This thesis is motivated by the need to establish a model covering innovative information systems (IS) adoption behaviours within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Studies on adoption behaviour related to innovative IS are devoting increasing attention to SMEs. Most prior studies, however, have still relied on models developed from studies of large firms. The applicability to SMEs of findings and models developed from large firm studies is not without question as SMEs are not miniature versions of large firms. SMEs face different challenges and opportunities from large firms. This thesis empirically examined issues on the adoption behaviours of innovative IS by SMEs. In line with this objective, two research questions were established. First, what are the critical determinants that allow SMEs to overcome inhibiting factors and adopt an innovative IS? Second, what are the critical determinants that ultimately activate and stimulate them to become enabled and actively utilise an innovative IS? The conceptualisation of enacted capabilities, adapted from the resource-based view of the firm is introduced. This thesis postulates that appropriate enacted capabilities facilitate SMEs to become enabled and actively utilise an innovative IS. These enacted capabilities include the level of IT skills and knowledge of the enterprises’ members, trust in technology, trust in trading partners, external experts’ support, and organisational culture Models incorporating aspects of the theory underlying the technology acceptance model (Davis, 1989), the diffusion of innovation theory (Rogers, 1995), and the resource-based view of the firm (Barney, 1991) were developed to describe the causal linkages between the determinants that activate and stimulate innovative IS adoption behaviour (i.e., from adopting to enabling to utilising innovative IS). One model was developed for the adoption stage and a second for the enablement and utilisation stages. The adoption stage model contains three main hypotheses. The first two hypotheses propose that enacted capabilities have a positive direct effect on both perceived net benefits and attitude towards adoption from a competitive advantage perspective. The third hypothesis proposes that perceived net benefits have a positive effect on attitude towards adoption form a competitive advantage perspective. The enablement and utilisation stages model contains four main hypotheses. The first two hypotheses propose that enacted capabilities and attitude have positive effects on perceived net benefits. The last two hypotheses propose that perceived net benefits and attitude towards adoption from a competitive advantage perspective have positive effects on the extent of enablement and usage of innovative IS. The hypotheses are tested using data obtained via a survey and follow-up interview. Responses were received from 206 SMEs of varying industries and sizes from the survey. Out of these 206 SMEs, follow-up interviews were conducted with twenty-one SMEs. The interviews utilise a combination of both open and closed questions. The questions for the follow-up interviews were based on findings derived from the survey. The innovative IS examined was the Malaysian government’s electronic procurement system, known as ePerolehan. All government suppliers must register for the system and become enabled for use before they can start utilising the system. The results indicate that enacted capabilities possessed by SMEs affect perceived net benefits at all stages of adoption behaviours of SMEs (i.e., adoption, enablement and utilisation). More significantly, two aspects of enacted capabilities, top management IS skills and knowledge and trust in trading partners dominate the effect on perceived net benefits. Support from external experts dominates the effect on attitude at the adoption stage. Top management IS skills and knowledge and trust in technology have a negative effect on attitude at the time of adoption. Enacted capabilities also contribute to the extent of enablement and usage within SMEs. Furthermore, different categories of adopters differ in the set of enacted capabilities underlying their innovative IS adoption behaviour. Results also indicate that when SMEs perceived higher net benefits in adopting innovative IS, they have a positive attitude. The positive attitude generated at the time of adoption has a direct effect on the extent of enablement and usage. The influence of perceived net benefits differs at the different stages of adoption behaviour. At the utilisation stage, usage is affected by perceived net benefits, however, perceived net benefits do not affect the extent of enablement at the enablement stage. In conclusion, this thesis found that enacted capabilities display important roles as antecedents to perceived net benefits, and that perceived net benefits act as a mediator from enacted capabilities to attitude at the adoption stage. Enacted capabilities also display important roles as stimulators of the extent of enablement and usage. Thus, apart from requiring good ideas and financial resources, SMEs also require appropriate enacted capabilities when adopting, enabling and utilising innovative IS.

This thesis is motivated by the need to establish a model covering innovative information systems (IS) adoption behaviours within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Studies on adoption behaviour related to innovative IS are devoting increasing attention to SMEs. Most prior studies, however, have still relied on models developed from studies of large firms. The applicability to SMEs of findings and models developed from large firm studies is not without question as SMEs are not miniature versions of large firms. SMEs face different challenges and opportunities from large firms. This thesis empirically examined issues on the adoption behaviours of innovative IS by SMEs. In line with this objective, two research questions were established. First, what are the critical determinants that allow SMEs to overcome inhibiting factors and adopt an innovative IS? Second, what are the critical determinants that ultimately activate and stimulate them to become enabled and actively utilise an innovative IS? The conceptualisation of enacted capabilities, adapted from the resource-based view of the firm is introduced. This thesis postulates that appropriate enacted capabilities facilitate SMEs to become enabled and actively utilise an innovative IS. These enacted capabilities include the level of IT skills and knowledge of the enterprises’ members, trust in technology, trust in trading partners, external experts’ support, and organisational culture Models incorporating aspects of the theory underlying the technology acceptance model (Davis, 1989), the diffusion of innovation theory (Rogers, 1995), and the resource-based view of the firm (Barney, 1991) were developed to describe the causal linkages between the determinants that activate and stimulate innovative IS adoption behaviour (i.e., from adopting to enabling to utilising innovative IS). One model was developed for the adoption stage and a second for the enablement and utilisation stages. The adoption stage model contains three main hypotheses. The first two hypotheses propose that enacted capabilities have a positive direct effect on both perceived net benefits and attitude towards adoption from a competitive advantage perspective. The third hypothesis proposes that perceived net benefits have a positive effect on attitude towards adoption form a competitive advantage perspective. The enablement and utilisation stages model contains four main hypotheses. The first two hypotheses propose that enacted capabilities and attitude have positive effects on perceived net benefits. The last two hypotheses propose that perceived net benefits and attitude towards adoption from a competitive advantage perspective have positive effects on the extent of enablement and usage of innovative IS. The hypotheses are tested using data obtained via a survey and follow-up interview. Responses were received from 206 SMEs of varying industries and sizes from the survey. Out of these 206 SMEs, follow-up interviews were conducted with twenty-one SMEs. The interviews utilise a combination of both open and closed questions. The questions for the follow-up interviews were based on findings derived from the survey. The innovative IS examined was the Malaysian government’s electronic procurement system, known as ePerolehan. All government suppliers must register for the system and become enabled for use before they can start utilising the system. The results indicate that enacted capabilities possessed by SMEs affect perceived net benefits at all stages of adoption behaviours of SMEs (i.e., adoption, enablement and utilisation). More significantly, two aspects of enacted capabilities, top management IS skills and knowledge and trust in trading partners dominate the effect on perceived net benefits. Support from external experts dominates the effect on attitude at the adoption stage. Top management IS skills and knowledge and trust in technology have a negative effect on attitude at the time of adoption. Enacted capabilities also contribute to the extent of enablement and usage within SMEs. Furthermore, different categories of adopters differ in the set of enacted capabilities underlying their innovative IS adoption behaviour. Results also indicate that when SMEs perceived higher net benefits in adopting innovative IS, they have a positive attitude. The positive attitude generated at the time of adoption has a direct effect on the extent of enablement and usage. The influence of perceived net benefits differs at the different stages of adoption behaviour. At the utilisation stage, usage is affected by perceived net benefits, however, perceived net benefits do not affect the extent of enablement at the enablement stage. In conclusion, this thesis found that enacted capabilities display important roles as antecedents to perceived net benefits, and that perceived net benefits act as a mediator from enacted capabilities to attitude at the adoption stage. Enacted capabilities also display important roles as stimulators of the extent of enablement and usage. Thus, apart from requiring good ideas and financial resources, SMEs also require appropriate enacted capabilities when adopting, enabling and utilising innovative IS.

This thesis is motivated by the need to establish a model covering innovative information systems (IS) adoption behaviours within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Studies on adoption behaviour related to innovative IS are devoting increasing attention to SMEs. Most prior studies, however, have still relied on models developed from studies of large firms. The applicability to SMEs of findings and models developed from large firm studies is not without question as SMEs are not miniature versions of large firms. SMEs face different challenges and opportunities from large firms. This thesis empirically examined issues on the adoption behaviours of innovative IS by SMEs. In line with this objective, two research questions were established. First, what are the critical determinants that allow SMEs to overcome inhibiting factors and adopt an innovative IS? Second, what are the critical determinants that ultimately activate and stimulate them to become enabled and actively utilise an innovative IS? The conceptualisation of enacted capabilities, adapted from the resource-based view of the firm is introduced. This thesis postulates that appropriate enacted capabilities facilitate SMEs to become enabled and actively utilise an innovative IS. These enacted capabilities include the level of IT skills and knowledge of the enterprises’ members, trust in technology, trust in trading partners, external experts’ support, and organisational culture Models incorporating aspects of the theory underlying the technology acceptance model (Davis, 1989), the diffusion of innovation theory (Rogers, 1995), and the resource-based view of the firm (Barney, 1991) were developed to describe the causal linkages between the determinants that activate and stimulate innovative IS adoption behaviour (i.e., from adopting to enabling to utilising innovative IS). One model was developed for the adoption stage and a second for the enablement and utilisation stages. The adoption stage model contains three main hypotheses. The first two hypotheses propose that enacted capabilities have a positive direct effect on both perceived net benefits and attitude towards adoption from a competitive advantage perspective. The third hypothesis proposes that perceived net benefits have a positive effect on attitude towards adoption form a competitive advantage perspective. The enablement and utilisation stages model contains four main hypotheses. The first two hypotheses propose that enacted capabilities and attitude have positive effects on perceived net benefits. The last two hypotheses propose that perceived net benefits and attitude towards adoption from a competitive advantage perspective have positive effects on the extent of enablement and usage of innovative IS. The hypotheses are tested using data obtained via a survey and follow-up interview. Responses were received from 206 SMEs of varying industries and sizes from the survey. Out of these 206 SMEs, follow-up interviews were conducted with twenty-one SMEs. The interviews utilise a combination of both open and closed questions. The questions for the follow-up interviews were based on findings derived from the survey. The innovative IS examined was the Malaysian government’s electronic procurement system, known as ePerolehan. All government suppliers must register for the system and become enabled for use before they can start utilising the system. The results indicate that enacted capabilities possessed by SMEs affect perceived net benefits at all stages of adoption behaviours of SMEs (i.e., adoption, enablement and utilisation). More significantly, two aspects of enacted capabilities, top management IS skills and knowledge and trust in trading partners dominate the effect on perceived net benefits. Support from external experts dominates the effect on attitude at the adoption stage. Top management IS skills and knowledge and trust in technology have a negative effect on attitude at the time of adoption. Enacted capabilities also contribute to the extent of enablement and usage within SMEs. Furthermore, different categories of adopters differ in the set of enacted capabilities underlying their innovative IS adoption behaviour. Results also indicate that when SMEs perceived higher net benefits in adopting innovative IS, they have a positive attitude. The positive attitude generated at the time of adoption has a direct effect on the extent of enablement and usage. The influence of perceived net benefits differs at the different stages of adoption behaviour. At the utilisation stage, usage is affected by perceived net benefits, however, perceived net benefits do not affect the extent of enablement at the enablement stage. In conclusion, this thesis found that enacted capabilities display important roles as antecedents to perceived net benefits, and that perceived net benefits act as a mediator from enacted capabilities to attitude at the adoption stage. Enacted capabilities also display important roles as stimulators of the extent of enablement and usage. Thus, apart from requiring good ideas and financial resources, SMEs also require appropriate enacted capabilities when adopting, enabling and utilising innovative IS.

Within a new reality in the products development sector, with the innovation getting into a supremacy, it is important to discuss which is the formation that the engineering professionals are getting in the function in creating products. The present investigation has started in some hypothesis and findings. One assumes that no profession can be apart from to the biggest challenge that is promote the technologic jump in those nations that have not reached their development, that the products is a factor of growing, and that none sensitive progress will have meaning if it is not followd by accuracy in the distribution. The hypothesis are that a more diversificated formation can contribute with the necessary holistic vision fot he engineer developing products, and that his continual education is the biggest base that he can do the technologic actualization one instrument to promote the necessary changes in the environment in which he lives. This investigation, from the experience of professionals, has tried to show how the contribution can point bases for a continual formation of the products development engineers, in a way that they have to look for a constantly technological innovation, indispensable for their growing. / Dentro de uma nova realidade no setor de desenvolvimento de produtos, com a inovação adquirindo uma primazia, é importante discutir qual a formação que estão recebendo os profissionais de engenharia nas funções de criar produtos. A presente investigação partiu de algumas constatações e hipóteses. O que se tem como certo é que nenhuma profissão pode ficar alheia ao grande desafio que é promover o salto tecnológico naquelas nações que não atingiram o desenvolvimento, que o produto é um vetor de crescimento, e que nenhum progresso sensível terá significado se não for acompanhado de justeza na distribuição. As hipóteses são de que uma formação mais diversificada pode contribuir com a visão holística necessária ao engenheiro de desenvolvimento de produto, e que sua educação continuada é a base maior para que ele faça da atualização tecnológica um instrumento para promover as mudanças necessárias no meio em que vive. Esta investigação, a partir da experiência de profissionais, buscou como contribuição apontar bases para a formação continuada de engenheiros de desenvolvimento de produto, de modo que busquem a constante inovação tecnológica, indispensável para o crescimento.

The fast changes of the last 20 years, with prominence the ascension of the technologies of information and communication, radically transformed products, processes, uses and people's life. These facts, together with the commercial and financial liberalization promoted a new managerial conformation. It has been understood that the innovations, especially the technological ones, are motors of the competition and of the industrial development. That demands great production flexibility from the companies, to be capable to compete and to stay in this dynamic process. The answer of the companies to the new competitive conformations has been given through innovations of products, processes and organization. However, for these incorporations the companies should possess competences to use the technologies and the available knowledge. On the other hand, the amounts of necessary resources, human and financial, are not always available. This way, the companies have been taken advantage of collaborative strategies to join competences that they still don't possess. The performance in productive arrangements with interactive performances facilitatates the diffusion and generation of innovations, since the local proximity and the common culture allow the transmission and change of knowledge. In this sense, we have searched for an answer, through an exploratory and descriptive method, for the diffusion and the generation of technological innovations in the industry of pieces of residential rectilinear furniture, contemplating the interactions between the companies and the institutions linked to the industry in productive arrangement. It was verified that companies and institutions have been demanding efforts concerning the technological innovation of the industry of pieces of rectilinear furniture residences of Bento Gonçalves (RS). The interactive performance in the environment of the productive arrangement permits a healthy atmosphere for the diffusion and the use of the new knowledge obtained from several sources, especially, through the participation in regional events, and also through national and international research actions and development. The results of this study contributes to detach the importance of the external atmosphere in the diffusion and in the generation of technological innovations, and the recognition of the companies to the advantages associated to the location in the area, to the existent partnerships among the agents and to the innovations adopted in the period. / As rápidas mudanças dos últimos 20 anos, com destaque a ascensão das tecnologias de informação e comunicação, transformaram radicalmente os produtos, processos, formas de uso e a vida das pessoas. Isto aliado à liberalização comercial e financeira promoveu uma nova conformação empresarial. Entende-se que as inovações, em especial as tecnológicas, são motores da competição e do desenvolvimento industrial. Isso exige das empresas uma grande flexibilidade de produção, para que estas sejam capazes de competir e se manterem neste processo dinâmico. A resposta das empresas às novas conformações competitivas tem se dado através de inovações de produtos, processos e organizacionais. Todavia, para estas incorporações às empresas devem possuir competências para fazer uso das tecnologias e dos conhecimentos disponíveis. No entanto, os montantes de recursos necessários, humanos e financeiros, nem sempre estão disponíveis. Deste modo, as empresas têm recorrido a estratégias colaborativas para agregarem as competências que ainda não possuem. A atuação em arranjos produtivos é tida como facilitadora da difusão e geração de inovações, visto a atuação interativa dos agentes, onde a proximidade local e a cultura comum permitem a transmissão e troca de conhecimentos. Neste sentido, buscou-se responder, através de um método descritivo, como ocorre a difusão e a geração de inovações tecnológicas na indústria de móveis retilíneos residenciais, contemplando as interações entre as empresas e as instituições vinculadas à indústria no arranjo produtivo de Bento Gonçalves (RS). A pesquisa se desenvolveu em duas etapas, onde na fase qualitativa foram entrevistadas as principais instituições que atuam no APL e, na fase quantitativa, os dados foram obtidos junto às empresas produtoras. Na tabulação dos dados utilizou-se o software SPSS 10.0 e, na análise, fez-se uso da estatística descritiva e de testes não-paramétricos. Constatou-se que empresas e instituições têm demandado esforços no tocante à inovação, porém ainda de forma incremental e baseada na cópia dos produtos e processos já existentes no mercado. A atuação interativa é reconhecida pelos agentes como importante fator competitivo, haja vista o reconhecimento das vantagens associadas à localização na região, às parcerias existentes e às inovações adotadas no período. Os resultados deste estudo contribuem para destacar a importância do ambiente externo na difusão e na geração de inovações tecnológicas, haja vista o reconhecimento das empresas às vantagens associadas à localização na região, às parcerias existentes entre os agentes e às inovações adotadas no período.

Actuellement, comprendre comment les entreprises innovent avec un impact environnemental positif dans l’optique d’un développement plus durable est une problématique essentielle pour les entreprises et la société. Néanmoins,l’innovation environnementale reste insuffisamment appréhendée. L’objectif de cette thèse est de mettre en évidence les spécificités des innovations environnementales pour les PME au regard des déterminants et des barrières perçues.Le cadre théorique adopté est celui de l’hypothèse de Porter, pour examiner l’effet de la réglementation. Il a été enrichi par les approches RBV et KBV pour une meilleure prise en compte des capacités et ressources des PME dans leur adoption d’innovations environnementales.Cette recherche est basée sur trois articles empiriques et une démarche quantitative qui mobilise différentes méthodes économétriques.Trois contributions majeures sont issues de cette thèse : (1) Les PME innovantes en matière environnementale perçoivent plus de barrières, de manière plus intense et en plus grand nombre par rapport aux autres PME innovantes ou non-innovantes; (2) Les PME innovantes environnementalement font appel à plus de sources de connaissances externes vis-à-vis des autres PME; (3) Les PME peuvent adopter des innovations environnementales de manière proactive, comme les grandes entreprises, elles possèdent certaines capacités.Ces résultats sont à l’origine de recommandations en matière de politiques publiques et managériales qui visent à une plus grande diffusion des innovations environnementales pour les PME. / Understanding how companies innovate for positive environment impact and sustainable development is a crucial issue for business and society today. Yet,little is currently known about this particular kind of innovation. The objective of this thesis is to shed light on the specificities of environmental innovation for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in terms of determinants and perceived barriers.The theoretical framework is based on the Porter’s Hypothesis in order to examine the effect of regulation. It is enriched by the RBV and KBV approaches to better take into account SMEs’ capabilities and resources in the adoption of environmental innovation.This research is based on three empirical articles and on a quantitative approach which mobilizes several econometric methods.This thesis contributes to three key findings: (1) Environmentally innovative SMEs perceive more barriers, in more intense and numerous ways, compared to others innovative or non-innovative SMEs; (2) Environmentally innovative SMEs utilize more external knowledge sources than other SMEs; (3) SMEs, like large firms, can adopt environmental innovations proactively because they possess certain capacities.These results lead to public policy and managerial recommendations for more widespread and more effective environmental innovation in SMEs.

Submitted by Gustavo Gomes (gustavolascasas@gmail.com) on 2013-09-06T13:56:05Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Incuba????o de empresas de base tecnol??gica.pdf: 1177225 bytes, checksum: 039998b84d8cc15e0be04246d4ef0da5 (MD5) license_rdf: 23599 bytes, checksum: 9e2b7f6edbd693264102b96ece20428a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Roger Guedes (roger.guedes@fjp.mg.gov.br) on 2013-09-06T16:31:53Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Incuba????o de empresas de base tecnol??gica.pdf: 1177225 bytes, checksum: 039998b84d8cc15e0be04246d4ef0da5 (MD5) license_rdf: 23599 bytes, checksum: 9e2b7f6edbd693264102b96ece20428a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-09-06T16:31:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Incuba????o de empresas de base tecnol??gica.pdf: 1177225 bytes, checksum: 039998b84d8cc15e0be04246d4ef0da5 (MD5) license_rdf: 23599 bytes, checksum: 9e2b7f6edbd693264102b96ece20428a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Funda????o Jo??o Pinheiro / Este estudo trata de um aspecto relevante do desenvolvimento cient??fico e tecnol??gico: o processo de incuba????o de empresas de base tecnol??gica no Brasil. Ele prop??e e aplica um ??ndice sint??tico que procura retratar dimens??es importantes do processo de incuba????o de empresas de base tecnol??gica. O trabalho, de natureza explorat??ria e descritiva, utiliza como instrumentos de pesquisa, o levantamento bibliogr??fico e documental, a explora????o de dados e informa????es estat??sticas, e a aplica????o do m??todo distancial para padroniza????o de vari??veis. O ??ndice proposto, ??ndice de dimensionamento do processo de incuba????o de empresas de base tecnol??gica ??? IEBT ?? composto por quatro dimens??es: Prioridade governamental ?? pol??tica p??blica de C,T&I, Amplitude e difus??o do processo de incuba????o, N??vel de inova????o tecnol??gica nas empresas, e N??vel de educa????o formal da popula????o, e a cada dimens??o corresponde um conjunto de indicadores. O IEBT possibilita ordenar a posi????o relativa dos estados quanto ao est??gio de desenvolvimento do processo de incuba????o de empresas de base tecnol??gica, sob as dimens??es que o comp??em. Os resultados do IEBT para os estados das regi??es sudeste e sul do pa??s, sugerem que o est??gio de desenvolvimento do processo de incuba????o de empresas de base tecnol??gica apresenta-se avan??ado nos estados de S??o Paulo e Rio Grande do Sul, enquanto o Rio de Janeiro, Paran?? e Santa Catarina corresponderiam a um est??gio intermedi??rio. Minas Gerais corresponderia a um est??gio pouco avan??ado, superando apenas o Esp??rito Santo (que apresentou o mais baixo IEBT dentre os estados das regi??es sudeste e sul do Brasil). No que diz respeito especificamente a Minas Gerais, os resultados sugerem que as principais fragilidades do processo de incuba????o de empresas de base tecnol??gica est??o associadas ??s dimens??es N??vel de educa????o formal da popula????o e ?? Prioridade governamental ?? pol??tica p??blica de C,T&I. J?? a dimens??o Amplitude e difus??o do processo de incuba????o e a dimens??o N??vel de inova????o tecnol??gica nas empresas apresentaram potencialidades para o desenvolvimento e consolida????o do processo de incuba????o de empresas de base tecnol??gica no estado. / This study treats of a relevant aspect of the scientific and technological development: the process of incubation of companies of technological base in Brazil. He proposes and it applies a synthetic index that it tries to portray important dimensions of the process of incubation of companies of technological base. The work, of exploratory and descriptive nature, uses as research instruments, the bibliographical and documental rising, the exploration of data and statistical information, and the application of the method distancial for standardization of variables. The proposed index, Index of measurement of the process of incubation of companies of technological base - IEBT is composed by four dimensions: Government priority to the public politics of C,T&I, Width and diffusion of the incubation process, Level of technological innovation in the companies, and Level of formal education of the population, and to each dimension it corresponds a group of indicators. IEBT makes possible to order the relative position of the states as for the apprenticeship of development of the process of incubation of companies of technological base, under the dimensions that compose it. The results of IEBT for the states of the areas southeast and south of the country, they suggest that the apprenticeship of development of the process of incubation of companies of technological base comes advanced in the states of S??o Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul, while Rio de Janeiro, Paran?? and Santa Catarina would correspond to an intermediate apprenticeship. Minas Gerais would correspond to a little advanced apprenticeship, just overcoming the Esp??rito Santo (that presented lowest IEBT among the states of the areas southeast and south of Brazil). In what it says respect specifically to Minas Gerais, the results suggest that the main fragilities of the process of incubation of companies of technological base are associated at the dimensions Level of formal education of the population and the Government priority to the public politics of C,T&I. Already the dimension Width and diffusion of the incubation process and the dimension Level of technological innovation in the companies presented potentialities for the development and consolidation of the process of incubation of companies of technological base in the state. / Ci??ncia, Informa????o e Comunica????o

A orizicultura tem grande importância na economia mundial, pois o arroz é um alimento consumido e produzido em vários países ao redor do mundo. Fora o continente asiático o Brasil é o maior produtor mundial desse cereal, e o estado do Rio Grande do Sul é o maior produtor nacional. Desde a introdução dessa cultura no estado gaúcho, na década de 1930, a produtividade aumentou significativamente devido, em grande parte, aos processos de pesquisa e inovação de cultivares e manejo. Então, com os constantes processos de inovação no que se refere aos aspectos ligados diretamente com a lavoura arrozeira a produtividade, bem como a área plantada no Rio Grande do Sul aumentou significativamente. Mas no que se refere aos processos de beneficiamento? Como a industrialização se encontra em termos de inovação? Por ser uma commodity agrícola a indústria inova em termos de estrutura, processamento e criação de novos produtos? Frente a isso, o estudo objetiva analisar o comportamento inovador dos agentes agroindustriais do setor de beneficiamento de arroz do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, verificando a ocorrência de inovações e os motivos que levam esses agentes a adotarem determinado comportamento. Para isso foi utilizada uma metodologia quali-quantitativa, com aplicação de entrevistas e posterior transcrição do texto para que fosse possível utilizar a análise de conteúdo com aproximação lexical seletiva. A utilização dessa metodologia possibilita uma análise mais aprofundada de temas mais específicos, pois possibilita trabalhar uma grande quantidade de informações qualitativas. Além disso, o método traz uma importante contribuição para estudos econômicos, pois ainda é pouco utilizado nessa ciência em particular, sendo mais comumente utilizado em ciências como a psicologia. Esse método de análise fez uso do software Sphinx Plus e da ferramenta lemmatiseur que permite marcar diferentes categorias gramaticais nos textos das entrevistas para formar léxicos estruturados agrupando palavras e expressões de semelhante significado para um tratamento estatístico em dados qualitativos. Conclui-se que existe inovação na indústria arrozeira e que os motivos das inovações estão relacionados a aspectos mercadológicos e diretamente ligados a cadeia de suprimentos. Como principais considerações destacam-se a pouca integração da cadeia produtiva para fins de inovação, principalmente entre indústria, instituições de pesquisa, distribuidores e consumidores finais. Além disso, apesar de haver um maior contato entre indústria e fornecedor de matéria prima existe significativa diferença entre as percepções relativas à qualidade de produto entre esses agentes, o que implica em divergências entre eles. Também salienta-se a informalidade nos processos de aprendizagem e disseminação de informações nas indústrias o que dificulta os processos inovativos. / The Oriziculture has great importance in the world economy because rice is one of the most consumed and produced foods in several countries worldwide. Apart from the Asian continent, Brazil is the largest producer of this cereal in the world, and the state of Rio Grande do Sul is the largest national producer. Since the introduction of this culture in the southest state in the 1930s, the productivity has improved significantly mainly due to the research processes and innovation of cultivars and crop management. Thus, the constant processes of innovation related to the aspects concerning the cultivation of rice directly have significantly increased productivity as well as the planted area in Rio Grande do Sul. However, what about its beneficiation? What is the status of industrialization in terms of innovation? As it concerns an agricultural commodity, does the industry innovate in terms of structure, processing and creation of novel products? Considering these aspects, this study aims at analyzing the innovative behavior of agroindustrial agents in the sector of rice beneficiation in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, by verifying the occurrence of innovation and the agents’ motives to adopt certain behaviors. In order to accomplish this, a quali-quantitative methodology was used, with the application of interviews and its subsequent textual transcription so that content analysis could be used with selective lexical approximation. The use of this methodology allows a more profound analysis of more specific themes, because it allows working a vast quantity of qualitative information. In addition to that, the method presents an important contribution to economic studies, for it is still scarcely used in this particular science, being more commonly used in sciences such as psychology. This analytical method used the software Sphinx Plus and the tool lemmatiseur, which allows the marking of different grammatical categories in the interview texts in order to form structured lexicons, grouping words and expressions of similar meaning together to statistically treat them in qualitative data. It has been concluded that there is innovation in the rice industry and that the motives for such innovation are related to marketing aspects and directly connected to the supply chain. As main considerations it is highlighted the little integration of the productive chain to innovation purposes, mainly among industries, research institutions, distributors and final consumers. Besides that, although there is a higher contact between industry and fornecedor de matéria prima, there is significant difference between the perceptions related to product quality between these agents, which implies divergences between them. Also, it is highlighted the informality in the processes of learning and dissemination of information in industries which complicates the innovative processes.

144 p. / Submitted by Santiago Fabio (fabio.ssantiago@hotmail.com) on 2012-12-17T20:02:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 777777.pdf: 1404043 bytes, checksum: 455c1842a991a43ffa2c67ea28e28e0f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2012-12-17T20:02:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 777777.pdf: 1404043 bytes, checksum: 455c1842a991a43ffa2c67ea28e28e0f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Este trabalho se propõe a analisar como uma pequena empresa inovadora gerencia o processo de difusão das suas inovações, especialmente no que tange à difusão das novas idéias para o mercado, bem como entender quais variáveis interferem neste processo. Para tanto, foi realizado um estudo de caso com uma organização baiana vencedora nacional do Prêmio FINEP de Inovação 2010, a Softwell Solutions. Foram adotados como referenciais teóricos da pesquisa o conceito de inovação apresentada pela Teoria do Desenvolvimento Econômico, de Schumpeter, e a Teoria da Difusão de Inovações proposta por Everett Rogers, autor considerado principal autoridade nesta temática. Para Rogers, a difusão de uma inovação consiste no processo de adoção, incorporação e utilização do novo método ou artefato por agentes de determinado sistema produtivo ou social. Este processo é composto por quatro elementos-chaves: a inovação em si, os canais de comunicação empregados para troca de informações entre os agentes envolvidos no processo, o tempo necessário para absorção da inovação e o sistema social onde ocorre a difusão. Outros dois conceitos, baseados em diversos autores, foram vinculados à teoria proposta por Rogers: o uso das novas tecnologias de informação e comunicação (TICs) como importantes canais de comunicação para a troca de informações e interação entre agentes sociais; e a importância de as organizações construírem redes produtivas, alianças estratégicas e parcerias com fornecedores, órgãos públicos de fomento, concorrentes, universidades, centros de pesquisa, dentre outros agentes, tanto para gerar quanto para difundir inovações. A partir desta fundamentação teórica, a pesquisa a ser apresentada neste trabalho dissertativo se propôs então a responder à seguinte questão: Como uma pequena empresa reconhecidamente inovadora gerencia o processo de difusão da sua inovação tecnológica no mercado? Considera-se como principal justifica para realização da pesquisa o entendimento, fundamentado em diversos autores da literatura consultada, de que o conhecimento do processo de difusão da inovação favorece a sua gestão, ainda que este envolva também fatores que estão fora da esfera de controle da empresa. Conclui-se que a empresa estudada gerencia de forma sistemática e planejada o processo de inovação, e isto se reflete no planejamento do processo de difusão da inovação no mercado. Embora esta etapa não seja gerenciada com base em critérios tão claramente definidos como na etapa de criação e desenvolvimento de novas idéias, observa-se o planejamento das ações de comunicação, a adequada identificação dos membros mais propensos à adoção da inovação e dos agentes influenciadores da decisão de adoção da inovação, bem como a compreensão dos canais de comunicação mais adequados ao perfil dos públicos de interesse da empresa e dos mecanismos eficazes para legitimar o produto socialmente, fornecer informações sobre ele ao mercado e reduzir inseguranças. / Salvador

A prestação de serviços na área da saúde apresenta uma demanda por novas tecnologias. Os fisioterapeutas utilizam desde equipamentos mais simples aos mais complexos para auxiliar na elaboração do diagnóstico cinético funcional, na prescrição, planejamento, ordenação, análise, supervisão e avaliação das atividades fisioterapêuticas dos clientes. Considerando a importância da articulação do cotovelo para as atividades de vida diárias dos indivíduos, bem como a complexa reabilitação das articulações do cotovelo e radioulnares, que requerem intervenção precoce para evitar a rigidez articular, a perda de amplitude de movimento e de força; foi identificada a necessidade de desenvolver um equipamento inovador para a reabilitação do cotovelo e antebraço. Assim, essa tese tem como objetivo geral desenvolver um equipamento inovador para a reabilitação do cotovelo e antebraço. Os objetivos específicos são: (i) analisar os estudos científicos e patentes que abordam o desenvolvimento de equipamentos de Movimentação Passiva Contínua para a reabilitação do cotovelo e antebraço; (ii) realizar a análise funcional e operacional de equipamentos para a reabilitação do cotovelo a antebraço disponíveis no mercado; (iii) identificar os requisitos dos stakeholders da cadeia de valor do produto para o desenvolvimento de um equipamento inovador para a reabilitação do cotovelo e antebraço; (iv) desenvolver o módulo de vibração muscular localizada do equipamento inovador para a reabilitação do cotovelo e antebraço; (v) desenvolver o módulo de Movimentação Passiva Contínua do equipamento inovador para a reabilitação do cotovelo e antebraço; (vi) avaliar a utilização do equipamento inovador para a reabilitação do cotovelo e antebraço em seres humanos. Para atingir os objetivos desta tese foram utilizadas metodologias e ferramentas para a gestão do processo de desenvolvimento de produtos, bem como testes experimentais dos protótipos funcionais com seres humanos. Os resultados envolvem a obtenção de conhecimento científico acerca do tema do desenvolvimento de equipamentos inovadores para a área da saúde, bem como o protótipo funcional de um equipamento inovador para a reabilitação do cotovelo e antebraço, apresentados na forma de seis estudos científicos. / The healthcare service rendering requests new technologies. Physical therapists use equipments from the simplest to the most complex to assist in the developing of functional kinetic diagnosis, prescription, planning, managing, analyzing, monitoring and evaluation of customers’ therapy activities. A need of developing a novel equipment for the elbow and forearm rehabilitation came from the importance of the elbow joint for the daily living activities of people and the complex rehabilitation of elbow and radioulnar joints. These joints require early intervention to prevent joint stiffness, loss of range of motion and strength. Based on this context, the general goal of this PhD thesis is to develop a novel device for elbow and forearm rehabilitation. The specific goals are: (i) analyze the scientific studies and patents about the development of Continuous Passive Motion devices for the elbow and forearm rehabilitation; (ii) analyze functional and operationally the devices for the elbow and forearm rehabilitation which are available in the market; (iii) identify the stakeholder requirements of the device value chain to develop a novel device for the elbow and forearm rehabilitation; (iv) develop the local muscle vibration module of the novel device for the elbow and forearm rehabilitation; (v) develop the Continuous Passive Motion module of the novel device for the elbow and forearm rehabilitation; (vi) evaluate the use of the novel device for the elbow and forearm rehabilitation on human subjects. Management product development process methodogies and tools, as well as experimental tests of the functional prototypes on human subjects were used to achieve the thesis goals. The results include the generation of scientific knowledge about the development of new devices for the health area, as well as a functional prototype of the novel equipment for the elbow and forearm rehabilitation presented as six scientific studies.