This thesis addresses existing shortcomings in the co-creation literature by proposing organisational capabilities that support co-creation in financial service firms. A developing country perspective is taken and the context is Nigeria, a West African Country. In this thesis, the Resource-based view and Knowledge-based view are integrated with the Dynamic Capability perspective to identify capabilities required to manage the dyadic interactions during co-creation. First, a conceptual model is developed through an in-depth literature review, before testing, refining and validating the model through a mixed-method research approach, involving both qualitative and quantitative research steps. The conceptual model identified a set of capabilities - namely the firm's innovation, knowledge management and relational capability and their effect on co-creation practice. The aim of the qualitative research step was to improve the conceptual model through exploratory research. This step involved in-depth interviews (n=9) with key informants and a focus group discussion with users (n=7). In the quantitative step, empirical data was collected via a questionnaire (n=261) using a drop-off-pick-up (DOPU) technique. The data is analysed using structural path analysis, hypotheses testing and model re-specification. The results of the qualitative phase indicate that co-creation in financial services is dependent on regulation, user need and the structure of financial services in Nigeria. The results also confirm the influence of innovation, knowledge management and relational capabilities on co-creation practice. Nevertheless, qualitative findings also show that knowledge management capability emerged as a vital capability upon which other value creation activities in financial service firms depend. These findings were further tested and validated in the quantitative phase. In line with the resource-based view (RBV) and the knowledge-based view (KBV), empirical findings confirm that the firm`s resource endowments explain, in part, value co-creation in firms. Principally, the findings of this study show that the capacity of financial service organisations to provide sustainable value creation for its clients and itself depend on the degree to which they possess specific dynamic capabilities. The findings also show the relative importance of co-creation practices and how they are effective only in certain conditions and specific environments.

No description available.

Abstract Seventy percent of small and medium-sized U.S. companies experience negative performance because of leaders' lack of knowledge of corporate social responsibility (CSR) program implementation. CSR implementation is complex and requires organizational resources such as expertise, personnel, time, and money. Implementing CSR programs is challenging for many leaders. Research on CSR implementation in the U.S. financial services industry is scarce, and leaders of financial services firms do not have a clear understanding of how to make CSR implementation successful. The purpose of this study was to explore optimal strategies for making corporate social responsibility program implementation effective. The central research question that drove this study was determining how leaders can make CSR program implementation effective. Data collected from a purposeful sample of 10 face-to-face interviews, direct observations, and document review were coded and analyzed. One of the emergent themes suggests that leaders lack the knowledge to understand how CSR activities contribute to a better world. The lack of knowledge for successful CSR implementation causes 60% of leaders to treat CSR programs as side projects. Another theme for successful CSR programs was the leaders' commitment to transparency. Without trust, leaders cannot align stakeholders' interests with CSR activities. Implications for positive social change included opportunities for leaders to define key CSR stakeholders, establish CSR goals, and select CSR activities to meet the CSR goals. This could lead some leaders to gain the knowledge of how to integrate CSR into their firms' daily operations.

As the lending practices of the alternative financial services (AFS) industry harm many consumers and consumers' access and use of traditional credit are restricted, the use of AFS is a growing concern. The financial education of consumers determines their financial behavior, which may be inadequate to make effective financial decisions regarding high-cost borrowings. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine if and to what extent the sources of financial education is related to the use and frequency of use of AFSs among U.S. consumers. The theory of planned behavior and the transtheoretical model of change shaped the theoretical framework for this study. An explanatory correlational design was used to analyze archival data collected by the FINRA Investor Education Foundation for their 2015 National Financial Capability Study. Binary logistic and negative binomial regression analyses indicated that exposure to formal financial education did not contribute to reduced use and lower frequency of use of AFSs but, instead, contributed to the exact opposite. Only parental financial education was found to contribute to reduced use and lower frequency of use of AFSs. One-way ANOVA analyses indicated that all forms of financial education contributed to increased perceived financial knowledge. This study may lead to positive social change by informing policymakers about the necessary steps to remedy the problem of continuous AFS usage and serving as a foundation for future studies that should consider other factors beyond formal financial education that could influence the use and frequency of use of AFSs.

No description available.

<p><strong>Background:</strong> A warrant is a derivative that is normally issued over stocks. During the last financial crisis, the trading of warrants reached new records. The high leverage and the complexity of the product make the warrant a risky investment. Financial products such as warrants therefore imply a significant purchase decision for an individual and the consequences of making a poorly thought-out choice can be of considerable importance. Financial products require a high degree of involvement since the decision process is characterized by uncertainty of outcome and complexity of the product. Traditional theories on consumer decision making build on the assumptions of self-interest and rationality. In the context of financial services, the rationality of the decision process has been questioned within the field of behavioral economics, a field that suggests that the consumer is unable to make rational decisions as well as comparative judgments.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>With a theoretical basis in the traditional consumer decision process, the purpose of this thesis is to examine and describe the decision making of young investors that buy warrants.</p><p><strong>Methodology:</strong> The study can be described as abdicative, since the subject of this thesis is based on an empirical problem observed in reality as well as based on existing theories on the subject. The thesis is furthermore a mixed qualitative and quantitative study. The empirical information was gathered using an Internet survey that was sent out to young investors that are members or are connected to financial associations or societies at different universities.</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> The study is considered to show that the decision making of young investors can be described as neither optimal nor rational when buying warrants. The respondents seldom seem to make efficient and as rational decisions as the traditional decision process model implies. Instead, individual characteristics and attitudes of the young investors affect their decision making.</p>

Background: A warrant is a derivative that is normally issued over stocks. During the last financial crisis, the trading of warrants reached new records. The high leverage and the complexity of the product make the warrant a risky investment. Financial products such as warrants therefore imply a significant purchase decision for an individual and the consequences of making a poorly thought-out choice can be of considerable importance. Financial products require a high degree of involvement since the decision process is characterized by uncertainty of outcome and complexity of the product. Traditional theories on consumer decision making build on the assumptions of self-interest and rationality. In the context of financial services, the rationality of the decision process has been questioned within the field of behavioral economics, a field that suggests that the consumer is unable to make rational decisions as well as comparative judgments. Purpose: With a theoretical basis in the traditional consumer decision process, the purpose of this thesis is to examine and describe the decision making of young investors that buy warrants. Methodology: The study can be described as abdicative, since the subject of this thesis is based on an empirical problem observed in reality as well as based on existing theories on the subject. The thesis is furthermore a mixed qualitative and quantitative study. The empirical information was gathered using an Internet survey that was sent out to young investors that are members or are connected to financial associations or societies at different universities. Results: The study is considered to show that the decision making of young investors can be described as neither optimal nor rational when buying warrants. The respondents seldom seem to make efficient and as rational decisions as the traditional decision process model implies. Instead, individual characteristics and attitudes of the young investors affect their decision making.

none

Information Technology (IT) is inextricably tied to financial services; the business can no longer view IT as simply a part of discretionary spending. More particular to the financial services industry, technology is a way to gain competitive advantage through innovation. Financial services companies discover ways to utilize technology in order to generate product and process innovation, for example, consider the innovation to use scanners and, more recently, smart phones to deposit checks from home or elsewhere instead of with an ATM or a teller at a brick and mortar bank. As the market becomes more competitive, financial services companies must rely even more on product and process innovation. A key enabler of this innovation is the ability to fully understand the current state of how business value is delivered through the use of IT. This understanding can in turn help financial services companies to plan more effectively both strategically and tactically as the environmental factors change constantly. As companies spend vast amounts of money on projects, it is imperative to understand how ideas flow through a life cycle and are ultimately realized by some process or product offering that in turn deliver some value to the business. The goal of IT for the business is often stated as an improvement in triumvirate: better, faster, cheaper. The difficulty with this goal is that these facets are often mutually exclusive. How then, can IT deliver? This thesis will examine how one financial services company may improve its software project delivery process by examining its historical and current operating state and then discussing some recommendations to achieve improvement. / text

Not available / text