Bakgrund: Forskningen kring projekt har under senare år ökat i omfattning. En anledning är att projektorganiseringen utgör ett sätt att samla ett antal specialister för att få dem att samverka mot ett gemensamt mål. Utöver de interna relationer som uppstår i projekt förekommer det även involvering av interorganisatoriska partners i samarbetet vilket är speciellt vanligt i byggprojekt som karaktäriseras av en hög grad av interorganisatorisk specialisering. Problemformuleringar: Den utpräglade specialiseringen inom byggprojekt fordrar som all annan typ av specialisering, samordning och koordinering av resurser med den skillnaden att det här handlar om samordning över de organisatoriska gränserna. Det som denna studie behandlar är därför de relationer byggföretag har till sina underentreprenörer i samband medbyggprojekt. Fokus ligger på hur företag kan samverka vertikalt i förädlingskedjan för att på detta sätt uppnå konkurrensfördelar. Syfte: Syftet med denna magisteruppsats är att utforska styrning och kontraktering av interorganisatoriska relationer för projektbaserad byggverksamhet. Utöver detta är syftet att specificera en optimala relationen mellan byggherre och underentreprenör för de fall som studien omfattar. Avgränsningar: Studien har avgränsats till att endast innefatta relationen mellan byggherre och underentreprenör. Genomförande: Studien har genomförts med grund i kontraktsansatsen genom intervjuer på två byggföretag med olika strategi, storlek och geografisk placering. Resultat: Resultatet visar att en optimal relation mellan byggherre och underentreprenör är avhängigt av i vilken grad samverkan kan ledan till utveckling hos de båda parterna. Alltför omfattande outsourcing av tjänster kan vara negativt precis som alltför täta relationer. Därför är situationen helt avgörande. Ger även stöd åt- samt utvecklar Alvesson&Lindkvists teori om ekonomisk kooperativa klaner. / Background: Business research focusing on different aspects of project work has recently increased. One reason is that project teams can be used as an effec- tive means of getting specialists from different parts of a business to work to- wards a common goal. In addition to the internal project relations that charac- terize project work, some businesses have also shown evidence of involving ex- ternal parties in projects. This is particularly common for construction projects where a large number of firms enter a project in order to achieve a high degree of interorganizational specialisation. Purpose: The high extent of specialization within the construction industry in- creases the need for coordination of resources among participating firms. This thesis relates to this coordination with special regard to the relation between contractor and sub-contractor and the involvement of subcontractorsin the verti-cal dimension of the supply chain. Hence, the purpose of this study is to explore the procurement phases related to the involvement of subcontractors in con-struction projects. Further, the study aims at specifying the optimal relations between main- and sub contractor for the construction firms researched. D elimitation: This thesis is solely focusing on the relations between main con- tractor and sub-contractor and is not dealing with other parties involved in con-struction projects. Realization: The research material for this thesis has been obtained through in- terviews with employees of two Swedish construction firms that differ in strat- egy, size and geographical location. Conclusion: The concluding remarks of the study indicate that the optimal rela- tion between main- and sub contractor is highly dependent on in what ways the relations may lead to long-term development for the parties. A high extent of outsourcing from the main contractor as well as too extensive partnering rela- tions may lead to substantial disadvantages in development for both firms. Therefore the environment in which the main contractor is operating is of great importance to the decision on how to handle subcontractor relations. The study also gives insights into the clan literature and supports and extends the theory of economic cooperative clans, developed by Mats Alvesson&Lars Lindkvist.

Managerial behavior often differs between individuals and situations. To understand this variation the manager’s own interpretation of the role, context and role behavior is especially important. In this thesis several managers’ subjective views and understandings of their role during an organizational change period were investigated in great detail. The organizational changes were assumed to put pressure on the managerial role, exposing adaptive and dynamic role aspect and thereby shed light on differences in behavior. The general purpose was to thoroughly investigate the concept of ‘subjective managerial role’ by two contrasting approaches. One was influenced by concepts and methods used in social constructivism and constructionism (Study 1-3), and the other was a rational/cognitive approach influenced by theories and methods used in cognitive psychology (Study 4-5). Multiple case studies with subjective reports from five managers during a period of sixteen months were chosen as the empirical base. In the constructivist approach three judges were used to interpret the managers’ verbal reports during the beginning of the change period, focusing on indications of ‘subjective role projects’. ‘Subjective role projects’ involved reflections on situations, actors, purposes/goals and action strategies, all within a time frame of the past, present and future. This qualitative content of the role was investigated, and support for the existence of subjective role projects was tested (Study 1). The variation between the managers’ subjective role projects and their general project strategies were explored (Study 2). The judgment and construction process pursued by the three judges was analyzed (Study 3). In the rational/cognitive approach the focus was on role problems. A control model was used to represent subjective role conflicts, on both group and individual levels. Difficult situations described by the managers were complemented with goals and actions strategies, and the managers rated conflicts between these role components, while thinking-aloud (Study 4). Role conflict patterns and dimensions were further analyzed using two quantitative data models (Study 5). Finally, the subjective role construct was compared with a contextual interpretation of the role, based on information from the organizational and social role context (Study 6). The results supported the basic components in both the project model and the control model of the subjective role, but the latter approach would benefit from a more elaborated stimulus sampling. In both approaches the differences between the managers were assessed, but in the constructivist approach it was difficult to separate variation stemming from managers from variation between judges. In the rational/cognitive approach the variation was restricted to conflicting aspects in a specific model. The control model features and the quantitative conflict data made it easier to estimate variance. A major conclusion was that the two approaches complemented each-other in their descriptions of the subjective role. The project model was adequate for investigating the first sense-making phases in the organizational change process, while the control model approach could describe role conflicts and problems, especially on individual levels. However, they both could fit within a framework of a subjective role process model. Using these two approaches in role analysis can provide more information on the subjective role processes of the role incumbent.

A scholarship from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) made it possible for the authors to collect primary data on location in Vietnam. Through a study of three organizations we aimed to create an understanding of the Clean Development Mechanism. Despite all the natural resources and the potential of renewable energy in Vietnam, a large percent of the electricity production comes from coal and other sources that contribute to carbon dioxide emissions. However, there are organizations working nationwide with implementing renewable energy projects and educating the Vietnamese. Since the birth of carbon market in connection with the Kyoto Protocol new possibilities have emerged as e.g the Clean Development Mechanism. For example high quality carbon offsetting companies are working on projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The purpose of this thesis is to study and describe how three organizations are working with renewable energy in rural areas in Vietnam and their connection to Clean Development Mechanism. We have carried out an explorative study with an inductive approach. Our three semi-structured interviews were conducted as personal interviews at location in Vietnam. We also had two informative meetings, also in Vietnam. Beyond, we had e-mail correspondents with a number of professionals in their field. Due to the heavy bureaucracy the Governmental process rate is slow, which are making projects such as in the area of renewable energy difficult to initiate. Also the Governmental interest in renewable energy as a source of generating electricity is limited. However, new policies are on the agenda which might increase the support for organisations working towards a sustainable development.

The popularity of social media have increased over the last years, appearing under variousbrands with millions of members worldwide. This thesis exemplifies how the features in twoof the most popular social media of today, Facebook and Twitter, can enable individuals touse these forums as tools for presentation and promotion of their identities. The empirical material was gathered through qualitative interviews with 13 users of socialmedia, illustrating how individuals actively strive to use these forums to create positiveassociations around their persons. What is perceived as beneficial communication varies with individuals different socialcontexts, learned through socialization mechanisms similar to those in real life. Social mediacommunication allows individuals to highlight preferable parts of their personality whileminimising negative to a higher extent than what sometimes is possible in the physicalreality, thus increasing the possibilities to communicate a desired self. The insights providedin this thesis can contribute to the understanding of social media as a phenomenon, as wellas increasing the knowledge around individuals purposes and user preferences as consumersof these media.The popularity of social media have increased over the last years, appearing under variousbrands with millions of members worldwide. This thesis exemplifies how the features in twoof the most popular social media of today, Facebook and Twitter, can enable individuals touse these forums as tools for presentation and promotion of their identities.The empirical material was gathered through qualitative interviews with 13 users of socialmedia, illustrating how individuals actively strive to use these forums to create positiveassociations around their persons.What is perceived as beneficial communication varies with individuals different socialcontexts, learned through socialization mechanisms similar to those in real life. Social mediacommunication allows individuals to highlight preferable parts of their personality whileminimising negative to a higher extent than what sometimes is possible in the physicalreality, thus increasing the possibilities to communicate a desired self. The insights providedin this thesis can contribute to the understanding of social media as a phenomenon, as wellas increasing the knowledge around individuals purposes and user preferences as consumersof these media.

The Uzbekistani state declared mahalla kengash as a local self-government in order to achieve decentralization in its administrative system. This thesis is a critical study of whether decentralization can be an explanatory concept in the examination of new institution-building in Uzbekistan. This thesis claims that dialectic relationship between the center and local state becomes conflictual when there is inconsistency between (a) (national) ruling class and its hegemony, and (b) (local) ruling class and its hegemony. The hegemony of both national and local ruling classes is shaped according to their capacity for conformity/dissention with the Soviet regime, and neo-liberal structural hegemony. This study based on a case study of Tashkent mahallashas demonstrated that decentralization process has been reversed as a result of the strategies of the Uzbekistani state when the different responses of the mahalla kengash do not conform to mahalla imagined by the state. Shortly, the urban mahalla kengashes of mahalla types which were shaped according to identity politics during the Soviet era could be easily adapted the new regime shifting from class to identity politics / whereas other mahalla types shaped according to class politics of the Soviet regime has fall in difficult situation. Finally, the decentralization policy and hegemonic projects of the regime have been shaped by the dialectic relationship between the state and mahalla kengash. Thus this relationship can be both spatio-temporally and socio-spatially differentiated.Consequently, it has argued that standard theoretical paradigms for understanding transition in post-Soviet local politics are less globally generalizable than previously thought.

Abstract Problem: The desire for development in less privileged countries like Uganda has created the need for the privileged countries like Sweden to embark on external knowledge transfer through different projects, as one of the objectives to achieve development. However, some factors tend to limit the success of this external knowledge transfer process. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to find out the factors that lead to the barriers and limitations of knowledge transfer in development projects. Since there are differences in objectives between nonprofit and profit making projects, the research is also aimed at highlighting the extent to which the affecting factors hinder the achievement of objectives and goals. Method: Qualitative methods were used in this research. Telephone interviews were conducted after sending questionnaires to four respondents from different organizations that were actively involved in the projects. In order to have balanced results, two respondents each from Uganda and Sweden were interviewed. Trustworthiness and ethical issues were put into consideration while conducting the interviews, in a bid to create a desirable atmosphere for conducting the study. Result: External knowledge transfer is affected by factors like culture, individual factors, and knowledge management factors. Apart from the mentioned factors, research found that instead of organizational factors that would affect profit making projects to a greater extent, factors like the political will, ownership and local needs are the ones that affect development projects. Conclusion: The factors that affect the external knowledge transfer process are to a greater extent human, and are controllable. In development projects, the recipient country should identify the needs that would initiate the external knowledge transfer process. Most of the affecting factors would be controlled through building of relationships and strong ties, local ownership, and political considerations. All this put into consideration, external knowledge transfer between developed and developing countries stand a high chance to succeed.

This thesis is dealing with the integration of Japanese and German project workers in automobile inter‐corporate research/pre‐development projects. The focus is on better understanding the respective decision making process. As cultural differences play a big role in the way that people behave an extra focus was put on investigating this. The methods chosen for this study were quantitative research in the form of a questionnaire and qualitative research in the form of an interview series. For the quantitative research, literature in the cross‐cultural field was studied and from different cultural dimensions suggested by various authors, a synthesis was derived. This was then used as the base for a questionnaire. The data both enabled a quantitative research study and supported the qualitative study. A number of questions with a more straightforward approach to decision making in projects were also a part of the questionnaire. The data was processed using the statistical software SPSS and the results were analyzed using factor analysis and ANOVA. The factor analysis of the quantitative data had only one factor which had a significant difference between the German and the Japanese sample. The dimension was called individuality reward and describes to which degree a society reward competent group behavior versus competent individual behavior. The German sample showed a strong tendency towards favoring competent individual behavior whereas the Japanese sample leaned towards favoring competent group behavior. The questionnaire questions directly linked to decision making showed no significant differences between the samples showing that individual attitudes within the German and Japanese sample varies more than the cultural differences between the two groups. This shows that you cannot expect a Japanese or German person to act in a certain way in a certain decision making situation just judging on their cultural background. In order to get a deep understanding of the decision making process a qualitative series of interviews were conducted. All interviews with Japanese and other people on location in Japan were conducted in‐person at different locations around the Tokyo area. Interviews with people situated in Europe were made over the phone. The interviews were recorded and later transcribed and interpreted to gain a thorough understanding of the decision making process. From the qualitative material several differences in how German and Japanese people work and make decisions were found. More time is put into sharing information and getting consensus before a decision in Japan than in Germany were discussions and arguing in meetings are more tolerated. The reason for this behavior in Japan is to not lose face and as well as making it possible to make a decision fast once brought up in a meeting. Germans remain more flexible to revisions after a decision has been made because of the shorter preparation phase. There is big overlap of members between different inter‐corporate research projects in the automobile industry. Japanese project members tends to be older than their German counterparts which makes them more stable as younger people might disappear from a project as they move up the corporate ladder. In Japan there is a greater emphasis put into after‐work activities compared to Germany where it is seen as beneficial but not as often used as a way to gain a personal relationship. The thesis concludes that by relatively small measures common decision making between Japanese and German project workers can become smooth and with few misunderstandings. Introductions to respective cultures as well as keeping an open mindset and non assertive attitude should help avoid some of the worst case scenarios. A kick‐off in the beginning of a project in order to build a personal relationship and trust would surely help the project come off to a good start. Setting common goals for the project and confirming data with people involved in a decision process will facilitate common consensus decision making. Also confirming decisions as simply as paraphrasing what has been said or by informal one‐on‐one discussions in a break or after a meeting can keep misunderstandings due to the language barrier to a minimum.

In any organization, formal and informal face-to-face meetings make up a profound part in the daily life of its members. Meetings are played out continuously, some formal, such as a management board meeting, an information meeting, or a project meeting. The formal meetings people “attend to”, “participate in”, or “are in charge of” depending on a person’s position within them. Other meetings are less formal, such as a desk-side discussion, a chat in the hallway, or a private conversation between two colleagues. The latter often just appear, seemingly by chance. This dissertation examines meetings, as a way of observing the organizing process of complex product development projects. More specifically, organizations engaging in complex product development can be viewed as tension systems, where the dominant tension is between innovation and control. From this perspective, a critical challenge for a product development project becomes one of managing a balancing act between individual action and creativity, on one hand, and collaboration and control, on the other, ensuring that ideas and knowledge retrieved by their parts can be pooled into an integrated whole. By studying the interplay between different types of face-to-face meetings that took place in two projects developing telecommunication systems, this thesis engages in an inquiry of how this balancing act was played out in practice. The findings of the study suggest that the informal meetings comprised occasions that facilitated the perception of complex and ambiguous issues and gave rise to innovative interpretations of how to deal with them. When issues have been defined and interpreted, formal meetings were used to “elevate” and “enter” them into a formal existence. Then, formal claims for action could be established in which people in the projects were organized around the task of solving a specific and recognized problem.  Thus, formal meetings served as a controlling and structuring function. / <p>Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan, 2002</p>

<p>The generation of large volumes of solid and liquid wastes in urban and periurban areas of Ghana is a big problem for the people and government of Ghana. It contributes to the outbreak of many diseases in the country such as malaria, diarrhoea and typhoid fever. In managing the situation, a new concept called ecological sanitation (ecosan), which focuses on reuse of waste, has been introduced in the country. The objectives of the thesis were to criticise the environmental sanitation policy&nbsp / by analysing its content in relation to policy implementation arrangements, to discuss programmes and projects identified under the policy, to critically examine the implementation of an ecosan project as a way of achieving the goal and objectives by outlining its implementation processes, prospects and challenges, and to make appropriate recommendations. The analysis and discussion of the thesis were based on both primary and secondary data. The primary data, on one hand, were collected on the prospects and challenges that exist in the implementation of ecosan projects from Kumasi metropolis. The secondary data, on the other hand, were from&nbsp / books, journals and websites. From the research analysis, it emerged that the policy allows the implementation of many sanitation projects including ecosan. Secondly, stakeholders see ecosanto be a good approach to reduce waste generation in the country. However, the main challenges that exist in promoting the concept are inadequate financial support, unavailability of implementation guidelines and lack of knowledge about concept details. It is therefore argued that financial support, implementation guidelines and awareness-creation activities should be available in the implementation of ecosan in the metropolis. Government, private organisations, companies and individuals should each contribute their quota in the support and processes.</p>

EXPLORING IT-BASED KNOWLEDGE SHARING PRACTICES: REPRESENTING KNOWLEDGE WITHIN AND ACROSS PROJECTS Drawing on the social representation literature combined with a need to better understand knowledge sharing across projects, this research lays the ground for the development of a theoretical account seeking to explain the relationship between project members’ representations of knowledge sharing practices and the use of knowledge-based systems as boundary objects or shared systems. The concept of social representations is particularly appropriate for studying social issues in continuous evolution such as the adoption of a new information system. The research design is structured as an interpretive case study, focusing on the knowledge sharing practices within and across four project groups. The findings showed significant divergence among the groups’ social representations. Sharing knowledge across projects was rather challenging, despite the potential advantages provided by the knowledge-based system. Therefore, technological change does not automatically trigger the intended changes in work practices and routines. The groups’ social representations need to be aligned with the desired behaviour or patterns of actions.