From HRM practices to the practice of HRM: setting a research agenda. Issue 2 (27th May 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Björkman, Ingmar; Ehrnrooth, Mats; Mäkelä, Kristiina; Smale, Adam; Sumelius, Jennie
• Is Part Of: Journal of organizational effectiveness. Volume 1:Issue 2(2014)
• Page Start: 122
• Page End: 140
• Publication Date: 2014-05-27
• Subjects: Organizational effectiveness -- Periodicals; Personnel management -- Periodicals; 658.314
• DOI: 10.1108/JOEPP-02-2014-0008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2051-6614

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x content-type="archive" xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <title content-type="abstract-heading">Purpose</title> <p> – The purpose of this paper is to develop an "HRM-as-practice" research agenda. The authors suggest that the HRM-performance literature would benefit from an actor-centric approach and a focus on activities, and that the HR roles research needs to shift its attention toward a more dynamic perspective of HR work and link this further to performance. </p> </sec> <sec> <title content-type="abstract-heading">Design/methodology/approach</title> <p> – The paper first provides an overview of strategy-as-practice (SAP) literature, and then review how extant HRM literature deals with three core notions of SAP: practices, praxis and practitioners. Based on this, the paper outlines an "HRM-as-practice" research agenda. </p> </sec> <sec> <title content-type="abstract-heading">Findings</title> <p> – Focussing on the intersections between praxis, practitioners and practice, the paper suggests that an "HRM-as-practice" approach can give new insights into first, how people-related decisions are made, implemented and enacted in organizations; second, how employees and other HRM stakeholders interpret and engage with HRM; third, how HR actors become more effective and influential organizational agents; and fourth, what the short-term and long-term effects of these actions and activities are. </p> </sec> <sec> <title content-type="abstract-heading">Research limitations/implications</title> <p> – The authors acknowledge the fuzzy and intertwined nature of the practices, practitioners and praxis categories, but believe that their intersections provide a fruitful theoretical lens to examine the practice of HRM. </p> </sec> <sec> <title content-type="abstract-heading">Originality/value</title> <p> – The authors use the HRM-as-practice lens to suggest novel research approaches that can shed new light on several open questions within the HRM field.</p> </sec> </abstract>