In Angola, 96.7% of established small businesses fail. Thus, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies retail grocery store owners in Angola use to succeed beyond 5 years. The population of the study consisted of 5 retail grocery storeowners who sustained their businesses longer than 5 years in Angola. The conceptual framework for this study was the resource-based view. Face-to-face, semistructured interviews and company documentation review were used to collect data. Yin's 5-phase cycle, which includes (a) compiling, (b) disassembling, (c) reassembling, (d) interpreting, and (e) concluding, was used to find patterns, themes, and categories from the data. Member checking and methodological triangulation were used to ensure credibility. Through thematic analysis, 5 themes emerged: control and monitoring, dedication of the owner, quality staff, regular offer and quality products, and social capital. These themes reflect a common set of strategies that retail grocery storeowners in Angola use to succeed beyond 5 years. The implications for positive social change include the potential to improve the performance of small businesses and reduce business failure rates and unemployment in Angola. Additionally, by sustaining their profitability, small businesses offer a basis for increasing tax revenues, contributing to economic growth of the local economy, and improving people's living standards.

Access to growth capital, a critical factor for growing a successful, sustainable business, is a challenge for women-owned small businesses. Following the resource based theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore what capital growth strategies 6 small women-owned business leaders in the defense industry in Dayton, Ohio used to ensure business sustainability beyond the initial start-up period of 1 year. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and company documents. Methodological triangulation, member checking, reflexivity, and an audit trail were used to strengthen credibility and trustworthiness. Based on thematic analysis of the data, emergent themes included growth strategies, risk, and cultivate relationships. Participants pursued low-cost slow-growth strategies to remain viable in a highly competitive marketplace; mitigated risk by aligning business decisions with their strategic plans and diversifying their business and customer base; and cultivated relationships with government agencies, customers, partners, and employees to obtain capital to sustain and grow their businesses. The implications for positive social change include the potential to provide women-owned small business leaders with strategies to obtain growth capital necessary for sustainability, contributing to economic growth of businesses, employees, employees' families, and communities.

Plusieurs recherches ont étudié les facteurs de succès du SI dans le contexte des PME. Mais, les dirigeants ont du mal à utiliser ces résultats à cause du nombre important de facteurs et de résultats souvent contradictoires de leurs impacts sur l’organisation. Dans le cadre de la théorie des ressources et du modèle d’acceptation de la technologie et, en tenant compte du contexte spécifique des PME, nous construisons un modèle théorique du succès du SI en nous appuyant sur le facteur des connaissances en TI des dirigeants. Ce modèle est testé empiriquement sur un échantillon de 123 PME, qui sont recensées par une enquête par questionnaire réalisée à Hanoi et ses alentours. Le résultat nous montre que la connaissance stratégique en TI, l’accès à la connaissance en TI et la connaissance en management des TI ont des impacts positifs sur le succès du SI des PME. Plus précisément, la connaissance stratégique en TI a des impacts directs sur le succès du SI, tandis que la norme subjective et la facilité d’utilisation perçue transmettent totalement l’impact de la connaissance en management des TI et de l’accès à la connaissance en TI. / Several studies have investigated the success factors of IS in the context of SMEs. But managers are struggling to use these results because of the large number of factors and of contradictory results of their impact on the organization. In the framework of resource-based theory and technology acceptance model, and taking into account the specific context of SMEs, we construct a theoretical model of IS success by building on the IT knowledge factor of managers. This model is empirically tested on a sample of 123 SMEs, which are identified by a survey conducted in Hanoi and its surroundings. The result shows that the strategic IT knowledge, access to IT knowledge and management of IT knowledge have a positive impact on IS success of SMEs. More specifically, the strategic IT knowledge has a direct impact on the IS success, while subjective norm and perceived ease of use totally convey the impact of IT knowledge management and access to IT knowledge.

What is the influence of Information Technology (IT) capability, and customer relationship management (CRM) capability on organisational information privacy protection behaviour, and ultimately how do these relationships impact on organizational performance? What are the relationships between different types of IT capabilities (i.e. outside-in, inside-out, and spanning capabilities) and how do they impact on performance (i.e. directly or indirectly)? This survey study attempted to answer these questions by empirically testing a research model based on the Resource Based-View (RBV) of the firm and the Comparative Advantage Theory of Competition to examine these relationships in the context of New Zealand firms engaged in IT supported CRM activities. RBV theory claims different subsets of a firm's resources (i.e. assets and capabilities) enable it to achieve initial and long-term competitive advantage (Barney, 1991). The role of different types of IS resources in achieving advantage has not been fully explored with some prior work finding evidence of direct effects but most finding only indirect effects of IS resources in general (Wade & Hulland, 2004). In addition, Comparative Advantage Theory claims a comparative advantage in resources leads to a competitive advantage in market position which in turn leads to superior financial performance (Hunt & Morgan, 1995). In turn, an organisation's use of customer information primarily for internal knowledge or external relationship building may be related to its privacy protection capability and how it measures performance (Greenaway & Chan, 2005) but these propositions had not yet been empirically tested. A review of the Information Systems literature showed that very little prior work had been done on organisational level privacy protection behaviours. The findings from my study begin to address these gaps in the literature. This research makes the following contributions to the academic literature on CRM. First, it empirically tested proposals found in the literature which suggested considering information privacy protection as a resource based on claims made by RBV theory. Second, the research splits IS capabilities into three groups (IS inside-out capability, outside-in capability and spanning capability), splits CRM capabilities into two groups (customer knowledge capability and customer relating capability) and splits organisational performance into two groups (effectiveness and efficiency) in order to assess the role of privacy protection practice as a mediating mechanism between different IS and CRM capabilities and organisational performance outcomes. The response data was analysed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis based on the Partial Least Squares parameter estimation technique, a form of Structural Equation Modelling. The findings show inside-out (internally focused) IT capabilities have a weak negative direct effect on customer relating capability. However, this can be mediated by investing in IT outside-in and IT spanning capabilities which have a positive impact on customer relating capability. Interestingly, IT Outside-in (externally focused) capabilities had a direct positive influence on customer knowledge capability. This was unexpected as earlier work predicted this relationship would be mediated by IT spanning resources. As expected, a comparative advantage in customer knowledge capability had a moderate direct positive impact on efficiency, measured as financial performance. It also had a moderate direct positive impact on producing a comparative advantage in customer relating capability. This supports CRM theory which claims that a better understanding of customers based on collecting and processing customer information can lead to a better customer relating capability. But, as predicted, no relationship to privacy protection capability was found. In contrast, using IT to gain a comparative advantage in customer relating capability had a direct positive impact on establishing privacy protection behaviours that exceed guidelines. Treating privacy protection as a resource also appears to lead to greater effectiveness which in turn leads to greater efficiency. In addition to contributing empirical evidence to support the conditions under which the proposed theoretical model applied, the results had several implications for practice. First, the findings provide organisations with greater awareness of how others in their industry are using IT to support customer relating and customer knowledge capabilities and how safeguarding or not safeguarding information privacy contributes directly to effectiveness and indirectly improves financial performance. Second, the findings are useful for raising consumer awareness about actual organisational information privacy practices. Most organisations in New Zealand reported meeting or exceeding industry guidelines. If the reported safeguards are in place and fair information handling practices are being followed, awareness of the results may help to reduce the high levels of privacy concern reported in consumer surveys. Lastly, privacy protection capabilities have a positive impact on performance, giving organisations an incentive to implement them.

This thesis critically analyses the definitions of strategy within the management control literature, the relationship between resource-based view of strategy and the balanced scorecard, as well as the impact of these on manager's perceived performance. Contingency theory has been used as the overall framework for this thesis. The thesis discusses the interaction between changes in management control systems and organisational changes through the use of the Laughlin framework and the three mechanisms of institutional isomorphic suggested by DiMaggio and Powell.

由於科技的進步與國際化的趨勢，企業正面臨著充滿競爭、多變與相互結盟的經營環境，組織必須跳脫出過去沈重而僵化的運作體制，在組織結構與經營模式上加注更多的彈性與應變能力，資訊科技對於大量資料的處理、儲存、傳遞功能使得現代企業日益重視此項工具所能帶給組織的高附加價值。 　　本研究主要是探討資訊科技與組織競爭優勢的因果關係，研究的目的在於了解「資訊科技應如何與組織所擁有的核心能力相配合，以創造組織的競爭優勢。」，並在此目的下深入探討以下三個問題：資訊科技與核心能力之間的配合型態所代表的涵義以及企業界實際的作法為何？資訊科技與核心能力的最適搭配是否會因組織的特性而有所差異？核心能力與資訊科技之間的配合型態對競爭優勢的影響為何？ 　　本研究屬於探索個案研究，主要是藉由實地訪談國內電腦化績效卓越的公司，配合國內外相關文獻，以探討資訊科技的功能特性與組織核心能力的各種搭配型態，並進一步討論在不同的組織價值目標引領下，資訊科技與組織核心能力的最適配合型態與競爭優勢的因果關係。 　　經由理論與實務的印証，本研究發現透過資訊科技的收集、處理累積與分享傳遞的功能，能大幅降低企業流程的溝通協調成本，組織藉由知識與經驗的累積而能發揮「社會記憶」的功能，並經由不斷地對顧客進行深入的了解與探尋使組織比競爭者更有能力去滿足客戶的需求，如此組織便能以更具效率的運作程序及更高的顧客化程度來達成其所欲追求的競爭優勢。

本研究以國內系統領導廠商轉型為主要研究議題。使用個案研究法，探討其跨入智慧型手機產業之可行性。藉由文獻探討及產業領域知識（domain knowledge）等資訊來源，降低人為主觀偏見，選擇客觀的研究變項定義，發展研究架構，並進行個案公司訪談，彙整分析轉型策略及成功關鍵因素，期為企業進行轉型之參考依據。由研究結果顯示，影響台灣電腦系統廠轉型的關鍵因素，綜述如下：（一）企業轉型之購併策略，若忽略組織文化磨合期，反增加學習成本；（二）企業轉型之品牌策略鴻溝，其解決之道在於「創新」與「品質」；（三）企業轉型之採購策略制定，應配合企業整體目標，並視為企業競爭力之發展重點；（四）企業轉型之目標設定，為跨足新領域時，不能冀望過去成功模式可全然複製於新產業價值鏈，否則將影響決策擬定及業務執行之方向；（五）企業轉型之資源配置，應審思運用於企業核心能力之培育，並配合政府產業政策，以取得更多輔助資源，降低企業資源投入成本及創造利潤之壓力。 關鍵字：智慧型手機、企業轉型、產業價值鏈、資源基礎理論 / In this study, we apply the method of “case study” for the transformation of computer companies into smart phone industry in Taiwan. Using literature review and domain knowledge to reduce the individual bias, the study variables are defined, and the research framework is also proposed. Through interviewing with those companies, the strategy of transformation and critical success factor are analyzed in order to provide the references of business transformation in the future. As the result of study, the critical success factors are concluded as following：(1) It will increase the cost of learning curve if to ignore the integration between organizations during the transformation and merger. (2) “Innovation” and “quality” are the critical strength to fix chasm for brand strategy in the turnaround. (3) To formulate the strategy of procurement, it should be tied in corporation goal and regard it as the core competence. (4) A corporation abandons itself to former successful model during transformation into new industry, which will affect the frame of strategic direction and its business execution. (5) For the placement of organizational resource for turnaround, corporation should deeply consider for the cultivation of core competence in corporation. Besides, to obtain more assistant resource inputs from government to reduce the organizational pressure of return of investment. Keywords： Smartphone, Corporation Transformation, Turnaround and resource-based Theory.

華人藝術市場的主要區塊是台灣、香港、及中國大陸，然而三者的發展背景、時間和模式都不同。其中，台灣因為保留了最完整的中華文化與人文素養，使得台灣成為最早發展華人西畫藝術的地方，也是發展最成熟的地方，幾乎主導了「二十世紀華人藝術」項目的市場走向。 八零年代開始台灣經濟起飛，各項商業活動蓬勃發展，藝術市場也欣欣向榮。國際知名拍賣公司—蘇富比（Sotheby’s）洞見先機，1981年便來台設立辦事處，1992年台灣正式成為拍賣中心，於3月22日舉辦台灣首拍。競爭對手佳士得（Christie’s）則於1991年成立台灣辦事處（太古佳士得台灣分公司），1993年10月10日在台舉辦首場拍賣。這兩家在當時獨佔全球藝術拍賣市場的國際公司來台舉行拍賣會，帶動了台灣拍賣產業與國際接軌，更發展台灣成為華人西畫藝術最重要的成熟市場。 本研究的目的是比較九零年代兩大國際拍賣公司進入台灣市場的營運策略，梳理其策略觀點與資源基礎之分析，探討哪些異質性資源決定了企業競爭力的差異、影響持久競爭優勢之形成，及如何充分運用差異性機會追求成長。由於大多數台灣本土拍賣公司的規模與優勢較小，面對亞洲市場的成長和外國拍賣公司的潛在競爭，期望本研究結果有助於台灣本土拍賣公司在經營華人藝術項目的拍賣策略與經營方向的擬定。 本研究發現，蘇富比與佳士得在台獲致成功的營運策略核心是調適策略—因地制宜且熟悉地主國文化之地主國導向調適；而有關進入對台灣拍賣產業帶來之影響，本研究發現，兩大國際拍賣公司不僅幫助台灣藝術拍賣產業奠定各項規範，使台灣正式與國際接軌，也帶動畫廊、藝術博覽會等相關藝文產業升級，成功的拍賣會更擴大帶動周圍其他產業（如旅館業、餐飲業、會展業、精品業等）的發展商機。 ※ 關鍵字：資源基礎，佳士得，蘇富比，二十世紀華人藝術。 / The main areas of Chinese art market are Taiwan, Hong Kong and Mainland China; however, the developing background, time and model in each area are quite different. Among the three, Taiwan is the earliest and the most developed market for Chinese oil paintings because of its full preservation of Chinese culture and humanities. Taiwan almost dominates the market trend of “20th Century Chinese Art”. In 1980s, the economy in Taiwan was booming and commercial activities were very active which lead to thriving art market. Sotheby’s foresaw the opportunity to carry out auction business in Taiwan. Therefore, the company established Taiwan branch office in 1981 and upgraded the branch to auction center in 1992, holding the first auction in Taiwan on March 22nd in the same year. Its competitor, Christie’s, established Taiwan branch in 1991. Unlike Sotheby’s, Christie’s formed a joint venture to enter Taiwan. It established “Christie’s Swire” Taiwan in 1991 and started its first auction in October 10th, 1993. The two global auction companies coming to Taiwan to hold auctions drove Taiwan’s art auction industry to be geared to international standards. Furthermore, Sotheby’s and Christie’s coming has transformed Taiwan to become the most mature art market of 20th Century Chinese Art. The purpose of this thesis is to compare the operational strategies of Sotheby’s and Christie’s in Taiwan in the 90s. By analyzing their strategies and resource bases, we can understand how heterogeneous resources affect their competitiveness, sustainable competitive advantages, and pursuing of growth opportunities. Because most Taiwanese local auction houses are small and have less competitive advantage, facing the strong growth of Asian art market and potential competition of foreign auction houses, I hope that my research findings can help their strategic thinking and strategy formation to capture the business opportunities in 20th Century Chinese Art. This research finds that the core strategy to make Sotheby’s and Christie’s successful in Taiwan art market is “adaption”, which is a poly-centric adaption in which the companies are pretty familiar with local conditions and culture of the host country. As for the impact these two companies have on Taiwan art auction industry, this research finds that Sotheby’s and Christie’s coming not only help Taiwan settle the norms of auction and make Taiwan to be geared to international standards, but also drive galleries, art fairs and other related art industries upgrading. The successful auctions in Taiwan have also stimulated the development of other industries, such as hotels, restaurants, conventions, exhibitions, and luxury industry. ※ Keywords: Resource-based view, Sotheby’s, Christie’s, 20th Century Chinese Art.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

El trabajo se centra en el estudio de la influencia de las tecnologías de la información (TI) en los resultados de las empresas desde la enfoque de recursos y capacidades. A partir del análisis controvertido de la bibliografía existente hasta la década de los 90, se propone un modelo de medida de las TI, de las ventajas competitivas internas y externas que dichas tecnologías son susceptibles de generar y su repercusión sobre el rendimiento de las empresas. El análisis empírico realizado sobre una muestra de 186 empresas, determina relaciones significativas entre el esfuerzo inversor en TI y las ventajas competitivas generadas, que junto con la existencia complementaria de factores organizativos contingentes influyen de forma positiva sobre el rendimiento de las empresas. / The work concentrates on the study of the information technologies (IT) influences on the results of the companies from the Resource-based Approach. From the controversial analysis of the existing bibliography until the decade of the 90, we propose a measurement model of IT, its internal and external competitive advantages that these technologies are susceptible to generate and its repercussion on the companies performance. The empirical analysis made on a sample of 186 companies, determines significant relations between the investing effort in IT and the generated competitive advantages, that along with the complementary existence of contingent organizational factors, influence in a positive way on the firms performance.