This thesis explores the impact of mentor and mentee personality type in formal mentoring relationships. The research sought to identify whether there were individual personality characteristics which impact on relationship dynamics and the learning derived from these relationships. The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was used to identify personality type thus ensuring that the research had practical utility in organisations. Twelve mentoring dyads from public, private and third sector mentoring initiatives participated in the study which adopted an exploratory and qualitative methodology. Multiple methods were used to collect data and an analysis framework was developed, using Activity Theory tenets, to synthesise the different data sets and create narratives of each mentoring relationship. The thesis argues that by enhancing understanding of Type Theory in mentoring relationships, informal learning can be enhanced for mentors and mentees. The research shows how informal learning within mentoring dyads often stems from social comparison and thus differences between mentor and mentee can provide a medium for learning in the workplace. The findings suggest that this will be particularly pertinent for mentors. In addition, the study conclusions highlight the value of using the MBTI to support mentoring relationship development thus enhancing the potential for further learning. The research finds that individual differences will determine the extent to which relationships operate on a traditional, peer or reverse level and not demographic differences as suggested in the extant literature. Furthermore, common personality preferences were identified in individuals who are drawn to the role of mentor and an initial framework for a typology of mentoring relationships was developed. There were two main limitations of the research. First, the study employed a cross-sectional design which resulted in data being collected from participants at different stages of the mentoring relationship. The second limitation concerned the small sample size. Whilst sample size is less relevant in qualitative research, the study sample cannot be considered representative of all formal mentoring programmes or even the programmes studied. The intention was to identify informative cases which would address the research objectives and this was subsequently achieved. The research has contributed to the body of mentoring knowledge by drawing theory from one academic field into another. The findings provide new insights into individual differences and mentoring relationship dynamics thus adding to a sparse area of knowledge in mentoring research. Further, the findings challenge some of the assumptions implicit in the extant literature and highlight the need to examine the construct of mentoring from a broader social science perspective.

I dagens arbetsliv poängteras hur personalen är organisationernas viktigaste resurser, trots det är personalbrist ett vanligt problem inom flera organisationer. Denna studie syftar till att skapa kunskap om HR-praktikers arbete med att utveckla och behålla befintlig kompetens inom organisationen, med en personalbrist i grunden. Specifikt undersöks hur HR-praktiker på ett svenskt sjukhus arbetar med att behålla och utveckla sina sjuksköterskor. Undersökningen lutar sig mot frågeställningarna: vad för typ av problembakgrund föranleder HR-praktikers arbete med behållning och utveckling av sjuksköterskor i organisationen? vilka förutsättningar och strategier utvecklas för att skapa gynnsamma förutsättningar för HR-praktikers arbete med behållning och utveckling av sjuksköterskor? samt vad upplever HR-praktiker att de har för möjligheter och begränsningar i sitt arbete? Med stöd i tankar kring bland annat organisationspedagogik och Human Resource Development undersöker studien hur ett utvecklat arbete med kompetensförsörjning kan skapa möjligheter för HR-praktiker att arbeta med behållning och utveckling av befintlig personal. Med hjälp av dokumentanalys av skrifter från Sveriges Kommuner och Landsting beskrivs den problembakgrund som finns i dagens organisationer och därifrån möjliga lösningar. Personalbrist förväntas öka med åren på grund av demografiska förändringar och kompetensförsörjning kommer tillskrivas än större vikt än idag. Speciellt tre problemlösningar hamnar i fokus: att förändra de rådande arbetssätten, att utnyttja digitaliseringen samt att satsa starkare på kompetensutveckling och bildning. Med hjälp av vidare dokumentanalys går dessa tre problemlösningar att finna i de lokala handlingsplaner och arbetsmaterial som studiens sjukhus arbetar utifrån. På landstingsnivå har material skapats för att mer effektivt arbeta med behållning och utveckling, till exempel kompetensstege för sjuksköterskor och utvecklade roller på sjukhusens avdelningar som ska se till att rätt kompetens finns på rätt plats. Utifrån studiens intervjuer med sjukhusets HR-praktiker blir det än tydligare att sjukhuset anammat de problemlösningar och riktlinjer Sveriges Kommuner och Landsting utvecklat, men att det även finns begränsningar inom arbetet som kan utvecklas. Studien ser att ett utvecklat och genomtänkt arbete med kompetensförsörjning finns levande och att studiens sjukhus både medvetet och omedvetet följer givna lösningsförslag samt forskningens tankar kring ämnet. Bland de medvetna arbetssätten finns specialist-utbildningsprogram för sjuksköterskor och bland de omedvetna kan olika motivationsformer utläsas, utan att organisationen har en tydlig motivationsmodell aktiv.

Thousands of newly established nonprofit organizations (NPOs) with long-lasting and needed missions disappear annually, which negatively impacts the nonprofit sector in general and the potential recipients of the discontinued NPOs' services. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the possible influence that the presence of a strategic resource development plan and the establishment of a stand-alone business entity have on the persistence of newly established NPOs that have long-lasting and needed missions in the United States within the context of the theoretical framework resource dependence theory. Research questions focused on the role of commercial activities, particularly the stand-alone business entity model, and the importance of strategic resource development on NPOs' sustainability within the first 5 years of existence. The study population consisted of NPOs that had disappeared within 5 years of existence and those that had remained active for more than 5 years. Data from a researcher-developed survey instrument were collected from 33 representatives of active organizations and 29 representatives of nonactive organizations. Chi-square tests of independence revealed that the strategic resource development plan and the commercial activities/stand-alone business entities were significantly associated with the sustainability of the NPOs. Findings may be used to promote the creation of a strategic resource development plan and/or a stand-alone business entity at the initial stages of NPOs' establishment to sustain their role and contributions in their communities.

Kompetensförsörjning är ett brett begrepp som innefattar många moment i en organisations strategiska arbete med att förse organisationen med rätt kompetenser. Denna studie syftar att bidra till kunskapsutvecklingen kring kompetensförsörjning som finns i tidigare forskning inom ämnet. Studien genomförs i små och medelstora företag, i en pendlingskommun nära större stad. Vårt huvudsakliga fokus ligger på att lyfta hur organisationer tänker kring och arbetar med att attrahera, rekrytera, utveckla och behålla medarbetare med rätt kompetenser. Vi gjorde därför en kvalitativ studie med semistrukturerade intervjuer där nio organisationer inom den valda kommunen, Vännäs, medverkade. Resultatet visade att företagen i studien både ser utmaningar och möjligheter med kompetensförsörjning, och omfattningen med arbetet kring att attrahera, rekrytera, utveckla och behålla kompetent arbetskraft varierar. Det strategiska arbetet påverkas av det geografiska läget, företagens storlek, samt vilka resurser företagen har för att arbeta med de olika delarna i kompetensförsörjningen. Studien visar vidare att andra samhällsinstanser såsom staten, Arbetsförmedlingen och kommunerna, i samarbete med näringslivet, bär ansvaret för att förbättra kompetensförsörjningen i samhället framöver.

<p>In this thesis we will discuss the importance of human resource development in smaller companies and if it will change from when the Swedish economy was in an economic boom and later on came to be in a recession. We choose to use a more qualitative approach for this research in order to conduct a more in-depth study of five smaller sized companies located on Gotland, Sweden. In order to limit our research we had as an ambition to answer these following questions:</p><p>• What obstacles are there when it comes to human resource development and knowledge transference within smaller sized companies?</p><p>• What can simplify or enable human resource development and knowledge transference within smaller sized companies?</p><p>• Does the teaching process change to a more tacit human resource development between co-workers when there is less room for conventional human resource development?</p><p>The result of the research came to show that the biggest barrier, when it comes to competence development within smaller companies, is time. However, our research also showed that a majority of the companies has changed from a more external educational plan to a more internal educational plan which focuses on keeping the human resource development within the company. This in turn makes it easier for the companies to manage time and integrate the learning process into a usual workday for employees.</p>

Many researchers have examined the effect of formal mentoring on job satisfaction and organizational commitment. However, there has been little or no focus on an employee's intent to participate in a formal mentoring program based upon an employee's perceived organizational support, and/or affective reaction (job satisfaction and organizational commitment). In the current study, the researcher examined the relationship among cultural values, perceived organizational support (career and psychosocial support), affective reaction (job satisfaction and organizational commitment), and the intent to participate in a formal mentoring program in an oilfield services organization. A 44-item electronic survey was utilized to collect data. The questionnaire was sent to 831 Field Engineers 1 (FE1's) in forty-two countries within an oilfield services organization. The sample included 341 respondents. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha estimates for reliability, factor analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis, path analysis, and structural equation modeling were the analyses used in the study. The researcher posited that cultural values amongst the FE1's do not differ significantly; moreover, the cultural values do not influence the FE1's perceived organization support. Further, it was found that FE1's perceived support (career and psychosocial) and affective reactions predicted the FE1's intent to participate in a formal mentoring program.

The purpose of this feminist critical discourse analysis was to uncover whether or not, and how, muteness of female-preferential voice occurs within written organizational computer-mediated communication. Qualitative textual analysis was used to analyze 18 discussion forums from three voluntary professional associations representing highly male-populated (mechanical engineering), gender neutral (training and development), and highly female-populated (nursing) industries. Discussion posting participants were categorized for using male-preferential (MP), female-preferential (FP), or neutral (N) language. MP and FP interactions were then analyzed for themes of muting and muteness. Seven major findings within three analytic categories emerged from this study. First, with regards to preferential language use by industry site, all three sites’ participants used FP language more than MP language. In fact, 158 of the 246 total participants were categorized as FP language users and 17 of the 18 forums were initiated by a FP participant. Additionally, although overall, modals and hedges were the most prevalent FP language characteristics and opinions were the most prevalent MP language characteristic, this differed across industry site. Implications for scaling preferential language dimensions along a continuum from highly feminine to highly masculine are discussed. Second, regarding strategies of maintaining male dominance (muting), it was found that MP language dimensions were used more often by MP participants when interacting with FP participants. Themes of muting strategies such as overstating one’s knowledge base were found in MP language. FP participants, on the other hand, cloak their opinions in subordinating language; thus understating their knowledge. This context allows MP language users to trivialize FP language users’ postings. Additionally, the use of masculine pronouns was equal to the use of feminine pronouns despite the majority of FP participants; and FP participants were overwhelmingly more likely to use masculine pronouns that MP participants were likely to use feminine pronouns. Finally, with regards to strategies of FP communication during interactions with MP language users (muteness), FP participants engaged mostly in respectful communication as a strategy to communicate. The communication strategy used least was confrontation. An emergent strategy of communication was the increased use of metaphors by FP participants when interacting with MP participants.

Planning for offshore hydrocarbon development in Canada’s Beaufort Sea currently occurs on a project-by-project basis. This is despite a collective understanding that impact assessment should go beyond the evaluation of site-specific project impacts to consider the broader policy and regional planning context in which development projects operate. The need for such a regional and strategic approach to impact assessment in Canada’s Beaufort Sea, known as regional strategic environmental assessment (R-SEA), arises from the looming large-scale offshore hydrocarbon development in the region and the lack of a mechanism to plan for future energy development, establish a long-term regional vision, or assess and effectively manage the potential cumulative environmental and social effects arising from development. At such a critical moment, little research exists to advance R-SEA from a concept to an applied planning, assessment and decision-support process. This dissertation draws on experience from the implementation of strategic environmental assessment in offshore jurisdictions internationally, along with existing initiatives for marine planning in the Beaufort Sea, to advance effective R-SEA implementation in the region. The research methodology includes a literature review, case reviews and key informant interviews. The research results are reported in three manuscripts. The first manuscript examines the influence of R-SEA on planning and development decisions in Norway, Atlantic Canada and the UK. The second manuscript examines existing planning, assessment, and science initiatives in the Beaufort Sea. The third manuscript identifies key opportunities for, and challenges to, the implementation of R-SEA in the Beaufort Sea. Significant findings demonstrate that R-SEA can offer a much-needed framework to accommodate and address stakeholder issues and concerns regarding future offshore development in the Beaufort Sea, despite acute implementation challenges, such as scepticism of scenario-based planning. Key findings reveal many expectations of what R-SEA could deliver in the Beaufort Sea, a result of the varied stakeholder priorities and goals. Understanding the root of different expectations and perceptions, ensuring follow-up programs pay attention to horizontal linkages between R-SEA strategies and current marine planning initiatives, and that supporting institutional arrangements are in place for a preferred strategy to succeed lie at the core of advancing R-SEA as a viable tool in the Arctic.

Hispanic student success within community colleges is critical to our future national economy and as such, was pertinent to this Human Resource Development (HRD) research. In this ex-post-facto study, the researcher examined the student entry characteristics of 2,523 Hispanic entering freshmen enrolled anytime between Fall 2000 and Fall 2005 who attempted History, English Composition, or College Algebra for the first time in either face-to-face or distance education courses at South Texas College. The following student entry characteristics of the Hispanic students in the study population were examined for their impact on successful course completion and retention: age, country of elementary education, custody of minors, disabilities, English as a second language, gender, high school diploma type, high school GPA, hours of employment, income level indicators, intent to continue employment, intent to transfer, intended length of enrollment, marital status, number of credit hours, parents’ education, participation in workforce programs in high school, reason for attending, recent migrant work, resident status, and veteran status. The resulting profile of Hispanic distance education student characteristics was found to be similar to common characteristics noted in the literature for other distance education non-Hispanic populations. Furthermore, the researcher identified significant student entry characteristics for predicting the risk of failing to successfully complete courses or to re-enroll. Finally, the researcher provided suggestions for further research regarding Hispanic student performance and success in higher education as a responsibility of the work of Hispanic human resource development within community colleges. This study provides empirical findings related to the student entry characteristics construct found in current theoretical models of retention in commuter institutions of higher education. The researcher recommends expanding this research to other elements of theoretical models of student departure such as the external environment and the internal campus environment. Doing this will support the further refinement and development of the theory and confirm its applicability to local institutional populations.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a subject long debated since the 1930s, but the premises of the topic in regards to the what, how, why, and to whom it should be remain in question. The relation between CSR and corporate financial performance (CFP) has emerged at the forefront of this debate, particularly within the last 30 years, yet no unified theory has been reached. Other scholars interested in CSR have criticized the emphasis on CFP as a means of economic justification for what they believe to be a broader social issue, and have attempted to redirect the focus in CSR research to include other motivations and outcomes associated with organizational stakeholders other than shareholders. Using a descriptive and instrumental stakeholder theory approach, the focus of the current study was to explore CSR practices in both a dependent and independent sense. These theoretical underpinnings reflect stakeholder management decisions based on organizational characteristics, and the strategic management of various organizational stakeholders, respectively. The study population consisted of a diverse array of 353 U.S.- based corporations, 80 percent from the Fortune 500. Data included eleven corporate classification variables that represented organizations’ geographical location, industry, executive leadership dimensions, and financial health. It also included six CFP variables that represented accounting and market-based measures, and seven CSR variables that represented the key organizational stakeholders of the local community and environment, employees, and customers. The corporate classification variables were utilized to assess CSR performances, while CFP was assessed by analyzing differences among levels of the CSR practices. These assessments were performed for organizations for the twelve years within 1991-2002. Several results that assisted in informing descriptive and instrumental stakeholder theory were produced through the examination of previously used and under-explored variables. Specifically, the study results included new insights regarding how several organizational characteristics related to their CSR practices. Study findings provided elaboration regarding how performance differences in seven key CSR categories affected six representative accounting and market-based measures of corporate financial performance. Implications for practice for organizational decision-makers are provided along with detailed information pertaining to how, with inferences as to why, firms engage in CSR. Additionally, associated financial outcomes from different levels of CSR implementation are reported. Key findings from the study were that the CSR practices regarding employees and the environment remained stable over the twelve-year time period. Additionally, organizations’ geographical location, financial health, and corporate leadership dimensions had an impact on CSR practices for various stakeholder groups, with the exception of employees. A high level of investment in CSR for certain stakeholder groups did not produce the best financial outcomes in all cases; however, organizations that emphasized CSR in the categories relative to the community and its employees outperformed others with respect to certain financial performance measures.