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Power, Innovation and Problem‐Solving: The Personnel Managers’ Three Steps to Heaven?

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  • David Guest
  • Zella King

Abstract

ABSTRACT Legge's seminal book on personnel managers (Legge, 1978) identified ambiguities in their role, vicious circles that limited their power and possible strategies to improve their effectiveness. This paper explores how far the advent of human resource management has altered the circumstances in which they find themselves and how far it offers a new basis for power and influence. Analysis of interviews with 48 senior executives indicates that although there have been changes in features of the ambiguities and vicious circles, personnel managers have failed to overcome many of the problems identified by Legge 25 years earlier or to seize the opportunities outlined by Ulrich (1997) to become human resource champions.

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  • David Guest & Zella King, 2004. "Power, Innovation and Problem‐Solving: The Personnel Managers’ Three Steps to Heaven?," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(3), pages 401-423, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:41:y:2004:i:3:p:401-423
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6486.2004.00438.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pascale, Richard Tanner & Athos, Anthony G., 1981. "The art of Japanese management," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 24(6), pages 83-85.
    2. David E. Guest, 1990. "Human Resource Management And The American Dream," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(4), pages 377-397, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Timothy Clark, 2004. "Guest Editor's Introduction," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(3), pages 367-376, May.
    2. Cathy Sheehan & Helen De Cieri & Brian K Cooper & Robert Brooks, 2016. "The impact of HR political skill in the HRM and organisational performance relationship," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 41(1), pages 161-181, February.
    3. Kevin Morrell, 2008. "The Narrative of ‘Evidence Based’ Management: A Polemic," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(3), pages 613-635, May.
    4. Peter J Baldacchino & Jean Paul Abela & Norbert Tabone & Simon Grima, 2021. "Board of Director Diversity and Its Corporate Governance Implications in Maltese Equity-Listed Companies," International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, vol. 11(4), pages 37-65.
    5. Maria Luisa Giancaspro & Amelia Manuti & Alessandro Lo Presti & Assunta De Rosa, 2021. "Human Resource Management Practices Perception and Career Success: The Mediating Roles of Employability and Extra-Role Behaviors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-16, October.
    6. Barbara Townley, 2004. "Managerial Technologies, Ethics and Managing," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(3), pages 425-445, May.
    7. Carol Linehan & Elaine O’Brien, 2017. "From Tell-Tale Signs to Irreconcilable Struggles: The Value of Emotion in Exploring the Ethical Dilemmas of Human Resource Professionals," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 141(4), pages 763-777, April.
    8. Bård Kuvaas & Anders Dysvik & Robert Buch, 2014. "Antecedents and Employee Outcomes of Line Managers' Perceptions of Enabling HR Practices," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(6), pages 845-868, September.
    9. Sarker Niluthpaul & Hossain Khaled & Mia Kohinur, 2016. "Are the Functional Factors of Human Resource Management Subsisting in the Ready-Made Garments (RMG) of Bangladesh? Theory Conflicts with Reality," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(7), pages 150-150, June.
    10. David Guest & Christopher Woodrow, 2012. "Exploring the Boundaries of Human Resource Managers’ Responsibilities," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 111(1), pages 109-119, November.
    11. Tony J. Watson, 2004. "HRM and Critical Social Science Analysis," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(3), pages 447-467, May.
    12. Elaine Farndale & Veronica Hope-Hailey, 2009. "Personnel Departmental Power: Realities from the UK Higher Education Sector," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 20(4), pages 392-412.

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