The principal aim of this thesis is to examine the validity of the claim that low productivity led to a decline in Thailand’s competitiveness, and hence, to the 1997 economic crisis. For a decade from 1985 to 1995, Thailand was one of the world’s fastest-growing economies with an average real annual GDP growth of 8.4 percent. However, such growth was criticized as being simply the result of large inward investment and rapid accumulation of capital, leading to very little productivity growth, and therefore, being unsustainable in the long run. Worse still, the later surges of capital inflows came in mainly as speculative stashes, instead of as foreign direct investments in production and businesses. Hence, as predicted, the boom finally came to a sudden end in 1997. The economic growth statistics recorded severe contraction, financial market collapsed, the currency was battered, domestic demand slumped, severe excess capacity was experienced, employment deteriorated, personal and corporate income diminished, inflation and the cost of living mounted, and finally, poverty surged. This thesis utilizes a stochastic production frontier approach to verify the claim that low productivity lessened Thailand’s competitiveness. This approach, unlike the standard econometric approach, allows the existence of technical inefficiency in the production process. It also, unlike other non-parametric approaches, recognizes that such inefficiency can sometimes occur as a result of external factors that are out of the firms’ direct control, such as statistical errors and random shocks. The period covered in this thesis is from 1990 to 2002. This is divided into 2 sub-periods, i.e. the pre-crisis period (1990 – 1996) and the post-crisis period (1997 – 2002). The estimation results indicate a structural shift in the Thai manufacturing sector, from being labour intensive in the pre-crisis period to being capital intensive in the post-crisis period. The productivity level also improved post-crisis, as compared to the pre-crisis level, and is shown to follow an increasing trend. The low productive investment level in the pre-crisis period is identified as having led to the decline in the manufacturing sector’s efficiency. The thesis concludes that this low productivity level did indeed lead to the decline in Thailand’s competitiveness, and hence, to the decline of export growth, which was at that time the main source of Thailand’s economic growth; in turn, playing an important role in precipitating the 1997 economic crisis.

Problemformulering Det vi med denna uppsats vill undersöka är hur en tjänsteorganisations produktivitet kan mätas. Därför lyder vår problemformulering enligt följande: Hur kan produktivitet mätas i en tjänsteorganisation? Produktiviteten i en tjänsteorganisation påverkas av ett antal faktorer, till exempel personalen, kommunikation, ledarskap och de IT-system personalen arbetar i. Med ”mäta” syftar vi till att kvantifiera de kvalitativa faktorer som påverkar produktiviteten.   Syfte Utöver att se hur produktiviteten kan mätas i en tjänsteorganisation ska vi utveckla en modell som visar hur tjänsteproduktiviteten kan mätas samt identifiera vilka faktorer som påverkar och hur de påverkar produktiviteten. Vi kommer genom ett illustrativt exempel att identifiera de faktorer som påverkar produktiviteten i den tjänsteorganisationen och hur de påverkar. Den organisation vi valt att applicera vår studie på är Folksam, avgränsat till deras bokföringsavdelning.   Metod Vår kunskapssyn är hermeneutisk, vilket går i linje med vårt syfte då vi vill identifiera och tolka de faktorer som är viktiga för tjänsteproduktiviteten. Vi har valt att göra en kvalitativ studie, då identifieringen av faktorer som påverkar tjänsteproduktiviteten är ett relativt oexploaterat område och därför behöver vi undersöka det empiriskt i en etablerad organisation. Den iterativa metoden eller den gyllene medelvägen är det angreppsätt som vi valt, eftersom vi anser att det passar vår studie bäst att utgå ifrån befintlig teori och sedan enbart influeras av den för att låta empirin vara det som styr vår teoriutveckling. För att erhålla våra data har vi genomfört både observationssamtal och semistrukturerade intervjuer.   Teori Vi har i huvudsak använt oss av två modeller som tillsammans ger en bild över produktiviteten i en tjänsteorganisation. Fokus ligger på Grönroos och Ojasalos (2004) tjänsteproduktivitetsmodell. Den beskriver de input och output av intern och extern effektivitet som har en påverkan på tjänsteproduktiviteten. Den säger dock lite om hur tjänsteproduktiviteten kan mätas. Vi har därför valt att komplettera denna modell med en modell gjord av Sahay (2005) som kallas Multi-factor Productivity Measurement Model. Den modellen tar upp hur tjänsteproduktvitet kan mätas genom att utveckla olika index som är anpassade till den aktuella organisationen. Utöver dessa två modeller har vi sökt och använt teorier kring de faktorer som påverkar tjänsteproduktiviteten i vår organisation.   Slutsatser När produktiviteten ska mätas i en tjänsteorganisation är det viktigt att först kartlägga vilka faktorer som påverkar produktiviteten och att sedan anpassa dem efter den aktuella organisationen. Faktorer vi funnit i denna studie är bland annat ledarskap, grupper, kommunikation, IT-system och stress. Resultatet visar att de faktorer som påverkar tjänsteproduktiviteten samverkar och tillsammans ger en bild över hur tjänsteproduktiviteten ser ut och kan mätas.

Productivity improvement in the software industry is one of the major challenges facing many software development companies in this century. Most companies have adopted agile methodologies in order to profit from the benefits claimed for them. Agile methodologies are characterised by frequent software delivery, short feedback loops, quicker response to change, and problem identification earlier in the development process. The agile approach has been recognised as paving a way for companies to acquire higher software productivity, delivering good-quality and cost-effective software, enabling software development companies to respond to business challenges with their demands for high quality, high performance and high development speed in delivering the final product. For companies that adopt agile methodologies, understanding the factors that influence their teams’ software development productivity is a challenging task for management and practitioners today. In this research, an analysis is presented that identifies productivity factors that affect agile teams. It is a study of agile methods to identify common agile practices and/or values that have impact on productivity, and describes suitable metrics that could be used to measure agile team productivity. A qualitative research approach was used, and the case study was chosen as the research strategy. Two South African companies that are located in two different provinces and that adopted agile methodologies in their software development, were selected for the case studies. Qualitative content analysis was used in the research to permit subjective interpretation of factors that influence agile team productivity, and to analyse to what extent these factors affected productivity. This research has shown that an understanding of the factors that influence an agile team’s productivity gives significant insight into the way agile teams work, motivates team members to work together, and leads to uniform metrics in tracking each team’s progress. The study indicates that tracking an agile team’s work and providing adequate tools needed to execute their tasks results in improving agile team productivity. It should be recognised that using metrics to measure performance in agile teams is helpful in creating a team’s culture and trust. In this study, it was found that the factors identified in both literature and case studies affected productivity in the two companies under study, both positively and negatively. The study also found that applying the correct metrics in assessing, analysing and reviewing an agile team’s performance is important when monitoring productivity. Successful software delivery is only possible if individuals are committed to their work, are provided with the necessary tools and have access to a stable working environment. In addition, individual factors such as knowledge, skills, abilities, personalities and experience should be considered when forming agile teams. Consideration of these factors will result in grouping people that are able to work together and achieve a common goal, which is important in improving productivity. A conceptual framework for agile team productivity was proposed. The discussion of the findings is presented in more detail in this research. / School of Computing / M.Sc. (Computing)

Performance measurement has been in existence and the subject of research for at least two decades. However, it would appear that the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector lags behind other industries in terms of harnessing performance measurement with strategies that call for design skills, such as design thinking. Scholars in developed economies have given only limited attention to the contributing role of design thinking in performance measurement and improvement. Most research in these disciplines focuses primarily on using design thinking during the design phase rather than integrating it throughout the performance measurement processes. However, integrated performance measurement is now receiving increasing attention within the SME context internationally due to the potential benefit of design thinking for strategy. However, while research on performance measurement within South African SMEs is growing, it nevertheless lacks practical perspectives. This is cause for concern, as an absence of knowledge about and understanding of processes followed during performance measurement could deprive the SME sector of the benefit of integrating design thinking for organisation sustainability. Empirical data were collected from fourteen SMEs using semi-structured interviews, case and documentary analysis and focus group discussions conducted with owner-managers, and analysed. The findings indicate that both contextual and conceptual factors contribute to enterprise performance, and that understanding the processes, performance and execution and tracing their effect on performance measurement are vital. Four process phases of an integrated performance measurement framework emerged from the analysis, namely pre-strategy planning, strategy planning, strategy implementation and post-strategy implementation. These trigger actions which guide and support interaction between leadership and stakeholders and encourage iteration between thinking, trying and the actual discovery of key drivers to monitor, improve and change performance. The findings suggest that the integration of performance measurement is possible with some balanced scorecard and design thinking-related principles engendered in whichever process is deemed natural to configure, improve and evolve by this iteration between thinking and acting. The implications, therefore, include the need for commitment by SMEs to facilitating performance measurement initiatives within their current practices. In addition, the owners or managers and policymakers need to consider ways to assist and play a role in promoting and enhancing the ability of SMEs in performance measurement integration for sustainability. / Isilinganiso sokusebenza besikhona futhi besiyisihloko yocwaningo okungenani amashumi amabili eminyaka. Kodwa-ke, kuzovela ukuthi umkhakha Wamabhizinisi Amancane Naphakathi (SME) usalela emuva kwezinye izimboni maqondana nokusebenzisa isilinganiso sokusebenza ngamasu adinga amakhono wokuklama, njengokucabanga kokuklama. Izazi emnothweni othuthukile zinikeze ukunakwa okulinganiselwe kuphela endimeni ebambe iqhaza ekucabangeni kokuklama esilinganisweni sokusebenza nokwenza ngcono. Ucwaningo oluningi kulezi zimiso lugxile kakhulu ekusebenziseni ukucabanga kokuklama ngesikhathi sesigaba sokuklama kunokuluhlanganisa phakathi kwezinqubo zokulinganisa ukusebenza. Kodwa-ke, isilinganiso sokusebenza esihlanganisiwe manje sithola ukunakwa okwandayo ngaphakathi komongo wama-SME emhlabeni jikelele ngenxa yenzuzo engaba khona yokucabanga kokuklama kwesu. Kodwa-ke, ngenkathi ucwaningo lwesilinganiso sokusebenza ngaphakathi kwamaSME aseNingizimu Afrika lukhula, kodwa-ke luswele imibono ebonakalayo. Lokhu kuyimbangela yokukhathazeka, njengoba ukungabi bikho kolwazi nokuqonda izinqubo ezilandelwe ngesikhathi sokulinganisa ukusebenza kungancisha umkhakha wama-SME inzuzo yokuhlanganisa ukucabanga kokuklama ukuze kube nokusimama kwenhlangano. Ulwazi oluqhamuka ocwaningweni laqoqwa kuma-SME ayishumi nane kusetshenziswa izingxoxo ezihleleke kancane, ukuhlaziywa kwamacala kanye nokuqoshwa kwemibhalo kanye nezingxoxo zamaqembu okugxila ezenziwa nabaphathi babanikazi, kwahlaziywa. Okutholakele kukhombisa ukuthi zombili izinto ezingokomongo nezingokomqondo zinomthelela ekusebenzeni komkhakha wamabhizinisi, nokuthi ukuqonda izinqubo, ukusebenza nokwenziwa kanye nokuthola imiphumela yazo esilinganisweni sokusebenza kubalulekile. Izigaba ezine zenqubo zohlaka lokulinganisa ukusebenza oluhlanganisiwe luvele ekuhlaziyweni, okungukuthi ukuhlela kwangaphambi kwamasu, ukuhlela amasu, ukuqaliswa kwamasu nokuqaliswa kwesu langemva kwesu. Lezi zenzo ezibangela ukuhola nokusekela ukuxhumana phakathi kobuholi kanye nababambiqhaza futhi zikhuthaza ukuphindaphinda kwenqubo phakathi kokucabanga, ukuzama kanye nokutholakala kwangempela kwabashayeli ababalulekile ukuqapha, ukwenza ngcono nokushintsha ukusebenza. Okutholakele kuphakamisa ukuthi ukuhlanganiswa kwesilinganiso sokusebenza kungenzeka ngekhadi lamaphuzu elilinganisiwe kanye nezimiso ezihlobene nokucabanga ezifakiwe kunoma iyiphi inqubo ethathwa njengeyokwemvelo yokulungisa, ukwenza ngcono nokuguquka ngaloku kuphindaphinda kwenqubo phakathi kokucabanga nokwenza. Imiphumela, ngakho-ke, ifaka isidingo sokuzibophezela kwama-SME ekusizeni izinhlelo zokulinganisa ukusebenza ngokwenziwa kwazo kwamanje. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abanikazi noma abaphathi nabenzi benqubomgomo kudingeka bacabangele izindlela zokusiza nokudlala indima ekukhuthazeni nasekuthuthukiseni ikhono lama-SME ekuhlanganisweni kwesilinganiso sokusebenza ukuze lisimame. / Prestasiemeting bestaan reeds, en is ook die onderwerp van navorsing, vir minstens twee dekades. Nogtans lyk dit asof die sektor vir Klein en Middelslagondernemings (KMO's) ’n agterstand teenoor ander nywerhede het wat betref die benutting van prestasiemeting met strategieë wat gebruik maak van ontwerpvaardighede soos ontwerpdenke. Navorsers in ontwikkelde ekonomieë het slegs beperkte aandag geskenk aan die bydraende rol van ontwerpdenke in prestasiemeting en -verbetering. Die meeste navorsing in hierdie dissiplines fokus tydens die ontwerpfase hoofsaaklik op die gebruik van ontwerpdenke, in plaas daarvan om dit deurgaans met die prestasie-metingsprosesse te integreer. Geïntegreerde prestasiemeting geniet egter nou toenemende internasionale aandag binne die KMO-konteks, weens die moontlike strategiese voordele van ontwerpdenke. Terwyl navorsing oor prestasiemeting egter in Suid-Afrikaanse KMO's groei, ontbreek daar nogtans praktiese perspektiewe. Dit is kommerwekkend, aangesien 'n gebrek aan kennis oor en begrip van prosesse wat tydens prestasiemeting gevolg word die KMO-sektor kan ontneem van die voordele van geïntegreerde denke vir organisatoriese volhoubaarheid. Empiriese data is van veertien KMO's ingesamel deur die gebruik van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, gevalle- en dokumentêre-ontleding, asook fokusgroepbesprekings wat met eienaarbestuurders gevoer en daarna ontleed is. Die bevindinge dui aan dat beide kontekstuele en konseptuele faktore tot prestasies van ’n onderneming bydra en dat begrip vir die prosesse en werksverrigting, asook die uitvoering en opsporing van die uitwerking daarvan op prestasiemeting, noodsaaklik is. Vier prosedurefases van 'n geïntegreerde prestasiemetingsraamwerk het uit hierdie ontleding het na vore gekom, naamlik pre-strategiebeplanning, strategiebeplanning, strategie-implementering en post-strategie implementering. Hierdie fases veroorsaak aksies wat interaksie tussen leierskap en belanghebbendes lei en ondersteun, en moedig iterasie tussen denke, strewe en die werklike ontdekking van sleuteldrywers aan om prestasie te monitor, verbeter en verander. Die bevindings dui daarop dat die integrasie van prestasiemeting moontlik is met ’n tipe gebalanseerde telkaart en sommige ontwerpverwante denkbeginsels wat aangekweek word in watter proses ook al beskou word as die natuurlike om te konfigureer, verbeter en ontwikkel deur hierdie iterasie tussen denke en aksie. Die implikasies sluit dus die behoefte in van ’n onderneming deur KMO's om prestasiemetingsinisiatiewe in hul huidige praktyke te fasiliteer. Daarbenewens moet die eienaars of bestuurders en beleidmakers oorweging skenk aan maniere om te help en ’n rol te speel in die bevordering en verbetering van KMO’s se vermoëns om prestasiemeting vir volhoubaarheid te integreer / College of Accounting Sciences / D. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)