Firms increasingly disaggregate business processes and source them on a global basis, either intra-firm or from external vendors. This dissertation examines two relevant strategic choices for business process sourcing: the choice of sourcing mechanisms and the choice of contract types. First a comprehensive choice model is proposed to incorporate different perspectives of transaction cost economics (TCE), resource-based view (RBV) and modular systems theory for the choice of sourcing mechanisms. The results indicate that modular design characteristics such as modularity and IT detachability of business processes have significant impact on firms’ sourcing choices. The findings show that at higher level of process modularity, domestic outsourcing is more likely while offshore outsourcing is more preferred at lower level of process modularity. Also domestic outsourcing is preferred over offshore outsourcing when processes are tightly coupled with the IT infrastructure. The results suggest that offshore outsourcing is a different governance mode from domestic outsourcing. It may be a viable choice for firms that are looking for capabilities and adaptation willingness to improve the modular design of a process and to meet firm-specific needs, but the nonmodular design of IT infrastructure may inhibit such attempts. The dissertation then examined how firms select appropriate types of contract once outsourcing decisions are made. Three types of contracts were considered: Fixedprice (FP), Cost-plus (CP) and Time & Materials (T&M), which provide different levels of cost-reduction incentive, completeness of contract design and flexibility to change. The findings suggest that business characteristics impact coordination and negotiation costs and thus the choice of contract types. Higher coordination costs (the costs of managing interdependence) lead to higher probability of selecting contracts with high incentives and detailed service descriptions such as FP contracts while high negotiation costs (the costs of opportunistic behavior in ex post adaptation) increase firms’ preference to contracts with more flexibility to change such as T&M contracts. Further, the selection bias of the choice of sourcing mechanism on the choice of contract types was identified. Firms that select outsourcing are more likely to adopt contracts with high level of incentive and contract completeness. / text

Facilities management (FM) is a fast emerging industry and a field that deserves a far greater degree of academic inquiry. The common practice of FM service outsourcing and the lack of a theoretical unpinning create a gap in the field of FM. This study is initiated by the phenomena in FM service outsourcing: the frequent change in service providers appears to be common in FM service outsourcing. This urges a study on the outsourcing relationship in the field of FM. The issues that influence FM service outsourcing relationships vary according to different economic climates, organizational resources, FM service characteristics, etc. This study aims to investigate FM service outsourcing relationships from human interaction perspective as humans are regarded to be an important element in FM service outsourcing relationships. From a human interaction perspective, this study sheds lights on the relationship factors and their manifestation. Previous studies on outsourcing have developed a series of relationship factors that influence outsourcing relationships. However, the significance of these relationship factors varies according to different types of outsourcing relationships. In addition, the manifestation of relationship factors is not sufficiently elaborated in those studies. According to social exchange theory, relationship factors are defined as norms that reflect the influential attributes of a relationship or characteristics of the outsourcing process. Therefore, it is postulated that trust, openness, flexibility, coordination, cooperation and integration are influential relationship factors that affect FM service outsourcing relationships with support of social exchange theory. To test the hypothesis, empirical studies had been carried out within the Hong Kong Facilities Management Industry. Qualitative research approach was adopted in the empirical studies – in-depth interviews and case studies were conducted. Findings reveal that trust, openness, flexibility, coordination, cooperation and integration are significantly reflected in the interviews with FM managers. The manifestation of relationship factors is correlated with each other. It is found that trust, openness and flexibility manifest themselves through the process of coordination, cooperation and integration. The empirical results of this study have highlighted significant issues for FM service outsourcing and provided profound implications for FM managers in managing FM service outsourcing relationships. / published_or_final_version / Real Estate and Construction / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Repetition is a ubiquitous compositional technique in Philip Glass's music. Repetition of specific gestures is used to mark regularly recurring structural points, which in turn affects the way a listener groups musical structures. The intent of this paper is to discuss grouping theories that have specific application to minimalist music, and to attempt to refine certain aspects of these theories, specifically those engaging the various functions of events within groups in terms of their roles as beginnings, middles and endings. Glass's Strung Out will be the principal analytical subject. Further implications of grouping functions of pitches are discussed in the concluding chapter, where memory and anticipation are seen to play a role in the listening experience, as a listener attempts to understand and appreciate the piece as a whole.

Thesis (MPM)--Unitec New Zealand, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-86).

Zugl.: München, Fachhochsch., Diplomarbeit, 2004

Universiẗat, Diss., 2006--Potsdam.

Thesis (M.A. in Security Studies (Civil-Military Relations))--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2008. / Thesis Advisor(s): Bruneau, Thomas ; Looney, Robert. "June 2008." Description based on title screen as viewed on August 25, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (p. 81-86). Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 141-161) Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 141-161) Also available in print.

Zugl.: Bath, Univ., Diss., 2002