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- Edh Mirzaei, Nina, 1984
(författare)
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Communication’s role for strategic consensus in formation of manufacturing strategy
- 2015
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Ingår i: Proceedings for the 22nd International Annual EurOMA Conference | Operations management for sustainable competitiveness | 26 June - 1 July 2015, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.. - : International Annual EurOMA Conference.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper identifies the means of communication in a shop floor context and how these influence the workers’ perceptions of MS priorities. 28 interviews with workers and managers at four metal working SMEs in Sweden showed that there are significant similarities among the companies in relation to all communication elements and that the main communication channel is shop floor meetings. However, significant for all four companies is the lack of a strategic perspectives in the message content. This paper contributes to the management of the worker-manager relationship in relation to MS formation and the role communication plays for strategic consensus.
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| 2. |
- Edh Mirzaei, Nina, 1984, et al.
(författare)
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Employee flexibility in operations in the era of digitalisation: Implications for social sustainability
- 2017
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Ingår i: 4th International EurOMA Sustainable Operations and Supply Chain Forum: The Challenge of sustainable innovation: the role of OM and SCM.. - : International Annual EurOMA Conference.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The paper provides a perspective on why employee flexibility is critical to manufacturing in the changing industrial landscape, how this links to efforts of digitalisation and automation in operations, and what opportunities and constraints this may have for achieving social sustainability. First, employee flexibility should be regarded at both horisontal and vertical dimensions. Second, responding to digitalisation of manufacturing requires both horisontal and vertical type of employee flexibility. Third, digitalization should relate more firmly employee flexibility, and too even greater extent to social sustainability. Employee flexibility can bridge the gap between digitalisation and social responsibility.
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| 3. |
- Edh Mirzaei, Nina, 1984
(författare)
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Involving individuals in the manufacturing strategy formation: Strategic consensus among workers and managers
- 2015
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Decisions made and actions taken by individuals in the operations function impact the formation of a company’s manufacturing strategy (MS). Therefore, it is important that the MS is understood and agreed on by all employees, that is, strategic consensus among the individuals in the operations function is essential. This research contributes to the current body of knowledge by including a workers’ perspective on MS formation. It is the workers on the shop floor who bring the MS to life in the actual operations through their daily decisions and actions. The MS falls short if the priorities outlined do not materialise in practice as intended. The purpose of this research is to investigate how the individuals in the operations function perceive the MS in order to understand how these individuals are involved in the MS formation. The research is based on five studies, differing by evidence, as follows: one theoretical, three qualitative in the setting of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and one quantitative at a large company. Based on the findings presented in the six appended papers, the results show that empirically and conceptually, workers have been overlooked or given a passive role in the MS formation. Empirically, it is seen that workers and managers do not have a shared understanding of the underlying reasons for strategic priorities; hence, the level of strategic consensus is low. Furthermore, the level of strategic consensus varies among the different MS dimensions depending on their organisational level. Moreover, the empirical findings reveal that internal contextual factors influence the individuals’ perceptions of the MS and the possibilities for strategic consensus. Regarding the external context, the results show that major customers’ strategies influence the subcontractor SMEs’ MS formation. The usage of means of communication in the operations function has also shown to be of importance for how the MS is perceived. Conceptually, the findings indicate that the MS literature tends to treat individuals in the operations function in a deterministic manner; individuals on the shop floor are regarded as manufacturing resources. To ensure a successful MS formation process, where the patterns of the decisions made by the individuals in the operations function forms the MS, the view on human nature within the MS requires a more voluntaristic approach. This research suggests to view the MS formation as an iterative “patterning process” which builds on a reciprocal relationship between workers and managers. The introduction of the patterning process contributes to the research on MS formation by explaining the perception range within the hierarchical levels, by re-defining the hierarchical levels included in the MS formation and by detailing the activities in the MS formation.
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| 4. |
- Edh Mirzaei, Nina, 1984, et al.
(författare)
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Strategic consensus on manufacturing strategy content: including the operators' perceptions
- 2016
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Ingår i: International Journal of Operations and Production Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 1758-6593 .- 0144-3577. ; 36:4, s. 429-466
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – Strategic consensus between operators and managers is an important means toaccomplish a successful manufacturing strategy (MS) process. Previous studies largely leftout individual operators from this concept. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was toempirically examine the level of strategic consensus on the MS within the operationsfunction, that is, the operators’ and managers’ perceptions of MS.Design/methodology/approach – Interviews were conducted with both operators andmanagers at three small and medium-sized enterprises in Sweden. The MS dimensions wereselected based on previous research; the data was analysed by using thematic coding.Findings – The study shows that the levels of strategic consensus on the MS vary amongcompanies. Even when strategic consensus exists between operators and managers, theirunderlying reasons often differ. Furthermore, the levels of strategic consensus vary amongMS dimensions. The companies’ usage of information-sharing channels, along with their sizeand position in the supply chain, can be important for the level of strategic consensus.Originality/value – This paper contributes to the body of knowledge in three ways. First, itexpands the scope of the MS dimensions under study, thus offering a stronger, resource-basedperspective on MS and strategic consensus than what earlier studies showed. Second, it goesbeyond the management level by including both managers and operators as the unit ofanalysis. Third, compared to previous research, it focuses on a new context and is based on indepthcase studies.
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| 5. |
- Edh Mirzaei, Nina, 1984, et al.
(författare)
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Strategic consensus on manufacturing strategy: operators' and managers' perceptions
- 2015
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Ingår i: Proceedings for the 22nd International Annual EurOMA Conference | Operations management for sustainable competitiveness | 26 June - 1 July 2015, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.. - : International Annual EurOMA Conference.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper joins the discussion on the need for trade-offs among competitive priorities inmanufacturing strategy (MS) and builds on earlier works on strategic consensus on MSby addressing the purpose to examine the level of strategic consensus between differentorganisational levels regarding the competitive priorities quality, delivery, flexibility andcost. Survey data from 96 employees at one Swedish assembly plant show that theemployees rank the priorities significantly different. Further, white collar workers ranksix of the 16 studied competitive priority abilities significantly higher than blue collarworkers do.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Edh, Nina, 1984, et al.
(författare)
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Production-related Staff's Perception of Manufacturing Strategy at a SMME
- 2012
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Ingår i: Procedia CIRP. - : Elsevier BV. - 2212-8271. ; 3:1, s. 340-345
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Today's global competitiveness urges SMMEs to pay attention to their MS process. The purpose of this case study at a Swedish SMME, mainly conducted through interviews with production-related staff: staff with direct connection to everyday production work, is to explore their perception of the MS content. The study shows that communication is the main obstacle for production-related staff's perception of the MS. Their perception is diverse and based on a multitude of factors, such as employment period, organizational belonging, and the employees’ own interest. Several problem areas are identified and need to be investigated further.
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| 9. |
- Edh, Nina, 1984, et al.
(författare)
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Strategic Consensus in SMEs: Behavioral Operations Perspective on Manufacturing Strategy
- 2013
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Ingår i: Proceedings for the 22nd International Conference on Production Research, Challenges for Sustainable Operations, July 28th - Aug 1, 2013, Parana, Brazil.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Previous manufacturing strategy (MS) studies have to a limited extent incorporated the people dimension emphasized in the behavioral operations field. This paper aims to empirically examine the relationship between managers’ and operators’ perceptions of MS from a behavioral operations perspective. Interviews with both managers and operators at three Swedish metalworking small and medium enterprises (SMEs) were conducted. The results show a higher level of strategic consensus, compared to earlier research. Strategic consensus is primarily seen within the intra-organizational dimensions. Lack of consensus seems to be caused primarily by poor communication about strategic objectives and long-term plans. By emphasizing the people dimension of MS, this paper contributes to increased knowledge about strategic consensus at SMEs and the importance of strategic commitment and strategic consensus for a successful MS process.
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| 10. |
- Edh, Nina, 1984, et al.
(författare)
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The people dimension in manufacturing strategy: contextual factors influencing a joint view
- 2014
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Ingår i: Proceedings for the 21th International Annual EurOMA Conference | Operations Management in an Innovation Economy | 20-25 June 2014, Palermo, Italy. - : International Annual EurOMA Conference.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper explicates the contextual factors influencing the workers’ perceptions of theMS, and hence, the possibilities for a joint view between workers and managers. Thepaper is based on in depth interviews with 16 workers in four metal working SMEs inSweden. The contextual factors can be viewed at two levels: individual andorganisational. This paper contributes to richer descriptions of what the individual andorganisational contextual factors incorporate, and to the clarification of the importantrole communication channels plays for the possibilities of a joint view. Thereby,contributing to increased knowledge on the manufacturing strategy formation process.
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