Researchers studying the alignment of business resources usually focus on business cases that inherently have a going-concern interaction built on long-term relationships at the firm level (e.g., Barney, 1991) dyadic level (e.g., Eisenhardt & Martin, 2000) or the broader network level (e.g., Dyer, 1996). Resource alignment is usually flexible in terms of the timeline for identifying and aligning resources and resource engagement. While contractual limitations can be applied to resource alignment, resource engagement holds a notion of persistent value adding relationship. However, there are multitudes of contexts where relationships are bounded by the limited life of a project and by the way where resources must be rapidly aligned and managed. Examples exist in sectors as diverse as construction, filmmaking, and oil exploration. The study examined theories and empirical studies of resource alignment ranging from resource-based views (e.g., Wernerfelt, 1984) to more complex network views of social organizational interactions (e.g., Gulati et al., 2000). The majority of these literatures treat the development of business relationships and the acquisition of resources as a phenomenon that occurs over an extended period. Time-bound transactions challenge these theoretical perspectives built around the longevity of inter-organizational relations. Thus, the key strategic management problem this research addresses is how resources and capabilities can be rapidly aligned and managed in a time-bound network to achieve sustainable competitive advantages (SCA) at the network level. The fieldwork was conducted on more than 20 construction projects in the United Arab Emirates. Using secondary source data, I mapped the projects??? networks and interviewed 45 industry experts about the resources and capabilities their firms bring to the network, and how quickly they can be aligned to achieve the objectives of the project. The interviews were conducted over 11 months between 2011 and 2012 and amounted to more than 20 hours of audio and hundreds of notes including network sketches. I also investigated the transfer of resources and capabilities that may help network members to increase their competitive advantage when bidding on future projects. The benefits of long-term relationships are evident in any business; however, firms in the project-based construction industry often cannot reap those benefits. This study built upon theories of network-based resource alignment in the extreme situation of time-bound projects. The two-phase qualitative research approach relied on intensive interviews with key decision makers. Template analysis was used as the primary method of data analysis. This research???s primary finding is that there is no evidence of the concept of sustainable competitive advantage at the network level, while it is evident at the firm level. Other findings confirm that the events of full replication and non-replication of networks after project completion do not exist nor do decision makers favour them. While these findings imply the lack of attention to the benefits of contributing to a network, the more apparent scenario is replication of parts of a network, which is a result of two factors: 1) capabilities developed at firm level, which in return develop resources, and other capabilities, 2) movement of resources across network entities. The results shed light on decision-making techniques for efficient management of resources in time-bound business transactions such as construction and other projects. However, they may also generalize to dynamic business situations such as the entry of a firm into a new market or the entrepreneurial start-up of a new company in which resources must also be quickly aligned.

Companies operating in emerging markets face highly turbulent and complex environments. Russia is no exception; the firms acting on the Russian market perform in the conditions of economic instability, energy export dependence, state bureaucratic constraints and unfair competition from the part of oligarchic groups. However, despite all these challenges, more and more private owned companies manage to enjoy high growth and margins. A critical group of firms are the so-called high-growth private companies. These firms arouse special interest since they are believed to be main growth generators and, particularly in Russia, could become a key to new economic growth model. Operating in a highly turbulent Russian market requires companies to adopt and continually develop their strategies to quickly changing conditions in order to sustain growth and stay competitive in the long term. This can be achieved with the help of dynamic capabilities which serve as one of the sources of sustainable competitive advantage. However, there is a lack of research on Russian high-growth private companies and their growth strategies, even in Russian academic circles. The purpose of this study is to explain the sustainability of growth strategy by describing the linkages between Russian high-growth private companies’ dynamic capabilities, choice of growth strategy and sustainability of this growth strategy. This was studied through a qualitative multiple-case study of five Russian high-growth private companies within the IT-industry, which is one of the most rapidly developing industries in Russia. Interviews with CEOs and managers of the companies together with secondary data represent the gathered empirical data. Key issues such as companies’ dynamic capabilities, growth strategies, competitive advantages as well as the sustainability of companies’ strategies were analysed based on the empirical data. The results of the study indicate that the sustainability of company’s growth strategy depends on (1) combination of different strategic scopes (2) growth strategy foundation on company’s dynamic capabilities (3) sustainability of competitive advantage it provides (4) successful management of all the interconnected dimensions of growth. All five case companies possess sustainable competitive advantages and pursue sustainable growth strategies with a number of potential weaknesses. The study contributes to the knowledge of Russian high-growth private companies and their growth strategies as well as sustainability of growth strategies. Finally, we make recommendations for the case companies based on the results. Companies can sustain growth by building new competences and making certain changes to the existing strategies.

Studies have shown that computers have a positive impact on productivity, but the reality remains that the productivity figures have not yet changed. This aforementioned irregularity is referred to as the “productivity paradox”. The question of how productivity is measured is complicated when, for example, a company connects all their computers onto a network or installs an information system to keep record of customer information or even supplier information, for there are no input and output ratios that can be measured. In these cases, productivity is not so evident, and some might argue that it does not exist. Companies always look for the competitive advantage and it is therefore important to show whether investing in information technology does in effect give them a greater return on investment. The question of why it is important for information technology to increase productivity is answered by looking at what all companies seek, which is sustainable growth. This can be measured by the accounting return on investment, economic value added (EVA), and growth in sales or assets. The goal of this study is to determine the impact the information technology productivity paradox has on the heavy metal engineering industries, whether it be good or bad. Information technology has expanded to such an extent that more people are starting to rely on information technology in order to do their work and communicate with one another. This is what makes this study so important, especially from an organisation's perspective, as the organisation is spending more money on expanding its information systems. One of the aspects to be covered in this study is the evolution pertaining to the history of information technology and how it has improved over the years. It also looks at the laws of information technology like Moore's Law which explains that the transistors on a chip would roughly double every two years, and Gilder's Law that explains in total communication a system triples every twelve months. Within this study the knowledge expansion and how human knowledge had to expand in order to keep up with the ever escalating information technology is covered. When looking at the future and the rate at which knowledge increases people tend to assume that the current rate of progress will continue in future periods. This, however, when looking at the rate at which technology progresses, is evident that the progress is not constant. The research topic for this study is the information technology productivity paradox. This term suggests that there is no correlation between a company’s investment in information systems and its business performance measured in terms of productivity. This phenomenon was shown to exist within this study. Open source systems are covered, which is a method of developing software that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process. Open source systems have the following advantages like easing of licensing restrictions; cross–platform simplicity; possibility to run modules on any operating system; low cost due to no licensing fees; modification of system is possible; and disadvantages like lack of necessary expertise to do modifications; less user–friendly, support is not always available; security might be a problem. In this way open source systems will affect productivity in information technology due to the less user–friendly interface. Some of these open source systems might take longer to do the task than it would on the commercial software. Implementation of the open source system might take longer than that of a commercial system as there might be a lack of support for the system. Another topic covered within this study is the development of human capital, which is a necessity for employees in an organisation in order to enhance both knowledge and skills within an organisation. This is, however, a double bladed sword as even though the combined knowledge and skills of an organisation are expanded, it takes time which inevitably leads to productivity loss. Finally this study investigates social networking, which is defined as the application of websites that support the maintenance of personal relationships, the discovery of potential relationships and should aim in the conversion of potential ties into weak and strong ties. List of key terms: Information technology, productivity paradox, social networking, competitive advantage, knowledge expansion, development of human capital. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

This study focuses on optimising operations effectiveness and capacity at a heavy engineering plant, namely Heavy Engineering Vereeniging, a division of DCD–DORBYL (Pty) Ltd. The implementation and adoption of technology was included in the investigation. The company operates from 2 premises in Vereeniging and Vanderbijlpark (Gauteng), and consists of 5 factory buildings. A literature review was conducted to ascertain current industry best practises and technology implementation initiatives. This review included a discussion on the following aspects: Capacity and its utilisation, flexible technology and advanced manufacturing systems, technology in manufacturing, capacity expansion and scheduling, factory layouts, technology and capacity utilisation in a South African context, and finally future trends in capacity and technology at Heavy Engineering Vereeniging. Data collection from within the organisation was done via the issuing of a questionnaire and conducting interviews with various management and supervision employees. The gathered data was analysed for employees’ opinions on current utilisation of capacity and use of technology, as well as suggestions regarding improved working methods, factory layout and the implementation of new technology. The quantitative data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software, with the provided descriptive statistical test results used for the identification of possible trends and further interpretation. It was found that current capacities and equipment are being well utilised, but not to their optimal level. The well entrenched management information systems, measurement systems and operating procedures currently in use will aid to increase the level of utilisation of the available capacity and equipment. The implementation of technology and latest best practises within the operation will gain HEV a competitive edge, ensuring their future sustainability and market leadership. However, this implementation must be done with the input and buy in of the work force. The variances in perceptions and attitudes between the various job functions, discovered during the statistical analysis, must be taken into cognisance during any capacity optimisation or technology implementation initiative. Continued capital expenditure and the current drives in research and development need to be maintained to further ensure sustainability. Various inefficiencies were identified and recommendations were made to improve the current operation’s effectiveness and factory layout, primarily by decreasing operating inefficiencies. The recommendations were made based on the results of the study and included the expenditure involved in their execution. Financially viable options, calculated using payback periods and net present values (NPV), included the purchase of phased array ultrasonic testing equipment, horizontal SAW for longitudinal flanges and a modular type furnace. Other options, which could improve operations effectiveness, but not returning financially positive results, included the moving of the Hausler roll into the main fabrication workshop and the moving of the Sachems drills to alongside the lathes. A number of new processes and initiatives were recommended, for which cost comparisons to current similar practices could not be performed. These included the full production implementation of the punch through tandem arc submerged arc welding for wind turbine tower manufacture, implementation of a customer interfacing and communication platform and internal communication display boards. Current practises regarding touch time measurements for welding and drilling were validated. By undertaking these recommendations, it was felt that HEV would continue to be wepositioned to capture the predicted ongoing growth in the mining market in which they currently operate, and to fully benefit from the future upturn in the energy market. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The country is currently experiencing a tight electricity schedule. The demand for greater capacity than the country can supply is a reality. Raising unemployment and poverty levels are a situation we contend with daily. The aim of the study is to create a generic framework for right–sourcing in the electricity supply industry. The various phases of strategy creation were analysed to achieve this target. The process of identifying core business processes was discussed. Strategic alignment is important for the success of the Information Technology strategy; this study discussed how this could be accomplished. The various Information Technology sourcing strategies were examined. The probability of a process being outsourced, stemmed from the simplicity and repetitiveness of a transaction or process, and costs involved. An empirical study was done with both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The study looked at Contract Management, Information Technology Strategy and Benchmarking. A comprehensive right–sourcing framework was developed to assist in making the correct decisions. This framework could guide new entrants to the ESI in helping them shape their strategy and formulate a distinct competitive advantage. It could assist them in meeting the growing capacity demands faster and making a significant positive contribution to the economy. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Many organisations use strategic management as an imperative to gain competitive advantages. Theorists have not been able to ascertain whether prescriptive or emergent strategic approaches will be most suitable within an organisational climate for sustaining these competitive advantages. The notion of creativity has been identified as a source of competitive advantage that organisations may make use of within their strategic frameworks. However, within the organisational climate, there may be various barriers to creativity that will impede performance outcomes, efficiency and potential competitive advantage for an organisation. The study concerns itself m d y with an investigation into the strategic and organisational climates within selected higher education institutions in South Africa, as these institutions are in need of an assessment regarding potential sources of competitive advantage, in order to survive. The imperative to remain competitive is primarily due to the turbulent and changeable environments that these institutions find themselves in. This instability has occurred as a result of various changes in higher education due to the merging of several higher education institutions and the changes in the configuration of others. The study has shown that creativity is a source of competitive advantage. This was done by determining which barriers to creativity were present within the organisational climates of the selected institutions, as well as which strategic management approaches were being employed by the said institutions. The information obtained from the data gathered was compared to two competitive advantage measures (throughput and research output rates) of those higher education institutions. Three pivotal questions were asked and answered by the study in this regard. What are the prevalent prescriptive strategy dimensions and processes being employed by selected South African public higher education institutions? What are the prevalent creativity barrier dimensions that exist with selected public higher education institutions in South Africa? What relationships can be observed between the prescriptive strategy dimensions, the creativity barrier dimensions and the organisational competitive advantage performance output dimensions of throughput rate and research output in selected public South African higher education institutions? Non probability, judgment sample was obtained from four selected higher education institutions located in the Gauteng province in South Africa during the latter half of 2004. The survey requested certain biographical information on respondents (who had to fulfill the criteria of being full-time academic employees working for the institution in question), information on the strategic climate and barriers to creativity with the organisational climate. The last section of the questionnaire contained open-ended questions. Data on the throughput and research output rates of the institutions was obtained separately from the South African Department of Education (DOE), and correlated against the data obtained from the questionnaire. The questionnaire was testing for eight pre-determined creativity factors within the organisational climate (identified from the literature review and previous studies), and a separate dimension of prescriptive strategic planning. Overall only five of the creativity barriers were found to be most predominant within the selected higher education institutions, namely: Insufficient Resources; Lack of Team Unity; Lack of Organisational Support; Organisational Hindrances and Workload pressure. The factors were compared to the measures of competitive advantage and it was determined that there was a positive correlation between a higher prevalence of barriers and a lower performance output, which indicated that creativity could be identified as a source of competitive advantage within those institutions. This lent evidence to support the initial, first hypothesis of the study. Furthermore, it was discovered that those institutions that were utilising prescriptive strategic management approaches were more inched to achieve higher performance in terms of their throughput rates. Refuted the second hypothesis of the study that was advocating that emergent strategy was more likely to result in competitive advantage. More education institutions, known for their typically bureaucratic approaches might be more able to utilise formal procedures to obtain increased competitive advantage than utilising a more informal, emergent approach, as academic employees might more freely be able to explore creative alternatives under the security of prescriptive strategic approaches. It is likely that any organisation would wish to improve their competitive performance in order to be more effective. Higher education institutions also need to be concerned about their performance in order to continue operating effectively. It is necessary, then for those higher education institutions, to take note of these potential barriers to creativity with their organisational climates, which were highlighted by the study and to proactively remove them to ensure they remain competitive into the future. In addition, these institutions should consider which strategic management approaches they are currently utilising and streamline them to cement the competitive advantage. It was advocated that South African higher education institutions should be adopting formalised strategic management approaches in this regard. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Business Management))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

Studies have shown that computers have a positive impact on productivity, but the reality remains that the productivity figures have not yet changed. This aforementioned irregularity is referred to as the “productivity paradox”. The question of how productivity is measured is complicated when, for example, a company connects all their computers onto a network or installs an information system to keep record of customer information or even supplier information, for there are no input and output ratios that can be measured. In these cases, productivity is not so evident, and some might argue that it does not exist. Companies always look for the competitive advantage and it is therefore important to show whether investing in information technology does in effect give them a greater return on investment. The question of why it is important for information technology to increase productivity is answered by looking at what all companies seek, which is sustainable growth. This can be measured by the accounting return on investment, economic value added (EVA), and growth in sales or assets. The goal of this study is to determine the impact the information technology productivity paradox has on the heavy metal engineering industries, whether it be good or bad. Information technology has expanded to such an extent that more people are starting to rely on information technology in order to do their work and communicate with one another. This is what makes this study so important, especially from an organisation's perspective, as the organisation is spending more money on expanding its information systems. One of the aspects to be covered in this study is the evolution pertaining to the history of information technology and how it has improved over the years. It also looks at the laws of information technology like Moore's Law which explains that the transistors on a chip would roughly double every two years, and Gilder's Law that explains in total communication a system triples every twelve months. Within this study the knowledge expansion and how human knowledge had to expand in order to keep up with the ever escalating information technology is covered. When looking at the future and the rate at which knowledge increases people tend to assume that the current rate of progress will continue in future periods. This, however, when looking at the rate at which technology progresses, is evident that the progress is not constant. The research topic for this study is the information technology productivity paradox. This term suggests that there is no correlation between a company’s investment in information systems and its business performance measured in terms of productivity. This phenomenon was shown to exist within this study. Open source systems are covered, which is a method of developing software that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process. Open source systems have the following advantages like easing of licensing restrictions; cross–platform simplicity; possibility to run modules on any operating system; low cost due to no licensing fees; modification of system is possible; and disadvantages like lack of necessary expertise to do modifications; less user–friendly, support is not always available; security might be a problem. In this way open source systems will affect productivity in information technology due to the less user–friendly interface. Some of these open source systems might take longer to do the task than it would on the commercial software. Implementation of the open source system might take longer than that of a commercial system as there might be a lack of support for the system. Another topic covered within this study is the development of human capital, which is a necessity for employees in an organisation in order to enhance both knowledge and skills within an organisation. This is, however, a double bladed sword as even though the combined knowledge and skills of an organisation are expanded, it takes time which inevitably leads to productivity loss. Finally this study investigates social networking, which is defined as the application of websites that support the maintenance of personal relationships, the discovery of potential relationships and should aim in the conversion of potential ties into weak and strong ties. List of key terms: Information technology, productivity paradox, social networking, competitive advantage, knowledge expansion, development of human capital. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

This study focuses on optimising operations effectiveness and capacity at a heavy engineering plant, namely Heavy Engineering Vereeniging, a division of DCD–DORBYL (Pty) Ltd. The implementation and adoption of technology was included in the investigation. The company operates from 2 premises in Vereeniging and Vanderbijlpark (Gauteng), and consists of 5 factory buildings. A literature review was conducted to ascertain current industry best practises and technology implementation initiatives. This review included a discussion on the following aspects: Capacity and its utilisation, flexible technology and advanced manufacturing systems, technology in manufacturing, capacity expansion and scheduling, factory layouts, technology and capacity utilisation in a South African context, and finally future trends in capacity and technology at Heavy Engineering Vereeniging. Data collection from within the organisation was done via the issuing of a questionnaire and conducting interviews with various management and supervision employees. The gathered data was analysed for employees’ opinions on current utilisation of capacity and use of technology, as well as suggestions regarding improved working methods, factory layout and the implementation of new technology. The quantitative data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software, with the provided descriptive statistical test results used for the identification of possible trends and further interpretation. It was found that current capacities and equipment are being well utilised, but not to their optimal level. The well entrenched management information systems, measurement systems and operating procedures currently in use will aid to increase the level of utilisation of the available capacity and equipment. The implementation of technology and latest best practises within the operation will gain HEV a competitive edge, ensuring their future sustainability and market leadership. However, this implementation must be done with the input and buy in of the work force. The variances in perceptions and attitudes between the various job functions, discovered during the statistical analysis, must be taken into cognisance during any capacity optimisation or technology implementation initiative. Continued capital expenditure and the current drives in research and development need to be maintained to further ensure sustainability. Various inefficiencies were identified and recommendations were made to improve the current operation’s effectiveness and factory layout, primarily by decreasing operating inefficiencies. The recommendations were made based on the results of the study and included the expenditure involved in their execution. Financially viable options, calculated using payback periods and net present values (NPV), included the purchase of phased array ultrasonic testing equipment, horizontal SAW for longitudinal flanges and a modular type furnace. Other options, which could improve operations effectiveness, but not returning financially positive results, included the moving of the Hausler roll into the main fabrication workshop and the moving of the Sachems drills to alongside the lathes. A number of new processes and initiatives were recommended, for which cost comparisons to current similar practices could not be performed. These included the full production implementation of the punch through tandem arc submerged arc welding for wind turbine tower manufacture, implementation of a customer interfacing and communication platform and internal communication display boards. Current practises regarding touch time measurements for welding and drilling were validated. By undertaking these recommendations, it was felt that HEV would continue to be wepositioned to capture the predicted ongoing growth in the mining market in which they currently operate, and to fully benefit from the future upturn in the energy market. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The country is currently experiencing a tight electricity schedule. The demand for greater capacity than the country can supply is a reality. Raising unemployment and poverty levels are a situation we contend with daily. The aim of the study is to create a generic framework for right–sourcing in the electricity supply industry. The various phases of strategy creation were analysed to achieve this target. The process of identifying core business processes was discussed. Strategic alignment is important for the success of the Information Technology strategy; this study discussed how this could be accomplished. The various Information Technology sourcing strategies were examined. The probability of a process being outsourced, stemmed from the simplicity and repetitiveness of a transaction or process, and costs involved. An empirical study was done with both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The study looked at Contract Management, Information Technology Strategy and Benchmarking. A comprehensive right–sourcing framework was developed to assist in making the correct decisions. This framework could guide new entrants to the ESI in helping them shape their strategy and formulate a distinct competitive advantage. It could assist them in meeting the growing capacity demands faster and making a significant positive contribution to the economy. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Dynamic Capabilities is a contemporary popular notion, incorporating the ability to adjust a company’s resources adequately to exploit opportunities, prevent threats and consequently retain competitive advantage. Teece et al. (1997) coined Dynamic Capabilities and triggered a wave of research on the topic. However the notion is still in its infancy through academic disputes, different viewpoints and multiple definitions. Consequently tool, measure and procedures of Dynamic Capabilities are absent. Likewise the research on a project management level is scanty and just recently caught attention amongst scholars. To further tap into this research area, this study aims to analyse how project managers in Bayer AG can, and do, reinforce Dynamic Capabilities within their strategic projects. Nevertheless this is a difficult undertaking and other theories linked to the idea of Dynamic Capabilities were utilized to substitute and support this study.   The research is based on the definition of Zollo and Winter (2002) who divides Dynamic Capabilities into three main levels. Learning (level 2) is at the core of the notion and comprises of Knowledge Management activities. Dynamic Capability (level 1) denotes the possibility and flexibility to translate knowledge into practice through the adjustment and re-location of available resources. The final outcome is the adjustment of the operations (level 0) and the modification of on-going processes. However numerous scholars, including this study, exclude level 0 as Dynamic Capabilities and merely see it as the final outcome. To substitute the gaps in theory, support available concepts and extend the view on the levels, other theories such as Knowledge Management and Risk Management are enclosed.   Analysis of theory as well as the practical investigation of project managers from Bayer AG, revealed that knowledge exchange is the predominant driver of Dynamic Capabilities. While theory stipulates that IT software should be adequate enough to provide fast and easy access to information, project managers highlight that their main focus is on a culture encouraging personal, honest and open communication. Contradicting the idea of Dynamic Capabilities, a majority of project managers highlight that projects are locked after planning, neglecting change during execution. However, budgets are spaciously calculated providing flexibility to attain further resources when required. Additionally, Bayer provides a large pool of available resources, a culture encouraging communication and freedom of choice to their project managers. Merely detailed feasibility studies, monitoring processes and control mechanism are enforced to ensure successful project completion. The ultimate source of project success is implied to be practical experience. The theory of Dynamic Capabilities has aroused curiosity encouraging for further, deeper research on the topic.