Information Technology (IT) plays a significant role in today business competition. A prominent role is that it helps a firm to manage relationships with customers effectively. Adoption of appropriate technology can lead the firm to greater business competency, improve its business performance, and ensure it retains its competitive advantages. While there is a rich body of literature on IT innovation adoption and implementation, research on the adoption of IT innovation that is specifically intended to perform relationship marketing functions is scant. The problem in this research is to address the lack of a research framework for examining the factors influencing the adoption of techno-relationship innovations. The existing adoption models are insufficient in properly explaining which factors are involved in the adoption decision and which factors are more important, and are especially insufficient with regard to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The aim of this study is to develop a comprehensive research framework used for exploring the factors affecting the adoption of techno-relationship innovations and to apply this framework for empirically investigating the adoption of electronic Customer Relationship Management (eCRM) applications in manufacturing SMEs. This study proposes the term ‘techno-relationship innovation’ and defines it as a technology-related idea, process, method, product, or service that is intended to perform relationship marketing tasks and which is perceived as new to an individual or a firm. The developed research framework contains 20 potential determinant factors covering four contexts: individual, technological, organizational, and environmental. This study was conducted through survey research and the sample was drawn by means of systematic sampling technique. The empirical data were collected by using self-administered questionnaires and the data analysis was based on 508 manufacturing SMEs in Thailand. The analysis was based on multivariate statistical techniques including t-test, factor analysis, deiscriminant analysis, and cluster analysis. The findings reveal interesting insights into understanding the adoption of eCRM applications by manufacturing SMEs. The Key Influential Factors (KIF) model is proposed summarizing the conclusions of the study. It indicates what factors in what contexts should be given more or less attention. From 20 factors, the analysis indicates that 12 factors are important factors that should be given high priority. They are Compatibility, Industry Pressure, Customer Pressure, Subjective Norm, Attitude, External Support, Perceived Advantage, Observability, Perceived Relationship Marketing Functionality, Technological Expertise, Perceived Easiness, and Financial Resources. Five factors have the capability to discriminate between eCRM adopters and non-adopters but their discriminant powers are weak so they receive second priority. They are Competitive Pressure, Innovativeness, Business Experience, Governmental Encouragement, and Internet Experience. The other three factors appear insignificant but they should not be completely ignored when encouraging the adoption of eCRM applications. Thus, these three factors receive third priority. They are Size, Trialability, and Self-efficacy. Furthermore, the eCRM adopters are classified into three groups: basic adopters, moderate adopters, and advanced adopters. The inference is that the basic eCRM adopters are uncertain whether eCRM applications are really needed for business success. In contrast, the moderate and advanced eCRM adopters require different attention which is related to maximizing the advantages of eCRM applications. This classification offers solid information for market segmentation purposes in the eCRM industry. Study implications are acknowledged. A comprehensive research framework is proposed suggesting 20 potential determinant factors involved in examining the adoption of techno-relationship innovations. This research framework provides a tool to marketing researchers in conducting further research. Empirical investigation leads to the KIF model that offers guidance to government and private agencies in properly encouraging the adoption of eCRM applications and their relevant components among manufacturing SMEs. Moreover, the study’s limitations and suggestions for further research are provided.

Dans le Massif armoricain (nord-ouest de la France), plusieurs ensembles lithiques rattachés au Paléolithique moyen témoignent d'une composition lithologique mixte où le silex est associé à une autre roche ou minéral (dolérite, microgranite, tuf volcano-sédimentaire, quartz). Une étude approfondie de ces matières premières, associant leur taille expérimentale, des essais mécaniques et des analyses pétrographiques, a été menée parallèlement à l'analyse techno-économique de cinq de ces industries.<br />Les résultats de cette étude mettent en évidence les réponses adaptatives opérées au niveau des modalités d'exploitation de ces matières premières et de la gestion de leurs produits. Ils permettent ainsi de préciser l'influence des matières premières sur la production lithique.<br />Ce travail contribue à une meilleure connaissance des comportements techniques et économiques de populations néandertaliennes, tout en alimentant le débat sur la variabilité des industries lithiques au Paléolithique moyen.

Cattle ranching in Vermilion Parish is a social-techno-ecological system (STES) that is currently vulnerable due to changing social, technological and ecological conditions. In addressing ways to increase the adaptive capacity of cattle ranching in Vermilion Parish, I used a multiple, mixed method approach grounded in a critical constructivist framework. Constructivism is the idea that our relationship to facts is constructed by our social context. It is these perceptions that shape people’s actions. By looking at these perceptions through an emancipatory frame I was able to understand multiple interpretations of meaning, consciously address them, consider how they may have shaped our actions, and then alter those meanings and power relationships. In an effort to increase the adaptive capacity of cattle ranching in Vermilion Parish, my research focused on actions, why people perform those actions, and how to change them. This research connected the physical landscape of the marshes, the individual landscape of perception, and the conceptual landscape of resilience. If resilience is the ability of a system (cattle ranching in vermilion parish) to recover after a disturbance, adaptive capacity is when the actors within the system can influence that system’s resilience. I explored the history of cattle ranching in Vermilion Parish from three different, but overlapping perspectives – environmental, social, and technological. These perspectives compliment the information from interviews and 3CM sessions. These 15 interviews revealed the perception of 11 types of threats facing cattle ranching in Vermilion Parish. The body of literature surrounding resilience theory identifies traits of highly adaptive systems. The recommendations and suggestions outlined in Chapter 6 exist at the intersection of the actors’ perception of specific threats and the decidedly generalized traits of highly adaptive systems. These suggestions were geared towards increasing the adaptive capacity of cattle ranching in Vermilion Parish. Given these layered landscapes and their complexity, my recommendations were subject to feedback loops and long periods of integration. These recommendations contribute to the theoretical foundation detailed in Chapter 3 by identifying specific ways that the actors of this particular system may be able increase their own adaptive capacity. / text

Σκοπός της εργασίας αυτής είναι η τεχνοοικονομική σύγκριση των δυο αρχιτεκτονικών, ADSL και οπτικών δικτύων και η εξαγωγή συμπερασμάτων για τα σχετικά κόστη και δυνατότητες που αφορούν τις αρχιτεκτονικές αυτές. Οι τελευταίες τεχνολογίες καθώς και οι αυξημένες απαιτήσεις σε χωρητικότητα και ταχύτητα, οδήγησαν σε λύσεις που συνδυάζουν διαφορετικά είδη τεχνολογιών, κυρίως υβριδικές τεχνολογίες, που προσφέρουν τεράστιες δυνατότητες με περιορισμένο κόστος ανά bit. Για τις απαιτήσεις της εποχής η τεχνολογία FTTx (Fiber To The x) και οι διάφορες παραλλαγές της, αποτελούν πολύ υποσχόμενες τεχνολογίες πρόσβασης που προσφέρονται ως βάσεις για τη δημιουργία μεγάλων και αξιόπιστων δικτύων που μπορούν να εξυπηρετήσουν μεγάλο αριθμό πελατών. Ωστόσο, οι πλέον υποσχόμενες τεχνολογίες είναι οι τεχνολογίες FTTx, οι οποίες υλοποιούνται αποκλειστικά με οπτικές ίνες. Όπως θα δούμε σε ήδη υπαρκτά δίκτυα, τα δίκτυα αναμορφώνονται και εξελίσσονται από παλαιότερες τεχνολογίες, αναβαθμίζονται σταδιακά, χωρίς να σημαίνει ότι οι παλαιότερη τεχνολογία μένει σε αχρηστία αμέσως μετά τις αναβαθμίσεις. Γίνονται αναφορές σε περιπτωσιολογικές μελέτες που πρέπει να γίνουν ώστε να είναι όσο το δυνατό πιο εύχρηστο και προσπελάσιμο ένα δίκτυο ενός μητροπολιτικού κέντρου. Η εργασία αυτή ολοκληρώνεται με συναρτήσεις κόστους, για την ολοκλήρωση ενός τέτοιου δικτύου, που εξάγονται υλοποιούνται με χρήση του εργαλείου Matlab. / The primary objective of this work is the techno economic comparison between ADSL and optic fiber networks, the export of conclusions on the relative costs and the capabilities that concern these architectures. The secondary objective is understanding the process of constructing an optical fiber nework. The latest technologic improvements as well as the increased requirements in speed and capacity, lead to solutions that combine different technologies types mainly hybrid technologies, which offer enormous possibilities with limited cost per bit. For present day requirements FTTx (Fiber the The x) can serve a large share of customers as base for creating bigger and more reliable networks. However, this promising technology is exclusively for only optical fiber based FTTx. As it will be shown through examples of already founded networks, they can be reformed and evolved from older technologies, can be progressively upgraded to mach the bandwidth and user capacity of future networks Case studies are performed in order to determine the best case of optical network that should satisfy consumers and telecommuters. This thesis is completed with the research of total cost functions which are imported in Matlab. The cost reports are exported and compared in the form of graphic cost charts.

Les raves sont des événements festifs dédiés à la musique techno et à la danse qui se distinguent des autres lieux de rassemblement tels que les bars et les discothèques notamment par le fait qu’ils se déroulent toute la nuit dans un lieu aménagé pour l’occasion et qu’il n’y a généralement pas de vente d’alcool. La consommation de drogues de synthèse telles que l’ecstasy et les speeds y est toutefois largement répandue. La tenue de ces rassemblements pose une série de problèmes du point de vue des autorités policières, tels que la présence de trafiquants de drogues ainsi que la sécurité des lieux où se déroulent les raves. Dans le contexte particulier de ces événements, les pratiques de contrôle social sont soumises à un certain nombre d’ambiguïtés. Le but général de l’étude est de permettre une compréhension de la façon dont se déterminent et s’appliquent les règles qui visent à encadrer la tenue de ce type de rassemblements. Trois objectifs spécifiques sont poursuivis, soit 1) de comprendre comment on a tenté de réguler ce type d’événements à Montréal, 2) de comprendre comment les différents acteurs responsables de l’organisation et du bon déroulement des événements établissent une série de règles, aussi bien formelles qu’informelles, et négocient leur application dans le cadre de leur pratique, et 3) de comprendre comment ces acteurs identifient certaines situations comme constituant un problème et éventuellement, y réagissent. La principale méthode de recueil des données a consisté à réaliser des entretiens semi-dirigés avec des promoteurs d’événements rave, des agents de sécurité ainsi que d’autres personnes impliquées dans le milieu telles que policier, pompier, artistes de la scène rave et intervenants. L’observation participante lors d’événements rave fut utilisée comme méthode complémentaire. L’étude démontre comment le service de police s’est vu confronté avec les raves à un vide juridique et comment l’encadrement de ce type d’événements s’est plutôt exercé par le service de prévention des incendies. Les autorités ont également tenté d’encadrer le phénomène par des modifications à certaines règlementations, dont celles sur les permis d’alcool. L’étude démontre également de quelle manière et en fonction de quoi les différents acteurs du milieu négocient les règles en cours d’action dans un contexte où la frontière entre le licite et l’illicite est floue. / Raves are festive events dedicated to dance and techno music, different from other places of gathering such as bars and discotheques by the fact that they take place in all night venues converted for the occasion and where there is generally no sale of alcohol. Synthetic drug consumption such as ecstasy and speed is largely widespread in these events. The existence of these gatherings poses a series of problems from the point of view of the police authorities, such as the presence of drug dealers as well as the safety of the venue where the raves are held. In the particular context of these events, social control practices are subjected to a certain number of ambiguities. The general goal of this study is to allow an understanding of the way the rules, that constitute the framework of this type of gathering, are determined and applied. Three specific objectives pursued in this study are 1) to understand how authorities tried to control these types of events in Montreal, 2) to understand how the various actors responsible for the organization of these events establish a series of rules, formal and informal, and negotiate their application within the framework of their practice, and 3) to understand how these actors identify certain situations as problematic and eventually react to them. The main data collection method consisted in carrying out semi-directed interviews with rave Producers, Security Agents, Police Officer, Fire Marshal, Artists of the rave scene and other parties involved. Participating observation in actual events was a complementary method. This study demonstrates how the police service faced a legal void regarding rave events and how the regulatory framework was rather introduced by the fire department. The authorities also tried to control the rave phenomenon by modifying certain regulations, such as those applicable to alcohol licence. The study also demonstrates how and why key stakeholders negotiate the rules in the course of action in this particular context where the frontier between the licit and the illicit is woolly.

No description available.

The focus of the research is on the development of the concept of floating flexible thin film arrays for renewable electricity generation, in marine and lacustrine application areas. This research was motivated by reliability issues from wave energy converters which are prone to large loads due to the environment which they are exposed in; a flexible system would not need to withstand these loads but simply yield to them. The solid state power take off is an advantage of photovoltaic (PV) technology which removes failure risks associated with mechanical machinery, and also potential environmental hazards such as hydraulic oil spillage. The novelty of this technology requires some development before it could even be considered feasible for large scale installation. Techno-economics are a big issue in electricity developments and need to be scoped in order to ensure that they would be cost-competitive in the market and with other technologies. Other more technical issues relate to the change in expected electrical yield due to the modulation of the PV array according to the waves and the electrical performance of the PVs when in wet conditions. Results from numerical modelling of the modulating arrays show that there is not expected variation in electrical yield at central latitudes (slightly positive), although at higher latitudes there could be considerable depreciation. With regards to the electrical performance a notable improvement was measured due to the cooling effect, slight decrease in performance was also estimated due to water absorption (of ~ 1.4%) within the panels. Overall results from both economic and technical analysis show the feasibility of the concept and that it is a possibility for future commercialisation.

Hydrogen can be produced from biomass; this hydrogen is called biohydrogen. Biohydrogen produced in Western Canada can partially contribute to meeting the demand for hydrogen needed for bitumen upgrading. Gasification and pyrolysis are two promising pathways for producing biohydrogen in a large-scale plant. Syngas, produced from the gasification of biomass, and bio-oil, produced from fast pyrolysis of biomass, can be steam reformed to produce biohydrogen. The cost of biohydrogen delivered by pipeline to a distance of 500 km is $2.20 per kg of H2, assuming that a plant utilizes 2000 dry tonnes of whole-tree biomass per day processing it in a Battelle Columbus Laboratory (BCL) gasifier. For forest residue- and straw-based biohydrogen plants the values are similar: $2.19 and $2.31 per kg of H2, respectively. Maximum economy of scale benefits are realized for biohydrogen production plants capable of processing 2000 and 3000 dry tonnes per day using BCL and GTI (Gas Technology Institute) gasification technology, respectively. The cost of biohydrogen from fast pyrolysis ($2.47 per kg of H2 from a 2000 dry tonne per day plant), using forest residue as the feedstock, is higher than the cost of biohydrogen produced by gasification. Carbon credits of about $120-$140 per tonne of CO2 are required to make biohydrogen competitive with natural-gas-based hydrogen.

Η ραγδαία αύξηση της κίνησης στο διαδίκτυο έχει δημιουργήσει ολοένα και μεγαλύτερη ζήτηση για ευρυζωνικά δίκτυα. Τα δίκτυα οπτικών ινών είναι μια κατηγορία ευρυζωνικών δικτύων που υπόσχονται ευέλικτες και ικανές να υποστηρίξουν πληθώρα υπηρεσιών, δικτυακές επικοινωνίες με θεωρητικά απεριόριστη χωρητικότητα. Πλέον, τα οπτικά δίκτυα δεν καλύπτουν μόνο το βασικό δίκτυο κορμού, αλλά εκτείνονται μέχρι τον τοπικό βρόχο αλλά και την κατοικία των τελικών χρηστών. Έτσι, τα οπτικά δίκτυα πρόσβασης FTTx και οι διάφορες τεχνολογίες τους όπως PON, AON και Home Run εφαρμόζονται στις δικτυακές υποδομές που αναπτύσσονται από το κεντρικό γραφείο του δικτύου της περιοχής κάλυψης μέχρι το συνδρομητή. Η παρούσα εργασία μελετά τεχνικά θέματα που αφορούν κυρίως το εξωτερικό τμήμα των FTTH δικτύων, δηλαδή των FTTx μέχρι το σπίτι, όπως η υποδομή σωληνώσεων, καλωδίων, τάφρων, φρεατίων, κ.λπ. Τα στοιχεία αυτά προκαλούν τα υψηλότερα κόστη στο δίκτυο πρόσβασης (κόστη CAPEX) και για αυτό το λόγο δίνεται ιδιαίτερη έμφαση σε αυτά. Εκτός από αυτά, υπάρχουν και τα OPEX κόστη, που δεν ασχολούμαστε εκτενώς στα πλαίσια της εργασίας. Επίσης, στην εργασία παρουσιάζεται μια μεθοδολογία για την επιχειρησιακή μελέτη σε δίκτυα FTTH, στην οποία παρουσιάζονται τα στάδια για την οικονομική μελέτη ανάπτυξης των δικτύων. Ο βασικός στόχος της εργασίας είναι η υλοποίηση ενός μοντέλου που αυτοματοποιεί τη διαδικασία σχεδιασμού των υπόγειων FTTH δικτύων πρόσβασης, που χρησιμοποιούν την τεχνολογία Home Run. Το μοντέλο χρησιμοποιεί στοιχεία από γεωγραφικό σύστημα πληροφοριών GIS για το σχεδιασμό του δικτύου, κάνει τους κατάλληλους υπολογισμούς στοιχείων υποδομών με βάση αλγορίθμους και προδιαγραφές και στο τέλος με είσοδο τους πίνακες κόστους των στοιχείων δίνει τις δαπάνες για την ανάπτυξη των υποδομών. Πριν από την ανάπτυξη του μοντέλου, περιγράφονται απλά θεωρητικά γεωμετρικά μοντέλα που μπορούν να απεικονίσουν ένα υπόγειο και εναέριο FTTH δίκτυο. Το μοντέλο εκτελείται σε τρεις περιοχές της Αττικής, που έχουν διαφορετικές πυκνότητες κτιρίων και νοικοκυριών με σκοπό τον ακριβή προσδιορισμό των τελικών κοστών ανά περιοχή. Επιπλέον, μπορούν να υπολογιστούν τα κόστη ανά νοικοκυριό, κτίριο, μονάδα μήκους των τάφρων και γενικά υπόγειων υποδομών. Η αποτύπωση του εξωτερικού δικτύου των περιοχών, των στοιχείων υποδομών, των εξοπλισμών και των τελικών δαπανών τους γίνεται με πλήρως αυτοματοποιημένο τρόπο. / The rapid growth of Internet traffic has created increasing demand for broadband networks. Fiber optic networks are a category of broadband networks that promise flexible and capable for supporting various services, network communications with limitless capacity. Plus, the optical networks do not only cover the core backbone network, but extend to the local loop and the households of end users. Thus, FTTx optical access networks and their various technologies such as PON, AON, and Home Run are implemented in the network infrastructure, which is developed from the central office of the coverage area network to the subscriber. This diploma thesis examines the technical issues related mainly to the outside plant of FTTH networks (FTTx up to the household), such as infrastructure ducts, cables, trenches, holes, etc. These elements rise to higher costs in the access network (CAPEX costs) and for this reason, special emphasis is placed on them. Apart from these, there are OPEX costs. Also, the thesis presents a methodology for the business study of FTTH networks, which shows the stages to study for the economic development of networks. The main aim of this work is to implement a model that automates the design of underground FTTH access networks, that use Home Run technology. The model uses data from Geographical Information System (GIS) for network design, makes the appropriate calculations, based on data infrastructure algorithms and specifications and in the end returns the total costs for infrastructure development based on material cost tables. Before the development of the model, there are descriptions of simple geometric models that can represent an underground and aerial FTTH network. The model runs on three areas of Attica, that have different densities of buildings and households in order to accurately determine the final cost per area. Moreover, they can calculate the cost per household, building, length unit of trenches and other underground infrastructure. The representation of the external network, elements, data infrastructure, equipment and final expenditure is fully automated.

Submitted by Noeme Timbo (noeme.timbo@metodista.br) on 2018-02-28T18:39:32Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Rogerio Luciano de Sousa.pdf: 1314231 bytes, checksum: 2cff9d3364a609064bd92f7dc208a856 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-28T18:39:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rogerio Luciano de Sousa.pdf: 1314231 bytes, checksum: 2cff9d3364a609064bd92f7dc208a856 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-07-25 / Technological changes, on the one hand, bring economic benefits to organizations such as increased productivity and efficiency, on the other hand, can produce human and social problems with possible consequences to the mental health of the worker. Internet addiction is also a problem associated with information and communication technologies, as well as the stress resulting from the excessive use of information and communication technology known as techno-stress. This study analyzed the effects of Internet leadership and addiction on techno-stress. The research is based on a quantitative research approach with a single cross-section. The data were analyzed through 379 questionnaires answered by information technology professional’s users. For the hypothesis tests of the study, the analysis of structural equations was performed and satisfactory measures were presented for the constructs investigated and the proposed research model. The results indicate that leadership styles influence positively the techno-stress and internet addiction can act as moderator of these relationships. The study shows that laissez-faire leadership is the style of leadership that most influences techno-stress, when compared to transformational and transactional leadership. It can be argued, therefore, that the moderation effects of Internet addiction are different in the forms studied from the relationships of leadership styles to techno-stress. / As mudanças tecnológicas, por um lado, trazem benefícios econômicos para as organizações como maior produtividade e eficiência, por outro lado, podem produzir problemas humanos e sociais com possíveis consequências à saúde mental do trabalhador. O vício em internet também é um problema associado às tecnologias de informação e comunicação, assim como o estresse resultante do uso excessivo da tecnologia de informação e comunicação conhecido como tecnoestresse. Este estudo analisou os efeitos da liderança e do vício em internet no tecnoestresse. A pesquisa fundamenta-se em uma abordagem de investigação quantitativa com corte transversal único. Os dados foram analisados por meio de 379 questionários respondidos por profissionais usuários de tecnologia de informação. Para os testes de hipóteses do estudo, foi realizada a análise de equações estruturais e apresentadas medidas satisfatórias para os construtos investigados e o modelo de pesquisa proposto. Os resultados indicam que os estilos de liderança influenciam de forma positiva o tecnoestresse e o vício em internet pode atuar como moderador dessas relações. O estudo evidencia que a liderança laissez-faire é o estilo de liderança que mais influência o tecnoestresse, quando comparada com as lideranças transformacional e transacional. Pode-se afirmar, com isso, que os efeitos de moderação do vício em internet são diferentes nas formas estudadas dos relacionamentos dos estilos de liderança com o tecnoestresse.