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The purpose of this project is to describe and explain the foreign investment decision process in the uncertain and turbulent environment of transition economy. By getting an in-depth understanding of how decision-making works in the environment of transition economy, the study intends to contribute to the development of business administration theory in the area of foreign investment decision-making, particularly its application in the turbulent and uncertain world. Theoretical ‘blocks’, elaborated on the basis of literature study, include the following concepts: the framework of transition economy; initial motivation (or reasons) of companies to make foreign direct investments (FDI); investigation of the investment climate and information collection methods; project evaluation and investment decision criteria; risk assessment factors and risk reduction measures. Transition economy is defined in the study as ‘a non-planned, non-market economy’ where the new emerging market institutions coexist with the bureaucracy and hierarchy inherited from the old administrative system. Investment projects, therefore, should probably be seen as being under institutional influence from both the local (i.e. transition economy) and the Western investor’s home country environments. The empirical data presented in the paper also shows that it is necessary to establish the relevant economic, legal, political and social institutions in order to attract FDI. The study further includes the analysis of the main components and features of transition economies and their influence on FDI decision-making. One of the results of the study is that FDI decision-making in transition economies is largely consistent with different theoretical approaches suggested in the literature. On the other hand, the empirical support obtained for different theoretical approaches is often questionable and opened to alternative interpretations. The presented project suggests that theoretical perspectives do not preclude each other, but rather have a complimentary character. The study attempts to contribute to the mainstream FDI theories through a firm-level approach based on the case studies. Two in-depth case studies are presented in the paper: Ericsson’s direct investments in Russia and Vattenfall’s investments in the Baltic countries. A formal questionnaire based on the parameters of theoretical ‘blocks’ was created and 25 top executives from Ericsson and Vattenfall who participated in FDI decision-making were surveyed. The empirical investigation took place during the period 1997 - 1998 with partial updating of the cases during the year 2000.  The study shows that where companies confront stable environments, investment decision routines and procedures will be less necessary and important than where market uncertainty is high. The strong appreciation of the local business partners for properly done investment calculations increases the importance of capital budgeting in transition economies more than in developed market economies. Besides, traditional investment appraisal methods provide managers with an ‘objective’ or ‘materialistic’ feedback for the decision-making in the rapidly changing uncertain environment. On the other hand, the study emphasises the importance of strategy over financial techniques and argues that FDI decisions in transition economies should be based on methods consistent with the company’s long-term objectives. In case of permanent changes, new approaches as well as better co-ordination of traditional techniques with strategic, political, historical, geographical and cultural issues are required. Ericsson’ s direct investments in Russia are presented in the paper in connection with other factors: the company’s historical involvement in Russia, marketing strategy, human resource development, privatisation and restructuring of the telecommunication sector in Russia, etc. Nordic Electric Power Co-operation (Nordel), the EU’ s decision in 1996 to create an internal electricity market in Europe, Baltic ring study, future plans to privatise the energy companies in the Baltic countries, etc., are the framework to present the second case. An application of project evaluation and risk assessment techniques for broader and more complicated environments shows that investment decision-making is probably as much, if not more, a social, political and cultural technology as an economic one. The study argues then that the rational choice decision-making model often co-exists with alternative models elaborated in social science - limited rationality, political and garbage can. According to the empirical data, the investment decisions are largely based on intuition, business experience and judgement, personal contacts with representatives from the local country, and these investment criteria are inevitable and acceptable in a situation of total chaos and permanent change. The right chosen partner, for example, is one of the major criteria for the success of the investment project in a transition economy. One of the outcomes of this study is that the revitalised form of investment decision-making will differ rather markedly from much of what has gone before: less emphasis on the quantitative aspects of capital budgeting, more on the qualitative aspects of companies and investment environment. The project also argues that determinants, approaches and criteria of investment activity in transition economies are largely consistent with patterns observed in other parts of the world. A few specific environmental conditions of transition economies, however, are shown in the study to affect the pattern of FDI decision-making. The level of turbulence is still different compared to the developed market economies due to uncertainties and unpredictibilities associated with environment of transition economies. Other major differences are the large power distance with authoritarian leadership, strong hierarchy and bureaucracy as well as the vital role of personal contacts in transition economies. It is not clear, however, if these features of transition economies should be seen as inherited from the past communist system or as an alternative way to organise the economic actors through networks, a way that is natural and appropriate for the majority of Asian societies.

This thesis describes parental attitude towards small-scale schools. The theoretical part serves an easier interpretation of the second, practical part. The practical part investigates the criteria which parents use when selecting a school; the advantages and disadvantages of such schools, the rural environment and its effect on their children. This paper also investigates parents´ opinions on pupils from different grades being taught in one class and attitudes towards teachers of small-scale classes.

本研究主要探討國內家長學校選擇權發展情形及實施現況，並深入瞭解臺北縣公立國中現行之學區分發入學制度，以建構臺北縣公立國中開放學區入學的決策準則。研究方法部分，先以文獻分析歸納臺北縣開放學區決策準則五大構面與二十四項準則項目，再以模糊德菲術問卷進行調查。模糊德菲術調查樣本為三十八位教育行政官員、校長、教師及家長代表，本研究透過三角模糊數整合專家對準則重要性之看法並以適切性篩選準則項目，最後以歸一化之方式求得各構面以及各項目權重，完成臺北縣開放學區決策準則建構。根據研究之結果與分析，歸納主要結論如下： 1. 「開放學區」是臺北縣公立國中學區制度未來發展可行且具重要性的政策。 2. 臺北縣實施「開放學區」的五項第一層級決策準則構面依序為：「學校因素」、「配套措施」、「交通因素」、「教育設施」、「地理環境」。 3. 「校園安全」、「交通安全」、「學校招生過多或不足的解決方式」、「學生學業成績表現」、「降低班級學生數」是臺北縣實施「開放學區」優先考慮的五項第二層級決策準則項目。 4. 改變現行學區劃分制度，仍需民間單位及家長提出更多家長選擇 權的需求。 / The purpose of this study is to construct a set of standards for the decision-making of open enrollment in Taipei County. To achieve this purpose, this study adopts three methods, including literature analysis, questionnaires investigation and Fuzzy Delphi method. First, the literature review is used to obtain initial indicators; then Fuzzy Delphi method is used to collect opinions from experts in open enrollment, which are to examine the degree of importance and suitability of initial indicators. The practical decision criteria suitable for open enrollment are therefore produced. The conclusions of this study are as follows: 1. Open enrollment policy is feasible and important for the development of school district system of public senior high schools in Taipei County. 2. The decision criteria of open enrollment include five areas : school, supplementary measure, traffic, facilities and environment. 3. The most important five indicators for decision-making of open enrollment are: safety in campus, traffic safety, the solution of shortage of students or over, academic performance, reducing the number of students in a class. 4. It needs parents to bring up the demand of “parents’ choice” to change current school district system.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2017-06-20T11:56:48Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Carlos Eduardo Martins Machado_.pdf: 1371444 bytes, checksum: c6dbd9395f1c37af92e5c1fe24590ee7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-20T11:56:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Carlos Eduardo Martins Machado_.pdf: 1371444 bytes, checksum: c6dbd9395f1c37af92e5c1fe24590ee7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-05-26 / Nenhuma / A busca por novos mercados, novas tecnologias e a redução dos custos são necessárias para que as empresas consigam sobreviver no cenário de globalização onde as mudanças são constantes. Este trabalho teve como objetivo identificar os critérios utilizados por empresas transnacionais para decisão de alocação de produtos em suas fábricas previamente instaladas, visando a maximização do desempenho econômico-financeiro global. Foi realizado um Estudo de Caso único com objetos incorporados em uma empresa transnacional da indústria de roadbuilding. Foram pesquisadas 3 fábricas localizadas no Brasil, China e Índia, além do headquarter localizado na Suíça. Verificou-se que a gestão da empresa é feita através de decisões seletivas que visam obter vantagens competitivas globais em termos de custos e receitas. Pode-se afirmar que os critérios relacionados à perspectiva econômica, são os mais relevantes no processo decisório de alocação de produtos em suas subsidiárias. A redução dos custos diretos e indiretos relacionados aos produtos, a redução dos custos logísticos e a sobreposição de barreiras tarifárias foram os critérios mais relevantes identificados durante esta pesquisa. Estes critérios indicam a necessidade da empresa de avaliar o custo final ao cliente, para o cálculo de suas margens. Portanto, indica-se o que foi chamado de “landed cost” como um elemento importante na decisão de alocação, sendo este influenciado pelos três principais critérios citados anteriormente. O acesso a manufaturas de baixo custo, acesso a habilidades e conhecimento e acesso ao mercado são critérios relevantes ao caso de decisão de alocação de produtos em plantas previamente existentes. Apresenta-se um modelo geral que leva em conta os inter-relacionamentos de uma Matriz Global de Produtos vs. Geografia vs. Planta de produção. A maximização da performance econômico financeira global se dá através de decisões equilibradas nas perspectivas - manufatura, econômica e ambiental, alinhada com o objetivo estratégico da alocação do produto. / The search for new markets, new technologies and cost reductions are necessary for companies to survive in a globalized scenario where changes are constant. The target of this research was to identify the criteria used by transnational companies to decide about the product allocation in their factories, aiming to maximize global economic and financial performance. A Single Case Study was conducted with multiple unit of analysis (embedded design) in a transnational company in the roadbuilding industry. Three factories located in Brazil, China and India were surveyed, as well as the headquarter located in Switzerland. It was verified that the product allocation is made through selective decisions, which aims to obtain global competitive advantages in terms of costs and revenues. It can be affirmed that the criteria related to the economic perspective are the most relevant in the decision-making process of product allocation in its subsidiaries. The reduction of direct and indirect costs related to products, reduction of logistics costs and the overlapping of tariff barriers were the most relevant criteria identified during this research. These criteria indicate the needs of the company to evaluate the final cost for end-customer in order to calculate its margins. Therefore, what is called “landed cost” is indicated as an important element in the allocation decision, which is influenced by the three main criteria mentioned above. Access to low-cost manufacturing, access to skills and knowledge, and access to the market are relevant criteria to the product allocation decision in previously existing plants. It is presented a general model, which takes into account the relationships of a Global Product Matrix vs. Geography vs. Production plant. The maximization of global financial-economic performance is made through balanced decisions in the manufacturing, economic and environmental perspectives, aligned with the strategic objective of product allocation.

Inledning:Dagligen möts organisationer av situationer där de måste ta beslut. Frågan är vad som egentligen avgör vilket alternativ organisationen väljer, vilka beslutskriterier används? Ju bättre insikt den säljande organisationen har om den köpande organisationens beslutsprocess och beslutskriterier, desto bättre kan de påverka inköpsbeslutet. Inom hotellbranschen är säsongvariationen hög och för att övervinna den erbjuder vår uppdragsgivare Björkbacken Karaktärshotellet konferensmöjligheter. De behöver dock skapa förståelse för vilka kriterier potentiella konferensköpare använder sig av när de väljer konferensanläggning för att kunna attrahera fler övernattande konferensgäster. Syfte: Syftet med den här uppsatsen är att beskriva organisationers väg till beslut och vad de efterfrågar vid köp av konferenser. Det ska göras genom att utforma en modell för beslutsprocessen och empiriskt testa den. Metod: Vårt syfte har vi angripit med en i grunden positivistisk vetenskapssyn med ett deduktivt angreppssätt. Undersökningen utgörs av tvärsnittsdesign, och kvalitativa semi-strukturerade telefonintervjuer har genomförts med organisationer som har liknande profil som vår uppdragsgivare Björkbacken Karaktärshotellet nämligen; kultur, historier och berättande. Slutsats: Vår modell för organisationers beslutsprocess, Beslutsvägen, kan bekräftas. Den beskriver att beslutsprocessen startar med att organisationen blir medveten om ett behov och därefter identifieras beslutskriterier. Enligt vår studie är följande beslutskriterier viktiga; pris, tillgänglighet, lokalernas funktionalitet, omgivning, mat samt anknytningen till konferensköparens verksamhet. Då organisationer har identifierat sina beslutskriterier väljer de mellan två vägar i Beslutsvägen, Kustvägen och E6:an. Längs båda vägarna är minnen och erfarenheter en betydande del som finns med längs hela processen. Oavsett vilken av vägarna som organisationen färdas på når de till sist sin slutdestination Beslut. / Introduction: Every day organizations face situations where they must make decisions and are forced to choose between different alternatives. The question is, what determines which option the organization chooses, which decision criteria do they use? The better understanding the selling organization has for the buying organization's decision-making process and their decision criteria, the better they can influence the purchase decision. Within the hotel industry the seasonal variety is high and to overcome them our client Björkbacken Karaktärshotellet offers conference facilities. However, they do need to create a better understanding of the potential buyers’ criteria when they are choosing a conference to attract more overnight conference guests. Purpose: The purpose is to describe what organizations demand when they purchase a conference. This will be done by designing a figure of the decision-making process and empirically test the figure. Method: We have approached our purpose with a positivistic view of science and with a deductive approach. The study consists of a cross-sectional design and to collect our empirical data we have used qualitative semi-structured telephone interviews with organizations that have similar profile as our client Björkbacken Karaktärshotellet namely; culture, history and storytelling. Conclusion: Our figure of the organizations' decision-making process, the Road to Decision, can be confirmed. It describes the decision-making process starting with awareness of a need and follows by identification of decision criteria. According to our study the following decision criteria are important; price, availability, functionality, environment, food and good connections to the conference. When organizations have identified their decision criteria they choose between two paths in our figure; the Coastal Road or the freeway E6. Along the entire process memories and experiences are a significant part. No matter which of the roads the organization travels by, their final destination is the decision.

O planejamento da inovação antecede o desenvolvimento das tecnologias e dos produtos. O processo de decisão realizado no planejamento da inovação é o responsável por avaliar e selecionar os produtos que serão desenvolvidos. Como esse processo depende das informações das propostas de produto, sua execução é dificultada quando elas referem-se a produtos inovadores. Nesse contexto, este trabalho propõe um método de análise do processo de decisão do planejamento da inovação, que considera o nível de conhecimento das informações das propostas de produtos e a importância dos critérios de decisão. Como parte do projeto de pesquisa, também foi desenvolvido um modelo do planejamento da inovação. Esse descreve o planejamento da inovação como um subprocesso integrador e interrelacionado com os outros subprocessos da inovação e também mostra seus principais elementos constituintes. Na primeira etapa do trabalho foram realizados dois estudos de casos exploratórios com o intuito de complementar o esclarecimento do planejamento da inovação e formatação do modelo. Os resultados foram usados na segunda etapa, na qual o método de análise foi proposto e foram executados mais dois estudos de caso, agora com o objetivo de testar o método. Nesses dois estudos foram analisados os processos de decisão de dois produtos inovadores por meio de uma abordagem retrospectiva. Por fim, o método foi avaliado como capaz para analisar o processo de decisão de produtos inovadores, identificando oportunidades e apoiando a definição de diretrizes para melhorar a tomada de decisão. / The front-end of innovation precedes technology and product development. The decision-making process performed at the front-end is assigned to assess and select products that will be introduced to development. Since this process depends on information of product proposals, its performance is affected when innovative products are involved. Within this context, this study proposes a method to analyse the decision-making process of the front-end of innovation. It addresses the level of information knowledge and the importance of decision criteria as a way to analyse decisions. This study has also developed a model for the front-end of innovation, which describes the front-end integrating and interrelated with the other parts of the innovation process as well as shows its core elements. At the first phase of this study two exploratory case studies were developed aiming to complement the understanding about the front-end and to support the definition of the model. Results of this phase were used at the second phase, in which the method to analyse the decision-making process is proposed and other two case studies are conducted, with the purpose of testing the method. These two studies analysed the decision-making process regarding innovative products through a retrospective approach. Finally, the method was assessed as capable of analysing the decision-making process of innovative products, identifying opportunities and supporting the definition of guidelines to enhance decision making.

As organizações enfrentam pressão por geração de valor e, para tanto, buscam posicionar-se favoravelmente em seus setores de atuação, o que impõe a necessidade de definir uma estratégia clara e realizar investimentos alinhados a ela. Os investimentos são concretizados por meio de projetos, cuja seleção deve ser conduzida por um processo rigoroso, transparente e objetivo o que pode ser obtido com a definição de critérios de seleção baseados em indicadores quantitativos financeiros. Apesar da existência de muitos trabalhos com foco no alinhamento da carteira de projetos à estratégia do negócio, as discussões são conduzidas de modo qualitativo ou baseadas em exemplos específicos e aplicação de poucos critérios. O presente trabalho avalia, por meio de simulações, as implicações estratégicas dos diferentes tipos de critérios de seleção, incluindo visão de risco e retorno. Em resumo, o critério de maximizar o Valor Presente Líquido seleciona projetos de mais longa duração e fluxos de caixas positivos no longo prazo, o que favorece o crescimento da organização. Uma carteira desta natureza pode adequar-se a empresas que competem em indústrias em ritmo acelerado de crescimento. Os critérios, baseados na Taxa Interna de Retorno e no Índice de Lucratividade, selecionam projetos de elevado retorno sobre o capital investido, o que tende a privilegiar rentabilidade em vez de crescimento. Carteiras com estas características podem favorecer a atuação em indústrias de expressivo volume de mercado, porém baixas taxas de crescimento. Em contrapartida, os critérios baseados no Período de Retorno selecionam projetos de menor duração, cujos retornos ocorrem no curto prazo, característica que pode ser desejada quando a organização atua em uma indústria em declínio ou em linhas de negócio em que pretende desinvestir. / Organizations face pressure for value creation and seek a favorable position in their industry segments, what demands a clear strategy and investments aligned to it. Such investments are implemented through projects, which should be selected by a rigorous, transparent and objective process what can be achieved using quantitative financial criteria for project selection. Although there are several studies focused on the alignment of Project Portfolio to Corporate Strategy, discussions are qualitative in most cases or they are based on few specific selection criteria. In order to present a broader study on the field, this work simulates the strategic implication of different selection criteria, using a risk-reward framework. Major conclusion could be achieved on that way. For example, maximizing the Net Present Value selects long lasting projects with strong cash flow generation in the long term. Such portfolios have good fit for companies competing in high growth industries. Selection criteria based on the Internal Rate of Return or the Profitability Index select high return on investment projects, which drive more profitability than growth. Such portfolios are applicable for companies competing in high volume but low growth industries. On the other hand, criteria based on the Payback Period select short term return projects, which are applicable for companies competing in shrinking industries or in divesting business lines.

Submitted by Joana Azevedo (joanad@id.uff.br) on 2017-08-22T16:59:48Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissert Kelly Frizero Neto.pdf: 2639388 bytes, checksum: a86cdfb4d8bd960fe371f034705cc18a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Biblioteca da Escola de Engenharia (bee@ndc.uff.br) on 2017-09-04T15:15:08Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissert Kelly Frizero Neto.pdf: 2639388 bytes, checksum: a86cdfb4d8bd960fe371f034705cc18a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-04T15:15:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissert Kelly Frizero Neto.pdf: 2639388 bytes, checksum: a86cdfb4d8bd960fe371f034705cc18a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-22 / Diante da diversidade de critérios de decisão e do leque de ativos disponíveis nas bolsas de valores, os investidores se deparam com o problema central do estudo: Como priorizar os critérios de decisão diante do cenário complexo, dinâmico e de difícil previsão que engloba a compra e venda de ações? O trabalho realizou uma revisão estruturada da literatura e mapeou os principais fatores que interferem na escolha dos investidores qualificados e especialistas do mercado financeiro através de uma modelagem voltada para a identificação do grau de relevância atribuída aos critérios de decisão nas negociações dos ativos. Questionários direcionados aos especialistas e aos investidores foram aplicados para captar a percepção quanto à importância e a utilização dos critérios de decisão. Devido à extensa variedade de fatores que simultaneamente afetam as escolhas dos investidores, elegeu-se a metodologia de apoio multicritério à decisão para a estruturação do trabalho, com a utilização da soma ponderada para ordenar os critérios mais empregados. A conclusão apresenta a análise dos principais critérios de decisão apontados pelos profissionais do mercado, fornecendo assim uma ferramenta atual para facilitar a compreensão dos fatores que influenciam o fluxo de decisões das operações com ações. Outra contribuição alcançada foi a interface de um trabalho acadêmico (apoiado em conceitos e teorias), com a acelerada dinâmica do mercado financeiro (em meio a avalanches de informações diárias que mudam o cenário econômico a todo momento). / Given the diversity of decision criteria and the large range of available assets on the stock market investors face the main issue in this study: Which decision criteria should be prioritized on the complex, dynamic and hard to forecast scenario that embraces the buying and selling of shares? The work mapped the main factors that interfere in the selection of qualified investors and specialists in the financial market, through a model focused on a degree of relevance attributed to the decision criteria in the asset negotiations. Questionnaires were directed to experts and researchers to capture a perception about the relevance and use of decision criteria. Due to the extensive range of factors that simultaneously affect the investors’ choices, a multicriteria methodology was chosen for structuring the work, using the weighted sum to map the decision criteria used. In the conclusion, it is presented an analysis of the main decision criteria pointed out by the professionals of the financial market thereby providing a current tool that will contribute to the understanding of the factors that affect the flow of equity transactions. Another contribution will be the academic work interface with the accelerated dynamic in which investors and financial experts meet: lots of daily information that changes the economic scenario all the time

O planejamento da inovação antecede o desenvolvimento das tecnologias e dos produtos. O processo de decisão realizado no planejamento da inovação é o responsável por avaliar e selecionar os produtos que serão desenvolvidos. Como esse processo depende das informações das propostas de produto, sua execução é dificultada quando elas referem-se a produtos inovadores. Nesse contexto, este trabalho propõe um método de análise do processo de decisão do planejamento da inovação, que considera o nível de conhecimento das informações das propostas de produtos e a importância dos critérios de decisão. Como parte do projeto de pesquisa, também foi desenvolvido um modelo do planejamento da inovação. Esse descreve o planejamento da inovação como um subprocesso integrador e interrelacionado com os outros subprocessos da inovação e também mostra seus principais elementos constituintes. Na primeira etapa do trabalho foram realizados dois estudos de casos exploratórios com o intuito de complementar o esclarecimento do planejamento da inovação e formatação do modelo. Os resultados foram usados na segunda etapa, na qual o método de análise foi proposto e foram executados mais dois estudos de caso, agora com o objetivo de testar o método. Nesses dois estudos foram analisados os processos de decisão de dois produtos inovadores por meio de uma abordagem retrospectiva. Por fim, o método foi avaliado como capaz para analisar o processo de decisão de produtos inovadores, identificando oportunidades e apoiando a definição de diretrizes para melhorar a tomada de decisão. / The front-end of innovation precedes technology and product development. The decision-making process performed at the front-end is assigned to assess and select products that will be introduced to development. Since this process depends on information of product proposals, its performance is affected when innovative products are involved. Within this context, this study proposes a method to analyse the decision-making process of the front-end of innovation. It addresses the level of information knowledge and the importance of decision criteria as a way to analyse decisions. This study has also developed a model for the front-end of innovation, which describes the front-end integrating and interrelated with the other parts of the innovation process as well as shows its core elements. At the first phase of this study two exploratory case studies were developed aiming to complement the understanding about the front-end and to support the definition of the model. Results of this phase were used at the second phase, in which the method to analyse the decision-making process is proposed and other two case studies are conducted, with the purpose of testing the method. These two studies analysed the decision-making process regarding innovative products through a retrospective approach. Finally, the method was assessed as capable of analysing the decision-making process of innovative products, identifying opportunities and supporting the definition of guidelines to enhance decision making.