A inovação é um desafio cada vez mais importante e recorrente no nosso contexto econômico. A formação e operação de redes de inovação entre empresas constituem parte do esforço para enfrentar esse desafio. Esta pesquisa tem como propósito apresentar um modelo de referência para apoiar a formação e operação de redes de inovação auto-organizadas. A metodologia de pesquisa é composta de um estudo bibliográfico para a discussão dos principais constructos sobre redes de inovação e sistemas complexos, e de um estudo de caso múltiplo para a coleta de dados em campo. A análise e discussão do cruzamento entre as evidências teóricas e os dados práticos visa propor um modelo de referência para apoiar a formação e operação de redes de inovação auto-organizadas. O modelo de referência é desenvolvido com a metodologia Enterprise Knowledge Development (EKD). O resultado da pesquisa contribui para ampliar a compreensão dos elementos envolvidos no processo de formação e operação de redes autoorganizadas. Espera-se dessa forma estender a aplicação da auto-organização, enquanto constructo teórico de sistemas complexos, para a área de redes de inovação. / Innovation is an increasingly important challenge and recurrent in our economic context. The formation and operation of innovation networks between companies are part of the effort to meet this challenge. This research is intented to provide a reference model to support the formation and operation of self-organized innovation networks. The research methodology consists of a literature study for the discussion of the main constructs of innovation networks and complex systems, and a case study analysis with multiple units to collect field data. Analysis and discussion of the intersection between theoretical evidence and practical data aims to propose a reference model to support the formation and operation of self-organized innovation networks. The reference model will be developed with the Enterprise Knowledge Development methodology (EKD). The search result helps to broaden the understanding of the elements involved in the formation and operation of self-organized networks. It is hoped in this way to extend the application of self-organization, while theoretical construct of complex systems, to the innovation networks area.

Nos últimos 60 anos, os modelos de difusão de produtos e de inovações tiveram penetração tão ampla nos mais diversos campos de investigação científica que se tornaram ubíquos, sendo empregados em contextos diversos como no marketing, na Medicina, na Antropologia, na Geografia, por exemplo. Essa abrangência é devido ao papel vital que produtos, inovações e novas tecnologias têm na vida dos indivíduos e no impacto que exercem nas dinâmicas e no desenvolvimento de comunidades, países e de suas economias. Porém, após os grandes saltos dados nas décadas de 1960 e 1970, os estudos em difusão de bens de consumo duráveis deram lugar a pesquisas em sistemas de inovação nas duas décadas seguintes, só voltando a gerar maior interesse acadêmico a partir da década de 2000, com o surgimento dos sistemas de Gestão de Relacionamento com Clientes Customer Relationship Management (CRM) , que tornou disponível um enorme volume de dados; e, também, com o desenvolvimento de novas técnicas de análise, como a modelagem de sistemas complexos. Tendo em vista a carência de estudos integrando modelos de difusão competitiva com modelos de redes usando topologias de redes parcialmente conectadas (small world e livres de escala), este estudo tem como objetivo geral caracterizar a dinâmica da difusão competitiva proposta em redes small world do tipo Watts-Strogatz. Foram realizadas simulações tanto da formulação clássica do modelo de difusão de produtos e de inovações, proposto por Bass (1969), como de proposições mais modernas para difusão competitiva, como os propostos por Libai, Muller e Peres (2009a; 2009b; 2009c) e por Peres, Muller e Mahajan (2010), além de desenvolver um novo modelo incorporando ao de Libai, Muller e Peres (2009c) a topologia de redes de pequeno mundo e outras características de difusão competitiva não presentes na formulação original , permitindo fazer inferências sobre o comportamento da difusão em diversos cenários que não são explicitamente previstos nas formulações clássicas. Por sua lógica intuitiva e simples, o modelo proposto neste trabalho é de valor significativo para o ensino e para a pesquisa da difusão competitiva / In the last 60 years, product and innovation models were so widespread in so many fields of study that they became ubiquitous, being employed in such diverse backgrounds like marketing, medicine, anthropology and geography. Such widespread influence arises from the fact that products, innovations and Technologies have a big role in any individuals daily lives and a huge impact on the development and dynamics of communities, countries and its economies. After huge leaps on this field of research during the 1960s and 1970s, its study faded away from mainstream research in the following two decades. Only regaining widespread academic interest in the beginning of 21st century, with the advent of Customer Relationship Management systems, which made available huge amounts of data, other factors that contributed to this resurgence in diffusion literature were the advancements on new tools for research, notably the developments in complex systems theory and network theory. In the view of the still small, but rapidly increasing, number of studies integrating competitive diffusion and network models of partially connected networks (such as small world networks and scale-free networks), this study aims to characterize the dynamics of competitive diffusion in small world networks with the Watts-Strogatz topology. For its intended purpose, simulations were created, both for the classical formulation of the Bass Diffusion Model, as well as more modern approaches for competitive diffusion, such as the models proposed by Libai, Muller and Peres and Peres, Muller and Mahajan. A new model was developed in order expand the model proposed by Libai et al (2009c) in order incorporate the small world network topology and other characteristics associated to competition that were not explicitly represented. Allowing the inference of behaviors in various scenarios that are not explicitly covered in the classical formulations. For intuitive logic and simplicity, it is believed that this model is of significant value for teaching and for the study of competitive diffusion

Distributed applications built on top of Structured Overlay Networks (SONs) operate based on certain self-* behaviors of the underlying Peer-to-Peer network. Among those, self-organization and self-healing are the two most prominent and assumed properties. The operating environment of distributed systems continues to be more inhospitable with the advance and demand of new technologies; for example in case of mobile and ad hoc networks Churn (node turnover) can be extremely high due to node mobility, frequent disconnects/reconnects and configuration changes. Also, in such dynamic environments, the system may face high Churn (node turnover) and Network partition in a frequent manner. The situation becomes worse if the self-healing behavior of underlying SON is not complete and well defined. This implies the following non-trivial questions: Can the maintenance mechanism of a SON heal the damage to the structure due to harshness of the operating environment and reverse it back? What are the pre-conditions; in other words, what properties the healing mechanism should possess in order to achieve reversibility against stressful environments? Existing literature lacks such assessment and verification study of the self-healing property of a SON. In this thesis, we investigate both the behavior and design of a system that operate in inhospitable environments. This work is relevant to systems with both peaks of high stress (e.g. partitions, churn, network dynamicity etc.) and continuous high stress. We evaluate existing overlay maintenance strategies, namely Correction-on-Change, Correction-on-Use, Periodic Stabilization, and Ring Merge. We define the reversibility property of a system as its ability to repair itself to its original state. We propose a new strategy, called Knowledge Base, to improve conditions for reversibility against inhospitable environments. By means of simulations, we demonstrate reversibility for overlay networks with high levels of partition and churn. We make general conclusions about the ability of the maintenance strategies to achieve reversibility. Identification of Phase Transitions in a SON can provide useful information about the properties of each state of the system. Also, this enables to find the critical points in the operating space and parameters influencing them. The applications running on top of the SON can potentially utilize this knowledge to adapt its operation accordingly in different system states. In this thesis, a representative ring-based SON, namely Beernet is chosen and extended to achieve reversibility. The resulting overlay, Beernet++ exhibits reversible phase transitions under churn. We analyze the critical points observed during such transitions. We present the behavior of Beernet++ for high level of churn and network partitioning, along with their interaction. / <p>QC 20150929</p>

When facing a procurement of a complex technical system, many questions are to be asked. The main question is how the best and most suitable systems are obtained, at the right cost. In order to answer that question numerous aspects must be considered and investigated. Even after having conducted careful analysis the question will most certainly never be entirely answered. In the early stages of procurement projects it is important that time is allocated for evaluation and decision-making concerning what truly is needed and most important on the management strategy to use. Procurement projects often misses someone that have a totality perspective, the projects are often extended in time, the experience and competence of the involved actors are often not properly used in the projects and it is impossible to write clear-cut contracts between the involved actors. These incongruities create need for focused and applicable procurement strategies. It is in the beginning of the procurement process that these decisions concerning which procurement strategies to be used in the project have to be made. The strategy decisions should primarily be based on the available competence of the already involved actors, and secondly on what competencies available at possible actors to involve. The competencies needed in the different phases of the procurement project can be predicted fairly accurately. The risks and responsibilities should be distributed among the involved actors depending on their accessible competence and resources. Focus should be on the capabilities of the involved actors instead of on the cost. Decisions made in the initial phases must also allow as much flexibility as possible for the later phases to come. In the research, case studies on procurement projects have been conducted. In the case studies data have been gathered and case study analyses have formed a comprehensive view of procurement projects. The research in this thesis offers insight on the impact of procurement strategy on allocation of responsibilities and risks in procurement projects and the importance of a well formulated procurement strategy is stressed. The procurement strategy is important when to efficiently utilize available competencies and resources. Also, the importance of how to formulate requirements that enable the best possible contribution to the project of all the available and involved actors has been examined. How the requirements are formulated and communicated determine to very large extend how the project should be organised, both by the client and the supplier. This thesis gives guidelines on the organisation of procurement projects for complex technical systems. It further discusses the formulation of procurement strategies depending on the involved actors’ competencies. A framework for procurement of complex technical systems is also presented. / QC 20101011

The objective of this thesis is to establish the utility and limitations of using exergy (a thermodynamic measure of energy quality, or ability to perform work) as a resource consumption metric, and to investigate what role exergy may play in resource consumption decision-making. To do so, this thesis assessed three exergy-based resource consumption methodologies: the Exergy Replacement Cost; Eco-exergy; and Emergy. Furthermore, fundamental properties of exergy were revisited, including the exergy reference state, and the derivations of both concentration and non-flow exergy. The results of the analysis indicate three significant problem areas with applying exergy toward resource valuation. First, the exergy derivation level conflicts with the resource valuation level regarding important requirements and assumptions: the exergy reference environment is modelled as an infinitely large system in internal chemical equilibrium, and this is in incomparable to the real world; and, the derivation of non-flow exergy values items based solely upon chemical concentrations, whereas at the resource consumption level, work producing items are valuable based primarily upon chemical reactivity. Second, exergy proponents have not adequately addressed the many different and critical perspectives of exergy, including exergy as: harmful or helpful; organizing or disorganizing; a restricted or unrestricted measure of potential useful work; and applied to value systems or specific items. Third, none of the resource consumption methodologies properly apply exergy: the Exergy Replacement Cost primarily focuses on mineral upgrading; Eco-exergy is improperly derived from exergy; and Emergy has switched from being energy-based to exergy-based without any reformulation of the methodology. For the reasons provided above, among others, this author concludes there is currently no justified theoretical connection between exergy and resource value, and that there is a disjunction between how exergy is derived and how it is applied. Non exergy-based applications for the three resource consumption methodologies are proposed.

The objective of this thesis is to establish the utility and limitations of using exergy (a thermodynamic measure of energy quality, or ability to perform work) as a resource consumption metric, and to investigate what role exergy may play in resource consumption decision-making. To do so, this thesis assessed three exergy-based resource consumption methodologies: the Exergy Replacement Cost; Eco-exergy; and Emergy. Furthermore, fundamental properties of exergy were revisited, including the exergy reference state, and the derivations of both concentration and non-flow exergy. The results of the analysis indicate three significant problem areas with applying exergy toward resource valuation. First, the exergy derivation level conflicts with the resource valuation level regarding important requirements and assumptions: the exergy reference environment is modelled as an infinitely large system in internal chemical equilibrium, and this is in incomparable to the real world; and, the derivation of non-flow exergy values items based solely upon chemical concentrations, whereas at the resource consumption level, work producing items are valuable based primarily upon chemical reactivity. Second, exergy proponents have not adequately addressed the many different and critical perspectives of exergy, including exergy as: harmful or helpful; organizing or disorganizing; a restricted or unrestricted measure of potential useful work; and applied to value systems or specific items. Third, none of the resource consumption methodologies properly apply exergy: the Exergy Replacement Cost primarily focuses on mineral upgrading; Eco-exergy is improperly derived from exergy; and Emergy has switched from being energy-based to exergy-based without any reformulation of the methodology. For the reasons provided above, among others, this author concludes there is currently no justified theoretical connection between exergy and resource value, and that there is a disjunction between how exergy is derived and how it is applied. Non exergy-based applications for the three resource consumption methodologies are proposed.

Complex man-made systems are ubiquitous in modern technological society. The national air transportation infrastructure and the aircraft that operate within it, the highways stretching coast-to-coast and the vehicles that travel on them, and global communications networks and the computers that make them possible are all complex systems. It is impossible to fully validate a systems analysis or a design process. Systems are too large, complex, and expensive to build test and validation articles. Furthermore, the operating conditions throughout the life cycle of a system are impossible to predict and control for a validation experiment. Error is introduced at every point in a complex systems design process. Every error source propagates through the complex system in the same way information propagates, feedforward, feedback, and coupling are all present with error. As with error propagation through a single analysis, error sources grow and decay when propagated through a complex system. These behaviors are made more complex by the complex interactions of a complete system. This complication and the loss of intuition that accompanies it make proper error propagation calculations even more important to aid the decision maker. Error allocation and fidelity trade decisions answer questions like: Is the fidelity of a complex systems analysis adequate, or is an improvement needed, and how is that improvement best achieved? Where should limited resources be invested for the improvement of fidelity? How does knowledge of the imperfection of a model impact design decisions based on the model and the certainty of the performance of a particular design? In this research, a fidelity trade environment was conceived, formulated, developed, and demonstrated. This development relied on the advancement of enabling techniques including error propagation, metamodeling, and information management. A notional transport aircraft is modeled in the fidelity trade environment. Using the environment, the designer is able to make design decisions while considering error and he is able to make decisions regarding required tool fidelity as the design problem continues. These decisions could not be made in a quantitative manner before the fidelity trade environment was developed.

When systems designers are making decisions about which components or technologies to select for a design, they often use experience or intuition to select one technology over another. Additionally, developers of new technologies rarely provide more information about their inventions than discrete data points attained in testing, usually in a laboratory. This makes it difficult for system designers to select newer technologies in favor of proven ones. They lack the knowledge about these new technologies to consider them equally with existing technologies. Prior research suggests that set-based design representations can be useful for facilitating collaboration among engineers in a design project, both within and across organizational boundaries. However, existing set-based methods are limited in terms of how the sets are constructed and in terms of the representational capability of the sets. The goal of this research is to introduce and demonstrate new, more general set-based design methods that are effective for characterizing and comparing competing technologies in a utility-based decision framework. To demonstrate the new methods and compare their relative strengths and weaknesses, different technologies for a power plant condenser are compared. The capabilities of different condenser technologies are characterized in terms of sets defined over the space of common condenser attributes (cross sectional area, heat exchange effectiveness, pressure drop, etc.). It is shown that systems designers can use the resulting sets to explore the space of possible condenser designs quickly and effectively. It is expected that this technique will be a useful tool for system designers to evaluate new technologies and compare them to existing ones, while also encouraging the use of new technologies by providing a more accurate representation of their capabilities. I compare four representational methods by measuring the solution accuracy (compared to a more comprehensive optimization procedure's solution), computation time, and scalability (how a model changes with different data sizes). My results demonstrate that a support vector domain description-based method provides the best combination of these traits for this example. When combined with recent research on reducing its computation time, this method becomes even more favorable.

This study compares engineering expert problem-solving on a highly constrained routine problem and an ill-defined complex problem. The participants (n=7) were recruited from two large public Research I institutions. Using a think aloud methodology, the experts solved both routine and non-routine problems. The protocols were transcribed and coded in Atlas ti. The first round of coding followed a grounded theory methodology, yielding interesting findings. Unprompted, the experts revealed a strong belief that the ill-defined problems are developmentally appropriate for PhD students while routine problems are more appropriate for undergraduate students. Additional rounds of coding were informed by previous problem solving studies in math and engineering. In general, this study confirmed the 5 Step Problem Solving Method used in previous challenged based instruction studies. There were observed differences based on problem type and background knowledge. The routine problem was more automatic and took significantly less time. The experts with higher amounts of background knowledge and experience were more likely to categorize the problems. The level of background knowledge was most apparent in the steps between conducting an overall energy balance and writing more problem specific relationships between the variables. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for improving undergraduate engineering education. / text

This thesis explores the problems raised by the aggregation of entities into a global, collective level, an old problem encountered in many fields of science. We work on three projects related to the aggregation problem in social systems, using tools derived from statistical physics, and more generally quantitative tools. The first project focus on a paradigmatic model of the emergence of puzzling macroscopic behavior from simple individual rules, Schelling's segregation model. We hence propose an analytical resolution of this model and we studied analytically and via simulations the effect of several forms of cooperation between individual agents on the collective behavior. These questions are tackled in a mutually beneficial way for both economics and physics. The second project is based on the exploration of huge databases on scientific literature. We hence produce several 'science maps' representing the fields of complex systems (its internal structure and coherence being analysed through the references used by ~140000 relevant articles) and the research carried out in a scientific institution such as the ENS de Lyon. Finally, the third project deals with the elaboration of models of social phenomena based on natural sciences tools but sociologically grounded. We hence present the elaboration process of a model built with a team of sociologists. We then propose an opinion model specifically designed to explore a single question: the existence of lasting structure from non lasting entities.