>Magister Scientiae - MSc / In this chapter, we provide the motivation and background behind the automatic optimisation of an operating system. We begin with a discussion of some of the difficulties of automatic operating system optimisation and the benefits of automatic optimisation technology which inspired our research. We then describe the research problem and aims. Thereafter, our approach and methodology are explained. Finally, the organisation of the thesis and summary are presented. 1.1 Background and Motivation In today's networking world, a mission-critical server requires consistently good performance [2] . To this end, almost all operating systems which run on such a critical server are managed by system administrators who should be skillful and experienced in tuning operating systems by adjusting system configuration and performance parameters of the operating system to run a specific system workload. This involves system capacity planning, performance metrics, workload characteristics, system settings, etc. Skillful system administrators are scarce and expensive. As computer hardware becomes cheaper and free critical computer software becomes more viable, e.g., Linux, Samba, Mysql, Apache, the total cost of ownership for building and maintaining a mission-critical server becomes more and more dominated by the cost of human resources. Furthermore, with the increasing number of new applications and services, a modern operating system offers more system parameters with larger ranges for more system classes than ever before. This situation serves as our motivation for a new generation of automatic optimisation technology for operating systems. The potential benefits of the automatic optimisation technology will be amplified as future applications and operating systems become more complex.

Over the past 28 years, as a human resource (HR) professional, I observed much writing and research on the need for the HR function to focus more on strategic outcomes and less on administration (Lawlerand Boudreau, 2012; OPM, 1999; PPS, 2010; Ulrich 1997). The shift in focus from administrative to strategic has been slow, demonstrated by the fact that from 1995 to 2010 the HR function appears to have has not changed how it allocates its time, has not increased focus on strategic outcomes, and is not engaging in higher value-added activities (Lawler and Boudreau, 2012). Absent from the literature is research on why the members of the HR function have been slow to embrace and demonstrate a strategic HR role (Beer, 1997; Lawler and Boudreau, 2012, OPM, 1999). This study was designed to address this knowledge gap by exploring the relationship between creativity and goal orientation and demonstration of strategic HR competencies based on self-assessed competencies. Understanding these constructs and their relationship to the demonstration of strategic HR competencies can inform the nature of interventions, to include selection, certification, training and development, to facilitate the movement of the HR function from an administrative to a strategic focus. Perceptions about creativity, goal orientation, and demonstration of strategic HR competencies were solicited from Department of Defense, Department of the Army civilian HR professionals. Correlational and multiple regression analyses were used to explore creativity and goal orientation and their relation to the demonstration of strategic HR competencies. Results showed that 17% of the variance in demonstrated strategic HR competencies was explained by creativity and a learning goal orientation, both characteristics of the individual HR professionals. After controlling for pay grade, these predictors still explained 13% of the variance in the self-assessed demonstration of strategic HR competencies. Suggestions for future research include replicating this study with a larger, diverse, randomized sample to validate and expand the findings of this study in terms of affects and generalizations. In addition, research exploring the work environment in organizations that have successfully made the transition from an administrative to a strategic focus. / Ph. D.

This present paper analyses how HR professionals construct and negotiate sustainable human resources management (HRM). The empirical data is collected through five interviews with six informants and in the Swedish working context. A Foucauldian inspired qualitative discourse analysis reveals how sustainability is seen as an important part of HR, and moreover, societal sustainability is seen as the main focus of HR. Contrary to most of the prior sustainability HR research, the discourse of ecological sustainability was not activated to the same extent as the other societal discourses. Instead, the study showed that in the Swedish work context, the matters of health promotion, equality and diversity are seen as more essential.

This study investigated the current practices of strategic human resources planning (SHRP) at large industrial and service companies in the United States and compared these practices with Walker's Four Stages of Human Resources planning model. The data for this study were collected from 130 industrial companies and 117 service companies listed in Fortune directories of the largest 500 industrial and largest 500 service companies in the United States. The study investigated also the impact of internal and external environmental factors on these companies' practices of SHRP. MANOVA, Factor Analysis, and Percentile Analysis were used as prime statistical methods in this study. Environmental factors studied were found to explain 78 per cent of the variances among large American companies. No significant difference was found between industrial and service companies in their SHRP practices. Significant improvements have taken place in large United States business corporations' practices of SHRP since the introduction of Walker's model (1974). These improvements took place in human resources information systems, forecasting human resource needs, human resource planning and development, and evaluation of SHRP projects, but the improvements were unbalanced. The improvements in corporate-centered SHRP activities were greater than the improvements in employee-centered SHRP activities. The reasons for unbalanced developments were explained and future directions were predicted. The findings of this study were compared to the findings of many recent studies in SHRP fields and future directions of the developments of SHRP were discussed. The conclusions of this study suggested that United States corporations are in need of balanced development in both employee-centered and corporate-centered SHRP. American companies are in need of advanced models to shape their practice in SHRP fields. Walker's model has been evaluated as the best available model. The study showed that mediumsized companies in the United States will benefit from SHRP and that they are able to pay the cost of SHRP projects. Several implications and recommendations for future studies and for business and educational institutions are listed.

Este estudo analisa o processo de formação e institucionalização do profissional de RH que atua em empresas localizadas no Brasil e a constituição de sua identidade profissional através de dados secundários quantitativos da pesquisa As Melhores Empresas para Você Trabalhar e do Ministério da Educação e de dados primários obtidos através de entrevistas semiestruturadas com profissionais de RH de diferentes níveis, representantes do mercado de trabalho e representantes de agentes de formação como cursos de graduação e pós-graduação e entidades de classe. Os resultados mostram que o perfil do profissional é formado e institucionalizado pelas organizações onde atuam a partir das oportunidades de carreira, não havendo uma linha única de formação acadêmica ou de filiação e frequência à entidade de classe. Fica evidenciado também que o RH está em processo de profissionalização e construção de identidade profissional, buscando ainda o reconhecimento de seu papel estratégico dentro das organizações e na sociedade, em geral. / This study analyzes the process of training and institutionalization of the HR professional that works in companies located in Brazil and the constitution of their professional identity through quantitative secondary data from the survey A Melhor Empresa para Você Trabalhar for and the Ministry of Education and primary data obtained through semi-structured interviews with HR professionals of different levels, representatives of the labor market and representatives of training agents such as undergraduate and postgraduate courses and class entities. The results show that the professional profile is formed and institutionalized by the organizations where they act from the career opportunities, not having a single line of academic formation or of affiliation and attendance to the class entity. It is also evidenced that HR is in the process of professionalization and construction of professional identity, still seeking recognition of its strategic role within organizations and in society in general.

Este trabalho tem o objetivo de verificar e entender as relações entre políticas e práticas de gestão de pessoas e o sentido do trabalho, no cenário competitivo atual. Por um lado, muitos dos estudos acadêmicos que estão focados nas organizações, se preocupam com a pressão pela implementação estratégica, o alinhamento na gestão e a competição por capacidades e competências. Por outro lado, pesquisas apontam os profissionais também impactados pelas mudanças da modernidade, repensando suas relações e demandas para com as organizações. Esse é o cenário que motivou o presente estudo, com uma ênfase no alinhamento da organização e dos profissionais, na busca de se entender formas para fortalecer essa relação. As políticas e práticas de gestão de pessoas são entendidas como a forma de gestão adotada por uma organização para mediar sua relação com os indivíduos que lá atuam e, o sentido do trabalho, compreendido como uma série de atributos capazes de gerar coerência, coesão, energia e até o sentimento de plenitude no trabalho. A proposta de pesquisa foi de um trabalho com configuração quantitativa e qualitativa em situações múltiplas, nas quais são investigadas três perguntas principais, por meio de dados primários, tendo como unidades de análise, por um lado, os gestores e, por outro, determinadas organizações. As perguntas são: Como os profissionais em posição de gestão definem sentido do trabalho? As políticas e práticas de gestão de pessoas influenciam o sentido do trabalho para profissionais em posição de gestão? Existe um conjunto de políticas e práticas de gestão de pessoas e de aspectos presentes na função que pode ser percebido como uma Proposta de Valor para os profissionais em posição de gestão? Após extensa investigação, foram escolhidos dois modelos principais para suportar a pesquisa, o modelo MOW (Meaning of Working) para sentido do trabalho e o modelo da Organização Abundante para políticas e práticas de gestão de pessoas. O estudo foi conduzido na Ultrapar, grupo brasileiro que atua em três mercados distintos por meio de quatro empresas: Ipiranga, Ultragaz, Oxiteno e Ultracargo. Após um esforço que envolveu vários métodos e fontes de pesquisa, bem como formas de tratamento e análise dos dados (com abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa) as três perguntas principais foram respondidas. Existem múltiplas definições de sentido do trabalho entre o grupo de gestores das diversas empresas. As definições, na sua maioria são de uma percepção positiva do trabalho. Somente duas políticas e práticas organizacionais influenciam o sentido do trabalho: \"propósito e direção organizacional\" e \"perenidade\", como se a forma como a organização se apresenta e se define para este gestor tivesse a capacidade de influenciar na sua convicção pessoal. Os gestores conseguem definir uma Proposta de Valor, com elementos relacionados à organização e a execução específica do seu trabalho, sempre levando em conta suas experiências para caracterizar essa definição. Além das respostas para as perguntas propostas pela pesquisa, este estudo buscou contribuir para o aumento do conhecimento sobre o tema sentido do trabalho no cenário brasileiro; trazer um maior entendimento sobre as relações entre sentido do trabalho e políticas e práticas de gestão de pessoas e, provocar uma reflexão mais profunda sobre as relações entre organização e indivíduos num cenário tão competitivo como o cenário atual. Se por um lado, cada um do seu jeito, os profissionais demandam sentido do trabalho, por outro, o desafio das organizações é perceber as diferenças entre as pessoas, a formação de grupos, as características destes grupos e ofertar uma proposta de valor de trabalho que mesmo que não mude substancialmente a essência de cada um, supra as demandas que façam com que estes profissionais trabalhem com prazer, buscando agregação de valor, realização e resultados mútuos. / This study aims to verify and understand the relationships between policies and practices of people management and meaning of working, in the current competitive arena. On one hand, many of the academic organizational studies focus on the pressure of strategy implementation, on management alignment and on the competition for skills and competencies. On the other hand, surveys show professionals also impacted by the changes in the modernity, rethinking their relationships and demands to the organizations. This is the scenario that motivated the current study, with an emphasis on the alignment of organizations and professionals, seeking for ways to strengthen this relationship. The policies and practices of people management are understood as a way of management adopted by an organization to mediate its relationships to the individuals that there work and, the meaning of working understood as a series of attributes capable of generating coherence, cohesion, energy and even a feeling of fullness in the workplace. The research proposal was a work with quantitative and qualitative approach in multiple situations, in which three main questions are investigated, using primary source data, using as unit of analysis, on one hand, professionals on management positions and, on the other hand, their respective organizations. The questions are: How do the professionals in management positions define meaning of working? Do the policies and practices of people management influence meaning of working of professionals in management positions? Is there a set of policies and practices of people management and aspects of the role that can be perceived as a Value Proposition for professionals in management positions? After extensive research, it was chosen two models to support the study, the MOW model for meaning of working and the Abundant Organization model for policies and practices of people management. The study was conducted at Ultrapar, a Brazilian group which operates in three distinct markets through four businesses: Ipiranga, Ultragaz, Oxiteno and Ultracargo. After an effort that involved multiple research methods and sources of data, as well as processing and analysis of data (both qualitative and quantitative), the three main questions were answered. There are multiple definitions of meaning of working among the group of managers in the researched companies. The definitions are mostly a positive perception of working. Only two organizational policies and practices influence the meaning of working \"organization purpose and direction\" and \"sustainability\", as if the way the organization presents and sets up itself for a manager could have the ability to influence his personal conviction. Managers are able to define a Value Proposition, with elements related specific to the organization and specific to the execution of their work, always taking into account their previous experiences to characterize this definition. In addition to the answers to the questions posed by the research, this study sought to contribute to increase the knowledge on the subject of meaning of working in the Brazilian scenario; to bring a greater understanding on the relationship of meaning of working and people management policies and practices and, to provoke a deeper reflection on the relations between organizations and individuals in such a competitive arena as the current one. If on one hand, each one on his own way, professionals demand meaning of working, on the other hand, the challenge for the organizations is to perceive and understand the differences between people, the groups formations, the characteristic of these groups and offer a work value proposition that even though do not substantially change the essence of each people, could be able to supply people demands, that make those professionals work with pleasure, seeking for adding value, fulfillment and mutual results.

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Author: Heléne Reichhardt       Title: The HR Profession's View of eHRM in Practice. Subject: A sociological study on the importance of digitalisation for the HR profession's professional activity. Purpose: The study examines the HR profession's perception of the importance of using eHRM in the profession. Method: The study is based on secondary data (literature, articles, reports, surveys) and eight semi-structured interviews with professionals in the field of Human Resources in Sweden. Theory: To analyse the empirical data three key concepts are used: Abbott’s (1988) Jurisdiction, ‘Division of Labor’ and ‘Expert System’. Findings/Result: Digital tools (eHRM) are used by HR professionals for most HR-related tasks, mainly administrative. The eHRM is used to work in a similar way in standardized HR processes. Self-service systems are used for assignment of tasks, which releases time for the HR function. With the help of digitalisation, HR wants to create space for an increased strategic role, thereby strengthening its professional status. The introduction of eHRM tools involves negotiation between occupational groups on division of labor and delegation, where HR professionals are given increased control. Managers’ resistance to eHRM can be understood as a sign of ongoing negotiations between managers and HR professionals about who will control and perform administrative HR tasks. Key word: Digitalisation, eHRM, Human Resources Management, Profession

One of the biggest and prolonged capital assets of society is investment in staff. If they are managed in the right way, these investments can be the source of innovation and growth, competitive advantage and previsions of leading position in the market. Viz.[7] This Diploma thesis is aimed on the analyses of the human resources management, structure and demands on the personal information system, which solves this area as a whole. Described systems and solutions are generalization of the author's theoretical and practical experiences with particular human resources information system. There are defined the demands on common concept of HR IS. In this diploma thesis you can find the description

Background: Sustainability is a growing trend which companies should acknowledge and incorporate. The role HR can be a direct contributor in the integration of sustainability. SMEs’ characteristics can facilitate the implementation of sustainability, which can be a source of competitive advantage.   Purpose: To examine the integration of sustainability through HR practices in SMEs, in the Jönköping region.   Method: An exploratory and an abductive approach were used to fulfill the purpose of the thesis. The explanation building strategy was used to analyze the data. Theories from the literature were compared with the empirical findings to identify patterns, based on the categories within the HR practices. The empirical data followed a qualitative method and was based on a multiple-case study, consisting of ten interviews with SMEs.   Main findings: SMEs in the Jönköping region had a high level of understanding in terms of sustainability. The HR practices were utilized for a better integration of sustainability. Incorporating sustainability in the firm’s values was the most effective way. This was achieved through integrating sustainability in the different HR practices; by communicating its value to employees, emphasizing it during the recruitment to assure value alignment, as well as explaining it during training activities.   Managerial implications: The findings showed that managers could benefit from considering the suggested HR practices for the integration of sustainability. As a result, other regions in Sweden can take advantage and learn from the case of the Jönköping region.