Through the exporting of a portion of site-based work to fabrication shops, modularization (MOD) can enhance efficiency in the construction industry. The industry, however, applies modularization at only a low level. To reach higher levels of modularization, the EPC industry needs new approaches. Previous studies have identified the current trends in and barriers to the industry's application of modularization. Moreover, in 2013, the Construction Industry Institute's (CII) Research Team 283 identified 21 critical success factors (CSFs) that create an optimum environment for a broader and more effective use of modularization. However, the researcher has identified a need to better understand the relative significance of MOD CSFs and their associations with project performance. Thus, the research was conducted to provide recommendations for better project performance by identifying correlations between the accomplishment of MOD CSFs and project performance and examining actual modular projects' MOD CSF accomplishment. This study identified four statistically significant positive correlations. Those are between the accomplishment of MOD CSFs and: 1) cost performance; 2) schedule performance; 3) Construction performance; and 4) Startup performance. In addition to the correlation analysis, the study also identified the CSFs that appear to contribute the most to 1) "Modular Project Success", 2) Construction success, 3) Startup success, 4) Cost performance, and 5) Schedule performance. To collect information on the actual industrial modular projects, the study surveyed industry experts. By using this study, many industrial project stakeholders from owners to fabricators, designers and EPC contractors, will be able to understand the relationships between MOD CSFs and project performance. Such an understanding should motivate them to achieve better project performance through implementing modularization CSFs. / text

There can be little doubt that Six Sigma is far more than just another novelty concept; in fact, it can be considered as a proven quality philosophy and if applied correctly, ensures a competitive advantage. A rapidly increasing number of firms, from all industries and of all sizes, are now reporting significant savings or returns on their program and training investments, because of the implementation of Six Sigma. This paper investigates the origin, definition, financial benefits and challenges of Six Sigma and its implementation. Certain critical success factors determine the successful implementation of Six Sigma in any firm. Many firms have reported significant benefits as a result of Six Sigma project implementation, though not all are yet success stories. This paper reviews the literature related to the critical success factors for the effective implementation of Six Sigma. This research will provide the useful information for firms, which are willing to implement Six Sigma and help firms avoid the risks during the process of Six Sigma implementation. The primary objective of this exploratory research is to identify the critical success factors required for the successful implementation of Six Sigma. Then, based on the critical success factors identified in literature and the survey, the purpose is to develop and propose an applicable framework for firms to successfully implement Six Sigma. The research is explorative of nature and a survey research design was used with a questionnaire as data-gathering instrument. Descriptive statistics (e.g. means and standard deviations) were used to analyse the data. The results confirmed that the most critical success factors for successful Six Sigma implementation include management commitment, change management, effective communication and alignment. The proposed framework presents six interlinking components of Six Sigma which is dependent on these four critical success factors. Limitations in the research are identified and recommendations for future research are made. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

There can be little doubt that Six Sigma is far more than just another novelty concept; in fact, it can be considered as a proven quality philosophy and if applied correctly, ensures a competitive advantage. A rapidly increasing number of firms, from all industries and of all sizes, are now reporting significant savings or returns on their program and training investments, because of the implementation of Six Sigma. This paper investigates the origin, definition, financial benefits and challenges of Six Sigma and its implementation. Certain critical success factors determine the successful implementation of Six Sigma in any firm. Many firms have reported significant benefits as a result of Six Sigma project implementation, though not all are yet success stories. This paper reviews the literature related to the critical success factors for the effective implementation of Six Sigma. This research will provide the useful information for firms, which are willing to implement Six Sigma and help firms avoid the risks during the process of Six Sigma implementation. The primary objective of this exploratory research is to identify the critical success factors required for the successful implementation of Six Sigma. Then, based on the critical success factors identified in literature and the survey, the purpose is to develop and propose an applicable framework for firms to successfully implement Six Sigma. The research is explorative of nature and a survey research design was used with a questionnaire as data-gathering instrument. Descriptive statistics (e.g. means and standard deviations) were used to analyse the data. The results confirmed that the most critical success factors for successful Six Sigma implementation include management commitment, change management, effective communication and alignment. The proposed framework presents six interlinking components of Six Sigma which is dependent on these four critical success factors. Limitations in the research are identified and recommendations for future research are made. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

Engineering asset management (EAM) organisations are increasingly motivated to implement business intelligence (BI) systems in response to dispersed information environments and regulatory requirements. However, the implementation of a BI system is a complex undertaking requiring considerable resources. To date, there has been only a limited authoritative set of critical success factors (CSFs) for management reference because the BI market is a relatively new area that has been driven mainly by IT industry and vendors. There is an imperative to explicitly focus on, and rigorously specify, the CSFs that impact on the implementation of BI systems. Consequently, this research seeks to bridge the gap that exists between academia and practitioners. It addresses the challenging problems in implementing BI systems by investigating the CSFs and their associated contextual issues with EAM organisations.

<p>IT outsourcing is a hot topic in today’s demanding environment. Many organizations start to outsource information technology in order to achieve benefits such as cost reduction, improve quality of service, and focus on the core competence. However, IT outsourcing projects are not an easy task to manage and many projects fail even though there exists a lot of research within the area. In order to increase the possibility to achieve project success, today’s literature indicates that trust is an important factor to achieve. This thesis aim is to identify and describe the process of how to achieve trust in IT outsourcing relationships. The methodology is a literature study as its purpose is to cover the aspects of trust and how the literature proposes how to achieve trust in IT outsourcing relationships.</p><p>Relevant literature has been identified, analyzed, and categorized in order to define the thesis concepts and to create a framework based on critical success factors of how to achieve trust in IT outsourcing relationships. The framework can be used as a guiding principle of how organizations can achieve trust in IT outsourcing relationships to increases the possibility to achieve project success. The framework can also raise the awareness that makes it possible to deal with different IT outsourcing situations.</p>

A escolha da Tecnologia da Informação (TI) certa, e a cuidadosa implementação dos projetos de TI, podem significar o sucesso ou fracasso das organizações, no ambiente conturbado em que as mesmas estão inseridas atualmente. Este trabalho, de caráter exploratório, objetivou identificar os Fatores Críticos de Sucesso para a implementação de uma metodologia formal de projetos de sistemas, na Dimed S/A. Além disso, procurou identificar se os respondentes identificam valor estratégico nesta implementação – considerando as dificuldades existentes em obter retornos satisfatórios com a TI – e também os motivos que levaram a organização a adotar esta metodologia. A análise realizada teve uma parte quantitativa – através de pesquisa survey – e outra parte qualitativa – identificação de categorias através de Análise de Conteúdo. Os Fatores Críticos de Sucesso identificados, em ordem de importância foram o apoio da alta administração (que considera em função de prazos, recursos e urgência se a utilização do método formal está adequado e também tem papel fundamental nas mudanças organizacionais), possibilitar mudanças nos processos de negócio (já que as mesmas são constantes e muito rápidas), gerente de projeto com habilidades necessárias (deve aliar conhecimento a capacidades como liderança, boa comunicação e bom relacionamento), usuários capazes e envolvidos (pois os mesmos conhecem o negócio, e são os principais afetados pelas mudanças nos processos). Além destes fatores destacados, são importantes o planejamento detalhado do projeto e ter missões claras e definidas. O valor estratégico da implementação da metodologia está ligado principalmente ao prazo dos projetos e qualidade dos produtos, à economia direta e à estratégia de negócio, devido à possibilidade de filtrar projetos com pobre relação de custo-benefício, prever melhor os prazos, e diminuir o retrabalho. Os motivos que levaram à adoção da metodologia foram a necessidade de reduzir a ineficiência da área de TI e os altos custos relacionados ao desenvolvimento de software. Finalmente, alguns destes elementos foram ilustrados na análise de um caso prático. / The choice of the right Information Technology (IT), and the careful implementation of IT projects, might lead to the success or failure of organizations, taking in account the instability that surrounds the organizational environment. This work, of exploratory nature, aims to identify Critical Success Factors for the implementation of a formal methodology for system projects, in Dimed S/A. It aims also at identifying if respondents at Dimed find strategic value in this implementation – considering the difficulties of obtaining return in IT investments – and the motives that led to the adoption of the methodology. The analisys carried out had a quantitative approach – a survey research – and a qualitative approach – categorization and Content Analisys. The Critical Success Factors identified, in order of importance, where high administration support (which considers if resources and urgency are adequate to the use of the formal method and has a fundamental role in organizational change), enabling changes in business processes (these changes seem to be constant and fast), properly skilled project manager (besides knowledge, this person must have adequate communication, leadership and relational skills), capable and involved users (users know the business rules, and the changes affect them). In addition to these factors, the detailed project planning and clearly defined missions are also important. The strategic value of the implementation is mainly related to the schedule and quality of projects, cost reduction and business strategy, through filtering projects with poor cost-benefit relation, better prediction of project schedules and decrease of rework. The motives that led to the adoption of the methodology where the need to reduce IT inefficiency and the high costs related to the processes of systems development. Finally, some of these elements were illustrated in the analisys of a practical case.

Background: Higher global competition and more demanding customers force manufacturing companies to develop and adopt new collaborative strategies; the collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment concept allows stronger supply chain cooperation, cost saving, improved efficiency and performance. Purpose: Exploratory, to study the criticality of factors that can affect the feasibility of a potential a CPFR implementation in Sweden, from the perspective of a manufacturer in a pre-CPFR implementation stage.Method: Qualitative research, using a multiple case method of two manufacturing firms operating in Sweden. Using content analysis, it revolves around studying factor criticality, all the while showing differences and commonalities in terms capabilities, and future feasibility of CPFR between the two case studies. Findings: High degree of interconnectivity between the factors; the critical success factors for Sweden are relationship and trust, goal alignment, KPI’s and costs, with very important factors such as cross-functional communication, top management support, and lower impacting factors such as IT infrastructure and change management. Relationship and trust, cross-functional communication and change management are developed factors that the Swedish manufacturing firms possess. Implications: The study’s contributions are related to the criticality of factors that can affect CPFR implementations in Sweden’s manufacturing sector, showing the importance of each, contributing academically in attempting to fill in the gap related to CPFR in Sweden, and practically by allowing better strategic decision-making in relation to future implementations. This is even more relevant due to a thorough lack of research in this area.

A escolha da Tecnologia da Informação (TI) certa, e a cuidadosa implementação dos projetos de TI, podem significar o sucesso ou fracasso das organizações, no ambiente conturbado em que as mesmas estão inseridas atualmente. Este trabalho, de caráter exploratório, objetivou identificar os Fatores Críticos de Sucesso para a implementação de uma metodologia formal de projetos de sistemas, na Dimed S/A. Além disso, procurou identificar se os respondentes identificam valor estratégico nesta implementação – considerando as dificuldades existentes em obter retornos satisfatórios com a TI – e também os motivos que levaram a organização a adotar esta metodologia. A análise realizada teve uma parte quantitativa – através de pesquisa survey – e outra parte qualitativa – identificação de categorias através de Análise de Conteúdo. Os Fatores Críticos de Sucesso identificados, em ordem de importância foram o apoio da alta administração (que considera em função de prazos, recursos e urgência se a utilização do método formal está adequado e também tem papel fundamental nas mudanças organizacionais), possibilitar mudanças nos processos de negócio (já que as mesmas são constantes e muito rápidas), gerente de projeto com habilidades necessárias (deve aliar conhecimento a capacidades como liderança, boa comunicação e bom relacionamento), usuários capazes e envolvidos (pois os mesmos conhecem o negócio, e são os principais afetados pelas mudanças nos processos). Além destes fatores destacados, são importantes o planejamento detalhado do projeto e ter missões claras e definidas. O valor estratégico da implementação da metodologia está ligado principalmente ao prazo dos projetos e qualidade dos produtos, à economia direta e à estratégia de negócio, devido à possibilidade de filtrar projetos com pobre relação de custo-benefício, prever melhor os prazos, e diminuir o retrabalho. Os motivos que levaram à adoção da metodologia foram a necessidade de reduzir a ineficiência da área de TI e os altos custos relacionados ao desenvolvimento de software. Finalmente, alguns destes elementos foram ilustrados na análise de um caso prático. / The choice of the right Information Technology (IT), and the careful implementation of IT projects, might lead to the success or failure of organizations, taking in account the instability that surrounds the organizational environment. This work, of exploratory nature, aims to identify Critical Success Factors for the implementation of a formal methodology for system projects, in Dimed S/A. It aims also at identifying if respondents at Dimed find strategic value in this implementation – considering the difficulties of obtaining return in IT investments – and the motives that led to the adoption of the methodology. The analisys carried out had a quantitative approach – a survey research – and a qualitative approach – categorization and Content Analisys. The Critical Success Factors identified, in order of importance, where high administration support (which considers if resources and urgency are adequate to the use of the formal method and has a fundamental role in organizational change), enabling changes in business processes (these changes seem to be constant and fast), properly skilled project manager (besides knowledge, this person must have adequate communication, leadership and relational skills), capable and involved users (users know the business rules, and the changes affect them). In addition to these factors, the detailed project planning and clearly defined missions are also important. The strategic value of the implementation is mainly related to the schedule and quality of projects, cost reduction and business strategy, through filtering projects with poor cost-benefit relation, better prediction of project schedules and decrease of rework. The motives that led to the adoption of the methodology where the need to reduce IT inefficiency and the high costs related to the processes of systems development. Finally, some of these elements were illustrated in the analisys of a practical case.

Agente facilitador da inovação na produção de objetos manufaturados, o design faz parte do discurso de empresas ao redor do mundo. Sua relação com produtos é estreita e cada vez mais necessária nos processos de transformação de conceitos e, sobretudo, experiências de consumo. Por suas múltiplas possibilidades, o design também está habilitado a propor mudanças no artefato que protege, envolve e divulga produtos por todo o globo – as embalagens de consumo. Visto sob o ponto de vista do negócio, o design, porém, amplia seu espectro de atuação, determinado, então, por uma Gestão de Design. Considera-se assim que fatores críticos de sucesso (FCS) da Gestão de Design podem orientar a inovação em embalagens, permitindo também alterações no produto como um todo. Como objetivo geral, estabeleceu-se analisar estes FCS da Gestão de Design para inovação em embalagens, considerando a presença de tais fatores na realidade empresarial e o seu papel na competitividade de produtos de consumo. A fim de alcançar o objetivo geral, foram propostos objetivos específicos, correspondentes aos três artigos que compõem esta dissertação. O primeiro artigo teve como objetivo realizar uma revisão sistemática da literatura, a fim de identificar, genericamente, possíveis FCS a serem gerenciados pelo design para inovação em produtos industrializados. O segundo artigo propôs-se a evidenciar FCS da Gestão de Design para inovação em embalagens de produtos de consumo, através da retomada dos resultados do primeiro artigo e consulta a experts da área. O terceiro artigo, por sua vez, foi elaborado para avaliar o nível de Gestão de Design em empresas e seus FCS para a inovação em embalagens de produtos de consumo rápido. No que se refere aos objetivos, a pesquisa caracterizou-se como exploratória, de natureza aplicada, com abordagem qualitativa do problema devido à necessidade identificada de maior aprofundamento sistematizado sobre o que é de fato crítico em Gestão de Design para que se possa inovar em embalagens de consumo. Os principais resultados mostraram na literatura a valorização do design incorporado ao negócio, extensivo a inovação em produtos, mas ainda pouco evidenciado de modo sistemático em relação a embalagens. Parcerias estratégicas, o gerenciamento de competências de design, a definição de métricas e indicadores e a inovação em conceitos e tecnologia associadas às demandas de mercado foram os FCS encontrados para a Gestão de Design. Considerando estes FCS, os especialistas consultados reforçaram a importância de se planejar o desenvolvimento de produtos e embalagens conjuntamente. Nos estudos de caso, isso se revelou essencial às empresas que lidam com produtos de consumo rápido, diferenciáveis através das embalagens. Os conceitos teóricos de uma Gestão de Design holística, porém, não puderam ser identificados integralmente nas empresas analisadas, nas quais foi percebido uma valorização da Gestão de Design em nível de projeto, mas não em nível corporativo. / As a facilitating agent of innovation in the production of manufactured objects, the design is part of the companies’ discourse around the world. Its relationship with products is narrow and increasingly necessary in the transformation processes of concepts and especially consumer experiences. For its multiple possibilities, the design is also entitled to propose changes in the artifact that protects, promotes and engages products across the globe – the consumer packaging. Viewed from the standpoint of business, the design, however, extends its spectrum of activity, determined then by Design Management. It is therefore considered that the critical success factors (CSF) of Design Management can drive innovation in packaging, allowing changes in the product as a whole. As an overall objective, it was settled to analyze these CSF Management Design for innovation in packaging, considering the presence of such factors on the business reality and their role in the competitiveness of consumer products. In order to achieve the main objective, specific objectives were also proposed, corresponding to the three papers that comprise this dissertation. The first paper aimed to conduct a systematic review of the literature in order to identify, generically, possible CFS to be managed by design for innovation in industrial products. The second one proposed to highlight the CSF of Design Management for innovation in packaging of consumer products through the resumption of the main findings of the first paper and the consultation of experts in the field. The third paper, in its turn, was created to assess the level of Design Management in companies and their CSF for innovation in packaging of fast moving consumer goods. Regarding to the objectives, the research was characterized as exploratory with an applied nature and a qualitative approach to the problem, due to the identified need for a depth understanding of what is actually critical in Design Management in order to make the innovation possible in consumer packaging. The main results showed the appreciation of literature concerning to design incorporated to business and product innovation, but hardly systematized on packaging innovation. The establishment of strategic partnerships, the management of design skills, the definition of metrics and indicators, and the innovation related to technology, market demands and new concepts were found as the most important CSF for Design Management. Considering such CSF, the experts consulted reinforced the importance of planning the development of products and packages together. It was proved to be essential to companies dealing with fast moving consumer goods, differentiable through their packaging. The theoretical concepts of a holistic Design Management, however, could not be fully identified in the companies assessed, where it was identified an appreciation of the design management applied to a project level but not in a corporate level.

Agente facilitador da inovação na produção de objetos manufaturados, o design faz parte do discurso de empresas ao redor do mundo. Sua relação com produtos é estreita e cada vez mais necessária nos processos de transformação de conceitos e, sobretudo, experiências de consumo. Por suas múltiplas possibilidades, o design também está habilitado a propor mudanças no artefato que protege, envolve e divulga produtos por todo o globo – as embalagens de consumo. Visto sob o ponto de vista do negócio, o design, porém, amplia seu espectro de atuação, determinado, então, por uma Gestão de Design. Considera-se assim que fatores críticos de sucesso (FCS) da Gestão de Design podem orientar a inovação em embalagens, permitindo também alterações no produto como um todo. Como objetivo geral, estabeleceu-se analisar estes FCS da Gestão de Design para inovação em embalagens, considerando a presença de tais fatores na realidade empresarial e o seu papel na competitividade de produtos de consumo. A fim de alcançar o objetivo geral, foram propostos objetivos específicos, correspondentes aos três artigos que compõem esta dissertação. O primeiro artigo teve como objetivo realizar uma revisão sistemática da literatura, a fim de identificar, genericamente, possíveis FCS a serem gerenciados pelo design para inovação em produtos industrializados. O segundo artigo propôs-se a evidenciar FCS da Gestão de Design para inovação em embalagens de produtos de consumo, através da retomada dos resultados do primeiro artigo e consulta a experts da área. O terceiro artigo, por sua vez, foi elaborado para avaliar o nível de Gestão de Design em empresas e seus FCS para a inovação em embalagens de produtos de consumo rápido. No que se refere aos objetivos, a pesquisa caracterizou-se como exploratória, de natureza aplicada, com abordagem qualitativa do problema devido à necessidade identificada de maior aprofundamento sistematizado sobre o que é de fato crítico em Gestão de Design para que se possa inovar em embalagens de consumo. Os principais resultados mostraram na literatura a valorização do design incorporado ao negócio, extensivo a inovação em produtos, mas ainda pouco evidenciado de modo sistemático em relação a embalagens. Parcerias estratégicas, o gerenciamento de competências de design, a definição de métricas e indicadores e a inovação em conceitos e tecnologia associadas às demandas de mercado foram os FCS encontrados para a Gestão de Design. Considerando estes FCS, os especialistas consultados reforçaram a importância de se planejar o desenvolvimento de produtos e embalagens conjuntamente. Nos estudos de caso, isso se revelou essencial às empresas que lidam com produtos de consumo rápido, diferenciáveis através das embalagens. Os conceitos teóricos de uma Gestão de Design holística, porém, não puderam ser identificados integralmente nas empresas analisadas, nas quais foi percebido uma valorização da Gestão de Design em nível de projeto, mas não em nível corporativo. / As a facilitating agent of innovation in the production of manufactured objects, the design is part of the companies’ discourse around the world. Its relationship with products is narrow and increasingly necessary in the transformation processes of concepts and especially consumer experiences. For its multiple possibilities, the design is also entitled to propose changes in the artifact that protects, promotes and engages products across the globe – the consumer packaging. Viewed from the standpoint of business, the design, however, extends its spectrum of activity, determined then by Design Management. It is therefore considered that the critical success factors (CSF) of Design Management can drive innovation in packaging, allowing changes in the product as a whole. As an overall objective, it was settled to analyze these CSF Management Design for innovation in packaging, considering the presence of such factors on the business reality and their role in the competitiveness of consumer products. In order to achieve the main objective, specific objectives were also proposed, corresponding to the three papers that comprise this dissertation. The first paper aimed to conduct a systematic review of the literature in order to identify, generically, possible CFS to be managed by design for innovation in industrial products. The second one proposed to highlight the CSF of Design Management for innovation in packaging of consumer products through the resumption of the main findings of the first paper and the consultation of experts in the field. The third paper, in its turn, was created to assess the level of Design Management in companies and their CSF for innovation in packaging of fast moving consumer goods. Regarding to the objectives, the research was characterized as exploratory with an applied nature and a qualitative approach to the problem, due to the identified need for a depth understanding of what is actually critical in Design Management in order to make the innovation possible in consumer packaging. The main results showed the appreciation of literature concerning to design incorporated to business and product innovation, but hardly systematized on packaging innovation. The establishment of strategic partnerships, the management of design skills, the definition of metrics and indicators, and the innovation related to technology, market demands and new concepts were found as the most important CSF for Design Management. Considering such CSF, the experts consulted reinforced the importance of planning the development of products and packages together. It was proved to be essential to companies dealing with fast moving consumer goods, differentiable through their packaging. The theoretical concepts of a holistic Design Management, however, could not be fully identified in the companies assessed, where it was identified an appreciation of the design management applied to a project level but not in a corporate level.