Companies’ new primary source for sustainable revenue growth comes from creating new innovations, rather than from mergers and acquisitions. Companies are finding it difficult to align internal support for the innovative creativity of teams with standard operating procedures. This research aims to discover how innovative teams contribute to forming development strategies that CPG firms use to create new products. Dimensions of the Theory of Team Climate in Innovation (TTCI) offer insight on the dimensions of development strategy. Specifically, by integrating the theories, a proposed model identifies the innovation team’s impact on the firm’s development strategies. Such understanding has the potential to increase firm profits, lower innovation costs, increase innovation speed, and support innovation training. To empirically test this model, employees responsible for product development in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industries were surveyed. Structural modeling techniques were used to analyze the data. Findings indicate support for using TTCI to explain the compressed development strategy. Theoretical contributions include: 1) extending TTCI and its associated measures into tangible products industries, 2) refining and adding to TTCI measures, 3) extending the development strategies theory into tangible products industries, and 4) adding to the measures for development strategy. Future research appears fertile for methods and measures used in this study, and managers in CPG will benefit from an enhanced understanding of how to better structure innovation teams in alignment with a firm’s development strategy.

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Drawing upon data collected as part of the development of a Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS) for the West Midlands region of England, the current study presents an attempt to better understand the factors which may hinder or facilitate product innovation within small manufacturing firms. The focus is upon traditional and/or mature sectors rather than the high-technology small firms (HTSFs), or new technology-based firms (NTBFs), which feature disproportionately in academic and policy discussions. The study adopts a model of firm-level innovation which views innovation outputs as a function of, internal and external, resource inputs and enabling activities set within an institutional framework (broadly defined to encompass instituted behaviours). To this end, the study is influenced by Systems of Innovation (SI) approaches and is, in part, a critique of such approaches. More specifically, employing a sample of 228 small manufacturing firms (i.e. less than 250 full-time-equivalent employees), the thesis considers the relationship between 'innovativeness' and: firm strategy and structure; skills; finance; external linkages; and, performance. Empirical observations are set within a broader conceptual framework of learning, discovery and interaction. Moreover, given the context in which the data was collected, policy considerations loom large. In particular, the thesis considers the extent to which 'spatial' systems of innovation represent appropriate models for economic development, generally, and for the revitalisation of areas characterised by industrial decline and restructuring specifically.

The central aim of this thesis is to examine the mutations of capital's strategy for labour in a single industry and historical context, namely in Italy's FIAT in Turin circa from 1950-1980.It is argued that the evolution of technology and managerial techniques in this context is not only the product of a linear "scientific" progress in these fields, but also of the dynamic interplay of class forces, and hence of a wide range of culturally and historically peculiar factors. Three main chronological periods are considered: the 1950s, with the strongly paternalistic attitudes of post- fascist Italian managerial policy in which an intensive exploitation of the national working class gave rise to the profits for mechanization at home and expansion abroad; the 1960s, characterized by the impact of immigration from the rural South of Italy to the large scale factories of the North and a growing political awareness and strength of the working class, and the 1970s, in which the problem of the "ungovernable" giant factory run according to the basic principles of scientific management is approached with new solutions based on modular systems of work organization, advanced technology, an absolute reduction in the labour force and plant relocation.

CHARLES UNIVERSITY IN PRAGUE FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Institute of Political Studies Master thesis 2019 Stephany Victoria Vargas Egas CHARLES UNIVERSITY IN PRAGUE FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Institute of Political Studies Stephany Victoria Vargas Egas Scenarios and Strategies for Ecuador in the Context of Emerging Narcoterrorism Master thesis Prague 2019 Author: Stephany Victoria Vargas Egas Supervisor: Mgr. Bohumil Doboš Academic Year: 2018/2019 Bibliographic note VARGAS Stephany. Scenarios and Strategies for Ecuador in the Context of Emerging Narcoterrorism. 71p. Master thesis. Charles University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Political Studies. Supervisor Mgr. Bohumil Doboš Abstract In January 2018, Ecuador woke up to a series of attacks and kidnappings perpetrated by a group of dissidents of the Colombian Peace Accords that are said to be the operative arm of international drug cartels. Governmental reactions have been disappointing and unassertive, increasing the feeling of failure to keep the population safe. Based on "what are possible scenarios and strategies for Ecuadorian government in the context of increasing violence of narco-trafficking?" the present thesis will put in place a creative thinking scenario methodology to provide plausible answers to this central question with inputs...

Biomimetics has traditionally meant the study of the structure and function of biological systems as models for the design and engineering of materials and machines. Some stunning results showing how biomimetics has been put into practice include Velcro, the Millennium Dome in London and the Millennium Bridge in spanning the River Tyne in Newcastle. Business biomimetics is a new term developed as part of this thesis and is proposed as an emerging field within biomimetics. It is distinct from the current use of biomimetics in that it demonstrates a strategic use in the business environment. This thesis examines how biomimetics can be used to aid business and tests whether businesses can improve their fitness for the future by applying the principles of biomimetics to the development of business strategy. Research groups at the University of Bath were used as the basis of testing this hypothesis, fitness for the future. Results were measured by comparing conventional management models with newly developed business biomimetic models. Analysis of the results demonstrated evidence to support the hypothesis that business biomimetics had a positive effect on the future fitness for the groups as measured by increases in values for esteem and the generation of intellectual capital. These are nationally recognised measures for the success of research groups. Further evidence was gathered from a number of case studies that span a range of industries and disciplines. These case studies show that results are encouraging and the ideas generated by the business biomimetic models demonstrate a richer set of ideas that inspire the managers involved. One case follows the business from previous failure through the development of business biomimetically inspired ideas, implementation and into measureable results. Subsequent improvements include increased revenue, reduced costs, improved supply chain efficiency, better customer relationships and a clearer understanding of the cross functional integration value. The delivery of a business biomimetic approach was facilitated by my invention of the Infinity Context Free Process that provided a framework to translate business problems into biological research areas and then the formulation of implementable business projects. A glimpse into the future for business biomimetics is provided in Chapter 9 that presents examples of the application of business biomimetics and shares the embryonic first steps by businesses to use nature as a guiding principle in sustainability, corporate social responsibility, growth and leadership development. The use of business biomimetics opens up the 3.8 billion years worth of nature‘s expertise and provides a new way for business leaders to innovate. The thesis concludes that when coupled with conventional management approaches, it further provides a way to design and manage businesses that are fit for now and for the future.

"Operational costs are of central importance for the economic health and sustainability of any organization. There are many contributors to these costs; some are industry specific, some are not. Factors such as organizational makeup and structure or general management and/or leadership practices all play a part, albeit, challenging to measure in terms of direct dollar correlation. Others, such as payroll, capital purchases, and asset management costs, to name a few have a more direct operational cost clearly linked to dollars and become the most practical place to look when trying to minimize operational costs. One of the critical aforementioned contributors to operational costs is that of capital asset management; in particular the issue of maintenance and repair of a company’s capital assets. More specifically, one can try to determine the best maintenance practice and schedule to use on varying systems in hopes of lowering maintenance costs and ultimately operational costs. One approach is to formulate a maintenance cost equation given the specific data and constraints available to solve a probabilistic problem through simulation. This study proposes a methodology that could be used as a tool to determine what maintenance practices to use on varying systems, sub-systems, and components. The focal point of this methodology is to formulate viable simulation logic. The logic takes into account maintenance costs that must be identified and defined. Additionally, coupled with this is the need to create a Weibull Distribution, which helps predict the next failure based on historical data. By matching the maintenance cost with the Weibull Distribution of each system, sub-system or component the simulation logic or equation is created. With this model in hand, simulations are run using Monte Carlo Simulation. In the end, an optimal schedule is determined based on the input. This thesis has three main deliverables. First, a maintenance methodology which assists in determining optimal component change out schedule based on historical data is created. Secondly, from the information gathered from Industrial Support Command Alameda*, ideal systems to target are identified. Thirdly, an implementation strategy is offered. Lastly, though not a primary deliverable, this study also offers some other maintenance related miscellaneous findings and/or recommendations. "

This thesis develops a model for the net present value to the firm of a strategy of increasing an SBU's market share as a function of four quantitative variables: the firm's initial market share, the current position in the product life cycle, as viewed by the firm, the competitor's relative experience curve slope and the competitor's view of the shape and size of the product life cycle. The net present value is calculated using traditional definitions, but includes a limit pricing strategy by the firm and assumes the existence of the experience curve. The prime reason for the development of this model is to test quantitatively the capital budgeting implications of the portfolio matrices proposed by the Boston Consulting Group and McKinsey and Company. And, to suggest a format that better integrates corporate strategy and finance. The most important finding of this research is that the inclusion of experience curve effects causes relative market share to assume dominance over market growth rate in the BCG matrix and causes business strength to assume dominance over industry attractiveness in the McKinsey matrix, at least within the limitations and assumptions of the model. Put into laymen's terms, that means that corporate planners should abandon attempts to convert low share but high growth businesses (what BCG calls "Problem Children") into "Stars", if such conversion can only be accomplished .through price, or price equivalent competition, as long as both participants are equally competent. A second important finding is that other variables, beyond growth and share, can be successfully and quantitatively incorporated into the model. This means that the two-dimensional approach of the Boston Consulting Group can be improved upon by adding additional variables or that businessmen can make better use of the McKinsey approach to strategy and its investment implications, by logically quantifying their variables.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of metacognitive strategy reading instruction on sixth grade students' content reading comprehension. Forty-one students in two sixth grade social studies classes participated in the study. Twenty students in the treatment social studies class were taught the purpose and value, as well as the techniques of self-monitoring of the summarizing strategy to help them recall and organize key information from their social studies textbook. Twenty-one students in the control group were taught summarizing as a cognitive reading strategy without the metacognitive components of value, purpose, and selfmonitoring. The two social studies classes had no significant differences on pre-test measures of formal and informal reading comprehension. After a 1 0-week study period, the posttest results of the two groups were compared to determine the effects of the strategy instruction on the students' content reading comprehension. Significant differences were found on the posttest scores of metacognitive strategy knowledge and informal reading comprehension measures between the treatment and the control group that could be attributed to the metacognitive strategy instruction. Metacognitive strategy instruction was the most effective in increasing the reading comprehension of high-ability treatment students, although it also increased the content comprehension of the low and average ability readers. These findings suggest that metacognitive strategy instruction including the value, purpose, and self-monitoring of the summarizing strategy is more effective in increasing reading comprehension than the summarizing strategy alone. Students in the treatment group were observed beginning to use the summarizing strategy independently in their social studies class. Thirteen students in each class were interviewed about their use of reading strategies, their strengths and weaknesses as readers, and their opinion and approaches to the social studies textbook. These same students were observed reading the social studies textbook using a think-aloud procedure and in their social studies class, to better determine if there were any differences between strategies mentioned and those used in the process of reading. Students in both the control and treatment groups mentioned the use of more pre-reading strategies than they actually used while reading. These students used more during and after reading strategies while reading in their social studies class. / 2031-01-01

Guan Zhong's ancestral home "Ying Shang" was within Zheng's boundary. When Guan Zhong was young, he witnessed how Zheng Zhuang Gong built and ruled his hegemony. Therefore, the success of Zheng became the best blueprint for him to manage Qi. Guan Zhong emphasized on economic reform and strengthened commercial development. Furthermore, Qi's military reform also imitated Zheng by large increase in infantry. In less than five years, Guan Zhong helped Qi to become a "Ba". / The main reason for the rapid rise of Zheng in just a hundred years attributes mainly to Zheng Huan Gong's overcoming class differences and collaborating with the businessman, thus laying down a strong economic foundation for the East move. Moreover, Zheng Zhuang Gong had abandoned the traditional practice by using infantry to make up for the chariots shortage that led to victory in the Battle of Ruge is the turning point for the success of Zheng's hegemony. / The new order of the Spring and Autumn Period, which lasted for three hundred years, was established with Zheng Zhuang Gong's drawing the blueprint of hegemony, Guan Zhong's modification and implementation in Qi. / The Spring and Autumn Period is the turning point in Chinese history. In only three hundred years, the traditional cultural establishment and thoughts inherited from the ancient dynasties were totally reformed. Most of the scholars believe that the great changes of the Spring and Autumn Period began with the death of King You, and King Ping moved the court to eastern capital as they marked the downfall of monarchy and rapid rise of feudal Dukedoms. However, I believe that the rise of Zheng through the defeat King Huan in 715 BC in "The Battle of Ruge" is the crucial factor contributing to the great changes in the Spring and Autumn Period. / This thesis studies the rise of Zheng and its influence on the development of a new kind hegemony---"Ba" (Overlord) System. The first part of this thesis analyzes the historical background and factors of the rapid rise of Zheng. The second part focuses on how Guan Zhong (Qi's prime minister) reforms Qi on the Zheng model and helps Qi Huan Gong become the first "Ba" in the Spring and Autumn Period. / 張志勤. / 論文(哲學博士)--香港中文大學, 2005. / 參考文獻(p. 158-166). / Adviser: Lai Ming Chiu. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-07, Section: A, page: 2702. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts also in English. / School code: 1307. / Lun wen (Zhe xue bo shi)--Xianggang Zhong wen da xue, 2005. / Can kao wen xian (p. 158-166). / Zhang Zhiqin.