Balancing International Support Work for Sustainable Future : case Wipak Group
Makinen, Piia (2022)
Makinen, Piia
2022
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022051810283
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022051810283
Tiivistelmä
The Covid-19 pandemic derailed the business world in the spring 2020. Organizations were used to promote face-to-face meetings and frequent business trips were organized. Suddenly all changed, and the business world noticed that everything is still working in the remote mode. Decreased travelling costs and smaller environmental footprint empowered companies to rethink the sustainable future. Inevitably, the new trend meant also less socializing and face-to-face interaction with colleagues. Hence, management is in a constant balancing battle, whether to prefer human factors and physical presence over performance management and overall efficiency.
The theoretical framework of this thesis was built on a scale that described the key concepts in the balancing of human factors and performance management in the system support work. The research itself was mixed-method research and the strategical choice was a case study with a constructive approach. Surveys and interviews were selected as the primary data collection methods in the case company. Survey results were compared and partly benchmarked with another company to validate the results. The secondary data consisted of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, and the case company’s travel expenses and carbon dioxide emission data.
Organizational culture, national culture, individuals with their personalities, behavior, personal needs, targets, and experience are influencing on the support work and related decisions. The interaction is reciprocal from a support team to business users and from business users towards a support team. The foundation of the support work lies in organizational culture. The proposal for the future support model is a hybrid model, where most of the tasks are conducted online, but sensitive items shall be organized onsite. It regards that face-to-face interaction is still important and efficient, but it also considers cost-efficiency, environmental impact, and employee well-being.
The theoretical framework of this thesis was built on a scale that described the key concepts in the balancing of human factors and performance management in the system support work. The research itself was mixed-method research and the strategical choice was a case study with a constructive approach. Surveys and interviews were selected as the primary data collection methods in the case company. Survey results were compared and partly benchmarked with another company to validate the results. The secondary data consisted of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, and the case company’s travel expenses and carbon dioxide emission data.
Organizational culture, national culture, individuals with their personalities, behavior, personal needs, targets, and experience are influencing on the support work and related decisions. The interaction is reciprocal from a support team to business users and from business users towards a support team. The foundation of the support work lies in organizational culture. The proposal for the future support model is a hybrid model, where most of the tasks are conducted online, but sensitive items shall be organized onsite. It regards that face-to-face interaction is still important and efficient, but it also considers cost-efficiency, environmental impact, and employee well-being.