Managerial promotions formulas and a human resource management model

Purpose The purposes of this paper are to address the following research questions: what are the factors that result in promotions? A preliminary formula for promotion with testable hypotheses will be presented. What would be a “popular press” list of the formula? A list will be presented to address practitioners concerns. What elements would a human resources management (HRM) model that supports “open‐book strategic partnering” contain? An ideal HRM model, which will be linked to the promotional formula, is presented. Design/methodology/approach The approach to addressing these questions begins by examining and categorizing thousands of promotional decisions. The approach continues with an analysis of the popular press writings and academic literature related to HRM models and managerial promotions. Findings The findings and writings displayed in the formula and model are blended with the authors' experience to produce a soundly‐based theoretical and practically useful paper. Originality/value The uniqueness of this paper is the combination of the results of years of data from professionals and hundreds of working MBA students with popular press guidelines and research oriented literature to produces a testable individual promotional formula and a supporting organizational HRM model. The paper's incremental value lies in the introduction of comprehensive sets of facts and suppositions useful as foundations for empirical testing and further research as well as in providing practical implications for those seeking promotions or desiring to improve the way organizations' human resources are led.