At a global level, changes in the higher education environment - such as changing funding mechanisms, regulations and audit processes, increasing customer demands, competition and internationalization, and ongoing reduction in state resources for funding Higher Education has resulted in increased interest by academics and practitioners on leadership in the higher education sector. Recent studies have noted that there has been very limited research conducted on the question of which forms of academic leadership are associated with individual academic performance. Globalisation of higher education environment can bring many benefits to higher education organisations, but it can also expose them to a number of risks and challenges. The purpose of this study was to explore how leaders in the higher education sector are using their leadership abilities and skills to bring about enhanced academic performance from their academic colleagues and subordinates’. Therefore, in this research aims to identify which specific aspects of academic leadership skill-set have the maximum impact on academics’ performance. This research used six measures; namely visionary, adaptable to change, competency, effective leadership, transformational style and charisma, for quantifying academic leadership. Individual academic performance was measured by the construct titled work-related attitude (i.e. work-related attitude was considered to be a proxy for individual academic performance). Work-related attitude was quantified by three measures; namely job satisfaction, career satisfaction and organizational commitment. Both academic leadership landscape and academics’ work-related attitude were modelled as latent constructs. Based on data from fifteen interviews and a survey of faculty members of 261 academic staff from twenty Malaysian public universities, factor analyses was used to explore four groups of academic leadership constructs; namely innovative, effective, executive and adaptive. Similarly, factor analyses were used to establish four groups of work-related attitude constructs; namely organizational commitment, career satisfaction, job satisfaction and job skills. Regression analyses suggest that academic leadership was positively associated with work-related attitude. Further, multiple regression analyses suggests executive and innovative academic leadership behavioural traits were positively associated with organizational commitment, career satisfaction, job satisfaction and job skills of work-related attitude. Unfortunately, behavioural traits titled “effective” and "adaptive" had no association with any work-related attitude (i.e. academic performance). The implications of the results for theory and practice are significant. This research provides empirical evidence for the development of a theoretical model for academic leadership grounded in self-leadership theory. Further, this study also proposes a general definition of academic leadership according to faculty members’ perspectives and a diagnostic instrument for measurement of academic leadership and work-related attitude. The study gives a new perspective on factors that contribute toward academic leadership and work-related attitude. This study revealed which contributing factors of academic leadership and work-related attitude have significant impact on professional leadership in academia. Empirically, the study reveals the underpinning factors that influence the faculty members in understanding and exploring academic leadership and work-related attitudes. This study can assist faculty members of public universities in Malaysia in dealing with the challenges and demands in academia. University administrators (especially the vice chancellors), may urge their human resources departments to encourage their faculty members toward demonstrating executive and innovative behavioural traits in pursuing their academic life. Finally, this study contributes towards testing a model, instrument and research process that is based in the US in an Asian country – Malaysia. Moreover, the proposed model has the potential to be replicated in other countries. The main originality and value of this study is that it has addressed a research gap concerning academic leadership approaches to assessing and enhancing individual academic performance in a global context. The paper has identified which forms of academic leadership are associated with enhanced individual academic performance. In this context, this study proposes a new categorisation for measuring which specific aspects of academic leadership skill-set have the maximum impact on academics’ performance, and offers a characterisation of academic leadership skill-set on academics’ performance.

Since its introduction by management consultants in the early 1980s, the supply chain management (SCM) concept has risen to prominence in both academic and commercial circles. A substantial body of academic knowledge has been, and continues to be, developed in the broad SCM domain. There is significant evidence that the effective implementation of SCM can result in improvements in the performance of firms. However, there is also evidence of a divergence between theory and practice in terms of SCM understanding and adoption. The fundamental purpose of the research described in this thesis is to disentangle the rhetoric from the reality in relation to SCM adoption in practice with specific reference to the situation in Ireland. Based on a comprehensive literature review the thesis posits a new definitional construct for SCM – the Four Fundamentals – and sets out four research questions. Answering these questions requires that a methodologically pluralist approach be adopted based on the author’s multi-paradigmatic philosophical positionality. In line with this, the empirical work comprises three main phases: focussed interviews, focus groups and a questionnaire survey. All phases use the author’s definitional construct as their basis. The data collected during the various stages of the empirical research allowed this definitional construct to be further developed. In addition, the findings suggest that, while levels of SCM understanding are generally quite high, there is room for improvement in relation to how this understanding is implemented in practice. In this context, a number of critical success factors and/or barriers to implementation are identified, as are a number of practical measures that could be implemented at policy/supply chain/firm level to improve the level of effective SCM adoption. There are some limitations in the author’s research and their identification allows some potentially fruitful future research avenues to be identified. This research contributes to the extant scholarly knowledge in the field by providing a profile of the current level of adoption of SCM theory in practice in an Irish context, as well as by contributing to scholarly rationalisation and understanding of the process of realising SCM theory in a practical context.

This thesis investigates the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI), leadership styles and outcomes of leadership, within the workplace environment of the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK; which is endemic with change (Allen, 2009; Iles & Cranfield, 2004). The broad question posited is: Within the context of change, what is the nature of the association between EI, leadership styles and leadership outcomes, from the perspective of both leaders and their followers? There is a dearth of published research on EI and leadership within the context of change which makes this study particularly timely. The study employs two different models of EI that have evolved from ‘ability-based’ (Palmer & Stough, 2001; Mayer & Salovey, 1997) and ‘personality-based’ (Bar-On, 1997; Higgs & Dulewicz, 2002) theoretical perspectives. This is the first substantive study to have embraced both models and the intention here was to identify similarities and differences between the two perspectives in the context of organisational change leadership. Although there is extensive research on leadership, there still exists an acute need for EI and leadership research based on follower perspectives (Lindebaum & Cartwright, 2010; Notgrass, 2010). This study addresses this gap by investigating both leader self-perceptions and follower-perceptions of their leaders. This study has been conducted in two phases. Phase 1 focuses on leader self-perceptions. Phase 2 focuses on the combination of leader self-perceptions and follower-perceptions of their leaders. In Phase 1, this thesis postulates that within dynamic environments such as the NHS, different types of linkages can be argued between EI and the different leadership styles (Transformational Leadership, Transactional Leadership and Laissez Leadership) while suggesting that EI will predict Transformational Leadership. Furthermore, this thesis postulates that EI and Transformational Leadership will have a positive impact on leadership outcomes. In Phase 2, this thesis considers both leader and follower perspectives and identifies leaders who overestimate, underestimate or are in-agreement with followers, in evaluating their own Transformational Leadership capabilities. Based on this, the leaders are classified into self-other-agreement categories of overestimators, underestimators, in-agreement/good and in-agreement/poor leaders. Thereafter, this thesis postulates varying levels of leader EI and Outcomes of Leadership (depending upon their self-other-agreement categories) as adjudged by their followers. Similar differences across the self-other-agreement categories of the leaders are predicted in terms of the linkage between EI and Transformational Leadership as perceived by the followers. The ontology of this research is realist and the epistemology is positivist (Burrell & Morgan, 1979). Data has been collected in two phases - from leaders in the NHS and then their reporting staff. Phase 1 target population was identified as NHS staff in leadership positions involved in implementing change management initiatives. Phase 2, target population was identified as the direct reports of phase 1 participants. Phase 1 entailed purposive judgment sampling followed by random sampling. Phase 2 adopted convenience sampling. Both phases were completed through surveys. In phase 1, leaders completed a self-report of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, the Swinburne University Emotional Intelligence Test (SUEIT) and the Higgs & Dulewicz Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (EIQ). The Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale has been employed to check for possible response bias. Self developed research items were employed to obtain information regarding the extent and nature of the respondents’ involvement with change. Leaders, who consented to participate in phase 2, identified 3 to 5 reporting staff for participation. In phase 2, reporting staff completed rater-forms of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and the EI 360 degree questionnaires. A number of qualitative interviews have been conducted with leaders to obtain contextual data regarding the nature of the changes, impacting upon the lives of NHS staff. Phase 1 findings based on self-ratings of leaders indicated a strong positive relationship between EI and Transformational Leadership, and between EI and one factor of Transactional Leadership (contingent reward). Contrary to the hypothesis, a negative relationship was found between EI and Laissez Faire Leadership. Regression analysis revealed that both the EI models significantly predicted Transformational Leadership. Furthermore, both EI and Transformational Leadership demonstrated a strong positive relation with Outcomes of Leadership. This study also reports higher Transformational Leadership scores for females and higher EI scores for females according to one of the Swinburne University EI model. Supplementary findings showed that; while predicting Transformational Leadership, the Higgs and Dulewicz EI model had incremental predictive validity over the Swinburne University EI model. Phase 2 findings based on follower perceptions confirmed the postulation that overestimators demonstrate lower EI and Outcomes of Leadership than other leader categories. Underestimators were perceived as manifesting higher EI and higher Outcomes of Leadership. The link between leader self-ratings of EI and follower-ratings of their leaders’ Transformational Leadership across the self-other-agreement categories was also examined. Findings supported arguments that EI and Transformational Leadership will be significantly associated for overestimators but not for underestimators. Some contradictory results were generated for the in-agreement/good/poor categories in terms of EI and Transformational Leadership correlations. These contradictory findings may be attributable to the difference in the factorial constitution and psychometric properties of the two EI models. More research is also recommended on the in-agreement sub-categorisation of focal leaders as good/poor. This study provides empirical evidence suggesting that EI predicts Transformational Leadership, effective in the context of change. EI also positively correlated with aspects of Transactional Leadership, helpful in successfully leading change. Therefore, investing in training and development of leaders’ EI has the strong potential improve the ability of change leaders. Underestimators were rated by followers as the highest on EI and Outcomes of Leadership, while overestimators were adjudged as the lowest on EI and Outcomes of Leadership. Therefore, underestimating leaders are arguably most suited to effectively lead dynamic change, as in the NHS. Female leaders manifested higher Transformational Leadership and also higher EI on one of the EI models. This provides some justification to enhance leadership responsibilities of women within transformational environments like the NHS. The clear indication that high EI predicts Transformational Leadership and high EI relates to lower Laissez-Faire Leadership can have recruitment and selection implications favouring the appointment of individuals with high EI in the NHS facing endemic change. However, there is a need to exercise caution and not simply use EI measures alone for placements and recruitment/selection. Nonetheless these results and the measures of EI and leadership could be beneficial in self development, career counselling and other social contexts in the National Health Services.

This study assesses the impact of fiscal policy and structural harmonisation (common market) of the East African Community (EAC) on the flow of goods and services, market responses, the flow of FDIs in the region and the volatility levels of the exchange rates across the region. The gravity model based on panel equations and other necessary time series procedures are widely used by this study due to their power to produce robust empirical findings. To estimate the gravity equation, we apply FE, RE, POLS and GMM so as to gather more information and empirical results for policy analysis. In addition, we apply all necessary suggested procedures for panel equations so as to compare and contrast which methods are producing more consistent and efficient parameters that can be used to define our findings. In chapter three, we introduce restrictions in the VAR system to estimate the structural responses of the block’s economies to external shocks. Under that process, the restrictions helps to isolate short run structural responses from long run responses. Under this procedure, all time series requirements are considered. The fourth chapter measures the volatility levels of the exchange rates and their respective speed of adjustment by using the GARCH procedures. Through this process, the researcher is able to conclude by comparing the volatilities of the exchange rates throughout the region. In general we find that the EAC is an optimal currency area backed up by a significant and growing trade flow within the block. Also we find that unique country’s variables have some influences on the flow of capital and labour in the economies. In addition, the flow of FDI is growing in response to the adjusted trade policies throughout the region and hence favouring growth in the cross section. On external shocks, we find that EAC countries respond symmetrically to external shocks implying that it is safe to introduce a standard unit of measurement throughout the region.

In recent years, the concept of Authentic Leadership has become an important area of interest and study, encompassing, as it does, personal beliefs and values and how they are aligned and lived in one’s everyday leadership experience, (Cooper et al. 2005; Avolio & Gardner, 2005; Luthans & Avolio, 2003). However, whilst the literature surrounding it is ever-increasing, the concept and construct of Authentic Leadership is fragmented; complicated by different theorists’ perspectives and compounded by a lack of empirical research, particularly within the UK, (Gardner et al. 2011). Based on Novicevic et al.’s (2006) conceptualization, differentiating Authentic Leadership between its psychological and philosophical components, this research presents a new theoretical model of Authentic Leadership. A 4-factor model was developed and empirically tested using a classic psychometric approach, (Nunnally, 1978; Kline, 1979), and a 360° feedback design, as leaders have been shown to over-estimate their self-reported scores compared to subordinate and peer feedback ratings, (Atkins & Wood, 2002). Critically, the model was developed and tested using real leaders rather than students, who are generally more accessible to researchers, (Lagan, 2007). It is hypothesized that the resulting model and statistical data may therefore have greater validity and applied relevance than other comparative research in the field completed utilizing student populations with little or no, real-world leadership experience. Three UK leadership populations were employed: two business leader samples and, for the validation study, senior serving Royal Air Force officers. A 3-factor model emerged which both simplifies and unifies previous theoretical conceptualisations of Authentic Leadership. Whilst not a direct part of the research study, the author suggests that potentially, all modern leadership failures may be traced back to a deficiency in any one of these 3 ‘Pillars’ of Authentic Leadership: Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation or Ethics. Implications for Authentic Leadership Development are identified and some suggestions for future research into the field made.

In the last 20 years, organisations have invested heavily in Information Technology (IT) to support their businesses. The work systems of organisations nowadays are increasingly IT-enabled. The tourism industry in general and hospitality industry in particular is one of the industries that are much affected by the revolution of IT. There have been made various calls for additional research to improve knowledge about the usage of and satisfaction with information systems (IS) in organisations. This study is motivated by the lack of knowledge of the use of Accounting Information Systems (AIS) in the hotel industry, especially in developing countries. Thus, this research attempts to fill a knowledge gap by exploring the adoption of AIS and the factors that influence usage of and satisfaction with the AIS, as well as the relationship between satisfaction with the AIS and its organisational impact, in Malaysia. This study uses an extension of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) which is regarded as one of the most influential research models in explaining IT usage or acceptance behaviour in various contexts. The research adopts a triangulation approach combining both a survey and interviews. The data from the survey were collected through a postal questionnaire to senior accounting managers in three, four and five star rated hotels. The data were analysed using Partial Least Squares (PLS) which is the PLS-Graph Beta Version 3.0. Semistructured interviews with managers in six hotels supplement the findings from the survey. The interviews explained further, managers’ insights into experience and views as a means to triangulate the research. The findings confirm the wide use of computerised accounting systems in three, four and five star rated hotels, although, the extent of the AIS use is relatively unsophisticated with the focus on basic accounting modules and fundamental accounting-based applications. The main factors to influence perceived usefulness (PU) are perceived ease of use (PEOU), involvement and training. The factors that influence PEOU are experience, external expertise and PU. It is found that usage of the AIS, PU and PEOU significantly influence satisfaction with the AIS. This study also provides positive support for a relationship between satisfaction with the AIS and organisational impact. Despite the widely held belief that IT is fundamental to a firm’s survival andgrowth, previous studies struggled to link IT to organisational impact. This research adds to existing studies about the usage of and satisfaction with IT/IS. It provides further support to the TAM in terms of AIS in the hotel industry. The findings from this study also provide awareness to academics and practitioners about the importance of IT/IS in general and AIS in particular to create competitive advantages and to improve firms’ efficiency and effectiveness, as well as to impact to overall firm performance.

This study explores the construction of leadership and identity in higher education in Malaysia. It is a qualitative research, adopting a postmodern view in favour of social constructionist approach. The study is looking into the relational process of the leadership, examining how the social identity of the leadership being constructed around the contextual phenomena. The study was guided by three research questions: 1) how do the external factors affect the leadership in public higher education? 2) how do the internal factors affect the leadership in public higher education? 3) how do the emerging leadership identities constructed from the context? This study employs an in-depth interview as the main method in collecting data. The respondents were leaders from the central administration office of the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia, and the public universities. They were selected based on purposive sampling. The interviews were conducted in both language - English and Malay, ranging from one to two and half hours for each interview. The interviews were digitally tape recorded, transcribed and translated into English, and analysed manually. The findings suggested both the external and internal factors plays significant roles in constructing the leadership and leadership identities in Malaysian higher education, with the external being the stronger influencing factors. The historical and cultural factors become the backdrop of the construction process. Subsequently, the findings provide the basis for developing a new model of the construction of the leadership and leadership identity in this context. The rigour and richness of the findings will contribute to the development of organisational behaviour knowledge particularly in leadership and organisational studies, by providing empirical evidences from a Malaysian perspective.

Recently, there has been increasing emphasis on the use of voluntary environmental protection instruments such as environmental management systems (EMS). One such system is ISO 14001 which is designed to assist organisations to create a structured mechanism for continuous improvement in environmental performance. However, more knowledge is required to identify the impact these systems have on the actual environmental supply chain practices performance (GSCPP) of manufacturing organisations. Furthermore many investigations of the supply chain are based on ―hard‖ factors such as the application of systems and tools to achieve performance goals. What are less appreciated are the effects of human dimensions of managing relationships with employees and suppliers. Accordingly this research will investigate the relations and dynamics of the Key Success Factors (KSF), (training, communication, management support, employee responsibility, rewards and recognition, employee involvement, and supplier management) which are believed to assist in the improvement of GSCPP of manufacturing companies. This research sets its objectives on advancing the knowledge and understanding of the roles of key success factors in supply chain operations, how these KSF function as separate factors or work together and how they are being put into practice in manufacturing organisations. A mixed method explanatory approach adopting a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews are used to describe these phenomena and explore the reasons for and reveals inhibitors of the implementation of KSF. Key findings from this study are the development of a new mega-construct to measure internal soft management practices in organisations. Organisations successfully achieving green supply chain performance are applying a combination of key success factors such as employee responsibility and collaboration with suppliers. In-depth case studies also illustrate how these KSF manifest themselves and work together in real life. Evidence from the analysis demonstrates that despite the ISO 14001 certification some organisations are behaving in a more reactive fashion providing only the bare minimum in terms of training, where there is little emphasis on involvement of their employees, and where the management is largely unsupportive of a more comprehensive and integrated EMS. This research has three areas of contribution; to researchers who wish to further examine the combination of both hard and soft interpretations for environmental supply chain performance; to management practitioners who will benefit from the resulting tool will be able to assess the steps required to improve performance; and to those responsible for reviewing ISO 14001 who may include KSF and thus pass on the benefits to participating organisations.

This study examines the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and international trade. It aims at offering a unified representation of trade-FDI cycles to better understand the process of internationalisation via exploring the trade-FDI relationship and related impacts on economic growth, both of the home and the host country. In particular, it makes inquiries into the relationships between trade and FDI for developing countries and developed countries, being inspired by the product life cycle of Vernon (1966). It attempts to answer the question of whether the relationship between trade and FDI is complementary or substitute in the conjecture of a trade-FDI cycle. Further, it scrutinises the factors that contribute to the relationship between trade and FDI, and the ways in which these factors play a role and exert their effects. The thesis examines empirically FDI-trade relationships for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries and China, in the derived analytical framework and with the adapted models. Pooled panel data ranging from 1988 to 2012 are applied, covering 23 OECD developed countries and China. The evolving relationships fit into the phases and cycles reasonably satisfactorily, lending support to the conjectures and hypotheses developed in this study. The trade-FDI cycle is expressed as follow: This research contributes to the existing literature by examining the trade-FDI relationship in a dynamic trade-FDI cycle. Moreover, it provides a clear path that demonstrates how a country achieves its development by attracting inward FDI, utilising trade, and taking advantage of outward FDI. Another obvious extension of this study is its systematic review of the determinants of trade and FDI, and its defining of the factors that drive the cycle of trade and FDI relationship. This gives a more comprehensive insight into the nature and patterns of the trade-FDI relationship, and how they interact with each other.

This thesis explores how storytelling, and in particular story fragments, are involved in our everyday practice of solving ill-structured organisational problems. Data was collected from one primary research site, with a degree of triangulation afforded by analysis of data from additional organisations. Deploying elements of an ethnographic research tradition, the data was assembled from observations, interviews and discussions with a range of problem solvers from the different establishments. The research suggested that traditional storytelling can play an important role at different stages in the problem-solving process, helping to set the tone of problem-solving meetings, and more significantly, in planning and shaping solution narratives. Story fragments however, were more apparent when problem solvers were attempting to understand the problems they were facing, and provided a vehicle through which the fundamental nature of the problems being faced could be recognised. Of particular interest was the capacity of fragments to facilitate the identification of the existence of ill-structured problems and some of the key components that contributed to these situations. When fragments emerged, they were perceived to represent impactful stories and narratives, and as such, influenced the direction and content of problem-solving activities. While typically they materialised within a discourse without drawing attention, the research argues that noticing story fragments can enable a listener to benefit from the insight they provide, presenting opportunities to expose and explore alternative perspectives and solutions. This is not without its risks, and while story fragments can illuminate faint signs that an organisation needs to change, caution must be exercised before acting on the information they supply. Finally, a model explaining the potential existence of three core stories within organisations is proposed, with the prospects of operationalizing the emerging theories being considered.