Gary C. McMahan

Theoretical Perspectives for Strategic Human Resource Management

Critics have argued that the field of human resource management (HRM) lacks a coherent theoreticalframework. This article attempts to further the theoretical development of SHRM through discussing six theoretical models (behavioral perspective, cybernetic models, agencyltransaction cost theory, resource-based view of the firm, power/resource dependence models, and institutional theory) that are usefulfor understanding both strategic and non-strategic determinants of HR practices. Finally, the implications of a stronger theoretical approach to SHRM research and practice are discussed.

Human resources and sustained competitive advantage: a resource-based perspective

This paper integrates the theories and findings of micro-level organizational behaviour/human resource management research with the macrolevel resource-based view of the firm, specifically presenting a firms human resources as an important potential source of sustained competitive advantage. Unlike practice-oriented discussions that assume the role of human resources as a source of sustained competitive advantage, we use the theoretical concepts from the resource-based view of the firm (Wernerfelt, 1984; Barney, 1991) to discuss how human resources meet the criteria for sustained competitive advantage in that they are valuable, rare, inimitable and non-substitutable. The implications for developing human resources as a source of sustained competitive advantage are discussed, particularly examining the role of HR practices and managers in this process.

The role of human resource practices in petro-chemical refinery performance

This study examined the impact of human resource (HR) practices (selection, training, compensation and appraisal) and participation on the financial performance of US petro-chemical refineries. Survey results from HR and operations respondents indicated that appraisal and training were significantly related to workforce skills and that training and compensation were marginally related to workforce motivation. In addition, only training was significantly related to refinery performance, although the relationship was negative. However, selection, compensation and appraisal interacted with participation in determining refinery financial performance such that each of these practices was strongly positively related to financial performance only under highly participative systems. Implications are discussed.

Productivity and extra-role behavior: The effects of goals and incentives on spontaneous helping.

This study examined the effects of goals and monetary incentives on performance and extra-role behavior. 154 Ss worked on an order-processing task for 20 min under easy, moderate, or difficult goals and were paid either a flat rate or a bonus for goal attainment. During the experimental task, a confederate co-worker attempted to elicit help from the S. Results indicated that goals were positively related to performance, that goals were negatively related to extrarole behavior among individuals committed to the goals, and that the lowest extra-role behavior was observed among Ss assigned difficult goals and paid on the basis of goal attainment. Implications are discussed

P=f(M X A): Cognitive Ability as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Personality and Job Performance

This study tested the validity of the use of personality tests with aptitude tests as predictors of performance for 203 warehousers using an interactive model. Results indicated cognitive ability explained a significant 2% of the variance in performance, with the interaction between cognitive ability and personality explaining a significant incremental 9% of the variance in performance. These results indicate a need to expand our models of the relationship between personality characteristics and job performance.

Strategic human resource management: Employee involvement, diversity, and international issues

Abstract The new millennium will necessitate many changes in organizations and therefore in the issues we study. The field of strategic human resource management has certainly come to an evolutionary crossroads. It has evolved quite rapidly during the past decade, growing from early definitional and theoretical beginnings to the current state of an accumulation of empirical work exploring the fit among human resources practices, strategy, and performance. We attempt to stretch the boundaries of how we define and research strategic human resource management, by introducing three arenas for inquiry that may serve as a springboard or starting point for provocative and controversial discussion which may influence both the theoretical and empirical progress in the field. We focus on Employee Involvement, Diversity, and Strategic International Human Resource Management as presenting important challenges for current researchers and future scholars.

Fairness in human resource management, social exchange relationships, and citizenship behavior: testing linkages of the target similarity model among nurses in the United States

The current study tests key linkages of the target similarity model by examining relationships among multifoci justice, social exchange, and supervisor ratings of employee citizenship behavior. We found support for the model when examining three different workplace targets simultaneously (i.e., the organization as a whole, supervisors, and workgroup members) using a sample of hospital nurses in the United States. Specifically, we found that: (1) employee perceptions of workgroup fairness, supervisor fairness, and organizational fairness differentially and positively predicted perceived workgroup support (PGS), perceived supervisor support (PSS), and perceived organizational support (POS), respectively and (2) PGS, PSS, and POS differentially and positively predicted citizenship behavior toward the workgroup, toward the supervisor, and toward the organization, respectively. Theoretical and practical implications for the strategic management of human resources are discussed, as are limitations of the study and suggestions for future research.

The Current Practice of Organization Development within the Firm: A Survey of Large Industrial Corporations

The 500 largest industrial firms in the United States were surveyed with regard to their internal organization development (OD) activities. Usable data were obtained from 110 of these organizations, including 61 of the largest 200 firms. Survey results are presented and implications of these results are discussed.

An international comparison of organization development practices The USA and Hong Kong

Compares the results of surveys of organizational development (OD) practices among major firms in the United States and Hong Kong. Despite obvious cultural differences between the two countries, OD practices were more similar than different. Discusses implications for OD research in international settings and global OD practices.

The Diagnosis of Work Group Norms: Practical Implications for Change

Behaviour resulting from work group normative processes can be examined and changed to increase the productivity of an organisation. A model for exploring the process of work group norm diagnosis that can be used by organisational consultants is developed. Examples of its use are also presented.