This study investigates the reasons for apparent differences in entrepreneurship rates in rural and urban areas using a Survey of Rural Kentucky Residents (SRKR) and the Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics (PSED) data. We estimate the determinants of dissimilar characteristics for rural and urban areas in two aspects: one is individual and contextual resources; the other is cultural tendencies of resources. The results of the analysis suggest that the difference in available individual, economic, and social support resources does not explain the observed difference in entrepreneurship rate. The results also indicate that gender, ethnicity, income, and number of children in the family have different effects on entrepreneurial intentions in rural and urban settings. The results suggest that policy makers need to account for cultural or geographical differences when designing entrepreneurial educational and support programs in order to enhance the establishment of new business between rural and urban areas.

Disertacijos tyrimo objektas yra valstybinis rizikos kapitalas, kaip rizikos kapitalo rinkos skatinimo, pradedančio veiklą inovatyvaus verslo finansavimo ir valstybės politikos priemonė, padedanti spręsti netobulos/neefektyvios rinkos situacijas, kuriose privatus rizikos kapitalas pasiekia ne visus rinkos dalyvius. Tyrimo tikslas yra atskleisti valstybinio rizikos kapitalo reikšmę šalies rizikos kapitalo sektoriui ir poveikį ekonomikai bei, remiantis kitų Europos šalių patirtimi, sukurti hipotetinį valstybinio rizikos kapitalo plėtros modelį Lietuvoje. Siekiant tyrimo tikslo, disertacijoje yra apžvelgti teoriniai valstybinio rizikos kapitalo aspektai, išanalizuotos užsienio šalyse įgyvendintos valstybinio rizikos kapitalo priemonės, įvertintas rizikos kapitalo temos išnagrinėjimo lygis Lietuvos autorių mokslo darbuose, išanalizuota Lietuvos inovacijų kūrimo ir finansavimo bei rizikos kapitalo sistemų būklė bei suformuotas hipotetinis valstybinio rizikos kapitalo plėtros modelis, kurį galima įgyvendinti Lietuvoje. / Object of the research is public venture capital as a tool of venture capital market incentive, innovative business start-up financing, and state policy, which helps addressing imperfect/inefficient market situations where private venture capital does not access all market players. Purpose of the research is to reveal the importance of public venture capital to the national venture capital sector, its impact on the economy and, based on the experience of European countries, to create a hypothetical model of public venture capital development in Lithuania. In order to meet this purpose theoretical aspects of public venture capital in foreign authors’ scientific works were overviewed; public venture capital tools, that have been implemented in foreign countries, were analyzed; the level of study of public venture capital topic in Lithuanian authors’ scientific works was evaluated; the state of Lithuanian innovation development and financing and venture capital systems was analyzed, and a hypothetical model of public venture capital development, which could be implemented in Lithuania, was created.

Disertacijos tyrimo objektas yra valstybinis rizikos kapitalas, kaip rizikos kapitalo rinkos skatinimo, pradedančio veiklą inovatyvaus verslo finansavimo ir valstybės politikos priemonė, padedanti spręsti netobulos/neefektyvios rinkos situacijas, kuriose privatus rizikos kapitalas pasiekia ne visus rinkos dalyvius. Tyrimo tikslas yra atskleisti valstybinio rizikos kapitalo reikšmę šalies rizikos kapitalo sektoriui ir poveikį ekonomikai bei, remiantis kitų Europos šalių patirtimi, sukurti hipotetinį valstybinio rizikos kapitalo plėtros modelį Lietuvoje. Siekiant tyrimo tikslo, disertacijoje yra apžvelgti teoriniai valstybinio rizikos kapitalo aspektai, išanalizuotos užsienio šalyse įgyvendintos valstybinio rizikos kapitalo priemonės, įvertintas rizikos kapitalo temos išnagrinėjimo lygis Lietuvos autorių mokslo darbuose, išanalizuota Lietuvos inovacijų kūrimo ir finansavimo bei rizikos kapitalo sistemų būklė bei suformuotas hipotetinis valstybinio rizikos kapitalo plėtros modelis, kurį galima įgyvendinti Lietuvoje. / Object of the research is public venture capital as a tool of venture capital market incentive, innovative business start-up financing, and state policy, which helps addressing imperfect/inefficient market situations where private venture capital does not access all market players. Purpose of the research is to reveal the importance of public venture capital to the national venture capital sector, its impact on the economy and, based on the experience of European countries, to create a hypothetical model of public venture capital development in Lithuania. In order to meet this purpose theoretical aspects of public venture capital in foreign authors’ scientific works were overviewed; public venture capital tools, that have been implemented in foreign countries, were analyzed; the level of study of public venture capital topic in Lithuanian authors’ scientific works was evaluated; the state of Lithuanian innovation development and financing and venture capital systems was analyzed, and a hypothetical model of public venture capital development, which could be implemented in Lithuania, was created.

This research focuses on Big Data Facilitators, companies that can help to reduce the complexities of Big Data and offer the value residing in it. These types of companies are highly unexplored, thus the purpose of this research paper is to create an understanding of Big Data Facilitators by studying their drivers and barriers concerning Big Data application, and their general role in the business ecosystem. To answer the overarching purpose four research questions has been proposed: RQ1: What drivers are prominent for Big Data Facilitators concerning the application of Big Data Analytics? RQ2: What barriers are prominent for Big Data Facilitators regarding the application of Big Data? RQ3: What value do Big Data Facilitators offer for their customers? RQ4: What type of customer do Big Data Facilitators offer value to? To answer these questions two phases of research were conducted. Phase one consisted of interviews with 10 different Big Data Facilitators, with the primary focus of understanding their drivers and barriers. The second phase consisted of qualitative analysis of text on websites from 27 Big Data Facilitators, with the primary focus of understanding what value these companies offer and what general customer type they target. The study found that the primary drivers for these companies are Technology as an Enabler, Organisational Knowledge, Agile Organisational Structure and Innovative Foundation and the barriers are Finding Correct Expertise, Process Difficulties, Resource Restrictions and Security Issues. This resulted in the adapted force-field model which shows a weighted representation of these factors. The identified generalizable value being offered was found to be Improved Processes, Innovative Technology, Insight and Convenience. A model called the Four-dimensions model was created with the two phases as basis. It represents an aggregation of the primary factors of influence affecting Big Data Facilitators as well as the value that they offer and most importantly, how the parts interrelate. This thesis provides further depth to the research around Big Data and Big Data analytics, as well as insight in the highly unexplored topic of SMEs relationship with Big Data and Big Data analytics. This since the Big Data Facilitators at hand were either start–ups or small enterprises. Moreover, the research added insight into the almost non-existent research area of Big Data Facilitators and analytics vendors. The managerial implications suggest that companies should strive to, first create an environment for innovation to prosper and continuously strive for keeping an agile organisation structure, by ensuring flexibility, adaptive processes and short lines for data-driven decision making. Second, to create awareness and utilization of the tools and open source–software available during its rapid development. Third, create an attractive environment for managing organisation knowledge and attracting the right expertise needed to understand the complexities of Big Data and handle the abstract algorithms in machine learning and deep learning

Submitted by Fabien Huché-Deniset (fabien.huche-deniset@hec.edu) on 2017-12-12T22:04:19Z No. of bitstreams: 1 MPGI thesis - Fabien Huché-Deniset - Vsubmitted.pdf: 2447272 bytes, checksum: 1f964f0a45481fa73e2848906014395d (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Josineide da Silva Santos Locatelli (josineide.locatelli@fgv.br) on 2017-12-13T11:26:46Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 MPGI thesis - Fabien Huché-Deniset - Vsubmitted.pdf: 2447272 bytes, checksum: 1f964f0a45481fa73e2848906014395d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-12-13T13:05:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MPGI thesis - Fabien Huché-Deniset - Vsubmitted.pdf: 2447272 bytes, checksum: 1f964f0a45481fa73e2848906014395d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-12-06 / This research aims to identify the characteristics of an entrepreneur’s efficient personal branding strategy that is valuable for his/her company. It also tries to analyze the projected outcomes of the personal brand of the entrepreneur on the success of his/her new venture. First, a literature review was conducted to fully understand the concepts of entrepreneurship, personal branding, and the dynamics of social media. It also provided first elements of answers for the research question. Then, a qualitative approach is taken. It consists of interviews of young French entrepreneurs having experienced the benefits of personal branding or looking to do so for their own companies and case studies of emblematic personal brand images of entrepreneurs that have influenced (positively or negatively) the soundness of their businesses. Results show entrepreneurs’ personal brand images, if well-managed, are privileged means to enhance brand awareness of the newly launched venture. They should even bring more revenues by raising brand awareness and people’s willingness to try out. However, an entrepreneur should not rely on it to get easier access to investments. To be efficient, the personal brand image of an entrepreneur has to be authentic and to rely on the person’s true qualities. It has to set a clear story lining on who the entrepreneur is and what drove him to launch a venture. It should rely on many appearances in the press and the social media to bring the attention needed to raise brand awareness. This way, the personal brand of the entrepreneur should be an asset in that it is unique and impossible to copy for competitors. / Esta pesquisa tem por objetivo identificar as características de uma estratégia eficiente de marca pessoal de um empreendedor que é valiosa para sua empresa. Também tenta analisar os resultados projetados da marca pessoal do empreendedor sobre o sucesso da sua nova empresa em fase inicial. Primeiro, foi realizada uma revisão da literatura para entender completamente os conceitos de empreendedorismo, marca pessoal e a dinâmica das mídias sociais, fornecendo também os primeiros elementos de respostas para o assunto da pesquisa. Em seguida, uma metodologia qualitativa será tomada que consiste em entrevistas com jovens empresários franceses que experimentaram os benefícios da marca pessoal ou que procuram fazê-lo para suas próprias empresas, bem como estudos de caso de imagens de marcas pessoais emblemáticas de empreendedores que impactaram (positivamente ou negativamente) a solidez de seus negócios. Os resultados mostram que as imagens de marcas pessoais dos empresários, se bem gerenciadas, são meios privilegiados para melhorar a notoriedade da marca da empresa recém-lançada. Elas deveriam mesmo trazer mais receitas porque aumentam a consciência da marca e a vontade das pessoas de experimentar seus produtos. No entanto, um empresário não deve contar com isso para obter um acesso mais fácil aos investimentos. Para ser eficiente, a imagem de marca pessoal de um empreendedor tem que ser autêntica e ter por base as verdadeiras qualidades da pessoa. Tem que definir uma história clara sobre o que o empresário é e o que o levou a lançar uma nova empresa. Tem que estar amparada em muitas aparições na imprensa e nas mídias sociais para trazer a atenção necessária para aumentar a consciência da marca. Desta forma, a marca pessoal do empreendedor deve ser uma vantagem na medida em que é única e impossível de ser copiada pelos concorrentes.

Empresas startup simbolizam o epicentro de narrativas sobre o capitalismo contemporâneo. Essas organizações enxutas, aceleradas através de capital de risco e articuladas por meio de uma lógica de eficácia especulativa passaram a representar o que existe de mais novo na paisagem empresarial. Iniciativas como essas emergem a partir de um pano de fundo de profunda reestruturação de dinâmicas produtivas relacionadas a regimes de acumulação flexível. O que significa ser um empreendedor na paisagem de negócios formada por empresas startup no Brasil? Essa é a pergunta que norteou o trabalho de pesquisa etnográfica que serve como base para essa tese, fruto de um trabalho de campo entre os anos de 2014 e 2017, no Brasil e no Reino Unido com jovens empreendedores e suas redes de investidores, consultores e experts ao longo do processo de concepção, estruturação e operação de suas empresas. Meu interesse é compreender o processo concreto através do qual alguém se torna um empreendedor dentro dessa paisagem específica de ação econômica, especialmente como a lógica startup se torna uma forma de ser e estar no mundo. / Start-up companies symbolize the epicenter of narratives about contemporary capitalism. These lean organizations, accelerated by venture capital and articulated through a logic of speculative effectiveness have come to represent the edge of business. Initiatives such as these take shape amidst profound changes related to the restructuring of productive forces under flexible accumulation regimes. What does it mean to be an entrepreneur in Brazil’s contemporary start-up ecossystem? This question guided the ethnographic research that serves as the basis for this thesis, conducted between Brazil and the United Kingdom during the years of 2014 and 2017 among young entrepreneurs and networks of investors, consultants and experts in the making of their own start-up companies. My interest is to understand the concrete process through which one becomes an entrepreneur within this particular landscape of economic action, especially how the startup mindset becomes embeded in their ways of being in the world.

Empresas startup simbolizam o epicentro de narrativas sobre o capitalismo contemporâneo. Essas organizações enxutas, aceleradas através de capital de risco e articuladas por meio de uma lógica de eficácia especulativa passaram a representar o que existe de mais novo na paisagem empresarial. Iniciativas como essas emergem a partir de um pano de fundo de profunda reestruturação de dinâmicas produtivas relacionadas a regimes de acumulação flexível. O que significa ser um empreendedor na paisagem de negócios formada por empresas startup no Brasil? Essa é a pergunta que norteou o trabalho de pesquisa etnográfica que serve como base para essa tese, fruto de um trabalho de campo entre os anos de 2014 e 2017, no Brasil e no Reino Unido com jovens empreendedores e suas redes de investidores, consultores e experts ao longo do processo de concepção, estruturação e operação de suas empresas. Meu interesse é compreender o processo concreto através do qual alguém se torna um empreendedor dentro dessa paisagem específica de ação econômica, especialmente como a lógica startup se torna uma forma de ser e estar no mundo. / Start-up companies symbolize the epicenter of narratives about contemporary capitalism. These lean organizations, accelerated by venture capital and articulated through a logic of speculative effectiveness have come to represent the edge of business. Initiatives such as these take shape amidst profound changes related to the restructuring of productive forces under flexible accumulation regimes. What does it mean to be an entrepreneur in Brazil’s contemporary start-up ecossystem? This question guided the ethnographic research that serves as the basis for this thesis, conducted between Brazil and the United Kingdom during the years of 2014 and 2017 among young entrepreneurs and networks of investors, consultants and experts in the making of their own start-up companies. My interest is to understand the concrete process through which one becomes an entrepreneur within this particular landscape of economic action, especially how the startup mindset becomes embeded in their ways of being in the world.

Propulsionar cadeira de rodas (CR) está relacionado a altas incidências de dores e lesões em usuários de cadeira de rodas (UCR). Embora seja reconhecida como uma forma de baixa eficiência para se locomover, representa fundamental importância para o desempenho dessas pessoas nas atividades de vida diária, ocupacionais, de lazer e em sua participação social. Ao longo dos estudos sobre a propulsão nas últimas décadas, foi notado recentemente em especial, que a propulsão inicial que retira o sistema usuário-cadeira de rodas do repouso, o colocando em movimento, apresentam a maiores solicitações mecânicas. Considerando que esta situação é executada várias vezes durante o uso típico da cadeira de rodas, torna-a relevante objeto de estudo. Como até o momento, pouco foram os estudos sobre a fase inicial da autopropulsão e que do ponto de vista da neuroativação, esse movimento não foi abordado, este estudo tem como objetivo descrever o gesto da fase inicial da autopropulsão de cadeira de rodas manual de UCR, por meio da eletromiografia, apresentando os níveis atingidos de ativação muscular e o perfil do comportamento de ativação ao longo da execução do gesto da autopropulsão. Para isso foram avaliados oito grupos musculares envolvidos nesse gesto de onze UCR. Os sinais eletromiográficos foram coletados dos oito grupos musculares, simultaneamente, durante a execução de dez propulsões, partindo do repouso, de cada UCR participante da pesquisa. Com relação aos níveis de ativações musculares, foi introduzido um método alternativo de normalização. Esse método consiste na realização do teste de contração isométrica máxima na própria CR. Os resultados foram apresentados em boxplot a fim de demonstrar o pico de ativação bem como a distribuição dos demais níveis de ativação. Como o novo método proposto demonstrou limitações, inviabilizou a interpretação dos resultados quanto as intensidades calculadas. Sobre o perfil de acionamento muscular ao longo da execução da autopropulsão, os resultados foram expostos em gráficos normalizados pelo pico dinâmico e em relação ao período de um ciclo de propulsão, evidenciando o comportamento ativado em cada instante do ciclo. Segundo os resultados dessa segunda metodologia, entre os oito grupos musculares examinados, os que apresentaram os maiores picos de ativação foram: deltoide anterior (80,27%), o peitoral maior (79,27%), os flexores de punho (78,93%) e os extensores de punho (80,65%). Os achados colaboram com estudos anteriores de outros autores de que os principais grupos musculares efetores na propulsão de CR são o deltóide anterior (DA) e peitoral maior (PM). / Propelling wheelchair (CR) is related to high incidences of pain and injury in wheelchair users (WCU). Although this locomotion way be known as low efficient locomotion mode, it represents fundamental importance for these people performance in daily living activities, occupational, leisure and in their social participation. Over the studies course on propulsion in recent decades, it has recently been noted, particularly, that the initial stage of wheelchair propulsion which retires the user-wheelchair system from resting, putting it into motion, presents greater mechanical stresses. It considering this situation is executed several times during the typical wheelchair usage, it makes this relevant study object. As until current moment, there are few studies about initial stage of wheelchair propulsion and, from the neuroactivation point of view, this movement was not approached, this study aims to describe the gesture of initial stage of manual wheelchair propulsion from WCU, across electromyography, presenting the muscular activation levels achieved and the recruited behavior profile during the propulsion gesture execution. For this problem, eight muscle groups involved in this gesture were evaluated from eleven WCU. Electromyographic signals were collected from these eight muscle groups, simultaneously, during ten propulsions execution, starting from resting, of each WCU participant of the research. Regarding the muscular activation levels, an alternative normalization method was introduced. This method consists in performing the maximum isometric contraction test on the wheelchair itself. The results were showed in boxplot in order to demonstrate the activation peak as well as the remaining activation levels distribution. As the new method proposed showed limitations, a better results interpretation was not possible on calculated intensities. Regarding the muscular activation profile during the propulsion execution, the results were exposed in graphs normalized by the dynamic peak as well as in relation to a single propulsion cycle, evidencing the activated behavior at each cycle moment. According to the results based on second methodology, among the eight muscle groups examined, the ones which presented the highest activation peaks values were: the anterior deltoid (80.27%), the pectoralis major (79.27%), the wrist flexors (78, 93%) and the wrist extensors (80.65%). The findings agree with previous studies by other authors that the main effector muscle groups in CR propulsion are anterior deltoid (DA) and pectoralis major (PM).

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2017-05-25T20:49:09Z No. of bitstreams: 1 brunocortesdesouza.pdf: 4659510 bytes, checksum: 73ac58d8200d2432ce64c9ebbd6d8c94 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-05-26T13:11:08Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 brunocortesdesouza.pdf: 4659510 bytes, checksum: 73ac58d8200d2432ce64c9ebbd6d8c94 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-26T13:11:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 brunocortesdesouza.pdf: 4659510 bytes, checksum: 73ac58d8200d2432ce64c9ebbd6d8c94 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-20 / Esse trabalho apresenta estudos, modelagem e análises de um sistema de bombeio centrífugo submerso (BCS), considerando as características dos principais componentes presentes neste sistema. As contribuições do trabalho estão na partida do BCS, como no desenvolvimento de soluções para mitigar alguns dos problemas observados, como por exemplo, os relacionados à qualidade de energia elétrica nos terminais do BCS. A modelagem de cada equipamento elétrico que compõe o BCS é apresentada no trabalho, destacando-se alguns dos aspectos operacionais relevantes que são considerados na operação. Foi feito um projeto para dimensionamento dos filtros passivos utilizados na atenuação das componentes harmônicas das tensões e correntes produzidas pelo sistema, além de auxiliar na regulação da tensão no ponto em que o BCS está conectado. Nas simulações realizadas, considerou-se um sistema de média tensão com um motor de indução trifásico em gaiola de esquilo de 3835HP que acoplado a uma bomba centrífuga possui um alto coeficiente de inércia. Com a inserção de modelos de atritos rotacionais para o torque do conjunto motor-bomba, pôde-se representar os efeitos que acontecem nos instantes iniciais da partida do sistema e avaliar o desempenho da estratégia de controle utilizada para o acionamento. Assim como ocorre nos sistemas reais que são alimentados por cabos submarinos de longo comprimento, utilizou-se um sistema de controle do sistema em malha aberta com uma metodologia para estimar e compensar a queda de tensão que ocorre entre os terminais do conversor e o terminal de entrada do motor elétrico. O trabalho apresenta ainda uma breve comparação entre o conversor fonte de tensão (VSC) de 2 níveis e o conversor de 3 níveis com neutro grampeado (NPC). Por fim, é analisada a situação onde a alimentação do BCS é desequilibrada devido à diferença de valores entre os parâmetros do cabo submarino. / This work shows studies, modelling and analyses of an electrical submersible pump system (ESP), considering the characteristics of key elements in this system. The contributions are in its start-up, as also in the development of solutions for mitigation of some observed problems, e.g., those related to power quality at the equipment terminals. The model for each electrical equipment inside the ESP is presented in this work and highlighted some of the pertinent operational aspects that is commonly considered on practical operation. A project is settled for sizing the passive filters to attenuate the harmonic components of the voltages and currents supplied by the grid, in addition to helping voltage regulation at ESP connection point. In the study cases, it was considered a medium voltage power system with a 3835HP three phase squirrel cage induction motor which is connected with a centrifugal pump that results in a high inertia coefficient. Rotational friction model is considered in the studies to characterize the effects that occur at the initial seconds of the start-up of the system and also to evaluate the performance of the implemented control strategy. In the same way that occurs in real systems that are supplied by downhole electric cables, it was considered an open-loop V/f control with a methodology to estimate and compensate the voltage drop that exists between the terminals of the converter and the motor input. This work also establishes a short comparison between a 2-level voltage source converter (VSC) and a 3-level neutral-point clamped (NPC) VSC. Finally, the system is analyzed through the occurrence of an unbalance of downhole electric cable parameters.

dreimal im Jahr erscheinende Zeitschrift über aktuelle Themen der TU Chemnitz