Preview

Hrm and Business Performance, and the Case for Big Science

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2316 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Hrm and Business Performance, and the Case for Big Science
The Romance of HRM and Business Performance, and the Case for Big Science

Toby D. Wall and Stephen, J. Wood

Institute of Work Psychology
University of Sheffield, UK
The Romance of HRM and Business Performance: The Case for Big Science

Abstract

It is often assumed that research over the last decade has established an effect of human resource management (HRM) practices on organizational performance. Our critical assessment of existing studies finds that, while collectively they have opened up a promising line of inquiry, their methodological limitations make such a conclusion premature. We argue that future progress depends on using stronger research methods and design, that in turn will require large-scale long-term research at a level of magnitude that probably can only be achieved through partnerships between research, practitioner and government communities. We conclude that progress so far justifies investment in such big science.

Key words: Human resource management (HRM), high performance work systems, high performance work organization, company performance, organizational performance.
Picture the scene. A leading scholar, specializing in human resource management, is called to court as an expert witness by an international company that has brought a case against a firm of consultants. The company has paid several hundred thousand pounds in consultancy fees, and invested many times that amount in its personnel function, to introduce the ‘performance-enhancing’ human resource management (HRM) practices recommended by the consultants. Three years on there is no evident return on their investment. The company is suing the consultants on the grounds that they created misleading expectations of the effect of HRM practices on performance. The expert witness is asked to prepare a report addressing two questions: (a) whether it was reasonable of the consultants to assume an effect of HRM practices on performance on the basis of both

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Becker, B., B. Gerhart. 1996. The impact of human resource management on organizational performance: Progress and prospects.…

    • 16898 Words
    • 68 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Qantas International

    • 2259 Words
    • 10 Pages

    References: Becker, B. And B. Gerhart. 1996. The Impact of Human Resource Management on Organizational Performance: Progress and Prospects. Academy of Management Journal 39 (4): 779- 801. Ebcohost. http://web.ebscohost.com (accessed August 19, 2011)…

    • 2259 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Huselid, Mark A. (1995), The Impact of Human Resource Management Practices on Turnover, Productivity, and Corporate Financial Performance, Academy of Management Journal, 38: 635–672.…

    • 18329 Words
    • 74 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Performance Based Pay

    • 3261 Words
    • 14 Pages

    Noe, R., Hollenbeck, J., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. (2003). Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage Fourth Edition. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.…

    • 3261 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    The Impact on Resources

    • 10287 Words
    • 42 Pages

    We describe why human resource management (HRM) decisions are likely to have an important and unique influence on organizational performance. Our hope is that this research forum will help advance research on the link between HRM and organizational performance. We identify key unresolved questions in need of future study and make several suggestions intended to help researchers studying these questions build a more cumulative body of knowledge that will have key implications for both theory and practice.…

    • 10287 Words
    • 42 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Best Essays

    Human Resource Management

    • 2235 Words
    • 9 Pages

    There are various functions of human resources management and there are different approaches taken by the management in terms of managing the human capital. The soft and hard approaches are often implemented by different organisations depending on their structure. As such, this paper sought to compare these two philosophies in a bid to establish the advantage as well as disadvantages of each approach. A critical analysis of the case study of Toyota which uses the soft approach showed that there are various benefits that can be derived from treating the employees as valuable assets to the organisation. This approach helps the employees to be committed to their work which contributes to the overall performance of the organisation as a whole.…

    • 2235 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Strategic Human Resources

    • 5137 Words
    • 21 Pages

    * Armstrong, M & Baron, A (2002) Strategic HRM: The route to improved business performance, CIPD, London…

    • 5137 Words
    • 21 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    15. Becker, B.E. and Gerhart, B. (1996) The Impact of Human Resource Management on Organisational Performance: Progress and prospects. Academy of Management Journal, 39: 779–801.…

    • 7468 Words
    • 30 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Best Essays

    Mr Kailash

    • 4106 Words
    • 17 Pages

    INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN BUSINESS CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN HRM: A REVIEW FROM 2007-2011 IN HRM REVIEW…

    • 4106 Words
    • 17 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    student

    • 768 Words
    • 4 Pages

    To what extent can HRM practices contribute to “organizational effectiveness” as identified in this extract?…

    • 768 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    human resource

    • 5389 Words
    • 26 Pages

    Delaney, J.T., & Huselid, M.A. (1996). The impact of human resource management practices on perceptions of performance…

    • 5389 Words
    • 26 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Human Resource

    • 1631 Words
    • 7 Pages

    References: Becker, B. (1996), ‘The Impact of Human Resource Management On Organizational Performance: Progress and Prospects’, Academy of Management Journal, 39: 779-801…

    • 1631 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Best Essays

    Three major topics make up the report: The role/functions of Human Resource Manager, Lack of competence of the Managing Partner, and Contribution of the Human Resource Management to the success of the organisation.…

    • 1394 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    Employee Demographics in Hrm

    • 3437 Words
    • 14 Pages

    In past research on HRM practices and systems, scholars have typically relied on reports from a higher-level manager or HR executive ... we suggest that a better alternative is to assess these characteristics of the HRM system from employees themselves. (p.216)…

    • 3437 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    This yet highlights another subject of further concern in the context of HRM effectiveness. There are two standpoints of HRM effectiveness in need of theoretical and empirical attention:…

    • 5542 Words
    • 23 Pages
    Powerful Essays