Kajsa Ellegård

A time-geographical approach to the study of everyday life of individuals – a challenge of complexity

Key words: human activities, series, group, time, time-geographyIntroductionIn a booklet on Jean Paul Sartre’s philosophical workL’etreet le neant, the Danish social scientists Jensen and Vester-gaard(1979)pointouttwo conceptsofinterest toresearchersstudying everyday activities of people. These concepts areseries and group. According to Sartre, a number of peoplewho occasionally meet at the same place where they intendto do the same thing constitute a series. The individuals ina ‘series’ do not know the intentions of the rest beforehand.They do not know each other as persons. In fact, they arenot even interested in knowing each other better or in whatthe others will do when they leave the place where they havemet. A ‘series’ occurs, for example, when people happen tostand in the same queue in a bakery or when people happento take the same bus. Thus, they are only interested in buyingsome bread or going somewhere along the same bus line. A‘series’is delimitedbyits accidentalexistencein time-space.The second Sartrean concept discussed in the bookletis group, which is a constellation of people quite differentfrom that of a ‘series’. Individuals in a ‘group’ form a socialentity which persists over a period of time and in which theindividuals share a long-term purpose. Therefore, the indi-viduals forming a ‘group’ get together periodically, eitherhabitually or by appointment, to ensure their commitment tothe common purpose during some time at the same place. A‘group’ may be exemplified by a family or a political orga-nization. Thus, individuals belonging to a ‘group’ more orless regularly meet each other and interact at the same placeat the same time. This is one of the means to reproduce the‘group’.

Reflective Production in the Final Assembly of Motor Vehicles – An Emerging Swedish Challenge

Presents some theoretical principles and empirical evidence relating to the new Swedish production systems for final assembly of motor vehicles. Contends that in these production systems it is possible simultaneously to enhance efficiency and quality of working life. Briefly sketches three production forms as they apply to the final assembly of automobiles and discusses the societal environments in which these different forms of production have evolved. Focuses on Volvo′s Swedish Uddevalla plant as one of the main examples so far of a reflective production system for final assembly of automobiles. Amplifies the analysis of different production flow patterns for final assembly and in particular addresses the issue of semi‐parallel mechanistic production flow and parallel organic production flow as alternatives to serial flow on a conventional line assembly.

Volvo – A Force for Fordist Retrenchment or Innovation in the Automobile Industry?

The article deals with the question: What does the ‘Volvo model’ stand for’? Two car assembly plants within the Volvo Car Corporation are the main exponents of the ‘Volvo model’, namely the Kalmar and Uddevalla plants, which were innovative and successful. There has been an open atmosphere to new ideas in the company at the top level and innovative ideas were stimulated at Kalmar and Uddevalla. However, simultaneously there was no strategy for spreading the innovations within the company, and resistance to the new ideas within the other operative units was strong. Therefore the diffusion of internal, Volvo-generated innovations was taken on solely by individuals or groups of individuals who were already committed to the ideas. In the Volvo TWR joint venture Autonova AB, the principles of the Reflective Production System, once developed within the Volvo Uddevalla plant, are being further developed. So, Volvo still has a joker left in the pack…

Restructuring the automobile industry in Sweden: the emergence of a reflective production system

Abstract The two automobile producers operate in Sweden. Volvo is well known for its radical development of new production systems and work organization. In this paper, reasons behind the efforts to create more humanized work within Volvo are presented in a historic perspective, the point of departure being problems related to assembly line technology. After a successful introduction of new ideas, including ‘cutting off the assembly line in the Kalmar plant, Volvo took a radical step in the Uddevalla assembly plant. A completely new production system, the Reflective Production System, was developed. The process in which the reflective production system was developed is examined and the performance of the plant in Uddevalla is evaluated. Some potentials of the reflective production system for local production units are briefly discussed.

Developing Unique Production and Work Structuring Principles Trough a Creative Search and Learning Process: The Uddevalla Final Assembly Plant

The discussion and analysis of the assembly line, as practised in the automotive industry, tends to be dominated either by researchers from a “human-centred” orientation or by writers who have adopted a point of view inspired by economic models, organisation theory and management literature. In our view, this has led to a bias in defining problems and their considering solutions.