Hotels are an essential and critical component of Thailand's tourist industry and one of the major contributors to Thai tourism revenue. However, the industry is considered to be in an infant stage. Since a general manager is considered to be the key person who directs the business in the hotel in every situation, this research aims to investigate the emphasis of time spent on various work activities of hotel general managers (i. e. marketing, human resource, training, etc.). In order to identify the significance of the general manager's roles, the research was conducted as an empirical investigation focusing on the leading Thai luxury hotels which were of international standard. The research defines the emphasis of the amount of time spent on the various work activities by investigating how managers perceive their work roles and how they actually spend their time. The core study of this research derived from Mintzberg's study of managerial work (1973), an observational study of five top executives in the United States and Ley's study of the managerial activities of seven managers in a major US hotel chain (1978). The methodology in this study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. According to an appropriateness of access to data, there were three methods utilised which comprised a questionnaire, an interview and a period of observation. These three methods were used in sequence. The questionnaire was used to study biographical data and perceptions of Mintzberg's managerial work roles. The interview, which was semi-structured, was used to provide the interviewer with additional questions to make sure the desired information has been obtained, while the observation aimed to study the work roles which emerged from general managers' work behaviour and to provide the insights of general managers' behaviour into specific work roles from recording and classification. It is intended that the results of the research will enhance the understanding of different approaches to managerial roles and time usage thereof. With this understanding, there will be an increase in the number of qualified Thai general managers employed in international hotels and a responsibility for development of Thai general managers. In addition, individual general managers themselves, may be able thereby to increase the effective use of their time.

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This research has identified the performance measures congruent with each model during a business life cycle. Questionnaire surveys have also been carried out to complement and validate the theoretical models. The results of the survey generally confirm the expected measures derived from the theoretical models. The learning process for these newer industrial business organisations can be greatly reduced if the expertise and experience of the established manufacturing business organisations is made readily available. This is the motivation for this research and the methodology which has been developed. The research also proposes use of a knowledge based expert decision support system to encapsulate the methodology, and the wealth of expert knowledge in the domain of performance measures. A prototype knowledge based expert decision support system has been developed to test the concept. It is hoped that this research has achieved its aim to provide a new contribution in the manufacturing business organisation strategy domain and to the improvement of managerial productivity and effectiveness through better use of performance measures.

Through the adoption of triangulated methodologies,this thesis seeks to evaluate the success of two large organisations in adopting empowerment initiatives. By focusing on two operating units in each organisation, it considers perceptions of empowerment at the non-managerial employee level and the effects on these perceptions of personality, orientations to work and the contexts of the units and their organisations. Through the use of management interviews, employee focus groups and questionnaires completed by non-managerial employees, the research indicates that aspects of the individual, whilst often contributing to attitudes towards empowerment, do not directly effect whether or not employees feel empowered. Rather, it concludes that job insecurity, management behaviour and the union/management relationship have a larger effect. However, what arises as central to the acceptance of empowerment in modern organisations is the clarity with which the policy is introduced. This thesis finds that organisations introduce ambiguous, mystical messages to their employees which merely cause confusion and unmatched expectations and that rather than increasing staff commitment, organisations are further alienating their employees.

As a result of the Supreme Court’s broad definition for ‘best interests of the corporation’ in recent decisions, the author examines to whom managers ought to owe their fiduciary duties normatively and what role managerial discretion has in this debate. The author argues that the lack of clarity offered by the judiciary, in this area of corporate law, has led to the adoption of a wide discretion being afforded to managers. An examination of several rationales fails to justify this continued adoption of a broad discretion. The author argues that granting managers with wide discretionary powers is problematic because the interests of constituencies will not be adequately protected. At the very least, statutory reform is necessary to protect the most vulnerable stakeholders. The author recommends that the law be amended to require that managers, in performing their fiduciary duties, regard the interests of employees and shareholders.

As a result of the Supreme Court’s broad definition for ‘best interests of the corporation’ in recent decisions, the author examines to whom managers ought to owe their fiduciary duties normatively and what role managerial discretion has in this debate. The author argues that the lack of clarity offered by the judiciary, in this area of corporate law, has led to the adoption of a wide discretion being afforded to managers. An examination of several rationales fails to justify this continued adoption of a broad discretion. The author argues that granting managers with wide discretionary powers is problematic because the interests of constituencies will not be adequately protected. At the very least, statutory reform is necessary to protect the most vulnerable stakeholders. The author recommends that the law be amended to require that managers, in performing their fiduciary duties, regard the interests of employees and shareholders.

Thesis (D.Phil.)--University of Oxford, 2007. / Supervisor: Professor Kevin Roberts. Bibliography: p. 393-409.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (D.Comm. (Financial management sciences))-University of Pretoria, 2004. / Summaries in English and Afrikaans. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.