| 81. |
- Canonico, P., et al.
(författare)
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Getting control of multi-project organizations : Combining contingent control mechanisms
- 2010
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Ingår i: International Journal of Project Management. - : Elsevier. - 0263-7863 .- 1873-4634. ; 28:8, s. 796-806
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The literature on management control has expanded considerably in the past few decades, yet only a limited number of publications have been devoted to multi-project organizations (MPOs). This is somewhat a problem given the increasing rise and importance of project-based structures and the role of project management as a significant part of many firms' management control system. This paper elaborates on a contingency framework of management control in MPOs and aims at investigating the control issues that call for holistic frameworks of control mechanisms. Relying on a comparative case study, the analysis shows how control mechanisms are deployed and what implications different choices of management control systems have on the organizational structure of MPOs. In particular, the paper addresses the importance technical complementarities, and the role of ‘project interdependencies’ and ‘project openness’ for the design of management control system
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| 82. |
- Cronemyr, Peter, et al.
(författare)
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Changing from a product to a process perspective for service improvements in a manufacturing company
- 2010
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Ingår i: The TQM Journal. - : Emerald. - 1754-2731 .- 1754-274X. ; 22:1, s. 26-40
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate service improvements in a manufacturing context. Design/methodology/approach – Action research at the gas turbine manufacturer Siemens was performed during a five-year period. In addition, 336 fault reports sent to the service division concerning severity, cost, and occurrence were analyzed. Findings – When moving from a fire-fighting culture to a proactive culture, a company needs to change from a product to a process perspective. The benefit of changing from a product to a process perspective is the change in focus from reduction of internal costs to value creation through service delivery. Practical implications – This paper shows how feedback from dissatisfied customers can be used as a driving factor in process improvements. Based on this knowledge, a company can select the most important Six Sigma projects to improve their service processes. The change from a product to a process perspective shows that traditionally the severity of almost 50 percent of all faults is underestimated. Originality/value – The paper provides a number of fruitful insights on how to work with service improvements in manufacturing companies.
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| 83. |
- Dille, T., et al.
(författare)
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Managing inter-institutional projects : The significance of isochronism, timing norms and temporal misfits
- 2011
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Ingår i: International Journal of Project Management. - : Elsevier. - 0263-7863 .- 1873-4634. ; 29:4, s. 480-490
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Conventional analysis of project organization has paid limited attention to projects in their institutional environment. Such analysis would be particularly relevant and important when dealing with projects in which actors represent different institutional environments. Accordingly, this paper suggests and defines the notion of “inter-institutional projects” and develops a conceptual framework consisting of three concepts and a set of guiding propositions. The following concepts are singled out: (1) isochronism highlights an important aspect of institutions and particularly how organizations within the same organizational field come to resemble each other in the tempos and phases of their activity cycles; (2) the notion of timing norms is used to analyze the surrounding rhythms and beats of the project at the institutional level and recognizes that different actors and involved units in the project adhere to conflicting timing norms; and (3) the concept of temporal fit/misfit is used to analyze the conflicting timing norms among organizations within the same project. The paper ends with implications and ideas for future research
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| 84. |
- Fried, Andrea
(författare)
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Performance measurement systems and their relation to strategic learning: A case study in a software-developing organization
- 2010
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Ingår i: Critical Perspectives on Accounting. - : Elsevier BV. - 1045-2354. ; 21, s. 118-133
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Authors have often suggested that expert systems for measuring and assessing intangible andtangibleresourcesfulfillstrategiclearningpurposes. This role requires further theoretical discussion and empirical investigation since strategic learning does not automatically result from the implementation of performance measurement systems (PMS). PMS can be used for internal or external control purposes in addition their development and usage can lead to strategic learning processes. Depending on how PMS are conceptualized they can be related to different modes of learning. Thus, this article links different types of PMS enactment with specific modes of learning. Strategic learning is thereby defined as specific mode within the organizational learning approach by Bateson (1972) and Argyris and Schön (1978). Orlikowski’s work on technologies (2000) provides a framework for the different types of PMS enactment. A strategic learning process initiated by the development of PMS is illustrated through a case study in the software development industry.
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| 85. |
- Fried, Andrea, 1972-
(författare)
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„Wachsen oder nicht, das ist die Frage …“ : Systemdifferenzierungen junger Unternehmen am Beispiel einer Kommunikationsagentur
- 2010
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Ingår i: Schmalenbach Business Review. - : Springer. - 0341-2687. ; 62:3, s. 334-360
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Wenn etablierte unternehmensbezogene ansätze der Gründungsforschung Unternehmenswachstum untersuchen, dann zielen sie auf eine analyse der kausalen Beziehungen von Erfolgsfaktoren ab. Wachstum junger Unternehmen wird in diesem Beitrag alternativ als evolutionärer Prozess verstanden. Der Begriff Wachstum vereinigt hier die quantitative wie qualitative Veränderung junger Unternehmen im Zeitverlauf. Grundlage für die analyse von Wachstum sind die funktional-strukturellen Überlegungen innerhalb der Theorie sozialer Systeme nach Niklas Luhmann (1964). Im Beitrag wird eine problemorientierte analyse des Wachstumsdrucks junger Unternehmen anhand von fünf Merkmalen vorgeschlagen: Mitgliedschaft, arbeitsteilung, Formalisierung, Führung und Grenzstellen. Exemplarisch geschieht dies am Fall einer jungen Kommunikationsagentur. auf diese Weise wird das Potential organisationstheoretischer ansätze und qualitativer Forschungsmethoden für die Gründungsforschung erschlossen. Zudem wird deutlich, wie auch Gründungsforschung und -beratung voneinander profitieren können.
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| 86. |
- Gregorio, Ruben, et al.
(författare)
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From expectations and needs of service customers to control chart specification limits
- 2011
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Ingår i: The TQM Journal. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 1754-2731 .- 1754-274X. ; 23:2, s. 164-178
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – The aim of this paper is to develop a model to help service organizations to set the specification limits according to the customer expectations.Design/methodology/approach – A review of relevant literature has been used to develop a new integrated model with ideas from the Kano model, SERVQUAL, Taguchi loss function, Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) and a new model, “the Trade-Off Importance”. A survey was carried out with 18 external customers and internal stakeholders of the Service Division of Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery AB in Finspong, Sweden.Findings – The model has demonstrated its robustness and credibility to set the specification limits. Additionally, it is a very powerful tool for service quality measurement and to set strategic directions.Research limitations/implications – First, articles published on this subject are few and there is no similar model in the literature to confirm or compare results. The proposed model must be further validated in future research. Second, this study is applied in a single service division, with a relatively small sample. Ideally, research should be conducted using multiple industries in order to ensure that the model is generalizable.Originality/value – To the best of one's knowledge, this paper is the first attempt to create a road-map to set the specification limits in services. Researchers should find that the proposed model fills the research gap. From a managerial standpoint the practical benefits in Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery AB suggest a new way of communicating to customers. The model will also improve the target setting in the Six Sigma projects.
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| 87. |
- Lopez-Vega, Henry, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Connecting the Mediterranean system of innovation : a functional perspective
- 2011
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Ingår i: EuroMed Journal of Business. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 1450-2194 .- 1758-888X. ; 6:1, s. 46-62
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a first exploratory overview of the Mediterraneansystemof innovation and present the results of interactiveworkwith 25 innovation delegates fromnorthernand southernMediterranean countries.The studycomes at awatershed for theUnion for theMediterranean,which is drawing up innovation policies for the future and debating ways of boosting core activities.Design/methodology/approach – This research benefits from the established literature oninnovation systems (IS) to study how Mediterranean countries are enhancing their innovationcapabilities. In collaboration with the European Institute of the Mediterranean, this research inviteddelegates from northern and southern Mediterranean countries, programme directors andrepresentatives from the European Commission to discuss national and regional innovation activitiesin their own countries.Findings – The data shed light on how activities conducted by public and private organisationsinfluence the IS functions, revealing shifting services and business models. Finally, the data highlightedthe need to draw up an innovation strategy to boost R&D capabilities.Originality/value – The value of this research lies in the application of the well-established IS approach to the Mediterranean case and a description of existing enabling and blocking mechanisms.
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| 88. |
- Mauléon, Christina, 1971-, et al.
(författare)
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Knowledge overlapping seminars : conversational arenas supporting joint directed action in projects
- 2011
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Ingår i: Quality Management Journal. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 1068-6967 .- 2575-6222. ; 18:3, s. 33-51
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this paper is to test and evaluate a designed conversational seminar – the knowledge overlapping seminar (KOS) – as a support for joint directed action in projects. This conversational arena is designed to support the process of co-constructing shared understanding in projects with the aim of delimiting misunderstandings and creating knowledge overlap between people coming together from different organizational contexts. As misunderstandings often rise in projects among people who don't share the same language due to their belonging to different organizational contexts, there exists a need to develop methodologies that will assist in supporting the co-construction process of shared understanding in projects. This study proposes a designed conversational seminar for this purpose. KOSs are designed to be conversational arenas in which members of a project team have an opportunity to guide one another in their respective different domains of knowledge related and connected to the common project goal. The design of KOS aims to avoid conversational obstacles to effective knowledge overlap between members from different organizational contexts and from different knowledge domains, with special emphasis on avoiding prestige. The KOS has here been evaluated as being a promising conversational ?tool? for application in projects with a view to support joint directed action by achieving a shared understanding of the project goal and delimiting misunderstandings, with improved efficiency, quality, and, ultimately, more satisfied customers as a result.
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| 89. |
- Nordin, Fredrik, et al.
(författare)
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The risks of providing services : Differential risk effects of the service-development strategies of customisation, bundling, and range
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Service Management. - : Emerald. - 1757-5818 .- 1757-5826. ; 22:3, s. 390-408
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the risks for manufacturing companies of extending their traditional goods offerings by the addition of different kinds of services. Design/methodology/approach - The study develops a conceptual framework of nine propositions (and corresponding diagrammatic representations) of the relationships between: three kinds of risk (operational, strategic, and financial); and three strategies for the provision of added service (customisation, bundling, and broadening the range of offerings). This conceptual framework is examined empirically by qualitative analysis of data gathered in a three-year longitudinal study of managerial representatives from nine multinational manufacturing firms engaged in the addition of services to their traditional goods offerings. Findings - It was found that eight of the nine propositions are fully supported, and one receives equivocal support. In addition, several contextual factors are identified as moderating influences on the relationships between the three categories of service offering and the three classes of risk. Research limitations/implications - The study provides an original conceptual framework and nine research propositions that represent a useful starting point for the development of a formal theory of the risks of providing services. Practical implications - The conceptual framework provides guidance for managers' assessments of the risks accompanying the infusion of added services to the traditional goods offerings of manufacturing companies. Originality/value - The paper provides a novel conceptualisation of service innovation and attendant risk.
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| 90. |
- Söderlund, Jonas
(författare)
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Pluralism in Project Management : Navigating the Crossroads of Specialization and Fragmentation
- 2011
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Ingår i: International journal of management reviews (Print). - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1460-8545 .- 1468-2370. ; 13:2, s. 153-176
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Project management is a rapidly expanding subfield of management and organization studies. This paper seeks to make sense of this development and the current state of project management research. It reviews the literature published over the last five decades in 30 leading management and organization journals. In total, 305 articles were included in the data set. The paper proposes a categorization of the published articles into seven ‘schools of thought’: Optimization School, Factor School, Contingency School, Behaviour School, Governance School, Relationship School and Decision School. The schools vary in terms of their main focus and use of the project concept, major research questions, methodological approaches and type of theorizing. It is suggested that a better awareness on how to make use of the schools and the identified perspectives would stimulate cross-fertilization, unification and thus enhance a pluralistic understanding of projects and project management at the same time as it would prepare research to frame more accurately the problems of contemporary projects. In that respect, the paper offers ideas on how to navigate at the crossroads between specialization and fragmentation, between the search for novel topics and improvements of existing knowledge.
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