HR research in the Netherlands: imitation and innovation

In this paper we present an overview of Dutch HRM Research in the last decade, based on a content analysis of academic journals in this area. Also included is a comparison between UK and USA research, on the one hand, and Dutch research, on the other. Looking back, we conclude that HRM research in the Netherlands has had a relatively institutional character and has been less focused on HRM activities in a narrow sense. Dutch HRM researchers have paid less attention to the strategic positioning of HRM, to the redesign of HRM tools in the area of through-flow and performance management (appraisal, reward systems, feedback mechanisms) and to the monitoring of the effects of HRM. In this way HRM research has not reflected the key HRM issues occupying the attention of practitioners. From more recent patterns, however, we expect Dutch HRM research increasingly to reflect managerial concerns. This does not imply full convergence with US patterns, especially given the Dutch traditions in industrial relations and personnel management. The challenge for Dutch research on HRM is to find the right balance between market forces and institutional arrangements, including a fair position for the workers; this will have to do justice to the long established tradition of industrial democracy and consultation practices among the various stakeholders.     

Becoming an HR strategic partner: tales of transition

This article aims to bridge the gap between previous examinations of HR strategic partnership from a role perspective and an emerging interest in the social construction of identity. I consider ‘strategic partner’ as a local, flexible social construction framed by the broader occupational context. Based on a year-long ethnographic study, I examine the experiences of HR practitioners ‘becoming’ strategic partners, considering the themes of becoming strategic, becoming a partner and remaining a generalist. Practitioners depict becoming strategic as a ‘release’ from previous constraints, with becoming a partner positioned as filling a gap created by clients' deficiencies in people management. Meanwhile, tensions develop as strategic partners attempt to retain a say in transactional issues. I reflect on the resulting practical issues while also considering the role of HR practitioners in, in the words of Helen Francis, ‘the dynamic and socially complex nature of HRM’.     

An evidence-based review of e-HRM and strategic human resource management

One stated purpose of electronic human resource management (e-HRM) is to make the HRM function more strategic. The goal of this paper is to examine the research on e-HRM to provide evidence-based guidance to researchers and practitioners on the relationship between e-HRM and strategic HRM. We review 40 studies published from 1999 to 2011 using integrative synthesis as our evidence-based methodology. Results reveal that theoretical and empirical research in this area is still at an early stage. We find no empirical evidence showing that e-HRM predicts strategic outcomes. There is evidence suggesting that strategic HRM predicts e-HRM outcomes and that the relationship appears context dependent, however, research designs are not sufficient to establish causal direction. Our review highlights the need for more empirical studies on e-HRM and strategic HRM outcomes at a macro level.     

HRM and performance: what next?

The last decade of empirical research on the added value of HRM, also known as the ‘HRM and performance’ debate, demonstrates evidence that HRM does matter (Huselid, 1995; Guest et al, 2003; Wright et al, 2003). Unfortunately, the relationships are often statistically weak and the remlts ambiguous. This article reviews and attempts to extend the theoretical and methodological issues in this debate. Its aim is to build an agenda for future research in this area. A brief overview of achievements to date is followed by the theoretical and methodological issues related to what constitutes HRM, what is meant by the concept of perfomzance and the nature ofthe link between these two. In the final section, it is argued that research designs should start from a multi‐dimensional concept of performance, including the perceptions ofemployees; and build on the premise of HR systems as an enabling device for a whole range of strategic options. This implies a reversal of the strategy‐HRM linkage.     

Predictors of organizational commitment in India: strategic HR roles,organizational learning capability and psychological empowerment

Employee commitment continues to be one of the most exciting issues for both practitioners and academicians. Linkages in literature are found for HRM Practices, but there is a lacuna of research linking organizational commitment and strategic HR roles, psychological empowerment as well as organizational learning capability. The current study examines these linkages. Whether these variables predict organizational commitment in Indian managers or not, is also investigated. The sample size of the study comprises of 640 Indian managers. Bivariate and multivariate analysis confirms the hypotheses drawn from the literature. The paper discusses the theoretical and practical implications of the findings.     

HRM and the legitimacy market

This article develops and proposes the concept of the legitimacy market as a counterpoint to the product market in strategic FIRM analysis and practice. It is driven by three major concerns. First, in much of the contemporary literature, internal efficiency pursuits and product market equirements appear to be the dominant reference points in HRM analysis and practice. Criteria of environmental legitimacy are scarcely recognized.

Second, despite the many claims that HRM is novel and distinctive, there appears to have been little social science development in the field of HRM. Third, the dominance of the strategic management paradigm in HRM has obscured the distinctiveness of HRM in organizations, especially its role in reflecting the external social and cultural environment. These concerns are addressed through the concept of the legitimacy market. The concept, it is argued, should help to conceptualize and analyse more effectively the environmental determinants of HRM, in particular culture and ideology, as well as suggesting alternatives for practitioners to follow. The core proposition upon which the article is predicated is that legitimacy and efficiency are the two central concerns of management.     

The influence of internal and external social networks on HRM capabilities in MNC subsidiaries in China

In this study we examine the influence of involvement in internal and external social networks on HRM capabilities. We distinguish between technical and strategic HRM capabilities and focus on the capabilities of the HR department relating to four HRM practices – recruitment and selection, training and development, compensation, and performance appraisal. The study is based on data from dual respondents, general managers and HR managers, in 66 European MNC subsidiaries located in China. The results indicate that contact with other MNCs in China regarding HRM issues is positively associated with both technical and strategic HRM capabilities whereas contact with local Chinese companies does not have any significant influence on either strategic or technical HRM capabilities. Contact with MNC headquarters is positively associated with strategic HRM capabilities.     

How strategic is HRM?

This study of 115 subsidiaries of Fortune 500 companies indicates that a majority had integrated HRM and strategic planning systems within their organizations. HRM issues were explicitly discussed in strategic plans; HRM executives were involved in the planning process as “strategic partners”; and HRM was generally recognized as playing an important role in implementing business strategies. The degree of integration present was not related to short-run firm performance, however, time lags may be a factor. Implications of these findings are drawn. © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

HR department professionalism: a comparison between the UK and other European countries

Although HRM professionalism in terms of the competence of individual HR practitioners receives considerable attention, the collective professional behaviour of HR departments in organizations is more frequently overlooked. This paper, based on Europe-wide survey data, attempts to bridge this gap in our understanding by examining HR department professionalism in terms of strategic involvement in corporate activities. Findings for the UK indicate that HR departments as a whole demonstrate limited professional behaviour and that this situation has remained largely stable over the last decade. However, variations between national contexts are notable. A key observation is the consistently significant positive correlation in the UK between board membership and the department's level of strategic involvement.     

Towards a strategic understanding of global teams and their HR implications: an expert dialogue

Abstract

Drawing on initial insights emerging from a panel at the EIBA 2016 Conference in Vienna, here discussants and expert panelists engage in a follow-on conversation on the HRM implications of global teams for international organizations. First we set out how HRM can enable global teams and their constituent members to overcome the new and considerable challenges of global teams. These challenges span levels of analysis, time and space. Next we debate global teams as a strategic response to the dual pressures of global integration and local adaptation. We consider what HRM is needed for global teams to successfully resolve this dilemma, challenging practitioners to move beyond the ‘best practices’ and ‘alignment’ dichotomy. Lastly we look to the future to consider implications for research. We propose a rich research agenda focused on the complexities of the global team context.     

On the shoulders of giants: a meta-review of strategic human resource management

Abstract

Recent years have witnessed significant growth in the field of strategic HRM. This article summarizes the literature in this field by conducting a meta-review, a review of the reviews that have covered various topics of strategic HRM. In doing so, the authors highlight theoretical frameworks and empirical findings of studies in the field over the past three decades, identify methodological issues and challenges in the previous research, and discuss recent trends in the field of strategic HRM. The author concludes by suggesting some interesting and important directions for future work.     

How strategic considerations influence decision making on e-HRM applications

Although numerous studies indicate that the added value of human resource management is strongest when HRM decisions are linked to the organizational strategy, practical knowledge about how strategic considerations influence decision-making processes relating to e-HRM is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study is (1) to examine in three case studies how strategic considerations influence the decision-making process around the introduction of e-HRM applications, (2) to present propositions for further research, and (3) to offer recommendations on how to better include strategic considerations in the decision-making process. Three in-depth case studies of companies' e-HRM implementation were performed using a model on e-HRM strategy formulation (Marler, 2009). The case studies reveal that when specific business drivers are absent from the decision-making process, the main role of e-HRM becomes to provide an infrastructure with a focus on preventing dissatisfaction. In order for e-HRM to be used in a more strategic way, business and HRM should be aligned.Based on the findings, we offer research propositions for academics studying this emerging field of the interconnections between strategy, human resource management and IT systems. In addition, we offer recommendations for HR practitioners on how to optimize the match between business and HRM.     

Challenging ‘strategic HRM’ and the relevance of the institutional setting

One of the more fundamental aspects of the ongoing debate about the added value of HRM relates to ‘best’ practice versus ‘best‐fit’. Best practice suggests the universal success of certain HR practices, while best‐fit acknowledges the relevant impact of contextual factors. We argue that differences in embeddedness and in institutional settings between, for example, countries affect the nature of HRM. To understand this phenomenon, we are in need of additional theory. In this article we will use the theory of new institutionalism as a better way to understand the shaping of HR policies and practices in different settings. After a concise review of the latest debates in the area of strategic HRM, in which the resource‐based view is the dominant perspective, we turn to an analysis of HRM in different institutional settings, which suggests the need for additional theory: ie new institutionalism. We offer propositions to explain the impact of different institutional mechanisms, including coercive, normative and mimetic ones, on the shaping of HR policies and practices in organisations. The remainder of the article then focuses on possible implications for practitioners, theoretical implications for future research, and challenges for strategic HRM.     

Guest editors' introduction growth and globalization: Evolution of human resource management practices in Asia

In this introductory note, we offer an overview of how human resource management in Asian countries and corporations is evolving in the face of rapid business growth and integration into the global economy and we describe how the articles in this Special Issue contribute to new knowledge and insights regarding key issues, challenges, and evolution in the field of HRM in Asia. Driven by the combined forces of rapid gross domestic product growth in many Asian economies and their further integration into the global business arena, firms in Asia are in constant flux, no matter whether they are developed economies like Japan, Korea, andTaiwan; developing economies like Malaysia andThailand; or transitional economies like China and Vietnam. How will HRM systems in these countries evolve and transform under the combined forces of growth and globalization? We argue that HRM systems in these Asian firms most likely will evolve toward “bounded convergence.” The demands and expectations of the HR function to take on strategic roles (versus administrative roles) and address critical HR issues like attracting and retaining key talent, building talent pipelines, and creating high‐performing cultures are greater than ever. We conclude with a high‐level summary of the key contribution of the eight articles covered in this Special Issue. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Competition

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外包服务的战略营销

随着社会经济发展与专业化分工,HR外包服务作为企业HRM战略变革的重要手段,逐渐被更多的企业所接受。新《劳动合同法》的实施又给企业HRM提出了新要求,如何专注价值、降低成本、灵活用工、规避风险已成为企业人事管理面临的现实课题。同时,新形势也给国内HR外包服务机构带来难得的发展机遇。本文以HR外包服务行业为着眼点,从行业战略格局分析入手,展开营销价值思考与营销模式设计,并提出HR外包服务机构营销策略要点建议。     

To be strategic in the new public sector,HR must remember its operational activities

This article examines the level of operational and strategic involvement by human resource departments, the influence of HR departments, and the level of strategic integration as predictors of human resource management per‐formance. Surveys from 146 senior line managers and HR executives in com‐mercialized and noncommercialized public‐sector agencies in Australia were the basis of organizational‐ and individual‐level analyses. Results indicate positive relationships between the degree to which operational HR activities are transferred to line managers, HR influence, strategic integration, and the performance of the HRM function. Interestingly, no relationship was found between the level of strategic involvement by HR departments and the per‐ceived performance of the function. Analysis of the individual‐level data sup‐ports the multiple‐constituency approach to HRM, with differences in the evaluation of HRM by respondents from different job functions. The study highlights challenges faced by HR practitioners needing to be operational, to be valued strategically. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Self-renewal of the Japanese firm and the human resource strategy

Traditional “Japanese personnel management” that has long been considered as the key for Japan's competitive success now needs fundamental restructuring in order to meet the challenges of a stagnant economy, matured domestic market, and the rise of NICs (Newly Industrialized Countries) in international markets. The self-renewal of Japanese firms can be achieved by a paradigm shift at the corporate strategy level: from a production orientation to a product orientation. In accordance with this paradigm shift, leading Japanese firms have started reforming their Human Resource Management (HRM) function from a productivity-centered to a creativity-centered one— creative HRM. Creative HRM has three pillars: (1) the creation of the strategic vision through commitment of the employees, (2) an entrepreneurial middle management as a key strategic node, and (3) multi-dimensional personnel management. Creation and realization of the strategic vision through the active commitment of an entrepreneurial middle management is necessary for the self-renewal of the firm. “Japanese Personnel Management” that might have been overadapted to the traditional strategic paradigm is now transforming itself from a “group-centered” personnel administration to an “individual-centered” one. While Western companies have been adopting Japanese “groupism” to reconstruct their production systems, Japanese companies have started introducing Western “individualism” to encourage creative self-transformation. But no system or technique is truly effective without human commitment, and this requires a fundamental paradigm shift for Japanese firms.     

From ‘tucked away’ to ‘joined at the hip’: understanding evolving relationships within the HRBP model in a regional energy company

Many authors have studied how the HRM function has evolved. A fundamental recurring theme in the literature centres upon the role HRM should play to ensure it adds real value to organisations. This article seeks to contribute to the ongoing debate surrounding the HRM role by reporting findings from case study research carried out in an organisation that has recently restructured its HRM function towards the Human Resource Business Partnership model. Through interviewing key stakeholders in the organisation, our aim was to understand the roles which HRM professionals play and the key stakeholders with whom they have relationships. Evidence suggests that, as a result of the restructuring, the HRM function has a more strategic and integrated position with many viewing HRM professionals and advisors as valued business partners. However, we also noted some important ambiguities, tensions and role conflicts amongst the key parties involved in the partnership, which suggests that further work is required to fully clarify the role of the HRM function in this organisation and to ensure that relationships continue to evolve successfully.     

Beating the advertising drum for the employer: How legal context translates into good HRM practice

The legal context is constitutive for the legitimacy of HRM practices. In this paper, we use an institutional work approach to investigate how a legal mandate requiring employers to state the minimum pay in job advertisements in Austria was translated into a legitimate HRM practice over time. In this process, HR practitioners translated the law into an HRM practice going well beyond the legal requirements. In contrast to merely constraining HRM practice, we find HR practitioners actively engaging with the legal context. In the discursive struggle over a legitimate translation of the law into practice, actors speaking ‘for HRM’ were mostly HRM consultants and service providers building on an individualist and unitarist frame of reference for employment relations. Our findings contribute to a contextualized understanding of HRM practices by considering the interaction of HR practitioners and legal context.