10,659 research outputs found
A Design Science Research Approach to Smart and Collaborative Urban Supply Networks
Urban supply networks are facing increasing demands and challenges and thus constitute a relevant field for research and practical development. Supply chain management holds enormous potential and relevance for society and everyday life as the flow of goods and information are important economic functions. Being a heterogeneous field, the literature base of supply chain management research is difficult to manage and navigate. Disruptive digital technologies and the implementation of cross-network information analysis and sharing drive the need for new organisational and technological approaches. Practical issues are manifold and include mega trends such as digital transformation, urbanisation, and environmental awareness.
A promising approach to solving these problems is the realisation of smart and collaborative supply networks. The growth of artificial intelligence applications in recent years has led to a wide range of applications in a variety of domains. However, the potential of artificial intelligence utilisation in supply chain management has not yet been fully exploited. Similarly, value creation increasingly takes place in networked value creation cycles that have become continuously more collaborative, complex, and dynamic as interactions in business processes involving information technologies have become more intense.
Following a design science research approach this cumulative thesis comprises the development and discussion of four artefacts for the analysis and advancement of smart and collaborative urban supply networks. This thesis aims to highlight the potential of artificial intelligence-based supply networks, to advance data-driven inter-organisational collaboration, and to improve last mile supply network sustainability. Based on thorough machine learning and systematic literature reviews, reference and system dynamics modelling, simulation, and qualitative empirical research, the artefacts provide a valuable contribution to research and practice
Corporate Social Responsibility: the institutionalization of ESG
Understanding the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on firm performance as it relates to industries reliant on technological innovation is a complex and perpetually evolving challenge. To thoroughly investigate this topic, this dissertation will adopt an economics-based structure to address three primary hypotheses. This structure allows for each hypothesis to essentially be a standalone empirical paper, unified by an overall analysis of the nature of impact that ESG has on firm performance. The first hypothesis explores the evolution of CSR to the modern quantified iteration of ESG has led to the institutionalization and standardization of the CSR concept. The second hypothesis fills gaps in existing literature testing the relationship between firm performance and ESG by finding that the relationship is significantly positive in long-term, strategic metrics (ROA and ROIC) and that there is no correlation in short-term metrics (ROE and ROS). Finally, the third hypothesis states that if a firm has a long-term strategic ESG plan, as proxied by the publication of CSR reports, then it is more resilience to damage from controversies. This is supported by the finding that pro-ESG firms consistently fared better than their counterparts in both financial and ESG performance, even in the event of a controversy. However, firms with consistent reporting are also held to a higher standard than their nonreporting peers, suggesting a higher risk and higher reward dynamic. These findings support the theory of good management, in that long-term strategic planning is both immediately economically beneficial and serves as a means of risk management and social impact mitigation. Overall, this contributes to the literature by fillings gaps in the nature of impact that ESG has on firm performance, particularly from a management perspective
Subsidiary Entrepreneurial Alertness: Antecedents and Outcomes
This thesis brings together concepts from both international business and entrepreneurship to develop a framework of the facilitators of subsidiary innovation and performance. This study proposes that Subsidiary Entrepreneurial Alertness (SEA) facilitates the recognition of opportunities (the origin of subsidiary initiatives). First introduced by Kirzner (1979) in the context of the individual, entrepreneurial alertness (EA) is the ability to notice an opportunity without actively searching. Similarly, to entrepreneurial alertness at the individual level, this study argues that SEA enables the subsidiary to best select opportunities based on resources available. The research further develops our conceptualisation of SEA by drawing on work by Tang et al. (2012) identifying three distinct activities of EA: scanning and search (identifying opportunities unseen by others due to their awareness gaps), association and connection of information, and evaluation and judgement to interpret or anticipate future viability of opportunities. This study then hypothesises that SEA leads to opportunity recognition at the subsidiary level and further hypothesises innovation and performance as outcomes of opportunity recognition. This research brings these arguments together to develop and test a comprehensive theoretical model.
The theoretical model is tested through a mail survey of the CEOs/MDs of foreign subsidiaries within the Republic of Ireland (an innovative hub for foreign subsidiaries). This method was selected as the best method to reach the targeted respondent, and due to the depth of knowledge the target respondent holds, the survey can answer the desired question more substantially. The results were examined using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The study’s findings confirm two critical aspects of subsidiary context, subsidiary brokerage and subsidiary credibility are positively related to SEA. The study establishes a positive link between SEA and both the generation of innovation and the subsidiary’s performance. This thesis makes three significant contributions to the subsidiary literature as it 1) introduces and develops the concept of SEA, 2) identifies the antecedents of SEA, and 3) demonstrates the impact of SEA on subsidiary opportunity recognition. Implications for subsidiaries, headquarters and policy makers are discussed along with the limitations of the study
Anuário científico da Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa - 2021
É com grande prazer que apresentamos a mais recente edição (a 11.ª) do Anuário Científico da Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa. Como instituição de ensino superior, temos o compromisso de promover e incentivar a pesquisa científica em todas as áreas do conhecimento que contemplam a nossa missão. Esta publicação tem como objetivo divulgar toda a produção científica desenvolvida pelos Professores, Investigadores, Estudantes e Pessoal não Docente da ESTeSL durante 2021. Este Anuário é, assim, o reflexo do trabalho árduo e dedicado da nossa comunidade, que se empenhou na produção de conteúdo científico de elevada qualidade e partilhada com a Sociedade na forma de livros, capítulos de livros, artigos publicados em revistas nacionais e internacionais, resumos de comunicações orais e pósteres, bem como resultado dos trabalhos de 1º e 2º ciclo. Com isto, o conteúdo desta publicação abrange uma ampla variedade de tópicos, desde temas mais fundamentais até estudos de aplicação prática em contextos específicos de Saúde, refletindo desta forma a pluralidade e diversidade de áreas que definem, e tornam única, a ESTeSL. Acreditamos que a investigação e pesquisa científica é um eixo fundamental para o desenvolvimento da sociedade e é por isso que incentivamos os nossos estudantes a envolverem-se em atividades de pesquisa e prática baseada na evidência desde o início dos seus estudos na ESTeSL. Esta publicação é um exemplo do sucesso desses esforços, sendo a maior de sempre, o que faz com que estejamos muito orgulhosos em partilhar os resultados e descobertas dos nossos investigadores com a comunidade científica e o público em geral. Esperamos que este Anuário inspire e motive outros estudantes, profissionais de saúde, professores e outros colaboradores a continuarem a explorar novas ideias e contribuir para o avanço da ciência e da tecnologia no corpo de conhecimento próprio das áreas que compõe a ESTeSL. Agradecemos a todos os envolvidos na produção deste anuário e desejamos uma leitura inspiradora e agradável.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Inferring networks from time series: a neural approach
Network structures underlie the dynamics of many complex phenomena, from gene
regulation and foodwebs to power grids and social media. Yet, as they often
cannot be observed directly, their connectivities must be inferred from
observations of their emergent dynamics. In this work we present a powerful and
fast computational method to infer large network adjacency matrices from time
series data using a neural network. Using a neural network provides uncertainty
quantification on the prediction in a manner that reflects both the
non-convexity of the inference problem as well as the noise on the data. This
is useful since network inference problems are typically underdetermined, and a
feature that has hitherto been lacking from network inference methods. We
demonstrate our method's capabilities by inferring line failure locations in
the British power grid from observations of its response to a power cut. Since
the problem is underdetermined, many classical statistical tools (e.g.
regression) will not be straightforwardly applicable. Our method, in contrast,
provides probability densities on each edge, allowing the use of hypothesis
testing to make meaningful probabilistic statements about the location of the
power cut. We also demonstrate our method's ability to learn an entire cost
matrix for a non-linear model from a dataset of economic activity in Greater
London. Our method outperforms OLS regression on noisy data in terms of both
speed and prediction accuracy, and scales as where OLS is cubic. Since
our technique is not specifically engineered for network inference, it
represents a general parameter estimation scheme that is applicable to any
parameter dimension
Preferentialism and the conditionality of trade agreements. An application of the gravity model
Modern economic growth is driven by international trade, and the preferential trade agreement constitutes the primary fit-for-purpose mechanism of choice for establishing, facilitating, and governing its flows. However, too little attention has been afforded to the differences in content and conditionality associated with different trade agreements. This has led to an under-considered mischaracterisation of the design-flow relationship. Similarly, while the relationship between trade facilitation and trade is clear, the way trade facilitation affects other areas of economic activity, with respect to preferential trade agreements, has received considerably less attention. Particularly, in light of an increasingly globalised and interdependent trading system, the interplay between trade facilitation and foreign direct investment is of particular importance.
Accordingly, this thesis explores the bilateral trade and investment effects of specific conditionality sets, as established within Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs).
Chapter one utilises recent content condition-indexes for depth, flexibility, and constraints on flexibility, established by Dür et al. (2014) and Baccini et al. (2015), within a gravity framework to estimate the average treatment effect of trade agreement characteristics across bilateral trade relationships in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) from 1948-2015. This chapter finds that the composition of a given ASEAN trade agreement’s characteristic set has significantly determined the concomitant bilateral trade flows. Conditions determining the classification of a trade agreements depth are positively associated with an increase to bilateral trade; hereby representing the furthered removal of trade barriers and frictions as facilitated by deeper trade agreements. Flexibility conditions, and constraint on flexibility conditions, are also identified as significant determiners for a given trade agreement’s treatment effect of subsequent bilateral trade flows. Given the political nature of their inclusion (i.e., the appropriate address to short term domestic discontent) this influence is negative as regards trade flows. These results highlight the longer implementation and time frame requirements for trade impediments to be removed in a market with higher domestic uncertainty.
Chapter two explores the incorporation of non-trade issue (NTI) conditions in PTAs. Such conditions are increasing both at the intensive and extensive margins. There is a concern from developing nations that this growth of NTI inclusions serves as a way for high-income (HI) nations to dictate the trade agenda, such that developing nations are subject to ‘principled protectionism’. There is evidence that NTI provisions are partly driven by protectionist motives but the effect on trade flows remains largely undiscussed. Utilising the Gravity Model for trade, I test Lechner’s (2016) comprehensive NTI dataset for 202 bilateral country pairs across a 32-year timeframe and find that, on average, NTIs are associated with an increase to bilateral trade. Primarily this boost can be associated with the market access that a PTA utilising NTIs facilitates. In addition, these results are aligned theoretically with the discussions on market harmonisation, shared values, and the erosion of artificial production advantages. Instead of inhibiting trade through burdensome cost, NTIs are acting to support a more stable production and trading environment, motivated by enhanced market access. Employing a novel classification to capture the power supremacy associated with shaping NTIs, this chapter highlights that the positive impact of NTIs is largely driven by the relationship between HI nations and middle-to-low-income (MTLI) counterparts.
Chapter Three employs the gravity model, theoretically augmented for foreign direct investment (FDI), to estimate the effects of trade facilitation conditions utilising indexes established by Neufeld (2014) and the bilateral FDI data curated by UNCTAD (2014). The resultant dataset covers 104 countries, covering a period of 12 years (2001–2012), containing 23,640 observations. The results highlight the bilateral-FDI enhancing effects of trade facilitation conditions in the ASEAN context, aligning itself with the theoretical branch of FDI-PTA literature that has outlined how the ratification of a trade agreement results in increased and positive economic prospect between partners (Medvedev, 2012) resulting from the interrelation between trade and investment as set within an improving regulatory environment. The results align with the expectation that an enhanced trade facilitation landscape (one in which such formalities, procedures, information, and expectations around trade facilitation are conditioned for) is expected to incentivise and attract FDI
Discovering the hidden structure of financial markets through bayesian modelling
Understanding what is driving the price of a financial asset is a question that is currently mostly unanswered. In this work we go beyond the classic one step ahead prediction and instead construct models that create new information on the behaviour of these time series. Our aim is to get a better understanding of the hidden structures that drive the moves of each financial time series and thus the market as a whole.
We propose a tool to decompose multiple time series into economically-meaningful variables to explain the endogenous and exogenous factors driving their underlying variability. The methodology we introduce goes beyond the direct model forecast. Indeed, since our model continuously adapts its variables and coefficients, we can study the time series of coefficients and selected variables. We also present a model to construct the causal graph of relations between these time series and include them in the exogenous factors.
Hence, we obtain a model able to explain what is driving the move of both each specific time series and the market as a whole. In addition, the obtained graph of the time series provides new information on the underlying risk structure of this environment. With this deeper understanding of the hidden structure we propose novel ways to detect and forecast risks in the market. We investigate our results with inferences up to one month into the future using stocks, FX futures and ETF futures, demonstrating its superior performance according to accuracy of large moves, longer-term prediction and consistency over time. We also go in more details on the economic interpretation of the new variables and discuss the created graph structure of the market.Open Acces
Using Simulation in Information Systems Research
Like all other scientific research methodologies, simulation has its strengths and limitations. When used properly, simulation can be a powerful tool for developing new theoretical insights into IS phenomena of interest. Although simulation methods are not new in the IS field, there has been no systematic discussion about which simulation methods are suitable for IS research, when simulation is the most appropriate methodological choice for IS research, and how to evaluate simulation research. In this editorial, I provide an overview of simulation methods that may be used in IS research and discuss how they are typically used. More importantly, I provide guidelines for IS researchers on how to choose simulation among alternative methodologies and highlight six key criteria for evaluating simulation research. Overall, this editorial can provide useful guidance to IS researchers, editors, and reviewers when choosing, conducting, and assessing simulation research
La autoficcion como construcción de mundos posibles en las artes visuales del siglo XXI
[ES] La autoficción encuentra su origen en las prácticas de aquellos que no pueden escribir su autobiografía, como así explicase Serge Doubrovsky quien acuñó el término en 1977 en su obra Fils. Entonces, podríamos decir que se alzaría como el acicate perfecto para las minorías revolucionarias. Su potencial reside en cómo en ella conviven estratégicamente realidad y ficción, teoría y experiencia, yo y nosotros bajo un profundo carácter resbaladizo. Marcada por un cierto interés en lo híbrido, en la dificultad terminológica y la construcción oximorónica generaría un nuevo campo de conocimiento. Pero, como profundizaremos en esta tesis, más allá de una experiencia en apariencia solipsista es capaz de devenir una realidad compartida y, así, construir lo que denominaremos mundos posibles. A través de la tradición del pensamiento especulativo fecundo en las narraciones especulativas y la filosofía constructivista nos aproximaremos a la teoría ficción como una metodología política en la que fundamentar transformaciones en el ámbito de lo social.
El pensamiento explora más allá de sus ideas sobre el mundo construyendo sus lindes, dibujando su orografía y perfilando sus criaturas. Pero todas ellas rebasan la imaginación para alimentar nuestra existencia mundana. De hecho, lo que pareciera una experiencia exclusivamente íntima del yo, una ensoñación de un sujeto solitario, deviene mundo y con él las estructuras de vida con las que habitar nuestra existencia. Y, sin embargo, la imaginación nace de la fecunda especulación del pensamiento de uno mismo. Entonces nos preguntaríamos si acaso podemos compartir con los otros un mundo que se origina en el pensamiento de un sujeto cuando, además, este se pone en riesgo según su transformación. Esta paradoja de corte escéptica nos sitúa en el tema de la investigación de esta tesis. Es decir, en cómo la autoficción se convertiría en una herramienta más allá de la construcción del yo, a través de la ficcionalización de este, para devenir una teoría aplicada a la construcción de mundos posibles. Entonces, la importancia de este estudio residiría en poner sobre la mesa la estrecha relación de la ficción del mundo y la ficción del yo. Por un lado, nos dirigiremos a trazar la ficción del mundo desde la problemática que plantea la teoría de los mundos posibles. Por otro, avanzaríamos desde un conocimiento situado y una epistemología radical hacia el fenómeno de la autoficción como lugar de proyección de los mundos posibles. De este modo, entrecruzaremos la narración del mundo desde sus orígenes como mito a su fundamento como historia y su construcción especulativa como worlding o cosmopolítica en las postrimerías del siglo XX y nacimiento del siglo XXI, y las escrituras del yo, atravesando la autobiografía o los relatos autorreflexivos hasta arribar a la autoficción. Para fundamentar nuestra tesis aplicaremos la teoría ficción política, o la ficción como teoría y praxis política, como argamasa que aúna ambas ficciones: mundo y yo. Así, plantearemos una teoría ficción política que desnuda los constructos enunciativos, institucionales, sociales y políticos en los que se construye el mundo, así como sus consecuencias. Pero, también, cómo la autoproducción del yo en la autoficción avistaría nuevos horizontes en los mundos por venir. Por último, para justificar nuestra propuesta tomaremos una serie de casos de las artes visuales, sitos en la última década, en los que nos emplearemos a fondo por demostrar cómo la autoficción construye mundos posibles basados en las narraciones especulativas y la reparación del pasado.[CA] L'autoficció troba el seu origen en les pràctiques d'aquells que no poden escriure la seua autobiografia, com així explicara Serge Doubrovsky qui va encunyar el terme en 1977 en la seua obra Fils. Aleshores, podríem dir que s'alçaria com l'esperó perfecte per a les minories revolucionàries. El seu potencial resideix en cóm en ella conviuen estratègicament realitat i ficció, teoria i experiència, jo i nosaltres sota un profund caràcter esvarós. Marcada per un cert interès en l'híbrid, en la dificultat terminològica i la construcció oximorónic generaria un nou camp de coneixement. Però, com aprofundirem en aquesta tesi, més enllà d'una experiència en aparença solipsista és capaç d'esdevenir una realitat compartida i, així, construir el que denominarem mons possibles. A través de la tradició del pensament especulatiu fecund en les narracions especulatives i la filosofia constructivista ens aproximarem a la teoria ficció com una metodologia política en la qual fonamentar transformacions en l'àmbit social.
El pensament explora més enllà de les idees sobre el món construint les seues bogues, dibuixant la seua orografia i perfilant les seues criatures. Però totes elles depassen la imaginació per a alimentar la nostra existència mundana. De fet, el que semblara una experiència exclusivament íntima del jo, un ensomni d'un subjecte solitari, esdevé món i amb ell les estructures de vida amb les quals habitar la nostra existència. I, no obstant això, la imaginació naix de la fecunda especulació del pensament d'un mateix. Llavors ens preguntaríem si potser podem compartir amb els altres un món que s'origina en el pensament d'un subjecte quan, a més, aquest es posa en risc segons la seua transformació. Aquesta paradoxa de cort escèptica ens situa en el tema de la investigació d'aquesta tesi. És a dir, en com l'autoficció es convertiria en una eina més enllà de la construcció del jo, a través de la ficcionalització d'aquest, per a esdevenir una teoria aplicada a la construcció de mons possibles. Llavors, la importància d'aquest estudi residiria a posar sobre la taula l'estreta relació de la ficció del món i la ficció del jo. D'una banda, ens dirigirem a traçar la ficció del món des de la problemàtica que planteja la teoria dels mons possibles. D'altra, ens dirigirem a traçar la ficció del món des de la problemàtica que planteja la teoria dels mons posibles. Avançaríem des d'un coneixement situat i una epistemologia radical cap al fenomen de l'autoficció com a lloc de projecció dels mons possibles. D'aquesta manera, entrecreuarem la narració del món des dels seus orígens com a mite al seu fonament com a història i la seua construcció especulativa com worlding o cosmopolítica en les acaballes del segle XX i naixement del segle XXI, i les escriptures del jo, travessant l'autobiografia o els relats autorreflexius fins a arribar a l'autoficció. Per a fonamentar la nostra tesi aplicarem la teoria ficció política, o la ficció com a teoria i praxi política, com a argamassa que conjumina totes dues ficcions: món i jo. Així, plantejarem una teoria ficció política que despulla els constructes enunciatius, institucionals, socials i polítics en els quals es construeix el món, així com les seues conseqüències. Però, també, com l'autoproducció del jo en l'autoficció albiraria nous horitzons en els mons per vindre. Finalment, per a justificar la nostra proposta prendrem una sèrie de casos de les arts visuals, situats en l'última dècada, en els quals ens ocuparem a fons per demostrar com l'autoficció construeix mons possibles basats en les narracions especulatives i la reparació del passat.[EN] The origins of autofiction can be traced back to the practices of writers unable to write their autobiography, as explained by Serge Doubrovsky who coined the term in 1977 in his book Fils. As such, it could be advocated as the perfect lever for revolutionary minorities. Its potential lies in how it strategically opens room for the coexistence of reality and fiction, theory and experience, I and we, with a profoundly slippery quality. Coloured to some extent by its hybridity, terminological undecidedness and oxymoronic construction, autofiction would give rise to a new field of learning. But, as we shall see in this thesis, more than an apparently solipsistic experience, it can become a shared reality and, in consequence, used to build what we could call possible worlds. Through the tradition of fertile thinking in speculative narrative and constructivist philosophy, we shall approach fiction theory as a political methodology to predicate transformations in the social sphere.
The mind explores beyond its ideas on the world, and in fact constructs its boundaries, draws its orography and outlines its creatures. But all of them escape the confines of the imagination and sustain our worldly existence. Indeed, what might seem like an exclusively intimate experience of the self, the fantasy of a solitary subject, becomes a world and, with it, the existential structures within which our lives are played out. And, nevertheless, the imagination is born from the fertile speculation of thinking oneself. Then, one wonders whether we could share with others a world that is born in the mind of a subject when, in addition, it puts itself at risk contingent upon its transformation. This sceptical paradox situates us in this thesis's focus of research. In other words, in how autofiction becomes a tool beyond the construction of the self, through its fictionalization, to become a theory applied to the construction of possible worlds. Accordingly, the importance of this study lies in how it lays bare the intricate relationship between fiction of the world and fiction of the self. On one hand, we aim to describe the fiction of the world from the problem posed by the theory of possible worlds. On the other, we will advance from situated knowledge and radical epistemology towards the phenomenon of autofiction as a place from which to project possible worlds. In this way, we will look at the narration of the world from its origins as myth to its foundations as history and its speculative construction as worlding or global politics in the late-twentieth and early-twenty first century, and intertwine it with writings of the self, cutting across autobiography or autoreflexive stories until arriving at autofiction. In arguing our thesis, we shall apply political fiction theory, or fiction as theory and political praxis, as the glue that binds both fictions: world and self. In consequence, we shall present a political fiction theory that lays bare the expository, institutional, social and political constructs on which the world is built, as well as their consequences. Likewise, we shall also evince how the autoproduction of the self in autofiction can afford glimpses of new horizons in future worlds. Finally, to substantiate our premise, we shall look at a number of cases in the visual arts over the last ten years of so in which we will strive to demonstrate how autofiction builds possible worlds based on speculative narratives and a reparation of the past.Moreno Caplliure, J. (2022). La autoficcion como construcción de mundos posibles en las artes visuales del siglo XXI [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/181651TESI
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