Background: A university is characterized as organized anarchy. According to Cohen, et al. (1972) decision-making occurs in form of A Garbage Can Model (GCM) in such organizations. This model is influenced by some factors such as organizational structure. The influences of some types of organizational structure have been studied based on a computer simulation by Cohen and his colleagues in 1972. However, the study was based on numerical statistics and excluded the influence of genuine characteristics of an organizational structure. Aim: This thesis aims to understand the influence of the dynamic and real characteristics of an organizational structure on a university’s decision-making process. Therefore, this research is conducted to explore how matrix structure influences on decision-making process in Linköping University by reducing uncertainty characteristics of decision-making process. Definitions: A Garbage Can Model: provides a theory framework in order to understand how decisions are made in organizations under condition of organized anarchy. This Model has four heterogeneous streams include decision, solution, decision maker, and choice opportunity. All these streams are moving around within the organization and need to match up in the choice opportunities to make decisions. Matrix Structure: is a structure with focus on multiple dimensions through multiple lines of authority and lateral communication. Results: The Matrix structure reduces the uncertainty of decision-making in Linköping University by managing the information process through the lateral communication. More specifically, the lateral communication occurs based on different approaches such as informal meetings, network of people, management group, and external information. However, the authority aspect in Linköping University has certain tendency towards the single unity of command (centralization), which is in contrast with matrix structure characteristics.

Bakgrund och problem:         Målstyrning, som utvecklades inom den privata sektorn, blev som en följd av New Public Management (NPM) ett vanligt styrsätt inom svenska kommunorganisationer redan i början av 1990-talet. Skillnader i förutsättningarna mellan privata och offentliga organisationer har sedan dess gjort att det funnits svårigheter att tillämpa styrsättet. Tidigare forskning har identifierat problem i form av målträngsel, målformulering, mätbarhet och uppföljning. Studier som fokuserat på beslut i kommunorganisationer har bland annat tittat på tjänstemanna- kontra politikerrollen och individernas egenskaper. I den här studien dockas de båda områdena samman då beslut under kommunala organisationers målprocesser studeras med särskilt fokus på individers påverkan på besluten. Forskningsfråga:                        Hur påverkar individer i en kommunorganisation, i praktiken, de beslut om mål och delmål som förekommer under målstyrda arbeten? Och varför ser påverkan ut som den gör? Syfte:                                              Syftet med studien är att förklara individers påverkan på beslut om mål och delmål under ett målstyrt arbete i en kommunorganisation, detta för att skapa en helhetsbild som ökar den totala förståelsen för målarbeten i dessa organisationer. Teoretisk referensram:           Studien koncentreras kring individers påverkan på beslut, genom att ta utgångspunkt i den vidareutvecklade Garbage-Can-teorins begrepp; problem, lösningar, tid, engagemang och möjligheternas fönster. Samtliga delar inriktas på målstyrda kommunorganisationers förutsättningar, genom att de beskrivs med utgångspunkt i tidigare forskning kring NPM, målstyrning samt individers roller och egenskaper. Ett praktikteoretiskt perspektiv används för att länka samman delarna till en förklarande helhet. Metod:                                           Arbetet har genomförts som en kvalitativ fallstudie och empiriinsamlingen har i första hand gjorts genom direkta observationer under mötestillfällen i en kommunal målprocess. Slutsatser:                                    Studien har visat att individer i målstyrda kommunorganisationer påverkar beslut om mål och delmål genom att argumentera för olika problem och lösningar och agera med skiftande tidsinsats och engagemang. Detta i sin påverkan av målförslagen, arbetsfördelningen och beslutsprocessen. Att påverkan ser ut på detta sätt beror enligt vår studie på att den, tillsammans med den sociala värld där den ägt rum, är en del av en ömsesidigt grundläggande helhet. Den sociala verkligheten är formad av flera strukturella och politiska förutsättningar som både påverkas av individerna och som påverkar dem. / Background and problems:   Management by objectives was developed in the private sector and became, with the help of New Public Management (NPM), a commonly used mode of control in Swedish municipalities in the early 1990s. Different prerequisites between private and public organizations have made the implementation problematic all from the beginning. Previous research has identified problems with goal inflation, goal writing, measurability and monitoring. Studies of decision making in municipal organizations has focused on the roles of officials and politicians and the characteristics of these individuals. This study brings the two areas together by focusing on decisions during municipal goal processes and the impact of the individuals on the decisions made in these processes. Research question:                   How do the individuals in a municipal organization, in practice, affect the decisions of objectives that occur during work managed by objectives? And why does the affect appear this way? Purpose:                                        The purpose of this study is to explain the individual’s impact on objectives set for a municipal work managed by objectives; this will help to create an overall picture that increases the understanding of goal processes in this kind of organizations. Frame of reference:                 The study concentrates on individual’s impact on decisions by starting off from the concepts of the extended Garbage Can theory; problems, solutions, time, dedication and windows of opportunity. By being described in relation to previous research of NPM, MBO and the roles and characteristics of individuals, these components where oriented towards the conditions of a municipal organization managed by objectives. Practice Theory has been used to link the concepts together to a holistic explanation. Method:                                        This study was made as a qualitative case study where the empirical data collection where made primarily through direct observations during meetings in a municipal goal process. Conclusions    The study has shown that individuals in municipal organizations managed by objectives affect decisions of objectives by arguing in favor of different problems and solutions and acting with shifting time effort and dedication. This in their effect on the suggested objectives, the division of labor and the decision process. According to this study, the affect appears this way because it is, together with the social world that surrounds it, a part of a mutual constitution. The social world is formed by both structural and political conditions that are being affected by the individuals as well as they affect them.

Course: Master Thesis in Business Administration Institution: Business School at Linneus University in Växjö Authors: Nadja Muftic and Donika Ombashi Supervisor: Karin Jonnergård Examiner: Fredrik Karlsson Title: Integrated reporting  - The glass half full or half empty? Background: Integrated reporting is the latest framework in the reporting world and intends to integrate financial and non-financial information into one single report. Through the <IR> framework, the integrated report aims to describe how business strategies, corporate governance and performance create value over short, medium and long-term perspective. The integrated report has gained enthusiasm and attention in media and among experts in Sweden. Despite the good presentation of integrated reporting, there are only a few companies in Sweden that publish integrated reports in accordance with the <IR> framework. The discourse, the overall discussion, about the phenomenon is therefore interesting to examine among companies in Sweden. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to study the discourse of integrated reporting among experts in Sweden and the relevance of the discourse amongst Swedish companies. Furthermore, we also intend to explain the circumstances that affect the relevance between the discourse and the companies. Method: This thesis consists of two studies; a first study that examines the discourse on integrated reporting developed by experts in Sweden and a second study that examines the relevance of the discourse amongst Swedish companies. A qualitative approach is the basis of the two studies, in which the collected material has been obtained through semi-structured interviews. The expert’s discourse has been processed through a critical discourse analysis and the material from the companies has been processed through a content analysis. Conclusion: The conclusion is that the discourse has a low relevance amongst companies in Sweden at the moment. However, the identified circumstances that explain the relevance indicate that the phenomenon may spread more in the future. / Kurs: Examensarbete Civilekonomprogrammet Lärosäte: Linnéuniversitetet i Växjö Författare: Nadja Muftic och Donika Ombashi Handledare: Karin Jonnergård Examinator: Fredrik Karlsson Titel: Integrerad rapportering – Glaset halvfullt eller halvtomt? Bakgrund: Integrerad rapportering är det senaste inom rapporteringsvärlden och avser att integrera finansiell- och icke finansiell information till en enskild rapport. Genom ramverket <IR> ämnar den integrerade rapporteringen beskriva hur företagsstrategier, styrning och prestationer skapar värde över kort, medellång, och lång sikt. Den integrerade rapporteringen har erhållit entusiasm och uppmärksamhet i media och bland experter i Sverige. Trots den goda framställningen av integrerad rapportering finns det idag i Sverige ett fåtal företag som publicerar integrerade rapporter enligt ramverket <IR>. Diskursen, den samlade diskussionen, kring fenomenet är därmed intressant att undersöka på företagsnivå. Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att studera diskursen om integrerad rapportering bland experter i Sverige och vilken relevans diskursen har på företagsnivå. Vidare ämnar vi även förklara omständigheter som påverkar om det finns en relevans eller inte mellan diskurs och företag.               Metod: Denna uppsats utgörs av två studier; en första studie som undersöker den diskurs om integrerad rapportering som framkommit bland experter i Sverige och en andra studie som undersöker diskursens relevans på företagsnivå. En kvalitativ forskningsansats ligger till grund för båda studierna där det insamlade materialet har erhållits genom semistrukturerade intervjuer. Experternas diskurs har bearbetats genom en kritiskdiskursanalys och materialet från företagen har bearbetats med hjälp av en innehållsanalys. Slutsats: Slutsatsen dras att diskursen har en låg relevans på företagsnivå i Sverige i nuläget. De identifierade omständigheterna som förklarar relevansen tyder dock på att fenomenet kan få en större utbredning i framtiden.

The purpose of this thesis, was to study decision processes and the importance of information management in the processes within an academic organisation, which led to the work with adaptions according to the law of Equal Treatment of Students in Higher Education, (SFS 2001:1286). A general question was formulated concerning how different information- and knowledge flows interact within an academic organisation and its library during the decision processes. The questions at issue we have tried to examine, concern the factors that have influenced the participants´ choice of information during the decision processes, in their work of adapting the law of equal treatment, and how these choices have influenced the priorities that were made. The theoretical starting point was basically Cohen, March and Olsens Garbage Can Model. We also found the author Chun Wei Choo´s descriptions of organisations, as systems of information processing, useful for parts of our thesis, especially the parts that deals with the role of information management within the decision processes. To answer our questions interviews were made with seven participants who had been involved in the work concerning the adaption of the law. The result shows constantly present interaction between the information- and knowledge flows during the decision processes. New information is processed continuously by the participants. The information processes can be transformed to knowledge in sense making processes, and be useful when the information- and knowledge flows coincide with each other and provide opportunities for decision making. / Uppsatsnivå: D

Thesis (M.S.)--School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, 2008. / "June 2008." Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 102-108). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Bielefeld, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 193-201).

This essay analyses the arguments of The Swedish Government Official Report 2008:88 which proposes that the Swedish law (SFS) should shift from promulgation in print to elec-tronic promulgation on a Website. I have studied two aspects of the arguments in the text. On the one hand, the Inquiry’s description of how things might become if their proposal becomes effectuated and, on the other hand, how the present situation is described in the text. The theory I have used is called A Garbage Can Model of Organizational Choice, which pictures organizations as often irrational in dealing with problems, solutions and decision making. The chronological order is broken up and a solution to a problem often precedes the problem itself, the latter being so to speak ”picked up from the garbage can” and put on the agenda if proven adequate. The results of my analysis show that the ambition of the Inquiry has been to problematize the traditional way of promulgating the Swedish law in order to make a version on the Webb look more indispensable. Thus arguments in support of the reform have been drawn from the comparison rather than from the virtues of the reform itself.But even now, four years after the report was published, there is no sign of the proposal being taken further in the legislative process. My conclusion is that the committee report certainly proves that the Internet solution is possible but fails to show that it is appropriate. And was there a real problem to begin with? / Program: Bibliotekarie

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this thesis is to develop a framework for research that will lead to a “technology of foolishness”, à la James March (1972). This is done by a) analysing the nature and b) evaluating the results of case studies that employ the garbage can theory within the field of organisational decision making. The garbage can is used since it was developed to describe decision making within organised anarchies. These are organisational contexts characterised by ambiguous goals, amongs other traits. Thus, one of the aims of the theory was to describe how decisions are made in the face of goal ambiguity. In this thesis nineteen case studies that were published between 1976 and 2010 are analysed. Only studies where the garbage can theory’s components are brought to bear on the data in a significant way are included in the scope of the study. This means that data has to be structured according to the theory, or that the authors’ conclusions address the theory specifically. It was found that the case studies produce very few insights on goal ambiguity which can be put to use in developing a technology of foolishness. Based on the analysis of the nature of the garbage can theory and the studies in the sample, a new way of doing research on goal ambiguity is put forth. Based on the insights on goal ambiguity that were produced, the themes that need researching are suggested. A core discovery is that although the garbage can in used as a process theory very often, the interpretivist tools that fit within this approach are seldom used. The normative strategy that is put forth includes incorporating the role of active decision making entities into the garbage can theory, or using the garbage can theory in conjunction with a model that does provide for the role of these decision making entities. It is important to note that these entities need not and should not be subjected to the principles of rational choice theory. It is also proposed that the garbage can theory be utilised as a process theory of decision making and that theoretical tools that are appropriate to this kind of theory be used. These tools would form part of theories designed for analysing and understanding organisational narratives. Themes that need to be researched include symbolic expressions (such as metaphors), tactile or visual experiences, the role of intuition and emotional expression in decision making processes, the role of identity (that of the focal decision makers and the people he comes into contact with) and, lastly, the idea that the world is enacted, rather than having to be predicted. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis het ten doel om ʼn raamwerk vir navorsing daar te stel wat sal lei tot die ontwikkeling van ʼn ‘tegnologie vir dwase optrede’, à la James March (1972). Dit word gedoen deur a) die aard en b) die resultate van gevallestudies wat die vullisdromteorie op besluitneming in organisasies toepas, te analiseer. Die vullisdromteorie word gebruik omdat dit ontwikkel is om besluitneming in ‘georganiseerde anargieë’ te beskryf. Georganiseerde anargieë word, onder anadere, gekenmerk deur dubbelisinnige doelwitte. Dus was een van die mikpunte van die model om besluitneming te beskryf wanneer doelwitte dubbelsinnig is. In hierdie tesis word negentien gevallestudies, wat tussen 1976 en 2010 gepubliseer is, bestudeer. Slegs studies waar die komponente van die teorie beduidend in die data neerslag vind, word ingesluit by die omvang van die studie. Dit beteken dat die data volgens die komponente gestruktureer is, of dat die navorsers die evaluering van die teorie eksplisiet by hulle konklusies insluit. Die bevinding is dat die gevallestudies baie min insigte rondom doelwitdubbelsinnigheid bied wat binne die raamwerk van ʼn tegnologie vir dwase optrede pas. Op grond van die analise van die oorhoofse eienskappe van beide die vullisdromteorie en die studies in die steekproef, word daar ’n nuwe normatiewe raamwerk vir die benadering tot navorsing omtrent doelwitdubbelsinnigheid voorgestel. Op grond van die insigte omtrent doelwitdubbelsinnigheid wat wel deeluitmaak van die resultate, word temas vir navorsing voorgestel. ʼn Kern-ontdekking is dat ofskoon die vullisdrom gereëld as ʼn prosesteorie aangewend word, die interpretivistiese instrumente wat tot hierdie benadering hoort, selde gebruik word. Die nuwe normatiewe strategie is dat die vullisdromteorie as sodanig aangepas word dat dit voorsiening maak vir aktiewe besluitnemende entiteite. ʼn Ander werkbare opsie is om die vullisdromteorie te same met ’n teorie wat wel vir hierdie entiteite voorsiening maak, aan te wend. Hierdie entiteite hoef en behoort egter nie gemodelleer te word volgens ’n rasionele keuse teorie nie. Daar word ook voorgestel dat waar die vullisdromteorie aangewend word, dit as ’n prosesteorie vir besluitneming aangewend word en dat teoretiese instrumente wat binne die raamwerk van prosesteorieë pas, benut word. Hierdie instrumente sluit metodes en teorieë wat geskik is vir die analisering en verstaan van narratiewe in organisasies in. Temas wat nagevors moet word is simboliese uitdrukkings (soos metafore), ervarings wat tas- en sigsintuie insluit, die rol van intuïsie en emosionele uitdrukking in die besluitnemingproses, die rol van identiteit (van die fokale besluitnemer sowel as ander entiteite met wie hy in kontak kom) en, laastens, die idee dat die wêreld geskep word deur aksies, eerder as dat dit voorspel hoef te word.

Uppsatsen syftar till att med den så kallade dagordningsmodellen inom ramen för beslutsteori förstå varför det nätverksbaserade försvaret, NBF, aldrig realiserades. Uppsatsen visar hur konceptet Revolution in Military Affairs, RMA, under namnet NBF blev en central del av ominriktningen, dvs. reformarbetet i Försvarsmakten kring millennieskiftet och fanns med i försvarsbesluten 2001 och 2004 men ändå försvann det före 10-talets början. NBF som var ett modernt nationellt försvarskoncept trängdes ut helt av ett antal faktorer: den rådande tidsandan som präglades av en vision om evig fred, interna stridigheter i försvarssektorn, Sveriges ambition att bli en ledande nation i den europeiska utrikes- och säkerhetspolitiken genom att leda en EU-stridsgrupp och minskade ekonomiska ramar. Sammanfattningsvis var RMA idén som ominriktningen inledningsvis skulle bygga på. Samtidigt introducerades begreppet insatsförsvar som ett övergripande koncept för försvaret. RMA fick så småningom namnet NBF varefter dess popularitet minskade och konceptet ersattes av EU-stridsgruppskonceptet. I uppsatsen aktualiseras den klassiska relationen mellan aktör och struktur. Agerandet från ÖB Owe Wiktorin och generalen Johan Kihl kan i förstone uppfattas som det mest avgörande för händelseutvecklingen, men i det långa loppet var Försvarsmaktens strukturer med dess urgamla försvarsgrensorganisering sannolikt minst lika avgörande.

Titel: Cirkulär ekonomi som ett beslut: En kvalitativ studie om hur soptunnemodellen förklarar implementeringen av cirkulär ekonomi inom små och medelstora företag Nivå: Examensarbete på grundnivå (kandidatexamen) i ämnet företagsekonomi Författare: Daniel Jonsgården och Sakke Pellikka Handledare: Jean Mutiganda Datum: 2024 – januari Syfte: Flera studier visar på svårigheter och hinder för införandet av cirkulär ekonomi. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur implementeringsbeslutet ser ut och därmed varför företag trots hinder väljer att implementera cirkulär ekonomi. Metod: Denna studie bygger på tre semistrukturerade intervjuer. Genom en tematisk analys med utgångspunkt i teorier om beslutstagande, undersöktes respondenternas praktiska erfarenhet och kunskap vid införandet av cirkulär ekonomi. Beslutsprocessen analyserades genom soptunnemodellen. Resultat och slutsats: Respondenterna beskrev hur de sett hållbarhet som en lösning även innan de identifierat problem att lösa. Resultatet visar att beslutstagarens kunskap om cirkulär ekonomi inte är viktigt för att ta beslutet, vilket går emot tidigare forskning. Först när lösning, problem, och beslutstagare existerar i ett och samma tillfälle kan ett beslut att ställa om till cirkulär ekonomi fattas. Examensarbetets bidrag: Studien bidrar till en utökat teoretisk förståelse för den cirkulära omställningen. Detta genom att vara en utgångspunkt för vidare forskning inom beslutsfattande för omställning till en cirkulär ekonomi. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: I studien identifieras ett forskningsgap gällande beslutsfattande avseende införande av cirkulär ekonomi och det finns ett behov av att fler fördjupningsstudier genomförs. Det finns även behov av vidare forskning kring både hur beslutspersoner blir motiverade till omställning mot cirkulär ekonomi, samt vilken roll en beslutsfattare behöver ha. / Title: Circular economy as a decision: A qualitative study on how the garbage can model can explain the implementation of circular economy in small and medium sized entities. Level: Student Thesis, final assignment for bachelor’s degree in business administration Author: Daniel Jonsgården and Sakke Pellikka Supervisor: Jean Mutiganda Date: 2024 - January Aim: Multiple studies shows the difficulties and barriers surrounding the implementation of Circular economy. The aim of this study is to investigate what the decision to implement looks like and thereby why companies decide to start working with Circular economy. Method: This study builds on three semi-structured interviews. Through thematic analysis deriving from theories of decision making, the respondents' practical experience and knowledge at the time of implementation of circular economy was investigated. The decision-making process was analysed through the garbage can model. Results and conclusions: The respondents described how they have seen sustainability as a solution even before they identified a problem to solve. The result shows that the decision makers knowledge of Circular economy is not important in making the decision, which goes against previous research. Only when a solution, a problem, and a decision maker exist in the same moment can a decision to transition towards a circular economy be made. Contribution of the thesis: This thesis contributes by expanding the theoretical knowledge surrounding the circular transitioning. It does this by being a starting point for future research about the decision making that leads to a circular economy. Suggestions for future research: We have in this study identified a research gap and would like more studies done to fill that gap. We also suggest future research both surrounding how decision makers become motivated to transitioning towards a circular economy, as well as which role the decision makers need to have.