e competências de comunicação nas crianças em relação à aprendizagem de acontecimentos naturais. Assim sendo, a principal finalidade desta investigação-ação nos contextos onde se realizou foi compreender processos associados à (re)construção de conhecimentos com base nos saberes que as crianças já tinham, construindo eu própria saberes profissionais, através da minha própria ação, registada, analisada e fundamentada; ABSTRACT: The following report transpires the progress of learning and reflection that was accomplished within the Supervised Teaching Practice in Preschool Education and in Primary Education. In this, it showed a reflection of educational practice that aimed to understand how it may enhance the learning of Natural Sciences in children. For such, we highlighted a few goals that were very present in the research dimension, such as, promoting learning environments in the area of physical and natural sciences, making children active observers with powers to investigate, experiment and learn; promoting ways of participation and active learning, challenging and motivating; knowledge and understanding of prior knowledge of these, thus disproving your expression and doubt through questioning; and finally, the promotion of attitudes, action skills, methodological skills and communication skills in children with regard to the learning of natural events. Therefore, the main purpose of this research-action, in ways where it was accomplished, was the reconstruction of knowledge based on the awareness that children already contained, building my own professional knowledge, through my own action that were recorded, analyzed and justified.

A Framework for Energy-Efficiency in Smart Home Environments

Part 7: Cyber-Physical Systems

Na especificidade, a evidência do impacto das intervenções do enfermeiro especialista em enfermagem de reabilitação no doente com patologia respiratória crónica, no serviço de urgência

O presente estudo decorreu no serviço de urgência do Hospital do Espírito Santo de Évora – EPE, de Setembro de 2015 a Janeiro de 2016 e enquadra-se na área da prestação de cuidados especializados em enfermagem de reabilitação. É um estudo de caso, em que objeto de estudo é “A Intervenção do Enfermeiro Especialista em Enfermagem de Reabilitação no doente com Patologia Respiratória Crónica”. A abordagem metodológica é mista pois trata-se de um caso de estudo que não é puramente qualitativo. A utilização de metodologia quantitativa com indicadores quantitativos permitirá uma melhor compreensão e visão global do caso apresentado. Trata-se de um estudo de natureza descritiva, transversal e não experimental pois tem como objetivo a recolha de dados observáveis e quantificáveis, num determinado período de tempo e não o controlo de fenómenos. População alvo: todos os utentes com Patologia Respiratória Crónica internados no Serviço de Observação no período de tempo referido anteriormente. Amostra: 4 utentes com média de idades de 78,0 anos dos quais 75% eram do sexo masculino e 25% do sexo feminino. Foram implementadas intervenções de enfermagem de reabilitação, nomeadamente, reabilitação funcional respiratória e motora, que demonstraram ser eficazes tendo-se obtido saturações periféricas de O2 de 96%, em média. Estes resultados traduzem-se em ganhos ao nível da capacidade respiratória permitindo o desenvolvimento de atividades de vida diária normais. Também foi possível a manutenção e potenciação das capacidades de mobilidade nestes utentes com uma média etária elevada e com algumas limitações físicas e/ou cognitivas o que, só por si, também traduz ganhos em saúde no que concerne à sua independência e melhoria da qualidade de vida. O Enfermeiro Especialista em Enfermagem de Reabilitação é claramente uma mais-valia no serviço de urgência pois ao colocar em prática uma dinâmica de desempenho voltado para os conhecimentos especializados adquiridos, criando ferramentas que permitam um desempenho estruturado dos cuidados, a promoção da sua continuidade, a sua avaliação e a produção de conhecimento científico baseado na evidência contribui para a redução do tempo de internamento o que se repercute na maior eficácia na Gestão de Unidades de Saúde.

O papel da partilha de conhecimento na relação entre confiança e compromisso organizacional

Mestrado em Ciências Empresariais

Az erőforrás-alapú megközelítés a gyakorlatban – Az intellektuális tőke mint az alapvető képesség forrása?

A szerző tanulmányában az intellektuális tőke (mint kulcsfontosságú stratégiai erőforrás) és a stratégiaimenedzsment-szakirodalom közötti kapcsolattal foglalkozik, mégpedig elsősorban a stratégiai menedzsment oldaláról közelítve a kérdést. Mindeközben nem feledkezik meg a stratégiaicél-elérés támogatását kiemelt célul tűző menedzsmentkontroll és a szervezeti magatartás szempontjairól sem. Elsősorban a stratégiai szakirodalomban jelentős szerepet játszó erőforrás-alapú megközelítések (RBV – resource based view of the firm) és az intellektuális tőke közötti kapcsolatra fókuszál, azt vizsgálja, hogy a nem tárgyiasult stratégiai erőforrások (vagy más szóval intellektuális tőke) egyre szembetűnőbb megjelenése az értékteremtést befolyásoló tényezőket elemző kutatásokban miként értelmezhető az erőforrás-alapú stratégiai elméletek szempontjából.

Age diversity and firm performance in an emerging economy: Implications for cross-cultural human resource management

This study tests the effect of age diversity on firm performance among international firms. Based on the resource-based view of the firm, it argues that age diversity among employees will influence firm performance. Moreover, it argues that two contextual variables—a firm's level of market diversification and its country of origin—influence the relationship between age diversity and firm performance. By testing relevant hypotheses in a major emerging economy, that is, the People's Republic of China, this study finds a significant and positive effect of age diversity and a significant interactive effect between age diversity and firm strategy on profitability. We also find a significant relationship between age diversity and firm profitability for firms from Western societies, but not for firms from East Asian societies. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of this study's findings. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Digging Deeper than Platinum: South Africa's Participation in an Emergent Fuel Cell Industry

Thesis (Master, Environmental Studies) -- Queen's University, 2016-09-09 11:52:31.446

Marketing Automation – en studie om ett modernt marknadsföringsverktyg i en svensk kontext

I takt med att digitala medier har utvecklats under de senaste åren har köpresan för-ändrats till att kunder idag i ett mycket senare skede släpper in leverantörer i dialogen. Marketing Automation adresserar den problembilden och har växt fram som en brygga mellan sälj- och marknadsprocessen. Systemet ger möjlighet att effektivt och automatiserat utveckla leads (potentiell kund). Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur Marketing Automation påverkar sälj- och marknadsprocesserna. Vilka förutsättningar krävs för en implementation? Ökar lönsamheten? Vi har därför valt att i det teoretiska ramverket beskriva Marketing Automation och bland annat undersöka om ett införande av Marketing Automation medför att sälj- och marknadsorganisationerna slås samman till en organisatorisk enhet. I studien har vi dessutom kartlagt och beskrivit den moderna köpresan och det som ibland kallas intäktsorganisationen. Vi har funnit att Marketing Automation är relativt outforskat i en svensk kontext. För att utröna om teorin, som i stor utsträckning bygger på internationell litteratur och internationella undersökningar, går att överföra till en svensk kontext har vi valt att genomföra en kvalitativ studie i form av en fallstudie av leverantörer av produkter och tjänster inom området samt företag, med den gemensamma nämnaren att de re-presenterar ett kunskapsintensivt erbjudande och har implementerat lösningar för Marketing Automation. I vår analys finns en samsyn mellan leverantörer och kunder i förutsättningar för ett införande, men vi kan även se hur resultaten divergerar och pekar på implikationer, inte minst avseende måluppfyllnad och samverkan mellan sälj- och marknadsorgani-sationerna. Vår slutsats visar bland annat att Marketing Automation kan leda till uppfyllnad av mjuka värden i företaget men har inte bevisats leda till ökad lönsamhet per automatik. Vi ser lönsamhet och Return on Investment (ROI) som ett område som bör utforskas vidare.