Johan Lilja, David Hansen, Johan Fredrikson and Daniel Richardsson
Upcoming as well as mature industries are facing pressure as regards successfully managing operational excellence, and, at the same time, driving and managing innovation. Quality…
Abstract
Purpose
Upcoming as well as mature industries are facing pressure as regards successfully managing operational excellence, and, at the same time, driving and managing innovation. Quality management concepts and practices’ ability to tackle this challenge have been questioned. It has even been suggested that there is a need to provide and promote an updated/changed, and even re-branded, version of Total Quality Management, merging quality management (QM) and innovation management (IM). Can such a shift then actually be spotted? The purpose of this paper is to explore and see if there are any signs suggesting that QM and IM actually are about to merge.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on literature reviews, document studies and interviews.
Findings
The paper highlights three signs indicating that QM and IM indeed are approaching each other, and that it is a movement driven from both sectors, e.g., in the work with new ISO-standards and the Toyota Kata framework.
Originality/value
The indicated development has fundamental and extensive practical implications. It will for example have to be followed by a similar merging of the two fields in the educational system, and in the competences of future managers.
Details
Keywords
Johan Lilja and Daniel Richardsson
Appreciative inquiry (AI) is an inquiry into the “best of” what already exists in a system. Applying AI at the start of a design process gives a process that is very different…
Abstract
Purpose
Appreciative inquiry (AI) is an inquiry into the “best of” what already exists in a system. Applying AI at the start of a design process gives a process that is very different from traditional design approaches, in other words “appreciative design” is achieved. The overall purpose of this paper is to explore and contribute to a process of putting appreciative design into practice.
Design/methodology/approach
The researchers have, in their role as educational leaders, developed and applied a process for appreciative design within the context of the entrepreneurial educational program “Skarp Åre, Business and product development” at Mid Sweden University.
Findings
The process introduced is referred to as Appreciative Course Evaluation and Design (ACED). The benefits of ACED, found in comparison to conventional practice, include higher commitment by the course participants, lower risk in the design process, and increased student involvement in the evaluation and design process.
Originality/value
The paper contributes in general to increasing the understanding of how the strengths and principles of appreciative inquiry can be incorporated into design processes. It is hoped that the insights presented will inspire future research and application of appreciative design, not only to the evaluation and design of higher education, but also to the evaluation and design of products, services, organizations and society.
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Keywords
Johan Lilja and Daniel Richardsson
The purpose of this paper is to contribute with knowledge concerning how to drive, generate and energize change and development in social systems. A potential key to meet this…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to contribute with knowledge concerning how to drive, generate and energize change and development in social systems. A potential key to meet this challenge is the strength-based change management approach called appreciative inquiry (AI). A central component of AI is the “AI interview”, which has evolved into a distinct activity that enables the past and the future to be used as a generative source for on-going learning about strengths, opportunities, aspirations and results. The AI interview has in previous studies shown an often surprisingly high ability to generate development and change in social systems. However, the understanding of the generative “mystery” of the AI interview, focusing on the value experienced by both the people conducting the interview and those being interviewed, is still in need of further exploration. Furthermore, the evident generativity of the AI interview has not yet been integrated to any large extent into quality management. The purpose of this paper is to change that.
Design/methodology/approach
The researchers have studied the customer experience of conducting an AI interview based on feedback from 97 AI students at Mid Sweden University.
Findings
Among the results, eight categories of value are identified.
Originality/value
The paper contributes with new knowledge concerning the values experienced during participation in an AI interview. The paper also highlights ideas on how the generativity of the AI interview could be increasingly integrated into quality management.
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Keywords
Organizations will be key to realizing the “transformative change for humanity” now being called for. However, the complexity calls for new ways of facilitating change and…
Abstract
Purpose
Organizations will be key to realizing the “transformative change for humanity” now being called for. However, the complexity calls for new ways of facilitating change and organizational learning; it also calls for moving beyond sustainability to develop practices that restore and regenerate the world in which we live. Above all, it calls for the development of new frameworks, practices, mindset and capabilities to hold space for and facilitate such transformation, to dance with the “Logic of Life.” The purpose of this study is to contribute to advancing the current leading frameworks and practices of facilitating learning and development towards the enabling of regenerative transformative change in organizations and society.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on an exploratory qualitative analysis of a facilitation prototype that expands the current framework and practice of Appreciative Inquiry Summits toward regeneration.
Findings
This study presents four paradoxes of regenerative facilitation to guide the dance for life in complex ecosystems. It also identifies that the dance needs to be widened, towards inviting more frequently the ends of the four paradoxes noted as regenerative, negative emotions, inner and more-than-human.
Originality/value
This study explores the intersection of practices and frameworks for facilitating complexity with principles from regenerative leadership and complexity theory, potentially making an important contribution to the urgent and widespread need to facilitate a regenerative transformative change for humanity, society and our organizations.