This research study looks at the ‘who’, i.e., who manages organisational change projects and what competencies they need to manage them effectively. Additionally, the study researches the factors contributing to the requirement for organisational changes that both influence and are influenced by the project.

Master of Science / Hospitality Management and Dietetics / Kevin R. Roberts / The present study examined polychronicity, an individual’s preference on engaging in multiple activities simultaneously as opposed to one at a time. In the restaurant setting, it is critical to understand whether a server prefers to engage in and switch among multiple tasks because it directly impacts the level of job satisfaction and work engagement the server experiences. The purpose of the study was to present a comprehensive view on relationships among time use preference, job satisfaction, work engagement, and turnover intention within a restaurant context. It was hypothesized that polychronicity positively predicted employee job satisfaction and work engagement and negatively predicted employee turnover intention. The sample of 251 respondents were full-time food and beverage servers working at full-service restaurants in the United States. A principle component factor analysis with varimax rotation was conducted to identify the factor structure of polychronicity, job satisfaction, work engagement, and turnover intention. Multiple regression analysis was utilized to empirically test the proposed hypotheses. The result of the analysis supported that polychronicity positively predicted job satisfaction and work engagement. In addition, both job satisfaction and work engagement negatively predicted turnover intention. However, the result did not support the hypothesized negative relationship between polychronicity and turnover intention. The findings of the study will assist restaurant managers in selecting candidates that best fit their organization. It will also assist employees in determining which career path best matches their personality traits. Managerial implications, limitations of this study, and direction for future study were discussed.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Michael Langemeier / This thesis had two objectives. One objective was to compare one northeast Kansas farm's financial performance from 2002 through 2011 to various groups of farms participating in the Kansas Farm Management Association (KFMA) during the same period. The second objective was to compare the crop acreage growth trends of the same northeast Kansas farm from 2002 through 2011 to the same groups of farms participating in the KFMA. In this thesis the northeast Kansas farm was referred to as ABC Farm. The purpose of this thesis was to provide ABC Farm's owners and management with information that could be used to formulate long-term goals for ABC Farm and to help identify strategies for achieving those goals. ABC Farm's 10-year financial performance was compared to six different KFMA member groups using 12 different financial measures or ratios. The KFMA groups included all NE region farms, NE region farms in the highest value of farm production (VFP) category, STATE irrigated crop farms, NE region farms in the highest net farm income quartile, NE region farms in the highest crop acreage category, and NE region farms in the lowest adjusted total expense ratio quartile. The 12 financial measures or ratios included VFP, net farm income, adjusted total expense ratio, operating profit margin ratio, asset turnover ratio, percent return on assets, VFP per worker, total crop acres farmed, crop machinery investment per crop acre, crop machinery cost per crop acre, current ratio, and debt to asset ratio. ABC Farm's 10-year average financial performance was better than the 10-year average of any KFMA group for most financial measures. ABC Farm's VFP, net farm income, operating profit margin ratio, VFP per worker, total crop acres, and current ratio were all higher than any KFMA group. ABC Farm's adjusted total expense ratio, crop machinery cost per crop acre, and debt to asset ratio were also lower than those of the various KFMA groups compared to. ABC Farm did not compare favorably to other KFMA groups for some of the financial measures. ABC Farm's average crop machinery investment per crop acre was higher than every group. ABC Farm's average asset turnover ratio was lower than every group. ABC Farm's average return on assets was lower than all but one group, all NE region farms.

The primary objective of this dissertation is to show that corporate governance affects the value relevance of earnings in the presence of earnings management. The role of corporate governance is to reduce the divergence of interests between shareholders and managers. The role of corporate governance is more useful when managers have an incentive to deviate from shareholders’ interests. One example of management’s deviation from shareholders’ interests is the management of earnings through the use of accounting accruals. Corporate governance is likely to reduce the incidence of earnings management. Corporate governance is also likely to improve investors’ perception of the reliability of a firm’s performance, as measured by the earnings, in situations of earnings management. That is, corporate governance will be value relevant when earnings management exists. The results of this research support these propositions.In this thesis, the value relevance of earnings is measured using the earnings response coefficient. Earnings management is measured using the magnitude of abnormal accruals as estimated by the modified Jones (Dechow et al., 1995) model. A review of the corporate governance literature revealed nine attributes that were expected to impact on shareholders’ perception of earnings reliability due to their role in enhancing the integrity of the financial reporting process. The nine attributes represent three categories of corporate governance: 1) organisational monitoring; 2) incentive alignment; and 3) governance structure.Although not all corporate governance attributes suggested in the literature impact on investors’ perception of a firm’s performance, the primary proposition that corporate governance affects this perception when earnings are managed is supported. The primary contribution of the study is finding evidence supporting the moderating effect of earnings management on the relationship between corporate governance and the value relevance of earnings. These results validate Hutchinson and Gul’s (2004) claim that the role of corporate governance attributes in firm performance should be evaluated in concurrence with a firm’s organisational environment. Future research should control for corporate governance and earnings management, as indicators of earnings reliability, when using returns-earnings regressions to address a research question.

This thesis contributes to engagement literature by clarifying what engagement is for employees in a large Australian travel retail organisation, how it can be measured, and the expected benefits for both employees and the organisation. With claims that disengagement costs the Australian economy over $30 billion annually (Hooper, 2006), the focus on engagement, particularity within the practitioner community, has grown exponentially. However, there is a lack of empirical research providing construct definition and measurement, ensuring credibility of this construct (Saks, 2006). The two main purposes of this study aimed to address this research gap by firstly producing a valid engagement survey which measured engagement and its predictors, and secondly producing a statistically tested engagement model which explained engagement, its antecedents, and consequences. The study was conducted using a mixed methods sequential design involving three projects. Project one involved the collection and analysis of 3 forms of qualitative data from which 12 main engagement themes were established and survey items generated. Document analysis, participant observation, and interviews (26) of current and former employees all served to identify themes and contextualize engagement within the organisation under study. Project two involved the development and testing of the initial engagement survey. Survey items were refined through a pilot study. The remaining items were reviewed by an expert panel, before being administered company wide returning 419 completed surveys. Exploratory factor analysis was used to refine the survey items and identify the engagement construct structure. Project three involved the validation of the engagement survey and confirmation of the engagement model. Structural equation modelling was used for this purpose. The engagement survey, which included eight driver subscales and an engagement subscale, was validated. Factors measured within the survey were similar to others cited in the literature signalling potential survey generalizability. The engagement model which included causal links between engagement, its drivers (antecedents), and outcomes (consequences) was confirmed. As anticipated, all eight engagement drivers (senior leadership, team leadership, work demands, work support, employee empowerment, continuation, customer focus and financial rewards) functioned as positive predictors of engagement. However, mixed results were found concerning engagement outcome variables. Engagement showed a positive causal relationship with personal outcomes (continuance commitment), but a negative casual relationship with organisational outcomes (customer satisfaction, and company financials). Such results question an overwhelming theme within the literature which claims a positive casual effect of engagement for both personal and organisational outcomes. Further investigation is recommended to clarify these results and explore the possibility of other variable influences. The research of this thesis incorporated both consultancy and academic literature, marrying both perspectives to produce a measure and model relevant to each orientation.

This study is primarily about the Open Organisations Profile, a questionnaire developed in the United States by Professor Oscar Mink (1991) to assess openness in the workplace and thus assist in decisions on organisational change and development. The Open Organisations Profile was developed as an assessment tool of the Open Organisations theoretical model. The Open Organisations Model offers researchers a lens to assess an organisational system and the system’s ability to adapt to internal and external changes in its environment, while maintaining a sense of unity.While the Open Organisations Profile has been used extensively in Australia and the United States of America, limited research has examined its psychometric properties. This current set of studies aimed to examine the psychometric qualities of the instrument. The first study examined the reliabilities and factor structure of the Open Organisations Profile. Results indicated that the Open Organisations Profile displayed high internal consistency ranging from r = .80 to r = .95. Furthermore confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed the theoretical three factor model of unity, internal responsiveness and external responsiveness.The second study assessed cultural differences and similarities between Australia and American using the profile. The findings suggested that significant differences existed between the countries and also between male and female values across the nine dimensions measured.The final study examined the relationships between the three higher order factors of openness and customer satisfaction and sales performance. The study found that the three factors of openness had a mediating effect on customer satisfaction and sales performance. The three studies showed the Open Organisation Profile offers researchers a reasonably reliable and valid instrument for assessing the openness of an organisation and its ability to adapt to internal and external changes in the organisation’s environment. Furthermore, the Open Organisations Profile could be used as guide to the areas that need to be addressed to help the organisation improve service delivery, customer satisfaction and financial return.

Agency theory is one of the principal frameworks utilized in explaining the family business phenomena. The objectives of this dissertation are to (1) identify the unique agent-principal dynamics that differentiate family firms from non-family firms, (2) determine the effects of these unique agency dynamics on family firm performance, and (3) evaluate these unique agency dynamics within family businesses, as moderated by differing forms of governance and management practices.This dissertation proposes that family firms are defined by two unique and opposing agency dynamics. On one hand, it is posited that family firms are defined by their ability to deploy concomitant forms of relational governance that reduce information asymmetry and associated agency costs. On the other hand, it is posited that family firms are distinctly encumbered with agency costs from non-economic family oriented goals. These distinct agency cost-savings, termed as family gains, and agency costs, termed as family costs, contribute to the study on how and why family firms perform differently than non-family firms.In addition, the study proposes that the ensuing trade-off between family gains and family costs may lead to competitive advantages for family firms in highly competitive environments. This agency trade-off provides a link between agency theory and the resource-based perspective of the family firm.Finally, this dissertation seeks to investigate these agency dynamics among family firms that employ differing governance and management practices. In particular, this study looks at how the agency dynamics of family firms that employ the most concentrated forms of management and governance, manifested as owner-manager led family firms, compare against other forms of family firms. This study posits that manager led family firms, on one hand, have greater family gains and, on the other hand, have greater family costs when compared against other forms of family firms. Moreover, it is proposed that under highly competitive environments, the trade-off between family gains and family costs lead to greater competitive advantages for owner-manager led family firms over other family firms.This dissertation employs cross-sectional linear regression as the primary tool for empirical analysis on Australian business data. In addition, non-parametric testing is utilized to support the above analysis. These analyses are complemented by proper robustness checks to support the study’s validity.The results from empirical analysis corroborate this study’s propositions. First, the research suggests that family firms have family gains driven by lower information asymmetries, but have family costs driven by greater divergence in firm objectives. Second, the results indicate that family firms outperform non-family firms, which is consistent with extant family business literature. Likewise, the results suggest that family firms under managerial ownership have greater family gains and greater family costs than other

Purpose. The purpose of this project was to explore ways and administrative means for fostering change in the Presbyterian Church of East Africa in terms of leadership and personnel appointments. This denomination, with historical roots and structure in the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, functions now as an African denomination with unique situations relative to its culturally diverse membership. This study was initiated by the current surge in church growth and expansions in Kenya, and a subsequent decline in effective church leadership. The current shortage of ministers and other personnel has intensified the problem and created a style of church administration characterized by 'authoritative leadership' controlled by a few. This has diminished the kind of leadership needed for the broader areas of ministry required by church growth. The current procedure for the appointing of personnel in parishes, in church sponsored schools and in hospitals is also quite inadequate. This study was designed to determine the specific problems and to seek ways to help correct the situation through some changes which can be recommended to the church. Method and procedures. This project was undertaken at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia, under the leadership of a faculty appointed doctoral committee, with assistance from ministers and their families from the Presbyterian Church of East Africa studying in Atlanta, other Presbyterian students from Africa, consultants, as well as P.C.E.A. members and Church officials in Kenya. The local participants were used as a project group which met in six structured discussion sessions, each with different foci, two of which were led by church consultants. Questionnaires were used as research tools with local participants as well as participants in Kenya. Church officials in Kenya were interviewed by telephone, with a follow-up analyses by the project group and the writer. The project input also reflects the writer's library research including books and periodicals which were obtained directly from Kenya. A historical study was made of different types of leadership styles and personnel appointment procedures employed from the inception of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa with Scottish missionaries denomination through models currently operating in the denomination. Conclusions and recommendations. This study concluded with recommendations which can be summarized as follows. 1. The suspension of the 'Right of Call' by the denomination in the early 1960s was done without careful study. After making the desired adjustments and changes, this method of posting pastors should be introduced again as a pilot project in certain areas for a period of ten (10) years to determine the effectiveness of this process. The Appointments Committee should monitor the implementation of the 'Right of Call' by parishes, and be allowed to intervene in situations where the respect of the 'Right of Call' is assessed to be abused. The final appointment letter should come from the Secretary of the Appointments Committee, thus reminding the pastors that they are answerable both to the parish and to the presbytery. Ministers salaries should then be determined in accordance with the 'Right of Call,' and funds should be made available to develop those areas which have no 'Right of Call.' 2. Reduce the bureaucracy of P.C.E.A. by returning the power of leadership to the Presbyteries. This will remove the power from the 'head office' personnel (Moderator, Secretary General, and Finance Officer) to local Presbyteries, thus, allowing a more democratic form of leadership. This will also allow a more democratic form of appointment of personnel for ministers, hospitals and schools, wherein local tribes, cultures and customs can be taken into consideration with respect. Allow the office of the moderator of the General Assembly to be more of a ceremonial office rather than an executive office. During the study it was determined by the project group and the writer that the Presbyterian Church of East Africa has been influenced by the episcopal system of bishops which is antithetical to denominations in the (Presbyterian) Reformed tradition. Merge head office 'departments' into 'desks' with similar areas of concern, so that there are fewer personnel in the head office, further strengthening the administrative role of Presbyteries. 3. The church should take seriously its pastoral responsibilities in church sponsored schools and institutions and appoint a minister in every Presbytery to serve in a pastoral capacity in schools and institutions. 4. Consider paying the three top employees of the church sponsored hospitals through the hospital's Boards. Also allow overseas volunteers or missionary staff to work in hospitals for not less than two years in order eliminate the problems created by shorter terms of service.

Agency theory is one of the principal frameworks utilized in explaining the family business phenomena. The objectives of this dissertation are to (1) identify the unique agent-principal dynamics that differentiate family firms from non-family firms, (2) determine the effects of these unique agency dynamics on family firm performance, and (3) evaluate these unique agency dynamics within family businesses, as moderated by differing forms of governance and management practices.This dissertation proposes that family firms are defined by two unique and opposing agency dynamics. On one hand, it is posited that family firms are defined by their ability to deploy concomitant forms of relational governance that reduce information asymmetry and associated agency costs. On the other hand, it is posited that family firms are distinctly encumbered with agency costs from non-economic family oriented goals. These distinct agency cost-savings, termed as family gains, and agency costs, termed as family costs, contribute to the study on how and why family firms perform differently than non-family firms.In addition, the study proposes that the ensuing trade-off between family gains and family costs may lead to competitive advantages for family firms in highly competitive environments. This agency trade-off provides a link between agency theory and the resource-based perspective of the family firm.Finally, this dissertation seeks to investigate these agency dynamics among family firms that employ differing governance and management practices. In particular, this study looks at how the agency dynamics of family firms that employ the most concentrated forms of management and governance, manifested as owner-manager led family firms, compare against other forms of family firms. This study posits that manager led family firms, on one hand, have greater family gains and, on the other hand, have greater family costs when compared against other forms of family firms. Moreover, it is proposed that under highly competitive environments, the trade-off between family gains and family costs lead to greater competitive advantages for owner-manager led family firms over other family firms.This dissertation employs cross-sectional linear regression as the primary tool for empirical analysis on Australian business data. In addition, non-parametric testing is utilized to support the above analysis. These analyses are complemented by proper robustness checks to support the study’s validity.The results from empirical analysis corroborate this study’s propositions. First, the research suggests that family firms have family gains driven by lower information asymmetries, but have family costs driven by greater divergence in firm objectives. Second, the results indicate that family firms outperform non-family firms, which is consistent with extant family business literature. Likewise, the results suggest that family firms under managerial ownership have greater family gains and greater family costs than other

The primary objective of this dissertation is to show that corporate governance affects the value relevance of earnings in the presence of earnings management. The role of corporate governance is to reduce the divergence of interests between shareholders and managers. The role of corporate governance is more useful when managers have an incentive to deviate from shareholders’ interests. One example of management’s deviation from shareholders’ interests is the management of earnings through the use of accounting accruals. Corporate governance is likely to reduce the incidence of earnings management. Corporate governance is also likely to improve investors’ perception of the reliability of a firm’s performance, as measured by the earnings, in situations of earnings management. That is, corporate governance will be value relevant when earnings management exists. The results of this research support these propositions.In this thesis, the value relevance of earnings is measured using the earnings response coefficient. Earnings management is measured using the magnitude of abnormal accruals as estimated by the modified Jones (Dechow et al., 1995) model. A review of the corporate governance literature revealed nine attributes that were expected to impact on shareholders’ perception of earnings reliability due to their role in enhancing the integrity of the financial reporting process. The nine attributes represent three categories of corporate governance: 1) organisational monitoring; 2) incentive alignment; and 3) governance structure.Although not all corporate governance attributes suggested in the literature impact on investors’ perception of a firm’s performance, the primary proposition that corporate governance affects this perception when earnings are managed is supported. The primary contribution of the study is finding evidence supporting the moderating effect of earnings management on the relationship between corporate governance and the value relevance of earnings. These results validate Hutchinson and Gul’s (2004) claim that the role of corporate governance attributes in firm performance should be evaluated in concurrence with a firm’s organisational environment. Future research should control for corporate governance and earnings management, as indicators of earnings reliability, when using returns-earnings regressions to address a research question.