D. Ing. / The key objective of this thesis is clearly stated in its comprehensive title. In today’s fast moving, turbulent and highly competitive world, high tech companies and engineering-based organizations struggle possibly more than other businesses with the seemingly irrational, analogical events when most people in such organizations are rational, highly analytical persons. Value creation is one of the key objectives of modern high tech companies. Hence, the achievement of this ideal within the constraints and consideration of a myriad of factors requires a different approach and implies an ongoing transformation process which is not always based on rational aspects alone. If such a transformation is to be sustainable and takes place in a globally competitive framework, the approach has to be holistic and it has to consider many additional factors which tend to be considered as soft in the analytical world of high tech. The thesis formulates a management and leadership model which includes both the soft and hard factors in a comprehensive and collaborative manner. The model lends itself to understand and judiciously manipulate the dynamics of the high tech global business environment for sustained competitive advantage. The model recognizes and enables the manager and leader to address the many issues confronting them daily by giving a new strategic perspective with the help of sub-models. These sub-models form the anchors whereby a complex situation can be managed reasonably, effectively and hopefully wisely too. The suggested model is to a large degree independent of time and industry-space and is considered valid for a long time to come. Although aimed at providing a guideline at executive level of management in the high tech environment the suggested model is by no means limited to engineering nor is it limited to high tech companies. The framework and model anchors developed, are equally valid in other complexity-prone industries as can be confirmed by the author’s wide international practical experience in a number of industries, from Banking, Service provides, Health Systems, e-commerce, Petro-Chemical and others.

Abstract The purpose of this dissertation is to contribute both theoretically and empirically to the literature of regional economics. We aim to provide theoretical insights and explanations as well as interesting empirical findings which are relevant for the analyses of the regional development. Chapter two reviews the literature on new growth theory, economic geography, geography of innovation and innovation process. We illustrate connections between these strands of literature from the perspective of technological development and its diffusion. We discuss the role of innovation activity, technological development, and especially knowledge spillovers in economic growth, and clarify their microeconomic linkages to endogenous macroeconomic growth. In chapter three we shed additional light on the role of intra-regional economies of scale and inter-regional externalities in regional economic growth. Chapter provides interesting theoretical insights and explanations for the analysis of regional development. In chapters four to seven we analyse how the establishments' individual characteristics and their R&D cooperation with other firms and organizations as well as sectoral and geographical origins of their labour acquisitions affects the innovation performance of the establishments. We try to isolate the independent role on innovation performance played by knowledge transfers associated with localised human-capital mobility from those associated with inter-firm and inter-organisational tacit knowledge spillovers. No previous studies, as far as we are aware, have been able to empirically identify and distinguish in such a detailed and comprehensive manner as in this dissertation the effects of these two, qualitatively quite different types of knowledge transfer mechanisms on innovation.

M.Com. / Driven by fierce world-wide market competition, companies are being forced to explore new technologies to gain a competitive advantage. One such technology that promises dramatic advantages from the successful use of it, is high technology systems, and more specifically computer-aided systems ...

A sample of two hundred and twenty-five high technology start-up firms located nationwide provided a base for the analysis of characteristics of start-up success. The analysis provides insights into management capabilities which may be generalized to a larger population. For comparison purposes, the sample was divided into two groups: (1) those firms which have not received a venture capital infusion from a formal venture capital company and (2) those firms which have received one or more infusions of venture capital. Aspects of organizational climate, top management team approach, marketing strategy and focus, business planning and the intent to go public as a means of addressing future financing needs were examined. Hypothesis testing was accomplished through the employment of ANOVA and Chi-Square. Based upon the results of the testing of each of the hypotheses, the following conclusions are drawn: 1. Based upon those aspects examined, both the funded and unfunded firms embrace practices which strongly manifest those of an organic organization. The strong propensities toward both open communication channels and participatory decision making are indicative of the lack of formal structure present in these organizations. In addition, creativity is strongly supported, as it should be, by the notion that failure is viewed in a positive context as a necessary component of both being creative and making technological advancements. 2. The team approach to management is practiced by both funded and unfunded firms; although the venture capital funded firms have a higher quality top management team when quality is defined by aggregate primary past functional experience. The funded firm has a larger team which, in turn, brings more years of experience, a higher aggregate level of organizational responsibility, and more diversity of functional capability. This diversity provides balance in terms of complementary functional skills. Additional strength is added to the top management team of the funded firms due to a higher percentage of members whose prior experience is directly related to the functional capacity in which they now serve. Similarly, the funded firm is more likely to have management team members whose previous experience was in a firm whose core technology was the same or very similar to that of the start-up. 3. There do not appear to be significant differences between the venture capital funded and unfunded firms regarding the various marketing oriented characteristics. Both groups tend to be market driven with a solutions orientation. 4. The high technology start-up firm which has received venture capital funding is more likely to go public than the unfunded firm. 5. Business planning is practiced by the majority of all high technology start-up firms, although the funded firms do so to a greater extent. Not only do virtually all funded firms prepare business plans, but the plans themselves appear to be more extensive. Additionally; the primary purpose for which the funded firm prepares the plan is for venture capital acquisition. On the other hand, the unfunded firms perform business plan preparation to a lesser extent, but do so because of operating necessity. The results of this study have implications for the nascent entrepreneur in the high technology arena and researchers alike toward the end of providing a more complete understanding of some of the critical components essential to the success of a start-up.

<p> The paper outlines the various criteria that companies might use in the process of searching for a site. Criteria are examined in terms of how they relate to the varied characteristics of a company. No single criteria was found to be universal to all companies in terms of the emphasis placed on them. Communities, when attracting a company, should match up the positive aspects of the community with companies that have characteristics matching these points. From findings made in this paper, recommendations concerning some of the policies or programs that a community might develop is put forward. </p> / Thesis / Bachelor of Arts (BA)

No description available.

No description available.

Includes bibliographical references.

published_or_final_version / Geography / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Carleton University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 70-80). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.