abstract: This dissertation examines the first impressions that occur between Deaf consumers and American Sign Language (ASL)/English interpreters prior to a healthcare appointment. Negative first impressions can lead to a disconnect or loss of trust between Deaf consumers and interpreters and increase the risk for Deaf consumers to receive inadequate healthcare. The recognition of this risk led to an action research study to look at barriers to successful interactions between ASL/English interpreters and Deaf consumers. The mixed methods research design and associated research questions discovered factors and perceptions that contributed to the disconnect and subsequently informed a 10-week intervention with a small group of ASL/English interpreters and Deaf consumers. The factors that influence connection are system related and a lack of a standardized approach to using name badges, missing or incorrect appointment details, and an inconsistent protocol for interpreter behavior when a healthcare provider leaves the room. The intervention allowed the interpreter participants to generate solutions to mitigate these barriers to connection and apply them during the 10 weeks. Deaf consumer feedback was gathered during the intervention period and was used to modify the generated solutions. The generated solutions included re-design of an interpreter referral agency’s name badge, using small talk as a way to learn information about the nature of the healthcare appointment and proactively discuss procedures when a healthcare provider leaves the exam room. These solutions resulted in a positive influence for both interpreters and Deaf consumers and an increase of trust and connection. The findings of this study show new approaches that create a connection between interpreters and Deaf consumers and may lead to more satisfactory healthcare interactions for Deaf consumers. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Leadership and Innovation 2019

Mjuka färdigheter har blivit alltmer eftertraktade av arbetsgivare och det har påvisats en brist av dessa bland universitetsstudenter. Studien ämnar därav att undersöka hur mjuka färdigheter har påverkat den svenska utbildningen inom företagsekonomi samt undersöka hur förändringen förväntas bli i framtiden. Syftet har mynnat ut ur den tidigare forskning som belyst att mjuka färdigheter är viktiga för anställningsbarheten för studenter. Kvalitativ metod valdes för att undersöka detta på ett djupare plan. I studien har individer från sju lärosäten med god kännedom om den företagsekonomiska utbildningen intervjuats. Resultaten tyder på att utbildningen har förändrats för att utveckla mjuka färdigheter, men visar också på att det finns en oenighet kring hur mycket näringslivet ska påverka utbildningens innehåll. Vidare visar studien att försök till att implementera mjuka färdigheter har gjorts, men att det finns svårigheter kring examinering och definiering av mjuka färdigheter. I framtiden tycks tekniska lösningar och Revisorsinspektionens förändrade krav vara faktorer som kan komma att förändra utbildningens innehåll. / The study examines how soft skills have affected the Swedish education in Business and Economics and examines how the change can be in the future. The purpose has been derived from previous research that highlighted that soft skills are important for employability for students. A qualitative method was chosen to investigate this on a deeper level. In the study, individuals from seven higher education institutions with good knowledge of Business and Economics education were interviewed. The results indicate that education has changed to develop soft skills, but also shows that there is a disagreement about how much the business world should influence the content of the education. The conclusion is that attempts to implement soft skills have been made but there is difficulties in examining and defining what soft skills actually are. In the future it seems that technical solutions and the Swedish Inspectorate of Auditors’ change of requirements may be factors that changes the course content in the future.

Background/Problematization: The audit profession and its credibility have been threatenedby audit failures and corporate collapses, and the inability to detect and deter fraud has beenproven costly to audit firms. Regarding the complexity of detection and deterrence of fraud,researchers have suggested the brainstorming session as a fundamental assignment. Where ithas been shown that the brainstorming session seldom is a function of one single individual;it is rather a team effort. Prior researchers within audit team research have investigated teamcomposition in terms of demographic factors whereas other domains of research have movedbeyond this small and narrow view and are now investigating team composition regardingdiversity in soft and hard skills. This is yet to be explored within the audit profession and theresearchers hope to fill this void and provide useful insights through this dissertation. Purpose: The purpose of this dissertation is to explain how a diverse set of soft skills and adiverse set of hard skills affect the efficiency in the brainstorming session and how thisrelationship is contingent on a tall organizational hierarchy. Methodology: The researchers have adopted a positivist research philosophy together with adeductive research approach. The quantitative method has been used to collect data where theresearchers applied the use of a questionnaire. The questionnaire was sent out to individualswithin the audit profession where the authors aimed for audit associates and senior associates.The response rate was 20 %. The data were further analysed through a Spearman CorrelationMatrix, component principal analysis, multiple linear regression analysis, and hierarchicalmoderated multiple regression analysis. Findings: The findings indicate a positive correlation between diversity in soft skills andefficiency in the brainstorming session where the tall organizational hierarchy has amoderating effect on this relationship.

Nach erfolgreicher Antragstellung wurde zum 1. Juli 2010 die Kompetenzschule ELSYS (Employability and Leadership Skills for Young Saxon Researchers) an der Research Academy Leipzig eingerichtet. Die Finanzierung der Kompetenzschule erfolgte zu 100 Prozent aus Mitteln des Europäischen Sozialfonds (ESF) gemäß der Richtlinie ESF Hochschule und Forschung des Sächsischen Staatsministeriums für Wissenschaft und Kunst (SMWK). Hierbei sollte das Ziel einer nachhaltigen Verstetigung des Projekts an der Universität verfolgt werden. Die Mittelzuweisung und Ausgabenprüfung gemäß der Förderrichtlinie erfolgten durch die Sächsische Aufbaubank (SAB). Der Bericht umfasst die Aktivitäten und Ergebnisse des ersten Förderzeitraumes vom 1. Juli 2010 bis zum 30. Juni 2013. Es wird dargestellt, wie die Lern- und Weiterbildungsinhalte und -strategien der Kompetenzschule dazu beigetragen haben, ein umfangreiches Angebot für den Erwerb von (überfachlichen) Handlungskompetenzen für Promovierende und Postdocs nachhaltig zu entwickeln. Ergebnisse und Alleinstellungsmerkmale werden anhand des Konzepts und der Struktur der Kompetenzschule ELSYS herausgearbeitet und bewertet. Ein Konzept für den Förderzeitraum bis 2014 und darüber hinausreichende Entwicklungsstrategien werden skizziert.

Soft skills include communication skills and personality traits that are important when choosing a dentist, but other factors within the dental office also seem to be important for patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate factors that are important to people in a dentist as well as characteristics of the ideal dentist and to evaluate possible age-, gender-, and residence of living specific differences. A telephone survey with participants aged 35 years or older (ag—age group: ag 1: 35–50 years, ag 2: 70–84 years, ag 3: >85 years) in three German cities was conducted. Data were analyzed with respect to gender and age. Most of the participants (n = 298, 64.2%), regardless of their own gender, age, or place of residence did not care about the gender of the dentist. In general, the price of the treatment does not play a role in choosing the ideal dentist. Women differ significantly from men in their choice of dentist (ANOVA p < 0.001 (preference of non-smoker), ANOVA p < 0.001 (preference, that the dentist does not smell of smoke, importance of appearance (ANOVA p < 0.001) and psycho-social skills, etc.). As age increases, professional experience and psycho-social competencies are rated as important. With the increase in age, the mean value of the desired years of professional experience increases without significant differences between age groups. The importance of advanced training (ANOVA p < 0.001; Bonferoni correction: significant difference between ag 1 and ag 2 p < 0.001, and ag 1 and ag 3 p < 0.001) decreases with age. Especially for participants aged 70 to 84 years, a relationship of trust is important. Between the places of residence, statistical differences for almost all surveyed items were found (e.g., importance that the dentist speaks the patients’ native language ANOVA p < 0.001, Bonferoni correction: significant difference between Berlin and Leipzig, Berlin and Mainz, and Leipzig and Mainz (each p < 0.001), dentist has a specialization ANOVA p < 0.001, Bonferoni correction: significant difference between Berlin and Leipzig and Berlin and Mainz (each p < 0.001), etc.). Dentists should be trained to develop psycho-social skills to meet the special demands of the increasing older population.

Amidst the ever-evolving dynamics of the labour market, business graduates continuallyfind themselves adapting their skill sets to stay competitive and relevant. Extensiveresearch has delved into employability, highlighting the pivotal role of soft skills inadequately preparing business students for today's labour market. Notably, existingliterature indicates that the cultivation of these skills often occurs during youth and isparticularly profound within university settings. However, a debate arises regarding theeffectiveness of business universities in imparting soft skills to students. Given this, priorstudies advocate for closer collaboration between business schools and industry to aligneducation with professional demands and equip students with essential soft skills. In thiscontext, internships emerge as a focal point, with previous research emphasizing theirrole in effectively developing soft skills among students. However, there remains a needfor further research to comprehensively understand how internships influence the processof the development of soft skills. Through a qualitative study and the incorporation ofwell-known theories related to this area, we will delve deeper into this subject. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of internships in enhancing theemployability of business students by contribution to the process of developing four keysoft skills: communication, teamwork, self-management, and problem-solving. Thisobjective is pursued by addressing the following research questions: How can internshipscontribute to the process of the development of communication, teamwork, self-management, and problem-solving skills among Swedish nationals enrolled in businesseducation programs? To achieve this, we conducted in-depth interviews with sevenformer business administration students, all of whom completed internships. Theseindividuals secured employment before their graduation dates, spanning from 2022 to2023, and are all Swedish nationals who pursued their business education at universitiesin Sweden. Through these interviews, we gained insights into their subjectiveexperiences. It has been found, with the application of the experiential learning theory, human capitaltheory, and emotional intelligence theory, that internships indeed contribute to the processof developing communication, teamwork, self-management, and problem-solving skillsamong business students. Furthermore, enhances students’ employability. The analysisindicates that alumni collectively emphasize that internships significantly contribute tothe development of these soft skills, crediting practical experiences, increasedresponsibility, and exposure to workplace dynamics. Consequently, we suggest thatbusiness students should engage in internships. Further, that both business universitiesand organizations at large should encourage and support them in achieving this goal

Interpersonal skills, which are variously called soft skills, employability skills, people skills, and noncognitive skills, are critically important in personal, academic, and workplace settings. This descriptive case study explored how individuals from underserved communities described the use of reflective learning journals in an interpersonal skills course during their short-term training to become employed in full-time information technology roles. The 13 trainees, who were from four cohorts in three locations, participated in semi-structured interviews and took a survey that attempted to assess how the participants valued using the learning journals to develop and enhance their interpersonal skills. The training was sponsored by Workforce Opportunity Services, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by Dr. Arthur M. Langer in 2005 following a five-year workforce development study at Columbia University. The curriculum for the interpersonal skills course is based on the Langer Workforce Maturity Arc, a development tool designed to measure workplace literacy skills. Langer’s research suggested that individuals from underserved communities were capable of doing the technical work but needed additional mentoring and training to further develop their communication skills and bolster their self-esteem. Overall, the findings from analyzing the learning journals, the interviews, and the survey indicate that most participants found reflective learning journals during the WOS job training program were useful in self-reflection, gaining new perspectives on experiences, and facilitating personal and professional development. Based on the thematic analysis of the learning journals, two themes emerged: self-awareness and relationship building. Goal setting was the most frequently mentioned interpersonal skill, followed by learning skills. Teamwork emerged as the most cited skill under relationship building.

Rollen som projektledare kräver att denne ska ha flera kompletterande kompetenser inom många olika områden för att driva projekt och att hitta rätt person till projektledartjänsten kan därför ses som en stor utmaning ur rekryterarens perspektiv. Projektledaren bör ha en kombination av både hård och mjuk kompetens, samt förståelse för organisationsmiljön som denne ska vara verksam i. Syftet med studien är att beskriva och skapa djupare förståelse kring hur ett fåtal rekryterare utvärderar, fastställer befattningskraven och värderar projektledarens kompetens i en rekryteringsprocess samt hur urvalet av de mest intressanta ansökande till tjänsten görs. Forskarna till studien har valt en kvalitativ metod med semi-strukturerade intervjuer för att samla in resultat från fyra rekryterare. Forskarna har använt fallstudie som undersökningsdesign för att få djupare förståelse kring rekryterares perspektiv och hur de arbetar i de olika stegen i rekryteringsprocessen. De hårda kompetenserna är projektledarens grundförutsättningar för att kunna driva ett projekt och kliva in i projektrollen. Resultatet visar att projektledarens hårda kompetens fastställs och utreds tidigt i rekryteringsprocessen. Projektledarens mjuka kompetens anses vara svårare att definiera, mäta och utvärdera, ur ett subjektivt synsätt och därmed är det bra att använda flera bedömningsmetoder för att utvärdera dessa. Oftast sker detta i ett senare skede i rekryteringsprocessen, efter granskning av CV och personligt brev. Rekryterarna anser att det är viktigt att projektledaren har förståelse och insikt i den organisation som projektledare ska vara verksam i. Denna kunskap och förståelse ställs inte alltid som ett krav utan det ses mer som en fördel om projektledaren besitter viss branscherfarenhet till visa typer av projekt. Projektledarens fokus ska ligga på att driva projektet framåt och fungera som en samordnare. / The role as the project manager requires several complementary skills in many different areas to pursue projects and finding the right person for the project management position can therefore be seen as a major challenge from the recruiters perspective. The project manager should have a combination of both hard and soft skills,and an understanding of organizational environment which the person will be working in. The purpose of the study is to describe and create a deeper understanding of how a few recruiters evaluate establish job requirements and evaluate the project manager's competence in the recruitment process and how the selection is made for the most interesting candidate for the post. The writers of the study have chosen to use a qualitative method of semi-structured interviews to collect results from four recruiters. The writers of the study used a case study research design in order to get deeper understanding of recruiters’generalperspective and how they work in the various stages of the recruitment process. The hard skills can be seen as the project manager’s prerequisites to run a project and stepping into the project role. The results show that the project manager's hard skills are set and investigated early in the recruitment process. The soft skills are considered more difficult to define, measure and evaluate, from a subjective approach and therefore it is good to use multiple methods to evaluate these. Usually this is done at a later stage in the recruitment process, after reviewing the resume and personal letter. Recruiters believe it is important that the project manager has earned anunderstanding and insight into the organization that the project manager will be working in. This knowledge and understanding is not always a requirement, but can be seenmore as an advantage if the project is set in a specific industry which requirea specific knowledge. The project manager's focus will be to drive the project forward and act as a coordinator

Not every project deserving of success achieves it. Conversely, not every project heading for the scrap heap arrives. The journey to project success is long and hard and does not happen overnight. To understand the journey to project success we need to understand what makes a project successful. A successful project can be classified as a Project of which the costs did not exceed 25% of the agreed capital approved with a less than 25% schedule slip and with all the operational problems being sorted out in less than a year. Project success potential, can be increased by focusing on the critical factors listed in this study, namely: Project Front End Loading (FEL), high calibre project teams, and people skills/soft skills of project management. The success of a project can be increased when the project has high calibre project teams starting the project with very effective Front End Loading (FEL) and keep project team members continuity based on the fact that the project is managed by a project manager understanding people who have the soft skill to lead and influence the project team, rather than managing the team. The research was conducted by means of a literature and empirical study. The literature study documents the critical factors for project success. Knowledge gained from the literature study formed the basis for the empirical study to test critical factors for project success in practice and the recommendations can be read in chapter four. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

Throughout time organizations have adapted and implemented different technological solutions to streamline their operation. With the adaption of new technology, employees will have to change their current routines. This readjustment is challenging for organizations because of people’s dislike towards changes. Studies in recent years within organizational change has highlighted soft skills value in this situation. A consulting company in Scandinavia (IT-consulting firm AB) has recently invested in soft skills to manage organizational change. The aim of this study is to investigate how significant soft skills are within IT-related organizational changes, for IT-consulting firm AB and their customers. Our investigation was a qualitative case study involving six semi-structured interviews with employees on IT-consulting firm AB. The results showed that soft skills are hard to define but involves intrapersonal skills like flexibility, adaptation and communication. Soft skills are essential both for IT-consulting firm AB and its customers. Its value creation within IT-related organizational change is interconnected to human activity like relationship building and understanding human needs.