Abstract:
As in many other disciplines, the research in Human Resource Management (HRM)
still majorly depends on scientific positivism. The reason for its extensive use is its
convenience of practice due to many advantages. Scientific positivism that uses
existing theory to develop hypothesis is based on objective social reality mainly
applying the quantitative approach. But it is timely to rethink whether it is always
useful and applicable, particularly for a subject like HRM, which always deals with
qualitative functions.
The objective reality represents the position that social entities exist in reality external
to social actions. But, can social entities always exist in reality external to social
actions, particularly in a subject like HRM? Are not the perceptions and consequent
actions of social actors important in the creation of HR phenomena? The direct answer
to this question is that the perceptions and consequent actions of social actors are
essential and inevitable in understanding any kind of HR function.
Therefore, the objective of this paper is to emphasize the importance of narrative
approach, which is based on the role of the narrator, telling stories on how
different functions in HRM go on with the past and present narrative experience.
Methodologically this is a conceptual paper constructed by reviewing various
literatures in the field. As the outcome, the paper attempts to highlight the significance
of narrative approach as an interpretive methodology to the HRM research,having a
basic lacuna of interpretive knowledge in Sri Lanka.
