Šio darbo autorių užsibrėžtas tikslas – išanalizuoti e-verslo plėtros Lietuvoje ekonominius rodiklius bei ištirti e-verslo įtaką šalies ūkio konkurencingumui, panaudojant statistinę duomenų analizę. Moksliniame tyriamajame darbe išanalizuoti ir susisteminti įvairių Lietuvos ir užsienio autorių teoriniai e-verslo plėtros ir jo įtakos ūkio konkurencingumui aspektai bei empiriškai pagrįstas jų sąryšis. Autorių suformuota mokslinio tyrimo hipotezės pasitvirtino - e – verslo plėtrą sąlygoja įmonių dalis: naudojančios kompiuterius ir internetą, turinčios internetines svetaines, įdiegusios elektroninius informacijos perdavimus bei prekybą vykdančios e. tinklais. Taipogi egzistuoja stiprus ryšys tarp šalies ūkio konkurencingumo rodiklių ir e – verslo pletrą sąlygojančių veiksnių. / This work the author has set the goal - to analyze e-business development in Lithuania and to investigate the economic characteristics of e-business impact on the country's economic competitiveness by using statistical data analysis. The scientific work was analyzed and systematized the various Lithuanian and foreign authors theoretical e-business development and its impact on economic competitiveness issues and the empirical basis of their relationship. Authors formed a research hypothesis was confirmed - e - business development in business is: using computers and the Internet with web sites, built-in electronic transmission of information and conduct e-trade networks. Lastly there is a strong correlation between a country's economic competitiveness indicators and e - business development and influencing factors.

Submitted in fulfilment of part of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Technology in the Faculty of Management Sciences at Durban University of Technology, 2007 / The South African small business sector, particularly the manufacturing industries, such as textile, clothing, and automotive industries, are not considered internationally competitive. This shortcoming is seen in the context of liberalizing and transforming the South African economy, and the threat of foreign competition such as China. This study takes a systems view of the problems that are facing small businesses in South Africa, drawing on historical, theoretical and empirical sources within a proposed framework for small business international learning. The various elements in the framework include international competitiveness challenges facing small businesses, which, the author argues, create tension for survival within small businesses; the limited role of the small business support regime in South Africa; and the role of Foreign Direct Investment through Transnational Corporations (TNCs). Therefore, this study investigates the international learning processes of small businesses and develops a new theoretical model to illustrate and elucidate interventions to strengthen international learning processes of these small businesses. Methodology The manufacturing sector was chosen as the ideal sector for this study since it contributes significantly to the GDP and levels of employment of a country, and is at the receiving end of new production methodologies and technologies and other competition dynamics. This sector, at a small business level, is currently experiencing international competitiveness challenges in South Africa. The methodology followed an initial exploratory, qualitative approach followed by a formal, empirical, quantitative approach. The research questionnaire met the quality criteria as established through content validity, criterion related validity, and reliability criteria. This questionnaire was administered to a sample of 300 out of a population of 800 manufacturing small firms in Durban, using an unrestricted random probability sampling method. A total of 255 completed questionnaires were returned, and the results were expressed at the 95% confidence level with a confidence interval of 0.05. Results and Discussions From the correlation analysis of the level of importance and extent of implementation of international learning processes, four international learning processes, whose implementation can be enhanced by an improvement in the importance of international competitiveness challenges and support, were extracted. These international learning processes include increased learning activities on management, sales and marketing, finance, and also the image of small businesses. Through the consolidation of the results of the correlation analysis, a theoretical model for the identification and development of international learning processes was created. Conclusion From the small business practice and policy point of view, this study s findings suggest that the international learning processes of small businesses confronted by international competitiveness challenges in transforming developing economies can be strengthened by applying the theoretical model developed in this study. From the government, TNCs, and small businesses perspective, this study s findings also suggest that the establishment of linkage programmes and enhancement of learning activities, which revolve around the identified international learning processes as established in the theoretical model, will enable the attainment of international competitiveness of small businesses. This study, therefore, proposes the implementation, in the short-term, of information and linkage support at sector level that addresses the enhancement of the identified international learning processes; and the implementation, in the longterm, of a grand-scale small businesses and TNCs linkage programme in line with the premise provided in the theoretical model.

Darbo tikslas – įvertinti įsėlinių tarpinių augalų, piktžolių ir kaupiamųjų augalų konkurencingumą ekologinio ūkininkavimo sąlygomis bei mulčiavimo technikos pritaikymas tarpueilių mulčiavimui. Įsėlinių tarpinių augalų („gyvojo mulčio") ir piktžolių konkurencingumo dėsningumai kaupiamųjų augalų pasėliuose nėra išsamiai ištirti. Pasaulyje šia linkme tyrimai yra tik pradėti. Mėginta mūsų iškeltas problemas spręsti daržininkystėje ir auginant kai kuriuos grūdinius javus. Gauti pirmieji teigiami rezultatai. Mūsų tyrimuose bandymo schema buvo išplėsta, tiriama daugiau rūšių įsėlinių augalų, įvertinamas dirvoje esančių maisto medžiagų balansas. Taip pat buvo įvertintas kaupiamųjų augalų mulčiavimas, piktžolių - įsėlinių augalų konkurencingumas. Šios srities tyrimai Lietuvoje vykdyti, tačiau dažniausiai buvo tirtas posėlinių ir įsėlinių augalų poveikis juos panaudojant žaliajai trąšai. Mūsų tyrimuose buvo atskleisti unikalios kaupiamųjų augalų auginimo technologijos ekologinio ūkininkavimo sąlygomis ypatumai – vietoj įprasto tarpueilių purenimo taikyti tarpueilių mulčiavimą tarpiniais augalais. Atlikus eksperimentinius tyrimus skirtingais kukurūzų vystymosi tarpsniais, kukurūzų tarpueiliuose nustatyta gyvojo mulčiaus ir piktžolių masė (g∙m-2) bei kaupiamųjų augalų konkurencingumas, taip pat nustatyta fotosintetinė aktyvioji spinduliuotė (FAR), tenkanti augalams žemės paviršiuje bei dirvos drėgnis 0–10 cm ir 10–20 cm gylyje. / The aim of the research was to assess the competiveness of the undercrops, weeds and row crops under the conditions of organic farming using the interrow mulching techniques. There is no thorough research on the peculiarities of the undercrops (living mulch) and weed competitiveness in the row crops. Scientists all over the world have only started investigating this subject. The study attempts to utilize the researched subject in gardening and growing some of the grain crops. The first positive results were obtained. The testing scheme of our research was extended by investigating more species of undercrops, assessing the balance of the soil nutrients. The competitiveness of cumulative plants mulching with weeds and undercrops was evaluated. There is some research on this subject in Lithuania, but most of it deals with the investigation of aftercrop and undercrop plants and implications for their use as green manure. The studies revealed the unique technologies of the row crop production under the conditions of organic farming moreover, instead of the usual loosening the interrow mulching was applied. The experimental research has identified the living mulch and weed weight (g∙m-2)in the interrows at different stages of maize growth, row crop competitiveness, photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), which falls on plants and soil surface humidity in 0 to 10 cm and 10–20 cm depth.

Information Systems are fundamental to both the day to day operations and competitiveness of most organisations. As the rate of change in organisations continues to increase this dependency has become more critical. However methods for determining the Information Systems that an organisation needs have not moved forward to reflect these increases in organisational turbulence and new capabilities offered by Information Technology. Strategic Alignment is proposed as a new method for Information Systems Planning which recognises the dynamic role of Information Systems as an agent of change and to enable organisations to model and determine how Information Systems can be exploited to improve and transform Business Strategies. Important innovations in the method are incorporation of feedback to ensure that analysis of the interaction of the Information Systems and Business objects within the model is bidirectional. Also that the development of an Information Systems Plan is a complex process which has to be modular. This enables it to incorporate existing results and information where applicable and to deliver its results incrementally. The Strategic Alignment Method has been developed from extensive research which used the Electricity Supply Industry as the source of information because it was facing immense change after its privatisation. As a result detailed case study material is presented as well as the Strategic Alignment Methodology. Maintenance of an Information Systems Plan is also addressed. Once an Information Systems Plan is produced, its implementation can take a number of years. During this time the changes in Business Strategy and Information Systems capability will change. Strategic Alignment proposes methods that will ensure the ongoing harmonisation of the Strategies during the implementation of the plan. The practical nature of the research is reflected in the Addendum which describes the work that has been done to incorporate Strategic Alignment into ICL's services methodology and to train ICL Consultants in its use.

This thesis evolves around image and its significance while developing customers' loyalty and increasing company's competitiveness in a highly competitive market. The topic is studied in-depth from the organisational perspective and delves into the differing motivations of hotel operators towards shaping favourable image as well as examining how the hotel's image affects customer loyalty and helps the company to increase its competitiveness. Finally, it analyses and compares which public relations tools are the most effective in the process of image creation and developing customer loyalty. From this perspective image becomes a central issue impacting company's future growth, performance and finally success. The research was conducted on the Auckland international hotel chains. Auckland hosts numerous conferences and events that drives demand for accommodation and in a way, creates a conducive environment to hotel operators for future expansion. Thus, hotels compete strongly with one another constantly looking for a competitive advantage by growing their customer base. My thesis outlines the hotels' management efforts and analyses their strategies in the context of changing customers' demands and market trends.With respect to methodological issues, my thesis is based on a qualitative approach and follows an interpretivist paradigm. The research background has been delineated as have been my respondents' profile to provide additional information about the organisation they represent. The research findings described at the end of this thesis document how important image is for a modern hotel and what initiatives should be followed to ensure success. Image and loyalty are closely interrelated as positive image affects customers' loyalty. In order to achieve a balance between sustaining a competitive advantage and increasing loyal customer base a number of managerial implications have been discovered. Detailed analysis of these findings may help the companies to establish a more favourable position in the global market and create mutually beneficial relationships which further help the organisation to grow.Having aimed at exploring the importance of image as a medium that affects company's competitiveness and customers' loyalty towards brand, this study has provided some useful indications for hotel companies as to what should be undertaken to gain loyal customers and improve company's performance on the market.

Με χρονολογική αφετηρία τα μέσα της δεκαετίας του 1950, η βιομηχανία του τουρισμού εισέρχεται σε μια παρατεταμένη περίοδο ταχείας αλλά και σταθερής ανάπτυξής της, που πρόκειται να επεκταθεί σε ολοένα και περισσότερες γεωγραφικές περιοχές της υφηλίου μέχρι και τα πρώτα έτη του εικοστού πρώτου αιώνα. Λαμβάνοντας υπόψη την εξέλιξη του τουρισμού σε διεθνές επίπεδο, η παρούσα μελέτη στρέφει το κέντρο βάρους του ενδιαφέροντός της στη ΝΑ πλευρά της Μεσογείου επιχειρώντας να αποτυπώσει την ανταγωνιστικότητα του ελληνικού ως προς τον τουρκικό –αντίστοιχα- τουρισμό για το χρονοδιάγραμμα 1953-2007. Η αποτύπωση, ωστόσο, της ανταγωνιστικότητας του ελληνικού και του τουρκικού τουρισμού εξετάζεται στα πλαίσια της τρέχουσας συγγραφής ως προς συγκεκριμένα φυσικά και οικονομικά μεγέθη που –για τα μεν πρώτα - συνοψίζονται στις ολικές αλλά και τις επιμέρους αφίξεις που καταγράφονται για λογαριασμό των δυο ανταγωνιστριών-χωρών για την εξεταζόμενη περίοδο 1953-2007. Όσον αφορά τις επιμέρους αφίξεις εξετάζονται η βρετανική, η γερμανική, η ιταλική, η γαλλική καθώς και η ολλανδική τουριστική αγορά, που αποτελούν-άλλωστε- τις πέντε κυριότερες χώρες-δεξαμενές της διεθνούς τουριστικής κίνησης προς την Ελλάδα. Η προσπάθεια αποτίμησης της ανταγωνιστικότητας του ελληνικού ως προς τον τουρκικό τουρισμό για τις προαναφερόμενες αγορές-στόχους, συμπληρώνεται από την παράλληλη αντιπαραβολή της εξέλιξης των μεριδίων που καταλαμβάνει η κάθε μία από τις αγορές αυτές για τον ελληνικό και τον τουρκικό τουρισμό. Όσον αφορά τα οικονομικά μεγέθη που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν για τη συγγραφή της προκείμενης συγκριτικής διερεύνησης, ήταν οι τουριστικές εισπράξεις καθώς και η ατομική τουριστική δαπάνη (Μέση κατά Κεφαλή Δαπάνη) που προκύπτουν διαχρονικά για τους δύο ανταγωνιστές. Στα κεφάλαια που θα ακολουθήσουν, ο αναγνώστης –μετά τη σύντομη εισαγωγή του πρώτου κεφαλαίου- θα λάβει γνώση για το θεωρητικό υπόβαθρο πάνω στο οποίο έχει στηριχτεί η προκείμενη συγκριτική διερεύνηση (Κεφάλαιο ΙΙ), ενώ θα έρθει και σε επαφή με την έννοια της «Ανταγωνιστικότητας», που βρίσκεται –άλλωστε- στο επίκεντρο της συγκριτικής αντιπαραβολής των τουριστικών επιδόσεων των δύο χωρών για τα προαναφερόμενα φυσικά και οικονομικά μεγέθη. Στο τρίτο, κατά σειρά, κεφάλαιο εξετάζεται η διαχρονική εξέλιξη του τουρισμού της πρώτης εκ των δυο χωρών, της Ελλάδας. Στο επόμενο κεφάλαιο (Κεφάλαιο IV) επιχειρείται ακριβώς το ίδιο και για τον έτερο ανταγωνιστή, την Τουρκία. Η έρευνα ολοκληρώνεται με τη συγγραφή ενός πέμπτου κεφαλαίου (Κεφάλαιο V), όπου πλέον πραγματοποιείται η άμεση αντιπαραβολή των επιδόσεων της ελληνικής και της τουρκικής, αντίστοιχα, τουριστικής βιομηχανίας για τα μεγέθη –εκείνα- που επιλέχθηκαν και αναλύθηκαν με πίνακες και διαγραμματικές απεικονίσεις στα Κεφάλαια ΙΙΙ και ΙV. / Since mid-1950’s tourism industry has entered a prolonged as well as stable period of development internationally. Taking into consideration this growth of tourism on a global level, the aim of the current piece of work is to lay particular stress on the Southeastern part of the Mediterranean Basin, trying to rough out the competitiveness of Greek and Turkish tourism for the 1953-2007 era. The assessment, however, of competitiveness of the evolutionary route of tourism of both countries is facilitated through the utilization of specific physical and economic figures upon which useful conclusions can be drawn. In this effort, the researcher has used overall tourism arrivals, arrivals of specific travel-markets, tourism receipts and per capita tourism expenditure. The selected travel-markets utilized are those emanating from the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France and Holland, since those countries do constitute the five major sources of international tourism demand for the destinations of Greece. The writer has also determined the market-share of each one of those five countries in relation to overall tourism demand for both competitors (i.e. Greece and Turkey). In the First Chapter, the reader is introduced briefly into the evolution of tourism at an international level during the last fifty years. Chapter Two is referring to the notion of ‘Competitiveness’ and the theoretical background of the study (Tourism Area Life Cycle). Chapter Three is devoted to the evolution of tourism for Greece for 1953-2007, whereas Chapter Four is sketching-out the evolution of Turkey’s tourism for the same period of examination (i.e. 1953-2007). Chapter Five, eventually, is concluding the research through the direct cross-examination of both competitors´ performance in relation to the physical (arrivals) and economic figures (tourism receipts, per capita expenditure) used by the author.

Γυναικεία επιχειρηματικότητα... Είναι λέξεις που τα τελευταία χρόνια τις συναντούμε πολύ συχνά στην καθημερινότητά μας, στα μέσα μαζικής ενημέρωσης και στον οικονομικό τύπο, ημερήσιο και περιοδικό. Οι λέξεις αυτές ουσιαστικά προσδιορίζουν μια σύγχρονη πραγματικότητα την οποία βλέπουμε να εδραιώνει την παρουσία της όλο και περισσότερο και να γίνεται αντικείμενο επιστημονικής μελέτης και σχολιασμού οργανώσεων και οργανισμών, σε εθνικές, ευρωπαϊκό και διεθνές επίπεδο. Είναι δόκιμο να αναρωτιέται κανείς αναφορικά με τους λόγους που συμβαίνει αυτό. ΄Όπως παρουσιάζεται διεξοδικά στην παρούσα εργασία, οι λόγοι εστιάζονται στα οφέλη που έχουν οι εθνικές οικονομίες, και κατά συνέπεια και η παγκόσμια οικονομία, από την αύξηση της επιχειρηματικής δραστηριότητας γενικά, αλλά και ειδικά από τις γυναίκες. Τέτοια οφέλη είναι η οικονομική ανάπτυξη των χωρών, η δημιουργία απασχόλησης, η αποδοτική χρησιμοποίηση αναξιοποίητων πρώτων υλών και παραγωγικών συντελεστών, η αναβάθμιση του μορφωτικού επιπέδου των γυναικών και πολλά άλλα οφέλη που παρουσιάζονται στη συνέχεια. / -

Os ganhos competitivos adquiridos pela ação coletiva, através do fenômeno de formação de redes colaborativas, podem ser considerados respostas a uma série de pressões do ambiente econômico que limitam ou restringem a competitividade das empresas no início da era da globalização. Estruturada em torno de informações e relações sociais, a partir de 1990 vem se consolidando uma nova abordagem no campo da estratégia, que se propõem a analisar as organizações em âmbito interno, defendendo que as principais fontes de competitividade empresarial são endógenas. Um dos recursos endógenos recorrentes em estudos acadêmicos e empíricos na explicação do desempenho de comunidades e nações, ao longo das últimas duas décadas foi o capital social. Neste sentido, o capital social, torna-se um recurso marcadamente competitivo, funcionando como um potencializador da capacidade individual e coletiva mediante práticas colaborativas podendo tornar-se fonte de melhoria ou manutenção da competitividade em empresas associadas em redes colaborativas. Esta é uma afirmação essencial para o presente estudo, que teve como objetivo geral verificar a relação do capital social com a competitividade das redes colaborativas vitivinícolas da Serra Gaúcha através de estudo nas redes APROVALE e APROBELO, enquanto que os objetivos específicos foram a identificação dos fatores explicativos do capital social, e da competitividade, verificação de características empresariais que interferem na manifestação destes construtos, bem como análise das suas correlações e por fim comparação dos níveis de capital social e competitividade nas duas redes estudadas. Quanto a metodologia, utilizou-se uma survey para medição de capital social e competitividade que foi fruto do trabalho do grupo de pesquisa TSO (Teoria Social em Organizações) e como principais técnicas de análise estatística utilizou-se análise fatorial, regressão linear, correlação bivariada de Pearson, análise de variância e estatísticas descritivas. Como principais resultados do estudo estão à presença de altos índices de capital social no cluster vitivinícola da Serra Gaúcha, distribuídos uniformemente entre as três dimensões estudadas, às altas correlações presentes entre o capital social e a melhoria da competitividade, os altos coeficientes de determinação entre eles, bem como, que estes dois construtos compartilham variáveis determinantes e essencialmente subjetivas. Ainda, perante os resultados tornou-se possível afirmar que diferentes combinações de elementos vinculados aos dois construtos levam a resultados diferenciados, ou a realidades organizacionais idiossincráticas. O estudo finaliza destacando as contribuições confirmadas pela literatura pesquisada, as contribuições discrepantes em relação a literatura pesquisada, contribuições metodológicas, limitações da pesquisa e sugestões para estudos futuros. / Submitted by Marcelo Teixeira (mvteixeira@ucs.br) on 2014-04-30T12:25:03Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Kadigia Faccin.pdf: 2805222 bytes, checksum: b192ca8b5ac4e5b149210284347b98a2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-04-30T12:25:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Kadigia Faccin.pdf: 2805222 bytes, checksum: b192ca8b5ac4e5b149210284347b98a2 (MD5) / The competitive gains acquired by collective action, through the phenomenon of collaborative networks can be considered responses to a series of pressures of the economic environment that limit or restrict the competitiveness of companies in the early age of globalization. Structured around information and social relations since 1990 has consolidated a new approach in the field of strategy, they propose to analyze organizations in the domestic sphere, arguing that the main sources of business competitiveness are endogenous. One of the endogenous resources in academic studies and empirical explanation of the performance of communities and nations, over the past two decades has been the social capital. In this sense, social capital becomes a resource strongly competitive, functioning as an enhancer of the individual and collective capacity through collaborative practices can become a source of improvement or maintenance of the competitiveness of member companies through collaborative networks. This is a key statement for the present study, which aimed to verify the relationship of social capital and competitiveness of collaborative networks of Serra Gaucha Wine cluster by studying networks APROVALE and APROBELO, while the specific objectives were to identify the factors explain the social capital and competitiveness, verification of company characteristics that influence the expression of these constructs as well, analysis of their correlations and finally comparing the levels of social capital and competitiveness of the two studied networks. For the methodology, we used a survey to measure social capital and competitiveness was the result of work of the research group TSO (Social Theory in Organizations) and the main statistical analysis used the factor analysis, linear regression, bivariate correlation Pearson, analysis of variance and descriptive statistics. The main results of the study are the presence of high levels of social capital in the Serra Gaúcha wine cluster evenly distributed between the three dimensions studied, the present high correlations between social capital and improve competitiveness, too distributed on three dimensions, the high correlation coefficients among them, and that these two constructs share determinant variables and essentially subjective. Still, before the results became possible to say that different combinations of elements linked to the two constructs lead two different results, or the idiosyncratic organizational realities. The study concludes highlighting the contributions confirmed by the literature, the differing contributions for literature, methodological contributions, research limitations and suggestions for future studies.

UK policy-makers, politicians and practitioners over the past few years have based the narrative of competitiveness around the idea of 'rebalancing the economy'. This entails viewing competitiveness as a rational process (through the Porterian lens) and identifies strategies from a top-down perspective. However, there is generally a lack of understanding of how competitiveness is practiced from the bottom-up. Therefore, this study adopts a practice-based perspective to investigate competitiveness from a practitioner's perspective. In this thesis, Bourdieu's habitus and reflexivity is used along with Maclean, Harvey and Chia's notion of life history storytelling through the lens of sensemaking and legitimacy. The thesis employs a constructivist perspective to collect and analyse qualitative evidence from 41 practitioners during the two phases of data collection. The data was analysed using thematic analysis, codes generated and inferences made. In the pilot-study (Delphi-study and semi-structured interviews), senior strategists (20) practicing in local enterprise partnerships (LEP's), universities, regional development agencies, manufacturing associations and various manufacturing firms confirmed the initial assumption that policy is prescriptive and rationalistic. The second phase consisted of semi-structured interviews (21) with senior, middle and lower level practitioners belonging to various types of manufacturing firms and allied services. The main contributions of the thesis are that (1) reflexive practitioner's past experiences shaped existing practices and perceptions of competitiveness and (2) three distinct thresholds of competitiveness inform the position of the practitioner and their desire to be competitive. This has implications for policy and practice.

Esta tese tem como tema o processo de inovação em organizações da indústria de softwares. Foi desenvolvido um modelo de relacionamento e instrumento de avaliação do potencial de inovação em empresas de software. Para tanto, inicialmente, os fatores facilitadores da inovação foram identificados através do estudo da literatura e pesquisa exploratória junto a dez empresas do setor de software na cidade de Pato Branco-PR. Identificados os fatores, o modelo de relacionamento foi construído, apoiado na opinião de especialistas do setor empresarial e acadêmico. A análise do modelo revelou seis fatores essenciais no processo de inovação: Capital intelectual humano, Seleção de projetos promissores, Liderança orientada à inovação, Estrutura financeira, Procedimentos de prospecção de mercado e Utilização de do mercado. O modelo de relacionamento permitiu construir um instrumento de avaliação do potencial de inovação das empresas do setor de softwares. Este instrumento foi aplicado em campo, avaliando o suporte recebido e o desempenho dos fatores facilitadores da inovação em um conjunto de nove empresas. O modelo de relacionamento e correspondente instrumento de avaliação foram verificados através de estudos de correlação e da própria opinião dos especialistas. O modelo de relacionamento e o instrumento de avaliação podem auxiliar as empresas de software a: (i) entender melhor os fatores que influenciam o processo de inovação e seus relacionamentos; (ii) avaliar o potencial de inovação de sua empresa e (iii) estabelecer um plano de ação para desenvolver esse potencial de inovação. / This thesis is about the process of innovation in companies of the software industry. A relationship model and a tool for assessment of the innovation potential in software companies were developed. Initially, the factors that facilitate innovation were identified through a literature review and an exploratory research comprising ten companies of the software industry located at Pato Branco-PR. After the identification of the factors, the relationship model was constructed, supported by the opinion of experts from the business and university sectors. The model analysis revealed six key factors for the innovation process: human intellectual capital, selection of promising projects, leadership for innovation, financial structure, procedures of market research, and use of market feedback. The relationship model allowed the construction of an instrument for assessing the innovation potential of software companies. This instrument was applied in the field, evaluating the received support and the performance factors that facilitate innovation in a set of nine companies. The relationship model and corresponding assessment tool were tested through correlation studies and expert opinion. The relationship model and assessment tool can help software companies to: (i) better understand the factors that influence the innovation process and their relationships, (ii) assess the innovation potential of their company, and (iii) establish an action plan to develop the potential for innovation.