Recruitments in Finnish universities : practicing strategic or pathetic HRM?

WORK AND LIFE IN ACADEMIA Rec ui men s in Finnish uni e si ies: p ac icing s a egic o pa he ic HRM? Ta u Siekkinen 1 *, Elias Pekkola 2 and Jussi Ki is o¨ 2 1 Finnish Ins i u e o Educa ional Resea ch, Uni e si y o Jy a ¨skyla ¨, Jy a ¨skyla ¨, Finland; 2 School o Managemen , Uni e si y o Tampe e, Tampe e, Finland Rec ui men is a co e ins umen in he academic labou ma ke . This a icle akes he pe spec i e o he o ganisa ion he e, he uni e si y on ec ui men . Uni e si ies’ pe sonnel policies and p ac ises a e shi ing om legally o ien ed pe sonnel adminis a ion o mo e s a egic human esou ce managemen (HRM). In No dic coun ies, his shi is pa ly d i en by he changing s a us o highe educa ion ins i u ions om s a e-go e ned bu eaus o mo e au onomous ins i u ions. This a icle p o ides insigh in o his ansi ion, using Finland as a case example o highe educa ion sys ems ha ha e unde gone d as ic e o m, mo ing om a ci il se an model o au onomous pe sonnel policy. Da a we e collec ed in 2015 o he E alua ion o he Fou -S age Ca ee Model in Finnish Uni e si ies p ojec . Based on he analysis o he e alua ion da a, i can be concluded ha , despi e he legal e o m, old p ac ices con inue o ma e in he pe sonnel policies and managemen o uni e si ies. Pe manen posi ions ( o me ly public pos s) and he unding sou ces o academic wo k s ill de ine he na u e o he HRM p ac ices aimed owa ds indi iduals in he new uni e si ies. Some g oups migh call hese HRM p ac ices s a egic, while o o he s, he be e wo d would be pa he ic. Keywo ds: Academic s a ;manage ialism;highe educa ion ins i u ions; ec ui ing academics;uni e si y s a egy *Co espondence o: Ta u Siekkinen. Email: [email p o ec ed] Rec ui men p ocesses a e a key dimension o he academic labou ma ke . Academic ec ui men is impo an no only as i o ganises academic in low bu also lays he g ound o he ca ee s uc u e in highe educa ion and links he academic labou ma ke o he wide con ex o na ional economies. To s udy aca- demic ec ui men , he pe spec i es and oles o many ac o s (e.g. public au ho i ies, highe educa ion ins i- u ions, disciplina y communi ies and indi idual aca- demics) a e o en conside ed in he b oade con ex o na ional and in e na ional labou ma ke s (Fumasoli & Goas ellec, 2015). In con as o many o he p o essions, he s anda d academic ec ui men p ocess, especially o pe manen p o esso ial posi ions, is o en long, includes se e al phases and is in luenced by many ac o s and ea u es. Di e ences in na ional adi ions and speciali ies u he inc ease he complexi y, making i challenging o compa e academic ec ui men be ween coun ies (c . Musselin, 2010). Uni- e si y ec ui men p ocesses can be desc ibed as wo dimensional, including bo h in o mal and o mal modes o ec ui men (Fumasoli & Goas ellec, 2015). Depending on he ins i u ional con ex and he open posi ion, ei he o icial p ocedu es o uno icial p ac ises and adi ions can domina e o di ec he ec ui men p ocess. Va ¨limaa (2005) has concep ualised he wo dimensions o academic ec ui - men in he con ex o Finnish uni e si ies. Acco ding o Va ¨limaa (2005), in he ea ly s ages o an academic ca ee (e.g. doc o al s uden s and p ojec esea che s), ec ui men is handled p ima ily by p o esso s, and new ec ui s a e o en iden i ied and ound h ough he help o exis ing academic ne wo ks. P ojec esea che s ( ep esen ing ap- p ox. hal o he academic s a ) ypically a e ec ui ed h ough in o mal modes and o e ed sho - e m con ac s ( ypically om 6 o 24 mon hs). In con as , ec ui men in highe ca ee s ages akes place h ough mo e o mal p ocesses: announcing calls o open posi ions, e iewing applica ions and in e iewing he bes candida es om he la ge pool o applican s. As well, ec ui men decisions a e made by collec i e decision-making bodies, no indi idual p o esso s (Va ¨limaa, 2005; see also Kuoppala, Pekkola, Ki is o ¨, Siekkinen, & Ho ¨l a ¨, 2015; Va ¨limaa e al., 2016). The mos impo an condi ion leading o o mal o in o ma ion p ocedu es iden i ied by Va ¨limaa (2005) is he ype o posi ion ( ixed- e m/pe manen ). Many Eu opean coun ies ha e e ised he legal ame- wo ks egula ing academic employmen , which has in luenced academic ec ui men p ocedu es. In many coun ies, he s a us o academic s a membe s has been changed om ci il se an s egula ed by public law o æ No dic Jou nal o S udies in Educa ional Policy 2016. #2016 Ta u Siekkinen e al. This is an Open Access a icle dis ibu ed unde he e ms o he C ea i e Commons A ibu ion 4.0 In e na ional License (h p://c ea i ecommons.o g/licenses/by/4.0/), allowing hi d pa ies o copy and edis ibu e he ma e ial in any medium o o ma and o emix, ans o m, and build upon he ma e ial o any pu pose, e en comme cially, p o ided he o iginal wo k is p ope ly ci ed and s a es i s license. 1 Ci a ion: No dSTEP 2016, 2: 32316 - h p://dx.doi.o g/10.3402/ns ep. 2.32316 (page numbe no o ci a ion pu pose) (p i a e) employmen ela ionships. A he same ime, uni e si ies ha e in oduced egula ions pe mi ing aking con inuous, ixed- e m con ac s (Fumasoli & Goas ellec, 2015). In addi ion, he ca ee s uc u es in uni e si ies ac oss Eu ope ha e been ha monised wi h he aim o cla i y he academic ca ee pa h and inc ease mobili y in he Eu opean Resea ch A ea. Acco dingly, academic ins i u ions and public unding agencies in mos Eu opean coun ies ha e adop ed and suppo ed he ou -s age ca ee s uc u e: doc o al aining (s age 1), pos doc o al wo k (s age 2), independen esea che (s age 3) and es ablished esea che s (s age 4), including p o esso s, esea ch p o esso s, di ec o s and senio scien is s. The Eu opean Science Founda ion (2009) has also ecom- mended ha Eu opean uni e si ies adop he ou -s age ca ee model. The Finnish uni e si y sys em has unde gone a ecen se ies o e o ms e y much in line wi h hese b oade in e na ional ends. Mos no able has been he e ision o na ional legisla ion, pa icula ly he 2010 Uni e si ies Ac . O ganisa ionally, Finnish uni e si ies we e an o ganic pa o he o e all go e nmen body un il he enac men o he Uni e si ies Ac , which changed he s a us o uni e si y employees om ci il se an s o p i a e employees (Va ¨limaa, 2011). The ou -s age ca ee model has been endo sed by he Finnish Minis y o Educa ion (MoE, 2008) and subsequen ly adop ed by Finnish uni e si ies. Along wi h he ou -s age ca ee model, Finnish uni e si ies ha e in oduced he enu e- ack models, again ollowing wide Eu opean ends (see, e.g., B echelmache , Pa k, A es, & Campbell, 2015). The e a e many a ia ions o he enu e- ack model, bu hey sha e a basic idea: an indi idual esea che is p omised oppo uni ies o p oceed in o he inal ca ee s age p o esso ship gi en ha pe iodic pe o mance e iews wa an i . Wi h he enu e- ack model, Finnish uni e si ies ha e aimed o a ac in e na- ional esea che s and p o ile he uni e si ies. Howe e , a he momen , enu e- ack ec ui men does no play a majo ole in academic ec ui men in Finland, al hough he numbe o enu e- ack posi ions has been inc easing (Pie ila ¨, 2015; Va ¨limaa e al., 2016). In his a icle, we ocus on academic ec ui men in Finnish uni e si ies om he o ganisa ional pe spec i e. The aim is o de e mine whe he ec ui men p ac ices s ill ollow he p e iously desc ibed dual s uc u e o in o mal and o mal ec ui men s. As well, we examine whe he he new legal s a us o uni e si ies and ecen ly in oduced manage ial p ac ices (such as s a egic human esou ce managemen ) ha e changed he s uc u e and p ac ices and p omo ed a mo e holis ic app oach owa ds human esou ces (HR) in Finnish highe educa ion ins i u ions. In doing so, we d aw on insigh s om ecen s udies on he applica ion o ec ui men p ac ices a di e en ca ee s ages o be e unde s and hei eme gence in Finnish uni e si ies (see Kuoppala e al., 2015; Va ¨limaa e al., 2016). As well, we employ empi ical su ey da a collec ed o he E alua ion o he Fou -S age Ca ee Model in Finnish Uni e si ies p ojec commissioned by he Finnish Minis y o Cul u e and Educa ion (MoEC) in 2015. This a icle is s uc u ed as ollows. Fi s , we explo e s a posi ions a uni e si ies and whe he hey a e con- side ed o be s a egic esou ces o uni e si ies. Then, we desc ibe he ends and con ex in which human esou ce managemen (HRM) has de eloped in Finnish uni e si ies and in wha ways i has de eloped. Nex , we examine he s a egic HRM and ec ui men p ac ices a Finnish uni e si ies. Las ly, we discuss he implica ions o he ind- ings and conclude wi h obse a ions ega ding whe he uni e si y ec ui men p ac ices and s a ollow he basic p inciples o holis ic s a egic HRM o whe he he assump ion o he wo dimensions o academic ec ui men emains alid. S a as a s a egic esou ce in uni e si ies Eu opean uni e si ies’ decision-making and go e nance sys ems ha e been he subjec o nume ous e o ms. Manage ialism, in pa icula , has become a dominan discou se and p ac ice in con empo a y uni e si ies as business managemen echniques, such as s a egic man- agemen , ha e adop ed in a shi om collec i e decision- making o mo e indi idualised o ms o leade ship (Hyde, Cla k, & D ennan, 2013; Mo a, 2001; Va ¨limaa, 2011). The manage ial echniques used by uni e si ies ha e o en c ea ed in e nal ensions due o di e ences wi h he sel - unde s anding o he ins i u ions. As Mo a (2001) ex- plains, he e is agene al ag eemen in highe educa ion ha managemen echniques should be used mo e, bu he e is also a consensus ha uni e si ies should no be go e ned like p i a e en e p ises. Mo a s esses ha uni e si ies should no be pushed beyond hei ‘na u al limi s’ (2001, p. 107) and ha uni e si ies ha e a ious o ganisa ional ea u es which la ge-scale go e nance e o ms should ake in o accoun . One such special ea u e is he p esence o mul iple and some imes con lic ing goals and in e es s (e.g. Mo a, 2001; Pa e son, 2001). S a egic managemen has c ea ed he need o hink o s a as s a egic asse s. This is ha dly su p ising as in gene al, human alen can be conside ed o be among he mos impo an p e equisi es o o ganisa ional success. To main ain compe i i eness in a knowledge- based economy, o ganisa ions ha e o seek, a ac and ec ui alen ed people (Tung, 2008). An inc eased emphasis on s a egic HRM in uni e si ies has become a eali y. Acco ding o Shah (2013), s a egic planning is impo an o all highe educa ion ins i u ions, especially amid he cu en uns able economic landscape o educed public unding and a apidly changing ex e nal ope a ing en i onmen . Al hough s a egic HRM, a amilia managemen s yle in p i a e en e p ises, has no ye ully pene a ed he Ta u Siekkinen e al. 2 (page numbe no o ci a ion pu pose) Ci a ion: No dSTEP 2016, 2: 32316 - h p://dx.doi.o g/10.3402/ns ep. 2.32316 go e nance o uni e si ies, uni e si y s a a e inc eas- ingly seen as s a egic esou ces. This de elopmen is unsu p ising as he ole o s a in uni e si ies is especially impo an , connec ed o all he cen al ac i i ies o a uni e si y: eaching, esea ch and se ice (Ba uch, 2013; Kogan, Moses, & El-Khawas, 1994). The key alue o academic p o essionals is ha hey possess special skills and knowledge ha a e necessa y p econdi ions o c ea ing and ansmi ing new knowledge (Mo a, 2001; Rasmussen, 2015). The e o e, s a egic hinking whene e i deals di ec ly wi h uni e si y s a should i s conside wha he main pu pose o he ins i u ion is and, based on ha pu pose, wha kind o people should wo k o i (Ba uch, 2013). Tenu e- ack p o esso s a e ega ded especially key s a egic esou ces as hey a e also a means o s a egic posi ioning in uni e si ies (Pie ila ¨, 2015). P ojec esea che s wi h sho , ixed- e m con ac s a e seen as a mo e pe iphe al wo k o ce han s a in highe ca ee s ages, who usually ha e pe manen o longe ixed- e m con ac s and a e mo e esponsible o pu ing s a egy in o p ac ice (see e.g. B echelmache e al., 2015; Va ¨limaa, 2005; Va ¨limaa e al., 2016). Con ex ual backg ound o HRM a Finnish uni e si ies Th ough he 1950s, Finnish uni e si ies we e mos ly eli e ins i u ions (see T ow, 1973). In he ea ly 1960s, he uni e si y sys em en e ed he pe iod o massi ica ion as new egional uni e si ies we e es ablished o ul il he aims o egional policy and social and geog aphical equali y. In he la e 1980s, uni e si ies’ shi ed hei a en ion o science and echnology policies and e en ually o knowledge-based economies and compe i i eness (e.g. Hakala, 2009; Heiskala, 2011; Ki inen, Rinne, & Ke onen, 1993; Ti onen, 2007). In he la e 1990s, his app oach began o ocus mo e on a manage ial-p o essional model wi h pe o mance-based unding. These changes we e all ela ed o a b oade , mo e gene al shi in s a e adminis- a ion om egula i e s ee ing o mo e pe o mance- based s ee ing policy in line wi h he ideals o new public managemen (NPM) (Leh inen, Kuoppala, & Pekkola, 2013; c . Ojala, 2003). NPM is a new-manage ialis ic end, which aims o aise he le el o e ec i eness in public sec o se ices (E e s, 2009; Pa sons, 1995). These changes had eno mous impac s on uni e si ies’ ec ui men p ac ices. E en in he ea ly 1990s, uni e si y pe sonnel policy was based me ely on acancies se by he Finnish Pa liamen based on p oposals om he Finnish Minis y o Educa ion. In 1993, uni e si ies (along wi h o he ‘pe o mance uni s’ wi hin s a e adminis a i e bodies) gained he igh o make hei own decisions o es ablish, change and close acancies wi hin hei budge amewo k. I should be men ioned ha p o esso s we e appoin ed by he p esiden o he Republic o Finland un il 1998 and ha he quali ica ions o hese posi ions we e egula ed by legisla ion, i s in he s a u es o each uni e si y and la e in he common s a u e o all uni e si ies. Uni e si ies’ au ho i y o decide hei own HR, howe e , was expanded in he 1990s and ea ly 2000s as pe sonnel policy was g adually emo ed om s a e au ho i y (Leh inen, Kuoppala, & Pekkola, 2015; Pekkola, 2014). In 2010, he Uni e si ies Ac came in o e ec , changing he legal s a us o uni e si ies and g an ing hem a highe le el o inancial au onomy. Fo me ly, public posi ions we e ans e ed o he domain o p i a e employmen con ac s, and consequen ly, uni e si ies became indepen- den employe s in judicial e ms (Va ¨limaa, 2011). The only so -law policy ins umen ha s ill has di ec e ec s on uni e si ies’ pe sonnel policies is he ou -s age ca ee model, which p o ides guidelines o ca ego ising academic posi ions and i les (MoE, 2008; Pekkola, 2014; Va ¨limaa e al., 2016). Ano he guiding p inciple g ounded in No dic labou ma ke adi ion is a collec i e employmen ag eemen in which all Finnish uni e si ies, excep Aal o Uni e si y, ha e ag eed o pa icipa e. HRM and cu en policy e o ms HRM is he mos widely ecognised e m e e ing o he managemen o people in o ganisa ions and encompasses all managemen - ela ed ac i i ies ega ding wo k and people in o mal o ganisa ions (Boxall & Pu cell, 2008) In he public sec o , he manage ial echnique o HRM can be linked o NPM. NPM can be conside ed o be a business-based manage ial p ac ice applied in public o ganisa ions o inc ease hei e iciency and ensu e he e ec i e implemen a ion o public policies (E e s, 2009; Pa sons, 1995). S a egic HRM, whose aim is o in eg a e HRM wi h o ganisa ional s a egies, is a new phenom- enon in Finland as i equi es a leas pa ial independence om he go e nmen and au onomous decision-making powe s in s a issues, as well as es ablished HR p ac ices aimed a inc easing wo k pe o mance and e iciency. As Ja ¨ al (2012) obse es: The use o s a egic HRM in he public se ice is ela ed o changes in he adminis a i e sys ems on a la ge scale. ...The eme gence o HRM as a speci ic label in he public se ice coincided wi h he ise o New Public Managemen (NPM) in he 1980s. NPM has been cha ac e ised by he conside able decen- alisa ion o public-se ice managemen , emphasising adminis a i e e iciency and lexibili y. (p. 6) Ja ¨ al (2012, p. 7) compa es he basic assump ions o HRM and NPM (see Table 1). Al hough somewha simplis ic, his compa ison p o ides a good s a ing poin o analysing HRM in Finnish uni e si ies as he links be ween HRM and NPM a e, in many espec s, qui e ob ious. Wi hin he con ex o adminis a i e e o ms, he esou ce dimension o HRM o en akes p ecedence o e he human dimension. The classical dis inc ion be ween Rec ui men s in Finnish uni e si ies Ci a ion: No dSTEP 2016, 2: 32316 - h p://dx.doi.o g/10.3402/ns ep. 2.32316 3 (page numbe no o ci a ion pu pose) Table 1. New public managemen and human esou ce managemen . A ea Elemen s in new public managemen Elemen s in human esou ce managemen Implica ions o he Finnish uni e si y se ing Ex e nal en i onmen D i en by ex e nal p essu e, changing en i onmen and neolibe al ideas Ma ke o ien a ion, compe i ion in he p o ision o public se ices S akeholde (e.g. cus ome ) o ien a ion Focus on o ganisa ional e iciency, e ec i eness and p oduc i i y Emphasis on cos educ ion, ou sou cing and p i a isa ion D i en by ex e nal p essu e, changing en i onmen s and neolibe al ideas Ma ke and cus ome o ien a ion Indi idualis , lexible and compe i i e no ion o employmen ela ionship Focus on HR ad an ages; consequen ly, in eg a ion o HRM wi h o ganisa ional s a egy Close connec ion o HRM p ac ices and ec ui men o ex e nal unding sou ces Inc easing esponsi eness o suppo se ices o he esea ch g an ma ke Resea che s as indi idual en ep eneu s wi h ixed- e m con ac s Push om he MoEC o in eg a e HRM p ac ices and o ganisa ional s a egy O ganisa ional s uc u es and p ocesses Decen alisa ion, de-bu eauc a isa ion, agenci ica ion and lexibili y o s uc u es De olu ion o esponsibili y Emphasis shi ed om inpu and p ocess o ou pu and ou come O ganisa ional lexibili y Decen alisa ion, la s uc u es De olu ion o esponsibili y o HR High numbe o ixed- e m con ac s Resea ch wo k o ce p ima ily coo dina ed in esea ch g oups New HR depa men s in cen al adminis a ion (opposed o de elopmen ) Pe o mance managemen and measu emen sys em Pe o mance-d i en, p oduc i i y- and e iciency-enhancing measu es Sys ema ic assessmen o pe o mance h ough a ge s, s anda ds, indica o s, measu emen and con ol sys ems Emphasis on employees’ con ibu ion o he bo om line, p oduc i i y- and commi men -enhancing measu es Sys ema ic pe o mance assessmen Pe o mance-based unding o uni e si ies Pe o mance-based sala y sys em Pe o mance e alua ion and ou pu measu emen s o academic wo k Inc easing pe o mance e alua ion in he new ca ee models, especially in enu e acks; p omo ion based on pe o mance Role o managemen and manage s Emphasis on le ing he manage s manage, manage ial disc e ion and accoun abili y P imacy o he managemen unc ion O e all in eg a ion o HRM in o line managemen Emphasis on he ole o op managemen and i s s a egic pa ne ship wi h HR p o essionals Elec onic sys ems used o wo king ime alloca ion, wo k planning, de elopmen discussions and sala y nego ia ions wi h line manage s Inclusion o HR manage s in ec o s’ managemen g oup Employees and o ganisa ional cul u e Employee empowe men , emphasis on business-like a i udes o public se an s Focus on leade ship Impo ance o building employee us , common alues and commi men o jobs and he o ganisa ion Focus on leade ship Inc easing compe i ion En ep eneu ial e hos Adap ed om Ja¨ al (2012, p. 7). Ta u Siekkinen e al. 4 (page numbe no o ci a ion pu pose) Ci a ion: No dSTEP 2016, 2: 32316 - h p://dx.doi.o g/10.3402/ns ep. 2.32316 ha d and so HRM (Gues , 1987; S o ey, 1992) desc ibes his duali y in HRM p ac ices. The connec ions be ween adminis a i e e o ms and HRM a e shown in Table 1. The implica ions o Finnish uni e si ies a e p esen ed in he igh -mos column. The changing policy con ex , especially since he in oduc ion o pe o mance-based s ee ing ( ulosohjaus), he Finnish e sion o NPM, has also in luenced he pe sonnel policy s uc u es and p ocesses o Finnish uni e si ies. T adi ional, cen al-go e nmen -d i en, no - ma i e pe sonnel adminis a ion has de eloped in o a co po a is pe sonnel policy in ol ing labou ma ke pa icipa ion and in e nal, ipa i e uni e si y poli ics. This ans o ma ion has led o he uni e si y managemen o HR and, since he enac men o he Uni e si ies Ac , s a egic HRM closely connec ed o he s a e pe o mance- based s ee ing sys em (Leh inen e al., 2015). S a egic HRM and highe educa ion ec ui men Recen yea s ha e seen a g ow h in ins i u ional au onomy h oughou Eu ope, wi h uni e si ies gaining g ea e esponsibili y o managing hei own s a . This change is in line wi h b oade de elopmen s as uni e si ies ha e g adually become mo e goal-o ien ed, accoun able o ga- nisa ional ac o s wi h a uni ied mission and s a egy cha ac e ised by s onge cen al coo dina ion and con- ol (Pie ila ¨, 2015). Slowly bu s eadily, Eu opean uni- e si ies a e ending he adi ional p ac ice o gi ing much o he ac ual leade ship o he collegial p o esso ial body and ins ead a ou ing ins i u ional managemen (Kogan e al., 1994). These de elopmen s ha e led o judicial and p ac ical expec a ions ha uni e si ies will ac as eal employe s, in he sense ha hey ha e comp ehensi e s a egies o p ocesses in place o managing hei HR. By de ini ion, HRM in uni e si ies encompasses all he adminis a i e and coo dina i e asks ela ed o pe sonnel planning, as well as ec ui men p ocesses, pe o mance e iews, compensa ion and sala y schemes, s a e en ion policies (i.e. main aining mo i a ion and job sa is ac ion) and he de elopmen o HR (e.g. s a aining) (Pelle , 2007). In many cases, howe e , his ansi ion has no ye esul ed in comp ehensi e changes o HRM p ac ices and p ocesses. Uni e si ies a e o en s ill cons ained by hei adi ional o ganisa ional cha ac e is ics and unc ion as agmen ed, loosely coupled o ganisa ions (Pekkola & Ki is o ¨, 2016; Weick, 1976). Much o his loose coupling a ises om he cen al in luence o academic disciplines on he o ganisa ional dynamics o uni e si ies. Disciplines ha e di e ing cul u es, alues and means o collegial e- cogni ion, which all ha e implica ions o a ious dimen- sions o HRM (see Beche & T owle , 2001). The ull de elopmen o HR s a egies appea s o be a di icul ask o uni e si ies, which a e, by na u e, made o a adi ionally decen alised s a o specialised expe s who ha e esou ce policies o ien ed owa ds hei speci ic disciplines and logics, no owa ds he whole uni e si y and i s o e all goals, s a egies and p o ile (Cla k, 1983; Pelle , 2007). As Pelle (2007, p. 109) eloquen ly concludes, a uni- e si y, as an ins i u ion, is ‘cha ac e ised by i s s a us as a subo dina e en i y wi h li le o no au ho i y o shape i s own cul u e ... [which] is now equi ed o manage i s human esou ces ins ead o simply adminis e ing i s s a ’. This si ua ion p esen s an u gen need o uni- e si ies and hei HRM depa men s o ensu e ha comp ehensi e s a ing policies a e consis en ly and ex- plici ly linked o ins i u ional and pe o mance-uni -le el s a egies. Rec ui men p ocesses, in pa icula , can be conside ed o be he key ins umen s which uni e si ies can use s a egically o se he u u e di ec ion o hei esea ch and eaching p o iles and p oduc i i y (Pie ila ¨, 2015). Da a and analysis me hods The da a analysed in his a icle we e ga he ed om a su ey sen o he deans and heads o he adminis a ion o acul ies and o pe sonnel manage s and adminis a- o s esponsible o pe sonnel in he cen al adminis a- ion o Finnish uni e si ies. The su ey was adminis e ed du ing he summe o 2015 as pa o he E alua ion o he Finnish Fou -S age Ca ee Model p ojec . The su ey was accompanied wi h a e e ence le e om he Minis y o Educa ion and Cul u e, which pa ly explains he high esponse a e o 77% (N131) (see Table 2). The su ey ques ions we e ela ed o uni e si ies’ s a egic HRM, ou -s age ca ee model, ec ui men and enu e- ack model. Table 2. Su ey esponden s. N% A ea o posi ion Na u al sciences 17 13 Technology 16 12 Medicine and heal h sciences 19 15 Ag icul u e and o es y 2 2 Social sciences 47 36 Humani ies 14 11 O he 3 2 Uni e si y adminis a ion 13 10 Posi ion i le Dean/o he academic leade 47 36 Pe sonnel manage 9 7 Chie adminis a o 9 7 Head o adminis a ion 58 44 O he 3 2 To al 131 100 Rec ui men s in Finnish uni e si ies Ci a ion: No dSTEP 2016, 2: 32316 - h p://dx.doi.o g/10.3402/ns ep. 2.32316 5 (page numbe no o ci a ion pu pose) The da a we e analysed desc ip i ely o gain insigh in o he esponden s’ pe cep ions o he ec ui men p ac ices in hei uni s. Da a om wo ques ions on he speci ic esponsibili y o de ining job desc ip ions and he oles and esponsibili ies in selec ion p ocedu es in di - e en ca ee s ages we e collec ed only om he espon- den s who we e he heads o adminis a ion in a acul y (o an equi alen uni ) (n58). Findings S a egicness o human esou ce policies Acco ding o he su ey esponden s, Finnish uni e si ies’ ec ui men p ocesses appea ed o be e y posi i e and s eamlined (see Figu e 1). Uni e si ies’ pe sonnel policy was pe cei ed as suppo ing he goals se in uni e si ies’ s a egy (73% o esponden s comple ely o pa ially ag eed), and mos pe o mance uni s ook hese goals in o conside a ion in hei pe sonnel selec ion p ocedu es (85% o esponden s comple ely o pa ially ag eed). Almos all he esponden s (93%) comple ely o pa ially ag eed wi h he claim ha hei uni s had a pe sonnel plan, and he as majo i y indica ed ha he pe sonnel plan was consis en ly ollowed (86% o esponden s comple ely o pa ially ag eed). Rec ui men in espon- den s’ uni s was mos ly in e na ional in each (77% o esponden s comple ely o pa ially ag eed), and na ional in each o only 33% o he esponden s. A he uni le el, ec ui men p ac ices we e seen as a means o con olling he uni e si y’s public image (86% o esponden s com- ple ely o pa ially ag eed), while mos esponden s (94%) comple ely o pa ially ag eed wi h he claim ha he selec ion c i e ia we e well in o med and ela ed o he job desc ip ions. Two- hi ds o he esponden s (67%) pa ially o comple ely ag eed wi h he claim ha , in hei uni e si ies, ec ui men p ac ices we e applied consis- en ly ac oss all academic disciplines (Figu e 1). The su ey esponses sugges ha uni e si y s a egies ha e success ully s ee ed he pe sonnel policies and ec ui - men p ac ices o uni e si ies and pe o mance uni s. Also, acco ding o he da a, ec ui men p ac ices we e iewed as a means o con ol uni e si ies’ public image. The esponden s epo ed ha nea ly all he uni s had a pe sonnel plan which was ollowed a he pe o mance- uni le el. Howe e , some esponden s desc ibed he uni e si y ec ui men p ac ices as inconsis en o all academics. As well, mo e han 33% o he esponden s hough ha ec ui men s we e na ionally o ien ed. These esul s could indica e con adic ions be ween ec ui men p ac ices and Finnish uni e si y s a egies, which emphasises he impo ance o in e na ionali y in uni e si y ec ui men . Howe e , bo h esul s could also be explained by he applica ion o di e en ec ui men p ac ices (in o mal and o mal) a di e en ca ee s ages. As well, ec ui - men p ac ices could also a y conside ably wi hin s a g oups. The s anda disa ion o ec ui men s a egies and p ac ices is a new e o in Finnish uni e si ies, and a ious p ac ices pe sis e en wi hin a single one uni (Va ¨limaa e al., 2016). O e all, acco ding o middle manage s and adminis a o s, he s a egic discou se in he con ex o ec ui men seems o be widely accep ed in Finnish uni e si ies. Rec ui men and s a i ica ion o academic wo k o ce The su ey was in ended o iden i y he p ima y in luence on de ining job desc ip ions and he posi ions in cha ge 1.9 24.0 1.0 1.9 8.5 3.8 4.8 37.5 15.2 19.4 17.0 11.4 5.7 9.5 5.8 6.7 10.7 4.8 11.4 52.8 44.8 20.0 33.3 27.9 39.0 49.5 26.7 40.8 19.8 40.0 73.3 52.4 4.8 38.1 36.9 67.6 26.2 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Uni e i y's pe sonnel policy suppo s achie ing he s a egic goals o he Uni e si y In he uni 's pe sonnel selec ion he uni e si y's s a egy is aken in o conside a ion We ha e a pe sonnel plan in ou uni We a e consis en ly ollowing he pe ssonnel plan in ou uni Rec ui men s a e na ional in ou uni Rec ui men s a e in e na ional in ou uni The ec ui men p ac icies a e pa o con olling he uni e si y's public image in ou uni The selec ion c i e ia a e in o med and associa ed wi h he job ad e isemen The ec ui men p ac icies a e consis en o all academics in ou uni e si y Comple ely disag ee Pa ially disag ee Nei he disag ee no ag ee Pa ially ag ee Comple ely ag ee Fig. 1. Rec ui men claims by pe cen age o esponden s. Ta u Siekkinen e al. 6 (page numbe no o ci a ion pu pose) Ci a ion: No dSTEP 2016, 2: 32316 - h p://dx.doi.o g/10.3402/ns ep. 2.32316 o making he inal selec ions in he ec ui men p ocesses in he esponden s’ pe o mance uni s. The posi ions in cha ge included deans, p o esso s, esea ch eam leade s, heads o depa men s, acul y and depa men al adminis- a ion, ec ui men commi ees, ex e nal e iewe s, ec o s and collec i e bodies a he depa men al le el (depa - men councils) and he acul y le el ( acul y councils). The posi ions and bodies wi h he p ima y in luence on de ining job desc ip ions a e shown in Figu e 2. In he ec ui men p ocesses o ea lie ca ee s ages, he au ho i y o p o esso s and esea ch eam leade s was pe cei ed o be signi ican , especially when de e mining he job equi emen s o p ojec esea che s. When he job desc ip ions o pos doc o al esea che s, lec u e s and senio esea che s we e de ined, he au ho i y o he head o depa men and he depa men council and he ec ui men commi ee inc eased. In he ec ui men o p o esso s and he in i a ion p ocedu es (a speci ic pe son is appoin ed o a posi ion wi hou an open call) and enu e ack candida es, he au ho i y o he head o depa men and he ec ui men commi ee we e dominan (Figu e 2). Figu e 2 e eals some pa e ns in job desc ip ions. Fo ins ance, p ojec esea che s’ job desc ip ions we e decided by p o esso s o o he esea ch eam leade s, bu hese indi iduals’ ole dec eased when de ining doc o al s uden s’ and pos doc o al esea che s’ job desc ip ions. Fo he posi ions o lec u e s and senio esea che whose wo k was mo e closely bound o he mission o and wo k conduc ed by acul ies ( eaching wi h wide cou se and p og am esponsibili ies, esea ch ac i i ies and possible p ojec esponsibili ies), decisions on job desc ip ions we e usually made by he heads o depa men s. In he case o he mos impo an and p es igious posi ions ( enu e- ack posi ions and p o esso ships), ec ui men commi ees we e pe cei ed o ha e he mos signi ican au ho i y in de ining job desc ip ions. Rec ui men decisions in ea ly ca ee s ages, mos o en o p ojec esea che s and doc o al s uden s, we e mos ly in luenced by deans and heads o depa men s (Figu e 3). In he case o lec u e s and senio esea che s, he si ua ion was almos he same, bu in some ins i u ions, acul y councils and ec o s migh play a ole and ha e he p ima y in luence in decision-making. The pic u e changed adically when explo ing ec ui men p ac ices conce ning p o es- so s, in i a ion p ocedu es and enu e- ack candida es. In hose g oups, ec ui men commi ees and ex e nal e- iewe s held he mos signi ican au ho i y (Figu e 3). In ac ual ec ui men decisions in middle and lowe ca ee s ages, he au ho i y emained in he hands o line manage s. The au ho i y o he p o esso o esea ch eam leade did no seem o be in luen ial e en in ec ui ing decisions ega ding ea ly ca ee s ages. Deans’ au ho i y, howe e , was again signi ican . Su p isingly, he au ho i y when ec ui ing he pos doc o al esea che s pos doc o al esea che s, lec u e s and senio esea che s did no di e much in he ec ui men decisions o doc o al s uden s and p ojec esea che s. The only majo di e ence in senio esea che and lec u e ec ui men decisions was ec o s’ highe le el o in luence. Rec ui men commi ees and ex e nal e iewe s also had conside able signi icance in he ec ui men decisions o p o esso s and enu e- ack candida es. Rec ui men commi ees also held an au ho i a i e posi ion when he in i a ion p ocedu e was used in ec ui men . Howe e , selec ion o p o esso s by in i a ion was qui e a e, used in only 10 15% o cases (Va ¨limaa e al., 2016). 29 28 15 16 5 9 2 1 1 6 5 7 11 19 16 6 9 10 3 1 4 3 2 1 3 1 2 2 1 3 5 4 3 6 1 1 2 4 6 8 6 14 10 11 2 1 1 1 1 2 3 4 4 1 1 1 3 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% P ojec Resea che (max. one yea ) P ojec Resea che (o e a yea ) Doc o al s uden Pos doc o al Resea che Lec u e Senio Resea che P o esso In i a ion p ocedu e Tenu e ack posi ions P o esso / Resea ch eam leade Head o Depa men Depa men Council Dean Facul y Council Rec ui men Commi ee Facul y o depa men al adminis a ion Rec o No in use Fig. 2. Posi ions o bodies in cha ge o de ining job desc ip ions (numbe o cases). Rec ui men s in Finnish uni e si ies Ci a ion: No dSTEP 2016, 2: 32316 - h p://dx.doi.o g/10.3402/ns ep. 2.32316 7 (page numbe no o ci a ion pu pose) The hie a chy o ea ly and highe ca ee s ages can be iewed as ha ing subs an ial in luence in bo h he de ini- ions o job desc ip ion and he making o ac ual ec ui - men decisions. The same conclusions we e also eached by Va ¨limaa (2005); see also Fumasoli & Goas ellec, 2015). Howe e , in e es ingly, in he p esen s udy, he ec ui - men p ac ices can be di ided in o h ee g oups: .G oup 1: p o esso s (including hose ec ui ed h ough in i a ion) and enu e- ack candida es .G oup 2: doc o al s uden s, pos doc o al esea che s (i.e. quali ying posi ions), lec u e s and senio e- sea che s (i.e. depa men al posi ions) .G oup 3: p ojec esea che s These g oups o di e en academic s a also eme ged in he s a is ical da a collec ed o he E alua ion on Fou -S age Ca ee Model p ojec . Acco ding o he da a on all open posi ions (N3720), 29% (n1085) we e pe - manen , and 71% (n2635) we e o ixed e ms. In i s and second ca ee s ages, mos open posi ions we e o ixed e ms, while in he hi d and ou h ca ee s ages, mos open posi ions we e pe manen (Va ¨limaa e al., 2016). Discussion I seems ha , ega dless o policy changes and he imple- men a ion o s a egic HRM in he managemen p ac ices o Finnish uni e si ies, he s a i ica ion o he manage- men o academic wo k o ce is s ill e iden in daily p ac- ices, as desc ibed by Va ¨limaa (2005); o Eu opean uni- e si ies, see Fumasoli & Goas ellec, 2015). Howe e , he empi ical e idence shows ha he e a e h ee, a he han wo, s a i ied g oups ha a e subjec ed o di e en HRM measu es and consequen ly ha e di e en s a egic s a us. In Table 3, he indings a e p esen ed in he con ex o s a egic HRM ec ui men p ac ices. Uni e si y jobs can be ca ego ised in o h ee dis inc g oups based on ec ui men p ac ices: (1) p o esso s and enu e- ack posi ions; (2) so-called depa men al posi ions (uni e si y lec u e s and senio esea che s) and quali ying posi ions (pos doc o al esea che s and doc o al s uden s); and (3) con ingen o p eca ious posi ions (p ojec esea che s). Rec ui men p ac ices a y subs an ially among hese g oups. Candida es in he i s g oup a e ec ui ed acco ding o p o essional p inciples and e alua ed by hei academic pee s. The s a egic componen is usually he s onges in luence in de ining posi ions as ec ui - men is also a means o p o iling uni e si ies (Pie ila ¨, 2015). The depa men al and quali ying posi ions a e mo e s ic ly con olled by o ganisa ional s a egic s ee ing, and hus, hei job desc ip ion and selec ion include s a egic componen s. Howe e , he mos signi ican di e ences can be ound be ween he hi d g oup and he o he wo g oups as mo e in o mal ec ui men p ac- ices a e applied in he hi d g oup. The connec ion o s a egic pe sonnel planning is also weak in he hi d g oup as i is conside ed o be a suppo i e labou o ce o s a egy implemen a ion, no a g oup ha cons uc s o implemen s s a egies i sel . Whe eas he ec ui men o he i s and second g oups can be called s a egic, he ec ui men p ocedu es o he hi d g oup a e, om he manage ial pe spec i e, a he pa he ic. Conclusions Rec ui men is an impo an a ea o esea ch as i conside s o ganisa ions’ (uni e si ies’) needs and s a e- gies and indi iduals’ ( esea che s’) mo i es and pe sonal s a egies. S udying ec ui men should ake in o accoun he ole o public au ho i ies, academic disciplines and he 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 12 6 9 7 4 4 1 12 22 26 25 22 21 20 1 1 2 3 2 1 20 14 20 4 2 3 9 9 7 1 1 4 7 7 4 4 1 1 3 2 2 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% P ojec Resea che (max. one yea ) P ojec Resea che (o e a yea ) Doc o al S uden Pos doc o al Resea che Lec u e Senio Resea che P o esso In i a ion p ocedu e Tenu e T ack posi ions P o esso / esea ch eam leade Head o Depa men Depa men Council Dean Facul y Council Rec ui men Commi ee Facul y o Depa men al adminis a ion Ex e nal e iewe s Rec o No in use Fig. 3. In luence o posi ions and bodies in ec ui men decisions (numbe o cases). Ta u Siekkinen e al. 8 (page numbe no o ci a ion pu pose) Ci a ion: No dSTEP 2016, 2: 32316 - h p://dx.doi.o g/10.3402/ns ep. 2.32316 b oade labou ma ke con ex (Fumasoli & Goas ellec, 2015). Changes wi hin and ou side uni e si ies in luence hei ec ui men . Fo example, s a e ecommenda ions o he academic ca ee s uc u e (e.g. ecommenda ion o he ou -s age ca ee model), inc easing demand o in e na ional mobili y and use o he enu e- ack model ha e changed he HRM s a egies and ec ui men in Finnish uni e si ies. In line wi h his, in e connec ions be ween NPM and HRM, as ca ego ised by Ja ¨ al (2012), can be seen in se e al dimensions o ec ui men p ocesses, including bu no limi ed o a high numbe o ixed- e m con ac s in ea ly ca ee s ages and g ea e pe o mance o ien a ion, pa icula ly in he es ablishmen o enu e- ack posi ions. In his esea ch, we explo ed he ec ui men p ac ices in Finnish uni e si ies om he o ganisa ional pe spec i e o de e mine whe he he applica ion o di e en e- c ui men p ac ices a di e en ca ee s ages has c ea ed di e en g oups. We also sough o e eal he po en ial connec ions be ween ec ui men and uni e si y s a e- gies. Based on he da a analysis, we ound ha ec ui men in uni e si ies was connec ed o uni e si y s a egies, which seemed o be qui e consis en and s eamlined. The e we e di e ences, howe e , which migh be pa ly ela ed o he di e en ec ui men p ac ices used in he ea ly and highe ca ee s ages ( epo ed in Finland by Va ¨limaa, 2005, and in Eu opean uni e si ies by Fumasoli & Goas ellec, 2015); as acknowledged, wo-sided, o mal and in o mal ec ui men p ocesses exis ed. F om he esponses o he su ey ques ions speci ically add essed o acul y-le el heads o adminis a ion, i can be concluded ha di e en ec ui men p ac ices indeed ha e been applied in di e en ca ee s ages. Based on his obse a- ion and he indings in ea lie s udies (see Kuoppala e al., 2015; Va ¨limaa e al., 2016), we es ablished h ee g oups ha di e acco ding o he ype o ec ui men p ac ices applied o hem. These g oups also di e ed in how s ongly uni e si ies saw hem as s a egic esou ces. Uni e si ies’ g owing au onomy has gene a ed new hinking abou how academics can be mo e managed. Rules and p inciples o managing academics, including mo e s anda dised ec ui men p ocesses, ha e become signi ican issues in highe educa ion. The age dis ibu- ion in uni e si ies has also in luenced he impo ance o ec ui men and will con inue o do so in he nea u u e (Musselin, 2010). I is c ucial ha uni e si ies hink s a egically abou hei needs and goals, how hey should be accomplished and who should be assigned o accomplish hem (Ba uch, 2013; Shah, 2013). We would like o emphasise ha he e a e bo h di e en g oups in academic s a and, a he same ime, di e en kinds o ec ui men p ac ices applied. I is impo an ha uni e si ies ecognise hese di e en g oups and s ages in academic ec ui men and ca ee s, so ha hey can implemen di e en HRM p ac ices o hese g oups and hink mo e s a egically abou he composi ion o s a . This s udy p o ides only a limi ed pic u e o he subjec ; mo e esea ch is needed o be e unde s and he p ocess and ole o di e en ac o s in academic ec ui men in Finland and ab oad. Table 3. Th ee g oups o uni e si y s a by ec ui men , s a egic esou ces and human esou ce managemen . G oup Job i les Rec ui men p ac ices G oup 1 P o essional ec ui men P o esso ial posi ions: p o esso s and enu e- ack posi ions Open call (excluding hose in i ed) In e na ional ec ui men De ini ion o job desc ip ions by ec ui men commi ees, deans, heads o depa men s Rec ui men decisions by ec ui men commi ees, ex e nal e iewe s G oup 2 O ganisa ional ec ui men Quali ying posi ions: doc o al s uden s and pos doc o al esea che s Depa men al posi ions: lec u e s and senio esea che s in he hi d ca ee s age Open-call ec ui men Mos ly in e na ional in each Fixed- e m o pe manen con ac s De ini ion o job desc ip ions by heads o depa men s, p o esso s, ec ui men commi ees Rec ui men decisions by deans, heads o depa men s, ec o s G oup 3 Uno icial and local ec ui men Ex e nally unded posi ions: p ojec esea che s In o mal ec ui men Local ec ui men Finding o po en ial candida es h ough ne wo ks Fixed- e m con ac s De ini ion o job desc ip ions by p o esso s Rec ui men decisions by deans, heads o depa men s Rec ui men s in Finnish uni e si ies Ci a ion: No dSTEP 2016, 2: 32316 - h p://dx.doi.o g/10.3402/ns ep. 2.32316 9 (page numbe no o ci a ion pu pose)