| 1. |
- Andersson, Dan, 1966-
(författare)
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Third Party Logistics : Outsourcing Logistics in Partnerships
- 1997
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The purpose of this dissertation is to contribute the body of knowledge of the outsourcing of logistics services in integrated relationships between a shipper ( e.g. a manufacturer) and a logistics service provider (e.g. a transport firm).My two studies cover the scope of third-party logistics and the interaction between the shipper and the service provider as well as the set-up of the partnerships. The focus of the dissertation could be expressed by the following questions:• Why do service buyers outsource logistics activities in the form of partnerships?• What are the long-term effects of logistics partnerships?• How are the effects of the logistics partnerships achieved?• Which factors influence the success of a logistics partnership?The method used has been a combination of four case studies and surveys of 47 European shippers and 59 US shippers. The empirical material has been analysed primarly by the use of transaction cost theory.Expected positive cost and service effects are important driving forces for the outsourcing of logistics. Linked to the cost aspects is also a desire to reduce investments. It could be a question of transforming fixed costs to variable, or to facilitate fast and radical restructuring of supply chains. Finally one of the single most important driving forces is the shipper's ambition to concentrate on core business.Logistics partnerships have been observed to have a positive effect on the following four areas at the shippers: cost, service, restructuring of supply chains, and control. The shippers believe that efficient operations, economies of scale and scope, and provider knowledge, have had positive effects on costs and service. A structural change could be achieved in a short time, as the shipper has to make only small investments in the distribution system, which can facilitate greater changes, also gaining the shipper flexibility in capacity. By outsourcing logistics activities it might also be possible to improve the measurability of cost and service performance.The success of logistics partnerships will, according to the shippers' opinions, be positively influenced by well-defined requirements and procedures, and by communication on all levels. From an operational point of view, the success of logistics partnerships is positively influenced by a low level of uncertainty and/or a high dedication of resources used.
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| 2. |
- Andersson, Hans, 1962-
(författare)
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Organisering för individualitet : transparenta och opaka aspekter i utvecklingsprocesser
- 2002
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The doctoral dissertation 'Organising for individuality - transparent and opaque aspects of development processes' deals with the relationship between a company's ability to develop new products and its ability to change the way it organises its product development activities. The dissertation is based on a real time study of two product development and two organizational change processes at Orrefors Kosta Boda AB.The company has a tradition of innovative product development based on a high degree of individuality. In this study, individuality refers to situations where differences between individuals' (i.e. designers') distinctive features are important for a company's success and not to individuals talents or capabilities per se.In studying and analysing the product deveopment processes an (opaque) underlying thought structure appears in terms of a tension between 'a separating and a unifying logic of effectiveness'. The two logics of effectiveness constituted underlying assumptions and answers to the question of how to be an innovative and commercially successful company in the high quality glass industry.The product development was conducted in an "inescapable" tension of separating and unifying, indicating that the separating and unifying logics of effectiveness should - in the context of product development - be viewed as a 'neccessary relation of incompatibility' rather than mutually exclusive.In spite of two attempts to change the organising of the product development in the company, the measures taken did not alter any fundamental conditions of the product development within the company, and therefore not the problems the change initiatives were designed to address.In the literature on product development and innovation scholars require research with an approach that links structural conditions to action and interaction. Using Archer's (1995) morphogenetic perspective to relate product development to organizational change, this dissertation is an attempt to do this.
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| 3. |
- Aronsson, Håkan, 1961-
(författare)
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Three perspectives on supply chain design
- 2000
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- As companies increasingly cooperate with and rely on other companies to compete on a global market, the concept of supply chain management and logistics is gaining interest, from practitioner as well as researchers. Studies of high-performing companies, such as Benetton, Toyota and Nissan report that these organizations take a strategic view of the whole process of supply from original sources of material to end customers, achieving more efficient operations management and more effective strategic management.Supply chain management has received an increased interest during the last 10 years, similar concepts such. The study identifies a need for design studies in the area of supply chain and logistics, partly because few studies has been made with a design approach and that traditional methods for design are often focused on design of one function or the formal organizational aspects of logistics. Supply chains are more complex than these types of design, since several companies and several different functions are included. The study is based on a systems approach and is theory generating. The focus of the study is on identifying design variables that can be used to understand the logistics content of a supply chain design and to generate alternative design solutions. The study builds on the -assumption that it is not enough to measure efficiency or effectiveness of a system. It is also necessary to understand the logic under which the system operates. It is only based on that understanding that a new design can be made.To handle the increased complexity in supply chain design the system is analysed using three perspectives, process, function and organization. Design variables are identified in each of the perspectives, in the form of a number of constructs and concepts. The constructs are tested in two case studies. The study is theory generating and the results can therefore not be said to do more than suggest the importance of a number of design variables, and the importance to in supply chain design to use several perspectives. The three identified perspectives have been found relevant as well as the theory generated constructs. This does however not mean that these are the only three possible perspectives or the only important design variables. Further research is needed in the area of supply chain design before a design model can be suggested. This study suggests a structure for how to organize design variables using three perspectives (process, function, and organization) and three levels of abstraction (construct, concept, and activity). It is also suggested that to generate design solutions these have to be addressed in a certain order. The complexity makes it impossible to address all questions at the same time. The methodology follows what is suggested when using a saticficing approach in systems theory.The first step is to clarify the aim of the new design by using the conceptual level. The concepts are often based on best practice studies and often suggest a design solution that has been found useful. The next step is to define the content of the system that is to be designed by defining the activities that are included. To uphold the supply chain focus it is suggested that the constructs in the process perspective are addressed in the next step. The last two steps are to address the constructs in the functional and the organizational perspectives in that order.
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| 4. |
- Berglund, Magnus, 1968-
(författare)
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Strategic Positioning of the Emerging Third-Party Logistics Providers
- 2000
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The dissertation deals with the so-called Third-Party logistics Provider (TPLP) with the purpose of explaining strategic positions of the emerging TPLPs. The development of Third-Party Logistics (TPL) can be said to have occurred during the last 15 - 20 years and have created a new kind of service, i.e. the management and execution of logistics process. These services have created a new market and consequently a new type of service provideris emerging. These service providers predominantly originate from traditional offerings in the logistics area, e.g.transportation and warehousing activities. However, previous works on TPL have neglected the provider's situation especially by not explicitly recognizing the shifts from single activity services to comprehensive and coordinated multiple activity offerings and from a functional support orientation to a process approach.Strategic positioning is an established perspective on strategy, but the use varies considerably. In this dissertation strategic positioning is connected to how TPLPs create value for their clients which links positioning to skills or capabilities. Furthermore, the position is regarded as a result of the fit between activities, resources and strategic positioning. This theoretical frame of reference, based on strategic positioning and value creation for service organizations, is new in the literature on TPL. The general methodological approach of the study is alternation between empirical findings and theoretical analyses in a stepwise pattern. Since the organizations studied had not been theoretically analyzed before, empirical observations were instrumental in describing the novel phenomena. The empirical foundation of the dissertation is two studies executed during 1996-7 and 1998-9. The first study contains 21 Australian, European, and North-American TPLPs. The second study is based on 53 European TPL buyers. Both studies used a combination of questionnaires and interviews for collecting data of both quantitative and qualitative character. The empirical analysis is best described as a qualitative approach supported by statistical techniques whenever possible.The dissertation presents a comprehensive empirical description of the current status and anticipated change of both the TPLPs and their customers. The main contribution of this dissertation is however: tools for describing TPLPs, a model of the value system that connects providers and buyers of TPL, and a position model for TPLPs. The conclusions of this dissertation include that the TPL industry shows signs of strategic differentiation along the two strategic dimensions operational vs. conceptual focus and range of activities. Of these two the operational vs. conceptual focus is strong enough to promote as a position model, with the main positions standard services and solutions. A hypothesis is proposed that states that the strategic position of the TPLPs depends on which set of value creation modes they use, which results in differences in the required capabilities, skills and resources. In short the standard service providers should focus on operations whereas the solution ones needs exceptional conceptual skills in analyzing logistics requirements and developing solutions. The results should however be considered as hypotheses due to the research design used and thus need further empirical testing which is suggested as important future research.
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| 5. |
- Bergstedt, Johan, 1953-
(författare)
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Boreal vegetation responses to forestry as reflected in field trial and survey data and the quality of cover estimates and presence/absence in vegetation inventory
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Den här avhandlingen belyser hur avverkning och markberedning påverkar markfloran i den svenska barrskogen. Dessutom utvärderas två inventeringsmetoder som används inom växtekologin. Vid arbetet har både rikstäckande inventeringsdata och fältförsök använts och de likartade resultaten tyder på att rikstäckande inventeringar är en underutnyttjad resurs i forskningen.Ju större andel av träden som avverkas desto större blir förändringen av markflorans sammansättning. Vissa arter, som lingon, ljung, etc., verkar dock inte påverkas i nämnvärd omfattning, medan andra, som blåbär, minskar i relation till hur mycket som avverkats. Gräs och mjölkört ökar efter avverkning, dock visar sig vissa gräs och mjölkört inte reagera om inte avverkningen överskrider ett tröskelvärde på ca 80 %. Avverkning har en liten, men signifikant, effekt på antalet arter, medan artomsättning, d.v.s. arters etablering på och/eller försvinnande från provytorna, framförallt påverkas av andel gran innan avverkning, markens produktionsförmåga och först därefter av hur stor andel av träden som avverkas. Det var också uppenbart att markberedning har en stark effekt som skiljer sig från avverkning. Framförallt gynnas björnmossor av markberedning men även vårfryle, kruståtel och mjölkört. Arter som missgynnas av markberedning var bl.a., en levermossa, lingon, väggmossa och kråkbär.I växtekologi är visuell täckningsbedömning, d.v.s. hur stor del av en provyta som täcks av en växtart, och registrering av förekomst/icke förekomst, d.v.s. finns en växtart på en provyta eller inte, de två vanligaste metoderna vid vegetationsinventering.Vid registrering av förekomst/icke förekomst missas upp till en tredjedel av förekomsterna, vanligaste orsaken till missade registreringar verkar vara att man inte upptäcker arten snarare än att den inte kan identifieras. Det var stora variationer mellan arter, där arter med få exemplar på provytan missas oftare.Både den visuella täckningsbedömningen och förekomst/icke förekomst visar sig ha personberoende fel, d.v.s. att olika personer genomgående ger högre eller lägre värden än andra. Trots det personberoende felet visar sig täckningsbedömningar ha ett större informationsvärde än registrering av förekomst/icke förekomst när det gäller att särskilja olika typer av vegetation. Erfarenhet har en förvånansvärt liten effekt på kvaliteten av täckningsbedömningar.
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| 6. |
- Björklöf, Sune, 1935-2012
(författare)
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Byggbranschens innovationsbenägenhet : En studie om den svenska byggbranschens inställning till innovationer och branschens beredskapatt hantera innovationsfrågor
- 1986
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The attitude of the building sector towards innovation and its intellectual and organizational preparedness for dealing with the issues of innovation is the aim of this study. The core question can be formulated as follows: Why does a building company accept certain innovations but not others? The fundamental ideas of the study are rooted in the central European tradition of the historico-qualitiative school of thought. Another basic idea for the thesis is Dewcy’s and Bcntley's theory of transactional cognition introduced in Sweden by Hanssen under the term ""field concept" according to which the content and object of knowledge are seen as an entirety. The reason for approaching the problem qualitatively. that is through not highly structured interviews based on the author's long personal experience in the sector, is its compound and many face ted nature a long with the fact that verbal discussion is firmly grounded in building sector tradition.Innovations has to pass trough three different filters. These filters are at the point where the innovation enters the company, during the bid preparation process and upon the absorption of the innovation into the project. Important factors influencing the passage through these filters arc papyrophobia, the old boy network (OBN) and the structure of the production system. Papyrophobia is expressed in a general reluctance to deal with theoretical issues and documentation. OBN denotes an informal communication network. Production is run by and within project organizations. i.e. repetitive ad hoc aggregates independent of the parent organization. These factors in combination with time and financial pressure obstruct the possibility of creating a research tradition.Characteristic features of the socio-cultural tradition of the sector are that it is male dominated, that the educational system classifies those working in the field according to trade and profession, and that the strong position of production aspects have brought to the forefront the energetic practitioner. His values are strictly professional. Information is to a great extent transmitted orally. There is strength in the ability of Swedish construction firms to plan and improvise within an established frame. However, a certain streak of marginalism with the potential of inhibiting innovation does exist in their pattern of action. Also typical of the tradition is the ideal of the free entrepreneur and the organization of large companies as confederations of a number of small and medium size firms. Finally, a fundamental cultural feature of the construction industry is openness. News spreads rapidly to a competitor.Innovations are disseminated in several ways, but one dominant pattern persists that cannot be seen in other industries. While the projects are important for testing and diffusion of innovations, the companies arc more intrumental in propagating information of innovations. The building materials industry's R&D work follows a pattern similar to that of production companies in other sectors.The building sector's readiness to follow and work with innovation issues can generally be rated as low. The confinement of interest to production aspects combined with the marked open· ness provides ample room for the materials manufacturers and companies outside the sector to introduce new products and materials. In the long run, it is the gradual change in this assortment that will transform building techniques and technology. Change is generated by other sectors.
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| 7. |
- Brehmer, Per-Olof, 1964-
(författare)
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Towards a Model of Lean Freight Transport Operations
- 1999
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Freight carrier operations are increasingly squeezed between intensified competition, a changed market structure, increased customer preferences, financial pressure from the owners and the influences from technological innovations. Despite an extensive work to coordinate individual resources, the results are not satisfactory. Freight carrier planning today mainly relies on estimated demand and fixed production plans, while the customers' ever faster changes in transport relations and in frequency lead to overcapacity in assets as well as overtransport. Emerging solutions to this problem is addressed in this dissertation.This dissertation contributes to the knowledge on the management of freight transport operations through developing a conceptual model of lean freight transport operations. With 'lean' we here mean physical and information value processes, which flow without overcapacity or other 'slacks', that are customer driven, and with the aim to pursue perfection. These issues have previously mainly been addressed in manufacturing of goods. The design of transport operations and its management, planning, control, coordination, and measurements are hence studied.The methodology is theory generating case studies. Five international freight carriers, two rail, two intermodal and one road, with a door-to-door responsibility for the transport have been studied. Two different, but related, patterns have been identified; the cost and the service pattern. The service pattern has many similarities to the characteristics of lean production of goods. We have discussed how other parts of the lean production paradigm can be adapted to freight transport operations. However, none of the studied carriers has fully implemented the lean production paradigm in their operations management. Implementing the lean production paradigm could be beneficial but the differences between transport and manufacturing have to be considered.Transport operations, as well as other services, have open-ended characteristics involving parallel production processes. Transport production is also geographically spread out and involves many parties, including customers sending and receiving the goods. Service products and production processes therefore have to match perfectly in real time and space. This calls for more extensive design considerations and systems for planning and control of demand and supply.To summarise, we have extended the empirical findings with lean manufacturing theory into a proposed lean transport operations model with the following characteristics:• long term partnering, extensive real time executive communication, and coordination with customers and partners in the transport chain instead of arm's length transactional relations,• geographically decentralised cross functional units with high controllability through innovative use of information technology, which leads to high flexibility in time and space, cost effective operations and high service quality in contrast to centralisation,• core competencies and skills supporting dynamic design and production management enabling frequent changes based on high built-in flexibility in the transport network through the use of partners instead of own assets and only functional skills,• resource coordination that focuses on the 'role' of resources and assets in the services and production processes rather than as something solved by computer algorithms for each resource separately,• physical and informational processes which handle strategic considerations and operational activities as a dynamic entity in contrast to static ones.
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| 8. |
- Carlsson, Jan, 1964-
(författare)
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Logistiskt förändringsarbete : olika ansatser för operativ utveckling
- 2000
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- During the last decade organizations have been under an increasing pressure to master change, where some key words are increased variability, competition, insecurity and complexity. The new competitive situation sets new and increasing demands on logistical development work and those who conduct it.An analysis of the logistic research from a perspective of change indicates that the research has primarily met the new !ogistical challenges with systematic knowledge development regarding the change content. The research answers questions of what and why, but the contributions about how changes are implemented have traditionally been very weak. Because of this, there is a need for research focusing on the mere process of change and that develops knowledge about how we can effectively conduct change. The overall purpose is to develop knowledge about how work for !ogistical change can be rendered more efficient.In the theoretical frame of reference it becomes clear that the logistical research is primarily founded in the linear model of change. Through the borrowing of theories from the two research areas Strategic Change and Learning Organization, two additional models of change can be identified. The first model regards changes as social processes and is hence called "the process model". The second model views change as circular and is therefore called "the circular model".The analysis shows that the linear model best reproduces the mechanisms in less extensive changes, where such changes occur within the frame of existing mental models. When the extension of changes increases, the process mode! captures the mechanisms of the processes better, especially the political aspects concerned. The circular model best depicts the processes in the most extensive changes, where new mental models are developed and converted to the operational level.The research results indicate that the outcome of change depends on the correlation between a change's context, content and process over time. Consequently there is no best approach to operational development; rather every kind of change has to be dealt with differently. In the dissertation three approaches of change are typified, each grounded in one of the three models of change. The first approach is termed "solution driven" and is based on the linear model. The second approach, named "programmed process", is grounded in the model of process and the third, called "learning approach", views changes as circular learning processes. Rendering more effective logistical change implies that it needs to be based on the model or models of change that can best live up to the demands and mechanisms of change.
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| 9. |
- Dadfar, Hossein, 1946-
(författare)
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Industrial buying behavior in the Middle East : a cross national study
- 1990
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This study tackles industrial buying behavior in a socio-cultural context. The main purpose is to explore the influence of socio-cultural forces on industrial buying behavior in the Middle Eastern selected countries: Iran, Syria and the United Arab Emirates.A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, called triangulation (integrative) approach is used. The empirical data upon which the study stands, consists of: 108 in-depth interviews, 7 case studies, 4 document analysis and 279 questionnaires. Qualitative and quantitative analysis are carried out as complementary. Factor analysis and regression analysis are the statistical techniques used for quantitative analysis.A conceptual and analytical model for analysis of socio-cultural characteristics in Islamic nations has been developed. Accordingly, socio-cultural traits of Islamic nations consist of values from: tribalism, Islamic religion and westernization systems-TIW model. Each system, in turn, consists of three dimensions. Tribalism consists of macrocosmic perception, microcosmic perception and familism; Islam consists of practicality, determinism and time horizon; westernization consists of Western techniques and technology, Western life style, and male/female equality.A multidimensional process model for purchasing industrial capital goods has also been developed. This model includes the stages of purchasing process as well as technical, commercial and social dimensions. The process includes stages for "decision-making" and for implementation of purchasing decision.Socio-cultural characteristics and industrial buying behavior in the studied countries are analyzed and compared; similarities and differences are discussed. These similarities and differences are found to be related to variations of their socio-cultural traits.The influence of socio-cultural forces on industrial buying behavior has been examined. Tribalism has been found to have influence on all dimensions of buying behavior; westernization has influence on technical dimension. However, Islam, surprisingly proves to have limited influence on the commercial and technical dimensions. Tribalism (familisrn dimension) has dominated the social dimension. This is why business in the Middle East is generally based upon interpersonal relationships.
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| 10. |
- Dahlgaard, Su Mi Park, 1960-
(författare)
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The human dimension in TQM : learning, training and motivation
- 2002
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The overall aim of this dissertation is to study and to explore the human dimension in TQM with focus on learning, training and motivation. The exploration of the evolution of TQM depict the theory of TQM as shaped from a narrow mechanistic apporach to a more humanistic apporach with focus on the human dimension thgough Japanese managerial practices inspired by ideas from western theoreticians.One contribution of this dissertation lies in a discussion and identification of TQM as an ongoing process of fusion between western and eastern ways of seeing, interpreting, understanding, thinking and doing. As a result of this ongoing process of fusion, the synthetic theory of TQM came to embrace both a rationai/logical approach and a holistic/dynamic approach. The rationai/logical approach is a heritage from the western tradition transmitted by western theoreticians' ideas, and the holistic/dynamic/ humanistic approach is a heritage of eastern tradition, transmitted by Japanese practices. The strength of TQM, which at the same time can be a disadvantage, lies in this dual or multiple frameworks of an objectivist-rationalistic and a subjectivist-relativistic view. The framework of TQM is, thus, holistic as well as atomistic/reductionistic, human as well as mechanistic, and dynamic as well as static.Another contribution of this dissertation is the development of an alternative model for understanding human motivation. The 'Trinity model'¨is a step to incorporate spiritual needs into models of human motivation inspired by, my interpretation of, the view of learning and training in the TQM framework. The proposed motivaton model is in accordance with three overall and innate desires, and portrays human motivation as driven by biological, psychological and spiritual desires/need. The spiritual dimension comprises ethical elements, like trust, faurness, openness, helpfulness, searching for and creating meaning, which earlier have not been explicit recognized in models for human motivation.
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| 11. |
- Danilovic, Mike
(författare)
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Loop : Leadership and Organization of Integration in Product Development
- 1999
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Many companies have introduced concurrent engineering over the years in product development to handle the complexity of the technology chosen, relations and dependencies through coordination of people and the integration of tasks in problem solving.The aim of this research is to investigate the collaboration of engineers and management, and how tasks are composed in order to enable high levels of integration in cross-functional settings in product development.The context of this research is the product development of the Swedish multi-role aircraft, JAS39 Gripen at Saab. The product development of aircraft is based on advanced technology on the edge of present knowledge, pushing the limits of present knowledge and developing new technologies.While product development as a process is equifinal, the introduction of concurrent engineering is a multifinal process. There is not one answer to how concurrent engineering set-ups should be designed. Even if the aim and mission may appear to be the same, the actual outcome of a design process of a particular concurrent engineering setting may be different.In Loop, a framework of the architecture of integration is developed that enable an analysis of different concurrent engineering settings. The most important reasons for the lack of intra- and inter-organizational integration of suppliers in the product development are the design of the work breakdown structure and the definition of work packages. Dependence structure matrix methodology is introduced to elaborate the established work breakdown structure and work packages, enabling engineers and suppliers to participate in the design of the process for product development on the engineering work level. In addition, dependency structure analysis shows that collaborative work packages, and multi-layer team structure, could be applied in order to handle the coordination of people and integration of tasks among functions, suppliers, and systems integrators.The answer to handling complexity is to develop organizational settings on the principles of selforganizing systems. A human system based on the principles of self-organizing is characterized by bounded instability. A self-organizing system is an adaptive, nonlinear system with open boundaries, continuously redesigned. A self-organizing system is a fractal structure. Every self-organizing system, or its part, is unique and differs from all the others. The process of establishing the "self' is not directed or controlled by management, but evolves through the interrelationships of the system's parts, elements, processes, and people. Self-organizing system develop through the participation of engineers in the design of the structure and the processes. The performance of the self-organizing system is attained through the coherence and collaboration of all people, and their participation and commitment in the design of the self-organizing system. The participatory approach is based on the premises of situational visibility that appear when strategic conversation takes place at the same time as engineers participate in organizational and process design. The participation of engineers is based on respect for their autonomy, identity, and privacy. Strategic conversation and participation are crucial for developing self-organizing and selfregulating systems.
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| 12. |
- de Paula, Andes, 1968-
(författare)
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Dynamics of corporate strategy from a value chain perspective : A study of the Swedish telecom and construction industries during the 90’s
- 2006
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Changes in sectors and industries have brought new challenges to corporations as well as been important driving forces for the dynamics in strategy at the corporate level. With the dramatic developments of the 1990’s in mind, such as multilateral free-trade agreements, liberalization, privatization, sharp industry growth/decline, increased competition and globalization, in particular within the telecom and the construction industry, this study contributes to describing and understanding strategic change at the corporate level as well as changes in the division of work within value chains. Strategy is defined as intentions, decisions and actions that relate to bundling and unbundling at different strategic levels, aiming to establish and reestablish a value chain position. Thus, outsourcing, M&As, modularization and systems development and sales are important strategic components which are examined from a value chain perspective. From a value chain perspective, the purpose of this study is to describe and understand strategic change at the corporate level in the telecom and construction industries during the 1990’s. More specifically this study shall contribute to describing and understanding (i) the dynamics of and between M&As, outsourcing, modularization and systemization, as well as (ii) industrial and financial drivers to strategic change.The conclusions describe strategic change from a value chain perspective using three descriptive patterns, including an increasing degree of specialization and need for interorganizational coordination across the value chain. In addition, outsourcing and modularization of systems and an increased scope of offering through systemization and BOT-projects, result in the fact that due to M&As the horizontal boundary of the firm sometimes goes beyond the industry scope while the vertical scope is often narrowed through outsourcing. The conclusions also focus on understanding the content of strategic change, that is to say the dynamics of and between mergers and acquisitions, outsourcing, modularization and system sales. These findings are summarized in nine explanatory patterns. These patterns show that the strategic decisions of bundling and unbundling at the corporate and functional level through mergers and acquisitions, outsourcing, systemization and modularization are guided by an industrial as well as a financial logic. By considering the descriptive and explanatory patterns found this study, the conclusions also include what to expect during the next decade with regard to corporate strategy from a value chain perspective in five predictive patterns.
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| 13. |
- Ericson, Thomas
(författare)
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Förändringsideer och meningsskapande : En studie av strategiskt förändringsarbete
- 1998
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- When an organization is facing dramatic change, shared and individual beliefs and opinions are exposed to reconstruction. Different prevailing meanings are challenged. Therefore, in the thesis it is argued that it is necessary to understand subjective meanings held among the members of an organization, as well as the processes by which these meanings change, coincide and lead to concerted action, if we are to understand organizational change. Through a longitudinal study of two centers (i.e. divisions) within a large hospital organization, I have tried to create an understanding of strategic change in organizations, from a sensemaking perspective. The empirical study is carried out in a place between different hierarchical levels.This place is of special interest since actors in this context have to make sense of the changes that are put forward by top management, while at the same time they are expected to give sense to the members of the organization on lower hierarchical levels. While a first order interpretation is made as the empirical description moves ahead, the final chapters of the thesis contain second order interpretations that are more elaborated. The most important result from these further interpretations is a number of concepts that contribute to the understanding of organizational change. All together, the concepts create a coherent whole. The core of the concept formation is made up by four ideal types of meaning. Through these ideal types, different "meaning status" that can be present within a group or organization are described. In order to get a hold on the transformation from one ideal type of meaning to another, four different processes of transformation are identified and described. In addition to these results, the relationship between meaning and action are problemized. It is argued that action and/or visions are crucial during periods of change.
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| 14. |
- Eriksson, Gunnar, 1950-
(författare)
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Företagets immateriella investeringar : En begreppsutredning = Intangibles as an object for capital investment
- 1985
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Normally the concept of capita! investment refers to tangibles. The resource allocation process deals in this case with the problem of acquiring different kinds of "physical facilities". However, if the concept of capita! investment is made to apply to intangibles, the question of definition becomes confusing. The concept of intangibles is almost indescribable, at least when it comes to defining an empirical content. Almost every expenditure can be regarded as an investment. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to determine the concept of intangibles and thereby lay the foundations fora discussion of intangibles as an object for capita! investment.To solve the problem of conceptualization, an empirical study was carried out. The focus of the study was on intangibles and the manner in which these are treated in capital Investment processes. In total six different investment processes were investigated. In the concept analysis it is argued, that the distinguishing quality of intangibles is that they can only be defined as an idea or a mental construction. The economic resources are necessarily connected with individuals in the organization and with routine activities. Therefore, the activity to develop and to maintain the resources is accentuated. It is also emphasized that the purpose of the investment is to build up earning capacity. The essential characteristic of this capacity is that all factors interact in the final service or product and in producing cash inflow.It is further argued, that the concept should be given a meaning that includes the possibility of (ex-post) revenue measurement. Consequently, an economic term, "expenditure-allocation", is chosen. In this denomination the profit center is the object of evaluation. This implies a management responsibility which comprises and extends over different business functions. The evaluation is also based upon a strategic argumentation.As a concept "expenditure-allocation'' emphasizes that costs, written off when they are incurred, have a strategic dimension. The word is an expression of how the expenditures in one period are allocated between and within different business functions. In the context of strategic argumentation and evaluation it is also an expression of how expenditures (ex-ante) are allocated to different periods.Finally, the concept of "expenditure-allocation" will be related to three theoretical contexts First, the concept is discussed with reference to Bower (1970) and his descriptive mode!. Second, the context is marginalism or the marginalist mode! of business behavior. Third the question is whether the elements of the "expenditure - allcoation" should be deferred or not.
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| 15. |
- Fang, Tony
(författare)
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Chinese Culture and Chinese Business Negotiating Style
- 1999
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The People's Republic of China (PRC) is the world's largest emerging market. It has attracted huge interest from Western business communities since 1978. However, the PRC is also a demanding market and the Chinese are probably the world's toughest negotiators. Chinese business negotiating style has emerged as a special area of inquiry in international business since Lucian W. Pye from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology published his seminal work Chinese Commercial Negotiating Style in 1982. The existing research stresses the link between Chinese culture and Chinese business negotiating style and draws our attention to a variety of Chinese negotiatingtactics. Despite these efforts, questions remain as to how to understand Chinese negotiating style in a systematic fashion, how to explain Chinese negotiating tactics from the vantage point of Chinese culture, how to deepen our empirical understanding of the subject, and so on.The purpose of this dissertation is to capture salient characteristics of Chinese culture to systematically understand Chinese business negotiating style in Sino-Western business negotiations. The research attempts to answer four major questions: 1) What are the primary patterns of the Chinese business negotiating style? 2) What are the fundamental Chinese sociocultural forces driving Chinese business negotiating behaviors and tactics? 3) How to understand the Chinese communication style in business settings? 4) Why is the Chinese style of negotiating distinctive? A qualitative case study approach is adopted as a principal methodology to achieve the research purpose. The research is based mostly on the author's in-depth personal interviews with the Chinese as well as Scandinavian business negotiators in various industries including telecommunications, shipping and shipbuilding.The dissertation is made up of a cover essay and appended one book, one book chapter, one journal article, two conference papers, and one detailed case study. The dissertation advances the scholarship by constructing systematic models with which to understand Chinese business behaviors and tactics and by providing real-life rich descriptive case study and illustrations. An important empirical feature of this research is that the Chinese and the Western perspectives of Chinese negotiating style are presented in a balanced way. The major findings include: 1) Chinese negotiating style can be systematically studied in terms of political, legal, technical, commercial, social, and strategic dimensions. 2) The PRC condition, Confucianism, and Chinese stratagems are the three fundamental Chinese sociocultural forces shaping Chinese negotiating behaviors and tactics. 3) Chinese communication style in business can be described as implicit, listening-centered, polite, insider-oriented, face-directed, and stratagemdriven. 4) The Chinese negotiator is a blend of "Maoist bureaucrat," "Confucian gentleman," and "Sun Tzu-like strategist." 5) Hofstede's fifth national culture dimension ("Confucian Dynamism") suffers from a philosophical flaw. The dissertation also provides managerial advice for negotiating and doing business effectively with the PRC.
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| 16. |
- Forslind, Helén, 1972-
(författare)
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Return to Sender : Essays on Extended producer Responsibility
- 2006
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The purpose of this thesis to increase the understanding of how Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) affects the economy. EPR is a principle stating that producers should be responsible for the environmental impact of their products throughout the life cycle. In four out of five essays, scrapping of end-of-life vehicles in Sweden is used as an example.In Essay I the interdependency of the consumers’ and the producers’ responsibilities are stressed. It is concluded that the financial solution should be separated from the producer in order to ensure that future liabilities can be met.The main contribution of Essay II is that an increased premium will result in an increased number of returned vehicles. In Essay III it is shown that when the environmental harm is constant and relatively low, a deposit-refund system is preferred to an unfounded system. In cases where high environmental harm occurs the optimal choice would be a system combining both deposits and fines.Essay IV concludes that a funded system would have been a better way to finance the premium than an unfunded system in terms of higher rate of return. In Essay V the analysis is no longer limited to ELVs, and a model with endogenous growth is applied to the case where all the products in the economy are covered by EPR. It is found that both the growth and the level of output is favoured by the choice of a funded scheme.
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| 17. |
- Forslund, Helena, 1964-
(författare)
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The existence of logistics quality deficiencies and the impact of information quality in the dyadic order fulfillment process
- 2004
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Measuring logistics quality is related to meeting customer expectations and needs, regardless of what those may be. Both over- and under-performance of logistics quality were found in previous studies. Diverging perceptions of logistics performance between customer and supplier were also fo.und in previous studies. The importance of defining relevant performance metrics was found in performance management theory, where defining is the basis for measurement, analysis and improvement. From quality management theory the idea of working With quality deficiencies was borrowed. Quality deficiencies are a metric supporting a performance management approach. A possible explaining variable for logistics quality deficiencies to study was information quality of order information. The overall research question of this study was "How can logistics quality deficiencies be used as a basis of performance management in the dyadic order fulfillment process and how is information quality related to logistics quality deficiencies? With a positivistic, hypothetic/deductive and quantitative approach the research question was addressed. Survey was chosen as the data generating method. The population to address was the dyadic order fulfillment process between Swedish manufacturing companies with over 100 employees in four industries represented by purchasing managers, and their most important Swedish supplier, represented by the purchasing manager's contact person. 136 dyads were captured which corresponded to a response rate of 36%.Four types of logistics quality deficiencies (LQDs) were found. External performance LQDs were found on all nine studied dimensions (promised lead time, on-time delivery, rush orders when needed, promised inventory availability, undamaged deliveries, accurate orders, accurate invoices, availability of delay information and convenient order placement procedures) of logistics quality. Inter-organizational interpretation LQDs were found to exist on six out of nine dimensions. This gap was however positive in suppliers over-target customers' expected logistics quality. Internal performance LQDs were found on all nine dimensions. Inter-organizational perception LQDs were found on all nine dimensions. Suppliers rate their performance higher than customers do. Information quality in the dyadic order fulfillment process was assessed for order and forecast information. Information quality deficiencies (IQDs) were found for both order and forecast information. Inter-organizational perception IQDs were found. The impact of information quality on internal performance LQDs was also studied. Some impact of information quality on internal performance LQDs was altogether found.The dyadic research perspective applied is a valuable expansion of the commonly used logistics methodology. To logistics performance measurement theory, a new approach for process-based logistics performance measurement was shown. The study has stressed the importance of collaborative definition of relevant performance metrics in the dyad, as a basis for performance management. Together with scales for measuring deficiency types, descriptive contributions were made. By studying the impact of information quality, also explanative contribution was given. Quality management theory was expanded by showing a new application for quality deficiencies. Practical contribution is a new awareness of the mechanisms in the order fulfillment process, together with an understanding of the state of communication in important dyads. This could be the foundation for practical logistics performance measurement applications were better metrics could avoid diverging perceptions and better synchronize measurement systems and targets.
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| 18. |
- Grundström, Christina, 1965-
(författare)
-
Gaining influence in standard-setting processes : a discussion of underlying mechanisms in 3G mobile telephony technology development
- 2003
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The environment in which companies operate is such that standards become increasingly important due to the built-in rigidities resulting from previous technology investments and network externalities. The research question is: How can a market-leading company gain influence on the formation of standards perceived as vital for the company-s continued business? The purpose of the dissertation is to explore, describe, and characterise how such influence may be gained; it thus aims to reveal some of the mechanisms underlying a technology standard-setting process. Market-leading here is interpreted as the company wanting to lead the development of the market by influencing the standards that will prevail in it, thereby aiming to secure market leadership (in measurable terms).The dominant design concept, including technical, commercial, and procedural dimensions, serves as the basis for the theoretical discussion. From the review of literature it is concluded that the dominant design concept marginally addresses the emergence of a dominant design. Therefore the present study takes on a company "inside-out" perspective to examine how underlying mechanisms may be revealed.The empirical data address the third generation (3G) mobile telephony core and access networks or the 3G infrastructure, which can be treated as the core technologies for the new 3G system. The data stem mainly from interviews with individuals involved in the process at Ericsson, the mobile telephony systems developer. One outcome of the research is a case that describes the story of 3G infrastructure standard setting from Ericsson's view.On the basis of empirical data and theoretical framework, four foci are developed and used for analysis of the data. The foci developed are people and their relations, organizations and their relations, technology perception, and influencing others.The point of departure is that the technology dimension is of utmost importance in this type of standard-setting process where a system of core technologies is chosen. After exploring and describing the process from the inside-out perspective, however, the overall finding from the research is that human behaviour plays the central role as individuals constitute the process by advocating and negotiating technology, form the organizations, embody the relations (including various types of network), and influence others in the market. Since people are at the core of standard-setting processes, a truly managerial issue is how to use the right people for the right tasks with proper timing during the process.The findings from the 3G study are also related to the findings made in earlier research in a broader contextual analysis.Critical to managing the standard-setting process is an understanding of where to fit a given standard into the technical hierarchy and the standards hierarchy. The maturity of the industry also needs to be analysed and addressed. It is concluded that each standard-setting process is a mix of de jure and de facto standard-setting mechanisms with "in-between arenas" and that there are a number of sub-processes.A model characterising the roles of people with various functions over time and in a standard-setting process constitutes the main outcome of the research. This model constitutes three different functions (technical, tactical, strategic) and three process stages (research, formal standardisation, informal standardisation) thereby characterising nine different roles.
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| 19. |
- Holm, Anders, 1963-
(författare)
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Den avtalsgrundade lojalitetsplikten : en allmän rättsprincip
- 2004
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- There are a number of legal principles regulating contract law, of which good faith (bona fides) is one. In the Nordic countries the equivalence is the principle ofloyalty. The acceptance of this principle within Swedish contract law has increased during the last two decades, but the principle has not yet been subject to codification. The scope of it has yet to be developed in order to establish its framework. The aim of this thesis is primarily to analyse the premises and conclusions of the legal justification of the principle, scientifically as well as judicially. This dissertation discusses a number of aspects ofthis principle ofloyalty. Most market transactions are connected with certain assumptions about risks. To enable cost efficient market exchange a certain amount of trust between the parties is required. The law can to a certain degree protect justified assumptions about risk by extending agreements with implied terms. In case a party breaches such a term damages may be claimed or some other sanction may be imposed. The principle can be used in the interpretation process involving contracts. It relates in particular to the determination of implied terms within contractual agreements, in order to protect the reasonable expectations of the contract parties. The principle of loyalty also obliges a party to make sure that the person and the property of the other party do not suffer any damage during the performance.
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| 20. |
- Huge Brodin, Maria, 1966-
(författare)
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Logistics systems for recycling : on the influence of products, structures, relationships and power
- 2002
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The environmental trend, and environmental legislation, has during the past decade grown stronger, and with it the focus on environmental issues within many fields of research and practice. This has implications for logistics, and the focus in this dissertation is on the logistics systems that are needed to realise recycling of end-of-life products: logistics systems for recycling (LSRs). LSRs have been studied regarding two parts; the collection and the post-collection system.To identify influence of physical components (product properties and structures of LSRs) and co-operative behaviour (relationships and interorganizational power) on effectiveness and efficiency of LSRs, four studies of different parts of the LSR were conducted, comprising all the roles shown in figure I. The cases comprised paper and electronics recycling.The findings of the research suggest the following:Product complexity, variety and handling properties can restrict the possibilities of reaching effectiveness and efficiency in LSRs through economies of scale. The value of both recycled paper and recycled electronics can under certain conditions be influenced by the effectiveness and the efficiency of LSRs.The material flow structures of the studied LSRs are converging, and cost effectiveness as well as capacity efficiency can be increased through co-ordination between LSRs and forward logistics systems.Mutual long-term ambition and longer time frames of contracts in vertical relationships between actors in the same LSR can improve their performance. Horizontal relationships between actors of different LSRs provide opportunities for attaining higher effectiveness and efficiency.Power bases identified as influential for the performance of LSRs were not only relative to size and ownership, but also to expertise on logistics and recycling, and superior information access. Trust building and power use co-exist in LSRs, but intentional trust building was more visible in short term relationships in legislation driven recycling of low and volatile goods volumes, than in market/technology driven recycling of large and stable goods volumes.The relatively high importance of high customer service levels over low costs in collection LSRs for legislation driven recycling, where goods volumes are small and volatile, was identified. A model was introduced comprising a second decoupling point, where the logistics strategy would shift from agile to lean; at the recycler, instead of at the point of the end-customer, something which is generally perceived in the literature.The physical components and co-operative behaviour of LSRs can both reinforce each other's influence on the performance of LSRs, or counteract each other's effect.Reinforcement:Product standardisation increases handling efficiency in an LSR and facilitates the recycling process, and it can also facilitate horizontal co-operation, thus increasing LSRs' effectiveness and efficiency.Co-ordination between LSRs and forward logistics systems and horizontal co-operation can enhance the effectiveness and the efficiency of LSRs.Counteraction:A high level of logistics as well as product knowledge can enhance the efficiency and the effectiveness of LSRs, but the two competencies can also counteract with one another.High and stable goods volumes promote high efficiency and cost effectiveness but may also lower the managerial efficiency within the system.
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| 21. |
- Isaksson, Karin, 1984-
(författare)
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Logistics Service Providers Going Green : A Framework for Developing Green Service Offerings
- 2014
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Environmental impact has increasingly become a “buzzword” and an important topic. This topic has been integrated into the agenda of many companies worldwide, and this dissertation focuses on the transportation and logistics industry. Environmental concerns have gained increased attention among many logistic service providers (LSPs) due to the environmental impact from their operations, and they have been identified of having a significant role in reducing the environmental burden in the supply chain. An environmental approach of the LSPs' business has also been identified as a way to achieve competitive advantage and provide market opportunities where the development and marketing of new products and services associated with green issues are suggested as important aspects for future growth. However, considering the scarcity of research regarding this topic, a study that reveals potential aspects in the development of green service offerings can bridge the knowledge gap and provide opportunities for further research within this field. The purpose of this dissertation is therefore to develop and explain a framework for LSPs’ development of green service offerings. The purpose is addressed by first investigating LSPs' service development from a general perspective in order to, in a second stage, reach a better understanding of the implications when integrating green aspects in LSPs' service development efforts.Theoretically, this dissertation departed from service marketing literature or more specifically new service development (NSD) research. This resulted in a conceptual framework including key dimensions and aspects regarding a company’s NSD efforts and activities. From this foundation, the theoretical framework was developed further based on research regarding LSPs' service development and innovation management. Finally the framework was extended with green logistics literature as well as research regarding LSPs' green development and influences on their service offerings.Empirically, this research is mainly based on qualitative data from an in-depth case study on a large LSP active on the Swedish market. In addition, empirical data from a multiple case study and a questionnaire survey conducted for the Licentiate thesis were used in order to enrich the analysis regarding the LSPs' development of green service offerings. The analysis followed a stepwise approach where literature and empirical data were analysed.One of the main results in this dissertation is the framework for LSPs' new service development, consisting of five dimensions: NSD culture, NSD strategy, NSD process focus, IT use and expertise and NSD knowledge and skills. The NSD framework presents a holistic view of the LSPs’ NSD efforts by revealing different dimensions, their roles and relations to each other as well as the pre-requisites to take into consideration in the development of new services. Thus, the different NSD dimensions should not solely be viewed as isolated dimensions; instead, there is a need for LSPs to have a holistic view and understanding of the NSD activities’ reciprocity.Another main result concerns the adaption of the NSD framework to green service development. The results reveal some pre-requisites relevant for LSPs to consider in their efforts to develop green service offerings and are summarised in the following main dimensions:Creating green awareness in the NSD culture – encourage participation regarding green initiatives within the organisation, defining a “common picture” in order to facilitate collaboration efforts and knowledge exchange concerning green expertise. The support from top management was also identified of having an influencing impact. Defining the strategic approach of green service offerings – integrate a green concern in the overall business strategy and to define the strategic role and incentives for developing green service offerings. The results also suggest LSPs to adapt green NSD efforts to different business contexts and market possibilities to match existing resources and skills with customers’ green requirements, and to perform a segmentation of customers’ environmental work and ambitions to increase the understanding of customers’ green attitudes and requirements.Create processes and routines to facilitate spreading of green knowledge – highlights the relevance of a process focus for spreading green knowledge both from an external and internal perspective. It involves e.g. adoption of certifications, procedures for environmental calculations and documentation as well as routines to spread and integrate green knowledge among employees as well as identification of customers’ green requirements.Improve green internal knowledge and build green collaborations – provide training and education to increase the level of green awareness and knowledge among employees as well as customers and strive for collaboration efforts both internally and externally to utilise each other’s knowledge and resources towards the development of green service offerings.Increase transparency of green information both internally and externally – improve green information transparency to build both internal and external trust and increase possibilities to effectively use other actors’ knowledge and resources to develop environmental improvements in the supply chain. Integration of IT expertise and synchronisations of IT systems to facilitate and support environmental work and development of green service offerings.
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| 22. |
- Ivehammar, Pernilla, 1971-
(författare)
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How to deal with the encroachment costs in road investment CBA
- 2006
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- An important basis for decisions regarding road investments is Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA), where all costs and benefits should be taken into account and expressed in monetary terms. A valuation of the cost for the encroachment caused by a new road in, for example, a recreation area or a residential area is, however, missing in road investment CBA. The purpose of this thesis is to develop approaches to deal with the encroachment costs. More specifically two approaches are developed.One approach is ”cost transfer” for typical cases. With this approach the encroachment cost is estimated ex post for a number of existing roads within each typical case. The results are to be used to estimate a calculation formula to use for CBA of planned road investments where the encroachment can be referred to a particular typical case. The typical case ”barrier to water” was chosen for a pilot study with the aim of developing the method for data collection, and study what is most important for the encroachment cost per affected individual.The other approach is a method, developed in the thesis, for estimating the encroachment cost ex ante for each specific object. The method is called COPATS, ”Combined Opinion Poll and Travel Survey”. It makes use of the fact that roads mean both positive and negative effects to a different degree for the affected people. Data of the residence location, visiting frequency in the encroachment area and travel pattern is collected by a postal questionnaire before deciding on a road investment. In the same questionnaire it is also asked whether the respondent is for or against the planned road. The encroachment cost can be estimated from the respondents´ balancing of the benefit of travel time savings, and possibly some other positive effects, against the negative encroachment caused by the planned road.A conclusion is that both alternatives seem to be possible ways of including encroachment costs as part of road investment CBA. To estimate calculation formulas for cost transfer in some common typical cases, a large number of further encroachment cost studies must though be made. COPATS is closer to practical application, but needs to be further developed in collaboration with road planners.
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| 23. |
- Javefors Grauers, Eva, 1943-
(författare)
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Profession, genus och företagarpar : en studie av advokater och köpmän
- 2002
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- A study of supermarket owners (Javefors Grauers 1999) showed that the woman and the man in the family business were unequal in terms of e.g. ownership, salaries, and domestic work. Furthermore, that the woman in the business couple was not visible as a supermarket owner. The results were interpreted as an outcome of the gender system (Hirdman 1990). The dissertation deals with the question whether the outcome of the gender system is modified towards equal terms if the business couple runs a family business within a profession that requires a higher education.In order to illuminate if professional membership modifies the outcome of the gender system, a study of professional business couples where both spouses are lawyers was conducted. The results of the study were compared with the results from the study of supermarket owners. The comparison shows that the professional membership amongst business couples to a certain degree contributes in modifying the outcome of the gender system. Despite there was a traditional gender pattern of differentiation among the lawyers e.g. in domestic work sharing, the findings taking together and especially the visibility of the female lawyers point towards that family business in terms of business couple in a profession actually works towards equality between the spouses. The female lawyers were visible as business women but the female supermarket owners were not. The visibility of the female lawyer is explained by the legitimacy she receives through her professional knowledge and acknowledged profession. When a legal advisor has applied for and been admitted to the Law Society she becomes visible as a lawyer to those who have an interest in her professional competence. Professional membership amongst business couples seems to modify the outcome of the gender system and thereby to make family business a vehicle of equality.
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| 24. |
- Jonsson, Leif, 1945-
(författare)
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Kunskapsbildning i samverkan mellan forskning och praktik : en studie av interaktiv kunskapsbildning avseende kommunchefers chefskap
- 2001
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- There is an increasing interest in 'knowledge-building in co-operation between research and practise'. Practitioners as well as researchers seek opportunities to co-operate in order to develop and utilise knowledge. This growing interest seems to depend on several circumstances; e.g. increasing competition concerning grant for research but also in the belief that there is a substantial value in knowledge that has been developed in co-operation between practice and research.The dissertation shows how knowledge building in co-operation between research and practice can turn out in a case concerning 'city managers management'. The case shows the results of such a co-operation, the process of knowledge building and how co-operation between research and practice can be organised.In the dissertation 'knowledge-building in co-operation between research' and practice is viewed in tenns of three 'action systems', namely (1) a research system in which the researcher works with theoretical knowledge-building, (2) a practice system in which the practitioner mostly works as a practical actor and (3) a dialogne system in which the researcher and practitioner meet in order to co-operate in lrnowledge-building. These action systems are related to each other in a model, which can be used for both practical and theoretical purposes.
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| 25. |
- Jonsson, Seth, 1944-
(författare)
-
Strategic sourcing in the age of e-business : prerequisites in manufacturing industries
- 2005
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Strategic sourcing (i.e. relationship, sourcing and negotiation strategies) has, by the introduction of the Internet and e-business, get hold of a variety of possibilities supporting the classical sourcing guiding principle, such as electronic marketplaces, reversed e-auctions, online communication tools, software agents and the like. E-business regenerates in addition the negotiation character. By combining the operational and strategic views and care for a cautiously implementation, due to the exclusive demands in the specific company, purchasing and sourcing may improve fundamentally, as might happen in competitive companies as well. Such steps increase the possibilities to get reductions in total costs when managing existing operational processes, and not just achieve some short-term price benefits. Further, this includes the strategic aspects of getting a balance between the need of developing suppliers in emerging markets, local and distant sourcing, and adversarial and relationdriven solutions, thanks to strategic moves interlinked to a professional e-business strategy. Nevertheless, the purchasing and supply fundamentals are ongoing, which purchasing management firmly has to address.The diversity of e-business is also its definitely strength. Applications to generate business value, noticed in this thesis, are connected to geographical range, reduced communication costs, alternative business-information flows, complex bid matching, digitized negotiation models, multi-item negotiations, support interlinks, and/or transparency control. However, what is common with these potentials and directions are that they also may be used to greatly improve classical strategic sourcing. Strongly competing suppliers, foreign sourcing, market pricing, and parallel sourcing are all classical characteristics of the purchasing profession.Nevertheless, I would like to underline fmnly that collaboration strategies are as well central on a number of specific areas, as has also been proven in my research. It is on the other hand important to recall that many needs within the purchase range do not hold the strategic content and consequently must not be solved within a collaboration strategy. Another aspect to emphasize is that e-business improves the possibilities to crossfunctional work and to integrate different levels of the organization; both subjects essential to the internal value transfer from the purchasing and supply function.My research has coped with several fields of assessment where specific requisites have been enlightened, such as supplier involvement attributes, mission-critical supplies, supplier requirements, and complexity in supplies. We may now reflect on which direction that is most favorable. As I recognize, e-business has exposed a breathtaking entry and so far generated more questions than answers. This is why the propositions are formulated as a part of the results.
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| 26. |
- Kindström, Daniel, 1974-
(författare)
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The integration of e-business into mature and established companies : a business model approach
- 2005
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The purpose ofthis dissertation is to explore and analyse the implications of the integration of e-business into mature and established companies and how e-business can contribute to business development. Changes in general and e-business in particular have the potential to penetrate different areas of a company and thus we ought to analyse how e-business is integrated into the entire company (both strategically and operationally) if we aim to understand how this happens. By using a holistic business model framework it is argued that we get a more complete picture and understanding of the integrating e-business.The study is based on three case studies of mature and established, so-called bricks-and-mortar, companies that use e-business in various ways and to various extents.Traditionally e-bus iness has primarily been used for cost reduction purposes especially regarding transaction costs. These relatively simple solutions, "low-hanging fruits", have all but been exhausted and thus companies turn their attention to more complex and value-adding solutions and ideas. As e-business becomes more complex it also becomes more integrated into the companies and the day-to-day activities. This also demands more interaction and integration with business processes as well as external actors such as customers. E-business has the potential to intluence companies in all dimensions of the business model framework forwarded here; in the Operative platforms, in the Offering. and regarding the Market positions. Furthermore. it is argued that much of companies' contemporary business development has a clear e-business ingredient.
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| 27. |
- Lakemond, Nicolette, 1973-
(författare)
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Managing across organisations : intra- and interorganisational aspects of supplier involvement in product development projects
- 2001
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Supplier involvement in product development is widely regarded as an essential strategy, benefiting product development tinle, costs, and product quality. However, this strategy also increases the dependencies between the buyer and the involved supplier and has therefore implications for coordinating supplier involvement. The aim of this thesis is to examine intra- and interorganisational aspects of supplier involvement in product development projects and, based on a contingency perspective, to develop a conceptual framework for understanding coordination of supplier involvement in and throughout product development projects.The need for coordination of dependencies is reinforced by the existence of diverging expectations. This concerns different perspectives on i.e. project management, technical solutions, and product functionalities. Organisational coordination structures facilitate coordination of dependencies and diverging expectations. A contingency approach suggests that a range of coordination structures is necessary for addressing different situations of dependence and diverging perspectives.The issues of intraorganisational coordination, interorganisational coordination, and coordination throughout the development project are investigated based on a multiple case study consisting of a study of six product development projects at the packaging company Tetra Brik, and seven mini-cases at Swedish and Dutch companies operating in different industries. The case companies develop relatively complex products, that are produced in rather low to medium volumes. Furthermore, systems integration is an important aspect in product development.An important aspect of intraorganisational coordination concerns the interface between the purchasing and the engineering department. Several purchasing involvement configurations are identified. These include purchasing coordinators and the degree of involvement of purchasing specialists in the development project.Three main approaches are identified for the interorganisational coordination of supplier involvement in product development projects. An iutegrative approach, project integration coordination, has the highest potential to address a high need for coordination. Disconnected sub-project coordination disconnects the supplier task from the overall project and is therefore able to coordinate a lower degree of dependence. Ad hoc coordination is an informal coordination structure for incidental coordination of supplier involvement in the development project.The investigation of supplier involvement throughout the project focuses attention on two issues. First, an integrated approach can precede and facilitate a disconnected approach to coordination in the project. Second, project integrated coordination is sometinles accompanied by some elements of disconnected sub-project coordination.Intra- and interorganisational coordination have some cost implications. These costs tmderlie the necessity for a contingency approach to coordination. As the task characteristics, degree of supplier involvement, and moment of supplier involvement are important in determining the degree of dependence in the project, supplier coordination must be determined from situation to situation, based on the need for coordination.
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| 28. |
- Magnusson, Thomas, 1970-
(författare)
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Managerial challenges in environmental innovation : case studies in the electrical equipment and automotive sectors
- 2003
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This dissertation is a compilation of five papers that analyse and discuss the managerial challenge of environmental innovation. Environmental innovation seeks to integrate environmental features into products and thus bring new products with better environmental performance to the market. The dissertation reports on three case studies within the electrical equipment and automotive sectors. The first case refers to development of an innovative new gasoline-electric hybrid power train; the second case refers to the development of a new industrial gas turbine, comprising advanced new burner technology; and the third case describes the introduction of new technology for small-scale distributed electricity generation. On the basis of concepts and theoretical models derived from literature on innovation management, the dissertation offers two alternative ways to conceptualise environmental innovation. Firstly, environmental innovation is conceptualised as product development. This is useful to analyse the inner dynamics of R&D organisations and it hightlights the need to adapt organisations and managerial practices to the specific requirements of the development task. Secondly, environmental innovation is conceptualised as the introduction of new technology. Here, two alternative perspectives are discussed. The incumbents' perspective illustrates that environmental innovation may be perceived as a potential threat for existing manufacturers within the established industry and it is used to discuss their strategic responses. The entrants' perspective shows how the definition of early markets and applications is complicated for suppliers who are engaged in environmental innovation. The dissertation argues that environmental innovation is characterised by extensive complexity both in terms of technological complexity and complexity in shaping of demands on technological progress. It concludes that is is important for managers to create an ability to deal with complexity. Based on empirical findings, three possible approaches are outlined: simplification, interaction and experimentation.
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| 29. |
- Nehler, Henrik, 1974-
(författare)
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Activity-Based Costing : avbildning, integration & nytta
- 2005
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This doctoral dissertation provides an extensive analysis of Activity-Based Costing, one of the most discussed management accounting models during the 90's. The aim of the study is to analyse the prerequisites for the design, integration and use of Activity-Based Costing systems. Three perspectives are used in the analysis:Correspondente perspective - referring to the ability of integrated ABC-systems to depict the reality they intend to describe.Integration perspective - referring to the possibilities of integrating ABC-systems with other systems in an organisation.Usefulness perspective - referring to the user needs for activity-based information, the value/usefulness of activity-based information and the method's effects on user behaviour.The results of the dissertation show that an effective ABC-system has a low degree of sophistication, allocation and integration. Yet such ABC-systems have a higher information value compared to more complex systems. These simple integrated ABC-systems also show positive volume and standardisation effects. This dissertation contributes with empirical descriptions of advanced integrated Activity-Based systems and models that are generated from each of the above mentioned analytical perspectives. Moreover, the dissertation's synthesis is presented as a three dimensional model showing the effective ABC-system. Finally, a two-piece model is suggested as a possible solution to the problems associated with the ABC-model.
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| 30. |
- Norlén, Andreas, 1973-
(författare)
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Oskälighet och 36 § avtalslagen
- 2004
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Section 36 of the Swedish Contracts Act stipulates that a term of a contract can be modified or set aside, if it is "unreasonable". The thesis discusses the meaning of the prerequisite "unreasonable" and how the meaning can and should be defined, using the means of legal science. Normative ethics is thereby introduced as a supplementary source of norms, and scientific works regarding contract law in other European countries are regarded, as well as the Principles of European Contract Law.One chapter deals primarily with legal theory, in particular how a position regarding a legal matter can be justified. The role of normative ethics, especially virtue ethics, in legal science is discussed in that context and "the virtues of the contractual relationship" are identified (for example justness, honesty, carefulness). The following chapter focuses on the relationship between those virtues and some principles of contract law (for example the principle of trust, the principle of loyalty), and it is being maintained that the value basis for the virtues on the one hand and the principles on the other hand is largely the same. It is also being maintained that there are strong arguments in favour of letting the virtues and principles affect the definition of the prerequisite "unreasonable" in section 36.In the last major chapter, four cases are used as starting points of a discussion regarding various situations, in which "unreasonable" has to be defined. The impact on the definition of "unreasonable" of the previously introduced virtues and principles is discussed, as well as the significance of various circumstances. The duty of disclosure, the significance of balance between the rights and duties of the parties under the contract and the importance of events occurring after the conclusion of the contract are some of the issues, which are treated.
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| 31. |
- Norrman, Andreas
(författare)
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Organizing Timebased Distribution in Transnational Corporations : Interaction Between Logistics and Organizational Structures
- 1997
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Currently, physical distribution structures for industrial goods are changing. This change is expected to increase in scope over the next few years, facilitated by the advancement of Information Technology and transport systems, and the removal of border frictions. Traditional physical distribution channels, linked from factory warehouses through central warehouses, regional warehouses and local sales subsidiaries' warehouses to customers are replaced by direct distribution to customers from factories or, in many cases, via one or two European distribution centres. This emerging structure has been labelled Timebased Distribution, because of the focus on time instead of distance.One of the biggest hurdles to overcome, when implementing innovative logistics solutions such as timebased distribution, has been noticed to be of organizational nature. Further, it has been argued that logistics could be a driving force for organizational change, especially in the "Europeanization" of transnational corporations in Europe.The purpose of this study is to contribute to the knowledge of organizing timebased distribution, especially the two issues of:1) how to organize timebased distribution, with the focus on the responsibility of different physical distribution activities and ownership of goods.2) how timebased distribution affects the organizational structure.Current theory has neither explicitly treated the organization of timebased distribution, nor how new physical distribution structures affect organizational structures. This study contributes by developing conceptual models of e.g.• the organization of timebased distribution in different organizational structures of transnational corporations;• how responsibility, control and execution of different activities, and ownership of goods are allocated between different organizational units;• the transition of autonomous sales subsidiaries into lean sales branches with centralised administration;• how timebased distribution lays a platform for changing the organizational structure, especially regarding sales subsidiaries.
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| 32. |
- Pehrsson, Anders, 1956-
(författare)
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Strategic planning and environmental judgements : the performance in SBU organized industrial groups
- 1985
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Formal Strategic Planning, FSP, has become an instrument to find long-term directions under profitability constraints in industrial companies. This instrument is used to decentralize decisions and more effectively adapt to unstable environments. FSP must, however, to some extent be adjusted to unique situations of single organizational units. Such adaptation implies that anti-planning biases could be avoided and that premises for efficient FSP become more favorable. Furthermore, if FSP is seen as a way to orient units towards unstable environments, then it is necessary to know how planning actors judge their environments in FSP. When this is clear to a satisfactory degree, it is easier to concentrate on crucial matters.This doctoral thesis presents a model of outline of main FSP activities, diagnoses and formulations, and planning styles in organizational units. If the applied motivational type is adapted to needs for FSP in the various phases of implementation, FSP can be utilized as an effective instrument to guide strategically A model is also presented for general managers uncertainty in judging the environment. In order to deal with uncertainty, time horizons for judgements ought to be adapted to the uncertainty in each sector of the environment. Relatively short horizons generally ought to be applied to the business climate sector and relatively long horizons to established competitors.The performance in industrial groups, which are organized according to Strategic Business Units, SBU's, is accentuated. In longitudinal in-depth studies of the Swedish international groups ASEA, Ericsson and Gunnebo, primarily qualitative data have been used to obtain a holistic perspective of FSP. A complementary cross-sectional study has been carried out in the ASEA Group. Multi-variate analysis has been applied to quantitative data.
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| 33. |
- Rehme, Jakob, 1967-
(författare)
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Sales coordination in multinational corporations : development and management of key account programmes
- 2001
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The purpose of the dissertation is to describe and analyse the orgamsmg of sales and marketing in large scale and complex organisations and particularly how key account management programmes are developed, organised and managed.This means that the focus is on the development context in which the sales organisation operates, how key account management (KAM) programmes are organised, the coordination they contribute to, and how the KAM programmes are designed to manage the dyadic seller-buyer relationships.In particular this purpose includes two major parts:Describing and analysing how KAM programmes evolve in large industrial organisationsDescribing and analysing how KAM programmes are initiated and developed in seller-buyer relationshipsThe method employed has been a multiple-case study based on five individual buyer-seller relationships in two different KAM programmes within ABB. The empirical material has been analysed primarily by the use of organisational and marketing theories.Driving forces for the developments of KAM's are marketing strategies, i.e. the focus on systems selling, international selling and the focus on customer share; purchasing strategies, i.e. the coordination of corporate purchas.ing nationally and internationally, and functional buying; and finally organisational contingencies, i.e. that high degree of divisionalisation underscores the importance of coordination.Overall organisational structures and management focus strongly affects the formation of KAM programmes and the content of the sales coordination. Marketing strategy in the form of segment marketing is used to structure KAM programmes. Buyer action to coordinate purchasing results in the considerable importance of sales coordination and thus KAM programmes, whereas solely seller-initiated programmes have more organisational adaptations.There are large discrepancies between individual KAM's particularly based on customer contingencies and preferences. Generally speaking, the main efforts are aimed at commercial, social, logistical and technical activities. KAM's result in improved working relationships that become more formal, greater coordination and subsequently a more integrated sales organisation.
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| 34. |
- Salzer, Miriam
(författare)
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Identity Across Borders : A Study in the "IKEA-World"
- 1994
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- How do people construct shared views of what the organization is all about in the international, complex; company? Within a cultural perspective, organizational identity can be tmderstood as organizational members' shared views and definitions of the organization. As people make sense of actions, events, decisions, etc., shared meanings develop which provide organizational members with a sense of organization. Through an ethnographic study in the corporate setting of lKEA I have tried to create an understanding of the processes tluough which organizational identities become constructed across borders.In the study it is shown how organizational members through the processes of sense-making construct collective self-views. By drawing borders against the outside world, mirroring themselves and talking to the self, organizational members come to create definitions of what the organization is all about. In the international, complex organization, these processes take place in different national contexts and in various local spheres of meaning. In order to offset divergent views and differentiation of meanings, managers try to create a global supra-identity through the fabrication of culture. At the same time, however, there is a heterogenization of meanings as predefined meanings from the top are constantly interpreted, rejected, recreated or adopted in the local spheres. Thus, in the complex organization, there are many collective selfviews and multiple identities. The organization, then, is to be Wlderstood as an arbitrary boundary around a set of spheres of meaning that overlap and interact.Index
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| 35. |
- Sonesson, Thomas, 1948-
(författare)
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Estimering av efterfrågan på långväga persontransporter : En ekonomisk-teoretisk belysning av gängse modeller samt en ny ansats till uppskattning av efterfrågesamband
- 1998
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This dissertation deals with the estimation of intercity travel demand. The purpose is to discuss the derivations and characteristics of existing models, to derive a demand model based on microeconomic theory and to estimate the parameters of the model in order to gain information on important characteristics of the transport system.The assumptions in the derivation of common travel demand models from microeconomic theory (gravity models, entropy maximising models and logit models) are often made only to support existing models and the economic implications of the assumptions are not fully discussed. In many cases this results in models with characteristics that are questionable in the light of economic theory. In other cases theoretically possible but restrictive characteristics are given in advance rather than determined in the estimation process.The intercity travel demand model proposed in this study is based on the general assumption that travel demand can be derived from the demand for visits to other cities. As people living in different parts of a country experience different prices or "generalised transport costs" for visits to the cities, it is possible to estimate demand functions for visits to each city from the use of cross-sectional data, which is normally not possible for other utilities. From these demand functions, demand functions for separate transport relations can be derived. Necessary conditions concerning various demand elasticities are formulated and their consequences for the mathematical specification of the model are discussed. Of particular interest are those parts of the model that link together different levels. In order not to specify the cost function in advance, a Box-Cox formulation is used. The result is a demand model which determines the total number of trips made from each city, as well as the distribution among destinations and travel modes.A simplified version of the model, not including distribution among travel modes, is estimated with Swedish data for the period 1990-1994. Estimations are made for the total number of trips as well as separately for business trips and private trips. The following results are the most interesting. There is strong support for the cost expression in the model to approach a power function, contrary to the exponential function that is given in advance in many other models. In the long run the demand for trips between two cities is elastic with respect to the generalised transport cost. Elasticities estimated range from minus one to minus two. About 80% of the additional trips caused by a decrease in costs are redistributed from other destinations, however, showing that in the long run the possibilities of substitution among destinations are good. Consequently, the relative effects of a general change in transport costs between all city pairs are smaller. Elasticities found in the study lie between -0,3 (private trips) and -0,5 (business trips).
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| 36. |
- Söderlund, Jonas, 1971-
(författare)
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Time-limited and complex interaction : studies of industrial projects
- 2000
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This doctoral dissertation reports on four case studies of industrial project organizations: The studies cover product development and construction projects at ABB, Ericsson and Volvo. Generally, the studies aim at exploring the time-limited and complex character of project interaction. Particularly, they focus on three aspects of time-limited interaction, i.e. deadlines as control mechanisms, the effects of temporary relationships and the problems due to differences in time orientation among project actors.Deadlines are analyzed in their capacity to promote global reflection and rethinking especially in projects of a concurrent nature. Temporary relationships are analyzed in contexts of clients and contractors in project-based industries and between individuals and organizations in professional project-intensive industries. Time-limited and complex interaction in project organizations is also investigated by analyzing differences in time orientation among project actors. By utilizing the concept of pacing, it is submitted that time orientation problems are frequently at the core of project management and perhaps particularly difficult in inter-firm settings.This dissertation consists of eight papers and an extended summary where different aspects of the time-limited dimension are analyzed. One of the papers also suggests a categorization of the schools of thought currently prevailing in project management research.
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| 37. |
- Tell, Fredrik, 1968-
(författare)
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Organizational Capabilities : A Study of Electrical Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturers, 1878-1990
- 2000
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Organizational capabilities of large industrial firms constitute a pillar in Alfred Chandler's theory of the emergence of managerial capitalism. Science based firms represent one important sector within such an economic context. This dissertation describes the evolution of the large electrical manufacturers and their involvement in the power transmission equipment business between 1878-1990. In electrical power transmission technology, there was an initial "battle of the currents" regarding the choice of alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) technology. This battle was won by AC. However, after World War II, an alternative technology was developed in high voltage DC (HVDC). Concurrent with this technological evolution, the electrical manufacturing industry was characterized by increasing concentration. In electrical manufacturing the largest firms diversified and grew into corporate giants. However, by the end of the 1980s, several of the initial giants had exited the power transmission equipment business, while some of the smaller, more focused, firms had amalgamated into new transnational giants. Departing in aknowledge-based theory of the firm, it is suggested that organizational capabilities can be analyzed in terms of management-based, technology-based, and market-based activities. Using this framework, these activities are discussed as knowledge-based and related to properties associated with organizational learning and path-dependency.
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| 38. |
- Tillmar, Malin, 1973-
(författare)
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Swedish tribalism and Tanzanian agency : preconditions for trust and cooperation in a small-business context
- 2002
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Small-business cooperation has increasingly been recognized as important for economic development, not only in Sweden but also in developing countries like Tanzania. This dissertation deals with preconditions for horizontal small-business cooperation, taking a point of departure in the literature on trust. The context dependence of these issues is acknowledged by identifying influential rules of the game in two different settings.The dissertation is based on two separate studies of a longitudinal character, one in Sweden and one in Tanzania. Male and female small-business owners were interviewed and observed during meetings and seminars. A detailed account of cooperative endeavors in each of the two countries is first presented and based on that a comparative analysis is conducted. Not only differences, but also interesting similarities, between the Swedish and the Tanzanian context are identified. Constraints resembling tribal conflict were not exclusive to Tanzania and individual efforts (agency) in Tanzania enabled trust and cooperation despite severe institutional constraints. Based on the studies, a conceptual framework and a metaphor of preconditions for trust and cooperation are developed. Finally, implications with regard to how smallbusiness cooperation could be supported are discussed.
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| 39. |
- Tomicic, Marie, 1969-
(författare)
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Reaching agreement in a management team : a study of social influence
- 2001
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis deals with the question of how agreements are reached without consensus in management teams. It is argued that agreements should be viewed as a social influence phenomenon and that attention should be directed to the process of reaching agreements. The issues of who is involved in the process and who is kept out; who is allowed to exert influence and who is not, are central to an understanding of how agreements are reached, The thesis is based on a study of a management team at a production unit in a multinational company. The overall character of the team's agreement-reaching processes is described in terms of an 'organisational conformity' mode of influence, and agreements are characterised as social agreement or compromise agreement. This mode of influence mediates differences of opinion into agreement mainly by reducing both the number of active participants and the expression of differences of opinion. Implicit 'rules of the game', mirroring general ideas of organising, guide social interaction and communication during the reaching of agreements. These rules are of particular importance for understanding the way that the 'organisational conformity' mode of influence mediates differences of opinion. Hierarchy, distribution of responsibility, and encouragement of action are three organising ideas in this mode of social influence. Rules of the game are partly an outcome of the way that the organising logic is translated. The business contexts and members of the team affect how the general ideas are translated into rules of the game.
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| 40. |
- Vik, Magnus, 1963-
(författare)
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Engagemang och styrning : Om relationen individ-organisation i preklinisk läkemedelsutveckling
- 2001
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This doctoral dissertation deals with organizational commitment and control in preclinical pharmaceutical development. The study is based on interviews with 47 individuals. The purpose of the dissertation is to problemize and analyze the control of highly uncertain, knowledgeintensive, and complex development processes, as related to individuals' organizational commitment. One contribution of the study is its rather extensive study on the concept of organizational commitment, its content, foundations, and focus. The manifestations of commitment are discussed within the framework of the umbrella concept organizational citizenship behavior.The key conclusions on organizational commitment are those that shed light on individuals who are intensely focused on research. Their strong relationship to the content of their work and their deep commitment to their research tasks and to the groups they associate with their research work is crucial. The importance of the intellectual components, the intrinsic stimulation, the feelings, and the self-satisfaction are stressed.Control is discussed using the distinction between the cooperation and the coordination problems The high level of uncertainty and the significant difficulties involved in creating rules and regulations, assessing performance and activities contradict the use of bureaucratic control forms to bring about cooperation. Despite the difficulties, the problem of opportunism appears to be small and there seems to be a widespread orientation toward cooperation. It is also difficult to explain this orientation on the basis of the equity-based clan or the social-integrative clan. The author' s proposal of explaining the inclination toward cooperation with the symbiotic clan. The symbiotic clan is based on the individual's possibilities to realize himself and his values in a scientific environment that is perceived as favorable. The symbiotic clan can also contribute to an explanation of the coordination problem. Further, it is stressed that knowledge is developed in the project in learning cycles, in which the alternation between deep involvement and reflective moments tends to follow a rhythm characteristic of the project. lnstead of triggering this alternation by specific events or a strict deadline, as in eventbased or time-based pacing we are faced with knowledge-based pacing.
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| 41. |
- Wall, Rickard, 1957-
(författare)
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The importance of transport costs for spatial structures and competition in goods and service industries
- 2001
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This dissertation deals with market definition and demarcation, and discusses competition and market form classification in the spatial economy. The analytical tool for this study is an extended Location Theory model. A distinguishing characteristic of the spatial model of plant dispersion by market forces developed in the present thesis is the addition of the unit-value (e.g., the value per ton or cubic meter) of the commodity in question as a determinant of the long-run equilibrium solutions for a particular industry as to plant density, output volmne per plant and so on. Two ratios are the main determinants:The unit-value of the commodity (a) relative to the transport costs per unit-kilometer (c), alc The degree of economies-of-scale in production (b) relative to the density of demand (d), bldIn the model, the character of competition is determined not by the number of firms, but by the ratios alc and bld. These ratios are used in the first application of the model; a two-dimensional matrix in which the four market forms- perfect competition, monopoly, oligopoly and monopolistic competition - fit in as special cases. In addition to shedding new light on the traditional market form taxonomy; with the help of the model the following questions are discussed:Which industries tend to cluster, and which indushies tend to be spatially dispersedWhy different market forms apply to different dispersed industriesHow market forms may change over timeEmpirical evidence has been gathered in Sweden and the U.S.A. The results give some support to the model's predictions as to the spatial structure of different industries.The second application of the model is as a tool for Cost-Benefit Analysis of improvements in transport infrastructure so far as goods transport is concerned. The pioneering paper here is Mohring & Williamson (1969), in which the balancing of the nmnber of plants and the average transport distance by a multi-plant monopolist is mode led. Total benefits of road investment are of two kinds:Transport cost savings for the existing goods transportIndustrial Re-Organization BenefitsMohring & Williamson (1969) concluded that the latter benefits constitute only a small fraction- about 10%- of the total benefits of road investments. By the present model, a similar result is obtained for a cost-minimizing multi-plant monopolist. In a competitive market, which is not studied in Mohring & Williamson (1969), the present model predicts the Industrial Re-Organization Benefits to be some five times larger - and the "welfare triangle" represents only a fraction thereof.
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