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Exploring Learning During Digitalization in Manufacturing Companies: A Multilevel Perspective
Jönköping University, School of Engineering, JTH, Supply Chain and Operations Management.ORCID iD: 0009-0000-7347-0853
2026 (English)Licentiate thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Digitalization has become a strategic imperative for manufacturing companies, yet limited attention has been paid to how learning unfolds during this transformation. Existing research largely emphasizes digital technologies, skills, and competence development, while overlooking learning as an evolving, multilevel process shaped by organizational culture and structure. This thesis addresses this gap by examining how learning unfolds across individual, group, and organizational levels during digitalization in manufacturing companies, and how organizational factors influence these learning processes. Guided by the 4I framework of organizational learning, the thesis synthesizes findings from two empirical studies and a scoping review. The findings demonstrate that learning during digitalization extends well beyond individual skill acquisition, which remains the dominant focus in practice. While learning begins at the individual level and individuals share intuitive insights within groups, the process often breaks at the group level. Shared understanding emerges through interpreting, but collective action to integrate new knowledge into practices is largely absent. Organizational culture and structure both shape and constrain learning. Leadership support varies across hierarchical levels, and support at one level is insufficient to support learning. Moreover, organizational structures create fragmented communication channels that hinder coordination across levels and functions, thereby disrupting the learning process at the group level. As a result, digitalization often proceeds without organizational learning. By synthesizing empirical and theoretical insights, this thesis contributes a multilevel perspective on learning in digitalized manufacturing and outlines a future research agenda emphasizing the need to understand how learning can be mobilized across levels, and the need for longitudinal and practice-oriented research. It offers guidance for researchers and practitioners seeking to understand and support learning during digital transformation.

Abstract [sv]

Digitalisering har blivit en strategisk nödvändighet för tillverkande företag, men hur lärande utvecklas under denna omvandling har fått begränsad uppmärksamhet. Existerande forskning betonar ofta vikten av digitala teknologier, färdigheter och kompetensutveckling, samtidigt som lärande som en pågående process på flera nivåer, formad av organisatorisk kultur och struktur, ofta förbises. Denna uppsats adresserar detta kunskapsgap genom att undersöka hur lärande utvecklas på individ-, grupp- och organisationsnivå under digitalisering i tillverkningsföretag, samt hur organisatoriska faktorer påverkar dessa lärprocesser. Med utgångspunkt i 4I-ramverket för organisatoriskt lärande, syntetiserar avhandlingen resultat från två empiriska studier och en scoping review. Resultaten visar att lärande under digitalisering sträcker sig bortom individuell färdighetsträning, som utgör det dominerande fokuset i praktiken. Även om lärandet initieras på individnivå och individer intuitiva delar insikter inom grupper, bryts processen ofta på gruppnivå. Gemensam förståelse uppstår genom tolkning, men kollektiv handling, för att integrera ny kunskap i arbetssätt i praktiken lyser med sin frånvaro. Organisatorisk kultur och struktur visar sig forma och begränsa lärandet. Ledningsstöd varierar mellan hierarkiska nivåer, där stöd enbart på en nivå är otillräckligt för att möjliggöra lärande genom hela organisationen. Vidare skapar organisatoriska strukturer fragmenterade kommunikationskanaler, vilket försvårar samordning mellan nivåer och funktioner, som i sin tur stör lärprocessen på gruppnivå. Som en följd fortskrider digitalisering ofta utan lärande på organisatorisk nivå. Genom att syntetisera empiriska och teoretiska insikter bidrar denna uppsats med ett multinivåperspektiv på lärande i digitaliserad tillverkningsindustri och formulerar en framtida forskningsagenda som betonar behovet av att förstå hur lärande kan mobiliseras och koordineras över flera nivåer, samt behovet av longitudinell och praktiknära forskning. Uppsatsen erbjuder vägledning för forskare och praktiker som vill förstå och stödja lärande under digital transformation.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Jönköping: Jönköping University, School of Engineering , 2026. , p. 67
Series
JTH Dissertation Series ; 099
Keywords [en]
Organizational learning, multilevel perspective, digitalization, manufacturing companies, 4I framework
National Category
Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-70646ISBN: 978-91-89785-31-1 (print)ISBN: 978-91-89785-32-8 (electronic)OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hj-70646DiVA, id: diva2:2030289
Supervisors
Available from: 2026-01-20 Created: 2026-01-20 Last updated: 2026-01-20Bibliographically approved
List of papers
1. Digital transformation within manufacturing companies: an empirical study of the factors affecting digital transformation
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Digital transformation within manufacturing companies: an empirical study of the factors affecting digital transformation
2024 (English)In: Proceedings for the 31th International Annual EurOMA Conference, Transforming people and processes for a better world, 29 June - 3 July 2024, Barcelona, Spain, 2024Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

In the era of industry 4.0 manufacturing companies undergo digital transformation (DT) by actively adopting digital technologies. These companies require an understanding of the factors that affect their DT process based on their maturity level. We studied managers’ perceptions of DT in a digitally novice company to understand what factors affect DT in customized manufacturing. Seven interviews were conducted with managers responsible for DT. The collected qualitative data was analysed using Gioia method. The findings suggest that highly customized products, organizational structure and culture, human resource, and data management are among factors affecting DT of a digital novice company.

Keywords
Industry 4.0, digital transformation, digital novice, customized
National Category
Other Engineering and Technologies
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-66266 (URN)
Conference
International Annual EurOMA Conference, 2024
Available from: 2024-09-23 Created: 2024-09-23 Last updated: 2026-01-20Bibliographically approved
2. Experiences of interpersonal interactions: Knowledge sharing and learning in development of digitalised production
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Experiences of interpersonal interactions: Knowledge sharing and learning in development of digitalised production
2025 (English)Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

This paper explores Industrial doctoral students’ experiences of interpersonal interactions and how they contribute to learning in context of development of digital production. For this we interviewed six IDSs working on developing digital technologies for production systems in six distinct manufacturing companies. The qualitative data collected was analysed using Gioia method. The findings include the characteristics of interpersonal interactions, conditions and potentials for learning. Overall, the study found that interpersonal interactions, especially in physical environments are valuable for the IDSs and perceived to contribute to learning at individual, group and organizational levels.

Keywords
Interpersonal interaction, Knowledge sharing, Digital technology
National Category
Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics Educational Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-69411 (URN)
Conference
32nd International Annual EurOMA Conference, Operations Management opening to multi-disciplinarity in a time of grand challenges, 13th-18th June, 2025, Milan, Italy
Available from: 2025-07-23 Created: 2025-07-23 Last updated: 2026-01-20Bibliographically approved

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Patil, Tanvi Kiran

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