This study examines the transition from linear to circular packaging, highlighting the role of smart packaging technologies in enhancing circular economy strategies. We explore the challenges and technological facilitators in adopting circular packaging through an embedded case study approach involving Scandinavian manufacturers. Our findings suggest that smart packaging, equipped with sensors and digital capabilities, helps address supply chain complexities and regulatory compliance issues. It also has the potential to improve consumer acceptance and foster collaboration among stakeholders. The paper underscores the potential of integrating smart technologies into packaging to accelerate sustainable practices within the CE framework.

PurposeThis study explores the interplay between levels of cultures and aspects of quality management (QM), aiming to develop a conceptual framework and introduce propositions regarding managing quality in a multinational company (MNC).Design/methodology/approachA conceptual framework delineating the relationship between the levels of cultures in MNCs and various aspects of QM is proposed. Thereafter, based on a theory elaboration approach, a case study in Swedish facilities of MNCs is used to further illustrate the link between constructs of the framework, contributing to the identification of challenges and possibilities in managing quality in MNCs.FindingsThe research identifies key propositions regarding the intricate relationship between levels of cultures and their influences on aspects of QM in MNC. Proposition 1 emphasises the impact of national cultural differences on perceptions of QM principles. Proposition 2 reveals that diverse QM perceptions affect global consistency in QM practices. However, proposition 3 suggests that emphasising technical aspects in common QM practices fosters shared perceptions and a cohesive organisational culture, leading to Proposition 4, that a QM-centric organisational culture mediates national cultural differences, facilitating the management of quality globally.Research limitations/implicationsThis research relies on a case study from a Swedish perspective. There is a need for quantitative or mixed method approaches to validate the proposed framework.Practical implicationsThis research yields practical insights into cross-cultural QM challenges and possibilities in MNCs.Originality/valueBy integrating national and organisational culture into the QM framework, this research offers a conceptual model and propositions as a foundation for future cross-cultural QM research in MNCs.

This paper studies cross-cultural differences in perceptions of QM principles and their operationalization in two facilities of a multinational company situated in different countries. Based on loosely coupled system and rubber band model, a strategy managing the quality for multinational companies is suggested.  The headquarter should establish a global quality strategy and promote common perceptions of QM principles, but allow for local adaptation of QM practices at operation level since subsidiaries may have different means to achieve the common quality. Also, the rotating managers help promoting the global quality strategy at the subsidiaries and strengthening the bond across facilities.

Online guest lectures serve as an important learning activity for students to bridge the gap between the classroom and the reality of business and has become common during the Covid-19 pandemic. Such lectures enable students to better link theories and concepts to practice and can provide valuable network opportunities for students by facilitating contact with professionals in their field of studies. Online guest lecturing has also proven to have benefits for the course administration such as an easier allocation of guest lecturers and a more effective use of resources.

This paper is part of a pre-study for determining the opportunities and challenges that online guest lecturing can have for students of engineering and management programs at a master level. Specifically, the purpose of the pre-study is to explore how online guest lectures are perceived among students and course directors, and how they can be improved. The method used involves a narrative literature review and an empirical pre-study.

The results suggest that online guest lectures allow students to enhance their knowledge on the course contents and allow them to make more informed career choices. They also suggest that course directors use guest lectures as a means for inspiring and supporting the learning of the students. However, the results also suggest that students can adopt a more passive role in online guest lectures compared to face-to-face guest lectures. Learning in online guest lectures could be enhanced when connected to learning activities that support them, e.g., follow-up seminars, assignments, and reflection documents.

In terms of implications, this study presents course directors and students’ perceptions of online guest lectures, as well as presents improvement suggestions for course directors and guest lecturers when planning and performing guest lectures in university courses to enhance learning among students. 

As companies become multinational with subsidiaries in different countries and global customers, they face challenges in managing quality related to cultural diversity. During the past decades, cross-cultural quality management research has emerged, aiming to understand the link between culture and quality management, and to provide support for quality management in different cultural contexts. This research field becomes increasingly important considering global industries of today. Nevertheless, the first standpoint in identifying challenges in cross-cultural quality management in multinational companies remains to be an open question. This also leads to the need for developing an instrument to understand cultural diversity in quality management, from both an internal perspective related to employees and an external perspective related to customers.

This thesis aims to provide an insight into managing quality in cross-cultural settings, focusing on both multinational companies and companies having global customers. Three studies have been conducted combining qualitative and quantitative research methods. First, case studies were employed to explore the research field and identify challenges in managing quality related to national cultural diversity in multinational companies. The second study developed an instrument based on anchoring vignettes survey to understand cultural diversity in quality management and applied it in two settings. The third study combined an interview-based study with a case study using mixed methods to further investigate and consolidate the results gained from the first two studies, leading to the suggestion of possible strategies to manage quality in multinational companies.

The thesis findings identify three challenges in managing quality in multinational companies: 1) to translate and implement quality management approaches; 2) to motivate and engage employees in quality work; and 3) to establish shared perceptions of quality management values among employees. Further, an instrument based on anchoring vignettes is suggested to study quality management performance across subsidiaries and to measure customer satisfaction across borders. This instrument contributes to better understanding of cultural diversity and improves the comparability of survey results in quality management measurements. Regarding possible strategies, global integration is needed when a quality culture is weak. In the long-term, companies should promote technical aspects of quality management to form a ‘backbone’ of the quality management system and to set a basis for shared perceptions of quality management values and goals. Consequently, a strong quality culture can be established and companies can benefit from local adaptation of practices.

När företag blir alltmer multinationella, med dotterbolag i olika länder och globala kunder, så möter de utmaningar i att bedriva kvalitetsutveckling som berör kulturell mångfald. Under de senaste decennierna har forskning på kvalitetsutveckling i mångkulturella sammanhang växt fram. Denna forskning syftar till att förstå sambandet mellan kultur och kvalitetsutveckling samt att stödja kvalitetsutveckling i olika kulturella kontexter. Detta forskningsfält ökar i betydelse i takt med den ökande globaliseringen. Trots det kvarstår behovet av att identifiera utmaningarna med kvalitetsutveckling i mångkulturella sammanhang. Detta leder även till behovet att utveckla ett instrument för att förstå kulturell mångfald i kvalitetsutveckling, både utifrån ett internt perspektiv, relaterat till de medarbetarna, men också utifrån ett externt perspektiv, relaterat till kunder.

Denna avhandling syftar till att ge insikter i hur kvalitetsutveckling bedrivs i mångkulturella sammanhang och fokuserar på både multinationella företag samt företag som har globala kunder. Tre studier har genomförts vilka har kombinerat både kvalitativa och kvantitativa metoder. I den första studien genomfördes en fallstudie för att utforska forskningsfältet och identifiera utmaningar i hur multinationella företag arbetar med kvalitetsutveckling relaterat till kulturell mångfald. I den andra studien utvecklades ett instrument baserat på en enkät som utifrån så kallade förankringsvinjetter sökte öka förståelsen för kulturell mångfald i kvalitetsutveckling. Detta instrument tillämpades sedan i två olika kontexter. I den tredje studien kombinerades en intervjubaserad studie med en fallstudie, där flera olika metoder användes, för att ytterligare undersöka och befästa resultaten från de två första studierna samt ge förslag på olika strategier för att bedriva kvalitetsutveckling i multinationella företag.

Avhandlingen identifierar tre huvudsakliga utmaningar i kvalitetsutveckling för multinationella företag: 1) att översätta och implementera ansatser för kvalitetsutveckling; 2) att motivera och involvera medarbetare i kvalitetsarbete; samt 3) att etablera gemensamma värderingar inom kvalitetsutveckling bland medarbetare. Vidare så föreslås ett instrument baserat på förankringsvinjetter för att kunna studera resultatet av kvalitetsutveckling mellan dotterbolag samt mäta kundtillfredsställelse över landsgränser. Detta instrument bidrar till att bättre förstå kulturell mångfald och ökar möjligheten att jämföra resultat från enkätundersökningar när effekterna av kvalitetsutveckling skall mätas. När det gäller möjliga strategier pekar resultaten på att det behövs global integrering när kvalitetskulturen är svag. På längre sikt bör företag främja de tekniska aspekterna av kvalitetsutveckling för att skapa en grund för kvalitetsledningssystem och en förståelse för gemensamma värderingar och mål. Därmed kan en stark kvalitetskultur etableras och företag kan gynnas genom lokala anpassningar av hur kvalitetsarbetet styrs i praktiken.  

Purpose: The aim of this paper is twofold, to investigate the representatio n of female researchers in QMOD publications and to describe in what way a gender perspective has beenapplied within QMOD publications.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The paper is based on a literature review an d analysis ofthe papers in the QMOD proceedings for ever y other year from 2012 to 2018. After excluding papers where gender could not be identified for the first or second author, the final sampleincluded 555 papers. The papers were analysed with respect to gender in authorship, nationality, type of paper, QM research area, domain and gender perspective. Analysis of quantitative data was made with SPSS and Chi square testing. The papers with a gender perspective were further categorized through qualitativ e content analysis.

Findings: The quantitative analysis showed that gender representation of first authors were 43.2% female and 56.8% male. Males accounted for most of the single authored papers (61%). The most common research areas and domains differed between genders. Female studied lean and research on employee and student related areas and the domains education and health care to a greater extent than males. Males, to a greater extent studied quality management in general and reliability and safety related topics and the domain manufacturing. Eighteen papers with a gender perspective were identified. These originated from 13 different countries and there were equal number of female and male first authors . A major topic was customer or user focus in pr oduct or service development with a dominance of papers focusing on the service sector.

Practical implications: For researchers the results of the study demonstrate that there is stilla general need to increase the awareness of gender issues in QM research, both in terms of ensuring that ge nder issues are integrated in research projects and that any gender is not underrepresented in specific research roles. In product development there may also be a nuntapped potential in further quality development of products and services by focusing more on gender.

Originality/Value of paper: There are no similar studies within the QM field. Gender is an area receiving increased interest within academia in terms of reques ts from research funding and increased awareness in higher education. The study shows that t here is a need for increased attention on gender issues within QM research.

This paper aims to present challenges of quality management in cross-cultural settings and suggest possible handling strategies for quality managers based on a multiple case study. The result suggests that management leadership, employee engagement and empowerment, and continuous improvement are the QM values affected the most by national culture of subsidiaries. However, the degrees of discrepancy depend on the strength of organizational culture. Hence, the suggested handling strategy is to educate employees with standardized QM techniques and tools to establish means and measures for QM values that are promoted via strong organizational culture focusing on quality and customers.