For decades, the importance of information technology (IT) for organizations has continuously increased. To ensure effective IT management and operations, to enable the business, and to stay competitive, many large organizations appoint a Chief Information Officer (CIO) as their highest-ranked IT executive (Preston et al., 2008). While many small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face similar challenges concerning IT, they often lack the resources to employ a full-time IT executive (Bhagwat & Sharma, 2007; Cragg et al., 2013). However, Kamariotou and Kitsios (2022) find that strategic planning and alignment with IT are important determinants for increasing an SME’s business value. An increasing number of SMEs started to employ CIOs part-time to avoid the risk of not staying competitive and losing business value (Moise, 2021; Pratt, 2022). Such so-called “Fractional CIOs” are often highly experienced and skilled individuals working for multiple SMEs simultaneously (Kratzer et al., 2022). By contracting a Fractional CIO, SMEs benefit in various ways. First, they get an experienced IT leader at a fraction of the cost. Second, they remain flexible concerning billable hours and the time horizon of the engagement. Third, they are receiving an outside-in perspective and might profit from the Fractional CIO’s experience gained from simultaneous engagements. Even though the Fractional CIO role benefits SMEs, adoption and awareness are still low. Further, substantial research on the novel role is missing. This dissertation aims to establish a new stream in CIO research that explores the role of the Fractional CIO. Our comprehensive literature review of the CIO research field provides the basis for this research (Kratzer et al., 2023b). As we explore this novel phenomenon, we are also interested in how to best report research findings. We, therefore, aim to conceptualize techniques to convey novel phenomena in information systems (IS) research in an illustrative way. Hence, we posed the following overarching research questions: RQ1: How can novel phenomena be communicated in an illustrative yet rigorous way in research papers? RQ2: What is the state-of-the-art in the CIO research field, and what are further avenues for research? RQ3: What concepts provide SMEs with the experienced IT executive management they need? RQ4: What makes Fractional CIO engagements successful? RQ5: How does the role of the Fractional CIO take shape in practice in the German market? These overarching research questions are answered through six consecutive publications. 1) 'Literary Sketches in Information Systems Research: Conceptualization and Guidance for Using Vignettes as a Narrative Form' This paper is conceptual and has a methodological focus on the use of vignettes. The paper contributes to the usage of vignettes as a narrative form in academic research, providing a taxonomy that structures vignettes and identifies three archetypes. By conceptualizing vignettes through a taxonomy and archetypes, we create transparency for the usage of vignettes, encourage the use of vignettes, and provide recommendations how to use them more rigorously. Long term, this might contribute to a better exchange between academia and practice through better comprehensibility of academic papers. 2) 'Four Decades of Chief Information Officer Research: A Literature Review and Research Agenda Based on Main Path Analysis' In this paper, we conducted a bibliographic literature review using main path analysis, which helped to objectively identify existing topics based on their importance. We also illustrated the knowledge flow in CIO research by identifying major and emerging research streams and analyzing their evolution over time. Additionally, we aggregated central papers in CIO research and developed a research agenda to provide guidance for future research. Overall, this paper helps to advance the understanding of the CIO research field and provides insights for researchers and practitioners. 3) 'The Fractional CIO in SMEs: Conceptualization and Research Agenda' With this paper, we were the first to conceptualize the role of the Fractional CIO and to develop a research agenda for this novel research field. The results from this paper contribute to research and practice in several ways. First, we are the first authors to conceptualize the role of the Fractional CIO, derive a definition, compare it to existing CIO role research, and derive four engagement types. Second, we develop a research agenda to guide future research in the new Fractional CIO research field. Third, we contribute to practice by promoting the role’s awareness among potential Fractional CIOs and organizations. Fourth, we show that Fractional CIO services are versatile and can benefit organizations of different sizes and maturity levels, and there are diverse possibilities for evolution. 4) 'What Makes Fractional CIO Engagements in SMEs Successful? – A Research Framework' In this paper, we developed a research framework for Fractional CIO engagement success. It makes contributions to research and practice. First, we propose a research framework for Fractional CIO engagement success and, therefore, develop a common ground for future research. Second, we provide practical advice for Fractional CIOs and SMEs regarding factors for engagement success. Third, we raise awareness about the Fractional CIO role that may benefit many SMEs around the world. 5) 'Factors for Fractional CIO Engagement Success' In this paper, we used Q-methodology to empirically evaluate the relative importance of factors influencing Fractional CIO engagement success and to identify different viewpoints on engagement success. Our paper makes several contributions to research and practice. First, our paper is the first to identify and evaluate the importance of factors for Fractional CIO engagement success. Therefore, it serves as a basis for further research in the new Fractional CIO research field. Second, we find that upper echelon theory (Hambrick & Mason, 1984) can be applied to executives independent of their contractual relationship in cases of comparable responsibilities. Third, by thoroughly applying Q-methodology, we showcase an exploratory tool for identifying opinions and preferences of participants and clustering them accordingly. This approach provides guidance for other IS scholars to apply it. Fourth, we develop preliminary archetypes of Fractional CIOs and, based on that, provide tentative advice for Fractional CIOs and organizations that hire them. These preliminary archetypes enabled us to identify further theoretical explanations of this phenomenon. In addition to transaction cost theory, agency theory, and upper echelon perspective, we found that stewardship theory and dynamic capabilities explain additional characteristics of Full-ownership CIOs and Change Agents. 6) 'Mehr als Vollzeit: Fractional CIOs in KMUs' This paper summarizes the results of our previous studies regarding the Fractional CIO role in German language and conducts semi-structured interviews with three Fractional CIOs from Germany to complement it with a perspective on the German market. Overall, we find that the Fractional CIO role in the German market is performed similarly to the international market. The interviewed German Fractional CIOs/CTOs could not clearly identify any hurdles that might explain the low adoption of the role. However, all three German Fractional CIOs agree that German SMEs would strongly benefit from Fractional CIOs. (References to be found in the full text)

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AFRICAN LANGUAGES / MA (AFRICAN LANGUAGES)

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Reeds vir dekades, maar spesifiek sedert vlaag op vlaag van groot korporatiewe skandale die laaste anderhalf dekade hoofnuus is, is die vergoeding van uitvoerende hoofde onder die vergrootglas. Die persepsie by baie aandeelhouers en die breë publiek is dat uitvoerende hoofde ruim vergoed word en dat hul vergoeding nie noodwendig verband hou met prestasie van die maatskappye wat hulle lei nie. Van die algemene kritiek wat voor die deur van maatskappye en uitvoerende hoofde gelê word, is dat salarisse en ander vorms van vergoeding, spesifiek aandeletoekennings en -opsies, nie deursigtig is nie. Daar is ook kritiek dat die vergoedingskomitees van maatskappye deur ’n botsing van belange geteister word, want juis die hoofde wat voordeel uit vergoedingsbeleide van die komitees kry, is verantwoordelik vir voorstelle rakende die vlakke van vergoeding wat betaal moet word. Daar word ook genoem dat hoewel Suid-Afrika een van die wêreldleiers is rakende gesonde korporatiewe bestuur, juis met die aanvaarding van die beginsels wat uiteengesit word in die King I-, II- en III-verslae, is daar steeds verskeie maatskappye wat nie aan die beginsels gehoor gee nie. In ‘n Amerikaanse studie rondom die eeuwisseling is bevind dat, in ‘n sakemodel waarin bestuursmag oorheers, lede van die direksie en die vergoedingskomitee geneig is om hul mededirekteure en bestuurshoofde te begunstig. (Crotty & Bonorchis, 2006). Die navorsingsverslag het ten doel om te bepaal of die totale vergoeding van uitvoerende hoofde van die 120 top-maatskappye van die Johannesburgse Aandelebeurs, wat bepaal is op grond van die 120 maatskappye wat aan die einde van 2009 die grootste markkapitalisasie gehad het, geregverdig kan word op grond van die individuele maatskappye se markvertoning. ’n Korrelasie tussen die totale vergoeding, wat alle kontant- en aandele-vergoeding insluit, is dus in verband gebring met die volgende drie veranderlikes: Omset, Totale Inkomste en EBIT-winssyfers. Dit is beduidend dat in meer as 80 persent van alle korrelasie-waarnemings van vergoeding teenoor al drie veranderlikes was daar ’n baie sterk positiewe korrelasie, wat beteken dat vergoeding van uitvoerende hoofde net toeneem indien daar ook ’n toename in die omset, inkomste en wins van individuele maatskappye is. Die navorsingsverslag het ook uitgewys watter vyf maatskappye onder die 120 topmaatskappye wat in Suid-Afrika genoteer is wel ’n negatiewe korrelasie wys, wat aandui dat daar nie ’n sterk korrelasie is tussen wat uitvoerende hoofde kan verdien en wat die vertoning van die maatskappy se omset-, inkomste- en winssyfers is nie. Wat insiggewend van die korrelasies is, is dat die minimum tydperk oor vyf jaar geskied het, wat dit statisties meer beduidend maak. Vergoeding word dus nie net eenmalig oor ’n kort tydperk ontleed nie, maar ’n langer termyn tendens van vergoeding by individuele maatskappy is waargeneem. Die gepubliseerde omset-, inkomste- en winssyfers vir die 120 maatskappye is uit die jaarverslae nagevors en die totale uitvoerende vergoeding, soos aangeteken op McGregor BFA (2009a) se databasis, is as data by die navorsingsverslag ingesluit. Die syfers van alle veranderlikes moes eers in Suid-Afrikaanse rand omgeskakel word, want verskeie maatskappye met dubbelnoterings op byvoorbeeld die Johannesburgse Aandelebeurs en die Londense of Australiese beurs se jaarverslae is in Amerikaanse dollar, Britse pond of Australiese dollar gekwoteer. Nadat die Spearman-korrelasie van elke individuele maatskappy bepaal is vir maatskappye wat syfers vir langer as vyf jaar beskikbaar het, is bepaal hoeveel waarnemings vir omset, inkomste en wins beduidende statistiese korrelasies toon, met ’n algehele waarnemingssyfer van meer as 80 persent van die maatskappye wat postiewe korrelasies gewys het vir die vlak van vergoeding in vergelyking met die drie ander veranderlikes. Daar is dus ’n statisties beduidende positiewe korrelasie tussen die vergoeding van uitvoerende hoofde van JSE-genoteerde maatskappye in vergelyking met die omset, inkomste en wins van die maatskappye. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: For decades, but specifically since wave upon wave of corporate scandals made headline news in the past decade and a half, the remuneration of chief executives has been in the spotlight. The perception among many shareholders and the general public is that executives are very well paid and that their earnings do not necessarily relate to the performance of their companies. One of the most common criticisms against companies and their chief executives is that salaries and other forms of remuneration, especially share transfers and options, are not transparent. There is also wide criticism that remuneration committees of companies are plagued by a conflict of interests, as precisely the executives who stand to gain from the recommendations of these committees are responsible for the proposed levels of earnings. Furthermore, it is suggested that, although South Africa is regarded as a world leader in sound corporate governance, especially since the acceptance of the principles advanced in the King I, II and III reports, there are still a substantial number of companies that do not adhere tot these principles. This research project set out to establish whether the total remuneration of chief executives of the top 120 companies on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, determined as the 120 with the largest market capitalisation at the end of 2009, could be justified on the strength of the individual companies’ market performance. Thus a correlation between the total earnings, including all cash and share awards, was brought in relation with the following three variables: Turnover, Total Income and EBIT Profit Margins. It is significant that in more than 80 persent of all correlation observations of remuneration, measured against all three variables, a very strong positive correlation came to the fore. This means that remuneration of executives only increase when there is a concomitant increase in the turnover, income and profit of individual companies. The research also pointed out which five among the 120 top companies trading on the JSE demonstrated a negative correlation, which shows that there is a strong correlation between the earnings of chief executives and their companies’ turnover, income and profit figures. Especially instructive is that a minimum period of five years was analysed, which makes it statistically more significant. Thus earnings were not adjudged once-off over a short period, but observed as a long-term tendency of remuneration by individual companies. The turnover, income and profit figures of the 120 companies were researched in the published annual reports of the data base of McGregor BFA (2009b), and the total executive earnings, as recorded in McGregor BFA’s Directors’ Search data base, were included as data in the research report. The figures of all variables were converted to South African rands, as several companies who are quoted both on the JSE or the London or Australian stock exchanges publish their annual reports either in US dollars, pounds sterling or Australian dollars. After the statistical technique of Spearman’s correlation was established for each individual company with data available for five years or longer, it was concluded how many observations of companies’ turnover, income and profit figures showed significant correlations. In total more than 80 persent of all observations of all variables of the companies had positive correlations, which suggests that the executive earnings of the vast majority of companies on the JSE demonstrates a strong correlation with their financial achievements.

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Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) have become recognised as brands in the academic and popular domain, but little is known about the relationship between these senior manager 'brands' and the corporate brand of the organisation they represent. Since stakeholders associate the CEO's reputation with that of the company, they may negatively or positively affect each other, and there is little research into this dynamic. Indeed there is only a limited understanding about the field of people branding in general and much less into CEO brands in particular. Consequently this doctoral thesis investigates the people and CEO brands phenomena, the relationships between CEO, corporate brand and stakeholder's self-image and how these can be effectively managed in order to enhance brand equity for the company. Based on a critical realist perspective, this research examines traditional product brand elements from the literature and develops a new conceptual framework for people brands, which is subsequently applied to CEOs. Furthermore a survey is performed with business school students. The findings are analysed by using content analysis, descriptive statistics and by developing and testing a Structural Equation Model. The contribution to knowledge is threefold. Firstly a conceptual framework of people brands is constructed. Second this model is applied to CEO brands. Third five propositions about stakeholder perceptions of CEO brand differentiation and equity are empirically tested. The main findings are that visual presentation is not the main factor to differentiate CEO brands from each other, nor is their association with the company. Positive perceptions of corporate brands can influence the reputation of the CEO brand and lead to an enhancement of their brand equity. Importantly this indicates that stakeholders do not distinguish between CEO and company. Brand equity is also created if there is a relationship between stakeholder self-image and company brand, which in turn can improve the reputation of the CEO brand. Finally brand equity is enhanced through stakeholder perceptions of an ideal self-image. Overall this research has important implications for academia and managerial practice as it extends the knowledge about people and CEO brands and provides an insight into ways in which the relationships between CEO, company and stakeholders can be managed to enhance brand equity for the company

The transition for any executive into a new appointment is a challenge. This transition for the newly appointed Chief Information Officer (CIO) is especially challenging given the complexity and ambiguous nature of their role. Investment in information technology (IT) has steadily increased over the past twenty years and contributes to enabling business changes that drive organizational performance improvements. The role of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) has evolved into an executive who holds significant responsibility for leading the organization in realizing these investment benefits. Therefore unsuccessful CIO transitions can negatively impact the extent to which the organization’s IT benefits are fully realized. This research has one objective: to increase our understanding of the process of taking charge for the newly appointed Chief Information Officer (CIO). This increased understanding contributes to academic research as well as provides insights to practicing CIOs that will increase their probability of successfully taking charge of a new appointment. The project explores this phenomenon in depth from both the CIO’s and non-IT executive’s (CxO) perspective through semi-structured interviews with 43 executives. Participants included twenty-one Chief Information Officers and twenty-two C-suite, non-IT executives. The study integrates concepts from role theory and leader socialization with CIO leadership challenges. Findings indicate that the newly appointed CIO experiences a mutual adjustment process when they take charge. This adjustment occurs within their role set; the IT leadership team, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the other top management team members (CxOs). The data suggests that CIOs experience three overlapping phases of taking charge; Entry, Stabilization and Renewal. These phases result in confidence, credibility and legitimacy as a new leader in the organization. The data further reveals that the type of transition (Start-up, Turnaround, Realignment or Success-sustaining) encountered by the CIO is a significant influence on the taking charge process. CIO socialization is influenced heavily by their role set and the expectations within it. CIOs will encounter CxO peers with varying preferences on interaction style and focus. In addition the CxOs in the study identified three different views of CIOs that reinforce the role ambiguity for the newly appointed CIO. The study reveals that CIOs experience organizational socialization in two domains of leadership. These domains are supply-side and demand-side leadership. The data suggests that supply-side socialization occurs prior to demand-side socialization. These socialization outcomes are dependent on transition type. This research extends previous work done on CIO transitions by identifying phases, activities and outcomes. An additional contribution is the first empirical model of new CIO socialization. Leader socialization research is enhanced with the study of a non-CEO executive. This model contributes a deeper understanding of the mutual adjustment process experienced by a newly appointed CIO. Practicing CIOs can apply these findings in developing transition plans and actions for taking a new appointment. The CxO types and attitudes can inform the newly appointed CIO on customizing their relationship building approaches. Understanding that taking charge requires 2-3 years can lead to more realistic expectations of the executive. The findings of this study can lead CIOs to a higher probability of success in taking charge of a new appointment.

CEO competence and development is a continuing concern in the NHS. As a key feature of any CEO leadership role is responsibility for organisationally critical decisions, and there is an increasing recognition of the role context plays in effective leadership behaviour. This study examines the role of contextual intelligence in relation to PCT CEO decision making behaviour. To do this, the research addresses four questions: a) what does the literature say about CEO contextual intelligence? b) what factors do PCT CEOs say they take into account in different decision making contexts? c) what contextual factors do they actually take into account? and d) what impact do the contextual factors have on their decision making behaviour. A systematic literature review resulted in a model of CEO contextual intelligence for CEO decision making. Semi-structured interviews with 24 PCT CEOs in a NHS region about factors influencing their decisions on generic strategies, national policies, regional strategies and local plans revealed a hierarchy among contextual factors applying to different decision strata. Semi-structured interviews and analysis of CEO diaries two months later of the same focal decisions show the real critical factors to be:- national policies themselves, the Strategic Health Authority and the decision making process, for regional strategies; and Top Management Team and structure for local plans. Altogether, the research reveals that the PCT CEO’s decision making context is rationally bounded; the relevant contextual factors differed significantly from the literature derived model; the actual factors in practice differed from what were espoused; choice of factors vary depending on decision trigger strata which links to degrees of CEO autonomy; and macro level factors which were indicated as significant from the systematic review were in fact ignored in practice. A PCT CEO model of contextual intelligence is developed together with a two dimensional model of underlying structures guiding PCT CEO decision making behaviour. The findings have implications for governance structures in the NHS, CEO decision making and senior leader development in ii the NHS in the context of the 2012 Health and Social Care Act. Areas for further research in public sector, NHS and contextual intelligence are also identified.

1 The Role of Constitutional Organs in Ensuring the State Security Abstract This diploma thesis deals with question, what role are constitutional organs, such as President of the Republic, Government, Parliament and Security Council of the State, playing in the security system of the Czech Republic. For this purpose, the thesis shows the constitutional system of the Czech Republic on the example of position of President of the Republic. Main part of the thesis is based on analysis of President's status as Commander in Chief of armed forces because of the lack of complex attention of Czech constitutional doctrine. According to that, the thesis describes Czechoslovak constitutional development in the first place and compares it with present legal framework. The thesis uses all methods of legal interpretation from the constitutional point of view as well as knowledges of other academic disciplines and interprets the constitutional terms "armed forces" and "Commander in Chief". This interpretation is followed by the criticism of statutory regulation and assess the content of Commander in Chief`s authority. The thesis express other presidential activities with security dimension, too. The thesis especially justifies presidential rights and competencies in connection with intelligence agencies. In other part, the...

A trajetória de Silvino Jacques e o contexto histórico do qual fez parte são a razão deste estudo. Da Fronteira Oeste no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, onde começou a agir como proscrito, à sua atuação na Fronteira Oeste na parte Sul de Mato Grosso, Jacques, eliminado em 1939, incorporou mundos controversos nos quais se inserem sua conduta legalista no combate ao Movimento Constitucionalista de 1932, seus contatos com os revolucionários do movimento comunista de 1935 e suas práticas fora dos parâmetros legais do Estado Nacional. A abordagem considera aspectos fundiários, coronelismo, campesinato e suas vertentes política, social e econômica à época em que o governo federal visava centralizar a violência no combate a bandidos, bandoleiros e revolucionários. O período estudado, 1929-1939, corresponde a um Brasil que caminhava entre os mundos pré-capitalista e capitalista, com adequações e alterações, num ambiente que até então se caracterizava pela fragilidade das instituições e pelo mandonismo dos chefes paroquiais. Sobre a análise da estrutura fundiária do Sul do antigo Mato Grosso na década de 1930, Edward Palmer Thompson foi uma valiosa referência neste estudo. A teoria do bandido social criada por Eric J. Hobsbawm é aqui explicada de acordo com posicionamentos de pesquisadores que fizeram inserção crítica a partir daquela formulação hobsbawmiana. Enfocamos as rebeldias pré-organização política que se configuraram como os primeiros movimentos de contestação do poder estabelecido a serviço de interesses hegemônicos. Fizemos análise diferencial do comportamento considerado banditista na Fronteira Oeste em relação a outras partes do país, o cangaço no Sertão nordestino, por exemplo. Ressaltamos os propósitos do cangaço no Nordeste brasileiro em comparação com o banditismo na Fronteira Oeste. / The trajectory of Silvino Jacques and his historical context of which he made part are reason for this study. Outcast of the West Border, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, where he started acting like an outlaw man for his role in West Border in the southern part of Mato Grosso, Jacques, eliminated in 1939, incorporated controversial worlds, in which inserts his conduct in the legalistic combat Constitutionalist Movement and practices outside the legal parameters of the Nation State. The approach considers aspects of land, political chiefs, peasantry and the political, social and economic practices, to the time when the federal government sought to centralize the violence in fighting bandits, brigands and revolutionaries. The study period is 1929-1939, corresponding to a Brazil which walked between the precapitalist and capitalist worlds, with adjustments and changes in an environment that until then was characterized by weak institutions and parish heads. On the analysis of the agrarian structure of the old South Mato Grosso in the 1930s, Edward Palmer Thompson was a valuable reference in this study. The theory of the social bandit, created by Eric J. Hobsbawm, was explained according to researchers who have made placements critical insertion from that hobsbawmiana formulation. We focus on the rebellions pre-political organization that constitute the first movements of contestation of the established power in the service of hegemonic interests. We analyzed the differential behavior in the practices attributed to the bandits in the West Border in relation to other parts of the country, banditry in the Northeast, for example. We emphasize the purposes of banditry in the Northeast of Brazil compared to banditry in the West Frontier.