Cross case analysis of how SME high technology firms in Canada define performance management

Abstract

This exploratory research compares how high technology firms use performance management strategies to gain a competitive advantage and, at the same time, investigates the role of human capital. The eight high technology firms selected for study are located in the Okanagan Valley region of British Columbia, Canada and each was pre-qualified as a small or medium-sized enterprise – two with 10 to 19 employees, four with 20 to 49, and two with 50 to 200. For this research, eight high technology case studies were constructed from interviews with the firms’ managers. Cross-case analysis of the results examined how these SMEs define performance management and related processes. The findings indicated that these firms have a well-developed understanding of performance management but opportunities for executing strategies with this process are weaker. As well, those firms with human resource managers have a distinct employee focus, whereas those without emphasise firm performance.