Characterising human resources management practices in Portugal: an empirical analysis

Abstract

The importance of human resources as a fundamental channel towards the competitiveness and sustainability of firms is now theoretically unchallenged. This article provides an overall characterisation of the main human resources management (HRM) practices implemented in Portugal and compares them with the benchmark models proposed in the literature.

To evaluate the degree to which HRM practices diverge from these benchmark models, this article relies on the analysis of five criteria: i) How do the main HRM practices fit the existing management models (familiar, professional or mixed); ii) How does the HRM conform to a work organisation of the matricial type; iii) To identify whether the role of HRM is essentially administrative or strategic; iv) To identify where the responsibility for HRM lies within the firms operating in Portugal; and v) To characterise the relation between HRM and work organisation in Portugal.

Drawing on a representative sample of firms operating in Portugal, we identify three clusters that allow us to characterise and analyse the stylised HRM practices implemented in Portugal (network-based, familiar-based or bureaucratised). Results show contrasting management patterns, which can be interpreted as different stages of evolution in terms of HRM practices in Portugal.

Keywords:

• human resources practices
• Portugal
• strategic human resource
• work organisation

Notes

1. Source: Instituto Nacional de Estatística (National Statistical Institute) 1998. The classification of organisations in terms of small- and medium-size follows European definitions and directives.

2. The following Economic Activities are excluded from the sample: manufacture of coke, refined petroleum products and nuclear fuel; public administration and defence; compulsory social security; private households with employed persons; international and extra-territorial organisations and bodies. This is because organisations under these Industrial Classifications have underlying characteristics which do not fit the purpose of this study.

3. Firms reporting having another type of management model were so few that we chose not to include this category in the graph.

4. Regardless of the question or the nature of the variable, extreme answers such as ‘Never’ or ‘Always’ are seldom chosen.