Identifying the characteristics of a high-performance finance function

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 352-377
Author(s):  
André de Waal ◽  
Eelco Bilstra ◽  
Peter De Roeck
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Role Clarity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Academic Literature ◽  
Strategic Role ◽  
People Development ◽  
High Performance Organization ◽  
Finance Function

Purpose The concept of the high-performance organization (HPO) receives much attention nowadays. To create and sustain an HPO, all parts of the organization must contribute, especially the finance function, whose relations with every part of the organization mean that it can be regarded as the spider in the organizational web. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach This study develops the high-performance finance function (HPFF) framework based on the HPO framework, a scientifically developed and validated approach to transforming organizations into HPOs. Based on an extensive literature review, potential characteristics of an HPFF were identified and subsequently linked to factors in the HPO framework. Subsequently, using a questionnaire and statistical analysis, these potential characteristics were clustered into five HPFF factors that showed a significant positive relation with the finance function’s performance. Findings The five HPFF factors are: Finance Function Improvement, IT Focus, People Development (of financial professionals working in the function), Role Clarity (for each of the various types of role in the function) and Strategic Role (of the finance function in the organization, especially in supporting management). Originality/value The HPFF framework is a practical improvement framework based on a solid scientific foundation. It also fills the current gap in the academic literature on how to develop HPFFs, thus giving the frameworks described in practitioner literature a robust scientific grounding.

The employee survey: benefits, problems in practice, and the relation with the high performance organization

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 227-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
André de Waal
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Employee Survey ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
The Past ◽  
Management Techniques ◽  
Complementary Techniques ◽  
High Performance Organization

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to discuss the role of the employee in the high performance organization. One of the management techniques which has gained much popularity the past 15 years is the employee satisfaction survey. Many organizations, both profit and non-profit, use a yearly questionnaire, which measures the satisfaction of employees with all sorts of things in the organization. Yet recently, dissenting opinions can be heard that are critical of what they call “the yearly employee survey ritual”. The criticism focuses on the results of the survey which are not dealt with adequately so that the employee survey gradually has become a dissatisfier for employees. Another phenomenon is that organizations that are considering to conduct a high performance organization (HPO) diagnosis renounce this using the justification that “we are already doing an employee survey.” Design/methodology/approach – In this article the purpose of the employee survey, its advantages, its problems in practice and its relation with the HPO Framework are discussed. Findings – It is shown how the employee survey can be improved. In addition, its is shown that the employee survey and the HPO Framework are two different but complementary techniques that can and should be used in conjunction with each other. Originality/value – This article is one of the first to discuss the relation between two important management improvement techniques: the employee survey and the HPO framework.

High performance work system, HRD climate and organisational performance: an empirical study

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 239-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashutosh Muduli
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Human Resource Development ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Development Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work System ◽  
High Performance Work System ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – This paper aims to study the relationship between high-performance work system (HPWS) and organizational performance and to examine the role of human resource development (HRD) Climate in mediating the relationship between HPWS and the organizational performance in the context of the power sector of India. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical research paper has been conceptualized on the basis of extensive literature survey and examined through a case-based approach. Data and information collected to examine strength of the proposed hypothesis in the context of a power-based company in India. Findings – Agreeing with most of the research, HPWS is found to be positively related with organizational performance. The result does not agree with the HPWS research conducted in Asian countries. Taking clues from “Black Box” approach, the role of HRD Climate as a mediating factor has been studied. The result proved that HPWS influences organizational performance through a supportive development environment (HRD climate) based on openness, confrontation, trust, authenticity, proaction, autonomy, collaboration and experimentation (OCTAPAC). Research limitations/implications – Designing and implementing HPWS requires the organization to nurture and develop a suitable HRD climate through development of organizational culture based on OCTAPAC. Practical implications – Implications for HRD–HPWS practices such as group-based pay, decentralized participative decisions, self-managed work teams, social and family events, and appraisal based on team goals along with OCTAPAC culture can significantly contribute to the transfer climate by influencing both peer and supervisor. It can significantly contribute to training motivation by influencing both career and job attitudes, and organizational commitment of trainees. Originality/value – The research is unique in its attempt to understand the role HRD climate as intermediating variables to enhance the effectiveness of HPWS. This may add a lot of value in encouraging organizations to establish HRD Climate.

Quality management challenges in a dynamic reality of mergers, acquisitions and global expansion

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 1192-1211
Author(s):  
Aviva Bashan ◽  
Deganit Armon
Keyword(s):  
Quality Management ◽  
Quality Management System ◽  
Strategic Partnerships ◽  
Quality Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Expansion ◽  
Global Quality ◽  
Functional Aspects ◽  
Strategic Role

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to highlight the challenges facing the quality management system (QMS) of parent and subsidiary companies within the dynamics of multinational mergers, acquisitions and strategic partnerships, and to present guidelines for developing a global quality strategy. Design/methodology/approach The quality systems of 18 multinational companies at different stages of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) processes and different global expansion levels were studied in depth using observations, content analyses and interviews with CEOs and operational and quality managers in parent or subsidiary companies. Findings As part of the M&A process, not enough consideration is given to the functional aspects and challenges facing the QMS of subsidiaries, and to the integration of the subsidiary QMS into the corporate QMS. The findings highlight the strategic role of the parent company in creating a corporate QMS and developing a corresponding global quality strategy. Practical implications The classification of the challenges facing the parent and subsidiary QMS forms a diagnostic tool that supports a functional preparedness for integrating quality systems, while addressing their local needs, integrating them into the global activity of the system, and utilizing the growing integrative array of resources and capabilities to achieve global value. Originality/value While M&A is perceived as a strategic topic, it has direct impact on the QMS. This study outlines a necessary conjoining of quality management and strategy, which is the key to global quality management.

Internal projects as strategic tools: an organisation-level perspective and a research agenda

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Torbjørn Bjorvatn
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Theoretical Contribution ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Linear Relationships ◽  
Strategic Role ◽  
And Performance

PurposeThe purpose of this conceptual paper is to describe and explain how organisations use internal projects to implement organisation-level strategy objectives.Design/methodology/approachTheory development with an emphasis on explaining key constructs and their mutual relationships. The theoretical contribution is represented in a diagram along with a detailed verbal account.FindingsThe paper develops a dynamic, cross-level framework to illustrate the organisational processes and outcomes that determine project-based strategy implementation within a single organisation. The interplay between the base organisation and the project, and benefits realisation were singled out as key future research areas. The proposed framework engages with central discourses in the fields of project management, strategic management, innovation studies, knowledge management and organisation studies.Research limitations/implicationsOnly the contours of an organisation-level theory of strategically motivated internal projects are outlined. Future research must elaborate on the complexities, the non-linear relationships and the boundary conditions that follow from the proposed framework.Practical implicationsManagers are alerted to the strategic role of internal projects, how these projects help connect strategy and performance and what the accompanying organisational processes and outcomes look like.Originality/valueThe paper constitutes an early conceptual treatment of strategy-driven internal projects as a distinct project category, thus addressing a major knowledge gap in project studies. Organisational project-management theory is extended with suggestions for future research.

Alliance portfolios and firm performance: the moderating role of environmental dynamics

2017 ◽  
Vol 117 (8) ◽  
pp. 1550-1566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyan Wang ◽  
Haijun Bao
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Social Network Theory ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Moderating Role ◽  
Alliance Portfolios

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on the operation strategy of high-performance alliance portfolios by analyzing the effect of alliance portfolios on the performance of focal firms, using post-structuralism of social network theory and contingency theory. In detail, this paper refines alliance portfolios into three dimensions, and studies the moderating role of context on the relation between alliance portfolios and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach The empirical study was carried out with second-hand data gathered from Internal Revenue Service. In total, this paper gathered data from 506 focal firms in Zhejiang Province from 2001 to 2010 as the sample to test the hypotheses. Findings Based on the empirical results, the authors find the positive effect of relational dimension (weak alliance portfolios) and partner dimension (the diversity of partners) on performance. The effect of the former will become weaker with the increasing environmental dynamic, while the effect of the latter will become stronger. However, the structural dimension (alliance portfolios size) and relational dimension (new partners) have the negative effect on performance. And the negative effect will become stronger under high environmental dynamic. Moreover, the negative effect of non-local partners on performance becomes stronger when the environmental dynamic is high. Research limitations/implications The paper reveals that with the industry transformation caused by “internet +,” companies have been required go beyond traditional dyadic alliance management perspective. That is to say, individual alliance relationship should be seen as a part of a much broader picture of alliance portfolio. As such, the framework may help companies to manage their alliance portfolios by matching high-performance alliance portfolios to the external environment to produce a synergistic effect (Lea et al., 2006; Tritos et al., 2013; Keith et al., 2014) taking the characteristics of the configuration of alliance portfolios into consideration. Originality/value The paper presents a model that explains the effect of three dimensions of alliance portfolios on the performance of focal firms in different contexts through empirical study. This paper also integrates post-structuralism of social network theory and contingency theory to enable the understanding on the configuration of alliance portfolios.

scholarly journals Increasing customer loyalty and customer intimacy by improving the behavior of employees

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 492-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
André de Waal ◽  
Béatrice van der Heijden
Keyword(s):  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Behavioral Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Validated Questionnaire ◽  
Excellent Service ◽  
Item List ◽  
Customer Intimacy ◽  
High Performance Organization

Purpose One of the most important characteristics of high-performance organizations is that these organizations always aim at servicing their customers as best as possible. In practice, this means that the employees of these organizations have to behave toward customers in such a way that these customers are not only fully satisfied but also become loyal to the organization. The purpose of this paper is to look at the concrete behaviors that are needed to create this customer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach From a literature review the items that potentially are of influence on creating customer loyalty and customer intimacy were identified, based on a previous validated questionnaire while adding additional items. These items were subsequently validated in practice with a questionnaire distributed among people who are in daily life regular customers of organizations. Findings The research results show that there are eight behavioral factors of importance to create customer loyalty and customer intimacy: first, service quality delivered by employees; second, capability of employees to deliver high quality; third, empathy of employees toward customers’ wishes and needs; fourth, understanding of employees of customers’ needs; fifth, responsiveness of employees toward the needs of customers; sixth, courtesy of employees toward customers; seventh, service manner of employees; and finally, trust customers place in employees. Research limitations/implications The implication of this research is that, now that the behavioral factors are known, an organization can make sure its employees focus on displaying these behaviors toward customers consistently over time, in order to make sure customers will experience the organization as a high-performance organization and will feel loyalty toward the organization. Originality/value The research described in this paper adds to the literature in the sense that it encompasses previous research into once item list and specifically looks at behaviors that create excellent service and thereby customer loyalty and customer intimacy, both concepts that go beyond the much researched topic of customer satisfaction.

Can generational differences and feeling trusted improve knowledge-sharing behavior? Consequences of high-performance work systems

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aulia Vidya Almadana ◽  
Suharnomo Suharnomo ◽  
Mirwan Surya Perdhana
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Generational Differences ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Work Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Performance Work Systems ◽  
Knowledge Sharing Behavior ◽  
Sharing Behavior

Purpose This study aims to investigate the relationships between high-performance work systems (HPWS) on knowledge-sharing behavior (KSB) among Indonesian employees through the mediating role of feeling trusted (FT) and moderating role of generational differences (GD). Design/methodology/approach Sample were collected from 278 employees working in the Indonesian financial companies. This research used structural equation modeling to investigate the associations of HPWS and KSB. Furthermore, Sobel Test was applicated to test the mediation effect of FT. Finally, Hayes PROCESS was used to test the moderation impact of GD. Findings The empirical results revealed that HPWS positively impact FT and KSB. Hereafter, FT also positively impacts KSB and then succeeds to mediate the relationships between HPWS and KSB. Finally, GD were failed to moderate the relationships between HPWS and KSB. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the few studies that illustrate the roles of GD between the relationships between HPWS and KSB.

Suitability of the high performance organization framework for Egyptian ICT companies: a replication study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Azmy Ateia ◽  
Saneya Abdelfattah El Galaly ◽  
André de Waal
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Replication Study ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Organization Framework ◽  
High Performance Organization ◽  
Ict Companies

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to answer the research question “Is the high-performance organization (HPO) Framework suitable for non-governmental private sector organizations, specifically the affiliates of international companies operating in the ICT sector in Egypt?” Design/methodology/approach The research concerns a replication study in which the HPO Questionnaire was used to collect data, and factor analysis was applied to evaluate the reliability and consistency of the HPO Framework. The research approach was the same as applied by de Waal et al. (2016), but this time the research population consisted of affiliates of international ICT companies, instead of local ICT companies as in the de Waal et al. (2016) study. Findings Data gathered by means of the HPO Questionnaire from managers of these affiliates were used to evaluate the reliability and internal consistency of the HPO Framework. The confirmatory factor analysis was done twice, once for the original 35-characteristic HPO Framework and once for the 26-characteristic HPO Framework as proposed by de Waal et al. (2016) for Egyptian local ICT companies. The study results clearly show the applicability of the original 35-characteristic HPO Framework for measuring the organizational strength and identifying performance-gaps of ICT companies that are affiliates of international organizations operating in Egypt. Originality/value This study adds to the growing HPO literature on developing countries and helps Egyptian ICT companies to adopt high-performance practices to be able to contribute more to the economic development of Egypt.

Capital or people – what is the true purpose of education?

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanweer Ali
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Mainstream Economic ◽  
Capital Theory ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Proper Role ◽  
Economic Progress ◽  
True Purpose

Purpose The purpose of this study is to present the book Education, Economy and Society, edited by Salim Vally and Enver Motala (UNISA Press, Pretoria, 2014), which highlights the main concepts introduced and discussed. Design/methodology/approach The study primarily summarizes the critique of human capital theory (HCT) which is developed in the book. This is done using different approaches and is comprehensive in scope. The study also introduces some of the alternative visions of education as presented by the contributing authors. The author of the review also draws on other literature which addresses the same fields. Findings HCT dominates the discourse on the role of education in society, but the concept is hard to measure and evidence of its importance is scant. Despite the criticism of this theory, it continues to dominate the mainstream economic theory. Research limitations/implications The main premise merits more systematic study, ideally drawing on more extensive literature, and extending beyond the confines of any one country. As a review, this study aimed to maintain a focus on this one important collection. Social implications HCT tends to promote a view of education as a tool of material economic progress. This excludes a discussion of social justice and de-emphasizes the role of education in advancing individual fulfilment and in strengthening democratic values. A view of useful human activity outside of production within a corporate environment is also ignored. This book covers all of these ideas. Originality/value This study draws attention to an important book which discusses the proper role of education in economic development and critiques policy making in South Africa. The book is broad enough in scope to be of relevance to educators, academics and policy makers in the developing and developed worlds.

Decentralised bargaining and performance-related pay

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (7) ◽  
pp. 1038-1058 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirella Damiani ◽  
Andrea Ricci
Keyword(s):  
Critical Issue ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Companies ◽  
Strategic Role ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
And Performance ◽  
And Diffusion ◽  
Number Of Firms

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which performance-related pay (PRP) has been negotiated through decentralised bargaining in Italy. Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides estimates aimed at identifying the main factors that have favoured agreements on PRP, on the basis of a nationally representative sample of Italian manufacturing and service companies. Findings – The paper shows that collective bargaining on PRP in Italy is positively associated with the presence of unions. The estimates also suggest that in unionised firms, workers have more access to returns from training in the form of PRP schemes. Finally, the paper finds that firm performance is positively associated with the adoption of PRP. Research limitations/implications – Further research based on additional data should enable the authors to identify causal effects. Practical implications – Partial fiscal exemptions for the wage component linked to enterprise results might increase the number of firms adopting PRP. In addition, the presence of unions may discourage the diffusion of “cosmetic” schemes that are adopted merely to secure benefits for the firm. Unions may also increase the returns of training and diffusion of PRP. Originality/value – This paper utilises a unique database containing recent information from a nationwide sample of Italian firms. It includes a whole set of information, including unionisation at the firm level, which allows the authors to address a critical issue, i.e., the strategic role of unions in adopting (or impeding) the adoption of PRP.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document