Devolution of HRM and organizational performance: Evidence from India

International Journal of Commerce and Management

Volumn 20, Issue 3, 2010, Pages 217-231

  Azmi, Feza Tabassum ^a  

^a ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY   (India)

Author keywords

Devolution; Human resource management; Organizational performance

Indexed keywords

EID: 84888023852     PISSN: 10569219     EISSN: 17588529     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1108/10569211011076910     Document Type: Article

References (89)

1. Adams, K. (1991), “Externalisation versus specialisation: what is happening to personnel?”, Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 1 No. 4, pp. 40-54.
2. Ahire, S., Golhar, D. and Waller, M. (1996), “Development and validation of TQM implementation constructs”, Decision Sciences, Vol. 27 No. 1, pp. 23-56.
3. Anderson, J.C. and Gerbing, D.W. (1988), “Structural equation modeling in practice: a review and recommended two-step approach”, Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 103 No. 3, pp. 411-23.
4. Armstrong, M. (1998), Managing People: A Practical Guide for Line Managers, Kogan Page, London.
5. Armstrong, M. and Cooke, R. (1992), “Human resource management in action: a joint approach”, in Armstrong, M. (Ed.), Strategies for Human Resource Management: A Total Business Approach, Kogan Page, London.
6. Arthur, J.B. and Boyles, T. (2007), “Validating the human resource system structure: a levels-based strategic HRM approach”, Human Resource Management Review, Vol. 17, pp. 77-92.
7. Bagozzi, R.P. (1981), “An examination of the validity of two models of attitude”, Multivariate Behavioral Research, Vol. 18, pp. 133-45.
8. Bagozzi, R.P., Yi, Y. and Phillips, L.W. (1991), “Assessing construct validity in organizational research”, Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 36, pp. 421-58.
9. Bawa, M.A. (2004), “Consumer ethnocentrism: CETSCALE validation and measurement of extent”, Vikalpa, Vol. 29 No. 3, pp. 43-57.
10. Becker, B.E. and Huselid, M.A. (1998), “High performance work systems and firm performance: a synthesis of research and managerial applications”, in Ferris, G.R. (Ed.), Research in Personnel and Human Resource Management, JAI Press, Greenwich, CT, pp. 53-101.
11. Bentler, P.M. and Bonett, D.G. (1980), “Significance tests and goodness of fit in the analysis of covariance structures”, Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 88 No. 5, pp. 588-606.
12. Bond, S. and McCracken, M. (2005), “The importance of training in operationalising HR policy”, Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 29 No. 3, pp. 246-60.
13. Bond, S. and Wise, S. (2003), “Family leave policies and devolution to the line”, Personnel Review, Vol. 32 No. 1, pp. 58-72.
14. Bond, S., Hyman, J., Summers, J. and Wise, S. (2002), Family Friendly Working? From Policy to Practice, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, New York, NY.
15. Brewster, C. and Larsen, H.H. (1992), “Human resource management in Europe: evidence from ten countries”, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 3 No. 3, pp. 409-34.
16. Brewster, C. and Larsen, H.H. (2000), “Responsibility in human resource management: the role of the line”, in Brewster, C. and Larsen, H.H. (Eds), Human Resource Management in Northern Europe: Trends, Dilemmas, and Strategy, Blackwell, Oxford.
17. Budhwar, P.S. (2000), “Evaluating levels of strategic integration and devolvement of human resource management in the UK”, Personnel Review, Vol. 29 No. 2, pp. 141-57.
18. Budhwar, P.S. and Sparrow, P.R. (1997), “Evaluating levels of strategic integration and devolvement of human resource management in India”, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 8 No. 4, pp. 476-94.
19. Business World (2006), “The real 500”, Business World, available at: http://businessworld.abp.in/ content/view/334/384 (accessed September 2006).
20. Carmines, E. and McIver, J. (1981), “Analyzing models with unobservable variables: analysis of covariance structures”, in Bohrnstedt, G. and Borgatta, E. (Eds), Social Measurement: Current Issues, Sage, Beverly Hills, CA.
21. Cascón-Pereira, R., Valverde, M. and Ryan, G. (2006), “Mapping out devolution: an exploration of the realities of devolution”, Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 30 No. 2, pp. 129-51.
22. Chan, L.L.M., Shaffer, M.A. and Snape, E. (2004), “In search of sustained competitive advantage: the impact of organizational culture, competitive strategy and human resource management practices on firm performance”, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 15 No. 1, pp. 17-35.
23. Chand, M. and Katou, A.A. (2007), “The impact of HRM practices on organisational performance in the Indian hotel industry”, Employee Relations, Vol. 29 No. 6, pp. 576-94.
24. Churchill, G.A. Jr (1979), “A paradigm for developing better measures of marketing constructs”, Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 16 No. 1, pp. 64-73.
25. Clark, I. (1998), “Designing and sustaining an entrepreneurial role for the human function: strategic choice or competitive conditions? Evidence from engineering process plant contracting”, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, Vol. 4 No. 1, pp. 51-70.
26. Cook, D.S. and Ferris, G.R. (1986), “Strategic human resourcemanagement and firmeffectiveness in industries experiencing decline”, Human Resource Management, Vol. 25 No. 3, pp. 441-58.
27. Cronbach, L.J. (1951), “Coefficient alpha and internal structure of tests”, Psychometrika, Vol. 16 No. 3, pp. 297-333.
28. Cunningham, I. and Hyman, J. (1995), “Transforming the HRM vision into reality: the role of line managers and supervisors in implementing change”, Employee Relations, Vol. 17 No. 8, pp. 5-20.
29. Cunningham, I. and Hyman, J. (1999), “Devolving human resource responsibilities to the line: beginning of the end or a new beginning for personnel?”, Personnel Review, Vol. 28 Nos 1/2, pp. 9-27.
30. Cunningham, I., Hyman, J. and Baldry, C. (1996), “Empowerment: the power to do what?”, Industrial Relations Journal, Vol. 27 No. 2, pp. 143-54.
31. Currie, G. and Procter, S. (2001), “Exploring the relationship between HR and middle managers”, Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 11 No. 3, pp. 3-69.
32. Dunn, C. and Wilkinson, A. (2002), “Wish you were here: managing absence”, Personnel Review, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp. 228-46.
33. Dyer, L. (1985), “Strategic human resource management and planning”, Research and Practice in Personnel and Human Resource Management, Vol. 3 Nos 1/30 (JAI Press, Greenwich, CT).
34. Dyer, L. and Reeves, T. (1995), “Human resource strategies and firm performance: what do we know and where do we need to go?”, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 6 No. 3, pp. 656-70.
35. Finegold, D. and Frenkel, S. (2006), “Managing people where people really matter: the management of human resources in biotech companies”, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 1-24.
36. Fombrun, C.J., Tichy, N.M. and Devanna, M.A. (1984), Strategic Human Resource Management, Wiley, New York, NY.
37. Garver, M.S. and Mentzer, J.T. (1999), “Logistics research methods: employing structural equation modeling to test for construct validity”, Journal of Business Logistics, Vol. 20 No. 1, pp. 33-57.
38. Gennard, J. and Kelly, J. (1997), “The unimportance of labels: the diffusion of the personnel/HRM function”, Industrial Relations Journal, Vol. 28 No. 1, pp. 27-42.
39. Goodwin, S.A., Purwar, P.C. and Rogers, M. (1985), “An experimental investigation of the communication effectiveness of interrogative versus declaration headlines for print advertisements”, Decision, October-December, pp. 163-70.
40. Gratton, L., Hope-Hailey, V., Stiles, P. and Truss, C. (1999), Strategic Human Resource Management: Corporate Rhetoric and Human Reality, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
41. Green, K.W., Cindy, W.H., Whitten, D. and Medlin, B. (2006), “The impact of strategic human resource management on firm performance and HR professionals’ work attitude and work performance”, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 17 No. 4, pp. 559-79.
42. Guest, D. (1987), “Human resource management and industrial relations”, Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 24 No. 5, pp. 503-21.
43. Hall, L. and Torrington, D. (1998), “Letting go or holding on? The devolution of operational personnel activities”, Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 8 No. 1, pp. 41-55.
44. Harris, L., Doughty, D. and Kirk, S. (2002), “The devolution ofHRresponsibilities-perspectives from the UK’s public sector”, Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 26 No. 5, pp. 218-29.
45. Hoogendoorn, J. and Brewster, C. (1992), “Human resource aspects: decentralization and devolution”, Personnel Review, Vol. 21 No. 1, pp. 4-11.
46. Hope-Hailey, V., Gratton, L., McGovern, P., Stiles, P. and Truss, C. (1997), “A chameleon function? HRM in the 1990s”, Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 7 No. 3, pp. 5-18.
47. Hu, L. and Bentler, P.M. (1999), “Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: conventional criteria versus new alternatives”, Structural Equation Modeling, Vol. 6 No. 1, pp. 1-55.
48. Huselid, M.A. and Becker, B.E. (2000), “Comment on ‘Measurement error in research on human resource and firm performance: how much error is there and how does it influence effect size estimates?’ by Gerhart, B., Wright, P.M., McMahan, G.C., and Snell, S.A.”, Personnel Psychology, Vol. 5 No. 4, pp. 835-54.
49. Jackson, S.E. and Schuler, R.S. (1999), “Understanding human resource management in the context of organizations and their environments”, in Schuler, R.S. and Jackson, S.E. (Eds), Strategic Human Resource Management, Blackwell, Oxford.
50. Jöreskog, K. and Sörbom, D. (2002), LISREL 8.53: User’s Reference Guide, Scientific Software International, Chicago, IL.
51. Kaplan, R.M. and Sacuzzo, D.P. (1993), Psychological Testing: Principles, Applications and Issues, Brooks Cole, Pacific Grove, CA.
52. Khatri, N. and Budhwar, P.S. (2002), “A study of strategic HR issues in an Asian context”, Personnel Review, Vol. 31 Nos 1/2, pp. 166-88.
53. Kydd, C.T. and Oppenheim, L. (1990), “Using human resource management to enhance competitiveness: lessons from four excellent companies”, Human Resource Management, Vol. 29 No. 2, pp. 145-66.
54. Legge, K. (1978), Power, Innovation, and Problem-solving in Personnel Management, McGraw-Hill, London.
55. Legge, K. (1995), Human Resource Management: Rhetorics and Realities, Macmillan, Chippenham.
56. McConville, T. (2006), “Devolved HRM responsibilities, middle-managers and role dissonance”, Personnel Review, Vol. 35 No. 6, pp. 637-53.
57. McConville, T. and Holden, L. (1999), “The filling in the sandwich: HRM and middle managers in the health sector”, Personnel Review, Vol. 28 Nos 5/6, pp. 406-24.
58. McCracken, M. and Wallace, M. (2000), “Exploring strategic maturity in HRD-rhetoric, aspiration or reality?”, Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 24 No. 8, pp. 425-67.
59. Malhotra, N.K. (2005), Marketing Research: An Applied Orientation, Pearson Education, New Delhi.
60. Medsker, G.J., Williams, L.J. and Holahan, P.J. (1994), “A review of current practices for evaluating causal models in organizational behavior and human resources management research”, Journal of Management, Vol. 20 No. 2, pp. 439-64.
61. Mentzer, J.T., Flint, D.J. and Kent, J.L. (1999), “Developing a logistics service quality scale”, Journal of Business Logistics, Vol. 20 No. 1, pp. 9-32.
62. Millward, N., Stevens, M., Smart, D. and Hawes, W.R. (1992), Workplace Industrial Relations in Transition, Dartmouth, Aldershot.
63. Nunnally, J.C. and Bernstein, I.H. (1994), Psychometric Theory, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.
64. Othman, R.B. (1996), “Strategic HRM: evidence from the Irish food industry”, Personnel Review, Vol. 25 No. 1, pp. 40-58.
65. Patton, J.R. (2003), “Intuition in decisions”, Management Decision, Vol. 41 No. 10, pp. 989-96.
66. Poole, M.J.F. (1976), “A power analysis of workplace labour relations”, Industrial Relations Journal, Vol. 7 No. 3, pp. 31-43.
67. Poole, M.J.F. and Jenkins, G. (1997), “Responsibilities for human resource management practices in the modern enterprise: evidence from Britain”, Personnel Review, Vol. 26 No. 5, pp. 333-56.
68. Powell, T.C. (1992), “Organization alignment as competitive advantage”, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 13, pp. 119-34.
69. Purcell, J. (1999), “Best practice and best fit: chimera or cul-de-sac”, Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 3 No. 9, pp. 26-41.
70. Renwick, D. (2000), “HR-line work relations: a review, pilot case and research agenda”, Employee Relations, Vol. 22 No. 2, pp. 179-205.
71. Renwick, D. (2003), “Line manager involvement in HRM: an inside view”, Employee Relations, Vol. 25 No. 3, pp. 262-80.
72. Schuler, R.S. (1992), “Strategic human resources management: linking the people with the strategic needs of the business”, Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 21 No. 1, pp. 18-32.
73. Schuler, R.S. and Huselid, M. (1997), “HR strategy in the United States-examples of key issues identification and execution”, in Tyson, S. (Ed.), The Practice of Human Resource Strategy, Pitman, London, pp. 174-203.
74. Schumacker, R.E. and Lomax, R.G. (2004), A Beginner’s Guide to Structural Equation Modeling, 2nd ed., Erlbaum, Mahwah, NJ.
75. Sheehan, C. (2005), “A model for HRM strategic integration”, Personnel Review, Vol. 34 No. 2, pp. 192-209.
76. Shin, H., Collier, D.A. and Wilson, D.D. (2000), “Supply management orientation and supplier/buyer performance”, Journal of Operations Management, Vol. 18 No. 3, pp. 317-33.
77. Sisson, K. and Storey, J. (2000), The Realities of Human Resource Management, Open University Press, Buckingham.
78. Steenkamp, B. and van Trijp, H. (1991), “The use of LISREL in validating marketing constructs”, International Journal of Research in Marketing, Vol. 8, pp. 283-99.
79. Storey, J. (1992), “The part played by senior and middle line managers in the management of human resources”, in Storey, J. (Ed.), Developments in the Management of Human Resources, Blackwell, Oxford.
80. Storey, J. (1995), “Human resource management: still marching on, or marching out?”, in Storey, J. (Ed.), Human Resource Management: A Critical Text, International Thomson Business Press, London, pp. 3-32.
81. Takeuchi, N., Wakabayashi, M. and Chen, Z. (2003), “The strategic HRM configuration for competitive advantage: evidence from Japanese firms in China and Taiwan”, Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Vol. 20, pp. 447-80.
82. Thornhill, A. and Saunders, M.N.K. (1998), “What if line managers don’t realize they’re responsible for HR?”, Personnel Review, Vol. 27 No. 6, pp. 460-76.
83. Tsui, A. and Milkovich, G. (1987), “Personnel department activities: constituency perspectives and preferences”, Personnel Psychology, Vol. 40, pp. 519-37.
84. Valverde, M., Ryan, G. and Soler, C. (2006), “Distributing HRM responsibilities: a classification of organizations”, Personnel Review, Vol. 35 No. 6, pp. 618-36.
85. Wan, D., Kok, V. and Ong, C.H. (2002), “Strategic human resource management and organizational performance in Singapore”, Compensation & Benefits Review, Vol. 34 No. 4, pp. 33-42.
86. Watson, S., Maxwell, G.A. and Farquharson, L. (2007), “Line managers’ views on adopting human resource roles: the case of Hilton (UK) hotels”, Employee Relations, Vol. 29 No. 1, pp. 30-49.
87. Whittaker, B. (1990), “All managers are HR managers”, HR Magazine, February, pp. 67-70.
88. Wood, S.J. (1995), “The four pillars of HRM: are they connected?”, Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 5 No. 5, pp. 49-59.
89. Yelkur, R., Chakrabarty, S. and Bandyopadhyay, S. (2006), “Ethnocentrism and buying intentions: does economic development matter?”, The Marketing Management Journal, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 26-37.