The objective of this thesis is to contribute to the understanding of the development of the housebuilding industry in Korea. Starting from a description of the growth of the industry in the regulated environment, relevant theories are investigated. Based on both theory and evidence, an analytic framework is then developed from which four main research areas are drawn. The first area is an analysis of the structure of the Korean housebuilding business. The focus is on the investigation of governance structure within the housebuilding business and determinants of that structure. The second area is an examination of efficiency in the housebuilding business. Cost structures of the housebuilding business, the input factor relationship, the extent of economies of scale, and productivity are evaluated. The third area is an analysis of the building firms' diversification strategy. The extent of diversification among housebuilding firms, the changing pattern and the motives for that diversification are examined. Finally, the fourth area brings these elements together to investigate the efficiency of the firms' diversified production structure by estimating multi-product cost functions. Interviews and secondary data sources were used to examine the structure of the Korean housebuilding business. For the analyses of the efficiency of the business, multiproduct firms, and the firms' diversification strategy, econometric modelling techniques such as Translog cost function estimation and multivariate regression estimation were employed. The cost structure of the Korean housebuilding business was found to be price inelastic, with relatively low productivity and increasing returns to scale. Firms tended to depend on 'contracting' throughout the production process and also showed diversified production structures. Diversification was motivated by avoiding risks and uncertainty within the housebuilding business and by using retained resources efficiently. The diversification strategy was found to be economically efficient, although the estimated optimum scale suggests that the current scale of the firms may be too large.

This thesis seeks to develop insights into the nature of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that are effective in competing internationally, over the longer term. It therefore aims to provide a better understanding of the behaviour that engenders this capability. Its contributory value lies in the development of the new perspectives which emerged from inductive theory development grounded in longitudinal data collected between1996-1999. Traditionally explanations for the success of SMEs in export markets, it is suggested, have been sought in the marketing mix paradigm rooted in exchange theory. This thesis draws from a range of literature in seeking an understanding of the behaviours observed. In developing a substantive theory to explain the dynamic nature of firms that sustain their competitive effectiveness on international markets this thesis then seeks explanations from the organisational learning paradigm. This study follows the tradition of the naturalistic paradigm and as such the research was a phenomenological study of an exploratory and qualitative nature. The naturalistic paradigm recognises the importance of the subjective experiences of individuals and groups. In the verstehen tradition this study stresses the importance of the informant as the primary source of information. The aim of the inquiry was to develop an ideographic body of knowledge, the emphasis being on explanation and understanding rather than the identification of general and universal laws. The epistemological stance taken required an inductive approach to theory building. Examining the firms longitudinally was the means by which the author was able to take an holistic view of the international activities of the firms studied and focus on the change processes and challenges faced in the study period. The central proposition of this thesis is that the firms that compete effectively on international markets exhibit a positive marketing orientation, and have a strong core purpose on which is generated a clear internationally based strategic direction. It is further proposed that over a period of time, through an iterative process of strategy development, firms build a sustainable competitive advantage in their international markets and develop the ability to maintain this advantage, even when faced with hostile challenges in their international markets. Firms, it is suggested through their relationships, build a virtual structure to their international markets, which provide the means through which a knowledge of their markets is acquired, and an input is made to the strategy development process by external partners. However, it is through the dynamic processes of organisational learning that SMEs develop these capabilities and so enhance their ability to sustain a competitive advantage over a period of time.

Sendo o setor da construção civil caracterizado historicamente por períodos de oscilação de demanda produtiva, torna-se essencial às empresas que nele atuam a adequada flexibilidade proporcionada pelo preparo gerencial, visando a perenidade e atuação sustentada. Nesse contexto, as micro e pequenas empresas do setor são normalmente as mais vulneráveis aos períodos de baixa demanda produtiva, em especial as empresas de projeto, que são, em sua grande maioria, despreparadas gerencialmente, além de não serem estruturadas e organizadas estrategicamente para atuarem de forma pro-ativa. Diante desse quadro, Oliveira (2005) propôs um modelo de gestão específico para as empresas de projeto de edifícios com orientações para a gestão dos seus principais processos e funções. Objetivando a implementação do modelo citado, formaram-se dois grupos consecutivos compostos por empresas de projeto atuantes na cidade de São Paulo. Este trabalho foi denominado Programa de Desenvolvimento Gerencial para Empresas de Projeto, cuja finalidade era, através de pesquisa-ação, facilitar a implementação do modelo de gestão nas empresas de projeto através de atividades dirigidas, visando o desenvolvimento sustentado por meio do autoconhecimento de suas potencialidades e limitações, conduzindo-as à maturidade empresarial e, consequentemente, ao adequado preparo e flexibilidade necessários tanto para os períodos de recessão, quanto para os períodos de alta demanda produtiva setorial. Frente a esse panorama, desenvolveu-se a pesquisa referente à análise da aplicação do modelo de gestão para empresas de projeto sob dois enfoques: reação das empresas e resultados alcançados em função da implementação. Este trabalho objetiva, ainda, a partir da revisão bibliográfica e experiências vividas durante a implementação do modelo, propor recomendações para facilitar a aplicação dos conceitos de gestão contemplados pelo modelo. / As the Brazilian Civil Construction sector has historically been characterized by periods of oscillation productive demand, the flexibility proposed by the management prepare is essential to the companies of the sector, viewing endurable and sustainable acting. In this context, civil construction micro companies are usually the most sensitive to the low productive demand periods, specially the design firms, since most of them are unprepared and, in addition, they are not strategically organized and structured to take preventive actions in their market. Due to this scenario, Oliveira (2005) proposed a design building firms management model which contains instructions to manage their essential processes and functions. Aiming to implement the above model, two successive work groups were formed, composed by design firms working for the São Paulo civil construction market . This work was named Design Firms Management Developing Program and it viewed, through action research, to facilitate the management model implementation in the design firms through dynamic activities aimed at sustained development by their own potentialities and knowledge limitation, conducting them to a business maturity and consequently to organize them to act in recession periods and also in high productive demand periods. In this context, this research was developed aiming to analyze the design firms reaction along the program and the results attained due to the management model implementation. Through the bibliographic review, this research views to propose recommendations to applicate the model management and its concepts.

Sendo o setor da construção civil caracterizado historicamente por períodos de oscilação de demanda produtiva, torna-se essencial às empresas que nele atuam a adequada flexibilidade proporcionada pelo preparo gerencial, visando a perenidade e atuação sustentada. Nesse contexto, as micro e pequenas empresas do setor são normalmente as mais vulneráveis aos períodos de baixa demanda produtiva, em especial as empresas de projeto, que são, em sua grande maioria, despreparadas gerencialmente, além de não serem estruturadas e organizadas estrategicamente para atuarem de forma pro-ativa. Diante desse quadro, Oliveira (2005) propôs um modelo de gestão específico para as empresas de projeto de edifícios com orientações para a gestão dos seus principais processos e funções. Objetivando a implementação do modelo citado, formaram-se dois grupos consecutivos compostos por empresas de projeto atuantes na cidade de São Paulo. Este trabalho foi denominado Programa de Desenvolvimento Gerencial para Empresas de Projeto, cuja finalidade era, através de pesquisa-ação, facilitar a implementação do modelo de gestão nas empresas de projeto através de atividades dirigidas, visando o desenvolvimento sustentado por meio do autoconhecimento de suas potencialidades e limitações, conduzindo-as à maturidade empresarial e, consequentemente, ao adequado preparo e flexibilidade necessários tanto para os períodos de recessão, quanto para os períodos de alta demanda produtiva setorial. Frente a esse panorama, desenvolveu-se a pesquisa referente à análise da aplicação do modelo de gestão para empresas de projeto sob dois enfoques: reação das empresas e resultados alcançados em função da implementação. Este trabalho objetiva, ainda, a partir da revisão bibliográfica e experiências vividas durante a implementação do modelo, propor recomendações para facilitar a aplicação dos conceitos de gestão contemplados pelo modelo. / As the Brazilian Civil Construction sector has historically been characterized by periods of oscillation productive demand, the flexibility proposed by the management prepare is essential to the companies of the sector, viewing endurable and sustainable acting. In this context, civil construction micro companies are usually the most sensitive to the low productive demand periods, specially the design firms, since most of them are unprepared and, in addition, they are not strategically organized and structured to take preventive actions in their market. Due to this scenario, Oliveira (2005) proposed a design building firms management model which contains instructions to manage their essential processes and functions. Aiming to implement the above model, two successive work groups were formed, composed by design firms working for the São Paulo civil construction market . This work was named Design Firms Management Developing Program and it viewed, through action research, to facilitate the management model implementation in the design firms through dynamic activities aimed at sustained development by their own potentialities and knowledge limitation, conducting them to a business maturity and consequently to organize them to act in recession periods and also in high productive demand periods. In this context, this research was developed aiming to analyze the design firms reaction along the program and the results attained due to the management model implementation. Through the bibliographic review, this research views to propose recommendations to applicate the model management and its concepts.

Problematiken som denna fallstudie försöker belysa är problemet med att mindre företag inte arbetar, åtminstone formellt, med kunskapshantering inom sina organisationer. Detta är givetvis något som är problematiskt i den generation vi lever i idag där en effektiv process för kunskapshantering är en förutsättning för att nå konkurrensfördelar. Tidigare forskning bevisar detta och menar på att kunskapshantering är ett komplext begrepp där avsaknad av formella tillvägagångssätt för hur man ska främja, bevara och sprida kunskap är något som är problematiskt för just mindre företag. Byggindustrin är en intressant bransch då det verkar råda mycket tyst kunskap bland arbetarna och de verkar ha delvis hittat ett effektivt tillvägagångssätt för att hantera kunskap.   Syftet med fallstudien är att ta fram ett ramverk och tillvägagångssätt för hur mindre företag kan påbörja, formellt eller informellt, sitt arbete med kunskapshantering och lärande genom att dra inspiration från byggbranschen i förhållandet mellan fullärd snickare och lärling.   Det teoretiska ramverket består av teorier om individuellt kunskapsskapande samt organisatoriskt lärande, där teorier såsom social inlärningsteori, stimulus och respons, lärcirkeln, Nonakas SEKI modell, Community of Practice och Argyris teori för enkel-och dubbelkretslärande tillämpas för att analysera undersökningens empiri.   Den tillämpade metoden som används för att möjliggöra studien är kvalitativ ansats där semistrukturerade intervjuer genomförts med VD, arbetsledare, tre snickare och tre lärlingar på Företag A.   Diskussion visar hur mycket av denna undersökning som överensstämmer med tidigare forskning men även några områden som inte överensstämmer. Tidigare forskning tillämpar ett negativt perspektiv på informella processer, medan vår studie visar att så inte behöver vara fallet. I slutsatsen redovisas fem aspekter som har identifierats som mindre företag kan tillämpa börja arbeta med kunskapshantering på ett effektivt tillvägagångssätt, även om processerna förblir informella. Dessa fem aspekter är fysisk kommunikation, stark gemenskap, bonus, trial-and-error samt främja och prioritera byggnadsarbetarnas och lärlingarnas reflektion kring avslutade projekt för att på ett systematiskt, standardiserat och kontinuerligt sätt fånga upp, bevara och sprida kunskap. Genom att, som mindre företag, tillämpa dessa aspekter undviker man behovet av att anlita dyr extern hjälp för att formalisera sina processer för kunskapshantering. / The major concern this case study tries to address is the identified problem of how smaller companies, at least formally, work with knowledge management within their organizations. This, of course, is something that is problematic in today's generation where an effective process for knowledge management is necessary to provide qualification to reach competitive advantage. Past research also shows this and says knowledge management is a complex area where missing a formal approach to how to promore, preserve, evolve and spread knowledge is problematic for smaller companies. The construction industry is very interesting to this regard, since they have a lot of tacit knowledge among the workers and they seem to partially have found an effective approach as to how to handle that knowledge.   The purpose of this case study is to identify a framework and approach that smaller companies can apply to start, formally or informally, their work with knowledge management and learning by taking inspiration from the construction sector in the relation between a fully learned construction worker and an apprentice.   The theoretical framework consists of theories about individual knowledge creation as well as organizational learning, where theories like social learning theory, stimulus and response, learning circle, Nonaka's SECI model, Community of Practice and Argyris theory of double-loop learning is applied to analyze the empiric findings of this research.   The applied method of conducting this research was a qualitative approach with semi structured interviews performed on the CEO, supervisors, three workers and three apprentices.   Discussion shows how a lot of this research corresponds with previous research but also a few areas that does not correspond. Past research approaches with a negative perspective on informal processes, while our study shows that there can be some positive aspect if learned to handle. In the conclusion we present a framework consisting of five aspects that have been identified  and to which smaller companies can start to apply in order to get to work with knowledge management in an effective way, even if the processes may stay informal. These five aspects are physical communication, a strong community, a performance based bonus and trial-and-error as well as promote and prioritize the construction workers´ and apprentices reflections for finished projects in order to in a systematic, standardized and consistent way catch, preserve and share knowledge. By applying, as a smaller company, these aspects the company can avoid the need of the hiring expensive external companies to help with formalising the processes for knowledge management.