Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Petroleum is undoubtedly one of the most valuable commodities in the world with an annual production worth billions of dollars, and an attempt to relate it to the slow economic performance of a country may seem far-fetched. Studies on sub-Saharan countries that produce oil have often viewed the country’s ability to govern oil from an institutionalist lens. This Thesis aims to explore the governance and management of oil resources in African states since this is the focal point between the oil-rich countries and the international community. By using a political settlement framework, I seek to further the “resource curse” discourse by challenging the new institutionalist theory which fails to adequately address the Dutch disease problem. I compare the political settlement between Ghana and Kenya and explore the dynamics of power and politics and how this relationship shapes the functionality of institutions. My analysis of the current political settlement in Kenya that is dynamic in nature, suggests that acceptable levels of elite commitment and bureaucratic capability are unlikely to be reached hence making Kenya prone to the Dutch Disease.

This qualitative study explores how roles are constructed within interprofessional health care teams. It focuses on elucidating the different types of role boundaries, the influences on role construction and the implications for professionals and patients. A comparative case study was conducted with two interprofessional primary health care teams. The data collection included a total of 26 interviews (13 with each team) and non-participant observations of team meetings (2-3 meetings at each site). Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data and a model was developed to represent the emergent findings. The role boundaries are organized around interprofessional interactions (autonomous-collaborative boundaries) and the distribution of tasks (interchangeable-differentiated boundaries). Salient influences are categorized as structural, interpersonal and individual dynamics. The implications of role construction include professional satisfaction and more favourable wait times for patients. The elements in this conceptual model may be transferable to other interprofessional primary health care teams. It may benefit these teams by raising awareness of the potential impact of various within-team influences on role construction.

This qualitative study explores how roles are constructed within interprofessional health care teams. It focuses on elucidating the different types of role boundaries, the influences on role construction and the implications for professionals and patients. A comparative case study was conducted with two interprofessional primary health care teams. The data collection included a total of 26 interviews (13 with each team) and non-participant observations of team meetings (2-3 meetings at each site). Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data and a model was developed to represent the emergent findings. The role boundaries are organized around interprofessional interactions (autonomous-collaborative boundaries) and the distribution of tasks (interchangeable-differentiated boundaries). Salient influences are categorized as structural, interpersonal and individual dynamics. The implications of role construction include professional satisfaction and more favourable wait times for patients. The elements in this conceptual model may be transferable to other interprofessional primary health care teams. It may benefit these teams by raising awareness of the potential impact of various within-team influences on role construction.

In this essay, two of the most lethal terrorist organizations in the world, al-Qaeda and Boko Haram are being examined and compared based on psychological, political, economical and religious theories. The essay was written with the aim to find out about cause, objectives as well as course of action within al-Qaeda and Boko Haram. One has found out that the cause of al-Qaeda is mainly based on religious and political indicators, while Boko Haram is primary caused by economical and political factors. The objectives for both of the cases are religious, but for Boko Haram, political as well. Both of the organizations use psychological factors as a way to go through with their course of action, but in the case of Boko Haram, the economical indicators are very convincing as well.

A double case study applying action research methodology was conducted in two pharmaceutical preparation manufacturers in the Netherlands to improve their manufacturing systems by implementing time-based manufacturing (TBM) practices. Following the diagnosis phase, the situation of each Company was analysed and suitable improvement interventions were selected for implementation in the Case Companies. At the end of the action research project, semi-structured interviews were taken in each Company a year later, and the achieved results of the improvement programmes were collected and analysed. This research extends the existing theory of time-based competition and demonstrates that TBM practices apply also in the pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing industry. Furthermore, this study shows how to improve TBM practices and reduce the throughput time by providing the route for improvement and implementation. Although the first Case Company did not improve the core TBM practices and manufacturing performance, its infrastructure improved through the implementation of an ERP system and further enhancement of its quality management system, illustrating that the design of the infrastructure is a key factor to become a time-based competitor. The second Case Company succeeded to improve the 2 TBM practices and throughput processes resulting in the reduction of the order cycle time and increase of the delivery dependability. Based on the data of the two Case Companies, this study demonstrated the relationship between these two manufacturing performance parameters, which indicates that manufacturers may strive for both delivery speed and delivery reliability using the same improvement plan. Adopting TBM is a long journey of many years and needs a continuous improvement infrastructure.

This thesis examined factors that influence three Canadian Nursing Associations’ priority setting and policy advocacy for community environmental health (CEH). The research questions that guided the study were: (a) how do the nature and scope of nursing organizations’ engagement for CEH policies differ according to provincial and federal contexts? and (b) how do nursing organizational factors and external system factors influence the priority-setting and policy advocacy choices for CEH policy? To answer these questions I undertook a qualitative comparative case study. The research was guided by epistemological and methodological principles of interpretative description and informed by whole-systems socio-ecological theory and institutional theory. Data were collected through participant interviews (n=41) and document review. Guided by framework analysis and the use of descriptive and conceptually-oriented matrices, cases were analyzed using an iterative and inductive approach to identify case patterns. These case patterns were then compared to identify cross-cutting factors that influence the Nursing Associations’ priority setting and policy advocacy for CEH. Key findings are represented in an integrated conceptual framework. Nursing Associations’ priority setting and policy advocacy are embedded in a dynamic policy field whereby structures and institutional pressure both create opportunities and narrow the Nursing Associations’ options for engaged CEH advocacy. The findings lead to recommendations for practice, policy, and research that have relevance for the profession, nursing associations, and policy decision-makers.

Legitimacy is a central concept within organization studies and it is widely accepted that being granted legitimacy is crucial for organizations in today’s society. Legitimacy is known to be based on rationality which during the course of research development has come to include not only technical aspects, but also socially constructed factors affected by stakeholder’s personal values. Moreover, it is known that there are multiple dimensions of legitimacy and that organizations are evaluated based on method of operation, output and goals, and vision. These can be judged differently by stakeholders in the same field, arriving at possibly contradictive legitimacy judgements regarding the same organization. However, we are not familiar with if the context in which an organization operates affects the legitimacy judgement made by its stakeholders. This thesis therefore aimed to study how the context an organization operates in can affect the legitimacy judgement with a comparative case study. The study shows that the operational context in itself can be a factor in the evaluation of the organization. It also indicates that different contexts can cause different and contradictive legitimacy judgements among the stakeholders even though the operational task and output is essentially the same.

The purpose of this study was to explore the use of video-mediated communication (VMC) to support couples separated during classic Satogaeri Bunben. Satogaeri Bunben refers to the Japanese tradition when a pregnant woman leaves her own home to return to her parents' home during the prenatal period, while her husband often stays behind in the couple's house. When a couple geographically live apart during Satogaeri Bunben, it may decrease father-infant attachment and the negatively impact the marital relationship. VMC was selected as the supportive intervention for couples choosing Satogaeri Bunben in this study because: 1) it provides additional visual cues, which are particularly important because Japanese communication is highly contextual and often more nonverbal than verbal, 2) the addition of visual cues allow husbands the opportunity to see their infant, because they cannot talk, and 3) Japan has one of the best broadband systems worldwide. The specific aims were to explore VMC during Satogaeri Bunben in relation to father-infant attachment and the marital relationship and to describe VMC experiences of Japanese couples separated during Satogaeri Bunben. A comparative case study design with a mixed methods approach to data collection and analysis was used. The specific mixed methods approach used was a [QUAL + quan] triangulation-convergence model. For the qualitative data, the primary source of data was the Participant Diary. The primary sources of quantitative data included three instruments: 1) Taiji Kanjyo Hyotei Syakudo (TKHS), 2) Intimate Bond Measure (IBM), and 3) Primary Communication Inventory (PCI). The PCI was translated into Japanese for this study using a committee approach. Four couples were participated in this study. Data collection for each couple took approximately two to three month to complete. Qualitative data analysis divided the couples in two groups: 1) the engaged group, who were very attentive each other's feelings and 2) the detached group, who were inattentive. The PCI scores further supported the existence of two groups. However, the TKHS and IBM scores were mixed. The limitations included a small sample size and lack of variability in sample characteristics, and short time frame. This study was also the first time to use a newly translated PCI in Japanese. This study successfully explored the use of VMC to support couples choosing Satogaeri Bunben focusing on decreasing the impact of the separation of the couple and later the separation of the husband from his new infant. The qualitative and quantitative findings provided a first glimpse into four couples' feelings and VMC experiences during Satogaeri Bunben, especially in relation to father-infant attachment and the marital relationship. The use of VMC provided ongoing virtual, rather than physical co-presence, which may help couple's communication and relationship during their separation, as they transitioned to parenthood.

This thesis examined factors that influence three Canadian Nursing Associations’ priority setting and policy advocacy for community environmental health (CEH). The research questions that guided the study were: (a) how do the nature and scope of nursing organizations’ engagement for CEH policies differ according to provincial and federal contexts? and (b) how do nursing organizational factors and external system factors influence the priority-setting and policy advocacy choices for CEH policy? To answer these questions I undertook a qualitative comparative case study. The research was guided by epistemological and methodological principles of interpretative description and informed by whole-systems socio-ecological theory and institutional theory. Data were collected through participant interviews (n=41) and document review. Guided by framework analysis and the use of descriptive and conceptually-oriented matrices, cases were analyzed using an iterative and inductive approach to identify case patterns. These case patterns were then compared to identify cross-cutting factors that influence the Nursing Associations’ priority setting and policy advocacy for CEH. Key findings are represented in an integrated conceptual framework. Nursing Associations’ priority setting and policy advocacy are embedded in a dynamic policy field whereby structures and institutional pressure both create opportunities and narrow the Nursing Associations’ options for engaged CEH advocacy. The findings lead to recommendations for practice, policy, and research that have relevance for the profession, nursing associations, and policy decision-makers.

The implementation of a new IT system in an organization provides many opportunities but as well as serious challenges.  Opportunities may arise in the form of increased control and efficiency in the organization, while a common challenge may be that the organization does not perceive value in the investment because management has failed to integrate IT with the rest of the organization. It is only when the organization manages the organizational factors during and after IT implementation that the benefits may be realized. This thesis examines organizational factors involved during the implementation of IT systems and identifies critical factors that are plausibly responsible for the success of the implementation. The design of the study was a comparative case approach that simultaneously examined two IT system implementations (named Heroma and Agresso) in the same organization, one of them being perceived to be more successful than the other.  In the theoretical framework, discussion addressed the issue of how to measure a successful implementation. Based on the literature  review  and  the empirical  data,  the  author  was  able  to  identify  the  critical organizational factors that were most responsible for the level of success of each IT implementation. The   results   showed   that   the   Heroma   implementation   lacked   in managing critical organizational factors, leading to a less satisfactory outcome. For example, the exclusion of employees  from  the  implementation  process  and  the  lack  of competency  of  the  project manager  made the Heroma  implementation  more troublesome  then the Agresso implementation.