Diss. Stockholm : Stockholms universitet, 2007.

Diss. Stockholm : Univ., 2003.

The purpose of this report is to single out and apply the most critical factors for dynamic performance meausrement systems. The report concludes that the existence in practice of theoretically important aspects are diverse and that the most appropriate way of governing the aspects are through the creation of a performance management process. The theoretical chapter is established for dual purposes. The first is to give the reader a comprehensive understanding of what has been done in the field of performance measurement and management so far and the second is to answer the first research question imposed. The empirical chapter investigates to what degree the existence of factors singled out in theory are present in practice. Further, the chapter also answers research question two. Finally the result and analysis chapters focuses on cross-analysing the case studies made and generate a recommendation. Research question three is answered under these headings. / PREPARE

The role of the manufacturing units has a big impact on a company’s business. If competitive priorities and the production weapons can be merged together and describe a factory profile, it can be a factor that provides the competitive advantages for the company. This thesis has two objectives in this area, the industrial and the academic. The industrial objective will investigate how we can visualize and describe a manufacturing structure and make the desired positioning. The manufacturing footprint structure will be set up according to the performance objectives Innovation, Flexibility, Lead-time and Efficiency representing the product life cycle that also support decisions for the make or buy process. The result is a model that describes the manufacturing structure and a conflict area, or a “Black Hole”, is indentified and is leading to the academic research questions; why most of the manufacturing units are positioned in the conflict area and how to leave the “Black Hole”? The intersection in the views of positioning, knowledge and the network paradox are analysed and a scaled model connected to Dreyfus knowledge model, brings some understanding to the positioning problem. A process model is proposed for the characteristic profiles of the concept factories and how to move to the desired positions. This concept can be applied on a group of manufacturing units and handle the trade off dilemmas for the separate units by letting a group of units achieve top performance for all the performance objectives. The visualization and relation to the products life cycle can contribute to communication and developing the manufacturing footprint strategy. The model has been tested, in a positioning context for strategic purchasing with experience of supplier quality audits for positioning suppliers, with positive result. Further research of top performance factories would be interesting to do in order to find out their 8M profiles and identify more trade off dilemmas, connecting them to the different performance objectives in order to support the development in moving to different desired directions. / PREPARE

<p>The purpose of this report is to single out and apply the most critical factors for dynamic performance meausrement systems. The report concludes that the existence in practice of theoretically important aspects are diverse and that the most appropriate way of governing the aspects are through the creation of a performance management process.</p><p>The theoretical chapter is established for dual purposes. The first is to give the reader a comprehensive understanding of what has been done in the field of performance measurement and management so far and the second is to answer the first research question imposed.</p><p>The empirical chapter investigates to what degree the existence of factors singled out in theory are present in practice. Further, the chapter also answers research question two.</p><p>Finally the result and analysis chapters focuses on cross-analysing the case studies made and generate a recommendation. Research question three is answered under these headings.</p> / PREPARE

<p>The role of the manufacturing units has a big impact on a company’s business. If competitive priorities and the production weapons can be merged together and describe a factory profile, it can be a factor that provides the competitive advantages for the company. This thesis has two objectives in this area, the industrial and the academic.</p><p><p>The industrial objective will investigate how we can visualize and describe a manufacturing structure and make the desired positioning. The manufacturing footprint structure will be set up according to the performance objectives Innovation, Flexibility, Lead-time and Efficiency representing the product life cycle that also support decisions for the make or buy process. The result is a model that describes the manufacturing structure and a conflict area, or a “Black Hole”, is indentified and is leading to the academic research questions; why most of the manufacturing units are positioned in the conflict area and how to leave the “Black Hole”? The intersection in the views of positioning, knowledge and the network paradox are analysed and a scaled model connected to Dreyfus knowledge model, brings some understanding to the positioning problem.</p><p><p>A process model is proposed for the characteristic profiles of the concept factories and how to move to the desired positions. This concept can be applied on a group of manufacturing units and handle the trade off dilemmas for the separate units by letting a group of units achieve top performance for all the performance objectives. The visualization and relation to the products life cycle can contribute to communication and developing the manufacturing footprint strategy. The model has been tested, in a positioning context for strategic purchasing with experience of supplier quality audits for positioning suppliers, with positive result.</p><p><p>Further research of top performance factories would be interesting to do in order to find out their 8M profiles and identify more trade off dilemmas, connecting them to the different performance objectives in order to support the development in moving to different desired directions.</p></p></p></p> / PREPARE

<p>It is a well-established view that, over time, companies in a business-to-business setting develop long-lasting business relationships. The business relationship between two companies involves a wide range of exchanges on products, technical and economic issues. It also has a social content as it engages people in both companies. Business relationships are, therefore, argued to be founded on a varying extent of exchanges and content of behaviour. This thesis deals with the current and complex issue of the integration of information technology in such business relationships.</p><p>Integration in this thesis refers to when information technology is purposefully used and inseparable from the business relationship. A special standardized questionnaire was used to collect extensive empirical data on 353 business relationships between suppliers and one of their important customers. The results of the analysis of the data in the thesis show that high information technology integration, in terms of exchanges and behaviour, increases the efficiency of information exchanges in business relationships. Integration is also connected to the importance of business relationships for the development of information technology and increases a company’s knowledge on this technology. Furthermore, the results show that what is fundamental for the integration of information technology is its combination with the strength of the business relationship. Thereby, the integration of information technology has a wider impact on business relationships than simply facilitating higher efficiency under certain circumstances. It affects the general competence in using information technology, and allows new opportunities for the business relationship and the companies.</p><p>Through its rich empirical content, theoretical approach and proximity to current business situations, this thesis is of interest to researchers and students who wish to understand the employment of information technology in business relationships, or for business professionals who want to further understand their situation regarding information technology in order to make decisions about further employment.</p>

<p><!--[if !mso]> <object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object><mce:style><! st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } --> </p><p>This report is the result of an investigation of the possibility to use RFID-technology in a producing company. The investigation is focused on a flow between the company’s producing subsidiary company in Lithuania and its main facility in Sweden.</p><p>RFID is the abbreviation for radiofrequency identification. The RFID-technology forms the base of a system with wireless information transmission between an object to which a transponder, also called tag, has been attached and a reader. The information is transmitted by radio waves and the system is equipped with software that can digitalise the radio waves. The information is thereby converted into useful input to, for example, the company’s business system. RFID makes it possible to decrease the human interaction necessary and does not demand free line of sight in contrast to barcode systems.</p><p>The objective of this final thesis is to:</p><p>·         give suggestions of how RFID can be applied in the flow of pallets between the Lithuanian subsidiary company and the main facility in Sweden</p><p>·         investigate if the adoption is practicable and what consequences will follow the suggested appliance</p><p>·         present profitability calculations</p><p>·         investigate what future opportunities the technology offers the company</p><p>The scope of my work is to be able to present a report to the company that gives them a good insight in the RFID-technology and to give suggestions on how to use it in their operations. The report shall be useable as a decision basis for the company when deciding weather it is interesting for them to continue the investigation or not.</p><p>The result of the investigation is a description of the flow which forms the basis of the two suggested alternatives of application of RFID-technology. The first alternative consists of a system of active tags which is attached to the pallets directly after the goods are produced. The second alternative is a system based on the use of passive tags in the form of self adhesive labels. Both alternatives induce a division of the flow into five zones between which a reading of the tags takes place and the pallets are thereby identified automatically.</p><p>The system of active tags results in an initial investment of SEK 1 256 000 and the system of passive tags, SEK 227 000. Both alternatives make a SEK 648 000 saving in cost possible, mainly consisting of decreasing need of working effort in identifying pallets and manual reporting to the business system.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>An analysis of the suggestions shows that the pay-back time for the alternative with active tags may be too long depending on the company’s intentions of future expansion of the system. The investment can be proven justifiable after a more thorough investigation. Concerning the system of passive tags, the analysis shows that the alternative is practicable and gives a great chance of fast profitability and also further profitability over time.</p><p>The investigation is based on a theoretic study of RFID, Supply Chain Management and process analysis. A survey of the process has resulted in a flow chart and this has formed the basis of the work resulting in the two suggested applications. These have then been evaluated from a profitability and practicability perspective.</p><p> </p>

<p>Isaberg-Rapid has problems with their internal material handling. The goal with this report is to create a layout for a pilot group in the production. Furthermore will appropriate carriers be suggested and the way of communicate between the stock keeping unit through coating to the assembly group will be analyzed.</p><p>The focal point is on a pilot group where the assembly of staple guns occurs. We have reviewed the material handling in the pilot group. By doing a spaghetti diagram the assemblers’ movements in the group is being analyzed and from that a new layout is proposed that will facilitate the handling of material in the assembly group.</p><p>Besides the spaghetti diagram the report is based on observations, interviews, a process flow schedule, a layout flow schedule and calculations.</p><p>To make the material flow to the assembly group more effective a proposal with a supermarket has been developed. The reason for using a supermarket is also to minimize tied up capital after coating. The transportation of material is handled by a dedicated material handler to minimize the interruptions in work for the assemblers.</p><p>The carriers that are used in the assembly group has been reviewed and to easily handle these a proposal with FIFO lines has been developed to make it easier for the assemblers.</p> / Materialhantering, layout, kanban, kapitalbindning, FIFU

<p>Information technology (IT) is often assumed to be a prerequisite for the modern and developed organization, even though IT projects are described as problematic in practice. Starting with this paradox and using a narrative method, this study focuses on how, through their stories, employees of an organization ascribe different meanings to IT.</p><p>The study, which entailed following an IT project at an insurance company, illustrates how the employees of the organization actively ascribe various and contradictory meanings to IT. On the one hand, preference is given to one grand narrative of IT as a tool in the service of the organization. This grand narrative ascribes the meaning of achieving management, control, and change, which is supposed to help the organization on its way toward a more successful future. Great responsibility is transferred to the technology for attaining the desired impact in the organization, which can backfire, especially against project management as they are hit with demands to fulfill the expectations for IT. On the other hand, employees wrestle to control the project, which they describe as unwieldy and unmanageable. The desired management, control, and change are described as elusive.</p><p>The IT project has in this way come to be developed in a field of tension between contradictory meanings, where problems and solutions are constructed over time. The employees thus become, to an extent, victims of the meanings they have reproduced, something that can be described as double-edged power. The employees who were the keenest advocates of IT are also those who have the greatest difficulty accepting the failure of the technology to live up to expectations. In parallel, the study illustrates the employees’ opportunities to actively engage themselves in storytelling that complement and challenge the dominating meanings in the organization.</p>