<p>The main purpose of this study was to determine an innovative approach for identification of key employees at Noble Energy without imposing company-wide performance ratings. The study was designed to answer the following questions: What criteria do Noble Energy leaders use to determine select talent for consideration in talent reviews and succession planning? Is Noble Energy identifying select talent through their new talent review process successfully without the use of performance ratings? This research study was conducted using a qualitative method involving a survey and interviews, designed to draw on specific events surrounding the initial Spring talent review at Noble Energy which involved discussion between senior leaders. Analysis of the survey and further validation in subsequent interviews identified 11 criteria used to identify select talent at Noble Energy. It was also determined that performance ratings were not needed to identify select talent.

<p>Patient safety remains a global challenge that has required constant resolve to improve personnel skills, responsiveness to detail, and transformational actions. This phenomenological study explored how an operating room?s culture of patient safety was affected by the efficacy of its leadership in managing its critical qualitative safety characteristics. Despite the current technological advances and various patient safety measures, studies have reported not only an increasing number of preventable sentinel events, but also recurring mistakes that continue to cause death or serious health complications. There have been numerous administrative attempts to improve the culture of safety in the operating room using performance evaluations, check off sheets, patient satisfaction surveys, and educational seminars. However, the number of patient safety infractions continues to increase. There has not been a model that investigated how leadership efficacy affected an operating room?s culture of patient safety. The paradigm applied in this study established the relevance that leadership efficacy could have in strengthening the operating room?s culture of safety. The hermeneutic-styled, phenomenological case study examined the operating room personnel?s perception of the operating room?s leadership efficacy, and how the personnel?s perceptions of the quality safety characteristics affected the culture of patient safety. The study implemented a non-probability, non-random sample that consisted of 18 skilled surgical personnel of a Level II Trauma Center facility located in Central Florida. The study employed a phenomenological methodology of collection and hermeneutic dissection of interview data. Analysis revealed several findings that established a positive link between each of the qualitative safety characteristics, the qualities of effective leadership, and a progressive culture of patient safety. Future studies could be expanded to include operating room personnel from multiple facilities of the same health organization, and operating room personnel from multiple facilities of multiple health organizations.

<p>Research shows that workplace bullying costs companies billions in lost productivity and unnecessary turnover. Scholars posited men and women respond differently to workplace bullying and that stress and education may contribute to that response calling for more research in this area. This study examines extent to which gender differences explain turnover intentions resulting from bullying and extent to which stress and education level may influence that relationship. Analyzed using lens of social exchange theory, this research provides an opportunity to examine negative interpersonal exchange. Research methodology is explanatory quantitative nonexperimental with ontology of objectivism and theoretical perspective of post-positivism. Nursing and medical fields were targeted population with sample size of 116 participants equally divided with 58 men and 58 women, all between 25 and 65 years of age who experienced workplace bullying at least six consecutive months during previous 36 months. Two online survey companies solicited participants within their pool of survey takers, administered questionnaire, and collected results. No statistically significant difference existed between men and women in their response to workplace bullying with intent to turnover. Additionally, no statistical significance existed between genders, intent to turnover, and moderating roles of stress or education level. Practical implications resulting from this research suggest universal workplace bullying policies should address needs and concerns of both genders in nursing and medical fields. To address unnecessary expenses associated with turnover resulting from workplace bullying, organizations must make hiring decisions and build training programs around early identification of workplace bullying in addition to policies that inhibit this negative social exchange. Future research should focus on one medical organization in one location, where policies and sub-cultures are similar and consider using qualitative methodology.

Includes abstract. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 199-211). / This study is conceived to assess the apparently simple but very critical process of supplying textbooks in the Eastern Cape (EC) public schools. Lean Thinking and Value Stream Mapping (VSM) philosophies, a derivative of the Toyota Production System (TPS), was applied to evaluate the effectiveness of the current process and propose improvements as measured by reduced time and more effective support for learners. Further, usefulness of policies employed from 1998, such as South African Schools Act (SASA), National Standards and Funding Norms (NSFM) and LSM Review Report in ECDoE (2003), that relate to provisioning of textbooks were also assessed. Thirdly, the effect of the current provisioning process at school level was also investigated.

This dissertation consists of three essays that study operations management problems of emerging subscription-based business models. The first essay, coauthored with Pnina Feldman and Ella Segev, investigates the personalized subscription box business model where a firm selects and delivers products that are curated to match each customer’s tastes and preferences. Specifically, this essay investigates how firms may optimally learn customer tastes, and personalize their offerings in order to maximize their revenue. Doing so, we investigate the optimal pricing and return policies of a firm operating with the personalized subscription box business model. The second essay in this dissertation studies the coordination problem of a two-sided media streaming platform that aggregates first and third-party content in a bundle and offer the bundle to users for a subscription fee. Media streaming platforms face a trade-off between maximizing their user base by attracting premium content providers and the costs due to the outside options of the providers. We study the effectiveness of platform’s strategic investment in first-party content to attract premium providers under conventional revenue-allocation mechanisms. The third essay in this dissertation studies two-sided media streaming platforms that offer both first- and third-party content, but strategically steer users to the first-party content, which is most profitable to the platform. Platforms do so by manipulating their recommendation systems. In this case the platform may choose to recommend a content that is different from a user’s optimal preferences. The purpose of this paper is two-fold. First, we explore the effect of platform’s first-party content bias on users’ search behavior. Second, we study the effect of users’ search cost and the third-party provider’s royalty fee on the design of recommendation systems.

Bibliography: leaves 196-223. / The financial crisis in the South African health care industry has forced participants in the industry to look for ways to contain costs. The subsequent deregulation of the private sector has resulted in the introduction and rapid growth of managed health care. This shift to a new paradigm were cost-effectiveness is a prerogative, has major implications for the doctor workforce. Due to concerns about the potential negative impact of this philosophy of health care delivery on the recruitment, retention and motivation of medical doctors, this study investigated the effect of managed care on their clinical performance and job satisfaction. A cross-sectional survey on a probability sample of 2023 general practitioners throughout South Africa was conducted using a mailed questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency measures were used to assess the instrument's validity and reliability. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistical models were used to evaluate the organisational structures and managerial practices associated with managed care, and to assess the impact of these on the clinical freedom and job satisfaction of the respondents.

Includes abstract. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 378-401). / Available literature on literacy for development concentrates on the role of various literacy forms at individual and community levels despite organisations constituting major units in any national development effort. At organisational level, due to the recency of organisational learning theory, there is no comprehensive model of how people, organisations and nations can become performance literate. This study investigated the effect of contextual quality on performance management practice and member outcomes favourability and developed models for the creation of performance literate organisations and nations.

Includes bibliographical references. / The literature is replete with the determinants of economic growth and identifies financial development as one of the important drivers of growth. Financial development is viewed as a process through which financial intermediaries such as banks lubricate the economy by creating a conduit for resources to flow from surplus sectors to deficit sectors. Effective financial development depends on many factors such as financial integration which facilitates international trade and free mobility of capital. However, in order for the positive impact of financial integration to be fully felt on financial development, it must stimulate competition in the domestic banking market without eroding financial stability. Therefore, the central hypothesis of this study is that financial integration can enhance financial development if such integration makes the local banking industry more competitive without increasing its vulnerability to financial instability. The study employs various panel data techniques to test this hypothesis using the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as a case study. The findings reveal that the banking industry in SADC is characterised by monopolistic competition. In addition, financial integration enhances banking competitiveness in the region through removal of barriers to free flow of capital between countries. Furthermore, higher competition is found to be good for financial development as it reduces the magnitude of the financial intermediation spread. Moreover, the study finds that the flipside of financial integration lies in its potential to cause financial instability in the region with negative repercussions for financial intermediation. The findings imply that, even though financial integration is good for financial development through its ability to increase the degree of competition in the banking industry and reduce the spread between lending and deposit rates, member states must put policies in place to effectively prevent the likely erosion of financial stability. No single policy is sufficient on its own to achieve this. Therefore, this study recommends that as members of SADC move towards deeper financial integration, they must ensure that they formulate and implement sound and appropriate common policies in order to ensure that financial stability is not compromised as restrictions to capital-flows are abolished or reduced. Such a policy-mix requires four ingredients, namely; sound financial liberalisation policies, competition policies, macroeconomic policies and regulatory and supervisory policies.

Includes bibliographical references. / The economic advancement that society has experienced in the past two centuries is largely based on a carbon intensive development model. This is now causing a vexing problem because the exploitation of fossil fuels is a leading cause of global climate change. As developing countries advance energy-intensive developmental agendas, a more sustainable approach is necessary to facilitate growth without the accompanying negative environmental externalities inherent to the business as usual approach. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the relationship between market-based incentives (MBIs) for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the underlying host country context. The main research question is: How does host country context affect MBIs in developing countries? The theoretical framework is drawn from the literature on market based environmental policy, and links to the literature on governance in areas of limited statehood. The thesis links five distinct empirical papers to present a cohesive body of research. The experience of the internationally mandated Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is explored via qualitative comparison between China and South Africa, and between Zambia and South Africa. A quantitative analysis of utilisation and underlying host country indicators is also presented to further understand the antecedents of CDM uptake at the national level. Furthermore, South Africa's nationally mandated promotion of renewable energy is explored. This includes a comparison with Germany to highlight how key considerations of renewable energy promotion vary between a developed and developing country. The research finds MBIs in developing countries, both internationally and nationally mandated, to be highly dependent on the overall host country context. The key aspects identified include 1) host country prioritisation of low carbon development; 2) supporting structures and policies that generate awareness, build capabilities and encourage private sector participation; and 3) access to finance, with a specific focus on cost of capital. The findings support the market-based environmental policy literature that suggests an effective regulatory framework by the state is a necessary condition for MBIs in developing countries. However it also shows that the regulatory framework alone is not a sufficient condition for successful implementation of MBIs in the developing world. Consequently, the overall host country context determines private sector interest in and the success of MBIs in developing countries.

Global value chain (GVC) participation has been placed on a high level policy agenda by Development Partners as a prescription template for agri-business growth and competitiveness of developing countries, especially sub-Saharan Africa. Despite, the GVC participation popularity in application, there is an intense debate questioning why some countries are advancing in the global marketplace, while others are failing to do so. Actors' (entrepreneur's) behavior has been highlighted by the value chain fraternity researchers as an area of interest to investigate this phenomenon. The purpose of this research was to contribute to the understanding of the link between the entrepreneur behavior and better enhanced competitiveness in GVC, and as such offer some key insights into the emerging GVC theory. Case Study Approach was the major research strategy complemented by the Survey. Polar types of Ugandan commercial sugarcane and forestry farmers were selected, namely high and low performing entrepreneurs. Principal unit of analysis was the entire value chain, analyzed at three levels: Micro (Farm Enterprises), Meso (Farmer/Miller) and Macro (National Policies & Regulatory Environment). Principal component analysis was run for purposes of grouping items. Empirical data was analyzed using within case analysis, and cross-case pattern analysis. Theoretically and policy practice this study has brought into insight new research frontiers: (1) The finding of internality behavior demonstrates that entrepreneur's traits, characteristics and actions are basically behaviors that can be learnt, nurtured, and developed into a business culture, competencies and capabilities for enterprise growth, productivity and competitiveness. Therefore, policy program designs should focus on igniting these behaviors which are already embedded in the minds of the entrepreneurs, and then supporting the strengthening of such behavioral changes for entrepreneurs to effectively participate in GVC in developing economies. (2) Institutional quality defined by the set of rules of the game with the associated governance power matters with respect to equitable wealth distribution and ultimately competitiveness. Findings of this study are being used to inform both the drafting of the National Sugar Bill 'Draft Uganda Sugar Act 2015' and improvement of the regulatory environment of Uganda's Forestry Industry Sector.