Senior HR Research Articles

Driving continuous quality improvement at Fairchild

Steven Willison, senior HR associate at Fairchild Semiconductor, explains how the company’s drive for continuous improvement led to the achievement of a new quality standard that keeps it one step ahead of the competition

Indicators of Strategic HRM Effectiveness: A Case Study of an Australian Public Sector Agency during Commercialization

This study examines the effectiveness of the human resource management (HRM) function of a public sector entity as it became corporatized. There has been little empirical research regarding the effectiveness of the people management functions within the Australian public sector as these entities went through a period of transition to commercialization. A questionnaire obtaining perceptions on different aspects of HR effectiveness, both before and after corporatization, was administered to a sample (N = 122) representing a number of different stakeholder groups of the corporate HRM unit. The results showed a moderate, but statistically significant, improvement in the effectiveness of HRM, and of the corporate HRM unit, as the host organization went through corporatization. Perceptions on HR effectiveness were not found to vary significantly between the different stakeholder groups. Regression analysis showed that the major predictors of the improvement in the overall effectiveness of the corporate HR unit were, firstly, changes in the level of satisfaction with the quality of the HR outcomes as a result of commercialization and, secondly, the change in extent to which the senior HR practitioner had effective influence over strategic decision-making processes.

Executive pay and performance measurement practices in the UK

The use of performance measurement systems and the balanced scorecard has been on the increase, and there is now a trend amongst practitioners and academics to prescribe that rewards should be linked to the measurement system. However, little research has been done in this area. This paper reports the results of a recent survey of executive reward practices in large companies based in the UK. Senior HR professionals and reward specialists were approached to provide details of performance measurement and reward practices in their own organizations, and to give their opinions on the benefits of such an approach.

High performance work systems, organisational culture and firm effectiveness

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.

Building Corporate Transformation New HR Agenda

The present study focuses on understanding the role of HR in achieving corporate transformation in the Indian context. Responses from 89 senior and top level HR professionals (questionnaire mode) brought out the following: HR professionals are experiencing a gap between organizational demand versus their own knowledge as well as personal competencies. HR role is changing, internal demands on HR professionals are increasing. The extent to which HR will be able to deliver and become a true strategic partner for change management will depend on the extent to which there is CEO support for HR, combined with HR professionals with high levels of expertise. Changes in HR practices are taking place, although not to the desired extent. CEO support and high HR status have been found to be essential to introduce systematic efforts to change mindsets in the company HR status has been found to be a key factor to facilitate change in mindsets, change in HR practices as well as in creating a pro-change orientation in the company.

The Role of the Senior HR Executive in Japan and the United States: Companies, Countries, and Convergence

Based on data from an original survey of senior HR executives in Japan and the United States, this paper provides empirical data for evaluating institutional convergence. In both countries, the headquarters HR function has shrunk and employment decisions have become more decentralized. However, because the pace of change has been more rapid in the U.S., the national gap has widened. Differences persist in other areas, such as the HR executive's role in strategic decisions, perceived power of the HR function, how executives balance shareholder and employee interests, and the consequences of these decisions for corporate governance and organizational outcomes.

Communicating the psychological contract: an employer perspective

The concept of the psychological contract, with its focus on the exchange of perceived promises and commitments, is increasingly used as a framework to study the employment relationship. Yet research has predominantly focused on employee views and has largely neglected the organisational perspective and the management of the psychological contract. This article begins to redress the balance by reporting a study, based on a survey of 1,306 senior HR managers, that explores the management of the psychological contract and in particular the role of organisational communication. Three distinct and relevant aspects of organisational communication are identified, concerned with initial entry, day‐to‐day work and more future‐oriented, top‐down communication. Effective use of these forms of communication is associated with what managers judge to be a clearer and less frequently breached set of organisational promises and commitments, as well as with a fairer exchange and a more positive impact of policies and practices on employee attitudes and behaviour. The findings are discussed within the context of the wider literature on psychological contracts, organisational culture and HRM. The study confirms that the psychological contract offers managers a useful framework within which to consider and manage the employment relationship.

Human resource issues and activities in international joint ventures

International joint ventures are an increasingly important way for organizations to expand internationally. There is no apparent reason for this trend not to continue as pressures from global competition, the need to learn quickly and the need to use valued scarce resources wisely are likely to be with us for some time. But, as organizations learn, it is one thing to enter into an IJV and quite another thing to make it succeed. And, with so many reasons for entering into an IJV, organizations want them to be as successful as possible. Examination of many IJV failures, in conjunction with the reasons for their establishment, indicates that the quality of human resource management can be critical. This paper attempts: a) to illustrate all the organizational/human resource management issues that need to be managed in the IJV process; b) to provide a framework for examining the role played in these issues by various human resource management activities; and c) to highlight the roles of the senior HR leader and the HR department in the IJV process. A four-stage model of IJVs based on the importance of learning and longer-term relationships, along with several theoretical perspectives, is used to generate several testable propositions regarding HR issues and activities in IJVs.

In search of the changing role of the corporate human resource function in the international firm

There has been considerable research on the issues of board-level representation by personnel/HR directors and senior HR managers' involvement in strategic decision making. Since the early 1990s there has been a growing interest in international HRM, reflecting the growing recognition that the effective management of human resources internationally is a major determinant of success or failure in international business. There is also evidence that HR constraints often limit the effective implementation of international business strategies. More recently, it has been argued that the more rapid pace of internationalization and globalization leads to a more strategic role for HRM as well as changes in the content of HRM. Yet, while there have been some attempts to integrate international corporate strategy and human resource strategy, surprisingly, the role of the corporate human resources function has been neglected, particularly in the context of the international firm. This article seeks to redress the balance. The question addressed is: what is the role of the corporate HR function in the international firm? To answer these questions empirical research was conducted in thirty UK international firms. We found an emerging agenda for corporate HR in international firms which focuses on senior management development, succession planning and developing a cadre of international managers. We conceptualize this as a strategic concern with developing the core management competences of the organization, and argue that it can be usefully analysed from the perspective of the learning organization.

Challenges and approaches to building accountability for outcomes in HR

Employment Relations TodayVolume 26, Issue 3 p. 39-51 Features Challenges and approaches to building accountability for outcomes in HR Bonnie J. Stedt, Bonnie J. Stedt bonnie.stedt@aexp.com is an executive vice president, senior relationship leader, for American Express HR and has been with Amex for 12 years. Prior to that, she held senior VP line and HR positions for Federated Department Stores. She and Douglas Smith have collaborated with one another for more than a decade and recently worked together with senior HR leaders to introduce outcomes-based goals at Americn Express.Search for more papers by this authorDouglas K. Smith, Douglas K. Smith dekaysmith@aol.com Douglas K. Smith is a consultant, writer, and speaker concerned with organization performance, innovation, strategy, and change. He is the author of Make Success Measurable! (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999), in which he developed the approach of outcomes-based goals at length, and Taking Charge of Change (Addison-Wesley. 1996). He is also coauthor of The Wisdom of Teams (Harvard Business School Press, 1993).Search for more papers by this author Bonnie J. Stedt, Bonnie J. Stedt bonnie.stedt@aexp.com is an executive vice president, senior relationship leader, for American Express HR and has been with Amex for 12 years. Prior to that, she held senior VP line and HR positions for Federated Department Stores. She and Douglas Smith have collaborated with one another for more than a decade and recently worked together with senior HR leaders to introduce outcomes-based goals at Americn Express.Search for more papers by this authorDouglas K. Smith, Douglas K. Smith dekaysmith@aol.com Douglas K. Smith is a consultant, writer, and speaker concerned with organization performance, innovation, strategy, and change. He is the author of Make Success Measurable! (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999), in which he developed the approach of outcomes-based goals at length, and Taking Charge of Change (Addison-Wesley. 1996). He is also coauthor of The Wisdom of Teams (Harvard Business School Press, 1993).Search for more papers by this author First published: 16 January 2007 https://doi.org/10.1002/ert.3910260305 AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume26, Issue3Autumn (Fall) 1999Pages 39-51 RelatedInformation

Recruiting strategies for today's staffing trends

Employment Relations TodayVolume 26, Issue 2 p. 43-51 Features Recruiting strategies for today's staffing trends Ronald M. Katz, Ronald M. Katz ronhrkatz@aol.com Ronald M. Katz is a human resources consultant specializing in the areas of staffing, selection, performance management, and diversity. He is an adjunct instructor at the Cornell University New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations, New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies, and Mercy College Graduate Program in Human Resource Management. He has spoken nationally on human resources topics, including speaking at the Society for Human Resource Management conferences, and his motivational style has earned distinction and recognition from senior HR professionals as well as those newer to the field.Search for more papers by this author Ronald M. Katz, Ronald M. Katz ronhrkatz@aol.com Ronald M. Katz is a human resources consultant specializing in the areas of staffing, selection, performance management, and diversity. He is an adjunct instructor at the Cornell University New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations, New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies, and Mercy College Graduate Program in Human Resource Management. He has spoken nationally on human resources topics, including speaking at the Society for Human Resource Management conferences, and his motivational style has earned distinction and recognition from senior HR professionals as well as those newer to the field.Search for more papers by this author First published: 16 January 2007 https://doi.org/10.1002/ert.3910260206 AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume26, Issue2Summer 1999Pages 43-51 RelatedInformation

Support for an HR Approach in Australia: The Perspective of Senior HR Managers

Results from a national survey of membership of the professional body the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) provide clear support that senior HR managers have internalized key features of an HR approach and have largely moved away from the personnel mindset. Results also indicate that recent HR policy initiatives have focused on recruitment and selection, train ing and development and performance appraisal. These policy areas are com plementary, central to strategic HRM and reflect an attempt to develop key HR capabilities. Further HR policy areas that are discussed at the senior manage ment committee level reinforce policy initiatives being taken by HR managers. There is also adequate opportunity for this group of senior HR managers to communicate their ideas directly with the CEO. These findings raise important questions about how this perceived move towards an HR approach will be received and supported elsewhere in the organization. Sector and ownersbip were also taken into account. HR manage...

Are top human resource specialists 'strategic partners'? Self-perceptions of a corporate elite

Despite the existence of various large-scale surveys of human resource specialists, there has been little research focusing specifically on the top cohort of HR practitioners. In addition, the surveys offer little insight into the ambiguous, but important questions associated with the strategic management process in large, complex corporations. This article reports a study of the qualifications, work histories, role orientations and strategic contributions of the most senior HR specialists in the New Zealand business sector. These elite practitioners typically demonstrate a 'dual background' in specialist HR activities and line management, and strongly subscribe to Legge's notion of 'conformist innovation'. As in the United Kingdom, they tend to focus primarily on the management of managers and, to a lesser extent, the management of industrial relations. Their work is increasingly integrated with other spheres of the business such as quality management. Whether their contribution is regarded as 'strategic' depends on the model of strategic management that informs the question. This paper argues that the survey-based studies have inappropriately adopted 'outside-in' models of strategic management which privilege marketing notions and assume that 'formulation' is more strategic than 'implementation'. The work of these senior HR specialists is more fairly assessed under a conception of the strategic problem which balances external and internal concerns. Given the present realignment of strategy theory, the challenge facing these HR specialists is that of developing frameworks for corporate planning and performance analysis which attribute a more central role to the critical elements of HRM.

Agediversity in the workplace

Employment Relations TodayVolume 23, Issue 4 p. 67-73 Feature Agediversity in the workplace Shirley B. Waldrum, Shirley B. Waldrum Shirley B. Waldrum: is program specialist at the headquarters of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) in Washington, DC, and her primary responsibility is to develop contracts on the federal, state, county, and city levels to identify opportunities for cooperative projects and partnerships. AARP is the leading organization for people age 50 and older. It serves their needs and interests through research, advocacy, informative programs, and community services.Search for more papers by this authorH. Gerald Niemira, H. Gerald Niemira H. Gerald Niemira: is director of human resources of Queens Surface Corporation, the largest private bus transportation company in New York City and one of the ten largest in North America. He has over 25 years of experience in senior HR positions with Kidde Inc., Hanson PLC, and AEP Industries. He is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and a recipient of the 1979 National Alliance of Businessmen Award for a Handicapped Recruitment Program and the 1979 award given by the U.S. President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped.Search for more papers by this author Shirley B. Waldrum, Shirley B. Waldrum Shirley B. Waldrum: is program specialist at the headquarters of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) in Washington, DC, and her primary responsibility is to develop contracts on the federal, state, county, and city levels to identify opportunities for cooperative projects and partnerships. AARP is the leading organization for people age 50 and older. It serves their needs and interests through research, advocacy, informative programs, and community services.Search for more papers by this authorH. Gerald Niemira, H. Gerald Niemira H. Gerald Niemira: is director of human resources of Queens Surface Corporation, the largest private bus transportation company in New York City and one of the ten largest in North America. He has over 25 years of experience in senior HR positions with Kidde Inc., Hanson PLC, and AEP Industries. He is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and a recipient of the 1979 National Alliance of Businessmen Award for a Handicapped Recruitment Program and the 1979 award given by the U.S. President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped.Search for more papers by this author First published: 27 March 2007 https://doi.org/10.1002/ert.3910230408Citations: 2 AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume23, Issue4Winter 1997Pages 67-73 RelatedInformation

Requisite organization: a total system for effective managerial organization and managerial leadership for the 21st century

Based on Elliott Jaques latest research, this is a thorough revision of a book that has established itself as a classic in its field. Jaques has written a practical high-level, how-to book, that applies to all kinds of working organizations - industrial, commercial, service and public. He sets out a totally new way of doing business. Step by step, he builds up the concepts, and then introduces the working procedures to enable CEOs and senior executives, managers, and HR specialists, to develop requisite organization for themselves - in other words, organization which enhances creativity, productive effectiveness, human satisfaction and excellent morale. Requisite Organization challenges all of our current methods and assumptions in the field of organization, leadership and management, and presents a unified total management system built upon a rigorous theoretical base, Stratified Systems Theory. Any enterprise can gain a competitive edge in the short-term by introducing new products and services. In the long-term, however, an adaptive and successful enterprise calls for soundly structured organization with effective staffing and managerial leadership at every level - a requisite organization.

A chameleon function? HRM in the ‘90s

This article examines the changing role of the HR function in large corporations in the 1990s. It draws on data collected from a multi‐sector case study research project – the Leading Edge Forum Consortium. Activities are analysed along three dimensions: access to strategic decision making, shift of responsibilities to the line, and the function's perceived contribution to business performance. It concludes that devolution to the line remains problematic, and that access to strategic decision making is still contingent on the personal influencing skills of senior HR managers or directors. Nevertheless the recognition of the strategic importance of HRM as a contributor to business performance has risen.

A quality human resource curriculum: Recommendations from leading senior HR executives

This article describes a high quality human resource management curriculum as perceived by one group of customers–senior human resource executives who hire, train, and work with university and college graduates. A Delphi research methodology was used to survey the opinions of 24 members of the Human Resources Council, an advisory body to the American Management Association. The study confirms that the major topics taught in most HRM curricula at the bachelor and masters levels are perceived by HR executives to be just about right. It also presents their views about the relative value of the topics and shares specifics about their conviction that graduates need a much deeper understanding of how and where the HR function fits into the overall business strategy of an organization. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

A quality human resource curriculum: Recommendations from leading senior HR executives

A quality human resource curriculum: Recommendations from leading senior HR executives

Negotiating the Evolution of the Hr Function: Practical Advice From the Health Care Sector

This paper has two aims. First, to consider explanations for the apparent gap between the paradigm of strategic human resource management on the one hand and actual HR practice on the other. Second, to generate practical advice for senior HR specialists who are aspriring to develop a strategic role for their function. the research underpinning these findings was based on case studies in three hospitals in Adelaide and a comparison of the findings with the situation at Leicester General NHS Trust where the first named author of this article was the HR director and a senior board member. the analysis reveals that specific features of each organisation's history, current structure and management, shape powerfully the nature of the HR function. Moreover, the local shaping factors define the degrees of freedom open to the HR function, so much so, that the notion that it can choose its organisational stance is here challenged.