Bakgrund: Användningen av teknikkonsulter inom svensk industri har ökat kraftigt under 2000-talet. Trots detta finns det en brist i forskningen gällande vilka anledningar som ligger bakom och vilka konsekvenser som kan följa av användningen av teknikkonsulter. Vidare finns det teoretiska indikationer på att teknikkonsulter inte är tillräckligt integrerade för att skapa den helhetsförståelse och vilja att kommunicera över avdelningsgränser som krävs i produktutvecklingen inom stora svenska industriföretag. Denna problematik har legat till grund för studiens syfte. Syfte: Studiens syfte är att utreda vilka motiv och behov som ligger bakom ett svenskt industriföretags nyttjande av extern kunskap i form av teknikkonsulter samt vilka konsekvenser som användningen av teknikkonsulter kan medföra för företagets tvärfunktionella arbete. Definitioner: Teknikkonsulter är olika typer av ingenjörer som hyrs ut företag för att arbeta tillsammans med de fastanställda inom framförallt produktutveckling. Genomförande: En fallstudie har utförts på två sektioner inom Scania R&D. Två representanter på chefsnivå inom varje sektion har intervjuats. Resultat: Studien har identifierat två motiv och fyra behov som är betydelsefulla för inhyrningen av teknikkonsulter i svenska industriföretag. De motiv som studien har funnit är rörlighet samt inflöde och utflöde av resurser. De fyra behov som har identifierats är; numerisk flexibilitet, snabb förstärkning samt kortsiktiga respektive långsiktiga resurser. Vidare visar studien att resultaten av tvärfunktionell produktutveckling inom stora svenska industriföretag påverkas negativt av en hög andel teknikkonsulter eftersom teknikkonsulter inte innehar en helhetsförståelse för företaget. / Background: The use of technical consultants in the Swedish industrial sector has increased heavily during the 21th century. In spite of this increase, there is a shortage of research regarding the reasons for, and which consequences that can follow from the use of technical consultants. Furthermore, there are theoretical indications that these consultants are not fully integrated to the degree that they can create an overall understanding and will to communicate across departments, which is necessary for the product development in big Swedish industrial enterprises. This problem is the basis for the aim of the study. Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate which motives and needs that lie behind the the use of external knowledge in the form of technical consultants in Swedish industrial enterprises and which consequences that the use of technical consultants can bring to the cross-functional work of companies. Completion: A case study has been conducted at two sections within Scania R&D. Two representatives on a managerial level from each section have been interviewed. Results: The study has identified two motives and four needs as significant for the use of technical consultants in Swedish industrial enterprises. The identified motives are mobility as well as inflow and outflow of resources. The four identified needs are; a numerical flexibility, rapid reinforcement as well as a short and long term resources. Furthermore, the study shows that the results of cross-functional product development within large Swedish industrial enterprises are negatively affected by a large share of technical consultants since they do not possess an overall understanding of the company. Key words: Technical consultant, cross-functional, contingent knowledge workers, flexible staffing arrangements, absorptive capacity.

Die individuelle Bereitschaft für organisationale Veränderungen stellt eine zentrale Determinante des innovationsförderlichen Führungsverhaltens sowie der Innovativität von Unternehmen dar. Die Dissertation fragte daher nach der Entstehung und Förderung der Innovationsbereitschaft von Führungskräften und untersuchte die darauf bezogene Wirkung der organisationalen Absorptionsfähigkeit. Innovationsbereitschaft wurde hierbei verstanden als das Erkennen und positive Bewerten eines Veränderungsbedarfes sowie einer Veränderbarkeit der unternehmensinternen Situation. Organisationale Absorptionsfähigkeit wurde definiert als dreidimensionales Konstrukt des Erkennens, Aufnehmens und Verwertens von neuem, unternehmensexternem Wissen. Das postulierte Wirkungsmodell wurde mit einer quantitativen Untersuchung an einer nach Größe und Branche für Deutschland repräsentativen Stichprobe von 668 kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen empirisch überprüft. Dabei zeigte sich, dass der Kontakt zu externem Wissen den wahrgenommenen Veränderungsbedarf erhöhte, während die systematische Verarbeitung und Weitergabe dieses Wissens die wahrgenommene Veränderbarkeit der Unternehmenssituation positiv beeinflussten. Bisherige Prozessinnovationen reduzierten den wahrgenommenen Veränderungsbedarf, während inkrementelle Prozess- und Strukturveränderungen des Unternehmens positiv auf die Einschätzung der Veränderbarkeit wirkten. Damit konnte der Einfluss der organisationalen Absorptionsfähigkeit auf die Innovationsbereitschaft von Führungskräften differenziert werden, forschungstheoretische und forschungsmethodische Implikationen sowie Empfehlungen für die Unternehmenspraxis wurden entsprechend abgeleitet.

External knowledge is an important knowledge source for organizations. No matter how good external knowledge is, however, the contribution of external knowledge for organization would decrease if organizations can¡¦t absorb the knowledge effectively. Unlike previous studies, this study applies the ¡¥communication chain¡¦ perspective to investigate the process of organization¡¦s acquisition and absorption of external knowledge. Consulting knowledge is chosen as the study subject of external knowledge. This study argues that consultant and internal lecturer constitute the communication chain of consulting knowledge. Consultants and internal lecturers¡¦ capability of knowledge training and the capability link of knowledge training between consultants and internal lecturers will affect the effectiveness of organization¡¦s absorption of consulting knowledge. This study used triangulation approach to collect empirical data about how organizations acquire quality management knowledge through knowledge trainings provided by quality management (QM) consultants in Taiwan. First, this study did in-depth interviews with 10 QM consultants and 13 QM internal lecturers to collect qualitative data. Based on the data analysis of in-depth interviews and related literature, a questionnaire was developed and used to survey QM consultants and internal lecturers. A total number of 282 valid questionnaires, 47 QM consultants and 235 QM internal lecturers, were finally used to do statistical analysis. We combined and compared the findings of in-depth interviews and statistical analysis to answer research questions of this study. The results showed that QM internal lecturers did ¡¥dual-knowledge learning¡¦ in the communication chain of consulting knowledge and the capability of knowledge training was a combination of various sub-capabilities. QM internal lecturers¡¦ capability of knowledge training, in general, was inferior to QM consultants¡¦ capability of knowledge training. The main reasons resulting in the capability gap could be induced into three dimensions, including lecturer, trainee, and organization. The communication chain perspective provides an innovative and dynamic view to study organization¡¦s acquisition and absorption of consulting knowledge. The findings of this study can make up theoretical or knowledge gaps existed in past studies of knowledge acquisition, absorptive capacity, organizational boundary spanner, consulting industry, and expert-novice study. In addition, the findings also provide some valuable management implications for organizations to absorb the consulting knowledge more effectively as well as for consultants or consulting firms to enhance the quality of their knowledge service.

R&D plays a dual role: First, it generates new knowledge and second, it develops a firm's absorptive capacity. Most of the existing strategic investment game models neglect, however, the second role of R&D. The aim of this paper is to incorporate the absorptive capacity hypothesis in such a model by endogenizing the spillover. A two-stage game is established and subsequently solved, looking for the subgame perfect Nash equilibria. Considering the comparative static properties of the model as well as the simulation results, a new effect appears: The "free-rider effect" of the models with exogenous spillover, which deteriorates the higher the spillover becomes, is now counteracted by the "absorptive capacity effect". It is found that firms will invest more in R&D to strengthen absorptive capacity when the spillover parameter is higher. (author's abstract) / Series: Department of Economics Working Paper Series

Det kunskapssamhälle som råder idag medför att organisationer måste rusta sig och hålla ett högt tempo i den förändringsbenägna omvärlden. Kunskap och lärande ses däremellan som nyckelaktiviteter i relation till förändring vilket i sin tur föder innovation. Forskning har påvisat att småföretag förväntas bidra till en större del av näringslivets tillväxt, men att småföretagen samtidigt har behov av att höja sin innovationskapacitet för att möta utmaningen. Studien avsåg därför att utforska småföretag i extern samverkan för att se huruvida ett sådant kunskapsutbyte skapat förutsättningar för innovation hos den egna organisationen. Med hjälp av en kvalitativ forskningsmetodik undersöktes sex småföretagsledare som deltagit i det lärande nätverket, Tillväxtmotorn, via semistrukturerade intervjuer. Resultatet påvisade att småföretag inte aktivt arbetade med att ta tillvara på kunskapsutbytet som framkommit från Tillväxtmotorn på grund av tidsbrist, en bristfällig strategisk ledning eller värdesättandet av kunskap och lärande. En modell skapades i riktning att ge småföretagsledare verktyg till att ta tillvara samt integrera kunskapsutbytet med den egna organisationen i större utsträckning och på så vis öka dess innovationskapacitet. / The knowledge society that currently exists demands that organizations must adequately equip themselves and be able to maintain a fast pace of learning and adaptation in the changing environment. Knowledge and learning are seen as key activities in relation to change, which in turn generates innovation. Research has shown that small businesses are expected to contribute to a larger percentage of economic growth, than previously, and that small businesses simultaneously have the need to raise their innovation capacity to meet these challenges. The study intended, therefore, to explore small businesses participation in external partnerships to see whether such an exchange of knowledge for innovation in the organization is effective. Using a qualitative research technique, six small business leaders who participated in the learning network were interviewed, using semi-structured questionnaires concerning the ”engine of growth”. The results demonstrated that small businesses are not proactively working to take advantage of the knowledge exchange that emerged from the growth engine due to a lack of time, inadequate strategic direction or their value planting of knowledge and learning. A model was created to provide small business leaders tools to utilize and integrate knowledge exchange with its own organization to a greater extent, thus increasing its capacity for innovation.

As universidades brasileiras, a partir da reforma educacional iniciada na década de 60, invertem o modelo público politizado existente incentivando a expansão do ensino superior surgindo então as Universidades Comunitárias (UC). Essas universidades privadas, sem fins lucrativos e de utilidade pública, surgem da ausência das IES públicas ou confessionais em regiões distantes dos grandes centros pois encontram-se instaladas, principalmente, nas capitais dos Estados. Com isso, pela mobilização das lideranças locais e regionais, novos cursos superiores isolados focados nas carências regionais são abertos e, essas instituições comunitárias, passam a ser as portas de entrada do ensino superior para uma população até então não atendida, promovendo a sistematização do conhecimento disponível e, devolvendo diretamente a sociedade que as constituiu. As Universidades Comunitárias atuam como portais de conhecimento (knowledge gatekeepers) e, ao possibilitar o acesso ao ensino superior para uma sociedade até então não atendida, a UC adquire uma relevância social que pode contribuir para uma reflexão também sobre o papel social de um knowledge gatekeeper. Através de um estudo de caso em uma Universidade comunitária multicampi do Rio Grande do Sul-Brasil. A pesquisa propõe, por meio da avaliação dos fatores endógenos presentes em uma IES comunitária e, através do aprofundamento de sua dimensão social, avaliar a capacidade absortiva, a proximidade regional e o capital social do corpo docente da IES, identificando também, os níveis de percepção da identidade da IES pela população estudada. Através dos resultados da pesquisa propõe um modelo que propicia sua identificação de uma Universidade Comunitária como social knowledge gatekeeper tendo os resultados, demonstrado a viabilidade do modelo, bem como, a identificação das características que possibilitam sua aplicabilidade. / Submitted by Marcelo Teixeira (mvteixeira@ucs.br) on 2014-04-30T11:45:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Leonardo Roth.pdf: 1501282 bytes, checksum: 907ca4885abf4d5d6c7b39269f4b05a0 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-04-30T11:45:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Leonardo Roth.pdf: 1501282 bytes, checksum: 907ca4885abf4d5d6c7b39269f4b05a0 (MD5) / Brazilian universities, from the education reform started in the 60's, reverse the existing model politicized public by encouraging the expansion of higher education appearing then the Community Supported Universities(CSU). These private universities, nonprofit and public utility arising from the lack of public higher education institution (HEI) or confessional in regions far from major centers as are installed mainly in the capitals of the states. With this, the mobilization of local and regional leaders, new degree courses focused on isolated regional shortages are open, and these institutions, become the entrance doors of HEI to a population hitherto unmet , promoting the systematization of knowledge available and returning it directly to the company constituted. The Community Supported Universities act as portals of knowledge (knowledge gatekeepers), and to provide access to higher education for a society hitherto unmet, CSU acquires a social relevance that can also contribute to a reflection on the role of social one knowledge gatekeeper. Through a case study in a CSU multicampi of Rio Grande do Sul-Brazil. The research proposes, through the evaluation of endogenous factors present in a community and HEI, by deepening its social dimension, assess the absorptive capacity , proximity and the regional capital of the faculty of HEI, also identifying the levels of perception of the identity of the HEI study population. Through the results of the research we propose a model that provides identification of a Community Supported University as social knowledge gatekeeper and the results demonstrated the feasibility of the model, as well as identifying the characteristics that enable its applicability.

Bakgrund: Managementkonsultbranschen har de senaste 40 åren växt kraftigt och managementkonsultens roll i organisationer tar allt större plats. Det har genererat mycket forskning kring inköp av managementkonsulter, men forskning kring utvärderingens plats i organisationers konsultanvändning är fortfarande bristande. Utvärderingar av komplexa tjänster har tidigare setts som formella processer, men det finns indikationer på att den informella utvärderingen tar mer plats i organisationer än någonsin. Idag är marknader och industrier kompetensbaserade, varpå det bör finnas intresse inom organisationer att ständigt sträva mot förbättrad prestation. Organisationer bör fokusera på kontinuerligt lärande i organisationens alla delar, vilket kanske kan stimuleras av konsultanvändning, genom utvärdering. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att bidra med kunskap om hur organisationer utvärderar managementkonsultens arbete och på vilket sätt utvärderingen bidrar till det organisatoriska lärandet. Metod: Studien baseras på tre fallföretag som använder managementkonsulter i sin dagliga verksamhet. Studien är av kvalitativ karaktär, där data är samlad genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med inköpare och projektledare. Slutsats: Studien påvisar tre typer av utvärdering som inkluderas i organisationers konsultanvändning, den informella utvärderingen, den individuella utvärderingen samt den projektbaserade utvärderingen. Studien är bland de första av sitt slag som konstaterar den informella utvärderingens förekomst i organisationer. Vidare kan det konstateras att utvärderingen direkt kan gynna organisationers lärande, främst då information kodas och sprids i interna nätverk genom individuell utvärdering. Det kan även konstateras att lean har en negativ inverkan på lärandet genom utvärdering, då organisationer som är lean ofta väljer att inte spara utvärderingsrelaterad information. / Background: The use of Management Consultants has increased during the past 40 years and is now more common in organisations. This has resulted in much research regarding the purchasing processes of Management Consultants, but less regarding how organsiations evaluate these services. Evaluation of complex services has previously been categorised as a formal process, but today, there are indications that informal evaluations are more and more common. Moreover, industries today are highly influenced by the possession of knowledge, why organisations should find interest in continuously improved performance. Organisations should therefore focus on general continuous learning, which could be stimulated by evaluations through the use of Management Consultants. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to contribute with knowledge regarding how organisations evaluate the work of management consultants and how the evaluation can contribute to organisational learning. Methodology: This study concerns three cases, three organisations that include management consultants in their daily operations. This is a qualitative study, where data was collected through semi-structured interviews with both procurement managers and project managers. Conclusions: This study argues for three evaluation strategies, included in organisational use of Management Consultants, the informal evaluation, the individual evaluation and the project-based evaluation. The study is among the first to state the presence of informal evaluations in organisations. Moreover, the study argues that evaluations can favour organisational learning, principally when information from individual evaluations are crystalised and spread through organisation’s internal networks. It can be further noted that lean production can influence learning through evaluations on a negative note, since organisations who use lean often choose not to save information related to evaluations.

Diversos estudos exploram temas relacionados ao monitoramento do ambiente com o intuito de auxiliar empresas a se protegerem contra ameaças e a aproveitarem oportunidades provenientes do ambiente externo. Outros pesquisadores se dedicaram aos tópicos relacionados à gestão do conhecimento, colocando o conhecimento como elemento central para o desenvolvimento e o sucesso empresarial. Contudo, identificaram-se poucos estudos que explorem as temáticas de monitoramento do ambiente e gestão do conhecimento em conjunto. Com o propósito de contribuir para o preenchimento desta lacuna, o presente estudo investiga o desenvolvimento da capacidade absortiva em processos de exploração de sinais fracos, sob a perspectiva da criação do conhecimento organizacional. Para tal investigação se utilizou método qualitativo e exploratório; tendo como técnicas de coleta de dados entrevistas semiestruturadas e análise de conteúdo para exploração dos mesmos. Constatou-se que o desempenho do processo de Inteligência pode contribuir para o desenvolvimento da capacidade absortiva, além de propiciar a criação, expansão e renovação de conhecimentos individuais e organizacionais. Observou-se, também, que a realização das atividades de Inteligência incentiva a ação e influencia na tomada de decisão de colaboradores e gestores. Os profissionais ao se sentirem melhor informados sobre oportunidades e ameaças provenientes do ambiente externo à organização passam a refletir e se responsabilizar mais por ações e decisões. / Many studies explore topics related to the environmental scanning process in order to assist companies with protecting themselves against threats and seizing opportunities that arise from external environments. Furthermore, a number of researchers have focused broadly and deeply on topics related to knowledge management, placing knowledge as a central resource to a business’s development and success. Nevertheless, there are few studies that combine the themes of environmental scanning and knowledge management. Aiming contribute to fill this gap, this study investigates the absorptive capacity developing in weak signals’ exploration process through the organization knowledge creation’ perspectives. The employed method to this qualitative and explorative research will be interviews by means of techniques for collecting data; and a content analysis for an exploitation of these data. It was found that the Intelligence process performance contributes to the development of absorptive capacity. Futhermore, the practice of Intelligence process facilitates the creation, expansion and renewal of individual and organizational knowledge. It was also observed that the realization of intelligence activities encourages action and influence in employees and managers decision making. Professionals who feel better informed about opportunities and threats from the external environment in regards to the organization start to further reflect and be more accountable for actions and decisions.

Diversos estudos exploram temas relacionados ao monitoramento do ambiente com o intuito de auxiliar empresas a se protegerem contra ameaças e a aproveitarem oportunidades provenientes do ambiente externo. Outros pesquisadores se dedicaram aos tópicos relacionados à gestão do conhecimento, colocando o conhecimento como elemento central para o desenvolvimento e o sucesso empresarial. Contudo, identificaram-se poucos estudos que explorem as temáticas de monitoramento do ambiente e gestão do conhecimento em conjunto. Com o propósito de contribuir para o preenchimento desta lacuna, o presente estudo investiga o desenvolvimento da capacidade absortiva em processos de exploração de sinais fracos, sob a perspectiva da criação do conhecimento organizacional. Para tal investigação se utilizou método qualitativo e exploratório; tendo como técnicas de coleta de dados entrevistas semiestruturadas e análise de conteúdo para exploração dos mesmos. Constatou-se que o desempenho do processo de Inteligência pode contribuir para o desenvolvimento da capacidade absortiva, além de propiciar a criação, expansão e renovação de conhecimentos individuais e organizacionais. Observou-se, também, que a realização das atividades de Inteligência incentiva a ação e influencia na tomada de decisão de colaboradores e gestores. Os profissionais ao se sentirem melhor informados sobre oportunidades e ameaças provenientes do ambiente externo à organização passam a refletir e se responsabilizar mais por ações e decisões. / Many studies explore topics related to the environmental scanning process in order to assist companies with protecting themselves against threats and seizing opportunities that arise from external environments. Furthermore, a number of researchers have focused broadly and deeply on topics related to knowledge management, placing knowledge as a central resource to a business’s development and success. Nevertheless, there are few studies that combine the themes of environmental scanning and knowledge management. Aiming contribute to fill this gap, this study investigates the absorptive capacity developing in weak signals’ exploration process through the organization knowledge creation’ perspectives. The employed method to this qualitative and explorative research will be interviews by means of techniques for collecting data; and a content analysis for an exploitation of these data. It was found that the Intelligence process performance contributes to the development of absorptive capacity. Futhermore, the practice of Intelligence process facilitates the creation, expansion and renewal of individual and organizational knowledge. It was also observed that the realization of intelligence activities encourages action and influence in employees and managers decision making. Professionals who feel better informed about opportunities and threats from the external environment in regards to the organization start to further reflect and be more accountable for actions and decisions.

As universidades brasileiras, a partir da reforma educacional iniciada na década de 60, invertem o modelo público politizado existente incentivando a expansão do ensino superior surgindo então as Universidades Comunitárias (UC). Essas universidades privadas, sem fins lucrativos e de utilidade pública, surgem da ausência das IES públicas ou confessionais em regiões distantes dos grandes centros pois encontram-se instaladas, principalmente, nas capitais dos Estados. Com isso, pela mobilização das lideranças locais e regionais, novos cursos superiores isolados focados nas carências regionais são abertos e, essas instituições comunitárias, passam a ser as portas de entrada do ensino superior para uma população até então não atendida, promovendo a sistematização do conhecimento disponível e, devolvendo diretamente a sociedade que as constituiu. As Universidades Comunitárias atuam como portais de conhecimento (knowledge gatekeepers) e, ao possibilitar o acesso ao ensino superior para uma sociedade até então não atendida, a UC adquire uma relevância social que pode contribuir para uma reflexão também sobre o papel social de um knowledge gatekeeper. Através de um estudo de caso em uma Universidade comunitária multicampi do Rio Grande do Sul-Brasil. A pesquisa propõe, por meio da avaliação dos fatores endógenos presentes em uma IES comunitária e, através do aprofundamento de sua dimensão social, avaliar a capacidade absortiva, a proximidade regional e o capital social do corpo docente da IES, identificando também, os níveis de percepção da identidade da IES pela população estudada. Através dos resultados da pesquisa propõe um modelo que propicia sua identificação de uma Universidade Comunitária como social knowledge gatekeeper tendo os resultados, demonstrado a viabilidade do modelo, bem como, a identificação das características que possibilitam sua aplicabilidade. / Brazilian universities, from the education reform started in the 60's, reverse the existing model politicized public by encouraging the expansion of higher education appearing then the Community Supported Universities(CSU). These private universities, nonprofit and public utility arising from the lack of public higher education institution (HEI) or confessional in regions far from major centers as are installed mainly in the capitals of the states. With this, the mobilization of local and regional leaders, new degree courses focused on isolated regional shortages are open, and these institutions, become the entrance doors of HEI to a population hitherto unmet , promoting the systematization of knowledge available and returning it directly to the company constituted. The Community Supported Universities act as portals of knowledge (knowledge gatekeepers), and to provide access to higher education for a society hitherto unmet, CSU acquires a social relevance that can also contribute to a reflection on the role of social one knowledge gatekeeper. Through a case study in a CSU multicampi of Rio Grande do Sul-Brazil. The research proposes, through the evaluation of endogenous factors present in a community and HEI, by deepening its social dimension, assess the absorptive capacity , proximity and the regional capital of the faculty of HEI, also identifying the levels of perception of the identity of the HEI study population. Through the results of the research we propose a model that provides identification of a Community Supported University as social knowledge gatekeeper and the results demonstrated the feasibility of the model, as well as identifying the characteristics that enable its applicability.