Human resource management, strategic involvement and e-HRM technology

Abstract

Associated with the emergence of internet-based human resource management technology is rhetoric predicting that such technological advances (electronic human resource management technology or e-HRM) will make HRM in organizations more strategic. Yet such a prediction is contested in the literature on the role of technology in organizations. Using a large survey data-set consisting of 5665 companies that are located in 32 different countries, we use non-recursive simultaneous equation models with instrumental variables to empirically evaluate competing theoretical perspectives in this literature. We find and show that strategic HR involvement and greater e-HRM capability are both directly and reciprocally related supporting both theoretical perspectives but also showing each is not mutually exclusive. We discuss the implication of these results for human resource management theory, practice and future research.

Keywords:

• e-HRM
• HR innovation
• human resource information systems
• socio-materiality
• strategic HRM
• technological determinism

Notes

1. SSC are characterized by electronic communications through an internet-based infrastructure that is combined with a call center, enabling the consolidation of corporate activities into fewer locations while spreading information to a broader audience. After automation and consolidation, it becomes easier to outsource these activities to a third party provider (see Beaman, 2004, 2007).