La réalisation des objectifs d’Éducation pour tous en Haïti requiert impérativement, entre autres, une campagne massive et accélérée de formation d’enseignants - formation à la fois initiale et en cours d’emploi. Malheureusement, les structures actuelles sont loin d’être en mesure de répondre à cette demande. Il faudra donc recourir à d’autres modalités de formation, particulièrement celles utilisant les TIC (technologies de l’information et de la communication). Cependant, dans ce domaine, il est fort tentant de continuer à copier ce qui se fait en France, au Canada ou aux États-Unis, et d’allonger ainsi la liste d’échecs dus à une adaptation déficiente ou inexistante. Dans un souci de maximiser les chances de succès, il est important d’examiner l’adéquation des stratégies adoptées au contexte et à l’apprenant haïtiens. Cette recherche étudie les caractéristiques des enseignants haïtiens des deux premiers cycles de l’enseignement fondamental (primaire) en tant qu’apprenants, caractéristiques susceptibles de constituer des barrières ou des facteurs facilitants internes à une intégration efficace des TIC dans leur formation. Dans une première phase quantitative, une enquête a été administrée en 2009-2010 à 176 enseignants. L’analyse des données recueillies a permis de faire ressortir trois tendances fortes : une attitude positive par rapport aux innovations et aux TIC, des sources intrinsèques de motivation et une forte distance hiérarchique ; il faut aussi signaler deux autres résultats importants : le peu de familiarité avec l’ordinateur et l’adoption massive du cellulaire ; les réponses étaient plus partagées au niveau de la conception de l’enseignement et de l’apprentissage et de la dimension individualisme-collectivisme. Une analyse factorielle a fait émerger quatre facteurs : la capacité d’utiliser les TIC, le désir de changement, la conception du rôle du formateur et la distance hiérarchique. Suite à cette enquête, une phase qualitative comportant sept entrevues individuelles avec des spécialistes de la formation des enseignants en Haïti et trois groupes de discussion avec des enseignants du fondamental a été effectuée à la fin de 2010. Cette phase avait pour but d’enrichir, de compléter, d’expliquer, de confirmer et d’illustrer les résultats quantitatifs. Malgré leur regard plus sévère, les spécialistes en formation des enseignants ont largement contribué à l’interprétation des résultats, particulièrement ceux concernant l’attitude par rapport aux innovations et aux TIC, la dimension individualisme-collectivisme et la conception de l’enseignement et de l’apprentissage. Quant aux participants aux groupes de discussion, ils ont globalement appuyé les résultats de la phase quantitative, mais en expliquant et en nuançant certains aspects. Ils ont particulièrement renforcé l’importance de deux facteurs qui ne figuraient pas dans la liste initiale et qui ont émergé de l’analyse factorielle : le désir de changement et la conception du rôle du formateur. Ils ont également apporté des éclaircissements fort pertinents sur la distance hiérarchique. . / The achievement of Education for All objectives in Haiti imperatively requires, among other things, a massive and intensive teacher training campaign - both initial and in-service training. Unfortunately, the existing training structures are far from being able to meet this demand. It will therefore be necessary to consider other training strategies, particularly those using ICTs (Information and Communications Technologies). It is, however, very tempting, in this area, to copy what is being carried out in France, Canada and the United States, and thereby lengthen the list of failures due to insufficient or inexistent adaptation. In order to maximize the chances of success, it is important to study the appropriateness of adopted strategies for the Haitian context and learners. This research studies relevant characteristics of Haitian teachers of the first two cycles of fundamental school (primary school) as learners, characteristics that may constitute internal barriers or enablers to an effective integration of ICTs in their training. In a first quantitative phase, a survey was administered to 176 teachers in 2009-2010. The data analysis revealed three high tendencies: a positive attitude towards innovation and ICTs, intrinsic sources of motivation, and a high power distance; two other important results are worth mentioning: the low level of familiarity with computers and the massive adoption of cellular phones; the answers about conception of teaching and learning, and the individualism-collectivism dimension were more balanced. A factor analysis identified four factors: the capacity to use ICTs, the desire for change, the conception of the trainer’s role, and power distance. The survey was followed, at the end of 2010, by a qualitative phase consisting of seven interviews with teacher training experts in Haiti and three focus groups with fundamental school teachers. The purpose of this phase was to enrich, complete, explain, and illustrate the quantitative results. Despite their more severe point of view, the teacher training experts largely contributed to the interpretation of the results, particularly those concerning attitude towards innovations and ICTs, individualism-collectivism dimension, and conception of teaching and learning. The focus groups globally endorsed the quantitative results, with some explanations and nuances. Particularly, they stressed the importance of two factors that were not on the initial list and that emerged from the factor analysis: the desire of change and the conception of the trainer’s role. They also brought up relevant points that helped shed light on power distance.

La réalisation des objectifs d’Éducation pour tous en Haïti requiert impérativement, entre autres, une campagne massive et accélérée de formation d’enseignants - formation à la fois initiale et en cours d’emploi. Malheureusement, les structures actuelles sont loin d’être en mesure de répondre à cette demande. Il faudra donc recourir à d’autres modalités de formation, particulièrement celles utilisant les TIC (technologies de l’information et de la communication). Cependant, dans ce domaine, il est fort tentant de continuer à copier ce qui se fait en France, au Canada ou aux États-Unis, et d’allonger ainsi la liste d’échecs dus à une adaptation déficiente ou inexistante. Dans un souci de maximiser les chances de succès, il est important d’examiner l’adéquation des stratégies adoptées au contexte et à l’apprenant haïtiens. Cette recherche étudie les caractéristiques des enseignants haïtiens des deux premiers cycles de l’enseignement fondamental (primaire) en tant qu’apprenants, caractéristiques susceptibles de constituer des barrières ou des facteurs facilitants internes à une intégration efficace des TIC dans leur formation. Dans une première phase quantitative, une enquête a été administrée en 2009-2010 à 176 enseignants. L’analyse des données recueillies a permis de faire ressortir trois tendances fortes : une attitude positive par rapport aux innovations et aux TIC, des sources intrinsèques de motivation et une forte distance hiérarchique ; il faut aussi signaler deux autres résultats importants : le peu de familiarité avec l’ordinateur et l’adoption massive du cellulaire ; les réponses étaient plus partagées au niveau de la conception de l’enseignement et de l’apprentissage et de la dimension individualisme-collectivisme. Une analyse factorielle a fait émerger quatre facteurs : la capacité d’utiliser les TIC, le désir de changement, la conception du rôle du formateur et la distance hiérarchique. Suite à cette enquête, une phase qualitative comportant sept entrevues individuelles avec des spécialistes de la formation des enseignants en Haïti et trois groupes de discussion avec des enseignants du fondamental a été effectuée à la fin de 2010. Cette phase avait pour but d’enrichir, de compléter, d’expliquer, de confirmer et d’illustrer les résultats quantitatifs. Malgré leur regard plus sévère, les spécialistes en formation des enseignants ont largement contribué à l’interprétation des résultats, particulièrement ceux concernant l’attitude par rapport aux innovations et aux TIC, la dimension individualisme-collectivisme et la conception de l’enseignement et de l’apprentissage. Quant aux participants aux groupes de discussion, ils ont globalement appuyé les résultats de la phase quantitative, mais en expliquant et en nuançant certains aspects. Ils ont particulièrement renforcé l’importance de deux facteurs qui ne figuraient pas dans la liste initiale et qui ont émergé de l’analyse factorielle : le désir de changement et la conception du rôle du formateur. Ils ont également apporté des éclaircissements fort pertinents sur la distance hiérarchique. . / The achievement of Education for All objectives in Haiti imperatively requires, among other things, a massive and intensive teacher training campaign - both initial and in-service training. Unfortunately, the existing training structures are far from being able to meet this demand. It will therefore be necessary to consider other training strategies, particularly those using ICTs (Information and Communications Technologies). It is, however, very tempting, in this area, to copy what is being carried out in France, Canada and the United States, and thereby lengthen the list of failures due to insufficient or inexistent adaptation. In order to maximize the chances of success, it is important to study the appropriateness of adopted strategies for the Haitian context and learners. This research studies relevant characteristics of Haitian teachers of the first two cycles of fundamental school (primary school) as learners, characteristics that may constitute internal barriers or enablers to an effective integration of ICTs in their training. In a first quantitative phase, a survey was administered to 176 teachers in 2009-2010. The data analysis revealed three high tendencies: a positive attitude towards innovation and ICTs, intrinsic sources of motivation, and a high power distance; two other important results are worth mentioning: the low level of familiarity with computers and the massive adoption of cellular phones; the answers about conception of teaching and learning, and the individualism-collectivism dimension were more balanced. A factor analysis identified four factors: the capacity to use ICTs, the desire for change, the conception of the trainer’s role, and power distance. The survey was followed, at the end of 2010, by a qualitative phase consisting of seven interviews with teacher training experts in Haiti and three focus groups with fundamental school teachers. The purpose of this phase was to enrich, complete, explain, and illustrate the quantitative results. Despite their more severe point of view, the teacher training experts largely contributed to the interpretation of the results, particularly those concerning attitude towards innovations and ICTs, individualism-collectivism dimension, and conception of teaching and learning. The focus groups globally endorsed the quantitative results, with some explanations and nuances. Particularly, they stressed the importance of two factors that were not on the initial list and that emerged from the factor analysis: the desire of change and the conception of the trainer’s role. They also brought up relevant points that helped shed light on power distance.

<p>This thesis investigates the way to implement a valuable e-commerce solution. With the growing importance of information technologies in business practices, more and more companies are adopting e-commerce as a selling and ordering process. However, depending on the market environment, the level of success of the implementation may differ. The purpose of this study is therefore to examine what are the conditions required for a successful B2B e-commerce implementation in different market contexts.</p><p>Theories related to the impact of markets' contexts on e-commerce, the business process, and the drivers and enablers of e-commerce have been considered. Thereafter the current situation of Star Laundry Solutions (SLS) has been studied. The context of different markets – France, United Kingdom, Turkey - where they have dealers, the business process drivers of implementations and success factors of a valuable e-commerce solution have been investigated. The result of the empirical studied are analyzed in comparison with the theoretical findings. Through this method, the main research question of the thesis, namely “What are the necessary conditions to implement a value-adding e-commerce solution in different market contexts?” can be answered.</p><p>Several conditions have been identified in order to succeed the implementation and bring value to the different players along the supply chain, from the manufacturer to the end-customer. The market should first answer different criteria. Further, future users of the web solution must support the implementation, trust between parties must also emerge from the implementation, and additional information must be provided on the website such as product numbers (PNCs), products' availability and delivery times.</p><p>The provided recommendations of this thesis regarding the features of the web solution, the range of products that dealers and importers should be able to order online and the range of companies that should be allowed to use the web solution in Turkey.</p>

Barriers to reaching human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing prevent Canada from achieving The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) target of 90 percent of undiagnosed people living with HIV knowing their HIV status by 2020 and receive treatment.(1) Fourteen percent (9,090 of 63,100) of Canadians living with HIV were unaware of their status by the end of 2016.(1)(p.9)Individuals exposed to HIV through heterosexual contact are overrepresented (28%) among the undiagnosed people living with HIV in Canada compared to other groups, such as men who have sex with men (18%) and people who inject drugs (20%).(2)(par.15)The reasons preventing this population to present themselves for testing in Ottawa, Ontario, remain poorly understood in the literature. Most of the literature on barriers to accessing HIV testing focuses on the traditional key groups who are likely to test, and limits analysis of these barriers on one or two levels. Equally, health service providers rarely understand challenges behind HIV testing for particularly young heterosexual African migrant men. These challenges may be contributing key barriers to HIV testing. On other hand, late presentation to treatment remains a global issue. Psychosocial outcomes especially after a new positive diagnosis can delay reaching early treatment and prevention services. Indeed, all test results negative or positive have consequences. Even those with a new negative test can return to risk taking behaviour if they delay accessing prevention education. Yet no systematic study exists in this area essential for quality improvement. Programming more equitable HIV testing services will require more comprehensive evidence about challenges and barriers behind accessing HIV testing and treatment to achieve UNAIDS target of 90 percent of undiagnosed people living with HIV knowing their status and receive treatment. This research aimed to contribute to this evidence through two phases. Phase 1 used the Joanna Briggs Institute methods to implement a scoping review on psychosocial outcomes and their measurements immediately following a new HIV diagnosis. This review considered all participants who tested for HIV – whether their results were positive or negative, as any test results have consequences, and regardless of age, sex, or setting – reported in published articles between 2007 -to the present date. Paper 1 presents the scoping review. Phase 2 relied on a qualitative methodology using Grounded Theory informed by a socio-ecological framework and a framework of access to healthcare to understand experiences of accessing HIV testing services in two parts: 1) to examine barriers to reaching HIV testing among young heterosexual African migrants, focusing on young men, in Ottawa (Paper 2); and 2) to identify challenges experienced by health service providers who make accessible HIV testing services to this population in Ottawa (Paper 3). There is some ambiguity in the use of the terms “first generation immigrants” and “second generation immigrants” (or children of first immigrants). In this study, the term migrants referred to both. Selecting participants from both groups (first and second generation) was important to include a wide variety of experiences and interpretations that reflect the study population. Furthermore, the term “health service providers” was used to refer to both healthcare providers and frontline service providers. Healthcare providers referred to those who conduct HIV testing in health facilities, whereas frontline service providers referred to those who provide care and support services needed by members in their communities before and after testing within AIDS organizations and community-based organizations.

全球的經濟發展階段已進入知識經濟與服務經濟時代，在知識經濟與服務經濟的交錯發展下，服務業當中依賴專業知識或是特定技術或特定功能領域，並具有高附加價值之知識密集服務業，成為下一波的經濟成長動力。有鑑於知識是知識密集服務業創新的基本要素，知識密集服務業如何透過有效的知識管理提升組織知識的價值，進而不斷的產生創新性的產品或服務，以形成企業的競爭優勢，為企業在經營管理上的重要課題。 本研究將知識密集服務業之知識管理與服務創新模式相結合，探討當企業將知識管理作為策略性工具來實現服務創新的目標時，兩者之關聯性。同時，本研究並深入分析知識密集服務業之知識管理促動因子、知識管理活動以及服務創新的重要影響因素。本研究之研究對象是以一家在國內已推行知識管理多年，且服務創新相當成功的法律事務所作為代表性個案進行研究，並經由學理驗證得出以下研究結論： 在知識管理促動因子與知識管理之關聯性得出以下結論： 1.領導者的態度與明確的知識管理策略是知識管理成功的關鍵因素。 2.企業的團隊合作文化與信任文化越盛行，知識創造與擴散活動越容易進行。 3.資訊科技的選擇性導入，有助於提升組織知識吸收、蓄積與擴散的速度。 4.企業是否提供員工長期性的獎勵措施，會影響員工對知識吸收、創造與擴散活動的參與意願及貢獻程度。 在知識密集服務業之知識管理活動方面得出以下結論： 1.在知識密集服務業的公司，輸入及吸收外部知識是組織能持續進行知識創造的重要方式。 2.基於知識密集服務業之高專業性、高知識密集性的特性，人員的知識與技能是公司知識蓄積的主要載體。 3.知識密集服務業的公司採取以師徒制度為主，教育訓練為輔的人員訓練方式，對知識擴散活動有正面的影響。 在知識密集服務業之服務創新方面得出以下結論： 1.知識密集服務業的公司會根據市場變化與客戶需求來創新服務概念，以提升核心競爭力。 2.知識密集服務業之新客戶介面的重要創新因素，在於能依據實際及潛在客戶的需求特性，建立具有附加價值的服務平台，以提升顧客滿意度。 3.在知識密集服務業的公司，完善的人員教育訓練與人才培育是新服務傳遞系統的重要創新因素。 4.成功創新的知識密集服務業者，於新服務概念、新客戶介面、新服務傳遞系統三構面間的相互配合程度相當良好。 在知識密集服務業之知識管理與服務創新的關聯性得出以下結論： 1.知識密集服務業之知識吸收與創造活動，有助於加速新服務概念的形成。 2.知識密集服務業與客戶間的知識吸收與創造活動，有助於建構符合客戶需求之新客戶介面，並降低創新過程中不確定的風險。 3.知識密集服務業之知識蓄積與擴散活動，對新服務傳遞系統的進行有顯著的正面影響。 4.知識密集服務業將知識管理作為創新服務的策略性工具時，有助於加速實現服務創新的目標。 / In the 21st century, the world economy has two highly important developments: the rise of the service sectors and the growing role of knowledge. Especially, the service sectors have increased dramatically in recent years and they occupy a large share of the economy of advanced industrial societies. Among the service sectors, knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) is strong momentum of the economic growth. As “knowledge” is a basic element of KIBS’s innovation, how to implement knowledge management effectively to enhance the value of organizational knowledge and make KIBS continually produce innovative products or services as well as create a competitive advantage is an important issue on business management for enterprises. This research aims to combine knowledge management with service innovation and to analyze when KIBS firms adopt knowledge management as a strategy to achieve the objective of service innovation, the relationships between knowledge management and service innovation. This research also describes the issues of knowledge management enablers, knowledge management activities and service innovation implemented in KIBS firms. Additionally, this research, through a case study conducted on a successful law firm in Taiwan, further explored the relationships between knowledge management and service innovation. The conclusion of this research may include in four aspects: 1.The findings of the research regarding relationships between knowledge management enablers and knowledge management in KIBS are as follows: (1)Leadership and clear knowledge management strategy are critical success factors in knowledge management. (2)The more teamwork culture and trust culture existed in KIBS firms, the easier knowledge creation and diffusion activities implemented. (3)Application of appropriate information technology in KIBS firms can enhance the speed of organizational knowledge absorption, accumulation and diffusion. (4)Whether enterprises can offer long-tem incentives to employees will affect employees’ participation willingness and contribution degree for knowledge absorption, creation and diffusion activities thereof. 2.The findings of the research regarding knowledge management activities in KIBS are as follows: (1)In KIBS firms, input and absorb knowledge from external sources is an important manner of continually facilitating knowledge creation. (2)Based on KIBS’s characteristics of high professional and high knowledge-intensive, personnel’s knowledge and skills are main carriers of knowledge accumulation in KIBS firms. (3)In KIBS firms, adoption of “mentoring-based, education and training-supplemented” as staff training methods will make positive impact on knowledge diffusion activities. 3.The findings of the research regarding service innovation in KIBS are as follows: (1)To enhance the core competitiveness, KIBS firms will create “new service concept” in accordance with market changes and customers’ needs. (2)In KIBS firms, a critical innovation factor of “new client interface” is whether they can build a value-added service platform in accordance with actual and potential customers’ needs so as to enhance customer satisfaction. (3)Successful education and training on employees is a critical innovation factor of “new services delivery system” in KIBS firms. (4)In successful KIBS firms, organizational interaction and coordination between “new service concept”, “new customer interface” and “new service delivery system” would be excellent. 4.The findings of the research regarding relationships between knowledge management and service innovation in KIBS are as follows: (1)In KIBS firms, through knowledge absorption and creation activities, it can speed up the formation of “new service concept”. (2)Through Knowledge absorption and creation activities between KIBS firms and their clients, it can assist KIBS firms in building “new client interface” and reducing potential risk in the innovation process. (3)In KIBS firms, knowledge accumulation and diffusion activities may make a significant positive impact on “new service delivery system”. (4)When KIBS firms adopt knowledge management as a strategy to innovate services, it can speed up to achieve the objective of service innovation.

This thesis investigates the way to implement a valuable e-commerce solution. With the growing importance of information technologies in business practices, more and more companies are adopting e-commerce as a selling and ordering process. However, depending on the market environment, the level of success of the implementation may differ. The purpose of this study is therefore to examine what are the conditions required for a successful B2B e-commerce implementation in different market contexts. Theories related to the impact of markets' contexts on e-commerce, the business process, and the drivers and enablers of e-commerce have been considered. Thereafter the current situation of Star Laundry Solutions (SLS) has been studied. The context of different markets – France, United Kingdom, Turkey - where they have dealers, the business process drivers of implementations and success factors of a valuable e-commerce solution have been investigated. The result of the empirical studied are analyzed in comparison with the theoretical findings. Through this method, the main research question of the thesis, namely “What are the necessary conditions to implement a value-adding e-commerce solution in different market contexts?” can be answered. Several conditions have been identified in order to succeed the implementation and bring value to the different players along the supply chain, from the manufacturer to the end-customer. The market should first answer different criteria. Further, future users of the web solution must support the implementation, trust between parties must also emerge from the implementation, and additional information must be provided on the website such as product numbers (PNCs), products' availability and delivery times. The provided recommendations of this thesis regarding the features of the web solution, the range of products that dealers and importers should be able to order online and the range of companies that should be allowed to use the web solution in Turkey.

Knowledge management (KM) is regarded as a strategic asset and a source of competitive advantage for organisations. While the issues of KM have been widely discussed by many researchers, there is a paucity of studies pertaining to the role of KM in enhancing the performance of universities, especially Ghanaian universities. Similarly, there is the lack of formal strategy that would provide an appropriate framework for these systems to ensure maximum utilisation of available knowledge for competitive advantage. Due to this, Ghanaian universities have been continually reinventing the wheel each time they lose knowledge through expertise leaving the universities. This loss of knowledge through expert staff exiting raises the need to have systems and strategies in place that will help the universities to capture that relevant knowledge. The research thus set out to address these problems by assessing the implementation of KM systems in Ghanaian universities and the strategies that could be adopted to manage and safeguard knowledge as a competitive advantage and for future use. A survey and a mixed method research approach, which encompasses a questionnaire and interview schedules, were used to collect data from the stratified sampled respondents. One hundred and eighteen (80.27%) questionnaires were successfully received from the respondents, while all nine interviewees successfully responded to the interviews. Pattern matching, content analysis and explanation-building were used to analyse the qualitative data. The Microsoft spreadsheet and SPSS software were used to analyse the quantitative data and descriptive statistics in the form of tables, pie charts and histograms were used to present the findings. The findings of this study showed that: the concepts of KM was universally understood by the respondents; KM processes were effective; systems and facilities such as internet, intranet, e-mails, mobile technology and DVD/VCD/CD were used to facilitate KM at the universities; leadership, culture, technologies and strategies were the KM enablers; e-learning, coaching and mentorship, communities of practice, and storytelling were the main strategies used to manage and safeguard knowledge; and KM systems had a positive impact on the universities. The study finally formulated an integrated KM framework to guide the implementation of KM systems in universities. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine what possibilities start-up companies have to work in an environmentally sustainable way, and what barriers they face in that context. The study moreover presents enabling factors which help start-ups realize opportunities and overcome barriers. To fulfill the purpose, it has been divided into two research questions, which follows: What opportunities and barriers do start-up companies, who want to work in an environmentally sustainable way, face? Which enablers can an environmentally sustainable start-up companies make use of to seize opportunities and lower barriers? Method: To fulfill the purpose a single case study was conducted. Empirical data was collected from a case company by semi structured interviews based on the theoretical framework. The selected case company is a start up with high focus on sustainability and the environment. A business incubator was also interviewed using semi structured questions to complement the empirical data collected from the case company. This empirical data was then analyzed against the theoretical framework which then lead to the study’s results. Findings: The study identified three major opportunities which help start-ups in an environmentally sustainable way: an increase in demand for environmentally products; tightened environmental regulations, and increased credibility from stakeholders. Moreover, four major barriers to environmental sustainability in start-ups were found: a low degree of market maturity; lack of financial resources and human capital; competition from established firms; and difficulties in attracting investors. In terms of enablers, the following factors were deemed instrumental in seizing opportunities and overcoming barriers: start-ups’ organizational flexibility, which allows them to rather quickly master necessary organizational change processes towards environmental sustainability; usage of environmental principles; social capital; and incubators as well as other external guidance. Implications: Presented opportunities, barriers and enablers are based on previous studies, the result of this study increase the understanding about how start-ups can work more environmentally focused. The empirical findings about incubators role in helping start-ups becoming more environmentally focused is an unexplored area and needs more attention in the literature. Societies can benefit from this increased understanding since it can lead to a decreased environmental impact, both on a local level by consuming less resources and a global level by slowing down the climate threat. Limitations: By including only one case company and one incubator combined with the qualitative research approach, the study covers a wide but shallow area. By including multiple case companies and incubators the study would have reached a higher level of generalization. Documents could have been studied in order to reach a more quantitative result with could have increased the credibility of the study. / Syfte: Studiens syfte är att skapa en tydligare förståelse för vilka förutsättningar start-up företag har att arbeta miljöfokuserat genom att identifiera väsentliga möjligheter, hinder och möjliggörare. För att uppfylla syftet har det delats upp i två frågeställningar, vilka lyder: Vilka möjligheter och hinder har start-up företag som vill arbeta miljöfokuserat? Vilka möjliggörare finns för start-up företag att ta tillvara på möjligheter samt minska hinder? Metod: För att uppfylla syftet har en enfallsstudie genomförts. Empiriska data har samlats in från ett fallföretag genom semistrukturerade intervjuer som baserats på det teoretiska ramverket. Valt fallföretag är ett start-up med stort fokus på hållbarhet och miljöfrågor. En inkubator har också intervjuats med hjälp av semistrukturerade frågor för att komplettera insamlade data från fallföretaget. Data från empirin har sedan analyserats mot det teoretiska ramverket och genererat i studiens resultat. Resultat: Studien har identifierat tre möjligheter som hjälper start-up företag att arbeta miljöfokuserat: ökad efterfrågan på miljövänliga produkter, bättre förutsättningar tack vare miljöregleringar och ökad trovärdighet mot kunder och intressenter. Det har även identifierats fyra hinder för start-ups att arbeta miljöfokuserat: marknadens bristande mognadsgrad, begränsade resurser i form av kapital och kunskap, konkurrens från etablerade företag samt svårigheter att hitta investerare har identifierats för start-ups som vill arbeta miljöfokuserat. Fyra möjliggörare har även identifierats för att ta vara på dessa möjligheter och minska hindren, nämligen enklare och snabbare förändringsprocess, användning av miljöprinciper, socialt kapital samt inkubatorer och annan extern rådgivning. Implikationer: Presenterade möjligheter, hinder och möjliggörare är baserade på tidigare studier, denna studies resultat skapar en tydligare förståelse för vilka förutsättningar ett start- up har att arbeta mijlfokuserat. Empiriska data kring inkubatorers roll att vägleda start-ups att bli mer miljöfokuserade är ett outforskat område som skulle behöva utvecklas ytterligare. Samhällen kan gynnas av denna tydligare förståelse då det kan leda till en minskad miljöpåverkan, både på en lokal nivå genom ett minskat utnyttjande av resurser samt på en global nivå genom att klimathotet kan bromsas. Begränsningar: Genom att endast studera ett fallföretag och en inkubator kombinerat med den kvalitativa ansatsen blir studiens perspektiv relativt brett och grunt. Genom att inkludera fler fallföretag och fler inkubatorer skulle studien få en större generaliserbarhet. En dokumentstudie hade kunnat genomföras för att nå ett mer kvantitativt resultat vilket skulle leda till en mer trovärdig studie.

One of the challenges imposed by the 21st century is to retain talented staff by keeping employees engaged in their work. Engagement in itself is a complex construct, which still requires much clarification. One of the gaps in the literature is the link between engagement and the competencies required by individuals to craft a career in the 21st century. These competencies are referred to as psychological career resources (Coetzee, 2008). This study was conducted in a medium-sized South African software and services organisation using a random sample of 111 consultants. The primary objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between psychological career resources (career preferences, career values, career enablers, career drivers and career harmonisers) and engagement (dedication, vigour and absorption). The second and third objectives were to find whether there were any significant differences between individuals who differed as to gender, age, marital status, occupational field, occupational level and department in which employed with regard to engagement and psychological career resources. A further objective was to establish the dominant psychological career resources and engagement constructs of the consultants in the sample. The data was collected using the 9-item U-WES (Utrecht Work Engagement Scale) and the PCRI (Psychological Career Resources Inventory). The study found that behavioural adaptability and self-esteem have a significant impact on vigour and dedication, while behavioural adaptability also has a significant impact on absorption. This study could contribute meaningful information to the field of well-being and career development, allowing professionals to assist individuals in developing career competencies that contribute to engagement and ultimately to well-being. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

Skatten på engångsplastbärkassar som implementerades i Sverige år 2020 möttes med ideologiskt motstånd. Den forskning som gör gällande skatt på plastbärkassar finns främst i internationell kontext och är fokuserad på konsumenters beteenden och reaktioner. Denna studie gör gällande hur berörda verksamheter och organisationer resonerar kring skattens införande, samt dess resultat. Studien syftar också till att identifiera hinder och drivkrafter för implementeringen. För att undersöka förhållandet användes en explorativ ansats där intervjuer med en variation av berörda verksamheter utgjorde materialet för studien. Resultaten visar på att implementeringen mötts av missnöje av hälften av deltagarna på grund av skattens singulära syfte, samtidigt som den andra hälften anser att tillämpningsområdet var tillfredsställande. De hinder som identifierades var svårigheter att definiera engångs-, respektive flergångskassar, samt bristen på synkronisering eller kombination med andra styrmedel. De drivkrafter som identifierades relaterade till organiseringen och kommunikationen mellan de berörda verksamheterna, till trots förbättringsmöjligheter för dessa aspekter. En av slutsatserna är att styrmedel som detta bör nyttja både ett teknocentriskt perspektiv om plastbärkassens miljö-, och klimatpåverkan, samt ett socioekonomiskt perspektiv utgående från berörda verksamheter och organisationers behov. / The Swedish tax on plastic carrier bags that was implemented in 2020 was initially met with dissatisfaction from the public and stakeholders. Current research investigating the tax on plastic carrier bags was done in other countries and is focused on the reactions and behaviours of consumers. Thus, this study investigates stakeholders’ reasoning around the implementation of the tax as well as its results. Another aim is to identify obstacles and driving forces for the implementation. To do so, an explorative approach in combination with interviews of stakeholders were used. The results show that implementation was met with dissatisfaction by half of the participants in the study, owing to the singular aim of the tax. The other half of participants viewed the tax purpose as satisfactory. The obstacles that were identified was difficulties in distinguishing single-use from multi-use plastic carrier bags, as well as the lack of synchronization or combination with other measures. The driving forces that were identified related to the organization and communication between stakeholder, despite opportunities for improvement. One of the conclusions of the study was that policy measures like this tax should use a technocentric perspective on the environmental impact of the plastic carrier bag, in combination with a socioeconomic perspective on the needs of stakeholders.