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This naturalistic case study investigated a business reengineering project at a large company located in the Northeast. Because the Human Resources (HR) department had downsized, decision makers within HR began investigating the feasibility of customizing a purchased HR Information System. To ensure that the new HR information system was usable by all employees, project leaders wanted to include performance support concepts into the customization of the system. The main focus of my research was investigating the major issues associated with incorporating performance support principles into a system development life-cycle model. The analysis of these data included a qualitative approach where I described the critical events relating to performance support system development that occurred on the project. In addition, I used the diffusion of innovation theory to analyze and interpret the data. Results indicated that there were major inconsistencies with the term "performance support" and the need for implementing performance support solutions on the project. Some Information Technology team members realized the importance of incorporating performance support into the system development life-cycle. However, because of the tight time frame for customizing the software with performance support concepts, several members of the Information Technology team believed that incorporating performance support for the initial release was unreasonable. For the initial release of the new HR information system the role of the Performance Support team shifted from seeking performance support solutions towards pursuing traditional training solutions for teaching employees how to use the HR information system. / Ph. D.

Transformational leadership is held by its theorists to consist of charisma (mission articulation, empowerment, and confidence in followers), intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration. lt is alleged to result from flexible structure, crisis, and high socio-economic status (except for charisma in connection with the latter) and to produce a favorable organizational climate, identification with the organization, expectation of success, and, most of all, extra effort. The present research, however, discloses serious problems with the model based upon theory: the inability of a principal component analysis to distinguish the leadership dimensions and the outcomes of identification and expectation of success; an absence of effects of SES and crisis on the leadership variables; and the direct effects of the exogenous variables on organizational climate. Even with regard to the central concept of charisma, considerable ambiguity is found. The conclusion of the present research is that transformational leadership theory represents "theoretical desperation" in a sociological sub-discipline increasingly perceived to be unproductive of significant results. While the relationship between charisma and extra effort holds up in the present study, the connection is problematic, since extra effort is uncorrelated with positive changes in the churches. A possible interpretation of the lack of correlation between extra effort and substantive changes is that leadership operates to create and maintain fictions functional for both the leader and his/her host organization. The use of language in the development of meaning also highlights the importance of' incorporating the idea of power in leadership studies. / Ph. D.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / This study represents an evaluation of the outcome of implementing the 20 Keys programme in organisations in Japan, Europe and South Africa. The 20 Keys Programme claims to be an Organisational Development (OD) Programme and the study firstly explores the underlying characteristics of an OD programme. Specific attention is given concerning the underlying values, the features and interventions of OD. Because Learning and Knowledge Management form such a critical role in OD the characteristics and features of a "Learning Organisation" and Knowledge Management are covered. The 20 Keys programme has been developed to deliver on the strategy of an organisation. The characteristics and aims of The Programme are thus presented as well as a critical evaluation of whether The Programme's features and characteristics corresponds with that of OD and whether it has features that indicate that it is develop as such to deliver on the strategy. It is concluded that The Programme's features and characteristics do support that of an OD programme. The 20 Keys Programme is a tool to deliver on the strategy of an organisation as is supported by reports from organisations that implemented The Programme in Japan, Europe and South Africa. The organisations did show some significant results in terms of productivity improvements, reducing defects and reducing work-in-process in line with improvements with their benchmark score.

published_or_final_version / Management Studies / Master / Master of Business Administration

Att genomföra en organisationsförändring kan vara omtumlande för de individer som arbetar i organisationen. Utvärdering av resultatet eller förändringsprocessen sker sällan och det kan bero på att de resurser som behovs inte finns i organisationen eller att det inte prioriteras. När en organisation ser resultatet jämför de oftast till de mål som ligger till grund för förändringen, uppnåddes målen så var resultatet "lyckat", om inte blev resultatet "misslyckat". Denna studie syftar till att undersöka hur ett resultat upplevs av medarbetare och ledning som genomgått en förändring och hur de relaterar det till de mål som satts upp. Fallorganisationen har genomfört en flytt till nya tillfälliga lokaler i väntan på att ombyggnationen blir klar. Vi har valt att studera en avdelning inom organisationen, de har två nivåer, medarbetare- och ledningsnivå. Studien har en kvalitativ inriktning där datainsamlingen består av semistrukturerade djupintervjuer med tolv respondenter, tio medarbetare och två från ledningsgruppen. Dessa har tolkats och presenteras utifrån två teman som är genomgående i hela studien, kommunikation och personliga upplevelser. Det finns flera delar i förändringsprocessen som kan bidra till att förändringen accepteras. Medarbetare har lättare att accepterar förändringen om information kommer tidigt i processen, så att det finns tid sig att anpassa sig (Shin m.fl., 2015). Individer i en organisation behöver bli sedda och få vara delaktiga för att de ska kunna känna sig tillfredsställda med förändringen (Liljengren m.fl., 2003). Resultatet av intervjuerna visade att respondenterna inte har samma upplevelse av resultatet och alla beskrev inte samma mål med förändringen. Alla har fått samma information om flytten, vissa upplever att de har varit delaktiga och känner sig tillfredsställda, andra upplever att de inte har fått vara delaktiga vilket har bidragit till missnöje av förändringen. Slutsatsen av studien är att delaktighet ger en mer positiv upplevelse av resultatet och en högre acceptans för att mindre tillfredställande arbetssituationer kan uppstå. Studien har även visat att det går att se skillnader i upplevelser på medarbetar- och ledningsnivå i en organisation, ett sätt att finna dessa skillnader är att kontinuerligt utvärdera resultatet av en förändring. / To implement an organizational change can be overwhelming for those individuals who work in the organization. Evaluation of results or the process of change rarely occurs and one reason may be lack of resources in the organization or that it´s not a priority. When an organization sees the result they usually compare it to the goals underlying the change, if the result reach the goals it is sees as "successful" if not, the result is "unsuccessful". This study aims to examine how the results are experienced by employees and management who have undergone a change and how they relate it to the goals. The caseorganization has completed a move to new temporary premises while the reconstruction will be completed. We have chosen to study a department within the organization, they have two levels, employee- and management. The study has a qualitative approach where the collection of data is made of semi-structured interviews with twelve respondents, ten employees and two from management. These have been interpreted and presented based on two themes throughout the entire study, communication, and personal experiences. There are several elements in the changeprocess that can contribute to employee acceptance. Employees can more easily accept change if they receive information early in the process which gives time to adapt (Shin et al, 2015). Individuals within an organization need to be seen and to be involved in order to be able to feel satisfied with the change (Liljengren et al, 2003). The result of the interviews showed that respondents don´t have the same experience of the result and that everyone did not describe the same goal with the change. All received the same information about the move, some feel that they have been involved and feel satisfied, others feel that they haven´t been involved, which contributed to the discontent of the change. The conclusion of this study is that participation in the process gives a positive experience of the result and a higher acceptance if less satisfying working condition occurs. This study has shown that there are differences between employees and managements experience of organizational change and one way to find these differences is to routinely evaluate the results.

The current change theory base is fragmented and siloed. Years of research and studies have yielded nuanced conclusions that demonstrate little practical results. Recent research demonstrates the organizational change failure rate for secular businesses is as high as 80 percent. Since 1994, the church has had a steady failure and plateau rate of 80%. With over two million resources available for organizational change, and an emphasis on church revitalization by organization as such as NAMB, is it possible the disconnected variations of organizational change have created so much confusion that it prevents a simple, comprehensive, and comprehensible understanding? In order to explore this question, and to advance a preferred method, case studies of organizational change within the bible were conducted, and secular organizational change studies were evaluated. A holistic process of organizational change is advanced that is biblical, and universal. Six functions of change are identified: cultural awareness; change catalyst; evaluation of the change and culture, decision, implementation, and monitoring of outcomes. Each function was identified from various organizational change events in the bible, and groupings of secular research. Chapter 1 introduces the problems associated with secular and ecclesiastical change theory, as well as the six core functions of the holistic organizational change process. Chapter 2 reviews the methodology used to compile data in the change theory field. Chapter 3 will use content analysis to provide a literature review of the current change theory field. Six key functions of organizational change are identified, which displayed both divergent and inclusive characteristics with one another: cultural awareness; change catalyst; evaluation of catalyst and culture; decision; implementation; and monitoring the outcomes. Chapter 4 analyzes theological considerations and focuses on seasons of change in the Bible. Three new classifications of change will be introduced based on Scripture and exegesis: change leading to regression, change leading to revival, and covenantal development. Chapter 5 will offer the conclusions of the paper, and will make five key recommendations for future research of organizational change for secular and church related change efforts.

這篇論文主要研究了制度環境對於中國企業家活動的影響。在第一個章節裡面， 我們證明了制度環境與企業家在生產性和非生產性企業家活動之間的選擇存在著因果關係。我們把福布斯公佈中國內地富豪排行榜這一事件做為一個影響中國內地股票市場裡的事件。通過對決定相關個股波動程度的因素的研究，我們發現在制度環境和生產性企業家活動之間存在顯著的正向因果關係。 / 在第二和第三章節裡，我們採用中國健康與營養調查（CHNS）的數據在微觀層面研究了制度環境與企業家活動的關係。我們發現對自顧傭而言，顯著的教育回報存在於技術含量要求相對較高的地區。在家庭經營的架構之下，在農村地區自顧傭活動的純利潤和家庭的平均教育水平被證明存在顯著的正相關性。而城市自顧傭活動的盈利能力則完全不受教育的影響。論文的結論豐富了教育對生產的回報率這一領域的研究成果。 / 在最後一章裡，我們發現制度環境不僅直接影響到個人的創業決定，也間接的影響到決定其就業傾向的因素。在中國城鄉二元性的環境下，一些個人特徵以及社區商業環境的變量對創業決定顯示了不同的影響。 / This thesis mainly investigates the influence of institutional environments on entrepreneurial activities in China. In the first chapter, we verify the causality relationship between the institutional environment and the entrepreneur’s choice between productive entrepreneurial activities and those unproductive. The release of the Forbes’ List of millionaires in mainland China is treated as an event affecting the stock market. By examining the origin of its influence on relevant stocks, our results show that a significantly positive relationship exists between the institutional environment and productive entrepreneurial activities. / In Chapters 2 and 3, we apply the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) data to exploit the relationship between the institutional environment and entrepreneurial activities in the micro-level. We demonstrate that the return to education in the self-employment sector is significant in the area where the demand for skill is relatively high. The net profit of self-employment activities has significantly positive relationship with the average education level of the whole family in the rural, while education has no influence on the profitability of the urban self-employment sector. The findings contribute to existing literatures that estimate the return to education in production. / In the last chapter, we illustrate that the institutional environment not only directly influences the entrepreneurial decision of an individual, but also affects his career choice. Under the rural-urban duality in China, distinct influence on entrepreneurial decision has been identified for some personal characteristics and measurements of business environment in the community. Besides, determinants that have consistent effects in different institutional environments shed light on the development of entrepreneurial activities in China. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Luo, Bei. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 164-170). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / 摘要 --- p.ii / Acknowledgements --- p.iii / Table of Contents --- p.v / Figures and Tables --- p.vi / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Dual Sides of China Entrepreneurial Activities: the Productive and the Unproductive --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Literature Review --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Background --- p.7 / Chapter 1.4 --- Econometrics Method --- p.12 / Chapter 1.5 --- Data Description --- p.16 / Chapter 1.6 --- Results --- p.19 / Chapter 1.7 --- Conclusions --- p.25 / References --- p.27 / Appendix --- p.32 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Education and the Profit Earning of the Self-employment under the Rural-Urban Duality in China --- p.51 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.51 / Chapter 2.2 --- Literature Review --- p.55 / Chapter 2.3 --- Background --- p.57 / Chapter 2.4 --- Theoretical Model --- p.61 / Chapter 2.5 --- Econometric Method and Data Description --- p.68 / Chapter 2.6 --- Results --- p.77 / Chapter 2.7 --- Conclusions --- p.83 / References --- p.87 / Appendix --- p.90 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Individual Entrepreneurial Decisions under the Rural-Urban Duality in China --- p.110 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.110 / Chapter 3.2 --- Literature Review --- p.116 / Chapter 3.3 --- Background --- p.125 / Chapter 3.4 --- Theoretical Model --- p.132 / Chapter 3.5 --- Econometric Method and Data Description --- p.142 / Chapter 3.6 --- Results --- p.151 / Chapter 3.7 --- Conclusions --- p.161 / References --- p.164

Thesis. 1976. Ph.D.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning. / Microfiche copy available in Archives and Rotch. / Bibliography: leaves 484-485. / Ph.D.