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Un­nar Theódórsson

Postdoc

Subjects
Leadership Organisation HR Career Qualitative methods Motivation

Primary research areas

Hu­man Re­source Man­age­ment
Ex­amin­ing HR strategies and prac­tices that align or­gan­iz­a­tion­al and in­di­vidu­al goals.
Tal­ent Man­age­ment
Un­der­stand­ing how or­gan­iz­a­tions define, identi­fy, and re­tain tal­ent in chan­ging en­vir­on­ments.
Ca­reer De­vel­op­ment and On­board­ing
Ex­plor­ing how or­gan­iz­a­tions sup­port em­ploy­ee growth and mean­ing­ful ca­reer paths.
Eth­ics and Power in Man­age­ment
Study­ing the so­cial and polit­ic­al di­men­sions of HR and ma­na­geri­al de­cision-mak­ing.
Qual­it­at­ive and Mixed Meth­ods
Ap­ply­ing eth­no­graphy, in­ter­views, and mixed meth­ods to un­der­stand or­gan­iz­a­tion­al life.

Ex­plor­ing how or­gan­iz­a­tions re­cog­nize and de­vel­op tal­ent (head­er)

My research examines how organizations manage human resources in contexts characterized by uncertainty, complexity, and change. I focus on how talent is identified, developed, and retained, viewing talent management as both a managerial and a social practice. 

A central theme in my work is how organizations reconcile strategic priorities with individual aspirations. I explore what counts as talent, who defines it, and how these definitions shape organizational outcomes. 

I am currently engaged in a collaborative project with Herlev Municipality that investigates onboarding and career development in citizen-facing roles. The project explores how public institutions can create meaningful and sustainable career pathways for their employees. 

My research employs qualitative and mixed methods, with a particular emphasis on ethnography and interviews. I am also studying how technology and data practices influence human resource management and the future of work. 

Recent research projects

Ca­reer De­vel­op­ment and On­board­ing in the Pub­lic Sec­tor

A col­lab­or­at­ive pro­ject with Herlev Mu­ni­cip­al­ity ex­plor­ing how pub­lic in­sti­tu­tions can cre­ate sus­tain­able and mean­ing­ful work tra­ject­or­ies.

Outside activities

Assistant Professor (20%), University of Iceland, Department of Business Administration