Thesis (PhD (Civil Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / The primary goal of this thesis is to indicate how systems theory and engineering process modelling can be applied to provide models for consulting engineering service business enterprises. The typical management systems used for these businesses are investigated to determine the application of systems and process models. The motivation for this study is based on the fact that integrated management systems for consulting engineering practices are presently based on selective business analysis and process modelling that has evolved over time, as reported in a survey and study by Smit [110]. Furthermore, current engineering management systems are simply computer implementations of management procedures based on techniques that were developed to solve problems in the absence of the computational capabilities of the modern computer. To rectify this, a fundamental approach to analyse the business and management functions using systems theory and engineering process modelling techniques is required, which has not been attempted to date. This study develops and demonstrates the application of fundamental analysis in consulting engineering enterprise management and reviews advantages that can be obtained from using this approach. It is shown that the mathematical Algebra of Relations and associated Graph Theory provide the mathematical basis on which management problems can be treated systematically. Since these fields of mathematics are well developed and very broad, the essential parts of the theories are identified. Thereupon, the application of the very abstract mathematical concepts to two important and typical engineering management problems are developed, which represents the core contribution of the dissertation. The study is developed and presented in two parts and an addendum: 1. The first part provides an overview of the necessary mathematical theory required to support development of business models. 2. Management systems theory and relation- and graph theory-based engineering process modelling techniques are applied in this part to build generic enterprise models and data processing models. These models provide inputs for the management processes of professional service business enterprises. The outcome of the modelling and analysis is a set of database models with reporting functionality, to be used in the management process. A demonstration of technology available for development of the models and techniques, described in the previous part, is undertaken in this part. Generic implementations of database models and reporting techniques for systems which deal with management data in a consulting engineering business are developed, described and demonstrated. 3. In the addendum to the study, typical models and system functionality needed to support the management functions of the consulting engineering service business are identified. These management functions include: • Business strategy and long term planning • Marketing and promotion • Finance, including bookkeeping and auditing • Personnel • Facilities management and document management • Logistics, i.e., management of resources required for the business to operate • Knowledge management • Production management, i.e., management of the execution of project work • Administration • Risk management Production management can use the engineering process model approach, modelling the management of tasks, persons, datasets and tools as these are applied to the consulting engineering business. Sample subsystems to support selected management functions are identified and analysed. The integration of these systems with commercially available systems to support accounting and management reporting can follow from this analysis. The study contributes to the body of knowledge in the field of engineering management by providing insights into the application of a specific branch of mathematics to provide fundamental solutions to engineering management problems. It also shows how these solutions are mapped to the computer, and describes available information techniques and technology to support the mapping. The outcome is a document setting out the theory required to develop robust enterprise management systems, the development and demonstration of technology required to do this and, as an addendum, a high level specification of business and management system functionality required for the professional engineering service business.

<p>There has been a rapid expansion of the PR and information industry during the last few years. An expansion like this might lead to structural changes in an industry. The aim of this thesis is to describe a part of this industry, namely the Swedish PR consulting industry, in terms of its development, structure and professionalism. Web sites of the consultancies in the industry has been analyzed. Furthermore, interviews have been conducted with three leading individuals in the industry. Structural changes can be seen since there is a trend towards further specialization among the consultancies. Some of the most common criteria for an industry to be characterized by professionalism are not achieved, but the industry is characterized by an aim towards increased professionalism.</p>

Bakgrund: BVC-sjuksköterskor har en unik möjlighet att identifiera de barn som ligger i riskzonen för att utveckla en övervikt eller fetma. I BVC-sjuksköterskors möte med föräldrar till barn med övervikt eller fetma, är en av de viktigaste uppgifterna att förmedla vad som är gynnande för barnets hälsa. Övervikt och fetma är en riskfaktor för kroniska följdsjukdomar och en sämre hälsa senare i livet, och därför behövs hälsofrämjande och förebyggande insatser tidigt i livet för att förhindra utveckling av övervikt. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att belysa BVC-sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av att möta föräldrar när barnet har övervikt eller fetma. Metod: I denna studie användes en induktiv ansats där datamaterialet analyserades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Datamaterialet utgörs av intervjuer med nio BVC-sjuksköterskor med specialistexamen som distriktssköterska verksamma inom barnhälsovård. Resultat: Ur analysen av datamaterialet framträdde fyra kategorier så som; Familjesituationen påverkar samtalet, Ge nödvändig vägledning, Pedagogisk strategi och Kommunikationsproblem, med nio underkategorier. Konklusion: Studien visar att BVC-sjuksköterskor identifierar förtroendet som en avgörande faktor i mötet med föräldrar. Förtroendet är av betydelse för att BVC-sjuksköterskor ska kunna stödja och vägleda föräldrar i arbetet kring barnets vikt. I mötet är det viktigt att BVC-sjuksköterskor tar hänsyn till familjesituationen och de omgivande faktorer som påverkar. / Background: A Child health care nurse has a unique opportunity to identify children at risk of becoming overweight or obese. During consultation with parents, one of the most important tasks of nurses is to effectively communicate ways to benefit the child's health. Overweight and obesity are well known risk factors for chronic health conditions and decreased general health later in life, thus making the implementation of health promotion and preventative measures early in life vital. Aim: To evaluate the experiences of Child health care nurses after consultation with parents of overweight or obese children. Method: Interviews with nine Child health care nurses working with children's health were performed.An inductive approach was applied where data was analyzed with qualitative content analysis. Result: Four main categories emerged from the analysis; Family situation affects the consultation, Giving necessary guidance, Pedagogic strategy and Problems in communication, and nine subcategories. Conclusion: This study reveals that Child health care nurses identify trust as a major factor in consultations with parents. Trust is important for the nurse to be able to support and guide parents concerning weight issues of their children. The nurse must keep the family situation and surrounding factors influencing the meeting in mind.

IntroduktionRevisionsbranschen anses ha utvecklats från att tidigare ha fokuserat på professionella principer och bedömningar, till att idag fokusera mer på kommersiella intressen. Hög NAS-försäljning har antytts utgöra en utmärkande faktor gällande avancemanget till partnerskapet. Vi undersöker hur konkurrensen om partnerskapet påverkar försäljningen av NAS, då den har antytts påverka revisorns arbetsutförande. NAS-försäljning är ett aktuellt ämne som nyligen har reglerats av EU vilket motiverar och aktualiserar studien.  SyfteSyftet med studien är att utforska hur partnerstrukturen i revisionsbolagen påverkar försäljningen av NAS.  MetodStudien har en kvantitativ forskningsstrategi, en deduktiv forskningsansats och är av explorativ art. Genom dokumentstudier har data från svenska noterade bolag och revisionsbyråer samlats in för två enskilda år och har med hjälp OLS-regressioner analyserats. NAS har mätts som det logaritmerade värdet av bolagens kostnader till revisionsbyrån utöver den lagstadgade revisionen. SlutsatsStudien visar på ej samstämmiga resultat då vi för år 2014 fann att ökad konkurrens om partnerskapet leder till minskad försäljning av NAS, medan inget samband upptäcktes för år 2009. Möjliga förklaringar till resultatet återfinns i Turneringsteorin, som säger att anställdas motivation och prestation kan minska vid för hög intern konkurrens. Att inget samband upptäcktes för år 2009 tyder istället på att revisorn är professionell i sin roll och agerar därmed i professionens linje. / IntroductionThere has been an evolution away from the founding values of the audit industry, which centered on professional values and judgements toward profit-minded commercial interests. High sales of NAS has been implied to be a factor that make auditors prominently conspicuous on their path to becoming a partner. We are exploring the possibility that a competitive environment affect sales of NAS, which has been suggested to impact the way the auditor works. NAS is a current topic that recently was regulated by the EU, which is a motivating factor for this study. PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore how the audit firms’ partnership structure impacts Non-Audit Services.  MethodThis study has a quantitative research strategy and a deductive research approach that is exploratory in nature. Data from the Swedish listed firms and audit firms have been collected for two years through document studies and have been analyzed with an OLS-regression. NAS was measured as the natural logarithm of the listed firms’ cost to the audit firm beyond the statutory audit costs.  ConclusionOur study shows inconsistent results. In 2014 we found that an increased competition for the partnership leads to a decrease in sales of NAS, while in 2009, no correlation was found. The results in 2014 can be explained by the Tournament Theory, whereas the employee’s motivation and accomplishments may decrease if there is high competition within the firm. A lack of correlation in 2009, suggests a professionalism among the auditors that is in accordance with the auditing profession.

Att företag ska visa en så rättvisande bild av sin verksamhet som möjligt i årsredovisningarna har blivit ett allmänt accepterat faktum. Den här studien behandlar och granskar om och hur konsultföretag redovisar sitt humankapital samt om det är möjligt att komplettera årsredovisningen med en icke obligatorisk humankapitalsvärderingsmodell, likt hur GRI fungerar idag.  Syftet med uppsatsen är således att förklara hur konsultfirmor hanterar redovisning av humankapital, samt att baserat på det ge förslag till kompletteringar till årsredovisningen som gör årsredovisningen mer rättvisande.  I den teoretiska referensramen presenteras olika definitioner samt tidigare forskning inom redovisning, redovisning av humankapital samt de vanligaste förslagen till humankapitalsvärderingsmodeller. I studien har det brukats en kvalitativ metod med redskapen; personlig intervju, mejlintervju samt dokumentinsamling.  Analysen fokuserar på vad det arbete som bedrivs idag i konsultföretag med humankapitalsredovisning innebär samt vad som eventuellt kan tilläggas det redan existerande arbetet. I analysen behandlas även konsultföretagens åsikter angående de humankapitalsvärderingsmodeller som finns.  Exempel på viktiga slutsatser som kan dras av analyskapitlet är att det med absolut säkerhet kan sägas att det finns en möjlighet och en vilja från konsultföretag att komplettera årsredovisningar med humankapitalsvärderingsmodeller. Anledningen till att värderingsmodellen läggs som komplement är att det är svårt att införa humankapitalsvärderingsmodeller i den officiella årsredovisningen, med tanke på rådande värderingsprinciper för tillgångar. / That companies is supposed to show the most true and fair view possible in their annual report has become socially accepted. This study will reflect on and examine how and if consulting firms present their human capital, and whether or not it is possible to add a human capital valuation model as a non-compulsory addition to the annual report.  The purpose of the study is to explain how consulting firms present their human capital, and based on that give suggestions on human capital valuation models as additions that might increase the level of true and fair view in the annual report.  The theoretical framework presents different definitions and previous research about accounting, presentation of human capital in accounting and the most common suggestions on human capital valuation models. In the study we have been using a qualitative method with the tools; face-to-face interview, e-mail interview and documentary secondary data.  The analysis focuses on what kind of work is being made in the consulting firms today regarding human valuation, and what might be added to that already existing work. In the analysis the consulting firms views on existing human capital valuation models is also being treated.  Examples of important conclusions are that there seems to be possible to add a human capital valuation model as a complement to the annual report, as long as it isn’t compulsory. It is regarded as difficult to add a human capital valuation model as a part of the annual report, which makes putting it as a complement to the annual report the reasonable suggestion.

Title of thesis: Contribution of consulting service to a change of lifestyle Summary: The question of healthy life style has been recently in the centre of frequently discussed topics. The population's lifestyle has changed noticeably in comparison with the past and high-quality nutrition and regular motion activity is frequently neglected. People suffer from stress, lack of sleep and all these factors bring an increased level of heath risk. Among others, the society reacts to this fact by founding an amount of consulting clinics which try to help people to change and achieve a healthier and better quality life style. This thesis is concerned with an effect of a programme individually formed by a consultant on a change of life style and consequently on a change of female physical constitution at the age of 18 - 65. The research is supposed to reveal whether the program itself, regular controls and feed - backs will bring positive changes of life style and if there consequently follows a reduction of body weight as well as improvement of other physical parameters. Objective of thesis: Our aim was to determine what kind of women seek for help and consultations in the area of healthy life style. We were also interested which effect individually formed programme has and whether this change also...

In a society dependent on knowledge, information and information technology (IT), studying IT-oriented knowledge intensive firms becomes particularly interesting. Previous research has for the most part studied management consulting firms as well as how knowledge management and knowledge management initiatives can support or inhibit the growth of organizations. To further progress this line of research the study intends to fill a gap in research concerning consultants focusing on IT-solutions. Consequently, this study has two equally important purposes. Firstly, the study intends to investigate the application of Ikujiro Nonaka’s Organizational Knowledge Creation Theory on new empirical data. Secondly, this study aims to explain learning processes in the IT-consulting trade. The empirical data used is taken from eight interviews and three qualitative surveys from three different IT-consulting firms in Sweden. By using a multiple-case study design this study simultaneously presents a broad perspective of the IT-consulting trade and a deeper understanding of the knowledge sharing processes used in the different cases. The study has resulted in three major conclusions. (1) There are different types of digital tools that are important for knowledge sharing in organizations. These are digital conversation-rooms, digital pin boards and internal databases. (2) The authors also identify six conditions that are important for knowledge sharing. These conditions are proven to have a complex relationship with the context in which knowledge is shared and the consultants’ choice of digital tools. (3) Lastly the Organizational Knowledge Creation Theory is found to be insufficient in describing the knowledge sharing processes in IT-consulting firms, especially regarding the relation between the socialization and externalization processes. Proposals for future research in relation to the findings are presented.

Aim: The overall aim of the thesis is to describe and understand how Vietnam-based management consulting SMEs retain organizational knowledge in cases of employees’ departure and further develop strategies for knowledge retention. Methodology: Qualitative research via semi-structured interviews in 2 Vietnam-based management consulting SMEs (1 medium-sized company and 1 small company) was conducted. Findings: Knowledge retention is still a rather new concept in the Vietnamese context, interestingly, however; some knowledge retention initiatives have been unconsciously implemented by Vietnam-based management consulting SMEs. Small-sized companies, which suffer more from resource scarcity in terms of human, finance, time, tend to be less active in knowledge retention than medium-size companies. More efforts have been put in retaining tacit knowledge by management consulting SMEs in Vietnam. Among the factors influencing knowledge retention, leadership is seen to be the key factor to decide the successful implementation of knowledge retention of Vietnam-based management consulting SMEs. Vietnamese culture is also found to have indirect impacts (either positive or negative) on knowledge retention through other factors (leadership, organizational culture, personal attitudes), however the effect of national culture on knowledge retention varies from firm to firm, largely depends on SMEs’ leadership. Practical implications: Considering the important roles of leaders in the implementation of knowledge retention, training on leadership skills is highly recommended. Furthermore, trainings on interpersonal skills and personal attitudes towards knowledge retention also need attention. On top of that, it is essential to build up an organizational culture that facilitates knowledge retention and provides appropriate organizational supports (affordable IT systems that suit SMEs’ needs, extrinsic together with intrinsic rewards). Last but not least, knowledge retention activities are recommended to be integrated into daily operations to cope with the issues related to time constraints faced by management consulting SMEs.

The aim of this thesis is to describe the recruitment and selection process at A.T. Kearney. Thesis is focused on a description of current practices and methods of recruitment and selection process in the company, recommendations how to improve the process are part of the thesis as well. This thesis is divided into two parts. In theoretical part, reader is informed about particular phases and methods of recruitment and selection process. Practical part consists of A.T. Kearney introduction, selection and recruiting process characteristics and analysis and survey. Survey investigates the students' preferences and factors relevant when selecting future employer as representatives of the youngest generation in the working age, Generation Y. At the end, there are the recommendations for improvement of current practices of A.T. Kearney recruitment and selection process.

[pt] Este trabalho tem como objetivo final identificar atributos que determinam a fidelidade de empresas aos seus fornecedores de serviços de consultoria em informática. O estudo inicia com uma pesquisa bibliográfica sobre os conceitos de serviços, qualidade, satisfação, fidelidade, relacionamento, retenção, customer bonding e características do mercado de consultoria. Em seguida, são realizadas entrevistas com executivos de diversos segmentos que serviram de base, junto com a pesquisa bibliográfica, para a elaboração e aplicação de um questionário. Elaborou- se um modelo de fidelidade utilizando as variáveis independentes imagem, relacionamento com a equipe de vendas, suporte, relacionamento com a equipe de consultores, preço, serviço e barreiras de mudança e a variável dependente fidelidade, resultante da aglutinação das variáveis satisfação, recompra e recomendação. A análise dos resultados da pesquisa mostrou que os atributos imagem do fornecedor, relacionamento da equipe de consultores, preço e serviço foram os mais importantes para explicar a fidelidade. O estudo mostrou que 54% dos clientes são fiéis, 19% como prisioneiros (fidelidade espúria), 6% como acessíveis (fidelidade latente) e 21% como de alto risco (ausência de fidelidade). Ele mostrou também que o setor público apresenta menor fidelidade (25%) em relação a outros setores. / [en] The purpose of this study is to identify the attributes that determine the customers loyalty to its IT consulting services suppliers. We started this study with a bibliographical research on the concepts of services, quality, satisfaction, loyalty, relationship, retention, customer bonding and characteristics of the IT consulting market. After that, it carried through interviews with executives from different segments. A survey was elaborated based on the bibliographical research and the interviews. A loyalty model was created using the independent variables brand, relationship with the sales team, support, relationship with the consultants team, price, service, switch barriers and the dependent loyalty variable, resultant of the agglutination of satisfaction, repurchases and recommendation. The research findings showed that the attributes brand, relationship of the consultants team, price and service had been most important to explain the loyalty. The findings showed that 54% of the customers are truly loyal, 19% as prisoners (spurious loyalty), 6% as accessible (latent loyalty) and 21% as of high risk (loyalty absence). It also showed that the public sector is less loyalty (25%) than other sectors.