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.

The intention of this essay is to study the Swedish General Staff as a learning organisation during the period of 1914-1918 based on the theoretical work developed by the philosopher Bertil Rolf. Previous international research on the Prussian/German General Staff has shown that it is considered to be the first learning organisation in history. The Swedish General Staff was based on the German General Staff model and the focus of this study is to compare the development the tactics in Germany and Sweden regarding defence and attack in trench warfare. The questions are: How were the possibilities for gathering and analysing informa-tion affected by the war? Which conclusions were made for trench warfare in Swedish conditions? What experiences from the war and exercises in Swedish army were implemented in manuals and training?The conclusion of the study is that the Swedish General Staff was functioning as a learning organisation during the WWI through the ability to follow the international development, mainly in the Central Powers, and by modifying the experiences to the prevailing Swedish strategic and tactical conditions.

Based on last years events that have taken place, events on the school Lundbergs and the police values of work, has the meaning of having a set of values been questioned. This study aimed to investigate and answer the fundamental values based on the common value basis for the government employees within an organization and how it perceived by employees. The new institutional theory was the framework for this qualitative study conducted with semi-structured interviews. Respondents were employees within the organization. Ethnographic qualitative methodology was the basis for our methodology and we used a thematic model of theme interpretation, communication and knowledge in our analysis.

The purpose of this master thesis is to investigate how the public library can support adult learning through collaboration with other actors in the community. This is done by examining the activity of Linköping municipal library towards the user group adult students. The questions raised consider; the political view of supporting adult learning, the role of the public library, who are the actors in Linköping, the experiences of collaboration and finally what promotes and restrains collaboration. The investigation is done as a case study with qualitative methods. The qualitative methods was found to be the most appropriate for this study, since the majority of the empirical material has been collected through interviews.

This project has aim to examine how students experience their concentration ability during mathematics lessons in the mornings and afternoons, and how students? learning can be in-fluenced by the concentration ability during mathematics lesson in the morning and after-noons respectively? Which role do the methods of learning play in mathematic depending on which time it is carried out during mornings or afternoons with regard to student concentra-tion ability? In order to find out those issues, I used two methods; (interview and observa-tion).Interview with 4 students and 3 teachers and observations of 4 mathematics lessons based on a qualitative method. In order to measure students' concentration ability during ma-thematics education on various times, I distributed questions to 23 students and repeated it during each lesson that I have observed from a quantitative approach in two classes in a sec-ondary school. In the literature I discuss the definition of concentration, and factors affecting the concentration negatively and positively. What is the relationship between concentration, learning and type of activity and how individuals can improve their learning and attention? In addition I studied two earlier studies on the concentration.

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.

This thesis is about how students see their education, creativity and future based on our understanding of the concept of entrepreneurial learning. The aim is to highlight if and how this relatively new concept in the school world is rooted in pupils everyday lives. To get answers to our questions, we talked to students about their thoughts and reflections on their schooling, but also their views on how they think their future will look like. We have also examined what students associate to the concept of creativity by letting the pupils make a mind map during the interview sessions. Research and theories are talking about how to conduct school education, but despite all this knowledge the results in today´s schools drops.

Titel: E-learning - en form för kompetensutveckling? Författare: Emely Andersson Helena Någård Handledare: Anders Nilsson Institution:Institutionen för Ekonomi och Management Blekinge Tekniska Högskolan Kurs: Magisterarbete i företagsekonomi, EFE 610 Syfte: Syftet med uppsatsen är att kartlägga de faktorer som ligger till grund vid valet av e-learning som kompetensutvecklingsform samt vilka olika verktyg av e-learning som finns. Metod: Insamlingen av data har skett genom både personliga intervjuer och e-mail intervjuer med företag som använder någon form av e-learning i sin verksamhet. Vi har också varit i kontakt med sakkunniga som har erfarenhet av e-learning för att få ett bredare perspektiv på området. Slutsats: Slutsatsen vi har dragit är att det beror på flera olika faktorer om e-learning passar in i företaget och varje företag måste utvärdera dessa faktorer. Genom att titta på olika företag har vi hittat vissa gemensamma faktorer hos dessa företag. Huvudfaktorerna som har störst betydelse för om e-learning passar in i företaget är personalen, kostnaderna och vilka kunskaper det är som skall förmedlas.

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.

The aim of this study is to highlight the computer as a learning resource in the education and give us knowledge about how the students uses the computer in year one in a selected High School where one computer per student were introduced in autumn 2011. The aim is also to contribute to the discussion about how the computer can become a natural learning resource for all students in all subjects, including the students in need of special support.How are the High School students using the computer?Are there differences in computer use, whether the student is in academic or vocational program?Are there differences in computer use between boys and girls?Do the student experience that the digital competence is increasing together with if they experience the computer as aid?In what degree do the teachers encourage the students to use the computer?How much do the students use the computer to learn mathematic?The study is based on a survey of all students in year one in a municipal High School.The result of the study is showing that the students first of all use the computer to play music, surf the Internet and to be logged in on social media (eg. Facebook). The students have learned to use the computer for the tasks they need, although the teachers don?t encourage the students to use the computer in any higher means, not in mathematics and not in other subjects.

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.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the points of view of three groups of actors about their local learning center and its collaboration with the library. By interviewing groups of actors from the municipal sector, the library staff and students, I aim to investigate their associations of the learning centre, what kind of services it should offer, and how they understand the role of the library staff in specific collaboration between the public library and the adult education administration. The study design is based on Gunnar Grepperud?s and Terje Thomsen?s three missions for a local learning centre; the mission of a broker, a meeting place and a motivator. I also use Carol Kuhlthau?s levels of mediation as an approach to investigate how the actors want the library staff to work in relation to the centre.

The aim of this qualitative study is to examine the experience of participation among first line managers within community home care. The study is based on eight interviews with first line managers operating in a metropolitan area in Sweden. A majority of the interviewees worked in private companies.We have used two theories to interpret our empiri: Lean Production and Human Resource Management. The analysis resulted in seven themes: economy, leadership, participation, view on the organization, first line manager, private or municipally operated organization and expectations on the manager. Our results showed that all the interviewees experienced that they were participant in the organization.