Although information on variations in healthcare utilisation is increasingly available, its constructive use to improve health systems is often hindered by the lack of a clear standard to evaluate what is “good“ and “poor“ performance. This thesis investigates how regulators and managers of the system might address this lack of a standard. The thesis distinguishes between the purpose (to manage ambiguity in the absence of a standard or to determine a meaningful standard) and the approach used to achieve either purpose (socio-political or technical-evidential). The resulting four types of strategies are examined by drawing on concepts and methods from public health and epidemiology, health economics, operations research and public administration and empirical evidence from England and Scotland. To manage ambiguity in the absence of a standard using a socio-political approach, the thesis finds that one must overcome a series of barriers including awareness, acceptance, perceived applicability and capacity of potential users. Clinical and managerial leadership appear to be enabling factors for the use of information on variations for strategic problem framing and stakeholder engagement. To manage ambiguity in the absence of a standard using a technical-evidential approach, the use of ranking intervals and dominance relations obtained from ratio-based efficiency analysis can help to avoid the forced assignment of a single, potentially controversial ranking to each organisation under scrutiny. To determine a standard using a technical-evidential approach, estimating capacity to benefit in populations provides a theoretically sound and feasible benchmark to assess the appropriateness of service utilisation against population needs. However, uncertainty about criteria of capacity to benefit and lack of epidemiological data remain practical challenges. To determine a standard using a socio-political approach, an experimentalist governance logic focused on learning and dialogue between central government and local organisations can complement a hierarchist logic focused on accountability when both the ideal ends and the means for attainment are ambiguous. As a whole, the thesis reinforces the insight that both improved technical tools and social and political processes are required to make information on variations useful to decision-makers.

The concept “business model” has now for a number of years been enjoying increasing attention of strategy and management scholars. The concept first started to be used widely by practitioners (investors, journalists, entrepreneurs and consultants), especially in the context of e-business, without a precise definition (Lecocq, et al., 2010, p.219). Today business model concept is largely institutionalized in the practice world. In the first chapter of my thesis I explore how the multiplicity of meanings implied when talked about business models stems from the multiple cognitive processes triggered by this concept. Rather than debating different definitions of the concept, I suggest that in order to appreciate the depth of this concept it may be useful to employ our knowledge of how we in general understand abstract concepts. Connecting business model literature with the literature on cognition allows exploring further the role of business models as a cognitive tool for visualization (Arend, 2013, p.392), and as a device that allows for better business decisions to be made (Hacklin et al., 2012). In the subsequent chapters of my thesis I pick up on some of the key ideas of chapter 1: chapter 2 is an empirical study, which addresses the central question - how shared representations of business models emerge; in chapter 3 I explore how scholars conceptualize business models, often implicitly, as type and token models, and discuss assumptions they make about the ontological status of business models.

This dissertation focuses on entrepreneurial finance and exit strategies via IPO. Three quantitative studies have been conducted based on a dataset of entrepreneurial firms listed for the first time in the London Stock Exchange (LSE) between 2002 and 2012. Initial Public Offering (IPO), as a major event for external resource acquisition, is a milestone in both the life of an entrepreneurial venture and the entrepreneur himself. How to gain a good performance in IPO? What factors drive their leave from the business they set up after IPO? And whether and how the founder's leave after IPO may affect the subsequent performance of the business? These questions become main concerns for both entrepreneurs and investors. The three studies in the dissertation address these issues from different perspectives. Since the research questions and test variables are different across studies, the sample size for each empirical study is slightly different from each other. The first study extends our understanding of the categorical imperative by exploring how the category spanning behavior of the main founders may harm their resource acquisition via IPO, as well as the way they offset such penalty. This question was tested using main founders of 173 startups listed for the first time in the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of LSE. The study supports the past literature confirming that, compared to IPO firms whose founders specialise in one industry or one function, those founded by category spanners are generally devalued by investors. However, such devaluation is less severe in case founders are partly hybrid, spanning categories in one dimension (either for industry or function) but being a specialist in the other dimension. The results also show that an external expert endorsement can offset the penalty of hybridity, especially when hybridity occurs along multiple dimensions. The second study explores variance in the exit decisions of founders after IPO, and examines factors explaining these decisions. Through analyzing the exit behaviour of 313 founders at 177 entrepreneurial firms listed in the main and alternative market of LSE, we find that power structure is associated with founders' total exit but does not equally well explain partial exits behaviors (i.e. financial or managerial). Moreover, the effect of power on total exit is also moderated by the type of capital market in which the IPO takes place [main market of the LSE versus Alternative Investment Market (AIM)]. The third study examines whether and how different founder exit strategies influence a firm's operational and stock performance. We find that while the post-IPO departure of the main founder is related to a short-term drop of the stock performance, in the long-run, it is positively related with the firm's financial performance.

In this study my focus/aim/main concern is the successful or unsuccessful adjustment of non- Libyans from across the world who have worked in Libyan oil companies. I want to know what factors create success. To help me to do this I also ask some Libyan managers (who have worked out of Libya) what they think makes for success. From this data, I have derived a model which identifies the differences between all the other process models for expatriate success and my own Libyan contextual model. The study of socio-cultural and psychological adjustment in the literature on cross-cultural adjustment has maintained that there is a difference between these forms of adjustment, however I wanted to investigate the possibility that there might be a close relation between the two. My study is relevant as international mobility and cross-cultural adjustment is becoming a common experience for a growing number of employees sent on long-term international assignments. The methodology used initially starts with the collection of quantitative data then moves toward a more interpretive stance; with the collection of qualitative data therefore I adopted an interpretivist paradigm using numbers and words. In my study a questionnaire was distributed to a group of participants because of quantitative analysis of the data collected a subsequent group were identified who are at either end of the cross-cultural adjustment scale and they were invited to take part in an interview. Because of the qualitative analysis of data gathered from these interviews an exploration was carried out using thematic analysis to discover whether managerial, organisational or societal factors have had an impact on these individuals’ feelings of adjustment. A key aim was to clearly identify the factors that affect adjustment. My process model for an Arabic nation is based on the adjustment of expatriate managers working in the Libyan oil industry and highlighting the key factors that influence their ability to adjust. My findings indicate that a manager coming from an individualised society to a more collective one or vice versa, may have difficulty in adjusting or feeling they are a part of the group. Such feelings are related to the theories of social identity and social categorisation. There has been very little previous expatriate adjustment research carried out using an interpretivist methodology, which I have conducted to find out these managers’ actual perceptions hence can talk about their levels of adjustment and the need for experience.

This dissertation proposes and implements the inclusion of model structure in combining forecasts. Empirical investigations are conducted with an emphasis on neural networks and seasonal exponential smoothing models using synthetic data and real time series, from the electricity sector. It starts with a literature review on combining forecasts and ensembles of neural networks, and highlights their use in forecasting within the energy sector. Research gaps are identified and the questions to be addressed in this research are set, thus leading to three empirical studies. The first study provides a detailed sensitivity analysis of the goodness-of-fit and forecasting performance of feed-forward neural networks on time series with different characteristics. It expands existing literature by increasing the number and variety of time series and by using graphical and statistical diagnostics to objectively judge the influence of model specification on forecasting performance. Having identified conditions for achieving stable model performance, this study facilitated the identification of suitable models for different time series characteristics, which are then useful in developing combinations (ensembles) of feed forward neural networks. The second study proposes structural combination methods based on clustering (CB) and genetic algorithms (GA) for forecasting time series. Clustering of neural networks using their parameter space is performed to identify a pool of forecasts to be combined. Three synthetic time series and two real time series (electricity demand and wind power production) were used to assess the performance of the two proposals against several benchmarks in univariate and multivariate forecasting problems. Structural combinations with GA were more competitive than those with CB for non-seasonal time series and the multivariate wind power forecasting application, whereas for the seasonal series, the CB tended to be more competitive. The third study focused on forecasting univariate time series with seasonality, by structurally combining, in separate applications, multiplicative Holt-Winters and multiplicative Holt-Winters-Taylor models. Noise addition and block swapping were applied to the original time series in order to generate structurally diverse individual models. Applications were conducted using a seasonal daily peak electricity demand time series, an hourly double-seasonal electricity demand series and a half-hourly double-seasonal electricity demand series. Structural combinations worked better for the peak electricity demand and half-hourly demand time series when model variation was induced via noise addition. For the double-seasonal hourly electricity demand, block swapping, as a means for diversity in models, resulted in better forecasts. Finally, in the last chapter of this dissertation, conclusions are drawn from this research. The contribution to the literature is assessed and a future research agenda is proposed.

This research explores the experiences and perceptions of senior executives and managers who have made one or more transitions between the public, private, academic and third sectors in the UK. The personal experience of inter-sector transition is an under-researched phenomenon, particularly in the UK. This interpretative qualitative study aims to enhance understanding of inter-sector transition and to identify the challenges and enablers of a successful transition. The context for this research is the increased blurring between the organisational sectors, as many parts of the public sector decline in size, the role of the private and third sectors in service delivery become more significant, and hybrid partnerships increase. The influence of New Public Management, which has introduced private sector practices into the public, academic and third sectors is also a factor in potentially reducing the difference between the sectors. In the researcher’s work environment, recruitment of personnel from outside the academic sector is increasing. The professional implications for the study are to understand the factors which enable a smooth and successful transition, in order that individuals achieve job satisfaction and that the organisation benefits from their productivity as soon as possible. The study adopts a qualitative methodology, drawing on grounded theory methods for the collection and analysis of data. Fifteen managers and senior executives from a range of professions and sectors participated in in-depth interviews. The findings suggest that enablers of a successful transition are familiarity with the destination sector prior to transitioning, work values which align with those of the destination organisation, appropriate professional skills, and mentoring support. The main challenges to a successful transition are organisational cultures, the questioning of professional identity and issues of self-esteem. In addition to enhancing the understanding of transition enablers and challenges, the contribution to professional practice is demonstrated through practical guidelines for line managers, which will assist with inductions of new starters from outside the sector. The key limitations of the research are identified as being the size and characteristics of the sample, together with the lack of triangulation from participants’ managers or reports concerning the success of the transition. Recommendations for future research are to broaden the sample so that particular characteristics may be explored in more detail, such as age, gender and professional background. There is also scope for further research into the leadership characteristics which lend themselves to successful inter-sector transitions.

This study is designed to explore and examine the various aspects of management attitudes, beliefs, and business culture on the West Bank. It investigates top managers personal, organisational and societal background. Within this general framework, the study aims to investigate the various aspects such as: managers characteristics, exogenous and endogenous pressures facing managers, attributes expected of managers, managers way of obtaining their present jobs. Their decision making styles, ways of handling functional problems, managers view of an ideal employee, managers nervousness, managers attitudes towards time, life insurance, mediation, nepotism, bribes, the employment of women, customs and traditions, an increase in business automation and technology, and attitudes towards jobs and various managerial functions and themes. Moreover, this study aims to explore the role of women as managers in the West Bank as well as to examine respondents needs and need satisfaction. A comparison of the major findings with other findings of relevant research will also be drawn in this study. It is believed that in order to understand managers attitudes, beliefs and behaviour, one should first understand the background which created such attitudes and beliefs. As a result the researcher opened this study with a general overview of the West Bank environment. The opening includes a discussion of the population and the geographical, historical, political, social, educational and economic environment in that region. The data for the research were gathered by interviewing a sample of l77 top Arab managers from 177 organisations in the West Bank. The average interviewing time was 40 minutes. All statistical analysis were perfonned using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSSx). The Chi-square test of association (X2)was perfonned so as to search for association between the various variables and questions. The Multivariate Discriminant Analysis (MDA) was also used for the attitudes and beliefs sections. Some of the outcomes emerging from the analysis include: 1. West Bank managers on average are highly educated 2. West Bank managers are working under enormous pressures and as a result over half of them sometimes feel nervous at work. 3. The majority of West Bank managers obtained their jobs through normal job placement methods. 4. The consultative style of decision making is the most pervasive style in the West Bank. S. Although the vast majority of West Bank managers believe that mediation, nepotism, and bribes are widely used in the West Bank, the vast majority of managers are against the use of such practices. 6. West Bank managers have a high appreciation of time and they also put a great deal of emphasis on communication and the importance of good relationships with employees. Yet the findings indicate that West Bank managers are not pro planning and forecasting. 7. As for women managers surveyed it was found that their major role in society is national and patriotic. 8. The majority of West Bank managers are pro change. They would like to see an increase in the number of working women, an increase in freedom from cultural customs and traditions and in increase in business automation and technology. 9. Although social need was considered the managers most important need, it was also found to be their most satisfied one. Finally, the study includes fruitful suggestions and recommendations for future research. All suggestions are aimed at enhancing the knowledge of West Bank management in particular and of human behaviour in the Arab and the business world in general.

This research project addresses the adoption of the Internet and implementation of webbased systems by quasi-governmental organisations responsible for the management of tourism in the small island developing states (SIDS) in the Eastern Caribbean. The key aspects of this work entail the examination oft the factors which impact upon the systems implementation process and IT-enabled organisational change, levels of Internet adoption and maturity, the extent to which the implementation of web-based systems and e-business activities are being conducted within a strategic framework and the impacts and outcomes of the e-business activities in the tourism sector in these islands. Four in-depth case studies were conducted and data collected from a wide range of sources, across five of the islands, focusing primarily on the National Tourist Offices - and the regional tourism body, the Caribbean Tourism Organisation. Several models were used to address the key aspects of this study. It was found that while Internet penetration is relatively high, most web sites and web-based systems still have a limited focus on basic information provision and communication, as opposed to distribution and transaction oriented activities. The web-based systems in the National Tourist Offices are, for the most part, not being implemented within a broader strategic framework. The central aspect of this work deals with the analysis of factors which impact upon the successful implementation of web-based systems. A conception-reality (CR) gap model was used in the assessment of the organisational context variables in the information systems implementation process. The most significant factors affecting the implementation of webbased systems, indicated by wide CR gaps, were: financing constraints, a low level of emphasis placed on these initiatives and the limited integration of IT with related business processes. A distinct `organisational lag' was noted between technological innovation and administrative or process innovations. The critical impact of the wide gap in levels of management understanding is also addressed. The technology gap was moderate, and narrow gap levels were found for communication and user participation, which correlated with narrow gaps for clarity of objectives, staff acceptance and motivation. The broader context of this work is the phenomenon often referred to as the `Digital Divide'. Based on the findings of this work, it is argued that the wide chasms between countries of the North and those of the South cannot be defined only, or indeed primarily, in `technological terms'. The utilization of the new information and communications technology (ICT), as a means of social and economic advancement in developing countries, clearly requires firstly, the successful adoption and implementation of the relevant technologies. The overriding focus, however, must be on bridging key dimensions of the `conception-reality' gap, of which `technology' is but one aspect. This would result in fundamental changes, at the individual, organisational and national levels, fostering greater levels of social and economic progress, as well as in the process, narrow the `digital divide'.

At the beginning of the 1980s Mexico's Federal Government decided to end the imports-substituting policy to join the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT). As a result of the fast changes of the last decade in terms of international trade, Mexico's new policy rapidly evolve to one leading the country to a totally open economy. This situation moved Mexican companies towards the need to improve their competitiveness for survival. Because of the previous success of Japan in achieving an outstanding improvement on the quality of its products, most Mexican large industrial organisations have introduced TQM into their management systems. Since there was no previous knowledge on how to do that in Mexican organisations, they have had to follow the strategies used in other countries for this purpose. However, because some companies have reported some trouble in this endeavor, the initial objective of this thesis was to investigate if TQM has been useful, in terms of improving the satisfaction of stakeholders and company's profitability, for Mexican large industrial organisations. To probe the effectiveness of TQM in Mexican industry, a study was conducted on 82 large industrial organisations;7 1 (86.6%) of them reported the implementation of TQM on their management system. Initially, the degree of penetration of TQM was measured. For this purpose,a conceptual business management system as developed, incorporating in it the more popular quality management concepts or techniques, grouped in 7 sub-systems. Then the degree of TQM implementation as measured for each company and correlated to stakeholders' satisfaction and financial profitability. A good degree of correlation, given the sample size, was found between stakeholders' satisfaction and TQM (0.45), but not between this variable and the financial profitability reported by the companies investigated (0.04). However, the research found a significant correlation between the degree of implementation of some of the subsystems of the conceptual system and the profitability of certain sub-sectors of the industrial sector. For this reason, it was decided to analyse in a greater detail the strategies followed by organisations that showed a reasonable financial performance during the last four years. This analysis considered the influence of other internal and external non-TQM variables to succeed, financial speaking, in TQM implementation. As a result of the investigation, the thesis proposes a procedure for the design of a TQM system. This proposal is expected to increase the possibilities of a Mexican industrial organisation to improve its financial performance by an adequate in corporation of TQM into its management system.

This thesis traces the development of British workers' theatre in the period 1925 - 1935, focussing on the institution which eventually constituted itself as the Workers' Theatre Movement, and relating the particular character of this organisation to the nature of British theatre as a whole. Whereas previous studies have ascribed the weakness of this movement, to its political immaturity, or to its failure to make use of highly developed literary forms, the failings of the Workers' Theatre Movement are here related to the division within British theatre between "legitimate" and "variety" forms. The leaders of the Workers' Theatre Movement rejected the styles and subjects of the contemporary West End stage, but found themselves in a problematic relationship to popular theatre or variety forms, which they could not associate with the serious messages which they were trying to deliver. For this reason they looked to the workers' theatres of other countries for a formula by which they could make political theatre, but failed to take advantage of truly popular forms which would be more accessible to British workers. In addition, the Workers' Theatre Movement received little support, whether material or ideological, from the British Communist Party, which had not developed any conception of the importance of cultural issues in its political struggle. However, despite these disadvantages, the Workers' Theatre Movement did manage to produce work of some lasting value, and can beseen to have influenced later positive developments in British theatre.