Stockhult, H. (2005) Medarbetaransvar – ett sätt att visa värderingar. Enkonceptualisering av medarbetarnas ansvar och ansvarstagande i callcenter.(Employee responsibility – a way of expressing values. A conceptual study ofresponsibility and how it is assumed in call center). Written in Swedish. ÖrebroStudies in Business 1. 219 pp.The focus of this study is on responsibility and how it is assumed in call centers.Call centers have developed during the last few decades and they are representinga new way of providing customer service. In scientific management there is asharp division between the planning and the execution of work. This division isalso very evident in most call centers today. But managers today often implicitlyexpect employees to take responsibility for more than the ascribed work task.The employees also expect a working situation where they are trusted with a lotof opportunities to take responsibility. In the light of these facts, the question thatshould be answered in this study is: In what ways are employees takingresponsibility in the call center organization?The knowledge acquired is based on theoretical assumptions aboutresponsibility. It is assumed that responsibility is partly given to the employee bymanagement, but also assumes responsibility on the basis of other criteria, thatcome from within the individual. The theories of responsibility are used forinterpreting actions in the call center organization. Empirically the study includestwo call center organizations. One of the call centers is mostly selling products orservices for other companies. The other call center is a nordic bank that givessupport to and sells products to the customers of its own.The results from the study confirm that besides the responsibility given bymanagement, the employees assume some other responsibilities that they perceiveas their own, self-imposed, responsibilities as employees. These self-imposedresponsibilities include responsibility for the customer, for the colleagues and foronesself. To assume these self-imposed responsibilities, the employees must tosome extent, act in reverse regarding the responsibilities given by the employer.Another conclusion is that the role of the group manager is important for the callcenter operators’ way of assuming responsibility. The last conclusion is thatalthough employers often state that they want the employee to take personalresponsibility, this favourable attitude does not show in the call center practice.

Syftet med denna studie är att ta reda på hur chefer med personalansvar arbetar med arbetsmiljöfrågor för att förebygga och hantera stress på arbetsplatsen. Studien använder en kvalitativ metod med semi-strukturerade intervjuer. Totalt genomfördes 7 intervjuer med 7 olika chefer med personalansvar. Samtliga intervjuer spelades in. Materialet bearbetades och undersöktes för att sedan mynna ut i studiens resultat- och analysavsnitt. För att ytterligare tyda och tolka materialet så analyserades detta med hjälp av krav och kontroll modellen i kombination med socialt support modellen som myntades av Karasek & Theorell (1990) respektive Johnson & Hall (1988). Resultatet visar på att chefer med personalansvar arbetar aktivt med arbetsmiljöfrågor och mer specifikt att förebygga stress på arbetsplatsen. Enligt cheferna själva betonades öppen kommunikation mellan chefen själv och de anställda vara det viktigaste verktyget för att förebygga och hantera stress på arbetsplatsen. Detta reflekteras i studiens resultat. Resultatet visade, först och främst, att kommunikation i kombination med att stötta sina medarbetare är essentiellt för att förebygga stress på arbetsplatsen. Kommunikationen fokuserade främst på anställdas arbetssituation och välmående, men även att som chef konstant vara lyhörd och lyssna på sina anställda. Vidare visade resultatet att cheferna arbetar med att förebygga stress med hjälp av digitala verktyg, dessutom sker även medarbetarsamtal och medarbetarundersökningar ofta. Chefer med personalansvar uppgavs även ha handlingsplaner för om en anställd skulle drabbas av stress som sedan resulterar i psykisk ohälsa. Handlingsplanen innefattar rehabilitering, arbetsträning men även möjlighet till  psykolog- och arbetsterapeuthjälp. Studien hoppas kunna vara ett bidrag till att förstå den nuvarande trenden där psykisk ohälsa och sjukskrivningar på grund av arbetet ökar i Sverige. / The aim of this study is to find out how managers with employee responsibility work with work environmental questions to prevent and manage stress in the workplace. The study uses  a qualitative method with semi-structured interviews. In total 7 interviews were carried out with 7 different managers who all had employee responsibility. All interviews were recorded. The material was then processed and researched which then culminated in a detailed results and analysis section off the study. In order to further decipher and interpret the material, it was analyzed using the demands and control model in combination with the social support model coined by Karasek & Theorell (1990) and Johnson & Hall (1988). The result shows that managers with responsibility over employees work actively with work environmental questions and more specifically to prevent stress in the workplace. According to the managers themselves, open communication between the manager themselves and the employees was emphasized as the most important tool for preventing and managing stress in the workplace. This is reflected in the study's results. The results showed, first of all, that communication in combination with supporting one's employees is essential for preventing stress in the workplace. The communication mainly focused on the employees' work situation and well-being, but also that, as a manager, constantly being responsive and listening to your employees. Furthermore, the results showed that managers work to prevent stress with the help of digital tools, in addition to this, employee interviews and employee surveys is also frequently taking place. Managers with  responsibility over employees were also stated to have action plans for if an employee were to suffer from stress which then results in mental illness. The action plan often includes rehabilitation, job training but also the possibility of psychological and occupational therapist help. The study hopes to be a contribution to understanding the current trend where mental illness and sick leave due to work are increasing in Sweden.

Bakgrund: Som en följd av Covid-19 behövde organisationer världen över ställa om från ett fysiskt kontorsarbete till ett ofrivilligt distansarbete. Tidigare forskning har framför allt konstaterat att medarbetare har både positiva och negativa upplevelser av det ofrivilliga distansarbetet. I dagsläget finns det däremot en avsaknad av forskning som belyser medarbetarnas ansvar, delaktighet och inflytande i arbetet, närmare bestämt medarbetarskapet, inom denna kontext. Eftersom medarbetarskap är kontextburet är en sådan kunskap kritisk att uppnå. Syfte: Att beskriva medarbetarskapet i kontexten av ett ofrivilligt distansarbete ur ett medarbetarperspektiv. Metod: Studien antar ett tolkande förhållningssätt och utgörs av en deduktiv teoriansats, kvalitativ forskningsdesign samt en kollektiv fallstudie där sju medarbetare utgör fallet. Forskningen har sin grund i fyra centrala teorier, vilket innefattar medarbetarskapets tre hörnstenar, medarbetarskapshjulet, det utvidgade medarbetarskapshjulet samt de fyra nivåerna av medarbetarskap. Insamling av empiri har genomförts med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer. Resultatet från datainsamlingen har analyserats genom en deduktiv tematisk analysmetod, där fyra huvudteman skapades: engagemang och meningsfullhet i arbetet, aktivt ansvarstagande, socialt samspel och relationer samt öppen och förtroendefull dialog. Slutsats: Studiens resultat beskriver att medarbetarskapet i kontexten av ofrivilligt distansarbete innefattar en god gemenskap, ett bra samarbete och öppen dialog. Resultatet visar dock att det krävs mer av medarbetaren själv för att upprätthålla detta vid distansarbete. Över lag har känslan av meningsfullhet varit stark och nivån av engagemang hög. Hängivenheten till arbetsgivaren har i grund och botten varit hög men det har periodvis varit svårt att upprätthålla denna känsla till följd av den fysiska distanseringen. Medarbetarskapet kan även beskrivas med en blandning av den följsamma, specialiserade och initiativrika nivån av medarbetarskap. / Background: Because of Covid-19, organizations had to switch from the traditional office setting to remote work. Previous research indicates that employees have had both positive and negative experiences of involuntarily remote work. However, there is a lack of research regarding the employee’s own responsibility, participation, and influence at work, more exactly the co-workership, in this context. Since co-workership is contextually bound, reaching such an understanding is critical. Purpose: To describe the co-workership in the context of involuntarily remote work from an employee perspective. Method: The study takes on an interpretative approach and consists of a deductive theory-approach, a qualitative research design, and a collective case study where the case consists of seven employees. Moreover, the study has its starting point in four central theories: the three cornerstones of co-workership, the co-workership wheel, the extended co-workership wheel, and the four levels of co-workership. Data has been collected through semi structured interviews. The results from the data collection have been analyzed with a deductive thematic analysis, where four main themes were produced: engagement and meaningfulness at work, social interactions and relationships, active responsibility-taking, and open and trustful dialogue. Conclusion: The result describes that co-workership in the context of involuntarily remote work is characterized by good fellowship, collaboration, and open dialogue. However, the result implies that more is required from the employees themselves to maintain this. Overall, there has been a strong sense of meaningfulness and a high level of engagement. The dedication toward the employer has been high but it has been periodically difficult to maintain this feeling because of the physical distancing. Finally, the co-workership can be described as a combination of the adaptable, specialized, and enterprising levels of co-workership.

Syftet med studien är att synliggöra och utveckla kunskap om medarbetarskap inom den kommunala gymnasieskolan. I förlängningen ämnar vi dessutom få en djupare förståelse för innebörden av medarbetarskap i gymnasieskolan ur både ett medarbetar- och ett ledarskapsperspektiv. Vi har även förhoppning om att denna studie kan bidra till den generella kunskapsbildningen inom detta område som för skolutveckling anses mycket viktigt.  Studien utgår från en hermeneutiskt ansats med ett fenomenologiskt perspektiv där delarna i det som refereras till som ett myndigt medarbetarskap skapar en helhetsbild av medarbetarskap. Studiens empiri baseras på semistrukturerade intervjuer med intervjuguider skapade utifrån studiens frågeställningar: Hur tar sig medarbetarskap uttryck i den kommunala gymnasieskolan? Hur är synen på medarbetarskap hos medarbetare och skolledare? I den deduktiva delen av processen har informanternas svar kategoriserats utifrån färdiga teman i medarbetarskapshjulet (Hällsten & Tengblad, 2006) och därefter analyserats utifrån begreppsparen förtroende och öppenhet, gemenskap och samarbete, engagemang och meningsfullhet samt ansvarstagande och initiativförmåga. Studiens slutsats är att delar av medarbetarskapet såsom det definieras i medarbetarskapshjulet anses vara uppfyllda men att det saknas viktiga delar för att det skall anses fulländat och därmed utveckla den kommunala gymnasieskolan såsom är möjligt. / The purpose of this study is to visualize and develop knowledge about the view on employeeship within the municipal upper secondary school. In addition, we intend to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of employeeship in upper secondary school from the perspective of both employees and the principals. We also hope that this study can contribute to general knowledge in this area which is considered very important for school development. The study is based on a hermeneutic approach with a phenomenological perspective in which the parts of what is referred to as a governmental partnership creates a holistic picture of employeeship. The study's empirical data is based on semi-structured interviews with interview guides created based on the research questions: How can one see employeeship in the municipal upper secondary school? What are coworkers’ and principals’ view on employeeship? In the deductive part of the process, the informants' responses were categorized based on completed themes in the Wheel of Employeeship (Hällsten & Tengblad, 2006) and then analyzed. The study's conclusion is that parts of the employeeship as defined in the Wheel of Employeeship is fulfilled, however, there are still important parts missing that need further research.

Despite the growing consensus on the importance of an extended responsibility for business, both the conceptual and practical understanding of “corporate responsibility” has remained limited. Corporate responsibility is still often understood as an add-on to business-as-usual or as a strategy to enhance business performance. In fact, in recent years, the concept of corporate responsibility has become associated with corporate deceit instead of corporate contributions to society, and tends to engender cynicism rather than a sense of hope. In this study I sought to explore a more hopeful and more “radical” conceptualisation of corporate responsibility. By looking at an international sample of “exemplary” values-driven businesses, this study provides insight into corporate responsibility not primarily as a means towards commercial ends but as an expression of a desire to “do good” and create social and/or environmental value. This study paints a picture of the rich, responsible reality of values-driven businesses. It describes their generous, human-centred approach to employees and the internal environment. It explores their deep sense of interdependence with the wider community in which they find themselves, and their extensive engagement with a wide variety of external parties, many of which are not “naturally” connected to business. It creates an understanding of the iterative, emerging and evolutionary nature of the CSR implementation process and the inherent impermanence of CSR “solutions”. While this study gives a comprehensive insight into various, generous and progressive practices, it shows that the essence of a “responsible existence” is not the implementation of certain practices alone, but relates to the willingness and ability to continuously question the established ways and practices of business in light of the higher business aspirations, which, for many, leads to a fundamentally different way of organising, managing and governing the business. At the same time, this study does not provide a glorified account of some kind of “utopian” responsible existence. Instead, it shows the “messy” reality of trying to implement social and environmental values, while faced with multiple demands and when embedded within a social and business context that does not necessarily hold the same values. The thesis describes the various conflicts and compromises related to the implementation of multiple, conflicting commitments and demands, and the different ways in which the sample businesses approach such situations. While the sample businesses are quite capable of gracefully navigating these conflicts in creative and pragmatic ways, the research also indicates that significant compromises are seemingly inevitable, and can, almost imperceptibly, move a company away from its envisaged values and commitments. Finally, this study argues that the currently dominant approach to corporate responsibility in organisational studies, which reflects a rationalised and economic perspective on CSR and business, will be insufficient to describe the rich reality found within these businesses, as it will edit out some of its most essential elements. I conclude this dissertation by proposing an alternative, human existential lens through which corporate responsibility in values-driven businesses can be understood. Through a review of the research findings in relation to three existential themes, I show that a human existential perspective is better suited to explore both the beauty and the struggle of values-driven businesses.

Bakgrund: HR-funktionens roll inom organisationen har utvecklats under hela 1900-talet för att mot slutet av seklet grena ut sig i trenden HR-transformation. Trenden har inneburit att HR blivit alltmer strategiskt och därav har många HR-processer delegerats till cheferna i linjen. Denna trend har inte alltid varit uppskattad eller önskad av de chefer som nu förväntas leda HR-processerna. Idag ses en problematik kring att chefer är missnöjda av det nya stödet utifrån den mer strategiska HR-funktionen vilket försvårar chefers arbete. Forskning gällande ämnet har påtalat vad som kan tänkas ligga till grund för den rådande problematiken. Dock verkar problematiken kvarstå på den svenska arbetsmarknaden. Syfte: Att beskriva chefens förutsättningar att leda HR-processer vid en svensk organisation. Metod: Studien är en intensiv fallstudie där kvalitativa data har samlats in genom sju semistrukturerade intervjuer. För att beskriva den data som framkommit kring informanternas upplevelser av sina förutsättningar att leda HR-processer, har data analyserats genom en tematisk analys med en induktiv roll av teori. Slutsats: Studien beskriver de fyra centrala förutsättningarna: Medarbetaransvar, Kunskap, Olika behov av stöd och Samarbete. Förutsättningarna är beroende av att cheferna leder samtliga HR-processer vid organisationen samt att cheferna upplever det som positivt att stå som processägare. Studiens beskrivna kunskapsbidrag tillhandahåller en förståelse för vad som kan råda bot på chefernas missnöje kring det nya stödet av en mer strategisk HR-funktion. Den nya kunskapen kan tillämpas av organisationer inom likande kontext som har eller planerar att genomföra en HR-transformation för att skapa rätt förutsättningar för sina chefer att implementera och leda HR-processer. / Background: The role of the HR function within the organization has developed throughout the 20th century. However, towards the end of the century it has become known as the trend HR transformation. The trend has meant that HR has become increasingly strategic and hence many HR processes have been delegated to the managers in the line. This trend has not always been appreciated or desired by the managers who are now expected to lead the HR processes. Today, a problem is seen around managers being dissatisfied with the new support based on the more strategic HR function, which makes their work more difficult. Research on the subject has highlighted what may be the basis for the prevailing problem. However, the problems seem to persist in the Swedish labor market. Purpose: To describe the manager's prerequisites for leading HR processes at a Swedish organization. Method: The study is an intensive case study where qualitative data were collected through seven semi-structured interviews. To describe the data that has emerged about the informants' experiences of their ability to lead HR processes, the data has been analyzed through a thematic analysis with an inductive role of theory. Conclusion: The study describes the four key prerequisites: Employee responsibility, Knowledge, Diverse needs for support and Cooperation. The prerequisites depend on that the managers are leading all HR processes at the organization, and that the managers are perceiving it positive to be the process owner. The study's described knowledge contribution provides an understanding of what can remedy managers' dissatisfaction with the new support from a more strategic HR function. The new knowledge can be applied by organizations in similar contexts that have or plan to implement an HR transformation to create the right conditions for their managers to implement and lead HR processes.