Abstract:
The continuing emergence of Asia as a critically important continent for the foreseeable future
has renewed interest in understanding theory and practice in this region. This special issue was
designed to shed light on human resource management (HRM) issues in this region, and to help
guide future research in and on this region. In this introductory article, we first analyze the
growth of HRM scholarship in Asia, by examining the research published over the last twenty-five
years. We then describe the genesis of this special issue, and summarize the key themes emerging
from the review articles in the issue. These include: psychological contract; work-life interface;
corporate social responsibility; multinational corporations and their subsidiaries; the challenges
of global talent management; convergence-divergence; state socialism to post-state socialism; and
incorporating the context. We further offer suggestions for future research by proposing critical
topics and emerging themes, including: employee voice; diversity and inclusion; employee well being and resilience; preparing and responding to crises; and green human resource manage ment. We conclude by offering theoretical perspectives and highlighting key recent developments
which are likely to impact future practice, and should be addressed by scholars
