Employee turnover disrupts organizational functioning, service delivery, and administration. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies that some college administrators used to reduce employee turnover in the workplace to increase profitability. The population for the study included 3 administrators in a senior (4-year) college in the southeastern region of the United States who developed and implemented successful strategies to reduce employee turnover. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with college administrators and from publicly available organizational documents. Transformational leadership was the conceptual framework for this study. Data analysis included inductive analysis guided by transformational leadership theory and member checking. Five themes emerged from data analysis including transformational leadership, incentives and rewards, training/career development, establishing trust/employee empowerment, and effective communication. The implications of these findings for social change may benefit students, faculty, and administrators of educational institutions. The findings may enhance consistent and superior educational course delivery to students, improve collaboration between educators and administrators through effective hiring practices to raise the caliber of educator skillsets, and reduce the percent of unemployed as a result of students succeeding in higher education and gaining meaningful employment. The findings may help reduce financial insecurity and improve the living standards of people in the community, while encouraging prospective learners to attain a postsecondary education.

Cybernetics is the science of effective organization, i.e. the science that describes the general principles of growth, learning and adaptation in complex, dynamical systems. Stafford Beer regards his viable system model as a design for effective formal organization. He also declares that since his model is explicitly based upon the principles of cybernetics, it facilitates consideration of what is and is not possible within formal organizations and provides guidance in creating efficient structures. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate and test Stafford Beer's ideas on the viable system model via the simulation of certain business activities. A methodology for getting access to the cybernetic body of knowledge is given as well as examples of cybernetic laws relevant to managerial and business practice. An important part of the work is devoted to the explanation and discussion of Stafford Beer's viable system model, and the importance it represents as a cybernetic method for the design of organizational structures. Simulation models incorporating the major activities of a business firm are represented and used as case studies to investigate how basic industrial organizations based on Beer's viable system model work under operational conditions.

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Submitted by PPG Administra??o e Neg?cios (ppgad@pucrs.br) on 2018-04-16T17:27:13Z No. of bitstreams: 1 JULIA_COLOMBO_DOEBBER_HERRMANN_TES.pdf: 6892409 bytes, checksum: b973254e039e244948b7f8b2038cb0cd (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Caroline Xavier (caroline.xavier@pucrs.br) on 2018-05-03T19:57:19Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 JULIA_COLOMBO_DOEBBER_HERRMANN_TES.pdf: 6892409 bytes, checksum: b973254e039e244948b7f8b2038cb0cd (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-05-03T20:01:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JULIA_COLOMBO_DOEBBER_HERRMANN_TES.pdf: 6892409 bytes, checksum: b973254e039e244948b7f8b2038cb0cd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-30 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior - CAPES / Estudos anteriores evidenciaram a import?ncia do ativo cognitivo para a exist?ncia de capacidades din?micas. Ultimamente, os estudiosos reconhecem capacidades din?micas gerenciais. N?s demonstramos que o fen?meno de capacidades din?micas n?o ? tratado por uma quest?o de tipologia. Trata-se de singularidade. Sugerimos que o conceito capacidades din?micas atende aos n?veis indiv?duo e empresa, e que ? vis?vel quando desempenha um papel de media??o no relacionamento entre eles. N?s definimos indiv?duo como pioneiro de neg?cios, que atua como empreendedor, gerente e l?der ao realizar a hist?ria da empresa desde sua idea??o, passando por diferentes transforma??es de neg?cios. N?s definimos empresa como um sistema transit?rio, intencionalmente articulado em recursos para atingir uma finalidade comercial mais ampla, atrav?s da rela??o que estabelece com o meio ambiente. Realizamos uma investiga??o utilizando a abordagem de narrativas biogr?ficas, combinada com uma s?rie de entrevistas com estudiosos-chave e a an?lise qualitativa de tr?s estudos de reconstru??o biogr?fica que apresentam fatos sobre a exist?ncia de capacidades din?micas "em a??o" entre dados biogr?ficos e pr?ticas de neg?cios, onde a interrela??o entre indiv?duo e firma se desenvolve em um estado ativo de ajustamento estrat?gico. / Previous studies highlighted the importance of the cognition resource for the existence of dynamic capabilities. Lately, scholars acknowledge dynamic managerial capabilities. We here explore that dynamic capability is not a matter of typology. It is about uniqueness. We suggest that dynamic capability serves both individual and firm levels and that it is visible when it plays a role in mediating individual and firm relationship. We define the individual as the business pioneer, who act as the entrepreneur, manager, and leader while performing firm?s history since its ideation, passing through different business transformations. We define the firm as a transient system, intentionally resource-articulated to achieve higher business purpose through the relationship it establishes with the environment. We conducted a biographical narrative investigation, combined with a series of interviews with key scholars, and qualitative analysis of three biographical narrative reconstructions where we came up with facts to suggest that dynamic capabilities can only really exist "in action", while individual and firm relationship develop as a living state of strategic adjustment.

This PhD dissertation is concerned with highly skilled new Chinese migrants (HSNCMs) in the UK and their transnational (or trans-boundary) careers and business practice between China and Britain. The research subjects are those HSNCMs who have established careers and business connections between China and the UK since 1990. This research pays special attention to relationships between the transnational practice of HSNCMs, brain circulation (or their knowledge exchange with China) and China’s globalisation. Three main topics are discussed in this dissertation: First, it examines the states’ engagement which has a direct impact on transnational mobility of HSNCMs in the UK. Second, it analyzes transnational network building of OCP associations (professional associations of HSNCMs) linking between HSNCMs and China. Third, it discusses individual transnational career and business activities and identity construction of HSNCMs in order to understand China’s brain circulation in the UK context. The main theoretical object of this paper is to combine brain circulation studies with the theoretical framework of transnational migration studies. The findings of this research show that states’ policy engagement (especially China’s initiatives) is very powerful. Through transnational network building of OCP associations, HSNCMs integrate their personal development into the national projects of Mainland China. For individual HSNCMs, their transnational practice is diverse in terms of their different social backgrounds. For most HSNCMs with trans-boundary careers and business practice, their transnational identities are combined with Chinese consciousness. They have set up strategies to develop their careers and business between the sending country and receiving country. The multiple interactions between HSNCMs and China, therefore, have produced a significant impact on the brain circulation of HSNCMs and the globalisation of China.

Despite the growing consensus on the importance of an extended responsibility for business, both the conceptual and practical understanding of “corporate responsibility” has remained limited. Corporate responsibility is still often understood as an add-on to business-as-usual or as a strategy to enhance business performance. In fact, in recent years, the concept of corporate responsibility has become associated with corporate deceit instead of corporate contributions to society, and tends to engender cynicism rather than a sense of hope. In this study I sought to explore a more hopeful and more “radical” conceptualisation of corporate responsibility. By looking at an international sample of “exemplary” values-driven businesses, this study provides insight into corporate responsibility not primarily as a means towards commercial ends but as an expression of a desire to “do good” and create social and/or environmental value. This study paints a picture of the rich, responsible reality of values-driven businesses. It describes their generous, human-centred approach to employees and the internal environment. It explores their deep sense of interdependence with the wider community in which they find themselves, and their extensive engagement with a wide variety of external parties, many of which are not “naturally” connected to business. It creates an understanding of the iterative, emerging and evolutionary nature of the CSR implementation process and the inherent impermanence of CSR “solutions”. While this study gives a comprehensive insight into various, generous and progressive practices, it shows that the essence of a “responsible existence” is not the implementation of certain practices alone, but relates to the willingness and ability to continuously question the established ways and practices of business in light of the higher business aspirations, which, for many, leads to a fundamentally different way of organising, managing and governing the business. At the same time, this study does not provide a glorified account of some kind of “utopian” responsible existence. Instead, it shows the “messy” reality of trying to implement social and environmental values, while faced with multiple demands and when embedded within a social and business context that does not necessarily hold the same values. The thesis describes the various conflicts and compromises related to the implementation of multiple, conflicting commitments and demands, and the different ways in which the sample businesses approach such situations. While the sample businesses are quite capable of gracefully navigating these conflicts in creative and pragmatic ways, the research also indicates that significant compromises are seemingly inevitable, and can, almost imperceptibly, move a company away from its envisaged values and commitments. Finally, this study argues that the currently dominant approach to corporate responsibility in organisational studies, which reflects a rationalised and economic perspective on CSR and business, will be insufficient to describe the rich reality found within these businesses, as it will edit out some of its most essential elements. I conclude this dissertation by proposing an alternative, human existential lens through which corporate responsibility in values-driven businesses can be understood. Through a review of the research findings in relation to three existential themes, I show that a human existential perspective is better suited to explore both the beauty and the struggle of values-driven businesses.

La protection pénale du consommateur est un enjeu essentiel, à plus forte raison, à la suite des dernières réformes législatives intervenues en la matière. La protection du consentement du consommateur représente l'essence même de l'intervention du droit pénal dans la sphère consumériste. La question fondamentale qu'il convient de se poser est donc celle de savoir si ce droit pénal sanctionne les comportements délictueux dont peut faire preuve le professionnel de manière accessoire au droit civil ou bien, plus intéressant, s'il revêt une autonomie dans la protection du consentement du consommateur, sans être un simple droit sanctionnant et dissuasif. / The consumer’s penal protection is an essential stake, even more so following the last legislative reforms that occurred in the matter. The consumer’s consent’s protection represents the very essence of criminal law’s intervention in the consumerist sphere. The fundamental question that must be asked is whether criminal law punishes the criminal behaviour that a professional might show as an additional legislation which is dependent on civil law or, more interestingly, if criminal law is in fact autonomous in the consumer’s consent’s protection without being nothing more than a repressive and dissuasive legislation.

Ethics is more than an abstract body of theories, principles and ideas. It is a way of thinking through difficult situations before deciding how to act (Manning & Stroud, 2008). This study takes this conception of ethics into the realm of the business decision and business schools’ responsibility to ensure that their MBA graduates are empowered and comfortable to reason and act ethically in the difficult business situations they will face and decisions they will be expected to take in their career. / Business Management / D. B. L.

中文摘要 我國銀行業自民國79年推行金融自由化並陸續開放16家新銀行設立後，由於各銀行之產品同質性高，為追求業績成長競相採取價格競爭策略爭取客戶;加上銀行間有不當擴張客戶信用，導致銀行出現利差下降、逾放增加、授信品質惡化、營運績效大不如前的不利現象。銀行如何提供創新或差異化產品或服務以區隔市場，或者如何做好授信風險控管等皆是未來影響銀行營運優劣的重要課題。 銀行業除面臨以上的問題外，由於係屬使用資訊密集之產業，對資訊科技仰賴甚深;尤以Internet興起後，銀行更可藉此提供打破時空限制之線上服務(諸如:網路銀行或電子商務)，更對銀行的經營模式與經營管理產生重大衝擊與影響。在經營環境生態改變以及資訊科技的衝擊下，如何配合企業經營策略擬定合適的資訊策略，建構有利的資訊架構與資訊系統，以導引資訊化的有效發展，進而有助於銀行降低成本、提高營運管理績效、提升服務品質與創造競爭優勢，實是值得研究。 為奠定本研究根基，本研究從銀行業經營面臨挑戰、企業策略與實務運用、資訊科技架構及銀行資訊科技應用、資訊策略等方面進行文獻探討，得到如下資料： 企業策略對企業的經營、競爭等營運績效影響甚鉅。正確的資訊策略將有助於企業策略之達成，故對企業的營運績效同具密切影響力。IT在不同企業會顯示出不同的策略角色，擬定資訊策略者要先了解企業策略，再者要清楚了解IT在組織中的角色，方可適切擬定資訊策略。同時企業要清楚採用何種資訊策略後，方有助企業的營運定位與資源分配，並可避免失敗，進而提升營運績效。 本研究的研究架構係以企業策略、資訊策略、資訊架構、企業實務等四個構面來探討其相互關連性,並導引出資訊策略與其他構面之主從關係，以及不同資訊策略之作法與影響。 而研究方法主要採行文獻探討與個案研究的方式。所選的個案公司，乃因其具有營運的特殊性、時間的洽當性、資訊的客觀性，故而以其研究主體。研究工具，以深入訪談、資料分析為主軸。 對個案公司的研究，先從公司的相關資料的整理著手、次而探討公司制定資訊策略相關構面，最後作綜合分析並提出如下的結論與建議： （一）結論：個案公司具有如下營運與資訊策略議題： 1.營運應考量，如何有效改善目前資訊系統僅作為業務支援性的角色; 同時由現有的資訊影響結構圖可知:其資訊策略、資訊架構及企業策略都僅著眼目前問題的解決；其實應著眼未來的定位、經營方向與策略的確立，以為未來企業發展與資訊發展的依循。 2.資訊策略議題，應注意有效連結企業策略、改變現有支援型資訊策略為策略型資訊策略、不同系統間整合、加強網路化及整合性服務提供、如何改變資訊部門角色與地位等之議題。 （二）建議：個案公司訂定資訊策略應考量如下幾點： 1.掌握資訊化契機 2.執行資訊策略實務工作的建議: (1)作業流程流線化，節省處理時間及成本。 (2)有效整合多方繁雜的現有系統。 (3)將資訊部門角色由過去的系統開發與維護改變成捕獲外在 策略資源、資訊資源分配、資訊管理之推廣與教育訓練等。 (4)建立資訊長之職責與資訊政策。 (5)建立以平衡計分卡為基礎之資訊開發專案管理制度。 關鍵詞 資訊策略、資訊架構、企業策略、企業實務、競爭策略、銀行 / Abstract Since the banking industry in our country implemented financial liberalization in 1990, sixteen new banks have been gradually established. Because the products of each bank are very similar, the banks compete with pricing strategies in order to seek for business growth and gain clients. In addition, some banks improperly expand client credit, leading to unfavorable results such as: dropping the profit spread of banks, increasing the amount of overdue loans, worsening of credit quality and declining performance. Several important issues need to be considered which can influence the success of the bank's operation in the future. Firstly, how can the innovation or differentiation of products or services to segment market be achieved; and how can better credit risk control be achieved? In addition to facing the problems mentioned above, the banking industry is one that mainly relies on information technology. Especially, since the introduction of Internet banking, banks can provide online services to break through space and time limitations via Internet banking or electronic commerce. These new creations have had a great impact upon the business model and operating management. Under the impact of information technology and the change of operating environment, several points need to be investigated: 1. How to set up a suitable information strategy to match the business strategy for enterprises? 2. How to establish favorable information framework and system to induce efficient development of information? in order to reduce costs for banks, to increase operation management performance and to improve the quality of service and to create competitive advantage. In order to establish foundation of this research, this research searched literature review from the operational challenges facing the banking industry, the need for practical application, business strategies, IT framework and application, resulting in the collection of the following data: 1. Business strategy largely influences the performance of operation and competition. 2. Correct information strategy will be helpful in achieving business strategy so as to influence operating performance. Information technology will demonstrate different strategic roles in different businesses. The planner of information strategies should understand business strategy and further clearly understand the role of information technology within the organization so that the suitable information strategy can be planned and implemented. In the meantime, businesses need to understand which information strategies should be applied in order to help the positioning of business operation and resource allocation not only to avoid failure but also to increase operating performance. The structure of this research is based on business strategy, information strategy, and information framework and business practice. There are four components whose interrelationships need to be discussed and which induce subordinate and lesser relationships between information strategy and the other components, and the application and impact of different information strategies. Research method mainly utilizes literature review and case studies. Selected case study companies were chosen for their operation characteristics and suitability of timing and objectiveness of information. Study tool mainly uses extensive interview and data analysis as the main focus. The starting point for researching the case study company was the arrangement of relevant data of this company. The next step was to study the company's setup of related components of information strategy. Finally, a summary analysis was made and the proposed conclusions and suggestions are as follows: A. A case study company has the following operation and information strategy issues: 1. With regards to operations, it should be considered how to effectively improve the current information system only as a supporting role. In the meantime, from the structure graph of the current influence of information, it is understood that information strategy, information framework and business strategy all emphasize upon solving current problems. Actually, it should focus on how to position future business direction and strategy establishment for the guidance of future business development and information development. 2. Information strategy issue should include effective linking with business strategy, changing the currently supporting information strategy into strategic information strategy, integrating different systems, strengthening network formalization and providing integrated services and changing the role and position of the information department. B. Suggestions: The case study company wishing to set up information strategy should consider the following: 1. Take the opportunity of information transformation. 2. Suggestion of information strategy implementation into practice: a) Streamlining of operation workflow to save cost and time of processing b) Effectively integrating many currently used complicated systems c) Changing information department from the previous functions of system development and maintenance into capturing strategic resources, allocating information resources, promoting information management and educational training d) Establishing the responsibility of the CIO of information and policies of information e) Establishing information development project management system based on Balanced Score Card Keywords: Information strategy; information framework; business strategy; business practice; competition strategy; bank

Rapportens syfte är dels att belysa om frisörbranschens miljöpåverkan genom kemikalieutsläpp, att undersöka hur kommunens tillsynsrutiner ser ut på frisörsalonger runt om i Sverige. Samt undersöka hur dessa rutiner skulle kunna förbättras för att minska farliga utsläpp och utifrån ett miljöperspektiv skapa mer hållbara arbetssätt. Det slutgiltiga syftet för rapporten är att den ska fungera som ett informationsunderlag till kommunernas tillsynsmän och även till de myndigheter och organisationer som de samarbetar med. Genom kemikalieutsläpp och otillräcklig avfallshantering har frisörbranschen stor påverkan både i inre och yttre miljöer (K. Boll 2011). En rapport från Stockholm Vatten som utfördes 2012 visar även att rester av aromatiska fenoler och aminer finns kvar i överskottsfärgen i håret efter hårfärgning och spolas därmed ut det kommunala avloppssystemet vid efterföljande hårtvättar när kunden gått från salongen. Om färgämnena inte bryts ned i reningsverket kan de störa reningsprocesserna eller försämra kvaliteten på det utgående avloppsvattnet och slam. Flertalet ämnen som vanligtvis hittas i hårprodukter är förutom hälsoskadligt också giftiga för våra vattenlevande organismer och kan orsaka skadliga långtidseffekter i vattenmiljön (S. E. Tjus 2014 ). Idag är inte frisörverksamheter anmälningspliktiga men de har skyldighet att utföra egenkontroll enligt miljöbalken (1998:901). Läkemedelsverket och kommunerna är operativa tillsynsmyndigheter för kosmetiska produkter och ska enligt miljötillsynsförordningen 2011:13 utföra tillsyn över frisörverksamheter. Trots att det finns relativt lite forskning på miljöskadliga ämnen kopplat till just i hygienprodukter så kan dessa ämnen i många fall hittas genom artiklar där det fokuseras på till exempel industriell verksamhet (Europaparlamentet 2007) (Läkemedelsverket 2003). Kathon är ett exempel på detta då det förutom i hårprodukter också används i färg, lim, skärvätskor, spackel och fogmassor. Ämnet kan vara allergiframkallande och är miljöskadliga (E. Vene 2015) (T. Svensson 2016). Inför denna rapport har jag valt att utföra en nulägesanalys över hur Sveriges kommuners tillsynsrutiner ser ut för frisörbranschen, detta skapades genom att kommunerna svarade på tre öppna frågor. För att få ytterligare underlag valde jag ut några kommuner som fick svara på en mer ingående enkät. Ännu ett perspektiv på frågorna har skapats genom att en enkät till frisörer skickats ut. Sammanställningarna av dessa intervjuer indikerar en tydlig informationsbrist både hos kommunen och frisörerna, de båda parterna skulle behöva en konkret plan för att utföra en mer effektiv tillsyn och därmed skapa en möjlighet för att arbeta mot att minska de miljöskadliga aktiviteterna. / The report's purpose is to shed light on the hairdressing industry's environmental impact by chemical emissions, to investigate how the routines for municipal supervisors look like in the hair salons around Sweden. And investigate if these routines could be improved to reduce the harmful emissions and from an environmental perspective create a more sustainable approach. The final aim of the report is that it should operate as an information base for municipal inspectors and also to the authorities and organizations they work with. Through chemical emissions and inadequate waste disposal hairdressing business has a great influence both on internal and external environments (K. Boll 2011). A report that Stockholm Water conducted in 2012 also shows that residues of aromatic phenols and amines remain in your hair after hair wash and are flushed out through the municipal sewage system. If the dyes are not broken down in the water treatment plant, they can interfere with treatment processes or reduce the quality of the outgoing wastewater and sludge. Most substances commonly found in hair products are in addition to harmful too toxic for our aquatic organisms and may cause long-term adverse effects in the aquatic environment (S. E. Tjus 2014). Today the hairdressing business is not notifiable but they are obligated to perform a self-monitoring system under the Environmental Code (SFS 1998:901). Medical Product Agency and municipalities are operational regulating authorities for cosmetic products and should, according to environmental inspection regulation (2011:13) supervise the hairdressing businesses. Although there is relatively little research on environmentally harmful substances linked to hygiene products, the same substances can often be found through articles which focus on industrial activities (European Parliament 2007). Kathon is an example of this as it except in hair products are also used in paints, adhesives, cutting fluids, putty and sealants. The substance is most likely both allergenic and environmentally harmful (E. Vene 2015) (T. Svensson 2016). Prior to this report, I chose to conduct an analysis of the current situation of how the Swedish municipalities' practices the supervising on the saloons. To obtain additional documentation I chose some municipalities that had to answer a more detailed questionnaire. Another perspective on these issues has been provided by a survey that was sent out to hairdressers in Sweden. The compilation of these interviews indicates a clear lack of information among the municipality and the hairdressers, the two parties would need a concrete plan to perform a more effective supervision, thereby creating an opportunity to work towards the reduction of environmentally harmful activities. / <p>2016-06-29</p>