may mean identifying integrating practices such as the use of
competence based processes and performance management.- The formulation of programmes for the development of these practices,
paying particular attention to the links between them.
Approaches to selecting the right bundle, the use of integrative processes and
the development of complementary practices are discussed below.
Selecting the right bundle
There have been a number of attempts at producing universally applicable
lists of best practices which, it is assumed, will be effective in improving
performance. A good example is the list of seven practices of successful
organizations produced by Pfeffer (1994)^67 : employment security, selective
hiring, self managed teams, high performance-contingent pay, training,
reduction of status differentials and sharing information.
However, there is no evidence that a particular bundle is superior to any other
bundle in all circumstances. Delaney and Huselid (1996)^68 failed to find any
positive impact for specific combinations of practices as opposed to the total
number of HR practices. As noted by Guest (1997), a number of researchers
have shown that the more high-performance HRM practices that are used, the
better the performance as indicated by productivity, labour turnover or
financial indicators. These high-performance practices as defined by the US
Department of Labor (1993) include:
careful and extensive systems for recruitment, selection and training;
formal systems for sharing information with the individuals who work in
the organization;
clear job design;
high-level participation processes;
monitoring of attitudes;
performance appraisals;
properly functioning grievance procedures;