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Publications

Publications by CITE

2018

Innovating in the fashion industry for a more sustainable production and consumption

Authors
Da Costa, AG; Soares, IM; Pinto, BF; Au Yong Oliveira, M; Szczygiel, N;

Publication
Proceedings of the European Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, ECIE

Abstract
The fashion industry is nowadays characterized by an accelerated rhythm of production and high materialism, which stimulates consumer needs, clearly creating excessive consumption. Textile products, or clothes, tend to have a very short life span, which leads to a lot of waste along different dimensions. For this reason, it is necessary to innovate and question the way we think about fashion. The main objective of this study was to understand how the fashion industry might be restructured so as to guarantee production and consumption patterns which would not have such a negative environmental impact. To this end, the current characteristics of the textile and clothing industry were analysed together with the content of the selected YouTube channels focused on the slow fashion concept. The proposed solutions seem relevant for the environment, promoting recycling and the reuse of items, as well as affecting transport and the education of the consumer. Factories to transform clothing for reutilization need to be built, more shops selling second-hand clothing need to be opened, and packaging needs to be more ecological. Consumers need to be geared towards using second-hand clothes and need more education and awareness in this direction. Slow fashion is a new concept, which we would like to see introduced as opposed to fast fashion proving that it is possible to innovate in our production and consumption patterns, while aiming for profit in a more balanced way and while respecting employees, society and the environment. Slow fashion emphasizes quality and not quantity, while also slowing down production and purchasing habits.

2018

Intelligent Mushroom Harvest Prediction System Proposal

Authors
Costa, J; Branco, F; Martins, J; Moreira, F; Au Yong Oliveira, M; Perez Cota, M; Castro, MRG; Rodriguez, MD;

Publication
2018 13TH IBERIAN CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES (CISTI)

Abstract
Organizations of the agro-industrial sector, are now increasingly investing in the development of technological systems that allow the computerization of all its processes. Recently the methods and techniques of computer vision have been widely used for monitoring and inspection during the production and harvesting, allowing detect problems early and thus, improve the quality of products. In the field of mushroom production one of the most important aspects, and perhaps most prevalent, is to be able to predict its production. To this end it is proposed an Intelligent System Mushroom Harvest Forecast (SIPCC), based on techniques and methods of computer vision and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). This paper presents an architecture of a SIPCC functional and technical level, complemented with the analysis and presentation of data demonstrating its viability.

2018

L'Oréal and its innovative differentiated positioning process in the beauty industry

Authors
Santos, R; Au Yong Oliveira, M; Branco, F;

Publication
Proceedings of the European Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, ECIE

Abstract
In an increasingly globalized world, companies face the challenge of expanding into foreign markets. In the internationalization process there are cultural, governmental, geographic and economic issues that can affect the success of the company in its implementation process overseas. Marketing strategies and the standardization or adaptation levels of each element of the marketing mix can be seen as critical success factors that directly affect business success in the new market. Companies must decide between adapting their marketing strategy to local markets or rather standardizing them globally. Some companies use as a competitive advantage the adaptation of their strategy (partially or totally) through knowledge of the culture of the country to which they are internationalized. Adaptation has been the key to success for a number of brands, and L'Oréal is one of them. This study intends to focus on the internationalization strategy and knowledge of the culture of the countries to which they are internationalized, applied to cultural differences. It also aims to highlight the importance of product innovation in consumer markets at present, and to analyse beauty satisfaction and tendencies amongst millennials.

2018

Research on innovation processes at a firm located in a country averse to uncertainty

Authors
Ribeiro, MMLBB; Au Yong Oliveira, M; Lima, F; Afonso, R;

Publication
Proceedings of the European Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, ECIE

Abstract
Innovation is increasingly more relevant to researchers. Following a literature review, which revealed that research on innovation processes in a country averse to uncertainty (e.g. Portugal), and thus inhibiting of innovation, is still lacking, a focus group was performed at a product development firm, as well as a survey of the firm's employees, with 48 valid answers. The case is of a firm which develops innovative products and services for the telecommunications and information technology market. The firm is situated in central Portugal and the focus group involved six employees - one from each operational department (pre-sales), plus two employees from sales. How innovation is managed at the firm was a main topic of discussion in the focus group. The results revealed a corporate culture focused on teamwork, where employees are free to innovate in areas not directly linked to their job description, and where innovative ideas, however disruptive, are welcomed. No formal or informal recognition is given, to more innovative employees, and there is a desire by employees to change this. At a firm where product innovation older than 24 months may no longer be seen to be innovation, numerous tools to promote innovation are used, namely: brainstorming, scrum, agile, focus groups, and design thinking. Operating in a business-to-business market, innovation is continuous and open, also involving, for example, universities. Business cases are constructed for each product, customers are surveyed for their satisfaction, all ideas are valued and none are rejected. Despite an innovation-welcoming atmosphere at the firm tact and common sense are still needed to communicate new ideas. External competition by rivals is considered at all times. Internal competition, between colleagues, however, is not seen to be healthy, and work is done towards the common good. Knowledge sharing platforms abound and include internal blogs, workshops, and the registering of projects on specific knowledge-sharing platforms. Finally, product pricing will depend on a number of factors, including the degree of innovativeness of the product in question. The main influence on pricing is, however, the market - an extreme effort must be made to make product prices fit in with what the market is prepared to pay for a technology.

2018

Reshaping society with open innovation - The seeding of a new open and innovative mindset

Authors
Au Yong Oliveira, M; Almeida, M; Mendes, F; Van Geenhuizen, M;

Publication
Proceedings of the European Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, ECIE

Abstract
This article is a description of a growing community and movement taking place in Portugal related to open innovation. The testimonies of two principal promoters as well as the views of two career academics were gathered. Herein, the process is described whereby real corporate problems felt in industry and requiring a solution are brought for discussion and resolution by a community of motivated problem-solvers, who were carefully chosen for their skills and capabilities. Can this initiative become a mass phenomenon and can it be built up to attract [paying and sponsoring] corporations across Europe and from different continents? How can the events evolve to become mainstream? What capabilities and promotion are necessary forthat to occur? The promoters involved are entrepreneurs located in central Portugal and are seen to be forward-thinkers disrupting how innovation is seen and approached. In a society geared towards services and tourism the team is seeking to bring open innovation to the fore in a country also considered to be very creative and not lacking in creative talent - but which on the other hand is very traditional, collectivist, hierarchical, consensus-seeking, and where innovation may be resisted and change viewed with suspicion. In a 72-hour time frame where problem-solving participants are invited and gathered at a physical venue individuals surpass themselves and experience team work in a setting where all logistics issues are previously carefully thought out and taken care of - so as to provide for the best problem-solving environment possible. The open innovation initiatives (called Hackathons) involve the following: defining the challenges (we want challenges that define goals and purposes but that are open enough to let the team build something creative), defining the fit (each candidate can apply as a team or individually; candidates select their preferred area); building teams (the candidates are free to change teams and can even propose their own challenges; we encourage communication between the team elements and also the mentors). A three-day Hackathon involves: creating a team spirit; constant feedback; building an MVP (Minimum Viable Product); learning new things; sharing is caring.

2018

Service innovation implications: The importance of business alignment by employees

Authors
Lima, IC; Au Yong Oliveira, M; Madaleno, M;

Publication
Proceedings of the European Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, ECIE

Abstract
The market's evolution and ever-increasing competitiveness forces organizations to find new ways to reinvent themselves. According to the principles of the Service Dominant (SD) Logic, it is argued that Service Innovation depends on the participation of all the direct actors in any given organization, focusing on its employees as key elements for delivering the brand promise made to the consumer, regardless of any eventual direct contact between them. The success of organizations relies on their growth capability and, for this reason, the measurement of investments is fundamental to the business strategy. Thus, the tangibility of the Internal Brand Management (IBM) is essential in management decisions, only possible through the construction of Key Performance Indicators (KPI). Given the intangibility inherent to the processes of brand building, brand promise delivery and service co-creation, which are directly dependent on the definition of the business strategy, the present article proposes a method to create KPIs with the aim of understanding the alignment of employees in relation to the business strategy. Based on a literature review, which corroborates the relevance of the theme, a case study is presented on a multinational Business-to-Business (B2B) organization. Using a mixed methodology, the research is divided into two moments: 1) A qualitative analysis which a) Identifies the strategic categories of the organization being studied, b) Evaluates the focus given to those main categories through the most important internal brand dissemination documents and c) Organizes the Employee Satisfaction Questionnaire based on those same categories; 2) A quantitative analysis to evaluate the results of the alignment of the Employee Satisfaction Questionnaires' answers with those strategic categories previously referred to for the period 2011 to 2017. Therefore, it is suggested that all organizations have tangible information that allows the identification of KPIs to serve IBM. However, traditionally, there is no objective systematization of these indicators, which could lead to the measurement of the employees' alignment under this perspective.

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