HRM Reform in Decentralised Local Government: Empirical Perspectives on Recruitment and Selection in the Philippines and Thailand

Abstract

Decentralisation has been an influential procedure for public sector reform for decades. Like many countries in Southeast Asia, the Philippines and Thailand have experienced the transitional period of decentralisation since the 1990s, but its results are considered to be poor, allowing the increasing corruption associated with local elites. This paper will address the problem by focusing on human resource management (HRM), in particular recruitment and selection, in decentralised local governments. Theoretical backgrounds of decentralisation reform are reviewed to highlight how significant the topic is in considering the current situation, and empirical observations are presented from two countries and four case cities, which are followed by a comparative analysis across observations. Findings of the paper include not only rooted differences of policy arrangements in the two countries, but also favourable evidences at the local level that cannot be explained by the existing theories. These findings lead to both academic and practical implications and future research tasks.

Institutionalism and its effect on HRM in the ASEAN context: Challenges and opportunities for future research

“…The period since 1997 has witnessed efforts at innovation and reform in the managerial arena, including changes in HRM policies and practices (Lawler & Atmiyanandana, 2003). This is empirically evidenced in a number of reported studies (Jeenanunta et al, 2017;Ishii, Rohitarachoon & Hossain, 2013;Vyas, 2016). Despite its efforts, the study of HRM in Thailand is still underdeveloped and scholars seem to have overlooked the effects of institutional environments on HRM practices that may influence organizational performance.…”

“…Due to its institutional complexity, organizations need to adopt HRM practices to achieve their competitive position in the market. Ishii, Rohitarachoon and Hossain (2013) ▪ to investigate the differences of central-local arrangements on the civil service management under decentralization in HRM practices in the research context.…”

Green candidate selection for organizational environmental management

“…These responsibilities which are also aligned with the tenets of sustainable development put local institutions at the forefront of pursuing the global sustainability agenda. Studies such as Adjei-Bamfo et al (2018) and Ishii et al (2013) have explored HRM practices among local government institutions. For example, Adjei-Bamfo et al (2018) in their study titled "recruitment and selection into Ghana's local governments: theory and practice" argue that local governments of developing economies with growing democracies are increasingly gaining autonomy to undertake human resources management functions.…”