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High Performing and High Intensity Work
The question of the efficacy and impact of HPWS (High Performance Work Systems) remains an area of dispute. Based on current studies it is clear that the benefits can be very dependent on the particular context and that in general the enactment of HPWS practices can quite often be claimed by managers in situations in which the work force reports less positively about their incidence (particularly in the context of smaller firms, where sometimes the formality of a particular practices is less significant. See Edwards et al., AIM).
The Effect of Consultation and Participation
As HPWP it is clear that we are talking about a portfolio of HR practices BUT, as with management practices in general, combinations which work seem to vary (based on the specific nature of work organization and the unit and firm history amongst other factors) It is also not entirely clear how far HPWP result in improved performance as a general rule or whether they will only work in particular contexts. As with many managerial practices the issue of causality remains unresolved. For instance, see Bloom et al., AIM, and for a more general review and debate, see Delbridge et al., AIM.
It is also noteworthy that in a range of service business both consumer and business, the quality of service is strongly influenced by the detail of the interaction between customer and provider at the point of service. This is particularly true in so-called experiential service sectors where indeed the actual set of specific services experiences is indeed the product itself (see Voss et al., AIM). Hence a number of issues arise that mean it is important to achieve the right level of autonomy, skill, and responsiveness at the individual point of delivery.
Finally there remains a continuing debate about the relationship between skills and productivity: it is clear that what is required is "a more nuanced policy and practice discourse that encourages new ways of thinking and takes into account the circumstances facing firms operating in different contexts and at different levels of maturity" (Edwards et al., AIM).
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