Atlas Copco Tools & Assembly Systems (ACTA) is world leader in industrial tools and assembly systems for safety-critical joints. One of the products the company sells is fixtured nutrunners, mainly to the motor vehicle industry. The margins on these highly customized products have been decreasing – much depending on changes in the purchasing behavior of the automotive industry. Traditionally, the marketing of the fixtured nutrunners has been concentrated to the parts of the product instead of the final product. Today, there is a belief within the organization that many of the sold customized products could be replaced by more standardized applications. There is also a wish to turn the focus of the market offer from the parts towards the final application. These beliefs and wishes resulted in this thesis, with the purpose to propose a new market offer to increase profitability and give more customer benefits. To reach this purpose we started out with theoretical studies of several different areas. Among those was mass customization, a strategy that combines the benefits of mass production with those of customization. We also performed a prestudy at the headquarters of ACTA in Sickla and visited major customers in Sweden. Using our collected knowledge from the theoretical studies and the prestudy, we conducted an in-depth case study by interviewing customers and people working at ACTA, both in Sweden and in the USA, in order to analyze today’s situation. In the analysis, we found several problems with today’s offer. For instance, we found that similar products are solved with unique solutions, which has lead to poor cost control and has made it difficult for ACTA to assure the quality of the ordered products. A further problem is the poor sales support and the lack of traceability of sold systems, which reduces sales and leads to unnecessary special solutions. A problem linked to that is the difficulties in getting accurate and sufficient information from the customer, which leads to extra errors and a lot of extra work. To solve these problems, we recommend ACTA to implement a mass customization strategy. Of course, not all of ACTA’s products can be mass customized, but to a large extent it should be possible. To implement a mass customization strategy, we argue that ACTA should take three measures, namely design standard products, modularize the products, and implement a computerized configuration tool. We also suggest that the implementation of the new market offer should be done stepwise. With the proposed new market offer, we believe that ACTA can increase profitability in the area of fixtured nutrunners without losing the flexibility of the products.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how and to what degree Swedish multinational companies (MNCs) adapt to local conditions when they establish subsidiaries in China, and if cultural differences play an important role in their operations. Background: The major challenge for MNCs establishing abroad is the configuration and integration of their country subsidiaries (Galbraith, 2000). Therefore, it is vital to understand how activities within an organization, such as structures, processes, reward systems, and people practices, should be designed in order for the company to be as efficient as possible (Weiss, 2007; Kesler & Kates, 2011). Swedish direct investments in China have increased significantly in the late 2000s, especially in the eastern regions, where a majority of about 650 Swedish companies in China are located (Swedish Trade Council, 2012a). Establishing across borders is a step towards future growth, but it is important to note that a cross-border expansion comes with many challenges (Galbraith, 2000). Method: This study uses a qualitative research method by investigating the experiences and practices of two Swedish multinational companies with operations in Shanghai, China. Information has been collected from eight respondents in the form of interviews and open-ended questionnaires. Conclusion: Swedish MNCs standardize their organization to a large extent when they establish subsidiaries in China, and culture has a slight influence on the practices of Swedish MNCs but does not play a major role for the business as a whole.

The essay critically discusses the confusing state of the various Swahili language policies and studies brought forth in the colonial and post-colonial periods and examines the historical factors of the diversity within the Swahili language, which was once confined to the coastal area and later spread to the present area of distribution. The discussion focusses on the construction of Standard Swahili and the status of Swahili in regard to other East African languages. Special criticism is raised against recent East African and other authors, who wrote on the apparent unity of the Swahili language which they see as a result of the modern Tanzanian language policy.

The thesis studies Le Corbusier&rsquo / s Dom-ino clusters. It is a research in the field of architectural design. The aim is to explore and reveal the architectural potentials of Le Corbusier&rsquo / s mass-producible Dom-ino frame (1914), not only by concentrating on a single Dom-ino unit but by focusing mainly to the clusters of Dom-ino, searching for the logic behind their multiplication, how they come together and to what extent the units allow variety. To achieve this, six alternative Dom-ino clusters are analyzed, and alternative Dom-ino units are explored, other than the well-known single one. Today, Dom-ino is argued as an architectural diagram, and this research reinforces this argument. The analysis of both the clusters and the units with different plan types eventually puts forward that the Dom-ino frame identifies and exploits all the potentials of mass-production with the standardization of the elements and modularity of the structural grid / and it is an adaptable, flexible and consequently a generic frame that produces infinitely alternative solutions. For this reason, this thesis argues that resolving the way Dom-ino units come together, and analyzing how and in what scale they allow variety in producing clusters will introduce the tools for proper mass-housing, and consequently could produce solutions for today&#039 / s mass-housing problems.

A study made by Johansson, Fast-Berglund and Moestam (in press) shows that diversity regarding how information is used exists in global production networks. To be closer to markets, organizations have chosen to globalize their business which is one reason for why diversity arises. This because product types and brands historically have been different. One company that is currently working with improving consistency among processes is Volvo Group Trucks Operations (GTO). The company wants to evaluate how the process for preparing assembly work instructions looks like at different sites within their production network. This enables Volvo GTO to start their work towards a standardized process and uniformity. A starting point for this is to make a current state analysis of the process for preparing assembly work instructions when producing Volvo trucks, engines and transmissions in Sweden. The purpose is to identify key activities within the process and important factors to consider when standardizing the process. This is done on three sites, one for each area. Volvo GTO is the part of the Volvo Group that covers all production of engines and transmissions as well as the production of Volvo, Renault, Mack, and UD trucks. In 2012 the group choose to reorganize from brand based where each brand was an own organization to joint units, for example center of development, operations etc. This has led to a greater need of one common process for preparing assembly work instructions in order to create uniformity among the brands Volvo, Renault, Mack, and UD trucks. The result of the current state analysis shows that the process for preparing assembly work instructions is differently performed depending on the site studied. Despite this, some activities in each process are similar. These were found to be: design, review, time setting, time analysis, balancing, station marking, create assembly work instructions, and share information. Since some activities actually are similar, it would be possible to standardize the process for preparing assembly work instructions in the future. Important to consider when standardizing a process is to create awareness and involvement among employees. It is also important to have the management committed as well as uniformity among IT systems used when performing a process. One last thing to consider is that the process needs to be adaptable because sites are located all over the world and have different culture and regulations. / En studie gjord av Johansson, Fast-Berglund och Moestam (i tryck) visar variation i hur information hanteras i globala produktionsnätverk. För att komma närmre marknader har organisationer valt att globalisera sin verksamhet, vilket är en anledning till varför variation uppstår. Detta eftersom produkttyper och märken historiskt har varit annorlunda. Ett företag som för närvarande arbetar med att förbättra enhetligheten mellan processer är Volvo Group Trucks Operations (GTO). De vill utvärdera hur processen för framställning av monteringsarbetsinstruktioner ser ut på olika siter inom produktionsnätverket. Detta gör det möjligt för Volvo GTO att starta sitt arbete mot en standardiserad process och enhetlighet mellan siter. En början i detta arbete är att göra en nulägesanalys av processen för framställning av monteringsarbetsinstruktioner vid produktion av Volvo lastvagnar, motorer och växellådor i Sverige. Syftet är att identifiera nyckelaktiviteter inom processen och viktiga faktorer att tänka på när man standardisera processen. Detta sker på tre siter, en inom varje område. Volvo GTO är den del av Volvokoncernen som omfattar all tillverkning av motorer och växellådor samt produktion av Volvo, Renault, Mack och UD lastvagnar. År 2012 valde Volvokoncernen att omorganisera från varumärkesbaserad till organisatoriska enheter, till exempel utveckling, tillverkning etc. Detta har lett till ett ökat behov av en gemensam process för framställning av monteringsarbetsinstruktioner för att skapa enhetlighet mellan varumärkena. Resultatet av denna nulägesanalys visar att processen för framställning av monteringsarbetsinstruktioner utförs annorlunda beroende på siten som studerats. Trots detta är vissa aktiviteter i varje process liknande. Dessa visade sig vara: design, granskning, tidsättning, tidsanalys, balansering, stationsmärkning, skapa monteringsarbetsinstruktioner och dela information. Eftersom vissa aktiviteter faktiskt är lika skulle det vara möjligt att standardisera processen för framställning av monteringsarbetsinstruktioner i framtiden. Viktigt att tänka på när man standardisera en process är att skapa medvetenhet och engagemang bland medarbetarna. Det är också viktigt att ha ledningens engagement och stöd samt enhetlighet mellan IT system som används för att utföra processen. En sista sak att tänka på är att processen måste kunna anpassas då siter är placerade över hela världen och har olika kultur och lagar. / GAIS (Global Assembly Instruction Strategy)

Investigating the organization of production systems can reveal much about a society, in particular how resources and labor were allocated, and the influence that economic, political, social, and ceremonial institutions had on the production process. Interpreting the nature of specialized production is useful for understanding how production was organized. In turn, the degree of standardization exhibited by the goods being produced is used to determine the nature of specialization. While archaeological research regarding specialized production has expanded over time to incorporate a wide range of societies, such research is often focused on complex societies. The research presented here focuses on the small-scale, or non-stratified, community that once inhabited the Kolomoki site, a Middle to Late Woodland period site in Early county, Georgia. This thesis utilizes a three-dimensional laser scanner to document Weeden Island pottery from Kolomoki. The digital images created by the scanner were used to measure incising and punctation marks. The measurements were then analyzed in order to determine the extent of standardization among the decorative attributes. Results suggest that standardization varies among different subsamples of pottery. However, the overall degree of standardization is relatively low, thus suggesting that specialized production may not have existed, or was very limited, at Kolomoki. Despite the limited extent of standardization among the decorative attributes, the results of this research, especially in conjunction with previous research, suggest that some pottery may have been afforded special attention during the production process. In particular, pottery from mound proveniences, and socially valued goods, notably sacred and prestige items, demonstrate higher degrees of standardization. This leads to the conclusion that the production of Weeden Island pottery was likely influenced by ritual and ceremonial activity within the Kolomoki community. This thesis contributes to a greater understanding of specialization in non-stratified Woodland period societies in the southeastern United States.

Currently, the transplantation of islets of Langerhans is a viable means to maintain control of blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of hypoglycemia in defined populations with brittle type I diabetes mellitus or those requiring pancreatectomy. However, the process of islet isolation is highly variable and not all isolations result in islet numbers or quality suitable for transplantation. This thesis aimed to improve transplantation success through optimization and standardization of the isolation process and to identify pretransplant variables associated with early islet engraftment. A previously disregarded enzyme activity, tryptic-like activity (TLA), has been identified to influence pancreas digestion efficiency and islet isolation success in both the preclinical and clinical situations. For human pancreases, islet isolation success rates improved from 0% in the lowest TLA group to over 50% in the highest TLA groups without affecting islet quality. These findings should help standardize evaluation of enzymes for clinical islet isolation. A closed, automated, pump-made gradient system was compared to the open, manual method for islet separation. No differences were observed in expected gradient volumes, islet yields or total purities between the two methods. The pump-made gradient system successfully removed manual influences on density gradient production while fulfilling regulatory requirements for closed system processing. Islet quantification was evaluated with computer-assisted digital imaging analysis (DIA) and a semi-closed assessment system. By using the DIA system method, which measures islet purity and pellet volume instead of manual counting methods, variation in islet counts and purity reduced by almost half. By using a transplant outcome measurement of C-peptide adjusted by blood glucose and creatinine, we identified four pretransplant factors that affect early transplant outcome. Of the four factors, one was related to the organ transport time, one to function of the islets, and two to the transplanted tissue volume. When these four factors were put into a predictive model, it accounted for about 40% of the transplant outcome. The work contained in this thesis identifies and optimizes a number of critical elements related to islet isolation and transplantation protocols.

Cette thèse analyse l’évolution des imaginaires de la grossesse depuis 40 ans ainsi que certaines de ses incidences sociales.La science embryologiste avait installé depuis le 19ième siècle une tradition de représentation réaliste du foetus humain. Au cours de la 2ième moitié du 20ième, les choses semblent changer. En 1970, les photos de Lennart Nilsson notamment ont coloré, autonomisé, esthétisé et humanisé le foetus. En France, le ‟foetus anatomique” s’est vu par ailleurs retiré des muséums, son image s’absente du ‟Larousse médical illustré” et des manuels de sciences naturelles. Quant au foetus présent dans l’art contemporain, il est surdimensionné ou dégoûtant : ce qui ressemble donc le plus à un ‟vrai” foetus se déréalise. L’haptonomie et certaines technologies autour de la grossesse vont accentuer ces modifications de l’image du foetus au profit des imaginaires parentaux.Les effets sociaux de cette idéalisation foetale sont variés. L’humanisation du ‟beau foetus” enlaidissant l’anomalie, la hantise maternelle du ‟monstre foetal” est d’avantage intériorisée et trouble le travail en médecine foetale. Leur refus de l’anomalie devenant plus implicite, médecins et parents adoptent un langage euphémisé. Mais même l’image du foetus avorté s’humanise. Elle devient émouvante. Quand un foetus est condamné, il faudra donc le réparer, concrètement et symboliquement. Les soignants qui invitent les parents à voir le foetus après sa mort vont le présenter comme un bébé dormant, réparé de ses malformations. Certaines mères, surtout quand elles envisagent une nouvelle grossesse, le représentent alors comme un ange, cet ange devenu omniprésent sur les forums Internet.Ce dispositif questionne les sociétés contemporaines : les spécialistes de médecine foetale se retrouvent aujourd’hui confrontés à certains parents refusant la naissance d’un enfant atteint de malformations sans gravité. Au miroir de leur bébé surgit un indicible : l’horreur d’un foetus porteur d’anomalie. L’esthétisation ne rend-elle pas les imaginaires de l’anomalie d’autant plus puissants qu’ils n’ont plus d’espace, autre que le for intérieur, pour se déployer ? / This thesis analyses the evolution of imagination of the pregnancy for forty years as well as some of its social incidences.The science embryologist had installed since the 19 th century a realist tradition of presentation of the human foetus. During half of the 20 th, things seem to change. In 1970, the photographs of Lennart Nilsson in particular coloured, empowered, aestheticized and humanized the foetus. In France, the ‟anatomical foetus” saw itself besides out-of- the way of the museums, its image absent in in the ‟illustrated medical Larousse” and the textbooks of natural sciences. As for the foetus present in the contempory art, it is oversized or disgusting : what looks like mots of ‟real” foetus derealises. The haptonomy and certain technologies around the pregnancy are going to stress these modifications of the image of the foetus for the benefit of parental imagination.The social effects of the foetal idealization are varied. The humanisation of the ‟beautiful foetus” making ugly anomaly, the maternal obsession of the ‟foetal monster” is more interiorized and discorders work in foetal medicine. Their refusal of anomaly becoming more implicit, doctors and parents adopt an euphemized language. But, even the image of the aborted foetus fallen through humanizes. It becomes moving. When a foetus is condemned, it will thus have to be repaired concretely and symbolically. The nursing who invite the relatives to see the foetus after his death will present him as a sleeping baby, repaired by his deformations. Certain mother especially when they envisage a new pregnancy, represent him then as an angel, this angel become omnipresent on the Internet forums.This dispositf questions the contemporary societies : the specialists of foetal medicine are faced with certain parents refusing the birth of a child affected by deformations without gravity. In the miror of their baby appears an unspeakable : the horror of an expanding foetus of anomaly. Does not the esthetisation make the imagination of the anomaly all the more powerful as they do not have more space other than the heart of hearts to spread ?

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Orientador: Denis Domeneghetti Badia / Banca: José Carlos de Paula Carvalho / Banca: Myrla Fonsi / Banca: Dulce Consuelo Andreatta Whitaker / Banca: Paula Ramos-de-Oliveira / Resumo: Esta pesquisa, intitulada "Música, Educação e Indústria Cultural: o loteamento do espaço sonoro no espaço escolar", estudou o uso sistemático das possibilidades de comunicação sonora, com ênfase para as produções musicais padronizadas pela indústria cultural e para a presença da tecnologia. A este uso deu o nome de "loteamento do espaço sonoro". A partir da Teoria Crítica - principalmente de Adorno - foi elaborado um trabalho de compatibilização paradigmática entre os fundamentos da Teoria Crítica, os estudos antropológicos de Garcia Canclini e entre autores e músicos contemporâneos. Tal compatibilização possibilitou cunhar, no ambito teórico, o termo "loteamento do espaço sonoro" como um dos fenômenos da indústria cultural hodierna. Na pesquisa de campo o mesmo termo assumiu a função e o sentido de categoria de análise, para a pesquisa qualitativa, com abordagem antropológica, que identificou especificidades do fenômeno do loteamento do espaço sonoro dentro do espaço escolar. Duas escolas de ensino fundamental, sendo uma pública e uma particular, foram os principais campos para a coleta de dados, que utilizou observação livre, observação do repertório musical, entrevistas semiestruturadas, testes de percepção musical e levantamento do acervo sonoromusical / Abstract: This research, entitled "Music, Education and Culture Industry: the blending of the sound space in the school," studied the systematic use of the possibilities of acoustic communication with emphasis on music productions for the cultural industry and standardized for the presence of technology. In this usage gave the name "blend of sonic space." From the Critical Theory - mainly Adorno - was an elaborate work of compatibility between the paradigmatic foundations of Critical Theory, anthropological studies of Garcia Canclini and contemporary authors and musicians. This compatibilization allowed to mint, in the theoretical realm, the term "blend of the sound space" as one of the phenomena of cultural industry today. In the field research took the same term the function and meaning of a category of analysis for qualitative research, an anthropological approach, which identified specific characteristics of the phenomenon of blending the sound space within the school environment. Two elementary schools, one public and one private, were the main fields for data collection, which used free observation, observation of the musical repertoire, semi-structured interviews, tests of musical perception survey and collection of sound-musical / Doutor