Review: Gerhard Niedermair (2005). Patchwork(er) on Tour. Berufsbiografien von Personalentwicklern [Patchwork(er) on Tour. Occupational Biographies of Human Resources Managers]

Abstract

This study deals with occupational biographies of human resources managers, a group which has previously received little empirical examination. Qualitative (narrative) interviews were used to obtain knowledge about professional activities as well as biographical patterns (of orientation). Attention was focused on interviewees’ views of the core tasks of human resources management and on role-typologies, as well as on phases of the occupation biography, professional crises, and the significance of biographical "mentoring". Computer-aided content analysis was carried out on much of the interview data (KUCKARTZ) and systematic categories were built up. In addition, selected cases were interpreted hermeneutically using text- and thematic field analysis (FISCHER and ROSENTHAL) as well as structural sense reconstruction (BUDE) in order to interpret self-portraits and life accounts. With its extensive data collection and analyses the study will be of interest to readers involved in personnel management and occupational pedagogy. Beyond that it is likely to be of interest to those engaged in structural-reconstructive, biographical research, even though some points may be criticized.. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0703316