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Brian Harney, Senior Lecturer in DCU Business School provides insight into managerial lessons learnt as Ireland advance in The European Championships.

Successful qualification for EURO 2016, including memorable results against the world champions are a cause for optimism amongst Irish soccer fans. Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane appear to have crafted a sense of purpose and the beginning of consistency while inspiring or re-invigorating individual performances.  Elevated results have served as a catalyst for Irish fans to (re)gain recognition as, in memorable media commentary, ‘the Aviva finally became Lansdowne Road‘. Overall,  the dynamic duo of O’Neill and Keane have shown they can manage efficiently whilst leading effectively. One can only hope this carries forward so that Euro 2016 proves more memorable and successful than the dreadful disappointment of 2012. If this feat is to be realised lessons must be continuously learnt to avoid succumbing to the type of managerial faux pas characteristic of the Trapattoni reign.

Utilise the full pool of talent available to the best of its ability

There was a growing sense that Trapattoni did not fully engage the talent that was available to him (this included the likes of Wes Hoolahan, Keiran Westwood, James McCarthy, and Darren Gibson who warmed the bench for the entire Euro 2012 tournament). Even where he did pick different players he did not exploit their strengths by deploying them in their best positions. This oversight becomes all the more severe in the context of a small football country like Ireland, where the initial talent pool is already severely limited

Pay attention to detail and keep close to the action

Trapattoni was apparently fond of saying “they are little details, but the little details are very important”. Despite this rhetoric his lack of enthusiasm for attending premiership games and visiting football grounds was frequently commented upon.  Understanding the ebb and flow of a player’s performance in the full context of a game cannot be done remotely via DVDs; there is simply no substitute for being close to the action. It is useful to recollect the story of Jack Charlton visiting Oxford United to see John Aldridge play and being introduced to a player previously not on the radar called Ray Houghton.

Foster inclusiveness accompanied by a unified sense of purpose

From the early guitar incident with Andy Reid, Trapattoni’s reign was characterized by a growing tension, distance and frequent falling out with his own players. Man management was not Trapattoni’s forte. With the legacy of Saipan as the media benchmark for football bust-ups Trapattoni’s failures in player relations might at first seem trivial. However, the list known to have run-ins with Trapattoni suggests otherwise (Kevin Doyle, Stephen Ireland, Stephen Kelly, Marc Wilson, Stephen Hunt Kevin Foley, Darron Gibson, and Shane Long). Rather than constructively engage players for the Irish cause, Trapattoni frequently pursued destructive vendettas which fragmented relations. Stephen Reid was an early regular in Trapattoni’s line-ups but on-going injury problems led to his career being dismissed off hand by the Italian. There also appeared to be limited reward for loyalty or recognition of player’s allegiance and pride in playing for Ireland. Present for over 7 years in every squad when he was fit to play, Kevin Doyle received news of his omission from the squad for the double-header with Sweden and Austria via text message.

Understand the significance of the top management team

It is perhaps no coincidence that the successful years of the Trapattoni reign were those where Liam Brady held the position of Assistant Manager. With expertise on the workings of the FAI and Irish football, vast insights and experience into the English Premier league, coupled with an extensive football network Brady’s value to Trapattoni cannot be underestimated. Indeed, one wonders if in picking Roy Keane as an assistant Martin O’Neill is also attempting to leverage something similar by way of Irish expertise and public association. The  months leading up to June 2016 should offer more insight on the longevity of this fledgling partnership.

Be open to change when required

Trapattoni remained committed to his cautious approach and tactics even when most commentators and fans called for, and ultimately the results mandated, change. He likewise remained loyal to players like Darren O’Dea, Glen Whelan and Paul McShane when their performances at international level were not always deserving of it. More often than not key tactical or player changes were the result of injury or retirements rather than a change in mindset. Notably, in those performances best remembered, including against Italy and France, it has been suggested that the players pursued their own desired approach rather than rigidly adhering to the Trapattoni prescription. Overall, Trapattoni cast a technical shadow over Ireland’s play which served to inhibit creativity and suggested a distrust of his players.

Of course there is an argument that the distance, or even arrogance, of Trapattoni may have been a reflection of a Keanite type quest for professionalism. There are cultural differences likely to be at play here also; Italian football is a patient, technical and slow burning candle, only intermittently lit with the type of gung-ho frenzied excitement or action that Irish fans might expect. Trapattoni also inherited one of the weaker teams of current times, while Thierry Henry had a huge hand in ensuring lady luck was not on his side. In years and in past success Trapattoni is clearly deserving of respect. Nonetheless his desired approach did not result in Irish glory and may have ultimately been self-defeating. Hopefully June 2016 will provide evidence of lessons learnt and progress made. COYBIG.

Posted on LinkedIn by Brian Harney, Senior Lecturer in DCU.

Original post: DCUBS Insight – Managerial Lessons from the Trapattoni Reign

DCU Business School invites applications for PhD scholarships. These scholarships will provide support for fulltime PhD study and are open to applicants who students register in Year 1 of the full time PhD programme in the Business School in DCU in September/October 2016. Our PhD programme combines scholarly theory-building with a strong applied focus. Research scholars work under the supervision of an academic expert and are an important part of DCU Business School’s vibrant research community.

The scholarships will allow to undertake research in one of the following specialist disciplines:

  • Accounting
  • Economics, Finance, Entrepreneurship
  • Human Resource Management and Organisational Psychology
  • Management, Operations, Information Systems
  • Marketing

For full details, please view the guidelines for applicants.

In collaboration with Great Place to Work® Ireland, a team of researchers based at Dublin City University (Link Research Institute) and Maynooth University recently conducted a major research project of the current and future challenges faced by HR Managers in Ireland. The aim of this project is to capture HR professionals’ views in order to understand the key challenges faced by HR Managers currently and in the future.

A feedback workshop held at Dublin City University on the 21st of Jan 2015 attracted about 30 HR Directors/Managers drawn from diverse sectors and organizations. The workshop was welcomed by the Dean of DCU Business School Dr. Anne Sinnott and chaired by the CEO of the Great Place to Work® Ireland Mr. John Ryan. The research team presented the survey findings and received valuable feedback from the audience. The findings cover many important HR topics including organizational effectiveness, HR networks, evidence-based management, line managers’ role in HRM, middle managers’ role in change management, work engagement, HR current and future priorities and HR challenges. Participants actively discussed their experience on these topics. The results will be published in a special supplement of the Irish Times.

Picture (right to left): Mr. John Ryan (GPTW), Dr. Claire Gubbins (DCU), Dr. Na Fu (MU), Professor Patrick Flood (DCU), Dr. Edel Conway, Director- Link; Dr. Yseult Freeney (DCU) and Mr. Jim Flynn (GPTW)

We are delighted to advise you that Dr. Aurora Trif, lecturer in HRM in DCU Business School and a member of the LINK Research Institute, has been successful in coordinating a recent EU bid for a collaborative project that will examine precarious employment practices within new EU member states.

The title of the project is ‘The rise of the dual labour market: fighting precarious employment in the new member states through industrial relations’.  There are 10 EU countries involved: the Czech Republic, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia).  DCU is the coordinator of the project, which is worth €339,000.

Aurora, who is the chair of the MSc in Human Resource Strategies Part Time Executive Programme, is especially interested in employment relations in Eastern Europe, workplace partnership and high performance work systems, and labour migration of highly skilled workers. She has been involved in several international research projects funded by the European Commission. Her research has been published in top academic journals, book chapters and for conferences.

DCU Business School wish her success with the project.

 

On Wednesday the 15th of October Ms Shuo Han a student on the MSc in Human Resource Management was recognised at an International Student Scholarship Reception hosted by DCU President Brian MacCraith. Shuo Han was recognised as a recipient of a Government of Ireland Scholarship in support of her studies at DCU.

Shuo Han completed her undergraduate Bachelor of Management degree at the Capital University of Economics Beijing (CUEB) (a partner Institution of DCU) and previously spent a year visiting DCU as an exchange student. Dr Brian Harney Chair of the MSc in HRM who has also visited CUEB as a guest lecturer commented “this is a fantastic achievement for Shuo in a personal capacity and  a manifestation of the strong institutional relationship between DCU and CUEB”

Pictured at the International Student Scholarship Reception (L-R) are Emeritus Professor Bernard Pierce (former Dean, DCU Business School, International Committee), Dr Yuhui Gao (Lecturer in Marketing, International Committee), Shuo Han and Dr Brian Harney (Programme Chair, MSc in Human Resource Management).

We are delighted to announce that we are holding an Information Session for our leading part-time Postgraduate Programme in Human Resource Strategies, this Wednesday at 5.45pm. This is a great opportunity to meet with current students and graduates of the course and DCU Business School faculty. You will also have the opportunity to attend a taster session on ‘Leadership challenges for HR Managers‘ delivered by Professor Patrick Flood.

The Irish HR landscape has dramatically changed over the past few years, so for this reason, DCU Business School has extensively updated the MSc in Human Resource Strategies programme.  The programme, which has been running since 1997, has established a reputation as the leading programme in Ireland for managers and professionals who are interested in pursuing a strategic approach to human resource issues in their organisations. It has attracted a wide variety of participants including human resource professionals and consultants, training and development professional, and employee relations specialists, in addition to line managers and those involved in managing their own companies.

The focus of the programme is closely aligned with CIPD’s HR professional map and contributes towards the development of the behaviours required to undertake key leadership roles in organisations. This will be achieved by a focus on the following areas:

  • Organisational Behaviour and Change
  • Talent Management
  • Strategic Human Resource Management and Employee Engagement
  • Employee Relations and Employment Law
  • Strategic Management
  • International HRM
  • Strategic Leadership
  • Coaching and Mentoring
  • Research and Consulting Project

The tools and techniques that are used during the programme enable participants to gain insights into, and feedback on, their strengths and weaknesses in an environment that is removed from the political issues that may predominate in their own work organisations. These tools many include methods to explore learning styles, creativity and innovation, systems thinking, leadership profiles and team-working.

The MSc in Human Resource Strategies programme equips managers and professionals with the competencies needed to take on challenging roles in turbulent times. These competencies drive other skills and abilities including creativity, mental agility, balanced learning habits and self-knowledge. These higher level competencies are particularly critical for success at senior management level and are crucial to establishing personal credibility. A participant in the programme is therefore not only embarking on an education programme but is also engaging in a management development process that is designed to enhance personal learning and development.

If you would like more information about the course and our upcoming Information Session, just complete the form below:

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While Ireland will not grace the stage at the world cup in Brazil, there is still an air of optimism around the prospects for the national team. This has been reinforced by the recent performance against Italy and Roy Keane’s apparent commitment to the cause. In building a solid foundation for the future, Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane could do worse than learning from some key managerial faux pas of the Giovanni Trapattoni reign.

Utilise the full pool of talent available to the best of its ability

There was a growing sense that Trapattoni did not fully engage the talent that was available to him (this included the likes of Wes Hoolahan, Keiran Westwood, James McCarthy, and Darren Gibson who warmed the bench for the entire Euro 2012 tournament). Even where he did pick different players he did not exploit their strengths by deploying them in their best positions. This oversight becomes all the more severe in the context of a small football country like Ireland, where the initial talent pool is already severely limited

Pay attention to detail and keep close to the action

Trapattoni was apparently fond of saying “they are little details, but the little details are very important”. Despite this rhetoric his lack of enthusiasm for attending premiership games and visiting football grounds was frequently commented upon.  Understanding the ebb and flow of a player’s performance in the full context of a game cannot be done remotely via DVDs; there is simply no substitute for being close to the action. Many will recollect the story of Jack Charlton visiting Oxford United to see John Aldridge play and being introduced to a player previously not on the radar called Ray Houghton.

Foster inclusiveness accompanied by a unified sense of purpose

From the early guitar incident with Andy Reid, Trapattoni’s reign was characterized by a growing tension, distance and frequent falling out with his own players. Man management was not Trapattoni’s forte. With the legacy of Saipan as the media benchmark for football bust-ups Trapattoni’s failures in player relations might at first seem trivial. However, the list known to have run-ins with Trapattoni’s suggests otherwise (Kevin Doyle, Stephen Ireland, Stephen Kelly, Marc Wilson, Stephen Hunt Kevin Foley, Darron Gibson, and Shane Long). Rather than constructively engage players for the Irish cause, Trapattoni frequently pursued destructive vendettas which fragmented relations. Stephen Reid was an early regular in Trapattoni’s line-ups but on-going injury problems led to his career being dismissed off hand by the Italian who commented publicly that it would be ‘very, very difficult’, for Reid to return to his best following a knee injury. There also appeared to be limited reward for loyalty or recognition of player’s allegiance and pride in playing for Ireland. Present for over 7 years in every squad when he was fit to play, Kevin Doyle received news of his omission from the squad for the double-header with Sweden and Austria via text message.

Understand the significance of the top management team

It is perhaps no coincidence that the successful years of the Trapattoni reign were those where Liam Brady held the position of Assistant Manager. With expertise on the workings of the FAI and Irish football, vast insights and experience into the English Premier league, coupled with an extensive football network Brady’s value to Trapattoni cannot be underestimated. Indeed, one wonders if in picking Roy Keane as an assistant Martin O’Neill is also attempting to leverage something similar by way of Irish expertise and public association.

Be open to change when required

Trapattoni remained committed to his cautious approach and tactics even when most commentators and fans called for, and ultimately the results mandated, change. He likewise remained loyal to players like Darren O’Dea, Glen Whelan and Paul McShane when their performances at international level were not always deserving of it. More often than not key tactical or player changes were the result of injury or retirements rather than a change in mindset. Notably, in those performances best remembered, including against Italy and France, it has been suggested that the players pursued their own desired approach rather than rigidly adhering to the Trapattoni prescription. Overall, Trapattoni cast a technical shadow over Ireland’s play which served to inhibit creativity and suggested a distrust of his players.

Of course there is an argument that the distance, or even arrogance, of Trapattoni may have been a reflection of a Keanite type quest for professionalism. There are cultural differences likely to be at play here also; Italian football is a patient, technical and slow burning candle, only intermittently lit with the type of gung-ho frenzied excitement or action that Irish fans might expect. Trapattoni also inherited one of the weaker teams of current times, while Thierry Henry had a huge hand in ensuring lady luck was not on his side. In years and in past success Trapattoni is clearly deserving of respect. Nonetheless his desired approach did not result in Irish glory and may have ultimately been self-defeating. For the fledging dynamic duo of Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane the challenge is to embrace the key lessons from the Trapattoni reign by managing efficiently while also leading effectively.

Brian Harney is a Lecturer in Strategy and HRM at DCU Business School and Deputy Director (Knowledge) of the LInK research centre 

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