| 1. |
- Andersson, Lena, 1979-
(författare)
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När strävan efter samsyn blir en kamp : Meningsskapande och meningsgivande i mångtydiga sammanhang
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- När personer och grupper med olika bakgrund och erfarenheter möts för att sam-arbeta förutsätts ofta att samsyn kring målen med verksamheten är en förutsätt-ning för koordinerad handling. Forskningen har dock inte kunnat visa empiriskt i vilken utsträckning samsyn är viktigt för att åstadkomma samhandling. I förelig-gande avhandling presenteras en studie som undersöker hur gemensam mening formas i sammanhang präglade av heterogenitet respektive mångtydighet samt hur koordinerad handling uppstår under sådana förutsättningar. Som empirisk grund för att kunna besvara frågeställningarna studeras FöretagsNära med stöd i me-ningsskapandeperspektiv. FöretagsNära är en ny verksamhet organiserad som ett projekt i samverkan mellan Norrköpings kommun och Arbetsförmedlingen i Norr-köping. Syftet med satsningen är att föra samman näringslivsutvecklande och ar-betsmarknadsinriktade insatser och bidra till fler arbetstillfällen i Norrköping. Ba-serat på en longitudinell fältstudie berättas om meningsskiljaktigheter och strävan efter samsyn. Den longitudinella ansatsen gör det möjligt att se utvecklingen av och komplexiteten i formandet av samsyn och samhandling. Skildringen av Före-tagsNära visar att meningsskapandet i processen tar sig olika uttryck. I fråga om syftet med FöretagsNära uppstår en kamp om meningen. Studien visar hur samsyn och samhandling relaterar till varandra på mer komplexa sätt än tidigare forskning föreslagit. Det finns ingen entydig relation mellan gemensam mening och koordi-nerad handling. Studiens resultat har både teoretisk relevans och stor praktisk be-tydelse.
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| 2. |
- Löfström, Mikael
(författare)
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Samverkan och gränser : studier av samverkansprojekt i offentlig sektor
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The collaboration projects studied in this thesis originate from national experiments that took place from the late 1990s to the early 2000s. In those experiments, attempts were made to determine whether collaboration could, as part of the organization of the public sector, generate welfare gains for both the individual user and society as a whole. Other forms of political governance of public organizations were also tested in these experiments. Activities were very often carried out in the form of collaboration projects involving joint evaluation groups and through co-localization. The collaboration projects are about in which actors bring their different v rules, values and preconceptions, from their regular activities into a meeting with other activities with different boundaries in order to organize new boundaries. The purpose of the thesis is to achieve an understanding of why collaboration projects encounter difficulties in contributing to lasting integration between government organizations, and the importance of boundaries in the organizing of collaboration projects. The thesis is based on four articles. The first article elucidates the ways in which different boundaries are constructed when inter-organizational collaborations are being carried out. The second article develops a model for analyzing uncertainty factors in the interaction environment of the project. The third article addresses the problem of implementing, within the public sector, results from development projects in the home organization. The fourth article analyzes the ways in which collaboration projects can help to increase integration between government organizations. The results from the studies show that the collaboration projects do provide opportunities for trying out new forms of collaboration, but also that the actors in collaboration projects have to deal with multiple boundary-related problems. The construction of boundaries must, on the one hand, regulate the activities being carried out in the collaboration projects, in that the boundaries enable the actors to come together in a common activity. On the other hand, the boundaries in collaboration projects must be part of the home organizations’ activities and their boundary constructions. This leads to a complex spatial construction in which different boundaries entail different distinctions and regulations of the relationship to the outside world. In turn, this leads to problems involving the home organizations in the collaboration, resulting in the collaboration becoming confined to only the collaboration projects.
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| 3. |
- Hansson, Jörgen, 1943-
(författare)
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Köp av tjänster för ledningskompetens - en polyfonisk process
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The thesis´ aim is to deepen the understanding about what shapes and characterises the purchase process for management advice services. Such externally, acquired services have increased substantially, and in relation to the services´ impact on management decisions the theoretical and practical understanding of the purchase process is lagging behind. The thesis´ analyses, interpretations and conclusions are founded on empirical data collected by use of focus groups, and based on activity theory. The findings show that the purchase process is influenced by many actors who see themselves as subject in the process. They have similar but also conflicting objects that they want to fulfil. The outcome of the purchase process is influenced by contradictory opinions among the actors about how to organize and supervise the process. The main contradictions are influenced by the actors´ different objects and how they interpret the context of the purchase process. The context is shaped by such as leadership style, social rules regarding management of change and opinions about division of labour in the purchase process. The impression of the purchase process´s character is that commonly used supply chain models do not work as a characterization. The purchase process´s phases do not follow on each other and the glue that links the phases is not a rational procedure following one, firm route. The findings show that procurement, integration and follow-up phases overlap, are concurrent and integrated in each other. The purchase process reproduces the execution of polyphonic music in which different voices, each with its own melody, create a rich texture of sounds. In a similar way the purchase process is coined by actors who bring their own objects and competence into the process. It produces dissonance, as in polyphonic music. It mirrors the services character of competence development and shapes the purchase process as polyphonic rather than a rational, step by step process.
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| 4. |
- Jacobsson, Mattias, 1976-
(författare)
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Samordningens dynamik : om samordningens samspel och förändring i ett interorganisatoriskt anläggningsprojekt
- 2011
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis takes its starting point from one of the most essential parts of organization theory, namely coordination. It joins a new and emerging approach within which coordination is not only treated as a function but as a dynamic process. The thesis reflects everyday practice during a major construction project and focuses on how coordination is undertaken, and how it develops over time. The aim is to create an understanding of the dynamics of coordination. This refers both to the interaction between different types of coordination that continuously take place in the process of carrying out collective performances, and to how the coordination changes over time. The case study, that is the basis of this thesis, was carried out from 2006-2010 in a large construction project with Skanska and Jämtkraft as contractual partners. The project – called Destination 2011 – corresponds to an investment of € 100-110 million and aims at securing Jämtkraft’s power distribution from severe weather conditions in order to minimize the risk of power blackouts. The theory chapter of the thesis has an integrative approach and is based on theories of coordination. On the basis of this a conceptual framework was developed that focuses on how coordination takes place and how it can change in relation to its context. This was done in three steps. First, coordination was defined, positioned and set in relation to the organizational context in terms of uncertainty and complexity. Second, five broad categories were derived which indicate how different organizational arrangements create coordination. Third, the integrating conditions which evolve from the organizational arrangements were presented. These integrating conditions are essential for the individuals to coordinate their activities. Based on the case study, and supported by the theoretical framework, a process-oriented analysis was conducted in four steps. The first step was a narrative case description which focuses on the development of the project and the activities that make up the project process. The second step consisted of a thematic theory driven analysis that explains how the project members use a combination of different organizational arrangements to create the integrating conditions required for the coordination to occur. The third step of the analysis was based on a process analysis combined with temporal bracketing. This step focuses on how the coordination is structured and enables the understanding of how the coordination changes over time. In this step two temporal brackets (or micro-processes) were created, the first of which represents a sub-project under the first half of the project, and the second a sub-project during the second half. For each micro-process an analysis was carried out which identified a number of coordination processes. These coordination processes link the implementation phase together and explain how, and why, the coordination is built up as it is during a sub-project. In the fourth and final step a comparative analysis was conducted with illustrative narrative sequences. This analysis puts the two micro-processes in relation to each other, illustrates how the coordination changes over time, and exposes the underlying forces that explain the identified change. These analyses, brought together, show the interaction between different types of coordination, how the coordination is built-up, and how it changes over time, thereby providing an understanding of the dynamics of coordination.
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| 5. |
- Kylsberg, Gösta, 1956-
(författare)
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Kunglig kommunikation - körkonst och tradition : En autoetnografi om autenticitet i ett kungligt konstföretag
- 2011
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Event marketing has developed in the era of the experience economy. But the rapid growth of the event industry has led to an overflow of events on the market competing for the attention of potential audiences, and events face the risk of becoming non-events or pseudo-events. As a consequence, the demand for experiences has developed into a demand for real and meaningful experiences. This study focuses on a certain category of special events, namely state ceremonies in Sweden. Special events ca be characterized by such qualities as uniqueness, rarity, high quality, traditions, symbolism, authenticity, generosity and can be defined as a unique moment in time celebrated with ceremony and ritual to satisfy special needs. The thesis is an autoethnography, where the Royal Mews, which is the royal transport organization, is looked upon as an art company. The aim of the study is to gain understanding of why horse-drawn carriages are used and what makes them special and effective. The analysis and interpretation of this study are based upon artistic aspects and aesthetic theory. The main contribution of the thesis is within the area of marketing communication, where the concept of rich authenticity and its architecture is understood as a way of analyzing and understanding what makes the Royal Mews special and effective. Rich authenticity is an holistic view where the aspect of a double reality, combining practice and aesthetics is used. State ceremonies using horse-drawn carriages, as special events, create aesthetic experiences through the quality of rich authenticity, which is built upon Vitruvius classic concepts of architecture. A rich, authentic, Royal Mews appears with this perspective to be a Royal Mews of continuity (firmitas), of art practice (venustas) and of communication (utilitas). Aesthetics is an omnipotent distributor of roles between these three pillars that make up the rich authenticity.
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| 6. |
- Lindahl, Helena, 1970-
(författare)
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Sociala identiteter i seriösa fritidsaktiviteter : - om samspelen mellan seriösa fritidsaktiviteter, platser, sociala världar och konsumtionsföremål i downhillcykling
- 2011
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background This study is about social identity processes within downhill mountain biking. Downhill is portrayed as reflecting the development of consumer culture in today’s society. The development is characterized by the increasing importance of consumption, and social institutions, such as class, family and education, which previously provided individuals with sense of belonging, identity and norms, that are dissolving. Instead, leisure activities offer individuals opportunities to construct social identities. Social identities are defined as the part of the individuals’ identity, which is constructed in interaction with the social categories (identity dimensions) that the he or she belongs to. Four different identity dimensions were considered particularly relevant; serious leisure, places, social worlds and consumer goods. The following main question was raised: How are social identities constructed in interaction with serious leisure, places, social worlds and consumer goods? Method Constructionist grounded theory was used to collect, present, interpret and analyze the empirical information. The empirical study was conducted by active participation in downhill mountain biking (2004-2006) and 38 interviews with mountain bikers in Whistler (Canada) and Åre (Sweden). Results A grounded theory was gradually generated from empirical interpretations into a model of how social identities are constructed in serious leisure activities. The model presents four types of serious leisure participants; new beginners, experienced participants, non-active participants and non-participants. The model is also showing three main groups of sub processes; experience and norm processes, behavioral, physical and verbal identity expressions and the processes of personal investments and benefits. The model also shows three different phases (trial phase, construction/reconstruction phase and disengagement phase) in the participants’ identity processes. Conclusions The participants construct social identities in interaction with the identity dimensions serious leisure, places, social worlds and consumer goods through the processes of experience development, boundary work, leisure career, imitation, norm processes, personal investments and benefits, and behavioral, physical and verbal identity expressions. The participants’ identity processes are dynamic, where the personal investments and benefits of the participants are creating movements between the more stable identity phases formed by the experience- and norm processes, and the different identity expressions.
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| 7. |
- Molander, Susanna, 1965-
(författare)
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Mat, kärlek och metapraktik : En studie i vardagsmiddagskonsumtion bland ensamstående mödrar
- 2011
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The everyday dinner usually involves a number of different and sometimes conflicting ambitions that may include striving for self-fulfillment and striving to care for one’s family and society at large. To understand the consumption that occurs in connection with these ambitions, consumer researchers must understand the context surrounding the everyday dinner. In this dissertation theories of practice are utilized as a conceptual framework to emphasize the importance of context.Theories of practice have gained renewed interest within the field of consumption. Yet, Consumer Culture Theory (CCT) has neglected practice theories’ ability to operationalize the consumption context. The aim of this dissertation is to develop further CCT’s practice perspective to increase the understanding of the consumption context and thereby better understand consumption as a social and cultural phenomenon. An ethnographic approach is employed to identify what practices operate within a complex consumption situation such as the everyday dinner among single mothers; how these practices incorporate consumption in their strivings and how the different practices operating within the consumption situation interact with one another.This new approach comes to the conclusion that mothering, defined as a meta-practice, dominated the consumption situation and organized the other practices involved. A meta-practice is one with major influence over consumption and thus a type of practice consumption researchers should look for. Furthermore in Western society consumption situations, like the everyday dinner, seem to be especially important when it comes to anchoring meta-practices and thereby the social order. A preliminary characterization of the meta-practice is proposed as consisting of four different traits: I) its impact on the social order; II) its generalizability, density and superiority; III) its regulation and IV) its stability or slow change. However, more studies are necessary to explore these characteristics further.
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| 8. |
- Sjöblom, Arne, 1957-
(författare)
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Hälsobokslut! En drivkraft för förändrad verksamhetsstyrning? : En longitudinell studie av tre kommuners försök att minska sjukfrånvaron genom användningen av verksamhetsstyrningsmodeller
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- I början av 2000-talet finansierade regeringen ett projekt, det kommunala hälsobokslutsprojektet, som primärt syftade till att ge erfarenheter och kunskap om olika verksamhetsstyrningsmodellers användbarhet som underlag för det som kallades hälsobokslut. Vidare förväntades projektet ge erfarenheter och kunskap om vilka stödprocesser som var väsentliga för en lyckosam användning av de valda verksamhetsstyrningsmodellerna. Från Näringsdepartementet, som var uppdragsgivare, fanns det även en förväntan att projektet skulle leda till att en gemensam hälsobokslutsmodell skulle kunna användas inom den kommunala sektorn.Underlaget för denna avhandling utgörs av en longitudinell fallstudie där arbetet med hälsobokslutsprojektet har studerats i tre av de kommuner som deltog i projektet. Undersökningen har gjort det möjligt att få fyra forskningsfrågor besvarade: Hur förändrades verksamhetsstyrningen av införandet av hälsobokslut i respektive kommun? Vad initierade denna förändring? Hur genomfördes förändringen av verksamhetsstyrningen? Vad fick förändringen av verksamhetsstyrningen för resultat i de tre kommunerna? Genom att få dessa forskningsfrågor besvarade har det varit möjligt att få kunskap om hur verksamhetsstyrningsmodeller påverkats under en förändringsprocess.Empirin består i huvudsak av fokusgruppsintervjuer vilka har kompletterats med personliga intervjuer och sekundärdata från tre av de kommuner som deltog i hälsobokslutsprojektet. Avhandlingens resultat kan noteras inom fler områden. En organisations syn på sig själv i förhållande till liknande organisationer kan avgöra om ett förändringsarbete kan initieras. Individuella drivkrafter, och speciellt stabiliserande drivkrafter, är viktiga att beakta, och påverka, om ett förändringsarbete ska genomföras. Vidare noteras att institutionella drivkrafter inte enbart kan knytas till existerande strukturer och att individuella drivkrafter inte enbart kan knytas till individers handlingar. Båda typerna av drivkrafter påverkas av och påverka de modaliteter som existerar som förbindelselänk mellan strukturer och handlingar enligt struktureringsteorin. Stödprocesser är viktiga att beakta i anslutning till organisatoriskt lärande och individers handlingar. Särskilt mobiliserande stödprocesser har varit de kommunikations- och motivationsprocesser som synliggjorts med hjälp av de analyser som genomförts.
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| 9. |
- Svendsen, Jens Martin, 1953-
(författare)
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Gör som jag säger! igen och igen : om lojalitet och lek i marknadsföringen: en beskrivning av legitimeringssystematik
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Marknadsföring bildar ett system av kompetenser baserade på kunskap om förfarande. Beroende på hur förfarandet är beskrivet så faller kunskapen ut. Genom att undersöka beskrivningarnas systematik, både vad gäller meningsinnehåll och sammansättning, undersöker texten beskrivningarnas system för legitimering av handlingsalternativ och handlingsrekommendationer: hur denna systematik bildar sambandet mellan är:et och bör:et behandlas. Avslutningsvis ställs en beskrivning av repetitivt förfarande mot en annan beskrivning av samma förfarande – leken. Genom denna kontrasterande beskrivning blir Forskarens (Rekommenderarens) och Hanterarens roller tydliga: beskrivningarna bestämmer de möjliga handlingsalternativen och legitimerar dem, beskrivningarna bestämmer också implicit vilken roll som Forskaren och Hanteraren liksom Kunden (Konsumenten) och den Anställde får. Beskrivningarna bildar – förutom att vara en beskrivning av vad som finns i världen i termer av ting, händelser, egenskaper och rättigheter – också en slags tillskrivande av roller, möjligheter och legitimitet.
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| 10. |
- Berglund, Richard
(författare)
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Engagemang efterfrågas: Hur tre tillverkande företag söker medverkan från sina medarbetare när de inför Lean
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Organizations and their management want committed and engaged co-workers. Involvement, participation and active contribution from workers are particularly sought when lean production is introduced. Researchers and external stakeholders often question the motives behind these aspirations from managers and question whether they deserve to be regarded as sincere. Thus, it is of interest to investigate the balance between speech, action and effect. Three manufacturing companies have been followed during a four-year period via interviews, observations and workplace investigations. These companies work with the lean concept and their managements have explicitly declared the importance of their workers’ participation. The thesis investigates the intentions and actions within these companies and seeks to understand the reasoning behind their actions, and the effect of these actions. The guiding question for the research is: How does management seek to elicit commitment within the organization, and what practical steps does it take to achieve this aim? Ten themes were derived from mental models and guiding principles for organizational development in the industrial environment, mainly but not wholly related to the lean concept: 1 Vision and strategy 2 Mutual trust 3 Top management’s active participation 4 Long-term thinking 5 Individual adaptation 6 Responsibility and authority in teams 7 Influence 8 Challenge 9 Learning 10 Sharing the benefits Within each of the themes previous research and thinking are reviewed, core observations and other data are discussed and conclusions are reached for that theme. The companies are active in all theme areas, but to a different extent. There are also large differences between and within the companies and during the time span of the project. At some occasions, shortcomings have been observed when it comes to putting intentions into practice, not least due to the influence of external factors. At other times, substantial progress in implementation has been recorded. The themes must not only be taken separately, but are also interdependent. Progress, in terms of high commitment and involvement in the company’s development, is associated with a consistent line of action within management and key personnel over a long time period, and covering a large part of the theme areas. On the other hand, a single significant departure from such a line may give rise to negative effects very rapidly. The situation within the companies is very complex. Their history needs to be acknowledged, as does the impact of current events in the external environment, as well as the challenges anticipated in the future. The market, the customers, the owners, the technological system and the organization’s social structure are all in constant change. Accordingly, one of the important factors for success lies in the way in which management are able to minimize harmful disturbances, and handle external events in a way that is acceptable for the organization. All in all, commitment and sustainable change requires a reasonable degree of stability of aim and of direction.
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