The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the patterns of library usage of student teachers and lecturers, the factors influencing their usage behaviour and the methods used by lecturers to promote use. A case study was conducted at Tonota College of Education in Botswana. Questioning data collection methods were used. A total of 172 student teachers and 84 lecturers were selected by means of stratified random sampling. The findings revealed that both student teachers and lecturers made frequent use of the library. Borrowing for curriculum-related use constituted more than half of the reasons why student teachers and lecturers used the library. Most of the lecturers indicated that they adopted topic assignments as a method of motivating students to make use of the library. This was confirmed by the majority of student teachers. Most student teachers perceived the College Library as contributing to their educational success. / M. A (Information Science) / Information Science

The purpose of this study was to investigate internationalisation of Ethiopian SMEs by examining internal and external factors that motivate or restrict internationalization process and the impact of internal and external barriers on SMEs export performance. The small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) sector in Ethiopia is a significant group within the economy in terms of firm numbers and total employment. However, the SMEs sector’s share of exports is disproportionately small, which raised considerable research concerns. Firm export propensity and export performance were the dependent variables and export stimuli and barrier factors were used as explanatory variables. The study was conducted through mixed research design. A questionnaire was administered to 90(36 exporting and 54 nonexporting) SMEs in Leather and Leather Products Industry in Addis Ababa selected through stratified random sampling. In order to complement survey results nine (4 exporting and 5 non-exporting) SMEs were selected through critical case purposive sampling and an in-depth interviews were conducted. Statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS 20) was used to analyse the quantitative data whereas, qualitative data were analysed manually. Analytical techniques used were, Chisquare test of independence, Spearman rank order correlation, factor analysis, binary logistic regression analysis and multiple regression analysis. The statistical results of binary logistic regression analysis and chi-square tests indicated that managerial factors, internal marketing factors and foreign government related factors, firm ownership and size are the most significant motivators of SMEs internationalisation in Ethiopia. On the contrary the result showed that, logistics problem, insufficient finance, functional barriers, lack of export knowledge and information, procedural barriers and international trade barriers are the factors hindering it. Further analysis was conducted to examine the impact of export barriers on performance of firms. The result of multiple regression analysis indicated that, export barriers significantly and negatively affect export performance. The overall results revealed that explanatory variables used in the analysis significantly predict the dependent variable at 95% confidence level. Considering these results numerous implications for theory, practice, and future research were recommended. Finally, the study concluded that internationalisation of SMEs has to be encouraged by mitigating both internal and external barriers identified in this study. / Business Management / D. Admin. (Business Management)

I will look at what impact big data have had on the managerial strategic decisions in the food and beverage industry. This in order to understand the complexity and theory of organizational strategic management, an effort to define the contemporary strategic theory into a holistic conceptual model is done through a literature review on organizational strategy. This literature explicitly proposes four distinctly different types of strategies that management need to consider in the organizational context. Namely, long-term strategy, internal business strategy, external corporate strategy, and competitive strategy. The study analyzed the food and beverage industry over a decade (2005-2014), where the three of the largest actors in the industry were selected, Nestlé S.A, PepsiCo Inc, and Unilever. The choice of method was content analysis, where three structured categorization matrixes were developed which each analyzed parts of the annual reports. The study propose the role of big data as a strategic tool for managerial decision from a theoretical standpoint. The content analysis show that hypothesis 1, could be confirmed, big data have an impact on all the proposed four managerial strategic decisions. Second hypothesis could not be confirmed, since decentralization does only occur for one of the organizations, but increased external environment turbulence could be concluded for the industry in general. The third hypothesis could be confirmed, which show that there is an increase in individualization due to increased customer involvement and demand. The analysis discovered three distinct time periods during the last decade, namely pre- economic instability period (2005-2007), economic instability period (2008-2011) and finally the post-paradigm period (2012-2014). Where the year 2011 was the most turbulent in terms of economy and technology for the industry. The study clearly show that customers are now involved in the production process, customers are co-creators of the products. There is now a two-way communication and increased social responsibility awareness. This study shows that the old traditional approach of looking at markets in order to position yourself to stay competitive are obsolete as this study predicted. customers demand to be a part of the organizational culture. This conclude that big data is an important tool for all strategic managerial decisions.

我國資訊科技產業自80年代起快速成長，企業組織亦同時朝向大型化及集團化發展，企業併購遂成為當時企業層級策略的主要選項。然而在企業聚焦核心事業以及修正多角化策略的浪潮下，企業分割已成為近來產業進行經營績效以及組織重整的重要策略工具。 分割策略提供企業「一而為多」的組織改造模式，有助企業進行專業化經營或建立退場機制，確立各事業之專業分工更可有使分割公司之價值提升之效果。本研究為補強學術上之論述，由資源觀點出發，擬透過了解新事業成長過程各階段資源發展、累積以及運用的情況，探究宏碁集團在施行企業分割策略時，各種資源流動以及分配的狀態。期待能歸納出企業在進行分割策略時，資源分配、流動以及母企業在後續資源連結之共通點。並試圖找出關鍵的影響因素。提供決策者有別財務績效外於可參考的指標。 / Taiwanese IT industry has grown by leaps and bounds since the 1980s and in the meantime, the entrepreneurs have turned themselves into large-size corporations or conglomerates. Thus, corporation’s merger and acquisition (M &A) gradually has become their major issue of strategy studies. However, while the increasing trend of business strategy is to focus on the corporation’s core business, the corporation’s spin-offs becomes the more important tool for generating profits and organizational restructuring. Spin-offs strategy offers enterprises with the so-called “one for all” model, enabling corporations to focus on their core businesses or divest from dog business. The spin-off strategy also ensures spun-out units can achieve individual performances and effectiveness. In order to complement current academic studies, this research based on resources perspective attempts to explore the status of resources allocation of Acer in the spin-off strategy. This study would like to observe how the resource flows and distributes when a spun-out company grows, in order to conclude similarities that firms might have.

台灣資訊電子業自八零年代初期開始，憑藉著充沛且低廉的高素質勞動力，為歐、美、日等國際大廠從事OEM、ODM業務，為自身培育出堅強的製造與設計研發能力，並且為台灣創下經濟奇蹟以及獲得「電腦王國」的稱號。然而這種主要為滿足國際大廠需求而塑造出來的發展模式，使得台灣廠商習慣於接受客戶訂單要求的經營模式，對於廠商本身在定義產品、國際行銷、品牌發展以及通路經營等方面並未有長足進步。此外，近年來受到全球化、區域經濟整合以及新興市場國家的崛起，加上台灣已逐漸邁入已開發國家，勞力不再低廉、土地成本高漲、環保意識逐漸抬頭等，使台灣廠商過去所仰賴的競爭優勢已不復存在。施振榮先生提出「微笑曲線」，他認為台灣產業必須從過去附加價值低的製造代工的角色，轉型走向價值鏈兩端的研發設計與品牌經營。近幾年來，企業界和政府已經感受到品牌對於企業經營的重要性，以目前看來，已經有許多台灣自有品牌廠商在各自領域中大放異彩，並且在全球市場上占有一席之地。 過去對於台灣廠商在自有品牌經營的發展狀況，已有許多學者專家投入相關議題的研究。然而在研究上大多為探索台灣企業經營自有品牌成功的關鍵因素，或者是自有品牌的經營策略，對於自有品牌成功關鍵因素之一的行銷通路建構，其相關議題研究較少。因此，本研究將著重於影響企業經營自有品牌成功的關鍵因素中，被多數研究所認同的關鍵成功因素：「行銷通路建構」，進行深入探討，並且針對從創業開始便從事自有品牌經營的廠商進行研究，藉以充分瞭解廠商自有品牌建立的實務過程。本研究擬採用個案研究方式，以在網通產業品牌經營有成的D-Link友訊科技與A公司作為本研究的個案對象，期望將有助於其他有志發展自有品牌之企業作為其未來經營之參考依據。 本研究之研究問題有三：1.台灣自有品牌廠商的國際行銷通路建構型態與方式為何？2.台灣自有品牌廠商在國際行銷通路建構過程中對於不同市場特性、產品組合與通路商類型的因應方式與對策為何？3.影響台灣自有品牌廠商國際行銷通路建構的關鍵性因素與作法為何？ 本研究先行針對相關文獻進行回顧，瞭解可作為通路建構模式的相關文獻，包括「自有品牌」、「行銷通路」、「組織學習理論」以及「資源基礎論」等相關理論，並透過個案訪談以及次級資料蒐集整理方式，獲得個案公司資訊，並分析個案公司的通路建構模式。本研究主要獲得以下結論： 1.自有品牌廠商在進入國際市場初期，地區代理商為其主要的行銷通路。然而經營主管對於通路經營理念上的差異，便會造成通路商數量選擇上的不同。此後，廠商便會針對通路商從事系統性的通路整合與管理，發展出整體行銷通路體系。 2.自有品牌廠商在各地區當地的業務主管與經營團隊成員對於其通路建構成功與後續通路管理扮演不可或缺的角色。 3.自有品牌廠商透過與通路商溝通以及提供通路商教育輔導，將有助於產品銷售以及減少通路衝突，強化彼此關係，創造彼此利益。 4.自有品牌廠商所提供的高品質、高效能的產品，將有助於廠商國際行銷通路之建構。 5.自有品牌廠商透過資源蓄積與組織外部學習方式，所建構出在資源面與能力面上的新策略性資源，將有助於廠商行銷通路建構。然而自有品牌廠商組織文化上的差異，將會造成通路建構策略與方式上的不同。 本研究對於實務上的管理建議為： 1.自有品牌廠商宜著重技術深耕與研發並且提供通路商高品質的產品與服務。 2.自有品牌廠商宜重視與授權在地化經營以增進在地經營團隊對於企業的認同感。 3.自有品牌廠商宜建立完善的組織學習機制。 關鍵字：自有品牌、行銷通路、組織學習、資源基礎論 / Taiwanese electronic companies are good at manufacturing and design, and take OEM/ODM business for the first-tier international electronic companies. However, in recently, the competitive advantages of Taiwanese companies gradually decline due to the booming of the the developing countries. Thus, industrial and government highly appealed the companies to develop their own brand, and hoped it will show good performances in the near future. Until now, some of the companies reveal outstanding results in their own industry, and become the global well-know enterprises. In the past, it had been many researches who did the relevant topics about the Taiwanese companies establishing their own brand. Neverethelss, most of the researches focused on discussion the successful factors of establishing own brand or the own brand business strategy rather than on establishing marketing channel, the key successful factor of establishing own brand. Thus, the study will focus on discussion the market channel establishment, and select to research the own brand companies which built their own brand from start-up in order to understand the practical procedure. The case companies are D-Link and A Corp., the first tier Taiwanese network communication manufacture company. Their remarkable performance can be the examples for the other companies to follow them. The main literature in this study includes own brand, marketing channel, organizational learning, and resource-base theory. The study takes case interview and collect the second-hand data to acquire the critical information of the case companies and analyze their marketing channel model. There are several conclusions from the study: 1.In the early stage of entry international market, own brand company’s main channel is local agency. However, the different channel management ideas between the leaders will induce to select differenct channels numbers. However, own brand companies will gradually conduct channel integration and management to develop their whole marketing channel system. 2.The local mangers and business teams of the own brand companies play the key players to establish marketing channel and their channel management. 3.Own brand companies who usually communicate with the channel members and provide education course for the channel parmters will bring benefits for their sales, reduce the conflicts, consolidate mutual relationship, and create mutual benefits. 4.Own brand companies who provide high quality and performance products will bring positive effects to establish marketing channel. 5.Own brand companies who accumulate internal resources and conduct external organizational learning will build strategy assets in assets and capabilities sides. Neveretheless, the organizational cultural difference will make a difference in the strategy and method of establishing marketing channel. In the study, the managerial suggestions for the companies who would like to develop their own brand include: 1.The companies have to focus on strengthen their R&D and provide high quality and performance products for their channel partners. 2.The companies have to empower the localization and promote the local business teams’ identity for the company. 3.The companies have to build a well-done organizational learning system. Key words: Own Brand, Marketing Channel, Organizational Learning, Resource Based Theory

The application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as supportive tool in teaching and learning within the framework of the radical change that Outcomes Based Education (OBE) has created, pervades and consequently alters the pedagogy and methodology of Geography teaching. Geography Is a subject in which ICT can make a definite and worthwhile contribution and it is, therefore, important that Geography educators know how to harness the benefits of ICT for their learners. Apart from the general availability of ICT to fulfil the requirements of the curricula, there are pressures from the world outside the classroom in the form of professionals who utilize Geography in their profession, such as town planners and meteorologists, who utilise new technology such as GIs, GPS, satellite images, radar summaries, air charts and meteograms as an integral part of their work. The Internet, the World Wide Web and CD-Rom are used progressively as resource-based and communication tools in teaching and learning throughout the world. The challenge to utilise ICT in Geography teaching and learning occurs in a world experiencing increasing disparities between the rich and poor, among and within nations. For example, while 72.7% of Americans currently use the Internet, only 6.4% of South Africans have access to and use the Internet. A solution for sufficient ICT support in teaching and learning for developing countries is to focus on ICT variants that are affordable and that will sustain movement toward fulfilling development objectives. Developing countries (such as the RSA) need to consider alternatives to ICT that maximise the Impact of ICT and that entail balancing investment in computers with investment in other technologies that might be cheaper and equally effective. The use of alternative ICT variants must, however, be globally competitive, but at the same time be cost-effective. The ability, versatility and low cost of an ICT variant such as the Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) suggest that it can serve this purpose. ICT supports teaching and learning in Geography in many ways and has an impact on the quality of learners' learning experience and the depth of their learning. It can be a tool for inquiry learning, a resource for obtaining secondary source material, an aid in measuring physical events and situations, models real-world situations, helps to communicate and present information, improves efficiency and pace of workload, provides resources and structure to support learning independently of the educator and improves the quality of task outcomes for learners. The introduction of OBE in South Africa since 1994 has also encouraged learner-centred teaching and learning and has required a paradigm shift away from the traditional content-based transmission model of teaching and learning. The purpose of this study is to: • determine whether or not the DVD method can support the teaching and learning of Geography teacher students effectively; • determine how the DVD alters the format, structure and number of traditional formal Geography lectures; • determine what the nature of the information on the DVD must be in order to be perceived by the students effectively; • Investigate the effect of the utilisation of the DVD on the academic performance of Geography teacher students; and • develop a model for the effective integration and utilisation of the DVD in fulltime Geography teaching and learning. An action research method constituted the backbone of this study. The action research included a combined qualitative and quantitative research method in the form of a cross-sectional study as part of a developmental research method, in order to develop and evaluate a proposed model for the effective integration and utilisation of the DVD in Geography teaching and learning. The participants in this study included the entire population of the full-time, second-year students of the Economic Geography module, GEOH251 of 2004, 2005 and 2006 of the B.Ed (teaching degree) of the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus). The results of the study can be summarised as follows: This study indicated that the majority of the GEOH251 students were positive regarding the integration of the DVD in Geography teaching and learning. The DVD-method teaching approach challenges lecturers and students to fulfil new roles within the teaching and learning environment. The results of this study indicate the following: The integration of the DVD method can support the teaching and learning of Geography teacher students effectively. The utilisation of the DVD, together with a seminar format with a specific procedure, enhances the teaching and learning of Geography. The DVD with all the different types of information included thereon was well received by the Geography students and was deemed effective. The integration of the DVD into Geography teaching and learning evidently did not result in poorer academic performances of students in the GEOH251 module. The proposed model provides clear guidelines on how to integrate the DVD In Geography teaching and learning. It explains how the DVD should be compiled, what to include and how to employ it effectively in conjunction with seminars. It also describes the transition of formal contact sessions to seminars, which occur less frequently than traditional contact sessions, but with regular weekly intervals, as well as explains the seminar proceedings, interactions and timeframes. The DVD can be integrated into Geography teaching and learning effectively if the procedures, steps, and actions, as expounded in the proposed model, are applied. The advantages of the DVD as ICT variant in Geography teaching and learning can be clearly seen, especially if it can be implemented in developing countries. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Society's concern over the negative impact of business activities on the natural environment has significantly increased and, as a result, environmental regulations have grown considerably both in number and scope. As these policies affect businesses and their competitive environment, firms are interested in shaping the nature of such legislation through corporate political activities (CPAs). This thesis investigates the CPAs of MNEs in the automotive industry that are directed towards environmental regulations in the EU. Using the resource-based view as its theoretical framework, it investigates six research questions that address the characteristics, determinants and consequences of these CPAs in relation to three regulatory areas (pollutant emissions, CO2 emissions and end-of-life vehicles). Case study analysis is based on 71 interviews with stakeholders from the automotive industry (the entire population of 11 MNEs from the Triad regions that are politically active in Brussels) and related industries, EU institutions and civil society organisations, representing the societal triangle (market, state, civil society). The thesis finds that the 11 automotive firms engage in CPAs to inform policymakers, and because of the impact that regulations have on their businesses. Whilst the firms attempt a cooperative approach, in reality this is not always the case: whereas individual company and association activities should lead to a united voice, this does not occur when it comes to important company-specific technologies and particular environmental policies. These regulations are viewed by companies as both a costly burden and as opportunities, though non-corporate respondents perceive that MNEs see them only as costs. The main (political) resources and competences used in CPAs are found to be human resources (including the related resources of expertise, contacts, trust and reputation, i.e. social capital), and technological resources. Regulations and the technological resources influencing CPAs are directly and uniquely linked to the product portfolios of MNEs. These differences in technological resources and product ranges account for most of the variance in MNEs‟ CPAs rather than the respective countries of origin within the Triad.

E-commerce is an arguably new way of trading goods or services for monetary values through electronic means. It has increased in volume over the past years and it is not predicted to stop increasing in Sweden. The Swedish market holds a substantial amount of internet users who are in fact e-consumers. The European Union has taken a series of measures to harmonize the legislation regarding e-commerce in order to increase cross border e-commerce between the member states. The authors aimed to investigate the effect of the Swedish legislation on foreign companies’ establishment process on the Swedish e-commerce market. In order to achieve this, two in-depth interviews were conducted, one with a lawyer with considerable competence regarding e-commerce and the other one was in association with our case study on a French company that recently entered the Swedish e-commerce market. The research resulted in the notion that the Swedish legislation does differ from the European legal standards and that foreign ECCs have to adapt to the Swedish legislation. Another important finding is that European legislation is different between nations due to the variations in the interpretations of the same law text incorporated into the national legislations in the member states of the European Union. The resource based model of entry was also re-interpreted to facilitate the internationalization process of the companies.

Internationalisation theories and other aspects of this phenomenon have been investigated by researchers to a large extent with respect to MNCs, MNEs and SMEs. However not very much attention has been devoted to the study of the internationalisation of family firms and factors influencing this process. Specifically, in the current era of the third wave of internationalisation, where firms from emerging country markets are internationalising, there has not been sufficient research to investigate, how, when, and why family firms from an emerging country market such as South Africa internationalise. Family firms in South Africa contribute significantly to the economic developments of their nation. They form 80% of businesses within the country and 60% of the firms listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Therefore, research into the internationalisation of these family firms will not only be beneficial to the South African family businesses investigated, but it will also add valuable knowledge and insight to the internationalisation phenomenon with respect to the nation’s family firms. This study sets out to fill this gap by examining and explaining the internationalisation of South African family firms, and identifying the possible lessons that could be learnt from the internationalised South African family firms by their not yet internationalised counterparts. This research was conducted through a qualitative case study of six South African family firms, out of which three have internationalised and three are yet to internationalise. Face-to-face interviews conducted with the owners and managers, as well as secondary sources of data formed the base of the empirical data analysed. The interview questions were grouped under the concepts of family impact, decision-making, business networks and culture. These concepts were examined and their impact on internationalisation explained. The researchers conclude that chance played the most important role in the internationalisation of the firms. The chance to internationalise however, was made available to these firms through their business networks.

Småföretag utgör den ekonomiska motorn som påverkar nationers utveckling. Därför bör de kontinuerligt stödjas för att fortsatt kunna främja länders utveckling. 99 % av alla bygg- och anläggningsföretag är idag småföretag och på grund av branschens höga konjunkturkänslighet, låga inträdeshinder och hårda konkurrens löper de stor risk att misslyckas. Detta medför en efterfrågan på strategisk forskning som kan appliceras på deras speciella karaktärsdrag; flexibilitet och småskalighet. Strategisk forskning har genom historien haft olika fokus vid förklarandet av företags konkurrenskraft. Idag riktas forskningen mot ett internt perspektiv där den resursbaserade teorin är den mest använda. Då den externa miljön är i ständig förändring och kunders preferenser är volatila skapar inte det externa perspektivet en säker grund för att förstå företags konkurrenskraft.   Syftet med studien är att ur ett internt och externt perspektiv öka förståelsen kring hur konkurrenskraft kan stärkas för småföretag inom bygg- och anläggningsbranschen. Detta genom att identifiera centrala resurser samt studera hur dessa förnyas, tillämpas och utvecklas. För att besvara syftet har en kvalitativ studie genomförts där den primära datainsamlingen utgjordes av fem semi-strukturerade intervjuer. Två undersökningsföretag valdes ut efter ett strategiskt urval. Kriterierna var att företagen skulle klassificeras som småföretag och vara marknadsledande.  Utifrån studien kan det fastslås att det inte var tillräckligt att enbart analysera den resursbaserade teorin för att förstå hur småföretag inom bygg- och anläggningsbranschen stärker sin konkurrenskraft. Undersökningsföretagen belyste vikten av deras externa relationer med kunderna. Kundrelationerna hade en direkt koppling till företagens konkurrenskraft i form av avtal och rykte. Att endast analysera det interna perspektivet hade resulterat i en bristfällig analys av dessa resursers påverkan på konkurrenskraften. Således adderades det relationella synsättet efter analys av empirin. Utifrån dessa två perspektiv kunde det konstateras att små bygg- och anläggningsföretag stärker sin konkurrenskraft genom att skapa inbäddade relationer med kunder och anställda samtidigt som heterogena resurser måste förnyas, tillämpas och utvecklas. Genom detta kan konkurrensfördelar skapas. / Small businesses constitute the economic engine which affects nations’ development. That is why they continuously need support to further encourage the development of countries. 99 % of all the construction companies are today small businesses and due to the industry’s high sensitivity to economic fluctuation, low entry barriers and intense competition there is a high business failure rate. This leads to a demand of strategic research that can be applied on their special characteristics, flexibility and small scaled. Strategic research has throughout the history had a different focus in explaining businesses competitiveness. Today, research is more directed towards an internal perspective whereas the resource-based theory is the most used. As the external environment is constantly changing and customers’ preferences are volatile the external perspective cannot form a secure foundation to use in the understanding of business competitiveness.  The purpose of this study is from a resource-based view increase the understanding of how competitiveness in small businesses in the construction industry can be strengthened. This by identifying key resources and study how these are renewed, applied and developed. To answer the purpose of the study, a qualitative study has been used whereas the primary data collection consists of five semi-structured interviews. Two businesses where chosen by a purposive sampling. The criteria’s where that the businesses would be classified as small businesses and be leaders of the market.  Based on the study it can be established that it is not sufficient to only analyze the resourcebased theory in order to understand how small businesses in the construction industry strengthen their competitiveness. The research businesses highlighted the importance of their external customer relations. The customer relationships had a direct connection to the businesses competitiveness in terms of contracts and reputation. Only analyzing the internal perspective would have resulted in an inadequate analyze of these resources impact on competitiveness. Thus, the relational view was added to the study after analyze of the gathered data. Through these two perspectives it was noted that small construction businesses competitiveness strengthens through embedded relationships with their customers and employees while at the same time renewing, applying and developing heterogenic resources. Through this, a competitive advantage can be created.