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– When building a business from scratch, it is often the technical processes, such as materials supply, technology development and marketing, that receive the most attention.\nBut you also need to build a people-focused organization that works in the real world.\nAnd this needs to be done at an early stage, because early planning phases create the basic conditions for future operations. <\/p>\n\n
Stakeholder engagement is key<\/h2>\n\n
Building production and work processes in a new type of industry, or in an existing organization facing major rapid changes – for example during a pandemic – is special.\nTherefore, Ulrika Harlin argues, it is necessary to work across traditional boundaries between different actors and sectors.\nThe startup in the study worked together with external partners at local and regional level to establish socially sustainable production and work processes early on. <\/p>\n\n
– These included municipalities, trade unions and other industries.\nBuilding a large network is one of the keys to a successful work process. <\/p>\n\n
– Stakeholders need to work together in a solution-oriented way in new areas towards an overall vision, such as contributing to the green transition.\nThis is a win-win situation for everyone, as it not only benefits the “problem” being solved.\nInstead, the solutions provided by the collaboration often result in new thinking and that other problems and areas are also solved and can make you competitive. <\/p>\n\n
Learning along the way<\/h2>\n\n
The second success factor for building organizational conditions that last over time is the learning perspective.\nWhen new areas are to be developed, the conditions are constantly changing and constant learning takes place.\nHowever, it is easy for lessons to be lost or to remain with individuals. <\/p>\n\n
– We think that we should capture everything we have learned afterwards.\nBut that usually never happens.\nSo it’s important to build a systematic approach to learning,” emphasizes Ulrika Harlin. <\/p>\n\n
It can be a good idea to use intermediaries, such as an external party that can bring together learning at all levels by listening to all stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n
– In the start-up company I followed for three years, there was an external industry expert who informally and during structured meetings captured the perspectives of the various actors.\nIn this way, they built up a large knowledge base together, with insights that could be taken into other contexts,” says Ulrika Harlin. <\/p>\n\n