Mitigating energy poverty requires a multi-criteria decision protocol integrating socio-economic, cultural, environmental, and technical systems, influencing energy access, and consumption. Situations of energy poverty are typical in rural and urban poor households, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. These situations are commonly prevalent in informal settlements, sprawling across the periphery of South African metros. Majorities of informal households lack access to grid-electricity and consume local energy sources for their energy needs. There are ongoing government efforts directed to mitigating energy poverty among energy-poor households, such as informal households, through policies and subsidies. Socio-economic and cultural environments also redefine the extent to which energy poverty is mitigated in these households. At present, informal households are constantly and rapidly growing, and as a result, compromise policy effectiveness and other functional strategies, targeting to mitigating energy poverty in these households, and achieving universal energy access in South Africa. Accordingly, this research study adopted a multidisciplinary approach to understanding related matters of energy poverty based on energy policies; electricity access, and pricing; geospatial analysis; energy use and access; and management strategies, with emphasis on informal settlements in South Africa. The first part of the study reviewed energy pro-poor policies, relevant to improving energy access and energy-use efficiency in energy-poor households in South Africa. The study also investigated electricity access (access rates), connection costs (access costs), and electricity tariffs to understand historical precedents and forecast scenarios, and the relationships to gaining complete electricity access by 2030 in the City of Cape Town. The third part mapped and monitored informal areas to understand landscape processes and poverty with energy poverty propagations by Land Cover (LC) and Land-Cover Change (LCC) in the City of Cape Town. The fourth part of the research investigated energy-use patterns and other energy-related matters in a selected informal settlement - a typical case study of an energy-poor community in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. The last part proposed and designed a novel System Reinforcing Model (SRM), an Energy Access Sustainability (EAS) management scheme, applicable to mitigating energy poverty in any energy-poor community. The study review validated government efforts in improving energy access in energy-poor households through commissioned energy pro-poor policies but not without drawbacks and proposed recommendations to support future policy reforms. The research also revealed iv A novel systems approach to energy poverty in sub-Saharan Africa: A South African informal settlement as case study. increasing patterns in historical trends of access rates, costs, and tariffs, and relationships between parameters within the assessment period (from 2010 to 2018). The forecast analyses (from 2019 to 2030) demonstrated that total electricity access could not be reached by 2030 without a shift in Business-As-Usual (BAU) patterns in the City of Cape Town. The LC conversions of informal areas revealed poverty with energy poverty propagations through landscape degradation processes - Persistence and Intensification - in the City of Cape Town. The research study further revealed poor energy use patterns and behaviour in the target Settlement. Informal households in the settlement mainly adopted local energy fuels and appliances in satisfying household energy needs. The novel part of the research study described the application of a systems approach - Systems engineering (SE) and Systems Thinking (SsT) - into energy poverty and access processes to developing the new SRM. SE and SsT concept analyses were employed in identifying and integrating four operating system interfaces in these processes into the new SRM. The new SRM simulated complex systems and elements within the interfaces and categorized them as design decisions and system designs. These systems and elements were grounded in energy-use patterns and behaviour, energy access, and EAS, as well as socio-economic, cultural, technical, and environmental features. Arrays of feedback loops in reinforcing patterns in the new SRM modelled the interactions between, and within, design decisions and system designs, for future energy access rebranding, based on significant sustainability outcomes of favourably coalesced system interfaces. SRM was applied in the target settlement, where the model’s significance was validated. Based on its multi-criteria decision approach, among its many features, SRM revealed system parts instigating energy poverty situations and limiting EAS in the target settlement. SRM tailored energy access solutions, whilst integrating significant outcomes of the whole research study, to advancing energy poverty mitigation and EAS in the target settlement. / Thesis (PhD (Technology Management))--University of Pretoria, 2020. / UP Postgraduate Bursary / International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) / Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM) / PhD (Technology Management) / Unrestricted

Zugl.: Erlangen, Nürnberg, Universiẗat, Diss., 2009.

Orientador: Maria Beatriz Machado Bonacelli / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociências / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-17T04:08:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Aquino_AnaFlaviaPortilhoFerrode_D.pdf: 2320732 bytes, checksum: 570a212ea7ff0ce302ec652ad36ad0a9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: O presente trabalho traz uma análise crítica da abordagem de inovação aberta (IA) e tem como objetivo analisar e caracterizar práticas colaborativas em inovação identificadas no setor de higiene pessoal, perfumaria e cosméticos (HPPC), procurando definir os desafios que se configuram a partir da necessidade de desenvolvimento de novas competências e rotinas organizacionais, a fim de operacionalizar estratégias deliberadamente focadas no estabelecimento de parcerias em pesquisa e desenvolvimento (P&D), como é o caso da inovação aberta (IA). Para tanto, inicialmente foi feita uma revisão da literatura de IA de modo a desmistificar seu conceito, elencar suas formas de aplicação e identificar diferentes níveis de implementação. Posteriormente, analisamos a estrutura, dinâmica e condicionantes da inovação no setor de HPPC. Em seguida, caracterizamos práticas colaborativas em P&D e inovação estabelecidas entre empresas do setor a partir da análise de 43 casos. Analisamos também no Brasil e na França esforços empreendidos por associações industriais e governo de institucionalização do apoio ao estabelecimento de parcerias no setor. A fim de identificar e caracterizar práticas de gestão destas parcerias realizamos uma pesquisa exploratória com dez organizações e um estudo de caso em profundidade da empresa brasileira Natura. A partir da análise da implementação de uma estratégia de IA nesta empresa, pudemos identificar passos que compõem o processo de desenvolvimento de novas competências e rotinas organizacionais necessárias à sua implementação e, mais especificamente, ao acesso e gerenciamento de diversas fontes externas de inovação. Usamos como arcabouço teórico para realizar esta análise a visão baseada em recursos e a abordagem de capacidades dinâmicas (CD). Argumentamos que o desenvolvimento dessas competências e rotinas requer a mobilização de CD da firma num processo de reconfiguração de recursos e aprendizagem. Dentre as competências a serem desenvolvidas, destacamos as capacidades relacionais, especialmente necessárias no caso de empresas que lidam com uma vasta gama de atores, como é o caso da Natura. Como principais conclusões deste trabalho, acreditamos que a IA, uma abordagem que une práticas de busca de fontes externas de inovação, assim como de uso alternativo de tecnologias próprias não incorporadas ao negócio da empresa, é aplicável ao setor de HPPPC, dada sua dinâmica de inovação, desde que sejam realizados esforços para a estruturação e formalização desta estratégia. Destacamos alguns pontos nesse sentido. Primeiramente, é fundamental ter uma área dedicada à gestão de parcerias, sendo importante que esta seja apoiada pelas interfaces internas. Em segundo lugar, se faz necessário um processo de avaliação das parcerias. Finalmente, é crucial a manutenção de um P&D interno estável e contínuo, assim como o nível elevado da capacidade técnica das pessoas envolvidas nas atividades de P&D, na busca por oportunidades externas e na condução das parcerias. Afinal, só é possível extrair valor das oportunidades identificadas e das parcerias estabelecidas quando se tem a capacidade de absorção dos resultados provenientes destas interações / Abstract: This work provides a critical analysis of the open innovation approach and aims to analyze and characterize the collaborative innovation practices identified in the cosmetics and toiletries (C&T) industry, seeking to define the challenges that emerge from the need to develop new competences and organizational routines in order to implement strategies deliberately focused on building partnerships in research and development (R&D), as is the case of open innovation (OI). Therefore, we firstly reviewed the literature about OI in order to demystify the concept, list its application forms and identify its different levels of implementation. Subsequently, we assessed the structure, dynamics and current innovation drivers in the C&T industry. Secondly, we identified and characterized R&D and innovation collaborative practices established between companies in the industry by analyzing 43 cases. We also analyzed Brazilian and French industry associations and government efforts aimed at supporting the institutionalization of partnerships in the C&T industry. In order to identify and characterize management practices of these partnerships we performed an exploratory research with ten organizations and an in depth case study of the Brazilian company Natura. By analyzing the implementation of an OI strategy in this company, we were able to identify steps that comprise the process of developing the necessary competences and organizational routines, especially to access and manage a wide range of external sources of innovation. In order to perform this analysis, we used the resource-based view and the dynamic capabilities approach (DC) as theoretical framework. We argue that the development of these competences and routines requires the mobilization of DC of the firm in a process of resources reconfiguration and organizational learning. Among the skills to be developed, we highlight the firm's relational capabilities, especially needed by companies dealing with a wide range of actors, as is the case of Natura. As main conclusions of this work, we believe that OI, an approach which unifies practices for searching external sources of innovation as well as for establishing alternative paths to market for internal technologies unsuitable to the firm's business model, is applicable to this industry, given its innovation dynamics, though efforts should be made for the structuring and formalization of this strategy. We highlight some points that we consider essential in this regard. Firstly, it is fundamental to have a dedicated function to the partnerships management, and it is utterly important that it be supported by the different internal interfaces. Secondly, an evaluating process of the partnerships is necessary. Finally, it is crucial that a stable and continuous internal R&D be maintained, as well as the high level of expertise of persons engaged in R&D activities, in looking for opportunities, and in the conduct of external partnerships. After all, the firm can only extract value of the identified opportunities and partnerships when it has the adequate absorptive capacity to internalize the results of these interactions / Doutorado / Doutor em Política Científica e Tecnológica

This Masters Thesis explores the behaviour of Generation Y in the workplace and its impact on management innovation. It focuses mainly on research on the values, attitudes, specifics and needs of this generation in the work place and their potential impact on  management innovation. This work reveals the key parameters in the choice of future employer and also the best ways to motivate Generation Y representatives to work well. Results of the research show that there is a connection between applied management principles and job satisfaction of Generation Y representatives. Therefore, it will be necessary for the companies to deal with management innovations in a specific way to attract this generation. This Thesis shows positive examples of companies in the Czech Republic, which could become an inspiration for other employers and an ideal place for the career development of Generation Y representatives due to their management model, corporate culture and general approach to the Generation.

Diploma thesis deals with SCRUM methodology and its uses in innovation management. The main objective of the thesis is creation of a specific framework which will enable to use SCRUM methodology in the innovation process. The thesis is divided into three parts. The first part presents theoretical framework important for the main research. This part contains literature review and research dedicated to the SCRUM methodology and innovation process. The second part of the thesis deals with mapping of the SCRUM methodology to Hladik's innovation process. This part also contains own design of the innovation management process. The third part of the thesis is dedicated to the case study. The case study uses described innovation management process for verification of the hypothesis saying that is possible to use SCRUM methodology in the innovation process. The author's contribution lies in creation of a framework which provides agile alternative to the classical innovation management models.

Este estudo de natureza exploratória-descritiva versa sobre contribuições de fatores de estímulo para a capacidade de inovação sob a perspectiva da gestão estratégica de pessoas. O problema da pesquisa foi: em que medida a gestão estratégica de pessoas pode contribuir para a capacidade de inovação no setor industrial? Foram formulados três objetivos de investigação: identificar indicadores de gestão estratégicas de pessoas, identificar indicadores de capacidade de inovação e analisar as contribuições da gestão estratégica de pessoas para a capacidade de inovação. Foi realizada pesquisa bibliográfica, por meio da qual se obtiveram características e indicadores utilizados na pesquisa empírica conduzida sob o método quantitativo. Foram feitos 1.034 com profissionais responsáveis pela gestão de projetos de pesquisa, desenvolvimento e inovação, sendo que 39 participaram do levantamento. Foi confirmada a hipótese geral do estudo, que gestão estratégica de pessoas está associada com capacidade de inovação. Também foi confirmada uma hipótese específica, que liderança e gestão é a característica de gestão estratégica de pessoas que esteve mais fortemente associada com capacidade de inovação. Foram propostas sugestões de continuidade da pesquisa e novas pesquisas relacionadas ao tema. / This study focuses on stimulus factors\' contributions for innovation management. Its research problem was \"to what extent strategic human resource management can contribute to innovation capacity in the industrial sector?\" The three objectives of this study were: identifying innovation capacity antecedents from the perspective of strategic human resource management; identifying innovation capacity indicators; and analyzing the contributions of strategic human resource management for innovation capacity. In order to identify innovation capacity antecedents, a bibliographical research in strategic human resources literature and in innovation management literature had been carried out. These antecedents consisted of seven organizational characteristics, four of which were chosen for being related to strategic human resource management: philosophy, values and norms; strategic innovative focus; leadership and management; and human resources policies and practices. An unprecedented conceptual model was developed in order to test the relationship between the independent and dependent variables: strategic human resource management and innovation capacity. In addition, three intervening variables were selected from the literature: organizational size, gross operating income and number of years operating in Brazil. An empirical, descriptive and quantitative research was carried out by means of deductive reasoning. The population of the study consisted of professionals responsible for research, development and innovation in industrial organizations operating in Brazil. From 1.034 professionals responsible for research, development and innovation were contacted, 48 of them participated in the survey and 39 provided complete answers. The general hypothesis of the study - that strategic human resource management is associated with innovation capacity - was confirmed. The strategic resource management characteristics that were moderately or highly correlated with innovation capacity were: strategic innovative focus; leadership and management; and human resources policies and practice. Philosophy, values and norms was the only characteristic that presented low correlation. Continuity of this research and new research topics were suggested.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T14:30:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Adriano de Sales Coelho.pdf: 1053843 bytes, checksum: 4b8a1937abf31ca2b391a9816eaf33cf (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-09-15 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The present research arises from the restlessness concern of a school manager who after two decades of study and practice searches for new ways of thinking about school management in the theories of innovation management. He proposes thinking reflectively about educational innovation and the possibilities of its application to the school organization. The main purpose of this study is to reframe the vision and practice of school administrators based on theories of innovation and to identify processes which will facilitate innovative education with the purpose/aim of building innovative school environments. It develops concepts of school organization, social function, Educational and School Management. The research addresses the correlation between GTA and School Management the General Theory of Administration, aligning techniques and concepts used in administration which, when questioned and considered and, taking into account the policy of the educational organization, are likely to be applied in the educational context. The research methodology was qualitative with a reflexive-interpretive purpose and its results showed that the introduction of the principles of innovation to thinking reflexively to School Management permits the development of innovative organizational solutions such as the Management of Knowledge and the development of Learning Communities, making possible the creation of innovative school environments and strengthening the construction of a school as a learning organization / O presente trabalho de pesquisa surge da inquietação de um gestor escolar que após duas décadas de estudos e práticas, busca nas teorias da Gestão da Inovação, novas formas de pensar a Gestão Escolar. Propõe um pensar reflexivo acerca da inovação educativa e suas possibilidades de aplicação à organização escolar. O estudo teve o objetivo de ressignificar a visão e prática de gestores escolares a partir de teorias da inovação e indicar processos facilitadores à inovação educativa, com fins de contribuir para a construção de ambientes escolares inovativos. Desenvolve conceitos de organização escolar, função social, Gestão Educacional e Escolar. Aborda as correlações entre Gestão Escolar e TGA Teoria Geral da Administração, aproximando técnicas e conceitos utilizados em Administração que, quando criticados e refletidos e, respeitando as especificidades da organização educacional, são passíveis de aplicação no contexto educacional. A metodologia de pesquisa foi qualitativa de cunho interpretativo-reflexivo e seus resultados mostraram que a introdução de princípios da inovação ao pensar reflexivamente a Gestão Escolar propicia o desenvolvimento de soluções organizativas inovadoras como a Gestão do Conhecimento e o desenvolvimento de Comunidades de Aprendizagens, possibilitando a criação de ambientes escolares inovativos e fortalecendo a construção de uma escola como organização aprendente

Abstract In 2002, Kaohsiung Port has become the fifth largest container world port in world rank, losing to Korea¡¦s Pusan Port the third time and to the Mainland¡¦s Shanghai Port the first. Under the fierce threat of global ports¡¦ competitions, Kaohsiung Port now is also facing the challenges from other new ports along the Mainland¡¦s coastline. Therefore, it might not even keep the fifth in rank if there is no any other managing strategy more effective to confront global ports¡¦ competitions. As a part of the Port, Kaohsiung Customs has the responsibility for helping it on the issues of three links and direct transport, planning free-trade portal zone and fulfilling obligations after entering WTO. Moreover, the Customs can render help to revitalize the Port as vigorous as before. In compliance with the Port¡¦s strategy, the Customs should know: how to use the synergy gained from knowledge management and innovation to simplify the administrative work, how to utilize the newest and most effective enforcement, and how to introduce the newest technology and instrument to reach the demand of Customs modernization¡Xa barrier-free clearance environment¡Xso as to raise the business sectors and the port¡¦s international competitiveness ¡Xall are testing the expertise and wisdom of the Port¡¦s authorities in business strategy. Nominal Group Technique (NGT), applied in a group, an organization, an enterprise, a community or a society, has certain performance of solving unstructured problems which are important, complex, badly communicated with, or controversial. According to general research, using NGT to operate interactive management has the effects such as effective participation of team workers, realizing and identifying an issue, reaching a consensus and conclusion, as well as restructuring recognition from interactive learning. This research proceeded with interviewing local experts, and compiling their opinions those were used not only to verify the research¡¦s assumptions but also to develop a subsequent NGT interactive questionnaire. This questionnaire was to test the interactive NGT participants. With the same questionnaire they were tested twice¡Xbefore and after the interaction. Thus, we can examine the degree of interactive learning satisfaction to verify the achievement of NGT interaction. Therefore, the NGT effects can both be the proof of the theoretical basis and the research discovering, which leads to a conclusion and research suggestions. The concrete achievements of NGT interaction include the big ten preferential strategies and an enhanced structural drawing. The structural drawing is a tangible achievement of the research operated by NGT. Moreover, the research collected and analyzed information through the editorials of domestic major newspapers in order to testify the intensity of which the big ten strategies and the structural drawing were converged on the strategy of ¡§three links and direct transport¡¨. The conclusion points out that it will help Kaohsiung Port strive for becoming a hub of global logistical centers. The complexity of the Customs affairs has certain influence over the development of a port¡¦s competition. Nowadays, the issue of the Customs modernization has become a new trend for every country in the world since the US Congress passed the Customs Modernization Act in 1993. How are the results of the two Customs modernization across the strait? This research collected relevant information to analyze and to compare. In conclusion, we found that the achievement of NGT interaction can be verified by general research. Besides, either by expert-interviewing method or by inviting relevant participants to involve the NGT interaction, the final conclusions have the following suggestions those are utilizing knowledge management and innovation to improve the Customs clearance operations, integrating the information between the harbor & Customs, applying risk management to reduce the Customs interference, launching the direct sea transport, decreasing the operation cost of port, legislating as soon as possible for establishing free-trade portal zone¡Ketc. All above will have the most enforceable effects on the competition and development of Kaohsiung Port. The strategy of ¡§Cross-strait three links and direct transport¡¨ will have the most effect on Kaohsiung Port that becomes the hub of global logistic centers.

Este estudo de natureza exploratória-descritiva versa sobre contribuições de fatores de estímulo para a capacidade de inovação sob a perspectiva da gestão estratégica de pessoas. O problema da pesquisa foi: em que medida a gestão estratégica de pessoas pode contribuir para a capacidade de inovação no setor industrial? Foram formulados três objetivos de investigação: identificar indicadores de gestão estratégicas de pessoas, identificar indicadores de capacidade de inovação e analisar as contribuições da gestão estratégica de pessoas para a capacidade de inovação. Foi realizada pesquisa bibliográfica, por meio da qual se obtiveram características e indicadores utilizados na pesquisa empírica conduzida sob o método quantitativo. Foram feitos 1.034 com profissionais responsáveis pela gestão de projetos de pesquisa, desenvolvimento e inovação, sendo que 39 participaram do levantamento. Foi confirmada a hipótese geral do estudo, que gestão estratégica de pessoas está associada com capacidade de inovação. Também foi confirmada uma hipótese específica, que liderança e gestão é a característica de gestão estratégica de pessoas que esteve mais fortemente associada com capacidade de inovação. Foram propostas sugestões de continuidade da pesquisa e novas pesquisas relacionadas ao tema. / This study focuses on stimulus factors\' contributions for innovation management. Its research problem was \"to what extent strategic human resource management can contribute to innovation capacity in the industrial sector?\" The three objectives of this study were: identifying innovation capacity antecedents from the perspective of strategic human resource management; identifying innovation capacity indicators; and analyzing the contributions of strategic human resource management for innovation capacity. In order to identify innovation capacity antecedents, a bibliographical research in strategic human resources literature and in innovation management literature had been carried out. These antecedents consisted of seven organizational characteristics, four of which were chosen for being related to strategic human resource management: philosophy, values and norms; strategic innovative focus; leadership and management; and human resources policies and practices. An unprecedented conceptual model was developed in order to test the relationship between the independent and dependent variables: strategic human resource management and innovation capacity. In addition, three intervening variables were selected from the literature: organizational size, gross operating income and number of years operating in Brazil. An empirical, descriptive and quantitative research was carried out by means of deductive reasoning. The population of the study consisted of professionals responsible for research, development and innovation in industrial organizations operating in Brazil. From 1.034 professionals responsible for research, development and innovation were contacted, 48 of them participated in the survey and 39 provided complete answers. The general hypothesis of the study - that strategic human resource management is associated with innovation capacity - was confirmed. The strategic resource management characteristics that were moderately or highly correlated with innovation capacity were: strategic innovative focus; leadership and management; and human resources policies and practice. Philosophy, values and norms was the only characteristic that presented low correlation. Continuity of this research and new research topics were suggested.

The responsibility of industry towards society and the environment is a much discussed topic, both in academia and in business. Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) has recently emerged as a new concept with the potential to advance this discourse in light of two major challenges industry is facing today. The first relates to the accelerating race to innovate in order to stay competitive in a rapidly changing world. The second concerns the need to maintain public trust in industry through innovations that generate social value in addition to economic returns. This Special Issue provides empirical and conceptual contributions that explore corporate motivations to adopt RRI, the state of implementation of concrete RRI practices, the role of stakeholders in responsible innovation processes, as well as drivers and barriers to the further diffusion of RRI in industry. Overall, these contributions highlight the relevance of RRI for firms of different sizes and sectors. They also provide insights and suggestions for managers, policymakers and researchers wishing to engage with responsibility in innovation. This editorial summarizes the most pertinent conclusions across the individual articles published in this Special Issue and concludes by outlining some fruitful avenues for future research in this space.