Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1984.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 116-117).

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 52-55).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references.

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

Most of the conceptual and empirical work to date leads one to conclude that the contingency approach to understanding strategic planning systems is still in a formative stage. Overall, there seems to be few potential generalizations that emerge from these contingency based studies and even these few are tentative in nature. Furthermore, it seems that most of the contingency based studies had inadequate research designs. This inadequacy probably contributed to the relatively low degree of conclusiveness that has emerged from these studies. This study is intended to be a step forward in filling some of the gaps revealed in the literature. Its purpose is to better understand what strategic conditions need to be considered when designing strategic planning systems. The research questions triggering this research were: (1) What is the impact of the external environment on the design of strategic planning systems? (2) What variables determine the intensity, and structure of strategic planning? (3) What variables determine the role of the corporate planning staff, and CEOs in the planning process? The data were collected by a mail questionnaire and from published data of 174 firms (a response rate of 43.5%). A contingency model linking some contextual variables of business firms to a number of design parameters of strategic planning systems was developed. The findings point out that both the extent and different design parameters (e.g. the planning horizon) of planning systems are influenced by the unpredictability of environmental changes. In addition, other contextual variables such as organization technology are found to influence the extent and structural characteristics of strategic planning systems. Finally, the roles of both the corporate planning staff and chief executive officers in the planning process are identified. These roles are found to be influenced by a variety of contextual variables and non-contextual variables such as the type of industry.

D.Com. (Strategic Management) / A review of the literature reveals that strategy implementation is an important component of the strategic management process. In addition, it has been noted that there is a high failure rate in the implementation of strategy as a result of the existence of many potential barriers to the effective implementation of strategy. A lack of leadership – specifically strategic leadership – in the management structures of organisations has been identified as one of the possible barriers to the effective implementation of strategy. However, strategic leadership is also widely regarded as one of the key drivers of strategy implementation. In view of the fact that the role of strategic leadership in strategy implementation has been overlooked, the following research question was addressed: What is the perceived role of strategic leadership in the implementation of strategy in South African organisations? In the light of the identified problem and research question, the primary objective of this study was to investigate the perceived role of strategic leadership in the implementation of strategy in South African organisations. The thesis was that strategic leadership positively contribute to the effective implementation of strategy in South African organisations.

No description available.

'Half of all technology projects fail to meet CEO expectations'. CSC Index study (in CIO Enterprise, July 1998) Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems promise to revolutionise the way a business operates: allowing greater flexibility, market responsiveness, customer service, management information and reduced costs. However experiences and opinions vary dramatically as to whether ERP systems deliver on these promises. Certainly ERP systems customer demand remains strong, with major ERP systems vendors experiencing several years of double-digit growth and better, with a whole sub-industry of consultants and systems integrators growing around ERP system. This study examines the strategic nature and implications of the ERP systems decision: in reality a multitude of decisions, which together have drastic and lasting effects on nearly all aspects of an organisation. As with all strategic issues, there is no `step-by-step recipe for success' with ERP, but rather a successful approach depends on the specific organisation and its environment. Therefore what is required is an assessment and analysis of these, the results of which are combined with established knowledge about IT systems development and implementation to determine the most suitable approach. In this way ERP is integrated with organisational strategy and therefore can achieve maximum benefit. If ERP is not viewed and managed as a strategic project, it is likely, at best, to be a massive waste of resources and, at worst, may cripple an organisation.