The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the contingencies that alter the link between entrepreneurial orientation (“EO”; a strategic posture characterized by behaviors and attitudes that display innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking) and firm outcomes. While conceptual claims unite on the belief that firms largely benefit from emphasizing innovation through proactive and risky initiatives, the empirical findings on a positive link between EO and performance are inconclusive. As such, several scholars have explored the contingencies that illuminate the boundary conditions to EO, however, most of this research has focused on external contingencies, i.e. those connected to the environment, while internal contingencies, i.e. those connected to the firm, have been fairly disregarded. Not only will the industry and market play a significant role in a firm’s ability to effectively carry out their desired strategic initiatives, so too will firm characteristics, such as communication and culture, as these internal factors are directly related to the level of value created from strategic actions. Therefore, this dissertation is an attempt to further clarify the boundary conditions of EO by focusing on these firm specific attributes. Chapter two, titled “Family communication patterns and entrepreneurial orientation in family firms” exposes the impact of specific family communication patterns on the performance outcomes from an entrepreneurial orientation. This chapter contributes to the corporate entrepreneurship literature, by confining the positive effects of EO to certain firm specific characteristic, as well as to the family business literature by further demonstrating the heterogeneity between family firms. Thereafter, chapter three, titled “Entrepreneurial orientation, organizational culture, and firm performance: The importance of a balanced approach”, argues and tests the importance of organizational culture, as defined by the competing values framework, as a contingency variable of the EO-performance relationship. This empirical chapter exploits a configurational approach, using fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (“fs/QCA”) to analyze the arrangements of different entrepreneurial orientation and organizational cultures that yield superior performance. Through this exploration, I advance research on the EO-performance relationship by integrating the firm’s corporate culture as a means of alleviating concerns with resistance by certain stakeholders to the ambiguity associated with entrepreneurial ventures. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Organizational injustice has been a long feared and long dissected topic by many in the business world. However, there is no clear idea of what employees expect from their superior, nor how communication is impacted separately from behavior in times of injustice. Interviews with 21 employees were used to study the expectations employees have of their superiors and how fulfillment of those expectations impacts communication in the workplace. Interview data indicate that employees expect open communication, performance assistance and professional behavior. Interview data also indicates that employee communication is impacted immediately, in the midst of situations and long term, both passively and directly. Several relational and communication management techniques are suggested to assist fulfillment of psychological contracts and decrease negative impacts of organizational behavior.

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

M.Com. (Business Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Thesis (MA)--Macquarie University, Graduate School of Management, 1989. / Introduction -- Values and culture -- The four dimensions -- Australia survey 1984/85 -- Methodological debate -- Literature reviews -- Outcome in terms of our national culture -- Transition to corporate culture -- Results of survey 1984/85 -- Appendix. / Bibliography: final [7] leaves (Appendix 4). / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / 49 leaves ill. +

M.Comm. / Suid-Afrika is besig om snellende fundamentele veranderinge op politieke, ekonomiese en sosiale gebied te ervaar wat 'n wesenlike treficrag op die bedryf van ondernemings het. Vir ondernemings om te oorleef moet hulle voortdurend aanpas en derhalwe moet hulle beskik oor 'n dinamiese strategie wat deurentyd aanpas by die veranderde omgewing. `n Veranderde omgewing vereis heel dikwels herorganisasie. Lae produktiwiteit en behoeftes wat deur verbruikers gestel word soos onder andere, waarde vir geld, goeie en verbeterde dienslewering, en nuwe tegnologie is enkele faktore wat die onderneming noodsaak om voortdurend aan te pas. Strategie is 'n rasionele bestuursproses wat tot aksies lei om 'n onderneming se produkte en dienslewering aan te pas by 'n spesifieke mark of groep verbruikers. Organisasiekultuur verskaf ondersteuning aan die strategie en beinvloed die sukses tydens die implementeringsfase (Robert et a1.,1994:47). Uitvoerende bestuurders sou waarskynlik van mening wees dat die twee mees kritiese aspekte vir die ondememing in die volgende eeu die bereiking is van die diepste vlakke van kreatiwiteit en die hoogste vlaklce van produktiwiteit van hulle werknemers. In 'n wereld van globale mededinging en waar kennis en tegnologie vrylik oor internasionale grense vloei, besef bestuurders dat die enigste wyse om 'n werklike volhoubare mededingende voordeel te skep, deur die aanwending van menslike hulpbronne is. Hierdeur word maatskappye gedwing om hulle organisasiekulture en —waardes weer in oenskou te neem. Visioenere leiers besef dat werknemerselfvervulling, sosiale verantwoordelikheid en omgewingsbestuur die sleutels is tot verhoogde produktiwiteit en kreatiwiteit in die toekoms (Barret, 1998). Vele maatskappye verander hulle organisasiekulture om hulle mededingendheid te verbeter. Kliente diens, kwaliteit en werknemerbetrokkenheid is slegs enkele faktore waarop gefokus word om die organisasiekultuur ten goede te verander (Gordon, 1996:470).

M.Com. / Organisation culture is defined as the consistent pattern of assumption. values and philosophies developed by the members of an organisation in order to cope with the organisation's particular problems of existence. These assumptions, values and philosophies provide direction to the organisation in the form of a strategy or mission and also serve to integrate the organisation's internal designs and behaviors into consistent pattern (roles and activities of managers and employees, style of business, managerial style, structure, systems and procedures, rewards, status, punishments, criteria for selection and behavioral norms) ...

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

<p>This paper provides practical implications through the case of Swedbank on the corporate cultures of companies that want to enter into merger or acquisition process. By comparing earlier research and theory with the processes of Swedbank, it aims to provide solutions to companies that face these specific challenges.</p>

This paper provides practical implications through the case of Swedbank on the corporate cultures of companies that want to enter into merger or acquisition process. By comparing earlier research and theory with the processes of Swedbank, it aims to provide solutions to companies that face these specific challenges.