Low operation equipment efficiency, OEE, in manufacturing industry indicates a potential for improvements by reducing production disturbances during the life cycle of a production system. Here, the question of preventing and handling production disturbances in the production system during its design, start-up, ramp-up and full production phases is concerned. It requires measurement of performance, and utilisation of process data and information of production disturbances appearing during the different life cycle phases. It also requires a focus on eliminating production disturbances already during the production system design process. The objective of the research project presented in this paper is to develop a methodology for analysing and dealing with production disturbances on both a short-term and long-term basis, including also the utilisation of software support. The ongoing development of the methodology is based on, and will be applied in extensive case studies at Swedish manufacturing companies. Keywords Production efficiency, effectiveness, production disturbances, production system, life-cycle perspective, methodology development.

The aim of this paper is to describe and reflect on an interactive research approach used to address the challenges on how to improve product introductions, the part of the product realization process associated with the transfer of a product from product development to serial production. In the interactive research approach, research results as well as improvement of practice are given equal importance. The collaboration between researchers and practitioners therefore addresses both the focus and the process of the change. The approach includes four main iterative steps: 1) mapping/diagnosis, 2) feedback of results, 3) participation in development activities, and 4) follow-up/evaluation. The paper reports findings from interactive research in one company within office product industry and one company group, consisting of three company units within the engine industry. Preliminary findings indicate that the participating companies afterwards work in a more structured way with product introductions and that the employees have gained deeper knowledge about product introductions as well as experienced the advantages of working across functional boundaries. Furthermore, the interactive research approach is suitable to run projects from an ergonomics perspective as it focuses on developing both practice and theory, it is human-centered, and it emphasizes broad participation from practitioners. © 2012 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved.

The objective of this paper is to highlight vertical information transfer in relation to operator involvement in development work and to analyze the information channels utilized. A special focus is put on product, production, organisation and information system development. Data were collected in 14 Swedish companies through interviews with operators, production support, and production management. The study indicated a need of strategies for vertical information distribution. Verbal information channels are mostly used. However, formalized information transfer is needed to better utilize the operators’ knowledge and experience for development work as well as to provide personnel with relevant knowledge required for their work. Information flow may be simplified through IT-systems, intranet, documents and instructions, but it implies strong support from management and adapted working methods.

The objective of the paper is to analyze how a product introduction involving Swedish-Chinese collaboration was influenced by human, technological and organizational aspects. The study showed that technical challenges concerned the infrastructure for communication and quality issues; organizational challenges concerned the new project model and updating drawing versions; and human related challenges included cultural differences and communication. The product introduction was highly challenging by crossing earlier boundaries in the human, technical, and organizational subsystems. Strong work demands were placed on the individuals while offering great opportunities for individual learning. Concurrent development of a new project model resulted in organizational learning.

This case based research addresses knowledge transfer when employees change positions or roles during planned changes within manufacturing. The studies demonstrate that these changes are common. Knowledge needed to transfer includes technical, human and organizational issues. Furthermore, there is a need to transfer knowledge during formal changes of position as well as temporary changes of roles. Organizational structures for knowledge transfer must therefore be developed for transfer of explicit and implicit knowledge in formal and informal settings. This may be achieved through a combination of codified explicit knowledge, organized networks and by creating opportunities for learning from work in practice.

The aim of this paper is to describe and reflect on the development of the Swedish network AFoU (Workplace related R&D for sustainable working life). The overall goal with the network AFoU is to strengthen research contributing to sustainable working life, research that makes significant improvements, and future organizations characterized by competitiveness, quality and renewal through good working conditions. AFoU was started in 2015 and it consists of researchers from different disciplines, practitioners and representatives for unions and employer organizations. The network strives to combine high-quality research with practical use. This is achieved through collaboration between different stakeholders and across disciplines, thereby co-creating new knowledge that is needed to meet current and future demands.

The aim of this article is to explore improvisational handling of critical work practices during the COVID-19 pandemic and interpret these practices from a learning perspective. Based on an interview study with representatives of private, public and intermediary organisations, the study identified three different types of improvisational handling as responses to the pandemic crisis involving ‘scaling up’ and ‘scaling down’ critical work practices. By ‘scaling up’ and ‘scaling down’, we refer to practices for which, due to the pandemic, it has been imperative to urgently scale up an existing operational process or develop a new process, and alternatively extensively scale down or cease an existing process. The types of improvisational handling differed depending on the discretion of involved actors in terms of the extent to which the tasks, methods and/or results were given beforehand. These types of improvisational handling resulted in temporary solutions that may become permanent after the pandemic. The framework and model proposed in the article can be used as a tool to analyse and learn from the changes in work practices that have been set in motion during the pandemic. Such learning may improve the ability to cope with future extensive crises and other rapid change situations. © The Author(s) 2022.

The objective of this case study is to gain deeper insights in how cultural aspects influence a product introduction with product development carried out in Sweden and industrialization in China. Data were collected through semi-structured individual and group interviews and workshops. The study showed that the companies faced a number of challenges during the product introduction, such as problems with the product design, updating versions of drawings, infrastructure for communication, and quality issues. There were, however, a number of issues that were directly or indirectly influenced by cultural aspects and lack of understanding about cultural differences. Challenges included interpersonal communication related to language barriers and differences in degree of direct communication of needs, demands and own capabilities. Based on literature on cultural dimensions and actual challenges during a specific product introduction when two national cultures interact/collaborate, this paper results in an initial approach for further model development and research on how to link cultural dimensions to product development models in a systematic and prioritized way. This is needed to develop organizational support to increase knowledge of cultural strengths and differences, how to manage these issues and further facilitate organizational learning for increased efficiency of product introductions.

Research regarding production start-ups hasincreased in interest during the last decades.However, there is still a need to learn more aboutsuitable research approaches in production startupsas the research need to be carried out in achallenging environment, where industrialpractitioners often have time-pressure, handlingevents and uncertainties related to both the productand the production system. This paper is based ona meta-analysis of four research projectsaddressing production start-ups including activitiesbefore, during and after the start-ups. Focus of thepaper is on how an interactive research approachcan be implemented to achieve learning andchange among individual practitioners, at grouplevel and at organizational level. The findings ofthe paper may contribute to increasedunderstanding of interactive research in dynamicprocesses and contribute to the development ofresearch on production start-ups.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to reflect on interactive research as a means to create relevant knowledge in the domain of operations management in general and specifically in the context of production start-up. Design/methodology/approach: The reflection on the use of interactive research in production start-ups was based on a study of two completed interactive research projects. The lens for reflection was a framework including context, quality of relationship, quality of the research process itself and outcomes. Findings: The context was industrial manufacturing companies in Sweden, with different kind of challenges related to production start-ups, such as collaboration between involved functions and suppliers, competence development and work routines. Indicators of the quality of relationship between researchers and practitioners were initiated development activities and new collaboration between functions, within the company, between companies and in supply chains. The reflection of the quality of the research process itself was based on an interactive research process including four iterative steps with regular follow-ups allowing joint practitioner and researcher reflection on the progress. Identified outcomes included increased awareness and competence on how to deal with production start-ups, improvements of communication, work procedures and structures, better use of competences, increased cross-functional dialogue and cultural understanding. Practical implications: Implications for practitioners are the possibilities for knowledge creation through interactive collaboration in research projects enabling exchange between researchers from complementary fields and other companies dealing with production start-ups. Originality/value: The interactive research approach enables joint knowledge creation in a fast-changing context such as production start-ups as well as value-adding results both for practitioners in industry and for academia. 

Empirical findings from the automotive industry demonstrate that knowledge gained during a product introduction is mainly related to work procedures, personnel resources, education and training, verification, and responsibilities. However, this is to a large extent individually based. Examples of means to make this knowledge accessible to others include integrated work procedures and networking when knowledge is developed in a person-to-person situation as well codification of some knowledge. This is achieved through allocation of personnel resources and emphasis on organizational learning on the company agenda as well as in design of work procedures, which are management tasks and responsibilities.

Information is a vital resource in development activities of any business. These systems also play a very important role in the knowledge sharing of an organisation. In order to properly bridge over from the information system to the organisation system, the transformation process from data, via information, to knowledge becomes important to understand. A challenge is to create appropriate conditions in both the organization system and in the information system enhancing knowledge sharing among employees, and promote organizational learning. This paper will analyse an industrial example of weekly planning meetings for preventative maintenance, this will be illustrated in the OS-M-IS model i.e. were the information sharing exist in a current situation (whiteboards). A future situation of the same case will be tested and evaluated in a lab environment (with SMART boards and iObeya) as a first step.

This paper aims to describe how to create and structure a meeting arena bycombining organisation structure and information structure; this will be used in orderto create an innovative and creative arena for knowledge sharing and problemsolving within the company. The model is exemplified by four industrial casestudies.Results reveal that most of the companies do not have any standards forinformation- or knowledge sharing, most improvement potentials are seen instructuring and storing the right information (IS), aiming from tacit towards explicitknowledge (OS) and this could be done by structuring the questions in the OS-M-ISmodel and by creating innovative and creative meeting arenas.

Purpose - This paper seeks to identify information enabling and supporting production ramp-up processes, by exploring critical events and the role of information in such events. Design/methodology/approach - The research approach was based on empirical and theoretical investigations. A selection of 30 events, considered the most critical for production ramp-up realization and/or performance at one Swedish automotive company, were categorized and constituted the base for the analysis which focused information types and sources enabling event handling. Findings - Information enabling event handling is a balanced combination of problem and domain information, regardless of event category. However, a differentiation concerning preference and usage of information types between experienced and less experienced personnel is identified. Problem-solving information has the character of pragmatic information, composed of complementary parts of confirmation and novelty in terms of domain and problem information. The preferred information source in all event categories was "other people". Research limitations/implications - The study focuses on the application of information in relation to critical events during production ramp-up. General information theory is not addressed in depth. Practical implications - Information type and information source are not dependent on certain event categories, which allows a general information strategy enabling production ramp-up. To facilitate production ramp-up and event handling managers and key personnel need to apply a holistic perspective and need to be updated on domain information of the products, the equipment, and the production process during production ramp-up. Originality/value - The originality is in the focus and role of information to achieve an efficient production ramp-up performance. A supporting model is developed which describes the structure of pragmatic information for personnel with various levels of experience, regardless of event category. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Mass customisation increases the number of product variants, shortens product cycles, and results in increasingly complex production systems. The complexity needs to be defined, and further operationalized to support management of production complexity. This paper's contribution is the empirical findings of perceived production complexity at three manufacturing companies, from the perspective of different functions/roles within the production systems; production engineers, operative personnel, internal logistics, and in one company also man-hour planning. Data was collected through observations, interviews, and cross-functional workshops. Results show that mass customisation is the greatest driver and cause of complexity. The increase of product variants affects complexity for all three investigated roles in the production system.

Mass customisation increases the number of product variants, shortens product cycles, and results in increasingly complex production systems. The complexity needs to be defined, and further operationalized to support management of production complexity. This paper's contribution is the empirical findings of perceived production complexity at three manufacturing companies, from the perspective of different functions/roles within the production systems; production engineers, operative personnel, internal logistics, and in one company also man-hour planning. Data was collected through observations, interviews, and cross-functional workshops. Results show that mass customisation is the greatest driver and cause of complexity. The increase of product variants affects complexity for all three investigated roles in the production system.

Mass customization and more variants, components, and frequent changes increase production complexity. This paper presents research project aimed at developing a feasible definition of complexity, a method for measuring complexity, which supports line rebalancing, man-hour planning, and complexity management, competence, and information support. The project is done in collaboration between Swerea IVF, Chalmers, Volvo Cars, Electrolux, Stoneridge, Electronics, and AB Volvo. Industrial studies were carried out to understand the needs for handling complexity. In parallel, a literature study was conducted over research on definitions, models and methods for complexity. In literature, complexity is commonly modelled by information and entropy of the system (randomness); and categorized into static/dynamic and subjective/objective. The research further concludes: unknown events increase with complexity, making management of uncertainty increasingly important, not only reducing but also coping with complexities; the role of humans and technology in work systems is crucial for coping with uncertainties; complexity models and methods must be easy to understand and use; and must take a holistic view of production; and include different user’s perspective and the subjective complexity.

A unique greenfield project within a new industrial domain in Europe started 2017, with a mission to build the world’s greenest batteries, to enable and accelerate the European transition to renewable energy. The new firm, together with Sweden’s Innovation Agency Vinnova, initiated collaboration in the project “Research – new state-of-the-art factory”, (VDr. 2017-03397). This report includes an executive summary and an extract of results. The research project specifically contributed to the initiation and knowledge related to the union collaboration process, aiming to support the establishment of a new state-of-the-art factory in a Swedish context. Relevant results identified during the start-up journey will serve as a contextual base and be used in agreement with the start-up firm in planned publications, i.e. they are not included in detail in this report. Furthermore, areas of development regarding concepts for work organization in the initial production organization have been identified, and initiated actions during the study contributing to operational work processes, and organizational learning.

Automated manufacturing and assembly systems pile upon the operator enormous amounts of information which must be quickly sorted out. It is important that the operator is furnished with the right decision support at the right time, by means of a well-considered execution of the human – machine interface, adapted to human requirements. This paper suggests a further development of the TEAM methodology with focus on maintenance and disturbance-handling. The aim is to improve the human – machine interface when redesigning or designing automated manufacturing systems by integrating end-user experience of disturbance-handling. The recommended approach is based on two methodologies: the TEAM methodology and the Human – Machine Analysis. Together they include maintenance operators’ information requirements, communication patterns, work task evaluation, information sources, disturbance-handling (especially in production change-over situations), etc. A pilot application of the methods at an automated assembly line for car bodies is described.

Operators' competence and capabilities are important disturbance abatement factors to achieve manufacturing system robustness. Empirical studies carried out at 14 manufacturing companies included a comparison of different actors' opinion of operator work tasks, competence requirements, and in what sense operator contribution is crucial in development work. The results indicate several contradictions between different actors e.g. that continuous competence development is needed, especially within production scheduling, but that it has low priority due to high production pressure, temporary personnel etc. Several benefits for operator contribution in development work is identified. However, a major hindrance is lack of strategies in how to involve operators in a manufacturing dynamic situation.

Manufacturing systems are increasingly subject to changes. Information and knowledge are therefore essential for the ability to predict potential problems. Results are presented from 16 companies with focus on how production requirements, as perceived from production personnel´s perspective, are considered when changes are planned and realized. A gap between production and information system development is identified according to less competence and authority within the latter area. To improve preparedness, information access in a structured but rapid way, not always dependent on individuals or formalized meetings, is desired. Even though there are advantages with formalized information transfer through e.g. structured work procedures, it is not obvious that user requirements in production are fulfilled. This indicates a need of further research on efficient information system strategies regarding the degree of formal and/or informal information transfer.

This paper seeks to identify critical events and factors that facilitate realization of changes in production. Major planned changes were studied in two industrial cases. The results showed a large number of unpredicted critical events which require development of strategies for both minimizing and coping with uncertainties. The most important facilitators for realization of planned changes in production were related to organizational and human aspects, and to a lower degree technology aspects. In the transition from the preparation phase to the implementation phase of the planned change, factors related to organizational aspects dominated, while factors related to human aspects had increased significance for the overall realization.

Industry is facing global competition and high demands on flexibility, customer adaptation, fast product realization, and rapid industrialization. Consequently, there is a significant pressure on manufacturing systems which requires increasing skill and competence at many levels in the company. This also requires organizations with high involvement of different actors in manufacturing development, why assessment of operator involvement is needed. An issue of growing importance is what strategy Swedish manufacturing industry should develop for the future. In this paper a methodology is presented including an approach for investigating how knowledge-intensive manufacturing can be described, identified and facilitated in 14 Swedish companies. Furthermore, the methodology includes investigation of operator involvement within product, production, organization, and information system development. As this is an ongoing project, the paper presents preliminary results from individual company analyses. However, conceivable results from the proposed approach include characteristics of companies with a great deal of operator involvement in development work, descriptions of implications for operator involvement, the need and use of information as facilitator for development, as well as hindrances and prerequisites for development. Finally, the project can be expected to result in a deeper understanding of how to identify and facilitate development work, in which the manufacturing system operator is well integrated.

New firms face challenges regarding pace, time, scalability, and societal changes, requiring increased attention to sustainable work prerequisites. However, this dimension of social sustainability is less studied than economic and ecological sustainability. This paper addresses how sustainable work is considered in an entrepreneurial startup carrying out a greenfield project within a new industrial domain. Data were collected for 30 months in a longitudinal case study. The study shows that (i) working condition challenges were drivers for innovative solution-oriented approaches with potential for rapid decision-making, flexibility, and to attract, recruit, retain, and develop talented people; (ii) a strategic focus on sustainability and collective contribution to a purpose-driven vision were important enablers for taking steps of operationalising sustainable work dimensions during the startup; and (iii) the firm’s early stakeholder collaboration addressing working conditions was an important means for design for sustainable work and their role as agents of sustainable work. Research implications are how sustainable work can be considered during startups and through stakeholder collaboration. Furthermore, the case contributes to increased knowledge of how the three pillars of sustainability—economic, ecological, and social sustainability—are interrelated and are suggested to be continuously considered over time, specifically during rapid major changes.

External stakeholder collaboration is vital for new industrial projects and establishments. The aim of this paper is to explore why and how new firms can create relations and stakeholder collaboration with trade unions during industrial start-ups. A case study was carried out in the early phases of a new firm´s major greenfield project aimed at establishing a new industrial domain in a Nordic context. The results showed that early co-operation between a new firm and trade unions has the potential to proactively address prerequisites for sustainable work in design phases of new factories, but also to strengthen the attention to other dimensions of social sustainability that are crucial for an industrial start-up’s longterm possibilities for success. However, specifically in a rapidly growing new firm, there needs to be a systematic approach that incorporates continuous anchoring activities both within and between the stakeholders. Practical implications are how new firms can initiate and establish co-operation with trade unions and other social partners in fast-moving work environments and change processes. Hence, the study identifies advantages and approaches for new firms to build relations  with trade unions in a stakeholder collaboration chain inspired by the Nordic model. Further, to proactively pay attention to dimensions of social sustainability in a new firm´s early development phases and change processes, such as industrial start-ups, seems beneficial from an individual, business, and a societal perspective.

Assessment approaches in manufacturing companies has the potential of providing improvement potential issues. The purpose of this paper is to investigate potentials of an initial assessment approach of meetings in production. The assessment approach is based on a model regarding organization and information system structures, tested and validated in an industrial company in Sweden. Results show that the assessment approach could be used in order to evaluate what area to improve and what the company are strong within. The assessment approach also implies if the company are information-oriented or more organizational-oriented in their approach when creating meeting arenas. This could be used in future meeting strategies to improve the flexibility and value of the meetings. In further research, the next step is to develop, test, and validate a process for continuous improvement of meetings, as well as to apply the model for development of organization and information system structures in new scenarios such as ‘Personnel changes of positions and roles’, ‘Training and workplace learning’, and ‘Automation/digitalization’.

New technology may contribute to several advantages, but shop-floor requirements need to be considered to achieve expected benefits. Results are based on an industrial study, where new machinery was implemented. Identified critical aspects include transfer of new knowledge related to the modified production system, scenario building, and situation awareness both within and outside the company. These critical aspects may also be relevant during planned changeovers between different levels of automation. An initial model is proposed, describing effects of varying the levels of automation and the potential of automation if critical aspects are sufficiently regarded.

Det finns en övertygelse om att sättet som vi utvecklar industriarbetet på ger fördelar och konkurrensfördelar som inte går lätt att kopiera! Denna skrift visar hur några av de bästa företagen i Sverige utvecklar industriarbetet för att stärka sin konkurrenskraft och produktion i Sverige. Här är produktion och produktivitet i fokus som samtidigt skapar bra förutsättningar för individen och erbjuder ett attraktivt långsiktigt hållbart arbete. I en grundbild beskrivs gemensamma kvaliteter som företagen eftersträvar att stärka och vidareutveckla. Skriften ger inspiration för att ta fram en gemensam målbild inom det egna företaget för utveckling av industriarbetet som har förutsättningar att skapa fördelar både för företaget och medarbetare. Den innehåller också ett workshopunderlag för att analysera nuläget (bra initiativ, aktuella utmaningar, företagets egna styrkor), för att identifiera och prioritera aktiviteter och ta fram ett underlag till en handlingsplan. Skriften bygger på erfarenheter från  SKF, Scania CV, Alfa Laval Lund, SSAB EMEA, Atlas Copco Secoroc, Skaraverken, Furhoffs Rostfria, Westbaltic Components, Volvo Personvagnar och forskare från olika forskningsfält i Sverige. Studien och denna skrift har genomförts på uppdrag av IF Metall, Teknikföretagen, Swerea IVFs Intressentförening och Vinnova.

För att svara upp mot utmaningarna inom det organisatoriska och sociala arbetsmiljöområdet och främja ett hållbart arbetsliv har Scania utvecklat dialogverktyget Work Balance. Det är forskningsbaserat och avser ge stöd och struktur åt chefer att föra djupare och regelbunden dialog med medarbetare kring upplevelser av arbetssituationer. Dialogen är strukturerad inom de fyra ämnesområdena Hanterbarhet, Begriplighet, Meningsfullhet och Återhämtning, och avses användas på frivillig basis i grupp eller individuellt. HELIX har i samarbete med Scania genomfört en lärande utvärdering av Work Balance. Syftet med denna utvärdering var att identifiera möjliggörare och hinder för användningen av Work Balance samt att ta fram förbättringsförslag som underlag för Scanias vidareutveckling av dialogverktyget. HELIX-forskare intervjuade 44 medarbetare, första och andra linjens chefer ur produktions- och kontorsmiljö, från sex produktionsenheter i fyra länder. Dessa använde eller hade valt att inte använda dialogverktyget. Resultaten visar en över lag positiv syn på Work Balance, på frivilligheten i användningen, relevansen, anpassningsbarheten, flexibiliteten och det varierade användningssättet. Men vid en produktionsenhet där verktyget inte fungerat som önskat har användningen avbrutits. Implementeringen varierade avseende tydlighet i information och träning i verktyget. Användningsförutsättningarna varierade kraftigt beroende på tidigare erfarenheter, kultur och mognad hos team och chefer att vara öppna och sätta ord på känslor. Användningen varierade även mellan produktionsenheter. Vid regelbunden användning var man mycket nöjd, men andra som inte sett nyttan hade slutat använda Work Balance. I produktion var teamen större, tiden mer begränsad, språk och frågor kändes mer abstrakta och användningen upplevdes svårare än i kontor. Högre chefers efterfrågan av användning tenderade ge en mer uthållig användning. Upplevda effekter var; öppnare klimat, bättre kommunikation, ökat samförstånd och tidigare identifiering av problem. Många trodde på en indirekt positiv koppling mellan Work Balance och nyckeltal. En enklare version av Work Balance efterfrågades, men också bättre hantering av identifierade problem, där mer stöd och utbildning till chefer och team behövs. En väl utvecklad förbättringskultur torde vara en bra grund för en utvecklad dialog där Work Balance kopplas till andra verktyg eller metoder som används i teamets kärnprocesser.

In order to respond to the challenges in the organisational and social work environment area and to promote a sustainable working life, Scania has developed the dialogue tool called Work Balance (WB) It is research-based and intended to provide support and structure for managers to maintain an in-depth and regular dialogue with employees about their experiences of work situations. The dialogue is structured using four elements – Manageability, Comprehensibility, Meaningfulness and Recovery – and is intended to be used on a voluntary basis in groups or individually. In cooperation with Scania, HELIX has conducted a learning evaluation for Work Balance. The purpose of this learning evaluation was to identify enablers and obstacles to the use of Work Balance and to produce improvement proposals as a basis for Scania’s further development of the dialogue tool. HELIX researchers interviewed 44 employees, first- and second-line managers from production and office environments, from six production units in four countries. These employees used or had chosen not to use the dialogue tool. The results show an overall positive view of Work Balance, of the voluntary use, relevance, adaptability, flexibility and the varied mode of application. However, its use has been discontinued at one production unit where the tool did not work as desired. The implementation varied in terms of clarity of information and training in the tool. The conditions of use varied greatly depending on previous experience, culture and maturity of teams and managers in terms of being open and putting feelings into words. Use also varied between production units. Those who used it regularly were very satisfied, while others who did not see the benefit stopped using Work Balance. In production, the teams were larger, time was more limited, language and questions felt more abstract, and use was perceived as more difficult than in an office environment. Senior managers requesting that it be used tended to result in more sustained use. Perceived effects were: a more open atmosphere, better communication, increased consensus and earlier identification of problems. Many believed in an indirect positive link between Work Balance and key performance indicators. A simpler version of Work Balance was requested, but also better handling of identified problems, where more support and training for managers and teams are needed. A well-developed culture of improvement should be a good basis for a developed dialogue where Work Balance is linked to other tools or methods used in the team’s core processes.

Errors and production disturbances in advanced manufacturing systems (AMS) can result in large production losses, deteriorated quality, and lower safety. As disturbance handling is of increasing importance in AMS, the aim of this paper is to identify problem areas related to the involvement of different actors in disturbance handling. Results from a case study at an automated car-body assembly manufacturer point out unstructured work procedures, limitations in IT-support tools, lack of co-operation between personnel, etc. In disturbance handling, it is found that the operator has an increasingly important role and needs continuous training and support to be able to up-date the situation awareness and to efficiently co-ordinate with specialised trouble-shooters. Also, strategies for IT support are necessary as the dynamic features require user-adapted information and co-ordinated IT-support tools.

Robustness is a feature that concerns the ability of a system to adapt to changing conditions while being robust in its performance with respect to disturbances. However, several industrial studies show that advanced manufacturing systems become vulnerable to various types of production disturbances. This paper contributes to the understanding of production disturbance handling on operative level as a basis for the development of a methodology for analysing and production disturbance handling from a holistic perspective. A present state analysis has been carried out at an automated engine plant. Results indicate a need of consistency related to production disturbances, e.g. how they are classified, measured and followed up, as it forms the basis for the efficiency measurements and for the key values that are aimed to promote improvement work.

Discrete-event simulation improves the possibility to study manufacturing systems. The use is increasing compared to previous studies and 15% of 80 companies investigated are using the tool and of these four companies extensively. The main advantage according to the survey beside the visualization part is that the knowledge about a system is investigated and documented. Other benefits can be basis for new investments and improvements of existing manufacturing lines. Of the companies that have adopted the technology, 79% answered that discrete-event simulation facilitates the decision-making process. Finally, the findings indicate that the potential of the software would be further increased if combined with adequate production improvement techniques to increase overall efficiency of a manufacturing system. Key words: Discrete-event simulation; survey; manufacturing industry

When system designers, developers, and programmers shape human – machine interfaces in automated manufacturing systems (AMS), they will to a large extent define working conditions for future operators. To be able to shape systems in such a way that both human and technical resources are combined and used in an optimal way, a thorough understanding of the balance between technical and human aspects is needed. This paper suggests that continuous present-state analyses together with scenario development is an approach to integrate human aspects continuously in the development process. Three case studies that focus on detecting and solveing existing problems as well as forseeing and preventing problems in new and redesigned systems are described. Results show that dynamic AMSs require procedures and support systems also for interventions, not only for the normal production, as these activities become more and more frequent. Both in terms of troubleshooting and maintenance and in terms of information to all involved when changes are taking place. The results also indicate that the suggested approach is useful for the difficult goal.

Aim: The aim of the current study was to investigate the impact of servant leadership dimensions on leader-member exchange (LMX) among health-care professionals. Background: Leadership support and the quality of the dyadic relationship between the leader and the employee are essential regarding the work environment and turnover intentions in health care. Method: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was undertaken at four hospital units in Sweden. The study sample included 240 employees. Results: Significant bivariate correlations were found between all servant leadership dimensions and LMX. The strongest correlations were found between 'humility' and LMX (r = 0.69, P < 0.001), and 'empowerment' and LMX (r = 0.67, P < 0.001). The hierarchical regression analyses indicated that 'empowerment', 'humility' and 'stewardship' explained about 55% of the variance in LMX. Conclusion: In our study servant leadership dimensions were strongly related to LMX. Implications for nursing management: The results identify specific servant leadership dimensions that are likely to be useful for developing a stronger exchange relationship between the leader (e.g. nursing manager) and individual subordinates in health care.

Aim: The study aims to examine the associations between leader–member exchange (LMX) and psychosocial factors at work.

Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was undertaken at four units in two not-for-profit hospitals in southwestern Sweden. The study sample included 240 employees.

Results: Significant correlations were found between LMX items and most of the psychosocial domains and dimensions. The strongest correlations were found between the LMX item affect and rewards/recognition, role clarity and predictability, and the LMX item loyalty and rewards/recognition. In sum, high-quality LMX was associated with good psychosocial work conditions experienced by the employees.

Conclusions: The results support possible ways for managers and employees to strengthen their relationships and this may in turn lead to more sustainable systems in health care.

Many organisations use daily meetings, whiteboards and an information system for employee intra-communication. While Operation Management research is often management centred, Human Centred Design, instead, takes a user’s perspective. This research aims to reflect upon and describe a method, applied in practice in a double case study within manufacturing, on how to (re-)design meetings and visual management boards, and what type of information and key performance indicators are most relevant for the personnel. The paper proposes a lean Kata-improvement inspired design method, which takes the personnel’s perspective on design of daily visual management. © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.