A Systematic Review of 50 Years of Human Resource Management Research in Bangladesh: Retrospective Reflections and Forward Trajectories

Abstract

This article aims to determine the current status of human resource management (HRM) research in Bangladesh by reviewing papers published from 1971 to 2021 and offering recommendations for future research. An electronic search of the Scopus database was carried out using 17 keywords connected to HRM in combination with ‘Bangladesh’ and ‘Bangladeshi’. Finally, through a systematic literature review using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA), 25 empirical articles published in journals listed in the Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) ranking were carefully chosen for the present review to ensure they were of good quality. This review demonstrates several distinct features of Bangladeshi HRM research conducted so far. First, no Bangladeshi HRM-based study has been published in A*-ranked journals in the ABDC ranking. Second, Bangladesh-based HRM studies have mostly employed self-reported questionnaires. Third, directors/heads of departments/managers/supervisors are the primary data sources in Bangladesh-based studies. Fourth, no longitudinal study has been conducted in Bangladesh-based HRM research in the last 50 years. Despite some limitations, the present review makes a notable contribution to the field of HRM in Bangladesh by identifying existing research gaps, as this is the first extensive and systematic review of HRM research in Bangladesh. Additionally, this study provides future research directions that could contribute to industrial development, economic growth, and HRM knowledge advancement and dissemination in Bangladesh.