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Publications

Publications by Manuel Au-Yong Oliveira

2012

Accessibility levels of Portuguese enterprise websites: equal opportunities for all?

Authors
Goncalves, R; Martins, J; Pereira, J; Oliveira, MAY; Pinto Ferreira, JJP;

Publication
BEHAVIOUR & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Abstract
Web accessibility is growing in importance. We may also find an increasing need for access to web resources by those with some sort of disability. The Web is very important for spreading information and for promoting interaction between the various elements in society. Given this, it is essential that the Web presents itself as a totally accessible resource, so that it can help citizens with disabilities and their integration in society. This obligation should be even greater for enterprises as primarily the Web is used as a marketing and business platform. With this document, we present indicators regarding the [lack of] accessibility levels of Portuguese enterprise websites. This article contains theoretical and background considerations as well as the results of two different studies that the research team undertook. First of all, the research team made a comparison between the 1000 largest Portuguese enterprises (annual sales volume) and the 1000 best Portuguese small and medium enterprises (sales growth and profit) using a specialised software tool and according to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 1.0; the research team then also considered WCAG 2.0 and its impact on enterprise Web accessibility. In the second study (qualitative in nature), focus group interactions led to a set of recommendations towards greater accessibility.

2010

STRATEGIC CHANGE COMMUNICATION USING A NOVEL BUSINESS NARRATIVE MODELLING LANGUAGE

Authors
Oliveira, MAY; Pinto Fereira, JJP;

Publication
3RD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION (ICERI2010)

Abstract
This conceptual paper is developed in the realm of strategic change communication. The purpose of this paper is to present our Business Narrative Modelling Language (BNML) (Oliveira and Ferreira, 2010a) as a tool for facilitating change. We illustrate how BNML has been used in real life cases to discuss strategy. Following data collection using a qualitative methodology and an analysis of the "As-Is" situation we proceed to construct a representation of the future desired ("To-Be") situation, in both situations using BNML. We start by defining the organizational actors relevant to value creation, we then map out their interactions in the organizational context, and study how relevant deliverables are exchanged, both tangible and intangible, along various storylines, one per actor. The social interaction leading to value creation happens according to a pattern sequence (using patterns taken from Bjork and Holopainen, 2005, which are intuitively comprehensible) and is instantiated according to an Enterprise Ontology (Uschold et al., 1998) (Oliveira and Ferreira, 2010a, b). By combining various sensemaking strategies such as the narrative, visual mapping and quantification our BNML scores high on accuracy, simplicity and generality (Langley, 1999) thus providing an attractive alternative to other techniques available to researchers and consultants and used to "connect and organize dispersed organizational knowledge" (Huff and Jenkins, 2002, p. 14).

2008

Innovation and entrepreneurship: What professors from leading universities say?

Authors
Oliveira, M; Pinto Ferreira, JJ; Barandas, H;

Publication
INNOVATION IN MANUFACTURING NETWORKS

Abstract
As innovation is essential for the competitiveness of enterprises and economic development there is a question which has been raised with some insistence: Do teaching practices make a difference to innovation and entrepreneurship in the work place? Experts were contacted for their views. They say yes, as long as the teaching method is adequate. So, in the USA, a naturally innovative society, a new concept of integrated teaching was developed - "hands-on" to increase innovation ever more in North America. This concept proved also to be successful in a non-innovative society as is demonstrated by the case of MIETE (a partnership between FEUP and FEP, University of Porto) in Portugal.

2012

SPIN-UP - Creating an Entrepreneurship Coaching and Training Program for University Spin-Offs

Authors
Oliveira, M; Ferreira, J; Xavier, A; de Sousa, J; Meireles, G; Sousa, M; Tzmrielak, D; Tomperi, S; Salmi, P; Torkkeli, M; Tolsma, A; Ye, Q; van Geenhuizen, M;

Publication
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 7TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP, VOLS 1 AND 2

Abstract
This SPIN-UP project has been funded with support from the European Commission and is a study involving research performed in 4 countries: Finland, the Netherlands, Poland, and Portugal. The SPIN-UP research question is: What sort of entrepreneurship training and coaching program will contribute to the development of key entrepreneurial skills, both technical and behavioural, essential to enable and leverage university spin-off (USO) growth? The aim of the SPIN-UP study was to picture key entrepreneurial skills and their contribution to the performance of university spin-off firms, as well as missing skills, in order to develop an effective training and coaching program. USO, entrepreneurial firms that bring university knowledge to market, do not traditionally grow very much and we sought to contribute to a countering of this trend. To avoid a large differentiation in firm age, firm age limits were set at 2 years (lower limit) and 10 years (higher limit). 10 years was however used flexibly, particularly in those sectors where development and bringing products to market goes relatively slowly, like in the medical life sciences and material (nano) science (15 years used as the maximum in these cases). The research to date has involved a total of 64 interviews and questionnaires in the four countries mentioned above. The preliminary comparative analysis revealed that the four countries studied show somewhat different skill sets, meaning that we may still be in a World where differences still matter (Ghemawat, 2007). For example, spinoffs in Finland tend to be strong in skills dealing with intellectual property, which is the opposite of Poland, the Netherlands and Portugal. Portugal on the other hand appears to be quite strong in operations management skills as compared to the rest of the sample. The skill set of the Netherlands emphasized strength in skills related to the building of social and business networks, a theme which is very in vogue in the current business and management literature. However, spinoffs in the four countries did show some similarities, tending all to be strong in innovation skills. As concerns future training for USO our research indicates that this should focus on: gaining financial capital, internationalization and sales (top 3 missing skills hampering growth). More practical "hands-on" type entrepreneurship training, such as that using role-playing enriched by the sharing of entrepreneurial participant experiences, may be seen as being appropriate for USO. Work by Ghemawat (2001) (CAGE Model for internationalization) and Cialdini (2007) (principles of persuasion to be used in sales) may serve as a theoretical basis for such training.

2011

Business Model Generation: A handbook for visionaries, game changers and challengers

Authors
Oliveira, MAY; Pinto Ferreira, JJP;

Publication
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Abstract

2011

Facilitating qualitative research in business studies: Using the business narrative to model value creation

Authors
Oliveira, MAY; Pinto Ferreira, JJP;

Publication
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Abstract
This is a conceptual paper supported by empirical research giving details of a new Business Narrative Modelling Language (BNML). The need for BNML arose given a growing dissatisfaction with qualitative research approaches and also due to the need to bring entrepreneurs, especially those with little training in management theory, closer to the academic (as well as practitioner) discussion of innovation and strategy for value creation. We aim primarily for an improved communication process of events which can be described using the narrative, in the discussion of the value creation process. Our findings, illustrated through a case study, should be of interest to both researchers and practitioners alike.

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