Magister Economicae - MEcon / The 21st century marked the beginning of an era in which countries became increasingly dependent on information and communication technology (ICT). Technological change has not only become one of the key contributors to economic growth, it is also regarded as an essential element to enhance the general welfare of society (Hu, 2006). Not surprisingly, even governments of developing countries undertake various activities aimed at internalising the positive external impact of technological innovation in order to enhance the development of knowledge-based economies. Examples are the provision of basic information services, such as telephone- and internet services as well as distance learning technologies to make education more generally accessible. Another instrument that recently gained worldwide interest is the development of science parks, also known as information technology (IT) parks, techno parks or cyber parks. The rationale is to promote technological change, regional and/or urban development and to facilitate the diffusion of knowledge and technology through the establishment of knowledge networks. In 2004 there were approximately 600 science parks in the world, 70 percent of which were situated in the United States of America, Europe and Asia, but there is a growing trend towards its establishment in developing countries. However, the financing of such mega-projects in developing countries is especially problematic. A science park can be provided as a pure public project or pure private or through public-private partnerships (PPPs). Pure public financing is usually found in countries that have strong public sectors, such as China and India. On the other hand, in countries with well-developed private sectors they are mostly privately financed. In the case of most developing countries, private sectors are generally not developed enough and the public sectors cannot afford to finance projects of such a nature on a sustainable basis. These countries have no other option but to investigate the possibility of some other variation of a public-private-partnership (PPP) model.The Mozambican government acknowledges the urgency to enhance the development of a knowledge based economy and regards the establishment of a science park as a necessary policy intervention to provide the institutional basis for the diffusion of technological and communication innovation. As a result the country launched its first science park, to be developed in different stages, in 2008. But the real challenge for Mozambique lies in the financing of the park. It was estimated that only the first phase will require about 25 million USD. These funds were secured from the Indian government in the form of a loan. However, the government of Mozambique relies to a large extent on foreign aid to balance the national budget and there are no surplus funds to secure the sustainability of a project of such magnitude. This study firstly explored the economic rationale behind the establishment of a knowledgebased economy and the development of ICT. It then focused on science parks as institutions to secure the diffusion of technological innovation in Mozambique and also on empirical evidence from countries that have benefited greatly from investment in science park projects. The study also investigated the possibility to use a PPP-type of project to finance the science park in Mozambique and pointed out very important determinants for the successful implementation of PPP-projects. The study showed that the government of Mozambique is serious in its efforts to develop a knowledge-based economy although many projects are still in their 'infant' stages. It is strongly recommended that policy makers in Mozambique should study the outcomes of empirical research on various science parks projects in other developing countries. The study shows that Brazil seems to be successful in its use of a PPP for the country's science parks. Policy makers should also pay careful attention to other PPP-projects in Mozambique. Although they are mostly used for infrastructural projects, some failed, while others seem to be functioning efficiently and important lessons can be derived.

The emergence on knowledge-based and innovation-based economy has led to numerous universities restructuring themselves in response to this new economic growth shift. Technology transfer is the process of converting scientific findings into useful products or services for society.The purpose of the study was to identify they key determinants that drives successful commercialisation of university innovations by technology transfer offices.The research took a qualitative methodology wherein open ended questions in the form of narrative inquiry were posed to experts in the field of university technology transfer to explore and understand the critical determinants that drives successful commercialisation of university innovations. From the twelve themes that emerged as determinants for diving successful commercialisation of innovation, buy-in by top management of the university, awareness about technology transfer office, enabling environment and financial stability were considered as highly critical for commercialisation of university innovations by technology transfer offices.A technology transfer office can create many benefits for the university, industry, and the surrounding community, but it requires carefully planned and consistent longterm financial and administrative support. And above all, it requires technology transfer officers that are able and willing to take risks and university top management that support them. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Magister Economicae - MEcon / Knowledge is recognised as a crucial resource in the knowledge-based economy; and it is believed to drive sustainable success in organizations. Knowledge management (KM) helps organizations identify, create, organize, distribute and transfer vital knowledge among employees within and across organizations. The underlying premise is that good KM leads to efficiency and effectiveness, which in turn, influences the total performance in an organization. Therefore, this study investigates the role of KM practices as they relate to projects in a South African government organisation. The problem was dwelt with by establishing research questions and objectives. In order to answer the research questions, a literature search was conducted in the area of KM to establish the KM enablers, barriers, and processes known to facilitate or hinder successful KM in organizations. This led to the identification of five enablers, including organizational culture, structure, technology, strategy and leadership, as well as the resources believed to be fundamental in the success of KM practices. Barriers to KM were identified as individual, organizational and technological. The study established four KM processes: acquisition, conversion, application and protection that were found to concur with good KM practices. A conceptual model was developed around these areas. The model assisted in developing qualitative and quantitative questions. In order to investigate the proposed research questions, the study identified a single directorate within the department of public works that is directly involved with the delivery of health infrastructure. The methodology used, which was mainly qualitative research, was conducted by using multiple-data evidences, namely: semi-structured interviews, document review; these were sourced from primary and secondary sources, as well as similar organizational best practices in KM. A total of nine interviews were conducted with individuals in managerial positions. A total of 7 of the 30 e-mailed questionnaires were completed and the data were used to supplement the qualitative data. This study used the Content-Analysis Technique approach to analyse the text data obtained from the interviews. It was established that successful KM implementation requires the promotion of an enabling environment. The results from the findings revealed that organizational culture, structure, leadership and strategy, ICT, as well as KM resources form, a foundation for the KM environment. KM processes, such as knowledge-retention, creation, capture, transfer and iv sharing, were found to be fundamental for KM practices to occur. Barriers to effective KM occurred largely due to the lack of awareness and time. To capitalize on knowledge, an organization must be prepared to balance its KM enablers and processes. The existing challenges impeding KM success should be identified and dealt with, in order to realize the KM benefits. The study, therefore, proposes a KM conceptual model to be integrated with the decision-making framework, as an implementation strategy for KM in the public sector. This would ensure an embedded knowledge-intensive environment in the Department, and hence the improvement of infrastructural delivery. This study is limited, since only a single case was used, which plainly suggests that there is a possibility that the results cannot be generalized beyond the researched organisation – without conducting any further study. It is recommended that for future research, this study be replicated through several other directorates, or even departments at various government levels (e.g. national, provincial). Also, quantitative analysis, together with qualitative analysis, should be used to create a triangulation between the two approaches.

Tendant vers la reconnaissance d’une compétence partagée de l’UE en matière d’éducation, cette étude vise à révéler le fort potentiel de l’intervention de l’UE dans la gestion des nouveaux défis éducatifs mondiaux. Fondée sur un faisceau de compétences intriquées, l’action externe de l’UE dans le secteur éducatif est substantiellement plus développée qu’elle ne le laisse a priori paraître. Elle constitue une politique extérieure éducative, qui se révèle à la fois intégrée, par sa nature transversale, et intégrative, par sa contribution à l’approfondissement du projet européen. L'extension progressive du champ de compétence de l’UE en matière d’éducation est liée à la valeur ajoutée, sans cesse accrue, de l’UE pour gérer l’impact de l’économie mondialisée de la connaissance sur les services d’éducation et contribuer efficacement au développement d’actions internationales de grande envergure en matière d’éducation pour tous. Ces travaux de recherches ont pour finalité de rassembler et analyser les éléments juridiques, techniques, sociopolitiques et financiers, plaidant en faveur de l’établissement d’une politique extérieure éducative de l’UE et d’en appréhender les principales caractéristiques. Ils visent à impulser un ajustement des compétences et pouvoirs de l’UE afin de prendre en compte l’évolution de la pratique institutionnelle, que l’on ne peut occulter dans un souci de sécurité juridique, de transparence et de préservation de l’effet utile du droit européen. / This study reveals the strong potential of the EU’s intervention to deal with the current international challenges and it aims to recognize a shared competence of the EU in the field of education. Based on multiple foundations, the EU’s external education measures are substantially more important than they may appear. The EU’s external education policy is, at the same time, mainstreamed by its cross-disciplinary nature, and integrative by its contribution to the deepening of the European project. The EU’s external education policy is not confined to sporadic measures and was based from the outset on the use of the flexibility clause and connectivity of the EU’s areas of expertise. It is built on holistic concepts and coherent goals pursued within the framework of external long-term strategies, which implied the EU’s enhanced competence in the field of education, beyond that of support established in the Treaty. The progressive extension of the EU’s scope of competence in the field of education is closely linked with the higher added value of the EU in the management of a knowledge-based economy’s impact on education services and its effective contribution to international measures in the field of education for all. This research aims to gather and analyse legal, technical, socio-political and financial elements, which offer conclusive evidence of the existence of the EU’s external education policy and present its main features. It is hoped this will lead to an adjustment of the EU’s competences and powers, so as to take into account the development of institutional practice that cannot be overlooked for the sake of legal certainty, transparency and effectiveness of EUlaw.

Sammanfattning Syfte: Denna studies syfte är att undersöka om det finns ett samband mellan intellektuellt kapital och finansiell prestation i företag samt om det finns ett samband mellan humankapital och finansiell prestation.  Metod: Studien antar en kvantitativ metod som undersöker svenska börsnoterade företag på Nasdaq OMX Stockholm och NGM Equity. En longitudinell design har genomförts med en tidsperiod på fem år där data är insamlat från 297 företag. Studien baseras på sekundärdata från företagens årsredovisningar som inhämtas från databasen Retriever Business. Data har analyserats genom univariat analys, korrelationsanalys samt multipel regressionsanalys i statistikprogrammet SPSS. Resultat & slutsats: Resultatet i studien visar att det finns ett positivt samband mellan intellektuellt kapital och finansiell prestation som är signifikant. Resultatet visar även att det finns ett signifikant positivt samband mellan humankapital och finansiell prestation. Vid jämförelse visar resultatet att det inte finns stora skillnader mellan dessa två samband eller mängden intellektuellt kapital och humankapital hos företagen.  Examensarbetets bidrag: Studien ger bevis att det erhålls ett positivt samband mellan intellektuellt kapital och finansiell prestation samt även mellan humankapital som egen komponent och finansiell prestation. Vidare ges även resultat att sambanden inte skiljer sig avsevärt mycket vilket tyder på att humankapital är den bidragande komponenten i helheten av intellektuellt kapital. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Ett förslag till vidare forskning är att välja ett annat mått för variabeln finansiell prestation än det mått som representeras i denna studie. En begränsning i den här studien är att generalisera resultatet till andra företag och därav är ett ytterligare förslag till fortsatt forskning att studera mindre företag. Ett sista förslag är att ta ut alla tre komponenter i intellektuellt kapital och undersöka ytterligare hur de enskilt kan påverka prestationen inom företag. / Abstract Aim: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether there is a relationship between intellectual capital and financial performance in companies and whether there is a relationship between human capital and financial performance. Method: The study adopts a quantitative method that examines Swedish listed companies on Nasdaq OMX Stockholm and NGM Equity. A longitudinal design has been used with a time period of five years where data is collected from 297 companies. The study is based on secondary data from the companies' annual reports obtained from the Retriever Business database. Data have been analyzed through univariate analysis, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis in the statistical program SPSS. Result & Conclusions: The results of the study show that there is a significant positive relationship between intellectual capital and financial performance. The results also show that there is a significant positive relationship between human capital and financial performance. Contribution of the thesis: The study provides evidence that a positive relationship is obtained between intellectual capital and financial performance as well as between human capital as its own component and financial performance. Furthermore, results are also given that the relationships do not differ significantly, which indicates that human capital is the contributing component in the entirety of intellectual capital. Suggestions for future research: A proposal for further research is to choose a different measure for the variable financial performance than the measure represented in this study. A limitation in this study is to generalize the results to smaller companies and hence a further proposal for further research is to study smaller companies. A final proposal is to take out all three components of intellectual capital and further investigate how they individually affect performance within companies.

The problem of the present study was to determine training professionals' perceptions of their awareness of and involvement in the integration of training in the firm's business strategies and the impact of training on the firm's competitiveness. The analysis of data obtained from the online survey of 111 participants who were training professionals employed in small, medium, and large firms across three different industries - service, retailing, and manufacturing - revealed that more than 50% of the participants indicated that they either had some understanding of or understood in depth the integration of training in their firms' business strategies. And more than 50% of the participants reported moderate, high, or very high involvement in the integration of training in their firms' business strategies. Moreover, the majority of the participants rated the impact of training on measures of their firms' competitiveness moderate, high, or very high. In addition, the participants were most frequently based on their communication with colleagues and management team regarding their perceptual judgment of the impact of training on all measures of their firms' competitiveness. There was a statistically significant relationship between the participants' firm sizes and the extent to which training contributed to three of the measures of their firms' innovation. Finally, the results indicated a statistically significant positive relationship, r(98) = .576, p < .01, between training professionals' perceived involvement in the integration of training in their firms' business strategies and the impact of training on their firms' competitiveness.

In the modern economy, national innovation systems (NIS) contribute to a substantial increase in economic development in numerous parts of the world. NIS has been instrumental in integrating most developing countries' economies into the global capitalist system; however, some developing countries lag the innovation capacities to develop their NIS. The inability of the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to gauge their NIS is problematic and probably risky for the countries' future development. Without proper evaluation and monitoring, it is hard for governments to create policies to advance their NIS to attain their desired economic development objectives. Development experiences of the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and their insignificant standings in the global exchange of goods and services warrant a comprehensive way to measure and evaluate their NIS. This study ascertained how predictor variables: government effectiveness index (GEI), percentage of public spending on education (PSE) and labor force (LF) influenced the criterion variables: gross domestic product (GDP), gross national income (GNI) and human development index (HDI). The results categorized the countries that are performing soundly or not, and the knowledge from the assessments can aid in improving national policies for future performance of NIS in Sub-Saharan Africa. Likewise, it can help to create an atmosphere of informed decision and evidence-based calculated policymaking through assessment of development models' effectiveness in achieving regional goals. The study of NIS is significant in defining the level of effectiveness, convergence, and progress of nations. The outcomes of the policy ingenuities assumed at the state level can be specified and current strategies can be reformulated.

O objetivo desta tese é analisar os novos caminhos da intervenção direta do Estado na economia, notadamente no ambiente financeiro nacional, em que prevalece a atuação de um banco público de desenvolvimento - O BNDES. O trabalho parte do pressuposto de que há uma variedade de alternativas institucionais de organização financeira, que refletem as trajetórias históricas dos países. É por esta razão que se pode identificar, por exemplo, diferenças entre o modelo norte-americano e o modelo nipo-germanico: enquanto o primeiro é baseado nas operações do mercado de capitais, o segundo conta com os investidores institucionais e com os bancos. A partir daí, pode-se igualmente reconhecer que a alternativa institucional constitutiva do sistema financeiro nacional conta com os agentes estatais: os seus principais atores financeiros. Destes todos, o BNDES é o exemplo mais significativo. Diante disso, uma vez caracterizado que a intervenção direta do Estado, também chamada no trabalho de regulação institucional, é o elemento característico do modelo brasileiro de desenvolvimento, a tese procurar mostrar que esta ação pública tem sofrido alterações, em um contexto recente. Em razão de um novo paradigma econômico, a economia baseada no conhecimento, pode-se reconhecer modificações na forma de atuação do agente estatal. Um estudo de caso revela que não só o financiamento das inovações passou a assumir um caráter relevante na agenda do BNDES, como, principalmente, esta atividade esteve associada a uma nova racionalidade de intervenção. Diante da nova economia, o Banco atua em convergência com os demais agentes financeiros e com isso assume um papel de indutor tanto das empresas emergentes, como do próprio de mercado de capital de risco. Esta constatação aponta para dois atributos que compõem, então, esta nova rodada da regulação direta da economia: a persistência e a dinâmica. A persistência porque apesar das modificações advin advindas de uma economia baseada no conhecimento, o Estado e, em especial o BNDES, continua a desempenhar um papel chave no financiamento do desenvolvimento brasileiro, particularmente em áreas não consolidadas e portadoras de futuro, como, ora, são as inovações. A dinâmica porque esta prevalência do agente estatal no financiamento corporativo assenta-se em novas ferramentas e assume uma distinta racionalidade, compatível com uma economia privatizada e aberta à concorrência internacional. É, pois, disso que trata esta tese: da regulação institucional de um banco de desenvolvimento em uma economia baseada no conhecimento. / The objective of this dissertation is to examine the new ways of direct State intervention in the economy, especially in the domestic financial environment, which has a prevailing public bank for development - the BNDES. The work is based on the assumption that there are a variety of alternatives to institutional financial organization, which reflect the historical trajectories of the countries. It is for this reason that we can identify, for example, differences between the U.S. model and the Japanese-German model: while the former is based on the operations of the capital market, the latter deals with institutional investors and the banks. Hence, we can also recognize that the alternative institutional constituent of the national financial system takes into account state agents, their main financial players. Of them all, the BNDES is the most significant example. Thus, once established the direct intervention of the state, also called institutional regulation, as the main feature of the Brazilian model of development, the dissertation examines the changes it recently underwent. Because of a new economic paradigm, the knowledge based economy, there have been changes in the way state acts in economy. A case study shows that not only that the financing of innovation has become paramount within the BNDES agenda, but also this activity has been associated with a new rationale for intervention. Facing this new economy, the Bank operates in convergence with other financial agents, thus taking a role in inducing both emerging companies and venture capital. This finding points to two attributes that make up, thus, this new stage of direct regulation of the economy: persistence and dynamics. Persistence because despite changes resulting from a knowledge based economy, the state and, in particular the BNDES, continues to play a key role in the financing of Brazilian development, particularly in non¬consolidated and future bearing areas, as innovations. Dynamics, because the prevalence of the state agent in corporate finance is based on new tools and takes a different rationale, consistent with a privatized economy, open to international competition. That is, therefore, with the core issue of the present dissertation: the institutional regulation of a development bank within a knowledge-based economy.

Education in Singapore is seen as a key instrument to equip the next generation with resources to meet the needs of a Knowledge-Based Economy in a globalize world. The goal of this study is to develop a Music Education Curriculum Framework consistent with a Knowledge-Based Economy (KMCF) for Singapore neighborhood secondary schools. It provides the general context of music education in Singapore and conducts research to reveal the perspectives of key cross-sector stakeholders in music education, namely: The Ministry of Education (MOE) music and curriculum planning and development officers, National Institute of Education music academics, principals, general classroom music teachers and over 600 students. The curriculum framework will focus on the desirable qualities of Knowledge-Based Economy (KBE), particularly creativity, innovation, risk-taking, entrepreneurship and lifelong learning which have been strongly emphasized by the Singaporean government. In the light of their vision of thinking Schools, Learning Nation, the Ministry of Education is repositioning and reorienting the education system by implementing numerous initiatives and policies. The intention is to foster flexibility and diversity in a broad-based and holistic education, but the main focus to date has been on information technology, problem-solving and core subjects rather than on the creative aspects of the arts. By surveying students, this research aims to find out to what extent students find their music lessons satisfactory and whether their perspectives is compatible with those of other stakeholders. Students generally do not take music seriously, and the public perception is that a music career is limited to performing and teaching. The model curriculum framework will indicate further related careers, and the personal growth that comes through a genuine engagement with music. The Ministry of Education controls the school curriculum, structure of education, examinations, teacher qualifications and conditions of service. In 2005 it initiated a Teach Less, Learn More initiative which promoted student engagement. However, despite the rhetoric of classroom-based, teacher-owned and school-driven learning, it did not consult teachers or students and therefore failed as a vital learning organization which involved all participants in deciding future directions. For Senge (1994, p.13), a learning organization is a place where people are continually discovering how they create their reality. The curriculum design is an example of an example of an open system which this thesis addresses the issue of providing a structured programme flexible enough to adapt to contextual needs while providing the standards and outcomes needed in a competitive knowledge-based economy. This thesis makes its original contribution to knowledge by applying an open system model from organisational theory to a conventional music curriculum.

「知識經濟」概念開始於90年代初期。「經濟合作開發組織」在「1996年科學技術和科技展望」的報告中，該報告認為以知識為本位的經濟即將改變全球經濟發展型態；知識已成為生產力提升與經濟成長的主要驅動力，隨著資訊通訊科技的快速發展與高度應用，世界各國的產出、就業及投資將明顯轉向知識密集產業，這些「以知識密集產業為基礎的經濟」簡稱為知識經濟。 知識經濟時代是顧客導向時代，以全球化競爭、創新、研發與累積智慧資本的時代。在這樣特質的時代裡，知識管理是知識經濟時代最重要的管理方向。討論知識經濟時代的品質管理時，『知識管理』的精神和作法是探討的主軸。所以如何在全面品質管理中加入知識管理的程序，包含知識的確認、知識的獲得、知識的發展與創造、知識的分享與移轉、知識的具體使用和知識的維持與剔除等重要要素，是知識經濟時代品質管理的重要課題。 品質管理從泰勒的科學管理、專業分工提出後，就一直為產業界所重視。隨著創新和知識經濟的浪潮，品質管理應如何在這波浪潮中繼續其功能，在所謂的新知識經濟時代，品質管理的手法與應用，又會以何創新的面貌，在企業中推行實施，創造出最高的價值，這是非常值得省思的的主題。也是這篇論文主要的研究原因和動機。 本論文由品質管理大師的理論著手，介紹全面品質管理的理論基礎、全面品質管理核心內涵、進而探討在知識經濟中的品質體系和管理模式。由傳統品質要求，進到知識經濟時代的品質系統建構。其中加入企業個案與作法，使實務與理論得以互相對照。 關鍵詞：知識經濟、顧客導向、知識管理、全面品質管理