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The systematic creation of product designs that meet specification and are fit-forpurpose has resulted from intensive research investigation undertaken by Western European engineering design theorists, who define design science as four fundamental elements: Technical systems versus design processes and descriptive versus prescriptive statements. It is argued, through a comparison of the parallel emergent design process methodologies of Western European and Eastern Japanese industry, that a fifth element has evolved which should be included within the boundaries of design science - Quality. . The measure of how well new or variant product designs meet customer requirements is critical to the success of a product in a marketplace for which it is intended to compete. As the level of meeting or exceeding customer requirements defines the perceived quality of a design to the customer, it is paramount that design-quality is optimised to ensure maximum customer satisfaction. Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is a dominant, established methodology which translates customer requirements into engineering characteristics. Although the approach is attributed to many well known successes, it also possesses some widely known limitations (subjective in nature; difficult to systematically compare concept design variants; difficult to consider complex design inter-relationships and design' conflicts; complexity of analysis increases proportionally with the size of the matrix; interpretation of matrix information requires high level of experience). Furthermore, although the richness of design information held within a QFD matrix provides a detailed record of design status, this information is' essentially static. To address these limitations, a design hypothesis is presented in which a metric-based theory of coupleddynamic- mapping of information held within the QFD design matrix provides a more sophisticated method of quality-by-design analysis. The hypothesis is tested through the creation of a novel hybrid design methodology- termed CODA (Customer Optimised Design Analysis). CODA methodology simultaneously provides an objective function of overall design merit that denotes optimal design attribute values that represents best design trade-off and optimal customer satisfaction (design quality). Finally, it is' deliberated how CODA is not meant to displace QFD, but to provide the design fraternity with a more sophisticated tool to resolve design conflict and aid decisionmaking within the conceptual design phase.

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This study investigates several core aspects of the management and performance of international joint ventures with parent firms from Europe, North America and Australia. The focus of the study is the relationships between management control of IJVs, autonomy granted to the IJV management, trust between IJV partners, perceptions of cultural differences between IJV partners and the performance of IJVs. The study builds on the existing literature by examining new data and providing new empirical insights. Data was collected by means of an international mail survey using a self-administered questionnaire and an e-mail survey. The General Directorate of Foreign Investment (GDFI) database in Turkey and the OSIRIS database served to provide two sampling frames for the data collection. The perspective of this study is an empirical investigation of the nature of management control exercised by the parent firms over the joint ventures. This study provides new evidence on the relationships between the dimensions of management control and the performance of a sample of JVs. The overall concept of autonomy is examined by discussing differences in the management and control of decision-making as categorized by operational versus strategic decisions. Furthermore, the influence of IJV performance and IJV duration on autonomy is considered. The relative importance of both national culture and corporate culture differences on the management of the joint venture is considered. The influence of joint venture age and the influence of autonomy granted to JV management are investigated with particular reference to culture. This study provides a framework of trust by treating perceptions of cultural differences as antecedents to trust, the degree of JV autonomy granted as a consequence of trust and JV performance as both antecedent to and consequence of trust. This study identifies the key determinants of IJV performance as management control of IJVs, autonomy granted to the IJV management, trust between IJV partners and perceptions of cultural differences between IJV partners.

In the past decade, Oxfam has streamlined and restructured its global activities in an attempt to professionalise and strategise. This move has affected the relationship between different Oxfam components and between Oxfam and its partners. A three layered approach, looking at structural elements, ideational elements and organisational learning, is used to pick apart the restructuring and its effects within the Oxfam GB head office, the Oxfam Ugandan Country Office, The National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU), and NUDIPU's district branches. The fate of disability issues within this picture reveal the inequalities involved between North and South, and the able bodied and persons with disabilities.

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