Browsing by Author "Oikarinen, Sabina"

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    The institutional complexity of achieving business/IT alignment A qualitative study performed at a Swedish telecom company
    (2018-07-03) Lund, Emma; Oikarinen, Sabina; University of Gothenburg/Graduate School; Göteborgs universitet/Graduate School
    The aim of this paper is to identify the complexity of why it is hard to achieve business/IT alignment. This is investigated from the social dimension at a Swedish telecom company. The study has a qualitative approach and the data is collected by conducting 16 interviews and 4 observations. The analysis of the field data is done by using a practice lens of institutional logics. This framework is used to understand the complex interplay among social actors working at the company's IT and business department. The purpose is first to understand how respective department act and how their relationship unfolds in practice. Secondly, it is to understand the implications on business/IT alignment. The study presents three main findings which adds institutional complexity when aiming for alignment; different pace in an external and internal world, the importance of materialization practices, and the consequences of implementing a new management practice. Those findings explain the institutional complexity when aiming for alignment and why social difficulties arise. Furthermore, those findings identify benefits from friction and highlight the consequences of segmenting, hybridizing and black-boxing social domains and practice repertoires. Altogether, this paper provides new insights into the challenges of achieving business/IT alignment, while it also highlights the importance of embracing institutional complexity rather than trying to resolve it.
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    What affects female middle managers’ career opportunities in the banking sector. A comparative case study of Sweden and Estonia from the view of female managers
    (2015-06-29) Oikarinen, Sabina; Tidblom, Sara; University of Gothenburg/Department of Business Administration; Göteborgs universitet/Företagsekonomiska institutionen
    How far European countries have come in their work with gender equality varies. This paper compares female middle managers’ career opportunities in one of the European countries that is in the fore front when speaking of gender equality, Sweden, with another country who has a bit more to work with, Estonia. This thesis is conducted as a case study at Swedbank and therefore focuses on female middle managers’ career opportunities in the banking sector in the two selected countries. During the study, qualitative and open interviews were conducted with eight women working at Swedbank; four Swedish and four Estonian. The results of these interviews were then analyzed and compared with relevant theories related to female management, for example The Glass Ceiling Theory and The Social Role Theory. The essay also contains a comparative analysis of the two countries, where the aim is to find out what the basis for the differences in the observance of gender equality is. The study found that the countries' different histories have contributed to the current gender equality situation in the two countries. Common to both countries is that parental leave is something that affects women's careers. It appears that in both countries there is a norm that women are the ones who are on parental leave, although this norm is much stronger in Estonia. There are also stereotypes and preconceptions about women's characteristics and toward their leadership style. This as well affects women's career opportunities.