HR practices, increases organizational performance, but the exact nature of such
relationships remains unclear (for recent reviews see Appelbaum 2002 ; Benson and
Lawler 2003 ). There has been considerable variety in the detail of these studies,^3
indicating the absence of a widely accepted set of measures of ‘progressive’ or ‘high-
performance’ HRM (Barton and Delbridge 2004 ), and making comparisons prob-
lematic. In seeking to distill the essence of these studies, Cappelli and Neumark
( 2001 ) conclude that the central feature of this literature is the link between
employee involvement and high performance. This is consistent with Florida
et al.’s ( 1998 : 199 ) conclusion that the deWning characteristic of new work regimes
is the attempt to promote knowledge mobilization and organizational learning,
founded on the dimensions of teamwork, employee involvement, and training.
20.3 Lean Manufacturing
.........................................................................................................................................................................................
- 1 The Key Argument of the Lean Model
Rather as the Fordist production system presented a coherent and rounded model
of consumption, production, and organization, so the lean model provides an
integrated system linking markets, organization, production, and employment
relations. Early advocates of lean production (also called ‘just-in-time production’)
made direct and favorable comparisons with Fordism in advancing the superiority
of this alternative model (Ohno 1988 ; Womack et al. 1990 ). It is the systemic linking
of market demand, technical and operational features, and work organization with
the role of workers underpinned by appropriate HR practices which is fundamen-
tal. The empirical research of MacDuYe( 1995 a) provides the strongest example of
the key arguments regarding the integration of management practices.
MacDuYe’s work has been highly inXuential, especially in advocating the
‘bundling’ of mutually constitutive and supportive practices. His conclusions
stem from detailed analysis of quantitative data gathered from car assemblers
across the world and his central argument is that it is thecombinationof lean
production practices with high-involvement work systems and complementary HR
practices that creates the necessary organizational environment for high-perform-
ance manufacturing (see also MacDuYe and Pil 1997 ). He underscores the central
role of a participative workforce and argues that the potential technological
superiority of lean production is only realized through the active participation of
shopXoor workers. Management seeks to ensure workers contribute discretionary
(^3) Becker and Gerhart 1996 note twenty seven diVerent variables that have been used as proxies for
high performance work practices across justWve independent studies.
hrm and contemporary manufacturing 409