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Australian small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs): A study of high performance management practices

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2015

Retha Wiesner ,
Jim McDonald  and
Heather C Banham
Retha Wiesner
Affiliation:
Faculty of Business, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba QLD, Australia
Jim McDonald
Affiliation:
Department of Industrial Relations, Griffith University Business School – Nathan Campus, Brisbane QLD, Australia
Heather C Banham
Affiliation:
Business Administration Department, Okanagan University College, Kelowna BC, Canada
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Abstract

While there is extensive management and academic literature on the topic area of high performance management internationally, research on high performance management practices in the Australian context is limited. Furthermore, research on high performance management practices has focused predominantly on large organisations and is largely a new direction for research in SMEs. This study attempts to fill some of the gaps in existing studies by considering a wide range of high performance management practices in Australian SMEs. Owing to the dearth of national data on high performance management in Australian SMEs, the results of this study are used to determine whether there is any evidence of a ‘high performing’ scenario in relation to management practices in Australian SMEs. The results, reporting a national study (N = 1435) on employee management in Australian SMEs, reveal a moderate take-up of high performance management practices. The findings by themselves do not support a ‘high’ performing scenario in relation to management practices in SMEs; however the low application of participative practices in the context of low unionization, and a low incidence of collective relations, indicates that many SMEs need a makeover if they are to meet the demands of competition. It is evident from the findings in this study that high performance practices in SMEs stand to benefit from modernisation and improvement.

Keywords

high performance management practiceshigh performance management systemshigh performance management organizationssmall and medium size enterprisesAustralian SMEsorganizational change
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , September 2007 , pp. 227 - 248
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2007

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