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Thesis (DBusinessAdministration)--University of South Australia, 2007.

The Thai construction industry is comprised mainly of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) with a registered capital of not more than 200 million baht and a workforce of up to 200 employees. For these SMEs, competition is intense. There is a high staff turnover, and additionally, it is costly to train new employees and to get them "up to speed" with the same level of ability as those who have resigned. In this context, this study seeks to examine the relationship between the current Human Resource Management (HRM) practices and the macro-environmental factors in this sector of the Thai construction business in order to assess their impact upon HRM outcomes. Four propositions are presented on the relationship between HRM practices, macro-environmental factors, and the HRM outcomes. This study comprised two major phases. Prior to conducting in-depth interviews with seventy two individuals from twenty four construction firms, five case studies were conducted involving interviews with five senior managers from five major construction businesses in Thailand to explore specific variables relative to HRM practices and HRM outcomes. A qualitative methodology was employed through semi-structured interviews questions. The seventy-two target respondents in the second phase of the research focused on managers and non-managers from fourteen small-sized and ten medium-sized enterprises. / The results of interviews show that rewards create the greatest job satisfaction for employees within SMEs while the organizational characteristics (internal factor) were ranked as secondary factors. The study showed that environmental factors (external factor) influenced managers of medium-sized enterprises because they were seen as beneficial to employees and promoted organizational growth while the non-managers of SMEs stated that these factors were less important and did not influence their decision to remain with a particular SME. This is because the non-managers of SMEs considered that organisational characteristics (internal factor) impacted on firm performance and competency to a greater degree than the environmental factors (external factor). In addition, new graduates entering the construction industry preferred medium-sized companies which were seen as efficient, rather than entering family-owned businesses. New graduates also sought to maximise salary and other allowances. Once graduates gained three or more years of working experience they often joined family owned businesses. A lack of awareness of these influential variables can lead to inefficient HRM practices and negative HRM outcomes in the management of SMEs within the Thai construction industry. / Thesis (DBA(DoctorateofBusinessAdministration))--University of South Australia, 2007.

This research focused on the management training and development of small busines entrepreneurs. / Paper 1: This paper seeks to determine the link between training and development and the benefits they bring to small businesses and to find out whether the prevailing training provided for small business entrepreneurs is still relevant and effective for their businesses. In addition, this paper seeks to determine the common factors that influenced and hindered training and development in small businesses and to determine how small businesses can achieve competitive advantage through training and development which consequently results in high business performance, hence promoting growth and survival. / Paper 2: This study examined the relationship between the participants' satisfaction with the management training and development programmes (MTDPs) provided by the government, with participants' personal as well as business characteristics, which include age, gender, educational level, location, sector, as well as prior job before entering into business. The findings of the study revealed that training satisfaction is associated with all the five dimensions examined, which included programme content, programme methodology, facilitator's experience, programme administration and the programme benefits. The recommendations based on the findings are provided towards the end of this paper. / Paper 3: In this case study on evaluation of the management training and development programme for Bumiputera small business entrepreneurs in Sarawak, the analysis of knowledge showed that the mean of the two scores before and after the training were found to be statistically different, suggesting that there was indeed an improvement in knowledge gained among the training participants after the training programme. The analyses on skills also showed the mean of the two scores before and after the training were found to be statistically different on items listed under this aspect, also suggesting that there was improvement in skills as believed by participants after attending the training programme. However, for attitude, only one item was found to be statistically different, suggesting that, on the whole, there was little impact on attitude change from the training. / Thesis (DBA(DoctorateofBusinessAdministration))--University of South Australia, 2005

Thesis (DoctorateofBusinessAdministration))--University of South Australia, 2005.

While Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) constitute a significant segment of the Australian economy, and external accountants are their major service providers, little is known as to why SMEs purchase services from external accountants and what benefits they derive from those services. This thesis develops our understanding and investigates the benefits provided by external accountants, through auditing and business advisory services, to Australian SMEs. The relatively unregulated SME environment provides a unique opportunity to examine the market for professional services. SMEs, for example, can choose to be audited or not, and there is significant variation in the level of agency conflict they face. This thesis analyses data collected from two surveys of Australian SMEs. While theory suggests that auditing is a costeffective response to agency conflict, measures of this conflict are found to be associated with voluntary demand for external auditing, but not for internal auditing. Though the nature of the relationship between external and internal audit is unclear, a negative association is found between the two, suggesting substitution between these services. Whereas external audit is provided to reduce agency conflict, internal audit may be substituting for other services, unrelated to agency issues, such as providing useful information for decision making. I also investigate the economic benefit SMEs derive from auditing by measuring whether audited SMEs pay a lower interest rate on their major institutional borrowings compared with unaudited SMEs, or demonstrate superior performance. I find no evidence of a direct economic benefit on either of those measures. External accountants have responded to increasingly broad-ranging market information needs by providing an expanded range of business advisory services, and this thesis also investigates the relationship between external audit and business advice in the context of this changing market. Despite theory suggesting a complementary relationship, SMEs spend less on business advice when they also buy an audit, and this finding persists irrespective of agency considerations. The main purpose of business advice is to help improve firm performance, and SMEs buying business advice are found to perceive their business to be outperforming their competitors. This suggests a benefit associated with these services.

This research focused on the management training and development of small busines entrepreneurs. / Paper 1: This paper seeks to determine the link between training and development and the benefits they bring to small businesses and to find out whether the prevailing training provided for small business entrepreneurs is still relevant and effective for their businesses. In addition, this paper seeks to determine the common factors that influenced and hindered training and development in small businesses and to determine how small businesses can achieve competitive advantage through training and development which consequently results in high business performance, hence promoting growth and survival. / Paper 2: This study examined the relationship between the participants' satisfaction with the management training and development programmes (MTDPs) provided by the government, with participants' personal as well as business characteristics, which include age, gender, educational level, location, sector, as well as prior job before entering into business. The findings of the study revealed that training satisfaction is associated with all the five dimensions examined, which included programme content, programme methodology, facilitator's experience, programme administration and the programme benefits. The recommendations based on the findings are provided towards the end of this paper. / Paper 3: In this case study on evaluation of the management training and development programme for Bumiputera small business entrepreneurs in Sarawak, the analysis of knowledge showed that the mean of the two scores before and after the training were found to be statistically different, suggesting that there was indeed an improvement in knowledge gained among the training participants after the training programme. The analyses on skills also showed the mean of the two scores before and after the training were found to be statistically different on items listed under this aspect, also suggesting that there was improvement in skills as believed by participants after attending the training programme. However, for attitude, only one item was found to be statistically different, suggesting that, on the whole, there was little impact on attitude change from the training. / Thesis (DBA(DoctorateofBusinessAdministration))--University of South Australia, 2005

This research focused on the management training and development of small busines entrepreneurs. / Paper 1: This paper seeks to determine the link between training and development and the benefits they bring to small businesses and to find out whether the prevailing training provided for small business entrepreneurs is still relevant and effective for their businesses. In addition, this paper seeks to determine the common factors that influenced and hindered training and development in small businesses and to determine how small businesses can achieve competitive advantage through training and development which consequently results in high business performance, hence promoting growth and survival. / Paper 2: This study examined the relationship between the participants' satisfaction with the management training and development programmes (MTDPs) provided by the government, with participants' personal as well as business characteristics, which include age, gender, educational level, location, sector, as well as prior job before entering into business. The findings of the study revealed that training satisfaction is associated with all the five dimensions examined, which included programme content, programme methodology, facilitator's experience, programme administration and the programme benefits. The recommendations based on the findings are provided towards the end of this paper. / Paper 3: In this case study on evaluation of the management training and development programme for Bumiputera small business entrepreneurs in Sarawak, the analysis of knowledge showed that the mean of the two scores before and after the training were found to be statistically different, suggesting that there was indeed an improvement in knowledge gained among the training participants after the training programme. The analyses on skills also showed the mean of the two scores before and after the training were found to be statistically different on items listed under this aspect, also suggesting that there was improvement in skills as believed by participants after attending the training programme. However, for attitude, only one item was found to be statistically different, suggesting that, on the whole, there was little impact on attitude change from the training. / Thesis (DBA(DoctorateofBusinessAdministration))--University of South Australia, 2005

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgia State University, 2007. / Title from file title page. Lars Mathiassen, committee chair; Vijay Vaishnavi, Bala Ramesh, Sandeep Purao, committee members. Electronic text (260 p. : ill. (some col.)) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed Feb. 5, 2008. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Indiana University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-104). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.