Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1968. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Bibliography: leaves 217-225.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1968. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

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Effective communication is critical to enable the successful management of a multinational company. Without a shared language, effective communication is impossible. Previous research have not established what the role of language is in establishing strong relationships between subsidiaries and headquarters. It is argued that if effective communication is enabled through the use of a shared language and effective communication strengthens relationships between subsidiaries and headquarters, then a shared language should influence subsidiary headquarter relationships positively. A mixed method approach was used to reflect the perspective from both headquarters and subsidiaries. Questionnaires were distributed to subsidiaries and semi-structured interviews were conducted with executives from headquarters based on the results from the questionnaire. Language was found to have a profound influence on relationships between subsidiaries and headquarters but the extent of the influence varied depending on time, less hierarchical organisational structures and cultural background. Social identity theory suggested groups of ethnically similar people would cluster together and form strong personal relationships, language being one such an ethnic characteristic. The data collected challenged this theory by proving that a company identity can prove to be stronger and more influential over time, surpassing the impact of language and ethnicity. It was also found that a shared language promoted social networks and power within the organisation but that the influence is more prominent when the shared language is the official company language. The research contributed to literature by adding to the current understanding of what influences subsidiary headquarter relationships. The contribution to business is also important as attention is a scarce resource and inter unit relationships are critical to the success of any multinational company. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / zkgibs2014 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1982. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH / Bibliography: leaf 55. / by Lana Yook Pung Choy. / M.C.P.

Family businesses are prevalent in South Africa and throughout the world. Succession is one of the largest challenges facing family businesses. It has been estimated that only one third of family businesses survive to the second generation. This study attempts to determine what the main features are to promote successful family business succession and continuity. The family chosen for this research is the Venter family. The research has scaled the various influencing variables from the literature review into the following focus areas: relationships, conflict, vision, effective succession characteristics and continuity. The findings reflect many instances found in the literature, some are: individuals can manage themselves and have relationships with others; have the ability to resolve conflicts; have mutual support and trust; there is respect between the founder and successor; the business vision is clear; communication is open and clear and decisions are based on expertise and knowledge. Many other aspects are highlighted in the research that follows. In addition, the study attempts to identify the generational effects, the major characteristics of the family owned succession process and the views of the predecessors on the succession process and the post succession period.

Multinational corporations face the dilemma of global integration and local responsiveness. Further, they have to contend with trying to minimise agency costs in managing remote subsidiaries. An alternative to regional headquarters was proposed in regional management mandated (RMM) subsidiaries. These subsidiaries are profit and loss units that are delegated headquarters functions to manage peripheral subsidiaries. The study aimed to examine the headquarters-RMM-subsidiary structure through determining whether the RMM-subsidiary was relevant to a multi-business subsidiary with four industry sectors and examining the roles played by the business units within the industry sectors. A qualitative and single-case, exploratory study was conducted, which consisted of twenty-five semi-structured interviews with respondents within the headquarters, the RMM-subsidiary and the peripheral subsidiaries. This research found that the RMM-subsidiary does perform most of the headquarters’ functions for the peripheral subsidiaries and business partners – the performance of which is impacted by the type of business and the channel to market. The performance of these functions further highlighted that each business unit within an industry with the RMM charter plays multiple roles to varying degrees within a given framework and across multiple frameworks, and that the roles are also impacted by type of business and channel to market, local resources and competencies. Peripheral subsidiaries were highlighted as being unimportant, compromising their local responsiveness; however, it was indicated that potentially their role would change as business opportunities dictated. Finally, the deployment of expatriates seems not for purposes of control but to fill resource, knowledge and skill gaps as necessary. This highlighted an alternative to expatriate deployment – the development of staff at the headquarters. This would serve two purposes: equip the individual with knowledge and skills needed in the home country and develop networking and trusting relationships that were found to foster better working ties between the headquarters and subsidiaries. As a result the key components in the HQ-RMM-subsidiary structure are identified as the balance between control and autonomy, RMM-subsidiary roles and networking and trusting relationships, as all three components have a direct bearing on the MNC achieving global integration and local responsiveness. Keywords: headquarters functions, regional management mandated subsidiary, peripheral subsidiary, multi-business multinational corporation, subsidiary roles / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / zkgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

The goal of this study is to develop and test a conceptual framework of the impact of selected human factors on acquired firm lower level employees' perception toward acquisition success. The variables selected for inclusion in the framework have been identified from the following relevant literature in the (1) post acquisition integration area, (2) management area, and (3) strategy implementation area. The framework incorporates direct effects of employees' involvement in the integration process, extent of employees being informed about integration activities, and the amount of company support on employees' perceptions toward acquisition success. In addition, the level of integration has been included in the framework as a possible moderating variable. Based on two acquisitions , made by one firm in the U. S. banking industry, the study examines the above relationships with a number of statistical techniques. These techniques includes correlation analysis, t-test, and regression analysis. Two hundred and fifty four respondents completed the study employees' questionnaire. / Ph. D.

Mini-study project (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The differentiating factor of the twenty-first century will not be the size and scope of a company's resources, the global economy makes it possible for almost every organisation to gain access to any resources. It will also not be about possessing the intellectual capital, knowledge, and expertise but the ability to source it. To be the best a company can no longer afford to specialise in every aspect of its business, and purchasing everything that might become obsolete in a while is not an option. More and more companies outsouree some of their non-core activities, leveraging the investments others made by taking advantage of the outsourcing partner's skills, in order to concentrate on their core competencies. Continuing to perform an activity in-house, while not being the best in the world at it is to forfeit competitive advantage. By outsourcing to the best, the company can use the time saved to concentrate on its core competencies and probably save some money in the process. An organisation can further also only grow at the rate at which it can expand its capacity when it is carrying out all functions internal, possibly costing valuable market share. It is not merely a question of whether the benefits outweigh the costs of outsourcing but rather a question of whether outsourcing is the right strategy for one's specific situation and whether the outsourcing contracts can be designed, implemented and managed in such a way that the benefits do exceed the costs. Constant organisational change and -alteration is a given. Stable organisational structures are something of the past. Networks are formed according to the skills required for the job at hand and once the project is complete the network will disband. Activities are outsourced to the best candidates and coordinated or managed by a project manager or -coordinator. Prepared or not, the virtual revolution has arrived. Two of the main drivers of organisational change and the consequent emergence of the virtual organisation are (1) the changing market conditions - different customer requirements will have different skill needs, and demand will dictate the formation of the virtual organisation; and (2) the fast development of Information and Communication Technology - with the latter changing virtually every site with access into a surrogate office. With the latest technological developments, even the excuse of not having access is becoming a lame one. A virtual organisation's strategy involves a substantial amount of outsourced activities and sometimes even total outsourcing. Every outsourced activity in turn is handled as a project or a task of a project, making a virtual organisation a project-driven one. Running a virtual venture is therefore all about coordinating and managing outsourced projects, and a company's expertise in doing this will determine its success or failure. Sound project management principles and techniques, discussed in this dissertation, can be used to not only start up a virtual company, but also to run it. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die onderskeidingsfaktor van die een-en-twintigste eeu sal nie die grootte en die omvang van 'n maatskappy se hulpbronne wees nie, want die globale ekonomie maak dit vir bykans elke organisasie moontlik om toegang te verkry tot enige hulpbron. Dit sal ook nie gaan oor die besit van intellektuele kapitaal, kennis en kundigheid nie, maar die vermoë om dit te bekom. Om die beste te wees, sal 'n maatskappy nie langer kan bekostig om in elke aspek van sy besigheid te spesialiseer nie, en die aankoop van dit wat gou in onbruik kan raak is nie 'n opsie nie. AI hoe meer maatskappye kontrakteer van hul nie-kern aktiwiteite uit, en benut daardeur die beleggings wat ander maak deur voordeel te trek uit die uitgekontrakteerde vennoot se kundigheid, om sodoende te konsentreer op hul eie kern vaardighede. Om aan te hou om aktiwiteite intern uit te voer, sonder om die wêreld se beste daarin te wees, is om die kompeterende voorsprong te versaak. Deur uit te kontrakteer aan die beste, kan die maatskappy die gespaarde tyd gebruik om te konsentreer op sy kern vaardighede en waarskynlik geld spaar in die proses. Verder kan 'n organisasie wat al sy funksies intern uitvoer, ook slegs groei teen die tempo waarteen dit sy kapasiteit kan uitbrei, waarskynlik ten koste van waardevolle markaandeel. Dit gaan nie net oor die vraag of die voordele verbonde aan uitkontraktering opweeg teen die nadele daaraan verbonde nie, maar eerder of uitkontraktering die regte strategie vir die spesifieke situasie is en of uitkontraktering ooreenkomste so ontwerp, geïmplementeer en bestuur kan word dat die voordele die nadele oorskry. Voortdurende organisatoriese verandering en -wysiging is 'n gegewe. Stabiele organisatoriese strukture is iets van die verlede. Netwerke word gevorm volgens die vaardighede wat benodig word vir die werk op hande en sodra die projek voltooi is ontbind die netwerk. Aktiwiteite word uitgekontrakteer aan die beste kandidate en gekoordineer of bestuur deur 'n projekbestuurder of -koërdlneerder. Die virtuele revolusie het aangebreek, of ons nou gereed is daarvoor of nie. Twee hoof dryfvere agter organisatoriese verandering en die gevolglike totstandkoming van die virtuele organisasie, is (1) veranderende marktoestande - verskillende kliëntbehoeftes sal verskillende vaardighede vereis, en aanvraag sal die vorming van die virtuele organisasie dikteer; en (2) vinnige ontwikkeling van Informasie en Kommunikasie Tegnologie - met laasgenoemde wat bykans elke plek met web toegang verander na In surrogaat kantoor. Met die nuutste tegnologiese ontwikkeling sal selfs die verskoning van nie toegang hê nie In flou een word. Die strategie van In virtuele organisasie behels In aansienlike hoeveelheid uitgekontrakteerde aktiwiteite en soms selfs algehele uitkontraktering. Elke uitgekontrakteerde aktiwiteit word op sy beurt hanteer as In projek of In sub-taak van In projek, en dit maak van virtuele organisasie projek gedrewe organisasies. Die bestuur van In virtuele onderneming is dus gebaseer op die koordinering en bestuur van uitgekontrakteerde projekte, en In maatskappy se kundigheid hierin sal sy suksesse of mislukkings bepaal. Goeie projek bestuur beginsels en tegnieke, bespreek in hierdie verhandeling, kan gebruik word om nie net In virtuele maatskappy op die been te bring nie, maar ook om dit te bestuur.

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) evolved as alternative governance structures for firms seeking to combine resources with other firms, access larger markets, or acquire strategic assets. In spite of managers’ enthusiasm about the practice, studies show mixed results regarding post-acquisition performance of acquiring firms. The impact of acquisitions on the performance of acquiring firms has therefore remained inconclusive. A few reasons for this have been suggested and recent meta-analytic research efforts indicate that studies in M&A may have ignored variables that have significant effects on post-acquisition performance. In a bid to extend the literature on M&A and identify cogent variables that impact on acquisition performance, this dissertation draws on social network theory to advance a proposition for the value-of-ties. This was done by examining the impact of directorate interlocks on acquisitions specifically and organizational strategy in general. A non-experimental cross-sectional study of 98 interlocked directorate companies simultaneously involved in acquisitions was conducted. Several multiple regression analyses were conducted and the results obtained suggest that there is a positive linear relationship between director interlocks and post-acquisition performance and that to some extent this relationship is moderated by acquisition experience. The study also showed that director interlocks have a negative linear relationship with acquisition premium. This study complements the body of knowledge on acquisitions and network theory. It also successfully combined a multi-level approach to research on organizations and strategic management.