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This article has been withdrawn as it was published elsewhere and accidentally duplicated. The original article can be seen here: 10.1108/EUM0000000001283. When citing the article, please cite: N.J. Kinnie, R.V.W. Staughton, (1991), “Implementing Manufacturing Strategy: The Human Resource Management Contribution”, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 11 Iss: 9, pp. 24 - 40.

Changes are taking place in collective bargaining arrangements and management structures for industrial relations. The Warwick Survey, confirming the findings of previous research, shows that the apparent moves towards the decentralisation of industrial relations are in practice more complex than they first appear. The survey results are consistent with earlier studies into the extensive activities of head office managers in the affairs of establishments in what are ostensibly decentralised companies. However, they provide little support for existing research into how employees perceive these changes since the emphasis is on the contrast of view between managers at different levels in the organisation. This points to the need for the development of theory in this area.

Utilising data from 18 in‐depth case studies, this study seeks to explore training, development and human resource development (HRD) practices in European call centres. It aims to argue that the complexity and diversity of training, development and HRD practices is best understood by studying the multilayered contexts within which call centres operate. Call centres operate as open systems and training, development and HRD practices are influenced by environmental, strategic, organisational and temporal conditions.

The study utilised a range of research methods, including in‐depth interviews with multiple stakeholders, documentary analysis and observation. The study was conducted over a two‐year period.

The results indicate that normative models of HRD are not particularly valuable and that training, development and HRD in call centres is emergent and highly complex.

This study represents one of the first studies to investigate training and development and HRD practices and systems in European call centres.

Human resource management in professional service firms (PSF) is one of the most important instruments for promoting sustainable competitive advantage. Despite the major growth of scholars' interest in human resource management (HRM) issues in PSF, the body of knowledge in this field remains highly fragmented and diversified. The purpose of this paper is to systematize key evidence on the use of HRM practices in PSF.

The paper is based on a systematic literature review of 90 peer-reviewed journal papers.

The review revealed typical ability-, motivation- and opportunity-enhancing practices used by PSF and outlined how these HRM practices may differ among various PSF.

The paper provides scholars with an updated and comprehensive research landscape and development process in this important field, thereby contributing to greater research interest and enthusiasm for future research.

Organizational ambidexterity enables firm to simultaneously exploit existing resources and explore new resources. It is associated with high levels of organizational performance. The purpose of this paper is to identify key internal management resources which contribute to building organizational ambidexterity. In particular, this study examines the impact of intellectual capital, i.e. human, social, and organizational capital, on organizational ambidexterity which in turn influences firm performance.

The research was conducted within the context of professional service firms due to the importance of intellectual capital and organizational ambidexterity. Data were collected from 112 Chinese (cross-sectional design) and 93 Irish accounting firms (time-lagged design).

Results provide support for the linkage of intellectual capital to organizational ambidexterity and firm performance. Interestingly, findings are mixed regarding the impact of the three types of capital resources on organizational ambidexterity across both countries.

This study finds that various components of intellectual capital facilitate organizational ambidexterity which in turn improves firm performance. Therefore the authors provide managers with evidential support for the salience of intellectual capital in enabling organizations to simultaneously engage in exploiting existing resources while also exploring new ideas and opportunities.

This study is unique in that it highlights the importance of internal management resources in building up organization’s ambidexterity capability. The link between intellectual capital and organizational ambidexterity was established using a rigorous research design which has not been done before. It also emphasizes the role of people in leading to organizational effectiveness via developing organizational ambidexterity. Furthermore the evidence is gathered in two countries.

The contribution that human resource management practices might make to the successful implementation of manufacturing strategy is examined. It is argued, on the basis of empirical research, that organisations typically adopt one of three different approaches to handling the critical human resource management practices which are identified. These findings have implications both for practitioners considering a change in their strategy for manufacturing, and for the further development of models of manufacturing strategy.

A great deal of attention has been given to developments in industrial relations on new or ‘green field’ sites, especially those owned by foreign companies. However, there is relatively little empirical evidence of the changes which are taking place on existing, or what might be called ‘brownfield’ sites.

Examines the part that “non‐technical” factors play in the experience of changing a manufacturing strategy. Considers, in particular, the importance of these factors in the organization′s approach to formulating and implementing a change in manufacturing strategy. Following analysis based on case study research establishes an association between the experiences of changing a manufacturing strategy and the approach adopted to achieving this change. Considers the practical implications and questions for further research.

Senior managers of industrial relations in large multi‐plant companies are faced by both centrifugal and centripetal forces and ask: “How can we achieve the benefits of decentralisation while at the same time maintaining centralised control?” In response to these countervailing pressures, senior managers create the appearance of autonomy for plant managers but in reality exercise centralised authority over major industrial relations decisions. To achieve this, managers at head office promote an ideology of decentralisation while actually practising central control. Local managers' autonomy on major industrial relations issues is largely a myth, perpetuated by formally decentralised management and bargaining structures, and techniques designed to enhance the independence of each plant. Central managers' authority is exercised by making all major decisions at head office and by co‐ordinating plant industrial relations through a variety of measures. Two factors are examined to explain this inconsistency between the levels of decision making over important issues and the level at which collective agreements are made—first, the changes in bargaining structure, and in particular the move towards single‐employer bargaining, and, second, developments in organisational structures and control techniques, especially those associated with divisionalised organisations.

The purpose of this paper is to show the way to unlock the black box of HRM and performance linkages by exploring one of the key variables that mediates the link, namely whether line managers can stimulate improvements in firm performance by eliciting appropriate employee outcomes in a call centre context.

The research draws on Purcell's “People‐Performance Model” as a sensitising framework to inform an in‐depth case study of a call centre. This provides a mechanism to unlock the HRM‐Performance black box by focusing on the ability, motivation and opportunities for line managers to perform and any subsequent impact on employee outcomes. Data were collected over multiple site visits by means of multi‐level interviews and a survey of telesales representatives (TSRs).

Research findings indicate that one large client exerted significant control over the HRM policies developed within the call centre. Evidence suggests, however, that line managers' interventions ameliorated some of the negative aspects of work tasks and the HRM imposed by this dependency relationship.

This research is an exploratory attempt to better understand HRM‐Performance linkages in one specific context. Results are not generalisable across contexts or even within call centres, which can vary extensively. Nonetheless, the research suggests that exploring line management behaviour is a promising avenue for more extensive research.

This paper considers HRM‐Performance linkages in a service context. Results indicate that both external relations and line managers are critical mediating variables conditioning HRM‐Performance linkages, thereby lending support to the notion that hard and soft HRM practices are not necessarily irreconcilable.