This thesis identifies the unique capabilities that characterise product-oriented vs. service-oriented firms in the software industry. Firms in the software industry have very different business models from other industries. Some firms rely entirely on earning revenue from services provided on an hourly basis, while others build and sell software once and earn revenue from it for years to come. There are even successful firms in the industry with a variety of revenue sources and models resulting from planned or unplanned transitions across orientations. The unique characteristics of this industry offer an opportunity to study the development of organisational capabilities that support contrasting strategic orientations. There is substantial literature on strategic orientations (e.g., Roberts 1990; Lynn et al. 2000; Pelham 2000; Voss and Voss 2000). There is also substantial literature on organisational capabilities (e.g., Nelson and Winter 1982; Leonard-Barton 1992; Day 1994; Teece et al. 1997; Winter 2003; Ethiraj et al. 2005). However, few studies empirically identify organisational capabilities that are developed to support an orientation. This study identifies the capabilities that enable product orientations and service orientations in the software industry. Moreover, the research tests the hypothesis that product orientations and services orientations are distinguished by different organisational capabilities. The study tests this hypothesis by eliciting capabilities and measuring the maturity of these capabilities in different firms. The findings of this study make unique contributions to the literature pertaining to strategic orientations and capabilities through further definition of both constructs. This research also utilises a previously untested approach for identifying capabilities. The method approaches the research problem using a two-step approach. The first phase focuses on eliciting the capabilities that characterise both service and product orientations. Interviews with key informants support the elicitation of capabilities. The second phase of the research study involved the collection of data using a survey to validate the existence of and identify the maturity of the capabilities from the first phase. The findings indicate that there are significant differences between productoriented and service-oriented firms, the capabilities that distinguish them and their perspectives on transition between orientations. The key result of the research is the identification of the capabilities that distinguish between software firms of three different orientations: product orientation, service orientation and a hybrid orientation. This research study contributes to advancement in the literature pertaining to strategic orientations and capabilities (e.g., Morgan and Strong 2003; Venkatraman 1989; Duhan et al. 2005; Winter 2000; Teece 2007). The results of the study further define what it means for software firms to have product, service and hybrid orientations, resulting in advancement of these constructs. The approach used to elicit and capture capabilities is novel and contributes to advancement in the literature pertaining to capabilities by applying a previously untested methodology. The results of this research are of particular interest to software firms that aspire to build or strengthen a product, service or hybrid orientation.

This research explores whether ¡§party identification, candidate orientation, ethnic identification and issue orientation,¡¨ the four intermediate variables of election, are correlated to the results of Taipei mayor elections in 2002 and 2006. The data in this research are mainly based on the interview broadly carried out to collect facts for ¡§the study on democratization through election¡¨ executed by Professors Huang Chi and Huang Siu-Twen in 2002 and 2005. It is with these data that this research compares the voting behavior of the voters in the two mayor elections in an attempt to find out the deviation of election for further studies. Each individual voter has of his own a variety of social backgrounds which inevitably form to some extent a connection with each of the four intermediate variables. In examination of the connection just mentioned, it is obvious that of all the voter¡¦s backgrounds the place of birth is probably the most potential and influential, and has a significant connection with each of the four factors. However, an evaluation of the connection between the voting preference and the four factors indicates that the four factors are apparently convincing in justification of the results of the second Taipei mayor election in 2006. In addition, a detailed analysis of the connections between voter¡¦s social backgrounds and his voting preference shows that the voter¡¦s place of birth plays an important role in making his voting preference. Other social backgrounds except the voter¡¦s educational level are slightly related to the voting preference in the Taipei mayor election in 2006. Based on the analysis mentioned above, it is understood that there are many variables which will influence the voting preference. Of all the intermediate variables, however, the four factors of party identification candidate orientation ethnic identification and issue orientation are perhaps most crucial and decisive. By means of the analysis and evaluation of the four factors functioning in the recent elections, it is discovered that the people here in Taiwan are relatively better educated and have made a tremendous progress in democracy. It seems that Taiwan has already developed into a nation of two-party politics.

Thèse de doctorat : Sciences de l'éducation : Lyon 2 : 2000. / Titre provenant de l'écran-titre. Bibliogr.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--York University, 1999. Graduate Programme in Biology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [105-109]). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pMQ56182

This thesis identifies the unique capabilities that characterise product-oriented vs. service-oriented firms in the software industry. Firms in the software industry have very different business models from other industries. Some firms rely entirely on earning revenue from services provided on an hourly basis, while others build and sell software once and earn revenue from it for years to come. There are even successful firms in the industry with a variety of revenue sources and models resulting from planned or unplanned transitions across orientations. The unique characteristics of this industry offer an opportunity to study the development of organisational capabilities that support contrasting strategic orientations. There is substantial literature on strategic orientations (e.g., Roberts 1990; Lynn et al. 2000; Pelham 2000; Voss and Voss 2000). There is also substantial literature on organisational capabilities (e.g., Nelson and Winter 1982; Leonard-Barton 1992; Day 1994; Teece et al. 1997; Winter 2003; Ethiraj et al. 2005). However, few studies empirically identify organisational capabilities that are developed to support an orientation. This study identifies the capabilities that enable product orientations and service orientations in the software industry. Moreover, the research tests the hypothesis that product orientations and services orientations are distinguished by different organisational capabilities. The study tests this hypothesis by eliciting capabilities and measuring the maturity of these capabilities in different firms. The findings of this study make unique contributions to the literature pertaining to strategic orientations and capabilities through further definition of both constructs. This research also utilises a previously untested approach for identifying capabilities. The method approaches the research problem using a two-step approach. The first phase focuses on eliciting the capabilities that characterise both service and product orientations. Interviews with key informants support the elicitation of capabilities. The second phase of the research study involved the collection of data using a survey to validate the existence of and identify the maturity of the capabilities from the first phase. The findings indicate that there are significant differences between productoriented and service-oriented firms, the capabilities that distinguish them and their perspectives on transition between orientations. The key result of the research is the identification of the capabilities that distinguish between software firms of three different orientations: product orientation, service orientation and a hybrid orientation. This research study contributes to advancement in the literature pertaining to strategic orientations and capabilities (e.g., Morgan and Strong 2003; Venkatraman 1989; Duhan et al. 2005; Winter 2000; Teece 2007). The results of the study further define what it means for software firms to have product, service and hybrid orientations, resulting in advancement of these constructs. The approach used to elicit and capture capabilities is novel and contributes to advancement in the literature pertaining to capabilities by applying a previously untested methodology. The results of this research are of particular interest to software firms that aspire to build or strengthen a product, service or hybrid orientation.

Honors thesis (Sociology)--Oberlin College, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 60-62)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Los Angeles, 1989. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographies.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1987.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Texas Tech University, 1990. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-98).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1987.