| 1. |
- Eriksson, Henrik, 1973, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of In-Company Quality Awards on Organizational Performance
- 2003
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Ingår i: Total quality management (Print). - : Informa UK Limited. - 0954-4127 .- 1360-0613. ; 14:2, s. 235-242
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The relationship between total quality management (TQM) practices and improved performance has been frequently discussed in the literature. In this paper, the costs and the effects of in-company quality awards on performance are discussed and analysed. The paper covers a survey of Swedish companies that use or have used in-company quality awards to stimulate TQM efforts and thereby to improve performance. The study cannot show any strong evidence of improved performance for units that applied for the in-company quality award. However, in contrast to units that have not applied, some units that have applied for the in-company quality award considered that the results related to performance have improved greatly. One large positive effect perceived by the participating units was increased customer orientation while the largest costs were put on the description of activities and the improvement work itself.
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| 2. |
- Koptyug, Andrey, 1956-, et al.
(författare)
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Electron Beam Melting : Moving from Macro- to Micro- and Nanoscale
- 2012
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Ingår i: Materials Science Forum. - Switzerland : Trans Tech Publications Inc.. ; , s. 532-537
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper presents some results achieved in the biomedical applications of the EBM® technology, and describes the resolved and unresolved challenges presented by modern medical implant manufacturing. In particular it outlines the issues related to the cellular structure design and metal surface modification. Moving to precision control of the metal surface at a microand sub-micrometer scale is a serious challenge to the EBM® processing, because it uses the powder with average grain size of about 0.04 to 0.1 mm. Though manufacturing of components with solidmesh geometry and porous surfaces using EBM® is quite possible, post- processing (for example chemical or electrochemical) is needed to achieve desired control of the surface at smaller scales to realize full potential of the technology for biomedical applications.
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| 3. |
- Larsson, Johan, 1979-
(författare)
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Leadership for Quality, Effectiveness and Health
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Leadership, quality, effectiveness and health are important factors in the achievement of organisational success. Three questions are addressed to study these elements: 1. How do leadership values relate to leadership behaviours, quality methodologies and health in organisations? 2. How do leadership behaviours relate to effectiveness and health in organisations? 3. How can leadership tools be designed and used to promote health in organisations? The research is based on five studies from three research projects. This research is reported in five papers. Study I concerned eight organisations in the middle of Sweden; the focus was on leadership values and behaviours. Study II concerned three successful organisations that received the award, ‘Sweden’s number one workplace’. Focus in this study was mainly on leadership behaviours. Study III combined results from Studies I and II with a focus on successful leadership behaviours. Study IV concerned the eight organisations in Study I. A leadership tool in the form of a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model was developed and evaluated. Study V was of two organisations in Sweden; the focus in that work was on the use of a leadership tool control chart designed to give managers statistically valid early warning signals about health in their organisations. Theory X and Y together with the three-dimensional leadership behaviour theory were used to assess leadership values and behaviours. The theory surrounding PDSA and control charts were used to develop leadership tools. The dimension of health is defined from a salutogenic humanistic perspective; which emphasizes individual well-being. The dimension of quality is defined as the ability to satisfy or exceed needs and expectations. Effectiveness is defined as the extent to which externally and internally defined objectives are fulfilled. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. Interviews, seminars with employees, collection of human resource and effectiveness figures, and questionnaires completed by managers and subordinates were used to collect data. Managers with more Theory Y-oriented leadership values were rated by subordinates as high concerning quality methodologies and leadership behaviour dimensions. The subordinates of these managers tended to be healthier. Two of the studies identified common groups of leadership behaviours in effective and healthy organisations: strategy and vision, communication and information, authority and responsibility, learning culture, worker conversations, plainness and simplicity, humanity and trust, walking around and reflective personal leadership. These leadership behaviours fit into a leadership profile where all three of the dimensions of structure, relation and change are present. Of the three, the relation dimension is strongest and concluded to be a universal dimension. The developed PDSA model seems to be a leadership tool that influences both leadership values and behaviour, particularly in the area of relation-oriented leadership behaviours. An early warning system built on CUSUM- and Shewhartcharts concerning the health indicators of self-assessed general health and new sickcases per employee was also found to be a powerful and usable leadership tool. For future research, the explorative research findings can be quantitatively tested using representative and preferably cross-national data, with a longitudinal design.
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| 4. |
- Johansson, Eva, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluation of materials supply systems during product development projects
- 2006
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Ingår i: International Journal of Production Research. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0020-7543 .- 1366-588X. ; 44:5, s. 903-917
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this paper is to analyse how materials supply systems can be evaluated during product development projects in a concurrent engineering context. The focus is on performance assessment of materials supply systems and the input data required. A case study was conducted in close cooperation with a company and two performance measures were assessed during the concept definition phase and recalculated during the product and process validation phase. The results show that preliminary input data can be used to calculate performance measures by means of the following approaches: indicators, standards or scenarios. Furthermore, it is discussed how performance assessment can assist the materials supply systems design process in a concurrent engineering context by facilitating early problem discovery, early decision-making, and common understanding.
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| 5. |
- Thorvald, Peter, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Smart Industry Sweden : A Collaborative Industrial Graduate School
- 2024
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Ingår i: Sustainable Production through Advanced Manufacturing, Intelligent Automation and Work Integrated Learning. - Amsterdam; Washington, DC : IOS Press. - 9781643685106 - 9781643685113 ; , s. 719-730
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- As we find ourselves in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution, also known as Industry 4.0, the digital transformation of products, processes, and systems, along with their interconnectedness, is of utmost interest. To ensure future competitiveness in the manufacturing sector, the integration of advanced manufacturing technologies and advanced information technology is essential. Information technologies and knowledge are deeply intertwined with industrial equipment, processes, products, and systems, posing a challenge in transitioning today's manufacturing industry into the digital era. The manufacturing sector will require adequate methods, a conducive working environment, new tools, and lifelong training to support its employees.This article describes a joint effort of five Swedish universities with the ambition to strengthen the competitiveness and innovativeness of the national manufacturing industry through highly competent researchers and future leaders. The collaboration is in the form of an industrial graduate school, combining the efforts of five universities, 16 graduate students, and 12 companies or organisations. This article will outline how the graduate school has been organized, the joint efforts that have been made to assure the development of all parties, organisations and individuals, and will also outline some of the key success factors that have been identified thus far in the project.
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| 6. |
- Bäckström, Ingela, 1963-
(författare)
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Quality Management for Sustainable Health : Methodologies, Values and Practices taken from Swedish Organizations
- 2006
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In many Western countries today, not least in Sweden, there are a lot of organizations that have great problems with sickness absence. The costs connected to the high rates of sickness absence have also risen to alarming levels. Healthy co-workers and healthy organizations are obvious goals for many leaders, but this is not always so easy to establish. Work practices and leadership that are beneficial to co-worker health are thus vital to identify. Studies have shown relationships between company-wide implementation of quality programs and improved co-worker satisfaction along with low co-worker turn over; in other words, co-worker health along with improved customer satisfaction and financial results. Despite the great problems concerning sickness absence, there are organizations that have been awarded prizes for excellence in leadership, internal partnership, working environment, and profitability. The overall purposes of the research described in this thesis are to examine and describe how management and leadership can establish sustainable health among the co-workers and examine how the leadership for sustainable health is related to Quality Management. The in-depth purpose is to examine which aspects within the values derived from the quality movement are those that primarily influence the co-workers’ perceived health. The results presented can be described in three parts and are results from four case studies carried out in five different organizations. Three of the organizations have received awards for establishing good working environment, good financial results, and low sick leaves among their co-workers; the fourth received an award for the successful implementation of quality programs. The first part consists of results from case studies in three different organizations and describes how organizations can work to achieve sustainable health among their co-workers, with practical examples. The results are methodologies, values and organizational structure, which it is considered possible for other organizations to adopt in their efforts to achieve good working conditions resulting in fewer sick leaves. The second part is an attempt to investigate if leadership for sustainable health is related to Quality Management. Methodologies, leadership values, organizational structure, and general values found in organizations which have achieved sustainable health are analyzed in the light of Deming’s 14 points, and a correlation is indicated. There is also correlation found between the TQM values and the co-workers’ perception of their health. The third part examines which of the aspects within the values grown from the quality movement are those that influence the co-workers perceived health. The results show significant correlation between the values and the co-workers’ perception of their health. Aspects found within the value “Top management commitment” were named; Empathy, Presence and Communication, Integrity, and Continuity. Within the value “Let everybody be committed” the aspects; Development, Influence and Being informed were found. These aspects are described in more detail and also in one model per value. The result implies that the TQM values; “Top management commitment”, “Improve continuously” “Let everybody be Committed” and “Focus on customers” are important for achieving healthy organizations and sustainable health among co-workers.
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| 7. |
- Fundin, Anders, et al.
(författare)
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Quality 2030 : quality management for the future
- 2020
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Ingår i: Total Quality Management and Business Excellence. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1478-3363 .- 1478-3371.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Quality management (QM) has shown an impressive ability to update and evolve. The purpose of this paper is to highlight themes that have been identified as vital and important for research projects within QM during the coming decade. The paper is also an attempt to initiate research for the emerging 2030 agenda for QM, here referred to as ‘Quality 2030’. This article is based on extensive data gathered during a workshop process conducted in two main steps: (1) a collaborative brainstorming workshop with 22 researchers and practitioners (spring 2019) and (2) an appreciative inquiry summit with 20 researchers and practitioners (autumn 2019). The process produced five collectively elaborated and designed future research themes for QM: (a) systems perspectives applied, (b) stability in change, (c) models for smart self-organising, (d) integrating sustainable development, and (e) higher purpose as QM booster. The process also identified a positive core of QM, defined as core values and aspects in the field and practice that need to be preserved and nurtured in the future.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Andersson, Erik, et al.
(författare)
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Ambio fit for the 2020s
- 2022
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Ingår i: Ambio. - : Springer Nature. - 0044-7447 .- 1654-7209. ; 51:5, s. 1091-1093
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)
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| 10. |
- Bergström, David
(författare)
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The reflectance of steels and non-ferrous alloys : 2nd Pacific International Conference on Application of Lasers and Optics 2006
- 2006
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Ingår i: PICALO 2006 - 2nd Pacific International Conference on Applications of Laser and Optics - Conference Proceedings. - 0912035846 - 9780912035840 ; , s. 140-145
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The measurement of reflectance is important for the analysis and modelling of laser-material interactions. Unfortunately, most of the reflectance data presently available consider only polished pure metals rather than the commercially available (unpolished, oxidised) alloys which are actually being processed. This paper presents the results of reflectance measurements carried out on as-received engineering grade metals including: hot and cold rolled mild steel, zinc coated mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium alloys, copper and brass. The measurements were made using an integrating sphere with an Nd:YLF laser at two wavelengths (1053 nm and 527 nm). The results obtained differ considerably from existing data for polished, pure metals and should help to improve the accuracy of laser-material interaction models.
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