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‘Jack be Nimble, Jill be Quick’: HR Capability and Organizational Agility in the New Zealand Public and Private Sectors *
Author(s) -
Walsh Pat,
Bryson Jane,
Lonti Zsuzsanna
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
asia pacific journal of human resources
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.825
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1744-7941
pISSN - 1038-4111
DOI - 10.1177/1038411102040002337
Subject(s) - public sector , remuneration , private sector , business , human resource management , work (physics) , perspective (graphical) , human resources , public relations , management , economics , political science , computer science , engineering , finance , economic growth , mechanical engineering , artificial intelligence , economy
This study uses Dyer and Shafer's organizational agility framework to analyze and compare the contribution of human resource strategies and practices to organizational capability in twelve private sector and three public sector organizations. Similarities are found in public and private sector HR practices and priorities, particularly with regard to some aspects of work design, performance management and remuneration, and communication. However, there are also differences, mainly evidenced in the much greater degree of formalization of the HR systems in the public sector organizations and a greater emphasis upon control. A number of reasons for this were identified, including: the public sector regulatory environment; differences in key sources of organizational capability and risk minimization; differences in the nature of work; and the influence of historical legacy and temporal perspective.