Production Development, 30 credits

Aims and objectives

General aims for second cycle education

Second-cycle courses and study programmes shall involve the acquisition of specialist knowledge, competence and skills in relation to first-cycle courses and study programmes, and in addition to the requirements for first-cycle courses and study programmes shall

• further develop the ability of students to integrate and make autonomous use of their knowledge
• develop the students' ability to deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations, and
• develop the students' potential for professional activities that demand considerable autonomy, or for research and development work.

(Higher Education Act, Chapter 1, Section 9)

Course objectives

Knowledge and understanding
After completing the course, the student should be able to describe and discuss integrated management, sustainable development perspectives within industrial processes and related tools and methods used for application of integrated management and sustainable development in industries.

Applied knowledge and skills
After completing the course, the student should be able to

• to formulate and delineate a scientific or technical problem in the scope of sustainable production development, identify the need for knowledge for implementation and search and critically review information based on both science and proven experience,
• to independently plan and execute a scientific or technical project within given limitations,
• to process, analyze and discuss the results of a scientific or technical study, and
• to present the study and its results orally and in writing in a manner that follows given instructions, is linguistically correct, logical, systematic, understandable, and with content that is relevant to the project and well substantiated.

Judgement and approach
After completing the course, the student should be able to

• in writing and orally, discuss and evaluate various methods of a completed production development project and be able to provide feedback critically and constructively on the work of others, and
• demonstrate the ability to design and judge solutions with regard to economic, social and ecological sustainability.

Main content of the course

The course develops the ability to theoretically and practically apply methods and tools for sustainable production development. The students also communicate and discuss issues related to sustainable production development and innovative technology areas.

Course main content

• Scientific methods and literature search,
• Frameworks and principles of sustainable development,
• Approaches and tools for sustainable development,
• Social aspects and management systems,
• Innovative technology areas such as for example digitalisation, renewable energy sources, automation, Additive Manufacturing (AM),
• Project work in sustainable production development linked to a company or research group.

Teaching methods

The teaching is conducted in the form of lectures, exercises, seminars and project work.

Students who have been admitted to and registered on a course have the right to receive tuition and/or supervision for the duration of the time period specified for the particular course to which they were accepted (see, the university's admission regulations (in Swedish)). After that, the right to receive tuition and/or supervision expires.

Examination methods

Methodology and Literature Search, 3 credits (Code: A001)
Written assignment. Active participation in seminar where the assignment is processed. Parts of the examination take place in groups.

Sustainable Production Development, 12 credits (Code: A002)
Written assignments. Active participation in seminars where the assignments are processed. Parts of the examination take place in groups.

Project Work in Sustainable Production Development, 15 credits (Code: A003)
To be approved, the following steps must be completed by the student with approved results
- the project description is presented in a written specification with project plan,
the supervisor is kept informed of the progress of the work, at least once a week, for example via email,
- the student submits the written partial reports that are prescribed and actively participates in seminars dealing with these,
- a preliminary report is submitted for peer review,
- collegial review of the work of other students is conducted and reported in writing,
- oral presentation of the work,
- oral opposition to another student's work,
- the project is presented in the form of a written report.
Parts of the examination take place in groups

For students with a documented disability, the university may approve applications for adapted or other forms of examinations.

For further information, see the university's local examination regulations (in Swedish).

Comments on examination methods

In case of absence from compulsory examination (such as, for example seminars, project presentations etc), the examiner determines whether the examination can be taken again at another scheduled t event of the same kind. Otherwise, the student is referred to the next course opportunity. In exceptional cases, the examiner may decide on remuneration tasks. In this case, these must be completed before or in close connection with the end of the course.

Grades

According to the Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 6, Section 18, a grade is to be awarded on the completion of a course, unless otherwise prescribed by the university. The university may prescribe which grading system shall apply. The grade is to be determined by a teacher specifically appointed by the university (an examiner).

In accordance with university regulations regarding grading systems for first and second-cycle courses (Vice-Chancellor’s decision ORU 2018/00929), one of the following grades shall be used: Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with Distinction (VG). For courses that are included in an international Master’s programme (60 or 120 credits) or offered to the university’s incoming exchange students, the grading scale of A-F shall be used. The vice-chancellor, or a person appointed by the vice-chancellor, may decide on exceptions from this provision for a specific course, if there are special grounds.

Grades used on course are Fail (F), Sufficient (E), Satisfactory (D), Good (C), Very Good (B) or Excellent (A).

Methodology and Literature Search
Grades used are Fail (F), Sufficient (E), Satisfactory (D), Good (C), Very Good (B) or Excellent (A).

Sustainable Production Development
Grades used are Fail (F), Sufficient (E), Satisfactory (D), Good (C), Very Good (B) or Excellent (A).

Project Work in Sustainable Production Development
Grades used are Fail (F), Sufficient (E), Satisfactory (D), Good (C), Very Good (B) or Excellent (A).

For further information, see the university's local examination regulations (in Swedish).

Comments on grades

To obtain a passing grade for the course as a whole, a minimum of grade E is required for all examination assessments (code) on the course. To arrive at a course grade, the grades awarded for each examination assignment, grades A-E, are first converted to the numerical values 5-1. A rounded weighted average value is then calculated. The number of higher education credits for each examination code is used as weight.

Specific entry requirements

Manufacturing Engineering for MSc in Engineering, 9 Credits, Quality Development in Production Processes, 6 Credits, Machine Design for MSc in Engineering, 9 Credits and Financial Planning and Control with Industrial Investments and Financing, 7.5 Credits. The applicant must also have qualifications corresponding to the course "English 6" or "English B" from the Swedish Upper Secondary School.

For further information, see the university's admission regulations (in Swedish).

Transfer of credits for previous studies

Students who have previously completed higher education or other activities are, in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance, entitled to have these credited towards the current programme, providing that the previous studies or activities meet certain criteria.

For further information, see the university's local credit transfer regulations (in Swedish).

Reading list and other teaching materials

Required reading

Ledningssystem för kvalitet - Krav (ISO 9001:2015)
SIS, Svenska Institutet för standarder

Miljöledningssystem - Krav och vägledning (ISO 14001:2015)
SIS, Svenska Institutet för standarder

Vägledning för socialt ansvarstagande (ISO 26000:2010, IDT)
SIS, Svenska Institutet för standarder

Ett urval av Arbetsmiljöverkets författningssamling (AFS)
https://www.av.se/arbetsmiljoarbete-och-inspektioner/publikationer/foreskrifter/

Goodson, R. Eugene (2002)
Read-a-Plant-Fast
Harvard Business Review, 2002, May Issue

Siva Vanjah, Gremyr Ida, Bergquist Bjarne, Garvare Rickard, Zobel Thomas, Isaksson Raine. (2016)
The support of Quality Management to sustainable development.
Journal of cleaner production. 2016; 138:s148–157.
Elsevier

Sannö Anna. (2017)
Time to change; Zipping sustainability into operations.
Doctoral dissertation: Ma¨lardalen University. s58-65.

Life Cycle Assessment Handbook: A Guide for Environmentally Sustainable Products
John Wiley & Sons

Curran, Mary Ann (senaste upplagan)
Life Cycle Assessment Student Handbook,
John Wiley & Sons.

Schaltegger, Stefan and Burritt, Roger (senaste upplagan)
Contemporary Environmental Accounting: Issues, Concepts and Practice
London: Routledge

Fremstad, Anders and Paul, Mark (2019)
The Impact of a Carbon Tax on Inequality, 2019.
Ecological Economics, Volume 163, s88-97
Elsevier

Additional Reading

Edens, Bram (senaste upplagan)
Reconciling theory and practice in environmental accounting
PhD Thesis, Vrije Universitet, Amsterdam

Additions and Comments on the Reading List

Additional scientific articles and other material made available through the course's website or searched through the university library's databases will be added.