Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Technology, Sydney, 2002. / "A thesis submitted ... in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy"--T.p.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Yale University, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 289-305).

Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 35-39).

The objective of this paper is to research and present the motives which sustain the decisions of outsourcing in the clothing producers in the state of CearÃ. It also aims at qualitatively evaluating the practices of managing the human factor in outsourcing. Initially, technical approaches were made such as: organizations in networks and strategic contracting out; business strategy and managing the human element; the textile industry and the clothing sector. After looking over the bibliography, a field survey was taken using two semi-structured questionnaires and a guided interview in the larger clothing manufactures in CearÃ. After this, the information gathered was dealt with quantitatively and qualitatively. To do this the reversibility model was utilized. The survey enabled us to show that the decision to outsource, on the part of the companies surveyed, had a limited effect due to the inability to reduce costs and to the fact that quality was compromised. In this case, the fragility of the techniques in managing the human element in outsourcing is notorious. Although decisions to contract out are based, in general, on strategic criteria, the congruency between these decisions and the practices of managing the human element when outsourcing was not evident in the larger clothing producers in CearÃ. It is believed that investment in the technology of managing work which is outsourced could correct the dysfunctions which were perceived. / O presente trabalho tem como objetivo pesquisar e apresentar as motivaÃÃes que sustentam as decisÃes de terceirizaÃÃo nas empresas de confecÃÃo do Estado do Cearà e avaliar qualitativamente as prÃticas da gestÃo do fator humano terceirizado. Inicialmente, foram feitas abordagens teÃricas tais como: organizaÃÃes em rede e terceirizaÃÃo estratÃgica; estratÃgia empresarial e gestÃo do fator humano; indÃstria tÃxtil e o setor de confecÃÃo. ApÃs a revisÃo bibliogrÃfica, realizou-se uma pesquisa de campo, com a aplicaÃÃo de dois questionÃrios semi-estruturados e uma entrevista por pauta, junto Ãs grandes empresas de confecÃÃo do CearÃ. Em seguida, as informaÃÃes coletadas foram tratadas quantitativa e qualitativamente, sendo para isso utilizado o modelo de reversibilidade. A pesquisa permitiu constatar que as decisÃes de terceirizaÃÃo nas empresas pesquisadas tÃm alcance limitado pela incapacidade de reduzir custos e pelo comprometimento da qualidade. Onde a terceirizaÃÃo se afirma com forÃa, assume uma conotaÃÃo custos, com prejuÃzos para a qualidade. Neste caso, a fragilidade das tÃcnicas da gestÃo do fator humano terceirizado à flagrante. Embora as decisÃes de terceirizaÃÃo se pautem, em geral, por critÃrios estratÃgicos, nÃo fica evidente a congruÃncia entre as referidas decisÃes e as prÃticas da gestÃo do fator humano terceirizado nas grandes indÃstrias cearenses de confecÃÃo. Acredita-se que os investimentos em tecnologias da gestÃo do trabalho terceirizado possam corrigir as disfunÃÃes percebidas.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / In 2008, grassroots NGOs formed 13 alliances in response to the need for emergency relief and post-disaster recovery after the Sichuan Earthquake that occurred in West China and killed approximately 87,000 people. These alliances served to raise and deliver relief materials, train and supervise volunteers, promote information sharing, and assist victims with mental health and livelihood recovery. However, all alliances were terminated within less than four years. Although plenty of scholarship discusses how corporate alliances evolve or fail, few studies focus on interorganizational collaboration among nonprofits. To explore how NGOs developed collective actions in China’s adverse sociopolitical environment, the author performed three years of observation in four coalitions and interviewed 60 alliance leaders, employees, and volunteers. This paper identifies four types of termination these NGO alliances experienced: three of them failed at their very births, five self-disbanded shortly after the end of emergency aid, three dissolved due to failed institutionalization, and the remaining two evolved into independent organizations. Tracking their life cycles, this study finds four main factors accountable for their terminations: political pressure, funding shortage, short-term orientation, and leadership failure. In particular, the repressive NGO regulation regime and limited funding sources fundamentally restricted all alliances’ capacity and sustainability. Further, the transient nature of disaster relief efforts and the conflict between disaster management and planned work areas contributed to the short-term orientation among alliance members and, thus, led to the closure of some alliances shortly after they provided emergency relief. In addition, though generally exempt from internal rivalry that often undermines inter-firm partnerships, NGO alliances of all types were confronted with leadership challenges—partner misfits concerning resources, strategy, and mission; flawed governing structures, and undesired individual leadership. The four factors interplayed and led to alliance dissolution through different combinations. The paper points out that, in addition to environmental uncertainty, leadership failure has become a major challenge for nonprofit collaborations.