Evaluation of key positions and employees management level in manufacturing industry - The Czech case

sus ainabili y A icle E alua ion o Key Posi ions and Employees Managemen Le el in Manu ac u ing Indus y—The Czech Case Pe a Ho á ho á1,* , Šá ka Velˇco ská2, Lenka Kaue o á2and F ið ik Ra n La sen 3 1 Depa men o Managemen , Facul y o Economics, VSB-Technical Uni e si y o Os a a, Sokolsk á ˇ í da 33, 702 00 Os a a 1, Czech Republic 2Depa men o Ma ke ing and Business, Facul y o Economics, VSB-Technical Uni e si y o Os a a, Sokolská ˇ ída 33, 702 00 Os a a 1, Czech Republic; [email p o ec ed] (S.V.); [email p o ec ed] (L.K.) 3School o Social Sciences, Facul y o Business Adminis a ion, Uni e si y o Iceland, Sæmunda ga a 2, 102 Reykja ík, Iceland; [email p o ec ed] *Co espondence: [email p o ec ed] Recei ed: 2 Decembe 2019; Accep ed: 24 Decembe 2019; Published: 27 Decembe 2019   Abs ac : Human esou cesmanagemen ,especially hekeyemployeesmanagemen ,has undamen al in luence on companies’ sus ainable business, which has o be conside ed as he p io i y o any business unc ioning. The aim o his pape is o e alua e cu en le el o he key posi ions and employees managemen in he Czech business en i onmen and o p opose a p ocess o i s e ec i e implemen a ion and applica ion in p ac ice. Online ques ionnai e su ey was p o ided using 105 companies ope a ing in manu ac u ing indus y o he Mo a ian-Silesian egion as he sample. S a is ical me hods o da a analysis we e used. Fishe exac es , coe icien s Phi and C ame ’s V we e coun ed o es ela ions be ween a iables. The su ey esul s include an e alua ion o he p esen si ua ion as i comes o he use o he key posi ions and employees managemen sys em as well as an iden i ica ion o in e es s in new sys em implemen a ion. The e was a low a e o use o gi en sys em in hese business, wi h wo hi ds o companies showing an in e es in implemen ing he new sys em. The p ocess o implemen a ion and he use o he key posi ions and employees in p ac ice was p oposed. The p ocess is sugges ed in he way o make i s con en and o m be a ce ain guide and help o companies o ealize pa icula ac i i ies o his p ocess. I would con ibu e o he success ul ealiza ion o complex and sys ema ic app oach owa ds he wo k wi h he key posi ions and employees. Keywo ds: key posi ion; key employee; p ocess; sys em; managemen ; manu ac u ing indus y; sus ainable business 1. In oduc ion Sus ainable en ep eneu ship based on he p inciples o sus ainable de elopmen also includes social sus ainabili y, exp essed in pe sonnel policy, which includes managemen and ca e o all employees, bu especially he key ones, as he unc ioning o he company is based on hem. I he company ails o p ope ly manage and main ain hem, hese employees may lea e he company, which may ha e signi ican implica ions in e y sensi i e a eas such as business s a egy, achie emen o goals, company cul u e, o he mo ale o o dina y employees. The company may su e signi ican inancial loss by he depa u e o key employees, i s economic (and hus en i onmen al) sus ainabili y o e en i s exis ence may be jeopa dized. On he o he hand, well-managed, s a egically linked Sus ainabili y 2020,12, 242; doi:10.3390/su12010242 www.mdpi.com/jou nal/sus ainabili y Sus ainabili y 2020,12, 242 2 o 14 and well execu ed managemen o key employees and posi ions becomes a signi ican compe i i e ad an age o success ul companies and can con ibu e o i s sus ainable business. Those companies, which unde s and he signi icance o sus ainable HR managemen and quali y (mainly he key human esou ces), and companies, which de e mined hemsel es o ake ca e o he key posi ions and employees and o accep i o be one o hei basic p io i ies (ha ing inances o do so), should use a complex and sys ema ic app oach [ 1 ]. Such app oach di ec ly includes and connec s mainly p ocesses o iden i ica ion o he key posi ions, he key compe ences, acqui ing he key employees ou o in e nal and ex e nal sou ces, employees quali ica ion de elopmen and consequen sus aining in company [2]. I is necessa y o ake in o accoun ha key posi ions and employees managemen do no ac alone and sepa a ely in he company; hey a e always e y closely connec ed wi h he managemen o alen ed employees ( alen managemen ). One o he main con ibu ions o alen managemen , mo e e ec i e planning o he key posi ions is as well as gaining he employees om in e nal sou ces including hei mo i a ion. The esul o well- unc ioning alen managemen , which has o be based on he model De elop-Deploy-Connec (DDC) is hen he exis ence o su icien amoun o candida es—key employees—p epa ed o wo k a he key posi ions. Con a y o adi ional linea model o alen managemen , he model DDC does no ocus only on gaining and main aining bu mainly on de eloping employees’ skills, hei deploying o such posi ions whe e hose will be able o use hei po en ial and knowledge and hei connec ion wi h people who can help hem wi h ask ul illmen , oo [ 2 , 3 ]. Quali y and sus ainable managemen o he key posi ions and employees is, hus, condi ioned by quali y p ocesses o alen managemen (acquisi ion, de elopmen and e en ion). To ind ou he eal si ua ion in he a ea o managemen o key posi ions and employees, he au ho s decided o ca y ou a esea ch s udy, which will e alua e he a i udes o manu ac u ing companies in one o he egions o he Czech Republic o his issue and also p opose a p ocess o e ec i e implemen a ion and applica ion o key posi ions and employees managemen in p ac ice. To he bes o au ho s’ knowledge, he e a e no esea ch s udies, which would deal wi h he a e o he usage o he key posi ions and employees managemen sys em in companies, nei he in he Czech Republic, no ab oad. The s uc u e o he a icle is as ollows. The li e a u e e iew p o ided i s ollowed by esea ch me hodology explana ion; u he , he e a e esul s p esen ed and p oposal o he p ocess o implemen a ion and applica ion o he key posi ions and employees sys em is gi en. 2. Li e a u e Re iew Key posi ion is o be de e mined by ou c i e ia. Na u alness—sho - ime ailu e o employee wo king a his posi ion can b ing a se ious impac on economic o business indica o s, e.g., yields, p o i , loss o compe i i e ad an age, limi a ion o ope a ion, pu ing p ocess, p oduc s o se ices in dange , e c. Uniqueness—posi ion demands such compe ences being now o in he u u e unique and speci ic o he company. Demand— o such posi ion, he e is o will be a huge demand in he labo ma ke in he u u e. S a egic impac — ailu e o quali ied employees wo king a conc e e posi ions would in luence he company success in he u u e conside ing a longe ime ho izon [4]. Acco ding Skills-Based Wo k o ce Segmen a ion Model based on he mos p ominen concep ual HRM a chi ec u al model [ 5 , 6 ] de ines key posi ions as hose ha ing highe skills alue and highe skills uniqueness. Valuable skills may c ea e lowe cos s, inc ease e enue, con ibu e o inno a ion, o enhance in e nal company e iciency. They comp ise up o nine key alue d i e s— e enue/sales, s akeholde ela ions, cos and e iciency, quali y, inno a ion, o ganiza ional capabili y, epu a ion/ isk managemen , inancial, and p ocesses/sys ems. Va ious oles will comp ise one o mo e o hese alue d i e s, wi h hei impac anging om localized o widesp ead ac oss he o ganiza ion. Some o hese alue d i e s may be mo e impo an han o he s o he achie emen o he business s a egy a a pa icula poin in ime. Unique skills a e o ganiza ional speci ic, unlikely o be ound in he open ma ke , ha d o eplace, and may be di icul o compe i o s o imi a e o duplica e. These skills Sus ainabili y 2020,12, 242 3 o 14 need o be nu u ed o e ime, gi en ha hey a e no de eloped and acqui ed o e nigh . Hence o ganiza ions a e mo e likely o in es in he educa ion, aining, and de elopmen o hese skills [6]. Companiesshouldpay eminen a en ion o he keyposi ionsbecauseanindi idualpe o manceo hose posi ions has deciding impac on he en i e company pe o mance and sus ainable business [ 7 , 8 ]. The undamen al p emise o de ine he key posi ions is he ac ha he company canno ully unc ion wi hou i [ 9 , 10 ]. Those posi ions a e conside ed as co e o he u u e company success adding ha he e is a signi ican need o pay a en ion o gaining, e alua ion, de elopmen and sus aining o he indi iduals o hose posi ions, hus he key employees h ough en i e company [ 11 ]. Wi hou he key employees he ope a ion o he company is pu in dange in signi ican way because wi hou hose employees some ac i i ies canno e en be p o ided [ 12 ]. The key employees play a signi ican ole as he bes pe o ming pa o HR, ha e quali y p o essional knowledge and skills, which hey can sha e wi h o he colleagues o less compe ences [ 13 , 14 ]. Such employees a e special also because o he high le el o sel -con ol and sel - e lec ion. The quali y o he key employees in luences no only en i e company pe o mance and sus ainable business bu i s good epu a ion, b and and company capi al’s alue as well [ 15 ]. Once hose lea e, unique know how is disappea ing om he company as well as hei knowledge, abili ies, skills expe iences and long- e m ela ionships [ 16 , 17 ]. The e o e, each company should manage hose posi ions and employees in a way no only o keep he cu en key employees bu o ain own successo s o hose c i ical and s a egic posi ions as well [ 10 , 18 , 19 ]. The signi icance o he key posi ions and employees is suppo ed by he s a emen ha he as es way o make sha eholde s’ weal h g ow and imp o emen o long- e m company’s sus ainable business is o ha e he key employees’ pe o mance became highe [20,21]. Signi icance o he key posi ions and employees is con i med no only by li e a u e e iew men ioned abo e, bu by many s udies and esea ches as well. Fo example, he s udy No h Ame ican C i ical Talen P ac ices Su ey says ha de ini ion and assigning he c i ical posi ions will play mo e signi ican ole in he u u e, as i comes o company compe i i eness, han i has been in he pas and a p esen ime [ 22 ]. By he s udy Rew i ing he Rules o he Digi al Age. 2017 Deloi e Global Human Capi al T ends, companies cu en ly acing he changing con ex o labo o ce and labo wo ld should pay big a en ion o he human capi al s a egies, hus o how hey o ganize, manage, de elop and main ain hei employees, mainly hose alen ed and key ones [ 23 ]. As i comes o he Czech business en i onmen , e.g., he esea ch Czech CEO Su ey 2018 deal wi h his opic. I conside s he quali ied key employees managemen he s a egic ask, which should be paid a en ion o by he managemen o each company [ 24 ]. In he Czech business en i onmen , sys ema ic app oach owa ds he key posi ions and employees managemen is no being applied su icien ly [25]. Acco ding o he au ho s opinion, one o he easons why such app oach shows a e applica ion in he Czech business en i onmen can be he absence o ins uc ions how his p ocess should be implemen ed and applied. The e o e, he au ho s decided o p o e his conclusion by he esea ch, he aim o which is mapping he cu en app oaches o he key posi ions employees managemen in middle and big companies o Mo a ian-Silesian egion ope a ing in he manu ac u ing indus y. Then he iden i ica ion o companies’ in e es in he key posi ions and employees managemen sys em se ed as a s imulus o p oposing he p ocedu e o implemen a ion and applica ion o his sys em in p ac ice. 3. Sample and Me hodology The su ey was conduc ed o ind ou whe he and in wha ex en small and medium-sized companies ope a ing in manu ac u ing indus y o he Mo a ian-Silesian egion manage he key posi ions and employees. I s objec i e was o de e mine he s a e, way and leng h o he use o he key posi ions and employees managemen sys em in companies, o e alua e sa is ac ion wi h his sys em, o iden i y easons o non-use o he sys em, and o ind ou in e es o companies in implemen ing new managemen sys em o he key posi ions and employees. Sus ainabili y 2020,12, 242 4 o 14 P ima y da a we e collec ed in Ap il 2018 using an online ques ionnai e su ey based on a s uc u ed ques ionnai e. In he in oduc o y pa o he ques ionnai e he esponden s we e explained wha he sys em o managing key posi ions and employees means, wha is he p inciple o he sys em and wha a e i s bene i s. The ques ionnai e included h ee iden i ica ion ques ions (leng h o an company exis ence, cu en numbe o employees, o eign owne /sha eholde ) and six ques ions on he subjec o he esea ch, which we e closed (sys em usage/non-use, leng h o he sys em usage, e alua ion o success and bene i s o sys em used, in e es in implemen a ion o a new sys em) o semi-closed wi h he possibili y o w i ing own esponse. Semi-closed ques ions we e used o ind ou he cu en way o managing key posi ions and employees in he company and o iden i y he easons o non-using he sys em. The a ge g oup o he esea ch consis ed o all medium-sized (51–250 employees) and la ge companies (mo e han 250 employees) ope a ing acco ding o he CZ-NACE classi ica ion in manu ac u ing indus y in he Mo a ian-Silesian egion. As o 31 Decembe 2017, i was a o al o 366 companies, o which 259 (i.e., 70.8%) we e medium-sized and 107 (i.e., 29.2%) we e la ge companies [ 26 ]. The sample included 105 companies (i.e., 28.7% o he a ge g oup) selec ed by he quo a sampling echnique wi h espec o he abo e-men ioned size s uc u e o companies. The inal sample s uc u e is p esen ed in Table 1. Compe en ep esen a i es o he pe sonnel depa men s o he companies we e in e iewed. Table 1. S uc u e o esponden s. Va iable Absolu e F equency Rela i e F equency Leng h o an company exis ence 2 o 5 yea s 20 19.0% 6 o 10 yea s 27 25.7% 11 o 15 yea s 36 34.3% mo e han 15 yea s 22 21.0% Cu en numbe o employees 51 o 250 employees 75 71.4% mo e han 250 employees 30 28.6% Fo eign owne /sha eholde yes 23 21.9% no 82 78.1% Da a we e p ocessed and analyzed in IBM SPSS S a is ics 23.0 p og am. Fo selec ed ques ions, he second le el g ading acco ding o he esponden ’s iden i ica ion cha ac e is ics o ele an a iables was pe o med. Fishe exac es a 0.05 signi icance le el was applied o es he di e ences be ween a iables. This es is sui able o nominal a iables in he analysis when sample size is small [ 27 ]. The hypo hesis H0 p esumes no s a is ically signi ican di e ences among a iables; he hypo hesis H1 p esumes dependency o a iables. C ame ’s V coe icien and Phi coe icien we e coun ed o p o e he s eng h o ela ionship be ween a iables. The C ame ’s V coe icien is used o nominal a iables when he numbe o ows o columns o bo h in he con ingency able is highe han 2. The Phi coe icien ( ϕ ) is a measu e o associa ion o wo bina y a iables, i.e., o a 2 × 2 con ingency able. These desc ip o s we e used o in e p e he coe icien s: 0.00 and unde 0.09—negligible associa ion, 0.10 and unde 0.19—weak associa ion, 0.20 and unde 0.39—mode a e associa ion, 0.40 and unde 0.59— ela i ely s ong associa ion, 0.60 and unde 0.79—s ong associa ion, 0.80 and unde 1.00— e y s ong associa ion [28]. 4. Resul s and Discussion In acco dance wi h he objec i e o esea ch s udy, he esul s a e s uc u ed in o h ee ollowing a eas: (1) The cu en s a e o use o he key posi ions and employees managemen sys em in companies, (2) sa is ac ion wi h he exis ing sys em o managing he key posi ions and employees and (3) in e es in implemen a ion o new managemen sys em o he key posi ions and employees. Sus ainabili y 2020,12, 242 5 o 14 4.1. The Cu en S a e o Use o he Key Posi ions and Employees Managemen Sys em in Vompanies In his pa o he esea ch s udy, esponden s we e asked whe he , how long and in wha way hey a e cu en ly using he managemen sys em o he key posi ions and employees. The managemen sys em o he key posi ions and employees ha e implemen ed only 21.0% (i.e., 22) o esponden s om he 105 companies add essed. The sys em is used by 37.0% (i.e., 10) o companies ope a ing on he ma ke o 6 o 10 yea s and by a qua e o companies (i.e., 5) ope a ing o 2 o 5 yea s. Almos 90% (i.e., 51) o companies exis ing 11 o mo e yea s do no use such managemen sys em. F om he poin o iew o p ope y s uc u e o he companies, i was ound ha he sys em is applied in 34.8% (i.e., 8) o companies wi h a o eign owne o sha eholde and only 17.1% (i.e., 14) o Czech companies. Fu he , huge companies o e 250 employees use he sys em mo e o en (30.0%, i.e., 9) han medium-sized companies wi h 51 o 250 employees (17.3%, i.e., 13). I is ob ious ha he managemen sys em o he key posi ions and employees is mo e common in huge companies, in companies wi h a o eign owne o sha eholde and ope a ing on he ma ke o less han 10 yea s (Table 2). Table 2. Use o he managemen sys em o he key posi ions and employees by ype o company. Cha ac e is ics o Company Use o Sys em Absolu e F equency Rela i e F equency Yes No Yes No Leng h o an company exis ence 2 o 5 yea s 5 15 25.0% 75.0% 6 o 10 yea s 10 17 37.0% 63.0% 11 o 15 yea s 4 32 11.1% 88.9% mo e han 15 yea s 3 19 13.6% 86.4% Cu en numbe o employees 51 o 250 employees 13 62 17.3% 82.7% mo e han 250 employees 9 21 30.0% 70.0% Fo eign owne /sha eholde yes 8 15 34.8% 65.2% no 14 68 17.1% 82.9% I was con i med by Fische exac es ha he e is no s a is ically signi ican ela ion be ween he use o he sys em and leng h o he company exis ence, p ope y s uc u e o company o ac ual numbe o employees, Exac Sig. >0.05. The e o e, he hypo hesis H0 is accep ed. Responden s who ha e he managemen sys em o he key posi ions and employees we e asked abou leng h and way o he sys em use. App oxima ely hal o companies (54.5%, i.e.,12) esponden s wo k wi h he sys em o less han 2 yea s, 45.5% (i.e., 10) esponden s ha e he sys em o 2 o 5 yea s. I was also ound ha 54.5% (i.e., 12) o companies apply he sys em based on he es ablished p ocedu e and 45.5% p oceed non-sys ema ically, wi h espec o hei cu en needs. The dependence o way o managing he key posi ions and employees on leng h o he sys em use was con i med (Exac Sig. =0.000) , he alue o he Phi coe icien (Phi =0.833) indica es a e y s ong associa ion be ween he a iables. The e o e, we ejec he hypo hesis H0 and accep he al e na i e hypo hesis H1. Companies using he sys em o a sho pe iod o ime (up o 2 yea s) apply a non-sys ema ic app oach (83.3%, i.e., 10), while companies wo king wi h he sys em o 2 o 5 yea s ha e he es ablished p ocedu e o manage he key posi ions and employees (100.0%, i.e., 10 o esponden s) (Table 3). Sus ainabili y 2020,12, 242 6 o 14 Table 3. Way o managing he key posi ions and employees by leng h o he sys em use. Way o Managing he Key Posi ions and Employees Leng h o he Sys em Use Absolu e F equency Rela i e F equency Less Than 2 Yea s 2 o 5 Yea s Less Than 2 Yea s 2 o 5 Yea s based on he es ablished p ocedu e 2 10 16.7% 100.0% non-sys ema ic, acco ding o ac ual needs 10 0 83.3% 0.0% Way o managing he key posi ions and employees does no depend on leng h o he company exis ence, on size o he company (i.e., cu en numbe o employees) o on p ope y s uc u e o he company, Exac Sig. >0.05. The e o e, he hypo hesis H0 is accep ed. Responden s wi hou he sys em o managing he key posi ions and employees epo ed he easons o non-use o he sys em. Two hi ds (68.7%, i.e., 57) o hem do no know he sys em, o 15.7% (i.e., 13) he sys em is o ganiza ionally oo demanding, 8.4% (i.e., 7) companies do no conside he sys em sui able o hei business and 7.0% (i.e., 6) o esponden s see he p oblem in lack o pe sonnel esou ces. 4.2. Sa is ac ion wi h he Exis ing Sys em o Managing he Key Posi ions and Employees he Cu en S a e o Use o he Key Posi ions and Employees Managemen Sys em in Vompanies Responden s using he key posi ions and employees managemen sys em we e also asked how hey a e sa is ied wi h he sys em. Exac ly hal o hem e alua e he sys em posi i ely and conside hem almos o ully success ul and con ibu i e o hei company, while he emaining 50.0% (i.e., 11) pe cei e he sys em almos o ully no success ul and no con ibu i e. S a is ical analysis using Fische exac es has shown ha he e is no dependence o he sys em’s e alua ion on size o he company, on leng h o he company exis ence o on p ope y s uc u e o he company, Exac Sig. >0.05. The e o e, we accep he hypo hesis H0. On he con a y, a s a is ically signi ican ela ionship be ween he e alua ion o he sys em and leng h o i s use was con i med (Exac Sig. =0.000), C ame ’s V alue =0.937 shows a e y s ong associa ion be ween he a iables. The e is also a ela ionship be ween he e alua ion o he sys em and exis ing way o managing he key posi ions and employees (Exac Sig. =0.002), acco ding o C ame ’s V =0.776, a s ong associa ion be ween a iables is p o en. In hese wo cases, he e o e, we ejec he hypo hesis H0 and accep he al e na i e hypo hesis H1. The longe use o he key posi ions and employees managemen sys em by esponden s, he mo e posi i e e alua ion o he sys em. Fu he , hose esponden s who manage he key posi ions and employees using he es ablished p ocedu e e alua e he sys em posi i ely, 83.4% (i.e., 10) o hem conside he sys em almos o ully success ul and con ibu i e. Con e sely, 90.0% (i.e., 9) o companies managing he key posi ions and employees non-sys ema ically assess he sys em almos o ully no success ul and no con ibu i e (Table 4). Sus ainabili y 2020,12, 242 7 o 14 Table 4. E alua ion o cu en sys em by leng h o he sys em use and way o managing he key posi ions and employees. E alua ion o Cu en Sys em Leng h o he Sys em Use Way o Managing he Key Posi ions and Employees Absolu e F equency Rela i e F equency Absolu e F equency Rela i e F equency Less Than 2 Yea s 2 o 5 Yea s Less Than 2 Yea s 2 o 5 Yea s Based on he Es ablished P ocedu e Non-Sys ema ic, Acco ding o Ac ual Needs Based on he Es ablished P ocedu e Non-Sys ema ic, Acco ding o Ac ual Needs ully no success ul and ully no con ibu i e 3 0 25.0% 0.0% 0 3 0.0% 30.0% almos no success ul and almos no con ibu i e 8 0 66.7% 0.0% 2 6 16.7% 60.0% almos success ul and almos con ibu i e 1 2 8.3% 20.0% 2 1 16.7% 10.0% ully success ul and ully con ibu i e 0 8 0.0% 80.0% 8 0 66.7% 0.0% 4.3. In e es in Implemen a ion o New Managemen Sys em o Key Posi ions and Employees The key ques ion o he su ey, which was answe ed by all 105 esponden s, was ocused on iden i ying esponden s’ in e es in implemen a ion o he key posi ions and employees managemen sys em ha would minimize he ba ie s o i s use o would be mo e e icien in compa ison wi h he cu en p ac ice applied in he company. Responden s’ eac ions we e posi i e; mos o hem (65.7%, i.e., 69) a e in e es ed in such sys em. In e es in implemen ing new managemen sys em o he key posi ions and employees does no depend on size o he company, leng h o he company exis ence, p ope y s uc u e o he company, o he ac whe he he sys em is cu en ly used by companies, Exac Sig. >0.05, he e o e we accep he hypo hesis H0. Howe e , esponden s wi hou p e ious expe ience wi h such sys em (68.7%, i.e., 57) ha e shown a sligh ly highe in e es in implemen a ion o new managemen sys em, compa ed wi h esponden s who cu en ly manage he key posi ions and employees (54.5%, i.e., 12). In e es in implemen a ion o new managemen sys em depends on leng h o he sys em use (Exac Sig. =0.000, Phi =1.000), on way o managing he key posi ions and employees (Exac Sig. =0.000, Phi =0.833), on e alua ion o cu en sys em (Exac Sig. =0.000, C ame ’s V =0.937), and on eason o non-use o he sys em (Exac Sig. =0.000, C ame ’s V =0.450). In hese cases, he e o e, we ejec he hypo hesis H0 and accep he hypo hesis H1. Acco ding o Phi and C ame ’s V coe icien alues, a e y s ong o ela i ely s ong associa ion be ween he a iables we e indica ed. Companies using he sys em less han 2 yea s ( hey a e he companies managing he key posi ions and employees a he non-sys ema ically and conside ing hei cu en sys em almos o ully no success ul and no con ibu i e), ha e shown a clea in e es in implemen a ion o new sys em (100.0%, i.e., 12 o esponden s). Companies ha ha e so a managed he key posi ions and employees non-sys ema ically ha e also con i med in e es in new sys em (100.0%, i.e., 10 o esponden s). In addi ion, new sys em is a ac i e o companies ha conside hei cu en sys em almos o ully no success ul (100.0%, i.e., 11). I we ocus on companies wi h an es ablished p ocedu e o managing he key posi ions and employees, only 16.7% (i.e., 2) o hem a e in e es ed in implemen a ion o new sys em. Analysis o he easons o non-use o he sys em a p esen has shown ha new sys em is pa icula ly in e es ed in companies ha ha e no ye been awa e o such sys em (82.5%, i.e., 47). Among companies ha conside he sys em oo demanding, 46.2% (i.e., 6) o hem a e in e es ed in new sys em. One hi d (i.e., 2) o companies men ioned as he main ba ie a lack o esou ces (especially pe sonnel) and 28.6% (i.e., 2) o companies ha ha e no ye conside ed he sys em sui able o hei business we e in e es ed in new sys em (Tables 5–7). Sus ainabili y 2020,12, 242 8 o 14 Table 5. In e es in implemen ing new sys em by leng h o he sys em use and way o managing he key posi ions and employees. In e es in Implemen ing New Sys em Leng h o he Sys em Use Way o Managing he Key Posi ions and Employees Absolu e F equency Rela i e F equency Absolu e F equency Rela i e F equency Less Than 2 Yea s 2 o 5 Yea s Less Than 2 Yea s 2 o 5 Yea s Based on he Es ablished P ocedu e Non-Sys ema ic, Acco ding o Ac ual Needs Based on he Es ablished P ocedu e Non-Sys ema ic, Acco ding o Ac ual Needs yes 12 0 100.0% 0.0% 2 10 16.7% 100.0% no 0 10 0.0% 100.0% 10 0 83.3% 0.0% Table 6. In e es in implemen ing new sys em by e alua ion o cu en sys em. In e es in Implemen ing New Sys em E alua ion o Cu en Sys em Absolu e F equency Rela i e F equency Fully No Success ul and Fully No Con ibu i e Almos No Success ul and Almos No Con ibu i e Almos Success ul and Almos Con ibu i e Fully Success ul and Fully Con ibu i e Fully No Success ul and Fully No Con ibu i e Almos No Success ul and Almos No Con ibu i e Almos Success ul and Almos Con ibu i e Fully Success ul and Fully Con ibu i e yes 3 8 1 0 100.0% 100.0% 33.3% 0.0% no 0 0 2 8 0.0% 0.0% 66.7% 100.0% Table 7. In e es in implemen ing new sys em by eason o non-use o he sys em. In e es in Implemen ing New Sys em Reason o Non-Use he Sys em Absolu e F equency Rela i e F equency We Do No Know he Sys em The Sys em Is Too Demanding Lack o Resou ces, Especially Pe sonnel The Sys em Is No Sui able o Us We Do No Know he Sys em The Sys em Is Too Demanding Lack o Resou ces, Especially Pe sonnel The Sys em Is No Sui able o Us yes 47 6 2 2 82.5% 46.2% 33.3% 28.6% no 10 7 4 5 17.5% 53.8% 66.7% 71.4% Sus ainabili y 2020,12, 242 9 o 14 As ollows om he su ey esul s, he a e o u iliza ion o he managemen sys em o he key posi ions and employees in medium and huge companies o he Mo a ian-Silesian egion, ope a ing acco ding o he CZ-NACE classi ica ion in he manu ac u ing indus y, is low. Only 21.0% o companies add essed apply he sys em. Only a small numbe o esponden s e alua ed hei expe ience wi h he sys em (22), bu i is mo e impo an o conside ha a la ge numbe o companies ha e no expe ience wi h such a sys em. The e o e, he e is he po en ial o implemen i and s eamline he p ocesses o managing key posi ions and employees in hese companies. O he 22 companies ha ha e expe ience wi h he sys em, nea ly hal o hem (45.5%, i.e., 10) manage hei key posi ions and employees in a non-sys ema ic way and exac ly hal o companies pe cei e hei exis ing sys em almos o ully no success ul and almos o ully no con ibu i e. The key inding o he su ey is in e es o companies (65.7%, i.e., 69) in implemen ing new managemen sys em o he key posi ions and employees, which would minimize exis ing ba ie s o i s use o would make he exis ing sys em applied in he company mo e e icien . In e es in new sys em has been mainly shown by hose companies whose expe ience wi h hei cu en sys em is a he sho - e m, based on a non-sys ema ic app oach and a he nega i e. The companies ha ha e no ye managed he key posi ions and employees due o lack o knowledge o he sys em, pe cei ed high o ganiza ional di icul y o lack o esou ces (especially pe sonnel) also demons a ed in e es in new sys em. These companies do no conside men ioned ba ie s as un eco e able and belie e ha an e ec i e managemen sys em o he key posi ions and employees would be able o elimina e hem. In e es in implemen a ion o new managemen sys em o he key posi ions and employees was exp essed by medium and huge companies, by Czech companies as well as by companies wi h a o eign owne o a sha eholde , by companies ha a e ela i ely young as well as hose ha ha e been ope a ing in he ma ke o a long ime. S a is ical dependence o in e es in new sys em on he ype o company was no con i med. Thus, i can be s a ed ha he key posi ions and employees managemen sys em could be applied ac oss sec o s in di e en ypes o businesses in small and medium-sized companies ope a ing in manu ac u ing indus y o he Mo a ian-Silesian egion. In o de o ob ain mo e de ailed in o ma ion beyond he ou pu s o he esea ch s udy, he esul s o he esea ch s udy we e subsequen ly discussed in wo ocus g oups wi h a o al o hi een HR and TOP business manage s (medium and la ge) pa icipa ing in he s udy. The discussion con i med he conclusions o he esea ch s udy, i.e., ha he managemen sys em o key posi ions and employees can be ound mo e in la ge companies, in companies wi h o eign owne s o sha eholde s and ope a ing on he ma ke o less han en yea s. The eason o his si ua ion is, acco ding o he ocus g oup pa icipan s, mainly because companies do no know he sys em, hey do no know how o wo k wi h i . Rep esen a i es o hose companies ha use he sys em ha e desc ibed in de ail he bene i s o using he sys em o hei businesses and hus, u he boos ed he in e es in implemen ing he key posi ions and employee managemen sys em ha would minimize he ba ie s o i s use, o would be mo e e icien in compa ison wi h he cu en p ac ice applied in he company. Rep esen a i es o hose companies ha use he sys em bu men ioned he main sho comings in hei sys ems—no a high-quali y and de ailed s a egy o key posi ions and employee managemen , which nega i ely a ec s he unc ioning o he whole sys em, some imes inaccu a e pe o mance and po en ial e alua ion o employees in he p ocess o acquisi ion o alen s, which is e lec ed in he nex alen managemen p ocess, namely in de elopmen o alen s, whe e he p oposed alen de elopmen ac i i ies do no co espond o he ac ual educa ional gap o employees in ol ed in he alen managemen sys em, o key posi ions and employee managemen . As a esul , hose esponsible o he sys em do no ha e eedback and canno ini ia e imp o emen s o he sys em o emo e pa ial de iciencies. Acco ding o he ocus g oup pa icipan s, no only hese mos impo an bu also o he sho comings o he sys em could be emedied using a well-elabo a ed p ocess o key posi ions and employees managemen sys em. This is connec ed wi h he mos impo an ou pu o he ocus g oups, i.e., hei pa icipan s showed a s ong in e es in a kind o “manual”—a ool ha would be help o implemen a sys em o