Strategic group theory has become a popular tool for analysing the competitive structures of industries. A 'strategic group ' is a group of firms in an industry following the same or a similar strategy along strategic dimensions. Since its initial development in the early 1970s by Hunt, the concept of strategic groups has initiated a plethora of empirical research in both the industrial organisation economics and strategic management dliscipliiies, emphasising the importance of strategic groups in understanding the differences across firms within an industry. Despite the rich theoretical tradition from which the strategic group concept is derived and the numerous empirical efforts to test its implications, there is no consensus concerning the appropriate method to identify strategic groups. In addition, a number of important questions concerning this concept remain unanswered and many previously researched issues require further refinement. This study was concerned with the development of a general framework for formulating strategic groups within the UK construction industry and examining both the dynamic characteristics and the performance implications of strategic groups membership. The focus of this thesis was at the corporate level of 35 UK construction firms for the period starting from 1986 to 1991 inclusive. To operationalise the strategy concept the study utilised two components of strategic decisions, namely scope and resource allocations. The findings of the longitudinal analysis demonstrated that the construction industry has witnessed significant structural transformations over the study period. The number, location, and composition of strategic groups has changed over time in accordance with changes in key strategic dimensions. The results also demonstrated that there is partial support for the existence of performance differences among strategic groups. The m2jor contributions of this study are the development of a general framework for formulating, interpreting, and validating the identified strategic groups; the detailed measurement of the strategy concept; and the longitudinal analysis of the dynamic and performance implications of strategic groups. The application of the strategic group concept to a diversified and complex industry such as the UK construction industry provided more insight into the strategic group phenomenon and its usefulness to strategic management analysis. The developed methodology has a potential for providing a comparative basis for future longitudinal research on strategic groups in other industries.

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隨著產業環境與經濟發展的快速變化，企業的經營營運趨於複雜與困難，尤其隨著企業在邁向國際化之際，企業所面臨到的市場與需求變動更是瞬息萬變，對於大企業而言，在面臨市場快速變化之時，如何擬訂合適的經營策略和確保策略的執行完成度更是重要的經營議題。 企業的競爭能力來自於企業的核心競爭力，故如何利用企業自身的優勢，同時因應外在環境的變化以擬訂出成功的策略更是企業所關心與永續經營的成長來源。不同的國際化企業皆擁有一套企業自身成功的經營管理模式，而在國際化企業中，IBM企業則是利用一套完整的策略規劃與策略執行模型以確保企業營運策略與績效表現能有所連結，故IBM企業才能達到績效持續提升的經營績效表現與成長。 本研究主要是透過國內外文獻的資料蒐集與整理，針對策略與BLM（Business Leadership Model）模型等相關議題進行文獻整理，之後再透過個案研究方式並利用BLM模型來探討之，透過BLM模型的八個構面以分析個案公司的經營策略並整理歸納出策略改善點，並提出對於個案公司的策略建議。 本研究在策略規劃與策略執行等兩構面分別歸納出不同的問題假設，在策略規劃方面，分析結果發現個案公司缺乏完整的市場資料蒐集與分析機制、策略的推動無法落實到各事業單位、新事業推廣缺乏完整的管理流程與機制；在策略執行方面，個案公司在進行績效評估或衡量時，未能充分考量跨部門間的目標、資源配置未能充分發揮與協調、缺乏完善的客戶管理機制、策略系統未做持續的追蹤管理以確保策略執行程度。 在分析歸納出企業策略改善點後，本研究提出七大建議策略，分別為「強化企業策略規劃與展開機制」、「建立事業組合管理機制」、「強化人才培育及管理」、「強化新事業管理機制」、「強化主要客戶及銷售管理機制」、「優化績效指標（KPI）制定」和「提升組織綜效改善流程」，在企業資源和時間效益有限的情況下，本研究透過個案公司高階經理人來評估和衡量建議策略的優先順序以進行不同階段的策略執行。

The words ??Globalisation?? and ??Internationalisation?? have received a great deal of interest from global nations, enterprises, citizens and academics especially since the late 20th century. Although the process of globalization began as a social trend for tracking the expansion of human population and the growth of civilization since as early as the 16th century, globalization became a business phenomenon in the 19th century from rapid growth in international trade and investment between the European imperial powers, its colonies and, later, the United States. Scholars of the 20th century vigorously attempted to theorise internationalisation of multinational enterprises (MNEs) based on MNEs?? internationalisation processes. As the vast majority of such theories were developed for the manufacturing industry, the validity of theories for the service industry became ambiguous. Despite the fact that one of the fastest growing sectors of global trade since the late 20th century is the trade in cultural goods and services, scholars haven??t attempted to validate such a phenomenon by reference to existing theories of internationalisation processes. This thesis attempts to dismantle the internationalisation processes of cultural firms and to explore the validity of existing internationalisation theories. Due to the inherent difficulties in analysing all sectors of cultural industries, this thesis has adopted a single in-depth case study method with qualitative data to support the findings of the thesis. Although the internationalisation processes of a firm consist of an abundant series of intermittent and continuous ventures by the firm, the particular focus of this thesis is on the longitudinal processes of a firm??s overall internationalisation processes. As one of the foremost runners of ??Hallyu ?? Korean Wave?? phenomenon, MBC has been selected as a case study object for this thesis. With a history of internationalisation processes over 40 years, involving various internal and external environmental factors/forces interactively, the case of MBC offers an insight into the empirical study of the internationalisation processes of cultural firms. Although this thesis shows strong support for the dynamic capabilities theory??a theory that explains dynamic activities and behaviours of MBC??s internationalisation processes in accordance with, and as a result of, ever-changing both internal and external factors/forces of environments??dynamic capability theory itself is deficient in explaining the underlying sources and drivers of those factors/forces. In order to overcome such a shortfall, this thesis suggests an integrative approach of integrating multidisciplinary theories as a theoretical framework for future studies of internalisation processes theories especially for empirical and industry-specific studies. This thesis provides comprehensive framework for three components??motives, way-stations and performance??of internationalisation processes of cultural firms, thereby contributing to the under-researched field in the discipline of international business.

In post-Cold War Asia, military power remains the dominant factor in inter-state relations. With its emerging military power, China is clearly an important actor in Asian security. However, Chinese military power needs rigorous interpretation in order to know its true purposes. Military doctrine, as an ideational variable, is essential in interpreting China’s material military power. Expanding Richard Betts’ concept of ‘military readiness,’ this study proposes a doctrine-based model of military readiness to interpret Chinese military power. After the establishment of the PRC in 1949, China’s development and use of military power have been shaped by a swing between local war and total war doctrines—two ends in the conflict spectrum. The People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) total war doctrine of Maoist People’s War spanning from the 1960s to 1970s contributed to a defence in-depth posture. Its development of a local war doctrine since the 1980s has led to China developing a visibly offensive posture to achieve quick and decisive victory in future conflicts. Based on the doctrinal model of ‘military readiness,’ Chinese military planning and deployments have led to a more flexible and agile PLA. But doctrinal weaknesses have left it still unprepared for conflict escalation.

Thesis (M.S. in Defense Analysis)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2008. / Thesis Advisor(s): Johnson, Thomas H. "June 2008." Description based on title screen as viewed on August 26, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (p. 165-178). Also available in print.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Also available in print.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2009. / Thesis Advisor(s): Dillard, John. "June 2009." Description based on title screen as viewed on July 13, 2009. Author(s) subject terms: Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Interim Force, Mobile Gun System, Complexity, Uncertainty, Systems Engineering, Reliability, Risk Management, Acquisition Strategy Includes bibliographical references (p. 113-122). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.S. in Defense Analysis)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2009. / Thesis Advisor(s): Arquilla, John. "June 2009." Description based on title screen as viewed on July 13, 2009. DTIC Identifiers: Principles of war, information age, contemporary militaries. Author(s) subject terms: Principles of war, Information Age, military history, military doctrine, military strategy. Includes bibliographical references (p. 127-130). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.S. in Management and M.A. in National Security Affairs)--Naval Postgraduate School, December 1990. / Thesis Advisor(s): Trietsch, Dan ; Brown, R. Mitchell. "December 1990." Description based on title screen as viewed on March 31, 2010. DTIC Identifier(s): National Security, Military Planning, Post Cold War Era, United States, National Interests, Political Philosophy, Military Strategy, New World Order, Logistics Support, Theses. Author(s) subject terms: Strategy, Logistics, National Interests, Uranium, Phosphates, FMS, Multinational Defense. Includes bibliographical references (p. 123-126). Also available in print.