Submitted by William Justo Figueiro (williamjf) on 2015-06-12T13:02:00Z No. of bitstreams: 1 5.pdf: 954609 bytes, checksum: 15745853f8eccf8c8d121de374592460 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-06-12T13:02:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 5.pdf: 954609 bytes, checksum: 15745853f8eccf8c8d121de374592460 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-03-26 / UNIMED VTRP - União dos Médicos Vales do Taquari e Rio Pardo / A realização de projetos pelas organizações é uma prática amplamente utilizada para obter resultados diferenciados. No entanto, a insatisfação com os resultados obtidos não é uma exceção. Entre os fatores que influenciam o desempenho dos projetos está a execução eficiente e eficaz dos processos relacionados ao monitoramento e controle do projeto. O uso de Tecnologias da Informação Móveis e Sem fio (TIMS) podem contribuir na execução de processos nos quais os trabalhadores possuem características de mobilidade. O objetivo deste trabalho é investigar de que formas a utilização de TIMS nos processos de monitoramento e controle do projeto afeta o desempenho do mesmo. A metodologia empregada para alcançar esse objetivo foi baseada na realização de uma etapa exploratória, na qual se entrevistou gerentes de projetos para compreender melhor o fenômeno. Com base nas percepções dos entrevistados e na revisão teórica sobre gestão de projetos e TIMS foi proposto um modelo conceitual que demonstra a relação entre o grau de utilização de TIMS nos processos de monitoramento e controle do projeto e o desempenho dos projetos. Uma survey foi realizada com gerentes de projetos para verificação empírica do modelo, tendo ao final uma amostra de 223 respondentes. Como técnica estatística utilizou-se a Partial Least Squares(PLS). Nos testes de validação do modelo foi necessário retirar o constructo dependência da localização. Na análise dos resultados observou-se que a relação entre a criticidade do tempo e o uso de TIMS não possui, no contexto da pesquisa, significância estatística. Por outro lado, o constructo mobilidade possui uma relação estatisticamente significativa com o uso de TIMS. Da mesma forma, o uso de TIMS nos processos de monitoramento e controle do projeto possui relação significativa estatisticamente com o desempenho de projeto. Os resultados obtidos indicam uma relação positiva entre o uso de TIMS nos processos de monitoramento e controle e o desempenho do projeto, especialmente em relação ao cumprimento do prazo. Como limitações da pesquisa destaque-se a forma de medição da mobilidade do gerente de projetos e a verificação do uso de TIMS apenas nos processos de monitoramento e controle dos projetos. Sugere-se para futuras pesquisas o aprimoramento da forma de medir a mobilidade dos gerentes de projetos e a inclusão da análise do uso de TIMS em outros processos relacionados ao gerenciamento de projetos que podem afetar o desempenho dos projetos. / ABSTRACT The development of projects by organizations is a widely used practice to get different results. However, dissatisfaction with the results obtained is not an exception. Among the factors influencing project performance is the efficient and effective implementation of processes related to monitoring and controlling the project. The use of mobile technologies can contribute to the execution of processes in which workers have mobility characteristics. The objective of this study is to investigate ways that the use of mobile technologies in project monitoring and controlling processes affects project performance. The methodology used to achieve this objective was based on the realization of an exploratory stage in which we interviewed project managers to better understand the phenomenon. A conceptual model that demonstrates the relationship between the degree of use of mobile technologies in the project monitoring and controlling processes and projects performance was proposed. It was based on respondents' perceptions and theoretical review of project management and mobile technologies. A survey was conducted with project managers for empirical verification of the model. At the end of the survey sample consisted of 223 respondents. We used the statistical technique of Partial Least Squares (PLS). During validation of the model it was necessary to remove the construct dependence on location. The analysis of the results showed that the relation between the critical time and the use of mobile technologies is not of statistical significance in the context of research. Moreover, the mobility construct has a statistically significant relationship with the use of mobile technologies. Likewise, the use of mobile technologies in project monitoring and controlling processes has statistically significant relationship with project performance. The results indicate a positive relationship between the use of TIMS in project monitoring and controlling processes and project performance, particularly with respect to time. We highlighted the limitations of the survey method of measuring the mobility of the project manager and the verification of the use of mobile technologies just in project monitoring and control processes. We suggest for future research the improvement of the method of measuring the mobility of project managers and the inclusion of the analysis of the use of mobile technologies in other processes related to project management that may affect project performance.

In recent years, the construction industry has been compelled to explore all possible options for improving the delivery of their products and services. Clients are now expecting a better service and projects that meet their requirements more closely. This has challenged the industry to become more efficient, integrated and more attractive, with benefits for its potential workforce and for society as a whole. Information and communication technologies (ICT) are an enabler to facilitate the improvements required for modernisation. However, due to the geographically dispersed and nomadic nature of the construction industry's workforce, many people are prevented from efficiently and effectively using the ICT tools adopted to date. Mobile technologies providing the 'last mile' connection to the point-of activity could be the missing link to help address the ongoing drive for process improvement. Although this has been a well-researched area, several barriers to mainstream adoption still exist: including a perceived lack of suitable devices; a perceived lack of computer literacy; and the perceived high cost. Through extensive industry involvement, this research has taken the theoretical idea that mobile IT use in the construction industry would be beneficial, a step further; demonstrating by means of a state of the art assessment, usability trials, case studies and demonstration projects that the barriers to mainstream adoption can be overcome. The findings of this work have been presented in four peer-reviewed papers. An ongoing dissemination programme is expected to encourage further adoption.

Rapid diffusion and use of smartphones in Africa are challenging, given the state of its infrastructural facilities. The problem addressed was a lack of information on the adoption behavior and the sociodevelopmental effect of smartphone acceptance among rural and urban users in Nigeria. The purpose of this study was to examine the adoption behavior and the sociodevelopmental effect of smartphone acceptance among rural and urban residents. Research questions examined the relationship of performance expectancy, social influence, price value, and habit on adopters' intentions to use smartphones, continued use of smartphones, and the sociodevelopmental effect on smartphone users lives and standard of living. The theoretical foundation of the study was based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, and expectation confirmation theory. A nonexperimental cross-sectional survey design was used to collect and analyze data obtained from the target population of approximately 14 million with a sample size of 385 based on 95% confidence level. Survey data were collected using a research instrument developed by Bhattacherjee, Venkatesh, and others and analyzed via multivariate regression. Findings indicated that the positive effect of performance expectancy on intent to use smartphones was stronger among urban than among rural dwellers. No other location-moderated relationships were found. There was a strong positive correlation (β = .761, p < .001) between intent to use smartphones and continued use of smartphones. The findings of this study may promote social change by providing valuable data to service providers and regulators for realignment of investment strategies and the reevaluation of national policies on communication technology development.

Submitted by ANA ELISA SILVA (anaelisaba@gmail.com) on 2014-01-29T23:18:02Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO DE MESTRADO - ANA ELISA.pdf: 2753011 bytes, checksum: 85d82489296f9fc28237816a93dede6f (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Auxiliadora da Silva Lopes (silopes@ufba.br) on 2014-02-11T14:48:10Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO DE MESTRADO - ANA ELISA.pdf: 2753011 bytes, checksum: 85d82489296f9fc28237816a93dede6f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-02-11T14:48:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO DE MESTRADO - ANA ELISA.pdf: 2753011 bytes, checksum: 85d82489296f9fc28237816a93dede6f (MD5) / As tecnologias móveis, em especial os smartphones, são responsáveis pela atual dinâmica da internet, na qual os processos de comunicação tornam-se mais ágeis e as produções e o compartilhamento de informações e conhecimentos mais amplos e coletivos. Tais possibilidades resultam da mobilidade e da conexão constantes, que transformam as práticas sociais e educacionais e alteram a maneira de as pessoas se relacionarem, ensinarem e aprenderem, viabilizando formas de pensar e agir no mundo. O problema da pesquisa é como os professores que atuam no Núcleo de Tecnologia Educacional 17 (NTE 17) vivenciam a atual dinâmica do ciberespaço, em que há constante comunicação, troca de mensagens, acesso à internet, registro de fotos, produção de vídeos, compartilhamento de produções. A dissertação tem como objetivo analisar as possibilidades de comunicação, interação e compartilhamento de informações e conhecimentos produzidos, por meio do smartphone, por um grupo de professores da rede municipal de Salvador. O método utilizado foi o da pesquisa qualitativa, de cunho descritivo e analítico. Dentre outros aspectos, a pesquisa verificou que os professores, em diferentes níveis, possuem práticas inovadoras de comunicação, produção e compartilhamento de informações e conteúdos, pelo smartphone, mesmo quando ainda não utilizam essas práticas diariamente, em decorrência de questões culturais e econômicas. / ABSTRACT The mobile technologies, particularly smartphones, are responsible for the current dynamics of internet, where communication processes are more agile, and both information and knowledge production and sharing have become broader and collective. Such possibilities are a result of the mobility and constant connection, which have changed social and educational practices as well as the ways that people relate to each other, teach and learn, thus making viable new forms of thinking and acting upon the world. The research problem, therefore, consists in understanding how teachers who work at NTE 17 experience the current dynamics of cyberspace, where there is constant communication, text messaging, internet access, photographic records, video production, and share of production. In this context, this dissertation aims at analyzing the possibilities of communication, interaction and sharing of information and knowledge produced through the use of smartphones by a group of teachers from Salvador City Public School Network that work at the Educational Technology Center 17. The method employed is the qualitative research, with a descriptive and analytical approach. Among other aspects, the research has evidenced that the teachers, at different levels, use innovative practices for information and content communication, production and sharing via smartphone, even if they do not adopt those practices on a daily basis due to cultural and economic factors.

A l’heure où le bien-être au travail semble devenir une priorité pour les managers et les organisations, et où les technologies mobiles permettent une accessibilité permanente aux informations professionnelles, contribuant ainsi à accroître la porosité de la frontière entre les vies privée et professionnelle, cette thèse interroge l’influence des technologies nomades sur la santé psychologique des salariés et plus précisément sur leur bien-être. Pour explorer cette problématique, nous mobilisons la théorie de conservation des ressources (Hobfoll, 1989), théorie motivationnelle qui se base sur la diversité des ressources dont peut disposer une personne pour maintenir ou atteindre une situation de bien-être et d'équilibre. Les équipes commerciales d’un grand groupe français, qui ont été équipées fin 2012 de Technologies Nomades, constituent notre terrain d’investigation. La revue de la littérature et les résultats d’une analyse qualitative exploratoire menée à l’aide d’entretiens semi-directifs auprès de 34 commerciaux et managers de ce groupe nous amènent à proposer un modèle structurel de l’influence des technologies nomades sur le bien-être au travail, qui combine des variables organisationnelles, individuelles et technologiques. Ce modèle a été testé via une enquête par questionnaire au niveau national. Sur les 850 questionnaires envoyés, 400 réponses exploitables ont pu être traitées. Dans un premier temps, nos résultats empiriques nous conduisent à déterminer cinq catégories d’usage des technologies nomades, dépendant conjointement de la nature du support technologique et de la tâche réalisée. Les cinq variables ainsi obtenues constituent par la suite les variables d’entrée, lors de l’étape de modélisation par la méthode d’équations structurelles. Le test des hypothèses de recherche met en avant le rôle de certaines ressources telles que l’autonomie, le sens du travail, l’utilité des technologies ou le soutien social organisationnel, pour notamment faire face à l’invasion des technologies dans la sphère privée et la pression liée à leur utilisation. De manière générale, nos résultats laissent transparaître que malgré les changements induits par l’arrivée des technologies nomades, il n’existe pas de dualité concernant l’effet direct ou indirect de ces technologies sur le niveau de stress ou le bien-être au travail. Peu de personnes interviewées sont catégoriques sur des conséquences purement négatives ou purement positives des technologies nomades sur le bien-être au travail ; la mesure semble donc être de rigueur en la matière. Cependant, une large majorité des commerciaux et managers interviewés considère que l’arrivée des technologies nomades a « plutôt » favorisé le bien-être au travail, et ne se verrait plus travailler sans, en dépit de l’augmentation de la charge de travail et de l’invasion technologique induites. Au final, les technologies nomades semblent alors constituer des ressources sous contraintes. Pour conclure ce travail, sont présentées les contributions théoriques et managériales, ainsi que les voies futures de recherche. / At a time where welfare at work seems to be a priority for managers and organizations, and where mobile technologies allow permanent access to business information, increasing the porosity of borders between private and professional life; this thesis questions the impact of mobile technologies on employees’ psychological health and more specifically about their well-being (effects of nomadic technologies on the border between private and professional life, interpersonal relations, etc.). To explore this issue, we mobilized the Resources Conservation Theory (Hobfoll, 1989), a motivational theory which is based on the variety of resources available to a person in order to maintain, or reach, a situation of well-being and balance. The sales teams of a large French group, which were fitted in 2012 with Mobile Technologies (MT) constitute our field of investigation. The literature review and the results of an exploratory qualitative analysis, conducted using a semi-structured interview, with 34 commercials and managers, lead us to submit a structural model of the influence of mobile technologies on well-being at work, combining organizational, individual, and technological variables. This model was tested via a survey at a national level. From the 850 questionnaires which were sent, 400 usable responses were studied. First, our empirical results lead us to identify five categories of mobile technologies use, both depending on the nature of the technological support and on the performed task. The five obtained variables, became the input variables, through the modeling stage realized by the structural equations method. The test of research hypotheses emphasizes the role of certain resources such as autonomy, the meaning of work, the usefulness of technologies or organizational social support, especially to cope with the invasion of technology into the private sphere and the pressure related to its use. Overall, our results suggest that, despite the changes brought by the arrival of MT, there is no duality regarding the direct or indirect effect of these technologies on the stress level or on the welfare at work. Few interviewees are adamant on purely negative or purely positive impact of mobile technologies about welfare at work. However, a large majority of commercial and interviewed managers considered that the arrival of mobile technologies has "somewhat" favored well-being at work, despite the increased workload and technological invasion that it induced. In the end, MT seem to constitute constrained resources. To conclude this work, the theoretical and managerial contributions are presented as well as future opportunities of research.

Analysis of the Goldmax Laptops Ltd and its environment is based on theoretical knowledge of professional publications. The analytical part of the thesis also examines the global mobile app market and industry of iOS app developers in Czech Republic. The objective of the thesis is to describe and formulate documents necessary for implementing proposal to extend the company's portfolio by new service focused on the mobile app development for Apple iOS and related activities.

<p>Hyperspectral imaging is widely used for obtaining optical information of light absorbers (e.g. biochemical composition) in a variety of specimens or tissues in a label-free manner. Acquiring and processing spectral data using hyperspectral imaging usually requires advanced instrumentation such as spectrometers, spectrographs or tunable color filters, which are not easily adaptable in developing instrumentation for field-based applications. Also, use of only RGB information from conventional cameras is not sufficient to obtain a reliable correlation with the actual content of the analyte of interest. We propose a new concept of ‘virtual hyperspectral imaging’ to reconstruct the full reflectance spectra from RGB image data. This allows us to use only RGB image data to determine detailed spatial distributions of analytes of interest. More importantly, it simplifies instrumentation without requiring bulky and expensive hardware. Using a data-driven approach, we apply multivariate regression to reconstruct hyperspectral reflectance image data from RGB images obtained using a conventional camera or a smartphone. </p> <p> </p> <p>In developing a reliable reconstruction matrix, it is critical to obtain a training data set of the specimen of study under the same optical geometry since the spectral reflectance and absorbance is sensitive to the detection and illumination parameters. We designed an image-guided hyperspectral system that can acquire both hyperspectral reflectance and RGB data sets under the same imaging configuration to minimize any discrepancies in the hyperspectral reflectance data acquired using different optical sensing geometries. In our technology development, a telecentric lens that is commonly used in machine vision systems but rarely in bioimaging, serves as a key component for reducing unwanted scattering in biological tissue due to its highly anisotropic scattering properties, by acting as a back-directional gating component to suppress diffuse light. We evaluate our spectrometer-less reflectance imaging method using RGB-based hyperspectral reconstruction algorithm for integration into a smartphone application for non-invasive hemoglobin analysis for anemia risk assessment in communities with limited access to central laboratory tests.</p>

Mobile technologies have been adopted into education more and more. New hardware, such as smart phones and tablets, has increased the popularity of mobile technology. There are also many applications created for the fields of education and tourism. This research chose a travel application from Taiwan to apply into a tourism geographic course at the Taiwan Hospitality and Tourism College (THTC). A quasi-experiment design was applied to this study. Two classes/groups participated in the study. One class was the treatment group which used the travel app through teaching scenarios. The other group was the contrast group which used a lecture format with handouts. Both groups were given a pre-test to determine knowledge of Danongdafu Forest Park (DFP), and Taiwan tourism geography. A post-test was administered after eight weeks of teaching activities. Post intervention scores were compared to pre-intervention scores between the two groups. The results of ANOVA showed that there was no statistically significant learning difference between the treatment group and the contrast group. A paired-sample t-test analysis revealed that after eight weeks of teaching DFP content, both groups gained significantly in knowledge. Furthermore, the learning attitudes and interviews of the treatment group students indicated positive responses utilizing m-learning in teaching scenarios. Students indicated a desire to receive m-learning opportunities for future courses.

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Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T18:17:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ana Lucia Damasceno Moura Fe.pdf: 748242 bytes, checksum: 6f7d23442bc78159c0679164363be5d3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-05-21 / This doctoral thesis, of an exclusively theoretical nature, focuses on the use of mobile technologies in the corporate environment, with voice, data and Internet access resources such as cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and notebooks, and the implications of the growing use of these technologies in the lives of their users. The theme is justified because mobile technologies, which are at the core of a technological revolution that has caused major impacts on the personal and professional lives of individuals, have received little attention in the field of Communications in Brazil and from theoreticians of postmodernity. The main questions comprising the research problem were: Do companies really achieve gains in productivity through these technologies? What is the highest level (if such a limit exists) of productivity that corporations seek? Do companies and/or professionals feel any concern or unease about this question? To what extent do resources such as permanent connections and sophisticated hardware, allied to the pressure for higher productivity, eliminate or attenuate the boundaries between personal life, work and leisure? Do companies and/or professionals consider this lack of boundaries beneficial or harmful? Does this scenario encompass any form of violence? Is there awareness or reflection about it? The theoretical fundaments underpinning the thesis included the theory of sociodromology (Virilio and Trivinho) and the sociology and psychology of work (Antunes, Bourdieu and Dejours) as well as theories of postmodernity that underpin discussions about how machines have usurped man s place at the center of existence. The methodology adopted here consisted of a survey, registration and review of the selected bibliography and of theoretical and epistemological reflections about the subject of the study. Among the main conclusions of this research is the verification/validation of the hypothesis of the consolidation of mobile technologies as the main protagonists of human life, offering professionals not only benefits such as enhanced information flows, help in performing tasks, and rapid contact with their superiors, peers and families, etc. but also drawbacks such as the invasion of work into personal life and a hidden, unquantifiable and unpaid increase in working hours, as well as physical and emotional stress. Wireless communications in real time have undoubtedly benefited companies in terms of increased productivity. However, their introduction into the daily life of workers has generally been unplanned, without studies or reflections about their negative impact on people s quality of life / A presente Tese de Doutorado, de caráter exclusivamente teórico, foca a utilização, no ambiente corporativo, de tecnologias móveis com recursos de voz, dados e acesso à rede mundial, como celulares, personal digital assistants (PDAs) e notebooks, e as implicações do crescente uso dessas tecnologias na vida dos usuários. O tema se justifica porque as tecnologias móveis, em que pese estarem no cerne de uma revolução tecnológica que promove impactos importantes nas esferas pessoal e profissional dos indivíduos, têm recebido pouca atenção no campo da Comunicação no Brasil e entre os teóricos da pós-modernidade. As principais indagações que configuraram o problema de pesquisa foram as seguintes: as empresas realmente obtêm ganhos de produtividade com essas tecnologias? qual o limite máximo (se há limite) da produtividade buscada pelas corporações? há entre as empresas e/ou profissionais preocupação ou desconforto quanto a essa questão? até que ponto recursos como conexão permanente e sofisticação de equipamentos, somados à pressão por maior produtividade, eliminam ou atenuam as fronteiras entre vida pessoal e trabalho? isso é visto pela empresa e/ou profissional como benefício ou prejuízo? há alguma forma de violência nesse cenário? há consciência ou reflexão sobre isso? O quadro teórico para fundamentação da Tese incluiu a teoria sociodromológica (Virilio e Trivinho) e a sociologia e psicologia do trabalho (Antunes, Bourdieu e Dejours), além de teorias sobre pós-modernismo que embasam discussões sobre como a máquina tomou o lugar do ser humano no centro da existência. A metodologia adotada consistiu de levantamento, fichamento e revisão da bibliografia selecionada, bem como reflexões teóricas e epistemológicas sobre o objeto de estudo. Entre as principais conclusões de pesquisa está a checagem/validação da hipótese da consolidação das tecnologias móveis como protagonistas da vida humana, que trazem não apenas benefícios para os profissionais, entre os quais incremento do fluxo de informações, auxílio na execução de tarefas e contato rápido com superiores, colegas e familiares, mas também prejuízos, como a invasão do trabalho em sua vida pessoal e aumento camuflado, inquantificável e não-remunerado da jornada profissional, além de transtornos emocionais e físicos. Por certo, a comunicação sem fio e em tempo real beneficia as empresas no que tange ao aumento da produtividade. Entretanto, a sua introdução no dia-a-dia dos funcionários tem ocorrido em geral sem planejamento e sem estudos ou reflexões sobre os impactos negativos em sua qualidade de vida