International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management (11 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Generation Z Workers and Sexual Harassment  
  by Susan Stewart, H. Kristl Davison 
  Abstract: The focus of workplace policies and training workshops on the topic of sexual harassment has often been directed toward adult workers. However, the youngest members of the workforce, that is, members of Generation Z are increasingly finding themselves as victims of this behaviour. The purpose of this article is to (1) discuss the rights and responsibilities of Generation Z workers regarding sexual harassment, (2) share legal issues including recent court cases involving Generation Z workers, and (3) suggest ideas for future research and organisational actions to address this phenomenon.
  Keywords: sexual harassment; Generation Z; teenage workers; human resources; human resource development; HRD; human resource management; HRM; management.
  
  
• PREDICTORS OF ORGANISATIONAL EMBEDDEDNESS: AN INVESTIGATION INTO PERCEIVED ORGANISATIONAL SUPPORT AND ORGANISATIONAL TRUST  
  by Riann Singh 
  Abstract: Research supports the idea that organisational embeddedness is a valid indicator of turnover intentions. An assessment of the predictors of embeddedness, however, is under-explored. This study addresses the gap by proposing that perceptions of organisational support and trust predicts the three dimensions (links, fit, sacrifices) of organisational embeddedness. Organisational embeddedness, in turn, is expected to shape turnover intentions. A three-wave sample of 799 employees from the country of Trinidad was used to test the research propositions. The results of the study suggest that perceptions of organisational support and trust each predicts the development of embeddedness. The findings also suggest that embeddedness predicts turnover intent. The implications of the results are discussed. Limitations and future research directions are finally assessed.
  Keywords: organisational embeddedness; turnover intentions; perceived support; perceived trust; Trinidad.
  
  
• An Applied Requirement Simulation Model to Forecast the Needs of Nursing Services in the Malaysian Health Sector  
  by M. Raziff Ramli 
  Abstract: This paper aims to forecast the requirement of the nursing workforce for the next 15 years in Malaysia. Healthcare services act as the benchmark to estimate the requirement of the nursing workforce. The services were estimated based on 11 types of preventive care and 91 diseases, which was modelled in order to calculate the total services that would be required. System dynamic has been used as computer aid approach to simulate the insight of all the models. This model results in the total number of nursing service time required to meet the demand of the healthcare services in a population. The results would be discussed with the supply model for gap analysis. The implication of the results discussed in this paper would help the planning division in theMinistry of Health Malaysia in determining the right number of nurses that are required to meet the needs and to improve the health outcomes.
  Keywords: Needs; Nurse workforce; Health human resources planning; Policy analysis.
  
  
• Interviewing Peers: A Cross-Curriculum Project with HR and Communications Students  
  by Mark Grimes, Amber DeBaise 
  Abstract: Research is beginning to show that students get more out of a class when it includes practical hands-on projects that simulate real-world experiences, either through service learning or through other forms of experiential learning which take book concepts and compel the students to perform the learning in a simulation. This article was based on an experiential learning project in one School of Business Administration that had students from one HR course design jobs and then conduct hiring interviews for those jobs with students from another Communications course, and reviews the procedure and findings when the project was replicated over seven semesters. Following each interview, the interviewees provided feedback on the process and on the interviewers. At the conclusion of the semester, participants in the HR class provided feedback on the experience through standard course evaluations.
  Keywords: Interviewing; College Projects; Staffing; Communications; Cross-Curriculum; Experiential Learning; Real-world Projects; Human Resources.
  
  
• Revealing Deep Interaction Patterns of Team Learning Processes through Video-based Interactive Analysis  
  by Lei Xie, Michael Beyerlein, Soo Jeoung Han 
  Abstract: New tools provide new lenses for a better understanding of how learning occurs within the team setting. A better understanding of team learning will enable human resource development (HRD) professionals to more effectively develop an enhanced level of performance in the workplace. Since teams represent complex learning systems, traditional questionnaires that take a static snapshot of the reality and interviews that capture retrospective member memories fail to reflect the dynamics or the holistic nature of teamwork. Deeper patterns of the dynamics of team learning will provide the foundation for more generalizable theories. We argue that a better understanding of team learning in HRD will grow when scholars generate new models of team learning systems based on new ways of measuring team behavior that capture the complex interactions among members. In this paper, we propose that video-based interaction analysis can offer more opportunities. We discuss the current research methods issues, profile the current state of the scholarship of team learning, and recommended a new data collection/analysis approach: video-based interactive analysis (VIA).
  Keywords: video-based interactive analysis; team learning; human resource development.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJHRDM.2020.10037210
   
  
• HR Practices, Affective Commitment and Creative Task Performance: A Review and Futuristic Research Agenda  
  by Srinivas Subbarao Pasumarti, Manoj Kumar, Pooja K. Singh 
  Abstract: Knowledge driven dynamism and adaptability toward the change in present volatile and ambiguous business environment has become the prerequisite to achieve organizational success. Nowadays, organizations are striving to find out the best possible enucleation on how human resource (HR) practices can be linked to enhance employee commitment and performance outcomes for accomplishing predetermined goals. This study aims to review the linkages among HR practices, affective commitment and creative task performance. The present study conceptualizes a framework adjoining tri-dimensional (skill, motivation, empowerment) enhancing HR practices and explicates its significance in enabling employees affective commitment and creative task performance. Previous literature has been retraced to elucidate the proposed linkages and systematic review approach has been followed to prove the conceptual dimensions undertaken for the study. Present study findings are consistent with existing research and insinuates toward validation of proposed positive linkages. Managerial implications, limitations and future research suggestion have also been discussed.
  Keywords: Human Resource Management; HR Practices; Affective Commitment; Creative Task Performance; Sustainability; Growth; Organizational Success; Excellence.
  
  
• Lean Six Sigma Deployment in HR: Enhancing Business Performance  
  by Pankaj Madhani 
  Abstract: Organizations grow and flourish because of the capability and expertise of their human resources (HR). HR is the central focus of an organization, as it enhances the organizations performance. Six Sigma, Lean, and Lean Six Sigma (LSS) are process improvement methodologies widely used by organizations. LSS approach is based on the synergy of Lean and Six Sigma and hence, increases process throughput and accuracy. The research provides diverse case studies of successful LSS deployment in HR. The case studies highlight various benefits of LSS deployment in HR, such as enhancing quality and consistency in services, reducing employee attrition, enhancing training effectiveness, improving quality of recruitment, managing talent acquisition, and reducing overall costs. Research develops various LSS deployment frameworks and also provides direction for future research.
  Keywords: Lean; Six Sigma; Lean Six Sigma; Human Resources; HR; Business performance; HR Processes; Strategic HR.
  
  
• Human Resource Mobilisation and Management in Health Systems of Africa: a Comparative Study of Health Insurance Scheme and Health Facilities in Ghana  
  by Daniel Dramani Kipo-Sunyehzi 
  Abstract: This paper analyses the human resource mobilisation and management within the health systems of Africa. It specifically compares five health organisations in Ghana from the public-private sectors. It compares the health organisations similarities and differences in terms of how they mobilise and manage human resources (HRM practices) in the implementation of Ghanas health insurance scheme. It adds to comparative research on HRM practices and organisational culture with public-private perspectives in a developing world context. It makes a unique contribution in two ways: from public-private organisational perspectives and employees/workers and clients perspectives in terms of HR practices to improve workers skills, knowledge, and meet clients health needs for health services. A multi-actor research methodology was adopted with in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, on-site direct observations and extensive use of documents with a sample size of 107. This sample consists of 37 staff and 70 health insurance clients. The results reveal some ironies in public-private organisational behaviour, faith-based, profit-client oriented styles of HRM practices and how such factors affect clients access to services. Also, the results reveal that organisations with more bureaucracies, red tape and professionalism were least preferred as the clients experienced more waiting times than those with fewer procedures and steps.
  Keywords: Human resource; public-private organisations; health insurance clients; national health insurance scheme; Ghana.
  
  
• Work-Leisure Conflict and Facilitation: A Study Based on the JD-R Model  
  by Shih-Hao Liu, Jehn-Yih Wong, Tzu-Ching Lai, Chien-Chu Wang 
  Abstract: It is important to understand the interactions between an individuals work and leisure life domains. This study aimed to examine the relationship between work and leisure interaction (including work-to-leisure conflict, leisure-to-work conflict, work-to-leisure facilitation, and leisure-to-work facilitation) and the Job Demand-Resource model. A quantitative research design was also conducted. A questionnaire was used for data collection. A total of 473 valid responses were retained, and the effective response rate was 86%. Structured equation modelling was used for data analysis and hypothesis testing. The results indicate that job demand is positively related to work-to-leisure conflict and negatively related to work-to-leisure facilitation, and job resources are positively related to work-to-leisure facilitation and leisure-to-work facilitation but negatively related to work-to-leisure conflict and leisure-to-work conflict. Based on the findings, suggestions were provided to human resource managers.
  Keywords: work-to-leisure conflict; leisure-to-work conflict; work-to-leisure facilitation; leisure-to-work facilitation; job demand; job resource; job-demand-resource model; tourism industry; leisure industry; work characteristics.
  
  
• HR Training Practices and Innovative Work Behavior: A Moderated Mediation Model  
  by Carlo Odoardi, Nicola Cangialosi, Adalgisa Battistelli 
  Abstract: The present study aims to explore the relationship between HR training practices, proactivity, learning goal orientation and innovative behaviors in work contexts. It is hypothesized that proactivity plays a mediating role in the relationship between HR training practices and innovative behavior and that learning goal orientation positively interacts with training practices, increasing the strength of the association with proactivity and innovative behavior. Data was collected on a sample of 254 workers from 12 SMEs in central Italy. The results showed that HR training practices can facilitate innovative work behaviors partly through proactivity and that learning goal orientation moderates the relationship between HR training practices and innovative behaviors. Advancing from the existing studies, this article introduces a mechanism and a condition through which HR training practices influence innovative work behaviors, through the activation of proactivity processes and interacting with learning goal orientation.
  Keywords: HRM; Training Practices; Learning Goal Orientation; Proactivity; Innovative Work Behavior.
  
  
• Quality of Work Life: A Study of Multinational Corporations in Malaysia  
  by Yeng Wai Lau, Wand Chih Chung, Siew Imm Ng 
  Abstract: Believed to help improve productivity and commitment to the workplace, work-life balance and quality of work life are widely studied issues of interest. Much is still to be learned about how best to improve workplace wellness especially with the increasing need to work beyond office hours, not to mention family demands and other challenges in life. This study contributes by examining the extent to which supervisor support can enhance quality of work life at multinational corporations in Malaysia via a questionnaire survey. Results suggest that supervisor support enhances quality of work life, which in turn, motivates organizational commitment and improves quality of life. Such findings suggest the importance of educating supervisors, especially expatriates, of what constitutes supportive supervisor behaviour and essence of a satisfying experience at work that inspire organizational commitment and improve overall life satisfaction.
  Keywords: Quality of work life; organizational commitment; quality of life; work-life balance; multinational corporations; Malaysia.