Organization as Community: Implications for HRM Theory and Practice Rick Jonsen | CBFA Annual Conference, Nashville, TN | October 10, 2014

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Outline

Christian business people have an affirmative responsibility to build and maintain organizational community.

This responsibility fundamentally changes HRM ontology, telos & praxis.

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Outline Outline •  Introduction: Is there a biblical model for human

resources management? •  Toward a biblical model for commercial institutions. •  Workplace community beyond the Christian tradition. •  A proposed conception of workplace community. •  The implications for HRM theory & practice.

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Is There A Biblical Model Of Human Resources Management?

1996 - Greenleaf

2004 – Specht & Broholm

2009 - Hamel

2009 - Delbecq

2010 – Van Duzer 2012 – Cafferky

2001 – Alford & Naughton

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•  Institutions must serve society; business for the common good. •  A theology of institutions is needed. •  Must bridge the faith/work divide. •  Corporations are created, fallen and redeemed.

1996 - Greenleaf

2004 – Specht & Broholm

2009 - Hamel

2009 - Delbecq

2010 – Van Duzer 2012 – Cafferky

2001 – Alford & Naughton

Is There A Biblical Model Of Human Resources Management?

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•  Theology must help reconstruct the foundations of management. •  Deeper analysis of the implications of spirituality on organizational

systems is needed. •  Comprehensive biblical model of human resources management has

rarely been explored.

1996 - Greenleaf

2004 – Specht & Broholm

2009 - Hamel

2009 - Delbecq

2010 – Van Duzer 2012 – Cafferky

2001 – Alford & Naughton

Is There A Biblical Model Of Human Resources Management?

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Two intrinsic purposes of business: 1.  Provide goods and services that promote community flourishing. 2.   Provide meaningful work that enables workers to use their God-

given creativity.

1996 - Greenleaf

2004 – Specht & Broholm

2009 - Hamel

2009 - Delbecq

2010 – Van Duzer 2012 – Cafferky

2001 – Alford & Naughton

Is There A Biblical Model Of Human Resources Management?

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Toward a Biblical Model for Commercial Institutions

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Organization in Protestant

Thought

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Organization in Protestant

Thought

Wolters (2005)

Creation is both physical and social.

Each societal institution has its own distinct nature & creational structure.

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Organization in Protestant

Thought

Torrance (n.d.) & Flett (2005)

Humanity created in the image of Triune God: 3 persons in constant communion.

We are “onto-relational” (intrinsically social).

Our vocation as “mediators of order” is fulfilled through cultural activity in which we order our life together.

Wolters (2005)

Creation is both physical and social.

Each societal institution has its own distinct nature & creational structure.

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Organization in Protestant

Thought

Torrance (n.d.) & Flett (2005)

Humanity created in the image of Triune God: 3 persons in constant communion.

We are “onto-relational” (intrinsically social).

Our vocation as “mediators of order” is fulfilled through cultural activity in which we order our life together.

Wolters (2005)

Creation is both physical and social.

Each societal institution has its own distinct nature & creational structure.

Volf (1998)

We are simultaneously individuals & made complete with others in community.

Our creation as social creatures demands social constructions that embody community.

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Organization in Catholic

Social Teaching

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Organization in Catholic

Social Teaching

Pope John XXIII (1961)

Corporations as community.

Purpose of business is to serve the common good.

Employees should be treated as persons with voice.

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Organization in Catholic

Social Teaching

Pope John Paul II (1981)

Personhood of human beings places humanity as the subject or end of work.

Workplaces should be communities where all persons take part in the active life of the body.

Pope John XXIII (1961)

Corporations as community.

Purpose of business is to serve the common good.

Employees should be treated as persons with voice.

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Organization in Catholic

Social Teaching

Pope John Paul II (1981)

Personhood of human beings places humanity as the subject or end of work.

Workplaces should be communities where all persons take part in the active life of the body.

Pope John XXIII (1961)

Corporations as community.

Purpose of business is to serve the common good.

Employees should be treated as persons with voice.

Naughton (2006)

Trinitarian understanding of God & humanity “begins to describe what corporate life looks like when it is at its best.”

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We image God as individuals and “as community,

most intimately in marriage, most profoundly in the church,

but also most concretely in our work…

The corporation, like any other institution, is made in the image of God.”

Michael Naughton, 2006

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Characteristics of the Biblical Community of Work

Mutuality, reciprocity & cooperation are common.

Subsidiarity is the norm.

Individual growth & development is a priority.

Justice is pursued in all organizational life.

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Workplace Community beyond the Christian Tradition

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Workplace Community beyond the Christian Tradition

Tonnies (1887)

Gemeinschaft & gessellschaft. Follett (1918)

“No individual can change the disorder and iniquity of this world… Conscious group creation is to be the social and political force of the future.”

Tocqueville (1835/40)

Growing individualism & associated isolation threatens American democracy.

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Workplace Community beyond the Christian Tradition

Tonnies (1887)

Gemeinschaft & gessellschaft. Follett (1918)

“No individual can change the disorder and iniquity of this world… Conscious group creation is to be the social and political force of the future.”

Bellah, et al. (1985), Putnum (1995)

Individualism continues to increase.

People seek new forms of community as they drift away from traditional forms.

Gardner (1995)

Community can exist in a neighborhood or town, but just as easily be created in a school, congregation or workplace. Tocqueville (1835/40)

Growing individualism & associated isolation threatens American democracy.

Weisbord (1987), Koffman & Senge (1993)

Persons are complete in community.

Workplace community has existential value.

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Workplace Community beyond the Christian Tradition

Organization in Catholic

Social Teaching

Organization in Protestant

Thought

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A Proposed Conception of Workplace Community

1.  Community is the normative form for commercial institutions.

2.  The workplace community is welcoming, friendly & diverse.

3.  Mutuality, reciprocity & cooperation are common.

4.  Subsidiarity, participation, & accountability are the norm.

5.  Individual growth & development, and organizational learning, are priorities.

6.  Justice is pursued in all organizational life.

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The Implications of Workplace Community for Human Resources

Management

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A New Purpose for HRM

Contemporary HRM Purpose

Creating sustained competitive advantage through human capital asset management.

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A New Purpose for HRM

Contemporary HRM Purpose

Creating sustained competitive advantage through human capital asset management.

Proposed HRM Purpose

Architecture and development of sustainable workplace communities.

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Workplace Community as an Intrinsic Purpose of Business

*Van Duzer (2010)

Goods & services that

enable community flourishing*

Meaningful work*

Sustainable workplace community

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Profit Serves the Intrinsic Purposes

*Van Duzer (2010)

Goods & services that

enable community flourishing*

Meaningful work*

Sustainable workplace community

Profit

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Profit & the Intrinsic Purposes Operationalized

*Van Duzer (2010)

Goods & services that

enable community flourishing*

Meaningful work*

Sustainable workplace community

Profit

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Implications for HRM

Concept Community View Contemporary View

Value of the individual: Has intrinsic worth as a person made in the image of God.

Value found in utility to the organization.

Person’s relationship with the firm:

Person made complete in community.

Transactional relationship based on utility.

Person’s role in the organization:

Enable community flourishing through stewardship of God’s physical & social creation.

Maximize shareholder value through personal competencies/profession.

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High-Performance

Work Systems Workplace Community

Organizational Outcomes

Sustainable Workplace Community Architecture in Contemporary Practice

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Evans & Davis (2005) Gittell, et al. (2010) Jiang, et al. (2012)

High-Performance

Work Systems Workplace Community

Organizational Outcomes

Sustainable Workplace Community Architecture in Contemporary Practice

•  Social capital •  Shared goals •  Shared knowledge •  Mutual respect •  Communication: frequent, timely, accurate,

problem-solving

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Evans & Davis (2005) Gittell, et al. (2010)

Outline

Christian business people have an affirmative responsibility to build and maintain organizational community.

This responsibility fundamentally changes HRM ontology, telos & praxis.

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Organization as Community: Implications for HRM Theory and Practice

HRM Theory & Practice Community-based HRM Contemporary HRM

HRM ontology: Grounded in Trinitarian theology & a social view of the human person.

Grounded in RBV & neoclassical economics.

HRM telos: Architect & developer of workplace community.

Expert management of human capital assets.

HRM praxis:

Build HPWS that support sustainable workplace community & external community flourishing.

Build HPWS that deliver sustainable competitive advantage & maximize shareholder value.

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Organization as Community: Implications for HRM Theory and Practice Rick Jonsen | CBFA Annual Conference, Nashville, TN | October 10, 2014

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