No description available.

The purpose of this thesis is to explore and understand the ‘localisation’ phenomenon from a geographical, cultural, technical and governmental theme to help explain why the level of local content in the oil and gas engineering and technical services private sector tends to flatten out at specific engineering and management skillsets in order to balance quality and delivery of the service and maintain operational excellence. Five research objectives were developed to achieve the research aim to provide a clear understanding, from a corporate strategic perspective, of the drivers and perceived barriers to successful localisation. For the purposes of this thesis, the term "localisation" is understood to mean “when a local national is filling a required job sufficiently competently to fulfil organisational needs” (Potter 1989). Due to the nature of investigation, this study adopted a qualitative inquiry. Thus, a mix of qualitative data collection methods were used such as document, experienced observation, and interviews with senior managers at the corporate strategic level of the business. An interview guide was developed from a conceptual framework generated from the literature review. The study targeted an ‘elite’ sample of oil and gas executives/ managers who are considered role models in the case study organisation. This study argues that a form of grounded theory/qualitative inquiry is adopted during data analysis using open, axial, and selective coding, leading to an evolved conceptual framework of localisation drivers and barriers. In addition to a thematic analysis, an integrated view from the researcher as an experienced observer resulted in a validated conceptual framework. This framework provides a holistic set of factors that must be considered, and understood, from a corporate strategic perspective as being directly influential in achieving successful localisation of a subsidiary part of the business. It is found that four of the five objectives were met and objective five partially achieved which identified an opportunity for further research to investigate and develop weightings across the four localisation barrier themes to determine an optimised balance of cost, delivery, and local content to maintain the desired operational excellence in the oil and gas services contractor industry. The study appears to have a contribution to knowledge through the evolving conceptual framework of localisation and provides the first holistic view of both localisation drivers and barriers relevant to oil and gas services contractors. A methodological contribution is worth noting since the researcher acted as an experienced observer during the process of this research. No doubt, industrial experience of the research and his access to the senior management has been one of the key contributing factors to a successful completion of the study. Finally, one can argue that this study has made contribution to the policy makers who provided access to the researcher. The findings of this study will provide a better and clear understanding of localisation and its drivers and barriers.

Abstract currently unavailable

A large number of organizations that offer products today are experiencing returns; whether it is the return of a book from an online book store, the return of a television to the electronic retailer or a garment to a fashion retailer. How organizations handle product returns (reverse logistics) differs and also how much focuses each organization places on it, be-cause after all; it is extremely difficult to actually make revenue on reverse logistics. Why spend time and money on it? This study focuses on comparing an electronic and a fashion organization, how they both are conducting reverse logistics in regards to e-commerce. This is of interest to examine and add to the literature based on research focusing on a comparison between two organizations of a different nature in terms of their reverse logistics. Furthermore, it was of interest to study how each organization operates internally. For example, what are the barriers and drivers of reverse logistics, do they work proactively or reactively and what is the focus in regards to recycling of products? A case study research strategy was applied with an inductive approach. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with each organization where qualitative data was gathered. Secondary data was collected from literature sources such as academic journals and books. Data was analysed in order to structure the large amount of data to be able to compare the two organizations and draw conclusions. From analysing the data it is concluded that both the electronic and the fashion retailer are experiencing a great amount of returns, which generally follows the sales trend. Furthermore, the two organizations are similar in several aspects regarding reverse logistics although they are selling different products. One of the main drivers for both organizations in regards to reverse logistics is satisfying their customers. Finally, one of the main barriers for each organization was the costs that play a major role in reverse logistics. Overall, the study shows that it greatly depends on the nature of the products how reverse logistics processes are handled in the organization.

At present, humanity faces one of its most pressing and daunting challenges: climate change. For this reason, sustainable development is a topic more urgent now than ever. CSR 2.0 is a model introduced to tackle the limitations of traditional CSR practices that have been shown to be ineffective over time. As Sweden is a country that leads with a great sustainability standpoint, the purpose of this thesis is, therefore, to gain insight and knowledge on the drivers and barriers from CSR to CSR 2.0 in companies operating in Sweden. This study observes an interpretive philosophy through a qualitative study that aims to understand the drivers' contrary barriers to the shift. With a mixed methods methodology and use of triangulation, the empirical data is collected in accordance with four companies from semi-structured interviews, annual and sustainability reports, as well as from website information. The empirical findings are analyzed thematically through coding, where eleven sub-themes and two themes emerged. This study discovers the practices that occur within companies through an inductive approach and proposes that the companies have evolved and currently pursue and perform certain CSR 2.0 practices. The findings justify that all companies experience drivers of their fundamentals, long-term vision, climate action, value chains, innovation, organizational culture, competitive advantage as well as internal and external pressure which adhere to CSR 2.0. Additionally, barriers of risk aversion, lack of resources as well as monitoring and evaluation were identified. This thesis has contributed to existing literature to fill the gap on what acts as drivers and barriers to how companies pursue CSR 2.0. The findings may be valuable for companies that feel the need to adapt their CSR approaches in response to our evolving world.

Abstract Background The growing phenomenon of esports during the last decade have sparked the rise of a billion dollar industry. Professional esport teams are now competing in arenas with an audience of millions watching at home. Virtual teams have been used actively since the 1990’s and are now the standard structure in esport organizations. Problem Most of the organizations in esports are based virtually which means that the team members act and communicate in a virtual environment. The explosive growth of esports have resulted in an industry with limited managerial experience. This have resulted in increasing difficulties managing and maintaining teams in esports organizations. Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore how an esport organization can manage processes to achieve effective performance. This study is conducted to expand the knowledge on the role of a manager in esports organizations. Method The empirical data in this study was gathered using a qualitative approach. Six semi-structured interviews were conducted with a managers and two players in two different esport organizations. The empirical data was complimented and compared with previous literature on virtual team performance. Results The empirical findings together with previous academic literature was analyzed to form several processes and implications that ultimately can lead an esport organization to better performance. The academic literature on virtual teams mostly match the empirical findings with a few important differences. The results offered an insight into the processes that an organization can utilize to achieve better performing teams.

The increase in organic production and consumption demonstrates a movement in favor to alternative forms of food production, aiming to achieve modes that provide health and wellbeing for the producers and consumers, together with environmental preservation. People’s interest in organically produced food is increasing worldwide. Even so, many challenges are faced by the producers, and in this context new forms of organization appear in this market: clusters. The cluster constitute a way to gain competitiveness. In order to explore and better understand this phenomenon, this dissertation aimed, as main objective, to understand the formation of an organic cluster from the perspective of different stakeholders. Through a single embedded case study, this research had a qualitative approach, being the exploratory type. A research protocol along with other cautions in order to gain rigor in the qualitative research. The data were collected through documentary research, in-depth interviews and participatory observations, and analysed through content analysis. As evidence resulting from this study, the following points are highlighted: (1) it was possible to map the cluster and the relations established by the agents; (2) the main drivers of the cluster are mostly related to the pioneerism, institutionalization of the arrangement and its form of management. The barriers are mostly the lack of prepare to deal with tourists, and the marketing initiatives were considered both as a driver and a barrier, since needs to be better developed, but even incipient has some actions established; (3) the main motivations and barriers for the agents to work with organics were confirmed from the literature. The will to educate the consumers, although, was an interesting finding, as one of the drivers; (4) four pillars were identified as fundamental for the cluster, and their structuration and fortification might help the development of the arrangement: to product, to preservate, to show and to educate.

Svevia is a company working with installation, occupancy and operation of infrastructure. They are currently testing and developing a new system called dynamic route optimization (DynOpt) in cooperation with B and M Systemutveckling. This system is able to contribute to a series of improvements for the company, such as automatization of certain processes, conclude demand on a more local level and create dynamic optimized routes which in the best way handles the determined local demands. Svevia sees great potentials of profits with the system, thereby has an interest of a support for decision-making regarding what may or may not be problematic during a potential implementation of such a system. This report regards a case study of the affects that DynOpt can have on its future users and what impact such effects might have on Svevia, with the goal of determining the drivers and barriers of DynOpt related to soft parameters. The soft parameters in this case study relate to how the changes DynOpt entails may affect the users and why or why not they may desire or be willing to accept these changes. The method used to conclude these drivers and barriers is to firstly gather information from the users by interviews and surveys, which then is analyzed in order to determine what advantages and disadvantages the users see with the system. The second step of the data processing consists of a SWOT-analysis execution. The strategic effects are determined through consultation with insight personnel. Lastly the remaining significant results are converted into drivers and barriers by firstly eliminating the information that may not pan out in any driver or barrier and secondly lumping together result describing similar effects into drivers and barriers. Eleven drivers and six barriers are concluded. Such results are for example the driver that the potential future users’ interest in technology may ease the implementation since DynOpt is a technological implementation. One of the barriers on the other hand is that the total driving distance will be reduced through optimization, which results in less available work for the chauffeurs which worsens their working conditions and can result in resistance to the implementation. This driver and barrier as well as the others in conjunction with a discussion, constitute the final result of the report and describe aspects that may hinder or make it easier to successfully implement DynOpt.

This paper addresses the question of how Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) can be implemented in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). It builds on existing knowledge about RRI in business as well as on insights into motivations, drivers and barriers from the related fields of eco-innovation and sustainability innovation. Expert interviews with CEOs of SMEs in the Austrian medical device sector are analyzed to develop insights into the companies' research and innovation activities and potential drivers and barriers for RRI. The findings support the assumption that SMEs are largely unaware of the RRI concept. At the same time, however, it is possible to identify current practices that already operationalize aspects of RRI. It is argued that SMEs could build upon existing practices to further develop ways of being responsible and that implementation of RRI should be in line with specific organizational and contextual factors.

Tanzania from the villagers' perspective. It was conducted in cooperation with the Swedish NGO Vi Agroforestry, who supported the field visits. Preparations were made in Sweden during Jan-March 2014, and the field study in Kyerwa, Kagera region was executed in April-May 2014. The study was mainly qualitative and the central data was received from 30 semi-structured interviews with villagers in Kyerwa district. For the design and analysis of the study, the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach and a socio- technical perspective were used. The main drivers for SHSs were found to be improved economy, increased study opportunities for children and improved indoor environment from cutting out kerosene use. On the other hand, the main barrier for further spreading was the up-front cost of the SHS. Furthermore, though awareness of SHS is high, the lack of marketing of SHSs acts as another barrier. Most SHSs in the area show good technical performance, but lack of user maintenance might jeopardize this in the future. Lastly, villagers requested SHSs sold on a payment plan, as this would enable the investment for many.