Human resource management: when research confronts theory

Research exploring the relationship between human resource management (HRM) and outcomes such as corporate performance encounters a range of significant practical difficulties. Using two surveys as illustrative cases, this paper examines the practical challenges of operationalizing and measuring HRM, measuring the various outcomes and assessing the relationship between HRM and corporate performance. Despite the problems, it is suggested that significant progress has been made. While possible solutions to some of the problems are put forward, it is argued that a key requirement remains more clearly specified theory, particularly theory about the nature of HRM.     

Framing the field of international human resource management research

This article presents an overarching framework of the international human resource management field. The framework has four different levels: Macro (encompassing countries, regions and industries), the Multinational Corporation, Unit (typically subsidiary) and Individual (including teams, employees and their family members). At each level, we make a distinction between Influencing Factors, the HRM Function (encompassing both the HR department and HR policies and practices), Proximal Outcomes and Distant Outcomes of HRM. The framework allows us to examine existing research and suggest avenues for future work.