Showing papers in "Human Resource Management Journal in 2004"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide further evidence on the link between so-called high performance work systems and firm performance and relate these to organisational culture, using regression analyses controlling for sector, firm size and age.
Abstract: The HRM literature emphasises the importance of people in enhancing firm performance or even creating competitive advantage. This study provides further evidence on the link between so-called high performance work systems and firm performance and relates these to organisational culture. In total 175 organisations from different sectors in the Netherlands participated. Senior HR managers were questioned on HRM practices and chief executives on organisational culture. Three different groups of personnel are distinguished in the measures: core employees, managers and specialist professional staff. One high performance work system could be distinguished, consisting of a combination of practices with an emphasis on employee development, strict selection and providing an overarching goal or direction. Results of regression analyses controlling for sector, firm size and age show a significant impact of this system on several performance outcomes (perceived economic outcomes, beyond contract and absenteeism), as well as positive relationships with three organisational culture orientations. Practices that are not part of this combination also show some positive (but limited) links with culture and outcomes.
388 citations
TL;DR: This paper explored the relationship between work/life balance, work/non-work conflict, hours worked and organisational commitment among a sample of graduates in the early years of their career.
Abstract: This article reports the findings of research that explored relationships between work/life balance, work/non-work conflict, hours worked and organisational commitment among a sample of graduates in the early years of their career. It concludes that, although graduates seek work/life balance, their concern for career success draws them into a situation where they work increasingly long hours and experience an increasingly unsatisfactory relationship between home and work. The article discusses the causes and potential consequences of this predicament and in particular how work/non-work conflict is linked to hours worked, the state of the psychological contract and organisational commitment. It highlights the role of organisations' policy and practice in helping to manage the relationship between work and non-work and the development of organisational commitment through support for younger employees' lives out-of-work and effective management of aspects of the psychological contract.
301 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reviewed progress in the search for a "bundle" of HR practices, using the work of MacDuffie as a starting point for the analysis of the concept of a bundle.
Abstract: This article reviews progress in the search for a ‘bundle’ of HR practices, using the work of MacDuffie as a starting point for the analysis of the concept of a bundle. The different methods by which bundles might be identified are reviewed and sequential tree analysis is presented as a possible alternative approach. It is then tested alongside factor analysis and regression on accounts of HR practices and aspects of performance provided by a sample of 1,308 managers. The results show that sequential tree analysis does identify a relatively parsimonious set of practices; these overlap partly with those identified in factor analysis and more extensively with those occurring in regression analysis but are more interpretable and therefore potentially more useful for policy-makers.
220 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the impact of employer flexibility to work-life issues and negative spillover from work to non-work life on the attitudes of software developers and found that even within this industry, where employees are relatively individualistic in orientation, highly marketable and unlikely to show attachment to a single organisation, mutual gains for employee and employer can be attained by an accommodating approach to nonwork commitments which may lead to greater organisational attachment.
Abstract: This article examines the impact of employer flexibility to work-life issues and negative spillover from work to non-work life on the attitudes of software developers. Software workers present an interesting case for work-life balance issues - Ackroyd et al (2000) designate them the key occupation to examine in future studies of 'knowledge workers', and Barrett (2001) states that they are the 'vanguard' of new working practices, with the separation of work and life being substantially more 'blurred' than for more traditional occupations. Despite this general perception of the work-life boundary, our results show that intrusion of work into private life for this group of workers still has a substantial impact on work-related attitudes. Work-life boundary variables affect trust in the organisation which plays a mediational role in these variables' relationship to job satisfaction and organisational commitment. Our results suggest that even within this industry, where employees are relatively individualistic in orientation, highly marketable and unlikely to show attachment to a single organisation, mutual gains for employee and employer can be attained by an accommodating approach to non-work commitments which may lead to greater organisational attachment.
179 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors show that the quality of task-related communication is important in creating commitment, but what is vital in creating trust, however, is quality of non-task related communication.
Abstract: The importance of the social dimension of organisations is currently a strong focus of emphasis in the literature. From a managerial perspective, however, it is important that the community spirit within an organisation falls in line with its strategic direction. The study discussed in this article shows that high quality internal communication may be important in encouraging such a supportive attitude. What is considered ‘good’ internal communication does not directly engender more support for the organisation's strategic direction. However, evidence from research in five organisations (with 791 respondents distributed across 19 work units) suggests that there are two ways to foster support. One is to create a sense of commitment within the organisation; the other is to establish trust in the management. Both approaches appear to have a positive relationship with good internal communication. The quality of task-related communication is important in creating commitment. What is vital in creating trust, however, is the quality of non-task-related communication. The study at the focus of this article addresses the following question: does organisational communication help foster a positive attitude towards the strategic direction of an organisation?
142 citations
TL;DR: The potential for mutually complementary linkages between the two are clear, in theory at least as discussed by the authors, in theory, in the theory of intra-organisational trust, while trust legitimates and helps reinforce an organisation's 'partnership'.
Abstract: This article examines the alleged links between 'partnership' forms of managing workplace relationships in Britain and the development of intra-organisational 'trust'. The potential for mutually complementary linkages between the two are clear, in theory at least. Partnership should produce, nurture and enhance levels of interpersonal trust inside organisations, while trust legitimates and helps reinforce an organisation's 'partnership'. Qualitative evidence drawn from the self-reports of key participants in three unionised partnership organisations provides some support for the claimed linkages. But it also highlights weaknesses, discrepancies and pitfalls inherent in the process of pursuing trust through partnership. These offer insights into the process for managers, trade union officials, employee representatives and policy-makers, as well as suggesting avenues for future research using trust as a theoretical framework.
113 citations
99 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined trade union representation of self-employed freelances in the UK and found that there is a distinctive form of freelance unionism which is distinguished by its emphasis on organizing and representing workers in the external labour market where they seek work and develop a mobile career.
Abstract: Interest has grown in the methods that trade unions can use to organise and represent the substantial proportion of the workforce engaged in ‘contingent work’. This article examines trade union representation of self-employed freelances in the UK. Empirical material is presented from case studies of the media and entertainment unions, with their long history of representing freelances, and more recently established unions representing freelance tour guides, interpreters and translators. The analysis indicates that there is a distinctive form of freelance unionism in the UK which is distinguished by its emphasis on organising and representing workers in the external labour market where they seek work and develop a mobile career. This orientation ‘beyond the enterprise’ distinguishes freelance unionism from the dominant form of unionism in Britain.
77 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore the development of human capital evaluation systems in a number of large UK firms and explore the relationship between practices of evaluation and the role and position of the HR function within the firm.
Abstract: The article explores the development of systems of human capital evaluation in a number of large UK firms. Human capital is a much used term in business literature, and it is widely recognised that firms need to develop mechanisms to determine the value of their employee base. An extensive human capital literature has developed in which the authors propose elaborate systems for measuring a firm's human assets. This article does not seek to offer yet another human capital model. Rather, the aim is to examine the management practices through which human capital evaluation is undertaken. The article is based on an exploratory study of such practices in 11 major firms in the UK. The findings are highlighted as follows. First, we note the preference for internal over external (static accountancy-based) reporting. Secondly, we highlight the diverse nature of human capital evaluation systems that exist across UK business. Thirdly, we explore the relationship between practices of evaluation and the role and position of the HR function within the firm. Finally, in conclusion, we address the implications of the human capital perspective for practitioners, arguing that there is no single formula that can be applied to its evaluation. We go on to suggest that the importance of the human capital concept and its measurement may lie in its ability to re-frame perceptions of the relationship between the contribution of employees and the competitive performance of the business.
73 citations
TL;DR: Lee et al. as mentioned in this paper investigated whether foreign direct investment (FDI) manufacturing firms in China inevitably operate in a Taylorist fashion, in contrast to the much praised HR model of blue chip multinational corporations (MNCs) in the country, or whether there is a third way in which good HR practices may be adopted on the ground.
Abstract: This article reports the study of a large, wholly foreign-owned toy factory in China. It explores whether foreign direct investment (FDI) manufacturing firms in China inevitably operate in a Taylorist fashion, in contrast to the much praised HR model of blue chip multinational corporations (MNCs) in the country, or whether there is a ‘third way’ in which good HR practices may be adopted on the ground. The article concludes that a more nuanced approach is needed in our study of FDI companies in order to gain a fuller understanding of the institutional and cultural factors at play and of the consequent diversity in the HR and employment practices of FDI firms, instead of being trapped in a simplistic and polarising typological framework of analysis. This study is necessary in light of the growing diversity in the patterns of FDI companies operating in China in terms of their ownership structure, product market, management style and HR strategy, both for managers and for workers. Contact: Fang Lee Cooke, Senior Lecturer in Employment Studies, Manchester School of Management, UMIST, PO Box 88, Manchester M60 1QD, UK. Email:
67 citations
TL;DR: The authors examined employers' attempts in Britain to resist campaigns for union recognition and to undermine newly granted recognition agreements, using an array of primary and secondary sources, and developed a revised schema, following Roy (1980), to help understand and interpret these anti-union activities.
Abstract: Following the introduction of a statutory mechanism by which trade unions can gain recognition from employers, this article examines employers' attempts in Britain to resist campaigns for union recognition and to undermine newly granted recognition agreements. Using an array of primary and secondary sources, the extent and nature of these employer activities are documented. The article develops a revised schema, following Roy (1980), to help understand and interpret these anti-union activities. While of significance in deterring and undermining new recognition agreements, these activities are found to represent a minority current in the overall response of employers to campaigns for union recognition.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore why HR accounting is regarded as important, to whom it is important and its links with organisational and HR strategies, and a scale was developed measuring the extent to which respondents thought each item reflected their organisation's view on the importance of measuring of human resources.
Abstract: In tracing the history of human resource accounting, most reviewers would agree that the topic is now experiencing something of a revival. This research set out to explore why HR accounting is regarded as important, to whom it is important and its links with organisational and HR strategies. We used a survey-questionnaire approach to gather data. A scale was developed measuring the extent to which respondents thought each item reflected their organisation's view on the importance of measuring of human resources. Component analysis revealed two reasons why measuring human resources is perceived as being important. The first illustrates the view that ‘measurement reflects the strategic and competitive importance of human resources’, while the second suggests that,‘to earn credibility, HRM must be expressed in financial terms’. Further analysis highlighted the importance of senior management and financial managers' support for measuring human resources and drew attention to what may appear to be a ‘hard view' of HRM held by HR managers in relation to why they consider this important.
TL;DR: This paper examined how different employment relationships in academic settings, i.e., tenured versus non-tenured appointments, are associated with different types of job performance efforts and found that employees' efforts to perform well depend on embeddedness in the social environment.
Abstract: This study examines how different employment relationships in academic settings, ie tenured versus non-tenured appointments, are associated with different types of job performance efforts. The social embeddedness model contends that employees' efforts to perform well depend on embeddedness in the social environment. Adopting this perspective, we ask what types of embeddedness are likely to improve job performance efforts, namely compliance and contextual performance, under the condition of different employment relationships. Regression analyses on the responses of both tenured and non-tenured faculty members show that employees' efforts to perform well can be explained by social embeddedness. Temporal embeddedness appears to be important in explaining the job performance efforts of tenured faculty members, while, in contrast, network embeddedness seems important in explaining the efforts of nontenured faculty members; and institutional embeddedness explained the efforts of both groups of faculty members.
TL;DR: This article developed an explanatory framework for understanding the growth and development of temporary agency work (TAW) and the related industry, showing how deep-seated national work-related values (deep embeddedness) affect the way TAW is regulated nationally.
Abstract: This article develops an explanatory framework for understanding the growth and development of temporary agency work (TAW) and the related industry. The analysis shows that explanations based on economic logic are helpful in understanding the choice of TAW in general. These explanations, however, fall short when trying to explain the growth of agency work over time or the variation in its use among European countries. To cope with these shortcomings, we extend our explanatory base to include a variety of sociocultural dynamics. Our analysis shows how deep-seated national work-related values (‘deep embeddedness’) affect the way TAW is regulated nationally. It also demonstrates how differences in more changeable norms, attitudes and practices (‘dynamic embeddedness’) affect the process of embedding agency work as a societally acceptable phenomenon, providing a basis for its subsequent proliferation. Mission: HF 5001-6182 Programme: HF 5546-5548.6, HF 5549-5549.5 Library of Congress Classification (LCC)
TL;DR: In this article, the authors report on the findings of a study within the automotive franchise retail sector which shows how employees' experiences of HRM can, under some circumstances, be influenced both directly and indirectly by third-party organisations.
Abstract: This article reports on the findings of a study within the automotive franchise retail sector which shows how employees' experiences of HRM can, under some circumstances, be influenced both directly and indirectly by third-party organisations. A model that describes these patterns of influence is put forward. These findings point to the way in which inter-firm relationships influence the employment relationship from the perspective of both the employer and the employee, and raise questions about the limits of control exercised by HR department policies and activities. The article also contributes to the relatively limited literature on the operation of franchising systems, in particular concerning the role played by HR policies and practices as a mechanism for inter-organisational control.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined HR managers' perceptions of the ways in which their competencies changed over the timespan of a management education process and the ways that they utilised these competencies within their work situations.
Abstract: A great deal has been written about the types of competencies that HR managers need. However, there is little known about how these might be acquired and which ones prove most valuable in carrying out HR tasks. This article provides insights into this issue from a study carried out in Ireland. The study examined HR managers' perceptions of the ways in which their competencies changed over the timespan of a management education process and the ways that they utilised these competencies within their work situations. The study suggests that the acquisition and development of ‘meta-qualities’(Pedler et al, 1994) can be important to HR professionals in managing the complexity and ambiguity in their roles.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored questions of labour reproduction and skill development under different contract arrangements within the UK construction and civil engineering industry and revealed an over-dependency on contingent labour and low levels of apprenticeships.
Abstract: This article explores questions of labour reproduction and skill development under different contract arrangements within the UK construction and civil engineering industry. The central concerns of the article relate to the impact skills shortages within the sector have had on recruitment practices, training provision and the use of contract alternatives in terms of both direct and non-standard labour. The argument primarily draws on data from a national postal survey conducted in 2002, covering firms of all sizes within this key economic sector. The article reveals some interesting findings regarding recruitment and training practices which, despite encouraging headline figures on the existence of training, reveal an over-dependency on contingent labour and low levels of apprenticeships – particularly among small firms, which are predominant in the industry. This suggests that the recognised problems of labour shortages within the sector are ongoing, and that the aim of attracting new workers into the industry remains unrealised.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present empirical data on how companies deal with their decentralised and individualised employment relations, showing that, in the main areas such as labour contracts, working time arrangements, reward systems and development plans, decentralisation and individualisation are taking place.
Abstract: From a very centralistic and collectivistic tradition after World War Two, Dutch employment relations now show a trend towards radical decentralisation and individualisation. What might be the consequences of this trend for labour relations? Do developments still fit within a movement towards `organised decentralisation’ or will the existing system of labour relations be hollowed out and destroyed? And what will be the consequences for ER management at company level? We present empirical data on how companies deal with their decentralised and individualised employment relations. It appears that, in the main areas such as labour contracts, working time arrangements, reward systems and development plans, decentralisation and individualisation are taking place. It has also become clear that management as well as workers support this and that a new form of negotiation between them is developing at workplace level, resulting in what we call `third contracts’ that are additional to the initial labour contract and the collective agreement. Our results also highlight the pragmatic way in which companies deal with these decentralised and individualised employment relations, which, nevertheless, remain linked to the national and collective levels of bargaining. Within the multilevel system of Dutch employment relations a new balance between collectivism and individualism is emerging.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored both the rhetoric, as represented by the literature, and the reality of evaluation in the context of three change initiatives, and suggested that inclusion of approaches that facilitate recognition and sharing of perception and experience across group boundaries may be more acceptable and productive.
Abstract: Despite its inclusion in prescriptions that are offered for successful change management and the benefits this could bring, it is widely recognised that systematic, planned evaluation of initiatives rarely takes place. On the basis of the findings from qualitative case study research undertaken in the public sector, this article explores both the rhetoric, as represented by the literature, and the reality of evaluation in the context of three change initiatives. What emerges is the importance of informal, personal evaluation which appears both to negate the need and to act as a replacement for systematic planned evaluation for the management group. Equally significant is the evidence of informal evaluations occurring at every level of the organisation that were not recognised by management as important – and which were being neither captured nor shared, other than in a very restricted sense. Consequently, decisions were being made on the basis of an assumed reality that did not necessarily reflect the experience of those affected by the change. Rather than emphasising the need for planned, systematic evaluation processes for change initiatives, it is suggested that inclusion of approaches that facilitate recognition and sharing of perception and experience across group boundaries may be more acceptable and productive.
TL;DR: The authors examined the role of trade unions in the health service at workplace level under the Labour government's modernisation agenda, and focused on the shifting balance between forms of direct and indirect participation drawing on case studies of three acute hospital trusts.
Abstract: This article examines the role of trade unions in the health service at workplace level under the Labour government’s modernisation agenda, and focuses on the shifting balance between forms of direct and indirect participation drawing on case studies of three acute hospital trusts. There has been a strong growth in forms of direct communication within the case study trusts and some increase in direct participation among professional groups. Despite this ‘dualism’ in employment relations, however, the target culture of the NHS has precluded the development of effective voice mechanisms. The policy implications for trade unions and the implications for the implementation of NHS pay modernisation are considered.