Session 8: Sample and Consequences (1)

This session we'd like to discussse the samples and consequence of strategic HRM implementations.

The field of strategic human resource management (SHRM) has been criticized for lacking a solid theoretical foundation. the strategic perspecteive of HR which has beeb labeled SHRM has gron out of researchers' desire to demonstrate the importance of HR practice for organizational performance. The article of Delery & Doty (1996), documents that, contrary to this criticism, the SHRM literature draws on three dominant modes of theorizing: universalistic, contingency, and configurational perspectives. Ferris et al. (1999) identify three theoretical views on HRM as: (1) best practices (or universalistic); (2) responding to specific strategies and executing certain HRM practices (contingency); and (3) only selecting the HRM practices which fitted the strategy and emphasizing the horizontal and vertical fits of HRM practices (configuration). Seven key strategic human resource practices are identified and used to develop theoretical arguments consistent with each perspective. They found that each perspective can be used to structure theoretical arguments that explain significant levels of variation in financial performance.

There is a growing body of research showing that the methods used by an organization to manage its human resources can have a substantial impact on many organizationally relevant outcomes. Human resource management (HRM) practices have been linked with turnover (Arthur 19941, productivity (Ichniowski, Shaw, & Prennushi 1997; MacDufYie 1995), financial returns (Delcry & Doty 19961, survival (Welbourne & Andrews 19961, and firm value (Huselid 1995). This growing area of research has been labeled strategic human resource management (SHRM) in that it emphasizes the strategic role of human resources management in meeting business objectives (Delery, 1998).