Applicability of Artificial Intelligence for the Functions of Human Resource Management in Apparel Industry, Sri Lanka

Abstract

As a result of the development of technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become more complex or else more sophisticated than ever before. Major reason behind this complexity could be the lack of proper guidelines and up-to-date empirical evidence in the extant literature to follow in using AI in different industrial segments for different perspectives. However, most of the countries tend to apply AI to make it comfortable in the work and, and especially to manage productive HRM processes. Hence, bridging the lacuna in the context and the literature, this study further investigates the applicability of AI for the functions of HRM in the apparel industry, Sri Lanka. The current qualitative study was carried-out as a cross-sectional field research in which primary data were gathered from a sample of 40 professionals selected from 10 apparel manufacturing companies at the convenience of the researchers, located at Katunayake Free Trade Zone. For the triangulation purpose to ensure the validity, observation of records, semi-structured telephone interviews and a self-develop descriptive questionnaire were used. It is found that, the professionals engage with AI in the apparel industry perceive it as self-learning device/s which could facilitate the administration, problem identification and decision making in HRM. Moreover, the appeal industry believes that AI could speed-up the processes in HRM and analyze a large volume of data which is an essential component of HRM in manufacturing. Thus, based on the findings, it is concluded that, AI could significantly improve the efficiency of the administrative part of HRM, not the whole function, in the apparel industry which will help to manage the cost of HRM. Further, the need of a sound legal and ethical framework to regulate the use of AI in HRM is emphasized. Accordingly, in the current study, some viable recommendations are given to be considered in the apparel industry.