The study reveals improvement areas in terms of lead time and quality in a traditionalsoftware development process of a large manufacturing-oriented organization, andidentifies four obstacles to the application of a Lean software development frameworkin order to achieve such improvements. The data from interviews are matched tofour predefined categories. These categories are evaluated using value streammapping and a framework of seven common improvement areas in softwaredevelopment. A large project and task tracking system indicate that lead time is a realproblem in the process. The most significant improvement area is wait time forchange approval meetings. A second prominent improvement area is the large amountof approval handshakes. At least a few of these handshakes are always approved, thusadding unnecessary lead time to the process. The four most imminent obstacles in adopting lean software development areidentified through estimating the efficiency of two in-house derivations of Scrum andKanban. The first obstacle is deep vertical but narrow horizontal expertise amongdevelopers. With some systems, there’s only one developer who knows how tomaintain the product. This makes it impossible to work as a team which is animperative principle of lean. A second obstacle is how the teams are arrangedorganizationally. They have a functional setup over three departments and threemanagers, which to some extent create a silo mentality, rendering cooperationdifficult. A third obstacle is how the teams are arranged geographically. Split over twolocations, manufacturing and headquarters, they have different customers, objectivesand a plain unfamiliarity with another that has reduced the will and opportunity tocommunicate and coordinate. A fourth obstacle is the inherent conflict between theprescriptive activities of ITIL, optimized for IT operational services,  and theadaptability of agile methodologies, optimized for rapid change and empiricaldecisions. ITIL fulfills a sometimes uncalled for need to get all changes approvedthrough several layers of management. The study concludes that Lean software development is in conflict with manytraditional values of a manufacturing organization. Although lean may be prevalent inother parts of the organization, this does not necessarily include the IT function. ITstill seems to have hard time grasping the lean concepts of flow, waste and value.

This study has been conducted in cooperation with Fläkt Woods, an industrial supplier of ventilation systems. The study only concerned chilled beams which are an explicit group of ventilation products within Fläkt Woods’ product portfolio. The purpose of the study was to explore how Fläkt Woods’ customers perceive certain elements when choosing Fläkt Woods as a supplier of chilled beams and why they perceive them the way they do. The elements include quality, service, technical performance, technical knowledge, communication, time of delivery, installation, calculation program, flexibility, market adjustment, technical documentation, relationships and geographic distance. The study has been conducted employing a combination of both a quantitative and a qualitative approach in which a questionnaire has been sent out to Fläkt Woods’ customers in order to shed light on their opinions. The results showed that most of Fläkt Woods’ customers are satisfied or even very satisfied with the elements that were investigated. The elements that the customers were most satisfied with concerning the chilled beams were quality, service and technical knowledge. They believe that Fläkt Woods’ products have a good finish, that they are easy to get in touch with, that they are able and willing to give quick answers and feedback and that they have great knowledge about their chilled beams. The element that the customers are least satisfied with and that Fläkt Woods need to improve is flexibility. Even if Fläkt Woods believe that their special solutions are flexible, their customers do not fully agree. The customers’ attitude towards the flexibility is that Fläkt Woods prefer to provide standard solutions of chilled beams rather than offering special solutions. The results also showed that Fläkt Woods’ competitors are one step ahead considering the design of chilled beams. Thus, design is an element of the marketing program that Fläkt Woods need to improve. Furthermore, the study showed that relationships and communication which represent the “soft” elements concerning human interaction are just as important as the rest of the elements. Thus, Fläkt Woods need to consider these elements as well as the others when outlining the marketing program.

Regional integration has gained momentum since the 1980s and throughout the world. The new regionalism process prevailing since differs from the old one by its multidimensionality covering economic, political, social, and cultural issues within a regional setting. While the old regionalism focused on market protection using a range of tariff and non tariff barriers, the New Regionalism is reinforced by the globalisation effects and strives for efficiency in production, and market access. Using the New Regionalisms Approach, the aim of this thesis is to appreciate the actual levels of regional integration in Africa and explore plausible ways of deepening the integration process with the view that regional integration can promote socio-economic development, provided a pro-development approach is privileged in the conception and implementation of the regional integration process. Focusing on SADC as a representative regional economic community, a qualitative content analysis is used for data collection while policy analysis is carried out using the Institutional Analysis and Development framework. The results of this study reveal discrepancies between policy formulation and policy implementation when it comes to enhancing the pro-developmental aspects in the unfolding regional integration process. In spite that shortcomings in past experiences triggered dramatic structural reforms ranging from the reorganisation of the Organisation of African Unity into the African Union, the creation of NEPAD, to structural reforms within regional economic communities with the example of the 2001 restructuring of SADC, empirical evidence shows that little change has occurred at the operational level. Moreover, even policy formulation at the collective-action level still lacks concrete strategies and plans for harmonisation and implementation of regional initiatives. Some of the strategies for deepening the regional integration process would include prioritising regional commitments to external ones and improving policy formulation as well as establishing linkages between different regional policies and strategies.

Södersjukhuset i Stockholm är ett sjukhus som har påbörjat förändringsarbete för att kunna möta framtidens krav på högkvalitativ vård från patienter och samtidigt uppfylla ekonomiska krav från ägaren Stockholms Läns Landsting. Denna rapport är resultatet av en grundlig genomgång av dagens centrala provanalyssystem på Södersjukhuset med syfte att effektivisera systemet för att möta framtida krav. I arbetet kartläggs flödet av patienter och prover som behandlas antingen på de provtagningsintensiva medicinska mottagningarna eller på avdelning 27. Eftersom omkring 85 % av volymen av analyser som beställs på dessa enheter är klinisk kemiska har det analyserande arbetet inriktats på just dessa flöden. För vissa klinisk kemiska analyser finns det ett alternativ till central laboratorieanalys, patientnära analys, som innebär att tiden från provtagning till provsvar finns tillgängligt förkortas markant. I rapporten tas för- och nackdelar med patientnära analys upp och dess applicerbarhet på Södersjukhuset diskuteras. Det framkommer att för Södersjukhusets del är det mer fördelaktigt att hålla fast vid ett centralt provanalyssystem då detta är mer flexibelt samtidigt som kostnaderna för detta är lägre än för patientnära analys. Samtidigt finns ett klart behov av att effektivisera dagens centrala provanalyssystem för att minska patienternas väntan och utnyttja Södersjukhusets resurser på ett bättre sätt. I en kvantitativ analys av över 17 000 observationer tagna från kliniskt kemiskt laboratoriums datasystem konstateras att det inte är någon större skillnad i systemets flödestid för medicinska mottagningarna och avdelning 27. På medicinska mot-tagningarna använder man sig av en mycket lång säkerhetsledtid då man anger när provsvaren finns tillgängliga för patient, medan avdelning 27 räknar med att ha de flesta provsvaren färdiga till läkarronden 1,5 timmar efter avslutad provtagning. Det står klart att dagens informationssystem, framför allt i processerna som sker innan själva analysen av proverna, är mycket bristfälligt. Detta ger upphov till ett flertal icke-värdeskapande aktiviteter som förlänger provernas flödestid och är kostsamt då det kräver mänskliga resurser för att utföra. Dessutom generar informationssystemet en datamängd som innehåller relativt lite information som kan användas för uppföljning av hur provanalyssystemet presterar. Genom att införa ett bättre anpassat informationssystem som stödjer de processer som är absolut nödvändiga för provanalyssystemet kan flödestiden för prover förkortas samtidigt som de löpande kostnaderna kommer att minska. Personalens kompetens kan också utnyttjas på ett bättre sätt då icke-värdeskapande aktiviteter elimineras. Tillsammans med ändrade rutiner vid beställning av analyser kan patienters väntan reduceras avsevärt. För en stor del av dagens patienter skulle det vara teoretiskt möjligt att genomföra provtagning och läkarbesök på en och samma dag, med någon timmes mellanrum, vilket skulle innebära en avsevärd samhällsekonomisk besparing. / As a consequence of the transition from public to private management, Söder-sjukhuset Hospital in Stockholm has been forced to a greater focus on economical aspects in addition to health care issues. In turn, this focus has initiated numerous improvement projects. This report is the result of a thorough analysis of the hospital’s patient testing system with the intention of meeting future demands on increased efficiency. The analysis is based on the mapping of two of the hospital’s most test intensive units - the medical clinic and ward no. 27 - and their subsequent flows. An initial analysis concludes that a vast majority of all tests are analyzed at the laboratory for clinical chemistry. Since approximately 85 % of the total number of analyses is conducted at this particular institution, the latter part of this work is focused solely on the flows of tests that regard this specific laboratory. For some analyses conducted at the laboratory for clinical chemistry there exists an alternative to central laboratory analysis, namely near-patient-testing. This method results in a drastic reduction of the time span from taking the test to attaining a result. In this report the strengths and weaknesses of near-patient-testing are discussed, as well as its applicability on Södersjukhuset in particular. It is proposed that it is advantageous for Södersjukhuset to continue using a central analysis system, as it is much more flexible and at the same time more cost efficient than near-patient-testing. At the same time there is an obvious need for a more efficient patient testing system in order to reduce waiting time for patients and utilize the hospital’s resources more wisely. The mapping of the two units reveals a number of interesting similarities and differences. One of them being that while the medical clinic uses a substantial safety lead time, ward no. 27 presumes to have most test results available in time for doctor rounds, approximately 1.5 h after tests have been taken. An analysis of over 17 000 observations taken from laboratory’s data system confirmed that there is no considerable difference in system flow time between the two units. It is evident that today’s information system is of substandard quality. This results in a number of non-value adding activities that not only prolong each tests flow time, but cause unnecessary use of human resources. Furthermore the information system generates a data mass of little use in reassessing the systems performance. By introducing a better adjusted information system, shorter flow time can be attained as well as lower running costs. With changed ordering routines for analyses, waiting time for patients can be reduced substantially. For a large part of today’s patients it would be theoretically possible to conduct both the test taking and the doctor’s appointment on the same day, just hours apart. This would result in extensive socioeconomic savings.

The aim of this report is to increase the knowledge and understanding of the problems within the production at AQ Enclosure systems, and thereby achieve a more stable flow throughout the whole process, a better working environment and better competition advantages. The internal flow along with the external cooperation is very important for the company, because it views flexibility and short leadtime as it is the most important competitive means. The part of AQ production that’s been investigated is the manufacturing of ATM-machines, where the costumer is Banqit. This company is a rater small company with about 4 % of the world market of ATM-machines. In order to achieve the aim of the report extensive interviews have been carried out with employees at AQ. Employees in both the administrative part as well as the manufacturing part has been interviewed. The interviews have been conducted in a way were the respondents have had the opportunity to study the questions in advance. The survey has given a result which indicates problem over a wide scale. A lot of the company problems do not lie in a particular department; they rather include the whole company. The picture of their problems became more complex whereas different respondents look at the same problems in different ways. One big difference in views was clearly identified between office staff and the producing staff. The problems that emerged were not related to lack of machine capability, the problems were rather linked to the managing of production and organization. One example of this problem is the producing personnel’s lack of knowledge and commitment to the company philosophy. The problems concerning management also reflect in a rather strong feeling that divides the company in two, us and them. This feeling affects the whole production line. The producing personnel feels that the office lack understanding of their everyday work and don’t encourage suggestions concerning process evolvement. One other big problem concerning AQ’s production is that some of their key suppliers are either single source or locked from their costumer Banqit. The conclusions of the report shows several areas in which AQ can improve. One measure that the company can implement is introducing a more foreseeable and visual handling of their pallets within the factory. The company management ought to find ways to better mediate the production philosophy throughout the entire organization. Furthermore, the company management should increase the will to see potential ways of improving and increase the inclination of expressing those suggestions. The suggestions should not only concern the personnel’s own workplace but rather span over the entire process. The report also identifies possible areas of improvement concerning the internal and external team cooperation. The different teams ought to see each other as costumers and produce an equally good result regardless of if the item is produced for an internal department or an external costumer.

Uppgiften som låg till grund för denna uppsats, var att ge förslag på produktivitetshöjande åtgärder på Electrolux Distriparts godsmottagning. Vår avsikt var att tillämpa delar av Toyotas produktionssystem på den befintliga processen. Detta resulterade i en serie förslag som, om de tillämpas, drastiskt kommer höja produktiviteten i den aktuella processen. / The task, which is the basis of this report, was to suggest some productivity-raising actions for the incoming goods departments at Electrolux Distriparts. The project set out to utilise parts of the Toyota production model in the existing process. This resulted in a series of suggestions, which if implemented, would drastically increase the productivity of the relevant process.

Through a thorough analysis of the current situation, we have highlighted differences in working methods for the various workshops and drew up proposals for improvements in combination with a practical work description that can be implemented in the company.

<p>In industry today, the need for excellent product development and realization in many different aspects is increasing. This calls for excellent quality, while at the same time time-to-market is increasingly important. A concurrent engineering (CE) approach is directed towards simultaneously developing different aspects of product realization in order to enhance both quality and speed. This thesis deals with the internal materials supply system (MSS) from a CE approach. Logistics aspects are often not dealt with until later stages of development, which leads to limitations in the possible solutions for the MSS. While designing a new production system, including MSS aspects early on in the project implies stating at an early stage what is required by the system. In order to aid the development of such requirements, this thesis aims at suggesting a structure for the requirements on the MSS where the relevant stakeholders of the system are involved. The thesis results are achieved through literature reviews and a case study at a manufacturing company in the automotive industry.</p><p>Through literature reviews the thesis suggests a four-level hierarchic approach to requirements, considering four levels: stakeholder level, system level, sub system level and component level. This approach is supported by the case study, where stakeholders and requirements are analyzed and content and important aspects for the requirements specification in a current product realization project are considered. Through the case study, the thesis suggests a view of MSS stakeholders and a two-part structure for MSS requirements with a requirements specification matrix and a tree diagram. The requirements specification matrix contains the four suggested levels, where twelve different requirement categories are considered on each level. The stakeholder level considers the stakeholder requirements, which are translated into requirements on the system. These are broken down into requirements on the various flows (sub systems) of the system, which are then broken down into six components (materials feeding, storage, transportation, handling, packaging and planning and control). The stakeholders considered are divided into operational, contextual and internal stakeholders to the system.</p><p>The thesis results are considered to have the possibility of aiding the inclusion of MSS aspects at an early stage of product realization, and many different aspects are considered through the inclusion of all the relevant stakeholders in the study. The results are expected to be applicable in many different contexts. However, this needs to be examined further and also the robustness of the results need to be established through further studies.</p> / <p>I dagens industriella verklighet är behovet av utmärkt produktutveckling och          -framtagning utifrån olika aspekter av ökande vikt. Detta antyder krav på ökad kvalitet samtidigt som betydelsen av att snabbt nå ut till marknaden ökar. Integrerad produktutveckling innebär att man utför olika delar av produktframtagningen parallellt för att öka både kvalitet och hastighet. Denna uppsats behandlar det interna materialförsörjningssystemet ur ett integrerat produktutvecklingsperspektiv. Logistikaspekter behandlas ofta inte förrän sent i ett utvecklingsprojekt, vilket medför begränsningar i antalet möjliga lösningar för materialförsörjningssystemet. Att under utveckling av ett produktionssystem inkludera materialförsörjningsaspekter i ett tidigt skede antyder att klargöra vilka krav som ställs på materialförsörjningssystemet. För att underlätta formuleringen av dessa krav är målet för denna uppsats att föreslå en struktur för kravställande på materialförsörjningssystemet där de relevanta intressenterna till systemet är inkluderade.</p><p>Uppsatsens resultat nås genom litteraturgenomgång och en fallstudie på ett tillverkande företag som är underleverantör till fordonsindustrin. Genom litteraturgenomgång föreslår uppsatsen ett hierarkiskt angreppssätt i fyra nivåer till kraven: intressentnivå, systemnivå, subsystemnivå och komponentnivå. Detta angreppssätt stöds av fallstudien, där intressenter och krav analyseras och innehåll i och viktiga aspekter av kravspecificering i ett pågående produktframtagningsprojekt beaktas. Genom fallstudien kan uppsatsen föreslå en vy över materialförsörjningssystemets intressenter och en tvådelad struktur för krav på materialförsörjningssystemet med en kravspecifikationsmatris och ett träddiagram. Kravspecifikationsmatrisen består av de fyra föreslagna nivåerna, där tolv olika kravkategorier beaktas på varje nivå. Intressentnivån betraktar intressenternas krav, vilka översätts till kravställningar på systemet. Dessa bryts ner till krav på de olika flödena (subsystemen) i systemet, vilka sedan bryts ner i sex komponenter (materialtillförsel, lagring, transporter, hantering, paketering och produktionsstyrning). De urskiljda intressenterna delas upp i operationella, kontextuella och interna intressenter till systemet.</p><p>Uppsatsens resultat ses som ett tänkbart verktyg för att bidra till att inkludera materialförsörjningsaspekter tidigt i produktframtagningsprocessen och många olika aspekter berörs genom inkluderandet av alla relevanta intressenter i studien. Resultatet förväntas vara applicerbart i många olika sammanhang. Detta behöver dock utredas närmare, likaså behöver robustheten i resultatet utredas vidare genom fortsatta studier.</p>

<p>The thesis has been carried out at Nedis AB in Jönköping. The aim was to develop proposals on approaches that could help the company to continually improve their warehouse operations by eliminating unnecessary operations, making the warehouse more structured and how they better could use the staff's suggestions for improve-ment. The collection of data consists of observations, interviews with a total of nine people from the staff of Nedis AB and a benchmarking conducted at Husqvarna AB. A number of shortcomings and weaknesses in procedures at the warehouse were iden-tified. Packing stations were not standardized and they were seen as poorly structured and messy. Furthermore, procedures for maintenance and cleaning of the warehouse were flawed. There was no one in charge for maintenance, replenishment and clean-ing materials for the packing stations. There were no clear organization for the im-provements efforts in the warehouse, and also a low utilization and management of staff's ideas. The results of this thesis are suggested approaches that can address the weaknesses identified and that can be used to standardize the work of the warehouse of Nedis AB by establishing clear roles and responsibilities, create conditions for participation, structuring and creating procedures to maintain an organized workplace. In order to work towards continuous improvement, we propose a method where Nedis AB can work with visualization of the improvement process. We also suggest that the compa-ny use boards to easily give feedback and better monitor the on-going improvement efforts. If Nedis AB choose to work enthusiastically with the improvement process and to clarify the objectives of the staff, we believe that the proposals presented in this study will help the company achieve its goal to work towards continuous improvement.</p>

<p>Traditional product features such as price, quality and supply service have been extended and nowadays includes environmental aspects as well. It raises new and increasing demands on haulier companies. The transport sector is responsible for a large part of the pollutants causing today’s environmental problems. The business is being closely monitored and to operate environmental friendly is seen as one of the most important elements for the industry’s future development. Haulier companies must not only meet the restrictions of the government, but also respond to the customers’ demands on</p><p>environmental performance.</p><p>The aim of the study is to review the environmental demands of PNLs present customers and what they think their demands will look like in three years time. The scope of the survey is two-fold. The study will partly review if the changing environmental aspects can impact on supply service and price; and partly investigate the importance of an environmental certification. To reach the aim of the study qualitative interviews have been carried out with nine of PNLs present customers. The choice of customers has been made to represent</p><p>an overall picture of PNLs customer portfolio.</p><p>The study concluded that supply service and price is more important than environmental aspects today. The customers are prone to compromise on delivery time and price to the advantage of the environment. But it can not cost too much or take too long, and there must be a possible choice of transport.</p><p>There are today no expressed environmental demands on transport, but the conclusion is that it is only a matter of time before they will prevail. The results prove that environmental issues are estimated to be fundamental for hauliers in the future. It is seen as a competitive advantage to be at the leading edge of offering green transportation alternatives.</p><p>It is considered important today that hauliers pursue environmental issues aggressively. A certification according to ISO or other environmental management systems is considered less important. The results show that environmental management systems and an operative environmental framework will increase in importance in the future when choosing between hauliers.</p>