Strategic human resource management in European transition economies: building a conceptual model on the case of Slovenia

Abstract

The general SHRM models explain the link between HR and company performance; however, due to several specific internal and external factors, they have to be modified in order to be applied to companies in European transition economies (ETEs). By analysing the current state of HRM and the HR context in Slovenia, we develop a conceptual SHRM model for ETEs. The model introduces a new specification of the HR context, emphasizing HR facilitators, and an additional moderating construct the HR power, to have more explanatory power for studying the HR–company performance link in ETEs. The paper also addresses the importance of issues relating to the empirical validation of the model in ETEs and suggests ways to further develop SHRM in these countries.

Keywords:

• Human resource management
• conceptual model
• transition economies
• HR strategy
• performance
• Slovenia
• Central and Eastern Europe

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank the participants in the conference ‘New Models of Strategic HRM: An International Perspective’, Cornell University, 9–10 May 2003, for their valuable insights and comments on the earlier versions of the paper.