Today employees are changing jobs more frequently than in the past, which can result in the loss of valuable knowledge and information during employee exits. This makes sharing of information and knowledge within the organisations more important than ever before, particularly during the product development process. The problem of losing knowledge during employee exits is a critical risk facing organisations.  It is worth noting that the study was inspired by the ethnographic research approach, with the purpose of understanding the nature of the phenomenon of information sharing in the product development process of small-scale complex system products and the aim to understand its implications during employee exits. The data for this study was collected through observation and interviews.  According to the results of this study, it was found that employees within the company used a range of techniques for storing and sharing information. The most common method used for finding and sharing information was informal meetings, however it was noted that there is room for improvement in this approach due to the potential impact of limited documentation. With regards to employee exits, the study revealed mixed opinions from employees regarding the existence of a formal off-boarding process. While some stated that such a process was lacking, others reported that it is indeed present. The process of transferring information and tasks to the next person seems to depend on the individuals involved, with some developing their own methods for handing over their work.  This study highlights the importance of context, reasoning, and decision-making when it comes to storing and sharing of information during the product development process, and the impact this has on the passage of knowledge during an employee exit. The knowledge transferred during an employee exit will determine the next person’s ability to work efficiently and effectively. There are numerous challenges in taking responsibility for a part or system without a comprehensive understanding of its history and background, especially when the previous employee in that role has left. Ultimately, this study emphasises the crucial importance of retaining experienced personnel and encouraging long-term employee commitment to the organisation.

Föreliggande uppsats undersöker hur industriföretag arbetar med att behålla och tillvarata kompetens vid omställningsarbeten. Studien utgår från en kvalitativ fallstudie som forskningsmetod, där dokument och 16 intervjuer utgör studiens empiri. Studien har en fallstudiedesign med flera analysenheter och studerar styrdokument, ledning, linjechef och medarbetare. Resultatet visar att företaget arbetat med en övergripande kompetensförsörjningsprocess som utgångspunkt vid omställningsarbetet. Studien visar även att bristande kompetensöverföringsstrategi och tid för kompetensöverföring har varit det största hindret för att tillvara kompetens. Studiens slutsatser är att industriföretaget använt en mixad kunskapsstrategi vid omställningsarbetet. Företaget har erbjudit strategier, verktyg och arbetssätt vid omställningsarbetet, däremot har förutsättningarna inte varit tillräckliga. Vid omställningen har därför informella tillvägagångssätt uppstått vilket representerat en god förutsättning i arbetet. Avslutningsvis synliggörs en bristande interaktion mellan analysnivåerna och utgör studiens praktiska implikationer. Företag kan bygga anpassade kompetensförsörjningsstrategier genom att förmedla informella tillvägagångssätt till ledningsnivå samt att inhämta kunskap om hur kunskapsöverföring sker i praktiken. / The study examines how manufacturing industries work to maintain and utilize competence during downsizing. This study is based on a qualitative case study using data of documents and 16 interviews and applies a single-case design with multiple units of analysis investigating documents, managers, line-managers and employees. The findings reveal that the company adopted a comprehensive competence process as the main procedure during downsizing. The findings expose a lack of knowledge transfer strategy and time identifies as the biggest obstacle to maintain knowledge. The conclusions represent that enterprises applies a mixed knowledge strategy during downsizing. Strategies, tools and procedures were available during the downsizing, but these conditions were not enough. Informal procedures unfold as a result of these insufficient conditions and facilitates knowledge retention. The study reveals a lack of interaction between the units of analysis, which represents the practical implications. Enterprises can build customized competence strategies by communicating informal procedures to management level as well as acquiring knowledge of how knowledge transfer take place in practice.