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- Cronemyr, Peter, 1963-
(författare)
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Six Sigma management. Action research with some contributions to theories and methods.
- 2007
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Many companies around the world have implemented Six Sigma as a problem solving methodology especially useful for dealing with recurring problems in business processes. Since the 1980s when it was developed at Motorola, many companies have tried to implement Six Sigma to fit their own company’s culture and goals. This thesis presents a longitudinal case study describing the evolution of ‘Six Sigma Management’ at Siemens in Sweden. The success of the programme was to a large degree built on previous failures, confirming Juran’s old saying ‘Failure is a gold mine’. From the case study, success factors for implementing Six Sigma at Siemens are identified and compared to those given in the literature. Some of the most critical success factors identified at Siemens had not been mentioned as such in the literature before. The main conclusion of the study is that, in order to succeed and get sustainable results from a Six Sigma programme, Six Sigma should be integrated with Process Management, instead of just running Six Sigma as a separate initiative in an organisation. Furthermore, the thesis includes papers presenting methods and tools to be used in a Six Sigma programme or in Six Sigma projects. They deal with: how to identify suitable Six Sigma projects, how to select which Six Sigma methodology to use, how to find hidden misunderstandings between people from different knowledge domains, and how to simulate the impact of improvements to iterative processes. All these methods and tools have been developed and tested at Siemens. This has been an action research project, where the author has been employed by the company under investigation for eleven years and has actively influenced the changes in the company based on knowledge gained at the company as well as on research studies conducted at universities. In action research the change initiative under investigation is conducted and analysed in a single context. The readers are invited to draw their own conclusions on the applicability of the results to their own specific cases. In addition to this, some conclusions derived using analytical generalisation, applicable to a more general case, are presented in the thesis.
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| 2. |
- Mårtensson, Anna, Adjunkt, 1978-
(författare)
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Make the Future a Part of Today : Awaken Long-term Thinking in Quality Management Practices
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Individuals and organisations need to consider the future since actions taken today will have implications for the future. Long-term thinking as a concept encompasses consideration of the future and is identified in both quality management and sustainable development. Theoretical interpretations of long-term thinking include a variety of different aspects, for example values and principles. Long-term thinking is also identified as necessary for organisations challenged by rapid change and societal needs but is difficult to put into practice. Leaders play a significant role in organisations’ attempts to achieve quality and sustainability goals. They are, among other things, responsible for creating positive conditions for employees and taking decisions in line with organisational objectives. The research presented in this thesis provides deeper insights into the importance of leaders in applying long-term thinking and how to awaken long-term thinking in organisations.The purpose of this thesis is to explore the concept of long-term thinking as an aspect of quality management from a leadership perspective to understand more about the praxis in making long-term thinking visible in organisations. For this purpose, the phenomenon of long-term thinking has been explored in both theory and in practice in several organisations.For long-term thinking to be relevant, organisations need to set clear business intentions for the future. These serve as an anchor to connect visions, goals, strategies and plans, and provide a guide for leaders in their work. To practise long-term thinking in organisations that apply a quality management initiative, leaders need to understand the common values that constitute the organisational culture, how these values are linked and how they contribute to organisational objectives. One of the skills required of leaders who engage in long-term thinking is managing short-term and long-term challenges simultaneously. In leaders’ quest for sustainable quality development, they have a vital role in guiding employees and customers with regard to the organisational culture. Leaders guide through their behaviour and actions, and in so doing contribute to the prevailing culture of the organisation. This requires a consensus on, for instance, definitions and communication of long-term thinking. If leaders do not behave and act in accordance to this, a fragmented picture of long-term thinking can emerge, increasing the risk that expected results will not be reached.Leaders are dependent on supporting systems and structures when practising long-term thinking, but they are also responsible for building and developing them. To develop systems and structures to support long-term thinking, leaders need deep knowledge of the concept and to act accordingly. Systems and structures do not develop themselves, and leaders need to act to make long-term thinking visible and in so doing awaken it in organisations.
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| 3. |
- Navarro, Priscilla, 1989-
(författare)
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Exploring Process Management as a Means for Greening Road Freight Transport
- 2019
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Research has proven that we need to reduce our environmental impact. Sweden has set a goal to become fossil free by 2045. The increasing amount of transport and the need to reduce its environmental effects has put pressure on the companies of the road freight transport sector. Therefore, this business sector needs research actions to find tools that will assist in the greening of its services and operations. My research is a contribution to these efforts from a managerial point of view.Process management is a methodology taken from Total Quality Management (TQM) that has been used in several business sectors to improve business performance. Its process orientation and focus on customers allow companies to identify and satisfy the current and latent needs of their customers. Until now, TQM has targeted customer needs. However, it is experiencing a shift towards incorporating societal needs into the equation. Environmental sustainability is becoming a societal requirement for companies in all sectors. Hence, the purpose of my research is to explore the possibilities of using process management to support the greening of small and medium-sized companies within the road freight transport sector.The frame of reference for my study is based on three well-established domains in academia and their intersections. These domains are: process management, road freight transport and environmental sustainability. I have used qualitative methods for my research. Specifically, I performed a case study at two medium-sized Swedish companies within the road freight transport business sector. The data collection methods involved document studies, observations and interviews at each case company. The case study was performed using an action research approach, which involved setting up meetings, seminars and workshops with each case company. Additionally, joint workshops were performed, which allowed me to observe and obtain results from the interactions between the companies. The analysis is presented for each case separately and then for their interactions. The results are compared with the existing literature from the three domains.I based my research on three research questions. The first was intended to identify the principles and tools within process management that may be applied to road freight transport companies interested in implementing this methodology to enhance their environmental sustainability. I concluded that these principles were present in the companies and are needed for the implementation of process management. The tools included in this methodology can be associated with environmental initiatives performed by the companies in support of their greening.The second research question refers to the benefits and challenges that companies in this business sector may face when implementing process management methodology. I conclude that most of the expected benefits of process management were confirmed. Additionally, a new benefit was observed: reducing the environmental effect of their services can interest current customers and attract new customers to road freight transport companies. The challenges identified during the case study include: resistance to change, lack of knowledge and resource allocation limitations. I also confirmed that a stepwise implementation of process management increases the likelihood of the success of the methodology. Hence, underdeveloped management systems are also a challenge when this methodology is used in freight transport companies.The third and final research question involves the adaptations required for process management to enhance environmental sustainability in companies in this business sector. I refer to each of the challenges found and suggest certain requirements for the companies to apply this methodology. Clear communication from top management, the training of employees and the involvement of all employees are some of these requirements. Moreover, to incorporate the environmental aspects clearly, I suggest environmental efforts for each step in the implementation of process management. By including these efforts in the process maturity model, I conclude that road freight transport companies could use process management as a means of enhancing environmental sustainability.
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