Last 17th November and 2nd December, Juan Antonio Arrieta and Iñigo Bediaga, defended their doctoral theses and were granted the "cum laude" distinction by unanimous decision of the examining board.

"DEFINITION AND DESIGN OF A COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE MODEL FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF OPPORTUNITIES, THREATS & RISKS, AND THE SUBSEQUENT IMPROVEMENT OF THE STRATEGIC DECISION-MAKING PROCESS" was the thesis presented by Juan Antonio Arrieta, under the supervision of Jaione Ganzarain Epelde and Jaume Valls Pasola and "SUPPRESSION OF REGENERATIVE CHATTER THROUGH IN-PROCESS SPINDLE SPEED VARIATION" was written by Mr. Iñigo Bediaga Escudero at the Mechanical Engineering Department under the supervision of Drs. Mr. Luis Norberto López de Lacalle Marcaide and Mr. Mikel Zatarain Gordoa.

The presented job by Mr. Arrieta is a good example of the research field "Strategic Innovation" of which is member Juan Antonio Arrieta, always seeking the applicability of its developments but without forgetting scientific excellence in its work.

This thesis introduces the Competitive Intelligence concept as a necessary tool for the identification of opportunities, threats & risks, and the subsequent improvement of the strategic decision-making process. The proposed model provides a global, holistic and integrated approach that has not been found in the bibliographical survey. A contrast among a sample of spanish experts, has made possible to identify the most relevant critical factor.

The aim of the research project presented by Mr. Bediaga, is to produce a strategy to suppress regenerative self-excited vibrations or chatter by means of variation in spindle speed. This has led to the development of a method for regenerative chatter suppression based on two strategies to vary the spindle speed during the process. These strategies deal with on the one hand continuous spindle speed variation (CSSV), and on the other automatic selection of a stable spindle speed. In order to reach this objective, a stability model has been developed that includes these strategies to be able to simulate its effectiveness.

On a long journey like this, one cannot travel alone; and so, this dissertation is the result of a joint effort, mainly from the people behind the "Dynamics and Control" research line. The results of the findings of this doctoral thesis have been published in the main research forums relative to modelling and manufacturing which boost the scientific level of this particular line and of Ideko on an international level.