This thesis investigates the importance of the work community and its social organisation and the role it has for the participants' ability to learn and to form a professional identity as pedagogical leaders. Furthermore, the thesis wants to investigate if it matters to the directors’ learning how the principal (municipality or private company) organises for learning. The empirical material for the study comes mainly from semi-structured interviews with participants in the directors’ programme and close colleagues. An expression for the working community in a workplace is a community of practice. Learning and social interaction are about negotiation of meaning, making sense in everyday life. All four interviewed participants have contexts with features of communities of practice. In a few cases, it is clear that the context is about educational leadership, in a practice that is designed in collaboration with colleagues. Although there are significant differences in both the scope and the structure of supporting structures between the two investigated private contexts, it becomes clear that their structure leads to learning. The lack of structure in municipal schools leaves their directors with little access to guidance for their learning and identity development.

This dissertation has identified, developed and empirically tested concepts associated with the capacity of chairpersonship to promote innovation in entrepreneurial small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). A multi-methodological approach is applied in five studies, comprising a systematic literature review, three empirical studies and a concluding conceptual paper. The dissertation focuses on how the chairperson of the board of directors influences value creation in entrepreneurial SMEs. Value creation in this context is about the performance of strategic leaders at entrepreneurial firms’ upper echelons in acting and making strategic choices aimed at increasing firms’ capability to engage in innovation. Innovation is defined as the generation and/or adoption of an idea or behaviour, relating to a product, service, device, system, policy or program, which is new to the adopting organization. Innovation has been widely recognized as a concept central to economic growth and societal development. Governance is widely recognized as essential for the support and development of innovations in firms. However, the academic literature is scarce regarding how the chairperson of the board can contribute to and promote innovation in SMEs. This dissertation offers theoretical and empirical insights into how the chairperson of the board of directors influences value creation in entrepreneurial SMEs. In this respect, the dissertation offers a conceptual framework and a research model for understanding board leadership in promoting innovation in entrepreneurial SMEs. The framework and research model emphasize the behavioural aspects of board leadership and show how these are related to the development of entrepreneurial SMEs. Furthermore, the findings in this dissertation provide actionable knowledge for practitioners and policymakers. In this respect, the dissertation contributes theoretical and empirical understandings of the benefits of employing external chairpersons with relevant knowledge and experience in SMEs. These insights also provide practitioners with advice on the qualifications and processes that can help them to develop innovation-promoting boards.

Process Metamorphosis, My Choreographic Journey describes the journey from my initial interest in choreography to where I find myself as a choreographic artist today. Throughout the paper I look at different productions I have worked on, both professionally and within an educational setting, and different people I have collaborated with. Included will be thoughts from peers and mentors as well as my own observations from rehearsals and meetings. I will also be pulling information from my notes and journals while working on shows over the last twelve years.

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.

The aim and scope of my thesis is to examine the process of playwrights directing their own work, using the production of my play Obscura as an example of personal research, as well as examples of other dramatists. I will examine the advantages and disadvantages that playwrights face when directing their own work. I will compare several methods to my own production of Obscura. I wrote the play in the Spring of 2005 which culminated in a reading in April, followed by a workshop production in the Fall of 2005 in the Newdick Theater at Shafer Street Playhouse.

Leadership is often ascribed as a quality one either possess or doesn’t. We often hear phrases like “She is born leader” or “All eyes are on you”, these are thrown around without discretion in the classroom, conference rooms, social gatherings, and business meetings. This work contends that leadership and in particular leadership that grows and transforms its participants is less an inherent character trait, than an outlook and set of core principles that lead to transformation. Through the application of current and developing business leadership theory and its effect on creativity and a cross analysis of “Best in Class” theatre directors and choreographers that I have worked with, I intend to show that the surest way to a theatrically innovative and engaging production is through a dedication to collaboration, selflessness, and directorial clarity.

Final thesis deals with the Ministry of Education Strategy document prepared for educational policy of the Czech Republic till 2020 and possibilities of fulfilling its vision, which includes ensuring quality education accessible to everyone, oriented to student with the maximum use of its educational potential. The thesis is focused on the possibility of strengthening the traditional importance and impact of school for the whole society and the need for changes in the methods and forms of education that are used in the traditional way for decades without regard to the needs of a changing society. The issue is examined in the context of directors of elementary and secondary schools with regard to their level of knowledge and understanding of the document and their overall approach to the proposed interventions. The research finds if headmasters know what is expected from them and what conditions they see as an effective implementation and if they recognized challenges standing in front of them. It is also the base for the drafting of the implementation process and the possible fulfillment of their goals. KEY WORDS: The quality of education, equality, support mechanisms, evaluation, director

This thesis deals with defining the role of the school director in the development and dissemination of educational or alternative innovations. Even if the school director has many roles and perform many different duties, he may not forget the quality control of the educational process and its continuous improvement through innovations. The aim of this thesis is to describe instruments that can be used in dissemination of educational and alternatives innovations. To specify the extent of school director's influence in this process and find obstacles which may appear during implementation and propose options to eliminate and overcome. The work is divided into a theoretical and an empirical part. The theoretical part is based on a current scientific knowledge of these issues and contains definitions of necessary theoretical terms, that are used in thesis. The thesis includes also generally known and used approaches, which allows to gain awareness of the chosen theme to the reader. The empirical part of the thesis than contains a description of the carried out scientific research and findings learned through it . The survey was carried out among school directors and teachers on some nursery and primary as well as secondary schools throughout the Czech Republic. With the use of gained informations...

Disqualification of a governing body member and other persons from their positions in a business corporation Abstract The master thesis analyses the regulation of disqualification of directors and other persons from the management of a business corporation. The purpose of this study is to introduce in detail the grounds for disqualification and to define persons who might be disqualified based on each particular ground, moreover, to describe a scale of effects of a disqualification order and to deal with the consequences of acting while being disqualified. The attention is also drawn to several interpretative problems, which are construed. Additionally, the thesis reflects the regulation of the English Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 and the relevant English case-law. Except for the introductory part and the conclusion, the thesis is divided into six chapters. The first chapter looks briefly at the disqualification as such and its purpose. Additionally, it is generally described, who might be disqualified. Special attention is paid to the person that is in a similar position as a director and to the influential and controlling persons. The second and the third chapters deal with particular grounds for disqualification. Firstly, it is focused on the disqualification which is pre-conditioned by...

Liability of shareholders and other persons for debts of the company (multinational included) This master thesis is devoted to the issue of the legal liability of shareholders and others for debts of the company in consequence of their influence on the company or in case of its insolvency. The former is not a wholly new institute in Czech law, however it raises many new questions especially because of its broader concept. The latter is an entirely new issue in the Czech legal system which was influenced by the English concept called wrongful trading. The thesis is composed of five chapters. Chapter one briefly presents the concept of limited liability of the shareholders, its development, significance and criticism, including certain means that are used by the legal systems and courts to break the limited liability under some specific circumstances. Chapter two points out certain legal devices that had provided protection for creditors and that were abandoned, which may leads to the higher importance of the legal liability of the shareholders and other persons connected with the company. Chapter three concerns the concept of influential and controlling person, and also explains the concept of shadow director and de facto director under English law. Subsequently it presents certain categories of...