This thesis examines product innovation processes in small established enterprises. The research questions are: (1) what motivates small established enterprises to innovate, (2) how do small established enterprises perform product innovation, and (3) how do small established enterprises manage resource scarcity in their product innovation processes? To answer the research questions, a multiple case study approach was chosen with three small established enterprises as cases and different product innovation processes as embedded units of study. The data collection method used was observation during a period of five months, complemented by interviews and secondary data. Product innovation in small established enterprises seems to be motivated by solving existing customers’ problems and the need for a sustained steady cash flow. A steady cash flow is also found to be a prerequisite during the product innovation processes. Product innovation seems to occur when there is a risk of decreased cash flow and/or when existing customers can be satisfied with new products that increase their loyalty so as to secure future sales, cash flow, and the enterprise’s survival in the long run. Promising innovation ideas alone do not result in product innovation. An innovation idea must also have supportive existing customers for product innovation to occur. Product innovation processes in the studied small established enterprises are found highly context dependent, intertwined in operational processes and made possible by a small organic organization and closeness to existing customers. The product innovation processes are further found to follow a flexible and informal overall scheme optimized for decreasing market and technology uncertainty and risk, dealing with resource scarcity, and facilitating fast and easy commercialization to avoid or moderate dips in cash flow. The design processes within the innovation processes can be linearly structured or cyclical and experimental, depending on the experienced novelty. To manage resource scarcity during the product innovation processes, the studied small enterprises used many different bootstrapping methods in combination. These methods can be divided into three categories according to their overall functions: for using existing resources more efficiently, for increasing resources and to secure a fast payback on resources invested in NPD. The studied small enterprises were due to their resource scarcity further found to favor an innovation strategy, only involving new products done with known technology and targeting existing markets. This way to innovate, which creates new products in a resource-efficient way that are accepted by the enterprises’ existing markets, seems to prevent unsuccessful product innovation, while at the same time excluding technologically radical innovation and innovation targeting new markets. / <p>QC 20140102</p>

HRM-Pリンクの存在を解く鍵を追求する試論を展開した論文。HRMにせよPにせよ，組織内の事象であること，そしてその中にある「計画・管理」というプログラムがあることに着目することが肝要である。しかし，果たして「計画・管理」が企業組織内でスムーズに展開されるかどうか。それを下支えするコンテキストもあれば妨げるコンテキストもある。HRM‐Pリンクを考察するには、各国のコンテキストを探ることが重要であることを、新制度学派の議論を援用して論じた。 / Does the HRM-P(Performance) link exist? The aim of this thesis is to try to seek answers to this question. It is important to notice that both HRM and P represent events inside organizations, which have "administration and planning" programs. However, can these programs develop smoothly inside organizations? Organizations may have constraining as well as enabling contexts, which must be explored in order to consider the HRM-P link. This thesis addresses the matter while making some references to new institutionalism. / 博士(産業関係学) / Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial Relations / 同志社大学 / Doshisha University

The relevance of the research of the topic master's thesis is due to the increasing impact to the fact that Iraq is a vivid example of a resource-dependent country today, which is affected by the resource curse and which faces many problems. The purpose of the research: to assess the impact of the volatility of the global oil market on the economic development of Iraq and determine the prospects for its development. In accordance with the chosen of the purpose of the research is the following tasks in the work: to consider the theoretical aspects of resource-dependent countries and the features of their development; to study the theory of "resource curse" and ways to overcome it; to analyze the world oil market, especially its development and its factors; consider OPEC and its role in regulating the global oil market; to analyze the economic development of Iraq as a resource-dependent country; conduct a SWOT analysis for the economy of Iraq; develop recommendations for the development of the economy of Iraq. The scientific novelty can be attributed to highlighting the factors that make Iraq a resource-dependent country and is leading to the resource curse, as well as conducting a SWOT analysis and highlighting the weaknesses, strengths, threats and opportunities for the economy of Iraq. The practical significance of the research is determined to develop recommendations to help the country find a way out of its resource dependence. The implementation of these recommendations will help improve the situation in Iraq. / Ирак на сегодняшний день является ярким примером ресурснозависимой страны, на которую действует ресурсное проклятие и которая сталкивается со множеством проблем. Целью исследования является оценка влияния волатильности мирового рынка нефти на экономическое развитие Ирака и определение перспектив его развития. В соответствии с выбранной целью в работе были поставлены следующие задачи: рассмотреть теоретические аспекты ресурсозависимых стран и особенности их развития; изучить теорию «ресурсного проклятия» и пути его преодоления; проанализировать мировой рынок нефти, особенности его развития и его факторы; рассмотреть ОПЕК и ее роль в регулировании мирового рынка нефти; проанализировать экономическое развитие Ирака как ресурсозависимой страны; провести SWOT-анализ для экономики Ирака; разработать рекомендаций для развития экономики Ирака. К научной новизне можно отнести выделение факторов делающих Ирак ресурснозависимой страной и способствующих ресурсному проклятию, а также проведение SWOT-анализа и выделение слабых, сильных сторон, угроз и возможностей для экономики Ирака. Практическая значимость магистерской работы состоит в разработки рекомендаций, помогающих стране выйти из ресурсной зависимости. Внедрение данных рекомендаций будет способствовать улучшению ситуации в Ираке.

By using a natural experiment approach and longitudinal national hospital data, this study sheds light on the objective functions of hospitals with different ownership forms by comparing their relative reductions in HH provision after the implementation of the BBA. The empirical findings reveal that for-profit hospitals behave differently as compared to public and private nonprofit hospitals, due to their different operational objectives. While the response of for-profit hospitals is consistent with the profit-maximizer model, both public and private nonprofit ownership types behave consistently in accordance with the model of two-good producers whose objective is to maximize market outputs for meeting the health care needs of the community, given the break-even requirement. This finding provides support for the tax exemption the United States government has granted private nonprofit hospitals. Although the response patterns of the nonprofit ownership types are in general similar, this study found that, contrary to expectation, religious hospitals were more likely than secular nonprofit hospitals to have reduced HH provision after the BBA. Further studies are needed to explore the difference in operational behaviors between these two ownership types. Built on previous related studies and applying a more comprehensive set of independent and control variables with improved data sources, this study is able to examine the effects of certain organizational and market factors on hospital offering of HH care pre-BBA and the change in the provision of HH care in the six years following the implementation of the BBA. Hospital proportion of Medicare patients, hospital size, total profit margin, case mix index, elderly density in the market are found to be positive determinants of a hospital’s likelihood of offering HH care. However, these organizational and market factors, in general, play a non-significant role in influencing hospitals’ changes in HH care provision after the implementation of the BBA. In the study, explanations and implications of these finding are discussed. Finally, potential limitations to this study and opportunities for future research are addressed.

Emerging markets such as India have witnessed waves of domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions. This historical analysis, which consists of two parts, tests central tenets of resource dependence theory. The first part entails an analysis of the transition in public policy governing corporations between 1991 and 2005. The second part tests hypotheses derived from resource dependence theory relating to a firm’s decision to acquire. The analysis explores the factors that explain why firms engage in mergers and acquisitions by examining three specific policy periods (i.e., 1991-1996, 1997-2001 and 2002-2005). The findings from the historical analysis suggest that firms did not merely react to the conditions (i.e., constraints on capital) in their environment by undertaking merger and acquisition activity, but attempted to alter them as resource dependence theory suggests. Findings from the event history logit model also support resource dependence theory. Overall, the study shows that merger and acquisition activity increased during a period of intense deregulation (i.e., 1991-2005) brought about by the adoption of neo-liberal reforms, change to the multilayer subsidiary form, deregulation of the banking and financial sectors’ and reforms in foreign direct investment and equity markets. During this period of uncertainty, firms controlling more resources in terms of earnings, efficiency and number of subsidiaries were more likely to undertake acquisition activity as they have leverage in organization-environment relationships. The effect of number of subsidiaries on acquisition activity was the most consistent across policy periods’. This dissertation is organized in the following manner: Following the introductory chapter, Chapter II is a historical examination of the three policy periods and includes an analysis of the effect of the political-legal environment on mergers and acquisitions between 1991 and 2005. Chapter III reviews the propositions of resource dependence theory that pertain to organizational change and presents research hypotheses related to mergers and acquisitions. Chapter IV describes the data, measurement and methodology employed in the quantitative analysis. Chapter V presents the findings from the quantitative analysis and discusses the results. The concluding chapter (Chapter VI) includes a presentation of the theoretical findings and discussion of the limitations and scope of the study.

創業初期所面對的主要問題就是資源不足的問題，要如何獲取生存與發展所需要的資源是企業的重要課題。首先，企業必須分析內部環境，找出核心資源，並將之發揮在目標事業上，為企業奠定基礎。再者，企業必須分析外部環境，透過各種組織鏈結策略，重新調整與供應商、顧客、甚至是競爭者之間的關係成為策略夥伴關係，選擇並集中核心競爭強項，形成資源互補，提供給客戶一個全面解決方案(Total solution)的服務，以滿足甚至超過顧客預期的需求，使得顧客願意持續購買，企業藉此從環境中獲取關鍵資源並得以持續發展。 本研究透過個案分析發現，組織在成為「全面解決方案提供者(TSP)」的角色過程中，因為市場力量及組織力量的融合過程的不同，我們分析出其發展軌跡可以歸類成為五大類，即「水平整合型的TSP」、「垂直整合型的TSP」、「先水平後垂直整合型的TSP」、「先垂直後水平整合型的TSP」以及「垂直及水平整合並進型的TSP」。這五大類型的發展軌跡基本上描述了組織發展的過程，讓我們更清楚的知道組織成長過程中因為環境因素以及組織因素所造就成的組織面貌。 「TSP成長曲線 (TSP Growth Curve)」的形成過程，是在個案成長過程分析及探討後發現，組織要追求持續成長，單靠本身的資源是受限的，組織必須去整合內外部的資源，包括重新建構核心資源、組織並管理外部資源網絡，透過各樣的鏈結策略使得組織獲取成長所需要的關鍵資源，透過策略再思考重新組織企業架構，建構一個學習性組織平台，鼓勵在這個平台上的每一個人去創新思考，讓組織成員得以在非傳統性架構下去思考，在非秩序中去創新，讓大家願意去共創組織的價值。 研究發現，組織獲取資源並成為TSP的四個步驟為：1.建構組織核心資源與能力2.從環境中獲取關鍵資源3.價值創新成為TSP角色使顧客滿足4.降低對環境依賴，繼續提升高一層次的成長循環。這樣良性的循環讓組織累積更多資源而逐漸壯大，擺脫了創業初期資源不足的困境，組織在壯大的同時因為建立了更多的資源而逐漸降低對於原有環境中的資源依賴，並與環境中資源提供者的關係從依賴變成互賴，此時組織已經提昇到了另一層次的成長循環。這樣的成長循環使得組織得以在不同的環境中獲取不同的資源繼續成長，讓企業一直維持企業生命週期中的成長階段，因而可能避免或延遲了衰退階段的發生。 本研究的特色是從資源依賴的角度出發，探討組織如何透過從環境中獲取成長所需的關鍵資源，並探討組織藉由成為全面解決方案提供者的角色來獲取顧客價值創新，此時組織價值亦跟隨提升。 大部分的企業皆無法規避「出生、成長、成熟、飽和、衰退」的命運，就如同生命會歷經「出生、幼年、青年、壯年、老年」的歷程一般，或許企業無法避免衰退或消失的命運，但是找出「延年益壽」方法來維持壯年期是一個可行的策略。「TSP成長曲線圖」以「TSP成長循環圖」即可以說明企業從「創業成功」到「維持成長」的策略歷程，可以作為企業經營發展的參考。 / The major problem in the early stage of entrepreneurship is the shortage of resources, so it is industries’ crucial mission to acquire the resources to sustain and develop its growth. First, industries must analyze its internal environment to identify the core sources and apply them into the target business, to lay the foundation for companies. Second, industries must conduct external analysis with organizations linkage mechanism to re-address the connection among suppliers, customers and even competitors, so that they can become the strategic partners, formulate complimentary resources, concentrate on their own core advantages in the competition. In this way, they can offer customers the service of Total Solution, to meet, even exceed customers’ expectation. Hence, this could sustain customers’ continuous purchase, and industries can keep developing its business by grabbing the crucial resources in the environment. This research discovered that, due to the different merging processes between market powers and organizations power, there are five categorized patterns when organizations become Total Solution Provides (TSP): horizontal integration TSP, vertical integration TSP, horizontal-to-vertical integration TSP, vertical-to-horizontal integration TSP and simultaneously vertical and horizontal integration TSP. These five patterns basically outline the process of organization development and bring us more diverse pictures caused by different environmental and organizational causes. After studying cases and formulating of the TSP Growth Curve, this research found out that it is limited to for organizations to pursue the growth by its own resources. Industries must integrate internal and external resources, re-construct the core resources, manage the external resource network, acquire all the necessary resources for further growth through linkage mechanism, rethink the structure of the business, establish the learning platform to encourage its member to jointly create the value for the organizations, contemplate beyond the boundary of tradition and innovate without order. There are four steps for the organizations to acquire resources and formulate the TSP Growth Curve: 1. Constructing the core resources and capability of the organizations; 2.Acquireing the core resources from the environment; 3.Becoming TSP with value innovation and satisfy the customers; 4.Lowering the dependence on the environment and upgrading the Growth circle. Organizations can grow stronger, accumulate more resources with this benign circle and leave the dilemma of insufficient resources. In this way, organizations can receive more resources than ever; it can also turn the relationship between organizations and supplier from unilateral dependence to mutual dependence and TSP Growth circle will also be upgraded while they are growing bigger. This growth circle can continuously sustain its development by collecting different resources in different environments. Hence, the stage of growth will be prolonged, and the stage of recession will be avoided of delayed. Based on the Resources dependence theory, this research has discussed how organizations obtain the crucial resources from the environment to generate growth, and also analyzed that when organizations obtain customers’ value innovation by playing TSP, organizations’ value will also raise consecutively. Most industries can not avoid the linear destiny of establishment, growth, maturity, saturation and recession as well as human’s life stage of birth, child, youth, adult and aging. Industries may not genuinely ward off the consequence of decline or disappearance, but it’s still workable to figure out a strategy to prolong the period of maturity. TSP Growth Curve and TSP Growth Circle can well explain the industries’ process from the stage of “entrepreneurship” to “the maintenance of growth”, and also offer the positive example for business operation.