Abstract
Very few quantitative studies assess the impact of IPR protection mechanisms on the competitiveness of companies, particularly those whose creation and existence is often attributed to high technology/knowledge intensity. The present study aims to fill this gap. Through a direct survey targeting startups located in S&T parks and incubators, we assess the direct and indirect impact of IPR protection mechanisms. Logistics estimations based on a sample of 48 Portuguese companies suggest that, considered globally, formal IPR protection is detrimental to the companies' competitiveness. Notwithstanding, when IPR protection mechanisms are discriminated by type, the results indicate that the use of informal protection mechanisms, such as lead time and trade secrets, fosters the companies'competitiveness, whereas the use of formal protection mechanisms, in particular, patents, trademarks and geographical indications, negatively impacts on competitiveness. The size and innovation profile of the company intermediates the influence of IPR protection on its competitiveness. (C) 2018 Journal of Innovation & Knowledge. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U.

Abstract
The present study focuses on the estimation of the human capital stock for the Cape Verdean economy in the period 1950-2012. Adapting the methodology proposed by Barro and Lee, based on past schooling values, we found that between 1950 and 2012 the Cape Verdean working-age population showed a gradual improvement in the levels of schooling, rising from 0.7 years of schooling in the 1950s to 5.4 in late 2012. Thus, in each year, the average years of schooling increased only 0.08 years, meaning that, in net terms and on average, only 7.6 per cent of the working-age population was attending some level of formal education. The availability of a time series of number of average schooling years in Cape Verde opens up possibilities for assessing the impact of human capital on the country's economic development.

Abstract
Traditional e-Commerce platforms tend to mimic existing physical store processes in which customers are given the opportunity to purchase only the available products without any type of personal customization or even without the possibility of being allowed to present a desired product/service to which the market might be able to respond. With this in mind, a prototype for an electronic negotiation platform directed at the tourism sector has been developed and focused on Douro Valley tourism operators, products and services. In our opinion this prototype might help to develop new business models drawn from the customers' willingness to have a personal tourism experience and not just something off the shelf.

Abstract
As higher education evolves into a multifaceted and complex activity, the incorporation of education management information systems (EMIS) that allows for the production of relevant, organized and structured information, becomes a necessity for both institutions and students. Despite the recognition of this requirement, existing literature does not focus on how EMIS might trigger students' success. With this in mind, an initial proposal of a multi-perspective EMIS success model is presented and a validation on the possible existence of linear correlations between the model contexts is described. Moderate correlations have been detected between the majority of the model contexts and a very strong correlation has been detected between students' satisfaction and the arise of net benefits associated with the use of EMIS.

Abstract
We have sought to understand the current state of the art on smart tourism and on smart cities. Furthermore, we have sought to understand community awareness and the will to embrace innovation, as they are decisive factors to acquire base knowledge and overcome barriers in (soon to be) overpopulated cities and for those who are looking for a limited time culture experience - known as tourists. We live in an age where technology is increasingly present in our lives and provides us solutions to societal problems. Problems such as traffic, infrastructure and natural resources management, or even increasing citizens’ participation in governance, bringing them closer to decision-making. The objective is to understand the current level of people’s knowledge about the impact that technologies have on the society in which we live and their perception of the usefulness in solving these same problems. Therefore, an anonymous questionnaire was carried out (176 valid answers were received), as well as a focus group with two experts on the Smart Cities subject. What future is brought by those who live and breathe technology? Are people willing to accept a paradigm shift?. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.

Abstract
Collecting, storing, integrating and transforming data, together with the problem of security and privacy, are topics that present great challenges for society. The needs of the industry in general and agri-food in particular in the mushroom production sector, due to their specificities, requires the adoption of emerging technologies to make them more productive and more competitive in this global market. In this type of industry it is important, and essential, the control of the environmental variables of the production areas and the way they are presented, because the information associated with these variables would provide an important complement to the established production control system. In this paper we propose a conceptual approach for an extension to a mushroom farm distributed process control system with IoT and blockchain integration that not only allows to collect distributed data on the environmental indicators inherent to the mushrooms production, but also complement the already existent production control system, which is extremely important for the overall success of the farm management information system used by the group managers. © 2019, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.