From the simplest items we use to the most complex ones, electronics are everywhere and in everything. However, the escalating demand for electronics has a serious toll on the environment. Thus, the electronics industry has been the focus of legislation for a long time. As a matter of fact, electronics are among the seven priority key value chains identified by the European Union on the way to becoming the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050. In this sense, this thesis aims to investigate the role of environmental legislation in the green transition of the electronics industry by trying to understand how companies operating in this industry evaluate the measures introduced by the legislation. This was done through both in-depth interviews with representatives from 11 different companies of all sizes (large, medium- and small-sized, and start-up companies) and 2 regulatory agencies, and also group discussions with experts and managers in the field. Although the research started from a point of evaluating the legislation either a driver or a barrier in green transition, the empirical findings indicated that environmental regulations are too complex tools to be considered only in terms of these aspects. Results showed that considering regulations as a driver or barrier is directly related to the size of the companies and the opportunities they have. However, the solution to the challenges faced by the companies is often beyond their own capabilities, and related to external factors, mostly legislators. All companies interviewed within the scope of the study agree that environmental regulations can contribute to green transformation. One thing is certain, however, that the way to ensure this effectiveness is through a transparent and inclusive communication between the lawmakers and the industry.

This thesis develops a method to optimize the inventory-related performance of a VMI (Vendor Managed Inventory) in retailing environments, for two successive products with overlapping lifecycles, under stock-dependent demand. The study refers to existing research in different fields, such as inventory policies and VMIs, retailing of substitutable products, stock-dependent demands and product lifecycle management. However, no study encompassing all these research streams could be found, and thus an abductive approach is developed, aiming at building new theory. The thesis draws upon a case study at Sony Germany, which has started an ambitious VMI initiative with the largest retailer of consumer electronics products in Germany. First, stock and sales data available, along with insights collected among employees, is used to understand the key profit-drivers when lifecycles of the two products overlap, and a set of indicators is propounded to measure them. The pattern of sales in relation to inventories of the two products is studied, and results in the validation of the stock-dependent demand assumption, with demand following a Poisson distribution of parameter λ [on-hand stock]. Demand for the new product is also found to be negatively affected by stock levels of the old product, in an exponential way. Second, a model is built and a scenario- based simulation embedding the patterns previously established is performed to evaluate different strategies to steer the stock levels in the VMI. Scenarios are evaluated against the proposed set of indicators, but no scenario is found to over perform consistently the others. Nevertheless interesting patterns emerge and it is possible to relate the performance observed to specificities of scenarios and product contexts. Using the patterns identified, a set of guidelines is suggested, along with proposals for practical implementation.

The present study is an attempt to analyze the impact of changing policy regime during the liberalization era on the behaviour of 81 sample firms in Indian electronics industry in terms of factor productivities. We categorise a period of 12 years (1993-2004) as the two phases of liberalisation: - Period/ Phase 1: 1993-1998 and Period/ Phase 2: 1999-2004. The 81 sample firms are segregated into four primary sub-sectors of electronics industry based on their use pattern: communication equipments, computer hardware, consumer electronics and other electronics. The objective is to trace the growth of output in the four sub-sectors in Indian electronics industry over two phases of liberalisation and to determine the relative contributions of Input Growth (IG) and Total Factor Productivity Growth (TFPG) to Output Growth (OG). Further, the study focuses on determining the relative contributions of Technological Progress (TP) and Technical Efficiency Change (TEC) to TFPG and establishes the influence of firm specific managerial decision making and management efficiency variables on TEC and TP. The methodology follows a three-step approach in order to achieve the above objectives. The first step is to determine a potential stochastic production function using stochastic frontier production function model and measure firm-wise technical inefficiency levels. The second step is to measure the growth of TFP over two phases and to derive the components TEC and TP. The third step measures the influence of management decision variables on TEC and TP using a frontier approach model on a panel data. The contribution of labour to output was found to be higher than the contribution of capital in all four sub-sectors. However, capital contribution improved in phase 2 relative to phase 1 for computer hardware and other electronics sub-sectors. Computer hardware was the only sub-sector that experienced an improvement in returns to scale from constant returns to scale in phase 1 to increasing returns to scale in phase 2 of liberalisation. The Technological Progress (TP) and Technical Efficiency Change (TEC) that contributed to TFPG exhibited a contrasting relationship for all the four sub-sectors in the electronics industry: TEC declined when there was high TP while it improved when there was a decline in TP. This could be because Indian electronics firms generally focus on either technology imports/ develop indigenous technology to achieve TP or to assimilate the imported/ indigenous technology for better use. The lag in assimilation of imported/ developed technology could be a reason for the negative relation between TEC and TP. The communication equipment sub-sector had a balanced growth in terms of TEC and TP among the four sub-sectors. The computer hardware and the other electronics sub-sectors were worse performers in terms of TEC in period 2 relative to period 1 and so had been the electronics industry as a whole. The computer hardware sub-sector had the highest average OG in period 2 relative to period 1 among all the sub-sectors due to relatively high contribution of IG. Other electronics sub-sector had the highest average TP that compensated for the negative average TEC. On an average, percentage contribution of TP to TFPG was high for the electronics industry and its sub-sectors in period 2 relative to period 1. This is an indication that the sub-sectors of Indian electronics industry have strived and achieved steady technological progress in the period of economic liberalisation to cope with the intensifying competition internally as well as externally. The sample firms in the electronics industry were in favour of towards external acquisition of sophisticated technology, which explains the relatively high contribution of TP to the TFPG of the industry. However, this was not followed up with adequate in-house R&D in order to develop indigenous technology or to absorb imported technology as a result of which TEC for the sub-sectors and the whole industry suffered. Growth in Operating Margin (OMG) and Growth in Returns on Capital Employed (ROCEG) generate additional revenue that could be ploughed back into the firm for improvement of its existing indigenous technology or absorption of imported technology thereby leading to improvement in TE and TP. The positive influence of OMG as well as ROCEG on TEC and TP for all the sub-sectors is an indication of efficient management in these sub-sectors in utilizing assets and profits to generate earnings. However, the trend of operating margin and returns on capital employed had been declining for all the sub-sectors. Inventory management proved to be costly for TP as financial resources diverted to maintain inventory had an undesirable effect on their indigenious technology. Most of the sample firms in the electronics industry were found to have incurred R&D expenditure to derive tax incentives. As a result the resources got diverted away from other creative operational or skill improvement efforts to unproductive and wasteful R&D activities. Thus, R&D did not have the desirable influence on the components of TFPG. The present study showed that unplanned and ad hoc technology imports or even raw material imports was not conducive to the growth of both the components of TFPG. Older firms need to develop their technology or adequately import better and more sophisticated technology. This would enable older (more experienced) electronic firms to overcome the negative influence of age, reflected in our analysis. This is, however, applicable to only those segments of the electronics industry where firms preferred to serve lower end of the market as well as lower end of the technological spectrum (eg. Computer hardware and other electronics sub-sectors). Electronics industry like any other capital goods industry offers scope for vertical integration. Management of the firms in electronics industry should emphasize on vertical integration, expansion of scale of operations and should initiate R&D investments to build up R&D base, among others to improve TEC and TP. This would also help to check the decline in operating margin and returns from invested capital among the firms. Thus, improved managerial effectiveness and decision making do help in the form of generating thereby surpluses facilitating to achieve higher TP and even TEC. Regional and State governments should provide adequate policy support and appropriate industrial infrastructure to electronic firms which would in turn improve their managerial effectiveness and TFPG.

全球物流運籌管理能力已成為台灣電子業的競爭優勢及核心價值之所在。本文期盼能為台灣的電子業提供一些關於全球物流運籌過程具有前瞻性有效的風險管理解決方案。 由於大部份的全球物流運籌過程完全在第三者的管理控制之下，使得物流運籌過程的風險比其它的過程更難以預測及掌控。讓此價值鏈變成非常脆弱。電子業很可能因遭受一個風險事故或事件的影響而無法繼續發展甚至被迫退出產業。故從風險本質及特性，可想而知全球物流運籌風險管理的重要。台灣的電子業必須非常專注並努力於建置有效的全球物流運籌管理解決方案來處理有關的風險。 學術上有很多文獻及創見分別探討風險管理及全球物流運籌管理，但是卻少有文章研究全球物流運籌風險管理的議題。本文希望能提供台灣電子產業棉薄的貢獻或帶給任何對於此議題有研究興趣的團體一些參考價值。 / This paper intends to present prudent solutions of risk management for global logistics operations for the electronics industry from a Taiwan based company perspective. The competitive strengths and sustainable development of global logistics operations have become a core value and competence for the Taiwan electronics industry. The whole logistics operations are vulnerable. One event or incident can hinder business continuity and even wipe a company out of the market. Risks are more unpredictable and uncontrollable in the global logistics operations than in other operations as most of the process is under a third party’s care, control and custody. In light of the nature of this risk, companies should focus more on it and endeavor to implement solutions to deal with it. There are many papers and articles dealing with risk management or with global logistics operations, but very few of them link the two. This paper will contribute to the Taiwan electronics industry with ideas to support continued growth and competitiveness. And we hope that academic groups or organizations will find this paper of interest in their research.

This research investigates organisational capabilities and cultures of both partners as potential explanatory factors of co-operative R&D projects outcomes. Contributions to theory are (1) a justification for the existence of organisational capabilities and 'world views', (2) a parsimonious typology of 'world views' and (3) a method to measure organisational capabilities. The survey covers 514 projects in the electronics industry, in Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Finland. It obtains 120 full answers, each of which coupling responses from a matched pair of project managers having co-operated on the same R&D project. The survey refers to the organisation's capabilities, to those of the partner, to its 'world view', and to project outcomes. None of the traditional explanatory factors (geographic distance, difference in nationality, size or legal status, strategic compatibility) has any significant influence on any of the outcomes being studied (save one). The explanatory factors introduced by the research (organisational capabilities and 'world views') have a significant influence on almost all outcomes being considered of the co-operative R&D projects: attainment of concrete results, compliance with budget and schedule, creation and transfer of knowledge, learning (modification of capabilities). Cultural diversity, 'absorptive capacity', and teaching effects, selective according to the capability in question, are evidenced. Commonalities between partners are shown to be more important than distance. These results validate empirically organisational capabilities and 'world views' as descriptors of inter-organisational capabilities, and their operationalisation.

技術創新成果對事業的獲利能力有正面的影響，因此，如何提昇技術創新績效，成為許多學者研究的重點。以往學者的研究，都希望發掘關鍵性的影響要素，以期經由要素的掌握、管理，提升技術創新績效。本研究亦期望藉著瞭解企業策略與研發策略內涵之間的關係，釐清二類策略之間的配適問題，始能提昇研發績效。 　　根據個案研究與問卷分析的發現，本研究歸納結論如下： 　　1. 在技術發展的重點上，一直以「產品技術」為重點，且有逐漸增加的趨勢。 　　2. 在關鍵技術來源方面，「模仿競爭者產品」的情況顯著的減少，「與國內研究機構合作開發」、「與國外廠商技術合作」的情形有顯著增加的趨勢。 　　3. 在主要技術專案之決策單位方面，隨著時間的演變，「由相關部門會議決定並呈報上級核准」、「由一特定委員會決定」以及「由特定部門決定」有顯著增加的趨勢。 　　4. 在技術專案的管理方式上，「由研發部門統籌管理」有逐漸式微的趨勢；而「成立委員會管理」、「矩陣式的新產品專案管理」等兩種情境，有隨時間演進而顯著增加的趨勢。可見，隨著時間的演進，企業常用的技術專案之管理方式，已漸漸走向整合協調各部門資源的管理模式。 　　5. 個案公司所進行的研究以應用研究為主（除了宏碁與聲寶有從事基礎研究），而研發經費佔營業額的比例約在3%左右，可見電子資訊業研發經費比例有較高的傾向。

This research investigates organisational capabilities and cultures of both partners as potential explanatory factors of co-operative R&D projects outcomes. Contributions to theory are (1) a justification for the existence of organisational capabilities and 'world views', (2) a parsimonious typology of 'world views' and (3) a method to measure organisational capabilities. The survey covers 514 projects in the electronics industry, in Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Finland. It obtains 120 full answers, each of which coupling responses from a matched pair of project managers having co-operated on the same R&D project. The survey refers to the organisation's capabilities, to those of the partner, to its 'world view', and to project outcomes. None of the traditional explanatory factors (geographic distance, difference in nationality, size or legal status, strategic compatibility) has any significant influence on any of the outcomes being studied (save one). The explanatory factors introduced by the research (organisational capabilities and 'world views') have a significant influence on almost all outcomes being considered of the co-operative R&D projects: attainment of concrete results, compliance with budget and schedule, creation and transfer of knowledge, learning (modification of capabilities). Cultural diversity, 'absorptive capacity', and teaching effects, selective according to the capability in question, are evidenced. Commonalities between partners are shown to be more important than distance. These results validate empirically organisational capabilities and 'world views' as descriptors of inter-organisational capabilities, and their operationalisation.

Emerging country markets are becoming increasingly important in the operations of multinational corporations. On May 1, 2004, the EU welcomed 10 new member states, including the three Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. As a result, many western multinational corporations have entered these new emerging markets. These countries have witnessed very fast growth and were lucrative to enter. The term “Baltic Tiger” is used to describe the economic boom of the Baltic States from 2000 to 2007. This term is adequate because during this time period the Baltic States had the highest growth rates in Europe. Swedish companies in particular started coming into the Baltic States in 1989 approximately. These companies were looking for and found low cost production. However, today with rising wages, low cost production is more difficult to find. The purpose of our research is to investigate the current conditions and future predictions related to the external environment and high technology industries in the Baltic States. The investigation of the current state and future potential of the markets were analyzed from an institutional standpoint. We compared this to the institutional environment in Sweden and made predictions on the potential changes in these institutions. Given our analysis and evaluation of the most attractive market, we have devised an establishment and matching strategy for the case company. The case analysis is set against the background of a theoretical framework covering current literature over societal and organizational fields in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Our primary and secondary research was examined in the context of well known theoretical models and our own models and upon analysis; we come to a conclusion and make recommendations for companies interested in doing business in the Baltic States. Our research will be useful for companies curious about the potential and necessary considerations they must take in the Baltic markets in general and within the high technology sector specifically.

Under det senaste decenniet har den svenska elektronikhandeln präglats av en allt hårdare konkurrenssituation och lägre lönsamhet. Det har lett till att stora butikskedjor gått i konkurs. För att vända trenden måste företagen hanterar sina butiksverksamheter effektivt. Det blir därmed avgörande hur butikschefen sköter butiken. Av den anledningen är det intressant att undersöka butikschefers arbetssätt för att se vad som leder till hög lönsamhet. Vår genomgång av tidigare forskning visar på att det finns en kunskapslucka gällande hur en butikschef bör arbeta för att öka lönsamheten. Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur butikschefer arbetar och utifrån det identifiera faktorer i butikschefers arbetssätt som påverkar resultat och leder till skillnader i butikers prestationer. Studien har en kvalitativ ansats och bygger på intervjuer med 10 butikschefer. Respondenterna har delats in i en högpresterande fokusgrupp och en jämförelsegrupp för att tydliggöra skillnader i arbetssättet. Studien visar på flertalet skillnader i hur butikschefer i fokusgruppen hanterar de vardagliga arbetsuppgifterna. Den största skillnaden består i ledarfilosofin butikscheferna utövar, vilket genomsyrar alla beslut butikscheferna i fokusgruppen tar. / Background During the latest decade the Swedish electronic industry has been exposed to intensified competition and lower profitability. The consequences have been that major retail chains have gone out of business. In order to survive, the companies need to handle their stores as efficiently as possible. As a result it’s crucial how the store manager operates the store. Therefore it is interesting to study how store managers practice their work in order to see what leads to high profitability. Our review of research reveals that there’s a knowledge gap of qualitative studies regarding how store managers should work. Aim The aim of the study is to investigate how store managers works and from that identify factors in the store managers way of work that affects the result and leads to differences in store performance. Methodology The study is made with a qualitative approach and is built on data from interviews with 10 store managers. The respondents have been divided in to a high-performance focus group and a comparison group in order to clarify the differences in their approach of work. Conclusion The study shows a number of differences in how high-performance store managers handle their work. However, the biggest difference is the leadership philosophy they choose to practice, which affect everything they do.

<p>Emerging country markets are becoming increasingly important in the operations of multinational corporations. On May 1, 2004, the EU welcomed 10 new member states, including the three Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. As a result, many western multinational corporations have entered these new emerging markets. These countries have witnessed very fast growth and were lucrative to enter. The term “Baltic Tiger” is used to describe the economic boom of the Baltic States from 2000 to 2007. This term is adequate because during this time period the Baltic States had the highest growth rates in Europe. Swedish companies in particular started coming into the Baltic States in 1989 approximately. These companies were looking for and found low cost production. However, today with rising wages, low cost production is more difficult to find.</p><p>The purpose of our research is to investigate the current conditions and future predictions related to the external environment and high technology industries in the Baltic States. The investigation of the current state and future potential of the markets were analyzed from an institutional standpoint. We compared this to the institutional environment in Sweden and made predictions on the potential changes in these institutions. Given our analysis and evaluation of the most attractive market, we have devised an establishment and matching strategy for the case company. The case analysis is set against the background of a theoretical framework covering current literature over societal and organizational fields in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Our primary and secondary research was examined in the context of well known theoretical models and our own models and upon analysis; we come to a conclusion and make recommendations for companies interested in doing business in the Baltic States. Our research will be useful for companies curious about the potential and necessary considerations they must take in the Baltic markets in general and within the high technology sector specifically.</p>