With the rapid development of computers and their proven usability in manufacturing environments, simulation-based optimisation has become a recognised tool for proposing near-optimal results related to manufacturing system design and improvement. As a world-leading manufacturer within their field, Volvo GTO in Skövde, Sweden is constantly seeking internal development and has in recent years discovered the possibilities provided by flow simulation. The main aim of this thesis is to provide an optimal buffer size of a new post-assembly and packaging line (Konpack) yet to be constructed. A by-product of the flow simulation optimisation project in form of a flow simulation process evaluation was also requested. The simulation project started with a pre-study including the development of the frame of reference and an analysis of the literature focused on merging Lean philosophy with simulation-based optimisation. The simulation model was built based on both historical and estimated data. The optimisation results showed different buffer size alternatives depending on the throughput to be achieved, these are discussed, and near-optimal solutions presented for decision-making. Additionally, four experiments were carried out, both contributing to the model’s credibility as well as providing new and valuable insight to the stakeholders. The conclusions drawn from the optimisation and experiments indicate that Konpack will be able to meet the established throughput goals, provided that the suggested near-optimal solutions are considered. The experiments also unanimously point to the fact that Konpack has a built-in overcapacity, utilizable by optimising certain suggested input parameters. Additionally, an evaluation of the completeness of the standard simulation process employed by Volvo GTO is provided, concluding that no major changes are needed. Nevertheless, there is always room for improvement. Hence, future work regarding the flow simulation process at Volvo GTO is proposed.

<p>Background: Increasing globalization makes companies more influenced than before by actors and factors in their environment. For some this has lead to a more dynamic and complicated business context. Therefore it is of strategic importance to understand what is currently going on as well as to have a general idea of what the future brings. </p><p>Purpose: To contribute to a deeper understanding of how a corporate management can perceive its business environment and how it affects he gathering of business information from a strategic perspective. </p><p>Realisation: In-depth interviews were conducted with all four members of the management in the studied company, Volvo Competence Center in Skovde, Sweden.</p><p> Conclusions: The company's business context was perceived predominantely congruently by the management. Business intelligence was found to be linked mostly to personal areas of resposibility. A model was produced to show the connection between perception of environment and gathering of business information, and VCC was applied in this model.</p>

<p>Major part of the current work describes the development of the update methodology for onedimensional code (TML) currently used at Volvo Aero Corporation during turbine design process. The methodology is then applied and tried out in a general engine analysis (GESTPAN).</p>

<p>Background: A constant market pressure on companies to increase their competitiveness has compelled managers to explore business models outside of the traditional ones. The Shared Service Center (SSC) forms part of these untried models, and can be seen as a hybrid. When it comes to its management control, the research is scarce, and hence, there are no obvious paths to follow when it comes to the designing and use of management control systems in such organizations. </p><p>Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to describe the design of the management control system in a SSC, and further to analyze the underlying reasons for its outlining. </p><p>Demarcation: The study is limited to the investigation of the SSCs of Electrolux, SKF and Volvo. Moreover, the problem is highlighted from the perspective of the SSC management. </p><p>Realization: In the form of a case study, the thesis was realized through the undertaking of four interviews with individuals in the SSCs’ respective management or its close surrounding. </p><p>Results: Sprung out of the process orientation, SSCs in their management control primarily focus on customers, process improvement and people. In their striving to obtain cost reduction and service quality, several control tools are used, the choice of which depends on variables such as organizational structure, external environment, technology and strategy.</p>

<p>Background: Recent trends in the world of business notably globalization and advanced technology have had significant effects on most companies irrespective of size and operations. A major consequence of these trends is increasing competition. This has consequently, increased the need for broader and more comprehensive strategies capable of ensuring the long-term survival of companies. One such strategy is strategic alliances. Strategic alliances provide companies with wider access and utilization of resources that they find difficult to acquire. </p><p>Purpose: The purpose of the thesis is to achieving a better and deeper understanding of global alliances and how they are coordinated. In so doing the research includes the nature of global alliances in general and the Renault-Nissan alliance in particular. The main focus and case study is the Renault-Nissan alliance but, the researchers also examine the reasons for the failure of the alliance between Volvo-Renault to determine what lessons if any, did Renault learn from this alliance and how these lessons has helped the Renault-Nissan alliance. </p><p>Findings: The research found that coordination at the operational level of the Alliance was achieved through coordination mechanisms. The coordination mechanisms were responsible for coordinating the resources and activities of both companies at the operational level. These mechanisms are the result of deliberate planning, implementation and monitoring to ensure that they function effectively as required. The research also found that the effectiveness of the mechanisms are greatly aided by factors such as trust, mutual respect, managerial commitment, and learning as well as structures such as the Coordination Bureaus, the Alliance Board and the Alliance Steering Committees. These were consequently labelled ‘facilitators’ of the coordination mechanisms. Finally, It was also found that the role of ‘facilitators’ permeates the entire coordination process. On the basis of these findings and the analysis made thereof, the researchers through analytical generalizations concluded that effective and efficient coordination of resources at the operational level leads to successful strategic alliances, which are achieved through planning, implementation, creation and monitoring of coordination mechanisms.</p>

<p>This masters thesis concerns a modeling project performed at Volvo Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden. The main purpose of the project has been to develop a physical model of the climate in construction vehicles that later on can be used in the development of an electronic climate controller. The focus of the work has been on one type of wheel loader and one type of excavator. The temperature inside the compartment has been set equal to the notion climate. </p><p>With physical theories about air flow and heat transfer in respect, relations between the components in the climate unit and the compartment has been calculated. Parameters that has had unknown values has been estimated. The relations have then been implemented in the modeling tool Simulink. </p><p>The validation of the model has been carried out by comparison between measured data and modeled values by calculation of Root Mean Square and correlation. Varying the estimated parameters and identifying the change in the output signal, i.e the temperature of the compartment, have performed a sensitivity analysis. </p><p>The result of the validation has shown that the factor with the greatest influence on the temperature in the vehicle is the airflow through the climate unit and the outlets. Minor changes of airflow have resulted in major changes in temperature. The validation principally shows that the model gives a good estimation of the temperature in the compartment. The static values of the model differs from the values of the measured data but is regarded being as within an acceptable margin of error. The weakness of the model is mainly its predictions of the dynamics, which does not correlate satisfyingly with the data.</p>

<p>The decision of the European Commission to block the merger between Volvo and Scania in the late 90’s became the starting point to the debate of the possible discriminating effects of the European merger regulation. Especially since the Commission a few years earlier had approved of the merger between Mercedes-Benz and Kässbohrer on the German bus market, where the conditions for competition had been similar to those at hand in the Swedish case. The issue that was and still is in focus is whether the European merger regulation is more difficult to pass for large companies situated on a smaller domestic market than is the case for their competitors of corresponding size but situated on a larger domestic market.</p><p>This thesis aims at examining what the judgement of the geographical relevant market means for the application of the Merger act. This is being done from two perspectives. Firstly how the geographical criterion affects large merging companies situated on a relatively small domestic market and secondly how it affects a member state like Sweden, which is so dependent on its large companies. The purpose of this thesis also opens for a discussion of how rigid the merger control can be in an open market economy.</p><p>The company perspective of the purpose is being pursued in two studies of the merger cases Volvo-Scania and Mercedes-Benz/Kässbohrer, being four national champs with differing size of domestic markets. The member state angle considers the smaller state dependence on its large companies and if that dependence itself creates a disadvantage in a merger case. The end of the purpose opens for a common discussion of the legitimacy of merger control in an open market economy. After analysing these aspects the thesis concludes that the geographical criterion makes it impossible for large companies with a relatively small domestic market to merge when a market bears the stamp of brand loyalty. Considering the small member state the conclusion is that the European merger control offers both pros and cons for consumers and that smaller states would be better off with a more producer-oriented merger law. The ending conclusion questions the Merger act as an intervening tool because of its arbitrary aspect depending on which composition the Commission has when a merger is announced.</p>

<p>The accounting information system comprises budgeting, accounting, and costing. The accounting information system has, traditionally, constituted an integrated system where the different elements collaborate. If ABC is introduced this order is disturbed, since ABC is based on another logic which cannot easily be integrated with budget and accounting. ABC, therefore, is usually used parallely to the conventional costing method. There are, however, companies that have taken its ABC one step further by letting it replace the old costing model and integrate it with the accounting information system. Our purpose is to describe how a well-integrated ABC has been designed and analyse its general possibilities to create an integrated ABC and accounting information system. In order to fulfil this purpose we have based our empirics on interviews and internal documents from our case company; a subsidiary to Volvo. In the case we have studied, a high degree of integration has been achieved through a partial adaptation of ABC as well as the remaining components of the accounting information system. The account of overhead revenues has changed from focusing on hours to register based on articles produced. The budget, at a whole, continues unchanged, but some rationalisations in the budget process have been a positive consequence of the adoption of ABC. ABC has been adapted by letting the accounts plan and the cost pool structure remain unchanged and no division based on activities has been realised. The procedure of the studied case can be applicable to other constructing enterprises facing the decision to adopt or integrate ABC to its accounting information system.</p>

<p>Background: The literature concerning M&A has thus far concentrated on the merging companies, and on what kind of effects an acquisition has on these companies. The effects on the involved companies´ (customers and) suppliers have largely been ignored in the M & A literature. </p><p>Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyse how the suppliers relationships to the aquired company are influenced by an acquisition and how the suppliers handle the following situation. Method: The paper has been carried out in the form of a case-study and we have interviewed some suppliers to the automotive industry. </p><p>Results: The full effect on the suppliers relationships to Volvo has not been seen yet, due to the fact that only two years has passed since the acquisition and that the current products have a lifecycle of 3-5 years. A number of changes have been discovered, but we don't consider theese tendencies to be results of the acquisition. However have their penetration strengthens through the acquisition.</p>

<p>En stor utmaning för ett säljföretag i dag är inte bara att identifiera och attrahera en specifik målgrupp. Det bör även skapa sig en bild av hur organisationen bör kommunicera med den presumtiva kunden för att skapa en stadig relation, som i sin tur kan borga för återköp. Situationen som uppstår då en försäljare för första gången interagerar med en kund kallas sanningens ögonblick. Det är vid detta ögonblick som grunden till en hållbar relation mellan säljare och kund förhoppningsvis läggs. Det är av högsta vikt för ett företag att försäljaren är införstådd i det beteende som företaget anser vara korrekt, och på så sätt återspeglar den attityd och kundbild som organisationen har för avsikt att förmedla gentemot kunden. Denna uppsats utreder hurvida event marketing vid samma tillfälle kan fungera som ett intern- och externmarknadsföringsverktyg för att påverka den interna organisationens bild av den presumtiva kunden, samtidigt som den ger kunden en positiv bild av företaget. Detta görs genom en fallstudie av evenemanget Volvo Roadshow.</p>