Human resource management calls for "cloud transformation"

In the eyes of computer technology experts, "cloud computing" is just an internet-based way of computing, where computers can quickly and efficiently acquire shared hardware and software on the "cloud" (the Internet and the servers it connects to) on demand. The essence of "cloud computing" is a kind of agile integration of resources, we can call it "cloud paradigm (Cloud Paradigm)", and the way of resource integration often determines the efficiency of production, and naturally determines the future of mankind.

Predictably, "cloud paradigm" will also lead to a revolution in management and be used in more and more fields. In fact, the "cloud transition" trend in management has been simmering in 2006, long before Google chief executive Eric Schmidt first proposed the concept of "cloud computing" (Cloud Computing). Among them, human resource management is naturally the first.

Human resource management calls for "cloud transformation"

The theme of human resource management is always to effectively integrate the staff ability to form the corresponding organizational ability, which is directly embodied in the shaping of the organization model. Since the development of theory and practice, the paradigm of organizational pattern has undergone three stages of evolution.

The first stage is the hierarchical paradigm stage, that is, the pyramid-type organizational structure to integrate human resources. This period, in the strategic demand side, the consumption ability is relatively insufficient, the consumption demand is relatively unitary, the strategy is relatively unitary, the output is profit; In the human resources side, the manager and the scholar generally define the staff as "the economic person", thinks the person is born to dislike the work, evade the responsibility, does not have the enterprise, is the economic In this context, Top-down task allocation, strict definition of each employee's job responsibilities, supervision and enforcement, strict rewards and punishments became necessary. In this paradigm, man is used as a tool to personality, its existence is passive, and organization is highly centralized.

The second stage is the flattened paradigm phase, that is, to eliminate the vertical management level in the traditional pyramid structure as far as possible. This period, in the strategic demand side, the consumption capacity began to improve, consumer demand began to be diversified, the market began to appear uncertainty, the strategy is no longer pure output, but need to take into account consumer preferences, in the human resources side, managers and scholars began to realize that people or "social people", self-realization (y theory), complex people, intellectuals ... ... That is to recognize the complexity of human nature, in addition to the "sexual evil" side, more "legitimate self-interest" or even "selfless dedication" side. In this context, in addition to the traditional Top-down control and constraints, the possibility of thinking from the bottom up, that is, thinking in the role of creating an atmosphere to release the potential of employees has become another trend. In this paradigm, people's subjective initiative began to be mobilized, and within a certain business scope to accept the organization's decentralization.

The third phase is the networked paradigm phase, which connects resources in a network-like (receptacle) mode. This period, in the strategic demand side, the consumption capacity because of the development of production and a large increase in the diversification of consumer demand more and more fierce, and changeable, so that the demand to meet the ultimate personalized needs of the "experience economy" become a universal phenomenon. At this point, any success in consumer preferences can only be a short-term profit, the strategy has become a "contingency" results, calling for a high degree of "flexibility (flexibility)." In human resources, the complexity of human nature is not only recognized, the plasticity of human ability is also recognized, because knowledge and information increasingly become the elements of the creation of value, managers and scholars began to consciousness as the carrier of these elements is incredibly important human resources. In this context, strategic and resource-side are highly concerned, "strategic human resources management" and "capacity-based human resources management" is frequently mentioned. What organizations need, it seems, is to break down individual employees into small "capacity flow" and connect and boot through flexible networked patterns to ensure their efficient flow to key business areas to support evolving strategies. Competency In this paradigm, human initiative is mobilized to the greatest extent and begins to form a kind of pure self-organization. Don Baxter and Anthony Williams two new trends experts in the book, "Wikipedia," a large-scale collaborative production is changing the world, and shows a wiki workstation (wekistation) of the enterprise collaboration, which is the network paradigm.

From the hierarchical paradigm to the flat paradigm is the first transformation, from the flat paradigm to the network paradigm is the second transformation, each transition is because of the objective catalytic of strategic needs and the depth of understanding of human resources. The author thinks that even after two times of transformation, the network paradigm is not the end of evolution, and human resource management needs to transform into "cloud paradigm".

Human Resources Cloud paradigm, the human resources in the network shape to connect, and the network to "cloud computing law" for intelligent. The cloud paradigm is based on the network paradigm, and its difference is the intelligence of the net, that is, the "self-organization" in the networked paradigm has injected a "he organization" intervention.

In the network paradigm, the connection between people is random, we need to find order in the friction, we need to form "system memory (institutional memory)" through many conflicts. Although such evolutionary results are more sophisticated, networked connectivity can be a shadow of the effects of conflict amplification, and the process of evolution inevitably generates a lot of cost and may even crash the network. In addition, because of different "small network" between the order is not unified, "Small Network" integration into a "large network" needs a long process, which limits the power of the network to play. In cloud paradigm, a standardized intelligence (resource allocation method) that is "optimized for testing" is injected into the network--cloud computing law. This not only makes the order of the formation process cost minimization, but also makes the integration between small networks easier, more convenient to play the network "multiplier effect."

According to the author's observation and research, if a system is decomposed into subject, carrier and object, then, from different perspectives, human resources "cloud transformation" may exist three kinds of possibilities.

Subject Transformation--"wisdom Community"

The main body of enterprise human resource system is human, man is the source of all knowledge and innovation. In this direction, we should think about how to build a "cloud" type of interpersonal connection.

In traditional organizations, people subconsciously label themselves "jobs." The position means the level and the jurisdiction, and what the position means is the size of the "site". The pattern of "dividing the land" is the traditional hierarchical organizational structure, like a "power community". The "Power community" ensures the stability of the organization, eliminates the uncertainty in production, but it forms the existing interest pattern, brings the bureaucracy, makes the enterprise unwieldy and rigid, and makes the staff become a part of the routine.

On the one hand, enterprises often lack the flexibility of strategy and can not quickly create corresponding value for the change of market demand. In the power community, the frontline information to the command needs to pass through countless intermediate links, not only delay fighter, command heard is not necessarily accurate information. And the soldiers on the front can only rely on the feeling alone, not to command effective strategic guidance, can only be rigid "standard process."

On the other hand, businesses tend to replicate one another's lack of creative "templates", murdering employees ' ability to innovate. New employees are guided by bureaucratic culture, being told what to do, what not to do, their survival law in the "power community" is through "obedience to power to gain greater power", and all attempts to jump out of power constraints are the damage to the existing pattern of interest, will be punished. Therefore, the spirit of innovation in the power community is suppressed to the greatest extent and the enterprise becomes lifeless.

In fact, employees know the market best, and they are more creative, the most effective organization model is to direct these ideas to the key business areas, and even guide these ideas to collide (such as "brainstorming"), make it more alive. Human resource management needs to create an open, equal network relationship that allows communication and collaboration to take place among any two employees. In this relationship, there is no process, organization and responsibility, employees use "wisdom" to identify themselves, with the wisdom of social and display, and to win the recognition of the public and official incentives, the author of this network relationship called "Wisdom community."

In most enterprises, "intelligent community" often plays an important role as a virtual existence. In the case of a car sales enterprise, the author observes that young employees who are unwilling to be shackled by dogma use the Internet forum to build virtual organizations like "smart communities", and this virtual organization has contributed to the company's stunning mass of ideas as the "Shadow Warrior".

For another kind of highly knowledge-intensive enterprises, "intelligent community" has even replaced the traditional "power community". The author observes a consulting enterprise case, the management even constructs an internal innovation market, introduced the external market pressure, lets the staff put the consultancy product which oneself develops to put on the shelf to carry on the internal sale, thus the greatest degree "wiki" the staff's intelligence. The case company employs an alternative sense of partnership (partnership), where everyone is a partner, and the position of an employee is not even valued at all, since remuneration and power are not based on position. The new organizational model "destroys" the middle tier that creates layers of obstacles, breaking the sectoral boundaries, and the power community is not there.

Carrier transformation--"wiki platform"

The carrier of enterprise human resource system is the cooperation platform, and the collaboration platform is the foundation of human Resources integration and interaction to support strategy. In this direction, we should think about how to build a "cloud"-type collaboration platform.

In traditional organizations, on the one hand, the theme of shaping the platform is to decompose the task from the strategic goal; On the other hand, the platform's operation relies on the inherent communication channel, i.e. reporting line or collaborative relationship. The existence of such a platform, more emphasis on stability, but to a large extent, inhibit the staff's ability to play, eliminate the enterprise to reach the possibility of broad value space.

The first problem is that the platform theme is too singular. Platform theme is equivalent to a "computing demand", in the traditional organization, the normative work task representative's computation demand is relatively simple, only needs a few staff's simple participation. The reality is that the current strategic environment needs to be involved in different platform themes to produce value, that is, the organization to the platform frequently issued a variety of "computing needs", and the manager's vision and rationality are limited, can be found in the subject and the calculation of the need to send a natural limited, which greatly reduces the possibility of enterprise profit.

The second problem is that the platform's communication channels are too narrow. The communication channel is the link of serial staff, the traditional organization, the employee's report line and the collaboration relation is relatively clear, the originality can only be reported by the report line in a specific form, and the decision of the specific superior can be implemented, even if it is allowed to implement, and only through cooperation with the limited collaborators The problem is, creativity is often a fleeting inspiration, it is immature in the embryonic stage, but often one or two words, one or two words can become the source of innovation, and these ideas are often in the staff's "brainstorming" become more alive, why ask for form? In addition, the greater the cognitive distance between employees can inspire creativity, So why fix a partner?

In fact, employees as nodes in the network always exist, and we should think about how to inject topics into the interaction of these nodes and how to build a broader and more convenient connection for those nodes. Human resources management needs to create a collaborative "wiki platform", the main function of the platform is the public space within the enterprise to record and release knowledge, so that more employees can participate in knowledge interaction. On the platform, each employee is the provider of knowledge, sharing knowledge based on its own business, and communicating with anyone who enters the platform. Each employee is also a demand for knowledge, either simply based on their own business, or frequently in the knowledge interaction to launch a theme, send a different topic representative of the calculation needs, at this point, the platform will help others to complete the "calculation."

Fortunately, this wiki platform does not necessarily require the support of high-end information technology. The author observes a traditional civil aviation enterprise, its managers have established a wide range of channels for intersectoral collaboration among employees through activities such as action learning, innovation forums, in-house lecturers & curriculum development, and a number of collaborative themes have been derived based on collaborative knowledge exchange, Actually overcome a number of previous needs, please consult the company to solve the problem.

Even more fortunate, the development of information technology brings Web2.0 interactive social tools to make the Wiki platform more efficient. Geek Geek, an enterprise that provides computer software maintenance services, uses social software communication channels to create a communication platform for more than 12,000 employees across the United States, successfully inspiring thoughtfulness creativity in knowledge sharing, product design, marketing, etc.

Object Transformation--"knowledge Cube"

The object of enterprise human resource system is undoubtedly knowledge, especially in this era, knowledge is the first productive factor of creating value. In this direction, we should consider how to spread knowledge efficiently to the "cloud" and become more accessible.

Nonaka in the early 90, the "spiral process model of knowledge transformation" holds that individual knowledge is a four-stage cycle of socialization, presentation, integration and internalization, and becomes organizational knowledge through the transfer of individuals, teams to three levels of organization. Then, the knowledge management of enterprises mostly follow this model, the establishment of the organization's "think Tank", but for various reasons, this kind of "think tank" role more and more limited, it is like a beautiful "Qingming River map", presenting countless elements, but it is difficult to apply. In some enterprises, think tanks, such as the Management tool Library, the case library, are even just a device.

The first reason is that the knowledge in the think-tank lacks the system and is merely a disorderly aggregation of fragments of knowledge. The transfer of tacit knowledge needs human beings, but such transfer efficiency is obviously not high, therefore, how to make tacit knowledge become explicit and enter into think tank becomes the problem of organization thinking. Most companies simply publish a standard template that allows the owner of tacit knowledge to refine the template. The result is that the enterprise has written a lot of text, and has been printed on the pattern like a number, but no one knows the relationship between the text and the text, no one can see the text structure of the think tank clearly, and no one will expect the text to support their own work.

The second reason is the lack of dynamic knowledge in the think-tank and cannot support the dynamic development of the enterprise. The knowledge text is formed into the think tank, and the update of think tank is 1-2 years, which leads to the lag of knowledge in the think-tank. And in the rapidly changing business information today, who dares to rely on the hope of obtaining information in those "ancient books" on it? Moreover, without comparison and controversy, how can employees be sure that the knowledge of the think-tank is correct?

What companies should focus on is how to get knowledge to be structured in a clear system and to keep it moving. In this sense, human resource management needs to build a three-dimensional dynamic "knowledge cube". Its main function is to create an open, smart three-dimensional knowledge structure, to facilitate the contribution of all staff, sharing knowledge, and through interaction to collaborate, to present knowledge fragments (even mutual error correction) and its related relations, to build a solid structure. Structure, a piece of knowledge like "small box", together to build into a "big cube", and "small box" itself can be on the cube to a certain trajectory movement, to seek a new combination between each other, and be easily obtained by the searcher.

In the similar concept, some enterprises began the relevant practice. The author recently interviewed a central enterprises, enthusiastic through the "interactive Training" to solve the dynamic management problems. For example, when there is a problem with the distribution system in a regional market, the Training Department invites internal and external experts and the relevant decision-line managers to carry out "interactive Training". Training, from outside experts to import professional knowledge, internal experts into the Group strategy background, the relevant managers into decision-making situations, the interaction of several Parties can quickly solve the problem, the answer to the text is recorded in the form, and stored in the enterprise think tank. This pattern emphasizes the interaction in the knowledge sharing process, which is already similar to the knowledge cube we talked about.

Some enterprises more emphasis on the dynamic nature of knowledge, so directly using the wiki software to create knowledge cube. Some foreign enterprises have successfully practiced this idea, but there are few successful cases in China.

As mentioned above, the network of human resources frame to create a "cloud transformation" of the possibility, and really make "cloud transformation" into reality, but to make the network intelligent "his organization" intervention. To exert this kind of intervention, we must find the "optimal algorithm", namely "cloud computing Law", which can guide the rational release of resources within the network. This law seems mysterious, but in fact simple, its essence is based on employee's "Human nature" to guide its behavior.

Based on the multidimensional nature of human needs, managers have a large operating space. First, the direct economic benefits can be induced, such as Shanda for employees to share knowledge of the conduct of the integration and exchange it to determine the economic benefits of "experience value." Second, can be used to induce culture, such as the author observed that the car sales company, the establishment of its innovation forum is entirely employees do not want to be mediocre "rebellion", and staff crazy contribution to the creative is just to find their own "sense of existence." Third, we can use the distribution of power to induce, if the civil aviation enterprise that I observed, it did not inject the direct behavior target for the wiki platform, only through the similar press release and the text report and so on to promote the research achievement to the middle and senior management, immediately aroused the staff's widespread Echo, has formed a kind of like "the Horse race" Effect. Its four, can be directly introduced into the market strong incentives, this model is most direct and effective, such as the author observed that the consulting company, the external market for the demand for products introduced into the internal market, so that employees can get the creative immediate return, quickly ignited the enthusiasm of enterprise innovation. After all, what is the mechanism for allocating resources more precisely than price signals?

(Responsible editor: Songtao)