Abstract Background The organisations actions are continuing to be disconnected from Earth system research and to what level organisations have an impact, if all to minimize risk of collapse of Earth systems are unknown (Whiteman etl al 2013) this is the problem this paper is seeking to address. By connecting organizations sustainability work with Earth boundaries research by developing the Swedish SIQ business excellence model. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop SIQ model so it contains what is necessary to identify organizations impact on Earth 9 boundaries.  Method A qualitative research method has been used and the analysis has been done by using the Planetary Boundaries research and top-down & bottom-up perspective as a lens to identify problem, solution and to analyse the SIQ model, then data has been collected by literature studies. Results The result chapter is the presentation of a model than show the relation between the Earth system and boundaries. This is followed by the analysis of the SIQ model that suggest main development needs in the environmental management criteria. The development should incorporate a top-down & bottom-up perspective in order to effectively consider external criteria’s such as Earth boundaries in the management of the organization at management and activity level. Discussion For organisations to consider external factors such as Earth boundaries the SIQ criteria’s and goals has to interact. And by interacting Earth boundaries with the SIQ model the gap between organizations and environmental science are reduces. By reducing this gap the organizations activities can contribute to minimize the degradation on Earth systems and risk for collapse / Bakgrund Företagens aktiviteter fortsätter att vara särkopplade från vetenskapen om Jordens globala system och till vilken utsträckning företagen motverkar kollaps av Jordens system är oklart (Whiteman et al. 2014) och det är denna utmaning som denna uppsats söker att utforska genom att koppla företagens hållbarhetsarbete med Jordens 9 gränser genom at utveckla SIQ modellen. Syfte Syfte med denna uppsats är att utveckla SIQ modellen så den innehåller det som krävs för att företagen skall identifiera sin inverkan på Jordens 9 gränser. Metod En kvalitativ metod har använts och för att analysera har gjorts genom att använda Jordens 9 gränser och top-down/bottom-up perspektivet som lins för att identifiera problem, lösningar och analysen av SIQ modellen och datainsamlingen har gjorts genom litteraturstudier. Resultat Resultatkapitlet introducerar en modell som visar samverkan mellan Jordens system och 9 gränser ner till företagen aktiviteter. Modellen följs av analysen av SIQ modellen som visar störst utvecklingspotential i miljöledningskriterierna. Utvecklingen bör samverka med top-down/bottom-up perspektiven för att modellen skall på bästa sätt omhänderta externa faktorer såsom Jordens gränser i styrningen av företagen på överordnad och utförarnivå. Diskussion För att företagen skall kunna omhänderta alla externa faktorer såsom Jordens gränser så måste SIQ kriterierna och företagens mål samverka. Genom att integrera Jordens gränser med SIQ modellen så har gapet mellan företagen och miljövetenskapen minskats. Genom att minska detta gap kan företagens aktiviteter bidra till att minimera nerbrytningen och risk för kollaps av Jordens system.

In today's society, the linear economy dominates. As a result of the earth’s limited resources, an ever-increasing focus is on the need for companies to become sustainable. One concept that has become more prevalent in this context is the Triple Bottom Line, which emphasizes the importance of a balance between people, profit, and planet. In manufacturing industries, circular economy can be a way to reach sustainability and the Triple Bottom Line. However, many companies prioritize quality and profitability. The Business Excellence Model is a business model that focuses on quality and achieving business excellence. However, many consider that quality and business excellence do not go hand in hand with sustainability and circular economy. The purpose of the study was to understand how the manufacturing industry, through its Business Excellence Model, can contribute to a more sustainable future by using circular economy in its business development. This was done by expanding existing theories of Business Excellence Model and exploring how manufacturing companies can integrate a Triple Bottom Line perspective with the help of circular economy. A qualitative method was used to conduct the study and data collection was done through semi-structured interviews with researchers and professionals in relevant areas. Based on the theory, a conceptual model was developed that links the theoretical framework. The empirical results of the interviews were then compared against existing theories to answer the research questions. The study resulted in seven factors that can be important to keep in mind for a Triple Bottom Line Business Excellence Model. These factors are clear and committed leadership, committed and loyal employees, customers and stakeholders, collaboration, long-term perspective, a holistic perspective, and sustainable business. Some of these factors already existed in the excellence models, while others were added. There were also three strategies that should be considered to make a successful shift from Single Bottom Line to Triple Bottom Line. These strategies were: changing management strategy, expanding the perspective, and finding a way to do business of sustainability. The conclusion that could be drawn from this is that manufacturing companies may be facing a paradigm shift where they must realize that they can make money and do business on sustainability. / I dagens samhälle dominerar den linjära ekonomin och till följd av jordens begränsade resurser riktas ett allt större fokus mot att företag måste bli hållbara. Ett koncept som har blivit alltmer förekommande i detta sammanhang är Triple Bottom Line som betonar vikten av en balans mellan ekonomisk, miljömässig och social hållbarhet. Inom tillverkande industrier kan cirkulär ekonomi vara en väg för att nå hållbarhet och specifikt Triple Bottom Line. Många företag prioriterar dock kvalitet och lönsamhet. Business Excellence Model är en affärsmodell som fokuserar mycket på kvalitet och att uppnå så kallad business excellence. Många anser emellertid att kvalitet och business excellence inte går ihop med hållbarhet och cirkulär ekonomi. Syftet med studien var att förstå hur tillverkningsindustrin, genom sin Business Excellence Model, kan bidra till en mer hållbar framtid med hjälp av cirkulär ekonomi i sin verksamhetsutveckling. Det genom att expandera existerande teorier om Business Excellence Model och undersöka hur tillverkande företag kan integrera ett Triple Bottom Line-perspektiv med hjälp av cirkulär ekonomi. En kvalitativ metod användes för att genomföra studien och datainsamling skedde genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med forskare och yrkesverksamma inom relevanta områden. Utifrån teorin togs det fram en konceptuell modell som kopplar samman det teoretiska ramverket. Det empiriska resultatet från intervjuerna jämfördes därefter mot existerande teorier för att svara på de formulerade forskningsfrågorna. Studien resulterade i sju faktorer som kan vara viktiga att ha i åtanke för en Triple Bottom Line Business Excellence Model. Dessa faktorer är tydligt och engagerat ledarskap, engagerade och lojala medarbetare, kunder och intressenter, samarbete, långsiktighet, helhetsperspektiv och hållbara affärer. Vissa av dessa faktorer existerade redan i excellence-modellerna, medan andra tillkom som nya. Det uppkom även tre strategier som bör beaktas för att göra ett lyckat skifte från Single Bottom Line till Triple Bottom Line. Strategierna är: ändra ledningsstrategi, vidga perspektivet och hitta ett sätt att göra business av hållbarhet. Slutsatsen som kunde dras utifrån detta är att tillverkande verksamheter står inför ett eventuellt paradigmskifte där de måste inse att man kan tjäna pengar på och göra business av hållbarhet.

Brister i Trafikverkets inköpsprocess och materialförsörjningsprocess har lett till att de uppsatta målen för Leveransprecision från leverantör, Leveransprecision till kund, Servicegrad till kund och Framförhållningsmått de senaste åren inte har uppnåtts. Det finns i dagsläget otydlighet i ansvar och beslutsvägar inom processerna, skillnader i arbetssätt i olika delar av landet samt ett stuprörstänk som resulterar i dålig samordning och samarbete. Dessa aspekter har bidragit till att Trafikverket har tagit beslut att de bör genomföras en översyn av hur dagens arbetssätt, roller och befattningar inom inköps- respektive materialförsörjningsprocessen ser ut. Detta så att effektivare processer kan skapas i framtiden. Syftet med examenarbetet är att identifiera problemområdena inom arbetssätt, roller och befattningar inom ramen för Trafikverkets inköps- respektive materialförsörjningsprocess för tekniskt godkänt järnvägsmaterial. För att nå bästa resultat delades studien upp i två steg. Först steget bestod av en omfattande kvalitativ studie i form av en intervjustudie med 41 medarbetare med olika befattningar som arbetar i de båda processerna samt observationer vid olika möten för att identifiera problemområdena inom processerna. Utifrån dessa problemområden genomfördes en litteraturstudie inom aktuella vetenskapliga teorier som mynnade ut i förbättringsförslag för att effektivisera processerna samt vilka nyckeltal som skulle ingå i nyckeltalsanalysen, det andra steget i studien. Nyckeltalsanalysen bestod av en kvantitativ studie i form av att analysera om samband mellan olika nyckeltal finns genom att beräkna korrelationen mellan nyckeltalen i Excel. För få en insyn i hur den privata sektorn arbetar med roller och befattningar genomfördes även en intervju med en Lean-konsult. De övergripande problemen som identifierades på den centrala funktionen Inköp och Logistik var bland annat brister i förståelsen för hela processflödet, vissa brister i gemensamt arbetssätt inom befattningarna, låg grad av utrymme för diskussion av förbättringsförslag i vissa enheter, vissa brister i samarbete och kommunikation inom och mellan processerna samt antalet befattningar på Leverans och Logistik. Utifrån dessa problemområden genomfördes en litteraturstudie inom flödesorienterad organisation, arbetsrutiner och arbetsmotivation, kommunikation samt självstyrande team. Resultatet från studien rekommenderar Trafikverket att först identifiera kunden i varje delprocess och därefter skapa befattningar och roller som stöttar processerna. Förbättringsförslagen innefattar även att få medarbetarna mer delaktiga i utvecklingsarbetet, skapa utrymme för förbättringsarbete, tydligare kommunikationsvägar samt ta beslut om ett mer standardiserat arbetssätt vilket kommer leda till effektivare processer. Två förslag på antalet befattningar på de olika enheterna har tagits fram. Studien visar däremot att tydligare befattningsbeskrivningar och antalet befattningar inte är den primära lösningen på de problemområden som identifierats på Inköp och logistik i denna studie. Dock kan införande av bland annat procentfördelning, ansvar om förbättringsarbete samt kommunikationsvägar i befattningsbeskrivningarna bidrar till effektivare processer. Nyckeltalsanalysen gav resultatet att fokus rekommenderas att läggas på de inre processerna för att öka chanserna att uppnå de uppsatta målen. Genomförande av förbättringsförslagen från denna studie kommer leda till bättre kommunikation och samarbete inom och mellan inköp- och materialförsörjningsprocess vilket i sin tur kommer bidra till effektivare processer så att Trafikverket ökar sin chanser att nå de uppsatta målen i framtiden. / Deficiencies in Trafikverket's (The Swedish Transport Administration) purchasing and material supply processes has led to the goals of Delivery precision from the supplier, delivery to customers, service to customers and long-term planning measurement in recent years has not been achieved. There is an ambiguity in responsibility and decision-making within the processes, differences in the way of working in different parts of the country which results in poor coordination and cooperation. These aspects have led to that Trafikverket has decided to evaluate current way of working and roles and responsibilities in the purchasing and material supply processes in order to improve these processes. The purpose of this study is to identify problem areas in the way of working, roles and positions within the Trafikverket’s purchasing and material supply process for technically approved railway materials. The study was divided into two phases. The first phase consisted of a qualitative study in the course of an interview study with 41 employees in various positions involved in the both processes and observations at meetings to identify problem areas within the processes. Based on these problem areas, a literature review of relevant theories was conducted. The study resulted in improvement suggestions to streamline the processes as well as which KPIs would be included in the KPI analysis, the second phase of the study. The KPI analysis consisted of a quantitative study to examine to what extent there is a relationship between various KPIs by calculating the correlation between the KPIs in Excel. To get an insight into how it works with roles and positions in the private sector an interview with a Lean consultant was conducted. The overall problems identified at Trafikverket were among others; deficiencies in the understanding of the entire process flow, no decision of one way of working in the positions, not enough space to handle the proposed improvements, deficiencies in cooperation and communication within and between the processes and the number of positions in the departments Leverans and Logistic. Based on these problem areas, a literature study within the flow-oriented organization, work routines and work motivation, communication, and autonomous teams was conducted. The outcome of the study recommends Trafikverket to first identify the customer in each sub-process and then create positions and roles supporting the processes. The improvement suggestions also include getting employees more involved in development work, creating room for improvement, clear communications path and take decisions in a more standardized way of working which will lead to more efficient processes. Two alternatives for the number of positions in the different departments have been developed, but clearer job descriptions and the number of positions is not the primary solution to the problem areas identified at Trafikverket. However, among other things the introduction of; percent distribution, responsibility for improvement and communication paths in the job descriptions will contribute to more efficient processes. The result of the KPI analysis showed that the internal processes have to be improved to increase the possibilities of achieving the goals. Implementation of improvement suggestions from this study will lead to better communication and cooperation within and between purchasing and material supply processes, which in turn would contribute to more efficient processes, leading to that Trafikverket will increase its possibilities to reach their goals in the future

This study is concerned with the identification of the factors in management systems which contribute to business excellence in an organisation. Considering that every organisation regardless of sector and size want to achieve business excellence, and every organisation is made up of multiple clusters of management systems, this is a highly interesting topic for the researchers and the case company, Veoneer Sweden AB. However, despite the prominence in the importance of a management system and goals to achieve business excellence, there is a lack of contemporary research on how management systems contribute to business excellence. To fill this gap, a case study was conducted identifying factors of management systems through benchmarking three organisations that have achieved business excellence and conducting interviews at Veoneer Sweden AB. Through drawing upon data from the interviews with 14 people at Veoneer, it was found that management systems contribute to business excellence through systemic and cultural factors. A mix of cultural and systemic factors was found to be important in a management system’s contribution to business excellence. Additionally, feedback systems and a diverse management system team were identified to be important for the implementation of a management system.

Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to determine whether Swedish dental clinics apply parts of Business Excellence models in their business operations and whether or not they are aware of doing so. The framework for this survey will be based on the success factors that we identify in the Swiss dental clinic Frenkenklinik AG, which is known to effectively apply theories behind Business Excellence. Background: An extensive range of research has been carried out regarding Business Excellence and its effect on manufacturing, service companies and even healthcare. Still, there is a lack of studies on how Business Excellence can change and improve the dental care sector. However, there is a clinic in Switzerland that has not only implemented Business Excellence, but done it so well as to win the prestigious EFQM Excellence Award. Therefore, we want to investigate what Frenkenklinik AG does, that makes them so successful and if dental clinics in Sweden are applying Business Excellence and if they are aware of the fact that what they do could be considered Business Excellence. Method: In order to answer the purpose of our thesis we had to employ a mixed method approach. We required a qualitative approach, in the form of semi-structured interviews, in order to find the factors that make Frenkenklinik AG so successful in their application of Business Excellence. After this, we used a quantitative method when surveying whether Swedish dental clinics employ activities that are part of a Business Excellence approach. Conclusion: In conclusion, we have identified five factors that have made Frenkenklinik successful at using Business Excellence. We then have found that Swedish dental clinics are certainly using parts of Business Excellence; however, they are not aware of actually having a Business Excellence approach. And lastly, we found recommendations for Swedish dental clinics to improve their journey towards Excellence.

During the last twenty years, Total Quality Management and Business Excellence Models [BEMs] have been very attractive to organisations as an improvement strategy, as there has been a push by governments to encourage this trend in both public and private sector organisations through the development of national quality awards. There remain difficulties in the successful implementation of BEMs, as there have been high implementation failures rates in various industrial settings. It appears that these failures have been the result of a failure to identify key influential factors that might be incorporated into organisations’ BEM implementation guidelines. Therefore, this research attempts to identify the key influential factors for the successful implementation of a BEM and then examines the role of these factors when they are incorporated with the implementation strategy of a BEM in a public sector organisation in the United Arab Emirates, the Abu Dhabi Police. The research takes a mixed-methods approach including a systematic literature review, a questionnaire survey of 300 employees and 25 interviews with top managers and BEM implementation team members in the Abu Dhabi Police. The quantitative data is assessed using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. A paired-samples t-test is used to compare perceptions and the actual presence of key influential factors. Additionally, the correlation between these factors and the implementation efficiency of the BEM is investigated by using a Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis. The interviews are also subjected to thematic analysis. The key findings are that there are 18 key influential factors which significantly impacted on the successful implementation of the BEM in this public sector organisation; therefore they should be considered as a whole during any such implementation. These factors can be grouped into associated stages of commitment, implementation and measurement, leading to the development of a conceptual framework to be used as a roadmap for the implementation of BEMs by public sector organisations.

Continuous improvement of processes is one important aspect of quality management and the way towards excellence. Companies are at different stages of business excellence, but the way is long, and the improvement process is never ending. For a company to start its journey towards business excellence, there are many means, guidelines and models to use but no single way that guarantees the success and no generic mean that can be extended to all types of companies. That’s why this paper tries to initiate process improvement journey at Golvet Göteborg by applying excellence models for process optimization and making a process map of warehousing to recognize improvement areas and act upon that. To do this, a literature review in areas of quality management and business excellence is conducted with focus on process management. By interviewing key persons at the company, a map of warehouse process is illustrated and based on that possible improvements are suggested to leadership.

Around the world Quality Management is commonly regarded by industrialists and academics as a management concept that encompasses the potential in any organisation of developing into a company-wide philosophy with a profound focus on stakeholder values and improvement processes. However, there are mounting evidence that Quality Management has developed into an important strategic issue also on a national level, and that some leading industrial nations have enjoyed significant gains in the post War era by means of nation-wide progresses in Quality Management. In this thesis organisation is therefore substituted with nation state as the unit of analysis, with the ultimate objective to gain insight into how quality management movements in the industrialised world develop and prosper.  Based on empirical data from the Cross-cultural Quality Management Research Project, a bird' s􀀧eye view of Quality Management is taken in twelve leading industrialised nations. Comprehensive descriptions of Quality in Australia, Brazil, Germany, Japan and Sweden are given in order to identify what national driving factors that currently have an influence on national quality management movements, whereas China, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and the United States are assessed on a more overriding level with an objective to determine the factors' scope and characteristics.  The existence and influence of national driving factors in Quality Management was firstly discovered in the mid 1980s by one of the field's pioneers, Dr. Joseph M. Juran, and a core task in this thesis is to re-examine the identified factors current applicability. The outcome is a proposed set of national driving factors, embracing economy, national quality societies, people, certification bodies, industrial structure, organisation and its quality function, and government. Although, these national driving factors are found to be common to all countries, they are genuinely national in the sense that the national context by and large determines the factors' character and influence. To gain insight into how national quality management movements in the industrialised world develop and prosper, it is therefore recommended that focus be direct towards the national context with its national driving factors. The factors are powerful explanatory variables that so far have largely remained an untapped fountain of knowledge within the field of Quality Management.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The current transformation of Sasol Synfuels in enhancing overall business performance and realising organic growth is assessed. The framework for the assessment is based on the ideas expressed by Collins (2001), supplemented by other ideas found in the literature relevant to business performance improvement within manufacturing organisations. Gaps and opportunities are identified within the context of three of the Synfuels strategic elements of operations excellence, worldclass people and leveraging technology. Improvement areas identified are the further development of transformational leadership, reduction in fixed costs to ensure more flexibility and reduction in the current size of Synfuels. The development of transformational leadership needs to be extended to create fanatically driven, sheer workmanlike diligence, as well as determination and tenacity creating a culture of a strong disciplined work and performance ethic. Reducing fixed costs to enhance profitability can be achieved by applying risk-reward agreements and application of value based management principles to enhance the understanding amongst all employees of the value drivers of the Synfuels business model. A reduction in the size of Synfuels to facilitate easier change management and a stronger focus on delivering the same business results through the employment of fewer resources is also recommended. Barriers to achieving operations excellence identified are a lack of management consensus and underestimation of the task required to internalise the change management process. Neglecting the basics in achieving the fundamental manufacturing output elements and resistance to daily discipline are identified as the main focus areas. It is further recommended to establish a culture of discipline where employees are allowed to function effectively within the proposed framework of disciplined people, thought and action in combination with freedom to innovate and achieve growth in the business through constant adaptation as this is fundamental to enhancing the current performance of Synfuels. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die transformasie van Sasol Synfuels om die algehele besigheidsprestasie en realisering van organiese groei te weeg te bring is geevalueer. Die raamwerk vir die evaluasie is gebaseer op idees uitgespreek deur Collins (2001) en aangevul met ander idees soos gevind in literatuur relevant tot besigheidsprestasie verbetering in vervaardigingsorganisasies. Gapings en geleenthede is geidentifiseer om organiese groei teweeg te bring binne die konteks van drie van die Synfuels strategiese oogmerke van bedryfsuitnemendheid, wereld-klas mense en die benutting van tegnologie. Areas wat geidentifiseer is wat tot 'n verbetenng in die prestasie van Synfuels kan lei is die verdere ontwikkeling van transformasionele leierskap, vermindering in die vaste koste om meer buigsaamheid te verleen en om die organisasie se grootte te verminder. Die ontwikkeling van transformasionele leierskap moet uitgebrei word om professionele doelgerigtheid sterker te ontwikkel wat sal lei tot die skep van 'n sterk kultuur van werks-en prestasie-etiek, spesifiek gerig op drie gedragsaspekte om fanaties te dryf vir resulate, toegewyde harde werk en vasberadenheid, asook deursettingsvermoë. Verskillende wyses waarop vaste koste verminder kan word deur die toepassing van risiko-vergoeding beginsels en die toepassing van waarde gebaseerde bestuurstegnieke om die begrip van die ekonomiese beginsels van Synfuels se besigheid by alle werknemers te bevorder. Verder word ook voorgestel dat na maniere gekyk word om die grootte van Synfuels te verminder om makliker veranderingsbestuur en 'n meer doeltreffende fokus te plaas daarop om dieselfde besigheidsresultate met minder hulpbronne te behaal. Hindernisse in die bereiking van bedryfsuitnemendheid wat geidentifiseer is, is 'n potensiele gebrek aan konsensus by bestuur in terme van wat bereik moet word terwyl die taak van veranderingsbestuur onderskat word. Nalaat om aandag aan die basiese aspekte om vervaardigingsuitsette te behaal en weerstand teen daaglikse dissipline is ook aspekte waaraan aandag geskenk moet word. Dit word ook aanbeveel om 'n kultuur van dissipline te skep waarbinne werknemers toegelaat word om effektief te funksioneer binne die voorgestelde raamwerk van gedissiplineerde mense, denke en aksie in kombinasie met innoverende denke en deurlopende verbeteringsprosesse groei teweeg gebring deur deurlopend aan te pas aangesien dit fundamenteel is om die prestasie van Synfuels te verbeter.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / Traditionally, organisational performance and efficiency measurements have been focused on cost containment. Today, however, performance measurement systems of world-class organisations are tailored to drive manufacturing and service business excellence. Quality is crucial for gaining a competitive advantage internationally. Quality award programmes promote quality awareness, recognise the quality achievements of companies and provide a platform for sharing successful quality management initiatives. Quality award frameworks form the foundation for developing business excellence models. Business excellence models are based on the premise that customer satisfaction, people (employee) satisfaction and impact on society are all achieved through leadership driving the policy and strategy, the people management, resources and processes, leading ultimately to excellence in business results. In this paper five of the most prominent international business excellence models are discussed. The success stories of companies that have implemented these models are looked at and the South African Excellence Model is compared with these five international models. The aim of the study is to analyse the South African Business Excellence Model as compared to international models such as the Deming Prize, the MBNQA, the EFQM, the AQA and the SQA. Case studies of two companies, Combine Cargo and Daimler Chrysler, are analysed with the aim of determining the shortcomings of the SAEM and the effects of the SAEM on business practices. Conclusions are drawn based on the experiences of these businesses, in order to verify the shortcomings and the effects of the SAEM. Lastly, the reasons for the failure of the SAEF and the SAEM are investigated and recommendations and guidelines are given for the revival of the SAEM and the promotion of quality in South Africa.