MODES OF INNOVATION & UNCERTAINTIES IN THE CAPITAL GOODS INDUSTRY

Product innovation is a subtle process, frequently leading to shifts in the competitiveness of firms. Developing products in an environment undergoing technological change is given to frequent failure, even in well-established and sophisticated organizations. In order to tackle competitiveness and to deal with innovation uncertainty, firms develop diverse innovation processes. Two modes of innovation are suggested in recent literature: 1) Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) mode, which is based on the production and use of codified scientific and technical knowledge; and 2) Doing, Using and Interacting (DUI) mode, which relies on informal processes of learning and experience-based know-how. In this paper we analyse product innovation at firm level. We perform an exploratory analysis in four leading equipment and machinery producers from the Aveiro region, in Portugal. Doing so, we explore the main features of the capital goods’ industry with implications for innovation, and analyse the dominant uncertainties associated to the innovation process. and modes of innovation. Key findings include the complete absence of DUI mode in the cases studied, and even a low learning characteristic in one company. The paper concludes by considering the implications for firms’ competitiveness and for innovation policy.modes of innovation, uncertainties, R&D, capital goods, SME

AEB Online Calculator for Assessing Technology Maturity: IMATEC

This paper exposes initially the motivations for developing a TRL online calculator by AEB (Brazilian Space Agency; in Portuguese, Agência Espacial Brasileira). Such motivations demand the tool to be a way not only to assess the TRL condition of operational space missions and systems, but also as a method of evaluating and sharing proposals with new technological content. The TRL methodology and its relation to risk management are discussed. The development phases of the IMATEC Lite application are then described, with emphasis to the data handling structure capable of storing the user product model. A result of technology assessment using the software is detailed by presenting the PBS of the SERPENS 1 mission nanosatellite. The prospects of using the tool for judging the acceptability of new missions and projects are discussed, as well as some of the encountered difficulties

Portuguese media discourse on nuclear energy before and after Fukushima: prepared for the EFDA Workprogramme 2012 WP12-SER-ACIF-1

This report presents the results of the analysis of nuclear related content in Portuguese print media. The report is submitted to the first step of the research task untitled Public Discourse about Nuclear Fusion before and after the Fukushima accident, as part of the Socio-Economic Research on Fusion under the general coordination of EFDA Workprogramme 2012

VI Workshop on Computational Data Analysis and Numerical Methods: Book of Abstracts

The VI Workshop on Computational Data Analysis and Numerical Methods (WCDANM) is going to be held on June 27-29, 2019, in the Department of Mathematics of the University of Beira Interior (UBI), Covilhã, Portugal and it is a unique opportunity to disseminate scientific research related to the areas of Mathematics in general, with particular relevance to the areas of Computational Data Analysis and Numerical Methods in theoretical and/or practical field, using new techniques, giving especial emphasis to applications in Medicine, Biology, Biotechnology, Engineering, Industry, Environmental Sciences, Finance, Insurance, Management and Administration. The meeting will provide a forum for discussion and debate of ideas with interest to the scientific community in general. With this meeting new scientific collaborations among colleagues, namely new collaborations in Masters and PhD projects are expected. The event is open to the entire scientific community (with or without communication/poster)

Ocean Energy in Belgium - 2019

B

Business plan for a cultural platform

The business plan to be presented intends to support the development of a cultural platform that is built under three pivotal features: a broad cultural program, an accessible education component and a social dimension that strives for supporting immigrant communities. This project aspires to be a means of promotion of cultural diversity and cultural dialogue and to ultimately contribute to a better integration of immigrant communities within the Portuguese society. By developing this proposal, the author intends to present a business model that is sustainable and to subsequently eradicate the widespread notion that a cultural project never represents any return on investment. The underlying methodology comprehends the development of a theoretical context through a literature review, which was proceeded by a PESTEL and Porter analysis. An overview on the sector was performed, as well a review on the project’s competitive context. Additionally, the proposal involved the assessment of intrinsic opportunities and threats and the development of a survey that supported the STP and marketing mix strategies. After developing a systemic SWOT, a financial evaluation was conducted. This theoretical structure provided the conditions to conclude that there is an overall favorable environment that will most certainly allow the implementation of a project with the profile that was previously mentioned. Subsequently, this project is expected to generate an NPV of 1,1 million Euros and an IRR of 27%. The investment is predicted to be recovered in less than nine years and the project’s profitability index will represent 2,01 € per capital unit.O business plan desenvolvido tem como objetivo sustentar a criação de uma plataforma cultural, assente em três elementos principais: uma agenda cultural diversificada, uma componente educativa acessível e uma vertente social de apoio às comunidades imigrantes. Pretende-se que este projeto seja uma via promotora da diversidade e do diálogo cultural, contribuindo para a uma maior integração da comunidade imigrante na sociedade portuguesa. A concretização desta proposta reflete igualmente a intenção de apresentar um modelo de negócio sustentável, erradicando a noção generalizada de que um projeto cultural nunca poderá ter retorno sobre o investimento. A metodologia subjacente ao projeto compreende o desenvolvimento de uma contextualização teórica através de uma revisão de literatura, procedida de uma análise PESTEL e Porter. Seguidamente destacam-se a realização de uma avaliação ao setor cultural e recreativo e uma análise à concorrência. Adicionalmente, o desenvolvimento da proposta envolveu uma aferição das oportunidades e ameaças intrínsecas ao projeto e a elaboração de um questionário que sustenta a estratégia de STP e marketing mix. Após a execução de uma SWOT sistémica, procedeu-se ao desenvolvimento de uma avaliação financeira do projeto. Esta sistematização teórica permitiu concluir a existência de um ambiente favorável à implementação de um projeto nos moldes apresentados e a possibilidade do mesmo ter a capacidade de gerar um VAL correspondente a 1,1 milhões de euros e uma TIR de 27%. A recuperação do investimento será realizada em menos de nove anos e o índice de rendibilidade do projeto corresponderá a 2,01 € por unidade de capital investid