Human Resource Management Approach Research Articles

Volunteer Management Practices and Volunteer Retention: A Human Resource Management Approach

This study used a human resource management (HRM) approach to examine the efficacy of volunteer management practices in predicting perceived problems in volunteer retention. Participants were a sample of 375 Australian Rugby Union clubs from across the country. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the properties of a hypothesised reflective measurement model with seven volunteer management constructs (planning, recruitment, screening, orientation, training and support, performance management, and recognition). The efficacy of volunteer management practices was tested using regression analysis.

Human Resource Management and Performance in UK Call Centres

AbstractUsing data from a sample of 145 UK call centres, the authors test the core propositions of the strategic human resource management (SHRM) approach that: (a) there are coherent links through the SHRM chain from strategy, through operational requirements, to work design and human resource management, and (b) the fit between the human resource practices and market factors determines organizational performance. Little support for these hypotheses is found as only (a) a few direct relationships between the elements of the SHRM chain are found, and (b) direct relationships, rather than those moderated by market factors, are found between human resource practices and performance. But key operational requirements are linked to work design, which is itself related to a limited number of human resource practices. The direct effects of work design on key performance indicators are more pronounced than those of human resource practices.

Contextualization and strategic international human resource management approaches: the case of Central America and Panama

This article extends previous work on international human resource management by contextualizing an integrated model based on the practice of human resource management (HRM) in Central America and Panama. Based on research and insights contributed by a panel of expert HRM scholars and practitioners, the article begins with a description of the regional socio-economic factors that influence this function and of the institution of HRM in Central America and Panama. Case studies provide examples of adaptive and exportive HRM approaches. After viewing the model from a Central America perspective, we propose modifications to reflect (1) a more embedded, interactive approach, (2) the reality of hybrid models rather than pure HRM approaches and (3) the necessity of viewing regional HRM as an institutional system.

Knowledge Management: Developing Knowledge Leadership through HRM and Industrial Relations

tional performance. The proposed framework intends to add to the understanding of the specific processes that mediate between best HRM practices and organizational performance. This paper seeks to explore the potential contribution that an integrated human resource management and industrial (employee) relations approach may make to knowledge leadership.

Strategic HRM in for-profit and non-profit organizations in a knowledge-intensive industry

This article examines the adoption of strategic Human Resource Management (HRM) by for-profit and non-profit knowledge-intensive health services (HS) organizations in the Australian context. Survey data collected from senior executives are used to test the relationships between a strategic HRM model and firm performance. Path analysis found that for HS firms, irrespective of whether for-profit or non-profit, adopting strategic HRM could increase organizational performance. Strategic HRM could be achieved through the cultivation of an external orientation to customers' demands and a commitment to employees. Building an external orientation with internal structural dimensions such as commitment to employees, allows HS organizations to develop a strategic HRM approach with human capital-enhancing HRM practices. Public and non-profit organizations in the HS industry facing or undergoing health sector reform need to be aware of both of these orientations in order to adopt strategic HRM and improve their performance.

HR utilization and quality improvement: the reality and the rhetoric – the case of Greek industry

It is argued that quality improvement efforts play an important role in industrial organizations by altering the role of the human resource management (HRM) function and the human resource professional as TQM is consistent with a move towards a more strategic HRM approach. Investigates and empirically tests the current status of the quality improvement efforts in selected industrial organizations in Greece and analyzes the “HR elements” related to these efforts. Also examines the extent to which Greek industrial organizations differentiate in the way they utilise their human resources as well as in the influence their human resource/personnel departments enjoy. The main findings of the study were that HR function in Greek industrial organizations has been seriously neglected for years and the role of the personnel professionals in quality improvement efforts has been overlooked.

The State of HRM in Australia: Progress and Prospects

During the last 20 years organisations in Australia have been managing their people in a more competitive, global and deregulated environment. Although practitioners support the development and implementation of a human resource management approach, research indicates that the use of practices that are integrated with corporate strategy is uneven. Large organisations, particularly multinationals, are more likely to adopt this approach than are small and medium size firms. One of the rationales for adopting human resource management practices is that they improve organisational performance. However, it appears that HR practitioners are still regarded as operational managers, rather than as business partners. It is also difficult to generalise about the work done by HR specialists, with particular practices being emphasised in the public sector, and different ones in the private sector. The future of these specialists will be influenced by the way work, organisational structure and contractual relationships change.

Culture and conflict: Japanese managers and Thai subordinates

This article presents the findings of research on the application and adaptability of Japanese management practices in a different cultural context, Thailand. The national characteristics of Japan and Thailand based on Hofstede's conceptual framework, Japanese human resource management approaches and the specific Japanese business practices and social concepts were analyzed. Possible conflicts between the Japanese management and Thai staff based on the different perceptions of the Japanese management style were assessed. Data were collected from ten Japanese manufacturers using a sample of 100 employees (50 Japanese managers and 50 Thai subordinates from the same group of companies). The results shows an interesting pattern of Japanese managers adapting more to Thai culture and as well as Thai subordinates adapting to the Japanese style of management and human resource system.

Strategic Human Resource Management Approaches to Workforce Diversity in Japan—Harnessing Corporate Culture for Organizational Competitiveness1

Japanese human resource management (HRM) is currently faced with challenges that have emerged from the increasing diversity among employees. This study surveyed five companies (in the food, chemical, trade, and education sectors), focusing on three types of diversity—employment structures, values held by different generations, and gender. Drawing from the survey results, this paper attempts to provide guidelines for formulating contingent proactive HRM approaches in managing diversity and to harness corporate culture in achieving organizational competitiveness.

Exploring organisation commitment in the police

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s organisation and management consultants have researched the concept of organisational commitment and report that highly committed employees are likely to be more effective, and be concerned with contributing to organisational improvement. Given the number of police reforms in the UK that are encouraging forces to be more innovative, it is surprising that there have been few studies that have explored commitment amongst police officers. Using survey data (total uniform population 2,898, response rate 43 percent) the paper analyses the extent to which organisation commitment is shaped by: employees’ experiences of behaviour that encourages teamwork, participation, and personal development, provides feedback on role and performance, and avoids a defensive work climate. The results show that these factors strongly influence commitment in all ranks. Significantly the level of commitment varies according to position in the hierarchy, with the majority of constables demonstrating lower commitment, and senior officers (chief inspectors and above) showing higher commitment. Differences in commitment across police divisions are also explored. The paper discusses the limitations in management style and personnel procedures and suggests that strategic human resource management approaches should be adopted in order to increase organisation attachment. A major implication of the findings is that ForceCo needs to develop a long‐term strategy of culture change.

HRM in UK hotels: a focus on commitment

Explores human resource management (HRM) and the established relationships between HRM, the management of “commitment cultures”, the recruitment and selection procedures, and the training and development practices considered necessary to develop employee commitment. The literature suggests that organizations adopting an HRM approach desire employee commitment, have in place sophisticated, objective recruitment and selection methods in order to achieve this, and have structured training and development systems to encourage commitment to the organization. Shows, however, that while there is a clear desire for commitment, little evidence is found of contemporary recruitment and selection methods commensurate with this aim. In contrast, there is strong evidence of relatively sophisticated training and development systems congruent with an HRM approach. Concludes that currently there is little to suggest a shift towards HRM in UK hotels

Functional flexibility: merely reacting or acting strategically?

This article raises the question of to what extent functional flexibility is an operatively designed approach with which European companies confront current short‐term changes in their environment, and whether functional flexibility is integrated into long‐term human resource strategies. The proposition is tested that organisations with a strategic human resource management in the sense of a coordinated, objective‐oriented personnel management pattern, show a higher probability of using job rotation than organisations lacking a strategic‐oriented human resource management approach.

The employment environment and smaller firms

Examines the evidence for the utilization of human resource management approaches in smaller firms to shape employee relations in the UK. The influence of global change and volatile markets on the utilization of human resource management in the UK is considered and it is argued, that as small businesses are a significant employer in the private sector, the manner in which human resource management techniques are employed in small firms is critical.

The role of pension schemes in recruitment and motivation

A postal survey of companies registered in Scotland considered various occupational pension issues. A major finding was the strong managerial belief (but absence of hard evidence) that pension schemes had positive recruitment and motivational effects. Ad hoc‐ery ‐ in the sense of expediency ‐ might help to explain this lack of evidence. Nevertheless, schemes could fulfil certain covert objectives, indicative of a more purposive management. The relationships between pension schemes and human resource management (HRM) are shown to be complex. Aggregate pension provisions seems to run counter to the individualistic thrust of HRM. However, early retirements and shifts into money purchase schemes for some employees might reflect a distinction between “core” and “periphery” employees, as well as “hard” and “soft” HRM approaches.

A Comparison of North American and European Future Purchasing Trends

What jobs will exist in a typical firm's purchasing function in the future? The predictions include the following: The absolute number of jobs within purchasing will decrease, as will the layers of management. Purchasing organizations will adopt flatter forms, with less emphasis on hierarchy and less distinction between positions. “Functional silos” will become obsolete. The classical functions of marketing, manufacturing, engineering, purchasing, finance, and personnel will be less important in defining work. More people will take on project work focused on continuous improvement of one kind or another. Fundamental restructuring and reengineering will become a way of life at most companies. The primary focal points will be a new market‐driven emphasis on creating value with customers; greatly increased flexibility; a new business‐driven attack on global markets that includes a deployment of information technology; and fundamentally new jobs. Work will become integrated in its orientation, and the payoffs will increasingly be made through connections across organizational and company boundaries. New measurements that focus on strategic directions will be required. Metrics will be developed, similar to the “cost of quality” metric, which incorporate the most important dimensions of the environment. New human resource management approaches will be developed; human resource management will become less of a staff function and more closely integrated with the basic work. Teamwork will be critical to organizational success.This article presents the results of an interactive assessment of future purchasing trends provided by two groups of senior purchasing and materials management executives—one group from the North American Executive Purchasing Roundtable, and the other from the European Executive Purchasing Roundtable.

Strategic international human resource management approaches in the maquiladora industry: a comparison of Japanese, Korean and US firms

The maquiladora option has made Mexico an increasingly attractive off-shore manufacturing site for multinational enterprises (MNEs) seeking global competitiveness. However, MNEs often encounter hum...

New Paradigm Approaches in Strategic Human Resource Management

New Paradigm Approaches in Strategic Human Resource Management

New Paradigm Approaches in Strategic Human Resource Management

New Paradigm Approaches in Strategic Human Resource Management

New Paradigm Approaches in Strategic Human Resource Management

New Paradigm Approaches in Strategic Human Resource Management

Determinants of International Human Resource Management Approaches and Activities: A Suggested Framework*

ABSTRACTThe following article reports on the results of a qualitative, comparative case study of the management of expatriates by four Australian companies. International Human Resource Management (IHRM) is a field in its infancy and the study aims to contribute to theory‐building by examining the IHRM activities of selection, predeparture training, compensation and repatriation in the context of the organization in which these activities take place.The purpose was to extend our understanding of IHRM beyond the descriptive studies of earlier research, though existing knowledge in the area was the starting point. Thus, while the initial focus of the investigation was on the IHRM activities, the use of an exploratory qualitative methodological approach allowed the examination of the process of expatriate management. This approach also assisted in identifying underlying relationships, patterns and trends which could be interpreted as linkages or interrelationships between IHRM activities and other organizational factors, such as stage in internationalization, type of industry, strategy and structure. It was possible to identify linkages between the four major IHRM activities, and what were defined as firm‐specific and situation‐specific variables. These linkages were then conceptualized into a suggested framework.