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In high performing human resource management (HRM) systems, much responsibility for managing employees and associated processes is typically devolved to frontline managers (FLMs). Research indicates that undeveloped FLM HRM ability can impact performance, particularly in health‐care organisations. We present the incidence and characteristics of HRM‐oriented learning and development programs for FLMs in hospitals with high performing systems of HRM, and experiences of FLMs directly participating in them. We combine data from 50 Australian hospital accreditation reports with interviews from eight ‘high performance HRM’ cases. We find: almost all high performers develop FLM HRM ability; development programs are extremely diverse between hospitals and succession planning is deficient. While primarily focused on understanding ability, the study contributes to the ability, motivation, opportunity framework, proposing a model and new interrelationships between these variables in the FLM context.

This study reveals that HCOs that pursue highly performing HRM systems use participation in an accreditation program as an opportunity. Their organizational mindset is to use the program as a tool by which to reflect and obtain feedback on their performance so to maintain or improve their management of staff and delivery of care.

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The highly successful franchising approach contains features of both large and small firms. We develop a 'diverse accountabilities' model of franchise organisation of employment relations, acknowledging the limitations of agency theory in explaining differences between franchisors' treatment of product and employment matters, particularly those associated with compliance with industrial legislation and awards. The model was broadly consistent with existing literature and our own multiple-case study of Australian food franchises. High rates of compliance with industrial relations (IR) standards were unlikely. The involvement of franchisors in franchisees' IR activities appeared to vary substantially, but was always well below that provided in other human resource management (HRM) or product-related issues. Evaluation and monitoring of franchisee behaviour is often neglected, and instead the consequences of non-compliance, if discovered, are potentially serious for the franchisee. Our approach helps explain the treatment of IR in terms of financial benefits for franchisors of operating a business model with marketing and product management features -and to some extent HRM features -of a large business, but the IR characteristics of small businesses.The franchise model of business operation has transformed modern food retailing on an international scale. Franchising has enabled large corporations to establish