The thesis closely analyses the evaluation of the current motivation system in Volksbank CZ, Joint Stock Company, compares the results with the survey carried out amongst the above-mentioned company{\crq}s employees and suggests any possible improvements. I tried to pinpoint the development in this segment by further observation as well as assessing the strong and weak points of the human resources development in banking from the points of view of globalization and internal structure of the company. Using a questionnaire, I aimed to observe the correspondence between employees{\crq} ideas and the bank as far as the education and the human capital development are concerned. The results gathered could be used by Volksbank CZ, Joint Stock Company in developing its further education programmes and management of its employees.

The aim of this thesis was to describe the corporate culture a chosen company due to its role in human resource management. A farm in West Bohemia was selected for the survey. This company is special for its breeding successes in the Czech Republic and also abroad. It has been working for a long time in the market so the subject of the survey was determination whether the company keeps established procedures or tends continues to develop the technology and human resources management in the given field. In conclusion there was proposed follow-up measures, which could contribute to improving corporate culture and thus the effectiveness of the company.

Unemployment is a long term problem of the present society. For many people, finding a new job is complicated because of some kind of handicap. Such handicaps include age, gender, lack of qualification, or even belonging to certain minority group. In these cases, people remain unemployed for a longer time, which leads to further devaluation of the human capital. Employment offices try to help their job-seekers using active employment policy instruments. This paper is then focused on the vocational retraining instrument in relation to long term unemployed. The objective of the paper is to establish efficiency of vocational retraining and the factors that influence it. The technique of secondary analysis of public documents of the Employment Office in Písek for the period 2005 through 2010 was chosen for the performance of the research. The research has shown that short-term unemployed having secondary education with school-leaving examination (SSLC) and younger age groups (up to 30 years of age) are more often placed in vocational retraining. On the contrary, members of the group of job-seekers with low ? primary education and/or aged over 50 is very rarely placed in vocational retraining. Yet lack of qualification and higher age are risk factors for long term unemployment origination. If these two factors are joined also with very long unemployment (over 1 year), there is a minimum chance to participate in vocational retraining. The positive effects of vocational retraining for long term unemployed include that they have large chance of placement in the labour market within 6 months. Selection for vocational retraining is performed on the basis of cooperation of the labour provision consultant with the job-seeker. Unfortunately, there is noticeable tendency to select rather the less problematic and better motivated job-seekers. Consequently, the approach to clients should change and those who really need help should be targeted.

Southern California has great economic importance to the USA, with major revenue generation counties like Los Angeles, San Diego and Santa Barbara. Downtown Los Angeles is a major business hub for many industries, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with densely populated metropolitan areas in urban settings. From technology to media, a wide range of diversified SMEs operate within the Southern California region. Little evidence is provided in the academic literature on Southern California’s SMEs and their relation to Knowledge Management (KM) and KM strategies. This research aims to explore and examine, in depth, Southern California’s SMEs and to provide the SMEs’ decision makers with an effective strategy to implement Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) into their organisations. The overall aim of this thesis is to complement and enhance the existing KM literature by examining the relationship between Human Capital (HC) and Organisational Structural Capital (OSC) from a Knowledge Management perspective. The conceptual framework developed in this thesis draws on the strategic management perspective of KM and KMS from the existing literatures. Focusing on and analysing the two main elements, i.e. HC and OSC, to critically examine how the relationship between both elements could affect SME performance. In addition, by drawing on the resource-based view of the SME and the KMS perspective, the thesis explores the influence of KMS on both the HC and OSC elements in the SMEs of Southern California. To validate the framework, empirical research was performed, followed by the distribution of a questionnaire to 1,000 respondents within the SME sector in Southern California, and particularly to areas with high business revenue, such as Los Angeles, San Diego and Santa Barbara, of which 367 completed responses were considered valid to use in this research. This study has applied structural equation modelling (SEM) to test the proposed research framework using IBM SPSS V.22 and AMOS V21. The findings reveal that the majority of the SMEs are aware of their knowledge usage as the main competitive advantage. However, SMEs are not always aware of the best methods to capitalise their existing KMS and how to utilise it to the optimal level, especially with regard to business objectives and obligatory requirements repeatedly taking precedence. These results indicate that the implementation of an enhanced KMS strategy, i.e. the developed framework, will enhance SME performance by aiding the decision makers further in the exploration of employee awareness (HC), company goals, and being competitive through making the relevant decisions, which is a contribution of this study. The originality of this study is that it endeavours to obtain new insights on the subjects of KMS, HC, OSC and SME performance, using tactical suggestions for Southern California’s SMEs in managing knowledge, controlling knowledge gaps, and reflecting among these factors. This thesis makes a step forward and contributes to the body of knowledge, e.g. it explores and examines relevant elements and factors of both HC and OSC that enhance the decision-making process in SMEs through the conceptual and the developed frameworks (see Figures 3.6 and 4.21). In addition, this thesis makes a further contribution to the application of current theories (e.g. the Knowledge-Based theory of the Firm and Organisational Learning theory) by providing a framework to address the relationship between Human Capital (HC) and Organisational Structural Capital (OSC) from a Knowledge Management perspective, in the context of Southern California’s SMEs with a focus on service based firms. While the results cannot be generalised, they can aid others to relate their views to those reported in this thesis.

A presente dissertação trata de um estudo exploratório que visa identificar os principais fatores que levam os estudantes a decidirem sobre um curso de nível superior (3º grau). A amostra foi composta dentre quatro Instituições de Ensino Superior da cidade de Caxias do Sul/RS e totalizou 655 estudantes regularmente matriculados e de ambos os sexos, focando, preferencialmente, alunos do 1º ou do 2º semestre de seus cursos. As questões empregadas visaram identificar conclusões para o tema central da pesquisa – o processo de escolha de um curso de graduação. O instrumental teórico baseia-se na Teoria do Capital Humano e na Teoria da Sinalização. Os resultados revelaram que os fatores que determinam as escolhas são: a realização pessoal, aptidão ou vocação para o curso pretendido; as oportunidades no mercado de trabalho; a qualidade e o prestígio da Instituição e a possibilidade de ascensão financeira. Identificou-se também que a maioria dos estudantes escolheu o curso no último ano do ensino médio e às vésperas do vestibular e, além disso, eles têm certeza de que fizeram a escolha certa. / The present dissertation deals with an exploratory study that aims to identify the main factors that take the students to decide on a course of a college. The sample was chosen among four institutions from the city of Caxias do Sul/RS and totalized 655 students regularly registered and of both genders, focusing, preferentially, on students that were attending the 1st or 2nd semester of their courses. The employed questions were directed to identify conclusions to the central subject of the research – the process of choice of a graduation course. The theoretical instrument is based on the Human Capital Theory and the Signaling Theory. The results revealed that the factors that determine the choices are: the personal realization, aptitude or vocation for the intended course; the job opportunities; the prestige of the institution and the income perspectives. There was also identified that the major part of the students has chosen the course in the last year of the high school and very close to the vestibular and, furthermore, they are sure that they have made the right choice.

abstract: This dissertation examines the role that business counselors in a public entrepreneurial development program play in improving the Entrepreneurial Specific Human Capital (ESHC) of nascent and active entrepreneurs. Through multiple research methodologies, this study identifies the types of ESHC provided by business counselors then compares them to the types of ESHC commonly accepted as necessary for entrepreneurial success. The comparison reveals a number of insights for policy and research, most notably a minimum portfolio of skills necessary for entrepreneurial success. This study also examines the methods counselors use to help entrepreneurs acquire higher levels of ESHC. These methods allow counselors to assist entrepreneurs in recognizing and overcoming common barriers to business growth, and a model of entrepreneurial business growth barriers has been produced which depicts these barriers as conceptual-operational transition points for the entrepreneur. Additionally, this dissertation develops important information about the use of the business plan in entrepreneurial development, and uncovers a number of moderators in the relationship between the use of the business plan and entrepreneurial success. Finally, the study produces detailed information about ESHC which has potential for scale development, and highlights a number of insights for policy and research that have not been identified previously. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Public Administration 2013

abstract: There are many different approaches to the analysis of regional economic growth potential. One of the more recent is the theory of the creative class, and its impact on creative centers. Much of the criticism surrounding this theory is in how the creative class is defined and measured. The goal of this thesis is to explore alternate definitions to better understand how these variations impact the ranking of creative centers as well as their location through space and time. This is important given the proliferation of rankings as a benchmarking tool for economic development efforts. In order to test the sensitivity that the creative class has to definitional changes, a new set of rankings of creative centers are provided based on an alternate definition of creative employment, and compared to Richard Florida's original rankings. Findings show that most cities are not substantially affected by the alternate definitions derived in this study. However, it is found that particular cities do show sensitivity to comparisons made to Florida's definition, with the same cities experiencing greater variations in rank over time. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.U.E.P. Urban and Environmental Planning 2014

There are many aspects that govern the performance of an organization. One of the most important thing is their organizational structure. Having a well-planned organizational structure facilitates good internal communication among the employees, which in turn contributes to the success of the organization. Today, company re-structuring is very common in the industry. When various key employees are re-organized (moved to different hierarchical positions), the company might experience certain incidents which can be damaging or beneficial for the company. To leverage the potential gain, having an efficient organizational structure is very important for a company. The primary objective of this study is to analyze the existing organizational structure of the company by the evaluation of email communications between the employees, and if required suggest the need for re-organization. In this case study, we have applied various cluster validation techniques to evaluate the email communications between the employees. The data (email logs) are provided by the company which have been recorded at different time periods. We have analyzed the organizational structure through the analysis of these email logs. We have then simulated various re-organization scenarios. By applying various cluster validation metrics, we have examined the quality of the existing organizational structure. We have also recorded how re-organization (moving employees from one organizational unit to other) effects the overall quality of the existing organizational structure of the company. In this study, we have presented how different cluster validation metrics will be helpful in assessing the quality of the organizational structure by reflecting the different aspects of the organizational structure. We have shown that our approach makes it possible to evaluate the effects of different re-organization scenarios on the internal communication patterns of employees in an organization. All these metrics can be used by the company to improve their existing organizational structure.

Esta tese tem como principal objetivo o estudo da relação existente entre crescimento econômico e inovação tecnológica, a partir da abordagem neokaleckiana de crescimento e distribuição de renda. Adicionalmente, discute-se a complementariedade existente entre capital humano e inovação. Para tanto, o trabalho foi divido em três ensaios. No primeiro ensaio é desenvolvido um modelo em que é explicitamente formalizada a interação estratégica entre a geração intencional de inovação tecnológica poupadora de mão de obra, por meio de pesquisa e desenvolvimento (P&D), e a qualidade do capital humano da economia. Argumenta-se que os dois fatores são complementares. Por um lado, a inovação necessita de elevada qualidade do capital humano; por outro lado, mudanças qualitativas no capital humano gerarão impacto sobre as variáveis macroeconômicas do sistema apenas no caso de a inovação tecnológica ocorrer. No ensaio II é desenvolvida uma extensão do modelo contido no ensaio I, via introdução de uma heterogeneidade comportamental entre as firmas no que diz respeito à inovação. Deste modo, a homogeneidade da firma representativa desaparece. Em seu lugar emerge um cenário de incerteza, em que as firmas deparam-se com duas estratégias disponíveis: inovar - via gastos com P&D -, ou não inovar. O benefício da inovação é a elevação da produtividade do trabalho; porém, devido aos custos envolvidos nesse processo, nem todas as firmas inovam. É utilizado um modelo de jogos evolucionários, com o objetivo de se avaliarem os impactos da heterogeneidade microeconômica sobre a dinâmica da economia, o grau de utilização da capacidade e o crescimento econômico. O terceiro ensaio investiga empiricamente a existência de uma relação de longo prazo, bem como a direção de causalidade existente, entre salários reais e produtividade do trabalho para o Brasil, durante o período compreendido entre 1955 e 2008. Para esse fim, realiza-se o teste de cointegração de Johansen e o teste de causalidade de Granger. Nos modelos teóricos, elaborados nos ensaios I e II, argumentou-se que variações no salário real médio precedem variações na produtividade do trabalho. No entanto, no teste para o caso do Brasil, verificou-se que a causalidade caminhou no sentido inverso, isto é, variações na produtividade do trabalho precederam variações nos salários reais durante o período analisado. / This dissertation aims to study the relationship between economic growth and technological innovation regarding the neokaleckian approach to growth and income distribution. In addition, we discusses the complementarity between human capital and innovation. The work was divided into three essays. Essay I shows the development of a model in which the strategic interaction between intentional generation of labor-saving technological innovation, by means of research and development (R&D), and the quality of human capital in the economy is explicitly formalized. We argue that the two factors are complementary. On the one hand, innovation requires high-quality human capital; on the other hand, qualitative changes in human capital will generate impact on the macroeconomic variables of the system only if technological innovation occurs. In Essay II, an extension of the model contained in Essay I is developed by means of the introduction of a behavioral heterogeneity between firms regarding innovation. Thus, the homogeneity of the representative firm disappears. In its place, a scenario of uncertainty emerges, where firms are faced with two strategies available: to innovate - via R&D spending - or not to innovate. The benefit of innovation is the rise in labor productivity. However, due to the costs involved in this process, not all firms innovate. A model of evolutionary game is used with the aim of assessing the impact of the microeconomic heterogeneity on the dynamics of the economy, the degree of capacity utilization and the economic growth. Essay III empirically investigates the existence of a long run relationship, as well as the direction of the existing causality between real wages and labor productivity with regard to Brazil within the period between 1955 and 2008. For this purpose, both Johansen\'s cointegration test and Granger causality test were performed. In the theoretical models developed in Essays I and II, we argued that variations in the average real wages precedes variations in labor productivity. However, with regard to the essay concerning Brazil, it was found that causality took the opposite direction, i.e., variations in labor productivity preceded variation in real wages over the analyzed period of time

nÃo hà / Historically, we can verify the educational duality in which we have a formation oriented to the ruling Ãlite and another one oriented to the workers who act in the capitalist production process. However, the expansion of the capitalism in the last four decades, we identify, as Karl Marx had already previewed, the intensification of the substitution of the living work (the human being) for the dead work (machines), causing crisis, because the market doesnât absorb so many workers in the production process. Therefore, the unemployment, is a reality that scares even the international organizations, like the United Nations (UN). In this context, the employability, in a world without jobs and the human capital theory emerge as new forms of social domination, internalizing in the individual the idea that he is the responsible for his precarious economic situation. In this regard, in this research we analyzed the formation of workers released by Centro Vocacional TecnolÃgico (CVT) â Technologic Vocational Center â through means of initial formation courses or professional qualification in the community of Umarizeiras, in Maranguape, town in the Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza, pointing contradictions imposed by the contemporary capitalism which limit that performance. The investigation took place with oral sources, through interviews with thirteen dwellers; and documents: booklets of the courses available by CVT and Estatuto da AssociaÃÃo de Moradores de Umazeira, which let us highlight the contradictions between the official speech and the reality lived by the subjects involved in that formation. The available courses by CVT to that community were fruit pulp process, chicken raising, E.V.A., computing, fruit sweets. All the interviewed subjects had already participated in one or more courses, motivated by the immediate objective of getting a job, fact that doesnÂt really happen; about the knowledge acquired in the courses, itâs rare to find someone who uses it in the daily life. We conclude, therefore, that the offer of the courses achieves rather an ideological objective, targeting to blame the individuals for their economic situation than a whole formation of the human being, having work as the educational principle. / Historicamente, verificamos a dualidade educacional em que temos uma formaÃÃo voltada para as elites dirigentes e outra para os trabalhadores que atuam no processo de produÃÃo capitalista. No entanto, na expansÃo do capitalismo nas Ãltimas quatro dÃcadas, identificamos, assim como jà tinha antecipado Karl Marx, a intensificaÃÃo da substituiÃÃo do trabalho vivo (o ser humano) pelo trabalho morto (as mÃquinas), ocasionando uma crise, pois o mercado jà nÃo absorve tantos trabalhadores no processo produtivo. O desemprego, portanto, à uma realidade que assusta atà mesmo os organismos internacionais, como a OrganizaÃÃo das NaÃÃes Unidas (ONU). Neste contexto, a empregabilidade, em um mundo sem emprego, e a teoria do capital humano surgem como novas formas de dominaÃÃo social, internalizando no indivÃduo a ideia de que à ele o responsÃvel por sua situaÃÃo econÃmica precÃria. Neste sentido, analisamos nesta pesquisa a formaÃÃo de trabalhadores desencadeada pelo Centro Vocacional TecnolÃgico (CVT), por meio de cursos de formaÃÃo inicial ou qualificaÃÃo profissional na comunidade de Umarizeiras, distrito de Maranguape, municÃpio da RegiÃo Metropolitana de Fortaleza (RMF), apontando as contradiÃÃes impostas pelo capitalismo contemporÃneo, que limitam aquela atuaÃÃo. A investigaÃÃo foi realizada a partir da articulaÃÃo de fontes orais, atravÃs de entrevistas com 13 (treze) moradores; e documentais: apostilas dos cursos disponibilizadas pelo CVT e o Estatuto da AssociaÃÃo de Moradores de Umarizeiras, o que nos permitiu colocar em evidÃncia as contradiÃÃes entre o discurso oficial e a realidade vivenciada pelos sujeitos envolvidos naquela formaÃÃo. Os cursos ofertados pelo CVT Ãquela comunidade foram: processamento de polpas, criaÃÃo de galinha caipira, E.V.A., informÃtica, doces de frutas e associativismo. A maioria dos entrevistados jà havia participado de um ou mais cursos, motivados pelo objetivo imediato da conquista de um emprego, fato que constatamos nÃo se realizar; sobre os conhecimentos adquiridos nos cursos, raros sÃo os que afirmam utilizarem em seu cotidiano. Conclui-se, portanto, que a oferta dos cursos cumpre mais um objetivo ideolÃgico com a funÃÃo de culpar o indivÃduo pela sua situaÃÃo econÃmica do que uma formaÃÃo integral de ser humano, tendo o trabalho como princÃpio educativo.