Organisations are born from and grow through creative ideas and innovative endeavours. For much of the twentieth century efficiency within organisations tended to be emphasized as the most important business focus with innovation as second choice. However, recently innovation has been cited as the primary way in which organisations can create and ensure long-term stability, shareholder satisfaction and industry leadership with a sustainable position. Subsequently, organisations realised that if they harnessed creativity and innovation correctly, it could lead to competitive advantage. Hence the question, what constitutes innovation? This research study endeavoured to determine the building blocks of innovation in a state-owned enterprise within the transport industry to facilitate the consistent adoption of innovation and its practices, by presenting the findings in a conceptual framework. As innovation is a multi-faceted and complex topic to study, a qualitative approach was chosen to identify concepts depicting the building blocks of innovation and the relationships between those concepts to enhance corporate functioning. Therefore, the method chosen had to support a qualitative and inductive research approach. Grounded Theory, as a qualitative method, ensured that innovation would be understood from the perspective of the participant. This in turn would ensure that the final result, the conceptual framework of building blocks of innovation, would be suitable to the environment from which it was generated. Through the empirical research, the state-owned enterprise’s approach towards innovation, that would influence the adoption of innovative practices, has been identified. Furthermore, barriers to innovation have been identified that might hinder the adoption of innovative practices. Finally, the enablers of innovation within a state-owned enterprise were identified and captured into a conceptual framework that depicts the building blocks of innovation. / Prof. Gert Roodt

D.Com. / Innovation mostly happens tacitly. Organisations do not usually explicate innovative thinking and behaviour in business processes and models. The thesis stresses the importance of seeing learning and innovation as dynamically linked processes consisting of different episodes. Innovators and innovation managers should be able to identify the unintended and intended messages in the different episodes of the learning and innovation process and decide upon the usefulness by further eliciting, sharing and shaping tacit knowing and being for innovation...

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Management (MMENVC) Johannesburg, February 2016 / This paper aims to look at the barriers of ICT adoption amongst Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa, specifically in the high growth-manufacturing sector. The population of the study is comprised of manufacturing SME owners and managers in Gauteng, South Africa. The objectives of this study are threefold. Firstly, it aims to establish which ICTs SMEs are currently making use of in South Africa. Secondly, it will analyse the perceived value added to SMEs through ICT adoption. And thirdly, the study endeavours to unearth the various barriers faced by SMEs when adopting ICTs. The research consists of data collection from 81 SMEs in the manufacturing sector in Gauteng, South Africa, by means of an online questionnaire. The data was analysed through a variety of statistical techniques covering both descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis. The following conclusions were reached:  Three barriers examined are significantly important to the adoption of ICTs, namely lack of existing hardware, immediate return on investment (ROI), and lack of infrastructure.  The perceived value of ICT has a positive, significant relationship to ICT adoption.  The majority of SMEs still predominantly make use of general ICTs, with more advanced ICT use lagging behind significantly. The majority of respondents have Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone services (69%), Internet access and e-mail (90%), as well as telephone (89%) and fax (82%) services as ICTs that have already been implemented.  The education level of the owner/manager has a significant, positive relationship with the level of ICT adoption, particularly amongst general-use ICT and production- integrating ICT. / MB2016

Thesis (M.Com. (Development Theory and Policy))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Economic and Business Sciences, 2016. / Increasingly, innovation through technology transfer is seen as a mechanism through which economic growth can be spurred. The South African National Innovation System (NIS) is built on this premise, leading to the emergence of Technology Transfer Organizations (TTOs) such as the Technology Innovation Agency’s (TIA’s) Technology Stations Programme. The Technology Stations Programme addresses, and attempts to alleviate, the slow overall decline of South African industrial sectors through innovation work for industrialization. It is not clear, however, how the TIA monitors and evaluates, and hence measures the economic and socio-economic outcomes of the Technology Stations Programme. This is because the relationship between the strategic objectives of the programme, and the performance indicators used for impact assessment is not clear. This study identifies the use of the Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation (SETI) Scorecard of indicators as the framework for performance reporting at the Technology Stations Programme. The study describes the SETI framework and then evaluates it, finding that it is not well defined and lacks the properties required of a framework of indicators to make it an adequate tool for performance reporting. Other problems compromising the reporting on the Technology Stations Programme have to do with the seemingly incomplete nature of reports, occasional incoherence and seeming carelessness where there are graphic errors in the reporting. This inadequate monitoring and evaluation, and performance reporting is concerning because interview work suggests that the Technology Stations Programme is highly successful in supporting SMMEs and offering them technology related services that contribute to industrial policy through innovation work. The failure to have a SETI Scorecard of indicators that is functional enough to make these outcomes in the Technology Stations Programme visible in formal reporting is concerning as programme evaluation should make known the effects of policies. In the case of the Technology Stations Programme these effects are crucial as the technology transfer taking place in the programme is anticipated to achieve grand objectives in the way of economic value adding and industrial expansion. This necessitates the need to capture the outcomes related to these objectives, and make future decisions on the Technology Stations Programme as well as other technology transfer programmes.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts May 2016 / The technology of 3-D Printing is afforded extensive coverage in the media. Discourses surrounding this technology are charged with ideas of revolutions in manufacturing, democratisation of technology, and the potential to change the face of consumption and production. This technology is being marketed to the consumer and hobbyist. The consumer-grade 3-D printer is a result of the labour of a loose-knit worldwide community of hobbyists known as the "Maker movement". This movement, a convergence of the traditional "Hacker" culture and Do It Yourself (DIY) is constructed around ideas of affective labour. That is, labour performed for the sole purpose of enjoyment of doing so, and for a sense of well-being and community. The explosion of "affordable" 3-D printing as a technology is a result of this affective labour, yet little mention is made of any forms of labour in popular media discourses surrounding this technology. In this paper I construct a history of the Maker movement while theorising the forms of labour inherent to this movement using the Autonomist Marxism of Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri as a framework. Then, working within the field of Cultural Studies, and drawing on Actor-Network Theory (ANT), I perform Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis (MCDA) on a small sample of texts to illustrate the occlusion and obfuscation of labour within these discourses of the consumer 3-D printer

Thesis (M.M. (Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation)), University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits Business School, 2016. / Over the past few years the South African market has seen the launch of a number of online video services providers. The leading providers in the industry are Vidi, ON-Tap, MTN front row and ShowMax. The industry has also attracted some international competition with big players like Netflix launching its services in the South African market in January 2016. Although this industry has seen the emergence of many new players, it is still in its infacy stages in South Africa and is still to be seen if it will mature into a long term profit making industry. It is important to research the diffusion of innovation and more specially to look at how technopreneurs that are in this field or considering entering this industry can influence the speed and success of how this new innovation is diffused. This research will focus on two areas. Firstly, it will seek to look at the factors that influence the potential adopter’s propensity to adopt a new product. Secondly the research will look at the role played by the technopreneur in ensuring that online video services are adopted successfully. Since the online video services industry is not yet mature the research was conducted using the mixed method approach. The quantitative research was conducted by distributing online survey questionnaires. These questionnaires were distributed using email, as well as social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. The qualitative research was conducted by performing interviews with a predetermined list of respondents. The combination of the two types of research led to a better understanding of this topic. The results the research highlighted the fact that the South African market poses very unique challenges for entrepreneurs that want to enter this industry. South African technopreneurs have an advantage against international players like Netflix because they understand challenges of internet access, payment issues as well as preferred content. / XL2018

by Ling Ho-Ming, Desmond, Yeung Yuk-Lam. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 73-75). / Questionnaire also in Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.i / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF FIGURES & TABLES --- p.vi / Chapter CHAPTER I --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Problem Statement --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2 --- Purpose of the study --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Hypotheses of the Study --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Hypothesis 1 --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Hypothesis 2 --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- Hypothesis 3 --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.4 --- Hypothesis 4 --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.5 --- Hypothesis 5 --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.6 --- Hypothesis 6 --- p.7 / Chapter 1.3.7 --- Hypothesis 7 --- p.7 / Chapter CHATPER II --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1 --- Development of Videoconferencing --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Type of Videoconferencing System --- p.10 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Application of Videoconferencing System --- p.12 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Benefits and Costs of Using Videoconferencing --- p.15 / Chapter 2.2 --- Videoconferencing in China --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Background --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Market Situation --- p.26 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Industry Players --- p.26 / Chapter CHAPTER III --- METHODOLOGY --- p.29 / Chapter 3.1 --- Scope of Study --- p.29 / Chapter 3.2 --- Research Design --- p.33 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Mail survey --- p.34 / Chapter 3.3 --- Sampling Plan --- p.34 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Target population --- p.34 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Sampling method --- p.35 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Judgment sampling --- p.55 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Sample size --- p.35 / Chapter 3.4 --- Instrument --- p.36 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Questionnaire --- p.36 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Pilot test --- p.37 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Data Collection --- p.37 / Chapter 3.5 --- Data analysis --- p.38 / Chapter CHAPTER IV --- RESULTS --- p.40 / Chapter 4.1 --- Exploratory Research --- p.40 / Chapter 4.2 --- Descriptive Research --- p.40 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Respondents' Background Characteristics --- p.41 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Perceived Degree of Agreement on Benefits of VC --- p.45 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Perceived Importance of Selection Criteria --- p.46 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Factor Groupings of Benefits --- p.47 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- Factor Groupings of Criteria --- p.49 / Chapter 4.2.6 --- Relationship Between Overall Employee Size and Office(s) Using VC Equipment --- p.51 / Chapter 4.2.7 --- Relationship Between Average Annual Sales Revenue and Office(s) Using VC Equipment --- p.52 / Chapter 4.2.8 --- Difference in Perceptions Between VC Using Companies and Non-VC Using Companies --- p.52 / Chapter 4.2.9 --- Difference in Perceptions Between Companies Planning to Purchase VC and Companies Not Planning to Purchase VC --- p.52 / Chapter 4.2.10 --- Comparison of Mean Scores for Different Years of Establishment of Shanghai Office --- p.53 / Chapter 4.2.11 --- Comparison of Mean Scores for Different Sized Companies --- p.53 / Chapter 4.2.12 --- Comparison of Mean Scores for Companies with Different Average Annual Sales Revenue --- p.54 / Chapter CHAPTER V --- "DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS" --- p.55 / Chapter 5.1 --- Discussion of Survey Findings --- p.55 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Respondents' Background Characteristics --- p.55 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Discussion of Benefit Factors --- p.57 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Discussion of Criteria Factors --- p.58 / Chapter 5.1.4 --- Relationship Between Overall Employee Size and Offtce(s) Using VC Equipment --- p.61 / Chapter 5.1.5 --- Relationship Between Average Annual Sales Revenue and Office(s) Using VC Equipment --- p.61 / Chapter 5.1.6 --- Difference in Perception Among Various Respondents' Characteristics --- p.62 / Chapter 5.2 --- Conclusions --- p.63 / Chapter 5.3 --- Recommendations --- p.65 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Attractiveness of VC Industry in China --- p.65 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Suggested Market Positioning --- p.66 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- Suggestions for Future Research Studies --- p.71 / REFERENCES --- p.73 / APPENDIX 1 --- p.76 / APPENDIX 2 --- p.77 / APPENDIX 3 --- p.79 / APPENDIX 4 --- p.83 / APPENDIX 5 --- p.84 / APPENDIX --- p.85 / APPENDIX 7 --- p.86 / APPENDIX 8 --- p.87 / APPENDIX 9 --- p.88 / APPENDIX 10 --- p.89

Thesis. 1975. M.S.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Alfred P. Sloan School of Management. / Bibliography: leaf 51. / by Alan J. Berger. / M.S.

Microfabrication has given rise to numerous technologies and has resulted in new paradigms for how science and technology has advanced in recent years. Having originated from the microelectronics industry, microfabrication techniques have increasingly been leveraged in the development of various other fields. Such techniques have an increasing presence in the field of medical devices, especially with the advent of microfluidics. The capability that microfluidics lends to miniaturizing and making portable analytical tools was, and still is, extremely useful in the advancement of medical technologies. In this dissertation, we explore novel microfabrication techniques towards the development of next-generation medical devices. We can broadly classify these devices as devices that function in in vitro and in vivo settings. In vitro devices typically function in a non-invasive manner such as when patient samples are processed externally for diagnostic purposes. In vivo medical devices, on the other hand, normally play a role in disease treatment upon implantation into a patient, such as with stents, pacemakers and drug delivery devices. Here we demonstrate how microfabrication techniques can be implemented in the improvement of devices involved in diagnosis and treatment; two important branches of medical sciences that go hand in hand. Firstly, microfabrication and microfluidic techniques were implemented in developing a CD4+ T helper cell counter. This integrated device, where capture and analysis are performed on the same platform, also employs a chemiluminescence-based method of detection. This a rather simple and elegant technique that is amenable for miniaturization in future as it does not require the use of external complex light source (such as for fluorescence imaging) nor the use of image/data analysis methods. The second part of this dissertation describes novel microfabrication techniques for the development of a new class of implantable devices- hydrogel MEMS devices. This technique is comparable to additive manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing. Current 3D printing or fabrication techniques for biocompatible materials normally result in standalone structures. Using our technique, we are not only able to construct microcomponents entirely out of hydrogels but also have the capability to assemble and align various moving components to form a robust MEMS-like device. As these MEMS devices are constructed entirely out of biocompatible PEG-based hydrogels, they are ideal candidates for implantable devices. Once implanted, they can be wirelessly actuated using simple permanent magnets and the operation of the devices do not require onboard power-sources or electronics, which is common for current MEMS-based implantable devices. These devices can also be designed to deliver payloads and this delivery can be actively controlled. We also explore the use of hydrogel MEMS in the in vivo delivery of therapeutics, and assess its efficacy in delivering local, low-doses of a chemotherapeutic drug in a disease model. We envision that these devices, and the technology from which they are borne, will open up a new paradigm in the way implantable devices are developed.

A automação do manejo da irrigação é uma alternativa para maximizar a eficiência de uso da água e a produtividade de culturas irrigadas. Entretanto, a maioria dos controladores de irrigação automatizados é ativada eletricamente e inapropriada para uso em propriedades rurais onde não há disponibilidade de energia. Nesta pesquisa, foi desenvolvido e avaliado um controlador de irrigação acionado mecanicamente pela tensão da água no solo. O equipamento usa a variação de tensão dentro do tensiômetro, instalado na zona radicular da cultura, para acionar mecanicamente uma válvula de três vias (válvula de atuação hidráulica), que por sua vez, opera sobre uma válvula de suprimento da irrigação (válvula hidráulica). O controlador foi projetado e construído utilizando conexões de PVC e outros componentes de PVC construídos em tornos mecânicos. Foram construídos dois protótipos de controlador, denominados protótipo I e II. A tensão da água no solo requerida para acionar o sistema de irrigação é regulada pelo ajuste de uma mola. O desempenho de seis amostras do protótipo I e protótipo II foi avaliado em campo e laboratório, respectivamente. O equipamento foi capaz de ligar e desligar o sistema de irrigação tanto na avaliação em laboratório quanto no campo. Entretanto, variações (desvios padrão de até 5 kPa) nas tensões para acionar e desligar a irrigação foram observadas entre as amostras dos controladores. Porém, a calibração tanto do acionamento quanto do desligamento para cada controlador individualmente é possível e mostrou-se capaz de reduzir a variação para < 1 kPa. Simulações de água no solo foram conduzidas utilizando-se o programa SWIMv2.1 para avaliar o efeito da acurácia do sensor, tipo de solo, taxa de aplicação de irrigação e a profundidade de instalação do sensor no desempenho da irrigação. O controlador apresentou os melhores desempenhos quando instalado em profundidades maiores que 15 cm e para tensões de acionamento maiores do que 15kPa. Em situações em que maior precisão é requerida no acionamento do SI (irrigação de culturas com sistema radicular raso) e/ou é necessário maior flexibilidade na definição lâmina de água a ser aplicado é recomendada a utilização de dois controladores, um para ligar e outro para desligar o SI. As melhores eficiências de aplicação da irrigação e de armazenamento da água no solo foram verificadas com o controlador instalado em profundidades de 30 a 40% da profundidade efetiva do sistema radicular. / The automation of irrigation scheduling is critical to maximizing water use efficiency and productivity in irrigated crops. However, the majority of automated irrigation controllers are electrically actuated and inappropriate for use by small-plot holders where there is no electricity. This research has developed and evaluated a mechanical irrigation controller actuated by soil-water tension for use by small-plot holders. The device uses the energy fluctuations inside a tensiometer located in the active root zone of the crop to mechanically actuate a switch valve which in turn operates the irrigation supply valve.The controller was designed and construced using readily available irrigation fittings and other components constructed in a lathe. It was constructed two prototypes, called prothotype I and II. The performance of six irrigation controllers from the prototype I and prototype II were evaluated in laboratory and in field experiments, respectively. The controller was able to turn on and off irrigation system both in field and laboratory conditions. However, variations (up to 5 kPa standard deviation) in the irrigation actuation and cut-off soil tensions were indentified between individual controllers. However, the calibration of either the actuation or the cut-off soil tension for individual controllers is possible and shown to reduce the variation between controllers to < 1 kPa for the calibrated function. Soil-water simulations were conducted using SWIMv2.1 model to evaluate the effect of sensor accuracy, soil type, irrigation application rate and the installation depth of the sensor on irrigation performance. The controller was shown to perform best when placed in depths bigger than 15 cm and soil-water activation bigger than 15 kPa. In the situation where more precision is required in the actuation of the irrigation system (irrigated crops with shallow root system) and/or is necessary more flexibility in the water depth to be applied, it is recommended utilize two controllers, one to turn on the irrigation and another to turn it off. The best application and soil water storage efficiencies were verified in controller placement depths between from 30 to 40% of the active root system of the crop.