Conference proceeding from the Living the Future 6 Conference, April 5-8, 2006, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ. / From the mid-1990s through 2004, the University of Kentucky Libraries were organized in a team-based organizational structure. The team structure was implemented in concert with the opening of the new main library, and its focus was on service centers that featured rotating leadership and management by consensus. Over the course of six or seven years, the model thrived in some units and created difficulty in others. Find out about the process of reorganizing a library from a team-based structure, and discover how a small working group developed a new organization focusing on users, work redesign, and accountability. Learn the basic steps in a system-wide work redesign process and complete a brief assessment of your library's readiness for work redesign.

This dissertation examines the forces that drive organizational structure and boundary decisions. Using theoretical concepts drawn from transaction cost theory and agency theory, this dissertation develops a model that draws attention to behavioral and outcome distinctions in information flow. Specifically it examines how characteristics of these different types of management information alter the organizational design outcomes predicted by the two theory bases above. The foundational arguments regarding firm boundaries and structure are based on the two contracting modes of agency theory, behavioral and outcome. The construct of information localization (IL), defined as theneed to use information within its immediate context (or conversely, the difficulty of transferring and utilizing information outside of its immediate context), is introduced and used to predict organizational design decisions. This construct represents a synthesis of prior conceptions of information characteristics and is used both to capture salient characteristics of management information and to facilitate an examination of the impacts of different information technology (IT) applications. The relationship between information localization and firm boundaries and structure is tested at the task level. The relationship of information technology with boundary and structure decisions is explained using the model and tested concurrently with the test of the information localization hypotheses. A comprehensive model is proposed and propositions to guide future research are developed. The distinction between outcome and behavioral information localization allows a more nuanced assessment of the impacts of information and information technology on the organization of work. The empirical results suggest that the impact of IT on outcome information localization is negligible for tasks with low outcome IL but increases the likelihood of outsourcing for tasks with high outcome IL. Contrary to prior findings utilizing different conceptualizations of information flow, the impact of technology on behavioral IL on autonomy showed that applications of IT may increase autonomy (decentralization of decision-making) rather than decrease it. / text

This exploratory study examined the individual and organizational effects of formerly homeless employee inclusion on members of the homeless shelter community, including shelter directors, formerly homeless employees, professional employees, and shelter residents. The effects of formerly homeless employee inclusion on shelter residents' vicarious self-efficacy were specifically examined. A qualitative case study design was used to gather interview data from six homeless shelters in North Carolina. The interviewees included five shelter directors, three formerly homeless employees, and seven shelter residents. Professional boundary development was correlated with the impact of formerly homeless employee inclusion within the shelter community. There are more benefits than challenges to formerly homeless employee inclusion in homeless shelters. The challenges generally affected the formerly homeless employees themselves, sometimes to the point of addiction relapse. Formerly homeless employee inclusion provides the benefits of self-efficacy, tough love, and understanding and helping for shelter residents. Additional benefits were found for the formerly homeless employees. Benefits and challenges for professional employees were anecdotal and therefore not trustworthy. There are several major implications for professional practice resulting from this study. Shelter residents in the present study consistently viewed formerly homeless employee inclusion as positive. This positive experience may contribute to improved client engagement, retention, and outcomes. The challenges presented were infrequent, and considered manageable by the shelter directors. These findings may encourage other shelter directors to employ formerly homeless individuals, thereby benefitting others who are either experiencing or working to alleviate homelessness. Formerly homeless employee inclusion is also consistent with strengths-based practice and the social justice principle of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, as it provides meaningful opportunities for indigenous participation. Future research should focus on further understanding the correlation between formerly homeless employee inclusion and shelter resident outcomes and the effects of formerly homeless employee inclusion on professional shelter employees. / text

This research extends the knowledge-based view of the firm as it relates to organizational structure. In particular, this research provides evidence that fundamental classifications of knowledge are measurable, in relative terms, as factors of production. It then relates differences in relative quantities of these classifications of knowledge to the presence or absence of inter-firm boundaries. Finally, this study provides evidence that financial performance may be related to the alignment of organizational structure with knowledge-based factors of production. This study contributes to strategic management theory by offering a potential solution to the difficulties of measuring knowledge as a factor of production. The research was motivated by the belief that it is the cost and value of knowledge that determines economic efficiency (Simon, 1999). By surveying professionals in the mutual fund industry for their relative reliance on three classifications of knowledge, this study suggests a set of measures of knowledge-based factors of production. These measures in turn support the testing of hypotheses related to the vertical integration (or de-integration) of adjacent stages of production. Researchers have typically categorized organizational knowledge as either tacit or explicit. This research develops the concept of encapsulated knowledge as a fundamental classification of knowledge. Encapsulated knowledge is neither tacit nor explicit, because it is externalized and implicit. Progress in measuring knowledge is made by distinguishing between knowledge that resides in human minds (tacit), knowledge that is codified as information (codified), and knowledge that is embodied in the design and functionality of physical artefacts (encapsulated). Relative reliance on the fundamentally different knowledge-based factors of production was found to vary between adjacent stages of production, despite the essential overlap of jointly held substantive knowledge. Portfolio managers are generally less (more) reliant on tacit (encapsulated) knowledge than other investment management professionals in the mutual fund complex. In addition, portfolio managers whose firms are de-integrated from the mutual fund management firms were found to be more (less) reliant on tacit (encapsulated) knowledge than their integrated counterparts. Finally, alignment between mutual fund structure and reliance on knowledge-based factors of production was found to affect performance of mutual funds.

This research extends the knowledge-based view of the firm as it relates to organizational structure. In particular, this research provides evidence that fundamental classifications of knowledge are measurable, in relative terms, as factors of production. It then relates differences in relative quantities of these classifications of knowledge to the presence or absence of inter-firm boundaries. Finally, this study provides evidence that financial performance may be related to the alignment of organizational structure with knowledge-based factors of production. This study contributes to strategic management theory by offering a potential solution to the difficulties of measuring knowledge as a factor of production. The research was motivated by the belief that it is the cost and value of knowledge that determines economic efficiency (Simon, 1999). By surveying professionals in the mutual fund industry for their relative reliance on three classifications of knowledge, this study suggests a set of measures of knowledge-based factors of production. These measures in turn support the testing of hypotheses related to the vertical integration (or de-integration) of adjacent stages of production. Researchers have typically categorized organizational knowledge as either tacit or explicit. This research develops the concept of encapsulated knowledge as a fundamental classification of knowledge. Encapsulated knowledge is neither tacit nor explicit, because it is externalized and implicit. Progress in measuring knowledge is made by distinguishing between knowledge that resides in human minds (tacit), knowledge that is codified as information (codified), and knowledge that is embodied in the design and functionality of physical artefacts (encapsulated). Relative reliance on the fundamentally different knowledge-based factors of production was found to vary between adjacent stages of production, despite the essential overlap of jointly held substantive knowledge. Portfolio managers are generally less (more) reliant on tacit (encapsulated) knowledge than other investment management professionals in the mutual fund complex. In addition, portfolio managers whose firms are de-integrated from the mutual fund management firms were found to be more (less) reliant on tacit (encapsulated) knowledge than their integrated counterparts. Finally, alignment between mutual fund structure and reliance on knowledge-based factors of production was found to affect performance of mutual funds.

Diss. Uppsala : Univ., 2003.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1991. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 313-337).

Submitted by CARLA NOLI BISCO FLOZI null (carlanbflozi@gmail.com) on 2016-05-24T16:38:17Z No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_ flozi_c.n.b..pdf: 1826908 bytes, checksum: 21699c5f95c25c93af4f8a2f506e8510 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Felipe Augusto Arakaki (arakaki@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-05-30T14:27:24Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 flozi_cnb_me_tupa.pdf: 1826908 bytes, checksum: 21699c5f95c25c93af4f8a2f506e8510 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-30T14:27:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 flozi_cnb_me_tupa.pdf: 1826908 bytes, checksum: 21699c5f95c25c93af4f8a2f506e8510 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-23 / A intensificação da competitividade e a escassez crescente de recursos naturais fazem com que as empresas busquem melhorias contínuas no modo de gerir e operar as agroindústrias. Para superar estes obstáculos e encará-los como oportunidades, as empresas têm lançado mão de políticas, sistemas, ferramentas e processos de diversas ordens. Muitas destas oportunidades estão atreladas ao destaque de mercado e imagem positiva perante a sociedade de acordo com práticas ambientais, o que proporciona benefícios tanto para as empresas como para a sociedade envolvida. Nesse contexto, a educação ambiental vem tornando-se um processo aliado às indústrias por contribuir com a formação de uma consciência ambiental na comunidade interna e externa. Contudo, neste setor empresarial, a educação ambiental é uma área de conhecimento interessante para ser estudada na agroindústria. Em função disto, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo, analisar de que forma a educação ambiental está inserida na estrutura organizacional de uma agroindústria do município de Guararapes/SP, tendo em vista a proteção e conservação ambiental. Para tanto, a pesquisa realizada teve caráter exploratório, abordagem qualitativa, e adotou o estudo de caso. O processo de coleta de dados foi realizado por meio de pesquisa documental, observação sistemática e entrevistas. Os colaboradores que participaram das entrevistas foram os responsáveis pelo Sistema de Gestão Ambiental e os líderes ambientais, pois estes estão ligados diretamente com a área ambiental da agroindústria estudada. Para a realização da análise dos dados utilizou-se a análise de conteúdo. Diante dos resultados obtidos, pode-se considerar a existência da educação ambiental na estrutura organizacional da agroindústria, contudo, com ações pontuais e atrelada à gestão ambiental, demonstrando assemelhar-se a um instrumento administrativo. / Intensifying competition and the increasing scarcity of natural resources make companies seek continuous improvement in order to manage and operate the agribusinesses. To overcome these obstacles and see them as opportunities, companies have made use of policies, systems, tools and processes in different orders. Many of these opportunities are linked to market and highlight positive image in society according to environmental practices, which provides benefits both for business and for society involved. In this context, environmental education is becoming a process allied industries to contribute to the formation of environmental awareness in the internal and external community. However, in this business sector, environmental education is an interesting area of knowledge to be studied in agribusiness. Because of this, this study aimed to analyze how environmental education is embedded in the organizational structure of the agricultural industry in the city of Guararapes / SP, with a view to environmental protection and conservation. Therefore, the survey was exploratory, qualitative approach, and adopted the case study. The data collection process was conducted through desk research, systematic observation and interviews. Employees who participated in the interviews were responsible for the environmental management system and environmental leaders, as they are directly linked with environmental area studied agribusiness. To perform the analysis of the data we used the content analysis. On the results obtained, it can be considered the existence of environmental education in the organizational structure of the agricultural industry, however, with specific actions and linked to environmental management, demonstrating resemble an administrative instrument.

abstract: Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University (ASU) serves as a universal role model for organizing the resources of an institution to support highly motivated and prepared students. In 2009, Barrett, The Honors College (Barrett) opened the nation's first purposefully designed undergraduate honors residential college campus. Given the current demand by other American higher education institutions who wish to better understand how Barrett emerged as a distinct and singular model for an honors residential college experience, this action research study explores the effectiveness of the decisions, execution and outcomes central to Barrett's development. Five senior administrators of college units or universities were interviewed and provided insight for constructing a design for how other honors programs and colleges can learn from the challenges and accomplishments presented in developing an honors college for the 21st century while replicating Barrett's success. The study is framed in the overall context of how Barrett actualizes the New American University at ASU in meeting the demand for producing students that can compete in a global marketplace. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Higher and Postsecondary Education 2011

Digital Transformation is an on-going process in the logistics industry. Every day, innovative and new technology is developed to streamline products to the customer as fast as they want it. The purpose of our study is to investigate how digital transformation and customer behaviour has affected the business model(s) of smaller companies compared to well established multinational companies in the logistics industry. The authors look and found the aspects of the business model that were impacted and if there should be adjustments made to better suite either the large or small organizations.