The aim of this research is to explore the relationship between culture and climate as well as the significance of an organisation’s climate on cross-functional behaviour, activities and actions (who, what and when) which forms an integral part of strategy implementation and increasing performance. A key component of an organisational development is team work; which facilitates organisational learning, establish common goals and provide support to achieve these goals. Within the Organisation under investigation there has not been any research into the subject of the significance of the climate on cross-functional behaviour and activities, which is impacted by ‘coopetition’ - the simultaneous role of cooperation and competition within organisations. The research by means of qualitative research should provide some insight into the significance of and if climate impact cross-functional behaviour and activities in organisations. The research methodology included a customised survey which was developed to elicit answers to determine the climate and cross-functional behaviour and activities within the Organisation. Interviews were conducted with Operating Unit Executive Directors of the Organisation. The results indicate that the perceived current climate of the Organisation is not positive and that there is still silo-behaviour within the Organisation which is as a result of the culture of the Organisation, a culture which existed prior to Beyond 60 process. The research confirmed the overlapping relationship between culture and climate and that climate indeed impact cross-functional behaviour and activities at the Organisational and Operating Unit level. / Graduate School for Business Leadership / (M.B.A.)

Against the background of growing competition in the global marketplace, understanding customers, is a significant aspect of marketing. In the search for competitive advantage, there is a need to measure service quality to better understand its antecedents and consequences, and establish methods for its improvement. In the Libyan economy, the banking sector is one of the most important. Its significance increased after the 2003 lifting of the United Nations sanction. This was followed by entry to the sector of a number of domestic and multinational firms. Despite this increased competition, domestic banks are still widely considered to suffer from low levels of service quality. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the actual level of service quality provided by Libyan public commercial banks as perceived by their customers. A modified SERVQUAL model was developed to measure service quality in Libyan commercial public banks. The resulting instrument is intended to help these banks to measure their service quality and focus on the service quality dimensions of most importance to their customers. It also aimed to gain an understanding of cultural and environmental influences on service quality in the Libyan banking sector, and their effect on banking management practices. It is also expected that this instrument, and its results, will contribute to future research into service quality. The findings of the present study have produced some important results. Firstly, the level of service quality offered by the Libyan public commercial banks as it was perceived by their customers was relatively high. Secondly, the theoretical five-factor structure of the SERVQUAL model was not confirmed in the Libyan banking context, and the service quality structure in the Libyan context appears to be four-dimensional. Furthermore, the study offers suggestions to banking managers to allocate their resources more efficiently to the most important dimensions, i. e. reliability and tangibles, to improve service quality, since the factor analysis indicates that these are the most important dimensions to customers. Finally, reflections on the methods used to modify SERVQUAL to make it more sensitive to a particular cultural context have implications for future researchers in terms of methodology, method and data analysis.

Libya is seen by many investors from across the World as a market of immense potential even though the degree of openness of the Libyan market has until recently remained comparatively limited. There are signs now however, that the government is pursuing a more conciliatory approach towards foreign businesses. The Libyan authorities are now encouraging private-sector involvement and inward investment, but appreciate that a fundamental change in organisational culture will be necessary. Therefore the movement in Libya today, toward improvement in organisations and the Government has introduced liberalisation of the economy, and is creating stronger ties with the Western world, now that sanctions have been lifted. This change is exemplified by the greater scope allowed to private enterprise in the retail trade, small-scale industries and agriculture. There has been previous research carried out, into the ways that the competitive nature of all Libyan organisations can be improved. There is a great need, in order to understand organisation's marketing capabilities and orientations, to investigate their validity in a wide variety of developing countries. However, there are only a few empirical studies which have investigated the development of MO in transitional economies and there is increasing pressure for the MO of organisations in these developing countries, where the process of economic diversification is taking place rather rapidly to be investigated (Anwar, 2008). This is mainly due to the fact that the contemporary research carried out in the West has provided evidence of strong links between MO and performance. There has been very little empirical research to investigate these links in developing countries with transitional economies. The strategy for this research consisted of specific objectives that had been derived from the research questions and it was the nature of these which suggested the use of a non-experimental fixed strategy such as a survey. The survey as a research tool has been widely used by others and is based upon the well-established statistical principles of sampling; additionally a survey offers a relatively simple and straightforward approach to the study of people's attitudes, values and beliefs. The MARKOR questionnaire allowed a tried and tested data collection tool to be used and as the most important aspects of such research are credibility, reliability and validity, the standardisation offered by the questionnaire provided a means to gather consistent answers to consistent questions. A group of these managers were subsequently interviewed at a different time when initial analysis of the quantitative data from the questionnaire prompted a set of follow-up interview questions. From this research it can be concluded that there is evidence of a significant relationship between market orientation and perceived business performance. But there are currently various levels of market orientation being operated within the Libyan manufacturing companies surveyed. Furthermore there are very marked difference in the levels of market orientation present between companies from the different sectors and between companies operating in the private sector compared with those which are under state control.

This study re-conceptualises service quality in an Islamic context. The conceptual framework underpinning this re-conceptualization sees service quality as a process which emanates from the management of an organization and how the philosophy of this organization is operationalized in the delivery of its services. As such, frontline employees are key elements in service delivery, and contributors to the quality of the service. In the Islamic context, in areas such as service quality, banks' management should understand that the perspective of Islam requires other distinctive services to be provided in addition to functional banking services. These are not limited to the narrow view, namely providing the traditional services and being in compliance with the legal side of Islamic law. The wider meaning includes other services such as social responsibility, contribution to the development of society and the distribution of Islamic financial knowledge. With regard to employees, especially frontline employees in the area of service quality, the Islamic philosophy should mean that considering Itqan (quality is the synonym for this term) should be understood as both a functional and religious duty. Employees' dealings with customers should extend beyond the functional aspects to an approach where customers are considered as `friends'. To investigate this framework, the current research was applied to Egyptian Islamic banks. It used mixed method- interviews with frontline employees and questionnaires distributed to customers, as well as support from field notes and examination of banks' websites. Egyptian Islamic banks, including their employees failed to understand, embody or practice the Islamic perspective on service quality. In the case of management, the failure was evident in issues such as an imbalance between providing functional and distinctive Islamic services. Customers' views were positive about the functional aspects of services and the legal side of financial transactions, but their views on the distinctive Islamic services were negative. Although employees confirmed that quality has Islamic roots represented in the term of Itqan (quality is the synonym for this term) as an inherent duty, the practice of this concept was not apparent to customers. To re-conceptualise service quality in the Islamic context, Islamic banks, including their employees should understand that customer praxis, the process by which the Islamic perspective on service quality is translated into action, was the most important dimension from the customer perspective. The instrument suggested to measure service quality generally and apart from the Islamic context, should be a customized scale that is context, country, industry and religion specific at a particular time.

Thesis (PhD (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Projects inevitably appear on the agenda of organizations, especially those enterprises that are serious about surviving in a competitive and rapidly changing business environment. They have little say in whether they want to do projects, but they have the choice whether to take a project management approach, or whether to leave projects to their functional departments to carry out as part of their routine work. Growing numbers of organizations opt for project management, because they seek specific benefits such as the ability to accomplish targets under conditions of execution uncertainty and the ability to function across specialist disciplines. Too many organizations find their project management performance disappointing and, despite substantial investments in appropriate systems and training, do not attain the benefits claimed by project management advocates. In response, project management researchers have increasingly speculated about the likely influence of organizational culture in the frustrating experiences organizations have with project management. The reasoning behind this supposition appears sound. Most organizations attempting project management still have cultures shaped by a functionally dominated era of organization. Organizational cultures are only gradually breaking out of management traditions that emphasized principles such as high levels of structure and formalization, defined positions of authority, single channels of reporting, and minimal communication other than directions from management downwards. The philosophy of project management differs. Beneath the scientific and methodological facade of project management, there exists a set of attendant leadership and behavioural patterns that have become equally crucial to its performance, for example: high levels of communication; autonomy for project managers; supportive and participative leadership styles; participants that accept reporting to more than one superior; and the emphasis on collective performance. One can add to this list, but these demonstrate the substantial differences that exist between a project management approach and the traditional approaches to managing work and controlling staff. These differences have provoked project management authors to recognize the influence of organizational culture and to offer suggestions about the nature of a project management supportive organizational culture. This study accepts this notion and postulates that organizations, despite mastering the more obvious methodologies of project management, may have negative cultural circumstances that fail to master the underlying management philosophies that support successful project management behaviour. A consolidated definition of organizational culture, which could discriminate between supportive and unsupportive environments for project management, has however remained elusive in the project management literature. The expected relationship between organizational culture and project management has specifically been linked to project management in a matrix organization. In this environment, since there is an ongoing interaction between vertically managed (functional specialization) and horizontally managed (cross-functional) activity, the interdependency between project management and the organizational culture is likely to be strong. The purpose of this study was to: (a) develop, through a comprehensive literature study, a framework of organizational culture dimensions that could be expected to impact on the effectiveness of project management; and (b) to seek, through empirical examination, confirmation about this relationship between organizational culture and project management. The study developed a multi-dimensional and multiple constituent perspective of project management performance as a measure of project management effectiveness in the empirical research. The research found a statistically significant correlation between the hypothesized framework of organizational culture and project management effectiveness. This finding provides strong evidence to deduct that organizational culture and project management are interrelated and that organizational culture is an underlying variable that cannot be ignored when establishing a project management capability. The research further found statistically significant correlations between each of the twelve individual dimensions of organizational culture and project management effectiveness. The study has therefore also substantially progressed towards a framework that can assess the degree of supportiveness of the organizational culture in respect of project management. This should be a valuable tool for organizations struggling with unexplained problems in project management, or for organizations wanting to set up a project management capability. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Projekte verskyn onvermydelik op die aksielys van organisasies, veral by die ondernemings wat hul voortbestaan in ‘n mededingende en snel veranderende sake-omgewing ernstig benader. Organisasies se keuse lê nie daarin of hulle projekte wil doen nie, maar tussen die toepassing van die beginsels van projekbestuur, of die toevertrou van projekte aan funksionele departmente om dit binne die bestek van hul bedryfsfunksies uit te voer. Baie organisasies kies projekbestuur omdat hulle spesifieke voordele soos die vermoë om doelwitte onder ‘n hoë mate van taakonsekerheid na te jaag, en om trans-funksionele werk te bestuur, verlang. Te veel organisasies vind hul pogings tot projekbestuur teleurstellend en, ten spyte van ‘n substansiële belegging in stelsels en opleiding, ontwyk die tipiese voordele waarop aanspraak gemaak word, hulle. In antwoord hierop skryf navorsers in projekbestuur toenemend oor die moontlikheid dat sekere tipes organisasie-kultuur verband hou met die frustrasies wat organisasies met projekbestuur ondervind. Die onderliggende redenasies agter so ‘n afleiding blyk gesond te wees. Meeste organisasies wat tans projekbestuur aanpak, handhaaf steeds kulture wat in ‘n funksioneel georiënteerde tydperk van organisasie gevorm is. Organisasie-kulture wikkel hulle tans geleidelik los uit bestuurstradisies wat op beginsels van gestruktureerdheid, geformaliseerdheid, rigiede definisies van rolle en gesag, eenduidige kanale van rapportering, en minimale kommunikasie anders as opdraggewing van bestuur na laer vlakke, klem gelê het. Projekbestuur verskil hiervan. Benede die wetenskaplike en metodologiese fasade van projekbestuur bestaan daar ‘n stel van gepaardgaande leierskaps- en gedragspatrone wat ewe noodsaaklik vir die suksesvolle prestasie van projekbestuur geword het, byvoorbeeld: hoë vlakke van kommunikasie; outonomie vir projekbestuurders; ondersteunende en deelnemende leierskapstyle; spanlede wat meervoudige gesagslyne kan aanvaar; en die belangrikheid van spanprestasie. Die lys kan nog uitgebrei word, maar hierdie illustreer die betekenisvolle verskille wat tussen ‘n projekbestuursaanslag, en tradisionele benaderings tot die bestuur van werk en die beheer van personeel, bestaan. Hierdie verskille dwing outeurs in projekbestuur reeds geruime tyd om begrip vir die invloed van organisasie-kultuur te toon, en ook om bepaalde voorstelle oor die aard van ‘n ondersteunende kultuur vir projekbestuur aan die hand te doen. Die studie gebruik hierdie denke as vertrekpunt en postuleer dat organisasies, ten spyte daarvan dat hulle die ooglopende beginsels van projekbestuur bemeester, negatiewe omstandighede in hul organisasie-kultuur mag koester wat nie met die onderliggende bestuursfilosofieë van suksesvolle projekbestuursgedrag kan vereenselwig nie. Die verwagte verwantskap tussen organisasie-kultuur en projekbestuur word in besonder verbind met organisasies wat op ‘n matriksbasis funksioneer. In so ‘n omgewing is daar, as gevolg van die voortdurende interaksie tussen die vertikaalgerigte (funksioneel gespesialiseerde) en horisontaalgerigte (trans-funksionele) bestuur van werk, ‘n sterk verwagte interafhanklikheid tussen projekbestuur en organisasie-kultuur. Die doel van die studie was om: (a) by wyse van ‘n omvattende literatuurstudie ‘n raamwerk van die dimensies van organisasie-kultuur wat ‘n waarskynlike impak op projekbestuur behoort te hê, te ontwikkel; en om (b) deur empiriese ondersoek, bevestiging vir die verwagte verwantskap tussen organisasie-kultuur en projekbestuur te vind. Die studie het ‘n multi-dimensionele perspektief, wat ook die evaluering van verskillende belanghebbendes insluit, as maatstaf vir die effektiwiteit van projekbestuur in die empiriese ondersoek, ontwikkel. Die navorsing het ‘n statisties beduidende korrelasie tussen die gepostuleerde raamwerk van organisasie-kultuur en projekbestuurs-effektiwiteit bevind. Hierdie bevinding lewer sterk ondersteuning vir die afleiding dat organisasie-kultuur en projekbestuur interverwant is en dat organisasie-kultuur as ‘n onderliggende veranderlike in berekening gebring moet word by die vestiging van ‘n projekbestuursvermoë in ‘n organisasie. Die navorsing het verder bevind dat elkeen van die twaalf dimensies van die kultuurkonstruk individueel statisties beduidend met projekbestuurseffektiwiteit korreleer. Hiermee het die studie dan ook substansieel gevorder na die skep van ‘n raamwerk wat die graad van ondersteuning van ‘n organisasie se kultuur ten opsigte van projekbestuur kan assesseer. Hierdie behoort ‘n belangrike stuk gereedskap te wees vir organisasies wat met probleme in projekbestuur worstel asook vir organisasies wat projekbestuur as ‘n organisasie-vermoë wil vestig.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of the study is to determine whether organisational culture has an effect on the effectiveness of project management, and if project managers have a specific preference in terms of organizational culture in order to enable them to be successful. The empirical research was done by sending questionnaires to practising project managers who passed a course in project management at the University of Stellenbosch Business School in the period 2000 to 2003. The questionnaire is based on the Competing Values Framework (Cameron & Quinn, 1999: 20). The findings show that different organisation cultures do exist in organisations that experience different levels of effectiveness in project management. Furthermore the preferred culture appears to be a combination of clan-, adhocracy-, market- and to a lesser extent hierarchy cultures (the four quadrants in the Competing Values Framework). The presence of clan culture indicates a strong need for loyalty and support, cohesion and high morale, sensitivity towards clients and colleagues, teamwork, participation and consensus. In the tendency towards adhocracy culture there is a need for flexibility, individual initiative, risk taking, experimentation, innovation and freedom. The strong tendency towards market culture indicates an external focus with a high measure of stability and control, as well as a goal and results orientation, an emphasis on winning and hard-driving competitiveness. The relatively low score in hierarchy culture indicates a limited need for stability and control by means of structure, policies, procedures and dependable delivery. The conclusion is that there is a relationship between organisation culture and the effectiveness of project management, and that there are specific preferences for an organizational culture that will, in the perception of project managers, positively impact on project management. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die studie is om te bepaal of organisasiekultuur wel die effektiwiteit van projekbestuur beïnvloed, en of projekbestuurders 'n sekere voorkeur het in terme van die organisasiekultuur ten einde hulle in staat te stel om suksesvol te wees. Die empiriese ondersoek is gedoen deur vraelyste te stuur aan praktiserende projekbestuurders wat 'n kursus in projekbestuur aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch Bestuurskool geslaag het in die periode 2000 tot 2003. Die vraelys gebruik is gebaseer op die Competing Values Framework (Cameron & Quinn, 1999: 20). Die bevindings is dat verskille in organisasiekulture bestaan in organisasies wat verskillende mates van effektiwiteit in projekbestuur ervaar. Verder blyk die kultuur van voorkeur 'n kombinasie van clan -, adhocracy-, market- en in 'n minder mate hierarchy kulture (die vier kwadrante binne die Competing Values FrameworK) te wees. Die teenwoordigheid van clan kultuur dui op 'n sterk behoefte na onderlinge lojaliteit en ondersteuning, sterk samehorigheidsgevoel en hoë moraal, sensitiwiteit teenoor kliënte en kollegas, goeie spanwerk, deelname en konsensus. In die geneigdheid na adhocracy kultuur is daar 'n behoefte na 'n hoë mate van buigbaarheid, ruimte vir kreatiewe individualiteit, die neem van risiko's, eksperimentering, innovasie en 'n mate van vryheid. Die sterk neiging na market kultuur dui op 'n eksterne fokus met 'n mate van stabiliteit en beheer, sowel as 'n sterk behoefte na 'n doelwit en resultate oriëntasie, 'n sterk behoefte na sukses en oorwinning en ongenaakbare kompetisie. Die relatiewe lae telling in hierarchy kultuur dui op 'n beperkte behoefte aan stabiliteit en beheer deur middel van struktuur, beleid, prosedures en betroubare lewering. Dit blyk uit die ondersoek dat organisasiekultuur wel die effektiwiteit van projekbestuur beïnvloed, en dat 'n spesifieke kultuur van voorkeur wel bestaan ten einde effektiwiteit van projekbestuur te verbeter.

<p>This study focused on understanding inter-organizational relationships (IOR) of a dynamic nature. A dynamic process that has repetitive sequences of negotiation, commitment, and execution stages is central to inter-organizational relationships. The dynamic process is a tool that is used by management through collaboration, co-operation, and coordination to engender formation, governance, and performance of inter-organizational relationships. This report looked into how the resource-dependency theory gives insight into the formation of an inter-organizational relationships and how the transaction-cost theory contributes to the understanding ofinter-organizational relationships governance.</p>

<p>Organisational culture has been one of the most studied and theorised concepts in organisational development. New ways of working, globalisation, increased competition and change in technology have created a greater need for strategic innovation and co-ordination and integration across units (Schein, 1992). Culture is the single most important factor for success or failure and has the greatest potential to effect organisational improvements or hold it back (Deal &amp / Kennedy, 1982 / Fowler, 2002). Research suggests that organisational culture, its assessment and management is increasingly viewed as a necessary part of healthcare improvements (Scott, Mannion, Davies &amp / Marshall, 2003). In the health care environment, organisational culture has been associated with several elements of organisational experience and initiatives that contribute to quality, such as nursing care, job satisfaction and patient safety (Boan &amp / Funderburk, 2003).</p> <p>In order to implement strategic initiatives or performance improvement interventions, it is important that an organisation understands the current status of its organisational culture. The best way to gain understanding of the culture is by assessing it (Davidson, 2004).&nbsp / he aim of the research was to assess the organisational culture of a private hospital in the Western Cape. For the purpose of this study a quantitative methodology adopted used utilising purposive sampling. The sample (n = 221) was inclusive of males and females and comprised of permanent and contract employees extending across the following departments: Human Resources, Patient Administration, Pharmacy, Technical, Support Services and Nursing. The nursing department was the largest representative group of the sample. The sample also included of medi-staff, management and an additional small hospital that reports to the management team. The Denison Organisational Culture Survey was used to gather data for the study. The Survey measures four culture traits, namely, involvement, consistency, adaptability and mission. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Results indicated that employees perceived involvement, consistency, adaptability and mission positively. Furthermore, there were no significant differences found for consistency and sense of mission by employees in different departments. There were several limitations of the study. Amongst others, the results cannot be generalised to the broader population of all private hospitals as the findings are unique to the particular organisation. Secondly, the Denison Organisational Culture Survey has only been validated in a financial organisation in South Africa. A recommendation for further research would be to utilise quantitative as well as qualitative methodology to add to the existing body of knowledge.</p>

Background: Subsidiaries to multinational enterprises encounter pressure to fit the national cultural context as well as to keep consistent with the global corporation. For a Swedish multinational enterprise to be able to seize business opportunities in Thailand, an important aspect to take into consideration is the difference in national culture. It is the responsibility of the leader in the Swedish subsidiary in Thailand to manage the multinational enterprise corporate culture while also taking into account the Thai national culture. Global leadership competencies can enable this, although there is a lack of a unified framework of global leadership competencies. Aim:  The aim of this study is to gain a deeper understanding as to which global leadership competencies leaders in subsidiaries to Swedish multinational enterprises in Thailand should possess in order to manage the Swedish corporate culture while taking Thai national culture into account.   Methodology: The study has applied a qualitative research strategy and an abductive research approach. The data has been obtained from eight semi-structured interviews with four Swedish companies present in Thailand. Conclusion: Through a deeper understanding of global leadership competencies, this study concludes and provides evidence of six global leadership competencies that are of extra importance for leaders in Swedish subsidiaries in Thailand when managing the Swedish corporate culture and taking the Thai national culture into account.

The thesis describes an exploration and analysis of the nature of strategic decision-making processes (SDMP) in Libyan Commercial Banks. The role of 'rationality‘, 'intuition‘ and 'political behaviour‘ in five strategic decisions of very high importance were explored in this study, by conducting sixteen face-to-face interviews with senior decision-makers, all closely involved with the decisions, from three commercial banks. Other observations of SDM behaviour and documentary information were also recorded. Field work enabled analysis and interpretation of the perceived influence of `decision importance` on the process, as well as an exploration of the three key influencing factors on the SDMP. Consistent findings for the nature of the process were found for all five decisions. Rationality was a key factor of the process. Considerable efforts were made by key staff to gather and analyse information, discuss issues, as well as engage consultants and seek advice from Commercial Banks outside Libya. This finding appeared to reflect the high importance of the decisions coupled with the inexperience of the senior management group. This lead to some anxiety and, as a consequence, risk-reducing activities. The SDs were based on analysis, advice and past experience, rather than on personal judgement. None of the banks exhibited strong political or intuitive behaviour in their DMPs. Instead there was constructive consultation in making decisions. DM was driven by clear decision motives, the importance attached to the decision, and a committed effort to minimize uncertainty and risk. Other factors considered were that the decisions were financially rewarding, delivered customer satisfaction and employee welfare, as well as being socially acceptable. Analysis of the data has enabled the development of a model which is consistent with an interpretation that places 'anxiety‘ in the senior management group as the dominant factor driving the adoption of a rational approach to DM, with low intuitive or political activity. Anxiety is derived from the crucial importance of the decision, the relative inexperience of the senior management group, and some policy pressure from the Central Bank of Libya to change and modernize banking methods. The availability of resources and time to the senior group, in a generally munificent environment, also made it feasible for senior staff to adopt rational methods of analysis for DM, and as a consequence reduce their degree of anxiety.