Masters in Technology Management Theses

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The effects of implementing a Lean Six Sigma tool, Visual Process Controls, to improve month-end activities in a finance department - An Empirical Case Study
(2010-08-31) Fitzmaurice, Ian
The world that companies operate in today forces them to continually seek out and strive for new cost savings and where possible create a competitive advantage. Lean, Lean Thinking and Lean Six Sigma has seen tools and methods applied in manufacturing environments over the years that have proved effective. This dissertation takes one of these tools, Visual Process Controls, and seeks to establish the effects of implementing it so that there is an improvement to month-end activities in an accounting environment. Following extensive research of Lean, Lean Thinking and Lean Six Sigma literature the following two research objectives have been identified for further investigation: Research Objective One: To explore the impact of introducing Visual Process Controls on Pfizer's Grange Castle and Newbridge accounting departments' month-end processes Research Objective Two: To ascertain if Visual Process Controls in use in Grange Castle and Newbridge accounting departments provide clarity of use and clarity of process, and if the monthend visual process control board is an effective process improvement tool for an accounting department environment. The data collection method chosen by the author is qualitative as there is a need to take into account the experiences and views of the analysts, accountants and management within the accounting departments. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with respondents appropriately spread between the various sub-functions of the accounting department to give a fair reflection of the impact and effective use of the month-end visual process control board. The data analysis was both qualitative and quantitative as the author found it necessary to have defined rules for scoring in order to arrive at a conclusion ¿ that the use of Visual Process Control tools within an accounting environment was effective. The researcher achieved research objective one, to explore the impact of introducing visual process controls on the month-end processes within the accounting departments of Grange Castle and ix Newbridge. The research findings indicate many positive impacts across six distinct areas ¿ the month-end process; the finance leadership team; the finance team; team behaviours; tools, systems or processes; and team communication. The research for research objective two, to ascertain if Visual Process Controls in use in the accounting departments of Grange Castle and Newbridge provide clarity of use and clarity of process, and if the month-end visual process control board is an effective process improvement tool for an accounting department environment, have also been achieved. From the twelve respondents interviewed, ten or 83% have deemed the use of the month-end visual process control board to be an effective tool for this environment, based on the defined scoring criteria.
What is Waste? - Irish & European Perspectives on Waste Law
(2010-09-20) Geaney, John
Irish and European waste legislation has progressed through a myriad of legislative waste revisions over the last 35 years. The complex web of legislation includes; 1975- Council Directive on Waste (75/442/EEC) 1991- Council Directive on Waste (91/156/EEC) 1993- Establishment of Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) 1994- European Waste Catalogue Published 1996- Waste Management Act (Ireland) 1998- 'Changing Our Ways' Irish Waste Policy 1999- Council Directive on Landfill (99/31/EC) 2001- Waste Management Amendment Act (Ireland) 2002- New European Waste Catalogue 2002- 'Preventing & Recycling Waste- Delivering Change ' New Irish Waste Policy 2003- Council Directive on Acceptance of Waste at Landfills (2003/33/EC) 2004- National Waste Prevention Programme Launched (Ireland) 2003- Thematic Strategy on Prevention and Recycling of Waste 2006- Council Directive on Waste (2006/12/EC) 2006- National Strategy on Biodegradable Waste (Ireland) 2008- Council Directive on Waste (2008/98/EC) 2009- National Waste Prevention Program (2009-2012) Launched (Ireland) 2010- Deadline for entry of 2008/98/EC into force in all member states (12th Dec) While the body of legislation is comprehensive, a major debate still reigns on one central issue; What is the legal definition of Waste?. Throughout the history of the various Waste Directives, this issue has perplexed the courts in many of the member states and has consistently been referred to the European Court of Justice for interpretation and definition. Cichowski (1999) reported that national judges within the EU had asked the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for 6 interpretation of waste law more than any other subject from the beginnings of the waste directive in 1976 through to 1998. This dissertation reviews the key literature and European Court of Justice (ECJ) case histories involving the definition of waste. It also reviews similar cases involving waste definition in the Irish courts and discusses the issues associated with the definition both at a National and a Community level. It also previews some future waste definition issues likely to require further determination in the future. As a result of this research, it is clear that confusion regarding the exact definition of waste and indeed holders of waste still exists at a legislative level. As case law has evolved, the European Court has substantially changed its definition of waste. Furthermore, it is also clear that through analysis of cases such as Brady vs the EPA and the Commission vs Spain, there are significant differences between the National Courts and the Community on this definition. Finally it is also apparent that the development of ¿End of Waste¿ criteria will further complicate an already confused picture at both a National and Community level.
A study of Irish medical device companies best practice new product development tools and methodologies
(2009) Naughton, Kevin
The aim of this study is to investigate what New Product Development (NPD) process methodologies and what NPD tools are in use by Irish medical device companies, and to then recommend an adapted NPD process with the appropriate tools to deliver medical device companies a roadmap to choosing and bringing the right product to the market at the right time. Case Studies were conducted on three medical device companies with their own varying characteristics. Face-to-face interviews were carried out using semi-structured questionnaires. Three R&D team members from each of the six R&D teams were interviewed across three medical device companies. The findings found that Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) is used as an enhancement in all of the medical device companies, along with some Lean NPD initiatives, and a variety of NPD tools and methodologies and other varying characteristics. DFSS phase methodology can be concluded as a must have for the Irish medical device company. Medical device companies must allow a feedback loop at the end of their process, which will feed lessons learned back in and allow R&D teams to continually tweak their NPD process for the best fit for them. Lean NPD initiatives of value stream teams and reviewing the companies phase review usage should be followed. Cross functional team usage by the R&D team during NPD is a must. NPD tools and methodologies are a must have as part of the companies NPD process. Some are more than others. iv
Reaching a crossroads: a strategic roadmap for the small to medium size enterprises
(2009) Treacy, Joseph
Globalisation is now well and truly upon us and the barriers of entry no longer hold bounds on the larger organisations, the big corporations are now looking for new opportunities for expansion. For the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Ireland this presents a serious problem as today, not only do they have to compete with the local competition, they now have to face the force of the big corporations who bring with them the power of finance, possess superior products and technology with a strong experienced managerial team driving it. Where at one time the SME had dominance in their local markets, in many cases the arrival of the major entrant signals the end of the road. Many SMEs have diversified and become sub-contracting subordinates for larger organisations, while others have sold out to Multi-National Enterprises (MNEs). For the purposes of this research we examine the SMEs that have sold out to larger MNEs and we attempt to discover what unique features those SMEs have that is seen as adding value to the MNE. By understanding these factors we propose to create a strategic roadmap for all SMEs to benchmark themselves against, to bring them to the same level of higher performance as those SMEs seen as attractive propositions to the MNEs.
Investigation into the implementation of the CANDO methodology of visual workplace organisation in company X
(2009) Morrow, Desmond
The purpose of this research was to investigate the implementation of the CANDO methodology for Visual Workplace Organisation in the Manufacturing areas in Company X. The primary objective was to give a detailed account and insight into the implementation methods employed and to establish whether the implementation succeeded in helping to build the foundation for elimination of waste and non-value-add activities, reduce machine downtime and create an environment where work standardisation and sustaining continuous improvement is achievable and sought by all employees. An integrated quantitative/qualitative approach of both semi- structured interviews along with participative and direct observation was used in order to collect data and to establish a related set of results. From the results and findings the actual Company X implementation methodology employed bore strong resemblance to the majority of the literature written on the subject but had some original and slight variations which gave a more thorough understanding of the methods and activities. The implementation did reduce waste in all of the areas researched but there was no conclusive evidence to show that the implementation reduced overall average machine downtime in the areas researched. Employees interviewed did feel involved and empowered to take action and make decisions concerning their areas and routines. The implementation in Company X did achieve some wins which acted as a foundation from which full lean implementation could be achieved through small incremental improvements in all areas. Continuous employee involvement with strong management commitment and support remains crucial to make ongoing improvement sustainable.
A Cost-Saving and Innovative Best-Practices Green IT Framework for Small
(2009) McManus, Concepta
The notion of Green IT in a mirco, small or medium sized company (SME) is not well explored in current literature. The Green IT guidelines or the recommended activities outlined in literature are often more applicable to large organisations that have extensive resources to implement these Green initiatives. The purpose of this study was to develop a Green IT framework suitable for SMEs. In the process, the study sought to understand the levels of awareness of Green IT that currently exists among SMEs and find out about the current adoption rates of Green IT among SMEs. The study sought to also address potential barriers to and benefits of Green IT. Data was collected using three methods: observation, interviews and questionnaires. The study demonstrated that as of August 2009, the level of awareness among SMEs regarding Green IT is low. Just over half of the SMEs surveyed, admit to not knowing, what practices belong to the Green IT category. SMEs in general are slow to adopt Green IT practices particularly when compared to their larger counterparts. SMEs are failing miserably to pick the `low-hanging fruit¿, such limiting paper use and using power management tools. The level of knowledge a firm possesses about Green IT is directly proportional to the rate at which it will accept and embrace new Green IT techniques. The study proposes a seven-step framework, a list of recommendations that can guide and direct SMEs through the implementation of a Green IT project and so addresses the gap identified in the literature.
Dimensions of growth: A Maturity Model for continuous quality improvement of a clinical
(2009) Kirrane, John Francis
Most studies of Clinical Information System (CIS) implementations tend to limit the inquiry to the installation phase. This research extends this perspective of the CIS lifecycle to the years post-installation. This study examines the development of a maturity model to both assess and guide the ongoing development of a locally customised hospital critical care CIS, in response to the continuous quality improvement initiatives of the service. The model arose from qualitative data collected from a critical care service in a large teaching hospital. The method involved a first principles examination of the priorities of a critical care service through an inductive textual analysis of the documents that underpin the strategic, professional and operational requirements of the critical care service. These priorities form the dimensions of the traditional maturity model, where a series of interviews with clinical experts examine how the CIS can facilitate improvement along each dimension The maturity model developed consists of seven dimensions, each described in terms of four levels of increasing sophistication. This model is piloted in the critical care department of a large university hospital, which has been using a CIS for over four years. Results show that the method proposed is suitable for the development of a CIS maturity model. The results of the pilot study highlight different individual perspectives on the current level of CIS maturity. This study concludes that this model is a suitable tool to assess current performance, and as a strategic guide to organise for ongoing CIS success.
The identification of the most appropriate key performance
(2009) Costello, Michael
Material suppliers can play a very large role in the success of manufacturing firms. While Porter (1979) described suppliers as a competitive force, Childe (1998) recognised them as business partners in the extended enterprise. Given their importance it is reasonable to expect the appropriate resources and methodologies are employed in selecting the best suppliers. In addition to purchasing professionals, vendor selection processes should involve multifunctional teams to identify the most appropriate selection criteria or key performance criteria that proposed new suppliers may be measured against. This thesis contends that for many firms the ¿reality does not match the rhetoric¿. While firms may have vendor selection procedures in place they are often generic and ineffective. The procedures do not offer metrics important to the firm, does not engage stakeholders within the firm such as quality, logistics and engineering and are not value adding. An analysis of the procedures used by 7 manufacturing firms supports this. Through an empirical cross-sectional survey of 78 professionals working in various functional groups in manufacturing industries this research has determined the attitude and degree of involvement of these individuals in new vendor selection. In 1966 Gary Dickson proposed 23 vendor selection criteria surveying 273 purchasing managers and agents to rank them in order of importance. This thesis has proposed 12 new Key Performance Indicators for use in vendor selection. These have been evaluated and ranked by the survey group described above indicating that cost, quality and delivery remain of the greatest concern when selecting new suppliers.
Perspectives: A study of the innovation management capability of an Irish SME, as perceived by the key players in the innovation process
(2009-09) Ansbro, Caitriona
One of the biggest challenges facing organisations today is to consistently and sustainably innovate. This must be achieved in the face of global recession, intense competition and demanding dynamic markets. It cannot be achieved by just having innovators; innovation must be effectively managed, and it is this complex task which forms the basis for the ensuing research. Organisational innovation is a game of many players, each with an important role on the innovation team. This research assesses the innovation game at Aerogen Ltd., a young Irish SME, whose innovation endeavours to-date have been recognized and rewarded in the medical device industry. The research draws from the wide-ranging perspectives of the key players in the innovation process ¿ cross-functional, hierarchical, long-serving and newly-hired ¿ to determine if their perceptions align, and if the innovation management practices of the company will help to pave the way to future growth and competitive success. The research utilises a case study approach, which has been carried out in a number of phases. A deductive, multi-method approach began with a thorough review of the academic literature to identify ¿best practices¿ in innovation management. A survey approach gathered both quantitative and qualitative data from the various participant groups, and post-survey interviews were carried out to clarify, confirm and discuss the survey outcomes. The research concludes that Aerogen has many innovators, but must now adjust some aspects of its innovation management systems and processes to ensure that long-term innovation and competitive success can be achieved.
A study of innovation measurement and innovation management at Irish medical device SME's
(2009-09) Ronan, David
The objective of this dissertation is to discuss the current state of innovation measurement and innovation management at Irish medical device SME's. Irish medical device SME's are often founded as spin-out companies from MNC's and are styled on scaled down versions of an MNC. The resulting culture, strategic management and innovation management is not considered best practice. The word `innovation' has lost its currency through over-use and this study will explore a toolbox of techniques to implement innovation management best practice. The management structures, cultures and corporate governance policies of small companies are often an ad hoc mixture which don¿t support innovation management or in the worst cases, are detrimental to it. This report will develop tools which can be used to measure the innovation activity so that the company can start to actively manage it. The study uses a mixed method approach with an innovation audit questionnaire to gather quantitative data on innovation activity and an interview to gather qualitative data. Case study data will be included for the purpose of supporting the qualitative and quantitative information. The study found that there are varying levels of innovation activity across the sample of organisations. The quantitative data found that innovation management was predominantly passive; the qualitative data found that innovation management was mostly an aspiration of management. Setting up an SME to commercialise a technology is difficult enough, however the installation of innovation management and an innovation culture at the outset greatly enhances the chances of success.
How does the project management office (PMO) deliver value to the organisation?
(2009-09) Keating, Derek
The Project Management Office (PMO) is a relatively recent phenomenon, but over the last 10 to 15 years it has become a prominent feature in many organisations. Despite its proliferation, no consensus exists on how the PMO is best structured, what functions it should perform and, of particular importance, what value does the PMO contribute to the organisation. This research has been carried out to advance the existing body of knowledge in this field, specifically in relation to what functions the PMO performs in delivering value to the organisation. Using knowledge gleaned from the existing body of research in this field, the author has created the PMO Value Framework, a theoretical framework used to describe the functions or roles performed by PMOs. These roles are referred to as the PMO Value Roles. The author¿s hypothesis is that it is through performing these roles that the PMO delivers value to the organisation and as the PMO¿s ability to perform these roles improves the value delivered will increase. Using multiple case studies to test the theory the research found that PMOs perform the PMO Value Roles to different degrees and it is through performing these that the PMO delivers value to the organisation. Further, through improving the effectiveness of each role the PMO contributes to improving the project management competency within the organisation and thus helps develop organisational project management maturity. The PMO needs to develop a more significant strategic role within the organisation and is well placed to do so.
Investigating intellectual property protection of a company¿s spare part business
(2009-09) Locke, Stuart
The following thesis looks at Intellectual Property Rights available to companies for the protection of spare parts. The author reviews Intellectual Property, Patent, Copyright, Trademark and Design Right Legislation in the Ireland, The United Kingdom and The United States of America. The thesis discusses what the rights protect in terms of protecting against the infringement of spare parts. The review leads the author to legal law cases that had an affect on the both the legislation and infringement for the spare parts business. Finally, the author brings the research together by looking at Business Strategy and the affect that a business strategy can have on a company, providing guidelines of how to analysis a companies business and the interaction with intellectual property. The thesis ends with a conclusion on intellectual property with strategy and the affects it can have on a company protecting its business, recommendations for a company in the spare part business on protecting their Intellectual property.
Implementing S88 in discrete manufacturing equipment
(2009-09) Kevin, Donaghey
In the medical device industry, software has become a more integral component of the manufacturing process, which in the main, consists of discrete manufacturing equipment. As these software systems control the equipment that manufactures the medical devices, they are required to be validated to comply with the regulatory bodies requirements. As software systems become more complex coupled with more enforcement from the regulatory bodies, medical device manufacturers are investing additional resources to maintain compliance. This research project examines a case study of how a medical device manufacturer implemented a new software standard to reduce the software development and validation costs of new discrete manufacturing equipment. The ISA-88 standard was evaluated as the basis for the software standard. This standard, which has it roots in the batch process industry, has had a major impact on the way batch process automation is engineered. S88 has been a focal point for defining and automating batch processes for over a decade; its acceptance within the batch processing community is widespread. While ISA- 88 has achieved general acceptance in the batch process industry, it has not yet enjoyed widespread use in discrete manufacturing equipment applications. This research examines how the S88 design standard was applied to discrete manufacturing equipment and the benefits of applying the software standard at a medical device manufacturing organisation. This was complemented with a survey of similar organisations that had recently implemented the ISA-88 design philosophy. The final deliverable of this research was to develop a useful decision tree that should provide practical guidance to engineering professional investigating the option of implementing S88 at their organisation.
The Readiness of High-Technology Manufacturing Companies to Adopt and Use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID): A Case Study of the Medical Device Sector in Ireland
(2008) Mc Guinness, Kevin
The decision to undertake this Masters programme was difficult enough in it¿s own right but the completion of it, and particularly this Thesis, would not have been possible were it not for the support and assistance of several key individuals. To start, I would like to thank my fellow classmates who, through the sharing of their own personnel experiences from their various fields and professions, provided many interesting insights and debates on various aspects of innovation in today¿s workplace. In particular I would like to Ann and Lubos for their company and friendship during the many hours spent driving along the highways and by-ways of Ireland. Your company and conversation over the past two years made the journey to the many group workshops and tutorials a pleasure during this time. I would also like to thank my research supervisor, Dr. Majella Giblin, National University of Ireland Galway, for all her assistance and guidance during the course of this Thesis and for teaching me the value of a good time plan in any project. Above all else, I would like to thank my family for their patience, understanding and help throughout the past two years. To my two lovely children, Amy and Aaron, I apologise most sincerely for not being there as much as I ought have been over this time and can only promise to make it up to you again in the near future. Finally, the most heartfelt thank you of all goes to my beautiful wife, Mary, who carried the burden of my absence during this time and never once complained, despite having every right to do so. Thank you for being there to remind me why it was we took on this particular challenge in the first place.
Ireland's progression towards a Knowledge Economy
(2007) Lohan, Michael
Globalisation has made the world a very small place. Multi-National Companies (MNCs) seek to optimise their return on overseas investmentby applying stringent techniques for assessing the suitability of new markets. The growth over the last decade in global foreign direct investment (FDI), points to an increasing need by MNCs to find appropriate overseas locations to serve fragmented local markets and to be closer to key customers. There is a belief that MNC's provide quality jobs,superior skills and technology and opportunities for local linkages and exports (Dunning, 1993, Young et al., 1994a; Dicken, 1998).In recent years, the Republic of Ireland has been haloed as a leading location for foreign direct investment. Neatly perched on the periphery of Europe, Ireland has in the last decade, outperformed many developed countries. More recent waves of investment are seen as being of higher quality in terms of affiliate autonomy and local sourcing (Amin et al.,1994) and as a result, the extent to which inward investors become embedded in host countries takes on even greater significance (Phelps,2000). The scope of this research is to conduct an exploratory investigation into the factors that specifically influenced decisions by MNCs to invest in R & D facilities in Ireland.The investigative methodologies employed saw the application of both primary and secondary research. An initial review of the relevant literature focused on FDI in the global and Irish contexts. Primary research, in the form of depth-interviews, was undertaken with existing MNCs in Ireland.The results of the research indicate that whilst Ireland has been extremely successful in attracting manufacturing and service related activity, it has not done as well in securing large scale R&D investment. Equally, the factors that conspired to attract existing R&D investment in Ireland do not follow the more traditional and expected investment requirements matrix as applied by MNCs in seeking new investment locations.
Evaluating the development of metrics within the new product development process to reduce time to market
(2008) Mitchell, Paul
The manufacturing landscape is changing in Ireland. Ireland has enjoyed huge prosperity through the ¿Celtic Tiger¿ years as large multinational organisations set up manufacturing plants in Ireland. With the emergence of lower cost economies pressure has been put on Ireland¿s position as an attractive location for manufacture. With this change opportunities to innovate are being presented to Irish companies. As the economy changes to knowledge based economy entrepreneurs are setting up small development medical device companies exploiting opportunities within an ever expanding and technologically advancing field of minimally invasive surgery. Introducing new products to the market requires successfully developing the product from the concept phase through to the commercialisation phase. Introducing well designed product onto the market place in a short time as possible maximises the products financial potential in the market. This research utilised a case study approach to examine of the development of metrics to reduce the time to market for new products within these small Irish organisations. Investigating both traditional project measurement methods (Gantt Charts) and new techniques, such as stage gates, design for six sigma and balanced score cards, the study investigated the potential of tracking project outputs to reduce time to market. The case study shows the small Irish indigenous organisations studied has a high level of technical expertise and innovation potential and has successfully commercialised its first internally designed product. The measurement and analysis of the new product development process suggests the development of a system which will incorporate traditional and new methods. The study also indicates the development of new product development metrics will increase team communication, increase project execution efficiency and reduce time to market for substantially more robust products. The development of this new product development will incorporate the voice of the customer activities through the development process. The study indicates the learning¿s conducted for large organisations can be transferred to small Irish organisations. Measuring and continuously improving the new product development process increases product success and reduces the time to market.
Commercial Off-The-Shelf Software: Using Purchasing Portfolio Management to Gain Competitive Advantage
(2007) Callagy, Claire
This study examines how purchasing portfolio management can be used to gain competitive advantage when using Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) software products in software development. A case study research method was chosen, using a qualitative data gathering approach. The study is based in a large telecommunications company that uses an extensive number of COTS software products in the software development of a telecommunications software system. Although there are many advantages to using COTS software products, there are also many disadvantages. There is a high degree of buyer lock-in, and the many challenges are attributed to vendor-controlled change and market conditions. The case study findings indicate that purchasing portfolio management is a valuable technique to classify COTS products, analyse buyer-suppler relationships and to determine what strategic actions are needed to gain competitive advantage. The approach offers a structured and comprehensive classification approach that can be customised to each company¿s context and considers supply market complexities as well as the importance of the product to business strategy.
Conflict between Radical and Incremental innovation: Perceptions and behaviours of actors caught in the cross fire
(2007) Walsh, John B.
The `great fear¿ is according to Ansoff (1998) is that the organizational decision makers who fail to anticipate the trends and discontinuities in the wider environment will be `left behind¿. Innovation and new product development is the lifeblood for commercial success and survival. However, innovation is extremely difficult to predict and to manage successfully. Enterprises find themselves attempting to improve existing products , process and services in conjunction with and in competition to alternate efforts to replace them. This classic dichotomy between incremental and radical innovation is at the heart of this research study. This study looks at the behaviours and attitudes of software engineers within an R+D LAB in Hewlett Packard (HP) within the context of large organizational transformations and re-positioning to a more `mechanistic¿ control structure. These engineers are chartered and goaled on development of new `innovative¿ solution for HP customers. They now find them selves in an `ambiguous¿, conflicting situation, the academic literature suggests that innovation will be stifled under such conditions. The research question posed is: HP R+D Managers and Engineers feel that radical innovation is increasingly stifled in a more `mechanistic `organization. This research by way of an online survey examines if there has been a change in behaviours and attitudes by engineers and managers in the R+D organization relating to innovation in such an environment. This attempts to validate and measure such changes in attitudes and behaviours by R+D actors as the organizational context changes over time The survey and analysis concludes that an organizational shift to a more mechanistic perspective has occurred and that user behaviours and attitudes have changed. Notably, `risk taking¿, `internal and external communication¿ were adversely impacted. The results were broadly inline with the expected theoretical outcome. Variances concerning `individual motivation¿ ; and openness to `new skills` were observed and discussed. The research concludes with a discussion on the findings, reviews implications for HP and enumerates additional possible research areas.
Kindling the Fire - Exploring the potential of ICT to spark creativity and Love of Learning in Irish Primary School Pupils
(2008) Carley Greene, Rosaleen
Creativity is essential for the holistic development of the learner, fostering an individual who espouses confidence in learning, who values close collaboration with peers and significant others, and who is inspired to engage in life-long learning. Such an individual is well-equipped for the challenges of the 21st Century. This dissertation explores the potential of ICT to spark this creativity and enthusiasm in Irish Primary School Pupils. Despite the existence of common ICT standards as defined by NCCA and NCTE, there is no consistency in the way ICT is configured in schools and integrated into the Irish primary school curriculum. A comparative study was employed involving two schools at opposite ends of the ICT spectrum (determined by the provision and usage of ICT and priority given to ICT). The study used multi-method triangulation (students, their teachers and parents) involving several research methods to capture the multi- faceted aspect of this thesis. It focused on the creative impact of ICT on the Arts. The findings indicate that higher spectrum pupils demonstrate greater creativity and collaborative engagement through ICT activities which in itself leads to more effective learning. Furthermore, ICT facilitated active engagement by the child in his/her learning experience. This contributed to fun and enjoyment in the learning process fostering greater enthusiasm for learning. This thesis concludes that the role of the teacher as a collaborative partner is key to achieving the potential of ICT to spark creativity and enthusiasm and, furthermore, that he/she needs support in achieving the desired benefits.
Motivation- The Irish and non Irish Workers: Using the psychological contract to understand the reasons behind perceived different performance levels from the Irish and non Irish employees on the same manufacturing floor.
(2008) Tallon, Daniel
The objective of this investigation was to ascertain if a different psychological contract was in existence among shop floor employees in a small to medium enterprise. This thesis sought to answer three research questions. A) What are the expectations of both Irish and non Irish employees. B) Are these expectations being met? C) What are the key differences if any between Irish and non Irish employees. In line with best practices according to literature a variety of investigation methods was used. A survey of employees was combined with interviews with senior management and data on overtime and absenteeism. The main findings showed that both groups reported their two most important expectations were not satisfactorily delivered. The top two expectations were traditional indicating that there is not the significant shift in the psychological contract that some literature suggests. Both Irish and non Irish employee groups have shown very similar expectations. There is some evidence to suggest that there are two distinct psychological contracts in existence. Irish employees were seen to have a slightly more relational contract then non-Irish employees. Relying on previous academic literature to explain the reason for the non-Irish employees having a more transactional contract may stem from their expectation of a short tenure with the organisation. The results also suggested that in general employees are. Irish employees possibly saw the unsatisfactory delivery of important expectations as a more serious violation of their psychological contract and withheld their performance to a greater extent than their non-Irish co-workers.

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