Este estudo visou estabelecer as relações entre as práticas de qualidade e o processo de aprendizagem organizacional. Os programas de melhoria contínua, adotados intensamente pelas organizações brasileiras nas ultimas décadas, constituíram a sua principal referência empírica. Resgatando a literatura sobre estes programas observa-se que teóricos importantes consideram o processo de aprendizagem organizacional um estágio superior da sua internalização pelas empresas. Para investigar esta possibilidade, foi elaborado, a partir dos autores clássicos sobre aprendizagem organizacional, um conjunto de indicadores definidores deste estágio: aprendizagem em grupo, construção da memória organizacional, domínio pessoal, espiral do conhecimento, transformação dos modelos mentais e questionamento dos seus pressupostos e agentes da ação organizacional. Por meio da triangulação, uma metodologia múltipla, estes indicadores foram aplicados em duas fábricas da Nestlé, localizadas no interior de São Paulo, que implantaram o programas de melhoria contínua. Como resultado constatou-se que o programa provocou mudanças positivas sensíveis no perfil gerencial e no padrão de comprometimento dos funcionários com seu trabalho e com as empresas. Entretanto, analisando-se as práticas de geração e disseminação de conhecimento, percebe-se que programa de melhoria contínua proporcionou aprendizagem individual dos colaboradores, além de ter atingido resultados economicamente positivos, sendo, a questão da aprendizagem organizacional muito mais sutil e difícil de aferir. Desta maneira, essa pesquisa permitiu verificar que as empresas podem implementar práticas de melhorias contínuas ou outros programas na área da qualidade, mas somente obterão êxito caso acreditem no potencial dos seus colaboradores e os dêem oportunidades para se desenvolverem e contribuírem para a organização como um todo. / This study aimed to present the links between practices of quality and the process of organizational learning. The continuous improvement programs, intensively adopted by Brazilian organizations during last decades, were their main empirical reference. When it comes to the bibliography on the continuous improvement programs, we notice that important writers and academicians consider the organizational learning a superior stage of their internalization by the companies. To research on this possibility, considering classical authors of organizational learning issues, it was elaborated a set of indicators of the mentioned stage, such as: group learning, organizational memory construction, personal dominion, spiral of knowledge, mental models transformation and questioning shared assumptions and organizational actions agents. Through the triangulation technique, a multiple methodology, these indicators were applied in two Nestlé´s factories, located in the interior of São Paulo, which have implemented continuous improvement programs. The results demonstrated that the program levered positive changes in the managerial profile and in the commitment level of the staff with their work and their companies. However, analyzing the practices of knowledge generation and diffusion, it is perceived that the continuous improvement program levered the individual learning, besides having reached economically positive results, being the question of organizational learning a lot more subtle and difficult to measure. In this manner, this research found out that companies can implement continuous improvement practices or other quality programs, but they will only obtain success if they believe in their collaborators potential and give them opportunities to develop themselves and contribute to the organization as a whole.

Diversos autores apontam a inovação como uma atividade crítica para todas as empresas inseridas num contexto concorrencial, pois ela orienta a estratégica da empresa, direciona a alocação de recursos e influencia os indicadores de desempenho. Como os altos investimentos em P&D não são suficientes para assegurar o sucesso de seus produtos, o diferencial competitivo das organizações não estaria relacionado apenas às grandes diferenças de conhecimento tecnológico, mas a maneira como cada uma delas aperfeiçoa os seus processos internos para implementar um novo produto. Esta condição reforça o papel das áreas funcionais periféricas, na construção de um ambiente inovador, não apenas modificando o desempenho da organização, mas também o impulsionando. Mas como será a participação dessas áreas, por exemplo, as de facilidades (termo traduzido do anglo-saxão facilities management), que estão fora do eixo tradicional de P&D, nesse ambiente inovador? Elas inovam? Como suas inovações afetam o desempenho das empresas? O objeto de estudo da tese consistiu na caracterização das inovações e melhorias em facilidades e os impactos no desempenho das organizações. A hipótese principal foi que as inovações em facilidades afetariam diretamente a eficiência operacional e esta, por sua vez, os desempenhos financeiros, ou seja, as inovações em facilidades seriam intermediárias na obtenção dos resultados das operações. A pesquisa foi descritiva-relacional, quantitativa e qualitativa, utilizando triangulação metodológica. Os resultados foram obtidos por meio de casos coletados em campo durante a fase empírica, estudo de caso único e por questionários semiestruturados. Foram inquiridos 163 profissionais da área e analisadas 220 mudanças técnicas e organizacionais em facilidades, entre os anos de 2007 e 2010. Esperou-se com essa tese aprofundar os estudos da dinâmica das inovações e melhorias em facilidades; estender a teoria da inovação por meio da investigação das em facilidades e avançar na discussão do papel delas no desempenho organizacional, dando um novo significado à gestão de facilidades dentro da área de Operações. Os resultados da tese apontaram que as mudanças técnicas e organizacionais nas facilidades constituem melhorias e inovações que impactam principalmente os fatores de eficiência operacional - produtividade e meio ambiente e, indiretamente, os financeiros - lucro. Todavia, numa análise fatorial, pode-se notar a formação de conglomerados específicos chamados aqui de inovações e melhorias em facilidades para apoio à produtividade, sustentabilidade, qualidade e rentabilidade. Esses grupos indicam que as melhorias e inovações geradas em facilidades são oriundas de intensa relação entre parceiros, busca contínua pela redução de custos e aumento do ciclo de vida dos ativos e das infraestruturas de apoio das organizações. Constataram-se diferenças na composição, na dinâmica e no propósito dessas inovações e melhorias, revelando assim que as estratégias e gestões para o desenvolvimento e implantação dessas mudanças, nesses ambientes, não são iguais aos recomendados pelas teorias correntes. As mudanças técnicas e organizacionais encontradas foram adotadas, na sua maioria, em caráter informal e tácito, gerando indiretamente novos serviços e produtos em facilidades, além de aprendizado infraestrutural. O grau de novidade variou de melhorias contínuas à inovações incrementais e raramente radicais. / Several authors place the innovation as a critical activity for all companies included in a competitive environment because it supports the strategic direction of the company, directs the allocation of resources and influences the performance of the indicators. As the high investments in R & D are not sufficient to ensure the success of its products, the competitive advantage of organizations would not be related only to large differences in technological knowledge, but how each one improves your internal processes to implement a new product. This condition strengthens the assumption that the role of peripheral functional areas, the construction of an innovative, can not just change the organization\'s performance, but also boost it. But how will the participation of these areas, for example, the facilities management, which are outside the traditional R & D in this innovative environment? Do they innovate? How their innovations affect corporate performance? The subject of the thesis was the characterization of the innovations in facilities and its impacts on performance of organizations. The main hypothesis was that the innovations in facilities would directly affect operational efficiency and this, in turn, financial performance, in other words, the innovations in facilities would be intermediate in obtaining superior results in operations. The research was a descriptive-relational, quantitative and qualitative, using methodological triangulation. The results were obtained from cases collected in the field during the empirical phase and semi-structured questionnaires applied to 163 professionals and 220 innovations and improvements on facilities. It was expected that thesis with further study of the dynamics of innovation in facilities; extend the theory of innovation through research in the facilities and advance the discussion of their role in organizational performance, giving new meaning to the facilities management within Operations field. The results of the thesis showed that the changes and organizational in facilities producing improvements and innovations that impact primarily the factors of operational efficiency: productivity and environment and, indirectly, the financial markets: profit. However, a factor analysis, one could note the formation of specific clusters called here, innovations and improvements in facilities to support the productivity, sustainability, quality and profitability. These groups indicate that improvements and innovations generated by the facilities are artifacts coming from a close relationship between partners, continuous search for lower costs and increase the life cycle of assets and infrastructure in support of the organizations. There were differences in the nature, composition, dynamics and purpose of innovations and improvements, thus revealing that the strategies and management activities for the development and deployment these changes, these environments are not exactly the same as recommended by current theories. The technical and organizational changes found were adopted, mostly in an informal and tacit way, indirectly generating new services and products in facilities, and infrastructural learning. The degree of novelty varied from the continuous improvements to the incremental innovations, and, rarely, to radical.

Identificar a meta, pensar na empresa como um todo e não como um conjunto de partes isoladas, reconhecer e aumentar a capacidade da restrição, são etapas necessárias para a implementação da Theory of Constraints (TOC). Essa utilização, seja por meio de raciocínio lógico ou por meio da metodologia Tambor-Pulmão-Corda, visa racionalizar os processos nas organizações e criar novas abordagens que permitam alavancar a competitividade das organizações. Este trabalho parte da intenção de abordar os princípios e as práticas da Teoria das Restrições, identificando e analisando o impacto da implantação da TOC na gestão da produção. Neste contexto, a pesquisa apresenta um enfoque tanto exploratório, quanto descritivo. Pode ser considerado exploratório, uma vez que a revisão da literatura servirá como referência central para as seguintes discussões - a partir da implantação da TOC, quais as mudanças geradas no processo de gestão de uma empresa, quais as alterações nas rotinas de trabalho, qual a reação da equipe envolvida no processo. É descritivo, por meio da descrição e análise de estudos de caso. Sendo assim, pretende-se a partir do levantamento e avaliação do desempenho organizacional e de pesquisa realizada junto a empresas conceituadas, identificar como essas organizações vêem o papel e importância da TOC, sua relevância, efetividade, bem como os aspectos importantes para sua implementação. / Identifying the goal, thinking of the company as a whole and not as a set of isolated parts, to recognize and to increase the capacity of restriction, are necessary stages for the implementation of the TOC (Theory of Constraints). This utilization, be it by means of logical reasoning or by means of methodology Drum-Buffer-Rope, aims to rationalize the processes in the organizations and to create new approaches that allow for the organizations to leverage competitiveness. This article aims to approach the principles and practices of the Theory of Constraints, identifying and analyzing the impact of implantation of TOC in the production administration. In this context, the research presents an exploratory focus as well as a descriptive one. It can be considered exploratory, being that the literature revision will serve as the main reference for the following discussions - from TOC implantation, what changes are generated in the administration process of a company, what are the alterations in the working routines, what is the reaction of the team involved in the process. It is descriptive, by means of description and analysis of case studies. Thus, it is intended from the rising of information and performance evaluation and of research accomplished along with relevant companies, to identify how these organizations see the role and importance of TOC, its relevance, effectiveness, as well as the important aspects for its implementation.

El estudio que a continuación se presenta, corresponde a una empresa dedicada al servicio de transporte de mercaderías e insumos del sector minero y en general. Durante el desarrollo de la investigación, se presentó el diagnóstico actual de la empresa y una propuesta de solución al problema general que presenta, en lo que concierne a su proceso de mantenimiento preventivo. El objetivo principal de este trabajo estará orientado a la reducción de los costos operativos y de oportunidad del proceso de mantenimiento preventivo. Los resultados de la investigación se han desarrollado atreves de una base de lineamiento para el análisis de la información. Se trabajó con una data real obtenida de medición de tiempos y costos del proceso que fue brindada por la empresa en estudio y de diferente información recabada mediante la observación y entrevistas a los colaboradores de dicha empresa. La reducción de los costos del mantenimiento se logró con la propuesta de creación un área de mantenimiento preventivo, dentro de las instalaciones de la empresa. Se realizó la restructuración del proceso de mantenimiento logrando la optimización del proceso, aprovechando los recursos físicos de la empresa. Se presenta una evaluación técnica de los recursos necesarios de la solución y una evaluación económica que ayudo a visualizar mejor sus resultados. Finalmente se podrá encontrar conclusiones y recomendaciones que complementan al estudio realizado. The study presented below corresponds to a company dedicated to the transportation of goods and supplies in the mining sector and in general. During the development work, the diagnosis of the company and a proposed solution to the problem that afflicts him, as it concerns their maintenance service arose. The main objective of this work will reduce costs and time of preventive maintenance process. The results of research have developed a guideline based on information analysis. We worked with real data obtained by measuring the time and cost of the process that was provided by the company under study. The reduction of costs and maintenance times are achieved with the implementation of a preventive maintenance garage, within the premises of the company. The restructuring of the maintenance process will take place, using the physical resources of the company. Technical and economic evaluation to help better visualize the improvement of the process and also serve analysis for decision-making occurs. Finally, conclusions and recommendations can be found to complement the study.

Manufacturing enterprises are a key driver of economic growth (Eurostat, 2016). Implementing continuous improvement (CI) is commonly used to increase competitiveness (Hyland et al., 2007), but despite the well-known theory of CI, many manufacturing companies fail in implementing it (Bhasin, 2012; Nordin et al., 2012; Tiwari et al., 2007). An identified critical success factor in CI implementation is the evaluation of performance, including the performance evaluation system itself, the linkage between targets at different company levels, and continual evaluation of performance (Bakås et al., 2011; Scherrer-Rathje et al., 2009; Ukko et al., 2009). Another critical success factor in CI implementation is the communication of performance measures (Bakås et al., 2011; Ukko et al., 2009). This research explores the communication of performance measures. The aim is to support CI by improving the communication of performance measures, and to this end, this thesis concentrates on identifying the main challenges in the communication of performance measures supporting CI. The research scope is manufacturing companies in general, and manufacturing SMEs in particular. The relevant literature concerning the communication of performance measures in manufacturing companies is identified and summarized. Also, current practice is explored, focusing on how performance measures are communicated in manufacturing companies, and whether and how the communication supports CI. This has been done to identify divergences between current practice and theory. Finally, theory and empirical findings are synthesized to identify some of the main challenges to be addressed in order to succeed in CI. The main task is to support CI efforts in manufacturing SMEs, eliminating the identified divergences in the communication of performance measures by adapting these measures to these manufacturing SMEs. These challenges can be summarized as follows:  - using both financial performance measures as well as objective and subjective, non-financial performance measures  - aligning performance measures with strategy and targets  - integrating all performance measure communication, as related to both daily performance and CI, in the same communication loop.  - forming two-way communication channels between managers and operators  - aligning oral and written communication channels  - exploring how information systems can facilitate the communication of performance measures  - using and optimizing the visual communication of performance measures / <p>I avhandlingen ingår även följande publikationer:</p><p>Larsson, C., Strand, M., Persson, A., &amp; Syberfeldt, A., 2017. Communicating continuous improvement in manufacturing SMEs: Divergences between current practice and theory. Published at PMAA 2017 Conference “New Approaches, Changed Understandings”. Dunedin, New Zeeland, 2017.</p><p>Larsson, C., 2017. How to visualize performance measures in a manufacturing SME. Accepted for publication in Measuring Business Excellence.</p><p>Larsson, C., &amp; Syberfeldt, A., 2016. Communicating performance measures - current practice in manufacturing SMEs. Submitted to International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management.</p>

This essay proposes a production management model adequate to the small and medium enterprises of the metal mechanic segment, as a way to work focused on continuous improvement and engaged to the competitive advantage. The planning to get that intention at first considered the identification of the best practices adequate to the shop floor management and based on the Industrial Engineering concepts. Then, to verify the aplicability of that concepts it was organized a research next to the metal mechanic segment located on the region of Santa Rosa County, northwest of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Among the studied companies it can found subcontracted manufacturers and factories that produces their own products, all of them producing several metallic products, mainly including agricultural implements. It was verified different circumstances concerning the way these companies manages their factories and that evidentiates that, with the implementation of the proposed system, it is possible to obtain substantial improvements in their levels of competitive advantages. It was verified too, as a information of the research, that the refered companies, in a majority level, already developes and produces their own products, as a strategy to reduce their economic dependence to the great enterprises. / O presente trabalho propõe um modelo de sistema de gestão da produção voltado às empresas de pequeno e médio porte do ramo metal-mecânico, de maneira a atuarem com o foco na melhoria contínua e na obtenção de vantagem competitiva. Para cumprir os objetivos propostos, primeiramente buscou-se identificar as melhores práticas de gestão adequadas ao chão de fábrica e fundamentadas pela Engenharia de Produção. Para verificar a aplicabilidade dos conceitos foi realizada uma pesquisa junto às empresas do pólo metal-mecânico localizado na região da Grande Santa Rosa, noroeste do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Dentre as empresas pesquisadas contam-se prestadoras de serviços terceirizados e também fabricantes de produtos metálicos diversos, principalmente voltados ao segmento de mecanização agrícola. Verificou-se situações diferenciadas no contexto de como estas empresas gerenciam suas fábricas e que evidenciam que, com a implantação do sistema proposto, há a possibilidade de se obter melhorias substanciais em seus níveis de competitividade. Verificou-se também, através da pesquisa, que as referidas empresas, em sua maioria, incluindo-se as terceirizadas, já desenvolvem seus próprios produtos, reduzindo a dependência das grandes fabricantes.

Syftet med det här arbetet var att bidra till utvecklingen av kvalitetsutvecklingsområdet genom att beskriva hur en Agile verksamhet använder arbetsmötet som ett strategiskt verktyg i sitt kvalitetsutvecklingsarbete. Detta genom att studera dels hur teamet använder Agile för att driva kvalitetsutvecklingsarbetet och hur arbetsmötena är strukturerade, dels teammedlemmarnas upplevelse av arbetsmötenas kvalitet och mötesledarens funktion. Arbetet genomfördes som en fallstudie där studieobjektet var ett systemutvecklingsteam på ett internationellt företag. De undersökningsmetoder som användes var intervjustudie, observationsstudie och enkätstudie. Arbetet genomfördes inom ramen för Mittuniversitetets magisterprogram i kvalitets och ledarskapsutveckling. Resultatet visade att det studerade teamet har hittat formerna för att använda arbetsmötet som motor för kvalitetsutvecklingsarbetet. Detta genom att anamma de principer som förbättringsprogrammet Agile bygger på. Principer som utgår från ett stort fokus på att hitta former för en fungerande interaktion mellan individer liksom på arbetssätt som gör det möjligt att snabbt ställa om till nya förutsättningar. Teamet arbetade enligt en väl genomarbetad och förankrad mötesstruktur som gjorde att deltagarna kunde fokusera på vad de skulle bidra med under mötet. Ledaren av arbetsmötet visade sig fylla två viktiga funktioner: dels den uppgiftsrelaterade som handlade om att leda arbetsmötet mot de uppgifter som skulle hanteras, dels den gruppunderhållande som innebar att underlätta interaktionen i teamet. Trots att teammedlemmar ägnade stor del av sin arbetstid i arbetsmöten upplevde de en hög grad av nöjdhet med kvaliteten i arbetsmötena. / The purpose of this work was to contribute to the development of Total Quality Management, TQM, by describing how an Agile organization uses the workplace meeting as a strategic tool in its quality development work. The work focused on how the team use Agile to drive its quality development work, the structure around work meetings, the function of the leadership during the work meetings and the team member’s experiences when it comes to the quality of the work meetings. The work was conducted as a case study where the subject was a system development team at an international company. The survey methods used were interview study, observation study and questionnaire study. The work was carried out within the framework of Mid Sweden University's Master's Program in Quality and Leadership Development. The result showed that the studied team has found ways to use the workplace meeting as a motor for TQM. This by adopting the principles based on the Agile improvement program. Principles that focus on finding forms for a functional interaction with individuals as well as working methods that enable quick adoption to new conditions. The team worked according to a well- and firmly established meeting structure that allowed participants to focus on what to contribute with during the meeting. The leader of the meeting proved to fill two important functions: the task-related which was to lead the working meeting to the tasks that were to be handled, and the group-maintenance which was to facilitate the team interaction. Even though the team members spent much of their working hours in work meetings, they experienced a high level of satisfaction with the quality of the work meetings. / <p>2017-06-28</p>

Problem: Continuous improvement is important in modern healthcare to control increasing costs and fulfil the demand for higher quality. This requires interdisciplinary collaboration between healthcare professionals. However, these professions are seeking to maintain and improve their social status through a ‘professional project’. There are existing professional barriers based on historical privileges and boundaries, leading to nurses holding lower status. The extent to which this motivates medical professionals and nurses in particular to be involved in continuous improvement is unclear. Is it that nurses are driven to become involved in continuous improvement by their ‘professional project’, and is there any evidence that involvement in continuous improvement benefits their status? Purpose: This thesis explores (a) the effect that the ‘professional project’ of nursing, gaining relative equality with doctors, has on involvement in continuous improvement activities, and (b) how involvement in continuous improvement activities affects the status of nurses relative to doctors.  Method: This qualitative study has been performed through an interview study based on themes, on the topic of improvement in healthcare. The empirical data is gathered through semi-structured interviews conducted with professionals from Sweden, New Zealand and The Netherlands. The participants were active within Hospitals and Primary Care, and had the position of nurse, manager or doctor. Data was analysed using the Thematic Analysis approach as proposed by Braun &amp; Clarke (2006).  Findings: The results of our research suggest that nurses’ status has certainly improved. However, rational status-seeking described by many other researchers, could be better described as ‘seeking a voice’. Nurses are driven by ambition and improving patient care, rather than seeking strict equality with doctors. Continuous improvement has given nurses the opportunity to take on more technical roles and have more input on the way medical tasks are conducted. Enhanced communication between all levels of healthcare organisations has given nurses the opportunity to show their knowledge. It has resulted in more understanding and respect by doctors of what nurses are capable of. Nurses are highly motivated to participate in continuous improvement, driven by the common logic of patient centricity. However, external factors such as limited time and financial support slow them down.

The purpose of this diploma thesis is the fact that Ceska sporitelna a.s. doesn't succeed in fulfilling of the standard to solve 80 % of client feedback by 24 hours. The goal of this diploma thesis named "Quality improvement in client feedback process in Ceska sporitelna, a.s." is to define problem spaces of the client feedback process which are necessary to improve. At the beginning there is an explanation of some terms which are connected with a quality. Consequently there are mentioned certain methods of continuous improvement such as PDCA, Six sigma and so on. In practical part there is described contemporary client feedback process, they are introduced results of my own research and suggested ideas for improvement.

Learning organizations in combination with quality management practices and continuous improvement are well known and have throughout the decades seen many successful implementations. Implying that there are assorted collections of tools, strategies and implementation techniques which are accessible for organizations today. However, what has been seen as a strong and contemporary inclination across many manufacturing industries is to develop and deploy company-specific production system (XPS) in order to obtain a competitive advantage in today’s global and changing business domain. The purpose of this explorative and qualitative study aims therefore to inspect and explore the occurrence of how a tailored company-specific production system (XPS) attempts to assist as an improvement program to contribute to the continuous improvement work and organizational learning in a multinational organization. The study includes a case study conducted at Volvo Group Truck located in Skövde and their tailored XPS called VPS (Volvo Production System). A review of previous literature was conducted and therefore included in order to provide an understanding of the topic as well as the empirical findings for further grasping of how a tailored specific XPS has benefited the company towards an enhanced improvement work thus becoming a learning organization. Interviews and documentation as well as observations from a previous internship at the plant in Skövde were conducted and utilized in order to obtain the employee's perspective on the contribution towards the continuous improvement work and organizational learning. Further on, in order to get a wide-ranging perspective on this matter, interviews were also held with persons with different positions within the plant. Findings from the analysis indicated that the difference with implementing a tailored company specific production strategy in comparison to other systems is that it aids the organization towards developing an organizational culture, which will further assist in enhancing the continues improvement work and organisational learning. Empirical findings also suggested that supporting functions together with XPS makes the transition towards the changes happening in an organization much easier. It also appears that the infrastructure of support with the tools and structures that VPS brings, is an important aspect in how the VPS assists in fostering continuous improvement work. Furthermore these tools, methods and structures are developed and designed to support and encourage every employee to think outside the box in a more creative and innovative way which foster employees learning process. The conclusion is that supportive functions together with a tailored XPS contributes to a joined organisational culture where improving and learning is a natural activity therefore fostering continuous improvement work and becoming a learning organization.