If you ask from people you meet in Lappeenranta City Street which companies they admire, they maybe point to organizations like Nokia, Outotec or LUT. If you ask how many managers these companies have, the result can be quite slim. If you ask from your employees what they can do, what do you think they could answer? What people respect about the companies are probably competences which run the daily life - mostly (key) intangible assets. It is not available to see or touch them, yet they can make all the difference in every business sector.
In our society the demand of nowadays competences includes individuals who have willingness and ability to develop themselves and create a new knowledge. Thinking about the rapid change in business environment at the moment it is reason to ask what really are those necessary competences satisfying the expectations?
Many experts in various sectors define especially the future competences to four focus themes. The most important theme seems to be the theme of change, learning and knowledge. Another strong theme is socializing and working together which includes interpersonal skills and network utilization.
Third significant competence area is endurance and humanity; thinking both an individual and holistic habitat. And finally the last theme is ability to build up through the globalization, language skills, and the knowledge such a culture ways which means internationalism and multiculturalism. Every mentioned theme includes three sections: 1) substance competence 2) creativity and innovation 3) individual skills. Individual skills can include like responsibility for self-managing, directing and developing.
As everybody can notice, “what can you do in your own work?” is more than job description on contract. It is question about human´s holistic approach of his/her own competences and skills including several sections like knowledge/cognitive-, functional-, personal/behavioral- and values/ethical competences not forgetting the meta-competences like communication, creativity, problem solving, learning, self-development, mental agility, analysis, reflection etc…
Knowledge or competence?
Otala (2008) has interestingly placed the concept of competence in the middle of traditional definition of data, information, knowledge and wisdom segment: between the information and knowledge. Her idea is that individuals’ skills and competence will build gradually. The data doesn´t mean pure competence but after the analyzed, it is proportional to different situations and it is experiential. After mentioned evolution it will be place to knowledge and wisdom.
Professional competence is expressed in personal information, which is based on experience data, the impression of knowledge, skills and ability to act appropriately in different situations, and contains a lot of tacit knowledge. Knowledge and skills become civilized only when they result from human activities like open mind and integrity
In summary, the discussion related Strategic Human Relationship Management (SHRM) is based on idea that companies have to recognize and identify the competences for example through the knowledge mapping. The basic assumption is that in companies are known their resources and competence deeply and widely because the understanding the employees competences increase the strength in every field. What could be more important than to know the answer to question: “what the company´s employees can do?”
Riitta Forsten-Astikainen
The author works as a PhD. candidate and Researcher in ComNet TBRC-project at LUT School of Business. More info about the Comnet project: http://www.tbrc.fi/eng/projects/?PCID=31&PID=85
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