Abstract Arthur Anderson Consulting spent thirty millions US dollars on corporate management research and development, which in turn developed ¡§The Best Corporate Workflow Knowledge Management System¡¨ for thousands of clients and consultants. This is the best example for successfully invented knowledge management. Not only foreign corporations are applying this resources management system to improve their competitiveness. Taipei government also applied knowledge management related measures facilitated by Microsoft Corporation in 2001. Taiwan Private Corporation obviously has already followed the trend on knowledge management. ITIS listed resources management system as one of the six significant techniques in 1996. The term ¡§Knowledge Management¡¨, has become a buzz word in corporate culture for a long time. Some observers said this is the trend for knowledge management in the future. Others think this is just an interim. Either one would be true; knowledge management seems to be one necessary means to replace other organizations restructuring direction. Currently, most of academic researchers in resources management primarily focus on application and subjective issues. There is a lack of study to prove whether knowledge management can improve organizational performance. The study brings organization performance and knowledge management into discussion order to figure out the effects from knowledge management and organization performance. With thorough investigation, there are several points that are worthy to note: 1. Different business strategy, industry category and life cycle devote differences in existing knowledge management culture and organization performance. (1) Those corporations which apply innovative strategies like knowledge management culture and organization performance usually have better satisfactory than those which apply other business strategies. 2. Knowledge management culture has tremendous effects on knowledge management performance and organization performance. 3. Knowledge management performance has partial mediatory effects on knowledge management culture and organization performance 4. Knowledge management strategy has partial moderator effects on knowledge management culture and intellectual capital management performance (1) If corporate intellectual capital is mostly explicit knowledge, corporate intellectual management performance will be better off when apply systematic strategy (2) If corporate intellectual capital is mostly tacit knowledge, corporate intellectual management performance will be better controlled by individualize strategy.

Since 1996 ¡§the Knowledge-Based Economy¡¨ was published by Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), knowledge is going to change the growth of global economy and becomes the important Factor of Production. With the development of the Internet and information technology, researchers have the opportunities to implement Knowledge Management. Knowledge Management Enablers are not brand new research issues. Many researchers have mentioned KM Enablers affect KM, but how KM Enablers affect KM processes hasn¡¦t been deeply discussed. In addition, KM has been developed so many years; we still can¡¦t evaluate performance of KM. There are many researchers develop performance indexes of Knowledge Management, but those indexes are not refined. This study attempts to develop an integrated model for KM Enablers, KM processes and organizational performance because KM Enablers affect organizational performance through knowledge processes. For the purpose of supplying a method for enterprises to realize the performance of KM through KMPI (Knowledge Management Performance Index) and feedbacks from performance, we attempt to understand the efforts of the strategies that have been executed, and decide the direction of the strategies is correct or not. This study uses questionnaire investigation. The samples are the employees who adopt and use knowledge management systems in the north and south of Taiwan. In the analysis, this study use multi regression and Partial Least Squares (PLS) to test all hypotheses. In tools, this study used SPSS12.0 for Windows and Visual PLS 1.04b1. Based on statistical analysis, we obtain the conclusions of this study as follows: we find that collaboration, trust, learning, innovation and expertise in organizational culture have positive impacts on Knowledge Circulation Processes (KCP). The formalization of organizational structure also has a positive impact on KCP. Additionally, KCP has a positive impact on task performance and contextual performance.

This research is focus on the influence of cross-functional orientation on semiconductors¡¦ supply chain performance. In today¡¦s growing complexity of global network, more and more merge and acquisitions are happening in all kinds of industries. Semiconductors Industry is selected because of it¡¦s large investment on capacity expansion. Today the manufacturing service is getting mature, all IDM companies tend to asset-light policies to focus on their core business only. Intra-organization and inter-organizations cooperation is becoming important. This study is to find out whether the cross-functional activities can bring customer satisfaction and supply chain responsiveness through empirical research. The findings show that the supply chain¡¦s cross-functional orientation has some positive effect on supply chain performance with empirical evidence. The conclusions are: 1. The cross-functional orientation has some positive effect on customer satisfaction on its construct of ¡§Participative Management Model¡¨ and ¡§Technology Integration¡¨. 2. The cross-functional orientation has some positive effect on supply chain responsiveness on its construct of ¡§Participative Management Model¡¨, ¡§Information Exchange¡¨ and ¡§Technology Integration¡¨. 3. Customer Satisfaction and Supply Chain Responsiveness has remarkably positive effect to each other.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Texas, Aug., 2009. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Abstract Facilities management (FM) has been identified as a significant contributor to the overall economy of Australia. Its focus is not only the maintenance of property but also the operation of business. Measuring and improving performance in the FM of buildings is becoming important for organisations to create stakeholder satisfaction. Among various FM performance indicators and measurement approaches, choosing the right ones is always difficult. Besides, FM lacks a commonly-agreed or generally-accepted definition of what it entails and a theory of what it does. Its unclear scope and activities are a clear gap in the current state of knowledge. The recognition of the interrelatedness of these aspects is important and leads to the research question for the current project, namely: How can performance be measured and improved in the FM of buildings to satisfy different stakeholders? The project’s aim is to answer this research question by broadening the traditional scope of FM to acknowledge the situation of various relevant stakeholders (people); by offering a new demand-side approach (process) to measure performance; and demonstrating ways to use that means to improve the FM of the built environment (space). Acknowledging the importance of independent research skills and the ability to relate a specific topic to a broad framework of knowledge, this project contributes specific knowledge about the FM industry. A new approach (a virtuous cycle of integrated FM) is developed not only to link the input of facilities and services with the output of business operations, but also to allow multiple stakeholders to participate in decision-making. As demonstrated by the theoretical outcomes, customers are central among other stakeholders to business operations and they have patently different views and management outlooks on FM from the supply-side parties, namely, owners, managers and some tenants. Thus, a balanced approach for all stakeholders in an organisation is required to minimise the effect of asymmetric, imperfect and incomplete information. In addition to “best practice” reckoning which has been widely applied in organisations for years, this research recommends a “best match” approach. The answer to the research question emerges in the form of a performance flowchart with a list of operational tasks, which act as guidelines to acknowledge the situation of various relevant stakeholders, measure performance, and demonstrate ways to improve the FM of the built environment. Importantly, the research is not only directed at grounded theory-building; it acts as a pioneering pilot study to stimulate discussion among professionals and specialists, contribute to the current FM field and provide a basis for future research.

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.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2004. / Adviser: Mary Kooy.

Universiẗat, Diss.--Bamberg, 2007. / Literaturverz. S. 227 - 253.

Zugl.: Köln, Fachhochsch., Diplomarbeit.

Thesis (M. Comm.(Human resource management))-University of Pretoria, 2004. / Abstract and summaries in English. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.