The need for organizational transformation is a response to a larger paradigm shift occurring in science and society. It represents a shift from the mechanistic model to a systems, holistic model. The purpose of this study was to determine patterns and practices that limit training effectiveness when facilitating a major organizational paradigm shift. A literature survey identified major clashes between those values and tools of organizational models based on the new paradigm and those of bureaucracy, bureaucratic management and training relationships, domains and dynamics. Participant observation and interviews were the methods used to collect data from a study group of 15 upper middle managers involved as a pilot management team in the first year of TQM implementation at a public university. The group was closely observed during five months of training and 10 participants were interviewed at the end of the first year of implementation. Their stories revealed four obstacles to transformation: 1) managers were coerced into complying, change was imposed from above, there were no appropriate support systems and fear was endemic; 2) the management team had more difficulty than non-management TQM teams learning the mechanics of TQM, claiming they didn't have necessary learning skills; 3) managers protected themselves by rewriting the rules of TQM to fundamentally preserve the status quo; 4) managers defined the TQM effort a success without substantive personal change, pushing responsibility down and praise up in the organization. These obstacles were inherent in the bureaucratic system that effectively protected the managers from substantive change. The conclusion was drawn that four conditions were missing for a major organizational paradigm shift: 1) a willingness to risk, coupled with organizational support; 2) deep learning skills that provide personal context for learning: 3) shared vision, and; 4) personal mastery. Training patterns and practices reflected the same missing conditions. The training program was powerless in the transformation effort because: 1) it modeled and reproduced the old instead of the new wisdom, values, tools and ways of thinking and talking, during the transformation process; 2) the learning capacity implicit in the training program was limited in the same ways management was, by missing support structures, willingness and ability to change, and shared vision; 3) it depended on traditional relationships and dynamics, despite new domain, and was not seen as a credible transformation agent. / Graduation date: 1994

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Göttingen.

Thesis equivalent (M.H.A.)--University of Michigan, 1985.

Thesis equivalent (M.H.A.)--University of Michigan, 1985.

published_or_final_version / Business / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

No description available.

It is now more than thirty years since the reform of corporate insolvency law in the United Kingdom (UK) focused on the promotion of a 'rescue culture,' a trend which started with the work of the Cork Committee chaired by Sir Kenneth Cork. The Cork Committee in its Report recommended encouraging the continuation and disposal of a corporate debtors' business as a going concern wherever possible, and the Government responded to Cork's recommendation by introducing Administration and Company Voluntary Arrangement ('CVA') in the Insolvency Act 1986 ('IA 1986'). The corporate insolvency laws in the UK have been subject to considerable scrutiny and reform, culminating in the implementation of two distinct but related nieces of legislation bearing upon corporate rescue; the Insolvency Act 2000 (IA 2000) and the Enterprise Act 2002 (EA).

Includes bibliographical references (p. 31-35).

The purpose of this study was to develop a reasonably comprehensive scheme of categories that describes what facilitated and hindered adaptation to corporate restructuring. Interviews were conducted with individuals who worked in a company during reorganization and adapted. The Critical Incident Technique (Flanagan, 1954) was utilized to elicit 543 incidents from 28 participants. Thirty-four categories emerged from the analysis of the reported events and were organized into five clusters. Several procedures were employed to examine the soundness and trustworthiness of the categories. The results indicate that adaptation was hindered by: enduring a negative state, receiving increased workload, experiencing negative attitudes of colleagues, termination of colleagues, destabilizing moves, encountering a demoralizing situation, removed from a position, experiencing devaluation of company, excluded from decision making, blocked from accomplishing a task, not receiving support, receiving a threat about job, experiencing estrangement, receiving disaffirmation for job competence, and vital information withheld. However, individuals can take action in four ways to facilitate adaptation. First, they can shape the work environment by: refusing exploitative requests, making a decision concerning work, discovering and adhering to a firm guideline, making a beneficial change in the work setting, accomplishing a task, experiencing a challenging task, creating a work position, creating space to work, and dissociation from a bad person. Second, they can gain support by: receiving advice, receiving personal support, receiving assurance about job, experiencing camaraderie, receiving affirmation for job competence, receiving vital information. Third, they can help others by: giving empathy, using humor, forming a relationship, looking out for others, providing practical help, securing work for others. Fourth, they can help themselves by: realization of a positive perspective, preparing for change, initiating a change outside of work, and engaging in an activity outside of work. The category system attempts to provide a reasonably comprehensive description of what helps and hinders adaptation to corporate restructuring. Such an organization of factors may be valuable in planning counsellor training programs and useful for therapists working with individuals adapting to corporate change.

The aim of this research study was to identify and highlight the challenges experienced during the different phases of the shutdown or turnaround management processes in the petrochemical refineries. The data for the research, mainly through qualitative interview sessions and some quantitative comparison data, was obtained from PetroSA GTL Refinery as a case study. The research was subdivided into three areas: the planning, budgeting and shut execution processes. The qualitative interview sessions were conducted with managers and engineers who are directly involved with the shutdown management processes at PetroSA. The research identified the critical departments involved in the process, i.e. the shutdown team, operations, mechanical maintenance, inspection, projects, services etc., and selected respondents from these departments. Two senior managers from one of the large shutdown and turnaround contractors in South Africa were also included in the sample. The findings from the research highlighted interesting responses from the interview respondents. The challenges experienced in the various phases were discussed, with emphasis being placed on the planning, budgeting and shut execution phases of the process. The findings indicated that in order to be competitive in the petrochemical industry, a refinery must strive to achieve higher productivity from the field execution teams, as well as to incorporate proper cost control structures in the process. The research findings and recommendations are shown in chapters 4 and 5 of this report. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2007.