The case study

4.5.1 Board task performance, value creation and learning processes - a categorisation The first question is how to categorise the value creation in this case study, and how to relate

value creation to board tasks. Further, the learning processes need to be categorised.

Board task performance is about the quality of the decisions made by the board (Forbes &

Milliken, 1999; Huse, 2007). In this context the information of the board task performance is

delivered by the board members themselves, but also by the users, the media and the union

representatives on behalf of the employees. The source is thus wider and more comprehensive

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strong board task performance is positively related to a high value creation (Huse, 2005,

2007). This fact opens for the opportunity of assessing the output values by observing the

value creation in Healthy and vice versa. I will therefore start with a collection of the

available statements on board task performance and value creation in Healthy. Based on the

observations of value creation and board tasks, I will search for explanations by an analysis of

presence of knowledge and skills and learning processes to evaluate the role of absorptive

capacity in Healthy.

Further, based on previous research on the learning processes, no process should be analysed

on its own (Zahra & George, 2002; Lane et al, 2006). When analysing Healthy, it appears

that what is a contribution to transformative learning from the board members to one or more

of the other groups, will easily be characterised as exploratory or exploitative learning for the

persons or group who receive this new knowledge or information. This transformation of

learning processes will actually be independent from where the learning process starts.

Therefore, when analysing the interviews, the categorisation of learning processes will on

several occasions depend on who is talking about the process. With this reasoning in mind, I

will start by analysing board activities and board processes in Healthy.

4.5.2 Observations on value creation and board task performance

Which perceptions are present when discussing the board task performance? Based on

meeting observations, the typical board meeting in Healthy is characterised by long written

presentations of every item on the agenda and short or no discussions between the board

members. If there is a disagreement, most of the board members seek to attain consensus

rather than exploring the sources of disagreement. At all board meetings members of staff

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When reading the minutes from the meetings, the same solid and proper approach is present.

There is a clear straight line from the strategic decisions in the board to the concrete

presentations and voting on items, almost without exceptions. (Source: Minutes from

Healthy's board meetings, 2010-2012, table 15, p.178-181). Further, there is an almost

sensational rate of items with a consensus among the board members as reviewed in table 31

and observed at the meetings.

From outside, the board members might seem to be passive with a main focus of control. The

CEO explains the situation in this way:

“There is something about phases, because a lot of the board members express that they would like to go back to the time when we constructed the reorganisation programme, because then they were very active. Then there was a creative process, and then there was a lot disagreement, too, but then we made it the way that we had many seminars as mentioned, and then we worked through it, didn’t we? And when we ended up with the final decision, I believe we had used 30 seconds, but this was because everything had been discussed, right? In a way they had actually been allowed to contribute in all the processes. And it is obvious, when a programme is made and they have decided what to do, then the board moves to a totally different role, in a way they become more controllers. They want to be sure that the activities we initiate actually bring the organisation to the goal. This is a less creative process, most experiences, compared with the process to find the way and the goal. And they have struggled with this. Especially last year when they were almost a bit depressed: What have we got to do now? How can we contribute?” (CEO, Healthy)

Regarding the CEO this lack of activity from the board directors might be due to prior

processes. She argues that the board discussions are limited because the same questions and

issues have been clarified in prior strategic processes.

The chair supports this point of view by expressing:

"what is a limitation in this system compared with other systems, or board, or other boards when they are really on their best, is that the combination of the number of persons and openness at open meetings, make that in a way the dialogical development in the board is harder to make than it is in a smaller board. But, inside these frames, then I actually think that I have made this better than, yes pretty well, actually." (Board chair)