To draw up an intellectual property management strategy is one of the most important tasks to do when starting up technology-based companies, which play a very important role in the knowledge-based economies. IP management due to protection must be regarded as a strategic asset aimed at improving the competitive advantages, increasing the revenue of a technology-based start up company and encouraging to continue to develop new technologies, by securing a technological platform for a future development, preventing competitors from gaining access to emerging markets, creating retaliatory power against competitors and preventing innovative products from being plagiarized. Through this study the aim is forming a guide including why and how an IP management strategy develop and implement to a new technology-based start up company. Beside these it is proved that from the properties that characterize the start-up configuration of a high-tech firm there can be derived three organizational archetypes of firms each of which requires different IP management strategies.

The wind power research at the division of Electricity at Uppsala University is aimed towards increased understanding of vertical axis wind turbines. The considered type of wind turbine is an H-rotor with a directly driven synchronous generator operating at variable speed. The experimental work presented in this thesis comprises investigation of three vertical axis wind turbines of different design and size. The electrical, control and measurement systems for the first 12 kW wind turbine have been designed and implemented. The second was a 10 kW wind turbine adapted to a telecom application. Both the 12 kW and the 10 kW were operated against dump loads. The third turbine was a 200 kW grid-connected wind turbine, where control and measurement systems have been implemented. Experimental results have shown that an all-electric control, substituting mechanical systems such as blade-pitch, is possible for this type of turbine. By controlling the rectified generator voltage, the rotational speed of the turbine is also controlled. An electrical start-up system has been built and verified. The power coefficient has been measured and the stall behaviour of this type of turbine has been examined. An optimum tip speed ratio control has been implemented and tested, with promising results. Use of the turbine to estimate the wind speed has been demonstrated. This has been used to get a faster regulation of the turbine compared to if an anemometer had been used.

Knowledge and management of that knowledge have been a corner-stone for many enterprises. Creation, dissemination and preservation of knowledge is a difficult task for many organizations. This study identified knowledge transfer mechanism in a start-up company by providing a detail review of existing methods and key challenges associated with current methods. The aim of the study was to provide a comprehensive starting-point for the case company while implementing knowledge transfer mechanism within teams from different departments. This was accomplished by constructing a knowledge transfer framework for the case company. This study also scrutinized several dozens of articles and journals on knowledge transfer topic to get a better overview of existing KT processes and practices. A research gap was found in the context of knowledge transfer phenomena at SME’s and start-up companies. This study shades light on knowledge transfer mechanism and its compatibility with a start-up company. A qualitative single case study was conducted. All empirical data was collected via interviews and observations at a start-up automobile company in Lund (Sweden). Our study contributes to knowledge management literature, by emphasizing vast differences between implementing knowledge transfer activities between MNCs and SMEs or start-up companies.

xiv, 165 p. ： ill. (some col.) / Our current focus on the city core includes reintroducing the mixed-use building. This typology is not without challenges, and arguably none is more pressing than full retail occupancy. This analysis investigates the potential for start-up companies to supplement traditional retail on an interim basis. By documenting the needs and expectations of the start-up and development communities (from multiple perspectives), this study assesses the potential connection between mixed-use and the start-up company. Using a methodology informed by literature and augmented by personal accounts, this analysis reveals that the inclusion of start-up companies in mixed-use projects can present both short- and long-term benefits to ongoing retail difficulties: mixed-use buildings can be an ideal location for start-up firms, including start-up tenants can be economically feasible if certain measures are in place, and a new development model is not needed to connect an emerging business with an existing project. / Committee in charge: Howard Davis， Chairperson； John Rowell， Member； Gerardo Sandoval， Member

abstract: Aortic pathologies such as coarctation, dissection, and aneurysm represent a particularly emergent class of cardiovascular diseases and account for significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide. Computational simulations of aortic flows are growing increasingly important as tools for gaining understanding of these pathologies and for planning their surgical repair. In vitro experiments are required to validate these simulations against real world data, and a pulsatile flow pump system can provide physiologic flow conditions characteristic of the aorta. This dissertation presents improved experimental techniques for in vitro aortic blood flow and the increasingly larger parts of the human cardiovascular system. Specifically, this work develops new flow management and measurement techniques for cardiovascular flow experiments with the aim to improve clinical evaluation and treatment planning of aortic diseases. The hypothesis of this research is that transient flow driven by a step change in volume flux in a piston-based pulsatile flow pump system behaves differently from transient flow driven by a step change in pressure gradient, the development time being substantially reduced in the former. Due to this difference in behavior, the response to a piston-driven pump can be predicted in order to establish inlet velocity and flow waveforms at a downstream phantom model. The main objectives of this dissertation were: 1) to design, construct, and validate a piston-based flow pump system for aortic flow experiments, 2) to characterize temporal and spatial development of start-up flows driven by a piston pump that produces a step change from zero flow to a constant volume flux in realistic (finite) tube geometries for physiologic Reynolds numbers, and 3) to develop a method to predict downstream velocity and flow waveforms at the inlet of an aortic phantom model and determine the input waveform needed to achieve the intended waveform at the test section. Application of these newly improved flow management tools and measurement techniques were then demonstrated through in vitro experiments in patient-specific coarctation of aorta flow phantom models manufactured in-house and compared to computational simulations to inform and execute future experiments and simulations. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Bioengineering 2015

[pt] Este trabalho analisou a performance dos Fundos Mútuos de Investimento em Empresas Emergentes no período até 2004. A análise foi realizada mediante comparações com indicadores de aplicações em renda variável e fixa, estatística descritiva, taxas internas de retorno e teste estatístico do qui-quadrado. Foram identificados, ainda, fatores a partir de análise qualitativa, tais como estratégia de investimento e relação entre gestores e investidores, com possível influência no baixo desempenho destes Fundos. O trabalho também levantou oportunidades para a reversão desse quadro e se baseou nos relatórios anuais enviados por esses Fundos à CVM. Concluiu-se que os resultados negativos das empresas investidas podem estar associados a uma falta de critério na escolha dos investimentos pelos gestores dos FMIEE, além de outros fatores como a existência da relação agente-principal (Agency), conjuntura econômica brasileira e, mesmo, deficiências do mercado de capitais no país. / [en] This dissertation analysed the performance of Mutual Funds with investments in emerging enterprises until 2004. The analysis was accomplished through comparisons with investments indexes, descriptive statistics, internal return rates and chi-squared statistical test. Factors were identified through qualitative analysis, such as investment strategy and the principal-agent relation, as possible causes of the bad perfomance of these funds. The study also indicated oportunities for the reversion of this scenario and it was based on the anual reports sent by these funds to CVM. The present study concluded that the bad performance of the invested enterprises might be imputed to the lack of more rigid investments criteria by the funds' managers, besides other aspects such as the existence of an agency problem, the Brazilian macroeconomic scenario and, even, imperfections of the local capital markets.

This study investigates decision-making processes in respect to the maturation time and the marketed quantities of single malt whisky in a Swedish distillery start-up. At first, the literature regarding decision-making in both start-ups and larger organisations has been reviewed. It can be concluded that decision-making in start-ups, compared to their established counterparts, is more based on heuristics and continuously exposed to several biases. In the following, a general resource exploitation model is presented in the context of deterministic decision-making and adjusted towards whisky casks as deposits of nonrenewable resources. The consecutive case study is conducted in a Swedish distillery start-up. Findings indicate that the start-up is exposed to a high market dynamic and expert-knowledge is of high importance. In the start-up, these experts make decisions regarding the maturation times and the quantities of the marketed whisky. Nevertheless, the optimal exploitation model can be implemented into daily operations and delivers additional data for decisions. Planning can evolve from a mainly cost-based towards a profit-maximising perspective. However, the quality of the model results are expected to be limited, due to the deterministic nature of the model in a highly dynamic environment. This effect may be even amplified by input parameters, which cannot be precisely determined.Therefore, the industry knowledge of the decision-maker appears to be the most important factor for decision-making processes in this industry.

The lack of education and training is seen as South African entrepreneurs’ most frequently mentioned weakness. Therefore, this study addresses the training of entrepreneurs and reveals that education and training are crucial for the development and creation of entrepreneurs. The purpose of this study is to measure the effectiveness of the Women Entrepreneurship Programme (WEP), which was introduced to promote and encourage women entrepreneurs in South Africa. Furthermore, the study will provide a framework for and discuss content of future entrepreneurship training programmes. The literature revealed the need for an entrepreneurship training programme that focuses specifically on the training needs of women. The WEP focuses on areas that are normally neglected in other entrepreneurship programmes and includes topics such as networking and support, the use of role models, confidence-building, and post-care training in the form of mentors and counsellors. The extension of the experimental design by using a control group allowed the effects and benefits of the training intervention (WEP) on the participants to be measured against the control group, hence widening the debate surrounding the rationale for interventions of this nature. The Chi-square test, t-test for independent samples, t-test for paired samples, Mann-Whitney test, and Wilcoxon matched-pairs test were executed to present the statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups. The Kruskal-Wallis One-Way ANOVA test was also executed to illustrate statistical differences between various groups within the experimental group. The findings of this empirical study have helped to highlight the benefits derived by the WEP delegates and that they gained new entrepreneurial, as well as business, skills and knowledge relevant to running a business; increased their confidence in their entrepreneurial abilities, and improved their employability, turnover, productivity and profit. Furthermore it should be emphasised that it was statistically proven that the WEP, as a training intervention, is effective in training potential, start-up and established women entrepreneurs in South Africa. / Thesis (DCom (Business Management))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Business Management / unrestricted

The master thesis deals with delegating of the work in small, rapidly growing companies. The main objective is to determine what approaches entrepreneurs apply to delegate in the growth phase of the company. The theoretical part describes the relevant theoretical concepts such as business growth, human resources in the company, analysis of entrepreneurs' work time and the work delegating. There are presented results of foreign research in this thesis that serves as the basis for my own investigation. In the methodical part the methods used and the research process are being specified together with the criteria for selecting the sample of respondents and subsequent data analysis procedure. The empirical part examines a sample of 12 entrepreneurs and presents the results of the investigation. The opinions of 97 subordinates of individual entrepreneurs are also included. Results of the research lead to the conclusion that entrepreneurs often do not use the potential of described managerial techniques, even if it would lead to the benefit of further development of the company.

This thesis outlines the fundamental theory of setting up a marketing communication strategy in a B2B start-up environment. The objective is to design a communication strategy for a start-up company from scratch, providing a detailed outline of the steps required and considerations to be included, based on the literature from the theoretical part. This thesis serves as a practical guide for the creation of a successful communication strategy in a B2B start-up - a topic which has not been covered sufficiently by academic literature to date. In order to design the promotional strategy, existing literature has been used to set up the theoretical groundwork, industry benchmarking and primary research has been conducted, and secondary research has been performed. As a result, recommendations have been formed, which will be implemented in practice. The implications of this thesis' output will therefore be that the suggestions can be evaluated in retrospect.