This dissertation examines strategic learning as learning from events and experiences that have significant consequences for organisational survival in a competitive environment. The study is centred on design contest as repeat event systems that in their time bracketed generational progression, provide for an ideal setting to analyse such learning. Convergence that constrains experimentation to a few elements that define the strategic configuration of organisations is posited as a natural consequence of performance feedback. Strategic learning is seen to be manifested in the interplay of behavioural and cognitive attributes that moderate such convergence. Effective strategic learning is seen as key to distinguishing `winners' from the `also-rans' where the former counter overt convergence by striking a balance between `searching for the competitive edge' and `creating the competitive edge'. In its conceptualisation of strategic learning, study design, and selection of research sites, the study successfully navigates most of the problems that have confounded research in the relatively nascent area of strategic learning. The dissertation comprises three empirical studies. The first two are based in the quasi-experimental settings of a robotic design contest called Robot Wars where the strategic learning model emerges by an examination of convergence as consequence of performance feedback, and the factors that moderate it. The last study is based on the sequential event system of movie-sequels to provide external validity to the study. The study presents the first comprehensive examination of strategic learning in repeat event systems. It provides empirical evidence for the effect of performance feedback on convergence, and the consequences this has for future performance. Evidence for the interplay of behavioural and cognitive forces in moderating convergence for effective strategic learning, completes the strategic learning model that this dissertation delivers as a contribution to research and managerial practice.

Due to increasing globalisation and intense international competition, companies have begun to realise that supplier-partner relationships are becoming a key force necessary in business-to-business (B2B) distribution channels to achieve significant monetary and non-monetary benefits. However, the tasks required of implementing a successful B2B distribution strategy for a supplier and its partners face greater challenges, and are more complex now than just a few years ago. One of the methods used to overcome the challenges inherent to the supplier-partner relationship is by creating and adopting new solutions, often referred to as Partner Relationship Management (PRM), in order to provide an entire suite of web-based software solutions that are specifically targeted toward building closer and more productive supplier-partner relationships (Mirani, Moore, and Weber, 2001). In fact, substantial capital is invested in web-based technologies to complement existing traditional approaches for achieving higher business performance and quality relationships. However, this phenomenon raises the following questions: Does the result of this investment alongside traditional approaches have significant impact on business performance? Do these two approaches have significant impact on high quality relationships? If so, what are their driving factors? Therefore, this research addresses these questions in the context of supplier-partner relationships within the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry. Based on a sample of 196 partner organisations, we carry out an empirical study and document the association between both driving factors and indicators of high quality relationships. We find support for the hypotheses posed, such as the impact of certification on relationship setting, marketing support, technical support, and relationship commitment. We also find support for the impact of relationship setting on marketing support, relationship management, technical support, non-economic satisfaction and relationship quality. Furthermore, the results of this research indicate that marketing support and relationship management have significant impact on economic satisfaction, and that relationship management has significant impact no economic satisfaction, while technical support has significant impact on customer satisfaction. Finally, we find support for significant relationships between economic satisfaction and relationship commitment, non-economic satisfaction and relationship quality, customer satisfaction and relationship commitment, as well as relationship quality and relationship commitment. Discussion of theoretical and managerial implications, research limitations and further investigation, as well as final conclusions, are also provided.

The study was designed to explore the distinctive attributes of firms' resources and their relationship with sustained competitive advantage (SCA). The emphasis is on the Human Resource-Based View (HRBV) of the firm and the strategic and managerial conditions under which human resources are a potential source of SCA. The objectives can be stated more specifically as follow: o To develop a resource-based view model of the firm that adequately describes the role of human resources, their management and human resource practices in the attainment of sustained competitive advantage. o To empirically test this model and in so doing estimate the contribution of human resources, their management and human resource practices to sustained competitive advantage. o To revise the HRBV model in the light of the empirical findings. Chapters I to 4 develop an HRBV model and its context. Chapters 5 to 8 deal with its empirical evaluation. Chapter 9 presents the conclusions of the empirical evaluation and revisions.

This thesis explores the suitability of using 'Balanced Scorecard (BSC) -a performance measurement model developed by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton of Harvard Business School, USA' as a performance measurement framework for public sector organisations like UK Local Government Authorities. The research study was carried out using 'Case Study' method and the performance measurement model used for this study was a modified BSC model for'Non profit and public sector organisations' The test of the modified model of BSC was done on the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Corporate, Social and Housing Service Directorates. The testing of the model involved developing prototype 'Strategy Maps' and 'Scorecards' for all three service directorates and validating these through interviewing relevant officials. As each of the directorates were different in terms of service delivery objectives, stakeholders and performance measures or indicators, three sets of proto type strategy maps and scorecards were developed. The Strategy map included the vision, mission and strategic objectives of the organisation and directorates while scorecard showed the strategic objectives and their performance measures grouped under four perspectives of BSCService Users, Community and Stakeholders, Resource Management, Internal Process and Learning & growth. For validation of the proto type strategy maps and scorecards, senior officials of Tower Hamlets Council were interviewed. The analysis of the interview responses confirmed that the modified BSC model is suitable as a performance measurement framework for a local government authority like London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Some of the officials interviewed believed that if implemented properly, the BSC model can help achieve organisational alignment and inform next cycle of decision making. This may be an interesting area for further research.

Studies examining the issue of organizational field evolution, especially on cultural field's, have found that some events shape the process by acting as 'purveyors of legitimacy' (Anand and Peterson, 2000). However, no research is forthcoming on events such as international film festivals that serve a similar function. A new theoretical framework - field-configuring events (FCEs) by Lampel' and Meyer (2008) seeks to rectify the lack of attention paid to 'events' by organization scientists. . Adopting their framework, my research explicates one such event in cultural industries, particularly the global film in9ustry - international filin festival. Towards that end, my PhD thesis spawns four papers - one conceptual and three empirical papers. First, I articulate international film festivals as field-configuring events, and identify some of their key characteristics: spatial embededness, temporal recurrence, programming, premiership, juried competition, film markets, side bars, and accreditation. Second, I examine the organization, strategy, and performance of international film festivals. I propose that a prototypical international film festival is a competition of 'films, and its perfonnance is dependent on two resource streams: reputation of nominated films/film makers, and reputation of members of the jury panel. Third, I explicate the macro linkages between an FCE and national film institutions such as BFI through a process known as retrospective consecration. I propose that international film festivals such as Cannes, Venice, and Berlin directly impact BFI's efforts of anointing the best British films of the 20th century or 'BFI Top Ido'. Finally, I focus on the micro linkages between international film festivals and BFI choices, particularly focusing on how the. choices emerge from a voting college. The BFI's 'Top 100' voting college consists of three groups of respondents or 'cultural hierarchies' - experts, peers, and the public, and I propose that international film festivals represent a fonn of critical recognition and shape expert choices.

This thesis examines the strategic processes which can be employed to overcome the challenges of launching creative products that possess little or no tangible selling points. Launch decisions and their subsequent impact on the creation of sales momentum in the fragrance industry are analysed. A context specific model for product launch effectiveness is an initial contribution. Secondly, this study examines product launch activities through the dramaturgical lens. Primary qualitative data collected through a mixed method approach is a further contribution to the current body of knowledge on product launch. 'Elite interviews' with senior management are employed to gain an in-depth perspective into the dynamics of launch processes. Fourthly, the dynamics of organisational self expression, particularly during product launch are distilled through the analysis of organisational narratives. Finally, focussed encounters whereby organisations attempt to shape product evaluation are examined through participant observation.

The research employs an adaptive cross-disciplinary research strategy in an industrial example to address port facilities’ inability to assess whether their security systems are efficient. The research combines a twin-pronged approach of first, adapting Markowitz (1952) theory of portfolio selection from the field of finance to maritime port security to examine each port facility’s security systems as a portfolio; and secondly, through portfolio optimization to construct the optimum theoretical portfolio of security systems drawn from a number of different port facilities owned by Dubai Ports World. The research builds on the existing literature and proposes new definitions of security, port security, port security risk and port security risk management. The research also develops a model of port security risk based on Willis et al’s (2005) definition of terrorist risk. Furthermore, the research builds on the work of Gleason (1980) and examines terrorist attacks on ports and on shipping in ports between 1968 and 2007 and shows, using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, that they follow a Poisson distribution. The contribution which the research makes is in terms of adapting Markowitz (1952) theory to the port security environment; and the modelling and measurement of the impact of the introduction of new port security technology, changes in background port security threat levels and for the planning of port security in Greenfield sites. Furthermore, the adaptive approach of the research is generalisable to all nodes in the supply chain and is not limited to port facilities alone.

No description available.

The Report of the Robens Committee (1972), the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations (1977) provide the framework within which this study of certain aspects of health and safety is carried out. The philosophy of self-regulation is considered and its development is set within an historical and an industrial relations perspective. The research uses a case study approach to examine the effectiveness of self-regulation in health and safety in a public sector organisation. Within this approach, methodological triangulation employs the techniques of interviews, questionnaires, observation and documentary analysis. The work is based in four departments of a Scottish Local Authority and particular attention is given to three of the main 'agents' of self-regulation - safety representatives, supervisors and safety committees and their interactions, strategies and effectiveness. A behavioural approach is taken in considering the attitudes, values, motives and interactions of safety representatives and management. Major internal and external factors, which interact and which influence the effectiveness of joint self-regulation of health and safety, are identified. It is emphasised that an organisation cannot be studied without consideration of the context within which it operates both locally and in the wider environment. One of these factors, organisational structure, is described as bureaucratic and the model of a Representative Bureaucracy described by Gouldner (1954) is compared with findings from the present study. An attempt is made to ascertain how closely the Local Authority fits Gouldner's model. This research contributes both to knowledge and to theory in the subject area by providing an in-depth study of self-regulation in a public sector organisation, which when compared with such studies as those of Beaumont (1980, 1981, 1982) highlights some of the differences between the public and private sectors. Both empirical data and hypothetical models are used to provide description and explanation of the operation of the health and safety system in the Local Authority. As data were collected during a dynamic period in economic, political and social terms, the research discusses some of the effects of the current economic recession upon safety organisation.

Manufacturing has evolved from production-oriented to customer-oriented in the last century. The modern management approach is 'total integration' which is the integration of 'functional optimization', 'internal integration' and 'external integration'. Nowadays, Engineering and Business can no longer be viewed as two separate entities. Engineering Business Management (EBM) becomes the norm of modern manufacturing management. In universities, simulation games have been identified as one of the best teaching media in teaching EBM concept. Hundreds of good simulation games are thus required for different subject areas and education objectives. However, game design procedure is always a 'black box' and game design philosophy of EBM games is even a 'black box' within a 'black box'. This research attempts to develop a new generic approach in designing education simulation games in Engineering Business Management. The approach is broken into two phases: micro and macro level. In micro level, game design philosophy is studied. The appropriate levels of formats and features of EBM games are determined and the weaknesses commonly found in games are examined and rectified. The findings are confirmed and evaluated by conducting three surveys between 1992 to 1994. In macro level, a standard interface is established for all EBM games so that functional games which are built on this platform can be integrated together to form internal management games which can be further integrated into a supply chain network by hierarchical modular structure. The hierarchical structure allows the games to cover some EBM areas that have never been mentioned by any other games before. Two functional games, a production game and a marketing game have been built as prototypes to demonstrate the design approach. In micro level, the established design criteria minimize the chance of developing a 'bad' game. In macro level, the formation of internal management games and supply chain networks by hierarchical modular modeling opens a new platform for game design.