Stefan Konlechner

Bridging knowledge in ambidextrous HRM systems: empirical evidence from hidden champions

Managing the tension between efficiency and flexibility is one of the core challenges that organizations must tackle in order to survive in the global competitive environment. Ambidexterity has been identified in the literature as a key way of managing this tension. Despite the enormous popularity of the concept of ambidexterity, the questions of how HR practices influence exploration and exploitation and support organizational ambidexterity remain underexplored. Drawing on our empirical case studies of three mid-sized ‘hidden champions’ in different high-tech manufacturing industries, we show how an ambidextrous human resource management (HRM) system works. We demonstrate that ambidextrous HRM systems can be regarded as a special type of high-performance work system (HPWS) that facilitates the continuous integration of exploration and exploitation in the pursuit of flexibility and efficiency. In particular, we elucidate how firms apply integrative employment practices and integrative work practices to facilitate collaboration and to create and strengthen a common frame of reference that fosters knowledge integration. Finally, setting up an ambidextrous HRM system supports the complementary interplay between a common frame of reference and a firms ability to integrate knowledge in order to manage the conflicting demands of exploration and exploitation.

Facilitating Ambidexterity in Replicator Organizations: Artifacts in Their Role as Routine-Recreators

Replicator organizations compete by transferring their business models and their embedded organizational routines across various geographical sites. Based on empirical results from case-study research, we show how a globally operating replicator firm integrates the logic of ambidexterity into its organization. We explain how artifacts — especially rulebooks — facilitate not only standardized replication, but also innovation. Finally, we emphasize that artifacts such as rules and codified knowledge need to be interpreted through a common frame of reference, one which can serve as a knowledge bridge that enables contextual ambidexterity in replicator organizations.

Entwicklungsdynamik von Vergütungssystemen in Nonprofit-Organisationen **

Der Erforschung von Vergütungssystemen für Führungskräfte und gehobene Fachkräfte in Forprofit-Unternehmen wird in der Personalmanagementforschung hohe Aufmerksamkeit gewidmet. Hingegen wurde diese Thematik bislang für Nonprofit-Organisationen (NPO) kaum untersucht. In diesem Beitrag wird ein mit Hilfe der Grounded Theory entwickeltes Modell vorgestellt, welches drei Grundtypen von Vergütungssystemen für Führungskräfte und gehobene Fachkräfte in NPOs unterscheidet und deren Entwicklungsdynamik aufzeigt. Vergütungssysteme entwickeln sich demzufolge von Personen- über Funktions- hin zu Leistungsorientierung. Der Übergang von Personen- zu Funktionsorientierung ist durch organisationales Wachstum und Ausdifferenzierung gekennzeichnet. Obwohl die Transparenz funktionenzentrierter Vergütung in Verbindung mit individuellen Leistungsunterschieden in NPOs zunehmend Irritationen erzeugt, werden leistungsorientierte Vergütungssysteme, wie sie in Forprofit-Unternehmen zu finden sind, in NPOs abgelehnt. Es wird diskutiert, welche Ursachen der Ablehnung zu Grunde liegen und unter welchen Bedingungen NPOs dennoch leistungsorientierte Vergütungssysteme einführen könnten.

Employer Behavior Human Resource Management Research and Teaching in Germany and Austria

Employer behavior (“Arbeitgeberverhalten”) plays an essential role when it comes to understanding Human Resource Management (HRM). However, rather few studies actually seem to take the concrete behavior of organizations as employers into account. Instead, German textbooks and journals are replete with examples of “good practices” in HRM. We argue that, as a result, there is a growing discrepancy between HRM in research/teaching and practice, which unquestionably is a problematic development in an applied science like HRM. Based on our analysis of five leading German textbooks on HRM and five volumes of the German Journal of Research in Human Resource Management (2005-2009), we highlight current gaps in the academic discussion and we derive some theses concerning the current state of the discussion. Finally, we discuss our findings and highlight some avenues for further research in our field.

Entscheidungsmuster und Veränderungsarchitekturen in Wandelprozessen: Eine Dynamic Capabilities-Perspektive

ZusammenfassungDie komplexe und oftmals turbulente Umweltentwicklung spiegelt sich organisationsintern im kontinuierlichen E rrichten von Veränderungsarchitekturen etwa zur Optimierung von Geschäftsprozessen oder zur Post-Merger Integration wider. Der Beitrag zeigt, wie strategische A spekte von Dynamic Capabilities als Entscheidungsmuster die Selektion von Veränderungsvorhaben steuern, während operative A spekte von Dynamic Capabilities in Form von Veränderungsarchitekturen den sozialen und formalen Kontext zur Modifikation bilden. Die Konzeptualisierung von Dynamic Capabilities als Veränderungsregeln ermöglicht eine facettenreiche Analyse der Konstitution und Wirkung von Dynamic Capabilities und zeigt zudem die Grenzen der Wandlungsfähigkeit von Organisationen auf.AbstractOrganizations need to perform change projects such as business process reengineering or post-merger integration to adapt to environmental states or to proactively innovate. The concept of “dynamic capabilities” explains how organizations accomplish such change processes. In our conceptual paper we show how strategic aspects of dynamic capabilities govern the selection of change intentions and how operational aspects of dynamic capabilities create the social and formal context to modify or replace operational routines. The conceptualization of dynamic capabilities as an organizational rule-regime allows for a comprehensive analysis of the configuration and function of dynamic capabilities. Furthermore, by integrating literature on change management our analysis elucidates limitations of organizations to change by discussing the role of boundaries of the organizational development path, defensive routines and resistance to change.

Prospective sensemaking, frames and planned change interventions: A comparison of change trajectories in two hospital units:

Changing organizations is difficult. In this article, we analyze how sensemaking that follows the initiation of change projects relies on the interplay of prospective and retrospective aspects, and we elucidate how organization members’ frames develop over time based on this interplay. Our data, 38 in-depth interviews with nursing and medical staff held at four different points in time, reveal how expectations impact the dynamics of meaning construction in change processes. Our findings demonstrate that the frames through which actors make sense of change initiatives develop continuously, although the expectations embedded in them are ‘sticky’ to some extent. The degree of ‘stickiness’ depends on expectations that are formed through initial prospective sensemaking, as these expectations influence actors’ tolerance regarding dissonant cues. Change initiatives fail when this tolerance becomes exhausted. Our study contributes to theory on sensemaking and change by elaborating on the undertheorized role of prospective sensemaking during change processes.