Entrepreneurship is considered as a critical factor for the development of transition economies and currently attracts a growing body of research. Following a qualitative case-study research strategy, this paper is occupied with the emergence of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, as a location of high-tech entrepreneurship in the country. While the legacy of the socialist past is part of Sofia reality, the entrepreneurs in the capital appear to make considerable efforts to overcome these barriers. Applying a social capital perspective I articulate the link between entrepreneurship growth and entrepreneurs’ social context. Internationalization from early stage of start-up development is perceived as the main growth path, which requires the entrepreneurs to accumulate new social relations. Adopting a process oriented analysis, I observe the shift in the social capital content and how start-ups can benefit from their pre-existing and emerging social relations. I contend that the acquisition of social capital by studied entrepreneurs has a specific added value for the studied companies as in this process they are required to adopt new norms and practices that are distinctive from those generally observed domestically. This process, however, poses certain concerns for start-ups’ survival prospects due to its high costs.

Submitted by Erika Demachki (erikademachki@gmail.com) on 2016-06-02T17:44:39Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Juliana Moreira Rodrigues - 2015.pdf: 2457258 bytes, checksum: d4eda2f4e1823359d58cecd7ab9c38ac (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Erika Demachki (erikademachki@gmail.com) on 2016-06-02T17:51:35Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Juliana Moreira Rodrigues - 2015.pdf: 2457258 bytes, checksum: d4eda2f4e1823359d58cecd7ab9c38ac (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T17:51:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Juliana Moreira Rodrigues - 2015.pdf: 2457258 bytes, checksum: d4eda2f4e1823359d58cecd7ab9c38ac (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-31 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The family agroindustries are alternatives created collectively through cooperatives, associations or family units in order to improve regional development patterns, diversify agrarian economy and improve the income of farmers. Considering this context, this study aimed to analyze the deployment trajectories and operation of family agroindustries, organized collectively in the state of Goias. The research is characterized as case study and was performed in three agro pulp of fruits, municipalities of São Patricio, Goias and Itapuranga belonging CAPRUS the cooperatives, COOPAR and COOPERAFI respectively. To collect data, semi-structured interviews with social actors who participated in the demonstrations for the creation of projects were carried out. As a result, it is observed that the agroindustries that are making possible are those that had a network of expanded relations with governmental and non-governmental entities and they had their cooperatives structured in a previous case the installation of agroindustries. Overall, the survey indicated that agroindustries are important in aggregation, diversification and inclusion of family farming in the markets. However they are still dependent on the institutional market. It is necessary for the development of these agroindustries, access to working capital loans, the specialized service assurance, and the search for niche markets. / As agroindústrias familiares são alternativas criadas de forma coletiva, por meio de cooperativas, associações ou unidades familiares como forma de melhorar os padrões de desenvolvimento regional, diversificar a economia agrária e melhorar a renda dos agricultores. Considerando esse contexto, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar as trajetórias de implantação e funcionamento das agroindústrias familiares, organizadas de forma coletiva no estado de Goiás. A pesquisa caracteriza-se como estudo de caso e foi realizada em três agroindústrias de polpa de frutas, nos municípios de São Patrício, Goiás e Itapuranga, pertencentes às cooperativas CAPRUS, COOPAR e COOPERAFI, respectivamente. Para a coleta de dados, foram realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com os atores sociais que participaram das mobilizações para constituição dos empreendimentos. Como resultados, observa-se que as agroindústrias que estão se viabilizando são aquelas que possuíam uma rede de relações ampliadas com entidades governamentais e não governamentais e que tinham suas cooperativas estruturadas em processo anterior a instalação das agroindústrias. De forma geral, a pesquisa apontou que as agroindústrias são importantes na agregação, diversificação e inserção da produção familiar nos mercados. Porém ainda estão dependentes do mercado institucional. Faz-se necessário para o desenvolvimento dessas agroindústrias, o acesso a créditos de capital de giro, a garantia de assistência técnica especializada e a busca de nichos de mercados.

Title: Using Brand management to establish network relations: How SMEs can work with brand management in order to establish and develop corporate reputation and legitimacy in network relations in a B2B context Authors: Aasberg Pipirs Julius & Carlsson Christoffer Level: Master thesis, 30hp Keywords: Brand management, SME, Legitimacy, Corporate reputation, Network relations Background: Given the crucial role SMEs play in the modern society it is vital that knowledge is evolved that can be used to support and grow these businesses. Using brand management practices SMEs could establish and develop corporate reputation and legitimacy in network relations, which could result in higher chances of long-term survival in a B2B context. Research Question: How does working with brand management among SMEs establish, and develop, corporate reputation and legitimacy, and how do these three concepts affect the process of establishing network relations in a B2B context? Purpose: The purpose of this study is to first investigate how SMEs, in a B2B context, work with brand management and how this can establish and develop corporate reputation and legitimacy. Finally the authors wants to see how these three concepts affect the process of establishing network relations. Method: Based on an abductive research approach, a qualitative research method will be used to study six Swedish SMEs that operate in a B2B context. Primary data will be based on semi-structured interviews with managers at each company. Theoretical Framework: The current literature concerning SME brand management is presented followed by its linkages towards establishing and developing corporate reputation and legitimacy. Finally previous research concerning, the process of establishing network relations among SMEs, its relevance for SMEs, and how brand management, corporate reputation, and legitimacy could affect this process, is presented. Findings & Conclusions: Brand management offers SMEs the tools to communicate and interact with various types of stakeholders, which connects the organization to its external and internal environment. By combining this tool with a dedication of always performing above expectations, SMEs stands to efficiently establish and develop corporate reputation and legitimacy. These two constructs essentially acts as the foundation of that which network relations are built upon.

This thesis deals with questions concerning spatial agglomeration of economic activities. The object of study is the Internet industry in central Stockholm. Through the use of statistical data and an interview study the Internet industry is described, measured, and analyzed through theories concerning agglomerations, social network relations, and knowledge and information flows. These theories are interpreted through five agglomeration themes related to the role of customers, subcontractors and partners, competitors, financing, and labour market, respec-tively. The research has recognized the importance of proximity to create and maintain social networks, and to spread information and knowledge, especially tacit knowledge. The thesis also shows how social networks, and information and knowledge flows have an essential role in all the five agglomeration themes that are analyzed. The results of this analysis show that the proximity to customers is the most important factor for the location of the Internet indus-try. Also, the local labour market and access to suppliers and partners are important factors. Competitors and rivals have a role to play when it comes to the diffusion of knowledge and information, although its importance as a location factor is hard to estimate. The analysis of the firms’ financing demonstrate that this factor hardly has been of crucial importance for the location of the Internet industry, but access to (venture) capital might have been of indirect importance for the location and the pace of the development of the Internet industry.

This dissertation deals with the multi-faceted phenomenon of knowledge conceptions. The aim is to describe the meaning of “academic knowledge” in today’s knowledge society from the perspective of “education” (a term used here in relation to the ‘liberal arts’ tradition as used in the English language or in German ‘bildung’) and “commodisation”. These two perspectives create a field of tensions in higher education. The study analyses the flow of knowledge in the process of commodisation - partly through a network of relations between societally-relevant actors, partly through career geography. The actors studied are: the state, the university, the university departments and the graduates/students. The research ‘design is a descriptive case study of Karlstad University during the years 1997-2007. The theoretical approach combines two perspectives; commodisation of academic knowledge and career geography. Commodisation is studied by the developments in higher education seen from a wider national and international perspective. Career geography entails both a geographical mobility and a social mobility of the students. The results show that there are different conceptions about academic knowledge from the different actors. Two different perspectives of commodisation of academic knowledge have been found, one from the “top down” perspective and one from the “bottom up” perspective. The top down perspective means that commodisation is driven mostly by the state and then is followed by the university and the university departments. In the bottom up perspective, commodisation is driven by the students. Furthermore, the results from the study of the Swedish state reveal an increasingly clear commodisation of academic knowledge with emphasis on economic growth, regional development and international competition.  However, Karlstad University’s and the university departments’ view of knowledge differs somewhat from that of the state’s, and aims instead to combine ‘commodisation of knowledge’ with ‘knowledge as education’ in its efforts to be a ‘learning university’. It is also shown that students appreciate this combined view. On a general level, the main argument from this dissertation is that it is necessary to place more attention on how to obtain a balance between the commodisation of academic knowledge and knowledge as “education” in today’s higher education system.

隨著台灣產業投入於技術的研發資源增加，近幾年台灣於美國專利商標局（USPTO）獲得之專利數也呈正比例上升；然而投入研發資源之「量」的增加以及獲得的專利數上升，並不代表研發成果「質」的等比例提升。這一點可從台灣企業及政府研發單位所獲得的專利，其國際專利引證率遠低於平均值，可見一般。 究其原因，一部分的問題在於台灣的企業（及政府研發單位）於最開始各相關資訊的搜集上不夠完全以及沒有一套良好的開發評估程序供其依循，這使得研發方向及標的的確立上有所偏差，而導致研發結果與商業需求有落差。 基於上述背景及動機之下，本研究的重點在於確立一套資訊收集及分析評估流程，以幫助台灣的企業（及政府研發單位）有效降低研發成本、提升研發方向的正確性，更進一步做為其決定研發策略的參考依據。 本研究之目的，即在於以產業分析、技術分析、專利地圖分析三個具邏輯順序性的外部分析為主軸，並結合組織本身核心技術、網絡關係等與組織相關之分析，來對組織的未來研發標的作一評估及策略建議。 本研究最後得到了以下的發現： 1. 市場□技術□專利之研發評估程序具有分析邏輯性。 2. 「市場需求研究」所找到的產品「需求功效」，可推導出達成功效可能的技術，並可藉此確立出專利分析時需要的「技術項目」。 3. 「市場需求」研究所找到的產品「需求功效」，可推導出達成「功效」所需要的「技術項目」，再以此去進行專利地圖的「技術/功效」二維關聯矩陣分析時，技術軸面項目與功效軸面項目兩者因具有因果性，故其相交關聯性極易判斷，也很容易明確定義出哪一個技術/功效相交關聯洞是有意義的、是可實際進行研發的。 4. 以產業市場□技術□專利三程序所完成的的「技術/功效」二維關聯矩陣圖，雖可容易的定義出哪一個技術/功效相交關聯洞是有意義的、是可實際進行研發的，但「哪一個可實際進行研發的技術/功效相交關聯洞具有較高關鍵性、重要性及有較高開發價值？」仍需藉由對技術及產業價值鍊熟悉的專家意見才可做出判斷。 5. 此方式組成的技術/功效二維關聯矩陣不但可看到目前已知的技術/功效相關聯部份（如本研究中的主要關鍵技術與主要關鍵功效相交處）專利佈局狀況，也可看出在未來的技術/功效相聯部份（如本研究中的主要輔助關鍵技術與輔助關鍵功效相交處）專利可能發展方向。 6. 產業市場分析、技術分析、專利地圖分析等三個組織外部分析須再配合組織原有的核心技術與網絡關係的評估，才可正確制定出組織未來研發的路徑及作為。 / Along with the enterprise and government investment increasing to the technical research ＆ development（R＆D） resources, Taiwan obtains the US patent number also to present the proportional rise in recent years; however, the investment of research ＆ development resources and the granted patent number are not proportional to the quality of research ＆ development achievement. This can be proved by the lower patent citation rate of Taiwan enterprises and the government research ＆ development institutes than the international mean value. Investigates its reasons, part of questions is that most of the enterprises (and government research ＆ development institutes) do not collect enough market information and do not have a set of good research ＆ development assessment procedure while the beginning of R＆D project in Taiwan. This causes that the research and development direction and target has a deviation, and causes that the research and development result and the commercial demand have the dropping variance. Based on the above background and the motive, this research key point lies in establish a flow of information collections and the analysis appraisal. It also helps Taiwan’s enterprises and government’s R＆D institutes effectively reduce the research and development cost, and promote research and development direction accuracy, further help for making the decision of research and development strategies. The goal of this research, namely lies in take the industrial analysis, the technical forecast, the patent map study three logic order exterior analysis as a main axle, and combine itself core technology and the network relations of organization to suggest organization's future target of research ＆ development. By this research, we discover 1. The R＆D appraisals procedure of market-technology-patent has analysis logic. 2. The marketing research finds the demands of consumers, and the demands of consumers may infer to the functions of products, and the functions of products may infer to the possible technology sources. 3. The possible technology sources may form the technical items of patent analysis matrix, and the functions of products may form the functional items of patent analysis matrix. 4. The two-dimensional technical/functional patent matrix completed by the market-technology-patent three procedures can easily define which technical/functional intersectional connection hole can be affiliated; however, to judge which technical/functional intersectional connection hole is more important still needs the advice of experts familiar to the technology and the industrial value chain. 5. The three organization exterior analyses of market analysis, technical analysis and patent map study have to coordinate the organization original core technology and the network relations appraisal.

Several studies shows that the dominant norms of masculinity are a hinder for boys to perform in school and a hinder for men to choose female-dominated occupations. Moreover, selecting a career can be a complex decision for young adult men´s to choose a female-dominated higher education - and this dilemma has been a topic of much reports and research. However, there is still a lack of understanding regarding the influence of social capital on young people as they transition to higher education. Not many studies have been made on the male student´s experience of the impact of social capital on their gender-breaking higher education choices.Therefore the aim of this study is to understand which social capital and social network relations are of importance to young male students´ gender-breaking higher education choices. Furthermore, this study aims to examine the conditions that have broadened the informants' motive to choose a higher education.A qualitative method with semi-structured interviews was used to answer the purpose of this essay and the method of choice for analysis were social networks analysis of ego-net, which is a method on studying social relations. The result is being analyzed by using a conceptional model based on Lent el. al (1994) Social Cognitive Careers Theory, Pierre Bourdieu’s (1986) Theory of social capital and Ego-net (Crossley et. al 2015).The results of this study show that social background and gender have a limited significance in relation to the informants' gender-breaking choice of higher education and career path. There are various motives that have encouraged and motivated the informants' gender-breaking choices. Three different motives appears that has affected their gender-breaking educational and professional choices; (I) Making a difference (II) Security in working-life and (III) Skills and knowledge seeking. These motives challenge notions of gender as well as other aspects of an “ideal” job and career for men.The study concludes that the informants' gender-breaking higher education choices have been preceded by a process of different types of events in the transition to working life, as well as connections and networking with other individuals in the adult life who have influenced their career and decision-making. It is found that social capital and heterogeneous network has a significant role for the informant’ gender-breaking education and careers choices - e.g. male role models, inspirers such as professionals in primay and secondary education and colleagues in the world of work, who have contributed to changing their stereotypical notions of female-dominated professions, new preferences and altruistic goals such as helping others, themselves and their future.