Talent Management (TM) is of growing interest within academia and in the strategic HRM literature in particular. Despite many attempts to study TM from different perspectives, it remains an ambiguous and elusive concept that is difficult to define and hence challenging to explore and address. Studies on TM are based within Western contexts and therefore it is questionable whether TM models and theories are transferable to other nations and contexts. This research examines the nature of TM in the Middle Eastern context of Oman, from the perspective of Institutional Theory. Through a qualitative, multiple case-study approach, data was collected from four banking and petroleum-sector organisations through semi-structured interviews. The findings suggest that the different influences of institutional pressures (e.g. nationalisation, competition, organisational characteristics) have significantly shaped TM in these organisations. The findings show that TM effectiveness and sustainability depends upon a range of factors including: generational differences, employee expectations, the role of expatriates and national culture. Thus, TM and its approach has to be understood and framed within the context of institutions which interact with organisational characteristics; this shapes the way in which the organisations define their TM approach in order to seek legitimacy, business continuity and effectiveness.

The research topic for this thesis is the transfer of best practice from a MNC to a subsidiary during the pre-implementation phase of an ERP system. A lot is written about best practice transfer but there is a call for more research on how the implementation is perceived from a subsidiary perspective. This study wishes to contribute to the literature in the intersection between knowledge transfer and legitimacy within MNCs. In order to do so, this thesis was conducted through a qualitative case study and data was mainly collected through semi-structured interviews. Based on the literature review five factors were identified that can affect the best practice transfer Furthermore, the potential effect of legitimacy related to the knowledge transfer was investigated. The thesis resulted in the classification of indirect and direct factors that affect the transfer of best practices in an MNC and their impact on knowledge implementation and the increase of internal legitimacy for a subsidiary. Moreover, a relationship between knowledge and legitimacy was observed. An interesting finding that calls for more research was the facilitating effects of internal audits on the knowledge transfer.

Titel                                    Robotiserad rådgivning - Vilka faktorer påverkar de svenska storbankernas inställning till implementering? Bakgrund                          Banksektorn har fått utstå externt tryck på förändring i och med den digitala utvecklingen av produkter och tjänster. Datorer och teknologi får allt större utrymme i vårt samhälle och leder till att interaktionen mellan människan och datorn blir allt mer naturlig. Utvecklingen av finansiell rådgivning börjar bli mer och mer digital i form av robotiserad rådgivning vilket innebär en utmaning för de svenska storbankerna då de ställs inför ett val att implementera denna tjänst eller inte i sin organisation. Syfte                                   Syftet med studien är att identifiera och beskriva faktorer som påverkar de svenska storbankernas inställning till implementering av robotiserad rådgivning Frågeställning                  Vilka faktorer förklarar de svenska storbankernas inställning till implementering av robotiserad rådgivning? Metod                                 Studien har genomförts med en kvalitativ metod i form av semistrukturerade intervjuer för att besvara studiens frågeställning. Studien är begränsad till att enbart innefatta de fyra svenska storbankerna. Slutsats                               Författarna till studien har kunnat påvisa tre faktorer som påverkar storbankernas inställning till implementering av robotiserad rådgivning. / Title                             Robo-Advice - What factors affect the Swedish big banks' attitude towards implementation? Background                      The banking sector has experienced external pressure on change in the digital development of products and services. Computers and technology are gaining more space in our society and making the interaction between man and computer becoming more natural. The development of financial advisory services is becoming more and more digital in the form robo-advisory, which poses a challenge for the Swedish big banks when faced with a choice to implement this service or not in its organization. Purpose                              The purpose of the study is to identify and describe factors that affect the Swedish big banks' attitude towards implementing robo-advisory. Issue                                   What factors explain the Swedish big banks' attitude towards implementing robo-advisory? Method                              The study has been conducted with a qualitative method in the form of semistructured interviews to answer the study's question. The study is limited to including only the four major Swedish banks. Conclusion                         The authors of the study have been able to find three factors that affect the big banks' attitude towards the implementation of robo-advisory.

Ao longo dos últimos anos percebe-se um acréscimo no número de produtos com apelo ecológico no mercado, bem como de organizações que buscam a adoção de práticas consideradas mais sustentáveis. A mesma tendência é encontrada no setor da construção civil, o qual vem se utilizando de alternativas mais sustentáveis às tradicionais em seus projetos, produtos e processos. O presente estudo visa compreender, a partir das lentes da Teoria Institucional, quais os fatores impulsionadores deste fenômeno no referido setor, levando em consideração as pressões ambientais coercivas, normativas e miméticas exercidas. Os padrões de respostas das organizações a estas pressões variam conforme o modo como são percebidas e tratadas mediante os aspectos cognitivos do gestor, características intrínsecas à própria organização e ao ambiente. Para a detecção das pressões e percepções utilizou-se metodologia qualitativa de caráter exploratório, tendo como objeto uma díade fornecedor-construtora da cadeia de suprimentos da construção civil. Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com quatro (04) fornecedores de materiais de construção e quatro (04) construtoras, das quais três (03) são incorporadoras e uma (01) consiste em construtora corporativa. Os resultados indicam que as pressões ambientais coercivas são fortes no setor da construção civil, enquanto que a normativa é fraca e a mimética é inconspícua. Os padrões de percepção vão ao encontro do gradiente de pressão observado, havendo algumas exceções pontuais, em especial para as construtoras. Verificou-se que, de fato, a sensibilidade do gestor exerce influência no modo como as pressões são percebidas, as quais podem ser vislumbradas como oportunidades ou ameaças. As características intrínsecas à organização e ao ambiente também podem influenciar, estando a primeira ligada a existência de um setor destinado a análise das questões ambientais pela organização; e a segunda a fraca articulação e alta subcontratação evidenciada na cadeia. De modo geral, o setor da construção civil possui sensibilidade ambiental crescente, apresentando alguns entraves que dificultam a sua difusão. / Over the past few years we can note an increase in the number of products with ecological appeal, as well as the number of organizations that seek adoption of practices considered more sustainable. The same trend is found in the construction sector, which has been using more sustainable alternatives instead of traditional ones in their projects, products and processes. This study aims to understand, through the lens of Institutional Theory, which are the driving factors of such phenomenon in this sector, taking into account the exercised environmental coercive, normative and mimetic pressures. . The response patterns of organizations to these pressures vary according to the way it is perceived and treated by the cognitive aspects of manager, intrinsic characteristics of the organization and the environment. For the detection of pressures and perceptions a qualitative methodology with exploratory character was used, and as object, a dyad of supplier-construction company of the construction supply chain was selected. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four (04) building materials suppliers and four (04) construction firms, three (03) of which are construction developers and one (01) consists of a corporate construction firm. The results indicate that coercive environmental pressures are strong in the construction sector, while the normative pressures are weak and the mimetic inconspicuous. Perception patterns run counter to the observed pressure gradient, with some specific exceptions, especially for construction firms. It was found that, in fact, the sensitivity of the manager has an influence on how firms perceive pressures, which can be envisioned as opportunities and threats. The intrinsic characteristics of the organization and of the environment can also influence their perception: the first is linked with the existence of a specific sector for the analysis of environmental issues within the organization; and the second with the weak articulation and high subcontracting evidenced in the chain. Overall, the construction sector has increased environmental sensitivity, with some obstacles that hinder their diffusion.

Cette thèse est une investigation multi-perspective du phénomène des innovations crées par les utilisateurs finaux. Elle est focalisée sur les procès des innovations et de co-création des technologies venu du niveau des utilisateurs finaux, c’est-à-dire sur les procès qui sont appelé dans des publications anglophones ‘grassroots technologies’. Nous considérons comment ces développements se plongent dans le contexte des complications d’environnent et de ses interactions avec des acteurs déjà en jeu, i.e. institutes et des infrastructures déjà existants. Notre recherche est fondée sur le développement d’une infrastructure d’Internet, évoluant pendant 16 ans, dont est élaboré par des particuliers comme alternative à l’inaction du gouvernement et des fournisseurs d’Internet. Le phénomène a réuni millions des utilisateurs, création des innovations et des biens publics par des particuliers, ainsi que coopération fécond avec des organismes privés. La thèse comprend trois articles de recherche, chacun prenant une perspective différente du phénomène. Du point de vu de la méthodologie, ce travail est appuie sur l’approche avec les études qualitatives des cas et les raisonnements abductifs et inductifs. La thèse fournit contributions théoriques et pratiques pour compréhensions des conditions préalables, procès et conséquences des innovations par des utilisateurs finaux, la coévolution du sens et de la structure de la technologie, lien entre le niveau des innovations par des utilisateurs finaux et l’industrie, ainsi que le changement en routines et technologies quand ces dernières sont plongés dans l’ambiance de la dynamique institutionnelle et des complexités. / This dissertation is a multi-perspective inquiry into the phenomenon of grassroots end-user innovation. It focuses on the processes of end-user innovation and technology co-creation and investigates how these developments are embedded in the context of environmental complexities and the interplay of existing actors, institutions and infrastructures. The research setting is based on the 16-year Internet infrastructure development by residential citizens as an alternative to the government and private providers’ inaction. The phenomenon included millions of users, innovations and public value creation from the grassroots, and successful cooperation with private organizations. The dissertation mainly comprises three research papers each taking a separate perspective on the phenomenon. Methodologically, the dissertation builds on the qualitative case-study approach and abductive and inductive reasonings. The dissertation provides theoretical and practical contributions to the understanding prerequisites, process and consequences of end-user innovation, co-evolution of the technology meaning and structure, grassroots links with industry, as well as organizational change in routines and technologies as embedded in larger institutional dynamics and complexities.

In recent times, sport's responsibility has grown beyond being only Sweden's largest people movement and activating people. Now sport is also expected to contribute to crime prevention and prevent other social problems. Using sport as a method and a kind of gear has in turn given sport other challenges. By using institutional theory, the study wants to highlight the working practices in which nonprofit organizations use in their own associations as well as with other organizations, to promote integration. The study is aimed at basketball associations in socio- economically vulnerable areas. To investigate this, a main issue was formulated and to answer it, two questions were formulated as an aid. An unstructured group interview was conducted consisting of four (4) respondents with different positions and active in sports in the socio- economically vulnerable areas. Four (4) semistructured interviews were also conducted with sports leaders in the basketball associations in the same areas. The results showed that cooperation between the association, school, the Swedish Basketball Federation, the municipality and the district is of utmost importance in the work of integration and other social problems. Different types of projects are also a common practice. The basketball associations generally have the same working practices with the organizations in the surrounding area with certain exceptions that occur within their own associations.

Simultaneamente, eleva-se o interesse pelo desenvolvimento sustentável e os inerentes desafios a ele vinculados. Por outro lado, como uma possibilidade de alcançá-lo entrou em evidência o conceito de Ecologia Industrial (EI). Sua perspectiva fundamental tem a natureza como modelo visando a integração entre os sistemas ecológico e industriais. Caracteriza-se por três escalas de atuação e a Simbiose Industrial (SI) é a mais difundida, envolvendo o intercâmbio de materiais, produtos, água, energia, resíduos, informações, experiências e conhecimentos entre organizações (POSCH, 2010; GIURCO et al., 2011). Entretanto, Deutz (2009) destaca que a EI possui questões emergentes e que necessitam de mais aprofundamentos com as ciências sociais. Em geral, suas pesquisas partem do campo técnico e encontram dificuldades de serem implementadas e aceitas porque não foram confrontadas com os sistemas sociais e de poder que envolvem as organizações. Existindo espaços para estudos que considerem aspectos como cultura, valores, elementos políticos e de poder nas relações interorganizacionais. Dedicando-se uma atenção mínima a esses aspectos reduz-se o potencial contributivo da EI. O desafio é aprofundar, ampliar e integrar as análises em uma concepção sistêmica e transdisciplinar orientada para o desenvolvimento sustentável. Resultados satisfatórios diante dessas imposições abrangem investimentos em P&D, em produtos ecoinovadores e alterações nas práticas de negócios (LOMBARDI; LAYBOURN, 2012). Assim, esta tese objetivou analisar as percepções dos atores de um parque tecnológico diante das interações da Ecologia Industrial com as convergências entre as teorias de Sistemas, Institucional e da Dependência de Recursos. A construção do referencial teórico pautado nas referidas teorias possibilitou estabelecer conexões com a EI e promover a elaboração das categorias de análise que serviram de base para a construção das proposições. A partir da abordagem qualitativa, de uma perspectiva multidisciplinar e do estudo de caso, definiu-se como objeto de estudo a Associação Parque Tecnológico de Santa Maria, RS, Brasil. Utilizou-se dados primários e secundários compostos por fontes como documentos, acompanhamento de reuniões e observações. Contudo, o principal instrumento de coleta foram entrevistas realizadas com 28 integrantes do parque tecnológico. Para a análise dos dados empregou-se a técnica de análise de conteúdo. Os resultados evidenciaram que os atores reconhecem a necessidade de ações integradas entre organizações, todavia ainda não consideram que a preservação ambiental seja um valor socialmente aceito e reconhecido com impactos significativos nos resultados empresariais que garantam a sobrevivência da organização. Em geral, as relações não são pautadas por um contexto institucional que incentiva objetivos compartilhados visando suprir recursos críticos. Decisões oriundas do hábito e a ausência de clareza sobre os pressupostos da EI dificultam a sua operacionalização. Embora seja afirmado que exista disposição para abdicar do controle de recursos para obtenção de melhores resultados coletivos, empiricamente a intenção foi pouco observada. Os atores percebem falta de discernimento quanto às responsabilidades das universidades e dos setores público e privado locais no desenvolvimento das interações. / At the same time the interest in sustainable development grows, so does the interest in the challenges it brings. As a possible tool to solve these challenges came the idea of Industrial Ecology (IE), which has as its main perspective nature as a model in the integration of the ecological and industrial systems. It is characterized by scales of action and the most well know of them is Industrial Symbioses (IS), which involves the exchange of materials, products, water, energy, residue, information, experiences and knowledge among organizations (POSCH, 2010; GIURCO et al., 2011). Deutz (2009), however, notes that IE brings about new questions in need of a bigger connection with social sciences. Usually researches start in a more technical field and face difficulties to be implemented and accepted because they weren‟t confronted beforehand with the social and power systems that organizations revolve around. Opening spaces for studies that take into consideration aspects such as culture, values, organizational politics and power structures and pays attention to these details can reduce the impacts of IE. The challenge is to examine carefully, broaden and integrate this analysis in a transdisciplinary and systemic view directed towards sustainable development. Satisfactory results in face of these impositions involve investments in R&D (research and development), in eco-innovative products and changes in business practices. (LOMBARDI; LAYBOURN, 2012). Thus, this thesis aimed to analyze the perception of subjects of a technological park on the interactions of Industrial Ecology with the coming together of the Systems, Institutional and Resource Dependency theories. The theoretical reference based on the aforementioned theories made it possible to establish connections with IE and create the categories of analysis that served as a basis to the prepositions. Based on the qualitative approach, on a multidisciplinary perspective and a case study, the Associação Parque Tecnológico of Santa Maria, RS, Brazil was chosen as study subject. Primary and secondary data from documents, meeting notes and observations were used. However, the main data were interviews of 28 members of the technological park. To analyze the data the method of content analysis was used. The results showed that the subjects recognize the need for integrated actions among organizations, yet do not consider that environmental conservation is a socially accepted and well know concept with high impact on business results that can guarantee a company‟s survival. Generally, relationships are not guided by an institutional context that motivates shared goals aiming to supply critical resources. Decisions made out of habit and in the absence of clarity surrounding the purpose of IE can hinder its performance. Although it is said that there is disposition to abdicate resource control to achieve better and shared results, in practice this was rarely observed. The subjects found that universities and the private and public sector lack insight regarding their responsibilities for developing interactions.

O mercado de transporte individual de passageiros (TIP), como o conhecemos hoje, feito por taxistas, existe há mais de cem anos ao redor do mundo. Desde a invenção do taxímetro no início do século passado, quando o nome "taxi" apareceu pela primeira vez, esta indústria sofreu modificações como regulamentações, redução no número de frotas e criação de associações de rádio táxi. Aqueles que tentaram competir diretamente com motoristas de táxi foram eliminados do mercado. Com a recente proliferação de smartphones e aplicativos de celular, novas empresas estão entrando neste setor, trazendo grandes mudanças para esse mercado. O presente estudo tem como objetivo compreender como ocorreu essa transformação de mercado no período de abril de 2012 a abril de 2017, através de um estudo multimétodo, envolvendo dados qualitativos e quantitativos. As seguintes técnicas de coleta de dados foram utilizadas entre 2016 e 2017 em duas cidades brasileiras – São Paulo e Porto Alegre: (1) Observação participante em uma audiência pública, (2) entrevistas em profundidade e (3) coleta de artigos de jornal. Além disso, teve-se acesso (4) a gravações e transcrições das audiências públicas realizadas em São Paulo; e (5) uma palestra do gerente geral da empresa Uber no Brasil. Este estudo contribui para as teorias sobre a evolução do mercado através da detecção de três fases distintas de transformação do mercado: Preparação de Mercado, Abertura de Mercado e Expansão de Mercado. A primeira fase ainda não foi abordada pela literatura e pode ser caracterizada como uma fase de melhorias no mercado, onde empresas facilitadoras começam a atuar usando novas tecnologias e são apresentadas pela mídia aos usuários. A segunda fase é marcada pela entrada de uma empresa concorrente inovadora no setor e por discussões sobre clandestinidade e regulamentação. Nesta fase, surgem conflitos entre os tradicionais prestadores do serviço no setor e os novos entrantes. Esses conflitos podem envolver violência física. Já na terceira fase, o tema regulamentação, em menor grau, permanece em evidência e surgem novos concorrentes diretos, expandindo o mercado. Além dessas três fases, este estudo explica a trajetória de mudança radical do mercado, os gatilhos que permitem a evolução de uma fase para outra e os papéis dos vários stakeholders envolvidos nesta transformação. Foram encontrados seis tipos de gatilhos que, combinados, contribuíram para a evolução desse mercado: fatores tecnológicos, sociais, políticos, econômicos, demanda do mercado não atendida e força da marca. / For more than a hundred years, taxi drivers have comprised the market for individual passenger transport (IPT) around the world. Since the invention of the taximeter at the beginning of the last century, when the name “taxi” first appeared, this industry underwent modifications such as regulations, fleet reduction, and creation of radio taxis associations. Those who tried to compete direct with taxi drivers were eliminated from the market. With the recent proliferation of smartphones and mobile applications, new companies are entering this sector, bringing great changes to this market. This study attempts to understand this market transformation. A multi-method research, involving qualitative and quantitative data, was undertaken to understand how the transformation of the individual passenger transport market occurred in the period from April 2012 to April 2017. The following data collection techniques were used between 2016 and 2017 in two Brazilian cities – São Paulo and Porto Alegre: (1) Participant observation at a public hearing, (2) in-depth interviews, and (3) collection of newspaper articles. In addition, the researcher had access (4) to recordings and transcripts of public hearings held in São Paulo; and (5) a lecture by the general manager of Uber in Brazil. This study contributes to theories on market evolution by detecting three distinct phases of market transformation: Market Preparedness, Conflicting Market Openness, and Market Expansion. The first phase was not address by the literature and can be characterized as a phase where facilitating companies begin to act using new technologies and are presented by the media to users. The second phase is characterized by the entry of an innovative competitor in the sector and by discussions about clandestine and regulation. At this stage, there are conflicts between traditional service providers in the sector and new entrants. These conflicts may involve physical violence. Already in the third phase, the regulatory issue, to a lesser degree, remains in evidence and new direct competitors appear, expanding the market. Besides these three phases, this study explains the path of radical market change, the triggers that allow the evolution from one phase to another and the roles of the various stakeholders involved in this transformation. Six types of triggers were found that combined contributed to the evolution of this market: technological, social, political, economic factors, unmet market demand and brand strength.

A silvicultura é uma atividade que historicamente se fez presente no município de Arroio dos Ratos- RS durante a produção carbonífera. Principalmente nos primeiros anos do séc. XX, o esgotamento das reservas naturais de madeira condicionou a companhia que explorava carvão, a destinar áreas de terra para o plantio de Eucalipto para reposição da madeira utilizada na produção de dormentes e escoras das minas de carvão. O desenvolvimento dos plantios de Eucalipto e Acácia Negra em grande escala surgiram de acordo com uma demanda necessária para atender o mercado consumidor com a produção de madeira em tora para produção de celulose e papel. Inicialmente entre as décadas de 1970 e 1980 aparecem os primeiros cultivos consorciados com a produção da melancia, carro chefe na produção agrícola local. No entanto, o que se tem percebido frente à realidade local é o aumento considerável de propriedades que desenvolviam atividades tradicionais no município e que expandiram áreas dedicadas à Silvicultura. A partir da abordagem da Nova Economia Institucional de Douglas North baseado no estudo das instituições, a presente pesquisa através de um estudo de campo busca compreender quais foram as principais transformações socioeconômicas e ambientais dos cultivos de Eucalipto e Acácia Negra no município de Arroio dos Ratos-RS. O desenvolvimento da Silvicultura é resultante de uma demanda exógena estimulada pela proximidade geográfica da localidade em relação às empresas que compram a produção de madeira visando atender o mercado consumidor nacional e internacional. Sendo assim, a vantagem econômica oferecida ao pecuarista e ao produtor com a ampliação de áreas dedicadas aos plantios, tem propiciado concentração de renda, mudanças na paisagem sem visibilidade e expressão para a constituição do bem-estar social local. / Forestry is an activity that historically has been present in the municipality of Arroio dos Ratos- RS during coal production. Especially in the early years of the Century 20th, the depletion of natural resources conditioned the wood coal company that operated to allocate areas of land for planting Eucalyptus for replacement of the wood used in the production of sleepers and supports from the coal mines. The development of plantations of Eucalyptus and Wattle large scale emerged according to a necessary demand to meet the consumer market with the production of round wood for pulp and paper. Initially, between the 1970's and 1980's, appear the first intercropping with watermelon production, flagship in the local agricultural production. However, what has been seen outside the local reality is the considerable increase of properties that developed traditional activities in the city and expanded areas dedicated to forestry. From the New Institutional Economics of North Douglas approach based on the study of institutions, this research through a field study seeks to understand what were the main socio-economic and environmental transformations that crops of Eucalyptus and Wattle in the municipality of Arroio dos Ratos- RS. Development of Forestry is the result of an exogenous demand stimulated by the geographical proximity of the location in relation to companies that buy wood production in order to meet national and international consumer market. Therefore, the economic advantage offered to the farmer and producer, with the expansion of areas devoted to plantations, has allowed concentration of income, changes in the landscape and no visibility expression for the formation of local social welfare.

How do evaluative practices become natural and ubiquitous in an organization? In this paper we integrate findings from previous empirical work on the adoption of evaluative practices in organizations with insights from institutional theory and social psychology research for advancing the understanding of possible states of evaluative practices within organizations and the processes through which organizations become permeated by evaluative practices. Our conceptual model suggests that once evaluative practices have gained a foothold in an organization, they tend to be applied to an increasing number of organiza-tional problems and become taken for granted.