<p>The aim of this work is to define the party structure of Feministic Initiative (FI). We want to examine the structure of an organization that doesn’t start out with a hierarchical order. We further intend to examine the party’s leadership; whether or not it is equal, between the three spokespersons.We find it interesting as a topic from a democratic point of view as well as to see if a flat structure could work in practice. We use several theories among them Michel’s “iron law of oligarchy” and Holmberg’s and Söderlind’s theory on flat organizations. There is modest research on leadership in Swedish political science; we therefore consider it important to highlight. Shared leadership is interesting to examine, for it might be an alternative to the traditional order.We use a mixed-methodology based upon qualitative interviews and text analysis. We have interviewed the three spokespersons and examined materials like official weekly letters written by the spokespersons and the party’s constitution.The result shows that a flat structure is hard to carry out in practise and it appears that some form of hierarchical order appears in the party structure. Despite efforts towards equality the shared leadership is not totally equal.</p>

This thesis studies how decision-making might work in an organization without a predetermined formal decision-maker. By studying three selected areas in organizational decision making at a flat organization, the way decisions are made without a formal decision-maker is presented. The study includes an analysis of what factors drive decisions and possible effects of the flat organizational approach. This thesis focuses on decisions regarding wage-setting, recruitment, and the setting of long-term goals. The study finds several relevant conditions which contribute to making a flat organization's decision-making system possible, including organizational culture and transparency. The study indicates that cultural fit is an important aspect in maintaining a flat structure at an organization. To access data, in order to examine the principles of decisions, study at Menlo Innovations has been performed. The core of the study relies on semi-structured interviews with the employees, a virtual tour of the organization, a pre-recorded interview with Menlo representatives, and additional articles and documents. This data has helped the thesis answer how decision-making in the areas of wage-setting, recruitment, and the setting of long-term goals, might work in an organization without a predetermined formal decision-maker.

Abstract [sv]I en omvärld av ständiga förändringar är det ofrånkomligt att arbetsmarknaden kommer att behöva förändras i samma takt. Detta ställer stora krav på organisationer att vara flexibla och anpassa sig till rådande arbetsklimat samt till nya generationers krav på arbetsgivare. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka om arbetsmetoden Appreciative inquiry skulle kunna underlätta de anpassningar och förändringsarbete som kommer att ske allt mer frekvent. I studien presenteras resultatet av 10 semistrukturerade intervjuer från en medelstor organisation i byggbranschen. Intervjuerna tematiseras och centrerades ner till två teman: platt organisation och ledarskap. Resultatet av studien visade att deltagarna upplevde organisationen som positiv med högt i tak och utbyte mellan både anställda och chefer. Utifrån tidigare forskning kunde resultatet diskuteras. Det framgick att några av respondenterna redan upplevde att metoden användes på arbetsplatsen, medan vissa poängterade fördelen av anpassning för att fortsätta vara attraktiva på arbetsmarknaden. / Abstract [en]In a world of constant change, the job market will inevitably have to change at the same pace. This places great demands on organizations to be flexible and adapt to the prevailing work climate as well as to new generations' demands on employers. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the work method Appreciative inquiry could facilitate the adaptations and change work that will take place more and more frequently. The study presents the results of 10 semi-structured interviews from a medium-sized organization in the construction industry. The interviews are themed and centered down to two themes: flat organization and leadership. The results of studies showed that the participants experienced the organization as positive with a open minded atmosphere and exchange between both employees and managers. Based on previous research, the results could be discussed. It appeared that some of the respondents already felt that the method was used in the workplace, while some pointed out the advantages of the adaptation to remain attractive in the labor market.

The study is based on a human science perspective in which we are interested in the school as a workplace for adults and work with personnel issues. The aim is to contribute with new knowledge about what conditions an employee considers important to carry out their work, and employees' experiences of working in large personnel groups. We have made a case study in a Swedish local primary school for students in lower ages, with between 60-70 employees. We conducted nine semi- structured interviews with a hand-picked selection of employees from different occupational groups in the school. The study is empirical data -driven qualitative with abductive approach. To analyze the collected datamaterial, we have used the empirical data -driven thematic analysis. From the results of the study some aspects appear clearly; employees need to be seen by his/her boss, importance of employee autonomy and employee experience of stress. Some employees feel to a greater extent than others that they are seen by their boss and have the opportunity to influence their work situation. This appears to be linked to the type of relationship the employee has to school management.

The aim of this work is to define the party structure of Feministic Initiative (FI). We want to examine the structure of an organization that doesn’t start out with a hierarchical order. We further intend to examine the party’s leadership; whether or not it is equal, between the three spokespersons.We find it interesting as a topic from a democratic point of view as well as to see if a flat structure could work in practice. We use several theories among them Michel’s “iron law of oligarchy” and Holmberg’s and Söderlind’s theory on flat organizations. There is modest research on leadership in Swedish political science; we therefore consider it important to highlight. Shared leadership is interesting to examine, for it might be an alternative to the traditional order.We use a mixed-methodology based upon qualitative interviews and text analysis. We have interviewed the three spokespersons and examined materials like official weekly letters written by the spokespersons and the party’s constitution.The result shows that a flat structure is hard to carry out in practise and it appears that some form of hierarchical order appears in the party structure. Despite efforts towards equality the shared leadership is not totally equal.

Förskolor organiseras på olika sätt som påverkar förskollärarens arbetsmiljö och relationen till organisationen. Det är därför intressant att jämföra hur förskollärares arbetsförutsättningar ser ut i en platt eller hierarkisk organisationsstruktur. Detta görs genom att undersöka vilka ramfaktorer som påverkar relationen mellan förskolläraren och organisationen. För att kartlägga ramfaktorerna intervjuas förskollärare från fyra förskoleorganisationer – två kommunala, hierarkiska förskolor och två fristående, platta organisationer som styr som föräldrakooperativ och personalkooperativ. De ramfaktorer som framkommer ur studien är strukturella faktorer, faktorerna beslutsfattande och påverkan samt faktorerna tillhörighet och tillit. I diskussionen analyseras resultatet utifrån de olika ramfaktorerna. Resultatet av studien visar att de finns skillnader mellan platta och hierarkiska organisationer vad gäller relationen till organisationen. De hierarkiska organisationerna har större svårigheter att kommunicera och ge förskollärarna insyn i organisatoriska frågor. Det medför även styrkor vad gäller kompetens, stöd och nätverk runt pedagogerna. I de platta organisationerna finns större insyn i verksamhetens beslutsfattande, förskollärarna har större möjlighet att själva påverka organisatoriska beslut. I diskussionen om de platta organisationerna ifrågasätts även beslutsfattarnas makt utifrån deras kompetens.  I slutstadiet av studien diskuteras huruvida dessa resultat beror på organisationernas uppbyggnad eller snarare på olika kompetenser och roller i organisationen. / Pre-schools are organized in several separate ways that affect the preschool teacher's working environment and the relationship with the organization. It is therefore interesting to compare how pre-school teachers’ working conditions look like in a flat or hierarchical organizational structure. This is done by examining the framework factors that affect the relationship between the preschool teacher and the organization. To map out the framework factors, preschool teachers from four preschool organizations are interviewed - two municipal, hierarchical preschools and two independent, flat organizations that act as parent cooperative and employee cooperative. The framework factors that emerge from the study are structural factors, decision-making factors and influence, as well as the factors of belonging and trust. The discussion analyzes the results based on the different framework factors. The result of the study shows that there are differences between flat and hierarchical organizations regarding the relationship with the organization. The hierarchical organizations have greater difficulties communicating and giving preschool teachers insight into organizational issues. It also brings strengths in terms of competence, support and network around the educators. In the flat organizations there is greater transparency in the decision-making process of the business, the preschool teachers have greater opportunity to influence organizational decisions themselves. In the discussion of the flat organizations, the power of decision makers is also questioned based on their competence. The final stage of the study discusses whether these results depend on the organization's structure or rather on different skills and roles in the organization.

The project elaborates design opportunities for a future practice that could promotealternative sustainable lifestyles on waste handling through up-cycling activities. It doesthis on a small scale through engagement in the local communities of the Hildaneighborhood and Segepark students’ accommodations in Sweden. To thesecommunities, creative-up-cycling is explored which it introduced here as an approachwhere neighbors can participate in making new things from leftover materials. Throughthis work creative-up-cycling is a proposed recommendation for a possible service systemon how to share the leftover materials in the local resident’s communities, as well as, howto remake the items no longer needed.The empirical studies explore maker culture lifestyles and include how to find leftovermaterials, tools, space, and skills in order to guide people in creative-up-cyclingalternatives. These creative activities also build social relationship via the integration ofmultidisciplinary citizens who are living in the same community and explorations weredone on how could we elicit the skill sets from those people? What is a useful skill set inthis area today? Values like mutual physical experience, reciprocity, and ownership couldalso be found along the empirical workshops in this project. Additionally, this reportshows some interesting findings pointing towards the design process and the suggestionsof design elements; ‘Co-storage’, ‘Mix and Match furniture shop’, and ‘Renovation andup-cycling’ concept elements.Participatory design (designing with people) has been the core approach in this project.Additionally, I have been influenced by user-centered design, as well as service designapproaches in order to comprehend the services, system and activities of recycling andup-cycling in cities like: SYSAV, STPLN, Cykelköket, Återskapa, Toolpool. The findingpresented here are examples of practices that could make up the composition of recyclingand up-cycling activities in future local communities.