by Lo Wai-kuen, Ng Wai-ming. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1986

The study was an investigation into the workflow structure of junior and senior secondary schools. It constituted an attempt to develop a conceptual framework for identifying dimensions of school workflow structure and possible determinants thereof. The study incorporated seven stages: (1) development of a theoretical model of possible determinants of school workflow structure, (2) adaptation and refinement of an existing instrument to measure school workflow structure in junior and senior secondary schools, (3) use of the instrument to identify underlying dimensions of school workflow structure, analysis of the relationships between variables of organizational context and school workflow structure, (5) examination of a particular orientation of professional staff towards students, namely, the degree to which staff are concerned with the control of pupil behavior, (6) analysis of the control orientation, or Pupil Control Ideology (PCI), of professional staff with respect to school type, size, and school district affiliation and, (7) clarification of the relationship between pupil control ideology and school workflow structure. School workflow structure was measured by Kelsey's Diversification of workflow instrument. This instrument is based on the notion of diversification of workflow structure in schools and is an adaptation of Perrow's concept of technological routinization. Two separate major dimensions, 'Diversification of Control' and 'Diversification of Equipment', were found to underlie workflow structure. School districts and school types (junior or senior secondary) differed significantly on school scores on both dimensions. School types were significantly different in size but when size was controlled for type, size was not associated with scores on either dimension. PCI scores differed significantly across school districts in only two of eighteen pair wise comparisons. Junior secondary schools and senior secondary schools were, however, significantly different with respect to their mean PCI scores. Size of school, controlled for type, was not significantly associated with Pupil Control Ideology scores. School mean PCI scores and Diversification of Control scores showed a significant positive association in junior secondary schools. The attempt to explain this finding and the evident lack of relationship in senior schools led to the discovery that the amount of within-school variance on the PCI scores may be a mediating variable between school PCI score and Diversification of Control. When PCI variance is taken into account, prediction of the probable extent of diversification of control is possible for low variance schools but not for high variance schools. PCI scores were also significantly inversely related to Diversification of Equipment in junior secondary schools. The findings were incorporated into a revised model of possible determinants of school workflow structure. The revised model carries implications of a theoretical, methodological, and practical nature. The theoretical implications are found in the clarification of the nature of the relationships among dimensions of school workflow structure, variables of organizational context, and a psycho-sociological variable. Methodologically, the results indicate that, while it is possible to take an instrument such as Kelsey's, which was designed for comparative research, and apply it to a geographically restricted study, it is wise in such cases to consider using the unrefined form of the instrument in order to test not only the applicability of the instrument but also its initial conceptualization. Finally, the relationship of pupil control ideology to school workflow structure has implications for school principals and for the recruitment and placement of professional staff. / Education, Faculty of / Graduate

by Tse Ching-biu. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1985. / Bibliography: leaves 135-137.

Planning and control of time and other resources are crucial to the construction of large projects. Yet, current computerized techniques are unable to model the work patterns by which construction personnel plan a project. Furthermore, these methods are not capable of reflecting the day to day changes which must be monitored to control the construction site. The purpose of this thesis-is to promote the usability of computerized planning and scheduling through the development of the heuristic manner by which construction personnel perceive the project. Site studies held in cooperation with Poole Construction Limited and Foundation Company of Canada were performed using a computer scheduling system at the University of British Columbia which contained a prototype model of repetitive work. It provided insight to the process of repetition and rhythm by which projects are planned and to the requirements of the updating process necessary to monitor, and hence control the project. Two models evolved. The definition of the general repetitive structure was formulated to provide construction personnel with a tool by which to model the process of repetition. The definition of an updating process was formulated capable of monitoring daily progress on a construction site. Work performed with these models have shown them to be realistic in their approach to construction management. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

by Wong Ngar Yan Sandy. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 55). / ABSTRACT --- p.4 / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.5 / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.6 / Chapter II. --- METHODOLOGY --- p.8 / Chapter III. --- INFORMATION ANALYSIS --- p.11 / Definition of the Organization's or Business Application's Objectives --- p.11 / Examining the Current System --- p.12 / Proposing System Solutions --- p.15 / Chapter IV. --- SYSTEM DESIGN --- p.20 / Chapter V. --- SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT --- p.25 / Chapter VI. --- TESTING --- p.30 / Chapter VII. --- SYSTEM INSTALLATION --- p.33 / Parallel Run and Conversion --- p.35 / Pilot Run --- p.36 / CUTOVER AND CONVERSION --- p.38 / Hardware Installation --- p.39 / Chapter VIII. --- TRAINING --- p.42 / Chapter IX. --- SYSTEM LAUNCH --- p.44 / Chapter X. --- SYSTEM REVIEW --- p.46 / Chapter XI. --- SYSTEM MAINTENANCE --- p.47 / Chapter XII. --- OPERATION MANAGEMENT --- p.48 / Chapter XIII. --- CONCLUSION --- p.49 / APPENDIX --- p.53 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.55

The purpose of this study was to determine how one organization from the private sector managed the socialization and development of its middle management personnel at the growth career life cycle stages of its managers: recruitment and hiring, entry-level, mid-career, and the retirement stage. The organization studied was a Quebec based retail chain composed of twenty stores located in Quebec and Ontario. / The findings indicated that there was a discrepancy between what the organization stated it was doing and what its middle management perceived was actually occurring. In three out of the five career life cycle stages, as described in the review of literature, the necessary formal structures and processes required to accomplish the socialization and development of the organization's middle management personnel were nonexistent. In only two of the career life cycle stages did the organization have in place a formal structure and set of processes relating to the specific socialization and development stages of its employees. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

This study utilized the principles of Total Quality Management and Q Methodology to determine the attitudes of 18 junior and senior students in the music business program at Anderson University.The concourse for this study was developed using Schmidt's four principles of Total Quality Management: customer satisfaction, continuous improvement, empowerment, and teamwork. The Q sample included a total of 54 statements related to personal beliefs regarding the Music Business program.The subjects completed a Q sort, which included positive and negative statements about the Music Business program based on Schmidt's four principles.The subjects of the study were 50 percent male, 50 percent female, 50 percent junior class status, and 50 percent senior class status. Each student had completed the introductory courses within the department, and was taking upper-class level specialized music business classes.PQMethod software was used to tabulate the Q sorts, and two factors were found. Attitude types were named "Contented" and "Discontented." The two factors were not closely correlated. The "Contented" group felt their experience as a Music Business major was positive, and had a positive outlook on the future of the program. The "Discontented" group felt the program did not meet their expectations, and they had little expectation for future improvements. / Department of Journalism

John F. Rockart, Adam D. Crescenzi. / "July 1984." / Bibliography: p. 32.

Application after application of the Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire (OCDQ) has revealed that the majority of urban core school climates seemed to be "closed" rather than "open". Efforts on the part of school administrators to alter the "closed", "unhealthy" organizational climates in their systems to more "open", "healthy" climates are premature because so little is actually known about how to change a climate. Since "closed" climate conditions seem to be almost synonomous with "large" school size, the purpose of this study has been to contribute some small measure of knowledge as to how to change a school climate by determining the relationship between organizational climate measured by the eight OCDQ subtests—Disengagement, Hindrance, Esprit, Intimacy, Aloofness, Production Emphasis, Thrust, Consideration—and four objective organizational size characteristics—School Area, Staff Members, Enrolment, and Human Density. The impact of these size variables is examined based on data obtained through a field study involving 20 schools and 116 teachers in the Vancouver, British Columbia school system. The data were subjected to factor analytic techniques. The results subsequently suggested that a five-factor pattern of climate dimensions—Principal as Leader, Teacher "qua" Teacher Group Perception, Non-Classroom Teacher Satisfaction, Working Conditions, Hindrance V—was as suitable as an eight-factor pattern. Consequently, the study design was expanded to accomodate the unanticipated results. In terms of its purpose, the study's findings can be briefly summarized as follows: 1) Reduction of Enrolment may prove useful in providing conditions related to the type of leadership behaviour—as described by the Principal as Leader dimension of school organizational climate—normally associated with a more "open", "healthy" climate. 2) Reduction of Staff Members may influence the Principal as Leader dimension of school organizational climate in much the same manner just described for Enrolment. Further investigation of this relationship could well reveal that the reduction of Staff Members, would increase Esprit for the remainder. A smaller staff with higher Esprit will, tend more toward the "open", "healthy" climate; 3) There is a hint in the findings that the association between Density and Principal as Leader and Area's association with both Teacher "qua" Teacher Group Perception and Hindrance (V) is strong enough to justify further research; 4) There Is little Indication that manipulation of any of the four size variables will influence either, the Non-Classroom Teacher Satisfaction or the Working Conditions dimension of a school's organizational climate. Three basic implications are drawn from the findings and related empirical evidence provided by the literature: 1) Smaller schools are imperative if the principal's leadership is not to be smothered by too many pupils and teachers, 2) School size in terms of its Area and its Density, i.e., the number of square feet available to its occupants, may not have as much impact on the climate dimensions as a reduction in Enrolment and Staff Members, but nevertheless, sufficient evidence does exist to. imply that altering Area and Density might prove useful in providing conditions similar to those which are normally associated with an "open" climate, 3) Even though considerably more research is required with respect to gaining much more knowledge concerning the relationship between school size and school climate, the difficulties encountered by this study and several others reported in it, imply that the OCDQ itself should be subjected to further refinement before continuing to subject it to such extensive use. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate