HR practice in a fast food MNC: exploring the low discretion, high commitment phenomenon

Abstract

The theme of vertical ‘fit’ or the strategic alignment of HR practice with external organizational demands has long occupied the attention of the academic and practitioner communities. In recent years call centre research has identified the low-discretion, high commitment (LDHC) phenomenon. That is, the use of highly controlled forms of work organization allied to aspects of high commitment management (HCM). Explanations for this seemingly contradictory combination have emphasised the managerial desire to alleviate the pernicious effects associated with extreme routinisation and task monotony as a means of managing morale and maintaining service quality. Little has been done however to theoretically explore how the process works, or indeed its limitations. The current study extends the field of investigation into the fast food sector. Incorporating insights from models of job satisfaction it is argued that facets of the job tasks performed (e.g. monotony, customer pressures and stigma) are partially offset by broader HR characteristics (e.g. a well-established internal labour market and explicit recognition culture), rendering staff broadly satisfied with their work. It is concluded, however, that the success of LDHC is strongly mediated by the disposition and nature of the workforce. One practical implication is the use of an ‘alleviation’ approach to LDHC may be tightly bounded in terms of its successful application.