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The military has long been associated with hard power, yet it is engaged in public diplomacy as it represents the U.S. abroad and facilitates the diffusion of ideas. Military Soft Power examines one such aspect of U.S. public diplomacy: how the United States extends its influence or "soft power" worldwide through military educational exchange programs hosted by the United States' elite military schools, its war and staff colleges. The presence of international officers at U.S. military schools is substantial, yet very little is known about the long-term impacts of these exchanges. This study shows how the exchanges build personal and professional networks that then serve as important conduits of ideas between the United States and other countries. These networks help to improve interoperability between the U.S. military and its partner nations and to extend U.S. influence through military soft power rather than through hard power.

The HRM/performance debate, i.e. the extent to which and how HRM contributes to organisational performance, continues to rage. Employee attitudes and behaviours are seen as a critical mediating variables in this, there being much debate on how HR practices affect these attitudes and, indeed, which attitudes they should seek to influence. Commitment and involvement have been identified as key to enhancing performance but recent research has suggested a need for consideration of a wider range of attitudes. Further, there has been a substantial focus on the gap between policy intentions and the r

It is argued here that more sophisticated frameworks of analysis than currently exist are required to support deeper understanding of small firm employment relationships. A psychological contract framework is adopted, presenting data on three small firm case studies and contrasting this with existing perspectives on small firm employment relationships. The degree of heterogeneity demonstrated in employment relationships in the small firm sector leads to the argument that a single typology of `small firm' employment relationships is not possible. While small firms may differ in nature to large firms, there is a range of forces in so heterogeneous a sector that go to create employment relationships and a narrow framework, especially one predicated upon notions of size, will not adequately reflect the complexities of the relationships under consideration. A broader, less deterministic, framework such as the psychological contract supports the development of more nuanced understandings of small firm employment relationships.

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to present research into the employment relationship in small firms and to examine its link to high performance. A psychological contract framework is adopted, it being argued that this supports a more nuanced analysis than existing perspectives on the small firm employment relationship which are limited and do not give sufficient insight into performance issues.Design/methodology/approachThe paper employs a case study approach, carrying out 41 interviews involving both owner managers and employees in three firms. A critical incident technique (CIT) is adopted in the interviews.FindingsThe paper finds that high performance derives from a relational psychological contract and that transactional contracts impact negatively on performance. It is also demonstrated that, contrary to what is implied in much of the existing small firm literature, small firms are capable of building relational contracts.Research limitationsThe research in this paper is drawn from a small‐scale study and is not generalisable. It does, however, provide a basis for a more detailed study of the small firm employment relationship.Practical implicationsThe research in the paper demonstrates the value of building a relational psychological contract in order to drive high performance. It also gives insight into how this can be done in the small firm context and the importance of the owner manager approach to this.Originality/valueThe paper presents more nuanced ways of exploring the small firm employment relationship than already exist and also considers the issue of performance, which is under‐researched in this context.

PurposeThis paper aims to contribute empirical data to the under‐researched relationship between trust and the psychological contract.Design/methodology/approachA case study approach is used carrying out 41 interviews in three case study firms, adopting a critical incident technique (CIT).FindingsTrust is present in all psychological contracts and its different bases, cognitive and affective, underpin transactional and relational obligations respectively.Research limitations/implicationsA small‐scale study using CIT which identifies especially salient issues but is not necessarily exhaustive. Provides a base for more detailed study of the relationship.Practical implicationsDemonstrates the impact of the differing bases of trust on the employment relationship. This information could contribute to better managing the employment relationship.Originality/valueThere are few extant empirical data on this relationship and a contribution is made to debates on the role of trust within the psychological contract by providing detailed empirical data.

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the influence of flexible working on employee happiness and attitude, and the role of this within a high performance work system (HPWS).Design/methodology/approachA case study of flexible working within an NHS Acute Trust is presented. A qualitative study is undertaken based on 43 employee interviews across a range of directorates within the Trust.FindingsEmployees perceive that flexible working makes them "happy" and that there are attitudinal/behavioural links between this happiness, discretionary behaviour and a number of performance outcomes.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper presents a single case study with a relatively small sample which uses an inductive approach based on emergent data; it explores one element of a HPWS rather than an entire employment system. Respondents were volunteers, which raises the possibility of sample bias.Practical implicationsThere may be a need for organisations to focus more on employee happiness to encourage performance. HR practitioners could reflect on the impact of HR practices on happiness and which features of a job role are likely to promote happiness.Originality/valueThis paper contributes a much‐needed employee perspective on the effect of HR practices, specifically that of flexible working, and explores the neglected employee attitude of happiness.