This doctoral thesis presents an analysis of the context in which creativity and innovation emerges. It is based on an investigation of a single case organisation. The theoretical framework for the study derived from a number of fields, including organisational studies, social science and systems theory. Of particular importance were studies of organisational systems, their function, and the dynamics that allow creativity and innovation to emerge. Autopoietic system theory is relevant here. The empirical work was conducted in a single large case study organisation based in Germany. Daimler AG, served as the site of data collection. The data for analysis was generated from a survey, focus groups and interviews. The study identified large organisational structures such as organisational design, culture and information and knowledge, which constrain or enable the fluid process of routines, individuals' interactions, and knowledge and idea creation. These structures are highly interrelated and correlate with the organisational innovation performance. These structures turn into fluid patterns of individual and group creativity. Nine patterns were identified, which build a pattern language of creativity in organisations. This pattern language consists of three main "pattern rules". The contribution of the study is the identification of three main factors or "pattern rules" that underpin creativity and innovation. These are (1) diverse experienced experts within the "thick of the action"; (2) innovation willingness to create and support change; (3) "free space" where employees can explore, create and prototype new ideas. In this thesis this concept is labelled "Freiraum", which is the German word for "free space" in which individuals and teams can achieve their potential. These rules build a model of two spaces, which facilitate a spiral of creativity driven by the innovation willingness. This model provides explanation of how creativity and innovation emerges within the context of an organisation. This work draws particular attention to the dynamics of creativity and innovation, and the influence of organisational control on redundancy of the system, where high control leads to low redundancy and vice versa.

The overall goal of this study was to develop a theoretically based and empirically grounded process framework to understand radical organisational renaming within service industries, particularly Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The specific research aim was to analyse organisational renaming as an option to rebrand and reposition an unhealthy brand image and to identify and define renaming factors and processes that successful radical renaming utilise. The research design was a semistructured, qualitative, multiple-case study format that incorporated open-ended interview questions with 49 stakeholders from three separate institutions and secondary research data from printed documents, web sites and outside media sources. The early literature review for this study supported the premise that renaming is complicated and driven by individual strategic organisational goals that center around eliminating or softening negatives and strengthening or even creating new positives. This research uncovered the brand flux nature that precedes radical renaming and identified the various processes associated with revitalizing, rebranding, repositioning and renaming which resulted in a Brand Flux Model that depicts how the flux nature of branding critically impacts renaming. Additionally, it identified twelve distinct factors that were grouped into a four stage process framework model; this Renaming Process Model describes the importance placed on each impact factor as well as how the order of the factors influence the overall success of a renaming. Strategic placement on the model represents the continuing strategic realignment and co-created nature inherent in renaming within a service industry. A template that highlights the significance of realigning "8 Principles of Renaming" to the strategic goals of the institution was also developed. The study contributed to the areas of branding, rebranding and repositioning by defining terms and proposing nuanced definitions, including a working definition for radical renaming. It culminated with the development of the Brand Flux model and a proposed Renaming Process Model that tracks renaming in a service environment. This qualitative research format and accompanying models and processes can be used to study renaming in a variety of industries.

The researcher holds 13 years employment experience within a major UK voluntary organisation (The Salvation Army) and seeks to explore voluntary sector cultural characteristics from the viewpoint of a cultural insider (an ‘emic' perspective). Drawing upon voluntary sector practitioner experiences from within three case organisations, this study focuses upon organisational culture within faith-based UK voluntary organisations as an emergent research ‘gap' in culture studies. The purpose of the research is to critically examine the organisational culture literature within the context of the voluntary sector and identify issues and developments influencing organisational culture in voluntary organisations. Data gathering/analysis also aims to critically explore characteristics of culture within a range of faith-based voluntary organisations and develop an indicative strategy for managerial response to ongoing cultural shifts within voluntary organisations. The study commences with a critical literature review examining a number of key themes and conceptual issues to enable recognition of voluntary sector-specific distinctiveness in the light of academic and practitioner research published to date. The research design thereafter utilises three case organisations operating in Scotland (The Salvation Army, Bethany Christian Trust and New Beginnings Clydesdale) reflecting deliberate choice of a large, medium and small-sized voluntary organisation to allow identification of differing cultural indicators and so explore the ‘rich' and ‘deep' perspectives of multiple social actors. Documentary analysis, elite interviews of CEOs and differentiated stakeholder focus groups (employees, volunteers, service users) are all utilised to elicit understanding and meaning of a number of cultural indicators from the perspective(s) of research participants and, in doing so, it becomes possible to explore potential sub-cultural individual and group norms and sense-making frameworks. Results reveal seven core cultural themes centring on: leadership, knowledge transfer, partnerships, faith-based values, sub-cultural differentiation, stakeholder conflict and service user focus. Findings also evidence specific contextual issues within The Salvation Army relating to risk averse and procedure-bound leadership, formalised knowledge transfer mechanisms, pressure for consultation and employee/volunteer stakeholder conflict. Bethany Christian Trust evidences issues relating to increasing ‘professionalism', drive for ‘quality', operational/functional silos and secularisation threats to faith-based principles while New Beginnings Clydesdale exhibits issues relating to resource scarcity, role of external ‘influencing agents', localism, leader/follower stakeholder conflict and embryonic organisational development. Drawing together these key findings permits a sector-specific adaptation of the cultural web model with subsequent cross-case synthesis resulting in a sector-specific adaptation of the cultural iceberg model relating to employee/volunteer stakeholder conflict and outline of a new ‘engagement ground' model relating to partnership working between faith-based voluntary organisations and secular public sector agencies. Having identified a range of visible and hidden cultural indicators within the case organisations, the study highlights fourteen specific recommendations to professional practice (representing potential management responses to identified key cultural tensions) including targeting non-statutory revenue streams, defining non-negotiable faith-based values/success factors and formalising volunteer recruitment/supervision. The study concludes with discussion of how research could be utilised/modified in subsequent studies to explore emergent research areas surrounding; organisational impact of faith-based belief systems, size-related cultural tensions and sectoral differences.

Small growing firms are widely recognised to be a key determinant of economic growth, regional prosperity and sustainable development. This thesis investigates the role of continuing entrepreneurial activity, defined by the annual rate of new VAT registered businesses within Scotland in an attempt to identify the key determinants that underpin its development and hence the contribution of small growing firms to the Scottish economy. A review of the theoretical and empirical literature reveals that the role of continuing entrepreneurship within Scotland is imperfectly understood, particularly at sub-regional level, and the empirical analysis undertaken in this thesis represents a step towards greater understanding in this area. The role of the regional environment is investigated by testing a number of hypotheses reflecting the local socio-economic characteristics of a region and the extent to which these factors are able to explain variation in rates of continuing entrepreneurial activity. Panel data models are constructed for 32 regions over a 10 year period from which a variety of hypotheses are tested and conclusions drawn. On the basis of the quantitative results and supporting qualitative interviews the research findings show that differences in rates of continuing entrepreneurial activity can most significantly be explained by population growth an indicator of local demand conditions and by the number of existing small businesses an indicator of attitudes and culture towards entrepreneurship. Human capital, access to finance and the presence of urbanisation economies were also found to significantly explain rates of continuing entrepreneurship across Scottish regions. On the basis of the results reported in this study, enterprise policy should attempt to address the entrepreneurial deficit that exists between regions and be focussed on the creation of a positive culture towards entrepreneurship in Scotland. This should involve the continued development of institutions and levers that are capable of providing an environment which encourages and actively supports an entrepreneurial culture in order to promote economic growth, job creation and higher levels of investment.

The aim of this research is to investigate the key market growth factors for golf development in China as a recreation and luxury product. After nearly 30 years of development, China now has the largest golf complex in the world and the golf market in China is growing at its fastest pace for recent years (Verot, 2013). Due to rapid economic growth and the emergence of a large number of wealthy people, it has been argued that the consumption of luxury and recreational products will increase. Practically, there is evidence to suggest that golfing in China is being developed as both recreational product and luxury product. However, little research has been carried out to answer the question why a foreign game could develop so robustly, and the key factors that have contributed to its growth in relation to its unique features. Moreover, golf development in China is taking place within an increasingly complicated environment, which necessitates strategic adjustments in golf and related businesses for sustained growth. After examining existing literature, this research proposed the theoretical framework, which identifies the relationship among golf industry, features and potential factors. To test the hypotheses generated from the theoretical framework and to enrich the argument a pragmatic methodology is adopted, which involve both positivist and interpretivist approaches. Therefore, both questionnaire and in-depth interview methods are applied in this research to reach the requirement of both broadness and depth. The questionnaire was distributed to 230 golf course managers in China, and 213 valid responses were collected. Correlation analysis and regression analysis were carried out and the quantitative findings were complemented by evidence from interviews with 5 experienced golf course managers who have worked in several golf courses around China. The theoretical framework is tested through designed research and suggests that when considering golf as a recreation and luxury product, the economic factor is the key market growth factor in China. The in-depth interviews supported this finding and further suggested that the cultural factor is also significant for golf development. Moreover, the interviews also provided comprehensive information about how political, economic, cultural, technological, geographic and environmental factor are influencing current and future golf development. Accordingly, golf business should adjust their practices to their external environment. Using the political factor as an example, golf industry has the capacity to influence the factor to their advantage. The golf industry could project a positive image that golf development will not harm the natural environment if the maintenance procedures are appropriated. Furthermore, the golf industry should launch information campaigns and lobby the government to demonstrate that the concern from public is unnecessary. The findings of this study presented implications for academic literature and the golf industry. From the academic perspective, this research tested theories from existing literature in the field of golf development in China. Meanwhile, this research provides the framework for research in a related area in the future. Furthermore, this study highlighted a new niche subject of academic study, the luxury recreational sector that encompasses luxury experiences and recreation specialisation. For the golf industry in China, the framework provided by this research will help practitioners to understand their external business environment and implement innovative strategies. The information revealed by the framework will also help potential international investors to develop better strategies to gain access to the Chinese market.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (The Fringe) is the largest arts festival in the world and it has inspired the creation of similar festivals world-wide. Since its conception in 1947, the Fringe has demonstrated significant growth in visitor numbers; ticket sales; and its economic contribution. Despite this, the sustainable future of Edinburgh's festivals is debated as Edinburgh, ‘the Festival City', faces threats from other festival destinations. Festivals position Edinburgh creatively in contrast to the city's traditionally perceived image as a cultural-historic centre. Despite this, little research has been undertaken into the creative and cultural significance of Edinburgh's festivals, including the Fringe. This interdisciplinary research grounded in marketing, tourism, and festival and event management; and underpinned by constructivism, presents an understanding of types of brand relationships that exist between the Fringe and its primary stakeholders. This is achieved through defining both the Fringe brand image and its primary stakeholders; and applying these definitions to the development of a typology of Fringe-stakeholders' brand relationships. The significance of this study is evident within its topic of inquiry and the research methods applied. In the little-considered arena of arts festivals and their stakeholders, this is the first in-depth study into the Fringe as a festival and festival brand. Within this, the definition of a Fringe brand image contributes to understanding the cultural and creative significance of the Fringe. Furthermore, this research contributes a unique understanding of the types of stakeholders that are engaged with the Fringe. The types of brand relationships that exist between these stakeholders and the Fringe are another significant contribution to knowledge and understanding. While specific to the present context, these findings may prove transferable to further festivals or events, and related areas and industries. The contribution made by this research to the methodological developments in festival and event studies is of additional significance. The application of visual research methods, including semiotic analysis and photo-elicitation within phenomenological interviews, has previously been applied in marketing, consumer, and tourism research, but not to the understanding of festival brands and stakeholders' brand relationship types. Findings of this research illustrate that existing marketing and consumer brand frameworks and stakeholder theories are applicable to festivals. Further, it is possible to define ‘a' Fringe brand image which is subjective and contradictory. The unique open-access and organic, operational model of the Fringe facilitates its many contributors, and consumers. Fringe stakeholders may be categorised according to their level of engagement with the Fringe (as primary or secondary) and their particular stakeholder role(s), which are varied and multiple. Fringe-stakeholder brand relationship types are overwhelmingly positive; and are based upon interpersonal relationship dimensions (including friendships, marriages, kinships and partnerships). Fringe-stakeholder brand relationship types can be classified therefore as having similar dimensions to those brand relationship types previously described for consumer products and brands.

"Probably the most important and strategic resource of SMEs is their employees" (Analoui & Karami, 2003b:204). A critical review of the literature on leadership in Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) suggests the relationship between the individual employees and leader can play a pivotal role in motivation. The dominant literature around leadership tends to be leader-centric, perhaps due to the leader being the object of study (Menzel & White, 2011). However the leader does not have the ultimate say on how he is viewed by his employees; he cannot force them to think in particular ways. The best he can hope to achieve is to influence their thought processes. Therefore a leader has to be cognisant of his actions and how it impacts on the perception of his employees. This thesis explores the important role of the dyadic relationship between a leader and his employees, from the perspective of the individual employee. The research was completed in five phases between April 2009 and December 2011. The literature research highlights psychodynamic components and 'trust' as key concepts in the leader/employee dyadic. The data collection methodology included the use of critical incident technique with the addition of direct and snapshot observation. Data was collected from two branches of Edinburgh retailer, Hi-Fi Corner, the subject of the study. Transactional Analysis, a theory of communication and personality, is employed as a lens to analyse the data (Stewart & Joines, 1987). This involved analytic triangulation using the employees' 'ego states', 'stroke economy' and 'life-positions' perspectives.

This study seeks to understand knowledge transfer practices within the Muslim business community in Edinburgh. It investigates how knowledge transfer practices are managed on a day to day basis, examines the route of development and justification for these practices into meaningful knowledge transfer processes, and explores the underlying perspective of knowledge from the knowledge transfer practitioners view of knowledge transfer practices in a business context. In particular, the study seeks explanations for such practices with reference to both a knowledge-based and a resource-based view of the firm. Due to the multifarious phenomena of knowledge transfer, and to allow a scope necessary to establish epistemological and empirical evidence from literature, a two stage literature review process was adopted. The majority of literature expounds an argument in which knowledge and knowledge transfer processes in a business context are embedded within a set of real world dimensions, based on causal relationships. Literature determines that it is overcoming difficulties with this framework which is critical for a businesses ability to manage, utilise and extract value from multiple internal and external sources of knowledge. Four broad themes were identified, from which most literature supported this argument: Psychological, Organisational, Philosophical and Cultural. The ontology of the study is based on a constructivist paradigm with an interpretivist method of qualitative data analysis. The investigation involved 20 participants and employed in-depth semi-structured interviews. These were carried out across different locations and different hierarchal levels of four businesses and organisations involved in the study. Data collection and analysis were carried out in two phases. Phase one was based on ethnographic participant observation which proved unsuccessful due to an underestimation of the complexity of the participants personal perspective and researcher bias. Phase two was informed by the difficulties encountered in phase one and proved successful in capturing meaningful data. Following a thematic logic, themes were carefully unpacked in an iterative process, so that an understanding of knowledge transfer experiences within the Muslim business community in Edinburgh became clear. According to the findings in this study, knowledge transfer practices are derived by continuous identification and filling of knowledge gaps from the participants' real world view. In contrast to current literature, participants real world views are governed by an ideological perspective supported by a single knowledge source, the Quran. Knowledge transfer advocacies use this single source of knowledge to fill collective knowledge gaps in relation to knowledge transfer in a business context. In this respect, findings reveal that definitions of knowledge and barriers to transfer have no justification for existence within this sphere of perspective. An overarching theme of religion encompasses the rhetoric of the findings. In summary, the study provides a deep understanding of the knowledge transfer practices in the Muslim business community in Edinburgh. Through the systematic and dialectic analysis of knowledge transfer participants daily practices, the details and dynamisms underpinning knowledge transfer processes are revealed.

The aim of this research is to develop and explore a Person-Dynamic-Fit (PD-Fit) concept. This concept is measured by means of a fit between the dynamic preference of individuals and the level of dynamic in their specific work environments. This fit is reviewed for its relation to acknowledged Work Outcomes. An intensive literature review is conducted in the relevant research fields to identify the key factors and items for the study. Based on this the author develops relevant measurement tools for Individual Dynamic Preference (IDP), Work Environment Dynamic (WED) and Work Outcomes (WOC). For the IDP assessment recognized measurement tools for individual change readiness and resistance are adopted and the individuals' experience with change is considered as well. For the WED assessment an established dynamic assessment instrument is used and for the WOC evaluation the study includes acknowledged factors such as job satisfaction, organisational commitment and turnover intention as well as a self-developed factor referred to as exploited potential. As other potential influencing factors, general Person-Environment-Fits (PE-Fits) as well as demographic data and work conditions are included in the study as well. To analyse and explore the proposed Person-Dynamic-Fit (PD-Fit) concept the author collects data through 25 semi-structured interviews with white collar employees of German organisations. The underlying philosophical stance is that of a critical realist and for the analysis a mixed method approach is chosen. The collection of qualitative and quantitative data at the same time led to deeper insights into the newly proposed concept of Person- Dynamic-Fit (PD-Fit) and allowed for derivations for future research. A new construct of PD-Fit has been developed conceptually and new insights in the assessment of dynamic preferences of individuals as well as in the assessment of environmental dynamic have been generated. The proposed PD-Fit could not be directly related to the defined Work Outcomes within this study but supportive indications for the new constructs have been identified. The findings do add substantial depth and breadth especially in the area of assessment knowledge. The mixed method approach revealed critical issues in the area of self-assessed data in the area of change and regarding generalized approaches. These topics require further research. Potential reasons for the results as well as limitations of the study are discussed as well. This work concludes with the connection of the findings to theory and practice and with potential fields for further or deeper research.

The aim of the study is to develop an instrument that can be used to gauge readiness for change on the individual level of civil servants and non-civil servants in the German public sector, exemplified by Deutsche Bahn Aktiengesellschaft. The instrument is based on existing readiness for change models and is extended by the concepts of Person-Organisation, Person-Job fit and need for security. Also, for the first time the relevance of the concept of Public Service Motivation in a German context is tested and its implication on the new instrument explored. The underlying philosophical stance is that of a positivist. With the help of a monomethod approach, a web-based questionnaire is used to gather the quantitative data from 524 civil servants and non-civil servants at the Deutsche Bahn Aktiengesellschaft. The findings are obtained through descriptive statistics and statistical techniques. A new instrument to measure readiness for change in the German public sector is presented. In addition, the results yield the antecedents - Person-Organisation fit, Person-Job fit and need for security - on readiness for change. For the first time, the existence of Public Service Motivation in Germany is proved while an impact on readiness for change is denied. The study advocates a better theoretical and practical understanding of the measurement of readiness for change in the German public sector. The findings confirm differences between civil servants and non-civil servants concerning their readiness for change level. It also reveals the existence of different subcultures within one company. The findings offer practical relevance for the human resource management, motivation factors and incentive systems with influences on the company culture and change behaviour and points out the necessity of an individual-oriented human resource function at the Deutsche Bahn Aktiengesellschaft.