Intellectual Capital Architectures and Bilateral Learning: A Framework For Human Resource Management

Both researchers and managers are increasingly interested in how firms can pursue bilateral learning; that is, simultaneously exploring new knowledge domains while exploiting current ones (cf., March, 1991). To address this issue, this paper introduces a framework of intellectual capital architectures that combine unique configurations of human, social, and organizational capital. These architectures support bilateral learning by helping to create supplementary alignment between human and social capital as well as complementary alignment between people-embodied knowledge (human and social capital) and organization-embodied knowledge (organizational capital). In order to establish the context for bilateral learning, the framework also identifies unique sets of HR practices that may influence the combinations of human, social, and organizational capital

Walking the Talk: The Impact of High Commitment Values and Practices on Technology Start-ups

We examine the impact of high commitment work systems (HCWS) on high-technology start-ups. We differentiate two components of a HCWS: the human resource practices and the espoused values of the firm\u27s leadership and demonstrate that both are associated with an increased likelihood of IPO and a decreased likelihood of firm failure. Importantly, there are interactions between practices and values such that the benefit of one tends to amplify the other. Implications of these interactions for future research on high commitment work systems are discussed

Exploring organizational culture in college athletics: Comparing the athletic director and employee perceptions of present and preferred cultures

Using a mixed methods research design, this study compared the athletic director’s perceptions of the present and preferred organizational cultures with the perceptions of the athletic department employees at Big State University. As the pace of change has accelerated in athletic departments, it has become more important for members of these organizations to develop a shared understanding of their present culture as well as the type of cultural attributes that they believe will help them become more successful in the future. This study used the Competing Values Framework as a theoretical construct and the OCAI survey to gather quantitative data. To supplement the quantitative findings, a series of focus group interviews were conducted in order to develop a richer understanding of the athletic department culture. Although data showed statistically significant differences in the athletic director’s perception of culture when compared to department employees, the differences were most pronounced in the present state, where they differed on both major scales of the CVF. Both the athletic director and employees agreed that inclusive people practices, as represented by the clan archetype, are important to their future success. By identifying the perceptual differences that exist, this study provides a potential methodology that can be utilized to help organizations better understand the present cultural pressures that guide decision making and help align future efforts. This unfreezing can be a critical first step in engaging the team in the management of the cultural forces that can inhibit needed future changes

The organizational memory mismatch approach in the ERP usage stage

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems not only have a broad functional scope promising to support many different business processes. They also embed many different aspects of the company’s organizational memory. Disparities can exist between those memory contents in the ERP system and related contents in other memory media, such as the individuals’ memories, and the organizational structure and culture. Such discrepancies, called memory mismatches here, may cause various instances of ERP under-performance, thus triggering the need for coping behavior in the organization. Coping may take place in the form of organizational change, organizational learning, and software maintenance. This paper provides a theoretical framework for this organizational memory mismatch approach. The approach is applied to the ERP usage stage. It integrates the organizational, technological, and cognitive aspects of ERP systems, while combining and elaborating on the underpinning ERP and IS literature

Three Essays on Information-Securing in Organizations

This dissertation is intended to interpret, analyze, and explain the interplay between organizational structure and organizational information systems security by mapping structural contingency theory into three qualitative studies. The research motivation can be attributed in two ways. First, Johnson and Goetz\u27s (2007) conception of embedding information in organizations as part of their field research interviewing security executives serves as a methodological inspiration for the series of three studies reported here. The point that security should be infused into organization activities instead of serving as a bolted-on function is a central tenet guiding the development of this dissertation. Second, a macro approach is employed in the studies reported here, aimed at a theoretical expansion from existing behavioral security studies which typically take a micro perspective, while mitigating potential theoretical reductionism due to a predominant research concentration on individual components of organizational information security instead of the holistic function of the firm. Hence, this dissertation contributes to the behavioral organizational security research by positing a theoretical construct of information-securing, an organizational security process which is essentially characterized by dualism, dynamism, and democratism. With a macro organizational perspective on the elements of information securing, organizations can effectively discover and leverage organization-wide resources, efforts, and knowledge to cope with security contingencies. The first study of this dissertation is designed to investigate the nature of employees’ extra-role behaviors. This study investigated how employees might sometimes take steps beyond the requirements of the organizational-level security policy in order to facilitate effective workgroup operation and to assist less-skilled colleagues. The second study of this dissertation conducts an interpretive study of the role of information systems auditing in improving information security policy compliance in the workplace, with a specific focus on the role of non-malicious insiders who unknowingly or innocuously thwart corporate information security directives by engaging in unsafe computing practices. The last study of the dissertation explores the interplay between organizational structures and security activities. The organizational perspective of security bureaucracies is developed with three specific bureaucratic archetypes to define the evolutionary stages of the firm’s progress through evolving from coercive rule-based enforcement regimes to fully enabled and employee-centric security cultures in the workplace. Borrowing from Weberian metaphors, the characterization of security bureaucracies evolving from an “iron cage” to an “iron shield” is developed. These three studies revolving around the general notion of information-securing are deemed to be a promising start of a new stream of organizational IS security research. In order to enrich and extend our IS security literature, the perspective advocated in this dissertation suggests a shift in the epistemological paradigm of security behaviors in organizations from the prevailing micro views to macro perspectives which will result in very useful new perspectives on security management, security behaviors and security outcomes in organizations. GS Form 14 (8/10) APPROVAL FOR SCHOLAR

Transforming Caterpillars Into Butterflies: The Role of Managerial Values and HR Systems in the Performance of Emergent Organizations

Emerging firms are the foundation for economic growth in today's business world, yet relatively little is known about the factors that contribute to the success or failure of developing organizations. This research study helps to address this broad question by examining the role that managerial values and practices play in the performance of high-tech start-ups. Using the resource-based and dynamic capability perspectives, this research project examines three critical factors that are likely to affect the performance of emerging firms: human resource policies and practices, an overarching philosophy of partnership, and an entrepreneurial orientation. Each of these is argued to produce a sustainable competitive advantage by providing firms with the ability to dynamically configure and reconfigure resource bundles. Results indicate that high performance work systems and partnership philosophy are positively associated with sales growth and innovation. Additional findings suggest that partnership and an entrepreneurial orientation both increase the likelihood of implementing high performance work systems. Finally, the results suggest that firms combining a greater utilization of high performance work systems with an entrepreneurial orientation achieve higher levels of sales growth

Knowledge workers and their relationships with organisations

The programme of research examines knowledge workers, their relationships with organisations, and perceptions of management practices through the development of a theoretical model and knowledge worker archetypes. Knowledge worker and non-knowledge worker archetypes were established through an analysis of the extant literature. After an exploratory study of knowledge workers in a small software development company the archetypes were refined to include occupational classification data and the findings from Study 1. The Knowledge Worker Characteristics Model (KWCM) was developed as a theoretical framework in order to analyse differences between the two archetypes within the IT sector. The KWCM comprises of the variables within the job characteristics model, creativity, goal orientation, identification and commitment. In Study 2, a global web based survey was conducted. There were insufficient non-knowledge worker responses and therefore a cluster analysis was conducted to interrogate the archetypes further. This demonstrated, unexpectedly, that that there were marked differences within the knowledge worker archetypes suggesting the need to granulate the archetype further. The theoretical framework and the archetypes were revised (as programmers and web developers) and the research study was refocused to examine occupational differences within knowledge work. Findings from Study 2 identified that there were significant differences between the archetypes in relation to the KWCM. 19 semi-structured interviews were conducted in Study 3 in order to deepen the analysis using qualitative data and to examine perceptions of people management practices. The findings from both studies demonstrate that there were significant differences between the two groups but also that job challenge, problem solving, intrinsic reward and team identification were of importance to both groups of knowledge workers. This thesis presents an examination of knowledge workers’ perceptions of work, organisations and people management practices in the granulation and differentiation of occupational archetypes

Understanding of the behaviour of organisational commitment using a system dynamics model

In our increasingly globalised economy, managing continuous change whilst remaining competitive and dynamic, has become a central issue for organisations in the industrial sector. Organisations which defend a people “commitment” approach feature multiple practices which includes collections of organisation-wide human resource policies and procedures that have an effect on employee commitment level and motivation. When workers respond with higher commitment, better employee outcomes are obtained, which in turn has a significant effect on their productivity. Due to this effect is very important to understand organisational commitment over time. As a result, the main objective of this thesis is to understand the behaviour of organisational commitment using a system dynamics model. The final outcome of this research is a conceptual and a computational model. For the definition of the conceptual model three different input sources were used: the literature, the results from 11 Group Model Building (GMB) sessions and empirical evidence from Bateratzen (prior research). These multiple input sources provide the validation and robustness of the model. The variety of sources and phases makes the process more complex, but at the same time involves the necessity of being more accurate with the identification, definition, and interrelationships of the variables involved. Thus, it offers a holistic understanding of the system that explains the behaviour of organisational commitment. The Computational model developed in System Dynamics (SD) fulfils the objective of dynamically representing the behaviour of organisational commitment. Validation was achieved through different methods, creation of scenarios with evidence supplied by the database, among others. Therefore, this research makes a contribution on both the literature about Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) and SD. The most notable contribution for the literature of SHRM is the fact of combining more than one input source (Literature + 11 GMB + Bateratzen database). Decision makers can obtain understanding of the system through a unique model based on three validated input sources. The principal theoretical implication of this research for the field of SHRM is the integration of 7 narratives into a unique model. The whole system defined in the model is understood as the sum of three wide-ranging theories: High Performance Working Systems (HPWS), leadership and trust. Finally, this research has a significant practical implication for decision makers. The use of SD simulation modelling for decision making will enhance the managerial learning process and lead to more effective decisions.Gaur eguneko ekonomia globalizatuan, aldaketetara moldatzeko gaitasuna edukitzea, eta lehiakorra zein dinamikoa izatea sektore industrialeko antolakuntzen ardurarik garrantzitsuena bihurtu da. Konpromezu estrategia lantzeak pertsonekin lotutako hainbat praktika ejekutatzea dakar. Praktika hauek pertsonen konpromezu eta motibazio maila handitzen laguntzen dute. Langileak euren antolakuntzarekin konprometituta daudenean, euren emaitzak hobeak dira eta produktibitatea igotzen da. Konpromezuaren efektu hau dela eta, oso garrantzitusa da ulertzea zelan funatzionatzen duen. Ondorioz, tesi honen helbururik nagusiena antolakuntzako konpromezuaren eboluzioa ulertzea da System Dynamics (SD) modelo bat erabilita. Modelo kontzeptual eta konputazional bat lortu dira ikerkuntzaren emaitza bezala. Kontzeptualaren definiziorako hiru informazio iturri desberdin erabili dira: literatura, 11 Group Model Building (GMB) eta datu enpirikoak Bateratzen datu basetik (aurreko ikerkuntza). Informazio iturri barietateak ziurtatzen du modeloaren balidazioa. Modu berean, prozesua konplexuagoa bihurtzen du, baina aldi berean aldagai definizio eta identifikazio zehatzagoaren premia areagotzen du. Horrela, antolakuntzako konpromezu sistemaren ulermen holistikoago bat eskaintzen du. SD-n garatutako modelo konputazioanala konpromezuaren eboluzioa dinamikoki adierazteko helburua betetzen du. Balidazioa metodo desberdinen bitartez burutu da, Bateratzen datubasetik ateratako eszenarioekin, besteak beste. Erabakitze prozesuaren arduradunek sistemaren ulermena lor dezakete hiru informazio iturri biltzen duen model bakar batekin. Horrez gain, informazio iturrien konbinaketak berrikuntza eta balio gehitua suposatzen du SD simulazioaren esparrurako. Inplikazio teorikorik garrantzitsuena Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) esparrurako 7 narratibak modelo bakar batean elkartu izana da. Modeloa bere osotasunean hiru teorien bakuntza bezala ulertu da: High Performance Working Systems (HPWS), lidergoa eta konfiantza. Bukatzeko, ikerkuntza honek inplikazio praktikoa dauka erabakitze prozesuen arduradunentzako. SD simulazioaren erabilerak arduradunen ikaste prozesua aregaotuko du, erabaki eraginkorragoak har daitezen.En la sociedad globalizada en la que vivimos, gestionar el cambio a la vez que mantenerse competitivas y dinámicas es el foco central de interés de las organizaciones del sector industrial. Las organizaciones que trabajan la estrategia de “compromiso” ejecutan prácticas de personas que influyen en el compromiso y la motivación. Cuando las personas están comprometidas con su organización, su rendimiento es mayor, y por lo tanto la productividad aumenta. Debido a este efecto resulta clave comprender el comportamiento del compromiso organizacional. Por ello, el objetivo principal de esta tesis en comprender el comportamiento del compromiso organizacional utilizando un modelo de Dinámica de Sistemas. Se han obtenido un modelo conceptual y otro computacional como resultados finales de la investigación. Para la definición del modelo conceptual se utilizaron tres fuentes de información diferentes: Literatura, 11 Group Model Building (GMB), y datos empíricos de la base de datos Bateratzen (investigación previa). El hecho de haber utilizado múltiples fuentes de información asegura la validación y robustez del modelo. Por otro lado, aunque la variedad de fuentes de información hace el proceso más complejo, también implica la necesidad de ser más exactos con la identificación y definición de las interrelaciones de las variables. Por lo tanto, esto ofrece una visión holística del sistema que analiza y representa el comportamiento del compromiso organizacional. El modelo computacional desarrollado con Dinámica de Sistemas (DS) responde al objetivo de representación dinámica del comportamiento del compromiso organizacional. La validación fue obtenida mediante diferentes métodos, como la creación de escenarios en base a los datos empíricos obtenidos en Bateratzen. Por lo tanto, esta investigación tiene un impacto significativo tanto para la literatura sobre Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) como para la DS. Además, dicha variedad es novedosa y añade valor al ámbito de la simulación. Esta investigación ofrece una visión de pensamiento sistémico al ámbito de SHRM. Los responsables de la toma de decisiones pueden obtener comprensión del sistema mediante un modelo único alimentado por tres fuentes. La implicación teórica más relevante para el campo del SHRM es la integración de 7 narrativas en un modelo único. El sistema completo definido en el modelo se entiende como la suma de tres teorías: prácticas de Alto Rendimiento, liderazgo y confianza. Finalmente, la utilización de la técnica de simulación DS facilitará el aprendizaje de los responsables de la toma de decisiones para así tomar decisiones más eficientes