Management and Marketing - Theses
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ItemComparing the resource based view and market orientation to understand organisational performance( 2001)Much attention has been ascribed to the resource-based view (RBV) and market orientation (MO) in the strategic management and marketing literature. Although research has examined each perspective individually, none has compared the two and evaluated their effect on firm performance. This study is the first to attempt to measure the extent to which firms implement the RBV by introducing the notion of RO, a concept that incorporates an element of dynamism and increase its relevance to management. Most importantly, this thesis establishes both the RO and MO as two distinct strategies that influence firm behaviours. Consequently, a primary purpose of this dissertation is to investigate the differential effects of a RBV and MO on organisational performance. This involves devising an empirically testable framework that allows us to investigate the antecedents, construct validity of the RO and MO scales, and outcomes of both orientations. The outcomes studied include both process and market-based outcomes. Using the business unit level of analysis and the key informant approach, data was collected from 228 senior executives employed in various industries. Findings show that the firm's objectives and OL are strongly associated with both a RO and MO, which will in tum impact the process and market-based performance outcomes. More specifically, results reveal that a RO is strongly associated with process-based outcomes including, product quality, improved operations and innovation, whilst a MO is associated most strongly with market-based and employee outcomes including job satisfaction, customer value, customer satisfaction and organisational commitment. Hence, a RO enhances firm performance by improving internal effectiveness and efficiency, whereas a MO improves performance by enhancing customer value. A further purpose of this study is to determine whether these relationships differ in various business conditions. Interestingly, the only environmental condition in which the relationship between product quality and a RO was strengthened was when technological turbulence was low. Similarly, the relationship between a RO and job satisfaction was strengthened only when buyer power was high. In all other business conditions investigated, the relationship between a RO, MO and performance was unaffected. Overall, this study has provided a basis for additional empirical studies of the RBV and allowed us to further explore MO. It has enabled us to examine the patterns of relationships between these constructs and various performance outcomes and will act as a benchmark upon which to base prospective studies. Theoretical and managerial implications are also discussed. Hence, this dissertation provides an invaluable inroad into further developing the generalisability of both the MO and the RBV for future research.
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ItemUnion employee perceptions of the effectiveness of trade unions( 2000)The study of organisational effectiveness in trade unions, an underdeveloped field of academic inquiry, is important as it contributes to the understanding of organisational effectiveness, trade unions and union decline. This work analyses organisational effectiveness in the Victorian State branches of three Australian unions. The major aim is to develop existing knowledge on what constitutes union effectiveness, especially to define appropriate indicators for its measurement and thus contribute to theories of effectiveness. A secondary aim is to determine the importance of issues in the management of union employees to effectiveness. These have policy implications for labour unions. Analysis of existing theory is carried out in an investigation of the organisational and the union effectiveness literatures. This establishes that there are important limitations in current explanatory models of union effectiveness. Organisational and union theories are used to propose a new explanatory framework. Furthermore, using qualitative research techniques, ninety-eight in-depth interviews conducted with union officers and staff are analysed, and three case studies developed for the empirical investigation. Results indicate that the three union branches have different levels of effectiveness. Findings indicate that the measurement of union effectiveness reflects dimensions of union structure and of union values, previously ignored as indicators of effectiveness. Results additionally confirm existing knowledge that there are historical, environmental and organisational determinants that influence union effectiveness. In the light of these findings, it is concluded that although political and industrial environments have a major influence on union effectiveness, trade unions are not simply helpless victims of it. They can, and do shape their own fates. As unions are distinguished by their ideological dimensions, which are reflected in their structures and processes, these may be used to fully harness the potential in their employees.Union employees are important constituents within trade union structures; they expect to be managed in ways which reflect the values of a procedural democracy.