Thesis advisor: Andy Hargreaves / This dissertation examines the nature of the longstanding cross-sector relationship between an urban public school district and a corporate-owned team franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The study found that while this collaboration is often talked about as a partnership, in practice, it advances a corporate philanthropic and promotional relationship that is characterized by mutual affinities but not mutually agreed upon goals. This philanthropic connection to a powerful national sporting institution provides benefits to local public schools through incentives for perfect student attendance, motivational assemblies with professional athletes, and periodic, one-time donations in much needed technology. However, this relationship also raises key questions related to the mechanisms for social accountability in leadership decision-making, the effective and equitable use of school and corporate resources, and the indirect and inadvertent consequences when schools rely on commercialism and sports stardom to sell the meritocratic value of getting an education to a generation of students. The dissertation addresses the implications of the rise of corporate philanthropy within the context of economic austerity in public education. A multi-disciplinary review of research, drawing on four bodies of literature, considers the assumptions underlying counter-related discourses about corporate involvement in the public sector: 1) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), 2) CSR as Greenwashing (i.e. disinformation disseminated by a firm to present misleading public images of corporate responsibility), 3) Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in education, and 4) PPPs as privatizations in education. The constant comparative method was used throughout to analyze multi-modal data from an ethnographic case study of one city's cross-sector collaboration with the NBA, including participant observations, review of news and media, and extended field interviews with thirty district leaders, school administrators, teachers, counselors, and coaches in three K-8 schools. The result is a critical examination of the confluence of altruism, elite professional sports, and the marketplace in urban public education. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

Thesis advisor: Ted I. K. Youn / Independent professional schools were a significant part of higher education in the United States until the rise of universities at the beginning of the 20th century. In the 21st century, the overwhelming majority of professional schools are indeed affiliated with universities; however there are a growing number of professional schools in variety of fields that are independent. The institutional perspective from organizational theory suggests these schools, like all organizations, must be creating and maintaining legitimacy in order to survive. This multiple case study explores how independent professional schools of acupuncture and Oriental medicine (AOM) demonstrate legitimacy over time. Analysis was focused on temporal patterns, correlations, and interdependencies between and/or among particular legitimizing activities within institutions, and global patterns of legitimizing activities across different institutions. Data were analyzed with specific reference to the possibility that there are multiple alternative paths to legitimacy outside of isomorphism with educational myths and structures. Findings included identification of higher education, health care, context, the profession, and business as the five arenas in which AOM schools signal their legitimacy, as well as general patterns of signaling to these arenas across all institutions over the past twenty years. Signals in each arena ebb and flow between relatively narrow limits, and it is not possible for schools to increase their signals in all areas simultaneously. Over time, the business and academic signals are generally increasing, contextual and professional signals decreasing, and health care remains fairly stable. This research marks an initial effort bring scholarly awareness both to schools of acupuncture and Oriental medicine to independent professional schools as a group. It offers support for the idea that there are multiple avenues for demonstrating legitimacy, and suggests a model for the arenas in which legitimacy operates for independent professional schools. In addition, this research articulated the concept of multi-liminality as both a characteristic of independent professional schools and an important feature for future research. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2012. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

O Brasil é um país movido pelo agronegócio. Dados da sua balança comercial indicam que o setor agro contribuiu com US$ 82,9 bilhões no ano de 2013 (BRASIL, 2014), no entanto, apesar de sua grandeza, no Brasil, muito ainda deve ser estudado e melhorado. Tendo em vista as ameaças que afetam o agronegócio brasileiro e sua grande importância econômica é necessário trabalhar constantemente na melhoria da sua competitividade, cenário onde a Gestão Estratégica surge como importante ferramenta. Um método de Gestão Estratégica específico para Sistemas Agroindustriais foi proposto por Neves (2008), porém não possui especificidades relacionadas à abrangência geográfica. Visto que os estados podem ser caracterizados como uma \"união\", contando com características específicas e concorrentes bem definidos, seus direcionamentos e ações devem ser tomados unificadamente, sendo justificável que seus sistemas agroindustriais sejam organizados conjuntamente, por meio de um planejamento próprio. O presente trabalho busca responder à seguinte pergunta: Dentro das suas especificidades, é possível gerir estrategicamente os sistemas agroindustriais de um estado? Qual pode ser o método para tal? Para tanto, lança mão de uma pesquisa exploratória qualitativa que analisa um estudo de casos múltiplos onde o método GESis proposto por Neves (2008), com algumas adaptações, foi aplicado em cinco cadeias produtivas do estado de Goiás. Os estudos de caso contaram com entrevistas em profundidade com interlocutores das cadeias estudadas e, após finalizados, foram conduzidas entrevistas com aqueles que participaram da elaboração e aplicação do plano finalizado no estado. Como resultado, foi proposto um método de gestão estratégica para cadeias produtivas em estados que conta com 13 etapas. O trabalho identificou que existe uma grande lacuna no setor agropecuário brasileiro quando se trata de ações coletivas sendo que o sucesso da implantação do método é altamente dependente da ação conjunta de seu setor alvo. / Brazil is a country driven by agribusiness. Its trade balance data indicates that the agriculture sector contributed with US$ 82,9 billion in 2013 (BRASIL, 2014), however, in spite of his greatness, in Brazil, much remains to be studied and improved. In view of the threats affecting the sector and its economic importance, its necessary to work constantly on improving its competitiveness, scenario where the Strategic Management emerged as an important tool. A specific method for Agribusiness Strategic Management Systems was proposed by Neves (2008), but does not include specifics related to the geographic scope. Since states can be characterized as a \"union\", with specific characteristics and well defined competitors, their direction and actions must be taken together, being justified jointly actions for organization of their agribusiness systems through a proper planning. This paper seeks to answer the following question: Within its specifics, is it possible to manage strategically the agribusiness systems of a state? What can be the method for it? To do so, the study makes use of a qualitative exploratory study that analyzes a multiple case study where the method proposed by Neves GESis (2008), with some adaptations, was applied in five chains in the state of Goiás. The study cases used in-depth interviews with representatives of the studied chains and, after finalized, were conducted interviews with the ones who participated in the plan development and implementation in the state. As a result, it was proposed a method of strategic management for productive chains in states that has 13 steps. The study identified that there is a large gap in the Brazilian agricultural sector when it comes to collective action and the successful implementation of the method is highly dependent on the target sector joint actions.

A partir do diagnóstico da viabilidade e ordenamento da ostreicultura na região de Cananéia-SP, estruturou-se o projeto "Ostra de Cananéia". Este projeto teve como principais estratégias: a introdução da criação de ostra, a regularização sanitária do produto, com a criação de uma Estação Depuradora e, principalmente, a organização da comunidade com a criação de uma entidade comunitária, a COOPEROSTRA. Apesar do projeto já apresentar resultados dentro da comunidade atingida, faltava realizar um diagnóstico sócio-econômico e com isso a caracterização do público pós-projeto. Esta dissertação pretende contribuir com informações sobre a transformação da realidade e condições de vida do grupo-alvo, o que vem a ser o objetivo maior da proposta inicial de ordenamento. Para tanto, foram realizadas entrevistas com os cooperados e com o corpo técnico que assessoram a cooperativa. Em seguida, os cooperados foram submetidos a um questionário fechado que buscou avaliar os impactos das novas tecnologias de produção de ostras e na geração de renda. Os cooperados apresentaram dificuldade na participação em atividades de gestão da cooperativa, no entanto, aqueles que participavam, obtiveram incremento de renda ou conseguiram mantê-la. Foi observado um aumento de auto-estima, dignidade, visão de mundo e reconhecimento da profissão, no entanto, ainda é necessário incorporar princípios democráticos em sua prática associativista. As técnicas de engorda em viveiros são amplamente utilizadas e a desmariscagem deixou de ser uma prática constante. O Estado desempenha um papel fundamental na criação e manutenção deste empreendimento, até que conquiste autonomia. A metodologia utilizada para atendimento dos objetivos propostos se mostrou eficiente. A COOPEROSTRA constitui modelo interessante para outras iniciativas comunitárias do mesmo tipo / A diagnostic study on the viability and organizational aspects of oyster aquaculture in the region of Cananéia, São Paulo, led to the development of the project "Oysters from Cananéia". This project’s main goals were to introduce oyster rearing, regulate the sanitary quality of the product by creating a depuration station, and, principally, organize the community through the creation of communitarian entity, COOPEROSTRA. Although the project had already shown results within the community it has reached, a socio-economic diagnosis had not been conducted nor a post-project analysis of the cooperative members. This dissertation intends to contribute with information on the transformation of reality and livelihood conditions of the target group, which is the major objective since the initial proposal for ordering. Consequently, interviews were conducted with the cooperative members and technical experts that assist the cooperative. Afterwards, the cooperative members were submitted to a closed questionnaire to help evaluate the impacts of new technology for oyster production and income generation. The cooperative members, did not seem comfortable whit the participate management activities of the cooperative, however, those who participated, were able to rise their income to keep it. Positive increases were observed in the cooperative members, notably with their self-esteem, dignity, world vision and recognition for their profession, however, it still is necessary to incorporate democratic principals to their association practices. The techniques for growing oysters in rearing beds are widely used and the practice of shelling oysters is no longer used. The State plays and important role in the creation and maintenance of this enterprise, until it attains autonomy. The methodology used to reach the proposed objectives proved to be efficient. COOPEROSTRA serves as an interesting model for other, similar community-based initiatives

Esta dissertação busca mostrar a relação entre os aspectos pedagógicos do edifício escolar e o seu projeto arquitetônico. Para uma melhor contextualização, a pesquisa parte de uma breve introdução das principais ideias pedagógicas surgidas ao longo da história (com ênfase em suas implicações espaciais), passando pelas mudanças trazidas com o movimento das Escolas Novas, pela trajetória das políticas educacionais no estado de São Paulo e pelos paradigmas pedagógicos contemporâneos. Em seguida, são investigadas as origens e a evolução da arquitetura escolar, mostrando, por meio de exemplos, de que forma os diversos aspectos pedagógicos foram incluídos em seu programa de necessidades. Por fim, duas escolas de Ensino Fundamental construídas na década de 2000 são analisadas de maneira mais aprofundada, com o objetivo de apontar a relação entre essas duas áreas do conhecimento em casos concretos. A realização deste trabalho evidenciou a necessidade de maior diálogo entre os profissionais da arquitetura e da pedagogia durante a elaboração de projetos escolares, tornando os espaços propostos mais ajustados às exigências educacionais. O papel do arquiteto no processo de criação do espaço escolar deve ser o de fornecer as condições físicas necessárias para que a escola seja um lugar de participação, debate e construção de conhecimento, por meio de ambientes que ampliem as possibilidades de interação entre os alunos. / This thesis seeks to show the relationship between the pedagogical aspects of the school building and its architectural design. For better context, the research starts with a brief introduction of the main pedagogical ideas that emerged throughout history (with emphasis on their spatial implications), through the changes brought about by the movement of New Schools, the trajectory of educational politics in the state of São Paulo and the contemporary educational paradigms. They are investigated the origins and evolution of the school architecture, showing, for example, how the various pedagogical aspects were included in its program needs. Finally, two elementary schools built in the 2000\'s are analyzed in depth, with the aim of pointing out the relationship between these two areas of knowledge in specific cases. This work highlighted the need for greater dialogue between professionals of architecture and pedagogy during the development of school projects, so that the spaces become more suited to the proposed educational requirements. The role of the architect in the school design process should be to provide the necessary physical conditions to turn the school into a place for participation, discussion and knowledge construction, through environments that expand the possibilities for interaction among students.

In the United States, school music groups perform in some sort of music festival every year. Most festivals are competitive in some way, but non-competitive festivals exist as well—even if they are not as well known. The purpose of this study is to observe an elementary school choir as they prepare for and participate in the “America Sings!” festival—a non-competitive music festival—in Washington, D.C. on May 4–5, 2014. This investigation sought to answer the following research questions: 1) What guides the decision to participate in the “America Sings!” festival?; 2) For the choral director, what personal experiences and past musical backgrounds shape the teacher’s feelings and attitudes about participating in an “America Sings!” festival?; 3) What are the benefits and challenges of attending an “America Sings!” festival?; 4) Does the service component of the “America Sings!” festival affect the participants?; 5) Does attending a non-competitive festival affect the self-reported attitudes of students and their teacher?; and 6) What range of student behaviors can be observed during their preparation for and performance in the “America Sings!” festival? Using qualitative case study, this study employed direct observation of the entire choir as well as recorded interviews with six students and their teacher. After data analysis, open coding, and theme construction, common themes began to emerge into two groups: pre-trip (performing, comparing types of festivals, preparation, service projects, and John Jacobson) and post-trip (benefits and challenges, performing, learning, John Jacobson, the “America Sings Effect”, and comparing types of festivals). These themes are presented, the research questions are answered, and recommendations are made for future researchers as well for those in the profession.

Background: Tough competition, time- and resource constraints, and changing consumer demands in the video game industry requires business models that can cope with the pressure.    Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to use business model framework in order to better understand how independent video game developers develop their business models. We aim to contribute to the development of business model literature within the context of independent video game development by further the understanding of how a business model framework can be utilized in this new context.   Method: A case study method was used, focusing on a single-case and interviews with participants from the case company.   Conclusion: We further develop the BMC by proposing to divide the BMC for independent video game developers into a pre-release and post-release BMC to better describe the business model for an independent video game developer and the business model evolution from pre-release to post-release.

O presente estudo tem por objetivo analisar e discutir o uso da Internet no âmbito do Composto de Maketing, com ênfase nos seus aspectos de interdisciplinaridade. O trabalho está estruturado em cinco partes, iniciando-se com uma introdução destinada a contextualizar o objeto e o objetivo do estudo bem como a justificativa da escolha do tema de pesquisa. A segunda parte é dedicada a uma revisão do referencial teórico disponível, mediante uma análise conceitual crítica dos aspectos mais relevantes pertinentes ao tema. A terceira parte trata dos aspectos metodológicos da pesquisa de campo complementar à tese. A pesquisa de campo foi realizada na modalidade de pesquisa exploratória, contemplando um estudo de caso múltiplo. As empresas objeto de investigação foram o Banco do Brasil e a Unimed Seguros. A pesquisa foca especificamente as implicações da Internet no Composto de Marketing das duas organizações. A quarta parte destina-se à apresentação e análise dos resultados da pesquisa empírica. Na quinta parte são apresentadas as considerações finais. Conclui-se que a Internet pode influenciar várias atividades e funções desempenhadas pelas empresas, destacando-se o Marketing e, mais especificamente, o gerenciamento do Composto de Marketing. / The study aims to discuss the use of Internet under the Marketing Mix point of view, emphasizing the aspects of their interdisciplinary elements. The study is divided into five parts, and it begins with an introduction dedicated to outline the object and the objective of the study as well as to justify the choice of the research subject. The second part is designed to present a theoretical revision of the literature through to a critical analysis of the main aspects of the theme. The third part is concerned about the methodological aspects of the empirical research that complements the thesis. This research is an exploratory

A proposta do presente estudo é de contribuir para o conhecimento das estratégias competitivas genéricas. Para isto, tem como objetivo analisar a natureza das estratégias competitivas genéricas em suas principais dimensões relevantes a fim de compreender melhor seu papel, sua importância e sua aplicação no processo estratégico das empresas. Estratégias genéricas já eram conhecidas desde a década de 1960, mas a partir do livro de Michael E. Porter de 1980, Estratégia Competitiva, o tema ganhou grande impulso por meio de pesquisas, da literatura, do ensino e da prática. Constitui uma questão referente ao conteúdo e que importa ao processo estratégico das empresas na medida em que pode vir a possibilitar melhores decisões a fim de atingir seus objetivos e sua adequação ao ambiente de atuação em busca de um desempenho organizacional superior. Entretanto, os diversos aspectos relevantes acerca do tema encontram-se, de forma geral, dispersos na literatura da administração estratégica, carecendo de uma abordagem abrangente e estruturada que explore suas diversas dimensões de forma ampla e consolidada para compreender suas relações e sua amplitude para uma aplicação mais consciente e eficaz no processo estratégico das empresas. Para atingir seus objetivos, este estudo utiliza-se de uma pesquisa do tipo exploratória, de natureza qualitativa, por meio de uma pesquisa bibliográfica. São estudados aspectos como a evolução do conceito, sua natureza e características principais, aplicações, tipologias mais proeminentes, riscos, requisitos à implementação, utilização de estratégias combinadas, generalização e contingencialidade, papel, importância e críticas ao conceito. Para aprofundar o estudo, complementá-lo e enriquecê-lo, é realizada uma pesquisa de campo por meio de um estudo de caso único e holístico a fim de investigar a aplicação do conceito em uma empresa da indústria brasileira de açúcar. Os resultados indicam que o conceito de estratégias competitivas genéricas surge na Nova América S.A. ? Agroenergia principalmente sob a forma de estratégia de diferenciação, desenvolvimento de mercados e desenvolvimento de produtos, e exerce no processo estratégico da empresa os papéis de direcionador organizacional e facilitador do processo de tomada de decisão estratégica. A Nova América S.A. ? Agroenergia, entretanto, aplica de maneira limitada o conceito de estratégias competitivas genéricas, basicamente na elaboração de alternativas estratégicas, mas este conceito assume importância em razão de contribuir para o posicionamento na indústria brasileira de açúcar e em fornecer alternativas de caminhos possíveis sobre como competir para um desempenho organizacional superior. A fundamentação teórica auxilia no esclarecimento da natureza, dos diferentes papéis desempenhados, das aplicações e da importância do conceito de estratégias competitivas genéricas para o processo estratégico das empresas. O estudo conclui que a abordagem do conceito não pode estar desvinculada de suas diferentes dimensões, relações e implicações para uma melhor compreensão do tema e sugere ainda a adequação das técnicas de identificação e classificação estratégica levantadas, analisadas e utilizadas nesta pesquisa. O enfoque abrangente e estruturado desta dissertação pode vir a ser utilizado como ponto de partida para estudos posteriores sobre o fenômeno das estratégias competitivas genéricas bem como servir de fonte de referência para empresas e seus altos administradores a fim de apoiar e aprimorar seu processo de tomada de decisão estratégica. / The proposal of this study is to contribute for the acknowledgment of the competitive generic strategies. So its aim is to analyze the nature of the competitive generic strategies into their main dimensions in order to understand better their role, their importance, and their application onto the strategic process of the organizations. Generic strategies have ever been known since the 1960?s, but from Michael E. Porter?s book in 1980, Competitive Strategy, this theme has been developed through researches, literature, teaching, and practice. It makes up an issue to the content and that matters to the strategic process of the organizations regarding the possibility of better decisions intended to reach their goals and their fitness to the present environment seeking a superior organizational performance. However, the various relevant features as to the theme are generally found throughout the strategic management literature, dependent of a larger and structured approach which explores its main dimensions in a broad and consolidated way, in order to understand its relations and width for a more conscious and effective application into the strategic process of the organizations. This study uses an exploratory research of qualitative nature to achieve its goals, by a bibliographic survey. Consequently, some aspects are studied such as concept evolution, its nature and main features, applications, more important typologies, risks, requisites for the implementation, use of combined strategies, generalization and contingency, role, importance and critics to the concept. To get a deeper study, complement and enrich it, this work was carried out in a field research through a unique and holistic case study, in order to investigate the concept application into a company of the Brazilian sugar industry. The results demonstrate that the concept of generic competitive strategies comes out in Nova América S.A. ? Agroenergia chiefly dressed of differentiation strategy, market development and product development, and has been exercising the roles of organizational leader and facilitator of strategic decision taking process, in the strategic process of the company. Nevertheless Nova América S.A. ? Agroenergia have limitedly applied the generic competitive strategies concept basically in the elaboration of the strategic alternatives, but this concept assumes importance for contributing to positioning in the Brazilian sugar industry, and in offering alternatives of feasible ways on how to compete to a superior organizational performance. The theoretical survey supports the enlightenment of the nature, of the different roles performed, of the applications and of the importance of the concept of generic competitive strategies for the strategic process of the organizations. This study concludes that the approach cannot be disassociated from its various dimensions, relations, and issues for a better understanding of the theme, and we still have the utility and fitness of the techniques of identification and found strategic classification, analyzed and applied into this research. So, the large and structured focus of this dissertation may come to be used as the beginning point for later studies on the phenomenon of the generic competitive strategies as well as source of references for companies and their top management team in order to support and improve their strategic decision taking process.

The Kenyan society is patriarchal, has an alarming rate of deforestation where rural farmers, especially women, are highly affected by climate change. There is little research on companies operating in dry areas with a mission to address poverty, ecology and women. The objective of this study was therefore to understand how an investment model can alleviate poverty in rural Kenya and what the consequences of doing so are for the local community. This was answered using a qualitative research approach presented in an ethnographic case study, conducting 29 interviews. The field research took place at three different locations at Better Globe, an agroforestry company operating in dry areas who mainly employ and work with women in rural Kenya. Our research, analysed through an ecofeminist lens, demonstrates that the local community benefits on several areas; access to water, employment, firewood and grass, microfinance, training and education. However, there is a big power distance within the company and a high dependency from the workers as Better Globe is the sole big employer in the region. We welcome further research between the merging of ecofeminism and business, operating within the structures of the patriarchal and capitalist society.