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The purpose of this paper is to identify integrated solutions business as the first generation of servitized offerings and modular solution offerings as the second development phase in servitization of original equipment manufacturers. This study examines how the servitized manufacturer, Kone, moves from integrated solutions to modular solutions business and develops the requisite capabilities to design, produce and implement modular solution offerings.

The paper reports a longitudinal case study of a provider of integrated solutions installed in buildings. During the ten years studied, the manufacturer implemented a strategic initiative to modularize its integrated solutions offering.

The firm’s transition to modular solutions progressed through three major capability development phases: solutions based on ad hoc integration, smart solutions based on modular design and through-chain modularity. The modular structure aims at fostering the efficiency of the solution offering and the associated production system.

Leveraging the benefits of modularity calls for an aligned combination of strategic, operational and technical capabilities contributing to the integration of resources in a modular production system for the solution providers’ competitive performance.

The study reports how a solution provider can develop the operational capabilities to integrate the core and peripheral components into the solution, and orchestrate the modular production system.

This study is a rare longitudinal analysis of how a manufacturer builds a modular offering, the solution platform and the required competitive capabilities to provide the solution.

Recruiting the right people, then giving them the opportunity for continuous learning and self‐development, have helped to make elevator and escalator manufacturer KONE one of the most respected companies in its field. “Our success is based on our employees’ know‐how, enthusiasm and commitment to achieving collective goals”, said a spokesman for the company, which operates in more than 50 countries and employs some 23,000 people.

Business Linked Teams was tasked with creating a training programme for KONE to transform sales people in various markets to communicate value, differentiate the organisation from its competitors, improve margins and increase orders.

Business Linked Teams developed a global solution that is adaptable to local market conditions with case studies, activities and role plays and further course materials developed specifically for each respective front line of sales staff. The programme was also developed to run in multiple languages. The solution comprises two modules that are run approximately six months apart, supported by online learning elements.

In the UK, the results nine months post-training were that 72 participants had identified £11,463,378 worth of orders achieved as a result of the skills and processes they were able to use after the training, with £5,044,942 of future orders in the pipeline.

Business Linked Teams created an original training programme that was tailored to the unique needs of KONE. Each training programme that was created was designed to meet the specific goals of the organisation to ensure that the most effective route possible is taken and to maximise uptake of learning once the programmes have ended.

The paper discusses the various models that can be used to analyse the aggregate impact of active labour market policy (ALMP) on labour market outcomes. The aggregate approach to policy evaluation is important. Contrary to evaluations based on micro data, it takes substitution, displacement and other indirect effects into account. The most promising framework for analysing the aggregate impact of ALMP is offered by a flow model approach of the labour market. However, other approaches such as VAR models are also treated in the paper. After discussing the theoretical models the paper gives a review of the empirical literature, in which these models are used to measure the aggregate impact of ALMP. On the basis of the results we are bound to conclude that ALMP makes a big difference to the level of unemployment. There is some evidence that disadvantaged groups benefit more from this type of policy than other groups. The fact that the impact is small on average may hide considerable variation between regions and sites. Future research should concentrate on attempting to relate this variation to differences in implementation. Then we might be able to identify the factors that are decisive for the success or failure of programmes which could then be used to improve ALMP.

Older people with dementia (OPD) have specific housing and technology-related needs, for which various design principles exist. A model for designing environments and its constituting items for people with dementia that has a firm foundation in neurology may help guide designers in making design choices. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

A general design model is presented consisting of three principles for OPD, namely designing for ageing people; designing for a favourable state and designing for beautiful moments. The neurosciences as a whole give shape to an eminent framework explaining the behaviour of OPD. One of the objectives of this paper is to translate the design principles into design specifications and to show that these specifications can be translated in a design.

Philosophical concepts are introduced which are required to understand design for OPD. Four case studies from Dutch nursing homes are presented that show how the theory of modal aspects of the philosopher Dooyeweerd can be used to map design specifications in a systematic way.

These examples of design solutions illustrate the applicability of the model developed in this article. It emphasises the importance of the environment for supporting the daily life of OPD.

There is a need for a design model for OPD. The environment and technology should initiate positive behaviours and meaningful experiences. In this paper, a general model for the designing of environments for OPD was developed that has a firm foundation in neurology and behavioural sciences. This model consists of six distinct steps and each step can be investigated empirically. In other words, this model may lay the foundation for an evidence-based design.

The international firms' management of subsidiaries abroad necessarily implies the question of how to manage language problems. Even if this is obvious, only a few researchers have dealt with the problem of language skills in corporate communications as this paper will show. This paper will furthermore discuss how Danish firms with subsidiaries in France solve their language problems. The paper points out different kinds of solutions to the language problems and shows the consequences of these solutions. Typically the firms have no language strategy, which results in a muddling‐through the day‐to‐day problems of how to communicate.