Quantification and Evaluation Issues in Group Model Building: An Application to Human Resource Management Transition

Telecommunications providers increasingly compete on Human Resource Management (HRM). KPN, the Dutch incumbent telecom provider, found that for its research department human resource policies needed to be adapted to remain competitive. KPN's Business Modelling department facilitated a group model building project on human resource management transition. Participants in the project were nine KPN employees involved in HRM. In three sessions a quantified although not fully validated model was built. We feel there are three major contributions of this project to the system dynamics literature. First, in the process of modelling we used and adapted a technique on parameter estimation. This technique clarified several complex relationships. Second, the content of the model and its emphasis on soft variables connects to the discussion on the merits of qualitative versus quantitative models. Third, the project was extensively evaluated, in particular with regard to its effects on participants' learning, evaluation change and implementation of project conclusions.