Center of Organizational and Social Studies of Polytechnic of Porto

Funder

Organizational Unit

Publications

Design de uma framework digital de incubação de empresas: promover o empreendedorismo, o crescimento de negócios e as conexões academia-indústria

Publication . Vaz, R.; Vidal De Carvalho, Joao; Teixeira, Sandrina

Os papéis e os impactos positivos que as incubadoras de empresas assumem na promoção do empreendedorismo e da inovação em múltiplas indústrias, incluindo as virtuais, e as suas consequentes contribuições para a promoção do crescimento económico sustentável e do desenvolvimento social, têm sido altamente salientados na literatura. No entanto, vários autores sublinham a necessidade premente de desenvolver a investigação relacionada com os modelos de funcionamento destas estruturas e envolver os utilizadores finais ao longo do processo, uma vez que o conhecimento relacionado com este fenómeno permanece escasso. Esta investigação incide na terceira fase do projeto de investigação da Incubadora Digital do CEOS.PP, desenvolvido segundo os princípios da metodologia de design science. Em última análise, este trabalho contribui para a área científica assinalada, propondo uma nova framework de criação e gestão de incubadoras digitais de empresas, com aplicabilidade prática imediata. Esta framework foi cocriada e validada com gestores de incubadoras e fundadores de startups de múltiplos centros de incubação de empresas durante sessões de focus group, estruturando-se em 8 dimensões consideradas fundamentais para futuros programas de incubação digital. Além disso, este estudo oferece recomendações baseadas na experiência diária dos participantes para apoiar académicos, investigadores, gestores de organizações e outros profissionais interessados em construir e gerir incubadoras de empresas em ambientes virtuais. Os principais pontos fortes e fracos da framework proposta são também destacados, discutindo-se, por fim, diversas recomendações para superar etapas identificadas previamente como críticas durante o processo da sua implementação.

2023Book part

Open access

Understanding the Impact of Online Communication Strategies on Consumer Purchase Intention for Green Cosmetics

Publication . Teixeira, Sara; Oliveira, Zaila; Teixeira, Sandrina; Teixeira, Sara

ncreased environmental awareness has increased the demand for green products, mainly cosmetics. This fact challenges companies to adapt to changes and consider environmental problems in their communication strategies to offer products that meet current trends in the consumer market. This implies the need to understand the antecedents of purchase intention better. This research was guided by the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) with the aim of understanding the impact of online communication strategies on consumer purchase intention of green cosmetics. Intention to purchase green cosmetics was measured, as were two of the main TPB constructs, specifically attitude and subjective norms. In addition, other variables were added to the study, such as electronic word of mouth (e-WOM), influencer marketing, and brand content. Data collected through an online survey (N = 151) were analysed using statistical techniques based on variance through partial least squares (PLS) using the SmartPLS3 v.3.3.9 software. The results show that the online communication strategies that impact the purchase intention of green cosmetics are e-WOM and brand content. In practice, the results obtained provide valuable information for professionals and academics, benefiting the perception of the factors that motivate the intention to purchase green cosmetics, contributing to the implementation of better online communication strategies.

2023-10-12Journal article

Open access

Creating homogeneous sectors: criteria and applications of sectorization

Publication . Lopes, Isabel Cristina; Lima, Maria Margarida; Ozturk, E. Goksu; Rodrigues, Ana Maria; Nunes, Ana Catarina; Oliveira, Cristina; Soeiro Ferreira, José; Rocha, Pedro

Sectorization is the process of grouping a set of previously defined basic units (points or small areas) into a fixed number of sectors. Sectorization is also known in the literature as districting or territory design, and is usually performed to optimize one or more criteria regarding the geographic characteristics of the territory and the planning purposes of sectors. The most common criteria are equilibrium, compactness and contiguity, which can be measured in many ways. Sectorization is similar to clustering but with a different motivation. Both aggregate smaller units into groups. But, while clustering strives for inner similarity of data, sectorization aims at outer homogeneity [1]. In clustering, groups should be very different from each other, and similar points are classified in the same cluster. In sectorization, groups should be very similar to each other, and therefore very different points can be grouped in the same sector. We classify sectorization problems into four types: basic sectorization, sectorization with service centers, resectorization, and dynamic sectorization. A Decision Support System for Sectorization, D3S, is being developed to deal with these four types of problems. Multi-objective genetic algorithms were implemented in D3S using Python, and a user-friendly web interface was developed using Django. Several applications can be solved with D3S, such as political districting, sales territory design, delivery service zones, and assignment of fire stations and health services to the population.

2022Conference object

Open access

Beneficiaries of Social Disability Pension in Small Municipalities in the Northern Region of Portugal: Application of Cluster Analysis in the Identification of Potential Causes

Publication . Torres, Cristina; Vieira, Isabel; Lopes, Isabel Cristina; Monteiro, Rui; Ferreira, Carla; Bem-Haja, Inês

This study is focused on the northern region of Portugal and addresses the number of road accidents with casualties and the number of beneficiaries of the social disability pension. Municipalities with low population density are mostly located in the hinterland. The phenomenon of population aging entails the problem of people who are unable to work and become beneficiaries of the social disability pension. The hierarchical clustering method applied in this paper characterizes 46 municipalities in northern Portugal with a population of less than 20,000 inhabitants – designated small – according to economic activity, rate of road accidents with casualties and disability pensioners. These municipalities were divided into two homogeneous groups or clusters. It was possible to identify that Cluster 1 comprises the innermost municipalities featuring few road accidents with casualties, not many disability pensioners, and a small number of companies compared to Cluster 2. This study can contribute to helping local governments’ decision-making process to improve the economic activity, reduce the region’s human desertification, and improve municipal road conditions.

2022-06-18Journal article

Restricted access

Comfortable but Not Brilliant: Exploring the Incubation Experience of Founders of Technology-Based Startups

Publication . Vaz, R.; Teixeira, Sandrina; Vidal De Carvalho, Joao

Business incubators have been highlighted as vital contributors and value-creation organizations to entrepreneurs during their venture developments by offering them multiple resources and specialized support. Notwithstanding, several authors call attention to the significant literature gap concerning research focusing on entrepreneurs’ daily lived incubation experiences to understand their perspectives on incubators. This study aims to explore which aspects are perceived as creating value or limiting the venture development of 16 founders of technology-based startups by interviewing them. Ultimately, it contributes valuable insights about incubation factors that enhance or hinder their overall incubation experience. It suggests that entrepreneurs consider intangible resources and social and relational aspects as the most enriching dimensions of their incubation experiences and concludes with the services they consider to be more important. Moreover, it also reveals negative aspects of the incubation experience, mostly related to the nonregular periodicity of mentoring sessions, training events provided by external entities, and issues while using services provided by external incubators’ partners. Several recommendations for enhancing the incubation experience, managerial implications, and opportunities for further research are discussed.

2022-11-29Journal article

Open access