<p>Den här uppsatsen behandlar Lean i en administrativ miljö, istället för produktion. Lean är inget nytt påfund, utan har sina rötter tillbaka till 1930-talet hos grundarna av Toyota. Lean handlar om att minska slöseri och att visualisera flöden inom företag. Lean används för att identifiera värden och värdeflöden, skapa flöden utan slöserier och implementera dessa flöden mer effektivt genom kontinuerliga förbättringar. </p><p>Syftet med uppsatsen är att se hur Lean kan implementeras i en administrativ avdelning för att minska slöseri, ledtider och standardisera arbetsprocesserna. Vidare kommer en grund läggas till en modell för vidare implementering av Lean i andra administrativa avdelningar. </p><p>Genom utförda intervjuer, följda ordrar och genom studerade dokument har det blivit klart att Lean går att använda sig av och implementera i en administrativ avdelning. Arbetsprocesserna blir mer synliga vilket gör att processerna kan standardiseras och på så sätt kan slöseri minskas och därmed ledtider minska. Standardisering av arbetet kan ske genom att skapa en prisdatabas, prismodell och synliggöras genom visuell planering. </p><p>Modellen som skapats är en pyramid som är uppdelad i fem olika steg. Grunden i pyramiden är att de anställda måste ta ansvar för sitt eget arbete. Nästa nivå i pyramiden är att engagera de anställda. Tredje steget är att visualisera flödet, aktiviteterna och de problem som existerar. Nästa steg är att förenkla flödet, och toppen av pyramiden är att kontinuerligt förbättra flödet. </p><p>Slutsatsen av denna studie är att Lean är ett sätt att arbeta som grundar sig i sunt och gemensamt förnuft. Lean kan implementeras i en avdelning genom att göra flödena synliga och identifiera problem, slöseri och förbättrings möjligheter. Vidare kan inte Lean implementeras i en avdelning om inte de anställda tar ansvar för sitt arbete eller om det inte finns ett tydligt ledarskap.</p> / <p>This Master thesis is concerning Lean in an administrative section, instead of production. Lean is nothing new, it has its roots back to the 1930s with the founders of Toyota. Lean is about reducing waste and visualizing flows in companies. Lean is used to find values and value streams in the business, creating flows without waste and to implement these flows more efficiently by continuously work with improvements. </p><p>The purpose of this Master thesis is to study how Lean can be implemented in a section of a company where the processes are related to administration, not production, to reduce waste, lead time and structuralize the work process. Further a foundation will be created for a model to implement Lean in other administrative sections. </p><p>Through interviews, following orders in the flow and by studying documents it has been established that Lean can be used and implemented in an administrative section. By using Lean work processes can be made more visual, which makes it possible to standardize the process and in that way reduce waste and lead time. This can be made by creating a price database, price model and by using visual planning. </p><p>The model created is a pyramid divided into five steps. The foundation is to take responsibility for ones own work, and to inform the employees and give them meaning with changes. The next level is to engage the employees. Third step is to visualize the flow, activities and the problems. The next step is to simplify the flow, and the top of the pyramid is to continuously improve the flow. </p><p>The conclusions of the Master thesis are that Lean is a way of working with good and common sense. Lean can be implemented in a section by making the flows visual and then identifying problems, waste and improvements. Further Lean cannot be implemented in a section if the employees do not take responsibility of their own work, or if there is not a visual leadership.</p>

Thesis (M.A. (English))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

This thesis explores the temporal development of a strategic alliance formed by seven logistical firms from the Nordic region and European mainland. The analytical spotlight focuses on a decade long transition from a loose collaborative association to a formal consortium. By applying five levels of analysis, the study produced several insights and contributions of conceptual, theoretical, analytical and managerial art. Conceptually, the explanatory viability of several theories has been verified while conceptual inadequacy of several other propositions have been established. Theoretically, the study bridges the network-based conceptualizations of strategic alliances with other scientific fields such as international management, business process redesign, logistical systems evolution, intercultural communication and cross-cultural decision-making, and integrates research outcomes into an empirically validated model of the alliance’s systemic fit. Analytically, the "black box" of alliance’s evolution has been unpacked using a longitudinal, multivariate research method. By identifying several inversely related causal motors that concurrently and interchangeably shaped the alliance transition, the study demonstrates that over a ten-year period the forces of collaboration overpowered the relational and cultural diversity, and contributed to intra-alliance match. Managerial relevance derives from the fact that the alliance became Pan-European logistical service supplier, benefited from network enlargement, realized economies of scope, higher customer density, joint operational governance and intimate knowledge of demand specifics. These inputs have been translated into discernible competitive advantage by both, the multi-domestic and transnational output supply strategies that seldom are employed in parallel by orthodox corporate systems. The multi-domestic style of operations allowed the alliance partners creating a complete value chain in their home markets. This enabled the alliance to cope with demand heterogeneity in the European market and compete with other internationals through a broad market-service spectrum. On the other hand, by producing different elements of its value chain in different countries, the alliance created a transnational distribution system that could serve global customers, realize economies of international standardization and participate in global rivalry. By showing that single-modal freight supply solutions should be customized to meet international demand diversity, while intermodal distribution measures should be standardized to secure uniform quality standard throughout the entire distribution channel, these findings provided empirically tested knowledge on viable scope of integration for operators in complex international markets. These latter insights may represent valuable utility to managers seeking to match the supply structure with demand postulates from international users. / Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögsk., 2001

Den här uppsatsen behandlar Lean i en administrativ miljö, istället för produktion. Lean är inget nytt påfund, utan har sina rötter tillbaka till 1930-talet hos grundarna av Toyota. Lean handlar om att minska slöseri och att visualisera flöden inom företag. Lean används för att identifiera värden och värdeflöden, skapa flöden utan slöserier och implementera dessa flöden mer effektivt genom kontinuerliga förbättringar.  Syftet med uppsatsen är att se hur Lean kan implementeras i en administrativ avdelning för att minska slöseri, ledtider och standardisera arbetsprocesserna. Vidare kommer en grund läggas till en modell för vidare implementering av Lean i andra administrativa avdelningar.  Genom utförda intervjuer, följda ordrar och genom studerade dokument har det blivit klart att Lean går att använda sig av och implementera i en administrativ avdelning. Arbetsprocesserna blir mer synliga vilket gör att processerna kan standardiseras och på så sätt kan slöseri minskas och därmed ledtider minska. Standardisering av arbetet kan ske genom att skapa en prisdatabas, prismodell och synliggöras genom visuell planering.  Modellen som skapats är en pyramid som är uppdelad i fem olika steg. Grunden i pyramiden är att de anställda måste ta ansvar för sitt eget arbete. Nästa nivå i pyramiden är att engagera de anställda. Tredje steget är att visualisera flödet, aktiviteterna och de problem som existerar. Nästa steg är att förenkla flödet, och toppen av pyramiden är att kontinuerligt förbättra flödet.  Slutsatsen av denna studie är att Lean är ett sätt att arbeta som grundar sig i sunt och gemensamt förnuft. Lean kan implementeras i en avdelning genom att göra flödena synliga och identifiera problem, slöseri och förbättrings möjligheter. Vidare kan inte Lean implementeras i en avdelning om inte de anställda tar ansvar för sitt arbete eller om det inte finns ett tydligt ledarskap. / This Master thesis is concerning Lean in an administrative section, instead of production. Lean is nothing new, it has its roots back to the 1930s with the founders of Toyota. Lean is about reducing waste and visualizing flows in companies. Lean is used to find values and value streams in the business, creating flows without waste and to implement these flows more efficiently by continuously work with improvements.  The purpose of this Master thesis is to study how Lean can be implemented in a section of a company where the processes are related to administration, not production, to reduce waste, lead time and structuralize the work process. Further a foundation will be created for a model to implement Lean in other administrative sections.  Through interviews, following orders in the flow and by studying documents it has been established that Lean can be used and implemented in an administrative section. By using Lean work processes can be made more visual, which makes it possible to standardize the process and in that way reduce waste and lead time. This can be made by creating a price database, price model and by using visual planning.  The model created is a pyramid divided into five steps. The foundation is to take responsibility for ones own work, and to inform the employees and give them meaning with changes. The next level is to engage the employees. Third step is to visualize the flow, activities and the problems. The next step is to simplify the flow, and the top of the pyramid is to continuously improve the flow.  The conclusions of the Master thesis are that Lean is a way of working with good and common sense. Lean can be implemented in a section by making the flows visual and then identifying problems, waste and improvements. Further Lean cannot be implemented in a section if the employees do not take responsibility of their own work, or if there is not a visual leadership.

Syftet i denna uppsats är att undersöka vilka bakomliggande faktorer som påverkar eller kommer att påverka diffusionen av Bolagsverkets e-tjänst för elektroniska årsredovisningar i XBRL- format. Det uppnås genom att undersöka varför vissa privata aktiebolag väljer att använda Bolagsverkets e-tjänst för elektroniska årsredovisningar medan vissa andra än så länge valt att avstå. Genom att undersöka vilka konkreta för- och nackdelar som aktiebolag kan erhålla, genom att till Bolagsverket skicka in elektroniska årsredovisningar i XBRL- format, kan en mer djupgående bild av denna innovations nuvarande och framtida spridning presenteras. / The purpose of this paper is to examine the underlying factors that affect or will affect the diffusion of the Companies Registration Office e-service for electronic annual reports in XBRL-format. This is achieved by examining why some Private limited liability companies choose to use the Swedish Companies Registration Office e-service for electronic annual reports, while others have so far chosen to abstain. By examining the practical advantages and disadvantages that can actually occur in the sending of electronic annual reports in XBRL- format, a more thorough picture of the spreading can be presented.

The European Union has lead to higher collaboration between the European countries, more exchange of information and a tendency to centralize more political decisions. There is also a tendency to try to create legislations that are more similar in each nation.   This paper aims at giving an idea about the challenges that the nations might meet when working towards higher archival collaboration within the European Union. The report by the European Commission “Report on archives in the enlarged European Union - Increased archival collaboration in Europe: action plan” from 2005 states that there is a need for higher European collaboration within the field of archives. The goal is to create a gateway for the citizens to have easy access to archival information from the different member states.   There are some obstacles for this to easily work. To start with the member nations have different cultural traditions and legislations when it comes to freedom of information. It has also got to do with technical issues such as which computer systems, file types and structures et c that are allowed.   This paper takes its starting point in the field of digital deliveries to the national archives of Sweden and The United Kingdom. A comparison has been made to show the difference of how these countries proceed with their archival work to give an idea about how these differences can affect the wish for higher collaboration within the European Union.

To find an appropriate balance between centralization and localization is a key factor for a successful international company. From a company perspective, this thesis tries to figure out if the different aspects such as organizational culture, national culture and industry sector determine the standardization or adaptation of companies' websites and which website features are affected. The internationalization typology of Barlett and Ghoshal has been used to classify 12 companies from 3 industry sector according to their international strategy. Then their websites in United States, Germany and Taiwan will be analysed to compare if the internationalization types among their websites correspond to the expected. The results show that the three aspects impact the appearence of their websites.

Standardized knowledge transfer in project-based organizations is analyzed. The empirical material considered comes from 11 recurring projects from two sectors: the construction sector and the IT sector. Existing research is extended by developing a conceptual framework that expresses how standardized knowledge transfer and where difficulties arise. Results show that knowledge is difficult to capture and control. Standardization is viewed as the core over which the team member, the recurring project, the permanent organization and the product claim joint ownership. My framework describes how standardization tasks are fulfilled as knowledge proceeds through the transfer process. I show that standardized knowledge tends to take the shortest path in a transfer, i.e., to move the individual who has acquired the knowledge. However, choosing the quickest transfer path de-standardizes the knowledge. Engaging the permanent organization offers opportunities to standardize but requires a longer transfer process. This process is often too lengthy to achieve. It is difficult for the permanent organizations to transfer even existing routines. Project members often fail to use standardized knowledge. My framework is also designed to take into account the new knowledge that develops in projects. I show that knowledge from projects fails to complete the lengthy transfer journey and remains personalized. The studied corporations resisted transfer. To explain why, I highlight roles in the transfer. The individuals provide the content to be transferred. The permanent organization gathers and standardizes knowledge. Finally, the temporary organization opposes standardization when an arena is offered to adapt the standardized concept to local conditions. When the three roles are coordinated, power becomes important as projects ignore knowledge made available by the permanent organization, and the permanent organization shows little interest in knowledge formed in the projects.

Metadata is an increasingly central tool in the current web environment, enabling large-scale, distributed management of resources. Recent years has seen a growth in interaction between previously relatively isolated metadata communities, driven by a need for cross-domain collaboration and exchange. However, metadata standards have not been able to meet the needs of interoperability between independent standardization communities. For this reason the notion of metadata harmonization, defined as interoperability of combinations of metadata specifications, has risen as a core issue for the future of web-based metadata. This thesis presents a solution-oriented analysis of current issues in metadata harmonization. A set of widely used metadata specifications in the domains of learning technology, libraries and the general web environment have been chosen as targets for the analysis, with a special focus on Dublin Core, IEEE LOM and RDF. Through active participation in several metadata standardization communities, a body of knowledge of harmonization issues has been developed. The thesis presents an analytical framework of concepts and principles for understanding the issues arising when interfacing multiple standardization communities. The analytical framework focuses on a set of important patterns in metadata specifications and their respective contribution to harmonization issues: Metadata syntaxes as a tool for metadata exchange. Syntaxes are shown to be of secondary importance in harmonization. Metadata semantics as a cornerstone for interoperability. This thesis argues that the incongruences in the interpretation of metadata descriptions play a significant role in harmonization. Abstract models for metadata as a tool for designing metadata standards. It is shown how such models are pivotal in the understanding of harmonization problems. Vocabularies as carriers of meaning in metadata. The thesis shows how portable vocabularies can carry semantics from one standard to another, enabling harmonization. Application profiles as a method for combining metadata standards. While application profiles have been put forward as a powerful tool for interoperability, the thesis concludes that they have only a marginal role to play in harmonization. The analytical framework is used to analyze and compare seven metadata specifications, and a concrete set of harmonization issues is presented. These issues are used as a basis for a metadata harmonization framework where a multitude of metadata specifications with different characteristics can coexist. The thesis concludes that the Resource Description Framework (RDF) is the only existing specification that has the right characteristics to serve as a practical basis for such a harmonization framework, and therefore must be taken into account when designing metadata specifications. Based on the harmonization framework, a best practice for metadata standardization development is developed, and a roadmap for harmonization improvements of the analyzed standards is presented. / QC 20101117

Kort Upprepad Skattning av Ätstörningssymptom- Patientversion (KUS-P) är ett självskattningsformulär, avsett att mäta de vanligaste symptomen hos personer med ätstörningar. Formuläret har använts i forskningssammanhang samt i kliniska sammanhang. De psykometriska egenskaperna har inte tidigare undersökts. Syftet med föreliggande studie var att validera och normera formuläret. Självskattningar från en normalpopulation bestående av 945 gymnasie- och universitetsstuderande samlades in för studiens analyser. Data på 270 patienter från en ätstörningsenhet fungerade som klinisk jämförelsegrupp. Det insamlade materialet undersöktes avseende könsskillnader. Resultaten visar att KUS-P har god reliabilitet och validitet samt klassificerar 84 % korrekt, med ett gränsvärde på 22 poäng för kvinnor. Det visade sig finnas signifikanta skillnader mellan könen, på hela skalan samt på de symptomfrågor som rör tankar och känslor. / Kort Upprepad Skattning av Ätstörningssymptom - Patientversion (KUS-P) is a self-report questionnaire, intended to measure the most common symptoms in people with eating disorders. The questionnaire has been used in research and in clinical contexts but its psychometric properties have not yet been reported on. The aim with this study was to validate and standardize the questionnaire. Self-reports from a normal population comprising of 945 upper secondary school and university students was gathered for the study's purposes. Records from 270 patients in an eating disorder unit served as a clinical comparison group. The collected material was examined with regards to sex differences. The result shows that KUS-P has good reliability and validity. The questionnaire classifies 84% correctly and has a cutoff value at 22 points for women. There were significant differences between sexes, on the entire scale and on those symptom questions concerning thoughts and feelings.