Este trabalho tem como propósito principal investigar a influência dos recursos e competências no seu processo de inovação das empresas. Para tanto, desenvolveu-se um estudo de múltiplos casos da indústria eletroeletrônica gaúcha, abrangendo 3 (três) empresas de diferentes segmentos de mercado: a Elétrica, que atua no segmento de automação predial; a Conexão, em telecomunicações; e a Plataforma, empresa de automação industrial. O trabalho desenvolveu um esquema teórico-analítico sobre a inovação nas empresas, com base na perspectiva da Visão Baseada em Recursos. A fim de identificar a articulação entre recursos, competências e inovação nas empresas, procedeu-se 2 (dois) tipos de análise. O trabalho analisou a capacidade de inovação das empresas e, posteriormente, um projeto específico desenvolvido pelas empresas. Verificou-se que os recursos humanos e organizacionais apresentam maior influência na formação das competências para inovar, e consequentemente, na capacidade de inovação. O estudo identificou no conjunto de competências para inovar 2 (dois) sub-grupos: as competências estruturais e as específicas. Entre as competências específicas, destacou-se a cooperação, relacionada à complexidade do projeto e, financiamento, relacionada ao risco. Por fim, o trabalho apresentou uma proposta de avaliação qualitativa da inovação na geração de vantagem competitiva para as empresas. / This work's main purpose is to investigate the influence of the resources and competences regarding the innovation of the enterprises. For this aim, studies of multiple cases in the electro-electronics industry of the state of Rio Grande do Sul have been developed. The scope of the work has taken 3 (three) enterprises of different branches of market: the Electric enterprise which works in the real-estate automation segment; the Connection enterprise, in telecommunications; and the Platform, industrial automation enterprise. The work has developed a theoreticalanalytic model about the innovation in the enterprises based on the perspective of the Resources-Based View. In order to identify the relation among different resources, competences and innovation in the enterprises, 2 (two) levels of analysis in the selected cases were followed. Initially, the work has analyzed the innovation in the enterprise and, following to that, it has focused in an innovation project developed by the enterprise in the last 3 (three) years. It has been verified that the resources humans and organizational has showed higher influence in the formation of competences to innovate and, consequently, in the innovation itself. Among the used competences in specific projects to innovate, it is highlighted the need of a stronger cooperation with the growth of complexity of the project and, the utilization of financing in higher risk projects. In sum, the work shows a proposition of the evaluation of innovation based on the characteristics: valuable, rare, of difficult imitation and without equivalent substitute in the market. From this evaluation, it was possible to conclude the importance of the innovations analyzed in the generation of competitive advantages to the enterprises.

Este trabalho tem como propósito principal investigar a influência dos recursos e competências no seu processo de inovação das empresas. Para tanto, desenvolveu-se um estudo de múltiplos casos da indústria eletroeletrônica gaúcha, abrangendo 3 (três) empresas de diferentes segmentos de mercado: a Elétrica, que atua no segmento de automação predial; a Conexão, em telecomunicações; e a Plataforma, empresa de automação industrial. O trabalho desenvolveu um esquema teórico-analítico sobre a inovação nas empresas, com base na perspectiva da Visão Baseada em Recursos. A fim de identificar a articulação entre recursos, competências e inovação nas empresas, procedeu-se 2 (dois) tipos de análise. O trabalho analisou a capacidade de inovação das empresas e, posteriormente, um projeto específico desenvolvido pelas empresas. Verificou-se que os recursos humanos e organizacionais apresentam maior influência na formação das competências para inovar, e consequentemente, na capacidade de inovação. O estudo identificou no conjunto de competências para inovar 2 (dois) sub-grupos: as competências estruturais e as específicas. Entre as competências específicas, destacou-se a cooperação, relacionada à complexidade do projeto e, financiamento, relacionada ao risco. Por fim, o trabalho apresentou uma proposta de avaliação qualitativa da inovação na geração de vantagem competitiva para as empresas. / This work's main purpose is to investigate the influence of the resources and competences regarding the innovation of the enterprises. For this aim, studies of multiple cases in the electro-electronics industry of the state of Rio Grande do Sul have been developed. The scope of the work has taken 3 (three) enterprises of different branches of market: the Electric enterprise which works in the real-estate automation segment; the Connection enterprise, in telecommunications; and the Platform, industrial automation enterprise. The work has developed a theoreticalanalytic model about the innovation in the enterprises based on the perspective of the Resources-Based View. In order to identify the relation among different resources, competences and innovation in the enterprises, 2 (two) levels of analysis in the selected cases were followed. Initially, the work has analyzed the innovation in the enterprise and, following to that, it has focused in an innovation project developed by the enterprise in the last 3 (three) years. It has been verified that the resources humans and organizational has showed higher influence in the formation of competences to innovate and, consequently, in the innovation itself. Among the used competences in specific projects to innovate, it is highlighted the need of a stronger cooperation with the growth of complexity of the project and, the utilization of financing in higher risk projects. In sum, the work shows a proposition of the evaluation of innovation based on the characteristics: valuable, rare, of difficult imitation and without equivalent substitute in the market. From this evaluation, it was possible to conclude the importance of the innovations analyzed in the generation of competitive advantages to the enterprises.

From the simplest items we use to the most complex ones, electronics are everywhere and in everything. However, the escalating demand for electronics has a serious toll on the environment. Thus, the electronics industry has been the focus of legislation for a long time. As a matter of fact, electronics are among the seven priority key value chains identified by the European Union on the way to becoming the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050. In this sense, this thesis aims to investigate the role of environmental legislation in the green transition of the electronics industry by trying to understand how companies operating in this industry evaluate the measures introduced by the legislation. This was done through both in-depth interviews with representatives from 11 different companies of all sizes (large, medium- and small-sized, and start-up companies) and 2 regulatory agencies, and also group discussions with experts and managers in the field. Although the research started from a point of evaluating the legislation either a driver or a barrier in green transition, the empirical findings indicated that environmental regulations are too complex tools to be considered only in terms of these aspects. Results showed that considering regulations as a driver or barrier is directly related to the size of the companies and the opportunities they have. However, the solution to the challenges faced by the companies is often beyond their own capabilities, and related to external factors, mostly legislators. All companies interviewed within the scope of the study agree that environmental regulations can contribute to green transformation. One thing is certain, however, that the way to ensure this effectiveness is through a transparent and inclusive communication between the lawmakers and the industry.

This thesis develops a method to optimize the inventory-related performance of a VMI (Vendor Managed Inventory) in retailing environments, for two successive products with overlapping lifecycles, under stock-dependent demand. The study refers to existing research in different fields, such as inventory policies and VMIs, retailing of substitutable products, stock-dependent demands and product lifecycle management. However, no study encompassing all these research streams could be found, and thus an abductive approach is developed, aiming at building new theory. The thesis draws upon a case study at Sony Germany, which has started an ambitious VMI initiative with the largest retailer of consumer electronics products in Germany. First, stock and sales data available, along with insights collected among employees, is used to understand the key profit-drivers when lifecycles of the two products overlap, and a set of indicators is propounded to measure them. The pattern of sales in relation to inventories of the two products is studied, and results in the validation of the stock-dependent demand assumption, with demand following a Poisson distribution of parameter λ [on-hand stock]. Demand for the new product is also found to be negatively affected by stock levels of the old product, in an exponential way. Second, a model is built and a scenario- based simulation embedding the patterns previously established is performed to evaluate different strategies to steer the stock levels in the VMI. Scenarios are evaluated against the proposed set of indicators, but no scenario is found to over perform consistently the others. Nevertheless interesting patterns emerge and it is possible to relate the performance observed to specificities of scenarios and product contexts. Using the patterns identified, a set of guidelines is suggested, along with proposals for practical implementation.

全球物流運籌管理能力已成為台灣電子業的競爭優勢及核心價值之所在。本文期盼能為台灣的電子業提供一些關於全球物流運籌過程具有前瞻性有效的風險管理解決方案。 由於大部份的全球物流運籌過程完全在第三者的管理控制之下，使得物流運籌過程的風險比其它的過程更難以預測及掌控。讓此價值鏈變成非常脆弱。電子業很可能因遭受一個風險事故或事件的影響而無法繼續發展甚至被迫退出產業。故從風險本質及特性，可想而知全球物流運籌風險管理的重要。台灣的電子業必須非常專注並努力於建置有效的全球物流運籌管理解決方案來處理有關的風險。 學術上有很多文獻及創見分別探討風險管理及全球物流運籌管理，但是卻少有文章研究全球物流運籌風險管理的議題。本文希望能提供台灣電子產業棉薄的貢獻或帶給任何對於此議題有研究興趣的團體一些參考價值。 / This paper intends to present prudent solutions of risk management for global logistics operations for the electronics industry from a Taiwan based company perspective. The competitive strengths and sustainable development of global logistics operations have become a core value and competence for the Taiwan electronics industry. The whole logistics operations are vulnerable. One event or incident can hinder business continuity and even wipe a company out of the market. Risks are more unpredictable and uncontrollable in the global logistics operations than in other operations as most of the process is under a third party’s care, control and custody. In light of the nature of this risk, companies should focus more on it and endeavor to implement solutions to deal with it. There are many papers and articles dealing with risk management or with global logistics operations, but very few of them link the two. This paper will contribute to the Taiwan electronics industry with ideas to support continued growth and competitiveness. And we hope that academic groups or organizations will find this paper of interest in their research.

This research investigates organisational capabilities and cultures of both partners as potential explanatory factors of co-operative R&D projects outcomes. Contributions to theory are (1) a justification for the existence of organisational capabilities and 'world views', (2) a parsimonious typology of 'world views' and (3) a method to measure organisational capabilities. The survey covers 514 projects in the electronics industry, in Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Finland. It obtains 120 full answers, each of which coupling responses from a matched pair of project managers having co-operated on the same R&D project. The survey refers to the organisation's capabilities, to those of the partner, to its 'world view', and to project outcomes. None of the traditional explanatory factors (geographic distance, difference in nationality, size or legal status, strategic compatibility) has any significant influence on any of the outcomes being studied (save one). The explanatory factors introduced by the research (organisational capabilities and 'world views') have a significant influence on almost all outcomes being considered of the co-operative R&D projects: attainment of concrete results, compliance with budget and schedule, creation and transfer of knowledge, learning (modification of capabilities). Cultural diversity, 'absorptive capacity', and teaching effects, selective according to the capability in question, are evidenced. Commonalities between partners are shown to be more important than distance. These results validate empirically organisational capabilities and 'world views' as descriptors of inter-organisational capabilities, and their operationalisation.

技術創新成果對事業的獲利能力有正面的影響，因此，如何提昇技術創新績效，成為許多學者研究的重點。以往學者的研究，都希望發掘關鍵性的影響要素，以期經由要素的掌握、管理，提升技術創新績效。本研究亦期望藉著瞭解企業策略與研發策略內涵之間的關係，釐清二類策略之間的配適問題，始能提昇研發績效。 　　根據個案研究與問卷分析的發現，本研究歸納結論如下： 　　1. 在技術發展的重點上，一直以「產品技術」為重點，且有逐漸增加的趨勢。 　　2. 在關鍵技術來源方面，「模仿競爭者產品」的情況顯著的減少，「與國內研究機構合作開發」、「與國外廠商技術合作」的情形有顯著增加的趨勢。 　　3. 在主要技術專案之決策單位方面，隨著時間的演變，「由相關部門會議決定並呈報上級核准」、「由一特定委員會決定」以及「由特定部門決定」有顯著增加的趨勢。 　　4. 在技術專案的管理方式上，「由研發部門統籌管理」有逐漸式微的趨勢；而「成立委員會管理」、「矩陣式的新產品專案管理」等兩種情境，有隨時間演進而顯著增加的趨勢。可見，隨著時間的演進，企業常用的技術專案之管理方式，已漸漸走向整合協調各部門資源的管理模式。 　　5. 個案公司所進行的研究以應用研究為主（除了宏碁與聲寶有從事基礎研究），而研發經費佔營業額的比例約在3%左右，可見電子資訊業研發經費比例有較高的傾向。

This research investigates organisational capabilities and cultures of both partners as potential explanatory factors of co-operative R&D projects outcomes. Contributions to theory are (1) a justification for the existence of organisational capabilities and 'world views', (2) a parsimonious typology of 'world views' and (3) a method to measure organisational capabilities. The survey covers 514 projects in the electronics industry, in Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Finland. It obtains 120 full answers, each of which coupling responses from a matched pair of project managers having co-operated on the same R&D project. The survey refers to the organisation's capabilities, to those of the partner, to its 'world view', and to project outcomes. None of the traditional explanatory factors (geographic distance, difference in nationality, size or legal status, strategic compatibility) has any significant influence on any of the outcomes being studied (save one). The explanatory factors introduced by the research (organisational capabilities and 'world views') have a significant influence on almost all outcomes being considered of the co-operative R&D projects: attainment of concrete results, compliance with budget and schedule, creation and transfer of knowledge, learning (modification of capabilities). Cultural diversity, 'absorptive capacity', and teaching effects, selective according to the capability in question, are evidenced. Commonalities between partners are shown to be more important than distance. These results validate empirically organisational capabilities and 'world views' as descriptors of inter-organisational capabilities, and their operationalisation.

Emerging country markets are becoming increasingly important in the operations of multinational corporations. On May 1, 2004, the EU welcomed 10 new member states, including the three Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. As a result, many western multinational corporations have entered these new emerging markets. These countries have witnessed very fast growth and were lucrative to enter. The term “Baltic Tiger” is used to describe the economic boom of the Baltic States from 2000 to 2007. This term is adequate because during this time period the Baltic States had the highest growth rates in Europe. Swedish companies in particular started coming into the Baltic States in 1989 approximately. These companies were looking for and found low cost production. However, today with rising wages, low cost production is more difficult to find. The purpose of our research is to investigate the current conditions and future predictions related to the external environment and high technology industries in the Baltic States. The investigation of the current state and future potential of the markets were analyzed from an institutional standpoint. We compared this to the institutional environment in Sweden and made predictions on the potential changes in these institutions. Given our analysis and evaluation of the most attractive market, we have devised an establishment and matching strategy for the case company. The case analysis is set against the background of a theoretical framework covering current literature over societal and organizational fields in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Our primary and secondary research was examined in the context of well known theoretical models and our own models and upon analysis; we come to a conclusion and make recommendations for companies interested in doing business in the Baltic States. Our research will be useful for companies curious about the potential and necessary considerations they must take in the Baltic markets in general and within the high technology sector specifically.

Under det senaste decenniet har den svenska elektronikhandeln präglats av en allt hårdare konkurrenssituation och lägre lönsamhet. Det har lett till att stora butikskedjor gått i konkurs. För att vända trenden måste företagen hanterar sina butiksverksamheter effektivt. Det blir därmed avgörande hur butikschefen sköter butiken. Av den anledningen är det intressant att undersöka butikschefers arbetssätt för att se vad som leder till hög lönsamhet. Vår genomgång av tidigare forskning visar på att det finns en kunskapslucka gällande hur en butikschef bör arbeta för att öka lönsamheten. Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur butikschefer arbetar och utifrån det identifiera faktorer i butikschefers arbetssätt som påverkar resultat och leder till skillnader i butikers prestationer. Studien har en kvalitativ ansats och bygger på intervjuer med 10 butikschefer. Respondenterna har delats in i en högpresterande fokusgrupp och en jämförelsegrupp för att tydliggöra skillnader i arbetssättet. Studien visar på flertalet skillnader i hur butikschefer i fokusgruppen hanterar de vardagliga arbetsuppgifterna. Den största skillnaden består i ledarfilosofin butikscheferna utövar, vilket genomsyrar alla beslut butikscheferna i fokusgruppen tar. / Background During the latest decade the Swedish electronic industry has been exposed to intensified competition and lower profitability. The consequences have been that major retail chains have gone out of business. In order to survive, the companies need to handle their stores as efficiently as possible. As a result it’s crucial how the store manager operates the store. Therefore it is interesting to study how store managers practice their work in order to see what leads to high profitability. Our review of research reveals that there’s a knowledge gap of qualitative studies regarding how store managers should work. Aim The aim of the study is to investigate how store managers works and from that identify factors in the store managers way of work that affects the result and leads to differences in store performance. Methodology The study is made with a qualitative approach and is built on data from interviews with 10 store managers. The respondents have been divided in to a high-performance focus group and a comparison group in order to clarify the differences in their approach of work. Conclusion The study shows a number of differences in how high-performance store managers handle their work. However, the biggest difference is the leadership philosophy they choose to practice, which affect everything they do.