Author: Nilsson LindaTitle: Appraisal talk- new ideals and new formsThe purpose of this study was to examine the concept of the appraisal talk. More specifically its aim was to find out more about the function and the meaning of the appraisal talk, for the organization, managers and co-workers point of view, and if there was any specific method applied. Two of the central questions were: How did the managers and co-workers describe the function and the meaning of appraisal talks? Were there any differences or similarities of the respondent?s point of view, depended of their position in the organization? The method of analysis was qualitative with a critical reflective approach. The study was based on interviews with three managers and four co-workers, in the public service of elderly care in Kalmar municipality.

Author: Nilsson LindaTitle: Appraisal talk- new ideals and new formsThe purpose of this study was to examine the concept of the appraisal talk. More specifically its aim was to find out more about the function and the meaning of the appraisal talk, for the organization, managers and co-workers point of view, and if there was any specific method applied. Two of the central questions were: How did the managers and co-workers describe the function and the meaning of appraisal talks? Were there any differences or similarities of the respondent?s point of view, depended of their position in the organization? The method of analysis was qualitative with a critical reflective approach. The study was based on interviews with three managers and four co-workers, in the public service of elderly care in Kalmar municipality.

Purpose: Our purpose is to describe and understand how a project-based, knowledge-intensive firm in the high-technology industry creates and transfers knowledge, seen from two perspectives.Methodology: Our qualitative case study has an explorative approach since earlier studies within our positioning are absent, thus we look at KM abductively. To gain more depth to our study, we mirror our findings from our case company with data collected from three additional organisations.Theoretical perspectives: We see a clear distinction between researchers, either seeing knowledge as an object or a process. Thus, we review theories from both sides, either focusing on the creation or transferring of knowledge. In addition, theories on KM in project organisations areaccounted for.Empirical foundation: The study is based on the empirical foundation which consists of the data received through six interviews with employees at our main case company and, additionally, two interviews at each of our three mirrorcompanies.Conclusion: The study found KM being seen from both perspectives in all four firms. Through this, we found implications for how our case company could proceed in the future..

This study aims to build a deeper understanding of how differences in identities and communication can affect the possibilities of achieving a successful merger between companies from different type of industries. Our study is of qualitative nature and looks into the specific merger between Företagshälsovården AB and Managementkonsulterna AB. The study builds upon 16 semi structured interviews which are carried out with employees from both parts of the organization and with management personnel. Firstly our study shows that the different identities existing within the different parts of the organization, highly affect the integration process after a merger. Secondly we show that the level of communication transmitted from the management, but also between the different parts of the organization, affects the possibilities of creating a successful merger.

Given a considerable increase in knowledge-based companies, the interest for measuring and valuing intangible assets, particularly human capital, has increased accordingly. Human capital has climbed the management research agenda as human assets make substantial contribution to the value creation in knowledge-based companies. Neither internal nor external financial statements reflect the value of an organization?s human assets. Against this backdrop, we find it interesting to explore how counting and controlling for human capital is devised.

Given a considerable increase in knowledge-based companies, the interest for measuring and valuing intangible assets, particularly human capital, has increased accordingly. Human capital has climbed the management research agenda as human assets make substantial contribution to the value creation in knowledge-based companies. Neither internal nor external financial statements reflect the value of an organization?s human assets. Against this backdrop, we find it interesting to explore how counting and controlling for human capital is devised.

This thesis examines how knowledge management professionals use trust as a component in the creation of knowledge management systems, and what methods they use for building trust.Adopting a grounded theory approach, interviews with 8 knowledge management professionals active in different industries served as the base for an analysis that identified trust to be the single most important common factor in the data. The concept of trust used by the informants was identified as relating to the knowledge management system itself, rather than other users, employees or groups in an organisation.Building trust, the KM-professionals mainly focused on three methods: simple solutions, system superiority, and implementation security. Using these methods, the KM-professionals seek to ensure system trust by creating opportunities for users to obtain positive experiences of using the system, and thereby generate a foundation for a trust-based relationship between the user and the system..

AbstractThis study examines how knowledge transfer works within the student nations of Uppsala. The purpose is to describe and analyze how the knowledge is transferred when the officials are being exchanged within the student nation. Furthermore the purpose is to explore if the student nations work active to preserve the knowledge and how it is done in such case. Eight out of Uppsalas thirteen nations are part of the study and the survey was conducted by qualitative interview. The study mainly assumes from Argotes theories on the organizational memory, Davenport and Prusaks theories on knowledge transfer and Nonaka and Konnos SECI-model. The study reveals that the student nations work in different ways and more and less active with knowledge transfer.

Introduction: HR departments have been developed to take care of the organizations most important resource: the human being. HR as a function has however faced criticism claiming that the function does not entail any value to organizations. The rest of the organization often have a hard time understanding what HR?s daily work means and thereof not having a clear image of the function?s purpose or the function?s role in the organization Aim: The purpose of this study is to describe the relationship between the organization's view of the HR department (image) and the HR department's image of themselves (identity) in order to create a greater understanding of how the HR function successfully can be a well-functioning resource in an organization's overall business. Methodology: The study was conducted in the form of a case study. We have approached the issues by taking different perspective into account, which includes HR, managers and employees.

Employer branding in public sectorA descriptive case study on Örebro kommuns work with employer brandingProblem: Previous literature on employer branding is normative and highlights what the work with employer branding should contain in order to succeed. Previous literature lack descriptions of how the actual work is carried out in organizations. Previous literature also takes basis in the private sector and there is a lack of studies conducted in the public sector.Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe how an organization in a public sector works with employer branding and it also aims to increase the understanding of employer branding.Method: The study is a descriptive case study based on a qualitative approach with semi- structured interviews with two employees at Örebro kommun. Throughout the study previous literature on employer branding is used.Results: We have noticed different activities in the organizations work with employees, leadership and communication that contribute to employer branding. The organization has a well-developed approach for the existing employees that contribute to the employee's personal development.

Today, the catering personnel are an essential part of the safety organization on board Swedish passenger vessels in ferry services. Their responsibilities for the safety on board have increased in connection with the changes in regulations made on the shipping industry. These changes have been mostly related to human factors and structural leadership in the last 25 years.A well-functioning safety organization requires competence and commitment from every individual. Previous researches on Swedish passenger ferries concerning the safety organization have raised issues regarding the catering personnel?s perception of the safety on board.

Title: Talent Management: Retention and development of employeesLevel: Bachelor?s Degree in Business and AdministrationAuthors: Amra Abdulic Dzankovic and Anna JaurénSupervisor: Per-Arne WikströmDate: June 2013Aim: The purpose of this study is to examine how an organization can implement talent management strategies to retain and develop their employees. We intend to increase the understanding of talent management by highlighting various strategies to retain and develop employees.Methodology: The study has been carried out with a qualitative approach through a case study in cooperation with a large organization within the public sector in Sweden. Empirical material has been collected through semi-structured interviews with all the divisional managers. An extensive analysis of literature and research connected to Talent Management and tools for retention and development has formed the basis of the theoretical framework.Result and Conclusion: The conclusions we have drawn from this study is that to succeed with Talent Management, and the strategies that are in place to retain and develop employees, there must be an integral and comprehensive approach where business strategy and vision also permeates personnel strategy.

This essay is an attempt to scrutinize dance improvisation in terms of Aristotle?s concept of the practical knowledge phronesis. By remembering and reflecting upon lessons and my own practical knowledge and experience as a teacher in the subject of dance improvisation, I want to examine the ability to improvise as the dance students´ phronesis. Awareness, spontaneity and intuition are vital elements for the comprehension of phronesis and even represented in the basis training in dance improvisation. During the contemplation I have used philosophical books and texts mainly about practical knowledge, intuition and reflection..

The thesis aims to describe the current sales climate in the context of complex sales in business-to-business. The purpose is to increase the clients knowledge of sales and test the clients hypothesis that the sales climate is changing from Solution Selling to Insight Selling, further the thesis aims to contribute to the scientific debate of sales. Solution Selling is characterized, as the name suggest, by selling of solution to the customers needs. With Insight Selling the seller has a provocative approach towards the customer and the seller is searching for customers in the need of change. This is a qualitative study conducted with eight interviews and one focus group.

The overall purpose of this essay was to provide a better understanding of the importance of discretion for social workers in direct social services. To answer the purpose three questions were formulated: (1) How do social workers define and describe their discretion and their ability to independently accomplish their work? (2) How do social workers experience that workplace organization, policies and economic conditions interact with their discretion and (3) How do social workers experience that the interaction with the client can affect how they use their discretion in the individual case? The method used was qualitative interviews. The theoretical framework was Michael Lipskys (1980) Street-level bureaucracy and the four themes organization, professional role, skills and interaction.The results showed that the respondents, although they did not consider themselves to be affected by the economy still adapted to budget restrictions when they said that they were cost conscious in their work. This adjustment to budget framework could possibly be what made them not feel limited in their work.