Small firms, owner managers and (strategic?) human resource management

Atkinson, Carol; Lupton, Ben; Kynighou, Anastasia; Antcliff, V.

doi:10.1111/1748-8583.12406

Cited by 20 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, it would be fruitful to study the nature of daily work of those responsible for HRM activities in smaller organisations. These organisations rarely have a cadre of highly educated HR experts (Atkinson et al, 2022;Cardon and Stevens, 2004). In smaller organisations, the focal study participants would be lineand middlemanagers who need to balance HRand production-related tasks in their daily work.…”

Section: Limitations and Implications For Research And Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

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Understanding and conceptualising the daily work of human resource practitioners

Wallo

Coetzer

2022

JOEPP

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PurposeThis study aims to explore how human resource (HR) practitioners conceive of their practice, reveal challenges they grapple with in daily work and generate a conceptual framework of HR praxis.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on interviews with HR practitioners in Sweden and a review of articles that examine aspects of HR practitioners' work.FindingsThe HR practitioners' work is fragmented and reactive, filled with meetings and affords few opportunities to work undisturbed. Operational tasks are prioritised over strategic work, and their work sometimes involves tasks that are not HR's responsibility. The nature of HR practitioners' daily work mimics the work of their main “customer”, i.e. managers within the organisations.Practical implicationsThe HR practitioners were working mainly in the service of managers, which suggests that they have an internal focus. Consistent with current, prescriptive HR discourse, HR practitioners should adopt a multi-stakeholder perspective of human resource management (HRM) and a more external focus that is necessary to contribute to wider, organisational effectiveness. The findings could enrich what is taught in higher education by providing students with an account of the reality of HR practitioners' daily work.Originality/valueThe study provides a situated account of the daily work of HR practitioners, which is largely absent from the literature.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Limitations and Implications For Research And Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding and conceptualising the daily work of human resource practitioners

Wallo

Coetzer

2022

JOEPP

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“…Notably, while logics may constrain managerial action, they can also enable it (Cardinale, 2018). Thus, a logics perspective enables us to move beyond the notion of SMEs simply being at the mercy of their external environment to one which foregrounds owner-manager agency and their capacity to make choices within external and internal constraints (Atkinson et al, 2021). Nolan et al (2020) recently drew on an institutional logics perspective to study the dynamics of HRD in small tourism firms.…”

Section: Institutional Logicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human Resource Management in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Harney¹,

Nolan²

2022

The Emerald Handbook of Work, Workplaces and Disruptive Issues in HRM

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This chapter seeks to reclaim the significance of SMEs in studies of HRM as a means to better address and accommodate changing ways of work. We commence the chapter by outlining empirical and ideological reasons for the neglect of SMEs, contrasting this with their socio-economic imprint. We then outline key characteristics and determinants of HRM in the SME context before outlining the need for more contextually sensitive and local definitions, including via the concept of analytical HRM and by disaggregating SMEs. Finally, based on these considerations we outline an agenda for future research and understanding, including the role of institutional logics, HR process, employee perspectives and digitisation.

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“…Unfortunately, the majority of prior research on HRM has been conducted in advanced countries, while the effects of COVID-19 are more extensively felt in developing countries (Karabulut et al, 2020), which generally draws on large firms and is significantly absent in HRM-SME research, particularly employee experiences (Harney and Alkhalaf, 2021), dominated by owner-managers, and the absence of HR specialists (Atkinson et al, 2022) and rarely implemented thoroughly or effectively (Bos-Nehles et al, 2020). One of the most difficult tasks of HRM in MSMEs is skills and labor shortages (Saba and Blanchette, 2020); particularly, the hiring and retaining skilled workers in transitional economies "with a high intensity of "leaching out" skilled workers due to labor migration" (Bilan et al, 2020, p. 780).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Paternalism as a positive way of HRM in MSMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic

Panya

2023

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PurposeThis study focuses on owner-managers’ paternalism and its effects on human resource management (HRM) in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) during COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to describe and discuss how owner-managers paternalism enhanced the sustainability of exemplary MSMEs.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach employing Heideggerian interpretive phenomenological methodology was used. Data were collected from 30 exemplary MSME restaurants using non-participant observation, document analysis and in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of 75 key informants: 30 owner-managers and 45 of their employees in 10 Thai tourist provinces over three time periods. Verbatim transcripts were coded using template analysis to generate distilled data summaries.FindingsFour HRM themes were identified: (1) staffing, (2) development, (3) performance management and (4) compensation. A proposed model was suggested to understand how owner-managers’ paternalism affects four HRM practices. Owner-managers use their authority, combined with high levels of benevolence and morality, through supportiveness and kindness for employees to meet both their work and personal needs. Specifically, their employees repay them through performance and loyalty. This reciprocal relationship positively impacts employers, employees and MSMEs.Research limitations/implicationsThe generalization of the study's outcomes is limited by the sample size and study methodology. The findings propose alternative HRM practices for Thai restaurants, therefore, generalization to all types of MSMEs and all areas of the world is not possible. In future research, it would be useful to consider a mixed-methods approach using large samples of MSMEs across the country or in other countries. Some small HR issues that were noted in this study, such as using the horoscope, astrology and zodiac as hiring tools, could be studied further. Future studies should explore the main thrust and relationship established between owner-managers and employees to drive MSMEs' performance.Practical implicationsThe findings may be used as guidelines for creating a deep bond between employers and employees to strengthen MSMEs and foster sustainability.Social implicationsImportant for instilling HRM practices in MSMEs. This paper provides policy implications for governments, relevant public agencies and other developing countries. They need to put forward for consideration of new strategies for migrant policy, in order to solve the shortage of labor in MSMEs. A well-considered policy could increase employee well-being during crises by bringing supportive strategies together.Originality/valueThis study expands knowledge of the effects of paternalism on HRM practices in shaping employer and employee relationships through social exchange theory (SET).

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Small firms, owner managers and (strategic?) human resource management

Cited by 20 publications

References 48 publications

Understanding and conceptualising the daily work of human resource practitioners

Understanding and conceptualising the daily work of human resource practitioners

Human Resource Management in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Paternalism as a positive way of HRM in MSMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic

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