人力资源经理职业化的发展

职业化是一个行业发展成熟的重要标志,市场环境的变化使得我国的人力资源经理面临着职业化的挑战。人力资源经理职业化的关键在于建立职业化的人力资源经理市场。通过人力资源经理市场,人力资源经理拥有的专业技能能够进行认证、定价、交易和发展。人力资源经理职业化具体表现在:严格的职业资格认定机制、规范化的人力资源管理教育、专业性协会和专业化培训、专业化的人力资源管理人员配置、较高的人力资源管理专业人员薪酬等方面。人力资源管理从业人员的职业资格认证是人力资源职业化发展的重要环节。论文首先探讨人力资源管理职业化的发展及其重要性;进而介绍美国和英国主要的人力资源资格认证制度;最后,作者提出了人力资源经理的职业化对人力资源管理从业人员在教育、技能和职业道德方面一些基本标准要求。     

Knowledge management challenges in new business development: Case study observations

This paper's focus is on the knowledge management challenges that come along with technology-based new business development (NBD). NBD thrives upon the exploration of knowledge, under radical uncertainty. Furthermore, existing knowledge may both enable and constrain the radical innovation process. These characteristics make the dominant approach of knowledge management – focusing on codifying, collecting and distributing knowledge – unsuited for NBD. We suggest that knowledge management can enhance NBD by focusing on experimenting, monitoring and integrating knowledge. This is illustrated by case study observations of radical innovation processes.     

Mapping the changes in management science: A review of ‘soft’ OR/MS articles published in Omega (1973–2008)

The paper proposes a framework to map the development of management science (MS) and uses it to survey the MS literature published in Omega, the International Journal of Management Science. The management science discourse over the last 35 years is mapped in four paradigms: (1) optimisation/normative; (2) interpretative/learning; (3) critical; and (4) a post-modern management science approach. Using a set of keywords and authors’ names associated with the main features of each MS discourse, articles published between 1973 and 2008 are grouped. Results seem to suggest that Omega, a US-based journal, has been mainly developing publications under the optimisation paradigm; only very few papers adhering to the interpretative/learning and critical paradigms have been given space in Omega. The handful of papers from the interpretative paradigm are seen as attempts of UK-based academics to open some space for ‘soft’ operational research (OR) or ‘problem structuring methods’ in a positivistic outlook that seems to pervade US management science practice. Results of the survey and features of MS literature published in Omega are discussed. The paper aims to raise awareness amongst management scientist, systems and operational researchers of the differences between the MS/OR practice in both countries.     

Present positions and future prospects in management science

This paper offers some thoughts on the present state of management science as a discipline and a profession, and considers possible developmental strategies. The growth of management science, and the optimism this engendered, was largely premised on the successful use of scientific methodology and quantitative techniques to solve a relatively narrow range of management problems. In the 1970s, however, this positivist/quantitative ‘traditional management science’ became subject to increasing critical assault from those who wanted to broaden the impact of the discipline. Alternative management science approaches were born—soft systems thinking, organisational cybernetics, critical management science—and succeeded in establishing themselves. The existence of these alternative strands of work, alongside traditional management science, raises important questions about the future development of the discipline and profession. In this paper four developmental possibilities are set down and examined to see what future prospects they hold out for management science. It is argued that three of these—the isolationist, imperialist and pragmatist strategies—would lead the discipline into a dead end. A pluralist option, however, offers excellent opportunities for successful, future development.     

Waiting: integrating social and psychological perspectives in operations management

Waiting time is an important issue in service operations management because of its impact on customer satisfaction and operations capabilities. This paper examines waiting time from a social and psychological perspective. It provides a conceptual framework which identifies social and psychological factors that affect perceptions of waiting. The conceptual framework enables service managers to rethink operational issues, such as layout design, process choices, and service delivery from customers’ perceptions of waiting. Assimilation–contrast theory suggests that perceived waiting time be linked to expected waiting time and its gap leads to customers’ overall evaluation of service. A customer’s willingness to accept delay is related to the causes for delay as explained by attribution theory. Approaching waiting time from a stress management theory, this paper provides service managers with various stress-reduction mechanisms such as giving customers advance notice of expected waiting time, speeding up pre-process waiting time, and acknowledging customers’ rights to quick service. These practical suggestions can aid service managers in reducing perceived waiting time, enhancing customers’ waiting experience, and improving queue management.     

Anmerkungen zur Professionalisierung des Coaching auf dem Hintergrund des klassischen Professionsbegriffs

Some comments on the professionalization of coaching with regard to the classical concept ?profession“ In the current discussions on the professionalization of coaching the concept ?profession“ often is not clear. Therefore, the author first delineates the classical concept of profession and its main criterions. He then discusses the question whether these criterions are present in coaching and whether coaching may or should be conceived as an independent profession. Considering the tendencies of deprofessionalization in the traditional professions, it seems to be meaningful to understand coaching as a profession, but with a revised theoretical concept of profession: Particularly concerning the necessary scientific orientation it demands an interdisciplinarity instead of a fixed corpus of knowledge. The professionality of the practitioner means an orientation on general values and concepts of understanding and acting and is a central aspect of quality of coaching.     

Die Supervision auf dem Weg zur Profession? Professionalisierung im Spannungsfeld zwischen Expansionsbestrebung und Selbstbescheidung

In contrast to the general trend of deprofessionalization, supervision has established some criteria for professions during the last twenty years: wide ranges of quality standards, standardized educational programs, professional ethics etc. This development toward this trend needs explanation. It is argued, that the approach of the development of profession could be successful, because supervision became a successful “parasite” of its “host” social work. The introduction of supervision in social work, however, was responsible for the introduction of coaching as a new profession in the area of organizational consulting. The question is which effects the expansion of supervision towards team and organizational development will have on the establishing of its further professionalization. There appears to be some tendencies toward the idea that supervision will become a part of the development of professionalization as the “perfect nanny of organizations”.     

Coaching auf dem Weg zur Profession? Eine professionssoziologische Einordnung

Following a historical and sociological introduction into the special subject of profession the contribution discusses the niveau of the professionalization of coaching. While the development of the expertise and the organisational level has achieved obvious progress the definition of jurisdiction remains still unclear. A look at the development of coaching in the context of the New Capitalisms shows a connection between the de-professionalization in many working areas and a complementary differentiation and professionalization of extra-functional competences. The professionalization of Coaching and other new forms of reflexive counselling are linked to this development. Although the classical model of profession has become weaker the clarifying of jurisdiction and the autonomy are still remaining the decisive challenges of professional work. As to both aspects the contribution provides an outlook.     

The role of culture in technology management research: National Character and Cultural Distance frameworks

Management research exploring the role of national culture on topics such as management style, strategy, and firm performance can broadly be divided into two categories. Studies that attempt to compare and contrast the impact of culture on organizations in different cultures have been labeled as “National Character” studies. These studies attempt to determine how specific cultural attributes affect actions, strategies and performance. The second type of culture study focuses on the interactions between two firms embedded in different national cultures. These studies look at the impact of “Cultural Distance” on the ability of organizations to successfully interact. It is this latter area which is becoming increasingly important to technology management in the “Flat World” of the 21st Century. Research propositions for technology management for each of the two frameworks are developed.     

Organizational innovativeness: Exploring the relationship between organizational determinants of innovation, types of innovations, and measures of organizational performance

This research study examines the relationships between innovativeness of firms, their organizational characteristics, and organizational performance. Previous studies that have examined these relationships have yielded conflicting results. A fundamental assumption of this research is that these conflicting results may be due to a narrow definition of the construct of innovativeness. This research demonstrates that by using a multidimensional measure of innovativeness, the reasons for the conflicting findings of past research becomes evident. The results of this study show that substantive relationships do exist between organizational factors, organizational innovativeness, and organizational performance. These relationships, however, are complex, and can only be detected if innovativeness is measured as a multidimensional construct. Each of the organizational factors examined in this study showed significantly different effects on each dimension of two types of organizational innovativeness — technical and administrative innovativeness. Further, the results show that innovativeness does improve organizational performance. However, each dimension of the two types of innovativeness affects different aspects of organizational performance.     

Internal knowledge generation: the research laboratory and innovative productivity in the pharmaceutical industry

As firms face increasing pressures associated with new forms of knowledge-based competition, researchers have begun to focus on knowledge acquisition strategies to the point of ignoring knowledge creation strategies. This paper investigates the impact of research centers in the pharmaceutical industry upon this neglected form of knowledge creation–innovation productivity. We find that firms with separate research facilities are more innovative than firms without such facilities. The results diverge when locational distance of the laboratory is considered for patent versus drug innovations, and vary across diversification types. These findings suggest that managers and researchers need to consider the relationship between the research center and corporate headquarters — and the role of the corporate headquarters — when developing knowledge generation strategies.     

Technology management: Fundamental issues for engineering education?

Although technology management has been a subject of concern in recent years, its importance to the technical community is not well established. The fundamental implications of technology management for the engineering profession is explored. A definition of technology is sought that best communicates the full implications of the term. In particular, the importance of knowing “how to apply” in contrast to understanding the “scientific fundamentals” is developed as a basis for defining technology.It is concluded that the current attention being given to technology management has significant fundamental implications for engineering and business education. Technology management is shown to focus attention on the importance of decision making processes for engineers and managers. It is concluded that including decision making as a fundamental engineering process may provide a new basis for structuring the “non-science” part of engineering curricula and provide a link between engineering and business curricula. Coupling this with a recognition of the differing characteristics of what is defined as Science Knowledge and Application Knowledge may provide a new paradigm for better preparing engineering students for entering professional practice and also provide a new basis for planning professional development and life long learning.     

Organisational Learning and Governance Through Embedded Practices

This article has two principal aims. The first is to reconcile thecompetence based approach to the firm with traditional contractualapproaches, instead of treating them as incompatible. The mainthesis advanced is that firms manage simultaneously competencesand transactions, but they do so in accordance with a specificlexicographic order of priorities. The second aim is to explorein detail the sources of knowledge formation in the firm. Theanalysis privileges anthropological readings which stress the roleof learning – both radical and incremental – within distributed communities of practice.     

Why communities of practice succeed and why they fail

A specific form of intra-organizational networks – a community of practice (COP) – is increasingly regarded as an important structure within organizations. This network structure is well suited for the development and sharing of knowledge and practices across divisions. Our research explores the most salient reasons for the success and failure of such networks. An investigation of 57 COPs from major European and US companies led to the discovery of 10 “commandments” that lead to the successful development and sharing of best practices. It also identified five main reasons for failure.     

Density-dependent strategic action: Outcomes of structural market commitment in the global integrated circuit industry

This study develops theory regarding organizational survival and technology management in global, technology-intensive industries. Findings indicate that ecological effects on survival localize to the level of separate international markets as an industry becomes global. How firms structurally participate in these markets moderate these ecological forces. Strategic choices about technology management, such as centralized versus decentralized manufacturing and R&D operations, help firms “crack” densely packed markets. The developed theory is tested with firm-level data on the structure and international presence of all organizations in the worldwide population of integrated circuit manufacturers, from 1961 to 1994.     

Something Old,Something New?: Competing Logics and the Hybrid Nature of New Corporate Professions

The professionalization of certain management occupations, such as project management and human resource management, has been neglected in recent debates on professions, which instead focus upon the deregulation of collegial professions or the failure or unwillingness of new expert occupations to professionalize. Project management represents one of a handful of ‘management professions’ which confound this interpretation, explicitly pursuing a ‘corporate professionalization’ project with some degree of success. This paper focuses on the strategic activities of the principal British professional association in this field, the Association for Project Management (APM), as it negotiates a path between exploiting established sources of legitimacy and exploring a novel conception of professionalism. In the process, the association manipulates collegial and corporate logics of professionalism, in terms of its relationships with key stakeholders, its global orientation, its knowledge base and strategies of occupational closure. Drawing on interviews with APM officials and broader documentary analysis, we analyse the conditions which have produced this hybrid model of professionalism, highlighting the pragmatic management of tensions through the combination of distinct, even contradictory, professionalization logics.     

Researchers' Perspectives on Supply Chain Risk Management

Supply chain risk management (SCRM) is a nascent area emerging from a growing appreciation for supply chain risk by practitioners and by researchers. However, there is diverse perception of research in supply chain risk because these researchers have approached this area from different domains. This paper presents our study of this diversity from the perspectives of operations and supply chain management scholars: First, we reviewed the researchers' output, i.e., the recent research literature. Next, we surveyed two focus groups (members of Supply Chain Thought Leaders and International SCRM groups) with open‐ended questions. Finally, we surveyed operations and supply chain management researchers during the 2009 INFORMS meeting in San Diego. Our findings characterize the diversity in terms of three “gaps”: a definition gap in how researchers define SCRM, a process gap in terms of inadequate coverage of response to risk incidents, and a methodology gap in terms of inadequate use of empirical methods. We also list ways to close these gaps as suggested by the researchers.     

An Intranet based system as an enabler in effective project management and implementation of quality standards: A case study

This paper reports on the development of an Intranet based system, as an enabler in project management and implementation of a quality standard (ISO9001:2000) at Tyco Fire & Integrated Solutions Oil Gas & Marine Europe, a subsidiary of Tyco International a worldwide Engineering Conglomerate, (Referred to as TFIS). The system enabled stakeholders to follow standard project protocols, playing an important role in creating integration between different sub-sections. This paper discusses the strategic relevance of the system in achieving desired business outcomes, by making the organisation more responsive, agile and increasing the accountability of stakeholders involved in managing projects.     

The philosophical impact of Shintoism,Buddhism, and Confucianism on Japanese management practices

The philosophical influences of Shintoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism manifest themselves in a variety of ways in modern Japanese management practices. The paper explores the historical roots of these driving social forces and explains their relationship to such management practices as performance appraisal, employee motivation, leadership, equal employment opportunity, teamwork, and strategy formulation.This paper was presented at the Association of Management National Conference held in Atlanta, Georgia on August 5–9 1993.     

Arriving at a strategic theory of the firm

The theory of the firm seeks to explain the existence and boundaries of the firm in relation to the market. Since the pioneering work of Coase (The nature of the firm. Economica , 4 , 386–405, 1937), economics has developed a whole family of theories that focus on the ability of firms to economize on certain costs of using markets. More recently, researchers in strategic management have published several theories of the firm that have tended to emphasize the benefits of incorporation rather than the costs of using the market. Although researchers in the strategy profession have tentatively labeled their work as 'moving towards' a strategic theory of the firm, economists have been very critical of existing approaches. This paper seeks to begin 'arriving' at a strategic theory of the firm by addressing these criticisms and offering an integration of the strategic and economic perspectives within an institutional framework. The paper concludes with future directions for research in the theory of the firm.