<p>The trend that more and more recently graduated (business) students are having trouble entering the Swedish labor market, and the fact that many of Sweden’s small firms are perfect absorbers of labor − putting aside the larger firms − how well do these two supply and demand sides match. The recurring theme of this thesis was to analyze the perceptions that small firm managers in Jönköping area, in the business-related sectors, had of business graduates and business graduate skills and competences. It was the skills approach that was the main focus of this thesis. Here we restrict ourselves to the small firms that employ less than fifty people and more than ten.</p><p>To supplement the reflections of small firm managers on graduates, soon-to-become business graduates in Jönköping area (undergraduates or postgraduates) were asked for their own opinion on small firm recruitment possibilities, and which ‘basket of skills’ they acquired and thus found to be important for small business firms. It is because of these two complementing perceptions that the authors had a chance to underline interesting graduate recruitment results, and perception on skills gaps.</p><p>The research design was of mostly qualitative nature coupled with additional integrated quantitative data serving as a supplement to the former. The empirical work was conducted through four interviews with small businesses and three focus groups with graduates.</p><p>Two of the companies had a basic aversion towards employing graduates, while one was indifferent and another welcomed graduates into the company. Graduates were seen as a ‘fresh applicant’, with new ideas and good social competence. However, lack of work experience and practicality, risks of hiring and over qualification brings the employability down.</p><p>The authors cannot identify a clear indication of a skills gap or skills match, but when taking into account the categorization of skills between practical and non-practical ones, there is a very positive skills match between graduates and small firms. In this way recommendation for designing educational business programs on the basis of practical skills seems to be appropriate for having business students well equipped for the small business labor market. In addition to that, other interesting results point out to that the skills preferences/demand by small firms varies when taking into account whether they recruit graduates to specific job posts or just for general work.</p>

The purpose of this study was to investigate recruitment practices used .in industrial arts education programs and to identify factors which influence students in deciding to prepare for teaching industrial arts. Findings led to these conclusions: 1. Teacher-respondents were mostly unaware of or apathetic to the -problem of recruiting for the future. 2. Teachers used three types of recruitment practices: (a) presentations about industrial arts teacher education; (b) motion pictures and slides on industrial arts; and (3) articles in periodicals written about teaching and college activities.

The trend that more and more recently graduated (business) students are having trouble entering the Swedish labor market, and the fact that many of Sweden’s small firms are perfect absorbers of labor − putting aside the larger firms − how well do these two supply and demand sides match. The recurring theme of this thesis was to analyze the perceptions that small firm managers in Jönköping area, in the business-related sectors, had of business graduates and business graduate skills and competences. It was the skills approach that was the main focus of this thesis. Here we restrict ourselves to the small firms that employ less than fifty people and more than ten. To supplement the reflections of small firm managers on graduates, soon-to-become business graduates in Jönköping area (undergraduates or postgraduates) were asked for their own opinion on small firm recruitment possibilities, and which ‘basket of skills’ they acquired and thus found to be important for small business firms. It is because of these two complementing perceptions that the authors had a chance to underline interesting graduate recruitment results, and perception on skills gaps. The research design was of mostly qualitative nature coupled with additional integrated quantitative data serving as a supplement to the former. The empirical work was conducted through four interviews with small businesses and three focus groups with graduates. Two of the companies had a basic aversion towards employing graduates, while one was indifferent and another welcomed graduates into the company. Graduates were seen as a ‘fresh applicant’, with new ideas and good social competence. However, lack of work experience and practicality, risks of hiring and over qualification brings the employability down. The authors cannot identify a clear indication of a skills gap or skills match, but when taking into account the categorization of skills between practical and non-practical ones, there is a very positive skills match between graduates and small firms. In this way recommendation for designing educational business programs on the basis of practical skills seems to be appropriate for having business students well equipped for the small business labor market. In addition to that, other interesting results point out to that the skills preferences/demand by small firms varies when taking into account whether they recruit graduates to specific job posts or just for general work.

The purpose of this thesis report is to make a critical examination of the basic factors, together with their interrelationships, which are involved in college recruiting of students with managerial potential. The ultimate objective of this analysis is to provide a theoretical and factual basis for establishing or improving a managerial recruiting program.

This study examines the similarities and differences between males and females from the Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White population in the Central Florida labor force regarding recruitment strategies and techniques of the Baby Boomers, Generation X and the Millennial population. The purpose of this study is to identify those Human Resources recruitment practices that are most effective in retaining: (1) males and females from the Hispanic population, and (2) whether or not theses recruitment tactics affect the generation groups differently. The proposed issues will be assessed by collecting information from organizations, current employees, and job applicants. This study will use three research methods in addressing the stated purpose and objectives: literature review, focus groups, and questionnaire surveys. The literature review will explore present recruitment techniques, social and cultural similarities and differences between Hispanics and Non-Hispanic White, and generational differences. The main goal of the focus groups is to identify relevant recruitment issues as stated by Central Florida organizations, current employees, and job applicants. From the literature review and results of the focus groups two surveys will be develop to determine: (1) present recruitment practices used by Central Florida organizations; and (2) preferred recruitment practices among Hispanics and Non-Hispanic Whites. The results of this study will identify whether certain recruitment practices perceived as being most appealing and desirable vary among Hispanics and Non-Hispanic Whites. Based on the findings, the study will provide recommendations for designing effective recruitment strategies for Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White males and females while accounting for possible generational differences.

This research explores the relationship between personality traits, Psychological Capital and job performance amongst sales employees within an Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) sector in South Africa. The study was conducted through quantitative research. The study used the Basic Traits Inventory short form (BTI) to measure personality traits; the Psychological Capital questionnaire (PCQ) to measure the Psychological Capital; and the Job Performance questionnaire (JBQ) to measure individual performance. A biographical questionnaire was also used. The questionnaires were administered to a population of 145 sales employees, 85 of whom were based in the company’s Johannesburg office, with the rest dispersed in the company’s Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, wider Free State and Mpumalanga offices. In view of the fact that the sample was small, 100% of the population was included in the study. A theoretical relationship between the constructs was determined and an empirical study provided evidence of the degree of relationship that existed between them. The results reveal significant relationships to exist between some sub-scales; however, statistical significance could not be reached for some correlations. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Cette recherche doctorale a pour objectif d'étudier le rôle des entreprises dans la réussite duprocessus d'entrée organisationnelle des nouveaux embauchés (évaluée au regard d'indicateurstels que le bien-être, la socialisation organisationnelle, l'intention de rester dans l'entreprise,etc.).Trois études ont été réalisées à partir d'une méthodologie qualitative (étude 1) et quantitative(étude 1, 2 et 3). Les principaux résultats obtenus dans la première étude (N1 = 21 recruteurset N2 = 77 nouveaux embauchés) mettent l'accent sur l'importance d'apporter des informationsclaires durant le recrutement et permettent de dégager les pratiques d'intégration et leursstratégies de mise en oeuvre les plus efficaces (eg. visites des sites de l'entreprise informelle,formations collectives, etc.). L'étude 2 consistait à identifier, à partir d'une revue de lalittérature, les composants de la qualité de vie au travail et d'en proposer uneopérationnalisation. Ainsi, une démarche de validation a été réalisée auprès de 277 salariés.L'étude 3 avait pour objectif de mettre à l'épreuve plusieurs modèles multifactoriels prédisantl'intention de rester dans l'entreprise (N = 359). Les résultats nous permettent de confirmer lerôle déterminant des entreprises dans la réussite de l'entrée organisationnelle à travers lespratiques de recrutement et d'intégration et la qualité de vie au travail.La conclusion générale de cette étude nous amène à : 1) proposer un modèle théoriqueexplicatif et multifactoriel de la réussite de l'entrée organisationnelle qui conviendrait de testerdans des recherches futures et 2) envisager des perspectives appliquées concernant laformation des recruteurs et des acteurs de l'entreprise (à leurs différents niveauxhiérarchiques) sur les éléments fondamentaux relatifs à l'entrée organisationnelle desnouveaux embauchés. / This doctoral research was aimed at examining the role of companies in the success ofnewcomers' entry process into the organization (estimated through indicators such as wellbeing,organizational socialization, intent to stay in the company, etc.).Three studies were realized using a qualitative (study 1) and quantitative methodology (study1, 2 and 3). The main results of study 1 (N1 = 21 recruiters and N2 = 77 newcomers) revealedthe importance to provide clear information during the recruitment and shed in lightintegration practices and their most efficient strategies of implementation (eg. informal visitsof the sites'company, collective trainings, etc.). Study 2 was aimed at identifying, based on aliterature review, the components of the quality of work life and proposing anoperationalisation. Thus, a validation was realized on 277 employees. Study 3 was aimed totest several multifactorial models predicting the intention to stay in the company (N = 359).The results confirmed the role of companies in the success of newcomers' entry process intothe organization through the recruitment and integration practices and the quality of work life.In conclusion, this research led to 1) propose an explanatory and multifactorial theoreticalmodel of the success of organizational entry which could be tested in future researches and 2)consider applied perspectives in recruiters and companies actors (various hierarchical levels)training on fundamental elements of newcomers' organizational entry.