This study sought to determine the feasibility of introducing bamboo as a raw material to supplement the dwindling stock of traditional timber species for Ghana's forest products industry. First, the CEOs of the leading exporters of tertiary and panel products in the industry were canvassed to assess the current situation. Using descriptive statistics, it was discovered that the companies studied consume logs 12% in excess of the annual allowable timber harvest for the whole industry. There has been a drop in raw material availability and a 30% increase in raw material costs in the past five years. Harvest of lesser-used species in place of traditional species has also increased. Smaller companies have lost customers and are more restrained in raw material procurement. Next, barriers to the adoption of bamboo as a raw material perceived by the CEOs and institutional heads were identified. The major barriers perceived by CEOs include lack of information (e.g., on bamboo plantation management, products, processing, machines and markets) and lack of capital for investment. Institutions lack adequate information about bamboo technology and policy; they have research needs, (e.g., training, funding, laboratory equipment) and collaboration from all stakeholders. Institutions have done little to promote bamboo. Smaller companies were found to be more innovative in product development than larger companies. Companies located in the Ashanti region show higher propensity to engage in process innovation and product development. Companies appear to be receptive to initiatives that encourage bamboo adoption. In the current situation, few companies are willing to adopt bamboo but most companies are ready to adopt in the future if the existing barriers are mitigated. In the current situation, it is difficult for the industry to adopt bamboo until the government officially specifies roles for institutions and other stakeholders to make a compelling case for bamboo. Suggestions made for policymaking and change management include strategies for the creation of awareness, desire and knowledge for bamboo. Others include providing resources to enhance the ability of companies and institutions to adopt or promote bamboo, and reinforcing the change from timber to bamboo. / Ph. D.

Kunskap har kommit att bli ansedd som en strategiskt viktig tillgång för organisationer. I projektbaserade organisationer där projekt bedrivs fristående har problem med att  systematiskt integrera ett arbete med kunskapsöverföring identifierats. Projekt kan beskrivas som fristående organisationer utan historia vilket medför att kunskap inom projektet måste skapas under projektets gång om den inte inhämtas utifrån. Denna studie adresserar utmaningen med att bedriva en effektiv kunskapsöverföring inom organisationer. Då många satsningar på kunskapsöverföring misslyckas syftar denna studie därför till att undersöka hur kunskapsöverföring kan bli en integrerad del av en projektbaserad organisation. För att uppfylla syftet med studien har en fallstudie genomförts på Försvarets Materielverk i Stockholm. I studien har processen för kunskapsöverföring analyserats där de ingående delarna i processen identifierats. Vidare har även de faktorer som påverkar integrering av ett bredare arbete med kunskapsöverföring identifierats. Utifrån processen för kunskapsöverföring och dess påverkande faktorer har en strategi för arbetet med kunskapsöverföring inom en projektbaserad organisation presenterats. Det empiriska materialet har inhämtats via intervjuer, en enkätundersökning samt interna dokument. Resultatet från den empiriska datainsamlingen visar att det är flera parametrar som måste samverka med varandra för att kunskapsöverföring ska bli en integrerad del av en projektbaserad organisation. Inom den studerade organisationen ses barriärer som förhindrar effektivt tillvaratagande, distribuering, lagring och återvinning av kunskap. För att hantera dessa barriärer och möjliggöra en utveckling av kunskapsöverföringen inom organisationen ges följande rekommendationer till organisationsledningen: Styrning för kunskapsöverföring från organisationsledningen för att uppnå ett systematiskt arbete med kunskapsöverföring i organisationens projekt. Skapa funktionella förutsättningar i projekt för att utgöra en grund för hur arbetet med kunskapsöverföring ska bedrivas Arbeta långsiktigt då en förändringsprocess är tidskrävande / Knowledge has in recent years become considered as a strategically important asset for organizations. In project-based organizations, a problem with a systematic integration of knowledge management has been identified. Projects can be described as separate organizations without history, which means that knowledge must be created within the project if it is not acquired from the outside. This study addresses the challenge with conducting effective knowledge management within organizations. As many efforts in knowledge management fail, the aim of this study is therefore to investigate how knowledge management can become an integrated process of a project-based organization. In order to fulfill the purpose of the study, a case study at the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration has been conducted. The study has analyzed the process of knowledge transfer, where the components of the process have been identified. Furthermore, factors affecting the integration of a broader work with Knowledge Management have been identified. Based on the process of Knowledge Management, together with the factors affecting the process, a strategy for working with Knowledge Management in a project-based organization has been presented. The empirical material is gathered through interviews, a survey and internal documents. The result shows that there are several parameters that must interact in order for Knowledge Management to become an integrated process in a project-based organization. Within the studied organization, barriers that prevent effective acquisition, distribution, storage and retrieval of knowledge, are identified. To address these barriers and enable development of the Knowledge Management process within the organization, the following recommendations are given to the management of the organization.  Governance for Knowledge Management from organizational management in order to achieve a systematic approach to Knowledge Management within the projects.  Create functional prerequisites in order to provide a basis for how the Knowledge Management process is to be conducted.  Work with a long-term perspective, as change processes takes time.

It is widely believed that eHealth will play a vital role in the development and shaping of healthcare systems in the twenty first century. However, despite all documented reports and benefits of eHealth technologies, many attempts to extend successful pilot projects have not sufficiently met promised results and to a large extent failed. The purpose of this study is to investigate the Centre for Rheumatology’s current implementation process of eHealth services in order to identify success factors and improvement areas. To reach the purpose, the research was delimitated to solely focus on the eHealth service Patient Self-Test and the implementation of it at the care unit.The research was conducted as a case study with a qualitative approach based on the notion of induction. The research process consisted of three major areas: pre-study, literature review and qualitative interviews. The pre-study was based on interviews with different actors within the health care industry in Sweden to provide an academic, political and business perspective of the research area. The literature review focused on the areas eHealth and change management and empirical data was gathered through qualitative interviews. Moreover, to have a tool for analysis, a research framework named 4 Seasons Model was developed.The results of the thesis indicate on a gap between how the literature advocates the implementation of transitional changes, and how it is currently done at Centre for Rheumatology’s. Based on an analysis from a 4 Seasons Model perspective, three success factors and seven improvement areas have been identified in Centre for Rhematology’s current implementation process of the Patient Self-Test.

Purpose - The thesis determined how policy implementation and change management can be improved in Nigeria, with the health insurance scheme as the basis for narrative exploration. It sets out the similarities and differences in assumptions between supra-national organisations such as the World Bank and World Health Organisation on policy implementation and change management and those contained in the Nigerian national health policy; and those of people responsible for implementation in Nigerian organisations at a) the federal or national level and b) at sub-federal service delivery levels of the health insurance scheme. The study provides a framework of the dimensions that should be considered in policy implementation and change management in Nigeria, the nature of structural and infrastructural problems and wider societal context, and the ways in which conceptions of organisations and the variables that impact on organisations¿ capability to engage in policy implementation and change management differ from those in the West. Design/methodology/approach - A qualitative approach in the form of a case study was used to track the transformation of a policy into practice through examining the assumptions and expectations about policy implementation of the organisations financing the policy's implementation through an examination of relevant documents concerning policy, strategy and guidelines on change management and policy implementation from these global organisations, and the Nigerian national health policy document. The next stages of field visits explored the assumptions, expectations and experiences of a) policy makers, government officials, senior managers and civil servants responsible for implementing policy in federal-level agencies through an interview programme and observations; and b) those of sub-federal or local-level managers responsible for service-level policy implementation of the health insurance scheme through an interview programme. Findings - There are conflicts between the rational linear approaches to change management and policy implementation advocated by supra-nationals, which argue that these processes can be controlled and managed by the rational autonomous individual, and the narratives of those who have personal experience of the quest for 'health for all'. The national health policy document mirrors the ideology of the global organisations that emphasise reform, efficiencies and private enterprise. However, the assumptions of these global organisations have little relevance to a Nigerian societal and organisational context, as experienced by the senior officials and managers interviewed. The very nature of organisations is called into question in a Nigerian context, and the problems of structure and infrastructure and ethnic and religious divisions in society seep into organisations, influencing how organisation is enacted. Understandings of the purpose and function of leadership and the workforce are also brought into question. Additionally, there are religion-based barriers to policy implementation, change management and organisational life which are rarely experienced in the West. Furthermore, in the absence of future re-orientation, the concept of strategy and vision seems redundant, as is the rationale for a health insurance scheme for the majority of the population. The absence of vision and credible information further hinder attempts to make decisions or to define the basis for determining results. Practical implications - The study calls for a revised approach to engaging with Nigerian organisations and an understanding of what specific terms mean in that context. For instance, the definitions and understanding of organisations and capacity are different from those used in the West and, as such, bring into question the relevance and applicability of Western-derived models or approaches to policy implementation and change management. A framework with four dimensions - societal context, external influences, seven organisational variables and infrastructural/structural problems - was devised to capture the particular ambiguities and complexities of Nigerian organisations involved in policy implementation and change management. Originality/value - This study combines concepts in management studies with those in policy studies, with the use of narrative approaches to the understanding of policy implementation and change management in a Nigerian setting. Elements of culture, religion and ethical values are introduced to further the understanding of policy making and implementation in non-Western contexts.

This thesis examines and develops a proposed manufacturing system methodology and quality control for the design, planning, scheduling and implementation of the Thermiculite 866 high volume manufacturing line, through the use of Lean Manufacturing, Total Quality Management and Change Management principles. The concept under investigation extends to the analysis of flow production benefits and restrictions considering specific characteristics of the product. A novel factory design methodology is proposed to achieve required production volumes and cost effective implementation. Furthermore, high product quality levels are warranted by developing a Strategic Alignment of Quality Function Deployment which brings commercial awareness to the early stages in the product/process development, and reduces the time to market it whilst promoting long-term solutions. The process and the layout design are supported by a proposed Batch/Flow Comparative Matrix. As a result, the proposed factory design methodologies and management of change introduced in the organization led to a successful production system design as well as controlled implementation according to stakeholders requirements. The design and partial implementation of the Thermiculite 866 production line illustrates the effectiveness of the methodology proposed in this thesis to manage and design the equipment and quality for the future Thermiculite production line. / Technology Strategy Board for the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP)

Mergers and acquisitions have become very popular in recent decades for firms seeking competitive advantage. The high failure rates of these initiatives make a closer look at the influence of the human factors and their complexity on these change activities necessary. This study traces the development of merger and acquisition activities in four companies, with a particular focus on individuals’ sensemaking over time and on the influence of human functional factors on the process and the outcomes of the mergers reviewed. A qualitative case-study approach is adopted with sixteen in-depth semistructured interviews in four post-merger organisations. The analysis of the collected primary data is done through a descriptive analysis of each individual case and a cross-case analysis of the four investigated cases. The findings show that there is a direct influence of the researched human functional elements and of the individual sensemaking on both the process and outcomes of the reviewed merger and acquisition cases. Based on the findings, a human functional merger and acquisition model – reflecting the interaction and influence of the human functional elements – and a management guideline for adopting this, are developed. This study provides a review of the influence of some significant organisational and individual human functional elements, such as leadership, communication, decision-making, relationship, and individual beliefs, values, attitudes and learning on the process and outcome of mergers and acquisitions. Such an investigation of these elements and their complexity, interaction with and influence on the process and outcome of change initiatives, and more specifically in the context of mergers and acquisitions, has not been undertaken previously.

This thesis tries to provide a comparative study and complimentary data analysis into the effectiveness of game design patterns such as LEGO Serious Play, Leaderboards and Collective voting in terms of the impact that gamification has in change management framework. The study is looking at how gamification impacts employees from a motivational and engagement, in change management tasks, perspective. In a first instance, the researcher/author references and reviews key theories such as theory of fun for game design, motivational theory and change theory. Furthermore, a literature search/review for those theories has taken place to identify what the current scientific base has captured around gamification impact in engagement, motivation and performance of individuals and all potential limitations as well. This led to a clear and specific existing baseline framework. At a later stage, researcher/author describes the research strategy and methodology used to apply three specific gamification techniques to a real organisation (participants – n=20) which delivers change and is going through a transformation process. This included two different data collection methods; semi-structured interviews with organisation’s employees and participant observations within the organisation’s headquarters offices. The participant observation data collection compliments the interviews’ one, which acted as the primary method. The study examines the impact the gamification techniques had on the organisation’s employees while they deliver change daily, their interactions within sessions and meetings, decision making events and other. Findings, through the thematic analysis process, include the participants’ feedback on their overall experience, reward and joyfulness when use gamification. Results show that gamification tools and techniques compliment positively employees within the change management framework, increasing the enjoyment of participation in change activities without increasing competitiveness and also enables more effective decision making. It is important to highlight that creativity seems that is increased as well, through gamification application. It is hoped that knowledge and understanding of the impact of gamification techniques in change management framework could be found useful in an industry related environment and the results of this study could be extended to other areas as well.

The study aimed to develop the knowledge and provide a broader understanding of how management consultants (MC) manage strategic change, by examining their approach in relation to their function in strategic change processes. The literature review explored the function of MCs as change agents from four perspectives: standards setters, information sources, knowledge integrators, and knowledge brokers. Highlighting the client-consultant relationship as an aspect within their function. Additionally, the planned and emergent approach to change was presented. Based on the presented concepts, a conceptual framework was developed. A qualitative approach was taken where semi-structured interviews were conducted with MCs from different consulting firms to gather relevant data. Finally, the data was structured and thematically analyzed through our conceptual model.   There is no one-size-fits-all regarding managing strategic change. MCs focus on recognizing the unique context of each change process and client, implying that the MCs can function differently in different change processes. Furthermore, MCs approach strategic change processes in relation to their function as change agents by utilizing activities from both planned- and emergent activities, depending on the specific function they perceive they have.

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