Advancing understanding of HRM in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): critical questions and future prospects

Brian Harney · Mark W. Gilman · Susan E. Mayson · Simon O. Raby

105 citations0/0 files storedThe International Journal of Human Resource Management

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Human Resource and Talent Management Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior Global and Cross-Cultural Management

Abstract

A notable paradox of HRM research is that while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) form the dominant private sector employer across the globe, they remain dramatically underrepresented in scholarship. This is significant as there are a number of SME specific characteristics that shape HRM in this context, raising questions around the relevance and applicability of dominant understanding of HRM. In this paper we outline six such SME characteristics captured by the acronym RECIPE and outline their implications for HRM. We then introduce seven special issue papers which serve to advance understanding of HRM in SMEs. Drawing together key insights, we conclude by proposing a number of routes for future research and deeper contextualisation of HRM in SMEs. These include broadening the theoretical palette, challenging conventional assumptions, moving beyond an exclusive HPWS focus, incorporating employee perspectives, coupled with the need to cast a wider methodological net.

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References

2001Causation and Effectuation: Toward a Theoretical Shift from Economic Inevitability to Entrepreneurial Contingency 2003Managing Resources: Linking Unique Resources, Management, and Wealth Creation in Family Firms 2004Managing human resources in small organizations: What do we know?2012Walking the Tightrope: An Assessment of the Relationship between High-Performance Work Systems and Organizational Ambidexterity 2019OECD SME and Entrepreneurship Outlook 2019 2002Organizational Blueprints for Success in High-Tech Start-Ups: Lessons from the Stanford Project on Emerging Companies 2021The Resource-Based View, Resourcefulness, and Resource Management in Startup Firms: A Proposed Research Agenda 2013Human resource management and performance: Evidence from small and medium-sized firms

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2023The effect of ability, motivation and opportunity (AMO) on SMEs' innovation performance 2024Unlocking the relationship between ambidextrous leadership style and HRM practices in knowledge-intensive SMES 2024Sustainability in human resource management practices used by small and medium-sized enterprises: a systematic review 2024Enabling employee voice in small and medium enterprises: The role of trust and respect in the employment relationship

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