Human resources management in Spain: is it possible to speak of a typical model?

Abstract

There is no shortage of literature studying the relationships between the various processes of human resources management, considered individually, and the strategy of the company. Nevertheless, studies that adopt a joint approach are scarce. In this study, working from the universalist, contingent and configurational perspectives, we seek to identify the possible existence of human resources management models and their links with the strategy of the company. Empirical analysis conducted with 130 industrial companies reveals three distinct models of human resources management but with behaviours independent of the strategies followed by the companies. At the same time we find, within each model, orientations of particular processes that are common among them and are thus characteristic of a universalist approach.

Keywords:

• Strategic human resource management
• empirical analysis
• Spanish case
• human resource management system

Acknowledgements

The order of authorship given is alphabetical. We should like to acknowledge support from Grant PB98-0328 from the Ministerio de Educación y Cultura and Grant SEJ-739 from Consejería de Educación y Ciencia de la Junta de Andalucía (Spain).