Line and HR executives' perceptions of HR effectiveness in firms in the People's Republic of China (original) (raw)

Strategic Human Resource Management in China: East Meets West

Academy of Management Perspectives, 2012

This paper outlines important ideological, institutional, and cultural contexts that shape what strategic human resource management practices are possible in China. A detailed review of the main components of the high-performance work systems model suggests that when they are introduced into the Chinese socioeconomic and political context, the cost-benefit calculus for high-performance work system human resource management practices is different from that in the U.S. context. Yet, in our review of China-based strategic human resource management research we find the expected positive relationship between high-performance work systems and organizational performance in companies operating in China. We conclude with a case example to illustrate how Chinese firms might be both adopting and adapting the high-performance work system model to better fit their current cultural and economic context.

Still in search of strategic human resource management? A review and suggestions for future research with China as an example

Human Resource Management, 2020

Strategic human resource management (SHRM) has been an important strand of research in the HRM field for over three decades, and has attracted heated debates in recent years. One main critique of the state of SHRM research is its increasing detachment from HRM practice, in the pursuit of more theoretical rigor and methodological sophistication. Our review article has two main tasks. First, we review SHRM research published in two leading HRM journals-Human Resource Management and Human Resource Management Journal-in the light of the criticisms on SHRM research and use this as a backdrop of our second task. Second, we critically examine SHRM research conducted in the Chinese context by drawing on a systematic review on extant literature. In doing so, we draw on a wider range of HRM journals such as Human Resource Management Review, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, and so forth. We find that while the trend of psychologization in SHRM research is gathering pace, the range of theoretical perspectives mobilized to inform the studies is actually expanding. We call for SHRM research to be more contextualized and more practical phenomenon-driven SHRM research. We indicate several avenues for future research, using China as an example. K E Y W O R D S bundled HRM, China, contingency approach, high-performance work practices, resourcebased view, strategic HRM 1 | INTRODUCTION Strategic human resource management (SHRM) has been an important strand of research in the HRM field for over three decades, and has attracted heated debates in recent years (c.f. Jiang & Messersmith, 2018 for a meta review of SHRM reviews). One main critique of the state of SHRM research is its increasing detachment from HRM practice, in the pursuit of more theoretical rigor and methodological sophistication (Kaufman, 2015a). Has the SHRM research path been as narrowly treaded as its critics suggest? What theoretical perspectives have been used to inform the studies? And how can future research on SHRM address some of the criticisms and be more responsive to various settings across nations? Our review study seeks to address these research questions, with the aim to advance research in this field and make it more relevant to specific societal contexts, using China as an example, and more relevant to HRM practices. In doing so, we accentuate the importance of engaging with practice and attending to context. Relatedly, the aim of reviewing SHRM in the Chinese context is twofold: first, to suggest that SHRM research being conducted in China needs to pay more attention to contextual factors instead of simply adopting existing approaches that have evolved in other cultures; and second, to provide suggestions to illustrate how future SHRM research can engage in a country-specific context more fully to

Human resource management practices in Chinese organisations

Chinese Management Studies, 2014

Purpose/Aim: This special issue of Chinese Management Studies focuses attention on a central activity of Chinese organisations -managing people. Our aim in doing so is to support efforts to move beyond HRM research in China as a subset of international or comparative HRM research and promote indigenous approaches to research in China.

Extending the frontier of research on (strategic) human resource management in China: a review of David Lepak and colleagues’ influence and future research direction

International Journal of Human Resource Management, 2020

This review study was conducted in memory of Professor David Lepak, the late Editor-in-Chief of The International Journal of Human Resource Management, for his contribution to the development of strategic human resource management (HRM) research and the influence of his work in strategic HRM research in the Chinese context. Drawing on 133 articles from 49 English journals, we show that Lepak and colleagues' four major theoretical frameworks (universal and contingency perspectives of HRM, HR architecture, employee-oriented perspective of HRM and multiple dimensions of HR systems) have been the most instrumental in guiding strategic HRM research in China. We also assess the extent to which China-based studies have extended the conceptual arguments and analytical frameworks that Lepak and co-authors have put forward. By discussing some of the changes in the way businesses in China have (re)configured their business models, we draw attention to several avenues to make strategic HRM research more reflective of the societal context and relevant to practice.

Contextualizing employee perceptions of human resource management: a review of China‐based literature and future directions

Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 2020

Employee perceptions of human resource management (HRM) have attracted increasing attention in recent years. This review study aimed to examine the extent to which employee perceptions of HRM have been contextualized in China. We conducted a systematic literature search and review of 25 China-based empirical studies published in peer-reviewed academic journals in English. The review demonstrates that extant research mainly focuses on three distinct but interrelated dimensions: perceived HRM content, HRM system strength, and HRM attributions. We identify several research avenues and call for qualitative studies to go beyond interview methods and quantitative research to develop context-driven measurement scales. We also suggest that future research should integrate multi-level theoretical paradigms to identify the organizational and institutional contexts within which HR perceptions are framed. Finally, future research needs to examine HR perceptions across different employees, employment groups, and nations, with the aim of addressing the complex and context-specific nature of HR perceptions.

Human resource management and firm performance in China: A critical review

Asia Pacific Journal of Human 58 Resources, 2010

Strategic human resource management is an emerging field of study in the transitional economy of China. The purpose of this study is to identify the current status of strategic human resource management research in the context of mainland China, and offer recommendations for future research. This study reviewed recently published articles (between 1992 and 2008) in major academic journals in both English and Chinese, focusing on the most important topic of strategic human resource management: the relations between human resource management and firm performance. This study finds that China-based strategic human resource management research has actively participated in major theoretical debates in the literature, and that China-based studies have extended previous models by identifying additional moderating and mediating variables. We recommend future research in this area be more responsive to emerging methodological concerns of the field, and pay more attention to China-specific issues that may have significant organizational consequences.