This paper seeks to understand the role of proximity to Silicon Valley and the Silicon Valley network effect on venture success. Despite the wealth of literature on the role and importance of geographic proximity in the venture capital process, no studies have specifically examined the impact of geographic proximity to Silicon Valley on venture success. I build my study on existing literature but deviate from past research in the following ways: first, I narrow the research question to the relationship between geographic proximity to Silicon Valley and successful exit; second, I consider success from the perspective of the venture rather than the venture-backing firm; third, I employ a logistical model as well as a linear probability model; fourth I control for endogeneity by isolating first rounds; lastly, I exclude syndicated deals, focusing on 1:1 venture-backing firm-to-venture deals. I use VenureXpert data for Silicon Valley-backed firms located both in and outside Silicon Valley to test hypotheses regarding geographic proximity. The results are significant and suggest that venture location in Silicon Valley is associated with greater venture success. Based on the results, it is clear that the impact of the Silicon Valley network effect is statistically meaningful and should encourage ventures to continue to strategically locate themselves in Silicon Valley.

Innovating for Sleeker, Greener, Friendlier Rides critiques the ethical implications behind the meaning of sustainability in the surfboard manufacturing industry because surfers by origin have a kinship with the environment. First the paper discovers the origins of surfers, how surfing became a sport, and who are the major influencers in the industry. Second, this thesis analyzes three different sustainability approaches, repurpose, reduce, and self-sustainment. Repurpose method examines to decrease the amount CO2 in inputs and outputs of materials throughout surfboard construction. Reduce method innovates surfboard that are more durable so that there are less wasted surfboards going into landfills. Self-sustainment practices a variant of permaculture to construct surfboards out of only natural materials from the earth in order to diminish non-ecofriendly byproducts. Thirdly, the conversation regards towards permaculture as the better option, which requires comprehensive experiments to produce materials meeting the performance of non-sustainable resources. Lastly, the thesis provides areas of research for possible raw materials and a way to implement into the industry.

Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to gain traction and is increasingly reshaping the media and marketing communications field. While significant research has been conducted on the impact of AI in other fields, there is little empirical evidence on how AI is affecting the customer journey. The present study explored both organizations’ current use of AI tools and how customer perceptions about AI affect AI usage and adoption through the lens of diffusion of innovation theory. The research was conducted using mixed-method qualitative research. In-depth interviews and a case study content analysis were conducted to collect and analyze the data. The results suggest that consumer perceptions about AI impact levels of adoption when AI is recognized, but there appears to be cognitive dissonance regarding what constitutes AI and complicit acceptance of some of its benefits. Companies in different geographical locations have different levels of AI adoption along the diffusion of innovation stages.

Neste trabalho o estágio pós-doutoral é visto como um item de treinamento, desenvolvimento e educação próprio da carreira acadêmica, que atua como instrumento de atualização, reciclagem docente e incremento de conhecimento, por meio da socialização e contato entre pesquisadores. A presente pesquisa é exploratória, de abrangência nacional e tem como objetivo principal analisar qual o impacto do estágio pós-doutoral no exterior sobre o desempenho de docentes e programas de pós-graduação brasileiros. Para esse intento o estudo trabalhou em duas vertentes e que produziram resultados convergentes; uma vertente se pautou no levantamento da produção docente antes e depois da realização do pós-doutorado, basicamente utilizando como fonte de dados secundários o sistema Lattes, onde a construção de um Índice de Desempenho - ID, permitiu uma pesquisa exaustiva e objetiva acerca da produção científica e da produção técnica dos participantes, e outra vertente, pautou-se na coleta de dados primários por meio da aplicação de questionário estruturado com escalas psicométricas para mensurar a percepção e o julgamento dos docentes sobre o pós-doutorado e o seu impacto. Foram convidados a participar do survey todos os 2.565 docentes egressos do Programa de Estágio Pós-doutoral no Exterior, atuantes na pós-graduação e que tiveram bolsa da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES, no período de 1996 a 2008 (1996, ano de criação do programa, a 2008 quando este foi desmembrado em dois subprogramas); a taxa de retorno dos questionários enviados foi de 38,1% e configurou uma amostra de 978 professores participantes. O presente levantamento cobre todas as regiões geográficas do país e abrange todas as grandes áreas do conhecimento. Com o método de coleta bifurcado, no panorama ex ante e ex post do desempenho acadêmico, a pesquisa encontrou como resultado um impacto moderado do pós-doutorado sobre as publicações e pesquisas e um impacto quase nulo sobre o desempenho dos docentes em atividades técnico-científicas. Em relação ao questionário aplicado, as escalas utilizadas mostraram bons índices de confiabilidade e o resultado acerca das visões e das percepções dos docentes, também não foi entusiasta, registrou-se a percepção de impacto moderado e positivo sobre o trabalho docente e prevaleceu uma tendência de registro do julgamento por parte dos participantes de que o pós-doutorado no exterior possui impacto moderado e positivo sobre as atividades de pesquisa, um impacto menor sobre atividades de ensino-pesquisa e um impacto praticamente inexistente e pouco expressivo sobre as atividades de extensão universitária. Os resultados, no entanto são muito ricos e vão muito além do que os aqui expressos e sintetizados neste resumo, assim convidamos o leitor que se interesse pelo tema a passear por essa tese em sua íntegra, para acessar com maior amplitude às questões levantadas acerca do pós-doutorado e o seu efeito percebido pelos docentes no nível individual e o seu efeito julgado no nível do coletivo, bem como, em especial a influência do pós-doutorado sobre o desempenho docente no que diz respeito ao aumento da produção acadêmica e o cenário desafiador do contexto das produções docentes amplas que vão além das publicações em revistas especializadas e produções científicas no sistema de pós-graduação. / This research consider the post-doctoral stage as an item of training, development and education typical of the academic career, which operates as professor recycling, upgrade and knowledge increase instrument, by means of the socialization and the join contact of researchers professors. The main goal of the present research exploratory is to investigate what is the impact of the post-doctoral stage abroad on the professor\'s performance and programs of Brazilian Graduate Studies. For this purpose the study worked in two fronts and that produced convergent outputs, a front was based in weighing of the professor production before and after of post-doctoral realization basically using as a secondary data source the Lattes system, where the construction of a performance index allowed an ample and objective research of analysis of scientific production and technical production of the participants, and another front structured questionnaires were used for primary data collection via psychometric scales to measure the perception and the judgment of professors about the post-doctoral and its impact. Were invited to join the survey, all the 2.565 egresses professors of the program of post-doctoral stage abroad, active in graduate studies and that have scholarship of the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES), in the period 1996-2008 (1996, year of program creation, to 2008 when it was divided into two subprograms); the return rate of the questionnaires sent out was 38.1% which set up a sample of 978 professors participants. This survey covers all geographical regions of Brazil and covers all areas of knowledge. With the collection method bifurcated, in the perspective of academic performance ex- ante and ex-post, the research found a result of moderate impact on the publications and researches and an impact almost null on the professor\'s performance in technical-scientific activities. In relation the questionnaire applied, the scales used presented good levels of reliability and the result about the visions and professors perceptions, also was not enthusiastic, was registered the perception of moderate and positive impact on the professor work and prevailed a tendency de register of judgment that the postdoctoral abroad has moderate and positive impact on the researches activities, an impact less on the teaching-research and an impact practically nonexistent and little expressive in university extension activities. The results nonetheless are very rich and goes beyond the here expressed an synthesized this abstract, thus invite the reader, who has familiarity with Portuguese and that interest in the theme to walk this thesis in its entirety, to access with higher amplitude the questions raised about the postdoctoral studies and its effect judged in level of the collective, as well as in special the influence postdoctoral on the professor performance regarding the increase of scientific production and the defiant scenario of ample professor productions scenario which go beyond of publications in specialized journals and scientific productions in the graduate studies system.

Esta tese teve como objetivo analisar as mudanças nas universidades públicas federais brasileiras nos Governos Lula (2003-2010) e Dilma (2011-2016), a partir das políticas de ampliação do acesso ao ensino superior e de incentivo à inovação. Essas mudanças foram analisadas na totalidade social, buscando compreender como as alterações nas táticas neoliberais modificaram a organização das universidades públicas federais brasileiras. A universidade pública não foi considerada uma estrutura estática, mas como síntese de múltiplas relações dotadas de contradições. Visando a compreender as consequências do avanço neoliberal no contexto do capitalismo dependente, recorri ao pensamento social brasileiro por meio da categoria padrão dependente de educação superior de Florestan Fernandes. A partir das condições concretas do desenvolvimento do ensino superior brasileiro, defendo que a articulação entre as políticas de ampliação ao acesso e de incentivo à inovação aprofunda o padrão dependente de educação superior. O método do materialismo histórico-dialético foi escolhido para o desenvolvimento da pesquisa. Os dados foram coletados por meio da pesquisa bibliográfica, análise documental e realização de entrevistas semiestruturadas com gestores e especialistas de notório saber. O neoliberalismo acadêmico foi implementado no Brasil por meio de uma série de reformas estruturais. As bases foram construídas desde a Reforma Universitária de 1968, marco no predomínio do ensino superior privado e direcionamento das universidades públicas para a pesquisa. O neoliberalismo acadêmico ortodoxo foi marcado por políticas que priorizaram os investimentos da educação básica, no desenvolvimento de políticas de ensino superior voltadas, prioritariamente, para a expansão do ensino privado e por tentativas de modificação da natureza jurídica das universidades pública federais O novo neoliberalismo acadêmico, implementado a partir do Governo Lula, foi caracterizado: pela criação de políticas inclusivas; pela flexibilização da formação por meio da oferta de novas modalidades de cursos; pela modificação no financiamento; pelo estabelecimento do empreendedorismo, como cultura a ser disseminada nos processos de ensino, pesquisa, extensão; pela difusão do gerencialismo na organização das universidades; e pela flexibilização e precarização do trabalho. Essas mudanças reproduzem o padrão dependente de educação superior, pois são baseadas na importação de modelos de educação, direcionam para a importação de conhecimentos e estruturam grande parte do sistema de educação superior voltado para o trabalho simples. Ademais, aprofunda o padrão dependente de educação ao direcionar a pesquisa de excelência realizada nas universidades públicas federais para os interesses privados nacionais e para os países centrais. Assim, a mudança no projeto para as universidades públicas brasileiras no novo neoliberalismo criou novos mecanismos de integrá-las aos circuitos de reprodução do capital, sem a modificação da sua natureza jurídica, ou seja, criou-se, em um contexto de aceleração tecnológica, novas formas imperialistas de apropriação do conhecimento produzido pelas universidades públicas brasileiras. / This thesis aimed at analyzing the changes in the Brazilian federal public universities in the Lula (2003-2010) and Dilma (2011-2016) Governments, from the perspective of the access expansion policies for students and the fostering innovation policies. These changes were analyzed in the social totality method, trying to understand how the changes in neoliberal tactics modified the organization of Brazilian federal public universities. The public university was not considered a static structure, but as a synthesis of multiple relations endowed with contradictions. Seeking to understand the consequences of the neoliberal evolution within the context of the dependent capitalism, I recurred to the Brazilian social thought, from the higher-education dependent pattern category of Florestan Fernandes. Based in the concrete contradictions on the development in the Brazilian higher education, I defend the articulation between the access expansion policies for students and the fostering innovation policies strengthens the dependent pattern of the higher education. The historical-dialectical materialism method was chosen for the research development, and data collected through bibliographic sources, documental analysis and semi-structured interviews with senior-level managers and experts of notorious knowledge. Academic neoliberalism was being implemented in Brazil through a series of structural reforms. The bases were built since the 1968 University Reform, a milestone in the predominance of private higher education and the direction of public universities for research. Orthodox academic neoliberalism was marked by policies that prioritized investments in basic education and in the development of higher education policies geared primarily to the expansion of private education and by attempts to modify the legal nature of federal public universities The new academic neoliberalism, implemented from the Lula Government, was characterized by: the creation of inclusive policies; the implementation of the flexibility in the student formation from new models of courses; the implementation of entrepreneurship as culture to be disseminated in the process of teaching, research and extension programs; through the managerialism diffusion in the structure and management of the public universities; and through the faculty work flexibilization and precarization. These changes reproduce the higher-education dependent pattern, since are based upon three factors: the external educational model's importation, the external knowledge importation, and the organization of the major part of the higher educational system to the simple work. Furthermore, was identified that the orientation of the public university's cutting-edge research to national private’s and dominant country's interests also strength the higher educational dependent pattern. Therefore, the changes during this period after the neoliberal project to the Brazilian public universities in the new neoliberalism promoted a new mechanism to integrate them to the capital reproduction system, without the modification of their juridical nature. That means, in a context of technological acceleration, the creation of new forms imperialist of appropriation of the knowledge produced by the Brazilian public universities.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T16:32:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Claudia_Reinehr.pdf: 3000348 bytes, checksum: 5d461cb5131fd5c98b6d98f727453f8d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-06 / Fundação Araucária / This study has like objective, to investigate, through a case study in a property of family farms, if, the introduction of process of technology and innovation, sustainable production practices, of administrative management and of costs, promotes satisfactory results. The family farms is set in a new scenario, where the technologies need to occupy their spaces to that small producers can to became competitive in the market. Thus, it was apply a questionnaire with the property s farmers and the technician that attend on the property. With the direct observation and documental analysis it was sought identify the property characteristics, like as, if they are realized sustainable practices, has farmers have access to technology and innovation, if the management is practiced, analyzing if theses practices lead to satisfactory results for the producers. The results obtain on the search show that the farmers develop sustainable practices, because, even if some practices are not sustainable, the most of them, are sustainable (80%). The are access to technology and innovation consider the results of their actions and their work in eleven years satisfactory, because they meet family social demands. Gaps were identified with respect to the management, the farmers understand what is management, but, they do not use the administrative tools to manage their property. The financial results are above financial investments and they are the result of cultural behavior, commitment, their love for job, desire to evolve and overcome found in farmers. / Este estudo tem como objetivo investigar, por meio de um estudo de caso em uma propriedade de agricultura familiar, se a introdução de processos de tecnologia, de práticas produtivas sustentáveis, de gestão administrativa, promove a obtenção de resultados satisfatórios. A agricultura familiar encontra-se configurada em um novo cenário onde as tecnologias precisaram ocupar seus espaços para que os pequenos produtores consigam tornarem-se competitivos no mercado. Dessa forma pela aplicação de um questionário com os agricultores da propriedade e o técnico que atende estes agricultores, com a observação direta e a análise documental buscou-se identificar as características da propriedade, bem como se são realizadas práticas sustentáveis, se os agricultores têm acesso à tecnologia, se praticam a gestão, analisando se estas práticas levam a resultados satisfatórios para os produtores. Os resultados obtidos na pesquisa demonstram que os agricultores desenvolvem práticas sustentáveis, pois, ainda que se tenham identificado práticas não sustentáveis, a grande maioria são práticas produtivas sustentáveis (88%). Têm acesso à tecnologia, e consideram os resultados obtidos com suas ações e com seus trabalhos, nestes 11 anos, satisfatórios, pois atendem às demandas sociais da família. Lacunas foram identificadas quanto à gestão, os agricultores entendem o que é gestão, mas não utilizam as ferramentas administrativas para gerir sua propriedade. Os resultados financeiros obtidos estão acima dos investimentos financeiros e são resultantes do comportamento cultural, comprometimento, amor pelo trabalho, vontade de evoluir e de se superar encontrados nos agricultores.

No description available.

People with hearing loss (HL) often express a desire for the particular hearing device that will yield the best speech recognition. The problem with fulfilling that desire is that a vast number of hearing devices are available from which to choose. In recent years, medical device regulatory agencies have generally viewed hearing devices (i.e., hearing aids), particularly the hardware and even the software, as substantially equivalent. The purpose of this manuscript is to: 1) Synthesize a number of variables about the person, environment in which hearing occurs, as well as characteristics of the hearing aids that can impact speech recognition. 2) Describe a created tool entitled Realistic Expectations 2 (RE2), which has application to the clinical needs of estimating expected speech recognition with and without hearing aids. RE2 is available as a supplemental file to this manuscript and may be useful for comparing estimates against measures of speech recognition ability in addition to assisting with the explanation of the operation and limitations of hearing aids. When expected speech recognition is achieved, subsequent development of speech and language can continue based on circumstance, cognitive status, and cultural-specific learning, as well as personal and societal betterment efforts like education, rehabilitation, and therapy.

Innovation is one of the most important sources of competitive advantage. It helps a company to fuel the growth of new products and services, sustain incumbents, create new markets, transform industries, and promote the global competitiveness of nations. Because of its importance, companies need to manage innovation. It is very important for a company to be able to measure its innovativeness because one cannot effectively manage without measurement. A good measurement model will help a company to understand its current capability and identify areas that need improvement. In this research a systematic approach was developed for a company to measure its innovativeness. The measurement of innovativeness is based on output indicators. Output indicators are used because they cannot be manipulated. A hierarchical decision model (HDM) was constructed from output indicators. The hierarchy consisted of three levels: innovativeness index, output indicators and sub-factors. Experts' opinions were collected and quantified. A new concept developed by Dr. Dundar Kocaoglu and referred to as "desirability functions" was implemented in this research. Inconsistency of individual experts, disagreement among experts, intraclass correlation coefficients and statistical F-tests were calculated to test the reliability of the experts' judgments. Sensitivity analysis was used to test the sensitivity of the output indicators, which indicated the allowable range of the changes in the output indicators in order to maintain the priority of the sub-factors. The outcome of this research is a decision model/framework that provides an innovativeness index based on readily measurable company output indicators. The model was applied to product innovation in the technology-driven semiconductor industry. Five hypothetical companies were developed to simulate the application of the model/framework. The profiles of the hypothetical companies were varied considerably to provide a deeper understanding of the model/framework. Actual data from two major corporations in the semiconductor industry were then used to demonstrate the application of the model. According to the experts, the top three sub-factors to measure the innovativeness of a company are revenue from new products (28%), market share of new products (21%), and products that are new to the world (20%).

Information and communication technologies hope to revolutionize the healthcare industry with innovative and affordable solutions with a focus on pervasive care. Wearable sensors products can provide monitoring in a natural environment with a constant stream of information, enriching healthcare practices and enabling better pervasive care. Wearable sensor technologies could monitor patients' mobility, gait, tremor, daily activity and other health indicators in real time that could allow for simple, non-invasive, tracking of spine care that may lead to increased patient engagement, integration, feedback, post-surgery analysis, monitoring of patient's condition, patient's data extraction and analysis and possibly aiding in better diagnosis, intervention, adherence to treatment for the betterment of quality of care. This research focuses on the assessment of technology adoption potential of medical devices particular to tracking the mobility of patients of neurosurgery and orthopedics. Wearable medical devices that track the mobility of patients after spinal procedures could help surgeons in providing post-operative care, analysis of treatment outcomes and patient mobility. The assessment of those devices by physicians is a complex process associated with various perspectives and criteria. Therefore, the objective of this research is to assess the potential for technology adoption of those wearable medical devices through development of a hierarchical decision-making model (HDM) that incorporates the relevant perspectives and criteria encompassing the needs of hospital neurological surgery and orthopedics departments. The proposed research builds on an existing body of knowledge researched through literature review and background of the field and expands the health technology assessment field by implementation of a holistic, comprehensive and multi-perspective approach to technology assessment in wearable sensor products adoption for pervasive care in neurosurgery and orthopedics. The Hierarchical Decision Model (HDM) approach is used to break the problem down into hierarchical levels and then calculate the alternatives using pairwise comparison scales and a judgment quantification technique. Inconsistencies, disagreement, sensitivity and scenario analysis are performed as well. HDM research software is created with Ruby and R to facilitate the computation of some of these important model parameters to higher precision than is available in current statistical analysis software packages or extensions targeted for decision making. Patient perspective dominates as the main perspective for the technology adoption potential of wearable devices for pervasive care in neurosurgery and orthopedics, followed by technical and financial perspectives. Valedo, a wearable device aimed to relieve back pain through exercises, motivation and mobility tracking, received the highest ranking for adoption potential, while other devices also received high relative scores. The framework could serve as a supplementary technology assessment tool and could be tested in other settings: private, small clinic etc. with the experts and special needs of physicians in particular healthcare departments.