ELK Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour

Purpose – The aim of this special issue of Chinese Management Studies (CMS) focuses attention on a central activity of Chinese organisations – managing people. The aim is to support efforts to move beyond human resource management (HRM) research in China as a subset of international or comparative HRM research and promote indigenous approaches to research in China. Design/methodology/approach – Review and reflection. Findings – The research presented in the eight articles that constitute this special issue not only use sample data from China but also explore the mechanisms of different variables in the special Chinese condition, situation and context, resulting in meaningful results on a practical level. As such, they provide valuable contributions to theory construction in HRM and organisational behaviour, not just for China but for organisations around the world. Research limitations/implications – Developing an indigenous understanding of Chinese HRM has a long way to go. The findings here provide a contribution to the growing foundation on which to base further efforts. They will not only help build knowledge about complex organisation dynamics in Chinese businesses but also enrich the overall management knowledge base, not just Chinese organisations. Originality/value – Provides valuable contributions to theory construction in HRM and organisational behaviour, not just for China but for organisations around the world.

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Human Resource Management Fact, Fiction and Fallacy

Paradigm ◽

10.1177/0971890719980103 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 10-21

Author(s):

E.M. Rao

Keyword(s):

Resource Management ◽

Human Resource Management ◽

Human Resource ◽

Business School ◽

Harvard Business School ◽

Line Managers ◽

Complex Problems ◽

Organisational Behaviour

HRM took its birth in the precincts of Harvard Business School in the early 80s as an offshoot of organisational behaviour. It propagates unitarism, individualism, strong cultures, teamwork, flexibility, commitment and the take-over of personnel function by line managers, and seeks to present a revolutionary recipe with a ‘cure-all’ flavour. HRM influenced employers, academics and students in varying degrees. The undue emphasis of OB theory and deemphasis of personnel/IR practice led to a host of dysfunctional consequences. Upcoming managers are the worst hit in terms of translating their knowledge into skills required to handle complex problems lying in store for them. The shallowness of HR assumptions, the inherent contradictions among its concepts and the wide gulf between its precept and practice-all these have reduced it to ‘fiction.’

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