Strategic human resource management and public sector performance: context matters

Abstract

Since the 1990s, there have been hundreds of conceptual and empirical articles investigating the relationship between Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) and performance. To this end, scholars have studied the role of the HR function, ‘fit’ between SHRM, and a range of contextual factors which include the external environment (market and institutions), internal structures and processes, and an organization’s administrative heritage. Empirical evidence convincingly demonstrates the added value of SHRM for organizational performance in terms of increased productivity, higher profitability, and lower employee turnover rates (Arthur, 1994; Combs, Liu, Hall, & Ketchen, 2006; Van De Voorde, Paauwe, & Van Veldhoven, 2010). However, almost without exception, SHRM research has relied on evidence from private sector organizations. Therefore, the aim of this special issue is to address this imbalance by considering SHRM in a public sector context (see Ongaro & Van Thiel, 2017).