In today's marketplace firms have to become specialized in specific technological aspects in product development due to intensifying competition. Further, the increasing complexity of offerings make firms become more dependent on other value-chain contributors such as providers of complementary and component technologies. Therefore, in addition to the inherent market of appeal of product, a successful introduction may depend on the firm's interactions with suppliers and even "competitors". These interactions with other firms in the marketplace present a unique set of challenges to firms. In this dissertation, we explore how a firm's approach to interacting with supply chain partners and/or competitors may depend upon how its product provides value to customers. In the first essay, we look into how a firm should design the interdependence between a durable good and a consumable such as a printer and a cartridge and utilize the benefits of an industry of generic consumable suppliers. In the second essay, we analyze the different approaches that firms adopt while commercializing their technologies to competitors in a networked environment (such as telecommunications). We identify the impact of the competitor's development capabilities on the trade-off between the increased competition and network benefits. In the third essay, we explore situations in which firms collaborate to develop a component innovation that they later market individually; they codevelop and jointly market; and they choose to individually develop and market. We consider how competitive strategies between development partners should consider the influence of supplier formation on the investment incentives of an OEM. In summary, this dissertation examines how the management of interactions with supply chain partners and competitors can play an important role in technology development and deployment. Our results highlight key trade-offs and provide insights for managers who are involved in developing and deploying new products. / text

The purpose of the research was to evaluate whether the Education Management Information System (EMIS) units within Provincial Education Departments can take advantage of the information management and communication tools to enhance the flow of information within the education system. The research investigates the clients' insight on the support provided by EMIS in the education department. Clients were only limited to Senior Managers and Unit Heads within the Head Office of a specific provincial education department. / Thesis (M.B.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2004.

Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 170-182). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--George Mason University, 1995. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 255-263).

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Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Technology: Mechanical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012 / Over the years, many organisations are constantly under extreme pressure for their survival and sustainability due to globalization, rapid pace of technological innovation and growing knowledge of their customers. Leaders within the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) struggle in dealing with these pressures due to lack of management skills, market know-how, education and training, entrepreneurial drive, technological orientation, product distribution and networking, particularly when compared with large companies. Innovative culture becomes a major problem among these SMEs. This forces leaders to establish a sound environment where employees can be creative and innovative. However, innovative culture is relatively at a slow pace in South Africa compared with other countries. In an attempt to create an innovative environment for employees, many leaders introduced international based policies such as organisational restructuring and reengineering. Instead of these policies to ease the prevailing conditions, the stress levels within the workplaces elevated and crushed the little creativity left in them. Therefore, this study is undertaken to investigate the appropriate leadership style capable to spearhead the SMEs in instilling local based innovation culture for sustainability in the Western Cape, South Africa. A group of participants including both employees (n1=336) and leaders (n2=130) took part in the research survey within 50 SMEs in the Western Cape. Nevertheless, different sample sizes were utilised in various stages through different case studies. This study has adopted the survey research method for its reliability and being quantitative in nature originated from positivism paradigm. An innovative leadership model covered the key characteristics of leadership was developed to achieve the research objectives. All the characteristics as variables were formulated into propositions and hypotheses to determine the state of innovative culture in these SMEs. Cronbach's-Alpha coefficient was used for reliability test of all the characteristics. In addition, descriptive statistical results such as means, standard deviations, correlations, and Chi-Square were generated. The study results revealed that all leadership characteristics variables were found to have p values below (0.01) which suggested on the rejection of null hypotheses. From employees’ point of view, the results showed that the leaders lack inspirational and motivational and high gain risk-taking characters. Thus, employees were not satisfied with their management styles toward innovation. However, leaders rated themselves highly based on the responses. In essence, a mathematical model was also used to analyse the impact of innovative leadership on productivity and profitability. The research findings have confirmed that leadership has the ability to stimulate both productivity and profitability. The study results further indicated that innovative leadership contributed to low production costs that resulted in the increase of productivity and profitability. This study concluded that innovative leadership was vital to the innovative culture within SMEs. The proposed leadership model can be used as a guideline for SMEs to create innovative culture. Moreover, the mathematical model can be utilised for any SMEs to predict their productivity and profitability. ii The rest of the thesis is organized as follows: Chapter one emphasises on the research problems pointing out factors that affected leadership in South African SMEs. The importance of the SMEs in the economy of the country as well as their descriptions and definition of SMEs were discussed. The problem statement, research objectives, leadership definitions, research propositions were highlighted. A description of the proposed model was detailed, and finally, the significance of the study and ethical issues were addressed. Chapter two focused on improving new product development (NPD) through innovative leadership qualities. In this regard, the key factors bearing the impact on NPD such as lack of understanding customer needs, business skills and understanding of innovation in NPD. Chapter three discussed the impact of innovative leadership on organisational culture within SMEs in the Western Cape, South Africa. It outlined the key leadership characters such as visionary, passionate, charismatic, inspirational and motivational, immersed in progressive change, high gain risk taking, ability to network and fast and action oriented leadership, and how these characteristics influence leadership to create an innovative culture within SMEs. Chapter four highlighted how passionate and charismatic leadership impacted creativity and innovation within the SMEs. The leaders in these SMEs were passionate and charismatic. However, it is not sufficient to instill an innovative culture. Chapter five presents an approach on how to create an innovation culture through visionary leadership in the SMEs. The results revealed that employees were very satisfied with their leaders. However, the leaders needed to make more efforts in making employees to embrace their organisational vision in order to be competitive. Chapter six alluded on the developed mathematical model to analyse the impact of innovative leadership on organisational sustainability in terms of productivity and profitability. The mathematical model predicts how changes of innovative leaders influence the increase of profits while production costs decreasing. Chapter seven concluded the importance of innovation culture within the SMEs. This chapter also indicated that there is a tremendous lack of innovation drive within the leaders in the SMEs; such that employees are not motivated enough to bring new ideas that can add organisational values. The further study areas were highlighted as well. Keywords: Innovation, leadership, culture, new product development, sustainability and SMEs

The study was triggered by a discussion with one of Transwerk’s executive management during an MBA tea break. The discussion was centred on the lack of IT Governance Structure in some organisations that are centrally managed due to geographical location and spreading of branches countrywide. The purpose of this study was to analyse the information and communication technology initiatives that can be implemented at Transwerk by the ICT department to ensure significant value from their information and communication technology investments. This was undertaken by means of a literature and an empirical study. The elements of the information and communication technology initiatives were discussed and the study then analysed the responses in an attempt to determine the initiatives that are currently implemented at Transwerk’s ICT department. The literature study indicated that is it critical for any organisation that needs to be successful should have an integrated ICT Governance Structure. The empirical study found out that the current situation at Transwerk’s ICT department requires attention because their IT Governance Structure does not involve major stakeholders from other business units. Recommendations were made as a result of analysing the literature study and empirical study to ensure the implementation of key initiatives that can add value to the organization.

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Understanding information technology and its related products and services is increasingly important because the everyday use of technology continues to expand and broaden. Despite this need for greater understanding, the extant theories that explore the dominant factors that drive intention to use a new technology are limited. The Technology Acceptancy Model (TAM) is the most popular model in explaining traditional technology adoption. The limitations of the TAM in grasping the overall evaluation of technology or service are one of motivations for developing new models in this dissertation. The two antecedents of the TAM- perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use- only capture partial utility of a service (or product). In addition, some researchers argued that key factors used in an initial acceptance model such as perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are not strong predictors of future continuance intention of the service because they do not consider future switching intention in the later stage. Hence, one goal of this dissertation is to develop and test new models to predict factors that drive intention and continuance intention decisions of new technology related products or services. This research involves three studies that examine different aspects of adoption and continuance intention decisions of new technology-related products or services. Essay 1 posits and empirically tests a new model that examines service vendor quality, service outcome quality, and trust as drivers of cloud-based services by adopting the frameworks from marketing, behavior intention and information technology research. The model is referred to as the quality trust model (QTM). The quality of cloud-based services involves the quality of vendors and the quality of service outcomes; its effectiveness is mirrored by trust of the services. Data from an online survey of 355 respondents were used to test the research model. The results show that vendor quality and outcome quality influence trust, which is positively correlated with intention. However, vendor quality appears less salient than outcome quality in motivating usage of cloud-based services. We discussed the implications of the model and findings for practitioners searching for solutions in driving user participation, as well as for academics fascinated with a deeper understanding of roles of quality and trust in an individual level of decision-making behavior. Essay 2 posits and develops a model that includes the influences of reliability and flexibility on service quality, and influences of service quality on consumer perceived benefits and satisfaction, which consequently influences continuance intention of cloud services. The model explained 50% of satisfaction, which consequently explained 58% of continuance intention. We also examined the mediated effects among key drivers and validated the prominence of service quality in the IS continuance intention model. We delivered implications for academia and practice. Essay 3 unifies two theoretical frameworks a motivational model (MM) and expectation and confirmation theory (ECT) related to continuance intention and develops a new model that examines continuance intention of using smart devices. The article investigates the role of confirmation in the success of continuance intention of smart devices- the case of smartphones. We propose that confirmation is an antecedent of perceived enjoyment, perceived usefulness, and satisfaction. We also posit that confirmation directly influences continuance intention to use the devices. The paper will also propose that three specific advanced attributes - cost advantages, access to specialized resources, and quality improvement- will affect confirmation. An empirical examination of the model showed that confirmation predicts perceived enjoyment, perceived usefulness, and satisfaction, which mediates the effects of confirmation on continuance intention of smartphones. Hence, confirmation constitutes an important indirect factor influencing smartphones post adoption. Furthermore, cost advantages, access to specialized resources, and quality improvement all had significant influences on confirmation. The research contributes to the literature by confirming the important role of confirmation in smartphones adoption and by presenting that specific advanced attributes available to a user during a later phase can help enhance perceived enjoyment, perceived usefulness, and satisfaction. For managers of smart devices design, the study implies that building into the devices the ability to accommodate advanced attributes can elevate the possibility of persistent success.

Thesis (PhD) -- Macquarie University, Macquarie Graduate School of Management, 2008. / Bibliography: p. 301-327. / Introduction -- Literature review -- Methodology and phase 1 research design -- Phase 1 findings -- Phase 2 research design -- Phase 2 findings -- Conclusions and implications. / This research examines the relationship between innovation project portfolio management (IPPM) capabilities and competitive advantage. Innovation projects - or projects for the development of new products - are of escalating importance in an increasingly competitive, globalised and deregulated environment characterised by shortening product lifecycles and dynamic markets. IPPM capabilities aim to improve the success rates for product innovation activities by providing a holistic and responsive decision-making environment to maximise the long-term value of innovation investments across the portfolio of innovation projects. This research takes a wide view and investigates the overall rganisational capability for the management of the innovation project portfolio. -- Successful product innovation is no longer primarily a concern of manufacturing-based industries - product development in service industries is a growing endeavour in an increasingly important industry. Therefore this research includes service product development environments and is the first to extend beyond the traditional manufacturing industry base for IPPM research. This is also the first study to investigate IPPM capabilities in Australia. -- A pragmatic perspective guides a two-phase study encompassing a quantitative survey and a qualitative multiple-case study, the combination of methods providing a deeper level of understanding than could be achieved by either method alone. Findings support prior IPPM studies and suggest a positive relationship between structured IPPM capabilities and improved new product outcomes. The research highlights similarities and differences between service and manufacturing environments, and suggests future challenges will result from the increasing blurring of the boundaries between service and manufacturing industries. This research adopts a 'dynamic capabilities' perspective and draws on organisational learning theory to investigate the path-dependent nature of IPPM capability development. It adds to the understanding of how IPPM capabilities work with the resource base and contribute to competitive advantage. The findings of the research are presented in a maturity model and several conceptual models, and areas for future research are identified. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / xxvii, 436 p. ill. (some col.)