The target of the thesis will be to propose a business strategy for a company operating in the field of digital design with emphasis on the use of ICT support for the proposed strategy. The thesis is divided into three basic parts. The first one is the theoretical part which will outline the theoretical basis characterizing the strategy and its implementation in connection with ICT. The second part will be an analysis of the internal and external environment of the company in order to obtain the basis for decision-making in the design part of the thesis. The third, design part will be devoted to the definition of business strategy and implementation of ICT to support it.

The lack of practical methodologies to guide and integrate the strategic and operational organizational efforts toward a systematic e-business strategy is hindering the effective use of the e-business model. This paper offers a Baldrige-based rapid assessment implementation methodology (RAIM) approach toward integrating the different facets of e-business.

The challenges of developing the information systems (IS) that support modern enterprises are becoming less about engineering and more about people. Many of the technical issues of the past, such as hardware size and power, connectivity, and robust software, are engineering problems that have largely been solved. In the next stage of computing, the human factor will be far more important than it has been in the past: the colors of an interface or the shape of an icon are the engineering problems of the past, and the availability and usefulness of such basic solutions is rapidly coming to a close. A new paradigm is needed that provides a roadmap of higher level conceptions and values, one about humane computing. A part of this older, mechanistic approach are quantitative, economic values whose impact on IS are readily visible and acknowledged within software engineering. However, qualitative values, and in particular consumer preferences, have been researched to a lesser degree, and there has been very little direct application.  To create the next-generation information systems, requirements engineers and systems developers need new methods to capture the real preferences of consumers, conceptualize these abstract concepts, and then relate such preferences to concrete requirements for information systems. To address this problem, this thesis establishes a conceptual link between the preferences of consumers and system requirements by accommodating the variations between them and expressing them via a conceptual model. Modeling such preferences and values so that they can be used as requirements for IS development is the primary contribution of this work. This is accomplished via a design science research paradigm to support the creation of the works’ primary artifact—the Consumer Preference-aware Meta-Model (CPMM). CPMM is intended to improve the alignment between business and information systems by capturing and concretizing the real preferences of consumers and then expressing such preferences via the requirements engineering process, with the eventual output being information systems. CPMM’s development relies on theoretical research contributions within three areas in information systems—Business Strategy, Enterprise Architecture, and Requirements Engineering—whose relationships to consumer values have been under-researched and under-applied. The case studies included in this thesis each demonstrate the significance of consumer preferences to each of these three areas.  In the first, a set of logical mappings between CPMM and a common approach to business strategy (strategy maps/balanced scorecards) is produced. In the second, CPMM provides the conceptual undergirding to process a massive amount of unstructured consumer-generated text to generate system requirements for the airline industry. In the concluding case, an investigation of foreign and domestic students at Swedish universities is structured through CPMM, one that first discovers the requirements for a consumer preference-based online education and then produces feature models for such a software product line-based system. The significance of CPMM as a lens for discovering new concepts and highlighting important information within consumer preference data is clearly seen, and the usefulness of the meta-model is demonstrated by its broad and beneficial applicability within information systems practice and research.

O mercado de baixa renda tem se tornado cada vez mais relevantes para todos os setores empresariais. Estima-se que em 2010 as classes C e D serão responsáveis por mais da metade do consumo do mercado interno brasileiro. Empresas de transporte aéreo brasileiras de passageiros, que historicamente se caracterizaram por prestar serviço voltado para as classes de maior renda, passaram a desenvolver estratégias para atrair o público de baixa renda para viajar de avião, partindo de estratégias concebidas em outras indústrias e adaptando às particularidades do setor aéreo. O presente trabalho identificou as estratégias de empresas aéreas brasileiras para atender o mercado de baixa renda. Devido ao fato do mercado de baixa renda para o transporte aéreo ser ainda embrionário, as estratégias se concentra ainda no composto mercadológico, como produto, preço, canal de distribuição, comunicação e serviço. Práticas adotadas pelo varejo para atrair e reter o consumidor de baixa renda, como a loja de vizinhança, porta a porta, meios de financiamento alternativos ao cartão de crédito tem sido testadas e adotadas pelas empresas aéreas analisadas, complementando as práticas usuais do mercado. Essa pesquisa avaliou ainda os principais fatores indutores e restritivos à inserção da baixa renda no setor de transporte aéreo. A maior preocupação das empresas aéreas analisadas nesse estudo é com a infra-estrutura aeroportuária, que pode se tornar limitador da expansão do setor aéreo no Brasil. Já as operadoras de turismo são percebidas pelas empresas aéreas como agente indutor à inserção da população de baixa renda, em especial pela venda de pacotes de turismo. Finalmente, essa pesquisa avaliou, ainda que de maneira sucinta as estratégias de negócio adotadas pelas empresas aéreas, e identificou um modelo de baixo custo brasileira. Trata-se de um modelo híbrido entre as estratégias de diferenciação e baixo custo. As empresas analisadas procuram simultaneamente oferecer serviços para clientes corporativos e estimular novos mercados, sobretudo o mercado de baixa renda. De acordo com Porter (1985), esse tipo de estratégia poderia ser classificado como meio-termo, visto que a empresa não adota nenhuma das estratégias genéricas. Porém, o histórico dessas empresas permite avaliar que essas empresas iniciaram sua operação com modelo mais próximo à estratégia de baixo custo, e tiveram que evoluir ou reformular completamente esse modelo de acordo com as características do mercado brasileiro. / The Bottom of Pyramid has become increasingly relevant market to all business sectors. It is estimated that in 2010 social classes C and D will account for over half the consumption of the Brazilian domestic market. Brazilian airlines, who have historically been characterized by providing service for the high income classes, began to develop strategies to attract lowincome public to travel by plane, using strategies developed in other industries and adapting to the particularities of the airline industry. This research has identified strategies for Brazilian airlines to reach the Bottom of Pyramid market. As this segment is still limit, strategies still focus on the marketing mix, such as product, price, distribution channel, communication and service. Practices adopted by retailers to attract and retain low-income consumers, as the neighborhood store, door to door, alternative financing to credit card have been tested and adopted by the airlines studied, complementing the usual practices of the market. This research also evaluated the main factors that affect the introduction of Bottom of Pyramid in the airline industry. The major concern of airlines examined in this study is with the airport infrastructure, which can limit the expansion of the airline industry in Brazil. Tour operators are already perceived by the airlines as a promoter for this process. Finally, this research evaluated the business strategies adopted by airlines, and identified a Brazilian low-cost model. The model is a hybrid between the strategies of differentiation and low cost. The analyzed airlines are seeking to offer services to both corporate customers and stimulate new markets, particularly the Bottom of Pyramid. According to Porter (1985), this strategy could be classified as stuck in the middle, because the company does not adopt any of the generic strategies. However, the history of these companies can assess that these companies started their operation with model closer to the strategy of low cost, and they had to evolve or completely redesign this model according to the characteristics of the Brazilian market

Corporate social responsibility in global supply chains has become an increasingly salient issue for many organisations. In a response to this, the aim of this research is to consider the influence of strategic management, and in particular the role of business strategy, in shaping socially and environmentally responsible purchasing and supply management activities. In examining this theme, this research draws heavily upon recent conceptualisations of the relationship between strategic management and corporate social responsibility, and empirically assesses this relationship with a focus on such practices within the supply chain. Using a novel data collection approach to capture firms’ actual social and environmental supply management activities, these data draw on interviews with 178 UK-based firms and observations of 340 separate buyer-supplier relationships. Primary data were supplemented with secondary data to capture both industry and firm characteristics. This methodology minimises social desirability bias and common source bias. The findings suggest that responsible purchasing and supply management is strongly driven by business strategy in the business to consumer market. In contrast, in the business to business market such initiatives are largely influenced by firms’ financial resources and economic obligations. In both the business to consumer and business to business sector, however, business strategy and financial resources are contingent on the industry environment. Hence, the industry environment plays a significant, albeit indirect, role in shaping socially and environmentally responsible purchasing and supply management activities. This research offers one of the first insights into how strategic management, and in particular how business strategy, influences firms’ investments in socially and environmentally responsible purchasing and supply management initiatives. Through conceptual and empirical investigations this research highlights this relationship and notes the importance of integrating business strategy with general supplier practices, with a focus on the implementation of corporate social responsibility in individual buyer-supplier relationships.

This thesis explores knowledge transfer between firms in multinational organisations. The subject of knowledge transfer is undisputedly important because knowledge is the essence of competitive advantage. In addition, multinational organisations are believed to be more effective at facilitating inter-firm knowledge transfer. The theoretical framework of this thesis is based on four constructs of knowledge transfer: motivation to transfer knowledge; richness of communication channels; absorptive capacity and organisational context. The research uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore these constructs. The research confirms the positive relationship between these constructs. Importantly, it highlights three knowledge transfer levels namely: pooling; assimilation; application and integration of knowledge into the multinational organisation. The research shows that knowledge must move through each of these levels if the focus is knowledge creation, these levels not to be treated as isolated but in fact overlapping. The research also found that high levels of espoused motivation are not always supported by proactive knowledge transfer behaviours. It demonstrated that at a certain level of knowledge transfer encouragement becomes less important than other motivational factors. Importantly, the multinational needs to manage knowledge transfer. To do this, the nature of knowledge must be considered and there needs to be an understanding that ad hoc knowledge transfer patterns can inhibit knowledge being transferred to where it may be needed. The research highlights how important it is for multinational inter-firm knowledge transfer to begin with the individual and then move to the organisation. The individual needs to have the necessary attitudes and ability to understand the benefits. Also, they need to understand that knowledge is not transferred through acceptance alone, but needs to be implemented. This means the multinational must provide strategic direction and structure that facilitates the movement of knowledge across the multinational organisation. Knowledge transfer routines must be managed to allow knowledge to move to where it can create unique knowledge because it is this unique knowledge that can be a strategic benefit to the organisation.

The ability to implement strategies successfully is important to any organisation. Despite the importance of the implementation process within strategic management, this is an area of study often overshadowed by a focus on the strategy formulation process. This thesis concentrates on the strategy implementation process, investigating barriers to strategy implementation. A research framework called the Organisational Minefield was developed to represent the importance of the implementation process to organisations. In contrary to most studies available in strategic management, this research included participants from all levels of the organisation.To identify barriers to strategy implementation, a case study of Air New Zealand was conducted. This involved focussed interviews with 28 participants from the Network and Revenue Management Department of Air New Zealand. Other sources of data such as research articles and secondary company data sources were also used.The findings revealed that: participants from different levels of the organisation have unique perceptions of the implementation process; implementation variables could become roadblocks that undermine the implementation process; these barriers can be overcome if managers are perceptive to the organisation's current situation; and the Organisational Minefield framework presented verified the significance of the role of barriers in the implementation process. The findings add two additional barriers to implementation, namely leadership and power. It was also discovered that the participants acknowledged that these two barriers will impede or enhance the success of Air New Zealand. This was backed by the level of commitment and loyalty shown by the participants, which brought Air New Zealand one step closer to unravelling the mysteries of the implementation process.

ABSTRACT All companies want to make profits and will be globalized, but how do they get it? Human resource management must be the key point. Corporate cultures and business strategies try to catch changing environment. How do they affect human resource systems especial in staffing strategies and organization performances? We have 106 effective samples from 1.Taiwan¡¦s 5000 Top manufacture corporations surveyed by CHINA CREDIT INFORMATION SERVICE, LTD. in 2002. 2. Association of Taichung Human Resource Managers. The effective recover rate was 19.2% and then used the SPSS & LISREL software to analyze our questionnaire. The main conclusions of our research are¡G 1.The different corporate culture firms can be classified four types by the two dimensions of flexibility and external focus. Each of the four types has significant deviation. 2.The different business strategy firms can be classified four types by the two dimensions of innovation and market range. Each of the four types has significant deviation. 3.The corporate cultures and business strategies affect organization performances through the staffing strategies

Traditionally human resource functions are performed in house, but recently the subject on outsourcing human resources is becoming more and more popular. According to an article published in 2004 by the INC. 500 magazine, 18 human resource service providers were chosen to be the most fast growing corporation in the US, in the mean time the Fortune 500 and Forbes 500 corporations listings both had human resource business process outsourcing firms listed inside. This research focuses on successful human resource service providers in Taiwan, the main objective will be finding out what current environment are they facing and what kinds of corporate resources do they possess to cope with their business operational needs. Using these findings as the basis, we employ the Transaction Cost Theory to do further analyze in their competitive and strategy model. Further more, by applying these strategies what economical profit can the service provider bring to there customers. In this research, we use a case study approach and employ the in-depth interview technique which includes five global human resource service provider¡¦s Taiwan branch as are research sample. Moreover, by using domestic and international references as auxiliaries, we can draw out the business model of the human resource service providers. The inference of this thesis is that corporate resources and brand can decrease the transaction cost triggered by outsourcing activities, and by decreasing transaction cost the service providers can establish trusting and cooperative relationships more successfully. When trusting relationships are in place, service providers can deliver more added value and economic profits based on their originally service content. Last but not least, by absorbing the feedback from satisfied customers, human resource service providers can accumulate solid professional knowledge and increase brand value.

Abstract The development of engineering business enterprises in Taiwan began around 1960 to meet the demands of economic development. In the early days, the majority were judicial organizations with government involvement, their growth were slow and small in operation scale. It is only in recent years that few engineering enterprises became capable of handling complete facility turnkey projects, and be able to participate in larger projects internationally. The so-called ¡§engineering enterprises¡¨ in the early days were a blend of engineering consultants and constructors. The services provided by both entities are oriented toward public works. The engineering consultants would be responsible for engineering planning, design, supervision and tender administration. The constructors would be responsible for supply of materials and construction works. This research is a case study of the business strategy of a turnkey engineering enterprise in Taiwan. The subject enterprise is the only full engineering, procurement and construction service turnkey enterprise domestically. Relevant literatures, both locally and abroad, were reviewed and discussed, and, senior management of the subject enterprise interviewed. The industry in which the subject enterprise operates and its competitiveness were analyzed. Research findings were collated and discussed. Eight conclusive points and eight recommendations were tabled for the subject enterprise. This report provides a reference for domestic turnkey engineering enterprises in drafting their business strategy. Eight conclusive points were raised: (1) success comes from seizing internal and external environmental opportunities, more importantly is to have core competitive strength, (2) a superior business culture nurtures superior staff, (3) growth is derived from a long term loyal relationship with clients and subcontractors, (4) adopt key diversification strategies with high probabilities of success, (5) oligopoly of domestic market and competition in the international market, (6) participation of renowned international enterprises in the domestic market will enhance the competitive advantage, (7) attaining accreditation of ISO management system facilitates entering the international engineering market, and (8) the next five years are great opportunities for the subject enterprise to grow domestically and internationally. Eight recommendations were made to the subject enterprise: (1) acquisition of upstream product processes and patents, (2) adopt a product concentration strategy in the international market, (3) adopt a ward-off strategy in the domestic market, abandon the medium and small competitors, (4) development of new products and branch into new discipline, (5) elevate working level and expand operations, (6) expand international market, promote international exposure, (7) focus more on product R&D and quality, and (8) adopt a water reservoir management method. Two suggestions for future research: (1) comparative study of business strategy of internationally renowned engineering enterprises, and (2) risk management of turnkey projects.