Over the past decades, globalisation dynamics have experienced a shift in regard to their driving economic sectors. At the beginning of the 21st century, the global economy will no longer be primarily driven by manufacturing companies but by companies in the service sector. Among them are large retail companies that, with their demand-driven supply chains, organise the global economy to a significant degree. The retail sector represents a particular case within internationalisation dynamics. With its special characteristics and logics it poses special challenges to internationally expanding companies. This is reflected in the facts that the intensive expansion phase of retail trade began relatively late compared to other sectors and that the sector’s level of internationalisation is still comparatively low. This paper focuses on two aspects of retail internationalisation that are underrepre-sented in research. (1) International expansion is by no means the final stage of international economic integration. Coe and Wrigley (2017) speak of a new era of globalised distribution, characterised by, among other things, the concentration of leading retailers on their strong foreign markets and the withdrawal of their operations from other countries. However, our understanding of these dynamics, their drivers, and their effects is inconsistent. This dissertation contributes to closing this gap and brings a new empirical perspective into the research literature by discussing the perspective of the market of inward for-eign direct investment (FDI). This is novel as, until now, research in this area has largely been based on the view of internationalizing companies’ Western home markets. In addition, this dissertation adds a new level of investigation through the exhaustive examination of a market (for the sub-sector of grocery retailing). (2) Beyond the import of financial capital, potential knowledge transfers into the local economy are an important argument for opening up to FDI. The extent to which the knowledge base of an economy is actually improved and upgrading processes of local companies are driven by the entry of a transnational company (TNC), seems to depend strongly on the degree of a TNC’s local embeddedness. This varies according to the sector and the corporate strategy. We know very little about knowledge transfer and up-grading in the context of internationalisation processes in the retail sector, as the discussion on cross-border knowledge transfer through FDI and the discussion on the internationalisation of the retail sector have so far largely been conducted separately. This dissertation contributes to the connection of these research strands. In this respect, it helps to correct the ‘production bias’, the strong orientation of the scientific discourse on knowledge transfer and upgrading towards the manufacturing, technology-intensive industry. The overall goal of the dissertation is to make an empirically derived contribution to research on retail internationalisation and its local effects in emerging markets from the perspective of relational economic geography. The dissertation addresses the dynamics, drivers, decision-making processes, and traces of FDI in the retail sector. In addition, it examines horizontal and vertical knowledge transfers and the upgrading processes of local suppliers of fresh food triggered by FDI. The study is based on the global production network-approach (Henderson et al. 2002), which conceptualises TNCs as networks whose subsidiaries are embedded in a particular context. The global value chain-approach (Gereffi et al. 2005) and the concept of up-grading, which is discussed in its context, are used as a framework for analysis. This approach is helpful to analyse the mobility of actors within a value chain toward a more advantageous position and the role of buyer companies in these developments. The dissertation combines the GVC research with the literature on (local) knowledge transfer. It uses the distinction between explicit and implicit knowledge developed by Polanyi (1958) to analyze the extent to which knowledge is transferred by FDI across national borders. Thus, the dissertation contributes to the link between GVC/GPN research and research on international knowledge transfer/the local acquisition of skills, which has been largely lacking. The dissertation uses the regional example of Turkey. The country stands as an example for the group of emerging countries. Due to dynamic economic development and significant FDI inflows, it represents a suitable and interesting case in the context of this thesis’s research interest. To gain a deeper understanding of the internationalisation dynamics of the retail sector, including their drivers and effects on local economic development, the study follows a qualitative research approach. The analyses are based on data collected in guideline-based, qualitative interviews. A total of 71 semi-structured interviews were conducted in Turkey between summer 2015 and spring 2016. Among the interviewees are 32 managers of transnational and local food retailers, 28 managers of supplier companies of fresh fruit and vegetables, and 10 experts of the retail and agricultural sector in Turkey. The study shows current dynamics and drivers of the retail sector’s internationalisation processes. At the beginning of the new millennium, the investment trend in Turkey reversed and foreign divestments (FD) started to dominate the sector. In the meantime, all transnational food retailers have divested from the market. This development illus-trates the dynamics of the new era of retail distribution to an extent not previously described. The actors in the (former) host market emphasise the defensive character of this FD. They see the operational challenges and the inability or unwillingness of the TNC to adjust to the market as reasons for the failures in the foreign market. This assessment contradicts the statements of the management in the TNC's home markets and partly also the scientific literature, which is mainly based on interviews with these actors. They emphasise the offensive character of FD. By bringing together the perspec-tives of the host- and the home market a holistic picture of the decision-making process behind FD emerges. It shows that the divestment decision is not only the reversal of an expansion decision, but follows its own logic (see Figure 8 on page 72). The dissertation demonstrates that foreign retailers import company-specific re-sources from their corporate networks into the host market and thus influence the development of the local retail sector. Comparing the results of this work on the channels of horizontal knowledge transfer with the results of the literature subject to a produc-tion bias, it becomes clear that demonstration and imitation effects are of particular importance due to the high visibility of retail practices. However, despite the compara-tively low-tech nature of retail, transfer processes go far beyond demonstration and imitation. All transfer channels discussed in the literature on the manufacturing sector are relevant to retail. The transfer of implicit knowledge takes place in particular through joint ventures/acquisitions and the fluctuation of personnel. The study further reveals vertical knowledge transfers from foreign retailers to local suppliers of fresh fruit and vegetables and shows that TNCs proactively shape the de-velopment of their suppliers in the host market. Motivated by an initial lack of adequate suppliers, transnational retailers are proving to be an important driver for the moderni-sation of this supplying industry. The deep (purchasing) network embeddedness of re-tail favours knowledge transfer through backward integration. In order to remain a permanent part of the modernizing supplier network, suppliers must vertically inte-grate functions up and down the value chain, including agricultural production. This is driven forward by retailers through direct involvement and through the targeted selection of suppliers. After TNCs withdraw their capital from the host market, the knowledge of the subsidiaries, in former employees and incorporated in established practices, remains in the host market. The dissertation shows that local companies that take over the TNCs’ subsidiaries use this knowledge in different ways. The successful among them develop hybrid business strategies. They use the TNCs' company-specific knowledge, in particular purchasing practices. But they also bring their local resources into the company which is particularly expressed in a deep sales-side network embeddedness and speed in decision-making processes. The dissertation makes conceptual contributions at various levels. First, it illustrates the broad spectrum from localisation to internationalisation within which the processes summarised under the term globalisation are classified. Localisation processes seem to overlap with internationalisation processes, especially when internationalisation is driven by market seeking motives, which are often central in the service sector. The dis-sertation further expands the research literature by linking the literature on retail internationalisation with the literature on local knowledge transfer in the context of FDI. It thereby contributes to a better understanding of the role of TNCs in the dissemination of knowledge in global networks or chains and the formation of local capabilities. Detached from the transnational and sectoral context, the study establishes causal links between FDI and local effects by providing insights into mechanisms of knowledge transfer that remain hidden in quantitative research. The work moreover contributes to the literature on upgrading in GVCs by refining the upgrading concept for the specific context of the agri-food sector. The results of the dissertation are of applied relevance for both actors from emerging countries receiving FDI and for managers of transnational retail companies. One of the most important findings for actors from FDI-receiving economies is that FDI in the re-tail sector can also be a constructive force. A certain degree of target compatibility can create advantages for all parties involved. Local retailers can acquire knowledge from international retailers operating in the country. The dissertation shows retail managers how they can make use of this possibility. It also shows managers of local suppliers of fresh food how they can take advantage of upgrading opportunities through cooperation with foreign retailers and how they can secure themselves a place in the supply network in the long term. The dissertation further provides orientation for managers of transnational retailers in their entry into foreign markets. It gives insights into how to actively embed in the host country in the context of cross-border expansion and which factors should be taken into account when deciding on a FD.

Organizational learning has been a focus of scholars since 1970. Researchers have demonstrated that conducting postproject reviews to capture lessons learned significantly improves organizational learning. Guided by the concept of organizational learning, the purpose of this case study was to explore how 6 New York metropolitan organizational leaders used postproject reviews to prevent project managers from repeating the same mistakes, increasing cost and time overruns, and experiencing project failure. Semistructured face-to-face and phone interviews were conducted with a project sponsor and 5 project managers in the New York metropolitan area. Data were analyzed using the process of coding and condensing the codes, which produced 5 themes, including effective lessons learned, capturing lessons learned, benefits of lessons learned, barriers to postproject reviews, and leadership support. The findings of this study indicated that organizational leaders used standard templates and organizational policies to ensure project managers execute postproject reviews. Organizational leaders and project managers may benefit from the findings of this study by learning the advantages of conducting postproject reviews. This study may contribute to positive social change by organizations achieving cost avoidance when they reduce project failures and increase project success.

The present thesis discusses the topic of public-private collaboration in research and development in Czech regions. A bibliometric keyword analysis was used in this elaboration, based on which a theoretical framework of the thesis was compiled, presenting the most important theoretical concepts related to the interaction of private companies with universities and research institutes. The thesis has two main objectives, based on which it aims to reveal the nature of the size of partial subsystems of regional innovation systems in Czech NUTS 3 regions in relation to economic and innovation performance and to confront the thesis on the link between the innovation performance of regions and the degree of interconnectedness of subsystems on data of collaborative projects in Czechia. The conducted analyses showed a negative dependence of the size of the private R&D segment and innovation performance. It turned out that in the conditions of Czechia the statement that developed regions with a developed innovation system show a larger relative representation of the private segment is not valid. The second finding supports the thesis of a correlation between the intensity of collaboration between research institutions and firms and their innovation performance. Keywords: regional innovation systems,...

The purpose of this study is to explore which methods are used for knowledge transfer between recurring event projects, in different physical locations. The study also examines the different roles the project organization and the permanent organization take in these processes. The theoretical basis is previous research on knowledge transfer, projects and event projects. The study is using a qualitative method and studied three Swedish sport events (O-Ringen, 25manna and Tiomila). The data was collected through five semi-structured interviews. During the data processing, various themes and categories were coded, and a content analysis of the event's documentation was carried out. The results show that there are both similarities and differences between the knowledge transfer process in all three events. The events all have a similar method for knowledge transfer, but the balance between process, technology and people differs. This study also shows differences between the event projects and the permanent organizations, based on the various motives and long-term perspective the different organizations have. Finally, a new model for knowledge transfer is presented, based on both the theories and the findings of the study. / Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka metoder som används för kunskapsöverföring mellan projekt på olika fysiska platser, i form av evenemang. Dessutom undersöks vilka roller som projektorganisationen respektive årsövergripande organisation tar i dessa processer. Den teoretiska grunden utgår från tidigare forskning kring kunskapsöverföring, projekt och evenemangsprojekt. Studien har använt ett kvalitativt tillvägagångssätt och studerar tre svenska idrottsevenemang. Den primära datan samlades in genom fem semistrukturerade intervjuer, dessutom gjordes en innehållsanalys av dokumentation från evenemangen. Databehandlingen utgick från teman och kategorier som kodades. Resultatet från intervjuerna visar både på likheter och skillnader i metoder för kunskapsöverföring hos de tre studerade evenemangen. Alla tre evenemang har en liknande metod för kunskapsöverföring, men balansen mellan processer, teknologi och människor skiljer sig. Skillnader finns även mellan evenemangsprojekten och de årsövergripande organisationerna, utifrån de olika motiv och långsiktighet som organisationerna har. Till sist presenteras en egen modell för kunskapsöverföring utifrån teorier och studiens resultat.

Customer-orientation is a strategy that has been adopted by many organizations. This strategy refers to the ability to assess the customer's perception of the service quality, for instance through customer feedback. Customer feedback can be acquired through surveys or given to the frontline employees. The processes for acquiring customer feedback for customer-oriented firms are generally well-developed. However, research shows that utilizing this valuable information is not conducted in a systematic matter. In this thesis, we investigate how a Swedish DSO can transfer knowledge from customer feedback internally to facilitate organizational learning. The primary empirical data in this qualitative research is gathered through interviews from the empirical context as well as with management consultants with organizational learning as their expertise. Findings from this thesis show that there is no panacea regarding how customer feedback should be presented and communicated in order to enable the organization to act on it. However, the findings indicate that an unsupportive organizational culture inhibits customer feedback to be shared effectively. Knowledge from customers must be equally valued as technical knowledge. Furthermore, it became evident that the organization endeavor a codification strategy. While this strategy is suitable for solicited feedback, this thesis argues that a personalization strategy might be more adequate for unsolicited feedback since it is difficult to express in a codified form. Our thesis is a small contribution to the limited research done on how to act on customer feedback and bring knowledge from customersto organizational learning. In addition, this thesis also contributes to existing research by investigating barriers that a regulated monopoly encounters when trying to become customer-oriented. / Kund-orientering är en strategi som många organisationer använder sig av. Denna strategi refererar till organisationens förmåga att förstå kundernas upplevelse av den service som organisationen erbjuder. Detta kan ske genom att t.ex. samla in kundfeedback. Kundfeedback kan samlas in genom enkäter eller ges direkt till de anställda som möter kunderna. Processer för att samla in kundfeedback för kund-orienterade företag är generellt sätt välutvecklade. Tidigare forskning visar dock att processer för att användandet av denna värdefulla information inte sker på ett systematiskt sätt. I den här uppsatsen, undersöker vi hur ett svenskt elnätsbolag kan överföra kundfeedback internt för att möjliggöra organisationsinlärning. Den primära datainsamlingen i den här kvalitativa undersökningen erhålls i form av intervjuer från den empiriska kontexten samt från managementkonsulter med organisationsinlärning som deras expertområde. Resultaten från denna studie visar att det inte finns något universalmedel för hur kundfeedback ska presenteras och kommuniceras för att organisationen ska agera på det. Resultaten visar dock att en organisationskultur som inte stöttar de anställda till att dela sin kunskap hindrar kundfeedback från att effektivt spridas i organisationen. Kunskap från kunder måste värderas lika mycket som teknisk kunskap. Vidare visar undersökningen tydligt att en “codification-strategy” föredras. Denna strategi är passande för kundfeedback som erhålls direkt via enkäter, dock argumenterar vi i denna uppsats att en “personalization strategy” är mer adekvat för att kommunicerar indirekt feedback eftersom att denna feedback är svår att uttrycka i en kodad form. Denna uppsats är ett litet bidrag till den begränsade forskning som gjorts gällande hur en organisation ska agera på kundfeedback och överföra kunskap till den resterande organisationen för att gynna utveckling. Utöver detta bidrar denna uppsats till förståelse gällande utmaningar som ett reglerat monopol möter då de går mot en kundorienterad strategi.

Due to knowledge being difficult to imitate, effective knowledge management provides several key competitive advantages. It involves managing knowledge within organizations in order to ensure the right knowledge reaching the right person at the right time.Scania CV AB is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks, busses and engines for marine and industry purposes. As part of the work with streamlining processes, knowledge management has become a focus area within their R&D. This master thesis has been carried out at four groups grouped under the section UTP Process support, consisting of a mechanical workshop, logistics, improvement coaches, and logistics and measurement. The purpose was to identify areas with potential for improvement, and present suggestions for improvements, with reusability of knowledge as the main focus.A total of 132 interviews and surveys, and four workshops were conducted in order to gather data, generate improvement proposals and anchor ideas. A literature study was conducted to provide a frame of reference.A four-quadrant model was generated, to make possible the mapping of knowledge work within the involved groups. This aims to provide a general model supporting improvements in knowledge management, by establishing a conceptual frame of reference where ambition and current state can be compared, providing a base for improvements and follow-ups over time.The improvement coach group is at the forefront of the issues addressed in this thesis report, which in this context also poses their primary challenge. Suggestions on how work can keep improving are presented, including further developments of the group's so called skills matrix.For the other groups, freeing up time of experienced employees is recommended in order to transfer knowledge to less experienced colleagues. Furthermore, improving the availability of documents controlling the employees’ work is recommended, as well as ensuring these are fully updated to a larger extent. Lastly, the groups should work on increasing knowledge exchange between them and external parties, such as customers and suppliers.Future recommendations include carrying out a pilot study of the proposed model, in order to improve the model and examine how different business units within product development organizations can benefit from it. A follow-up should be carried out to examine if the recommendations have made a difference. / En effektiv kunskapshantering kan ge unika konkurrensfördelar, då kunskap är svår att imitera. Knowledge management inbegriper hantering och ledning av kunskap i organisationer för att säkerställa att rätt kunskap når rätt person vid rätt tillfälle.Scania CV AB är en av världens ledande tillverkare av lastbilar, bussar och motorer för marin och industri. I arbetet att effektivisera processer har kunskapshantering blivit ett fokusområde för R&D. Detta examensarbete har utförts mot fyra grupper under sektionen UTP Process support, med en mekanisk verkstad, logistik, förbättringscoacher samt logistik och mätrum. Syftet var att identifiera områden med förbättringspotential och presentera förslag för fortsatt förbättringsarbete, med återanvändbarhet av kunskap som fokus.Totalt 132 intervjuer och enkäter, och fyra workshopar genomfördes för att samla in data, generera förbättringsförslag och förankra idéer. En litteraturstudie genomfördes för att ge en referensram för studien.För att kartlägga hur kunskapsarbetet fungerade på de olika grupperna, genererades en fyrfältsmodell. Denna syftar till att ge en generell metod för förbättringsarbete kring kunskapshantering, genom att formulera en konceptuell referensram där ambitionsnivå och nuläge kan jämföras, för att ge underlag till förbättringsarbete och uppföljning över tid.Gruppen med förbättringscoacher ligger i framkant i frågorna som examensarbetet behandlar, vilket i detta sammanhang också utgör dess främsta utmaning. Förslag ges på hur arbetet kan fortsätta förbättras, däribland en vidareutveckling av gruppens så kallade kompetensmatris.För de övriga grupperna rekommenderas att frigöra tid för erfarna medarbetare att överföra kunskap till mindre erfarna. Vidare rekommenderas att tillgängligheten av dokument som styr arbetet ses över, och att dessa hålls fullständigt uppdaterade i högre utsträckning. Slutligen bör grupperna arbeta för ökat kunskapsutbyte mellan grupperna och externa parter såsom kund och leverantör.Som framtida arbete rekommenderas en pilotstudie av den framtagna modellen, för att förbättra denna och undersöka hur olika grupper inom produktutvecklingsorganisationer kan dra nytta av den. En uppföljning bör genomföras för att undersöka om implementering av givna rekommendationer har gjort skillnad.

Knowledge has come to be regarded as an important strategic asset for organizations. This asset is something that companies want to take advantage of in their office environments. With the growing integration of IoT solutions in office environments, underlaying the so-called smart offices, knowledge transfer in these environments has been affected. The new technology can contribute to an improvement of previous means of transferring knowledge or introducing new approaches to knowledge transfer. This study addresses how organizations with smart offices gain access to knowledge through knowledge transfer. As this study investigates an area that is quite new, the goal has been to study comprehensively how knowledge transfer occurs in a selected smart office concept. To fulfill the purpose of the study, an interview study has been conducted on two companies that currently use the smart office concept. The study has presented processes, models and factors for knowledge transfer. Based on the processes, models of knowledge transfer and its influencing factors, an analysis and identification of knowledge transfer in smart offices has been presented. The empirical material has been gathered through interviews with those in charge of the chosen companies. The result of the empirical data collection shows that the various tools in the smart office environment investigated contribute to improved knowledge transfer through increased trust, collaboration and spontaneous interactions between colleagues. In the analysis, it has also been stated that the increasing integration of smart office features will lead to an increase in the development of the various features which in turn could affect knowledge transfer within organizations. / Kunskap har kommit att bli ansedd som en viktig strategisk tillgång för organisationer. Denna tillgång är något som företag vill ta vara på i deras arbets-och kontorsmiljöer. Med den växande integrering av IoT lösningar i kontorsmiljöer, så kallade smarta kontor har kunskapsöverföringen i dessa miljöer påverkas. Den nya tekniken kan bidra till en förbättring på tidigare medel att föra över kunskap eller komma med nya tillvägagångssätt till kunskapsöverföring. Denna studie adresserar hur organisationer med smarta kontor får tillgång till kunskap genom kunskapsöverföring. Då denna studie undersöker ett område som är ganska nytt så har målet varit att studera övergripligt hur kunskapsöverföring sker på ett utvalt koncept av smarta kontor. För att uppfylla syftet med studien har en intervjustudie genomförts på två företag som i dagsläget använder sig av konceptet. I studien har processer, modeller och faktorer för kunskapsöverföring presenterats. Utifrån de processer och modeller för kunskapsöverföring och dess påverkande faktorer har en analys och identifiering av kunskapsöverföring inom smarta kontor presenterats. Det empiriska materialet har inhämtats via intervjuer med ansvariga på de valda företagen. Resultatet från den empiriska datainsamlingen visar att de olika verktyg i den smarta kontorsmiljön som undersöktes bidrar till förbättrad kunskapsöverföring genom en ökad tillit, samarbete och spontana interaktioner mellan kollegor. I analysen så har det även framförts att den ökande integrationen av smarta kontorsverktyg kommer leda till en ökning av utvecklingen på de olika verktyg som i sin tur kan påverka kunskapsöverföring inom organisationer.

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In higher education, the current method of awarding grades and degrees through summative evaluation is didactically outmoded, leaving students frustrated and dissatisfied (Jantos 2021; Traub & MacRury 1990). Educators in higher education have been reprimanded for failing to adequately address new challenges while continuing to model traditional lecture-based knowledge transfer instruction (Alt 2018; Assen et al. 2016; Alt 2014). As a result, there is a demand for teacher education programs to provide didactics that will improve teachers’ abilities to apply sensible course design and assessment strategies, and so provide their future students with lifetime learning skills that they can use throughout their careers (Major & Mulvihill 2018). ... [Aus: Introduction]