Business Commons^™

Cultural Value Orientations As An Antecedent To The Formation Of International Interfirm Relationships: The Developmentof Cultural Value Dimensions In A Business Context, Susan Forquer Gupta

Doctoral Dissertations

With the importance of international interfirm relationships increasing, it becomes critical to understand the antecedents and consequences of relationship formation. Difficulty in relationships occur when firms with differing cultural value orientations attempt to engage in exchange. Culture affects the international firm in several ways: 1) difficulty in establishing a single organizational culture when a firm is comprised of multi-national employees; 2) difficulty in serving the market when cultural differences exist in the consumer; and 3) difficulty in establishing interfirm relationships across cultural boundaries. Individually, these problems are difficult to resolve, combined they can lead to failure. The first two have …

A Preliminary Study Of Using The Sei's Capability Maturity Model To Set Statistical Control Bounds On Dod Contractor Cost And Schedule Performance, Jeffrey A. Schaefer

Theses and Dissertations

Current methods for monitoring the performance of Department of Defense (DOD) software development contractors have not been successful in reversing the current trend of over budget and behind schedule software development. The DOD has adopted the Software Engineering Institute's (SEI's) Capability Maturity Model (CMM) as a method of determining the process maturity of a software developer with the idea that a more mature process will lead to improved cost and schedule performance. The goal of this research was to determine if a model based on the CMM rating level of a contractor could be developed and used in conjunction with …

A Survey Of Activity-Based Costing (Abc) Practices Within The Department Of The Army, Seon-Mook Lee, David S. Ryder

Theses and Dissertations

Activity-Based Costing (ABC) does not appear to have been as readily accepted within the Department of the Army as within private industry (Kehoe et al., 1995). Barely able to accomplish their missions at current resource levels, military resource managers know historically that identified efficiencies and savings often are translated into self inflicted budget and manpower cuts. Yet, it is almost universally accepted that the benefits of using Activity-Based Costing are real and obtainable, but not yet worth the effort required with the perceived risk being taken. Current conventional wisdom is for Army Resource Managers to wait and see what benefits …

The Utility Of Using A Third Party In Military To Commercial Technology Transfer, David A. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

In the wake of the defense drawdown and end of the Cold War, government laboratories are facing a changing mission. It is not only to maintain technology superiority, but also to promote commercialization of their technologies. Although Congress has tried to facilitate technology transfer from the government to the private sector, the transfer process has been inconsistent. The need for assistance has initiated the use of third parties or intermediaries in the technology transfer process. This thesis evaluates the utility of a third party in the technology transfer process. An examination of Wright Technology Network (WTN), a third party, is …

The Implementation Of An Enhanced Activity-Based Costing Model At The Defense Supply Center Columbus, James A. Neice Jr., Vernon L. Scribner

Theses and Dissertations

This research explored the problems with ABC implementation at a government service organization. ABC implementation efforts within other government organizations were examined to determine what caused different organizations to implement ABC. Next a case study analysis was performed, following the implementation of an expanded ABC model within a government service organization. The research used unstructured open-ended interviews, on-site visits, and archival analysis to conduct the case study. The study examined how the organization developed its initial model and subsequently introduced an enhanced model. The enhanced ABC Model had not been implemented at DSCC as of the conclusion of this case …

An Exploratory Study Of The Benefits Received By Wright Laboratory (Wl) From Technology Transfer Activities, Clinton J. Braun

Theses and Dissertations

The allocation of resources should be a rational decision making process where alternatives can be compared based on their estimated costs and benefits to the organization. In order to justify technology transfer activities, a sound methodology must be developed that will document the benefits derived from transfer activities. The risks or uncertainties associated with those benefits must also be estimated and analyzed. By detailing the costs, benefits, and uncertainties associated with technology transfer activities, decision makers will have a logical framework that can be used to determine the cost effectiveness of technology transfer. Leaders within the technology transfer arena are …

Implementing Total Quality Management In Business And Academe: A Case Study, Nancy O. Bartell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Total quality management (TQM) is a philosophy and process that has been successfully implemented in many business firms. Other organizations, including institutions of higher education, have become increasingly interested in adopting it. It is likely that facilitators need to be cognizant of organizational differences and adjust facilitation methods and strategies accordingly. This dissertation is an exploratory study designed to examine the role of the TQM facilitator in diverse settings. Specifically, the study is an in-depth two-case research study of TQM implementation in an international manufacturing firm and a regional institution of higher education. The primary foci of this dissertation are …

An Analysis Of Structure, Organization, And Activities Of Community Dispute Resolution Centers In Virginia, Terri Colby Barr

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Management

This study is a comparative analysis of the structure, organization and activities of the nine non-profit (501 (c)(3)) mediation centers for the resolution of dispute (CDRC) in Virginia. Data for the analysis was collected through on-site interviews, in-depth case studies, and discussions with the leadership of the centers.

The CDRCs suffer from funding shortfalls which pressure them to shift their attention away from their mission. They are dependent upon the state's court contracts for mediation services in order to financially supplement their pro bono mediations and to generate operating capital. The large-budget CDRCs provide a considerable number of pro bono …

Determinants Of Ceo Pay: A Critical Assessment, W. Otto Carroll

Theses and Dissertations in Business Administration

This research expands the study of determinants of CEO pay. Previous studies have found conflicting results regarding the importance of firm size and firm performance in influencing the amount of CEO compensation. Other studies are incomplete with respect to the measurement of both executive pay and its determinants. Traditional theories of executive compensation such as equity theory, expectancy theory, human capital and labor market theory provide the starting point for determinants of CEO pay. However, to more fully understand these determinants, the model includes a test of agency theory showing the relationship between board control and pay. It tests the …

Cross-Cultural Differences And Intercultural Cooperation In The Context Of Change And Uncertainty: Americans And Finns In The Workplace, Maija Llisa Herweg

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

American and Finnish workers in financial institutions in the United States and in Finland were interviewed in their respective languages to explore cross-cultural differences in response to change and uncertainty in the work place. Changes were explored in the domains of organizational, process, procedure and work content, and technological changes in the work place. As a point of departure for this study, Hofstede's IBM study, as it pertains to Uncertainty Avoidance--a measure he used to evaluate culture-based resistance to change--was used for this study.

Differences in the kinds of change considered difficult to adjust to were found in the cross-cultural …

The Relationships Among Leadership Behaviors Of Leaders In Training Organizations, Training Methods, And Organization Profitability, Joseph D. Keith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Business organizations are decreasing funding for training. The problem investigated in this study was to determine if there was a relationship among the leadership behavior of training leaders, the use of newer methods of training, and organizational profitability. A sample of 57 organizations from the Fortune 500 was surveyed to determine leadership behavior and the use of newer methods of training. The Leadership Practices Inventory was used to measure leadership and the Affective Communication Test was used to measure charisma. Profitability data were obtained from the literature. Return on assets, return on equity, the Moody's Corporate Bond Rating, and the …

Sexual Harassment: The Effects Of Gender And Attitude On Perceptions And Consequences Of Sexual Harassment, Barbara Cupit

Graduate Theses

Ninety-one individuals (52 males) and (39 females) read 13 scenarios depicting various sexual harassment incidents. Participants were asked to determine the seriousness of the harassment in each scenario, choose the type of grievance procedure they would prefer, and then rate how likely they would recommend each consequence in regards.to the harassment. Participants were also asked to complete a Sexual Harassment Attitude Questionnaire that measured "tolerance" towards sexual harassment. Potential differences between male and female perceptions and attitudes were examined. Results yielded significant differences between males and females with men exhibiting significantly more tolerant attitudes than did women towards sexual harassment. …

Developing Methods To Measure And Project Levels Of Combat Readiness In A Naval Aviation Squadron At The Unit Level, Michael Lawrence White

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Among the various missions and levels in a military organization, the term "Combat Readiness" is defined in many ways. To a unit-level command, such as an aircraft squadron, it simply refers to the unit's capability to perform its assigned mission when called upon. The proof of that capability is evident in the aftermath of combat, however, it is too late at that point to address any shortcomings that may exist. The problem is, how can the unit effectively define, continuously measure, and confidently forecast its ability to perform in combat? A quantitative model based upon historical data that encompasses all …

Integrating Key Functions In Product Development : A Conceptual Product Development Model For The Korean Context, Jong-Wook Kim

Theses

The high-tech market is characterized by market uncertainty, technology uncertainty and rapid change. To survive in this risky high-tech market, a company must create competitively effective product development practices that meet its own unique needs and circumstances.

One effective practice is cross-functional integration in the product development process. The advantages of integration include a shortened time to market, successful transformation of research results to production, productivity improvement, innovation project success, and high-quality problem solutions. However, these advantages are rarely obtained in the current product development practices of Korean companies. Their product development efforts are generally characterized by time consuming sequential …

How Does One Start A Business In Jamaica?, Mary-Ann Natale

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Objective:

To provide a company with a comprehensive overview of the governmental as well as social process as it relates to the formulation of a business entity in Jamaica.

Methodology:

1) Literature review of magazine articles and books.

Conclusions:

The results of this project gives a company an easily understandable and executable document, with which one could form and operate a business entity within the Jamaican governmental guidelines. This document also shows that the hospitality industry (i.e. Hotels/Restaurants) is quite a predominant field to be entering in at this time in Jamaica. Throughout this exposition one could conclude that in …

Towards A Model For Software Project Estimating, Stuart Hope

Theses : Honours

The use and development of software is an integral and critical part of modern industrial society. The outcomes of many software development and maintenance projects have been less than satisfactory with significant numbers being over schedule, lacking in functionality and over budget. These problems are the result of poor management of both the process and the product. One of the major problems to overcome in the management of software development projects is the ability to predict the outcomes early in the project when there are a large number of unknowns. The ability to reliably predict the outcomes in a repeatable …

Managing Change For A Distance Learning Initiative: An Evaluation, Jeanie Pollard Kline

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The purpose of this case study was to examine the degree to which those managing change for a distance learning initiative followed David Nadler's (1989) four action steps designed to reduce resistance in making the transition from the former operational state to a newly-created state.;The four action steps include providing opportunities for participation among employees, allowing employees to identify current operations that will not work in the new organizational state, rewarding behavior that assists in the transition, and allowing sufficient time for the change to take place. The findings in this study revealed that participation was the critical component that …

Fund-Raising Systems In Children's Museums: An Analysis Of Fund-Raising Behavior And Philanthropic Income Trends, Elizabeth A. Potter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem under investigation. This dissertation analyzed philanthropic donations and fund-raising behavior in children's museums. The research embodies a descriptive, inductive, and deductive study which infers that philanthropic donations increase gradually and are influenced by an organization's fund-raising behavior.

The subjects. A stratified random sample of 15 small, 47 medium, and 20 large U.S. children's museums were surveyed; operating budgets determined museum size.

The methodology. Time-series statistical techniques and economic data measures calculated the change in children's museum philanthropic donations from 1990-1994. Correlation coefficients determined the relationships between the income variables. The fund-raising behavior variables, nominal data, were calculated in …

Outsourcing In Western Australian Hospitals: Management Considerations, Geraldine M. Martin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis examines Health Care Managers' considerations with and experiences of outsourcing services in Western Australian hospitals. Support services such as cleaning and maintenance are some of the areas which have been targeted for outsourcing (contracting out) by the state government. These services have traditionally been delivered by permanently employed staff either on a full or part- time basis, usually with active union involvement. Core services such as nursing and medical care which involve direct patient care delivery are not included in the outsourcing debate. Firstly, this thesis reviews the literature on outsourcing and its application to the health care …