Zeitschrift für Personalforschung; ZfP - 3/2007: Human Capital Management More than just a Phrase

Human Capital Management is currently one of the most controversially discussed topics in Human Resource research and practice. Rather than being a definite concept, 'Human Capital Management' covers a broad range of ideas. In this special issue there are five papers that reflect the impressive scope and impressive depth of discussion, which we currently find in Germany.

Roman Bechtel deals with the paradigmatic foundations of Human Capital Management. Discussing both the Resourced Based View and the Market Based View, he basically calls for an integration of both. He rejects from a theoretical standpoint the Market Based Valuation, which is a subset of the Market Based View and is currently strongly favoured by various consulting companies. This paper is, on one side a warning signal for companies, on the other side, a solid basis for further academic discussion, which could run very controversially.

Stephanie Schmidt und Kirsten Thommes ask the question of who is the owner of the human capital, which rests in the temporary workforce. Using a specific human capital interpretation, they deliver a logical proof, that even in this situation with a very specific psychological contract it could make sense to invest in human capital. This paper calls for an empirical validation - which makes it even more valuable.

Gotthard Pietsch starts with the far-reaching attention of concepts of human capital measurement and puts up two interesting hypotheses: (a) Human Capital Measurement tends to promote opportunistic behavior by offering opportunities to escape from responsibility, but (b) the institutionalization of Human Capital Measurement limits opportunism. This is an interesting dialectic, based upon a theory of organizational anarchy.

Isabell Welpe, Stephan Lutz and Erich Barthel approach the topic from using the analogy to financial capital market models. The authors show the limitations of models, which basically draw upon financial data. They also discuss why especially attributes such as 'flexibility' and 'options' are currently hard to integrate in a concept of human capital, if we really use the full analogy to financial models.

Volker Stein recalls at the beginning the long tradition of Human Capital Management in Germany and then highlights the current debate in Germany about the right way towards a Human Capital Management, which is sound both in terms of academic rigor and practical relevance. The author sets up a framework to position the various approaches. He supports the notion that the German discussion could also influence the international debate.

List of contents

From the contents:
Roman Bechtel deals with the paradigmatic foundations of Human Capital Management. Discussing both the Resourced Based View and the Market Based View, he basically calls for an integration of both. He rejects from a theoretical standpoint the Market Based Valuation, which is a subset of the Market Based View and is currently strongly favoured by various consulting companies. This paper is, on one side a warning signal for companies, on the other side, a solid basis for further academic discussion, which could run very controversially. / Stephanie Schmidt und Kirsten Thommes ask the question of who is the owner of the human capital, which rests in the temporary workforce. Using a specific human capital interpretation, they deliver a logical proof, that even in this situation with a very specific psychological contract it could make sense to invest in human capital. This paper calls for an empirical validation - which makes it even more valuable. / Gotthard Pietsch starts with the far-reaching attention of concepts of human capital measurement and puts up two interesting hypotheses: (a) Human Capital Measurement tends to promote opportunistic behavior by offering opportunities to escape from responsibility, but (b) the institutionalization of Human Capital Measurement limits opportunism. This is an interesting dialectic, based upon a theory of organizational anarchy. / Isabell Welpe, Stephan Lutz and Erich Barthel approach the topic from using the analogy to financial capital market models. The authors show the limitations of models, which basically draw upon financial data. They also discuss why especially attributes such as"flexibility"and"options"are currently hard to integrate in a concept of human capital, if we really use the full analogy to financial models.

About the author

Prof. Dr. Christian Scholz, geboren 1952, ist nach dem Studium und einer Assistententätigkeit an der Universität Regensburg sowie Forschungsaufenthalten an der Harvard Business School seit 1986 Inhaber eines Lehrstuhls für Betriebswirtschaftslehre an der Universität des Saarlandes. Gleichzeitig ist er Direktor des dortigen Europa-Instituts und seines MBA-Studiengangs "European Management" und des Instituts für Managementkompetenz (imk). Außerdem ist er Mitherausgeber der "Zeitschrift für Personalforschung" und tätig in der Managementweiterbildung und Unternehmensberatung speziell für Personalmanagement, Unternehmenskultur und Trendforschung.

Dudo von Eckardstein ist Emeritus am Institut für Personalmanagement der Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien. Seine bevorzugten Forschungsgebiete umfassen Vergütungssysteme, Personalmanagement und Arbeitsbeziehungen sowie Hochschulmanagement.

Prof. Dr. Oswald Neuberger, Jahrgang 1941, ist Diplompsychologe und seit 1980 Professor für Psychologie an der Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität Augsburg und dort verantwortlich für die Ausbildung im Fach Personalwesen. Nach dem Studium der Psychologie, Promotion und Habilitation zum Thema Führung war er von 1977 bis 1980 Professor für Organisationspsychologie an der Bundeswehruniversität in München. Neben vielen Veröffentlichungen zu seinen Arbeitsschwerpunkten Kommunikation, Personalentwicklung, Führung und Mikropolitik ist Professor Neuberger Mitherausgeber der "Zeitschrift für Personalforschung".

Prof. Dr. Christian Scholz, geboren 1952, ist nach dem Studium und einer Assistententätigkeit an der Universität Regensburg sowie Forschungsaufenthalten an der Harvard Business School seit 1986 Inhaber eines Lehrstuhls für Betriebswirtschaftslehre an der Universität des Saarlandes. Gleichzeitig ist er Direktor des dortigen Europa-Instituts und seines MBA-Studiengangs "European Management" und des Instituts für Managementkompetenz (imk). Außerdem ist er Mitherausgeber der "Zeitschrift für Personalforschung" und tätig in der Managementweiterbildung und Unternehmensberatung speziell für Personalmanagement, Unternehmenskultur und Trendforschung.

Product details

• Assisted by: Dudo Von Eckardstein (Editor), Oswald Neuberger (Editor), Christian Scholz (Editor)
• Publisher: Edition Rainer Hampp
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2007
• EAN: 9783866181755
• ISBN: 978-3-86618-175-5
• No. of pages: 147
• Weight: 240 g
• Sets: Zeitschrift für Personalforschung; ZfP; Zeitschrift für Personalforschung; ZfP
• Subject: Social sciences, law, business > Business > Business administration