Export is an important strategy for firms to grow, yet researchers tend to ignore how firms can exploit and develop their resource-based capabilities to improve export performance. Building on the Organizational Capability (OC) perspective, this study develops a novel approach on ways to improve export performance. Cross-sectional empirical data regarding Swedish firms were collected and analyzed in a number of ways, including application of multi-variate techniques. The study identifies associations between mode of entering a foreign market and the firm’s level of market orientation (MO) capabilities and entrepreneurial orientation (EO) capabilities. Entry modes include wholly-owned subsidiaries and collaborations with other firms. Also, the study shows that the associations are contingent on the institutional distance between the home market and the host market. Problems due to endogeneity are avoided as an association is established between a mode that is aligned with the capabilities and performance. The study found that firms possessing extensive MO and EO capabilities select a wholly-owned subsidiary. The analysis also shows that the institutional distance between Sweden and the export market moderates this association; greater distance favors collaboration with local partners. Moreover, aligning the selection of entry mode with firm-level MO and EO capabilities and institutional distance yields higher post-entry performance.

Background: Strategic capabilities are vital components for organisations to include in their business. Another essential elements in a strategy that can affect the performance of an organisation in both a negative and positive direction are critical success factors. This research will study if it possible to evaluate organisations CSFs in order to see whether a well performed CSF also can be identified as a strategic capability. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate organisations CSF in order to identify strategic capabilities Research question: What CSFs can be identified? Which CSFs are identified as strategic capabilities? Methodology: This thesis involved a qualitative pre-study consistent of a content analysis and semi-structured interview that were used to provide measurements to the quantitative survey. Conclusion: The findings indicate that it is possible to identify strategic capabilities by evaluating CSFs. In this study transportation, number of stores and the atmosphere were considered as strategic capabilities.

Hollywood’s dominance of the movie industry has been the subject of numerous studies. An interdisciplinary literature review in this thesis identified twenty different single or multiple factor explanations that try to account for Major studio dominance at different time periods but cannot comprehensively explain how Hollywood acquired and maintained dominance for nine decades. This thesis reviewed the economics, management and marketing literatures to identify existing theoretical explanations for the acquisition and persistence of market dominance. It then integrated existing theories identified within the business literature into a ‘theoretical lens’. This lens enables an historical analysis of Hollywood’s longstanding dominance of the movie business to be undertaken from a strategic business perspective. This thesis concludes that the Major studios rise to market leadership and enduring dominance can primarily be explained because they developed and maintained a set of strategic marketing management capabilities that were superior to rival firms and rival film industries. It is argued that a marketing orientation and effective strategic marketing management capabilities also provide a unifying theory for Hollywood’s enduring dominance because they can account for each of the twenty previously identified explanations for that dominance. The original contribution of this thesis is the development of a strategic marketing management lens and a set of guiding questions that can facilitate a strategic analysis of market dominance in any industry.

The emergence of the dynamic capabilities view has essentially extended the resource-based view, while also providing an integrated framework for an understanding of how firms evolve and how they secure competitive advantage in rapidly changing environments. While much research into dynamic capabilities has been developed in the theoretical and qualitative arenas, there has of yet been limited empirical support for its core assumptions. Such a limitation, authors have noted, may be due to its equivocal framework and the lack of a model with specified antecedents. This research conducts both conceptual and empirical works to address this gap. The primary goal of the research is to clarify the conceptual structure of dynamic capabilities, while also investigating potential micro-foundations of dynamic capabilities and their influences on firm performance. These micro-foundations, as the research traces back to the origins of dynamic capability from much firm capability and strategic management literature, could potentially include innovation, processual formalisation, social integration platforms (i.e. employee training and education) and the application of information technology. Alternatively, the research also looks into a possible extension of the dynamic capabilities view by extending inter-firm activities. In this part, the exploratory focus is on the relationship between a firm’s intended actions and its employment of alliance portfolios for capability and resource development. Using a subsample in the Australian manufacturing SME sector (from the Business Longitudinal Survey), the research finds a significant mediating effect of market transformation on the inter-relationships within the nexus of dynamic capabilities and firm performance. The empirical evidence of the research suggests that a firm’s dynamic capabilities are able to be viewed as a driver of competitive performance of firms insofar as they become evident in marketplaces. In other words, a firm’s development of dynamic capabilities confers upon the firm an adaptive capability in response to, or indeed perceiving, market dynamics, which in turn leads to superior performance. For the issue of inter-firm capability development, the research also finds that a firm’s capability development is indeed able to be achieved through some potential inter-firm specific activities. The empirical findings suggest that, for a purpose of capability development, alliance portfolios employed by a firm are able to be viewed as an approach to filling its resource stock or exploiting a perceived opportunity in its operational and strategic environments. In addition to the provision of empirical evidence, the research also extends the discussion of capability development by utilising a contextual case discussion in Taiwan’s ICT industry. Comparing strategy adoptions between OBM and OEM/ODM from Taiwan’s ICT businesses, the research reveals that many firms’ long-term and successful path dependencies that are absent the mediating arrangements discussed above may in fact form an obstacle to financial performance and growth into new business locales. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1522593 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Business School, 2010

Det har gjorts stora framsteg i Sveriges med jämställdhet gällande utbildning och höga positioner inom den privata- och offentliga sektorn. Däremot är det längre kvar till jäm-ställdhet i hemmet där kvinnor arbetar mer än män. Innan första barnet har kommit är det små skillnader men efter det är det kvinnorna som gör mer obetalt arbete och mindre betalt arbete. Den här studien syftar till att undersöka sambandet mellan föräldraskap och inställning till jämställdhet. Teorin utgår från att uppdelningar som görs i hemmet är kopplade till könsroller som uttrycks starkare vid inträde i föräldraskap samt ”Worklife balance” och capabilities-teorin som utgår från att föräldraskapet accentuerar viljan till jämställdhet. Studien baseras på datamaterialet ”ISSP 2012 - Åsikter om fa-miljeliv och arbete”, där urvalet består av kvinnor och män som är respektive inte är föräldrar i åldrarna 18-95 år. Resultatet presenteras med en univariat, bivariat och multi-variat analys. Resultatet i studien visar att icke-föräldrar är mer positivt inställda till jämställdhet än föräldrar och att ju fler barn en person har desto mer negativt inställda blir de. Detta när vi testar bakomliggande faktorer som kön, utbildningsnivå, ålder, må-nadsinkomst och arbetssituation. Det är ett negativt samband och det är statistiskt signi-fikant på 95% nivå.

O desenvolvimento das capacidades dinâmicas habilita a empresa à inovar de forma mais eficiente, e por conseguinte, melhorar seu desempenho. Esta tese apresenta um framework para mensuração do grau de desenvolvimento das capacidades dinâmicas da empresa. Através de técnicas de text mining uma bag of words específica para as capacidades dinâmicas é proposta, bem como, baseado na literatura é proposto um conjunto de rotinas para avaliar a operacionalização e desenvolvimento das capacidades dinâmicas. Para avaliação das capacidades dinâmicas, foram aplicadas técnicas de text mining utilizando como fonte de dados os relatórios anuais de catorze empresas aéreas. Através da aplicação piloto foi possível realizar um diagnóstico das empresas aéreas e do setor. O trabalho aborda uma lacuna da literatura das capacidades dinâmicas, ao propor um método quantitativo para sua mensuração, assim como, a proposição de uma bag of words específica para as capacidades dinâmicas. Em termos práticos, a proposição pode contribuir para a tomada de decisões estratégicas embasada em dados, possibilitando assim inovar com mais eficiência e melhorar desempenho da firma. / The development of dynamic capabilities enables the company to innovate more efficiently and therefore improves its performance. This thesis presents a framework for measuring the dynamic capabilities development. Text mining techniques were used to propose a specific bag of words for dynamic capabilities. Furthermore, based on the literature, a group of routines is proposed to evaluate the operationalization and development of dynamic capabilities. In order to evaluate the dynamic capabilities, text mining techniques were applied using the annual reports of fourteen airlines as the data source. Through this pilot application it was possible to carry out a diagnosis of the airlines and the sector as well. The thesis approaches a dynamic capabilities literature gap by proposing a quantitative method for its measurement, as well as, the proposition of a specific bag of words for dynamic capabilities. The proposition can contribute to strategic decision making based on data, allowing firms to innovate more efficiently and improve performance.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERATION OF Teresa K. Betts, for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Business Administration defended December 14, 2011, 10:00 a.m. 108 Rehn Hall at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: THE ROLE OF COMPETITIVE CAPABILITIES AND STAKEHOLDER PRESSURE IN THE ADOPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES AND IMPACT ON BUSINESS PERFORMANCE MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Suresh Tadisina This paper examines the underlying effect of manufacturing plants' competitive capabilities and their adoption of environmental practices. A Natural Resource Based View (NRBV) theoretical approach was utilized to develop and test a set of hypotheses surrounding how manufacturing plants with specific competitive capabilities would have a greater likelihood of implementing sets of environmental practices with similar underlying resources and capabilities. Further analysis evaluated how the influence of stakeholder pressures moderated the relationship between competitive capabilities and the degree of adoption of environmental manufacturing practices. Multiple regression results indicate quality and cost competitive capabilities are positively significantly associated with the adoption of specific environmental practices. Further analysis indicates stakeholder pressures do not moderate the relationship between competitive capabilities and the degree of adoption of environmental practices. Unique sets of stakeholder pressures are independent predictors for each set of environmental practices. ANOVA analysis indicates competitive process flexibility capability and product design environmental practices and competitive product innovation capability and product design environmental practices positively significantly impact business performance. This study contributes to the literature by providing insights into competitive capabilities which link to the degree of adoption of specific environmental practices and insights into synergies which may exist between competitive capabilities and environmental practices and their effects on business performance.

The use of sport to tackle a variety of social challenges, a strategy referred to as Sport for Development and Peace (SDP), is on the rise. Despite the recent attention given to the social value of sport to society few studies have investigated the relationship between sport, homelessness and poverty. This investigation explores such a relationship and in doing so helps to address a gap in existing sport in society research. In addressing such a gap this exploration takes its lead from Amartya Sen’s capability approach. Informed theoretically and methodologically by the capability approach this research provides an original thesis that considers the ways in which sport contributes to the expansion of the human capabilities of a select number of homeless street soccer players. The purpose of this thesis is to provide an original piece of research that advances our knowledge of sport in society and more specifically sport, homelessness and poverty. It uses a qualitative, collective case study design in which the participants of two social enterprises, which use street soccer to help overcome homelessness and its associated effects, were interviewed in order to understand the specific ways in which street soccer has helped to develop capabilities in the sense that Sen used this term. During the research process the notion of pathways with different entry and exit points emerged and became central to this work. This thesis has built on this idea through its use of two street soccer organisations: The Homeless World Cup and Street Soccer (Scotland), each of which operates at a different stage of the homeless pathways. By understanding sport as capabilities this research differentiates stages in the development of capabilities and identifies specific capabilities built through sport as separate to those built through the use of street soccer in either a sport plus and plus sport sense. With the increasing use of sport in development initiatives across the globe, it is both timely and necessary to consider new ways of understanding its social benefits. In the capability approach there exists the potential not only to better understand the ways in which sport interacts with and shapes individuals, communities and societies but also to better inform the use of sport for the purposes of development in the future. This thesis proposes that understanding sport as the development of capabilities is useful not least because of the universality of the new approach to considering and appreciating the social benefits gained in and through sport but also to alert sociologists and other disciplines to the value of Amartya Sen’s capability approach.

The aim of this thesis was to develop and validate squash-specific fitness tests to identify physiological determinants of repeat-sprint ability and performance in sub-elite and elite-standard squash players. Study one examined the validity of a squash-specific test of endurance capability and VO[2max]. Trained squash players and runners completed squash-specific and treadmill incremental tests to exhaustion. Squash players achieved greater VO[2max] on the squash-specific than the treadmill test while runners did not differ. Squash players exercised longer than runners on the squash-specific test despite similar VO2max. The squash test discriminated endurance capability between squash and non-squash players of similar fitness and elicited higher VO[2max] in squash players. The results suggest that it is a valid test of aerobic fitness in squash players. Study two assessed the reproducibility of physiological and performance measures from the squash specific test in county-standard players. Test-retest variability was low for all measures (Typical error < 5%) though the magnitude varied depending on the metric used. Studies three and four examined the validity and reproducibility of squash-specific tests of change-of-direction speed and multiple-sprint ability. County-standard squash players and footballers completed squash-specific and equivalent non-specific tests on separate days. Performance time was recorded. Participants repeated the tests seven days later to assess reproducibility. Squash outperformed non-squash players on the squash-specific tests despite similar non-specific capabilities. Squash-specific tests discriminated squash player rank while non-specific tests did not. Test-retest variability was low (Typical Error < 3%) for both tests. Squash-specific tests predicted ability in squash players and discriminated between squash and non-squash players of equal nonspecific fitness. The findings suggest that the squash-specific tests are valid for the assessment of high-intensity exercise capabilities in squash players. Studies five and six explored correlates of multiple-sprint ability and performance in sub-elite and elite squash players. Squash-specific and general tests were performed by regional league players ranging from division three to premier standard and elite players on three tiers of a national performance program. In sub-elites, multiple-sprint ability and endurance capability discriminated performance and multiple-sprint ability was related to change-of-direction-speed, VO[2max] and endurance capability. In world-ranked men and women, the ability to perform and sustain rapid changes of direction correlated with multiple-sprint ability and together with multiple-sprint ability discriminated performance. Aerobic fitness was not related to performance or multiple-sprint ability in elite players. Senior elites performed better than players on the talented athlete scholarship scheme (TASS) on all tests except VO[2max] and counter-movement jump. Drop-jump power and reactive strength discriminated senior and transition level from TASS players and indices from the multiple-sprint test discriminated seniors from transition and TASS players. This thesis has validated squash-specific tests of endurance and high-intensity exercise capabilities. These tests have shown that high-intensity exercise capabilities determine performance in elites while sub-elite performance is determined by multiple-sprint ability and endurance capability. The findings can be used to improve assessment of training effects and to inform the design of effective training methods.

New developments such as 'Precision Medicine' and 'Digital Health' are emerging areas in healthcare technology, underpinned by 'convergent technology' or 'cross-industry' innovation. However, convergence results in greater uncertainty and influence from new knowledge and actors, including previously disparate technologies and capabilities, bringing specific challenges in the development of innovations. Although the literature addresses the context of technology convergence, there has been limited research reported on the how such innovation is effected in nascent ecosystems. This qualitative research addresses identified literature gaps, initially by using a combination of ecosystem actor interviews (n=39) to understand the context, followed by five longitudinal in-depth case studies at innovator organisations. Case evidence was obtained from a combination of interviews (n=62), supplemented by field observations, primary documents and evidence from publicly available sources. The data was subjected to multiple coding methods, with plausible causal mechanisms identified through case and cross-case analyses. The research findings identify a set of five interconnected micro-processes (early organisational routines) which together form a non-deterministic activity system that enables an innovator to navigate (the ecosystem), negotiate (a position within it) and nurture (the innovation and ecosystem). The research further identifies the importance of careful balancing between relationally focussed credibility-seeking and advantage-seeking actions as the main driver 'guiding' managers when developing the innovation, the associated business model(s) and value network in the evolving ecosystem. A conceptual model and framework are developed to show the interrelationships between organisational routines, the activity systems and the ecosystem. In developing organisational capabilities, it is argued that convergent innovation requires mostly incremental changes (low depth of change) across many organisational routines (high breadth of change), which reduce the uncertainty of organizational change and thus increase internal acceptance. These findings support the argument that innovators require a more 'systemic' view of innovation and governance approaches contributing to the innovation and capabilities literature. From a practice perspective, the research provides mechanisms for building relational capabilities critical to innovation delivery.