A Corporate Model of Similitude for SMEs Reunion into a Corporation, Viewed from the Angle of Physical Thought, and Its Complex Economic and Social Impact

In order to exceed the circularity of formal economic thinking, the authors of the present paper favour the models of thinking specific to physics, which are also constructed statistically and mathematically, in an attempt to find an answer to the reunion of similar small and medium enterprises (SMEs), into multinational corporations. A model based on the theory of similitude is thus made use of, born from the very essence of physics, and having an economic and social destination and a complex impact. The physical models intended for economic systems are expressed as systems of partial differential equations, and the result becomes a new vision of reality. This paper details an original model based on physical similitude for SME amalgamation under the name of multinational corporations. After an introduction to the physical theory of similitude, the first section describes the physics model because of the reunion of similar SMEs. The real birth of some corporations in Serbia forms the content of the second section; the economic and social phenomena relating to the generation of such corporations, and the corporate social responsibility are emphasized. The idea of social complexity and its impact as the fifth dimension of a modern multinational corporation conclude the paper.physical model, small and medium enterprise (SME), multinational corporation (MNE), corporate social responsibility (CSR), economic and social complexity

Different Successful Patterns for Implementing Holding Model in Public Sector

Background: Transitions in the modern business environment cause significant organizational changes not only in private companies, but also in the public sector. Introduction of an adequate organizational model for the public sector could improve the quality level of public services. Objectives: This article aims to present general benefits of the application of the holding organizational paradigm in the public sector through a parallel analysis of several cases that were observed individually in our previous research. The goal is to suggest possible restructuring directions to policy makers in cities where the public sector has not been adjusted to the changes in the modern business environment. Methods: The case study research based on the documentation analysis, interviews and direct observation using the standard management consulting practice provided an additional and deeper insight into the functioning of public enterprises in one European capital and one small municipality. Results: The examples presented in this paper showed that the application of the holding institutional solution in the public sector leads to an improved command, an increased level of control, reduced management costs, better allocation of city resources and decreased overheads in the public sector. Conclusions: Switching from a functional towards a network model of the organizational structure improved the performance of public enterprises and increased the quality of public services

Strategic framework to minimise information security risks in the UAE

A thesis submitted to the University of Bedfordshire in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the PhD degreeThe transition process to ICT (Information and Communication Technology) has had significant influence on different aspects of society. Although the computerisation process has motivated the alignment of different technical and human factors with the expansion process, the technical pace of the transition surpasses the human adaptation to change. Much research on ICT development has shown that ICT security is essentially a political and a managerial act that must not disregard the importance of the relevant cultural characteristics of a society. Information sharing is a necessary action in society to exchange knowledge and to enable and facilitate communication. However, certain information should be shared only with selected parties or even kept private. Information sharing by humans forms the main obstacle to security measure undertaken by organisations to protect their assets. Moreover, certain cultural traits play a major role in thwarting information security measures. Arab culture of the United Arab Emirates is one of those cultures with strong collectivism featuring strong ties among individuals. Sharing sensitive information including passwords of online accounts can be found in some settings in some cultures, but with reason and generally on a small scale. However, this research includes a study on 3 main Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, namely, Saudi Arabia (KSA), United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman, showing that there is similar a significant level of sensitive information sharing among employees in the region. This is proven to highly contribute to compromising user digital authentication, eventually, putting users’ accounts at risk. The research continued by carrying out a comparison between the United Kingdom (UK) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in terms of attitudes and behaviour towards information sharing. It was evident that there is a significant difference between GCC Arab culture and the UK culture in terms of information sharing. Respondents from the GCC countries were more inclined to share sensitive information with their families and friends than the UK respondents were. However, UK respondents still revealed behaviour in some contexts, which may lead potential threats to the authentication mechanism and consequently to other digital accounts that require a credential pass. It was shown that the lack of awareness and the cultural impact are the main issues for sensitive information sharing among family members and friends in the GCC. The research hence investigated channels and measures of reducing the prevalence of social engineering attacks, such as legislative measures, technological measures, and education and awareness. The found out that cultural change is necessary to remedy sensitive information sharing as a cultural trait. Education and awareness are perhaps the best defence to cultural change and should be designed effectively. Accordingly, the work critically analysed three national cybersecurity strategies of the United Kingdom (UK), the United States (U.S.) and Australia (AUS) in order to identify any information security awareness education designed to educate online users about the risk of sharing sensitive information including passwords. The analysis aimed to assess possible adoption of certain elements, if any, of these strategies by the UAE. The strategies discussed only user awareness to reduce information sharing. However, awareness in itself may not achieve the required result of reducing information sharing among family members and friends. Rather, computer users should be educated about the risks of such behaviour in order to realise and change. As a result, the research conducted an intervention study that proposed a UAE-focused strategy designed to promote information security education for the younger generation to mitigate the risk of sensitive information sharing. The results obtained from the intervention study of school children formed a basis for the information security education framework also proposed in this work

An approach to organizational design based on measuring the alignment of organizational elements

Predmet istrаživаnjа ove doktorske disertаcije bio je unаpređenje procesа projektovаnjа orgаnizаcije merenjem stаnjа i usklаđivаnjem elemenаtа orgаnizаcije. U istraživanju procesа projektovаnjа orgаnizаcije pošlo se od nаčelа kojа su do dаnаs rаzvijаnа u nаučnoj i stručnoj oblаsti. Jednа grupа teorijа, koje su u literаturi poznаte kаo teorije kontigencije, govore o neophodnosti dа elementi orgаnizаcije budu usklаđeni sа strаtegijom orgаnizаcije i njenim okruženjem. One objаšnjаvаju dа ne postoji jedаn nаjefikаsniji nаčin orgаnizovаnjа, već dа izbor orgаnizаcionog dizаjnа istovremeno zаvisi od izаbrаne strаtegije i okruženjа u kome orgаnizаcije posluje. Drugа grupа teorijа nаmetnulа je principe koji govore o znаčаju interne konzistentnosti između elemenаtа orgаnizаcije. Ovi principi su u literаturi poznаti kаo principi konfigurаcije. Istrаživаnjа nа ovu temu su pokаzаlа dа, iako ne postoji pojedinаčnа orgаnizаcionа vаrijаblа ili stаnje nekog elementа orgаnizаcije kojа je u znаčаjnoj meri povezаnа sа rezultаtimа orgаnizаcije, postoje određeni modаliteti povezаnosti elemenаtа orgаnizаcije koji se pojаvljuju sаmo u orgаnizаcijаmа koje postižu bolje rezultаte. Pregled literаture iz oblаsti projektovаnjа orgаnizаcije počinje аutorimа klаsičnih teorijа i аdministrаtivnog prаvcа i temаmа koje su se uglаvnom bаvile skupom službenih i stаndаrdizovаnih rаdnih odnosа koji su izgrаđivаni oko čvrstog sistemа formаlnog аutoritetа. Nаkon klаsičnih teorijа, dаt je pregled literаture i istrаživаnjа kojа u prvi plаn stаvljаju međuljudske odnose. Empirijskа istrаživаnjа ovih teorijа su ukаzivаlа dа formаlni elementi orgаnizаcije (kаo što su strukturа, аutoritet i sl.) ne dаju zаdovoljаvаjuće rezultаte, а dа istovremeno imаju negаtivаn uticаj nа zаdovoljstvo rаdnikа i međuljudske odnose. Pored formаlne strukture, istаknut je znаčаj neformаlnih elemenаtа orgаnizаcije, kojimа su se više bаvili sаvremeni аutori iz ove oblаsti. Sledeći prаvаc istrаživаnjа oko kojeg se okupilа većа grupа istrаživаčа nаzivа se kontigentni prаvаc ili kontigencijske teorije. Ovаj prаvаc istrаživаnjа posmаtrаo je odnose koji postoje između orgаnizаcije i situаcije u kojoj se orgаnizаcijа nаlаzi.The subject of this doctoral dissertation is the improvement of the process of designing an organization by measuring the state and alignment of organizational elements. The research of the organizational designing process started from the principles that have been developed thus far in the scientific and professional fields. Some theories, known in the literature as contingency theories, speak of the necessity for the elements of an organization to be aligned with the strategy of the organization and its environment. They explain that there is no one single most efficient organizational method, but that the selection of the organizational design depends on both the chosen strategy and the environment in which the organization operates. Other theories focus on the principles which speak of the importance of the internal consistency between the elements of the organization. These principles are known as the principles of configuration. Research on this topic has shown that, although there exists no single organizational variable or condition of an element of the organization which is to a significant extend connected to the results of the organization, there exist certain modalities of connection of organizational elements that occur only in the organizations that deliver better results. The review of the literature in the field of organizational design begins with the authors of classical theories and administrative direction and with the topics that often focused on a set of formal and standardized working relationships built around a firm system of formal authority. After classical theories, there follows a review of the literature and research which emphasize interpersonal relationships. Empirical studies of these theories have suggested that the formal elements of the organization (such as the structure, authority etc.) do not yield satisfactory results, and in fact have a negative impact on employees’ satisfaction and interpersonal relationships

Development of a Managerial Approach for a New IT Organisation Design Framework (ITODF) Based on Digitisation Trends.

Abstract Business organisations are currently at a tipping point. Disruptive technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and others transforms many industries in the ways they work. Lines between business and technology blur. Researchers have acknowledged that this is the time in which the IT organisation needs to re-strategize itself. In this dissertation, the author provides a structured derivation of an IT organisation design framework. He illustrates how the IT organisation needs to be designed in the digital age to be successful. The research results are derived through a qualitative exploratory study and a quantitative confirmatory study. The findings show that the detailed design of six dimensions is critical for the successful IT organisation design: Strategy, Structure, Information, Governance, Processes and Sourcing. Additionally, the dissertation outlines important implications for practitioners along five guiding principles. These guiding principles explain how to best implement the design framework in practice. Resumen Las organizaciones empresariales se encuentran actualmente en un punto de inflexión en el que tecnologías disruptivas como la Inteligencia Artificial, Blockchain y otras pueden transformar el funcionamiento de muchas industrias, pues la línea divisoria entre el negocio y la tecnología se hace cada vez más difusa. Los investigadores coinciden en que, en este momento, es necesario redefinir las organizaciones relacionadas con las Tecnologías de la Información (TI) en la empresa. En este trabajo, el autor ofrece un marco de diseño estructurado las empresas del sector TI. Se expone cómo debe definirse el diseño organizativo de TI en la era digital, realizando para ello un estudio exploratorio cualitativo y un estudio confirmatorio cuantitativo. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que, para garantizar el éxito de la organización TI, es fundamental el diseño detallado de seis dimensiones: Estrategia, Estructura, Información, Gobierno, Procesos y Abastecimiento. Además, el presente trabajo ofrece a los profesionales implicaciones importantes referidas a cada uno de los cinco principios rectores citados, con el fin de implementar adecuadamente en la práctica el diseño de la organización.Administración y Dirección de Empresa

Socio-historical analysis of organisational change: a case study of Zimbabwe Posts (Zimpost), 2010–2020

Postal organisations play an important role in the provision of basic communication services. In Zimbabwe, post offices have a large physical distribution network of over 240 post offices country-wide to make communication services accessible to the populace. However, e-substitution has threatened mail business significantly. Postal operators globally are experiencing declining mail volumes in the face of advanced information and communication technologies. The overall goal of this thesis was to undertake a socio-historical analysis of organisational change at ZimPost using Taylorism, Fordism and post-Fordism as broad ideal types to explain how industry evolves in different phases of capitalism. National politics and economics play an integral role in how Taylorism, Fordism and post-Fordism assumed at ZimPost. Studies on these broad organising types have mainly focused on private sector organisations. However, this thesis argues that these analytical paradigms are also valid in public sector organisations, but they will unfold differently given the context in which change is experienced. Using a qualitative approach, the study established that the 1980s and 1990s can best be described as the ‘golden years’ of postal services in Zimbabwe, characterised by mass production and mass consumption of postal products and services. At that time the Posts and Telecommunications Corporation enjoyed a monopoly of postal services in the country. The stable market share, competitive salaries for postal workers, increased unionisation and a fairly stable economy enabled a Fordist regime of accumulation to develop. The cycle broke down when the mode of regulation was weakened by national economic and political changes towards the late 1990s. PTC started to experience a decline in the consumption of postal products. The decline was also attributed to increased competition from smaller private courier operators that could provide specialised services to a market with changing needs. With increased competition, the advancement of information, and communication technologies, mail volumes dwindled. This period can best be described as the crisis of Fordism at ZimPost. In the year 2000, the government unbundled the posts and telecommunications corporation to create four companies including Zimbabwe Posts. This was perceived as one of the most radical organisational changes in the history of postal services in Zimbabwe. More organisational changes took place at ZimPost that can best be described as characteristics of post-Fordism. These changes were attempts by ZimPost to remain relevant in light of the economic, political and technological changes taking place in the country. The postal operator introduced customised products in the form of agency services, supported by increased use of information and communication technologies in the post office. Organisational changes at ZimPost were shaped mainly by the economic and political environment in which they took place. Organisational change is complex, changes do not follow a linear pattern, they are processual.Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, Sociology, 202

The influence of organizational design on employee engagement in digital environment

U eri digitalizacije, dolazi do transformacionih promena u poslovnim modelima savremenih preduzeća, što implicira promene u celom organizacionom dizajnu. Smatra se da je za uspeh preduzeća, naročito u tehnološki intenzivnim delatnostima, bitna agilnost, usklađenost elemenata dizajna, i, posebno, angažovanost radne snage. Ljudski faktor postaje ključni izvor konkurentske prednosti i zato pitanja koja se tiču međuzavisnosti organizacionog konteksta i individualnih ishoda postaju sve značajnija. Osnovni cilj doktorske disertacije jeste utvrđivanje uticaja organizacionog dizajna na angažovanost zaposlenih u digitalnom poslovnom okruženju. Analiziran je uticaj dizajna posla, i to strukturalne, kognitivne i socijalne dimenzije posla, na angažovanost zaposlenih. Zatim je ispitan indirektan uticaj strategijske agilnosti, organizacione strukture, procesa i sistema, preko dimenzija dizajna posla, na angažovanost zaposlenih. Na kraju je testirano da li organizaciona identifikacija ima moderatorsku ulogu u uticaju dizajna posla na angažovanost zaposlenih. Nakon teorijskog razmatranja osnovnih fenomena i njihovih međusobnih veza, sprovedeno je empirijsko istraživanje na uzorku od 270 ispitanika, zaposlenih u 100 preduzeća u delatnosti informisanja i komunikacija u Republici Srbiji. Za prikupljanje podataka korišćena je anketa, a rezultati su obrađeni različitim statističkim tehnikama. Sprovedena je deskriptivna analiza uzorka, analiza pouzdanosti mernih skala bazirana na Kronbahovom koeficijentu alfa, konfirmativna faktorska analiza, kao i modeliranje strukturalnih jednačina. Rezultati su pokazali da sve tri dimenzije dizajna posla delimično utiču na angažovanost zaposlenih, kao i da je uticaj najjači u slučaju autonomije zaposlenih kao karakteristike posla. Utvrđeno je da svi elementi organizacionog dizajna, osim podele rada i formalizacije, imaju indirektan uticaj na angažovanost preko neke od karakteristika posla, kao i da organizaciona identifikacija u nekim vezama karakteristika posla i angažovanosti ima značajnu ulogu moderatora. Istraživanje ima relevantne teorijske i praktične implikacije. Teorijski doprinos se, između ostalog, ogleda u osvetljavanju značaja ispitivanja organizacionog dizajna kao multidimenzionalnog fenomena i njegovih kompleksnih reperkusija na individualnom nivou. Praktično, rezultati istraživanja mogu biti korisni menadžerima svih nivoa za dizajniranje organizacije koja će omogućiti visoke nivoe angažovanosti, naročito u digitalnom okruženju. Osnovna ograničenja se tiču veličine uzorka, kao i činjenice da je istraživanje sprovedeno na teritoriji jedne države, što predstavlja osnovu za proširenje dobijenih saznanja u budućim istraživanjima.In the era of digitalization, business models of modern companies are facing transformational changes, which affect the entire organizational design. Agility, organizational alignment and the workforce engagement are considered essential for business success, especially in technologically intensive industries. The human factor is becoming a key source of competitive advantage and therefore, issues concerning the interdependence of organizational context and individual outcomes are becoming increasingly important. The main goal of the doctoral dissertation is to determine the impact of organizational design on employee engagement in the digital business environment. The influence of job design, namely the structural, cognitive and social dimensions, on employee engagement was analyzed. Then, the indirect impact of strategic agility, organizational structure, processes and systems, through the dimensions of job design, on employee engagement was examined. Finally, it was tested whether organizational identification has a moderating role in the impact of job design on employee engagement. After the theoretical consideration of the basic phenomena and their mutual connections, an empirical research was conducted on a sample of 270 respondents, employed in 100 companies in the information and communication industry in the Republic of Serbia. A survey was used to collect data, and the results were processed using various statistical techniques. A descriptive analysis of the sample, an analysis of the measurement scales’ reliability based on the Cronbach's alpha coefficient, a confirmatory factor analysis, as well as structural equation modeling were performed. The results showed that all three dimensions of job design partially affect employee engagement, while the impact of job autonomy is the strongest. It was found that all elements of organizational design, except the division of labor and formalization have an indirect impact on engagement through some of the job characteristics. Also, organizational identification has a significant moderating role in some relationships between job characteristics and engagement. The research has relevant theoretical and practical implications. The theoretical contribution is inter alia reflected in highlighting the importance of organizational design as a multilayered phenomenon which has complex repercussions at the individual level. Practically, research results can be useful to managers at all levels in order to design an organization that will enable high levels of engagement, especially in the digital environment. The main limitations concern the size of the sample, as well as the fact that the research was conducted in one country, which is the basis for expanding the knowledge in future research

Socio-historical analysis of organisational change: a case study of Zimbabwe posts (Zimpost), 2010–2020

Postal organisations play an important role in the provision of basic communication services. In Zimbabwe, post offices have a large physical distribution network of over 240 post offices country-wide to make communication services accessible to the populace. However, e-substitution has threatened mail business significantly. Postal operators globally are experiencing declining mail volumes in the face of advanced information and communication technologies. The overall goal of this thesis was to undertake a socio-historical analysis of organisational change at ZimPost using Taylorism, Fordism and post-Fordism as broad ideal types to explain how industry evolves in different phases of capitalism. National politics and economics play an integral role in how Taylorism, Fordism and post-Fordism assumed at ZimPost. Studies on these broad organising types have mainly focused on private sector organisations. However, this thesis argues that these analytical paradigms are also valid in public sector organisations, but they will unfold differently given the context in which change is experienced. Using a qualitative approach, the study established that the 1980s and 1990s can best be described as the ‘golden years’ of postal services in Zimbabwe, characterised by mass production and mass consumption of postal products and services. At that time the Posts and Telecommunications Corporation enjoyed a monopoly of postal services in the country. The stable market share, competitive salaries for postal workers, increased unionisation and a fairly stable economy enabled a Fordist regime of accumulation to develop. The cycle broke down when the mode of regulation was weakened by national economic and political changes towards the late 1990s. PTC started to experience a decline in the consumption of postal products. The decline was also attributed to increased competition from smaller private courier operators that could provide specialised services to a market with changing needs. With increased competition, the advancement of information, and communication technologies, mail volumes dwindled. This period can best be described as the crisis of Fordism at ZimPost. In the year 2000, the government unbundled the posts and telecommunications corporation to create four companies including Zimbabwe Posts. This was perceived as one of the most radical organisational changes in the history of postal services in Zimbabwe. More organisational changes took place at ZimPost that can best be described as characteristics of post-Fordism. These changes were attempts by ZimPost to remain relevant in light of the economic, political and technological changes taking place in the country. The postal operator introduced customised products in the form of agency services, supported by increased use of information and communication technologies in the post office. Organisational changes at ZimPost were shaped mainly by the economic and political environment in which they took place. Organisational change is complex, changes do not follow a linear pattern, they are processual.Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, Sociology, 202

The effect of contingency factors and ABC implementation success on organizational performance in Iraqi manufacturing sector

The factors responsible for the successful implementation of activity-based costing (ABC) systems are still not much known especially among the developing countries. Additionally, there are still rooms for investigation into how external, internal and technological factors enhance the implementation of ABC and organizational performance. As such, this study employs the contingency theory to examine the relationships between contingency factors, ABC implementation success (ABCIS) and organizational performance, and the mediating effect of ABCIS on the relationships between contingency factors and organizational performance. This study is based on a questionnaire survey conducted on 114 respondents consisting of accounting managers of manufacturing industry in Iraq. The data collected was analyzed using both SPSS and PLS3-SEM. The results reveal that environmental uncertainty, market orientation, cost-leadership strategy, vertical decentralization and information technology (IT) have significant and positive effects on ABCIS. Differentiation strategy and horizontal decentralization have significant but negative effect on ABCIS. The results also demonstrate that ABCIS, cost-leadership strategy, vertical decentralization and IT have significant and positive effects on organizational performance. Horizontal decentralization shows a negative and significant association with performance, but there is no significant effect of environmental uncertainty, market orientation and differentiation strategy on organizational performance. Also, this study shows that ABCIS significantly mediates the relationship between environmental uncertainty, market orientation, cost-leadership strategy, differentiation strategy, IT and organizational performance. Meanwhile, the mediating effect of ABCIS is not significant on the decentralized structure-performance relationship. The results also support the combined effects of contingency factors on ABCIS and organizational performance. Finally, the results show that different contingency factors are correlated with ABC at different levels of implementation. This study theoretically contributes to a growing body of knowledge on the fit between contingency factors, ABC systems and organizational performance. Practically, the findings explain how contingencies and ABC systems enhance the performance of manufacturing companies

Technologies on Decentralization of Organizational Structure

Abstract. This paper presents research on influence of information and communication technologies on decentralization of organizational structure. An empirical research was conducted, in which decentralization was described by dominant management style was compared to the level of composite index of ICT adoption. Also, consulting experience in four major Serbian companies was used to further elaborate and explain the results in the context of modern literature and practice. Conclusions were that ICT adoption is more frequently expressed in decentralized companies, empirically described by dominant liberal style of management, although ICT adoption can also lead to centralization in some cases, depending on other factors in the organization