This thesis explores the impact of changes in health policy introduced by Conservative administrations in the period 1987 to 1995 on the definition, management and control of professional work within general medical practice. The research underpinning this work combined secondary analysis, large-scale primary fieldwork and qualitative research with clinicians and managers. The first stage of primary fieldwork was conducted during the period September 1994 to June 1995 and consisted of a postal survey of 750 practices across England and Wales. This was followed up with a second phase of research involving depth interviews with managers and clinicians, delivered in the period July to November 1995. This pluralist methodology sought to connect micro and macro levels of analysis in exploring the relationship between the state, professions and managers in primary care. The research explores the extent to which a number of professional freedoms have been challenged by policy change including political, economic and technical autonomy and the extent to which this had changed the position and rewards of managers in general practice. Employing a multi-dimensional approach to the analysis of power this thesis suggests that prevailing theories of a decline in professional power, based primarily on economic relations at the macro level cannot account for the complexity of relations found in UK general practice. Further, studies focusing at the collective level of bargaining between the state and the medical profession in the UK have over-estimated the impact of policy change due to a neglect of study at the micro level. Rather this study has revealed a complex picture of both continuity and change in which general practitioners have lost, retained and in some cases extended their power as a result of policy initiatives. Whilst professional freedoms have remained relatively intact, the impact of policy change on the occupation of Practice Management has been more significant, with prevailing discourses of `managerialism' creating gendered struggles over the definition and meaning of management in primary care. This work therefore calls for a multi-dimensional account of social life which can explain the complex interaction of differing sites of power, within which a wide range of power resources are deployed. Further this work would endorse a dynamic concept of power in which 'patterns of interaction' (Bradley 1999) are fluid and changeable rather than fixed and self-sustaining systems. It is argued here that constraints on social action are created by the history of past agency, embedded in institutions and social practices that both shape, and are shaped by the agency of individuals.

This research has developed a research relationship model for understanding the relationship between volunteer management practice correlates and volunteer retention using volunteer motivation and volunteer satisfaction as mediators. The model uses social exchange theory, human resource management theory, volunteer functional inventory and volunteer satisfaction index as part of the theoretical underpinning for its validation and contributed to gain knowledge on the application of management theory widely used in the for-profit organisations to the non-profit and volunteer dependent sectors. A comprehensive literature review provided the basis to identify the research gap, formulate the research questions, aim and objectives, leading to the development of the theoretical framework and the research relationship model. The theoretical framework in turn enabled the researcher to develop the research methodology to collect data and test the model. The main research gap was the lack of knowledge about the correlates of volunteer management practice as determinants of volunteer retention and influence of volunteer motivation and volunteer satisfaction as mediators. The concept of mediation was introduced in this research as a novel technique that enabled the researcher to conduct a deeper investigation into the relationship between volunteer management practice correlates and volunteer retention. However prior to the introduction of the mediator concept, the original model developed by Cuskelly et al. (2006) was tested and found to be statistically insignificant. This provided the basis for modifying the model investigated by Cuskelly et al. (2006) leading to the development of the research model for this research. The various relationships developed in the research model were hypothesized. The model was tested using the data collected through the research instrument developed for the purpose. Quantitative research method was used to collect data from a sample set of volunteers using survey questionnaire in a context-free environment. Pilot survey enabled the researcher to confirm the utility of the instrument for using in the main survey. 386 participants provided their response to the online questionnaire that was posted on a web portal. The collected data was subjected to rigourous statistical tests. Descriptive statistics, reliability tests and validity tests were conducted on the data. Exploratory Factor analysis revealed underlying factors of volunteer management practice different from those identified by other researchers namely Cuskelly et al. (2006) whose model was used as the base model in this research. Further, structural equation modelling was used to test the model and verify hypothesis. The results indicated that two volunteer management practice correlates namely volunteer training and support and volunteer performance management and recognition, were found to indirectly influence volunteer retention. Volunteer training and support influenced volunteer retention through volunteer motivation as well as volunteer satisfaction. Volunteer performance management and recognition influenced volunteer retention through volunteer satisfaction. In addition volunteer planning and recruitment was identified as a moderator of volunteer training and support and volunteer performance management and recognition as correlates. These findings contribute significantly to helping both volunteer managers and volunteers in improving the intention of volunteers to stay longer with an organisation. Thus by implementing the findings of this research; volunteer managers can enhance their volunteer management practice leading to retention of volunteers for longer periods than now. The research findings contribute to theory in terms of widening the understanding of the operationalization of social exchange and HRM theories in a combined manner in understanding the relationship between volunteer management practice and volunteer retention.

The current study seeks to contribute specifically to the literature on reward management and managerial performance. In doing so, it aims to address certain gaps in the existing literature; particularly a noticeable lack of research in rewards and individual performance relationships in a developing country, Pakistan. This study has sought to examine the relationship of extrinsic rewards comprising of pay, bonuses, opportunities for promotion and intrinsic rewards such as sense of recognition, job characteristics with individual performance measured as task and contextual performance including citizenship behaviour. Furthermore, the study has sought to examine the mediation role of organisational justice elements such as procedural and distributive justice in reward performance relationships. The study aims at identifying different rewards being offered in textile organisations and their relationships with performance of front line managers in textile sector organisations. The study focuses primarily on key research questions: 1. What is the relationship between extrinsic rewards such as pay and bonus based incentives with the performance of front line managers? 2. How do opportunities for promotion relate with performance of front line managers in textile industry? 3. What is the relationship of intrinsic rewards such as sense of recognition and job characteristics with the performance of front line managers? 4. How does procedural and distributive justice influence the reward performance relationships for front line managers in textile industry? Being deductive in nature, the current study revolves around the premises of positivist philosophy. Being cross section in nature, a survey based design is selected and a quantitative strategy is used in this study for data collection and analysis. The study is facilitated by random stratified sampling for data collection and structural equation modelling technique to draw results of direct and mediation effects of study constructs. The results portray significant relationships of rewards and individual performance with relatively strong emphasis on task performance in comparison to contextual performance. The results further highlight the mediation of procedural and distributive justice particularly in extrinsic rewards and task performance relationships for front line managers. The study seeks to contribute to existing theoretical knowledge and practices in developing economies and is pioneering in its examination of rewards-individual performance relationships in Pakistan. In examining organisational rewards with task and contextual performance for front line managers in private manufacturing sector, the study tends to address the gap in existing literature on reward and performance management. Moreover, the current study further seeks to examine the mediation effects of procedural and distributive justice in reward performance relationships discovering this field of theoretical knowledge as existing literature does not reflect upon this gap. The study intends to offer help and support to concerned stakeholders in better understanding, developing and modifying rewards-performance relationships particularly for textile industry in Pakistan.

Bakgrund: Forskningsproblemet har sin bakgrund i globaliseringen och dess påverkan på världsekonomin. Sverige har hög tillväxt men samtidigt upplever många organisat- ioner brist på kompetens. Syfte: Studiens syfte har varit att studera organisationers strategier för att hantera kom- petensbrist. Kartläggningen har fokuserat på att visa hur organisationerna arbetar för att attrahera, utveckla och behålla medarbetare. Studiens empiriska grund är en geografiskt avgränsad plats, därför har vi sökt svar på om den geografiska aspekten har någon bety- delse för organisationernas strategier att överkomma kompetensbristens hinder. Metod: Studien har en deduktiv ansats och har med bakgrund av forskningsproblemet karaktär genomförts med ett kvalitativt synsätt. Data är insamlad med hjälp intervjuer som bidragit till en bred bild av fenomenet som undersöks. Slutsats: Organisationer har liknande strategier för att attrahera, utveckla och behålla talangfulla medarbetare, skillnaden är hur välutvecklade strategierna är. Organisationer- na med en välförankrad övergripande strategi bestående av alla delar teorin har upp- märksammar har visat sig ha stora framgångar i att tillgodose sitt kompetensbehov. I de organisationer vi funnit brister i det strategiska arbetet, saknas också framgången.

The theoretical part of this master's thesis defines the term employee benefits, their development, trends, structure and meaning. This part also deals with employee benefits in terms of tax legislation. The practical part describes insurance company Kooperativa pojišťovna, a.s., Vienna Insurance Group and then analyses the system of employee benefits in this company. This company is leading insurance company in the Czech Republic and important Czech employer. The company devotes to human resources area relevant attention and spends considerable resources on employee stabilisation. One part of this master's thesis is also research of employee satisfaction with employee benefits which company offers to them. Evaluation of this research is completed by suggestions of recognized defects.

This master's thesis examines and assesses the process of recruitment, selection, hiring and adaptation of employees in the holding ROSS. The thesis is divided into two main parts - the theoretical part and the practical part. The theoretical part describes in general perspective the process of recruitment, selection, hiring and adaptation of employees. The practical part analyses these processes in the holding ROSS and based on the identified findings suggests appropriate changes to improve the process of recruitment, selection, hiring and adaptation of employees in the holding ROSS.

Dissertation characterizes the applicable best practices in human resource management and defines the essence of positive effect of applying best practices in human resource management on the performance achieved by the organization.

Although Talent Management (TM) is a well-known concept, there are certain limitations in the area. Primarily it is about talent being an ambiguous concept and that there is currently no clear definition. Furthermore, previous research shows that there are no actual routines on how TM-activities should be designed. The specific contribution from the current study is therefore about identifying the challenges that exists for TM from an employer perspective. The findings we have noticed in the study are mainly derived from the structure of an organisation where there is a certain dynamic between the central management and local units. This makes it difficult to work strategically with TM as the division of responsibility is locally based. Another finding was that the definition of talent should be mutual in order for organisations to be able to handle talents effectively and to design activities that facilitates the work towards the organisation's goals. Thus, this study should be able to support future research in the field of TM by identifying the challenges organisations might face and therefore creating opportunities for better managing or strategically developing the work with TM.

Although sustainability within human resource management has increasingly received attention amongst scholars and practitioners, not enough has been done to demonstrate how the concept of Sustainable HRM translates into practice. In the light of digitalization and globalization, knowledge-based actors within the modern business environment are facing rapid changes whereby the retainment of valuable skills and competencies has become crucial for ensuring competitive advantage. On the individual level, knowledge- based workers encounter challenges such as work intensification, extensive availability and work-life-balance when conforming with the changing nature of work. In addition, since employees’ loyalty and demands are continuously shifting, the concept of EmployerAttractiveness is becoming a larger strategic concern for knowledge-based firms. Employer Attractiveness also serves as one of the primary reasons for linking Sustainability with HRM. From the overlapping problem backgrounds of Sustainable HRM and Employer Attractiveness this study found a research gap which formulated the research question of this study:   “How can Sustainable HRM contribute to Employer Attractiveness?”    The purpose of this study serves to create an understanding of how Sustainable HRM is practiced and how it in turn contributes to Employer Attractiveness in terms of employee retainment. A qualitative inductive approach was undertaken to fulfil this purpose, in which nine semi-structured interviews with consultants and HR-workers belonging to small-and medium sized firms acknowledged as attractive employers was conducted. The interviews and empirical findings were structured accordingly with the core components of Sustainable HRM. The key findings retrieved highlights the interconnectedness between the four Sustainable HRM dimensions; long-term, impact, substance and partnership orientations, and the five values; application, development, economic, interest, social, used for assessing Employer Attractiveness. Based upon the analysis, a conceptual model was established to demonstrate how Sustainable HRM, influenced by its context, can contribute to employee-perceived Employer Attractiveness. This study theoretically contributes a further understanding of the concepts of Sustainable HRM and Employer Attractiveness respectively and combined, by introducing new figures and models valuable for the existing field of research. In practical terms, this study offers valuable managerial insights of how leaders and firms should view Sustainable HRM an integrative part of the entire firm alongside with recognizing the strategic potential of sustainability within HRM in terms of Employer Attractiveness. On a societal level, this study addresses the importance of raising more attention to the employees as key stakeholders within the social dimension of sustainability.

Background: The world is constantly becoming more prone to technology due to globalization which implies organizations have to stay up to date in order to be competitive. Human Resource Management (HRM) is more important than ever, especially with a focus on the recruitment of new employees which will bring skills and knowledge to an organization. With technological advances also comes the opportunity to streamline activities that previously have had to be carried out by humans. Therefore, it is of the highest importance to consider and evaluate the impact technology might have on the area of HRM and specifically the recruitment process. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to research the implications that technological advancements, in particular Artificial Intelligence (AI), have for the recruitment process. It aims to investigate where AI can be implemented in the traditional recruitment process and possibly make the process more effective, as well as what the implications would be of having AI within recruitment. Method: This thesis uses a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews conducted with eight international companies from all over the world. It is viewed through an interpretivism research philosophy with an inductive research approach. Conclusion: The results show that the area of AI in recruitment is relatively new and there are not many companies that utilize AI in all parts of their recruitment process. The most suitable parts to implement AI in traditional recruitment include recruitment activities such as pre-selection and communication with candidates and sending out recruitment results for applicants. The main benefits of AI were seen as the speeded quality and elimination of routine tasks, while the major challenge was seen as the companies’ overall readiness towards new technologies.