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Sustainable Human Resource Management pp 79–121Cite as

Theorising on Strategic HRM from a Sustainability Approach

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Part of the book series: Contributions to Management Science ((MANAGEMENT SC.))

Abstract

As Sustainable HRM is conceived of as an extension of Strategic HRM and sustainability as a potentially new approach to theorise on HRM (see Sect. 2.6.4), the next step taken is to review how theorising in Strategic HRM has been previously done and by which developments this process has been influenced. The claim that the concept of sustainability has the potential to induce or contribute to a paradigm shift in Kuhn’s (1970) sense (see also Sect. 2.2.2) is reflected upon critically. It is assumed here that – at least currently – the main reason for more managers and scholars being interested in sustainability and in a Sustainable HRM approach is influenced by current socio-political developments.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For reviews on the historical development of different national HRM fields see: Schuler and Jackson (2005) and Wright (1998) for the USA, Boxall and Purcell (2000) and Legge (2005) for the UK. For a historical analysis on the German HRM field see Drumm (2000), Krell (1998), Klimecki and Gmür (2001), Gaugler (2004), and Oechsler (2000a).

  2. 2.

    For the influence of Christianity and the Catholic Church on this paternalistic attitude: see Legge (1995) for the UK as well as Drumm (2000) and Klimecki and Gmür (2001) for the German HRM field.

  3. 3.

    For “commitment” vs. “control”: see Arthur (1994), Boselie (2002).

  4. 4.

    For an overview: see Berthel (2000), Hentze and Kammel (2001), and Oechsler (2000a).

  5. 5.

    For a comparison of the Human Relations and the human resource perspective, see Black and Margulies (1989, p. 19).

  6. 6.

    See, for example, for HRM in Northern Europe: Brewster and Larsen (2000). These and other publications have shown that the understanding of HRM has also to be viewed in its cultural and institutional context. For a comparison of HRM in the USA, Japan, and Germany: see Pudelko (2006).

  7. 7.

    Legge (2005) refers to this struggle of personnel managers in the UK as the “credibility gap” (p. 51).

  8. 8.

    The latest influence, the financial crisis in 2008/2009 contributes to loosening this pressure – at least temporarily.

  9. 9.

    The specialisation and desegregation of HRM into different subfields is indicated by a number of similar acronyms such as International HRM (IHRM), Strategic International HRM (SIHRM), Global HRM (GHRM), and Strategic Global HRM (SGHRM) – and, as in this study, Sustainable HRM.

  10. 10.

    For an overview on the origin of HRM: see, for example, Kaufman (2001), Ouchi (1991).

  11. 11.

    The “birth date” of personnel management as an academic discipline in Germany is dated back to 1961 when the first Annual Meeting of Business Professors dealt with the topic “Work and wages as a topic of Business administration” (Gaugler 2004; Klimecki and Gmür 2001; Krell 1998; translated from German by the author). In comparison to other organisational functions, the personnel department or HRM function has a long tradition of struggling for acceptance (see, e.g. Legge 2005; Klimecki and Gmür 2001; Remer 1997).

  12. 12.

    For reviews on conceptual Strategic HRM frameworks: see, for example, Ackermann (1987), Wright et al. (1992).

  13. 13.

    This development is described in the vast majority of academic research in HRM. But, Kaufman (2001) asserts that this statement is exaggerated in the literature. Instead, he shows that HR practices other than administrative tasks existed in the management of employees in the USA even before WWI. He also shows that strategic thinking on HRM can be traced back in scholarly work as early as the 1920s. For Germany, there is no consistent analysis of HRM from its beginnings until 1945 (Drumm 2000). But, the origin of HRM in Germany is seen in small firms where the owner took care of all HR-relevant tasks for a small number of employees. In the period of industrialisation, wage offices emerged in middle and larger-size companies (Gaugler 2004).

  14. 14.

    See Kaufman’s (2001) historical review on early antecedents of Strategic HRM.

  15. 15.

    For the definitions on human capital see Sect. 2.3.1.

  16. 16.

    For a comparison of IO and RBV paradigms: see, for example, Wolf (2005).

  17. 17.

    On the definition of “resources” in the RBV see Sect. 2.3.1.

  18. 18.

    Weber and Festing (1999) define globalisation as a “process of a company […] which increasingly extends and integrates its activities on global markets” (p. 439; translated from German by the author).

  19. 19.

    Important articles in this field have been published in The International Journal of Human Resource Management.

  20. 20.

    For a review of the field International Management see, Werner (2002).

  21. 21.

    For instance, HR practices such as downsizing have been found to differ across cultures (e.g. Segalla et al. 2001).

  22. 22.

    Surveying HR executives Mendenhall et al. (2003) identified further key issues such as enhancing global business strategy, aligning HR issues with business strategy, designing and leading change, building global corporate cultures, and developing global leaders (p. 264).

  23. 23.

    On the debate whether universities should integrate these debates into their existing curricula or offer separate courses see: Jones-Christensen et al. (2007).

  24. 24.

    Wolf (2004) mentions several internal and external megatrends such as technological developments, political and legislative changes, social megatrends, and globalisation which have to be considered for Strategic HRM and their potential effects anticipated.

  25. 25.

    I am grateful to Prof. Andrew Templer, Canada, for drawing this issue to my attention.

  26. 26.

    For example, in the German HRM literature a fierce debate exists about the disciplinary nature of HRM and whether personnel economics or behavioural theories constitute the “best” input for theorising in HRM (Alewell 1996; Backes-Gellner and Pull 2005; Martin 2004; Weibler 1996; Weibler and Wald 2004, 2005). Personnel Economics is a research field applying economic principles to understand and explain HRM practices such as motivation, training, recruitment, or teams (Backes-Gellner 1993, 2004). For a critique see Martin (2004), Schanz (2000). Suggestions have been made to reconcile both positions (Grieger 2005; Nienhüser 1996; Süß 2004, 2005).

  27. 27.

    In (Strategic) HRM theory the term “theory-driven” is often used differently than in management and organisation research. While HRM theorists focus on “how many boxes” are included into one model to explain HRM (and which also need to be measured). However, for the understanding of organisation and management theorists on a theory-driven approach see Weick (1992).

  28. 28.

    For a more in depth analysis of possible theoretical perspectives for HRM: see also the Special Issue in management revue on “Theoretical Perspectives for Human Resource Management: the German Discussion” (Weber and Kabst 2004). For further elaborations in the German literature see also Drumm (2000, pp. 9–24), Klimecki and Gmür (2001, pp. 37–68), Festing et al. (2004), Weber (1996).

  29. 29.

    For an overview on the AMO framework see, for example, Boxall and Purcell (2003).

  30. 30.

    Boselie (2002) points out that the term “behavioural theory” is misleading because it does not refer to the corresponding literature in work psychology. For discussion of a behavioural orientation in HRM see, for example, Schanz (2000).

  31. 31.

    For the discussion about an overarching theory for HRM see Bisani (1995), Drumm (2000). Boselie (2002) asserts that most HRM scholars are eclectic in their approach to HRM theorising and do not regard one theory as superior to others.

  32. 32.

    For an empirical analysis of bibliographies in publications from 1991 to the year 2000 to identify the theoretical foundation (or “provinces of meaning”) applied in the German field see Matiaske and Nienhüser (2003). For a survey among international HRM scholars see Martín-Alcázar et al. (2005a).

  33. 33.

    For recent reviews on HRM and performance see for example, Wright and Boswell (2002), Gmür (2003), and Guest (2001), and for more critical views on this stream of research see, for example, Paauwe (2004).

  34. 34.

    Brewster (1999) has drawn attention to the terminological discrepancies between his definitions of the universalistic and contextual paradigms and those used by Delery and Doty (1996) or Wright and McMahan (1992). Brewster’s (1999) objective was “not to categorise the different research perspectives used in studying Strategic HRM, but to identify the different paradigms which underlie these perspectives” (p. 46). He uses the term “paradigms” deliberately in Kuhn’s (1970) sense in order to underpin that different worldviews and research traditions influence the way of conducting research in HRM and Strategic HRM.

  35. 35.

    Guest (1997) provided an alternative categorisation for Strategic HRM but concerning theoretical approaches. He differentiates normative, descriptive, and strategic HRM theories.

  36. 36.

    Colbert’s (2004) suggestion has not yet been widely received and therefore not included into this review.

  37. 37.

    For a short review and critique on High Performance Work Systems (HPWS) see Wright and Gardner (2004).

  38. 38.

    For more references on the contextual approach see Martín-Alcázar et al. (2005b, p. 638).

  39. 39.

    For instance, Cappelli (2005) argues for the US labour market that labour shortage caused by demographic developments are not the key challenge but instead changes in the employment relationship.

  40. 40.

    Ebert and Piehl (1973) define time horizon as the “distance into the future to which a decision-maker looks when evaluating the consequences of a proposed action” (p. 35).

  41. 41.

    The importance of balancing a short- and long-term perspective has been broadly recognised in management research (e.g. March 1991; Riis and Pedersen 2003). For the discussion on economic short-termism see, for example, Laverty (1996).

  42. 42.

    The terms “paradox theory” and “literature on paradoxical phenomena” are used synonymously here.

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Ehnert, I. (2009). Theorising on Strategic HRM from a Sustainability Approach. In: Sustainable Human Resource Management. Contributions to Management Science. Physica-Verlag HD. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7908-2188-8_3

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