The research basis of this study are analyzed from the data abstracted from ¡§Annual Financial Report¡¨ and ¡§Corporate Annual Report¡¨ of public-listed corporations in financial industry in Taiwan for consecutive three years, with a total of 51. This research includes topics of the impact on organizational performance by involvement levels of training, the progressive effect, and possible obstacles of impacting organizational performance by two organizational characteristics, namely staff educational level and establishment of exclusive training unit. The result of the research is summarized below 1.Overall speaking, training has positive impact and progressive effect on organizational performance. The result shows positive relevance to training budget per human capital regardless of preceding or present year, in compliance of perspectives of long-term training effect. What worthwhile of reference is that time is crucial for skill acquisition and talent development. With consideration of staff career development plan, setting up life-time training plans in different stages can not only encourage staff to grow with corporations but also fully develop long-term training effect. 2.The higher staff educational level is, the more obvious training effect is for a corporation. Staff with higher educational level symbolizes stronger learning capabilities, and stronger tendency to accept training enhances the training efficiency. The result indicates that the higher staff educational level is, the greater impact on organizational performance is. 3.A broader research perspective shall be sought to explore the influence on training effect by setting up exclusive training unit. This research applies the methodology of setting up exclusive training unit to symbolize the training quality. Regression analysis indicates setting up such unit has little obstacles in training effect. The possible assumption goes to vast variety of reasons to influence training quality instead of any single organizational factor.

Extensive research has previously been conducted in the field of corporate strategies during economic crisis, analyzing different contexts and countries. Nevertheless, the main focus has always been on small and medium enterprises without considering the importance that micro enterprises have in the European business tradition. The research gap for this study has been identified concerning Italian micro and small enterprises which, despite the importance of these kinds of companies in the national scenario, have not been considered yet. A literature review on this area highlighted the status of the research within the field, identifying the research gap and the purpose of this dissertation. The purpose is to contribute the research by understanding which is the relationship between strategies and performance with special attention on micro and small enterprises, aiming to formulate a guideline that may be followed by other enterprises dealing with such situation. The study was performed through a qualitative investigation based on semi-structured interviews with twenty companies which are part of a ceramic district in the north-east of Italy. More in detail, fourteen of the respondents are owners or CEOs of companies that survived the crisis while six interviews have been held with former owners of enterprises that did not survive. The research strategy used is a multiple case study with inductive approach. The data shows how firms adopted different strategies to survive the crisis, highlighting a considerable difference between the enterprises that survived and the ones that did not. Moreover, a further difference can be identified between the companies that survived but have been able to grow during the economic crisis and the ones that experienced a stable performance or a fall. The findings of the study shows how a combination between product innovation, marketing, internationalization and an open flexible approach is what is needed in order to reach superior performance during a crisis, transforming a threat into opportunity. The role of the leader seems to be the boost of every enterprise defining the success of the business. However, it is still not clear how the personality of the entrepreneur is related to company’s performance, thus this area needs to be developed through further research.

The process of leading and managing the worldwide network of Embassies and High Commissions within the South African Department of Foreign Affairs is extremely challenging. It requires knowledge of globalisation and the utilisation of information technology. This knowledge would enable leaders to respond more rapidly and across geographic boundaries, thereby enhancing efficiency within the Department of Foreign Affairs. The speed, accuracy and efficiency of the staff will, however, depend increasingly on leadership as a guided process, which brings out the best in subordinates, exposing their creative talents, skills and qualities that will enhance the image of South Africa, internationally. In this study, an overview of public administration will be given, as the Department of Foreign Affairs is a public institution and is governed by the normative guidelines of public administration. The theories of leadership will be outlined and evaluated. These theories date from the 1950's up to contemporary studies in leadership, which illustrates the changing patterns of leading with changing times and the utilisation of technology in task accomplishment. An overall structure of the Department of Foreign Affairs is outlined, tracing South Africa's foreign policy from the apartheid era to post 1994. The study also demonstrates the effects of changed government policy and its impact on the functioning and makeup of the Department. Theories of organisational performance and quality management, as well as the principles of "Batho Pele" zie. outlined, and their relevance to the functioning of the Department of Foreign Affairs, is given impetus. In this study, research was conducted among sixty officials of different ranks at ten different South African Missions across the world. The results of the survey indicate the dire need for leaders who understand the importance of leadership, and how their leadership styles impact on organisational efficiency and service delivery. A range of recommendations are proposed for diplomatic leaders to personally take responsibility for creating an environment where routine jobs become more meaningful, where the human spirit becomes liberated, and where people are transformed from positions of working to live to living to work! / Thesis (MPA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Univ., 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Vincent R. Amanor-Boadu / Companies use various methods to prepare their new management recruits to take on and succeed in their jobs. Some are formal, but most involve some form of informal arrangements such as mentorship. This mentorship approach is used by General Merchandising LLC as the principal preparation program for its new management recruits. This program is the Junior Management Trainee Program (JMTP). Apart from building the management capacity of its new managers, the JMTP aims to ensure that the management procedures and managerial skills at all the elevator and terminal locations across the organization are standardized, such that transferring individual across the organization is smooth and demands little or no learning of general operations and procedures. The JMTP has been ongoing for a fifteen years and has, generally, produced excellent results. The factors that contribute to its performance, however, have never been studied. This research seeks to understand the factors that contributed to the success of the program, with the view to streamlining the management and operation of the JMTP. The study was conducted using primary data collected from current participants in the JMTP and people who have served as mentors to new management recruits over the past three years. The survey was on the population of all people in the company who fit the foregoing description. The survey instrument was a structured questionnaire delivered electronically using Axio™, a survey software operated by Kansas State University. The data was analyzed using Stata® 12.0. The effectiveness of the JMTP was determined through an assessment of graduates’ ability to effectively operate their own grain terminal facility upon graduation. The factors considered as explanatory variables for peoples’ responses to this included their current role – whether they were management trainee or a mentor – and their demographic characteristics, as well as their perceived relationship with their mentors or mentees. The learning style of individual mentees was also determined to influence perceptions about the effectiveness of the current program in preparing them to independently run a terminal facility. The results suggest that personality types and learning styles should be taken into consideration and used when recruiting trainee managers and assigning them in order to maximize the effectiveness of the JMTP. It is additionally important that improvements and/or changes in the program be organized in ways that accommodate the different needs of both mentees and mentors in order to achieve high capacity improvement as a result of the training program. The study results specifically point to a sequence of initiatives that may be employed to enhance the outcomes of the JMTP: 1. Implement a psychometric questionnaire for mentors and incoming JMTPs to ensure maximum compatibility between mentors and mentee to enhance learning and capacity development. 2. Use the results from this study to initiate a process of collecting relevant data on performance of new managers and the training program itself on a regular basis to ensure the continuous improvement in the JMTP. 3. Use the results to develop mentorship education programs for the company’s mentors to help mentors do a better job to enhance new managers’ performance.

The objective of this study is to examine the current practices related to performance measurement in service operational settings. Several statistical procedures are utilized to analyse the data collected from Portuguese service organizations. These procedures include multiple regression analysis, cluster analysis, and gap analysis. Overall, the results of this study indicate that service organizations are beginning to view performance from a broad, organizational perspective. However, they are still, to a certain extent, emphasizing financial measures of performance. This study provides managers of service organizations with valuable insights into the organizational role of performance measures and measurement. This line of research is consistent with the significant growth of the service sector in recent years.

The objective of this study is to examine the current practices related to performance measurement in service operational settings. Several statistical procedures are utilized to analyse the data collected from Portuguese service organizations. These procedures include multiple regression analysis, cluster analysis, and gap analysis. Overall, the results of this study indicate that service organizations are beginning to view performance from a broad, organizational perspective. However, they are still, to a certain extent, emphasizing financial measures of performance. This study provides managers of service organizations with valuable insights into the organizational role of performance measures and measurement. This line of research is consistent with the significant growth of the service sector in recent years.

Purpose The objective of this study is to investigate the differences between high and low-performing manufacturing organizations in relation to critical organizational performance dimensions. Design/methodology/approach The types and frequency of performance measures used by the sampled manufacturing organizations are compared using factor and cluster analysis. Findings Based on the results of this study, it appears that high-performing manufacturing organizations, relative to their low-performing counterparts, tend to emphasise more the performance aspects related to employees, customers and market share. As such, these organizations appear to consider employees and costumers related performance aspects as critical elements of the overall organizational performance. Research limitations/implications The sample used in this study is specific in nature. It consisted of Portuguese manufacturing organizations. Thus, the results should be interpreted accordingly. Practical implications This study clearly shows that organizational investments aimed at improving the aspects of organizational performance related to customers, employees and market share are justified. Originality/value This study has both practical and theoretical value, as it empirically explores the practical implications of some important issues related to organizational performance.

Current organizational design changes such as restructuring, production advancements, and information technology improvements have caused many organizations to move to flatter management structures. Changes in the organizational structure along with the demand for improved performance have broadened the scope of responsibilities for first-level managers in manufacturing organizations. First-level managers are required to balance their time to meet greater demands. The sociotechnical systems principle of joint optimization states that organizations function optimally when design changes are made to meet the needs of both the social and technical subsystems in the context of the organization's environment. This study uses time allotment at the supervisory level to operationalize the sociotechnical systems principle of joint optimization. Ninety-one first-level managers from both the production and distribution areas of thirteen North American facilities participated in this study. Four survey instruments were used to measure the following dimensions: joint optimization, department performance, time allotment to the social and technical subsystems, and organizational values of appropriate time use. Five time allotment constructs emerged from the data collected on time use in the social and technical subsystems. These were time spent on Participation and Information Sharing, Customer Needs and Strategic Planning, Skill Development and Compensation, Quality, and Department Operational Needs. The results indicated time allotment constructs along with the organization's values on appropriate time use can be used to predict both joint optimization and performance at the department level. The results also indicated a strong relationship (r = .607, p < .05) between level of joint optimization and department performance. / Master of Science

Esta pesquisa é um estudo exploratório-descritivo que relaciona avaliação de desempenho organizacional, sustentabilidade e o questionário do Índice de Sustentabilidade Empresarial. A avaliação de desempenho organizacional é um importante instrumento de gestão, que por meio de diferentes modelos teóricos pode auxiliar empresas a realizarem seus objetivos. A incorporação da sustentabilidade na gestão é uma realidade, e têm-se realizado esforços no sentido de aprimorar a gestão socioambiental das organizações. Neste contexto, foi elaborado o modelo de avaliação de desempenho organizacional SIGMA Sustentabilidade, o qual analisa a empresa sob a ótica de cinco diferentes capitais: natural, social, humano, manufaturado e financeiro. A criação do Índice de Sustentabilidade Empresarial, que visa reunir as organizações com destaque em governança corporativa, responsabilidade social e sustentabilidade, também é reflexo deste contexto. O índice utiliza um questionário, enviado à um conjunto de empresas que possuem ações negociadas na bolsa de valores, para avaliar e selecionar as companhias que se encaixam no perfil descrito. Este estudo pretende identificar e descrever a presença dos cinco capitais no questionário do Índice de Sustentabilidade Empresarial. Para tal, foi analisada a teoria acerca de modelos de avaliação de desempenho organizacional, do modelo SIGMA sustentabilidade, bem como levantadas as teorias e indicadores acerca de cada um dos capitais. A metodologia escolhida foi a análise descritiva e qualitativa das perguntas que compõem o questionário, à luz da teoria dos capitais levantada. Os resultados apontam para uma concentração dos capitais natural e social no questionário, bem como para uma presença reduzida do capital manufaturado. A análise do questionário apontou também pontos de alinhamento com o modelo SIGMA, como a presença frequente da prestação de contas e a interdependência dos capitais. Ao final sugere-se um rol de variáveis que podem ser utilizadas para identificação dos diferentes capitais em outros estudos, questionários ou documentos em geral. / This research is a descriptive and exploratory study which relates organizational performance measurement, sustainability, and the Corporate Sustainability Index questionnaire. The measurement of organizational performance is an important management tool, which through different theoretical models can help companies achieve their goals. The incorporation of sustainability management is a reality, and has improved the environmental management of organizations. SIGMA, an organizational performance model, was designed in that context, and it analyses a company from the perspective of five different capitals: natural, social, human, manufactured, and financial. The creation of the Corporate Sustainability Index, which aims to bring together organizations with an emphasis on corporate governance, social responsibility and sustainability, also reflects that context. The index uses a questionnaire, which is sent to a group of companies with publicly traded shares, to evaluate and select those that fit the profile described. This study aims to identify and describe the presence of the five capitals in the Corporate Sustainability Index questionnaire. To this end, the theory about organizational performance evaluation, the SIGMA sustainability model, and the theories and indicators of each capital were analyzed. The methodology chosen employed qualitative and descriptive analysis of the questionnaire questions, based on the capitals theories raised. The results indicate a concentration of natural and social capital in the questionnaire, as well as a reduced presence of manufactured capital. Analysis of the questionnaire also showed points of alignment with the SIGMA model, such as the frequent presence of accountability and interdependence of capitals. At the end a list of variables that can be used to identify the different capitals in other studies, questionnaires and documents in general is suggested.