Abstract
Devido ao ambiente hipercompetitivo que as empresas industriais enfrentam, a adequada implementação de Meta-Organizações, como plataformas organizacionais que promovam o desenvolvimento de modelos avançados de sistemas de produção em rede, virtuais e ubíquas, torna-se fundamental para a sustentabilidade da Meta-Organização e das empresas industriais que a constituem. A estratégia de implementação encontra-se relacionada com o entendimento que as empresas industriais, no caso específico deste estudo, as Pequenas e Médias Empresas (PMEs) industriais de clusters regionais, têm acerca deste tipo de Meta-Organização. Este estudo tem como objetivo validar as principais hipóteses: 1) as empresas da região estão conscientes da necessidade da adoção de Meta-Organizações como plataformas organizacionais para o desenvolvimento de modelos de Empresas Virtuais e Ubíquas; e 2) as empresas da região estão aptas para a utilização de Meta-Organizações no apoio ao desenvolvimento de modelos de Empresas Virtuais e Ubíquas. Para validação destas teses foram desenvolvidos modelos teóricos originais utilizando o método estatístico de Análise de Equações Estruturais constituídos por oito constructos: “Prática”, “Gestão do Conhecimento”, “Característica da PME Industrial”, “Conhecimento”, “Necessidade de Estruturas de Meta-Organização para Empresas Virtuais e Ubíquas”, “Necessidade para a Gestão da Meta-Organização para Empresas Virtuais e Ubíquas”, “Consciência” e “Aptidão”. A recolha de dados foi realizada através da implementação de um inquérito original em que participaram 236 PMEs (industriais ou que trabalham com a indústria) da região da Península Ibérica. Os resultados obtidos validam as principais hipóteses sobre a consciência e a aptidão das empresas e fornecem outros resultados derivados de outras hipóteses inerentes aos modelos desenvolvidos. O presente estudo contribui para definir os mecanismos de escolha da implementação de Meta- Organizações que apoiam o desenvolvimento de modelos de Empresas Virtuais e Ubíquas.;Due to the hypercompetitive environment that industrial enterprises face, a proper implementation of the Meta-Organizations, as organizational platforms, that promote the development of advanced models of networked, virtual and ubiquitous production systems, becomes fundamental for the sustainability of the Meta-Organization and of the industrial enterprises that belong to it. The implementation strategy is related to the understanding that the industrial enterprises, in the specific case of this study, the Industrial Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) of regional clusters, have about this type of Meta-Organization. This study aims to validate the following main hypotheses: 1) enterprises in the region are aware of the need to adopt Meta-Organizations as an organizational platform for the development of Virtual and Ubiquitous Enterprises models; and 2) enterprises in the region are prepared to use Meta- Organizations to support the development of Virtual and Ubiquitous Enterprises models. To validate these theses, original theoretical models were developed using the statistical method of Structural Equation Modeling constituted by eight constructs: “Practice”, “Knowledge Management”, “Characteristics of Industrial SME”, “Knowledge”, “Need for Meta-Organization Structures for Virtual and Ubiquitous Enterprises”, “Need for Meta-Organization Management for Virtual and Ubiquitous Enterprises”, “Awareness”, and “Preparedness”. Data collection was carried out through the implementation of an original survey in which 236 SMEs (industrial or those working with the industry) in the Iberian Peninsula region participated. The results validate the main hypotheses concerning enterprises’ awareness and preparedness, and provide further results derived from other hypotheses inherent to the developed models. The present study contributes to define the mechanisms of choice for the implementation of Meta- Organizations that support the development of Virtual and Ubiquitous Enterprises models.

Abstract
Thin shells are crucially dependent on their shape in order to obtain proper structural performance. In this context, the optimal shape will guarantee performance and safety requirements, while minimizing the use of materials, as well as construction/maintenance costs. Thin shell design is a team-based, multidisciplinary, and iterative process, which requires a high level of interaction between the various parties involved, especially between the Architecture and Engineering teams. As a result of technological development, novel concepts and tools become available to support this process. On the one hand, concepts like Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) show the potential to have a high impact on multidisciplinary environments such as the one in question, supporting the early decision-making process with the availability of as much information as possible. On the other hand, optimization techniques and tools should be highlighted, as they fit the needs and requirements of both the shell shape definition process and the IPD concept. These can be used not only to support advanced design stages, but also to facilitate the initial formulation of shape during the early interactions between architect and structural engineer from an IPD point of view. This paper proposes a methodology aimed at enhancing the interactive and iterative process associated with the early stages of thin shell design, supported by an integrated framework. The latter is based on several tools, namely Rhinoceros 3D, Grasshopper, and Robot Structural Analysis. In order to achieve full integration of the support tools, a custom devised module was developed, so as to allow interoperability between Grasshopper and Robot Structural Analysis. The system resorts to various technologies targeted at improving the shell shape definition process, such as formfinding techniques, parametric and generative models, as well as shape optimization techniques that leverage on multi criteria evolutionary algorithms. The proposed framework is implemented in a set of fictitious scenarios, in which the best thin reinforced concrete shell structures are sought according to given design requirements. Results stemming from this implementation emphasize its interoperability, flexibility, and capability to promote interaction between the elements of the design team, ultimately outputting a set of diverse and creative shell shapes, and thus supporting the pre-design process.

Abstract
The retail sector, although being primarily traditional is deconstructing and modernizing itself in order to keep up with the technological and digital enhancements. The Portuguese panorama is remarkably structured upon child-oriented marketing initiatives with the involvement of technological platforms, gamification and enrolment components. The scrutiny of existing applications of innovative ICTs focused on children's marketing will serve as the basis for a new business campaign aimed at children and supported by digital marketing and innovative technological features that might trigger a future campaign's success. In addition, we conducted a small survey to parents and subsequent potential campaign customers to understand the indulgence of a children's marketing action and a triumphant social media advertisement. The in-store retail system has a huge competitor in the online configuration, in some product categories in conjunction with the privilege of buying anywhere and anytime. In what concerns child-oriented marketing, there is an understanding that actions need to focus on aspects such as interactivity, multimedia and personalized content, where the survey displayed a 99% approval in the creation and necessity of child-oriented marketing campaigns to retailers, and a 54% acclamation of a promotional social media action. This reveals that the online channel is a valid channel, and the in-store retailers, even still being preponderant, need to rethink the inclusion of an Omni-channel solution to solve the in-store versus online shopping retail system. Additionally, is recommended the creation of child-oriented actions to convert customer loyalty from a younger age and influence family consumption.

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Service design is a multidisciplinary field dedicated to create new and innovative services. To accomplish this goal, service design resorts to contributions from other disciplines such as service management, marketing, information systems and interaction design. However, service design lacks dedicated methods and models that integrate the contributions from these disciplines. Design science research (DSR) offers a solid methodology to develop such artifacts and is already starting to be used in service research. To show how DSR can support service design, this article presents two new service design methods that have been developed using DSR and examines the process followed for developing them. Building on these methods, the article discusses how DSR can leverage service design characteristics of multidisciplinarity, human-centeredness and creativity, to develop further knowledge contributions for service design. Finally, the challenges posed by using DSR in service design and service research are also discussed, as well as ways to address those challenges. © 2018, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.