Användningen av ICE - Samspelet mellan organisation och industri : En fallstudie av Veidekke Mälardalen

Sammanfattning: To cope with the low productivity, as well as the fragmentation within the Swedish construction industry, organizations are working with technically mediated social collaboration methods. One of those methods, which have established a considerable presence within the Swedish industry, is Integrated Concurrent Engineering, ICE. The purpose of this study is to provide knowledge regarding how ICE is utilized within the Swedish industry, as well as identify and determine how factors influence the concept. The study is carried out as a case study within a Swedish contractor. Firstly, the thesis examines how the methodology is used in practice during the design stage. This by observing design meetings within two separate projects carried out by the same organization. Secondly, the study explores how the use of the methodology is perceived and recognized by, for the organization, internal and external stakeholders. The individual perception of the concept was acquired by semi-structured interviews. The employed methods in the study enables the thesis to identify and understand factors influencing the use of, and the diffusion of, the concept. Both within the organization as well as within the industry. The study reveals that even though the concept has been practiced for a number of years, the utilization of the concept is fragmented, both within the organization as well as within the industry. For example, external stakeholders experience problems obtaining a clear understanding of the organization’s aims and goals using the concept. This due to inconsistencies between projects within the same organization. Similarly, internal users highlight methodological variations between the organization’s projects. The findings indicate a problem with the organizational definition regarding the content of, and the utilization of, the ICE methodology. Since the organization in the study represents a major part of the communication between the academia and the industry, a problem with the organizational definition does not only affect the organization, it could affect the use of the concept within the entire Swedish construction industry. To enable an organizational learning, as well as to facilitate a diffusion of the concept within the industry, a systematic approach with the methodology is required. The factors identified by the study can be considered important to understand how the concept can be further developed within the organization, but also how to positively affect the diffusion in the industry.