E. Dessers, S. Dhondt, M. Ramioul, J. Schutter, L. Pintelon, Wilm Decré, Wouter Van Bockhaven, Wim Coreynen, M. D. Looze, G. Hootegem
The manufacturing industry is increasingly regarded as an essential ingredient of an ecosystem of production of goods and services. Key enabling technologies are considered to be the motors behind the ongoing digital transformation of industry. Given that there are still a number of open questions that need to be addressed in order to develop successful strategies for further implementation of these technologies, and to understand how workplace innovation plays a role in the digital transformation of industry, this paper seeks to design a comprehensive research approach and explains how this approach is applied in the PARADIGMS 4.0 research project on the digital transformation of industry in the region of Flanders, Belgium. Based on the identification of current knowledge gaps, research questions are defined on the topics of technology and work organisation, skills and participation, organisational and regional strategies, and labour market impact. A multi-level, multi-disciplinary, multi-method and multi-stakeholder research design was developed in order to study these topics in an integrated way. While this innovative comprehensiveness is seen as a major strength, it is acknowledged that the research design comes with certain risks that need to be tackled.
{"title":"Towards a Multidisciplinary Research Framework for studying the Digital Transformation of Industry","authors":"E. Dessers, S. Dhondt, M. Ramioul, J. Schutter, L. Pintelon, Wilm Decré, Wouter Van Bockhaven, Wim Coreynen, M. D. Looze, G. Hootegem","doi":"10.46364/EJWI.V5I1.523","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46364/EJWI.V5I1.523","url":null,"abstract":"The manufacturing industry is increasingly regarded as an essential ingredient of an ecosystem of production of goods and services. Key enabling technologies are considered to be the motors behind the ongoing digital transformation of industry. Given that there are still a number of open questions that need to be addressed in order to develop successful strategies for further implementation of these technologies, and to understand how workplace innovation plays a role in the digital transformation of industry, this paper seeks to design a comprehensive research approach and explains how this approach is applied in the PARADIGMS 4.0 research project on the digital transformation of industry in the region of Flanders, Belgium. Based on the identification of current knowledge gaps, research questions are defined on the topics of technology and work organisation, skills and participation, organisational and regional strategies, and labour market impact. A multi-level, multi-disciplinary, multi-method and multi-stakeholder research design was developed in order to study these topics in an integrated way. While this innovative comprehensiveness is seen as a major strength, it is acknowledged that the research design comes with certain risks that need to be tackled.","PeriodicalId":115904,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Workplace Innovation","volume":"230 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127551501","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The claim of advancing the use of Personal Learning Environments arose from the ideas of an ongoing learning process which lasts throughout a lifetime and informal learning being a meaningful part of the development of an individual’s expertise. In order to develop expertise, the following steps are necessary: first, one must explore the competences related to the profession; second, one must discover what these competencies and skills involve; and third, one must reflect on how to master the techniques involved. In addition to this kind of individual process, it is also important nowadays to acknowledge that demonstrating that one has achieved the necessary competences is important information for many audiences, such as workplaces, networks and employers. Nowadays, the most effective way to show one’s competence to a wider audience, as well as to review one’s skills oneself, is to create a digital record or portfolio (an ePortfolio). However, making an individual’s competence transparent in a digital format has proven complicated. This study focuses on exploring vocational student teachers’ competence through their ePortfolios, mainly using a theoretical framework of the pedagogical infrastructure design. The study reveals that there is a lot of variation in the quality of ePortfolios and therefore more scaffolding is needed to support student teachers in making their teacher competence visible through ePortfolios. The study advocates both creating a workspace ePortfolio as well as making competence transparent through a showcase ePortfolio.
{"title":"Identifying vocational student teachers’ competence using an ePortfolio","authors":"A. Korhonen, M. Lakkala, M. Veermans","doi":"10.46364/EJWI.V5I1.512","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46364/EJWI.V5I1.512","url":null,"abstract":"The claim of advancing the use of Personal Learning Environments arose from the ideas of an ongoing learning process which lasts throughout a lifetime and informal learning being a meaningful part of the development of an individual’s expertise. In order to develop expertise, the following steps are necessary: first, one must explore the competences related to the profession; second, one must discover what these competencies and skills involve; and third, one must reflect on how to master the techniques involved. In addition to this kind of individual process, it is also important nowadays to acknowledge that demonstrating that one has achieved the necessary competences is important information for many audiences, such as workplaces, networks and employers. Nowadays, the most effective way to show one’s competence to a wider audience, as well as to review one’s skills oneself, is to create a digital record or portfolio (an ePortfolio). However, making an individual’s competence transparent in a digital format has proven complicated. This study focuses on exploring vocational student teachers’ competence through their ePortfolios, mainly using a theoretical framework of the pedagogical infrastructure design. The study reveals that there is a lot of variation in the quality of ePortfolios and therefore more scaffolding is needed to support student teachers in making their teacher competence visible through ePortfolios. The study advocates both creating a workspace ePortfolio as well as making competence transparent through a showcase ePortfolio.","PeriodicalId":115904,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Workplace Innovation","volume":"11 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130899671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Universities have three essential functions. One is educational and other is about generating knowledge and technology. The last one is related to the bridge between the theory and practice that is being practically engaged to the society that is generally called “Service”. In many of them, to educate the citizens and citizen-leaders for the society is a much more important mission then the latter. They do this through their commitment to the transformative power of a liberal arts and sciences education. While focusing on the educational issues of students, university administrators should also take into consideration the training needs of their own administrative personnel, since they are among the fundamental internal customers of the university. Creating an innovative workplace for all is essential at a contemporary university, since it is accepted as one of the role model workplaces within society. This paper emphasises the crucial need and the steps of in-service training programmes for administrative personnel, which contributes to the educational and managerial quality of higher education institutes. As a sample case, an in-service training programme is shared for the training needs of the administrative personnel of a Turkish State University, located in Istanbul, after conducting a detailed needs analysis. Following the response of the sample university to the research findings, the paper concludes with reflections on alternative institutional structures, based on Quality Circles / İmece Circles.
{"title":"The role of universities for workplace innovation: a Turkish case","authors":"Hayal Köksal","doi":"10.46364/ejwi.v5i1.561","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46364/ejwi.v5i1.561","url":null,"abstract":"Universities have three essential functions. One is educational and other is about generating knowledge and technology. The last one is related to the bridge between the theory and practice that is being practically engaged to the society that is generally called “Service”. In many of them, to educate the citizens and citizen-leaders for the society is a much more important mission then the latter. They do this through their commitment to the transformative power of a liberal arts and sciences education. While focusing on the educational issues of students, university administrators should also take into consideration the training needs of their own administrative personnel, since they are among the fundamental internal customers of the university. Creating an innovative workplace for all is essential at a contemporary university, since it is accepted as one of the role model workplaces within society. This paper emphasises the crucial need and the steps of in-service training programmes for administrative personnel, which contributes to the educational and managerial quality of higher education institutes. As a sample case, an in-service training programme is shared for the training needs of the administrative personnel of a Turkish State University, located in Istanbul, after conducting a detailed needs analysis. Following the response of the sample university to the research findings, the paper concludes with reflections on alternative institutional structures, based on Quality Circles / İmece Circles.","PeriodicalId":115904,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Workplace Innovation","volume":"3 5 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123189250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Action Research Industrial PhD at Sabanci University, Turkey","authors":"Oguz N Baburoglu","doi":"10.46364/ejwi.v5i1.611","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46364/ejwi.v5i1.611","url":null,"abstract":"<jats:p>*</jats:p>","PeriodicalId":115904,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Workplace Innovation","volume":"10 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128291799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Building on behavioural theory employing dynamic capabilities, this paper examines how firms create competitive advantage through innovation over time after multiple mergers and acquisitions. Mergers and acquisitions are a way to acquire gaps and prominently missing features and functions; the firm then has only to assimilate them into their portfolio. This research is focused on the acquirer’s ability towards obtaining performance from product integration and is set within the context of highly acquisitive software-houses; those organisations involved in the sales and manufacture of business software products. The ability to realign and innovate this will increase performance over the long term.
{"title":"Dynamic capabilities: Their effect on performance mediated by product integration in the highly acquisitive software industry","authors":"Pauline Parker, K. Davis","doi":"10.46364/EJWI.V5I1.551","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46364/EJWI.V5I1.551","url":null,"abstract":"Building on behavioural theory employing dynamic capabilities, this paper examines how firms create competitive advantage through innovation over time after multiple mergers and acquisitions. Mergers and acquisitions are a way to acquire gaps and prominently missing features and functions; the firm then has only to assimilate them into their portfolio. This research is focused on the acquirer’s ability towards obtaining performance from product integration and is set within the context of highly acquisitive software-houses; those organisations involved in the sales and manufacture of business software products. The ability to realign and innovate this will increase performance over the long term.","PeriodicalId":115904,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Workplace Innovation","volume":"8 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129783600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The purpose of this article is to apply concepts of socio-technical systems thinking (STS), enriched with concepts from more recent organisation theory, to analyse a case of participatory design of core manufacturing processes in a company. The redesign process considered transformation of operational logistics of the installation phase, which is a complex and costly phase. The focus is a test of the concept of minimal critical specification, applied as a principle for work process redesign. In the process under study, managers, supervisors and worker representatives at all levels and functions directly affected took part in the process of redesigning the material flow system and the corresponding control system at the operational level, and the design was put into operation by the company. After a year of operation, the new design was modestly favourably assessed by the organisation. The case shows the possibility and importance of the affected work system’s influence in the development, operationalisation and implementation of a new organisation, and the findings demonstrate how manifold relevant participant knowledge may be incorporated into a workable redesign process. The findings cannot be generalised on the basis of this one case, but we will argue that the case serves as a demonstrator project for the model tested.
{"title":"Minimal critical specification and collective organisational redesign","authors":"Johan E. Ravn","doi":"10.46364/EJWI.V4I2.573","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46364/EJWI.V4I2.573","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of this article is to apply concepts of socio-technical systems thinking (STS), enriched with concepts from more recent organisation theory, to analyse a case of participatory design of core manufacturing processes in a company. The redesign process considered transformation of operational logistics of the installation phase, which is a complex and costly phase. The focus is a test of the concept of minimal critical specification, applied as a principle for work process redesign. In the process under study, managers, supervisors and worker representatives at all levels and functions directly affected took part in the process of redesigning the material flow system and the corresponding control system at the operational level, and the design was put into operation by the company. After a year of operation, the new design was modestly favourably assessed by the organisation. The case shows the possibility and importance of the affected work system’s influence in the development, operationalisation and implementation of a new organisation, and the findings demonstrate how manifold relevant participant knowledge may be incorporated into a workable redesign process. The findings cannot be generalised on the basis of this one case, but we will argue that the case serves as a demonstrator project for the model tested.","PeriodicalId":115904,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Workplace Innovation","volume":"892 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116177914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Workplace automation is a highly studied process. In contrast, the implementation phase – critical for innovation success – where conflicts and misalignments between new technology and various organisational levels and phenomena arise, is less described. In this study, we have followed the introduction of automated guided vehicles in a warehouse/distribution centre aimed at increasing efficiency of operations and thus productivity. Building on socio-technical systems design and the job-demands-resources-model, and theories on technology implementation related to the organisations' ability to handle interferences explained in the language of misalignments and alignments, the study describes using qualitative methodology how system-internal variation becomes “enemy” of the AGV introduction; the automation itself cannot succeed without rebalancing the control capacity of the tasks it is augmenting or replacing. The paper also proposes that existing theories used to explain the success or failure of technology implementation are inadequate as they don't take in the complexity of the complete context but address single level phenomena independently of other relevant levels and phenomena.
{"title":"Using STSD for understanding the implementation of automation in organisations","authors":"A. Landmark, Pål Furu Kamsvaag, T. Andersen","doi":"10.46364/EJWI.V4I2.579","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46364/EJWI.V4I2.579","url":null,"abstract":"Workplace automation is a highly studied process. In contrast, the implementation phase – critical for innovation success – where conflicts and misalignments between new technology and various organisational levels and phenomena arise, is less described. In this study, we have followed the introduction of automated guided vehicles in a warehouse/distribution centre aimed at increasing efficiency of operations and thus productivity. Building on socio-technical systems design and the job-demands-resources-model, and theories on technology implementation related to the organisations' ability to handle interferences explained in the language of misalignments and alignments, the study describes using qualitative methodology how system-internal variation becomes “enemy” of the AGV introduction; the automation itself cannot succeed without rebalancing the control capacity of the tasks it is augmenting or replacing. The paper also proposes that existing theories used to explain the success or failure of technology implementation are inadequate as they don't take in the complexity of the complete context but address single level phenomena independently of other relevant levels and phenomena.","PeriodicalId":115904,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Workplace Innovation","volume":"61 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123403151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Given growing global competition, organisations face the dual challenge of creating workplaces that are, on the one hand, more productive, agile, and innovative, and on the other hand, healthy places to work.At the same time, we are facing a digital revolution with profound consequences in work and daily life. Digital technologies have potential opportunities, but also constraints. To make the transformation successful joint optimise of social and technical systems is necessary. The sociotechnical systems design theory (STS-D) and practice have focused the last 70 years on this challenge. Over the years, different STS lenses have developed like participative design (North America and Australia), democratic dialogue (Scandinavia) and organisation design (the Netherlands and Belgium, the Lowlands). All have in common the aim of designing modern organisations that are humane, productive, agile and innovative. Also, digital technology has developed over the years: from digitisation to digitalisation, and lately into digital transformation affecting societies, organisations and humans. With this article we take the Lowlands STS-D theory as perspective and we discover how this theory, especially the design sequence, should be adjusted to apply successful digital technology. First, we zoom in on digital technologies and its opportunities. Second, we zoom in on the STS-D Lowlands design theory its principles and organisational design sequence. The original design sequence requires adjustment from a digital technology perspective. We propose a combined approach from a digital-technical and social perspective. We end with new routines for designing modern 21stcentury organisations that facilitate organisational and digital experts to jointly optimise both perspectives in practice.
{"title":"A Socio-Technical Perspective on the Digital Era: The Lowlands view","authors":"M. Govers, Pierre Amelsvoort","doi":"10.46364/EJWI.V4I2.589","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46364/EJWI.V4I2.589","url":null,"abstract":"Given growing global competition, organisations face the dual challenge of creating workplaces that are, on the one hand, more productive, agile, and innovative, and on the other hand, healthy places to work.At the same time, we are facing a digital revolution with profound consequences in work and daily life. Digital technologies have potential opportunities, but also constraints. To make the transformation successful joint optimise of social and technical systems is necessary. The sociotechnical systems design theory (STS-D) and practice have focused the last 70 years on this challenge. Over the years, different STS lenses have developed like participative design (North America and Australia), democratic dialogue (Scandinavia) and organisation design (the Netherlands and Belgium, the Lowlands). All have in common the aim of designing modern organisations that are humane, productive, agile and innovative. Also, digital technology has developed over the years: from digitisation to digitalisation, and lately into digital transformation affecting societies, organisations and humans. With this article we take the Lowlands STS-D theory as perspective and we discover how this theory, especially the design sequence, should be adjusted to apply successful digital technology. First, we zoom in on digital technologies and its opportunities. Second, we zoom in on the STS-D Lowlands design theory its principles and organisational design sequence. The original design sequence requires adjustment from a digital technology perspective. We propose a combined approach from a digital-technical and social perspective. We end with new routines for designing modern 21stcentury organisations that facilitate organisational and digital experts to jointly optimise both perspectives in practice. ","PeriodicalId":115904,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Workplace Innovation","volume":"128 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128460572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Socio-technics and beyond: an approach to organisation studies and design in the second machine age","authors":"Tor Claussen, T. Haga, Johan E. Ravn","doi":"10.46364/EJWI.V4I2.569","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46364/EJWI.V4I2.569","url":null,"abstract":"<jats:p>*</jats:p>","PeriodicalId":115904,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Workplace Innovation","volume":"219 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122602572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
K. Putnik, P. Oeij, S. Dhondt, Wouter van der Torre, Ernest De Vroome, P. Preenen
In this study we examine individual behavioural and organisational predictors of innovation adoption amongemployees in the transport and logistics sector in the Netherlands. The framework of the study is based on theories of planned behaviour and workplace innovation. Based on a survey of 224 respondents, we see that employees who are expressing innovative behaviour, are feeling engaged in the process of innovation development and implementation, and are stimulated to contribute in the team or department’s meetings, also have a positive perception of innovation. Ease of use and subjective norm are key elements related to the actual use of innovation, i.e., innovation adoption. The role of workplace innovation, that is engagement of employees in decision making and giving them voice in the process of innovation development and innovation, is highly relevant for successful implementation of innovation.
{"title":"Innovation adoption of employees in the logistics sector in the Netherlands: The role of workplace innovation","authors":"K. Putnik, P. Oeij, S. Dhondt, Wouter van der Torre, Ernest De Vroome, P. Preenen","doi":"10.46364/EJWI.V4I2.543","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46364/EJWI.V4I2.543","url":null,"abstract":"In this study we examine individual behavioural and organisational predictors of innovation adoption amongemployees in the transport and logistics sector in the Netherlands. The framework of the study is based on theories of planned behaviour and workplace innovation. Based on a survey of 224 respondents, we see that employees who are expressing innovative behaviour, are feeling engaged in the process of innovation development and implementation, and are stimulated to contribute in the team or department’s meetings, also have a positive perception of innovation. Ease of use and subjective norm are key elements related to the actual use of innovation, i.e., innovation adoption. The role of workplace innovation, that is engagement of employees in decision making and giving them voice in the process of innovation development and innovation, is highly relevant for successful implementation of innovation.","PeriodicalId":115904,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Workplace Innovation","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130889982","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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