Actuellement, les pratiques de Lean Management représentent un avantage compétitif pour la majorité des entreprises qui cherchent à améliorer leur performance dans un marché mondial très agressif. Le processus de mise en œuvre du Lean est très complexe ; il s'agit de se transformer en une nouvelle philosophie et de gérer l'entreprise - un changement de comportement. Ce document passe en revue la documentation relative aux pratiques de Lean Management et à l'incapacité de certaines entreprises à maintenir les résultats dans le temps, en particulier sur le décalage entre les objectifs du Lean et leurs efforts de mise en œuvre pour éliminer le gaspillage par l'amélioration des processus. La littérature a relevé plusieurs problèmes de gestion concernant ce problème, mais les principales raisons en sont, d'une part, une rupture des interfaces entre les aspects socio-techniques et, d'autre part, un besoin d'engagement réel de la part de la direction générale. Par conséquent, l'objectif de cet étude est de synthétiser et d'analyser ces difficultés Lean sur la base d'une pensée systémique dynamique et de proposer en plus, comme alternative à une proposition classique (linéarité) pour résoudre ces problèmes Leans, deux hypothèses : la contribution de la productivité qui réduit ces écarts, de manière plus globale ; en plus, sur l'approche de l'amélioration continue, qui permet de mesurer les"changements comportementaux" et encourage également la participation ; elle pose également le problème des performances chez des employés autonomes qui ont été documentés dans la documentation Lean / Currently, Lean Management Practices represents a competitive advantage for most companiestrying to raise their performance in a very aggressive global market. Lean’s implementationprocess is very complex; it means to transform into a new philosophy and managing the business- a behaviour change. This paper reviews the literature in relation to Lean managerial practicesand the incapacity for some companies to sustain the results over time; specifically about themisalignment among the Lean’s purposes with their implementation efforts to waste eliminationthrough the improvement of processes. The literature found several management issues regardingthis problem but the main reasons are firstly a breakdown interfaces between socio-technicalaspects and secondly, a need for real commitment from the top management. Consequently, thetarget of this paper is to synthesize and analyze those Lean difficulties based on dynamic systemthinking and, also, to propose two assumptions as an alternative to a conventional proposal(linearity) to solve this Leans’ problems: the contribution of productivity management whichnarrows these gaps, in a more holistic manner; in addition, based on the continuous improvementapproach as a metric to assess Lean’s "behaviour change" and also to encourage commitment; italso engages the performance dilemma throughout empowered workers that have beendocumented in the Lean literature

[pt] O dinamismo das inovações tecnológicas e as constantes mudanças nos cenários geopolíticos mundiais têm causado crescente turbulência na maior parte dos ambientes em que as organizações da indústria do petróleo estão inseridas. Assim, torna-se vital para o crescimento e sobrevivência dessas organizações o estabelecimento de um processo de planejamento e gestão capaz de oferecer respostas flexíveis às diversas exigências ambientais. Nesse contexto, a presente Dissertação objetiva avaliar os sistemas de gestão e planejamento da Unidade de Negócio Refinaria Duque de Caxias - UN-REDUC, da Petrobras, analisando-os à luz dos princípios do Planejamento Adaptativo e sugerindo a implementação de ações que os aprimorem. Para atingir esse objetivo, foi realizado, além de revisão bibliográfica, um estudo de caso nessa refinaria, que subsidiou as análises do trabalho. Os principais instrumentos de pesquisa utilizados nesse estudo de caso foram a análise documental e a realização de entrevistas semi-estruturadas com os principais atores envolvidos no processo de formulação e implementação dos processos de planejamento e gestão da empresa, além da observação direta desses processos. O trabalho forneceu subsídios para ações já implementadas e para apresentação de propostas visando a tradução dos princípios do Planejamento Adaptativo no cotidiano da UN-REDUC. Como resultado desta pesquisa, produziu-se não apenas a análise pretendida, mas também a proposição e implementação de ações que visam o aperfeiçoamento dos processos considerados. / [en] The dynamism of the technology innovation and the constant changes in the worldwide geopolitical scenarios are contributing to develop a increasing turbulence in a great deal of the environments in which the petroleum organizations are situated. Therefore, the unique way for a growing future and a survival perspective for these organizations is the establishment of a management and planning process capable of disposing flexible answers to the unclear exigences of the environments. In this context this Dissertation intends to analyze the management and planning systems of the Duque de Caxias Refinery Unity - UN-REDUC, of Petrobras, comparing them with the Adaptive Planning principles and suggesting and implementing actions in order to improve these systems. This objective has been conquered with a bibliographic review and a case study in this Refinery in which the analysis of the survey has been realized. The principal survey instruments used in this case study are documental analysis and interviews with the protagonists of the management and planning Refinery processes, besides the direct observation of these processes. The job supported actions already implemented and proposals that aim a reproduction of the Adaptive Planning in the UN-REDUC daily activities. The result of the concluded survey reached not only the intended analysis, but also the proposal and the implementation of actions that desire the development of the considered processes.

Research in solar heating has traditionally focused solely on increasing the system efficiency by improving the technical components. In this thesis the technical methodology and system boundaries are widened to connect the technical aspects with market actors that are highly influential on the implementation of solar technology. The research was focused on how social aspects can be brought into technical studies to improve the understanding of solar heating, and how solar thermal technology can be optimized in a larger energy system. Both heat storage and different system solutions have been investigated. The thesis is built on a number of sub-projects exploring different aspects of solar heating. Improved components and system configurations may result in higher fractional energy savings and thereby make solar energy go from a marginal contribution to be the main energy supplier. Both components and systems are considered in this thesis. The solar heating technology has been shown to work well, also in unique system solutions. Technical possibilities with medium-sized stores for single-family houses and seasonal stores for residential areas are presented. Methods to bring studies of technology and actor studies together are also proposed; domestic hot water use has been modelled based on time-use data, while a multifaceted market situation, in which new system solutions must find their way, has been described by the solar and pellet industries. The complexity of assessing installation and use of a particular heating system in relation to the overall energy system is also discussed. Overall, this thesis shows that successful use of solar heating does not only come down to proper technical solutions, but also depends on the interaction between technology and market actors. A widened perspective, including the social context in which the heating system appears, is then essential. This thesis constitutes a step in that direction.

<p>This licentiate thesis describes and analyses the modern history of the socio-technical systems for urban water supply and sanitation in East Africa with focus on Uganda and Kenya. The key objective of the thesis is to evaluate to what extent the historic processes frame and influence the water and sanitation services sectors in these countries today. The theoretical approach combines the Large Technical Systems approach from the discipline of History of Technology with New Institutional Economics. Throughout, urban water and sanitation service systems are regarded as socio-technical systems, where institutions, organisation and technology all interact. The thesis consists of three separate articles and a synthesis in the form of a framework narrative. The first article provides a discussion of the theoretical framework with special focus on the application of Public Goods theory to urban water and sanitation. The second article describes the establishment of the large-scale systems for water supply and sanitation in Kampala, Uganda in the period 1920-1950. The third article focuses on the politics of urban water supply in Kenya with emphasis on the period 1900-1990.</p><p>The main findings in this thesis are that the socio-technical systems for urban water and sanitation evolve over long periods of time and are associated with inertia that makes these systems change slowly. The systems were established in the colonial period to mainly respond to the needs and preferences of a wealthy minority and a technological paradigm evolved based on capital-intensive and large-scale technology. Attempts to expand services to all citizens in the post-colonial period under this paradigm were not sustainable due to changes in the social, political and economic environment while incentives for technological change were largely absent. History thus frames decisions in the public sphere even today, through technological and institutional inertia. Knowing the history of these socio-technical systems is therefore important, in order to understand key sector constraints, and for developing more sustainable service provision.</p>

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This study in contemporary history describes the transformation of the public sphere in Sweden during the period 1969-1999, and analyses the role of information technology and politics in the process. The overall aim of the study is to explain how, and why, the public sphere in Jürgen Habermas sense has deteriorated during a period of rapid technological and political change, when increasing attention has been given to information technology as a new tool for improving democracy and empowering citizens. Theoretical inspiration is drawn from two perspectives within the modern history of technology and sociology of technology; the LTS (Large Technical Systems) and STS (Science, Technology and Society) approaches, as well as from the regime theory concept within political science. This multidisciplinary framework provides the theoretical basis for the study, including terms as socio-technical systems, system builder, technification, interpretative flexibility, stabilization, closing and regime change. In addition, the analysis draws upon previous research in economic history, where focus often has been on the important role of institutions. The term path dependence is central in this tradition. The starting point for the study is the process of a mutual legitimization between citizens and political actors that traditionally has taken place within the public sphere. In return for citizens support and trust, political actors have granted format rights to the public space. Two aspects of this interdependence are addressed: Freedom of speech and citizen’s access to public information, and their access to arenas where an exchange of political ideas and opinions is taking place. In the study, the former is a question of the legal system and the limits to freedom of speech in new medias such as the Internet, while the latter concerns citizen’s technical means and possibilities to connect to electronic networks. Research interest is concentrated on the formal political system, focusing both actors and structural factors such as technological development, media convergence, ideological change and international integration in the transformation process. Four case studies of institutional changes during formative moments, within what is defined as the legal and the technical infrastructures, are conducted and represent the empirical base of the thesis. The case studies are centered on Swedish governmental commissions, on the government itself and on proceedings in the parliament, and concerns formation and transformation of computer law, as well as the deregulation and privatization of the technical infrastructure. In the latter process Televerket (Swedish Telecom) has been an influential promoter of competition and institutional separation between tele- and data communications, representing a major regime change in favour of market relations in the technical infrastructure. In the area of computer law, the Swedish regime dominated by SCB (Statistics Sweden) was incorporated into a joint European data protection regime, resulting in limitations of freedom of speech on the Internet. These regime changes have also transformed the role of the state, constituting a “net watchers state”. Another important finding is that promotion of democracy and improvement of access to the public sphere, never was on the agenda in the political transformation processes studied, although a parallel discourse on democracy and information technology existed throughout the period studied.

Recent technologies have changed the way companies acquire and use computing resources. Companies have to adapt their capabilities, which combine business processes, skills, etc., to exploit the opportunities presented by these technologies whilst avoiding adverse effects. The latter part is, however, becoming increasingly difficult due to the uncertain long-term impact recent technologies have. This thesis argues that companies are required to adapt their capabilities in a way that increases the company's resilience so that they are robust yet flexible enough to succeed under uncertain conditions. By focusing on cloud computing as one recent technology, this thesis first identifies the underlying processes of adapting capabilities to cloud computing by investigating how software vendors migrated their products into the cloud. The results allow the definition of viewpoints that influence the adaptation of capabilities to cloud computing. Furthermore, the Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM) is applied to one software vendor after the migration of their product into the cloud. FRAM enables the analysis of ‘performance variabilities' that need to be dampened to increase the resilience of systems. The results show that FRAM appropriately informs steps to increase and measure resilience when migrating products into the cloud. The final part develops cFRAM which extends FRAM through the viewpoints to enable the analysis of capabilities within FRAM. The goal of cFRAM is to enable companies to (1) identify existing capabilities, (2) investigate the impact of cloud computing on them, and (3) inform steps to adapt them to cloud computing whilst dampening performance variabilities. The results of the cFRAM evaluation study are unequivocal and show cFRAM is a novel method that achieves its goal of enabling companies to adapt their capabilities to cloud computing in a way that increases the company's resilience. cFRAM can be easily adapted to other technologies like smartphones by changing the viewpoints.

The UK has committed to deep, long-term reductions in national greenhouse gas emissions as part of a global effort to address climate change. Material efficiency, reducing the material inputs per service output, has long been identified as a globally underexplored mitigation strategy. Previous studies show unrealised technical potential to improve the efficiency of steel use, a large contributor of industry emissions, in the UK. This thesis explores why these opportunities may be unrealised along the steel supply chain.

Across many domains, systems suppliers are challenged by the complexity of their systems and the speed at which their systems must be changed in order to meet the needs of customers or the societies which the systems support. Stakeholder needs are ever more complex: appearing, disappearing, changing and interacting faster than solutions able to address them can be instantiated. Similarly, the systems themselves continually change as a result of both external and internal influences, such as damage, changing environment, upgrades, reconfiguration, replacement, etc. In the event of situations unforeseen at design time, personnel (for example maintainers or operators) close to the point of employment may have to modify systems in response to the evolving situation, and to do this in a timely manner so that the system and/or System-of-Systems (SoS: a set of systems that have to interoperate) can achieve their aims. This research was motivated by the problem of designing-in re-configurability to the constituent systems of a SoS to enable the SoS and its systems to effectively and efficiently counter the effects of unforeseen events that adversely affect fitness-for purpose whilst operational. This research shows that a SoS does not achieve or maintain fitness-for-purpose because it cannot implement the correct, timely and complete transfer of Material, Energy and Information (MEI) between its constituents and with its external environment that is necessary to achieve a desired outcome; i.e. the purpose.

The aim of this study is to investigate, analyse and evaluate the installed off-grid PV system in Mavuno girls’ secondary school that is located in a rural area in northwest Tanzania. The original motivation behind this study was the rapid degradation of the installed battery bank within less than 3 years. The PV system was installed before the actual operation of the school, so the study aimed to answer a very pressing question which is "What is the actual load profiles in the school?". There was a high need to identify the actual school load profiles to enable several concerned social actors to evaluate the system and to decide for future extensions. Therefore, the study aimed to analyse the implementation of electricity in the school by creating actual load profiles, analysing the system performance versus the users’ needs and evaluating the sustainability and utilization of implementation. The study followed a multi-disciplinary approach combining the social and technical aspects of PV systems implementation to seek further understanding of the users’ consumption behaviours. It thus included a 1-month of field work in June 2018 during which participant observations and semi-structured interviews together with load measurements were carried out so as to create load profiles that are considering the patterns and deviations in users’ behaviours. During the field work, 2/3 of the students were in holidays so the taken measurements corresponded to the school at 30 % capacity. That is why the study also included 4 days of inverter data logging after the 1-month field work by the technical head of the school to overcome the limitations in held measurements. The observations showed that the actual installed system was slightly different from the documentation. In addition, the local installation practices are not fully appropriate from the technical point of view, and are affected by local social norms, as will be discussed. Besides, the participant observations and held interviews with relevant social actors showed that the daily behaviours of energy users do not exactly follow the school daily routine. Consequently, the social study was important to create actual effective load profiles. The observations and responses from interviews together with measurements were used to categorize the school loads into 29 different units. Those units can be used for current load prioritizations and for future load extrapolations. The created load profiles also represent a useful addition to load databases used by energy researchers who work on similar rural electrification projects. After the field work, several characteristics were calculated by Microsoft Excel such as apparent power consumptions, active power consumptions, battery bank state of charge, load power factor and PV generated energy. The characteristics were used in calculations evaluating the energy balance in the system. The results of held calculations showed that lighting during dark hours accounted for on around 78 % of the logged daily apparent energy use, as it has a low a low average power factor of 0.28. It also showed that some loads if time-bounded, they will significantly decrease the daily energy consumption. The calculations were also used to run PVSyst simulations to evaluate the system sizing which resulted in the recommendation that either the array size should be doubled, or the apparent energy consumption should be decreased to half. The study included suggestions for possible improvements such as decreasing the reactive consumed energy by either replacing the currently used light bulbs with ones that have higher power factor ( ≥0.8 for example) or by installing a capacitive compensation for power factor correction. In addition, it was recommended to quantify the school loads according to their priority or importance and to regulate observed time-unbounded loads such as "pumping water" and "ironing". Lastly, the study discussed how generated electricity is utilized in the school and what opportunities for women empowerment have become potentially possible with the provision of electricity.