Staffing practices in transition: some empirical evidence from China

Abstract

Although the reform of staffing practices in China has been discussed in the literature, the rationale behind this reform and changes in this HR activity have received insufficient attention and warrant further examination. This article reviews staffing practices during and after Mao's regime, and reports the results of a survey of staffing practices in Chinese industrial enterprises. The research findings indicate that a free labour market is emerging in China, staffing practices are becoming more decentralized and selection criteria have focused more on job-specific information, such as personal ability and skills, rather than political factors. The empirical results also demonstrate that ownership form does have an impact on staffing practices. The paper concludes by arguing that staffing practices in China have revealed only some resemblance to those conducted in the Western market economies.