| 1. |
- Gama, Fabio, 1980-
(författare)
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Managing the Collaborative Front End of Innovation in Manufacturing Firms : Requirements, Capabilities, and Conditions
- 2018
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The front end of innovation is critical to innovative efforts in firms yet it remains to be poorly understood. This especially important since innovation efforts in the front end are becoming increasingly open in line with the era of open innovation. Although the literature on the front end of innovation is well developed, prior studies have largely focused on bilateral agreements and have overlooked conditions for collaborations with science-based partners (universities and research institutes). This is especially true for manufacturing firms, for which a continuous stream of new product ideas are a key source of competitiveness. To make things worse, the front end of innovation in this setting is often characterized by incongruent practices by partners, different magnitudes of fuzziness, and high risks in revealing new ideas. Developing new product definitions with different partners is thus a risky endeavor that may seriously compromise competitive advantages if mishandled. Therefore, there is a need for greater knowledge to facilitate the collaborative front end with different types of partners. Accordingly, the purpose of this dissertation is to understand how to manage the collaborative front end in manufacturing firms, with a particular focus on requirements, capabilities, and conditions.To fulfill this research purpose, data on manufacturing firms were collected through four case studies and one survey. In total, this dissertation is based on empirical data from 81 interviews with R&D members across 10 medium-sized and large manufacturing firms, as well as a survey of 146 small and medium-sized manufacturing firms. Respondents were based in Brazil or Sweden. The key theories and literatures covered in this dissertation include coordination modes, control mechanisms, organizational routines, the resource-based view, and appropriability mechanisms.This dissertation makes numerous theoretical contributions to the front-end literature. First, it extends the front-end literature by presenting the concepts of systematic idea generation and fuzziness assessment as a prerequisite for improving front-end performance. Second, this dissertation extends the front-end literature by listing the collaboration conditions that help firms cooperate with science-based partners. By collaborating with science-based partners, firms can access (unpublished) codified and tacit scientific knowledge, enabling them to rapidly build on the latest research findings. The findings suggest particular practices that can be applied to reduce cultural differences and diminish goal divergence among project members. Third, the findings in this dissertation enrich the front-end literature by describing a set of detailed practices to streamline the involvement of different types of partners using diverse protective practices. Fourth, it suggests a theoretical framework that describes how to manage the collaborative front end of innovation. The theoretical framework explains how manufacturing firms can use their organizational capabilities to develop new product ideas efficiently and safely. In particular, the framework discerns the capabilities that are necessary to explore mechanisms, practices, and routines in terms of divergent thinking, external expertise, and multiple opinions. Altogether, these contributions assist firms to better manage collaborative front end.
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| 2. |
- Kabel, Daan, 1995-
(författare)
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Exploring customer needs from a digital healthcare service
- 2023
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Cost-effectively capturing and understanding customer needs allows a firm to stay synchronized with the market, to stay ahead of competitors, and to enable service innovation. Traditional qualitative market research methods, such as interviews and focus groups are well-known methods for identifying and capturing customer needs but can be costly, tedious, time-consuming, and can require intensive collaboration with customers. As social media platforms become increasingly central in customers' daily lives, they can become valuable sources for identifying and capturing customer needs. The process of using social media content in market research is called netnography. In this thesis, the instrumental case to study customer needs is from a healthcare context.The healthcare system is an interesting illustrative case because it struggles with satisfying customers' needs – due to the difficulty of delivering high-quality services across multiple channels and devices, to secure customers' data, and to offer customized human-centred care. Against this backdrop, the purpose of this thesis is, by taking on a customer-centric view, to contribute to a better understanding of the quality of digital services. To fulfil this purpose, two research questions are formulated and answered. The first research question concerns the differences and outcomes between netnography and focus groups when capturing customers' needs. Formally, it is formulated as: What are the differences and outcomes between netnography and focus groups when capturing customers' needs? The second research question concerns the customer value cocreation activities and qualities necessary in a digital healthcare service to satisfy customers' needs. Formally, it is formulated as: What customer value cocreation activities and qualities satisfy customers' needs in a digital healthcare service? Taking customer-centric views, findings from three papers and empirical data from a survey, netnography, and a focus group project are used to shed light on the theoretical entity of customer needs – which is the unit of analysis.The contextual differences between netnography and focus groups are related to the embedded rules, norms, and space-time conditions. Such conditions pattern the information about the service and customers' needs. The netnography method captures sociohistorical-patterned information about more critical events, and realistic and negative service encounters. When capturing customers' needs, the netnography method captures more dominant, unmet, and actual (real time) needs. The focus group method captures transcultural-patterned information about more positive, memorable, and ordinary service encounters. When capturing customers' needs, the focus group method captures more evenly distributed, met (satisfied), and memorable needs. Most surprisingly, both methodologies capture, almost, the same needs. However, the proportion of needs discussed across the two samples is significantly different. The netnography method did not capture the needs of "system capacity" and "access". The focus groups method did not capture the need of corporate "responsibility".A conceptual model is illustrating four value creating activities and quality bundles necessary to deliver customer-determined benefits. The conceptual model is a synthesis of the customer journey, perceived electronic service quality and value concept – and provides a new, integrative view of customers' perceptions of digital healthcare service. The model gives a comprehensive understanding of what makes service journeys superior and supportive, and how service providers can optimize the customer experiences – which includes perceptions of personal health and well-being. This thesis offers several important conclusions for quality management. Broadly speaking, the thesis raises an awareness of the importance of the continuous variables – rules, norms, and space-time conditions – which pattern research data or information about the service and customers' needs. The conceptual model can guide managers on how to allocate resources – and that is to design high-quality service encounters.
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| 3. |
- Asadi, Narges
(författare)
-
Supporting flexibility in an assembly system through product design
- 2015
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Increasing customer demands for product variety in conjunction with the short lifecycle of products has caused manufacturing companies to introduce a wide range of products by accommodating flexibility. An assembly system is an essential part of the manufacturing system from both cost and time perspectives. Hence, the shift towards flexibility in manufacturing companies highlights the significance of establishing flexible assembly systems and designing products that are closely aligned with them. Despite its significance, however, the flexible assembly system concept and its requirements for product design have not been clearly defined in research and from a practical point of view. Most research on flexible assembly systems has mainly approached either the design or the balancing and scheduling issues of these systems, whereas only a few studies have briefly defined the flexible assembly system they focused on, without further specifying the characteristics of a flexible assembly system and its requirements for product design.Taking that into account, the objective of this work is to provide a framework to contribute to the understanding of the concept of flexibility in an assembly system and its requirements for product design. In order to fulfil the objective, four empirical studies combined with literature reviews have been conducted. The empirical studies, a multiple case study and three single case studies, investigate the definition of flexibility in an assembly system as well as the requirements that a flexible assembly system imposes on product design.Through its findings, this research provides a definition of flexibility in assembly systems that mainly revolves around volume, mix and new product flexibility. In addition, six constituents of a flexible assembly system have been identified: adaptable material supply, versatile workforce, increased commonality, standardised work content, integrated product properties and strategic planning. Furthermore, three requirements of a flexible assembly system for product design are defined, which, if fulfilled, reduce the complexity created by product variety and consequently support flexibility in the assembly system. Accordingly, to increase the understanding of the concept of flexibility in an assembly system and its requirements for product design, a four-staged framework is suggested. The proposed framework deals with the activities related to the concept and the development of a flexible assembly system and is expected to be received by assembly practitioners as a link between assembly and product design teams in the product realisation process. Future research can further validate the framework in practice.
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| 4. |
- Harlin, Ulrika, 1963-
(författare)
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Exploring the Handling of Critical Work Practices in Rapid Change Contexts : A study of an industrial startup and the COVID-19 pandemic
- 2024
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The accelerating pace of change in our society requires organisations to efficiently manage day-to-day operations while simultaneously innovating and developing new concepts for the future, all within an environment of rapidly evolving circumstances. Specifically, organisations must quickly be able to handle the work practices that are critical to organisational development, and this thesis focuses on the handling of these practices.Critical work practices (CWPs) are here defined as operational management practices that are quickly initiated or adjusted – either scaled up or down – in response to new developmental needs or emerging acute situations. Commonly, there are limitations to CWPs ingrained in previous structures, methods, or knowledge. The thesis aims to explore the handling of CWPs in rapidly changing contexts and how this handling is enabled or constrained by the influencing organisational factors of 'active ownership', 'stakeholder collaboration', and 'developmental learning'.The empirical foundation of the thesis builds on an interactive research approach. It utilises data from case studies in two rapid change contexts: an industrial startup in the green transformation and organisations’ response during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.Results from the studies show that organisations demonstrated agility by mobilising resources and fostering collaboration in novel ways, guided by overarching objectives that transcended local concerns. Identified CWPs were characterised by their innovative nature and various degrees of newness and time constraints, which necessitated new approaches and provided opportunities for adaptive and developmental learning.Three conclusions can be drawn from the analysis in the thesis: first, disruptive changes trigger entrepreneurship and innovations through enhanced space of action and seamless cross-collaborations. Second, the interaction between intermediaries, managers, and employees fosters a holistic understanding and proactivity. Third, rapid change contexts stress-test organisations, where strengths, constraints, and new opportunities become visualised.Theoretically, the thesis contributes with a conceptual model highlighting essential factors of organisational conditions and their interconnections. An additional contribution is made in introducing the concept of CWPs and identifying prerequisites for handling different forms of such practices in rapid change contexts.The practical implications of this research include that different types of CWPs are a source that can be utilised for continuous improvements, supporting organisations’ ability to handle increasing uncertainties. Moreover, the conceptual model provides analytical support of work practices that intend to contribute to transitions related to development areas such as a circular economy, electrification, digitalisation, and resilience.
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| 5. |
- Myhrén, Per
(författare)
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Open Service Innovation in Industrial Networks
- 2019
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Constant development of new technologies in a rapidly changing and globalized world decreases product life cycles. Time-to-market is crucial for commercial success. This development requires resources to create new knowledge and skills within organizations and together in networks with other firms. Open innovation is an alternative for developing innovative products and services that takes advantage of external knowledge and give access to new market channels. Even though services is vital for economic growth and fits well with the open innovation model, there is little research on open service innovation.The purpose of the thesis is to extend knowledge on how service innovations emerge and evolve in open innovation nets in industrial networks. It also aims to follow the development from idea to a commercial service. The thesis describes organization for service innovations to emerge and develop in open service innovation nets. It also explains the actors involved and their different innovator roles in the development from idea to commercial services.The present research provide insights how the organization of the development work might differ between incremental and radical service innovation. there is a range of organizing templates (archetypes) that fit different types of development work. Where previous research on open service innovation has focused on radical service innovation present research suggests that open service innovation also can be a strategy for incremental service innovation.Present research shows how actors take on multiple innovator roles in the innovation process of open service innovation. The more radical changes, the more roles each actor takes on. Present research add a new innovator role to previous research, The Constitutional Monarch. The Constitutional Monarch has a central position in all archetypes, but as the name implies, has no decision power. The research also sheds light on how the hub firm deploys not one but a portfolio of network orchestration processes dependent on the archetype used for open service innovation.
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| 6. |
- Navarro, Priscilla, 1989-
(författare)
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Exploring Process Management as a Means for Greening Road Freight Transport
- 2019
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Research has proven that we need to reduce our environmental impact. Sweden has set a goal to become fossil free by 2045. The increasing amount of transport and the need to reduce its environmental effects has put pressure on the companies of the road freight transport sector. Therefore, this business sector needs research actions to find tools that will assist in the greening of its services and operations. My research is a contribution to these efforts from a managerial point of view.Process management is a methodology taken from Total Quality Management (TQM) that has been used in several business sectors to improve business performance. Its process orientation and focus on customers allow companies to identify and satisfy the current and latent needs of their customers. Until now, TQM has targeted customer needs. However, it is experiencing a shift towards incorporating societal needs into the equation. Environmental sustainability is becoming a societal requirement for companies in all sectors. Hence, the purpose of my research is to explore the possibilities of using process management to support the greening of small and medium-sized companies within the road freight transport sector.The frame of reference for my study is based on three well-established domains in academia and their intersections. These domains are: process management, road freight transport and environmental sustainability. I have used qualitative methods for my research. Specifically, I performed a case study at two medium-sized Swedish companies within the road freight transport business sector. The data collection methods involved document studies, observations and interviews at each case company. The case study was performed using an action research approach, which involved setting up meetings, seminars and workshops with each case company. Additionally, joint workshops were performed, which allowed me to observe and obtain results from the interactions between the companies. The analysis is presented for each case separately and then for their interactions. The results are compared with the existing literature from the three domains.I based my research on three research questions. The first was intended to identify the principles and tools within process management that may be applied to road freight transport companies interested in implementing this methodology to enhance their environmental sustainability. I concluded that these principles were present in the companies and are needed for the implementation of process management. The tools included in this methodology can be associated with environmental initiatives performed by the companies in support of their greening.The second research question refers to the benefits and challenges that companies in this business sector may face when implementing process management methodology. I conclude that most of the expected benefits of process management were confirmed. Additionally, a new benefit was observed: reducing the environmental effect of their services can interest current customers and attract new customers to road freight transport companies. The challenges identified during the case study include: resistance to change, lack of knowledge and resource allocation limitations. I also confirmed that a stepwise implementation of process management increases the likelihood of the success of the methodology. Hence, underdeveloped management systems are also a challenge when this methodology is used in freight transport companies.The third and final research question involves the adaptations required for process management to enhance environmental sustainability in companies in this business sector. I refer to each of the challenges found and suggest certain requirements for the companies to apply this methodology. Clear communication from top management, the training of employees and the involvement of all employees are some of these requirements. Moreover, to incorporate the environmental aspects clearly, I suggest environmental efforts for each step in the implementation of process management. By including these efforts in the process maturity model, I conclude that road freight transport companies could use process management as a means of enhancing environmental sustainability.
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| 7. |
- Osterman, Christer, 1969-
(författare)
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Towards a Lean Integration of Lean
- 2015
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Integrating Lean in a process has become increasingly popular over the last decades. Lean as a concept has spread through industry into other sectors such as service, healthcare, and administration. The overwhelming experience from this spread is that Lean is difficult to integrate successfully. It takes a long time and requires large resources in the integration,as it permeates all aspects of a process. Lean is a system depending on both tools and methods as well as human effort and behavior. There is therefore a need to understand the integration process itself. As many companies have worked with the integration of Lean, there should be a great deal of accumulated knowledge.The overall intent of this research is therefore to examine how a current state of a Lean integration can be established, that takes into account the dualism of Lean regarding the technical components of Lean, as well as the humanistic components of Lean. Both issues must be addressed if the integration process of Lean is to be efficient. Through a literature review, eight views of Lean are established. Taking into consideration historical, foundational, and evolutionary tools and methods, systems, philosophical, cultural, and management views, a comprehensive model of Lean at a group level in a process is proposed. Through two multiple-case studies, the experiences of actual Lean integrations are compared with Lean theory to establish a current state of a Lean integration. There were large similarities in the experiences but also differences due to context and the complexity of Lean as a system. The current state is described in:9 instances of strongly positive findings. They are often simple tools and methods.11 instances of weakly positive findings. They are often of a system nature in the dependencies between the Lean methods.3 instances with vague findings. Seems to be due to lack of focus on the intent of integrating Lean.3 instances of mixed findings. Can often be connected to personal commitment and the creation of efficient islands.3 instances of conflicting findings. Seem to be connected to contextual factors.3 instances of insufficient data. The indications are too few to draw any conclusions. Accurately establishing the current state of the Lean integration process is seen as a necessary first step of a Lean integration of Lean.
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| 8. |
- Renström, Jonas, 1966-
(författare)
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Senior Management Lean Practice : A Team-Based Approach to Facilitate Learning
- 2021
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In order to improve organizational performance, organizations within both production and servicesectors keep turning to the Lean concept with hopes of finding a productive approach to theirchallenges. This tendency appears to remain in spite of reports indicating that the Lean concept isfar from easy to develop, implement and sustain. Research estimates that as much as 90 percent ofcompanies do not reach the goals they aspire to when trying to implement Lean. Leadership andmanagement are pointed out as key enablers for Lean development. It appears, however, that theseareas prove most difficult and also contain gaps in literature and research. Lean and organizationallearning have been presented as highly correlated. Since social practice and organizational crossfunctional cooperation are central activities within organizational learning, cross-functionalmanagement teams are of interest. Based on this background, the purpose of this thesis is to furtherthe understanding of requirements on senior management in Lean development. The purpose isattained by analyzing a team-based management approach to Lean practice and competencedevelopment, and investigating how that approach relates to organizational performance. Thethesis approaches the Lean concept by means of an organizational learning perspective. Its casestudy approach was conducted at a large, international manufacturing company. In the thesis, asequenced and team-based management approach developed by the studied company is describedand discussed. As a final step, this approach is evaluated according to what improvements couldbe found regarding key performance indicators such as delivery precision and safety within thestudied organization. The results from the included studies show that managerial Lean competencedevelopment is centered around a number of main factors. These include the initial definition ofLean within the organization, the process of leading with action in a new way of working, and thecollective experimenting and cross-functional cooperation within management teams.Furthermore, the target breakdown and follow-up process is found to be a viable, central approachto people involvement and competence development within the organization. The importance ofmanagement taking active part in the organizational learning process, acting as enablers and rolemodels by exercising a specific leadership style rather than just being considered as administrationfor the development process, is pointed out as central. Results indicate that areas within thecompany where cross-functional management teams have systematically practiced the sequenced,team-based approach over time perform better in areas such as health and safety and deliveryprecision. The main conclusions are that collective cross-functional practice within managementfunctions is a key factor for Lean management development, and that an understanding oforganizational learning in change efforts such as Lean development may be considered beneficialfor organizations. Specifically, the thesis concludes that the balancing of leadership andmanagement, or mechanistic and organic features within an organization, related to organizationallearning is of importance.
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| 9. |
- Wangwacharakul, Promporn, 1984-
(författare)
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Managing Quality in Cross-cultural Settings
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- As companies become multinational with subsidiaries in different countries and global customers, they face challenges in managing quality related to cultural diversity. During the past decades, cross-cultural quality management research has emerged, aiming to understand the link between culture and quality management, and to provide support for quality management in different cultural contexts. This research field becomes increasingly important considering global industries of today. Nevertheless, the first standpoint in identifying challenges in cross-cultural quality management in multinational companies remains to be an open question. This also leads to the need for developing an instrument to understand cultural diversity in quality management, from both an internal perspective related to employees and an external perspective related to customers.This thesis aims to provide an insight into managing quality in cross-cultural settings, focusing on both multinational companies and companies having global customers. Three studies have been conducted combining qualitative and quantitative research methods. First, case studies were employed to explore the research field and identify challenges in managing quality related to national cultural diversity in multinational companies. The second study developed an instrument based on anchoring vignettes survey to understand cultural diversity in quality management and applied it in two settings. The third study combined an interview-based study with a case study using mixed methods to further investigate and consolidate the results gained from the first two studies, leading to the suggestion of possible strategies to manage quality in multinational companies.The thesis findings identify three challenges in managing quality in multinational companies: 1) to translate and implement quality management approaches; 2) to motivate and engage employees in quality work; and 3) to establish shared perceptions of quality management values among employees. Further, an instrument based on anchoring vignettes is suggested to study quality management performance across subsidiaries and to measure customer satisfaction across borders. This instrument contributes to better understanding of cultural diversity and improves the comparability of survey results in quality management measurements. Regarding possible strategies, global integration is needed when a quality culture is weak. In the long-term, companies should promote technical aspects of quality management to form a ‘backbone’ of the quality management system and to set a basis for shared perceptions of quality management values and goals. Consequently, a strong quality culture can be established and companies can benefit from local adaptation of practices.
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| 10. |
- Asadi, Narges
(författare)
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Flexibility in assembly systems using product design
- 2017
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Growing customer demands for product variety, new and rapid technological developments, and the short life cycle of products characterise the current volatile market. To maintain a competitive edge in the market, manufacturing companies need to accommodate flexibility in their assembly systems that are essential parts of the manufacturing systems with respect to cost, time, and creating product variety. Given the importance of establishing flexible assembly systems, the complexity raised by increasing product variety and the value of appropriate product designs to assembly systems highlight the pivotal role of product design in a flexible assembly system. Despite its significance to theory and practice, however, the characteristics of flexibility in an assembly system and its links to product design are still ambiguous and unexplored.The objective of this thesis is to expand the current knowledge of flexibility in assembly systems and using product design to support its achievement. To accomplish the objective and by adopting an interactive research approach, five case studies were conducted in the heavy machinery manufacturing industry. A literature review underpins all the case studies comprising one multiple and four single case studies.Through its findings, this research defines flexibility in an assembly system, identifies its dimensions, and pinpoints its enablers. Additionally, three requirements of a flexible assembly system for product design are identified: a common assembly sequence, similar assembly interfaces, and common parts. These requirements, if fulfilled in product design across distinct product families, reduce the perceived complexity and support various flexibility dimensions in the assembly system. Moreover, the development of a common assembly sequence and similar assembly interfaces, as the two key requirements of a flexible assembly system for product design, is described.Further, based upon developing understanding and knowledge about a flexible assembly system and its requirements for product design, a model and a framework are proposed. The model addresses the role of product design in achieving flexibility in an assembly system. To support the alignment of product design with the key requirements of a flexible assembly system during the product design process, the assembly-oriented framework details the development of these requirements. Through its outcomes, this thesis contributes to the research area of flexible assembly systems and sheds light on its interface with the engineering design field. Moreover, the proposed model and framework aim to assist assembly practitioners and product designers in establishing a flexible assembly system and aligning product design with its key requirements.
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| 11. |
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| 12. |
- Davoudi, Sara
(författare)
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What happened with the leviathan of the Public Sector? : The challenges of vertical coordination in regional public organizations and its effect on public value
- 2021
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Putting the capability to satisfy citizens’ needs at the heart of public organizations, public value has been argued to be the ultimate goal of public sector programs and policies. However, the contemporary public sector’s complex and multilevel structures has led to limited information processing between the various levels within organizations. Such vertical fragmentation has created issues in vertical coordination, hampering the efficiency and effectiveness of the regional public sector. Addressing these issues, the aim of this thesis is twofold. First, this thesis aims to describe and explain public organizations’ coordination challenges. Second, this thesis aims to elaborate on the implications of this explanation to create a deeper understanding of how these challenges affect public organizations’ ability to perform public service that adds to public value. In order to reach the aim, quantitative and qualitative methods have been used. The empirical base consists of two questionnaire studies (930 public transport users in the first and 921 in the second), as well as a comprehensive interview and documentation study with 11 respondents representing 11 Regional Public Transport Authorities and their respective policy documents. In this thesis, I argue that vertical specialization has brought conditions where each level interprets the regulations and policy documents based on their own individual preconditions such as individual ideologies and self-interests, as well as attitudes and relationships between different divisions. As such, these preconditions influence the outcome of rules and regulations that were created with the purpose of reforming the public sector. Further, the thesis outlines how the same individual precondition may act as a structural filter on the flow of information about citizens’ needs, influencing the distribution of information upstream in the organization. If we neglect these conditions and focus only on the rules and regulations, we risk missing aspects that influence the organization and its coordination outcome and, in turn, the citizen.
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| 13. |
- Karlsson, Margareta
(författare)
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Att styra mot uthållig organisatorisk samverkan i hälso- och sjukvårdsprocesser : Främjande och motverkande faktorer
- 2021
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Svensk hälso- och sjukvård står inför utmaningar att möta ändrade behov, nya behandlingsmetoder och ny teknik. Genom samordning och samverkan antas kvaliteten för patienten kunna förbättras samtidigt som kostnader reduceras. Organisatorisk samverkan innebär att aktörer, över organisatoriska gränser, tillsammans försöker uppnå syftet med samverkan, t.ex. att underlätta vården av en patient eller patientgrupp i en vårdkedja. Reformer av styrningen har dock påverkat förutsättningarna för organisatorisk samverkan.Avhandlingen beskriver hur ökad förmåga att styra mot uthållig organisatorisk samverkan kan främja effektivare hälso- och sjukvårdsprocesser. I fyra studier utforskas hur några styrprinciper påverkat organisatorisk samverkan, vilka arbetssätt som kan motverka negativa konsekvenser av dessa styrprinciper och hur systematiskt förbättringsarbete ur ett systemperspektiv kan främja initiering, genomförande och utveckling av organisatorisk samverkan. Studierna utforskar olika former av samverkan; (I) intra-organisatorisk samverkan mellan en servicefunktion och vårdverksamheter, (II) inter-organisatorisk samverkan i en försörjningsprocess, (III) kunskapsutbyte i ett förbättringsarbete och (IV) hur ett marknadsbaserat begrepp som intern kund kan inverka på samverkan i en vårdprocess. Kvalitativa metoder har använts för insamling och analys av data, förutom olika typer av intervjuer även granskning av officiella dokument samt en strukturerad litteraturgenomgång och en konceptuell diskussion.Avhandlingen utforskar några styrprinciper som studierna indikerat kunna påverka organisatorisk samverkan. Strävan mot en sömlös vårdkedja kan motverkas av betoningen av gränser inom och mellan organisationer. Strävan efter ökad kvalitet baserat på bevis kan motverka ambitioner av ökad takt i förbättringsarbetet. Strävan efter ett gemensamt ansvarstagande i värdeskapande för patienten kan motverkas av interna marknader och en marknadsbaserad diskurs. Krav på kostnadskontroll kan motverka strävan mot systemövergripande kostnadseffektivitet och måleffektivitet. Arbetssätt som främjar uthållig organisatorisk samverkan baserad på tillit och ömsesidighet kan dock motverka de negativa konsekvenserna. Strukturerad kommunikation, incitament genom gemensamma mål och indikatorer, uppföljning av dem och utvärdering av samverkan kan främja pågående, nya och förnyade samverkansaktiviteter. Nedtoning av en marknadsbaserad diskurs och betoning av det ömsesidiga ansvaret kan synliggöra servicefunktionernas roll i värdeskapande för patienten. Avhandlingen visar också att organisatorisk samverkan kan främja förbättringsarbete och lärande i processer genom delande av kunskap inom och mellan funktioner och organisationer. Arbetssätt baserade på teorier om organisering, kvalitetsledning, systemtänkande och processledning kan stödja organisationerna vid initiering, genomförande och utveckling av samverkan inom och mellan organisationer.
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| 14. |
- Nygren, Christer, et al.
(författare)
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Dilemmas in service transformation : a service strategy implementation case
- 2018
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Ingår i: The 28th International RESER Conference – Services in the age of contested globalization RESER2018.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper study a service strategy implementation case using an inductive method to catch informant-centric perspectives and create theory-centric categories leading to the findings of three dilemmas: not really service but only services, waste of potential value and no one owns services. These dilemmas can be used in servitization implementation work from a practical viewpoint and can be of value for the discussion around service strategy implementation within an industrial organisation, working with software development apart from more traditional manufacturing.
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| 15. |
- Stålberg, Lina
(författare)
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Adapting to dynamic conditions through continuous innovation in manufacturing
- 2018
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The speed of change increases due to the pace of technological change and globalisation, and many industries that usually have acted in more stable settings will in the future act in more dynamic marketplaces. In order to be able to manage dynamic conditions, the organisation needs to continue delivering effectively in existing business areas while developing new systems, products and processes to take advantage of new opportunities in the future. This means that the organisation must be able to use abilities for exploitation and exploration simultaneously or, in other words, strive for continuous innovation including ambidexterity.In the traditional manufacturing industry, many companies use some sort of improvement programme for achieving operational excellence. Hence, a trend among multinational manufacturing companies is also to deploy and integrate corporate improvement programmes (XPS). These are based on lean production and inspired by the Toyota Production System. Generally, improvement programmes such as XPS largely support the development of exploitation capabilities but not exploration capabilities, which instead may have to stand back. Previous research states that these are problematic and complex issues that need to be further understood and developed. Therefore, more knowledge and support needs to be developed regarding how manufacturing companies can adapt their production systems to remain resource-efficient while simultaneously adapting to more radical changes.The overall purpose of this research project is to contribute to an increased understanding of how XPS integrations can be developed towards continuous innovation to be able to manage more dynamic conditions. Accordingly, the research objective is to develop recommendations supporting continuous innovation in manufacturing. An overall longitudinal study has been carried out containing five case studies at a manufacturing company integrating an XPS during dynamic conditions, i.e., with large variations in volumes and mixes of products together with the introduction of new products and production concepts. The studies conducted and the results are presented in five appended papers.The research shows there is a risk that the XPS concept is abandoned due to a lack of understanding of how the XPS contributes to solve the turbulent situation that appears under dynamic conditions. At the same time, it is important to develop and support exploration skills in parallel, as these abilities are not particularly well developed in this context. Furthermore, the research shows that a strategy formulation process striving for high involvement can be used as a means of creating ambidextrous capabilities.
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- Svensson Harari, Natalia
(författare)
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WORKING PROCEDURES IN DESIGN PROCESSES TO ACHIEVE FLEXIBLE ASSEMBLY SYSTEMS
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Designing is becoming increasingly complex. Manufacturers strive achieving flexible assembly systems that can easily accommodate diverse product offerings while transitioning towards new (radical) products, integrating new manufacturing technologies and providing specific customer solutions. However, designing flexibility is a challenge. There are several flexibility dimensions and perspectives as well as a need for design support to achieve it in a long term. A design process concerns the way of working (how) to generate an assembly system solution before its realisation. Thus, it is crucial to establish preconditions for the development of assembly systems. A single design process does not fit all the design problems, so already during the design process, changes in assembly systems by means of flexibility should be further investigated. The purpose of the research is to increase knowledge on how to achieve flexible assembly systems through design processes with the objective to contribute to the development of working procedures to support design processes of flexible assembly systems. Factors involved in the design process of flexible assembly systems and their influence in the design process to achieve flexible assembly systems have been studied based on literature reviews and five case studies conducted in the manufacturing industry of heavy vehicles. The thesis is based on six appended papers. A framework has been developed which integrates the findings of the research. It highlights the need of working in early phases of technology development to address timely changes and adaptations in both products and assembly systems designs. Thus, showing the importance of involving different processes as well as roles and functions within an organisation. Furthermore, it shed lights on activities that could facilitate the design process of flexible assembly systems in a long term. These working procedures are meant to support those involved in the design process of flexible assembly systems.
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