The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the impact of government non-investment and applied R&D subsidies on the firm level competitiveness. According to many literature sources the indicators of competitiveness are assumed to be Return on Assets, Return on Equity, Return on Sales and Asset Turnover ratio. The tool used to test the effect is counterfactual analysis. The subsidized companies are compared to a control group drawn by Propensity Score Matching, the effect is tested by Average Treatment Effect on the Treated and the difference in size of other financials is derived by Difference in Differences. The study focuses on two industries NACE C25 (metallurgy) and C28 (manufacture of machines). The subsidized companies show no added significant growth of competitiveness whatsoever. The financials (Total Assets, Equity, Turnover) grew, compared to the control group, only for industry C25. JEL Classification O31, O38, H21 Keywords R&D, Innovation, non-investment, subsidies, applied R&D, competitiveness Author's e-mail petr.rotr@post.cz Supervisor's e-mail petr.teply@fsv.cuni.cz

The gradually increasing competition that occurs in mature markets, pushes the companies to consider new ways of competing. The more mature the market becomes the higher level of competitive fulfillment and edge is needed. E.g. for Scania the dimension high quality was until now considered a competitive advantage, but is currently evolving towards a dimension that is necessary to fulfill to even act within the market. Thus, companies such as Scania have to push their limits everywhere possible across their organization. One way to push the limits of R&D and product development (PD) is, based on this thesis and other work, implementing a simulation based product development (SBPD) process. The aim of this thesis has been, by applying a quality function deployment (QFD) model, to show the influence a SBPD process can have on increased competitiveness. By combining published literature within the field with empirical results mostly gained from interviews, nine components representing a SBPD process could be found. These components were characterized in the following categories: IT-infrastructure, design, model & test, and organizational. Depending on the level of fulfillment of these components the SBPD process is more or less implemented within the company. The two components that are considered the most important for Scania in terms of both increased competitiveness and a possible transition towards a SBPD process are Virtual representa-tion of the product and the process throughout the whole PD process and A model driven/model based approach. The work of this thesis has also shown, in correlations with previous published literature, that a SBPD process can significantly decrease the lead-time and cost of development, and at the same time increase the knowledge about the product and the process. The research has also shown that a SBPD process can considerably improve both the internal and the external collaboration. However attaining such a process where these competitive advantages can be gained affects the whole organization, the way development is performed and also the way resources are used. A fully implemented SBPD process has been shown to positively impact the following competitive dimensions; Frequency of product introductions, Lead-time of development, PD process flexibility, Degree of innovation, Customization of the offer, Collaboration with internal and external partners, Knowledge about products and processes, R&D cost, manufacturing cost, Focus on customers operational economics, Product quality, Product safety and Focus on environmental sustainability of the product & the processes. But, to get a positive impact on all these dimensions the components representing a SBPD process must be implemented and applied. Furthermore, this thesis also provides a framework for other companies to evaluate the impact a SBPD process can have on their competitiveness. The analysis model aims to guide companies that want to adopt a SBPD process. The framework can indicate how a SBPD process would impact the firm's competitive strategy. But also to provide guidance to which components that would be more important to implement in order to reach a competitive SBPD process. / Den gradvis ökande konkurrens som uppstår på mogna marknader driver företagen att finna nya sätt att konkurrera. Ju mer mogen marknaden blir desto högre blir kraven på konkurrens. För Scania har faktorn hög kvalitet tills nu betraktas som en konkurrensfördel, men utveckling sker istället mot att det kommer att vara en faktor som är nödvändig att uppfylla för att ens kunna agera på marknaden. Företag som Scania måste således utvecklas över hela organisationen. Ett sätt att tänja på gränserna för FoU och produktutveckling (PD) är, baserat på detta arbete och annan tidigare forskning, att genomföra en förändring mot en simulering baserad produktutvecklings-process (SBPD). Syftet med detta examensarbete har varit att, genom att tillämpa en quality function deployment (QFD) modell, visa effekten en SBPD-process kan ha på ökad konkurrenskraft. Genom att kombinera tidigare publicerad litteratur inom området med empiriska resultat, mestadels insamlat genom intervjuer, kunde nio komponenter som utgör en SBPD-process finnas. Dessa komponenter karakteriserades i följande kategorier: IT-infrastruktur, design, modellera och testa och organisatorisk. Beroende på graden av uppfyllnad på dessa komponenter blir den SBPD-processen mer eller mindre implementerad inom företaget. De två komponenterna som anses viktigast för Scania i form av både ökad konkurrenskraft och en eventuell övergång till en SBPD-process är Virtuell representation av produkten och processen genom hela PD-processen och Ett modellbaserat/ modelldrivet arbetssätt används. Arbetet har också visat i korrelation med tidigare publicerad litteratur, att en SBPD-process kommer att minska ledtiden och kostnaden för utveckling avsevärt och samtidigt öka kunskapen om produkten och processen. Denna studie har också visat att en SBPD-process kan förbättra både interna och externa samarbeten. Men att uppnå en sådan process där dessa konkurrens-fördelar kan vinnas kommer att påverka hela organisationen, det sätt som utveckling utförs på och också hur resurserna används. En fullt implementerad SBPD-process har visat positivt påverkan följande konkurrens faktorer; frekvens av produktlanseringar, ledtiden för utveckling, PD-processflexibilitet, innovationsgrad, anpassning av erbjudandet, samarbete med interna och externa partners, kunskap om produkter och processer, FoU kostnader, tillverkningskostnad, fokus på kundernas driftsekonomi, produktkvalitet, produktsäkerhet och miljöpåverkan av både produkten och processen. För att få en positiv inverkan på alla dessa faktorer måste alla komponenter som utgör en SBPD-process implementeras och tillämpas. Dessutom så presenteras även ett ramverk för andra företag att utvärdera effekterna en SBPD-process skulle ha på deras konkurrenskraft. Analysmodellen syftar till att vägleda företag som vill övergå till en SBPD-process. Ramverket kan ange hur en SBPD-process skulle kunna påverka företagets konkurrensstrategi men också ge vägledning om vilka komponenter som kan vara viktigare att börja implementera för att nå en konkurrenskraftig SBPD-process.

L’industrie française a connu un ralentissement de sa productivité depuis la fin des années 1980 jusqu’à nos jours. Cette situation s’est accentuée avec la montée en puissance de l’Allemagne et l’émergence de pays comme la Chine, l’Inde et le Brésil. Dés lors, la France se devait de réagir car étant soumise à la loi du marché qui est basée sur la compétitivité des produits destinés à l’exportation. C’est dans ce contexte que l’État va s’atteler à la relance de l’économie en créant les pôles de compétitivité en juillet 2005. C’est donc pour étudier cette dynamique de développement que j’ai décidé d’effectuer une thèse de doctorat sur l’enjeu des pôles de compétitivité en Île-de France en s’appuyant sur l’exemple de Systematic-Paris-Région, Cap Digital Paris-Région et Advancity Ville et Mobilité Durables. / Since the 1980’s end in until now, the French industry has known a slowing down of its productivity. The situation became speed with the economic power of Germany and the emergence of countries such as China, India and Basil. Therefore, France had to react because being submitted to the law of the market place which is based on the competitiveness of products intended for export. It is in this context that the State is so going to get down in the economic stimulus plan by creating in July 2005 the poles of competitiveness. It is thus to study this development process that I decided to do doctoral thesis on the stake of the poles of competitiveness in Ile-de-France basing me on the example of Systématic-Paris-Région, Cap Digital Paris-Région and Advancity Ville and Sustainable Mobility.

Les travaux contemporains portant sur les dynamiques territoriales du développement économique soulignent le rôle structurant des grandes villes et métropoles, qui seraient les seules entités urbaines à même de faire face à la recomposition des échelles territoriales de la performance économique. Dans ce contexte, les villes moyennes seraient amenées à repenser leurs stratégies de développement autour de la spécialisation sectorielle ou de leur attractivité résidentielle. À ce titre, les acteurs publics de l’aménagement des agglomérations d’Albi (Tarn), d’Alès (Gard), de Quimper (Finistère) et de Fougères (Ille-et-Vilaine), en partenariat avec les institutions scientifiques locales, portent des projets technopolitains à même de soutenir et de conforter le développement d’entreprises innovantes qui accompagnent la montée en gamme des bases productives locales de ces mêmes agglomérations. L’étude de la trajectoire sur le temps long de l’activité économique et des institutions scientifiques locales couplée à l’analyse de ces projets nous montre que les villes moyennes sont en capacité d’orienter et de coordonner des systèmes productifs aux horizons dépassant la simple desserte locale. Les ressorts relationnels de ces déterminants et de l’innovation sont au centre de ce travail / Several common ideas turn around the concept of « Medium-Sized Cities ». Too small to influence their economic environment, their industrial patterns wouldn’t be able to reach the standards of post-fordism based on a constant innovation process. As a consequence, concentrating public R&D investments in Metropolitan Areas would ensure and comfort economic growth. Studying the social and spatial levels linked to technopolitan projects hold in the cities of Albi (Tarn), Alès (Gard), Fougères (Ille-et-Vilaine) and Quimper (Finistère), we come to the conclusion Medium-Sized Cities are, on a long term perspective, adapting themselves to the contemporary economic regime based on a constant innovation process through growth coalition process linked between local authorities and scientific institutions.

The thesis focuses on the analysis of project application that may be financed from the European Social Fund for Operational Program Education for Competitiveness in the Central Bohemian Region. Education and educational institutions in the Czech Republic are addressed, but the paper is primarily focused on the problems in the European Policy of Economic and Social Cohesion in Europe Union. In the theoretic part the Operational Program Education for Competitiveness is also described. The main attention is on the first priority axis; initial education. The practical part concentrates on the education in Central Bohemia Region in comparison with its social, economic and demographic situation. The projects which were registered in Operational Program Education for Competitiveness in Central Bohemia Region are analyses in the first priority axis - Initial education in the period of 2007 - 2009

This thesis aims to analyze the Brazilian innovation policy and its impact on country's foreign trade. The first chapter features an introduction to the innovation policy and a general economic overview of Brazil. The second chapter analyzes the main indicators of the Brazilian innovation system. The third chapter explains the government's innovation policy and the specific measures to boost innovation activity within the country. The fourth chapter analyzes the exact influence that the Brazilian innovation policy has on the country's foreign trade.

This thesis is dedicated to the potential of pharmaceutical industry targeting an increase in EU world competitiveness. Pharmaceutical industry plays an important role in world economy, both from the social and economic point of view. In particular, this thesis is focused on macroeconomic contribution of pharmaceutical industry into world economy emphasizing the situation of EU. Particularly, the thesis consists of evaluating the situation, importance and barriers of development of pharmaceutical industry in EU and it, also, points out the main directions towards positive development of this sector, including the international and national cooperation. Pharmaceutical industry is the key sector in the EU competitiveness increase.

Cette thèse élucide certains questionnements qui pourraient être soulevés au sujet de l’économie cambodgienne en prenant le commerce, l’investissement direct étranger et le tourisme comme sujets d’interrogation de notre recherche. Ces trois secteurs sont considérés comme secteurs clés du développement économique et source de bien-être et de prospérité économique du pays. Nous utilisons principalement les modèles empiriques pour étudier les problématiques évoquées. Nous profitons également des développements récents des modèles théoriques pour justifier la construction des modèles empiriques et expliquer les résultats d’estimations. L’examen des structures d’exportation révèle que le Cambodge dispose de forts avantages comparatifs dans les produits agricoles, les produits de textiles et de chaussures pour les exportations vers l’ASEAN et vers les marchés mondiaux. Les estimations obtenues sur la base du modèle de gravité montrent que les investissements directs étrangers, la logistique, et la qualité de la réglementation sont des facteurs qui favorisent les exportations, tandis que les droits de douane et la distance avec les pays importateurs constituent des obstacles aux exportations internationales. L’étude sur les déterminants de l’investissement direct étranger utilisant une analyse statique et dynamique des données de panel révèle que les facteurs d’attractivité locaux tels que la taille du marché ou la qualité de la gouvernance n’influencent pas les entrées des investissements directs étrangers au Cambodge. En revanche, des facteurs tels que les échanges commerciaux et l’adhésion à l’Organisation Mondiale du Commerce ont attiré davantage d’investissements étrangers. Nous avons également mis en lumière des effets complémentaires entre le commerce et le tourisme dans le sens où le tourisme favorise le commerce et réciproquement. D’après les analyses développées à travers ces quatre chapitres qui constituent notre recherche, cette thèse a révélé les effets pertinents et complémentaires des trois principaux secteurs de l’économie du Cambodge. Une augmentation des exportations du pays encourage davantage les investissements directs étrangers et le développement du tourisme au Cambodge. Les effets réciproques sont également confirmés par le fait que les investissements directs étrangers et le tourisme accroissent les exportations. / This thesis discusses the essential parts of Cambodia’s economy, in which trade, foreign direct investment, and tourism are the main research questions. It shows that the three sectors are the key components for economic development and the sources of welfare and prosperity for the country. We mainly use empirical approaches to investigate the problem that is raised. We also take advantage of recent theoretical advances in the area of research to complement the formulation of empirical models and to interpret and describe the significance of our findings in light of what theories have already proposed. The analysis of export patterns reveals that Cambodia has the large comparative advantages in agricultural, textile and footwear products. Further analysis using gravity models shows that foreign direct investment, logistics, and quality of regulation promote exports, while tariffs and distance with importing countries are barriers to international exports of goods. The study on the determinants of foreign direct investment using a static and dynamic panel data analysis reveals that the inflows of foreign direct investment are not influenced by local attractiveness factors such as market size or quality of public governance. In contrary, factors like bilateral trade and membership of the World Trade Organisation have attracted more foreign investments. We also found that trade and tourism have a complementary effect in the sense that tourist arrivals promote trade and vice versa. The outcomes of the four chapters in this thesis reveal notable and complementary effects between the three main sectors in Cambodia’s economy. Accordingly, an increase in exports encourages more inflows of foreign direct investment and tourist visits. The reciprocal effects are also confirmed in the sense that foreign direct investment and international tourist arrivals encourage bilateral trade.

Esta investigación tiene como objetivo principal analizar el proceso en la etapa de producción de la trucha que permita desarrollar una oferta exportable competitiva en el departamento de Huancavelica en el periodo 2013 - 2017, con el fin de entender las razones por la que solo una empresa ha sido capaz de exportar este producto a diferencia de los demás productores que existen en el departamento y comprender la coyuntura huancavelicana. Por esto, en la primera parte se revisa la literatura, en donde se busca ilustrar la relevancia de la truchicultura como actividad productiva. De la misma manera, se busca describir y conocer más sobre la cadena de valor de la trucha. En la segunda y tercera parte, se expone el plan de investigación y se describe la metodología de trabajo, donde se haya los problemas, hipótesis y objetivos planteados para esta investigación, se delimita el diseño de la investigación y el público objetivo. En la cuarta y quinta parte, se encuentra se plasmados la aplicación y análisis de los resultados según el método elegido. Finalmente, se presentaran las conclusiones y recomendaciones de la investigación. / The main objective of this research is to analyze the process in the trout production stage that allows the development of a competitive exportable supply in the department of Huancavelica in the period 2013 - 2017, in order to understand the reasons why only one company has been able to export this product unlike the other producers that exist in the department and understand the Huancavelican situation. For this reason, in the first part the literature is reviewed, where the aim is to illustrate the relevance of the trout-culture as a productive activity. In the same way, it seeks to describe and learn more about the trout value chain. In the second and third part, the research plan is exposed and the work methodology is described, where are located the problems, hypotheses and objectives set for this research, the design of the research and the target audience is defined. In the fourth and fifth part, it is found the application and analysis of the results according to the chosen method. Finally, the conclusions and recommendations of the investigation will be presented. / Tesis

Syftet med denna studie är att få en djupare förståelse för hur turismens utveckling på en destination i Stockholms skärgård påverkar destinationens hållbarhet. För att undersöka detta har studien avgränsats till Sandhamn då det är en av de populäraste destinationerna i Stockholms skärgård. I studien har både kvantitativ- och kvalitativ metod i form av en triangulering tillämpats. Den kvantitativa delen består av statistik från olika aktörer för att påvisa turismens utveckling i skärgården. Den kvalitativa delen utgörs av intervjuer och en observation som använts för att undersöka vad utvecklingen beror på, samt vad den lett till. Statistiken påvisar en stagnering av besökare i skärgården medan respondenterna motsäger sig detta och istället menar att det kommer mer besökare, dock under en kortare period. Utvecklingen är således inte hållbar då mängden turister som kommer under denna korta period tär på öns infrastruktur och överskrider öns bärkraft. Under den långa lågsäsongen, när turisterna inte kommer, uppstår istället lönsamhetsproblem för destinationens aktörer. Avslutningsvis kan det konstateras att det bristande samarbetet är en bidragande orsak till den förkortade säsongen och skulle behöva förbättras för att fördela besökarna jämnare över året. / This study is intended to gain a comprehensive understanding of how the advancement of tourism in Stockholm’s archipelago affects the destination’s sustainability. To examine the multitude of variables that affect sustainability, the paper is centered on Sandhamn, as it is one of the most popular destinations within Stockholm’s archipelago. Throughout the study, both the quantitative and qualitative methods were implemented in the form of a triangulation. In order to demonstrate the development of tourism within the archipelago, the study utilized statistics from various actors as the quantitative portion of this paper. The qualitative part consists of interviews as well as an observation that has been applied to investigate the integral components of development and its outcomes. The statistics show a stagnation of tourists in the archipelago; however, the respondents disagree and conversely argue that there has been an influx of tourists, but that they are staying for a shorter period of time. Thus, proving that the development is not sustainable; as the number of tourists who come during this shorter period have a significant impact on the island's infrastructure and exacerbates the island's sustainability. During the extended low season, when tourists are at their minimum, profitability problems arise; thereby, leading to an entirely new issue for the destination's actors. In conclusion, it can be inferred that the lack of cooperation is a contributing factor to the shortened season and would need to be improved to redistribute the visitors more evenly throughout the year.