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Engström, A., Johansson, A., Edh Mirzaei, N., Sollander, K. & Barry, D. (2023). Knowledge creation in projects: an interactive research approach for deeper business insight. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 16(1), 22-44
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Knowledge creation in projects: an interactive research approach for deeper business insight
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2023 (English)In: International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, ISSN 1753-8378, E-ISSN 1753-8386, Vol. 16, no 1, p. 22-44Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to shed light on different types of knowledge created and how this links to the project design, process, and content. Design/methodology/approach In this paper the authors investigate participants' experiences from a three-year interactive research project, designed to trigger reflection among the participants. They apply a knowledge creation perspective on experiences expressed by participants as a result of different research project activities. Findings The study resulted in five categories of insights with potential for sustainable influence on the participating organizations: an understanding of concepts and theories; an understanding of the impacts of collaborative, reflective work processes; an understanding of the meaning of one's own organizational context; an understanding of the importance of increased organizational self-awareness; and an understanding of the potential for human interaction and communication. Practical implications The author's findings suggest that it is possible to design a project to promote more profound and sustainable effects on a business beyond the explicit purpose of the project. They advise practitioners to make room for iterative reflection; be mindful to create a trustful and open environment in the team; challenge results with opposing views and theories; and make room for sharing experiences and giving feedback. Originality/value This study contributes to unraveling key practices which can nurture conditions for knowledge creation in interactive research projects and business projects alike.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2023
Keywords
Practice-based research, Collaborative research, Knowledge creation, Qualitative research, Project management
National Category
Business Administration
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-58196 (URN)10.1108/IJMPB-09-2021-0233 (DOI)000834362300001 ()2-s2.0-85149270071 (Scopus ID)HOA;intsam;1687423 (Local ID)HOA;intsam;1687423 (Archive number)HOA;intsam;1687423 (OAI)
Funder
Knowledge Foundation, KK20170312
Available from: 2022-08-15 Created: 2022-08-15 Last updated: 2023-03-21Bibliographically approved
Kjellström, S., Fabisch, A., Schmidt, M., Avby, G., Bergmo-Prvulovic, I., Engström, A. & Bolden, R. (2023). Workshop: Systems of leadership development: how to transcend linear conceptualizations. In: : . Paper presented at The 21st International Studying Leadership Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark, December 10 – 12, 2023.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Workshop: Systems of leadership development: how to transcend linear conceptualizations
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2023 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

The focus of this workshop is to employ a more systematic approach to leadership development and design a maturity model that is supported by validated and practical applicable theories, methods and practices to fit the organization’s needs and resources.  

National Category
Business Administration
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-63200 (URN)
Conference
The 21st International Studying Leadership Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark, December 10 – 12, 2023
Available from: 2024-01-05 Created: 2024-01-05 Last updated: 2024-01-05Bibliographically approved
Engström, A., Edh Mirzaei, N. & Simonsson, J. (2022). A learning perspective on the interdependency between technology-driven and managerial- driven AI-transformation. In: International Conference on Work Integrated Learning: Abstract Book. Paper presented at WIL'22 International Conference on Work Integrated Learning, 7-9 December 2022, University West, Trollhättan, Sweden (pp. 122-124). Trollhättan: University West
Open this publication in new window or tab >>A learning perspective on the interdependency between technology-driven and managerial- driven AI-transformation
2022 (English)In: International Conference on Work Integrated Learning: Abstract Book, Trollhättan: University West , 2022, p. 122-124Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

Introduction

Moving from manual, to automated, to connected AI operations systems implies a significant transformation in the organisation of work (European Parliament, 2015:8) (Brock & von Wangenheim). To understand these “realistic AI” processes, to build competence for certain tasks. it is crucial to understand what organisational competencies that are needed and how to organize knowledge creation processes in practice (Ellström, 2001) Schön used the concept of “knowing–in-action” is nonreflective and solving most everyday practical problems, here understood as executional learning (Engström & Wikner, 2017). Thus, this knowing, according to Schön (1983), is not enough to meet more complex situations. To be aware of tacit knowledge, we need to distance ourselves and learn to reflect. More complex, uncertain and unclear tasks require “knowing-on-action” and collaboration between several competences to create new knowledge or to reach a new solution here understood as developmental learning (Engström&Wikner).. Anton et al. (2020) state that in many organisations there is a lack of AI-related competencies that prevent development of the full AI potential. For the development of the field, it is important to study the dynamic interplay between advanced technology and the social side of work from a learning and competence perspective. Therefore, this paper aims to explore how industrial organisations understand their competencies in relation to AI transformation from a knowledge creation perspective.

Research method

The study was part of a collaborative research project with an interdisciplinary research team and representatives from five industrial partners. In four-month cycles the industrial partners engaged in “homework” presented, analysed and discussed in common workshops. For this study, the homework was guided by the DIGITAL approach (Brock & von Wangenheim, 2019) and based on the explanatory model (Anton et al., 2020). The industrial partners studied how resources and competencies related to specific organisational tasks in their own organisations could be identified and defined. To aid the data collection (that was done by the industrial partners themselves) a framework capturing Anton et al.’s (2020) 13 dimensions of competencies (Leadership, Communication, Customer-focused decision making, Business development, Data science/STEM, Agile software development, Initiative and engagement, AI technology, Programming, Digital analysis tools, Data and network technology, Digital competencies, and Data management) was used. For each dimension the partners assesses the competence level: Competence central to the process; Competence exists internally; Competence partly exists internally; Competence does not exist internally; Competence can be gained by development internally; Competence needs to be sourced externally. These were in line with Brock & von Wangenheim’s (2019) logic that managers when starting AI project should do “internal resources check”. The data was analysed in four steps. First, focus group data was analysed by the facilitators at each industrial partner. Second, the competence mapping was analysed by the “working groups” at each industrial partner. Third, the transcribed data from the two industrial partners used in this paper were reviewed individually by t he authors. Fourth, the cross-disciplinary group of authors from both academia and industrial partners gathered for a common analysis session. This session primarily focused on the data from the competence mapping but also cross-checked with the input from the cross-functional focus groups to triangulate the outcome. During the common analysis the conceptual framework presented in the discussion section was developed through iterations between the theoretical framework based on the findings by Anton et al. (2020), and the data from the project.

Findings

The preliminary findings show differences among the industrial partners in how they view their own competencies. For some organisations organisational structures are in place, e.g., dedicated AI Labs, where the work with understanding the benefits and usage of the technology is ongoing on a rather advanced level. In other organisations the work has just been initiated. Overall, all representatives stress the importance of top management support and the need for dedicated forums. Among the organisations that have come the farthest in their AI transformation the structure given by the proposed framework is not enough. They emphasise the need to further frame it into also understanding what the competence is associated with and why it is needed. They view the leadership as almost having to have an evangelistic approach to it, where it does not seem to be enough with “only” technical experts. A conceptual framework, consisting of the relationship between the two dimensions: the managerial competencies and the technical competencies, is developed (Figure 1). The managerial competencies dimension concerns organisation and organising. The technical competencies dimension on the other hand captures the complexity level of the technology that is needed, the system of systems. The diagonal illustrates the relationship between these two dimensions, that is, the relation between technological complexity and organisational ability. The lower part of the diagonal captures isolated, simple processes (presumably internal) while the upper part of the diagonal captures integrated, complex processes (presumably primarily related to external parts and/or actors).. For high levels of technical complexity that requires high levels of technical competencies within the organisation the organisation also needs to advance the managerial competencies and the developmental learning processes. However, while in the long-term perspective we suggest that going off the diagonal will be inefficient and ineffective, hence, waste, it might be needed to do that temporarily, as the organisation develops. We believe that this developmentcan be either technology-driven or organisation-driven.

The proposed conceptual framework is intended to help organisations plot their own current position based on the two dimensions and identify what changes are needed to reach the diagonal. It can also be used to define where on the diagonal the organisation ultimately wants to end up. It is not relevant for all companies or even for all sectors overall to be at the top right side. We believe that AI transformation cannot be approached as either technologydriven or managerial-driven, but as an e interdependent process of both dimensions.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Trollhättan: University West, 2022
Keywords
Artificial intelligence, Transformation processes, Competencies, Work-integrated learning
National Category
Learning Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-59791 (URN)978-91-89325-30-2 (ISBN)
Conference
WIL'22 International Conference on Work Integrated Learning, 7-9 December 2022, University West, Trollhättan, Sweden
Available from: 2023-02-10 Created: 2023-02-10 Last updated: 2023-02-10Bibliographically approved
Engström, A., Käkelä, N. & Wikner, J. (2022). Ambidextrous learning in a customer order–based context. Learning Organization, 29(2), 116-128
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Ambidextrous learning in a customer order–based context
2022 (English)In: Learning Organization, ISSN 0969-6474, E-ISSN 1758-7905, Vol. 29, no 2, p. 116-128Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to describe ambidextrous learning in organizations within the customer order-based context (COBC), here based on a dynamic view of work processes. The study focuses on how organizations can learn while working with customer orders, considering learning in organizations as both a process and an outcome.

Design/methodology/approach

This conceptual article focuses on learning in the COBC, where the individual customer requirements represent a key input into the organization’s work processes, thus limiting the possibilities to plan and standardize. The COBC brings about challenges and potentials for learning in organizations where task variety and complexity are high and in which the contradictory interplay between efficiency and responsiveness is apparent not only at a strategic level but also at an operative level in the customer order fulfillment processes. Depending on the variations in tasks and parallel complex work processes between different units in the organization, the ambidextrous learning dynamic can appear in the COBC.

Findings

Five propositions were made from the analysis: Proposition 1: Learning in the COBC can occur both in real-time but also in retrospect and with sporadic and recurrent interventions. Proposition 2: Learning in the COBC can occur for, as well as from, customer order processes. Proposition 3: Learning in the COBC varies and will depend on the delivery strategy. Proposition 4: Learning can be stimulated by the variation in priorities among customer orders in the COBC because the work characteristics for the back office and front office differ between customer order fulfillment processes. Proposition 5: Learning in the COBC can occur both within the back office and front office but also between these organizational units. The paper discusses the importance of building learning infrastructure in COBC and how that can be supported by a suggested learning office.

Originality/value

The present study demonstrates the importance of functions being able to act both as back office and front office in relation to delivery strategy. It also shows the ambidextrous learning process for the sake of improving both the internal efficiency and external effectiveness across the organization.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2022
Keywords
Learning organizations, Customization, Organizational learning, Ambidextrous learning
National Category
Business Administration
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-54996 (URN)10.1108/TLO-09-2021-0116 (DOI)000711131900001 ()2-s2.0-85117858993 (Scopus ID)GOA;;54996 (Local ID)GOA;;54996 (Archive number)GOA;;54996 (OAI)
Funder
Knowledge Foundation
Note

The article was invited by the editor of the journal.

Available from: 2021-11-01 Created: 2021-11-01 Last updated: 2022-08-24Bibliographically approved
Engström, A. & Bjursell, C. (2022). Att leda utbildningsorganisationer genom att integrera befintligt och nytt. In: Lene Foss & Joakim Krantz (Ed.), Skolchefers arbete: att leda ansvarsfullt i en föränderlig tid (pp. 91-108). Malmö: Gleerups Utbildning AB
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Att leda utbildningsorganisationer genom att integrera befintligt och nytt
2022 (Swedish)In: Skolchefers arbete: att leda ansvarsfullt i en föränderlig tid / [ed] Lene Foss & Joakim Krantz, Malmö: Gleerups Utbildning AB, 2022, p. 91-108Chapter in book (Other academic)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Malmö: Gleerups Utbildning AB, 2022
National Category
Educational Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-55993 (URN)9789151105567 (ISBN)
Available from: 2022-03-05 Created: 2022-03-05 Last updated: 2022-03-05Bibliographically approved
Bergmo-Prvulovic, I., Avby, G., Engström, A., Kjellström, S. & Fabisch, A. (2022). Exploring Social Representations of Leadership Development: Designing for Work-Integrated Learning. In: : . Paper presented at WIL Conference 2022, 7-9 December, 2022, Trollhättan, Sweden.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Exploring Social Representations of Leadership Development: Designing for Work-Integrated Learning
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2022 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
National Category
Learning Business Administration
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-58652 (URN)
Conference
WIL Conference 2022, 7-9 December, 2022, Trollhättan, Sweden
Available from: 2022-10-17 Created: 2022-10-17 Last updated: 2022-11-16Bibliographically approved
Bergmo-Prvulovic, I., Avby, G., Engström, A., Kjellström, S. & Fabisch, A. (2022). Exploring Social Representations of Leadership Development: Designing for Work-Integrated Learning. In: International Conference on Work Integrated Learning: Abstract Book. Paper presented at WIL'22 International Conference on Work Integrated Learning, 7-9 December 2022, University West, Trollhättan, Sweden (pp. 83-86). Trollhättan: University West
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Exploring Social Representations of Leadership Development: Designing for Work-Integrated Learning
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2022 (English)In: International Conference on Work Integrated Learning: Abstract Book, Trollhättan: University West , 2022, p. 83-86Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

This paper explored social representations of leadership and leadership development shaping an organizations leadership development system (LDS). This study is based on the initial phase of a 4-year collaborative research project on LDSs, adopting an interactive research approach to co-produce knowledge through joint meetings and learning workshops (Ellström et al., 2020). The research project involves researchers from different disciplines, and five organizations operating in different business domains. The participating organizations vary in terms of size, strategies, markets, processes, products, and ways of organizing, but they all share a common interest in how to develop sustainable approaches to leadership development. An LDS encompasses all the metho ds and practices in an organization that contribute to developing and producing effective leaders (McCauley et al 2010). The importance of understanding the characteristics of the context the LDS is embedded in has been highlighted in a previous study (Avby et al., 2022), and serve as a point-of-reference in this study. However, less is known of what underlying assumptions an LDS is based upon. This study paid attention to the underlying values, ideas, and perspectives on leadership and leadership development that shape an organizations’ ways of thinking, communicating, and acting in the LDS. We suggest that the potential to develop a more deliberate practice of leadership development was enhanced by exploring and articulating the tacit knowledge and assumpt ions that an LDS rests upon.

Aim

The aim of this study was to explore how socially and contextually shaped assumptions on leadership and leadership development can be visualized and practically applied to develop the leadership in the organization. The question addressed was how the awareness of underlying assumptions can support the methods and practices applied, and in what way the disclosing of underlying ideas, values and practices may foster work -integrated learning?

Design and methods

From a social representation theory approach (Moscovici, 2001, Jovchelovitch, 2007, Markova, 2003, BergmoPrvulovic, 2015), underlying assumptions of leadership and leadership development were explored. In the collaborative project an initial mapping of the participating organizations’ LDSs has been co nducted, based on different sources of data. The results of this mapping have been presented through a metaphorical analysis (Avby et al., 2022), in which the participating organizations are described with certain metaphors of their LDS. This study paid specific attention to the organization entitled The Self-Managing Team, and added to the initial stage of mapping LDSs by exploring the underlying assumptions that underpins the expressions and formulations on leadership and leadership development found in the organization’s documents, websites, formulations in meetings and strategies. The exploration of social representations of LDSs was based upon the free association method (Abric, 1995), further developed, and used in studies exploring social representations of similar abstract and complex phenomena, such as career (Bergmo-Prvulovic, 2013: 2015). The method consists of questions, words and series of words given to the respondents who spontaneously write down their immediate associations towards a specific concept and complex phenomenon with a gradual deepening of questions related to specific words, series of words. In this study, a digital enquiry was created in Esmaker. The enquiry was designed to ask for respondents spontaneous, immediate thoughts on words, and series of words related to leadership and leadership development. The gradually deepening of questions, were designed by paying attention to the five dimensions of representations suggested by Jovchelovitch (2007), by exploring who are concerned, why and for what leadership is needed, what is the content 84 of leadership, when it works and doesn’t work, when and how it occurs as well who is responsible, whose engagement and what conditions are needed. This study was based on 19 respondents’ answers a ll member in the Self-Managing Team. They were selected by the organization, as identified having important roles and functions in the company’s LDS. A facilitator in the organization introduced an online enquiry with 12 questions, given one by one to the respondents, providing 1-2 minutes for each. The respondents wrote down their associations to each question, some background data, and questions about leadership identity. The analytical procedure was made according to qualitative content analysis method as the basic procedure of qualitatively exploring social representations (Bergmo-Prvulovic, 2013; 2015). Expressions were numbered with a certain code for each respondent related to each answered question, thereafter each textual units were condensed, meaning units were coded and grouped into constitutive elements that builds up preliminary and primary themes generating a web of social representations of LDS for the group of respondents.

Preliminary results

The results disclosed a web of underlying social representations shaping the LDS in The Self-Managing Team. The social representations shape a basic, contextually characterized system of values, ideas, and practices, on which the company at present form their LDS. Given the collaborative design of the project, the results were fed back to the organization to validate the analytical procedure, as well as to support the designing for work -integrated learning and further knowledge use in the organization. The results revealed the respondents’ assumptions on leadership, leadership development, and self-leadership. These assumptions are clearly anchored in the organization’s aim to build in self-management, as a collective way of working with leadership. However, the existing knowledge base encloses both commonalities and contradictions that needs to be further highlighted to create a sustainable LDS. Results showed both stable representations, that occur repeatedly throughout the material, and dynamic social rep resentations, that express a negotiating character between different views, or as being antinomies of thoughts. By identifying and raising awareness of ambiguities deriving from the results, a base of designing for reflective work-integrated learning was provided. A joint learning process to discuss how the results could be utilized as a tool for work-integrated learning was initiated. Some challenges were recognized, and the organization especially addressed the need to work with a second step of workplace reflection. A first learning cycle was initiated to be continuously developed by involving the employees in the process. In all, the contribution of the study explains the basis of leadership development practice, which unnoticed might create ambiguity in service delivery. The mapping of social representations of an LDS can be utilized as a tool for a more deliberate leadership development practice and highlight possibilities and challenges that need to be addressed for integrating methods and practices in everyday work.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Trollhättan: University West, 2022
Keywords
Leadership development, social representations, work-integrated learning, interactive research
National Category
Learning Business Administration
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-59785 (URN)978-91-89325-30-2 (ISBN)
Conference
WIL'22 International Conference on Work Integrated Learning, 7-9 December 2022, University West, Trollhättan, Sweden
Available from: 2023-02-10 Created: 2023-02-10 Last updated: 2023-02-10Bibliographically approved
Bjursell, C., Johansson, A., Bergmo-Prvulovic, I. & Engström, A. (2022). Higher education as learning organizations – An empirical study of education managers perception of their work situation. In: NFF 2022 Conference Papers: . Paper presented at The 26th Biennial Nordic Academy of Management Conference, Örebro, Sweden, August 24 – 26, 2022.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Higher education as learning organizations – An empirical study of education managers perception of their work situation
2022 (English)In: NFF 2022 Conference Papers, 2022Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

The paper presents a study of Swedish academic leaders’ perception of their work situation. The aim was to explore the conditions which can enable creativity and learning in higher education institutions. The KEYS survey was sent to a sample of 64 university managers from social sciences, humanities and technical departments at Swedish universities. The response rate was 39 % (n25). The result indicates that education managers perceive a lack of feedback from upper management, but at the same time, they claim to have a high level of trust from upper management.

Keywords
Higher education; lifelong learning; creativity; university management
National Category
Educational Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-58341 (URN)
Conference
The 26th Biennial Nordic Academy of Management Conference, Örebro, Sweden, August 24 – 26, 2022
Available from: 2022-08-26 Created: 2022-08-26 Last updated: 2022-08-26Bibliographically approved
Engström, A., Pittino, D., Johansson, A., Mohlin, A. & Edh Mirzaei, N. (2022). How AI Transformation triggers new perspectives in organizational learning. In: : . Paper presented at OLKC conference 2022, 7-9 September, 2022, Trollhättan, Sweden.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>How AI Transformation triggers new perspectives in organizational learning
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2022 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
National Category
Business Administration Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-58644 (URN)
Conference
OLKC conference 2022, 7-9 September, 2022, Trollhättan, Sweden
Available from: 2022-10-17 Created: 2022-10-17 Last updated: 2022-10-17Bibliographically approved
Foss, L., Krantz, J., Engström, A., Johansen, S. T. & Aktaş, V. (2022). Kontextuella aspekter på skolchefens arbete. In: Lene Foss & Joakim Krantz (Ed.), Skolchefers arbete: att leda ansvarsfullt i en föränderlig tid (pp. 147-174). Malmö: Gleerups Utbildning AB
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Kontextuella aspekter på skolchefens arbete
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2022 (Swedish)In: Skolchefers arbete: att leda ansvarsfullt i en föränderlig tid / [ed] Lene Foss & Joakim Krantz, Malmö: Gleerups Utbildning AB, 2022, p. 147-174Chapter in book (Other academic)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Malmö: Gleerups Utbildning AB, 2022
National Category
Educational Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-55996 (URN)9789151105567 (ISBN)
Available from: 2022-03-05 Created: 2022-03-05 Last updated: 2023-11-03Bibliographically approved
Organisations
Identifiers
ORCID iD: ORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0002-8993-4306

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