Two trends are currently driving the need for supply chain firms to form closely integrated relationships: collaboration and digitisation. One of the ways to achieve digitisation of supply chain operations is to implement Inter-Organisational Information Systems (IOIS) with selected supply chain partners for a much more efficient, streamlined and orchestrated supply chain operations. Whilst IOIS can be implemented to support various cross-functional business processes (ranging from operational information exchange to pursuing strategic initiatives such as sharing ideas, identifying new market opportunities, and pursing a continuous improvement approach), in the context of this thesis, the purpose of IOIS implementation is to facilitate the inter-firm procurement-related operations with downstream supply chain firms. The study undertaken in this research project was initiated in response to an industry requirement to investigate the implementation of IOIS against a backdrop of improved Supply Chain Management and integration practices by large contractor organisations. A case study research strategy was adopted to investigate the IOIS project related, IOIS (system) related issues encountered in ex-ante and ex-post implementation stages of the IOIS. The study concludes that it is the non-technical factors that are critical to the successful delivery of IOIS projects and provides a guideline on IOIS implementation by large contractor organisations. The findings of this research project have been published in a number of peer-reviewed papers.

The aim of this thesis was the implementation of technological data management for individual tools and tool assembly in the information system NAHOS. This management in NAHOS system is accomplished by user forms, which are created by XML and SQL languages. The theoretical part of this thesis deals with tool management and information systems in general. The practical part of this thesis presents my own individual modifications in the information system NAHOS.

The aim of the diploma thesis it is a promotion of the system works and mainly the advantages of system thinking in the praxis of the information manager, system thinking limits setting as unique and necessary way of thinking, learning and tremendous potential prezentation of system thinking for the information manager job. There is emphesized the need of connecting the paradigma of system thinking knowledges with psychology knowledges potential. The system thinking presents collection of mental practics and system steps leading towards systems functions understanding, model creation and variants selection .It is really necessary the information manager would be able to do a quality process analysis where he would be able to map all transformation spots with data objects and would be able to propose the information strategy the information manager has to have many years of experiences and manage the system thinking skills.

This thesis develops, tests and applies methods for space-time modelling of exposure to air pollution using GIS. This involves linkage of five main sub-models: a traffic model, a model of urban air pollution - combining local and ‘background’ pollution models - a network analysis tool for modelling exposure during journeys, and a time-activity model. The model can provide exposure estimates for individuals or population groups. The study took place entirely within Northampton, UK. The model used to estimate hourly PM10 concentrations at outdoor locations gave a moderate fit to monitored data. Results were shown to be comparable with the best results from other studies. This research also found a strong, linear relationship between concentrations of PM10 during simultaneous monitoring of walking and in-car concentrations. This relationship was used to calibrate modelled outdoor pollution levels to give in-car concentrations. Modelled journey- time exposures for walking performed equally with predictions made using a fixed- site monitor located close to journey routes. The model did not perform as well as the fixed-site monitor in predicting in-car exposures. The application of the model to a walk-to-school policy, in which modelled local traffic levels were reduced by 20%, demonstrated that the benefits of the reduction were not spread evenly across a sample of schoolchildren, but varied depending on the route used to school and the location of homes and schools. For those switching between car and walk there may be positive or negative effects of the policy in terms of savings in average hourly exposures, depending on their specific journey and time activity patterns. The results from this research showed that, although the model worked reasonably well in estimating exposures, a number of improvements are needed. These include better models of background concentrations, more detailed models of in-car conditions, and extending exposure modelling to include dose-response estimates

This research is based on real issues that have been recognised within the global organisation, Rolls-Royce. The first aim concerned an issue that many companies face, the difficulty that employees face in locating the knowledge and information they require, especially in larger organisations. The developed solution of an Information Map proved to be a success in providing people within the Submarines business with the location of' Configuration Management information. The concept of the Information Map is one that can be adopted by any business as the stages in the tools development have been well documented within Chapters Four, Five and Six. Analysis of the success of the Information Map led to the derivation of 10 lessons learned. These were then verified in a second case study of an intranet development. The second aim of the research was to create a Knowledge Management framework that could be adapted by companies looking to invest in Knowledge Management and provide them with a guide to use. This framework was built from the lessons learned from the Information Map and from other best practice derived from available literature and within Rolls-Royce. The work conducted within the Support business tries to fill in gaps in current research by offering companies a new approach to Knowledge Management, which was based upon the way that industries work today. The creation of the Knowledge Management framework simplifies the work conducted and offers practitioners an easy, high-level approach to the adoption of Knowledge Management by grouping the process into ten steps. This is presented in a fashion that is easy to follow and ultimately offers a guide to make the best use of the resources and budget available to Knowledge Management practitioners. Overall the research addresses the 'real' issues faced by Knowledge Management practitioners. The main contributions to the Knowledge Management domain are the Information Map, action research approach, implementation of Knowledge Management tools for the users needs and a Framework as a guide for industry.

Knowledge is a crucial resource in modern business environments. The proper management of an organization’s internal knowledge assets can lead to a sustainable competitive advantage. Literature on knowledge management has identified a large number of factors that influence the transfer of knowledge within organizations. The purpose of this study is to investigate how internal knowledge assets are managed in the R&D department of a large company in the high-tech healthcare industry, what informal and formal organizational factors influence the transfer of knowledge, and to explore possible requirements and success factors for ICTs in knowledge transfer. A qualitative case study approach is adopted and semi-structured interviews with a total of ten members of the research and development departments are performed. A theoretical framework is used with elements from the knowledge-based view of the firm, dimensions of knowledge strategies, operational knowledge management practise, knowledge transformation models, and social exchange theory. The results of the empirical research show a knowledge-heavy company that engages in personalization, as well as codification strategies with the support of ICTs. Socialisation, combination, externalisation, and internalization are identified and related to the organization’s processes and practises. In addition, drivers, such as a friendly, cooperative atmosphere and the complexity of task, as well as deterrents of knowledge transfer, such as lack of time and weaknesses of ICTs, are identified. Interviewees identified several requirements for ICTs, above all low thresholds and the attainment of critical mass, as well as the demand for standardization and formalization. It was also found that employees are willing to document their knowledge in a technological knowledge management system if they can retrieve knowledge for themselves from the same system. This study provides a relevant example of knowledge management and transfer processes and practises, as well as influences on internal knowledge exchange.

Esta dissertação objetiva identificar os obstáculos ao uso da tecnologia da informação na gestão estratégica da informação e propor soluções compatíveis à situação peculiar da pequena empresa. Apresenta uma revisão bibliográfica sobre o processo de gestão da informação, tecnologias da informação e as especificidades da pequena empresa. O trabalho de campo dividiu-se em duas fases: a primeira consistiu em um amplo levantamento exploratório-descritivo, que pôde ser classificado, devido sua natureza científica, como um estudo survey, a fim de se conhecer melhor as pequenas empresas pertencentes aos minidistritos; e a segunda fase correspondeu à aplicação do método de análise comparativa de casos, sendo que foram estudadas quatro indústrias de pequeno porte instaladas nos minidistritos industriais de São José do Rio Preto – SP, tendo-se como finalidade comparar os seus resultados entre si. A pesquisa permitiu identificar os tipos e fontes considerados relevantes, bem como a maneira como essas empresas realizam a gestão de suas informações. Percebeu-se que esse processo, em geral, é informal e assistemático. Quanto à utilização de tecnologias da informação foi observado que seu uso é modesto, principalmente no que tange àquelas que auxiliam as etapas do processo de gestão da informação. Os principais obstáculos identificados que dificultam a implantação e a utilização de tecnologias da informação são: o alto custo das tecnologias; a falta de tempo por parte dos dirigentes; a resistência humana em aceitar novas tecnologias da informação; o insignificante retorno sobre a produtividade e a dificuldade em lidar com a tecnologia da informação / This dissertation presents identify the obstacles for the use of the information technology in the strategic management of the information and propose compatible solutions with the specific situation of the small businesses. It presents a bibliographical revision of the process of information management, information technology and the specific characteristics of small businesses. The fieldwork was divided in two phases: the first carried out an broad survey exploratory and descriptive, that could be classified, in reason of it scientific nature, like a survey study, to aim to know better the small businesses belonged to minidistricts; and the second phase corresponded to the application of the method of the comparative studu of cases, was be studied four industrial of the small-sized installed in industrials minidistricts of the São José do Rio Preto – SP, having the objective compair its results one another. The research alowed identify the relevant types and sources, as well the way this enterprises do the management of your informations. It was realize that this process, in general, is informal and not systematic. How to utilization of the information technologies was realize that it use is modest, mainly in relation thats aims the stages of the process of information management. The mainly obstacles identified that make difficult the implantation and the use of the information technologies are: the high cost of the tecnologies, the scary time of the managers; the human resistence in accept news information technologies; the insignificant return about the productivity and the difficulty to deal with the information technology

The use of email as a communication and information sharing medium in large, complex, globally distributed engineering projects is widespread; yet there exists little understanding of the content of the emails exchanged and the implications of this content on the design project, design records and contracts. The importance of these issues is underlined by the fact that email records can now be required as evidence in legal disputes. It follows that the overall aim of this research is to assess the role and use of email in engineering design projects. A state-of-the-art review of literature pertaining to email is reported, along with a review of information and communication processes in engineering design projects. The primary contribution of this thesis is the creation of a content based approach for analysing the role and use of email in engineering design projects. This centres on the development and application of a coding scheme to email text, identifying what subject matter an email relates to, why it was sent, and how its content is expressed. Results are then analysed with respect to the frequencies of each code and other variables, including how coding varies between different senders and throughout the project duration. The second key contribution of this thesis is the analysis of emails and content in an engineering setting by applying the aforementioned approach to two case studies. The major case study concerned a large, complex, globally distributed, multimillion pound systems engineering project, from which 16 000 emails were obtained. It was found that emails are mainly used to transfer information but also to support management functions. Emails facilitate design work but little of this takes place explicitly in the email content. Characteristics of a project affect the subject matter or emails but have little effect on why they are sent. User roles and personal preferences also influence email use. If was found that the purposes for sending emails varied over the duration of a project; it was further determined that these changes could be used to identify project progress and design activity. Implications of the findings are identified in relation to: information management, knowledge management, project management, collaboration and email practice. Significantly, emails do contain potentially important design information and because these often support decisions made elsewhere, emails should be integrated with wider records. More consideration and training should be given to the use of project standards for email use and guidelines for composition. Changes in email use over the project duration could be a potential tool for project managers to identify design progress and possible issues in a project.

O estudo teve por objetivo entender como a gestão de fontes externas de informação tecnológica influencia o desempenho inovador das empresas e foi realizado em duas fases metodológicas distintas. A primeira fase consistiu de uma pesquisa qualitativa e exploratória visando a caracterizar a gestão de fontes externas de informação tecnológica em países de economia em desenvolvimento e de economia desenvolvida. O estudo de casos múltiplos foi efetuado em empresas inovadoras brasileiras e italianas. A segunda fase do estudo envolveu a aplicação de uma pesquisa quantitativa do tipo survey visando à extrapolação dos resultados para um conjunto de empresas através da caracterização da gestão de fontes externas de informação tecnológica e sua influencia no desempenho inovador. Os dados quantitativos foram coletados em empresas brasileiras vinculadas à Associação Nacional de Pesquisa, Desenvolvimento e Engenharia das Empresas Inovadoras e ao Programa de Gestão Tecnológica da Fundação Instituto de Administração. O estudo permitiu concluir que os principais fatores que diferenciam o desempenho inovador das empresas estão relacionados à oportunidade de escolha de fontes externas de informação e à qualificação e estrutura disponível para o relacionamento com os parceiros tecnológicos. As empresas diferenciam-se, segundo o porte, pela existência de uma estrutura para a captação e o acesso às oportunidades e informações tecnológicas. Corroborando os pressupostos teóricos, foi possível concluir que a gestão de fontes externas de informação tecnológica influencia o desempenho inovador e que, de modo geral, as empresas investigadas ainda não possuem uma gestão de fontes externas de informação tecnológica estruturada e sistematizada que potencialize os esforços inovativos. Os resultados destacam a importância do estabelecimento de uma estrutura de network capaz de gerenciar as implicações decorrentes do elevado número de parceiros tecnológicos e dos condicionantes legais e culturais, visando à ampliação do desempenho inovador das empresas. / The objective of this study was to understand how the management of external sources of technological information purposes influences the innovative performance of companies; the research was divided into two different methodological phases. The first phase consisted of qualitative and exploratory research, the aim of which was to characterize the management of external sources of technological information purposes in both developing economy and developed economy countries. This multiple case study was carried out in innovative Brazilian and Italian companies. The second phase of the study involved the use of a survey, with the purpose of extrapolating the results to a set of companies by characterizing their management of external sources of technological information and the influence it has on innvative performance. The quantitative data were collected from Brazilian companies associated with the National Research, Development and Engineering Association of Innovative Companies and with the Technological Management Program of the Managament Institute Foundation. The study allowed us to conclude that the main factors that differentiate the innovative performance of companies relate to the opportunity they have of choosing external sources of information and to the qualification and structure available for forming realationships with technological partners. According to their size, companies differentiate themselves by the existence of a structure for capturing and accessing technological opportunities and technological information. Corroborating the theoretical suppositions we were able to conclude that the management of external sources of structured technological information influences innovative performance and that generally speaking, the companies we investigated still have no structured and systematic management of external sources of technological information that drives their innovation efforts. The results confirm the importance of establishing a network structure that is capable of managing the implications arising from the large number of technological partners and legal and cultural conditioners that exists, with the aim of improving the innovative performance of companies.

Existem muitas ferramentas capazes de apoiar o processo de gestão do conhecimento nas organizações. A eficiência dessas ferramentas depende da capacidade de lidar com grandes massas de dados. Portanto, a recuperação é fundamental e é hoje uma área de pesquisa em ascensão, para a qual várias técnicas vêm sendo desenvolvidas, tais como sistemas sofisticados de classificação, mecanismos de busca e agentes inteligentes. Grande parte dessas tecnologias se baseia no princípio de que o usuário sabe da existência da informação e está a sua procura. Este trabalho propõe um conceito para a construção de sistemas que, ao invés de apenas disponibilizar mecanismos para a busca, procura filtrar as informações e apresentá-las em meio aos sistemas corporativos empregados pelo usuário nas suas tarefas rotineiras. Isto significa uma informação contextualizada, isto é, apresentada conforme a situação enfrentada pelo usuário e dentro da qual faz sentido e adiciona valor às decisões. O conceito proposto emprega conhecimentos sobre gestão de projetos e modelagem de empresa, de forma a proporcionar que as informações relevantes sejam oferecidas no ambiente onde o usuário interage com outros membros da equipe de projeto. Foram desenvolvidos, além do conceito, uma especificação detalhada e um protótipo da ferramenta. Os resultados demonstram que o conceito é viável e pode ser utilizado em sistemas de apoio à gestão do conhecimento. Encerra-se o trabalho apresentando as propostas de melhoria para o conceito e solução desenvolvidos. / There exist many tools able to support the knowledge management process in organizations. Due to a large quantity of information registered in these tools, they need to be efficient in the recovery of information. In this sense there exist several techniques, such as sophisticated search engines, classification and intelligent agents. These ways are by far important to the information recovery but, the user knows that exist an information and need to search. The present dissertation proposes a concept of a system which, instead of providing a form of the user to search the information, tries to find a form to present it together the functionalities the user employs when he/she performs his/her job. It means contextual information, which is presented according to the situation the user faces and which such information makes sense and adds value to the decisions. For the development of this system, concepts on project management and enterprise modeling are used. The results show that the concept is viable and can be utilized supporting systems to knowledge management. Finally the dissertation present the proposals of improvement for the concept and the solution developed.