Denna rapport är ett resultat av den utvärdering som Enheten för kompetensutveckling och utvärdering vid Malmö högskola gjort av projekt Fortuna - ett arbetslivsinriktat rehabiliteringsprojekt initierat av Rosengårds stadsdelförvaltning. Projektet hade dels avsikten att tydliggöra roller och ansvar i organisationen kring rehabiliteringsärenden. Man hade också ambitionen att återfå långtidssjukskrivna anställda tillbaka till den reguljära arbetsmarknaden genom individriktade insatser för att förbättra deras livsstil och hälsa. Projektet anses vara nyskapande då det tagit ett helhetsgrepp kring individernas hela livssituation såväl i arbetslivet som i det privata livet. Livsstilscoacher skulle guida deltagarna fram mot en hälsosammare livsstil och med hjälp av outplacementföretag skulle man hjälpa deltagarna finna anställningar utanför stadsdelen.

For centuries, emotion has been a conundrum for scholars because it punctuates, marks or changes magnitude of all major events in human and organizational lives. Each individual's human emotional experience is culturally constructed or socio-culturally created under specific conditions, with the involvement of other human agents or variables to the causal processes. To advance research, we draw from theories and philosophical thoughts across cultures, from ancient times to modern era. In that context, emotion is the sine qua non of the totality of Yorùbá's beliefs about reality and it is the heart and soul of connectedness between people or places. The present study assessed human emotion factors among a business-oriented population and compared these views with distinctions proposed in the literature. Using a repeated-measure multiple discriminant function analysis for individual items across raters. Neither the Interest subscale or Surprise subscale nor the Guilt subscale demonstrated significant retest correlations in a comparison of the General and Specific Depression conditions; and also, of the Specific Depression and pre-examination conditions. More specifically, culturally mediated beliefs, values and traditions associated with socialization practices (political skills in case of workplace), have been hypothesized to play a role in the kinds of emotions display. Alternative interpretations of the data are examined and theoretical issues in need of further clarification are discussed. By discussing caveats, the chapter laid foundations for artifacts that can guide future thoughtful research and the potential utility of this measure, and the likes for several areas of organizational, social and business research phenomena. 

The primary aim of the present thesis is to increase understandig of the relationship between organisational structure, gender and power. Understanding of this relationship requires a closeness to the individual being studied as well to the content and consequences of that individuals actions. The empirical object of study is a group of professional women at a somatic clinic. The problem investigated is based on a theoretical perspective on organisations; feminist theories and power theories. Our starting point was that these women should be seen as subjects who actively shape their own daily living situation, experience and actions. We thus felt it appropriate to choose a qualitative method. Data was collected by means of observation and qualitative interviews. The results show that the first foundation of gender-related domination at the clinic was hierarchial and bureaucratic and was characterised by a clear power symmetry and division of labour. The second foundation of gender-related domination resulted in the organisational structure of the clinic allowing a few men at the top of the hierarchy to exercise power over the women in the middle and lower levels. An important conclusion is that the women studied were clearly at a disadvantage in a hierarchial organisation. The difference in influence between men and women in the study was further reinforced by the fact that the various professional categories belonged to different sub-cultures. The unisexual sub-cultures when combined with the doctors normative sub-culture further increased the opportunities for the men studied to dominate the women, thereby reinforcing the impression that the organisation was based om male norms and the logic of segregation. Male domination can also be understood from an individual perspective. The men studied adopted different strategies as a means of accentuating their position in relation to the women. The study comprised a few women who used specific domination tactics. They possessed knowledge of the different power techniques open to them, and they used these in their relations with men. Knowledge of the two foundations mentioned stimulates the desire to initiate changes. One element of significance in such changes is the re-forming of structural conditions. It is important to bring about changes at individual level. Men and womens consciousness of, and knowledge about, gender-related domination must be the focus of attention.

Trots en relativt omfattande forskning på området långtidssjukskrivningar och rehabilitering kan hävdas att vi vet ganska lite om vad som är av betydelse när det gäller positiva och negativa aspekter för långtidssjukskrivnas villkor och goda eller mindre goda utfall av rehabiliteringsinsatser. Författarnas ambition är att denna skrift skall vara behjälplig vid utvecklingen av arbetslivsinriktade rehabiliteringsprojekt samt ge en större förståelse för hur dessa och liknande projekt organiseras, genomförs och uppfattas av involverade aktörer.

In this article, we follow the trails of 20th-century psychologist Henry Herbert Goddard’s influential study of the Kallikak family. Goddard’s study is treated as a scientific story with two interlocking dimensions: One is the actual story of the Kallikak family, with literary elements such as setting, plot, and characters. The other dimension is the broader eugenic discourse, a powerful scientific narrative that calls for action in relation to society and the population. The purpose of the article is twofold. Firstly, to analyze the forming and articulations of this story and to explore some of the consequences for governing the population that it has made possible. Secondly, to explore some aspects of what a Foucauldian analytics of government can contribute with in relation to Goddard’s work and the eugenic discourse from the early 20th century to today.

Diversity and organization – an introduction. The introduction is two folded, firstly to give the reader a brief background to the research program "Diversity as the Human Resource Philosophy" at IMER, Malmö högskola, and secondly to give the reader a comprehension of the ambiguous concept of diversity. The aim of the separate research projects in the program is to create a deeper theoretical understanding as well as practical knowledge of diversity in general and particular in public organizations. We try to highlight the complexity of the diversity concept by contrasting diversity to other concepts like human difference, assimilation and the melting pot.

Exposure therapies effectively treat traumatic stress sequelae, including that which follows sexual violence victimization (SVV). Carceral facilities house women with significantly higher rates of SVV than community samples, yet they rarely implement this form of treatment. In this study, women with histories of SVV (n = 63) completed semistructured qualitative interviews about their decision to enroll or not enroll in an exposure-based group therapy called Survivors Healing from Abuse: Recovery through Exposure while incarcerated. All study participants were previously incarcerated in a prison, where they were offered the opportunity to enroll in Survivors Healing from Abuse: Recovery through Exposure. We used the theory of planned behavior to analyze factors that affected enrollment decisions. Results revealed that enrollment decisions among incarcerated women can be categorized within the theory of planned behavior framework. Interview responses indicated that recognizing current problems as related to experiences of SVV, holding positive attitudes about mental health treatment, observing peers engaging in help-seeking behaviors, and perceiving treatment as accessible were linked with enrollment. Negative perceptions of treatment, fear of judgment, and negative peer influence (e.g., distrust of peers) were linked to decisions not to enroll. While certain beliefs were influenced by contextual features of incarceration (e.g., peer interactions outside of group therapy), many overlapped with factors found to influence help-seeking among nonincarcerated populations. Findings have implications for how to engage members of underserved populations in resource-deprived contexts who have a great need for treatment of traumatic symptoms secondary to sexual violence.

The impact of team climate for innovation on well-being and stress in elderly care Aims To investigate the impact of team climate in providing support for innovation on well-being and stress and to explore whether well-being is a mediating variable between team climate and negative stress. Background The well-being of the nursing staff needs to be improved in elderly care as well as the quality of the care. Team work may be a way of addressing both needs. Method A questionnaire was completed by auxiliary nurses and nurses' aides (n = 329) within elderly care in Sweden. Structural equation modelling was used to test the relationships among team climate, well-being and stress. Results The perceived team climate has a significant positive correlation with well-being and a significant negative correlation with stress reactions. The structural equation modelling suggested that well-being is a mediating variable between team climate and stress. Conclusion A better team climate providing support for innovation may increase well-being and decrease stress reactions among nursing staff. Implications for nursing management: Interventions that improve the team climate and provide support for innovation may increase the possibilities for growth and self-actualization of the employees that, in turn, make them more qualified to deal with stress.

The present study examines the team climate for innovation in work teams within a newly merged organization. Four teams working at a regional head office of a Social Insurance organization answered the Team Climate Inventory. The results were compared to those of a study by Agrell and Gustafson of more stable teams. The comparison showed that participative safety and support for innovation were rated lower and that vision was rated higher in the newly merged teams. The 38-item original inventory was used and based on the results, a 1999 proposed shortened version of 14 items by Kivimäki and Elovainio was compared with the original one. Analysis indicated that the short version can be a valid alternative to the original version but that further testing of the short version is needed.

The merger of the head offices of two public service organizations in Sweden was used to examine differences in the meanings that employees attach to the organizations involved and their expectations of the new merged organization, nine months prior to the merger. A two-stage methodology was used, combining the repertory grid method with a survey questionnaire based on the elicited constructs. Predictions from a social constructivist perspective on culture and social identity theory were largely confirmed. The results showed that both groups expected one of them to be dominant after the merger. Members of this organization expected to change very little, while employees in the non-dominant group felt themselves to be threatened by the prospect of merger and this led them to emphasize their own distinctiveness. The findings suggest that the success of the integration process after a merger is critically dependent on how employees of merger partners perceive the culture of the organizations involved and the expectations they have of the new organization. The study has practical implications for how to manage the merger integration process.

The use of teamworking is common in many organizations. More or less self-directed teams are organized, often with the aim to achieve continuous improvements at work beyond the daily activities. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relation between leader behaviour and team climate for innovation in teams. The Team Climate Inventory devised by Anderson and West and Ekvall and Arvonen’s leadership questionnaire were used to capture the leadership pattern and the team processes characterizing a team climate for innovation in 14 manufacturing teams (N1/4 98). The results indicate a positive relation between a leadership style that combines employee-and change-orientation and a team climate for innovation as a whole. However, innovative team processes such as participation and clarity of objectives were more associated with team membership than leadership in this setting.

The aim of the current study was to investigate differences and similarities in participants' use of the Internet for sexually related purposes. An additional goal was to compare heterosexuals, bisexuals, and gay men/lesbians in Sweden regarding the kinds of sexually related activities that they engage in online. Data were collected in 2002 through an online questionnaire from 1,458 respondents who reported that they use the Internet for sexually related purposes. The results suggested bisexuals use the Internet as a resource for information and to interact with people with the same interests and to engage in behaviors that they would not engage in offline. In contrast, gay men and lesbians made use of the Internet more as a tool in their everyday lives, using it more frequently to find offline sex partners and for sexual gratification. By comparison, heterosexuals did not use the Internet for sexual purposes to the same extent as bisexuals or gay men and lesbians. Based upon the results, the authors suggest that greater attention should be paid to sexual orientation in future studies and that failing to acknowledge sexual orientation subgroups as distinct categories might bias research results.

Syftet med denna uppsats är att belysa svenska gymnasieelevers upplevelser av sin motivation till fjärr- och distansstudier i ämnet idrott och hälsa. Detta med utgångspunkt i motivationsteorin self-determination theory (SDT). Inledningsvis presenteras syftet och de frågeställningar som denna uppsats tar sin utgångspunkt i. För att svara på frågeställningarna har semistrukturerade intervjuer använts. Sammanlagt intervjuades 10 elever från 4 olika skolor. Det genomfördes 2 fokusgruppintervjuer, 1 parintervju och 2 individuella intervjuer.Den tidigare internationella forskningen visar på att det generellt sett går att tillgodose SDT’s grundläggande behov även om undervisningen sker genom fjärr- eller distansundervisning. Framför allt lyfts den höga graden av autonomi fram som något positivt. Svensk forskning visar däremot på en svårighet att tillgodose behovet av samhörighet. Resultatet visar på att eleverna har upplevt en i huvudsak externt reglerad motivation som är präglad av en kontroll från skolan där eleven behöver bevisa sin närvaro. Men i de fall eleverna inte blivit kontrollerade har det funnits utrymme att göra annat skolarbete vilket en del upplevt som positivt. Vidare har eleverna upplevt att undervisningen stundtals har saknat ett tydligt syfte vilket har lett till att eleverna inte upplevt undervisningen som meningsfull. Slutligen har eleverna upplevt en avsaknad av samvaro men att de vidmakthållit en kommunikation inom klassen med hjälp av kommunikationskanaler.

There has been an increased interest in the study of emotional demands (ED) at work and its impact on workers' well-being. However, ED have been conceptualized as a unitary concept, focused on interactions with clients, and excluding other potential sources of ED at work. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to explore the relation between ED from different relational sources (clients/patients/customers and colleagues, supervisors, and employees) and service workers' exhaustion and engagement. Cross-sectional data from a sample of 2742 service workers were analysed using structural equation modelling. Results showed that ED from both sources (clients and colleagues) were associated with more emotional exhaustion, particularly if dealing with clients was not an integrated part of the role. Further, ED from clients' relations were negatively associated with engagement for managers with staff responsibility, but positively for managers without staff responsibility. We also found moderating effects of psychosocial safety climate (PSC), whereby ED had the strongest effect on emotional exhaustion when PSC was low. This study suggests that different relational sources of ED at work have a different impact on employees' well-being. Strategies that promote a reduction of extra-role ED, and the development of a PSC in the organization, could therefore offer possible solutions to promote employees' psychological well-being and motivation.

Survivors Healing from Abuse: Recovery through Exposure (SHARE) is an eight-week therapy group for incarcerated women who have experienced sexual violence victimization. SHARE requires each member to complete an imaginal exposure and to listen when others share their experiences of victimization. While trauma-focused group interventions including SHARE are associated with reductions in internalizing symptoms, little work has examined how group characteristics predict symptom decreases. The purpose of this study was to examine whether group size was associated with symptom changes pre- to posttreatment. Participants (n = 140 across 29 groups) completed self-report measures of posttraumatic stress symptoms before and after completing SHARE. Multilevel modeling revealed the majority of the variance in posttreatment symptoms was attributed to individual factors rather than group factors. Symptom change was comparable for groups of two to eight women; declines in symptom improvement were observed at a group size of 10 participants. 

Children’s in-session involvement in child and family therapies correlates with both positive and negative treatment outcomes. Thus, it is important to gain a better understanding of the clinical practices that facilitate children’s involvement in therapy sessions so that practitioners can employ them with greater precision. To address this need, we conducted a study to answer the following question: What clinical practices facilitate children’s in-session involvement in child and family therapies? The data consisted of 16 extant audiovisual recordings of child and family therapy sessions and 24 stimulated-recall interviews with the participants in the recordings. Following constructivist grounded theory and incorporating storyline as an additional analytical technique, we have constructed a framework consisting of four involvement-enhancing practices: managing time, staying relevant, adjusting intensity, and facilitating inclusion. Furthermore, by detailing some of the complex processes that practitioners navigate when they facilitate children’s involvement, our study adds a multilayered and dynamic dimension to the list of already established involvement facilitators. It may be used to moderate an overstandardized work culture that continues to characterize services that address children’s needs. The results may be applied to other institutional encounters, providing resonance beyond the analyzed therapy sessions.

BACKGROUND: It is increasingly acknowledged that satisfaction with sexual relations forms an important aspect of people's lives, but little is known of factors associated with this phenomenon among people with mental illness. AIM: This study aimed to investigate how demographic, social, clinical, and health-related factors were related to satisfaction with sexual relations. METHODS: Patients with persistent mental illness (N = 103), recruited from an outpatient unit, were assessed regarding the target variables. RESULTS: No clinical variable, and only one demographic factor, namely being a cohabitant, was found to be important to satisfaction with sexual relations. Several social factors, pertaining to how everyday occupations were valued and how the social network was perceived, were shown to be of importance. General quality of life, but not self-rated health or interviewer-assessed psychopathology, was also important for satisfaction with sexual relations. A multivariate analysis showed that the most significant factor for satisfaction with sexual relations was how everyday activities were valued, and being a cohabitant explained some additional variation. CONCLUSION: Previous research indicates that the mental health care services largely neglect sexual problems among people with mental illness, and the findings may provide additional knowledge that may be used in the support of this target group.

Rapport från Nordisk idrottslärarkongress, 4-9 augusti, 2009, Grebbestads folkhögskola

The purpose of the following article is to provide an account for some recent developments in phenomenological psychological interviewing as it relates to the phenomenological approach to empathy training. The developments consist mostly of theoretical and methodological clarifications. Drawing mainly from the work of Edith Stein and Alfred Schutz, the interpersonal context is disclosed as a we-relation in which vivid presence allows for a direct, reciprocal, second-person access to meanings. The interviewer’s second-person access within the empathic attitude is discussed based on its relevancy to the context of the interpersonal situation. As such, a specific approach toward applied phenomenology is elucidated as it relates to the human sciences, as in specific situations in which inquiry takes place within an interpersonal situation, for example, qualitative research interviewing and professional clinical encounters. 

This article presents the tradition of phenomenologically founded psychological research that was originally initiated by Amedeo Giorgi. This data analysis method is inseparable from the broader project of establishing an autonomous phenomenologically based human scientific psychology. After recounting the history of the method from the 1960's to the present, we explain the rationale for why we view data collection as a process that should be adaptable to the unique mode of appearance of each particular phenomenon being researched. The substance of the article is then devoted to a detailed outline of the method's whole-part-whole procedure of data analysis. We then offer a sample analysis of a brief description of an ordinary daydream. This is an anxiety daydream in response to the recent Covid-19 pandemic. We present this daydream analysis in full to show the concrete hands-on 5 step process through which the researcher explicated the participants' expressions from the particular to the general. From this brief sample analysis, the researcher offers a first-person reflection on the data analysis process to offer the reader an introduction to the diacritical nature of phenomenological psychological elucidation.

Beskrivning av projektet Självförtroende och fysisk aktivitet med projektledare Ingegerd Ericsson, Idrottsvetenskap, Lärarutbildningen, Malmö högskola.

The aim of the present article is to describe how the local environment affects people and how people can have an impact on their local environment. Using the sports movement as an example, the article discusses the importance of getting citizens to participate and to play an active role in decision processes concerning physical planning for the local environment. How we design our outdoor environments largely determines how our children develop in terms of their motor coordination and self-image, and thereby also their mental status, concentration ability, and academic aptitude as well as our children’s resources for engaging in one or several athletic activities that promote life-long amusement, good health and well-being. For young people, the opportunity to spontaneously use their local environment is a basic need, one that has received too little attention in city planning, e.g. fill in projects. Politicians are sensitive to public expressions of opinion. If it unites its power, the sport clubs and sport federations should be able to ensure high quality play environments for children and spaces for spontaneous sports activities for youth. The new trend towards private-public-partnership means a great deal of negotiations between the developer and the city leadership in which citizens have no access. It takes place behind closed doors and the child perspective is often forgotten. The sport clubs and sport federations have a chance to take the initiative here by formulating goals for children’s and young people’s motor, social and cognitive development and by pushing its own proposals for developing the local community.

The article discusses the importance of personal sporting skills in PE Teacher Education. The article is based on interviews with a group of teachers in PE Education. They were interviewed about how they perceive the needs of skills in PE Students. The article also discusses the diminished importance in PE Education of the need of physical literacy. A particular focus is on the discussion of personal skills in dancing and in ball games. The results show that there is a difference between how the PE educators talk about personal skills in dance and in ball games. There is consensus concerning the importance of the need for good personal ability in dancing, which also permeates the exams that the students are doing. In ball games, on the other hand, the discussion underlines the importance of general skills in coaching and leadership rather than personal skills in various ball games, in order to create good learning situations for different groups of pupils.

Preschool staffs' responsiveness affects children’s behaviour, their difficulties, and engagement in the preschool context, but children’s behaviour and characteristics also affect staff responsiveness. Early second language learners (L2-learners) have been shown to have more problems with behaviour and emotions and lower engagement in preschool. Being engaged in preschool activities predicts future academic performance, attitude towards school and well-being in the short and long term, and can be promoted by the preschool staff. Knowledge of which factors support engagement in preschool for L2-learners can help prevent, in the early years, negative pathways based on low engagement and problems with behaviour and emotions. This cross-sectional study used data from a longitudinal study to investigate the relationship between child engagement and staff responsiveness as well as how child age, child problems with behaviour and emotions, child group size, and the child:staff ratio impact child engagement and staff responsiveness. The study also investigated whether these relations differ between L2-learners and children learning Swedish as their first language (L1-learners). Preschool staff (N = 611) reported through questionnaires on engagement, age, problems with behaviour and emotions and emotional symptoms of 832 children aged 13–71 months, as well as on staffing and staff responsiveness. With a path analysis extended by multi-group analysis, we found two models suggesting that age, problems with behaviour and emotions and preschool staff responsiveness influence child engagement, irrespective of background. The study also found that child engagement significantly influenced staff responsiveness. The multi-group analysis only weakly supported the hypothesis that the child’s age affects staff responsiveness more strongly for L2-learners. The results indicate that individual children and child groups themselves can affect the responsiveness of their staff, and that children with low engagement risk being neglected. L2-learners are at increased risk since they tend to display lower engagement and more behaviour problems in preschool in general. If not attended to early, the lower engagement already apparent among L2-learners in preschool can create stable patterns of low engagement and problems with behaviour and emotions that extend beyond the preschool years and having negative effects on the children’s later well-being and school performance.

Measuring and assessing the different aspects of gambling behavior and its consequences is crucial for planning prevention, treatment, and understanding the development of at-risk and problem gambling. Studies indicate that instruments measuring problem gambling produce different results based on the characteristics of the population assessed. To accurately measure at-risk and problem gambling behavior, especially in a low-risk population, measures must cover a wider set of dimensions than the negative consequences already manifest. The Jonsson-Abbott Scale (JAS) includes items that cover overconsumption, actions that reinforce gambling behavior, and belief in gambling fallacies, based on a three-factor structure and has previously demonstrated good psychometric properties. However, there is a need to investigate how the instrument also functions in low-risk populations. This study aims to do so using both confirmatory factor and Rasch analysis; this research included 1,413 Swedish participants who endorsed at least one JAS item. The results replicated the previous three-factor solution and indicated that the instrument had good reliability. In addition, the results demonstrated that the three factors are independent, and the overall score per factor needs to be analyzed. In summary, the JAS appears suitable for use in low-risk populations to measure various aspects of gambling behavior.

The Tree Theme Method (TTM) is an intervention based on sessions involving creative activities and life storytelling/story-making, in which the client paints trees representing various periods of his/her life. The aim of this study was to investigate clients' experiences of participating in a TTM intervention and their perceptions of the therapeutic relationship. Thematic interviews were undertaken. Twenty clients attending general outpatient mental healthcare units were recruited after having participated in the intervention. A qualitative content analysis resulted in six categories: “From feeling a pressure to perform to becoming focused and expressive”, “Expressing oneself and one's life situation led to awakening of memories and feelings”, “New perspectives of self-image, everyday life and relations to others”, “Story-making led to shaping and reconstructing one's life story”, “Interaction was of importance when reconstructing one's life story” and, finally, “The attitude of the occupational therapist was of importance for the development of the therapeutic relationship”. There seemed to be a close association between the intervention and the therapeutic relationship in starting a process of opening up new perspectives on everyday life, but there is a need for further studies including therapists' experience of using the TTM and their perception of the client–therapist relationship.

Colors that surround us affects us in everyday life. We react differently to colors in a room based on the color’s intensity, texture and how the light falls in. However, color is also a subjective phenomenon that is connected to our preferences and feelings. Previous research also shows that color is important and it has different effects on our mood and how we act. 

The problem today based on my own experience of having worked in kindergarten is based on the lack of a more colorful color in the spatial environment. I have questioned through my own experience how children would react to a more colorful environment and how they will be stimulated by color in the built environment at kindergartens. Combining color together with the design of the room could create a greater impact on the children’s behavior and mood in their environment because color has a great importance through the children’s growth and development.

The purpose of the study is to highlight the properties of color in the room environment at Bokebo kindergarten which is carried out through architectural aspects, full-scale experiments and through theoretical background in psychological color and previous research studies of color and spatiality. 

The theories and the full-scale experiment will then be set together with the children’s answers to the interview questions, where the questions will provide answers to their behavior and feelings in the full-scale experiment, and also the observations will provide answers to their stimulation in the spatial environment. This will ultimately contribute to more knowledge and understanding to be able to use color in the kindergartens physical environments in the right way.

In addition to interview questions for the children, the educators in the department will also have to go through interview questions. The reason is to be able to get answers to how they experienced the room and how they think it could work for the children. Interviews and observations will be evaluated together with previous research to be able to see a pattern in the children’s behavior andmood in the spatial environment at Bokebo kindergarten.

The result of this study shows an overall positive influence of the color in the children. However differences in the genders of the children were found. A pattern could be interpreted in boys and girls respectively. It shows that the color is strongly linked to our preferences and feelings through our growth, therefore it is important that several aspects are taken into account in the implementation of color in kindergarten.The result also informs through previous research that the color should be used in a room for the right purpose and in the right amount, as well as with the right intensity and daylight. The application of the color must be carried out with caution and through knowledge to be able to achieve a good result in the spatial environment for the children in preschools.

What is important to think about is how we use the color and what kind of purpose the room is used for. Therefore, the full-scale trial has a great importance in the study, it is used to bring out results on the children’s reactions, behavior and stimulation of the senses in the room.The study brings out more knowledge and understanding in the meaning of color, which should act as inspiration for us to dare to use more color, as a complementary architectural element to a better learning environment for the children.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the factors affecting talent retention in private organizations located in Baku, Azerbaijan. Since people are valuable assets to achieve sustainable development, organizations implement various strategies to retain them. The influence of globalization has made retaining talent a more challenging process. Considering that people's desire to work in an organization depends on motivating factors, this paper applied Self-Determination Theory to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between motivation and retention. Self-Determination Theory has helped explain work motivation and its impact on people's choices and decisions. A qualitative study was chosen for this thesis because it is based on data collected through interviews. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with HR practitioners to learn their perspectives. The study reveals the importance of some factors: fair and transparent compensation which is given as recognition of competence; clear communication and feedback; training that ensure internalization; a workplace provides autonomy to make one's own decisions; and an organisational culture which promotes work-life balance. Management in organizations should approach employees' problems more individually and pay attention to their intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivators, such as rewards offered by the organization, may contribute to retention only if they strengthen rather than undermine basic psychological needs.

Swedish ICT policy has been characterised by abstract discourses which focus on dramatic transformations due to the coming of the “information society”. But Swedish ICT policy has also been characterised by decisions de-coupled from the discourse, as well as fragile efforts towards implementation. This article analyses the linkage between discursive power and fragmented policy-making in contemporary politics. A Kingdoninspired multiple streams framework is used for analysing the impact of discourses upon policy solutions, since other analytical strategies are too (implicitly) rational. In the case of Swedish ICT policy, it is shown that the visionary discourse of the information society strongly frames problems and solutions, but that the presence of contradictory discourses of steering makes it easier for decision makers to get rid of their own responsibility for practical actions through de-coupling of rhetorical, organisational and decision-making activities. The outcome is a political system where elite discourses mainly contribute to organisational identity-building, and prospects for reconstructed organisational power among policy makers on different steering levels.

The notion of democratic network governance has attracted growing interest among students of local and regional governance in all the Nordic countries since the 1990s. This article examines whether research in this area reflects a particular Nordic account of democracy. The Nordic countries have strong traditions of local autonomy, local networks and the inclusion of civil society associations. The authors find reason to expect that the Nordic traditions of local and regional governance may have stimulated a common approach to democracy questions with the features of an integrative perspective. At the same time, the differences in the history of democratisation are likely to have urged the approach in different directions. Using evidence from a literature review, the article suggests that, rather than a fully fledged theory, democracy with an intriguing potential and with nuances exists as an issue in the Nordic governance studies.

Organisational actors in the public sector are often characterised as path-dependent and tending to reject or translate change in accordance with institutional norms, while management change is often interpreted as emanating from “above” (international organisations, governments, thinktanks). In this article we present, inspired by Dunleavy’s bureau-shaping approach, a complementary understanding of incremental changes which goes beyond the existing explanations. Our claim is that incremental changes often are caused by ‘pull-factors’ inside the organisation. Based on an in-depth study of five Swedish public agencies 1980-2005 we present an inductively-derived typology of organisational change. In the five organisations considered, it is shown that the management level has been able to influence changes which emanate from “push-factors” in the environment (such as streamlining, cost reduction and symbolic adaptations). But the paper also highlights more gradual changes – “small but significant steps” - such as increased hiring of social scientists and managerialisation as important features in the process of reconstructing the agencies as policy-making, rather than operational, units, in line with Dunleavy’s general argument. A conclusion to this is that improved policy-making capacity, paradoxically, may reduce Swedish public agencies’ ability to steer.

There can be a lack of understanding of the vulnerable situation of children with disabilities and their families, even among professional caregivers whose mission is to protect the health and wellbeing of these children. Their respectful treatment should include knowledge, empathy, humanity, and an open and sympathetic dialogue. This book provides an overview of knowledge and literature review of children and adolescents with special care needs that contribute to the respect and understanding of children with disabilities and their families. It also explains possible reasons for different outcomes in research studies and why there is a lack of knowledge in some areas concerning these children. 

Research on children with disabilities is considerable but often can be difficult to access on many levels, which means it does not always benefit those who need this knowledge. This compact book addresses this by presenting the international research in the field in an understandable way for people who work with children with disabilities and their families. The authors provide a broad picture of the background, reality of life, opportunities for professional help and support, as well as outlook of these children and families. Among the topics covered:

• The Health and Well-being of Children with Disabilities
• The Health and Well-being of Relatives
• Occupation
• On the Road to Adulthood

Children with Special Needs: An Overview of Knowledge on Disability is pertinent reading for students in all areas of health care (including nursing and psychology), social work, sociology, and education aimed at children and young people. The text also would be of interest to those who practice in these areas and/or encounter children with disabilities in their daily work.

Injuries are a critical and challenging problem for an athlete, especially at elite level. Injury rehabilitation can be demanding both physiological and psychological. The purpose of this study is to explain which motivational factors are significant for maintaining high levels of motivation and adherence during a rehabilitation process. Interview data were analyzed using Operant Conditioning and Self-Determination Theory. Results illustrate six themes/motivational factors: 1. Passion for the sport and the athletic identity, 2. Tangible social support, 3. Informative social support, 4. Practical social support, 5. Progress and goal achievement, 6. Positive thinking. Passion for the sport is the strongest motivational factor. Five out of six identified factors could be connected with Self-Determination Theory’s three basic psychological needs. Social environment provides social support to the athlete. Conclusion: It is difficult to determine which factors are the most important, however the results suggest that these factors may reinforce an athlete’s motivation and adherence to rehabilitation.

With its background in research on the development of the second language and the language use of immigrant children as portrayed in political discourse, this article discusses the significance of the mother tongue in the access of newly-arrived pupils to teaching in school subjects while the development of their second language is in its earliest stages. The starting point for the project is a socio-cultural perspective of teaching and the development of knowledge, and that language is discourse. If one sees citizenship as an expressed goal of education with the aim of stimulating inclusion and critical thought, language plays a decisive role in how all voices can make themselves heard. Two preparatory classes in Malmö were invited to problem-solving work sessions in the technical workshop at the School of Education. The student teachers acted as supervisors and observers alternately, and documented the conversations that took place. Sequences of conversation were recorded for analysis. The study illuminates and problematises the content of the conversations during problem-solving, what initiatives to conversation are taken by pupils and students, what the possibilities of problem-solving using the mother tongue are, and what the pupils’ texts contain and if they are functional, in the sense that it is possible to understand what the pupil wants to mediate to the reader. Excerpts from the recordings show that both children and students use a variety of “strategies” in the conversations and this has a number of consequences for the processes of knowledge.

I USA och andra anglosaxiska länder har en omfattande forskning kring fenomenet »whistleblowing« vuxit fram. Begreppet syftar på när anställda för fram kritik mot företeelser på sin arbetsplats t. ex. avslöjar interna missförhållanden som slarv i behandling av patienterklienter, felaktiga produkter, maktövergrepp eller korruption. I Sverige har sådana studier hittills varit sällsynta. I denna artikel redovisas resultaten från en nyligen genomförd studie av kritikerprocesser och konikter kring kritiker inom svenska human service organisationer som socialtjänsten, skolan och sjukvården. 

This article assumes that the elections to the European Parliament (EP) make a special site for the explicit formulation of nativist political rhetoric. The nativist view holds that states should be protected and reserved to members of the national group with the specific aim of consolidating political and cultural homogeneity. The aim of this article is to consider the public debate in Denmark and in Sweden surrounding the EP elections in 2004 and in 2009, comparing the use and acceptance of nativist political language in these countries. We use frame analysis to explore how the framing of issues will reveal certain views and attitudes that affect the popular opinion; hence, the successful evocation of xenophobic attitudes provides more support for the Populist Radical Right Parties (RPPs), which will make the other parties to compete for these votes as well. The analysis is based on a quantitative, and a qualitative reading of 573 articles in ten Danish and Swedish newspapers. Since in Denmark the Danish People’s Party (DF) occupies a privileged position as government supporting party compared to the marginal position of the Sweden Democrats (SD) in Sweden, we hypothesise that the journalistic tone used towards the SD in Swedish newspapers is more negative compared to Denmark and also that the public opinion is framed as more skeptic and afraid of immigrants in Denmark compared to Sweden. We also expect to determine a difference in time (from the 2004 elections to the elections in 2009) in this regard. The article concludes that feeding the beast nourishes nativist appeals, but also vice versa.

Inledning

Internationell forskning har under de senaste åren visat att ohövliga beteenden i arbetslivet är en tydlig källa till stress, knutet till negativa konsekvenser för både individer och organisationer (Schilpzand m fl., 2016). Ohövliga beteenden kan beskrivas som både avsiktliga och oavsiktliga lågintensiva negativa beteenden som bryter mot normer för respekt på arbetsplatsen (Andersson & Pearson, 1999), t ex nedlåtande kommentarer, att inte bli lyssnad till, eller ett nonchalant eller avfärdande bemötande från kollegor (Cortina m fl., 2013). Ohövlighet skiljer sig från grövre typer av kränkningar, som arbetsplatsmobbning, genom att det har en lägre intensitet, och att intentionen bakom beteendet är mer tvetydig (Leiter m fl., 2015).

Forskning har även visat att ohövliga beteenden är vanligt förekommande på den svenska arbetsmarknaden (Torkelson m fl., 2016). En svensk avhandling visade nyligen att vittnen till ohövliga beteenden har en ökad tendens att själv utöva ohövliga beteenden mot andra, och att ohövlighet kan knytas till arbetsplatsens kultur (Holm, 2021). Trots att ohövliga beteenden är vanligt förekommande och riskerar att spridas, har relativt få systematiska insatser utvecklats för att förebygga och motverka ohövliga beteenden i arbetslivet. Ett undantag är den amerikanska interventionsmodellen Civility, Respect and Engagement in the Workplace (CREW), som utvecklats specifikt för att främja hövlighet och respekt i bemötandet mellan kollegor inom den amerikanska sjukvården (Osatuke m fl., 2009; 2013). CREW har utvärderats i par studier, där insatsen visat på effekter som en ökad nivå av hövliga beteenden över tid, mindre ohövlighet, ökad tillit till ledningen, ökad arbetstillfredsställelse och mindre frånvaro (Osatuke m fl., 2009; Leiter m fl., 2011). Förändringen av rapporterad hövlighet visade även på en trend som fortsatte att utvecklas i positiv riktning ett år efter insatsen avslutats (Leiter m fl., 2012).

Det saknas däremot fortfarande kunskap om vilka faktorer (organisatoriskt och socialt) som leder till en positiv förändring, och hur effektiv insatsen är utanför sjukvården, såväl som i andra nationella kontexter. Det finns därför ett behov av att vidareutveckla interventionen, pröva den på den svenska arbetsmarknaden, och identifiera vilka faktorer som får metoden att fungera. Med bakgrund av detta pågår ett forskningsprojekt som syftar till att utveckla och implementera en hövlighetsinsats i ett antal olika organisationer, som präglas av olika förutsättningar, styrning, målbilder, och arbetsformer. Detta för att möjliggöra en utvärdering av insatsens gångbarhet i olika organisatoriska kontexter.

Syfte

Projektet har två huvudsakliga syften. Det första syftet är att utveckla och implementera en hövlighetsintervention, och undersöka om förändringen av beteenden och arbetsrelaterad hälsa påverkar, eller påverkas av, den organisatoriska och sociala arbetsmiljön. Projektet syftar även till att, utifrån interventionens resultat, sammanställa ett metodstöd med konkreta riktlinjer för hur organisationer kan arbeta preventivt mot kränkande särbehandling och ohälsa.

Metod

Insatsen kommer att genomföras som en workshopserie med arbetsgrupper under sex månaders tid, och jämföras med kontrollgrupper i samma verksamheter. Projektet tillämpar en väntliste-kontroll-design, vilket innebär att personer som ingår i kontrollgruppen också erbjuds möjlighet att delta i insatsen när insatsgruppen slutfört sin workshopserie. 

Insatsen består av diskussionsmoment under månadsvisa träffar med fokus på kommunikation och socialt klimat på arbetsplatsen. Insatsen tar utgångspunkt i individernas egna erfarenheter, där de är aktiva agenter i processen. Arbetsgrupperna bidrar därmed genom att identifiera vad de ser som hövligt, och sätter själva mål för hövlighet som utgår från gruppens delade upplevelser av vad hövlighet är (Osatuke m fl., 2009). 

Totalt planeras insatsen att genomföras i fem organisationer. Det rör sig om två större förvaltningar i Malmö stad som bedriver människobehandlande arbete, såväl som förskoleverksamheter, en organisation med kulturarbetare, och ett privat företag med tekniskt orienterat arbete. För att utvärdera insatsen genomförs enkäter före, direkt efter, och sex månader efter insatsen. Uppföljande intervjuer kommer även att genomföras med medverkande i insatsen. 

Resultat

Under våren 2022 genomförs en pilotstudie för att pröva ut det frågeformulär som planeras att användas i projektet. Pilotdata kommer att samlas in från ett bekvämlighetsurval av yrkesverksamma individer. Resultat kring frågeformulärets psykometriska egenskaper, såväl som samband mellan hövlighet/ohövlighet, normer kring hövlighet, och social arbetsmiljö kommer att presenteras. Initiala resultat från pilotstudien kring samband mellan hövlighet, ohövlighet, normer och den sociala arbetsmiljön förväntas generera viktig kunskap om vilka potentiella effekter insatsen kan komma att resultera i.

Finansiering

Projektet finansieras av AFA försäkring (dnr 210121).

Research goals and why the work was worth doing

Over the past two decades, research has demonstrated that workplace incivility is a ubiquitous work environment issue, which can have deleterious consequences for both individuals and organizations (Schilpzand et al., 2016; Cortina et al., 2017). Workplace incivility refers to low-intensity rude behavior in the workplace (Andersson & Pearson, 1999). The effects of incivility can be far-reaching, as it may spread in the workplace (Foulk et al., 2016; Holm et al., 2021). 

One promising avenue to address incivility has been the use of civility interventions. Actively promoting civility in the workplace may reduce the risk for incivility, and increase civility and respect (Leiter et al., 2011; 2012). However, recent research has shown less consistent results of civility interventions when applied in other cultural contexts than North America (e.g., Sawada et al., 2021), or in other workplaces than hospitals (e.g., Grantham, 2019). More information is therefore needed on the effects of implementing civility interventions in the workplace, particularly exploring mechanisms and moderators in the intervention process. The aim of the present study is to test the effects of an intervention aimed to increase civility in Swedish workplaces.

Theoretical background

The present study is based on the principles developed in the Civility, Respect and Engagement in the Workplace (CREW) intervention (Osatuke et al., 2013).  CREW was developed by the United States Department of Veteran Affairs in 2005. CREW was a culture-based workplace intervention promoting civility in the workplace in the departments’ VA-hospitals, with documented successful outcomes (Osatuke et al., 2009). Two research studies tested the effect of the CREW intervention in hospitals in North America, showing both short- and long-term effects of the intervention on workplace behavior, attitudes, and absence (Leiter et al., 2011; 2012). However, little is still known about how civility interventions operate in other contexts than hospitals, and which mechanisms or boundary conditions that influence the impact of civility interventions.  

Design/Methodology/Approach/Intervention

The present study has a quasi-experimental waitlist-control design. Participating workplaces are assigned to one of two conditions, an intervention condition or waitlist. The intervention group participates in a series of monthly workshops during the period of September 2022 – January 2023. The workshops address topics such as workplace culture, with the aim to promote workplace civility and reduce the risk of workplace incivility. The waitlist serves as the control group. Pre- and post-surveys are conducted to investigate possible effects of the intervention on measures of workplace (in)civility, norms for civility, social work environment factors, as well as work-related well-being. 

Results (expected)

Baseline survey data have currently been gathered from about 200 individuals across 13 workplaces in a Swedish municipality. The intervention group is currently undergoing the workshop series. The follow up post-survey is planned for January of 2023. When post-measures have been completed, possible change in measures of workplace civility, norms for civility, and workplace incivility will be explored. Change in social work environment factors, as well as work-related well-being, will also be explored. The intervention is expected to result in increased civility and norms for civility, as well as reduced incivility over time. 

Limitations

Workplaces were not assigned to the intervention or control condition via cluster randomization. Instead, it was based on practical aspects such as feasibility and scheduling in the participating organizations. Moreover, the follow-up measure is carried out only a few weeks after completion of the final workshop. Possible effects on behavior or well-being may take longer time to develop. Lastly, the measures are self-reported by participants.

Conclusions – research and or practical implications/Originality/Value

Results from the post-measure surveys will be presented at the congress. The originality of the project lies in exploring the effects of an updated version of a civility intervention, in a context outside of hospital settings in North America. The study will also provide information about potential mechanisms and moderators involved in the intervention process. Practically, the knowledge that results from the study could be of use in future attempts to improve the social work environment in workplaces by working with the workplace culture.

Relevance to the Congress Theme

The study is relevant to several of the congress themes, e.g. 6. Group dynamics, 8. Organizational design and development, 15. Stress and dysfunction, and 18. Well-being.

Relevant UN SDGs

Goal 3. Good health and well-being

Goal 8. Decent work and economic growth