Abstract Successful organizations at present, manage their business activities in an effective manner. Since the significance issue to stay in competitive markets is to improve the business process sequentially, well-defined business process management can increase the competitive advantages to an advanced quality at a lower cost. In fact,business process management (BPM) applied as a comprehensive approach for managing the organizational procedures. As a side of process viewpoint, business process management is considered as principal method which assist organizations sustain their objectives.This thesis reviews and inspects the concept of business process management and the importance of business process management in organizations. The focal point of thisthesis is alignment between organization strategy and business process managementhow the business people think about this alignment and managing their business activities. By investigating various literatures, we appreciate the need of holistic approach, which fit the organization strategy and business process management.Subsequently, we turn to survey the approach of the alignment of business process management in SMEs that located in Jönköping.The empirical data, which collected from three organizations, are analyzed and the research approach has been validated. The result demonstrates that SMEs consider alignment between their business process management and organization strategy is crucial and helps to achieve their organization objectives. The alignment improves monitoring and transparency, increased profits and helps to increase the efficiency of staff. They indicate people, management, leadership, information technology,communication, governance and culture are important factors that associated with the alignment of business process management and organization strategy.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited / This thesis examined how the Navy's Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (PEO C4I) has performed enterprise risk management (ERM). Based on ERM literature, the study developed an analytical framework to assess PEO C4I's ERM practices against documented ERM best practices, including evaluating a new risk in terms of its impact on existing risks and ensuring risks are managed at the most detailed level possible. The thesis also utilized organizational alignment literature to include organizational alignment principles in the evaluation. Key principles include 1) every employee has the responsibility to manage risk and 2) multiple teams are able to manage a single risk. The resultant analytical framework was applied to PEO C4I and documented for application to other organizations. PEO C4I performed well in the areas of 1) evaluating risks in areas other than the originating program office and 2) providing the framework to elevate risks to leadership. PEO C4I could use improvement in cross-team risk coordination and development of enterprise models to provide context for enterprise risks. Recommended interventions focus on having more functional areas involved in risk mitigation and developing a common enterprise architecture to improve understanding of potential areas of risk. / Civilian, Department of the Navy

Este trabalho tem o objetivo de entender e analisar o processo de alinhamento da estratégia de negócio e a gestão de pessoas para obtenção de vantagem competitiva nas organizações. A gestão das pessoas tornou-se um desafio estratégico de muitas organizações na atualidade, em decorrência das mudanças importantes que acontecem no cenário competitivo. A gestão das pessoas é um processo complexo, que deve ser arquitetado com estratégias, políticas e práticas e uma estrutura de Recursos Humanos que contribua na capacitação dos gestores organizacionais no exercício desse papel. Muitos trabalhos acadêmicos, a partir do fim do século XX, se concentram em estudar estratégias, políticas e práticas de gestão de pessoas que contribuem para a melhoria dos resultados organizacionais ou, em analisar modelos de Recursos Humanos que mais colaboram para a implementação das estratégias organizacionais; direcionando achados considerados universais, por meio de abordagens quantitativas. Aspectos como os impactos das demandas do ambiente de negócio, a relação com a estratégia organizacional, o alinhamento entre estratégia, políticas e práticas de gestão de pessoas e a transição da estrutura de Recursos Humanos como área de suporte ao modelo de gestão escolhido, foram pouco analisados de forma inter-relacionada. Esta pesquisa optou por um estudo exploratório, analisando relações, contextos, dificuldades e posicionamento empresarial. Como suporte, revisou boa extensão dos trabalhos acadêmicos mencionados enfocando estratégias e abordagens teóricas de gestão de pessoas, consistência e alinhamento das políticas e práticas de gestão de pessoas, a evolução e o papel das estruturas de Recursos Humanos e abordagens para analisar resultados em gestão de pessoas. O estudo de caso foi realizado na Oxiteno, empresa brasileira do setor químico. A coleta de dados baseou-se em entrevistas em profundidade, questionários, grupos de foco e coleta de dados secundários para viabilizar o aprofundamento dos dados e a sua triangulação. Os resultados sugerem que o alinhamento é um processo na Oxiteno. Algumas estratégias de gestão de pessoas existentes (gestão de competências, transformação cultural e gestão de talentos) podem ser associadas a outras, ainda em desenvolvimento (gestão do conhecimento e da comunicação e ambiente) para suportar o processo de crescimento da empresa. Políticas e práticas podem ser revisadas e mais extensamente comunicadas para reforçar essas estratégias como: o desenvolvimento de sucessores, o reconhecimento de desempenhos e contribuições individuais e em grupo, além da busca da participação e do exercício constante da comunicação. A área de RH deve ser vista como um parceiro estratégico, não como ator principal na gestão de pessoas. A aferição dos processos de gestão e do exercício dos papéis dos gestores de pessoas pode contribuir para direcionar os comportamentos individuais das pessoas para que estas sejam vistas e percebidas como fonte de vantagem competitiva, demanda prioritária da Organização. Algumas indagações são decorrentes do estudo de caso: É possível obter um alinhamento permanente entre gestão de pessoas e desafios organizacionais? O esforço organizacional na busca de engajamento e comprometimento das pessoas por si só é um posicionamento estratégico? Como efetivamente aferir pessoas como fonte de vantagem competitiva? Futuros trabalhos com abordagem quantitativa ou qualitativa podem contribuir com a busca das respostas a essas perguntas. A gestão das pessoas, um ativo tão complexo e único, deve ser arquitetada e representar um desafio estratégico nas Organizações para consolidá-las como fonte de vantagem competitiva. / This study has the objectives of study and analyzes the alignment process of business strategy and people management to assure competitive advantage in organizations. People management has become a strategic challenge for many organizations nowadays, due to important changes in the competitive arena. People management is a complex process, which needs to be designed with strategies, policies, practices and a Human Resource structure that contributes to the development of the leaders in exercising their roles. Many academic studies, since late XX century, are concentrated in studying people management strategies, policies and practices that contribute to maximize organizational results or, in analyzing Human Resource models that support organizational strategies implementation; leading to universal findings by researching under quantitative methods. In those studies, aspects like business environment demands, relationships with organizational strategies, the alignment of people management strategy, polices and practices and, the transition of Human Resource structure were not analyzed in an interrelated way. This research was an exploratory study, using as a framework: relationships, context, difficulties and organizational positioning. As a theoretical reference, this study revisited a good extension of academic papers related to people management strategies and schools; consistency and alignment process of Human Resource policies and practices; the evolution and the role of Human Resource structures and approaches to analyze human resource results. A case study was developed in Oxiteno, a Brazilian chemical company. Interviews, questionnaires, focus groups and secondary data collection were approaches used to guide deep analysis and data triangulation. The findings of the research suggest that the alignment is in process at Oxiteno. Some existing people management strategies (competency management, culture transformation and talent management) can be associated with others, still in development (knowledge, communication and environment management) to sustain the company growing process. To reinforce the strategies, policies and practices like successors planning, individual and group performance and contribution recognition, participatory management and communication can the reviewed and more extensile executed. The Human Resource area must be considered a strategic partner, and not the main actor in the people management process. The measurement effort of the managerial processes and of the exercise of people managers role can contribute to direct individual behaviors that will drive the competitive advantage recognition, key demand of Oxiteno. Some questions rise from the case study: Is it possible to achieve a permanent alignment between people management and organizational challenges? Can the organizational effort for people engagement and commitment be considered a strategic position? How effectively can people competitive advantage be measured? Future studies using quantitative or qualitative methods can be done and will contribute to answer these questions. The management process of people, a so unique and complex asset, must be designed and represent a strategic challenge in the organizations to convert people in competitive advantage.

Este trabalho tem o objetivo de entender e analisar o processo de alinhamento da estratégia de negócio e a gestão de pessoas para obtenção de vantagem competitiva nas organizações. A gestão das pessoas tornou-se um desafio estratégico de muitas organizações na atualidade, em decorrência das mudanças importantes que acontecem no cenário competitivo. A gestão das pessoas é um processo complexo, que deve ser arquitetado com estratégias, políticas e práticas e uma estrutura de Recursos Humanos que contribua na capacitação dos gestores organizacionais no exercício desse papel. Muitos trabalhos acadêmicos, a partir do fim do século XX, se concentram em estudar estratégias, políticas e práticas de gestão de pessoas que contribuem para a melhoria dos resultados organizacionais ou, em analisar modelos de Recursos Humanos que mais colaboram para a implementação das estratégias organizacionais; direcionando achados considerados universais, por meio de abordagens quantitativas. Aspectos como os impactos das demandas do ambiente de negócio, a relação com a estratégia organizacional, o alinhamento entre estratégia, políticas e práticas de gestão de pessoas e a transição da estrutura de Recursos Humanos como área de suporte ao modelo de gestão escolhido, foram pouco analisados de forma inter-relacionada. Esta pesquisa optou por um estudo exploratório, analisando relações, contextos, dificuldades e posicionamento empresarial. Como suporte, revisou boa extensão dos trabalhos acadêmicos mencionados enfocando estratégias e abordagens teóricas de gestão de pessoas, consistência e alinhamento das políticas e práticas de gestão de pessoas, a evolução e o papel das estruturas de Recursos Humanos e abordagens para analisar resultados em gestão de pessoas. O estudo de caso foi realizado na Oxiteno, empresa brasileira do setor químico. A coleta de dados baseou-se em entrevistas em profundidade, questionários, grupos de foco e coleta de dados secundários para viabilizar o aprofundamento dos dados e a sua triangulação. Os resultados sugerem que o alinhamento é um processo na Oxiteno. Algumas estratégias de gestão de pessoas existentes (gestão de competências, transformação cultural e gestão de talentos) podem ser associadas a outras, ainda em desenvolvimento (gestão do conhecimento e da comunicação e ambiente) para suportar o processo de crescimento da empresa. Políticas e práticas podem ser revisadas e mais extensamente comunicadas para reforçar essas estratégias como: o desenvolvimento de sucessores, o reconhecimento de desempenhos e contribuições individuais e em grupo, além da busca da participação e do exercício constante da comunicação. A área de RH deve ser vista como um parceiro estratégico, não como ator principal na gestão de pessoas. A aferição dos processos de gestão e do exercício dos papéis dos gestores de pessoas pode contribuir para direcionar os comportamentos individuais das pessoas para que estas sejam vistas e percebidas como fonte de vantagem competitiva, demanda prioritária da Organização. Algumas indagações são decorrentes do estudo de caso: É possível obter um alinhamento permanente entre gestão de pessoas e desafios organizacionais? O esforço organizacional na busca de engajamento e comprometimento das pessoas por si só é um posicionamento estratégico? Como efetivamente aferir pessoas como fonte de vantagem competitiva? Futuros trabalhos com abordagem quantitativa ou qualitativa podem contribuir com a busca das respostas a essas perguntas. A gestão das pessoas, um ativo tão complexo e único, deve ser arquitetada e representar um desafio estratégico nas Organizações para consolidá-las como fonte de vantagem competitiva. / This study has the objectives of study and analyzes the alignment process of business strategy and people management to assure competitive advantage in organizations. People management has become a strategic challenge for many organizations nowadays, due to important changes in the competitive arena. People management is a complex process, which needs to be designed with strategies, policies, practices and a Human Resource structure that contributes to the development of the leaders in exercising their roles. Many academic studies, since late XX century, are concentrated in studying people management strategies, policies and practices that contribute to maximize organizational results or, in analyzing Human Resource models that support organizational strategies implementation; leading to universal findings by researching under quantitative methods. In those studies, aspects like business environment demands, relationships with organizational strategies, the alignment of people management strategy, polices and practices and, the transition of Human Resource structure were not analyzed in an interrelated way. This research was an exploratory study, using as a framework: relationships, context, difficulties and organizational positioning. As a theoretical reference, this study revisited a good extension of academic papers related to people management strategies and schools; consistency and alignment process of Human Resource policies and practices; the evolution and the role of Human Resource structures and approaches to analyze human resource results. A case study was developed in Oxiteno, a Brazilian chemical company. Interviews, questionnaires, focus groups and secondary data collection were approaches used to guide deep analysis and data triangulation. The findings of the research suggest that the alignment is in process at Oxiteno. Some existing people management strategies (competency management, culture transformation and talent management) can be associated with others, still in development (knowledge, communication and environment management) to sustain the company growing process. To reinforce the strategies, policies and practices like successors planning, individual and group performance and contribution recognition, participatory management and communication can the reviewed and more extensile executed. The Human Resource area must be considered a strategic partner, and not the main actor in the people management process. The measurement effort of the managerial processes and of the exercise of people managers role can contribute to direct individual behaviors that will drive the competitive advantage recognition, key demand of Oxiteno. Some questions rise from the case study: Is it possible to achieve a permanent alignment between people management and organizational challenges? Can the organizational effort for people engagement and commitment be considered a strategic position? How effectively can people competitive advantage be measured? Future studies using quantitative or qualitative methods can be done and will contribute to answer these questions. The management process of people, a so unique and complex asset, must be designed and represent a strategic challenge in the organizations to convert people in competitive advantage.

In 2014, approximately 30% of the global workers viewed experiences in the workplace as positive and fulfilling, which results in increased productivity in the workplace. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that some warehouse service center managers used to engage employees to higher levels of productivity. The population comprised of 7 warehouse service center managers in 2 companies located in the Riverport area in Louisville, KY. The conceptual framework for this study encompassed Kahn's employee engagement theory. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, organizational procedure handbooks, and direct observation to prompt detailed information about participants' experiences with employee engagement. The data collected was transcribed and member checking completed to validate the credibility and trustworthiness. Data collected from each source supported theme interpretation through triangulation. Three key themes developed: clear and concise communication, creating supportive manager-employee partnerships, and benefits to include incentives to promote employee engagement such as recognition awards, salary increases, additional time off work, flexibility with work schedules, and tuition reimbursement. The findings revealed warehouse service center managers used strategies to promote employee engagement in the workplace. The implications for positive social change include the potential to give managers new insights to promote employee involvement in the workplace through effective communication, partnership and incentives to create a sustainable organization while contributing to the economy and increasing involvement in the community.

To build a clear understanding of the management of the technology and organizational elements of CRM systems, this research formed propositions based on literature findings and experts’ experiences to explain (1) the elements of the technology and organizational sides of a CRM system, and (2) how the technology and organizational elements align to create effective CRM operation. The technology elements of an enterprise-wide CRM system can be organized into three parts: communicational CRM that coordinates all channels of customer contacts, execution CRM that consists of all value chain activities that execute customer relationship establishment and maintenance, and intelligent CRM that consolidates business intelligence about customers. The three integrated elements provide a technical infrastructure for customer value-generation activities. The organizational resources including structure, processes, culture, and management abilities are elements that need to be aligned and coordinated with CRM technologies. Management of a CRM system, therefore, can be considered as managing an organism that requires interdependent elements to work together to maintain a continuous capability of creating and sustaining customer relationships. Through in-depth case study of three telecommunication firms in Taiwan this study confirmed the proposition about the alignment between CRM technological and organizational elements. The results further revealed that a complete integration among CRM elements may not be necessary, and the level of data and process integration should be selective. It is critical that companies should dynamically integrate and align their organizational resources according to the changing environment to establish differentiated capabilities of CRM.

This thesis investigates the factors to consider when implementing a business to business market entry strategy within the automotive industry. The aforementioned is conducted through an exploratory case study at a global industrial firm providing a comprehensive range of products and services within the motor vehicle industry. The case study is made on the foundation of existing theory, previous empirical research and interviews with relevant companies within the industry. The thesis provides an overview of the factors to be considered when executing a business to business market entry strategy on the automotive market based on existing literature and empirical research. Furthermore, the six main challenge areas that the case company faces in its work with entering a new market is displayed. These challenges are; (1) internal communication, (2) customer relations, (3) technical requirements, (4) strategic initiatives, (5) management support and (6) organizational alignment. In addition to the six challenges, potential strategic initiatives are discussed within each of the challenge areas. The six challenge framework can be used as a framework for other industrial firms striving to implement an industrial business to business market entry strategy. The main theoretical contribution of this thesis is the identification of challenges during a market entry within the automotive industry. Furthermore, the thesis concludes that the implementation of a market entry strategy can provide greater challenges than the development of the strategy itself, which is supported by both literature and empirical findings. Related to this, a misalignment between the business type and the marketing strategy type within the case company is identified. / Detta examensarbete undersöker vilka faktorer som bör beaktas vid implementering av strategier för att ta sig in på en ”business-to-business”-marknad inom fordonsindustrin. Detta görs genom en explorativ fallstudie på ett globalt industriföretag som säljer ett stort antal produkter och tjänster till fordonsindustrin. Fallstudien är grundad i litteratur, tidigare empiriska studier och intervjuer med relevanta företag inom industrin. Examensarbetet ger en översikt av de faktorer som bör beaktas då man implementerar en “business to business”-marknadsstrategi inom fordonsindustrin baserat på existerande litteratur och en empirisk undersökning. De sex främsta utmaningarna som fallstudieföretaget står inför identifieras, vilka är (1) intern kommunikation, (2) kundrelationer, (3) tekniska krav, (4) strategiska initiativ, (5) ledningsstöd och (6) organisatorisk sammstämmighet. Utöver de sex utmaningarna diskuteras potentiella strategiska initiativ inom varje utmaningsområde. De sex utmaningarna kan användas som ett ramverk för andra industriföretag som söker att implementera en marknadsstrategi. Det huvudsakliga teoretiska bidraget av detta examensarbete är identifiktationen av de utmaningar som uppstår vid en markandsingång inom fordongsindustrin. Dessutom visar examensarbetet att implementeringen av en marknadsstrategi kan visa sig vara en större utmaning än att ta fram densamma, vilket stöds av både litteraturen och den empiriska undersökningen. Relaterat till föregående kunde vi identifiera en obalans mellan fallstudieföretagets affärstyp och marknadsstrategi.