In spite of the need for organisations to develop competencies among its employees as a source for gaining competitive advantage, and in spite of previous research efforts to find out what contributes to it and the effects of it, the process of Competence Development (CD) implementation is still a ‘black box’, whose internal linkages are unknown. Furthermore it is noticed in previous research that there is a lack of empirically-based research in organisations, and the purpose of this dissertation is therefore to explore the process of CD implementation, as perceived by employees within the debt-collection industry of Sweden.   A case-study on a Swedish Debt-Collection Company was conducted, and data collected through interviews with employees and managers, in order to find out how the process of CD implementation is structured. In order to investigate the internal linkages in the process an extensive literature review was performed in the field of CD, and used for developing a conceptual model, showing how the various stages interact and depend upon each other in gaining competence among its employees. The model was then tested empirically and the findings suggest that the CD implementation was structured mostly in line with the model, although adjustments had to be made.   The findings suggest that in the process of CD implementation conceptualisation of CD plans and selection of participants is conducted in one integrated step and not two distinct steps, as suggested in previous literature. Performance Management and Reflection- and Evaluation are not conducted in two steps but more or less simultaneously. Furthermore, this study suggests that it is the organisation’s responsibility to provide a foundation, opportunities and resources that enable CD, while the employees themselves set the standard for how much they will take advantage of it. Therefore this study argues that if employees can have input and influence on each stage of the process, better outcomes will be provided since it will be aligned with their objectives, personal and professional.   Up to this point, the process of CD implementation has been a ‘black box’, a mechanism that generates a certain level of output but whose internal workings are unknown. It is important to open up that box and to understand how CD operates to produce superior performance for an organisation. The findings in this study help to bridge that gap better, and are useful for managers conducting and implementing Human Resource practices that aim to develop competencies among the company’s workforce in order to gain better performance.

The primary aim of this study is to investigate young people´s motives and expectations for participating in the action two “European Voluntary Service” (EVS) under the Youth In Action programme supported by the European Commission at the youth center Villa Elba in Finland. The study also aims to identify which competences the young people think they have developed through EVS. The study consists of one group interview and one focus group interview with ten EVS volunteers in total who accomplish short-term EVS and long term EVS during one month respectively nine months. The methodology is based upon a qualitative research approach and in order to reach a better understanding of the respondents’ motives for participating in EVS, the theories modernity, reflexive project of the self and the individualized society were chosen. The study is also based upon background information about EVS and earlier research. The results indicate that the EVS volunteers’ main motives for participating in EVS were: acquiring new skills, meet new people, and experience an adventure in another country. The most common competence developments turned out to be in the areas of language, social and initiative skills. Moreover, the study demonstrates that many young people in Europe face difficulties in getting into the labour market and becoming independent. The main reason is the economic recession which has severely affected the situation for young people in Europe and this is also confirmed by earlier research. Even though the respondents had positive opinions about their EVS project, criticism was raised towards the European Union´s ideas of creating a feeling of European Citizenship through programmes such as EVS.

This research examines experiences of Latvian students pursuing undergraduate degrees at universities in England. Working with this population positions this research in the subject area of International Student Mobility (ISM). As a relatively new subject ISM is still developing suitable concepts, methodological practices and scientific terminology. This presents a challenge but also calls for more in-depth work in the area. As an exploratory study this research answers this call and proposes new directions in the development of ISM as a research field. ISM is particularly interesting in the context of contemporary Europe where student mobility is considered as a vehicle of human capital across national borders. As such student mobility contributes to further internationalization of the European labour force and facilitates development of the knowledge-based economy. Finding out what students gain from university education abroad remains a topic of scientific debate. This research focuses on the practical but complicated part of Higher Education: competence development. The review of the literature reveals that the topic of competence development in Higher Education has been in and out of researchers’ favour, but it has not been examined in the international context. This consideration is timely as more and more students seek education abroad and competences developed at foreign universities are transferred across borders. This research is based on in-depth interviews with Latvian students in England, their family members and friends both in Latvia and in England. Interviewing family and friends enriched the self-reporting accounts of the students, thus capturing a more holistic representation of the students’ experiences. In addition, accounts of the students’ network representatives from England and from Latvia positioned this research in the international social networks of the students. This research finds that international social networks are the natural and necessary environments in which mobility of students takes place and argues that it needs to be studied with consideration to these under-researched environments. This study also proposes a longitudinal focus. The main participants of this research, the students, were interviewed three times over three years, which goes beyond most research studies on student mobility. The analysis of the interview responses relies on multiple iterations between the literature and the data. The findings demonstrate that degree-seeking students develop competences that can be grouped in three main areas: gaining access to university education in England, socio-cultural acculturation and academic acculturation. In each of these areas students develop specific skills and abilities that support the three areas of competences. The development of the skills, abilities and competences is explained through a model created by Noel Burch for Gordon Training International (GTI). The model outlines four stages of development that progress from the level of unconscious incompetence, to conscious incompetence, to conscious competence and to unconscious competence.

Anledningen till att jag valde att göra en studie om yrkeslärare på Restaurang- och livsmedelsprogrammets syn på kompetens, bottnade i en nyfikenhet i hur dessa lärare kombinerade yrkeskunskap med pedagogik. Ansåg dessa yrkeslärare att yrkeskunskap var det centrala eller skulle fördelningen mellan pedagogik och yrkeskunskap vara mer jämnt fördelad? Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka yrkeslärare på Restaurang- och livsmedelsprogrammets syn på sin yrkeskompetens. Anledningen till begränsningen att endast använda mig av lärare på Restaurang- och livsmedelsprogrammet beror på att det är inom detta område jag själv är verksam, och därmed även intresserad av. Undersökningen har skett med hjälp av en kvalitativ studie, grundat på fem intervjuer i halvstrukturerad modell. Av resultatet framkommer att respondenterna definierar yrkeskompetens som att en lärare ska ha bred och djup yrkeskunskap, ha en pedagogisk utbildning samt ha en bra relation med eleverna. Respondenterna håller sig uppdaterade på branschnyheter med hjälp av resor, facklitteratur och branschskrifter, samt genom att jobba extra inom restaurangbranschen. När det kom till kompetensutveckling lyfte samtliga respondenter fram yrkespraktik som ett bra medel, och som något de gärna skulle vilja pröva på. Genom att matcha svaren från respondenterna mot Malténs (1995) lista över professioner har min slutsats blivit att en bra och kunnig lärare skall ha kunskap inom många olika områden för att anses som kompetent. / The reason for my choice to do a study about the vision of competence of the teachers at the Restaurant Management and Food Programme, stems from a curiosity regarding the usage of professional expertise in combination with pedagogy by these teachers. Did these teachers consider professional knowledge the most momentous, or would they rather have the division between pedagogy and professional knowledge more evenly distributed? The purpose of this study was to explore the approach of teachers at the Restaurant Management and Food Programme, toward their own professional practice. I myself am employed in the restaurant and food area, and therefore I also have an interest in it, hence the restriction of only using teachers at the Restaurant Management and Food Programme in the study. The study that has been done has been carried out with the help of a qualitative type study, based on five interviews in a semi- structured type model. Of the results appear that the respondents define the professional skills of a teacher as to have both deep and wide-ranging professional restaurant knowledge, have an educational training and have a good relationship with the students. Respondents keep up to date with restaurant news through traveling, literature and industry publications, as well as working in the restaurant business on the side. On the question of skill development, all the partakers in the study declare that they would like to take internship positions in the restaurant sector to further their competence. By matching the responses of the respondents with Malténs (1995) list of professions, I have come to the conclusion that a good and knowledgeable teacher should possess knowledge in many different areas to be considered competent.

<p>This essey discuss competence development for the employees in a unit of the Swedish police authorities. The purpose with this survey has been to show an understanding for how this unit within the Swedish police authorities works with competence development and what kind of competence investments they carry out and also why competence development is important in their organisation. To answer the purpose of the survey and the questions a qualitative method has been used remaining interviews with five involved respondents working in the investigated unit. The result shows that needs for competence development are made clear during meeting for personal development and during the local educational council inventories. Competence development for the employees is prioritated for the policemen comparing to the civil employees on account of that the policemen have a demanding work and they have to develop their work all the time because of the resisting circumstances. The policemen always have to retain and develop their competence to always feel safe and secure and they have to be able to handle the situations that their profession require. According to the result it has been shown that evaluation and follow- ups after carry out an education shuld be more effective and should be performed after every education occasion. According to the investigated unit the work with evaluation and follow-ups in the unit are not taking place in the extent it should be doing. The result of the survey has further shown that a development concentrated on learning takes place in the daily work of a policeman despite their experiences about the learning within the organisation has gone from collective learning to individual learning. This unit of the Swedish police authority does an extensive work with competence development for their employees. They have a positive attitude to competence development when they think retaining and development of competence are very important within the profession of a policeman.</p>

This essey discuss competence development for the employees in a unit of the Swedish police authorities. The purpose with this survey has been to show an understanding for how this unit within the Swedish police authorities works with competence development and what kind of competence investments they carry out and also why competence development is important in their organisation. To answer the purpose of the survey and the questions a qualitative method has been used remaining interviews with five involved respondents working in the investigated unit. The result shows that needs for competence development are made clear during meeting for personal development and during the local educational council inventories. Competence development for the employees is prioritated for the policemen comparing to the civil employees on account of that the policemen have a demanding work and they have to develop their work all the time because of the resisting circumstances. The policemen always have to retain and develop their competence to always feel safe and secure and they have to be able to handle the situations that their profession require. According to the result it has been shown that evaluation and follow- ups after carry out an education shuld be more effective and should be performed after every education occasion. According to the investigated unit the work with evaluation and follow-ups in the unit are not taking place in the extent it should be doing. The result of the survey has further shown that a development concentrated on learning takes place in the daily work of a policeman despite their experiences about the learning within the organisation has gone from collective learning to individual learning. This unit of the Swedish police authority does an extensive work with competence development for their employees. They have a positive attitude to competence development when they think retaining and development of competence are very important within the profession of a policeman.

Lic.-avh. Linköping : Linköpings universitet, 2006.

Problem: Many studies are written about employees stationed abroad by multinational corporations, but nothing about non-profit organisations. The NPOs from the Swedish idea-driven sector also have employees working abroad. This thesis looks at competence development opportunities for these expatriates and what their employability situation is like after moving back to Sweden. Method: The data in this qualitative study originate from interviews with individuals from different organisations. They worked as expatriates at least three years and returned and repatriated to Sweden at least a year ago. Findings: Different kinds of competence development are available to expatriates. Whether they take advantage of this depends largely on the individual’s motivation, but also on international partner organisations’ capacity and what resources are set aside by Swedish employers. The competence development show some, but not a definite correlation to employability once the expatriate has repatriated back to Sweden. The international assignment is usually a project employment which ends as they return, so the repatriate does not get much help from the NPO in transitioning back to their home country. The results are clear that that the individual is most vulnerable during the period when they are trying to re-establish a life at home. Swedish employers are unsure how to handle a job applicant with international experience and more often than not, regard the years abroad as empty space on their CV. It is up to the repatriate to use their social skills, social network and connections, be flexible, and motivate themselves to market themselves as employable individuals in order to find a job.

Background: Opportunities for development for nurses is affected by the possibility in the interprofessional teams. Their working environment with good: management, workingclimate, teamwork, respect, trust, communication are important factors in competence development. Aim: to get increased knowledge of the experience nurses have regarding competence development through learningopportunities and educations, and theirs impact on care. Method: mixed methods, a qualitative method based on open questions in the survey study, and a quantitative presentation from the numerical answers. Results: the qualitative part is related from 15 informants, 10 had a bachelor’s degree and 8 with master’s degree. They had been employed between 8 months and 28 years, average of 8 years, at the current ICU or postoperative unit. The strongest effect of competence development through experience, deeper and wider knowledge was an increased safety and security. This improved their possibility to give better information, communication and an increased feeling of safety to patients, close relatives, and other personnel. Conclusion: For relatively new employees there is an increased opportunity for competence development, whilst more senior employees experienced that there was less progress at their knowledge level or higher. Longtime employment does not correlate to the highest self-estimated knowledge level, there was only 1 expert and 1 proficient-expert of 15 informants.

Syftet med studien är att undersöka linjechefers upplevelser av kompetensutveckling i sin yrkesroll. Studien utfördes på en stor global organisation i ett av huvudkontoren i centrala Stockholm. Det empiriska materialet samlades in genom kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer där en tematisk analys tillämpades som analysmetod. Ur resultatet framkom att organisationen tillhandahåller goda möjligheter till kompetensutveckling men att kompetensutvecklingsaktiviteter försummas på grund av tidsbrist. Samtliga linjechefer upplevde att kompetensutveckling snarare sker kontinuerligt i det dagliga arbetet genom arbetsplatslärande. Resultatet visade vidare att ett fåtal linjechefer upplevde icke-formella kompetensutvecklingsaktiviteter som betydelsefulla, där samtliga däremot ansåg digitala utbildningar som minst betydelsefulla. Linjechefernas upplevelser sattes i relation till isbergsmodellen som illustrerar synliga, delvis dolda och dolda aspekter av kompetensutveckling. Det behov av kompetensutveckling som linjecheferna fann i sin roll är att klassrumsutbildningar borde riktas mot deras specifika arbetsområden, men även vara bättre anpassade för organisationens arbetssätt. I rollen som linjechef upplevdes även ett behov av stöd från närmaste chef genom tätare återkoppling. Vidare diskuterades om kompetensutveckling ansågs vara individens eller organisationens ansvar. Slutligen redogjordes det för betydelsen av linjechefernas upplevelser som trädde fram ur det dolda och huruvida kompetensutvecklingen fyller linjechefernas behov i yrkesrollen. / The purpose of the study is to examine line managers’ experiences of competence development in their professional role, within a large global organization in one of the head offices in central Stockholm. The empirical material was collected through qualitative semi-structured interviews where a thematic analysis was used as the method of analysis. The result showed that the organization provides good opportunities for competence development, but that competence development activities are neglected due to lack of time. All line managers’ described competence development as continuous in daily work through workplace learning. The result further showed that a few line managers’ perceive non-formal competence development activities as significant, on the other hand all considered digital education as the least important. The line managers' experiences were understood through the iceberg model that illustrates visible, partially hidden and hidden aspects of competence development. The need for competence development line managers’ perceived in their professional role is that classroom training should be customized to their specific work areas and also better adapted to the organization's working methods. In addition, the line manager’s also perceived a need for support from their immediate manager through closer feedback. Furthermore, it was discussed whether competence development is considered to be the responsibility of the individual or the organization. Finally, the significance of the line managers' experiences that emerged from the hidden and whether the competence development fulfils the needs of the line managers’ in the professional role is explained.