<p>Examensarbetet utfördes på NCC Halmstad under våren 2010. Syftet med examensarbetet var att klargöra vad visuell metodik kan tillföra byggbranschen och hur det upplevs av personer som utför byggprojekt</p><p>Arbetet innefattar en kvalitativ och en litteraturstudie. Den kvalitativa studien genomfördes med hjälp av sju intervjuer inom Region Syd med personer som arbetat med den visuella metoden NCC Projektplanering. Intervjuerna har ägt rum för att ta reda på hur den visuella metodiken fungerar i praktiken.</p><p>Litteraturstudien innefattar en utredning av begreppen Lean, Lean Production, Lean Construction, Last Planner och NCC Projektplanering. Den röda tråden från Lean till NCC Projektplanering är att genom ständigt förbättringsarbete skapa engagemang och ökad delaktighet.</p><p>Den generella uppfattningen av NCC Projektplanering är positiv, dock varierar uppfattningen av metoden efter aktörernas inställning. Examensarbetet klargör vad visuell metodik kan tillföra byggbranschen.</p>

This research is aimed at obtaining a better understanding of the impact of the use of collaborative and simulation sessions for learning lean principles and methods. Study participants were enrolled in a Lean Manufacturing System Engineering (IE436/536) course at Oregon State University or at three other business and engineering universities where lean manufacturing or related courses focusing on lean principles and methods were taught, including Oakland University's Pawley Lean Institute, University of Pittsburgh, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Lean principles and methods have been documented as an effective improvement methodology and have been applied by many organizations globally since the late 1970s. With the widespread application and potential benefit of lean principles and methods, several professional centers, engineering schools, and some business schools, have taught lean principles and methods in order to educate and train learners in lean knowledge and skills before and/or after entering the workplace. Non-traditional teaching methods e.g., collaborative learning activities and simulation activities aimed at improving training and teaching have been widely used and have been shown to be successful in some studies (e.g., Verma, 2003; Armstrong, 2003; Nikendei, 2007). Little research, however, has focused on how these non-traditional teaching methods might affect learner perceptions e.g., self-efficacy beliefs and attitudes. The relationship between learning and learner perceptions related to the learning of lean principles and methods when using non-traditional teaching methods is also not well understood. The purpose of this research study was three fold: first, to examine the impact of lean collaborative and simulation sessions on lean learning, self-efficacy beliefs, and attitudes; second, to determine whether or not learner background knowledge had an impact on lean learning, self-efficacy beliefs, or attitudes; and, finally, to explore the relationships between lean learning, self-efficacy beliefs, and attitudes. In the first study, data were collected from students who took IE436/536 Lean Manufacturing Systems Engineering at Oregon State University during the Fall term of 2010 or the Fall term of 2011. In the second study, data were collected from students who enrolled in three other engineering or business schools where lean manufacturing systems or related courses that included content involving lean principles and methods were taught using collaborative and simulation sessions. Data from the first study were used to examine the impact of lean collaborative and simulation sessions on learning, self-efficacy beliefs, and attitudes; data from the second study were used to examine on self-efficacy beliefs and attitudes. Results from the first study point out the importance of the use of collaborative sessions on learning for both lean methods studied (Jidoka and pull); whereas, the use of simulation, following collaborative sessions, provided benefits only to those students learning Jidoka methods. The research revealed that the content plays a role in the effect of the use of collaborative and/or simulation sessions. Overall, analysis of individual self-efficacy beliefs revealed no significant self-efficacy differences after participants engaged in simulation sessions. The results did indicate that there were significant differences in intrinsic goal motivation after participating in simulation sessions. The level of background knowledge demonstrated a mixed effect on learning and on attitudes. The findings showed a significant difference in learning pull only for some students. The level of background knowledge did impact learner intrinsic goal motivation, but did not impact other attitudes. In addition, the results indicated that the type of session and background knowledge impacted learning; whereas, only self-efficacy beliefs was shown to impact learner attitudes. In the second study, the overall research findings show that significant differences in learner extrinsic goal motivation resulted from the use of collaborative and simulation sessions. The findings revealed that the sequencing of the teaching methods influenced learner attitudes and self-efficacy beliefs. For example, significant differences in learner task value were found only when participants participated in simulation sessions first, followed by collaborative sessions. Similarly, the results showed that participants from universities, in which learners participated in collaborative sessions first, followed by simulation sessions, had higher levels of self-efficacy beliefs when compared with participants from a university in which learners participated in simulation sessions first and then collaborative sessions. Taken together, these research findings provide evidence that the use of collaborative and simulation session, as supplemental tools for teaching lean principles and methods, is beneficial. Based on these results lean educators should consider the content areas, the sequence of the use of non-traditional teaching methods, and self-efficacy beliefs as important potential factors in teaching and training lean principles and methods. / Graduation date: 2013

Lean combustion is increasingly employed in both ground-based gas turbines and aircraft engines for minimizing NOx emissions. Operating under lean conditions increases the risk of Lean Blowout (LBO). Thus LBO proximity sensors, combined with appropriate blowout prevention systems, have the potential to improve the performance of engines. In previous studies, atmospheric pressure, swirl flames near LBO have been observed to exhibit partial extinction and re-ignition events called LBO precursors. Detecting these precursor events in optical and acoustic signals with simple non-intrusive sensors provided a measure of LBO proximity. This thesis examines robust LBO margin sensing approaches, by exploring LBO precursors in the presence of combustion dynamics and for combustor operating conditions that are more representative of practical combustors, i.e., elevated pressure and preheat temperature operation. To this end, two combustors were used: a gas-fueled, atmospheric pressure combustor that exhibits pronounced combustion dynamics under a wide range of lean conditions, and a low NOx emission liquid-fueled lean direct injection (LDI) combustor, operating at elevated pressure and preheat temperature. In the gas-fueled combustor, flame extinction and re-ignition LBO precursor events were observed in the presence of strong combustion dynamics, and were similar to those observed in dynamically stable conditions. However, the signature of the events in the raw optical signals have different characteristics under various operating conditions. Low-pass filtering and a single threshold-based event detection algorithm provided robust precursor sensing, regardless of the type or level of dynamic instability. The same algorithm provides robust event detection in the LDI combustor, which also exhibits low level dynamic oscillations. Compared to the gas-fueled combustor, the LDI events have weaker signatures, much shorter durations, but considerably higher occurrence rates. The disparity in precursor durations is due to a flame mode switch that occurs during precursors in the gas-fueled combustor, which is absent in the LDI combustor. Acoustic sensing was also investigated in both the combustors. Low-pass filtering is required to reveal a precursor signature under dynamically unstable conditions in the gas-fueled combustor. On the other hand in the LDI combustor, neither the raw signals nor the low-pass filtered signals reveal precursor events. The failure of acoustic sensing is attributed in part to the lower heat release variations, and the similarity in time scales for the precursors and dynamic oscillations in the LDI combustor. In addition, the impact of acoustic reflections from combustor boundaries and transducer placement was addressed by modeling reflections in a one-dimensional combustor geometry with an impedance jump caused by the flame. Implementing LBO margin sensors in gas turbine engines can potentially improve time response during deceleration transients by allowing lower operating margins. Occurrence of precursor events under transient operating conditions was examined with a statistical approach. For example, the rate at which the fuel-air ratio can be safely reduced might be limited by the requirement that at least one precursor occurs before blowout. The statistics governing the probability of a precursor event occurring during some time interval was shown to be reasonably modeled by Poisson statistics. A method has been developed to select a lower operating margin when LBO proximity sensors are employed, such that the lowered margin case provides a similar reliability in preventing LBO as the standard approach utilizing a more restrictive operating margin. Illustrative improvements in transient response and reliabilities in preventing LBO are presented for a model turbofan engine. In addition, an event-based, active LBO control approach for deceleration transients is also demonstrated in the engine simulation.

Examensarbetet utfördes på NCC Halmstad under våren 2010. Syftet med examensarbetet var att klargöra vad visuell metodik kan tillföra byggbranschen och hur det upplevs av personer som utför byggprojekt Arbetet innefattar en kvalitativ och en litteraturstudie. Den kvalitativa studien genomfördes med hjälp av sju intervjuer inom Region Syd med personer som arbetat med den visuella metoden NCC Projektplanering. Intervjuerna har ägt rum för att ta reda på hur den visuella metodiken fungerar i praktiken. Litteraturstudien innefattar en utredning av begreppen Lean, Lean Production, Lean Construction, Last Planner och NCC Projektplanering. Den röda tråden från Lean till NCC Projektplanering är att genom ständigt förbättringsarbete skapa engagemang och ökad delaktighet. Den generella uppfattningen av NCC Projektplanering är positiv, dock varierar uppfattningen av metoden efter aktörernas inställning. Examensarbetet klargör vad visuell metodik kan tillföra byggbranschen.

This thesis is improving a support process with lean in a fast-growing IT startup. It investigates how processes in the service area can benefit from process improvement with lean, and the challenges and similarities that already exists in a startup with a background of agile and lean development. This is studied with both qualitative and quantitative data in order to create a broad point of departure. Common lean tools are used such as value stream mapping, 5S and, Pareto diagrams, but also from the quality management toolbox such as process mapping. The resulting analysis creates the foundation for a more efficient process which the startup can use to scale, measure and control. Lean is found to be a very suitable theoretical framework for this purpose, but some main concepts are found to not translate very well from the manufacturing industry where Lean once originated.

The main aim of the research work presented in this thesis, is the development of a novel framework with the capability of assessing the impact of implementing lean manufacturing within small-to-medium sized manufacturing firms (SMEs). By assessing the impact of lean implementation, SMEs can make informed decisions on the viability of lean adoption at the conceptual implementation stage. Companies are also able determine their status in terms of lean manufacturing affordability. Thus, in order to achieve the above-stated aim, the following were the main set research objectives; (1) identifying the key drivers for implementing lean manufacturing within SMEs, (2) investigating the operational activities of SMEs in order to understand their manufacturing issues, (3) exploring the current level of lean manufacturing usage within SMEs so as to categorise users based on their levels of involvement, (4) identifying factors that determine the assessment of lean manufacturing, (5) developing an impact assessment framework for justifying lean manufacturing within SMEs, (6) developing a knowledge based advisory system and (7) validating the impact assessment framework and the developed knowledge based advisory system through real-life case studies, workshops, and expert opinions. A combination of research methodology approaches have been employed in this research study. This comprises literature review, observation of companies' practices and personal interview. The data collection process involved ten SMEs that provided consistent information throughout the research project life. Additionally, visitations to three large size manufacturing firms were also conducted. Hence, the framework and system development process passed through several stages. Firstly, the data were collected from companies who had successfully implemented lean manufacturing within their premise. The second development stage included the analysis and validation of the dataset through company practitioners. An impact assessment framework was thus developed with the aid of regression analysis as a predictive model. However, it was realised that there were few correlations between the dataset generated and analysis. The reasons for this were unclear. ,a knowledge based advisory system was adopted to conceptualise, enhance the robustness of the impact assessment framework and address the problem of the imprecise data in the impact assessment process. Three major factors of impact assessment were considered in the framework and the system development process, namely relative cost of lean implementation, a company lean readiness status and the level of value-added to be achieved (impact/benefits). Three knowledge based advisory sub-systems that consisted of the abovementioned factors were built. Results obtained from them were then fed into the final system. The three sub-systems were validated with the original set of data from companies. This enabled the assignment of a number of input variables whose membership functions aided the definition of the fuzzy expert system language (linguistic variables) used. The final system yielded heuristic rules that enable the postulation of scenarios of lean implementation. Results were sought and tested on a number of firms based within the UK, for the purposes validation. These also included expert opinions both in academic and industrial settings. A major contribution of the developed system is its ability to aid decision-making processes for lean implementation at the early implementation stage. The visualisation facility of the developed system is also useful in enabling potential lean users to make forecasts on the relative cost of lean projects upfront, anticipate lean benefits, and realise one' degree of lean readiness.

El presente estudio se llevó a cabo en el departamento de emergencia y cuidados críticos del Hospital Nacional Hipólito Unánue, hospital de tercer nivel de atención. El motivo del estudio se basó en realizar una mejora en los procesos buscando una excelencia operativa que permita reducir los tiempos de espera, mejorar el manejo de información y eliminar actividades que no generen valor en los procedimientos. Para llevar a cabo el proyecto se utilizó diversas herramientas de la técnica Lean HealthCare con la finalidad de eliminar las ineficiencias y lograr que todo el trabajo realizado proporcione valor y cumpla con las necesidades de los pacientes. En primer lugar, se realizó un estudio de las técnicas lean y de la situación actual de la institución en estudio. Posteriormente se realizó un diagnóstico mediante una simulación de la situación actual y analizar las causas raíces de los problemas que se suscitan en el centro de salud. Seguido de ello se evaluó la situación actual del área e identificar los puntos de mejora buscando brindar una atención en el menor tiempo posible. Finalmente se realizaron mejoras, ya que se redujeron los tiempos de atención y se mejoraron los procedimientos de atención que se realizan en el departamento de emergencia y cuidados críticos más eficiente y eficaz. / The present study was carried out in the emergency and critical care department of the Hipolito Unanue National Hospital, a third-level care hospital. The reason for the study was based on making an improvement in the processes seeking operational excellence that allows to reduce waiting times, improve the handling of information and eliminate activities that do not generate value in the procedures. To carry out the project, various tools of the Lean HealthCare technique were used in order to eliminate inefficiencies and ensure that all the work done provides greater value and meets the needs of patients. In the first place, a study of the lean techniques and the situation of the institution under study was carried out. Subsequently, a diagnosis was made through a simulation and the root causes of the problems that arise in the health center were analyzed. Following this, the points of improvement were evaluated and identified, seeking to provide attention in the shortest possible time. Finally, improvements were made, since the attention times were reduced and the care procedures performed in the emergency department and critical care were improved. / Trabajo de Suficiencia Profesional

I dagens arbetsklimat uppstår hela tiden olika utmaningar för tillverkande företag och organisationer. Ökad konkurrens, utvecklingar av olika tillverknings- och informationstekniker samt alltmer krävande kunder är några av utmaningarna. Ett sätt att lyckas maximera kundvärde samtidigt som den interna produktiviteten och effektiviteten ökar är att implementera konceptet Lean, vilket kort kan sammanfattas som att göra mer med mindre.  Ackert Reklam är ett litet familjeägt aktiebolag som grundades 1982. Företaget producerar dekormaterial i olika former, allt från enklare kampanjdekorer till mer avancerade reflexdekorer. Ackerts filosofi är att på ett så kostnadseffektivt sätt som möjligt lyckas lösa kundernas behov av högklassig visuell kommunikation. I dagsläget har företaget problem i form av bristande standardisering av deras arbetssätt och letar därför efter lösningar inom Lean.  Syftet med den här studien var att hjälpa företaget att standardisera sina arbetssätt och finna rutiner med hjälp av en implementering av olika värderingar, principer och verktyg inom Lean. För att lyckas uppnå syftet togs två mål med studien fram: -          Identifiera befintliga värderingar, principer och verktyg inom Lean som går att anpassa på mindre tillverkande företaget.  -          Ta fram en implementationsmetod av Lean, i form av ett ramverk, som går att applicera på mindre tillverkande företag.   Studien genomfördes i form av en kvalitativ fallstudie där datainsamlingen utfördes med hjälp av intervjuer och observationer. Totalt utfördes en ostrukturerad intervju och sju semi-strukturerade intervjuer. Observationerna gjordes genom att fysiskt befinna sig på arbetsplatsen och studera arbetsprocessen.  Med hjälp av datainsamlingen i form av intervjuer och observationer samt av teori i form av olika värderingar, principer och verktyg inom Lean kunde en slutsats och rekommendationer tas fram. Studien visar att en implementation av Lean kan hjälpa Ackert att standardisera sina arbetssätt om den sker på rätt sätt och olika kritiska faktorer tas i beaktning. Företaget rekommenderas att följa det framtagna ramverket där initialt fokus ska ligga på att skapa en god intern kommunikation samt att träna och utbilda anställda inom Lean.

Research reveal that the construction industry does not have the same level of growth and development in performance compared to the manufacturing industry, and that Lean could be one solution to improve performance. Most research about Lean in the construction industry that exist today focus on simulating future scenarios. Hence miss analysing the impact Lean has on the current situation of construction projects, and its usability and possibility to set the framework for how to improve performances in construction projects. Thus, there is a gap in research concerning the evaluation on current process flows. This research explores Lean as a management method to understand how it has been used in the construction industry and how it could be used in construction projects to improve process flows. This will be done by using the method Value Stream Mapping, a method within Lean that is used to identify Non-Value-Adding activities in the process flow to point out what activities can be improved. The case study in this research explores two different value streams within two construction projects; deliveries and mounting one side of the framework of interior walls. Thus, the research will explore if and how the value stream differentiates between the two projects, with the aim to understand the reason for the results to understand how future construction projects could improve their process flows within a value stream. Data will be collected and analysed qualitative by combining observations and interviews. The value stream for deliveries differentiated between the projects. Project A had 73% Non-Value-Adding activities with a cycle time of 3,1 m2/min whilst Project B had 65% with a cycle time of 2,7 m2/min. In both projects Non-Value-Adding activities were categorized as Waiting, Movement, Transport and Overproduction. The value stream for mounting in Project A had 31% Non-Value-Adding activities with a cycle time of 2,9 m2/hour whilst Project B had 41% Non-Value-Adding activities with a cycle time of 1,7 m2/hour. In both project activities were categorized as Waiting, Transport, Incorrect processing and Movement. However, in Project B Overproduction was also identified as a Non-Value-Adding activity. Findings from the study shows that even though construction projects are complex and consist of variabilities, it is possible to observe value streams to identify Non-Value-Adding activities. Nevertheless, it is crucial to adjust the method to the construction industry since the theory of Value Stream Mapping originate from the manufacturing industry. This research recommends excluding number of resources as a category from the method and instead evaluate resources based on the total time, and to categorize inspections and reading drawing as Value-Adding activities instead of Non-Value-Adding. The study reveals that construction projects that work with Lean and its method Value Stream Mapping are given new opportunities to improve process flows. Thus, construction projects could be able to improve processes without needing to invest in more resources, material and tools. Not only could projects lower construction costs but also improve production time as Non-Value-Adding activities are reduced. Thus, the research believes Lean and its method Value Stream Mapping could improve performances within the construction industry. / Tidigare forskning menar att Lean skulle kunna vara en lösning på det faktum att byggindustrin inte har haft lika stor tillväxt och utveckling som bilindustrin. Den forskning som finns idag gällande Lean i byggindustrin fokuserar på att simulera framtida scenarier av den effekt Lean skulle kunna ge. Därav försummas analysering av den faktiska effekten Lean har i pågående situationer samt användbarheten och möjligheten att fastställa ramverk för hur man kan förbättra prestationer och tillväxt i byggprojekt. Denna studie utforskar Lean som en ledarskapsmetod. Studien fördjupar sig i Lean för att förstå hur det tidigare har använts i byggindustrin och förstå dess användbarhet och möjlighet att förbättra processflöden i byggprojekt. Value Stream Mapping, en metod inom Lean kommer att användas för att identifiera icke-värdeskapande aktiviteter i process flöden samt för att se vilka aktiviteter som kan förbättras eller elimineras. Fallstudien i denna forskning undersöker två olika värdeflöden inom två byggprojekt; ta emot leveranser och enkling av innerväggarna. Studien kommer att undersöka om och hur värdeflödena skiljer sig mellan de två projekten, med syfte att förstå orsaken till resultaten och förstå hur framtida byggprojekt kan förbättra processer inom värdeflödena. Data samlas in och analyseras kvalitativt genom att kombinera observationer och intervjuer. I värdeflödet för leveranser hade Projekt A 73% icke-värdeskapande aktiviteter med en produktionstid på 3,1 m2/min medan Projekt B hade 65% icke-värdeskapande aktiviteter med en produktionstid på 2,7 m2/min. Aktiviteterna i projekten kategoriserades som slöseri i form av, väntande, rörelse, transport och överproduktion. I värdeflödet för monteringen hade Projekt A 31% icke-värdeskapande aktiviteter med en produktionstid på 2,9 m2/h medan Projekt B hade 41% icke-värdeskapande aktiviteter med en produktionstid på 1,7 m2/h. I. I båda projekten kategoriserades icke-värdeskapande aktiviteter som slöseri i form av, väntande, rörelse, transport och fel bearbetning. Projekt B hade även slöseri i form av överproduktion. Studien visar att trots att byggprojekt är komplexa och varierande, är det möjligt att observera värdeströmmar för att identifiera aktiviteter som inte tillför värde. Det är däremot nödvändigt att anpassa metoden till byggindustrin då Value Stream Mapping grundar sin teori från bilindustrin. Studien rekommenderar att utesluta antalet resurser som en slöserikategori och istället utvärdera resurser genom att se på den totala tiden samt att kategorisera inspektioner och läsa ritning som värdeskapande aktiviteter i stället för icke-värdeskapande. Studien visar att byggprojekt som arbetar med Lean och dess metod Value Stream Mapping ges möjligheter att förbättra sina processflöden. Således skulle byggprojekt kunna förbättra processer utan att behöva investera i mer resurser, material och verktyg och därmed kunna sänka byggkostnaderna. Slutligen skulle byggprojekt kunna förbättra sina produktionstider då icke-värdeskapande aktiviteter reduceras. Studien visar därmed att Lean och dess metod Value Stream Mapping skulle kunna förbättra tillväxten inom byggindustrin.

Baring some limited exceptions, all large non-manufacturing organisations want to improve quality together with reducing costs, and the deployment and implementation of continuous improvement methodologies is commonly viewed as a daunting and sometimes even an impossible undertaking. Many organisations and their leadership fail to properly structure or support continuous improvement initiatives incorporating customer centricity, which ultimately doom them to failure. Business performance excellence programmes enables firms to provide a mechanism to identify and eliminate operational waste; enhance customer experience; and systematically increase profits. Thus, performance excellence has become a key indicator of a firm’s ability to achieve sustained profitability and competitiveness. This study has led to the development of a theoretical framework for effectively implementing and deploying an appropriately adapted Lean Six Sigma (LSS) in large non-manufacturing companies. It also creates a better understanding of the impact that an adopted Lean Six Sigma can have on the success of large non-manufacturing companies, and establish how effectively such organisations can implement the revised methodology, as measured against the said theoretical framework, thus to be able to make recommendations on how they can reduce cost, optimise their performance and become customer centric. A literature survey was done on Lean, Six-sigma and Lean Six Sigma to evaluate the history, benefits, and challenges during implementation, applicability to services oriented industries and the defining of the critical success factors required for effective implementation.The conceptual background from the literature review identified the research gap on which a theoretical framework for non-manufacturing companies was developed. Field-based interviews were conducted with the relevant senior personnel of four large non-manufacturing companies in order to complete the structured questionnaires to provide the data for understanding the mechanisms by which Lean Six Sigma deployment is addressed in the organisations. Fieldwork consisted of interviews with directors, senior executives, line managers and other staff that have in-depth knowledge of their organisation’s Lean Six Sigma deployment activities. These personnel members were selected on the basis of their direct decision-making and long-term involvement in their organisations’ continuous improvement activities throughout the assessment, negotiation and implementation phases. Detailed research on each organisation’s Lean Six Sigma activities preceded every interview. The interviews themselves were highly structured, and focused on the specific organisation’s Lean Six Sigma challenges on implementation and deployment of the method. The questionnaire was designed around the key factors needed in order to successfully manage Lean Six Sigma deployment challenges, as identified by theory and case studies and to test the degree of conformance to these theories by the four non-manufacturing companies. The findings in this study proves that, South African non-manufacturing companies are not adopting Lean Six Sigma to the point where it is going to make any sort of significant difference to the bottom line over a significantly meaningful period of time, judging from the statistical analysis from the survey results presented. The proposed framework provides for clearly defining the project infrastructure and methodology before the Lean Six Sigma project begins. This clearly helps to gain funding to embark on the projects, and will be helpful in any non-manufacturing company that must justify, as most do, how they spend the capital budget. The detailed cost/benefit analysis created during the implementation phase provides for the ability to gain funding for the implementation activities. People used to think of customer-centricity programmes mostly in terms of Customer Relations Management systems. Therefore, this research proposed a framework for management, supported by technology to become customer centric in a holistic manner. Many projects need not begin with any major technical investments. What matters more is a sustained focus on the financial goal and the transformation effort required to achieve that goal. Profitable Lean Six Sigma companies focus not only on integrating customer centricity into the organisation, but on ensuring that the entire “ecosystem” of the business - stakeholders, along with organisational processes, and structures - are aligned in ways that support Lean Six Sigma and customer-centric growth strategy. / PhD (Business Administration), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015