Implementing a Responsibility Framework to Improve Cooperation

Problem Identification: This thesis examines the cooperation between the sustainable departments of Company X, a grid operator with several sustainable assets. The departments were previously combined, but two years ago the board of directors decided to sp lit them into two separate entities. Since then, the cooperation between the two departments has not been optimal, resulting in loss making assets. The company's cooperation and operations between the two departments are suboptimal due to incomplete divisi on and description of tasks and responsibilities. To improve the situation, the company has asked for suggestions on how to enhance cooperation between the departments. Therefore, the research question is formulated as follows: “How can Company X implement a responsibility framework to improve cooperation on the current sustainable assets between the departments NE and OBD?” Methods: Eight semi structured interviews were conducted to identify critical factors that have hindered progress towards the ideal situation of improved cooperation. While many employees acknowledged the need for improvement, only minor steps have been ta ken in the past two years to address the issue. This paper explains three well known change management models: Kotter’s theory, Lewin’s model, and the ADKAR model. The interviews' outcomes were compared to the literature to identify critical factors that c omplicated change within Company X. Additionally, flowcharts were created to map all processes related to the district heating asset that requires cooperation. This was done to gain insight into the tasks and responsibilities that involve both departments, which was identified as the core problem within the firm. Results: The study analysed the interviews using grounded theory until saturation was reached. The identified critical factors were poor communication, lack of leadership, vision, ownership of the change, and knowledge. To address the issue of unclear tasks and res ponsibilities, the study explored two responsibility frameworks, RACI and ERAM, as potential solutions. After considering multiple criteria, the RACI framework was selected as the most suitable solution for this specific problem. To enhance the pr obability of success, an implementation plan was devised. The 7S model was employed to assess seven aspects of the company to determine the suitability of the proposed solution. This model acknowledges the complexity of a company. Based on the seven p rinciples outlined in the model, recommendations for implementing the solution are provided. Lastly, an evaluation plan was created to assess the solution’s effectiveness and efficiency by making a questionnaire that can be done after the implementation ha s taken place. Discussion: Due to limited time, an implementation and evaluation could not take place. Therefore, the validity of the found solution cannot be guaranteed. Furthermore, the eight interviewees who participated in this research were all male and had complete d a college degree, which may have led to data bias. Additionally, no research has been conducted on the influence of personal skills and knowledge on why change has been challenging. For future research, it is recommended to interview a more diverse gr oup of employees and investigate the impact of individual differences on the change process. Conclusion: Applying the RACI frameworks created in this research by following the implementation plan while considering the critical factors combined with the 7S model, will enhance more clarity about the tasks and responsibilities. This improvement could enhance the cooperation between the two departments , ultimately resulting in better asset operations.