ABSTRACT A Study on Privatization of National Corporations¡XTaking Taiwan Railway Freight Corporation for instance Page: 66 Student: Hsieh Hsien-Tsung Advisor: Professor Yeh Kuang-Shih, Ph. D Privatization of national corporations represents an effort to swim with the tide of internationalization and liberalization. Taiwan Railway Freight Corporation, incorporated in 1946, gets 80.12% of its shares invested by Taiwan Provincial Government and 19.88% by non-government forwarders. It mainly engages in rail vehicle cleaning and rail cargo handling. As scheduled by Executive Yuan (the Cabinet), it must get privatized by December 2002. But if it fails to tackle bottlenecks under the ¡§Government Procurement Law¡¨ to continually obtain the job contracts, it runs into risk of being shut down, let alone privatization. The Study first looks into national corporations and privatization by definition, ways of privatization, cases of successfully completed privatization cases, keys to the success. Next, it would look into financial and managerial aspects to look into the Cargo Forwarding Corporation (TRF) to analyze the niches and shortcomings by means of SWOT analysis, external chances and threats. The study will further look into the difficulties confronting privatization to work out feasible ways of privatization, including one preferential choice and four alternatives. The comparison with the niches and shortcomings in privatization yields the findings privatization would not help improve market structure at all if fulfilled by means of merger, asset auction, dissolution, liquidation or share sales. While its assets are insufficient to pay seniority pay to employees, shareholders and employees are bound to backfire. The study would, therefore, propose that takeover by employees to set up a new corporation must be more feasible. TRF must face tough challenges in privatization. The ¡§Government Procurement Law¡¨ restriction makes profitability low and the prospects dim. Employees¡¦ rights to work and costs to be incurred in the process of privatization must be urgent tasks to be solved. It is proposed that the government, first of all, coordinate with competent authorities concerned to overcome the bottlenecks in ¡§Government Procurement Law¡¨ and problems to pay off employees. In the premise of assuring employees¡¦ right to work, potential backfire from shareholders and employees should be able to get minimized to have it successfully privatized to attain the goal of perpetuity up to happy win-win strategy to the government, enterprises and employees. The study aims at TRF and yields conclusions applicable to TRF only. About further politic proposals regarding problems which must be solved beforehand, the future scholars are required to take in-depth probe into the model of management, performance, staff values, transformation in concepts and interests..

The purpose of this study is, therefore, to investigate empirically the firm- and location-specific determinants of the magnitude of FDI by Korean manufacturing MNCs--one of the leading Third World MNCs. This study also examines firm-specific characteristics that distinguish Korean MNCs investing in developing countries from those investing in developed countries.

The aim of this thesis is to critically examine and analyze multi-national corporation´s work with corporate social responsibility when it comes to environmental protection and sustainability. This study is therefore a case study, where empirical material about a multinational corporation, the company of Wärtsilä, is studied. These include annual sustainability reports and other official material available, as well as qualitative interviews with eight employees at Wärtsilä. This material is then analyzed through the theoretical framework of Corporate Social Responsibility (e.g., Caroll, 1979) and through the theory of Corporate Citizenship (Mirvis and Googins, 2006). The results show that Wärtsilä has come far when it comes to integrating and improving its product environmental performance, but there appears to be inconsistencies between the information collected from the reports etc. and the information gathered from the interviews. These inconsistencies show that there is a need for further integration of the goals for environmental protection and sustainability, presented in the official material, into all levels and departments of the company.

Information systems and technology strategy has been discussed by many researchers and authors over last three decades. The concepts of business alignment, competitive advantage, value generation etc. have been elaborated and still similar discussions continue. While the advances in IS/IT strategy formulation were being made, the businesses were changing their operating models. More specifically they became global businesses active in multiple geographies at the same time. This research aims to provide deeper understanding of IT developments in global organizations as manifested in the changing social and political environment of the organization and the reciprocal effect of social and political changes on IT strategies. Further it aims to investigate whether the relevant theories and concepts can be integrated to develop a new model that can incorporate the socio-political aspects into IS/IT strategy formulation. To achieve this objective the literature survey was conducted to explore available published papers in the sphere of IS/IT strategy formulation. Considering that the applicability of information systems and technology falls into the sphere of social sciences, the research design focused on the qualitative approach. The primary method of data collection was through semi-structured interviews with IT managers. This was complemented by interviews with business managers and consultants. Further the experiences of the researcher in the earlier role of practitioner were taken into account. Using grounded theory approach the information collected through interviews, own experiences and the data gathered from literature survey were used to develop a new model of IT strategy formulation. The model addresses the context part of IT strategy formulation process. This model development is aimed to counter and account for the political and social aspects of strategy development and deployment in global corporations characterised by diversity of cultures, attitudes and behaviours.

Information systems and technology strategy has been discussed by many researchers and authors over last three decades. The concepts of business alignment, competitive advantage, value generation etc. have been elaborated and still similar discussions continue. While the advances in IS/IT strategy formulation were being made, the businesses were changing their operating models. More specifically they became global businesses active in multiple geographies at the same time. This research aims to provide deeper understanding of IT developments in global organizations as manifested in the changing social and political environment of the organization and the reciprocal effect of social and political changes on IT strategies. Further it aims to investigate whether the relevant theories and concepts can be integrated to develop a new model that can incorporate the socio-political aspects into IS/IT strategy formulation. To achieve this objective the literature survey was conducted to explore available published papers in the sphere of IS/IT strategy formulation. Considering that the applicability of information systems and technology falls into the sphere of social sciences, the research design focused on the qualitative approach. The primary method of data collection was through semi-structured interviews with IT managers. This was complemented by interviews with business managers and consultants. Further the experiences of the researcher in the earlier role of practitioner were taken into account. Using grounded theory approach the information collected through interviews, own experiences and the data gathered from literature survey were used to develop a new model of IT strategy formulation. The model addresses the context part of IT strategy formulation process. This model development is aimed to counter and account for the political and social aspects of strategy development and deployment in global corporations characterised by diversity of cultures, attitudes and behaviours.

Abstract Title: The impact of national culture on the organizational culture: Multinational companies doing businesses in developing countries Level: Final assignment for Master Degree in Business Administration (MBA) Author: Md. Mahbub Alam Supervisor: Dr. Ehsanul Huda Chowdhury Examiner: Dr. Maria Fregidou-Malama Day: 2017- May Aim: The aim of the study is to understand how national culture of Bangladesh is affecting the organizational culture of the multinational firms operating in Bangladesh. To understand the issue, Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions are regarded as benchmark for analysis. Method: Qualitative study has been conducted whereby both primary and secondary data are used. Hereby, primary data have been gathered from ten employees of Grameen Phone a multinational working in Bangladesh. To collect data, face to face interviews has been conducted using Skype. Results & Conclusions:  Finding of the study is the MNCs integration with national culture with the view to sustainable business operation. It has been demonstrated that national culture affects the organizational culture in the form of employee participation, collective working environment, collaborative work efforts, and knowledge sharing through continuous communication. Suggestions for future research: Further investigations on national culture’s impact on organizational culture can be undertaken by making a comparison between MNC and a purely local firm. Additionally, an analysis on a large number of MNCs operating in host country can add value for further researches. Contribution of the thesis: To the theoretical model, this study makes contribution on the ground of understanding how MNC adapt their business with local culture where cultural sensitiveness is high. Managerial implications: MNCs can ensure collaboration, support, and teamwork among employees as part of their attempt to integrate with local culture. This study reveals that local employees can be used as means of cultural carriers by managers which can promptly address the cultural differences to be mitigated. Keywords: Multi-national Corporations (MNCs), National Culture, Organizational Culture, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism vs. Collectivism, Power Distance

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are one of the principal driving forces in the development of an economy because of its significant contribution in terms of number of enterprises, employment, output and exports in most developing as well as developed countries. But SMEs, particularly in developing countries like India, face constraints in the functional areas of technology, finance, marketing and human resources. Moreover these SMEs have been exposed to intense international competition since early 1990s because of globalisation. However, globalisation, the process of continuing integration of the countries in the world has opened up new opportunities for SMEs of developing countries to cater to wider international markets which bring out the need for these SMEs to develop competitiveness for their survival as well as growth. Subcontracting relationship of SMEs with Large Enterprises (LEs) is an important source of access to technology and other infrastructural resources for SMEs of developing countries enabling them to develop their capabilities and become competitive. In the era of globalisation, Trans National Corporations (TNCs) are expanding their production facilities to developing countries for availing the advantages of productivity and distribution more than ever and India is no exception. These TNCs which concentrate on core operations and outsource non core activities offer better scope for local SMEs to have subcontracting relationship with them. Superior work culture of these TNCs would be reflected in their subcontracting relationships with local SME suppliers since TNCs place much emphasis on their value chain to be organised according to international standards. The key issue is whether Indian SMEs have entered into subcontracting relationship with TNCs and if so what is the nature of these subcontracting relationships? Does this relationship with the TNCs offer more scope for receiving assistance of various kinds for subcontracting SMEs? What is the extent and diversity of this TNC assistance? Given the quantum of assistance, does it facilitate the innovations and economic performance of SMEs? These questions have been addressed in the study with reference to subcontracting SMEs of three major TNCs in the Indian automobile industrya Japanese TNC, a German TNC and a Swedish TNCall the three being located in Bangalore, India. A theoretical framework for subcontracting relationship between TNCs and SMEs is proposed focusing on TNC assistance, SME innovations and economic performance, based on literature review. The study is based on an Ex Post Facto Exploratory research using primary data collected from a sample of 81 SME subcontractors selected from the list of first level suppliers provided by the three TNCs. The relevant data were collected using a structured questionnaire by visiting the firms and having personal interviews with entrepreneurs/senior managers of the firms. An assessment of nature of the SME subcontractors and their subcontracting relationships with TNCs revealed that these SME subcontractors of the three TNCs are in different stages of TNCSME subcontracting relationship. The Swedish TNCSME subcontracting relationships are in the initial stage, the Japanese TNCSME subcontracting relationships are in the growing stage and German TNCSME subcontracting relationships are in an enduring stage of the relationship. Therefore they are alternatively referred to as initial stage SME subcontractors, growing stage SME subcontractors and enduring stage SME subcontractors. The assistance a subcontracting SME received from its TNC customer was measured using 20 item variables under 7 dimensions of assistance related to product, production process, managerial know-how, marketing, human resource, financial and purchase process. A model to measure the degree of assistance was formulated with these 20 item variables for measuring the seven dimensions of assistance. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to establish the validity of the model. The degree of assistance was calculated as a single summated score for each case by summing up the composite scores of the seven dimensions of assistance calculated using weighted average method. The assistance provided to SME subcontractors was more in the case of German TNC than those of Japanese TNC and Swedish TNC. Even though there was evidence of assistance from TNCs to SME subcontractors, these SMEs received more of product related and purchase process assistance whereas assistance for their production process, managerial know-how, marketing, human resource, financial requirements was not very high. This implies that subcontracting relationship of Indian SMEs with TNCs is confined more to a mere purchase supply relationship where both the parties are concerned about the basic requirements of purchase supply relationship like detailed specifications, proper feedback on product performance, advance information about future orders, preferential pricing and proper payment. Innovation of the subcontracting SMEs was measured based on six dimensions of innovation, namely, new product developments, product modifications, process improvements, informal R&D/NPD expenditure, informal R&D/NPD employees and raw material selection. Firms were classified into two groups as high innovators and low innovators based on the innovation score calculated using the six dimensions. To probe the role of TNC assistance in the innovations of subcontracting SMEs, a logistic regression analysis was performed using the equation with degree of assistance, capital and labour as explanatory variables and innovation level as criterion variable. Our analysis revealed the positive role of assistance in the innovations of SMEs. However, the positive role of this assistance was found to be decreasing as focus of our analysis shifted from the initial stage SME subcontractors to the growing stage SME subcontractors and then to the enduring stage SME subcontractors even when the assistance they received increased from one stage to the other. SME subcontractors operating in the initial stage of the relationships, who in general lack technological competence, rely more and make more use of the assistance, even when the assistance itself is low, for their innovative performance. As the relationship gets older, the SMEs may be able to enhance their inhouse competence using the assistance from the TNC and may make more use of their own resources for innovations along with the assistance from TNCs. Therefore, as SME firms begin to use more of their inhouse resources for their innovations, it is likely that the role of TNC assistance for SME innovations would decrease. Increasing positive role of labour for SME innovations as the relationship shifted from initial to enduring stages substantiate the argument of increasing utilisation of inhouse resources for innovations as relationship prolongs over a period of time. A comparative analysis of the economic performance of SME subcontractors revealed that the German subcontractors were having more labour productivity and value added to value of output and low capital productivity whereas Swedish subcontractors were having high capital productivity and low labour productivity and value of added to value of output compared to other two. In order to probe the role of degree of assistance on the economic performance of SMEs, a regression analysis was performed using the equation with degree of assistance, capital and labour as explanatory variables and value addition as criterion variable. The results revealed the contributory role of TNC assistance in the economic performance of subcontracting SMEs but this contributory role of assistance was found to be decreasing even when the assistance itself is increasing whereas the contribution of labour increased, as our analysis shifted from the initial stage to the growing and then to the enduring stage of relationships. The extent of assistance might be low at the initial stage of the relationship but the small and young SME subcontractors who in general, lack technological competence might be able to make more use of this assistance since the assistance from TNCs would be one of their major sources for technical upgradation and growth. As the relationship prolongs both contracting and subcontracting firms may rely on trust and build up close relationship which would enable the SMEs to enhance their sales to the TNC and receive more assistance. At the same time, some of the SMEs might even strengthen their inhouse resources due to TNC assistance which in turn could be further used for their economic performance. This could be the reason for the decreasing contributory role of assistance and increasing contributory role of labour for the economic performance of subcontracting SMEs as our analysis moved to more enduring relationships. Further analysis using other regression models revealed that the firms, which received more assistance from the TNC customers utilised labour more efficiently than firms which received lesser assistance. TNC assistance was found to be an important factor for the enhancement of labour productivity of subcontracting SMEs, especially for young and small firms operating in the initial stage of the relationship. The subcontracting SMEs were able to make use of the innovations which they could carry out with TNC assistance for their economic performance. Quantile regression analysis, performed to have a more comprehensive picture of the effect of degree of assistance on economic performance, revealed that that for SMEs having average factor productivities, the assistance from TNCs contributed less to their economic performance relative to those SMEs which had low and high factor productivities, respectively. Moreover, SMEs which had high factor productivities were able to make more use of their innovations for their economic performance. These findings clearly show that the TNC assistance enables subcontracting SMEs to enhance their innovations and economic performance. Initially, the SME subcontractors might receive less assistance but these SMEs who in general, have limited resources may make more use of this assistance for better performance and enhancing their internal capabilities. As the subcontracting relationship endures over a period of time, subcontracting SMEs would be able to enhance their performance and develop their internal resources which in turn could be further used for their performance. If that is so, even when the SMEs are able to receive more assistance from TNCs and deliver higher performance, the contribution of this assistance for their performance would decrease. Thus this diminishing role of assistance from TNCs in the economic performance of subcontracting SMEs supports the fact that SME subcontractors are able to improve their internal capabilities and competitiveness through long term subcontracting relationships with TNCs. An assessment of the relative importance of SME factors which encourage subcontracting of the SMEs with TNCs indicated that inhouse R&D efforts and technological capability, frequent and proper communication, financial stability, skilled manpower, reputation of the subcontracting firm etc. are the most important factors, indicating the importance of inhouse/internal resources of the subcontracting firms. An assessment of the factors with respect to improvement needed for these SMEs revealed that the entrepreneurs/managers of the SMEs had realised the need to improve their inhouse resources and develop their technological capabilities with enhanced skilled manpower and better machinery. Given the importance of internal resources of SMEs for forging subcontracting relationships with TNCs, Indian SMEs need to place utmost priority for enhancing their own technical and manpower resources. Results of our study underlines the need for a policy thrust to expand the coverage of subcontracting involving local SMEs with domestic economy based global TNCs. The promotion of linkages of SMEs with TNCs depends on two factors: (i) the availability of local SMEs who have the prerequisite capabilities in terms of quality, delivery and cost and (ii) availability of information of such SMEs and their capabilities for TNCs. This context calls for the simultaneous strategy of competitiveness enhancement of local SMEs to the required level and providing information about the available capabilities of SMEs to TNCs.