(Human) Resourcing For CI: Continous Improvement and the Need For Competencies

More and more, the ability to compete in today’s market is viewed as being dependent on human capital. One of the most challenging aspects of human resource management involves supplying the organization with the human capital necessary to fulfill its objectives. This task becomes especially challenging in organizations involved in change processes such as Continuous Improvement (CI), as the technical skills traditionally valued are no longer adequate. These companies are faced with the question: “What competencies should our employees possess in order to contribute to our success, given the change processes in which we are engaged?” Without a clear picture of the types of competencies required to implement CI, it is impossible for companies to make informed decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, and training of their workforce. The objective of this paper is therefore to define and characterize the types of competencies necessary for persons involved change implementation. Data collection involved interviews and observations in three longitudinal studies in five companies based in Denmark. From these data, a list of competencies that appeared to facilitate CI implementation was compiled. The data were then categorized according to type, organizational level, and level of expertise required.