This thesis analyses the potential of a complex adaptive systems (CASs) approach based on system dynamics modelling (SDM) to add value to the currently used assessment tools and monitoring practices for tourism sustainability in an effort to advance sustainable development in tourism destinations. While many different concepts and tools for the assessment of sustainability have developed, most of them do not take the complexity and dynamics of tourism destinations into account. It is argued in this thesis that these linear tools need to be complemented with new approaches that can deal with uncertainty, non-linearity and unexpected changes. New knowledge from ecosystem research, which is derived from complex systems theory, suggests that tourism destinations are indeed social-ecological systems, which need to be viewed and studied as CASs. In recent years tourism researchers have acknowledged the necessity to view tourism as a system with interconnected elements, and have discussed the unpredictability of these tourism systems. CASs approaches, which have been successfully applied by ecologists and economists in other areas, are indicated for tourism management, but have been rarely used in order to promote sustainable tourism development and planning. Appropriate methodologies and frameworks for the implementation of CASs approaches into the tourism context are still lacking. Therefore this thesis addresses the aforementioned challenges as follows: • A critical review of the concepts and tools currently used for the advancement and assessment of sustainability in tourism destinations is presented. The review evaluates the suitability of assessment tools for specific sites and situations, and develops guidelines for tool selection. It is concluded that for particular purposes linear assessment tools need to be combined or complemented with tools that can deal with complexity and dynamics. Tools covered include sustainability indicators, environmental impact assessment, life cycle assessment, environmental audits, ecological footprints, multi-criteria analysis and adaptive environmental assessment. • The use of sustainability indicator as one of the most promoted assessment tools for sustainable development in tourism destination is explored further. A systemic indicator system (SIS) methodology based on a CASs approach as an alternative to linear assessments is developed. This methodology is tested using a case study of a holiday eco-village near Lamington National Park in Queensland. The research findings suggest that the SIS has the potential to enhance system understanding and adaptive management of tourism destinations, and can foster collective learning processes amongst stakeholders. • A framework is developed for a Learning Tourism Destination (LTD) based on the concept of the Learning Organisation, and using SDM as a tool for strategic planning and the promotion of organisational learning. The concept of the LTD is discussed on the basis of 6 case studies, where SDM has been applied primarily for predictive reasons, and through evaluation of the potential of SDM as a tool for the implementation and enhancement of collective learning processes. The results reveal that SDM is capable of promoting communication between stakeholders and stimulating organisational learning. It is argued that the effectiveness of SDM may be greatly increased through incorporation in the foundation of an LTD. • A practical approach for the implementation of an LTD is presented. Preliminary results from a case study undertaken at the Ningaloo Coast in Western Australia are discussed. Surveys were conducted to verify if the LTD forms a useful framework for fostering consensus building, dialogue and collective learning processes amongst stakeholders. The preliminary results of the study suggest that the implementation of an LTD on the Ningaloo Coast will improve the capacity of the local industry to take more responsibility for the sustainable development, and thus has the potential to enable a more effective transition to sustainability in the region. Through its multi-methodological approach, this thesis demonstrates the importance of considering tourism destinations as CASs. New concepts and assessment tools for sustainable tourism are needed that acknowledge the complex and dynamic nature of tourism and tourism development. Together, the SIS methodology and the LTD framework provide an initial platform from which to conduct further research.

Organisational learning has been identified as a lasting source of competitive advantage in uncertain environments. Plentiful research has highlighted that knowledge and skills and the capabilities they develop are strategic resources and that effective utilisation of these resources enhances firm innovation and performance. However, in spite of this widespread recognition, family businesses, specifically family SMEs, have not been the subject of previous research exploring the strategic impact of organisational learning on innovation and firm performance. This research, therefore, sets out a theoretical framework drawing upon organisational learning theory and innovation, and explores the strategic links between organisational learning, innovation and firm performance “within” family SMEs and “between” family and non-family SMEs. The study was undertaken in an Australian context using a sample of 222 manufacturing SMEs comprised of 104 family and 118 non-family SMEs. The data were obtained from the Business Longitudinal Survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics over the financial years 1995/96 - 1997/98, which provides the most recent available comprehensive longitudinal dataset of SMEs in Australia. The study involved three constructs: organisational learning, innovation and firm performance. Organisational learning was operationalised using commitment to learning, shared vision, and networking. To measure commitment to learning, three variables, employee training, management development, and comparison of performance were used. Shared vision was measured using the presence of formal planning in the firms. Networking was measured using the existence of external networks. The innovation construct was measured using product and process innovation intensity, and firm performance was measured by growth of sales and rate of return on total assets. Data were analysed using two tests: regression analysis and the Chow test. Whereas the former test was conducted to explore the direct and indirect effects of organisational learning on innovation and firm performance “within” family SMEs, the latter was conducted to compare those effects “between” family and non-family SMEs. Our “within” results, concerning the direct effects of organisational learning on innovation found that network relationships positively influenced innovation in family SMEs. With regard to the direct effects of organisational learning on performance, we found that management development and formal planning were positively linked with family SMEs’ performance. Moreover, relating to innovation and firm performance, our research concludes that innovation in family SMEs is positively linked with their performance. In the case of the indirect effect, we found that networks affect firm performance via innovation. With respect to the “between” results, we found that whereas the effects of formal planning and innovation on firm performance of family SMEs were stronger than for non-family SMEs, the effects of employee training and management development on firm performance were stronger in non-family SMEs. Concerning networks, we found a stronger effect of family SMEs’ networks on their innovation than non-family SMEs. Finally, we re-emphasised the necessity of more scholarly studies linking organisational learning with family business characteristics such as familiness, leadership, ownership, social interactions and organisational process.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In Chapter 1, the basis of the thesis is discussed, and presents the question, “How can we apply the methodologies that make up the semantic web to to the practice of knowledge management, in order to assist knowledge workers to better do their jobs?” A few premises are established and definitions provided for key concepts. Chapter 2 provides an understanding of learning and organisational theory. It covers some aspects of the history and context of organisational learning and hones in on which theories are most suited to understanding the focused area of technology enhanced learning. In Chapter 3 the focus is placed on online collaborative learning theory and why it is required as a new learning theory for the knowledge age. Chapter 4 introduces the idea of semantics and more particularly, the semantic web. Components of the semantic web and their uses are discussed before the chapter is concluded with current criticisms and industry applications of the semantic web. Chapter 5 relates what has been discussed in chapters 2 and 3 to semantic web tools discussed in chapter 4. The concept of the semantic learning organisation is introduced and the various possibilities for semantic web applications within the learning organisation are discussed. In chapter 6, several problems with the semantic web are presented after which the researcher proposes a possible solution to the problems. Finally, an example implementation is presented and a few observations explored. The thesis comes to the conclusion that implementing a semantic learning network is possible, but only by incorporating its social aspects. Guidelines are presented for organisations for implementing a semantic learning infrastructure. Avenues for further research are outlined and the parameters for the final test implementation are proposed together with a short description of possible problem areas. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In Hoofstuk word die basis van die tesis bespreek, en stel die vraag: Hoe kan ons die metodologieë van die semantiese web toepas op kennisbestuur ten einde kenniswerkers te help om hul werk beter te doen? In die proses word die tesis se aannames gestel en die sleutelkonsepte gedefinieer. Hoofstuk 2 gee 'n oorsig van leer- en organisasieteorie. Dit dek 'n paar aspekte van die geskiedenis en konteks van organisatoriese leer en identifiseer daardie teorieë wat geskik is vir die verstaan van die fokus-area van tegnologie-gesteunde leer. In Hoofstuk 3 verskuif die fokus na aanlyn samewerk leer-teorie (online collaborative learning theory) en waarom dit benodig word as 'n nuwe leerteorie vir die kennis-era. Hoofstuk 4 stel die idee van semantiek en in besonder, die semantiese web, bekend. Komponente van die semantiese web en hul gebruike word beskryf en dan krities bespreek voor die hoofstuk afgesluit word met 'n oorsig van die toepassings van die semantiese web in die organisasie-wêreld. Hoofstuk 5 bring die leerteorieë van hoofstukke 2 en 3 in gesprek met die semantiese web gereedskap wat in hoofstuk 4 bespreek is. Die konsep van die semantiese leerorganisasie word hier ontwikkel en die verskillende moontlikhede vir semantiese web programme in die lerende organisasie word bespreek. Hoofstuk 6 bespreek verskeie probleme van die semantiese web, waarna gespekuleer word oor moontlike oplossings vir hierdie probleme. Ten slotte word 'n voorbeeld implementering beskryf en 'n paar waarnemings word op die basis hiervan gemaak. Die tesis kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat die implementering van 'n semantiese leer netwerk moontlik is, maar slegs deur sosiale aspekte in te sluit. Riglyne word voorgestel vir organisasies vir die implementering van 'n semantiese leer infrastruktuur. Daar word gespekuleer oor moontlike verdere navorsing en die parameters vir 'n finale toets implementering saam met 'n kort beskrywing van moontlike probleemareas.

Dans le cadre des évolutions liées à Bale II, le régulateur a rendu obligatoire la gestion du risque opérationnel en demandant aux établissements financiers d’affecter un montant en fonds propres face à ce risque.Si ce risque était géré implicitement par les banques, la nécessaire visibilité de cette gestion imposée par le régulateur va fortement influencer la gestion des risques de la banque,l’orientant dans un premier temps vers une vision quantitative et statique de cette gestion.De nombreuses recherches se sont intéressées dans un premier temps à l’aspect quantitatif du risque dans une démarche positive, à la recherche du modèle et des données pertinentes afin d’avoir l’estimation la plus vraisemblable du risque opérationnel.Or le risque opérationnel est par nature difficilement quantifiable; il est diffus, multiforme et ne repose sur aucun encours connu. De plus il est fortement influencé par la composante humaine, que le risque soit intentionnel ou non. L’individu est à la fois source du risque et acteur essentiel du processus d’identification.Il nous a semblé alors intéressant d’adopter une vision interprétative du risque, c’est-à-dire de nous intéresser non pas au résultat de l’identification, dans l’objectif de se rapprocher le plus de la réalité mais en essayant de comprendre et d’expliquer les processus à l’oeuvre lors de l’identification et plus précisément les processus d’apprentissage.Nous cherchons alors à répondre à la problématique suivante : quels peuvent être les impacts de l’identification du risque opérationnel sur le processus d’apprentissage organisationnel ?La précision du concept d’identification du risque nous amènera à comprendre les deux composantes de ce dispositif, l’une relative aux informations transmises et l’autre sur les connaissances tacites nécessaires à l’identification. C’est dans ce contexte que nous préciserons l’apport des théories relatives à l’apprentissage organisationnel dans une approche intégrative des dimensions cognitives et comportementales. Notre méthodologie repose sur une étude menée au sein d’un établissement de crédit français qui a adopté une méthode avancée en matière de gestion du risque opérationnel, méthode la plus aboutie en termes de gestion du risque opérationnel. Au sein de cet établissement, nous avons sélectionné deux métiers du fait de leur représentativité, la banque de détail et la banque d’investissement et de financement. A partir d’une grille d’analyse des entretiens qui s’appuie sur les composantes du dispositif règlementaire d’identification du risque opérationnel, nous présentons dans la deuxième partie6nos résultats. Ces résultats sont analysés au sein de chaque métier puis dans une vision inter cas afin de faciliter une comparaison entre les cas et faire émerger des invariants dans les processus d’apprentissage identifiés.Les résultats de notre recherche mettent en avant l’intérêt du dispositif d’identification du risque sur l’apprentissage comportemental dans un processus stimulus-réponse. Cependant ils en montrent également les limites dans un environnement en constante mutation où la standardisation des processus freine l’utilisation pertinente des compétences spécifiques. En revanche, les apprentissages de type cognitif qui se dessinent génèrent de nouveaux modes de raisonnements au niveau individuel, structurés par le dispositif et développés dans le cadre d’interactions. / Our research has the ambition to study the impact of identifying operational risk within the framework of the evolution of the Basel II regulations.The absence of a theoretical reference relative to the object of our research, the identification of operational risk, the context of strong asymmetry which characterizes the banking organisation, brings us to use two theoretical routes: the contractual theory and more specifically the theory of the agency which better lets us understand the stakes in the implementation of identification. We will also base ourselves on the relative theories of organisational training in an integrative approach of cognitive and behavioural dimensions. Our methodology is based on a case study within a French finance company that has adopted the AMA approach, the approach that is the most developed in terms of operational risk management. Within this establishment, due to their representativeness, we have selected two professions, the “banquede detail” (retail bank) and investment bank. According to an analytical grid of interviews that are based on the components of the regulatory system of identifying operational risk, we present in the second part our results.These results have been analysed first for each profession and then with a vision of case comparison in order to permit a comparison between the cases and to allow the emergence of the invariables in the process of the training identified. The results of our research highlight the interest of the system of risk identification on the compartmental training in the process of response stimulus. However, it also shows the limits within an environment of constant change where the standardisation of processes stops the pertinent utilisation of specific competencies. On the other hand, the type of cognitive training that generates new methods of reasoning at an individual level, structured by the system and developed within the social interaction framework. The exchanges have come from the necessity to identify the risk and to formalize it, oblige the individual to justify him or herself and favorise the confrontation of points of view. These interactions could lead to developing new thinking tied to the needs of the need for argument and the socialisation of the individual thinking that tends to objectivise itself.

A adoção de metodologias ágeis tem se provado uma atividade sensível a cultura das organizações que as aplicam. Nos dez anos que se sucederam ao Agile Manifesto, projetos ágeis se desenvolveram a partir de tentativas conduzidas em situações ideais até grandes iniciativas adaptadas para as mais diversas condições. Por outro lado, a cultura organizacional tem se provado determinante na maneira que organizações abordam os desafios que se apresentam. Este trabalho tem por objetivo explorar a relação entre os pressupostos culturais básicos das organizações e práticas ágeis selecionadas. Para isso, se buscou identificar, através de revisão da literatura, pressupostos básicos significativos, práticas ágeis representativas e como se dá a interação entre esses, mapeando correlações através de uma survey. Essa se trata de um questionário respondido por funcionários da consultoria de TI ThoughtWorks a partir de sua experiência em projetos ágeis em clientes. A partir do resultado da survey foram exploradas as correlações identificadas – inclusive no que diz respeito à experiência e satisfação dos clientes com metodologias ágeis – e as observações foram validadas com consultores especialistas em métodos ágeis e em cultura organizacional. Procurou-se, assim, oferecer um mapa inicial para investigar a relação entre cultura organizacional e práticas ágeis que pode sugerir abordagens para introdução de práticas ágeis baseadas no perfil cultural da organização aonde se busca introduzi-las. / Companies adopting Agile methodologies have proven sensible to cultural differences. Ten years after the Agile Manifesto, agile projects have grown from small teams operating in specific situations to big cross-national initiatives. Organizational culture, in the other hand, is considered a determining factor in the way an organization perceives the world and interacts with it. In this paper, the relation between basic cultural assumptions of an organization will be matched up against a few selected agile practices. To achieve that, it looked into the literature to map these basic assumptions and representative agile practices, aiming to establish correlations between them through the results of a survey. This survey is a questionnaire answered by employees of the IT consultancy firm ThoughtWorks based on their experience in agile projects in client‟s organizations. Based on the survey results, some correlations were identified and analysed – including some regarding client experience and satisfaction with agile – and the observations were submitted to consultants, specialist in both agile practices and organizational culture for confirmation of the findings. It aimed to offer an initial map to investigate relations between organizational culture and agile practices looking to suggest new approaches for the introduction of agile practices based on the cultural profile of the target organization.

Diversos esforços vêm sendo realizados por parte do setor produtivo e da academia no sentido de estabelecer mecanismos inovadores que facilitem a incorporação da medição e comparação de desempenho ao processo de decisão das empresas de construção. Dentre estes esforços, destacamse as iniciativas internacionais para desenvolvimento de sistemas de indicadores para comparação de desempenho e clubes de benchmarking. Em particular, estes clubes podem ser considerados como arranjos colaborativos, que fornecem um meio em que organizações podem adquirir e compartilhar conhecimentos do ambiente externo visando à implementação de melhorias incrementais e inovadoras. Entretanto, ainda, são escassos os trabalhos que explicam as condições nas quais os arranjos colaborativos mostram-se eficazes, os seus efeitos em termos de implementação de melhorias e aprendizagem das empresas, e como as práticas compartilhadas ao longo do processo colaborativo são transformadas em novos conhecimentos em diferentes contextos organizacionais. O objetivo geral desta tese foi estabelecer um conjunto de diretrizes para a realização de processos de benchmarking colaborativo visando à implementação de melhorias nas empresas de construção civil. No presente trabalho, foi estudado o processo de aprendizagem colaborativa ocorrido na realização de um Clube de Benchmarking, formado um por um grupo de vinte empresas de construção. Buscou-se, através deste processo, o desenvolvimento conjunto de um sistema de medição para comparação de desempenho e, posteriormente, a troca de experiências e práticas relacionadas aos indicadores e processos gerenciais selecionados pelas empresas participantes. A estratégia de pesquisa utilizada foi a pesquisa-ação, sendo o estudo subdividido em quatro fases: preparação, estudo empírico, estudos complementares e análise final dos dados. O estudo empírico foi realizado em três etapas, sendo o foco da pesquisa refinado ao final de cada nova etapa. Os resultados foram analisados de acordo com duas unidades de análise: o Clube de Benchmarking, por meio do processo colaborativo, e as empresas, através da análise das trajetórias de colaboração e aprendizagem. Os resultados indicaram que o ambiente colaborativo cria oportunidades para as pessoas refletirem e abstraírem sobre os conhecimentos compartilhados, e que esta reflexão estimula as pessoas a implementar melhorias nas suas empresas. A implementação efetiva destas melhorias, por sua vez, depende de um conjunto de capacidades dos gerentes e das empresas participantes para absorver o conhecimento disponibilizado externamente, de modo a entender, disseminar, transformar e usar este novo conhecimento dentro da empresa. As principais contribuições desta tese estão relacionadas a: (a) proposição de uma estrutura de avaliação da eficácia do processo colaborativo em clubes de benchmarking; (b) compreensão do processo de aprendizagem nas empresas de construção induzido por um processo de benchmarking colaborativo; e (c) o estabelecimento de um conjunto de diretrizes para a realização de processos de benchmarking colaborativo, incluindo os requisitos necessários para o seu desenvolvimento, bem como as principais etapas e passos para a criação de novos grupos. / Several efforts have been developed by practitioner and academics in order to establish innovative mechanisms which facilitate the insertion of performance measurement and comparison in the construction companies decision process. One of these efforts refers to the international initiatives for the development of performance measurement benchmarking systems and benchmarking clubs. In particular, these clubs can be considered as collaborative groups, providing an environment in which companies can acquire and share knowledge from the external environment aiming to implement performance improvements. However, little is known about the conditions under which effective networking takes place and the real benefits achieved by organisations regarding to the implementation of improvements and learning. Besides this, there is a lack of understanding about how the shared practices in collaborative groups can be transformed into a new knowledge in different organizational contexts. The aim of this paper is to establish a set of guidelines for the development of a collaborative benchmarking process aiming the implementation of improvements in construction companies. Specifically, a learning collaborative process was investigated, which was developed in a Benchmarking Club, involving twenty construction companies from the State of Rio Grande do Sul-Brazil. Through this process, a performance measurement system for benchmarking was developed, and, afterwards, the exchange of experience and practice related to the measures and managerial processes, previously defined by these companies, was also developed. This study was carried out using an action research strategy, which was divided into four phased: preparation, empirical study, complementary study and final data analysis. The findings were analysed in two phases. Firstly, the three stages of the collaborative process in the Benchmarking Club were analysed, followed by the stories of collaboration and learning of four construction companies involved in the first two stages of this study. As main conclusions, this work identified that the collaborative environment created the opportunity for the construction managers to reflect and abstract about the shared knowledge. Also, this encouraged these managers to start the implementation of improvements in their companies. The level of these improvements were dependent on a set of individual and organisational abilities to absorb the shared knowledge aiming to understand, diffuse, transform and use this knowledge inside of the companies. The main contributions of this study are: (a) the proposition of a structure to evaluate the effectiveness of the collaborative process in benchmarking clubs; (b) the understanding of the learning process in the construction companies due to the collaborative process; and (c) the establishment of a set of guidelines for the development of a collaborative benchmarking process, including the necessary requirement for its development, as well as the main stages and steps to create new benchmarking groups.

Diversos esforços vêm sendo realizados por parte do setor produtivo e da academia no sentido de estabelecer mecanismos inovadores que facilitem a incorporação da medição e comparação de desempenho ao processo de decisão das empresas de construção. Dentre estes esforços, destacamse as iniciativas internacionais para desenvolvimento de sistemas de indicadores para comparação de desempenho e clubes de benchmarking. Em particular, estes clubes podem ser considerados como arranjos colaborativos, que fornecem um meio em que organizações podem adquirir e compartilhar conhecimentos do ambiente externo visando à implementação de melhorias incrementais e inovadoras. Entretanto, ainda, são escassos os trabalhos que explicam as condições nas quais os arranjos colaborativos mostram-se eficazes, os seus efeitos em termos de implementação de melhorias e aprendizagem das empresas, e como as práticas compartilhadas ao longo do processo colaborativo são transformadas em novos conhecimentos em diferentes contextos organizacionais. O objetivo geral desta tese foi estabelecer um conjunto de diretrizes para a realização de processos de benchmarking colaborativo visando à implementação de melhorias nas empresas de construção civil. No presente trabalho, foi estudado o processo de aprendizagem colaborativa ocorrido na realização de um Clube de Benchmarking, formado um por um grupo de vinte empresas de construção. Buscou-se, através deste processo, o desenvolvimento conjunto de um sistema de medição para comparação de desempenho e, posteriormente, a troca de experiências e práticas relacionadas aos indicadores e processos gerenciais selecionados pelas empresas participantes. A estratégia de pesquisa utilizada foi a pesquisa-ação, sendo o estudo subdividido em quatro fases: preparação, estudo empírico, estudos complementares e análise final dos dados. O estudo empírico foi realizado em três etapas, sendo o foco da pesquisa refinado ao final de cada nova etapa. Os resultados foram analisados de acordo com duas unidades de análise: o Clube de Benchmarking, por meio do processo colaborativo, e as empresas, através da análise das trajetórias de colaboração e aprendizagem. Os resultados indicaram que o ambiente colaborativo cria oportunidades para as pessoas refletirem e abstraírem sobre os conhecimentos compartilhados, e que esta reflexão estimula as pessoas a implementar melhorias nas suas empresas. A implementação efetiva destas melhorias, por sua vez, depende de um conjunto de capacidades dos gerentes e das empresas participantes para absorver o conhecimento disponibilizado externamente, de modo a entender, disseminar, transformar e usar este novo conhecimento dentro da empresa. As principais contribuições desta tese estão relacionadas a: (a) proposição de uma estrutura de avaliação da eficácia do processo colaborativo em clubes de benchmarking; (b) compreensão do processo de aprendizagem nas empresas de construção induzido por um processo de benchmarking colaborativo; e (c) o estabelecimento de um conjunto de diretrizes para a realização de processos de benchmarking colaborativo, incluindo os requisitos necessários para o seu desenvolvimento, bem como as principais etapas e passos para a criação de novos grupos. / Several efforts have been developed by practitioner and academics in order to establish innovative mechanisms which facilitate the insertion of performance measurement and comparison in the construction companies decision process. One of these efforts refers to the international initiatives for the development of performance measurement benchmarking systems and benchmarking clubs. In particular, these clubs can be considered as collaborative groups, providing an environment in which companies can acquire and share knowledge from the external environment aiming to implement performance improvements. However, little is known about the conditions under which effective networking takes place and the real benefits achieved by organisations regarding to the implementation of improvements and learning. Besides this, there is a lack of understanding about how the shared practices in collaborative groups can be transformed into a new knowledge in different organizational contexts. The aim of this paper is to establish a set of guidelines for the development of a collaborative benchmarking process aiming the implementation of improvements in construction companies. Specifically, a learning collaborative process was investigated, which was developed in a Benchmarking Club, involving twenty construction companies from the State of Rio Grande do Sul-Brazil. Through this process, a performance measurement system for benchmarking was developed, and, afterwards, the exchange of experience and practice related to the measures and managerial processes, previously defined by these companies, was also developed. This study was carried out using an action research strategy, which was divided into four phased: preparation, empirical study, complementary study and final data analysis. The findings were analysed in two phases. Firstly, the three stages of the collaborative process in the Benchmarking Club were analysed, followed by the stories of collaboration and learning of four construction companies involved in the first two stages of this study. As main conclusions, this work identified that the collaborative environment created the opportunity for the construction managers to reflect and abstract about the shared knowledge. Also, this encouraged these managers to start the implementation of improvements in their companies. The level of these improvements were dependent on a set of individual and organisational abilities to absorb the shared knowledge aiming to understand, diffuse, transform and use this knowledge inside of the companies. The main contributions of this study are: (a) the proposition of a structure to evaluate the effectiveness of the collaborative process in benchmarking clubs; (b) the understanding of the learning process in the construction companies due to the collaborative process; and (c) the establishment of a set of guidelines for the development of a collaborative benchmarking process, including the necessary requirement for its development, as well as the main stages and steps to create new benchmarking groups.

A adoção de metodologias ágeis tem se provado uma atividade sensível a cultura das organizações que as aplicam. Nos dez anos que se sucederam ao Agile Manifesto, projetos ágeis se desenvolveram a partir de tentativas conduzidas em situações ideais até grandes iniciativas adaptadas para as mais diversas condições. Por outro lado, a cultura organizacional tem se provado determinante na maneira que organizações abordam os desafios que se apresentam. Este trabalho tem por objetivo explorar a relação entre os pressupostos culturais básicos das organizações e práticas ágeis selecionadas. Para isso, se buscou identificar, através de revisão da literatura, pressupostos básicos significativos, práticas ágeis representativas e como se dá a interação entre esses, mapeando correlações através de uma survey. Essa se trata de um questionário respondido por funcionários da consultoria de TI ThoughtWorks a partir de sua experiência em projetos ágeis em clientes. A partir do resultado da survey foram exploradas as correlações identificadas – inclusive no que diz respeito à experiência e satisfação dos clientes com metodologias ágeis – e as observações foram validadas com consultores especialistas em métodos ágeis e em cultura organizacional. Procurou-se, assim, oferecer um mapa inicial para investigar a relação entre cultura organizacional e práticas ágeis que pode sugerir abordagens para introdução de práticas ágeis baseadas no perfil cultural da organização aonde se busca introduzi-las. / Companies adopting Agile methodologies have proven sensible to cultural differences. Ten years after the Agile Manifesto, agile projects have grown from small teams operating in specific situations to big cross-national initiatives. Organizational culture, in the other hand, is considered a determining factor in the way an organization perceives the world and interacts with it. In this paper, the relation between basic cultural assumptions of an organization will be matched up against a few selected agile practices. To achieve that, it looked into the literature to map these basic assumptions and representative agile practices, aiming to establish correlations between them through the results of a survey. This survey is a questionnaire answered by employees of the IT consultancy firm ThoughtWorks based on their experience in agile projects in client‟s organizations. Based on the survey results, some correlations were identified and analysed – including some regarding client experience and satisfaction with agile – and the observations were submitted to consultants, specialist in both agile practices and organizational culture for confirmation of the findings. It aimed to offer an initial map to investigate relations between organizational culture and agile practices looking to suggest new approaches for the introduction of agile practices based on the cultural profile of the target organization.

A adoção de metodologias ágeis tem se provado uma atividade sensível a cultura das organizações que as aplicam. Nos dez anos que se sucederam ao Agile Manifesto, projetos ágeis se desenvolveram a partir de tentativas conduzidas em situações ideais até grandes iniciativas adaptadas para as mais diversas condições. Por outro lado, a cultura organizacional tem se provado determinante na maneira que organizações abordam os desafios que se apresentam. Este trabalho tem por objetivo explorar a relação entre os pressupostos culturais básicos das organizações e práticas ágeis selecionadas. Para isso, se buscou identificar, através de revisão da literatura, pressupostos básicos significativos, práticas ágeis representativas e como se dá a interação entre esses, mapeando correlações através de uma survey. Essa se trata de um questionário respondido por funcionários da consultoria de TI ThoughtWorks a partir de sua experiência em projetos ágeis em clientes. A partir do resultado da survey foram exploradas as correlações identificadas – inclusive no que diz respeito à experiência e satisfação dos clientes com metodologias ágeis – e as observações foram validadas com consultores especialistas em métodos ágeis e em cultura organizacional. Procurou-se, assim, oferecer um mapa inicial para investigar a relação entre cultura organizacional e práticas ágeis que pode sugerir abordagens para introdução de práticas ágeis baseadas no perfil cultural da organização aonde se busca introduzi-las. / Companies adopting Agile methodologies have proven sensible to cultural differences. Ten years after the Agile Manifesto, agile projects have grown from small teams operating in specific situations to big cross-national initiatives. Organizational culture, in the other hand, is considered a determining factor in the way an organization perceives the world and interacts with it. In this paper, the relation between basic cultural assumptions of an organization will be matched up against a few selected agile practices. To achieve that, it looked into the literature to map these basic assumptions and representative agile practices, aiming to establish correlations between them through the results of a survey. This survey is a questionnaire answered by employees of the IT consultancy firm ThoughtWorks based on their experience in agile projects in client‟s organizations. Based on the survey results, some correlations were identified and analysed – including some regarding client experience and satisfaction with agile – and the observations were submitted to consultants, specialist in both agile practices and organizational culture for confirmation of the findings. It aimed to offer an initial map to investigate relations between organizational culture and agile practices looking to suggest new approaches for the introduction of agile practices based on the cultural profile of the target organization.

Diversos esforços vêm sendo realizados por parte do setor produtivo e da academia no sentido de estabelecer mecanismos inovadores que facilitem a incorporação da medição e comparação de desempenho ao processo de decisão das empresas de construção. Dentre estes esforços, destacamse as iniciativas internacionais para desenvolvimento de sistemas de indicadores para comparação de desempenho e clubes de benchmarking. Em particular, estes clubes podem ser considerados como arranjos colaborativos, que fornecem um meio em que organizações podem adquirir e compartilhar conhecimentos do ambiente externo visando à implementação de melhorias incrementais e inovadoras. Entretanto, ainda, são escassos os trabalhos que explicam as condições nas quais os arranjos colaborativos mostram-se eficazes, os seus efeitos em termos de implementação de melhorias e aprendizagem das empresas, e como as práticas compartilhadas ao longo do processo colaborativo são transformadas em novos conhecimentos em diferentes contextos organizacionais. O objetivo geral desta tese foi estabelecer um conjunto de diretrizes para a realização de processos de benchmarking colaborativo visando à implementação de melhorias nas empresas de construção civil. No presente trabalho, foi estudado o processo de aprendizagem colaborativa ocorrido na realização de um Clube de Benchmarking, formado um por um grupo de vinte empresas de construção. Buscou-se, através deste processo, o desenvolvimento conjunto de um sistema de medição para comparação de desempenho e, posteriormente, a troca de experiências e práticas relacionadas aos indicadores e processos gerenciais selecionados pelas empresas participantes. A estratégia de pesquisa utilizada foi a pesquisa-ação, sendo o estudo subdividido em quatro fases: preparação, estudo empírico, estudos complementares e análise final dos dados. O estudo empírico foi realizado em três etapas, sendo o foco da pesquisa refinado ao final de cada nova etapa. Os resultados foram analisados de acordo com duas unidades de análise: o Clube de Benchmarking, por meio do processo colaborativo, e as empresas, através da análise das trajetórias de colaboração e aprendizagem. Os resultados indicaram que o ambiente colaborativo cria oportunidades para as pessoas refletirem e abstraírem sobre os conhecimentos compartilhados, e que esta reflexão estimula as pessoas a implementar melhorias nas suas empresas. A implementação efetiva destas melhorias, por sua vez, depende de um conjunto de capacidades dos gerentes e das empresas participantes para absorver o conhecimento disponibilizado externamente, de modo a entender, disseminar, transformar e usar este novo conhecimento dentro da empresa. As principais contribuições desta tese estão relacionadas a: (a) proposição de uma estrutura de avaliação da eficácia do processo colaborativo em clubes de benchmarking; (b) compreensão do processo de aprendizagem nas empresas de construção induzido por um processo de benchmarking colaborativo; e (c) o estabelecimento de um conjunto de diretrizes para a realização de processos de benchmarking colaborativo, incluindo os requisitos necessários para o seu desenvolvimento, bem como as principais etapas e passos para a criação de novos grupos. / Several efforts have been developed by practitioner and academics in order to establish innovative mechanisms which facilitate the insertion of performance measurement and comparison in the construction companies decision process. One of these efforts refers to the international initiatives for the development of performance measurement benchmarking systems and benchmarking clubs. In particular, these clubs can be considered as collaborative groups, providing an environment in which companies can acquire and share knowledge from the external environment aiming to implement performance improvements. However, little is known about the conditions under which effective networking takes place and the real benefits achieved by organisations regarding to the implementation of improvements and learning. Besides this, there is a lack of understanding about how the shared practices in collaborative groups can be transformed into a new knowledge in different organizational contexts. The aim of this paper is to establish a set of guidelines for the development of a collaborative benchmarking process aiming the implementation of improvements in construction companies. Specifically, a learning collaborative process was investigated, which was developed in a Benchmarking Club, involving twenty construction companies from the State of Rio Grande do Sul-Brazil. Through this process, a performance measurement system for benchmarking was developed, and, afterwards, the exchange of experience and practice related to the measures and managerial processes, previously defined by these companies, was also developed. This study was carried out using an action research strategy, which was divided into four phased: preparation, empirical study, complementary study and final data analysis. The findings were analysed in two phases. Firstly, the three stages of the collaborative process in the Benchmarking Club were analysed, followed by the stories of collaboration and learning of four construction companies involved in the first two stages of this study. As main conclusions, this work identified that the collaborative environment created the opportunity for the construction managers to reflect and abstract about the shared knowledge. Also, this encouraged these managers to start the implementation of improvements in their companies. The level of these improvements were dependent on a set of individual and organisational abilities to absorb the shared knowledge aiming to understand, diffuse, transform and use this knowledge inside of the companies. The main contributions of this study are: (a) the proposition of a structure to evaluate the effectiveness of the collaborative process in benchmarking clubs; (b) the understanding of the learning process in the construction companies due to the collaborative process; and (c) the establishment of a set of guidelines for the development of a collaborative benchmarking process, including the necessary requirement for its development, as well as the main stages and steps to create new benchmarking groups.