Orientador: Carlos Kenichi Suzuki / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-20T11:45:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Sato_SergioAkira_M.pdf: 3388849 bytes, checksum: f5d9b2d80a5cef7ee5e040fb289c0ae5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho tem como propósito principal o de analisar o modelo de gestão atual do setor sucroalcooleiro do bioetanol e desenvolver um modelo prático de gestão do conhecimento com foco na troca de informações entre as áreas da agricultura, e usina de álcool na geração de bioenergia que utilizam como base uma matéria-prima com alto índice de sustentabilidade econômica e que oferece o menor impacto ambiental, a cana-de-açúcar. Foi desenvolvido um Modelo com foco em gestão de conhecimento alimentado por dados coletados com tecnologia embarcada para agricultura de precisão com indicadores de desempenho das etapas do manejo da cana-de-açúcar incluindo dados de conhecimento tácito nos sistemas de informações, bancos de dados e mapas do conhecimento oferecendo uma visibilidade global dos processos em um modelo prático com front-end em software que facilitou a integração total e a comunicação rápida entre as áreas da agricultura e usina. O processo de inovação tecnológica para agricultura de precisão foi promovido através da gestão do conhecimento e da troca de informações entre as áreas da agricultura no manejo da cana-de-açúcar e a aferição da ATR na usina para a produção de bioetanol favorecendo o feedback de informações dos eventos em cada processo durante todo o ciclo do processo desta produção. O resultado obtido com os dados inferindo em mapas do conhecimento foi um aumento expressivo de informações operacionais das áreas e uma maior visibilidade com um aumento ao fomento no processo de inovação tecnológica em uma busca pela melhoria contínua favorecida pela integração das áreas do setor sucroalcooleiro baseada em uma plataforma tecnológica como a Web com utilização de Intranets, Virtual Private Networks (VPN) ou Extranets para a comunicação entre as áreas de forma instantânea, melhorando a previsão do aumento de produtividade e expectativas econômicas da produção anual / Abstract: The main goal of the present work was to analyze the current management model of the sugar-alcohol sector for bioethanol production and to develop a practical model of knowledge management with focus on the information exchange among agriculture, ethanol plant in the generation of bioenergy which use a self-sustaining raw-material that offers the high index of economic sustainability and lowest environmental impact, the sugarcane. A Model was developed with focus on a knowledge management fed by collected data from embedded technology for the precision agriculture with performance indicators on the stages of sugarcane management including data from tacit information included on information systems, databases, and knowledge maps offering a global process and visibility in a practical model with a front-end software that facilitated the seamless integration and fast communication between agriculture and ethanol plant areas. The process of technology innovation to precision agriculture has been promoted through the knowledge management and information exchange between the areas of sugarcane agriculture and the measurement of ATR at the bioethanol plant for the production of bioethanol favoring the feedback of information events in each process during the entire process of production. The obtained result with the inferred data in knowledge maps was an expressive increase of the operational information of areas and a larger visibility, offering an increase in the technology innovation with a search for a continuous improvement favored by the integration of the areas of the sugar-alcohol sector based on a technological platform as the Web Browser using Intranets, Virtual Private Networks (VPN) or Extranets between areas, instantly improving the prediction of productivity increase and economic expectation of annual production / Mestrado / Materiais e Processos de Fabricação / Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica

The ongoing transformation of the energy system along a more sustainable trajectory requires advancements in a range of technological fields, as well as active involvement of different societal groups. Integration of photovoltaic (PV) systems in the built environment in particular is expected to play a crucial long-term role in the deployment of renewable energy technologies in urban areas, demanding the successful cooperation of planners, architects, engineers, scientists and users. The realisation of that technological change will require innovation at both an individual (within firms and organisations) and a collective (sector) level, giving rise to systemic approaches for its characterisation and analysis of its drivers. This study investigates the processes that either accelerate or hinder the development and diffusion of Building-Integrated PV (BIPV) applications into the market. Affected by developments in both the renewable energy and construction industries, the BIPV innovation system is a multi-sectoral case that has been explored only partially up to now. Acknowledging the fact that drivers of innovation span the globalised BIPV supply chain, this research adopts both an international and a national spatial perspective focusing on the UK. The analysis is based on a novel analytical framework which was developed in order to capture innovation dynamics at different levels, including technological advancements within firms, competition and synergy with other emerging and established innovation systems and pressures from the wider socio-economic configuration. This hybrid functional framework was conceived by combining elements from three academic strands: Technological Innovation Systems, the Multi-Level Perspective and Business Studies. The empirical research is based on various methods, including desktop research, semi-structured interviews and in-depth firm-level case studies. A thorough market assessment provides the techno-economic background for the research. The hybrid framework is used as a guide throughout the empirical investigation and is also implemented in the analytical part of the study to organise and interpret the findings, in order to assess the overall functionality of the innovation system. The analysis has underlined a range of processes that affect the development and diffusion of BIPV applications including inherent technological characteristics, societal factors and wider transitions within the energy and construction sectors. Future approaches for the assessment and governance of BIPV innovation will need to address its hybrid character and disruptiveness with regards to incumbent configurations, in order to appreciate its significance over the short and long term. Methodological and conceptual findings show that the combination of insights from different analytical perspectives offers a broader understanding of the processes affecting innovation dynamics in emerging technologies. Different approaches can be used in tandem to overcome methodological weaknesses, provide different analytical perspectives and assess the performance of complex innovation systems, which may span multiple countries and sectors. By better reflecting complexities, tensions and synergies, the framework developed here offers a promising way forward for the analysis of emerging sustainable technologies.

[pt] Os objetivos principais da dissertação são de estabelecer indicadores e métricas de crescimento no estágio inicial de empresas de software e propor um modelo de indicadores que auxilie na promoção de empresas geradoras de inovação. A motivação da pesquisa é contribuir para o desenvolvimento de uma metodologia para avaliação do crescimento de empresas do setor de software. A metodologia utilizada compreende: (i) revisão bibliográfica e documental em fontes secundárias para a definição do objeto de estudo sobre os temas centrais da dissertação (ii) análise de fatores para a elaboração do marco de análise e caracterização dos indicadores e métricas; (iii) análise e discussão dos resultados; (iv) formulação das conclusões e recomendações. Destacam-se como resultados: a) caracterização de indicadores métricas de crescimento inicial de empresas de software; b) avaliação do papel dos indicadores de relacionamentos institucionais, inclusive empresa-universidade e; c-) identificação de mecanismos de financiamento do governo voltados para o crescimento da empresa. As informações pesquisadas e os resultados obtidos permitem chegar às seguintes conclusões: 1 - empresas de software têm como características a alta velocidade na introdução de inovações técnicas e o contínuo desenvolvimento de produtos; 2 - a mão-de-obra é altamente qualificada; 3 - o produto final é dependente de pesquisa e desenvolvimento (P&D), e; 4 - considerando características e estruturas do setor, o trabalho apresenta um modelo de indicadores que poderão ser utilizados em incubadoras de base tecnológica, também na avaliação de programas de governo, dentre outros. / [en] The main objectives of this work is to establish indicators and metrics in the initial stage of growth of software companies and propose a model of indicators that helps in promoting business-generating innovation. The motivation of the research is to contribute to the development of a methodology for assessing the growth of companies in the software industry. The methodology comprises: (i) review and document secondary sources to define the object of study on the central themes of the dissertation (ii) analysis of factors for establishing the framework for analysis and characterization of the indicators and metrics, (iii) analysis and discussion of results, (iv) formulation of conclusions and recommendations. Results stand out as: a) characterization of metric indicators of initial growth of software companies, b) assessing the role of indicators of institutional relationships, including companies and universities, and c-) identification of mechanisms of government funding toward the company growth. The information researched and the results allow the following conclusions: 1 - software companies are characterized by high speed the introduction of technical innovations and continuous product development, 2 - the manpower is highly qualified; 3 - final product is dependent on research and development (R & D) and 4 - considering the characteristics and structures of the sector, the paper presents a model of indicators that could be used in technologybased incubators, also in evaluating government programs, among other .

Orientadores: Renato Peixoto Dagnino, Rafael de Brito Dias / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociências / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-18T16:36:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Peron_AlcidesEduardodosReis_M.pdf: 1692923 bytes, checksum: 96c94b722136f76b08bc51c98f62bdf3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: O Programa FX-2, que objetiva a renovação da frota brasileira de caças, e a transferência de tecnologia a empresas locais, tem sido apresentado como capaz de desencadear dois eventos colaterais: a capacitação destas empresas para produzir e comercializar aeronaves de caça, com base nesta transferência de tecnologia; e o transbordamento econômico e tecnológico desta capacitação para o setor civil. Este trabalho analisa a possibilidade de ocorrência desses dois eventos a partir da sistematização de informações secundárias de natureza acadêmica, oficial e jornalística. Esse trabalho estuda a possibilidade de ocorrência desses benefícios econômicos e tecnológicos, a partir da almejada transferência de tecnologia, que tornaria factível a ocorrência de spin-offs do setor militar para o setor civil. O fio condutor da discussão tem por base a compreensão do processo de transferência de tecnologia a países menos desenvolvidos e do fenômeno spin-off em uma economia como a brasileira, com aspectos bastante distintos daquelas onde se supõe que ele ocorra. Desse modo, o trabalho se estrutura em quatro etapas: na primeira são analisadas as concepções de segurança e defesa que se desenvolvem no país, e sua relação com o programa FX-2. Na segunda etapa se sintetiza o argumento de autores que evidenciam a complexidade da transferência de tecnologia a países menos desenvolvidos, principalmente às relacionadas com a área militar. Em terceiro lugar, será estudada a evolução e o desenvolvimento do conceito de spin-off a partir das particularidades da estruturação do Complexomilitar- industrial dos EUA. Por fim, a quarta parte discute a possibilidade de ocorrência do spin-off na estrutura produtivo-industrial brasileira em função da implementação do Programa / Abstract: The Program FX-2, which aims the renew of the Brazilian's aircraft fleet, and the transfer of technology to local enterprises, have been presented as capable to generate two collateral effects: based on these transfers, enhance these companies in order to produce and exchange aircrafts; and the economical and technological spin-off of this enhancement to the civil sector. From the systematization of academic, official and journalistic natured secondary information, this work seeks to analyze the possibility of occurrence of these two events, which, might be responsible to the occurrence of spin-offs from military to the civilian economy. The main line of the discussion attempts to comprehend the process of technology transfer to less developed countries, and the phenomenon of spin-off on a economy such as the Brazilian one - characterized by extreme distinct aspects from those where is supposed the event could be observed. Though, the work is structured in four phases: In the first one, it will be analyzed the conceptions of security and defense developed in Brazil, and its relation to the Program FX-2; Afterwards, in the second phase it will be summarized the arguments of authors who attempt to comprehend the complexity of the technology transfer - mainly those related to military technologies - to less developed countries. In the third phase, it will be studied the evolution and the development of the concept of spin-off, based on the particularities of the structuring of the US's Militaryindustrial- complex. At the end, the fourth phase there will be a discussion under the possibility of the occurrence of the spin-off in the Brazilian's industrial productive structure based on the implementation of the Program FX-2 / Mestrado / Politica Cientifica e Tecnologica / Mestre em Política Científica e Tecnológica

Orientador: André Tosi Furtado / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociências / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-27T09:56:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Silva_DiegoRafaeldeMoraes_M.pdf: 995464 bytes, checksum: 39cfd1284b44bd246374380bd35c7ed0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / Resumo: O surgimento da PINTEC no começo dos anos 2000 constituiu uma novidade radical em termos de mensuração da inovação no Brasil. Pouco, porém, se sabe sobre quais foram as motivações originais para a realização desta pesquisa no País e, em especial, quais foram os principais atores, interesses e visões de mundo por trás de tal consecução. Baseando-nos no entendimento de que o contexto de produção das estatísticas define, em certa medida, suas fronteiras de utilização, propomos na presente investigação um estudo acerca da gênese da PINTEC. Sustentamos que a PINTEC 2000, primeira edição desta pesquisa, assumiu uma configuração conceitual-metodológica que é fruto das escolhas provenientes do seu contexto de surgimento. Tais escolhas, por conseguinte, delineiam os limites e alcances das estatísticas e dos indicadores da PINTEC 2000, uma vez que elas, enquanto fundamentadas em determinados interesses e visões de mundo acerca do fenômeno a ser mensurado, privilegiam a mensuração de certos aspectos da inovação em detrimento de outros. Dada a notável relevância do Estado na produção e uso das estatísticas em geral e dos indicadores de CT&I em especial, partimos da hipótese de que os atores de políticas públicas desempenharam um papel de destaque no processo de construção da PINTEC, de modo que seus interesses e visões de mundo foram elementos fundamentais para a configuração conceitual-metodológica da pesquisa. Para retraçar as origens da PINTEC, realizamos entrevistas abertas com uma amostra intencional dos atores-chave envolvidos na construção da pesquisa, além, é claro, de discutir a trajetória histórica dos indicadores de inovação e dos modelos conceituais e metodologias que vêm ao longo dos anos fundamentando a sua mensuração. A partir das entrevistas, da revisão da literatura e dos documentos coligidos na presente investigação, evidenciou-se que a PINTEC é fruto de uma direta e incisiva demanda por parte do MCT, que, preocupado com a fragilidade acerca das estatísticas nacionais acerca do dispêndio privado em C&T e, especialmente, em P&D, propõe no final dos anos 1990 ao IBGE bancar financeiramente uma pesquisa de inovação no Brasil para poder contar com indicadores mais confiáveis sobre o setor privado. Observamos que, apesar de a principal demanda do MCT ser por indicadores de P&D empresarial, as discussões sobre a PINTEC evoluem, por meio de demandas de atores outros que aqueles provenientes do âmbito de política pública, em direção à realização de um survey de inovação, e não apenas um survey de P&D. A PINTEC 2000 assume, então, um modelo "híbrido", configurando-se como um survey de inovação com uma robusta seção acerca das atividades de P&D, que era a principal demanda do MCT. Verificamos, contudo, que tal modelo possui suas limitações, as quais, contudo, não impediram que a PINTEC 2000 gerasse importantes impactos em termos de produção de conhecimento e possibilidades de sugestões de políticas públicas e gestão empresarial no Brasil / Abstract: The Brazilian Innovation Survey (PINTEC) emergence in early 2000s was a radical novelty in terms of innovation measurement in Brazil. However, we know little about the original motivations for its execution and we especially know little about which were the main actors, interests and worldviews behind such execution. From the understanding that statistical production context defines to some extent statistical frontiers of utilization, we propose here a research about the PINTEC¿s genesis. We maintain that PINTEC adopted a conceptual and methodological configuration that is the result of choices from its genesis context. Such choices outlined the limits and reaches of PINTEC¿s statistics and indicators. Given the remarkable relevance of State in the production and utilization of statistics in general and STI indicators in particular, we start from the assumption that political actors played a key role in the design process of PINTEC, so that their interests and worldviews were fundamental elements for the survey conceptual and methodological configuration. We did unstructured interviews with an intentional sample of key actors involved in the survey design to retrace PINTEC¿s genesis, and besides we discussed the historical trajectory of innovation indicators and their conceptual models and methodologies. From the interviews, the literature review and documents collected we evidenced that PINTEC is the result of a direct and incisive demand from the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT), which was worried about the fragility of national statistics on private spent on S&T and especially on R&D. In the late 1990s, MCT thus proposed to the Brazilian Statistical Office (IBGE) to afford the financial means to the execution of an innovation survey in Brazil to count on more reliable indicators about the national private sector. We observed that despite the MCT main demand being on business R&D indicators, the discussions about PINTEC evolved to the design of an innovation survey and not only a R&D survey. Therefore, PINTEC adopted a `hybrid¿ model as an innovation survey with a robust section about R&D activities, which were the MCT main demand. However, we also verified that such model have its limitations, which, notwithstanding, did not impeded that PINTEC generated important impacts on knowledge production and possibilities of policy and management suggestions in Brazil / Mestrado / Politica Cientifica e Tecnologica / Mestre em Política Científica e Tecnológica

Submitted by Nadir Basilio (nadirsb@uninove.br) on 2015-07-30T14:32:26Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Giselle Waldtraut Mathes Orcioli Pires.pdf: 3258295 bytes, checksum: 754b5158d66e7e2ed1ce48e89d4dd537 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-30T14:32:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Giselle Waldtraut Mathes Orcioli Pires.pdf: 3258295 bytes, checksum: 754b5158d66e7e2ed1ce48e89d4dd537 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-12 / The construction sector is responsible for consuming a large portion of non-renewable natural resources and generate significant environmental impacts, showing the need for actions that enable new constructive practical alternatives to mitigate damage to the environment caused by this sector. Faced with this panorama, technological innovation is necessary to achieve the intended objectives, the study of new technologies using the most different segments of industry waste and reinserting them into new products, and meet the need of environmental management mitigating the impacts generated It contributes to the development of a sustainable building segment. This time, this work aimed to propose an alternative material in the form of a concrete block interlocked floor, manufactured with part of their natural aggregates replaced by PET waste. To use this material in construction is necessary to meet the technical parameters required by NBR 9781: 2013 "Concrete paving pices". Among the parameters required is the block characteristic resistance, which must be greater than or equal to 35 MPa. To obtain this, studies of dosage were conducted contemplating the running 14 concrete mixtures divided into two groups, in which one was compound without PET waste and the other group containing PET waste, which have replaced part of the natural aggregate in percentages ranging between 10% and 60%. The concrete block with PET waste reached to 40,5 MPa with 33,8% of PET content demonstrating its technical feasibility. Following was carried out a comparison between the estimates of production costs between conventional material and with PET, which proved more costly for regions with abundant natural aggregates, however became alternative in places where there is a shortage of these materials. Finally, it was shown that the use of concrete with PET could fail to consume the total of 608 kg of natural aggregates per cubic meter of concrete and have recycled 72.2 kg of PET waste or 1,588 PET bottles per cubic meter of concrete. This exchange of materials allowed assist in the mitigation of environmental impacts caused by the construction and suggested a new alternative recycling of PET waste. / O setor da construção é responsável por consumir uma grande parte dos recursos naturais não renováveis e de gerar impactos ambientais significativos, mostrando a necessidade de ações que possibilitem novas práticas construtivas alternativas que mitiguem os danos ao meio ambiente causados por este setor. Diante deste panorama a inovação tecnológica faz-se necessária para o alcance dos objetivos pretendidos, o estudo de novas tecnologias utilizando resíduos dos mais diferentes segmentos da indústria e reinserindo-os em novos produtos, além de atender a necessidade da gestão ambiental mitigando os impactos gerados, contribui para o desenvolvimento de um segmento de construção sustentável. Desta feita, este trabalho teve o objetivo de propor um material alternativo sob a forma de um bloco ode concreto para pavimento intertravado, manufaturado com parte de seus agregados naturais substituídos por resíduo de PET. Para a utilização deste material na construção civil é necessário o atendimento aos parâmetros técnicos exigidos na NBR 9781:2013 “Peças de concreto para pavimentação”. Dentre os parâmetros exigidos, está a resistência característica do bloco que deve ser maior ou igual a 35 MPa. Para a obtenção desta característica foram realizados estudos de dosagem que contemplaram a execução total de 14 traços de concreto divididos em 2 grupos, no qual um deles foi composto por traços sem o resíduo de PET e o outro grupo com resíduos de PET que substituíram parte do agregado natural em porcentagens que variaram entre 10% e 60%. O bloco de concreto com resíduo de PET atingiu o valor de 40,5 MPa com 33,8% de teor de PET demonstrando sua viabilidade técnica. Na sequência foi realizado uma comparação entre as estimativas de custo de produção entre o material convencional e o com PET. O concreto com PET se mostrou mais oneroso para regiões com abundância de agregados naturais, entretanto tornou-se alternativo nas localidades onde existe escassez destes materiais. E por fim foi demonstrado que a utilização do concreto com PET poderia deixar de consumir o total de 608 kg de agregados naturais por metro cúbico de concreto e ter reciclado 72,2 kg de resíduo de PET ou 1.588 garrafas PET por metro cúbico de concreto. Esta troca de materiais permitiu auxiliar na mitigação dos impactos ambientais causados pela construção civil e sugeriu uma nova alternativa de reciclagem do resíduo de PET.

Submitted by Nadir Basilio (nadirsb@uninove.br) on 2016-07-01T15:10:10Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Oseias do Prado Soares.pdf: 1156909 bytes, checksum: 3f99816c62af42b08668882932bbd98d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-01T15:10:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Oseias do Prado Soares.pdf: 1156909 bytes, checksum: 3f99816c62af42b08668882932bbd98d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-26 / With the competition today, companies looking for tools that can leverage your revenues and improve your performance, especially in the automotive sector which has a fierce contest for market share. Technological innovations are a way out for those companies wishing to compete in a position of equality, but to generate technological innovation need to understand tools for its development. The co-creation of value is one such tool. This work has the objective to analyze if the co-creation of value drives the development of technological innovations and influence positively the financial/economic and operational performance in the automotive industries. To complete this study research methodology adopted was a semi-structured questionnaire with confirmatory survey based on data obtained through structural equation modeling software (Smart PLS). Data analysis was conducted on the basis of quantitative and qualitative data, analyze the hypotheses developed after review of the existing literature. The results show that the use of the practices of the co-creation of value drives the development of technological innovations in the automotive industry. It was also possible to conclude that the use of the co-creation of value as a strategy in the development of technological innovations do not influence positively the financial/economic performance, and positively influence the operational performance in the automotive industries. The research contributes, as advanced at the point where the search terms found in the existing literature were conducted in different sectors of the automotive industry, and in developed countries. This research allowed view the co-creation used as strategy in the development of technological innovations in the Brazilian automotive industrial park. / Com a concorrência na atualidade generalizada, as empresas buscam por ferramentas que possam alavancar o seu faturamento e melhorar o seu desempenho, principalmente no setor automotivo que tem uma disputa acirrada por participação de mercado. As inovações tecnológicas são uma saída para essas empresas que desejam competir em posição de igualdade, porém para gerar inovações tecnológicas é preciso compreender ferramentas para o seu desenvolvimento. A cocriação de valor surge como uma dessas ferramentas. Este trabalho tem o objetivo analisar se a cocriação de valor impulsiona o desenvolvimento de inovações tecnológicas e influência positivamente os desempenhos financeiro/econômico e operacional nas indústrias do setor automotivo brasileiro. Para realização deste estudo a metodologia de pesquisa adotada foi uma survey confirmatória com questionário semiestruturado com base em dados obtidos por meio do software de modelagem de equações estruturais (Smart PLS). A análise dos dados foi conduzida com base em dados quantitativos e qualitativos, o que permitiu analisar as hipóteses desenvolvidas após a revisão da literatura existente. Os resultados apontam que a utilização das práticas da cocriação de valor impulsiona o desenvolvimento de inovações tecnológicas no setor automotivo Brasileiro. Também foi possível concluir que a utilização da cocriação de valor como estratégia no desenvolvimento de inovações tecnológicas não influência positivamente o desempenho financeiro/econômico, e influência positivamente o desempenho operacional nas indústrias do setor automotivo brasileiro. A pesquisa contribui, pois avançou no ponto em que as pesquisas encontradas na literatura existente foram realizadas em setores distintos do automotivo, e em países de desenvolvidos. Esta pesquisa permitiu visualizar a cocriação utilizada como estratégia no desenvolvimento de inovações tecnológicas no parque industrial automotivo Brasileiro.

Background: Blockchain is a technological innovation, and its benefits such as decentralized transactions without a trusted third party, improvements in traceability and efficiency can potentially facilitate complex challenges faced by supply chains (Hughes et al., 2019; Saberi et al., 2019). However, solutions are rather in a demonstration stage, which raises the question of what barriers prevent organizations from adopting blockchain (Kouhizadeh et al., 2021). Especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) have been neglected in blockchain adoption studies (Wong et al., 2020). However, research recognizes that they should be considered separately because of their specific needs (Chouki et al., 2020). Moreover, the pre-decision stage of the adoption is of interest, as blockchain applications for the supply chain are still in a pilot phase (Y. Wang, Singgih, et al., 2019). Research Question: What barriers do SMEs face during the pre-decision stage of blockchain adoption for supply chain? Theoretical Framework: A framework developed by Kouhizadeh et al. (2021) containing barriers that impede blockchain adoption for supply chains is contextualized in the pre-decision phase and focused on SMEs. Methodology and Data Collection: This thesis follows a qualitative, deductive approach. An exploratory single case study was conducted to collect data through semi-structured interviews. This sheds light on the blockchain adoption from the perspective of a Swedish SME in the pre-decision stage that intends to use blockchain for sustainable water management in an agricultural supply chain. Complementary to this, blockchain experts are interviewed to enrich companies' responses that cannot fully illuminate the barriers due to their limited knowledge. Findings: Supply chain barriers emerged as the most important, especially 'SC2- Problems in collaboration, communication, and coordination in the supply chain', and 'SC1- Lack of customers' awareness and tendency about sustainability and blockchain technology'. Furthermore, four characteristics were identified that significantly influence the perception of the barriers in the setting studied: The proactive commitment to adopting blockchain, the affinity and attitude toward information technology (IT), trust, and financial support. Conclusions: Several managerial and theoretical implications result from the study, as well as suggestions for further research. These include that SMEs and consultants should consider the characteristics that influence perceptions of barriers in order to prioritize the barriers, and also in research they should be more emphasized to enhance transferability of blockchain adoption research. Limitations include that the case study was conducted on a single SME in Sweden, therefore a validation of the results in other SMEs would be beneficial. In addition, a longitudinal study could shed light on how the barriers change during the adoption process, and further research could reveal the strategies that SMEs use to overcome the barriers.

The subject of the thesis is the parallel digital economy created around the monetary innovation called Bitcoin and the interaction between this technology and its users. Bitcoin is a new kind of digital money and a payment system. Transactions are cryptographically verified by users and subsequently recorded in a publicly distributed account book called blockchain. Bitcoin, as an open-source project, has created a worldwide community of Internet-connected users who are further transforming this cryptocurrency by their specific use. Ethnographic research took place during the meetings of the community surrounding the Prague place called Parallel Polis in the period of years 2017-2018 and was subsequently extended to the "online" world. Bitcoin forms the intersection between technology and the economy, and therefore emphasis is placed on exploring the dynamics that this complex phenomenon creates. The work examines the social practices that actors are constantly shaping on the basis of their various motivations through their participation in Bitcoin and the complex ideas connected with it. It examines the visions, attitudes and practices of the "bitcoiners", who support the functioning of this system and allows its very own existence. These ideas are characterized by certain paradoxes and dilemmas...

Biomethane (upgraded form of biogas) holds unlocked potential as a substitute to fossil natural gas, in terms of achieving climate reduction targets as well as developing a locally secured fuel supply. Biomethane is fully compatible with the existing natural gas grid infrastructure. Currently, nine countries in European Union are practicing natural gas grid injection. Remaining countries are in various phases of development concerning production and utilisation of biomethane. Successful deployment of a biomethane project requires coordinated action in terms of academic, industrial and economic co-operation. It demands established legal and political framework as well as supportive financial conditions. The thesis aims at researching how the state of development of biomethane generation and utilization gets affected by the support activities within a countries policy framework? To seek a solution, the theoretical framework of “Technological Innovation System (TIS)” is adapted. TIS provide a methodological approach to assess the development of an upcoming technology under the existing policies, regulatory and financial conditions. In the given study, the framework of TIS is adapted to the technology of “biomethane generation and injection into natural gas grid”. This adaptation led to the development of: Detailed overlapping matrix of the main structural components i.e. Actors, Networks and Institutions and their corresponding activities across the value chain. Development of a set of diagnostic questions and performance indicators, enabling an assessment of the dynamics of the technological system, eventually leading to the identification of strengths and weaknesses in the system. The adapted technological system analysis framework is further applied on two countries “Germany and UK” as case studies. With the aid of diagnostic questions, the dynamic system characteristics are evaluated in each country context. Germany reveals a well-functioning biomethane TIS. Considerable knowledge base and experience is available, appropriate policies and financial incentives are in place, dedicated organisations are established to address the technological and industrial issues. Germany currently has a market promoting biomethane utilisation via CHP applications. Further growth can be expected by addressing resource mobilisation to fulfill a larger share of heat demand and application as renewable transport fuel. Biomethane industry is in its nascent stage in the UK. At the time of thesis research two upgrading plants are in operation. Analysis of the system functions within UK, signals a healthy biogas industry, but there is lack of activity within the “biomethane” context. The industry is in the stage of knowledge development. Biomethane production is well communicated within national strategies. The key technical issues being encountered by the industry are the focus of research. A balanced market formation would require increasing the resource mobilisation in terms of availability of skilled manpower as well as providing access to financial capital. The industry is experiencing pilot trials and subsequent dissemination of information of the results of these trials to the stakeholders in the value chain is recommended. Overall, Technological Innovation System (TIS) has been an effective tool to evaluate the national approach towards development and deployment of biomethane as a technology .Moreover TIS assists in systematic identification of the strengths and weaknesses of the system. It provides a methodological approach to statically and dynamically analyse biomethane development strategy within a given region and can also assist in benchmarking the development conditions in more than one region. / European Project Titled "GreenGasGrids"