Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Organizational effectivess'

Thesis (Doctoral (Human Resource Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2005
The image of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) is influenced by its ability to handle and to develop a system whereby not only will the perceived gap between the expectation and satisfaction of the customers be closed, but the customer will also be able to derive value from the services rendered. In order for this to come to fruition, as well as the fact that the employees know the true picture of the flow of work within the WCED, it is crucial that the employees be involved in the mapping of the strategy, which in turn would be utilised to attain the vision. A key challenge is getting all the parts of the WCED in line with its strategies, which in turn impacts on the mission and vision. Maximum value requires an understanding of its creation and a proactive approach. These are not easily accomplished. Not only is the "education industry" presently confronted with many changes, its stakeholders and customers are making greater demands. As a result of this. the WCED needs to be more efficient, but importantly also to be aware of the "efficiency trap". A decrease in the net operating result of the WCED would result in dissatisfied customers. In order for this not to be an option. the synergy of the balanced scorecard and the whole value chain within a lean environment should be considered as the reduction of occupational crime i.e. human activity absorbing resources, but not creating value or nonvalue creating / adding activities or muda has become a priority. Also by focussing on an occupational crime reduction flow of work, the WCED will be seen as a system of processes and not as a system of separate functions.

The focus of this doctoral research study is making the most what a person knows and can do, as an outcome from their lifelong learning, so as to better contribute to organisational achievement. This has been motivated by a perceived gap in the extensive literature linking knowledge with organisational achievement. Whereas there is a rich body of literature addressing the meta-philosophies giving rise to the emergence of learning organisations there is, as yet, scant attention paid to the detail of planning and implementing action which would reveal individual/organisational opportunities of mutual advantage and motivate, and sustain, participation at the day-to-day level of the individual. It is in this space that this dissertation seeks to contribute by offering a mechanism for bringing the, hindsight informed, response “but that’s obvious” into the abiding explicit realm at the level of the individual. In moving beyond the obvious which is prone to be overlooked, the emphasis on “better” in the introductory sentence, is very deliberately made and has a link to awakening latent individual, and hence organisational, capabilities that would otherwise languish. The evolved LCM Model – a purposeful integration valuing the outcomes from lifelong learning (the L) with nurturing a culture supporting this outcome (the C) and with responsiveness to potentially diverse motivations (the M) – is a reflective device for bringing otherwise tacit, and latent, logic into the explicit realm of action. In the course of the development of the model, a number of supplementary models included in this dissertation have evolved from the research. They form a suite of devices which inform action and lead to making the most of what an individual knows and can do within the formal requirements of a job and within the informal influences of a frequently invisible community of practice. The initial inquiry drew upon the views and experiences of water industry engineering personnel and training facilitators associated with the contract cleaning and waste management industries. However, the major research occurred as an Emergency Management Australia (EMA) project with the Country Fire Authority (CFA) as the host organisation. This EMA/CFA research project explored the influence of making the most of what a CFA volunteer knows and can do upon retention of that volunteer. In its aggregate, across the CFA volunteer body, retention is a critical community safety objective. A qualitative research, ethnographic in character, approach was adopted. Data was collected through interviews, workshops and outcomes from attempts at action research projects. Following an initial thirteen month scoping study including respondents other than from the CFA, the research study moved into an exploration of the efficacy of an indicative model with four contextual foci – i.e. the manner of welcoming new members to the CFA, embracing training, strengthening brigade sustainability and leadership. Interestingly, the research environment which forced a truncated implementation of action research projects was, in itself, an informing experience indicative of inhibitors to making the most of what people know and can do. Competition for interest, time and commitment were factors governing the manner in which CFA respondents could be called upon to explore the efficacy of the model, and were a harbinger of the influences shaping the more general environment of drawing upon what CFA volunteers know and can do. Subsequent to the development of the indicative model, a further 16 month period was utilised in the ethnographic exploration of the relevance of the model within the CFA as the host organisation. As a consequence, the model is a more fully developed tool (framework) to aid reflection, planning and action. Importantly, the later phase of the research study has, through application of the model to specific goals within the CFA, yielded operational insight into its effective use, and in which activity systems have an important place. The model – now confidently styled as the LCM Model – has three elements that when enmeshed strengthen the likelihood of organisational achievement ; and the degree of this meshing, as relevant to the target outcome, determines the strength of outcome. i.e. - • Valuing outcomes from learning: When a person recognises and values (appropriately to achievement by the organisation) what they know and can do, and associated others recognise and value what this person knows and can do, then there is increased likelihood of these outcomes from learning being applied to organisational achievement. • Valuing a culture that is conducive to learning: When a person, and associated others, are further developing and drawing upon what they know and can do within the context of a culture that is conducive to learning, then there is increased likelihood that outcomes from learning will be applied to organisational achievement. • Valuing motivation of the individual: When a person’s motivation to apply what they know and can do is valued by them, and associated others, as appropriate to organisational achievement then there is increased likelihood that appropriately drawing upon outcomes from learning will occur. Activity theory was employed as a device to scope and explore understanding of the issues as they emerged in the course of the research study. Viewing the data through the prism of activity theory led not only to the development of the LCM Model but also to an enhanced understanding of the role of leadership as a foundation for acting upon the model. Both formal and informal leadership were found to be germane in asserting influence on empowering engagement with learning and drawing upon its outcomes. It is apparent that a “leaderful organisation”, as postulated by Raelin (2003), is an environment which supports drawing upon the LCM model; and it may be the case that the act of drawing upon the model will move a narrowly leadership focused organisation toward leaderful attributes. As foreshadowed at the beginning of this synopsis, nurturing individual and organisational capability is the guiding mantra for this dissertation - “Capability embraces competence but is also forward-looking, concerned with the realisation of potential” (Stephenson 1998, p. 3). Although the inquiry focussed upon a need for CFA volunteer retention, it began with a broader investigation as part of the scoping foundation and the expanded usefulness of the LCM Model invites further investigation. The dissertation concludes with the encapsulating sentiment that “You have really got to want to”. With this predisposition in mind, this dissertation contributes to knowledge through the development and discussion of the LCM model as a reflective device informing transformative learning (Mezirow and Associates 1990). A leaderful environment (Raelin 2003) aids transformative learning – accruing to the individual and the organisation - through engendering and maintaining making the most of knowledge and skill – motivating and sustaining “the will”. The outcomes from this research study are a strong assertion that wanting to make the most of what is known and can be done is a hallmark of capability. Accordingly, this dissertation is a contribution to the “how” of strengthening the capability, and the commitment to applying that capability, of an individual and an organisation.

Cette thèse explore le rôle de multiculturels dans les multinationales. Les multiculturels sont connus pour leur compétence et leur potentiel culturels susceptibles de contribuer à l’efficacité d’une organisation. Peu d’études à ce jour ont examiné les multiculturels dans les multinationales et pratiquement aucune recherche n’a essayé de comprendre le rôle des multiculturels dans la facilitation d’un processus de travail d’équipe efficace. En vue d’étudier un phénomène qui n’a pas été suffisamment scruté, cette dissertation a mobilisé un travail de terrain ethnographique dans deux multinationales importantes sur une période de 10 mois. Elle étudie les rôles de multiculturels dans des équipes mondiales en se référant à trois contextes : (1) la compétence multiculturelle et son impact sur l’efficacité de l’équipe ; (2) comment les multiculturels influencent les processus de travail d’équipe ; (3) en quoi et comment des facteurs liés au contexte affectent l’aptitude des multiculturels à jouer des rôles
This dissertation explores multiculturals in global corporations. To date, limited research helps us understand the role of multicultural individuals in facilitating the effective functioning of global teams. To investigate this under-examined phenomenon, this dissertation presents the first empirical study of the roles of multiculturals in organizations by facilitating 10-month ethnographic field work in two MNCs: a leading cosmetic MNC and an auditing and consulting MNC. This dissertation comprises three papers. The first paper develops the theoretical model of bicultural competence and its impact on multicultural team effectiveness. I define bicultural competence, determine its antecedents, and identify two roles that bi/multiculturals might play in promoting multicultural team effectiveness: boundary spanner and conflict mediator. The second paper examines multiculturals’ cultural brokerage role for team work processes in global new product development teams: how multiculturals influence teams’ knowledge processes and handle cross-cultural conflicts (not only collocated but also virtual between corporate headquarters and local subsidiaries). Multiculturals play a critical role that influence knowledge processes and cross-cultural conflict management within global teams where cultural and national heterogeneity seems more complicated than organizational researchers have recognized to date. The third paper investigates boundary conditions and how they impact multiculturals to enact their roles. I compare and contrast multiculturals in two MNCs in different industries. In particular, I identify boundary conditions that have impact on multiculturals in three levels of analysis: organizational; team; individual. Furthermore, I propose what factors challenge or enable multiculturals and accordingly, how multiculturals overcome challenges and use given opportunities in order to perform effectively or yield such challenges in organizations

This study is primarily about the Open Organisations Profile, a questionnaire developed in the United States by Professor Oscar Mink (1991) to assess openness in the workplace and thus assist in decisions on organisational change and development. The Open Organisations Profile was developed as an assessment tool of the Open Organisations theoretical model. The Open Organisations Model offers researchers a lens to assess an organisational system and the system’s ability to adapt to internal and external changes in its environment, while maintaining a sense of unity.While the Open Organisations Profile has been used extensively in Australia and the United States of America, limited research has examined its psychometric properties. This current set of studies aimed to examine the psychometric qualities of the instrument. The first study examined the reliabilities and factor structure of the Open Organisations Profile. Results indicated that the Open Organisations Profile displayed high internal consistency ranging from r = .80 to r = .95. Furthermore confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed the theoretical three factor model of unity, internal responsiveness and external responsiveness.The second study assessed cultural differences and similarities between Australia and American using the profile. The findings suggested that significant differences existed between the countries and also between male and female values across the nine dimensions measured.The final study examined the relationships between the three higher order factors of openness and customer satisfaction and sales performance. The study found that the three factors of openness had a mediating effect on customer satisfaction and sales performance. The three studies showed the Open Organisation Profile offers researchers a reasonably reliable and valid instrument for assessing the openness of an organisation and its ability to adapt to internal and external changes in the organisation’s environment. Furthermore, the Open Organisations Profile could be used as guide to the areas that need to be addressed to help the organisation improve service delivery, customer satisfaction and financial return.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2003.
"MBA professional report"--Cover. Thesis advisor(s): Cary Simon, Mary Malina. Includes bibliographical references (p. 39). Also available online.

This project addresses communication issues within a youth development organization, Northern California DeMolay, which endures an annual change in youth leadership. This paper relies on the foundation of research within the field of youth development organizations and incorporates public relations strategies to provide specialized help for the organization. The outcome of this project is a communication plan for Northern California DeMolay developed through research, strategies, and the strategic plan for the organization. The balance of power between youth and adult leadership highlighted in youth development organization research is manifested in the communication plan through the division of responsibility between youth and adult leadership

The study of leadership in wide range of organizational settings has demonstrated the advantage the Full Range Leadership (FRL) of transformational leadership approach over other leadership styles in predicting organizational performance and other outcomes. Research has found that leadership is one of the most significant contributors to organizational performance. However, very little research has been completed on the link between FRL and organizational performance at American Muslim Organizations (AMOs). This lack of empirical research, the increase use of FRL in assessing pastoral leadership (Rowold, 2008), and its positive and strong association with effective organizations as shown in literature were the primary motivators for this study. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X), a proven leadership assessment test, was administered to 320 congregants at 12 AMOs in the greater Dallas area, TX, USA to determine preferred leadership styles and whether there is a significant correlation relationship between senior leadership styles and organization performance. Created and updated by Bass and Avolio (2004), the questionnaire measure three objective indicators of organizational performance: congregants’ satisfaction with leadership, motivation toward extra effort, and perceived leadership effectiveness. Results of descriptive analysis showed that senior leaders at AMOs scored relatively high in the average of all responses and in six of the nine leadership factors, suggesting that Full Range Transformational Leadership Model (FRLM) was the style practiced by senior leaders at targeted organizations.

The results of multiple regression analysis of aggregated leadership factors scores revealed that blended specific elements of the (FRLM) led to higher satisfaction, motivation toward extra effort and perceived leadership effectiveness among congregants.

Multiple regression analysis for separate leadership factors scores revealed the following findings: (1) Contingent Reward leadership style (CR), which requires performance measurements to reward achievement beyond meeting standards, is inextricably linked with the Transformational leadership style. (2) FRLM consisted of nine hierarchal factors on a continuum basis and strongly proffered as the most effective leadership approach at the studied context. (3) Idealized influence, attribute and behavior, did not reach significance, suggesting that AMOs are shifting from religious leadership to secular one. (4) Intellectual stimulation did not reach significance either, suggesting that leadership at AMOs does not empower followers nor facilitate creativity and independent thinking among them.

Factor analysis findings (PCA) suggested that the nine factors of FRLM can be represented by three main factors to explain 75.4 of the variability in the original data. The findings of this study provided strong support for FRLM to work well with the senior leadership at AMOs. Discussion of the implications and recommendations was provided.

This dissertation addresses questions concerning slack's nature and its relationships with the environment and performance. The research investigates which view of slack (the operations or behavioral approach) best predicts performance. It examines the relationship of environment and slack using both interaction and mediation models. The PIMS database was used for 610 assembly manufacturing firms. The results support both the behavioral and the operations perspectives. This combined view suggests that slack capacity is optimized to improve sales while being minimized to improve profits. Excess inventory is minimized to improve sales but optimized to improve average ROS. In all cases, excess cash is minimized. In all equations, the slack variables entered the equations as costs. These results also support the argument that slack interacts with the environment rather than being in a functional relationship with it. Interaction terms of the slack types and the environment were significant in predicting sales. A mediation model was also tested but had a poorer fit with the data. Slack was found to be a multi-dimensional concept. The slack variables did not all intercorrelate positively. The negative relationships suggest that management makes decisions as when to use each slack resource. The slack variables (when lagged) had significant effects on each other, but not on performance. This indicates that the time horizon for slack may be shorter than was investigated in this research. The research demonstrated that slack inventory and non-slack supply buffers were negatively related. The conditions under which the firm trades slack for other buffering mechanisms were not clear. Predicted positive relationships between size and slack were found except that excess capacity and size were negatively related. This suggests that larger firms were holding slack in ways that are more discretionary and less obvious to their control systems. What is not clear from this research are the conditions under which management will choose a specific type of slack. In one case (excess working capital), technology predicts the level of this variable. Additional research is suggested to determine how, when and where these decisions are made.

What does it take for organizations to support people working together effectively? What does it mean for an organization to be effective? Does successful collaboration lead to more effective organizations? This study explored these questions both theoretically and empirically in an effort to help organizations understand the most important aspects to consider when attempting to achieve collaboration for organization success. The purpose of this study was to fill some of the gaps in the research by taking a broad, holistic approach to exploring the context required to support collaboration at levels of organizations broader than the team and exploring the links between organization support of collaboration and organization effectiveness. In preparation for the current study, the Organization Support of Collaboration model was developed to identify the broad organization design elements that are required to support collaboration. The Organization Effectiveness model was created to provide a holistic view of what it takes for an organization to be considered effective. The present study empirically validated these models and explored the links between them. Data was collected via a web-based questionnaire administered to a broad sample of individuals who work in organizations. Results supported a model of Organization Support of Collaboration with six factors (Connect to the Environment, Craft a Culture of Collaboration, Understand Work Processes, Design Using an Array of Structures, Build Shared Leadership, and Align Support Systems) and a model of Organization Effectiveness with six factors (Performance, Employee Involvement, Flexibility, Customer Satisfaction, New Customer Development, and Treatment of People). Connect to the Environment predicted five of the six Organization Effectiveness factors, and Craft a Culture of Collaboration predicted four of the six, notably with a connection to Performance. For the predicted relationships between the models, nine hypotheses were supported, six were not supported, and three unexpected significant relationships were found. Implications for practice and future directions are recommended.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Antioch University, 2007.
Title from PDF t.p. (viewed August 1, 2008). Advisor: Carolyn Kenny. "A dissertation submitted to the Ph.D. in Leadership and Change program of Antioch University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 2007."--from the title page. Keywords: organizational trauma, phenomenology, sexual assault, non-profit leadership, organization development, spirituality, secondary trauma Includes bibliographical references (p. 199-208).

There is ample discourse regarding the need for changing nonprofit performance measurement, but there is little consensus within the field on how best to evaluate while maximizing performance, outcomes, and mission achievement. This Q methodology study documented the perceptions of 22 nonprofit leaders in the United States about effective performance measurement and the characteristics necessary to create an effective model to measure nonprofit performance. The study involved analyzing the nonprofit leaders’ responses to create three distinct views on effective organizational performance measurement called (a) Road Map, (b) Management Tool, and (c) Weakest Link. Despite differences in the viewpoints, three themes emerged as a starting point to inform the shift in measuring nonprofit effectiveness: (a) the need for larger performance management systems, (b) eliminating the unfunded mandate for performance measurement, and (c) the desire for organization-specific mission-based outcome measurement. Insights from the nonprofit leaders revealed the characteristics of a new system for generating meaningful nonprofit performance data. The implementation of these characteristics could strengthen performance management, promote organizational learning, and inspire collaborative partnerships with funders and beneficiaries. Nonprofit leaders must create a culture of performance management that facilitates performance measurement and performance improvements if they are to advance the mission of the organizations they lead.

This study explored effectiveness in nonprofit collaborative networks (NPCNs) and the role shared values played in that effectiveness. Twelve participants representing nine different NPCNs were interviewed for this study. Study findings suggested that NPCN effectiveness stems from six sources: shared direction; strong leadership; strong relationships throughout the community; active, ethical participation on an individual and organizational level; efficient and inclusive work processes and dynamics; and producing valued outcomes. Values participants believed led to NPCN effectiveness included focus on mission; focus on relationships; collaborative approach; and work ethic, ethical behavior, and integrity. Shared values were reported as necessary for NPCN survival, productive action, and positive organizational climate. Suggestions for research are to evaluate techniques for promoting collaboration between funders and NPCNs, building awareness among NPCNs operating in the same space, and expanding the sample to extend the present study's findings and allow for analysis based on demographic groupings.

A fundamental shift occurred in the global economy during the last three decades and even more so in the period since the 2008 financial crises. As a result of the advancing technology, national economies no longer self-contained entities protected from international competition by geographical distances, times zones, languages barriers, government regulations and culture or business systems. The effect of globalisation has further manifested in the global economic slow-down since 2008, where spending is constrained and consumers have become more discerning in their value considerations. The dual challenge of globalisation of competition and global economic slow-down is increasingly forcing businesses to do some introspection not only in terms of their cost structures, but also in terms of their value propositions in search of sustainable organisational success. Given the limited influence that businesses have over its external environment, an internal perspective is proposed where this problem is approached by means of a high-performance evaluation case study. The aim is to identify constraints that have resulted from more recent responses to market challenges and to establish which interventions to elevate in order to alleviate such constraints. It is proposed that if management and organisational practices that organisations employ in their daily functions affect the discretionary effort that employees contribute, then organisations should be able to gain insight into variations in organisational performance through evaluating and understanding these practices. This treatise focusses on organisational characteristics that drive high performance and propose interventions to enhance the environment for the development of a high performance culture within a single organisation. The research topic fell within the quantitative paradigm with data being collected through the use of a questionnaire. The results were analysed and interpreted to ascertain how current practice aligns with the theory. Recommendations are submitted within the context of the prevailing literature on the subject of high performance organisations and the related high performance characteristics of the organisation as based on the empirical data.

Organizational success and outcomes rely on good teamwork. The study question asked if teams can be more successful with a greater number of socially skilled team members? Evolving research indicates composing teams based on intrinsic social skills, such as personality, values, and psychological roles may generate greater team outcomes than teams based solely on vocational roles, competencies, and cognitive ability. When teams are first formed, people connect instinctively and warm to other team members using their social skills. Only later do people appraise others for competencies and skills. This study examined whether the number of strong emotive connectors (SEC) can increase team outcomes. The study hypothesis tested whether teams with a greater number of high SECs, a socioemotional role construct, would increase their team task-completion rates (TTCR). Regression analysis showed the low and high SEC with an adjusted R² = .52 correlation were both predictive of the TTCR. Additional analysis using 2 one-way ANOVAs for high and low SECs showed between-team (groups) and within teams (groups) results were statistically significant at the p = .00 level. The study found teams having 2 of 5 high SECs made a difference in team performance. Additional high SECs had no impact on team performance. An interesting study result found 2 of 5 low SECs had an adverse impact on team performance. Additional low SECs did not harm team performance. Ensuring at least 2 of 5 high SECs on teams can lessen gaps, diminish conflicts, and elevate team outcomes.

This qualitative research study examined detailed reports by senior organizational leaders linking mindfulness to improved leadership effectiveness. Extensive research supports the existence of a relationship between mindfulness and cognitive, physiological, and psychological benefits that may also have a positive impact on leadership effectiveness. Currently, however, little is known about the processes potentially enabling mindfulness to directly influence leadership effectiveness, and as a result this study was designed to explore this gap in the literature. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with forty-two organizational leaders in North and South America and Europe, many with a history of leadership roles at multiple global organizations. Participants credited mindfulness for contributing to enduring improvements to leadership capabilities, and data analysis revealed new findings clarifying the perceived relationship between mindfulness and tangible results for organizational leaders. Specifically, the results indicate that mindfulness is perceived to contribute to the development of behaviors and changes to awareness associated with improved leadership effectiveness. A potential relationship between mindfulness and the development of emotional intelligence competencies linked to increased leadership performance was revealed as well. The contribution of this study to current literature is also discussed, as are recommendations for future research.

Keywords: mindfulness, organizational leadership, emotional intelligence, leadership effectiveness, leadership development, mindful leadership, leader empathy, leader emotional self-awareness, leader emotional self-management, leader social awareness, leader relationship management

Becoming a Learning Organization (LO) is widely recognized as a process through which organizations can develop characteristics that enable them to be competitive in an increasingly competitive business environment. While there is an assumption that LOs have the ability to manage change, few empirical studies are available to prove whether an organization with strong LO characteristics also has a high level of change readiness. In developing itself into an LO, an organization seems to gain possession of relevant characteristics through knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing and knowledge utilization. There is, however, a lack of clarity on what LO characteristics are developed at each of the three stages. The relationship among these stages is also confusing. The purpose of this research is to confirm whether organizations with a high level of LO characteristics also have a high level of readiness-to-change. It also attempts to verify the relationship among the LO development stages of knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing and knowledge utilization. A questionnaire has been designed following an extensive review. It incorporates "an Inventory of LO Characteristics" to measure the level of LO characteristics formed in an organization. There are also questionnaire to gauge the level readiness-to-change. The questionnaire has been distributed to employees in two leading mobile phone service companies in Thailand. The industry is selected because of its changing business environment. Thailand has been chosen for as the location for the research because few studies in LO have been conducted outside the more developed economies. The findings demonstrate two major insights. Firstly, the correlation coefficient between the six categories of LO characteristics - cultural values, leadership commitment and empowerment, communication, knowledge transfer, employee characteristics and performance upgrading - and readiness-to-change confirms that if an organization has a high level of LO characteristics, it will also have a high level of readiness-to-change. Secondly, the correlation coefficient between the three LO development stages - of knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing and knowledge utilization - and readiness-to-change, support the hypothesis that they follow a sequential order. Results of the research are analysed and discussed, providing valuable contributions to both research and practice in the area.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Adelaide Graduate School of Business, 2004.

This thesis presents a model of the characteristics of an effective nonprofit organisation and a practical tool to evaluate the extent to which nonprofit organisations comply with these characteristics. As part of identifying the characteristics of effective nonprofit organisations, it was necessary to establish whether or not nonprofit organisations and businesses were distinct from one another, since this would determine whether research on the characteristics of effective businesses could be applied to nonprofit organisations. An exploration of the key similarities and defining differences between nonprofit organisations and businesses subsequently revealed a number of startling and unexpected insights.

This dissertation explores and examines various foundations for thinking about organizational systems, i.e., organizational epistemics. There are several ways to examine "systems" and several levels at which criteria apply to systems. First, the study establishes the minimum demands on "systems" and formulates what is essentially a system for systems or an organizational system for selecting organizations' designs. By adopting a generic model, one that stipulates minimum requirements for assessing organizational designs, each administrative organization is evaluated in terms of the theoretical justification used to ensure an effective and efficient organizational structure. The future effectiveness of organizational designs is contingent on changes in society, in education, and in the private sector, e.g., responses to social, economic, and cultural exigencies. This dissertation explores possibilities for the future as organizations respond to new and unusual variables. The format suggested in this study may well provide a glimpse of what the future holds for organizational designs in the world of tomorrow.

Relationships between the collective actors within interorganizational relationships are a growing area of research in management. Interorganizational networks continue to be a popular mechanism used by organizations to achieve greater performance. Organizations develop competencies to work with other organizations, but the confidence of these organizations to use these strengths for a competitive advantage has yet to be empirically examined. The purpose of this study is to examine organizational efficacy, how competencies may related to that efficacy, and the relationship of efficacy with performance. The goal of this study is to observe the relationship among trust, dependence, information quality, continuous quality improvement, and supplier flexibility with organizational efficacy. In addition, the relationship between organizational efficacy and performance is also observed. There are two primary research questions driving this study. First, what is the relationship between trust, dependence, information quality, continuous quality improvement, supplier flexibility and organizational efficacy? Second, what is the relationship between organizational efficacy and performance? The theories supporting the hypotheses generated from these questions include theories such as social cognitive theory, quality improvement, and path-goal theory. Data collected from the suppliers of a large university support the hypotheses. Regression analysis and structure coefficients were used to analyze the data. Results indicate that both research question one and research question two are supported. In addition, the theoretical model as a whole, which indicates a mediating relationship, was examined and discussed. This study contributes to both academic and practice by examining efficacy in an interorganizational setting. In addition, as organizations better understand the relationship between competencies and confidence, they will better know how to collectively work to achieve greater results with more attention being placed on monitoring the relationship in order to experience more desired outcomes. Limitations of the current study and opportunities for future research are also discussed.

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019.
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are perceived to be poorly performing partly due to their culture; the constructs of NGOs’ culture usually affect employees’ commitment and performance negatively, leading employees to leave the organisation. This discourages and demoralises employees’ mind sets to perform as expected which affects NGOs’ productivity, goals and competitiveness in a negative way. The study investigated employee perceptions in organisational culture constructs to selected NGOs in Cape Town in order to generate valuable information in understanding the role of organisational culture in the achievement of organisational objectives in NGOs. Mixed methods approach was used in this study as it allowed collecting of qualitative and quantitative data simultaneously and assessing different facets of complex outcomes in a richer way than one method alone. The study found that culture is set to boost employees’ and organisations’ performance, and that managers and owners in NGOs have knowledge of this. The study revealed that some criteria such as openness and the creativity view of the organisational culture are only considered positive to managers and owners of NGOs. This study found that managers and owners in NGOs believe the implemented organisational culture is very effective, positively affects and boosts employees’ performance. The employees, however, had a different perception; they feel excluded from the development of the organisational culture which in turn affects their commitment and performance in a negative manner. This study found that employees’ commitment towards organisational culture derives from the way it is designed and how it suits employees’ expectations. Aspects such as remuneration, a safe work environment and sustainability, were found to be important for employees’ performance and commitment. Therefore, it is evident that directing or developing NGOs’ organisational culture that focus on employees’ expectation such as remuneration and sustainable employees’ innovation and practice will receive more support from employees. Furthermore, the criteria are keen to improve the way employees perform and commit to the organisation. It was recommended that NGOs involve employees in the design or development of its organisational culture in order to have more information on employees regarding what to expect from them. Another major implication is that the issue of employee benefit or remuneration have to be addressed in order to maintain employees’ performance.

Submitted by Lucas Zarconi (lucaszarconi@fgvmail.br) on 2015-01-14T17:13:57Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação - Lucas Zarconi.pdf: 980672 bytes, checksum: 57853f381a70a6a319523ec2e4ddd3cf (MD5)
Approved for entry into archive by ÁUREA CORRÊA DA FONSECA CORRÊA DA FONSECA (aurea.fonseca@fgv.br) on 2015-01-16T11:52:22Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação - Lucas Zarconi.pdf: 980672 bytes, checksum: 57853f381a70a6a319523ec2e4ddd3cf (MD5)
Approved for entry into archive by Marcia Bacha (marcia.bacha@fgv.br) on 2015-01-19T16:16:18Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação - Lucas Zarconi.pdf: 980672 bytes, checksum: 57853f381a70a6a319523ec2e4ddd3cf (MD5)
Made available in DSpace on 2015-01-19T16:17:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação - Lucas Zarconi.pdf: 980672 bytes, checksum: 57853f381a70a6a319523ec2e4ddd3cf (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-12-17
Research on paternalistic leadership (PL) has been based exclusively on national cultures´ differences. However there are cues that other contextual variables can add to the explanation of this construct. Due to its capacity to influence expectations of individuals in organizations, organizational culture can contribute to fill this gap. To test if organizational culture influences the effectiveness of leadership style, we conducted two experimental studies using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, comparing effects of paternalistic and transformational leadership on followers’ outcomes. Using video clips and vignettes, we found that PL is better related to followers´ outcomes in cultures oriented to people than outcome, and that TL has a better relationship in cultures oriented to innovation than stability. The results suggest that organizational culture helps in explaining PL endorsement, and that further analysis of the influence of this variable to PL can provide a better understanding of the expression of this leadership style in organizations.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri--Rolla, 2007.
Vita. The entire thesis text is included in file. Title from title screen of thesis/dissertation PDF file (viewed November 26, 2007) Includes bibliographical references (p. 52-58).

Complexity and turbulence create intensifying pressures on 21 ^st-century organizations seeking growth through globalization and operating efficiencies. Organizations are responding by engaging dispersed teams in expanding operations and enabling efficiencies from “anywhere, any time, any form” teaming. The use of dispersed teaming enables new opportunities for organizational growth; however, may introduce the need for change in the organization’s leadership mindset and approach to leading. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory research study is to explore and seek a deeper understanding of the emergence of leadership in dispersed teams and the resulting points of tension that potentially affect the process of leading and team effectiveness as organizations address complexity. Findings from the study are based on the lived experiences of virtual team leaders and members and provide insights on the theoretical and practical guiding practices exploring the supportive and hindering forces that enable an ideal environment for the act of leading shifting from an entity or person to a shared process with members of dispersed teams. The findings explore the importance of relational leadership and the role of appointed leaders when fostering shared leading. The outcomes of the research provide insight to organizations, leaders, and members of dispersed teams on the importance of operating collectively in an environment where individuals can maximize their capabilities despite geographical separation; while understanding the importance of situational readiness and adaptability when seeking team effectiveness. The research study provides theory describing the ideal aspirational environment that will enable shared leading and guiding principles that introduce practical considerations reflecting the situational realities, ambiguities, and humanistic complexities influencing today’s organization when seeking growth and effective outcomes through dispersed teaming.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2006.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Non-profit organisations play an increasingly important role in our society as they often represent community interests. The ability of the non-profit sector to perform effectively has become more critical. In order to maintain their value and effectiveness they require continuous renewal. The increased demand placed on this sector as it partners with government to deliver basic services to the community has amplified the need for this renewal process. The non-profit sector is constantly required to develop new ways of building its capacity in an attempt to meet its challenges. Despite the emphasis placed on the importance of capacity building, the term itse~ is frequently too expansive to be meaningful to decision makers. This paper attempts to develop a working definition of capacity building and assess the capacity building levels of TB Care Association. TB Care Association, founded in 1929, provides a service to tuberculosis patients and their families. Over the last decade, the organisation has moved from being a welfare organisation to a developmental health promotion organisation. The survey conducted on TB Care Association indicates that the scores obtained by the organisation coincide with the organisation's stage of development according to Korten (Mukasa, 2003). The results further revealed that fund raising, over dependence on government funding, lack of succession planning and human resources strategies are potential issues that could impede organisational growth and development.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Nie-vir-wins organisasies speel 'n al hoe meer belangrike rol in ons samelewing deurdat hulle die belang van die gemeenskap op die hart dra. Die vermoe van hierdie sektor om effektief te wees raak dus al hoe belangriker. Om voortdurend die vlak van waarde en effektiwiteit vol te hou vereis voortdurende vernuwing. Die toenemende vereistes wat gestel word aan hierdie organisasies deurdat hulle met die regering saamspan om basiese dienste te lewer aan die gemeenskap, het die nodigheid van hierdie vernuwende proses beklemtoon. Die nie-vir-wins sektor moet gedurig nuwe maniere vind om kapasiteit te bou om hierdie uitdagings die hoof te bied. Ten spyte van die klem wat geplaas word op kapasiteitsbou, is die term self gereeld te wyd om betekenisvol te wees vir besluitnemers. Hierdie verslag poog om 'n prakties-georienteerde definisie van kapasiteitsbou daar te stel en om die kapasiteitsbou vlakke binne die TB Sorg Vereniging te bepaal. Die TB Sorg Vereniging, gestig in 1929, bied 'n diens aan tuberkulose pasiente en hul families. Oor die laaste dekade het die vereniging beweeg van 'n maatskaplike rol tot die van 'n vereniging wat fokus op die bevording van ontwikkelingsgesondheid. Die opname by die TB Sorg Vereniging toon dat die tellings behaal deur die instansie ooreenstem met die fase van ontwikkeling soos voorgestel deur Korten (Mukasa, 2003). Die resultate toon verder dat fonds-insameling, oor-afhanklikheid van regeringsfondse, 'n tekort aan opvolger-beplanning en menslike hulpbron strategiee moontlike knelpunte kan wees wat organisatoriese groei en ontwikkeling kan belemmer.

In light of greater emphasis on horizontal management and team-oriented approaches to product development/management, there is a growing need to better understand interdepartmental integration. To meet this need, this dissertation proposed a model of interdepartmental integration, which distinguished integration as a composite of interaction and collaboration. Incorporating contingency and sociotechnical theories, two main research propositions were developed and served as the foundation for the proposed model: 1) an individual department's attributes will influence its interaction behavior and 2) attribute differences between departments will influence departments' collaboration. A mail survey of marketing, manufacturing, and R&D managers in 860 electronics firms was undertaken to investigate these two propositions and the hypotheses associated with the proposed model. While study results did not convincingly support the given propositions nor a majority of hypotheses, results did indicate that collaboration has a primary influence on performance. Conversely, interaction was shown to have minimal influence on performance, and in certain cases, was shown to even reduce performance. Among other significant findings, interdependence and cooperative goals were identified as two key antecedents to collaboration. This dissertation therefore highlights the need for departments to work together (collaborate) versus simply forcing communication through meetings and documented information exchange (interaction). Collaboration appears to be a key means by which all departments and the entire company can achieve and maintain performance success.
Ph. D.

The Intranet Pencil and Paper Checklist (Murgolo-Poore et al., 2002) is a new measure developed to gauge the perceptions of organization members as to the effectiveness of the firms Intranet, from an Internal Marketing and Human Resource perspective. Three dimensions of the construct "Intranet Effectiveness " have been distilled from initial scale development research and testing, they are Operations, Facilitation and Culture.The instrument is now applied to a financial services organization with approximately 3000 staff to test its robustness across all layers of a hierarchy. It performed well, particularly in plumbing the perceptions of management towards their Intranet.Several theoretical perspectives were investigated to understand how OC and Intranet effectiveness may be associated, including Transaction Cost Theory, Communication Theory and Social Identity Theory. With this theoretical underpinning the instrument was administered to discern if an effective Intranet, through its power to communicate and involve multiple stakeholders had any correlation with Organizational Commitment.Intranet effectiveness was found to have a significant correlation, which varied in its effect across user groups. It was suggested as a focus for future research that peripheral groups might have benefited from the Intranet in a way that increased OC amongst those cohorts disproportionately. Should such a theory be borne out by empirical investigation, it has potential application for strategic decision making in Intranet design and management.

Aquesta dissertació doctoral es centra en les discussions acadèmiques que afecten a l'organització de processos en entorns de desastre. En particular, la recerca principal és ‘de quina manera la interacció dels atributs a nivell individual i col·lectiu de les accions improvisades de les organitzacions expliquen com aconsegueixen els seus objectius, p.e. ser eficaços, en contextos extrems?'. Fent servir una estratègia metodològica d’estudis de casos, emergeixen narratives de dos perfils d'organitzacions que eren crítiques per a la fase de resposta i de recuperació del Tifó Haiyan del 2013. La contribució principal d’aquest treball té dos vessants. Primer, es proposa que la improvisació, malgrat la seva naturalesa emergent, està guiada per un propòsit concret, doncs facilita a les organitzacions aconseguir els seus objectius preestablerts. Això succeeix a través de dos efectes: (a) l'efecte buffering, i (b) l'efecte connection-seeking. Segon, s’infereix que les improvisacions amb un propòsit concret estan promogudes per diverses narracions que interaccionen a nivell individual i col·lectiu. Tres narracions sorgeixen: (a) una interacció complementària entre els atributs a nivell individual i col·lectiu, on tots dos, l'individual i l'organitzatiu juguen una funció similar per promoure una improvisació amb un propòsit concret (b) una interacció gestionada a nivell individual, en que l’acció individual apareix més pronunciada en la decisió d'improvisar a nivell de cada propòsit concret, i (c) una interacció que s’adhereix la norma, on el paper de l'organització precedeix la posició individual en la decisió d'improvisar en el propòsit concret.
Esta disertación doctoral se sitúa la discusión académica que afecta a la organización de procesos en entornos de desastre. En particular, la investigación principal es ‘de qué manera la interacción de los atributos a nivel individual y colectivo de las acciones improvisadas de las organizaciones explican cómo pueden esas alcanzar sus objetivos, i.e. ser eficaz, en contextos extremos?' Utilizando una estrategia metodológica de estudio de casos, emergen narrativas de dos perfiles de organizaciones que fueron críticas en la fase de respuesta y de recuperación del Tifón Haiyan del 2013. La contribución principal del trabajo tiene dos vertientes. Primero, se propone que la improvisación, a pesar de su naturaleza emergente, está guiada por propósito concreto, ya que facilita a las organizaciones conseguir sus objetivos preestablecidos. Esto ocurre a través de dos efectos: (a) el efecto buffering, y (b) el efecto connection-seeking. Segundo, se infiere que una improvisación con propósito concreto está promovida por varias narrativas de interacción a nivel individual y colectivo. Surgen tres narrativas: (a) una interacción complementaria entre los atributos a nivel individual y colectivo, donde ambos, el individual y la organización juegan una función similar al promover la improvisación con propósito concreto (b) una interacción gestionada a nivel individual, en que la acción individual resulta más pronunciada en la decisión de improvisar con propósito concreto, y (c) una interacción que se adhiere a la norma, en que el rol de la organización precede la posición individual en la decisión de improvisar con un propósito concreto.
This dissertation positions itself within the scholarly conversations on organizing processes in disaster environments. In particular, the main research inquiry is ‘how does the interaction of individual and collective level attributes among improvised actions of the organizations explain how they can realize their goals, i.e. be effective, in extreme contexts?’. Using a case strategy approach, it surfaces narratives of two profiles of organizations that were critical to the response and recovery phase of the 2013 Typhoon Haiyan. The main contribution of the work is two-fold: First, it infers that improvisation, despite its emergent nature, is purpose-driven, as it allows organizations to consciously realize their pre-established goals. This occurs through two effects: (a) the buffering effect, and (b) the connection-seeking effect. Second, it infers that purpose-driven improvisation is enabled by various narratives of interaction between the individual and collective level attributes. Three narratives are emergent: (a) a complementary interaction between the individual- and collective-level attributes, where both the individual and the organization play an equal role in enabling purpose-driven improvisation (b) an individually-maneuvered interaction, where the individual positionality is more pronounced in the enactment of purpose-driven improvisation, and (c) rule-abiding interaction, where the role of the organization precedes the individual positionality in the enactment of purpose-driven improvisation.

In the current global market, companies are forming partnerships with other organisations with the aim of sustaining their competitive advantage. Most organisations participate in transactions such as mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures in order to maintain their competitive advantage (Sorge, 2002). South Africa forms part of the global market and is not immune towards the stipulated growth strategies. It is believed that South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rate internationally (Human Capital Mangement, 2005). There are various reasons that have contributed towards this perception; factors such as structural changes in the labour market have been highlighted as one of the factors that have contributed to the high unemployment rate (HCM, 2005). It is further said that when mergers and acquisitions occurs, structural changes are bound to occur (Greeve, 2008). Despite the constant merger activities that are occurring in various industries, research has shown that most mergers add no value or reduce shareholders value for the acquiring firm (Kusewitt, 2007). The primary objective of this research is to investigate how organisational behaviour is influenced in an acquired firm.There seems to be high level of uncertainity, trust and communication breakdown amoung employees of Kansai Plascon. This research will investigate whether this perception is related to the acquisition transaction that has occurred. The study will collect its primary data using a set of questionnaires that will be distributed to the employees of Kansai Plascon. The data will be analysed and interpreted.