Rozprawy doktorskie na temat „Organisational transformation”

Purpose Ð Anchored on the theory of continuous change, the purpose of this research study is to offer relevant insights to businesses, by providing an informed case for business transformation facilitated by organisational ambidexterity and organisational agility. The constructs of ambidexterity and agility are explored and defined as business capabilities, resulting in a framework for the effective transformation of large and established organisations through an enhanced comprehension of organisational ambidexterity and agility. In the derivation of the framework, aspects enabling the Transformation through Ambidexterity and Agility framework are examined to provide clarity on how these interrelated competencies contribute to the overall performance of the business. Design/methodology/approach Ð Published empirical and research articles were reviewed to study the concepts of organisational ambidexterity and agility as critical factors contributing to business performance. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 research participants to explore organisational comprehension, execution and enablement of ambidexterity and agility as business capabilities. Findings Ð Enhanced comprehension and execution of organisational ambidexterity and agility increases an organisationÕs ability to continuously and proactively respond to volatile market changes. Then with dexterity, speed and prudence, enable a continuous transient advantage. The commitment to continually transform the business through ambidextrous and agile strategies implies shifts at all levels of the organisation, starting with strategic leadership, down to the reward and motivation philosophy of the organisation. Practical implications Ð Business leaders should consider the combined enactment of ambidexterity and agility as dynamic capabilities that principally guide strategic, operational and portfolio activities. Fostering ambidexterity-agility enhancing capabilities is paramount to safeguarding a continuous successful integration of ambidexterity and agility as dynamic performance enhancing capabilities.
Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2017.
nk2018
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
MBA
Unrestricted

This thesis proposes a metatheory for the study of organisational transformation. A metatheory is a coherent conceptual system that analyses and accommodates the insights of other theory. In a time of rapidly changing organisational, societal and global environments there is a strong imperative for developing integrative conceptual frameworks that contribute to our understanding and explanation of transformational change. Like other areas of social science, the field of organisational transformation is made up of a multitude of diverse theories that offer useful and valid insights into aspects of transformational phenomena. These theories come from many different theoretical schools and research paradigms and they employ a wide range of explanatory concepts. There are however, no overarching theoretical frameworks specifically developed from metatheory building techniques that might give an overall coherency to the field. Consequently, there is no way of deciding on the relative conceptual merits of particular theories and there is often little justification for adopting one theory over another to explore some aspect of organisational transformation. To fill this gap, this thesis uses conceptual research methods to i) review extant literature, ii) develop a metatheory for organisational transformation and iii) apply this metatheory to the exemplar topic of organisational sustainability. The initial chapters introduce the topics of organisational transformation and metatheory building and provide a rationale for an overarching approach to radical organisational change. Following this, a method for metatheory building is developed and its application in this study is described. A rationale for the sampling procedure and organisational of data is also presented. The metatheory building method involves the use of conceptual theme analysis for identifying the core themes theorists use in describing and explaining organisational transformation. In subsequent chapters, core themes are analysed using the techniques of bridging and bracketing to derive a number of conceptual lenses. These lenses, and the relationships between them, form the central components for the integral metatheory. Having identified and described the basic set of conceptual lenses for transformation, the exemplar topic of organisational sustainability is used to show how the metatheory can be applied to a specific area of research. The final chapter evaluates the integral metatheory with some commonly used criteria for judging the results of conceptual research. A brief evaluation of the chief metatheoretical resource used in the study, i.e., AQAL metatheory, is also carried out. This thesis endeavours to contribute to the field of organisational, transformational and sustainability studies by i) developing a metatheoretical framework for the study of radical organisational change, ii) offering a comprehensive review of paradigms and theories of organisational transformation and their core explanatory concepts, and iii) proposing a more detailed metatheory building method which can make a significant contribution to the conceptual development of many fields within organisational studies.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Managers are continuously faced with new problems and organisations are facing a severe battle for survival. The purpose of this study is to provide managers with a practical guideline based on a holistic and integrated approach of how to face and successfully overcome transformation challenges that they are facing. It has become imperative that managers learn how to effectively reposition and re-organise their organisations in order to meet the challenges of the future with confidence. The areas that will be addressed in this study will provide managers with the relevant information on how to transform their organisation as well as provide insights into how to approach the implementation thereof. The planning, positioning and implementation of transformation is one of the most important tools for organisations strategically gain the competitive advantage into the future. The Bisschoff generic key success factor organisation transformation model have been developed that will enable managers to approach the issues of transformation with confidence. This study has been compiled and written in such a manner as to provide managers with guidelines of techniques and models to apply the theory and literature in their respective organisations. The main purpose of this study is to provide a body of knowledge on the issues surrounding a successful transformation process.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Bestuur staar voortdurend nuwe uitdagings in die gesig en organisasies word bedreig deur 'n uiterste stryd om herlewing. Hierdie studie het ten doel om bestuurders te voorsien van 'n praktiese handleiding gebaseer op 'n hilistiese en geintegreerde benadering om die uitdagings van transformasie waarvoor hulle te staan kom met sukses te trotseer en te oorkom. Dit het van uiterste belang geword dat bestuurders tegnieke aanleer om hulle onderskeie organisasies so te herposisioneer en te her-organiseer dat hulle in staat gestel sal word om die uitdagings van die toekoms met sukses te oorkom. Die areas ter sprake in die studie het ten doel om bestuur van relevante inligting te voorsien oor hoe om organisasies te transformer en insig te verskaf oor die benadering van implementering. Die beplanning, posisionering en implementering van transformasie is een van die belangrikste hulpmiddels vir organisasies om strategies die kompeterende voordeel te verkry in die toekoms. Die Bisschoff generiese sleutel sukses faktor organisasie transformasie model is ontwerp om bestuurders in staat te stel om die uitdagings rakende transformasie met sekerheid aan te durf. Hierdie studie is onderneem en saamgestel om bestuurders te voorsien met 'n handleiding waarin tegnieke en modelle beskryf word waarbinne die teorie en literatuur in hulle organisasie toegepas kan word. Die kern doel van hierdie studie is om 'n liggaam van transformasie te voorsien rakende die vraagstukke rakende 'n suksesvolle transformasie proses.

To be submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree MAGISTER TECHNOLOGIAE in Quality Faculty of Engineering CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY 2008
Engineering by its very nature is associated with quality processes. Ineffective processes have the potential to jeopardize the chances of providing consistently, products that meet customer and applicable regulatory requirements. By implication, this senario also calls for organizational transformation. SA Five Engineering (Pty) Ltd (SAF), which will serve as the target organization for this research study has in the past year suffered numerous complaints of poor products as a result of ineffective processes, impacting on production quality. Both 150 9000 and the concept of Total Quality Management have the potential to mitigate ineffective processes within SAF. The key research objective with this research study, is to recommend how to improve ineffective processes and the competitive advantage of SAF through improved products. Furthermore, to analyze the business organization in order to determine the extent to which Total Quality Management principles are deployed with the aim of developing a model, which will serve as a benchmark for sustained improvement. The research problem deals with ineffective processes within SAF which impacts adversely on delivery of quality products and services. The research design and methodology to be conducted within the ambit of this research study is applied research, as applied research is designed to apply its findings to solve a specific existing problem. The research will furthermore fall in the social world as the research relates to a structured business research study pertaining to how things are, and why. The research will be conducted from both an empirical and theoretical research paradigm, using a survey for the purpose of data collection. The research method that will be applied within the context of this research study will be a case study research.

Organisations are by nature, dynamic entities that continuously undergo transformation in response to both internal and external pressures, which are imposed on them (Robbins, Odendaal &
Roodt, 2003). Government departments are by no means immune to these changes, which pose challenges that affect their service delivery. During periods of fundamental transformation, individuals typically experience changes in their levels of organisational commitment, which impacts on effective and efficient service delivery. Organisational commitment as an area of research is one of the factors that could lead to greater morale, strong organisational climate, motivation and productivity in many organisations facing transformation (Salami, 2008). The aim of this study was to investigate the level of organisational commitment after a transformation process at a Provincial Government Department. Recent organisational transformations (both in the private and public sector) have included the redrawing of divisional boundaries, flattening of hierarchic levels, spreading of spans of control, revising compensation, streamlining processes and reforming governance (Ndlovu &
Brijball Parusumar, 2005). The results of the research indicate that employees are moderately committed to the organisation. Statistically significant relationships were found between the dimensions of organisational commitment, except for affective commitment and total commitment which were not significant. 
Furthermore, results indicate that statistically significant differences exist based on the biographical characteristics (namely, gender, race, tenure, marital status, age and job level) but these characteristics do not significantly explain the variance in organisational commitment for this organisation. A limitation of the research is that the sampling composition and research design preclude the results of this study being generalised to other organisations and it is recommended that a stratified random sampling design be utilised for future research.

In response to competitive and economic pressures, an increasing number of manufacturing firms are adding services to their traditional product offerings. However, companies are confronted with an arduous undertaking, and find it difficult to servitize successfully and profitably. This thesis investigates the transformation that traditional manufacturers undergo to become providers of integrated products and services, a phenomenon known as servitization. Servitization is considered a strategic re-direction of the manufacturing organisation and a major challenge for senior management. The purpose of this study is to provide better understanding of the change that occurs when a manufacturer attempts servitization. The study adopts a qualitative theory building approach to investigate an under-researched phenomenon and a major managerial challenge. It follows a strategy of engaged scholarship to understand a complex organisational problem. The research utilised multiple case studies, action research, and focus groups to tackle a problem with significance to industry. The findings reveal the nature of servitization as a complex transformative change which exposes the manufacturing company to its environment in new ways, and closely interlinks the organisation with a network of stakeholders through new dependencies. The transformation of traditional manufacturers towards servitized organisations is multi-dimensional and goes through eleven dimensions of transformation across the organisation and its network. In addition, thirty nine forces of change were found to influence the outcome of servitization, and were categorised into three sets of change drivers for servitization. The results of the study led to the formation of a model for transformation towards a servitized organisation for use by industry practitioners to roadmap and facilitate their organisation‟s shift towards services. The model represents a novel approach to managing servitization. This research has addressed a literature gap and met an industrial need, and has made a significant contribution to knowledge about the change that traditional manufacturers experience to become servitized organisations.

Drawing on multiple theoretical lenses, this research studies continuous transformation, or ‘morphing’, of a business process resource network (BPRN). The aim is to further our understanding of continuous organisational change at the lowest levels of analysis within an organisation: that is, at the resource level, and that resource’s relationships to other resources as they exist within a BPRN. Data was gathered from a single, in depth case study. Analysis was achieved by means of mapping BPRN evolution using ‘temporal bracketing’, ‘visual’ and ‘narrative’ approaches (Langley, 1999). The analysis revealed two mechanisms that appear to govern microstate morphing: bond strength and stakeholder expectation. In addition, four factors emerged as important: environmental turbulence, timing and timeliness of changes, concurrency of changes, and enduring business logic. An emergent model of microstate morphing which acknowledges the importance of socio-materiality in actor network morphogenesis (ANM) is presented. This study shows how effective relationships and configuration of resources within the BPRN can be achieved to facilitate timely, purposeful morphing. Five propositions are offered from the emergent ANM model. Specifically, these relate to the conditional operating parameters and the identified generative mechanisms for continuous organisational transformation within the BPRN. Implications for practice are significant. A heuristic discussion guide containing a series of questions framed around the ANM model to highlight the challenges of microstate morphing for practitioners is proposed. Two routes for future research are suggested: replication studies, and quantifying BPRN change in relation to an organisation’s environment using a ii survey instrument and inferential statistical analysis based on the ANM model features and propositions.

Political parties in New Zealand are now affected by elements of ideological erosion - they are characterised by both a policy convergence and a general electoral pragmatism. This thesis attempts to characterise and explain this ideological erosion in New Zealand party politics. It also aims to show that the erosion of ideology is closely related to a host of other aspects of party transformation, such as weakened partisan ties (including the decline in party membership, decline in linkages with interest groups, and class dealignment), as well as an increased reliance on the state for resources, the professionalization of the party organisations, and an increased anti-party sentiment in society. The central argument of this thesis is that these phenomena relate closely to and reflect the shift away from the 'mass membership' type of political party to an 'electoral-professional' model. It is argued that this transition has been in motion since the 1950s, but accelerated in the 1970s and then again in the 1990s. This debate revolves around a paradox in which, on the one hand, political parties in advanced industrial countries remain central to the conduct of parliamentary democracy and, on the other, they often seem to be less connected to the constituencies they claim to represent and less able to provide voters with effective choices. This thesis engages with this debate by examining both ideological and organisational transformation in one particular democracy, New Zealand.

Strategic leadership is understood in this thesis to operate through the interaction of 'personal' and 'impersonal' communications between stakeholders in an organisational learning context. The thesis illustrates the impact of these 'emergent' and 'structured' 'forms of text' on strategic performance, competence and delivery. It explores the complex-dynamic consequences for the areas of Innovation (pertaining to knowledge leadership), Social Architecture (pertaining to human resource development) and Reputation (pertaining to the strategic management of organisational behaviour and information). Communications are interpreted from a neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) perspective, which the thesis calls Nanopsychology (NLPS). The focus is on how persons' self-reference can influence strategic change through leadership in action. This person-centric focus contrasts with modernist forms of intervention such as Management by Objectives (MBO), hence the title 'Leadership by Subjectives' (LBS). The thesis draws on current management literature on the strategic leadership of organisational behaviour to critique MBO as a modernist meta-discourse. It argues that the modernist 'meta-text' frames human decision-making within a singular, 'massively modular', serial solution for transforming organizations and the people in them. Instead, the thesis employs a post-modern understanding of information in the New Economy by applying a Complexity perspective to explore the impact of the 'post-human condition' on work-based learning relationships. Within a modernist evolutionary paradigm, research is conducted either a-priori (or deductively) or a-posteriori (or inductively). The thesis considers that such approaches fail to transcend and/or include effective strategies to address the issue of subjectivity as a form of emergent information. It develops a practicemethod- theory iterative approach which is based around a process of 'abductive discovery' called Q Methodology. Three case studies are presented which illustrate how to apply Non-parametric statistics, Emergent-Participative Strategy and Q Factor Analysis as forms of Psychographic (as opposed to psychometric) research. The objective is to explore how to assist learners, change consultants, corporate managers, and national policy makers, as well as academics and other participants to add value to the ethical, social and financial 'triple bottom line' by paying attention to how their emergent communications structure information. The 'Q' thesis is a Technology Futures Analysis (TFA) method which applies a number of meta-frameworks drawn from relationship, counselling and evolutionary psychology, to interpret subjective data as communicative information. By conceptually integrating the frameworks as methods for TFA, it shows how it is possible to 'pattern' a multi-level 'synchronicity in action' between Human Capital, Identity, Relationships, Learning and Knowledge. The thesis concludes that MBO may be an efficient organisational strategy for behavioral control in organisations. However it cannot work, without an in-depth understanding of the effect upon the triple bottom line of the complex-dynamic interaction between a changing economy, human relationships and personal identity.

As corporations have to adapt to an ever-faster spinning global environment they often turn to projects as a facilitator to positive change. With the increase in temporary projects more line managers are faced with leading projects in the permanent organisation, a task that can be widely different from leadership in the permanent organisation. Our purpose is to expand the theoretical and practical knowledge on how managers view the contrast on leadership in the temporary organisation in comparison with the permanent organisation in our case company IKEA and how organisational culture influence this leadership. Which lead us to our research question, How do managers at IKEA compare their leadership styles between being a line manager in comparison with a manager in a temporary organisation? In order to answer the research questions we conducted a qualitative method study, using semi-structured interviews as a tool we interviewed nine senior managers at IKEA who have significant experience from leadership in both organisational contexts. The managers also answered a leadership test for us to better understand their leadership; furthermore we interviewed an HR-experienced manager for context. To interpret the data, an exhaustive theoretical frame of reference was constructed with regards to our purpose, built mainly of leadership theory, organisational culture and differences organisational contexts. After presenting our data based on our main themes, a thematic analysis was conducted on the data gathered that summarized and discussed the important findings discovered in our transcripted interview material. The themes constructed were “leading to succeed”, “communication is key”, “focus on the individual”, “supportive surroundings” and “strength through unity”. Further, a framework is assembled and presented, highlighting the contrasts between the organisational contexts in regards to our constructed thematic frameworks. In our conclusions we found that the basis of our participants transformative leadership does not change between the organisational contexts, it only slightly adapts to organisational routines that differ. Furthermore we establish a connection between IKEA’s transformative organisational culture and leadership in the organisation, which are analogous in their cornerstones. The theoretical contributions complements previous research within leadership in temporary organisations, with the additions of organisational culture and the managerial perspective. And our practical contributions assist IKEA and similar companies in their understanding of their managers’ views on the fundamental contrasts in leadership in the different organisational contexts.

Magister Commercii (Industrial Psychology) - MCom(IPS)
Research evidence suggests that strengthening the cultural roots of an organisation (Organisational Culture) can lead to the observance of increased behaviours that goes beyond the call of duty (Organisational Citizenship Behaviour) across all sectors within a given organisation. Organisational cultures that encourage innovation, sense of togetherness and positive competition, are ideal in encouraging employees to perform beyond normal expectations in organisations. Organisational culture is therefore a critical element that contributes to organisational success and effectiveness. The focus of this study is to determine the impact that the organisational culture of the South African Police Service, as an organisation, has on the Organisational Citizenship Behaviour of its members in the Western Cape. The empirical study involved the participation of 127 respondents from three of the largest police stations in the Western Cape. A survey was conducted using the Organisational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) and the Organisational Citizenship Behaviour Scale (OCBS) to assess the hypothesised relationship between the variables. An analysis of the results suggests that all of the dimensions of Organisational Culture (Clan, Adhocracy, Hierarchy and Market) are positively related to all of the dimensions of Organisational Citizenship Behaviour (Altruism, Sportsmanship, Civic Virtue, Conscientiousness and courtesy).

The objective of this dissertation is to present a firm’s business model innovation (BMI) and organisational change during the servitization process. It mainly aims to produce new knowledge on BMI and the factors that influence the transformation process and organisational change during servitization in the automotive firm. A qualitative, multi- case research design was employed in this research. The data were obtained through secondary sources, including annual reports, press notes, media releases, websites, and auto magazines. A total of 103 public documents were obtained from various sources during the period 2016-2019. The thematic analysis technique was used to analyse the data
L’objectiu de la present tesi doctoral és presentar la innovació en model de negoci d’una empresa i el canvi organitzatiu que l’acompanya en el procés de servitització. Es proposa generar coneixement nou en l’àmbit de la innovació en model de negoci i els factors que impacten el procés de transformació i el canvi organitzatiu de la servitització d’una empresa d’automoció. S’apliquen tècniques qualitatives i un disseny metodològic de casos d’estudi. Les evidències s’han obtingut de fonts secundàries, que inclouen informes anuals, notes de premsa, pàgines web i revistes d’automoció. S’han obtingut i revisat 103 documents públics de varies fonts corresponent al període 2016-2019. S’ha aplicat la tècnica d’anàlisi temàtica per analitzar les dades
Programa de Doctorat Interuniversitari en Dret, Economia i Empresa

This study examined the effect of complexity on organisational transformations that are initiated by substantial information system changes. The motivation for this study was to explain and provide options to improve the relatively low benefit realisation from transformation investments. This study uniquely combined a critical realist approach, complexity theory and organisational theory to identify three critical mechanisms. Persistent activation energy mechanism, structural latency mechanism and insightful experimentation mechanism mutually interact to influence organisational transformation outcomes. These findings assist practitioners as they plan and implement transformations and researchers who can use these findings to further investigate the nature of transformative mechanisms.

This thesis seeks to study the phenomenon of transformational journeys in major organisations, defined as a process of radical change delivering dramatic and sustained improvement in market competitive performance within an aggressive timescale. This is characterised by strategic repositioning, alongside shifts in both strategic and organisational architecture, and is observable as periodic in the life of an organisation. A research framework for observation and explanation is taken from theories and research in strategic change, strategic intent and competitive advantage, strategic and organisational architecture, management process in transformation and typologies of transformational journeys. The primary research question, “how do top managers in different organisations lead and manage transformational change?” was addressed with an overall qualitative dual approach: firstly a pilot cross-company study with executives from 23 organisations to develop a high level typology and compare and contrast aspects of process; secondly longitudinally to examine in detail the complex interrelationships and aspects of emergent process. The prime empirical work was a main case study of Thames Water Utilities on a 7 year journey. Limited or secondary data was used from around 7 other longitudinal cases. The thesis conclusions make a number of specific propositions: around effective use of the descriptive framework and metaphor of a journey; on dependencies between aspects of context, content and process of change in transformation; on typologies of different journey management styles; on perceived conditions for success; and on practical applicability. Specifically, the adoption of “navigational leadership” capability, defined by a number of dimensions and characteristics, is explored as a new and emergent style appropriate in future business circumstances of increasing change and uncertainty. The research also concludes that such styles can be learnt and adopted by top teams.

Facing global challenges in the knowledge economy, the competitiveness of business organisations has transformed dramatically in recent years. With the increase in the significance of knowledge sharing to organisational growth, a lot of resources have been invested to the management of knowledge via technological applications. In the same line of argument, a wide range of literature has argued for the contribution of employees in the sharing of knowledge. However, there are few literature that discussed the impact of organisational factors on the integration of business processes and knowledge sharing. Given the amount of research on the importance of knowledge management to improve business processes and organisational knowledge, it becomes imperative to develop a clear understanding of the impact of organisational factors on knowledge sharing performance. Therefore, the primary aim of this research is develop and validate a functional knowledge sharing model which can facilitate and enhance organisational performance considering the impact of organisational factors for business-knowledge implementation. A conceptual framework is built based on thorough literature review of knowledge management, organisational factors, performance and in-depth discussion with knowledge experts. The proposed conceptual framework is empirically tested adopting a quantitative method with survey data using over 300 responses from manufacturing and service industries in seven countries across three continents for a comprehensive and balanced view. The data from the survey are analysed by using integrated techniques of both Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The fsQCA phase of this study discussed the comparative impact of organisational factors in the seven countries where survey data were collected and formulated the input and output variables for the measurement of knowledge sharing performance using DEA. With regard to the findings of the empirical research, three main constructs (knowledge sharing, organisational factors and performance) were successfully validated as dimensional constructs. The structural paths support conceptual framework that knowledge sharing has a positive influence on organisational competitive advantage, and organisational factors such as culture has a strong contribution to knowledge sharing performance. However, the direct impact of knowledge sharing on organisational performance is insignificant when key performance indicators are not identified. Various manufacturing and service organisations will potentially benefit from applying the results of this study to their knowledge sharing practices when seeking greater integration of multi business processes with accrued knowledge. The theoretical contribution of this study includes an integrated framework and model for knowledge transformation processes, knowledge sharing processes and knowledge sharing decision making for organisational performance.

Digital Transformation is the integration of digital technology into all business areas, fundamentally changing how you operate and deliver value to customers. The purpose of this research is to explore to what degree has IT solution sector companies have digitally transformed during the past few years. Qualitative analysis was used to analyze the literature and the empirical data and make the assumptions required. The results indicate that DT is a procedure that involves integrating technology in all business areas and companies in the IT Sector choose to start the procedure to become more efficient and able to make frequent changes in order to satisfy their market and keep up with competition. The main barriers found are, in company communication, Hierarchy Financial requirements and unclear digital transformation strategy. The impact of failing to digitally transform is losing market share due to inability to keep up with the competition.

E-government represents a fundamental change in the whole public sector structure, values, culture and the ways of conducting business by utilising the potential of ICT as a tool in the government agency. It fundamentally alters the way public services are delivered and managed. More and more governments around the world are introducing electronic government (e-government) as a means of reducing costs, improving services for citizens and increasing effectiveness and efficiency in the public sector. Therefore e-government has been identified as one of the top priorities for governments across the world. However, the introduction of e-government is about a radical change within government and about the relationship between a government and its citizens. Hence, the adoption of e-government raises important political, cultural, organisational, technological and social issues which must be considered and treated carefully by any government contemplating its adoption. Findings of several studies indicate that despite high costs of e-government projects, tangible and intangible, many e-government efforts are failing or are slowly diffusing. This study explores and investigates empirically how an e-government system can be adopted in developing countries taking the Saudi Arabian initiative as a case study. The key technological and organisational issues that affect systems development are investigated; and how these issues could be treated in practice. Following a review of the relevant literature in Information Systems, E-commerce and E-government, a theoretical framework is formulated. The framework is then applied in a real-world case study to support further data collection and to establish a view of e-government adoption at both national and agency levels. Based on the data collected the initial framework is then revised by using the interpretive case study approach where triangulated data are extracted. As a result, a comprehensive framework including details about the key factors that affect e-government adoption is developed. The framework can be used as a tool to determine the road ahead for adoption an e-government system at national and agency levels and to identify the main practices and key conditions to move towards successful implementation especially for governments in developing countries that are seeking to adopt an e-government system.

This thesis critically reviews and evaluates theories of organisational learning and IT-related organisational change with particular reference to the task of explaining users’ acceptance (or rejection) of new technology. It seeks to develop a conceptual model of organisational learning and apply it to the particular case of recent IT-related (e-government) organisational change in Korea’s Supreme Court Registry Office (SCRO). Hitherto, there has been no systematic attempt to analyse the way in which management theories contribute to the electronic government (e-government) transformation effort within the public sector. This thesis seeks to fill this gap by synthesising perspectives drawn from the study of public sector organisation, IT, organisational transformation, and organisational learning. The analysis of the case study organisation (based on a qualitative research methodology) identifies various organisational learning phenomena occurring during the change project within the SCRO. In particular, it elaborates the interplay between the process of learning and change in the level of users’ acceptance (or rejection) of the new technology (the change over time is presented graphically in the form of a ‘support curve’). The research follows the organisational-transformation project since 1994 in terms of the process innovation diffusion model (Cooper and Zmud), which identifies the following key stages: initiation, adoption, adaptation, acceptance, routinisation and infusion (Cooper and Zmud). For each of these stages, processes of organisational learning are linked to the level of users’ acceptance. This aspect of the analysis involves considering the nature and scope of collective, mutual, situated, single-loop and double- loop learning; learning by doing; team learning; and leadership. These various approaches to organisational learning, which emerge from the analysis of the existing organisational-learning literature, are applied to the case analysis to bring out major developments in the SCRO’s organisational transformation. The findings derived from this study provide a framework that can be further applied and tested in future research, and that will also allow public sector management to continuously anticipate the problems involved in cultivating and sustaining users’ acceptance of new technology and nurturing appropriate organisational learning.

The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to existing explanations of the organisational outcomes of Information Technology (IT). In studying this phenomenon, prior research and theory have taken different approaches. At the one end, technology is seen as a major agent of change determining the structure and behaviour of organisations and their members. In stark opposition to this perspective, the tradition of social construction of technology represents IT outcomes as the product of human interpretations, intentions, and voluntary practices. Recent debates in the field have attempted to go beyond these two extreme positions in order to admit both the role of technology, and the social context into which it is introduced. In line with this emerging literature, this research devises an original conceptual framework to allow for the incorporation of multiple entities and the consideration of the dynamic interaction amongst them. This relational approach is employed to examine IT appropriations and the ensuing organisational change in a case of implementing an IT system in three organisational units of a large airline firm. The evidence from this research reaffirms the significance of human agency in mediating IT outcomes. It also demonstrates how the exercise of agency is informed by both the internal and the external environment of the organisation, as well as by the technology's characteristics. The thesis‘s main contribution is that it provides a sociological account of an instance of IT-associated change that avoids both technological determinism and extreme social constructivism.

In the face of knowledge deficits in and poor outcome assessments of Organisation Transformation (OT), there is a need for a better understanding of the relationship between change leader interventions and qualitative organisational schema change, the collective knowledge structures that must be replaced or significantly elaborated if OT is to be realised. Previous research on this relationship has (a) focused on imposed structural interventions and given little attention to large-scale human process interventions, (b) given little attention to the radical structural interventions frequently involved in the transformation of public organisations, (c) given little scrutiny to how organisational schema have been conceptualised, (d) given little scrutiny to recent propositions on schema change dynamics that may be contentious, and (e) given little consideration to the change management contexts in which leader influence may be neutralised. In the light of these gaps in the literature, this thesis investigates, from the perspective of change recipients, the relationship between complex large-scale change leader interventions and qualitative organisational schema change in change management contexts thought to be inimical to leader influence. In particular, how efficacious are change leader interventions in realising qualitative organisational schema change in such contexts? An interpretive longitudinal case study design was used to address this question. The case organisation is a spatially differentiated technically-oriented public Professional Bureaucracy located in Queensland. In this context, this thesis investigates, over a three-year period, the creation and evolution of three schema change contexts, or change trajectories, created by two temporally disconnected yet functionally inter-related change leader interventions. Data collection techniques included focus group interviews, semi-structured interviews, and secondary sources. Data were collected from several sites, including Head Office functions and Regional and District offices, across Queensland. Data were collected on four occasions across the three-year period from early 2000 to late 2002. The results reveal that (a) while there are no panaceas, public managers need more sophisticated intervention theories based on a knowledge of the relative efficacy of different interventions rather than relying on, predominantly, structural interventions, (b) viewing organisational schema in one-dimensional rather than multidimensional terms masks both the complexity of organisational schema change and the possibility of partial rather than configurational schema change, (c) while inter-schema conflict or dialectical processes were apparent, successful schema change was better explained by teleological processes than by dialectical processes, and (d) change leaders can have a powerful influence on OT in change management contexts thought to be inimical to change leader influence yet their influence is linked to high investments of time and effort.

The study proposed an evidence-based framework for designing and evaluating organisational learning and knowledge management processes to support continuously improving intentions of organisations such as hospitals. It demarcates the extant approaches to organisational learning including supporting technology into ‘rationalist’ and ‘emergent’ schools which utilise the dichotomy between the traditional healthcare managers’ roles and clinicians’ roles, and maintains that they are exclusively inadequate to accomplish transformative growth intentions, such as continuously improving patient care. The possibility of balancing the two schools for effective organisational learning design is not straightforward, and fails; because the balanced-view school is theoretically orientated and lack practical design to resolve power tensions entrenched in organisational structures. Prior attempts to address the organisational learning and knowledge management design and evaluation problematics in actuality have situated in the interpretivist traditions, only focusing on explanations of meanings. Critically, this is uncritical of power relations and orthodox practices. The theory of deferred action is applied in the context of critical research methods and methodology to expose the motivations behind the established organisational learning and knowledge management practices of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) which assumed rationality design conceptions. Ethnographic data was obtained and interpreted with combined critical hermeneutics and narrative analyses to question the extent of healthcare learning and knowledge management systems failures and unveil the unheard voices as force for change. The study makes many contributions to knowledge but the key ones are: (i) Practically, the participants accepted the study as a catalyst for (re)-designing healthcare learning and knowledge management systems to typify the acceptance of the theory of deferred action in practice; (ii) theoretically, the cohered emergent transformation (CET) model was developed from the theory of deferred action and validated with empirical data to explain how to plan strategically to achieve transformative growth objectives; and (iii) methodologically, the sense-making of the ethnographic data was explored with the combined critical hermeneutics and critical narrative analyses, the data interpretation lens from the critical theory and qualitative pluralism positions, to elucidate how the unheard emergent voices could bring change to the existing KATH learning and knowledge management processes for improved patient care.

This thesis explores organisational learning, a process of improving actions through better knowledge and understanding (Fiol & Lyles, 1985). Organisational learning is essential in an organisation's ability to evolve and grow and respond to environmental changes and is implicated in its survival. While all organisations are said to be learning constantly, the processes involved in this learning are highly contested, multi-layered and intricate. Knowledge, memory and practice have been implicated in the multi-faceted nature of organisational learning. This study examines the role of organisational learning in stability and change patterns and the ways that this learning is manifested in an organisational context. In particular, this study focuses on the routine actions taken by organisational members and their role in reproducing relations of stability and change organisationally. It employs Giddens's Structuration Theory (1984) as a sensitising device to view the relationship between organisational structure and employees as one of mutual constitution where knowledgeable agents both produce their world at the same time as they reproduce it anew through their daily actions. The research takes the form of a single case study comprising interview and documentary data collected over a period of eighteen months with an aerospace manufacturing company. The analysis of the findings indicated that organisations and the individuals who comprise them: are driven by a mutual objective that directs collective action; constantly interpret the information they receive from within and outside the organisation and act upon their interpretations; and accept that such varied interpretations can and do create conflict about organisational priorities. The findings are presented in the context of existing literature on organisational learning, knowing, remembering, practising and routine work; and within the theoretical framework of structure and agency. In doing so this study discusses the transformation of the organisation through practices, thus making stability and change constantly present rather than being viewed as mutually exclusive. This transformation is constant because organisations are comprised of individuals who engage in knowing as an element of living. Individual employees, driven by incomplete and provisional knowledge, engage in learning about their work, their organisation and how to improve by constantly interpreting the knowledge transmitted to them through their socialisation in and through organisational practices. Their knowing and learning is continuous; when practising routine work not only do they reproduce the conditions that make their actions possible, they also produce the organisation anew. Better knowledge has increased the capacities of employees and their contribution to organisational efficiency has improved. In their joint efforts they have thus transformed the organisation which in turn forces change back upon the individuals – a transformed organisation needs to be interpreted and understood once more and the cycle starts again. Organisational learning can be viewed as the transformation of the organisation, not only through major changes that are deliberate and contingent, but also though the subtle alterations that happen continuously in the course of each day as people go about their work.

In the face of knowledge deficits in and poor outcome assessments of Organisation Transformation (OT), there is a need for a better understanding of the relationship between change leader interventions and qualitative organisational schema change, the collective knowledge structures that must be replaced or significantly elaborated if OT is to be realised. Previous research on this relationship has (a) focused on imposed structural interventions and given little attention to large-scale human process interventions, (b) given little attention to the radical structural interventions frequently involved in the transformation of public organisations, (c) given little scrutiny to how organisational schema have been conceptualised, (d) given little scrutiny to recent propositions on schema change dynamics that may be contentious, and (e) given little consideration to the change management contexts in which leader influence may be neutralised. In the light of these gaps in the literature, this thesis investigates, from the perspective of change recipients, the relationship between complex large-scale change leader interventions and qualitative organisational schema change in change management contexts thought to be inimical to leader influence. In particular, how efficacious are change leader interventions in realising qualitative organisational schema change in such contexts? An interpretive longitudinal case study design was used to address this question. The case organisation is a spatially differentiated technically-oriented public Professional Bureaucracy located in Queensland. In this context, this thesis investigates, over a three-year period, the creation and evolution of three schema change contexts, or change trajectories, created by two temporally disconnected yet functionally inter-related change leader interventions. Data collection techniques included focus group interviews, semi-structured interviews, and secondary sources. Data were collected from several sites, including Head Office functions and Regional and District offices, across Queensland. Data were collected on four occasions across the three-year period from early 2000 to late 2002. The results reveal that (a) while there are no panaceas, public managers need more sophisticated intervention theories based on a knowledge of the relative efficacy of different interventions rather than relying on, predominantly, structural interventions, (b) viewing organisational schema in one-dimensional rather than multidimensional terms masks both the complexity of organisational schema change and the possibility of partial rather than configurational schema change, (c) while inter-schema conflict or dialectical processes were apparent, successful schema change was better explained by teleological processes than by dialectical processes, and (d) change leaders can have a powerful influence on OT in change management contexts thought to be inimical to change leader influence yet their influence is linked to high investments of time and effort.

The purpose of the study has been to investigate how leadership can support organisational change by empowering Project Managers and Team Leaders to encourage organisational change into a Lean/Agile organisation. Lean is a management philosophy based on measuring flow efficiency instead of resource efficiency. To be able to create flow there are certain basic principles to be followed such as minimising waste, working in a team and constantly strive for improvement. It has in several studies been pointed out that leadership is an important factor in creating a successful organisational change that lasts. We have in our study strengthen the implementation of Lean by focusing on visual planning, feedback and leadership connected with theories on organisational change. This was done by providing by coaching leadership during the workshops and also a study visit for one of the pilot groups that consisted of Team Leaders and Project Managers from two of the divisions at Saab Technologies. In conclusion, the study has shown that leadership is a necessary factor to succeed with a reorganisation irrespective of what level in the company is being reorganised. The Management Teams have to lead with visions and create long-term goals. Based on these goals, clear milestones should be created that are implemented and then evaluated in short intervals, these milestones then sipper down the to the levels below in the organisation where the milestones and goals are translated from vision into action. The picture of that a reorganisation changes the company overnight needs to be erased in benefit of creating small continuous changes that in the long run will lead to a new organisation. The Project Managers and Team Leaders also have to lead their projects and teams for the reorganisation to evolve and not stagnate. Furthermore, the leadership has to be adapted to every situation, keeping in mind that teams and projects are in different stages just as a reorganisation. Visual planning has worked as a translator and as something reachable in the reorganisation and also as an anchor to be able to continue the implementation of Lean within the organisation.
Syftet med studien har varit att undersöka hur ledarskap kan stödja organisationsförändring genom att ge makt till projekt- och teamledare att främja organisationsförändringen till en Lean/Agil verksamhet. Lean är en management filosofi som baseras på att mäta flödeseffektivitet istället för resurseffektivitet. För att skapa flöde finns vissa grundprinciper som att minimera slöseri, arbeta i team och att ständigt stäva efter att förbättra. Ledarskap har i flera studier poängterats som en viktig faktor för att få till en lyckad organisationsförändring som består. I vårt examensarbete har vi stärkt implementeringen av Lean genom att fokusera på visuell planering, feedback och ledarskap sammankopplat med teorier om organisationsförändring. Detta har skett genom att vi har tillhandahållit ett coachande ledarskap under workshops och ett studiebesök för en pilotgrupp, bestående av teamledare och projektledare vid två Divisioner inom Saab Technologies. Slutsatsen av studien är att ledarskap är en nödvändig faktor för att lyckas med en omorganisation oavsett på vilken nivå av företagets organisation. Ledningsgruppen måste leda med visioner och skapa långsiktiga mål. Utifrån dessa mål bör sedan tydliga hållpunkter skapas som implementeras och utvärderas i korta intervall, de hållpunkterna sipprar sedan neråt i organisationen och översätter mål och vision till aktion. Bilden av att en omorganisation förändrar företaget över en natt behöver suddas ut till förmån för att skapa små kontinuerliga förändringar som i det långa loppet leder till en ny organisation. Även projektledare och teamledare måste leda sina projekt och team för att omorganisationen ska gå framåt och inte stagnera. Ledarskapet måste i sin tur anpassas till varje situation, att leda med tanken på att ett team och projekt befinner sig i olika faser precis som en omorganisation. Visuell planering har fungerat som en översättningsfunktion och som någonting greppbart i omorganisationen samt fungerat som ett ankare för att fortsätta implementera Lean i organisationen.

This thesis confronts the question: what supports breakthrough? From my practice base as an Organisational Development (OD) consultant, I question sanitised assumptions at the heart of OD that leadership, management and corporate transformation is necessarily about "upward curves" and that development is experienced positively. I show how received, techno-rational notions of "on demand" corporate innovation and cultural transformation often neglect the central human experience of breakthrough, including issues of encounter, catharsis and collapse which - far from being manifestations of psychopathology - might well have their place in individual and corporate revitalisation and renewal. To explore what I believe to be neglected issues concerning the living experience of breakthrough and transformation, I situate my enquiry in the tradition of Heuristic Action Research. Enquiring across personal, organisational and social boundaries, I undertake critically-reflexive self-study in both professional and personal domains of my life; I undertake "insider" action research with colleagues in the innovation consultancy I eo- founded and eo-led: and I engage in networked, participative enquiry with a number of colleagues and clients. I explore the implications for my work as an OD consultant that breakthrough and transformation require a disruption and reorganisation of the self. Exploring hidden dynamics in change processes, I describe how working with field-relational, eo-creative, embodied and aesthetic dimensions of experience has become central to my own theory of practice, which has been challenged and changed through this research process. While this is predominantly a first-person enquiry, I suggest that these guiding heuristics might also have applications for other OD practitioners whose work encourages them to break new ground.

Information technology (IT) has been used extensively by organisations in the supply chain (SC) to improve efficiency, control and competitive advantage. Research on this innovation has often neglected the drivers, facilitators and risks associated with the approaches adopted. In response, this research investigated and classified approaches to using IT in the SC and identified key drivers, facilitators and risks with each strategy. It forms a model to guide researchers and practitioners In the use of IT in the SC for organisational change. Leveraging investments in IT to improve SC efficiencies is complex and requires a well defined strategy that is supported by the drivers, facilitators, and risks (three variables) addressed in this study. In addition, organisations have different ambitions in relation to these investments with some aiming to make minor cost reductions whilst others aim to transform the organisa1ion through radical supply chain development. This ·research places special emphasis on the characteristics of IT and supply chain strategies that lead to organisational transformation. The main research question for this thesis is: How can firms most effectively leverage Information Technology Investments in the supply chain? A grounded theory approach has been used to build theory from journal articles published in 1997-2007 inclusive. A comprehensive meta-analysis of research articles, dealing with IT use In the SC and organisational change, from a broad range of academic business and scientific journals was undertaken to identify the drivers, facilitators and risks associated with leveraging IT Investments in the SC. The outcome of the meta-analysts is a model for IT use in the SC for organisational change. The results of the meta-analysis suggest that investment Inn in the SC cannot be successful unless the drivers of IT use are understood properly and the facilitating conditions are developed before using IT. A comprehensive list of drivers was reduced to ten key factors: 'improvement of Information quality', 'supply chain cost reduction', 'better decision making', 'reduction of cycle time and lead time', satisfaction of high quality service', 'real-time information accessibility', 'increased operational capability', 'sharing risks with others, 'market sharing and expansion', and 'better relationships with suppliers and individuals'. In a similar approach, ten critical facilitators were identified: 'firm's dynamic capability', 'enterprise application linkages through the chain', 'network of partnering firms or suppliers', 'willingness and trust of the partners and users', 'conductive culture of knowledge and information sharing', 'universally usable and accessible-systems and services', 'management guidance and trainings', 'expertise and experience', 'high levels of implementation planning', and 'community of users and suppliers for learning and sharing'. The key risks are also identified as these act as major constraints to the successful investment of IT in SC: 'poor ·understanding of firm's capability', 'inability to build trust between the SC partners and individuals', 'insufficient willingness of information sharing and support', 'lack of top management capability', 'incapability of managing sensitive data', and 'lack of control over the increased interdependencies'. Together these factors determine the overall level of success in relation to IT investment in the SC. Several SC strategies were identified and their characteristics defined as they form the basis of a model of IT use in the SC. These strategies include a low complexity cost reduction approach, a medium complexity collaborative approach, and a high complexity transformational approach. A key contribution of this thesis is the models and frameworks related to using IT in the SC. These provide significant directives for planning successful IT investment in the SC and related organisational transformation.

Digitalisation and the phenomenon of digital transformation is rapidly and fundamentally changing existing businesses and organisations alike (Collin, 2015). Although considered a prime challenge for leaders of complex and changing organisations, research in the combined field of digitalisation and leadership however still remain scarce. As executives are tasked with the leading of digital transformation, this study aims to understand how digitalisation effects top management leadership. To achieve this, the study takes a two-folded approach by (1) outlining six characteristics of digitalisation and (2) analysing how these characteristics effect three contemporary forms of leadership: values-based, transformative and authentic leadership. Through a broad literature survey and 13 in-depth interviews with executives and organisational leaders, the study found that the six identified characteristics of digitalisation all effected the three forms of contemporary leadership. The different characteristics did not only change how the leaders practiced each of their leadership styles, but also how their leadership manifested itself through the use of various digital tools, methods and processes in order to enhance and empower their leadership. Even the sub-features of each leadership form were subject to this fundamental digital change. What was also found were three complementary perspectives when leading complex and changing organisations: the perspective of holism, virtuality and networked-based hubs. Each of these perspectives were premiered aspects to be considered as a contemporary leader.

Die vorliegende Studie geht der Frage nach, ob und wie die Durchführung von Qualitätsmanagement-Projekten im akademischen Arbeitskontext in Lateinamerika Impulse zur Verbesserung des organisationalen Lernens in öffentlichen und privaten Universitäten setzen kann. Die während des Weiterbildungsprogramms UniCambio XXI von Dekanen, Institutsleitern, Vizerektoren und Rektoren in Argentinien, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama und Peru umgesetzten Projekte zielen auf die Qualitäts-verbesserung der Lehre, Organisationsentwicklung, Evaluation und Akkreditierung oder insgesamt auf das Qualitätsmanagement. Diese entweder in der gesamten Hochschule, in einer Fakultät oder einem Institut verankerten Projekte ziehen in ihrer praktischen Phase bereits die Aufmerksamkeit der Autorin auf sich, weshalb diese dann eine Vorstudie mit Kurzfragebogen sowie eine Hauptstudie mit den Projektabschlussberichten und eine Vertiefungsstudie in Zentralamerika mit teilnarrativ-problemzentrierten Interviews durchführt. Hierbei werden für die Forschung zwei methodologische Grundstrategien verfolgt. Zum einen der hermeneutische, verstehende und deutende Zugang für die Analyse der relevanten Texte aus der aktuellen wissenschaftlichen Diskussion und beim Interpretationsvorgang der erhobenen Daten. Zum anderen dient der empirisch-qualitative Zugang den Erhebungen im Handlungsfeld. Die Daten werden mit Hilfe einer Technik der kategoriengeleiteten Textanalyse, der Zusammenfassung, erschlossen. Die computergestützte Verwaltung und Analyse der Daten erfolgt mit Hilfe der CAQDA-Software ATLAS.ti. Die zentralen inhaltlichen Ergebnisse konzentrieren sich auf drei Bereiche. Erstens die den Projektprozess hemmenden oder fördernden Faktoren, wobei hier vor allem die Führung, die Personalressourcen und die Einbettung in die institutionellen Rahmenbedingungen zu nennen sind. Zweitens der Zugewinn an Wissen, der als direkte oder indirekte Projektwirkung entsteht. Bei der Person entsteht ein Zugewinn an stillschweigendem personengebundenem individuellem Erfahrungswissen. Die Wirkungen in der Institution erstrecken sich auf den Zugewinn an stillschweigendem Routinewissen sowie an explizitem konzeptuellem und systemischem Wissen. Beim hinzugewonnenen Routinewissen liegt der Fokus auf dem Bewusstsein oder dem Verhalten der Organisation. Was den Zugewinn an konzeptuellem Wissen betrifft, so stehen hier die Erzeugung von Dokumenten, die Kreierung von neuen Produkten oder das Erstellen von Grundlagen für eine gemeinsam zu entwickelnde Sprache für ein Konzept oder einen Vorgang im Vordergrund. Der Zuwachs an systemischem Wissen erfolgt durch die Formulierung von Modellen, durch längerfristige Weiterbildungsprogramme, durch die Festlegung einer Methodologie für die Institution oder die Etablierung von Online-Datenbanken. Hinzu kommt hier auf der institutionellen Ebene außerdem als besonders hervorzuhebende Projektwirkung die Institutionalisierung des hinzugewonnenen Wissens. Was die Wirkung im Kontext angeht, so reicht diese von Verbesserungen im direkten lokalen hin zu Veränderungen im nationalen Projektumfeld. Drittens die vier Typen der Wissensumwandlung, die als Zwischenschritte beim Lernprozess vorkommen. Bei der Sozialisation kann stillschweigendes Wissen durch geteilte Erfahrungen bei anderen Personen als stillschweigendes Wissen aufgenommen werden. Die Externalisierung durch gemeinsame Klärung von Konzepten wandelt stillschweigendes zu explizitem Wissen um, wobei hier die Einführung der Dialogkultur eine herausragende Rolle spielt. Externalisierte und dadurch verfügbare Konzepte oder Modelle dienen als Grundlage für weitere zukünftige Aktivitäten. Die Kombination verwandelt explizites zu neuem explizitem Wissen, wobei der Neu-Aufbau von Wissen durch Neu-Gestaltung und Neu-Zusammensetzung mit Hilfe der Diskussion über in der Institution bereits vorhandenes Wissen als eine der wichtigsten Wirkungen der Projekte angesehen werden kann. Die Internalisierung durch Verinnerlichung von Wissen in die individuelle Wissensbasis wiederum verwandelt explizites zu stillschweigendem Wissen. Die Projektleiter nehmen wahr, dass ein Projekt bei Erwachsenen im Arbeitsleben einen konkreten Lernraum eröffnet und dabei gleichzeitig nach praxistauglichen Ergebnissen verlangt. Durch den formalisierten Projektrahmen wird eine thematische Fokussierung erleichtert, was wiederum zur gezielten institutionalisierten Zuweisung von Mitteln führen kann. Hier gerät der Aspekt der Priorisierung in den Vordergrund – das Projekt fordert das Abstecken eines konkreten Rahmens und eines konkreten Themas, was einerseits in die Institution mit ihren Bedingungen passt und es andererseits gerade dadurch ermöglicht, dass sich die Institution durch ein Projekt weiterentwickeln kann, da sich bei jedem Arbeitsschritt ein Feld für das Entstehen, die Transformation oder die Institutionalisierung von Wissen öffnet. Mit einem gestärkten Bewusstsein der Weiterbildungsteilnehmer hinsichtlich des großen Potenzials und der Tragweite von Projekten können diese von Beginn an ihr Projekt so planen und ausrichten, dass ein größtmöglicher Raum für den Prozess der organisationalen Wissensschaffung in ihrem eigenen Arbeitskontext angelegt wird. Das Projekt zeigt sich als ein Mittel, mit dem die vorgegebenen, alltäglichen Strukturen aufgelockert und aufgebrochen werden können. In einem zeitlich überschaubaren Rahmen zwingt es die Organisation im positiven Sinn zusätzliche Ressourcen freizuschalten, sei es in Form von Personal oder finanziellen oder räumlichen Ressourcen. Somit stellt das Projekt eine vorübergehende Zusatzbelastung für die Institution dar, die es aber gleichzeitig ermöglicht, neue Potenziale freizusetzen, zu erproben und gewohnte Wege zu verlassen. Haben sich dann die Vorgehensweisen im Rahmen des Projekts bewährt, können diese Einzug halten in die Institution, in Form von Verhaltensänderungen oder von strukturellen, konzeptionellen oder institutionalisierten strategischen Veränderungen, die für das erfolgte und zukünftig daraus resultierende organisationale Lernen stehen
This study explores whether and how the implementation of quality management projects in the context of academic work in Latin America can provide impetus for the improvement of organisational learning in public and private universities. The projects implemented by deans, directors of institutes, deputy vice chancellors and vice chancellors in Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Peru during the training programme UniCambio XXI are aiming at the improvement in quality of teaching, organisational development, evaluation and accreditation or, in general, at quality management. These projects that are either anchored in the whole university, in a faculty or in an institute draw the attention of the author even in the practical phase, which is why she is conducting a preliminary study with a short questionnaire, as well as a main study with the project completion reports, and an in-depth study in South America with semi-narrative problem-centred interviews. In connection with this, two methodological basic strategies are pursued for the research. On the one hand, the hermeneutic, interpretative and illuminating approach for the analysis of the relevant texts from the latest academic discussion and in the procedure for interpreting the data collected. On the other hand, the empirical qualitative approach serves for surveys in the field of action. The data are unlocked with the help of a technique of category-led textual analysis, summarising. The computer-aided management and analysis of the data takes place with the help of the CAQDA software ATLAS.ti. The main results in terms of contents are focused on three areas. Firstly, the inhibiting or stimulating factors for the project process, whereby management, human resources and integration into the institutional framework must be mentioned, in particular. Secondly, the gain in knowledge which arises as a direct or indirect impact of the project. In the individual, there is a gain in tacit, personal, individual knowledge based on experience. The impacts in the institution extend to the gain in tacit routine knowledge, as well as in explicit conceptual and systematic knowledge. For the routine knowledge gained, the focus is on the awareness or the conduct of the organisation. As far as the gain in conceptual knowledge is concerned, the generation of documents, the creation of new products or the establishment of foundations for a language to be developed jointly for a concept or a procedure are in the foreground. The increase in systematic knowledge takes place through the development of models, through long-term training programmes, through the specification of a methodology for the institution or the establishment of on-line databases. In addition, on the institutional level, the institutionalisation of the knowledge gained is an impact of the project particularly worth highlighting. Taking the impact in context, it extends from improvements in the direct local project environment to changes in the national project environment. Thirdly, the four types of knowledge transformation that occur as intermediate steps in the learning process. In socialisation, tacit knowledge can be absorbed as tacit knowledge by other people through shared experiences. Externalisation through the collective clarification of concepts transforms tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge, whereby the introduction of dialogue culture plays an outstanding role. Externalised and, as a result, available concepts or models serve as a basis for other future activities. The combination transforms explicit knowledge into new explicit knowledge, whereby the rebuilding of knowledge through redesign and restructuring, with the help of the discussion about knowledge that is already available in the institution, can be regarded as one of the most important impacts of the projects. Internalisation through the internalisation of knowledge into the individual knowledge base in turn transforms explicit knowledge to tacit knowledge. The project managers perceive that a project opens up a concrete learning space for adults in their working life, and, at the same time, demands practicable results. Through the formalised project framework, a thematic focus is facilitated, which in turn leads to the targeted institutionalised allocation of funds. Here, the aspect of prioritisation comes into the foreground – the project requires the definition of a concrete framework and a concrete subject, which, on the one hand, fits into the institution with its conditions, and, on the other hand, makes it possible for the institution to develop as a result of a project, as a field for the formation, the transformation and the institutionalisation of knowledge opens up with every step. With the increased awareness of the training participants with respect to the great potential and scope of projects, they can plan and organise their project from the start in such a way that the greatest possible space is set up for the process of organisational knowledge creation in their own work context. The project appears as a medium with which the predetermined, everyday structures can be loosened and broken up. In a manageable time-frame, it forces the organisation, in a positive sense, to release additional resources, whether in the form of human resources, or in the form of financial or spatial resources. Thus, the project represents a temporary additional burden for the institution, which, however, at the same time, allows it to unleash and test new potential and to leave the beaten track. If the procedures have proven themselves in the context of the project, they may find their way into the institution in the form of changes in conduct or structural, conceptual or institutional strategic changes which stand for the learning that has taken place and the future resulting organisational learning

La mobilisation de la Théorie Socio-Economique des Organisations permet d'affranchir les notions de transformation et de changement. Cette perspective permet de promouvoir la transformation au sein des organisations avec une approche théorique autonome, d'essence socio-économique, en rupture avec une conception de la transformation comme une forme du changement. La transformation est un processus socio-économique endogène et immanent. Son processus se déroule dans les infrastructures de l'organisation. Il fait advenir le changement, dont il intègre toutes les formes. Dès lors, la réussite du changement, et plus largement de toute mise en œuvre stratégique ou organisationnelle, doit être adossée à l'amélioration de la qualité et de l'efficacité du fonctionnement et du management de l'organisation. Pour réussir le changement, l'organisation doit développer durablement sa capacité à se transformer. Cela suppose deux conditions préalables, d'une part développer la capacité d'apprentissage de la transformation, d'autre part l'activation permanente du processus de la transformation. Ces deux conditions peuvent être réunies si l'organisation définit et met en œuvre une stratégie de pilotage de la transformation. La stratégie de transformations se distingue de la stratégie de changement, car elle consiste à intervenir dans les infrastructures du fonctionnement et du management de l'organisation. Sur le plan méthodologique, la recherche met en œuvre la méthode de Recherche-Intervention, dite « Intervention Socio-Economique », développée par l'Institut de Socio-Economie des Entreprises et des Organisations (H. SAVALL et V. ZARDET, ISEOR). Cette méthode permet de concevoir et d'implanter une stratégie de transformations dans le processus du management courant de l'organisation et de son fonctionnement. La recherche montre que cette quatrième condition doit être réunie pour réussir le changement
The draft of the Socio-economic Theory of Organizations allows to stamp the notions of transformation and change. This perspective allows to promote transformation within organizations with an autonomous theoretical approach, of socio-economic essence, in break with a comprehension of transformation as a form of change. Transformation est an endogenous and immanent socio-economic process. His process takes place in the facilities of the organization. It makes happen the change, all forms of which he inserts. Since then, the success of change, and more broadly any strategical or organizational implementation, must be leaned on the improvement of quality and effectiveness of functioning and management of the organization. To achieve change, the organization must develop its capacity permanently to be transformed. It assumes two prior conditions, on one hand to develop the capacity of study of transformation, on the other hand the permanente activation of process of me transformation. These three conditions can be united if the organization defines and implements a strategy of piloting of transformation. The strategy of transformation distinguishes itself from the strategy of change, because it consists in intervening in the facilities of functioning and management of the organization. Sur methodological plan, research implements the method of Research-intervention, said "Socio-economic Intervention", developed by the Institute of Socio-Economie from Firms and from Organizations (H. SAVALL and V. ZARDET, ISEOR, FRANCE). This method allows to conceive and to establish a strategy of transformation in the process of the common management of the organization and its functioning. Research shows that this fourth condition must be united to achieve change

Project management offices are expected to assist organisations in the successful delivery of projects portfolios, but often fail to meet expectations. This study contributes to the academic and practitioner understanding of project and portfolio success by providing a detailed insight into the factors and processes that drive the evolution of project management offices using routines as the unit of analysis. Project management offices are assumed to be the agent of change and strategy implementation; so, the organizational leaders need to understand the organizational context and how a successful PMO re-shape itself over time to increase its value to the organisation.

Important changes that have taken place within South African politics mean that most companies today are under pressure to implement affirmative action (AA) policies within their organisations (equity policies). These AA policies include employment equity (EE) policies and Black economic empowerment (BEE) policies. Company agendas now include aspects such as equality and social justice and organisations will continue to be evaluated in terms of how well they meet employment equity targets. Many employees and citizens in general view the process and implementation of these policies with great scepticism and even reluctance. It is important to understand and examine these perceptions because employee perceptions influence employee attitudes and behaviour and therefore have an effect on the success (or failure) of an organisation. The effective implementation of EE and BEE policies will to a large extent depend on whether or not these policies fit into the overall culture of an organisation or whether the organisational culture is adapted to accommodate these policies. Previously, corporate cultures largely ignored principles of diversity and difference. It is important that the question of whether this has changed or changed to a large enough degree be answered, especially with regard to the implementation of EE and BEE policies. Some EE and BEE programmes may fail because previous structures, cultural systems and management styles are adhered to without adapting these to suit the needs of these policies. Ultimately, employees’ perceptions of AA in their organisation, namely the EE and BEE policies that are implemented, influence the attitudes and behaviour of employees and ultimately the success of the organisation. These perceptions are related to the culture of the organisation. This study explores employee perceptions of equity policies, specifically EE and BEE, in terms of differences in demographic characteristics, including race, gender, age, years’ service and occupational level; as well as relative to the main factors of these equity policies, as confirmed by a factor analysis performed on the data, namely the importance, impact and clarity of these policies. The sample company’s organisational culture is also explored in terms of these equity policies and perceptions thereof. The ultimate goal of this research is to examine if any relationships exist between the implementation of organisational cultural practices in an organisation relative to equity policies and employee perceptions of these, and if any relationships do exist, to determine the nature of such relationships. The sample size in this study is 476 employees.
Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2010.
Psychology
unrestricted

L’ingénierie connaît une évolution de son environnement organisationnel et des outils de travail qui la composent (digitalisation). Le développement de l’activité est une ressource pour la santé au travail mais aussi un levier de la performance organisationnelle (Caroly, 2010 ; Clot, 2010) et nécessite d’être préservée et développée. L’objectif ici est de déterminer les modalités de l’activité qui participent au développement des dynamiques collectives au sein de l’ingénierie. Les professionnels participants sont la clé de voûte de cette thèse.A travers une recherche-intervention, nous cherchons à identifier les ressources et les contraintes d’une activité collective efficiente et signifiante pour les acteurs. Notre analyse du travail s’inscrit dans deux processus conjoints : comprendre pour transformer (intervention) et transformer pour comprendre (à finalité épistémique et scientifique).Au niveau macro-organisationnel, il s’agit de repérer et de caractériser les ressources et les contraintes socio-techniques de l’activité collective. Nous abordons ensuite le vécu des acteurs, leurs besoins et leurs attentes en termes de dynamique collective (niveau micro-organisationnel) avant d’envisager des interventions avec eux (niveau méso-organisationnel).Enfin, en (ré)introduisant une activité dialogique au sein même du travail, nous démontrons comment il est possible de (re)-créer des opportunités de repérage des salariés à l’échelle de leur équipe. Ainsi (re)-faire de la place à la controverse et au dialogue, privilégier l’expression à l’information, autorise chez les acteurs une méta-expérience (Laurillard, 1993) qui leur permet de se repérer et de s’inscrire au sein d’un système de travail hyper-matriciel et hyper-instrumenté
Engineering knows an evolution of its organizational environment and of its tools (digitalisation). The development of collective activity is a valuable resource for health at work and for organisational performance (Caroly, 2010; Clot, 2010). That’s why it is necessary to preserve and protect it. Here, the objective is to determine conditions of activity that can participate to collective dynamics in engineering. Professionals involved are the key stone of this thesis.With our intervention research, we tried to identify the resources and the constraints of an efficient and significant collective activity for actors of engineering. Our working analysis combines two processes: understand to transform (interventional aim) and change to understand (epistemic and scientific aim).From a macro-organisational point of view, the first point is to identify socio-technical resources and constraints of collective activity. Then, we address personal experience, needs and expectations of actors in terms of collective dynamics (micro-organisational level); before designing and deploying interventions with them (meso-organisational level). Finally, we will see how it is possible to (re)-introduce a dialogical activity in the global work. This way permits to (re)-create opportunities for people to spot themselves in the ecosystem (team level) and to have a better understanding of shared practices and mutual expectations. To (re)-open the debate, focusing on the expression of people (rather than the information, only) can help actors to locate them in their work ecosystem and to fall within a matrix this system of work, over-equipped in terms of socio-technical tools

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Uppsala universitet, 2010.
The provided document is only the summary and introductory chapter of the thesis (i.e. excluding the five papers). If you want more information about the thesis as a whole please contact the author einar.iveroth@fek.uu.se. Härtill 5 uppsatser.

University culture is seen as University culture is seen as one of the main obstacles to the successful implementation of the process of strategic university management. Although existing organisational approaches of changing processes give theoretical insight, they fail to consider the cultural perspective and how change can be implemented successfully. This article focuses on cultural approach and therefore introduces a cohesive cultural model to the Higher Education (HE) context. It will be shown how this paradigm can be used in strategic management processes at universities and how it can support them. It therefore offers an approach that is applicable to the practice of university management
Universitätskultur kann als eines der Haupthindernisse für die Implementierung von strategischem Management an Universitäten angesehen werden. Vorhandene Ansätze der Organisationsforschung betrachten zwar Veränderungsprozesse, diskutieren die Rolle der Organisationskultur jedoch nur am Rande und fragen nicht nach dem Wie der Umsetzung einer solchen organisationalen Veränderung. Dieser Artikel betrachtet strategisches Management an Universitäten aus einer kulturtheoretischen Perspektive und überträgt das kohäsionsorientierte Organisationsmodell auf den Hochschulkontext. Es wird gezeigt, wie dieses Modell strategische Prozesse unterstützen kann, so dass es einen praktischen Nutzen für das Hochschulmanagement bietet