Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgia State University, 2007. / Title from file title page. Arun Rai, committee chair; Detmar Straub, Wesley Johnston, Mark Keil, committee members. Electronic text (163 p. : ill. (some col.)) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed Oct. 15, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 128-131).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 168-181).

xv, 228 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / This dissertation integrates economic and sociological approaches to network organizing to explain the structure and performance of network organizational forms. Previous theorizing from economics and sociology linked network organizational structure to "pairwise" or dyadic assessments of transaction efficiency and relational efficacy. Research based on these theories offered only partial understanding of network organizational performance because this work ignores the impact of multiple dyads interacting simultaneously, which occurs at the network level of analysis. This study integrates economic and sociological theories, treating them as interdependent explanations of network structure and performance. Theory is developed at the network level of analysis, which is necessary to explain the structure and performance of network organizations. Taking a network governance perspective, I formulate a theoretical model predicting the impact of exchange conditions upon the structure and performance of network organizations. I focus upon a specific variant of network organizations, "temporary interorganizational networks" (TINs), and develop and test hypotheses derived from transaction cost economics and from the sociological perspective focusing on relational embeddedness. I test these hypotheses by constructing a unique dataset containing comprehensive financial, organizational, and performance information regarding a population of network organizations during the years 2000-2007. Each observation in this dataset constitutes a network form designed to address a specific project, and these observations include both those networks that succeeded and those that failed. The study's design overcomes a limitation of prior cross-sectional analyses: Most prior analyses treat network ties as durable and assume that all ties add value to an organization. This assumption is challenged by empirical findings suggesting that the value of a relational tie decays rapidly with time. In contrast, the transient relationships common in TINS repeatedly form and dissolve over time. By observing both the formation and dissolution of ties and both successful and unsuccessful interorganizational networks, this study is among the first to test the full range of network organizational performance. My results indicate that exchange conditions significantly affect both the structure and performance of the network organizational form. Additionally, analyses reliably predict failure of the network form, which amends and extends prior theory. / Committee in charge: Alan Meyer, Chairperson, Management; Michael Russo, Member, Management; Anne Parmigiani, Member, Management; William Starbuck, Member, Management; Renee Irvin, Outside Member, Planning Public Policy & Mgmt

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For several years organization theorists have debated the magnitude of the impact of size and technology on dimensions of organization structure. Also, management theorists have shown the importance of structure on organization goal attainment. However, no consensus has been reached concerning the interrelationship among size, structure and technology. Apparently much of the disagreement among theorists is a result of mixing levels of analysis, inadequate specification of variables, use of inadequate or inappropriate research tools and lack of controls for potentially confounding variables. The purposes of this dissertation were: (a) to provide a better understanding of the complex interrelationships among size, technology and structure; (b) to use regression analysis in an effort to better depict the relationships among those variables; and (c) to attempt to bridge some of the findings of other researchers that disagree among themselves. The study used carefully selected variables that appear to be appropriate to the level of analysis (the organization) used, and careful selection of sample organizations in order to control for some potentially confounding variables. Other potentially confounding variables were measured and their effects on size, technology and structure controlled for. The central hypotheses of the study were: (a) that technology would cause structure to differ for small firms; and (b) that the difference in structure would disappear among large firms. The findings were mixed, with some of the structural dimensions being related to both size and technology and others to neither size nor technology. The structural dimensions of formalization, specialization and number of hierarchical levels appear to be functions of organizational size, with the effects of size moderated by technology. The structural dimensions of decentralization of authority and Chief Executive Officer's span of control do not appear to be related to either size or technology. Additionally, it appears that the differences in structure attributable to technology are greater for large firms than for small firms. This finding was contrary to the hypothesized relationship. An additional significant finding of this research was that it appears to be more appropriate to refer to the relationship among given dimensions of structure and other variables rather than structure as a monolithic concept. / Ph. D.

Collaboration across the organisational boundaries takes place for different reasons. One of them is to solve complex problems that cannot be dealt with by a single organisation. The area of vocational rehabilitation constitutes an example of inter-organisational collaboration motivated by a need for joint problem solving. Individuals are admitted to vocational rehabilitation with the aim of entering or re-entering the labour market. These individuals constitute a heterogeneous group with different kinds of problems, based on e.g. their social situation, long-term diseases and/or substance abuse. As a result, they are handled at more than one welfare state agency at the time, and the practitioners working at these agencies need to collaborate to find individual solutions for their clients. The expected positive effects of such collaboration are long-term planning, increased quality of the casee management, and reductions of invested time and money. In this thesis, an interpretive case study of inter-organisational teamwork within the vocational rehabilitation is presented. The aim of the study was to investigate how the collaboration could be supported by information technology. During a time period of two years, practitioners from three welfare state agencies took part in the research project, The activities included observations of the teamwork, individual interviews with the practitioners and design of information technology that should support the teamwork. An essential part of the design activities was the user representatives' direct participation in the design group, composed by practitioners and researchers. To stimulate the participation, methods with its origin in the participatory design approach were used. The design requirements that were defined included support for the team's communication and joint documentation of cases, and also information sharing about previous, present and future rehabilitation activities. The teamwork was characterised by an open, positive atmosphere where the practitioners were trying to find solutions for the clients within the frames of the current rules and regulations, limited by the resources allocated for vocational rehabilitation activities. However, the environment was also found to be dynamic with changing, and in some cases conflicting, enterprise objectives, Furthermore, the enterprise objectives were not broken down into tangible objectives on the operational level. The physical team meetings and the meetings with the clients constituted essential parts of the work practices and it is concluded that these meetings should not be substituted by technology. The case management could, however, be supported by a flexible tool that meets the users' needs of freedom of action.

presented by Chow Sung Ming. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 155-160). / Abstract / Chapter I. --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1. --- Objective / Chapter 2. --- Empirical Problems / Chapter 3. --- Theoretical Concern / Chapter 4. --- Data Collection / Chapter II. --- Players of the Game: Political Organizations and Political Leaders in Hong Kong --- p.15 / Chapter 1. --- Historical Development of Liberal Political Organizations: a Retrospect / Chapter 2. --- Amorphous Mass and Amateur Politicians: Socio-cultural Factor / Chapter III. --- Rules of the Game: Political Change in Late Transitional Hong Kong --- p.48 / Chapter 1. --- Possibilities and Constraints under the Basic Law: Politico- institutional Factor / Chapter 2. --- Institutional Locations and Opportunity Structures: a Prospect / Chapter IV. --- Inter-party Relationships: Strategic Choices of Adaptative Elites --- p.80 / Chapter 1. --- Prologue / Chapter 2. --- External Threats and Opportunities / Chapter 3. --- Interorganizational Linkages / Chapter 4. --- Problems of Mobilization / Chapter V. --- Conclusion --- p.132 / Footnotes --- p.139 / Appendix --- p.150 / Chapter 1. --- Conceptual Scheme / Chapter 2. --- list of Interviewees / Chapter 3. --- Sample Questionnaire / Chapter 4. --- Abbreviations / Bibliography --- p.155

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1990. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-119). Also available via the Internet.