Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 135).

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2000. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 167 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 90-93).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1997. / Title from title page screen, viewed June 9, 2006. Dissertation Committee: John R. McCarthy, John F. Chizmar (co-chairs), Anita H. Lupo, Stephen Bragg, Robert Arnold. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-88) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: Scott A. Malcolm, Dept. of Food and Resource Economics. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

D.Ing. / It is said that the development of innovative new products is set to become the economic battleground of the twenty-first century. Specifically, the innovative identification, development and subsequent marketing of financial products designed in order to allow organisations to manage their financial risk profiles will assume increased importance as volatility within the global business environment and capital markets increases. The discipline responsible for the development of such financial products, financial engineering, will increase in importance as financial services organisations compete to be the first to satisfy the needs of the market. The ultimate aim of financial engineering, as with any product development process, must be to develop the required product in an optimal manner at a minimised economic life-cycle cost to the organisation. Simultaneously, if correctly applied, the process of financial engineering can be a significant source of competitive advantage to the financial services organisation in an industry characterised by intense competitive pressures and exponentially increasing complexity and volatility. The financial services organisation which is able to successfully combine these two elements will have the capability to position itself as a leader in the identification and development of innovative financial products, a capability critical for success within the financial services industry. The science of engineering has within it a special subset devoted to the optimisation of the process of product development. This discipline, known as system engineering, has been extremely effective in the enhancement of product development processes within a traditional manufacturing environment. Tangible benefits of the application of system engineering include a reduced product development cycle, increased product adherence to client specifications, and a reduction in the economic life-cycle cost of the product. Within this thesis the author suggests that the optimal development of financial products in an increasingly competitive environment requires a two-pronged approach. In the first instance the financial services organisation must choose to develop the product which best promotes the medium to long-term strategic aims of the organisation. This is the concept of strategic fit. In the second instance the financial services organisation must have the capability to develop this product more effectively, and more efficiently, than its competitors. As an implementation mechanism the author develops a Financial Product Development Model based on system engineering principles chosen for their applicability to the process of financial product development. Simultaneously, the author develops a Competitive Strategy Framework, a collection of five strategic elements designed to ensure that the financial product development decision displays a measure of correlation to the strategic aims of the organisation. This Competitive Strategy Framework is implemented within the Financial Product Development Model via the use of a Strategic Circuit Breaker, a concept developed by the author and based on the concept of trading circuit breakers as used on the world's major stock exchanges. The aim of the Financial Product Development Model proposed within this thesis is to enhance the process of financial engineering and in so doing provide the financial services organisation with a means of improving its strategic competitiveness within the financial markets. The proposed Financial Product Development Model is validated via the practical application of the model. The results of this validation indicate that significant benefits may be obtained by correctly implementing the model. In addition the author conducts a limited scope industry survey designed to determine the opinion of financial services professionals to the major concepts underlying the model. The favourable results of this survey indicate that (1) the proposed model is practical and applicable within the financial services industry, and (2) the financial services industry in general is unaware of the importance of the process of product development and the manner in which system engineering can be used to enhance this process. By implication the financial services organisation that is able to differentiate its financial product development process from its competitors stands to achieve a significant competitive advantage.

Most new generation organisations have management models and processes for measuring and managing organisational performance. However, the application of these models and the direction the company needs to take are not always clearly established. Organisations need a clear picture of where they want to go, where they are and how to bridge this gap in order to successfully get to the future intent. It is also important for organisations to have a solid base from which to start a new strategy. In the past couple of years, organisations have strived to build such a solid base by re-engineering, continuous renewal, total quality management, downsizing and a plethora of other techniques. But, getting the foundation in order and just slowly getting better at what we do is not enough in today's competitive environment. Continuing in this manner is only going to keep a company in the race, when the object is to win the race. A company needs to become the world-leader in key processes to ensure survival into the future. Benchmarking can be defined as the search for industry best practices that lead to superior" performance. The emphasis is on "best" and "superior". There are no limitations on the search; the more creative the thinking, the greater the potential reward. Unlike traditional competitive analysis that focuses on outputs, benchmarking is applied to key operational processes within the business. Processes are compared and the best process is adapted into the organisation. It is a process of learning to be better while becoming the best. The purpose of this study was to provide a way for a company to get ahead in the race by means of benchmarking. The reason for benchmarking stems from this need to get ahead of others. One first need to know where one is compared to others and then to understand why the others are ahead. With this understanding, processes can then be adapted and changed to ensure that the company gets ahead of its competitors. Benchmarking is not guaranteed to be successful - it needs to be managed and nurtured in the organisation and allowed to grow throughout the organisation to finally become a way of life. It also needs to be integrated into continuous, key business processes in order to ensure that the benefits can be reaped into the distant future. The end-result of this study was therefore a guideline for creating, managing and sustaining a benchmarking capability in a typical South African corporation. / Dissertation (MEng (Industrial Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Industrial and Systems Engineering / unrestricted

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Asset Administration Industry is managed as a back office entity with limited tools to assess operational performance. There is no industry index for performance or platform for collaborative learning. In order to manage the operational efficiency the old cliché of "what gets measured gets managed" applies. Benchmarking is a proven management tool that is used to establish measures of operational performance relative to an industry benchmark. Benchmarking is a systematic and continuous measurement process that assists a company in determining its relative performance and shows up the factors that influence performance. The theory of benchmarking is a dynamic field and various types of benchmarking evolved. In spite of its noted benefits the popularity of benchmarking has lead to sub-standard benchmarking exercise, giving it "management fad" status. It is therefore imperative that any benchmarking study be well planned and focused. The selection of the appropriate benchmarking type is important. A data benchmarking exercise was chosen as a pilot study to introduce the concept to participants in a simplistic non-threatening format that could serve as a platform for future benchmarking studies. A five-step benchmarking process model was followed, consisting of: 1. Determine what to benchmark 2. Form a benchmarking team 3. Identify benchmarking partners 4. Collect and analyse benchmarking information 5. Take action Application of benchmarking theory to the asset Administration Industry led to the development of specific performance indicators from a process and financial perspective as well as a learning and growth perspective. Due to the sensitivity of the information the benchmarking report was customised for each participant, reflecting only industry average measures (the benchmark) and the particular company measurement. In conclusion the pilot study has proven to generate robust measures useful to the management of the Asset Administration function by determining relative performance. The benchmarking exercise has also been successful in introducing the concept of shared learning and a platform for future benchmarking studies. Despite these positive outcomes the real benefits of a process benchmarking exercise has not been explored and could generate tremendous benefit for the effective operation of Asset Administration. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Administrasie van Batebestuur Industrie word bestuur as 'n agterkantoor funksie met beperkte hulpmiddels om operasionele werkverrigting te bepaal. Daar bestaan geen industrie indeks vir werkverrigting asook geen basis vir samewerking nie. Die ou gesegde dat "wat gemeet word, word bestuur" is hier van toepassing. Hoogtemerking (benchmarking) is 'n bewese bestuursmiddel wat gebruik word om operasionele werkverrigting relatief tot die industrie te bepaal. Hoogtemerking is 'n sistematiese en voortdurende proses van meting wat 'n maatskappy help om hul relatiewe werksverrigting te bepaal sowel as om die faktore wat bydra tot werkverrigting uit te lig. Die teorie van hoogtemerking is dinamies en verskeie tipes hoogtemerking het reeds ontstaan. Ten spyte van bewese voordele het die populariteit van hoogtemerking gelei tot sub-standaard hoogtemerking oefeninge waardeur dit die reputasie van 'n bestuursfoefie gekry het. Dit is daarom belangrik dat enige hoogtemerking studie goed beplan word en gefokus is. Die keuse van die gepaste hoogtemerking tipe is belangrik. Ten einde die konsep van hoogtemerking bekend te stel en 'n basis te skep vir toekomstige hoogtemerking is besluit om 'n eenvoudige proefprojek te loods. Die hoogtemerking proses bestaan uit vyf stappe, nl: 1. Bepaal die basis van die hoogtemerk. 2. Stel 'n hoogtemerking span saam. 3. Identifiseer hoogtemerking vennote. 4. Vesamel en analiseer hoogtemerking informasie. 5. Neem aksie. Die toepassing van hoogtemerking teorie tot die Batebestuur Administrasieindustrie het gelei tot die ontwikkeling van spesifieke werkverrigting aanwysers vanuit 'n proses en finansiële perspektief aan die een kant, en 'n leer en groei perspektief aan die ander kant. As gevolg van die sensitiewe aard van die informasie is die hoogtemerking verslag volgens maat voorberei vir elke deelnemende maatskappy. Hierdie veslag reflekteer net die maatskappy se spesifieke hoogtemerk in verhouding tot die industrie gemiddelde. Ter afsluiting het die proefprojek daarin geslaag om robuuste data oor relatiewe werkverrigting te genereer wat gebruik kan word in die bestuur van Batebestuursadministrasie. Die hoogtemerking oefening het ook daarin geslaag om die konsep van gemeenskaplike leersaamheid oor te dra en 'n basis te skep vir toekomstige hoogtemerking studies. Ten spyte van al die positiewe gevolge is die werklike waarde van proses hoogtemerking nog nie ontgin nie en mag dit geweldige voordele ontsluit vir die effektiewe werking van Batebestuurs-administrasie.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references.

Abstract not available