Baseball, Basketball, and Football

What Sports Can Teach Us About Strategic HRM

2015 SAHRMA Symposium

Mark L. Lengnick-Hall

Professor of Management

University of Texas at San Antonio

“Sports are like life simplified. The rules are enforced instantly and on the spot. Winners are declared. In the stadium there’s delightful relief from the real-world trial of sifting enemies from allies: if they’re wearing your team’s uniforms, they’re the good guys.”

Henry Abbott

Objectives

• Explain how different sports apply to different strategic human resource management situations.

•Understand the practical application of sports research to strategic human resource management.

• Show how sports can be used to explain strategic HR management to managers and employees.

Sports as a Model for Business

• The need to compete externally

• The need to cooperate internally

• The need to manage human resources strategically

•Generic structure

Why Baseball, Basketball, & Football?

•Profoundly different dynamics

• Exemplify 3 organizational patterns common in business

• Each represents a model—coherent set of relationships that captures the essence of an organizational form

Different Types of Interdependence

•Pooled Interdependence• Little or no interaction

•Sequential Interdependence•Parts interact in series: ABCD

•Reciprocal Interdependence• Each part interacts with every other A B

How is Managing a Sales Force Like Managing a Baseball Team?

“Baseball is a team game, but nine men who reach their individual goals make a nice team.

Pete Rose

The Baseball Business Model

Dimension Baseball

Dominant Interdependence Pooled

Density Low

Basic Unit Individual

Key Coordinating Mechanism Design of Sport

Core Management Competence Tactical

Developmental Focus Individual

The Baseball HR Model

HR Consideration Baseball

Importance of individual–organization “fit” Low

Developmental flexibility (from outside vs. from within) High

Importance of managerial continuity Low

Logic for unit-based performance incentives Low

Need for managerial coordination Low

Need for member coordination Low

Other Examples of Baseball Businesses

How is Managing a Manufacturing Operation Like Managing a Football Team?

“A football team is a lot like a machine. If one part doesn’t work, one player pulling against you and not doing his job, the whole machine fails.”

George Allen

The Football Business Model

Dimension Football

Dominant Interdependence Sequential

Density Moderate

Basic Unit Group

Key Coordinating Mechanism Planning & Hierarchy

Core Management Competence Strategic

Developmental Focus Individual & Group

The Football HR Model

HR Consideration Football

Importance of individual–organization “fit” Moderate to High

Developmental flexibility (from outside vs. from within)

Low to Moderate

Importance of managerial continuity Moderate to High

Logic for unit-based performance incentives Moderate to High

Need for managerial coordination High

Need for member coordination Moderate

Other Examples of Football Businesses

How is Managing an Advertising Agency Like Managing a Basketball Team?

“The game is unified action up and down the floor…it is five…playing as one.”

Jack Ramsey

The Basketball Business Model

Dimension Basketball

Dominant Interdependence Reciprocal

Density High

Basic Unit Team

Key Coordinating Mechanism Mutual Adjustment

Core Management Competence Integrative

Developmental Focus Individual & Team

The Basketball HR Model

HR Consideration Basketball

Importance of individual–organization “fit” High

Developmental flexibility (from outside vs. from within)

Moderate

Importance of managerial continuity Moderate

Logic for unit-based performance incentives High

Need for managerial coordination Low to Moderate

Need for member coordination High

Other Examples of Basketball Businesses

Summary

1. Identify your organization’s primary business model: baseball, football, or basketball.• Recognize differences within your organization (e.g., R&D vs.

manufacturing).

• You can have all three models within your organization.

2. Fit your HR to the business model.

Summary

3. Become a three-game thinker.• Baseball: fill out the lineup card players• Football: prepare the game plan plan• Basketball: influence the flow process

4. Use sports metaphors to explain strategic HRM.

5. Use HR analytics to make better talent decisions.