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The Human Resources Debt in Software Business

Towards a Research Roadmap

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Well-Being in the Information Society. Fighting Inequalities (WIS 2018)

Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 907))

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Abstract

This conceptual-analytical paper presents and defines the concept of ‘human resource debt’ (i.e., HR debt). The presented concept draws from the software engineering field’s recent work in the technical debt management, yet it departures from the existing conceptualizations by focusing on skills and competences of individual employees as well as emphasizing the need to manage the skill pool with conscious decisions. As with its paragons, this novel concept aims to help to understand, control and utilize better the phenomenon by using a simple metaphor. In addition, the metaphor, borrowed from the economics, also emphasizes the potential price that has to be paid back later. In the discussion, the ever-changing software industry is used as an example industrial domain; however, the concept should be generalizable to other fields. Finally, the paper lays foundations for future work and proposes initial actions needed for forming a proper research agenda.

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Notes

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Sonja M. Hyrynsalmi

  2. Turku School of Economics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Minna M. Rantanen

  3. Department of Future Technologies, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Johannes Holvitie & Erkki Sutinen

  4. Pervasive Computing, Tampere University of Technology, Pori, Finland

    Sami Hyrynsalmi

Authors
  1. Sonja M. Hyrynsalmi
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  2. Minna M. Rantanen
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  3. Johannes Holvitie
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  4. Sami Hyrynsalmi
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  5. Erkki Sutinen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sami Hyrynsalmi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland

    Hongxiu Li

  2. University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Ágústa Pálsdóttir

  3. Fachhochschule Flensburg, Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

    Roland Trill

  4. University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Reima Suomi

  5. Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland

    Yevgeniya Amelina

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Hyrynsalmi, S.M., Rantanen, M.M., Holvitie, J., Hyrynsalmi, S., Sutinen, E. (2018). The Human Resources Debt in Software Business. In: Li, H., Pálsdóttir, Á., Trill, R., Suomi, R., Amelina, Y. (eds) Well-Being in the Information Society. Fighting Inequalities. WIS 2018. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 907. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97931-1_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97931-1_3

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