Purpose – Previously, modularity has mainly been studied in a production context. This paper highlights the opportunities and challenges of a modular strategy in an internationalisation context. It identifies which module components become active when entering new markets and suggests a model for how a modular internationalisation architecture can be designed. Design/methodology/approach – Results from a single case study of a multinational corporation in the vehicle industry, where managers of different departments involved in the internationalisation process support the possibility to create a modular internationalisation architecture. Findings – The findings suggest that the most important opportunities arising from modularity when entering new markets are the clear structure and shorter time to market. The main challenges to overcome are the risk of loss of flexibility and the issues of designing a modular architecture. Based on the key components in the case firm, one initial project-based departmentalised matrix structure is designed which can also help overcome the issues of choosing between standardisation and adaptation. Practical implications – The modular internationalisation architecture may help managers in multinational corporations who are already working with modularity in production to also organise the internal structure of their internationalisation process. Originality/value – This study includes a new model for multinational corporations entering new markets – the modular internationalisation architecture – which makes it possible to structure processes depending on internationalisation factors. The model should be seen as an initial suggestion of how a modular internationalisation architecture can be designed, but it may need to be further developed and tested. Keywords – International business, Internationalisation strategy, Organisational structure, Modularity, Modular processes, Modules, Components Paper type – Master’s thesis

The increasing globalisation of the market is followed by increased competition between organisations. Therefore it becomes more important to create products with high customer value. To be able to create customer value, deep understanding of the customers’ needs must be obtained by employees, shared between them and transformed into products. Further consequences of globalisation are increasing differences between customers’ needs, which results in demand for customisable and flexible products.The purpose of this study was to analyse how organisations can create more customer value through increased knowledge integration. The focus was on how knowledge that already resides within a globally dispersed organisation can be integrated during the product development process.This study showed that customer value is created throughout the product development process by integrating the knowledge held by R&D and internal stakeholders. Different types of value are created at different phases in the product development process. One important finding is that different parts of the augmented value are created throughout the entire product development process. Since employees obtain different knowledge depending on which customer they interact with, it is important to utilise knowledge from a large number of employees with different roles and in different countries. Hence, the significance of knowledge integration must be disseminated and understood across the organisation. After completing the product development process additional customer value is created by the internal stakeholders’ who sell and implement the product, but it is during the product development process that the basis for their value creation is established.Knowledge needs to be integrated in a formalised, repeatable way, so that the R&D department can ensure that the right product is developed at the right time. Integration means that the tacit knowledge that resides within one employee is codified into an explicit form that can be exploited by more employees. Therefore, four steps must be performed and repeated iteratively to create and spread knowledge throughout the organisation. The first step includes communication by exchanging tacit knowledge. The second step entails documenting the knowledge, and the third step involves combining the knowledge residing in the organisations into one common knowledge system. The final step includes distributing the knowledge so that it recievess wide attention within the organisation. Several factors that have a negative impact on these four steps, and knowledge integration, need to be countered somehow. However, it was found that there are several mechanisms that facilitate knowledge integration, and most often the presence of several mechanisms at the same time had a better effect.

The contemporary global food system is plagued by a myriad of problems. In recognition of the problematic nature of the conventional food system, practitioners and researchers have sought, throughout the past century, alternative, sustainable food production, consumption, and exchange systems. Some of the solutions proposed for these problems suggest the establishment of new institutional forms such as that of the food policy council, an organisation which, through the embodiment of a food systems perspective, proposes innovative local and regional level solutions to food systems problems. Over the past two decades numerous food policy councils (FPCs) have been created in North America and Australia. Research on FPCs still remains minimal, leaving many gaps in knowledge as to the role of these organisations concerning the ways that they can and do contribute to the sustainable development of food systems and ‘alternative food movements’. Research to date on the organisational structure of FPCs lacks consideration of organisation theory and the relatively substantial body of literature dealing with evaluation of collaborative, interagency organisations, an organisational type closely related to FPCs. There is a lack of consideration as to definition of the role of FPCs within the broader context of sustainable food systems movements and the procedures and protocol for effectiveness in achieving outcomes and fulfilling these roles. Considering the significant gaps in knowledge, this research focusses on identifying a clear definition of the mission or roles of FPCs and investigates some of the previously unexplored organisational characteristics of FPCs as a foundation for identifying what may lead to ‘best-practice’ organisational structure and process in fulfilling these roles. Since there is limited information and research to date specifically on FPCs, a qualitative and more specifically grounded theory approach was taken to provide an exploratory and reflexive research design framework. This design incorporated a continuous, interactive layering of data collection, classification, and analysis. Following a preliminary literature review, the inquiry focussed primarily on the gathering of information directly from FPCs involving several different types and sources of data. Research findings revealed several aspects of food policy council objectives that can be considered together as defining the organisational role of FPCs. This provides a basis for determining the most effective administrative structure and operations management for fulfilling this role. Findings and analysis also indicated certain components of structure and process that can lead to effectiveness in terms of capacity building and fulfilling organisational roles. A model of FPC structure is developed and presented to summarise these findings, considering those components revealed through the research as contributing most to effective FPC operation. The development of this model from a broad and diverse representative sample, indicates that such modelling of structure and process may be applicable to transferring the concept of and creating FPCs in new locations.

Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / The functions of management and leadership are not new to the business fraternity. Whilst these functions are as pervasive and ubiquitous as the corporate organizations themselves, the same cannot be said of the organizational successes emanating from these functions. These functions have been cited throughout literature as pivotal in the successful running of businesses. By the same token, they have also been cited as the major causes of failed businesses within the corporate landscape. This has been established throughout small and big organizations alike. This unfortunate phenomenon has continued to attract significant academic and business research over the years with an overall intent of establishing why it is the case. Whilst there are varied reasons for the successes and failures of most organizations, the quality of both functions of leadership and management seem to take the larger portion of the praise and/or blame. These functions are regarded as key determinants of organizational success and survival into the future. Subsequently, this has culminated in myriad theories, frameworks and approaches around management and leadership as significantly different functions which yield different results in business organizations. At the core of the debate has been that management and leadership functions are different and depending on whether an organization is managed or led determines its future success and overall sustainability. It is therefore the intention of this study to comparatively analyze both functions of management and leadership in as far as they impact organizational sustainability and success. A case study of Jwaneng Diamond Mine in Botswana is used to do this comparative study of the two functions of management and leadership within the Executive team to try and affirm some of the key factors as alluded to within the business landscape. In this comparative study it is noted that whilst management and leadership are two different functions, they are however symbiotic in nature and successful organizations tap into both functions as they develop and build sustainable businesses for the future. The Jwaneng Mine case study showed that in an executive team, it is vital to have a balance between managers (those who provide management capabilities) and leaders (those that provide leadership) if the organization is to be successful going into the future.

The procedures to establish organisational structure are the focal subject of this study. The review of literature and research components of this dissertation identify that there is lack of procedures, processes, and working guidelines to facilitate this managerial task. The creation of any of these procedures is inherently complex as is the intended organisational structure to create. Organisational theories present several models. They identify and discuss primary organisational elements but fail to propose adequate methods for structuration. The doctoral candidate confronts this void to both practitioners and academicians by means of two approaches. Firstly, it proposes a procedure to institute organisational structure founded on the Object-Oriented paradigm. Secondly, it compares and contrasts this procedure with existing processes deployed by managers, entrepreneurs, and expert-consultants. The presentation of this procedure includes a fundamental analogy for its creation; the paradigm selection and explanation (Object-Oriented); a detailled 'step by step' guide for successful implementation and concrete applications of the procedure. The review in this area is extensive and promotes analyses that are both practical as well as theoretical. This assessment promotes and develops a research based on organisational structuring experiences. It uses quantitative and qualitative tools to collect the data. The data are discrete. Various techniques are employed to illustrate findings. Bar graphs with distributions curves represent the data. The graphical and statistical analyses argue the existence of a general procedure to set up the organisational structure. In addition, the research compares the general and proposed procedures. It uses descriptive and graphical tools for the comparison. The findings corroborate the proposed procedure as a valid method to implement organisational structure. The resulting hypotheses derived from the research problem and formulated research questions are validated. This unlocks the opportunity to formally use the procedure as appropriate guidelines for structuring. It equally demonstrates the use of paradigms borrowed from other disciplines within organisational design. Additionally, the procedural knowledge is formally transferable through university course material and lectures. The benefit of the dissertation is the inclusion of the Object-Oriented paradigm within the discipline of organisational design. In doing so, it eliminates the void in this domain and offers both academicians and managers further areas of research.

This thesis paper set out to investigate the research puzzle of why some nonviolent conflicts lead to democratisation while others do not, as well as what explains this variation. A time series, cross-case comparison between the Arab Spring revolutions of Tunisia and Egypt was conducted exploring the link between organisational structure of prominent organisations participating in the movement and the success or failure of the countries’ later democratisation efforts. The hypothesis formulated claims that formal organisational structures are more likely to lead to successful democratisation. After the empirical material was collected, the results of the analysis lead to the conclusion that there is a link between organisational structure and successful or failed democratisation via the mediating variables of clear leadership and the presence of durable organisations. Afterwards, the limitations of the study are discussed. To strengthen the existing body of literature, potential avenues for future research are presented.

The chosen research area is the communication in complex hospital construction projects. The purpose of this study is to investigate and map out the existing communication and cooperation between the project management organisation towards the steering committee and the hospital organisation. The research objective consists also of investigating how the project members manages the challenges and difficulties with communication and what improvements they think is needed for increasing the efficiency within the different organisations, within the project.   The results create an understanding and an awareness of the challenges, which will hopefully be beneficial for a more efficient project management. This was possible by investigating two actual projectorganisations in Sweden, one in Gävleborg (Gävle and Hudiksvall) and another one in Stockholm.  Extensive literature review and various scientific reports were investigated. An overview over the research area was achieved, with focus on existing problems and possible solutions. The communication in the project process was analysed by having semi- structured interviews. One of the objectives with the interviews is to expose the strengths and weaknesses in the project management, but also the external opportunities and threats towards the organisation. It can further be described as an analysis for representing how the project members use their competence and experience to handle the challenges and difficulties, how the optimal solutions could be according to the project members and also how the organizational structure should be conducted for a better communication in the project process. The findings from the interviews compared with the theoretical framework indicates some parameters for achieving an ideal information transfer and communication. There needs to be defined structures and techniques for information transfer. The effectiveness of information transfer increases, when the roles of different project members, groups and organisation structures are clearly defined, in a formal structured way. The culture in the organisation impacts and shapes the communication methods within the organisation. The work environment, values, language, routines, structure and experience in the organisation shapes and creates the foundation for the organisational culture, which leads to how the communication will take form. The attitudes and behaviours of the participants in the project are another impact on the communication structure. The organisation should secure in a personal level openness and commitments for the sake of fulfilling the common objectives and vision of the project.  The main challenges that were common in the projects in Gävle and Hudiksvall have been the lack of commitment from the steering committee, which is the county councils. The lack of participation and experience from both the steering committee and the hospital organisation made it challenging for the project management organisation to manage the projects. This means also that the hospital organisation has not been organized and there are not any representatives from the hospital in the projects. The project members are in these cases making qualified assumptions regarding the requirements that are needed in the hospital organisation. The main thought of effective communication is to be aware of all the changes in the project.  If the participating project members are updated with the latest information, then there are less risks for surprises. The project management organisation and the hospital organisation needs mutually to support each other with guidance through the needs and requirements that they have. This could be possible if they organisation could have continuously face-to-face meetings but also by keeping a good dialogue with each other. The representatives for the hospital organisation should also be prepared for the project from the initialisation phase. / Det valda undersöknings området är kommunikationen i komplexa sjukhus byggprojekt. Syftet med studien är att undersöka och kartlägga den existerande kommunikationen och samarbetet mellan projektledningsorganisationen gentemot styrgruppen och sjukhusverksamheten. Målet med undersökningen består av att undersöka hur projektmedlemmarna handskas med utmaningarna och svårigheterna med kommunikationen och vilka förbättringar som de anser behövs för att öka effektiviteten i de olika organisationerna. Resultatet skapar en förståelse och en medvetenhet om svårigheterna, vilket förhoppningsvis blir mer fördelaktigt för en effektivare projektledning. Undersökningen var möjlig att genomföra genom att två aktuella projektorganisationer undersöktes i Sverige, en i Gävleborg (Gävle och Hudiksvall) och en annan i Stockholm.  En omfattande litteraturstudie genomfördes och varierande forskningsartiklar undersöktes. En översikt över undersökningsområdet var uppnådd, med fokus på existerande problem och möjliga lösningar. Kommunikationen i projekten var analyserad genom att ha semi-strukturerade intervjuer. Ett av målen med intervjuerna var att upplysa styrkorna och svagheterna i projektledningen, men även de externa möjligheterna och farorna gentemot organisationen. Det kan vidare beskrivas som en analys som uttrycker hur projektmedlemmarna använder sin kompetens och erfarenhet för att handskas med utmaningarna och svårigheterna, hur de optimala lösningarna kan vara enligt projektmedlemmarna och även hur den organisatoriska strukturen borde genomföras för bättre kommunikation i projekt processen. Resultatet från intervjuerna jämfört med det teoretiska ramverket resulterar i vissa parametrar för att uppnå en ideal informationsöverföring och kommunikation. Det behöver finnas definierade strukturer och tekniker för informationsöverföring. Effektiviteten med informationsöverföring ökar när rollerna av de olika projektmedlemmarna, grupperna och organisationerna är tydligt definierade, i ett formellt strukturerat sätt. Organisationskulturen påverkar och formar kommunikationsmetoderna inom organisationen. Arbetsmiljön, värderingar, språk, rutiner, struktur och erfarenheter i organisationen formar och skapar grunden för den organisatoriska kulturen, vilket leder till hur kommunikationen formas. Attityd och beteenden från deltagare i projekten är ytterligare en påverkan på kommunikationsstrukturen. Organisationen borde säkra öppenhet och engagemang på individnivå för att kunna uppfylla de gemensamma målen och visionen för projektet. De huvudsakliga svårigheterna som var gemensamma för projekten i Gävle och Hudiksvall, har varit bristen på engagemang från styrgruppen, alltså landstingen. Bristen på deltagande och erfarenhet från både styrgruppen och sjukhusverksamheten har försvårat projektledningen för projektlednings organisationen. Det betyder också att sjukhusverksamheten inte har varit organiserade och att det inte har funnits representanter från sjukhusverksamheten. Projektmedlemmarna har i dessa situationer gjort kvalificerade gissningar angående de behov som sjukhusverksamheten har. Det huvudsakliga med effektiv kommunikation är att vara medveten om alla förändringar i projektet. Om de deltagande projektmedlemmarna är uppdaterade med den senaste informationen, blir det mindre risker för några överraskningar. Projektledningsorganisationen och sjukhusverksamheten behöver gemensamt stötta varandra genom vägledning av de behov och krav som de har. Detta kan vara möjligt om man har kontinuerliga face-to-face möten men även att hålla en god dialog med varandra. Representanterna för sjukhusverksamheten borde vara förberedda för projektet från initialiseringsfasen.

Effective estimation, planning, and control of the functions, operations, and resources of a project are among the most challenging tasks faced by the management of today's engineering and construction organisations. The increase in size and complexity of modern projects demand a sound organisational structure and a rational approach. The main objectives of the present study are two-fold. Firstly to report and critically review theoretical and practical developments of different aspects of the management of engineering and construction projects. Secondly to further develop conceptual, practical techniques and processes; also to provide Guidelines to make more effective use. of resources and systems. To achieve these objectives the present research was carried out in close collaboration with various indurtrial organisations. The current literature on project management is critically examined from the point of View of project cost estimation, planning and control. Various existing and recommended procedures, approaches and techniques are reviewed with particular emphasis on using probabilistic techniques. As the problems of scale are increasing, progressively more industries are adopting systems and project management approaches. Problems, deficiencies and gaps in the existing systems are identified. An analysis of a questionnaire survey on Systems-Caps is carried out and the results of the analysis are reported. . S-curves (or progress curves) are widely used in the plauaing and control of cost, time and resources. A mathematical model for the S-curve is adopted for this purpose. Expenditure data on a number of ii recent projects is analysed and fitted to two S-curve models suggested by Keller-Singh and the Department of Health and Social Security (D. H. S. S. ). A comparative study of the models is carried out. A set of standard parameters for the models is obtained and the predicting accuracy of these models for forecasting expenditure for future similar projects investigated. Quantification aspects of risk involved with the completion time of a project are studied. 'A number of stochastic distributions arc fitted for this purpose to the programed and actual durations for the different activities of a housing project. The maximum likelihood method is used for the estimation of parameters of the fitted distributions. Due to the increasing use of indices in the construction industry, building cost and tender price indices, their application, limitations and methods of formation are discussed. Box-Jenkins models are employed to study past behaviour and to forecast future trends for labour, materials and building cost indices. Finally, general conclusions derived from the present regearch are sunmarised and areas requiring further research are proposed.

Byggsektorn står för 35 procent av allt genererat avfall i Sverige och en stor del av Sveriges inhemska utsläpp av växthusgaser. Bygg- och fastighetsbranschen har därför ett ansvar för att bidra till en mer hållbar utveckling. Bland annat genom att jobba för hållbara städer och samhällen samt en mer hållbar konsumtion och produktion, vilket är det 11:e respektive 12:e globala målet för hållbar utveckling. Ett förfarande för att uppnå målen är att ställa om från en linjär till en cirkulär ekonomi, där återbruk är en bidragande faktor. Det har därför varit relevant att undersöka hur en kommersiell fastighetsägare kan lyckas med återbruk i lokalanpassningar, eftersom vägen dit inte är självklar. Examensarbetet har begränsats till att identifiera en organisationsstruktur med ett förslag till en förvaltnings- och projektorganisation för att hantera återbruk vid lokalanpassningar samt en affärsmodell. I organisationsstrukturen läggs fokus på samverkan mellan alla involverade parter i en lokalanpassning. Övergången från ett linjärt till ett cirkulärt arbetssätt där flertalet arbetsroller är involverade från ett tidigt skede aktualiseras. I projektorganisationen krävs nya kompetenser och samarbetspartners i form av inventerings- och återbrukskonsult och leverantör av tjänsterna lager och logistik, vilka förslagsvis läggs ut på externa parter. Internt kan fastighetsägare engagera en hållbarhetskoordinator med strategiskt och operativt ansvar för förändringen till mer återbruk. In-house miljösamordnare kan anlitas med ansvar för informationsinsamling och kunskapsspridning. Vidare ska det säkerställas att projektledaren har huvudansvaret för att återbruk tillämpas i lokalanpassningar, men med god hjälp från andra kompetenser vilket åstadkoms genom samverkan. Affärsmodellen tydliggör det värdeerbjudande och de nyckelaktiviteter som en kommersiell fastighetsägare implementerar i deras verksamhet genom återbruk i hyresgästanpassningar. Förändringen möjliggör att fastighetsägare kan erbjuda cirkulära och hållbara lokaler till sina kunder. Samtidigt behöver fastighetsbolag skapa och implementera arbetsprocesser för att möjliggöra återbruk vid lokalanpassningar. Bland annat rekommenderas fastighetsägare att genomföra återbruksinventeringar, bygga modulärt, vara aktiv på andrahandsmarknaden och bidra till ett cirkulärt beteende hos kunder, samarbetspartners och internt i bolaget. Omställningen till återbruk och inkorporerande av de nya arbetsrutinerna kan åstadkommas genom följande steg:1) Utbilda kunden och bolaget internt2) Inventera fastighetsbeståndet, sätta tydliga mål och bestämma en plan3) Göra investeringar för långsiktig lönsamhet4) Samarbetspartners och digitala verktyg5) Etablera processer inom bolaget6) Förankra förändringen / The building sector is accountable for 35 per cent of all generated waste in Sweden and a considerable part of Sweden’s domestic pollution of greenhouse gases. The building and real estate sector is therefore compelled to contribute to a more sustainable development. The industry can, among other things, work for sustainable cities and communities in addition to a more sustainable consumption and production, which are the 11th and 12th global targets for sustainable development. The transformation from a linear to a circular economy, where reuse is a contributing factor, is one way to achieve these goals. It has therefore been relevant to investigate how a real estate owner can succeed with reuse in adaptions of commercial properties. The dissertation has been limited to identify an organisational structure with a suggestion to a property management and project organisation to handle reuse in property adaptions in addition to a business model. In the organisational structure, partnering between all involved parties in a project has been emphasized. The transition from a linear to a circular approach, where most employees are involved from an early stage, is made relevant. New outsourced collaborators in the form of inventory and reuse consultants and suppliers of the services storage and logistic are required. In-house, property owners can engage sustainability coordinators with a strategic and operational responsibility for the change to more reuse. Internal environmental coordinators can be employed with responsibility for data collection and disseminating knowledge. Furthermore, it should be ensured that the project manager has the main responsibility for the task that reuse constitutes. Reuse should, however, be carried out with considerable support from other the capabilities in the project which is achieved through partnering. The business model highlights the value and key activities that commercial property owners achieve and implement in their operations through reuse in tenant adaptions. The change enables real estate owners to offer circular and sustainable facilities to their clients. Simultaneously, property owners must create and implement processes to validate reuse in their operations. Among other things, real estate companies are recommended to carry out reuse inventories, modular building, participating on the second-hand market and contribute to a more circular behaviour with clients, partners and in-house in the company. The transition to reuse and incorporation of the new routines can be achieved through the following steps:1) Educate the client and the company in-house2) Take stock of the property portfolio, formulate specific goals and determine a plan3) Make investments for long-term profit4) Collaborators and digital tools5) Establish processes within the company6) Refreezing the change

<p>U disertaciji je prikazana povezanost organizacione kulture i strukture preduzeća sa uspehom projekata koji se u tom preduzeću sprovode. Predložen je model promene nivoa prisutnosti identifikovanih faktora organizacione kulture i strukture koji su povezani sa uspehom projekata u cilju njegovog povećanja.</p> / <p>The dissertation presents an influence of organisational culture and structure of the company on the success of projects implemented in that company. A model is proposed, which changes the level of identified factors of organisational culture and structure which are proved to be associated with the success of the projects.</p>