Applying an expanded contingency perspective to assess the appropriateness of SHRM best practices.

摘要

This research attempts to address shortcomings in the field of strategic human resource management (SHRM) by bridging the best-fit and best practice perspectives. Specifically it is proposed that SHRM best practices deployed in context with organizational strategy, organizational culture and consistently with industrial norms will lead to improved human resource system performance, improved perceived market performance and improvements in organizational returns.; The study relied upon survey data collected from 112 organizations representing four industrial groups. Using hierarchical regression, the study found that HRM "best practices" are typically deployed in a specific cultural context and, that HRM practice fit, regarding culture, leads to improved perceived market performance.; These findings serve the field at multiple levels. Indications of contingent deployment of best practices help to explain the existence and richness of SHRM's competing perspectives. Our finding of contingent deployment of HRM best practices, and a benefit from this contextual deployment, provides evidence that typically only those organizations that can benefit from best practices deploy them. The implication of this statement is that prior literature taken to support the use of best practices may in fact be the result of contingent deployment. Additionally, SHRM "fit" was shown to act as a moderator rather than a direct effect on organizational performance. This finding is taken to explain the lack of grater support for the contingency perspective in previous literature as it repositions "proper" HRM as a necessary but in itself insufficient ingredient of organizational success.; The greatest benefit of this research is its unification of SHRM's competing perspectives into one framework. This research serves to consolidate the field's learnings and redirect future work such that it may continue to grow and to contribute to our knowledge.