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.

Hazardous waste site remediation cost estimation requires a good estimate of the contaminated soil volume. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) currently uses deterministic point values to estimate soil volumes but the literature suggests that probability bounds analysis (PBA) is the more accurate method to make estimates under uncertainty. The underlying statistical theory is that they are more accurate than deterministic estimates because probabilistic estimates account for data uncertainties. However, the literature does not address the problem of selecting an optimal decision point from the interval-valued PBA estimates. The purpose of this study was to identify the optimal PBA decision point estimator and use it to demonstrate that because the PBA method also accounts for data uncertainties, PBA estimates of remedial soil volumes are more accurate than the U.S. EPA deterministic estimates. The research questions focused on determining whether the mean or the 95th percentile decision point is the optimal PBA estimator. A convenience sample of seven sites was selected from the U.S. EPA Superfund Database. The PBA method was used to estimate the remedial soil volumes for the sites. Correlation analyses were performed between the mean and 95th percentile PBA estimates and the actual excavated soil volumes. The study results suggest that the lower bound 95th percentile PBA estimate, which had the best R2-value of 89%, is the optimal estimator. The R2-value for a similar correlation analysis using the U.S. EPA deterministic estimates was only 59%. This confirms that PBA is the better estimator. The PBA estimates are less contestable than the current U.S. EPA deterministic point estimates. Thus, the PBA method will reduce litigation and speed up cleanup activities to the benefit of the U.S. EPA, corporations, the health and safety of nearby residents, and society in general.

Major paper (M.U.A.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1991. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 59-60). Also available via the Internet.

This study examines the barriers to sustainable water resources management in water vulnerable, yet a mining booming area. The case study is conducted in Omnogovi province of Mongolia in Nov-Dec 2016. This study presents how the Omnogovi province manages its water with increased mining and examines what hinders the province from practicing sustainable water resources management and examines the involvement of residents in the water resources management of Omnogovi province. Qualitative approaches such as semi-structured interviews, participatory observation and literature review were used in this study. This study demonstrates that the water resources management of Omnogovi province is unsustainable in this time period, yet the implementation of IWRM approach has improved the water resources management of the province. The barriers to sustainable water resources management in Omnogovi province are inefficient governance and poor enforcement of law, today. Despite it, data-scarcity and transboundary water issues might become barriers to practice efficient water resources management in the province. The involvement of residents in water resources management of Omnogovi province is deficient, yet the implementation of participatory approach and establishment of RBC might improve the participatory governance. The study shows IWRM can improve the water resources management of a developing country, yet it can be time-consuming, costly and challenging to implement in a country, which is still in socio-economic and political transition.

A dinâmica do cenário contemporâneo tem obrigado as organizações a se modificarem para sobreviver. No entanto, essas mudanças acontecem de forma contextualizada e são aplicadas de diferentes formas, nas várias dimensões organizacionais. A proposta deste estudo foi aprofundar o conhecimento sobre o modo como a Gestão de Recursos Humanos (GRH) vem respondendo ao processo de mudanças, no Brasil, considerado seu desenvolvimento recente. O objetivo foi caracterizar as práticas estratégicas de GRH em organizações privadas que atuam no País, buscando classificá-las, além de identificar os fatores determinantes desse posicionamento e comparar as práticas utilizadas em sistemas descritos na literatura internacional. No levantamento teórico proposto para esse objetivo, investigou-se a Gestão Estratégica de Recursos Humanos, a evolução e contextualização da área no panorama brasileiro e os diferentes tipos de GRH existentes. A pesquisa empírica foi quantitativa de cunho descritivo. Foram coletados dados com um questionário de práticas de gerenciamento de pessoas validado e reconhecido internacionalmente. Desse questionário, foram selecionadas práticas coerentes com os objetivos propostos e analisadas estatisticamente. Os dados revelaram a participação da GRH na estratégia organizacional; prevalência de práticas menos efetivas no gerenciamento do desempenho e da capacidade dos empregados da organização; e relações com os sindicatos limitadas às negociações coletivas. Isso mostra uma tendência das organizações pesquisadas para a perspectiva estratégica da gestão de pessoas. No entanto, nem todas as empresas podem ser descritas da mesma forma. Uma análise de agrupamento classificou a amostra em quatro diferentes grupos de GRH, que por suas características foram classificados como: 1. Operacional; 2. Estratégico; 3. Formalizado; e 4. Comunicativo. As características e proporções mostraram que ainda existem organizações que gerenciam seus empregados de forma meramente burocrática, mas muitas empresas já adotaram um posicionamento estratégico e muitas outras caminham para tal. A partir dessa classificação foi realizada uma comparação das médias de ações de GRH descritas na literatura que, em grupo, formavam práticas calculativas e colaborativas. Essa análise revelou que as empresas do grupo GRH Estratégico possuem as mais altas médias tanto em práticas calculativas quanto colaborativas. O segundo grupo com médias mais elevadas para as práticas calculativas foi o grupo da GRH Formalizada, e o segundo grupo com médias mais altas colaborativas é o GRH Comunicativa. Por fim, foram levantadas variáveis organizacionais que poderiam contribuir para a determinação do grupo estratégico. Entre elas destacam-se o setor de atuação e a formalização da estratégia organizacional. Esses dados retratam uma mudança no perfil de gestão de pessoas nas organizações presentes no Brasil, mostrando que a GRH está mais preocupada em contribuir com a competitividade empresarial. Além disso, diferentes achados sugerem a confluência de influências culturais e institucionais subsidiando as escolhas da área de gestão de pessoas, conciliando aspectos de diferentes naturezas e aproximando essas práticas da heterogeneidade da sociedade brasileira. / The present-day dynamic scenario has compelled organizations to change to survive. However, these changes happen in a contextualized way. The proposal of this study was to deepen the knowledge regarding Human Resource Management (HRM) in Brazil, regarding its recent development. This study\'s objective was to characterize strategic practices of HRM in private companies in this country, seeking not only to classify them, but also to identify these strategies determinant factors and to compare these chosen practices with systems described in international literature. The proposed theoretical set up for this objective investigated Human Resource Management, its evolution and contextualization in Brazilian context and the different HRM systems. The empirical research was quantitative of descriptive nature. Data was collected using a practice-and-people-management questionnaire internationally validated and recognized. Practices that were coherent with the prosed objectives were selected from this questionnaire and they were statistically analyzed. The data reveled the HRM organizational strategy; the dominant practices that are less effective in the performance and employee\'s capacity management; and unions participation in collective negotiations. This shows that the researched companies tend to a strategic HR perspective. Not all the companies can be described in the same way though. A cluster analysis classified the sample in four different HRM groups. 1. Operational; 2. Strategic; 3. Formalized; 4. Communicative. The characteristics and proportions showed that some organizations still manage their employees in a bureaucratic way, but many companies already adopted a strategic positioning and many more walk that way. Based in this classification, a mean comparison from certain HRM actions was made that, in group, generated calculative and collaborative practices. This analysis revealed that Strategic HRM companies have the highest mean values related to calculative and collaborative practices. The second group with highest mean values for calculative practices is Formalized HRM and the group with the second highest mean value with collaborative practices is the Communicative HRM. Finally organizational variables were tested to see which ones could contribute for the setup of the strategic group. Among them the occupation sector and strategy formalization are more prominent. This data shows a change in the human resource profile in organizations present in Brazil, showing that HRM is more concerned in add to the institutional competitiveness. Furthermore, these findings suggest a confluence of cultural and institutional influences supporting the choices made by human resource management area, adjusting aspects of different natures and approaching these practices to the heterogeneity so present in Brazilian society.

A dinâmica do cenário contemporâneo tem obrigado as organizações a se modificarem para sobreviver. No entanto, essas mudanças acontecem de forma contextualizada e são aplicadas de diferentes formas, nas várias dimensões organizacionais. A proposta deste estudo foi aprofundar o conhecimento sobre o modo como a Gestão de Recursos Humanos (GRH) vem respondendo ao processo de mudanças, no Brasil, considerado seu desenvolvimento recente. O objetivo foi caracterizar as práticas estratégicas de GRH em organizações privadas que atuam no País, buscando classificá-las, além de identificar os fatores determinantes desse posicionamento e comparar as práticas utilizadas em sistemas descritos na literatura internacional. No levantamento teórico proposto para esse objetivo, investigou-se a Gestão Estratégica de Recursos Humanos, a evolução e contextualização da área no panorama brasileiro e os diferentes tipos de GRH existentes. A pesquisa empírica foi quantitativa de cunho descritivo. Foram coletados dados com um questionário de práticas de gerenciamento de pessoas validado e reconhecido internacionalmente. Desse questionário, foram selecionadas práticas coerentes com os objetivos propostos e analisadas estatisticamente. Os dados revelaram a participação da GRH na estratégia organizacional; prevalência de práticas menos efetivas no gerenciamento do desempenho e da capacidade dos empregados da organização; e relações com os sindicatos limitadas às negociações coletivas. Isso mostra uma tendência das organizações pesquisadas para a perspectiva estratégica da gestão de pessoas. No entanto, nem todas as empresas podem ser descritas da mesma forma. Uma análise de agrupamento classificou a amostra em quatro diferentes grupos de GRH, que por suas características foram classificados como: 1. Operacional; 2. Estratégico; 3. Formalizado; e 4. Comunicativo. As características e proporções mostraram que ainda existem organizações que gerenciam seus empregados de forma meramente burocrática, mas muitas empresas já adotaram um posicionamento estratégico e muitas outras caminham para tal. A partir dessa classificação foi realizada uma comparação das médias de ações de GRH descritas na literatura que, em grupo, formavam práticas calculativas e colaborativas. Essa análise revelou que as empresas do grupo GRH Estratégico possuem as mais altas médias tanto em práticas calculativas quanto colaborativas. O segundo grupo com médias mais elevadas para as práticas calculativas foi o grupo da GRH Formalizada, e o segundo grupo com médias mais altas colaborativas é o GRH Comunicativa. Por fim, foram levantadas variáveis organizacionais que poderiam contribuir para a determinação do grupo estratégico. Entre elas destacam-se o setor de atuação e a formalização da estratégia organizacional. Esses dados retratam uma mudança no perfil de gestão de pessoas nas organizações presentes no Brasil, mostrando que a GRH está mais preocupada em contribuir com a competitividade empresarial. Além disso, diferentes achados sugerem a confluência de influências culturais e institucionais subsidiando as escolhas da área de gestão de pessoas, conciliando aspectos de diferentes naturezas e aproximando essas práticas da heterogeneidade da sociedade brasileira. / The present-day dynamic scenario has compelled organizations to change to survive. However, these changes happen in a contextualized way. The proposal of this study was to deepen the knowledge regarding Human Resource Management (HRM) in Brazil, regarding its recent development. This study\'s objective was to characterize strategic practices of HRM in private companies in this country, seeking not only to classify them, but also to identify these strategies determinant factors and to compare these chosen practices with systems described in international literature. The proposed theoretical set up for this objective investigated Human Resource Management, its evolution and contextualization in Brazilian context and the different HRM systems. The empirical research was quantitative of descriptive nature. Data was collected using a practice-and-people-management questionnaire internationally validated and recognized. Practices that were coherent with the prosed objectives were selected from this questionnaire and they were statistically analyzed. The data reveled the HRM organizational strategy; the dominant practices that are less effective in the performance and employee\'s capacity management; and unions participation in collective negotiations. This shows that the researched companies tend to a strategic HR perspective. Not all the companies can be described in the same way though. A cluster analysis classified the sample in four different HRM groups. 1. Operational; 2. Strategic; 3. Formalized; 4. Communicative. The characteristics and proportions showed that some organizations still manage their employees in a bureaucratic way, but many companies already adopted a strategic positioning and many more walk that way. Based in this classification, a mean comparison from certain HRM actions was made that, in group, generated calculative and collaborative practices. This analysis revealed that Strategic HRM companies have the highest mean values related to calculative and collaborative practices. The second group with highest mean values for calculative practices is Formalized HRM and the group with the second highest mean value with collaborative practices is the Communicative HRM. Finally organizational variables were tested to see which ones could contribute for the setup of the strategic group. Among them the occupation sector and strategy formalization are more prominent. This data shows a change in the human resource profile in organizations present in Brazil, showing that HRM is more concerned in add to the institutional competitiveness. Furthermore, these findings suggest a confluence of cultural and institutional influences supporting the choices made by human resource management area, adjusting aspects of different natures and approaching these practices to the heterogeneity so present in Brazilian society.

Text in English, abstract in English and Afrikaans / Information is one of the most important resources in organizations today. The role of Marketing Information Systems (MKIS) is to facilitate the efficient and effective use of information in marketing decision-making. Service organizations are especially reliant on decision-support information, due to the complex nature of their environment. However, indications are that they are not utilizing information to their best benefit, despite the considerable advantages they might gain from it. In fact, it could be said that service organizations often seem to lack a culture of market orientation. In measuring the satisfaction with the quality of market intelligence, it becomes obvious that marketing decision-makers are generally dissatisfied with the results of MKIS. Some of the reasons are: • The 'disconnect' between information technology and marketing in organizations, which results in marketing decision-makers not getting information in the format they require, and feeling as if their requirements are not taken into account when MKIS are developed. • The lack of availability of usable customer and competitor data, which are regarded by marketing decision-makers as the most important categories of information. • The focus on generating data, but not adding value to it. Marketing decisionmakers have indicated that they require analysis, and not raw data. In order to bridge these problems, South African service organizations need to focus on the successful integration of MKIS into the organization. This requires an understanding of marketing decision-makers' requirements, closer cooperation between IT and marketing and the establishment of a culture of information sharing. / lnligting is een van die belangrikste hulpbronne van hedendaagse organisasies. Die rol van bemarkingsinligtingstelsels (BMIS) is die fasilitering van die doelmatige en effektiewe gebruik van inligting in bemarkingsbesluitneming. Diensorganisasies is veral afhanklik van besluitsondersteunende inligting, as gevolg van die komplekse aard van hulle omgewing. Tog is daar aanduidings dat hulle inligting nie tot die beste voordeel aanwend nie, ten spyte van die aansienlike voordeel wat hulle daaruit kan trek. In werklikheid kan dit gestel word dat diensorganisasies skynbaar nie 'n markgerigte kultuur het nie. In die meting van tevredenheid met die kwaliteit van markintelligensie blyk dit dat bemarkingsbesluitnemers in die algemeen ontevrede is met die resultate van BMIS. Sommige redes hiervoor: • Die gaping tussen inligtingstegnologie en bemarking in organisasies, wat daartoe lei dat bemarkingsbesluitnemers nie inligting ontvang in die formaat wat hulle vereis nie, en voel dat hulle behoeftes nie in ag geneem word wanneer BMIS ontwikkel word nie. • Die gebrek aan bruikbare inligting oor kliente en mededingers, wat deur benarkingsbesuitnemers beskou word as die belangrikste kategoriee van inligting. • Die fokus op die genereer van data, sonder om waarde daaraan toe te voeg. Bemarkingsbesluitnerners het aangedui dat hulle ontleding vereis en nie slegs 'rou' data nie. Ten einde hierdie probleme te oorbrug moet Suid-Afrikaanse diensorganisasies fokus op die suksesvolle integrasie van BMIS in die organisasie. Dit vereis begrip vir bemarkingsbesluitnemers se behoeftes, nader samewerking tussen inligtingstegnologie en bemarking en die daarstel van 'n kultuur van gedeelde inligting. / Business Management / D. Comm. (Business Management)

This dissertation addresses data manipulation in collaborative research systems, including what data should be stored, the operations to be performed on that data, and a programming interface to effect this manipulation. Collaborative research systems are discussed, and requirements for next-generation systems are specified, incorporating a range of emerging technologies including multimedia storage and presentation, expert systems, and object-oriented database management systems. A detailed description of a generic query processor constructed specifically for one collaborative research system is given, and its applicability to next-generation systems and emerging technologies is examined. Chapter 1 discusses the Arizona Analyst Information System (AAIS), a successful collaborative research system being used at the University of Arizona and elsewhere. Chapter 2 describes the generic query processing approach used in the AAIS, as an efficient, nonprocedural, high-level programmer interface to databases. Chapter 3 specifies requirements for next-generation collaborative research systems that encompass the entire research cycle for groups of individuals working on related topics over time. These requirements are being used to build a next-generation collaborative research system at the University of Arizona called CARAT, for Computer Assisted Research and Analysis Tool. Chapter 4 addresses the underlying data management systems in terms of the requirements specified in Chapter 3. Chapter 5 revisits the generic query processing approach used in the AAIS, in light of the requirements of Chapter 3, and the range of data management solutions described in Chapter 4. Chapter 5 demonstrates the generic query processing approach as a viable one, for both the requirements of Chapter 3 and the DBMSs of Chapter 4. The significance of this research takes several forms. First, Chapters 1 and 3 provide detailed views of a current collaborative research system, and of a set of requirements for next-generation systems based on years of experience both using and building the AAIS. Second, the generic query processor described in Chapters 2 and 5 is shown to be an effective, portable programming language to database interface, ranging across the set of requirements for collaborative research systems as well as a number of underlying data management solutions.

No description available.

A wide range of Human Resources (HR) processes and information can now be managed and devolved to line managers and employees using e-HRM (‘electronic Human Resource Management’). E-HRM has been defined as “An umbrella term covering all possible integration mechanisms and contents between HRM and information technologies, aiming at creating value within and across organisations for targeted employees and management.” (Bondarouk & Ruel, 2009, p.507). Contemporary e-HRM technologies contain powerful functionality that can support organisations in reducing the cost and improving the quality of Human Resource service delivery, as well as enabling higher productivity and providing strategic capability. The aim of this dissertation is to explore why the development of e-HRM has been relatively immature, given that organisations tend to take an ‘automating’ approach that focuses primarily on administrative efficiency. The central thesis is that future development of e-HRM depends on two factors; firstly, that stronger links between e-HRM and competitive advantage at the organisational level must be defined and exploited; and secondly that shared frames of reference with regard to technology are critical to gaining the support of investors in e-HRM. The dissertation explores the wider context of e-HRM and its relationship to contemporary themes such as HR transformation, service delivery models, the growth of the internet and changing employee and managerial workplace expectations. Various definitions of e-HRM are explored, together with a literature review that categorises and summarises e-HRM literature over a twenty-one year period, concluding that there has been inadequate focus on understanding how e-HRM creates value. The dissertation makes a key contribution to practice through the e-HRM Value Model, a framework for defining, understanding and articulating how e-HRM creates organisational value. Its focus is on the outcomes of e-HRM rather than its characteristics, proposing that only three forms of outcomes can be derived from e-HRM: Operational HR cost reduction, improved people management / productivity and increased strategic capability. It represents a means of defining not only the value outcomes of e-HRM, but also the linkages between value potential, value conversion and value outcomes, providing a practical framework for defining the linkages between e-HRM and competitive advantage, as well as the basis for a diagnostic tool. The dissertation makes a contribution to knowledge through the analysis and subsequent synthesis of a wide-ranging literature review and interviews with fortysix managers and line managers across fifteen organisations that were planning for or had implemented e-HRM. It concludes with a series of proposed reasons for the slow progress towards greater strategic use of e-HRM, based on a technological frames approach with regard to the Nature of Technology, Technology in Use and Technology Strategy. The dissertation argues that unless HR professionals are themselves able to make sense of e-HRM and articulate the benefits in terms of competitive advantage, e-HRM development is likely to remain immature. Further research opportunities to develop and test the model are identified, together with an assessment of the implications for e-HRM management.