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    Organisational learning and the real estate brokerage industry in New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Studies in Property at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2001) Flint-Hartle, Susan
    The real estate brokerage industry offers and interesting opportunity to explore organisational response in an environment of rapid change. This thesis studies the effectiveness of organisational learning and more specifically the 'Learning Company' concept as a mechanism to cope with this change. In the present real estate environment, on going learning at both individual and organisational levels would seem a necessary part, not only of the continued commercial viability of real estate offices, but also of the creation of pleasant and fulfilling work environments. The focus of this thesis is organisational learning in real estate brokerage offices and a central purpose is to examine the degree to which they are perceived by staff as places of learning. The study also examines the link between organisational learning and overall office performance. Success criteria such as staff recruitment and retention, management and business competency, ethical practice, reputation, stimulating culture, qualification levels, and innovative marketing practice as well as profitability are used to measure performance. The SPSS statistical package is used to analyse data collected from a survey of real estate offices in the Auckland area. Qualitative information from in-depth staff interviews is also analysed to overlay the quantitative results with some real life stories of learning practices. The thesis finds that organisational learning is occurring at different degrees in real estate offices and that there are important differences between 'high' and 'low' scoring learning offices. It finds that while there is a link between office learning and performance, there are also other important factors such as office size, market location and the office franchise group affiliation. It also finds that the highly competitive nature of the real estate industry, together with emphasis on the training of individuals, may be a barrier to organisational learning. It suggests that some attitudes, behaviours and customs that have become embedded in the real estate culture may need to be changed before the benefits of organisational learning can be fully utilised as one way of coping with a rapidly changing environment.
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    The characteristics of successful benchmarking implementation : guidelines for a national strategy for promoting benchmarking
    (Massey University, 2014) Abbas, Ahmed
    The MPhil research project presented in this thesis forms the first part of an intended PhD research project. The purpose of the PhD will be to develop a framework to increase the uptake of benchmarking on a national level whilst the aim of the MPhil is to examine the state of benchmarking globally. More specifically, the study objective is to measure and understand the perceived effectiveness, awareness, current and future uptake of benchmarking. The study also explores best practice benchmarking characteristics such as duration of the projects, motivations of benchmarking projects and main benefits of benchmarking. An on-line questionnaire was used to collect data. The questionnaire was translated into five languages and promoted mainly by the Global Benchmarking Network, (GBN) a network of benchmarking centres representing 21 countries. The data was then analysed using SPSS statistical package. The questionnaire consists of seven sections: (1) Organisation’s profile, (2) Use of improvement technique, (3) General questions on benchmarking, (4) Best practice benchmarking projects planning phase, (5) Best practice benchmarking projects research and analysis phase, (6) Best practice benchmarking projects implementation phase, and finally (7) Best practice benchmarking projects evaluation phase. The analysis suggests that informal and performance benchmarking is being used by a majority of organisations while best practice benchmarking is lagging behind them. Benchmarking awareness, effectiveness and future uptake compares favourably with other popular improvement techniques.
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    Measuring organizational performance : a case study of a nonprofit organization
    (Massey University, 1990) Kavet, Molly
    This study looked at methods that one nonprofit organization uses to measure organizational performance. A local branch of the intectually Handicapped Society (Inc.) was chosen because of the high level of interest in evaluation and monitoring of services and facilities. A number of research methods were used in this case study. These include a review of documents, reports and written material, interviews and on site visits to the organization. The focus of the study was examining the formal monitoring practices used and identifying perspectives of users, user advocates, providers and decision makers in relation to the review activities. The findings showed that the formal processes used in the local branch of the Intellectually Handicapped Society (Inc.) are developed at the national office and were not seen to be relevant to people involved at the local level. User advocates and providers did not feel that they were involved in the formal review activities nor had input into the evaluation of services. The author concludes that people within the organization have different conceptions of goals, accomlishments and shortcomings of the methods used for measuring organizational performance. The utilization of information may be increased if local criteria were established for measuring organizational performance.
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    Productivity and trust : applied research in a New Zealand workplace : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of M.A. (Social Sciences) in Sociology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1999) Barnard, Adam
    The literature on work and employment routinely postulates a post-Fordist era, the third industrial divide, with implications for the division of labour and the organisation of work in modern Western economies. Some see such changes as contributing to the success of the German, Japanese and Scandinavian models but others see the same changes as a managerial strategy to extend control and to exploit workers. In this context, this thesis seeks to explore new options for workplace reform to enhance worker satisfaction, the quality of working life and productivity. Workplace performance and satisfaction are built on the motivation of individual workers. This motivation can be created and sustained by a high-trust workplace culture. Traditional workplace cultures are often built on low-trust employer/employee relationships and these relationships ensure that workplace performance and satisfaction remain poor. This thesis argues that workplace performance and satisfaction can be improved if workplace culture can be shifted from low to high trust. New managerial practices espouse the rhetoric of high-trust workplace cultures and their positive relationship with productivity. This thesis argues that workplace change must go beyond the rhetoric to genuinely achieve a high-trust culture. Positive changes of work organisation are based on high-trust relationships between employer and employee, and among employees. In the context of the workplace examined in this case study, people assume poor productivity is due to the fact that there is a low skilled and special need workforce. However, it is demonstrated that productivity can be increased with a different workplace culture built on high trust. The key is the development of people through inter-related management practices such as leadership style, involvement, training and teamwork. As one of the employees of the research group put it: "Before, I couldn't care about my job but now my job means everything to me". This thesis provides an assessment of the success in developing high-trust work relations in a particular setting.
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    Induction as a method of organisational socialisation : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1981) Harvey, Bruce James
    Induction, Orientation, and training have been primarily concerned with the dissemination of information on work related role behaviour. In this study a video induction programme was developed to contain information or the total role behaviour and qualify it as a method of socialization. The theory of work adjustment (Lofquist and Dawis, 1969) was used to identify dependent variables to evaluate an induction as a method of organizational socialization. It was hypothesised that a socially based induction programme would increase respondent's measures of satisfaction, satisfactoryness (performance) and length of tenure. The socially based induction programme was developed and tested in a specialized plastic manufacturing company. Twenty eight new employees were assigned to control and experimental groups by their appointment dates (18 and 10 respectively) and two measures of job satisfaction were taken three and thirteen working days after their appointments using the job descriptive index, (J.D.I.) a standard check-list measure of job satisfaction with five different job facets. Performance measures of production to stock were obtained and these coincided with the second measure of job satisfaction. The number of subjects who ceased employment within 90 working days after their appointments was also ascertained. The experimental group received the socially based induction video tape after the first measure of job satisfaction. On comparison of the J.D.I. scores between experimental and control groups, there was no significant difference between the pre or post-test measures on the five scales. An analysis of subjects "work" and "supervision" post-test scores catagorised as high or low by pre-test scores indicated that the socially based induction may have sensitized low pre-test scoring subjects in a negative direction on the post-test. No significant difference was found between experimental and control groups on length of tenure and recorded performance. Anxiety is postulated as a moderater variable of the J.D.I. satisfaction measures and limitations of the operationalization of the measures used is discussed. The study high-lights the attrition, measurement, design, and administration problems of research in organizational settings.
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    Manager's perceptions of the relationship between the use of ICTs and organisational performance : case study of the Tuvalu financial services industry : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Business Information Systems at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2012) Patolo, Taufia
    Many organisations have invested significant resources into the adoption and use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). This has triggered significant debate as to whether these investments are worthwhile. Much of the literature establishes a positive relationship between ICTs and improved organisational performance, but not in all contexts. This study investigates the perceived relationship between the use of ICTs and the performance of the Tuvalu financial services industry (TFSI). It explores the views of managers in the TFSI about the level of ICT use and access, competitive advantage derived from the use of ICTs, challenges of implementing ICTs and integration of future ICT tools. The resource-based value (RBV) framework is used to develop a conceptual model. This model is tested in a positivist paradigm using semi-structured interviews in a qualitative approach. The study finds that the TFSI managers believe that the performance of the industry has benefited from the deployment of ICTs, particularly in collaboration, efficiency, data monitoring and communication. The study finds support for increased competitive advantage for the industry from transformation of TFSI operations and increased institutional knowledge. Key challenges to fully optimise the potential of ICTs include unreliable Internet connectivity, limited financial resources, mismanagement of equipment and the threat of computer viruses. Technologies for future integration include automated teller machines (ATMs), credit cards and a centralised computer database. The research has important implications for both theory and practice and the study provides recommendations that could be used to improve the performance of the TFSI. The study contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between ICT and organisational performance in the context of a financial services industry in a small Pacific Island nation.
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    Development of a guidance model for the selection of organisational improvement initiatives : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering and Industrial Management at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2012) Mohammad, Musli Bin
    research aims to develop a guidance model for selecting organisational improvement initiatives. The final guidance model was developed using the acronym ‘GUIDE’ which represents the five key steps to select improvement initiatives: (1) Goal setting, (2) Understanding relevant improvement initiatives, (3) Identifying decision criteria, (4) Deciding on the appropriate initiative, and (5) Evaluating the decision. This research used mixed methods approach, whereby qualitative data was used more dominantly than quantitative data. Two research phases were involved: (1) Development, evaluation and refinement of a conceptual model; and (2) Development, evaluation and refinement of a guidance model. This research incorporated multiphase concurrent and sequential data collection, which comprises an extensive literature review, a document review, a global exploratory survey, an evaluation survey and seventeen semi-structured interviews conducted in New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia. Semi-structured interviews and an evaluation survey were used as primary sources of data. The proposed multilayer guidance model is one of the first to focus on the holistic processes to be used in selecting improvement initiatives whereby its contents are explicitly aligned to the Business Excellence Models (BEMs), such as Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence and European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model. Systems and contingency approaches were incorporated in the development of this model so that multiple perspectives and contexts (e.g. current maturity level of an organisation, benefit of implementing the initiative, ability to gain top management commitment and support) are considered when selecting an initiative. Part of the guidance model also consists of a framework that shows the main improvement initiatives that can be adopted towards business excellence (BE), which can help organisations to choose appropriate improvement initiatives by narrowing down the options according to the areas of implementation and BE maturity. This framework also indicates that the BEM can be used as an overarching framework for selecting and managing multiple improvement initiatives. In addition, this research identified that there were 94 national Quality / BE Awards used in 83 countries in year 2010 and revealed one of the latest and comprehensive list of the Quality / BE Awards worldwide.
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    A transformational model to understand the impact of enterprise systems for business benefits : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Information Technology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2010) Mathrani, Sanjay
    Over the years many organizations have implemented an enterprise system (ES), also called enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, to streamline the flow of information and improve organizational effectiveness to produce business benefits which justify the ES investment. The effectiveness of these systems to achieve benefits is an area being proactively researched by both professionals and academia. However, most of these studies focus on ‘what ESs do’ rather than ‘how ESs do it’. The purpose of this study is to better understand how organizations derive benefits from utilization of an ES and its data. This study utilizes a transformational model of how ES data are transformed into knowledge and results to evaluate the impact of ES information on organizational functions and processes and how this can lead to business benefits. The linkage between expected outcomes, utilization of ES data in decision-making processes, and realized or unrealized benefits provides the reason for this study. Findings reveal that the key benefits commercial firms seek from an ES include improving information flow and visibility, integration and automation of functions, cost reductions by reducing inventory, and achieving process efficiencies for both internal and external operations. The various tools and methods businesses use for transforming ES data into knowledge include the use of data warehouses and business intelligence modules that assist in extraction and manipulation of data, and reporting on particular data objects. Web portals are actively utilized to collaborate between stakeholders and access real-time information. Business tools such as KPI reporting, balanced scorecards and dashboards are used to track progress towards realizing benefits and establishing analytical decision making. Findings emphasize that benefit realization from an ES implementation is a holistic process that not only includes the essential data and technology factors, but also includes other factors such as business strategy deployment, people and process management, and skills and competency development. Findings reveal that business organizations generally lack in producing value assessments that often lead to weak business cases and insufficient benefit models which cannot be used for benefit tracking. However, these organizations are now realizing that it is not enough to put in an ES and expect an automatic improvement. Organizations are now establishing analytical and knowledge-leveraging processes to optimize and realize business value from their ES investment.