Originally issued as the author's Thesis (O.E. and M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgia State University, 2007. / Title from file title page. Mark Keil, committee chair; Arjan Raven, Detmar Straub, Arun Rai, committee members. Electronic text (144 p. : col. ill.) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed Feb. 4, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (p. 138-144).

Thesis--Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. / "Technical report." Grant 04-7-158-44104 and 04-8-M01-149. Includes bibliographical references (p. 260-271).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 186-188).

CAPES / A conjuntura mundial convoca os sistemas produtivos a atuarem de forma sustentável. Os indicadores de sustentabilidade despontam como um vetor estratégico fundamental para as organizações independente de porte e setor onde atuam. Nesta perspectiva, o presente estudo objetivou avaliar a viabilidade da adoção dos indicadores de sustentabilidade descritos nas diretrizes da GRI – G3 na estratégia de sustentabilidade organizacional em rede de micros e pequenas empresas. O estudo caracterizou-se como aplicado, exploratório, descritivo e estudo de caso. Através da aplicação de questionários junto aos gestores dos empreendimentos filiados a esta rede de cooperação produtiva foi possível mapear seus stakeholders principais, identificar o grau de relevância dos indicadores de sustentabilidade essenciais da diretriz GRI (2007) nas categorias ambiental, econômica e social, e avaliar as condições de viabilidade de adoção pelos empreendimentos filiados. Os principais resultados encontrados apontam que a adoção dos indicadores de sustentabilidade elencados na diretriz GRI (2007) apresenta-se viável como estratégia para a sustentabilidade organizacional dos MPEs filiados à rede estudada. / The world conjuncture convokes productive systems to act in a sustainable way. The sustainability indicators emerge as a fundamental strategic vector for businesses and organizations, regardless of the size or sector they operate. In this perspective, this study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of adopting sustainability indicators described in the GRI - G3 guidelines, in the organizational sustainability strategy in SMEs. The study was characterized as an applied research, as well as exploratory, descriptive, and survey. Through the application of questionnaires with the managers of enterprises affiliated to this productive cooperation network, it was possible to determine their stakeholders, identify the degree of relevance of the main sustainability indicators of the GRI (2007) in the environmental, economic and social categories, and evaluate the conditions of adoption feasibility by the affiliated enterprises. The main results indicate that the adoption of sustainability indicators listed in GRI guideline (2007) presents itself as a viable strategy for organizational sustainability of SMEs affiliated to the studied network.

O presente estudo teve como linha de raciocínio o triângulo de sábato e os relatórios de estágio Curricular Supervisionado do Curso de Engenharia na Universidade como ferramenta de estudo a fim de verificar a possibilidade de este tornar-se um mecanismo de transferência de tecnologia. O objetivo geral dessa pesquisa foi verificar se os relatórios de Estágio Curricular Supervisionado dos Cursos de Engenharia estão sendo ou poderiam ser mecanismos de transferência de tecnologia. Acredita-se que a compilação, organização e divulgação de dados obtidos através dos relatórios podem provocar uma mudança de comportamento nos atores envolvidos no processo do Estágio Curricular Supervisionado. Neste trabalho optamos por uma pesquisa aplicada com abordagem qualitativa, pela relação dinâmica entre o mundo real e o subjetivo. A pesquisa foi documental (Relatórios de Estágio Curricular Supervisionado) dos Cursos de Engenharia da Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná – Campus de Cornélio Procópio. Entrevistas com os professores supervisores dos estágios foram feitas a fim de identificar quesitos para o trabalho de orientação e supervisão de estágio profissional, pois tais relatórios poderiam viabilizar a interlocução entre as Instituições de Ensino e as Empresas. Sugere-se um novo olhar para o Estágio Curricular Supervisionado, e o relatório do mesmo, inovando-o, disponibilizando as informações e o conhecimento adquirido e transformando o período acadêmico à sociedade como um todo. / The present study has takeninto account the reasoning of Sábato triangle and reports from Supervised Training Curriculum of Engineering Course at the University as a study tool to verify the possibility of becoming a mechanism for technology transfer. The general objective of this research was to verify whether the Supervised Training Curriculum Reports of Engineering Courses have been or could be mechanisms for technology transfer. It is believed that the collection, organization and dissemination of data obtained through the reports may cause a change on the behavior of the actors involvedin the Supervised Training process. In order to achieve such a goal it was chosen an applied qualitative research approach by considering the dynamic relationship between the real world and the subjective one. The research was documentary (Supervised Training Curriculum Reports) from Engineering Courses of Federal Technological University of Paraná - Campus CornélioProcópio. Interviews with supervisors teachers have been made in order to identify requirements to the work of guidance and supervision of professional training since such reports could facilitate the dialogue between Education Institutions and Labor Market. It is suggested a new way of “seeing” theSupervised Training Curriculum and its reports by innovating and providing the acquired information and knowledge as well as adapting the academic period to society as a whole.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo analisar como a Teoria da Criação do Conhecimento Organizacional de Nonaka e Takeuchi (1997; 2008) está relacionada com a elaboração de um relatório de sustentabilidade sob diretrizes da GRI, em uma grande empresa do setor de geração de energia elétrica. Foi utilizada como referencial teórico a Teoria da Criação do Conhecimento Organizacional de Nonaka e Takeuchi (1997; 2008), composta por tipos de conhecimento, modos de conversão do conhecimento, espiral do conhecimento, Ba – espaço de criação do conhecimento, condições capacitadoras da criação do conhecimento organizacional e modelo de cinco fases do processo de criação do conhecimento organizacional. Também fez parte do referencial teórico as cinco fases de elaboração de relatórios de sustentabilidade sob diretrizes da Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). A coleta de dados foi realizada por intermédio da aplicação de três instrumentos de pesquisa distintos, sendo dois deles questionários com questões abertas e um questionário com questões fechadas com escala Likert. A partir da coleta e análise dos dados foi possível afirmar que a elaboração de relatórios de sustentabilidade empresarial na organização pesquisada passa pelos processos de criação, codificação e transferência de conhecimento, por intermédio da utilização de conhecimentos tácitos e explícitos, onde pode ser identificada a ocorrência dos modos de conversão, atrelados a espaços de criação do conhecimento (Ba), sustentados por condições capacitadoras específicas, seguindo o modelo de cinco fases de criação do conhecimento organizacional. Diante disto foi possível concluir que todos os aspectos relacionados à Teoria da Criação do Conhecimento Organizacional, elencados no referencial teórico, permeiam as cinco fases (Preparar, Conectar, Definir, Monitorar e Relatar) de elaboração de relatórios de sustentabilidade empresarial sob diretrizes da GRI. / The main objective of this work is to analyse how Nonaka and Takeuchi‟s Theory of organizational knowledge creation (1997;2008) is related to writing a sustainability report under GRI regulations, in a big company of electrical power generation. The Theory previously mentioned was used as book reference, it is made up of different types of knowledge, ways of knowledge conversation, knowledge spiral, Ba – knowledge creation room, enabling conditions of organizational knowledge creation and five phases of organizational knowledge creation standard. Among the book reference taken in this paper is the five stages of sustainability report writing according to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). The survey was taken through three different ways, being two of them surveys with open questions and a questionnaire with questions following Likert guidelines. Based on the data collected and their analysis was possible to state that the business sustainability reporting in the company in focus goes through the creation, decoding and knowledge transference processes due to the use of explicit and tactic knowledge, in which The conversion method occurrence was identified as being connected with the knowledge creation room (Ba), sustained by specific enabling conditions, following the standard of five stages in organizational knowledge creation. Thus, the conclusion reached was that all aspects related to Organizational Knowledge Creation, elicited in the book reference, include the five stages (preparing, connecting, defining, monitoring and reporting) of business sustainability reporting according to the GRI guidelines.

O presente estudo teve como linha de raciocínio o triângulo de sábato e os relatórios de estágio Curricular Supervisionado do Curso de Engenharia na Universidade como ferramenta de estudo a fim de verificar a possibilidade de este tornar-se um mecanismo de transferência de tecnologia. O objetivo geral dessa pesquisa foi verificar se os relatórios de Estágio Curricular Supervisionado dos Cursos de Engenharia estão sendo ou poderiam ser mecanismos de transferência de tecnologia. Acredita-se que a compilação, organização e divulgação de dados obtidos através dos relatórios podem provocar uma mudança de comportamento nos atores envolvidos no processo do Estágio Curricular Supervisionado. Neste trabalho optamos por uma pesquisa aplicada com abordagem qualitativa, pela relação dinâmica entre o mundo real e o subjetivo. A pesquisa foi documental (Relatórios de Estágio Curricular Supervisionado) dos Cursos de Engenharia da Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná – Campus de Cornélio Procópio. Entrevistas com os professores supervisores dos estágios foram feitas a fim de identificar quesitos para o trabalho de orientação e supervisão de estágio profissional, pois tais relatórios poderiam viabilizar a interlocução entre as Instituições de Ensino e as Empresas. Sugere-se um novo olhar para o Estágio Curricular Supervisionado, e o relatório do mesmo, inovando-o, disponibilizando as informações e o conhecimento adquirido e transformando o período acadêmico à sociedade como um todo. / The present study has takeninto account the reasoning of Sábato triangle and reports from Supervised Training Curriculum of Engineering Course at the University as a study tool to verify the possibility of becoming a mechanism for technology transfer. The general objective of this research was to verify whether the Supervised Training Curriculum Reports of Engineering Courses have been or could be mechanisms for technology transfer. It is believed that the collection, organization and dissemination of data obtained through the reports may cause a change on the behavior of the actors involvedin the Supervised Training process. In order to achieve such a goal it was chosen an applied qualitative research approach by considering the dynamic relationship between the real world and the subjective one. The research was documentary (Supervised Training Curriculum Reports) from Engineering Courses of Federal Technological University of Paraná - Campus CornélioProcópio. Interviews with supervisors teachers have been made in order to identify requirements to the work of guidance and supervision of professional training since such reports could facilitate the dialogue between Education Institutions and Labor Market. It is suggested a new way of “seeing” theSupervised Training Curriculum and its reports by innovating and providing the acquired information and knowledge as well as adapting the academic period to society as a whole.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo analisar como a Teoria da Criação do Conhecimento Organizacional de Nonaka e Takeuchi (1997; 2008) está relacionada com a elaboração de um relatório de sustentabilidade sob diretrizes da GRI, em uma grande empresa do setor de geração de energia elétrica. Foi utilizada como referencial teórico a Teoria da Criação do Conhecimento Organizacional de Nonaka e Takeuchi (1997; 2008), composta por tipos de conhecimento, modos de conversão do conhecimento, espiral do conhecimento, Ba – espaço de criação do conhecimento, condições capacitadoras da criação do conhecimento organizacional e modelo de cinco fases do processo de criação do conhecimento organizacional. Também fez parte do referencial teórico as cinco fases de elaboração de relatórios de sustentabilidade sob diretrizes da Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). A coleta de dados foi realizada por intermédio da aplicação de três instrumentos de pesquisa distintos, sendo dois deles questionários com questões abertas e um questionário com questões fechadas com escala Likert. A partir da coleta e análise dos dados foi possível afirmar que a elaboração de relatórios de sustentabilidade empresarial na organização pesquisada passa pelos processos de criação, codificação e transferência de conhecimento, por intermédio da utilização de conhecimentos tácitos e explícitos, onde pode ser identificada a ocorrência dos modos de conversão, atrelados a espaços de criação do conhecimento (Ba), sustentados por condições capacitadoras específicas, seguindo o modelo de cinco fases de criação do conhecimento organizacional. Diante disto foi possível concluir que todos os aspectos relacionados à Teoria da Criação do Conhecimento Organizacional, elencados no referencial teórico, permeiam as cinco fases (Preparar, Conectar, Definir, Monitorar e Relatar) de elaboração de relatórios de sustentabilidade empresarial sob diretrizes da GRI. / The main objective of this work is to analyse how Nonaka and Takeuchi‟s Theory of organizational knowledge creation (1997;2008) is related to writing a sustainability report under GRI regulations, in a big company of electrical power generation. The Theory previously mentioned was used as book reference, it is made up of different types of knowledge, ways of knowledge conversation, knowledge spiral, Ba – knowledge creation room, enabling conditions of organizational knowledge creation and five phases of organizational knowledge creation standard. Among the book reference taken in this paper is the five stages of sustainability report writing according to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). The survey was taken through three different ways, being two of them surveys with open questions and a questionnaire with questions following Likert guidelines. Based on the data collected and their analysis was possible to state that the business sustainability reporting in the company in focus goes through the creation, decoding and knowledge transference processes due to the use of explicit and tactic knowledge, in which The conversion method occurrence was identified as being connected with the knowledge creation room (Ba), sustained by specific enabling conditions, following the standard of five stages in organizational knowledge creation. Thus, the conclusion reached was that all aspects related to Organizational Knowledge Creation, elicited in the book reference, include the five stages (preparing, connecting, defining, monitoring and reporting) of business sustainability reporting according to the GRI guidelines.

The study aims to assess performance of Technical Reports as a channel of information for development in the Lesotho context. It concurrently evaluates how a specialized information unit of the Institute of Southern African Studies (lSAS) has performed in its obligation to devise adequate mechanisms for managing the report literature and meeting the development-related needs of users. In order to achieve that aim, the study contextualized development as a process, state, and condition and highlighted some development indicators for Lesotho. Agriculture and gender were selected as sectors of development. Global conferences, as one of the many development strategies that generate technical reports heavily, were used as a benchmark. In the performance and impact assessment methodologies, case study techniques were applied with ISAS as a site and one unit ofanalysis. Technical Reports (TRs) on Lesotho were studied. Triangulation approaches were applied in sourcing data. The academics, information workers, government officials, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and aid agencies based in Lesotho were surveyed. Research questions that guided the study centred on the productivity, distribution of technical reports, their management by intermediaries, use, non-use and the effects thereon. Seven types ofTechnical Reports feature in the development process, namely Academic, Project, Conference, Survey, Enquiry, Official and Special Committee Reports. Technical Reports are produced at varying levels depending on needs and approaches to development by producers or commissioning bodies. Academic Reports are authored mostly by the academics. The Government, Aid agencies and NGOs produce widely through external consultants/experts, who utilize centres such as ISAS where commissioning bodies do not have information services. TRs productivity is high and diverse in Lesotho, but capacity to manage the output is seemingly low, and hence under-utilization results; ISAS's out-dated mission, lack of, or limited resources and dejure national support in the form of acts and statutes affect the Institute's Technical Reports' services. Production is gender biased, thus making for imbalance in reporting on development. Agriculture as a sector is heavily researched and reported about, but the benefits to the populace are either few or non-existent. Restricted materials are estimated at 30%, but most ofthe TRs are unaccounted for. Hoarding and poor records or information management leave a vacuum that leads to a duplication of previous studies and production. The study confirmed that technical reports are required by all the surveyed groups. Technical Reports are not ofa transient nature even though they reach a peak oftopicality and use at certain periods. Where the channel conveys factual data timeously, there are developmental benefits. Low or non-use is common where there are no specialized information services especially within the civil service. Such negative factors cause delays and infrequent currency, inadequate reporting and erroneous budgetary allocations, for example. Seeminglythere is no clarity on what restricted, secret and limited materials mean. Major recommendations were made. One concerned an integrated approach to managing the channel. This would involve preparing a Manual for the production of Technical Reports which would clarify how to prepare them; for instance, the caliber of personneVexperts who should author reports, the conditions to be observed, the timeliness production, reliability of data used, and centres that would be acknowledged to then qualify for commensurate financial and other support. The other proposes that the envisaged National Research Council be given the powers to enforce the guidelines ofthe manual and related functions. The last recommends assigning to the documentalistsfor classified Technical Reports, the role of managing classified items. Consideration should also be given to important issues raised in the study, being the role of Information, Communication and Technologies (lCTs), sectors of development to be attended to, training and networking in technical report\s. Further studies are also recommended mainly for the causes and effects of the closures of information services that managed technical reports' in southern Africa; longitudinal studies on the impact of non-use oftechnical reports in major sectors ofdevelopment like Agriculture; comparative studies on the impact of specialized centres in the developed and developing countries. Further action is urged under the aegis ofbodies like the Standing Conference ofEastem, Central and Southern African Librarians (SCECSAL), Standing Conference of National and University Librarians. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.