Innovations as a source of economic wellbeing and social prosperity has been well researched, albeit primarily done in the context of developed economies. However, of late, interest in the effect of innovation on economic performance and quality of life has been renewed as the world observes the rise of emerging economies, and at the same time, the prolonged recession in the more developed economies (i.e. North America and European countries). There has been a marked increase in the quantity and quality of research and development, spawn by innovative companies from emerging economies that are making their mark in global marketplace. These phenomena challenge the traditional concept that innovation flows from the resource rich developed countries to less developed countries, and that the latter are at a disadvantage in terms of knowledge, technology and competitiveness. Existing studies on national innovation highlight the relationships between innovative capability and its outcomes; however, few have tried to explain the determinants of a nation’s innovative capabilities. Using a sample of 95 countries and panel data analysis covering 28 years of observation, this study attempts to model the determinants of innovative capability at national level, and focuses on absorptive capacity and institutional framework as the main determinants of innovative capability. Further, this study identifies different aspects of absorptive capacity: creation and exploitation of innovation. Findings offer support on the importance of various sources of external knowledge in the creation of innovation, with FDI inflow and High Technology Export as the strongest sources. Corruption as institutional factor has negative effect on innovative capability, whereas openness shows no effect. National absorptive capacity moderates the effect of external knowledge on innovative capability, except on FDI outflow in which a negative effect on trademark application as a measure of innovative capability. The findings suggest that innovative capability and moderating role of absorptive capacity enhance economic wellbeing. Findings show that economic wellbeing increases happiness and income inequality (as the measures of quality of life); same thing as innovative capability, which also increases both happiness and income inequality. This study demonstrates that for happiness, higher education and better infrastructure (as the measure of foundational absorptive capacity) decrease the level of happiness. Higher education and ease access to information may increase expectation, which lead to unhappiness when the expectation is not met. For income inequality, negative effect of the moderating role of absorptive capacity means that higher education and better infrastructure contribute to lowering income inequality. Based on these findings, a nation should continue to attract FDI and trade in high technology because these sources of knowledge contribute to innovative capability. Policy makers can develop country positioning and country’s marketing activities by using the combination of the improvement of national factors and policy reforms. The upgrading of national factors helps to achieve higher economic wellbeing and quality of life in general.

Syfte: Studien syftar till att få fördjupad förståelse för hur stressfaktorer kan påverka individens innovativa beteende positivt. Metod: Studien tillämpar en kvalitativ ansats med semistrukturerade intervjuer. Totalt genomfördes elva intervjuer på Volvo Group Trucks Technology samt en intervju och ett kompletterande samtal med två tidigare anställda. Intervjusvaren har analyserats med tematisk analys Resultat & slutsats: Nio stressfaktorer identifierades vilka skapar stress; krav, tidspress, kontroll, support, roll, kultur, riskvilja, sociala medier och mål. Studien identifierade också fem påverkansfaktorer som kan påverka utvecklingen av positiv stress; personlighet, problemlösande, självledarskap, erfarenhet och motivation. Stressfaktorer i kombination med påverkansfaktorer kan bidra till positiv stress hos individen och leda till ökat innovativt beteende. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Studien efterfrågar mer kvalitativ forskning på stressfaktorer och innovativt beteende. Stress- och påverkansfaktorer som identifierades i studien bör undersökas vidare. Framtida studier bör även undersöka stressfaktorer i relation till innovationsbeteendets alla tre faser. Framtida studier bör också inkludera fler kvinnor och vidare forskning på hur organisationer kan organisera för innovation. Uppsatsens bidrag: Studiens främsta bidrag är Modell 2: Stressors Innovative Development, som visar hur stressfaktorer inverkar på innovativt beteende. Modellen ger stöd till ledare som önskar öka anställdas innovativa beteende, för att öka företagets konkurrenskraft. Modellen ger kunskap om vikten av de personliga förmågorna för att positiv stress ska utvecklas, och påverka det innovativa beteendet positivt. / Aim: This study aims to provide a deeper understanding of how stressors affect the individual innovative behavior positively. Method: The study applies a qualitative approach with semi structured interviews. In total, eleven interviews were conducted within Volvo Group Trucks Technology and one interview and a complementary conversation with two former employees were carried out. Interview responses have been analyzed with thematic analysis. Result & Conclusions: Nine stress creating stressors were identified; demands, time pressure, control, support, roll, culture, risk appetite, distraction and goals. The study also identified five individual capabilities, which are termed as influencing factors; personality, problem solving, personal responsibility, experience, motivation. The study finds that stress can lead to increased innovative behavior when stressors are combined with influence factors contributing to positive stress in the individual. Suggestions for future research: To further increase the understanding of stressors and innovative behavior, more qualitative research within this field is necessary. Stressors and influencing factors, being identified in this study, should be studied in more detail. Future research should aim to study innovative behavior and stress for all three phases of Innovative Behavior. Further studies within this field should also include more women and research on how organizations can organize for innovation. Contribution of the thesis: The study's main contribution is the Model 2: Stressors ID, which shows how stressors affect innovative behavior. The model provides support for leaders who wish to enhance employees' innovative behavior to increase the company's competitiveness. The model provides knowledge about the importance of personal capabilities in order for positive stress to evolve and influence the innovative behavior positively.

Dans le contexte du traitement du kératocône, une formulation contenant de la riboflavine, un principe actif hydrosoluble, deux tensio-actifs (le poloxamère 407 et la monooléine) et de l'eau a été préparée par un processus d'homogénéisation. Un plan factoriel fractionnaire a été utilisé pour estimer les effets principaux et les interactions de cinq paramètres sur deux réponses pertinentes, à savoir la taille des particules et l'efficacité d'encapsulation. Les cinq paramètres étudiés étaient la température des deux phases, la durée de l'émulsification, la présence du chauffage pendant l'homogénéisation, le nombre de cycles et la pression. Il a ainsi été montré que les paramètres les plus influents sont la présence du chauffage pendant l'homogénéisation et la pression qui ont conduit à l'obtention de nanoparticules d'une taille moyenne de 145 nm et une efficacité d'encapsulation moyenne de 46%. La détermination des paramètres optimaux du procédé de fabrication a conduit à l'optimisation de la formulation par le biais de plans d'expériences. L'influence combinée de trois composants a été étudiée dans une partie du diagramme de phase. Ainsi, douze formules décrivant l'espace de conception ont été préparées. Les résultats obtenus par diffraction des rayons X aux petits angles et par cryo-microscopie électronique en transmission ont mis en évidence la présence de nano-objets de structure éponge et/ou hexagonale inverse. Le pourcentage de chacun des composants a été déterminé pour obtenir à la fois une grande efficacité d'encapsulation et une petite taille de particules. Deux formulations très proches dans le diagramme de phase ternaire, ont répondu à ces exigences. / In the context of the keratoconus treatment, a formulation containing riboflavin a water-soluble drug, two surfactants (poloxamer 407 and mono acyl glycerol) and water was optimized and prepared by emulsification and a homogenization process. A fractional factorial design was applied to estimate the main effects and interaction effects of five parameters on two relevant responses, namely particle size and encapsulation efficiency. The five parameters studied were the temperature of the two phases, the duration of emulsification, the presence of heating during homogenization, the number of passes and pressure. It has been shown that the most influent parameters are the presence of heating during the homogenization and the pressure that led to the production of nanoparticles with an average size of 145 nm and an average encapsulation efficiency of 46 %. The determination of the optimal parameters of the process led to an optimization of the formulation by using experimental design. The combined influence of three factor variables (or components) of the formulation that are water, monoolein and poloxamer 407 were, studied. In this way, twelve formulas describing the design space were prepared. Results obtained using SAXS and cryo-TEM evidenced the presence of nano-objects with either sponge or hexagonal inverted structure. In the zone of interest, the percentage of each component was determined to obtain both high encapsulation efficiency and small size of particles. Two formulations are very close in the ternary phase diagram, and have responded to these requirements.

No description available.

Esse trabalho se propõe a analisar as estratégias tecnológicas das firmas industriais brasileiras que inovaram em produto e processo entre 2003 e 2005, e compará-las com o triênio retroativo à inovação, 2001-2003. Para tanto, utilizam-se dados da junção de três importantes bases de dados brasileiras: PINTEC, RAIS e SECEX para o período 2001 a 2005, divididos em dois triênios. Usando uma metodologia de análise multivariada a fim de evitar estabelecer relações causais, os resultados indicam que a alteração nas estratégias tecnológicas tende a trazer melhores performances das firmas e que há uma coordenação entre as estratégias tecnológicas das inovadoras em produto e processo. Além disso, a base de conhecimento e o desempenho do passado são fundamentais para a determinação das estratégias no período seguinte. / This work intends to analyze, by using multivariate analysis, the technological strategies from the Brazilian firms that innovated in product and process between 2003 and 2005, and compare it with the innovative behavior that used to take place by them in 2001-2003. We split the analysis in the relationship input-firms-outputs, and use data from PINTEC, RAIS and SECEX. We found out that the change in technological strategies might have been related to a better performance for the firm and that, when we consider only the firms that innovate simultaneous in product and process, the technological strategies are alike specially in terms of innovative activity expenditure, but that is not the case for the process innovation. Nonetheless, the accumulated knowledge and the past outputs of innovation are fundamental for the establishment of the technological strategy.

Inicialmente os parques tecnológicos foram criados de forma espontânea. Posteriormente, a criação de parques passou a ser feita de forma planejada e estruturada. Em ambos os casos o objetivo é o de promover o apoio à criação de empresas de base tecnológica (EBTs) e a sua interação com universidades. Com isso, esses ambientes visam promover o desenvolvimento econômico e tecnológico das regiões em que estão inseridos. Nesses ambientes se instalam micro, pequenas, médias e grandes empresas, ou parte delas. Nesse sentido, essa pesquisa propôs-se a investigar e analisar quais os fatores que devem estar presentes nos parques tecnológicos de modo que se tornem atrativos para a instalação de empresas inovadoras. Para tanto, foram identificados os fatores de localização, os quais foram agrupados em um questionário com perguntas fechadas e, posteriormente, submetidos às empresas instaladas em quatro parques tecnológicos em operação no Brasil, a saber: Sergipe Parque Tecnológico (SergipeTec), localizado em Aracaju/ Sergipe; Parque Tecnológico do Vale do Sinos, em Campo Bom/ Rio Grande do Sul; Parque Científico e Tecnológico da PUCRS (TECNOPUC), em Porto Alegre/ Rio Grande do Sul; e Porto Digital, em Recife/ Pernambuco. A partir disso, foi feita uma comparação das médias do grau de importância, bem como, da freqüência de uso atribuída a cada um dos fatores de localização listados no questionário auto-administrado. Os resultados foram sintetizados em uma análise descritiva na qual pôde-se observar que os cinco fatores mais importantes e que podem influenciar na decisão de localização da empresa estão relacionados ao apoio financeiro articulado pelo parque. Foi aplicado método estatístico de análise multivariada, análise fatorial, na variáveis de freqüência de uso, de modo que foram identificados 7 fatores latentes que influenciam na decisão da empresa, dentre eles: acessibilidade a fontes de capital, parceria com universidades, facilidades de locomoção e lazer, infra-estrutura e serviços comuns e incentivo municipal e restaurantes Essa pesquisa pode ser utilizada pelas instituições que se encontram tanto em fase de implantação de parques tecnológicos quanto por aquelas que já gerenciam parques em operação para atração de empresas inovadoras e conseqüente melhoria dos resultados. / Initially technology parks have been created in a spontaneous way. Subsequently, the creation of parks is now done on a planned and structured way. In both cases the goal is to promote the support for the creation of technology-based companies (EBTs) and its interaction with universities. With this, these environments promote the economic and technological development of the regions in which they are inserted. In such environments micro, small, medium and large companies, or part of it, set up. In that sense, this research proposed to investigate and analyze which factors must be present in technology parks in order to become attractive for the installation of innovative companies. For that, the factors of location were identified, and were grouped in a questionnaire with closed questions, and later submitted to the companies located in four technology parks in operation in Brazil, namely: Sergipe Technological Park (SergipeTec), located in Aracaju / Sergipe; Technological Park Vale do Sinos, in Campo Bom / Rio Grande do Sul; Scientific and Technological Park of PUCRS (TECNOPUC) in Porto Alegre / Rio Grande do Sul; and Porto Digital, in Recife / Pernambuco. From this, an average comparison was made between the importance in degree and frequency of use attributed to each of the factors listed in the location in the selfadministered questionnaire. The results were summarized in a descriptive analysis from where it could be observed that the five most important factors which may influence a companys location decision are related to financial support articulated by the park. It was applied a statystic method of multivarieted analysis, factorial analysis on the variety of frequency of use, in a way that it could be identified 7 latent factors which influence in the companys decision, to be mentioned: acessibility to capital sources, partnership with universities, motion and leisure facilities, infrastructure and common services, besides municipal incentive and restaurants. This research can be used by institutions that are either under implementation of technology parks as for, by those that have already been managing parks in operation in the attraction of innovative business and consequent improvement of the results.

As redes de inovação têm sido frequentemente referenciadas na literatura como forma de complementar as atividades inovadoras das empresas, tendo em vista seu importante papel na transferência de conhecimentos. Considerando-se que, cada vez mais, a inovação pode ser fruto de um processo de interação entre diferentes atores, do que de um esforço isolado, o presente estudo teve por objetivo verificar qual a contribuição dos parceiros estabelecidos em redes de inovação para o desempenho inovador das empresas. Pretendeu-se, mais especificamente, realizar uma análise sob o ponto de vista das empresas da Indústria Elétrica Eletrônica, que, por pertencerem a um setor de tecnologia intensiva, cuja competitividade é global, são altamente dependentes da atividade inovativa. Visando ao alcance desse objetivo, realizou-se uma pesquisa descritiva e exploratória, de caráter quantitativo. Para o exame dos fundamentos teóricos, foram abordados conceitos relacionados aos tipos de inovação, às redes de inovações e suas tipologias, à transferência de conhecimento na rede, à utilização de estratégias de exploração e explotação, à capacidade de absorção do conhecimento e aos tipos de parceiros estabelecidos nas redes e suas possíveis contribuições. Complementarmente, realizou-se um levantamento por meio da aplicação de questionários, totalizando uma amostra de 185 empresas. A análise dos dados da pesquisa foi feita com base na estatística descritiva e multivariada, por meio da aplicação da modelagem de equações estruturais e da análise multivariada de variância. Dentre os principais resultados, foi observado que o estabelecimento de relações de colaboração com clientes e consumidores, competidores e universidades e institutos de pesquisa pode corroborar com os resultados em inovação de processo e organizacional. Ressalta-se também que, apesar da obtenção de alguns resultados significativos acerca da contribuição de diferentes parceiros na rede, as empresas da Indústria Elétrica Eletrônica ainda atribuem maior importância às atividades internas para inovar. Em outras palavras, apesar do alto número de relações com clientes, consumidores e fornecedores, ainda se nota uma centralização do processo de desenvolvimento das inovações. / Innovation networks have been frequently referenced in literature as a way to complement the firm\'s innovative activities, in view of its important role in knowledge transfer. Considering that, currently, innovation may be the result of a process of interaction between different actors, rather than an isolated effort, this study aims to verify the contribution of partners established in innovation networks for company\'s innovative performance. It was intended, more specifically, to perform an analysis from the point of view of Electrical and Electronic Industry firms, which, for belonging to a technology-intensive industry, are highly dependent on innovative activity. As a way of reaching this purpose, a descriptive and exploratory research was applied, based on the quantitative method. In the theoretical research, concepts related to innovation types, innovation networks and their typologies, the transfer of knowledge in the network, the use of exploration and exploitation strategies, the absorptive capacity, the types of partners established in the networks and their possible contributions have been addressed. In addition, a survey was applied to a total sample of 185 companies. The data examination was performed using descriptive and multivariate statistics, by applying the structural equation modeling and multivariate analysis of variance. As the main findings, it was observed that the establishment of collaborative relationships with clients and customers, competitors and universities and research institutes can corroborate to process and organizational innovation. It also emphasized that, despite getting some significant results concerning the contribution of different partners in the network, Electrical and Electronics Industry companies also attach more importance to internal activities to develop their innovations. In other words, despite of the high number of relationships with customers, suppliers and consumers, it still noticed a centralization of developing innovations\' processes.

Aborda-se a importância da avaliação de desempenho em sistemas construtivos inovadores, relatando inicialmente os sistemas de avaliação utilizados em alguns países estrangeiros e também, no Brasil. As edificações térreas de uso unifamiliar devem satisfazer determinadas exigências dos usuários, dentre as quais aquelas de segurança estrutural, durabilidade e estanqueidade. Para cada uma destas exigências estão estabelecidos requisitos e critérios de desempenho que devem ser atendidos quando o produto for avaliado. Tendo como objetivo a avaliação estrutural de sistemas construtivos inovadores, tomou-se como estudo de caso a Vila Tecnológica de Ribeirão Preto, com 111 habitações distribuídas em onze sistemas construtivos inovadores, implantada através do projeto PROTECH, programa instituído pela secretaria Geral da Presidência da República, e da COHAB-RP. O objetivo do empreendimento é criar centros de experimentação, demonstração e difusão de inovações tecnológicas, incentivando a produção industrial, aliando redução de custos à melhoria da qualidade da habitação. Cada sistema construtivo foi submetido a ensaios, realizados no campo, em um protótipo escolhido aleatoriamente. Para comparação e controle dos resultados, uma habitação convencional, \"padrão COHAB\", foi submetida aos mesmos ensaios, servindo como valores de referência. Apresentam-se então os resultados da avaliação, referentes à segurança estrutural, como também, a metodologia utilizada e o desempenho de cada sistema inovador frente ao padrão de referência adotado. / This work discusses the performance evaluation of innovative construction systems, starting with an account of the evaluation systems used in Brazil as well as in some foreign countries. Single storey one-family houses must satisfy several of the users\' basic expectations, among them structural safety, durability and watertighness. Prerequisites and performance criteria to satisfy each of these expectations have been established and must be met when the product is evaluated. The \"Vila Tecnológica de Ribeirão Preto\" was taken as a case study to perform a structural evaluation of innovative construction systems. The \"Vila Tecnológica\" has 111 homes distributed under eleven innovative construction systems, built through the PROTECH project, a program instituted by the Secretaria Geral da Presidência da República (General Bureau of the Presidency of the Republic) and by COHAB-RP (a federal housing program for low in come families). The aims to create centers for project experimention, demonstration and dissemination of innovative building technologies, and to stimulate production on an industrial scale, combining the advantages of reduced costs to improved housing quality. Each construction system was submitted to field tests performed on a randomly selected prototype. For purposes of comparison and control of the results, a conventional \"standard COHAB\" house was submitted to the same tests, the results thereof serving as reference values. The results of the evaluation of structural safety are presented herein, as well as the methodology utilized and the performance of each innovative construction system compared to the standard of reference adopted.

As empresas, para oferecerem produtos novos e diferenciados, precisam gerar ideias novas com mais frequência e com agilidade para atender as expectativas mutantes de um mercado competitivo. Objetivou-se verificar quais fatores promoção, estímulo e apoio a criatividade estão presentes nas empresas, descrever o nível do desempenho inovador delas, avaliar a relação entre os diferentes fatores e constatar se o setor e o porte da empresa interferem nessa relação. A população foi constituída de 343 indústrias da Região Sul do Brasil. O instrumento de coleta de dados foi disponibilizado na tecnologia Google Drive e, conforme os procedimentos de coleta de dados, obteve-se a participação de 37 indústrias, cujas respostas foram validadas. Realizou-se análise descritiva e correlacionais com técnicas não paramétricas. Os resultados obtidos permitem as seguintes concluir quanto à intensidade de presença, os fatores de promoção mais presentes nas empresas são lideranças motivadoras dos funcionários para o trabalho e reuniões para pensar o futuro da empresa; de estimulo: relacionadas com autonomia, diversidade, comunicação interpessoal e integração interna; de apoio, locais para trabalhar com segurança; quanto ao nível do desempenho inovador, prevaleceu na amostra estudada um número maior de empresas menos inovadoras comparativamente às mais inovadoras - empresas grandes, porém de menor intensidade tecnológica em sua maioria; foi possível constatar que há relação significante de alguns dos fatores de promoção, estímulo e apoio à criatividade com o desempenho inovador. Essa relação varia, em alguns dos indicadores, conforme o porte e setor de intensidade tecnológica das empresas. Considerando as circunstâncias nas quais o estudo foi realizado e suas peculiaridades, as conclusões e as recomendações subjacentes devem ser vistas com limitações. / Companies to offer new and differentiated products, need to generate new ideas more often and with agility to meet the changing expectations of a competitive market. This study aimed to determine which the factors of promotion, stimulus and support creativity are present in companies describe their level of innovative performance, evaluate the relationship between different factors and see if the industry and company size affect this relationship. The study population consisted of 343 industries in the Southern Region of Brazil. The instrument for data collection was made available in Google Drive technology, and as the procedures for data collection, obtained the participation of 37 industries, whose responses were validated. A descriptive and correlational analysis with non-parametric techniques. The results allow the following conclusions regarding the intensity of presence, the factors promoting more companies are present in motivating leaders of employees to work and meetings to consider the future of the company; stimulus: related to autonomy, diversity, interpersonal communication and internal integration; support, places to work safely; as to the level of innovative performance, prevailed in the studied sample a greater number of less innovative firms compared to more innovative - large companies, but in lower technological intensity mostly; it was found that there is significant relationship of some factors to promote, encourage and support creativity with innovative performance. This ratio varies in some of the indicators according to the size and technological intensity of the sector companies. Considering the circumstances in which the study was conducted and its peculiarities, the conclusions and underlying recommendations should be viewed with limitations.

O propósito desta tese é investigar a adoção de práticas de gestão da inovação de produtos e os desafios enfrentados por organizações que desenvolvem produtos para aumentar sua performance inovativa. Para tanto, são estudadas as potenciais relações entre os elementos organizacionais internos e a influência de fatores contextuais (porte, setor e origem do capital) na caracterização dos sistemas de gestão da inovação e dos obstáculos à inovação enfrentados por cada empresa. A escolha deste tema se justifica pelo fato dos processos de gestão que potencializam a performance inovativa ainda não estarem totalmente desvendados e pela carência de trabalhos empíricos que analisem a realidade das práticas propostas no mundo organizacional, em especial no Brasil. Como base conceitual para esta investigação, é proposto modelo sistêmico para a gestão da inovação que integra contribuições de diversas áreas em três dimensões principais: processos, contexto organizacional e recursos. Este construto fundamenta a realização de pesquisa exploratória qualitativa efetuada por meio de um estudo de casos múltiplos. Nele, os sistemas de gestão da inovação de quatro empresas com atividade relevante de desenvolvimento de produtos no Brasil são estudados. Inicialmente, cada empresa é analisada de forma individual com enfoque na caracterização de seu sistema de inovação e dos principais desafios ao aumento de performance inovativa. Em seguida, uma análise comparativa dos casos é efetuada a fim de se aprofundar a intepretação das variáveis coletadas à luz da literatura e do modelo proposto. Além da proposição de relacionamentos entre os elementos da gestão da inovação presentes no modelo integrado e entre eles e os fatores contextuais, o presente trabalho traz contribuições ligadas aos mecanismos que influenciam a adoção de práticas de gestão da inovação no Brasil e à caracterização dos desafios intraorganizacionais enfrentados pelas organizações para gerir seu processo inovador. / The purpose of this research is to analyze the adoption of innovation management practices and the challenges faced by companies which develop products to increase their innovative performance. It is studied the relation between organizational elements and the influence of contextual factors (company size, market segment and capital) on the characterization of the innovation management systems and on the obstacles to innovation faced by each company. The theme selection is justified because the management processes that contribute to the innovative performance remains not all known and due to the lack of empirical researches analyzing the reality of proposed practices in organizations, especially in Brazil. As conceptual basis for this investigation, it is proposed a systemic model for innovation management, which integrates contributions for several research fields in three dimensions: processes, organizational context and resources. This construct supports an exploratory qualitative research implemented using multiple study case method. In this study, it is investigated the innovation systems of four companies with relevant product development activities in Brazil. Initially, each company is analyzed individually with focus on the characterization of its innovation system and mains innovation challenges. After that, a comparative analysis is proposed to bring deeper understanding of the collected variables with reference to the exiting literature and the integrated model. More than the proposition of relationships between the innovation management elements present in the model, this research brings contributions related to the mechanisms which influence the innovation management practices adoption by companies in Brazil and the configuration of intra-organizational barriers faced by these companies to manage and improve their innovation process.