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182                               assessing potential and future performance
                               potential analysis, should be incorporated in human resource procedures in order to be
                               effective within organisations. In addition to this we state that tailor-made solutions spe-
                               cific to the organisational context are needed to yield the desired results from human
                               development activities.



                               TRENDS THAT INFLUENCE MANAGEMENT/HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

                               The developments that are taking place in the context of an organisation or institute are
                               partly dependent on, for example, the nature of the organisation and its goals, the location
                               (country) of the organisation, the development phase, etc. The fact still remains, however,
                               that some general trends can be detected which will affect every organisation sooner or
                               later. Since potential implies a prediction of future performance, not only the future
                               (managerial) job but also future organisational goals define the concept of ‘potential’.
                               Some general factors that may influence the goals of an organisation are summarised in
                               Figure 9.1. They represent the context within which human development takes place, or
                               has to take place.
                                 In our point of view the influence of these contextual factors on human develop-
                               ment, and therefore the measurement of potential, cannot be ignored. The current rapid
                               technological changes and all the evolvements in the environment of an organisation
                               (see Figure 9.1) ask for alert reactions and flexibility in order to be able to implement the
                               desired manageral direction. In human development, certain competencies will become


                                 I. External sociopolitical environment:
                                 •  Technological developments
                                 •  Demographic developments
                                 •  Political development (including law regulations)
                                 •  Environmental developments
                                 •  Innovation and growth

                                 II. Geographic perspective
                                 •  World/region/ or nation state
                                 •  Labour-market challenges
                                 •  Pressures for social responsibility versus business power
                                 •  Work ethic, attitudes towards organisations and work

                                 III. Product markets
                                 •  Life-cycle
                                 •  Saturation/generation of markets
                                 •  National/international markets
                                 •  Constraints/opportunities for innovation and growth

                                 IV. Internal environment
                                 •  Structure
                                 •  Culture
                                 •  Power relations
                                 •  Management and Human Resource policy

                               FIGURE 9.1 Influences on organisations and management/human development (based on, a.o.
                               Ansoff & McDonell; 1990)
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