Sammanfattning   Kurs: Ämnesfördjupande arbete i logistik, 2FE02E, VT 2016-05-25 Författare: Marcus Rex, Alexandra Valhed och Daniella Pavkovic Handledare: Hana Hulthén Titel: Ett ramverk över förutsättningar inom Supplier Quality Development-program - en fallstudie Bakgrund: För att förbättra sina leverantörers kapacitet och skicklighet kan företag använda sig av olika leverantörsutvecklingsprogram byggda på långsiktiga relationer baserade på lojalitet och tillit. Ett viktigt område inom dessa program är leverantörernas kvalitet. Företag som inte säkerställer kvalitetsnivåerna riskerar att bli mindre framgångsrika i sin leverantörsutveckling. Det har hänt mycket inom kvalitetsområdet inom det senaste decenniet, marknadens kunskaper har ökat och allt högre krav från kunder ställs. Supplier quality development-program är ett strategiskt kvalitetsutvecklingsprogram inom leverantörsutveckling, där syftet är att förbättra kvalitet och effektivitet hos befintliga leverantörer och möta den förändrade marknadssituationen. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att exemplifiera förutsättningar för ett supplier quality development-program genom att utveckla ett föreslaget ramverk. Metod: Forskningsdesignen för studien är en fallstudie med en kvalitativ forskningsmetod. Personal på kvalitet- och miljöavdelningen på projektföretaget har intervjuats i ostrukturerade och semi-strukturerade intervjuer för att samla in empirisk data till studien. Urvalet har gjorts genom snöbollsurval där första kontakt tagits med Head of Supply Chain Management på företaget. Slutsats: Kommunikation med ömsesidigt engagemang, måttlig frekvens samt tillit och lojalitet, regelbundna och noggranna kvalitetsmätningar, tillgänglighet av nödvändiga resurser, långsiktiga och hållbara relationer, utbildning, intern och extern strategi samt en aktiv ledning åtminstone inledningsvis är de förutsättningar som belyses i ramverket som slutsatsen mynnar ut i.

Broccoli is a vegetable crop of increasing importance in Australia, particularly in south-east Queensland and farmers need to maintain a regular supply of good quality broccoli to meet the expanding market. However, harvest maturity date, head yield and quality are all affected by climatic variations during the production cycle, particularly low temperature episodes. There are also interactions between genotype and climatic variability. A predictive model of ontogeny, incorporating climatic data including frost risk, would enable farmers to predict harvest maturity date and select appropriate cultivar - sowing date combinations. The first stage of this research was to define floral initiation, which is fundamental to predicting ontogeny. Scanning electron micrographs of the apical meristem were made for the transition from the vegetative to advanced reproductive stage. During the early vegetative stage (stage 1), the apical meristem was a small, pointed shoot tip surrounded by leaf primordia. The transitional stage (stage 2) was marked by a widening and flattening to form a dome-shaped apical meristem. In the floral initiation stage (stage 3), the first-order floral primordia were observed in the axils of the developing bracts. Under field conditions, the shoot apex has an average diameter of 500 micro m at floral initiation and floral primordia can be observed under a light microscope. Sub-zero temperatures can result in freezing injury and thereby reduce head yield and quality. In order to predict the effects of frosts, it is desirable to know the stages of development at which plants are most susceptible. Therefore, the effects of sub-zero temperatures on leaf and shoot mortality, head yield and quality were determined after exposure of plants to a range of temperatures for short periods, at different stages of development (vegetative, floral initiation and buttoning). Plants in pots and in the field were subjected to sub-zero temperature regimes from -1 C to -19 C. Extracellular ice formation was achieved by reducing temperatures slowly, at a rate of -2 C per hour. The floral initiation stage was most sensitive to freezing injury, as yields were significantly reduced at -1 C and -3 C, and shoot apices were killed at -5 C. There was no significant yield reduction when the inflorescence buttoning stage was subjected to -1 C and -3 C. Although shoot apices at buttoning survived the -5 C treatment, very poor quality heads of uneven bud size were produced as a result of arrested development. The lethal temperature for pot-grown broccoli was between -3 C and -5 C, whereas the lethal temperature for field-grown broccoli was between -7 C and -9 C. The difference was presumably due to variation in cold acclimation. Freezing injury can reduce broccoli head yield and quality, and retard plant growth. Crop development models based only on simple thermal time without restrictions will not predict yield or maturity if broccoli crops are frost-damaged. Field studies were conducted to develop procedures for predicting ontogeny, yield and quality. Three cultivars, (Fiesta, Greenbelt and Marathon) were sown on eight dates from 11 March to 22 May 1997, and grown under natural and extended (16 h) photoperiods in a sub-tropical environment at Gatton College, south-east Queensland, under non-limiting conditions of water and nutrient supply. Daily climatic data, and dates of emergence, floral initiation, harvest maturity, together with yield and quality were obtained. Yield and quality responses to temperature and photoperiod were quantified. As growing season mean minimum temperatures decreased, fresh weight of tops decreased while fresh weight harvest index increased linearly. There was no definite relationship between fresh weight of tops or fresh weight harvest index and growing season minimum temperatures greater than 10 C. Genotype, rather than the environment, mainly determined head quality attributes. Fiesta had the best head quality, with higher head shape and branching angle ratings than Greenbelt or Marathon. Bud colour and cluster separation of Marathon were only acceptable for export when growing season mean minimum temperatures were less than 8 C. Photoperiod did not influence yield or quality in any of the three cultivars. A better understanding of genotype and environmental interactions will help farmers optimise yield and quality, by matching cultivars with time of sowing. Crop developmental responses to temperature and photoperiod were quantified from emergence to harvest maturity (Model 1), from emergence to floral initiation (Model 2), from floral initiation to harvest maturity (Model 3), and in a combination of Models 2 and 3 (Model 4). These thermal time models were based on optimised base and optimum temperatures of 0 and 20 C, respectively. These optimised temperatures were determined using an iterative optimisation routine (simplex). Cardinal temperatures were consistent across cultivars but thermal time of phenological intervals were cultivar specific. Sensitivity to photoperiod and solar radiation was low in the three cultivars used. Thermal time models tested on independent data for five cultivars (Fiesta, Greenbelt, Marathon, CMS Liberty and Triathlon) grown as commercial crops on the Darling Downs over two years, adequately predicted floral initiation and harvest maturity. Model 4 provided the best prediction for the chronological duration from emergence to harvest maturity. Model 1 was useful when floral initiation data were not available, and it predicted harvest maturity almost as well as Model 4 since the same base and optimum temperatures of 0 C and 20 C, respectively, were used for both phenological intervals. Model 1 was also generated using data from 1979-80 sowings of three cultivars (Premium Crop, Selection 160 and Selection 165A). When Model 1 was tested with independent data from 1983-84, it predicted harvest maturity well. Where floral initiation data were available, predictions of harvest maturity were most precise using Model 3, since the variation, which occurred from emergence to floral initiation, was removed. Prediction of floral initiation using Model 2 can be useful for timing cultural practices, and for avoiding frost and high temperature periods. This research has produced models to assist broccoli farmers in crop scheduling and cultivar selection in south-east Queensland. Using the models as a guide, farmers can optimise yield and quality, by matching cultivars with sowing date. By accurately predicting floral initiation, the risk of frost damage during floral initiation can be reduced by adjusting sowing dates or crop management options. The simple and robust thermal time models will improve production and marketing arrangements, which have to be made in advance. The thermal time models in this study, incorporating frost risk using conditional statements, provide a foundation for a decision support system to manage the sequence of sowings on commercial broccoli farms.

<p>In the new millennium the ideas of New Public Management (NPM) have become more and more popular within the public sector and its health care. NPM is a management philosophy that, among other things, aims at making public organizations more business like. The study explores the encounter between the organizational practice and an NPM idea, the idea of quality, at Landstinget in Värmland (LiV). More precisely the study aims at contributing to the discourse on effects of institutionalization as well as to knowledge on the process of local institutionalization. Another purpose of the study is to contribute to quality development in organizations.</p><p>In order to do this, a project of quality (LiV 2002) at LiV is followed in time and space. In the empirical section three actor groups are identified, the new management, the old officials and the health care personnel. Between the old officials and the new management, and between the health care personnel and the new management conflicts burst out. The reason for these conflicts is, among other things, the actor groups’ diverging cultural conceptions.</p><p>In the conclusion the idea of quality is, to a certain extent, found to be institutionalized in the formal structure of LiV. But the greater part of the actors’ action and thought schemes are unaffected. However, the actors at LiV are not fully unaffected by the idea of quality. It is argued that the cultural conceptions of the old officials and the health care personnel are reproduced during the work on quality. In the discussion concerning contributions, a model for studying local institutionalization from the perspective of sensemaking is put forward. It is argued that the model enables students of local institutionalization to focus on the cognitive micro processes of institutionalization. In the discussion on quality development, the focus is on difficulties and obstacles with quality development. These are found to be cultural conceptions, preservative sensemaking, processes of translation and that most public organizations are arena organizations.</p>

In the new millennium the ideas of New Public Management (NPM) have become more and more popular within the public sector and its health care. NPM is a management philosophy that, among other things, aims at making public organizations more business like. The study explores the encounter between the organizational practice and an NPM idea, the idea of quality, at Landstinget in Värmland (LiV). More precisely the study aims at contributing to the discourse on effects of institutionalization as well as to knowledge on the process of local institutionalization. Another purpose of the study is to contribute to quality development in organizations. In order to do this, a project of quality (LiV 2002) at LiV is followed in time and space. In the empirical section three actor groups are identified, the new management, the old officials and the health care personnel. Between the old officials and the new management, and between the health care personnel and the new management conflicts burst out. The reason for these conflicts is, among other things, the actor groups’ diverging cultural conceptions. In the conclusion the idea of quality is, to a certain extent, found to be institutionalized in the formal structure of LiV. But the greater part of the actors’ action and thought schemes are unaffected. However, the actors at LiV are not fully unaffected by the idea of quality. It is argued that the cultural conceptions of the old officials and the health care personnel are reproduced during the work on quality. In the discussion concerning contributions, a model for studying local institutionalization from the perspective of sensemaking is put forward. It is argued that the model enables students of local institutionalization to focus on the cognitive micro processes of institutionalization. In the discussion on quality development, the focus is on difficulties and obstacles with quality development. These are found to be cultural conceptions, preservative sensemaking, processes of translation and that most public organizations are arena organizations.

Abstract   The Act of Education outlines that good quality in schools and preschools, focusing on continuous improvement, promote children’s learning and this in turn is on of the most important factors for child and youth welfare. This thesis was based on the authors´ pre-understanding that there are opportunities to improvement in the quality of preschools. The focus was on studying how analyses can provide a base for quality work, and the purpose of this study was to identify and describe the analytical methods that can be used in the process of continual improvement for quality development in preschools. A qualitative study was conducted in two preschools that have received quality awards. It was conducted through interviews with the preschool principals and through studies of various documents. In the comparative analysis of theory and empirical data, it was made clear that there was a regular analysing process going on at the investigated preschools and an emphasize of reflection could also be identified.   Keywords: Quality development, preschool, analytical methods, processes, reflection / Sammanfattning   I skollagen beskrivs att god kvalitet i skola och förskola som arbetar med ständiga förbättringar, gynnar barns lärande och detta i sin tur är en av de viktigaste faktorerna för barns och ungdomars välbefinnande.   Detta examensarbete utgick från författarnas förförståelse att det finns förbättringsmöjligheter inom förskolans kvalitetsutveckling. Som avgränsning valdes att studera hur analyser kan ge underlag för kvalitetsarbetet och syftet med detta examensarbete var att identifiera och beskriva analysmetoder som kan användas inom arbetet med ständiga förbättringar för kvalitetsutveckling inom förskolan.   En kvalitativ undersökning genomfördes på två förskolor som erhållit kvalitetsutmärkelser. Den genomfördes genom intervjuer av förskolechefer samt tolkning av dokument.   Vid den jämförande analysen av teori och empiri konstaterades att analysmetoder i de undersökta förskolorna fanns. Cykliska processer och reflektionens betydelse kunde också identifieras.   Nyckelord: Kvalitetsutveckling, förskola, analysmetoder, processer, reflektion

Broccoli is a vegetable crop of increasing importance in Australia, particularly in south-east Queensland and farmers need to maintain a regular supply of good quality broccoli to meet the expanding market. However, harvest maturity date, head yield and quality are all affected by climatic variations during the production cycle, particularly low temperature episodes. There are also interactions between genotype and climatic variability. A predictive model of ontogeny, incorporating climatic data including frost risk, would enable farmers to predict harvest maturity date and select appropriate cultivar - sowing date combinations. The first stage of this research was to define floral initiation, which is fundamental to predicting ontogeny. Scanning electron micrographs of the apical meristem were made for the transition from the vegetative to advanced reproductive stage. During the early vegetative stage (stage 1), the apical meristem was a small, pointed shoot tip surrounded by leaf primordia. The transitional stage (stage 2) was marked by a widening and flattening to form a dome-shaped apical meristem. In the floral initiation stage (stage 3), the first-order floral primordia were observed in the axils of the developing bracts. Under field conditions, the shoot apex has an average diameter of 500 micro m at floral initiation and floral primordia can be observed under a light microscope. Sub-zero temperatures can result in freezing injury and thereby reduce head yield and quality. In order to predict the effects of frosts, it is desirable to know the stages of development at which plants are most susceptible. Therefore, the effects of sub-zero temperatures on leaf and shoot mortality, head yield and quality were determined after exposure of plants to a range of temperatures for short periods, at different stages of development (vegetative, floral initiation and buttoning). Plants in pots and in the field were subjected to sub-zero temperature regimes from -1 C to -19 C. Extracellular ice formation was achieved by reducing temperatures slowly, at a rate of -2 C per hour. The floral initiation stage was most sensitive to freezing injury, as yields were significantly reduced at -1 C and -3 C, and shoot apices were killed at -5 C. There was no significant yield reduction when the inflorescence buttoning stage was subjected to -1 C and -3 C. Although shoot apices at buttoning survived the -5 C treatment, very poor quality heads of uneven bud size were produced as a result of arrested development. The lethal temperature for pot-grown broccoli was between -3 C and -5 C, whereas the lethal temperature for field-grown broccoli was between -7 C and -9 C. The difference was presumably due to variation in cold acclimation. Freezing injury can reduce broccoli head yield and quality, and retard plant growth. Crop development models based only on simple thermal time without restrictions will not predict yield or maturity if broccoli crops are frost-damaged. Field studies were conducted to develop procedures for predicting ontogeny, yield and quality. Three cultivars, (Fiesta, Greenbelt and Marathon) were sown on eight dates from 11 March to 22 May 1997, and grown under natural and extended (16 h) photoperiods in a sub-tropical environment at Gatton College, south-east Queensland, under non-limiting conditions of water and nutrient supply. Daily climatic data, and dates of emergence, floral initiation, harvest maturity, together with yield and quality were obtained. Yield and quality responses to temperature and photoperiod were quantified. As growing season mean minimum temperatures decreased, fresh weight of tops decreased while fresh weight harvest index increased linearly. There was no definite relationship between fresh weight of tops or fresh weight harvest index and growing season minimum temperatures greater than 10 C. Genotype, rather than the environment, mainly determined head quality attributes. Fiesta had the best head quality, with higher head shape and branching angle ratings than Greenbelt or Marathon. Bud colour and cluster separation of Marathon were only acceptable for export when growing season mean minimum temperatures were less than 8 C. Photoperiod did not influence yield or quality in any of the three cultivars. A better understanding of genotype and environmental interactions will help farmers optimise yield and quality, by matching cultivars with time of sowing. Crop developmental responses to temperature and photoperiod were quantified from emergence to harvest maturity (Model 1), from emergence to floral initiation (Model 2), from floral initiation to harvest maturity (Model 3), and in a combination of Models 2 and 3 (Model 4). These thermal time models were based on optimised base and optimum temperatures of 0 and 20 C, respectively. These optimised temperatures were determined using an iterative optimisation routine (simplex). Cardinal temperatures were consistent across cultivars but thermal time of phenological intervals were cultivar specific. Sensitivity to photoperiod and solar radiation was low in the three cultivars used. Thermal time models tested on independent data for five cultivars (Fiesta, Greenbelt, Marathon, CMS Liberty and Triathlon) grown as commercial crops on the Darling Downs over two years, adequately predicted floral initiation and harvest maturity. Model 4 provided the best prediction for the chronological duration from emergence to harvest maturity. Model 1 was useful when floral initiation data were not available, and it predicted harvest maturity almost as well as Model 4 since the same base and optimum temperatures of 0 C and 20 C, respectively, were used for both phenological intervals. Model 1 was also generated using data from 1979-80 sowings of three cultivars (Premium Crop, Selection 160 and Selection 165A). When Model 1 was tested with independent data from 1983-84, it predicted harvest maturity well. Where floral initiation data were available, predictions of harvest maturity were most precise using Model 3, since the variation, which occurred from emergence to floral initiation, was removed. Prediction of floral initiation using Model 2 can be useful for timing cultural practices, and for avoiding frost and high temperature periods. This research has produced models to assist broccoli farmers in crop scheduling and cultivar selection in south-east Queensland. Using the models as a guide, farmers can optimise yield and quality, by matching cultivars with sowing date. By accurately predicting floral initiation, the risk of frost damage during floral initiation can be reduced by adjusting sowing dates or crop management options. The simple and robust thermal time models will improve production and marketing arrangements, which have to be made in advance. The thermal time models in this study, incorporating frost risk using conditional statements, provide a foundation for a decision support system to manage the sequence of sowings on commercial broccoli farms.

Denna rapport behandlar ett examensarbete som utfördes på företaget Trelleborg Industrial Products Sweden AB. Företaget arbetar idag med polymerlösningar till olika industrier. Examensarbetets syfte var att förbättra tillverkningsprocessen av företagets produkt Plunge, som genererade en oacceptabelt låg vinst. Plunge är en produkt tillverkad i metall och silikon som tillsluter barnmatsburkar. Tillverkningsprocessen skulle förbättras genom att utveckla lösningar för delprocesserna tvättning och målning som skulle minska tillverkningskostnaderna. Detta samtidigt som lösningarna skulle möjliggöra en flytt av delprocesserna från den nuvarande avdelningen till avdelningen instryk. För att förbättra delprocessen målning utvecklades lösningskoncept på målningsmallar med designmetoden Double Diamond. Metoden resulterade i tre lösningskoncept med tillhörande lönsamhetskalkyler. Tvättprocessen skulle förbättras genom en investering av en ny tvättmetod. Lösningen hittades med metoder från Double Diamond. Arbetet resulterade i att en egenkonstruerad tvätt rekommenderades till företaget. För fortsatt arbete med förbättring av tillverkningsprocessen bör lösningskoncepten för målningsmallarna utvecklas vidare till mer kompletta prototyper samt bör kalkylerna för lösningskoncepten förfinas parallellt med utvecklingsarbetet. Tvättmetoden bör testas för att avgöra arbetskostnader och kapacitet, vilket kan ligga som grund för ytterligare förbättringar av tvättprocessen. / This report deals with a thesis that was carried out at the company Trelleborg Industrial Products Sweden AB. The company works with polymer solutions for various industries. The goal of the project was to improve the manufacturing process of the company's product Plunge, which generated unacceptably low profits. Plunge is a product made of metal and silicone that seals jars of babyfood. The manufacturing process would be improved by developing solutions that would allow the subprocesses washing and painting to be moved from the operators at the press to the department Instryk while reducing the costs of the subprocesses. In order to improve the subprocess painting, concepts of painting templates were developed with the design method Double Diamond. The method resulted in three concept solutions with associated profitability calculations. The washing process would be improved by an investment of a new washing method. The solution was found using methods from Double Diamond. The work resulted in a washing method that was developed in-house being recommended to the company. In order to continue to work on improving the manufacturing process, the concepts of the painting templates should be further developed into more complete prototypes and the calculations for the solution concepts should be refined in parallel with the development. The washing method should be tested to determine labor costs and capacity, which may be the basis for further improvements to the washing process.

Hållbarhet har de senaste årtiondena fått allt större betydelse på alla nivåer i samhället.Dagens kunder och intressenter ställer krav på att organisationer ska inkluderahållbarhet i sina processer i högre grad än tidigare. Systemsyn på en organisation samtfokus på ständiga förbättringar är centralt både inom hållbar utveckling ochkvalitetsutveckling men synergieffekter dem emellan är ett relativt nyttforskningsområde. Verksamhetsutvärdering enligt en excellencemodell där bådaperspektiven är integrerade är ett sätt att försöka nå framgång. Genom fallstudie av enutmärkelsemottagares kvalitetsutvecklingsresa söktes svar genom semistruktureradeintervjuer i kombination med dokumentanalys på hur kvalitetsutveckling kan stödjaorganisationer att ställa om mot en mer hållbar utveckling. Resultaten visar att fokuspå kultur och struktur i en organisation samt mjuka värderingar är en väg att gå för attuppnå synergieffekter mellan kvalitetsutveckling och hållbar utveckling. Det finnsstora möjligheter för en organisation som har väl etablerade systematiska arbetssättför kvalitetsutveckling att även tillämpa de arbetssätten för den hållbara utvecklingenoch på så sätt bidra till uppfyllande av Agenda 2030 / In recent decades, sustainability has become increasingly important at all levels ofsociety. Today's customers and stakeholders require organizations to includesustainability in their processes to a greater extent than before. System view of anorganization and focus on continuous improvement are central to both sustainabledevelopment and quality development, but synergy effects between them are arelatively new area of research. Business evaluation according to an excellency modelwhere both perspectives are integrated is a way of trying to achieve success. Throughcase study of an award recipient's quality development journey, answers were soughtby using semi-structured interviews in combination with document analysis on howquality development can support organizations to change towards a more sustainabledevelopment. The results show that the focus on culture and structure in anorganization and soft values is a way to go to achieve synergy effects between qualitydevelopment and sustainable development. There are great opportunities for anorganization that has well-established systematic working methods for qualitydevelopment to also apply the working methods for sustainable development and thuscontribute to meeting Agenda 2030. / <p>2019-06-27</p>

From the 1960s until today it was more or less common to use different methods to lead an organization towards success. A common problem with these methods, however, was its focus on problem-solving methods and statistical follow-ups, which is why modern business management was increasingly inspired by behavioural science. The purpose is to create conditions where the corporate culture is in line with the organization's vision and strategies, also characterized as “values based management”. As of today values are still important, especially in the organizational world.To investigate how values based management works or if it has an impact on the organizational culture, a case study of Berotec's values based management has been conducted. The purposewas to identify and analyze the company's values based management and its effect by collectingand understanding how the organization’s members experience and interpret the values.The conclusion that stands out in this study is that the majority of factors identified as importantfor a successful values based management can be found at Berotec. There is a good understanding of the purpose of the values and they are also turned into behaviours with the use of different methods. Above all, the management has an open attitude and views the valuesbuilding as an ongoing process. The company, however, lacks a systematic measurement of the values based management in order to identify an efficient management or not, but overall the study indicates a well-functioning values based management at Berotec. / Från 1960-talet fram tills idag har det under olika tidsperioder varit mer eller mindre vanligt att använda sig av olika metoder för att styra organisationen mot framgång. Ett dock vanligt förekommande problem med dessa styrmetoder var dess fokus på “hårda delar” som problemlösningsmetoder och statistisk uppföljning av processer, varför den moderna verksamhetsstyrningen alltmer inspirerades av beteendevetenskapen. I grunden handlar det om att skapa förutsättningar för en företagsmiljö där medarbetare vill ta ansvar, arbeta och samarbeta, och gemensamt skapa en kultur som är i linje med organisationens vision och strategier. Denna typ av styrning brukar karaktäriseras som ”värderingsstyrning” och har fått stor genomslagskraft inom svenska företag. Även om värderingar har blivit allt mer igenkänt under de två senaste decennierna är värderingar fortfarande högst väsentliga, framförallt inom den organisatoriska världen.För att undersöka huruvida värderingsstyrning fungerar eller har en inverkan på ett företags organisationskultur har en fallstudie av Berotecs värderingsarbete genomförts. Syftet var att kartlägga och analysera företagets värderingsstyrning och dess effekt genom att fånga upp och samordna hur företagets medarbetare upplever och tolkar företagets värderingar.Den framträdande slutsatsen i denna studie är att majoriteten av teorins faktorer för framgångsrik värderingsstyrning finns på Berotec. Det finns en god förståelse för syftet med värderingarna och de omsätts i beteenden med olika verktyg. Framförallt har ledningen en öppen inställning till värderingsarbetet och ser det som ett ständigt pågående arbete. Det som saknas är systematisk mätning av värderingsarbetets effektivitet, men sammantaget indikerar studien på ett bra fungerande värderingsarbete på Berotec.

Around the world Quality Management is commonly regarded by industrialists and academics as a management concept that encompasses the potential in any organisation of developing into a company-wide philosophy with a profound focus on stakeholder values and improvement processes. However, there are mounting evidence that Quality Management has developed into an important strategic issue also on a national level, and that some leading industrial nations have enjoyed significant gains in the post War era by means of nation-wide progresses in Quality Management. In this thesis organisation is therefore substituted with nation state as the unit of analysis, with the ultimate objective to gain insight into how quality management movements in the industrialised world develop and prosper.  Based on empirical data from the Cross-cultural Quality Management Research Project, a bird' s􀀧eye view of Quality Management is taken in twelve leading industrialised nations. Comprehensive descriptions of Quality in Australia, Brazil, Germany, Japan and Sweden are given in order to identify what national driving factors that currently have an influence on national quality management movements, whereas China, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and the United States are assessed on a more overriding level with an objective to determine the factors' scope and characteristics.  The existence and influence of national driving factors in Quality Management was firstly discovered in the mid 1980s by one of the field's pioneers, Dr. Joseph M. Juran, and a core task in this thesis is to re-examine the identified factors current applicability. The outcome is a proposed set of national driving factors, embracing economy, national quality societies, people, certification bodies, industrial structure, organisation and its quality function, and government. Although, these national driving factors are found to be common to all countries, they are genuinely national in the sense that the national context by and large determines the factors' character and influence. To gain insight into how national quality management movements in the industrialised world develop and prosper, it is therefore recommended that focus be direct towards the national context with its national driving factors. The factors are powerful explanatory variables that so far have largely remained an untapped fountain of knowledge within the field of Quality Management.