Massey Documents by Type

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294

Browse

Has files: YesSubject: search.filters.subject.Industrial management

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Top management team attributes, multinationality and MNE performance : evidence from Chinese manufacturing enterprises : a dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in International Business at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2023) YE, Mingzhu
    The purpose of this research is to investigate how top management team (TMT) attributes explain the performance of Chinese Multinational Enterprises (CMNEs) by examining four TMT attributes: TMT tenure, TMT educational level, TMT international experience and TMT functional diversity. I propose that TMT attributes function as the micro-foundation of CMNEs’ performance. Previous research suggests that these selected attributes of top managers are valid proxies for TMT attitudes affecting international multinational decisions. Therefore, based on upper echelons theory and institutional theory, this research examines how multinationality mediates the relationship between TMT attributes and CMNE performance and how institutional factors of state ownership and formal institutional distance moderate the impact of TMT attributes on multinationality. This research applies a quantitative method by using large-scale secondary data to assess the proposed hypotheses. The sample generates panel data consisting of 7,627 firm-year observations from 1,125 publicly listed CMNEs. 56,188 individual top managers’ profiles are created to compute the TMT data for the sampled firms in the period from 2007 to 2019. Based on the sample of CMNEs in the manufacturing industry, the findings suggest that TMT tenure and TMT educational level have significant impacts on CMNEs’ performance and there is a U-shaped relationship between a firm’s multinationality and its performance. Moreover, multinationality partially mediates the direct TMT tenure and performance relationship. In addition, the institutional contexts the firms face in terms of state ownership and formal institutional distance are found to moderate the influence of some of TMT attributes on multinationality. The findings from this study contribute to the body of research grounded in upper echelons theory and institutional theory. It enriches the international business literature by exploring the effects of TMT attributes on multinationality. It empirically confirms that TMT tenure and TMT educational level function as a micro-foundation which has significant impacts on CMNEs’ performance, while the relationship between TMT tenure and CMNE performance is partially mediated by multinationality. Moreover, it further explores the contingency factors and boundary conditions in terms of state ownership and formal institutional distance for the relationship between TMT attributes and multinationality.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Management decision making in the age of big data : an exploration of the roles of analytics and human judgment : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Management at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Gressel, Simone
    This thesis explores the effects of data analytics and human judgment on management decision making in an increasingly data-driven environment. In recent years, the topics of big data and advanced analytics have gained traction and wide-spread interest among practitioners and academics. Today, big data is considered a buzzword by some and an essential prerequisite for future business success by others. Recent research highlights the potential of big data analytics for decision making, but also points out critical challenges and risks. The aim of this research is to take an in-depth look at management decision making by using qualitative case studies and critical incidents to carefully examine managers' decision-making processes. This exploration evolves around the two main research questions: i) How do managers perceive the role of advanced analytics and big data in the decision-making process? ii) How do managers perceive the alignment of advanced analytics and big data with more traditional decision-making approaches such as human judgment? The content and thematic analyses of data from 25 semi-structured interviews with managers, executives, and business analysts from nine organizations provided several key insights. Managers were found to rely on data and human judgment in their decision making to varying extents and in different roles. The processes followed by the decision makers depended on the decisions at hand, the managers’ characteristics and preferences, as well as environmental factors. The findings empirically support the development of an ecological systems framework, which provides a holistic picture of managerial decision making in the age of big data. The study contributes by applying the dual process theory to the context of data-driven decision making. Practical implications for organizations are derived from the findings and identify organizational considerations and prerequisites. The influence of the managers’ environments on decision making emphasizes the organizations’ need to utilize a holistic approach when adopting a data-driven decision-making culture.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Changing work values? : a study of New Zealand employees in Japanese-owned subsidiaries : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Studies in Management at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1999) Evans, Paul N
    Culture influences the way in which people work, therefore one's work values are influenced by national culture. An increase in globalisation has occurred, resulting in organisations having to adapt to cultural diversity within and between organisations, countries, and cultures. Japan adopted various production systems developed in the United States to rebuild their economy after World War II. Japan has since become an economic superpower, establishing operations in other countries, and transferring the same successful systems and techniques into other cultures. This research illustrates the influence of Japanese production systems and management techniques on the work values of New Zealand employees in two Japanese-owned subsidiaries. The findings indicate that while Japanese production systems and management techniques have been implemented within two participating subsidiaries, the influence of these systems tends to reinforce traditional work values rather than change them.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    A comparison of Environmental Management System (EMS) applied by large manufacturing companies in Amata Nakorn Industrial Town and other areas of Chonburi Province, Thailand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Management at Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2006) Jitsoonthornchaikul, Arthorn
    Industrial pollution is one the most critical environmental problems facing Thailand at the present time. Therefore, control of industrial pollution is of the highest priority to the Thai government. Problems associated with industrial pollution place significant limitations on the potential growth of manufacturing industries in Thailand, because international trade today requires not only manufactured products of a high quality but also a commitment to high environmental standards by manufacturing companies (European Commission Environment Directorate-General, 2001; Ken, 2004). This thesis investigated the major dimensions of the quality of the Environmental Management System (EMS) in large size manufacturers, that are located both inside and outside of industrial towns in Chonburi Province, Thailand. In particular, the research examined whether different stakeholders had the same or different perceptions about these dimensions. The study used both qualitative and quantitative methods to collect information from four groups of stakeholders: Thailand's government officers in the government agencies concerned about environmental policy; top management within manufacturers; the manufacturers' staff at management level; and the local communities. A survey was carried out involving the government officers and top management staff within manufacturers. The qualitative data were collected from documentaries, interviews and observations. The triangulation of methods and data permitted the comparison of the perceptions of the manufacturers' staff, from both inside and outside of industrial towns. The data were structured into the four major parts of an EMS: the performance agreement for the environmental programme; the plan for transformation implementation; the standards and processes; and the continuous improvement process. The survey results show that manufacturers in the Town use ISO 14001. Two of the three manufacturers, outside the Town use TQM / TQEM as their EMS and the other manufacturer, also from outside the Town, does not have any EMS within their company. The results also show that the factories in the Town, that used IS0 14001 and the factories outside of the Town that used TQM ITQEM, are similar in the four major parts of the EMS. However, they still have some processes which are notably different, such as the manufacturers that use ISO 14001 have better documentary systems, additional budgets for training staff and larger budgets to publicise, to the local communities, the companies' activities relating to their environmental management. However, the TQM / TQEM and Thailand's environmental legislation are more flexible and they allow companies to create environmental management activities. Finally, the results suggest that there are three main factors that may effect the achievement of environmental management within manufacturers in Thailand. They are: the human factor (knowledge and awareness about the environment); the processes factor (green production and EMS processes); and the legislation factor (environmental standards, monitoring and enforcement systems).