Leadership as a concept has been an area of significance for several decades. While the contribution of research to leadership concept in the industry has been substantial the same cannot be claimed with regard to the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). There is a paucity of research studies in the context of HEIs, particularly in regard to business schools. Deans of business schools were hardly the subject of research in the leadership literature till recently. But with collapsing business empires in the last decade (for instance Lehman Brothers), business school deanship came under scrutiny as the leaders in those business empires that collapsed were graduates of renowned business schools. The review of the literature with respect to challenges affecting HEI and business school leadership threw up many challenges. The challenges investigated were leadership styles, leadership practice, leadership effectiveness, decision quality, follower commitment, follower satisfaction, management style, organisational setting and orgaisational culture. Each challenge was assumed as a factor affecting deans of business schools as leaders. The review of the literature provided the theoretical basis for determining the nature of each factor. Leadership style was defined as the independent variable influencing leadership practice. Five leadership styles namely transactional, transformational, laissez-faire, democratic and autocratic leadership styles were made as independent variables to determine leadership practice. Leadership practice was identified as the independent variable influencing leadership effectiveness although the relationship between leadership practice and leadership effectiveness was supposed to be influenced by mediating factors namely decision quality of deans of business school, follower satisfaction and follower commitment. Academic and administrative staff were considered as the followers. Management style and organisational setting were considered as moderating variables of leadership practice of deans of business schools. Oraganisational structure was used to represent organisational setting as the variable. Organisational culture was used as the control variable. The theoretical framework was drawn to represent the linkage between the factors. The model developed was supported by already established theories that were tested for reliability and validity. The leadership style and leadership effectiveness models were developed which was the focus of this research. Leadership style-leadership practice linkage provided the theoretical framework to determine the style practised by the deans. Leadership practiceleadership effectiveness linkage mediated by decision quality, follower commitment and follower satisfaction provided the theoretical framework to determine the leadership effectiveness. Survey questionnaire was the method used to collect data. The questionnaire was sent to 600 academic and administrative staff members of business schools from eight different countries. The results showed that the transactional leadership style was the leadership style practised by the deans of the business schools. Other findings were as follows. That transactional leadership indirectly but positively influenced the leadership effectiveness of deans through decision quality and follower satisfaction. The mediation of the transactional leadership practice-leadership effectiveness linkage by decision quality and follower satisfaction was significant and in the positive direction. Management style and organisational structure were found to act as moderating variables of transactional leadership practice of deans positively. Transformational, laissez-faire, democratic and autocratic leadership styles were found to have significant and positive correlation with transactional leadership style implying that these four styles could moderate the transactional leadership style-leadership practice linkage. The study offers insights into how deans of business schools might develop their leadership attributes either by enhancing their transactional leadership style or changing their style or combining different styles to suit the situation.

在台灣的經濟體系中，中小企業一向佔有極重要的地位，不僅為經濟發展的樞紐，更是達成充分就業、財富平均分配及維繫社會安定的基礎，故中小企業對國內發展影響深遠。各銀行對於中小企業之授信，因中小企業會計制度不健全，財務資料不實或欠缺，再加上中小企業多為家族式經營，風險過於集中資本主，致使中小企業與金融機構間存在著嚴重資訊不對稱的問題。因此本研究依據授信相關理論與文獻探討，並蒐集個案銀行二十個信保基金保證項下之中小企業授信案例為研究樣本，採用深度訪談及問卷調查的方式，包括客戶基本資料、信用資料及財務比率變數等構面分析授信案件，並深入訪談授信業務人員，了解業務人員對授信對象的授信決策考量因素為何。期能找出影響中小企業授信決策品質的因素，了解授信對象的良劣區隔特性，提供銀行業做授信決策時之參考，並有助於中小企業信保基金信用保證授信案件之品質。 本研究經過資料分析與統計推論後有以下結論：中小企業的實際負責人學歷、公司組織型態與財務流動比率三項變數，以及授信業務人員的年齡差異會影響到授信決策的品質。另外，授信業務人員決定授信案件的承做係秉持其對授信的一般認知來考量，抑是因受到業績包袱壓力，也攸關授信案件決策的品質。

The diploma thesis aims to do a research into quality of life of the selected regions in the Czech Republic and so to identify strengths and weaknesses of the individual regions. The research is done by means of DEA method on the basis of chosen criterions. The DEA method determines the effectiveness of individual districts and so it shows the living standard. Moreover, the DEA method also suggests the way how to raise effectiveness in the case of inefficient regions. The thesis also focuses on strengths and weaknesses of production units, which comes out from the assessment itself. For the application of the model, economic and uneconomic indicators such as unemployment, work inability, criminality, air pollution and the apartments' costs were chosen. These indicators represent inputs. In outputs, there are density of the road network and average wages included. All data relates to the year 2010. The assessment itself is carried out via a special software Frontier Analyst.

Effective corporate governance of boards can become a sustainable competitive advantage for organisations. In the extant literature a number of reasons are cited for dysfunctional boards. Some of the reasons attributed to board failure relate to poor corporate governance, practice and oversight. Some of the reasons for board failure pertain to micromanaging of the organisation, an ineffective nominating committee, size of the board, non-functioning committee structure, absence of strategic plan, no orientation\induction plan and no rotational plan. Poor governance practises across all sectors has negatively tainted economic investment in South Africa consequentially affecting economic growth. Below South Africa’s competitive rating slipped from (52nd) in 2012-2013 to 53rd in 2013-2014 rating is given to show that marked improvement is needed in corporate governance. South Africa’s rating in the Corruption Perceptions Index for 2012 was 43 and slipped to position 69 amongst 176 countries for the Corruption Perception Index, 2013. The trend analysis report of the Public Service Commission reported that In 2006/7, there were 1 042 cases of corruption, amounting to R130.6-million; in 2007/8, there were 868 cases, amounting to R21.7-million; in 2008/9, there were 1 204 cases, amounting to R100.1-million; in 2009/10, there were 1 135 cases, amounting to R346.5-million; in 2010/11, there were 1 035 cases, amounting to R932.3-million; in 2011/12, there were 1 243 cases, amounting to R229.9-million. Good governance frameworks, policies, procedures, processes and practices attract foreign direct investments. Better governance practices are critical for improved economic growth and development that will result in an improvement in the South Africa’s competitiveness and corruption perception index ratings. South Africa’s continued economic growth and development is dependent on attracting foreign direct investment. From 1994 corporate governance regimes were promulgated. Although there are a collection of corporate governance codes and guidelines that have been published, few specifically cover governance practices in public entities. Moreover, with better governance practices state-owned enterprises can significantly contribute to the economic transformation and development in South Africa. The purpose of the study is to establish that improved governance is a function of board structure and board process variables. With the presence of structural and process variables board activism will improve resulting in board decision quality. Independent directors without no conflict of interest, the requisite industry expertise and intelligence (functional area knowledge), the information to make decisions are adequate, accurate and timely (information quality), directors exert the needed effort (effort norms), directors robustly explore all dimensions and options (cognitive conflict) and the board functions optimally (cohesiveness) influence board decision quality. Boards which are configured optimally are able to execute their fiduciary responsibility optimally. In 2012 a budget of R845.5 billion was provisioned for infrastructural development to boost economic development. This budget allocation must be prudently and frugally managed in accordance with good governance practises to achieve economic development. In particular South Africa has to improve its competitiveness rating and corruption perception index to attract investments and continual growth. In terms of the research design, to address the research questions, a mixed research approach was selected for the study. The phenomenological (qualitative) and positivist (quantitative) philosophical paradigms were adopted with the purpose to obtain a greater understanding of board decision quality in the Public Entities in South Africa. The data collection instruments used in the study was in-depth interviews, focus group interviews and administration of a survey. The population for the qualitative research was 19 in-depth interviews and two focus group interviews. For the quantitative study a population of 215 public entity board members were selected for the study. A total of 104 board members of Public Entities completed the survey for the study. In relation to data analysis for the qualitative study Tesch’s coding, thematic analysis was used to analyse the in-depth and focus group interviews. For the quantitative study, SPSS was used to analyse responses from the surveys. The hypothesis was tested using inferential statistics, namely, factor analysis and multiple regression was used.. The findings generated from the first phase, the qualitative study that provided support for the positive relationship between board structure, board process variables and board decision quality. The following five variables are incorporated in a model that seeks to identify the strongest predictor of board decision quality: (1) board independence, (2) effort norms, (3) functional area knowledge and skill, (4) cognitive conflict and (5) information quality. The findings show that information quality is the strongest predictor of board decision quality followed by expert knowledge and skill. As expected, expert knowledge does not only increase the cognitive capacity of the board, but it also positively affects company competitiveness. The findings also show that cognitive conflict has a negative association with decision quality. The study argues that political influence exerted by board political appointees may explain the negative relationship between cognitive conflict and board decision quality. The major contribution of this study is that it provides a 28-item instrument that can be used practically by public entity boards in the reflective process to improve board decision quality. The study concludes by offering avenues for further research. The model suggests that board decision quality is a product of board structure (board independence), board process (functional area knowledge, information quality, and cognitive conflict and effort norms). / Business Management / D.B.L.

在民主改革之浪潮中，政府的運作已從過往獨斷統治模式走向參與治理的型態。參與式治理的呈現方式包括了審議式民主、以公民為中心之協力公共管理、協力治理等型態。公共政策的制定本應以民意為基礎；因此，引導多元利害關係人至公共政策過程之中，共同制定決策即是參與治理的核心，而決策品質的形成關鍵在於政府如何有效管理、促進多元行動者互動以達成決策的參與過程；然而，回顧文獻發現，決策品質主題卻為學界所忽略。因此，本文從參與式治理觀點出發，以利害關係人之角度切入，選擇全民健保總額制度下的牙醫門診總額支付委員會作為個案，嘗試建構出決策品質評估架構。研究發現，由下至上的利害關係人參與過程不但有助於資訊的蒐集與分享、正確地界定問題，亦促進了利害關係人凝聚共識；同時，平等尊重的溝通態度，增強了政策學習功能；加上公共管理者適時地扮演領導角色，有效解決衝突，促進了決策過程的互動與效率。然而，研究亦顯示支委會決策過程仍有不足之處；參與決策行動者之包容性與代表性仍有改善之空間、決策資訊未達公開透明化、法律規範的模糊不清、以及決策原則標準的缺乏。因此，本文建議應該擴大參與團體類別並考量其行動能力，具體強化多元代表參與之可能；同時，應建立法規和參與機制之適當連結，確立相關法律規範，實踐權責分明的決策過程；最後，更應強調互動討論過程的公共商議精神，促進理性決策的落實。此外，也建議學界未來可著力於相關實務經驗研究，設計更為完善的評估架構，以期對於決策品質面向提供更為豐富完整的論述。 / Under the trend of democratic reform, the way of public administration has changed from despotic to participatory governance. The forms of participatory governance include deliberative democracy, citizen-centered collaborative public management, and collaborative governance. The core of participatory governance is threefold which includes involving multiple stakeholders into policy-making process, to make decisions collectively, and to base public policy making on public opinion. However, after reviewing the literature, it can be found that seldom are there studies of decision-making quality. The quality of decision making lies in effective management of the process; that is, how to encourage and manage different stakeholders’ interactions to make decisions counts a lot. Consequently, this thesis intends to fill the gap by studying the quality of participatory governance and choosing the committee of Dental Global Budget Payment System as a case to establish evaluation framework of decision-making quality based on policy stakeholder participation theory. The research findings reveal several important insights of committee governance. First, on the good side, bottom-up stakeholders’ participation is beneficial not only to the collection and share of policy information to define proper policy questions, but also to the cohesion of stakeholders’ consensus. The way of equal and respectful attitude to communicate accentuates policy-learning function during the process. Furthermore, public managers play a leading role at the right moment to solve a conflict effectively and to promote the efficiency of decision-making interactions. However, there are some defects about the process. There is some room for improvement about the inclusiveness and representativeness of participation groups. Also, the openness of decision-making information is still far from the standard of transparency. The ambiguity of statutes interpretations and the lack of decision-making principles are critical problems to solve as well. Therefore, this study suggests that the government should include even more diverse and complete stakeholders into the decision-making process and help to increase their competence to participate. Also, an effort to closing the gap between regulations and participative mechanism should be made in order to increase the outside-accountability of the process. Thirdly, the spirit of public deliberation should be highlighted during the interactions to increase the rationality of decision-making. Lastly, in order to create a more adequate evaluation framework, this thesis suggests that academia should devote more time to study the issue of public decision-making quality in the era of participatory governance.

Effective corporate governance of boards can become a sustainable competitive advantage for organisations. In the extant literature a number of reasons are cited for dysfunctional boards. Some of the reasons attributed to board failure relate to poor corporate governance, practice and oversight. Some of the reasons for board failure pertain to micromanaging of the organisation, an ineffective nominating committee, size of the board, non-functioning committee structure, absence of strategic plan, no orientation\induction plan and no rotational plan. Poor governance practises across all sectors has negatively tainted economic investment in South Africa consequentially affecting economic growth. Below South Africa’s competitive rating slipped from (52nd) in 2012-2013 to 53rd in 2013-2014 rating is given to show that marked improvement is needed in corporate governance. South Africa’s rating in the Corruption Perceptions Index for 2012 was 43 and slipped to position 69 amongst 176 countries for the Corruption Perception Index, 2013. The trend analysis report of the Public Service Commission reported that In 2006/7, there were 1 042 cases of corruption, amounting to R130.6-million; in 2007/8, there were 868 cases, amounting to R21.7-million; in 2008/9, there were 1 204 cases, amounting to R100.1-million; in 2009/10, there were 1 135 cases, amounting to R346.5-million; in 2010/11, there were 1 035 cases, amounting to R932.3-million; in 2011/12, there were 1 243 cases, amounting to R229.9-million. Good governance frameworks, policies, procedures, processes and practices attract foreign direct investments. Better governance practices are critical for improved economic growth and development that will result in an improvement in the South Africa’s competitiveness and corruption perception index ratings. South Africa’s continued economic growth and development is dependent on attracting foreign direct investment. From 1994 corporate governance regimes were promulgated. Although there are a collection of corporate governance codes and guidelines that have been published, few specifically cover governance practices in public entities. Moreover, with better governance practices state-owned enterprises can significantly contribute to the economic transformation and development in South Africa. The purpose of the study is to establish that improved governance is a function of board structure and board process variables. With the presence of structural and process variables board activism will improve resulting in board decision quality. Independent directors without no conflict of interest, the requisite industry expertise and intelligence (functional area knowledge), the information to make decisions are adequate, accurate and timely (information quality), directors exert the needed effort (effort norms), directors robustly explore all dimensions and options (cognitive conflict) and the board functions optimally (cohesiveness) influence board decision quality. Boards which are configured optimally are able to execute their fiduciary responsibility optimally. In 2012 a budget of R845.5 billion was provisioned for infrastructural development to boost economic development. This budget allocation must be prudently and frugally managed in accordance with good governance practises to achieve economic development. In particular South Africa has to improve its competitiveness rating and corruption perception index to attract investments and continual growth. In terms of the research design, to address the research questions, a mixed research approach was selected for the study. The phenomenological (qualitative) and positivist (quantitative) philosophical paradigms were adopted with the purpose to obtain a greater understanding of board decision quality in the Public Entities in South Africa. The data collection instruments used in the study was in-depth interviews, focus group interviews and administration of a survey. The population for the qualitative research was 19 in-depth interviews and two focus group interviews. For the quantitative study a population of 215 public entity board members were selected for the study. A total of 104 board members of Public Entities completed the survey for the study. In relation to data analysis for the qualitative study Tesch’s coding, thematic analysis was used to analyse the in-depth and focus group interviews. For the quantitative study, SPSS was used to analyse responses from the surveys. The hypothesis was tested using inferential statistics, namely, factor analysis and multiple regression was used.. The findings generated from the first phase, the qualitative study that provided support for the positive relationship between board structure, board process variables and board decision quality. The following five variables are incorporated in a model that seeks to identify the strongest predictor of board decision quality: (1) board independence, (2) effort norms, (3) functional area knowledge and skill, (4) cognitive conflict and (5) information quality. The findings show that information quality is the strongest predictor of board decision quality followed by expert knowledge and skill. As expected, expert knowledge does not only increase the cognitive capacity of the board, but it also positively affects company competitiveness. The findings also show that cognitive conflict has a negative association with decision quality. The study argues that political influence exerted by board political appointees may explain the negative relationship between cognitive conflict and board decision quality. The major contribution of this study is that it provides a 28-item instrument that can be used practically by public entity boards in the reflective process to improve board decision quality. The study concludes by offering avenues for further research. The model suggests that board decision quality is a product of board structure (board independence), board process (functional area knowledge, information quality, and cognitive conflict and effort norms). / Business Management / D.B.L.