The research was aimed at addressing the challenge of evaluating a large scale change intervention in a large organisation and in a complex environment. Finding robust, meaningful yet realistic methodologies from among the array of possible approaches, methods and techniques has proved problematic, for both organisational practitioners and academics alike. The research explored this issue of choice from the perspective of 'fit for purpose' and suggests a multi-faceted approach, using a range of evaluation methods and techniques, which were applied to an ongoing example at the BBC. It was also planned to use structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques to examine the relationships between variables critical to the study. The approach described represents a 'pilot' evaluation exercise, which drew on data collected from early cohorts going through the BBC Leadership Programme, a key element of the 'Making it Happen' change strategy initiated by the then Director General, Mr. Greg Dyke. As a second level of research, an evaluation of the primary evaluation itself, i.e. of the BBC Leadership Programme, was also undertaken to assess the effectiveness of the primary evaluation strategy and its implementation. Three hypotheses were examined in terms of programme impact: It was proposed that participation in the programme would bring about collective improvements in individual leadership behaviour (Ho1), leading to improved departmental performance across the business (Ho2), in turn, resulting in improved organisational performance (Ho3). Due to limitations in the application of the methodology it was not possible to use SEM analyses on the data collected. Alternative analyses failed to demonstrate conclusive support for all three hypotheses and, while other factors besides programme attendance appear to influence leadership performance the afore-mentioned limitations restrict the ability to draw firm conclusions. Following evaluation of the primary evaluation it was evident that, as a pilot exercise, important outcomes from the programme evaluation give rise to 'lessons learned' and changes are suggested for any future evaluation exercise of this kind.

An information society under constant development enables organizations to have access to a growing supply of information. Handled in an efficient manner, information can be a valuable, competitive resource. This can be achieved by investing in a Business Intelligence system (BI system). BI system's main function is to manage large amounts of unstructured data, convert it into useful information, which in turn will be used as a basis for performance management. The purpose of this study is that, through qualitative, semi-structured, in-depth interviews, to examine the perceived benefit of using BI systems to support business governance. This benefit is analyzed using theories such as traditional, bounded and flexible-bounded rationality, cognitive bias and theories of man's ability to think intuitively and reflective. The benefits of BI systems will also be analyzed using the theories of the communication process, conflicts in decision making and DIKW pyramid describing the process data, information, knowledge, wisdom. It also analyzes the benefits of BI systems using agency theory. The results show that users of BI systems are experiencing the benefits as follow: BI systems provide increased access to information in the organization, increasing the ability to handle large amounts of information, creating more fact-based decisions, freeing up time for analysis, reducing opportunistic behavior and facilitates internal communication. This creates flexibility in the bounded rationality, a more reflective decision-making process that improves the prospects to make rational decisions. Users go higher up in DIKW pyramid. BI systems reduce the information asymmetry between principal and agent. BI systems reduce uncertainty in decision reducing the risk of conflict. Training and practice are essential for BI systems to generate benefits. Unlike previous research, this study shows that BI systems are well integrated into organizations as well as live up to expectations. A new aspect of BI systems is that they reduce the risk of opportunistic behavior.

Care process monitoring is important in healthcare domains to provide precise and detailed analytics on patients, providers, and resources participating in a care process and their status. These analytics are used to keep track of whether the quality of care goals set by healthcare organizations are satisfied and ensure that legislative and organizational guidelines are followed. The complexity of care process monitoring can vary depending on whether the care process takes place in a hospital or out in the community, and it can vary depending on the complexity of the information technology infrastructure that is in place to support the care process. A Care Process Monitoring Application (CPMA) is a software application which collects and integrates data from various sources while a care process is being provided, in order to provide performance reporting of metrics that are used to measure how well the performance goals and guidelines for the care process are being met. In our research, we have studied how CPMAs are built in order to improve the quality of their engineering. The significant challenge in this context is how to engineer a CPMA so that the engineering process is repeatable, produces a CPMA of consistent high quality, and requires less time, less effort and less complexity. This thesis proposes an application framework for care process monitoring that collects and integrates events from event sources, maintains the individual and aggregate states of the care process and populates a metrics data mart to support performance reporting. Our contributions are the following: a state-based application meta-model of care process monitoring, a care process monitoring architectural pattern, and finally, a behavior driven development methodology for CPMAs based on our meta-model and architectural pattern. Our results are validated through three different case studies in which we collaborated with two different health care organizations to build and deploy CPMAs for two different care processes (one hospital-based, the other community-based) in collaboration with healthcare clinicians and researchers.

自1980年代政府再造潮流以來，績效管理及資訊通信技術業已成為政府提昇績效的重要工具，在此一背景下，我國亦於民國94年完成「政府計畫管理資訊網（GPMnet）」整合，用以協助執行績效管理作業。不過，由於資訊科技涵蓋面向相當寬廣，影響層面頗為廣泛，因此也引發樂觀、悲觀及務實主義等不同立場的爭辯，其運用成效確實有待進一步的評估。在相關文獻的基礎上，本研究採用交易成本理論途徑，首先透過問卷調查瞭解GPMnet使用者的態度及行為偏好，其次則經由訪談資料進一步解析資訊通信科技對於政府績效管理成本的增加與減少。 本研究採取混合方法論（mixed methodology）進行研究設計，兼採量化資料及質化資料蒐集分析。量化資料部分，以GPMnet使用者為分析單位進行問卷調查，回收148份有效樣本；質化資料部分，依主辦、主管、會審及研考等4項權限功能，選取8位GPMnet使用者進行訪談，以了解不同權限受訪者使用GPMnet的經驗與看法。 資料分析部分，本研究以偏最小平方法分析問卷資料，調查結果分析顯示，GPMnet系統使用的交易成本認知與態度、主觀系統績效有顯著負向關係；不確定性、資產專屬、使用頻率與交易成本之假設則未獲實證資料支持。此外，訪談資料分析發現，制度環境下，因受限於現行不同機關有不同資訊系統、GPMnet多個子系統，以及紙本流程仍然存在的情況下，使用GPMnet執行績效管理作業會增加行政成本負擔；此外，在實際使用的情形之下，因為系統可以保存過去資料、提供清楚欄位、網路化傳遞、進行進度控管及主動公開資訊等功能，減少了行政作業交易成本。相對的，也造成學習時間不符成本、溝通費時、校對、資訊過載、介面不友善及系統不穩定等負面影響，增加績效管理作業的交易成本。 最後，本研究建議在學術研究上，結構模式的觀察變項應更謹慎設計，資訊系統評估理論應重視成本觀點。至於在實務面則應全面落實電子化績效管理，在GPMnet系統資源環境更應進行資料備份，以減少資訊的過度負荷。 / Governments invest much more attention, time, and money on performance management and evaluation on the public sector today than ever before. To better utilize agency program management systems under the Executive Yuan, the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission (RDEC) has completed the planning of the "Policy Program Management Information System" (Government Program network, GPMnet). The system is a common service platform created to integrate various policy implementation management information systems to enhance the performance of different agencies in program management. However, the performance of GPMnet needs to be evaluated. In order to evaluate the system, this study introduces an empirical research which focuses on a transaction cost approach that has often been used to support the idea of information and communication technology and its positive impact on the economic system. The data was collected by mixed methodology, combining quantitative data from 148 users and eight interviews with a semi-structured questionnaire. The Partial Least Squares was used to analyze the quantitative data. According to the research findings, information-related problems represent only some of the elements contributing to the transaction costs. These costs also emerge due to the institutional factors contributing to their growths. The study of the consequences associated with ICT design and its implementation, based on the transaction cost theory, should therefore consider the costs of ICTs.

有云：「他山之石，可以攻錯。」從西方國家經驗可知，政府績效評估對於提昇行政效率、節省行政成本發揮了極其重要的作用，成為政府改革最重要的工具。法務部為發揮政風單位功能，提昇整體政風工作績效，遂推動實施「政風機構績效評比要點」，該績效評比，如從正面角度，固可激勵單位及人員士氣，提昇組織績效，然亦可能因政風單位「分散設置，集中管理」之特殊屬性而帶來若干的負面影響。 我國政風單位在貪瀆預防與肅貪工作上係以「預防重於查處」為主要工作原則之一。一方面，貪瀆犯罪本身具隱性特質，而政風單位亦因本身組織功能與角色定位欠缺明確，以致於在過於抽象的法定職掌下，某些績效甚難單純以量化數據展現實質工作成效，從績效評比呈現數字以觀，雖然洋洋洒洒，極為亮眼，但數字背後績效好壞，則甚難論斷，頗為吊詭。另方面，政風人員在機關工作績效往往須視機關首長臉色及業務單位配合與否，一旦爆發社會矚目重大政風案件，更備受輿論、民意機關及社會大眾質疑，甚至政風人員本身亦有諸多眥言與批評，顯示評比制度本身的確存在討論與改進空間，實值得深入檢討釐清。 本研究係透過對臺北市政府政風人員進行個案實證研究，期盼瞭解該評比制度推動以來，政風人員對「制度設計合理性、公平性」、「提昇組織績效與激勵士氣等回饋功能」、「主觀上有何評價或感受認知程度」以及「實施成效」的看法，經由資料整合、統計分析、闡釋與推論之後，希冀提出切合實際問題與符合事實需要之具體發現與建議，使理論與實務能相互結合運用，作為主管機關法務部改進是項評比制度之參考。 本研究經由前面之研究結果，計有以下之研究發現： 一、在制度設計方面 （一）推動績效評估依據過於薄弱，有待提高法源位階。 （二）角色定位多元，推動工作力有未逮。 （三）所在機關環境特性不一，欲求一體適用有其困難。 （四）組織願景、策略績效目標與衡量指標的連結程度仍待加強。 （五）評估方法與工具未因時因地制宜，造成績效衡量與管理上困難。 （六）評比內容未適度簡化，無法撙節人力資源做妥適運用。 （七）獎懲設計不足，難以落實重獎重懲目的，制度推動受人質疑。 二、在實務運作方面 （一）績效評估不易，難達公平要求。 （二）訓練宣導不足，難以爭取內外部顧客認同。 （三）未落實執行績效衡量指標，有流於形式或官樣文章之虞。 （四）欠缺彈性，未放寬並授與各政風單位自訂指標項目或選擇指標項目。 （五）評估結果僅與考績連結，未擴及職務陞遷及生涯發展訓練。 （六）評比制度淪於形式，應研議重新設計一個可行制度。 本研究根據以上之研究發現，提出建議如下： 一、在制度之變革方面 （一）定量評估及質化評估宜同時兼顧。 （二）加強評比制度之宣導訓練，促使各層級政風單位環環相扣。 （三）建立客觀評估機制，並結合多元評估方式，強化評比公平性。 （四）業務項目及內容應進一步整合及簡化，策略目標與績效衡量指標之訂定應配合機關任務。 （五）考評制度之落實，須與激勵制度配合，獎勵方式則可彈性運用。 二、在回饋之功能方面 （一）落實所有政風人員之參與。 （二）主管勤加溝通並傳達正面樂觀訊息。 （三）建立管理者與被管理者之共識，發揮引導功能，促使組織與個人目標趨向一致。 （四）納入員工訓練學習內容或知識管理 / There is a saying “The stones of those hills may be used to polish gems”, meaning that another's good quality or suggestion whereby one can remedy one's own defects. The experience of western countries tells us that the performance appraisal in government organizations has exerted a substantial effect on promoting administration efficiency and reducing administrative expenditure so that it has become the significant tool of the government in many needed reforms. In order to effectively perform the function of the department of civil service ethics and to achieve a higher degree of work efficiency, the Ministry of Justice has launched to enforce the Organization Achievements Comparison and Appraisal Main Points of the Government Employee Ethics Units. The implementation of the performance appraisal can undoubtedly encourage the morale of the units and their employees and further promote the efficiency of the organization while it may bring some of the negative effects due to the distinctive characteristics of dispersed establishment and centralized management of the department of civil service ethics. “Prevention is prior to investigation and punishment” is one of the major working principles of the department of civil service ethics in Taiwan in implementing corruption prevention and eliminating corruption. On the one hand, as a result of a recessive trait of the corrupt offense and an unclear and indefinite organizational function and role orientation, the department of civil service ethics running under no concrete specifications for its duties is really unable to create efficiency simply depending on quantitative data in some ways. The performance appraisal may be basically made according to the data presented, but it cannot be directly interpreted as an ideal data presentation equaling a good work performance. On the other hand, the work performance of government ethics officials is primarily subject to the preference of their superiors and the cooperation of the business unit. Aside from the above-mentioned, when a serious corruption affair is uncovered, the public opinion, a doubt from advocacy groups and mass society, and colleagues’ criticism will also influence the performance appraisal of the alleged government ethics officials. This shows that there is a needed improvement in the appraisal system, and it is necessary to have an in-depth review and discussion. This paper is to engage in an empirical study on the government ethics officials serving in Taipei City Government for the purpose of understanding their opinions towards “Rational and equitable system design”, “Feedback function helping promote organization efficiency and encouraging its morale”, “Cognition degree for subjective judgment or perception” and “Enforcement effectiveness” when the appraisal system was launched in expectation of making concrete proposals through data integration, statistics and analysis, and empirically grounded explanation and conclusion that not only can hit the nail on the head and meet the need but also can realize a theoretical and practical combination and application to serve as reference of the Ministry of Justice while they are engaging in an improvement program of the appraisal system. The findings of this study are elaborated below: 1. System Design 1) It is necessary to upgrade the hierarchy of law so that there is a more persuadable foundation to support the development of performance appraisal. 2) The orientation of a diverse role has resulted in failure to make an all-out effort in promotion work. 3) It is difficult to apply one standardized system to different types of government organizations and environments. 4) There is a needed improvement in the connection among organizational perspective, strategical efficiency target and measurement index. 5) A rigid appraisal method and tool has resulted in the difficulties of performance measurement and management. 6) The simplified appraisal contents are needed to achieve the streamlining human resources. 7) A doubt for developing the system while an inadequate design of rewards and punishments is hindering it from being carried out. 2. Practical Operation 1) To conduct the performance appraisal is not an easy thing and to make it fair is harder. 2) Inadequate training and propagation made it difficult for winning interior and exterior customers’ recognition. 3) Without exactly fulfilling the performance measurement index, the work of the performance appraisal turns out to be a mere formality. 4) A lack of flexibility to relax of restriction for authorizing the units of civil service ethics to set or select their individual index items. 5) The appraisal results can be connected with the merit system only, not extending to position promotion and career development and training. 6) To avoid the current appraisal system from turning out to be a mere formality, it is necessary to discuss how to design a new and feasible system instead of it. The following suggestions are set forth according to the findings stated above. 1. System Reform 1) Quantitative evaluation and qualitative evaluation should be simultaneously considered. 2) To strengthen the propagation and training of the appraisal system for the purpose of establishing a close link between all levels of the units of civil service ethics. 3) To establish an objective appraisal mechanism that combines diverse evaluation methods and puts emphasis on the fairness of reasonable appraisals. 4) To integrate and simplify business items and contents, and to draw up strategic targets and performance measurement index that correspond with organizational tasks. 5) A practicable performance appraisal system should be carried out in conjunction with the incentive system in a flexible application of rewards. 2. Feedback Function 1) To achieve a real participation of all government ethics officials. 2) There is a frequent and fluent communication between supervisor and subordinate to convey positive and optimistic information. 3) To establish a common consensus between supervisor and employee to bring the organizational and individual goals to become identical. 4) The employee training and learning contents or knowledge management should be subsumed.

公共工程為國家建設的基礎，其攸關人民生活品質並影響國家經濟發展。當今政府公共工程建設多以委外方式進行，然而對於公共工程績效之影響因素進行研究，將有助提供政府機關在招標時評選廠商之參考，以及在公共工程專案進行時，作為與專案經理溝通協調之依循。 依過去之研究多聚焦於控制層面，並認為提升技術方法將能帶來有效的管理，進而提高專案的績效。然除了控制管理之外，仍有許多關鍵外在因素影響公共工程專案的成敗；創新即是其中之一。而過去政府機關及營建專案管理者經常忽略創新的重要性，最終導致公共工程的失敗。因此探討創新對於公共工程專案的實益是有其必要性。 本研究最基本的目標在於調查創新實務作法之應用對於公共工程專案績效的影響；其中創新實務作法包含管理與服務創新、施工方法創新、建物功能創新、環保永續創新，而公共工程專案績效則表現在安全、品質、時程、成本以及業主滿意度。另一項研究目的則為探討公共工程專案類型(分為建物工程專案、基礎工程專案及工業工程專案)，在創新實務作法之於公共工程專案績效的影響中，是否扮演干擾效果。 有關本研究問卷調查時間自2015年9月至同年11月，有效問卷共計168份，每一份問卷代表一個公共工程專案的執行與績效表現。另本研究再以實際案例-成功及失敗的個案，剖析此兩個相似案例在創新實務作法與公共工程專案績效表現之間的關聯性。研究結果顯示，創新實務作法之應用與公共工程專案的績效表現具有顯著正向的影響；且公共工程專案類型在兩者之間具有干擾效果，亦即是創新的影響程度會因公共工程的類型而有不同，其於建物工程專案與工業工程專案之應用上對於品質績效的正向關係較為明顯。最後依此分析結果提出未來研究及政策建議。 / Public construction projects are associated with the infrastructure of a nation. Developing public construction projects is also important for the economic development of a nation. Recently, most of public construction projects are outsourced. Research on factors influencing the success of public construction projects can assist government with selecting suitable partners and communicating with project managers. Most of the previous work has focused on project control problems, assuming that the better methods or techniques would lead to better management and thus the successful performance of projects. However, there are many factors outside the control of management which may lead to the success of a project. Innovation may be one of the major causes of public construction project success. However, many construction organizations ignore innovation leading to a poor public construction project performance. Thus, there is a need for exploration of the benefits of innovation on public construction project performance. Accordingly, the primary objective of this research was to investigate the effect of innovation practices (including management and service innovation, construction method innovation, facilities function innovation, and environmental protection and sustainability innovation) public construction project performance in terms of safety performance, quality performance, schedule performance, cost performance, and owner satisfaction. The second objective was to determine whether innovation practice on public construction project performance was moderated by project type (i.e., building, infrastructure, and industrial projects). The data were collected from September to November 2015. A total of 168 valid questionnaires were analyzed. Each questionnaire is representative of a public construction project. In addition, case studies were used to assess the relationships between innovation practice and public construction project performance. Accounts of two similar projects, one successful and one not, were used to investigate the associations. The results suggest that adoption of innovation practice has a positive effect on public construction project performance. The results also show that project type has a moderating effect on the relationship between adoption of innovation practice and public construction project performance. In other words, the relationship between adoption of innovation practice and public construction project performance depends on project type. This indicates that the association between adoption of innovation practice and quality performance is more strongly evident for industrial and building projects. Finally, the paper proposes directions for future research and recommendation for policy development according to the findings.

The general aim of the research is to determine the relationship between personality traits as measured by the Customer Contact Styles Questionnaire (CCSQ 7.2) and work performance as measured by means of internal company data sources, of call centre agents. Recent literature indicates a significant relationship between personality traits and work performance. The emphasis in this research is on the factor analytical or trait approach of personality. The sample consisted of 300 call centre agents. The relationship between personality traits and work performance is discussed in terms of descriptive statistics, correlations and multiple regression analyses. The results indicate a relationship between the personality traits of analytical thinking, detail consciousness, conscientiousness, structuredness and work performance as measured by the level of financial incentives for call centre agents. This finding could be implemented in the selection and performance management of call centre agents. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial Psychology)

In South Africa, legislation dictates that employees must be developed resulting in the need to identify candidate's development capability. As such, it is essential to be able to measure the learning potential of candidates. In practice, cognitive ability has been linked to the complex process of job performance. This study aimed to determine whether learning potential can be used as a predictor of job performance. The Learning Potential Computerised Adaptive Test (LPCAT) was utilised to measure learning potential and job performance was measured through a promotion ratio (taking job knowledge and tenure into account). The moderator variables were investigated. A sample of 135 technical employees was drawn. The data was statistical manipulated reporting various significant relationships confirming the internal reliability of the LPCAT and indicating a strong significant relationship between learning potential and job performance. Variables such as learning potential, job grade and tenure are significant when predicting job performance. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / MA (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The challenge of satisfying the demand for basic services in the current dispensation has intensified. It is anticipated that once this initial challenge has been overcome, the tide will turn and secondary services such as transfer of ownership of forestry plantations will become the new challenge. The quest for efficient and effective service delivery is paramount, regardless of whether services delivered are basic or not. This research investigation puts performance management (which focuses on individual and organisational performance), as a necessity for service delivery. The focus was on service delivery within the Chief Directorate: Forestry in the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. The findings demonstrated that the presence of performance management and other supporting systems does not guarantee automatic improvement in service delivery. The distinction is how effective an organisation can apply performance management in conjunction with a complete set of functional policies, systems and instruments to improve its impact on service delivery. / Public Administation / M.Tech. (Public Management)

Small Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) play an important role in contributing to economic development of many countries around the world, including South Africa. Despite the importance of SMMEs an unacceptable and disappointingly high number of these ventures fail during the first few years of operation. It is in light of the importance and challenges faced by SMMEs that the performance of SMMEs is of interest to all countries. This study investigated the impact of entrepreneurship education on the performance of SMMEs in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. The objectives of the study were to investigate the role of entrepreneurship education in improving entrepreneurship skills and knowledge of owner/managers of SMMEs in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, to determine the role of entrepreneurship education on the establishment and survival of SMMEs and to identify strategies that can be implemented to improve the performance of SMMEs. Both primary and secondary data sources were used in this study. A quantitative research design was used in conducting this research. Simple random sampling, a probability sampling technique was used to select a sample of 201 from the sample frame of 420 registered SMMEs. The survey method, by way of a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect primary data. The statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) is the statistical software that was used to analyse data. The Chi-square test, the T-test, Pearson Product Moment Correlation and descriptive statistics were used to analyse data. Validity and reliability of the research instrument and the findings was assured. The results for this study are useful for the development of the SMME sector, which is very important to South Africa for they contribute to the solving of socio-economic challenges. The findings of this research showed that entrepreneurship education has a positive impact on the performance of SMMEs and it plays a critical role in improving entrepreneurial skills and knowledge of SMME owners and managers. It was also found that entrepreneurial education is very important for the establishment and survival of SMMEs. Strategies that can be implemented to improve the performance of SMMEs in South Africa were suggested to the government, government agencies, educational institutions, other organisations, and SMME owners and managers.