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Drawing insights from strategic management and international business literature, the present study develops an integrated model to explain the competitive actions between multinational firms in a global context. Accordingly, two research questions are addressed: What key factors explain the competitive actions of multinational firms? What key factors moderate the competitive tensions experienced by different pairs of multinational firms? Using structured content analysis to identify competitive actions, the empirical findings of the present study suggest that subsidiary control, MNE size, national culture, government regulations and multimarket contact are all likely to exert important impact on a multinational firm's motivation and capability to compete and therefore influence its competitive aggressiveness in foreign markets.

Drawing insights from strategic management and international business literature, the present study develops an integrated model to explain the competitive actions between multinational firms in a global context. Accordingly, two research questions are addressed: What key factors explain the competitive actions of multinational firms? What key factors moderate the competitive tensions experienced by different pairs of multinational firms? Using structured content analysis to identify competitive actions, the empirical findings of the present study suggest that subsidiary control, MNE size, national culture, government regulations and multimarket contact are all likely to exert important impact on a multinational firm's motivation and capability to compete and therefore influence its competitive aggressiveness in foreign markets.

The consensus is clear: our schools and instructional methods are in desperate need of an update (Carnoy, 1998; Daggett, n.d.; Fullan, 2007; Keigel & Patler, 1991; Schwahn & McGarvey, 2011; and Wagner, 2008). In order for students to be globally competitive, school leaders need to identify what students need to know, what they need to be able to do, and what they need to be like to be successful post-graduation, and then change and adapt school practices to meet global needs with an awareness of the 21st century learner. 21st century skills development is necessary in order for students to compete globally (AMA, 2010; ASCD, 2008; Cookson, 2009; Friedman, 2007; Keigel & Patler, 2009; Levine, 2009; Partnership, 2010; Pink, 2006; and Schwahn & McGarvey, 2011). <br>The purpose of this descriptive case study was to investigate a change process that incorporated the Partnership for 21st Century Skills Framework for 21st Century Learning into curricula. I focused on the leaders' perceptions of the change process that allowed for 21st Century Skills to become embedded into the curricula. I was interested in learning what needed to be changed and how the change occurred. The theoretical lens through which this case was studied and described is Adaptive Leadership Theory (Heifetz, 1994; Heifetz, R.A., Linsky, M., & Grashow, A., 2009; Glover, J., Jones, G., and Friedman, H., 2002a; Jones, Shannon, & Weigel, 2009), which can be defined as leadership that inspires and creates breakthroughs, accomplishes deep change, and develops the capability of the organization to survive, adapt, and thrive in complex, competitive, and challenging environments. Adaptive leadership recognizes that anyone, anywhere within the organization, can be a leader (Heifetz, 1994). Three overarching themes emerged: 1) Motivation for Change, and subsequent Student Needs, 2) Mission, and 3) Collaboration. / School of Education / Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program for Education Leaders (IDPEL) / EdD / Dissertation

Despite the fact that majority of world's public presumably doesn't follow current development of problem-solving in natural sciences very closely, results of the research in these highly specialized branches of knowledge have had profound imact on everyday life of entire mankind even over the period of the last century; this thesis describes the effects of this phenomenon on the political and security level. This thesis shows that not only apparently strategic-related fields of research affect the relations within the global community, but that even the pieces of knowledge produced by seemingly strictly academic scientific disciplines have significant effects on this problematic. Thus, political and security situation is profoundly affected by discoveries in modern mathematics, by applications of contemporary findings in physics and chemistry, as well as by sciences concerned with further exploration of the planet Earth and also by those natural sciences that deepen understanding of humankind. Also, we can presume that importance of these scientific disciplines shall not grow lesser in the future; in fact, both the development of knowledge itself and its significance for the international community can be expected to bring on many challenges that will have to be dealt with by foremost scientists as well as by representatives of various countries and international organizations.

Cette recherche a pour objectif principal d’explorer une nouvelle forme d’interaction dynamique entre concurrents encastrés, désormais, dans des structures complexes que sont les réseaux. Il s’agit de la coopétition réticulaire globale qui renvoie à la simultanéité de la coopération et de la compétition entre des réseaux d’acteurs globaux issus de secteurs d’activité distincts. La recherche actuelle sur la coopétition s’est largement focalisée sur l’aspect organisationnel et dyadique, voire sectoriel de la relation. En revanche, le niveau réticulaire est rarement exploré, ce qui a suscité cette recherche qui l’intègre dans une perspective globale. En effet, s’appuyant sur une étude longitudinale multisectorielle réalisée sur des données de panel collectées à partir de sources variées, une régression non-linéaire à l’aide d’un modèle logistique multivarié ordonné a été menée, dans un premier temps pour tester les hypothèses relatives aux déterminants et une régression de Poisson dans un second temps afin de mesurer l’effet des formes de la coopétition réticulaire sur l’innovation. Les principaux résultats mettent en évidence des déterminants organisationnels, dyadiques, sectoriels et réticulaires qui favorisent l’émergence de la coopétition réticulaire sous quatre formes, à savoir la coopétition intra-réseau, la coopétition inter-réseaux, la coopétition globale et la coopétition de réseaux. De plus, les résultats montrent que ces formes identifiées influence à des degrés différents, l’innovation des firmes membres. Cette recherche permet d’attirer l’attention de la communauté scientifique à considérer le niveau réticulaire dans l’analyse des relations inter-firmes, d’une part, et d’aider les managers à faire face à l’incertitude inhérente à l’environnement global et au rythme accéléré d’innovation. / The main objective of this research is to explore a new form of dynamic interaction between competitors that are embedded in complex structures such as networks. It is about global network coopetition which refers to the simultaneous cooperation and competition between global actors networks belonging to different industries. Current research on coopetition has largely focused on the organizational, dyadic or industrial aspect. However, the reticular level is scarcely explored which aroused the interest of this research idea that includes it with a global perspective. Indeed, based on a longitudinal multi-sectorial study with panel data collected from various sources, a non-linear regression through ordered multivariate logistic model was first used to test hypotheses on network coopetition drivers. Then, a Poisson regression was used to measure the effect of network coopetition forms on innovation. The main results highlight organizational, dyadic, industrial and reticular drivers that lead to the emergence of reticular coopetition under four forms, namely, intra-network coopetition, inter-network coopetition, global coopetition and networks coopetition. Furthermore, results show that these forms influence differently firms’ innovation. On one hand, this research allows drawing scientific community attention to consider the reticular level in inter-firm relationships analysis. On the other hand, it helps managers to deal with the global environment uncertainty and its innovation accelerated pace.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the face of global competition manufacturers are increasingly finding themselves having to redefine the way they do business. Despite this, and while lean manufacturing has been widely adopted as an inherently superior form of manufacturing when compared to mass production, many companies continue to operate according to a traditional mass production philosophy. This research aims to validate and quantify the existence of a correlation between the presence of lean manufacturing and improved performance in important financial indicators with a view to encouraging the more rapid adoption of lean manufacturing. The intended outcome of this research is therefore firstly an analysis that either confirms or refutes the existence of a correlation between selected lean manufacturing practices and selected financial indicators, and secondly a quantification of the strength of the identified relationship, if any. There are four sub-problems that were identified as being central to the research aims. The first relates to the identification of foundational principles associated with lean manufacturing, while the second relates to the identification of manufacturing practices associated with each principle that can be observed and tested for. The third entailed the evaluation of existing literature on links between lean manufacturing and financial performance. The fourth entailed the development of a set of hypotheses and methodology for the testing of relationships between lean manufacturing practices and financial indicators. The four principles, and their associated practices, were as follows: • Just In Time: kanban; • Total Quality Management: andon and poka-yoke; • Continuous improvement: standardisation of work practices, green areas and suggestion schemes; and • Team-based work organisation: teams, single-piece flow between team members and team leader roles. The review of existing literature provided some guidance in respect of financial performance measures that should be included in the study, but fell short of confirming the type of relationships and correlations sought for the purpose of this research. Data on the financial performance of 22 automotive component manufacturers were obtained from the Benchmarking and Manufacturing Analysts SA (Pty) Ltd’s benchmarking database while data on lean manufacturing practices were obtained through structured observations at the 22 companies between January 2008 and December 2008. Through evaluating Spearman rank correlation coefficients conclusive findings were obtained in respect of the existence of a relationship and a positive correlation between each of the following pairs of variables: • Kanban and average growth in sales; • Kanban and change in Return on Investment; • Andon and operating profit as a percentage of sales; • Poka-yoke and operating profit as a percentage of sales; • Poka-yoke and growth in sales; • Green areas and operating profit as a percentage of sales; and • Standardisation of work practices and operating profit as a percentage of sales. During the analysis and interpretation of the findings value chains dynamics, operational measures, and control variables were cited as key considerations for further research in this field. The paper concludes by suggesting that a study of this nature replicated in the automotive industry in a different economy would likely result in similar outcomes, but that the same outcomes may not necessarily be obtained if the study was replicated in a different industry in the same economy. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Met die uitdagings van globale mededinging en vrye toegang tot wêreld markte is vervaardigers blootgestel aan die behoefte om hulle besigheidsprosesse voortdurend te vernuwe en te optimiseer. Ten spyte van die feit dat “Lean Manufacturing” spesifiek in die vervaardigings industrie aanvaar is as die voorkeur model bo die meer tradisionele massa produksie model sukkel maatskapye steeds met die implimentering daarvan. Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om te toon dat daar ‘n verwantskap bestaan tussen die beginsels van “Lean Manufacturing” en die winsgewindheid van maatskappye. Meer spesifiek word daar gesoek na sleutel finansiële aanwysers in die besigheid, en hulle verwantskap met geselekteerde “Lean Manufacturing” beginsels. Daar word gepoog om die verwantskappe te kwantifiseer, en hierdie resultate dan te gebruik as basis vir die motivering om hierdie beginsels verder en vinniger in die vervaardigings industrie te implimenteer. Vier subprobleme is geidentifiseer om die voorgestelde navorsing logies te benader. Die eerste hou verband met die identifisering van die kern beginsels van “Lean Manufacturing”, en die tweede met die identifisering van vervaardigings praktyke wat assosieer kan word met elkeen van die beginsels. Die derde subprobleem is die analise en vewerking van bestaande literatuur met die doel om die verwantskap tussen die identifiseerde kern beginsels van “Lean Manufacturing” en finansiële indikatore te evalueer. Laastens word ‘n hipotese ontwikkel om die identifiseerde verwantskappe te toets en te evalueer. Die vier beginsels en die assosieërde praktyke is: • “Just In Time”: kanban; • Algemene Kwaliteits Bestuur: andon en poka-yoke; • Voortdurende Verbetering: standardisering van werksprosesse; en • Spangebaseerde Organisasies: Spanwerk. Die bestudering van bestaande literatuur het ‘n riglyn geskep vir van die finansiële indikatore wat in ag geneem moet word in die studie. Dit het wel geblyk dat die tipe verwantskap nie duidelik definieer is nie. Die finansiële data van 22 motor komponent vervaardigers is verkry van Benchmarking and Manufacturing Analysts SA (Pty) Ltd’s se databasis. Die data oor “Lean Manufacturing” is verkry deur gestruktureerde waarnemings en onderhoude by dieselfde 22 maatskapye oor die tydperk Januarie 2008 tot Desember 2008. Deur die evaluering van “Spearman rank” korrelasie koëfisiënte kon ‘n korrelasie tussen die volgende veanderlikes verkry word: • Kanban en die gemiddelde groei in verkope; • Kanban en die verandering in die opbrengs op belegging; • Andon en die operasionele wins as ‘n persentasie van verkope; • Poka-yoke en die operasionele wins as ‘n persentasie van verkope; • Poka-yoke en die groei in verkope; • Groen areas en die operasionele wins as ‘n persentasie van verkope; en • Standardisering van werksprosedures en die operasionele wins as ‘n persentasie van verkope. Na aanleiding van die analise en interpretasie van die bevindinge opgelewer deur die studie word die verdere bestudering van die veld sterk aanbeveel. Waardeketting dinamika, operasionele maatstawwe, en beheer veranderlikes is identifiseer as kernaspekte van so ‘n verdere ondersoek. Dit moet egter benadruk word dat die herhaalbaarheid van die studie moontlik sal wees in ander ekonomiese toestande, maar nie noodwendig dieselfde resultate sal lewer vir ander industrieë nie.

Studies on the internationalization of entrepreneurial firms have ignored women's entrepreneurship as a distinct research area before the 1970s. However, women's entrepreneurship started to get the attention of researchers a few decades ago and it is still in the adolescence stage. In addition, there is very little research on the internationalization of women entrepreneurial firms from emerging markets particularly those from Bangladesh. Researches that have been conducted on the challenges of Bengali women entrepreneurial firms often focused on the challenges of developing a business within the domestic context. The study seeks to fill this knowledge gap by exploring the challenges the women entrepreneurs in emerging markets are facing while growing a business within the international context, with a focus on Bangladeshi women entrepreneurial firms. This study was conducted using qualitative case studies using semi-structured interviews of three women entrepreneurial firms. The empirical findings show that two Bengali women entrepreneurs are involved with both inward and outward internationalization and one is involved with outward internationalization. The research identified networking as the greatest challenge faced by women entrepreneurs when it comes to internationalizing the business from an emerging market where insufficient funding is also another greatest obstacle. The findings also revealed that entrepreneurs should concentrate on expanding their knowledge and learning further in order to improve their skills and dynamic capacities, which is still insufficient and requires extensive effort to ensure the successful internationalization of the businesses. The findings also showed that Bangladesh is still lagging behind other developed economies in terms of digitalization and innovation. The smallness of the business also significantly affects the business activities when it comes to competing globally.

A quantitative nonexperimental survey study was developed to investigate Northeast Tennessee K-8 educators’ perceptions of STEM education. This study was an examination of current perceptions of STEM education. Perceived need, current implementation practices, access to STEM resources, definition of STEM, and the current condition of STEM in Northeast Tennessee were also examined. The participating school districts are located in the Northeast Region of Tennessee: Bristol City Schools, Hamblen County Schools, Johnson City Schools, Johnson County Schools, Kingsport City Schools, Sullivan County Schools, and Washington County Schools. Educational professionals including both administrators and teachers in the elementary and/or middle school setting were surveyed. The closed and open form survey consisted of 20 research items grouped by 5 core research questions. Quantitative data were analyzed using single sample t tests. A 4 point Likert scale was used to measure responses with a 2.5 point of neutrality rating. The open-ended question was summarized and recorded for frequency. Research indicated that Northeast Tennessee K-8 educators perceive a need for STEM education to a significant extent. However, many do not feel prepared for implementation. Lack of professional development opportunities and STEM assets were reported as areas of need. Teachers reported implementation of inquiry-based, problem solving activities in their classrooms. The majority of participants reported that the current condition of STEM education in Northeast Tennessee is not meeting the needs of 21st century learners. Challenges facing STEM instruction include: funding designated for STEM is too low, professional development for STEM teacher is insufficient, and STEM Education in K-8 is lacking or inadequate.