The role of human resources in business model performance: the case of network‐based companies
Journal of Human Resource Costing & Accounting
ISSN: 1401-338X
Article publication date: 22 June 2012
Abstract
Purpose
This paper is concerned with identifying the role(s) of the individual employee(s) in the value creation process of three network‐based business models that are analyzed through case studies. The paper aims to focus on how the relationships between the network‐partners internally and also outside the network affect value creation.
Design/methodology/approach
The study conducted is a case study of three network‐based business models applying a semi‐structured interview approach as the primary source of data.
Findings
The study shows that, together with the terms “integrating” and “enabling” which the traditional literature tends to use, expressions like “building” and “aligning” can be added in order to describe the role of human resources in the value creation process of the network‐based business models. Human resources are found to be important for aligning the value proposition of the network as a whole to the customers' needs and expectations.
Research limitations/implications
The generalizability of the results are restricted by the fact that the network‐based businesses studied have a different set of stakeholder tensions than more traditionally organized.
Practical implications
This paper demonstrates the advantages of network‐based value configurations and indicates how performance measures may be directly derived from value creation maps.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to understanding advantages and drawbacks of network‐based companies and how such types of organization challenge the people within and outside of them.
Keywords
Citation
Nielsen, C. and Montemari, M. (2012), "The role of human resources in business model performance: the case of network‐based companies", Journal of Human Resource Costing & Accounting, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 142-164. https://doi.org/10.1108/14013381211284254
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited