This study is premised on the assumption that because of increased globalisation the trend towards strategic alliances is going to increase in the 21st century. This is evident in the phenomenal growth towards the establishment of alliances the world over despite high failure rates. The study also makes an important assumption that a major cause of alliance failure is managerial in nature and therefore relates to the task performed by alliance managers.Whilst research in the West has attempted to focus on such failings, few researchers have attempted to understand the state of alliances in developing country contexts as well as the reasons for the lack of their successes or otherwise. This study therefore seeks to fill this gap by exploring the managerial issues surrounding alliance management in a developing country, Papua New Guinea. It was found that alliance managers in countries such as Papua New Guinea faced managerial challenges similar to those in their counterparts in developing countries. However, the similary ends there.The research demonstrated that governmental and socio-cultural factors predominate in the national and local environments.It also found that resource deficiencies made alliances highly susceptible to misalignment in strategic intent and structure.Several other findings are discussed in detail. The research resulted in the development of a holistic approach to the study and management of strategic alliances. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This study endeavoured to uncover the trust experiences of individuals involved in business alliances between traditional companies (TCs) and historically disadvantaged institutions (HDIs) with a view to constructing a model that would facilitate a better understanding of organisational trust within these institutions. The theoretical study proposed a theoretical model of trust in the alliances between TCs and HDIs within an economic empowerment domain. The empirical study employed Q methodology to investigate the trust experiences of the participants. The 25 individuals who participated in the study were selected by means of both non-probability purposive and snowball sampling The participants were presented with the Q sample containing 50 items which they had to sort in accordance with the instruction given. The post-Q sorting interview was conducted to give the participants a chance to expound on their reasoning for the sorting of the Q sample. Data were analysed using Pearson product-moment correlation and factor analysis. Six factors revealed participants’ experiences of trust in the alliances: Factor A (Sincerity trust alliances), Factor B (Values trust alliances), Factor C (Duped trust alliances), Factor D (Vigilant trust alliances), Factor E (Deceitful trust alliances) and Factor F (Inclination to trust alliances). The trust experiences of the six groups were used to theorise about the association between the participants’ trust experiences and their performance on the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). In the main, the study found that groups that had pleasant trust experiences with their partner organisations exhibited have high positive affect (PA) and low negative affect (NA). Although exploratory in nature, the study contributed an empirically derived theoretical framework of cognitive and affective trust within business alliances that may be further investigated in future research endeavours. In this was it identified and proposed a modus operandi for closing the trust gap. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

大多數關於企業併購的研究焦點著重於財務考量、人力資源管理或併購案之操作及流程管理，而本論文嘗試以整合性的方式，討論併購案之所有重要面向，包括許多被忽略的主題，例如：企業變革和重整、商業策略、工業關係、無形資產鑑價等。 / Most researches on mergers and acquisitions (M&A) focus on financial matters, human resource management, or the operation and process management of the deal. This thesis tries to bring together all the essential elements of each domain, including subjects that are often overlooked or treated superficially by others, under an integrated aspect. Factors including corporate change and reorganizing, business strategy, industrial relations, assumptions-driven planning, entrepreneurship, post-merger integration, business alliances, deal structuring and strategies, financial modeling and simulation, and valuing intangible assets such as intellectual properties are integrated into a feasible model from the perspective of due diligence. Practical examples and contemporary business cases and figures in the Western world are used for analyzing how mergers and acquisitions can be successful with win-win solutions through due diligence. Five real cases excerpted from three Taiwan high tech companies are examined in their M&A activities and are discussed as a series of interdependent movements in which each activity actually occurs. Suggestions and implementation are then proposed. While intended for reference of companies in pursuit of mergers and acquisitions, this thesis also aims to have broader application for market appeal in both executive development and training programs. For those who are hoping to become or who are actively pursuing careers as financial analysts, chief financial officers, corporate treasurers, operating managers, investment bankers, business brokers, portfolio mangers, investors, as well as corporate development and strategic planning managers, this thesis and referred literatures can work as handy and useful references. Bank loaners, venture capitalists, business appraisers, actuaries, government regulators and policy makers, and entrepreneurs will also be the beneficiaries of the study.