This thesis contributes to institutional theories about European business systems through the analysis of one case study: the French asset management industry in the period 1984-1999. It asks how firms in a given business system adapt to changes in their economic and societal environment. The thesis declines the usual focus on issues of convergence and divergence, and suggests investigating organisational adaptation as a key dynamic process within business systems, and it develops a theoretical framework for this purpose. It presents the French model of asset management in the mid-1980s and contrasts it with the Anglo-Saxon model. It then shows that by 1999 French firms had for the most part adopted the dominant patterns of the Anglo-Saxon model. It then explains that if companies can stimulate the constitution of a new organisational field operating with different rules and institutional arrangements, they can depart from the dominant patterns and behaviours of their national environment. In this process, such institutional agents as regulators, professionals, market leaders and consultants, and such calculation tools as performance measurement, benchmark, rating and invitations to tender play a key part in establishing the new rules. Instead of focusing on convergence or on persisting diversities among national business systems, the thesis suggests further investigating the constitution of trans-national entities.

The internationalization of Chinese companies is a new reality. This is even more innovative if we isolate Chinese private firms and in particular those having businesses in developed countries as targets. If the first internationalizations of Chinese private firms to developed countries showed us less than optimal results; the latest show mixed outcomes. Interestingly, some of the latest firms with positive results are breaking through stable and complex global value chains, such as the automotive industry, to become first tier suppliers to transnational assemblers and even acquire large and apparently more capable first-tier global suppliers in developed countries. Based on the relevant literature, namely: automotive global value chain (Holweg et al., 2009; Humphrey & Memedovic, 2003; Sturgeon & Lester, 2004; Sturgeon & Van Biesebroeck, 2011; Thun, 2001); developing countries firms internationalization (Boisot & Meyer, 2008; Buckley et al., 2007; Child & Rodrigues, 2005; Dunning, 2006b; Luo & Tung, 2007; Mathews, 2006); and Chinese business system (Redding & Witt, 2009; Whitley, 1992, 1999b; Witt & Redding, 2013a, 2013b; Zhang & Whitley, 2013); this is not expected. This is why we decided to thoroughly understand the dynamic capabilities of one of such firms. Using an in-depth case study the analysis was performed with an integrative tri- perspective approach using institutional, industrial and firm levels. The starting point was on the understanding of the dynamic capabilities that the Chinese firm had since its incorporation until become a first-tier supplier to a transnational assembler followed by its internationalisation. Delving deeper into the internationalisation of the organisation, the study analysed, using the business system framework, how the Chinese firm was able to acquire and manage its new acquisition, which had superior tangible and intangible capabilities, and successfully overcame the predictable clashes that such a setting creates. This is in line with the call for exploratory research (Deng, 2012; Meyer, 2014; Narula, 2012; Ramamurti & Singh, 2009) due to the still infancy of the problem under study, the anecdotal descriptions, and the lack of reliable quantitative data. Our findings show us a Chinese firm with specific and divergent dynamic capabilities since its incorporation, when compared with the expected and typical companies, that should have emerged from the Chinese business system. A clear focus in a unique industry associated with the ambition, yet constraints, to become a global company, combined with the necessity of an industrial upgrade, and a deliberate strategy that allowed the firm to become a turnover company of €1 Billion in less than ten years. Furthermore, the long-term vision of the group and the use of a supportive partnering strategy for the post- acquisition period has been an essential component of the firm's success. Finally, we found that the firm has been joining disperse competences and resources it was lacking, using different dynamic capabilities, by grouping and directing them into a specific well-stated vision. From a theoretical perspective, these findings are particularly important since they do not support the institutional arbitrage literature nor accommodate the current different theoretical extensions on international business literature. From an empirical sense we explain that firms are not fate to integrate in a post M&A period and describe how this can be achieved.

Exploring the construct of social-responsibility orientation across three Asian and two Western societies (Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and the United States), we show evidence that top-level executives in these societies hold fundamentally different beliefs about their responsibilities toward different stakeholders, with concomitant implications for their understanding and enactment of responsible leadership. We further find that these variations are more closely aligned with institutional factors than with cultural variables, suggesting a need to clarify the connection between culture and institutions on the one hand and culture and social-responsibility orientations on the other.

Exploring the construct of social-responsibility orientation across three Asian and two Western societies (Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and the United States), we show evidence that top-level executives in these societies hold fundamentally different beliefs about their responsibilities toward different stakeholders, with concomitant implications for their understanding and enactment of responsible leadership. We further find that these variations are more closely aligned with institutional factors than with cultural variables, suggesting a need to clarify the connection between culture and institutions on the one hand and culture and social-responsibility orientations on the other. (authors' abstract)

Published Article / Increased diversity in the agricultural sector in South Africa is forcing farmers to focus on the production of value-added commodities in the face of mounting global competitive pressures. However, many farmers, by operating individually, are unable to expand operations to the scale necessary to become involved in value-adding processing. This requires too much capital, skills, and time. By pooling resources and forming integrated small and medium sized agricultural enterprises even small producers can enter the processing arena successfully. This paper focuses on the specific driving forces, pitfalls and strategies that agricultural SMEs need to pursue in order to survive.

The research aims to establish a framework whereby performance management systems can be assessed in terms of its effectiveness. The industry in which research is conducted is the call centre industry in South Africa. / The field of Performance Management is receiving more attention today than ever before. This is due to the fact that many companies are becoming more and more frustrated by the ‘disconnect’ that exists between formulating their strategy and successful delivery against it. The aim of this research is to determine how performance is managed in organisations, but more importantly, how it should be managed. To this end, this research considers the total endeavour required to manage performance as a system, and wishes to contribute towards specifying how this system must ‘hang together’. This research is conducted against the backdrop of the call centre industry in South Africa. The call centre industry is an area of potential growth in South Africa and in need of evaluating and improving their performance results to meet or exceed the international benchmarks. This level of global pressure makes call centres an appropriate subject of analysis on a topic such as Performance Management. The nature of this research was mostly exploratory, by firstly reviewing existing theory and literature relevant to this subject. Subsequent to this, two assessment instruments were used to assess the desired situation with regards to Performance Management Systems in South African call centres. The one instrument was developed as a result of the theory and literature reviewed during this research project (the PMSAI). Another, existing, instrument, the PMA®, (De Waal, 2004) was also used to provide a different view and provides an opportunity to triangulate this project. It also addresses the current status of Performance Management Systems in South African call centres to highlight shortcomings as a basis to review and improve these systems. The main findings of this research are that a successful Performance Management System should take cognisance of a number of factors in- and outside of the organisation as well as the interplay between ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ elements in the system. Examples of these factors are the industry and focus of the organisation, as well as what the Performance Management System must be used for. Examples of ‘hard’ vs ‘soft’ elements are responsibilities for performance targets (hard) and the level of buy-in to achieve the targets (‘soft’). In the end, a perfect ‘answer’ to Performance Management is elusive and is likely to remain so mainly due to the inherent complexity and level of variety that this system must cater for.

Darbe tiriami elektroninių užsakymų sprendimai elektroninio verslo sistemose. Siekiama nustatyti problemas, kurias turi spręsti elektroninio užsakymo sistema, ištirti egzistuojančius šių problemų sprendimo būdus bei nustatyti pastarųjų privalumus ir trūkumus. Taip pat siekiama realizuoti elektroninio užsakymo sistemą, sprendžiančią nustatytas problemas atsižvelgiant į ištirtų metodų privalumus ir trūkumus. Pagrindinis dėmesys skiriamas UBL (Universal Business Language) kalbos panaudojimui universalios elektroninio užsakymo sistemos kūrime. Darbe ištirtos švediškos sąskaitos-faktūros, daniškos sąskaitos-faktūros ir Zanzibar portalo sistemos, panaudojančios UBL. / The goal of this research is to define the main problems solved by e-order solutions, as well as to analyse the existing methods of solving these problems and research similar existing systems, and finally to create and test a model of such system. The research is focused on the implementation of UBL (Universal Busines Language) in e-business systems. It covers the methods of e-procurement systems and the methods of using UBL in realization of these systems. The research covers the existing systems, such as Swedish E-Invoice, Danish E-Invoice and Zanzibar Portal. The main problem of all existing methods and solutions is the integration of existing systems on both, buyer and seller sides. In this work, the project of an e-order system is made in attempt to create a universal solution that would ensure the inegration of any existing system.

The research aims to establish a framework whereby performance management systems can be assessed in terms of its effectiveness. The industry in which research is conducted is the call centre industry in South Africa. / The field of Performance Management is receiving more attention today than ever before. This is due to the fact that many companies are becoming more and more frustrated by the ‘disconnect’ that exists between formulating their strategy and successful delivery against it. The aim of this research is to determine how performance is managed in organisations, but more importantly, how it should be managed. To this end, this research considers the total endeavour required to manage performance as a system, and wishes to contribute towards specifying how this system must ‘hang together’. This research is conducted against the backdrop of the call centre industry in South Africa. The call centre industry is an area of potential growth in South Africa and in need of evaluating and improving their performance results to meet or exceed the international benchmarks. This level of global pressure makes call centres an appropriate subject of analysis on a topic such as Performance Management. The nature of this research was mostly exploratory, by firstly reviewing existing theory and literature relevant to this subject. Subsequent to this, two assessment instruments were used to assess the desired situation with regards to Performance Management Systems in South African call centres. The one instrument was developed as a result of the theory and literature reviewed during this research project (the PMSAI). Another, existing, instrument, the PMA®, (De Waal, 2004) was also used to provide a different view and provides an opportunity to triangulate this project. It also addresses the current status of Performance Management Systems in South African call centres to highlight shortcomings as a basis to review and improve these systems. The main findings of this research are that a successful Performance Management System should take cognisance of a number of factors in- and outside of the organisation as well as the interplay between ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ elements in the system. Examples of these factors are the industry and focus of the organisation, as well as what the Performance Management System must be used for. Examples of ‘hard’ vs ‘soft’ elements are responsibilities for performance targets (hard) and the level of buy-in to achieve the targets (‘soft’). In the end, a perfect ‘answer’ to Performance Management is elusive and is likely to remain so mainly due to the inherent complexity and level of variety that this system must cater for.

This study aims to explore critical factors about the implementation process in start-ups or small companies. Earlier research has indicated that there are several critical factors that have a negative influence on the performance if not being reached. The theoretical background is based on four different dimensions, critical factors, strategic work, phases, and the organizational size. It states that some critical factors of why implementation processes often disclose as a failure, depend on, not enough resources allocated in terms of both time and economics. The theoretical background also indicates that the strategic alignment between its purpose and the existing processes align together as an important factor for success. Research also indicates that perhaps it’s not the company size that matters, but the collection of people within the project. To come up with how small companies could make implementation processes work. The study has collected empirical findings by five semi structured interviews. The collected findings tell us that communication is highly rated, both for problem solving and to learn about each other to increase the trust between us. But also, that the first phase of a project is perhaps the most important and therefore also more communication is considered better. It tells us the importance of the right competence in the right places, this is considered more important than a fancy strategical work in smaller companies. The analysis and discussion suggest that there need to be more focus on factors in general processes to ensure that they are always thought of. This could possibly generate greater results. Also, it’s suggested that smaller companies should focus more on internal competence rather than which strategic road map they should take. Conclusion, the study cannot say that smaller companies need to adjust their approach in an implementation process compared to a greater company, instead it seems to rely on other factors. The study has identified eight specific factors that are of great value in small companies. Including, competence, communication, and resource allocation. / Studiens syfte är att utforska faktorer i implementationsprocesser hos mindre företag för att avgöra vilka som är mest kritiska för att lyckas med ett implementationsprojekt. Tidigare forskning har visat att det finns flertalet critical factors som har en negativ inverkan ifall de inte uppfylls. Tidigare forskning utgår ifrån fyra dimensioner; kritiska faktorer, strategiarbete, faser och organisationens storlek. Den visar att många implementationsprocesser misslyckas på grund av att mängden resurser i form av tid och pengar underskattas. Det strategiska arbetet är viktigt samt, att det är synkroniserat med de redan existerande processerna. Tidigare forskning och litteratur har påvisat att det inte behöver vara storleken på ett företag som bestämmer dess begränsningar eller möjligheter. Snarare är det sammansättningen av personer i projektet som är avgörande. Studien använder semistrukturerade intervjuer för datainsamling av fem informanter. Den insamlade empirin, visar att det är viktigt med kommunikation för att lära känna varandra och kunna lösa problem. Likaså ansågs kommunikation vara en avgörande faktor i de första faserna av projektet för att så tidigt som möjligt lösa alla frågetecken och skapa förtroende för varandra. Det ansågs även att kompetens på rätt plats var betydligt viktigare än strategin som helhet, speciellt i ett mindre företag. Analys och diskussionsdelen tar upp vilka kritiska faktorer mindre företag anser är de viktigaste och hur de används i implementationsprocessen. . Det kan finnas en poäng för mindre företag att specialisera de interna kunskaperna istället för att testa äventyrliga strategier för tidigt. Slutsatsen från studien är att företag inte behöver tänka annorlunda i implementationsprojekt. Studien har identifierat åtta faktorer som påverkar snarare än storlek samt att fokus bör ligga på att förhålla sig till dessa, däribland kompetens, kommunikation och resursalokering.

Detta examensarbete genomfördes för Projektgaranti AB Syftet med examensarbetet var att granska förutsättningarna för samordning och kommunikation mellan olika konsultdiscipliner inom projekteringsskedet. Vidare utvärderades och granskades de olika projektens utförande i avseende dokumentation i förhållande till rutiner och verksamhetsguidens anvisningar. Frågeställningarna under denna studie var: Hur är förutsättningarna för samordning och kommunikation mellan de olika konsulterna? Vad är det som styr detta hos Projektgaranti AB? Hur används verksamhetsguidens anvisningar samt rutiner i praktiken vid dokumentation? Målet med denna studie var att fastställa förutsättningarna för samordning och kommunikation inom projekteringen och även att se till och bedöma dokumentation; hur den genomförs och om riktlinjer för struktur och innehåll följs Vid genomförandet av denna studie tillämpades metoderna: enkätundersökning, stickprovsundersökning, observationer, granskningar och intervjuer Studien ledde till i överskådliga resultat kring hur teoretiska riktlinjer följs i praktiken, hur Projektgaranti respektive berörda konsulter upplever samordningen och kommunikationen inom projektering. Tydliga samband gick att utläsa kring vilka områden det fanns förbättringspotential. Slutsaser som kan dras från denna studie är ändrade riktlinjer för konsulterna är en nödvändighet för att skapa bättre förutsättningar för samordningen inom projekteringen För att förbättra samordningen mellan de olika konsulterna skulle mötesrutinerna kunna ändras till att bli mer nischade och som komplement till samordningsmöten införa rutiner använda programvaran Lync, där konsulterna kan dela skärminformation och följa varandras arbeten i realtid även på distans. / This thesis was conducted Projektgaranti AB   The purpose of the thesis was to examine the conditions for coordination and communication between consultant disciplines in the design stage. Furthermore, evaluated and reviewed the various project executions in respect of documentation in relation to the procedures and operations wizard. The questions in this study were: What are the conditions for coordination and communication between the various consultants? How are the activities wizard and procedures in affect at the documentation? The aim of this study was to determine the conditions for coordination and communication in the design and also to ensure and assess the documentation; its implementation and guidelines for the structure and content complianceIn the implementation of this study applied the methods: survey, sampling, observations, surveys and interviews  The study resulted in the foreseeable results of how theoretical guidelines are followed in practice, how Projektgaranti and concerned consultants experiencing coordination and communication within the project. Clear correlation could be gleaned about what areas there were potential for improvement. Conclusions that can be drawn from this study is revised guidelines for consultants is a necessity to create better conditions for coordination in planning To improve coordination between the various consultants would encounter routines could be changed to become more niche and to supplement coordination meetings to introduce routines use the software Lync, where consultants can share screen information and follow each other's works live at a distance.