An examination of actors that impact technology introduction to FM

Developing and implementing a technology for Facilities Management (FM) can be a complex process. This is particularly the case when a technology impacts on an organisation as a whole. There are often a number of relevant actors, internal and external to FM, who should be engaged. This engagement is guided by the strategy of the organisation which is led by top management decisions. Indeed, it is top management who have the final decision to implement a technology. Actors of top management and other relevant actors will have their own discourses toward the implementation of the technology based on how they foresee the technology befittingly benefitting the organisation. This paper examines actors who play a relevant and necessary part in supporting and implementing a technology to FM. It examines how an actor’s discourse toward the project inhibits or speeds up the implementation of a technology. The methods used for this paper are based on a two year case study in a FM department where a technology development was observed and interviews with key participants were conducted. Critical discourse analysis is used to analyse the data. Prominent discourses that emerge from the data are emphasised during the process of introducing the technology. This research moves beyond focusing purely on project successes but examines the difficulties and the hurdles that must be overcome to reach a successful technology implementation.

A pharmacist-led information technology intervention for medication errors (PINCER): a multicentre, cluster randomised, controlled trial and cost-effectiveness analysis

Background: Medication errors are common in primary care and are associated with considerable risk of patient harm. We tested whether a pharmacist-led, information technology-based intervention was more effective than simple feedback in reducing the number of patients at risk of measures related to hazardous prescribing and inadequate blood-test monitoring of medicines 6 months after the intervention. Methods: In this pragmatic, cluster randomised trial general practices in the UK were stratified by research site and list size, and randomly assigned by a web-based randomisation service in block sizes of two or four to one of two groups. The practices were allocated to either computer-generated simple feedback for at-risk patients (control) or a pharmacist-led information technology intervention (PINCER), composed of feedback, educational outreach, and dedicated support. The allocation was masked to general practices, patients, pharmacists, researchers, and statisticians. Primary outcomes were the proportions of patients at 6 months after the intervention who had had any of three clinically important errors: non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) prescribed to those with a history of peptic ulcer without co-prescription of a proton-pump inhibitor; β blockers prescribed to those with a history of asthma; long-term prescription of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or loop diuretics to those 75 years or older without assessment of urea and electrolytes in the preceding 15 months. The cost per error avoided was estimated by incremental cost-eff ectiveness analysis. This study is registered with Controlled-Trials.com, number ISRCTN21785299. Findings: 72 general practices with a combined list size of 480 942 patients were randomised. At 6 months’ follow-up, patients in the PINCER group were significantly less likely to have been prescribed a non-selective NSAID if they had a history of peptic ulcer without gastroprotection (OR 0∙58, 95% CI 0∙38–0∙89); a β blocker if they had asthma (0∙73, 0∙58–0∙91); or an ACE inhibitor or loop diuretic without appropriate monitoring (0∙51, 0∙34–0∙78). PINCER has a 95% probability of being cost eff ective if the decision-maker’s ceiling willingness to pay reaches £75 per error avoided at 6 months. Interpretation: The PINCER intervention is an effective method for reducing a range of medication errors in general practices with computerised clinical records. Funding: Patient Safety Research Portfolio, Department of Health, England.

Training pharmacists to deliver a complex information technology intervention (PINCER) using the principles of educational outreach and root cause analysis

Objective: To describe the training undertaken by pharmacists employed in a pharmacist-led information technology-based intervention study to reduce medication errors in primary care (PINCER Trial), evaluate pharmacists’ assessment of the training, and the time implications of undertaking the training. Methods: Six pharmacists received training, which included training on root cause analysis and educational outreach, to enable them to deliver the PINCER Trial intervention. This was evaluated using self-report questionnaires at the end of each training session. The time taken to complete each session was recorded. Data from the evaluation forms were entered onto a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, independently checked and the summary of results further verified. Frequencies were calculated for responses to the three-point Likert scale questions. Free-text comments from the evaluation forms and pharmacists’ diaries were analysed thematically. Key findings: All six pharmacists received 22 hours of training over five sessions. In four out of the five sessions, the pharmacists who completed an evaluation form (27 out of 30 were completed) stated they were satisfied or very satisfied with the various elements of the training package. Analysis of free-text comments and the pharmacists’ diaries showed that the principles of root cause analysis and educational outreach were viewed as useful tools to help pharmacists conduct pharmaceutical interventions in both the study and other pharmacy roles that they undertook. The opportunity to undertake role play was a valuable part of the training received. Conclusions: Findings presented in this paper suggest that providing the PINCER pharmacists with training in root cause analysis and educational outreach contributed to the successful delivery of PINCER interventions and could potentially be utilised by other pharmacists based in general practice to deliver pharmaceutical interventions to improve patient safety.

A qualitative study of the internationalization of born-global technology start-ups in Brazil

O fenômeno das empresas born globals e a internacionalização de empresas brasileiras de base tecnológica são tópicos recentes na literatura acadêmica, devido também ao fenômeno ser recente. Não existem muitos estudados feitos com foco no mercado brasileiro, e os poucos que foram feitos, possuem um viés quantitativo. Esse estudo, entretanto, tem como objetivo analisar startups de maneira qualitativa. Uma extensa revisão de literatura foi desenvolvida a fim de melhor analisar as fundações nas quais o estudo seria desenvolvido, revisando os métodos de internacionalização, empreendedorismo no Brasil, e o fenômeno born global no geral. Entrevistas foram conduzidas com empreendedores no Brasil, que passaram pelo processo de internacionalização de seus modelos de negócios, a fim de reunir introspecções a respeito das peculiaridades do mercado brasileiro. Foram também analisados os fatores de escalabilidade de modelos de negócios dependentes de tecnologia, motivadores para a internacionalização, critério de seleção de mercados, programas governamentais, e o papel das startups brasileiras em uma perspectiva global.

Modelo institucional do processo de estruturação de empresas de desenvolvimento de software: um estudo de múltiplos casos

Some authors have shown the need of understanding the technological structuring process in contemporary firms. From this perspective, the software industry is a very important element because it provides products and services directly to many organizations from many fields. In this case, the Brazilian software industry has some peculiarities that distinguish it from other industries located in developed countries, which makes its understanding even more relevant. There is evidence that local firms take different strategies and structural configurations to enter into a market naturally dominated by large multinational firms. Therefore, this study aims to understand not only the structural configurations assumed by domestic firms but also the dynamic and the process that lead to these different configurations. To do so, this PhD dissertation investigates the institutional environment, its entities and the isomorphic movements, by employing an exploratory, descriptive and explanatory multiple cases study. Eight software development companies from the Recife's information technology Cluster were visited. Also, a form was applied and an interview with one of the main firm s professional was conducted. Although the study is predominantly qualitative, part of the data was analyzed through charts and graphs, providing a companies and environment overview that was very useful to analysis done through the interviews interpretation. As a result, it was realized that companies are structured around hybrids business models from two ideal types of software development companies, which are: software factory and technology-based company. Regarding the development process, it was found that there is a balanced distribution between the traditional and agile development paradigm. Among the traditional methodologies, the Rational Unified Process (RUP) is predominant. The Scrum is the most used methodology among the organizations based on the Agile Manifesto's principles. Regarding the structuring process, each institutional entity acts in such way that generates different isomorphic pressure. Emphasis was given to entities such as customers, research agencies, clusters, market-leading businesses, public universities, incubators, software industry organizations, technology vendors, development tool suppliers and manager s school and background because they relate themselves in a close way with the software firms. About this relationship, a dual and bilateral influence was found. Finally, the structuring level of the organizational field has been also identified as low, which gives a chance to organizational actors of acting independently

Gestão de portfólio de produtos em pequenas empresas de base tecnológica

The product portfólio management is considered relevant activity to the proper performance of the product development process. This paper aims to present the main methods of management that technology-based small businesses adopt for decision-making in product portfolio. This survey, which collected data on 31 companies was conducted. It was observed that although firms adopt market research and mapping methods and financial methods and for this decision-making, most of them based on the informal deliberations of senior management. Unable to understand the business relationships between the presence of ISO 9001 certification with greater formalization for decision making in product portfolio.

Optical Microring Resonators based on ion-implanted LiNbO3 ridge waveguides

The growing interest for Integrated Optics for sensing, telecommunications and even electronics is driving research to find solutions to the new challenges issued by a more and more fast, connected and smart world. This thesis deals with the design, the fabrication and the characterisation of the first prototypes of Microring Resonators realised using ion implanted Lithium Niobate (LiNbO3) ridge waveguides. Optical Resonator is one among the most important devices for all tasks described above. LiNbO3 is the substrate commonly used to fabricate optical modulators thanks to its electro-optic characteristics. Since it is produced in high quantity, good quality and large wafers its price is low compared to other electro-optic substrate. We propose to use ion implantation as fabrication technology because in the other way standard optical waveguides realised in LiNbO3 by Proton Exchange (PE) or metal diffusion do not allow small bending radii, which are necessary to keep the circuit footprint small. We will show in fact that this approach allows to fabricate waveguides on Lithium Niobate that are better than PE or metal diffused waveguides as it allows smaller size devices and tailoring of the refractive index profile controlling the implantation parameters. Moreover, we will show that the ridge technology based on enhanced etching rate via ion implantation produces a waveguide with roughness lower than a dry etched one. Finally it has been assessed a complete technological process for fabrication of Microring Resonator devices in Lithium Niobate by ion implantation and the first prototypes have been produced.

Streaming Support for Data Intensive Cloud-Based Sequence Analysis

Cloud computing provides a promising solution to the genomics data deluge problem resulting from the advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. Based on the concepts of “resources-on-demand” and “pay-as-you-go”, scientists with no or limited infrastructure can have access to scalable and cost-effective computational resources. However, the large size of NGS data causes a significant data transfer latency from the client’s site to the cloud, which presents a bottleneck for using cloud computing services. In this paper, we provide a streaming-based scheme to overcome this problem, where the NGS data is processed while being transferred to the cloud. Our scheme targets the wide class of NGS data analysis tasks, where the NGS sequences can be processed independently from one another. We also provide the elastream package that supports the use of this scheme with individual analysis programs or with workflow systems. Experiments presented in this paper show that our solution mitigates the effect of data transfer latency and saves both time and cost of computation.

WiMAX,Technology and Market.

Wireless communication is the transfer of information from one place to another without using wires. From the earliest times, humans have felt the need to develop techniques of remote communication. From this need arose the smoke signals, communication by sun reflection in mirrors and so on. But today the telecommunications electronic devices such as telephone, television, radio or computer. Radio and television are used for one-way communication. Telephone and computer are used for two-way communication. In wireless networks there is almost unlimited mobility, we can access the network almost anywhere or anytime. In wired networks we have the restriction of using the services in fixed area services. The demand of the wireless is increasing very fast; everybody wants broadband services anywhere anytime. WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is a broadband wireless technology based on IEEE 802.16-2004 and IEEE 802.16e-2005 that appears to solve this demand. WIMAX is a system that allows wireless data transmission in areas of up to 48 km of radius. It is designed as a wireless alternative to ADSL and a way to connect nodes in wireless metropolitan areas network. Unlike wireless systems that are limited in most cases, about 100 meter, providing greater coverage and more bandwidth. WIMAX promises to achieve high data transmission rates over large areas with a great amount of users. This alternative to the networks of broadband access common as DSL o Wi-Fi, can give broadband access to places quickly to rural areas and developing areas around the world. This paper is a study of WIMAX technology and market situation. First, the paper is responsible for explaining the technical aspects of WIMAX. For this gives an overview of WIMAX standards, physical layer, MAC layer and WiMAX, Technology and Market Beijing University of Post and Telecommunications 2 WIMAX network architecture. Second, the paper address the issue of market in which provides an overview of development and deployment of WIMAX to end the future development trend of WIMAX is addressed. RESUMEN: Por comunicaciones inalámbricas se entiende la transferencia de información desde un lugar a otro sin la necesidad de un soporte físico como es por ejemplo el cable. Por lo que remontándose a los principios de la existencia del ser humano, nos damos cuenta de que el ser humano siempre ha sentido la necesidad de desarrollar técnicas para lograr comunicarse a distancia con sus semejantes. De dicha necesidad, surgieron técnicas tan ancestrales como puede ser la comunicación mediante señales de humo o por reflexión de los rayos solares en espejos entre otras. La curiosidad del ser humano y la necesidad de comunicarse a distancia fue la que llevó a Alexander Graham Bell a inventar el teléfono en 1876. La aparición de un dispositivo que permitía comunicarse a distancia permitiendo escuchar la voz de aquella persona con la que se quería hablar, supuso una revolución no solo en el panorama tecnológico, si no también en el panorama social. Pues a parte de permitir comunicaciones a larga distancia, solventó el problema de la comunicación en “tiempo real”. A raíz de este invento, la tecnología en materia de comunicación ha ido avanzando significativamente, más concretamente en lo referido a las comunicaciones inalámbricas. En 1973 se realizó la primera llamada desde un terminal móvil aunque no fue hasta 1983 cuando se empezó a comercializar dicho terminal, lo que supuso un cambio de hábitos y costumbres para la sociedad. Desde la aparición del primer móvil el crecimiento del mercado ha sido exponencial, lo que ha repercutido en una demanda impensable de nuevas aplicaciones integradas en dichos dispositivos móviles que satisfagan las necesidades que día a día autogenera la sociedad. Tras conseguir realizar llamadas a larga distancia de forma inalámbrica, el siguiente paso fue la creación de los SMS (Short Message System) lo que supuso una nueva revolución además de abaratar costes al usuario a la hora de comunicarse. Pero el gran reto para la industria de las comunicaciones móviles surgió con la aparición de internet. Todo el mundo sentía la necesidad de poder conectarse a esa gran base de datos que es internet en cualquier parte y en cualquier momento. Las primeras conexiones a internet desde dispositivos móviles se realizaron a través de la tecnología WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) hasta la aparición de la tecnología GPRS que permitía la conexión mediante protocolo TCP/IP. A partir de estas conexiones han surgido otras tecnologías, como EDGE, HSDPA, etc., que permitían y permiten la conexión a internet desde dispositivos móviles. Hoy en día la demanda de servicios de red inalámbrica crece de forma rápida y exponencial, todo el mundo quiere servicios de banda ancha en cualquier lugar y en cualquier momento. En este documento se analiza la tecnología WiMAX ( Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) que es una tecnología de banda ancha basada en el estándar IEEE 802.16 creada para brindar servicios a la demanda emergente en la banda ancha desde un punto de vista tecnológico, donde se da una visión de la parte técnica de la tecnología; y desde el punto de vista del mercado, donde se analiza el despliegue y desarrollo de la tecnología desde el punto de vista de negocio. WiMAX es una tecnología que permite la transmisión inalámbrica de datos en áreas de hasta 48Km de radio y que está diseñada como alternativa inalámbrica para ADSL y para conectar nodos de red inalámbrica en áreas metropolitanas. A diferencia de los sistemas inalámbricos existentes que están limitados en su mayoría a unos cientos de metros, WiMAX ofrece una mayor cobertura y un mayor ancho de banda que permita dar soporte a nuevas aplicaciones, además de alcanzar altas tasas de transmisión de datos en grandes áreas con una gran cantidad de usuarios. Se trata de una alternativa a las redes de acceso de banda ancha como DSL o Wi-Fi, que puede dar acceso de banda ancha a lugares tales como zonas rurales o zonas en vías de desarrollo por todo el mundo con rapidez. Existen dos tecnologías de WiMAX, WiMAX fijo (basado en el estándar IEEE 802.16d-2004) y WiMAX móvil (basado en el estándar IEEE 802.16e-2005). La tecnología fija está diseñada para comunicaciones punto a multipunto, mientras que la fija lo está para comunicaciones multipunto a multipunto. WiMAX móvil se basa en la tecnología OFDM que ofrece ventajas en términos de latencia, eficiencia en el uso del espectro y soporte avanzado para antenas. La modulación OFDM es muy robusta frente al multitrayecto, que es muy habitual en los canales de radiodifusión, frente al desvanecimiento debido a las condiciones meteorológicas y frente a las interferencias de RF. Una vez creada la tecnología WiMAX, poseedora de las características idóneas para solventar la demanda del mercado, ha de darse el siguiente paso, hay que convencer a la industria de las telecomunicaciones de que dicha tecnología realmente es la solución para que apoyen su implantación en el mercado de la banda ancha para las redes inalámbricas. Es aquí donde entra en juego el estudio del mercado que se realiza en este documento. WiMAX se enfrenta a un mercado exigente en el que a parte de tener que dar soporte a la demanda técnica, ha de ofrecer una rentabilidad económica a la industria de las comunicaciones móviles y más concretamente a las operadoras móviles que son quienes dentro del sector de las telecomunicaciones finalmente han de confiar en la tecnología para dar soporte a sus usuarios ya que estos al fin y al cabo lo único que quieren es que su dispositivo móvil satisfaga sus necesidades independientemente de la tecnología que utilicen para tener acceso a la red inalámbrica de banda ancha. Quizás el mayor problema al que se ha enfrentado WiMAX haya sido la situación económica en la que se encuentra el mundo. WiMAX a comenzado su andadura en uno de los peores momentos, pero aun así se presenta como una tecnología capaz de ayudar al mundo a salir hacia delante en estos tiempos tan duros. Finalmente se analiza uno de los debates existentes hoy en día en el sector de las comunicaciones móviles, WiMAX vs. LTE. Como se puede observar en el documento realmente una tecnología no saldrá victoriosa frente a la otra, si no que ambas tecnologías podrán coexistir y trabajar de forma conjunta.

Towards cost reduction in concentrating solar power: innovative design for an efficient fresnel based solar field

Energía termosolar (de concentración) es uno de los nombres que hacen referencia en español al término inglés “concentrating solar power”. Se trata de una tecnología basada en la captura de la potencia térmica de la radiación solar, de forma que permita alcanzar temperaturas capaces de alimentar un ciclo termodinámico convencional (o avanzado); el futuro de esta tecnología depende principalmente de su capacidad para concentrar la radiación solar de manera eficiente y económica. La presente tesis está orientada hacia la resolución de ciertos problemas importantes relacionados con este objetivo. La mencionada necesidad de reducir costes en la concentración de radiación solar directa, asegurando el objetivo termodinámico de calentar un fluido hasta una determinada temperatura, es de vital importancia. Los colectores lineales Fresnel han sido identificados en la literatura científica como una tecnología con gran potencial para alcanzar esta reducción de costes. Dicha tecnología ha sido seleccionada por numerosas razones, entre las que destacan su gran libertad de diseño y su actual estado inmaduro. Con el objetivo de responder a este desafío se desarrollado un detallado estudio de las propiedades ópticas de los colectores lineales Fresnel, para lo cual se han utilizado métodos analíticos y numéricos de manera combinada. En primer lugar, se han usado unos modelos para la predicción de la localización y la irradiación normal directa del sol junto a unas relaciones analíticas desarrolladas para estudiar el efecto de múltiples variables de diseño en la energía incidente sobre los espejos. Del mismo modo, se han obtenido analíticamente los errores debidos al llamado “off-axis aberration”, a la apertura de los rayos reflejados en los espejos y a las sombras y bloqueos entre espejos. Esto ha permitido la comparación de diferentes formas de espejo –planos, circulares o parabólicos–, así como el diseño preliminar de la localización y anchura de los espejos y receptor sin necesidad de costosos métodos numéricos. En segundo lugar, se ha desarrollado un modelo de trazado de rayos de Monte Carlo con el objetivo de comprobar la validez del estudio analítico, pero sobre todo porque este no es preciso en el estudio de la reflexión en espejos. El código desarrollado está específicamente ideado para colectores lineales Fresnel, lo que ha permitido la reducción del tiempo de cálculo en varios órdenes de magnitud en comparación con un programa comercial más general. Esto justifica el desarrollo de un nuevo código en lugar de la compra de una licencia de otro programa. El modelo ha sido usado primeramente para comparar la intensidad de flujo térmico y rendimiento de colectores Fresnel, con y sin reflector secundario, con los colectores cilíndrico parabólicos. Finalmente, la conjunción de los resultados obtenidos en el estudio analítico con el programa numérico ha sido usada para optimizar el campo solar para diferentes orientaciones –Norte-Sur y Este-Oeste–, diferentes localizaciones –Almería y Aswan–, diferentes inclinaciones hacia el Trópico –desde 0 deg hasta 32 deg– y diferentes mínimos de intensidad del flujo en el centro del receptor –10 kW/m2 y 25 kW/m2–. La presente tesis ha conducido a importantes descubrimientos que deben ser considerados a la hora de diseñar un campo solar Fresnel. En primer lugar, los espejos utilizados no deben ser plano, sino cilíndricos o parabólicos, ya que los espejos curvos implican mayores concentraciones y rendimiento. Por otro lado, se ha llegado a la conclusión de que la orientación Este-Oeste es más propicia para localizaciones con altas latitudes, como Almería, mientras que en zonas más cercanas a los trópicos como Aswan los campos Norte-Sur conducen a mayores rendimientos. Es de destacar que la orientación Este-Oeste requiere aproximadamente la mitad de espejos que los campos Norte-Sur, puediendo estar inclinados hacia los Trópicos para mejorar el rendimiento, y que alcanzan parecidos valores de intensidad térmica en el receptor todos los días a mediodía. Sin embargo, los campos con orientación Norte-Sur permiten un flujo más constante a lo largo de un día. Por último, ha sido demostrado que el uso de diseños pre-optimizados analíticamente, con anchura de espejos y espaciado entre espejos variables a lo ancho del campo, pueden implicar aumentos de la energía generada por metro cuadrado de espejos de hasta el 6%. El rendimiento óptico anual de los colectores cilíndrico parabólicos es 23 % mayor que el rendimiento de los campos Fresnel en Almería, mientras que la diferencia es de solo 9 % en Aswan. Ello implica que, para alcanzar el mismo precio de electricidad que la tecnología de referencia, la reducción de costes de instalación por metro cuadrado de espejo debe estar entre el 10 % y el 25 %, y que los colectores lineales Fresnel tienen más posibilidades de ser desarrollados en zonas de bajas latitudes. Como consecuencia de los estudios desarrollados en esta tesis se ha patentado un sistema de almacenamiento que tiene en cuenta la variación del flujo térmico en el receptor a lo largo del día, especialmente para campos con orientación Este-Oeste. Este invento permitiría el aprovechamiento de la energía incidente durante más parte del año, aumentando de manera apreciable los rendimientos óptico y térmico. Abstract Concentrating solar power is the common name of a technology based on capturing the thermal power of solar radiation, in a suitable way to reach temperatures able to activate a conventional (or advanced) thermodynamic cycle to generate electricity; this quest mainly depends on our ability to concentrate solar radiation in a cheap and efficient way. The present thesis is focused to highlight and help solving some of the important issues related to this problem. The need of reducing costs in concentrating the direct solar radiation, but without jeopardizing the thermodynamic objective of heating a fluid up to the required temperature, is of prime importance. Linear Fresnel collectors have been identified in the scientific literature as a technology with high potential to reach this cost reduction. This technology has been selected because of a number of reasons, particularly the degrees of freedom of this type of concentrating configuration and its current immature state. In order to respond to this challenge, a very detailed exercise has been carried out on the optical properties of linear Fresnel collectors. This has been done combining analytic and numerical methods. First, the effect of the design variables on the ratio of energy impinging onto the reflecting surface has been studied using analytically developed equations, together with models that predict the location and direct normal irradiance of the sun at any moment. Similarly, errors due to off-axis aberration, to the aperture of the reflected energy beam and to shading and blocking effects have been obtained analytically. This has allowed the comparison of different shapes of mirrors –flat, cylindrical or parabolic–, as well as a preliminary optimization of the location and width of mirrors and receiver with no need of time-consuming numerical models. Second, in order to prove the validity of the analytic results, but also due to the fact that the study of the reflection process is not precise enough when using analytic equations, a Monte Carlo Ray Trace model has been developed. The developed code is designed specifically for linear Fresnel collectors, which has reduced the computing time by several orders of magnitude compared to a wider commercial software. This justifies the development of the new code. The model has been first used to compare radiation flux intensities and efficiencies of linear Fresnel collectors, both multitube receiver and secondary reflector receiver technologies, with parabolic trough collectors. Finally, the results obtained in the analytic study together with the numeric model have used in order to optimize the solar field for different orientations –North-South and East-West–, different locations –Almería and Aswan–, different tilts of the field towards the Tropic –from 0 deg to 32 deg– and different flux intensity minimum requirements –10 kW/m2 and 25 kW/m2. This thesis work has led to several important findings that should be considered in the design of Fresnel solar fields. First, flat mirrors should not be used in any case, as cylindrical and parabolic mirrors lead to higher flux intensities and efficiencies. Second, it has been concluded that, in locations relatively far from the Tropics such as Almería, East-West embodiments are more efficient, while in Aswan North- South orientation leads to a higher annual efficiency. It must be noted that East-West oriented solar fields require approximately half the number of mirrors than NS oriented fields, can be tilted towards the Equator in order to increase the efficiency and attain similar values of flux intensity at the receiver every day at midday. On the other hand, in NS embodiments the flux intensity is more even during each single day. Finally, it has been proved that the use of analytic designs with variable shift between mirrors and variable width of mirrors across the field can lead to improvements in the electricity generated per reflecting surface square meter up to 6%. The annual optical efficiency of parabolic troughs has been found to be 23% higher than the efficiency of Fresnel fields in Almería, but it is only around 9% higher in Aswan. This implies that, in order to attain the same levelized cost of electricity than parabolic troughs, the required reduction of installation costs per mirror square meter is in the range of 10-25%. Also, it is concluded that linear Fresnel collectors are more suitable for low latitude areas. As a consequence of the studies carried out in this thesis, an innovative storage system has been patented. This system takes into account the variation of the flux intensity along the day, especially for East-West oriented solar fields. As a result, the invention would allow to exploit the impinging radiation along longer time every day, increasing appreciably the optical and thermal efficiencies.

ANÁLISE DAS MUDANÇAS DOS FATORES DETERMINANTES DA ESTRUTURA DE CAPITAL EM FUNÇÃO DO CICLO DE VIDA DAS EMPRESAS BRASILEIRAS

As várias teorias acerca da estrutura de capital despertam interesse motivando diversos estudos sobre o assunto sem, no entanto, ter um consenso. Outro tema aparentemente pouco explorado refere-se ao ciclo de vida das empresas e como ele pode influenciar a estrutura de capital. Este estudo teve como objetivo verificar quais determinantes possuem maior relevância no endividamento das empresas e se estes determinantes alteram-se dependendo do ciclo de vida da empresa apoiada pelas teorias Trade Off, Pecking Order e Teoria da Agência. Para alcançar o objetivo deste trabalho foi utilizado análise em painel de efeito fixo sendo a amostra composta por empresas brasileiras de capital aberto, com dados secundários disponíveis na Economática® no período de 2005 a 2013, utilizando-se os setores da BM&FBOVESPA. Como resultado principal destaca-se o mesmo comportamento entre a amostra geral, alto e baixo crescimento pelo endividamento contábil para o determinante Lucratividade apresentando uma relação negativa, e para os determinantes Oportunidade de Crescimento e Tamanho, estes com uma relação positiva. Para os grupos de alto e baixo crescimento alguns determinantes apresentaram resultados diferentes, como a singularidade que resultou significância nestes dois grupos, sendo positiva no baixo crescimento e negativa no alto crescimento, para o valor colateral dos ativos e benefício fiscal não dívida apresentaram significância apenas no grupo de baixo crescimento. Para o endividamento a valor de mercado foi observado significância para o Benefício fiscal não dívida e Singularidade. Este resultado reforça o argumento de que o ciclo de vida influência a estrutura de capital.

Foundations of quantum technology

Recent progress in fabrication and control of single quantum systems presage a nascent technology based on quantum principles. We review these principles in the context of specific examples including: quantum dots, quantum electromechanical systems, quantum communication and quantum computation.

ANÁLISE DAS MUDANÇAS DOS FATORES DETERMINANTES DA ESTRUTURA DE CAPITAL EM FUNÇÃO DO CICLO DE VIDA DAS EMPRESAS BRASILEIRAS SÃO BERNARDO DO CAMPO

As várias teorias acerca da estrutura de capital despertam interesse motivando diversos estudos sobre o assunto sem, no entanto, ter um consenso. Outro tema aparentemente pouco explorado refere-se ao ciclo de vida das empresas e como ele pode influenciar a estrutura de capital. Este estudo teve como objetivo verificar quais determinantes possuem maior relevância no endividamento das empresas e se estes determinantes alteram-se dependendo do ciclo de vida da empresa apoiada pelas teorias Trade Off, Pecking Order e Teoria da Agência. Para alcançar o objetivo deste trabalho foi utilizado análise em painel de efeito fixo sendo a amostra composta por empresas brasileiras de capital aberto, com dados secundários disponíveis na Economática® no período de 2005 a 2013, utilizando-se os setores da BM&FBOVESPA. Como resultado principal destaca-se o mesmo comportamento entre a amostra geral, alto e baixo crescimento pelo endividamento contábil para o determinante Lucratividade apresentando uma relação negativa, e para os determinantes Oportunidade de Crescimento e Tamanho, estes com uma relação positiva. Para os grupos de alto e baixo crescimento alguns determinantes apresentaram resultados diferentes, como a singularidade que resultou significância nestes dois grupos, sendo positiva no baixo crescimento e negativa no alto crescimento, para o valor colateral dos ativos e benefício fiscal não dívida apresentaram significância apenas no grupo de baixo crescimento. Para o endividamento a valor de mercado foi observado significância para o Benefício fiscal não dívida e Singularidade. Este resultado reforça o argumento de que o ciclo de vida influência a estrutura de capital

International technology transfer:perceptions and reality of quality and reliability

Impressions about product quality and reliability can depend as much on perceptions about brands and country of origin as on data regarding performance and failure. This has implications for companies in developing countries that need to compete with importers. For manufacturers in industrialised countries it has implications for the value of transferred technologies. This article considers the issue of quality and reliability when technology is transferred between countries with different levels of development. It is based on UK and Chinese company case studies and questionnaire surveys undertaken among three company groups: UK manufacturers; Chinese manufacturers; Chinese users. Results show that all three groups recognise quality and reliability as important and support the premise that foreign technology based machines made in China carry a price premium over Chinese machines based on local technology. Closer examination reveals a number of important differences concerning the perceptions and reality of quality and reliability between the groups.

Knowledge management in a New Zealand tree farming company:Ambiguity and resistance to the "technology solution"

Purpose - Managers at the company attempt to implement a knowledge management information system in an attempt to avoid loss of expertise while improving control and efficiency. The paper seeks to explore the implications of the technological solution to employees within the company. Design/methodology/approach - The paper reports qualitative research conducted in a single organization. Evidence is presented in the form of interview extracts. Findings - The case section of the paper presents the accounts of organizational participants. The accounts reveal the workers' reactions to the technology-based system and something of their strategies of resistance to the system. These accounts also provide glimpses of the identity construction engaged in by these knowledge workers. The setting for the research is in a knowledge-intensive primary industry. Research was conducted through observation and interviews. Research limitations/implications - The issues identified are explored in a single case-study setting. Future research could look at the relevance of the findings to other settings. Practical implications - The case evidence presented indicates some of the complexity of implementation of information systems in organizations. This could certainly be seen as more evidence of the uncertainty associated with organizational change and of the need for managers not to expect an easy adoption of intrusive IT solutions. Originality/value - This paper adds empirical insight to a largely conceptual literature. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.