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To explore human resource (HR) practitioner perspectives of the effectiveness, challenges, and aspirations of the performance management (PM) system to inform future directions for PM design and success.

Interviews with 53 HR practitioners from a cross-section of organisations operating in the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand.

Practitioner's discussed the criticality of effective conversations across all elements of the PM system. Using an interpretive approach, and through a lens of social exchange theory (SET), we used their voice to develop a conversations-based PM model. This model centres on effective performance conversations through the design and implementation of the PM system. It includes four enablers and five environmental elements. The enablers (aligned goals, frequent feedback, skills development, and formality) depend on skilled interactions and conversations, and the organisational environmental elements (design, development function, buy-in, culture, and linkage to other systems) are enhanced when effective conversations take place.

Practitioners can use the conversations model to help shape the way they design and implement PM systems, that place emphasis on upskilling participants to engage in both formal and informal honest conversations to build competency in the enablers and assess organisational readiness in terms of the environmental elements.

By listening to the under-utilised voice of the HR practitioner, and through a lens of SET, we developed a PM model which emphasises reciprocity and relationship building as key tenets of the PM system. While past research recognises the importance of effective conversations for PM implementation, it has largely silent been about the role of conversations in system design. Our model centres these conversations, presenting enablers and environmental elements to facilitate their core position within effective PM.

The purpose of this paper is to suggest ways in which business educators can interact successfully with reflective learning journals (RLJs). Specifically, the research was interested in how students used RLJs and how educators assessed these RLJs.

In total, 31 RLJs, submitted as part of an international communication course involving a global virtual team exercise, were analysed. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes discussed by participants, while content analysis, based upon Kolb’s learning cycle, was used to assess the depth of student reflection.

Students appear to have engaged with depth and understanding and were able to articulate their skill level, but there was variance in their reflective ability across different skills.

An interpretation of Kolb’s (1984) learning cycle as a method to assist educators to assess RLJs is presented. Specifically, educators need to provide more guidance to students to enhance their ability to reflect. The authors suggest that a rubric based on Kolb could fulfil this objective.

This study responds to the call for more research examining depth of reflection (Lien et al., 2012); it also offers contribution to the variety of models characterising reflective depth (Ash and Clayton, 2009; Chamberlain, 2012; Lien et al., 2012) drawn from experiential learning in the form of written RLJs.

One of the principal organizational developments in the last decade has been the pervasive influence of computer mediated communication (CMC) tools. The purpose of this paper is to closely interrogate the day‐to‐day role of e‐mail in explicating, influencing and shaping social and information interactions within an organization.

A series of in‐depth interviews (n=29) were undertaken to elicit employee opinions on their e‐mail adaptation, experiences and practices.

The paper provides insights into the polymorphic role of e‐mail, particularly the way in which it is adapted by individuals within the organization. Specifically, it shows how this tool interacts within day‐to‐day work activities and tasks.

This paper investigates only one CMC tool, e‐mail, although it is envisaged that this initial work will be used to raise a new understanding of the socially skilled adaptation of other CMC tools by employees as well as leaders.

Previously unreported insights into employee opinion are delineated in order to provide a focus from which organizations can train and develop their employees and leaders to maximise knowledge creation within the organization.

This study assesses CMC from an under‐researched “real‐life” perspective in which everyday interactions are used to understand employee reactions to e‐mail communication and hence foster an atmosphere in which these interactions assist organizational development.

This paper aims to examine the personal and organisational factors that affected public sector managers' participation in leadership training programmes and their ability to transfer learning to their workplace.

In‐depth interviews were conducted with five Canadian and five Northern Irish managers who participated in one‐day leadership training programmes.

The uncertain environment throughout the public sector was the greatest inhibitor to training participation and transfer. However, other training characteristics and training design features were also noted (e.g. motivation, trainer influence).

Public sector organisations must take concrete steps to address current environmental challenges to fully benefit from leadership training programmes. The paper highlights pre‐, during, and post‐training strategies that can be implemented.

The findings illustrate that leaders in both public sector jurisdictions face similar issues and these have been exacerbated by the current turbulent climate. The authors suggest that to maximise return on training investment the public sector must create an environment supportive of training participation and transfer and suggest recommendations to help organisations in the future. These findings were facilitated by the use of qualitative training evaluation methods, not traditionally used in training transfer research.

The purpose of this paper is to examine employers’ use of social networking sites (SNSs) within employee selection.

In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 organisations to gain an understanding of how they accessed, observed and utilised data from SNSs in their selection procedures, as well as gaining an insight into employers’ perceptions of candidate privacy and discrimination.

SNS profiles were either accessed as part of an organisation’s official selection process, through integrating internet screening as part of the formal process and obtaining candidate permission, or through covert (without consent) observation. Facebook was primarily used to identify a candidate’s organisation fit and make assessment of their soft skills, whereas LinkedIn distinguished their professional attributes and their job fit. Problems were associated with the extent to which SNSs were reflective of the person and whether a candidate’s personal life reflected their work persona. Respondents focused more upon the legality, rather than the ethics, of accessing “private” information via SNSs.

Further research is needed to consider the content and predictive validity of SNSs as a selection tool before their utility can be ascertained.

Organisations should have a clear goal when utilising SNSs, be aware of the value of the information and consider how it complements other selection tools. Selectors should have integrity throughout the selection process, view SNSs as a support tool and use their common sense.

The in-depth nature of this research enabled the authors to understand how and why organisations are currently utilising SNSs within selection.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate, from the perspective of knowledge workers (KWs), the factors which underpin worker performance. Although a broad array of factors is examined, the role played by the front-line manager (FLM) appears pre-eminent.

Using data collected in 2012 from a sample of 73 New Zealand KWs, the authors adopt a phenomenological approach to understanding how the FLM influences their performance motivations. A two-pronged research design was employed; stage 1 involved a paired statement exercise, which was immediately followed by stage 2, an in-depth interview.

The behaviour and support afforded to KWs by their FLM emerged as an important influence on their individual performance. Specifically, behaviours which convey value, trust and respect, and afford support, recognition and an appreciation for work completed seemingly empower and motivate KWs to superior performance.

The distinctive qualities of KWs and what constitutes their effective management needs to be given consideration in research. Identifying the depth and breadth of the FLM role contributes to this understanding.

FLMs need contemporary development and continued support across the broad spectrum of people management activities, to enable them to build positive relational ties, which are so important to KWs.

This paper contributes much needed empirical data to the understanding of how FLMs contribute to KW performance.