This thesis examines a middle manager’s response to strategic directives on integrated care in a National Health Service (NHS) organisation and the development of an awareness of prejudice that acknowledges its relationship to the process of understanding. The research focuses on an integration of two community NHS trusts and an NHS hospital trust into one integrated care organisation (ICO). A change programme was initiated and promulgated on an assumption that integrating the three organisations would facilitate integrated care. However, despite the use of organisational change approaches (such as communication plans and systematic approaches to staff engagement), implementing the strategy directives in practice remained problematic. What emerged during the integration process was resistance to change and a clear division in the different ways of working in the community NHS trusts versus the community and hospital trusts – differences that became apparent from the prejudices of individuals and staff groups. The proposition is that prejudice is an important aspect of relationships whose significance in processes of change is often overlooked. I argue that prejudice is a phenomenon that emerges in the processes of particularisation, which I describe as an ongoing exploration and negotiation in our day-to-day activities of relating to one another. Our pejorative understanding of the term ‘prejudice’ has overshadowed more subtle connotations, which I propose are unhelpful in understanding change in organisations. However, I suggest a different way of thinking about prejudice – namely as a process that should be acknowledged as a characteristic of human beings relating to one another, which has the potential to generate and enhance understanding. The research is a narrative-based inquiry and describes critical incidents during the integration process of the three organisations and focusing on interactions between key staff members within the organisation. In paying attention to our ongoing relationships, there has been a growing awareness of disconnection from traditional management practices, which advocate systematic approaches and staff engagement techniques that are designed to encourage cooperation and reduce resistance to proposed change. This thesis challenges assumptions surrounding prejudice and how middle managers traditionally manage organisational change in practice in their attempts to apply deterministic approaches (which assume a linear causality) to control and influence human behaviour. I have taken into consideration a hermeneutic perspective on prejudice, drawing on the work of Hans Georg Gadamer, and have argued from the viewpoint of the theory of complex responsive processes. This offers an alternative way of thinking about management as social processes that are emergent in our daily interactions with one another, that are not based on linear causality, or on locating leadership and management with individuals. It provides a way of taking seriously the relationships between individuals by paying attention to what emerges from the interplay of our expectations and intentions. This leads to a different way of thinking about the relationship between prejudice and strategic directives, which I argue are not fixed instructions but unpredictable articulations of our gestures and responses that emanate from social interaction and continually iterate our thinking over time. This paradoxically influences how we make generalisations and particularise them in reflecting on and revising our expectation of meaning I suggest that it is not possible to predetermine a strategic outcome; and that traditional management practice, which locates change with individuals – and reduces aspects of organisational life, such as resistance, into a problem to be fixed – obscures our capacity to understand the processes of organisational change in the context of a much wider social phenomenon. I therefore conclude that my original and significant contribution to the theory of complex responsive processes and to practice is encouraging a different way of thinking about prejudice – as a process that can be productive and generate understanding, when considered as encompassing our expectations of meaning, linked to our own self-interests. This then opens up possibilities for transforming ourselves in relation to others – and, through this process, to transform the organisations in which we work.

Overcoming resistance to change is crucial for organizational changes. In manufacturing companies, changes and digital transformations are more frequently occurring and in faster paces. The purpose of this thesis is to study how digital transformations can be implemented successfully in manufacturing organizations by analyzing important factors and strategies in change management and offer solutions for deficient processes. This thesis is an inductive qualitative case study. The theories brought up in this thesis are regarding change management, digital transformation, the theory of planned behavior, the psychological contract, employee involvement and digital design, all regarding change management. By analyzing the organizations implementation-, change management- and digital transformation processes, important factors were extracted to develop the organizations digital transformation strategy. A total of 10 interviews were held with team leaders and production leaders and 4 observations were held. The collected data and researched theories were analyzed to fill the discovered gaps in the organizations change management. The results show that there are gaps in the communication within the organization and a deficient communication chain. Results show that there is a selective involvement of employees in new implementation- and digital transformation processes and that regularly involved employees in new implementation processes and digitalization initiatives show more positive expectations and attitudes towards change whilst uninvolved employees expressed more negative. The results also show that the absence of support functions such as HR, ergonomics, IT technicians etc. in the evening shifts may contribute to role ambiguity and role conflict in the evening shift production leaders and contribute to resistance to change due to added workload and insufficient support. By involving more employees and departments in implementation processes, standardizing communication methods and engaging support functions in the evening shift new digital transformation initiatives can be implemented more successfully. / Att övervinna motståndet mot förändringar är avgörande för organisatoriska förändringar. I tillverkningsföretag sker förändringar och digitala transformationer oftare och i ökande takt. Syftet med detta examensarbetet är att studera hur digitala transformationer framgångsrikt kan implementeras i tillverkande organisationer genom att analysera viktiga faktorer och strategier inom förändringsledning och erbjuda lösningar till bristfälliga processer. Denna avhandling är en induktiv kvalitativ fallstudie. Teorierna som tas upp i detta examensarbete gäller förändringsledning, digitala transformationer, teorin om planerat beteende, psykologiska kontrakt, medarbetarengagemant och digital design, allt med avseende på förändringsledning. Genom att analysera organisationens implementerings-, förädringslednings- och digitala transformationsprocesser extraherades viktiga faktorer för att utveckla organisationens digitala transformationsstrategi. Totalt hölls 10 intervjuer med lagledare och produktionsledare och 4 observationer genomfördes. Den insamlade data och de studerade teorierna analyserades för att fylla de upptäckta gapen i organisationens förändringsledning. Resultaten visar att det finns gap i kommunikationen inom organisationen och en bristfällig kommunikationskedja. Resultat visar att det finns ett selektivt engagemang av medarbetare i nya implementerings- och digitala transformationsprocesser och att regelbundet involverade medarbetare i nya implementeringar och digitaliseringsinitiativ visar mer positiva förväntningar och attityder till förändring medan oengagerade medarbetare uttryckte sig mer negativa. Resultaten visar också att frånvaron av stödfunktioner som HR, ergonomer, IT-tekniker etc. på kvällspassen kan bidra till rolloklarhet och rollkonflikt hos kvällsskiftets produktionsledare och bidra till motstånd mot förändring på grund av ökad arbetsbelastning och otillräckligt stöd. Genom att involvera fler medarbetare och avdelningar i implementeringsprocesser, standardisera kommunikationsmetoder och engagera stödfunktioner i kvällsskiftet kan nya digitala transformationsinitiativ implementeras mer framgångsrikt.

The Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry is passive in employing innovative technologies and conducting change efforts. As a result, numerous companies in the AEC industry do not exploit many of the benefits, which otherwise can be achieved with digital innovations. When engaging with digital innovations, it is suggested to understand and verify the organizational capabilities of implementing new technologies instead of merely the capacity of the latest technologies considered. It is essential for organizations that go digital, to recognize a need for digital change while identifying the organizational obstacles that potentially can obstruct their change attempts. Hence, activities related to promoting and adopting new, innovative technologies are in practice concerned with change efforts, and challenges regarding how to implement and influence individuals to embrace them, thus making the best use of a considered digital tool. This research thesis explores how consultancy companies in the AEC industry are coping with the adoption and implemention of digital innovations. By taking the consultancy firm’s perspective, the thesis identifies, analyzes and addresses the main organizational obstacles that hinder digital adoption within the AEC industry. Methodologically, this research thesis builds on a qualitative single case study approach, seeking to achieve an understanding and analytical capability instead of a generalization. The qualitative means used involve 13 semi-structured interviews with employees at a Case Company as well as external experts working with digitalization and change management. Besides, through a literature review, the thesis compares and analyzes the findings from the interviews and how they are interrelated to existing literature regarding implementing digital innovations. The empirical results indicate that a main obstacle for implementing digital innovations at consultancy firms in the AEC industry is related to an inadequately articulated and mediated vision regarding the digital transformation process and the change required. The results show that the initiated and planned change projects are not systematically shared and communicated among the Case Company’s teams, and individuals alike. So, the practices for how the employees appropriately can proceed with an idea related to digital innovation are not widely understood nor shared. Accordingly, there is a lack of knowledge among managers and employees on why they should engage in digital change projects and how this can be done appropriately. Lastly, there is also a lack of time as well as financial and personal incentives allocated towards working with digital change. This research thesis emphasizes that an organizational vision, strategy, and procedures must be realized and mediated to all teams and individuals who are involved or affected by a digital change to address these obstacles. Managers and leaders need to foster the creation of change readiness required for the digital transformation process. This involves providing coworkers with sufficient prerequisites, mediating the change process and helping them to embrace it. For example, a) by explaining the benefits and the need for change, b) communicating and systematically informing the teams and individuals with the opportunities to develop necessary competences, and c) by offering guidance and managerial support. Still, it is essential to continuously evaluate change efforts to ensure that their outcome is valuable, instead of merely convincing individuals about the necessity of conducting a change. / Arkitektur, Ingenjör och Konstruktion (AEC) industrin beskrivs som passiv gällande att använda innovativ teknik och genomföra digital förändring. Därmed är det många företag inom AEC industrin som inte utnyttjar de fördelar som annars hade kunnat uppnås med digitala innovationer. När ett företag arbetar med digitala innovationer föreslås att man förstår och verifierar de organisatoriska kapaciteterna för att implementera en ny teknik istället för bara kapaciteten för den senaste teknologin som beaktas. För organisationer som strävar efter att bli digitalt adoptiva är det viktigt att urskilja ett behov om digital förändring och samtidigt identifiera de organisatoriska utmaningarna som potentiellt kan hindra deras förändringsförsök. När en verksamhet eftersträvar att främja och anta nya innovativa tekniker, så är det i praktiken ofta utmanande att influera individer att omfamna förändringen som dessa teknologier medför, och därmed utnyttja ett betraktat digitalt verktyg bäst. Denna forskningsuppsats undersöker hur konsultföretag i AEC-industrin klarar av implementeringen av digitala innovationer. Genom att ta ett konsultföretags perspektiv identifierar, analyserar och besvarar denna forskningsuppsats de viktigaste organisatoriska utmaningarna som hindrar digital adoption inom AEC-industrin. Forskningsmetoden bygger på en kvalitativ fallstudie som syftar till att uppnå en förståelse och analytisk förmåga istället för en generalisering. De kvalitativa medel som används involverar 13 semistrukturerade intervjuer med anställda på ett Case-företag samt externa experter som arbetar med digitalisering och förändringshantering. Genom att också utföra en litteraturstudie jämförs och analyseras resultaten från intervjuerna, samt hur de är relaterade till befintlig litteratur gällande implementering av digital innovation. Resultat visar att ett huvudhinder för att implementera digitala innovationer, för konsultföretag inom AEC-industrin, är en otillräckligt artikulerad och förmedlad vision om den digitala transformationsprocessen och den förändring som krävs. Planerade och påbörjade förändringsprojekt delas och kommuniceras inte heller systematiskt mellan Case-företagets teams och individer. Dessutom förstås eller delas inte metoderna för hur de anställda på ett lämpligt sätt kan gå vidare med en idé relaterad till digital innovation. Följaktligen saknas kunskap bland chefer och anställda om varför de ska engagera sig i digitala förändringsprojekt och hur detta kan göras på ett lämpligt sätt. Det saknas också tid såväl som ekonomiska och personliga incitament för att arbeta med digital förändring. För att hantera dessa hinder betonar denna forskningsuppsats att en organisatorisk vision, strategi och tillvägagångssätt måste realiseras och tydligt förmedlas till alla teams och individer som är involverade eller påverkade av en digital förändring. Chefer och ledare måste främja skapandet av en förändringsberedskap som krävs för den digitala transformationsprocessen. Detta involverar att ge kollegor tillräckliga förutsättningar, förmedla förändringsprocessen och hjälpa dem omfamna den. Till exempel, a) genom att förklara fördelarna och behovet av förändring, b) kommunicera och systematiskt informera teams och individer om möjligheterna för att utveckla nödvändiga kompetenser, c) genom att erbjuda vägledning och ledarstöd. Det är dock fortfarande viktigt att kontinuerligt utvärdera förändringsinsatser för att se till att deras resultat är värdefulla, istället för att endast övertyga individer om nödvändigheten av att genomföra en förändring.

The dissertation discusses the impact of change management during the implementation of an IT system. The theoretical part of the dissertation is aimed at gaining information about human performance, and the implications during the implementation of the system, and also post-implementation. Literature suggests that the human factor is the key to the successful implementation of system projects. The study, which is qualitative in nature, makes use of face-to-face interviews for the collection of evidence, as well as questionnaires as add-on tools to support the underlying constructs and research questions posed within the study. The use of data obtained from the research interviews, as well as survey data, has provided the research study with the necessary validity, reliabilityand trustworthy data to support the research results, findings – and to be able to make some recommendations. The reason for the failure of system implementation projects is often due to poor implementation during the project. It is important to place the importance of people on a par with technology and processes. A holistic approach would be the most likely to result in the acceptance – and the efficient and effective use of the implemented system. Communication, training and management participation are common means of addressingany fears of change, and to build trust. This information should be utilised by project teams during implementation projects, as it should help to provide the necessary framework to ensure the success of the change initiatives. / Human Resource Management / M. Tech. (Human Resource Management)