In recent years, the staffing industry has developed in the Swedish labor market. It has become more and more common to work in the staffing industry and the there are now consultants in the most areas of today's labor market. Number of consultants has since 2009 double in Sweden. According to statistics from Almega, 250,000 people were employed in staffing companies 2017 (Almega, 2018; Almega, 2019). Therefore the purposes of this study is to investigate consultants experience of organizational commitment, both against the employer and the client company and also what factors may have affect this. The approach was a qualitative method, based on eight interviews with consultants made by a researcher from Mid Sweden University. The consultants worked for the same employer at different customer companies within industrial and administration industries. Five themes were found, "difference in working conditions between regular staff and hired consultants", "consultantsexperience of the staffing industry", "insecure employment conditions", "belonging" and"loyalty". The results of the study demonstrate that the consultants values social relations with colleagues and stable employment conditions. Many of the consultants considered themself to be a part of client company based on the social relations they created there. The ones who considered themself to be a part of their employment company tended to be a result of experienced difference between regular staff and the hired ones. Many of the interviewed consultants saw no future in the staffing industry as they valued a stable employment. / <p>2020-06-15</p>

Since women started working alongside men, there have been expectations of how men and women should act in work life. A factor that has a crucial impact where men and women end up in their working life is the recruitment process. The aim of this study is therefore to investigate how female recruiters perceive the cooperation with male versus female clients. We ask how female recruiters in the staffing industry experience and relate to M versus F clients, and how female recruiters in the staffing industry view gender in the recruitment process. Previous research has investigated the female role in working life and employment through the staffing industry. This study, which uses qualitative semi-structured interviews, focuses on the female recruiters’ perspective within this industry. The result shows that women are well aware of how they present themselves to different clients through clothing and language use. The result also showed a certain awareness of the effect of the client's gender. In summary we can see that there are different expectations on the genders within the staffing industry which contribute to conditions of salary and job promotion differences between the genders. / Sedan kvinnor tog sig in på arbetsmarknaden har det funnits förväntningar på hur män och kvinnor ska bete sig i arbetslivet. En avgörande faktor av vart kvinnor och män hamnar i arbetslivet är rekryteringsprocessen. Vårt syfte är därmed att undersöka hur kvinnliga rekryterare upplever samarbetet med manliga respektive kvinnliga kunder. Våra frågeställningar berör hur kvinnliga rekryterare i bemanningsbranschen upplever och förhåller sig till manliga respektive kvinnliga kunder och hur kvinnliga rekryterare i bemanningsbranschen ser på genus i rekryteringsprocessen. Tidigare forskning har undersökt kvinnans roll i arbetslivet samt anställning genom bemanningsbranschen. Denna studie, som använder kvalitativa semi-strukturerade intervjuer, berör då kvinnans perspektiv som rekryterare inom denna bransch. Resultatet av intervjuerna visade att kvinnor är väl medvetna om hur man framställer sig för olika kunder, genom klädsel och hur man pratar. Resultatet påvisade även en viss medvetenhet kring påverkan av kön hos kunderna. Sammanfattningsvis kan vi se att det förefaller olika förväntningar på könen inom bemanningsbranschen vilket bidrar till olika förutsättningar för befordran och löneskillnader mellan könen.

Purpose Our purpose is to develop a model, based on theoretical framework regarding expansion strategies and cultural differences and see if it can explain the establishment of Swedish staffing companies in Oslo, Norway. Theoretical Framework The theoretical framework presents theories within the field of cultural and social beha-vior, internationalization in general and two different approaches of international expan-sion. Each theory is explained and referred to entrepreneurial expansion. Method This study has been based on three Swedish staffing companies and their expansion to Oslo, Norway. The research done has been both quantitative with surveys and qualita-tive with semi-structured interviews. Findings According to the study, reasons to expand to Oslo for a Swedish staffing company are mainly due to the cultural similarities and the lucrative possibilities within the market. Expansion is preferable done with an incremental approach in line with the Uppsala model. Furthermore, no major barriers exist. The models of International New Venture and Born Globals are not applicable, while the theory of Hofstede is partially supported. Scott‟s theory is unworkable to consider due to lack of differences, while the intervie-wees support the theory of Rundh in terms of internationalization. It is the belief of the authors that their own model, supported by the empirical findings, also can be used by other companies, acting in other industries, in order to get a comprehensive overview of the factors that should be taken into account before going international. One should though keep in mind, that the cultural differences normally are bigger than in the case with Sweden and Norway. / Syfte Vårt syfte är att utveckla en modell som bygger på teori gällande expansionsstrategier och kulturella skillnader för att se om det kan förklara etableringen av svenska bemanningsföretag i Oslo, Norge. Teori Författarnas teoretiska ramverk presenteras genom teorier om kulturella och sociala skillnader, samt internationalisering i allmänhet som presenteras genom två olika strategier. Varje teori förklaras och återknyts till företagsexpansion. Metod Den här studien är baserad på tre svenska bemanningsföretag och deras expansion till Oslo, Norge. Undersökningen som utförts har varit både kvalitativ, i form av semistrukturerade intervjuer, samt kvantitativ genom en undersökning. Resultat Enligt studien är skälen till att svenska bemanningsföretag väljer att expandera till Norge främst de kulturella likheterna länderna emellan, samt de lukrativa möjligheter som finns inom den norska marknaden. Expansion till Norge görs vanligtvis med ett successivt tillvägagångssätt i linje med Uppsala-modellen. Inga större hinder med expansion har påvisats. Vidare visar studien att modellerna International New Venture och Born Globals inte är tillämpliga, medan teorin av Hofstede får visst stöd. De två intervjuade deltagarna stödjer dock Rundh‟s teorier angående internationalisering. Författarnas uppfattning är den egna modellen, utvecklad med hjälp av det empiriska materialet, även kan användas av företag i andra branscher för att få en överskådlig bild av de faktorer som kan komma att påverka valet gällande en eventuell utlandsexpansion. De måste dock vara medvetna om

<p> </p><p><em>Purpose</em></p><p>Our purpose is to develop a model, based on theoretical framework regarding expansion strategies and cultural differences and see if it can explain the establishment of Swedish staffing companies in Oslo, Norway.</p><p><em>Theoretical Framework</em></p><p>The theoretical framework presents theories within the field of cultural and social beha-vior, internationalization in general and two different approaches of international expan-sion. Each theory is explained and referred to entrepreneurial expansion.</p><p><em>Method</em></p><p>This study has been based on three Swedish staffing companies and their expansion to Oslo, Norway. The research done has been both quantitative with surveys and qualita-tive with semi-structured interviews.</p><p><em>Findings</em></p><p>According to the study, reasons to expand to Oslo for a Swedish staffing company are mainly due to the cultural similarities and the lucrative possibilities within the market. Expansion is preferable done with an incremental approach in line with the Uppsala model. Furthermore, no major barriers exist. The models of International New Venture and Born Globals are not applicable, while the theory of Hofstede is partially supported. Scott‟s theory is unworkable to consider due to lack of differences, while the intervie-wees support the theory of Rundh in terms of internationalization. It is the belief of the authors that their own model, supported by the empirical findings, also can be used by other companies, acting in other industries, in order to get a comprehensive overview of the factors that should be taken into account before going international. One should though keep in mind, that the cultural differences normally are bigger than in the case with Sweden and Norway.</p><p> </p> / <p> </p><p><em>Syfte</em></p><p>Vårt syfte är att utveckla en modell som bygger på teori gällande expansionsstrategier och kulturella skillnader för att se om det kan förklara etableringen av svenska bemanningsföretag i Oslo, Norge.</p><p><em>Teori</em></p><p>Författarnas teoretiska ramverk presenteras genom teorier om kulturella och sociala skillnader, samt internationalisering i allmänhet som presenteras genom två olika strategier. Varje teori förklaras och återknyts till företagsexpansion.</p><p><em>Metod</em></p><p>Den här studien är baserad på tre svenska bemanningsföretag och deras expansion till Oslo, Norge. Undersökningen som utförts har varit både kvalitativ, i form av semistrukturerade intervjuer, samt kvantitativ genom en undersökning.</p><p><em>Resultat</em></p><p>Enligt studien är skälen till att svenska bemanningsföretag väljer att expandera till Norge främst de kulturella likheterna länderna emellan, samt de lukrativa möjligheter som finns inom den norska marknaden. Expansion till Norge görs vanligtvis med ett successivt tillvägagångssätt i linje med Uppsala-modellen. Inga större hinder med expansion har påvisats. Vidare visar studien att modellerna International New Venture och Born Globals inte är tillämpliga, medan teorin av Hofstede får visst stöd. De två intervjuade deltagarna stödjer dock Rundh‟s teorier angående internationalisering. Författarnas uppfattning är den egna modellen, utvecklad med hjälp av det empiriska materialet, även kan användas av företag i andra branscher för att få en överskådlig bild av de faktorer som kan komma att påverka valet gällande en eventuell utlandsexpansion. De måste dock vara medvetna om</p><p> </p>

<p>At the time of writing, the business world is currently recovering from a recession that struck globally in the late 2008. The financial crisis brought many consequences, not least in the labor market. In meantime, media is reporting of the increasing trends of companies outsourcing their employment needs, by using staffing companies. Could it be that there is a correlation between the recession and the companies’ choices to do so?</p><p>By revising literature on the topic we have found that the companies need for flexibility seem to be their main reason for using staffing companies. We have also come to review the first reports on the current increase of staffing company use in the US claimed to be caused by the current recession. Regarding the recession, we have come to find that it does have a structural impact on the labor market according to literature. An impact, that many claims is not temporary, but is here to stay.</p><p>We have departed from retroduction with a touch of abduction when investigating our research problem. In practice, we have conducted a study based on surveys where we have asked 37 people in managerial positions at the top 100 largest employers in Sweden about their views on the recession and their attitudes towards the staffing industry. In addition, we have conducted an interview with a manager from a staffing company in Sweden to get another view on the use of staffing companies.</p><p>The findings of this study include; even though several references in this paper forecast rapid growth during times of expansion for the staffing companies, this is not reflected within the responses in our sample. The companies perceive the situation of temporary staff as being better than what some theory suggests. There is reason to suggest that large companies that use staffing companies are moving towards a permanent need of temporary labor, and the respondent of such companies generally perceive staffing companies as a good option for mitigating labor-associated risks.</p><p>It is difficult to draw definite conclusions based on our findings. We have opted to give the reader some insight as to how the companies perceive the staffing industry, and how a manager of a staffing company perceives its current state. We would like to encourage further research to use the questions and suggestions raised in our paper to conduct tests in the area of temporary staffing from a corporate perspective to nourish the debate in the society with a scientific point of view.</p>

At the time of writing, the business world is currently recovering from a recession that struck globally in the late 2008. The financial crisis brought many consequences, not least in the labor market. In meantime, media is reporting of the increasing trends of companies outsourcing their employment needs, by using staffing companies. Could it be that there is a correlation between the recession and the companies’ choices to do so? By revising literature on the topic we have found that the companies need for flexibility seem to be their main reason for using staffing companies. We have also come to review the first reports on the current increase of staffing company use in the US claimed to be caused by the current recession. Regarding the recession, we have come to find that it does have a structural impact on the labor market according to literature. An impact, that many claims is not temporary, but is here to stay. We have departed from retroduction with a touch of abduction when investigating our research problem. In practice, we have conducted a study based on surveys where we have asked 37 people in managerial positions at the top 100 largest employers in Sweden about their views on the recession and their attitudes towards the staffing industry. In addition, we have conducted an interview with a manager from a staffing company in Sweden to get another view on the use of staffing companies. The findings of this study include; even though several references in this paper forecast rapid growth during times of expansion for the staffing companies, this is not reflected within the responses in our sample. The companies perceive the situation of temporary staff as being better than what some theory suggests. There is reason to suggest that large companies that use staffing companies are moving towards a permanent need of temporary labor, and the respondent of such companies generally perceive staffing companies as a good option for mitigating labor-associated risks. It is difficult to draw definite conclusions based on our findings. We have opted to give the reader some insight as to how the companies perceive the staffing industry, and how a manager of a staffing company perceives its current state. We would like to encourage further research to use the questions and suggestions raised in our paper to conduct tests in the area of temporary staffing from a corporate perspective to nourish the debate in the society with a scientific point of view.

Denna uppsats undersöker bemanningsföretagen och hur konsultcheferna arbetar för att tillgodose krav från kundföretag och omgivningen. Som en del av detta studeras även vilka krav som ställs på de uthyrda konsulterna och vad uppförandet har för betydelse inom bemanningsbranschen. De teoretiska utgångspunkterna som används i uppsatsen är dels nyinstitutionell teori och främst begreppet legitimitet, dels Hochschilds teori om emotional labor. Det insamlade empiriska materialet består av nio intervjuer med konsultchefer från fyra olika bemanningsföretag. Resultatet visar att konsultchefsarbetet präglas av rutiner och att det ställs krav på uppförande på den uthyrda personalen för att passa in i konsultrollen. I den avslutande diskussionen diskuteras uppträdandekrav och personlighetens betydelse för konsulter inom bemanningsbranschen. I samband med detta diskuteras även hur bemanningsföretagen har fått legitimitet genom att rekryteringsarbetet professionaliserats och kommit att innefatta förmedling av både kompetens och personlighet till kundföretag. En slutsats är att det emotionella arbetet kan ses som nyckeln till framgångsrika konsultuppdrag. / This essay examines the staffing industry and how the consultant managers are working to meet the requirements from customer business and the environment. It also studies the demands placed on the consultant and why behavior is significant in the staffing industry. The theoretical approach used in this paper is partly a new institutional theory and above all, the concept of legitimacy - and partly Hochschilds theory of emotional labor. The empirical data that have been collected consists of nine interviews with consultant managers from four different staffing companies. The results show that the consultant manager’s work is characterized by routines, further the result illustrates the behavior requirements of the consultants in order to fit into the role as a consultant. The essay concludes with a discussion of behavior requirements and the importance of personality for consultants within the staffing industry. In this context we also discussed how agencies have gained legitimacy through the recruitment process that has been professionalized including mediation of both skills and personality to the client companies. One conclusion is that the emotional labor can be seen as the key to successful consulting

The first chapter informs about the company, its divisions and product portfolio. The following chapter is devoted to the region EMEA and the staffing industry, including competition analysis in the region. The last chapter is offering marketing strategy for the division Kelly Financial Resource in the Czech Republic. It provides with SWOT analysis, competition analysis, positioning and segmentation, strategy goals, communication media and budget.

Approximately 1,6 percent of Swedish employees work under a consultancy firm, which is a fast-growing market. The responsibility of consultant’s work environment is in accordance with Swedish legislation on systematic work environment (SAM) divided between consultant- and client company. This study investigated how 1) consultants experience that their consultant- and client company employers, respectively, work with work environment health; 2) both consultant- and client company employers, respectively, experience their work with implementing work environment/health practices based on SAM. Data collection consisted of 12 in-depth interviews with 8 consultants, 3 consultant managers, and 1 workplace manager. Based on thematic analysis of interviews with consultants three themes were identified: Communication and relation with managers; Justice and inclusion; Managers’ involvement in workplace health. Based on thematic analysis of interviews with managers four themes were identified: Working with SAM; Work environment goals, Relation between consultant- and workplace managers, Relation with consultants. Findings showed the importance of supportive and present leadership, workplace justice and inclusion for consultants’ wellbeing. This responsibility of consultant’s daily work environment was mainly taken by workplace managers. Conclusions are that clear communication and division of responsibility between consultant- and workplace managers regarding consultants’ work environment/health is vital for well-functioning SAM.

Syftet med denna studie är att skapa en ökad förståelse för konsultchefers uppfattningar om vilka konsekvenser trepartsförhållandet mellan konsult, konsultchef och uppdragsgivare har på det hälsofrämjande ledarskapet. Studien har ett hermeneutiskt förhållningssätt med en abduktiv forskningsansats. Empirin samlades in genom åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer med konsultchefer från ett bemanningsföretag. Resultatet av studien visar på svårigheter i trepartsförhållandet på grund av distansledarskapet mellan konsult och konsultchef samt det delade arbetsmiljöansvaret som finns mellan bemanningsföretaget och uppdragsgivaren. Konsultcheferna har svårigheter att avgöra vad som är och inte är arbetsrelaterat. Vidare saknar konsultcheferna organisatoriskt stöd för att utföra hälsofrämjande ledarskap. Slutsatsen är att trepartsförhållandet skapar ett distansledarskap i form av fysisk och psykosocial distans som kan påverka konsultens hälsa. Hälsofrämjande ledarskap i ett trepartsförhållande kräver att konsultchefen delegerar ansvaret för hälsan till konsulten. Detta sker genom att konsultchefen motiverar konsulten till att äta hälsosamt samt ägna sig åt andra hälsofrämjande aktiviteter.  Slutsatsen är även att det finns motstridiga krav i trepartsförhållandet, vilket gör att konsultchefen inte kan arbeta med det hälsofrämjande ledarskap som de vill. Brist på tid och resurser i form av pengar gör att bemanningsföretagets lönsamhet och kundens önskemål prioriteras på bekostnad av konsultens hälsa. Begränsningarna i det hälsofrämjande ledarskapet bygger även på att begreppet hälsa är svårt att mäta med ekonomiska termer. Därav mäts endast konsults hälsa genom sjukfrånvaro. Detta resulterar i att de flesta åtgärder för att främja en konsult hälsa sker genom reaktiva åtgärder när ohälsa redan har uppstått. / The purpose of this study is to create an increased understanding of consultant managers' perceptions about the consequences of the tripartite relationship between consultant, consultant manager and client on the health-promoting leadership. The study has a hermeneutic approach with an abductive research approach. The empirical material was collected through eight semistructured interviews with consulting managers from a staffing company. The result of the study shows difficulties in the tripartite relationship due to the distance leadership between the consultant and the consultant manager and the shared work environment responsibility that exists between the staffing company and the client. The consultants have difficulty in determining what is and what’s not work-related. Furthermore, the consultants lack organizational support for carrying out health-promoting leadership. The conclusion is that the tripartite relationship creates a distance leadership in the form of physical and psychosocial distance that can affect the consultant's health. Health-promoting leadership in a tripartite relationship requires the consultant manager to delegate the responsibility for health to the consultant. This is done by the consultant manager motivating the consultant to eat healthy and engage in other health promotion activities. The conclusion is also that there are conflicting requirements in the tripartite relationship, which means that the consulting manager can’t work with the health-promoting leadership that they want. Lack of time and resources in the form of money means that the staffing agency's profitability and the customer's wishes are prioritized at the expense of the consultant's health. The limitations of the health promotion leadership are also built on the fact that the concept of health is difficult to measure with economic terms. Hence only the consultant's health is measured by sickness absence. As a result, most measures to promote a consultant's health take place through reactive measures when illness has already occurred.