The Heatex-Model - Multi-Cultural Business Process Development

Sammanfattning: Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a model for business process improvement that integrates national culture aspects to achieve sustainable performance improvement. Research questions: ' How can national culture aspects be combined into a business process management model? ' What is the difference between mapping methods? ' How do they relate to each other and their intended scope? Research procedure: This project takes place from September 2014 to March 2015. During this time the researcher spent October – mid December at Heatex subsidiary in Shanghai, looking at the order to delivery process for the rotor production line. By first conducting a literary review of business process management, and development with a specific focus on business process mapping. This study has compared different business process mapping techniques into a business process management model that was applied to the case company. As an attempt to further understand a foreign process the Hofstede framework was also integrated into the business process management model. The idea was to better be able to predict the process reaction to changes and be able to develop a suggestions that could create sustainable change and improve overall performance. Results: The implemented improvements in the production process at Heatex Shanghai are: ' A KPI system for measuring performance ' A new and more efficient layout for the spinning line ' Tool-belts and –carts Based on the experience and research procedure used in this study the Heatex model for multi-cultural process improvement were developed. It is a ten step model that combines previously established process management models with Hofstede’s model for culture dimensions: 1. Identified goal, opportunity or problem 2. Assemble team 3. Draw boundaries 4. Examine process 5. Evaluate issues 6. Find cause 7. Culture analysis 8. Develop solutions 9. Implement 10. Evaluate process Conclusions: The purpose of this study is to develop a model for business process improvement that integrates national culture aspects to achieve sustainable performance improvement. It is a growing need for companies to develop their processes that cross national and cultural boarders. The Heatex model presents a suggestion for how the Hofstede culture research can be applied to gain knowledge about a foreign culture. This can help to extract trustworthy data as well as be used as a tool to achieve sustainable process change. This study conducted a literary review over different mapping methods in order to further deepen the knowledge about process mapping. Based on this theory a theoretical model was developed for how to apply different process mapping techniques. By applying these mapping methods to Heatex Shanghai further conclusions could be drawn about how process mapping should be conducted. By answering the research questions this study provides an explanatory result between culture analysis and business process management, and within business process mapping.