It appears to be commonly claimed by workplace mediators that they are 'neutral', that is, they do not influence parties' decisions but merely help them to find their own solutions to a conflict. This is problematic if, beneath a cloak of an illusory neutrality, mediators unwittingly contain and manage conflicts to meet overarching needs for organizational efficiency. A closer scrutiny of workplace mediation, both theoretical and practical, reveals mediators to be very influential in ways that are often obscure, being hidden within naturalised and dominant discursive patterns of contemporary organizational life. Issues of confidentiality and political sensitivity precluded access to actual mediation sessions. Therefore, a video recording of three experienced workplace mediators conducting role-play mediations was used. By studying mediators' spoken interventions it was possible to assess the 'subject positions' they maintained and enacted. Whilst the mediators facilitated reflection by the parties upon their conflict, strong tendencies to manage resolution or reconciliation were observed. Follow up discussions with the participating mediators revealed a reluctance to acknowledge this finding. For them, workplace mediation was best conceptualised as a path to more efficient working behaviours via the mediated resolution of conflict. In sum, founding values of mediation, concerned to support movement towards dialogue, had been supplanted by an instrumental application inside the workplace. Building on a critique that posits workplace mediators acting as proxy managers, an alternative, counterfactual, style of mediating is proposed that may help to partially free mediation practice from colonizing organizational pressures. Resting upon an understanding of the social construction of the 'self', this alternative style suggests that mediators bring a compassionate humility to their practice to support parties in an exploration of a conflict and an understanding of their part in it. As far as possible, goals of resolution or reconciliation are eschewed by such mediators, though probably and understandably not by the parties. In this way a conflict may be opened up to a sense of the radical contingency of social relations, in which both the politics and our fantasies of the social are sometimes revealed.

This study investigates the impacts of pricing innovations and other non-pricing dimensions on the market share competition of dominant Chinese online game companies. The empirical context of my research is the strategic behaviour of online game operators (i.e. the companies who operate online games) in the Chinese online game market – the most active market in the world with strong network effects. According to the literature review, previous pricing studies have focused mainly on the evaluation of traditional pricing theories and their limited validity for the information economy. Velu (2005) pointed out how dominant firms in a market with strong network effects adopt business innovations to sustain their market dominance. This study first investigates the validity of Velu‟s theory and then aims to develop and expand the theory of pricing practice by discussing how dominant companies integrate pricing and other non-pricing dimensions during market share competition. With the application of an analytical synthesis, this study covers large parts of the traditional economy and information economy literature by linking the concepts of „within‟ and „across‟ theories of pricing and competition. It finally brings together different theories and adopts Bouwman and MacInnes‟ virtual web idea as an original conceptual framework to give an insight into how the pricing process and other internal and external factors impact differently on the market share competition. The study adopts a descriptive multiple-case study strategy including five dominant Chinese online game companies and employs qualitative data collected from 64 interviewees and reliable secondary data from documentations and archival records.The findings suggest that, instead of devoting all their efforts to pricing innovation, the companies have turned to an exploration of their internal resources to enhance their competitiveness. Superficially, as an influential external factor, government regulations have constrained the operation of imported games. The study also discusses two internal themes that influence each company‟s competitive strength. They are: how to deal with the exodus of talent and how to handle strategic alliance management. There seems to be no previous research concerning the relationship between pricing innovation and market dominance within a new economy‟s service sector. As a consequence, this research should provide insights into this academic blind spot and rationalize the diversity of strategic theory within the specific industry.

A number of researchers suggest that the development of Internet technologies, especially the World Wide Web, provides new opportunities for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), because the Internet has the ability to assist SMEs to extend their activities into customer base in international markets. Although there is extensive research focusing on business-to consumer marketing, no significant studies have looked at business-to-business marketing, especially the manufacturing SMEs sector. This thesis examines how the Internet relates to manufacturing SMEs and reviews how manufacturing SMEs internationalise. In particular, this thesis concerns how industrial networks/relationships impact on the use of the Internet for manufacturing SMEs and their international operations. This thesis reviews relevant areas of literature in industrial network perspectives, internationalisation, capabilities and the Internet. A conceptual framework derived from the literature review is also presented. The conceptual development provides a framework for the subsequent research strategies. The empirical data consists of ten in-depth case studies from different types of manufacturing SMEs and industries within the UK. A cross-case analysis was then carried out which leads to the finalised framework. One of the key contributions of this thesis is the development of the SCIM (SME Capability for the Internationalisation of Manufacturing) framework. The framework provides an overview of an industrial network in relation to the manufacturing SMEs' capability development, and factors such as the Internet and industrial environment that need to be considered for their international business decisions. The findings reveal key components that have direct impact upon manufacturing SMEs when engaging in network business activities. Moreover, the findings elaborate the influence of the Internet for manufacturing SMEs for their international business operations and internationalisation strategies. Finally, the implications for practice and directions for future research are highlighted.

This thesis examines the self-regulatory nature of the United Kingdom banking industry in relation to its effectiveness at promoting financial inclusion. This exploration is conducted through an examination of the changing culture of the banking industry from the 1600's to the present day whilst considering the effect banking regulation has played on financial exclusion and exploring the expectation gap between bank delivery and customer expectation. The thesis also examines in detail the characteristics of financial exclusion within the United Kingdom in relation to the self-regulatory mechanism, which regulates the industry, namely the Banking Code. Furthermore the thesis questions whether banks have a social responsibility towards customers who experience financial exclusion or difficulties. This thesis uses template analysis in order to analyse data collected through interviews and surveys.Through template analysis the researcher hasproduced two main templates which can be used to illustrate the process of the development of financial exclusion and its relationship with banking regulation. Stemming from these templates the thqsis puts forward four recommendations which could be adopted by the banking industry to help promote financial inclusion within the United Kingdom. The thesis makes two essential contributions to knowledge. The first is that financial exclusion has been explored using a novel methodology, namely, template analysis and a greater understanding of this social phenomenon has been uncovered. The second contribution to knowledge is that the research has shown there is an expectation gap between customer and banker which has arisen from the cultural evolution of the banking industry and in turn this has helped promulgate financial exclusion. Financial exclusion is therefore a complex and diverse problem. The findings in this thesis could be used for further research encompassing an international dimension as well as looking at other areas of the United Kingdom's financial service providers such as insurance. Therefore this piece of research can be used and adapted to examine further avenues of financial exclusion of a cross industry sector and global scale.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Transformation and power in a multiorganizational partnership: A case study One of the challenges for multiorganizational partnerships is the inability of agencies involved to address or even be prepared to address issues of power. Power relations in partnerships are a neglected area in the literature (e.g. Hastings, 1999; Huxham and Vangen, 2005; Marsh and Murie, 1997; Martin, 1999). This case study contributes to this debate through an insider's perspective in the context of the author's experience working as a partnership manager and researcher. This was neither a neutral nor an objective engagement as I played an active part in the unfolding story as a powerful, reflexive actor. My inquiry addresses the issue of power in relation to transformation processes. Specifically set within an action inquiry strategy, the research focuses on the emergent nature of partnership transformation and the ways in which power manifested itself and influenced the Partnership's development. Partnerships open up opportunities for political activity through a reframing of activity in a domain, and whilst this can be positive in forging new relationships and generating new ideas, it can also have potentially negative effects for partnership transformation. The thesis offers a syntactical approach using first-, second-, and third-person voices in order to explicate a real partnership's transformation processes and power issues and to enhance validity through triangulation and integration of these perspectives. In the first-person the thesis concludes that greater recognition should be given to the critical role, competences and development needs of partnership professionals and particularly partnership managers as boundary spanners. In the second-person the inquiry claims that more attention could usefully be focused on intra-partnership conflict as a means of improving partnership effectiveness. In the third-person voice the study concludes that remedial action may be necessary to resolve shadows of the past that may continue to blight partnership transformation and that the under-resourcing of partnerships is a critical issue for partnerships.

This thesis is located within the area of Knowledge Management and focuses on enhancing the transfer of knowledge. The research investigated how organisations manage knowledge in times of major restructuring. The research used Action Research to establish a collaborative partnership with the client organisation and to enable a cyclical approach to the research activity with ongoing involvement that allows feedback to be gathered as the research progresses. There was concern that knowledge was being lost and ways needed to be developed to stem the haemorrhage due to the movement of people to different posts or their departure from the organisation. Consequently the importance of the research for the Post Office was established in the first phase of the research. The research was based on interviews with managers in the Post Office and other selected organisations. Interview analyses showed differences in approaches to managing knowledge, often depending on their organisational epistemology. Consequently it was possible to build a framework for managing knowledge in times of change. The model was explored further within the Post Office to establish its validity and reliability and practical use for managers. Overall, the research recognises the potential for improved processes that, if applied effectively at the appropriate planning juncture, could result in improved identification and transfer of knowledge during times of major organisational restructuring. The research contributes to theory by identifying the critical period of transaction when a change or restructuring activity is underway. It also contributes by the exploration of two existing knowledge management process models and development of two ancillary models that enable the working of knowledge processes to be understood in greater detail. The research contributes to managerial practice by the development of a practical working framework enabling an organisation to make practical use of the research. By using the model organisations and those managing change will be able to support their thinking and trigger knowledge assessment, capture and transfer activities in a systematic way. Key words: Knowledge management; Knowledge processes; Knowledge transfer; Organisational restructuring; Change management.

The thesis contributes to an understanding of the nature of Managerial work, confronting the work in its natural setting. It offers an empirically grounded description of the social organisation of managerial work; it explores the taken for granted features of managers'work that allows members to recognise and reproduce their normal everyday activities amid the variability and complexity that comprises their days work. The study finds managerial work to be a primarily verbal activity; accessible through a study of interaction. Resources of Conversation Analysis are utilised to explore how the managers use talk to accomplish their activities and to expose and test their understanding. An ethnographically informed approach reveals that the social organisation of the work is inextricable from local, referential matters. The thesis is presented in two parts. Part I explorest he 'insitu' accomplishment of a number of activities within selected instances of managerial work; a memo,a discussion of future work plans and a strategic planning meeting. It finds and demonstrates how such work as negotiating a position, identifying a problem reaching agreement is not just the outcome of a sequential organisation but of a retrospective-prospective design. Phenomena such as 'planning' and 'organising' are appropriated at the interactional level. They are found to be achieved in the insitu accomplishment of various conversational features; agreement and modification amongst others, through an understanding of local contingencies such as time scales for projects, the personalities involved, and by practices of description and explanation. Part 2 takes up an interest, begun in Part 1, with occasions when the managers offer explanations of their work. The ability to "talk about management" is found to be a competenc essential to the accomplishment of a number of managerial activities such as working up plans, making sensible a proposal. A number of occasions where particular managers offer verbal 'tours' of their work are explored. Not only doest his reveal something of how accounts get done, but it brings into the public domain some of the 'commonsense understandings' that the managers orientate in shaping up a telling of their work. Attention to these 'espoused logics' 'lines of regard' is important in terms of developing an adequate theory of the organisation of managerial work. It could be on the basis of these' practical theories' that the managers work proceeds that particular decisions get taken, plans are agreed etc.

Conducted within the global corporation of the Hewlett-Packard Company, (HP),this research examines employee and contractor responses to strategic implementation. The research environment is a relatively small UK group withinthe corporation that has continuously experienced significant change as new strategies were implemented. Employee and contractor responses to three separate cycles of change are analysed together with data drawn from the wider corporation by using a psychological contract framework, semi-structured interviewing, a research diary and secondary data from the literature and electronic sources. The research is essentially qualitative but draws on quantitative data where appropriate. A case study approach within an action research paradigm is the chosen methodology to allow consideration and triangulation of multiple sources of data relevant to the natural workplace setting. The research has confirmed a change from old or original psychological contracts to new contracts where employees and contractors are more insecure in, and more cynical of, their employment. This change is perceived as a violation of their psychological contract and is causing employees and contractors to adopt a more mercenary approach to their employment with HP. The special bond between HP and its employees generated by the values and egalitarian working environment created by its founders has been broken by new leadership. Acquisition of the Compaq Computer Company has further impacted employees and contractors resulting in declining morale and increasing scepticism about its proposed benefits. Indeed the very legitimacy of the acquisition and the leadership of HP are being questioned as HP changes to a new form. According to the founders, the values established that made HP successful in its first fifty years were expected to continue for at least another fifty years. This research shows how changing these values has collectively impacted employees and contractors resulting in a major threat to the continuing existence of HP in its present form.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Supervisors: Rajendra K. Srivastava and Rajashri Srinivasan. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.