Time is in control of our everyday life and work life. Time is a valuable resource of which everyone possesses the same amount. In work life, time is important; it rules the workday and the tasks that are being performed. Time is even more significant within the consultancy industry, where worked time and competence is what is being delivered to the customers. Since time is of great importance for consulting firms, time management systems and time reporting become a crucial part of a consultant’s day. IT consulting firms spend lots of time and money on business systems, despite this the area of how time management and performance management are connected is relatively unexplored. This report aims to contribute to an enhanced understanding regarding why consultancy firms work with time management, and how data from time management systems could be used. The study will also investigate how the employees could be motivated to use the time management system in the extent that the managers wish, as well as important requirements on data from the time management system. These questions can together give answer to how time management can be aligned with performance management within an IT consultancy firm. The report is based on 14 interviews performed at five different IT consulting firms in the Stockholm area, a participant observation conducted at one of the participating companies, as well as a literature review. The study was performed during the spring of 2013. The study found that the main reason for IT consultant firms to report time is to gain decision support for invoices and salary payments. Being able to see overtime and flextime is something that is appreciated by the employees. Other identified areas of usage are forecasts and estimates, evaluations and follow-ups, utilization rate calculations, and employee care. Regular follow-ups, preferable weekly, are necessary for motivating the employees to work with time management. It is also important that the time management system is easy to use in order for it to generate relevant decision support. The study shows that to implement a successful time management strategy, the following aspects should be considered: (i) to not measure too much, (ii) to have clear communication and weekly deadlines, (iii) to make it simple, (iv) to create awareness among the employees, and (v) to have a time management system that mutually benefits the managers and the employees.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:kth-124069 |
| Date | January 2013 |
| Creators | Angermund, Emma, Lindqvist, Emma |
| Publisher | KTH, Industriell ekonomi och organisation (Inst.), KTH, Skolan för datavetenskap och kommunikation (CSC) |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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