Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1987. / Title from title page screen, viewed August 24, 2005. Dissertation Committee: Mary Ann Lynn (chair), John R. McCarthy, Clayton F. Thomas, Patricia H. Klass, Michael Winchell. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 88-90) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1989. / Title from title page screen, viewed October 3, 2005. Dissertation Committee: John R. McCarthy (chair), Robert L. Arnold, Ronald S. Halinski, Rodney P. Riegle, David L. Tucker. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-99) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (PhD(Entrepreneurship))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2004. Graduate Programme Schulich School of Business. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-130). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNR11610

This thesis describes research that has developed the principles of a modelling tool for the analytical evaluation of a manufacturing strategy. The appropriate process of manufacturing strategy formulation is based on mental synthesis with formal planning processes supporting this role. Inherent to such processes is a stage where the effects of alternative strategies on the performance of a manufacturing system must be evaluated so that a choice of preferred strategy can be made. Invariably this evaluation is carried out by practitioners applying mechanisms of judgement, bargaining and analysis. Ibis thesis makes a significant and original contribution to the provision of analytical support for practitioners in this role. The research programme commences by defining the requirements of analytical strategy evaluation from the perspective of practitioners. A broad taxonomy of models has been used to identify a set of potentially suitable techniques for the strategy evaluation task. Then, where possible, unsuitable modelling techniques have been identified on the basis of evidence in the literature and discarded from this set. The remaining modelling techniques have been critically appraised by testing representative contemporary modelling tools in an industrially based experimentation programme. The results show that individual modelling techniques exhibit various limitations in the strategy evaluation role, though some combinations do appear to provide the necessary functionality. On the basis of this comprehensive and in-depth knowledge a modelling tool ' has been specifically designed for this task. Further experimental testing has then been conducted to verify the principles of this modelling tool. Ibis research has bridged the fields of manufacturing strategy formulation and manufacturing systems modelling and makes two contributions to knowledge. Firstly, a comprehensive and in-depth platform of knowledge has been established about modelling techniques in manufacturing strategy evaluation. Secondly, the principles of a tool that supports this role have been formed and verified.

There are a growing number of rich, qualitative studies investigating patterns in the development of strategic change. These reveal that it is not possible to understand the incremental and emergent nature of strategic change in organisations without recognising the impact of micro organisational political and social processes. However, few studies set out to explore in depth the implementation of a particular strategic change initiative to examine how these micro processes affect the way the implementation develops through time. This thesis uses a longitudinal real-time case study of a planned strategic change implementation to do this. It examines how facilitating and obstructing processes developed during the implementation, and how these interacting processes affected the way the implementation progressed, from the perspective of middle managers as change recipients. r The findings show that during intended change implementation, the planned interventions put in place by senior managers as they intentionally try to carry out change also lead to the development of emergent facilitating and obstructing processes. A sensemaking perspective is adopted to show how these emergent change elements arise from recipient interpretations of the planned change interventions. A theory of mediation is proposed to account for the findings. However, the contribution of the research is not to do with the identification of the centrality of sensemaking processes during change. It is an empirical study which draws on existing theories on sensemaking to show how recipient sensemaking contributes to both intended and unintended change outcomes, thereby providing fresh insights into how and why change implementation becomes an emergent and incremental process. The thesis has four main parts to it. The first part deals with the research background and methodology; the second part the research site context and, the ethnographic stories of change; the third part the findings and theory development; and the last chapter the theoretical and practical implications of the research findings.

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Public Relations Management in the Faculty of Informatics and Design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2014 / Communicating for strategic alignment requires senior executives to be communicating leaders. This statement is evident when one reads of senior executives admitting that it is not the lack of strategy that occupies their minds, but rather their organisation’s ability to execute a strategy. The pertinent issue is therefore the ability of leaders to communicate in such a way that followers can answer the following questions: Do we know where our organisation is now in relation to its strategic direction and where is it heading? Do we understand how the roles we play contribute to the bigger picture? Do we know what the challenges and opportunities are on the way ahead and how we plan to deal with them? Do we understand how our actions contribute to achieving the organisation’s goals and in turn impact on the success of the organisation? These are some of the questions that are asked when leaders and followers seek strategic business alignment in their organisations. This debate is supported by authors who state that strategic communication can help to overcome the barrier of poor alignment and poor performance. The literature review revealed strong evidence that organisations require leadership commitment to create the ‘line of sight’ through effective leadership communication, exemplary leadership behaviour, and having the right people in the right place for strategy development, execution and measurement to ensure that organisations are successful in an ever-changing business environment. The study therefore focused on what the role of leadership communication is to ensure that employees understand the ‘bigger picture’ for the organisation and what they and leadership need to do to execute the strategy successfully and achieve the goals of the organisation. It aimed to understand the perceptions and expectations of employees in terms of the role of leadership communication as an enabler of strategic alignment. The study investigated, through a case study involving senior, middle and junior managers within a Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)-listed company in the fastmoving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, the respondents’ perceptions of the current effectiveness of leadership communication behaviour and patterns and their perceptions of the importance of elements of leadership communication behaviour for the success of strategic alignment in the organisation. The gaps between respondents’ perceptions of the effectiveness of leadership communication behaviour and their perceptions of the relative importance of such leadership communication behaviour for the success of strategic alignment in the organisation were also measured and analysed. The measurement was conducted through two five-point Likert scales applied to the same set of Likert items where the highest and lowest scores were assigned to the variables by the respondents in terms of the importance and effectiveness of the role of leadership communication and strategic alignment. The results revealed that employees rated commitment to the organisation and its values, strategic alignment in terms of employees knowing how their division fits into the bigger picture of the organisation, what their role is in the success of the organisation, knowledge of the future plans of the organisation and that their work goals are clearly defined as important for the organisation to achieve its objectives. Pride in the organisation, and positive personal association with the organisation, were truly great characteristics of this organisation and these can be built on to enhance the strategic alignment of employees to the benefit of both the employee and the organisation. The findings also revealed gaps such as a lack of shared strategic direction, a need for open and honest communication through employee engagement, role clarification, and cultivating an environment for team solutions and collaboration, as well as a stronger alignment between rewards and performance. The study served as a base-line study and is valuable to the organisation as it provides a good foundation for the development of a strategic leadership communication plan and employee engagement strategy aimed at strengthening strategic alignment, and which can impact positively on the performance of the organisation.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi obter informações sobre a correlação qualitativa entre o sucesso econômico e a consistência estratégica das panificadoras de pequeno e médio porte de diferentes modelos de loja. O estudo da estratégia nas pequenas empresas é fundamental para o entendimento das ações que levam esse tipo de empresas ao sucesso, devido à suas especificidades em relação às grandes empresas; cuja literatura é ainda relativamente escassa. Por outro lado o setor de panificação é de grande relevância e para a economia nacional e vem apresentando boas taxas de crescimento anual e uma transição para a agregação de maior qualidade nas suas operações. Para a concepção do objetivo desta pesquisa a metodologia adotada foi a realização de um estudo multicascos, de caráter qualitativo, em dez panificadoras da cidade de São José do Rio Preto/SP. Este estudo compreendeu entrevistas com os proprietários das empresas, sendo que desse total três eram de médio porte e sete de pequeno porte. Os resultados obtidos apontaram que quanto mais aderentes forem as ações estratégicas tomadas pelas empresas às dimensões estratégicas de seu grupo estratégico, melhores serão os resultados apresentados. Além disso, o estudo trouxe uma contribuição ao oferecer um conjunto de dimensões estratégicas mais específico para cada um dos grupos estratégicos encontrados no segmento de panificação brasileiro. Espera-se com esse trabalho um maior entendimento sobre a estratégia em pequenas e médias empresas, e de forma mais específica, uma contribuição para o estudo e o ensino de estratégias para este setor. / The aim of this study was to obtain qualitative information about the correlation between economic success and consistency of strategic bakeries small and midsize different store models. The study of strategy in small businesses is crucial to understanding the actions that lead to this kind of business success, due to their specificity toward large companies, whose literature is still relatively scarce. Moreover the bakery sector is of great importance and for the national economy and is showing good growth rates and an annual aggregate transition to higher quality in their operations. For the design of the objective of the research methodology adopted was to conduct a study multihulls, qualitative, in ten bakeries in the city of São José do Rio Preto/SP. This study included interviews with business owners, and of this total three were midsize and seven small. The results showed that the more members are strategic actions taken by companies to strategic dimensions of its strategic group, the better the results. Moreover, the study has brought a contribution by providing a set of more specific strategic dimensions for each strategic groups found in Brazilian segment baking. It is expected that work with a greater understanding of the strategy in small and medium enterprises, and more specifically, a contribution to the study and teaching strategies for this sector.

Orientador: Antonio Batocchio / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecanica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-08T20:43:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Costabile_LucioTadeu_M.pdf: 794064 bytes, checksum: 13c05456e72bcf028c687f70b9217d77 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: Este trabalho faz uma revisão dos recentes conceitos de Planejamento Estratégico, e sendo assim, cumpriu a missão de elaborar um desenvolvimento de um plano estratégico para uma instituição de ensino superior privada, buscando assim novas estratégias para superar os obstáculos do futuro Assim, procurou-se estudar sobre do planejamento estratégico e propor um modelo para o Curso de Administração de Empresas o qual se apresentou como tema de grande importância tanto pela necessidade de definir estratégias para sua alavancagem quanto pelo atendimento à demanda da sociedade. A população pesquisada é composta por docentes e discentes. Foram utilizadas pesquisas quantitativa e qualitativa através de estudo de caso. Esta dissertação buscou realizar um estudo dos pontos fortes e fracos da instituição de ensino a fim de saber as condições reais do curso. Dessa forma buscou a análise do ambiente organizacional, visando compreensão e identificação das estratégias adotadas pela instituição. Buscou-se também a identificação de novas estratégias e a forma de implementá-las, no sentido de despertar no curso o uso de técnicas administrativas, em especial o planejamento estratégico, com o objetivo de promover mudanças não só no cenário educacional pedagógico, como desenvolver uma forte visão sistêmica para tornar um curso competitivo / Abstract: This work aimed at revising the recent concepts of Strategic Planning in order to elaborate and to develop a strategic plan in a private college institution, looking for new strategies to overcome the future obstacles. Therefore, the strategic planning technique was studied in order to propose a model for the Business Administration Course, once this is a theme of great importance not only for the necessity of defining strategies for its improvement but also to respond the demand of the society. The technique of case study through the use of the quantitative and qualitative researches was applied to investigate the researched population, which was composed by professors and students. This study verified the strong and weak points of the teaching institution in order to know the real conditions of the course. In that way, it was important to analyze, identify and understand the organizational environment of the institution and its adopted strategies to change them, if necessary. The study also aimed at identifying new strategies and forms to apply them in the course, once administrative techniques, especially the strategic planning, are important tools to promote changes not only in the education scenery with a pedagogic vision but also, as something necessary to conquer a strong systemic vision to make the Business Administration Course more competitive / Mestrado / Materiais e Processos de Fabricação / Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica

M.Comm.