This thesis investigates manufacturer-distributor power relationship in the Chinese Iron and Steel Industry. The main objectives of this study are to identify, describe and investigate the power relationships in Chinese Iron and Steel Industry; to understand the concept of power from the perspective of distributors and their relationship with State-Owned Enterprises and Private-Owned Enterprises in this industry; and to explore the possibility of developing an extended research power-relationship framework by investigating the power construct and potentially related and relevant factors in the Chinese market that may impact predicted outcomes such as positive conflict resolution attitude and levels of conflict. Two quantitative pilot studies were conducted, consisting of 14 surveys with semi-structured questions each, which were instrumental in the design of an extended power relationship model by incorporating the factors such as the level of trust, frequency of communication and level of guanxi that drive positive conflict resolution attitude into the traditional power model that had not been combined in a single framework before. Subsequently, the main study was carried out comprising 148 questionnaires completed by distributor firm managers. These represent the views of 74 respondents, who responded for both state-owned enterprises and private-owned enterprises in the Chinese Iron and Steel Industry The sample size is 74 respondents including 14 respondents that were also respondents for the pilot studies. This study generated four main findings. 1) a State-Owned Enterprises tend to use more non-coercive power than Private-Owned Enterprises, and have a stronger negative effect than Private-Owned Enterprises; 2) although Private-Owned Enterprises were rated higher than State-Owned Enterprises in the level of trust, and have a stronger positive effect when explaining the observed relationship between the level of trust and positive conflict resolution attitude, the difference is really minimal; 3) Private-Owned Enterprises were rated higher than State-Owned Enterprises in the frequency of communication, and have a stronger positive effect than State-Owned Enterprises in the explanation of the relationship between frequency of communication and positive conflict resolution attitude. 4) Private-Owned Enterprises were rated higher than State-Owned Enterprises in the level of guanxi, and have stronger positive effect than State-Owned Enterprises in the explanation of the relationship between level of guanxi and positive conflict resolution attitude. These findings contribute to fill gaps in the literature with regard to power relationships in distribution channels. This thesis extends the current boundary of knowledge through the formulation of an extended framework that integrates conflict resolution constructs into a typical/traditional power model. This extended framework comprises new constructs such as level of trust, frequency of communication and level of guanxi and hypothesises their impact on conflict resolution attitude and level of conflict in the Chinese distribution channel. New knowledge is created by investigating differences regarding the use of power by SOEs and POEs considered from the distributor perspective in the Chinese context. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed in detail.

A querela entre o papa e o imperador ao longo dos séculos XIII e XIV propiciou o surgimento de inúmeras teorias a respeito do poder em defesa de uma ou outra instituição. Marsílio de Pádua (1280-1343) foi um dos mais importantes pensadores a apresentar argumentos para essas discussões no século XIV. Ao denunciar os desmandos do papa e do seu Colégio de Cardeais viu-se obrigado a refugiar-se na corte do imperador Luís IV. A principal obra do paduano foi o Defensor da Paz (1324) na qual expôs elementos fundamentais para o debate em questão. Esta tese teve como objetivo discutir a doutrina política desenvolvida por Marsílio de Pádua a partir do seu próprio contexto. Para isso, foi necessário compreender seus conflitos e influências a fim de analisar os conceitos políticos apresentados em sua obra maior. Apoiado em Aristóteles, escreveu um plano prático para a intervenção política do imperador no Regnum Italicum. Marsílio adquiriu importância fundamental por sua formulação da noção de poder restrita à esfera temporal, delineando uma primeira ideia de autonomia do poder civil, dotado de atribuições específicas e independentes da esfera eclesiástica. / The quarell between the pope and the emperor during the XIII and XIV centuries has given rise to numerous theories about the power in defense of one or another institution. Marsilius of Padua (1280 1343) was one of the most important thinkers to present arguments for these discussions in the XIV century. Informing against the excesses of the pope and his Cardinal´s College, he was forced to take refuge at the court of emperor Ludwig IV. The main paduans work was the Defensor Pacis (1324) in which he exposed fundamental elements to the debate in question. This thesis aimed to discuss the political doctrine developed by Marsilius of Padua from his own context. For this, it was necessary understand their conflicts and influences in order to analyze the political concepts presented in his major work. Supported by Aristotle, he wrote a practical plan for policy intervention of the emperor at Regnum Italicum. Marsilius got fundamental importance by his formulation of the notion of power restricted to the temporal sphere, outlining a first idea of autonomy of civil power, endowed with independent and specific assignments of the ecclesiastical sphere.

A querela entre o papa e o imperador ao longo dos séculos XIII e XIV propiciou o surgimento de inúmeras teorias a respeito do poder em defesa de uma ou outra instituição. Marsílio de Pádua (1280-1343) foi um dos mais importantes pensadores a apresentar argumentos para essas discussões no século XIV. Ao denunciar os desmandos do papa e do seu Colégio de Cardeais viu-se obrigado a refugiar-se na corte do imperador Luís IV. A principal obra do paduano foi o Defensor da Paz (1324) na qual expôs elementos fundamentais para o debate em questão. Esta tese teve como objetivo discutir a doutrina política desenvolvida por Marsílio de Pádua a partir do seu próprio contexto. Para isso, foi necessário compreender seus conflitos e influências a fim de analisar os conceitos políticos apresentados em sua obra maior. Apoiado em Aristóteles, escreveu um plano prático para a intervenção política do imperador no Regnum Italicum. Marsílio adquiriu importância fundamental por sua formulação da noção de poder restrita à esfera temporal, delineando uma primeira ideia de autonomia do poder civil, dotado de atribuições específicas e independentes da esfera eclesiástica. / The quarell between the pope and the emperor during the XIII and XIV centuries has given rise to numerous theories about the power in defense of one or another institution. Marsilius of Padua (1280 1343) was one of the most important thinkers to present arguments for these discussions in the XIV century. Informing against the excesses of the pope and his Cardinal´s College, he was forced to take refuge at the court of emperor Ludwig IV. The main paduans work was the Defensor Pacis (1324) in which he exposed fundamental elements to the debate in question. This thesis aimed to discuss the political doctrine developed by Marsilius of Padua from his own context. For this, it was necessary understand their conflicts and influences in order to analyze the political concepts presented in his major work. Supported by Aristotle, he wrote a practical plan for policy intervention of the emperor at Regnum Italicum. Marsilius got fundamental importance by his formulation of the notion of power restricted to the temporal sphere, outlining a first idea of autonomy of civil power, endowed with independent and specific assignments of the ecclesiastical sphere.

Com o fim da Guerra-Fria uma série de conflitos surge em diferentes pontos do globo. Em sua maioria eles são de natureza intra-estatal, marcados por alto grau de violência e com múltiplos atores envolvidos. Acompanha essa nova realidade a adoção de uma postura coercitiva por parte da Organização das Nações Unidas, doravante comum nas chamadas intervenções humanitárias. A partir deste quadro propõe-se aqui analisar os fatores constitutivos desses conflitos, representados em dois estudos de casos emblemáticos do tema em foco, Somália (1992) e Timor Leste (1999), bem como o comportamento da ONU em face desses novos desafios. O fio condutor de toda a pesquisa consistiu em demonstrar sua principal hipótese: o sucesso dos processos de resolução de conflitos chefiados pela ONU foi comprovado somente em episódios nos quais a organização internacional considerou outros recursos além do uso da força militar e enfatizou abordagens mais abrangentes, as quais consideravam atores da sociedade civil originários de diversas camadas sociais. / The end of the Cold War is followed by many internal conflicts around the world. Most of these conflicts, are characterized by a high level of violence and composed by actors from different origins. This work is an analysis of coercive power in humanitarian interventions, ruled by the United Nations, concerning conflict resolution process and humanitarian interventions undertaken in East Timor (1999) and in Somalia (1992). The main goal is to discuss the reasons why United Nations used military force in humanitarian interventions, as well as to highlight the approach to conflict resolution processes developed by international organizations. This work argues that conflict resolution processes tend to be successful when they are based on a broader approach, which concerns actors form civil society, coming from different social origins.

Com o fim da Guerra-Fria uma série de conflitos surge em diferentes pontos do globo. Em sua maioria eles são de natureza intra-estatal, marcados por alto grau de violência e com múltiplos atores envolvidos. Acompanha essa nova realidade a adoção de uma postura coercitiva por parte da Organização das Nações Unidas, doravante comum nas chamadas intervenções humanitárias. A partir deste quadro propõe-se aqui analisar os fatores constitutivos desses conflitos, representados em dois estudos de casos emblemáticos do tema em foco, Somália (1992) e Timor Leste (1999), bem como o comportamento da ONU em face desses novos desafios. O fio condutor de toda a pesquisa consistiu em demonstrar sua principal hipótese: o sucesso dos processos de resolução de conflitos chefiados pela ONU foi comprovado somente em episódios nos quais a organização internacional considerou outros recursos além do uso da força militar e enfatizou abordagens mais abrangentes, as quais consideravam atores da sociedade civil originários de diversas camadas sociais. / The end of the Cold War is followed by many internal conflicts around the world. Most of these conflicts, are characterized by a high level of violence and composed by actors from different origins. This work is an analysis of coercive power in humanitarian interventions, ruled by the United Nations, concerning conflict resolution process and humanitarian interventions undertaken in East Timor (1999) and in Somalia (1992). The main goal is to discuss the reasons why United Nations used military force in humanitarian interventions, as well as to highlight the approach to conflict resolution processes developed by international organizations. This work argues that conflict resolution processes tend to be successful when they are based on a broader approach, which concerns actors form civil society, coming from different social origins.

M. Tech. (Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / Retailing refers to the activities involved in selling goods or services to the final consumer for personal use as opposed to business purposes. It is a socio-economic system that gets people together to interchange goods and services for a small payment, which matches the final consumers’ needs. In South Africa, the industry has grown by a yearly average of 3 percent in the past eight years and Gauteng, as a province, contributed 26.5 percent to this growth. Therefore, the retail industry has been growing at a very slow rate. Letooane (2013:2) asserts that that there is a need for research in leadership power bases, QWL and how best the needs of employees can be satisfied to improve their intention to stay. In this reard, the primary objective of the study was to examine the relationship between leadership power bases, quality of work life (QWL) and intention to stay among employees at a selected retail outlet in Gauteng province. The research methodology applied to conduct the study was a consolidation of a literature review and an empirical study.The study focused on the work of French and Raven (1959) power sources, namely coercive, legitimate, reward, referent and expert power. It also looked at QWL as the nature of the workforce in retail today is generally very different from the workforce of the past decades. In addition, the study explored how QWL will assist retailers in enhancing their employees’ intention to stay. A quantitative research approach was followed in this study and a simple random probability sampling method was adopted. A structured questionnaire, divided into four sections, was utilised to survey 300 (both male and female) employees from three branches of the selected retail company in the Daveyton township. The pilot study preceded the main survey and the internal consistency reliability was ascertained. Of the 300 questionnaires distributed to the participants, a total of 285 responses were usable for data analysis (response rate of 95 percent). The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 25.0, was used to analyse data into descriptive statistics, reliability and validity analysis, correlations and finally, regression analysis, which was used to test the relationship among the constructs under investigation. The results indicated that coercive power base (β=0.456) and legitimate power base (β=0.210) contribute positively to the prediction of QWL, while reward power indicated a negative prediction of QWL (β= -0.044). Furthermore, the influence of QWL towards employees’ intention to stay was represented by a positive beta weight of (β=0.754). Additionally, all Cronbach’s alpha values ranged from 0.764 to 0.913, (exceeding the threshold of 0.7) thus suggesting that all the items in the scale tap into the same underlying constructs. Results from this research study will assist retailers to increase the QWL levels in their companies by advancing the factors that were identified in this research study. Additionally, these results may enable retail store managers to comprehensively understand how employees perceive power bases and how these employees’ perceptions influence QWL and, subsequently, their intention to stay. The implications of the results are addressed as well as the limitations of the study and future research opportunities are further identified.