Problem: There is a significant lack of research within the family business area which focuses on the micro-processes of strategy. Johnson, Melin and Whittington (2003) stated that while the field of strategy has traditionally concentrated on the macro-level of organizations, it needs now to attend to much more micro-level phenomenon. Furthermore, there is a general lack of research within the family business area in regards to strategy processes due to "the family business definition dilemma" (Lumpkin, Martin & Vaughn, 2008, p. 127). This dilemma is suggested to be lessened by a better understanding of the impact of the individuals on the strategic process. Purpose: This thesis examines influences on the micro-processes of strategy formation in the family firm in order to contribute to the family business research area. The specific influences that are in focus we labeled as 'components of identity'. These components of identity focus on the 'who' of the micro-process. Components of identity include identity, psychological ownership and attachment. Main research question: How and why do the components of identity influence the micro-process of strategy in a family firm? Method: This is an exploratory study which is based on a qualitative study of 14 individuals in six family-owned companies in the Småland area of Sweden. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with both family members and non-family members in an attempt to create case studies and contribute inductively. The case studies are presented in a storytelling format and were then used as a starting point for our analysis. Each case was analyzed from the perspective of the different components of identity as well as studying the influence that the dyadic relationship has on the family members. The names of the companies and the people involved have been changed in order to protect their privacy since this topic is personal in nature. Main findings: Gaining a better understanding within our area of study has allowed us to make some conclusions about the "how and why" of micro-processes of strategy in the family firm. One of the main findings, which makes a vast difference in this area of research, is the fact that the power-base within each company must be identified in order to enable a correct understanding of the micro-processes within the firm. Further, our results show that history, both in terms of historical decisions regarding the family business as well as the individual's past, play a significant role on strategy formation today. Moreover, the circumstances and emotions surrounding the individuals' entry into the family business impacts not only on succession process but also the direction of the firm, risk taking behaviour and asset retention. We were also able to make some conclusions with regards to family business strategy process. As well as provide a starting point for further research into the micro-process and the family business definition, we provide a basis for a possible new direction of governance research.

<p><strong>Problem:</strong> There is a significant lack of research within the family business area which focuses on the micro-processes of strategy. Johnson, Melin and Whittington (2003) stated that while the field of strategy has traditionally concentrated on the macro-level of organizations, it needs now to attend to much more micro-level phenomenon. Furthermore, there is a general lack of research within the family business area in regards to strategy processes due to "the family business definition dilemma" (Lumpkin, Martin & Vaughn, 2008, p. 127). This dilemma is suggested to be lessened by a better understanding of the impact of the individuals on the strategic process.</p><p><strong>Purpose:</strong> This thesis examines influences on the micro-processes of strategy formation in the family firm in order to contribute to the family business research area. The specific influences that are in focus we labeled as 'components of identity'. These components of identity focus on the 'who' of the micro-process. Components of identity include identity, psychological ownership and attachment.</p><p><strong>Main research question:</strong></p><p>How and why do the components of identity influence the micro-process of strategy in a family firm?</p><p><strong>Method:</strong> This is an exploratory study which is based on a qualitative study of 14 individuals in six family-owned companies in the Småland area of Sweden. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with both family members and non-family members in an attempt to create case studies and contribute inductively. The case studies are presented in a storytelling format and were then used as a starting point for our analysis. Each case was analyzed from the perspective of the different components of identity as well as studying the influence that the dyadic relationship has on the family members. The names of the companies and the people involved have been changed in order to protect their privacy since this topic is personal in nature.</p><p><strong>Main findings:</strong> Gaining a better understanding within our area of study has allowed us to make some conclusions about the "how and why" of micro-processes of strategy in the family firm. One of the main findings, which makes a vast difference in this area of research, is the fact that the power-base within each company must be identified in order to enable a correct understanding of the micro-processes within the firm. Further, our results show that history, both in terms of historical decisions regarding the family business as well as the individual's past, play a significant role on strategy formation today. Moreover, the circumstances and emotions surrounding the individuals' entry into the family business impacts not only on succession process but also the direction of the firm, risk taking behaviour and asset retention. We were also able to make some conclusions with regards to family business strategy process. As well as provide a starting point for further research into the micro-process and the family business definition, we provide a basis for a possible new direction of governance research.</p>

p. 1 - 140 / Submitted by Santiago Fabio (fabio.ssantiago@hotmail.com) on 2013-01-22T18:56:33Z No. of bitstreams: 1 555555.pdf: 4423883 bytes, checksum: f6d3020a5bf623f4057ce3a0e80d46c2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-01-22T18:56:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 555555.pdf: 4423883 bytes, checksum: f6d3020a5bf623f4057ce3a0e80d46c2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / O objetivo geral desta dissertação é identificar as relações entre os processos de socialização, disseminação e codificação, e a aprendizagem organizacional, tomando-se como referência a inovação e a aprendizagem individual das empresas vencedoras do Prêmio FINEP de Inovação Tecnológica entre 2000 e 2006. Apesar dos esforços de pesquisadores e consultores nestes 40 anos, o tema aprendizagem organizacional continua sendo tratado sob diferentes abordagens, levando a uma fragmentação conceitual e prática. Assim, a questão de como transferir a aprendizagem que ocorre no âmbito dos indivíduos para o contexto organizacional continua pedindo respostas, seja por parte de acadêmicos, seja pelas organizações, o que torna este tema ainda desafiador para novas pesquisas. As 24 empresas vencedoras do Prêmio FINEP de Inovação Tecnológica e seu conjunto de trabalhadores envolvidos com as inovações de produto e de processo, que levaram à premiação, entre 2000 e 2006, constituíram seu objeto de investigação, sendo que daquele total 18 foram considerados casos válidos, no caso da investigação da aprendizagem organizacional e, apenas, 12 empresas com 55 trabalhadores, no caso da investigação da aprendizagem individual. Os dados foram coletados por meio de dois tipos de questionários – um aplicado ao gestor da empresa e outro aos empregados que participaram do processo de inovação premiado pela FINEP. A partir da experiência da participação no processo de inovação, os respondentes identificaram os processos de aprendizagem envolvidos. Os resultados demonstram que houve aprendizagem individual e os conteúdos aprendidos pelos indivíduos estiveram relacionados a aspectos estratégicos e técnicos da inovação, direitos de propriedade, gestão de pessoas, gestão de projetos, mercado, normas, certificações e qualidade, planejamento, produção e materiais, produtos, processos, técnicas e equipamentos específicos, testes e validações, enquanto que para a organização os conteúdos aprendidos foram: conhecimentos de novos processos, conhecimentos de novos produtos, domínio de novas tecnologias de produção, novos conhecimentos e aplicações de insumos já usados na empresa, novos conhecimentos em testes e validações, novos conhecimentos sobre o negócio, novas metodologias de testes e validações demonstrando que houve aprendizagem organizacional. Esses conteúdos aprendidos, segundo a ótica dos gestores, foram socializados e disseminados, validando as hipóteses de que há associação positiva entre socialização e aprendizagem organizacional nos processos de inovação enfocados, assim como entre disseminação e aprendizagem organizacional. Em relação à codificação dos conteúdos aprendidos não foi validada a hipótese de que há associação positiva entre codificação e aprendizagem organizacional quando analisada pela medida da correlação. Em complementação, a análise com base em estatística descritiva e na comparação entre as médias das variáveis aprendizagem organizacional, socialização, disseminação e codificação tende a dar suporte à conclusão de que há associação entre todas as variáveis mencionadas anteriormente. / Salvador

Growing competition, globalisation and changing circumstances make innovation a prerequisite for the growth, success and survival of any private or public organisation. While innovation in technology, production, marketing and finance all remain essential, it is innovation in management that is most desperately in short supply. A literature study could not reveal the existence of any scale that measures all the factors and processes relevant to organisational innovation. A scale for managerial innovation was developed. This scale is based on the work of various researchers in the field of innovation. The major tasks in the process were connected to the structural arrangements and social patterns that facilitate the tasks are discussed. Innovation consists of a set of processes carried out at the micro-level, by individuals and groups of individuals, and these micro-processes are in turn stimulated, facilitated and enhanced - or the opposite - by a set of macro-structural conditions. A semantic differential scale was developed to measure managerial innovation. The scale consists of 88 items and was designed to reflect the major factors and processes of organisational innovation. Various statistical tests were used to evaluate the scale and data obtained through the scale. Five Factors were identified after the data was analysed using factor analysis. The five factors are Factor 1 (leadership and culture), Factor 2 (employee acquisition and development), Factor 3 (variables that facilitate problem solving and aid in innovation), Factor 4 (variables that impact negatively on innovation), and Factor 5 (variables external to the organisation that influence innovation). The Alpha Cronbach test for reliability showed a very high degree of reliability and the scale conformed to the criteria of content validity. Analysis Of Variance (ANOVA) was used to perform comparative analysis on the biographical variables. The relationships between age, gender, level of education, industry, length of service, and the combined effect of age and gender, age and length of service, gender and industry, and gender and length of service and the five factors were analysed. Age seems to play a significant role in Factor 1 and Factor 2 (i.e. leadership and culture as well as employee acquisition and development). For Factor 1 and Factor 2 average achievement in terms of innovation seems to increase with age. With regard to Factor 3, 4 and 5 age does not seem to impact on achievement significantly. The results of this study indicate that there are no significant relationship between gender and innovation. The results of this study indicate that there is a positive relationship between level of education and innovation for Factors 3, 4 and 5. It was found to differ significantly between the levels for two factors, namely Factor 1: leadership and culture, and Factor 2: employee acquisition and development. They seem to decline as the level of education increases. The results of this study indicate that for all five factors there seem to be a very significant difference in average achievement when individuals from different industries are compared. The results of this study indicate that there is not a significant relationship between length of service and innovation. The ANOVA results for combined variables indicate a significant difference in average achievement Factor 1 (leadership and culture) when the research participants are grouped based on both age and gender. In general, males of any age group tested equal to or higher than their female counterparts for Factor 1. Also apparent from the results is that generally the scores for Factor 1 seemed to increase with age. For Factor 2, 3, 4, and 5 there is no significant difference in achievement when participants are grouped according to age and gender. The results of the tests for difference in achievement when the research participants are grouped according to age and length of service, do not indicate that there is any significant difference in average achievement between the groups. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

[pt] Realizei uma pesquisa empírica - conceitual reflexiva junto aos docentes de duas escolas particulares de graduação em administração e marketing, fundadas há 50 e 20 anos respectivamente para responder como e por quê acontece mudança organizacional através da aprendizagem coletiva docente em instituições de ensino superior privado (IESPr) de administração e marketing? Desenhei a pesquisa como um estudo de caso instrumental qualitativo onde realizei observação participante completa, entrevistas em profundidade e pesquisa documental. Para tanto, me integrei por três anos ao corpo docente de cada escola para acompanhar em profundidade o cotidiano do trabalho docente em duas IESPr Os dados de campo foram conceitualmente sistematizados interpretativamente em quatro níveis de acordo com a metodologia reflexiva de Alvesson & Sköldberg que incluiu análise metateórica e triangulação multiparadigmática dos estudos sobre processos de aprendizagem coletiva docente. Deste modo pude aprofundar empírica e conceitualmente na complexidade das dinâmicas sob estudo, explicitando-lhes uma configuração onde dimensões de emocionalidade e poder co-evoluem em permanente tensão com a de racionalidade. As implicações deste conhecimento sobre microprocessos de mudança e aprendizagem dizem respeito da natureza da mudança e da aprendizagem grupal e organizacional. Três resultados foram alcançados: acadêmicos, práticos para a gestão em IESPr e para a pesquisadora. / [en] An empirical - conceptual reflexive research from within was accomplished aiming at investigating how and why organizational change and learning occurs through teacher`s collective learning and change at two 50 and 20 years old Management and Marketing Business Schools It was designed as a qualitative instrumental case study where complete participant observation, semi-structured interviews and documental research were developed. For this reason the researcher joined to the teacher`s staff at both business schools for a three years period in order to gain deep understanding about teacher`s work daily practices focusing its change and learning dynamics. Field data were interpretatively processed within four- level analysis according to Alvesson & Sköldberg`s reflexive methodology. Therefore metatheoretical analysis and multiparadigmatic triangulation of the developed knowledge on collective learning and change processes was included. In this way micro processes under study could be comprehensively understood in its dynamics complexity and configured as emotionality and power dimensions coexisting inextricably connected to rationality in a coevolving permanent tension. Micro processes` knowledge implications are related to organizational and group change and learning nature. Three results were accomplished: academic ones, practical ones for business schools management and for researcher`s own knowledge.