Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 1957. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 114-117). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1991. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 223-231). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis, PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

This research study investigated how gainsharing works to affect organizational performance. Six top managers at Commonwealth Paper (a pseudonym) described how they believe their gainsharing program works to affect company operations and performance. From their verbal descriptions, a site-specific causal model was created. This site-specific model was then compared to the gainsharing literature and a general model hypothesized. Future research studies could build on the research findings to enhance the quality of the general case model. Additional site-specific models and the enhanced general model could later be translated to a mathematical simulation model to see what might happen to a gainsharing program over time. The research findings suggest that gainsharing works to affect organizational performance by providing additional forces for performance goal achievement. Gainsharing, however, does not provide a management practice or process through which performance goals are achieved. Because gainsharing can also provide forces for setting safe performance goals, it should be implemented in a culture where a critical mass of managers and workers are both intrinsically motivated and allowed to perform well. / Ph. D.

Master of Science

This research shows how a state-of-the-art, plant and firm level, productivity measurement model, the Total Factor Productivity Measurement Model (TFPMM) can be used to drive an organization's gainsharing effort. The TFPMM uses accounting data from actual operations to isolate the dollar effects on profits due to changes in productivity and price recovery. Two case study examples are used. The first case study involves a manufacturing firm and evaluates how the TFPMM can be used in that organization for gainsharing. The second case study involves a service firm and describes how that organization plans to use the TFPMM to drive its gainsharing effort. This research also examines the role of gainsharing in the performance management process and in performance management efforts. The critical interrelationships between gainsharing and other components of an organization's management system and compensation system are explored. Various gainsharing approaches are reviewed and presented with an emphasis placed on design variables associated with a gainsharing effort. A methodology for TFPMM implementation and for gainsharing system design, development and implementation is presented and described. The research balances rigor with relevance to assist managers and practitioners with the design and development of measurement and reward systems. / Master of Science

Thesis (M.B.A.)-Business Studies Unit, Durban Institute of Technology, 2005 xix, 147 leaves / There is a lack of commitment and participation in productivity initiatives at shop floor level in South Africa and companies are faced with competitive challenges of promoting innovativeness relating to productivity improvement amongst employees. South Africa’s labour productivity in the manufacturing sector is low when compared to Korea, United States of America, Taiwan, Japan, France and the United Kingdom. It has increasingly been recognised in industry that by introducing a carefully crafted incentive scheme, it may be possible to induce South African workers to work both harder and smarter and use existing technologies in new and better ways that enhance their productivity. The study proposes to evaluate to what extent gainsharing can be a solution. / M

O objetivo geral deste trabalho foi de examinar os critérios e condições do plano de participação nos lucros e nos resultados (PPLR) adotado nas indústrias visando ao seu conhecimento para posterior investigação da sua inserção no controle gerencial. A realização deste trabalho deu-se por meio do estudo de casos em quatro indústrias. Para alcançar o objetivo geral foi necessário identificar nas empresas: aspectos que caracterizam os planos de recompensa objetivando o conhecimento dos critérios e condições definidos para o funcionamento do plano, com o intuito subliminar de estudar-se a percepção que as partes (superiores e subordinados) têm do plano. Dentre os casos estudados, dois apresentaram o PPLR inserido no controle de gestão, os demais apresentaram uma inserção parcial. Foram identificados também os fatores relevantes à continuidade da empresa, verificando se há relação entre indicadores do plano de recompensa e esses fatores. De forma geral, o estudo dos casos sugeriu que as empresas estudadas confiam na capacidade motivacional de uma gratificação financeira adicional, além do salário e 13º salário, pois a praticam. Entretanto, a formulação de um plano de recompensa financeira baseada no desempenho parece não ter sido uma prática totalmente espontânea nas empresas. Sua implantação decorre parcialmente de pressões sociais e da regulamentação do PPLR, que se constituíram em aspectos catalisadores. Observou-se, ainda, ao analisar como o plano adotado nas empresas estudadas poderia estar inserido no controle de gestão, que as empresas têm consciência de que os indicadores de desempenho do plano devem estar associados a informações relevantes para a empresa. No entanto, percebeu-se que a forma como as empresas fazem tal associação é problemática, refletindo em planos parcialmente inseridos no controle de gestão das empresas. A percepção dos empregados também foi verificada ao analisar-se a inserção do PPLR no controle de gestão das empresas. Em algumas delas foram identificados grupos de pessoas indiferentes ao plano, que percebiam que seus esforços não eram nele avaliados, sequer reconhecidos. Tais observações minimizam o potencial de congruência de objetivos do PPLR e, portanto, enfraquece sua inserção no controle de gestão. A ausência de identificação dos empregados com o plano pode ser resultado da dificuldade no estabelecimento de indicadores para cada uma das áreas. As justificativas da inserção parcial do PPLR no controle de gestão das empresas apontadas encontram-se atreladas aos casos estudados não sendo possível sua generalização. / The main goal of this research was to analyze the Brazilian industries profit and gain sharing plan, called PPLR, criteria and conditions, considering that are many motivations for its adoption. This knowledge acquisition will be used further to investigate the PPLR insertion on managerial control. This research was carried out through case studies in four industries located in Sao Paulo state. For the purpose of the research general objective, it was necessary identify in the companies: aspects that could characterize the reward plan objecting the knowledge of the criteria and condition for the functioning of the plan, with the intention subliminal of studying the perception that the parts (superiors and subordinated) have of the plan and the company critical success factors, verifying if there is relation between indicators of the reward plan and this factors. Two cases presented a managerial control inserted PPLR, and the other two presented a partial managerial control inserted PPLR. The industries critical success factors were also identified to confirm the relationship between the PPLR`s indicators and them. In general, the study of the cases suggested that the studied companies trust in the motivational capacity of a additional financial gratuity, besides the salary and Christmas bonus, because they practice it. But the formulation of a financial reward plan based in the performance seems not be a spontaneous practice related of the companies. Its implementation is probably a consequence of the social and legal pressure, which could be an aspect catalyser in their adoption. Besides this, when analyzing how the plan adopted by the studied companies could be inserted in the management control, it was possible observe that the companies have conscience that the performance indicators of the plan should be associated to the critical success factors for the company, therefore, it was possible notice that the way in which the companies do this association is problematic, reflecting in plans inserted partially in the managerial control systems of the company. The employees PPLR\'s perception was also analyzed to grasp the PPLR managerial control insertion. Analyzing the PPLR perception was detected the existence of group of people, in the studied companies, that are indifferent to the plan because these groups perceive that their efforts were not valued by the plan adopted in the companies. Such perceptions minimize the goal congruence potential of the plan adopted, and minimize its insertion on the managerial control. The lack of employees PPLR appreciation may be a consequence of the difficult in establishing indicators for all of their areas. The reasons for the PPLR partial aid to the control that outcome from this study are associated with the companies studied and can not be generalized.

Thesis (M.B.A.)-Business Studies Unit, Durban Institute of Technology, 2005 xix, 147 leaves / There is a lack of commitment and participation in productivity initiatives at shop floor level in South Africa and companies are faced with competitive challenges of promoting innovativeness relating to productivity improvement amongst employees. South Africa’s labour productivity in the manufacturing sector is low when compared to Korea, United States of America, Taiwan, Japan, France and the United Kingdom. It has increasingly been recognised in industry that by introducing a carefully crafted incentive scheme, it may be possible to induce South African workers to work both harder and smarter and use existing technologies in new and better ways that enhance their productivity. The study proposes to evaluate to what extent gainsharing can be a solution.