In order to create a machining line layout that supports the principles of lean a systematic approach is needed to ensure that a wide range of factors are taken into consideration. Despite this, many companies today design new layouts mainly considering delivery times of machines and equipment, and available space in the factory. A combined literature and case study has aimed to identify the most important factors in a lean line layout and a supporting structure to apply these in the design or redesign of automated machining lines. Highly automated machining environments mainly distinguish themselves from the more thoroughly studied area of assembly line layouts in two ways. Primarily, automated machining lines separate the operator from the actual processing, making line balancing and productivity less dependent on the workstation design around the operator. Secondly, automated machining lines often involve a higher level of complexity, leading to a more comprehensive work load, requiring longer training times but also offering less repetitive assignments. Automation offers improved productivity, quality and ergonomics, but if the acquisition and allocation of automation is not substantiated by a well-developed strategy, automation risks contradicting lean principles by creating a more complex, rigid layout that places the machines in the center instead of the workers. Factors that are important in the design of the typically less automated assembly lines, such as minimizing the walking distance of the operator and rotating stations to provide meaningful work assignments, must in an automated machining environment give way to factors like visualization, material flow and maintenance. Visualizing a factory helps operators and managers learn and understand the factory better. Problems can be detected and corrected faster and disturbances in production can thus be reduced. A good material flow is straight with no intersecting flows, triggered by downstream demand and reduces unnecessary buffers and WIP that bind up capital and consume space. Finally, since the machines rather than the operators produce, a good maintenance is required to avoid unplanned stops. The value of teamwork and humans in production which are strongly advocated within lean remain important also in automated machining lines but acquires a new content compared to assembly lines. Teamwork in automated machining environments occur within a group of lines rather than in a single line and it is a major factor when it comes to competence development, production planning and worker satisfaction. While teamwork in assembly lines works to balance the production flow within the line, teamwork in automated machining lines has little or no effect on the line balancing. However, joint efforts in setups and in case of machine failures or worker absence help increasing productivity, and potentially smooth the production at the plant in its entirety. The empirical studies showed that there is no standardized way of working with machining line layout design and redesign, and factors considered were often coincidental and dependent on the functions and priorities of the participants at different layout meeting. To ensure that all factors are taken into consideration a supporting tool where the most important factors were divided into ten categories was developed. Layouts are evaluated and rated on one category at a time to support a systematic way of working. Ongoing discussions, adjustments and improvements to better comply with the factors are encouraged.

Over the decades, the market competition is becoming stronger and stronger; Innovation is generally considered as one of the main drivers of growth in business field, skunk works as a form of innovation has been widely used for companies to make their business outstanding from the others and achieve sustainable development, and at the same time try to compete with the increasing number of competitors. However, due to statistics, the failure rate of skunk works projects is so high, which means it contents high risks and uncertainties. As a result, it is quite important to identify some success factors for successful skunk works.   In order to find the answer, Losec case had been used as a single case study in this thesis, consequently, team leader and leadership, team member and team working, management support, timing and manage change, opportunities and luck had been identified as important factors that will lead skunk works project to success.   Also, a framework of successful skunk works flower had been discussed in managerial implementation. Mangers can try to find a balance between the successful factors in order to achieve successful skunk works.

The purpose of this study was to see how the teacher works with children´s language and what working methods they use to develop language, as well as knowledge, among the children in a multilingual school. The main questions for the essay: • What reasons the interviewed teachers about language development? • What approach do the interviewed teachers describe that they use in their multi-lingual children’s group? In order to collect empirical data to my study I chose to use a qualitative method, which consisted of interviews with four teachers in a multilingual class. The study is based on a socio-cultural perspective where social interaction, blocking, communication and language use is the main tool for children's learning and development. The results of my study revealed that teachers realize that when they involve teamwork in class it enhances the activity among the children. In particular when the bilingual children use the language actively in different contexts where they communicate and discuss with each other in the teaching subject. When the children use language in different contexts it also enables them to develop linguistically and in terms of knowledge. The earlier the teacher introduces teamwork in different contexts, the more instructive it is for the children to develop linguistically with their skills. Through this they will be able to achieve the objectives of their various subjects.

Attracting and engaging talented people, the 'star performers', is an on-going challenge for organisations. Our theoretical understanding of the nature of star performance and the way in which HR systems facilitate such performance is limited. Drawing from theories of human resource management, leadership, performance, job characteristics and organisational justice, this research develops and tests a model of the role of High Performance HR systems in facilitating task and contextual performance. This model proposes that the way in which organisational systems influence individual levels of performance is via two intervening mechanisms - perceptions of work processes and organisational justice. The program of research is comprised of two studies. In Study 1, I explored the utility of the task and contextual performance framework for understanding stars using supervisor-employee dyads (N = 174) from a large Australian government agency. The results of this study provide support for the central hypothesis of this thesis. Task and contextual performance are key components of star ratings, and other elements such as being self-directed, having a big picture viewpoint, and a willingness to lead, also contribute. In Study 2, I employed two well-established frameworks of employee responses to situational factors and psychological perceptions to examine the role of HR systems and practices in facilitating star performance. Specifically, the study used substitutes for leadership theory (Kerr & Jermier, 1978) and the formation of psychological contracts (Robinson, Kraatz & Rousseau, 1994) to examine the way in which HR practices are connected with task and contextual performance. It was proposed that HR practices are positively associated with task and contextual performance, and that this relationship is moderated by job characteristics and teamwork. It was also proposed that the relationship between HR practices and performance is mediated by perceptions of justice. The results of this study indicate that complex relationships exist. Specifically the findings provide support for one of the core propositions. Job characteristics and teamwork can moderate the relationship between HR practices and performance. The patterns of moderation indicate that HR practices provide marginal gains where jobs are perceived by employees as being enriched, but are able to make a more substantial contribution under conditions of less enrichment. Under these conditions HR practices are able to make a greater contribution to performance by providing performance cues and establishing expectations and clarifying roles. The relationship between HR practices and performance was not found to be mediated by perceptions of justice. In this thesis I provide evidence of the relevance of the task and contextual performance framework to conceptualising star performance. Furthermore, I examine the conditions under which High Performance HR systems facilitate star performance. Both of these aspects are necessary for designing appropriate HR strategies and interventions for managing talent.

Zugl.: Freiburg im Breisgau, Univ., Diss., 2005/06

Zugl.: Freiburg i. Br., Univ., Diss., 2005/06

St. Gallen, Univ., Diss., 2008.

Zugl.: Wien, FH der Wirtschaft, Diplomarbeit, 2007

Zugl.: Bamberg, Universiẗat, Diss., 2008.

Zugl.: Hamburg, Univ., Diplomarbeit, 2005 u.d.T.: Lange, Markus: Webbasierte Moderationsunterstützung am Beispiel der prozeduralen Moderation