The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to understanding of the effect of organizational context on supply chain integration. One result is a context- based model that can provide support for practitioners regarding what level of integration to establish with suppliers and customers. Given the notion that most organizations are dependent on other organizations, it leads to a need for not only cross-functional integration but also for integration across organizational boundaries. However, in many organizations the level of integration with suppliers and customers is often inappropriate, inefficient and limited mainly to dyadic integration of order processing and operational scheduling. The existing literature provides only a limited insight concerning the essential circumstances for the integration and the slow growth of the implementation of inter-organizational integration has been attributed primarily to lack of guidelines for creating business relationships with supply chain partners. In the literature, “the more integration the better performance” solutions have often been presented without consideration of very complex internal and external organizational environments of involved companies. During recent years, questions have been raised regarding the nature of integration with suppliers and customers and the extent to which it can be accomplished. Instead of all-encompassing integration, selectivity has been suggested in terms of what level of integration should be applied to each link of the supply chain. The problem for an organization is not to find “one best way”; rather it is to search for solutions that advance integration and differentiation simultaneously. Preferable level of integration depends on many contextual factors associated with e.g. focal company, industry, competitive environment, and nature and type of products. However, in the previous research the focus has primarily been on studying single or limited sets of contextual factors and their impact on integration. These results are often fragmented, leading to multiple frameworks and models. A unifying model providing recommendations in terms of what level of integration to establish with suppliers and customers considering organization’s specific circumstances is desirable. In this study, a large number of contextual factors of integration with suppliers and customers were identified and structured. Additionally, the relationship between these factors and level of the integration was clarified. The study is based on the Grounded Theory methodology. To understand the effect of context on level of integration, two supply chains (triads) from two different industries - medical devices and fast moving consumer goods - have been selected as core samples. Findings are based on in-depth analysis of qualitative data obtained from fourteen interviews with practitioners such as CEOs, SC managers, sales managers, purchasing managers, and logisticians. Following the Grounded Theory methodology, the analysis of the collected data was conducted in three major rounds divided into six steps. The results were compared with a theoretical frame of reference. The main result of this study is a model that describes the relationship between contextual factors and integration activities with suppliers and customers. The findings suggest that the assumption of a fit between context and integration of the Structural Contingency Theory is applicable also from an inter-organizational perspective. The model can be applied to contextual factors both external and internal to an organization. It is supplemented by structured lists of identified contextual factors and integration activities. Recalling the notion of fit between value of contextual factors and level of integration with suppliers and customers, it can be stated that even low levels of integration can be appropriate as long as they are consistent with the values of certain factors representing organizational context. Furthermore, the model adds to existing models and frameworks as it can be used as a diagnostic tool. Applying this model, an organization can evaluate if current levels of integration fit with the corresponding values of contextual factors. Furthermore, the model support identification of misfits between values of contextual factors and present level of integration and it provides an opportunity to adjust or reevaluate the current levels of integration. The model, in combination with the lists of contextual factors and integration activities, can then be used to develop corrective actions in order to regain the desired fit. Intention of this study was to identify and analyze integration of triads in the studied supply chains, commonly known as Supply chain integration. However, this scope of integration has not been found, which is in line with previous research indicating that triadic integration is rare. To reflect the actual situation in more accurate way it is suggested to use the term Inter-organizational integration, implying dyadic scope of integration, rather than Supply chain integration.

Cette thèse interroge la dynamique d’intégration d’un groupe industriel après une fusion. Elle se fonde sur la trajectoire de l’entreprise aéronautique Safran, entre 2005 et 2015. A partir d’une ethnographie dans une division de Recherche et Développement en électronique embarquée, de cent soixante entretiens et de littérature grise, elle étudie les stratégies et dispositifs d’intégration et leur mise en œuvre à deux niveaux de l’entreprise : la direction générale et des équipes d’ingénierie. L’objet de cette thèse est de comprendre comment, dans une entreprise créée par une fusion, est produite cette intégration face à différentes forces centrifuges et conflictuelles, à ces deux niveaux. Ce cas montre comment est construit un nouvel ordre politique dans une entreprise autour de structurations organisationnelles fondées sur des imbrications sociotechnique et d’une idéologie professionnelle d’ingénieurs. Ce « capitalisme d’ingénieurs », notion qui permet d’expliquer le mode d’intégration spécifique de Safran, s’inscrit dans la trajectoire de la pensée technocratique des grands corps d’ingénieurs français mais est rendue économiquement viable dans l’entreprise par la forme du marché aéronautique et le type de concurrence qui s’y joue. C’est le moyen pour la direction de faire converger une stratégie de marché, un enrôlement des actionnaires – dont l’Etat – et une intégration interne à la firme. Cette stratégie d’intégration est confrontée aux dynamiques contradictoires de rationalisation du travail de R&D. La thèse articule dans le cas d’une firme, une analyse de sociologie de l’entreprise et des organisations avec une sociologie économique et une sociologie du travail. / This thesis explores the post-merger integration dynamics of an industrial group, following the path of a French aeronautics firm, Safran, between 2005 and 2015. Based on an ethnography of the Research and Development division producing aeronautic on-board electronics, 160 interviews and review of grey literature, the thesis analyzes the integration strategies and devices at two distinct levels – top management and engineering teams. This thesis aims to understanding how integration is produced at both levels after a merger, against conflicting and centrifugal forces. The Safran case shows how a new political order is built in a firm around organizational structures based on sociotechnical interdependences and engineers’ professional ideology. This “engineering capitalism” – a notion that explains and characterizes the specific mode of integration at Safran – is linked with the technocratic thought of the French engineering grands corps. It is made economically viable by the shape of the aeronautics market and the kind of competition that takes place within it. It is a means for the top management of the firm to collectively articulate a market strategy and shareholders’ enrollment – including the State as a shareholder – with the internal integration of the enterprise. This work is based on a combination of sociology of organizations and firms, economic sociology and sociology of work.

Global merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions exceeded $4.7 trillion in 2015, yet more than 70% of M&As fail to meet postmerger performance expectations with unsuccessful organizational integration cited as the primary source of failure. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore organizational integration strategies some business leaders use to achieve anticipated postmerger performance and growth expectations. The study population consisted of 10 executive and midlevel business leaders in 2 privately held companies, domiciled in Arizona and Iowa, who have contributed to successful organizational integration in M&A transactions in the last 5 years. The tenets of organizational change management composed the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected by semistructured interviews, reviews of internal documents, and publicly available information. Data were analyzed using inductive analysis to identify patterns and themes. The themes identified were organizational planning, communications, performance and growth, culture, and leadership and management. The study findings can assist business leaders in understanding the importance of organizational integration planning in the earliest phases of M&A transactions to improve M&A successes. The study findings contribute to positive social change by enhancing business leaders' knowledge to improve M&A postmerger performance, which can stabilize current employment, create new employment opportunities, and generate positive economic improvements for the broader stakeholder group.

Several industrial sectors experience an increased reliance on mechatronic systems as electronics and software are being embedded into the traditional mechanical systems of these industries. Important challenges within mechatronics engineering comes from management of multi-disciplinary development project teams and the highly complex scope of problems, which in turn require extensive coordination and integration, both in terms of technical and organisational matters. The concept of cross-functional integration in product development research has in previous research mainly addressed integration of the functions marketing, R&D, and manufacturing, and whereas the present thesis is delimited to include only the R&D organization and the functions and engineering disciplines within such an organization. The purpose with thesis has been to investigate mechatronics engineering in order to understand and explain how co-operation, integration, and knowledge sharing between engineering disciplines can be supported. This research has been realized by empirical studies in mechatronic development settings in engineering companies, but also by taking part in industrial and academic research projects that develop and study computer-aided mechatronics engineering. Findings presented in this thesis show that mechatronics is a matter of integration at three organizational levels where the most substantial needs are found to be at the team-level and the individual level. Furthermore, it is identified that to be able to succeed in mechatronics engineering, managers and engineers must look beyond disciplinary needs. Subsequently, both teamwork and competence management become key issues for management of mechatronics engineering. Finally, computer-supported and model-based development of mechatronics show great potential for successful integration of engineering disciplines, even though such technological aids are still rather immature and needs further research and development. A tentative analysis model of organizational integration for mechatronics engineering is also presented and discussed in this thesis. Based on the presented findings, it is concluded that companies incorporating electronics and software in their mechanical products must effectively manage software and electronics development of these embedded systems. Despite the focus on cross-functional integration in engineering companies, this thesis shows examples of inadequate integration of software and electronics engineering with mechanical integration in organisations dominated by the latter. Future research studies are needed to investigate the relation between factors influencing the need for organizational integration and potential integration mechanisms. To further understand mechatronics engineering it is important to look deeper into research issues such as changed conditions for the engineering profession implied by multidisciplinary settings, social systems supporting integration of disciplines, changed work conditions due to implementation of technological aids for model-based system development, relationship between product and organizational complexity, organizational designs supporting integration of engineering disciplines, and cross-disciplinary training of highly specialized engineers. / QC 20101123

Onboarding is the process that helps new employees integrate into their new workplace and role. The opinion and perception of the onboarding-process has been proven to have an impacton the employee’s commitment and the turnover rate in organizations. The employee´s perception of the onboarding is thus important and something that many organizations care about. The purpose of this study is to examine how new hired personnel have perceived their onboarding at two different companies, one established, and one newly established company. We also investigated if the perceptions between the employees at these companies differs, and if so, how they differ from each other. We have gathered our empirical data through semistructured interviews with new hires at the two companies. We have in this study used the theoretical framework that Bauer (2010) wrote in her publication “Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success”. In conclusion, the results indicates that the employees at the established company have perceived the onboarding activities as more formal, well-planned, and proactive, whereas the employees at the newly established company have perceived the onboarding as not so profoundand in some cases as non-existent. Though the perceived onboarding activities differs a lot, we see that the expectation of the onboarding plays an important role in the employees’ general opinion and perception of the onboarding. The study also conveys suggestions for interesting future research. / Onboarding är den process som hjälper nyanställda att integreras in på deras nya arbetsplats och i deras nya roll. Uppfattningen och upplevelsen av onboardingen hos anställda, har visat sig ha en påverkan på deras nivå av engagemang samt på företags personalomsättning. De anställdas uppfattning är mycket viktig och någonting som många organisationer bryr sig om. Studien syftar till att bidra med kunskap till hur nyanställda på två olika företag uppfattar den onboarding-process de fick genomföra och ta del av när de påbörjade sin anställning. Vi undersöker huruvida det finns en skillnad i hur nyanställda på ett etablerat företag uppfattar onboarding-processen gentemot nyanställda på ett nyetablerat företag. Vi har samlat in vår empiriska data genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med nyanställda på de två företagen och. Det teoretiska ramverk som har använts för att analysera empirin är Bauer (2010) ´s teoretiskaramverk som hon redovisar i sin publikation “Onboarding New Employees: MaximizingSuccess”. Resultatet indikerar på att de nyanställda på det etablerade företaget har upplevt sin onboarding som formell, välplanerad och proaktiv. Vidare har de nyanställda på det nyetablerade företaget uppfattat onboardingen som icke formell och i vissa fall icke existerande. Ytterligare ett resultat som studien visar är att nyanställdas förväntan på onboardingen spelar en stor roll för den nyanställdas generella åsikt och uppfattning om dess onboarding. Studien förmedlar även förslag på intressant vidare forskning på ämnet.

<p><p>This Master’s thesis explores the importance of creating a new form of business model that incorporates a more substantial focus on innovation business strategy, geared towards the public transportation industry. It specifically explores how multinational companies (MNCs) in urban public transportation can use their internally developed technologies to enter new businesses beyond their current core. Due to the complexity of this topic, the thesis covers three major issues. First, it is important to determine the values that the technology offers to the new business and which strategy should be used to delivered these values. Second, it is necessary to create an appropriate business model to successfully commercialize the innovation. Third, it is essential to find suitable ways to integrate this business model into the company organizational structures. To provide new approaches and perspectives, this research project uses a single case study, a leading public transportation MNC and one of its innovative technologies to enter a new business. For confidentiality, names, empirical data, analysis and recommendations for the company have been excluded from this publication.</p><p>Findings reveal that Blue Ocean Strategy and its fundamental value innovation theory can be used in coordination with a traditional business model approach and corporate venturing theory to provide a more complete picture of the stages of business strategy in entering a new business in public transportation, with a more distinct focus on the innovation aspect. Given the findings, an MNCs should first determine the new value that their technology brings to various external stakeholders and find a way to communicate and market it in an untraditional way, focusing on emotional as well as functional appeal. MNCs should then consider various positions they can take in a new business, in determining the ideal commercialization strategy to pursue. MNCs should bear in mind that value is enhanced through collaborations both inside and outside the industry. This strategy can be chosen based on a variety of factors, such as monetary and strategic aims. Lastly, MNCs should consider how to enhance value through the appropriate organizational integration strategy for the new business. The proposed business model incorporates the interrelationship between the Blue Ocean theory, with business model and corporate venturing strategies, to create a business model approach that provides a better understanding of the decision-making processes, risks, and value, of an internally developed innovation, and the impact on an MNC’s core business.</p></p>

This Master’s thesis explores the importance of creating a new form of business model that incorporates a more substantial focus on innovation business strategy, geared towards the public transportation industry. It specifically explores how multinational companies (MNCs) in urban public transportation can use their internally developed technologies to enter new businesses beyond their current core. Due to the complexity of this topic, the thesis covers three major issues. First, it is important to determine the values that the technology offers to the new business and which strategy should be used to delivered these values. Second, it is necessary to create an appropriate business model to successfully commercialize the innovation. Third, it is essential to find suitable ways to integrate this business model into the company organizational structures. To provide new approaches and perspectives, this research project uses a single case study, a leading public transportation MNC and one of its innovative technologies to enter a new business. For confidentiality, names, empirical data, analysis and recommendations for the company have been excluded from this publication. Findings reveal that Blue Ocean Strategy and its fundamental value innovation theory can be used in coordination with a traditional business model approach and corporate venturing theory to provide a more complete picture of the stages of business strategy in entering a new business in public transportation, with a more distinct focus on the innovation aspect. Given the findings, an MNCs should first determine the new value that their technology brings to various external stakeholders and find a way to communicate and market it in an untraditional way, focusing on emotional as well as functional appeal. MNCs should then consider various positions they can take in a new business, in determining the ideal commercialization strategy to pursue. MNCs should bear in mind that value is enhanced through collaborations both inside and outside the industry. This strategy can be chosen based on a variety of factors, such as monetary and strategic aims. Lastly, MNCs should consider how to enhance value through the appropriate organizational integration strategy for the new business. The proposed business model incorporates the interrelationship between the Blue Ocean theory, with business model and corporate venturing strategies, to create a business model approach that provides a better understanding of the decision-making processes, risks, and value, of an internally developed innovation, and the impact on an MNC’s core business.

Submitted by Priscila Nascimento (pnascimento@icict.fiocruz.br) on 2012-11-12T13:37:32Z No. of bitstreams: 1 gisele-chads.pdf: 1876644 bytes, checksum: f077afe71ef53cb910b836404c822ad4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2012-11-12T13:37:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 gisele-chads.pdf: 1876644 bytes, checksum: f077afe71ef53cb910b836404c822ad4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. / A crescente complexidade e que envolve as organizações e o ambiente em que se inserem tem levado seus membros e os pesquisadores da área de gestão a contínuas buscas de novas e mais adequadas abordagens para análises que contribuam para o desenvolvimento organizacional. O esforço para sobreviver nas condições concorrenciais atuais tornou imperativa a implementação de diversos tipos de mudança com vista a melhorar o desempenho organizacional, reduzir custos, melhorar a qualidade, aumentar a produtividade, inovar nos produtos e processos deprodução, e aumentar a velocidade de entrada no mercado. Entretanto, observa-se que a maior parte destes esforços teóricos ou práticos não tem alcançado resultados desejados, pois a gama de métodos disponíveis, com as mais distintas características, não tem conseguido apreender as contradiçõese conexões que compõem as organizações. Caracteriza-se uma necessidade urgente adaptar estes métodos às necessidades sociais e organizacionais, superando as limitações dos métodos científicos tradicionais. Uma proposta para melhor integração organizacional seria assimilar,na prática, o que diz uma das diretrizes do projeto: a integração das ações de Bio-Manguinhos na área de gestão. Em um verdadeiro trabalho de equipe, será discutida neste trabalho uma proposta de padronização, eliminando superposições, mas respeitando as particularidades. Essa integração permite a adoção de uma sistemática unificada, clara, eficiente, o que amplia a competitividade da Unidade. O aprendizado e a evolução constantes são elementos essenciais na construção de uma empresa de sucesso. / The increasing complexity that involves organizations and the environment in which they are inserted has led their members and researchers of management area to continuous searches for new and more suitable approaches for analyses that contribute to the organizational development. The effort to survive in concurrent conditions has made imperative the implementation of several types of changes in order to improve organizational performance, reduce costs, improve quality, increase productivity, innovate products and processes of production, and increase the speed of entering into the market. However, most of these theoretical and practical effortsdo not seen to have reached expected results because the range of methods avaliable withvery distinct characteristics have not gathered contradictions and connections that frame the organizations. An urgent need to adapt these methods to social and organizational needs is overcoming traditional scientific methods limitations. A proposal for better organizational integration would be to put into practice one of the guidelines of the project: the integration of Bio-Manguinhos actions in management area. In a true team work, a standardization proposal will be discussed in this work eliminating superposition, but respecting particularitities. This integration allows the adoption of a unified, clear, and efficient framework, what extends the competitiveness of the Unit. Constant learning and evolution are essential elements in the construction of a successful company.

Purpose: The purpose is to investigate and analyse the impact of intra-organizational purchasing synergy on periodic price adjustment (PPA) process. Specifically, paper provides a view on how  purchasing process synergy through an operational IT platform can increase process reengineering opportunities within PPA.  Methodology: So, to fulfil the purpose of the research, the in-depth case study approach is chosen as a strategy that goes along with exploratory nature of the study, aimed at gaining rich insights in the context in which the phenomenon happens. Findings: The findings emphasize the importance of global process standardization and balanced governance among regional affiliates in successful implementation of PPA process synergy. We also identify a set of specific process reengineering needs  in PPA such as company wide information sharing,  standardization of part specifications and cost bases, and joint world-wide cost reduction activity within global buyer community (BGC). Then it is observed that all these process reengineering initiatives will not be possible without solid and flexible IT infrastructure  to improve buyer productivity and support their further development.   Research limitations/implications: Primarily, this study was conducted on single in-depth case study which makes it difficult to completely generalize the findings. Next, there are many factors impacting intra-organizational pricing processes besides global synergy projects. In fact, regional and organizational contexts are of high importance, which are addressed but not analysed in detail in the current study.   Practical implications: Together, the findings contribute to our understanding of the step-by-step pricing activity from industrial customer perspective and how buyers can improve cost competitiveness through various tangible and commercial part cost reduction activities.   Originality/value: Current study has addressed the pricing process from industrial customer perspective. It has two main theoretical contributions: (1) Detailed step-by-step description of PPA process between OEMs and their suppliers happening after SOP; and (2) groundwork for implementation guidance on intra-organizational price revision process synergy.

Cette thèse explore le rôle de l'intégration inter-organisationnelle et de l'intégration produits en tant que deux dimensions constitutives de l'intégration des fournisseurs dans le développement de produits, au moyen de trois essais. Le premier essai est une revue systématique de la littérature sur l'intégration des fournisseurs. Il identifie l'intégration des produits comme une dimension qui est rarement incorporée dans la conceptualisation de l'intégration des fournisseurs. Afin de combler les lacunes identifiées dans la revue de la littérature, nous construisons un modèle conceptuel qui intègre les concepts de la théorie du traitement de l'information et de la théorie de la modularité. Le deuxième essai opérationnalise ce modèle conceptuel au moyen d’une étude de cas ancrée dans une entreprise de l’industrie de la défense. Cet essai démontre que la gouvernance de la relation entre un acheteur et un fournisseur est liée à un concept peu étudié dans la littérature sur la conception des produits, à savoir les produits d’interfaces. Le troisième essai est un développement théorique sur les produits d’interfaces comme éléments déterminants de la conception du produit et de la structure organisationnelle. Cet essai définit théoriquement les propriétés micro-fondatrices des interfaces et fournit des exemples tirés des secteurs des télécommunications, de l’automobile et de l’aéronautique comme évidence de leur existence. Cette thèse souligne l'importance des interfaces des produits comme des éléments qui peuvent augmenter les exigences du traitement de l'information lors de l’intégration des fournisseurs dans le développement des produits. / This thesis explores the role of inter-organizational integration and product integration as two constituent dimensions of supplier integration into product development with three essays. The first essay is a systematic review of literature on supplier integration. It identifies product integration as a dimension that is scarcely incorporated in the conceptualization of supplier integration. In order to fill the gaps identified in the literature review, we build a conceptual model that incorporates concepts from Information Processing Theory and Modularity Theory. The second essay investigates this conceptual model with an embedded case study in a defense company. This essay shows that the governance of the relationship between a buyer and a supplier is related to an understudied concept in the product design literature, namely product interfaces. The third essay is a theoretical development of product interfaces as an element that determines product and organization design. This essay defines micro-foundational interface properties theoretically and provides examples from the telecommunications, automotive and aircraft industries as supportive evidence. Overall, this thesis points out the importance of product interfaces as elements that can increase information processing requirements of supplier integration into product development.