The Performance Management System (PMS) has been introduced in the Republic of South African public service with intentions of planning, monitoring, developing under-performance, rating and rewarding good performance. The study was undertaken as an attempt to investigate the impact of the PMS on employees of the ECPL. The literature review shows that there are challenges facing the institution with regards to implementation of PMS. The findings of the study indicated that the supervisors have no understanding of PMS instead they used it as punishing tool. Other findings of the study showed that there’s a culture within the institution of using PMS as a money making scheme or a 14th checque. To achieve this, a semi- structured questionnaire was issued to employees of the ECPL. The recommendation on the basis of the study is that the compliance issue should be strengthened and disciplinary measures be taken against employees who failed to comply with the provisions of the PMS policy.

The aim of the thesis is to prove, that an effective international management is beneficial for an international company in reacting on problems in different markets. The thesis also describes the current situation in how the company deals with multicultural issues, defines the room for improvement and suggests solutions. The aim is also to define the value and importance of an effective management of multiculturalism in a decentralized company

No / In the future mobile network, satellites will operate alongside cellular networks in order to provide seamless connectivity irrespective of the location of the user. Such a service scenario requires that the next generation of mobility management (MM) procedures are able to ensure terminal and user mobility on a global scale. This paper considers how the principles of Mobile-IP can be used to develop MM procedures for a heterogeneous access network, comprizing of satellite and cellular elements, connected to an IP core network.Initially, the system architecture is described. This is followed by a discussion of issues related to MM, where location, address and handover management are considered. A description of the signaling protocols for macro-mobility using Mobile-IP is then presented, emphasizing the need to minimize the change to the existing access network procedures. Finally, the performance of the protocols is analyzed in terms of the additional signaling time required for registration and handover.

In simultaneously pursuing commercial and social goals, specialist microfinance organisations (MFOs) are leading examples of social enterprises working in development. Yet evidence of the feasibility of such ‘double bottom line’ management is limited. The thesis takes a comparative case study approach to investigating the dynamics of a social enterprise model of microfinance, with particular emphasis on its role in promoting employment related goals. Case study material consists primarily of the experience of two Central Asian MFOs that participated in an action research project ‘Microfinance for Decent Work’ implemented by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Data was obtained through participant observation, staff interviews, client level surveys, and it also includes reflective practice arising from my participation in the ILO project as a consultant to both MFOs between 2008 and 2012. The findings are mixed. One of the MFOs was more strongly internally motivated to achieve social goals, and was more successful in implementing social performance management initiatives. The other was motivated more by the goal to demonstrate social performance to external stakeholders, and was less responsive to the evidence generated. The thesis also illustrates both path dependence in the evolution of social performance management, and the limited capacity of external agencies such as the ILO to influence the institutionalisation of development management within MFOs.

This diploma thesis deals with an interconnection of language control in a service-oriented company and its performance. The main aim of the thesis is to demonstrate the positive effect of language management on the corporate performance.

Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) is a global challenge and the situation is worse in urban areas of developing countries due to ineffective disposal systems. In many industrialised countries, waste minimisation and recycling/reuse policies have been introduced to reduce the amount of waste generated, and increasingly, alternative waste management practices to waste disposal on land have been implemented to reduce the environmental impacts of MSWM. Nevertheless, research and MSWM in most developing countries have largely concentrated on waste collection. This doctoral study investigates how planning and decision-making for MSW disposal in developing countries with similar circumstances and MSW problems to Ghana can be improved, using the Wa Municipality as a case study. It established the baseline scenario of MSW disposal and examined MSW disposal management and operational performances. The methodology and research design for the study was a descriptive and interpretive case study that was analysed through both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The key research findings indicate that the current state of MSW disposal management performance in Ghana does not present an enabling environment for effective MSW disposal. Also, the present MSW disposal practices in the case study area and Ghana in general consist of some waste collection, transportation and open dumping, where the entire amount of waste is open dumped without pre-treatment. Evaluation of MSW disposal operational performance through modelling and scenario analysis showed that open dumping/landfilling of waste creates copious health effects (0.0001519 lbs/year on average), whereas, MSW disposal in an integrated solid waste management (ISWM) system optimises the minimisation of health effects (-0.0005812 lbs/year on average). The study developed and validated a framework for the improvement of planning and decision-making for MSW disposal, which can easily be applied in the context of developing countries. Also, the developed framework provides a theoretical standpoint for the concept of MSW disposal in ISWM. Appropriate MSW disposal treatment technologies based on the developed framework could be applied to ameliorate the impacts of MSW disposal in Ghana and other developing countries.

Stress management interventions (SMIs) are increasingly used by organisations across both private and public settings. Such interventions are employed with the expectation that they will be effective in reducing levels of stress in participants and in turn, will provide a return to the organisation by way of increased productivity through performance improvements of those employees whose stress has been reduced. Despite the increasing popularity of SMIs, there exists a lack of evidence on whether they have any effect on the performance of users, and on the relative effectiveness of the components that often make up SMIs. Although the literature addressing SMIs and their effects is increasing, relatively few studies directly compare different techniques, and even fewer employ randomised controlled designs or follow-up measures. The assumed relationship between the reduction of stress and improvement of managerial performance does not appear to have been tested with a randomised controlled trial. The term “stress” as used in this study specifically denotes the concept of “distress” as defined by Selye (1956; 1987). To support this use of the term, the evolution of current terminology in the field of occupational stress is briefly discussed with specific reference to the development and influence in the wider literature of the Yerkes Dodson Law (Yerkes, 1909). The aims of this thesis were to (1) compare the relative effectiveness of two component techniques often used in SMIs (somatic and cognitive techniques) in the reduction of stress, and (2) to examine the effect of the use of these techniques on the performance of managers in their workplace. Study One was a randomised controlled trial assessing the effect of the use of somatic and cognitive stress management interventions on stress and performance in managers. Participants were 112 corporate managers who were randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups (somatic or cognitive technique training) or to a wait list control group. The intervention groups were trained in their respective techniques over a 4 week period in brief (20-30 minute) face-to-face workshop sessions. Participants were provided with recordings of the techniques to assist practice between training sessions. At baseline, stress was assessed using the Occupational Stress Inventory – Revised Edition (OSI-R, Osipow, 1998), and managerial performance was assessed with the Personal Qualities Competency from the Inventory of Management Competencies (IMC, Saville Holdsworth Ltd., 1993). In the case of the IMC, self, colleague, and subordinate assessments were used. On completion of the 4 week intervention, the OSI-R was readministered, and then at week 12 and week 24, follow-up assessments of stress and managerial performance took place. At the week 12 follow-up, MANOVA for the OSI-R showed no significant difference between the somatic and cognitive interventions in their effect on stress, although both interventions did reduce stress relative to the wait list control group, as measured by the OSI-R. A significant intervention effect was also shown (ηp2 = 0.089, p = 0.002) for the combined intervention groups (cognitive and somatic). MANOVA for the Personal Qualities Competency showed a significant intervention effect for the self (ηp2 = 0.077, p = 0.008) and colleague (ηp2 = 0.064, p = 0.013) assessments, and a no significant effect (ηp2 = 0.032, p = 0.063) for the subordinate assessment at the week 12 follow-up point. Unfortunately, withdrawal and attrition reduced the sample size below that required for analysis at the week 24 follow-up point. Study Two was designed as a follow-up qualitative study that aimed to gather information on participants’ perceptions of the effects of the interventions on their stress and performance, and of their reasons for completion or no completion of the SMI. In this study, 14 participants from Study One took part in semi-structured interviews after the final follow-up assessment (week 24) for that study. The interviews were structured to elicit responses concerning participants’ perceptions of the demands of their workplace and their stress, their experience of using the stress management techniques (including perceived benefits or behavioural changes from that use), their reasons for completion or no completion of the intervention, and their own definitions of stress. Several important findings emerged from this study. First, participants described their workplace as characterised by high pressure and demand with rapid change and a perceived lack of personal control. Second, participants who continued to use the techniques they had learned after the formal intervention was completed did so because they perceived personal benefits in terms of their ability to relax and in terms of their perceptions of workload and demand. For those who did not complete the intervention, the predominant reasons reported for no completion were workplace task demands, lack of top management commitment to an intervention of this nature, and lack of personal gain once the techniques had been learned. In relation to defining stress, participants did not have agreement, but rather reported definitions reflecting a multifaceted complex amalgam of physiological, psychological, and emotional aspects. Research such as this is important in terms of its contribution to the general field of occupational stress and its alleviation. It addresses a long-standing need to assess the relative effectiveness of some of the subcomponents commonly employed as part of more complex multifaceted approaches to SMIs, and the effect of the techniques on both stress and performance. This thesis makes several contributions to existing knowledge. First, this thesis clarifies the origin of the Yerkes Dodson Law and its relevance to current stress management thinking. In management texts distress has come to be regarded as too much stress or pressure. This is coupled with the idea that some stress has a positive impact on performance due to an earlier and erroneous interpretation of the Yerkes Dodson Law. Second, Study One provides evidence of the relative effectiveness of two different SMI components in the reduction of individuals’ occupational stress, as well as evidence for the effectiveness of individual focussed SMIs in the reduction of stress in corporate managers. Third, Study One provides evidence for a positive effect on managers’ performance consequent to their use of stress management techniques. This thesis also sheds light on managers’ definitions of stress, and their reasons for completion or no completion of SMIs. In summary, individual focussed (or secondary) SMIs have the potential to reduce stress and to improve performance in corporate managers as perceived by both the individual and others in the workplace.

Knowledge management, a broad collection of organizational practices related to generating, capturing, disseminating know-how and promoting knowledge sharing within an organization, and with the outside world, has become a critical determinant of competitiveness for the private sector in many countries. Knowledge management programs have been increasingly implemented in various enterprises all over the world. Many research dimensions in knowledge management, including phenomena of enablers and barriers, action of practices and strategies, level of individual and culture, knowledge of identification and valorization, technology of hard systems and soft systems, outcome of costs and benefits, etc, have been explored. Although a wide variety of factors have been identified as influencing knowledge management performance, little is known about the relative influence of each of these factors on corporate performance. In this paper, we adopt concepts of balance score card and develop an integrative model to understand better how these factors combine to affect knowledge management performance and corporate performance as well. Our model is examined from a survey of top 5,000 enterprises in Taiwan. Our survey questionnaire is developed by the amalgamation of available literature on knowledge management, particularly related to (1) comments on concepts and structure of three knowledge capabilities, i.e., knowledge identifying & capturing, knowledge sharing, and knowledge creating; (2) critical success factors of knowledge management, and (3) performance evaluation of knowledge management. Our study also gather the corresponding financial data of surveyed enterprises from Taiwan market observation post system. Our research results offer insight into the determinants of knowledge management and corporate performance. We have identified a number of specific factors that influence this matter. Furthermore, we have been able to examine the relative influence of the various factors identified as important determinants of knowledge management performance in literature. Furthermore, it provides decision makers with specific advice on ways to improve corporate performance via knowledge management. Thus, it appears that the integrated knowledge management and corporate performance model has significant potential for supporting both research and practice in this area.

Under the trend of internationalization and changes of the competition sorts, the focus that the mankind regards to business management, shift from tangible assets management to human's intelligence and invisible managerial ability of the system gradually (Quinn et al., 1996). And most of the present administrators admit the human resources have already become the most important assets of firms. But that the human resources management practice is be influenced by the complicated situation factor of unique historical incident and other feelings, so that manifest the characteristic with indistinct cause and effect. Therefore, Wright & McMahan (1992) thought it was difficult for the human resources management practice to be imitated, moved or duplicated by other firms. So, it appears that whether the business management could be combined effectively with human resources management practices is difficult. This research shows that the complicated situation factor impact on firm's administrators have already turned into the invisible human resources values, and then influence the development of the human resource management practice. So, the composition of the values of human resources, the influence of human resource values on to organization, and situation factor that influencing the human resource values, become the subject hoped to explore in this research. This research investigates and analyses through the real examples, and gets the results as below: 1. Build up the frameworks (factors) of human resource values. (1) Human resource acquisition management: ¡§Talents attract¡¨, ¡§recruit honesty¡¨, and ¡§power consolidation¡¨. (2) Human resource development management: ¡§Talents development¡¨ and ¡§teamwork¡¨ (3) Human resource compensation management: ¡§Gain sharing¡¨, ¡§concern staff¡¨, and ¡§treating equally without discrimination¡¨. (4) Human resource maintenance management: ¡§Democratic and open¡¨, ¡§centralization¡¨, and ¡§self-restraint and acting on one's¡¨. (5) The entire human resource values: ¡§The staff acceptation¡¨. 2. Attitude that firms can be divided into three kinds of different types according to the difference of human resource values: (1) Firms with values of decentralization and achievement-induced; (2) Firms with values of centralization and respect to staff development; (3) Firms with values of conservatism, closed, and bureaucrat. 3. Firm's characteristics apparently influence on human resource values. ¡§Industry type¡¨ and ¡§staff's education¡¨ are the firm characteristics with main effect. Except the industry types and staff's education, firm characteristics apparently influence on the HR values through the reciprocal effect are ¡§staff number¡¨ and ¡§firm establish time¡¨. 4. Human resource values apparently influence on management performance ¡§Recruit honesty¡¨, ¡§treating equally¡¨, ¡§treats equally¡¨, ¡§self-restraint¡¨, and ¡§staff acceptation¡¨ are 4 values with apparent influence on managing performance. ¡§Gain sharing¡¨ show negative influence on staff productivity of the similar industry or more business in addition. 5. HR values types(clusters) apparently influence on comparative management performance of similar industry. Values clusters also apparently influence through the reciprocal effect on objective and subjective (or comparative) management performance in addition.

In this study, we classify and examine the relationships among strategy, Type, and performance of knowledge management. A good measure to classify the strategy and the type of knowledge management was discussed. We proofed that a good performance will be achieved only when a strategy of knowledge management has been matched with a given type of knowledge management based on the data of general manufacture industry, high-tech manufacture industry, and service industry in Taiwan.