Thesis (Ph.D.)--State University of New York at Albany, 2003. / Chairperson: Alvin Magid. Includes bibliographical references.

Abraham Heschel wrote that a philosopher's primary task was not merely to describe and judge the modes and facts of actual human behavior, but also to examine and understand the meaninq of those descriptions and judgements of modes and facts (Bella, 1978). Our values are critically tied to our structures of reasoning and to be sure are not the domain, only, of our philosophic community. While working on a Political science internship for the office of Technologry Transfer at Oregon State University, in l989, it occurred to me that little thought was given to the value dimension of researching, developing and transferring new technology into our public and private economic sectors. In evaluating the decisions to conduct research or to introduce into our public services and private commercial businesses, new technologies, the values underlying those technologies and their particular application must become essential criteria of any proposed economic or other justification scheme. This thesis will examine this observation and its ramifications in a business organizational, social, political and public administrative and philosophic context then offer some recommendations and draw some conclusions. / Graduation date: 1994

The intellectual roots of the innovation system (IS) approach lie in attempts tounderstand the complexities of interactive relations in the innovation process. Thisthesis departs from the systemic view that ISs rest on a co-evolutionary process, inwhich on the one hand technical and economic spheres interact with policies andinstitutions, and, on the other, those spheres affect the natural environment. There isalso evidence that ISs have access to the state-of-the-art flows of knowledge, which isperceived positively in terms of international or trans-border scientific andtechnological cooperation.Comprised of a covering essay and a set of publications, this thesis is structured as acombination of five papers containing findings of the research carried out. Thequalitative research design analyzes sustainability as a desirable theoretical constructtowards which the development of ISs should be oriented. As such, special attentionwas given to both the theoretical arguments that relate to sustainability and theimportance of a shift into a new technological regime oriented towards environmentalissues in ISs. A systematization of the two main theoretical analyses of ISs has beenalso emphasized in the thesis as interactive learning and evolutionary technologicalchange theories, which originate respectively from Schumpeterian and neoevolutionarySchumpeterian views.In Edquist’s view (2001, p.35) "there is a strong need for further conceptual andtheoretical development of the IS approach. The best way of doing this is by actuallyusing the approach in empirical research". How the shift of ISs to environmentalsustainability can come about and how they can be brought together systematically isstill a largely unexplored field of research. Accordingly, the aim of this thesis is toconceptually advance an understanding of the IS as a flexible and useful approach toencompass the environmental sustainability dimension.To address this, the thesis develops a conceptual framework for ISs that is orientedtoward sustainability; based on the interactive, resource, and environmental views;and tested empirically. The conceptual framework is illustrated empirically in the casestudies of the Brazilian subsidiary of the Swedish multinational Ericsson and and the Brazilian multinational USIMINAS, with focus placed on their interactionswith the Brazilian innovation system. Since the cases belong to different sectors, thereare variables between the multinationals in terms of the nature of innovation capacity.The contrast between the two cases in terms of technological regimes provedvery interesting, and hence formed the core of the thesis.The IS approach has been gaining ground in academic circles, as well as in the fieldof public innovation policy-making in industrialized and newly industrializedcountries. The findings of the current study suggest that ISs for environmentalsustainability can be categorized as evolutionary, natural resource based, andinternationally oriented. In the context of newly industrialized countries, theinternalization of ISs has been perceived through effects of research and developmentin multinational firms, technology transfer and the international trade of capital goods.The understanding of ISs and the internationalization phenomenon in relation tosustainability warrants further studies; notably studies are required that examine theinternationalization of ISs, empirically viewing this from the perspective of bothindustrialized and newly industrialized economies. / <p>RESEARCH FUNDERS</p><p>1) Brazilian Agency for Higher Education (CAPES); 2) the ScientificAgency of the Minas Gerais State (FAPEMIG), Brazil. QC 20130211</p><p></p>

Syftet med studien var att undersöka vilka teknikkunskaper lärare ansåg att elever bör ha i slutet av år 3. Studien inleddes med en innehållsanalys av vilka teknikkunskaper som presenterades i kursplan och läromedel. Dessa analyserades utifrån läroplanens syn på kunskap.  Sedan användes ett urval av teknikkunskaperna för att genomföra en enkätundersökning bland lärare i år 1-6 i en mellansvensk kommun. Teknikkunskaperna i läromedlen var många och varierade, vilket visade att kursplanen lämnat ett stort tolkningsutrymme för läromedelsförfattare. Enkäterna visade att de typer av kunskaper som lärarna värderade högst var färdigheter följt av fakta, förståelse och förtrogenhet.

Mobile barcode e-invoicing (MBEI) is a novel system that not only reduces companies¡¦ cost on invoice delivery and storage but also enables the government to save money on printing the invoices. Although this is an important policy, no study has examined it from the general public¡¦s perspective. Therefore, this study surveyed a convenience sample of 250 people to investigate factors that may affect the public¡¦s willingness to use MBEI. Based on Rogers¡¦s (1995) diffusion of innovation theory, this study explored the impacts of relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, observability, and habits of using relevant technology on willingness to use MBEI. The results suggest that while relative advantage, compatibility, and complexity are associated with people¡¦s willingness, observability is not. As for the habits of using relevant technology, people with i-bon experience were more willing to use MBEI than those who had never heard about i-bon. But respondents¡¦ usage of membership cards for shopping, the carrying of these membership cards, and the habit of using touch-control mobile devices had no impact on their willingness to adopt MBEI. These results suggest that the government should not only promote its e-invoicing policy more aggressively, but also be alert to the problems that different age groups may encountered when trying to use MBEI.

The concept of the team identity transformation in entrepreneurial process was addressed in this thesis. In order to effectively and delicately descript the formation and transformation process of the team identity, Qualitative research and single case method were explored that an electronic component manufacturer (thereafter called F company) in Kaohsiung was chosen. I collect the first-hand data not only by interviewing with interviewees but emailing or talking via phone. In aspects of interview, formal interviews took 17hours, informal interviews took about 10hours and 2 hours was used to get data via telephone communication. Except for first-hand data, we collect the secondary data as well. With comparison on differences of technological team identity(ies) between in and after business creation, three categories grounded on interviews was developed, including think¡Bwork and learn. Based on these, we would try to analyze the reasons of transformation. After almost year of observation and data collection, I conclude these below: 1¡BThere is existence of technological team identity in initial stage of entrepreneurship and this will be beneficial to drive the entrepreneurship. The mechanism of formation is how to pick up the members to make them highly consistent in thinking and behaviors. 2¡BAs changes of contexts and self adaptation, the technological team identity would be transformed as the figure6.1 shown. 3¡BI found that the team identity would transform into organizational identity, and that would make the border between technological team and the other groups more and more unspecific. 4¡BIn the process of team transformation, managerial action and machismo play an important roles to harness how the process goes to make the organization more flexible and actively response to the complex environments.

After the reformation and opening-up of the ecomonic system in Mainland China, the first special economic zone was established in 1979. Because the first special economic zone was very successful, the first series of Economic - Technological Development Areas were approved by the State Council in May, 1984. So far many companies have chosen the Technological Development Areas as their manufacturing bases. This study sampled 15 companies which had taken Technological Development Areas into their considerations. This study is based on three Development Areas:Tianjin Economic - Technological Development Area, Qingdao Economic - Technological Development Area, and Hangzhou Economic - Technological Development. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to analyze the selection strategies of Investing in the Economic & Technology Development Areas in China. According to the result of AHP¡Athe conclusions are as follows¡G 1.The most important factor in the second level is ¡§Government Management¡¨. 2.The top one criteria in the third level is ¡§the supply, quality, and price of local energy¡¨¡Athe second is ¡§ the convenience of obtaining materials¡¨¡Aand the third is ¡§the convenience of obtaining professional workers¡¨. 3.The best alternative is Hangzhou Economic - Technological Development Area.

Abstract This study is to discuss CSC electronic commerce development and application model under a structure of technological frame theory. The result shows consistency in the interpretations given by the three groups of stakeholders (managers plus salesmen, information technology staff, and clients) on CSC electronic commerce system's nature of technology, technology strategy and technology-in-use (timeliness, accuracy, accessibility and ease-of-use). Though there is a little inconsistency in their interpretations on categories like priorities and resources, training, contents and policies for security and quality, it doesn't cause a conflict. The most influential frame ¡V dominant frame ¡V generated from the top management's dominant leadership and the clients' high confidence and centripetal force in CSC are main reasons for the three groups of stakeholders to have a strong recognition. Another important discovery of this study is that trust and interpersonal relationship have crucial influence on CSC electronic commerce system implementation. In the future, researchers may try to adopt the perspectives of trust and interpersonal relationship to discuss their influences on information technology implementation.

The purposes of this study were (a) to examine the effectiveness of the MI-Infusing Instruction on fourth graders¡¦ applications of MI in Science Learning and their improvement in technological creativity; and (b) to examine the relationships between gender, multiple intelligences, and technological creativity. An unequal group pretest-posttest design was employed in the study. Two fourth-grade classes of a public elementary school in Kaohsung were selected based on convenience sampling. The participants were divided into the experimental group (n = 23) and the control group (n = 33). The employed instruments included MI-Infusing Learning Scale, Technological Creativity Test, and several self-developed worksheets. The applied analysis methods were Descriptive Statistics, Multivariate Analysis of Covariance, Discriminant Analysis, and Canonical Correlation. The main findings of this study were as follows: 1. The MI-Infusing Instruction had significant effects on enhancing fourth graders¡¦ naturalist and interpersonal intelligences. 2. The MI-Infusing Instruction was effective on enhancing fourth graders¡¦ fluency, elaboration, and visual design. 3. The girls¡¦ interpersonal intelligence was higher than that of the boys, but such gender difference was not found in the performance of technological creativity. 4. There was a significant canonical correlation between the indices of multiple intelligences (linguistic intelligence, naturalist intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, and intrapersonal intelligence) and those of technological creativity (fluency, flexibility, originality, elaboration, and visual design). 5. The fourth graders¡¦ abilities of technological creativity could effectively predict their ability groups of naturalist intelligence. Finally, the researcher proposed some suggestions for educational instruction and future studies.

The Effects of STS-Infusion Instruction in Science on Fifth Graders¡¦ Learning Attitude, Critical Thinking, and Technological Creativity Abstract The main objectives of this study were to explore (a) the effects of STS-infusing instruction in science on learning attitude, critical thinking, and technological creativity; and (b) the relationships among learning attitude, critical thinking, and technological creativity. An unequal group pretest-posttest design was employed in this study. Eight fifth-grade classes of a public elementary school in Taina were selected based on purposive sampling. The participants were divided into the experimental group (n = 79 ) and the control group (n = 78 ). The experimental group received a twelve¡Vweek STS-Infusion instruction in the subject of Science, while the control group received regular instruction. The employed instruments included The Test of Technological Creativity, Critical Thinking Test¡XLevel I, The Questionnaire of Learning Attitude on Science, and the Questionnaire of Teaching Feedback. The analysis methods included Descriptive Statistics, t-test, Multivariate Analysis of Variance, Univariate Analysis of Variance, Multivariate Analysis of Covariance, and Multiple Stepwise Regression. The main findings in this study were: (a) the STS-Infusion Instruction had significant effects on upgrading the fifth graders¡¦ learning attitude toward Science; (b) the STS-Infusion Instruction did not have significant effects on improving the fifth graders¡¦ critical-thinking abilities; (c) the STS-Infusion Instruction had significant effects on improving the fifth graders¡¦ technological creativity; (d) students with different level of learning attitude toward Science did not perform differently on technological creativity; (e) students with different level of critical-thinking abilities did not perform differently on technological creativity; and (f) the STS instruction, critical-thinking abilities, and learning attitude toward Science could effectively predict the fifth graders¡¦ technological creativity. Finally, some suggestions were proposed for educational authorities, teachers, and future researchers.