1994 Group Managing People

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1994 Group Managing People Herding Cats HRM and
Professionals
John Purcell Professor of Human Resource
Management University of Bath
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THE RESEARCH 1999-2003

• Six small/medium knowledge intensive firms
  (software, chemistry research, knowledge
  exploitation)
• 12 excellent organisations (e.g. Tesco,
  Nationwide, Jaguar) focussing on the link
  between people and performance
• 340 professional employees interviewed using a
  structured questionnaire exploring attitudes to
  work (PP project KIFS project)

Swart, Kinnie, Purcell (2003) People and
Performance in Knowledge Intensive Firms CIPD
ISBN 085292 9765 Purcell, Kinnie, Hutchinson,
Rayton, Swart (2003) Understanding the People and
Performance Link Unlocking the Black Box CIPD
ISBN 0 85292 987 0
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The Bath People and Performance Model
Ability/skill
---------------------- Motivation/
Incentive ---------------------- Opportunity to
participate
Front line management - Implementing -
Enacting - Leading -
Controlling
Organisation commitment --------------- motivatio
n -------------- Job satisfaction
Performance outcomes
Discretionary Behaviour
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THE BIG IDEA
A clear sense of mission underpinned by values
and a culture expressing what the firm is and its
relationship with its customers and employees.
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FRONT-LINE MANAGERS BRINGING POLICIES TO LIFE
Front line management - Implementing -
Enacting - Leading -
Controlling
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Performance Appraisal Training Team working
Work-life balance Pay satisfaction Rewards
and Recognition Communication Involvement
Job security Openness
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HRM and knowledge management
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Categorising knowledge

• Intellectual Capital approaches
• Human
• Social
• Structural
• Organisational
• Customer

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Knowledge intensive situations

• Knowledge creation
• Learning-by-doing
• Knowledge sharing within organisations
• Inter-team building of capital
• Porous boundaries
• Knowledge sharing between organisations
• Client influence
• Client teams
• Boundaries
• Communities of Practice

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Key HR practices

• The importance of attracting and retaining talent
  within a talent war
• Development of human capital through work
  organisation and exposure to challenging projects
  as a tool to develop cutting edge skills
• Reward as redundant time for development
• The centrality of performance management in KIFs
• The intensification of social capital (knowing
  who to ask, when to ask and what to ask about
  when trading in a knowledge currency),
• Managing clients and relationships with other
  partners in external networks

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Managing Knowledge



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The paradox of organisational commitment
Hard to get from professionals yet vital for
retention.
Is job satisfaction enough? Why stay for the
next job?
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38.1 where the job was not challenging
36.4 where pay was not related to performance
35.7 where managers had poor leadership skills
25.7 where there was judged to be a poor climate
of management employee relations
22.1 where not enough attention was given by the
organisation to work-life balance
n325
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47.2
Career opportunity
46.1
Relationship with managers
44.2
Effort
47.2
41.3
Appraisal
37.5
Reward/recognition
29.3
44.2
Communication
16
39.5
39.5
Involvement
38.3
Training
36.6
33.5
Appraisal
38.3
Career opportunities
25.5
36.6
33.5
Relationship with managers
25.5