Sustainability is one of the mega trends that is emerging nowadays. It is built on protecting our planet and its resources. Agenda 2030 is a universal call to action, which demonstrates the significance of moving towards sustainability in three different areas of environmental, social, and economic at the international level. One of the focal points of environmental sustainability deals with climate change due to using fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions. Sweden aims to be one of the world’s first fossil-free nations, and its initiative Fossil Free Sweden offers roadmaps in different sectors to accomplish this goal. Growing the service business through using digital technologies is a strategy many companies tend to in the fast-changing world. Although it potentially leads to competitive advantage and enhancing revenues, it is a challenging situation, particularly for industrial firms. This study seeks to consider a more holistic view regarding the transition that companies need to take by 2030 in pursuing digital servitization and at the same time becoming fossil fuel free. Surviving the transition can not happen without revising business models and exploring new business opportunities. To address this issue, an explorative case study is performed in a manufacturing company in the construction equipment industry to collect, analyze and frame the existing knowledge in digital servitization and business model, moreover, to identify the factors that industrial firms should consider in improving their service business in the transition towards fossil-free society. To do so, 1) a set of coproduction sessions are held in the case company with advanced engineering and researchers, 2) as well an online survey is distributed inside the case company, to collect valuable knowledge and practical insight. The outcome of the research is a framework that can be used as a practical guide to support firms in the transition towards digital servitization and help them to figure out their current position in case of offerings and business models and plan for the next steps and new opportunities. In addition, six important factors with their sub-factors are offered accompanied by six general guidelines that firms should consider in their journey towards the transition.

M. Tech. (Department of Logistics Management, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / Production planning in the manufacturing industry has previously been viewed as a less strategic function for achieving businesses’ bottom-line goals. Many companies in the manufacturing industry focus more on strategic sourcing and cost saving initiatives for financial profits and often neglect the operational planning initiatives. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of production planning on business performance as a risk management technique. A quantitative approach was adopted for the study and a questionnaire was distributed physically and electronically to production managers, operation managers, supply chain managers and general managers; 306 respondents participated. The data obtained were analysed by means of the Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences (SSPS). Model fit and hypotheses between the relationships identified in the study were tested through the Smart PLS 3 software. Business performance was evaluated through four indicators, namely production planning, production scheduling, lead time delivery and first to market. The results of the study show that production planning has a positive impact on the production scheduling function for lean production cost saving initiatives. The study also found that production planning positively influences lead time delivery and first to market because it manages the flow of material, production and delivery to the end user. Production scheduling and first to market proved to have very significant and positive relationships with business performance. These constructs have proved to deliver a competitive advantage and also improved customer satisfaction. The findings of this study present general key strategies to improve operational efficiencies and this study can contribute to increasing the literature in lean manufacturing and production excellence.

In a historical sense, technology has always been used to find practical solutions to certain problems. From the development of heat- and steam engine, to the new revolution of Industry 4.0. Technological advancements are in today’s society becoming more autonomous and automated, with the generation of- and utilization of Big Data. This is mainly the reason for the development of technologies such as “Internet of Things” (IoT) and its adoption and value generation for the manufacturing industry. The technology of IoT, when implemented in an industrial context, are often times refers to as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). As novelty of technology is often times, well researched in a technological sense, the purpose of this thesis has been to extend the understanding of value generation and creation within the context of Industry 4.0 for production focused companies, as well as to find the drivers of adopting IoT into manufacturing. As the thesis is a qualitative study based on prior scientific journals regarding this topic and with data collection from five in-depth interviews, the research framework that has been pursued, has been according to Grounded Theory. The process from raw data, through the creation of 1storder concepts and 2ndorder themes, the resulting findings, has shown that the manufacturing industry finds its value generation and, drivers of adoption within four dimensions that this thesis has concluded: Competitiveness,Optimization, Veracityand Control. From the identified drivers of this thesis, main value are generated through improved data-driven decision-making and meeting future customer demand. Other value generators, are found within optimization of mainly resource and machine optimization within the actual production. Ultimately, where value are being generated with IoT adoption are many, but decreasing risks associated with Supply Chain and transportation are together with above mentioned value generators, where manufacturing firms are find their increased value generation with Industry 4.0 adoption and what drives the manufacturing companies to adopt technologies such as Industrial Internet of Things.

Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur nyanställda upplevde onboarding-processen på en tillverkningsindustri samt vilken betydelse de upplevde att chefen hade för att den skulle bli lyckad. Studien genomfördes på en tillverkningsindustri i mellersta Sverige med åtta personer som genomgått en onboarding-process senaste två åren. Data samlades in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer. Datamaterialet analyserades genom en induktiv tematisk analys där två huvudteman framkom. Det första huvudtemat var Arbetssätt med fyra underteman; engagemang, tydlighet, rutiner och individanpassning. Det andra huvudtemat var Chefens roll med undertemat närvaro. I resultatet framkom att det fanns en skillnad i arbetssätten för hur de lär ut under onboarding-processen samt en avsaknad av gemensamma rutiner för hela organisationen. De som ansvarade för onboarding-processen saknade lämpliga verktyg för att genomföra en lyckad onboarding-process. Det framkom även att det fanns en bristande tydlighet kring chefens roll i onboarding-processen då chefen inte var närvarande under den nyanställdes första tid på arbetet. / The purpose of the study was to investigate how new employees experienced the onboarding process in a manufacturing industry and what importance they felt the manager had for it to be successful. The study was carried out at a manufacturing industry in central Sweden with eight people who have undergone an onboarding process in the past two years. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The data was analyzed through an inductive thematic analysis where two main themes emerged. The first main theme was Working methods with four sub-themes; commitment, clarity, routines and individual adaptation. The second main theme was the Manager's role with the sub-theme presence. The results showed that there was a difference in the working methods for how onboarding was taught and a lack of common routines for the entire organization. Those responsible for the onboarding process lacked the appropriate tools to carry out a successful onboarding process. It also emerged that there was a lack of clarity regarding the manager's role in the onboarding process as the manager was not present during the new employee's first time at work.

The art of estimating and managing costs is commonly referred to as cost engineering which is a vital tool to counteract cost uncertainty. Current research within the area mainly focuses on the cost estimation techniques themselves and the strategic implications have not yet been studied in-depth, nor been set into relation to traditional sourcing strategies. This study investigates how cost engineering should be used strategically within industrial sourcing. The research is conducted as a three-staged case study at a manufacturing company, including a qualitative part consisting of a literature review, interviews and analysis of artefacts, and a quantitative part consisting of a multiple regression analysis and a Welch-ANOVA test. The results from this study include a list of procurement attributes that a↵ect cost uncertainty and an assessment of their impact as well as insights on how cost engineering usage affect negotiation dynamics and supplier relationships. As a part of the study’s discussion, a strategic framework for cost engineering focus within industrial sourcing during the different phases of the product life cycle is presented. The proposed strategy involves insights on what cost engineering actions that have to be taken, which types of components the efforts should be focused on and what prerequisites that have to be present. The study shows that inter-organisation sharing of cost data, supplier relationships, changes in purchasing volume and product life cycle phase are of central importance when focusing cost engineering resources. / Hantverket att uppskatta och hantera kostnader är vanligtvis benämnt kostnadsestimeringsteknik vilket är ett viktigt verktyg för att motverka kostnadsosäkerhet. Befintlig forskning inom området behandlar i huvudsak teknikerna för kostnadsestimering i sig och de strategiska implikationerna har varken utretts på djupet eller satts i relation till traditionella inköpsstrategier. Denna studie undersöker hur kostnadsestimeringsteknik ska användas strategiskt inom industriellt inköp. Forskningen är bedriven som en fallstudie i tre delar på ett tillverkande företag och innehåller en kvalitativ del bestående av en litteraturstudie, en intervjustudie samt en analys av artefakter. Detta kompletteras med en kvantitativ statistisk analys innehållande en multipel linjär regressionanalys samt ett Welch-ANOVA-test. Resultaten från denna studie inkluderar en lista med inköpsfaktorer som påverkar kostnadsosäkerhet och ett fastställande av deras påverkan. Detta kompletteras med insikter angående hur användandet av kostnadsestimeringar påverkar förhandlingssituationer och leverantörsrelationer. Som en del av studiens diskussion presenteras ett strategiskt ramverk för hur man bör fokuera arbetet med kostnadsestimeringsteknik under de olika faserna i produktlivscykeln. Den föreslagna strategin involverar förslag på hur kostnadsestimeringsteknik bör användas, vilken typ av komponenter insatserna bör fokusera på samt vilka förutsättningar som måste finnas på plats. Studien visar att interorganisationellt delande av kostnadsdata, leverantörsrelationer, förändring i inköpsvolym och fas i produktlivscykeln är centrala faktorer som påverkar hur resurser för kostnadsestimeringsteknik ska fördelas.

This economic history and examination of the rubber products manufacturing industry in Peninsular Malaysia contributes to the subject of resource-based industrialization in the field of development studies. The development of the industry is traced from the 1920s to 2005 when the Second Industrial Master Plan came to an end. The findings are that local interests control 80 per cent of the industry, with foreign direct investment in the remaining 20 per cent, either as subsidiary companies of overseas manufacturers or in joint ventures with Malaysian investors. The industry has a dualistic structure, with foreign-owned and joint venture companies typically being more heavily capitalized and employing a larger workforce than wholly Malaysian-owned companies. Foreign and joint venture enterprises are more likely to export a greater volume of production than local firms. Nevertheless, the industry as a whole has a strong export-orientation and Malaysian-based exporters sell into markets worldwide. A detailed examination of the industrial components production sector by means of a questionnaire indicates that Malaysian producers rely on the Malaysian Rubber Board for the transfer of manufacturing technology. Technology transfer in the foreign and joint venture sector is from parent companies and joint venture associates overseas. The conclusion is that the rubber manufacturing industry is vertically integrated with local production of natural rubber used as raw material to produce a range of goods for sale to domestic and international markets. The 80 per cent Malaysian component indicates a stable domestic industry ably supported by local technology resources.

Background: The manufacturing industry is diverting away from the one-size-fits-all mass manufacture towards more customized processes. With increasingly individualized consumer preferences and an intense competitive environment, food manufacturers are required to meet specific consumer demands with similar efficiency to those produced massively. Such market requirements are feasible with the technological advancements envisioned by Industry 4.0. The consequences of such are increased flexibility and mass customization in manufacturing which forces the food manufacturer towards its realization. The integration process, however, involves a comprehensive transformation that affects every aspect of the organization. This consequently imposes significant challenges upon the food manufacturing company. Purpose: The study aims to investigate the transformation process ensued by the food manufacturer for Industry 4.0. Consequently, a conceptual framework is developed detailing the application of Industry 4.0 in the food manufacturing industry. Method: An inductive qualitative approach, in combination with a multiple-case study, is pursued to address the formulated questions of research. Based on such, semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals representing three multinational food manufacturers. Further, a thematic analytical technique was adopted as means to identify similarities and patterns within the obtained data. The collected data was analyzed using thematic analysis through which the researchers came up with the conceptual framework. Conclusion: The results of the research reveal internal and external factors such as labor policies and IT infrastructure to influence the transformation process for Industry 4.0. In due to this, the implementation of the phenomenon occurs phase-wise, globally coordinated and regionally concentrated. This enables the organization to overcome the obstacles faced and, subsequently, ensure the successful deployment of Industry 4.0.

Bakgrund: Det har uppstått ett skifte som inneburit att företag vill börja hantera sina processer internt som tidigare outsourcas. Många företag har upplevt att insourcing genererat samma eller förbättrade resultat som bidragit till ökad konkurrenskraft. Marknadens oförutsägbarhet är en faktor som har resulterat i en tillväxt av insourcing för att effektivisera hela företagets försörjningskedja. Fortsättningsvis är även ett omfattande hot mot en mer hållbar försörjningskedja marknadens oförutsägbarhet. Därav leder det till ett forskningsgap om information gällande insoucings inverkan på ett företags Triple Bottom Line samt inre effektivitet. Syfte: Studien syftar till att presentera motiv och risker vid insourcing hos tillverkande företag jämfört med outsourcing i relation till Triple Bottom Line. Vidare kommer studien även analysera och beräkna om möjlig inre effektivisering av ett logistikflöde kan uppnås via insourcing av målniningsprocessen för instegspaneler på Scania. Metod: Den egna empiriska datainsamlingen har tillämpats genom intervjuer och observationer på Scania och deras leverantörer. Teoretiska källor har främst använts i form av relevanta vetenskapliga artiklar som ska besvara respektive frågeställning. Resultat: För respektive frågeställning framgick det att både en insourcad och outsourcad process innebär ett risktagande. Den sociala, ekonomiska och miljömässiga hållbarheten, det vill säga Triple Bottom Line, är sammankopplad på flera vis. Även vid fokus på en av hållbarhetsdimensionerna tenderar resterande att tillkomma på längre sikt, men i olika omfattningar. Däremot har det framkommit att en prioritet inom tillverkningsindustrin är att arbeta med miljömässiga hållbarhetsmål. I den andra frågeställningen presenteras både värdeadderande och icke-värdeadderande faktorer med insourcing. För att Scania ska få en inre effektiv process på längre sikt behöver de insourca. Detta eftersom en risk med att fortsätta med outsourcing är att leverantörerna inte kan följa förändringstakten på efterfrågan. / Context: A shift within the industry has caused companies to transfer previous outsourced processes in-house. Many companies have experienced that insourcing has produced equivalent or improved results that have contributed to an increase in a company’s competitiveness. An additional factor to the growth of insourcing is the unpredictable nature of the market, which has led to insourcing being used as a strategy to make the company’s supply chain more efficient. Furthermore the unpredictable nature of the market is also an extensive threat for a sustainable supply chain. This therefore creates a research gap about insourcing´s effect on a company’s Triple Bottom Line and efficiency. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to illustrate the risks and motives of insourcing compared to outsourcing in relation to Triple Bottom Line. Additionally, the study will analyze and calculate if a more efficient logistical flow can be achieved through insourcing of the painting process for side panels at Scania. Method: The empirical information has been applied by interviews and observations at Scania and their suppliers. The theoretical information has primarily been gathered from relevant scientific sources in order to answer both research questions. Results: In both research questions it became clear that both insourced and outsourced processes involved risk-taking. Also, the social, economic, and environmental sustainability in the Triple Bottom Line is interconnected in several ways. Even when working towards one sustainability dimension, the remaining ones tend to also be achieved long term, but to different extents. Furthermore, it was discovered that a priority within the manufacturing industry is to work with environmental sustainability. In the second question it appears that value adding and non-value adding factors of insourcing were presented. In order for Scania to achieve an effective internal process long-term it is crucial to invest in an insourcing strategy. This is due to the risk of outsourcing being inefficient when it comes to the demands rate of change.

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Sverige har en historiskt stark tradition av att arbeta för ökad jämställdhet i arbetslivet och landet lyfts ofta fram som ett exempel där jämställdhetsarbetet kommit långt. Arbetskraftsdeltagandet mellan män och kvinnor är jämnt men arbetsmarknaden är fortfarande könssegregerad och det finns en ojämn fördelning mellan könen bland högre positioner där män är i tydlig majoritet. Både könssegregeringen och den ojämna könsfördelningen är tydlig i tillverknings- och utvinningsindustrin. En ojämn kvantitativ könsfördelning kan få en inverkan på värden som kan beskrivas som mer kvalitativa i form av exempelvis begränsade utvecklingsmöjligheter och ett ifrågasättande av den egna kompetensen hos gruppen som befinner sig i minoritet vilket kan bidra till att återskapa och stärka könssegregeringen inom industrin. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur män och kvinnor som arbetar inom den svenska tillverkningsindustrin kan uppleva karriärmöjligheter i mansdominerade tillverkningsorganisationer. Studien har genomförts utifrån en fallstudiemetodik med utgångspunkt från ett tillverkningsföretags producerande enhet där intervjuer med manliga och kvinnliga medarbetare och chefer liksom observationer utgör den empiriska grunden i studien. Studiens resultat visar att kvinnors minoritetsposition liksom organisationskulturen får en begränsande inverkan på kvinnors upplevelse av karriärmöjligheter i tillverkningsorganisationen. Begränsningarna tar sig dels i uttryck i att kvinnor anses ha jämförelsevis sämre utvecklingsmöjligheter överlag men även genom en begräsning i upplevelsen av möjliga karriärvägar. Vidare visar fallföretaget tecken på en manlig könsmärkning av både teknik och ledarskap vilket resulterar i att män i större utsträckning upplever jämförelsevis bättre karriärmöjligheter i de tydliga karriärvägarna specialistkarriären och chefskarriären samtidigt som kvinnor i större utsträckning begränsar sina karriärsambitioner. Studien identifierade även variationer mellan fallföretagets delorganisationer där skillnaderna i upplevelser av karriärmöjligheter mellan män och kvinnor är något mindre bland de anställda i delorganisationen med en jämförelsevis jämnare könsfördelning och lägre teknikgrad vilket ytterligare belyser minoritetspositionens och könsmärkningens inverkan på de upplevda karriärmöjligheterna. / Sweden has a strong tradition of striving towards improving gender equality in the labor market and the country is often highlighted as a good example of progress in the area. The labor force participation is equal between men and women. However, there is still gender segregation in the labor market where an uneven gender distribution is present amongst the leading positions where men are highly overrepresented. The gender segregation and the uneven gender distribution are evident in the manufacturing and extractive industries. An uneven quantitative gender distribution can have a negative impact on more qualitative values for the group inminority in terms of limited development opportunities and perceived competence. Moreover, the negative impact might contribute to recreating and increasing gender segregation within the industry. The purpose of the study is to examine how men and women in the Swedish manufacturing industry perceive their career opportunities in male-dominated organizations. The study has been conducted with a case study methodology at a producing department of a manufacturing company. Interviews with male and female employees and managers as well as observations constitutes the empirical basis of the study. The result implies that the minority position of women as well as the organizational culture have a limiting impact on women’s perceived career opportunities in the manufacturing organization.The limitations are mainly expressed as a general perception of women having inferior development opportunities but also in terms of women having fewer possible career paths. Furthermore, the result indicates that the case company has a gendered view on both technical skills and leadership as masculine. Consequently, men are to a higher extent experiencing superior career opportunities within the most established career paths as specialists and managers while women tend to limit their career ambitions. The study also identified variations within the sub-departments of the organization where differences in perceived career opportunities between men and women tend to vary less in the sub-department with a more equal gender distribution and lower technical degree, further highlighting the impact of the minority position among women as well as the gendered view on technical skills.