Formulating consistent marketing strategies is a difficult task, but successfully implementing them is even more challenging. This is even more pertinent as marketing strategies quite often incorporate inherent conflicts between major breakthroughs and consolidation. Consequently, marketers need to balance exploratory and exploitative strategies. However, the literature lacks concrete insights for marketing managers as to how exploratory and exploitative strategies can be best combined. This paper addresses this issue by introducing a framework of multiple types of ambidexterity. Based on qualitative research, tools and procedures are identified to overcome marketing dilemmas and support strategy implementation by drawing on ambidextrous designs. (authors' abstract)

Introduction: In order to maintain strong relationships with customers, a lot of firms have invested in improving quality; this has led to an increase of quality programs. One of the most prominent quality standards is the ISO 9000 series, however prior research has different views whether or not the standards are beneficial. Two of the areas where disagreement exists regarding ISO 9000, are its effect on customer satisfaction and furthermore how the different motives behind the implementation can affect the outcome of ISO 9000. Hence this paper aimed to seek an explanation between these two matters and fill the research gap, where it was conducted on companies deployed in Sweden. Purpose: The purpose with this research is to explain how the different motives behind the implementation of ISO 9000 effect customer satisfaction. Methodology: A quantitative study was performed, with a cross-sectional research approach, where a questionnaire was used to collect the data. This resulted in 102 answers, where the questionnaire was sent out by e-mail to one representative for each firm. Conclusion: The study concluded that it was no difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation to implement ISO 9000 and its effect on perceived quality, perceived value and customer expectations. It was also discovered that those who had the ISO 9000 series performed well with regards to their customer satisfaction

While capitalism can be held responsible for many of the numerous social and environmental issues that haunt us today, corporations hold great power and possibilities to compensate for the damage they cause. A solution can be the implementation of Creating Shared Value (CSV), which builds on identifying societal needs and approaching these as business opportunities. By doing so, value can be created for society whilst driving business results. The purpose of this thesis is to examine what factors influence the implementation of CSV in companies operating in Sweden. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with experts who have worked with CSV. Factors that influence the implementation of CSV policies and practices, as well as factors that influence whether these lead to the desired goal of shared value creation have been extracted. The findings suggest that the public’s prevailing distrust towards companies’ engagement in solving social issues is the most noteworthy barrier for implementation of CSV, while managerial buy-in and understanding of the concept represent the strongest enabler. Getting lost in rhetoric and belief in the concept as well as focusing too strongly on measuring procedures illustrate the two greatest risks for implemented CSV policies and practice to become decoupled from the end goal of shared value creation.

In this dissertation, the author examined the capabilities of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) in regard to replacing Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) as the internetworking technology for Medium-sized Businesses (MBs) in the Information Systems (IS) field. Transition to IPv6 is inevitable, and, thus, organizations are adopting this protocol to be prepared in it becoming the dominant internetworking protocol. The goal of the research was to develop a model for IS specialists to use with MBs in the transition from IPv4 to IPv6. To achieve this goal, the author performed a case study of ADTRAN Inc.'s IPv6 implementation, using the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) framework. The SDLC methodology consists of five phases and was used to support the design, development, and implementation of the ADTRAN Inc. IPv6 solution. For Phase 1, the Research Phase, the author examined business requirements, administered a questionnaire, and recorded participant observation. In Phase 2, the Analysis Phase, the author analyzed the data from Phase 1 and created a functional and nonfunctional requirements list. For Phase 3, the Logical Design Phase, the author developed documentation and diagrams for the IPv6 implementation. In Phase 4, the Physical Design Phase, the author determined what internetworking hardware would be needed and where it should be deployed. For Phase 5, the Implementation Phase, the author completed the IPv6 network implementation. Finally, the author analyzed the data collected from this investigation. The use of the findings, in conjunction with the SDLC methodology, resulted in the ADTRAN Inc. Implementation model, which can be used by MBs of a similar size to ADTRAN Inc., when IPv6 transition initiatives are being considered.

Aim: The aim of this study is to gain deep understanding on how organizational changes are managed and implemented in small firms.   Method: The data for this study is collected by doing an extensive literature study and by conducting semi-structured face-to-face interviews with respondents from one single case company. This data was then sorted by topic and analyzed accordingly. The management’s perspective is presented by statements and quotes and the employee’s perspective is presented in summarized essay form.    Result & Conclusions: The study showed that change is an ever-present future of the small firm business environment and must be seen as an ongoing process. Firms have to take a thorough approach when implementing change, where gaining enough support for a change initiative is essential for its success.  Suggestions for future research: Since this study is only focused on a single case, the suggested framework needs more validation. Also the author recommends further research on the topic of change implementation at small firms in general.  Contribution of the thesis: More case studies are needed to further validate the research outcomes since this study was a first attempt to discover the field of change implementation in small organizations.

Many research studies have investigated the role of the principal in implementing change. Despite the information gleaned from those investigations, principals continue to struggle with initiating, implementing, and sustaining change in their schools. Guiding this narrative inquiry study were theories related to principal leadership, educational change theory, and the theories associated with school culture, with the intent to understand the experiences of principals as they initiated, implemented, and sustained change in their schools. This study explored the challenges and successes principals experienced along with the specific actions that contributed to successful implementation. Five principals from southern Idaho were interviewed. Narratives were co-constructed based on each of the principal's experiences. Polyvocal analysis was used to analyze the data and co-construct the narratives with the participants. Common themes were examined and compared to recent research related to principals implementing change. A cross narrative analysis was used to compare the common themes and actions attributed to the successful implementation of change. Analysis of the data revealed that, among these 5 principals, successful implementation of change was created by obtaining buy-in from staff, building trust, distributing leadership, providing structured time for teachers to learn and collaborate, building capacity through targeted professional development, and seeking input from all stakeholders. These findings will promote social change by helping principals to understand the experiences of other principals with initiating, implementing, and sustaining change. Also, the common themes identified will inform principals on how to successfully implement change that will positively affect students.

This licentiate thesis is concerned with the development of appropriate tools and implementation of hybrid e-learning to support science and mathematics education of female students in typical rural advanced-level secondary schools. In Uganda few rural female students participate in technology and engineering education in tertiary institutions because they perform poorly in science and mathematics subjects at advanced secondary school level of education. Rural secondary schools in Uganda are usually very poor and financially constrained schools. Generally, such schools have non-functional science laboratories and libraries. They also have difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified science and mathematics teachers, especially at advanced level of secondary education. The financial situations of the schools make capital investments in science infrastructures like laboratories and libraries impossible. Fortunately, such schools can afford to acquire computers preferably with multimedia capabilities. Hybrid e-learning can be introduced in such disadvantaged schools to support science and mathematics education. The main delivery tools under hybrid e-learning are the CD-ROMs due to their superior advantages over other portable storage devices: big memory capacity, high data transfer rate, multimedia capability and widespread standardization. Used computers with inferior capabilities that are being sold to rural schools cheaply are not useful for educational purposes. The cost of acquisition is low but the total cost of ownership is extremely high. The costs of Internet installation, bandwidth, commercial platforms and web-hosting make introduction of pure e-learning in Ugandan schools not viable, even in educationally elite secondary schools. Hybrid elearnin is the only realistic option in the complex financial situation of Ugandan secondary schools. Experience has shown that where there is Internet presence for use in education, open source web-hosting providers and open source platforms must be used. They are cheap and affordable even by poor rural secondary schools. Hybrid e-learning tools were developed to support such Ugandan schools using participatory methodology. The thesis is organized in three parts. Part I consists of six chapters including background information, concept discussions, problem statement, research questions, objectives of the study and research location. A justification of the use of participatory methodology in the research is also made in part I. Part II includes the four papers upon which the thesis is based. Part III contains a brief summary of the papers, conclusions and future research.

Syftet med studien är att undersöka rekryterande chefers uppfattning om verktyget kompetensbaserad rekrytering (KBR) samt utfallet av implementeringen av verktyget i Region Jönköpings län. Studien har även ett övergripande syfte att undersöka om chefers attityder påverkar användningen av verktyget. Datainsamlingen är av kvalitativt slag och samlats in via semistrukturerade intervjuer som tolkats med en hermeneutistisk ansats. Studiens resultat visar att större delen av cheferna generellt har en positiv inställning till KBR. Majoriteten upplever att verktyget har hjälp dem att få en tydlig struktur vid rekrytering vilket bidrar till att cheferna ser till kompetensen och vågar frångå sin magkänsla. Enligt cheferna bidrar verktyget till att rekryteringsprocessen blir kvalitetssäkrad och motverkar felrekryteringar. Flertalet av cheferna beskriver att de fick bra med information och stöd vid implementeringen av verktyget. Avslutningsvis tyder studiens resultat på att chefernas attityd påverkar hur KBR verktyget används.

The recent decision handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court in Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 (2007) has forced school districts to begin thinking of new ways to integrate their schools without relying on race as the single factor in their assignment plans. While some school districts already have begun to implement race-neutral student assignments, others are just beginning the process and are looking to plans that have been able to maintain diversity despite the new limitations being placed on them. In order to learn more about what factors are most critical in shaping racial and socioeconomic diversity in school districts, I examined the interaction between the design and implementation of 3 different integration plans that rely on voluntary choice and socioeconomic status (SES). I wanted to determine whether these factors had any effect on the way such integration plans are employed and ultimately on school-level diversity outcomes. I was also interested in learning how the local sociopolitical context influenced outcomes. I used qualitative case methodology, which allowed me to focus on the processes and meanings behind the plans. I conducted a historical analysis of desegregation on each of the school districts and used data collected from documents and interviews to analyze how design interacted with context to produce particular outcomes. I situated my analysis in the education policy implementation literature as it tells us that people and places play integral roles in how a policy is designed, adopted, and implemented. The ultimate success of a policy is heavily influenced by the actors involved in the creation of the policy as well as the context in which the policy is implemented. I found that the success of these plans depends heavily on their context. Urban school districts that have high poverty levels and few White students have a difficult time maintaining diversity, whereas school districts that incorporate the city and surrounding suburbs are more likely to maintain diversity because White, middle-class families do not have the same opportunity to flee the district. Furthermore, school districts that use geographic zoning and regulated choice are able to maintain higher levels of diversity. Support from the community and local policymakers also can play a role in the success of integration plans. The findings suggest that geographic and political contexts matter in the shaping and adoption of integration plans based on voluntary choice and SES. I offer suggestions to maintain integration given the local sociopolitical context of the school districts. / text

This paper investigates the cost-tradeoffs of implementing a test data compression technique previously presented in [Lee 06] which uses a small non-linear decoder combined with a linear decompressor to achieve greater test data compressions. The non-linear decoder is a sequential non-linear decompressor that exploits bit-wise and pattern-wise correlations in test vectors. This paper further emphasizes the design and implementation side of the proposed test data compressor. The linear decompressor used in this design is a Linear Feedback Shift Register (LFSR) which after choosing the right seed has the ability to produce the correct care bit values while filling the don’t care value bits with pseudo-random values. Experimental results show that using the presented compression scheme here significantly improves the overall compression. Area and power results are presented for the experiments carried out on the given design. / text