While the increase of IT solutions within the public sector is well established, the actual value of IT is still a question of debate. This thesis consists of an interpretive case study focused on how IT is perceived to influence public value creation in a local government. The study was conducted in a strategic IT project department at a local government in Sweden. Our findings show that the IT solution is ignored when assessing the created public value. The created values importance is instead based on subjective opinion and the targeted citizen group despite the acknowledgement that IT resources directly used by the citizen created higher public value. In addition the prioritisation of public value was perceived as more difficult than determining the IT value in itself. Our research show the need of understanding how IT values compare to each other in order to use public resources more efficiently.

<p>The world economy is in a transition period never experienced before, One of the main realising factors, boosting economy growth, is the catch up of many emerging countries. The emerging countries impose new competitive dimensions to the global economy, forcing well established multinational corporations into new competitive situations, brining both opportunities and threats.</p><p>The construction equipment industry has entered a condition of unprecedented growth. The total market demand has increased significantly and the demand development is prospected to continue for many more years. To keep up with the market demand and the sales opportunities, it is important to have machines available in the market. This impose that the logistic strategy is getting more important for companies in order to keep up with the prospected sales opportunities.</p><p>This Masters thesis is initiated by our case company, Volvo Construction Equipment International, currently suffering from an inefficient logistics strategy constraining international growth.</p><p>Based on our analysis and conclusion, Volvo Construction Equipment is recommended to move from transaction selling, spot market like international logistics strategy towards a relationship marketing based logistics strategy establishing in-depth collaborations with key account shipping suppliers. Furthermore, we recommend that Volvo CE should consider a logistics management function in order to facilitate the inter-organizational flow of logistics information.</p>

The world economy is in a transition period never experienced before, One of the main realising factors, boosting economy growth, is the catch up of many emerging countries. The emerging countries impose new competitive dimensions to the global economy, forcing well established multinational corporations into new competitive situations, brining both opportunities and threats. The construction equipment industry has entered a condition of unprecedented growth. The total market demand has increased significantly and the demand development is prospected to continue for many more years. To keep up with the market demand and the sales opportunities, it is important to have machines available in the market. This impose that the logistic strategy is getting more important for companies in order to keep up with the prospected sales opportunities. This Masters thesis is initiated by our case company, Volvo Construction Equipment International, currently suffering from an inefficient logistics strategy constraining international growth. Based on our analysis and conclusion, Volvo Construction Equipment is recommended to move from transaction selling, spot market like international logistics strategy towards a relationship marketing based logistics strategy establishing in-depth collaborations with key account shipping suppliers. Furthermore, we recommend that Volvo CE should consider a logistics management function in order to facilitate the inter-organizational flow of logistics information.

Šiuolaikinių e. valdžios projektų įgyvendinimas reikalauja skirtingų viešojo sektoriaus institucijų dalyvavimo, todėl vis labiau akcentuojama naujo organizacijos gebėjimo – e. valdžios sąveikumo – svarba. Siekiant sumažinti minėtų projektų įgyvendinimo rizikas, labai svarbu išmokti matuoti e. valdžios sąveikumą, todėl šioje srityje pirmaujančiose valstybėse mokslininkai jau yra pasiekę tam tikrų praktinę naudą teikiančių rezultatų. Darbe nagrinėjama mokslinė problema, kaip e. valdžios sąveikumo vertinimui naudojami priešakiniai metodai galėtų būti adaptuoti ankstyvosiose e. valdžios plėtros stadijose esančiose valstybėse. Atlikus teorinę e. valdžios plėtros modelių ir naudojamų vadybinių instrumentų analizę, pasiūlytas kompleksinis e. valdžios plėtros proceso modelis, paremtas atitinkamais dinaminiais organizacijos sąveikumo gebėjimais ir jų vertinimu, bei sukurtas e. valdžios sąveikumą sudarančių dinaminių gebėjimų suvokimo, svarbos ir praktikos lygį konkrečioje valstybėje leidžiantis įvertinti tyrimo instrumentarijus. Jų pagrindu atliktas empirinis tyrimas, kurio rezultatais remiantis pasiūlyta modifikuota ir esamo Lietuvos e. valdžios plėtros proceso galimybes atitinkanti JAV mokslininkų sukurto e. valdžios sąveikumo vertinimo įrankio versija. Darbo pabaigoje pateikiamos modifikuotos įrankio versijos ir sukurto tyrimo instrumentarijaus taikymo Lietuvos e. valdžios plėtros procese rekomendacijos, kurių įgyvendinimas įgalintų pereiti nuo dabartinio, į pavienių e. paslaugų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Diverse public sector organisations are engaged in the contemporary e-government projects, so the significance of new organisational capability for e-government interoperability is increasing. The risks of these projects implementation could be effectively mitigated through the assessment of e-government interoperability, thereto researchers are searching for the relevant tools, and there are already some results of a practical value in leading e-government countries. This work addresses the research problem, how these leading methods applied for the assessment of e-government interoperability can be adopted in the context of countries in earlier stage of e-government development. Based on the analysis of theory on contemporary e-government development models and management methods, an integrated framework for the process of a joined-up government development, and the research instrument for the assessment of perception, significance, and level of practice of dynamic organisational capabilities for e-government interoperability in a particular country were proposed. They were applied in the empirical research that resulted into the modified version of the toolkit for the assessment of e-government interoperability offered by the USA researchers, meeting the requirements of current e-government development process in Lithuania. Finally, the recommendations for integration of the modified version of the toolkit and the proposed research instrument into Lithuanian e-government... [to full text]

Diverse public sector organisations are engaged in the contemporary e-government projects, so the significance of new organisational capability for e-government interoperability is increasing. The risks of these projects implementation could be effectively mitigated through the assessment of e-government interoperability, thereto researchers are searching for the relevant tools, and there are already some results of a practical value in leading e-government countries. This work addresses the research problem, how these leading methods applied for the assessment of e-government interoperability can be adopted in the context of countries in earlier stage of e-government development. Based on the analysis of theory on contemporary e-government development models and management methods, an integrated framework for the process of a joined-up government development, and the research instrument for the assessment of perception, significance, and level of practice of dynamic organisational capabilities for e-government interoperability in a particular country were proposed. They were applied in the empirical research that resulted into the modified version of the toolkit for the assessment of e-government interoperability offered by the USA researchers, meeting the requirements of current e-government development process in Lithuania. Finally, the recommendations for integration of the modified version of the toolkit and the proposed research instrument into Lithuanian e-government... [to full text] / Šiuolaikinių e. valdžios projektų įgyvendinimas reikalauja skirtingų viešojo sektoriaus institucijų dalyvavimo, todėl vis labiau akcentuojama naujo organizacijos gebėjimo – e. valdžios sąveikumo – svarba. Siekiant sumažinti minėtų projektų įgyvendinimo rizikas, labai svarbu išmokti matuoti e. valdžios sąveikumą, todėl šioje srityje pirmaujančiose valstybėse mokslininkai jau yra pasiekę tam tikrų praktinę naudą teikiančių rezultatų. Darbe nagrinėjama mokslinė problema, kaip e. valdžios sąveikumo vertinimui naudojami priešakiniai metodai galėtų būti adaptuoti ankstyvosiose e. valdžios plėtros stadijose esančiose valstybėse. Atlikus teorinę e. valdžios plėtros modelių ir naudojamų vadybinių instrumentų analizę, pasiūlytas kompleksinis e. valdžios plėtros proceso modelis, paremtas atitinkamais dinaminiais organizacijos sąveikumo gebėjimais ir jų vertinimu, bei sukurtas e. valdžios sąveikumą sudarančių dinaminių gebėjimų suvokimo, svarbos ir praktikos lygį konkrečioje valstybėje leidžiantis įvertinti tyrimo instrumentarijus. Jų pagrindu atliktas empirinis tyrimas, kurio rezultatais remiantis pasiūlyta modifikuota ir esamo Lietuvos e. valdžios plėtros proceso galimybes atitinkanti JAV mokslininkų sukurto e. valdžios sąveikumo vertinimo įrankio versija. Darbo pabaigoje pateikiamos modifikuotos įrankio versijos ir sukurto tyrimo instrumentarijaus taikymo Lietuvos e. valdžios plėtros procese rekomendacijos, kurių įgyvendinimas įgalintų pereiti nuo dabartinio, į pavienių e. paslaugų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Magister Commercii - MCom / The aim of this study is to understand how knowledge is created, shared and used within the fast moving consumer goods distribution centre in the Western Cape (WC). It also aims to understand knowledge sharing between individuals in the organisation. A literature review was conducted, in order to answer the research questions- this covered the background of knowledge management (KM) and KS and its current status with particular reference to SA’s private sector. The study found that technological KM infrastructure, cultural KM infrastructure and organisational KM infrastructure are important enablers of KS. A conceptual model was developed around these concepts. In order to answer the research questions, the study identified a FMCG DC in the WC, where KS is practiced

Abstract The objective of the study is to develop the marketing interaction and network theory by conceptualising and categorising organisational capabilities. The study also aims to clarify what organisational capabilities develop when acting in business relationships and what factors promote and hamper the development of organisational capabilities in a technopolis. The theoretical framework of the study was created by combining the views of the marketing interaction and network theory and the views of the strategic management and dynamic capabilities theories on organisational capabilities, strategy and management. The concepts of organisational capability defined on the basis of the theories were further developed by utilising data from empirical research in order to form the organisational capability concepts used in this study. Capabilities were divided into strategic and operative capabilities. The factors promoting and hampering the development of organisational capabilities were divided into four categories: internal factors of organisations, interactive factors, and both internal and external network factors of a technopolis. The empirical data of this study consists of primary and secondary interviews and documents. The study was carried out as a concept analysis of qualitative and longitudinal data of several case companies. The results indicate that the development of organisational capabilities is linked with, in addition to operative management, senior corporate management, id est, the level of strategic management. Capabilities affect the modernisation or expansion of operations at the strategy level or, at the operational level, capabilities can be utilised for increasing the efficiency of operations or developing them. Most promoting and hampering factors where found in the strategic capability of creating market value and the operative capabilities of outsourcing and sales. The results show that operations in business relationships must be linked to the level strategic management, in addition to the operative management level. The study shows that, as a local organisation cluster, the technopolis promotes the development of capabilities. The long processing periods of public funding mechanisms impaired the development of organisational capabilities even though funding was important to the case organisations. / Tiivistelmä Tutkimuksen tarkoitus on kehittää markkinoinnin vuorovaikutus- ja verkostoteoriaa käsitteellistämällä ja luokittelemalla organisaation kyvykkyyksiä. Tutkimus pyrkii vastaamaan kysymykseen, millaisia organisaation kyvykkyyksiä liikesuhteissa toimiminen kehittää ja mitkä tekijät edistävät ja haittaavat kyvykkyyksien kehittymistä teknologiakyläkontekstissa. Tutkimuksen teoreettinen viitekehys muodostettiin yhdistämällä markkinoinnin vuorovaikutus- ja verkostokoulukunnan sekä strategisen johtamisen ja dynaamisten kyvykkyyksien koulukuntien näkökulmia organisaation kyvykkyydestä, strategiasta ja johtamisesta. Tämän tutkimuksen kyvykkyyskäsitteisiin päädyttiin kehittämällä teoreettisesti määriteltyjä käsitteitä empiriasta saadun tiedon avulla. Kyvykkyydet jaettiin strategisiin ja operatiivisiin. Organisaation kyvykkyyksien kehittymistä edistävät ja haittaavat tekijät jaoteltiin neljään ryhmään, jotka ovat organisaatioiden sisäiset tekijät, vuorovaikutustekijät, teknologiakylän sisäiset verkostotekijät ja teknologiakylän ulkopuoliset verkostotekijät. Tutkimuksen empiirinen aineisto koostuu primääri- ja sekundäärihaastatteluista sekä dokumenttiaineistosta. Tutkimus toteutettiin käsiteanalyyttisenä monen tapauksen laadullisena ja pitkittäisenä tutkimuksena. Tutkimustulokset osoittavat, että organisaation kyvykkyyden kehittyminen linkittyy operatiivisen johtamisen lisäksi organisaation ylemmän johdon ns. strategiseen johtamiseen. Kyvykkyydet vaikuttavat organisaatioiden oman toiminnan uudistamiseen tai laajentamiseen strategiatasolla tai toimintojen tehostamiseen ja kehittämiseen operatiivisen toiminnan tasolla. Strategisista kyvykkyyksistä tulevaa markkina-arvoa luovassa kyvykkyydessä ja operatiivisista kyvykkyyksistä ulkoistamis- ja myyntikyvykkyyksissä esiintyi eniten edistäviä ja haittaavia tekijöitä. Tutkimustulokset osoittavat, että toiminta liikesuhteissa tulee operatiivisen johtamisen lisäksi linkittää myös strategisen johtamisen tasolle. Tämän tutkimuksen tulosten mukaan teknologiakylä organisaatioiden paikallisena ympäristönä edisti organisaatioiden kyvykkyyksien kehittymistä. Julkisten rahoitusmekanismien hitaus heikensi kyvykkyyksien kehittymistä, vaikkakin rahoitus oli organisaatioille merkityksellistä.

Le Chapitre 1 propose un survol de la littérature consacrée à l'éco-innovation. A la lumière des travaux passés en revue, l'éco-innovation n’est pas encore un concept bien stabilisé : sa définition même continue d'évoluer, appelant des corrections et des précisions. Ce chapitre accorde une attention particulière au rôle de la règlementation, qui est souvent présentée dans la littérature comme un déterminant essentiel de l'éco-innovation, notamment quand l'innovation concerne un procédé de fabrication. Une controverse demeure à ce propos, en particulier quand la règlementation repose sur des normes environnementales peu contraignantes, voire facultatives (telle la norme ISO 14001). Le processus de diffusion de l'éco-innovation est un autre objet de controverse dans la littérature.[...]. Le Chapitre 2 va donc s'intéresser au premier point de controverse, à savoir le rôle des règlementations environnementales ayant une dimension facultative, comme les normes de type ISO 14001. A l'aide d'une analyse par appariement sur les scores de propension, nous examinons l'effet de l'adoption de normes de type ISO 140001 sur la performance des entreprises (mesurée à partir de la Valeur Ajoutée).[...] Le Chapitre 3 s'intéresse à savoir le processus de diffusion de l'éco-innovation. En raison des contraintes posées par les données disponibles, cette investigation se fait du point de vue des barrières à, et des déterminants de, l'innovation environnementale.[...] Le Chapitre 4 exploitant les données des Enquêtes Communautaires sur l'Innovation de 2008 (CIS 2008), qui contiennent un module spécifiquement dédié à l’éco-innovation. Ainsi, à la différence du chapitre 3, nous établissons – à l'aide du module spécifique de l'enquête – une typologie originale permettant de distinguer, parmi les entreprises éco-innovantes: (1) les entreprises adoptant une éco-innovation de manière passive, (2) les entreprises adoptant tardivement une éco-innovation de manière stratégique, (3) les entreprises adoptant précocement une éco-innovation de manière stratégique, (4) les éco-innovateurs stratégiques tardifs et (5) les éco-innovateurs stratégiques précoces.[...] / Environmental innovation or eco-innovation is considered one of the most significant paradigm shifts in the innovation behaviour. The specificity of eco innovation lies in the fact that environmental improvement, in addition to technological advancement, is the main reason of its development. By combining these two objectives, eco-innovation has become one of primary tools in the search to solve the world’s environmental problems and sustainability challenges. Despite its prevalence, there is still more to be discovered within the eco-innovation literature. The drivers of and barriers to eco-innovation discussion is one of the most significant amongst all. More notably, the role of a firm’s social, technological, economic and organizational characteristics within the eco-innovation process has been little studied. With this Ph.D. thesis we aim to fill the existing gap with four distinct research articles. [...] Chapter 2 investigates, firstly, whether firms’ internal characteristics have an impact on the adoption of voluntary environmental standards. Secondly, the causal effect of adoption of environmental standards on the firms performance. Based on the empirical evidence obtained, we show that medium-size, high-tech manufacturing firms operating at the EU level and using quality standards are more likely to adopt these standards earlier. [...] In Chapter 3, we stressed the significance of a firm’s structural characteristics in another context and aimed at investigating the role these characteristics play in realization of product and/or process eco-innovation. [...] In Chapter 4 we moved forward the analyses conducted in Chapter 3 to another context and examined the influence of firm’s economic, technological, organisational capabilities on the eco-innovation behaviour for different types of product, process, organisational or marketing eco-innovators. The results of our empirical analyses point out the marginal impacts of firm’s characteristics changes with respect to type of eco-innovator. [...]