Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2016-08-25T12:18:33Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Adriano Cristian Gewehr_.pdf: 908728 bytes, checksum: 3544aba191c9b1e82b406db9bd3fce38 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-25T12:18:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Adriano Cristian Gewehr_.pdf: 908728 bytes, checksum: 3544aba191c9b1e82b406db9bd3fce38 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-07-20 / Nenhuma / O funcionamento do progresso tecnológico exige a compreensão da dinâmica da difusão de inovações. A difusão consiste na propagação de uma inovação. Sem difusão não existe a inovação, uma vez que são conceitos imbricados. As tecnologias da informação e comunicação (TIC) revolucionaram as estruturas de negócios das firmas e das indústrias, e são fundamentais para a difusão de outras inovações. Considerando tal cenário, para melhor compreensão de trajetórias tecnológicas dos países, releva compreender a dinâmica da difusão de inovações. Esta pesquisa pretende, portanto, responder ao seguinte problema: qual é a dinâmica do processo de difusão da tecnologia da internet e da telefonia móvel nos países desenvolvidos e nos países em desenvolvimento? Com o objetivo de compreender a referida dinâmica, foram utilizados os dados empíricos de consumo destas duas tecnologias para os grupos de países do G7 e do BRICS respectivamente, em um recorte temporal de 1990 a 2014. Aplicou-se o modelo matemático de Bass (1969), gerando curvas de consumo ajustadas pelo método dos mínimos quadrados. Como principais resultados destacam-se: i) a dinâmica de difusão destas duas tecnologias confirma o comportamento proposto por Rogers (1962), de uma curva em formato “S” ao longo do tempo representando as adoções pela população; ii) o modelo ajustou as curvas de difusão destas tecnologias com baixos índices de erros, que ao longo de 25 anos ficam entre 0,2% e 5,1%; iii) países desenvolvidos tendem a ter mais adotantes inovadores na população; iv) adotantes imitadores exercem maior influência na adoção de inovações; v) não há uma relação direta entre a velocidade e o nível de desenvolvimento das economias estudadas; vi) os países desenvolvidos analisados atingiram o ponto de inflexão no processo de difusão antes que as economias em desenvolvimento; vii) algumas nações atingirão apenas pouco mais da metade de sua população com acesso à internet. Nas economias em desenvolvimento, além da adoção tardia, o processo para capturar novos adotantes por ano é lento, chegando ao ponto de que, enquanto os países desenvolvidos já estão atingindo saturação, na maioria das economias em desenvolvimento analisadas, estas tecnologias ainda apresentam potencial capacidade para difusão. Por fim, destaca-se que, se estas duas tecnologias tendem a contribuir para a difusão de outras inovações, presume-se que o problema do progresso tecnológico retardado tende a se agravar para as economias em desenvolvimento. / The operation of technological progress requires understanding the dynamics of innovation diffusion. The diffusion consists in the propagation of an innovation. No there innovation diffusion, once they are imbricated concepts. Information and communication technologies (ICT) have revolutionized the business structures of firms and industries, and are fundamental to the diffusion of other innovations. Considering such a scenario, to better understand technological trajectories of the countries, reference to understand the dynamics of innovation diffusion. This research therefore aims to answer the following question: what is the dynamics of the diffusion process of internet technology and mobile telephony in developed countries and in developing countries? In order of understanding the dynamics that, empirical consumption data of these two technologies to the groups of the G7 countries and the BRICS were used respectively, in a temporal cut of 1990 to 2014. It was applied to the mathematical model of Bass (1969) generating consumption curve adjusted by the least squares method. The main results are: i) the dynamics of the diffusion of these two technologies confirms the behavior proposed by Rogers (1962), a curve in "S" shape over time representing adoptions by the population; ii) the model adjusted the diffusion curves of these technologies with low error rates, which over 25 years are between 0.2 and 5.1%; iii) developed countries tend to have the most innovative adopters in the population; iv) imitators adopters exert greater influence on the adoption of innovations; v) there is no direct relationship between the speed and the level of development of the economies studied; vi) the developed countries analyzed reached the tipping point in the diffusion process before developing economies; vii) some nations will reach just over half of its population with internet access. In developing economies, in addition to the late adoption, the process to capture new adopters per year is slow to the point that while the developed countries are already reaching saturation in most developing economies analyzed, these technologies also have the potential capacity for the diffusion. Finally, it is emphasized that if these two technologies tend to contribute to the diffusion of other innovations, it is assumed that the problem of retarded technological progress tends to aggravate for the developing economies.

Research has indicated accredited, U.S. higher education-governed intensive English programs (IEPs) often struggle financially due to a scarcity of resources (namely students) because of political and global economic factors and increased competition (ICEF Monitor, 2017; IIE, 2017; Ladika, 2018; Soppelsa, 2015). However, few IEPs advertise online language acquisition (OLA) courses despite the increase in online study methods at the higher education institutes governing the programs and its use by competitors. The purpose of this study was to determine the status and extent of OLA diffusion in U.S. IEPs, how IEP directors and faculty perceived OLA, and whether they perceived themselves to be the leaders in its diffusion. Drawing on Rogers’ (1962) diffusion of innovation framework to inform the instrument methodology, this study employed a quantitative, cross-sectional survey. The study used the Rasch measurement model (1960) as the framework informing the instrument’s design and analysis. All 249 executive directors and 2,492 faculty in the 249 accredited, higher education-governed IEPs were invited to participate in the study, and 328 directors and faculty from 121 IEPs opted to do so. Major findings revealed 40.5% had experimented with online courses within the last five years, and 24.8% offered it currently. The Winsteps dimensionality analysis showed each of the six innovation characteristics performed as a separate strand supporting the dimension of OLA adoption potential. The Wright map and item measures revealed respondents perceived OLA visibility (1.52 logits) as the most difficult-to-endorse characteristic followed by complexity (0.48 logits). The least challenging characteristic was articulated benefits (-0.39 logits), and the easiest item was technology confidence (-1.21 logits) followed by technology clusters (-0.65 logits). Regarding leadership in promoting OLA adoption, 53.2% of the sample claimed they were involved in its leadership at some level, and 31.1% reported leadership involvement at institutes currently lacking online English courses. This study suggests respondents found OLA to be beneficial for their IEP with articulable results. Cost and technology confidence were not viewed as prohibitive, but respondents lacked confidence that OLA would lead to increased enrollment. Because of the high level of OLA leadership in their IEP, the adoption of online language courses appears to be moving in an upward trajectory.

Communicative challenges that hinder managerial engagement in social networks can impede innovation adoption and thereby damage the financial performance and competitiveness of a firm. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between communication apprehension (CA) and individual innovativeness in managers. The focus of the research questions was determining if a relationship exists between these variables before and after controlling for demographic characteristics. With diffusion of innovation theory as the theoretical framework, this research involved an attempt to address how adoption categories relate to varying degrees of CA. One hundred and five American-based owner-executives, senior managers, and middle managers completed 2 preexisting survey instruments on the Internet measuring individual perceptions of CA and individual innovativeness. Results from a Pearson correlation analysis indicated that a significant negative correlation existed between CA and individual innovativeness. A multiple regression analysis showed that CA and individual innovativeness were negatively correlated after controlling for gender, age, and education level. Furthermore, participants' level of education was negatively related to both total CA score and public speaking CA score. Leaders may apply these findings to achieve positive social change by using tools to reduce CA in managers. Such initiatives could lead to greater social confidence in managers, improved organizational performance, and more meaningful social engagement in the innovations that continue to shape the world.

<p><p><strong>Purpose:</strong><p>The purpose of this paper is to investigate and clarify some of the factors that influence organizations to adopt or reject the social media, and if the emergence of social media influenced the organization's communication.</p><p><strong><p>Metohodology:</p></strong></p><p>A qualitative methodology has been used to execute the study. The source has been semi structured interviews with chosen representatives from several organizations.</p><p><strong><p>Theoretical perspective:</p></strong></p><p>The theoretical basis for the execution of the methodology is based on the provisional theoretical demarcation uses and gratifications theory. For analysis diffusion of innovations theory is applied.</p><p><strong><p>Emperical findings:</p></strong></p><p>The empirical material includes interviews with representatives from twelve selected organizations, defined as companies in the industry and authorities, in seven different industries.</p><p><strong><p>Conclusion:</p><p> </p></strong>The main factors affecting an adoption of social media is the organization’s open structure, the ability to see opportunities with social media and that they are seen as a natural part of development in the communications field. The main factors affecting a rejection of social media is ignorance, the organization's governance and that there must be a need that social media can fill. Neither users nor non-users believe that social media can replace traditional media. They are a complement to existing media, where the oral personal communication is superior to other forms.</p></p></p>

Purpose:The purpose of this paper is to investigate and clarify some of the factors that influence organizations to adopt or reject the social media, and if the emergence of social media influenced the organization's communication. Metohodology: A qualitative methodology has been used to execute the study. The source has been semi structured interviews with chosen representatives from several organizations. Theoretical perspective: The theoretical basis for the execution of the methodology is based on the provisional theoretical demarcation uses and gratifications theory. For analysis diffusion of innovations theory is applied. Emperical findings: The empirical material includes interviews with representatives from twelve selected organizations, defined as companies in the industry and authorities, in seven different industries. Conclusion:   The main factors affecting an adoption of social media is the organization’s open structure, the ability to see opportunities with social media and that they are seen as a natural part of development in the communications field. The main factors affecting a rejection of social media is ignorance, the organization's governance and that there must be a need that social media can fill. Neither users nor non-users believe that social media can replace traditional media. They are a complement to existing media, where the oral personal communication is superior to other forms.

As fístulas broncopleurais habitualmente decorrem de procedimentos cirúrgicos de ressecção pulmonar por diversas etiologias, com incidência na literatura de 0% a 28%, e mortalidade de 16% a 72%, sendo mais frequente em homens, e nos casos de pneumonectomia do que em lobectomia. As deiscências totais de coto brônquico apresentam indicação de tratamento cirúrgico, porém a condição clínica destes pacientes geralmente é precária com alto risco anestésico e cirúrgico. Os tratamentos endoscópicos de fístulas broncopleurais até então descritos foram utilizados apenas em fístulas parciais menores que 8 milímetros. Objetivo: Este estudo propõe-se a avaliar a viabilidade do tratamento endoscópico de fístulas totais de coto brônquico utilizando o dispositivo oclusor de defeitos septais cardíacos Occlutech-Fígulla®. Casuística e métodos: Foram incluídos pacientes com fistula broncopleural total secundária a ressecção pulmonar. Os pacientes foram submetidos inicialmente à broncoscopia para avaliação e medida da fístula e a uma cintilografia pulmonar de inalação para documentação do padrão inicial de vazamento. A colocação do dispositivo foi feita através da broncoscopia realizada sob sedo-analgesia com o paciente em ventilação espontânea com suplementação de oxigênio. Os pacientes foram acompanhados durante 12 meses e avaliados quanto à cobertura do dispositivo por tecido cicatricial, fechamento do trajeto fistuloso e desenvolvimento de complicações relacionadas como o deslocamento do dispositivo, lesões de estruturas adjacentes e desenvolvimento de infecção. As análises descritivas dos dados quantitativos com distribuição normal foram apresentadas através das médias acompanhadas dos respectivos desvios padrão. Os dados sem distribuição normal foram apresentados através de suas medianas com os respectivos intervalos interquartil 25-75%. A análise inferencial utilizou a Análise de Variância de Medidas Repetidas para os dados com distribuição normal e os testes não-paramétricos Anova de Friedman para os dados que não apresentavam distribuição normal. Foi considerada uma probabilidade de erro do tipo I (alfa) de 0,05. Resultados: Foram selecionados nove pacientes com predomínio do sexo masculino (77,8%), com média de idade de 45 ±11,1 anos, com ressecções motivadas em sua maioria por sequelas de doença infecciosa (78%), com predomínio de pneumonectomia direita (66,6%), com fístulas que apresentavam diâmetro de 6 a 17 mm. Do grupo de 9 pacientes tratados tivemos três casos de fechamento completo, dois casos de fechamento parcial, duas falhas sendo uma por deslocamento e retirada do dispositivo e outra por retirada ao término do período de seguimento com permanência dos sintomas e dois óbitos não relacionados. Durante o período de acompanhamento não evidenciamos complicações infecciosas ou lesão de estruturas adjacentes relacionadas à permanência do dispositivo. Conclusão: O dispositivo para tratamento de defeitos do septo atrial pode ser uma alternativa no tratamento endoscópico de fístulas totais de coto brônquico, funcionando como tratamento definitivo em alguns casos e servindo como suporte nos pacientes que aguardam melhora das condições clínicas para uma intervenção cirúrgica tardia com menor risco. Não foram detectados eventos graves como infecções ou lesão vascular relacionados à presença do dispositivo / Bronchopleural fistulas are possible complications following lung resection procedures for different etiologies. The reported incidence is 0 % to 28%, and the related mortality is 16% to 72%. More frequently in men and pneumonectomy cases than lobectomy cases. Total dehiscence of the bronchial stump should be treated by surgical interventions; however, the clinical status of these patients is generally poor with high anesthetic and surgical risks. Endoscopic treatment of bronchopleural fistulas previously described were used only in 8mm or smaller partial fistulas. Objective To evaluate the endoscopic treatment of total bronchial stump fistulas using the Occlutech - Fígulla®, a device used to close cardiac septal defects. Patients and methods: We select patients with total bronchial stump fistula. Patients underwent bronchoscopy for local fistula evaluation and an inhalation lung scintigraphy for the initial leak parameter documentation. The placement of the device was made by bronchoscopy performed under sedation - analgesia with the patient in spontaneous ventilation with oxygen supplementation. Patients were followed for 12 months and assessed for scar tissue coverage device, fistula closure and development of related complications such as displacement device, adjacent structures lesions and infection. The descriptive analysis of quantitative data with normal distribution were presented through the mean along with the related standard deviations. Non-normal distribution data were presented by their medians with their respective interquartile ranges 25-75 %. The inferential analysis used Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance for data with normal distribution and non-parametric tests of Friedman ANOVA to data with nonnormal distribution. It was considered an error probability of a type I (alfa) 0.05. Results: This study evaluated nine patients with a males predominance (77.8% ) with mean age of 45 ± 11.1 years with resections for sequelae of infectious disease (78%), predominantly right pneumonectomy (66.6% ), with fistulas diameter ranging from 6 to 17 mm. The group of 9 patients had three cases of complete closure, two cases of partial closure, two failures one per displacement and removal of the device another for withdrawal at the end of follow-up with persistence of symptoms and two unrelated death. During the follow-up period was not detect complications such as infections or injury to adjacent structures related to the device. Conclusion: The device for treatment of atrial septal defects can be an alternative to the endoscopic treatment of total fistula bronchial stump, functioning as definitive treatment in some cases and serving as a support for patients awaiting improvement of clinical conditions for a later surgical intervention with lower risk. No severe events were detected as infections or vascular injury related to the device

Background: A key innovation in the provision of inpatient services to facilitate the care and treatment of women with severe postnatal mental illness was the introduction of joint mother and baby psychiatric hospitalisations, where both the mother and baby are admitted to hospital together. This study examined the history of the practice of joint mother and baby admissions across the UK and critically explored the processes relevant to the diffusion of joint admissions and patterns of service development to identify the possible and probable causes for significant differences in service provision across the United Kingdom (UK). Aims: The study examined the documented history of the development of practice of joint mother and baby psychiatric hospital admissions across the UK and in doing so, a) Identified the pattern of service and practice development and the likely reasons for the pattern of the chronology. b) Identified the processes involved in the diffusion of joint mother and baby admissions in the UK, and explored why the practice was sustained (or not). c) Contributed new information to the continued development of innovation diffusion theory and research, and its application to health care service and practice development. Methods: A historical method was used in the study and was reported through the use of historical narrative and analysis. Data was collated from primary and secondary sources of documented evidence which was used to inform the history of joint mother and baby admissions across the UK. Data was analysed using the theoretical framework of diffusion of innovation (Rogers, 2003). Findings: Two versions of the same innovation were identified: joint admissions to side rooms of general adult psychiatric wards or annexed areas of the wards and joint admissions to specialist mother and baby units. Neither version of the practice followed the normal S-curve pattern of adoption in terms of frequency and rate of adoption. After a period of approximately 63 years there are 24 facilities for the provision of joint admissions in the NHS in the UK. The main influencers to the adoption of the practice was perception of risk, social networks internal and external to the NHS, the presence of clinical and political champions to drive the adoption and implementation of the innovation and policy entrepreneurship by clinicians working in the clinical field of perinatal mental health. The development of specific policy, guidelines and in Scotland, legislation, has resulted in a move during the last decade from joint admissions being diffused naturally to side room admissions being actively withdrawn and specialist psychiatric mother and baby units actively being disseminated. There is strong evidence that the diffusion process for specialist mother and baby units is still in motion at the time of reporting. Conclusion: Two competing versions of the same innovation had unusual patterns of diffusion. The influencers identified as relevant to the diffusion patterns of each version of the innovation were essentially the same influencers but they were used in different ways to affect change: rejection of one version of the innovation in favour of adoption of the other. The main influencers on the diffusion of joint admissions changed over the time line of the adoption pattern. Barriers to diffusion included the absence of evidence of effectiveness, the absence of economic evaluation, the position in service divisions of perinatal mental health as a field of practice and the absence of succession planning across professional groups. Recommendations are made for future research.

Sustainable transportation solutions are the goal for the future. With the technological shit happening in the transportation market towards electric vehicles, the electric road system (ERS) is a necessary technology required to reach the sustainability goals for the future. While many studies show the role of innovation in a socio-technical landscape, many neglect the diffusion process of the innovation which occurs to create a socio-technical change. The nature of this thesis is an exploratory case study with a qualitative approach. To address the study, a literature review for the diffusion of innovation, its characteristics, multi-level perspective, and technology readiness level (TRL) was presented in order to provide a better understanding and build a foundation for the research. A review of scientific articles regarding the electric road system was performed to provide insights and obtain information on the technology. The data from scientific articles were complemented by interviews from experts regarding electric road systems to obtain an understanding of technology if it was to be implemented in the future in Sweden. The empirics collected were analyzed using the literature framework and conclusions were drawn. Analyzing the data was required to find the factors hindering the technology and if there is a window of opportunity for the technology to exist in the Swedish market. Environmental sustainability has been the driving factor, but the rate of diffusion for the technology will depend on the complexity and the maturity of the technology to function as a whole working system. The study contributes to evaluating the implementation of an inductive electric road system in the Swedish context and if it could be a viable solution in the transportation market. The perspectives of the technology in the Swedish market and the motivation for the solution are discussed. An analytical contribution by evaluating if the technology could exist in the future and insights on the diffusion of the technology into the existing landscape.

Text in English / Scrum is the most adopted and under-researched Agile methodology. The research conducted on Scrum adoption is mainly qualitative. Therefore, there was a need for a quantitative study to investigate Scrum adoption challenges. The general objective of this study was to investigate the factors that have a significant relationship with Scrum adoption as perceived by Scrum practitioners working within South African organisations. To achieve this objective a narrative review to synthesise the existing challenges was conducted, followed by the use of these challenges in the development of a conceptual framework. After that, a survey questionnaire was used to test and evaluate the developed framework. The research findings indicate that relative advantage, complexity, and sprint management are factors that have a significant linear relationship with Scrum adoption. The findings are generalisable to the population, and the author recommends that organisations review the findings during their adoption phase of Scrum. / Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) / University of South Africa (UNISA) / School of Computing / M.Sc. (Computing)

The tourism industry in the United States is constantly changing and being influenced by social media, specifically Instagram. Culinary brands use Instagram to advertise their restaurants and dishes in a creative, visual way. As a result, Instagram is now being used as a tool by tourists and both potential and current customers to share their dining experiences and find these locations based on the visual appeal. This study provides a content analysis of Instagram account information and photo composition within eight popular culinary tourism destinations by examining the strategies used by the accounts. 50 randomly selected photos were used from eight popular culinary tourism locations. Framing, Uses and Gratifications, and Diffusion of Innovation theories were the theoretical framework for the study. The results of this study indicated key characteristics of some of the most popular culinary tourism destinations on Instagram.