This thesis investigates what the possible benefits and challenges are with different organization structures from the perspective of an international non-governmental organization (INGO). Based on learnings from other organizations it is examined what a revised structure could look like for Organization X in order to maximize their use of internal resources. The aim of the study is to achieve a structure more aligned with the strategic priorities of Organization X. As well as contribute to the field of organization theory from an INGO perspective. To achieve this benchmarking against other organizations is used to collect learnings in relation to organizational design. The learnings are analyzed in relation to organization theory and common challenges for INGOs. The result and analysis show that benchmarking can be used to gather valuable learnings regarding organizational design for INGOs in general and Organization X in particular. Two options for structural revisions for Organization X are presented. It is suggested that the second option should be implemented, at least as a first step, due to the current strategic priorities of the organization and the larger risks associated with option one. If implemented, the revisions proposed in this thesis should enable increased flexibility and the freeing up of resources, resulting in increased capability for fundraising and increased impact.

Inom industriell tillverkning har alla maskiner en teoretisk duglighet. Den skiljer sig däremot från den faktiska när den sätts i en process, där påverkas dugligheten av samtliga resurser i processen. Electrolux Laundry Systems har problem i sin plåtberedning som beror på att dugligheten bland plåtberedningens maskiner är okänd. Projektet handlar om att beräkna dugligheten i Electrolux Laundry Systems plåtberedningsmaskiner samt ge förslag på hur dugligheten kan förbättras och övervakas. De studerade maskinerna består av tre stansar och fem bockningsmaskiner. Dugligheten mäts i duglighetsindexet Cpk. Mätdatan plottas även i diagram måttvis. Resultatet från studien visar att samtliga plåtberedningmaskiners duglighet beräknades till under 1,0. Ett godkänt värde bör ligga mellan 1,33 och 1,66. Det betyder att plåtberedningsprocessen inte är duglig.

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>

Forskningen   utgår från framtidens utmaning att öka kunskaperna kring kvalitetsutveckling   och lyfta detta både som ledningsfråga och strategisk ägarfråga. Detta ur ett   SME-perspektiv som har begränsade resurser och kunskaper att ta sig an   kvalitetsutveckling. Studien   syftar till att öka förståelsen för hur kvalitetsutveckling, med hjälp av SIQ   Managementmodell, kan bidra till en hållbar resultatutveckling inom ett SME,   med erfarenhet av kvalitetsledningssystem genom ISO 9001. Studien är   baserad på en kvalitativ fallstudie av ett SME. Initialt skedde   litteraturundersökning och utformning av workshop med fokus på SIQ   Managementmodell i form av en presentation samt diskussionsunderlag för   fokusgrupp. Därefter genomfördes workshopen och datainsamling genom   individuella intervjuer samt gruppintervjuer och observationer. Studien   visar på en ökad förståelse för kvalitetsutveckling genom en påvisad medvetenhet   från medarbetarna. Med hjälp av SIQ Managementmodell kunde ett tidigare   deterministiskt synsätt på kvalitet göras medvetet för att ge utrymme för ett   mer dynamiskt synsätt. Deltagarna   blev medvetna om en möjlig hållbar resultatutveckling och ett fokus på   processutveckling, som kräver delaktighet för framgångsrikt arbete. Detta   beslutade deltagarna skulle bli nästa steg i utvecklingsarbetet. För   verksamheten som utgjorde fallstudien genererade workshopen en grund att utgå   ifrån att påbörja ett kvalitetsutvecklingsarbete. Det skapade även en   medvetenhet om förbättringsområden som både ledning och medarbetare kan   arbeta med. / This research is based on the future challenge of   increasing knowledge about quality development and highlights this both as a   management question and a strategic ownership issue. This from a SME   perspective that has limited resources and knowledge to take on quality   development. The study aims to increase understanding of how   quality development, with the help of SIQ Management model, can contribute to   a sustainable performance development within an SME, with experience of   quality management systems through ISO 9001. This study is based on a qualitative case study of   an SME. Initially, literature research and design of a workshop took place   focusing on SIQ Management model in the form of a presentation and discussion   for a focus group. Subsequently, data collection was carried out the workshop   through both individual and group interviews and observations. The results of the study show an increased   understanding of quality development through a proven awareness of the   employees. With the help of SIQ Management model, a previous deterministic   approach to quality could be made consciously to allow for a more dynamic   approach. The participants became aware of a possible sustainable performance   development and a focus on process development, which requires participation   for successful work. The participants decided that this would be the next   step in the development work. For the firm that constituted the case study, the   workshop generated a foundation on which to start a quality development work.   It also created an awareness of areas for improvement that both management   and employees can work further with. / <p>2019-06-26</p>

Process plants come with a wide variety of engineering challenges. Each process has uniqueoperating conditions that require careful operation and maintenance programs to keep the process equipment in a condition that is safe for operation. A pilot-scale plant was built in Luleå to demonstrate the possibility of carbon dioxide removal from blast furnace gas usingthe Sorption Enhanced Water Gas Shift (SEWGS) technology. One of the challenges facingthe SEWGS pilot plant was the lack of a maintenance plan which was the motivation for this thesis. The aim of this thesis was to create a maintenance plan for the SEWGS pilot plant. Studying the process conditions of the pilot plant was the starting point since an understanding of the unique operating conditions was necessary for creating a maintenance plan for the pilot plant’s equipment. The Reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) method was chosen to create the maintenance plan. The study began with determining the objectives and contents of the analysis. The next step was a functional failure analysis in the form of a Failure Mode and Effect Criticality Analysis (FMECA) covering all the equipment in the plant. Afterwards the failure consequences were assessed based on a criticality assessment matrix to determine which equipment necessitate the performance of maintenance activities. The maintenance plan was created based upon the criticality of the equipment and the selected maintenance activities were based on the recommendations of manufacturers. The failure analysis found that the blast furnace gas compressor is the most critical for the process. The boiler and superheater have been found to be highly critical due to the dangerous safety consequences of their failure. In addition, all pressure safety valves have been found to be highly critical due to the hidden nature of their failure. The maintenance plan addresses these critical items and other less critical items while some non-critical items have been removed from the plan due to the negligible consequences of their failure.

In the pharmaceutical industry it has become common to use single-use components in the production line to save time and money. Therefore, a team at General Electric started to develop a single-use Coriolis flowmeter, PolyCor M13, targeted at liquid chromatography systems. A Coriolis flowmeter in this embodiment is simply a tube put into vibration at its natural frequency. When there is a flow through the vibrating tube the Coriolis force arises, causing a phase shift of the pickup signals on each side of the actuator. This phase shift is linearly proportional to the mass flow through the tube.  The approach of PolyCor M13 is a separate oscillator and flow path. The oscillator is a metal skeleton holding the flow path, a silicone tube. The initial requirement flow range was 0.16-7.8 kg/min with an error less than 2%. Initial tests indicated that the prototype fulfilled these requirements at ambient temperature. This thesis is a further evaluation of the performance of M13. The main goal was to establish the pressure and temperature dependence and find an model to compensate for these. Investigation if M13 can manage flows up to 10 kg/min was also a part of this scope.  Control measurements showed that flows less than 2 kg/min could give large errors, over 5%. Flows higher than 2 kg/min up to 10 kg/min had errors less than 5%. The error was determined using a reference mass flow. By increasing the pressure in the system, from 0 to 4 bar, the error increased substantially. For the two lowest flows tested, 0.5 and 1 kg/min, the computed mass flows gave errors over 100%. The error for 2 kg/min was around 70% and the error successively decreased for higher flows and at 6-10 kg/min the error was around 20%. A compensation model was established by fitting a polynomial to the data. The best compensation model managed to reduce the error on new test data to 5-10% for flows between 2-10 kg/min. For smaller flows the error was still high but less than 100%.  Significant deviation from the temperature at which the proportionality was determined caused large errors. Errors for low flows, 0.5 and 1 kg/min, gave errors mainly up to around 50% but some errors were over 100%. For higher flows, 2-10 kg/min the error is up to 30% with some occasional errors up to 60%. The procedure to establish a compensation model for temperature was similar to that for the pressure compensation model. The best model for temperature compensation managed to reduce the error to 5-10% for flows between 2-10 kg/min. For lower flows the error was still high but slightly better, some error was still over 100%.  In conclusion, M13 is not as reliable as initial tests showed. The error limit is exceeded, especially for flows less than 2 kg/min. A more suitable range would be 2-10 kg/min. The pressure and temperature effects have an enormous impact but can be compensated to some extent. Since the accuracy of M13 is not perfect, errors less than 5% can be difficult to obtain in the current state of M13.

The goal of this study was to investigate future controls of heating loads in a comfort laboratory. The laboratory room is used to simulate how the room comfort will change by using one or more cooling beams. External walls can be used to test different room sizes, and heat effects can be provided from the floor and one wall. The study was conducted according to a two-level factor design and the five factors used were floor heating, north wall, west wall, fan and facade wall. In a full two-level factor test plan, there are 32 tests for five factors that needed to be done. Instead of making 32 tests, the study continued with a fractional two-level factor design, which meant that only 16 tests were performed. The response variable for the tests was the so called "losses" which may be positive or negative and is a percentage of the floor effect. Via "losses" the average temperature of the measuring room could be 24.5 ˚C, which was the temperature chosen for this survey. Before the results for each test were taken, requirements for "steady state condition" were met. The requirements are taken from an ISO standard that the company uses, and it provides reliability of the results. The analyzes when having "losses" as a response variable also pointed out the floor as the most influential factor. However, there were different results regarding the scheme on the other factors. It is due to different coding of the factors, and "losses" was used in the units % or watts. Some disturbances were detected in the results. One is that "losses" has a connection to the floor heating, which may be the reason it is most significant. The two levels of the floor heating did not match because "losses" changed the levels. For the next two-level factor design experiment, it is recommended that the effect of the floor is constant because of its connection to "losses". The response variable can therefore be "losses". The constant on the floor heating can be changed when the factor plan is repeated several times to see how "losses" varies with different floor effects.

Idag står organisationer inför ständiga utmaningar att förändra och effektivisera sin verksamhet, vilket kan förklaras med det ökade kravet på ökad lönsamhet och kostnadsnedskärningar. Detta har bidragit till att företagsledningar oftast löser dessa ökade krav genom kostnadsrationaliseringar. Dock har det visat sig vara mindre framgångsrikt. Ambitionen med examensarbetet har varit att undersöka hur ledarskap kan utövas för att uppnå TQM, effektivitet och lönsamhet. Ett svenskt byggföretag har varit föremål för denna fallstudie. Fallstudien har genomförts genom strukturerade djupintervjuer med tre gruppchefer samt enkätfrågor till medarbetare. Det huvudsakliga resultatet från den här uppsatsen är begreppet lönsamt ledarskap, vilket är genererat ur det analyserade materialet. Studiens resultat visar att det är flera faktorer som bidrar till det lönsamma ledarskapet. Resultatet visar att hörnstenarna i hörnstensmodellen är en stor bidragande faktor till det lönsamma ledarskapet. Emellertid har studiens resultat kommit fram till att den sjätte hörnstenen “engagerat ledarskap” är mycket viktig för organisationens framgångssaga vad gäller lönsamhet, kortsiktigt som långsiktigt. / <p>2018-08-29</p>

Syftet med det här arbetet var att bidra till utvecklingen av kvalitetsutvecklingsområdet genom att beskriva hur en Agile verksamhet använder arbetsmötet som ett strategiskt verktyg i sitt kvalitetsutvecklingsarbete. Detta genom att studera dels hur teamet använder Agile för att driva kvalitetsutvecklingsarbetet och hur arbetsmötena är strukturerade, dels teammedlemmarnas upplevelse av arbetsmötenas kvalitet och mötesledarens funktion. Arbetet genomfördes som en fallstudie där studieobjektet var ett systemutvecklingsteam på ett internationellt företag. De undersökningsmetoder som användes var intervjustudie, observationsstudie och enkätstudie. Arbetet genomfördes inom ramen för Mittuniversitetets magisterprogram i kvalitets och ledarskapsutveckling. Resultatet visade att det studerade teamet har hittat formerna för att använda arbetsmötet som motor för kvalitetsutvecklingsarbetet. Detta genom att anamma de principer som förbättringsprogrammet Agile bygger på. Principer som utgår från ett stort fokus på att hitta former för en fungerande interaktion mellan individer liksom på arbetssätt som gör det möjligt att snabbt ställa om till nya förutsättningar. Teamet arbetade enligt en väl genomarbetad och förankrad mötesstruktur som gjorde att deltagarna kunde fokusera på vad de skulle bidra med under mötet. Ledaren av arbetsmötet visade sig fylla två viktiga funktioner: dels den uppgiftsrelaterade som handlade om att leda arbetsmötet mot de uppgifter som skulle hanteras, dels den gruppunderhållande som innebar att underlätta interaktionen i teamet. Trots att teammedlemmar ägnade stor del av sin arbetstid i arbetsmöten upplevde de en hög grad av nöjdhet med kvaliteten i arbetsmötena. / The purpose of this work was to contribute to the development of Total Quality Management, TQM, by describing how an Agile organization uses the workplace meeting as a strategic tool in its quality development work. The work focused on how the team use Agile to drive its quality development work, the structure around work meetings, the function of the leadership during the work meetings and the team member’s experiences when it comes to the quality of the work meetings. The work was conducted as a case study where the subject was a system development team at an international company. The survey methods used were interview study, observation study and questionnaire study. The work was carried out within the framework of Mid Sweden University's Master's Program in Quality and Leadership Development. The result showed that the studied team has found ways to use the workplace meeting as a motor for TQM. This by adopting the principles based on the Agile improvement program. Principles that focus on finding forms for a functional interaction with individuals as well as working methods that enable quick adoption to new conditions. The team worked according to a well- and firmly established meeting structure that allowed participants to focus on what to contribute with during the meeting. The leader of the meeting proved to fill two important functions: the task-related which was to lead the working meeting to the tasks that were to be handled, and the group-maintenance which was to facilitate the team interaction. Even though the team members spent much of their working hours in work meetings, they experienced a high level of satisfaction with the quality of the work meetings. / <p>2017-06-28</p>

SKF Coupling in Hofors manufactures screws and couplings to the energy sector and the marine industry. The products have tight tolerances to be more attractive at the market through the tolerances. With increased competition on the market, the quality requirements increase, which means that many products fail to meet the quality requirements in order to avoid customer complaints. The purpose of this work was to improve measurement accuracy. To get an overview of the current situation, interviews and observations were made. A measurement system analysis was conducted by tests where a certain number of products were measured by a certain number of operators, with a certain number of repetitions. The test results were analyzed by a two-way ANOVA and Gauge R&amp;R, which are common methods in measurement system analysis. A cause-and-effect diagram was used to investigate the causes of quality problems. The results indicated that the existing measurement systems were not reliable enough. The shortcomings may depend on the measuring device and the operator. The measuring device may be defective or have calibration defects. Operators can have different methods when measuring which contributes to variations in the measurements. The work led to suggestions for improvements that could imply higher accuracy in the measurement systems. For example, a tighter calibration interval of the measuring device would lead to reduced impact from the measuring device. A standardized education of measurement method, measurement environment and the importance of deviation management can also lead to improved measurement accuracy. / SKF Coupling i Hofors tillverkar skruvar och kopplingar till energisektorn och den marina industrin. Produkterna har snäva toleranser för att genom toleranserna vara mer attraktiva på marknaden. I och med ökad konkurrens ökar kvalitetskraven. Därför kasseras många produkter, som inte uppnår kvalitetskraven, för att undvika returer från kunderna. Syftet med arbetet var att förbättra mätnoggrannheten. För att få en överblick av nuläget gjordes intervjuer och observationer. En mätsystemanalys gjordes genom tester där ett utvalt antal produkter mättes av ett utvalt antal operatörer, med ett visst antal upprepningar. Testresultaten analyserades med en tvåvägs-ANOVA och Gauge R&amp;R som är vanliga metoder inom mätsystemanalys. Ett orsak-verkan-diagram användes för att undersöka orsakerna till kvalitetsproblemen. Resultatet visade att det finns brister i det nuvarande mätsystemet. Bristerna kan bland annat bero på mätdonet och operatören. Mätdonet kan exempelvis vara defekt eller ha brister i kalibreringen. Operatörerna kan ha olika metoder som bidrar till variationer i mätningarna. Arbetet ledde till förbättringsförslag, som kan innebära högre noggrannhet i mätsystemen. Exempelvis skulle ett tätare kalibreringsintervall hos mätdonen leda till minskad påverkan från mätdonen. En standardiserad utbildning av mätmetod, mätmiljö och vikten av att avvikelsehanteringen följs kan också leda till en förbättrad mätnoggrannhet.