Repository logo

Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2022-07-06"

Filter results by year or month
Now showing 1 - 10 of 21
  • The hybrid approach in non-software environments : a framework to evaluate hybrid adoption
    Publication . Amorim, Andreia Sofia Araújo; Ribeiro, Rita Moura Bastos de Almeida
    Agile methodologies have taken a prominent role in software development industries. However, its recognition in non-software environments of new product development has been slower, instigated by serious challenges such as the strong presence of traditional approaches. Stage-Gate methodology asserts itself as wellsuited and popular due mainly to its clear structure and milestones. Still, it limits a competitive response to meet (internal and external) pressures from a mounting complexity of new-product projects, faced by contemporary businesses. This dissertation replies to the potential of a hybrid approach to capitalize on the judicious strengths of both Stage-Gate and tailored agile components. Little literature has focused on the practicability of developing a pilot tool to cope with erroneous conceptions about agile and lack of focus on envisioning the process itself, which makes management doubtful and sceptical to hybrid transformation. We follow prescriptive analytics on recent research of hybrid models performance in real-life companies, in order to predict the dominant prerequisites to adopt agile in nonsoftware companies with deep-rooted traditions. As result, we describe a four-phase framework to determine the decision on the adoption of a hybrid approach. It captures four main interrelated fields: 1) evaluation of the project’s potential complexity; 2) identification of project’s critical factors; 3) selection and fitting of tailored agile practices/tools; 4) definition of strategies to achieve agility. The designed solution, although limited to a systematic review, might persuade, assist and guide practitioners in deciding and preparing the integration of agility. Meanwhile, it uncovers patterns that motivate a hybrid adoption, encouraging researchers to empirically explore the magnitude/value of such tool in the decisionmaking process and the strategic and tactical benefits delivered by it.
    2022-07-06Master thesis Open access Show more
  • Banking on mobile : financial inclusion through FinTech : the Hidroelétrica de Cahora Bassa : IPO Case Study
    Publication . Carvalho, Chris Etiene Mateus Mendes de; Andrade, João Freire de
    Africa ranks as the lowest region in terms of financial inclusion (Beck & Cull, 2015). There is a wave of African countries implementing mobile money schemes (via USSD technology) as a way of tackling financial exclusion, given that financial inclusion is strongly linked to poverty (Demirguc-Kunt, et al., 2014; Robert, Tilman, Nina, 2014; Anarfo & Abor, 2020). This study looks at one such innovative example in Mozambique, where the use of similar technology allowed the unbanked to participate in a first-of-its-kind equity market transaction in the form of the HCB IPO. This thesis uses the case study format to discuss the extent to which using a USSD platform helped reach and include the unbanked and whether such as initiative was effective in stimulating participation in the local stock exchange. The case study allows students to explore and discuss the intersection of fintech and financial inclusion through the lens of the latest trends in developing countries. Overall, the case study suggests that the use of mobile money schemes had a positive impact on the reach and inclusion of the transaction. And, while it did help increase the number of investors in the Mozambique Stock Exchange, it was not as effective at increasing trading volume.
    2022-07-06Master thesis Open access Show more
  • Product innovation performance : a case in food retailing industry
    Publication . Correia, Mariana Isabel Gonçalves; Pinto, Helena Sofia Silva Borges Salgado Fonseca Cerveira
    Business innovation importance is growing, but its´s measurement is undergoing tremendous discussion, as there are no pre-established metrics to ensure its efficient measure. To try to solve this gap, this study purposes a model to measure product innovation performance in the food retailing industry, in Portugal. Based on customers´ feedback about product innovations, this research assesses the impact of two drivers, consumer innovativeness and product perceived innovativeness and one moderator, perceived value, on customer satisfaction and new product repurchase intentions. Model´s results, which were analysed based on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation modelling, suggest a positive correlation between perceived value and customer satisfaction on new product repurchases. However, they don´t fully endorse a positive impact of product innovation drivers on new product repurchase intentions. Findings highlighted the importance of using this information as a starting point for defining an effective strategy. They also warned us about the potential need to improve the model by adding more drivers, testing the model on other businesses and trying to collect more responses to endorse the framework.
    2022-07-06Master thesis Open access Show more
  • A curva de valor e a definição da indústria : o caso da Sociedade Figueira da Praia
    Publication . Ferreira, António José Macedo; Morais, Ricardo Alexandre
    O presente estudo propõe-se a compreender se os casinos em base territorial e os casinos online atuam numa indústria em comum. Nos dias de hoje, existem dois tipos de “casas de jogo”, denominados casinos, que estão autorizadas a oferecer a prática de jogos de fortuna ou azar. O mais antigo é o casino em base territorial, que apresenta um espaço físico para tal prática. Por outro lado, os casinos online oferecem um espaço virtual que permite a prática de jogo à distância. Por ambos oferecerem o serviço de jogo, este estudo procura aferir, através de um estudo de caso, se os diferentes tipos de casino atuam na mesma indústria. O método de investigação selecionado tem como foco o caso da Sociedade Figueira Praia, SA, que detém um casino em base territorial, o Casino Figueira, e um casino online, o Casino Portugal. Em conclusão, o presente estudo foi capaz de aferir que os casinos em base territorial e os casinos online atuam, efetivamente, em indústrias distintas.
    2022-07-06Master thesis Open access Show more
  • A importância da polivalência funcional na função pública : o caso da Câmara Municipal do Porto
    Publication . Venda, Miguel Faria; Mendes, Américo Manuel dos Santos Carvalho
    O presente estudo é o relatório de um estágio realizado na Divisão Municipal de Receita da Câmara Municipal do Porto entre o dia 6 de setembro de 2021 e o dia 21 de janeiro de 2022. Durante esse estágio foi possível identificar oportunidades de melhoria no que se refere aos seguintes domínios da atividade desse departamento: gestão de processos críticos e gestão de processos atribuídos a funcionários que podem estar ausentes por motivos de doença, férias ou outros. Como estratégia para melhorar o desempenho deste departamento no que se refere às situações atrás referidas considerou-se neste estudo a adoção de um modelo de gestão de pessoas baseado na polivalência funcional. Para analisar a exequibilidade desta proposta foram realizadas duas tarefas resultados constam deste relatório. A primeira foi uma revisão de literatura sobre este tema e sobre a chamada “Nova Gestão Pública” que advoga uma gestão mais flexível das pessoas na Administração Pública segundo princípios que se inspiram da gestão de organizações privadas. A segunda tarefa foi a realização de um inquérito respondido por 20 trabalhadores da Divisão Municipal de Receita sobre a sua perceção das oportunidades de melhoria atrás referidas e sobre a sua aceitação de um modelo de gestão de pessoas baseado na polivalência funcional. Os resultados desse inquérito foram no sentido da existência dessa recetividade. A pretensão na adoção deste método na DMR da CMP visa fomentar um sistema de gestão mais flexível e versátil, maximizando a rentabilidade dos recursos humanos existentes na divisão.
    2022-07-06Master thesis Open access Show more
  • NFTs and Porto Ferreira's premium : a blue ocean or an ephemeral bet on differentiation?
    Publication . Coelho, Mariana Andrade da Silva Cardoso; Franco, Maria Raquel Costa Campos Leichsenring
    Although Portugal plays an important role in the commercialization of Port Wine, the consumption of this wine has decreased in recent years. In this Master's Final Work (TFM) is presented a strategy to reverse the downward trend of its consumption, more specifically in Porto Ferreira's Premium. Sogrape is a company with an important weight in the national Port Wine market, which makes it a pertinent case study. Thus, we propose to answer the following Research Question: "How to reverse the decreasing trend in Porto Ferreira's Premium Port Wine consumption through NFTs?”. The objective is to understand which factors impact the performance of the Port Wine industry to create a strategy that meets the market needs. To this end, the method used in this work is qualitative, adopting an exploratory case study. In order to reverse this downward trajectory, the creation of a Blue Ocean strategy is proposed. Therefore, and to create a new market and new demand, it is then proposed that Sogrape and its Porto Ferreira Premiums enter the world of digital property, through NFTs. It was concluded, given the opportunities and risks that can be faced when operating in this market, that the integration of Sogrape and its Porto Ferreira Premiums in NFTs is viable.
    2022-07-06Master thesis Open access Show more
  • Going green : the effect of sustainable investments on venture capital fund performance
    Publication . Scherbaum, Philip; Shuwaikh, Fátima Hussien
    Through its innovative power, venture capital can become a cornerstone in the battle against climate change if sustainable investments allow venture capital funds to fulfill their fiduciary duty. Prior research has shown that purely sustainability-oriented funds sacrifice financial for social returns and that sustainable companies usually do not fit the requirements of venture capitalists. However, little attention has been given to the impact of sustainable investment on mainstream venture capital performance. To fill this gap, this study aims at measuring and explaining the effect of sustainable investments on mainstream venture capital funds. Therefore, venture capital fund performance, measured as exit percentages, was regressed on sustainable investments, measured through clean technology investments. Thisrelationship was also tested for mediation. Furthermore, a set of probit regressions measured the impact of sustainability on company survival to another funding round. Analyses of these relationships demonstrated that sustainable investments negatively impact fund performance and that investment opportunities mediate this effect. Additionally, the analyses demonstrate that sustainable companies are more likely to receive follow-up funding than non-sustainable companies. These results indicate a negative impact of sustainable investments on mainstream venture capital performance and that this effect is not caused by adverse company characteristics but by a higher valuation paid for attractive, sustainable companies. Hence, it is recommended that mainstream venture capitalists invest in suitable sustainable companies but only if valuations are favorable. Further research still needs to analyze the effect of a recent sustainability investment wave on venture capital performance.
    2022-07-06Master thesis Open access Show more
  • Consumer guilt predisposition in different generational cohorts
    Publication . Silva, Filipa Barbosa Brito da; Silva, Susana Cristina Lima da Costa e; Martins, Carla Sofia Carvalho
    Purpose – Researchers and practitioners have become increasingly interested in emotions that greatly influence consumers’ behaviours, such as guilt. Guilt is a social emotion that impacts consumers’ decision-making process. Despite the growing attention given to this topic there are still gaps that can be filled regarding research into guilt. For example, it is yet to be defined how generational cohorts perceive and experience guilt feelings associated with consumption. Since companies’ have been forming different consumer segments to target individuals and meet their specific needs, analysing generational discrepancies regarding consumer guilt might bring useful insights for marketers. Hence, this research aims to understand if there are any differences in the way consumers who belong to different generational cohorts’ experience consumer guilt. Design/Method/approach - To investigate these topics, an online questionnaire was conducted. The data collected from 369 participants was analysed using the program IBM SPSS. Findings - The findings from this study revealed that there are differences in the way consumers of different generations experience guilt associated with consumption. From the six dimensions of guilt identified, it was possible to conclude that the older the generation to which consumers belong, the higher their tendency towards health guilt and social responsibility guilt. The results did not indicate that individuals from different generations have distinct predispositions to feel indulgence guilt, mistiming guilt, misevaluation guilt, or social influence guilt. Originality/value - In a world where understanding consumers’ behaviour is a growing concern for companies, this research contributes to the body of knowledge regarding guilt. The findings of this study provide useful insights for marketers particularly about different generations’ predisposition to feel consumer guilt.
    2022-07-06Master thesis Restricted access Show more
  • Covid-19: repercussions on the mental health of higher education students
    Publication . Oliveira, Eliany Nazaré; Vasconcelos, Maristela Inês Osawa; Almeida, Paulo César; Pereira, Paulo Jorge de Almeida; Linhares, Maria de Socorro Carneiro; Neto, Francisco Rosemiro Guimarães Ximenes; Aragão, Joyce Mazza Nunes
    This article analyzed the impacts of COVID-19 and social isolation on the mental health of higher education students in Ceará, Brazil. The sample consisted of 3691 higher education students who, online from June to September 2020, answered two instruments: questionnaire of the socio-demographic and situational profile in relation to the pandemic and social isolation and the Mental Health Inventory. The results showed that 21.2% had their activities canceled, with no expected return. The majority, 77.2% reported concern about the death of someone close to them due to Covid-19 infection. The overall state of mental health measured by the inventory with an average of 48.8. This result suggests that students had their mental health affected by the conditions imposed by the pandemic. It is concluded that educational institutions should promote strategies for the protection of the mental health of the student community.
    2022-07-06Journal article Open access Show more
  • Internationalisation process of Portuguese companies in the fashion sector in the United Kingdom
    Publication . Fonseca, Matilde Rocha Melo; Mendes, Américo Manuel dos Santos Carvalho
    The main objective of this work is to study the process of internationalisation of Portuguese companies in the fashion sector in the United Kingdom. After a literature review on the internationalisation of companies and a characterisation of this sector in Portugal, four case studies of Portuguese companies in this sector and exporting to the British market are presented and analysed, namely A. Ferreira e Filhos, SA, Tri-wool, SA, Coisas do Algodão, SA and the brand Lemon Jelly. These case studies were built on the basis of interviews with top managers of these companies following a script prepared beforehand for this purpose. With these interviews we sought to obtain information on the characterisation of companies, their internationalisation process, specifying the case of the UK market, the difficulties they may have had and the role of AICEP in this process. Based on the analysis of these four case studies, it was possible to conclude that all companies consider international markets mandatory for their success as the domestic market is quite small. As far as the British market is concerned, when the various companies started exporting, they did not encounter difficult barriers to entry. However, since the entry into force of Brexit, they have more challenges to take their goods to this market, namely due to the costs of transportation and customs processes. As can be seen from the literature review, in these case studies it was possible to highlight the importance for the success of the internationalisation of factors such as the good reputation of the companies' own brand, the use of the possibilities of integration in international supply chains and the ability to adapt to the needs of customers in foreign markets, without forgetting some use of new marketing technologies such as e-commerce. As internationalisation is seen as fundamental for companies in the fashion sector and taking into account that it is an industry held in high regard by export markets, there are some organisations that support Portuguese companies in the internationalisation process, such as the case of AICEP. In the interviews carried out, it can be understood that this organisation is considered an important help, mainly for smaller companies that are starting this process and therefore need more information.
    2022-07-06Master thesis Open access Show more