Bakgrund och problem: Att organisationers medarbetare beskrivs som den viktigaste resursen utgör idag mer regel än undantag, på samma sätt som hållbarhet är en självklar del av de organisatoriska praktikerna – åtminstone enligt den retorik som används. Tillsammans utgör begreppen essensen i framtidens hållbara personalpraktiker, där anställningsbarhet, engagemang och anknytning väntas skapa fördelar för organisation, medarbetare och samhälle enligt principen mutual gains i en harmonisk verklighet. Men är det så enkelt och självklart som det låter? Vad betyder det egentligen att vara en mänsklig resurs i nutida organisationer, för den arbetande människa som befinner sig i rollen av medarbetare? Är det enbart positivt, och är det positivt för alla? Om inte – vilka möjligheter till gemensam påverkan finns i ett allt mer individualiserat och flexibelt arbetsliv i den svenska kontexten? Syfte och metod: Studiens syfte är att utifrån ett kritiskt management-perspektiv granska uppfattningen om organisationer som harmoniska, neutrala och ömsesidigt fördelaktiga, genom att relatera nutida HRM till den arbetande människans situation i ett förändrat arbetsliv och belysa en fördunklad konflikt. För att besvara studiens frågeställning har en genomgång av tidigare litteratur genomförts utifrån den skandinaviska klassikerna Arbetarkollektivet i kombination med en empirisk undersökning i form av djupintervjuer med skyddsombud inom fackförbundet Byggnads. Resultat och slutsats: Nutida strategier för personalstyrning som inom litteraturen presenteras som ömsesidigt fördelaktiga har även en skuggsida, då praktikerna även kan förstås som indirekta kontrollmetoder som vidtas i syfte att öka inflytandet över personalen. I praktiken förekommer även andra mer destruktiva HRM-praktiker som är mer inriktade på nedskärning och lydnad än utveckling och trivsel. Dessa två sidor förefaller utgöra två sammanhängande sidor av ett och samma problem – brist på respekt för den arbetande människans demokratiska rätt att påverka arbetslivets utformning. De styrningspraktiker som vidtas riskerar att på olika sätt att försvaga människors möjligheter till att gemensamt påverka arbetslivets förändring. Det nyliberala samhällsklimat som idag råder med fokus på individualitet och flexibilitet riskerar dessutom att förstärka sådana tendenser. / Background and problem: The common notion that the employees are an organizations most valued resources, is today more of a rule than an exception, in the same way that sustainability is a natural part of the organizational practices – at least from a rhetoric perspective. If combined, the two concepts are described as the essence of the sustainable HR practices of the future, there employability, work engagement and affective commitment are expected to generate benefits for organization, employees, and society according to the principle of mutual gains. But is it as simple and obvious as it sounds? What does it really mean to be a human resource in a contemporary organization, for the working human that inhabits the role of employee? Is it just positive and is it positive for everyone? If not – how can employees actively and collectively influence work in an increasingly individualized and flexible working life? Purpose and method: From a critical management perspective the purpose of this study is to question the notion of organizations as harmonious, neutral and mutually beneficial by relating contemporary HRM to the working persons situation in a changed working life and open up an obscured conflict. To answer the problem being studied here, previous literature has been studied from the Scandinavian classic The Workers Collective which has been combined with an empirical investigation which has been conducted by deep interviews with safety representatives from the trade union Byggnads. Results and conclusion: Contemporary strategies for people management presented in the literature as mutually beneficial also have a darker side, that can be understood as indirect forms of control undertaken to increase influence over the staff. In practice, other forms of more destructive HRM practices appear, that are more focused on downsizing and obedience than development and well-being. These two sides seem to constitute two connected sides of the same problem – the lack of respect for the working humans democratic right to influence the design of the working life. The people management strategies that are undertaken risk weakening peoples opportunities to collectively influence changes in their working life. The prevailing neo-liberal social climate with its focus on individuality and flexibility may also risk reinforcing such tendencies.

This investigation is a study of grievance machinery in industrial relations, as it operates within the Eighth Regional War Labor Board, which serves the states of Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. By grievance machinery is meant the formal procedure through which the worker or his representative must proceed in order to get a grievance or complaint about working conditions, wages, or other items, heard and settled.

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the meaning employees attributed to the lived experiences of having been declared in excess in the Gauteng Health Department during restructuring. A qualitative, phenomenological research design was selected as the most appropriate approach in conducting this study. Phenomenology offers both methodological and philosophical perspectives with the aim of developing a greater understanding through description, reflection and awareness of the meaning of having “been declared in excess”. Purposive sampling was implemented. A total of ten (10) female professional nurses participated in the study. Data were collected using one common ontological question that enabled the researcher to gain a greater understanding of what it means to be declared in excess from the participants’ perspective. Data were collected until saturation was reached. Unstructured audio-taped interviews were conducted with study participants. Data were analysed using the method developed by Giorgi (1985). The study highlighted different reactions from different participants despite being exposed to the same experience. / Health Studies / Thesis (D. Litt. et Phil.)

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / abstract / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

This research provides a systematic, analytical examination of the evolutionary development of labor relations in a large public school district in the southwestern United States. The Kerchner and Mitchell (1981) generational framework of labor relations has been utilized in this study to evaluate its explanatory power. Research questions included: (1) Does the evolution of labor relations in this district follow the generational patterns specified in the framework developed by Kerchner and Mitchell (1981); and (2) What has been the impact of teacher collective bargaining on governance of this disrict? This work constituted a detailed case study of the school district. Method included analysis of data gathered through board minutes, newspaper and other publications, census data, contract and arbitration history data and semi-structured interviews with persons who played key roles in district labor relations. Findings indicate that generational development in this district has evolved along the lines of the Kerchner and Mitchell framework. The district is idiosyncratic, however, in the nature of coalitions formed, stimuli for change, and the continuing unresolved legal questions regarding collective bargaining in Arizona resulting from a lack of legislative guidance in this area. Generational movement of labor relations in this district is traced through two generational periods and two periods of intergenerational conflict. Findings suggest that relations appear to be suggestive of early third generation as the district enters 1987. With regard to impact, findings of this study generally support those of Kerchner and Mitchell (1981) that: (1) "accidental" policy is made through the bargaining process and contract implementation; (2) collective bargaining, contract making and contract enforcement in this district have enhanced the "laboring" aspect of teacher work; and (3) substantial change has occurred in this district in managerial beliefs and operations as a result of the consensus agreement. Further, findings suggest that although public participation in the district has been episodic, it has greatly influenced generational movement, as has partisan politics. Variance from Kerchner and Mitchell findings and intradistrict variance is also addressed.

D.Ed.

This study is concerned with the impact of job insecurity on the vital social exchange relationship between employee and employer. Specifically, it explored the relationship between job insecurity and two important social exchange outcomes—organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior. Moreover, it assessed the moderating effects of individual factors (communal orientation and powerlessness) and situational factors (trust in management, procedural fairness, and organizational support) on these relationships.

D.Phil. / Prior to the democratic elections in 1994, South Africa had a "captive" market. There were regulations that were specifically designed to protect South African organisations. There were various tariffs and taxes imposed on foreign organisations that did business in South Africa. After the democratic elections, South Africa introduced market reforms that resulted in the country being part of globalization. The globalization process brought about significant changes. South African organisations had an opportunity to expand their business opportunities, but at the same time they were faced with competition from other organisations from different parts of the world ...