Department of Management

This dissertation investigates the antecedents and consequences to pay disparity between the CEO and non-CEO executives from an equity-based perspective. While the principles of agency theory suggest that CEOs are granted higher compensation packages to better align their motives to those of the firm's shareholders, empirical research has not supported a positive relationship between rising CEO pay and firm performance. Some results even suggest a negative relationship. This dissertation argues that if organizational outcomes are determined by the integrated skills and talents of its dominant coalition, and if the management of a firm's trajectory is a shared process, then, the disparity in rewards between the CEO and those that work closest to him becomes an important area of study.

The use of new media technology which refers to digital, computerized, or networked information and communication technologies such as the Internet, mobile devices, gaming, and social networks, has come to define the music industry today, and it is this technology that has empowered independent artists in such a way that they are now free to pursue heights of success previously only available to major label artists. New media technology has affected the traditional business models of major labels, it has resulted in gross decline in recording costs, given birth to new channels of music marketing, and business models, and has created a new music clientele that requires instant gratification, personalization, and connectivity. In the face of such change, independent artists have been empowered and can access opportunities to distribute music independently, market and promote music effectively to niche markets, secure publishing deals, while building their own community of dedicated fans.

The growth of global competition has established international segmentation as a key issue in developing, positioning and selling products throughout the world (Ter Hofstede, Steenkamp and Wedel 1999). Many international segmentation studies have used macro-level, secondary data to identify country clusters based on similarities in political, economic, geographic or cultural variables. As a result of extensive review, we identify three major gaps in the international country segmentation literature. First, no study so far has accounted for the influence of time. While researchers suggest that longitudinal analysis provides additional insight into whether situational characteristics of countries change over time (Cavusgil, Kiyak, and Yeniyurt 2004; Helsen, Jedidi, and DeSarbo 1993; Sethi 1971; Steenkamp and Hofstede 2002,), a major limitation of this body of work is that most studies address country-level segmentation at a single point in time. However, bases of segmentation are considered to be dynamic in nature (Hassan, Craft, and Kortam 2003) and global and country-specific changes in economic development are likely to result in variations in segment membership over time. We investigate the stability of factors and the stability of segments over time by performing cluster analysis at two points of time. Second, most studies use ad hoc variables without theoretical basis which may result in accidental generalizations. Instead of suggesting a proliferation of random variables, which are considered influential in the decision making process without any empirical or theoretical evidence, we propose a theoretical basis for country segmentation. We use institutional theory to distinguish between heterogeneous groups of countries. Finally, there is the issue of providing "one size fits all" solutions.

The preoperational stage of a new venture is characterized by concept definition, idea enhancement, and strategy formulation. Entrepreneurs consult advisors in knowledge sharing activities. Trust is dominant in these entrepreneur-advisor relationships as entrepreneurs rely on an advisor's judgment to keep venture ideas away from competitors. However, the relationships between trust, knowledge sharing, and knowledge security during the preoperational stage of a new high-tech venture are not directly examined in many research studies. Concerning types of trust, McAllister (1995) defines two types of interpersonal trust: affective trust, which develops from emotional bonds between individuals, and calculative trust, which is based on an individual's level of competence and reliability. The present study applies McAllister's (1995) theory of types of trust to Kale, Singh, and Perlmutter (2000) findings to examine how trust relationships between entrepreneurs and advisors affect knowledge sharing and an entrepreneur's use of NDAs. This dissertation's research primary question is, "How does trust between an entrepreneur and advisors affect knowledge sharing and choices of knowledge security mechanisms during the preoperational stage of a new high-tech venture?" I used de Koning and Muzyka's (1999) classification of the entrepreneur's social context to define three advisor types: Close Friends, Business Associates, and Licensed Professionals. Linking these types with literature on trust and knowledge, I hypothesize seven relationships dealing with trust, knowledge sharing, and knowledge security. I used structured and non-structured interview formats to collect data on 143 entrepreneur/advisor relationships in South Florida.