Bakgrund: I Sverige har managementfilosofin Lean Production (Lean) fått ett stort genomslag inom offentliga verksamheter. Lean, som har sitt ursprung i den japanska biltillverkningsindustrin, handlar om att öka värde för kund, effektivisera verksamheten genom atteliminera resursslöseri och arbeta med ständiga förbättringar. Migrationsverkets beslutade 2010 att införa arbetssättet Lean i hela verksamheten. På grund av eskalerande konflikter runt om i världen, speciellt i Syrien, briserade flyktingströmmarna under 2015 och människor flydde mot Europa och Sverige för att söka skydd undan krig och förödelse. Efterfrågan på Migrationsverkets tjänster ökade således enormt och myndigheten försattes i en krissituation vars storlek aldrig tidigare upplevts. Arbetet enligt Lean sattes på prov och så även myndighetens krishantering.  Syfte: Syftet med studien är att öka förståelsen av hur tillämpningen av Lean inom offentlig verksamhet påverkas i en krissituation, samt att identifiera centrala leanattribut att utveckla för krishantering. Metod: Detta är en kvalitativ fallstudie av Migrationsverket. Den bygger på fem semistrukturerade intervjuer samt dokumentstudier. Studien har en övergripande induktiv forskningsansats och utgår således från empirin.  Slutsats: Studien visar att Lean fungerade som en stödstruktur för Migrationsverket vid hanteringen av flyktingkrisen 2015. Teamarbete och mötesstruktur fick en viktig betydelse för meningsskapande för medarbetarna. Samtidigt anpassades förbättringsarbetet och processflödet till krissituationen och blev mer kortsiktigt. / Background: In Sweden, the management philosophy of Lean Production (Lean) has had amajor impact on the public sector. Lean originated from the Japanese automotive industry and involves aspects such as increasing value for customers, optimize operations by eliminating waste and continuous improvements. In 2010 the Swedish Migration Agency decided to apply Lean on the whole organisation. Because of escalating conflicts around the world, especially in Syria, the refugee stream in 2015 increased and people fled to Europe and Sweden to seek protection from war and devastation. The demand for the Migrations Agency’s services thus increased enormously and the authority found itself in a crisis which magnitude had not been experienced before. Thus, the Lean strategy as well as the crisis management of the Migrations Agency was tested. Aim: The aim of the thesis is to increase the understanding of how the application of Lean in the public sector is affected during a crisis, and to identify key aspects of Lean to develop within crisis management. Methodology: This is a qualitative case study within the Swedish Migration Agency which is built upon semi structured interviews and document studies. The thesis has an inductive approach. Conclusion: The thesis shows that Lean functioned as a supportive structure for the Swedish Migration Agency during the immigration crisis in 2015. Teamwork and meeting structure had a great importance for sensemaking among the workers. The continuous improvement and process flow was affected by the crisis situation and adjusted to the crisis situation and became short-term.

Approved for public release; distribution in unlimited. / In an environment of scarce resources and rising federal deficits the people not only expect, but demand greater accountability for the spending of public funds. This demand has created a trend in the public sector, not only in the United States, but worldwide as well, towards the importation of private sector business practices to improve accountability-oriented analysis. One example is increased emphasis on return on investment (ROI) analysis in public sector organizations. Development and application of ROI analysis is challenging in the public sector since most government organizations do not generate profit necessary for calculation of ROI in the manner in which it is done in the private sector. This thesis develops the methodology necessary for use of ROI analysis in the public sector. ROI methodology is applied for test evaluation with the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) in San Diego. The test demonstrates that ROI can be applied successfully to assess the relative efficiency of value-added work and to improve the process of choosing between investment alternatives. Properly designed ROI analysis reveals how and for what goods and services money is spent and provides a means for comparing the value derived from investment and work performed. / Lieutenant, United States Navy

The recruitment processes include evaluation of candidates’ qualifications where the employers got the opportunity to base their recruitment decisions on personal suitability. Although the personal suitability often is used in recruitment decisions there is a lack of legal definition of what is comprised within the term personal suitability. However, there are legal regulations such as the prohibition of discrimination and demands of objective reasons in the public sector that restricts employers’ disposal of the personal suitability. This study aims to define the extent to which the concept can be used without being in conflict with the legal regulations entries that restrict the free admission for employers in the public sector. This is followed by the goal of increasing awareness by trying to identify the risks that is associated with the term and how they can be understood from a perspective of diversity in the labour market. The method used for this study is legal dogmatic with its' purpose to examine how the restrictions stands in relation to the use of the personal suitability in court cases. The result demonstrates that employers must be able to set the personal suitability in relation to the qualifications required for the requested position to prove that there is no violation with neither the prohibition of discrimination or the public requirement of objective grounds. The court cases also showed that despite the guidelines evolved through practice is still not completely uniform because each unique situation affects the legal assessment. The risks identified is that the use of personal suitability could possibly mean that discrimination becomes invisible because of possible underlying factors that will determine conclusions the employers makes to found their recruitment decision. With that realization also the problems highlighted for further studies are to in a more comprehensive study examining norms closely based on either the gender or intersectional perspective to gain a deeper understanding of how the use of the personal suitability may lead to consequences for the working populations’ opportunities in the labour market.

Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka skillnader i självgenererad arbetsmotivation mellan chefer och medarbetare i privat och offentlig sektor. Resultatet baseras på 145 webbenkäter som besvarades av chefer och medarbetare i nio olika organisationer, inom de båda sektorerna. Mätinstrumentet som användes var Work Self-determination Index (W-SDI) som grundar sig i Self-Determination Theory (SDT). I resultatet framkom att chefer har högre grad av självgenererad arbetsmotivation än medarbetare, oberoende av sektorstillhörighet. Dock framkom ingen skillnad mellan privat och offentlig sektor när det gäller självgenererad arbetsmotivation. / The purpose of the study was to examine differences concerning work motivation between managers and employees in the public and private sector. The result is based on 145 web surveys answered by managers and employees in nine different organizations, within both sectors. The measuring instrument used was Work Self-determination Index (W-SDI) based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT). The result showed that managers in a higher degree have self-determined work motivation than employees, regardless of sector affiliation. However, there was no difference between private and public sector concerning self-determined work motivation.

Context of this research: The construction industry has a history of client dissatisfaction in the UK. In response, framework agreements have been developed to create relationships between suppliers and clients in order to improve project performance. This research aims to assess whether use of framework agreements can result in significant improvement for performance outcomes without a significant increase in costs when compared with traditional discrete methods, and if so, develop a procurement performance model for realisation and continuous improvement in performance. Research methodology: A literal review of UK Government reports with economic and performance management theories precede a case study set within Hampshire County Council, a major public sector authority, allowing analysis of data from 164 highway maintenance projects by independent samples t-tests. Projects are divided into discrete and framework groups using critical success factors to measure performance differences. In addition to project outcomes, a review of economic performance was undertaken to advance a current ‘gap in professional knowledge’ concerning cost effectiveness of framework agreements. A performance management model is proposed representing impact of operational measures and sociological behaviour factors on suppliers’ performance, tested by qualitative views of experienced practitioners collected through a questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews. Key findings: Independent-samples t-tests proved that there were significant improvements in performance with use of framework agreements, but that no significant additional costs were incurred. Factor analysis and central tendency statistics from questionnaires and node values from interview transcripts confirmed long-term relationships, financial and non–financial incentives and stronger communication were sociological behaviour factors driving performance for framework agreements. Conclusions from the evidence and findings: As framework agreements can achieve significant performance improvements without a significant increase in costs, this study supports use of framework agreements for Hampshire County Council and professional practice. Value of this research is recognised by both central government and case study organisation alike. In respect of the latter context, case study findings have been included within a regional framework for use by South East authorities until 2016. It is recommended further studies should be conducted on civil and building projects in wider public and private sectors so that construction clients can make informed decisions based upon generalised findings.

This study was exploratory in nature, with the purpose of examining the relationships between working Baby Boomers’ knowledge of retirement health benefits and health costs and actions they have taken to prepare for retirement. An online survey was completed by 209 Baby Boomers who are employed by three city governments in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The research showed that health benefits knowledge does not predict retirement preparation but that Baby Boomers who demonstrate higher levels of knowledge-seeking behavior are more likely to undertake retirement preparation, specifically by purchasing an annuity. Among public sector working Baby Boomers, retirement preparation activities are found to be minimal. Age was found to predict knowledge-seeking behavior, in that older vs. younger Baby Boomers are more likely to engage in knowledge-seeking behavior related to retirement preparation. Current knowledge about health benefits does not predict retirement preparation.

Email stress: what are its causes? how is it measured? can it be solved? The literature review revealed that, despite the term being well used and recognised, discussions surrounding the root cause of email stress had reached little consensus and the concept was not well understood. By its very nature, email stress theory had fallen victim to the academic debate between psychological vs. physiological interpretations of stress which, as a result of either choice, limited more progressive research. Likewise an array of email management strategies had been identified however, whilst some generated quick successes, they appeared to suffer longevity issues and were not maintained a few months after implementation in the workplace. The purpose of this research was to determine whether email communication causes employees psychological and physiological stress and investigate the impact of email management strategies in the workplace. A pragmatic philosophy placed the research problem as central and valued the differences between paradigms to promote a mixed-method approach to research. The decision to pair both case studies and action research methods ensured a framework for presenting results and an actionable solution was achieved. In direct response to the research aims an original email stress measuring methodology was devised that combined various data collection tools to measure and investigate email stress. This research design was applied and evaluated 'email free time' and email filing. Results of the study showed an increased stress response to occur during email use, i.e. caused employees' increased blood pressure, heart rate, cortisol and perceived stress, and a number of adverse effects such as managing staff via email, social detachment, blame and cover-your-back culture were identified. Findings revealed 'email free time' was not a desirable strategy to manage email stress and related stressors, whereas email filing was found more beneficial to workers well-being. Consolidation of the data gathered from the literature review and research findings were used to develop an initial conceptualisation of email stress in the form of two models, i.e. explanatory and action. A focus group was conducted to validate the proposed models and a further investigation at the ? was carried out to critique the use of an email training intervention. The results showed some improvements to employees' behaviour after the training, e.g. improved writing style, email checked on fewer occasions each day and fewer sufferers of email addiction. The initial models devised, alongside the latter findings, were synthesised to create a single integrative multidimensional model of email stress and management strategies. The model made an original contribution to knowledge in terms of theory, i.e. to conceptualise email stress, and practice, i.e. to offer practical solutions to the email worker.

The changing character of the economic environment in the last quarter of the twentieth century has resulted in a continuous process of restructuring in the economy of Spain, mediated through the structure and regulatory framework of the economy. Three specific themes contributing to restructuring are addressed: globalisation of the economy, European integration, and the role of the public sector. Globalisation ofthe economy is demonstrated through increased international flows of goods, capital, people and information, and by the incorporation of businesses in Spain within the corporate networks of foreign multinational companies. Spanish businesses too have been extending their global reach, especially into Latin America. European integration has been part of the globalisation process. A substantial proportion of international flows are now concentrated within the European Union and business networks have been adapting to the 'Single European Market'. European integration has dominated economic policy, first in measures to secure membership of the European Economic Community, then in measures to adjust to the regulatory environment of the European Community and finally in the race to achieve the Maastricht criteria. The role of the public sector in restructuring has been to 'manage' the market forces unleashed by the liberalisation ofthe economy. Market forces, embracing increased competition and technological change, have driven the restructuring process demanding responses from the government. These responses have increasingly been constrained by the shedding of responsibilities upwards to international organisations and downwards to lower tiers of administration. Isolation, protection and goverrunent intervention in the economy have given way to a more liberal, open and international environment. Transformation in the mode of regulation from state corporatism to neo-liberalism has been accompanied by globalisation of the economy, particularly integration into the European economy and the corporate space of multinational companies. Nevertheless, despite the growing emphasis on globalisation, public policy continues to play a crucial role influencing the pace, if not the direction, of restructuring.

Research report presented to SBL, Unisa, Midrand. / The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of employees’ perceptions on the effectiveness of the board in the public sector. The units of analysis relevant to this research were the board of directors and the employees in the public sector. Thus, two questionnaires were designed: one for the board members, and the other for employees. The questionnaires were designed around various themes aimed at establishing the following: whether employees in the Public Sector perceive their Board of Directors to be effective, whether the Board of Directors in the Public Sector believe that their effectiveness is impacted by employee perceptions, and to determine what factors need to be in place to promote a positive relationship between employee perceptions and board effectiveness. The survey confirmed that the board members do believe that they are effective in the execution of their functions. The employees do agree that the board plays an important role in organisations, that organisations will be impacted negatively without the direction of the board, and that the board is conducting its roles and responsibilities as effectively as possible. In terms of whether the board of directors in the public sector believe that their effectiveness is impacted by the employees’ perceptions, the results from both the employees and members of the board were inclined towards ‘agree’ on the Likert scale. The survey also revealed that the prevalence of other factors in the organisation, (Transparency and Accountability, Communication, Stakeholder Relations Strategy, Board’s high Ethical Standard, Speedily Resolution of Labour disputes, Commitment to employee development, and Consistency in policy implementation), will have a high impact in their organisations, particularly in promoting a positive relationship between employee perceptions and board effectiveness.

Managementmodellen lean uppstod i bilindustrin men har applicerats på helt andra typer av branscher, varav offentlig sektor är en av dem. Tidigare forskning visar att lean applicerat på offentliga tjänster passar bättre när tjänsten är av mer homogen karaktär såsom sophantering och parkförvaltning. Ändå visar en kartläggning av lean i Sverige att flest kommuner har implementerat lean inom äldreomsorg - vilket är en heterogen tjänst med höga krav på individanpassning. Syftet med den här fallstudien är att undersöka om lean således är en passande managementmodell för kommunal äldreomsorg. Baserat på sju intervjuer i två svenska kommuner har studien utgått från vad som påverkar kommuners möjlighet att arbeta lean på en filosofisk nivå (lean thinking). Resultatet visar att lean thinking i sin helhet inte är passande för äldreomsorgen, vilket framför allt beror på att offentliga verksamheter utöver brukaren ser socialnämnden och skattebetalare som kunder, vilket försvårar arbetet med lean som utgår från värde enligt kundens perspektiv. Däremot visar verksamheterna att de genom att arbeta med lean framförallt förbättrar processer som inte involverar brukaren, exempelvis administration och förråds- och tvätthantering. Det frigör tid till värdeskapande aktiviteter för brukaren. Vi finner också att myndigheten som reglerar svensk äldreomsorg möjliggör för lean-inspirerat arbete inom äldreomsorg, framför allt på grund av arbetet med att utgå och anpassa tjänster till de faktiska behoven för brukaren istället för att begränsas till det redan befintliga tjänsteutbudet. / Lean was first seen in the automotive industry but has since then been applied to a number of different industries, whereof the public sector is one of them. Previous research has shown that lean has a better fit with services when applied to homogeneous services like waste disposal and maintaining parks. Yet an overview of lean in Swedish municipalities has shown that the most frequent use of the concept lean is in elderly care - which is categorized as a heterogeneous customized service. The aim of this case study is to examine the fit between lean and municipal elderly care. The study has investigated what determines the ability of adopting lean thinking based on seven interviews in two Swedish municipalities. The results show that the whole concept of lean thinking cannot be applied, primarily because of the complexity of the customer concept in the public sector. The interviewees identify several customers apart from the end-user of the service. The fact that tax payers and the social welfare board also are considered customers hinders the work with lean, since their interests may diverge from that of the end-user. However, by using lean tools, processes without involvement from the end-user have been improved, for instance services like administration, laundry and storage management. In turn, these improvements made time for value creating activities for the end-user. The results also show that the Social authority regulating the Swedish municipal elderly care, actually enables an approach inspired by lean. This is primarily due to the development towards a service production based on the actual needs of the end-user rather than being limited to the existing services.