This study sets out to investigate the relationship development impacts on small suppliers and their larger customers in the Taiwanese electronics industry. More precisely, this research's principal goal is to outline a framework for relationship development of small suppliers and their larger customers in the Taiwanese electronics network. Recent research has shown that small suppliers may face a range of problems in their relationship with larger customers (Blomqvist, 2002; Johnsen and Ford, 2002; Johnsen, 2005). This research examines the relationship development impacts of relationship characteristics of small suppliers and their larger customers on the process of development of these relationships in the Taiwanese electronics industry. The chosen study method involves a phenomenologicalapproach using case studiesof the relationships of small suppliers and their larger customers in the Taiwaneseelectronics industry. Individual in-depth interviews in both customer and supplier firms with directors or managers who have been closely involved in the relationship are employed to collect relevant primary data. Through the literature review, a classification of relationship characteristicsof small suppliers and larger customers is developed and a relationship development stage model identified (Ford, 1980). A conceptual model of the relationship development impacts of relationship characteristics of small suppliers and larger customers on their relationship developmentprocessis developed, and guidesthe empirical study. Five sets of small supplier and larger customer relationships are examined. From each supplier organisation five persons are interviewed e.g. president, managing director, and marketing manager. Also five individuals in each of the customer organisations are interviewed e. g. vice-managing director, purchasing managerand others involved in supplier relationships. In total, there are 50 participants in 49 interviews, (since Case B supplier side had two participants interviewed together). The researcher analyses the findings from these five sets of customer and supplier relationships through the use of analysis matrices. The premise of this research is to provide a better assessmentof the relationship development impacts on the relationship characteristics of small suppliers and their larger customers on the process of relationship development in the Taiwanese electronics industry. It is hoped that this study can benefit small suppliers by developing a set of managerial lessons from the study concerning relationship development with larger customers in the Taiwanese electronics market. Furthermore, the research provides indicators that different types of relationship development impacts on the relationship characteristics may influence the relationship development process between small suppliers and their larger customers at different stagesof relationship.

As the distinction in roles of production by suppliers and consumption by customers become blurred, concomitantly there is increasing interest to understand the process of how value is co-created through interaction in business relationships. In this connection and in the context of larger customers and small and medium-sized suppliers’ (SMEs) dyad, this study identifies the areas of collaboration, how value is co-created and the respective co-created value. This is based on five in-depth case studies (business relationships) drawn from the UK organic food sector. Theoretically, the investigation is grounded on the Industrial Marketing and Purchasing (IMP) group’s interaction approach, given its assumptions. The larger customers and SME suppliers were found to collaborate in a wide range of areas including innovation, corporate social responsibility, inter-linked technical systems, planning, co-evaluation and interactive learning. Considering the value co-creation practices as representing how value is co-created, this occurred respectively in the form of, for example: exchanging ideas on product development; facilitating and sponsoring school children to visit farms; joint technical systems; consultations in the development of business plans; co-evaluating processes and staff; and internships. The collaboration led to co-creation of monetary and non-monetary values such as revenue and reputation respectively. Different collaborative areas led to the co-creation of various types of value and this underscores the potential of larger customer-SME supplier relationships and also has implications in resource allocation. The identified value cocreation phenomenon reveals the need to extend the IMP interaction approach by entrenching the concept of value co-creation such that the framework not only shows exchange but also value co-creation.

Within the last twenty years the link between market organisation and development has come under increased scrutiny in response to the implementation of World Bank liberalisation policies across many of sub-Saharan Africa's agriculture markets. Under the neoliberal teachings of the Washington Consensus, liberalised markets have replaced systems of government control, with disappointing results. Recognising the challenges created by the universal implementation of liberalisation policies, the attention of development economists, including the World Bank, has now turned to alternative modes of market organisation. In light of this, the following study aims to contribute to the post Washington Consensus understanding of market development through a detailed exploration of the Ghanaian cocoa market as an alternative model for market organisation within sub-Saharan agriculture. The Ghanaian cocoa market has been selected because, in contrast with its fully liberalised cocoa producing neighbours, Ghana has only undergone partial liberalisation. The Ghanaian Cocoa Board [Cocobod] maintains control over several functions across both the domestic and international dimensions of the Ghanaian cocoa chain. Given the span of the Cocobod's influence along the Ghanaian cocoa chain, it has been necessary to develop a cross disciplinary theoretical framework, using New Institutional Economics for a microanalysis of the domestic cocoa chain, and Global Value Chain analysis for a macro-analysis of the international cocoa chain. Building on a critique of the universalism inherent within the Washington Consensus, methodologically this study has attempted to achieve an in-depth understanding of the Ghanaian cocoa market. In line with the ontological approach of critical realism, this has involved the use of semi-structured qualitative interviews, throughout two independent rounds of research in Ghana. Interview data has been systematically organised and interpreted using the approach of template analysis. Based on the construction of six final templates it has been possible to deduce that direct government intervention in the areas of quality control, enforcement and a monopoly over cocoa exports appear to be having a positive impact upon market development in Ghana. Equally, it has been observed that the Cocobod may be failing to leverage the potential of private sector investment, as it struggles to adapt to partial liberalisation. In closing it is recommended that future research into models of partial liberalisation should be pursued based on the results of this study.

For many years, the internet and its associated technologies have been heralded as the new frontier for SMEs and, inherently, “a good thing”. Despite this having been a common theme for at least the last fifteen years, still many SMEs are not “e-engaged. Despite significant amounts of public money being invested in promoting the Internet to SMEs, estimates for the UK range from 20 to 40 percent non- e-engagement, and substantially more in other jurisdictions. This thesis examines the barriers and drivers to e-engagement by SMEs and challenges the conventional wisdom that the Internet is a positive force for all. In particular, the research looks at the micro end of the SME spectrum, (the μSME), and identifies a number of hitherto un-examined areas of their operation and business models. Following a comprehensive review of the relevant canon of literature, a conceptual framework is derived, developed and presented. This provides the skeleton upon which the research strategy sits. The empirical data set consists of seventeen in depth case studies from a range of SMEs involved in the b2b, b2c and professional services fields. A cross case analysis was then undertaken, leading to the finalised framework. One of the key contributions of this research is the development of the conceptual model and associated framework. This allows for the identification and analysis of barriers, drivers and key determinants of the decision by SMEs and specifically of μSMEs with regard to their engagement, or not, with the Internet. Some commentators have noted that the literature on SME Internet engagement is fragmented and incoherent and that there is a need for framework development and research at the conceptual level to provide more focused research. This thesis accepts that challenge. It takes a comparative approach to both engaged and non-engaged companies, where possible in the same industry, to allow for key determinants and principle impact factors to be identified. The research provides detailed examples of the business models operated by the case companies and the factors affecting their implementation and operation. The variables affecting each SME are codified and mapped against the determinants and principle drivers. This enables the analysis to identify the barriers that filter, and in some cases entirely block, engagement with the Internet.

The purpose of the research is to understand how unit managers react to and are able to engage with a newly devised centralised performance measurement system(PMS) based on the balanced scorecard(BSC). The theoretical contribution of this study is to establish the behaviours which may contributeto or hinder the way in which the BSC is accepted and used at a unit level. The knowledge gained and tested in actual practice will prove invaluable.This will not only allow managers to identify and therefore react to areas of probable negativity, but also allow them to encourage and endorse the more positive aspects. The observed research which adopts a process of collaborative inquiry covers a period of 10 months and adopts a longitudinal case study approach. During this time, emphasisis paid upon the role of the reviewing senior manager and those managers responsible for the unit score cards, examining their initial exposure to and deployment of the scorecard, along with its use in eight of the seventeen delivery units. The findings identify that three core elements exist within a performance environment.These consist of the performance strategy, its PMS and the performance encounter where performance improvement are ultimately realised. Within the centre core there exists both an emotional and behavioural reaction determining either the success or demise of the overall performance management and its measurement system. The research concludes by evaluating the lessons derived from the interactions within the performance environment.The study focuses on how considerations such as personal control and influence,when linked to understanding, knowledge and contribution impact on the level of perceived ownership and accountability felt by individuals. By addressing these areas organisations are able to ensure a more successful use of a centrally devised BSC approach across its exposure,deployment and usage.

The main objective of the research is to investigate the relative information content of complementary and supplementary narrative commentaries in UK interim reports. The study also examines the relative importance of complementary and supplementary narrative attributes. The subsidiary objective of the study is to investigate incremental information content of complementary and supplementary narratives. The study used 309 interim reports of 103 companies for the years 2005 to 2007. The returns used were daily market adjusted cumulative abnormal returns ±5 days around the announcement of interim reports. The disclosure index method was used to capture complementary and supplementary information using disclosure variety (number of information items) and disclosure depth set of attributes (good news, amounts and comparison of current with past performance, reasons for performance and forward-looking). The control variables included financial performance measures of dividend yield, earnings per share and total assets. Event studies based multiple regression models were used to measure information content. The findings in respect of the main objective indicate that supplementary narratives had higher but insignificant infonnation content than complementary narratives for the model based on disclosure variety. However, when disclosure depth is used, complementary narratives have higher and significant relative information content than supplementary narratives. The results also show that complementary good news, complementary amounts and comparisons of current with past performance and complementary reasons for performance were associated with returns unlike their respective counterparts in supplementary narratives. Both complementary and supplementary forward-looking attributes were not associated with returns. The results of the subsidiary objective suggest that the disclosure varit)ty model combining complementary and supplementary narratives when compared with the disclosure variety model having supplementary narratives does not have a significant difference. All other incremental information content comparisons based on either disclosure variety or disclosure depth had significant differences. This study has a number of research and policy implications, especially after the 2007 subprime financial crisis.

The aim of this research was to investigate how the continual low success rate of IS projects could be improved through an evaluation of success and failure factors. A literature review revealed a comprehensive but uncoordinated history of research into the identification of the critical factors. This proved to be inconclusive, but did indicate that project management contributed more to the failures than the technology. A model for expressing the complexity of IS project environments is proposed to aid project teams with their strategy. Also, the criteria for measuring success of both project managemenat nd IS projects has been extended. Although many disciplines had considered trust as a success factor, this was missing within the domain of project management. To examine the effect of trust in an IS project environment a game termed Project Paradox was designed and run. A lack of trust was found to be compounded by conflicting objectives inherent within IS projects. It is recommended that the issues relating to trust should be considered and managed as an integral part of a risk analysis. To enable this to be realised in practice a framework for a Trust Audit is proposed. The thesis concludes with a number of research initiatives aimed at improving the success rate of IS projects.

The present study examines the impact of marketing capabilities through a network perspective on innovative capabilities and firm performance. The market orientation and the resource-based view that underpin marketing capabilities have mainly treated marketing as internal capability of the firm. As firms are increasingly inter-connected and part of a business networks, a firm’s marketing capabilities need to be examined beyond a single firm. But, to date, no study has yet examined a firm's marketing capabilities from a network perspective in order to understand their influence on innovative capabilities. Thus, this study extends the existing research and conceptualisation of marketing capabilities from an internal perspective of a firm to external network relationships of the firm. This network perspective is based on a firm’s view of its network relationships, which accounts for inter-firm relationships, as well as through digital technology and learning orientation. With the advent of the Internet and information technology, this study conceptualises digital technology as an enabler of the relationship between marketing capability and innovative capability. Since capabilities evolve to become routines and/or deteriorate over time, a firm's learning orientation is also conceptualised for examining the extent to which capabilities impact on innovative capabilities. A survey data of 300 UK-based firms were analysed using statistical analysis to examine the influence of marketing capabilities on innovative capabilities and in turn, firm performance. In addition, interaction analyses were performed to test for mediating and moderating relationships of digital technology and learning orientation. Findings of the analysis show strong support for product development capability; marketing implementation capability; pricing capability. The results support the relative impact of marketing capabilities on innovative capabilities. While marketing capabilities may comprise interdependent capabilities, this finding suggests that firms can enhance innovative capabilities by emphasizing the salient marketing capabilities. Importantly, digital technology has a significant and positive mediating relationship for the relationship between marketing capabilities and innovative capabilities. This finding indicates that knowledge of the application of information technology would facilitate exploitation and exploration of marketing capabilities that enhance innovative capabilities. As indicated by the positive moderation of learning orientation for the relationship between marketing capabilities and innovative capability, the potential to harness marketing capabilities is better enhanced through learning orientation and digital technology. This new perspective of marketing capability analysis benefits from a firm’s network perspective that recognises a firm’s external relationships and inter-connected nature of business interactions. In this instance, digital technology extends the boundary of firm beyond a single firm, and learning orientation complements market orientation with learning and gathering of external market information. This research advances knowledge about specific types of marketing capabilities for improving innovative capability and firm performance through digital technology capability. The study also makes a significant contribution to building theoretical knowledge of the role of digital technology in enabling innovative capabilities by developing and empirically testing a new construct of digital technology. As the ability to mobilise digital technology is firm-specific, this study extends knowledge about the extent of learning orientation (moderator) to the marketing capabilities and innovative capabilities relationship through digital technology.

This ethnographic study is concerned with the relationship dynamics between groups jointly tasked with decision making. It seeks to answer the general question: what are the main relationship drivers and influences at work during the process of inter group activity? The research examines the issues surrounding the inter group relationship. How are relationships between the groups formed and maintained and how do they impact the efficacy of the inter group decision process? What makes the inter group relationship in organisational decision making work at a practical level? The work lies within, and makes a contribution to, the areas of social and management psychology. In commercial entities, where a Board comprising executive and non-executive members is charged with strategic decision making, a client/advisor relationship often exists with another group. In the situation researched, one group has the ultimate responsibility for making the decisions whilst a second group is tasked with identifying the requirement for a decision, information gathering, the search for alternatives and the recommendation to the Decision Group. This particular situation is not uncommon within limited companies, partnerships, listed companies and a range of other organisations and is the situation within the research organisation. Successful and effective decision making is an essential ingredient of organisational management. The result of a set of dysfunctional relationships and inefficient processes can be terminal to the organisation. An understanding ofthe relationship dynamics at work improves the decision process and enables managers to identify those negative elements that may compromise efficacy. Additionally, the research conclusions have implications for group recruitment and group training. The research deals with individuals, their actions and their thought processes, both conscious and unconscious. The conceptual framework for the research centers upon the relationship dynamics and relationship overlap between the individuals that are members ofboth groups. The subject and circumstances lend themselves to qualitative research methodology and interpretive ethnography is the approach chosen and is seen as a useful counterbalance and addition to the considerable amount of empirical work on group dynamics available to researchers. An additional dimension is added by the position ofthe researcher as both an insider in the organisation and that organisation's Chief Executive. This poses certain ethical issues which are addressed within the thesis and also illustrates and proposes the use of insider interpretive ethnography as a powerful management tool for newly appointed senior managers and organisational leaders. The qualitative interview is the primary method of data gathering, however, a number of ethnographic methods are employed, including the extensive use of observation field notes. The research is directly grounded in the area of inter group relations and the findings show the direct importance oft he sharing dynamics of fate, motivation, values and understanding to the inter group relationship and the impacts upon trust within and between groups. The role of group leadership is examined and its significant impact on the inter group relationships is proposed. The research provides a further example ofthe use of interpretive ethnography by an organisational insider.

Ever since the Peasant's Revolt in 1379/ collection of our taxes has been unpopular. In particular when the taxes are viewed as unfair the population have reacted in significant and even violent ways. For example the Hearth Tax of 1662/ Window Tax of 1747 and the Poll tax of the 1990's have experienced public rejection of these levies. Additionally there has been a major growth in tax avoidance in the last 60 years. All of this may indicate a single ontology of taxation; one where tax is disliked and avoided. However the work of Buchanan (1994) suggested there are alternative ways of viewing taxation by identifying four alternative paradigms of taxation. This research recognises the work of Buchanan (1994) but challenges whether his alternatives are paradigms; other researchers suggest there are factors such as age, gender and background that can influence our view of taxation. If that is true then Buchanan's (1994) work must be interpreted as four alternative perceptions of taxation; that is taxation does not have a single ontology. Based upon primary and secondary research this thesis clearly identifies the factors that can influence our view, perception, of taxation. Contrary to the conclusions of Auderbach (1999) this research considers a matrix of factors rather than adopting Auderbach's view that tax policy is endogenous and should not try to explain taxes from a wide range of factors. This matrix of factors is concluded in the Tax Perception Push-Pull Model which identifies a range of influences and in categorising the factors it identifies the relative strength or importance of the factors. The model concept is tested against the tax changes in,traduced in the UK Budget statement of 2008 and shows there is a balance of push and pull factors, concluding that the population's overall view of taxation should not change.