Prior research on incumbent firm response to radical technological innovation identifies firm, technology, and environmental factors associated with incumbents’ performance after a technology shift. What remains unexplored are factors affecting choice of response made before a technological shift occurs. Such ex ante choices are important intermediate outcomes affecting long-term performance outcomes. Competitive considerations may be influential inputs in choice processes because technological innovation is often related to competitive strategy. The resulting research question for this study is: What role do competitive considerations play in incumbent firms’ ex ante strategic choices in response to potentially radical technological innovations? Findings from a survey of key informants in the electronics industry whose firms face a potential technological disruption (n=120) suggest that incumbents’ response choices are affected by competitor-related orientations and by perceptions of relative strength of their strategic assets. Limited support is found for a moderating effect of perceptions of the competitive environment. The results of this study extend theory on incumbent response to radical technological change by shedding light on the influence of competitor interdependence. Findings also suggest the importance of strategic choice as an intermediate variable in understanding incumbents’ long-term performance. Research examining choice factors at varied stages of a technology’s diffusion can further advance understanding of the evolving nature of strategic response choices and the effects they have on long-term performance.

Thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of Building (Project Management) to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Construction Economics and Management at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2017 / E-procurement has been implemented globally with the aim of optimising efficiency and effectiveness within procurement processes of organisations and has become one of the preferred systems for the acquisition of goods, works and services. In recent years, e-procurement processes have been widely adopted and their application has been the norm in many organisations’ procurement processes. However, while e-procurement presents some significant opportunities, a set of challenges has emerged with the implementation of e-procurement. For example, in the South African context, small and medium construction firms (SMCFs) that do not have access to technological infrastructure are often not able to participate fully in the e-procurement transactions. In that regard, the implementation of e-procurement by the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (GDID), a public sector organisation within the Republic of South Africa (RSA) and its impact on the development of SMCFs was investigated in this study. This was done to ascertain the extent of e-procurement implementation and the experiences of SMCFs, benefits and challenges associated with this in the study area. In order to address the research question, the research design adopted involved a detailed examination of the e-procurement methodologies used by the GDID in its procurement for infrastructure projects. This was done through the utilisation of questionnaires. 10 GDID officials chosen through the utilisation of a combination of the stratified random and purposive sampling methods, participated on the research. Secondly, to ascertain the impact of e-procurement implementation on the development of SMCFs, 250 SMCFs within the GDID supplier database were emailed questionnaires to obtain information regarding their experience, benefits realised and the inhibiting factors associated with their participation in e-procurement. The 250 SMCFs were selected through purposive sampling method were selected on the basis that they participated in the procurement of infrastructure projects implemented by GDID in the previous three financial years which are 2014/15; 2015/16 and 2016/17. Twenty-seven of the 250 SMCFs responded. The e-procurement methodologies used by the GDID were found to be e-notification, partial e-tendering, e-contract award, e-contract management and e-maintenance, repairs and operations (e-MRO). There was no single integrated e-procurement system used for carrying out all the e-procurement activities. E-notifications were done through the notification of tender opportunities for infrastructure projects through the Government Tender Bulletin, Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) website, Department of National Treasury e-tenders’ portal and the Lead-2-Business website. Partial e-tendering is carried out through the Department of National Treasury e-tenders portal. E-contract award was done through sending of award letters to service providers as email attachments. E-contract management is done through the utilisation of Oracles’ Primavera P6 and Unifier software and Microsoft Project and emails for normal formal communication and circulation of instructions and project reports. E-MRO was done through the emaintenance software developed by GDID. It was also found that only around 33.3% of the 27 SMCFs that responded were able to fully engage with all the 5 major eprocurement methodologies, excluding e-MRO implemented by the GDID. The remaining SMCFs still relied on the utilisation of a combination of both electronic and paper based systems. The main impact of e-procurement on the development of SMCFs was found to be both positive and negative. On the positive side, it increased profitability through cost saving benefits and reduction in time required for transactions, increased their market access (as they are able to view more tender opportunities), made transactions faster, increased production rate on site (through reduction in the time spent on tendering, thus releasing more time for managing projects on site), and safer storage and back-up of information for reference purposes and benchmarking of other projects, as well as, for dispute resolution. The main disadvantages were found to be high capital cost of procuring and installing Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) infrastructure, the lack of resources, unreliable power supply, security risk and the lack of infrastructure and the non-compatibility of different software packages and application (interoperability challenge). The study confirms that the use of e-procurement by the GDID is still evolving and is yet to be fully implemented in a way that guarantees its full potential and benefits. It also confirms that e-procurement impacts both positively and negatively on the development of SMCFs, and that the systems need to be carefully designed and applied in order to ensure the growth, inclusiveness, sustainability and development of SMCFs in South Africa. / MT2018

Traditional methods such as distance weighing, correlation and data driven methods have been used in the estimation of missing precipitation data. Also common is the use of radar (NEXRAD) data to provide better spatial distribution of precipitation as well as infilling missing rain gage data. Conventional regression models are often used to capture highly variant nonlinear spatial and temporal relationships between NEXRAD and rain gage data. This study aims to understand and model the relationships between radar (NEXRAD) estimated rainfall data and the data measured by conventional rain gages. The study is also an investigation into the use of emerging computational data modeling (inductive) techniques and mathematical programming formulations to develop new optimal functional approximations. Radar based rainfall data and rain gage data are analyzed to understand the spatio-temporal associations, as well as the effect of changes in the length or availability of data on the models. The upper and lower Kissimmee basins of south Florida form the test-bed to evaluate the proposed and developed approaches and also to check the validity and operational applicability of these functional relationships among NEXRAD and rain gage data for infilling of missing data. / by Delroy Peters. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2008. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Exclusive bus lanes and the Transit Signal Priority are often not effective in saturated peak-traffic conditions. An alternative way of providing priority for transit can be queue jumpers, which allows buses to bypass and then cut out in front of waiting queue by getting an early green signal. Utah Transit authority deployed Bus Rapid Transit system at Salt Lake County, Utah along W 3500 S. This research evaluates the impacts of queue jumpers with TSP on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and private vehicular traffic. Four VISSIM models were developed for analysis : Basic scenario, no TSP with queue jumpers, TSP with no queue jumbers, and TSP with queue jumpers. In TQ scenario travel time was reduced between 13.2-19.82% with respect to basic scenario. At the same time, travel time of private traffic increased very little 0.38-3.28%. Two TSP strategies : green extension and red truncation are implemented in this research work. / by R.M. Zahid Reza. / Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

O objetivo geral deste estudo foi verificar como é gerenciado o processo de transferência de tecnologia a partir das atividades da Agência USP de Inovação e da Inova Unicamp. Assim, foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa, de abordagem descritiva, na qual foram entrevistados diretores e agentes de inovação com base na aplicação de um roteiro de entrevista semi-estruturado. Os dados secundários foram coletados em materiais científicos e institucionais. Os resultados encontrados revelam que embora a Agência USP de Inovação e a Inova Unicamp estejam entre os principais Núcleos de Inovação Tecnológica brasileiros, seus modelos de gestão de transferência tecnológica encontram-se em amadurecimento e ainda que a USP seja a maior universidade do país, a Unicamp possui um Núcleo de Inovação Tecnológica com estrutura e política mais alinhados do ponto de vista da estratégia institucional. Tais conclusões estão baseadas no fato de que os resultados obtidos a partir das atividades de transferência tecnológica da Inova Unicamp são mais expressivos do que aqueles contabilizados pela Agência USP de Inovação. / This study aimed to identify how the technology transfer process is managed by the two largest Brazilian universities and their technology transfer offices, wich are conducted by USP Innovation Agency and Inova Unicamp. Thus, a qualitative and descriptive approach was taken, in wich directors and innovation agents were intereviewed based on a semi-structured interview script application. Secondary data were collected on institutional and scientific materials. The results show that although USP Innovation Agency and Inova Unicamp are among the main Brazilian Technological Innovation Centers, their technology transfer management models are maturing and even if USP is the largest university in country, Unicamp has a Technological Innovation Center with structure and policy closer aligned in terms of institutional strategy. These conclusions are based on the fact that the results obtained from the technology transfer activities by Inova Unicamp are more expressive than those recorded by the USP Innovation Agency.

A dinâmica do mundo moderno em que a competitividade é a palavra de ordem tem forçado as organizações a se estruturarem no sentido de elaborar Planos Estratégicos de Tecnologia que contemplem a criação de projetos de pesquisa e inovação no curto, médio e longo prazos. Nesse contexto, cabe ao Gestor de Tecnologia administrar e alocar os recursos financeiros limitados da organização em iniciativas que proporcionem oportunidades de introduzir no mercado inovações que agreguem valor seja em termos financeiros, seja para a sustentabilidade e imagem da empresa. No passado, os Planos Estratégicos de Tecnologia baseados na experiência e na intuição dos Gestores de Tecnologia e da Alta Administração das empresas produziram bons resultados, porém em mercados dinâmicos e interconectados globalmente não há margem para erros, sob pena de comprometer a continuidade do negócio. Faz-se necessário utilizar metodologias que permitam ao Gestor de Tecnologia ponderar os riscos e as possibilidades de sucesso na implementação de programas de Inovação Tecnológica e foi essa reflexão que impeliu este autor a estabelecer os seguintes objetivos para este projeto de pesquisa: a) Identificar e aplicar uma metodologia de análise e prospecção tecnológica utilizando um conjunto de ferramentas tais como Análise Morfológica, Método Delphi, Matrizes de Decisão e \'Technological Roadmapping\' que permitam a elaboração de um Mapa Tecnológico (roadmap) aplicado a um escopo tecnológico específico e que também sirvam como um roteiro de trabalho para outros ramos da tecnologia; b) Apresentar ao leitor as lições aprendidas (acertos e erros) no processo de pesquisa bem como recomendações para o uso dessas técnicas e sugestões para estudos futuros. Escolheu-se como tema desta pesquisa-ação um produto específico da empresa Magneti Marelli Cofap, na qual o autor deste trabalho exerce a função de Gestor de Inovação, a saber, o Amortecedor Estrutural. A composição das Metodologias acima gerou um rico acervo de dados que, com a aplicação da metodologia implementada, gerou um roadmap tecnológico para redução de peso no amortecedor estrutural. Apresentaram-se também os acertos e erros observados no processo de pesquisa, bem como sugestões de melhoria para estudos futuros, que se constitui de material com grande valor acadêmico e gerencial, uma vez que a metodologia desenvolvida pode ser aplicada integral ou parcialmente em qualquer campo da tecnologia. / Modern world dynamics in which competitivity is the key word has forced organizations to structure themselves in a way to elaborate Strategic Technology Plans which consider the creation of research and innovation projects in short, medium and long terms. In this context it is up to Technology Manager to administrate and allocate the organization\'s limited financial resources in initiatives which enable opportunities to introduce innovations in the market which could add value either in financial terms and or for sustainability and Company\'s image. In the past Technology Strategic Plans which were based on Innovation Managers and Top Administration experience and intuition have produced good results, but in dynamic and globally interconnected markets there is no margin for mistakes under the penalty to compromise business continuity. There is a need to use Methodologies which enable the Technology Manager to balance the risks and success possibilities when implementing Technology Innovation programs and this reflection impelled the author to establish the following objectives for this research: a) Identify and apply Technological and Forecast analysis methodologies using a range of tools like Morphological Analysis, Delphi Method, Decision Matrix and Technological Road mapping which could allow the elaboration of Technological Roadmap applied to a specific technological scope and that could serve as well as a work routine for other technology branches.; b) Show to the reader the lessons learned in this research\'s process (right points and mistakes) as well as recommendations for this techniques use and suggestions for future studies. A specific product from Magneti Marelli in which this research\'s author works as Innovation Manager has been chosen as a theme for this action researches, that is, the Strut. The abovementioned methodologies composition has generated a rich data bank. The methodology implementation over these data generated a Technological Roadmap aiming to reduce weight in Struts. The right points and mistakes observed during research process have been shown as well suggestions for future studies. This is considered a material with a great academic and managerial value since the developed methodology can be applied total or partially in any technology field.

O contexto de diferentes possibilidades de relações interorganizacionais com múltiplos parceiros, a visão mais ampla do que se entende por inovação e a necessidade de compreensão de diferentes especificidades dessa interação, como o desenvolvimento de imitação e o fator localização do parceiro, são pressupostos deste estudo. Dado esse cenário, a pergunta de pesquisa que norteou o desenvolvimento do trabalho foi qual a associação entre as relações interorganizacionais com diferentes parceiros e os resultados de inovação? A tese defendida nesta dissertação é que a associação entre as relações interorganizacionais com diferentes parceiros e os resultados de inovaçãoé heterogênea. Ou seja, dado os resultados esperados de inovação, determinadas parcerias são mais importantes do que outras, em função das características particulares da relação. Diante do objetivo geral, de analisar a relação entre a cooperação com diferentes parceiros e o desenvolvimento de inovação, em especial, inovação de processos, esta dissertação foi estruturada em três artigos independentes, mas complementares para atingir aos objetivos propostos. No primeiro artigo realizou-se um levantamento da literatura sobre a associação entre as relações interorganizacionais e os diferentes resultados de inovação, considerando campos de estudo subjacentes, tipos, objetos, parceiros e características das relações. No segundo artigo, foi analisada a relação entre os parceiros de cooperação e o desenvolvimento de imitação de produtos e de processos e, no terceiro artigo, foi analisada a relação entre a localização do parceiro e o desenvolvimento de inovação de processos. A partir de uma revisão sistemática, no primeiro artigo, e da análise em painel dos dados da Pesquisa de Inovação (PINTEC), no segundo e no terceiro artigos, os resultados apresentaram evidências da tese proposta. De modo que foi evidenciado como a associação entre as relações interorganizacionais com diferentes parceiros e os resultados de inovação é heterogênea. Como contribuições, os resultados demonstraram, além do levantamento realizado na revisão sistemática, que o desenvolvimento de imitação de processo tem associação com a cooperação com centros de capacitação, mas não com fornecedores. Enquanto a imitação de produto se beneficia da alta importância dada à cooperação com clientes e não na cooperação com concorrentes. Em relação ao fator localização do parceiro, foi confirmado que o desenvolvimento da inovação de processo nível empresa está associado à cooperação com fornecedores de mesmo estado enquanto o desenvolvimento de inovação de processo nível mundial está associado à cooperação com fornecedores estrangeiros. Ainda, evidenciou-se que a cooperação com concorrentes estrangeiros está associada ao desenvolvimento de inovação de processo para o mercado nacional. Por fim, as evidências demonstraram a relevância da localização próxima dos centros de capacitação profissional e assistência técnica para a inovação de processo em menor grau de novidade assim como a importância das universidades e institutos de pesquisa estrangeiros, sobretudo, desenvolvidos, para o desenvolvimento de inovação com maior grau de inovatividade. / The context of different possibilities of interorganizational relations with several partners, the broader view of innovation definition and the need to understand different specificities of this interaction, such as the development of imitation and the partner location factor, are assumptions of this study. Given this scenario, the research question that guided the development of this study refers to what is the association between interorganizational relations with different partners and the innovation outputs. The defended thesis in this dissertation is that the association between the interorganizational relations with different partners and the innovation outputs is heterogeneous. That means, considering the expected innovation outputs, certain partnerships are more important than others, depending on particular characteristics of the interaction among them. Regarding the general aim, which was to analyze the relationship between cooperation with different partners and the development of innovation, especially process innovation, this dissertation was structured in three independent studies, but complementary to reach the proposed objectives. In the first study, a literature review was developed about the association between interorganizational relations and the different innovation outputs, considering underlying fields of study, types, objects, partners and characteristics of those relations. In the second study, the relationship between the cooperation partners and the development of products and processes imitation was analyzed and, in the third study, the relationship between the partner\'s location and the development of process innovation was analyzed as well. From a systematic review in the first study, and from a panel analysis of the Innovation Survey data (PINTEC) in the second and third studies, the results presented evidences of the proposed thesis. So, it was evidenced that the association between interorganizational relations with different partners and the innovation outputs is heterogeneous. As contributions the results demonstrated, in addition to the systematic review developed, that the process imitation has association with training centers cooperation, but not with suppliers. Whereas the product imitation is benefited from the high importance given to customers cooperation, not with competitors cooperation. Regarding to the partner location factor, it was confirmed that the development of the innovation at firm levelis associated with the suppliers cooperation from the same State, while the development of world-class process innovation is associated with foreign suppliers cooperation. Moreover, it was evidenced that the cooperation with foreign competitors is associated to the development of process innovation for the national market. Finally, the finding showed the relevance of the firm\'s location to be near to training and technical assistance centers for process innovation to a lower degree, as well as the importance of the foreign universities and research institutes, especially from developed countries, for the development of process innovation with higher degree of innovation.

Radar rainfall estimates have become a decision making tool for scientists, engineers and water managers in their tasks for developing hydrologic models, water supply planning, restoration of ecosystems, and flood control. In the present study, the utility of a power function for linking the rain gauge and radar estimates has been assessed. Mean daily rainfall data from 163 rain gauges installed within the South Florida Water Management District network have been used and their records from January 1st, 2002 to October 31st, 2007 analyzed. Results indicate that the power function coefficients and exponents obtained by using a non-linear optimization formulation, show spatial variability mostly affected by type of rainfall events occurring in the dry or wet seasons, and that the linear distance from the radar location to the rain gauge has a significant effect on the computed values of the coefficients and exponents. / by Mario Mayes-Fernandez. / Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Tinnitus is a conscious perception of phantom sounds in the absence of external acoustic stimuli, and masking is one of the popular ways to treat it. Due to the variation in the perceived tinnitus sound from patient to patient, the usefulness of masking therapy cannot be generalized. Thus, it is important to first determine the feasibility of masking therapy on a particular patient, by quantifying the tinnitus sound, and then generate an appropriate masking signal. This paper aims to achieve this kind of individual profiling by developing interactive software -Tinnitus Analyzer, based on clinical approach. The developed software has been proposed to be used in place of traditional clinical methods and this software (as a part of the future work) will be implemented in the practical scenario involving real tinnitus patients. / by Bashali Chaudbury. / Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Thesis. 1978. M.C.P.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Includes bibliographical references. / by Stewart Landers. / M.C.P.