Economic literature suggests that private firms, especially small and medium ones, may not pursue technology research and development projects because of complexity of technology and financial barriers. Two main economic rationales have been discussed for public subsidies of private-sector research and development (R&D). First is the generation of positive externalities. Government R & D subsidies can have positive spillovers so that other firms or society would benefit. A second rationale is derived from the fact that government subsidies provide information on firms to financial institutions and potential investors. Information asymmetries tend to exclude entrepreneurs from private investments [Eshima, 2003]. Taiwan launched similar SBIR in 1997. Since then, Taiwan¡¦s SBIR research budget has steadily increased. SBIR¡¦s actual expenditure increased from NT$340 million to NT$520 million from 2004 to 2005. The SBIR produced 839 patents, 523 patent applications, 210 technical papers, and 265 contracts and industrial services in 2005. With respect to the benefits of research and development, the SBIR also produced 285 enterprise investments in 2005. There are many researches on the TDP and the objects are almost the firms which got the subsidies. On the other hand, there is no research focus on the firms which failed to apply. Because it is limited to examine the effect of the government subsidies, we can not know comprehensively whether the subsidies raise the companies¡¦ performance or not. This paper evaluates public support of private-sector R&D through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program in Taiwan. We not only want to know the effect of the subsidy subjects on the individual company, but also find the significant differences in the performance of the companies which got the subsidies or not. SBIR has been launched for seven years since 1999. The method which measures long-term performance should be applied. The research uses the Lerner and Eshima¡¦s quasi-experiment framework of the policy estimate to the United States and Japan. We distribute the firms into two groups. One is the treat firms that received subsidy, and the other is the matched firms each that applied the subsidy but not received. Furthermore, the research estimates the effect of the subsidies on the performance of the firms¡¦ R&D activities and operation with t tests of paired.

The topic of this study is using Total Physical Response (TPR) in teaching English adjectives to 11-year-old pupils. The objective of this study is to investigate whether the TPR method is effective in teaching English adjectives. The researcher used a quasi-experiment to design this study. The population was the pupils aged 11 in a middle school in Kristianstad. 30 pupils were selected as samples and divided into two groups: one experimental group and one control group. The steps of this experiment were: (1) the experimental group was taught by the TPR method; (2) the control group and the experimental group were given the same post-test. In order to investigate whether there is a necessity to adopt new English vocabulary teaching technique for these pupils, two questionnaires were deliberated; the first questionnaire was for all testees and the second questionnaire was just for the experimental group. The result of the study showed the pupils’ achievements in the experimental group were improved by the TPR method. The mean score of the experimental group was much higher than that of the control group. The p-value of this test was 0.0002 less than 0.01 which showed strong evidence that the results were not achieved coincidentally. The effect size of this study was 2.59 more than 0.8 which indicated that the TPR method has significant effectiveness in teaching English adjectives. The questionnaires indicated that TPR was the new English vocabulary teaching technique that the pupils need.

[ES] Fostering innovativeness in every team of a company is essential in order to stay competitive today. However, little is known about the real effect of measures to improve a team's innovativeness. The purpose of this dissertation is to test the impact of such measures to support human resource development. A mixed method triangulation research strategy was applied. Two approaches for measuring innovation performance were developed based on a structured literature review and qualitative expert interviews: One based on the idea of counting innovations along the steps of the innovation process (counting tool) and one which also integrates the value of the innovations into the assessment (valuing tool). A pretest-posttest control group design was used while conducting a quasi-experiment with 18 teams of a German insurance company. Findings were two-fold: On the one hand the validity of the counting tool to measure innovation performance of teams could be proven. Despite strongly correlating results this was not possible with regard to the valuing tool. On the other hand, they suggest a statistically significant effect of the measures on innovativeness, particularly implementing a pin board and providing employees with time for innovations can be recommended. The results provide a new perspective on measuring innovativeness and extends existing frameworks for future academic investigations. Additionally, it can be used by managers to invest in and select effective measures to improve the innovativeness of teams. / [CAT] Fomentar la innovación en todos los equipos de una empresa es esencial para seguir siendo competitivo hoy en día. Sin embargo, se sabe poco sobre el efecto real de las medidas para mejorar la capacidad de innovación de un equipo. El propósito de este trabajo es probar el impacto de tales medidas para apoyar el desarrollo de los recursos humanos. Se aplicó una estrategia de investigación de triangulación con métodos mixtos. Se desarrollaron dos enfoques para medir el rendimiento de la innovación basados en una revisión estructurada de la literatura y en entrevistas cualitativas con expertos: Una basada en la idea de contar el número de las innovaciones a lo largo de los pasos del proceso de innovación (herramienta de recuento) y otra basada en la integración del valor de las innovaciones en la evaluación (herramienta de valoración). Se utilizó un diseño de grupo de control antes y después de la prueba mientras se realizaba un cuasi-experimento con 18 equipos de una compañía de seguros alemana. Los resultados fueron dobles: Por un lado, se pudo comprobar la validez de la herramienta de recuento para medir el rendimiento de innovación de los equipos. A pesar de la fuerte correlación de los resultados, esto no fue posible con respecto a la herramienta de valoración. Por otra parte, sugieren un efecto estadísticamente significativo de las medidas sobre la capacidad de innovación, en particular la implantación de un tablón de anuncios y la concesión de tiempo a los empleados para innovar. Los resultados proporcionan una nueva perspectiva para medir la capacidad de innovación y amplían los marcos existentes para futuras investigaciones académicas. Además, pueden ser utilizados por los directivos para invertir y seleccionar medidas eficaces para mejorar la capacidad de innovación de los equipos. / [EN] Fomentar la innovació en tots els equips d'una empresa és essencial per continuar sent competitiu avui en dia. No obstant això, se sap poc sobre l'efecte real de les mesures per a millorar la capacitat d'innovació d'un equip. El propòsit d'aquest treball és provar l'impacte d'aquestes mesures per donar suport al desenvolupament dels recursos humans. Es va aplicar una estratègia d'investigació de triangulació amb mètodes mixtes. Es van desenvolupar dos enfocaments per mesurar el rendiment de la innovació basats en una revisió estructurada de la literatura i en entrevistes qualitatives amb experts: Una basada en la idea de comptar el nombre de les innovacions al llarg dels passos del procés d'innovació (eina de recompte) i una altra basada en la integració del valor de les innovacions en l'avaluació (eina de valoració). Es va utilitzar un disseny de grup de control abans i després de la prova mentre es realitzava un quasi-experiment amb 18 equips d'una companyia d'assegurances alemanya. Els resultats van ser dobles: D'una banda, es va poder comprovar la validesa de l'eina de recompte per mesurar el rendiment d'innovació dels equips. Tot i la forta correlació dels resultats, això no va ser possible pel que fa a l'eina de valoració. D'altra banda, suggereixen un efecte estadísticament significatiu de les mesures sobre la capacitat d'innovació, en particular la implantació d'un tauler d'anuncis i la concessió de temps als empleats per innovar. Els resultats proporcionen una nova perspectiva per mesurar la capacitat d'innovació i amplien els marcs existents per a futures investigacions acadèmiques. A més, poden ser utilitzats pels directius per invertir i seleccionar mesures eficaces per millorar la capacitat d'innovació dels equips. / Ter Haar, PJ. (2020). Measuring the impact of specific activities to improve innovation capacity of teams in a German insurance company [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/141083 / TESIS

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This study uses a predominantly quantitative approach to explore the effect of different error correction feedback mechanisms on students’ English as a Second Language writing (narrative and descriptive) amongst high school students in Botswana. A longitudinal, quasi-experimental design is used, with a control group that received no correction feedback while the experimental groups received direct, coded and uncoded feedback. Three hypotheses define the study in terms of fluency, correction success and accuracy development over time. No significant increases in fluency were found between the pretests and posttests. Correction success achieved by the three treatment groups when rewriting texts reflected the explicitness of the feedback, with the direct group highest, followed by the coded and uncoded groups. Findings were mixed on the important issue of accuracy development, although they strongly suggest that for spelling, any type of feedback is significantly better than none and that coded feedback is better than direct feedback despite the latter being more explicit. Students from all the treatment groups expressed similarly positive opinions on correction feedback. / Applied Language / M.A. (Spec. in Applied Linguistics)

More than 59 million children are out of schools across the globe (UNESCO Institute for Statistics and UNICEF, 2015), despite the promise of education for all children by the year 2015. The situation is more pronounced in developing countries particularly in Africa and South Asia. Strategies adopted globally to attract children towards schools rarely considered improving the existing physical environments, despite evidence that primary school aged children (five to 12 years) learn more effectively when their education is incorporated with surrounding environments (Khan & Islam, 2014; Lieberman & Hoody, 1998; Mygind, 2009). This study investigated the potential of a primary school ground to be an effective learning environment and explores how the design of an outdoor environment can contribute to children’s learning. This interdisciplinary project is underpinned by classic psychological theories of child development (e.g. Piaget, 1964 and Vygotsky et al., 1978), while Gibson’s (1979) ‘Concept of Affordance’ and Barker’s (1976) ‘Theory of Behaviour Settings’ have provided the framework for exploring the relationship between the school ground and children’s learning. A quasi-experimental action research project was carried out in a Government primary school in Bangladesh, which included the design and development of the school ground, with the direct participation of children, teachers and parents. Another primary school (with no change to the outdoor environment) was used as a control school to compare the outcomes. A mixed methods approach to conduct this quasi-experiment included data from existing exam scores, questionnaire survey, observation and behaviour-mapping, focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. The key findings from this study indicate an overall positive influence of the designed outdoor environment on children’s academic performance and their motivation to learn. An increase in children’s cognitive, social and physical activities in the school ground is also evidenced by the study. The analysis of the data likewise reveals that different behaviour settings of the school ground offered opportunities for different teaching and learning activities. Both natural settings and settings with built features afforded more focused activities (e.g. gardens afforded exploration and connection with nature, while the play area afforded more functional play). Additionally, settings comprised of both natural and built elements (e.g. the area with loose materials and huts) and areas in close proximity with natural ones (i.e. the open yard) accommodated diverse and multiple teaching and learning activities (e.g. measuring, building/constructing and exploring). The findings further suggest that the design and use of the school ground had a surprising and unintended positive effect on teachers’ motivation and pedagogy. Through reflecting on the use of different landscape elements and settings in the school ground during formal outdoor classes and informal play times, the study has further come to propose some design recommendations for other new school grounds as well as the redesign of existing ones.

Abstract This study used an exploratory research focus to investigate if making electricity consumption public and subject to social norms and networks resulted in consumption decreases for households in Milton, Ontario. In the first phase, Milton Hydro identified customers who fell within an average annual electricity consumption category and these customers were invited to participate by mail. Due to lack of participant uptake, cold-calling, targeting of service and faith groups and commuters, and snowball sampling were employed to obtain a total participant size of 17. The second phase saw participants grouped according to social network type (occupational, faith group, etc) and exposed to approval or disapproval indicators within their group about their daily electricity consumption rates via an on-line ‘energy pool’. There were five main groups: one of neighbours, one of members of a faith group, one of members of a company, one of strangers and one of a control group. Group members saw other members’ indicators with the exception of the control group, whose indicators were privately delivered. All group’s electricity consumption was tracked through daily smart meter readings. Participants also had the option of commenting on each other’s electricity use via an online ‘comment box’. In the third phase participants were asked to participate in a questionnaire to assess: 1) the perceived efficacy of the intervention; 2) perceptions of electricity consumption; and 3) the influence of the group on these perceptions. This sequential methodology was chosen for its ability to “...explain significant (or non-significant) results, outlier results, or surprising results” (Cresswell, 2006, p. 72). The findings of this exploratory research seem to suggest the following: 1) that publicity or group type does not seem to affect electricity consumption in comparative electricity consumption feedback for this study; 2) that participants used injunctive norms to comment on their electricity consumption but directed these comments solely at themselves; and 3) that the stronger the relationships in the group, the more likely participants were to engage with the website through checking it and commenting on it. This study may be useful to those in the fields of: 1) electricity conservation who wish to leverage feedback technologies; 2) social networks who wish to better understand how tie strength interacts with social norms and; 3) those in social marketing who wish to develop norm-based campaigns.

This dissertation studies social incentives in pro-social behavior and its various implications, including but not limited to disclosure policies, fundraising strategies and geographic polarization. / Economics

Abstract This study used an exploratory research focus to investigate if making electricity consumption public and subject to social norms and networks resulted in consumption decreases for households in Milton, Ontario. In the first phase, Milton Hydro identified customers who fell within an average annual electricity consumption category and these customers were invited to participate by mail. Due to lack of participant uptake, cold-calling, targeting of service and faith groups and commuters, and snowball sampling were employed to obtain a total participant size of 17. The second phase saw participants grouped according to social network type (occupational, faith group, etc) and exposed to approval or disapproval indicators within their group about their daily electricity consumption rates via an on-line ‘energy pool’. There were five main groups: one of neighbours, one of members of a faith group, one of members of a company, one of strangers and one of a control group. Group members saw other members’ indicators with the exception of the control group, whose indicators were privately delivered. All group’s electricity consumption was tracked through daily smart meter readings. Participants also had the option of commenting on each other’s electricity use via an online ‘comment box’. In the third phase participants were asked to participate in a questionnaire to assess: 1) the perceived efficacy of the intervention; 2) perceptions of electricity consumption; and 3) the influence of the group on these perceptions. This sequential methodology was chosen for its ability to “...explain significant (or non-significant) results, outlier results, or surprising results” (Cresswell, 2006, p. 72). The findings of this exploratory research seem to suggest the following: 1) that publicity or group type does not seem to affect electricity consumption in comparative electricity consumption feedback for this study; 2) that participants used injunctive norms to comment on their electricity consumption but directed these comments solely at themselves; and 3) that the stronger the relationships in the group, the more likely participants were to engage with the website through checking it and commenting on it. This study may be useful to those in the fields of: 1) electricity conservation who wish to leverage feedback technologies; 2) social networks who wish to better understand how tie strength interacts with social norms and; 3) those in social marketing who wish to develop norm-based campaigns.

This study uses a predominantly quantitative approach to explore the effect of different error correction feedback mechanisms on students’ English as a Second Language writing (narrative and descriptive) amongst high school students in Botswana. A longitudinal, quasi-experimental design is used, with a control group that received no correction feedback while the experimental groups received direct, coded and uncoded feedback. Three hypotheses define the study in terms of fluency, correction success and accuracy development over time. No significant increases in fluency were found between the pretests and posttests. Correction success achieved by the three treatment groups when rewriting texts reflected the explicitness of the feedback, with the direct group highest, followed by the coded and uncoded groups. Findings were mixed on the important issue of accuracy development, although they strongly suggest that for spelling, any type of feedback is significantly better than none and that coded feedback is better than direct feedback despite the latter being more explicit. Students from all the treatment groups expressed similarly positive opinions on correction feedback. / Applied Language / M.A. (Spec. in Applied Linguistics)