[pt] Essa pesquisa tem como objetivo estudar o quanto o desempenho de inovação de uma empresa, influenciado por atividades tecnológicas, habilidade da mão de obra e ligações externas, afeta o seu desempenho financeiro, considerando os impactos da inovação sobre o custo e o mercado. Para isso, o estudo utilizou pesquisas com empresas colombianas de serviço, incluindo o comércio, realizadas pelo Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estatística (DANE) da Colômbia. Após o tratamento dos dados, restaram 238 empresas que responderam as pesquisas efetuadas no período entre 2012 e 2016. Para a utilização da base, um modelo de medidas foi desenvolvido, com o objetivo de validar as variáveis que representam cada construto. Em seguida, um modelo estrutural teórico e algumas hipóteses foram propostas e os testes foram realizados de forma quantitativa, utilizando a técnica multivariada conhecida como modelagem de equações estruturais (SEM). A pesquisa demonstrou que tanto atividades tecnológicas como habilidade da mão de obra e ligações externas possuem uma relação positiva com o desempenho da inovação. A inovação também impacta de maneira positiva aspectos relacionados ao mercado, porém, ao contrário do que era esperado, não influencia em questões que afetam o custo. Por fim, tantos os impactos no mercado como no custo se relacionam diretamente e de maneira positiva ao desempenho financeiro das empresas, como previsto no modelo. Assim, os resultados dessa pesquisa sugerem que, para empresas de serviço melhorarem financeiramente a partir de inovação, deve-se primeiramente investir em atividades tecnológicas, em habilidade da mão de obra e fortalecer laços com atores externos, impactando fatores relacionados ao mercado, através do melhor desempenho da inovação. / [en] This research aims to study how much a company s innovation performance, influenced by technological activities, skill of the workforce and external links, affects its financial performance, considering the impacts of innovation on cost and market. For this, the study used surveys with Colombian service companies, including commerce, carried out by the Colombia s National Administrative Department of Statistics. After the data treatment, there were 238 companies left that answered the surveys carried out in the period between 2012 and 2016. For the use of the database, a measurement model was developed with the purpose of validating the variables that represent each construct. Then, a theoretical structural model and some hypotheses were proposed and the tests were performed quantitatively using the multivariate technique known as Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Research has shown that technological activities, skill of the workforce and external links have a positive relationship with innovation performance. Innovation also has a positive impact on market-related issues, but, contrary to expectations, it does not influence issues that affect cost. Finally, both market and cost impacts are directly and positively related to the financial performance of companies, as predicted in the model. Thus, the results of this research suggest that, for service companies to improve financially from innovation, it is necessary to invest first in technological activities, skill of the workforce and strengthen ties with external actors, impacting market-related factors through improved innovation performance.

The technical advancement of new Artificial Intelligence (AI) has increased during the last decade due to larger data collections. As a result, AI investments within the private sector have increased significantly. However, previous research has demonstrated that many firms struggle to successfully implement AI, and most of these initiatives end in failure due to a lack of available frameworks. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the affordances and constraints a Professional Service Firm (PSF) must navigate to pave the way for the implementation of AI technologies. To fulfill the purpose of the study, semi-structured and unstructured interviews were conducted with respondents from a Swedish medium-sized consultancy firm. The company is labeled as a PSF and offer software solutions and strategies for organizational resilience and training readiness. Moreover, interview data and internal documents were analyzed through the combination of two theoretical frameworks, Technology, Organization and Environment (TOE) framework, and Technological Affordances and Constraint Theory (TACT). The results reveal several factors that influence the emphasis on implementing AI within the contexts of technological, organizational, and environmental. Trustworthiness and accuracy concerns, policies for the use of generative AI as well as competing with large tech firms are identified as key findings. The discussion delves into how these AI factors afford or constraint PSFs concerning AI implementation. Overall, successful AI implementation hinges on balancing these opportunities with the inherent risks and issues depending on PSF type and size. In conclusion, the findings result in a series of affordances and constraints that need to be addressed to pave the way for the implementation of AI technologies. The study contributes to current research by demonstrating a dual theoretical lens to identify factors that either afford or constrain the emphasis to implement AI. This research guides PSFs on how to leverage AI to enhance service offerings, improve operational efficiency, and gain a competitive edge by identifying the affordances and constraints within technological, organizational, and environmental contexts. / Den tekniska utvecklingen av ny artificiell intelligens (AI) har ökat under det senaste decenniet på grund av större datasamlingar. Som ett resultat har investeringar i AI inom den privata sektorn ökat avsevärt. Tidigare forskning har dock visat att många företag har svårt att framgångsrikt tillämpa AI, och de flesta av dessa initiativ misslyckas på grund av brist på tillgängliga ramverk. Därför syftar denna studie till att undersöka de möjligheter och begränsningar som ett konsultföretag måste navigera för att möjliggöra implementering av AIteknologier. För att uppfylla studiens syfte genomfördes semistrukturerade intervjuer med respondenter från ett svenskt medelstort konsultföretag. Företaget klassificeras som ett professionellt tjänsteföretag (PSF) som erbjuder mjukvarulösningar och strategier för organisatorisk motståndskraft och beredskapsträning. Dessutom analyserades intervjuprotokoll och interna dokument genom kombinationen av två teoretiska ramverk, Technology, Organization and Environment (TOE) ramverket, och Technological Affordances and Constraint Theory (TACT). Resultaten avslöjar flera faktorer som påverkar viljan att implementera AI inom teknologiska, organisatoriska och miljömässiga sammanhang. Tillförlitlighet och noggrannhetsproblem, policyer för användning av generativ AI samt konkurrens med stora teknikföretag identifieras som nyckelfynd. Diskussionen fördjupar sig i hur dessa AI-faktorer möjliggör eller begränsar PSF:er i relation till implementering av AI. För en framgångsrik AI-implementering behöver dessa möjligheter balansera med risker och problem beroende på PSF-typ och storlek.svis resulterar fynden i en rad möjligheter och begränsningar som behöver bearbetas för att möjliggöra implementering av AI-teknologier. Studien bidrar till aktuell forskning genom att visa ett dubbelt teoretiskt perspektiv för att identifiera faktorer som antingen möjliggör eller begränsar implementering av AI. Denna forskning vägleder PSF:er om hur de kan använda AI för att förbättra serviceerbjudanden, operationell effektivitet och uppnå en konkurrensfördel genom att identifiera möjligheter och begränsningar inom teknologiska, organisatoriska och miljömässiga sammanhang.

Made available in DSpace on 2010-04-20T20:20:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 180970.pdf: 542308 bytes, checksum: 93ebbbbebb4eb4c1d146f6bedde46447 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-05-07T00:00:00Z / Internationalization is an increasingly important subject for many companies and their managers. It is nearly impossible to remain unaware of globalization and its consequences; even if a company decides to remain in its original market, it must acknowledge the possibility of competition based abroad. Today, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as large ones, are engaging in international activities. Professional service companies, such as engineering consultants, are no exception. A few factors contribute to the interest in studying the engineering consultancy sector. First, there is its importance to society, especially in developing countries, which are often plagued by infrastructure deficiencies. Second, analogies can be made between this specific sector and other consulting businesses, such as those established by lawyers, accountants, and management experts. Finally, there is the fact that the most valuable asset of these companies is knowledge, which is increasingly important to most companies and tends to become a key performance driver. The purpose of the research undertaken here was to explore the internationalization process of Brazilian engineering consulting companies, identifying the main obstacles, constraints, and sources of competitive disadvantage faced by these companies in their internationalization processes. Efforts were also made to identify possible sources of competitive advantage that could compensate for these constraints. To achieve this goal, a case study, focusing on a company with a dozen international projects, was carried out. This allowed for interesting insights; it is hoped that the information obtained and the resulting managerial recommendations will contribute to future internationalization initiatives of small and medium-sized professional service companies. / A importância do tema da internacionalização é crescente, tanto para empresas quanto para seus administradores. É praticamente impossível permanecer alheio à globalização e às suas conseqüências; mesmo que uma empresa opte por permanecer em seu mercado local, pode ser necessário considerar os efeitos de concorrentes baseados no exterior. Hoje, além de grandes corporações, pequenas e medias empresas também tem se internacionalizado. Empresas prestadoras de serviços profissionais, como consultoria de engenharia, não são exceção, e alguns fatores contribuem para o interesse em estudar este setor específico. Em primeiro lugar, deve-se considerar a sua importância para a sociedade, especialmente os países em desenvolvimento, os quais frequentemente sofrem com a carência de investimentos em infra-estrutura. Além disso, existe também a possibilidade de estabelecer analogias entre este e outros serviços de consultoria, como os de advogados, contadores e administradores. Finalmente, contribui para o interesse o fato de que o ativo principal destas empresas é o conhecimento, o qual tem se tornado cada vez mais um aspecto chave para o desempenho e lucratividade das empresas. O objetivo deste estudo é explorar o processo de internacionalização de empresas brasileiras de consultoria de engenharia, identificando os maiores obstáculos, dificuldades e fontes de desvantagem enfrentados por estas empresas na sua internacionalização. Paralelamente, foram realizados esforços para identificar vantagens competitivas que pudessem compensar estas dificuldades. A fim de atingir este objetivo, foi realizado um estudo de caso, focado em uma companhia com uma dúzia de projetos internacionais. Este procedimento permitiu constatações interessantes; espera-se que as informações obtidas e as recomendações decorrentes possam contribuir para iniciativas futuras de internacionalização de pequenas e médias empresas de serviços profissionais.

Cette thèse, au travers d’une étude croisée d’un secteur – les firmes de services professionnels – et d’un champ fonctionnel global – l’éducation au management – traite en réalité d’une question principale: comment vont diriger les leaders issus de la génération Y ? Les systèmes actuels d’éducation au management sont-ils en état d’aider à préparer l’émergence d’une génération dont les codes ne pourront plus être ceux – stables – de ces soixante dernières années ? De nouveaux acteurs sont déjà en émergence, prêts à accompagner le développement exponentiel de la classe moyenne mondiale ; mais les entreprises ne pourraient-elles pas, au travers de vingt ans d’expériences innovantes dans leurs universités internes, autant que d’une emprise réelle sur des terrains de recherche opérationnelle, baliser la voie de nouveaux modes d’apprentissage, voire d’organisation, pour peu qu’elles réalisent un effort d’ouverture ? De structures de production à forte concentration capitalistique, n’ont-elles pas vocation à devenir ces lieux de management et de développement de savoir que recherchent les membres les plus talentueux et convoités de cette génération Y ? Les sociétés de services professionnels, confrontées avant toutes autres à ces phénomènes de transformation, sont une avant-garde originale de ces questions, jusque dans leur gouvernance associative et la place centrale des ressources humaines dans leur modèle économique. / This work sits at the crossroads of an industry – professional services – and a global functional field – management education, and seeks to answer one question: how are millenials going to lead? Are current management education systems, which proved robust and effective for the past sixty years, capable of adapting to this new generation, helping them create their own leadership codes? New players in the field of education are emerging to take advantage of the rise of a massive middle class around the world. With their vast bodies of empirical research and their innovative practices in the design and delivery of management education through their corporate universities, can companies, provided they open up, pioneer new formats of executive education? Can these corporations shift from capital-intensive organisations to knowledge-intensive campuses, the latter seemingly favoured by the most talented and sought-after Millenials? If a shift is underway, Professional Service Firms are at the forefront of the transformation: based on a purely people-intensive business model, selling only knowledge, and governed through partnerships, PSFs have long had management education at the heart of their operations. Moreover, a large majority of their staff belong to the Y generation. This work therefore examines how to foster education-based innovative HR and leadership development strategies in Professional Service Firms, and draws lessons for the larger corporate world.

This study employs a Gioia analysis to investigate the AI services offered within three distinct professional service sectors in Sweden: IT consulting, marketing, and legal services. Utilizing a list of companies from a prior KTH project and publicly accessible information, we applied a cross-sectoral Gioia analysis to systematically categorize, compare, and understand the types of AI services provided and how these offerings differ between sectors. The objective of this scholarly pursuit is twofold. Firstly, it seeks to develop a cohesive and comprehensive taxonomy that clarifies the AI utilization within the selected domains, providing a clearer perspective on the diverse AI services offered and their respective implications. Secondly, it aims to discern the notable commonalities and distinctions in AI services across the said sectors, highlighting the specific ways in which AI integration manifests within each domain in Sweden. Our research reveals several shared trends, including AI-driven data analysis and management, automation, real-time monitoring, and personalization. Despite these commonalities, each sector leverages AI in a unique way, emphasizing aspects like cybersecurity in IT consulting, ad optimization in marketing, and legal document scrutiny in legal services. We further discuss practical implications, such as elevated operational efficiency, potential shifts in professional focus, and the emergence of AI service providers as indispensable intermediaries. While the adoption of AI presents numerous opportunities, it also introduces challenges, such as the democratization of specialized knowledge, which could disrupt traditional professional-client relationships. Future research avenues and study limitations are also addressed. Our findings serve as a cornerstone for both academic discourse and practical application, illuminating the nuanced impacts of AI across different business domains. / Denna studie verkställer en Gioia-analys för att undersöka de AI-tjänster som erbjuds inom tre distinkta professionella tjänstesektorer I Sverige: IT-rådgivning, marknadsföring och juridiska tjänster. Genom att använda en datauppsättning från ett tidigare KTH-projekt och allmänt tillgänglig information tillämpade vi en tvärsektoriell Gioia-analys för att systematiskt kategorisera, jämföra och förstå vilka typer av AI-tjänster som erbjuds och hur dessa tjänsteerbjudanden skiljer sig mellan sektorer. Målet med denna studie är tvåfaldig. Först och främst syftar den till att utveckla en sammanhängande och omfattande taxonomi som klargör AI-användningen inom de valda sektorerna, vilket ger en tydligare översikt över de olika AI-tjänsterna som erbjuds och deras respektive implikationer. För det andra strävar studien efter att urskilja de märkbara gemensamheterna och skillnaderna i AI-tjänster mellan de nämnda sektorerna, vilket framhäver de specifika sätten på vilka AI-integration manifesterar sig inom varje domän i Sverige. Vår studie avslöjar flera gemensamma trender, inklusive AI-driven dataanalys och hantering, automatisering, realtidsövervakning och personalisering. Trots dessa gemensamma drag utnyttjar varje sektor AI på ett unikt sätt. Aspekter som cybersäkerhet inom IT-rådgivning, annonsoptimering inom marknadsföring och granskning av juridiska dokument inom juridiska tjänster betonas. Vidare diskuterar vi praktiska implikationer, såsom ökad operativ effektivitet, potentiella förändringar i professionellt fokus och framväxten av AI-tjänsteleverantörer som oumbärliga mellanhänder. Även om införandet av AI erbjuder många möjligheter introducerar det också utmaningar, såsom demokratisering av specialiserad kunskap, vilket kan störa traditionella verksamhet-kundrelationer. Framtida forskningsvägar och studiebegränsningar diskuteras också. Våra resultat agerar som en hörnsten för både akademisk diskurs och praktisk tillämpning samt belyser de nyanserade effekterna av AI över olika affärsdomäner.