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<p>The value of specific individuals for the success of a company has increased drastically because of the increased demand on knowledge and service orientation, and job satisfaction has become more important in the competition of the most attractive employees. Improving job satisfaction also brings along additional advantages. For example, it has been proven to have a direct impact on customer satisfaction. This study aims at providing a working procedure for organizations that wish to increase the level of employee job satisfaction, and a method has been developed that gives practical instructions on how to organize the improvement work. To evaluate the current level of job satisfaction in order to find improvement areas, the most important determinants to job satisfaction have been identified through a literature survey. The method has four phases, Prepare, Investigate, Design and Implement, and is shaped as a closed loop to symbolize the need of continuous improvements. To validate the usefulness and precision of the method, it has been tested in a single case study. The case study showed that the method is applicable in the sense that all four phases were possible to carry out, and that it is capable of providing a practical working procedure to increase job satisfaction. It is also useful when it comes to evaluating already existing working procedures. Most important when it comes to increasing job satisfaction is to let the employees actively participate in the improvement work. This will ensure that the solutions suggested are relevant and enduring, and it will make employees feel acknowledged and motivated to follow out the changes.</p>

The value of specific individuals for the success of a company has increased drastically because of the increased demand on knowledge and service orientation, and job satisfaction has become more important in the competition of the most attractive employees. Improving job satisfaction also brings along additional advantages. For example, it has been proven to have a direct impact on customer satisfaction. This study aims at providing a working procedure for organizations that wish to increase the level of employee job satisfaction, and a method has been developed that gives practical instructions on how to organize the improvement work. To evaluate the current level of job satisfaction in order to find improvement areas, the most important determinants to job satisfaction have been identified through a literature survey. The method has four phases, Prepare, Investigate, Design and Implement, and is shaped as a closed loop to symbolize the need of continuous improvements. To validate the usefulness and precision of the method, it has been tested in a single case study. The case study showed that the method is applicable in the sense that all four phases were possible to carry out, and that it is capable of providing a practical working procedure to increase job satisfaction. It is also useful when it comes to evaluating already existing working procedures. Most important when it comes to increasing job satisfaction is to let the employees actively participate in the improvement work. This will ensure that the solutions suggested are relevant and enduring, and it will make employees feel acknowledged and motivated to follow out the changes.

This study sets out to investigate the connection between digitally achieved traceability and the production personnel's view of traceability. The results presents a number of factors to consider when designing traceability solutions in a manufacturing setting. The study was conducted in a qualitative manner, with the main data collection done through interviews. The results show that the production worker's stand point towards traceability is based on three factors: performance measurement, surveillance, and increased workload. Each of these factors should be taken in to consideration when designing traceability solutions. These factors, and suggestions for how to work with them, is put into the context of a steel manufacturer that is in the process of implementing traceability in their production process.

Syftet med denna studie är att öka förståelsen för hur ett ständigt förbättringsarbete kan eliminera problem som stoppar genomflödet i en linjeproduktion. Studien behandlar metoder för hur de största problemområdena och dess rotorsaker identifieras och hur arbetet mot att eliminera dem kan gå tillväga.  Studien har utförts på uppdrag av Estrella AB, beläget i Angered, och fokuserar på en begränsad del i deras produktion kallad kartongsystemet. För att uppfylla syftet genomfördes litteraturstudier inom berörda områden, intervjuer med personal och en mer omfattande studie kallad observationsstudien. En observerande studie där fokus låg på att göra tidsmätningar för att hitta de största problemområdena inom det studerade kartongsystemet.  Med hjälp av mätningarna kunde vidare analyser göras för att komma fram till problemens rotorsak och vart fokus för ett förbättringsarbete bör ligga och hur ett förbättringsarbete skulle kunna genomföras.  Observationsstudien och en analys av data visade att mänsklig påverkan och bristen på standarder är den största orsaken till varför stopp i genomflödet uppkommer. / The purpose of this study is to increase the understanding of how continuous improvement efforts can eliminate problems that stops the throughput of a serial production line. The study use methods for how the largest problem areas are found and how the work towards eliminating them can proceed.  The study was conducted on request from Estrella AB, a company located in Angered, focusing on a limited part of their production called the carton system. In order to fulfill the purpose, literature studies in the relevant areas were conducted, interviews with workers and a more comprehensive study called the observatory study. A observatory study where the focus was on finding time measurements to be able to find the largest problem areas within the student carton system.  With the help of the measurements, an analysis was made to find out the root cause for the problems. It also helped to find where the focus of an improvement work should be and how the work could be carried out. Through the observation study and an analysis of the data the conclusions were that human impact and the lack of standardized work is the main reason why stop in the throughput occurs.

Bakgrund: Tidigare forskning visar på aspekter som påverkar implementeringen i en förändringsprocess såsom kommunikation, delaktighet och ledarskap, verksamhetens kultur och förutsättningar. Hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisationer har ett ansvar i bedrivandet av evidensbaserad vård och förbättringsarbete ingår i distriktssköterskans arbetsuppgifter. Det finns även styrdokument och riktlinjer som ställer krav på verksamheter inom hälso- och sjukvård att de kontinuerligt säkrar och utvecklar kvalitén i vården. Syfte: Att undersöka vilka förutsättningar distriktssköterskor upplever sig behöva för att utföra förbättringsarbeten på vårdcentraler. Metod: Intervjustudie av kvalitativ design, åtta distriktssköterskor blev intervjuad. Data analyserades med hjälp av en manifest innehållsanalys med induktiv ansats. Resultat: De förutsättningar distriktssköterskorna ansåg sig behöva vid förbättringsarbeten resulterade i tre huvudkategorier: Tid för förbättring, Kulturen på arbetsplatsen och En organisation för förbättring. Sju underkategorier framkom: Tidsbrist, Tid som en resurs, Kollegors inverkan på förbättringsarbeten, Ledarskapets inverkan på förbättringsarbeten, Individens ansvar, Den enskilda vårdcentralen och Verksamhetsutvecklarens roll i förbättringsarbeten. Slutsats: För att distriktssköterskan ska ha ökade förutsättningar att genomföra ett förbättringsarbete bör det finnas tid, en stödjande verksamhetschef som initierar till förbättringsarbeten, samverkan med andra verksamheter och kollegor som är positiva till förändring. En verksamhetsutvecklare och full arbetsstyrka underlättar genomförandet av ett förbättringsarbete. / Background: Previous research shows aspects that affect implementation in a change process, these are communication, participation and leadership, culture and the prerequisites of the organization. Healthcare organizations have responsibility in the practice of evidence-based care. It is also part of the district nurse's duties to work towards improvements in the care-process. Governing documents and guidelines require healthcare organizations to ensure that they continually secure and develop the quality of care. Aim: To investigate the conditions that district nurses consider themselves needed to carry out improvement work at healthcare centers. Method: Interview study of qualitative design with eight district nurses. A manifest content analysis with inductive approach was carried out. Results: Conditions that district nurses considered necessary for improvement work resulted in three main categories: Time for improvement, The culture at the workplace and An organization for improvement. Seven subcategories emerged: Not enough time, Time as a Resource, Colleagues role in improvement work, The leadership role in improvement work, The responsibility of the individual, The individual Healthcare Center and The role of the organization developer in improvement work. Conclusion: In order for the district nurse to have increased opportunities to carry out an improvement work there should be time, a supportive operations manager, collaboration with other healthcare centers, colleagues that are positive to change, a business developer and full workforce.

The name of the thesis is: Seizing costs of non-conformities in the business of projectingThe thesis is a compulsory part of the master programme: Master of Science in Industrial Engineering with a specialisation in Quality. The master’s programme is worth 300 ECTS credits.Eka Engineering is in the business of projecting and is in need of a system to seize and measure costs of non-conformities. As of today, Eka Engineering can only estimate roughly how large or small the costs are related to non-conformances.The purpose of the thesis is:- To search for means that can be used to, foremost, seize non-conformities and, secondly, seize the costs of the non-conformities in the business of projecting.The theory used to gather information is mainly studies on TQM. Methods used to answer and fulfil the purpose includes: Benchmarking, survey and interviews.A survey distributed within Eka Engineering proved that employees did not have enough motivation or information to use non-conformity reporting as means of improving the business. This was perceived to work functionally as projects were carried out. Part of the results must therefore include motivation and information to why documentation is futile for successful business improvement.Furthermore, a benchmarking was conducted in order to improve Eka Engineering’s way of handling non-conformities. This benchmarking was conducted at SAAB Space in Gothenburg.Interviews were conducted within Eka Engineering to find solutions for problems that arose during the survey, and also to shape a tool proposal for handling non-conformities that was influenced by SAAB Space.The result of the thesis presents Eka Engineering with a concept labelled Knowledge base, this concept includes:• A tool for documenting non-conformities and derived improvements• A work-process for the handling of non-conformities and derived improvements• A tool to involve employees in improvement work / Uppsatsnivå: D

This thesis is about the healthcare managers, working at operational levels, defined as the first-line managers. These managers often are given the role and responsibility to integrate improvements into daily work. A stronger development ability of Swedish healthcare requires first-line managers with a developed ability to lead change. Thereby efforts must be made to provide these managers with supportive work conditions when leading and developing organizations. One approach to organizational development is Lean, which refers to a strong improvement culture based upon a supportive and highly engaged leadership as well as a strong customer focus. The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to knowledge about and an understanding of the conditions that influence first-line healthcare managers’ abilities to drive improvement work based on Lean. Some of the conditions investigated are; time, receiving support from the own manager, feeling joy in improvement work and being assured about the effects of Lean. The thesis is based on three separate analyses of a web-based survey, which relate to the two research questions. The study was conducted in a Swedish healthcare organization two years after the initiation of Lean. The analyses are presented in three separate papers. The first research question considers; How can an instrument be developed that investigates first-line managers’ views on their role, conditions and ability to drive improvement work based on Lean? The second question is; What can be learned from using the instrument that investigates first-line managers’ views on their role, conditions and ability to drive improvement work based on Lean? A qualitative study based on a hermeneutic, inductive, qualitative research approach was conducted in order to meet the research purpose and answer the research questions. The thesis is mainly based on three papers. In paper 1 it is stated that the assuredness about the effects of Lean was quite high among the managers when the survey was conducted, such as that Lean contributes to a greater patient focus and to the development of an improvement culture. In paper 2 it is noted that the first-line managers view their role as crucial in improvement work based on Lean. Time, support from coworkers, and a clear vision and clear goals were the three conditions they considered to be most important for their ability. The results presented in paper 3 show that to initiate improvement work based on Lean, they ask for own managers who are assured about Lean and include them in discussions. They view their role and responsibility in relation to their coworkers as extensive, for instance increating a culture where problems and mistakes are viewed as possibilities to improve and for encouraging that new work procedures are tested. The findings indicate a need for a deeper understanding of Lean. It is concluded that a thorough understanding of Lean is a main condition for the first-line managers´ ability to drive improvement work based on the approach. Developing a common view of Lean takes time, which is important to emphasize in the practical setting to motivate for a long-term perspective. This development takes highly motivated, assured and persistent leaders with a continuous improvement attitude and a mission to improve healthcare together. There is also an applied research question; How can the use of the instrument contribute to developing first-line managers’ role, conditions, and ability to drive improvement work based on Lean? In its essence, Lean is concerned with improving a system and since the instrument raises questions about relationships between organizational members, it sets focus on the system and calls on a system view. The responsibility for one management level must continuously be set I relation to another, when putting the pieces together in the “improvement puzzle”. Change depends on adjustments in human behavior and the instrument establishes a focus on the people in the processes necessary for development and results. The instrument also provides opportunity and structure to investigate and talk about the soft conditions important for the ability, such as receiving support from the own manager, and feeling inspiration and being assured. The practice of Lean requires changes in attitudes, new habits, new skills in the whole system, meaning in each individual from the executive management to the front-line workers. Thereby self-reflection becomes important, which requires forums for dialogue. It is concluded that such forums can influence first-line healthcare managers’ abilities to drive improvement work based on Lean. In dialogue forums improvement work can be reflected upon and learned from together. / <p>Vid tidpunkten för framläggningen av avhandlingen var följande delarbeten opublicerade: delarbete 2 (accepterat), delarbete 3 (inskickat).</p><p>At the time of the defence the following papers were unpublished: paper 2 (accepted), paper 3 (submitted).</p>

<p>Den här uppsatsen behandlar Lean i en administrativ miljö, istället för produktion. Lean är inget nytt påfund, utan har sina rötter tillbaka till 1930-talet hos grundarna av Toyota. Lean handlar om att minska slöseri och att visualisera flöden inom företag. Lean används för att identifiera värden och värdeflöden, skapa flöden utan slöserier och implementera dessa flöden mer effektivt genom kontinuerliga förbättringar. </p><p>Syftet med uppsatsen är att se hur Lean kan implementeras i en administrativ avdelning för att minska slöseri, ledtider och standardisera arbetsprocesserna. Vidare kommer en grund läggas till en modell för vidare implementering av Lean i andra administrativa avdelningar. </p><p>Genom utförda intervjuer, följda ordrar och genom studerade dokument har det blivit klart att Lean går att använda sig av och implementera i en administrativ avdelning. Arbetsprocesserna blir mer synliga vilket gör att processerna kan standardiseras och på så sätt kan slöseri minskas och därmed ledtider minska. Standardisering av arbetet kan ske genom att skapa en prisdatabas, prismodell och synliggöras genom visuell planering. </p><p>Modellen som skapats är en pyramid som är uppdelad i fem olika steg. Grunden i pyramiden är att de anställda måste ta ansvar för sitt eget arbete. Nästa nivå i pyramiden är att engagera de anställda. Tredje steget är att visualisera flödet, aktiviteterna och de problem som existerar. Nästa steg är att förenkla flödet, och toppen av pyramiden är att kontinuerligt förbättra flödet. </p><p>Slutsatsen av denna studie är att Lean är ett sätt att arbeta som grundar sig i sunt och gemensamt förnuft. Lean kan implementeras i en avdelning genom att göra flödena synliga och identifiera problem, slöseri och förbättrings möjligheter. Vidare kan inte Lean implementeras i en avdelning om inte de anställda tar ansvar för sitt arbete eller om det inte finns ett tydligt ledarskap.</p> / <p>This Master thesis is concerning Lean in an administrative section, instead of production. Lean is nothing new, it has its roots back to the 1930s with the founders of Toyota. Lean is about reducing waste and visualizing flows in companies. Lean is used to find values and value streams in the business, creating flows without waste and to implement these flows more efficiently by continuously work with improvements. </p><p>The purpose of this Master thesis is to study how Lean can be implemented in a section of a company where the processes are related to administration, not production, to reduce waste, lead time and structuralize the work process. Further a foundation will be created for a model to implement Lean in other administrative sections. </p><p>Through interviews, following orders in the flow and by studying documents it has been established that Lean can be used and implemented in an administrative section. By using Lean work processes can be made more visual, which makes it possible to standardize the process and in that way reduce waste and lead time. This can be made by creating a price database, price model and by using visual planning. </p><p>The model created is a pyramid divided into five steps. The foundation is to take responsibility for ones own work, and to inform the employees and give them meaning with changes. The next level is to engage the employees. Third step is to visualize the flow, activities and the problems. The next step is to simplify the flow, and the top of the pyramid is to continuously improve the flow. </p><p>The conclusions of the Master thesis are that Lean is a way of working with good and common sense. Lean can be implemented in a section by making the flows visual and then identifying problems, waste and improvements. Further Lean cannot be implemented in a section if the employees do not take responsibility of their own work, or if there is not a visual leadership.</p>

<p><strong>Introduktion:</strong> Svårigheter för vårdgivarna att hålla vårdgarantin var utgångspunkten för Sveriges Kommuner och Landsting (SKL) och Västra Götalandsregionen när de startade Genombrottsprojektet, ”Bättre flyt i opererande verksamheter”, det första som endast omfattade opererande verksamheter. Femton team från operationsavdelningar från hela landet deltog. Projektet pågick under år 2008. Alla team skulle uppnå resultatmålen att minst 90 % av patienterna opererades på första utlovade operationsdag och att 100 % av operationerna skulle starta på utsatt tid. Dessutom formulerade teamen egna processmål och balanserade mål. <strong>Syftet</strong> med studien var att beskriva teamdeltagarnas uppfattningar om att arbeta med genombrottsmetoden i opererande verksamheter. <strong>Metod:</strong> En totalundersökning där samtliga teamdeltagare i projektet (n=95) fick en webbenkät omfattande områdena resultat- och processmål, din arbetsplats, resultat och reflektioner. <strong>Resultat: </strong>Enkäten besvarades av 55</p><p>(58 %) teamdeltagare. Trettien redovisade att de nådde sina resultatmål under projekttiden. Processmålet operationsstart på utsatt tid nåddes helt eller delvis av 45 teamdeltagare och 32 lyckades minska bytestiderna. Tjugoen teamdeltagare uppgav att flera patienter per dag kunde opereras och 14 redovisade att de höll vårdgarantin efter projekttiden. De flesta teamdeltagarna ansåg att förankringen av projektet i personalgruppen fungerade bra, liksom stödet från handledarna. Att få tillräckligt med tid för möten, bemanningen på avdelningen och ledningens engagemang fungerade sämre. Avsaknad av ledningens stöd ledde till minskad motivation för förbättringsarbete.<strong> </strong>Teamdeltagarna ansåg vidare att Genombrottsmetoden var strukturerad och pedagogisk. Den gav helhetssyn på processer och reducerade dubbelarbete. Arbetsmiljön blev bättre. <strong>Konklusion:</strong> Teamdeltagarna ansåg att Genombrottsmetoden är användbar för att förbättra patientflödet och vårdkvaliteten på en operationsavdelning.</p> / <p><strong>Introduction:</strong> Difficulties for the caregivers to keep the national health care guarantee was the starting point for the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) and The Västra Götaland Region when they started the project “Better flow in operating theatres”, based on the Breakthrough Series Model. Fifteen teams from operating theatres from the whole country participated. The project went on in 2008. All teams should achieve the result goals that at least 90 % of the patients should be operated on the day they were promised and 100 % of the operations should start in right time. In addition process goals and balanced goals were formulated by the teams. <strong>Purpose: </strong>The purpose of the study was to describe the team participants’ opinions about working with the Breakthrough Series Model in operating theatres. <strong>Method</strong>: All team participants (n=95) in the project received a<strong> </strong>questionnaire consisting of result- and process goals, your working place, results and reflections.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fifty-five (58 %) of the team participants answered the questionnaire. Thirty-one of them achieved their result goals during the project time. Forty-five of the team participants achieved the process goal “operation start in right time” and 32 succeeded in decreasing turnover time. Twenty one of the team participants described that throughput increased and 14 were able to keep the national health care guarantee after the project time.  Most of the team participants considered that the support from the staff worked well, as well as the support from the supervisors. On the other hand there was not enough time for meetings, not enough staffing and the management commitment was not so good. The motivation for improvement work decreased due to lack of management support. The team participants considered the Breakthrough Series Model as systematic and educational. They also attained a comprehensive view of processes and reduced their work load. The work environment became better. <strong>Conclusion: </strong>The team<strong> </strong>participants thought that the Break through Series Model is a useful method for improving patient throughput and quality of care in an operating theatre.</p>