Training Needs Analysis (TNA) is often considered the most important step among the stages in the training cycle and, therefore, should precede any training intervention. However, in spite of the importance of TNA, the literature contains little empirical work on the topic. This study investigates the current practice of TNA within the Abu Dhabi Police (ADP), in order to identify the different barriers to its effective implementation, and to develop a suitable framework that can not only be applied to the Abu Dhabi Police, but also has wide applicability to other public sector organisations. Four areas are examined, these being: current practices of TNA, training decisions, effectiveness of TNA, and the barriers to its implementation. The study adopts a phenomenological approach, using inductive qualitative data in the main. The research population is categorised into three groups: a) policy-makers, top management, and academics, b) trainers, and c) trainees. In total, 51 individuals from the ADP are interviewed. The results show that TNA in the ADP is generally conducted formally on a regular basis. To a certain extent, all the methods are in use by the ADP in identifying its training needs, and the overall perceptions of the respondents regarding TNA practices are high. However, the study has identified some barriers to the implementation of effective TNA practices in the ADP. It is to be noted here that lack of expertise of the trainers; nepotism, kinship and personal relations between the supervisors and the employees, disrupt the training selection process in the ADP. Based on the findings this study has suggested some recommendations. This study hopes to contribute to, and extend, the body of knowledge on TNA by developing a novel, holistic conceptual framework, which provides general guidelines for TNA practitioners in the public sector of the UAE to ensure the successful and effective implementation of TNA. Additionally, it will contribute to the body of knowledge of TNA in the Middle East generally, and TNA in the Middle Eastern public sector, being the first exploratory empirical study conducted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as far as the author believes.

This study attempts to investigate one of the most cited reasons for the failure of organisational change efforts: individual resistance to change. It also seeks to determine what personal manifestations need to exist in order for an organisation to adequately establish the extent to which a proposed change effort will yield a successful outcome. This was evaluated through the job constructs of communication, job-insecurity, participation, procedural justice and trust. The research also Management and Change Agent roles within the change process to determine whether this had an impact on the individual change experience at a cognitive and behavioural level. In a South African Motor Manufacturing company data was obtained from 306 respondents. The findings clearly indicate that a positive experience of the job constructs is likely to result in positive individual change which will result in a successful implementation and sustainability of the change initiative.

This study attempts to investigate one of the most cited reasons for the failure of organisational change efforts: individual resistance to change. It also seeks to determine what personal manifestations need to exist in order for an organisation to adequately establish the extent to which a proposed change effort will yield a successful outcome. This was evaluated through the job constructs of communication, job-insecurity, participation, procedural justice and trust. The research also Management and Change Agent roles within the change process to determine whether this had an impact on the individual change experience at a cognitive and behavioural level. In a South African Motor Manufacturing company data was obtained from 306 respondents. The findings clearly indicate that a positive experience of the job constructs is likely to result in positive individual change which will result in a successful implementation and sustainability of the change initiative.

Syftet med denna kandidatuppsats är att undersöka hur ett HR-Shared Service Center fungerar ur ett användarperspektiv inom offentlig sektor. Fokus ligger på att undersöka första linjens chefers erfarenheter av Region Dalarnas motsvarighet till ett Shared Service Center (SSC), benämnt HR-Direkt. Utifrån studiens teoretiska referensram är SSC en av tre funktioner i vad Ulrich (1995) kallar HR-transformation vilket ska bidra till att effektivisera HR-arbete. Övriga delar i HR-transformationen är expertenheter och Human Resources Business Partners (HRBP). HR-transformation är kärnan i ett centraliserat HR-arbete där fokus ligger på kostnadsreducering och därmed förenlig med offentlig sektors skattefinansierade verksamhet. Vi argumenterar för att HR-transformationen direkt och indirekt får en betydande roll för både personalarbetets och organisationens effektivitet. Resultatet visar att första linjens chefers erfarenheter och åsikter om Regionens SSC; HR-Direkt står i direkt korrelation med första linjens chefers relation med sin HRBP, de första linjens chefer vilka har en god relation till sin HRBP har även en bra upplevelse av funktionen HR-Direkt medan de första linjens chefer vilka har en sämre relation till sin HRBP är missnöjda med HR-Direkt. Vidare visar resultatet att en otydlig ansvarsfördelning mellan HRBP och HR-Direkt bidrar till ett missnöje av HR-funktionen som helhet bland första linjens chefer. Studien har genomförts utifrån en kvalitativ ansats där nio semistrukturerade intervjuer med första linjens chefer, HRBP samt HR-Chef från Region Dalarna har genomförts. Resultatet från intervjuerna jämförs sedan med tidigare forskning i flera analysdelar och därefter presenteras en avslutande diskussion och slutsats. Vi anser att den befintliga forskningen tenderar att fokusera på organisatoriska aspekter av nyttan med ett SSC, till exempel ekonomisk vinning genom ett effektiviserat arbete. Vår förhoppning är att kunna påvisa att mer forskning bör riktas mot användare av SSC inom HR-fältet samt att vår studie kan fylla en del av kunskapsgapet avseende användares erfarenheter av ett SSC. / The purpose of the study was to explore how a HR Shared Service Center operates from a user perspective within the public sector. The focus is to explore the experience of Line Managers using Region Dalarna´s equivalent to a HR Shared Service Center, called HR-Direkt. Based on the study´s theoretical frame of reference, SSC is one of three functions that will contribute to the streamlining HR activites as part of a HR transformation programme as outlined by Ulrich. Other parts of the HR transformation are units of expertise and Human Resources Business Partner. HR transformation is the core of centralized HR work where the focus is cost reduction and thus compatible with public sector tax-financed function. It can be argued that the HR transformation has a great significance for the efficiency of both personnel work and the organization both directly and indirectly. The results have shown that line managers experiences concerning the Regions HR-SSC are in direct correlation with the line managers relationship with Human Resources Business Partner. The respondents who have a good relationship with their HRBP also have a good experience of HR-Direkt while respondents who have less favourable relationship with their HRBP are dissatisfied with HR-Direkt. Furthermore, the results show that an unclear distribution of responsibilities between HRBP and HR-Direkt causes dissatisfaction with the whole HR function among Line Managers. The study was based on a qualitative approach where nine semi-structured interviews with line managers, HRBP and the HR manager from Region Dalarna were conducted. The results from the interviews were then compared with the previous research using several forms of analysis before a discussion and conclusion are presented. The believe is that existing research tends to focus on organizational aspects of the benefits of an SSC, such as financial gain through streamlined work. The aim of this paper is to be able to demonstrate that more research should be directed at users of SSC in the HR field and that this study can fill part of the knowledge gap regarding users’ experiences of an SSC.