Dear Colleagues,
We invite you to contribute your research to our Virtual Special Issue and Call for papers in Personnel Review:
The virtual special issue by Chidozie Umeh, Dima Murtada, Eric Pezet, Nelarine Cornelius is published in the journal news of Personnel Review (PR) titled: Local engagement with global challenges: a geopolitics of HRM, which will be of interest to people in the areas of HRM and EDI in times of global challenges. https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/journal/pr/local-engagement-global-challenges-a-geopolitics-hrm-virtual-special-issue
The focus of the virtual special issue:
Over the last decade or so, global crisis in one form or the other has either been induced by or led to challenges, disruptions, and uncertainties in an increasingly unpredictable global environment. Many civil and regional wars continue unresolved. The SARS global epidemic of 2014, Zika epidemic of 2014-2015 and Ebola outbreak in sub-Saharan Africa in 2014-2016 are examples of major health challenges. The global financial crisis of 2007-2009, the European debt crisis in 2010, and the European 'migrant crisis' of 2015, are all noteworthy. Also, the global population is growing sharply and yet falling in some regions (United Nations, 2020) climate change, dwindling global resources, national security issues in many countries, growing inequalities, discriminations and social injustices (explicit and subtle) and the violation of human rights, remain (United Nations, 2020).
Most recently, trade wars, the rise of populism, and, more recently, systemic racism and racially motivated violence, as well as the global pandemic of 2020, are all clear and present challenges that have both local and international ramifications for organisations and the broader field of HRM. Organisations face the challenge of meeting the demands of turbulent and dynamic environments created by global crisis. These global events challenge the UN's main aim, to establish 'peace, equality and dignity on a healthy planet'.
For organisations, geopolitics is understood and tackled through a regional lens. Economic crises influences people management, performance management and employee rewards (Maley and Kramer, 2014). Terrorism has been explored in terms of how terrorism threats diminished performance outcomes at work (Haq et al., 2019). The need to use multiple HRM practices to respond to crises at different times remains an on-going challenge (Syed and Kramar, 2010; Holck, 2016) not least as crises can exert adverse effects on the HR function and HR outcomes. The point is that several factors may detract from HR strategic contribution during these challenging periods (Sheehan et al., 2016).
While global crisis has compelled some international organisations in the Global North and Global South to introduce innovative ways of working, many of these policies are rooted in 'WEIRD' (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic) countries and are primarily influenced by insights from these contexts and western socio-economic and managerial views of difference and fairness (Syed and Kramar, 2010; Pepple and Davies, 2019; Le et al., 2020). That is, more needs to be done through more context responsive HRM practices specifically in times of global crisis. A matter of concern is the absence of a practical HRM framework developed using relevant and applicable theory in a context-sensitive way to increase the effectiveness of HRM outcomes in global uncertainty (Maley & Kramer, 2014). The translation of national institutional requirements into local HR practices seems crucial for identifying and addressing changes in the institutional context, which may affect HR policy and practices (Pedrini, 2016). Indeed, the role of the HR manager, which informs organisational practices, is not merely a case of implementing policy frameworks or HRM roles but making active interpretations. Indeed, organisational HRM policies merit strong scrutiny in terms of their EDI impact especially during times of crisis, as there is evidence that disadvantaged groups fare badly during periods of national and global challenge as often, national social protection policies are weakened (Jansen and Von Uexkull, 2010).
The objective of this Virtual Special Issue is to collate research published in Personnel Review journal which explores how EDI and HRM policies and practices may achieve desirable employee and organisational outcomes in different contexts in times of global crises, and the importance of avoiding dilution of EDI policy.
Beyond this Virtual Special Issue, we welcome theoretical and empirical submissions which provide a nuanced understanding of within/between contextual insights regarding how employees are affected by work in different organisations and implications for managing human resources and diversity more broadly. Specifically, we are interested in studies which provide novel insights regarding employees lived experiences which highlight how HRM and EDI practices respond to crises in different ways. We also encourage submissions which analyse how employees react to organisational changes occasioned by crises and studies which examine the positive and negative implications of HRM and EDI practices for employees and organisations across time and space. Furthermore, submissions which investigate potential benefits and downsides of HRM and EDI practices in times of crises for organisationally-relevant outcomes in different contexts and novel ways of researching these insights and dynamics are also welcome.
The second is a call for papers for a Special Issue in Personnel Review titled: The Changing Role of Human Resource Management through Crisis: From Response to Recovery. This special issue will be of interest to those who want to understand how HRM practices are coping under the current global pandemic, but also more broadly during times of crisis. https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/journal/pr/changing-role-human-resource-management-through-crisis-response-recovery
Guest Editors:
Steve McKenna, Associate Professor of Management, Curtin University, stephen.mckenna@curtin.edu.au
Amy Wei Tian, Associate Professor of Human Resource Management, Curtin University, amy.tian@curtin.edu.au
Kantha Dayaram, Associate Professor Of Human Resource Management And Industrial Relations, Curtin University, Kantha.dayaram@curtin.edu.au
Jane Coffey, Senior Lecturer, Curtin University, jane.coffey@curtin.edu.au
Eileen Aitken-Fox, Lecturer, Curtin University, eileen.aitken-fox@curtin.edu.au
Scott Fitzgerald, Senior Lecturer and Discipline Lead (People, Culture and Organisations), Curtin University, S.Fitzgerald@curtin.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">S.Fitzgerald@curtin.edu.au
The focus of the Call for Papers
The breadth and scale of changes required by organizations when a global crisis strikes, such as COVID-19, are enormous. However, even though there has been some considerable study of aspects of HRM through crisis and recovery, this research is dispersed (Farndale, et al., 2019; Hutchins and Wang, 2008; Kim, 2020; Liou and Lin, 2008; Premeaux and Breaux, 2007; Varma, 2020; Wang. Et al., 2009; Wooten, 2008). Given that crisis events and situations appear to be increasing, it seems timely to develop our understanding of various aspects of the role of human resource management in crisis and recovery in a more focused manner.
Depending on the nature of any given crisis, organizations will need to move quickly to adjust and adapt in order to maintain continuity. In addition, they will need to think strategically about the implications of crisis for the process of recovery in the context of a changed environment. Human resource management will be a critical element in organizational continuity and recovery. There are likely to be changes to work and working practices, as well as changes to other elements of the human resource management system. This may require HR to develop and implement creative and agile practices and strategies to support employees and the organization and to prepare them for the process of recovery. Such changes may include the enhanced use of technology and technologically based solutions to work, more flexible working practices, new approaches to performance management and, changes to the overall employee experience.
The aim of this special issue is to develop a better understanding of the role of HR, broadly defined, in responding to crisis and organizational recovery. In particular, we are interested in whether the role of HR changes in crisis situations and how, specifically, does it support organizational continuity and recovery. We are also interested in investigations of these issues in different contexts: industries and sectors and, national institutional environments.
We are interested in submissions that are based on rich, qualitative research rather than incremental theory development: research which has engaged HR practitioners in dealing with crisis and recovery situations from which we might extract practical lessons about failure and success. We also welcome submissions that attempt to conceptualize the influence of HRM in crisis and recovery situations, particularly with reference to the employee experience.
Indicative list of anticipated themes/questions/topics.
1. Is HRM important in responding to crisis situations? When and how?
2. Does the employee experience change through crisis and recovery and how has HRM functioned to manage the employee experience in such situations?
3. How has HRM redesigned HR systems through crisis and recovery and, what has been the response of employees?
4. Has the relationship between HR and senior organizational leadership changed through crisis and recovery?
5. What has been the role of professional associations in supporting HR professionals' responses to crisis and recovery?
6. What differences exist in the way HR deals with crisis and recovery in cross-national contexts?
7. How has HR developed initiatives for managing mental health and well-being through crisis and recovery?
8. What HR issues are important the context of remote-working?
9. How has HR reacted in different sectors to crisis and recovery, for example, public, private, not-for-profit?
10. What has been the role of governments in informing HR strategies and actions through crisis and recovery?
11. How have changes to HR practices influenced organizational cultures?
12. Do crises have differential impacts on minorities and/or women as employees?
Deadlines and submissions
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Dr Chidozie Umeh
Queen Mary University of London
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