A recent issue of the “International Journal of Human Resource Management” (HRM) was entirely and solely devoted to commentary on an article that a George Washington University School of Business professor co-authored with three doctoral GW Business students.
In 2022, Avram Tucker Distinguished Scholar and Professor of Management Herman Aguinis and Ph.D. graduates Hannah Kremer, Joowon Lee and Isabel Villamor published the article “HRM’s Financial Value from Obtaining More Star Performers,” which looked at when, how and why human resources make greater financial contributions by hiring star performers, defined as workers who produce disproportionately larger amounts of cumulative output compared to their peers.
Five articles within the issue commended the work of the GW researchers, including authors domestically from Rutgers University, the University of Texas at Arlington and Northeastern University, and internationally from the University of New South Wales Sydney, Munster University of Applied Sciences in Germany, Cranfield University in England, the University of South Australia and the University of Haifa in Israel.
“This is the first time in my entire academic career that I’ve seen an entire issue of a journal devoted to discussing a single previously published article,” noted Aguinis, globally known for his research work in management. “Typically, special issues address a general topic, theory, or domain, not just a single article. I am so proud that the research produced by GW doctoral students is seen as groundbreaking.”
“Contributing to a research project that has garnered significant attention and sparked extensive discussion within the academic community is both humbling and inspiring,” Villamor added.
In the article, Aguinis, Kremer, Lee and Villamor, along with fellow first author Harry Joo, a former doctoral student Aguinis taught during his time at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, demonstrated the financial value of acquiring these star performers by analyzing 206 samples of individual performance encompassing nearly 825,000 workers. Each case per sample measured a worker’s output accumulated within a certain time.
The findings showed that star performers generate a disproportionately larger cumulative output than their peers, debunking what Lee called a common assumption based on normality, significantly undervaluing the financial benefit human resource management can gain from acquiring more star performers.
“The most significant insight from this article is its challenge to the prevalent belief that star performers are not vastly different from non-stars,” Lee said. “This revelation underscores the importance of star performers and proposes a more accurate method for estimating the value of securing such talent.”
This study, also presented at the Academy of Management Conference, marked the first time the three GW doctoral researchers worked together. They first met virtually to divide up the work before coming to a common ground in D.C. Since the goal was to measure the output of hundreds of thousands of employees, they were in touch often to discuss their analytical approach. They then each coded the data and then checked and compared their results.
Being so involved in the process under the Aguinis’ supervision was an invaluable experience in shaping academic interests and introducing them to immersive research approaches.
“One of the standout features of GWSB’s doctoral program is its commitment to involving students in research from the very outset,” Villamor said. “This approach allows us to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during our early Ph.D. classes to real-world research endeavors. The prospect of applying theoretical concepts, research methodologies and analytical techniques learned in the classroom to tangible research questions was exciting.”
The doctoral student researchers have all found notable and distinguished professional homes post-graduation. Kremer is the diversity, equity, and inclusion lead at JPMorgan Chase in New York. Lee is an assistant professor at Hong Kong Metropolitan University in Hong Kong. Villamor is an assistant professor at IESE in Madrid, which the Financial Times ranked the No. 5 business school in the world last year.
They are all grateful for the experiences both in and out of the classroom as doctoral students at GW and say that they entered the field well-prepared. And in the process, they helped contribute to an innovative discussion on a topic of relevance for organizations of all sizes and in all industries, such as high-tech, universities, sports, not-for-profit and beyond: the contributions of star performers to organizational success.
“GWSB provided me with a strong foundation in research, leadership and strategic thinking, all of which play a pivotal role in my career,” Kremer said. “Above all, the strong bonds developed within our cohort and with our advisers continue to offer mentorship and collaboration long after our time in the program.”
