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Quality management constructs related to management leadership and workforce involvement have consistently shown strong correlation with firm success for years. However, there is an increasing body of research based on complexity theory (CT) suggesting that constructs such as these should be viewed as variables in a complex system with inter-dependencies, interactions, and potentially nonlinear relationships. Despite the significant body of conceptual research related to CT, there is a lack of methodological research into these potentially nonlinear effects. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the theoretical and practical importance of non-linear terms in a multivariate polynomial model as they become more significant predictors of firm success in collaborative environments and less significant in more rigidly controlled work environments.

Multivariate polynomial regression methods are used to examine the significance and effect sizes of interaction and quadratic terms in operations scenarios expected to have varying degrees of complex and complex adaptive behaviors.

The results find that in highly collaborative work environments, non-linear and interaction effects become more significant predictors of success than the linear terms in the model. In more rigid, less collaborative work environments, these effects are not present or significantly reduced in effect size.

This study shows that analytical methods sensitive to detecting and measuring nonlinearities in relationships such as multivariate polynomial regression models enhance our theoretical understanding of the relationships between constructs when the theory predicts that complex and complex adaptive behaviors are present and important.

This study demonstrates that complex adaptive behaviors between management and the workforce exist in certain environments and provide greater understanding of factor relationships relating to firm success than more traditional linear analytical methods.

The purpose of the current study is to explore the lessons learned by CEOs during the pandemic on how to develop themselves and their workforce to bring success during this chaotic and uncertain time.

Thirty CEO interviews were conducted with two trained interviewers that lasted an average of 76 minutes. Three independent reviewers conducted a content analysis.

Through the content analysis, six main themes emerged that we have labeled “success lessons”: Your workforce really is your most important resource, leaders, at all levels, must lead effectively and with empathy, leaders must practice 360° two-way communication with honesty and transparency, equip your workforce for success and leverage technology, trust and empower your workforce, and invest more time reinforcing and celebrating victories.

The size and scope of the pandemic provides for lessons on leadership and workforce development never experienced before. The current study provides in-depth insights from CEO experiences during the pandemic.

The purpose of this paper is to make a comparative assessment of the relationship between types of pay plans and several workforce‐level outcomes in 214 organizations. The plans include pay that is skill‐based, job‐based, and market‐based. The types of workforce‐level outcomes include workforce flexibility, attitudes, membership behaviors, and productivity. The paper also assesses the relationship between the success of pay plans and workforce productivity/membership behaviors.

Survey data from 214 organizations are used to test the hypothesized relationships using hierarchical regression analysis and partial least square techniques.

Results support a significant and positive relationship between skill‐based pay plans, workforce flexibility, and workforce attitudes. Skill‐based pay plans, when compared with market‐based pay plans, are found to positively relate to workforce membership behaviors, and workforce attitudes mediate this relationship. Similarly, workforce flexibility mediates the positive relationship between skill‐based plans and workforce productivity. The success of skill‐based plans depends on significant improvements in workforce productivity and membership behaviors. The fit between the pay plan and the facility's climate/culture moderates the relationship between workforce productivity and the pay plan's success.

The results indicate that skill‐based pay plans are superior for achieving several organizational and employee outcomes. The authors discuss the implications of these results for research and practice.

Limited comparative empirical evidence exists on the effects of different types of pay systems on organizational outcomes. The paper seeks to address this gap.

This study aimed to contribute to the field of Human Resource Management (HRM) by providing a critical review of existing scholarly research and a thematic analysis of the workforce nationalization domain in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. To strengthen the literature on this topic, it seeks to identify key gaps and areas for further exploration.

A two-step systematic research methodology (qualitative and quantitative) and a thematic analysis of empirical and theoretical studies were used in this study. The quantitative review was conducted using a predesigned coding framework.

The study identified and discussed four perspectives of workforce nationalization in the GCC countries. These were (1) the conceptualization of workforce nationalization; (2) the role of institutional policies in achieving it; (3) the practices and outcomes of nationalization efforts and (4) the impact of gender and women in the nationalization process.

This study has several limitations, which the authors have addressed by proposing several future research avenues. For example, the reviewed studies are skewed toward certain countries (e.g. UAE and Saudi Arabia), which limits the generalizability of their findings.

A more comprehensive definition of nationalization, development of qualitative and quantitative measures to enhance HRM practices and outcomes, and the identification of alternative approaches to improve the employment of locals are emphasized as needs. Additionally, revised measures and mechanisms to rectify negative perceptions about entitlement and the revision of policies to integrate females in the national labor force are suggested.

Workforce nationalization initiatives in the GCC region offer a unique and rich research phenomenon replete with managerial, organizational, economic and political dilemmas. The investigation of this phenomenon would profoundly enlighten employers, policymakers and scholars.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an interview with Tim Ringo.

The paper interviews Tim Ringo, co‐author of Calculating Success: How the New Workplace Analytics will Revitalize your Organization.

The paper tells how Ringo came to co‐author the book, outlines the four key questions companies must ask themselves in order to be successful, and discusses future trends.

The paper discusses the six‐step framework that will allow for a meaningful evaluation and application of workforce data.

This paper aims to present an exploratory study of the evaluation of training programs, based on a theoretical framework reviewing both the training literature and the strategic performance measurement (SPM) literature. The purpose of the paper is to analyse whether the operational approach (suggested by the training literature) and the strategic approach (suggested by the SPM literature) are actionable and feasible to measure the performance of training programs, and which relationships occur between these approaches.

The methodology supporting the paper is largely oriented to action research. The research project took about 12 months, working with five Italian healthcare organisations in order to develop an actionable system for measuring the performance of selected training programs.

The results suggest that the operational and the strategic approaches are actionable and feasible to measure the performance of selected training programs; that these approaches are complementary, and not alternative; and that their contextual use is mutually beneficial, because it allows alignment of the evaluation of training programs towards organisational priorities.

The limitations of the paper concern its explorative nature. The paper does not expand its focus from the training programs to the training function, and from the training literature to the strategic human resource literature. Research on these topics may contribute to further analysing the links between training evaluation and SPM systems.

The paper shows the feasibility of a systematic evaluation of selected training programs at an organisational level of analysis, aiming at increasing organisational effectiveness.

The paper suggests the relevance of evaluating training programs according to an SPM framework based on the Balanced Scorecard.

Previous studies have shown that soft skills play a significant role in applicants' employability and in the job search, recruitment, selection and hiring process. However, past research indicates a gap in perceptions of soft skills, between employees and employers. The present empirical research aims to explore this gap in perceptions and to suggest effective ways to resolve any mismatch. Demographical factors affecting these perceptions are also taken into consideration for the analysis.

A quantitative research design has been applied. The survey undertaken, covers all three main sectors of employment (manufacturing, retail and services), with 151 employee–employer dyads around Greece participating in the survey. Paired sample t-test, independent t-test and One-way ANOVA were used to analyze the data.

The results show a gap between employees' and their subsequent employers' perceptions of employees' soft skills. Employees seem to regard their skills more highly than do their employers, whereas employers seem to consider employees as not properly equipped with the necessary soft skills. These findings are a worrying sign for business operations and suggest that difficulties in manager–employee co-operation can arise.

This study has both theoretical and practical implications. It adds to the literature in human resources appraisal process by identifying soft skills perceived differently by employees and employers. It also highlights the reasons for that gap and makes suggestions for the enhancement of required skills.

The majority of previous studies in the field focus either on employees' or employers' perceptions, without comparing them. In addition, the few former studies attempt a comparison focused on students as employees or trainees, with no previous work experience. The current study focuses on employees whose work experience has already shaped perceptions of their skills and employability.

This study raises the question of whether the nature of the merger and acquisition (M&A) strategy per se, that is reflected throughout the M&A process, may lead to a potential trade-off between the two main objectives of M&As – synergy success and efficiency gains, which may explain the high failure rate of the M&A strategy. The purpose of this paper is to present a mediation model to explore the potential trade-off that may exist between synergy success and efficiency gains. The model examines whether the change in the workforce size during the M&A process mediates the relationship between the types of M&A and M&A success, resulting in a trade-off.

The study uses a sample of 394 public firms.

The study reveals that if the management over-increases the workforce size to realize the synergy potential, then it heightens the risk of the “win synergy-lose efficiency” trade-off, resulting in an increase in revenue growth but a decrease in profitability. The results even show that international M&As lead to an “over” increase in the workforce size to maximize the synergy potential, but at the same time, an increase in the workforce size harms the efficiency gains, resulting in a decrease in profitability. However, vertical and conglomerate M&As may lead neither to synergy success nor to efficiency gains, which reflects a situation of no benefits from the M&A for the acquirer.

The study emphasizes that one of the main challenges in the implementation of the M&A strategy is to strike a balance between the objective of improving efficiency through cutting costs and workforce reduction during the integration stage and the objective of realizing the synergy potential, despite the workforce reduction during the M&A process.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of the major critical success factors involved in knowledge acquisition from an aging oil and gas workforce by outsourced service providers and find the outcome. In addition, the authors are also interested in finding out the outcome for the client and the service provider by following these critical success factors.

The authors shortlisted two outsourced firms for studying, primarily because they deliver lots of service support work to oil and gas firms. For the exploratory nature of this case study, a structured, open‐ended interview was conducted. Through face‐to‐face interviews with 12 senior managers, primary data were collected. Upon content analysis of data collected, the framework was evaluated.

The results of this study indicate that both client and service providers can benefit by following major critical success factors for knowledge acquisition. From the open‐ended interview with the two companies, it can be concluded that the service providers are able to grow their technical and domain capability through knowledge acquisition from ageing workforce and reduce the cost to client.

The study has been restricted to two service providers, with majority of operations carried out of India, focusing only on US/UK‐based oil & gas firms. Implication on theory is, by following these critical success factors, it is likely to be easier to acquire the knowledge from an aging oil and gas workforce.

The service provider firms can build their knowledge capability, reducing the cost to both client and service provider. Further study with more service providers at the global level may help in pooling larger data. The primary contribution of the paper is in introducing the critical success factors with various associated activities that drive knowledge acquisition from an aging workforce.

The primary contribution of the paper is in introducing the critical success factors with various associated activities that drive knowledge acquisition from an aged workforce in the oil and gas industries. Second contribution is in highlighting the role of these critical success factors in gaining various benefits to client as well as to service providers.

As e-HRM systems move into the ‘smart’ technology realm, expectations and capabilities for both the automational and informational features of e-HRM systems are increasing. This chapter uses the well-established DeLone and McLean (D&M) model from the information systems literature to analyze how a smart workforce management system can create value for an organization.

The chapter is based on an exploratory case study conducted with a North American industrial products firm. We review three systems-level predictors of success from the D&M model (system quality, information quality, and service quality) and evaluate the company’s systems on these attributes.

The company’s e-HRM systems fall short on the information quality dimension, which limits potential for overall system success related to smart workforce management.

The e-HRM literature focuses on individual-level factors of system success, while the D&M model uses more macro factors. Blending these may help researchers and practitioners develop a more complete view of e-HRM systems. Conclusions from this chapter are limited due to the use of a single, exploratory case study.

Companies must pay attention to all three predictors of system quality when developing smart workforce management systems. In particular, implementation of a data governance program could help companies improve information quality of their systems.

This chapter adds to the literature on smart workforce management by using a model from the information systems literature and a practical example to explore how such a system could add value.