A broad and poorly focused debate has, for quite some time, raged across the range of social science disciplines and policy related professions. This debate has dealt, in different ways, with the question of the proper role of the government in a mixed economy. Current debates over the appropriate role of government in a mixed economy are largely constrained by a basic set of 'market failure' concepts developed in economics. This dissertation interrogates the histories of the automobile, electrical and aircraft industries in the six decades spanning the turn of the 20th century with a theoretical framework that draws on recent theorizing on the co-evolution of technologies, industrial structure, and supporting institutions. In highlighting institutional and technological aspects of industrial development, this dissertation informs a basis for science and technology policy making that moves beyond 'market failure' analysis.

American industry is about nine to 12 years behind in utilizing a new product development and introduction process known as Quality Function Deployment (Q.F.D.). American industry must learn to compete internationally; the American automotive industry alone directly and indirectly employs millions of workers and has billions of dollars in annual sales and profits at stake. With the cooperation of one American automotive company research has been conducted on Q.F.D. The research objectives were to identify: what variables affect Q.F.D., what are the outcomes from Q.F.D., what relationships exist between Q.F.D. variables and outcomes, and what guidelines may be offered to Q.F.D. practitioners. A Multiple Perspectives systems approach was used in developing both what and how Q.F.D. was to be researched. After a literature search a descriptive Q.F.D. model was developed. A Q.F.D. measurement instrument was developed and used to collect technical data. Interviews were used to collect organizational and personal data. An 80% questionnaire response was obtained. Of the model's four outcomes Improved Design and Improved Communications had strong positive results with Improved Cost and Improved Time-to-Market unchanged. Explanations of these results were offered. A Factor Analysis was performed which verified that the three-level Q.F.D. model was appropriate and explained most of the response variation. A Reliability Assessment was conducted and the scales were found to be within or have exceeded the acceptable beginning research coefficient alpha range. A MANOVA Analysis was conducted, and five of the 17 Q.F.D. model's variables were identified as candidates for deletion for this company's present Q.F.D. system. A Ratio Data Assessment was conducted and used to develop five guidelines for this company's practitioners. Organizational and Personal Data Assessments were conducted and their similarities with the Technical Data Assessment were noted. Top Management Commitment, Customer Information Availability, Team Composition and Dynamics and Project Completion Time were identified as important similar Q.F.D. variable findings. Improved Design and Improved Communications were identified as important similar Q.F.D. outcomes. No major discontinuities between the three assessments were found. Research conclusions, contributions and future research work were identified.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(経済学) / 甲第19258号 / 経博第523号 / 新制||経||275(附属図書館) / 32260 / 京都大学大学院経済学研究科経済学専攻 / (主査)教授 宇仁 宏幸, 教授 黒澤 隆文, 准教授 田中 彰 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Economics / Kyoto University / DGAM

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(経済学) / 甲第21325号 / 経博第583号 / 新制||経||287(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院経済学研究科経済学専攻 / (主査)教授 塩地 洋, 教授 田中 彰, 准教授 坂出 健 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Economics / Kyoto University / DGAM

The attitude towards sustainability has vastly changed in the last few years.The European Green Deal(EGD) is a European law package that addresses the climate crisis and aims to transform businesseswithin the European Union towards more sustainable models. The automobile industry especially is atarget of transformation with the decarbonization efforts mandated by the Green Deal. As such, onewould expect a drastic change of how business is done around the time the Green Deal was passedand the years following it. This thesis has analyzed the annual reports of four large automobile firmsusing qualitative coding within the European Union from 2018 to 2022 in order to evaluate how thelaw package has influenced electrification research. This thesis used theoretical concepts such asinstitutional theory, theories about uncertainty and theories about innovation to analyze the results.Results indicated that while the Green Deal’s ambitions and targets are being set into motion, firmsmight not consider it as their guiding hand while moving towards sustainability. While theirconfidence levels in the EGD vary, there is plenty of opportunity for the EU to increase innovation atthis critical point in time through partnerships and infrastructural support.

The primary aim of this dissertation was to examine the implications of conceptualizing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as a multilateral and multilevel phenomenon. The first research study in the dissertation examines the implication of a multilateral perspective on FDI in our assessment of the relationship between inward FDI and the economic growth and development of the host countries. This study showed that inward FDI positively impacts the economic growth of the host countries in both the short and long term. The second research study focused on conceptualizing FDI as a multilevel phenomenon. The fundamental premise of this chapter was to explicitly acknowledge that even though the implications of FDI can be observed at the aggregate level, such as host countries, as was the case in the first research study, these consequences emerge from the decisions of the individual firms. Furthermore, the findings of this research study demonstrate that different levels of FDI are interconnected but have different implications for the firm’s performance. Drawing upon the existing literature, two considered levels were location-based FDI networks and interfirm collocation networks. Empirical analyses showed that location-based networks are characterized by agglomeration and lead to positive production externalities, while competitive interactions characterize interfirm collocation networks and lead to negative production externalities. Consequently, increasing agglomeration is associated with increasing production output, and increasing competitive interaction is associated with decreasing production output of the firms. In the last research study, we considered how different network externalities, as explicated in the previous chapter, impact the firms' strategic decision-making. This study shows that firm membership in the country-of-origin network helps them make better decisions, while membership in interform collocation networks worsens their decision-making abilities. / Business Administration/Strategic Management

Fordonsindustrin är en viktig kugge i världens ekonomiska motor. Under de senaste åren har industrinstått inför en stor förändring. Styrande organ har satt upp nya regelverk och målsättningar sompressar industrin att tänka om och hitta nya alternativa lösningar till den klassiskaförbränningsmotorn. Omställningen som krävs skapar stora utmaningar för tillverkare och deras produktionslinor. Syftetmed arbetet är att undersöka utmaningarna och skapa en förståelse för hur skiftet påverkar industrinsproduktion. Genom en litteraturstudie och intervjustudie har utmaningar identifierats och undersökts.Litteraturstudien är gjord genom att hitta artiklar och rapporter via databaser, så som Google scholaroch Scopus. För att få ett perspektiv inifrån industrin har en intervjustudie gjorts. Studien hade tvådeltagare, som båda har lång erfarenhet från olika arbetsuppgifter inom industrin. Arbetet kommer fram till att det finns en mängd utmaningar i samband med omställningen.Utmaningarna varierar i storlek och komplexitet. Det är tydligt att utmaningarna ofta ärsammanhängande och påverkar varandra. I arbetet presenteras fyra huvudutmaningar medtillhörande under-utmaningar. • Uppskalning av produktion Batteriproduktion Produktionskostnad Supply chain Specialized workforce • Greenfield vs Brownfield Plats • Flexibilitet Den omöjliga ekvationen • Osäkerhet Det framgår av arbetet att omställningens utmaningar går att generaliseras, men att lösningarna behöver anpassas utefter varje specifikt fall. Alla tillverkare tar med sig olika arv och resurser in i omställningen som behöver hanteras på olika sätt. Utmaningarna som presenteras kräver djupa analyser och bra strategier för att kunna hanteras på ett bra sätt. Arbetets mål var att undersöka de utmaningar som finns i samband med produktions omställningen till eldrivna fordon. Målet anses vara uppnått och utmaningarna identifierade. Det rekommenderas att utvidga arbetet med en bredare litteraturstudie och intervjustudie för att kunna skapa en tydligare struktur över de mest fördelaktiga strategierna. / The automotive industry is a crucial component of the global economy. In recent years, the industry has faced significant changes as governing bodies have established new regulations and objectives that essentially force the sector to rethink and find alternative solutions to the traditional combustion engine. This transition poses significant challenges for manufacturers and their production lines. The purpose of this study is to investigate these challenges and gain an understanding of how the shift impacts the industry's production. Through a literature review and interview study, challenges have been identified and examined. The literature review involved searching for articles and reports through databases such as Google Scholar and Scopus. To gain an insider perspective from the industry, an interview study was conducted, involving two participants with extensive experience in various roles within the industry. The study concludes that there are numerous challenges associated with the transition. These challenges vary in size and complexity, and it is evident that they are often interconnected and mutually influential. The study presents four main challenges with their respective sub-challenges: • Scaling up production: Battery production Production costs Supply chain Specialized workforce • Greenfield vs Brownfield: Location considerations • Flexibility: The impossible equation • Uncertainty The study reveals that the challenges of the transition can be generalized, but the solutions need to be tailored to each specific case. Each manufacturer brings different legacies and resources into the transition that need to be addressed in different ways. The presented challenges require in-depth analysis and effective strategies to be managed successfully. The goal of the study was to examine the challenges associated with the production transition to electric vehicles, and it is considered to have been achieved with the identification of the challenges. It is recommended to expand the study with a broader literature review and interview study to establish a clearer structure for the most advantageous strategies.

published_or_final_version / Asian Studies / Master / Master of Arts

M. Tech. Business Administration / This study assessed the alignment of balloon payments offered to customers within the provisions of the National Credit Act, 2005 (Act No 34 of 2005), by exploring whether car buyers had been made aware of and understood the nature of their contractual obligations when they signed a balloon payment agreement. Based on the simple random sampling approach, a structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data from the sample of 71 respondents who had purchased motor vehicles using the balloon payment financing method.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.