The Case for Expanding the Domain of Registered Reports: Confronting Academic Dishonesty and Declining Confidence in Science

Purpose – The purpose of this perspective article is to identify the developmental trajectory of human resource management (HRM) research in the Mainland China as well as the major research gaps to be filled in the future. In particular, the paper focuses on the current challenges as well as the emerging research trends by reviewing the literature in HRM research in the Mainland China. Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes a geocentric perspective of HRM theory development to analyze the status quo as well as the emerging trends of the future HRM research in the Mainland China. Findings – HRM research in the Mainland China exhibited an obvious tendency of adopting an etic approach at the early stage of research, but displaying an emerging trend toward an emic approach at a later stage. However, the current HRM research in the Mainland China, including both etic and the emic approaches, falls seriously short of meeting the high-quality standards of the international academic community. Originality/...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on the suitability of the multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) matrix approach for examining construct validity in human resource management (HRM) research. The authors also provide a number of suggestions on how to use MTMM more effectively in HRM research. Design/methodology/approach The authors start by presenting a basic introduction to MTMM approach. Next the authors briefly review the limitations of MTMM approach and suggested improvements. The authors elaborate on these limitations by providing HRM examples. To further illustrate these issues, the authors review employment interview research. Findings The construct validity analysis in HRM research suffers from three problematic assumptions of the classical MTMM approach: uncorrelated trait-method units, uncorrelated methods, and uncorrelated traits. The review of interview research shows that classical MTMM approach is by far the most popular approach given its relative simplicity and modest sample size requirements. This popularity stresses the significance of the review in highlighting these issues. Originality/value Several improvements to quantify the interpretations of MTMM analysis are available to researchers. This review closely examines how these limitations and proposed improvements influence HRM research, thereby making the methodological advances concerning the MTMM approach more accessible to HRM researchers and practitioners.

Although a large volume of literature is available on Human Resource Management, the topic is still under development and offers potential opportunities for further research. Human Resource Management is the strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organization’s most valued assets - the people working there who individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the business. This study reviews the literature on Human Resource Management using a suitable classification scheme to identify the category. The 157 human resource management articles are classified and the results of these are presented bases on a scheme that consists of five distinct categories: Human resource management theory and research, Human resource behaviors, recruitment activity, Human resource development, Human resource management application and cases. A comprehensive list of references is presented. We hope the findings of this research will provide useful insights into the anatomy of human resource management literature and be a good source for any one who is interested in human resource management.

PurposeWe address the importance of strategies for improving transparency, reproducibility, and replicability in human resource management research.Design/methodology/approachWe review how transparency, reproducibility, and replicability enhance the credibility of scholarly work and provide practical recommendations for improving them.FindingsWe describe the credibility crisis in scholarly research, as evidenced by the increasing number of retractions and research misconduct cases. In response, we offer the TRRUST framework (i.e. transparency, replicability, reproducibility, unified ontology, shared culture of science and trust and values) to discuss how to enhance the credibility of human resource management research. Importantly, we offer 25 actionable recommendations for improving transparency, reproducibility, and replicability (e.g. data sharing, pre-registration and registration, independent reanalysis, and conducting sensitivity analyses to assess robustness).Research limitations/implicationsWe emphasize the importance of addressing the credibility crisis in human resource management (HRM) research through increased transparency, reproducibility, and replicability. Researchers must adopt practices such as data sharing, pre-registration, and independent replication to enhance the credibility of their research. These recommendations empower junior and experienced researchers to implement robust methods, ensuring higher research quality. Future research should investigate the impact of transparent practices on outcomes, identify barriers to adoption and develop frameworks that promote sustainable research practices, thereby enhancing the long-term integrity and impact of HRM scholarship.Practical implicationsHuman resource managers and other organizational decision-makers must critically assess research-based practices, ensuring they rely on credible studies to guide their decisions. Adopting evidence-based practices becomes more reliable when backed by reproducible research. Managers should seek transparency from consultants and vendors, promoting robust solutions. Partnering with researchers can help align academic findings with business needs. Staying informed about credible research practices ensures practices and policies reflect the latest, trustworthy evidence. Credible research reduces risks and enhances decision-making, fostering more effective and sustainable organizational strategies.Social implicationsThe credibility crisis in research impacts society by eroding trust in academic findings that inform policies and workplace practices. Improving transparency, reproducibility, and replicability in human resource management research ensures that policies impacting workers and organizations are grounded in trustworthy evidence. Transparent research fosters public trust, reduces misinformation and promotes better decision-making by businesses and governments. When research is credible, it enhances societal outcomes by guiding fairer, more effective workplace practices, contributing to improved labor conditions, organizational performance and economic development. Ultimately, trustworthy research supports the well-being and progress of individuals, communities and institutions.Originality/valueA clear and actionable list of recommendations for enhancing transparency, reproducibility, and replicability in HRM research is beneficial for both junior and experienced researchers. These recommendations enhance the credibility of human resource management research.

Characteristics of green management in saving costs and promoting sustainable development have been widely recognized but advanced green management theory has not been well integrated into the curriculum of human resource management majors. This study analyzes the challenges faced by green management practices from the perspective of teachers’ teaching and scientific research, notes the urgency of integrating green management into the teaching and research of human resource management majors, and proposes a methodology and teaching reform ideas for integrating green management theory and green management modes into the practice of human resource management majors’ courses. Comparative and case study research methods are used to analyze and demonstrate the application of green management theories and models in teaching and research in human resource management. Incorporating the green management theory and model into the teaching and research of human resource management can encourage enterprises to become “people-oriented”, value employees, pursue sustainable development, and achieve the organic unity of economic, social, and ecological benefits. Integrating green management into the teaching and research of human resource management enriches course content, promotes the effective combination of professional knowledge and application practice, and provides research methodology and theoretical support for teachers and students to conduct scientific research.

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.

Self-report questionnaires are the predominant method used in human resource management (HRM) research to assess employees’ work-related psychological constructs (e.g., processes, states, and attributes). However, this method is associated with significant shortcomings, including the introduction of self-serving bias and common method variance when used exclusively. In this chapter, the authors challenge the assumption that individuals themselves are the only accurate source of the self-focused information collected in HRM research. Instead, the authors propose that other-ratings – ratings of a target individual that are provided by a workplace observer, such as a coworker, supervisor, or subordinate – can accurately assess commonly measured work-related psychological constructs. The authors begin by explaining the advantages of other-ratings for HRM research and practice, reviewing the history of other-ratings and how they emerged in the personality and person-perception literature, and outlining how they have been used in HRM research to date. Then, the authors build upon Funder’s (1995) realistic accuracy model to develop a theoretical argument detailing why workplace others should be able to accurately judge how another employee thinks and feels about work. Next, the authors highlight existing evidence in the literature on the accuracy of other-ratings and present the results of a preliminary meta-analysis on the ability of other-ratings to predict self-ratings of work-related psychological constructs. Finally, the authors discuss potential moderators of other-rating accuracy and reflect on a number of practical considerations for researchers looking to use other-ratings in their own work. The authors intend for this chapter to meaningfully contribute to the larger conversation on HRM research methods. Other-ratings are a simple, yet powerful, addition to the methodological toolkit of HRM researchers that can increase flexibility in research design and improve the overall quality of research.

IntroductionThe broad context for the discussion presented in this introductory contribution and to those that follow is given by reference to an emerging demographic context for human resource management (HRM) research and practice that is unprecedented. However, before exploring the outlines of this broader context we propose as an initial point of reference the following definition of HRM:A strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organization's most valued assets - the people working there who individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of objectives (Armstrong, 2006, p. 3)The strategic (in practice) and conceptual (research) context within which 'assets' categorised as 'human resources' might be identified and 'valued' in relation to an organisation's pursuit of business objectives is a question of deep human interest: many of us want to work; most people need to; very few have much control over how their status as 'assets' to specific organisations and to society generally is assessed other than in response to how they as workers are deemed - individually and collectively - to perform (cf. Fay, 2011a). Essentially, HRM is a people-focussed activity manifested in a series of investments in human abilities and potential to add value to organisations pursuing strategic business objectives (cf. Rowley & Jackson, 2011a). Each HRM investment implies a range of associated physical, physiological, psychological, social and ethical complexities. HRM researchers and practitioners are tasked to explain critically and communicate effectively how these complexities both inform and give context to how HRM might be perceived as a 'coherent' and 'strategic' activity by members of the various stakeholder groups who directly or indirectly are affected by the HRM endeavour.In other words, HRM research and practice as activities designed ostensibly to benefit our common understanding of people in and at work need to be justified clearly and consistently in respect of the impact these activities have on shaping people's lives at various stages in their experiences and / or expectations of employment. In this and the discussions to follow we focus our attention on workers in Germany and Japan who are aged fifty or more, are commonly assumed to be nearing the later stages of their employment experience when compared directly with 'younger' employees and thus, by our terms, members of their respective 'ageing societies'.Demographic shiftIn this Special Issue we develop our focus on older workers with reference to demographic trends across national and international markets for employment - trends that in global terms can be described as 'demographic shift'. In general terms, 'demographics' represents a systematic and scientific approach towards generating (usually) quantitative data in order to characterise and compare populations across national, regional and other socially-defined contexts in relation to variable measures of age, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status, educational background, employment experiences, and so on. Correspondingly, by focussing our attention on the HRM activities ('responses') that impact on the lives of 'older' workers in Germany and Japan, we recognise that the employment experiences and expectations of workers aged fifty and over impacts on the experiences and expectations of workers below this age; not least, those employees who perceive themselves at the early stages of developing a career and / or working towards some sense of secure employment.There are various approaches towards identifying trends that, in sum, might suggest processes of 'demographic shift'. To illustrate, a study of this process relevant to China (Hayutin, 2008) identified patterns using measures that included: fertility and birth rates, life expectancy, proportion of population aged 65 and over, median age in society, median age in employment, worker-to-retiree proportions. …

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to detect trends in human resource management (HRM) research presented in journals during the 2000–2020 timeframe. The research question is: How are the interests of researchers changing in the field of HRM and which topics have gained popularity in recent years?Design/methodology/approachThe approach adopted in this study was designed to overcome all the limitations specific to the systematic literature reviews and bibliometric studies presented in the Introduction. The full texts of papers were analyzed. The text-mining tools detected first clusters and then trends, moreover, which limited the impact of a researcher's bias. The approach applied is consistent with the general rules of systematic literature reviews.FindingsThe article makes a threefold contribution to academic knowledge. First, it uses modern methodology to gather and synthesize HRM research topics. The proposed approach was designed to allow early detection of nascent, non-obvious trends in research, which will help researchers address topics of high value for both theory and practice. Second, the results of our study highlight shifts in focus in HRM over the past 19 years. Third, the article suggests further directions of research.Research limitations/implicationsIn this study, the approach designed to overcome the limitations of using systematic literature review was presented. The analysis was done on the basis of the full text of the articles and the categories were discovered directly from the articles rather than predetermined. The study's findings may, however, potentially be limited by the following issues. First, the eligibility criteria included only papers indexed in the Scopus and WoS database and excluded conference proceedings, book chapters, and non-English papers. Second, only full-text articles were included in the study, which could narrow down the research area. As a consequence, important information regarding the research presented in the excluded documents is potentially lost. Third, most of the papers in our database were published in the International Journal of Human Resource Management, and therefore such trends as “challenges for international HRM” can be considered significant (long-lasting). Another – the fourth – limitation of the study is the lack of estimation of the proportion between searches in HRM journals and articles published in other journals. Future research may overcome the above-presented limitations. Although the authors used valuable techniques such as TF-IDF and HDBSCAN, the fifth limitation is that, after trends were discovered, it was necessary to evaluate and interpret them. That could have induced researchers' bias even if – as in this study – researchers from different areas of experience were involved. Finally, this study covers the 2000–2020 timeframe. Since HRM is a rapidly developing field, in a few years from now academics will probably begin to move into exciting new research areas. As a consequence, it might be worthwhile conducting similar analyses to those presented in this study and compare their results.Originality/valueThe present study provides an analysis of HRM journals with the aim of establishing trends in HRM research. It makes contributions to the field by providing a more comprehensive and objective review than analyses resulting from systematic literature reviews. It fills the gap in literature studies on HRM with a novel research approach – a methodology based on full-text mining and a big data toolset. As a consequence, this study can be considered as providing an adequate reflection of all the articles published in journals strictly devoted to HRM issues and which may serve as an important source of reference for both researchers and practitioners. This study can help them identify the core journals focused on HRM research as well as topics which are of particular interest and importance.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize the indigenous concept of suzhi at individual and organizational levels, and identify its dimensions for human resource management (HRM) research and practice in China. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a comprehensive review of suzhi literature, Chinese cultural and historical literature, as well as Western mainstream HRM research, a multidimensional suzhi framework is conceptualized. Findings – As an indigenous expression, suzhi can be and has been adopted for Chinese HRM research and practice. As a multidimensional construct, one’s cognitive suzhi is jointly determined by corresponding moral suzhi, wenhua (knowledge-based) suzhi and zhuanye (professional) suzhi. Cognitive suzhi, in turn, determines one’s behavioral suzhi that drives employees to enhance organizational performance, and this relationship is moderated by psychological suzhi. Research limitations/implications – The proposed framework provides new insight for Chinese indigenous management research, particularly in developing suzhi measurement for different dimensions. It also informs HRM practices in recruiting, selection, performance analysis and employee career development. Originality/value – The complexity of suzhi dimensions from an organizational HRM perspective is analyzed. The resulting suzhi framework offers new insight for HRM research and practices in China.

Big data and human resource management research: An integrative review and new directions for future research

Why is context important in human resource management (HRM) research? What and how contextual factors may be studied when investigating an organisational phenomenon? Against a positivist trend of decontextualisation in HRM research, this paper addresses these questions by situating them in an international context. It argues that context is important in making sense of what is happening at workplaces in order to provide relevant solutions. It also outlines three layers of context and draws on an empirical story to illustrate how the utilisation and conceptualisation of context may be underpinned by the researcher's intellectual and social upbringing and theoretical orientation. The paper calls for more qualitative studies to redress the imbalance in HRM research. It also calls for a more open‐minded, inductive, and inclusive approach to indigenous research that may present very different contexts, ways of contextualising, and knowledge paradigms from the dominant discourses prevailing in HRM research.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the indigenous Chinese concept of suzhi (素质) with the aim of furthering the development of Chinese human resource management (HRM) research and practice. Design/methodology/approach – An extensive review of the literature on suzhi, published in the West, as well as in China, is the basis for proffering an organizational-level conceptualization of suzhi in the Chinese context. Findings – Instead of understanding it as a free-floating signifier, we argue that suzhi can be considered as a criterion-based framework for HRM research and practice. Suzhi research is classified into two major sources – indigenous Chinese and indigenized Western constructs. We further make a distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic suzhi, and analyze a popular set of suzhi criteria, considering de (morality) and cai (talent), while focusing on de in HRM selection (德才兼备, 以德为先). As multilevel and multidimensional framework, suzhi criteria may form different gestalts in different organizations and industries. Research limitations/implications – From a social cultural and historical perspective, HRM research that incorporates a combination of indigenous and indigenized suzhi characteristics may receive better acceptance by individuals, organizations and the society in the Chinese context. Accordingly, the reconstruction of suzhi into manageable and measurable dimensions can be undertaken for more effective HRM practice in the Chinese context. Originality/value – The HRM literature is advanced by linking the indigenous suzhi discourse to Chinese indigenous HRM research and practice.

Drawing on Snow and Thomas's (Journal of Management Studies, 31 (1994), pp. 457–480) matrix, we empirically explore the state of the art in human resource management (HRM) research. The data were obtained through a questionnaire directed to HRM scholars all over the world, in which they were asked about their particular theoretical and methodological approaches. The evidence obtained shows clearly that HRM scholars are progressively abandoning the universalistic perspective and completing their models with contingent and contextual variables. Trying to classify the different contributions proposed and discuss their integration, HRM is described as a field of research with three dimensions: subfunctional, strategic and international. The paper concludes that to provide reliable explanations and valid responses to professional problems, HRM research must advance simultaneously in these three dimensions. As follows from our analysis, there are certain HR issues that still need to be addressed: (1) the strategic use of HR practices, (2) their international applicability, (3) global HR strategies and (4) the synergic integration of HR activities. Nevertheless, to advance our knowledge in these issues, it seems necessary to integrate previous research in subfunctional, strategic and international aspects of HRM.

Multilevel modeling is important for human resource management (HRM) research in that it often analyzes and interprets hierarchal data residing at more than one level of analysis. However, HRM research in general lags behind other disciplines, such as education, health, marketing, and psychology in the use of a multilevel analytical strategy. This article integrates the most recent literature into the theoretical and applied basics of multilevel modeling applicable to HRM research. A range of multilevel modeling issues have been discussed and they include statistical logic underpinning multilevel modeling, level conceptualization of variables, data aggregation, hypothesis tests, reporting mediation paths, and cross‐level interactions. An empirical example concerning complex cross‐level mediated moderation is presented that will suffice to illustrate the principles and the procedures for implementing a multilevel analytical strategy in HRM research. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.