Alan Nankervis

Performance management: Theory in practice?

This paper reports the findings of a recent Australian study of performance management systems conducted by the School of Management at Curtin University of Technology, Perth, in association with the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI). It was undertaken electronically via the AHRI website, and resulted in a broad range of responses from both the public and private sectors. It reflects the views of a broad sample of Australian HR professionals.Its main purposes were to update findings from earlier studies, to ascertain current levels of use and satisfaction, and to determine whether performance management has become a more effective strategic tool in the human resource management repertoire. The findings suggest, as in earlier studies, that the use of, and satisfaction with performance management systems remain problematic, although there are some indications that the increasing integration of the balanced scorecard within these systems appears to encourage more strategic links between individual,...

Asian management in transition : emerging themes

PART ONE: OVERVIEW - Asian Management in a Changing World S.Chatterjee& A.Nankervis - Convergence and Divergence: A Model of Management in Asia S.Chatterjee& A.Nankervis - PART TWO: THE MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES OF LARGE ASIAN NATIONS - Managing Global Integration, National Values and Local Developments in China A.Nankervis& L.Ngok - Bridging the Gap Between Potential and Performance: Challenges of Indian Management S.Chatterjee - Managing Long Traditions and Innovations for Sustainable Development in Japan R.Grainger& T.Miyamoto - PART THREE: THE MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES OF SMALL AND DYNAMIC ASIAN NATIONS - Managing Industrial Development Through Learning, the Family and Competition in South Korea R.Grainger& S.Ananthram - Managing Pluralism, Development and Modernisation in Malaysia H.Singleton - Managing the Entrepreneurial Culture in Singapore S.Choo - PART FOUR: THE MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE OF COMPLEX ASIAN NATIONS - Managing the Process of Continuity-in-Change in Thailand B.Sheehan& V.Egan - Managing Complexity, Paradox and Transformation in Indonesia H.Singleton& A.Nankervis - CONCLUSION - Dynamic and Divergent Asian Management Responses to Convergent Global Imperatives S.Chatterjee& A.Nankervis - Glossary of Terms

Strategic human asset management: evidence from North America

Purpose – Human resource management (HRM) theory has transitioned in recent decades towards “human capital” and “human assets” frameworks that emphasize strategic choice and “investment”, which are concepts borrowed from strategic management, accounting and economic theories. This paper aims to explore the perspectives of strategic human asset management theory, which involves strategic agility and knowledge management.Design/methodology/approach – The research was based on semi‐structured interviews with 30 senior executives of multinational firms in Canada and the USA in 2009, following the global financial crisis. The qualitative findings were analyzed using the NVivo software (version 8) package.Findings – The research findings suggest that many North American multinational firms recognize the value of this new interpretation of HRM and are attempting to implement it through “strategic human asset management” in their own firms. The paper concludes with some practical recommendations for line managers...

‘Building for the Future?’ Government and Industry Responses to the Challenges of Talent Management in China Following the GFC

China suffered minimal fallout from the global financial crisis due to its burgeoning economy and ‘socialism with Chinese characteristics’ political strategy. However, despite this, its industries face enormous human resource management (HRM) challenges associated with the countrys rapid economic growth. Principal amongst these HRM challenges is the need to attract and retain crucial talent. It is likely that if Chinese industry is unsuccessful in these endeavours, the future economic growth of China may be stalled, resulting in more serious long-term outcomes. This paper explores these challenges together with some possible solutions and future research directions.

Labour-management relationships in transitional economies: convergence or divergence in Vietnam and Indonesia?

Western labour–management relationships (both formal and informal), their respective rights, obligations and negotiating frameworks, have been well- established, understood, and supported by a complex set of associated legislation for decades. However, in many developing countries, including Vietnam and Indonesia, historical, socio-cultural, ideological or political factors constrained the development of such formalized employee relations until very recent times. This paper explores the different paths taken by Vietnam and Indonesia towards a modern employee relations system, with its concomitant positive and adverse consequences.

Linking strategic HRM, performance management and organizational effectiveness: perceptions of managers in Singapore

Strategic human resource management (SHRM) theory is predicated on the assumption that effective human resource management (HRM) processes have the capacity to contribute significantly to organizational effectiveness, expressed in terms of productivity, flexibility, effectiveness, efficiency, return on investment, competitiveness, and ultimately, profitability. Earlier research studies have explored the overall value-adding potential of HRM processes as a whole. Few have focused on the links between strategic HRM, performance management systems and organizational effectiveness, and even fewer have examined these relationships in Southeast Asia. This paper addresses this gap in the literature by examining the perceptions of a split sample of senior managers in Singapore. It reveals an interesting gap between their rhetoric and the realities of their performance management systems, and suggests future research directions.

HRM practices in Chinese MNCs: rhetoric and reality

This article analyses the HRM systems of three of the best-known global Chinese MNCS – namely, Haier, Huawei and Lenovo – with a view to exploring their HRM practices, and understanding whether they demonstrate global convergence or divergence, and whether their rhetoric matches the reality of these practices. A qualitative comparative case study research design was used based upon an analysis of company documents, scholarly articles and internet sources. It concludes that the HRM systems of these companies are both similar and different from each other; that they represent both partial convergence and partial divergence depending on the activities studied, compared with Western HRM models, and that the rhetoric of such systems is sometimes at odds with the reality of their practices.

The challenges of an ageing workforce: an introduction to the workforce management issues

The intention of this special issue is to provide new insights into a range of the challenges facing Australia and some of our regional economic partners that have occurred due to our rapidly ageing populations and workforces. The attraction and retention of older workers have become an imperative for governments, industry managers, unions and others, in order to maximise their contributions and enable integration as well as realise the potential of both older and younger employees in the Australian and Asian labour markets. The five papers in this volume provide some valuable insights into these challenges and suggest ways of addressing them.

Framing the Emerging Talent Crisis in India and China A Human Capital Perspective

China and India have undergone significant transformation in recent years as they emerge as the drivers of the so-called “Asian Century”. Although the catalyst for this remarkable growth has been the ability of both countries to harness talent, the next two decades will require a very different dispersion of skills. India will increase its working age population by an additional 200 million, while the workforce in China will reduce by 100 million. In the next three decades, China will have more than doubled its population of those aged 65 and over resulting in a weaker dependency ratio. This article examines the multifaceted challenges that are emerging due to significant skills shortages in China and India. Through the lens of human capital theory, two new frameworks are introduced in order to analyze these factors and to suggest potential solutions.

Graduate work-readiness challenges in the Asia-Pacific region and the role of HRM

The purpose of this paper is to focus on graduate work-readiness challenges in three Asia Pacific economies (Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia), and the roles of three main stakeholders (government, employers and industry) in the process. The intention of the paper is to design a stakeholder-oriented HRM model to address the identified graduate work-readiness challenges.,A qualitative triangulation method comprising interviews and focus groups was used with participant samples for each country – Australia (19), Indonesia (19) and Malaysia (15). Stakeholder-oriented HRM theory underpins the conceptual framework for the paper.,All three countries are currently experiencing difficulties attracting graduates with the required portfolio of qualifications, skills and personal capabilities. The reported effects include: constraints on national economic growth, future production structures, and long-term socio-economic development. Based on a review of the work-readiness and stakeholder-oriented HRM theory literature, it is posited that graduate work-readiness challenges can be effectively addressed by HR professionals in partnership with other key stakeholders.,The study sought the input of only three stakeholder groups for ascertaining graduate work readiness challenges, there is a strong case to include other groups including students/parents and secondary schools.,Bridging the graduate skills gap between government, employers and educational institutions is an important area in which HR professionals can contribute by reducing the mismatch between demand and supply through influencing and balancing the interests and goals of key stakeholders.,This study makes a contribution to the extant literature as it explores the role of HR professionals in relation to a multiple stakeholder strategy to address these challenges in the less-explored Asia Pacific region.