Strategic human resource management and supply chain orientation

Most SHRM research has concentrated on single, focal organizations and on activities taking place within the firm. The purpose of this article is to lay a foundation for studying SHRM in the supply chain. We present a framework which identifies factors that influence whether adopting a supply chain orientation (SCO) is effective, and articulates the contingencies that shape SHRM practices needed to achieve and capitalize on SCO. We make several contributions to the strategic human resource management and supply chain literatures. First, we highlight this neglected area of research. Second, we expand the boundary conditions of strategic human resource management and HR systems from a primarily single firm, intra-organizational focus to one which includes both intra- and inter-organizational relationships. Third, we provide a framework for understanding the links between HR systems, SCO, and strategic outcomes. Fourth, we build upon previous theorizing in strategic human resource management and provide a framework for research in the supply chain context. And finally, we offer propositions for future research, along with a decision making model which has implications for both research and management practice.     

MNC practice transfer: institutional theory,strategic opportunities and subsidiary HR configuration

Human resource (HR) practice transfer is an important topic in the domain of strategic international human resource management (SIHRM). Previous research in practice transfer has emphasized the challenges arising from the institutional distance between the home and host countries. However, potential opportunities due to this distance have been largely overlooked. Shifting the focus away from looking at institutional distance as a constraint, we examine the possibilities of strategic opportunities that exist because of institutional distance. We argue multinational corporation (MNC) subsidiaries can exploit these opportunities to gain competitive advantage. Building upon SIHRM literature, institutional theory and the resource-based views, we propose a conceptual framework explaining how institutional environments present strategic opportunities. We argue that these strategic opportunities are most abundant in the case of moderate institutional distance between the two countries. Building upon the conceptualization of strategic opportunities, we propose a model of subsidiary HR configuration, and then we explain how an HR configuration could be a source of competitive advantage. Further, we examine the role of MNCs' overall SIHRM orientation in relation to the identification and exploitation of strategic opportunities.     

What is the value of human resource certification? A multi-level framework for research

We make a contribution to narrowing the science–practice gap by adopting a multi-level theory-based approach to investigating an important issue for practitioners in human resource management: human resource (HR) certification. Despite the facts that more than 150,000 individuals in more than 70 countries have become certified and that HR certification has turned into a million-dollar industry, there is no scholarly evidence regarding the impact of certification on any important individual- and organizational-level outcomes (e.g., individual's career progression and HR department-level effectiveness). First, we distinguish among certification and licensing. Second, we describe the purported benefits of HR certification. Third, we review the existing literature on perceptions of HR certification; including a survey we conducted with 189 HR professionals. Finally, we present a research agenda, including 14 testable propositions, to guide future scholarly research on HR certification with the goal to gather evidence, which to date is not yet available, regarding the value of HR certification for individual practitioners, organizations, and the HR profession.     

Strategic human resource management: The evolution of the field

This review takes an evolutionary and chronological perspective on the development of strategic human resource management (SHRM) literature. We divide this body of work into seven themes that reflect the directions and trends researchers have taken over approximately thirty years of research. During this time the field took shape, developed rich conceptual foundations, and matured into a domain that has substantial influence on research activities in HR and related management disciplines. We trace how the field has evolved to its current state, articulate many of the major findings and contributions, and discuss how we believe it will evolve in the future. This approach contributes to the field of SHRM by synthesizing work in this domain and by highlighting areas of research focus that have received perhaps enough attention, as well as areas of research focus that, while promising, have remained largely unexamined.     

Effective participative decision making: A joint responsibility for success

Much of the current research on participative decision making focuses on the increasing need for broad-based decision-making systems, on the different outcomes associated with different forms of participation, or on the problems associated with poorly managed participative decision-making systems. This article considers the responsibilities of employees who participate in organizational decision making and the responsibilities of employers who expect to share decision-making tasks. A Bill of Responsibilities for Employees and a Bill of Responsibilities for Employers are presented. Pitfalls associated with neglecting these responsibilities are discussed.     

Assessing the value of human resource certification: A call for evidence-based human resource management

We are delighted that our article on the value of human resource (HR) certification (Lengnick-Hall & Aguinis, 2012) has generated so much interest. In this brief response, we identify two key similarities across all of the articles published in this special issue (including our own). First, all commentators care deeply about the field of human resource management (HRM). Second, all commentators believe that additional empirical research is needed to assess the value of HR certification for stakeholders inside and outside of the field of HRM. We offer a concrete course of action. Specifically, we issue the following challenge to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Foundation: Issue a call for proposals for empirical research on the value of HR certification. Such a call would provide funding so that teams including both researchers and practitioners are encouraged to conduct research on this topic. Moreover, such a collaborative approach involving the SHRM Foundation, the HRM scholarly community, and the HRM practitioner community is likely to elevate the field of HRM and produce valuable knowledge about the value of HR certification for stakeholders inside and outside of the field, which in turn will also help narrow the much-lamented science–practice gap.     

The effect of job impact,job interdependence,and employee characteristics on the acceptability of a drug-testing policy

Increasingly employers are testing employees for illicit drug use. Employees vary in their degree of acceptance of drug-testing policies. Both job and individual characteristics are hypothesized to affect individuals’ reactions to drug-testing policies. The first study reported here investigated the effect of job impact, job interdependence, sex, and age on four aspects of the acceptability of a drug-testing policy. While there was no effect for the job characteristics, both age and sex had significant effects. A follow-up study which focused solely on employee characteristics replicated the age effect. Implications are discussed.     

How Do Social Networks Influence the Employment Prospects of People with Disabilities?

We explore the role of social networks used by people with disabilities for finding employment. In addition, we outline obstacles to network building for those with a disability. We contend that this group is often constrained and they underutilize their networks during job searches. Both factors are likely to result in negative employment outcomes and contribute to the employment gap between those with and without a disability. We outline how key network characteristics such as homophily, tie strength, and centrality influence job search outcomes for those with a disability differently than for those without a disability. Furthermore, we propose that although individuals with disabilities develop and rely upon networks that are comprised of close bonds with similar individuals that are either unemployed or underemployed in lower status positions, optimal networks for employment purposes should consist of diverse acquaintances that occupy central positions and higher status jobs within organizations. Finally, we outline propositions to guide future research on this neglected topic and also suggest practical implications.     

Integrating knowledge and knowing: A framework for understanding knowledge-in-practice

The foundation of an organization's strategy often lies in its ability to generate, combine, recombine, and exploit knowledge. Two very different perspectives have emerged in knowledge management research: a commodity view which sees knowledge as something to be acquired, stored, and converted and a community perspective which emphasizes knowing and the ability to act on what one knows. We propose a new framework for understanding knowledge in organizations which integrates these two views and complements prior research by focusing on knowledge-in-practice. In doing so, we clarify the organizational knowledge construct by examining the underlying knowledge-based characteristics of work practices. We create a multidimensional understanding of the knowledge-in-practice construct and introduce the concept of learnability. We explain how the proposed framework can lead to future research and discuss managerial implications for achieving fit between knowledge-in-practice and organization policies.