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Abstract(s)
OBJETIVO: O principal objetivo da presente investigação é o desenvolvimento de um sistema multicritério de apoio à avaliação da transferência de conhecimento das Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) para a Sociedade. Tal sistema permitirá que as IES possam contribuir para ajustar a sua oferta às verdadeiras necessidades do mercado, bem como permitir aos seus gestores a adoção, caso-a-caso, de medidas estratégicas adequadas para que a transferência de conhecimento se concretize.
METODOLOGIA: Este estudo assume uma lógica construtivista, que permite a aprendizagem e a compreensão do problema de decisão pelos próprios decisores, através da constituição de um painel de especialistas em transferência de conhecimento. Em termos processuais, foram seguidas as três fases da análise multicritério de apoio à decisão, nomeadamente: (1) fase de estruturação, em que se verificou o recurso a técnicas de mapeamento cognitivo, seguindo a abordagem Strategic Options Development and Analysis (SODA) (Ackermann e Eden, 2011), visando a identificação dos critérios de base a inserir no sistema de avaliação, assim como a definição de descritores que permitiram operacionalizar o sistema de avaliação; (2) fase de avaliação, na qual se aplicaram os procedimentos da abordagem Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical-Based Evaluation Technique (MACBETH) (Bana e Costa e Vansnick, 1995), no sentido de definir funções de valor e avaliar, local e globalmente, a performance das IES ao nível da transferência de conhecimento; e (3) fase de recomendações, na qual foram identificadas algumas limitações e formuladas recomendações de acordo com os resultados alcançados.
RESULTADOS: Com o desenvolvimento da presente investigação, foi possível conceber e aplicar, em contexto real, um sistema multicritério de apoio à avaliação da transferência de conhecimento. Este sistema, para além de incorporar aspetos quantitativos e qualitativos, caracteriza-se pela sua simplicidade, flexibilidade e transparência de processos, tendo a capacidade de integrar, de forma objetiva e equilibrada, critérios intangíveis no processo de apoio à decisão. Apesar da sua natureza idiossincrática e orientada para o processo, os resultados revelam que o sistema desenvolvido é capaz de descriminar as alternativas avaliadas (i.e. IES), em função da sua performance global na transferência de conhecimento, bem como apoiar a formulação de recomendações de melhoria com base nas análises dos perfis locais das IES avaliadas. Reforçados pelas análises de sensibilidade e de robustez realizadas, os processos seguidos na conceção do sistema de avaliação desenvolvido revelam-se uma ferramenta útil e com grande potencial de replicabilidade no domínio da transferência de conhecimento. Tanto quanto foi possível apurar, o uso integrado de técnicas de mapeamento cognitivo com técnicas de área Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), apresenta-se como de uma abordagem inovadora no âmbito da avaliação da transferência de conhecimento nas IES.
CONTRIBUIÇÃO/ORIGINALIDADE: Assumindo uma postura construtivista e orientada para o processo, a construção de um sistema de medição da avaliação da transferência de conhecimento, no âmbito da presente tese, vem colmatar a falta de instrumentos de medição-padrão, bem como a forma como os critérios de avaliação são selecionados e incorporados os mecanismos de avaliação no âmbito da transferência de conhecimento. Oferece também um contributo importante para ultrapassar as dificuldades sentidas pelos atuais modelos de avaliação, no que diz respeito à forma como são calculados os trade-offs (i.e. pesos e taxas de compensação) entre os critérios de avaliação. Tal contributo permite trazer novos conhecimentos para as áreas da gestão estratégica de IES, da transferência de conhecimento e da investigação operacional.
PURPOSE: This study sought to develop a multiple criteria framework to support the evaluation of knowledge transfer in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Portugal (i.e. universities and polytechnic institutions). Such a system should allow HEIs to adjust their knowledge supply to market needs, as well as to enable their managers to adopt well-focused initiatives for improving knowledge transfer. METHODOLOGY: This study assumes a constructivist stance, allowing decision makers to learn and better understand the decision problem under study. Grounded on group meetings with a panel of experts in knowledge transfer, the development of our evaluation system followed the three main phases of the multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approach, namely: (1) the structuring phase, where the Strategic Options Development and Analysis (SODA) approach (Ackermann and Eden, 2001) and cognitive mapping techniques were used to identify the criteria to be included in the evaluation system, as well as to analyze their cause-and-effect relationships; (2) the evaluation phase, where the Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical-Based Evaluation Technique (MACBETH) (Bana and Costa and Vansnick, 1995) was applied to define value functions and allow HEIs to be locally and globally evaluated in terms of knowledge transfer; and (3) the recommendations phase, where some limitations were presented and recommendations were made according to the results achieved. FINDINGS: With the present research, it was possible to develop and apply a multiple criteria system to support the evaluation of knowledge transfer within HEIs. In addition to incorporating quantitative and qualitative measures, this evaluation system is characterized by its simplicity, flexibility and transparency of processes, as well as the ability to integrate, in an objective and balanced way, intangible variables in the decision-making process. Despite their idiosyncratic nature, the results show that the system developed in this study is able to clearly discriminate the evaluated alternatives (i.e. HEIs), according to their overall performance in the transfer of knowledge, as well as to support the formulation of recommendations for improvement. Based on the analysis of the HEIs’ local profiles, which was reinforced by the sensitivity and robustness analyses carried out, the processes followed in the design of our evaluation system proved to be a useful tool, with great potential for replicability, in the domain of knowledge transfer. In light of this reasoning, the integrated use of cognitive mapping techniques and MCDA techniques is presented as an innovative approach in the evaluation of knowledge transfer in HEIs. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Assuming a constructivist and process-oriented stance, the construction of a measurement system for the evaluation of knowledge transfer, within the scope of the present thesis, addresses the lack of standard measurement instruments, as well as the lack of rationality by which the evaluation criteria are selected and incorporated into the decision-making framework. Our proposal also allows some of the difficulties experienced by the current evaluation practices to be addressed, such as the way trade-offs (i.e. weights and compensation rates) are calculated and made explicit. This allows us to bring new insights to the research areas of strategic management of HEI, knowledge transfer and operational research.
PURPOSE: This study sought to develop a multiple criteria framework to support the evaluation of knowledge transfer in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Portugal (i.e. universities and polytechnic institutions). Such a system should allow HEIs to adjust their knowledge supply to market needs, as well as to enable their managers to adopt well-focused initiatives for improving knowledge transfer. METHODOLOGY: This study assumes a constructivist stance, allowing decision makers to learn and better understand the decision problem under study. Grounded on group meetings with a panel of experts in knowledge transfer, the development of our evaluation system followed the three main phases of the multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approach, namely: (1) the structuring phase, where the Strategic Options Development and Analysis (SODA) approach (Ackermann and Eden, 2001) and cognitive mapping techniques were used to identify the criteria to be included in the evaluation system, as well as to analyze their cause-and-effect relationships; (2) the evaluation phase, where the Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical-Based Evaluation Technique (MACBETH) (Bana and Costa and Vansnick, 1995) was applied to define value functions and allow HEIs to be locally and globally evaluated in terms of knowledge transfer; and (3) the recommendations phase, where some limitations were presented and recommendations were made according to the results achieved. FINDINGS: With the present research, it was possible to develop and apply a multiple criteria system to support the evaluation of knowledge transfer within HEIs. In addition to incorporating quantitative and qualitative measures, this evaluation system is characterized by its simplicity, flexibility and transparency of processes, as well as the ability to integrate, in an objective and balanced way, intangible variables in the decision-making process. Despite their idiosyncratic nature, the results show that the system developed in this study is able to clearly discriminate the evaluated alternatives (i.e. HEIs), according to their overall performance in the transfer of knowledge, as well as to support the formulation of recommendations for improvement. Based on the analysis of the HEIs’ local profiles, which was reinforced by the sensitivity and robustness analyses carried out, the processes followed in the design of our evaluation system proved to be a useful tool, with great potential for replicability, in the domain of knowledge transfer. In light of this reasoning, the integrated use of cognitive mapping techniques and MCDA techniques is presented as an innovative approach in the evaluation of knowledge transfer in HEIs. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Assuming a constructivist and process-oriented stance, the construction of a measurement system for the evaluation of knowledge transfer, within the scope of the present thesis, addresses the lack of standard measurement instruments, as well as the lack of rationality by which the evaluation criteria are selected and incorporated into the decision-making framework. Our proposal also allows some of the difficulties experienced by the current evaluation practices to be addressed, such as the way trade-offs (i.e. weights and compensation rates) are calculated and made explicit. This allows us to bring new insights to the research areas of strategic management of HEI, knowledge transfer and operational research.
Description
Keywords
Instituições de Ensino Superior - Transferência de Conhecimento Transferência de Conhecimento - Sistemas de Avaliação