Studying Competence Management Systems in the Making: A Sociomaterial Approach
Abstract: In this paper we present and discuss a stage-model for researching the design and use of competence management systems (CMS). We particularly identify a need for research on CMS in use, and outline a research strategy that is based on a socio-material lens for understanding how organisations can bridge the gap between their strategic goals of human resource management and the everyday activities where competence information is translated between system representations and current and future competent acting. From a socio-material point of view, competence management systems can either augment the current formalisation and de-contextualisation of a competence model - or challenge a re-contextualization of it. We will discuss such tensions in the end of the paper and derive methodological implications for an approach of studying CMS in practice further.