No description available.

This thesis summarises research focused on the requisites required to implement improvement initiatives successfully. Processes used to enhance supply chain performance initiatives are examined. The core hypothesis is that a preconditioning programme provides support for progressive organisations, irrespective of size or position in the supply chain. An interpretation matrix developed as a result of action research with M E Ltd was tested with NP Ltd and its suppliers. During search conferences the matrix was found to add value by serving as a common platform to record then compare observations and agree a common understanding between participants. Based on qualitative descriptions of training and learning in organisations from the 1950s to the 1970s, Barrington's model has three levels: 'systematic approach' predominating in the 1950s, 'appraisal approach' developed extensively in the 1960s and an 'attitude to continuous improvement' that was promoted after the 1970s fuel crises. This model was used as the basis for selecting collaborating establishments. The literature review concludes that conventional supplier development has the attributes of the systematic approach, which is considered the least effective level. M E Ltd was considering introducing appraisal, had few attributes of the systematic approach, and had an attitude for continuous improvement. A company specific survey was undertaken that led to a series of remedial actions which were identified as a preconditioning programme prior to supplier development. NP Ltd selected leaders by attitude, had institutionalised appraisals and once the core group was established, trained employees with systematic techniques. AAP Ltd had the attitude and systematic techniques, yet did not have appraisal systems. Principal conclusions of this are: · These case studies suggest companies can have any two of Barrington's levels. As a result, an alternate depiction of Barrington’s model is suggested. · The cases indicate that preconditioning can occur within a company, from customer to suppliers and from suppliers to customer. · The cases suggest product development roadmap stability as a root cause for negative effects to the relationship between customer and supplier.

The purpose of this study is to explore the theoretical foundation for conceptualizing information-sharing behavior and to develop a composite index or a global scale for measuring the overall level of information sharing in the context of supply chains. Specifically, the study investigates two research questions: What are the basic characteristics of information-sharing behavior? How can the overall level of operational information sharing of small- and medium-sized Canadian enterprises in supply chains be measured? Three major characteristics of information-sharing behavior are identified in the study: there must be mutual benefits, a mixture of collaborative and competitive actions, and a dependent relationship. Correspondingly, a theoretical definition of information-sharing behavior is proposed: information-sharing behavior is a type of information behavior in which two groups of actors connected by a certain type of relationship transfer information between them through collective actions in order to achieve individual or common interests. Furthermore, a general analytical framework of information-sharing behavior is developed. The analytical framework, which includes major factors involved in information-sharing activity, broadens the scope of interactions beyond the systems and information, and adopts a new perspective emphasizing incentives and interactions between actors in addition to the system-centered and user-centered views traditionally assumed in information behavior studies. / Le but de cette étude est d’explorer les fondements théoriques pour conceptualiser le comportement du partage d’information et pour développer un index composé ou une échelle globale afin de mesurer le niveau complet du partage d’information dans le contexte de chaînes d’approvisionnement. En pratique, le partage d’information entre les membres d’une chaîne d’approvisionnement est crucial afin d’augmenter la compétitivité et la performance des entreprises individuelles et de la chaîne entière. Néanmoins, le partage d’information rendu possible par les réseaux informatiques dans les entreprises canadiennes en ·est toujours à ses balbutiements, et il n’y a aucune méthode applicable pour évaluer les efforts des entreprises pour améliorer le niveau du partage d’information dans les chaînes d’approvisionnemeont. Spécifiquement, l’étude examine les deux questions de recherche suivantes: Quelles sont les caractéristiques de base du comportement du partage d’information? Comment peut être mesuré le niveau général du partage d’information opérationnel entre les petites et les moyennes entreprises canadiennes dans les chaînes d’approvisionnement? Trois caractéristiques majeures du comportement du partage d’information sont identifiées dans l’étude: il doit y avait un avantage mutuel, un mélange d’actions collaboratives et compétitives, et une relation de dépendance. Une définition théorique de comportement du partage d’information est proposée: Le comportement du partage d’information est un type de comportement informationnel dans lequel deux groupes d’acteurs sont reliés par un certain type de relations de transfert des informations par des actions collectives afin de réaliser des intérêts individuels ou communs. En outre, une structure analytique d’ensemble du comportement de partage d’information est développée. La structure analytique, qui comprend des facteurs majeurs dans l’

With the coming of the digital era, global competition has resulted in every industry expanding their requirements in supply chain integration and enterprise resource planning. When all kinds of industries seek to manage the supply chain and establish cooperative partnerships, trying to exploit cooperation to acquire more competencies in the market, the importance of information system integration for interfirm activities also increases with time. In fact, an interorganisational information system for business-to-business integration (B2Bi) is not a creation by technical input only but involves other factors. Particularly, it has larger system scope and numbers of system stakeholders than any other organisational information systems. In the management literature, a supply chain is often not a linear type of interfirm structure but is considered to be made up of the network formation. Business network studies actually have in common with B2Bi adoption theories that are based on their research models and determinants, such as the firms' resources, social legitimacy, and associated power. However, there appears to be only a few investigations of B2Bi adoption from the business network aspects in the extent literature and especially within the context of Taiwanese Information Technology (IT) Industries. This thesis can be seen as an attempt to enrich the previous findings of the technology acceptance model (TAM) in a B2B environment. Formulated in another way, it tries to test, apply and extend the adoption model to the use of computer-based information systems in integrating supply chain as the focus. Given the knowledge niches in the literature, the research question canvassed in the thesis is: How does the business network environment affect the information systems adoption for business-to-business integration? / In order to find out the answer to this proposed question, a combination of observation and survey methodologies for the final analysis by structural equation modelling (SEM) is used. The first stage is to go into the heartland of the Taiwanese IT industry as an IS lecturer working adjacent to the Hsin Chu Science Park. This strategy has helped me to approach many industrial practitioners easily and has subsequently assisted with publishing the preliminary findings in conference proceedings and journal articles. These early works have thus become the basis for refining and confirming my theoretical framework. The second stage involves statistical analysis to measure the hypotheses of the research model, which makes this thesis a piece of work drawing on both theory building and testing. / The path analyses indicate the answers of three issues raised from the research framework. The results confirm the associations between a firm's existing system support readiness and the network determinants outside organisational boundaries. Further, it identifies the interrelationships among these factors, and it seems that some of them mediate the enterprises' behaviour on investments to increase current information systems for B2Bi purposes. With the empirical data of Taiwanese IT industries, this thesis discusses the research model in terms of its applicability, limitation, and future researches. Moreover, factors such as perceived benefits and network governance are covered so as to enhance the current knowledge on supply chain integration and B2Bi implementation. / Thesis (PhDBusinessandManagement)--University of South Australia, 2004.

Thesis (DBA(DoctorateofBusinessAdministration))--University of South Australia, 2004.

Thesis (MScIng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of Toledo, 2007. / Typescript. "Submitted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Manufacturing Management and Engineering." Bibliography: leaves 215-235.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of Toledo, 2007. / Typescript. "Submitted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Manufacturing Management and Engineering." Bibliography: leaves 153-194.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Texas, Aug., 2007. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

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