This dissertation investigates whether and why social structure influences cooperative organizational strategic decision making in an international relations context, and in particular, similar voting in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The economic and institutional embeddedness of organizations which are operationalized using network concepts are posited as and found to be influences. Additionally, nested institutional embeddedness is investigated in an inter-organizational setting. Based on a sensitivity analysis, nested organizational embeddedness can potentially have both negative and positive effects. Multiple issues and network methodology combined with an enormous and varied data set offer a wide-range of future research opportunities. More specifically, trade, military alliances, diplomatic visits, and two-mode International Government Organizational (IGO) networks affect voting behaviour in the UNGA due to power and influence relationships that demand or encourage organizational level reciprocity, either as vote buying in backroom bargaining situations or for compliance reasons; maintaining the nation’s good reputation is of importance in international relations. Each type of inter-organizational network involves an interesting theoretical twist that makes it worth researching and while theory testing is the primary objective, outcomes include practical implications for negotiators. Finally, an advantageous data set offers an excellent context for unique and successful testing of embeddedness view concepts in tighter causal relationships compared to other studies that observe performance rather than decision outcomes. Moreover, the methodological approach is a demonstration of how to deal with a multi-faceted econometric challenge.

This dissertation investigates whether and why social structure influences cooperative organizational strategic decision making in an international relations context, and in particular, similar voting in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The economic and institutional embeddedness of organizations which are operationalized using network concepts are posited as and found to be influences. Additionally, nested institutional embeddedness is investigated in an inter-organizational setting. Based on a sensitivity analysis, nested organizational embeddedness can potentially have both negative and positive effects. Multiple issues and network methodology combined with an enormous and varied data set offer a wide-range of future research opportunities. More specifically, trade, military alliances, diplomatic visits, and two-mode International Government Organizational (IGO) networks affect voting behaviour in the UNGA due to power and influence relationships that demand or encourage organizational level reciprocity, either as vote buying in backroom bargaining situations or for compliance reasons; maintaining the nation’s good reputation is of importance in international relations. Each type of inter-organizational network involves an interesting theoretical twist that makes it worth researching and while theory testing is the primary objective, outcomes include practical implications for negotiators. Finally, an advantageous data set offers an excellent context for unique and successful testing of embeddedness view concepts in tighter causal relationships compared to other studies that observe performance rather than decision outcomes. Moreover, the methodological approach is a demonstration of how to deal with a multi-faceted econometric challenge.

This research questions whether there is evidence that contract performance measurement is influenced by the social structure in which it is embedded. I question whether the strong ties between a prime contractor and its subcontractors lead to higher performance scores in public contracting. I also question if prior relations between a Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) manager and the private firm project manager whose work is being evaluated lead to higher performance scores.

Innovative companies in technologically advanced environments have to deal with the consequences of choosing between a resource based strategy and possibly missing out on the benefits of cooperative knowledge, or collaborating with their network of suppliers, customers and even competitors and risk diluting their competitive advantage. This thesis is concerned with the cooperative aspect within intricate networks of technologically innovative firms. To gain a better understanding of this phenomena, the most innovative sector in Sweden has been chosen for a case study. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the dynamics of innovation within the telecom sector in Sweden, and determine the level of cooperation within the telecom sector, in terms of the flows of information and embeddedness. The method chosen to fulfil this purpose was via a qualitative approach, and in the form of a case study. Relevant data was collected through five interviews with key personnel within the two companies of interest (Ericsson & TeliaSonera), and triangulated with secondary quantitative and qualitative data. Results indicate that the Swedish telecom sector benefits from a fertile environment that fosters innovative activity, and to that reason it has claimed leadership in the worldwide telecommunications industry. Additionally, this same environment promotes collaboration between the different actors in the sector. A closer examination of the cooperation between TeliaSonera and Ericsson in the 4G network roll-out, indicates that the cooperation, albeit being successful, could be ameliorated further through an increased embeddedness of the partnership.

Inter-organizational projects have become common forms of organizing in various industries such as construction, advertising, music, film making etc. The unique structural nature of Inter-organizational projects coupled with the fact that they carried out through the participation of multiple organizations, raises issues of coordination. Particularly when it comes to creative industries, coordination is challenged by demand and transactional uncertainties. In order to understand how inter-organizational projects achieve coordination in such situations, it is important to study their interior processes putting in consideration their environmental context.  The aim of this research is to study how network embeddedness enhances coordination in inter-organizational projects within creative industries. Inter-organizational projects: are projects that are carried out through the collaboration of multiple legally independent organizations Inter-organizational networks: refer to sets of long-term ties among independent organizations that are engaged in continuous exchange relations. Embeddedness: refers to the continuous interaction of individuals, organizations, projects etc. with their environmental context. Macrocultures: refer to the shared beliefs, norms values rules and practices with in inter- organizational networks that guide members on their actions. A qualitative approach using a multiple comparative case study was conducted. Accordingly four projects chosen from creative industries were studied using both primary and secondary data. Macrocultures that are embedded inter-organizational networks facilitate coordination within inter-organizational projects. Further projects that differ in their constituents task nature, time duration and team composition relied on different types of embeddedness for coordination.

Abstract Title: Implementing CSR in Supply Chains Authors: Emmy Johansson and Stina Olén; Supervisor: Glenn Sjöstrand Date of submission: May 30, 2009   For decades there has been a debate about the environmental and social responsibilities of companies. The work conducted by corporations to meet the increasing demands from wider society to take responsibility is all summed up in the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Pressured to take responsibility also in the supply chains of their businesses, the corporations have increasingly integrated suppliers in their CSR strategies.   In this thesis the obstacles and possibilities with implementing CSR in supply chains are assessed, through a case study. The thesis is written on commission by a large Swedish industrial company that is working with implementing its CSR strategy in its supplier evaluations, and through using a theoretical framework based on institutional theory and CSR theory that implementing process is studied. Having understood that the process is affected by the norms, values et cetera that are inherent in the company, the aims of this thesis have been to understand and explain how the institutional embeddedness affects the implementation of the company’s CSR strategy in its supplier evaluations.   The thesis applies qualitative research methods with emphasis on primary sources. The main empirical data was gathered through ten interviews with employees at different levels in the company, but corporate documents with relevance for the implementation were also studied.   The results of this study indicate that the institutional embeddedness affects the implementation of the CSR strategy in supplier evaluations both positively and negatively. Firstly, it makes the reactive approach of the company, the unclear objectives and guidelines, the lack of commitment from the managers, and the lack of cooperation appear problematic for the implementation. Secondly, we conclude that the institutional embeddedness creates opportunities for an improved implementing process, as there are elements in the institutional identity that correspond with the strategy, but also that there are individual actors with much institutional resources that have potential to change the institution and create commitment towards the implementation.     Keywords: corporate social responsibility, supplier evaluations, implementing strategy, institutional theory, institutional embeddedness

Föreliggande studie har haft till syfte att utifrån ett deltagarperspektiv få en förståelse för den studerade organisationens introduktionsaktiviteters möjligheter och begränsningar för lärande och inbäddning av de nyanställda. Introduktionsaktiviteterna innefattar en arbetsplatsintroduktion samt ett formellt introduktionsprogram. De frågeställningar som behandlas är, vad som karaktäriserar de nuvarande introduktionsaktiviteterna och vad de nyanställda beskriver att de lärt sig genom att delta i aktiviteterna. Vidare behandlas, på vilket sätt introduktionsaktiviteterna har varit ett stöd för de nyanställdas inbäddning på arbetsplatsen samt vilka omständigheter som förefaller vara viktiga för att aktiviteterna ska kunna bidra till en positiv inbäddning för den nyanställde. Ansatsen har varit inspirerad av ett hermeneutiskt perspektiv i strävan efter en förståelse för deltagarnas föreställningar om introduktionsaktiviteterna. Förståelsen har skapats  genom en pendling mellan del och helhet i en hermeneutisk cirkel. En metodtriangulering har tillämpats för att besvara studiens syfte och frågeställningar. Designen har inneburit fyra delar, där dagbokstudier och intervjuer med nyanställda har varit den huvudsakliga insamlingsmetoden för empirin. Resultaten har diskuterats med stöd av tidigare forskning om introduktion av nyanställda samt genom att applicera kognitiva och kontextuella lärandeteorier. Studiens resultat har utmynnat i en modell som visar vilka omständigheter  i de formella och informella introduktionsaktiviteterna som möjliggör och begränsar ett lärande och inbäddning av de nyanställda. Möjligheter till lärande och inbäddning gynnas av trygghet, aktivt deltagande, legitimitet och utveckling. Begränsningar till lärande och inbäddning utgörs av osäkerhet, passivt deltagande, utanförskap och stagnering. Dessa möjligheter och begränsningar för lärande och inbäddning förhåller sig till varandra i en cirkulär process, där kontexten inverkar.

This study explores the challenge faced when an organization utilizes innovative knowledge management system to transfer internal best practice. The objective of this study is to explore what model should be employed by an organization to promote continual emergence of practical knowledge for knowledge workers as this kind of knowledge is deeply affected by situated factors when high tech engineers have high level of personalized knowledge and are embedded in practice. By qualitative case study methodology, this study adopts theoretical views of the nature of knowledge embeddedness and situated learning to explore the process of two semiconductor companies implementing management models to help engineers transfer their knowledge and experiences. Of these two companies, the ChipMaker is a supplier of semiconductor equipment. It inputs a set of system based knowledge model to transfer best maintenance practices of engineers by this system. While the other ChipTest company operates community oriented knowledge management model. After strict instructions, engineers regularly gather to share their experience and problems they faced. After theoretical and qualitative data analysis, this thesis study has three major study findings. First, the nature of situated knowledge is shown from the maintenance jobs of engineers. This kind of knowledge is personalized cognition and is embedded in work situation. Diversified deciphering situations are developed via irritation of work situations. The situated knowledge can only be emerged from social network based on situation development and impromptu dialog and action accompanying problem exploration. Second, many existing literatures and practical applications do not clarify the nature of knowledge embeddedness, but adopt "system based knowledge management model", which assumes that an organization can directly manage "knowledge" and acts of "knowledge workers". However, this study finds that the system can only manage "knowledge object" and is only applicable to problems of steady and simple situations. Furthermore, the system inclines to misleading engineers exchange superficial knowledge documents. In other words, "situated knowledge" most needed by engineers is the process of continual reproduction and potential transfer through social interaction, not a linear manner of direct transfer. Therefore, only situated learning can effectively share knowledge of embedded nature. Third, this study finds that an organization is not likely to manage "situated knowledge" that is emerged only from specific situation, but manages "social structure" to nourish knowing in practice . This dialog structures must have the following four features: 1. situated stimuli, 2. multidimensional situation link, 3. group identities, 4. collectively implied memories. Only with these features, members can be attracted to continually input activity energy to keep vitality of community interaction. Finally, from two cases of knowledge managements this study develops two kinds of knowledge management models ¡V "object style", i.e. big K and small m [Km], and "jigsaw style", i.e. small k and big M (kM) ¡V and suggests their theoretical and practical implications

With globalization and knowledge economy, distance between spaces and obstacles to social and economic activities are reduced, however, R&D activities and technology diffusion of high-tech industry still rely on face-to-face communication. Geographical proximity and social networks are still beneficial to share technology and decrease transaction costs, so clustering of high-tech industry is still popular in the world. The research based on the concept of social embeddedness aims to discuss whether cultural atmosphere and social networks influence the fluidity of labor market, and to know how the fluidity of high-tech personnel and technology learning work on the vertically-integrated optoelectronic system in the Southern Taiwan Science-based Industrial Park. The research compares the results of questionnaire and interview with the existing literature to paint a configuration of the fluid labor market and further to discuss the interaction between the labor market activities and high-tech development in the Southern Taiwan Science-based Industrial Park. At last, it comes to the conclusion of the differences and commons in different industrial districts by comparing labor market activities. The result shows that employees think job-change is an acceptable value and phenomenon in the Southern Taiwan Science-based Industrial Park. Thus the cultural atmosphere will render the fluidity of labor market easy. Due to the industrial cluster forming a labor pooling, job-related information is concentrated and job-change costs are decreased. In addition, workers usually seek and get jobs by strong ties of social networks. So network embeddedness influences labor market activities. The more conveniently job information flows, the higher possibility of workers¡¦ job mobility is. Furthermore, most employees are willing to accumulate technological knowledge and realize ideals by changing jobs. However, some contradictions including wasting educational training, exposing competitors to key technology, and nurturing new competitors coexist with the fluidity of labor market. Consequently, firms are mostly opposed to the fluid labor market. Thanks to the innovations transferred by foreign high-tech personnel, the optoelectronic system is able to escape from the obsolete technology lock-in of the system.

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