Manuel Meireles

Bibliometric indicators in the context of regional repositories: proposing the D-index

In collaboration with the managers of a university, we have conducted an action research to gauge the adequacy of texts written by researchers in the doctoral programs of the institution as the input (content) for the university’s distance learning program. For the analyses, bibliometric data were collected regarding the articles in question from the regional SciELO repository. This repository was chosen because the articles are mostly published in Portuguese, which is in the domain of the target readership of the distance learning project. It was observed that there was a need for an indicator that related the number of downloads of an article to the total number of downloads of the journal in which it was published. Thus, we propose the D-index, defined as the number of papers with download number ≥d, as a useful index for characterizing the academic popularity (hits) of a journal. The first applications of the D-index in terms of professional practice were positive, given its usefulness and practicality. The D-index aids the analysis of the download of an article, which is a fundamental event for subsequent reading, internalization and learning. An analysis of this set of actions is essential to the context of regional repositories, as their mission also includes the dissemination of information to aid the learning and education of their readers.

Information selection by managers: priorities and values attributed to the dimensions of information

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to understand the values perceived and the priorities attributed by the managers to four dimensions of information quality associated with meta-information commonly used in the initial selection (scanning) of content by managers: source credibility, comprehensiveness, timeliness, and confidentiality. Design/methodology/approach – The study involved conducting simulations of information selection for decision making with 124 professionals from 11 different companies. The results were analysed with content analysis techniques, nonparametric statistics, and cluster analysis. Findings – Three levels of priority were found in the managers’ information selection process: the credibility and timeliness dimensions were the most highly prioritised, the comprehensiveness dimension was the least prioritised, and the confidentiality dimension occupied an intermediate position. The preferences of the managers are for current information and a well-known source with respect to the ...

STRATEGY AS PRACTICE: A DISCUSSION OF THE EPISTEMOLOGICAL APPROPRIATION OF HISTORICAL-CULTURAL ACTIVITY THEORY BY THE ACTIVITY-BASED VIEW

As an approach in development, Strategy as Practice appropriates other theories with ontological and epistemological assumptions that converge for the construction of their analytical body. Therefore, in this discipline, the assumptions of the Structurationist and Historical-Cultural Activity Theory are to be found as grounded frameworks. This theoretical essay puts forward an argument concerning the appropriation of the Historical-Cultural Activity Theory by the Activity-Based View that figures as one of the analytical epistemological structures of Strategy as Practice. The analytical procedure is guided by the central aim of stimulating the debate about the ontological and epistemological assumptions of assimilation between one theory and the other added goal to dismantle an argument concerning the Ontology of Strategic Practice. The results of the analytical argument reveal that there is adequate ontological and epistemological coherence in the incorporation of the Historical-Cultural Activity Theory by the Activity-Based View.

Framework for the generic process of diagnosis in quality problem solving

This study looks at the problem of determining root causes, presenting an artefact (Causal Determinant) composed of procedures and coded algorithms in software for the purpose of identifying the potentially most relevant cause for a given effect. The design science research approach was used to develop, test and prove the utility of the Causal Determinant artefact. A total of 95 cases were studied at 32 small, medium-sized and large companies. An analysis of the perception of these users showed the easy operation and the effectiveness of the Causal Determinant artefact for selecting a root cause easily and coherently within a set of probable causes of the effect in question. The difficulty in finding the root cause of a problem is one of the most important aspects in the field of total quality management (TQM). A technique that can determine root cause with logical security and at low cost is surely welcome. This paper contributes with a conceptual framework for the generic process of diagnosis in quality problem solving. Large, medium-sized and small industries can apply the proposed method as a system of TQM to determine the root cause of a problem. The output of the method also provides a ratio of importance for each causal factor. This article presents a possible and practical solution for situations faced by organisations in the field of TQM.

Arranjo produtivo local ou aglomerado de empresas? Distinção por atributos associados à temática transferência de informação

To analyze and to classify local productive settlements with concentration of activities there are some indicators, even so most of them works with the analysis of the operational dimension with base in attributes associated to the productive activities. This research proposes and discusses a new dimension for analysis, distinction and classification of these local productive settlements: the learning. The learning has as analysis attribute-key the events for transfer of information and knowledge. The tests made use of data of six clusters. Starting from the suitable attribute associated to the dimension learning, it is gotten to develop other indicators for analyses of clusters. This way the measurement and characterization of the clusters are more integrate and complete.

Proposal of indicators for the structural analysis of scientific articles

This study aims to identify variables and indicators that substantiate the development of rules that focus on the structural analysis of scientific articles. Variables and indicators for structural analysis are derived from hypotheses deduced from editorials in important scientific journals. To exemplify and test the indicators, a structural analysis was conducted of 108 scientific articles published in important journals in the field of Management. The hypotheses were mostly tested in accordance with the idea of estimation statistics. The approach that was developed for the structural analysis of the network of texts innovates by employing network analysis indicators (indegree and outdegree). For this purpose, the text matrix is employed through the identification and encoding of cross-references between sections and subsections of each article under study. For the context in question, the field of Management, twelve rules were developed. The interpretations of the possible values for the indicators, expressed in the form of rules, are applied as directives to less experienced scholars in preparing their scientific articles, and for the generation of information to support activities concerning the classification and analysis of scientific articles.

A PESQUISA DESIGN SCIENCE NO BRASIL SEGUNDO AS PUBLICAÇÕES EM ADMINISTRAÇÃO DA INFORMAÇÃO

Este artigo realiza uma revisao da literatura das pesquisas publicadas pela academia brasileira de administracao da informacao com o objetivo de analisar o quanto se aplica e como se pratica os principios da pesquisa design science (DS). A amostra da pesquisa foi extraida de 257 artigos publicados por esta area, nos anais do EnANPAD, no periodo 2008-2012. Observou-se o interesse manifesto dos pesquisadores pela DS, considerando que ha publicacoes referentes ao desenvolvimento de novos artefatos. Estas pesquisas, porem, nao observaram aspectos centrais da DS, como: associacao do artefato a problemas do ambiente de negocios e evidenciacao da utilidade do artefato por meio de testes com variaveis associadas ao problema.

Processo de gestão da informação em localidade com concentração de atividades da cadeia produtiva: extrapolando benefícios para o contexto do órgão gestor

This article analysis the information quality dimensions as value justification for information transfer second the perception of the business owners of six business clusters. The objective is to discover the dimensions associated to the information management with potential for the distinction and classification of business clusters and events of information transfer. The research operated on six business clusters at six different business segments and for each one of these it was selected and interviewed six business owners. Two statistical techniques were used for the tests of the hypotheses: the index of Nihans and analysis of conglomerate. It was observed that, independent of the level of maturity of cluster, there is no significant difference in the incidence of information transfer events justified through dimensions of information quality, but there is significant difference with relationship to the amount of information quality dimensions mentioned by the business owners. It can be said that as more as developed the business cluster, larger it is the amount of information quality dimensions mentioned by business owner as value justification of the information transfer event. It was still identified the possibility of distinction and classification of information transfer events through the information quality dimensions mentioned by the business owners.

Melhoria da qualidade da informação organizacional pela agregação de resumo: análise de softwares geradores de resumo

A concisao e caracteristica central da informacao de qualidade, sendo o resumo o principal recurso para sua atribuicao a informacao organizacional. O resumo proporciona aos pesquisadores rapida compreensao da informacao, melhora os niveis de acesso e utilizacao dos acervos de informacoes corporativas. A pesquisa avaliou a capacidade de softwares para geracao automatica de resumos ( softwares resumidores ) em selecionar as unidades de texto que expressem as ideias centrais em informacoes textuais extensas. Geraram-se, a partir desses, resumos para um artigo amplamente conhecido; estes, em conjunto com o resumo original do autor, foram avaliados por 20 pesquisadores, profundos conhecedores do texto. Observou-se que o autor humano apresenta qualidade superior, porem o nivel de qualidade dos resumos gerados pelas novas geracoes de softwares summarizers permite considera-los como ferramentas importantes aos centros de informacoes organizacionais que necessitam agregar valor as suas colecoes de informacoes. Palavras-chave : Qualidade da informacao. Resumo. Summarizer. Informacao. Informacao corporativa. Improvement of Organizational Quality Information by Aggregation of Summaries Created by Summarizers Softwares Abstract The concision is the central characteristic of the quality information, being the summary the main resource for the organizational information attribution. The summary provides to the researchers fast understanding of the information, improves the access and use levels of corporative information heap. The research evaluated the softwares capacity for automatic generation of summaries (summarizers) in selecting the units of text that express the central ideas in extensive textual information. It was generated, from this software, one abstract for a widely known paper; these, in set with the original abstract of the author, had been evaluated by twenty researchers, all deep text experts. It was observed that the human author presents superior quality, however the quality level of abstracts generated for the new generations of softwares summarizers allows considering them as important tool to the organizational information centers that need to add value to its information collections. Keywords : Quality of information. Summary. Summarizer. Information. Corporative information.

TODA: Software for Multiple-Criteria Decisions

This paper describes the use and application of the TODA (Trade-off Decision Analysis) method through a case study. The method uses the concept of trade-off applied to a prioritization matrix and, to define the weights, it takes the concept of causality into account. Studies have shown that the TODA achieves the same results as the competing AHP method. However, it is easier to operate. The methodology used is a case study concerning the choice of the type of car for a fleet of vehicles to be driven by salespeople. Together with the software application process, the methods that aided the weighting of the criteria are described and how the values of the alternatives are converted into coefficients of the objective function. The results clearly show that the method is easily applied, but the limitations of the case study method preclude forming generalizations.