Moving HR Systems Research Forward

Abstract

HR systems are sets of separate but interconnected HR practices, such as selection, training, performance appraisal, and rewards, designed to help organizations to achieve their objectives. The HR system is proposed to affect performance outcomes because certain combinations of HR practices work in concert to enhance employees’ abilities, motivation, and opportunity to contribute to organizational goal attainment, enhancing performance at different levels. Existing evidence provides initial meta-analytic support for this as HR systems tend to be more strongly related to performance than individual HR practices. While there seems to be growing consensus on the importance of HR systems, researchers simultaneously indicate that there are several important conceptual and methodological issues that need to be addressed to make further headway in the field. For example, conceptually, there is little agreement on which practices should be included in an HR system, and how these practices should be measured or combined into a synergistic HR system. A clearer understanding of these conceptual and methodological issues and potential ways to overcome these is necessary in order to enhance insight in complex HR systems and move the field forward, which is the focus of this symposium. Specifically, this symposium will provide an overview of current conceptual and methodological issues in HR systems research, with an emphasis on providing directions for future research on HR systems. Conceptualizing and Measuring Human Resource Management Systems: A Systematic Review Presenter: Corine Boon; U. of Amsterdam Presenter: Deanne N. Den Hartog; U. of Amsterdam Presenter: David P. Lepak; UMass The Devil is in the Details: Performance Implications of Internally Consistent Commitment HRM Presenter: Bard Kuvaas; BI Norwegian Business School Presenter: Hoang Ho; BI Norwegian Business School An Expanded Conceptualization of Line Managers Involvement in Human Resource Management Presenter: Rebecca Rheinhardt Kehoe; Rutgers U. Presenter: Joo Hun Han; Rutgers U. Examining HRM Systems Using a Formative Measurement Model Presenter: Kaifeng Jiang; Ohio State U. Presenter: Jia Yu; U. of Nebraska, Lincoln Presenter: Chih-Hsun Chuang; National Chung Hsing U.