The main goal of my diploma was global analysis of the flow of material in production of wheel frames for train in company ČKD Kutná Hora a. s., foundry České Budějovice. I mainly aimed at mapping steps that are part of production of frames. The next part of my diploma work was to find the best solvent for flow of material in manufactured. For good result was used method of sighting, time recording and discussion with workers. I found the best posibility result. I resommended transporter of TRANSPORTA CHRUDIM company. I is one of real solvent. During the working on my diploma work I resulted from my own finding obtained by the consultations with executives and by the analyse of the documents which I had available.

Purpose: The purpose of the thesis is to identify Swedish foundries’ challenges regarding circularity and sustainability demands and explore how SME foundries can be more sustainable and circular. Method: The research approach used in this study is an exploratory multiple-case study. The research questions are answered by using qualitative data through interviews and observations as data collection methods. Findings: The study’s findings present many challenges for Swedish foundries. The main challenges identified are fluctuations in demand, Just-in-Time, extra transports, and the availability of suitable supply chain partners. The challenge of demand fluctuations for SME foundries resulted in a recommendation on how SMEs can face the challenge. The recommendation aims to reallocate capacity by warehousing, followed by increasing communication in the supply chain. The study concludes that Swedish foundries are far from achieving circular supply chains but strive for sustainable foundries. Practical Implications: Organizations could use this thesis as a point of reference to compare and reflect on their foundry operations. Since SMEs are targeted for facing challenges in the industry, practical implications could provide a recommendation for organizations and managers in the foundry industry to collaborate more efficiently with OEMs. Theoretical Implications: This study contributes to the existing knowledge with a new perspective as the challenges connected to sustainability and circularity have been a gap for academia in the foundry industry. Delimitations: This thesis delimitates within the supply chain of one SME and two OEMs in the Swedish foundry industry. The SME’s role in the supply chain is a supplier of casted components, while the OEMs are both a producer of castings and a customer of components. The areas within the supply chain studied are castings, materials, logistics, production, and sustainability & circularity.

The way firms innovate has notably changed in recent years. A clear example is the manufacturing sector which has been experiencing a new revolution in production and innovation. Linked to this industrial shift, manufacturing firms have been adopting more open and collaborative practices to innovate. This phenomenon, known as Open Innovation (OI), is helping firms to acquire and explore knowledge from external sources (inbound process) and to exploit knowledge via the commercialisation of ideas and technology (outbound process). Even though numerous researchers have studied the adoption of OI and its relation to numerous strategic and organisational results, very few studies have focused on investigating the positive influence of diverse OI approaches and practices on multiple dimensions of firm performance from different angles. These drawbacks hinder the diffusion of OI practices and raise the question of whether it is convenient for any firm in any industry to adopt or not to adopt OI. Thus, this thesis helps to fill this gap by examining the extent to which OI practices are adopted by firms and other actors in unexplored mature manufacturing industries and by understanding the unidentified roles that these practices play in relation to different dimensions of firm and industrial performance.  This thesis brings together different methodologies and data to investigate OI practices with a novel multi-perspective approach. Hence, OI practices are framed within the industrial context of manufacturing firms in Italy and Sweden, several actors in the food industry, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the Italian foundry industry, and also within worldwide SMEs designing and producing supercars. More specifically, using data from 247 European manufacturing firms collected through a tailored OI survey, this thesis supports the relevance of internal context characteristics such as firm size and provides evidence of the relation between configurations of OI models and innovation performance. Through two case studies in the food industry, this thesis demonstrates novel forms of OI practices that can be characterised and adopted by different innovation actors within and around this mature industry. Likewise, drawing from 30 rigorous case studies of small and medium-sized foundries, this research for the first time illuminates the relation between the aggregations of some innovation practices (specifically internal R&amp;D and inbound OI) with a contemporarily relevant dimension of environmental and industrial performance such as energy efficiency. Although foregrounding the practical implications of adopting OI practices, this project also investigates and attempts to contrast some of the theoretical perspectives used when researching OI in mature manufacturing industries. This thesis concludes with an integrative study of the main aspects of the research project to demonstrate the advantages of using a multi-perspective approach to study OI. This last study, originally inspired from two case studies of small carmakers, involved collecting data from 48 small and medium-sized manufacturers of supercars with a survey designed to evaluate OI influence on several types of firm performance. Collectively, the results from this thesis confirm the validity of OI in new research contexts and reveal a combined influence of specific innovation practices on innovativeness, but also on the dimensions of industrial, environmental, and social performance. This thesis contributes to theory and practice by empirically showing that even though OI and the results of practicing it are highly context dependent, adopting OI practices can definitely have a positive influence in the overall performance of firms in mature manufacturing industries, including SMEs and other small actors. / Det sätt på vilket företagen innoverar har förändrats märkbart under de senaste åren. Den här situationen syns tydligt inom tillverkningssektorn, som upplever en ny produktions- och innovationsrevolution. Med tanke på detta inför tillverkningsföretagen öppnare och mer samarbetsbaserade metoder. Detta fenomen, benämnt öppen innovation (Open Innovation, OI), hjälper organisationer att förvärva och utforska kunskaper från externa källor (ingående process) och att utforska kunskaper genom kommersialisering av idéer och teknik (utgående process). Även om ett flertal forskare har studerat införandet av OI och hur det hänger samman med olika strategiska och organisatoriska resultat, har endast mycket få studier lagt fokus på att undersöka de positiva effekter som olika former av OI-metoder och -praxis har på flera dimensioner av företagens resultat och ur olika synvinklar. Den här bristen hindrar spridningen av OI-praxis och väcker frågan om huruvida det är fördelaktigt för ett företag i en viss bransch att införa eller inte införa OI. Denna avhandling hjälper till att fylla det här tomrummet genom att undersöka i vilken utsträckning öppen innovationspraxis har införts av företag och andra aktörer i outforskade, mogna tillverkningsbranscher och vilka oidentifierade roller sådan praxis spelar i förhållande till olika dimensioner av företagsresultat och branschresultat. Denna avhandling för samman olika metoder och data för att undersöka OI-praxis ur ett nytt multiperspektiv. Det industriella sammanhanget för studien av OI-praxis är därför tillverkningsföretag i Italien och Sverige, flera aktörer inom livsmedelsindustrin, små och medelstora företag från den italienska gjuteriindustrin samt små och medelstora företag världen över som utformar och tillverkar superbilar. Denna avhandling använder data från 247 europeiska tillverkningsföretag, som samlats in genom en skräddarsydd enkät om öppen innovation, för att bekräfta betydelsen av det interna sammanhangets egenskaper, t.ex. företagets storlek, och lägga fram bevis för relationen mellan OI-modellkonfigurationer och innovationsresultat. Genom två fallstudier inom livsmedelsindustrin visar denna avhandling nya sätt på vilka OI-praxis kan karakteriseras och införas av olika innovationsaktörer inom och omkring den här mogna branschen. Forskningsprojektet utgår även från 30 noggrant genomförda fallstudier av små och medelstora gjuterier för att för första gången belysa relationen mellan samlingar av vissa former av innovationspraxis (nämligen intern FoU och ingående OI) och en samtida relevant dimension av miljö- och branschresultat, t.ex. energieffektivitet. Detta projekt bildar förgrunden till de praktiska följderna av att införa OI-praxis, men undersöker även och försöker kontrastera till några av de teoretiska perspektiv som används vid forskning kring OI i mogna tillverkningsbranscher. Denna avhandling avslutas med en integrerande studie av forskningsprojektets huvudsakliga aspekter för att påvisa fördelarna med att använda en multiperspektivmetod vid studier av OI. Den sista studien, till vilken inspirationen ursprungligen hämtades från två fallstudier av små biltillverkare, innebar insamling av data från 48 små och medelstora tillverkare av superbilar med en enkät avsedd att utvärdera OI:s påverkan på flera typer av företagsresultat. De sammantagna resultaten från denna avhandling bekräftar OI:s giltighet i nya forskningssammanhang och avslöjar en kombinerad effekt av vissa former av innovationspraxis på innovationsförmåga, men även på dimensionerna industriella, miljömässiga och sociala resultat. Avhandlingen bidrar till teori och praktik genom att empiriskt påvisa att även om OI och resultaten av OI-praxis är starkt kontextberoende, kan införande av OI-praxis säkerligen ha ett positivt inflytande på det totala resultatet för företag i mogna tillverkningsbranscher, däribland små och medelstora företag och andra mindre aktörer. / Il modo in cui le imprese stanno innovando è notevolmente cambiato negli ultimi anni. Un chiaro esempio è il settore manifatturiero, che sta reagendo a una nuova rivoluzione nella produzione e innovazione. Collegato a questo cambiamento industriale, le aziende del settore della manifattura stanno acquisendo nuove pratiche più aperte e collaborative per innovare. Questo fenomeno, noto come ‘Open Innovation’ (OI), sta aiutando alle aziende ad acquistare e esplorare le conoscenze dalle fonti esterne (processo ‘inbound’) e di sfruttare la conoscenza tramite la commercializzazione delle idee e delle tecnologie (processo ‘outbound’). Anche se numerosi ricercatori hanno studiato l’adozione della OI e la sua relazione con numerosi risultati strategici ed organizzativi, in pochi studi si sono concentrati sullo studio dell’influenza positiva di diversi approcci e pratiche sulle multipli dimensioni della performance aziendale di diverse angolature della OI. Questi inconvenienti ostacolano la diffusione delle pratiche OI ed evidenziano la questione se è pure conveniente per qualsiasi tipo d’azienda in qualsiasi tipo d’industria adottare o non adottare OI. Così, questa tesi contribuisce a riempire questa lacuna tramite la esaminazione delle misure in cui le pratiche della OI vengono adottate dalle aziende ed altri attori nelle inesplorate industrie mature della manifattura e attraverso la comprensione dei ruoli non identificati che queste pratiche giocano in relazione alle diverse dimensioni della performance aziendale e industriale.   Questa tesi mette insieme le diverse metodologie e i dati ad indagare sulle pratiche della OI con un nuovo approccio multi-prospettico. Quindi, le pratiche OI sono inquadrate nel contesto industriale delle aziende manifatturiere in Italia e in Svezia, i diversi attori nel settore alimentare, le piccole e medie imprese (PMI) del settore della fonderia italiana, e anche nelle PMI di tutto il mondo che disegnano e producono i supercars. In particolare, utilizzando i dati di 247 aziende manifatturiere europee raccolti attraverso un sondaggio, questa tesi sostiene la rilevanza delle caratteristiche del contesto interno come la dimensione della azienda e fornisce la prova della relazione tra configurazioni dei modelli OI e la capacità di innovazione. Attraverso due casi di studio nel settore alimentare, questa tesi dimostra delle nuove forme di pratiche OI che possono essere caratterizzate e adottate dai diversi attori dell’innovazione all’interno ed all’intorno di questo settore maturo. Allo stesso modo, raccolto da 30 rigorosi casi di studio delle piccole e delle medie fonderie, questa ricerca per la prima volta illumina la relazione tra le aggregazioni di alcune pratiche di innovazione (in particolare le pratiche interne di R&amp;S e di OI inbound) con una dimensione contemporaneamente rilevante delle prestazioni ambientali ed industriali quali l’efficienza energetica.   Anche se in primo piano le implicazioni pratiche dell’adozione delle pratiche della OI sono accentate, il progetto indaga anche e cerca di contrastare alcune delle prospettive teoriche utilizzate nella ricerca nelle mature industrie manifatturiere. Questa tesi finisce con uno studio integrativo degli aspetti principali del progetto di ricerca per dimostrare i vantaggi di utilizzare un approccio multi-prospettiva per studiare la OI. Quest’ultimo studio, originariamente ispirato da due casi di studio di piccole case automobilistiche, ha coinvolto la raccolta dei dati provenienti da 48 piccole e medie produttori di supercars tramite un sondaggio per valutare l’influenza dei diversi tipi di performance aziendale. Collettivamente, i risultati di questa tesi confermano la validità di OI in nuovi contesti di ricerca e rivelano una influenza combinata di pratiche d’innovazione specifica su innovazione, ma anche sulle dimensioni della performance industriale, ambientale e sociale. Questa tesi contribuisce alla teoria e alla pratica, che empiricamente mostra che se anche la OI ed i risultati di praticarla sono molto dipendenti dal contesto, l’adozione delle pratiche OI può sicuramente avere un effetto positivo nelle prestazioni complessive delle aziende nella industria manifatturiere matura, comprese le PMI ed altri piccoli attori. / <p>This thesis is produced as part of the EMJD Programme <em>European Doctorate in Industrial Management (EDIM) </em>funded by the European Commission, Erasmus Mundus Action 1.</p><p>EDIM is run by a consortium consisting of the industrial management departments of three institutions.</p><p>•KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden</p><p>•Politecnico de Milano, POLIMI, Milan, Italy</p><p>•Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, UPM, Madrid, Spain</p><p>QC 20160128</p> / European Doctorate in Industrial Management

The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the possibility of introducing Full Mold technology in specific conditions of production in foundry environment. The emphasis is placed on the least possible intervention with to established manufacturing process. The work also aims, through the comparison of the specific test castings, to map the weaknesses of this technology in the company and create possible optimization or complete removal of this weaknesses.

有關既有廠商面對技術改變時為何會失去領導地位，現有文獻多以技術和廠商能耐互動的供給面切入討論，其原因可能是領導廠商無法及時轉換技術、調整能耐或組織惰性等因素；對於少數新興國家的後進廠商成功挑戰既有領導廠商，成為全球領導廠商的研究，也大多依循這種供給面觀點，認為建立並不斷提升技術能耐是成功的關鍵。 深入檢視既有廠商面對技術改變失去領導地位的原因，不完全是來自供給面的問題，市場需求面也是重要的影響因素。在討論市場需求面的相關理論中，斷裂性創新架構是最典型的觀點，該觀點認為新興廠商推動斷裂性創新會持續破壞現有市場遊戲規則，造成競爭基礎的改變與產業結構的變化，此觀點主要在說明市場顧客需求的變化對新舊廠商競爭的影響，並據以補充說明技術供給面的不足。 至今斷裂性創新研究並未發展出一個有系統的架構來檢測某種創新情境是否為斷裂性創新？因而，本研究根據斷裂性創新架構觀點及個案研究法中描述性理論架構的要求，發展出斷裂性創新描述架構的相關特性要件，並用此架構來檢測台灣積體電路公司及其所促進高度發展的全球晶圓代工產業，檢測結果發現過程符合斷裂性創新的特性。後續研究將可由斷裂性創新的觀點切入，重新詮釋台積電成功成為全球領導廠商的原因。 本研究發展出來的描述架構是一個檢測斷裂性創新的良好基礎，可以作為測試其他產業是否存在斷裂性創新的參考。 / Why established incumbents loosed their leading positions facing the disruptive technology, explanation of current literatures tended to focus on the supply-side interaction of technologies and firms’ capabilities. The research on latecomer firms catching up technological gap in newly development countries also focused on the supply-side perspective and argued that consecutive advancing technological capabilities was the key to success. Closer examination of technology competition, however, reveals that technology or market transitions are not necessarily due to the supply-side difficulties, like incumbent technology’s inherent limit, incumbents’ inability to master new skill, or organizational inertness. The market demand-side is also an important factor offering a complementary set of explanations that highlight the influence of consumers’ need on technology trajectory. The most influential expression of a demand side role in technology competition is the disruptive innovation that will break the market rule, shift the bases of competition and change the industry structure. Current researches, however, did not develop systematically analytical tool or framework to identify disruptive innovation. This study followed the major perspectives of disruptive innovation and the rules of case study to develop the descriptive framework for testifying the phenomenon of disruptive innovation. The semiconductor industry development in Taiwan was identified and described under the conditions of this framework. This descriptive framework is a systematic tool for testing disruptive innovation in any industry.

In der Dissertationsschrift wurden zwei Schwerpunkte untersucht, die sich zum einen mit der Entwicklung einer Bewertungsmatrix zur Erstabschätzung potenzieller Abwärmenutzungen und zum anderen mit der Integration thermoelektrischer Generatoren im Gießereiprozess auseinandersetzten. In der Matrix wurden 4 Modellabwärmequellen definiert, die sich jeweils in 9 verschiedene Betriebszustände unterteilen, um die vielfältigen Prozessbedingungen widerzuspiegeln. Weiterhin wurden 4 Modellwärmesenken festgelegt, die in Abhängigkeit der thermischen Leistung der Abwärmequellen, die Bewertungsreferenz darstellen. Im Ergebnis erfolgte eine Bewertung von 144 unterschiedlichen Abwärmenutzungskonzepten nach den Kriterien: Energieeffizienzsteigerung, Kaskadennutzung, wirtschaftlich maximal vertretbares Budget und erzielte CO2-Einsparung. Die Integration der thermoelektrischen Generatoren erfolgte am Pfannenfeuer, im Formkasten und an der Druckgussmaschine. Die höchsten Durchschnittswerte der elektrischen Leistung wurden mit 45mW im Formkasten erreicht. Damit können Sensornetzwerke energieautark versorgt, die Datenverfügbarkeit erhöht und die Prozesseffizienz gesteigert werden.