DEVELOPMENT OF MEASUREMENT SYSTEM

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 Method and implementation

This chapter explains to the reader how the research will be planned, how the research strategy will be designed and how data will be collected. The validity and reliability of the research questions will be highlighted on the chapter as well.
A method is defined as a tool which aims to help, to explain and solve a specific problem in a well-defined context. The use of method in scientific and social areas enables the searcher to come up with a new knowledge that can be considered as an innovation (Holme & Solvang, 1997). The accuracy of a method is determined by fulfilling the following criteria: matching the reality with the behaviour, collecting and selecting information in a systematic way, presenting results in a sustainable way that allows verification and validation of the results; and emphasizing further research through the new knowledge (Holme & Solvang, 1997).
This report is based on a case study where data were collected through the company internal document about goal achievement. Other data come from meeting reports between the company and its customer, and also internal meeting.

Research process

This thesis was conducted within the period of six months. A Gantt chart schedule with different deadlines is designed in order to facilitate the reader different activities as table 2 shows. The table 2 explains different activities from the initial planning to the conclusion

Research design

Research design in case study aims to connect the data collected during the visit on the site to the research questions that have been addressed on the earlier stage on the report. For that reason, research design is also considered as a logical sequence of activities that help a reader to follow and understand the way research was conducted before to draw  conclusions (Yin,     2002).
Case studies enable researchers to investigate a single unit or phenomenon by gathering detailed information through diverse types of data collection actions during a certain time period. The researcher on the case study has a possibility to ask questions to a participant at the same time as observations are done (Creswell, 2009). Through case studies researcher has possibility to focus his or her attention to important and interesting behaviour that can be related to the study (Creswell, 2009; Yin, 2002). There is a new research method connected to case study and called ADR. This method aims to design an artefact (DR) and evaluate it (AR) in order to solve a specific problem in a given context (Lindgren et al., 2011).

ADR method

A design of artefact (DR) and its evaluation (AR) play a key role when the ADR is chosen as research method (Lindgren et al., 2011). DR, design research, seeks to create innovative artefacts, taking into account the context and the problem founded at the organization. The outcome of this action is to identify and solve problems that are founded at the organization. ADR method is build on followings stages (Lindgren et al., 2011):

Problem formulation

The ADR method begins with the problem formulation in which the input come from divers sources such as: end-users, practitioners, the researchers, existing technologies, and/or review of prior research. Furthermore, the problem formulation emphasizes six tasks (Lindgren et al., 2011): identify and conceptualize the research opportunity, formulate initial research questions, cast the problem as an instance of a class of problems, identify contributing theoretical bases and prior technology advances, secure long-term organizational commitment, set up roles and responsibilities.
The problem formulation on this thesis emerged from several factors at Dalvich Optic such as:
Observing the way assembly operators at had access to information concerning the goal achievement at the production department.
Observing the way this information was presented, processed and stored at the plant.
Observing the way operators were performing their daily tasks.
The author took active part at the company where he was working at the managerial level. He has been working as assembly operator for eight years ago at different companies before writing this thesis.

Building, intervention, and evaluation

The first stage of ADR method creates a platform for creating the initial design of artefacts, which in turn creates foundations for the second stage. Building, intervention and evaluation as second stage in ADR emphasizes four main tasks (Lindgren et al., 2011): discovering initial knowledge-creation target, selecting or customize building, intervention and evaluation form, executing building, intervention and evaluation cycle, and assessing need for additional cycles.
The purpose of new artefacts is to meet the organizations’ requirements taking into account: the solution context, people, and technology (March & Storey, 2008). Different observations mentioned above constituted the inputs that facilitate the conception of the new type of IT artefact concerning the presentation of the daily goal and performance measurement. IT artefact has never been used at the plant before in order to visualize information.

Reflection and learning

The reflection and learning stage seeks to create conditions that highlight ideas that contribute to one step ahead. This means that, reflection and learning stage does not only deal with the design of the solution, but it also deals with the problems that the new artefact might deal with. Reflection and learning emphasize three main tasks (Lindgren et al., 2011): reflect on the design and redesign during the project, evaluate adherence to principles, and analyse intervention results according stated goals. The principles of the new IT artefact that shall visualize and monitor information at shop floor at Dalvich Optic might be elaborated by taking into account the skill level and knowledge of assembly operators.

Formalization of learning

Formalization of learning aims to formalize the learning by which five main tasks are identified (Lindgren et al., 2011): abstract the learning into concepts for a class of field problems, share outcomes and assessment with practitioners, articulate outcomes as design principles, articulate learning in light of theories selected, and formalize results for dissemination.
The type of the two research questions as presented previously required the exploration of the literatures and several visits at the plant before drawing conclusion. Hence, the results and conclusions at this thesis were based on the analysis and interpretations of observations made at the plant. It was only after reading literatures, doing observations on the site, and analysing the results of the observations that it was possible to draw conclusions, not the opposite. The analysis at this report concerns also the comparison of data about goal achievement before and after the implementation of the new artefact at the plant. This justifies even the choice of ADR method in this case study.
The author had a leading position at the plant before writing this thesis. This means that he could facilitate the implementation of the management of information at the plant. But, at the same time he kept neutral on this study.

Mixed methods

Collection and analysis of data is one of the most important steps when researchers conduct case studies. That is why, in order to achieve this objective, qualitative and / or quantitative approach, or a combination of both methods used in the research world. The reason that researchers choose to apply mixed methods based on the fact that the combination of both qualitative and quantitative method gives a clear picture of the research problem than the one based on using only one of the two methods (Creswell & Clark, 2007). This assessment is reinforced on the basis of an analysis stating that, quantitative methods are basically dominated by the use of numbers or surveys. This approach was first implemented in science to study paranormal experiences; while qualitative methods on the other hand, are more oriented towards social sciences such as psychology, where qualitative data sources are based more on interviews, observations, questionnaires and the researchers’ approach to the environment in which the study is conducted (Myers & Avison, 2002).
Mixed method has been used as method approach at this thesis due to following reasons. Firstly as qualitative approach, interviews and observations have been used on this study in order to collect data. Secondly numbers coming from reports regarding productivity and goal achievement have been used on this report as quantitative approach. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches are used on this report as inputs for analysis. The choice of mixed method on this study is justified by the fact that mixing qualitative and quantitative provide a lot of benefits. The author’s pre-knowledge may have biased the results, but at the same time, he has behaved as neutral as possible in the observations, interviews and analysis.

Data collection

There are six main ways to collect data that help to conduct research related to case studies: documentation, archival records, interviews, direct observation, participation-observation, and physical artefacts. These six sources of information can be regarded as sources of evidence which provide several advantages on the case study process strategy (Yin, 2002).
In order to collect data on this thesis, several observations have been done at the plant. At the same time, opportunities were offered to explore internal document from the company. During the preparation phase, many literature reviews located on different database on following universities: Jönköping University, Göteborg University, Linnaeus University, and Mid Sweden University were explored.

Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 BACKGROUND
1.2 PROBLEM FORMULATION
1.3 PURPOSE AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.4 DELIMITATIONS
1.5 OUTLINE
2 Theoretical background
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 SHOP FLOOR ACTIVITIES
2.3 PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT
2.4 DEVELOPMENT OF MEASUREMENT SYSTEM
2.5 GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
2.6 VISUALIZATION OF INFORMATION
3 Method and implementation
3.1 RESEARCH PROCESS
3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN
3.3 ADR METHOD
3.4 MIXED METHODS
3.5 DATA COLLECTION
3.6 RESEARCH QUALITY
3.7 ETHIC ASPECT OF THE REPORT
4 Findings 
4.1 THE COMPANY
4.2 SHOP FLOOR ACTIVITIES
4.3 VISUALIZATION OF INFORMATION
4.4 PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT
4.5 GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
5 Analysis 
5.1 ANALYSIS MODEL
5.2 SHOP FLOOR ACTIVITIES
5.3 VISUALIZATION OF INFORMATION
5.4 PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS
5.5 GOAL ACHIEVEMENT .
6 Discussion 
6.1 DISCUSSION OF METHOD
6.2 DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
7 Conclusions 
7.1 SUGGESTIONS ON FURTHERS STUDIES
8 References
GET THE COMPLETE PROJECT
Assembly operators and visualization of information’ contributions on performance measurements.