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Focus on processes contextualised: How QM process tools and practices can support sustainable development
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Science and Technology, Technology, Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8008-7913
Department of Technology Management and Economics, Division of Innovation and R&D Management, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-7292-7217
2024 (English)In: The TQM Journal, ISSN 1754-2731, E-ISSN 1754-274X, Vol. 36, no 9, p. 94-113Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Purpose: Quality management (QM) can support organisations in contributing to sustainable development. As a result of an expanding focus from customers towards stakeholders within QM, the perspectives to consider multiply. Understanding how practices and tools for process management are specifically affected by this increase in perspectives is key to creating the right conditions for improvement initiatives that support sustainable development.

Design/methodology/approach: This paper constructs a typology wherein the use of process management practices and tools is described in nine distinguished system contexts. Inductive discrimination is used to differentiate the system contexts and different use cases for process practices and tools.

Findings: Using the system of systems grid (SOSG), mainstream business process management (BPM) practices are positioned in a simple unitary context, whilst sustainability challenges also involve more complex contexts. Addressing these challenges requires integrating new tools and methods from paradigms outside of traditional functionalist business process management practices.

Research limitations/implications: This paper highlights the necessity to consider system contexts when developing feasible practices and tools for effective process management.

Practical implications: Practical implications are that quality practitioners aiming to exploit the potential in process management to support sustainability get support for planning and conducting process improvement initiatives aiming to consider several stakeholder perspectives.

Originality/value: This paper presents a new typology for understanding the context of QM process initiatives and BPM in light of a contemporary sustainability focus.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2024. Vol. 36, no 9, p. 94-113
Keywords [en]
Quality Management, Processes, Stakeholder Focus, System of systems, Sustainability, Quality, Sustainable development
National Category
Civil Engineering
Research subject
Quality Technology and Management (HGO); Engineering Science with specialization in Civil Engineering and Built Environment; Engineering Science with specialization in industrial engineering and management
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-537914DOI: 10.1108/tqm-11-2023-0378ISI: 001222341700001OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-537914DiVA, id: diva2:1895645
Available from: 2024-09-06 Created: 2024-09-06 Last updated: 2024-09-18Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Understanding and Leading Sustainable Development: Shifting to Stakeholder Focus in Sustainable Housing
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Understanding and Leading Sustainable Development: Shifting to Stakeholder Focus in Sustainable Housing
2024 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

The systematic degradation of social and ecological systems’ ability to support human well-being is causing existential threats, this demands society to undergo a radical transition. Examples of these demands include biodiversity loss, climate change, inequality, and a decline in trust, highlighting the urgent need to adopt practices for sustainable development. This thesis explores the organisational process of Leading sustainable development.

The work starts with a linear logic where the Leading process is related to a chain starting with Understanding, Defining, Measuring, Communicating and ending with Leading sustainable development. The logic is used to conduct maturity assessments in the value chain for building in Sweden and globally where the results are used to indicate that there is a lack of understanding sustainability and sustainable development. With these empirical results research results, insights and theories are combined in a conceptual development using both abductive and retroductive inferences to describe the relation between the processes Understanding, Defining, Measuring, Communicating and Leading.

The conceptual development results in a new model – the LUnDeMeCo model which underlying mechanisms are described from a critical realist perspective. The conceptual development is positioned in the sub-theme of Quality Management research which suggests further integration between quality thinking and system thinking. The proposed goal of this theme in Quality Management is contributing to sustainable development through a shift from customer focus to stakeholder focus. Further results are derived through relating the shift from customer focus to stakeholder focus to the underlying system contexts and is informed by second-order critique guided by Critical Systems Thinking.

Main result is the proposed LUnDeMeCo model and the related system methodologies, in the form of principles, practices, and tools, which are context dependent. Where the context is related to a typology of sustainability challenges developed in one of the appended papers, and the System of System Methodologies grid used in Critical Systems Thinking.

The results contribute to the field of Quality Management where there is ambitions to support sustainable development, but confusion about the implications from the shift from customer focus to stakeholder focus. Results also contribute to organisations looking to engage in Leading sustainable development in understanding how different principles, practices and tools can support their organisational capabilities for Leading, Understanding, Defining, Measuring and Communicating.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Uppsala: Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, 2024. p. 126
Series
Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology, ISSN 1651-6214 ; 2452
Keywords
Sustainable Housing, Quality Management, Systems Thinking, Strategic Visions, Sustainable Development
National Category
Other Engineering and Technologies
Research subject
Engineering Science with specialization in Civil Engineering and Built Environment
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-538600 (URN)978-91-513-2236-0 (ISBN)
Public defence
2024-11-06, B51, Uppsala universitet - Campus Gotland, Cramérgatan 3, Visby, 10:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2024-10-16 Created: 2024-09-18 Last updated: 2024-10-16

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Rosvall, Max

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