Advertising, brand penetration and retailer service have been playing important roles in marketing for a long time. There are many studies which discuss about the effects of advertising on brand penetration, the effects of advertising on perceived quality, and the effects of brand penetration on perceived quality. However, the relationship among the advertising, brand penetration and perceived quality has rarely been studied. Furthermore, the studies about the effects of retailer service on perceived quality are much fewer. Thus, the main purpose of this study is to examine the effect of brand penetration and retailer service on perceived quality. The experiment with 2¡Ñ2¡Ñ2 factorial design is conducted to collect the empirical data. In the factorial design, we have 217 respondents in the 8 cells. The experiment variables have the effects of advertising, brand penetration and retailer service on perceived quality. The respondents are the more than the junior students of Sun Yat-sen University and National Taiwan University, and the product of this study is ¡§Notebook¡¨. This study applied structural equation model (SEM) to verify. The main results of this study are as follow: (1) Advertising positively influences perceived quality and that brand penetration partially mediates this influence. (2) Advertising positively influences perceived quality and that retailer service partially mediates this influence. The findings of this study can help the chief marketing officer to make strategic decision to increase the effect of advertising on perceived quality effectively.

This study examines the relationship between organisational culture and TQM implementation barriers to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the factors affecting TQM implementation. For TQM implementation to take root effectively, the critical role of organisational culture is widely recognised. The existence of pitfalls and obstacles (barriers) to implementing TQM is also widely recognized, as is the importance of understanding these TQM implementation barriers. Nevertheless, whilst many TQM implementation models and frameworks have been designed and proposed, no study has been located in the literature that has systematically examined the relationship between organisational culture and TQM implementation barriers. This theoretical lapse in the TQM literature necessitates an investigation of the direction and significance of the relationship which can help in devising more informed TQM implementation models. In this context, a quantitative research methodology was adopted to examine the profiles of organisational culture and of TQM implementation barriers in organisations in Bahrain and to examine the relationship between these variables. Bahrain is presently going through a rapid expansion in quality management system adoption. Accordingly, the research uses four constructs of organisational culture as independent variables and six constructs of TQM implementation barriers identified through the literature as dependent variables. A set of hypotheses was developed describing the expected relationships between these two sets of variables. The study adopted a positivist, deductive approach using an online survey questionnaire to obtain quantitative data for hypothesis testing. The research instrument was assessed for validity and reliability through structured interviews. Responses to the survey were obtained from 325 organisations located in Bahrain. Analysis of Moment Structure (AMOS) version 16.0 was used to test the measurement model using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and to test the structural model using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Both models showed a very good fit to the data, with good construct validity and reliability. The findings of the study showed that group culture, which is believed to be an ‘ideal’ culture for TQM implementation helps decrease employee barriers, information barriers and customer related barriers as predicted. However group culture wasn’t found to help decrease top management barriers. Rational culture was found to decrease top management barriers as predicted but it wasn’t found to help decrease employee and customer barriers. The findings confirm the significant impact of hierarchical culture in the Bahrain context in decreasing planning and process management barriers. Developmental culture’s potential to lower employee and customer barriers was observed but was not found to be statistically significant. This research makes several contributions in both academic and practical terms. Theoretically, positioning organisational culture as an antecedent of TQM implementation barriers, this study is the first holistic approach that attempts to empirically investigate which type of organisational culture is related to which TQM implementation barriers. Understanding the nature, strength and direction of these relationships can help to inform and support future TQM implementation attempts. Practically, this research will benefit organisations who have not been able to fully realise TQM, or who are in the process of planning the introduction of TQM. The findings of the study can help Bahraini organisations to realise the long term quality objectives of the Bahrain Centre of Excellence’s Vision 2030 programme. Furthermore, the study has contributed a new empirically tested scale for measuring TQM implementation barriers - a valuable tool on its own, or in conjunction with the organisational culture profile assessment tool - for both practitioners wishing to examine their readiness for TQM or progress in creating a TQM ethos, and for future researchers wishing to extend our understanding of the influence of TQM barriers and/or culture on major organisational improvement interventions. It is expected that replication of this study in other countries and regions with different culture and context may help in developing an improved model of TQM implementation. Implications for managers and future research are advanced.

This thesis explores the effect of transformational leadership, employee work environment, job satisfaction, and work-life balance on employee work performance. It begins by looking at existing literature on the effectiveness of transformational leadership as one of the relevant leadership styles in situations that require urgent business system transformation and adaptation as witnessed in the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the consequences of the pandemic is the definition of what a work environment is. Working from home, although not new, has become popular due to the pandemic and there are several publications around this subject under the “New Ways of Working” (NWW) theme. The implementation of working from home for employees within an organization as well as its success and support available to employees depend to some extent on the leadership style practised by persons in senior management positions of such organizations. Two research questions are investigated: (1) What are the effects of transformational leadership style on employee job satisfaction and consequently on work performance? (2) What are the effects of the employee work environment on work-life balance as well as employee satisfaction and consequently on work performance? To answer these questions, structural equation modelling (SEM) is applied to data from a survey questionnaires with 224 respondents. Since the overall aim of the thesis is to assess the effect of transformational leadership style and employee work environment on work performance, the survey measures two intermediate outcomes (employee job satisfaction, and employee work-life balance).  It has been demonstrated through other works that transformational leadership and employee work environment play an important role in overall work performance. Good transformational leadership promotes employee satisfaction. A suitable employee work environment promotes a positive work-life balance as well as high employee satisfaction.  Our findings regarding the effect of transformational leadership on employee work performance are in line with findings of previous work. The results of the SEM analysis demonstrate that transformational leadership positively affects employee job satisfaction which in turn positively affects employee work performance. Interestingly, despite several works suggesting that work environment positively affects work-life balance, our results did not show any statistically significant relationship either with work performance directly or with the mediating variables work-life balance and job satisfaction, to substantiate this link. We discuss our results and make suggestions for policy, practice, and future work implications.

The main objective of this research was to establish a model for emotional intelligence as a determinant of organisational climate. This model should help companies and organisational psychologists to better understand the interrelatedness of the two constructs in order to optimally enhance organisational performance. This research was conducted in a large organisation, utilising a large sample (n = 1 612) of employees in the financial services industry. During the first phase of this research, emotional intelligence was conceptualised from literature research within the trait paradigm and organisational climate as a molar construct. A theoretical model of emotional intelligence as a determinant of organisational climate was developed and suggested a link to organisational output. During the second phase of this research (empirical research), assessment instruments for emotional intelligence (the Gerber Emotional Intelligence Scale) and organisational climate (the High Performance Climate Questionnaire) were developed and validated. Thereafter an assessment instrument for work output was designed to test the link with performance. The structural equation model (SEM) produced a new best-fitting model of emotional intelligence, organisational climate and work output. The model indicates that emotional intelligence does not correlate with work output as expected, but organisational climate does correlates moderately with work output and explains almost 40% of the variance in work output. The strongest influence seems to flow from teamwork and management. The regression weights between emotional intelligence and organisational climate were trivial, although the model fit indices were all within an acceptable range. The researcher attributed the lack of support for the model to the characteristics of the employees of this type of organisation and concluded that emotional intelligence should not be seen as a determinant of organisational climate in this specific financial services sector. The results further indicate that significant differences exist between the organisational climate experiences of four biographical categories (race, position level, age and geographical region) and also for the categories of position level and age for work output. These differences need to be considered when developing future interventions. This research contributes towards a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between emotional intelligence, organisational climate and work output. The three newly developed questionnaires and the SEM could help researchers and practitioners to apply the research model in other industries and subsequently improve organisational outputs. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

近年來我國在高等教育的學校與人數上均有大幅的成長。而這些豐富的研究人力，需要充沛的研究經費予以支援學術研究工作。實務上，我國於開放高等教育機構的設立後，各界所提供的研發經費並未相對應的增加，各校為因應整體環境趨勢的改變，乃積極研議如何強化學術研究成果的擴散，以提升學術聲望並獲得更多的實質效益。本研究在此情境下，試圖從國內大學之知識創新的實務發展，建構一套研究成果擴散效益的運作模式。 大學知識產業化是知識經濟發展的趨勢，尤其基礎研究是技術發展與應用研究的主要來源。大學知識創新過程是科學知識在創新系統內的生產、運用與擴散的過程。而建立有效的成果管理機制，減少外在環境的不確定性並改善知識流動的效率，是創新系統成功的關鍵。 鑑於大學係國家創新系統的重要成員之一，而創新的效率取決於系統內各成員之財務、知識、人力與法規的交流，即所謂的「三螺旋(Triple Helix)」的觀念。因此，為尋求最佳的創新系統，亟須建立有效的衡量項目，並促使創新成果在市場機制的導引下，獲得知識創新與擴散的經濟效益。如美國為因應創新系統失靈，於1980年以後，研訂一連串的相關法令，透過研發經費的補助、智財權下放與鼓勵設置專責技轉單位等措施，刺激大學將豐富的研究產出移轉到產業界，政府的研究資源分配亦更加重視目標導向與產業導向的發展計畫，結果所獲得的回收遠超過預期，其作法吸引世界各國競相仿效。我國亦於近年來透過相關法令的制定以及經費補助等措施，期望將大學的研究產出從知識的創造轉變為知識的加值與運用，以帶動產業知識化，並促進知識產業化之效益。 因此，欲探討大學的成果擴散效益時，不只是依循過去大多數學者從產學合作的觀點，更應考量政府在創新過程中所扮演的角色與功能，以及將衡量國家創新系統績效之方法運用到大學的成果擴散效益的呈現上，以建立適合我國大學創新成效的衡量模式。 本研究架構從教師的「研究人力」、「研究經費」以及「產學關係」等三構念探究對於「研究產出」以及成果推廣所產生的「擴散效益」之關聯，另外，再從學校的研究成果「管理機制」以及「政府措施」等二構念探究對於其他構念所帶來的影響，以瞭解彼此之關聯，並建立適合我國大學研究投入、產出以及擴散的運作模式。 因此，除了收集國內外的文獻以歸納整理美日等國在大學研究成果擴散效益的探討內容與衡量項目外，並透過問卷調查與實地訪問國內大學教師與研究成果推廣中心(或技轉中心)主管，以瞭解國內大學研究成果的實務運作，以獲得本研究的初步架構，繼而從美日以及我國大學的個案研究，探討國家創新系統的角色所帶來的影響，以強化研究架構之各構念的關聯性。 其次，採取初級資料的收集方法，以國內大學校院教師為問卷調查對象，進行敘述統計以計算樣本的各項指標分布狀況，以信效度指標確認問卷的可靠性與有效性，並運用探索性因素分析來萃取出本研究重要之變數，再以線性結構關係模型分析本研究變數之間的關係，以驗證各構念彼此之間的關聯性。 本研究獲得以下的結論： 一、「研究人力」與其他構念之關聯 「研究人力」對「產學關係」有直接的正向影響，對「研究經費」、「研究產出」與「擴散效益」則有間接的正向影響效果，而且整體的影響效果是顯著的。所以，研究人力是成果散效益的基本要素，配合其他構念的運作可以對研發成果之擴散效益產生正向的影響。 二、「研究經費」與其他構念之關聯 「研究經費」對於「研究產出」與「擴散效益」均沒有顯著的正向影響。顯示一味強調大學研究經費投入的作法無法帶來實質的成效，反而浪費有限的資源，因此，研究經費投入前，宜先制定一套評估機制，充分考量學校的研究人力、以往的研究產出與擴散效益之表現，以有效地配置研究經費。 三、「研究產出」與其他構念之關聯 「研究產出」對於「擴散效益」有直接的正向影響，表示大學教師所創造出來的成果越多，則相對地促使成果擴散的效益越大。此外，研究產出的增加亦可影響其他構念對「擴散效益」的關聯性。因此，為提高擴散效益，學校宜積極鼓勵教師增加研究成果的產出。 四、「產學關係」與其他構念之關聯 「產學關係」除了對「研究產出」與「研究經費」產生直接的正向影響外，亦間接影響「研究經費」與「研究產出」分別對「擴散效益」的關聯性。顯示產學關係可彌補大學與企業的技術落差，提高產業對學校研究成果之需求，促使教師研究產出的擴散效益更佳。 五、「管理機制」與其他構念之關聯 「管理機制」對「產學關係」與「擴散效益」均有直接的正向影響，顯示學校在成果管理與運用的積極作為(如技轉單位的設置、技轉人員的規模與培訓、獎勵措施的制定等)以及促進產學之間的關係可提高研究成果推廣所帶來的效益。 六、政府措施與其他構念之關聯 「政府措施」不但對「擴散效益」有直接的正向影響，亦對「產學關係」有直接的正向影響，此外，對「研究經費」與「研究產出」亦有間接的正向影響。因此，未來應加強我國政府的角色，充分發揮驅動與強化的功能，解決大學研究成果擴散的管制與障礙、營造產學研發資源共享環境以提高大學研究產出的擴散效益。 / After the government lifted the restriction on the number of higher education institutes, in the past two decades the number of university in Taiwan has increased dramatically (16 in 1986, and 102 in 2008). The government apparently could not match up this increase, with its slow pace of education budget increase. The shortage of development funds from governmental agency in charge is no doubt obvious for all universities. Therefore, to receive an ample share of governmental education budget has become competitive and even difficult. As the global economy weighs more on the generation and dissemination of knowledge nowadays, universities seems to see themselves clearer in the business picture for their role on the economic market. University officials and the government both also understand that a productive conversion of university intellectual assets, referring to knowledge-based creation or innovation, to innovation-derived benefit can be crucial for future university development. Thus, not only the university finance will be improved, its academic performance shall also be expected to enhance when this conversion is being well performed productively. An innovation management system here refers to a university system to manage its intellectual capital, such as support and process infrastructures, in facilitating the conversion process that enable the university to convert its intellectual assets into commercially viable properties. An important aspect of this study is to analyze national and international innovation management systems currently practiced in universities for greatest innovation-derived benefit. In the current of knowledge–based economic development, the knowledge-based innovations owned by universities is inevitably weighed more than ever in value. Many Universities may fall in a dilemma about how to weigh market–oriented research in comparison with fundamental scientific knowledge, since the latter never the less could lead to market–oriented innovation in the future. Furthermore, to maximize the value of innovation, it is commonly accepted that a proper management for conversion is almost as important as the producing of it. When it comes to determine the value or the benefit the innovations could bring, other than university’s innovation capability, which tends to have the potential to incubate more research outcomes, the performance of innovation management system is one of the most decisive factors. To achieve a good performance, three conditions are proposed to maintain an efficient innovation management system: an effective management mechanism, reduce adverse influences on incubating innovation assets, and increase knowledge sharing. The maintenance of such a system is then further categorized as seven conceptual indices (CIs) for later evaluation: research manpower, research grant, innovation outcomes, management mechanism, university-industry relations, government policy, and innovation-derived benefit. The first four are regarded as part of intellectual capital, while the other three are considered as strongly linked to the performance of the innovation management system currently being operated in Taiwan’s universities. They will be discussed in connection the first five CIs for their inter-relations. Since universities is under the scheme of National Innovation Systems (NIS), which covers primarily a finance and service system, a technological innovation system, and a knowledge-based innovation system, any management taking place in a university on each of any sub-system under the NIS will affect the NIS to some extent. By the same token, considering those mentioned above several conceptual indices are proposed to elucidate the results of the evaluation model applied in this study to examine similar management systems in different universities for comparison. This evaluation model is expected to help optimize the current managerial models to best meet the knowledge-based economic development needs and enlarge the innovation-derived benefit from university innovation assets. Prior to 1980s, the promotion on innovation in the U.S. was generally considered failed. To save the failing systems, the U.S. government announced a series of new regulations to promote the capitalization of academic innovations by universities. Those policy measures mainly included governmental subsidy to research grants, less constraints on intellectual property (IP) licensing, and start-ups for IP transfer. Furthermore, the government diverted more its research support into market-oriented development projects. Since such moves later resulted in a positive outcome beyond expectation, Taiwan as well as some other countries began to replicate those measures in their own countries. As the sources of future development increasingly depend on the derived benefit from innovation, the success of NSI originated by the U.S. government has indicated a new approach different from previously predominated models of solely university-industry cooperation. The involvement of government role in the NSI has been proved essential for its success. Similarly, the innovation management system being operated with the university intellectual capital to enhance the conversion to innovation-derived benefit is defined as the innovation assets management system (IAMS). It can be considered as a sub-system of the NSI, and the use of the evaluation model to examine the IAMSs can properly shows the difference among all the IAMSs by university. Furthermore, the evaluation model proposed takes account of surveys including interviews with IP transfer professionals and research professors. Cases of universities practicing the IAMS along with others published in literature are also studied to help access the relations among index items in the model. The model is constructed with several measures, including Structural Equation Model (SEM), Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), to evaluate the performance of the IAMS on successful conversion from intellectual assets into benefit. The model results are depicted with CIs as the conclusions. A qualitative survey is carried out on the evaluation of inter-relations among the seven CIs described above with Taiwan’s university educators as respondents. Confidence interval is applied to assure data reliability and validity. Significant model variables are identified using the explorative factor analysis. Finally the linear regression is applied to examine the relations among those CIs. The results of this study can be concluded as the following: 1.Research manpower It has positive influence directly towards university-industry cooperation when affecting positively towards research grant, innovation outcomes and innovation-derived benefit. The result suggests that it be the fundamental CI responsible to innovation-derived benefit. And along with other CIs, this CI could result in a comprehensive enhancement on the innovation-derived benefit. 2.Research grant It shows less significant effect over innovation outcomes and innovation-derived benefit. This conclusion indicates that the scale of innovation outcomes will not necessarily in proportion to the financial investment on research. It is suggested that a comprehensive evaluation on research manpower, innovation capability, and research capacity, etc. should be conducted prior to market-oriented investment on research. 3.Innovation outcomes This term shows a positive relation with the innovation-derived benefit. It is easy to understand that university educators with more innovation outcomes tend to receive more innovation-derived benefit. Furthermore, increase in innovation outcomes will also help induce stronger links among the other CIs towards the innovation-derived benefit. Thus, encouraging educators for more innovation outcomes is no doubt a good measure for universities. 4.University-industry relations University-industry relations bear positive influence to innovation outcomes and research grant. It also shows its positive effect on the relations between research grant to innovation-derived benefit and between innovation outcomes to innovation-derived benefit. The role of university-industry relations can be depicted as to lessen the technological gap between university and industry, facilitate the industry need for university innovation outcomes, and multiply innovation-derived benefit. 5.Management mechanism The management mechanism shows positive influence on university-industry relations and innovation-derived benefit. An effective management mechanism on innovation outcomes would directly lead to excellent benefit derived from innovation outcomes. 6.Government policy Government policy shows straight links to university-industry relations and innovation-derived benefit. It also indicates an indirect effect on enhancing both research grant and innovation outcomes. In the future, the government should play a key role in promoting universities to practice such a system and help resolve difficulties arisen.

國民中小學教師的平均退休年齡逐年下降，在這群退休教師當中，有不少身體健康且熱心公益的人，鼓勵他們回到其最熟悉的校園擔任志工，不僅可協助退休教師適應退休生活，更能發揮其所長，改善學校人力不足的現象。本研究係以Ajzen (1985)的計畫行為理論(The Theory of Planned Behavior)為架構基礎，以增進和維持退休教師參與學校志工的意願為主題，整合高齡志工參與動機和相關研究，建構一個對於退休教師參與學校志工行為意向具有預測及解釋力的「學校志工參與行為意向模式」；同時並透過與幾所國中小行政人員和退休教師的深度訪談，從多元角度瞭解影響退休教師參與學校志工的原因，藉以改善這些影響因素，提高退休教師回來學校服務的意願。 經結構方程式模型(Structural Equation Model, SEM)分析方法驗證本研究所建構的「學校志工參與行為意向模式」，和深度訪談分析的結果，本研究發現「行為控制知覺」對於退休教師擔任學校志工「行為意向」的影響最重要，「主觀規範」影響較小，「態度」則無顯著影響，並且在「行為控制知覺」中又僅有「自我能力」具有顯著的影響，表示政府在招募退休教師回來服務時，以促使退休教師覺得具有擔任學校志工的自我能力最為重要，主管機關可以透過宣導擔任學校志工毋須太多的時間與體力、並依據他們的專長、興趣等需求分配工作，提高退休教師回來服務的意願。同時透過深度訪談結果發現，「與原服務學校或過去同事的情感連結」以及「具有被學校需要的感覺」兩項心理層面因素，亦會對於退休教師參與學校志工的意願產生影響。 本研究建議學校單位可透過設立退休聯誼會辦公室、邀請退休教師回來參與學校活動等方式，維繫退休教師與學校之間的情感；並經由多方管道傳達學校需要退休教師協助的訊息、肯定與感謝退休教師的貢獻，使退休教師產生被需要感，提昇回來學校服務的意願。對於政府推行的「退休菁英風華再現」計畫，在計畫內容方面則建議應讓可受到計畫獎勵的志工服務項目範圍擴大，並且降低對於退休教師的津貼補助，將其用於替退休教師購買意外保險、辦理志工學習成長課程等志工福利，鼓勵更多教師願意回來學校服務；同時並透過適當誘因設計如敘功嘉獎，鼓勵承辦此項業務的行政人員積極邀請退休教師回來學校服務。 / In recent years, the average retirement age of teachers in elementary and junior high school has declined. Many retired teachers are still healthy and warmhearted. If we could encourage retired teachers to serve as school volunteers, not only their lives could be more fulfilled, but also the schools could benefit from their professional specialty and then improve the situation of insufficient human resources. This thesis examines the antecedents of the voluntary behavior of retired teachers in the context of an integrated behavioral model that incorporates a wide variety of important factors from previous researches on volunteer behavior into a single theoretical framework provided by the Theory of Planned Behavior. The model was tested using data from a sample of 219 individual respondents by Structural Equation Model. Moreover, four voluntary teachers and six school administrators were interviewed to thoroughly explore factors affecting the success of the “Voluntary Teaching Program” in Taipei County. Overall, the model results indicate that the strongest effects in voluntary behavior of retired teachers are due to behavioral intention, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norm. The key determinant of perceived behavioral control is self-efficacy, suggesting the more capable a person believes he or she is, the more control the person feels about being a school volunteer. Thus, policymakers should constantly devote efforts at broadcasting the information that serving as school volunteers only need a little time and effort. School administrators simultaneously should allocate voluntary tasks by volunteers’ specialty, interest, and other demands. Moreover, the interviews results suggest that both “the emotions connecting with school and past colleague” and “the sense of being demanded” influence the willingness of retired teachers to serve as school volunteers. Based on the research results, we provide policymakers with specific suggestions on ways to encourage this kind of voluntary behavior. For example, with the design of the Associations of Retired Teachers and regular re-union activities, retired teachers will be emotionally attached to schools. In addition, spread news for asking for retired teachers’ inputs and thank them for their devotion, it will make retired teachers feel needed. About the “Voluntary Teaching Program” policymakers should encourage and reward spiritedly for more voluntary teachers, but reduce the grants, and then utilize this grant budget to give some appropriate welfare resources for voluntary teachers such as labor insurance and some courses for spiritual development. Besides, policymakers should provide a few reward incentives for school administrators to encourage them to invite retired teachers to serve as school volunteers.

The main objective of this research was to establish a model for emotional intelligence as a determinant of organisational climate. This model should help companies and organisational psychologists to better understand the interrelatedness of the two constructs in order to optimally enhance organisational performance. This research was conducted in a large organisation, utilising a large sample (n = 1 612) of employees in the financial services industry. During the first phase of this research, emotional intelligence was conceptualised from literature research within the trait paradigm and organisational climate as a molar construct. A theoretical model of emotional intelligence as a determinant of organisational climate was developed and suggested a link to organisational output. During the second phase of this research (empirical research), assessment instruments for emotional intelligence (the Gerber Emotional Intelligence Scale) and organisational climate (the High Performance Climate Questionnaire) were developed and validated. Thereafter an assessment instrument for work output was designed to test the link with performance. The structural equation model (SEM) produced a new best-fitting model of emotional intelligence, organisational climate and work output. The model indicates that emotional intelligence does not correlate with work output as expected, but organisational climate does correlates moderately with work output and explains almost 40% of the variance in work output. The strongest influence seems to flow from teamwork and management. The regression weights between emotional intelligence and organisational climate were trivial, although the model fit indices were all within an acceptable range. The researcher attributed the lack of support for the model to the characteristics of the employees of this type of organisation and concluded that emotional intelligence should not be seen as a determinant of organisational climate in this specific financial services sector. The results further indicate that significant differences exist between the organisational climate experiences of four biographical categories (race, position level, age and geographical region) and also for the categories of position level and age for work output. These differences need to be considered when developing future interventions. This research contributes towards a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between emotional intelligence, organisational climate and work output. The three newly developed questionnaires and the SEM could help researchers and practitioners to apply the research model in other industries and subsequently improve organisational outputs. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

This thesis draws on the framework of dynamic capability (DC) in an effort to make sense of how small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) use mobile apps in Lagos, Nigeria. There exists significant knowledge regarding the application of the DC framework in large firms but its application in smaller organisations has scarcely been researched. The knowledge of how SMEs use mobile apps is important at this time because it could help these SMEs compete favourably, despite unpredictable environments. Based on pragmatic philosophy and a mixed-methods research approach, the research was conducted in two phases. The first phase of the research used qualitative methods to identify the absorptive, adaptive and innovative capabilities of SMEs in Lagos with a view to discover the extent to which mobile apps are used as enablers and/or drivers of these capabilities. The findings from 20 SMEs identified 15 DC constructs whose impact on SMEs could be enhanced using appropriated mobile apps. The SMEs manifest adaptive capabilities, mainly through using appropriated mobile apps. The SMEs manifest adaptive capabilities, mainly through customer feedback and referrals, and demonstrate absorptive capabilities through the repackaging and repricing of their goods and/or service offerings. The innovative capabilities of SMEs became evident through the imitation and adaptation of offerings. The second phase of this research surveyed 1 162 SMEs in Lagos in an effort to validate the identified constructs through quantitative methods. Descriptive statistics of survey responses affirm the use of mobile apps by SMEs and it also indicated the underutilisation of mobile apps as a DC enabler. Further analysis, using covariance-based structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), explored the fitness of a conceptual SME model. The model assembled seven latent variables namely: mobile app usage, adaptive capability, absorptive capability, innovative capability, opportunity sensing ability, opportunity shaping ability and opportunity seizing ability. Subsequently, 15 hypotheses aimed at understanding the relationships between the variables were developed. The findings from the quantitative analysis revealed that mobile app usage increases the adaptive, absorptive and innovative capabilities of SMEs. The results failed to establish a direct relationship between mobile app usage and opportunity sensing, shaping and seizing abilities. Furthermore, the use of the adaptive capability in taking advantage of opportunities could not be generalised in SMEs’ context. The research findings imply the existence of an untapped potential as far as the use of mobile apps by SMEs in Lagos is concerned. The findings suggest that SMEs in Lagos respond to opportunities by becoming innovative and they seldom exhibit innovation in order to create opportunities. Based on the heterogeneous nature of SMEs, it is difficult to suggest a clear-cut narrative as to how all SMEs should employ mobile apps to create and maximise opportunities. However, mobile apps could induce creativity when developed and applied to the contextual requirements of SMEs. The outcome of this research reflects a multidisciplined research experience. The study contributed to IS through the creation of a model for investigating mobile app usage by organisations from a DC perspective. The conceptual model designed in this study could be adapted to investigate the way in which mobile app usage influences organisations in other contexts. The study contributed to the area of Information Systems by revealing the application of the DC framework to SMEs in contrast to the usual practice of researching DC with large organisations in mind. This research work suggests implicit ways of enhancing SMEs which could aid policy makers. This study was limited in that it gathered data from SMEs in Lagos alone as Lagos represents the commercial centre of Nigeria. Considerations for future research include the comparison of DC of large and small organisations in Lagos to examine if similarities and/or contrasts exist. Furthermore, due to the evasive and heterogeneous nature of SMEs, it would be beneficial to delimit future research on SMEs along specific domains of interest. / Iqoqa Lolu cwaningo lususelwa ohlakeni lokuthiwa ngamandla aphilayo (dynamic capability [DC]) emzameni wokuba umuntu aqonde ukuthi amabhizinisi amancane namaphakathi (ama-SME) awasebenzisa kanjani ama-apps ahanjiswayo eLagos, eNigeria. Lolu lwazi lubalulekile ngoba lungasiza la mabhizinisi ukuba ancintisane namanye ngokunempumelelo, noma izimo akuzo wona zingaqondakali kahle. Ucwaningo lwenziwa ngezigaba ezimbili. Isigaba sokuqala sahlonza ama-DC ama-SMSE eLagos, ngenhloso yokuthola ukuthi ngabe ama-apps ahanjiswayo asetshenziswa kangakanani ukukhuthaza kanye/noma ukuqhubela phambili la mandla aphilayo. Okwatholakala kuma-SME angama-20 kwaba ukuhlonzwa kwezinhlelo zama-DC ithonya lazo kuma-SME elalingase liphakame ngokusebenzisa ama-apps ahanjiswayo afanele. Ama-SME afakazela ama-DC ikakhulu ngokushiwo ngamakhasimende nalabo abathintiwe, nokuba kubonakale ngokuba impahla ekhishwayo ipakishwe kabusha, ifakelwe intengo entsha, noma kube yimpahla engukulingisa eyokuqala noma ilungiswe ifane neyokuqala. Ibanga lesibili lalolu cwaningo lwahlola ama-SME ayi-1 162 eLagos ukuzama ukuqinisekisa ngezinga lezinhlaka ezihlonziweyo. Izimpendulo ezavezwa ucwaningo zakwesekela ukusetshenziswa ngama-SME kwama-apps ahanjiswayo, zakhomba nokuthi awasetshenziswa ngokugcwele ama-apps ahanjiswayo njengokunika i-DC amandla. Okunye ukuhlaziya kwakhombiisa ukuthi ukusebenzisa ama-apps ahanjiswayo kwakungasiza ama-SME ngokwandisa amathuba awo. Nokho phela ukusebenzisa amathuba avelayo kwakungeke kwenzeke yonke indawo kuma-SME. Okuvezwa ucwaningo kukhombisa ukuthi kukhona ukusizakala okukhulu okungakafinyelelwa kukho mayelana nokusetshenziswa ngama-SME kwama-apps ahanjiswayo eLagos. Ucwaningo luphonsa itshe esivivaneni enkundleni yezinhlelo zokusebenza ngezolwazi ngokwembula ukusetshenziswa kohlaka lwe-DC kuma-SME uma kuqhathaniswa ngokuphambene nalokhu, okungukucwaninga okwejwayelekile nge-DC ezinhlanganweni ezinkulu. Lolu cwaningo luveza izindlela ezingekho obala zokuthuthukisa ama-SME, okungaba usizo kulabo ababhekene nokusungula imigomo yezwe. / School of Computing / Ph. D. (Information Systems)

本研究以科技接受模型為基礎，企圖整合資訊品質、系統品質和網站服務品質作為認知有用性和認知易用性的前置變項，期待了解三種品質構面對科技接受模型的影響效果，藉以探討民眾在使用電子化政府入口網時，會受到何種網站品質的影響，增加其使用意圖，以獲得對電子化治理的相關理解。另外本研究並嘗試以形成性指標的方式建構三種品質構面，以修正過去文獻誤用品質構面為反映性指標的情形。 透過線上問卷系統*蒐集1459位民眾的意見後，本文的研究結果顯示對認知易用性影響最大者為網站服務品質，認知有用性則受到認知易用性最大影響。對使用意圖有最大影響者為使用者的態度。三種品質的形成性指標對品質構面皆可達到顯著，在解釋上較為符合品質構面應為形成性指標的建構形式。文後並提供了對政府建置政府網站的實務建議，希冀能夠對未來政府網站建置提供參考。 / Based on technology acceptance model(TAM), this study develops a reaserach model that integrate information quality, system quality and website service quality as antecedents of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. The purpose of study is to explore how the three quality might influence technology acceptance model, and what might strengthen user intention on e-government portal website. In addition, this study develops quality constructs as “formative-indicators”rather than reflective ones to correct the misuse of some literatures. The model is then tested using a sample of 1459 users from online survey and analyzed the data using structural equation modeling. The results show that(1) website service quality(WSQ) have the most effects on ease of use(EOU), and that (2)ease of use have the most effects on usefulness(PU). They also demonstrate that (3)attitude predit user intention the most. The significance illustrate logically the relation between formative-indicators of three quality and the constructs. Implications of this study for research and practice are presented.