Title: To belong or not? - A qualitative study about agencies employees organizational boundaries.    The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship that agencies employees have with boundaries at their customer company. This was investigated based on the degree of which the agencies employees were confronted by organizational boundaries, what these boundaries could depend on and how the agencies employees reacted on this. The methodological choice resulted in eight semi-structured interviews. Where the interview group consisted of current and former agencies employees as well as both women and men. The theoretical framework that we used to answer our purpose is Organizational boundaries, Exit - voice and loyalty and the Stranger.   The results of the study showed that agencies employees could perceive the organizational boundaries in different ways and that they also could be affected by them in varying degrees. The level of organizational boundaries has proven to be based to some extent by the selection of the industry for the agency employee. In addition to this it also has an effect why the customer companies chose to take in agencies employees and finally for how long time an agencies employee has been at their respective customer company. The borders also seem to depend on why the agencies employees choose to be an agency employee. Interviewees who aimed to be employed by the client company tried to become part of that company and to exceed the limits that they were faced with. This in contrast to other interviewees that did not have the same goals and therefore could accept their position in relation to organizational boundaries and settle as a "stranger". Finally, the person's own actions in the form of commitment and indifference could also affect whether the organizational boundaries remained or were blurred.

Uppsatsen handlar om inhyrda lärares arbetssituation som befinner sig utanför organisationers gränser vilket leder till exkludering och bristfälliga arbetsvillkor. Inhyrd personal befinner sig i en trepartsrelation mellan sig själv, bemanningsföretag och kundföretag. Detta skulle kunna göra att den formella tillhörigheten och känslan av tillhörighet differentieras. Inget i studien tyder på att de inhyrda lärarna inte känner en tillhörighet till bemanningsföretaget som arbetsgivare och därmed kan vi inte dra slutsatsen att detta är problemet. Snarare är det kundföretaget och dess medarbetare som inte ser de inhyrda lärarna som inkluderade i organisationen vilket skapar exkludering. Dagens företag behöver vara flexibla och för att möta detta behov används inhyrd personal som en tillfällig resurs. Bemanningsföretag växer sig allt starkare och studien är viktig för att visa att anställningsformen kan få negativa konsekvenser och att man bör ta hänsyn till emotionella aspekter hos individen. Studien är kvalitativ och har genomförts genom djupintervjuer med tre inhyrda lärare, tre ordinarie lärare och en rektor. Då ämnet kan ses som känsligt av vissa parter är ämnet något svårstuderat och det har varit svårt att få tag på intervjupersoner. Materialet har analyserats med teorier utifrån tre teman: tillhörighet, trygghet och frihet vilka följer som en röd tråd genom uppsatsen. / This essay examines temporary teachers working situation and the findings show that they fall outside organizations’ boundaries which leads to exclusion and poor working conditions. The temporary teachers exist in a trilateral relationship between them self, temporary work agencies and client companies. This could make the formal affiliation and sense of belonging differentiated. Nothing in the study suggests that the hired temporary teachers do not feel an affinity to the temporary work agency and thus we cannot conclude that this is the problem. The issue is rather that the client company and its employees do not see the hired temporary teachers as included within the organization. This creates exclusion. The temporary work agencies are growing stronger and this study is important since it highlights that the form of employment can have negative consequences and that the emotional aspects of the individual should be taken into account. The study is qualitative and has been executed by performing in-depth interviews. Due to the delicate nature of the subject to some parties the topic is somewhat difficult to study. Furthermore, it has been difficult to get hold of the people interviewed. The empirical data was analysed with theories based on three themes: belonging, security and freedom.

There is a wide range of factors that impact the balance between vertical acquisitions and strategic outsourcing, which not only can be explained in terms of efficiency. These factors are multi-layered and can be found in the individuals who set the strategy, the organizations as a whole, and also the environment in which they operate, which has shown to be dynamic. Depending on the vertical integration strategy of firms, the concept of organizational boundaries are applied very differently. Numerous organizational boundaries expand and contract when a company vertically integrates with an acquisition or when non-integrating by strategically outsourcing tasks along the value-chain.

Digital platform organizations challenges the organizational landscape by utilizing technology enabling cost efficient transactions. Uber is a commonly known example of such an organization, where tensions have arisen in various local contexts due to that the organization draw their boundary tightly around the platform to the benefit of organizational efficiency. Uber has as a consequence, been highly questioned in its liability of their primary operations: Is it a technology platform, or a transportation firm?   This thesis sets out to answer:  How is the organizational boundary of Uber challenged in various local contexts? The purpose is to provide an explanation towards how the organizational boundary of a digital platform organization could be understood in relation to local context, and how it can or cannot evolve in regards to these contexts. The results show that context matters for the boundary of Uber. In addition, a pattern amongst the context specific events emerged influencing the boundary. These can be categorized into four configurations: Adjusting, Expanding, Withdrawing and Intertwining. Each of the configurations explain the underlying reasons for the varying fluctuations the boundary of Uber show, and thus answer how the organizational boundary of Uber is challenged in various local contexts.

Relacionamentos interorganizacionais são complexos e multifacetados, por sua natureza não apenas econômica, mas social e cultural. Por sua vez, estratégias de Marketing de Relacionamento não apenas possibilitam vantagens competitivas sustentáveis, mas podem interferir nos sistemas de símbolos e significados de organizações diferentes, através da frequência e qualidade das interações e pela existência de confiança, comprometimento, cooperação e aprendizados comuns. Considerando os fundamentos e práticas do Marketing de Relacionamento, o Marketing como área de fronteira dentro das organizações e as características e processos atinentes à Cultura Organizacional, este estudo teve como propósito analisar a contribuição dos relacionamentos interorganizacionais, especificamente entre fornecedores e clientes, nas suas transformações culturais organizacionais. Assim, tendo uma revisão literária na qual se abordaram a Cultura Organizacional, o Marketing de Relacionamento e as fronteiras organizacionais, foi efetuado um estudo qualitativo de casos múltiplos. Participaram da pesquisa funcionários e intermediários de canais de marketing de uma empresa moveleira (intitulada Empresa M) e de uma empresa de prestação de serviços financeiros (intitulada Empresa S). Foram realizadas quarenta e seis entrevistas em profundidade e uma observação, em quatro fases de pesquisa: a primeira e a terceira fases na Empresa M (vinte e seis entrevistas e uma observação), e a segunda e quarta na Empresa S (vinte entrevistas). A análise de dados utilizada foi a baseada na grounded theory. Os resultados indicam a importância da confiança, do comprometimento, da cooperação e dos processos de aprendizagem nas transformações das culturas organizacionais envolvidas; a importância destas dimensões na continuidade dos relacionamentos e na redução dos conflitos de papel dos interfaceadores; o papel da rotatividade e dos símbolos e significados não compartilhados em enfraquecer essas dimensões e respectivas relações. Por fim, evidenciam a existência de uma cultura interorganizacional, um sistema de símbolos e significados partilhados, por grupos ou indivíduos de organizações diferentes, de forma transitória ou específica a determinadas questões (perspectiva cultural da fragmentação). / Interorganizational relationships are complex and multifaceted, by its nature not only economic but social and cultural. In turn, Relationship Marketing strategies not only allow sustainable competitive advantages, but can influence the systems of symbols and meanings of different organizations, through the frequency and quality of interactions and the existence of trust, commitment, cooperation and learning processes. Considering the fundamental practices of Relationship Marketing, the boundary characteristics of Marketing in organizations and the characteristics and processes related to organizational culture, this study aimed to analyze the contribution of interorganizational relationships, specifically suppliers and customers, to the changes in organizational cultures. Therefore, considering a literature review in which was addressed Organizational Culture, Relationship Marketing and organizational boundaries, it was made a qualitative multiple-case study. The participants were employees and marketing channels intermediaries of a furniture company (called Company M) and a financial services company (called Company S). Forty-six in-depth interviews and one observation were made, at four phases of research, the first and third phases in Company M, with twenty-six interviews and the observation, and the second and fourth in the Company S, with twenty interviews. The data analysis used was based on grounded theory. The results indicate the importance of trust, commitment, cooperation and learning processes in the changes of organizational cultures considered, the importance of these dimensions in the relationships continuity and boundary spanners’ role conflicts reduction and the role of turnover unshared symbols and meanings in weakening these dimensions and their relations. Finally, demonstrate the existence of interorganizational culture, a system of symbols and meanings shared by groups or individuals from different organizations, on a temporary way or specific to certain issues (culture perspective of fragmentation).

Relacionamentos interorganizacionais são complexos e multifacetados, por sua natureza não apenas econômica, mas social e cultural. Por sua vez, estratégias de Marketing de Relacionamento não apenas possibilitam vantagens competitivas sustentáveis, mas podem interferir nos sistemas de símbolos e significados de organizações diferentes, através da frequência e qualidade das interações e pela existência de confiança, comprometimento, cooperação e aprendizados comuns. Considerando os fundamentos e práticas do Marketing de Relacionamento, o Marketing como área de fronteira dentro das organizações e as características e processos atinentes à Cultura Organizacional, este estudo teve como propósito analisar a contribuição dos relacionamentos interorganizacionais, especificamente entre fornecedores e clientes, nas suas transformações culturais organizacionais. Assim, tendo uma revisão literária na qual se abordaram a Cultura Organizacional, o Marketing de Relacionamento e as fronteiras organizacionais, foi efetuado um estudo qualitativo de casos múltiplos. Participaram da pesquisa funcionários e intermediários de canais de marketing de uma empresa moveleira (intitulada Empresa M) e de uma empresa de prestação de serviços financeiros (intitulada Empresa S). Foram realizadas quarenta e seis entrevistas em profundidade e uma observação, em quatro fases de pesquisa: a primeira e a terceira fases na Empresa M (vinte e seis entrevistas e uma observação), e a segunda e quarta na Empresa S (vinte entrevistas). A análise de dados utilizada foi a baseada na grounded theory. Os resultados indicam a importância da confiança, do comprometimento, da cooperação e dos processos de aprendizagem nas transformações das culturas organizacionais envolvidas; a importância destas dimensões na continuidade dos relacionamentos e na redução dos conflitos de papel dos interfaceadores; o papel da rotatividade e dos símbolos e significados não compartilhados em enfraquecer essas dimensões e respectivas relações. Por fim, evidenciam a existência de uma cultura interorganizacional, um sistema de símbolos e significados partilhados, por grupos ou indivíduos de organizações diferentes, de forma transitória ou específica a determinadas questões (perspectiva cultural da fragmentação). / Interorganizational relationships are complex and multifaceted, by its nature not only economic but social and cultural. In turn, Relationship Marketing strategies not only allow sustainable competitive advantages, but can influence the systems of symbols and meanings of different organizations, through the frequency and quality of interactions and the existence of trust, commitment, cooperation and learning processes. Considering the fundamental practices of Relationship Marketing, the boundary characteristics of Marketing in organizations and the characteristics and processes related to organizational culture, this study aimed to analyze the contribution of interorganizational relationships, specifically suppliers and customers, to the changes in organizational cultures. Therefore, considering a literature review in which was addressed Organizational Culture, Relationship Marketing and organizational boundaries, it was made a qualitative multiple-case study. The participants were employees and marketing channels intermediaries of a furniture company (called Company M) and a financial services company (called Company S). Forty-six in-depth interviews and one observation were made, at four phases of research, the first and third phases in Company M, with twenty-six interviews and the observation, and the second and fourth in the Company S, with twenty interviews. The data analysis used was based on grounded theory. The results indicate the importance of trust, commitment, cooperation and learning processes in the changes of organizational cultures considered, the importance of these dimensions in the relationships continuity and boundary spanners’ role conflicts reduction and the role of turnover unshared symbols and meanings in weakening these dimensions and their relations. Finally, demonstrate the existence of interorganizational culture, a system of symbols and meanings shared by groups or individuals from different organizations, on a temporary way or specific to certain issues (culture perspective of fragmentation).

Relacionamentos interorganizacionais são complexos e multifacetados, por sua natureza não apenas econômica, mas social e cultural. Por sua vez, estratégias de Marketing de Relacionamento não apenas possibilitam vantagens competitivas sustentáveis, mas podem interferir nos sistemas de símbolos e significados de organizações diferentes, através da frequência e qualidade das interações e pela existência de confiança, comprometimento, cooperação e aprendizados comuns. Considerando os fundamentos e práticas do Marketing de Relacionamento, o Marketing como área de fronteira dentro das organizações e as características e processos atinentes à Cultura Organizacional, este estudo teve como propósito analisar a contribuição dos relacionamentos interorganizacionais, especificamente entre fornecedores e clientes, nas suas transformações culturais organizacionais. Assim, tendo uma revisão literária na qual se abordaram a Cultura Organizacional, o Marketing de Relacionamento e as fronteiras organizacionais, foi efetuado um estudo qualitativo de casos múltiplos. Participaram da pesquisa funcionários e intermediários de canais de marketing de uma empresa moveleira (intitulada Empresa M) e de uma empresa de prestação de serviços financeiros (intitulada Empresa S). Foram realizadas quarenta e seis entrevistas em profundidade e uma observação, em quatro fases de pesquisa: a primeira e a terceira fases na Empresa M (vinte e seis entrevistas e uma observação), e a segunda e quarta na Empresa S (vinte entrevistas). A análise de dados utilizada foi a baseada na grounded theory. Os resultados indicam a importância da confiança, do comprometimento, da cooperação e dos processos de aprendizagem nas transformações das culturas organizacionais envolvidas; a importância destas dimensões na continuidade dos relacionamentos e na redução dos conflitos de papel dos interfaceadores; o papel da rotatividade e dos símbolos e significados não compartilhados em enfraquecer essas dimensões e respectivas relações. Por fim, evidenciam a existência de uma cultura interorganizacional, um sistema de símbolos e significados partilhados, por grupos ou indivíduos de organizações diferentes, de forma transitória ou específica a determinadas questões (perspectiva cultural da fragmentação). / Interorganizational relationships are complex and multifaceted, by its nature not only economic but social and cultural. In turn, Relationship Marketing strategies not only allow sustainable competitive advantages, but can influence the systems of symbols and meanings of different organizations, through the frequency and quality of interactions and the existence of trust, commitment, cooperation and learning processes. Considering the fundamental practices of Relationship Marketing, the boundary characteristics of Marketing in organizations and the characteristics and processes related to organizational culture, this study aimed to analyze the contribution of interorganizational relationships, specifically suppliers and customers, to the changes in organizational cultures. Therefore, considering a literature review in which was addressed Organizational Culture, Relationship Marketing and organizational boundaries, it was made a qualitative multiple-case study. The participants were employees and marketing channels intermediaries of a furniture company (called Company M) and a financial services company (called Company S). Forty-six in-depth interviews and one observation were made, at four phases of research, the first and third phases in Company M, with twenty-six interviews and the observation, and the second and fourth in the Company S, with twenty interviews. The data analysis used was based on grounded theory. The results indicate the importance of trust, commitment, cooperation and learning processes in the changes of organizational cultures considered, the importance of these dimensions in the relationships continuity and boundary spanners’ role conflicts reduction and the role of turnover unshared symbols and meanings in weakening these dimensions and their relations. Finally, demonstrate the existence of interorganizational culture, a system of symbols and meanings shared by groups or individuals from different organizations, on a temporary way or specific to certain issues (culture perspective of fragmentation).

This thesis brings fresh light on the types of problems that contemporary democracies might face when interacting with private interests. More specifically, the study examines the separation between the state and private interests, based on the assumption that this separation is a precondition for maintaining democracy and legitimate governance. It is thereby a contribution towards understanding the social forces that allow private interests to penetrate the public realm, as well as the forces that protect the state from such penetration. Under which circumstances do private interests access state apparatus in ways that contradicts its universalistic principles? How does the state consider challenges against its legitimacy and how are such threats dealt with? These questions are answered by means of two case studies. The first concerns the interaction between a number of state authorities that receive sponsoring from business enterprises. The second concerns interaction - partially afflicted by corruption - between the state monopoly for selling alcoholic beverages (‘Systembolaget’) in Sweden and its private suppliers. Applying theories on organizational boundaries, exchange, trust, networks as well as legitimacy to these cases, the study demonstrates how state reforms, inspired by the logic of markets, has introduced new ways for private interest to access state affairs. In the case of ‘Systembolaget’, this is particularly evident. The possibility of access, the study argues, is a consequence of reshaping the internal boundaries of the state, broadening informal relations as well as extended scope of action for state employees. This replaced social differentiation as a mechanism of separation by the personal integrity of state employees. Interestingly, this finding should be considered in relation to how the state has attempted to sharpen its organizational boundaries through a strengthening of regulation and the businesslike relations of exchange.