The purpose of this study was to develop an integrated model for evaluating training and development initiatives used by the Botswana public service. To achieve this goal, the following actions were taken: A literature study was conducted to identify the scope and impact of an effective training and development initiative and its evaluation; A literature study was conducted to identify strategies for evaluating training and development initiatives. The theoretical study focused on effective training and development strategies and their evaluation and critical organisational factors that contribute to successful training evaluation; The findings from the literature study were integrated into a model for evaluating training and development initiatives to be used by the Botswana public service; and  This model was used as the basis for the development of a survey questionnaire to determine whether trainers, training managers and supervisors who were responsible for training and development in the public service agreed with the effective strategies for evaluating training and development developed in the study. The survey was conducted in ministries and departments in the south east district of Botswana, mainly in Gaborone, where ministries and government departments are located. The empirical results from the study showed that the majority of respondents’ training and development activities were not evaluated and that there is no link between training and development and performance management. In particular, disagreements were shown with regard to ten strategies and critical organisational factors. Evaluation of training and development in general, is an issue that organisations are challenged with on a daily basis. Lack of skills by trainers on how to evaluate training and development is one major contributing factor to this problem. An integrated and strategic approach towards the evaluation of training and development is required to effectively and constructively train and development employees according to strategic organisational goals, rather than according to individual trainee’s goals.

La investigación enfoca su objetivo principal en identificar los elementos gráficos del diseño ambiental que intervienen en la productividad aplicada al trabajo remoto. Por lo tanto, se propuso la hipótesis de que los elementos gráficos del diseño ambiental que intervienen en la productividad aplicada al trabajo remoto son el color, la iluminación y los materiales y herramientas visuales. Se llevó a cabo un estudio de tipo transversal descriptivo en el que se analizaron espacios laborales en el hogar impuestos por el contexto de la pandemia. Entre los principales hallazgos se identificó que la mayoría de los espacios examinados son áreas compartidas del hogar. Por lo tanto, existe cierta limitación en la optimización de la aplicación de los elementos gráficos que conforman el diseño ambiental. Sin embargo, aquellos espacios que están determinados para esta actividad tienen mayor flexibilidad para personalizar su espacio, agregar herramientas visuales y la oportunidad de integrar elementos del diseño ambiental. Así, se concluyó que en el marco de la emergencia sanitaria existe dificultad para proyectar un espacio de trabajo en el hogar. Sin embargo, se confirma que los elementos gráficos del diseño ambiental que intervienen en la productividad aplicada al trabajo remoto son el color, la iluminación y los materiales y herramientas visuales, ya que estos deben estar consignados en favor de la optimización de la experiencia de trabajo. / The research focuses its main objective on identifying the graphic elements of environmental design that intervene in productivity applied to remote work. Therefore, it was hypothesized that the graphic elements of environmental design that intervene in productivity applied to remote work are color, lighting, and visual materials and tools. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in which work spaces in the home imposed by the context of the pandemic were analyzed. Among the main findings, it was identified that the majority of the examined spaces are shared areas of the home. Therefore, there is a certain limitation in optimizing the application of the graphic elements that make up the environmental design. However, those spaces that are determined for this activity have greater flexibility to personalize their space, add visual tools and the opportunity to integrate elements of environmental design. Therefore, it was concluded that in the framework of the health emergency there is difficulty in projecting a workspace at home. However, it is confirmed that the graphic elements of the environmental design that intervene in productivity applied to remote work are color, lighting, and visual materials and tools, since these must be consigned in favor of optimizing the work experience. / Trabajo de investigación

In today's workplace there are many reasons why businesses are encouraging their workforce to dress in a more casual manner. Personnel within the workforce who dress casually report improvements ranging from morale to customer relations after the implementation of more relaxed dress codes. It will also be necessary to consider whether or not business casual dress facilitates the tearing down of social and communication barriers.

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Campus foodservice has experienced drastic changes over the twentieth century. Its cafeteria style service has some major advantages in catering the needs of the clientele: speed of service, convenience in food selection, and range of price, and so forth. As enrollments in colleges and universities have been continuously increasing during the past few years, campus foodservice operation is gaining its importance in the foodservice industry. Additionally, it serves as a part of the marketing mix with an appeal to increasing number of students. The campus foodservice administrators are facing increased pressure of cost containment. Therefore, how to improve operational efficiency and productivity has been a major concern among foodservice managers. However, this is difficult to achieve due to the numerous variables likely to influence productivity with interrelating factors, such as policy and standard, employee and management skills, efficiency of facility layout, and so forth. There is a lack of published reports that single out these variables and provide in-depth analysis as to their impact on productivity. Efficiency of kitchen equipment and workplace layout has been identified as a variable that influences labor productivity. It is the objective of this study to utilize the variables inherent in meal production of campus foodservice operations to assess the efficiency of kitchen equipment and workplace layout and determine their impact on with labor productivity. Case studies were conducted in Owens Food Court, Shultz and Dietrick Dining Halls on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. Work flow analysis and process time analysis of kitchen employees was utilized to collect data in describing work flow and utilization of labor time in meal production among the dining facilities. Ten entree items were purposively sampled from each dining facility. The Product Process Gross Charts, often used in industrial engineering, were used as a major data collecting tool. A total of 150 charts, which included Move Charts, Distance Charts, Travel Charts, Description of By-pass, and Worker Process Time Charts, were utilized extensively for data collection and interpretation. The differences in work flow variables and utilization of labor time variables among the dining facilities were studied. An analysis of the influence of work flow variables on the utilization of labor time was conducted. In addition, the differences in the functioning of work flow variables in affecting utilization of labor time among the dining facilities were also analyzed. The results showed significant differences in absolute travel distance and percentage of time spent walking and (or) for delays among three dining facilities. Further more, collapsed information indicated that absolute travel distance was positively related with percentage of time spent walking and (or) for delays; and that percentage of backward movement was also positively related with percentage of time spent walking and (or) for delays. Based on the findings, it is recommended by the researcher that a smooth work flow should be achieved in kitchen design, and some major equipment and workplace should be located within the direct line of flow. Equipment and workplace should be organized into different "functional clusters". It is also recommended that further research would be useful in identifying additional variables which would account for a great percentage of variance in the utilization of labor time. / Master of Science

More than one-third of US-listed companies had all-male corporate boards in 2015. Quotas are discussed as policy levers to increase gender diversity, but there is much controversy whether they can increase female representation without harming organizational outcomes. Using the passage of a California law in 2018 that required the presence of at least one woman on corporate boards by the end of the following year, in the first chapter of my dissertation I estimate the effects of gender quotas on firm performance. I find the quota reduced the share of all-male boards by thirty percentage points within one year, with no reductions in operating performance, firm values, or shareholder returns within three years. These results question why all-male boards were prevalent prior to the legislation. I find that women directors are less likely to possess top-level experience and employment connections with corporate executives, which both appear as viable explanations. These findings provide insight on why women continue to lack representation in corporate leadership. Non-compete agreements are provisions within employment contracts that prevent workers from joining competing firms. They are prevalent in the US workforce, with 38% of workers having signed such clauses at some point in their careers. Despite their vast usage, there is limited research on the incentives for workers and firms to use non-compete agreements. In the second chapter, we show that non-compete agreements can create one market failure – inefficient lack of job separation – while mitigating a separate market failure – inefficient provision of industry-specific investment by firms. The model yields the predictions that (i) non-compete agreements are more likely to be used in industries where employer training is more "general" and (ii) non-compete signers have longer job tenures and receive more firm-provided investment relative to similar workers without non-compete agreements. Using newly-released panel data on the usage of non-compete agreements from the NLSY97, we confirm the model's predictions. Non-compete signers are more concentrated in knowledge-intensive industries and remain with their employers for 3 more months than individuals without such agreements. Non-compete signers also receive more employer-provided investment, but do not experience higher wage growth. Non-compete agreements are provisions within employment contracts that prevent workers from joining competing firms. In the third chapter, using the Current Population Survey, 18 state-level non-compete policy changes between 1992-2014, and hand-collected data on workers exempt from non-compete enforcement, I study the effects of non-compete regulation on labor market outcomes using a triple-differences research design. I find that a standard deviation increase in non-compete enforcement raises hourly wages by 3-7%, with larger gains for job leavers than job stayers. Non-compete enforcement is not associated with job mobility, unemployment, or labor force participation decisions. The findings are interpreted through the lens of an incomplete contracting model. Under the model’s assumptions, non-compete agreements mitigate the market failure of underprovided firm-sponsored general training, thus increasing the worker’s productivity. The extent to which the worker is compensated for this increase in productivity depends on labor market competition at the time of contracting. The fact that increased enforcement raises the wages of job leavers more than job stayers is consistent with the model’s predictions.

The primary focus of this thesis is on the causes and macroeconomic implications of inequality. The first two chapters of this thesis concern firm size (measured by sales) inequality. The rise in inequality in the upper tail of firm size distribution has important macroeconomic implications on the product market, the labor market and aggregate productivity growth. In Chapter 1, I seek to understand how acquisition and innovation drive the rise in the upper tail firm size inequality. This question is motivated by the fact that as top firms pull increasingly farther from the rest of the firms, they did not grow into superstar firms on their own. I construct a new dataset to track the dynamic ownership of firms and their patents to identify the mechanisms through which acquisitions drive the growth of the acquiring firms via innovation. I then examine the implications of these innovation mechanisms on upper tail firm size inequality — in terms of both stationary distribution and transition dynamics — using a range of firm random growth models. In chapter 2, I study what do changes in top sales shares signal about changes in large firm dynamics. I use an accounting decomposition to identify two sources of top sales shares growth: (i) incumbent top firms grow bigger; (ii) new top firms replace old top firms. I then build a continuous-time random growth model to infer the growth dynamics of firms at the upper tail of firm size distribution. In Chapter 3, in collaboration with Tam Mai, Istudy the implications of occupational and regional inequality on the labor market after the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Вопросы повышения экономической эффективности предприятий металлургической промышленности под влиянием различных факторов являются актуальными на современном этапе развития Российской экономики. В современной экономике важнейшим и определяющим фактором является повышение эффективности производства на основе увеличения производительности труда. Целью магистерской диссертации является развитие методических основ исследования влияния производительности труда на эффективность развития предприятий металлургической промышленности. В работе рассматриваются теоретические и прикладные аспекты анализа производительности труда и экономической эффективности в металлургическом производстве, а также и вопросы их взаимосвязи. В качестве источников информации использовались учебно-методическая и научно-исследовательская литература, официальные статистические данные и данные финансовой отчетности предприятий. В магистерской диссертации разработан методический подход к оценке влияния производительности труда на экономическую эффективность предприятий металлургической промышленности, измеряемую на основе показателя рентабельности активов. Методический подход предполагает получение комплексной экономико-статистической оценки на основе анализа взаимосвязи показателей на микроуровне (уровень отдельных предприятий-лидеров по показателю производительности труда) и макроуровне (уровень металлургической промышленности в целом), что развивает методические основы экономико-статистического анализа производственной деятельности и позволяет получать более обоснованные оценки влияния производительности труда на эффективность развития металлургической промышленности. / The issues of increasing metallurgical industrial enterprise’s economic efficiency under the influence of various factors are relevant at the present stage of Russian Federation’s economic development. In the modern economy the key factor is increasing efficiency in production through the labor productivity growth. The aim of the master's thesis is to study the effect of the labor productivity on the economic efficiency of metallurgical industrial organizations. The paper considers theoretical and applied aspects of the analysis of labor productivity and economic efficiency of metallurgical industry, as well as issues of their relationship. The sources of information used educational and research literature, official statistics and financial statements of organizations. The master's thesis developed a methodological approach to assessing the impact of labor productivity on the economic efficiency metallurgical industrial enterprises measured by returns on assets (ROA). The methodological approach involves obtaining comprehensive economic and statistical assessment based on the analysis of the relationship between indicators labor productivity and economic efficiency of metallurgical industry at the micro-level (level of individual enterprises-leaders in labor productivity) and macro-level (level of metallurgical industry as a whole), which one develops methodical basis of economic and statistical analysis and allows to obtain more reasonable estimates of the impact of labor productivity on the economic efficiency metallurgical industrial enterprises.

Выпускная квалификационная работа состоит из введения, трех частей, заключения, библиографического списка, приложений. В теоретической части представлены основные понятия, теории управления персоналом, виды автоматизированных информационных технологий, особенности применения автоматизированных информационных систем в управлении персоналом. В практической части описывается общая характеристика исследуемой организации и деятельность службы управления персоналом, проведен анализ количественного и качественного состава персонала УПЦ ООО «Газпром трансгаз Югорск», анализ внутренней документации, интервью с руководителем отдела кадров, интервью с ведущим специалистом отдела кадров, наблюдение за рабочим процессом ведущего специалиста отдела кадров, опрос персонала о необходимости внедрения автоматизированных информационных систем. На основе полученных данных разработана программа по внедрению автоматизированных информационных технологий. В заключении подведены итоги в соответствии с поставленными задачами. / The final qualifying work consists of an introduction, three parts, a conclusion, a bibliography, and appendices. The theoretical part presents basic concepts, theories of personnel management, types of automated information technologies, features of the use of automated information systems in personnel management. The practical part describes the general characteristics of the organization under study and the activities of the personnel management service, an analysis of the quantitative and qualitative composition of the personnel of the UPC LLC Gazprom Transgaz Yugorsk, an analysis of internal documentation, an interview with the head of the HR department, an interview with the leading specialist of the HR department, observation of the work process leading specialist of the HR department, survey of personnel about the need to implement automated information systems. Based on the data obtained, a program for the introduction of automated information technologies has been developed. In conclusion, the results are summed up in accordance with the objectives.

Esta investigación tiene como finalidad solucionar el problema de baja productividad el cual se encuentra relacionado con las condiciones de los puestos de trabajo que están presentes en la empresa de confecciones Cristell. Para dicho problema se planteó como objetivo general proponer la mejora de los puestos de trabajo de la empresa Cristell, para lo cual se realizó el análisis del diagnóstico actual de los puestos de trabajo de la empresa, específicamente del área de producción de camisas. Se recolectó información utilizando la técnica de observación; asimismo se utilizó el método REBA, de acuerdo con los resultados se obtuvieron las causas principales de la baja productividad, cuyos resultados fueron: 100% de puestos de trabajo presentaban riesgos disergonómicos por posturas forzadas, el índice de frecuencia fue 1,43; logrando una productividad de 0,72 camisas/operario-hora. Con el fin de dar solución a la problemática, se elaboró un nuevo diseño de los puestos de trabajo de la empresa, un programa de pausas activas y capacitaciones. Al implementar las propuestas, se obtuvieron indicadores que reflejaran mejoras en las condiciones de trabajo, eliminando los riesgos disergonómicos y aumentando la productividad a 1,35 camisas/operario-hora. Por último, se llevó a cabo el análisis costo-beneficio de la propuesta, obteniendo un resultado positivo, debido a que es rentable, pues se necesita de una inversión de S/ 4600,64 para obtener un VAN de S/4518,49, un TIR de 84,2% y un B/C de S/1,23. / The purpose of this research is to solve the problem of low productivity which is related to the conditions of the jobs that are present in the Cristell clothing company. For this problem, the general objective was to propose the improvement of the jobs of the Cristell company, for which the analysis of the current diagnosis of the company's jobs was carried out, specifically in the shirt production area. Information was collected using the observation technique; Likewise, the REBA method was used, according to the results, the main causes of low productivity were obtained, whose results were: 100% of jobs presented disergonomic risks due to forced postures, the frequency index was 1,43; achieving a productivity of 0,72 shirts/operator-hour. In order to solve the problem, a new design of the company's jobs was developed, as well as a program of active breaks and training. By implementing the proposals, indicators were obtained that reflected improvements in working conditions, eliminating disergonomic risks and increasing productivity to 1,35 shirts/operator-hour. Finally, the cost- benefit analysis of the proposal was carried out, obtaining a positive result, because it is profitable, since an investment of S/ 4600,64 is needed to obtain a NPV of S/ 4518,49, an IRR of 84,2% and a B/C of S/1,23.