Graduates of the Master’s Program in Human Resources Management at Universidad ORT Uruguay with Dr. Ximena Fernández, academic coordinator of the graduate programs in Human Resources at the School of Administration and Social Sciences—presented the findings of their theses at the Interuniversity Conference on the Future of Work.
Sofía Rosendorff, a graduate of the Master’s in Human Resources Management program, general coordinator of Human Resources at the Solís Theater, holder of a bachelor’s degree in Labor Relations, professor at the University of the Republic, and member of Cielo Laboral; and Mercedes Otero, a human potential consultant and psychologist specializing in recruitment, career counseling, andexecutive coaching, and a Ph.D. in Diplomacy, presented their thesis“Study of Work Values and Perceived Self-Efficacy of Intrapreneurial Leadership in Highly Educated Executives” at the ILO Interuniversity Congress.
The event was held as part of the centennial celebration of the International Labour Organization (ILO). It took place on February 7 and 8, 2019, at the University of Seville, where more than 150 papers by researchers from Spain, Italy, Portugal, Romania, and Latin American countries—selected by a scientific committee—were presented. The papers presented will be published in June in a book edited by the ILO in collaboration with Spain’s Ministry of Labor, Migration, and Social Security.
Some of the topics discussed at the conference included market globalization, changes in production processes, and automation, along with social, demographic, and political shifts—such as the integration of a gender perspective, social security reform, labor market flexibility, innovation, and job creation, among others—with an emphasis on the restructuring of hiring systems and labor regulations.
ILO Representative Rebeca Grynspan presented the findings of the Global Commission on the Future of Work and stated, “Technologies are here to stay. What we can do is regulate them to promote empowerment, not exclusion. While there is a great deal of uncertainty regarding employment—especially in Latin America—the ILO does not envision a world without jobs; rather, we are more concerned about inequality. “We want to talk about work, not universal basic income. We must return to the Sustainable Development Goals that unite us globally toward solidarity and collaboration.”
Highly educated executives, Rosendorff explained, “will set the course for the new business model in a globalized world, addressing the challenges of Uruguay’s 21st-century workforce.” The research focuses on developing talent development and management policies and practices so that executives can reach their full potential.
“It has been a pleasant surprise and a great honor to have been selected from among hundreds of submissions to present our paper at a conference of this magnitude. Participating alongside 150 international speakers with extensive experience has been a very enriching experience on both a personal and professional level,” said Rosendorff.
Otero, for her part, highlighted “the achievement of teamwork in being able to celebrate there together as a trio, the pride of representing our country and ORT—given that the vast majority of the other projects were from different universities in Spain—the excitement of hearing from the authors of such interesting and innovative projects, and the joy of interacting with that community of people from other countries who share a common passion.”
According to the thesis advisor, there is currently a global crisis of commitment, as “very few employees feel committed to their work.” In this regard, the thesis sought to identify the core values of a segment of the population that holds leadership positions within organizations.
Among the study’s findings, it is noteworthy that the executives studied prioritize the well-being of others over their own, are consistently open to change, are systematically more satisfied with their jobs, and are more likely to feel emotionally committed to their company. Likewise, Otero noted that “the lower score they received on the ‘self-aggrandizement’ value demonstrates that the executives in the study are not people who believe their own ideas and decisions are always the best.”
Finally, the graduates mentioned that the Master’s in Human Resources Management provided them with tools, according to Rosendorff, “to understand and develop skills related to the impact of people management on organizational performance.” In addition, Otero mentioned that it gave them “the opportunity to delve deeper into and stay up to date on various topics related to the world of work and business, guided by an elite group of professors, alongside a wealth of professionals from different fields with whom we ended up forging bonds as colleagues and friends.”
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