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
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1
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(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.
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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
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(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.
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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
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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)