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This article has been withdrawn as it was published elsewhere and accidentally duplicated. The original article can be seen here: 10.1108/02683949610148856. When citing the article, please cite: Veronica Mole, Sandra Dawson, Diana Winstanley, Jim Sherval, (1996), “Transforming the National Health Service: The challenge for career management”, Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 11 Iss: 7, pp. 40 - 50.

This paper draws on primary research from two sources. First a major research project begun December 1991 on ‘Senior Managerial Competencies, Succession Planning and Organisation Development in the NHS’. The research aims to identify possible competence gaps between competences demonstrated and competences required in the light of restructuring the National Health Service. It therefore examines management development and organisation development in parallel at the strategic and operational levels. This is a two year project funded by the Department of Health. The second source is other research being undertaken within the new ‘Public Service Strategy and Organisation Group’ based at the Management School, Imperial College. Although the group are researching a variety of public sector organisations, including local authorities and education, this research paper focuses on the restructuring taking place in the health service.

Reports on the conference on Ethical Issues in Contemporary Human Resource Management, held in April 1996. Notes concerns raised at the conference relating to a lowering of employment standards. These included factors such as: insecurity and risk, transfer of risk and surveillance and control. Suggests a number of alternative ethical frameworks useful in an analysis of HRM, including such elements as: basic human, civil and employment rights, universalism and community of purpose. Considers methods of defending such an ethical focus from charges of utopianism, and suggests that ethical HRM will be a developing theme over the next few years.

Challenges traditional models and approaches to performance management and presents an alternative methodology for developing performance objectives and managing performance. Argues that existing approaches generally do not succeed in meeting their objectives, are flawed in implementation, act to demotivate staff, and are often perceived as forms of control which are inappropriately used to “police” performance. Suggests that the alternative approach utilized in the case study organization, the British School of Osteopathy, is particularly appropriate for professional staff in the not‐for‐profit sector. Attempts to incorporate ethical concerns over performance management and, using a stakeholder approach, involves those affected in a dialogue over the design of performance measures and methods for performance improvement. Addresses four main ethical principles, namely: respect for the individual, mutual respect, procedural fairness and transparency of decision making.

Claims that, for the 1990s, images of careers are multidimensional and individualistic. Notes that employees are encouraged to take responsibility for their own self‐development, incorporate horizontal as well as vertical moves, and forge careers based on “employability”, i.e. learning, networking and reputation. Bases its arguments on the findings of a study into senior executives in the NHS, and explores the consequences of organizational restructuring for the careers of clinical, general and functional managers. Suggests that organizational and professional barriers exist to undermine the notion of the multidimensional career. Argues that prescriptive approaches to career self‐development need to take account of organizational context and that, to meet the challenges of careers in the 1990s, both the organization and the individual need to become more willing to take risks.

The purpose of this paper is to report on case study research of employment downsizing and the implications for equal opportunity and diversity management conducted in the UK airline industry during 2002/2003.

Review of literature on downsizing and equal opportunity and diversity management followed by identification of a number of research questions which are answered with reference to secondary analysis of labour market data and interviews with key informants from senior management and line management.

A planned approach to downsizing had been adopted that was strongly influenced by the human resources function in terms of equal opportunity and diversity management. An adverse impact on different employee groups had been avoided in order to sustain the diversity of the workforce.

The research focuses on the management of downsizing and equal opportunity and diversity management. It addresses the perceptions of managers involved in developing and implementing policy, but does not examine the perceptions of other employees.

There are some reflections on ways in which equal opportunity and diversity management policy might adapt to organisational change and downsizing.

This paper brings together two scholarly debates on downsizing and equal opportunity and diversity management, and provides case study evidence of how an equal opportunity and diversity management agenda is implemented during organisational restructuring and downsizing.

Reviews three books in the field of employment relations, industrial relations and human resource management: Employment Relations: Continuity and Change: Policies and Practices by E. Rose; Industrial Relations: Theory and Practice by M. Salamon; and Human Resource Management A Critical Text, edited by J. Storey. The review highlights the tension between the academic requirement for rigour in research and the publisher's requirement for a text that will have commercial value. It raises the point that textbooks often define of a research discipline for those outside academic circles. The review provides a detailed account of each book and compares their strengths and weaknesses. Concludes with a call to debate further what is required in a good textbook.