1. |
- Carlson, Annelie, et al.
(author)
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REMAnufactuRing – Key enABLEr to future business (REMARKABLE)
- 2023
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Circularity through remanufacturingRemanufacturing can be described as a process of bringing used products to “like-new” functional state. It is an industrial process whereby products referred as cores are restored to useful life. During this process the core pass through a number of remanufacturing steps, e.g., inspection, disassembly, part replacement/refurbishment, cleaning, reassembly, and testing to ensure it meets the desired product standards’.Remanufacturing involves not only new processes but also necessitates changes in product design, the adoption of new business models, advancements in information management, and the inclusion of sustainability assessments. These assessments ensure that the new designs and circular business models implemented are not only circular but also sustainable. All these aspects form a crucial part of the REMARKABLE project, contributing to the development of a comprehensive remanufacturing ecosystem.The purpose of the REMARKABLE project is to support manufacturers to become more resilient, circular, and sustainable through remanufacturing and contribute to a more efficient use ofresources.Project activities and initial resultsThe REMARKABLE project involves six highly engaged manufacturing companies from a variety of sectors that will collaborate during 2022-2025. At first, workshops have taken place with each company to identify needs, challenges and ambitions. In addition, five student projects have been conducted during spring 2022 along with two study visits at participating companies.Initial company discussions shows that remanufacturing tends to question current business models and generate grounds for circular business models development (e.g. leasing, rental, deposit system). Remanufacturing often also questions the current value network and the actors in it, as remanufacturing flows can generate need of new business relationships whilst maintaining current business models.Remanufacturing poses challenges due to small batch sizes, low automation, and reliance on manual labor. Flexibility and specific capabilities are needed to handle uncertainties, complexity in planning, and ensure efficiency. Tools, methods, and frameworks are necessary to effectively balance all three pillars of sustainability. The development process of remanufacturing systems plays a critical role in achieving sustainability performance which also requires effective information management.Commonly, the products are not adapted for remanufacturing. Within the REMARKABLE project we are investigating how to make the products easier to remanufacture by design. This includes for example aspects of making the product easier to clean and disassemble.
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2. |
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3. |
- Ferreira, Ana Cristina, et al.
(author)
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Antecedents of cross-functional integration level and their organizational impact
- 2019
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In: Journal of business & industrial marketing. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0885-8624 .- 2052-1189. ; 34:8, s. 1706-1723
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop a model to predict the antecedents of the integration level among marketing, logistics and production, considering the influence of formal and informal factors that generate integration and the existence of conflicts.Design/methodology/approach: A survey of 179 participants from all regions of Brazil was conducted. A parsimonious model including four dimensions and 34 variables was developed through confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling.Findings: The field data corroborate studies dealing with the impact of various formal and informal integration factors on the cross-functional integration level as a construct. Furthermore, this paper concludes that the level of cross-functional can be defined as: the intensity of the relationship among internal functions which can be measured by the mutual existence of formal and informal factors and the absence of manifest conflicts.Research limitations/implications: The findings of this paper cannot be generalized because of the convenience sampling. Future research could apply a probabilistic sampling and try to explore other geographical settings in both national and international contexts.Practical implications: The proposed model can generate important information for managers by pointing out variables that can predict the integration level and their impacts on the organizational performance. The paper concludes with examples about how the model could be useful in several practical situations.Originality/value: This paper proposes a model with reasonable accuracy to predict the integration level and overcomes prior research limitations with respect to models to predict the antecedents of the integration level, particularly the role of conflicts in the integration processes.
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4. |
- Gustafsson, Christopher, 1993-
(author)
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Facilitating the Integration of Additive Manufacturing in the Manufacturing Industry
- 2024
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Additive manufacturing (AM), commonly known as 3D printing, is revolutionising the manufacturing industry by boosting business profits and enhancing their competitive edge. However, simply adopting and implementing AM technology is not enough. Manufacturing companies must inte-grate AM into their existing capabilities with which is a complex challenge. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to explore the integration of AM into the manufacturing industry by looking into what manufacturing companies find challenging and propose solutions to overcome the challenges. The research was conducted in collaboration with a global heavy vehicle manufacturer located in Sweden. The overall research methodology adopt-ed a longitudinal multiple case study. So far, three studies emerged, name-ly the Strategy and Tactics study, the Gearbox study, and the Learn from Others study. Several participants were engaged in the whole or parts of the longitudinal multiple case study including managers and engineers from different departments. The findings were analysed thematically, and several tactics were used for enhancing validity and reliability. The findings from this research suggested four AM integration challenges, namely ambiguous ownership, cognitive fixation, situational awareness, and manufacturing fixation. To overcome these challenges, four operational capabilities were suggested, namely AM use cases, AM creativity, AM collaboration, and AM operational practices. These findings were formulated into short-term and long-term essential actions, sorted throughout the AM integration process, and presented in a facilitation framework. Manufacturing companies need to be aware that AM integration is more complex in industrial settings and should seek support from other manufacturing companies and AM actors when necessary. The next steps is to evaluate and test the facilitation framework and map AM integration challenges and operational capabilities of critical heavy vehicle AM use cases.
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5. |
- Hilletofth, Per, et al.
(author)
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Challenges with industralization in a supply chain network : A supplier perspective
- 2015
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In: Proceedings of the MakeLearn and TIIM Joint International Conference, Bari, Italy, 27–29 May 2015.. ; , s. 309-318
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of this study is to explore the challenges with industrialization across a supply chain network, from a supplier perspective. The study focuses on identifying the challenges encountered by the supplier, when working with industrialization alongside the customer’s industrialization process, the reasons for and the effects of these challenges, as well as how these challenges can be managed. These issues have been examined through a single case study including a Swedish company from the polymer systems and components industry. Empirical data has been collected through in-depth and semi-structured interviews. This study has identified fourteen challenges as well as their main reasons and effects. In addition, solutions to the challenges have been identified. The challenges can be classified as internal or external. An internal challenge originates from inside the supplier’s own organization, while an external challenge originates from the customer’s organization or from the collaboration between the two organizations. This study is explorative in nature and is limited to one supplier located in Sweden. Thus, empirical data from similar and other research settings should be gathered to reinforce the validity of the findings. Keywords: Industrialization; Production ramp-up; Supply chain; Supplier
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6. |
- Hilletofth, Per, et al.
(author)
-
Challenges with industrialization in a supply chain network : A supplier perspective
- 2015
-
In: Proceedings of the MakeLearn and TIIM Joint International Conference, Bari, Italy, 27–29 May 2015. ; , s. 309-318
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of this study is to explore the challenges with industrialization across a supply chain network, from a supplier perspective. The study focuses on identifying the challenges encountered by the supplier, when working with industrialization alongside the customer’s industrialization process, the reasons for and the effects of these challenges, as well as how these challenges can be managed. These issues have been examined through a single case study including a Swedish company from the polymer systems and components industry. Empirical data has been collected through in-depth and semi-structured interviews. This study has identified fourteen challenges as well as their main reasons and effects. In addition, solutions to the challenges have been identified. The challenges can be classified as internal or external. An internal challenge originates from inside the supplier’s own organization, while an external challenge originates from the customer’s organization or from the collaboration between the two organizations. This study is explorative in nature and is limited to one supplier located in Sweden. Thus, empirical data from similar and other research settings should be gathered to reinforce the validity of the findings.
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7. |
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8. |
- Hussmo, Daniel, et al.
(author)
-
Aspects affecting boundary objects in product realization : A systematic literature review
- 2023
-
In: Leveraging transdisciplinary engineering in a changing and connected world. - Amsterdam : IOS Press. - 9781643684406 - 9781643684413 ; , s. 72-81
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Product realization is inherently transdisciplinary, resulting in the need for different functions to collaborate. However, collaboration can be hindered by boundaries, arising from differences and dependencies in knowledge. One way to integrate knowledge across these boundaries is through the use of so-called boundary objects. However, boundary objects are situational, meaning that different aspects can affect whether an object functions as a boundary object or not. Based on a systematic literature review, this paper presents a comprehensive overview of different aspects that need to be considered for an object to function as a boundary object in the context of product realization. The aspects were divided into properties relating to the object, and situational aspects connecting to the situation in which the object is used. The paper further shows the role that interplay between aspects plays, and how it can be accounted for.
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9. |
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10. |
- Hussmo, Daniel, et al.
(author)
-
Engineering Tools as Boundary Objects Between Product Development and Production
- 2022
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In: Transdisciplinarity and the Future of Engineering. - : IOS Press. - 9781643683386 - 9781643683393 ; , s. 687-696
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Product realization, i.e., product development and production, involves several transdisciplinary activities. People from different disciplines are involved, representing different practices and knowledge areas. These differences create boundaries, which must be crossed to succeed with the endeavor of product realization. One way of crossing boundaries is through boundary objects, i.e., artefacts that create common understanding between different domains. Boundary objects have been applied in for example educational research and are a promising approach in engineering. Between product development and production, engineering tools such as prototypes, simulation, and design for assembly are often used as boundary objects. Previous research has shown that different aspects affect whether an artefact function as a boundary object or not. However, the context of product realization remains unexplored in this topic. This paper, therefore, explores what aspects affect how an engineering tool can function as a boundary object. Based on a literature review, workshops and a case study, the paper presents aspects related to the situation, the tool and the individuals that affect it an engineering tool function as boundary objects. The paper addresses two important transdisciplinary concerns: knowledge from different disciplines is combined, and both academic and scientific goals are considered.
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11. |
- Hussmo, Daniel
(author)
-
Exploring boundary objects between product development and production
- 2023
-
Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The realization of products relies on the integrated outcomes of several functions, such as product development and production. However, problems can occur because not everyone shares the same knowledge, resulting in a need for knowledge integration. This becomes even more complex when there can be dependence on knowledge between functions, meaning that one’s knowledge has an impact on another’s. Because of this, different boundaries can arise that can prove problematic when integrating knowledge between product development and production. One way to integrate knowledge between these functions is through so-called boundary objects. Different engineering tools, such as prototypes and computer-aided designs, are often meant to function as boundary objects, but they may fail to do so because boundary objects are situational, meaning that they may function in one situation but not in another. The purpose of the thesis was therefore to explore how engineering tools can be used as boundary objects to integrate knowledge between product development and production in a product realization context. Based on an interactive research approach, case studies, workshops, and a systematic literature review were conducted to help fulfill the purpose. The result was a set of aspects that affect whether an engineering tool functions as a boundary object. These aspects were divided into two categories based on whether they pertained to the tool, referred to as properties, or to the situation in which it was used. The thesis further analyzed the role of interplay between these identified aspects, showing the interlinkage between aspects. Interplay was seen to play a complementing role, where aspects could play not only a supporting role to each other but also a negative role when the identified aspects were not managed correctly.
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12. |
- Hussmo, Daniel, et al.
(author)
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Knowledge Integration in Industrialized House Building – Current Practice and Challenges
- 2022
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In: Towards Sustainable Customization: Bridging Smart Products and Manufacturing Systems. - Cham : Springer. - 9783030906993 - 9783030907020 - 9783030907006 ; , s. 945-952
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Industrialized house builders need to integrate knowledge between product development and production to ensure producibility in the factory as well as at the build site. The traditional manufacturing industry has previously received attention in literature on the topic of knowledge integration. However, industrialized house building remains seemingly unexplored. Therefore, this paper presents a current state on knowledge integration between product and production and highlights the identified challenges. The paper also elaborates on knowledge integration differences and similarities with the traditional manufacturing industry. Identified practices involved the use of stage gate models, cross-functional teams, meetings, and partial/sub-assembly prototypes. Challenges distinguished were related to market/technology uncertainty, product/production complexity and geographical/organizational dispersion. The results are based on a case study that used semi-structured interviews within two industrialized house building companies. The paper contributes to the area of knowledge integration between product and production within industrialized house building and presents potential areas for future research.
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13. |
- Raudberget, Dag, et al.
(author)
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Knowledge Reuse during New Product Development : A Study of a Swedish Manufacturer
- 2022
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In: Proceedings of the Design Society. - Cambridge : Cambridge University Press. ; , s. 773-780
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- As organisations grow, consequences of poor knowledge management are evident for new employees in product developing companies. The problem of leveraging existing knowledge between development projects and departments is still relevant. This paper presents an industrial case study of a traditional manufacturing company and extends prior research addressing the reuse of organisational knowledge in new product development. The paper outlines barriers that hinder effective reuse of codified engineering knowledge and suggest means to overcome those barriers by using A3-reports in the PLM-system.
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14. |
- Safavi, Edris, et al.
(author)
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Aspects on a Digitalized Industrialization Process : Are There Challenges to Overcome?
- 2021
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In: Transdisciplinary Engineering for Resilience: Responding to System Disruptions. - Amsterdam : IOS Press. - 9781643682082 - 9781643682099 ; , s. 253-262
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Increased possibilities to utilize digital tools in the industrialization process where a product move from conceptualization toward mass production is challenged with how to develop resilience in such process. Several digital tools such as CAD, CAE, Production flow analysis, assembly analysis, and off-line programming of robots and CNC machines are commonly used in industry for both product development and production. There are also many good initiatives such as computational multidisciplinary design optimization or design automation in the aircraft industry to integrate such digital tools and increase the efficiency of the generating and distributing of information. However to maximize the benefit of digitalization, a fully digitalized platform is required where all parties including the product development team, manufacturing resources, suppliers, and even customers can contribute efficiently. Although establishing such a digitilized platform seems very promising, it confronts many challenges in a large firm. Hence, this paper, based on a theoretical outlook related to industrial observations, will explore challenges and opportunities related to the digitalization of product development and the manufacturing process.
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15. |
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16. |
- Wlazlak, Paraskeva, et al.
(author)
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Bridging Geographically Distant R&D and Manufacturing
- 2014
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In: Proceedings of the R&D Management Conference, Stuttgart, Germany, 3–6 June 2014..
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Although important research has been carried out, knowledge on bridges between the R&D and manufacturing occupational communities in a cross - national context is lacking. Much of the research has emphasized on the different bridges - tools, object, practices, brokers designed by the company to bridge the occupational communities. To lesser extent scholars have observed the emergence of individuals who can assist in bridging occupational communities divided by the boundaries of language and national culture.Drawing on qualitative interviews with persons belonging to a Swedish large manufacturing company, this paper describes and examines the emergent role of an engineer from an R&D center in China as a mediator of the two occupational communities. Based on community of practice theory, this study regards R&D in Sweden and the manufacturing site in China as members of two interdependent occupational communities that struggle to communicate due to barriers created by geographical distance – i.e. language and cultural distance. The findings suggest that the mediator from the R&D center in China may serve as an appropriate organizational solution in situation where geographical distance exist. The mediator role provides not only technical support, but also helps to crate shared meanings and facilitates the communication between R&D in Sweden and the manufacturing site in China. This study contributes to the R&D management theory by addressing an effective way to facilitate cross-cultural communication between engineers that are geographically distant during new product development.
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17. |
- Wlazlak, Paraskeva, et al.
(author)
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Communication challenges in a product development project faced with culture and language differences : The Sweden/China case
- 2012
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The results of the paper are derived from a longitudinal case study of a single product development project faced with high degrees of uncertainty and equivocality. The findings reveal that national and cultural difference between project team members affect the R&D-manufacturing interface as creating communication challenges. In this paper three communication challenges within the R&D-manufacturing interface in context of geographical distance were outlined: 1) clarity of transferred information; 2) intention to transfer information; 3) responsiveness to information received. Further, the study indicates that high degree of equivocality in the context of cultural and language differences can be handled not only by the use of rich communication media, but also by employing less-rich communication media such as e-mail, or “picture books”.
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18. |
- Wlazlak, Paraskeva, et al.
(author)
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Development of sustainable remanufacturing systems : literature review
- 2024
-
In: Advances in Remanufacturing, IWAR 2023. - Cham : Springer. - 9783031526480 - 9783031526497
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Implementing remanufacturing as a strategy to achieve circularity in manufacturing companies offers significant benefits in terms of both environmental sustainability and financial performance. However, the development of sustainable remanufacturing systems is accompanied by various complexities and challenges. Companies engaged in remanufacturing must consider solutions that address the three dimensions of sustainability: economic, social, and environmental. Moreover, they need to tackle the unique characteristics associated with remanufacturing systems. This paper aims to investigate aspects covered in existing studies related to the development of sustainable remanufacturing systems. The methodology involves a literature review focusing on three aspects: (1) the triple bottom line of sustainability; (2) capabilities required for establishment of a sustainable remanufacturing system; (3) enablers that can support the development of a sustainable remanufacturing system. By classifying the published literature and conducting a thorough analysis, this paper provides valuable insights for practitioners and researchers, facilitating the creation and accumulation of knowledge in the field of sustainable remanufacturing systems. Furthermore, the paper aims to underscore the significance of this area of research and identify potential avenues for future investigation.
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19. |
- Wlazlak, Paraskeva, et al.
(author)
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Integration Across Knowledge Boundaries During New Product Introduction
- 2021
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In: Transdisciplinary Engineering for Resilience: Responding to System Disruptions. - Amsterdam : IOS Press. - 9781643682082 - 9781643682099 ; , s. 405-414
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- New product introduction refers to all activities that are required to make a product possible to produce in planned volumes. To ensure smooth new product introduction, product and production developers work in a cross-functional and integrated way. Because of high degree of novelty during new product introduction and interdependencies between those involved knowledge boundaries are created. As prior research argues, different types of knowledge boundaries require different integration processes. For example, integration at a syntactic boundary is established by transfer of domain-specific knowledge across a boundary, while coping with semantic boundary requires a process of translation where learning about the differences and dependencies at the boundary is required. To be able to understand how to integrate product and production development across knowledge boundaries and hence support new product introduction it is important to understand what types of boundaries need to be crossed. To overcome the shortcomings of the prior research, this paper focuses on knowledge boundaries and prerequisites for successful integration in new product introduction. It is based on success stories from three large Swedish companies. This paper addresses transdisciplinary challenges and contributes to literature on boundary crossing during new product introduction and to practice.
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20. |
- Wlazlak, Paraskeva
(author)
-
Integration in global development projects : A study of new product development and production relocation projects
- 2016
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- In today’s constantly changing environment globalization offers opportunities as well as threats to manufacturing companies. One trend in industry is that to meet customer demands and global competition, manufacturing companies need to frequently introduce new products to the market at the right time and cost. Another trend is that manufacturing companies relocate their production sites abroad. Therefore, in this thesis the context is global development projects, which includes both new product development and production relocation projects. The global dimension implies that team members are located in different countries. Integration between team members, which in this thesis refers to interaction processes involving information exchange on the one hand and collaboration or cooperation on the other, is therefore a challenge.Even if much research exists with regard to integration, integration across national borders in global development projects has not been addressed to a greater extent. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to expand the analysis of integration in global development projects in order to gain insights regarding the use of different integration mechanisms. The thesis specifically addresses the influence of national cultural and linguistic differences on integration as well as the use of various integration mechanisms. The results originate from one longitudinal case study of a global new product development project and two retrospective case studies including global new product development and production relocation projects.In general, it is concluded that in global development projects national cultural and linguistic differences amplify integration difficulties among project team members who belong to different functions. The comparison of the three global development projects indicated that some of the integration mechanisms worked and were used to integrate team members from different functions, while others did not work as intended. Therefore, this thesis argues that there is a need for a diverse set of integration mechanisms that depend on the context of a global development project and specifically on national cultural and linguistic differences.
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21. |
- Wlazlak, Paraskeva, et al.
(author)
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Integration of Suppliers’ Workflows in the OEMs’ New Product Development Process
- 2018
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In: Procedia Manufacturing. - : Elsevier. - 2351-9789. ; , s. 479-486
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This research explores integration of the suppliers’ workflows in the OEM’s new product development (NPD) process, to support the production ramp-up. Based on multiple-case study approach, incorporating both the OEM and the supplier perspective, this research explains critical aspects for the integration of suppliers’ workflows in the OEM’s NPD process, and when these aspects need to be addressed. The results show that face-to-face meeting on a project level, standardized work model, readiness of the component specifications, role of Supplier Quality Assurance (SQA) engineer, quality assurance document provided to the suppliers, etc. are critical aspects.
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22. |
- Wlazlak, Paraskeva, et al.
(author)
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Interconnecting Product and Manufacturing Domains : A Literature Review
- 2020
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In: SPS2020. - Amsterdam : IOS Press. - 9781643681467 - 9781643681474 ; , s. 537-548
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Research on product-process modelling has been significant over the last decade. In this paper, we present a literature review of 13 papers published in journals and conference proceedings between 2012-2019. The purpose of this paper is to review and classify the literature on integrated product-process modelling utilizing ontologies. Specifically, the objectives of the paper are; (1) to develop a classification framework that is based on the existing research on integrated product-process modelling; (2) to use the classification framework to synthesize what is known in this research area (qualitative issues that have been raised that are useful for both researchers and practitioners); (3) to use the classification framework to propose future avenues in this research area. The classification framework consists of three major categories; namely, (1) integrated product-process model's application; (2) approaches to modelling; and (3) practical challenges for implementation of integrated product-process models. The classification of the published literature and the analysis provides insights for practitioners and researchers on the creation and accumulation of knowledge in the product-process modelling area and interconnecting of product and manufacturing domains. This paper is intended to highlight the importance of integrated product-process models utilizing ontologies and identify areas for future research areas.
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23. |
- Wlazlak, Paraskeva, et al.
(author)
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Knowledge Integration in Product and Production Development Through Boundary Objects and Additive Manufacturing
- 2022
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In: SPS2022: Proceedings of the 10th Swedish production symposium. - : IOS Press. - 9781643682686 - 9781643682693 ; , s. 819-828
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper discusses the role of prototypes with special focus on rapid prototyping or also called additive manufacturing. The authors of the paper combine literature on additive manufacturing and boundary crossing to increase the understanding about prototypes and specifically rapid prototyping during new product development. This paper is cross-disciplinary and aims to fulfil three objectives: (1) Synthesis of literature regarding potential role of prototypes to support crossing of the knowledge boundaries during new product development; (2) Outline of prototypes' properties that enable them to become boundary objects; (3) Outline meeting points between boundary crossing literature and the literature on additive manufacturing which can provide guideline for further investigation. The authors have found that the concept of boundary objects is still underdeveloped in the context of additive manufacturing, as the main benefits are related to quality, time, and cost. Through combination with literature on boundary objects, the role of prototypes to converge different diverging perspectives, translate and transform knowledge are emphasized and underlined.
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24. |
- Wlazlak, Paraskeva, et al.
(author)
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Management of international manufacturing relocation projects of new and existing products
- 2014
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In: Proceedings of the 21<sup>st</sup> EurOMA International Annual Conference, Palermo, Italy, 20 - 25 June, 2014. - : International Annual EurOMA Conference.
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Many Scandinavian companies choose to invest in new manufacturing facilities in Central European or Asian countries. This complicates the production start-up of both existing and new products. This paper compares production start-ups of new and existing products in a new and off-shore manufacturing facility in Poland. Consequently, the aim is to enhance the understanding of factors critical to achieve the desired production start-up targets. The factors identified in the study are in line with the previous literature. Nonetheless, this study emphasizes on the factors related to people which turned to be of the most importance for the timely production start-up.
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25. |
- Wlazlak, Paraskeva
(author)
-
Management of the industrialisation process in distributed geographical and organisational contexts
- 2019
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Management of new product development (NPD) is one of the most critical capabilities of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The industrialisation process plays a major role in NPD, where the final verification of the product and production system takes place. It is during the industrialisation process that various disturbances arise; if these are not managed, they can delay the production start and prolong production ramp up.Based on two dimensions, geographical and organisational distribution, the following four different types of contexts are defined in this thesis: industrialisation in the local and intra-organisational context (type 1), industrialisation in the local and inter-organisational context (type 2), industrialisation in the international and intra-organisational context (type 3) and industrialisation in international and inter-organisational context (type 4). This thesis addresses types 2–4 and contributes to the literature, which has primarily dealt with the type 1 context. The purpose of the research presented in the thesis is expanding the knowledge on the industrialisation process in distributed geographical and/or organisational contexts with a focus on challenges and mechanisms; this will serve to control the challenges during the industrialisation process.The findings are based on data from three studies in the manufacturing industry, covering both single and multiple case studies. They reveal that there are some similarities between the type 2–4 contexts and challenges and mechanisms previously identified for the type 1 context. However, several unique challenges and mechanisms are found for the type 2–4 contexts. The findings also show that the challenges can be characterised as internal and external. Internal challenges appear in a single industrialisation site and are associated with internal organisational capabilities at the site. External challenges originate from the research and development (R&D) site and the integration between the R&D and industrialisation sites.The findings also reveal that the identified challenges disrupt the industrialisation process in various ways and create uncertainty and equivocality during the industrialisation process. The studies presented in this thesis show that, to deal with challenges that create uncertainty and equivocality, it is wise to allow ad hoc mechanisms to be used. One of the key conclusions is that when the industrialisation processes are carried out in type 2–4 contexts, there is a need to allow for flexibility regarding the use of mechanisms depending on the dynamics associated with the specific context.
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26. |
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27. |
- Wlazlak, Paraskeva, et al.
(author)
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Original equipment manufacturer (OEM)-supplier integration to prepare for production ramp-up
- 2019
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In: Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 1741-038X .- 1758-7786. ; 30:2, s. 506-530
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: Although prior research provides evidence that production ramp-up is often disrupted by supplier-related problems, it fails to discuss how the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and various types of suppliers integrate their functions and operations to secure preparations for production ramp-up. The purpose of this paper is to investigate OEM–supplier integration in a new product development (NPD) project to prepare for production ramp-up.Design/methodology/approach: The results presented in this paper are based on a real-time, longitudinal study of a single collaborative NPD project in the mechanical engineering industry. The NPD project involves seven suppliers and it is carried out in a large Swedish company (the OEM) and fits the theory-elaborating approach of this research.Findings: This study argues that the aspect of timing in OEM–supplier integration, the OEM’s research and development (R&D) attitude toward collaboration and the OEM’s (R&D) operating procedure are challenges affecting the preparation for production ramp-up. The following three mechanisms to facilitate OEM–supplier integration in order to prepare for production ramp-up are also discussed: the mediator’s role, the OEM’s face-to-face meeting at the project level and suppliers’ formal face-to-face meetings with the OEM and internally.Originality/value: This paper elaborates on and extends prior research on production ramp-up by conducting an empirical analysis that incorporates supplier integration in NPD. It bridges the gap between the literature on production ramp-up and on supplier integration in NPD and clearly indicates that supplier integration is an important prerequisite for successful production ramp-up.
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28. |
- Wlazlak, Paraskeva, et al.
(author)
-
R&D in Sweden and manufacturing in China: a study of communication challenges
- 2014
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In: Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management. - 1741-038X .- 1758-7786. ; 25:2, s. 258-278
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore communication challenges related to geographic distance, with emphasis on differences in national culture and language between R&D and manufacturing engineers, in a development project faced with uncertainty and equivocality.Design/methodology/approach: The results originate from a longitudinal single-case study of a commercial product development project.Findings: Three communication challenges are identified: clarity of shared information, intention to share information, and responsiveness to information received. The challenges are strongly associated with differences in national culture and language. The study also indicates that the communication challenges cannot only be handled by the use of rich communication media, but also by employment of communication media of low richness such as e-mails or “picture books”.Research limitations/implications: The single-case study approach limits the ability to generalize the findings. Future research should thus focus on additional studies of geographically separated R&D and manufacturing.Originality/value: The results from the study provide important insights for the management of product development in geographically dispersed settings. The findings emphasize the need to consider potential differences in national culture and language within a product development team. Acknowledging these differences and managing them properly can support efficiency of product development projects.
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29. |
- Wlazlak, Paraskeva, et al.
(author)
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Supplier involvement in product development : Critical issues from a supplier perspective
- 2015
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In: Proceedings of the 22<sup>nd</sup> EurOMA International Annual Conference, Neuchâtel, Switzerland, 26 June–1 July, 2015. - : International Annual EurOMA Conference.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) typically outsource the industrialization of components to suppliers. Hence, the OEMs are dependent on the suppliers’ capabilities to perform industrialization projects. However, suppliers often experience various difficulties when involved in the OEMs’ product development projects. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to explore challenges that suppliers face during industrialization projects, their causes and the effects. Actions to mitigate these challenges are further explored. Based on an in-depth single case study at a Swedish supplier from the metal components industry, the study resulted in seven challenging issues during industrialization projects from a supplier perspective.
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30. |
- Wlazlak, Paraskeva, et al.
(author)
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Visual representations for communication in geographically distributed new product development projects
- 2019
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In: Journal of engineering design (Print). - : Taylor & Francis. - 0954-4828 .- 1466-1837. ; 30:8-9, s. 385-403
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study addresses the role of visual representations in supporting communication between an R&D team and geographically distributed suppliers for a new product development (NPD) project. It specifically focuses on the design and use of visual representations as a feasible way for communication between the distributed actors when they face communication challenges originating from differences in skills in the English language, but also from differences in work experiences. Relying on empirical materials from a Swedish manufacturing company in the mechanical engineering industry, this paper makes the following contributions to the literature. First, it shows that visual representations are effective boundary objects able to support process-oriented and product-oriented communication in distributed NPD projects. Second, it illustrates that visual representations do not necessarily have to follow graphic design principles, but can still be effective if distributed actors share the same project context. Finally, it highlights the need for a dynamic and context-dependent perspective on communication in NPD projects.
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