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Thesis (M.B.A.)—Boston University.

by Cheung Hong Keung Alfred. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 39-42). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.vii / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Importance of Information Technology Purchasing --- p.1 / Information Technology Purchasing Life Cycle --- p.2 / Problems with Information Technology Purchasing --- p.3 / Scope of the Project --- p.5 / Methodologies --- p.6 / Chapter II. --- INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PURCHASING STRATEGIES --- p.7 / Characteristics of Information Technology Industry --- p.7 / Strategic Management of Supply Chain --- p.9 / Models of Decision-Making --- p.14 / Total Cost of Ownership --- p.18 / Chapter III. --- SURVEY OF PURCHASING PRACTICES --- p.20 / Purchasing Tools and Techniques --- p.20 / Commercial Purchasing Practices --- p.21 / Government Purchasing Practices --- p.24 / Analysis of Survey --- p.28 / Chapter IV. --- CASE STUDIES --- p.30 / Purpose of Case Studies --- p.30 / Case Studies Procedure --- p.30 / Findings and Discussions --- p.31 / Chapter V. --- CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.34 / Conclusions --- p.34 / Recommendations --- p.36 / APPENDIX --- p.37 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.39

This dissertation explores empirically how external factors can influence the organizational structure of firms and how the structure a firm chooses can affect worker outcomes. The first chapter examines how a policy reform affected the organizational choices of firms. The MINER Act of 2006 resulted in increased scrutiny and penalties for underground coal mining operations relative to surface operations. In turn, this changed the incentives for coal preparation facilities to own these mines. Particularly, markets most affected by the reform saw an increase in ownership along an extensive margin and markets already integrated saw a decrease along an intensive margin. I argue these results reflect the competing incentives created by the policy. The increased riskiness of shut downs and flows in production resulted in preparation plants integrating with at least one mine to assure a basic level of supply. The increased regulatory liability of ownership induced by the new regulatory structure resulted in a countervailing force, reducing the intensity of integration in markets that were integrated prior to the reform. The second chapter (with David Weil) studies the prevalence of contractor utilization in the mining industry. Outsourcing of tasks has increased significantly in the underground coal mining industry over the last two decades. We hypothesize that the market and organizational incentives facing contractors increase the likelihood of injuries and fatalities to their workforce. Our results suggest increased risk exposure for mines with high contractor utilization. These findings have important implications for enforcement and public policies and extend the evidence of the adverse impact of forms of subcontracting on health and safety to the mining sector. Finally, the third chapter provides a case study of two major actors in the industry, Alpha Natural Resources and Massey Energy Company. It looks at the ownership choices the two companies have made in the past decade. Looking at these different decisions allows for the identification of contract operations that are of concern from a regulatory standpoint in this industry. This paper provides a blueprint for future research in determining the prevalence of these particular contracting arrangements in US coal mining.

I empirically examine the choice of a firm’s vertical boundaries—specifically, the decision to use supplier-customer contracts instead of either using markets or vertical integration. I examine the determinants of supplier-customer contracts using data on a customer’s contractual purchase obligations with its suppliers. Contracting propensity is positively related to supplier relationship-specific investments (RSI), the supplier’s relative bargaining power, and vertical integration costs, and negatively related to contracting costs, alternative sources of information about the customer, and the percentage of a customer’s input traded on financial markets. I also find that customer firms which have product market contracts with their suppliers have better relative performance. These performance effects are enhanced by relationship-specific investments and are robust to corrections for endogeneity. Additionally, I examine the choice between vertical integration versus supplier-customer contracts and find that the choice is predicted by the type of RSI. Consistent with theory, RSI measured using tangible (intangible) assets are positively related to integration (contracts). Further, positive (negative) shocks to industry-level intangible investment are related to increases in a firm’s contracting activity and decreases (increases) in the level of vertical integration, while positive (negative) shocks to industry-level tangible investment are related to decreases in contracting activity and increases (decreases) in the level of vertical integration. My results suggest that market frictions play an important role in shaping supplier-customer contracting activity and firm boundaries.

Non-governmental organizations play an increasingly important role in society today. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics, difficulties, and possibilities for NGOs working with social welfare in China. This paper presents data by using qualitative method and analyzes it with the social ecological perspective. The results of this study show that top-down NGOs like the one studied in this paper are experimental organizations which are established according to China's social environment in order to undertake the welfare services ordered by the government. In this way the government legalizes the working of NGOs. However, the result is that, on the one hand, NGOs help government to promote the quality of public services, and on the other, relying on the government becames an obstruction of NGOs development.

Currently in our domestic airports, there are some issues worth of studying. The issues include: problems regarding firefighter human resource, dilemma that needs breakthrough and whether the reinventing government is suitable from the long-term perspective. This report tries to exam the issues: vacancy demand, background and related problems that may follows of yearly-increased 336 firefighters from 2004 to 2008.Based on the reinventing government, background of affair contracting out ,theory for frequently applied contracting out, this report is analyze and evaluate examinees of different backgrounds¡¦ perception difference on¡ufinancial expenditure¡v¡B¡upersonnel administration¡v¡B¡ulegal system¡vand ¡uprivate sector support¡vof the above-mentioned firefighter human resource¡¦s outsourcing. Furthermore, the report evaluates the current firefighter human resource¡¦s dilemma and obstacles of implementing outsourcing for policy reference. Main findings are¡G 1.After technician from other organizations have finished training, human resource aging problem of firefighter human resource replacing policy. 2.Employed human resource for vacancy is worth of adopting. 3.The current dilemmas are lake of legal support for implementing public servant¡¦s firefighter system, financial burden for adding firefighting technician and increasingly-worsen human resource aging problem. 4.Reasons for applying outsourcing is to decrease financial burden on personnel expenditure, provide legal basic and non-core affairs, and deregulate for private administration. 5.Obstacles of outsourcing are lack or immaturity of firefighting human resource in private sector, tough assignment for current personneland concerns of policy for personnel vacancy transfer. 6.Obstacles of contracting out are many.Currently, it is not appropriate to implement outsourcing for firefighter human resource. If the obstacles can be overcome contracting out can be expected in the long run. At last, this report provides suggestions on short-term breakthrough, middle-term plan and long-term endeavor.

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Thesis (doctoral)--European Business School, International University Schloss Reichartshausen, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (SpringerLink, viewed Dec. 3, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. P. A.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2009. / "Spring 2009." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-134).